NBC PRIMETIME SCHEDULE - Sunday November 16, 2014 - Saturday November 22, 2014
The SpoilerTV Daily News Roundup - Various Shows - 31st October 2014
Final Adjusted TV Ratings for Thursday 30th October 2014
The Blacklist - The Mombasa Cartel (No. 114) - Review: "You Can't Hide Me Forever"
Ratings News - 31st October 2014
A to Z - Episode 1.04 & 1.05 - D is for Debbie & E is for Ectoplasm - Review
How to Get Away with Murder - Freakin’ Whack-a-Mole - Review: "Whatever It Takes"
POLL : What are you watching Tonight? - 31st October 2014
The Vampire Diaries - Episode 6.06 - The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get - Extended Promo
CBS Upcoming Episode Press Releases - Various Shows - 31st October 2014
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New Girl - Episode 4.06 - Preview: "Background Check"
Now that the World Series is over (Congrats to all you Giants fans!), New Girl returns this Tuesday, November 4th at 9PM on FOX with “Background Check.” The synopsis reads that with Winston in the police academy, he as well as his roommates must pass a home visit and background check. The problem lies with Jess who happens to be harboring an illegal substance in her closet. Let’s just say she would give Heisenberg a run for his money.
As anything is with Jess, she did not buy the bag of Meth. She found it in the top of a ottoman chair she bought at a garage sale and figured there was no way to properly dispose of it. The gang tries to help her figure out how to destroy the evidence with Coach just yelling “find it, get rid of it” over and over on top of Schmidt and Nick adding their two cents into the mix. Meanwhile, Winston tries his best to impress his Lieutenant “The Fish”, but can’t quite get a grip on her dry personality. The gang tries to promote Winston in front of “The Fish’s” eyes while making sure Jess doesn’t go to jail for owning a two pound back of methamphetamine. Until then, Happy Halloween! and tune in this Tuesday, at 9PM on Fox to find out what happens.
Favorite Quotes:
“Lying makes me sweat…that’s why I can’t play poker or talk to pregnant ladies.” - Nick
“You can’t put peanut butter and jelly on a shelf and expect them not to mix because somebody’s got to each a sandwich.” - Winston
I don't know about you but I am in love with USA's latest offering in the comedy department, Benched. I found Benched to be one of the best comedy pilots of the 2014 Fall TV season. The casting is phenomenal. The characters are colorful, memorable and relatable, especially Nina which great considering she is the main character.
I will admit that one name in particular, which was of course Eliza Coupe, was my main reason for initially checking this show out. Eliza Coupe as Nina Whitley is superb. It's no secret I've been a huge fan of Coupe's for quite some time. I love that she has great comedic timing as well as a penchant for physical comedy as well. While it's true that the the story of Nina Whitley isn't breaking any new ground (a successful, driven woman tries to have it all but focuses more on her work and loses touch with everything else. She eventually looses her job, in this it is due to being passed over for a promotion and not taking it very well and begins a journey of self-discovery and redemption);the fact that it is funny, has heart as a well a carefully buried message is what sets it apart for me personally.
The thing that made me a little hesitant at first was the fact that it was yet another female led legal drama which seems to be all the rage this TV season. But I took a chance and this show really wowed me. I'm talking serious deep belly laughs. This show is playful on every level, right down to the soundtrack and sound design. The show is full of spirited (and sometimes spite filled) and sarcastic characters so naturally that means it most definitely my kind of party. The first five minutes alone nearly had my sides in stitches. There is nothing like a good old-fashioned emotional meltdown, am I right?
This show reminds me of Judging Amy, only it's on steroids and it's told from the public defenders side of things. I'm pretty sure that's why I'm so smitten. The cast chemistry is through the roof already and everyone has great comedic timing and really sold their character. Even Trent, who didn't get a ton of screen time. Is it just me or does Benched feel like the best of all worlds when it comes to shows about lawyers? I mean we have that fish out water vibe because she was a well-paid corporate lawyer who will now probably have to downsize her life who entering the underdog of all legal professions --being a public defender (I'm pretty sure public defender is even a notch below pro bono lawyer because pro bono lawyers choose to do so and want to affect some positive change into the world in most cases).
Then we get the obvious undertones of a workplace comedy as well as the mundane procedural element of having to deal with cases every week. Although, I also noticed a strong undercurrent of style that seems to being leaning towards an Orange is the New Black vibe but that could just be the show unapologetic coarseness giving off that particular vibe. Only time will tell for sure.
