Dexter - Take It!, S05E08

While I am enjoying this season, some of the errors in storyline and possibility (as opposed to probability) are getting excessive. I mean, every show requires some willing suspension of disbelief, but for Dexter, we already give a lot just based on the small risks he takes that never result in him getting caught. Big ones are completely unnecessary, and I can only hope the writers will take the one in this episode into account.

So Dexter (Michael C Hall) pursues his victims, sometimes meeting up with them before hand in public areas like a cafe or a restaurant, and only in the case of the Trinity Killer, with his massive involvement as Kyle Butler, did any of his pseudonyms come up in a case. Granted, there are no bodies and most of the victims are scum, but the idea that no one has ever IDed him before is a little incredible. Lets also point out that it is strange that an intelligent detective like Quinn (Desmond Harrington) couldn't imagine that Kyle Butler might be recognized by anyone outside the Miller family, like another volunteer on those construction sights?

I digress. There are many small points of contention which we choose to ignore, but now there are big ones which don't actually make any sense. It started 2 episodes ago. Yes, the ending was quite humorous, and we can all imagine Mazuka (C.S. Lee) truly believing that it was a sex crime, but the events in no way explained how Dan the Dentist got shot and lost too much blood in a warehouse before ending up with his neck broken tied up in another building, or how the man who allegedly shot him then broke his neck managed to strangle himself for sexual gratification all at the same time. Not possible guys. Not possible.

This episode, things were worse. Dexter rented out a hotel room beside his intended victim, using what name, I cannot guess. That might not seem so bad, only both the victim and his boss knew who Dexter was, and it is a matter of public record that he was at this convention where the victim was last seen. So Dexter is known to have been at the last known location of a soon-to-be missing person. Danger, I say. Will no one know that he was staying in that hotel room?

The fact that that missing person broke down the door between his own room and Dexter's is the critical detail. Unless Dexter had the power tools to fix up the busted down door, which we did not see him have or do, then there is an obvious violent confrontation between the missing man and the person in the next room. What cop worth his salt would not investigate such a thing? There is no way Dexter's involvement would go unquestioned, regardless of whether or not the dirty cop Quinn sent after Dexter saw anything being tossed into the lake.

So, while I do enjoy this season, the stretching of the storyline beyond the realm of the possible or the believable is beginning to annoy. Do you feel the same way?

The Walking Dead - Guts, S01E02

Compassion. When the world has gone to Hell, and the dead are coming back to life to try and eat us, survival becomes the primary focus. We must continue to live, not as individuals, but as a species. The good of the whole becomes so much more important than the good of one man, but to be human, truly human, means that we still value each and every one of those individuals. Even those who are now are enemy were once our friends, and we cannot forget that, or there is no point in us surviving.

Rick (Andrew Lincoln) is a good, compassionate, and loving man. Yes, he ended up chopping up the corpse of a zombie so that he could cover himself and his new friend, Glenn (Steven Yeun), in the rotting guts and cover the smell of living meat, but before he could compel himself to dismember the body of what was once a man, he had to give tribute. Reading the information on the wallet, knowing who the man was before he died, and that he was loved and that his memory should be treasured, these are things which allow us to believe that we, as a species, actually deserve to survive an apocalypse it is likely we brought on ourselves.

But the need to survive sometimes has to overrule compassion. Merle (Michael Rooker) is clearly quite insane. His hatred of black people has clearly not been stopped by the presence of zombies, his desire to keep the whole safe does not even feature. And yet, when T-Dog (IronE Singleton) dropped the key to the handcuffs Rick had put on Merle to protect the group, and Merle was left behind, with only a locked door between him and zombies, T-Dog certainly felt a whole lot of guilt for leaving the man behind. Should he have? Would staying behind himself have saved Merle? Would both their deaths have been worth anything? And if Merle had survived, what could his contributions be, if not to bring more danger to the other survivors.

In the encampment, Shane (Jon Bernthal) seems to be a real ass, and yet he is truly focused on the goal of keeping his group alive. No unnecessary risks, no trying to help those who cannot be helped. He may seem heartless, and perhaps he is, but those who are with him are far more likely to survive because of his vigilance and his refusal to compromise safety for anything and anyone. We'll see how he behaves when Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) is the one who is in unknown danger, but, much as I am compelled to dislike him, I cannot blame him for his attitude.

And it looks like Rick will soon be reunited with his wife and son, as well as his former partner. How the drama of that will play out when there are zombies who might interrupt any moment, I cannot say, but I can't wait to find out.

Dexter - Circle Us, S05E07

And suddenly Dexter (Michael C Hall)'s world crashes right back into that of the rest of the officers at the precinct. Again, I love the fact that the Santa Muerte case remains a separate affair, the development of which was pretty intense this episode, so the fact that it is Dexter`s extracurricular that has become a joint effort makes me pretty happy. I'm also quite liking the development of Dexter`s friendship with Lumen (Julia Stiles).

The Santa Muerte case has been a PR nightmare from the beginning, and the latest development has not improved things at all. Did Maria (Lauren Velez) make a bad call in sending Officer Manzon (April Hernandez) to the Fuentes brothers' table? It is hard to say - the results certainly were devastating, with the informant and another bystander ending up dead, although Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) got to accomplish what she should have in her last encounter with the murderers. One of the brothers is dead, the woman he was threatening safe. Would things have gone better had that brother not asked Manzon to join him, tried to feel her up, and discovered her gun? Was the potential of its discovery a negligible risk that did not pan out, or did Maria not consider it a potential danger? I would say Manzon's reaction time from the moment she was discovered was too slow. We'll see how that develops, and, remember, there is one brother still out there.

On the other side of things, we finally got to meet Jordan "Take It Now" Chase (Johnny Lee Miller). His security guard is one of the men who hurt Lumen, and he is obviously equally connected to the crime. When a man panics, he makes mistakes. Moving the bodies of the women was never a good idea, but being hit by a drunk driver and having the bodies strewn across the highway is one of the worse possible outcomes. Lucky for them Dexter is coming to claim them, and therefore he will help them avoid being arrested by the police. Good thing Dexter doesn't care about PR; his kills continually hurt his precincts' track record.

Now, there are a lot of comparisons between Lumen's relationship with Dexter and Miguel's in season 3. Both of these people have been allowed into his life, have been told of his secrets. The big difference is that Miguel's desire for Dexter's skill came from a dark place he created inside himself, whereas the darkness in Lumen was imposed by the men she seeks to kill. Unlike both the men, she is obviously damaged and does not pretend to hide what she has become. She also has a brightness which is neither an act, nor believed to be an act (in Dexter's case, since he would never actually be able to believe that he had a positive side). I can only hope that by the end of the season, Lumen will be healed, will not resent Dexter for who he will continue to be, and will not hurt him when she inevitably has to move on.

So the race is on, will Dexter be able to kill everyone he intends to without his own colleagues catching them first, or without them catching him?

The Walking Dead - Days Gone Bye, Pilot, S01E01

Of all the scary monsters that exist in supernatural stories, the modern zombie is, in fact, the most possible. Although the notion of a disease which brings dead tissue back to life, and renders it ravenous for human flesh, is quite far fetched, when compared to vampires, werewolves, and magic-users, the possibility becomes far more probable. And so we have a hero, walking up after being unconscious for more than a month, who finds the world completely changed and zombies a part of every day existence.

Although I knew that the lead character was not going to die in the pilot episode, this did not stop me from constantly being on edge as I watched him discover a new and terrifying world, or, worse, whenever he encountered a walker (as the dead who come back are called). This show is extremely creepy, and the details are both disgusting and disturbing.

Within the first few minutes, after watching a scene which clearly would take place in the future, we learned quite a few things. 1. Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), our hero, is a cop. Or at least, he was before the zombie apocalypse hit. 2. Finding campsites which are abandoned and have a fair number of corpses about them is something he has become quite used to seeing. 3. The walkers retain some sense of instinct from their previous lives (the little dead girl picked up a stuffed bear). 4. The dead want to attack the living with a terrifying intensity. 5. A shot to the head will, indeed, bring them down.

And then the actually story starts. The quick conversation between Rick and his partner, Shane, did an excellent job of establishing what their mundane, every day lives were. We never saw Rich with his family, never even saw the two men off the job, but we had a sense of who they were as friends to each other and as lovers to their women. We also quickly understood their attack style: Rick was not afraid to take point, and when he went down, getting shot in his bullet proof vest, his main concern was that his wife never know the danger he was in.

