American Horror Story Coven – Episode 3.04 – Fearful Pranks Ensue – review : Happy Halloween Witches !
Wow. That was a terrific episode of AHS Coven ! I’m really liking this franchise. They have created complex and still light characters, and the plotlines keep getting interesting. It was well written and acted, as usual. There was lot of actions, character developments and gore. That was clearly the goriest episode yet. The first zombie attack (yes there are zombies now on that show !) was disgusting. Boody parts being tore off, blood everywhere. So, in a word, that was an excellent Halloween episode.
A lot happened in “Fearful Pranks Ensue”, so let’s discuss first what really matters : The Council ! First, before they arrived, Fiona found poor Queenie lying on the floor and bleeding out.She lost her fight against the Minotaur, as predicted. Minotaur 1 - Witches 0. Then, the Minotaur tried to attack Fiona…. And we got to know the winner of the fight when Marie Laveaux received a big package, with the Minotaur’s head in it. That’s not nice Fiona, so war is on… really on.
Fiona reached Cordelia’s help to cure Queenie. Of course, they fought and revealed that they both went to see Marie Laveaux. Cordelia is really weak, the total opposite of her mother, Fiona showed strength to Marie Laveau but Cordelia came asking for help. She is their mortal enemy, what did she expect ? She can be a little stupid sometimes. And suddenly, in the middle of usual mother/daughter relationship, Queenie died. I was afraid for a moment but Supreme Fiona proved us how perwerful she is : she brought Queenie back ! O M G. She is that powerful, yes.
So Council is back… or showing its face for the first time. They are only three faces actually (I expected a bigger Council I admit) but only one matters : Myrtle ! Frances Conroy is amazing. She has such a great chemistry with Jessica Lange. It was such a delight to watch them interact with each other. It’s even funnier when they hate each other that much. It kinda reminds me of the first season when she was the maid and Constance was… Constance. We know why they hate each other so much. Myrtle is a jealous bitch. She knew Fiona killed Anna Leigh, even though Fiona was pretty damn convincing in front the Council. She’s a terrific liar. Myrtle tried to make Splading talk with magic but, as we know it, someone cut his tongue. Of course, I assumed it was Fiona. She is so cold. It was quite a surprise to see Splading did it to himself, because he is in love with Fiona. It was cute and creepy at the same time… then horrible when they showed how he actually cut it.
Nan summoned the Council because she can't hear Madison anymore. The Council investigated. I loved the way Queenie talked to them. That girl is so damn funny. Fiona was made suspect number one when Nan revealed Madison developped a new power (fire burning ) the ight before disappearing/dying.
Myrtle tried to use Splading (again) against Fiona. He just had to write the name of the person who cut his tongue, of course he wouldn't writer his name or Fiona's, so he wrote Myrtle's name ! That put her in a crazy mood. Frances Conroy was amazing in that scene. I loved her, how she was screaming and moving every arms. Everything about her is great. She is even a better enemy to Fiona than Marie. Surprisingly, Cordelia saved her mother from the Council with a shocker revelation for everyone : Madison was not the new Supreme, she had a heart default and Supreme can't have health default apparently ! Too bad Fiona, you killed the wrong witch. Better luck next tim I guess.
I liked the mother and daughter scene at the bar. They tried to bond but Fiona is such a terrific liar again ! She can’t tell she killed Madison but she lied that easily. She hates Hank and she is obsessed with finding the new supreme. Cordelia was delighted to know her mother powers are fading but when she realized she drunk too much and threw up in the toilet, someone (Mother ?) came behind her and attack her with acid (?) to her face ? Poor Delia! That looked painful.
Now, let’s focus on the voodoo magic. They are continuing to explore witches mythology and history. We learnt that Marie Laveau and Anna Leigh made a truce to keep both parties safe and sound. Since Fiona paid a little visit and burn those wigs, Marie has declared war back on white witches. She sent the Minotaur, it did its damages (Queenie) but Fiona replicated and cut its head. Of course, Marie was outraged when she received her package. We got see in the opening using her deadly powers to revenge the death of a young black boy. She used zombies ! Great plotline. I love zombies and they were missing in AHS. They couldn’t do a new walking dead, so using zombies in the witchcraft world is a brilliant idea. They were disgusting and quite strong for zombies. I saw one of them getting shot in the head but still moving. Or did the guy miss ?
So, Marie is sending new zombies to the Academy. Madame Delphine LaLaurie opened the door to find three zombies. First, I did not recongnize them but they were actually her three daughters ! That is pretty devasting, even she is a terrible person. And sure there are a lot more zombies coming for the girls and the hot neighbour, who had the bad idea to come over to the Academy right before. Poor guy.
Speaking of guy, FrankenKyle appeared some minutes on screen. He is still wacked and kind of useless. He got away in the street, but being Halloween, he will pass as a disguise. I’m not very fond of this storyline actually. I don’t really the point yet. Okay, it’s a complicated love story but they just met and he died. Now, he is a monster. I expect more from AHS, something more surprising so I have to wait.
Another guy is becoming quite interesting : Hank, aka Delia’s husband. He is a cheater, in a motel room not very orginal. I guess it’s a bad idea to cheat on a witch but we will see. Something felt off about him and his monster remarks. He soon showed his true face : a cold killer. Poor red hair falling in love, she did not want her heart to be broken so he shot her in the head, in a second. She didn’t even see it coming. I can’t wait for him to meet Nan and wait for Cordelia's reaction. I want her to get crazy and super powerful.
And finally, another guy (God, this week, men are starting to get more important in the witch story), Spalding has a strange obsession for dolls… Which makes him even creppier. But he also kept Madison’s body and dressed her up… Don’t wana know what he’ll do to her…
Spell Sheets :
*Are looking forward the zombies attack next week ?
