I'm still pissed about last week, so I had a really hard time getting into this episode. It's like the writers are unwilling to take Dean to a such dark place, while they have had no problem taking Sam to such lengths. Sam has spent the whole of season 4 and half of season 6 doing a lot of shady stuff, and even Cas has done some bad things and almost became a big problem, though that did not last long and we never saw most of it. But Dean.. He's a different story. Okay, he has done some shady crap in the past (erasing Lisa and Ben's memories, allowing angel inside Sam) and he reacts violently to grief (season 2 and 7) and became generally more violent after Purgatory and after receiving the Mark, but becoming a demon is the first time Dean is properly evil and they give us 3 fucking episodes of it?! Even Soulless Sam got half a season! I promised myself I wouldn't rant anymore, but oh well... Why is it so hard for the writers to give Dean a proper storyline and follow through with it? While the show is from Dean's point of view, the story is almost always about Sam. Sam has powers, Sam does not want Dean to go to Hell, Sam is soulless, Sam is hallucinating, Sam is doing the trials, Sam almost dies, Sam is pissed at Dean etc. I know there have been some great storylines involving Dean, but the major ones seem to be mostly about Sam. Why would you not go further with this storyline? This better pay off in the future... Because I'm still fucking pissed about this.
Okay, the episode. It's not a bad one, once you get over the disappointmet that Dean is just Dean now. I was spoiled on Twitter that Kate would be back so of course the cold open made me think she was behind the killings.
Sam and Dean are chilling by some lake. And to take a moment to be completely superficial; damn those shades look hot on the boys. Especially Dean. Daaamn.. Okay, moment over. The boys are supposed to be on Cas-ordered vacation, but of course Dean is getting restless and has found a case. Sam is a lot more reluctant to go, but Dean insists that he needs to get back to normal. At least his big brother moment to tease Sam about the sling was very normal for Dean.
And the hilarious Winchester logic is back when they are speaking with a local police about the killings. Seriously boys, how are you still so bad at your covers and at lying? In the end Sam saves Dean from rambling too much and directs the cop back to business.
A witness to one of the killings directs the boys to a barn, where they find Kate. Who is surprisingly willing to die. Yeah, that's not suspicious at all... But before Dean can kill her, Sam interferes, thinking Dean is not ready for killing and Kate escapes.
Sam says that the whole point of taking a break was because Dean was not ready to hunt yet. But Dean argues that Sam might not be ready either and I think Dean has a point. Dean is not the only one that went to the deep end in the last few months, so following Sam's own logic, Sam would need a break too, though Sam rejects this. They have been back together for like a day and they are back to arguing. Like the boys said, this is good...
They find Kate's motel and see "Kate" leaving, so they follow her. But it is not Kate. The girl tries to talk her way out of this, but when Dean tries to test her, she attacks. The boys are close to losing when Kate arrives and stops the girl, who is apparently her sister.
Kate has some explaining to do, so they find a diner. She tells the boys that she is not a killer and the only reason she turned her sister was to save her life. She thought they could live in peace together, but Tasha was not strong enough to resist the urge to kill. So now Kate is protecting her, trying to get her back on the right path, willing to die for her.
Dean tricks Kate into believing that they can cure her and Tasha, if they can find her. Not surprisingly, it is a lie to just find Tasha and to kill her. Sam argues that they cannot do this, at least, not to Kate, she was just trying to save her sister, and compared to Sam and Dean, Kate and Tasha are in the minor leagues. However, it seems Dean has finally understood that the lenghts they would go for each other is not healthy and never works perfectly, so maybe it is not worth it. He seems to understand that natural order should not be messed with.
With Kate sleeping in the car, the boys have a chance to have a heart to heart. Sam confesses that he knows what he did was messed up, but hearing his side of what happened after Dean died, yeah, that would mess anyone up. Dean says he is embarassed by the things he did when he was a demon and I have to say, that is a weird fucking way to express it. Guilty? Yes. Ashamed? That works. But embarassed? That seems like a wrong word to use. But at least it is a nice bro moment.
So Kate leads the boys into her parents' cabin and Dean handcuffs her to the car, so he and Sam can go inside to get Tasha. Dean tells Kate that "Tasha's in way too deep. You don't ever come back from that. Not ever. " He's talking about himself, isn't he? Ugh, way to punch me in the heart, Supernatural. Poor Dean.