As I mentioned in the Advanced Preview Review, I'm not a shipper at all. But I totally am OK with them setting up the 'will they or won't they' dynamics between Jay Harrington's character and Coupe's. The actors play well of each other and the chemistry is definitely there. As long as the show keeps giving me funny I'm OK with a slow burn between these two. I'm actually looking forward to the evolution of that relationship in particular to be honest.
Another thing that I was excited to see was Maria Bamford. I have waited ages to see her in a TV show. I love her stand up routines. Actually, the whole supporting cast is awesome and I love that they threw in Oscar Nuñez for kicks and giggles. While his character didn't get much screen time in the pilot I have a feeling they are going to eventually let this character shine (and it would awesome if he gave a little Office reference by staring into the camera when someone does something ridiculous at least just one time, am I right?).
All in all the pilot was a great first outing that really showcased this series potential. I am very much looking forward seeing how this show progresses and where it goes from here.
What did you think of this episode? Will you be tuning in for episode 2? On a scale of 1 to 10 how much do you love Eliza Coup? Feel free to leave your thoughts below.
She is the host of Welcome to Beacon Hills a podcasted dedicated to Teen Wolf. She's a rabid fangirl of the following shows: Arrow, Beauty and The Beast, The Flash, The Originals, Justified, Revenge and Sons of Anarchy. She writes about Beauty and the Beast, Reign and Young & Hungry for Spoiler TV.
The SpoilerTV Daily News Roundup - Various Shows - 30th October 2014
The CW Primetime Listings for the Week of November 17
Final Adjusted TV Ratings for Wednesday 29th October 2014
The Vampire Diaries - Episode 6.05 - The World Has Turned and Left Me Here - Producers' Preview
Elementary - Season 3 Premiere Advance Preview: "Elegance and Class in Abundance"
True Detective - Season 2 - Kelly Reilly, Abigail Spencer, Michael Irby and Leven Rambin get recurring roles
FOX Announces November Sweeps Programming Line Up
Ratings News - 30th October 2014
About a Boy - Episode 2.02 & 2.03 - About a House for Sale & About a Will-O-Ween - Review
Sorry for that delay folks -- to make up for last week, we’ve got a double helping of review for you this week! Dig in!
Will’s heartfelt speech after almost getting branded a pedophile (which was bound to almost happen at one point in a show with a “special relationship” between an adult male and a young boy), really showed how important his San Fran friends (aka, his only friends), are in his life. When he calls them his family, he clearly means it. As far as I can recall, Will’s never really mentioned any of his “real” family members, and if they’re around, they don’t have much of a part in his life. Since the Bowa’s moved in next door (and yes, I have to look up their last name every single time I use it), Will has really changed. And although they’re not a family in any specific or definable way, it’s clear that Will, Marcus, and Fiona all really look out for one another, and care for each other like family. When Marcus realized that Will was lonely in New York, he took Will’s lead and posted a highly, and unintentionally, inappropriate ad to try and find his own replacement.
The goodbye toast at dinner said a lot about Will’s development since the start of the show, as did his follow-through when it came to actually packing up and leaving. It was clear to everyone, especially Dr. Sam, that Will was reticent about leaving. The day before they planned to leave he hadn’t packed, well, anything. He was dragging his feet from the get-go, but when it came time to leave, he went. He loved Sam and left to head back to NY with her, without his SF safety net. Luckily Sam realized that it would probably hurt both of them if he left his home for good, and cut him free on the side of a rural highway.
Fiona and Will shared a really sweet moment upon his return (and immediate ruin of her “fermentation station”), full of happiness, and heartbreak, and sympathy. And this heartbreak and subsequent denial of it leads us to…
“About a Will-O-Ween,” wherein Will attempts to hide his feelings in the three “B”s: Booze, Bros, and Babes. This so-called “Classic Will” technique does not succeed in reverting Will to Will 1.0, no matter how much he’d rather forget about Sam and make out with a buxom blonde bimbo (3Bs! Triple word score for me! Is that how Scrabble works? I’ve clearly no idea).
While Will tries to distract himself with frivolity, Fiona tries to bring some of her unique character to a silly “made-up American holiday.” And yet while her night begins by trying to Charlie Brown the innocent trick-or-treaters, she comes ‘round to sugar, and other things, with the help of a fellow Brit. Sherlock Holmes shows Flower Child/Princess how to have some lighthearted fun, while Will and Marcus try to confront their problems more head-on. Since neither are having a particularly good time at the party (what with babes’ tendency to dress up as sexy medical professionals for Halloween and Marcus’ well-documented curse), they both take a moment to discuss their problems and desire to move past them, and then they go trick-or-treating together.