Because of Shane's concern for his friend and because of Rick's concern for his wife, both had their guards down which allowed one of the criminals to get a shot past the vest.

As someone who has never read the Walking Dead graphic novel series upon which the show is based, the thing I am most curious about is how long it will take Rick to find his family again. Shane, apparently, managed to get Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) and her and Rick's son away from the more infected areas, but he also seems to have gotten into Lori's pants. I suppose you can hardly blame her, given the stress she is currently under, nor the difficulties she and Rick were having in their marriage. I, however, dislike seeing her with another man when I know that Rick is doing everything in his power to get to her.

I don't want Shane and Lori to get so close that her choice is too complicated.

As for the grossness factor, man, are the blood and guts gross or what? It's absolutely stunning in its vividness, but I could do with a little less. I don't actually want less, as I think that would detract from the point, but I don't always need to be quite so grossed out. Also, it is not something I am planning on watching alone because I definitely feel the need to cling on to someone who ought to be protecting me from the horrors I am seeing on the screen.

I am hooked, there is no doubt about that. And I have no concerns about getting to see as much as I want as AMC has already greenlit the second season of the show. The Walking Dead is going to have a long life (hehehe, I made a pun).

Dexter - Everything is Illuminated, S05E06

Two clear and concise plot lines with just enough crossover to feel cohesive is making for an excellent season of Dexter. I continue to enjoy Dexter (Michael C Hall)'s lack of involvement with the Santa Muerte murders, while his relationship with Lumen (Julia Stiles) appears to be providing him with exactly what he needs to heal.

Yes, he is very frustrated with the damaged girl's attempts to make herself feel better - she is a mind coming undone, but with a focus similar to his, she could make it through. I am glad that by the end of the episode Dexter agreed to help her out, conceivable preventing himself from getting into more danger because of the trouble she has been causing, but also because it gives him a mission. He cannot save Rita, or avenge her. Her killer is already dead, and at his own hands although he did not know it at the time. But perhaps killing someone specifically to help another individual will accomplish what he needs.

Meanwhile, Masuka (C.S. Lee) has been killing me. Watching him describe the crazy sex antics which led to the deaths of two people Dexter actually killed was almost as funny as when we got to see his dragon tattoo an episode or two back. I laughed for the entire scene and had to rewind and watch it a second time so that I could find out what was actually going on in it.

Finally, I was actually happy with the Angel (David Zayas)/Maria (Lauren Velez) developments. Bringing in a lady who might lead to the capture of two serial murders is definitely a step up from a puppy. Not only is Angel finally redeeming himself before his wife, he is also reminding us that he is a capable cop. I'd almost forgotten that. Plus, Quinn (Desmond Harrington) and Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) are a couple!!! When Deb asked him to tell her that the relationship wouldn't end badly...well what relationship of Deb's ever has. I suppose when she broke up with Anton, that wasn't so bad, but she clearly didn't have deep and true feelings for him. I just hope that Quinn doesn't break her heart because he is convinced Dexter isn't the stand up guy everyone else believes he is. It's probably a really good thing that Doakes and Quinn were never at the precinct together, or else Dexter would have had a really hard time of things.

Can't wait to see the second half of the season.

Dexter - First Blood, S05E05

Alright, so the cast that the precinct is pursuing is actually moving forward, while Dexter (Michael C Hall)'s personal quest remains both unclear and centered around Lumen Pierce (Julia Stiles). Sure, I continue not to be impressed with the Angel (David Zayas)/Maria (Lauren Valez) story arc. I am never a fan of relationship drama - I'd much rather see the complications of a couple getting together, like Quinn (Desmond Harrington) and Deb (Jennifer Carpenter).

Quinn is such an interesting character. First of all, he's hot (and I've thought so of Harrington since I saw him in Taken). And then you have the interesting balance of this likable guy, who clearly cares a great deal about Deb, both as his partner and as a woman, with a complete jerk. Okay, so he's right that there is something wrong with Dexter, but the way he's been going after him, especially when he's got Deb in the middle, it just extreme. Plus, there's the side of him that's a dirty cop, taking money from crime scenes, not reporting his CIs, and bribing other cops into doing his dirty work. When he told Deb he wasn't good for her, he was telling the truth, but how bad can he really be if he is warning her off? As a lady who has always had a thing for the redeemable bad boy, I choose to believe that Quinn will in fact be good for Deb, regardless of the tensions between him and Dexter.

Again, I want to praise the plotline about the serial killers from Venezuela. The discovery of the advancement of their style and technique is terrific fodder for development. I also continue to love watching Deb with an excitable and positive young cop because it is so endlessly amusing to see her so cynical with someone who has not yet reached that point. I also like the fact that for once Dexter is not trying to kill the main suspect of the murders his people are investigating. Sure, that might change before the season is over, but for now I am enjoying the idea that the cops might actually catch their suspects.

As for Lumen and Dexter, well, again it's hard to say where that's going. Dexter has developed a saviour complex after the death of his wife, and Lumen is a perfect target for his own release. Sure, he wants to help her and kill her assailants - as long as they are guilty. And that segment with him and Harry (James Remar) where he nagged himself into recognizing the impossibility of the sex offenders guilt, well that was just a beautiful moment of watching Dexter's disconnect with reality.

And now that Lumen has again refused to leave Miami, but Dexter believes that she has, there are even more possibilities for future outcomes.

Dexter - Beauty and the Beast, S05E04

So lets talk about Julia Stiles, who is portraying Lumen Ann Pierce. Now, I recall one of my prominent drama professors say these words about her: "Whoever told Julia Stiles she could act?" And I can't say that I've ever disagreed on this point. But as a completely messed up kidnapping victim, she's doing okay.

Alright, so we had to have a woman who was, in her own way, as messed up as Dexter (Michael C Hall) because otherwise the bond of trust between them would not be believable. But this does have a ring of Season 3 to it, where Dexter is trusting his secret to someone who is equally insane and who will probably expect his help in the murders she herself is planning. The difference is that her murders are far more justified that those of Miguel, but it's not going in the best direction.

On the other hand, I love the change between Harry (James Remar) and Dexter. Remar is hardly given credit for his role. As a part of Dexter's subconscious and his multiple personalities, Harry isn't his own character, and so becomes a benefit to Hall's performance. The two play so well off each other, and in the past, Harry has been the side of Dexter's personality which most resembled us. He is the logic, the one who understands the rest of the world, or at least he was. In Season 5, with his prompting of Dexter to get rid of the girl to preserve the First Rule, never get caught, we side with Dexter who claims his First Rule as never hurt an innocent. Between his accidental murder of an innocent man last year and the horrible murder of his wife, innocence has taken on a position of importance above and beyond anything else in his code. Even if Lumen promised up and down that she would escape and inform on him to the police, he still could not kill her.

And as Dexter continues dealing with the aftermath of his latest killing, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) continues to have major issues over her feelings of inadequacy as a cop. Again, I love that she is turning to Quinn (Desmond Harrington). I can't help but believe that what he would love more than anything else is to be with her, to care for her and love her. Too bad that doesn't work with his belief that there is something very wrong with Dexter. It makes the relationship very interesting for the same reason I find this season interesting. I have no idea where it is going. And I am very much enjoying that feeling because, while the show is not being predictable, I firmly believe that it has a solid direction and is following it carefully.

Dexter - Practically Perfect, S05E03

And finally I feel as though the season has been launched. Of course, I could be wrong, but the direction appears clear, and while we are back to two main plot lines, we have forward momentum and little confusion.

On the one hand, we have the cases of the detectives of the precinct, and on the other, Dexter Morgan (Michael C Hall). It would be nice if those two things came together - and naturally we do have the crossover of Quinn (Desmond Harrington)'s vendetta against Dex - but for the present the decapitations have little to do with the animal clean-up expert or the young lady he was holding hostage.

I'm enjoying Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) a whole lot this season. I have always found her foul mouth highly entertaining, but between watching her interact with an enthusiastic uniformed cop who is not so different from the Deb we met at the beginning of season 1 and watching her fend off the advances of Quinn who can't seem to shake his desire to bed her again, she is my favourite character this season. I LOVED her nanny interviews at the beginning of the episode. Her expectations and terrifying questions made it near impossible to not trust the nanny that she and Dexter ended up picking.