Once inside, the boys run into trouble. Sam finds Tasha but she has turned two guys and they have Dean at gun point. Tasha tells Sam to drop his gun or they will shoot Dean. And I have to wonder, if Dean dies again, now that he still has the Mark, would he turn into demon again? I mean, I still refuse to believe that Dean is really human again, but while the show is dead set on Dean being back to normal, I have to find other ways to bring the demon back. So yeah, I kinda wanted them to kill Dean to see what would happen. I'm horrible, I know.
However, Kate saves them again and Tasha tells her to prove her loyalty to her sister and her pack by eating Sam's heart. While Kate is ready to die for her sister, she will not kill for her and refuses. Tasha orders the two guys to kill Sam and Dean, while she deals with Kate. Tasha tries to get Kate see her side, but all it does is make Kate see that there is no saving her sister. So she does what she promised to do; she kills Tasha. Now that's a resolve not even Sam and Dean have ever been capable of and I can admire her for that. Meanwhile, Sam kills the two guys, who really didn't seem to have a clue of what kinda people they were dealing with. Come on, in what world would a hunter, especially Sam and Dean, carry just one weapon. Kate escapes again before the boys can get to her, which was a surprise. People, let alone monsters, that return to the show don't usually get to live.
Sam finally admits that they both needed the vacation and tells Dean that he needs to take time off to deal with everything. Dean, on the other hand, argues that that is the last thing he needs. He needs to be out there, doing some good and not think about all the bad things he has done. He admits that maybe he's not ready, but he is tired of making bad choices (those have really beed piling up lately) and needs to make some good ones. Finally the boys seem to be on the same page about the issue.
So there is no new episode next week (which sucks), but if I have the energy and inspiration I'll try to come up with some other Supernatural related things (no rants though, I promise that).
Wednesday, 29 October 2014
Person of Interest S4E06 - Pretenders
This is actually a quite funny episode. The first half is a bit boring to be fair, but, once Elias is back in the mix, the episode improves.
I like Walter. He's a nice guy, who genuinely admires John and what he does. Sure, the episode pushes the superhero aspect too far (Fusco and Shaw's walk to John and Walter to discuss the weapon made me crack up because it was too ridiculous), but the episode is also a good remainder to John that his work still matters and civilians have noticed what he has done for them. And Walter is kinda sweet by being a total fanboy towards Reese and trying to be John, even if he is not very good at it.
It is so great to have Elias back. He asks John if he has forgotten who he is, and I have to admit, I had forgotten. For a while now Elias has been kind of a weird ally and helper, first to Harold and then Carter and John, and I had forgotten his status as an antagonist. But as he says to Dominic in the end, he was just biding his time, now he's back with full force. Yet it seems there is still some lingering "friendship", or, maybe a better word would be, understanding between John and Elias. This is going to be interesting to see. Also, the "twist" that Dominic was behind this all, was really not a twist. The second Elias said he knew who was behind it, I knew it was Dominic.
Harold is in Hong Kong in a conference. At first I was wondering why all this was relevant, even if it is always interesting to see Harold argue ethics, but it did not seem to connect to anything. And the attempt to make his connection to Beth Bridges a romantic one seemed very clumsy. I didn't believe it, since Harold is still very much in love with Grace and this show doesn't really do romance, so this plot really confused me. But it seems Harold was aware of Miss Bridges' connection to Samaritan and he planted something on her computer. I imagine we will see her again in the future. She, however, does not seem to know who Harold really is, so that's good.
Random observations
- Shaw trying to blend into office space is always funny. And she really rocks those glasses.
- "How do you do that with your voice?" "Do what?" I'm dying of laughter.
- I love Harold hitting the delivery man with an umbrella, that looked cool.
- Shaw putting Bear on the phone so Harold can talk to him is so cute.
I like Walter. He's a nice guy, who genuinely admires John and what he does. Sure, the episode pushes the superhero aspect too far (Fusco and Shaw's walk to John and Walter to discuss the weapon made me crack up because it was too ridiculous), but the episode is also a good remainder to John that his work still matters and civilians have noticed what he has done for them. And Walter is kinda sweet by being a total fanboy towards Reese and trying to be John, even if he is not very good at it.
It is so great to have Elias back. He asks John if he has forgotten who he is, and I have to admit, I had forgotten. For a while now Elias has been kind of a weird ally and helper, first to Harold and then Carter and John, and I had forgotten his status as an antagonist. But as he says to Dominic in the end, he was just biding his time, now he's back with full force. Yet it seems there is still some lingering "friendship", or, maybe a better word would be, understanding between John and Elias. This is going to be interesting to see. Also, the "twist" that Dominic was behind this all, was really not a twist. The second Elias said he knew who was behind it, I knew it was Dominic.