Once again, this episode shows how much Will’s grown over the past several months, as he admits his feelings, and instead of reverting to nonchalant, “Classic Will,” he lets himself feel sad, then he goes to get a pillowcase full of candy with his 12-year-old best friend/nephew/son/confidant. And Fiona takes a big step forward as well, letting loose a bit, and eating sugar for the first time in 12 years, as well as kissing an adorable architect. (You’re right, Mindy Kaling, they’re always architects). And Marcus, well, he’s definitely cursed, but the adorable situations like hiding in a dog house and calling for help from a photo booth using ASL kind of make the curse worth it. Sorry, Marcus!
Once again, there’s something going on between Andy and Laurie -- Andy can’t do something fun/stupid because of his nagging wife. I don’t know much (read: anything) about relationships, but I don’t think theirs is a particularly healthy one… Maybe they’ve just got too many peas.
What did you think of the last two episodes? Will Sam and Will ever get back together? Can Will ever find love again, or will he revert back to casual relationships to guard his heart? Will Fiona continue to pursue her fellow Cali Brit, or will her reintroduction to sugar trigger a candy-filled emotional spiral? Is Marcus ever going to make another friend? Tell us what you think below!
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Pretty Little Liars - Lucy Hale confirms that the 7th season is the final season
USD POLL : Who are some of your favorite brilliant characters?
POLL : What are you watching Tonight? - 30th October 2014
POLL : What did you think of American Horror Story: Freak Show - Edward Mordrake?
ABC ANNOUNCES NOVEMBER 2014 SWEEPS PROGRAMMING
The CW - Various Shows - Villains Within Promo
FOX Upcoming Episode Press Releases - Various Shows - 29th October 2014
NBC Upcoming Episodes Press Releases - Various Shows - 29th October 2014
The SpoilerTV Daily News Roundup - Various Shows - 29th October 2014
Final Adjusted TV Ratings for Tuesday 28th October 2014
Latest from TVLine - Various Shows - 29th October 2014
American Horror Story: Freak Show - Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka to Guest
Latest from E!Online - Various Shows - 28th October 2014
How to Get Away with Murder - Episode 1.06 - Freakin’ Whack-a-Mole - Sneak Peek 2
Sons Of Anarchy - Separation Of Crows - Review: "How Could I Not See This Coming"
Ratings News - 29th October 2014
The 100 - Inclement Weather - Advance Preview: "A beautifully constructed follow up"
POLL : What are you watching Tonight? - 29th October 2014
Sleepy Hollow - And the Abyss Gazes Back - Review: "I must fight for my son"
2 Broke Girls - And the Reality Problem - Review : "This Is Super Awkward!"
ABC Upcoming Episode Press Releases - Various Shows - 29th October 2014
Final Adjusted TV Ratings for Monday 27th October 2014
Final Adjusted TV Ratings for Sunday 26th October 2014
The Vampire Diaries - Episode 6.05 - The World Has Turned and Left Me Here - Sneak Peek 2
The SpoilerTV Daily News Roundup - Various Shows - 28th October 2014
Benched – Pilot – Advanced Preview: “You are going to love it and here’s why…”
Not many comedies of late really get my engine revved. But over the summer USA managed to get me interested in not one but two of their freshmen comedic offerings, those of course being Playing House and Sirens. So when it was announced they had a third one in pipes entitled Benched and it was starring the lovely Eliza Coupe, well, I knew that I would at the very least check it out. As luck would have USA decided to release the pilot early via online and On Demand.
So here are some of my thoughts about why I loved the pilot and why I think you might too.
If you are a long time reader of my reviews you know I am all about the technical and the behind the scenes mover and shakers. Well, this show has some seriously flawless people in the creative department. I have been smitten with one of the creators Michaela Watkins since her run on Saturday Night Live (2008-2009) and she really wowed me in last season’s Trophy Wife as well. As for Damon Jones he’s a member of the famed LA comedy troupe Groudlings so he gets the benefit of the doubt. I’d be remised in my duties to not mention my excitement about having John Enbom and Andrea on board as executive producers.
The script was great. It was well paced, quirky, got to the gist of all the characters right away and had many varied character interactions that were hilarious. The story also managed to suck me right in and not let go. It is also important to note that the social commentary doesn’t feel forced, maybe a little to0 raw quite honestly. But that’s OK because things should feel a little real, right?
