Being Human - S01E06 - Season Finale

The Season 1 finale ends with the message that self-sacrifice and love are what makes us human, but no matter how hard we try, we'll probably still hurt the people we love at some point in some way. Also, there are things out there that are probably more frightening then a funeral parlor full of vampires. I can't wait to see Season 2.

Mitchell (Aidan Turner) is rushed to the hospital in at attempt to save his life after Herrick (Jason Watkins) stabbed him in the chest with a stake. George (Russell Tovey) and Annie (Lenora Crichlow) accompany him. That's right, Annie decided not to go through the door to the next world, refusing to leave Mitchell in such a state. Although it would have been quite a shocker if she had left the world (and thus the show), I'm glad they kept her. It wouldn't be the same if George and Mitchell had to find a new ghost.

Mitchell, with his vampire abilities, healed rather quickly, but he was not regaining strength at a particularly fast pace. He knew that he had to stop Herrick and the vampire uprising, as did his friend Josie (Clare Higgins). She convinced him that she wanted him to take her blood, her life (which was almost over anyways, due to a terrible cancer) so that he could save them all. Still, he was weak, and most likely Herrick was going to kill him anyway. Trying to save Annie and George, he challenged Herrick to a duel.

The funny thing about a group of such dedicated friends - they are all so willing to sacrifice themselves for each other. Mitchell would die for the chance that George and Annie would continue on without him, and as angry as Annie was about it, George simply went behind his back to do the same thing. Only George was pretty sure he wouldn't be the one dying.

When Herrick arrived for the confrontation, he discovered himself locked in the basement with George, moments before the wolf came out.

Now this could have been enough of a conflict, but who doesn't want more if they can have it? Annie, having gained strange new powers to hear other ghosts and be a focal point, saved all the human victims kept as snacks in the funeral parlor and discovered George's deception. She and Mitchell arrived before he transformed to try to convince him not to. He won out, and Mitchell and Annie pulled back only for Nina (Sinead Keenan), who was rather annoyed about George hiding so much from her, to show up and learn his secret. She saw him transform, saw him kill Herrick, and knew that he was doing it for the people he loved.

So things are looking good. Annie's resolved her death, but is gaining new powers now that she's decided to remain in this world as a ghost (possibly) for good. The vampires have been stopped, and George has become very comfortable with who and what he is, plus his girlfriend knows about it so they have no more secrets. As Mitchell put it, perhaps safety is what follows? Nope! Can't have that.

Not only was Nina scratched by George moments before he transformed, most likely meaning she will become a werewolf herself, something for which George will never forgive himself, but there are also some mysterious men asking questions about ghosts, werewolves, and vampires, and their focus seems to be on our little house.

As we wait for season 2, let me know which of the creatures - ghost, werewolf or vampire - you would prefer to be if you had to choose.

Being Human - S01E05

Watching this episode, I couldn't help but compare it to what will probably happen in the American version. British television practices are so different from American ones, starting with things like episode length and going to what British writers/producers are willing to do and what their actors are able to do.

The penultimate episode of the season, a whole lot of set up happens for the season finale. This is common in both countries, but it is the way it happens that is so different. For one thing, to American audiences, a 6 episode season is ridiculously short. 12 is the lowest order expected, though it is usually 13, and 20-25 is expected for most shows. So to have so much happen in 5 episodes, while each episode was properly contained and worked extremely well is quite impressive.

Then we consider the number of important events that happened in the episode

- Annie (Lenora Crichlow) decides to haunt Owen (Gregg Chillin). She not only confronts him at the house, which does not work out so well, but then tried to convince Janey (Sama Goldie) of his guilt, and finally, after some other events which strengthen her resolve, she confronts him backed by George (Russell Tovey) and Mitchell (Aidan Turner). This time she is successful and he confesses.

- Mitchell, meanwhile, has joined back up with the vampires. He's all for their plan, even introducing to an old friend of his who is dying of lung cancer. She points out to him how wrong the plan is, and then he discovers that the vampires are holding humans prisoner to feed on them. When he confronts Herrick (Jason Watkins), the two prepare for a fight to the death.

- George helped Annie with her haunting plan, and was then warned about Mitchell's involvement with the vampires. He and Annie headed out to help their friend, getting into a fight with Seth (Dylan Brown) on the way. Eventually they find Mitchell, but the three are cornered until Lauren (Annabel Scholey) kills Seth and they escape.

-As they are escaping, Lauren convinces Mitchell to end her sorry existence, and he does. And, when the group has recovered at home and forced Owen to confess, Annie's door to the other world appears. But, as she is preparing to go through it, Herrick arrives at the front door and stabs Mitchell in the chest when he opens it. Cliffhanger.

All that happens in one episode, and in the States would likely have been the subject matter for half-a-dozen - the same number of episode of Season 1.

On top of that, choices like killing off Lauren and Seth would not have been made so lightly, as each probably would have had a decent fan base by this point in time and audiences would not have been so keen on it. British television is far more willing to kill off characters if that's what the story requires.

Also, removing Lauren, Seth, and Owen (as well as Janey) from the story in one episode would also never happen. Each of those events could be the climax of one episode, and it would be a waste considering how often American shows end up with filler episodes where nothing actually happens.

