Supernatural - Swap Meat, S05E12

Every once in a while, Supernatural has to have an episode that just doesn't quite measure up. Not that it isn't still a very good episode, but compared to all the others, it isn't as good, it has far more faults.

What happens is that a 17 year old, who has been playing with witch craft, casts a spell so that he can switch bodies with Sam (Jared Padalecki). The kid, Gary (Colton James), spends his time enjoying being in the body of an adult, while Sam just wants to get back in his own body. In the end, a demon gets summoned, and when Gary is promised what he wants, but asked to meet Satan, he chickens out and he and Dean (Jensen Ackles) send the demon back to hell.

It wasn't badly acted, though I would have preferred to see Jared Padalecki play Gary while he was in Sam's body, and Colton James playing Sam while in Gary's body. There were, however, some big issues I just could not get over.

1. It took Dean way to long to realize that something wasn't right with Sam. I realize that they've got tattoos which prevent demons from possessing them, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be aware that sudden bizarre shifts in personality might be supernatural in nature.

2. If a junior witch like Gary was so easily able to switch bodies with Sam, how come the demons aren't working this angle a whole lot harder? All they needed was a person who actually worshiped Satan to get into Sam's body, and he'll say YES.

3. If witches are evil and corrupted, how did Gary stay so innocent? Sure, he's not going to do it again, but all the witches we've met up till now haven't been redeemable, and just cause Gary's 17 does not mean he's too young to have been taken.

Again, I didn't think there was anything particularly horrible about the episode, but it did come across as unnecessary filler.

Supernatural - Sam, Interrupted, S05E11

While I am a little disappointed that Supernatural picked up after the Christmas hiatus with an episode that had nothing to do with the Apocalypse, I am always pleased with the episodes that mix a good hunt with hilarity.

What a brilliant start to an episode, with Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) going to see a psychiatrist because Sam thinks that he started Armageddon. It's all his fault because he was drinking demon blood and killed the demon Lilith and thus released Lucifer. And if that wasn't wonderful enough, to have Dean then defend him by saying it wasn't his fault, because after all he had been high on the blood and besides, there were other supernatural factors as well...heeheehee

I was a little surprised/disappointed that the episode didn't take the angle that perhaps Sam and Dean were crazy, that their save-the-world complexes, mixed with religious mania, weren't in fact actual delusions. After all, some of the brilliance of them ending up in the insane asylum was that they were speaking the truth, and if we ever met anyone who honestly believed the things Sam and Dean know to be true...well, we'd lock them up too.

But going with a wraith that did make them crazy wasn't a bad choice either. And it allowed us to explore not only how bad a shape our boys are in - hardly sleeping at night, drinking far more than any person ever should, completely unable to have long-lasting, serious relationships - but also Sam's anger. He is angry, always has been angry, and it's probably a good thing that he knows about it.

I can't say that it's the best philosophy for either Dean or Sam to take their pain and anger and shove both in a corner, but trying to deal with all that right now, when the fate of the world is in the balance, is not really going to help them either.

Supernatural - Abandon All Hope, S05E10

After a number of hilarious episodes only partially related to this season's main plot, it is hardly surprising that for the last episode airing before the Christmas hiatus, our boys got back on track.

Armageddon is coming, and they have to find a way to kill the devil.

But luck, it seemed was on their side. The Colt, apparently, was not destroyed and a demon believing that it was in his best interest for Lucifer to go, since if he has such contempt for me, how highly can he possibly value demons, gave it to the boys without much of a fight. Finally armed with a way they could kill him, and possible thus stop the Apocalypse, Dean (Jensen Ackles), Sam (Jared Padalecki), Castiel (Misha Collins), Ellen (Samantha Ferris), and Jo (Alona Tal) set off to find Satan.

They arrived in Carthage, where a bloody battle took place during the Civil War; the city appears deserted, but Castiel can see hundreds of Reapers, waiting for something. It was totally creepy. He went off to try to determine what they were doing there, while the rest searched the town for people. Finally they found Meg (Rachel Miner), and about half-a-dozen Hell Hounds. People tell me that there is nothing to fear from dogs, people say that cats are far more violent, but I will point out that they are called Hell Hounds, not Hell Kitties.