The humor in this show is right up my alley. I found it to be genuinely funny. If the language isn’t toned down in the future it might be a bit polarizing and create a very distinct niche market. If it does tone itself down and broaden the story it might find a larger more casual audience. But either way they decide to go it will be a win as I personally think this is the strongest comedic offering they have given us to date (and if you read my advanced preview for Playing House you would know, that’s saying something).
I am a fan of zaniness and comedies being over the top and I have to say this episode didn’t disappoint. I swear the first five minutes were just the best of one thing after another. The main character Nina has a breakdown and just really gives it to her co-workers and letting us have that unrelenting cathartic moment with her was just brilliant. If you ever think you’re having a bad day at work, from here on out conjure this scene up in your mind and it will make you feel better, guaranteed.
Even the side characters were cast phenomenally! I love everyone from the boss to the antagonist and everyone in between. The boss played by Jack McGee plays his usual gruff and grumpy character but has a serious adorableness factor that can’t be denied. I even found myself liking the antagonist, Trent (Carter MacIntyre )who is Nina’s very good looking ex-boyfriend who also happens to be amazing at his job. MacIntryre really knows how to make douchey charming and I of course mean that in the best way. Then we have the intern (Jolene Purdy) who has a heart of gold and actually thinks lawyering can be used for the good of mankind. The shock of all shocks for me was seeing Maria Bamford. She plays a character named Cheryl who is the whacky yet the character I found to be the most endearing one of them all. I’m a huge fan of Bamford’s stand-up routines and if you don’t know who she is please go look her up on You Tube.
Now I’m not one for shipping. I actually kind of despise that whole ‘will they or won’t they’ routine in most cases but there is always an exception to the rule and I think Eliza Coup and Jay Harrington are it for me personally. They have amazing chemistry together and I can’t wait to see more interactions between their characters.
Last but definitely not least, let’s talk about the lead, Eliza Coupe. Coupe breathes life into this role. She is truly funny and has great timing and chemistry with everyone. If you loved her in Happy Endings and Scrubs then you will definitely love her in this, maybe even more than you already do. If you don’t know anything about her, I think her performance will leave curious and at least ready to come back for the second episode.
So that’s my spiel. I hope you decide to check it out.
If you are interested in more information about the show be sure to check this out.
Benched premieres TONIGHT on USA at 10:30 PM/9:30 PM CST.
Person of Interest - Episode 4.06 - Pretenders - Michael Emerson teases tonight's episode [VIDEO]
Ratings News - 28th October 2014
POLL : What are you watching Tonight? - 28th October 2014
ABC Primetime Schedule - Various Shows - 27th Oct - 23rd Nov 2014
Last Week in TV - Oct. 19-25 - Episode Awards and Reviews
'Madam Secretary,' 'Scorpion,' 'NCIS: New Orleans' and 'Stalker' Land Full Seasons at CBS
The Big Bang Theory - Episode 8.07 - The Misinterpretation Agitation - Sneak Peeks
CBS Upcoming Episode Press Releases - Various Shows - 27th October 2014
Final Adjusted TV Ratings for Friday 24th October 2014
The SpoilerTV Daily News Roundup - Various Shows - 27th October 2014
The Vampire Diaries - Episode 6.07 - Do You Remember the First Time? - Promotional Photos
Live+7 DVR Ratings - Week 3 (6th Oct - 12th Oct 2014)
Ratings News - 27th October 2014
The Vampire Diaries - Episode 6.05 - The World Has Turned and Left Me Here - Sneak Peek
POLL : What are you watching Tonight? - 27th October 2014
ABC Upcoming Episode Press Releases - Various Shows - 27th October 2014
The Mindy Project - Episode 3.07 - We Need to Talk About Annette - Promotional Photos
The more I see of Jane the Virgin, the more I realize it's one of the best new shows on the air this fall. Yes, I harshly judged it before it aired, but I've seen the error of my ways. Jane is a breath of fresh air on a TV landscape scarce with romantic dramedies. I am happy to report that the show has been given a full 22 episode order by The CW despite middling ratings. I am still worried about how the story will play out across these episodes and if things will get dragged out, but that's me worrying about something that hasn't happened yet. What has happened is that Chapter Three of Jane the Virgin is just as good as the previous two installments, and if the rest continue to be this good, I'm sure my skepticism will just fall by the wayside.
Michael, while not thinking about getting busy with Jane, is busy trying to keep Petra's name clear from the investigation into Roman's death. While his partner seems sure this is a crime of passion, Michael needs it look otherwise. Any complication involving Petra and the affair lead to Jane keeping the baby. (Cut to the most hilarious photos of Michael and the baby on a shootout) Of Course Petra doesn't make things easy, having left a little something behind in Zaz's room that may help Michael's partner's theory.