*What will happen to Cordelia and her face ? Who attacked her ?
*Vodoo rituals : every week, I lie them. It’s always nicely done.
*Fiona’s best lies : when she lied to the Council about Anna Leigh’s death or when she lied to Cordelia about killing Madison ? For me, Jessica Lange is always the best.
*So, who do you think is the new Supreme ? I’m rooting for Nan ! …. Or Misty Day.
*BTW, did you miss Misty ? I kinda did. Next week, she’ll find her FrankenKyle probably.
*Fiona’s disguise : a witch. She is just perfect. No comment.
Hit the comment witches ! I have to get ready for Halloween (and guess what, I’m a zombie this year)
“The Originals” delivered another great episode this week. “Sinners
and Saints” brought us the backstory of Davina and Sophie. Turns out Davina has
a very good reason to be mad at the witches. Now let’s see if I got this right.
Every 300 years or so, there’s a ritual called the harvest. Davina was one of
the 4 girls chosen to be sacrificed at the ritual, along with Sophie’s niece
Monique. According to the witches, the 4 girls would later be revived at the
reaping, but only if the harvest is successful. But because Marcel saved
Davina, unless completed, the witches will soon lose their power. Sophie, who
first didn’t believe in the rituals, now wants to kill Davina in order to bring
her niece back. I must say, I love how much the show is focusing on the
witches. Of course we can't forget the Original siblings. Elijah is finally reunited with his
family, after he gains Davina’s trust. Klaus and Marcel seem to be at odds, and Rebekah just floats from storyline to storyline. They've been kind of ignoring her these past two weeks, I hope she gets a better storyline soon.
Favorite scene:
As much as I loved Elijah’s reunion with his family, my favorite scene was his
reunion with Hayley. I laughed so hard when she slapped him. There’s definitely
a spark between the two. I’m pretty sure the writers are going to put them
together at some point, which I wouldn’t mind.
Best “Aaw” moment:
The hug between Rebekah and Elijah. I loved this scene so much. “The Vampire
Diaries” has always focused on Klaus’ relationship with his siblings, but not
really on the dynamic between the rest of the family. It’s too late for Kol and
Finn (and also Mikael and Esther), but I hope we get more scenes with just
Rebekah and Elijah. We don’t know enough about their relationship.
Favorite character:
How did Davina go from being my least favorite character to one of my
favorites. I knew her backstory would change my opinion of her, but I didn’t
think it would this much. She’s just been through so much, at only 16. I hope
she gets out of that attic soon though, the scenery is getting a little boring.
But other than that, I can’t wait to see more of her.
Best WTF moment: Marcel and Sophie used to be a thing. Say what? That’s not a pairing I expected. I hope they don’t revisit that one (though I doubt it considering Marcel killed her sister, and all). Although I did like Party!Sophie, so I hope we see more of her.
Best bitch moment:
Agnes is responsible for Sean going crazy. The writers just want us to hate her,
don’t they. A part of me wants Klaus to just kill her, but another part wants
him to wait for Cami to do it. He was her twin after all. Somehow I feel like
the twin connection is going to play a part in this eventually.
Best flashback: Love the harvest ceremony. From the ritual, to the vampire intervention, to the heartbreak. It really made me feel for Davina. I also don’t think we’ve seen the last of the harvest. There is no way the writers are going to let the witches lose their power (what would be the point of that). I think the ritual will be completed (judging from some frames from the promo, perhaps even next week) and I personally can’t wait to see the reaping.
Best quotes:
Klaus: “I’d prefer for Marcel’s informant not to find anything that would lead
him back to us, to her or to … you know, that.” Hayley: “You are all class.”
Rebekah: “Could you two be more idiotic?”
My reviews seem to be getting shorter and shorter each week
(I’ve measured). So I’ve made it my mission to make it longer next week. I don’t
think that will be much of a problem because “Fruit of the Poisoned Tree” looks
super intense. I can’t wait to see it, and I hope you guys will check in here
again for my new review. Let me know what you guys thought of the episode in
the comments.
19 years old from Belgium. Favorite shows are Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Teen Wolf, Castle, Revenge and Nikita.
Main Account - All Shows
This week’s Supernatural episode “Slumber Party,” was written by Robbie Thompson and directed by Robert Singer. It was another memorable episode as the series paid homage to The Wizard of Oz. A very, very twisted Wizard of Oz, of course, but this wouldn’t be Supernatural if they didn’t make us re-think what we thought we knew!
The episode also features the return of fan-favorite (well, this fan, in particular!) Felicia Day as Charlie. We get to see a lot more of the Men of Letters bunker in the episode, so I’d be remiss in not including a shout out to Jerry Wanek (Production Designer) and his amazing crew. I loved Sam’s (Jared Padalecki) room, the kitchen – loved Dean’s (Jensen Ackles) dismay over it being dirty when he’d just cleaned it, the lab, the computer room, and, of course, the garage – even baby has a home now! There was a lot to like in tonight’s episode, but it won’t go down as my favorite episode.
First, what I really liked about tonight’s episode. Robert Singer’s direction is once again the perfect choice for this episode as he handled the direction of season four’s episode “Monster Movie” which was entirely filmed in black and white. We start out in black and white and switch back in forth throughout the episode. Having the past in black and white was a great choice. It was a great shout out to The Wizard of Oz movie which starts out in black and white and only turns to color when Dorothy lands in Oz. In this case, all of the present is seen in color, which is a nice reflection that the Supernatural world is actually Oz to the audience. I also really liked the parallel of Dean and Sam’s first entry to the bunker and the agents’ in 1935. There are some excellent transitions between past and present too. I would also be remiss in not giving a shout out to the VFX team lead by Mark Meloche, Grant Lindsay, Ryan Curtis, and Adam Williams. There were a lot of effects in tonight’s show from the glowing green eyes to fireballs to flying monkeys. Truth be told, I was a little disappointed by the flying monkeys, but with so many other effects in this episode, I’m willing to let that one go.