It was unclear what effect the Colt was having on the Hounds, since they are invisible. It was clear the effect they had on our heroes as the blood pouring out of Jo's gut was quite obvious. The four managed to retreat to a hardware store, where convenient salt lay waiting to be poured across all access points, but that did not change Jo's condition. She was going to die, and there was no way to stop it.

I'm actually really glad that Sam and Dean have they destinies they have. I realize they have both died enough times as to make them not invulnerable, but their inability to stay dead now has a little more weight behind it than just because it would not be the show it is without both brothers. When supernatural forces like Fate and Destiny are working on you, just try to do something they don't want you to - like die - it won't take.

Jo, knowing she was dying, made a plan. She would stay and blow the store, armed with claymores set to launch salt and iron in all directions, while the others went to the field where the battle took place. Ellen decided to stay with her daughter, a move which proved necessary as Jo bled out before it was time to blow the mines. I was glad of this, because if Ellen had simply died because she could not live without Jo...well, it's not a very Hunter thing to do when the end of the world is coming and we are going to need all hands on deck. As it was, their deaths were beautiful sacrifices, and I'm getting choked up just thinking about it again.

Now we come to the end, where Dean and Sam have to stop Lucifer before he releases Death, the horseman, to gallop across the world. The scene was so brilliant. Sam, cleverly, distracted Lucifer in conversation about whether or not they could trade bodies. Dean snuck up behind him, and as soon as he was in position, with no hesitation, he pulled the trigger and shot Lucifer in the head. Simple, clean, perfect.

It as the moment he pulled the trigger that I remembered that Lucifer would not die. Unlike all his demon henchmen, Lucifer was not actually a creature from Hell. He was an angel, and like Castiel, shooting him with the Colt was going to have absolutely no effect, except perhaps some mild discomfort.

And we went on hiatus knowing the devil yet lived, and Death was coming.

Supernatural - The Real Ghostbusters, S05E09

In the last episode of season 5, Supernatural poked fun at a lot of other popular shows, but in this episode, they made fun of themselves. The meta-televisual (is that the equivalent word meta-theatrical only for television?) aspects of this show are completely in tune with the nerdiness of us, its adoring fans.

What happened in this episode? Well, the books called Supernatural, written by everyone's favourite profit, Chuck (Rob Benedict) were having a convention. Imagine, a room full of people dressed up as Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles), quoting random conversations the two have had over the years, and debating the homosexual undertones of the stories. First, they had books being written based on the lives of the main characters, then they had a crazy fan of those books writing wincestian fan-fiction, and now we have a convention!

No surprise, really, that real ghosts were haunting the hotel, and Sam and Dean, with the help of two guys dressed just like them, had to save everyone. It was awesome, though, to see Chuck actually save a guy, proving that, although he isn't good for much, he's good for something.

The highlight, though, was when our fake Sam and Dean explained to Dean why people liked the story, and the hope they got from it. Sure, it might be a sucky story to live through - a lot of stories are - but that does not mean we don't get inspiration from them. Wouldn't we all like to have a calling and a purpose which is bigger than a crumby part-time job and questions we want answered which are more important than what should I microwave for dinner tonight?

Supernatural - Changing Channels, S05E08

I can't believe it took me so long to start watching Supernatural again. I was laughing so hard that I was crying before the opening credits ran. Oh, yes, that's right. There were opening credits, depicting Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) as if they were part of a family sitcom.

There would be no point in me repeating to you the delights of watching Sam and Dean suddenly become characters on shows based on Grey's Anatomy (seriously?), CSI: Miami, or Nightrider; I'd say they are pretty self-explanatory, plus you want to enjoy them for yourselves.

I do, however, now want to go back and rewatch the previous Trickster episodes and try to figure out how exactly it works that he is Gabriel, the Archangel. I mean, I love it! I love the idea that an Angel has been messing with their lives since back in Season 2, that before we even knew that Angels were real in the realm of Supernatural, there was one poking about. But what does that mean - how was an angel allowed to get away with that kind of nonsense for thousands of years? When did God last do anything?