There are some other things happening like Rafael trying not to be his dad's puppet following Zaz's death and Luisa setting off alarms with her stepmother. While one will provide some great moments with Jane, the other seems pretty pointless. So, by hours end Jane may or may not be a virgin anymore, Petra may be in store for some big balls of evil coming her way and someone may have committed a federal offense.
Three Word Specific Teases for you: Mass, Big Balls of Evil, Fireflies.
The High: I'm really loving the bond that Jane and her family share. It's just the right amount of love, support and judgement. The chemistry between the three ladies is amazing and three episodes in, I find it to be one of the best aspects of the show. Last week I griped that there was not enough Alba. It seems like the Telenovela genie heard me, because this week she certainly had more to do than just stand by and crack one-liners.
The Gripe: I wish I understood why we are getting a glimpse into Luisa and her Step-mother's affair. Not that it's not interesting, it just doesn't seem to connected to much else right now. Which for a show, where everyone and everything seems to be connected, it feels out of place. Maybe we'll get there at some point, but for right now it just leaves me hoping he scene is quick and we get back to the action.
Overall Thoughts: Another great episode. I swear I'm going to run out of things to say about Gina Rodriguez's performance, because she kills it every week. I think even the way she runs off in her hotel uniform is just the cutest thing. It seems as of right now the show can't really do wrong. It still has a balance to it that never makes what you are watching feel too over the top or too real. I think if you're here for the romance you may see some sparks fly on one side of the war for Jane's heart, and it honestly is handled nicely. The show is a steady stallion poised to win the hearts of viewers with its weekly dose of charm and wit and this week is no exception. I say this because it's true, I wouldn't lie, because that always leads to....well you'll see.
Read the Chapter Two Review here.
Chapter Three airs this Monday at 8c on The CW.
Are you liking what you see this far? Do you think Jane will go through with losing her V-card? Are you over Luisa? Are you team Michael or team Rafael? Sound off below.
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Quote of the Week, 26th October 2014
The SpoilerTV Daily News Roundup - Various Shows - 26th October 2014
Scene Of The Week - October 26, 2014 - POLL
Person of Interest – Brotherhood/Prophets – Double Review: “This is war”
USD POLL : Your favourite character revivals from "the dead"?
POLL : What are you watching Tonight? - 26th October 2014
Various ABC Shows - New Episode Synopses
Various ABC Shows - New Episode Titles Revealed
The SpoilerTV Daily News Roundup - Various Shows - 25th October 2014
Z Nation - Welcome to the FU-Bar - Review: "In Loving Memory of Charles Garnett" + 1.08 Zunami - Promo
I spent this episode saying "What?", "How?", and "Why?" ever so often to my screen. There were so many WTF moments there, I eventually gave up on the plot - as you would with a silly Hollywood blockbuster movie - and decided to just enjoy the ride. Unfortunately it didn't work, as those pesky thoughts of logic, cause and effect, and character identity kept seeping into my head and messing with my fun.
That is until my eureka moment arrived about ten minutes into the episode, when I realized things would make a lot more sense if I assumed Castiel was either Dean's boyfriend, or Sam's boyfriend, or in a three-way relationship with both of them. Putting that idea into effect made everything fall into place in a loosely stitched, telenovela fashion that strangely kept the plot from sinking. If I didn't know this duo of writers I would've thought this was an Edlundian prank on their part to mess with us worse than The French Mistake. If you don't believe me, read on.
Sam and Dean: Sam and Dean spent the entire episode playing hide and seek and "@#$%^ my bro says!" in the bunker. This was interspersed with Sam injecting Dean with blessed human blood, and calling Cas to run the results by him. For me this was the most enjoyable part of the episode because Demon Dean was delightfully mean and sort of right about many things he said (except that thing about their mother. That was a low blow.) Sam was equal parts bulldog and puppy dog and tried too hard not to let the scattered truths Dean spouted get to him.
Dean Question #1 (for 200 points): What exactly is Demon Dean? They somewhat lampshaded this in the episode when Sam told him he wasn't his brother, and Dean said he was. If it was a regular possession all the torture and stressing would cause the demon to smoke out of the human body. But in this case I'm not exactly sure what Sam was trying to achieve. As far as we know Dean's body is dead, killed by Metatron last season. The demon's awakening brought it back to life but in the absence of black, red, or white smoke, who is throwing those barbs? And how could human Dean still be in there if Dean is dead?