Finally, if this were an American show, I wouldn't be so worried at the junction of this cliffhanger. There is NO WAY an American network would kill off either of its main characters, particularly not after purging so many of the secondary ones. Neither Mitchell nor Annie would be in any danger of dying/disappearing. But this is British television we are watching, and I have seen many a show from across the pond where lead characters are killed off because it's what is necessary.

But which is better? Would you rather watch a show with extra episodes, which, while a little predictable, gives you exactly what you want? Or do you want a show that surprises and follows the storyline because of what makes the most sense rather than what makes the most cents?

Being Human - S01E04

Until now, the focus of the series has been how werewolf George (Russell Tovey), vampire Mitchell (Aidan Turner), and ghost Annie (Lenora Crichlow) can live a life were they are as close to human as possible, but this episode reminded up that being human isn't so very far from being a monster.

Last week, we learnt that Owen (Gregg Chillin) had killed Annie, pushing her down the stairs because he was an abusive bastard with a temper. So far, she had always come across as the most human of the roommates, the only factor of difference being that she is dead. Her anger at her discovery manifested itself into poltergeistism, and, unable to control it, she's about as dangerous as Mitchell and George can be. Not to worry, by the end of the episode, a ritual burning of the possessions which reminded her of her former relationship not only helped calm her but have also resulted in normal people being able to see her clearly again. Confident and powerful, Annie now has the power of reminding her monster boyfriend what really bumps in the night.

George, meanwhile, obsessed continually over his relationship with Nina (Sinead Keenan). Was he wearing the right shirt? Would she prefer the wolf to him? Wasn't she safer without him? He tried to break it off, to protect her, but neither he nor she was completely able to give up on the other. In the end, while George was still not able to share his secret, Nina showed him her stomach. It was covered in scars which looked to be tissue repair after burning. Apparently humans did that to her, so how much worse could a werewolf who genuinely cared about her be?

Finally, Mitchell was living an almost perfectly human life, not even reacting to the sight of blood anymore, but one mistake destroyed it. Granted, people interacting with children ought to be a lot more careful, and if they are hiding pornographic videos in their collection, they should make sure none of those are lent to children, but in the end it was still a mistake.

The entire street turned against the household, accusing them of being pedophiles and refusing to serve them in the local shops. They threw garbage on the doorstep and smashed windows with bricks. Refusing to listen to reason or explanations, the mass turned into a mob, as eager to destroy as the mobs in monster movies.

In the end, it worked out - the death of the child forced the mother to finally listen to what her son had been telling him. But the child was still dead, and Mitchell found himself again embittered towards men.

Fighting one's true nature is never easy, but seeing constant reasons that make the fight seem pointless...well, that's even more complicated. Mitchell has relapsed, again, and Annie is just as set against humans...well, at least one particular human, as he is. With two episodes of season 1 remaining, what will the consequences be?

Being Human - S01E03

Some episodes of Being Human revolve around a story which involves all three leads, and other episodes tell three separate stories but do an excellent job of tying them together through their connection to the house. This was such an episode, accomplishing major developments for Annie (Lenora Crichlow), Mitchell (Aidan Turner), and George (Russell Tovey).

Mitchell sort of kind of fell off the wagon again. Offered the possibility of sex and blood without the risk of harming his partner, Mitchell and Lauren (Annabel Scholey) connected. The colour of their eyes remained black for much of the time, and Mitchell admitted to having watched the vampire porn movie dozens of times. In most mythologies, vampirism is strongly associated with sexual desire, and that is very present in Being Human.

George, meanwhile, finally had dinner with Nina (Sinead Keenan), thanks to Mitchell who arranged the whole thing. When they started getting physical, George panicked as the wolf emerged and he backed off. Nina would have none of it, and the next day, the day of the full moon, she insisted on having a conversation with him about his issues. Gotta love how direct and straight forward Nina is. She sees a problem, she wants a solution, and she gets one. Of course, all her talk about other ways to pleasure a lady got George in such a state that he took her passionately before running to lock himself in the basement for the night. It seems that if he could control himself so soon before his transformation was to occur, then he could control himself the rest of the time too.

Finally Annie had the most important story in the episode. Not only did she meet Gilbert (Alex Price), an 80s ghost who taught her about the importance of resolving your issues so you could cross to the next world, but she also suffered the pain of "living" through what was to be her wedding day. Still, she launched herself into the project of being a proper wife to Owen (Gregg Chillin), assuming that is what she need to do. Instead, she was distressed to discover that Owen had caused her death when he pushed her down the stairs. Makes you think about the previous episode, when Tulley grabbed her arm and she called him Owen. Instead of a romantic association, it was certainly one of being manhandled.

The mystery, of course, is that Annie did not move on after her discovery. For Gilbert, the simple act of meeting Annie, loving her, and telling her so was enough to bring him a door to the next world, but Annie stayed put. At least the plumbing problems in the house, most likely caused by Annie's subconscious connection to the house, are over. Will she resolve her death and be able to move on? And do we really want her to?