The other thing that I really liked about this episode was how it carried the theme of home throughout the episode. The theme of home and the desire for adventure are at the very heart of the Wizard of Oz story. The theme of home and the fact that Dorothy (at least in the book/movie) is also from Kansas – so she has the same home as Dean and Sam - have always linked it to Supernatural for me. Dean has clearly settled in, even getting baby her own room by the end of the episode. I was really disappointed that we didn’t get to see Dean’s reaction to that garage and the treasures in it though! Sam, on the other hand, tells Dean that he never had the childhood home that Dean remembers and all his subsequent homes (think Jess and Amelia) have ended badly. At the end of the day, while it’s sad that Sam is afraid to trust in a home, the bunker gives what Sam needs to be happy, so it really is a home. I think it will be a telling moment when (if) he finally acknowledges that – and it will also make Dean ridiculously happy.
There’s a nice parallel between the shiny faced, adventure seeking young agent and his desire for adventure and the cynical agent (who drinks from a flask!) in the past and Charlie and Dean and Sam in the present. Both die in the episode, but luckily for Charlie, Dean had an angel at his disposal. I’m getting a bit tired of them throwing these impossible decisions at Dean’s feet so he keeps having to dig the hole deeper. At least the scene with Zeke helped to clarify that he’s only at half strength and every time Dean asks him to heal someone, it weakens him and means he will have to stay in Sam longer. Zeke certainly seemed sincere in this episode, but why wouldn’t he have swiped Sam’s memory of Dean saying Zeke?
Charlie discusses her desire for a quest with Sam. She grew up with Tolkein, and let’s not forget her larping hobby. I have a feeling that even though she finds her quest and magic in going off to Oz with Dorothy, she’ll be back. The scene with Sam is also a nice reiteration of the boys own quest: hunting things, saving people, the family business. As always, I loved what Charlie could bring to the episode. Her geeking out over the old computer. Her joy at finally getting a quest with magic. She brings out the brotherly side of Dean, yet is also an asset to the team, and even saves Dean’s life. And she keeps Dean honest – she calls him on trying to bullshit a bullshitter and bringing her back from the dead. Luckily for Dean, she takes a rain-check on her explanation.
Fan response to Dorothy (Tiio Horn) seems to be mixed, but I loved her. A strong, kick-ass woman hunter. I loved the clues that L. Frank Baum (author of The Wizard of Oz series of books that the movie was based on and that were very different from the movie) was her father. I’m happy to say that I’m enough of a geek to have gotten the reference in the first scene when the agent refers to her father Frank. I loved her sitting with the men of letters and telling them about all the things she’d done to the witch. And then making a point that “her lady parts” didn’t prevent her from being a kick-ass hunter – yes! She shared Dean’s love of the open road, and Sam’s disdain for home. I think she’ll make a good partner for Charlie – the brawn to her brains. Another great scene was her explaining to Charlie that Charlie had died, and telling her you’re not a hunter until you’ve died. Don’t we know it!
I loved Sam’s discomfort when they find out that Becky is the one who’s uploaded all the unpublished works of Carver Edlund. It was a nice shout out to Becky after her less than stellar treatment in season seven’s “Time for a Wedding” episode. I wonder if this means we may see her or Edlund (Rob Benedict) again? Please bring back Chuck! I loved the parallel between the books – revisionist history as Dorothy says. But Charlie points out that Baum had written the books as a guidebook – we already know that there are clues in the Edlund books – and it’s Becky that tells them where to find the colt based on the books in season five’s “The Real Ghostbusters.” Dorothy also tells Charlie that there’s a big difference between fiction and life: “sometimes your life is darker than fiction.”
Also loved the scenes with Crowley (Mark Sheppard) – I can never get enough of his snark. However, I wonder how long we are going to have to wait to see if there really is something different about him – that he was truly affected by the trials. I really hope they don’t spin that out too long.
Things I did not like about this episode. We don’t actually get to see what Dean said to Cas (Misha Collins) to get him out of the bunker. I’m going to somewhat remove my displeasure over that in the hopes that we will eventually get that scene or at least a fuller version of that conversation related to us. And how long can it be before Sam puts all the inconsistencies together and figure out that Dean is lying?
Other issues with the episode? How did the witch get out of that cocoon with no help when Dorothy had to be cut out and was incapacitated. And really? The witch in general was my very least favorite part of this episode. Even in the movie, the witch gave me nightmares – she was scary! This witch was not scary – she just looked like a caricature of what a witch should be who had drunk a bunch of black paint. That’s not to say that Maya Massar didn’t do a good job. For one thing, I never saw her tongue in the whole episode... She had to convey everything without being able to speak and that’s never easy, but despite all the powers that the witch had, she just came off as ridiculous to me. She was the typical old crone witch that is such a stereotype and that Supernatural had never resorted to up until this episode. As a big fan of the movie, I was very, very disappointed by the shoes and the flying monkeys as well.
One thing both delighted and disappointed me. Before the episode aired, Padalecki tweeted a special title card that contained a wonderful shout out to the fans – just as the movie used to every year when it aired on tv: “This is for the SPNFamily whose dedication and love drive us to continue creating this wonderful world. Keeping up the Family Business.” Combined with the shout out to Becky, it once again demonstrates the unique relationship the show has with its fans. However, the title card didn’t air with the show – no doubt due to clearance issues. Sam’s final thoughts to Dorothy about having a book written about them are telling. Sam tells her that “at the end of the day, it’s our story, so we get to write it.” It seems clear that Sam is speaking for the writers – this is their story, and we as readers are along for the ride.