Harold is in Hong Kong in a conference. At first I was wondering why all this was relevant, even if it is always interesting to see Harold argue ethics, but it did not seem to connect to anything. And the attempt to make his connection to Beth Bridges a romantic one seemed very clumsy. I didn't believe it, since Harold is still very much in love with Grace and this show doesn't really do romance, so this plot really confused me. But it seems Harold was aware of Miss Bridges' connection to Samaritan and he planted something on her computer. I imagine we will see her again in the future. She, however, does not seem to know who Harold really is, so that's good.
Random observations
- Shaw trying to blend into office space is always funny. And she really rocks those glasses.
- "How do you do that with your voice?" "Do what?" I'm dying of laughter.
- I love Harold hitting the delivery man with an umbrella, that looked cool.
- Shaw putting Bear on the phone so Harold can talk to him is so cute.
Sunday, 26 October 2014
Doctor Who S8E10 - In the Forest of the Night
Oh my god, this is actually on time this week. This is a weird one, and it kept me wondering what was the point of it all until the very end. It's not necessarily a bad episode, but it was not very interesting either.
I think it's a bit weird that the Doctor says that the woods are a nightmare of the human race. I get that this episode is supposed to be very fairy tale-like and in fairy tales the forest is often a scary place that holds secrets and where you get lost in, but I have never been scared of the woods. Sure, I've seen films and tv shows that makes the forests look a bit spooky, but that has never influenced my real life. For me, the woods are a calm, relaxing space. Maybe it's because I live in a small town and have spent half of my childhood surrounded by trees, but when I saw the forest that London was turned into, my first thought was not how freaky it looked. I thought it looked nice and I'd love to explore that. So yeah, there was no fear involved in this episode at all and I just kept wondering what was the point. And since that is not revealed until the last minute, this was a bit boring.
Why is this season so focused on Clara's school? (Also, schools do sleepovers in museums? That seems weird...) I have said it before, and I will say it again, I don't like kids. I know this show is technically for kids, but can they just go away? Granted, they were not as annoying as I thought they were going to be, but it was still pretty annoying.
I love Danny. He's so nice and understanding and I think he has a great world view. He's seen the world already, now he wants to focus on what's infront of him. And the way he deals with Clara and her lies is just so grown-up. I didn't expect that, though I probably should have realised that Danny has a more healthier way of dealing with things than I do. I expected him to be angry, but that was just me projecting myself on Danny, because trust is something that does not come easily for me, so if you break it, you're pretty much dead to me after that.
Clara, on the other hand, is still trying to get both worlds. But even in the middle of a crisis, she is more interested in the mystery and solving the big adventure with the Doctor, while Danny is focused on the kids, their well-being and keeping everyone safe. Clara can admire what Danny is doing but is incapable of adopting same behaviour. Which, to me, shows that Clara's two lives do not mix well and cannot exist together.
I don't buy the fact that London is so empty, it's like there's no one around. And I think, this is definitely a mistake. I know lots of people would ruin the atmosphere the episode tries to reach, but it is not believable that there are no people. I mean, have you ever been to London? It's full of people! And even if the news tell everyone to stay home, there is bound to be some people around.
Also, how did Maebh outrun the wolf? She's a little girl and he's a really fast animal. It does not add up. But at least she is nice and definitely the least annoying kid, so that's cool. And why did she go to the Doctor in the beginning? How did she know?
Apparently we have a two-parter finale, starting next week. And Clara is involved somehow, and we seem to be back to questioning who or what Clara is. Let's hope it will be good.
I think it's a bit weird that the Doctor says that the woods are a nightmare of the human race. I get that this episode is supposed to be very fairy tale-like and in fairy tales the forest is often a scary place that holds secrets and where you get lost in, but I have never been scared of the woods. Sure, I've seen films and tv shows that makes the forests look a bit spooky, but that has never influenced my real life. For me, the woods are a calm, relaxing space. Maybe it's because I live in a small town and have spent half of my childhood surrounded by trees, but when I saw the forest that London was turned into, my first thought was not how freaky it looked. I thought it looked nice and I'd love to explore that. So yeah, there was no fear involved in this episode at all and I just kept wondering what was the point. And since that is not revealed until the last minute, this was a bit boring.