Castiel and Hannah: Meanwhile in b-plot-ville Hannah is using every trick in the book to keep Castiel from getting to Sam and Dean, such as putting his sick ass behind the wheel again, losing their map, and taking all the wrong detours. Once they are good and lost she goes all, "Oops, I'm sorry, don't know how to human yet," then snuggles up to him like a lonely divorcee. Cas' phone, mercifully, rings at that moment, prompting me to chant ‘Sam, Sam, Sam’ as Cas grabs it and says, “Sam,” without looking at the screen. He looks like a man just saved from a swarm of piranhas, and Hannah makes this face:
Anyone else is reminded of love triangular romantic comedies? Those where the mean, popular girl attempts to steal the hot guy from the main character, while the main character, by some act of fate, calls her boyfriend at the right moment to foil her plan. So if Hannah is the boyfriend stealer, what does that make Sam? Castiel's girlfriend?
Close to the end of their journey of 1000 miles Cas and Hannah arrive at a gas station. There, Cas suddenly starts telling Hannah Piranha how important ‘this mission’ is (me: What mission? Saving Dean? Killing dissenting angels?) and how easily distractions can occur. I hear it as, "Cut it out, biatch. I'm onto you. You can’t stop me from going to my boyfriend(s).” Hannah takes it like a trooper and pretends she’s only worried about him losing his grace.
Castiel Question #1 (for 300 points): It’s been asked before, here as well as other places: Why is it implied that if Castiel loses his stolen grace he dies? In fact, why is he even sick, when last season, before he stole grace, and after he lost his own to Metatron, he was just fine?
Bonus Question: Similar to the one about Dean, who and what is Castiel exactly? If his grace is stolen from some other angel, and the body belonged to Jimmy, and he doesn’t have a soul, then what makes him Castiel?
Crowley: Crowley is back to being the king of Hell. He presides over a court of demons who look like they've raided the fallen angels’ closets after they left Heaven and are now sporting their fashion.
This interesting fellow appears.
He tells Crowley that Castiel’s grace is burning out and it’s a good time to off him. (me: Why?) I can’t think of one good reason why Crowley should care about Castiel. But then Crowley becomes pensive, and daydreams a montage of his and Dean’s greatest hits. That’s when I say, 'a-ha' once again, and think it’s probably because the guy knows Cas is Dean’s bf and imagines Crowley would want to get rid of him to eliminate the competition.
They lay the whole Crowley missing Dean idea on pretty thick. Another guy even offers himself as his replacement, to be the king’s new boytoy (his words, not mine,) but Crowley won’t have it. He decides to go after Castiel.
On the Castiel and Hannah front, random angel #62 shows up, transforms into a Generic Revenge Angel (GRA,) then knocks out Hannah and beats up Castiel. Crowley appears and kills her, stealing her grace and healing Castiel with it. Once again I ask why. Is it because Cas has a solution to fix Dean? Even if that's true, why would Crowley care for it when any solution from Castiel most likely involves either curing Dean or killing him, neither of which would bring his demon buddy back into his arms? What does he think Cas could do that he hasn’t already tried with Sam? This one I can’t even explain with the boyfriend hypothesis.
Cas arrives at the bunker at last. The door is apparently sealed with a magic phrase that he could only use since Hannah doesn't enter behind him. He stops Demon Dean just before he and Sam stare each other to death while holding and not using weapons, and he does it by giving Dean a mighty hug from behind. I didn’t know the ability to incapacitate Knights-of-Hell level demons through hugging was part of the angel arsenal. I can’t fathom how Cas did it unless I accept that he is Dean’s bf and hugging him made Dean feel his... love and broke the spell.
Sam and Cas tie Dean to the same chair, inject him with the same blood, but this time it magically works. At this moment I’m fully immersed in my Cas=Dean&|Sam’s bf theory so I rationalize it as Dean seeing Cas reunited with them and coming back. Whether he’s Dean’s boo, or part of a threesome with them, in the end Demon Dean was cured by true vuw, or Team Free Will's power of the heart.
Dean and Cas: In a true Destiel fanfiction move, Sam goes out to get food, or to get drunk, or both. In any case, he makes himself scarce so that Dean and Cas finally get to be alone together and have their first meeting since the season started. They do and it's so awkward it wants to grow legs and scuttle away.
Basically this is what happens (the way I read it):
Cas: You look terrible!
Dean: Gee! Thanks. You look good though. Do you want to stay (…and do stuff with me, on my bed?)
Cas: Um, no…, long story. There’s Crowley, you see (he might murder me if I did,) and my stolen grace (might knock me out under stress,) and a female outside in the car,(my wife, I think, not quite sure about that, though she's the jealous type,) so... another time.