What did you think of the episode? Do you think we’ll see Charlie again? Were you as happy as I was with the final musical selection of AC/DC’s “For Those About to Rock”? Also quick shout out for loving them watching Game of Thrones and Charlie’s final “Ding dong, bitches!” How long do you think it will be before Sam calls Dean on his bullshit? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Beauty and the Beast – 2.04 – Hothead – Review: The moon of his life and the sun and stars of hers
“The moon of his life and the sun and stars of hers“
Beasties we finally have some good rating news. Click here to check it out!
I just want to say that I’m proud of us Beasties. We got a world- wide double trending event two weeks in a row. We also moved up on the Monday night Get Glue chart to #3 from an abysmal #7 rank last week. Just keep on roaring louder and harder every single week. Please also note that it is PCA voting time so, you know what that means, right?. Rally the troops and steady the F5 button, we’ve got work to do. Let’s make Beauty and the Beast a two time champion this year.
Also TV Guide has been showing us a lot of love lately so be sure to give them so page views on all of their Beauty and the Beast articles.
Now on to the regularly scheduled Beauty and the Beast recap and review…
This week's episode saw a fan favorite return to the writers' room, a one, Roger Grant. There was a new comer in the director's chair this week, Michael Robison. The two came together to make one hell of an episode.
Cat and Vincent just can’t seem to escape each other’s orbit no matter how they try. This week was no exception. Just when a few Beasties thought all hope was lost for VinCat along comes this episode. Redeeming and triumphant. Beautiful and poignant. But more importantly, just in the nick of time.
We finally seemingly have a time jump of about one month according to the first scene’s dialog. Cat has been busy trying to deal with all the craziness that is her life and nothing seemed to help. Not crying, meditating or a kickboxing class seemed to help poor Cat so it was up to one of Tess’s good old nights out on the town. I loved the bestie banter about clothing options, wine and therapy. And real talk, Cat really should look into therapy to help deal with her sister leaving and finding out about her father not being her biological father. Her life is a mess and Vincent’s might not be able to heal all of it. Just saying.
Cut to a building on fire and a man seemingly controlling said fire. We have found our beast of the week and it looks like he might be the titular ‘hothead’ of the episode. The news woman is reporting on the fire and the serial arsonist that is at large. Gabe is rushing his office filling in wall of weird and talking to the TV. He has a breakthrough and pokes his head out of office demanding someone go find Chandler.
But Chandler and Vargas are out having some much needed fun. They’re in a dive bar shooting pool and blowing off steam. Although, Tess is open to NOT pretending like everything is OK. Cat says she just wants to forget for one night. An overly inebriated dude bro spots Cat, stumbles over to her and makes a pass at her. Cat turns the guy down but he won’t take no for an answer. Push comes to shove literally and the beginnings of a ‘Roadhouse’ fight scene ensue. Unfortunately for Cat she has roundhouse kicked a federal judge in the head.
In move so bold I’m now sure Gabe has to sets of balls, he marches himself right over to Vincent’s unlocked houseboat and tries to enlist Vincent into working on a mission for him. Gabe was completely honest about their history. And apparently his intentions for wanting to save Gabe and reunite him with Cat. I’m pretty sure this scene might have sparked a few slash fiction writers’ imaginations because when Vincent grabs Gabe by throat, I have to admit, I found it a little hot.
Vincent traipses off to the closest tall building to use his handy dandy beast senses and in no time flat he’s on the trail of the beast of the week. The beast is shocked that someone found him. He quickly realizes that Vincent too is beast, though he does not have the same cocktail that allows him to be fire proof and have a little control over the flames. The beast of the week makes quick work of disabling Vincent and leaves him to be engulfed by the flames.
Meanwhile, Cat and Tess are having a spa day in Cat’s apartment. Complete with massages, pedicures and aromatherapy candles. Cat is kind of coming unhinged and talking about the case around civilians while Tess tries to do not only damage control but ignore Gabe and try to get Cat to focus on herself. But to no avail. Persistent Gabe has won out.
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Shortly after Vincent’s escape from the hospital an annoyed Agent Reynolds calls Vincent. He tries to get Vincent back on track while giving him assurances that this will be all over soon and he can get back to his normal life. But until then he’s the only one that can stop the beasts. He also gives Vincent some background on the beast of the week. His name is Eddie Long. Muirfield bought him from a prison. He was not only a pyromaniac but a structural engineer as well. Agent Reynolds tells him to lay low while they track him down and to avoid anything that may act as triggers to his memories. Well, that could only mean Cat was about to show up. And she does. She’s sitting on his couch waiting for him to see if he is OK. Cat wants to know what he remembered and Vincent tells her. It turns out Vincent was a firefighter before he was a doctor. Something neither Cat nor us Beasties knew before.
Back at the 125th precinct Gabe is packing a bag filled with all of things he might need to kill a beast and revive a man. He enlists Tess help for the most simplest of task but receives the highest levels of sass. Tess once again queries Gabe’s motives as well as his feelings for Cat. Gabe basically admits his feelings for Cat but assures Tess that his intentions are pure in wanting to save Vincent. Both Tess and I still remain unsure and a tad bit leery.
Cat has managed to quell Vincent about his worries of being recognized at the firehouse by his nephew. Though it irks me to no end that there were apparently no pictures of Vincent left anywhere in the Kellers’ possession. Aaron is none too pleased to see the very two people who stonewalled his investigation. But his partner welcomes their help with no questions asked. With both sides providing information the case is cracked easily. Aaron slinks off right before a 4 alarm fire to Segen headquarters is called in. The very place they were just suspecting of being the next target as did Aaron.