Why is this season so focused on Clara's school? (Also, schools do sleepovers in museums? That seems weird...) I have said it before, and I will say it again, I don't like kids. I know this show is technically for kids, but can they just go away? Granted, they were not as annoying as I thought they were going to be, but it was still pretty annoying.
I love Danny. He's so nice and understanding and I think he has a great world view. He's seen the world already, now he wants to focus on what's infront of him. And the way he deals with Clara and her lies is just so grown-up. I didn't expect that, though I probably should have realised that Danny has a more healthier way of dealing with things than I do. I expected him to be angry, but that was just me projecting myself on Danny, because trust is something that does not come easily for me, so if you break it, you're pretty much dead to me after that.
Clara, on the other hand, is still trying to get both worlds. But even in the middle of a crisis, she is more interested in the mystery and solving the big adventure with the Doctor, while Danny is focused on the kids, their well-being and keeping everyone safe. Clara can admire what Danny is doing but is incapable of adopting same behaviour. Which, to me, shows that Clara's two lives do not mix well and cannot exist together.
I don't buy the fact that London is so empty, it's like there's no one around. And I think, this is definitely a mistake. I know lots of people would ruin the atmosphere the episode tries to reach, but it is not believable that there are no people. I mean, have you ever been to London? It's full of people! And even if the news tell everyone to stay home, there is bound to be some people around.
Also, how did Maebh outrun the wolf? She's a little girl and he's a really fast animal. It does not add up. But at least she is nice and definitely the least annoying kid, so that's cool. And why did she go to the Doctor in the beginning? How did she know?
Apparently we have a two-parter finale, starting next week. And Clara is involved somehow, and we seem to be back to questioning who or what Clara is. Let's hope it will be good.
Wednesday, 22 October 2014
Supernatural S10E03 - Soul Survivor
I don't know what to think about this one. On one hand, it is a great episode with a lot of good moments, but on the other hand, I am so extremely disappointed in the fact that Dean is now cured. Yeah, he still has the Mark of Cain, but I want more Demon Dean! There is so much they could have done with it. Annoying Crowley and tearing his regime apart, scaring the shit out of me with his chilling comments, some Cas and Demon Dean interactions, maybe a new showdown with Cole, Dean wrecking havok on his own... Yeah, I'm a bit bitter about this...
The episode itself is great, it is so intense, made me cry and, as always, Jensen Ackles does a fantastic job directing. I can only hope there is an interesting arc planned for the rest of the season since Dean being a demon is really not a problem anymore and I hope that the writers don't start using the old tropes they appeared to throw out of the window in the season 9 finale. Because I have to say, I agree with Crowley, it had started to become predictable and Demon Dean was a chance to try something new and now that Dean is back to normal, I'm a bit worried that the writers are going to lapse back to the old routines.
Right, I'm not going to rant about this anymore (depending on next week, I might start again after the next episode), so lets talk about the rest of the episode.
This time Sam is not using his own blood, but goes to a hospital to get it while Dean waits in the bunker's dungeon. Dean is still insisting that he does not want to be cured and promises to leave Sam alone if he lets Dean go. He also promises that he won't go down easy, like Crowley did. This is going to be intense.
The growls and roars that come out of Dean when Sam injects the blood are hilarious. Like where did they come from?? No demon has ever sounded like that, so what gives?
Hannah is still traveling with Cas. She is obviously concerned about him, though the show is trying to suggest a deeper connection between her and Cas. I'm not really buying it, I didn't even think about it until Cas told her it ain't gonna happen, so at least Cas is not buying it either. His only concern is to get to Sam, because he knows how hard this must be for him and knows Sam will need support if the cure does not work and they are left with no other alternative than killing Dean.
While debating good and evil, Dean reveals that he knows what Sam has done to find him and Crowley. And turns out Sam knew Lester the Loser as well. I was confused at first why he was back on my screen because after his moronic speech last episode I was ready to punch the guy as well and didn't really need to see him again. But turns out Sam was using the dude for his own purposes and convinced him to sell his soul. Sam, what the hell are you doing? I know you were desperate to find your brother, but you are going to far. Even if the person was someone like Lester. I wonder if this was the second thing Crowley wanted to discuss with Dean in the last episode. He said there was two things they needed to talk about and we only saw the discussion on Dean killing Lester's wife. So was the second thing that Sam was the cause of all this, or were they planning something else?