Being Human - S01E02

Admitting what you are is the first step to accepting, controlling, and being happy with who you are. Mitchell (Aidan Turner) denies his nature as much as George (Russell Tovey) does; the difference is that Mitchell has to be aware of his denial every single moment, while George's denial temporarily allows him to forget what he is. Annie (Lenora Crichlow) has no problem admitting that she is a ghost, but she has blocked out her reasons for staying behind far more definitively that either George or Mitchell.

When Tully (Dean Lennox Kelly) shows up, offering to help George learn to deal with his problem, George is terrified at first. He's not particularly good at letting people into his life in the first place, and this man, also a werewolf, reminds him every moment of what he is. Yet he quickly starts to see the advantages. Tully knows how to take care of himself in the forest, has tricks to protect the werewolf from detection, and to protect people from encountering it. He's charming and hitting on women comes so easily to him, and he accepts who he is and wants George to do the same. Mitchell, as much as he wants George to admit what he is and to become comfortable with it, does not want George to give in to that nature anymore than he wants to give into his own.

Of course, to those of us with discerning tastes, Tully comes across as a creep. Sure, he's charming, but his seduction is too intent. Any intelligent girl would reject his comments, as Nina (Sinead Keenan) does when George tries to use them on her. It's not just that George lacks smoothness, it's also that those lines only work on someone unused to any kind of flattery.

And when he tries to seduce Annie, an act that comes across far more like assault than romance, well, let's just say that Mitchell should maybe have killed the werewolf rather than let him stick around.

Still, George needed time to realize what a jerk Tully was. He knew that he didn't exactly like what he was turning into, and he knew that he didn't like how comfortable Tully was with what he was becoming, but when he learned that Tully was the werewolf who had attacked him, that his tricks didn't always work and that he was happy to have made another creature in his image, well, that George couldn't stomach at all. That's the problem with a nice guy like George. He's so easy to manipulate and so wants to hold on to things tightly that more often then not he says something he really regrets. Good thing he is able to make it up to his friends.

Meanwhile, Mitchell's attempts to ignore his blood lust suffer as Lauren (Annabel Scholey) refuses to allow him to do so. She shows up, she taunts him, and she sends him a very disturbing vampire-porno movie. And as much as he wants to shut that part of him up in a box, he really can't forget about it...even if Lauren wasn't trying so hard to keep the thought at the front of his mind.

Finally, Annie. In some ways, it didn't seem like her story developed much in this episode. Yet, that assumption would be wrong. Her relationship with Tully and her responses to it may well be very telling, and her decision to leave the house, terrified, because for once she felt safer to be outside than within also show progress.

Three rich characters, each getting proper attention, continue to give us fantastic episodes.

Being Human - Pilot, S01E00

Again, I really think that watching the first episode of season 1 and then watching this pilot makes a lot more sense. What happened in this episode isn't entirely taken back, but much of it is covered again in the proper premiere. It's still entertaining to watch, and it shows us how George (Russell Tovey) and Mitchell (played by Guy Flanagan in the pilot) meet Annie (played by Andrea Riseborough at the time).

In the episode, George and Mitchell decide to find a place to live together. It's not clear where Mitchell is living, but George is staying in a hostel. We get a little bit of humour as George comes across as slightly effeminate and the real estate agent believes that the pair are a couple. Although George is surprise by the assumption, Mitchell is amused and plays it up. I actually thing that Tovey and Flanagan had great chemistry. About as good as that Tovey has with Aidan Turner (who now plays Mitchell).

It turns out that their apartment is haunted by Riseborough's Annie, who comes across as a lot more intense than the Annie portrayed by Lenora Crichlow. Frankly, I found Riseborough exhausting. There is never a moment where she is calm. Perhaps it was the nature of the episode, but I'm glad she was replaced because I think she would have driven me batty.

Other than the discovery of how the 3 became roommates, we also see Mitchell turn Lauren (then played by Dominique McElligott). His uncertainty over whether he successfully turned her shows how little he planned on biting her in the first place, and his guilt foreshadows Turner's Mitchell's decision to let Becka die for her own sake.

The most important arch, and the one that luckily was portrayed by the returning actor, is George's encounter with his ex, Julia (Claire Foy). Mentioned in the premiere, we actually get to see George go through to pain of seeing her again, with the added poignancy of her inability to deal with his curse. Worse, of course, were the moments when he thought she was going to be locked in with him while he turned.

In the end, I do prefer the changes that were made, the world that is presented in Season 1, but it is also a treat to be able to watch some of the events which are only mentioned once the episode is left behind.

Being Human - S01E01

Although a pilot for Being Human was shot and aired, I feel that talking about (and watching) the first episode of Season 1 first makes the most sense. The pilot involved mostly different actors, and getting a little background on the characters through it works, but it might set up different expectations than are present in the full series.

The premise, of course, is one of sheer genius. A werewolf, a vampire, and a ghost are roommates. How fantastic is that? But Being Human goes beyond the challenges of a simple, supernatural show, questioning what changes there former humans need to make, as well as allowing us, the viewers, to question our own reactions to life.