Everyone rushes over to Segen headquarters and Cat and Vincent share a moment and a kiss. Vincent feels an imperative to save his nephew and thinks that maybe just maybe in the heat of the moment his training might kick in. Gabe also shows up to the scene with a bag filled with the tools he and Cat are going to need to test out their cure on Eddie.
Eddie thinking he has gotten away is met by Cat and her gun. She told him not to move but he did and she dropped faster than I could blink. Gabe rushes up from behind and tries to recreate the circumstances that killed his beast. But it didn’t work. Maybe it didn’t work because Gabe’s a first generation beast. How come they didn’t think about that possibility yet?
Once again, our case of the week is wrapped up nicely, though the media has gotten wind of it and Tess is worried and thinks Gabe should be worried as well. It’s not clear if Gabe is as worried as he should be. But what is clear is that he very disturbed that his little experiment didn’t work out. Tess thinks his pursuit is noble but she also still thinks he is carrying a torch for Cat.
Back in the bullpen Aaron stops by to thank Cat and see if Vincent is around. Cat hands Aaron back his gun and tells him that he should be glad that he wasn’t the one to pull the trigger on Eddie. As well as to stay safe because the world just can’t afford to lose anymore Kellers.
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It seems as though they are going to fall in love all over again, but perhaps in a different and even better way. They both obviously have a lot to uncover about themselves and maybe just maybe they can do it together and build a love even more epic than season 1.
Grade: A
Reason: This episode was almost flawless. Almost. If they could have just given me one scene with JT then all would have been right in the world. I just feel like he should have been given the heads up about JT’s memory returning. I’m biased, don’t judge me. But everything else was basically perfect. The lovely addition of Bryan Dechart as Aaron Keller, Vincent’s nephew was wonderful. He breathed life into the role and connected with both Kristin and Jay very well.
The action of the episode was dangerous and beautiful. Just the way we Beasties like it. The episode was shot beautifully. The lighting was just right. I especially loved all of the light and shadow during the VinCat hospital scene. Jay actually was able to do all of his own stunts, which is impressive. Everything came together to make this the best episode yet of Beauty and the Beast.
That last powerfully poignant moment of reflection at the 9/11 Memorial had me bordering on the edge of tears. VinCat is back and with a vengeance. Might not be the old one we fell in love with but this new VinCat has the potential to be something even more wonderful. I love that we got to explore even more of Vincent’s back story. It added so much needed layers and depth to the character. I thought that it was wonderful to bring in the Keller family since the Chandlers are no longer a part of the story.
Family is and should always be an essential part of the show because what love could be more epic than that of familial love. Familial love is a love that is unconditional and forgiving. And to steal a line from another one of my fandoms, ‘family don’t end with blood’. Sometimes the family you make is better than the one you’re born into, so here’s hoping now that VinCat is back on track, Team Beastie will be whole once more and better than ever.
Awards
WTF Moments
1. Vincent use to be a firefighter
2. Gabe basically admits he has feeling for Cat to Tess
Character of the Night
It was a tie for me between Vincent and Aaron.
Why I Choose Aaron – Aaron was a catalyst for Vincent’s potent and powerful memories this week. It was nice to find that Vincent could another pull and trigger besides Cat. Aaron also very much embodied the Keller spirit. A hothead? Sure. Stubborn? Absolutely. But at the core a hero ready to dive in head first. I like that heroism is practically hereditary when it comes to those Keller boys. I wouldn’t mind seeing him again. I think that spark the really lit Vincent’s memories was Aaron as Aaron represented hope and in a sense the yearning to make a connection and to have ties that bind him to the world as oppose missions that keep him from living in it fully. I believe Aaron reminded him of not only his brothers but himself as well. I found the addition of a Keller family member to be a wonderful juxtaposition against the fact that the book is closing on the Chandler family chapter. Aaron has the potential to be so much for Vincent, past, present and future. It not only taps into the beast side of him but more importantly, the human side of him.
Why I Choose Vincent – Let’s be honest. Vincent was THE star of the episode tonight. Jay Ryan killed every scene he was in. Whether he was frustrated, happy, scared or overwhelmed he put his emotions and facial expressions on display. I love that writers are giving the character of Vincent more layers and depth. I’m super excited to see what Jay is going to do with all of this new information.
Best Character Interactions
This award goes to VinCat this week without a doubt. With scene after scene of sweet and tender moments, how could it not?
Favorite Moments
1. Vincent rescuing his nephew
2. Code Yellow makes a come back
3. Vincent’s flashbacks
4. Vincent jumping out the hospital window
5. Tess giving Gabe an actual compliment while still managing to tease him
6. The VinCat kiss
Favorite Lines
1. Tess: But Cat do you really think you can just wake up one day and be done with Vincent?
2. Aaron: Well, look who it is… bad cop, mute cop.
3. Cat: Because you feel it too. Memories aren’t just playback. The trigger emotion and emotion doesn’t lie. It’s real. It reveals who you were. Who you are.
4. Cat: Vincent we can’t change the past as much as we both may want to. The best we can do is remember it, learn from it and move forward. Hopefully, together.
Favorite Scenes
1. The opening Cat and Tess scene
2. The VinCat hospital scene
3. Gabe goes to see Vincent
4. Cat and Vincent at the firehouse
5. Cat and Vincent at the 9/11 memorial
6. Vincent working out and telling Agent Reynolds that he can’t focus
Fangirl Complaint
Is it just me or does Stephen Amell's abs have some sort of contract with the CW to be the only set abs to be put on prominent display? Jay Ryan has a nice body and probably works just as hard to keep his physique in top form. It's such a shame Jay doesn't get to show off as often as Amell does. Filed under: #Just Saying
Burning Questions
1. Does Vincent really believe Agent Reynolds is going to let him go back to his life after he is done?
2. Did Agent Reynolds recognize Aaron at the hospital?
3. Why is Vincent’s houseboat always unlocked?
Kudos
Beauty and the Beast’s Visual Effects team on the code yellow eyes during the flashback.