Watching Dexter, on the other hand, isn't entertaining. It's too heart wrenching. Even while he was chasing his victim around and got shot in the chest with a tranquilizer, I wasn't really laughing because I'm still too upset over the effect Rita's death has had on him. When he finally got his kill, his dissatisfaction was equally dissatisfactory to me. What it led to - a still living victim who had witnessed his crime - will lead him to a problem far more complicated and far less easy to let take care of itself than he had when Doakes was on his trail. And when you add Quinn's hunt and the mysterious trail to locate Kyle Butler to the mix, I can't help but feel that getting over Rita's death is one of many major difficulties in his life.

But as long as the plots remain cohesive and tight, bring on the complications.

Dexter - Hello, Bandit, S05E02

At present, we are without a clear and obvious plot for Season 5. Yes, Dexter (Michael C. Hall) is currently on the trail of another serial killer whom he plans on eliminating (and I have to wonder just how many serial killers there are in Miami for him to so constantly have his pick of them), and there is the question of the whereabouts of Arthur Miller and Kyle Butler, but will those carry us through the season? And what about the latest set of murders being investigated by the precinct? I am concerned about the directionlessness - it reminds me of the multiple arcs of Season 3, which was the show's worst season. So far, however, I remain excited and interested by what is going to happen next.

As always, the side plots are either really exciting or very annoying. Maria (Lauren Valez) and Angel (David Zayas) are only just married and already they are having major conflicts. Not over minor disagreements but over the sorts of things they really ought to have discussed before they go married. Besides which, I'm unimpressed with Maria's response to Angel's questions about her money. Sure, it is hers, and there is no reason that she needs to be sharing it with him now (although, if that's how she feels, why didn't they sign a prenup?), but when they get to be 80 walking together down the beach hand in hand, is she going to have him living in poverty while she is secure? I really don't see the point of that tension.

On the other hand, I am loving Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) and Quinn (Desmond Harrington). Deb's continual issues with men, her turning to her partner when she needed physical comfort, and her refusal to admit that any of it happened never cease to entertain. Plus, Quinn's desire to act so supportive and caring towards her makes him seem like an ideal boyfriend, even though he's got plenty of his own issues. We don't need to get into the tension that would exist in their relationship if Dexter were ever accused of a crime. Quinn would be only too ready to believe it, while I don't think Deb would accept what she was seeing even if she stumbled into the middle of one of his executions.

The focus, of course, has to be on Dexter. How he is coping with the loss of Rita and the distance between himself and his children makes complete sense with all the character development until now. I love that he wants to be on the hunt, wants to continue to find peace and purpose in killing other serial killers, but that somehow he is no longer entirely fulfilled by the practice. Hopefully this won't result in more random murders (although who would have missed his irritating neighbour?).

What I want is for next episode to pick up and give me a clearer sense of where this season is going. Dexter is such an excellent show and I am delighted to have found the time to watch an episode; I hope it continues to be worth my time.

Glee - Britney/Brittany, S02E02

Oh Glee...why do I keep watching you when you don't ever impress me? The singing is always great, even if the video footage accompanying it is sometimes a little weird, and I do, actually, like Britney Spears' music. Plus, some of the lines, particularly Brittany (Heather Morris)'s, are very hilarious. But musical talent and a couple funny lines do not make a show great, and neither do little additions which are an attempt to give the show more of a purpose.

I really don't care about Will (Matthew Morrison). When I started typing that sentence, I was going to say that I didn't care about Will's relationship, or lack there of, with Emma (Jayma Mays), particularly as I really like her with her dentist boyfriend. Who doesn't like John Stamos? And then I realized that I don't want to know anything about Will's life. And why the hell does he get to act the way he does with his Glee kids? I realize that Matthew Morrison is hardly older than some of them, and they are all peers in real life, but the teacher-student relationships he has going on show a severe lack of judgment on his part which is actually just as bad as Sue (Jane Lynch)'s.

And do I need to get into how weird that assembly got? Why was there a sex riot? Why wasn't Sue, an Emmy winning character, better used? Why have Rachel (Lea Michele) and Quinn (Dianna Agron) taken back seats? When is this show going to have a more interesting, relevant, and involving plot that the fact that if Glee does not win at any and all competitions, the club will be disbanded? Why can't this show hire some competent writers to give it a through line?

I know there are a lot of fans of the show out there, so my question is, am I wrong?????

Chuck - Chuck vs The Suitcase, S04E02

Why is Chuck one of the greatest, if not the greatest, show on TV? What other show gives you approx 43 minutes of hilarious quality nerd humour? What other show has a kickass chick fight on a catwalk over a dress which has super secret spy computer chips embedded in the sequins? What other show has The Man Your Man Could Smell Like as a guest star?

Okay, so Chuck (Zachary Levi) and Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) are still having some relationship issues. I'd say they are perfectly normal, but I've never dated a spy, so I really can't tell you how I'd feel about having someone else's suitcase constantly sitting in my closet but never getting unpacked. Frankly, as far as issues go, it's really not that big a deal. Never wanting to get married or have children, on the other hand, could be a problem if that is what your partner wants. I can only hope that the look of panic on Sarah's face as the episode ended was meant as one final laugh rather than the beginning of a development they aren't ready for yet anyway, and I don't particularly want to watch.

I do want to see more episodes of Chuck and Sarah working together as spies. I absolutely love that Chuck is developing his own bits (like the sleeping-drug gloves). He is getting suave...except for when he accidentally grabbed the hot enemy spy chick's ass.

Now, what, you ask, was the best part of the episode? Was it that Casey (Adam Baldwin) was not allowed to go on the mission because it took place during fashion week and he was forever banned from being near the runway for having stabbed someone with a stiletto? Was it that his relationship with his daughter is now starting to develop again? Was it that Lester (Vik Sahay) and Jeff (Scott Krinsky) are now back at the Buy More, preventing it from becoming an obvious CIA base of operations? No, it was when Morgan told Greta #2 (Isaiah Mustafa - The Man My Man Does Smell Like) that he was an impressive physical specimen.

Or maybe it was the chick fight. Opinions?

No Ordinary Family - Pilot, S01E01

Well, that was the worst premiere I've seen in a long time. I'm actually surprised that I didn't turn it off out of boredom. It wasn't exciting, it wasn't interesting, and it wasn't good television.

The premise is good: Superhero family. Who wouldn't be into that? I like superheroes. But the meandering and unfocused storyline told from the perspective of parents in couple's therapy didn't grab my attention at all. I could not care about these characters. They are supposed to be ordinary people with extraordinary powers, but that doesn't means they are supposed to be uninteresting people who discover their powers in odd, but common circumstances, and then explore them by being ridiculous.

I suppose I could say, in the shows favour, that I can imagine some schmucks responding to gaining superpowers in this way. "I'm going to try and get myself shot and experiment by trying dangerous tasks while my best friend watches." Great idea. And the friends creating secret lairs because they think it is cool, or coming up with epic descriptions of the abilities...again, this may well happen in reality if gaining superpowers was truly possible. But watching this normal behaviour was extraordinarily tedious. There is a reason that television tells stories about anything other than common and ordinary life stories. Giving uninteresting people superpowers will not make them interesting.

So it was boring, and pretty predictable, and possibly okay for younger audiences up until the lead got shot in the back of the head with a large caliber bullet. I don't know who is watching this thing, but it is not me, and I am telling you that it should not be you either.

Castle - He's Dead, She's Dead, S03E02

Richard Edgar Castle (Nathan Fillion) wants to believe. He loves unexplained phenomena, and the possibility of the supernatural actually existing - whether mummy curses or psychic powers - gets his pulse beating just as quickly as any of his convoluted conspiracy theories. Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) is far more interested in catching killers then getting caught up in Castle's excitement over the extremely improbable. Still, she can't help admiring his enthusiasm, and we can't help admiring how awesome that makes their dynamic.

I'd say there a few things more disturbing than finding your mother murdered with an ice pick and stuffed in a pull-out couch, but I'm sure shows like Castle could prove me wrong in a matter of episodes. Still, when she is a psychic, and her daughter has some of those powers, but neither of them saw it coming clearly enough to stop it, that has got to be upsetting. Good thing Momma had the foresight to send the cops a letter predicting her death and leaving some rather interesting clues.