As high-minded as the show can get, it is also hilarious. George (Russell Tovey), the resident werewolf, has to find himself a hideout for his time of the month. Annie (Lenora Crichlow) points out that she's glad she no longer has to suffer through that experience, when she was moody and liable to bite someone's head off...George might literally do just that. And when George finds his usual sanctuary full of people, he runs madly through the woods, running into dozens of people, only to end up back in their own home.

The premiere also gives us origin stories - George was on vacation in Scotland when he was attacked. He was only scratched, thus he lived, now cursed. Annie fell down a flight of stairs and broke her neck. She left behind her fiancé. We get to meet Owen (Gregg Chillin), and although he seems to have formed an attachment with another woman whom Annie hates, the love that both of them felt when they were alive comes across as warm and deep. Finally, Mitchell (Aidan Turner) was turned into a vampire to save his company during the war. Which war it was, the First or the Second, I'm not certain, although I get the impression it was the first.

Mitchell tries to resist his vampire roots, but not long ago he killed and turned Lauren (Annabel Scholey) whom he and George worked with. She is resentful, and your typical newly turned vamp. She wants vengeance on Mitchell, and goes after a new friend he made, forcing him to either allow the girl to die, or to turn her as well. Mitchell refuses to make her a monster like him, and Lauren leaves, blaming the incident on Mitchell.

I think the most revealing part of the encounter is that Lauren is unable to take responsibilities for her own actions. Despite her repeatedly stated desire to cause harm, she refuses to be blamable. It's all Mitchell's fault and has nothing to do with her...perhaps she's not as far gone as one might imagine.

So there you have it. 3 "monsters" trying to live a "normal" existence while dealing with their own personal issues. Annie is a ghost because she has unresolved issues, which may have something to do with the fiance she never got to marry. George wants to contain his inner beast, and Mitchell needs to fight himself every day to not be what every vampire is, while resenting himself for the mistakes he's made - like turning Lauren.

It's complex and full, and fantastic.

Miami Medical - Down to the Bone, S01E12

With only one episode remaining, I just have to say that it SUCKS that this show hasn't been picked up. It makes me laugh and smile, and then in makes me cringe. I care about the victims and I want them to live, but the task of saving them is made difficult enough that I don't feel that their survival is a given, and, in some episodes, it is not.

For instance, after Proctor (Jeremy Northam) saved the life of a man in this week's episode, we know that that same man is going to continue welding, a practice which is slowly poisoning him to death. Apparently they thought his father had Parkinson's disease, but instead had the same thing he now has, but he's going to continue in that line of work and allow himself to deteriorate with Parkinson's-like symptoms. Now that is heavy!

Meanwhile, you have Dr. C (Mike Vogel) acting against orders, descending into an unstable sinkhole to amputate a man's leg so that he can be saved. Chris has a mad saviour complex to be doing what he did, not only going in there in the first place, but staying after he broke his wrist because he knew if he left the man he was attending would die. When he cut the rope the search and rescue team had attached to him so that they couldn't pull him up, I was both joyous and terrified at the risk.

All I can say is that next week, in the finale, we better get something happening between Chris and Eva (Lana Parrilla) which is more than just fantastic chemistry. I am always one for advocating that a man and a woman can be friends without there being anything more there, but it is SO obvious that both Chris and Eva are in love with each other that I will simply argue my point about Eva and Proctor, or Serena (Elisabeth Harnois) and Chris.

That said, if I ever end up dying in a sink hole, I want Dr. Chris Deleo to come save me, and possibly marry me too. You?

Season's Review - Glee, Season 1

Glee was a far greater success, I think, than the producers, writers, directors, and actors originally anticipated. This meant that, while the concept was thought through, no plot really was. So you have a terrific idea - essentially high school dramedy which is a musical - and it doesn't really get backed up by solid story-telling.

I really enjoy Glee. I turn it on, I enjoy the music, I laugh, I get angry at the bad things that happen, and I wish that I knew more about how Sue C's it. But I try not to think. Because when I think too hard about it, I realize that there are so many little holes, so many contradictions, so many things that happened which nobody thought through completely. And it makes me sad that such a great idea, which has met with such terrific acclaim, doesn't do the one thing I really believe television is for - it doesn't tell a long and lasting story which develops perfectly because television has more time than almost any other story telling medium.

Glee relies on its music and on its fantastic cast of characters. The characters are all interesting and diverse. They have issues which are believable and which we can relate to, and they overcome them in ways which are inspirational to young people. Certainly, sometimes, I worry that the beauty of Sue (Jane Lynch)'s sarcastic view on life might be above some viewers' heads, that her racist and discriminatory comments may offend or encourage negative behaviours. It's funny that there are such smart and witty comments on a show that in general doesn't really reach.

What I want is for the writers to sit down before they start filming the next two seasons (both of which have already been renewed), and actually plan what they want to have happen to each and every character and how that is going to work as a plot. If they succeed at that, Glee will not only be a fad of the turn of the decade, but might become a classic.

So, to sum up, I love the characters, I love the actors, and I love the concept. I just want those to be united in a plot so that I can love that too!