Beauty and the Beast’s stunt coordinator
Beauty and the Beast’s fight scene choreographer
Side Note: I really struggled writing this review (I hope it didn’t show too much). I really didn’t think my words could do justice to describe such a beautiful episode. I was sincerely and deeply moved by this episode. My faith in the writers’ room paid off immensely and I’m looking forward to see what they have in store for the rest of the season.
Polls
Last Week’s Results – The votes are in and a not so shocking turn of events, most of the fans that voted wanted to spend a day with Jay Ryan. He received 70% of the vote.
This Week’s Poll - BatB Great Debate #4 – Which song should be the Beasties’ unofficial theme song?
If you don’t like the choices provided, please leave a comment and include a YouTube link to the song of your choice.
Also, looking for poll topics so tweet me some or leave them on the Facebook page.
Shameless Self –Promotion
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Once upon a time…Regina conjured up an Apollo chocolate bar.
This week’s episode of “Once Upon a Time” is titled “Good Form,” but given the spotlight it got in promos and interviews, the show might as well have called it “OMG Emma and Hook Kiss Squee!” So let’s jump right to it.
I guess I should say upfront that I’m not a particularly hardcore Captain Swan shipper. And honestly, I’ve always found the familial relationships on this show much more interesting than the romantic ones. All that said, Jennifer Morrison and Colin O’Donoghue definitely have chemistry, the kiss was hot, and the scenario (Hook cheekily hinting for one, Emma grateful but in control, both taken aback by how passionate it was) made sense given their current relationship and the bigger Operation: Cobra Rescue arc.
What was more interesting to me than the smooch itself is what happened next, with that wily Peter Pan revealing to Hook that Neal is both alive and in Neverland. It puts Hook in quite the pickle of a predicament – we know he cares about Neal/Bae, but we’ve also seen that he isn’t above getting his hand and hook dirty in the name of love. Also, while we know what Pan is saying is true, one couldn’t really blame Hook for thinking it’s just another mind game. Curious to see what our smitten scallywag does with this information. And given the complicated and tangled relationships between them, I actually think Hook/Emma/Neal could be a good love triangle.
Outside of the kiss, it was a Hook heavy episode. In the flashbacks, we got his origin story as Killian Jones, a fastidious naval officer (and, I always get confused – is this some kind of fictional Victorian England or the real world version?) who is pro-rules and anti-rum, so basically his own polar opposite. But that all changes when he and his captain brother (and they call each other such so many times, they should have just had Henry Ian Cusick guest star) set sail to Neverland, with fun flying ship effects.
That first encounter with magic and Peter Pan begins Hook’s transformation into the man he is today, but I thought his about-face at the end was rushed. It’s reasonable that the reveal about his king’s treachery (is anyone else wondering if this nameless, ruthless king might turn out to be another fairy tale villain?) would shake his world view, and that he would be eager to blame someone other than himself for his brother’s death. But abandoning all he’d held dear so quickly? And every other member of the crew eager to mutiny as well? It was all just a little too neat. Still, O’Donoghue did well playing different shades of Hook in these scenes.
Meanwhile, in the present day, Hook went on this week’s A-mission with Charming. And while the dying Charming thought he was taking a final jaunt to recover the sextant (a dirty sounding device that could decipher Neal’s star map), it turns out the incurable dream shade poisoning can totally be cured after all! No big surprise as I don’t think any of us expected Charming to die, but I do find the cure’s catch – that Charming can live only if he stays in Neverland – a compelling one that will cause drama down the road. And I liked that, even though Hook was doing something selfless, there was still a self-serving undercurrent re: getting in Charming’s good graces.
I’m not happy, however, that Charming is still lying to Snow and Emma. I assumed he was going to come clean about his initial poisoning after he and Hook returned so that he spun another lie was pretty lame. He’s not going to croak any minute, what’s the harm in telling the truth? I hope Snow gets to ream him out when all is inevitably revealed.
In the meantime, I thought Josh Dallas did a nice job as Charming tried to subtly say his goodbyes even as his emotions were getting the best of him. And I loved Charming kissing all over Snow when he got back, with Emma and Regina both looking hilariously grossed out.
Speaking of Emma and Regina, their subplot this week ruled. Early on, Emma becomes convinced that they need to send Henry some kind of message so he won’t give up hope that they’re coming for him (and why is Henry losing faith so soon? He spent the better part of a year trying to convince Emma she was the Savior. He’s been stuck in Neverland for like four days!). While the boys are off on their MacGuffin mission, the girls manage to trap a Lost Boy, though he refuses to help. Regina, as she’s been doing all season, then offers up a darker, magical solution. So far, so standard, right?
But this time, Emma agrees with her and actually holds a horrified Snow back as Regina enslaves the kid’s heart. And instead of being punished for this wickedness, it pays off as they’re able to see Henry through an enchanted mirror and let him know his family is looking for him. Awesome, awesome, awesome.
As Regina points out, this kind of thing is why she’s along for the ride and I’m glad they finally addressed that. I also liked that Snow, while not pleased, didn’t get too preachy with Emma. And it led to the wonderful moment when the women, this unorthodox mix of mothers and daughters, whose toes fall over the lines of right and wrong, gathered around the mirror and beamed in their love for the same little boy. Lovely, lovely work from Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, and Ginnifer Goodwin.
So who’s swinging in that wooden box next to Neal’s? Given how prominent the Little Mermaid is in the promo for next week, could it be Ariel? Has Tinker Bell been taken? One of the Darlings? Another character from the Peter Pan mythos we haven’t seen yet, like Tiger Lily? Share your thoughts in the comments.
NOTE: Please be advised that English is not my first language.