I've always liked the idea of psychics and the supernatural; obviously, as half the shows I watch are in that genre. Still, the ability to believe it could actually exist in this world...I side with Beckett. Until I see some real evidence, I'll continue to believe that Patrick Jane from the Mentalist is what a good psychic really is. I'm pretty glad that, in this show which is supposed to take place in the real world, the cops don't base their cases on the unprovable.

And while the powers to see things on a different plane of existence did not solve the case (thank you hard evidence and intuition, hahaha), they did tell us something we already knew. A man named Alexander is very important to Beckett, and has saved her life more than once. Thank you, Richard Alexander Rogers. Though I will laugh if Beckett's next boyfriend is actually called Alexander.

I want to add the final note that I am not unhappy about where Beckett and Castle's relationship is. I feel like at the end of last season, they missed the boat, and right now, to continue that metaphor, the boat is completely out of sight. It will come back. Of course, it will come back. But for the moment, it's not distracting me or supposed to be the focus of my interest. Is it yours?

Dexter - My Bad, S05E01

If you had already recovered from last year's shocking finale, the quick recap did an excellent job of bringing all those horrified emotions. Not a moment has passed in all that time for Dexter (Michael C. Hall), and not a moment has passed for any of us. Still stunned, the passage of time has started again, and we can only hope that we will heal along with the characters on the show. But is that even possible for them?

Rita's death last year is only the beginning of...well...of something. It's still hard to see where we are going. Dexter's utter and complete shock over finding her body rendered him almost non-functional. Naturally, he blames his sociopathic condition for his inability to feel rather than understanding that it is not an unnatural place for his mind to go to protect him from his pain. Everyone deals with grief differently. Dexter can't even acknowledge his until he is suddenly confronted by that jerk as he is trying to run from his past and from everyone who loves him. The surge of emotion he felt as he knocked that man's head in for saying something rude and unfeeling about Rita, and then the screams of pain as he broke down. Michael C. Hall is certainly deserving of every award and nomination he has ever received.

Whether that man truly deserved to have his head bashed in is an argument for another day.

And while, as usual, Dexter moves the story along and is its focus, I really loved what was going on around him in it. Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) also deals with her grief in the most interesting ways. She managed to be strong for Dexter, protecting him as she could, taking care of his child, and arranging everything for Rita's funeral. He was really checked out of reality for a while, and Deb stepped in and took care of it. Eventually, of course, she demanded physical comfort in the form of sex on Dexter's kitchen floor with Quinn (Dexmond Harrington). Now that was HOT and something we've been waiting for for years.

I've always liked Quinn's issue with Dexter. It works better for me than the issues that Doakes had. Plus, the balance of his feelings for Deb, whom he cares about as his partner if not as more than that, compared to his dislike of her brother...it's just such a tentative balance which the writers know how to play with so effectively, and it makes for fantastic television.

The big question for the season is if Dexter is going to be discovered for who he is or not. If he manages to keep it all hidden, how is that going to happen, and if it all comes out, how is he going to manage to shift the blame? He is far more capable of humanity now that when Doakes was supposed to take the fall for him, but has that capability been destroyed by Rita's death? So many questions and only 11 more episodes to get all the answers.

Supernatural - Exile on Main Street, S06E01

It's been a year since the Winchester brothers stopped the apocalypse, sending Sam (Jared Padalecki) to a cage in Hell, and Dean (Jensen Ackles) to live happily ever after with his one true love. That would not have been a bad way of ending the series; in fact, that was the intended end, but now we find ourselves in a world where Sam has not only found himself back on Earth, but Grandpa Samuel (Mitch Pileggi) has come back too. Time for the Winchesters to team up with their Campbell relatives and figure out what is going on.

I'm not nervous anymore. At the end of last season, I was concerned that the decision to continue rather than concluding the show would ruin such a terrific series. But the premiere has me very excited. Why are Sam and Samuel back in the game? What twisted and horrible plan requires both of them? Or is it something that the good guys want?

And what about the Campbells and Samuel kidnapping that djinn? What have they got going on that they clearly feel the Winchester boys can't know about? Are they experimenting? Torturing the monsters for answers? Trying to use their powers against them? And if their methods are resulting in things like a cure for the djinn poison, then why must it be kept hush hush?

And speaking of the djinn, is revenge really enough to change their habits and have them become the aggressors? And what is the deal with the other monsters apparently equally disregarding their past restrictions? It's going to make things very interesting now that the hunters cannot accurately predict their foes' behaviours.

Finally, what happened to Sam? Dean was right about one thing - a year ago, Sam would not have hesitated to help people, regardless of the likelihood of it accomplishing anything. So what has changed? I guess we'll just have to keep watching.

The Mentalist - Red Sky at Night, S03E01

Last season, I praised the season finale for finally showing that Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) was capable of weakness and was not always right. It showed the great contrast between how successful he has been at solving crimes and how clever Red John must be so that Jane cannot catch him. After a season of a little too much Jane and not enough police work, the season finale was perfect, and this season premiere picked up with the same excellent attitude.

Lisbon (Robin Tunney) and the rest of the CBI team have taken the most recent encounter with Red John in stride. Yes, he continues to allude them, and no, they still do not know what happened to Christina, but getting caught up in it is not going to help them solve the case. Jane is not so level headed.

I absolutely loved how Lisbon manipulated him into helping on the case after he indicated that he was not interested. Finally, we are getting to see her have the upper hand. Jane's team mates are now starting to get to know him well enough that they can give him back what he gives them. And, in those final moments of the episode, where Lisbon pointed out that Jane has been pulling away from his friends, and he admitted that he was pretty terrified since everyone he cared about ends up getting hurt by Red John.

I am hoping that this new Jane lasts. I like that he is fallible, that the sheen of perfection which he projected to often last season is gone. I don't want his arrogance and self-promotion to disappear entirely, but balance is key. Let's hope that we see more of Lisbon achieving the same results as Jane through real police work - that was definitely my favourite moment of the episode.

Season 1 of The Mentalist won me easily; Season 2 was still quite good, but got stuck in some patterns that were not as interesting as they ought to have been; I hope and believe that Season 3 will have grown from that and continue to give us just enough of Lisbon, Cho (Tim Kang). Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti), and Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) to balance with Jane. Are you hoping for the same thing?

500 Posts

Wow! 500 posts in just over a year. I started blogging about television at the beginning of September last year, and 13 months later, I have hit this huge landmark. I wonder if I will hit the 1000 mark in another 13 months? Had I not taken such a break this summer, I would have hit it a couple months ago.

I want to thank all of you who keep reading these posts, and who comment on them. I really appreciate your readership. Please remember to keep letting me know where you interests lie so that I can keep trying to accommodate them. I continue to love watching TV and I get great fulfillment out of writing about it so that it is no longer the all-consuming and pointless habit that it once was.

So here is hoping that you will stay with me for another 500 insights, and that you will tell your friends and encourage them to start reading too. :)

Vampire Diaries - Bad Moon Rising, S02E03

What are vampires without werewolves? The two have become so intertwined, I can't think of a major vampire or werewolf horror story, movie, or TV show of late which hasn't incorporated both. Oh, and witches. Those are also pretty common these days. But the idea of a doppelganger as a mythical or legendary creature, now there is something unique and very interesting to think about.

The original concept that Elena (Nina Dobrev) looked exactly like Katherine seemed rather like a cool choice to complicate things rather than a decision based on folklore or research. Last season, her resemblance was strange, but the question asked was how Elena, a Gilbert, would look like Katherine, who was not her relative. The answer was that Katherine was in fact a relative. But that never explained the exactness of the similarities. I do hope that this concept continues to be played with.

The werewolves, of course, had a far more prevalent place in the episode. We now know what they are, and hopefully Tyler (Michael Trevino) will now learn what he is so that he is better able to cope. Of course, him seeing Stefan (Paul Wesley) move the way he did, and his reaction of protectiveness for his friends despite the weirdness of it all was particularly moving. Though poor guy, having a girl come onto him and then reject him for Matt (Zach Roerig). I felt worse, however, for Matt when Caroline (Candice Accola) behaved like such a crazy bitch so that he would break up with her and therefor be safe. Naturally, he has no idea what she's going through, and while she is only trying to protect him, losing him may be Katherine's key to manipulating her into losing her humanity.