Dean (awkward pause): Ok? No problem. Do you think Sam’s getting a divorce?
Cas: Oh, no. Sam’s a champ. (Why are we talking about your brother after just talking about getting funky on your bed?)
Joking aside, that was an embarrassingly, awfully written scene, following one of the most disappointing conclusions to a cliff hanger arc. Nobody wants the writers to write Dean and Cas making out on a bed. But these two are long-time friends, who have been through battles together. If this is their reunion after one just came back from the brink of death, and the other is close to dying, the writers either don’t believe in that friendship (which then begs many questions about spell-breaking hugs and Dean's impromptu cure,) or don’t know how to write it.
Castiel question #2 (for 100 points): If Heaven and Hell are reasonably back in order – even though nobody knows who's currently running Heaven – then why can’t Castiel stay with Sam and Dean, at least for a while? He advices Dean to rest, yet doesn’t take his own advice. What possible reason could he have for turning his back on Dean and leaving the bunker? (and no, ‘next week is a filler episode’ doesn’t count.)
My overall impression of the episode: Should be obvious from the review. I was confused, and blasé, through most of it. I have long accepted not to take what this writing due produces seriously. I know of their lack of attention to detail, refusal to respect canon, and the callous way they inject their story ideas into the overall mythology of the show.
I am certainly disappointed in the not-even-there solution they presented for Dean’s demon issue, but it was miles better than if they had Sam, or Cas, beat the living snot out of him (or he them) to pull his real self out into the light. So that's a blessing.
Kudos: The scenes I enjoyed most were Sam and Dean’s chit chat and chase in the bunker, even though they were loaded with the typical ‘Dean is gone/not gone,’ and ‘No my brother is still in there somewhere,' overused lines. I still liked Demon Dean and cheered for some of the truths he spoke of, like having to save Sam’s hide all the time, and their dad brainwashing them. I wished they'd let these two explore those issues more extensively instead of sweeping them under the ‘Oh, but that wasn’t the real you’ carpet again.
Another part I liked was the revelation of Sam’s involvement in Lester’s contract. It tied that storyline with Sam’s quest to save Dean beautifully and gave me some nice season 2-3 vibes, you know that time when plots made sense and one didn't have to invent fictitious character romances to explain the story.
Don’t forget to post your comments below. Next week we’re back on the filler dock so it will most likely not be as fun.
Tessa
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twitter.com/tessa_marlene
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Alright Gothamites, in case you haven't heard, Gotham has been picked up for a full 22 episode season. I personally don't know what to make of the news. I would prefer that the show had a smaller episode amount to keep out less filler. I wasn't impressed by the previous episode, Arkham, and Viper is pretty much more of the same, but maybe that isn't such a bad thing. If you take a step back and look at it, then you see that the show is simply doing what works best for it, playing an elaborate game of chess. The writers are stealthily putting pieces in place for a checkmate, but still making smaller plays to keep us satisfied. The question now is, how long will be willing to wait for something big to happen before we give it all up?
Of course, our mysterious drug dealer from earlier on in the episode is out on the street just handing out his drug to random people on the street. (Do people in Gotham not have home training? I was told to not take candy from strangers, and they are taking a green liquid in a vial that says breathe me like it's nothing!) While all hell breaks loose, Ed Nygma explains that Viper activates unused DNA giving people these powers and euphoric feelings, but it also burns all calcium from the skeletal system (making them crave milk to restore it) and when they can't function anymore due to the low calcium, their bones crumble and they suffocate and die. Nygma states that a company called WellZyn would have the biggest lab to manufacture such a drug, but of course WellZyn is a Wayne Enterprises subsidiary and would never do such a thing. Well, they wouldn't, but a former employee with an axe to grind would. (Side note: Viper is actually an early form of Venom, you know, the drug that gave Bane super strength to break the Batman). Turns out Stan, the Drug Man and former employee, was working with his old professor, who took some Viper when confronted and throws Harvey around(IT'S ALWAYS HARVEY GETTING THROWN ISN'T IT?) but eventually provides them with a clue as to Stan's whereabouts.
Stan, the Drug Man, happens to be at a WellZyn-Wayne Enterprises charity function ready to exact his revenge. A function the young master Bruce and his butler happen to be at. After making his bold statement and releasing Viper into the event through the ventilation, Stan The Drug Man, meets his own end when Gordon unleashes his own drug on him, while Harvey clears the room below. Before jumping to his death and ending a pretty unspectacular but mildly entertaining case of the week, he mentions something about a warehouse 39, which we later find has been emptied. Outside warehouse 39, a Wayne Enterprises representative from the charity function watches and tells someone on the phone they will let the two detectives be for now but if they get too close they will review it further. (It being what?????)