The episode focus on him, so I'm gonna concentrate on Haffner.
First, I've noticed how almost every Red John suspects seem to have their own phobia; in episode 6.03, McAllister looked like he was afraid of heigh, but he climbed the roof to save Jane, who was falling down. Here, Haffner seems scared when he sees a spider walking on the wall. Lisbon and Van Pelt, who are right in front of him, look a bit surprised. I'm still wondering if there's an insider clue into the spider and what does it mean for Red John.
Speaking of Kirkland, is everyone wondering why no one care too much about his death? With Jane and the rest of the team solving the case, Rigsby receives a very important file about the former Homeland Security agent. Will this be revisited in future episodes? I think so. As Bruno Heller said earlier this season, if you miss an episode, you miss a clue.
There's no time for Jane and Lisbon to save her because she's lying on the floor, seriously injured. But she has the time to whisper in Jane's her who did that, "tattoo on his left shoulder. Three dots." Here we are, that's another clue! The smirk in Lisbon's face says a lot of possible things. She's glad they're finally getting closer to Red John, but I assume she can smile for a moment, because we all know, when the whole story will be over, she's gonna end up hurt.
Before ending this review there are still unresolved question to answer. A member from Visualize was killed. But, where is Bret Stiles? Nobody seems to have seen him. How did Kira see the tattoo? After what you've seen in this episode, do you think Haffner can cut off from the list? I guess we have to wait next week.
Share your comments below.
As always, thanks to tuturros.tumblr.com for the gifs.
The second episode of Reign, “Snakes in the Garden,” was written by executive producer Laurie McCarthy and directed by Matt Hastings. McCarthy’s previous credits include GCB, The Ghost Whisperer, Felicity, and Beverly Hills 90210. Hastings latest projects include Warehouse 13, Alphas, and Eureka. Both have experience in dealing with supernatural type elements which seem like they will factor predominantly in the Gothic stylings of the show.
Much of the criticism aimed at the show is over its historical accuracy. I would have to say that the show is based in history rather than historically true or accurate. I have a bigger problem with the modernization of things like customs and clothing. The clothing, in particular, is quite jarring at times, such as the scene in which the ladies in waiting appear in their nightclothes – one seems to have come straight from Victoria’s Secret.
So far, for me at least, the most interesting elements of the show are the Gothic overtones. I'm really not interested in the teen melodrama. The fact that the mysterious girl in the hidden passageways – itself a common trope of gothic fiction – is named Clarrisa is clearly a shout out to the novel of the same name by Samuel Richardson. The book is one of the acknowledged classics of English literature and is one of the longest epistolary novels (written as a series of letters) ever written. It’s the story of a young woman whose quest for virtue is continually thwarted by her family. That aspect of the story certainly resonates with themes brought up in the episode as Kenna (Caitlin Stasey) uses her virtue to control the King’s (Alan Van Sprang) advances. Virtue is the “asset” that Catherine (Megan Follows) tries to take away from Mary (Adelaide Kane) through the plot with Colin (Ashley Charles).
The storyline of Francis (Toby Regbo) and his marriage alliance with Mary is nicely mirrored and deepened through Prince Charles (Peter DaCunha) and Madeleine (Vanessa Carter). The episode re-addresses the issues surrounding a royal alliance and we also get insight into what Francis and Mary’s first meetings might have been like.
One interesting twist was the implication that Sebastian (Torrance Coombs) might have some links to or even be a Druid. Perhaps they are setting him up to be the real resistance against Nostradamus (Rossif Sutherland). What is going on in the woods? Again the spooky atmosphere and supernatural elements are clear tropes of the gothic.
Catching the woman who was apparently wearing the poisoned dress in Simon’s (Luke Roberts) bed seemed like unnecessary drama. The tendency to turn this into Gossip Girl is the least interesting aspect of the show for me. I’m also pulled out of the story every time we hear music. Not only is it not even remotely period specific, it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the action.
So far, I’m not really hooked on the show. I’m committed to giving it a few more episodes to find its stride, however. I’m hoping for more of the gothic storyline and some better choices in music. I’m also not sold on the Francis/Mary storyline – will he or won’t he? Does he love her or not? I’m not seeing any consistent characterization in either character yet. I find myself wanting to like Francis but keep being stopped by his flip flopping. Again, he’s flip flopping between French court concerns and mores for royal alliances and modern day theories of love and romance – and that just doesn’t work. It was very much a different time.
What are your thoughts so far on the series? Am I being too hard on it? Should we simply suspend our disbelief and accept that this is fiction and not fact? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
This week’s episode of Revolution, “One Riot, One Ranger,” was directed by Frederick E. O. Toye and written by David Rambo and Ben Edlund. Toye and Rambo are familiar names and collaborated on season one’s penultimate episode “Children of Men.” Edlund should be a familiar name to fans who followed Eric Kripke from Supernatural as Edlund wrote some of the best episodes on that show. I watch (and review) both shows, so I was torn to see Edlund leaving Supernatural, but I’m also a fan of his, so I was glad to see him join one of the other shows I love, and I’m really excited to see what he’s going to do on Revolution. I’m sure I’ve already detected some of his distinctive style in the dialogue...
This episode advances a lot of the storylines and brings some of our characters back together. I really enjoyed the dialogue, acting, and action this week. The best running gag this week had to be all the Butch and Sundance references – and I attribute this to Kripke and Edlund being back in the same room. Miles (Billy Burke) protesting that he and Monroe (David Lyons) weren’t Butch and Sundance, just highlighted how much they were. “Who are these guys?” is a direct reference to the movie too and is a running gag in it. The fact that they are such a team was highlighted by their referencing tactics with just town names – eg Ann Arbor. Bonus? How pissed off it made Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos)! I loved her line – “You’re just saying towns!” But Miles and Monroe knew exactly what the other one was going to do.