Finally, I pity Damon (Ian Somerhalder), and am frankly annoyed at Elena about it. Oh sure, there is a great argument that he is a complete and irredeemable jerk. After all, he is really lucky that he did not kill Jeremy. He meant to, and he tried, but the thing is that he did not succeed. Jeremy is still alive, but Elena refuses to forgive the mistake, refuses to remember that Damon is so fragile, so very capable of going off the edge and being crazy. Her mistake was to forget that when she became his friend. She trusted him as she would trust a normal person, and forgot to be careful that he could at any moment turn back into a murderous psychopath. Did she really think that he had transformed so completely, so solidly that quickly? And now, refusing to allow him to redeem himself, she may well force him to become what she hates all the more since what point is there in him remaining good? Then again, she's only 17. What does she know?

How badly will all this work out? We can only wait and watch!

Bones - The Mastodon in the Room, S06E01

So, not only was the 7 month time jump practically superfluous, but everything has returned to how it was before. Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and Booth (David Boreanaz) still have the same tensions, although perhaps Booth is the one who feels more free in his committed relationship with a journalist while Bones is a little sadder about the development. Really, though, nothing has changed.

So here is my plan. I am not going to watch Bones again until Christmas. The hiatus and the fact that this episode wasn't completely awful have made the hatred I was feeling for it dissipate - I have removed it from the list of forever banned. But, I think that the best possibility for me to ever enjoy it again, as relationships between the characters will forever be more important than true forensics, is to only binge watch. So, when we reach the Christmas hiatus, if I have time, I will catch up on the entire first half of season 6 in about a day.

I am still too frustrated with the distractions of character interaction and dynamics. Sure, most of the characters got to remind us of their strengths as scientists (or whatever), which was nice, and Brennan has certainly recultivated her lack of ability of correctly interacting with others, while adding sweetness with statements such as when she compared Angela (Michaela Conlin) to her sister, or when she told Caroline (Patricia Belcher) "I find I would like to hug you." Those were improvements. But it's not enough.

So for those of you planning to watch, I hope you enjoy. I may or may nor join you again come Christmas.

Undercovers - Pilot, S01E01

Finally a pilot which has me won over. This terrific premise (a retired spy couple must get back into the game) was excellently realized, with solid fight segments, neat spy bits, and fun remainders of real life sneaking in. The episode was exciting and hilarious, while serious just enough of the time to keep us focused. I'm looking forward to following it.

So much of television these days seems to be based on the will they/won't they factor. If you follow my blogs, you know that I constantly complain about this. And Undercovers proves absolutely that that particular story telling technique is not necessary. Our leads, Steven (Boris Kodjoe) and Samantha (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), are married and in love. Sure, we got a bit of the impression that their relationship had lost a little bit of its spark - they had settled into a comfortable zone where passion did not visit very often, but the affection was still there. And watching them interact, being playful at times, jealous when necessary, and protective every moment, we saw that love come back into full flame. A flame that does not need to be tempered with.

Instead, we will get to focus on the fun of the missions. I loved when Sam was getting the information off that arms dealer's blackberry. She seduced him as long as she needed to, going so far as to end up in very sexy lace underwear in the middle of a wine cellar, and once her task was complete, she slapped him and told him to get away from her. It was sexpionage at its best. And who didn't love the use of the word sexpionage?

I can't wait to see more. I am certain that there is more to the show than the mostly episodic nature we got the impression of in the pilot. Something about the way their handler said that they didn't know exactly why they were being reinstated screamed exciting plot!! I wonder how long it will take for us to figure that out, or discover if he merely spoke of the likelihood that Leo (Carter MacIntyre) had gone rogue. What do you think?

Chase - Pilot, S01E01

Chase isn't anything particularly special, but it's still a decent show. It's a cop drama, focusing on US Marshalls chasing fugitives. And if that's the sort of thing you are looking to watch, then that works out nicely, doesn't it.

You take a team of US Marshalls, add a new guy so that you have an excuse to explain to him, and thus to us, how things work, and then choose your villain. In this episode, we got a guy who was pretty crazy killing witnesses as he commits crimes. His weakness, though, is kids. He doesn't feel right about hurting young girls and, it turns out, he's a father. Frankly, the best moment of the entire episode was when he decided to leave his daughter behind so that she would not get hurt. Almost sad how I felt as much pity for him in that moment as I had for his victims.

The Marshalls themselves are also pretty typical. Anne Frost (Kelli Giddish) is the tough female who had a rough upbringing with no mom and a criminal dad. Her partner, Jimmy (Cole Hauser) clearly has difficulty staying in relationships, and the new guy, Luke (Jesse Metcalfe), is so green that he escorted the fugitive to safety.

That is what you are going to get. These fairly stereotypical law enforcement agents pursuing criminals who are, hopefully, a bit rougher and a bit more violent and ruthless than on other cop shows. Should easily be episodic enough that if you are bored and the show is on, you can enjoy regardless of how many other episodes you've seen. So, not really worth the effort to watch every week, but not a complete waste of time either.

Castle - A Deadly Affair, S03E01

Sure, we knew that Castle (Nathan Fillion) wasn't going to end up being a murderer, and that Beckett (Stana Katic) wasn't going to end up shooting him. We really knew that he wasn't going to end up shooting her! Still, watching Castle make himself really look quite guilty because, as always, he gets himself mucked up in things was a pleasure.

I missed Castle about as much as Beckett did, though I was not nearly so annoyed at its absence as she was about his. Seeing his cardboard cutout in the window, just staring at her while she worked that crime scene, really gave the right eerie sensation, and to follow that up with Castle turning up at her next crime scene, gun in hand, well, that was just perfect.

Plus, while we never really believed Castle capable, I did love that Beckett got to take out her anger at him about not having been called. And, as always, I was glad that Alexis (Molly C. Quinn) showed him how much trouble he was in because she was annoyed at her boyfriend for not calling. Men are idiots, and I suppose we women should know this and not expect quite so much from them, but on the other hand, shouldn't they know better?

The case itself was unique. Sure, we've seen counterfeiters before, but to have them get together through the bizarre connection of a strip club, now that is certainly something new. I loved the club - it was so vibrant and fun. Too bad that its owners turned out to be killers. It was absolutely brilliant to have them separate, with one ending up behind Castle and the other behind Beckett so that the two ended up saving each other's lives. Now that was a great start to the season.

I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of Naked Heat. At least there we get a little of the satisfaction of having the two leads getting together. But I don't actually mind as the relationship Castle is in at the moment does actually seem to make sense. Perhaps the moment has passed, and as long as I don't start immediately wishing they would hook up in the next episode, it'll all be all right.

The Event - I Haven't Told You Everything, Pilot, S01E01

Sure, I'm left with a sense of confusion. I'm not actually sure what is going on and that does create a lot of questions. Unfortunately, I really don't care about what the answers will turn out to be. Last year's FlashForward started off with a much bigger bang, and look how well it did. The Event may end up being the next Lost, but no thanks to its pilot episode which not only didn't leave me wanting more, but also failed to retain my careful attention for the full hour.

I found it really jumpy. I get that they wanted to give back story, to not reveal too much too quickly, and so they told only told the different parts of the story as they wanted them to be revealed. It did not work. All the tension they developed would suddenly dissipate when the scene cut from high stress to relaxing afternoon. Perhaps they hoped to build a sense of ominous doom behind all the ordinary and pleasant action we were watching, but to me it felt like they kept taking away anything worth holding onto.

The characters themselves seem interesting enough. Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) came across as some ordinary guy, but after his girlfriend was kidnapped, he somehow managed to make it on a plane armed in an attempt to get his father-in-law-to-be to not crash the thing. Hopefully that means that there is a lot more to his character than we originally assumed. He did jump off a cliff into the waves in order to save a young woman from drowning, which shows he has courage. If this show does it right, he'll turn out to be so much more than what we could imagine.

I was most drawn to Simon Lee (Ian Anthony Dale). His brash determination to accomplish whatever needed to be accomplished and his utter anger at anything less that success gave him spunk and energy. The President (Blair Underwood), on the other hand, came across as a man too stubborn to listen to the advice of his advisers who have been doing their jobs far longer than he has been doing his. Michael Buchanan (Scott Patterson) I liked. He was a great family man, willing to do anything for those he loved. Of all the questions, the one I am most interested in knowing is why he of all the pilots in the world was the one targeted.

I also have to point out how odd I think it is that all 4 leads presented to us were male.