By the end of the episode, which was so very much fun, we still found ourselves confronted with the questions of family and destiny. Gabriel took a hike from heaven because he could not stand the bickering of his family. He considers the relationship between Dean and Sam the same as the one between Michael and Lucifer: the big brother, always doing what Daddy says, the little brother wanting to go his own way. It makes a degree of sense, and destiny is always involved in the fates of men when it comes to huge events, like, let's say, just as an example, Armageddon. But God did give us free will, and Dean and Sam had better not forget that and keep using it as long as they can, otherwise I have no idea how they are going to have a 6th season.

Spartacus: Blood and Sand - Party Favors, S01E10

Spartacus: Blood and Sand started as a show devoted to sex and violence, a show that was pure candy for those who enjoyed blood and nudity. But every episode since the premiere has given more and more depth to consider.

I knew. I knew from the very beginning of the episode that Party Favors would end with the death of Varro (Jai Courtney). Perhaps it was how the episode started with his success, perhaps because he recovered his wife, or perhaps because he was back on track to making his life right. But regardless of what tipped me off, I certainly had no idea how it was going to happen.

Ilithyia (Viva Bianca) may have lost her mind, seeing the bloody body of the woman she married appear at her feet, but what's left of her senses have only taken a stronger hold to one consuming thought - bringing Spartacus (Andy Whitfield) down. Sane, she took a direct course, only wishing to cause him physical harm, but insane, she has become more clever, taking an indirect route to his destruction.

As the ludus celebrated the birthday of the son of the esteemed Magistrate, Ilithyia put an evil plan into motion. Seducing the young man, she convinced him to request that Spartacus fight Varro, instead of Crixus (Manu Bennett) as originally planned. And she also told him not to grant life to the gladiator who lost. And since Spartacus naturally bested Varro, he was then told to kill him.

Spartacus' hesitation, with tears forming in his eyes, might have been distressing for those looking on, but the choice to take his friend's life...losing his own life would not have been so horrid. Although in many ways, Spartacus can get away with a lot of things most slaves could not because he is a slave, there are still command which he must follow that he will hate.

With only 3 episodes of season 1 left, how will it conclude?

Vampire Diaries - A Few Good Men, S01E15

Most of this episode was very cool and very exciting, driving the plot forward, and giving us all sorts of discoveries, but it was also badly flawed in one annoying way.

So, we got it, back when Elena (Nina Dobrev)'s birth mother's name was revealed. Isobel was her mom's name, and Alaric (Matt Davis)'s wife also had that name. The only explanation I have as to why the coincidence was considered to be a real possibility was because the town both those Isobel's were from was so small as to make the likelihood of them being the same person a real possibility. But I just did not feel it, and I wish more of an explanation had been made by the characters.

It just seemed absurd to me that Jenna (Sara Canning) was telling Elena and Alaric about her suspicions, without having any proof or anything concrete on which to build suspicion expect that both Isobels were mentioned on the same day in a previous episode.

But, if we ignore that, I do think that it is totally cool that she was the same person.

I also loved how crazy/depressed Damon (Ian Somerhalder) was. The anger and obsession he has in regards to Katherine is so intense, and considering that all the thought about for 145 years was getting into her tomb, it's hard to blame her. I just want to know when exactly it was that Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon got turned.

The scene where he was teasing Alaric about drinking with his wife, and the pain Elena felt in that moment, and the subsequent sadness that Damon felt when he realized that he had hurt Elena with his comments! I love the depth and variety of Damon's personality.

The thing that I am most pleased about was that Alaric lived. Watching him die on the carpet, with Damon sitting by, nonchalantly ignoring him, was painful and beautiful, but I am not ready for his character to go. I really want him to stick around!

But now, there is so much more turmoil that will come out in the second half of this season, as Elena searches for her vampire mother, Damon searches for Katherine, and the vampires who have recently escaped from the old church search for blood.

FlashForward - Blowback, S01E13

Although I like FlashForward, I suspect it will not have a second season, and if you've also watched this episode, I'm sure you know why.

We still have no real idea as to when we are, except that on April 29th, Janis (Christine Woods) will be in her second trimester of pregnancy, and that means she needs to get pregnant now. Which puts us at over two months ago, sometime in January. It's sort of annoying, considering in all the Aaron (Brian F. O'Byrne) scenes, we jumped from the past to the present, with no actual date. I don't really think I'm going to care about what happens on April 29th, if it's actually June.