And then Dean asks the one question Sam has been dreading. If the cure does not work, he would have to kill Dean, but can he? And I think it has been clear from day 1 that he cannot. That's the one thing he cannot do, hell, that's what this whole thing is about! Tracking Dean, trapping him, trying a cure he does not know if it will work, all of it, so that he (or someone else) does not have to kill Dean.
You know, I never thought we'd see Crowley's court. His chair is awesome, btw. Crowley is executing demons that were loyal to Abaddon and he looks bored as hell. I think, in the end, he does miss Dean, still wants Dean to rule with him.
Sam is worried about the cure and the effects it is having on Dean, and he even calls Cas for advise. Cas is taking a lot more logical point of view on this: if the cure does not work, then Dean is dead anyway, so why not take a chance. But as seen earlier, Sam cannot bear the thought of killing his brother, so he is still hesitant to continue. Then he finds Dean unconscious and when he manages to wake him up, Dean answers to him in a way that really reminds me of the old, sarcastic, human Dean. And maybe Sam recognises this as well since he says that he cannot stop the cure. Maybe he saw that it had changed Dean a bit and it gives him strength to carry on. Though the demon is very quick to say that the human part of Dean is completely gone and has been for quite some time.
And then Dean starts taunting Sam. And it breaks my heart. Three episodes. It took Supernatural three episodes to break my heart, and it won't be the last time. While some of the things Dean says are actually true (without Sam he probably would have had a normal life), which is why it is so sad, I don't think Dean ever resented the fact he had to look out for Sammy. Maybe few times as a kid when Sam was too young to understand the sacrifices Dean made for him time and time again, but as an adult, I think Dean has made peace with that. I think the only thing that ever rubbed Dean the wrong way was that Sam did not always seem to be willing to go to same lenghts for Dean.
Crowley's court is back in session and one demon has had enough. This demon sprinkles, I think, holy oil on himself and lights it on fire. I did not know holy oil worked on demons, I thought it was only angels. So either something weird is going on in Crowley's Hell, or I have missed something, or this is new info.
Adina is back to extract her vengeance for Daniel's death and things are looking bad for Cas and Hannah.
Back in the bunker Sam visits Dean's room. It's amazing how something so small as a half eaten piece of pie can tell so much and be so painful. Dean really was not doing good even before he turned into a demon. And then the show has to stab our feelings again by showing that Dean has pictures in his room. It hurts to see the happy faces of John and Mary and Bobby. Or younger Sam and Dean (about season 1/2) laughing. Now I'm sad again.
And then Crowley comes to Cas' rescue and gives him Adina's Grace. I don't really understand his motives here. He says Cas is no use to him like this, but what does he need Cas for?? To take care of Dean? Something else? I know he says that it is to take care of Dean, but this is Crowley we're talking about, so is there something else to this?
And Sam notices that Dean is gone from his chair. This is one of the things I knew before the season started, that Sam and Dean would have this kind of cat and mouse thing in the bunker, so I knew this was coming. While I hate being spoiled, this was still amazing. It is really well shot (kudos to Jensen for directing this so well), it is really tense and, as someone who is a fan of Demon Dean, fun to watch. It is almost disappointing to see Cas interupt this and restrain Dean.
Dean tells Sam that once he was out of the cuffs, he just walked out. So did the devil's trap stop working as well since he was more human than demon? Maybe it's just me, but the way he says it, it sounds like the trap was never an issue. Though that makes no sense and I'm probably making this up.
Sam and Cas finish the cure and Dean seems to be back to normal. Well, almost. He seems a bit disorientated, like he's not sure what happened and all that he had done. Castiel has an interesting theory about why Dean wanted to stay as a demon: he would not have to feel. Which to me sounds like there was still some humanity left in Dean when he became a demon and he realised that it was easier to live like that. Dean has been drowning his sorrows and numbing his pain for years with alcohol and who knows with what else, so this is just a new way of pushing it all down.
Dean and Cas finally have a chance to talk (shame it's not Demon Dean), though it is nice to see these two get along again. Dean is worried about Cas and Sam's reactions to his actions. It's great that Dean cares again and to see his friendship with Cas be okay, but either I got really used to Demon Dean, or Dean feels a bit off in this scene. Or he's just back to being crumbled by the weight of the world on his shoulders.
There seems to be a new big bad in town, who at the moment feels like a replica of Abaddon (seemingly bad-ass female villain with red hair). But it is nice to have some female energy back in the show. Guess we'll learn who the hell she is soon.