I do also have to give them points for using an airplane as a weapon. Watching an American man drive that plane towards the President of the United States of America was a very powerful image. The tragedy was that suddenly the plane just disappeared. It didn't get shot down, it didn't crash somewhere off target, Sean didn't convince Michael to pull up, it just disappeared. Way to pull the rug out from under my feet. And maybe that'll be a more interesting choice as the series develops, but I am not going to see that happen.

A show which refused to tell us anything about what was going on in it and the posters of which were so ugly I could barely stand to look at them, the result is worse than even I suspected. I will not be watching. Will you?

Glee - Audition, S02E01

I have said it before and I will say it again: If not for the fact that Glee is a musical, no one would watch it. This insane high school comedy continues to have very little that is redeeming beyond its music. Of course, the music side of it makes it so compelling and watchable that, despite my continued complaints, I will probably still watch because, whatever else it might be, it is entertaining.

Okay, so it was quickly established that the Glee kids are still a bunch of losers. Fine. And Finn (Cory Monteith) and Rachel (Lea Michele) are still happily together, while Artie (Kevin McHale) lost Tine (Jenna Ushkowitz) to Mike (Harry Shum Jr.). That's really all that was significant about what has happened since last season.

Now, Quinn (Dianna Agron) is back to being head cheerleader because Santana (Naya Rivera) got a boob job, and the two friends really don't like each other anymore, and worse, Finn got kicked off the football team. And that happened because people are awful and mean to each other and as a result, other people are even more awful and mean to even more people. Why would I want to watch a show where everyone is so horrible?

Oh, and while I really enjoyed the New York song and Rachel's brilliant finale, I do want to know what was up with her singing with Sunshine (Charice) in the bathroom because other than the final interruption by Sue (Jane Lynch) the entire moment was just weird, as well as what is the point in giving all these pointless secondary characters solos and diva moments when I really don't care enough to just listen to them sing. It's a tv show, people, not a concert.

Finally, did they really have to make Rachel come across as such a bitch to have sent Sunshine to a crackhouse? I don't actually believe that behaviour is possible from her. Maybe if Sunshine had gotten herself horribly lost because of Rachel's directions and perhaps ended up in an unsavory part of town as a result, that would have made sense, but Rachel should know better than being that evil after having been egged so cruelly at the end of last season.

But that is Glee for you. Love the music, love Sue for being evil and witty, love every moment that you can actually love, and simply ignore all the noise and nonsense.

Hawaii Five-0 - Pilot, S01E01

Of all the pilots I have watched so far this Fall (and granted we are still very early on), Hawaii Five-0 is the first to truly make me want to watch the series regularly. Within an hour, I was convinced that this remake which had all the makings of a cheesy cop show would end up being a lot of fun, as well as very exciting. I'm not sure how it will stand up in the ratings - I would watch Castle over it without question - but I do hope it sticks around, and I plan on at least staying on top of it for one more week.

Frankly, I hope it works out for Alex O'Loughlin. His performance as Det. Steve McGarrett showed me yet again that this young man (known for the unsuccessful shows Moonlight and Three Rivers) is so very talented (at least at acting, if not at choosing winning scripts). His action sequences were awesome, particularly his final fight with terrorist Victor Hesse (James Marsters) and the way he jumped onto the trunk of that car as another slammed into the bumper, avoiding being crushed. Their fight guys know what they are doing and I certainly appreciate that.

But it isn't just gunfire, explosions, and punches. We are easily made to care about these characters - McGarrett's father was murdered, and his pain was easy to see. Det. Danny Williams (Scott Caan) gets easy points for being a great father despite difficulties with his ex-wife. He's not so sure that he's getting it right, but if he's concerned about being a good father, than he's already succeeding.

Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim) not only loved McGarrett's father, which showed him as compassionate in his first scene, but he is both protective and loving of his cousin. He obviously doesn't want anything to happen to her, and does not like the idea of men behaving inappropriately towards her, but he also knows that she can take care of herself. Now that is the mark of a good cousin. And Kona (Grace Park), well, who doesn't love a badass, kickass surfer female who doesn't take crap and yet seems like an utter sweetheart?

I hope this reboot is very successful. Of all those which I have seen or heard of lately, it has the best shot of being a great show in its own right.

Chuck - Chuck vs the Anniversary, S04E01

I am SO glad that Chuck was not only renewed for a 4th season, but that that season started now and not in January. This show is definitely the funniest show on television. I laughed loudly and clapped in delight many times, but that is always the case. And I know that the rest of you must have been equally pleased not only with the simple joy of having it back, but the set up for the entire season.

Naturally, by the end of the episode, the status quo had to be restored. Chuck (Zachary Levi) could not remain out of the spy game or let his intersect powers go to waste. But the journey to get there and his reasons for taking the mantle up again and lying to Ellie (Sarah Lancaster) about it made far more sense than last season's premiere. Gotta love that she is pregnant and that he needs to protect her all the more now! EEEE! Plus, the secrecy of his job is back, although Morgan (Joshua Gomez) remains his sidekick both in spy-life and real life.

Watching Chuck and Morgan travel all over the world on the search for Chuck's mom (and I really loved watching the graphic of the little Buy More dude running all over the world) was hilarious. The later assertion by the Russian baddies that these two spies were experts as they were ghosts and could easily use the public transportation system to disappear (while Morgan and Chuck were, of course, only using it because they were broke) was classic. And Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) and Casey (Adam Baldwin)'s simultaneous denial of knowing either of them was also perfectly in tune with the brilliance that is this show.

My favourite scenes were

1. When Morgan was sexting with Sarah in Chuck's name while she was trying to indicate to him that she was in danger. It was so beautifully set up with the pics Morgan had already sent her of Chuck and the clear difficulty both were having with long distance.

2. When Casey grabbed Chuck and unceremoniously dragged him to look at the EMP, demanding that he flash.

3. When Chuck's voice came through the walkie-talkie moments after everyone assumed he was dead and he sounded so badass he might have been Casey. Plus, just before that Casey was ready to destroy everyone in the room in vengeance.

4. When General Beckman (Bonita Friedericy) was revealed as the new manager of the Buy More, now a CIA base of operation.

So Chuck is a spy, his sister no longer knows this (and neither does his brother in law), his mother is even more badass than you can imagine, Chuck and Sarah's relationship is no longer in the irritating will they/won't they stage, and Chuck and Morgan are back at the Buy More. All we need is to see Lester and Jeff get rehired and everything will fall back into place. Man I love this show.

Nikita - Pilot, S01E01

While my standards for keeping a show on the roster have increased drastically because of time constraints, Nikita would not have made it anyway. It's not that it's a bad show, or that it doesn't have a lot of interesting elements or characters which would hold my attention. My problem was that I simply did not like Maggie Q's Nikita and don't really see the point of watching a show where I have no interest in the lead.

It didn't start particularly well. We got a little showing, but then Nikita gave us the most boring and poorly done back story exposition that I have seen in a long time. I really could not care that her boyfriend/fiancé got himself killed because of her. And the difficulties she went through being a recruit don't really play as she is obviously only there for revenge. Frankly, if she managed to kill Percy (Xander Berkeley) and made it look like an accident, everything would be fine in her books and probably in everyone else's as well.

So despite the fact that I really liked Alex (Lyndsey Fonseca) and her interactions with the other recruits and the recruiters, and that I also like Michael (Shane West), the meat of the show - what goes on with Nikita - is superfluous. If the story focused on Alex, perhaps I would want to watch more. She has a whole lot more going on than Nikita does.

But if you did like Maggie Q as Nikita, than I suspect you would have quite enjoyed the pilot and be very inclined to watch the next episode. So if that was the cast, then I hope you have a great time watching the rest of the series.

Vampire Diaries - Brave New World, S02E02

When last week's episode ended, with Katherine (Nina Dobrev) killing Caroline (Candice Accola) and making her a vampire, I was concerned that she would be killed off quickly, as happened the last time a citizen of Mystic Falls was turned. I'm very glad that, instead, we will get to see Caroline adapt to the change and discover whether she will be able to continue a "normal" existence or not.

The thing I liked best was how they explained away the lack of confusion. Caroline never consciously knew that vampires existed, but as soon as her transformation began, she understood a lot more than Vicki had. Thank you, Damon (Ian Somerhalder). All the mind control he had used on her previously really saved her when it came to waking up a vamp in a hospital room.

I also loved the battle between her desire to eat and her desire to be a good person. Caroline may be neurotic and all, but she is a sweetheart, and she certainly doesn't want to hurt people. Watching her with Matt (Zach Roerig) in that final scene, where she gained control over her hunger, now that was just beautiful.