And while I'm talking about the Aaron scenes, they want me to believe that he has some military training and the anger and animalistic temper of a man who was in prison, but he doesn't have the brains to keep his mouth shut about his daughter's whereabouts, regardless of whom he is talking to? The minute the conversation started, I knew it was bad news, and if I thought that, with the sharp people skills of a sit-on-my-butt-watching-tv-most-days civilian, than he, with his training, should not have had any difficulty seeing it too.

I suppose the fact that Demetri (John Cho) and Zoey (Gabrielle Union) didn't find the gun that is supposed to kill him on March 15th should and did excite some kind of worried reaction from me, but he should have died 2 weeks ago, so...

I want to see more Simon (Dominic Monaghan). I'm glad we are finally going to Somalia and I am kind of hoping that Simon ends up fathering Janis's baby. I realize she's gay, and so there really isn't a good reason for them sleeping together, but they have a good connection. Kind of makes you wonder how well they planned things and why they made her gay, since "who's the father" speculation and the hope that she would get some next episode would get a lot of viewers to tune in.

That's the problem - there is not enough of the science/FBI investigation stuff for it to be hugely attractive to male viewers, but the romance stuff going on is just a bit more wishywashy than those of us who watch this kind of show can get into. I want passion, not lovey-dovey.

Maybe next week's episode will get me back on track, but unlike most of the time, I'm not peppering this entry with questions about what's going to happen, or comments about all the exciting things we've learnt. Did I miss something?

Republic of Doyle - The Pen is Mightier than the Doyle, S01E10

If Kate Beckett ever thought having Richard Castle shadow her was annoying, she should try Garrison Steele (Victor Garber). Although he did help Jake (Allan Hawco) at least admit that he had a few issues, I was disappointed that Jake never slugged him.

The case should not have been complicated, but when a charming writer pokes his nose, asking questions and giving unnecessary suggestions, poor Jake somehow ended up in the middle of something he really didn't want to have any part in. I just hope he does get the $30 000 he was promised.

Victor Garber was terrific, of course, but we saw Garrison Steele from Jake's perspective. He said some hard truths about Jake's inability to be in a relationship, and also gave good reason for why Jake is constantly trying to get close to every woman he meets. He is fascinated by women, but is incapable of giving himself completely to one.

I continue to hold out hope for Jake and Nikki (Rachel Wilson). She was so sad when she watched him listening to Leslie (Krystin Pellerin) sing. She may have cut the ties, and decided to try to move forward without Jake, but it's because she knows he can't be the solid husband she wants him to be. It isn't because she doesn't want him to be that husband.

I was surprised that Leslie gave Jake another chance. Those two just don't seem to be properly matched to me. But what I really don't think I want to see happen is Leslie ending up with Jake's brother, who showed up at the end of the show. Man, Jake has issues with women and with his father and probably with most other things under the sun, but the distress coursing through him over the return of his brother was far worse than anything we've seen before.

What kind of trouble is Jake's brother going to get him into?

Republic of Doyle - He Sleeps with the Chips, S01E09

Republic of Doyle always has a clever title, regardless of whether the case is clever or not. I couldn't really get into the epic search of a Chip truck, that somehow ended up with some involvement with drug dealing Russian Mafiosas, but I suppose that private detectives in Newfoundland have to take on the cases they can get.

We did get to play a little bit with the emotions of our characters though, which ends up being more important in the long run than the case.

Malachy (Sean McGinley) showed us exactly where his son gets it. It didn't matter that he knew Martin (Nicholas Campbell) was trying to get him angry enough to fight, the man was making inappropriate comments about his grand daughter. I can't imagine a Doyle sitting calm through all that. It's more like that the reason Mal doesn't seem so hot-headed most of the time is that Jake (Allan Hawco) gets riled up enough for the both of them, so Mal can take a step back and be reasonable.

I also liked discovering that the moment that Nikki (Rachel Wilson) really believed Jake was serious about their marriage was when he offered her his mother's ring. It makes me very sad to have them actually be divorced - Jake may not actually be the marrying kind, but he wanted to be with her. And I'm just not sure that he has the kind of chemistry with Leslie (Krystin Pellerin) to make it work.