Rookie Blue - Fresh Paint, S01E01

Rookie Blue is like Grey's Anatomy, only with cops instead of doctors. 5 rookies join the force and have to learn the ropes quickly when their first day gets exciting, but their personal lives also promise to be interesting as relationships and connections between the new guys and the detectives are already forming. So, a lot like Grey's Anatomy, but guess what, it's Canadian.

Who knew? I certainly hadn't picked up this piece of information because I'd seen more info about it on American sites than Canadian ones. But it was filmed in Toronto, backed by Global, and when you consider that, man is the quality amazing. Granted, I've seen an episode or two of Flashpoint, and that show is also high quality. Really, we as Canadians need to start giving more credit to our television networks because they can give us some good stuff.

Now, I won't exaggerate. It was pretty obvious to me that Andy McNally (Missy Peregrym) was arresting an undercover cop, Sam Swarek (Ben Bass) , but I was impressed by the choice to have her be persistent and crack the murder she was investigating when she arrested him based on the information he gave her. Also impressed that he gave her good information considering how pissed he was about the screw up.

The one problem was that I'm not really sure why I should watch again next week. I mean, I saw the trailer for next week's episode, and I know that Andy and Sam are going to end up working together and that that is going to be a lot of fun. I suspect there will be some romantic tension there, though Andy is clearly attracted to Luke Callaghan (Eric Johnson), another detective. And I really want to see how that plays out. But this episode ended with a rather conclusive victory over the rookies' first day, and in itself didn't promise me anything for the future.

Still I will watch again, and I suggest you do to because, whatever else it ends up being, as the moment with the transgendered suspect needing to be searched, it's going to be fun.

Your first impressions?

Season's Review - Dexter, Season 4

After watching Season 4 of Dexter, I was certain it was the best season of the series yet. The villain, the Trinity Killer, was the most terrifying, violent, yet visible serial killer we have met so far - other than Dexter (Michael C. Hall) of course. And Dexter's own relationship, both with the Trinity Killer and with the serial killer within himself, created an understanding of how the two halves could be a functioning whole. Plus, those last few minutes of the final episode will definitely remain the most unforgettable of the series. Yet, saying it was the best season ever might not have been accurate.

Season 1, in my mind, remains the very best, better than 4. This is because we learned so much more about Dexter and his back story. It was the season in which is origin was explored, and I don't think any storyline can actually top it. Two serial killers so permanently entwined...it's the stuff of comic books, the stuff that makes the dark hero and the twisted villain so compelling and understandable. Without Harry (James Remar), Dexter would have become the villain. Thus, no matter how wonderful Season 4 was, it can't compare with 1.

Now that we have that out of the way, let's sing the praises of 4. Certainly back to the quality we want and expect from Dexter. We had the focus back - Dexter vs the Trinity Killer (John Lithgow), instead of the multiple plot lines of seasons 2 and 3. Plus, most of what was going on in Dexter's personal life was tied right into that relationship, as he tried to learn everything he could from Arthur Mitchell. While Harry had been the guiding force to keep Dexter from being discovered, Arthur gave him the possibility of remaining hidden while still having a full life. He began to understand that a wife, kids, and friends weren't just a cover to keep people from suspecting that he had a darker side. He could have the things he wanted, the things he was beginning to realize he needed, without compromising them or himself.

Sure, it turned out that Trinity's version of happy family life was not actually what Dexter was looking for, and in the end Dexter stopped Trinity from ever killing again (a bit too late, but at least it happened), but that option became possible. Dexter as a human being and not just the carrier of a dark passenger began to emerge and to understand that he too had a place on this earth.

And as much as the focus of this season was on Dexter and Arthur, I think that Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), Quinn (Desmond Harrington), and Christine (Courtney Ford) deserve praise for the way they developed their storyline as well. I loved the tie in of this seemingly unrelated subplot. I loved what it did to Deb and Quinn's relationship, and how far the two have come as partners. Plus, Dexter's ability to get under Quinn's skin, while not the same sort of suspicion as Doakes (Erik King) had, gives me great pleasure. It's nice to know that Dexter hasn't quite got everybody on the force entirely fooled.

Otherwise, the only questions that remain are about what's going to happen next season. I can only hope that the writers, producers, and directors have properly understood what made this season SO great and keep the quality at this level.

Merlin - The Mark of Nimueh, S01E03

The stakes on Merlin escalate when a sorceress releases a plague on Camelot, killing dozens of citizens. I am quite pleased to see that death is a real risk in this world, and not everyone escapes with ease. It was apparent from the first episode, when the witch was willing to kill a couple people to get to Arthur, but in this episode the bodies were really piling up.

Nimueh (Michelle Ryan) may well be the "big bad" of the season, putting a face on Uther Pendragon (Anthony Head)'s fear of magic. She clearly has the power to bring destruction, and lacks any moral compunction to stop it. We also saw Uther's desperation to keep his kingdom stable, proclaiming that a cure had to be found before people turned to magic for answers. He has clearly seen far too much of the evil it can do to find any value in to good, and while, as Gaius (Richard Wilson) said, magic can be good or evil depending on the person using it, far more often it leans towards selfishness and evil.