I'm still hoping that the Demon Dean storyline is not completely over. Of course the characters will have to deal with the ramifications of it, but I mean that I want there to be more to come. Dean has the Mark, so that might be an issue, what Crowley did with the Blade, maybe Dean being in danger of becoming a demon again, maybe something else. We'll see. Part of me is hoping that Dean was not actually cured but somehow faked it. I know chances of that are like less than one percent, but that would be fun.
I already miss Demon Dean.
The episode itself is great, it is so intense, made me cry and, as always, Jensen Ackles does a fantastic job directing. I can only hope there is an interesting arc planned for the rest of the season since Dean being a demon is really not a problem anymore and I hope that the writers don't start using the old tropes they appeared to throw out of the window in the season 9 finale. Because I have to say, I agree with Crowley, it had started to become predictable and Demon Dean was a chance to try something new and now that Dean is back to normal, I'm a bit worried that the writers are going to lapse back to the old routines.
Right, I'm not going to rant about this anymore (depending on next week, I might start again after the next episode), so lets talk about the rest of the episode.
This time Sam is not using his own blood, but goes to a hospital to get it while Dean waits in the bunker's dungeon. Dean is still insisting that he does not want to be cured and promises to leave Sam alone if he lets Dean go. He also promises that he won't go down easy, like Crowley did. This is going to be intense.
The growls and roars that come out of Dean when Sam injects the blood are hilarious. Like where did they come from?? No demon has ever sounded like that, so what gives?
Hannah is still traveling with Cas. She is obviously concerned about him, though the show is trying to suggest a deeper connection between her and Cas. I'm not really buying it, I didn't even think about it until Cas told her it ain't gonna happen, so at least Cas is not buying it either. His only concern is to get to Sam, because he knows how hard this must be for him and knows Sam will need support if the cure does not work and they are left with no other alternative than killing Dean.
While debating good and evil, Dean reveals that he knows what Sam has done to find him and Crowley. And turns out Sam knew Lester the Loser as well. I was confused at first why he was back on my screen because after his moronic speech last episode I was ready to punch the guy as well and didn't really need to see him again. But turns out Sam was using the dude for his own purposes and convinced him to sell his soul. Sam, what the hell are you doing? I know you were desperate to find your brother, but you are going to far. Even if the person was someone like Lester. I wonder if this was the second thing Crowley wanted to discuss with Dean in the last episode. He said there was two things they needed to talk about and we only saw the discussion on Dean killing Lester's wife. So was the second thing that Sam was the cause of all this, or were they planning something else?
And then Dean asks the one question Sam has been dreading. If the cure does not work, he would have to kill Dean, but can he? And I think it has been clear from day 1 that he cannot. That's the one thing he cannot do, hell, that's what this whole thing is about! Tracking Dean, trapping him, trying a cure he does not know if it will work, all of it, so that he (or someone else) does not have to kill Dean.
You know, I never thought we'd see Crowley's court. His chair is awesome, btw. Crowley is executing demons that were loyal to Abaddon and he looks bored as hell. I think, in the end, he does miss Dean, still wants Dean to rule with him.
Sam is worried about the cure and the effects it is having on Dean, and he even calls Cas for advise. Cas is taking a lot more logical point of view on this: if the cure does not work, then Dean is dead anyway, so why not take a chance. But as seen earlier, Sam cannot bear the thought of killing his brother, so he is still hesitant to continue. Then he finds Dean unconscious and when he manages to wake him up, Dean answers to him in a way that really reminds me of the old, sarcastic, human Dean. And maybe Sam recognises this as well since he says that he cannot stop the cure. Maybe he saw that it had changed Dean a bit and it gives him strength to carry on. Though the demon is very quick to say that the human part of Dean is completely gone and has been for quite some time.
And then Dean starts taunting Sam. And it breaks my heart. Three episodes. It took Supernatural three episodes to break my heart, and it won't be the last time. While some of the things Dean says are actually true (without Sam he probably would have had a normal life), which is why it is so sad, I don't think Dean ever resented the fact he had to look out for Sammy. Maybe few times as a kid when Sam was too young to understand the sacrifices Dean made for him time and time again, but as an adult, I think Dean has made peace with that. I think the only thing that ever rubbed Dean the wrong way was that Sam did not always seem to be willing to go to same lenghts for Dean.