Still, for a Canadian show, this one is excellent. I'm very excited to see how the season will conclude over the last few episodes.

Castle - Boom!, S02E18

And now, the conclusion. Last week, Beckett (Stana Katic) and Castle (Nathan Fillion) pursued a serial killer bent on "burning" Nikki Heat (the character Castle created based on Beckett). With the help of FBI Special Agent Jordan Shaw, they tracked the killer only to find he had shot himself in the head.

But, just as the episode was ending, and Beckett was getting out of her shower, Castle figured out that it was a trick and the serial killer was still on the loose. As he ran towards Beckett's home, he finally got a hold of her on the cell phone to say a few words before her apartment went up in a fire bomb.

How could she have survived? Castle's warning gave her just enough time to run into her bathroom and throw herself into the bathtub, a good solid old thing. Whether or not you believe her survival, or only slight burning was credible, the part that really got to me as Castle banged down the door to go into her still burning apartment to find her was the way he kept calling for her. "Kate!" he called, "Kate!" Not Beckett, but Kate.

Of course, leave it to Castle (the TV show, not the man) to cut the tension of the moment as soon as possible. Kate was alive and well, and naked in that bathtub. The towels were on fire, the bathrobe was on fire, so Castle had to give her his jacket, while being very very careful not to look. And then Kate asked if it was killing Castle how long he was waiting to tell her about his heroics in breaking down her door to get to her.

So the search for the serial killer was back on. I loved that he wrote his murders down, that those were his mementos of his crimes, and that that was what drew him to Nikki Heat in the first place - part fact, part fiction, just like what he was writing. I also loved that Castle was glad the psycho had fixed on his character because now he was dealing with someone who would catch him and stop him from killing ever again.

But what I loved best was that the show surprised me, again. I suppose I have some sort of thing where when I see a loving workaholic mom talking on the phone to her daughter before getting in her van, I just expect that van to explode. I suspect most people were thinking that, the set up just seemed to be going there, so imagine my surprise when Shaw had a gun held to her head instead.

It made far more sense, though, to use her as bait to get Nikki Heat. Our psycho was not the type to kill without plan or purpose; that wasn't the way he escalated. Instead, he lured the entire FBI team to a location where he had a huge bomb ready to blow them up. And who realized that something was wrong? Castle.

Yet another brilliant choice by the writers. Castle knows something is wrong because he wouldn't write it this way. This is not what he would have his characters do, and since the serial killer has a creative flair in the same way, Beckett goes with Castle's instincts, ending up saving the lives of all the FBI members, including Jordan.

Still, the best part for me was when our killer had Beckett at gun point, about to shoot, and Castle, yelling no, fired a shot which sent the gun flying from the would-be-shooters hand. Of course he was aiming for the man's head, we know his aim is not that perfect, but really, it was the screaming "No!" the very obvious love Castle has for Kate. He may not be a tough guy in general, but if you threaten the people he loves, he will shoot you.

I hope this episode satisfied you thoroughly as it did me. What was your favourite moment?

Parenthood - Whassup, S01E04

Parenthood continues to combine characters who are both flawed and endearing, neither exaggerated nor fake, with storylines familiar to all of us from our own experiences.

What daughter did not suffer the distress of her father's reaction to her first boyfriend? Mine had a questionnaire which he got my boyfriends to fill out, and after each question, if the answer was unsatisfactory, the young man was asked to leave the premises. Let's just say that my mother helped make sure he behaved enough so that we could get through a proper meal. The problem and stress of bringing a young man home to meet the family can only be combated by the knowledge that if he can/is will to put up with the insanity, than he is one step closer to possibly deserving you.

I have to say that I found the plot line regarding the young man using up too much water because he showered 6-7 times daily while taking care of the needs 14 year old boys have hilarious. When his uncle approached him to address the situation, that was awkward, but the conclusion was the best way imaginable to curb those urges. His grandfather came into the bathroom while he was "having a shower" and began explaining to him how this was a normal part of nature. Brilliant.

Were your experiences similar when you were that age?