I have to say that I find Merlin (Colin Morgan) and Gwen (Angel Coulby)'s relationship disturbing. We all know who she's going to end up with..well, actually, Guinevere has been paired with Arthur and Lancelot, as well as with Mordred, and perhaps Merlin might have attracted her attention at some point too...Regardless, knowing that Merlin and Gwen aren't going to live happily ever after together, seeing her affection for him is bizarre. His friendship for her, construed as love both by Morgana (Katie McGrath) and by Arthur (Bradley James), who prevented Merlin from confessing he was a sorcerer to protect Gwen since clearly Merlin would lie for the girl he loved, caused him to take silly risks. At least now Merlin seems to have finally realized the consequences for his easy use of magic. I hope that lesson stays with him.

The thing that amuses me the most is Merlin's inability to deal with riddles. It may simply be that he functions best when told exactly what to do (a fact that will not help him in the long run), or it may be that ever riddle prophesy he is told emphasizes that Arthur and he are linked, but every time he goes to the Dragon, he is annoyed that he doesn't get a straight answer. Though, really, as far as prophesies go, those ones aren't so complicated.

So, what are your thoughts? How much does the idea of Merlin and Gwen together weird you out?

Memphis Beat - That's Alright, Mama, S01E01

Man, I love Jason Lee. He's what really drew me to this show in the first place because he's hilarious and talented and I love him. And this premiere really proved that that love is not misplaced because not only was he funny - something he is generally known for - but he was also charming and serious, with just the right amount of anger and sensitivity. I had not expected to get hooked, but I already can't wait for next week's episode.

In the Memphis of Dwight Hendricks (Jason Lee)'s mind, the people take care of one another. It's a loving place, and while it's got its troubles, music and culture hold it together with its own, unique charm. It may not be so simple as that, but that notion works for Hendricks and makes him an awfully good detective.

And he is a good detective. He's not conventional, as the frequent run-ins with his new boss, Lt. Tanya Rice (Alfre Woodard) have shown, but he has great instincts. I loved how we saw that the rest of the force trusted those instincts, proving his track record, but we saw why he was so good. Despite being thrown off the case at least twice, he continued working it, methodically and with dedication, politely talking to the neighbourhood children to learn what they knew and playing Barbie with them to help them get over their shyness.

We really have the sense of a man who cares about his job because he cares about people. He wants the weak to be saved and the wicked to be punished so that the world is protected. Plus, he's got a great voice. But I think the real mark of who Dwight Hendricks is, and the best reason to keep watching the show, was his rousing speech which convinced the uniformed officers to care as much as he did about helping the victim of their case. She was a radio talk show host, and very famous. According to Hendricks, she was Memphis, and if she hadn't played the right song on the right day, those officers' parents might never have met, never have fallen in love.

It was charming, yet focused, dedicated and never over the top. I'm hooked; are you?

Pretty Little Liars - To Kill a Mocking Girl, S01E03

The themes of manipulation continued throughout this episode, as well as those of young ladies and older men and of the general difficulties of dating for 16 year olds. I continue to really enjoy the show, to question my understanding of the relationships, and to wonder how I would have responded to what I'm seeing when I was that age. Truly teenagers are stuck in a horrible place between adulthood and childhood. How much of that is where society places them and how much is what they are ready for.

I'm finally feeling for Hanna (Ashley Benson). Granted, whenever we see the flashbacks where she is supposed to be fat, I get annoyed because frankly Alison (Sasha Pieterse) is a bigger girl than she is. Neither of them are at all fat, and 16 year olds watching this have enough body image issues. But just because Hanna is now skinny (ie not wearing baggy clothes) doesn't mean those issues have disappeared. Her boyfriend doesn't want to sleep with her. Whatever his issues are, she's taking that to mean that he doesn't care about her, likely because she's still not physically perfect enough.

And what's worse is that she, at 16, feels that she should be having sex because otherwise her relationship is not valid. If sex is all your relationship is about, it's not valid either!

Emily (Shay Mitchell) is having the complete opposite boyfriend troubles. Ben (Steven Krueger) was pushing her to go places that she wasn't comfortable with, and when she said no, he didn't stop. I don't actually know how often this sort of thing takes place in real life, but in television there are a lot of boys who get sexually frustrated and violent when they are getting mixed physical signals. You have to wonder how much of that is due to the raging hormones, and therefore to what extent do they really have control over their actions? I'm not justifying it in any way, but how much of this problem is because society isn't acknowledging this sort of behaviour as typical and therefore creating more preventative measures that those "date-rape is wrong" videos they play in grade school?

Lucky for Emily, someone was there to help her out, but in the context of the show, the guy's got just the wrong mix of sweet-creepy for me to think it's not going to cost anything down the line.

Aria (Lucy Hale) continues to be my favourite character. Probably because she's not so caught up in the high school BS. Her issue is that she's far more mature than most 16 year olds and has interests far above that too. If Ezra Fitz (Ian Harding) wasn't her teacher, there really wouldn't be that much standing in the way of the relationship. Now part of that is presentation. Ezra really cares about Aria, and wants to do right by her. He isn't the kind of guy who would pressure her into doing something against her will. Then again, they are both at completely different points in their lives and if he expects her to behave as a 20 year old, therefore cramping her ability to react as a 16 year old will, that could be damaging in the long run.