Meanwhile, poor Bonnie (Katerina Graham). Boy is that girl full of hate, and all of it is directed at Damon. I was glad Elena (Dobrev) stopped her from setting him on fire, even though Elena still hasn't forgiven Damon for trying to kill Jeremy. If anything, Bonnie may well still regret such a malicious act when she is not so marred by grief.

Finally, I actually really enjoyed the end of the episode. Not a true cliffhanger for once. Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Elena got to share a lovely moment as a couple, but the ominous future where those sweet moments can no longer exist is coming on quickly.

Vampire Diaries is definitely making up for my current disappointment in True Blood.

Hellcats - A World Full of Strangers, S01E01

Although by now I think that most Americans do have some sort of understanding that being a cheerleader in a competitive environment earns a person some respect as an athlete, I think it's about time we had this story back on the small screen. Plus, Hellcats made me like the characters and care about the outcome of their competitions very quickly in this fun premiere.

Marti (Alyson Michalka) plays the typical lead in a cheerleading story - the girl who is very athletic but has little respect for cheerleading until circumstances force her to join the squad at her university. The reason for her joining - the hopes of getting a scholarship to stay in school and eventually become a lawyer - are quite legitimate, and her obvious skill in the area (she was a gymnast until 2 years previous) as well as her pizazz earn her a place.

I gotta say, I was very impressed by her and by Savannah (Ashley Tisdale). In their first scene together, when they started yelling at each other in the middle of the financial aid office at the university, both actors gained my respect with their talent alone. Plus, Marti is a goofy and fun girl whom I can relate to, and Savannah I can't help but love because of her goodness and sheer positivity.

I was also impressed with how quickly the pressure was put on, as starting in the next episode, competitions begin. In some ways, the show is going to be like Glee - a mix of the talent of performance with the pressures of school - but whether because the writing is better or because I am more interested in the difficulties of university aged people rather than high school students, I'm far more interested.

But now it is up to you, my readers. Since I have so little time, unless I get mad responses that Hellcats is one of your favourite new shows, I am not going to be able to stay on top of it. I may well keep it on my roster, to watch when I have an afternoon to kill catching up on fun, but unless you want it, it won't get my attention every week for a posting before the week is out. Still, it was definitely worth watching.

True Blood - Evil is Going On, S03E12 - Season Finale

Altogether, I found the season finale to be disappointing, making the entire season of the show disappointing as well. Unlike Season 1 and 2, Season 3 did not give me any satisfying conclusion before setting up the chaos which would complicate Sookie (Anna Paquin)'s life next time, leaving me feeling as though I have only seen half a season, but will be forced to wait until June before I can see the next episode.

I recall being promised that by the season finale, our various characters' plot lines would come back together. They did not. Sam (Sam Trammell) and his issues with his brother, Tommy (Marshall Allman), as well as his issues with his past, which appeared for no discernible reason near the end of the season, had nothing whatsoever to do with Arlene (Carrie Preston) and her pregnancy or Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) and Jesus (Kevin Alejandro)'s witch powers. And Jason (Ryan Kwanten)'s involvement with the weres was also completely unrelated.

Now, I will give you that in a small town, there are so many things happening to all the different people who live in them, but Season 3 of True Blood was like Season 3 of Dexter. There was too much going on. We had too many different things happening, and it lost so much of its energy and intensity because of that. Hopefully, for Season 4, we will not only get some resolutions to this Season but we will also get back to having only one or two solid and involved stories.

Plus, I was really disappointed with what happened with Russell Edgington (Denis O'Hare), Eric (Alexander Skarsgard), Bill (Stephen Moyer), and Sookie. What started out as a beautiful sacrifice from Eric turned into a somewhat odd mafia-concrete burial. Not a particularly fitting end for a vampire so wonderfully villainous as Russell. Plus, to have his loss overshadowed by Bill's attempts to get rid of Eric...well, all I can say is that I hope Russell busts out of his prison in sooner than 100 years so that we can fight him off again.

So here we are, still not sure of what's going to come next, knowing that at least Sookie is getting together with her fairy kin to figure some of her own identity out, and the only thing I am really pleased, happy, and satisfied about is that Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) and Hoyt (Jim Parrack) are finally back together.

Were you disappointed by the finale?

True Blood - Fresh Blood, S03E11

Oh my lord. What an incredible episode. True Blood's episode endings have always left me completely at the edge of my seat, but this time I fell right off my chair. And that was at the end of an exciting episode. How on Earth is the season going to end?

Wow. Can I say that again? Wow. Silver spray, Bill (Stephen Moyer) rescuing Sookie (Anna Paquin) from Pam (Kristin Bauer), Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) and a clearly disturbed Russell (Denis O'Hare) meeting in an art gallery to discuss the late Talbot's artistic tastes, Sam (Sam Trammell) going off the deep end for no apparent reason, Arlene (Carrie Preston) being unable to lose Rene's child, and Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) having one crazy trip...

And now, left with Sookie potentially dying on the table while Bill is desperate to get to her, and Pam, unable to help as she is watching Eric sacrifice himself to the sun to kill Russell. I know Eric can't die. I mean, he can't because so many of the viewers love him. Plus, how can we not love him when we know he wanted to keep Sookie alive just as much as Bill did. And poor Bill and Sookie's mangled relationship. The trust is almost entirely gone when just 11 episodes ago, Bill was proposing and Sookie was ready to say yes.

But now it all has to come together. Vampires catching fire in the sunlight, shape-shifters robbing each other blind, weres coming after anyone and everyone, and Sam and Tara (Rutina Wesley) finally hooking up again. Excitement is in the air.

True Blood - I Smell a Rat, S03E10

The question is "Is Bill (Stephen Moyer) trustworthy?" And to tell the truth, I have no idea if he is. Certainly, I believe that his affection for Sookie (Anna Paquin) is more than a lust for her blood, but he is obviously not telling her everything. After all, he never even hinted that her blood might help (supposedly or actually) a vampire walk in the daylight.

Naturally, Sookie running to Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) to ask him why he thought Bill was untrustworthy wasn't a particularly good idea. Yes, that kiss was pretty amazing, and I certainly would not complain about Eric kissing me that way, but the follow up - Sookie getting dragged into the cellar where she was locked up as bait - was no better or worse than the reasons Tara (Rutina Wesley) has for hating Bill. When you get involved with Vampires, or members of the mafia, or simply con artists, sometimes your troubles just get lumped into the acceptable/necessary losses category.

Meanwhile, Crystal (Lindsay Pulsipher) finally caught my interest. I've really not cared particularly about her at all - an annoying werewolf who couldn't make her mind up and was mostly an inbred hick. Turns out, she's a were-panther. Far, far more interesting. I suppose that makes way more sense for trying to breed her with the right folk.

Also, Sam (Sam Trammell)'s back story about his con artist existence and the woman whom he loved and killed after she betrayed him gives our lovable puppy dog far more of an edge. Man, that guy had a really hard life before he found his way to Bon Temps.

Finally, a thought for Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) and Hoyt (Jim Parrack). Hurray!!!

True Blood - Everything is Broken, S03E09

It's hard to see how all the various plot lines of Season 3 of True Blood are going to pull together for the finale. Between the rogue vampires, the insane werewolves, the fairies, and all the normal complications of life, each and everyone of our favourite characters is waist deep in some kind of trouble. And the idea that those troubles are properly interconnected is rather complicated. I can't wait to find out how it all plays out.

I was pleased that this episode focused more of Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) than Sookie (Anna Paquin). Certainly Sookie wasn't neglected. After all, her cousin discovered that her son has the same abilities as Sookie, and she may well learn exactly what that means from Bill next episode, but more pressing that the concern over Sookie's supernatural identity are the political ramifications of Eric's involvement with Russell Edgington (Denis O'Hare).

As I said, I loved Russell's reaction to Talbot's death at the end of the last episode. That was nothing compared to this one. When he arrived home to find the exploded remains of his lover, he grasped them, trying to put them back together. When we watch lovers on television trying to revive an obviously dead corpse, we can understand the pain despite the insanity of it, but to have a vampire react in the same way to blood and guts...well, that certainly had a different impact. And then, when Russell was plotting his revenge on Eric, that he had that crystal urn filled with Talbot's remains - He may not have brought his lover with him everywhere while he lived, but he certainly won't leave him behind anymore.