Chuck - Chuck vs the Final Exam, S03E11

Even 10 years ago, television series could easily be based on a repetitive storyline situation, where the main characters would have to face some challenge every episode, but, by the next week, the status quo would have returned. The only times this did not happen were "to be continued" episodes, which were generally season finales.

Chuck, despite having some strong resemblances to procedural dramas - the type of show which has best retained the old model, faces the challenge of the new way television must progress. And that is: it must progress. The storyline must develop, things must change, and no matter how well the original pattern of the show worked, that must be left behind if it does not realistically make sense anymore.

Once, Chuck (Zachary Levi), with his intersect upgrade, Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski), and Casey (Adam Baldwin) would have spent 8 seasons stopping some evil villain in Burbank, while Chuck tried to retain his cover at the Buy More. He would never have been on the path to become a real spy, one who would be independent. It does not serve the nature of the show, so why bother with it? And the reason it must be bothered with in 2010 is that we know he could not have stayed in that role, all boring and stagnant. Change must happen as it would if there was in fact some superspy type with a computer in his head.

But where will Chuck go now that our hero has become a spy? How will the residents of Burbank - his family and friends, who are such a key part of the show - remain relevant to the life he now must live? Will they be left behind, and how will fans react? Will there be happiness because logic is followed? So far, we've ignored the problems that would arise in reality when Devon (Ryan McPartlin) and Morgan (Joshua Gomez) discovered Chuck's secret identity. We've also skimmed over the number of ring operatives who think that Burbank is a great place to wreak havoc.

When watching television, what is the new right balance between the logical and factual possibilities of the real world and the creative and interesting angles of the television realm?

It seems to me that Chuck is about to face that question

Parenthood - The Deep End of The Pool, S01E03

Although this show could never be called or considered "light," the underlying hope is what keeps you coming back despite the emotional wringer you go through while watching.

The Braverman family has a whole lot of difficulties; with 4 children, all of whom have kids of their own, it's fairly easy to have a good cross section of typical parent-child relationships. What I have no really talked about so far, though, it the sibling relationships.

I have been told many times that my sister and I are ridiculously close, that siblings do not usually have the depth of friendship and understanding that we have...so perhaps I am not the best person to judge, but I do think that, as they get older, most siblings become quite close because of all the common experiences they have which no one else could possibly comprehend.

Adam (Peter Krause), Crosby (Dax Shepard), Julia (Erika Christensen), and Sarah (Lauren Graham) have wonderful sibling bonds. They have tensions, and fight of course, but they are each other's support systems. Crosby goes to his brother, Adam, for advice about the son he just discovered he had, rather than to his father. Julia and Sarah also often go to Adam, the oldest and most together of the four, whenever they are lost. He has much of the advice they might get from their father, but as their brother, he is not so intimidating.

I really like Julia. She is a wonderful example of a modern woman, trying very hard to be successful in her job, but torn because she wants so much to be a good mom and feels like she is continually failing. Her husband, Joel (Sam Jaeger), is the primary care-giver, and but he can be so oblivious to Julia's dilemma and challenges. They really need to sit down as a couple and discuss some of their priorities in regards to their daughter, so that both can participate and so that there aren't so many incidents where they are not supportive of each other with regards to their daughter.

When Julia was trying to encourage the child to swim, Joel backed her up, but the moment it didn't work out perfectly, instead of, like Julia, encouraging his child to see the positive side of a scary moment, he simply indulged the fear. Allowing your child to feel fear and be upset is one thing, but not allowing them to realize their accomplishment - that the fear was worth it - is only going to cripple them in the long run. I think. I'm not a parent, or a psychologist, so what do I know.

What I know is that I like Parenthood. It is heavy, but whatever else happens, the Bravermans love each other, and want what is best for one another. And since we will probably all fail regardless of what we try to be perfect relatives, all we can do is start with the best of intentions.

The Pacific - Part 2: Basilone

The episodes start with a quick historical into, an explanation of what was going on at the time, what the military's plans were and what the soldiers were experiencing in relation to those plans. And then there are a few comments made by the veterans whose experiences the story is based on. It is an unforgettable reminder that what we are about to watch really happened; it is not fiction.