Regardless, Aria's main problem is her issue with her dad and the bitchy woman he had an affair with who is clearly going after their family. I really wanted Aria to just pitch the drink in the woman's face, but I guess that would have made a scene and she really didn't want that.

Finally, Spencer (Troian Bellisario) is the one I consider in the most trouble at the moment. (Yes, even more so that Hanna after she crashed her boyfriend's car). Wren (Julian Morris) comes across as a nice guy, but he is so obviously a sleaze! Spencer is oblivious to his manipulations, claiming that he fell in love with the wrong sister. Please, he was engaged to her. They were planning their wedding and he decided that maybe he'd rather kiss her baby sister instead? And poor naive Spencer, thinking that he's so sweet and resenting her bitchy sister who is unfairly blaming her. Two people kissed, not one, and even if Spencer had spent the last 6 months trying to seduce him and succeeded, he would have let himself get seduced.

Plus, now she's cheating on her test papers because her life is in shambles so she can't concentrate but the fear of doing poorly is too much for her to simply hand in something half-assed.

So, despite all the complications with Alison's murder, the 4 leads are going through some pretty normal teenage crap. Who do you most relate with?

Season's Review - Chuck, Season 3

For a season which was originally given a 13-episode order because at the end of Season 2 it was almost cancelled, Chuck made sure to show NBC that that would have been a terrible mistake. It got 6 more episodes added to the order, and was renewed for Season 4 before the run was over. And it absolutely deserved it.

Now, I know that some people are going to point out some of the strange choices that were made. Chuck (Zachary Levi) decided that it meant more to him to be a spy than to be with Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski), so their relationship ended, and he worked really really hard and finally became a spy, but as soon as that happened, and he and Sarah got together, they considered running from the spy game. Realizing neither wanted this, they continued working until Ellie (Sarah Lancaster) discovered Chuck's secret, and finally made him promise to get out. He did, but will now have to use all that he learned to find his mother...He just won't have CIA or NSA backup, unless you could Sarah and Casey (Adam Baldwin). It's all a little confusing.

Also, Chuck and Sarah's on again, off again relationship was a little tiresome. Chuck's other choice was hardly around at all before he essentially realized that she wasn't Sarah and so it wouldn't work out. But, they did end up realizing that they loved each other, that they wanted to be together, and that nothing was going to stop them.

More shows need to realize that you can get your main couple together and not lose everything that makes your show amazing (unless you show has nothing else going for it). The challenges that Sarah and Chuck now have to face as a couple, but the strength they can draw from each other gives me a greater incentive to watch the show than simply wondering when they'd eventually hook up ever did.

Finally, the transformation of Chuck, from asset to full out spy, the involvement of the rest of his friends and family, as Morgan (Joshua Gomez), Ellie, and Devon (Ryan McPartlin) discovered his career, and the psychiatric issues Chuck suffered as a result of what the intersect was doing to his mind, all of these were beautiful and brilliant story arcs. Also, the revival of Daniel Shaw (Brandon Routh) was a perfect parallel of the return of Bryce Larkin in the first season.

Chuck continues to be the perfect action-comedy, sparing neither the great fight segments and explosions, nor the many opportunities for hilarity. Can't wait to see what Season 4, the search for Chuck's mom, will bring.

Persons Unknown - The Way Through, S01E03

At first, this episode was pretty predictable...I thought. I guessed at what was going to happen next, and was right, and despite the increase in the scale of psychological terror on the 7 victims, it didn't actually seem uniquely desperate, but those last moments, in which we learnt the name of Janet (Daisy Betts)'s deadbeat husband, those were fantastic.

Don't get me wrong, the whole bate and switch with the gas masks was interesting and entertaining. It was a great opportunity to see some character development - Graham (Chadwick Boseman) gave his to Moira (Tina Holmes), Charlie (Alan Ruck) refused to give his up, and Blackham (Sean O'Bryan) was willing to do anything to have one. And Blackham certainly deserved to get a face full of gas when the mask betrayed him (though Moira and Tori (Kate Lang Johnson) didn't). Plus, I love how much Joe (Jason Wiles) continues to support Janet.

But the real excitement was with our investigative reporter, Renbe (Gerald Kyd). Not only did he get his life threatened a second time when he refused to drop the story on Janet, but he also found info about the mom and daughter on the corrupt Private Investigator's computer.

Too bad the PI got him right back. Is Renbe Janet's disappeared husband? Is that why he has taken an interest in this case? Or is the entire thing a ploy on the part of the P.I.? Either is very possible!

Which do you think it is? Is the P.I. simply trying to make more trouble, or have we finally located Janet's errant husband?

True Blood - Beautifully Broken, S03E02

True Blood is really a show about a community, focusing primarily on the adventures of Sookie (Anna Paquin), but never neglecting the wide variety of people who populate her home town. And while there are so many stories being told, this only heightens the sense that the lives of everyone we know are meandering down their own paths, occasionally allowing us to share the chaos.