I’m really happy to see David Lyons getting a more central storyline this season. It’s almost heartbreaking that he’s like an eager puppy wanting to be accepted back by Miles. Miles tells Monroe that he’s a black pit that he spent years crawling out of. I suspect that Miles may be putting more blame on Monroe than Monroe actually deserves out of a sense of his own guilt. On the other hand, so far this season, Monroe seems to be a changed man. He doesn’t seem quite so paranoid or vindictive. While I’m happy for the change, is it believable? I may be predisposed to simply let that inconsistency go because I like the character so much, but is it realistic that wanting revenge for what was done to Philadelphia – his city – is providing enough incentive for Miles to be such a changed man? However, as he shows by shooting John Franklin Fry (Jim Beaver), he is still definitely a bit of a loose cannon.
Is Fry dead? I thought so at first, but on reflection, I’m not sure. I sure hope not because Jim Beaver is a fantastic addition to the cast! They don’t actually say that he’s dead, and it will be a lot more difficult to arrive to see the General with Fry’s corpse than a Fry that they have “saved.” I loved Beaver’s entrance as he announces that he’s “John Franklin Fry, Secretary of the Interior of the great nation of Texas, and you’ve brought an armed force on our sovereign soil,” after scoffing at Truman’s (Steven Culp) announcing they are the US government. Fry has little use for Truman but says he’ll talk to the General. Truman calls Fry a “dick” (Edlund alert!). Miles has a more fruitful conversation with Fry even though he had tried to kill Fry in the past when he was a part of the Monroe Republic. They both realize that Truman and his army are not the “good neighbours” they are purporting to be.
Charlie has a sweet reunion with both Miles and Aaron (Zac Orth) who are both happy and relieved to see her. Rachel (Elizabeth Mitchell) is too distracted by Monroe’s presence and Charlie’s part in bringing him with her to be happy to see her daughter. In fact, she once again exhibits no maternal instincts whatsoever. Charlie tries to explain to her mother that she had wanted to shoot Monroe at first too. Instead of listening to Charlie’s explanation she cuts her off and says, “and you trusted him because he’s a saint? Are you really that stupid?” To which Charlie replies, “For coming back here? Yeah, think I am.” And I couldn’t blame Charlie. After all, Charlie came back to save her mother – again – and – again – gets no thanks from her mother. I really disliked Rachel again by the end of the episode. It made sense that she would be angry at Monroe – he did hold her captive, torture her, and kill her son – but that’s no excuse for being cruel to Charlie.
I loved Aaron’s response to seeing Monroe – “So... Monroe. That’s quite a twist.” Once again in this episode Orth has quite a bit to do and delivers another terrific performance. In the present, he is being torn up over his connection with the nanites. He goes to Miles and Rachel and tells them about his vision, confirming with Miles that it actually happened. Rachel wants to deny that it’s possible because the nanites would have to have been networking and they aren’t remotely designed to do what they did. Miles wants them to “dial back the crazy,” but the evidence seems clear. In flashback, we also see Aaron meeting Cynthia (Jessica Collins) when he has a job interview for the teaching position with her. She wants to turn him down, even though he’s insanely qualified, because he smells of liquor (a non-starter) and has “a sad, unmarried uncle thing.” It’s clear in the flashback that Cynthia is actually a pretty astute judge of character, with the exception, perhaps, of her husband Carl who is clearly a bully and a cheat. In the junkyard after finding Carl cheating and being threatened by him, as Aaron walks away, his fist clenched in anger, you can clearly see the lantern in the front window and a fire pop up in the back seat as Aaron causes Carl to burst into flames. In the present, Aaron confesses to Rachel that he’s running away because he’s afraid that he will hurt Cynthia because he can’t control the nanotech and he is being consumed with guilt over the people he’s killed. Rachel assures him they’ll figure it out and convinces him to come back to Cynthia; it’s while on their way back that he has the vision that leads them to the Mill at the time of the rendezvous with Fry.
Rachel has a point that so far, the nanotech really hasn’t killed anyone who wasn’t a threat – and really it’s been people who threaten those Aaron cares about. It was interesting when Rachel ran into Cynthia that she asked her if she’d seen “Miles.” Doesn’t Cynthia think his name is Stu like the rest of the town? Even if Aaron had told her that along with everything else, there was no way for Rachel to know that... perhaps a bit of a minor gaff in the episode.
Meanwhile, Tom (Giancarlo Esposito) thinks he’s made some real headway when Allenford (Nicole Ari Parker) tells him she’s taking him to the capitol with her. However, they are ambushed, and Tom finds out that she’s no longer in the administration’s good graces because she wrote a letter protesting the new reprogramming camps. It was positively chilling watching Esposito go from caring and helpful to just abandoning Allenford to her fate when he realized she could no longer help him achieve his goals. He tells her that he doesn’t want to be a fugitive, he wants to be a Patriot. She manages to secure his help when she informs him that Jason (JD Pardo) is at one of the camps. He forces her to promise to take him there. It was nice to see Tom actually put his son first for a change.
I found this a very satisfying episode. Burke should be singled out for a great performance here. We see him tender with Rachel, at his best strategically with Fry, torn over having to work with Monroe (he’s clearly finding it easy to get back into a rhythm with his old friend), tender with Charlie in a different way, and exasperated over the behavior of the group. It really felt to me like Burke was having a blast filming the episode. The fight scene between Monroe, Miles and the Patriots was fantastic – clearly demonstrating as I’ve said, how in sync the two are and demonstrating why they survived going to war both before and after the blackout.
What did you think of the episode? Is it plausible for Monroe to join Miles’ group? Do you think Fry is dead? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Just a quick note as well that my review will be delayed next week.
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