Crowley's court is back in session and one demon has had enough. This demon sprinkles, I think, holy oil on himself and lights it on fire. I did not know holy oil worked on demons, I thought it was only angels. So either something weird is going on in Crowley's Hell, or I have missed something, or this is new info.
Adina is back to extract her vengeance for Daniel's death and things are looking bad for Cas and Hannah.
Back in the bunker Sam visits Dean's room. It's amazing how something so small as a half eaten piece of pie can tell so much and be so painful. Dean really was not doing good even before he turned into a demon. And then the show has to stab our feelings again by showing that Dean has pictures in his room. It hurts to see the happy faces of John and Mary and Bobby. Or younger Sam and Dean (about season 1/2) laughing. Now I'm sad again.
And then Crowley comes to Cas' rescue and gives him Adina's Grace. I don't really understand his motives here. He says Cas is no use to him like this, but what does he need Cas for?? To take care of Dean? Something else? I know he says that it is to take care of Dean, but this is Crowley we're talking about, so is there something else to this?
And Sam notices that Dean is gone from his chair. This is one of the things I knew before the season started, that Sam and Dean would have this kind of cat and mouse thing in the bunker, so I knew this was coming. While I hate being spoiled, this was still amazing. It is really well shot (kudos to Jensen for directing this so well), it is really tense and, as someone who is a fan of Demon Dean, fun to watch. It is almost disappointing to see Cas interupt this and restrain Dean.
Dean tells Sam that once he was out of the cuffs, he just walked out. So did the devil's trap stop working as well since he was more human than demon? Maybe it's just me, but the way he says it, it sounds like the trap was never an issue. Though that makes no sense and I'm probably making this up.
Sam and Cas finish the cure and Dean seems to be back to normal. Well, almost. He seems a bit disorientated, like he's not sure what happened and all that he had done. Castiel has an interesting theory about why Dean wanted to stay as a demon: he would not have to feel. Which to me sounds like there was still some humanity left in Dean when he became a demon and he realised that it was easier to live like that. Dean has been drowning his sorrows and numbing his pain for years with alcohol and who knows with what else, so this is just a new way of pushing it all down.
Dean and Cas finally have a chance to talk (shame it's not Demon Dean), though it is nice to see these two get along again. Dean is worried about Cas and Sam's reactions to his actions. It's great that Dean cares again and to see his friendship with Cas be okay, but either I got really used to Demon Dean, or Dean feels a bit off in this scene. Or he's just back to being crumbled by the weight of the world on his shoulders.
There seems to be a new big bad in town, who at the moment feels like a replica of Abaddon (seemingly bad-ass female villain with red hair). But it is nice to have some female energy back in the show. Guess we'll learn who the hell she is soon.
I'm still hoping that the Demon Dean storyline is not completely over. Of course the characters will have to deal with the ramifications of it, but I mean that I want there to be more to come. Dean has the Mark, so that might be an issue, what Crowley did with the Blade, maybe Dean being in danger of becoming a demon again, maybe something else. We'll see. Part of me is hoping that Dean was not actually cured but somehow faked it. I know chances of that are like less than one percent, but that would be fun.
I already miss Demon Dean.
Person of Interest S4E05 - Prophets
What an intense episode! There are many deep themes in this one; AIs, morality, sacrifice and this season's favourite, survival. And after being absent from last week's episode, it is time for a Root-centric story and it is amazing.
I usually don't like storylines involving elections (or politicians in general) because I hate politics, but this was surprisingly good. It was clear to me from the start that Samaritan was behind the rigging, so that was not a surprise twist, but the episode kept me wondering why until it was explained by Greer.
That scene where Harold and Root are working side by side, discussing the Machine. So awesome and we learn that the Machine cannot talk freely to Root anymore since Samaritan would see it. And it kinda breaks my heart. She is so devoted to this entity and now her connection to it is almost completely severed. Like Harold said, how lonely must she be...
John is still having trouble with his cover and following the rules of his new job. So much so that he lands in therapy. And then he almost breaks cover because he cannot let people die on his watch. I wonder how long John can keep this up. Also the scene where he talks about Carter was so sad. I miss her.
The flashbacks are back! I have always loved the way the show explores the past and how it affects and parallels the current events, and I especially love all flashbacks that involve Harold. There is still so much I want to learn! The flashbacks here examine the nature of the Machine and, I suppose, all AIs. They may be intelligent, but they are not sentient. They have no moral codes (well, the Machine does now, because of Harold), and they do not care about people. They have an objective and will do anything to accomplish this.