Eric, meanwhile, had to face the Vampire League. Luckily they believed him, although they tried to refuse to take responsibility for the rogue, werewolf-associating King. Too bad for them that Russell does not take being ignored well at all. His appearance on national television to kill the news host and screw over the Vampire Rights Bill was both brilliant and hilarious. There is no way that humans anywhere in the world are going to feel safe about vampires for a good long while, knowing that not all are willing to give up fresh meat.

Otherwise, I did love that Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) and Hoyt (Jim Parrack) are talking again. They make such a great couple. I'm also glad Tara (Rutina Wesley) is getting help, and that Jason (Ryan Kwanten) killed her vampire-stalker. Finally, I am super interested in what is going on with Sam (Sam Trammell). Sure, he hates werewolves, but we have not ever seen him get that violent before.

Oh where will True Blood take us in the next three episodes? I can't wait to find out.

True Blood - Night on the Sun, S03E08

True Blood is not really known for being particularly episodic. Everything that happens is always part of the journey, with very few resting places from the start of a season's arc to its conclusion. This episode, however, was tied together very nicely by the dominating theme of family.

There were calmer family moments, such as Terry (Todd Lowe) singing to Arlene (Carrie Preston) and the baby, Jason (Ryan Kwanten) trying to protect Sookie (Anna Paquin) from herself and Bill (Stephen Moyer), or Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) massaging Tara (Rutina Wesley)'s feet. Sure, Arlene's peace was disturbed by a vision of Rene (Michael Raymond-James), Jason was threatening to kill Bill, and Tara was suffering the trauma of a surviving victim, but as far as True Blood moments go, those were pretty calm.

On the other side, you had the particularly touching moment when Bill tried to release Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) from his power only to have her refuse to go. When he realized that what she really needed was for him to be there and involved in her life, suddenly their bond was all the stronger. When Russell (Denis O'Hare) threatened her life, Bill's pain was made more clear by his choice to help her out before he went to Sookie.

I also really loved that Sam (Sam Trammell) was there for Tara when she started freaking out about all the crazy stuff she's just been through. I really liked their connection in the first season, and frankly I hope they get it back.

Otherwise, I cannot neglect to mention the appearance of Lafayette's mother. What exactly she meant about him being powerful and therefore a target for Vampires and Witches, I cannot begin to imagine, but it certainly felt like the beginning of something even more important than his relationship with Jesus (Kevin Alejandro).

Finally, I am sure I am not alone in having loved Eric (Alexander Skarsgard)'s role in this episode. I was actually somewhat disappointed that his love scene with Talbot (Theo Alexander) didn't last longer, but to know that Eric finally avenged his family after 1000 years really made me happy. And, while I was glad that Russell's pain over the loss saved Bill, I was also quite pleased that he was suffering so greatly because it made me care about him despite the fact that he is an evil SOB. To know that he truly loved his partner and for more than 700 years, that gives even the most evil of vamps some humanity.

I am looking forward to watching the rest of the season; I suspect I will do it fairly quickly now that it is over. It's hard to believe that I fell behind on such a fantastic show, but I guess we are all able to be distracted from television. I hope you enjoyed watching the season finale last night, and that you will read and comment on my posts for the last 4 episodes as soon as I get them out.

Vampire Diaries - The Return, S02E01

Vampire Diaries continually has me on the edge of my seat. The season finale left me so concerned about what the return would bring, and it brought me excitement and surprises which I did not expect. I'm not surprised that Kevin Williamson continues to write so excellently, but it is quite a delight to get to watch it all.

It started with the surprising survival of John Gilbert (David Anders). We were convinced Katherine (Nina Dobrev) had succeeded in killing him in the finale, but when Elena (also Dobrev) found him, he was still alive and, indeed, survived the entire episode. Next, we discover that Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen)'s attempt to become a vampire was unsuccessful, and that, instead, he is still alive. I cannot express my relief over this as I think it would have been a waste to so transform him. That left only Caroline (Candice Accola) still in danger, but after Damon (Ian Somerhalder) gave her blood at Bonnie (Katerina Graham)'s request, she too would live.

None of these survivals took away from the continued dangers of the show. After all, all the tomb vampires were killed, as well as Anna and Mayor Lockwood. I haven't stopped believing that we could lose someone unexpectedly at any moment, a feeling which makes me want to continue watching since the likelihood of something surprising me continually looms.

As for the body of the episode, with Katherine succeeding in F-ing everything up for Damon and Stefan (Paul Wesley), I was again most pleased with Damon's continued reactions of anger and vulnerability. Sure, Katherine can get under anyone's skin, but her comments to Damon found their mark all the more easily. And when she told him that it had always been Stefan, it was the perfect set up. Elena loves Stefan, not Damon. Notice I do not say "too". Who knows if Katherine is even capable of love. She is far more capable of destruction.

The final moments of the episode, I was not expecting. Damon's anger, his attempts to make himself hated, his regretful move of breaking Jeremy's neck, all these things were so powerfully portrayed. I was so grateful that Jeremy was wearing John's ring. I did not believe he would remain dead, but was glad that he did not become a vampire either. And for that to be so quickly followed by Caroline's murder, which would result in her being a vamp. Frankly, the part that hurt the most about that was how hard it will be on Liz Forbes (Marguerite MacIntyre) if she ever discovers her daughter has been turned.

It looks like we will have a second season that is equally intense and equally unpredictable. I can't wait till next week.

Blackadder II - Blackadder, Season 2

It is difficult to decide whether I prefer Season 2 or Season 3 of Blackadder, but one thing I know for certain is that in Blackadder II, Rowan Atkinson is hot. That's right, I said it. Suddenly he has sex appeal, something which I never would have thought possible. It is not just his charm, which I do associate with him; instead, I believe it has something to do with his facial hair and those renaissance breeches and hoes.

We find Edmund Blackadder (Atkinson) in Renaissance England, a friend of Queen Elizabeth (played by the delightful Miranda Richardson). Here, he is very clever, easily outwitting his servant Baldrick (Tony Robinson), whose family has clearly become more dense over the years. Percy (Tim McInnerny), meanwhile, is delightfully foppish, and the addition of Stephen Fry as Lord Melchett completes a dynamic ensemble.

If such talent were not enough, the writing too has improved. Certainly, some of the humour is still over the top, but the brilliance of weaving the obvious with the witty as Blackadder pursues a young woman called Bob, whom he believes to be a young man, will make you laugh for days. Sure, that didn't start happening on stage until the restoration, but who doesn't associate the beginnings of drag with Shakespeare - when men fell in love with young men whom they believed to be young women.

The best episode of the season is the last, as is often the case, in which Hugh Laurie makes an appearance as Prince Ludwig the Indestructible. A terrific master of disguise, he surprises both Blackadder and Lord Melchett with revelations of previous encounters with them - none of them are what you would expect, and all of them are hilarious.

How can you go wrong with such a combination of wit, talent, and sexy clothes?

The Black Adder - Black Adder, Season 1

Rowan Atkinson may be best known in North America for his work as Mr. Bean, but to pigeon-hole him as an actor capable only of mute slapstick humour means to miss out on far better, far funnier work. The Black Adder, the first season of his historic comedy series, takes place just after the War of the Roses, and for fans of Richard III, the set up is already enough to win you.

Edmund, Duke of Edinburgh, known as the Black Adder (Atkinson) is the son of King Richard IV (Brian Blessed), who was not murdered by his uncle, but became king when Richard III was accidentally killed despite his victory at the battle of Bosworth Field. Henry Tudor, apparently, was definitely not a hero, but his creative writing was even better than previously believed. A terrific premise, even though these 6 episodes were the weakest of the series.

Edmund is quite the useless twit, and he surrounds himself by similar people. If his servant, Baldrick (Tony Robinson), was not the slightest bit more intelligent than he, well, things might have been even more difficult for the young prince whose greatest desire was to take the throne from his father and older brother. His best friend, Percy (Tim McInnerny), was even stupider, if that is possible to believe.

Still, the humour was clever as well as low brow, and the balance results in a show which is suited to anyone who is a fan of British comedy. Edmund's plots and the inevitable results cannot fail but put a smile on your face, and the complex humour which results from an understanding of the historical period, as well as Shakespeare, may have you in stitches for hours.

If you like Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean, this season will impress you even more, and if you only know him as such, Black Adder will give you a reason to love him for so much more than he could ever show as a mute.