I don't think, if it was fiction, I would want to watch. It's too horrible. Fighting at night, in the dark, unable to see who you are shooting at or where they are coming from, running back and forth trying to keep all defenses strong. In some ways, it is more stressful to watch. All we can do is observe as our heroes take risks, fight men attacking them in the forest, and avoid getting shot by stray bullets without knowing that they are even coming. At least they had the luxury of having survival instincts take over, of not having the time to actually consider what was happening to them.

It is only the next day, when they are able to stop, to assess the situation, when the horror of what they went through sets in. First, a man realizes that he is still alive. It might only be for the moment, but at this moment, he is still alive, and that is the first step. Then comes the realization that someone you know is not, or is missing, and might not be alive. Can you find them? Will you ever see them again? And finally, what is the next step? Are we fighting again; where do we go next?

John Basilon (Jon Seda) survived the fight. He risked his life multiple times - to get more ammunition, to clear the line of fire, to save his fellow soldiers from attacks. At one point, after firing his machine gun for some time in one spot, picked it up with very little defense from its burning heat to move it to a better location. He did not realize he had given himself 3rd degree burns until the next day, when he was more concerned with the search for his lost best friend. Manny (Jon Bernthal), that friend, did not survive.

There was something almost disgusting in finding out Basilone was going to be put up for a medal for his accomplishments that night. What was a medal compared to his lost friend or his burnt arm?

Yet, the episode ended on an upbeat. Our boys were going back to America, back to their homes, but that wasn't what mattered. Back home, people knew about them. The papers had published tons of stories about their accomplishments and they were considered heroes. And, although that cannot take back everything they went through, at least their people know that they went through something and are grateful to them for it.

Rome - Season 1, Episodes 10-12

It is always impressive when a historical show, based on historical facts, can still surprise. I did not foresee the end of the first season, and the best part about that is that I normally would have, only the set up was so well done as to be forgettable.

Caesar (Ciaran Hinds) had to die, and at the hands of his friends, but he was far too clever for it to be an easy thing. And Rome showed that he did not lack in cleverness or foresight, but that his enemies were more determined and had better advantages than he could have imagined.

The decent of Brutus (Tobias Menzies) from loyal friend of Caesar to his killer was as careful as it had to be for such a thing to have taken place. Between his mother's horrid plots, which portrayed him as Caesar's enemies, and Caesar's inability to simply ignore those plots, Brutus could only go in one direction. His friend's inability to have faith in his against all the signs forced Brutus to side against Caesar, while he did not want to. And when Caesar was brutally cut down, Brutus could by watch, terrified to move. Only in the end, when Caesar was well on his way to death anyway, did Brutus give him one final jab, before bursting into tears and sobs that he was forced to kill such a great man and friend.

And with Servilia (Lindsay Duncan) so jealously incensed against him, how could Caesar not be brought low. Still, how could I have foreseen that the murder would have come about thanks to the most bizarre set of circumstances revealed to us throughout the season. I had almost forgotten that Niobe (Indira Varma) had had an affair, she and Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) had been so happy of late. And I had definitely forgotten that Octavian (Max Pirkis) had told his sister, who had told Servilia, that he and Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson) had murdered her lover. When Servilia remembered where she had heard the name Vorenus before, I could not remember it.

Caesar had been careful. I absolutely loved the scene where he told Vorenus that he could not punish him for saving Pullo because it would upset the people, but since he could not do nothing, as that would make him appear weak, he must reward him instead, and, therefore, he gave him a place in the Senate. That maneuver was excellently done, and it also gave Caesar a terrific body guard. None of his enemies would have reached him with Vorenus by his side, or they would have had to kill the soldier as well, and that would have worked against the nobility of the act they were committing.

So, on their way to Senate, Vorenus is told of his wife's betrayal, and he goes to confront her, leaving Caesar alone. Mark Anthony (James Purefoy) is distracted by some petitioners, and so Caesar is undefended and killed. A sad occurrence, but one that did happen. It could not be avoided.

What we do wish could have been avoided, though, was the death of Niobe. Not at the hands of her husband, thankfully. As we feared that might be the case, the shock of her throwing her self off the balcony instead was so much the worse.

How will, how did Rome emerge from this blackness? I'm sure Season 2 will do a perfect job of showing how Brutus lost the city to Mark Anthony, and what happened next.