The best way to Man's throne: If you recall, last week Fish had two singers duke it out over a job. At the time, all I could think was does The Voice not do auditions in Gotham in this universe because these girls are too serious about this singing job. Fish's plan becomes a but more clear this week. She starts by teaching the young singer, Liz an aria to learn, and how to sing it, and expertly putting her in her place when Liz calls her Mama. She teaches her how to sing the song like a mother would and then tells her she needs to change her look. Later, we find Fish in bed, with a member of her Falcone family she appeared to be at odds with earlier in the episode(to a blind person maybe). Turns out they are in cahoots to get rid of Falcone, and Fish has just the weapon... Cut to Liz walking down a street, singing the aria from earlier, and running into Falcone himself, who immediately recognizes the aria as one his mother uses to sing to him and they decide to listen together through her headphones. (AHH, the sweet music of an impending revolt.)
The Boy who will be Bat: This week, we got more of the awesome David Mazouz rocking the role of young Bruce. Bruce, is obsessively trying to figure out how two opposing mob bosses somehow managed to find themselves with the shares of Arkham that lead them each getting a piece of the development in last week's episode. Alfred is obviously concerned about Bruce's obsession and jokes of throwing the files in the fire, but Bruce orders him not to. Later, when Alfred again tries to convince him to take a break by heading to the charity function hosted by WellZyn and Wayne enterprises, his relief at his agreement is short lived, when Bruce admits he would like to question some board members at the party about how Falcone and Maroni were probably just given the shares. Unfortunately for Bruce, board members don't show up to events like this, just crazed former employers seeking revenge and he is left with more questions than answers. Back at the manor, Bruce stumbles across a WellZyn memo that features a picture of the same woman he questioned at the party, who also happened to be the woman watching our two detectives at warehouse 39. Alfred, realizing this obsession may be the only way to bond with Bruce, grabs a seat and digs in.
The Fish out of Water: This week was light on Penguin, but what we did see in regards to him was probably the most exciting part of the episode. Hot off his victory with Arkham last week, Maroni is living large. Too large to let the robbery (that Penguin staged) by Falcone's men go. He wants his men to find a way to hit Falcone's casino, but they don't think it's a good idea. Cue an eavesdropping Cobblepot with a plan, see he knows a janitor who could get them in to said casino. When pressed a little further by Maroni about how he knows this contact, Penguin takes this as the best time to tell Maroni who he really is. Which prompts Maroni to take this as the best time for Penguin's face and the table to get accquainted. Later, Maroni's man, Frankie pays Gordon a visit at the station and tells him Maroni would like a word, letting slip they have Mister Cobblepot with them. Gordon goes with them and finds a bag over his face until it's removed and he is face to face to Maroni. Maroni just wants to eat his lobster and make sure that Cobblepot's and Gordon's story of how Penguin came to be his lowly dish washing boy pan out. And if it doesn't, they may be serving sliced Penguin on the menu that evening. The stories pan out and now Maroni is thrilled, he's got a detective in his pocket and a former Falcone insider. He later uses Penguin's knowledge to his advantage to hit up Falcone's casino and it appears that Penguin is one step closer to taking over Gotham.
The Gripe: This was filler episode. It set up very little and that can be frustrating. I know we are only five episodes in and we are still world building, but it's start to feel very paint-by-the-numbers how similar the episodes seem to play out. We something to shake things up, or else the shows viewers will continue to bleed out. Also, what was up with that worthless Selina Kyle cameo?
Overall thoughts: It was solid yet familiar paced episode. While a few things happened, it wasn't much and it just felt flat at times. The case was amusing, and came to a rather expected conclusion. (Do they ever just arrest the bad guy?) I still find Fish rather annoying, but I am interested to see how her attempt to play with Falcone's heart goes. Penguin took a big risk letting Maroni in on his secret, but he wasn't as deliciously malicious as he has been previously. Bruce is starting to show why he grows up to be the world's best detective, even if his obsession with Gotham's crime syndicates may be a little unhealthy. But in the end, not much happened to move things forward and this was just a mildly amusing filler episode. Let's hope the full season has less of these.
What did you think of Viper? Where do you think Bruce's obsession will lead him? What do you think will happen now that Maroni knows what Gordon did? Did you find that Selina Kyle cameo pointless? Are you excited or cautious about the full season order? Sound off below!
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