It is clearly apparent that each of our main characters - Sookie, Bill (Stephen Moyer), Eric (Alexander Skarsgard), Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), Tara (Rutina Wesley), Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), Jason (Ryan Kwanten), and Sam (Sam Trammell) - have major goings-on in their lives which aren't very much connected. Yet, with the appearance of Tara's unintroduced vampire, her story has suddenly become very closely connected to Bill's story in Mississippi, which connects straight back to Sookie and to Eric, each in their separate ways.

For starters, I have to say that I loved Bill's prison. The lavishness, the decadence, the pure silver doors! What a classy way to prevent a vampire from leaving. And the blood champagne and gelato? Who knew vampires had such fancy cuisine. Naturally the appearance of Lorena (Mariana Klaveno) was in bad taste, and while I hope that Bill did light her on fire with an oil lamp, I couldn't help but think that the scene had only taken place in his mind. Or maybe I hope that because I'm afraid of what will happen to him if it didn't.

Secondly, I LOVE JASON. He is so adorable. When he found out that werewolves he existed, not only did he wonder then about Bigfoot, but mostly he was interested in the existence of Santa! Then, as he took care of his sister (so wonderfully making up for all the stupid things he did in season 1), he said that they just had the two of them, and it would always be him and Sookie. That is until she married Bill, at which point it would be Jason, Sookie, and Bill.

And finally, I am sure that every one of your hearts were atwitter when Eric suddenly slammed Sookie into the wall of her house demanding to be allowed to enter, and Sookie bit him enter in the most formal way imaginable, suddenly aware of the danger he already felt. Shivers!

I could speculate on how long it will take for the overarching plot line to be truly visible, but I'd rather guess at how many episodes will pass before I get to see more nude Eric. 3 episodes tops?

Scoundrels - And Jill Came Tumbling After, S01E01

You win some, you lost some. Although I enjoyed last night's premiere of the Gates, Scoundrels left me feeling uninterested and slightly annoyed. I'm not particularly fond of any of the characters, which never helps, and I didn't think any of the actors shined either. Plus, the script wasn't exactly a gem.

Cheryl West (Virginia Madsen) decides to make her criminal family walk the straight and narrow after her husband goes to jail for 5 years. Lesson #1 don't trust your insecure cousin JJ to get your sentence shortened like he promised.

It's not a bad premise, exactly, but the goal is one of boredom and entertainment will be derived more from how often they fall of the wagon than any of their successes.

Then you have the cast of not so interesting characters. Cheryl is organized, but she doesn't come across as very strong, and that I blame on the actor or the director, rather than the dialogue. I just couldn't believe she really had strong convictions or that she was truly invested.

We didn't really get to know her husband, but by the end of the episode, when he was laughing at the notion that his wife might succeed in her endeavour, I couldn't help but think he was a prick and that should ought to divorce is jailed ass.

As for the kids - the perfect lawyer, his twin the screw up, the blond ditz, and the young smart ass who skips school to work on her own projects - well, for one thing they are really bad stereotypes, and for another, they mostly weren't likable.

And that was generally my problem. All sorts of things went wrong in one day, bringing a family from crime to redemption, but no real plot surfaced, and none of the characters had enough going on to sink your teeth into.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. If any of you really enjoyed the pilot, please let me know and tell me why.

The Gates - Pilot, S01E01

Although the Twilight franchise comprises (unfortunately) the only successful Vampire movie releases of late, television is flooding with supernatural shows - True Blood, Vampire Diaries, Being Human, etc. And where there are Vampires, Werewolves surely follow. But while those two creatures may be becoming quite common, it is the changes in circumstance and situation which allow new shows like The Gates to still find a place.

The premise is that the Gates are a gated community in which some of the residents have supernatural secrets. In the premiere, we've already become familiar with vampires, werewolves, and witches. And we've yet to discover what other things live within the walls. We may not yet really know why, but most of these creatures seem to desire to live something approximating a normal human life. The community, with its privacy and ability to keep enemies out, offers just that.

But don't fear, the show does not promise to be boring vampire housewives trying to out gossip their werewolf neighbours as they all make friendly on the golf course. Already there have been 2 deaths - the one by a vampire who could not resist fresh blood, the other (the former chief of police responsible for the community) in unknown circumstances. Lives, both figuratively and literally, are on the line.

The reason I'm inclined to stick with this show and see where it takes me is mostly because I'm particularly intrigued by Claire Radcliff (Rhona Mitra, straight off her stint on Stargate Universe). She is a vampire, able to walk in sunlight when wearing a powerful sun-blocking agent, and she is craving the hunt. Blood is not so much an issue, but the mundanity of casseroles and book clubs just doesn't get her blood going the way she wants it to. But she and her husband, Dylan (Luke Malby), also a vampire, have an adopted little girl, and outside of the Gates, she would not be accepted by the vampire population. I'd like to see things play out.

I'm also interested in knowing more about who killed the former police chief, about the rules made by the werewolves (who can change whenever they like, and sometimes when they don't like, regardless of the phase of the moon), and about the tensions between the witches. There is an entire community of stories to be told, and likely one will work for you if supernatural is your thing.

If you did see it, which storyline caught your interest?