These flashbacks show the nature of the Samaritan since we can assume that it functions in the same way as the early versions of the Machine did. Except it might be worse, since Samaritan has been allowed to grow and gain control. And I have to say, this is a scary thought. The Samaritan has politicians in power that will obey its commands, it has operatives that will kill anyone without a thought and it sees and hears everything. Both Harold and Root have said that things will get a lot worse in the future and it terrifies me because how much worse can it get? This season is going to be one hell of a ride... Also, we are used to thinking the Machine as a benevolent entity, so it is interesting to see what the early versions where and how it could potentintially be something close to what Samaritan is.
I did not expect that moment where Root tells Harold to relay a message to Shaw if she does not survive. I'm glad it happened, but for some reason I assumed that their connection would remain mainly subtext, like Destiel in Supernatural, but that remark makes it canon. And it makes me happy.
I'm also happy Root is not dead. This show has established that characters do die and it has been said many times that not everyone is going to survive this war against Samaritan, so I was really worried that she would die. It would have been horrible to lose her now.
I usually don't like storylines involving elections (or politicians in general) because I hate politics, but this was surprisingly good. It was clear to me from the start that Samaritan was behind the rigging, so that was not a surprise twist, but the episode kept me wondering why until it was explained by Greer.
That scene where Harold and Root are working side by side, discussing the Machine. So awesome and we learn that the Machine cannot talk freely to Root anymore since Samaritan would see it. And it kinda breaks my heart. She is so devoted to this entity and now her connection to it is almost completely severed. Like Harold said, how lonely must she be...
John is still having trouble with his cover and following the rules of his new job. So much so that he lands in therapy. And then he almost breaks cover because he cannot let people die on his watch. I wonder how long John can keep this up. Also the scene where he talks about Carter was so sad. I miss her.
The flashbacks are back! I have always loved the way the show explores the past and how it affects and parallels the current events, and I especially love all flashbacks that involve Harold. There is still so much I want to learn! The flashbacks here examine the nature of the Machine and, I suppose, all AIs. They may be intelligent, but they are not sentient. They have no moral codes (well, the Machine does now, because of Harold), and they do not care about people. They have an objective and will do anything to accomplish this.
These flashbacks show the nature of the Samaritan since we can assume that it functions in the same way as the early versions of the Machine did. Except it might be worse, since Samaritan has been allowed to grow and gain control. And I have to say, this is a scary thought. The Samaritan has politicians in power that will obey its commands, it has operatives that will kill anyone without a thought and it sees and hears everything. Both Harold and Root have said that things will get a lot worse in the future and it terrifies me because how much worse can it get? This season is going to be one hell of a ride... Also, we are used to thinking the Machine as a benevolent entity, so it is interesting to see what the early versions where and how it could potentintially be something close to what Samaritan is.
I did not expect that moment where Root tells Harold to relay a message to Shaw if she does not survive. I'm glad it happened, but for some reason I assumed that their connection would remain mainly subtext, like Destiel in Supernatural, but that remark makes it canon. And it makes me happy.
I'm also happy Root is not dead. This show has established that characters do die and it has been said many times that not everyone is going to survive this war against Samaritan, so I was really worried that she would die. It would have been horrible to lose her now.
Doctor Who S8E09 - Flatline
This is late, again, mostly since I just don't have enough energy for Doctor Who these days. Anyway, this week it is Clara's turn to be the Doctor when the Doctor himself is stuck in the TARDIS and the attack of 2-dimensional people is imminent.
I thought this was a decent episode, the monster was interesting, and it was funny. There were some great humourous moments with the Doctor and I loved the scene where Clara pulled a sledgehammer from her bag. And the monsters do not become boring since they change shape half way through. I'd say they were scarier when they were "invisible" because I'm a firm believer that what you cannot see is always scarier than what you can see, but even in 3-D the monsters are freaky. They are kinda like flickering zombies.
For some reason it really bothers me that Clara gets annoyed that the TARDIS did not take her exactly where it was supposed to. I mean, come on! The TARDIS has never been reliable, and when Nine was taking Rose home he missed the right spot by a year, and now she gets annoyed when they end up few hundred miles off. It's not the Doctor's fault and the TARDIS was only taking them where they were needed, so stop being pissed off, Clara.
I did not expect Clara's lying come to light this early, though it is only the Doctor who knows exactly what is going on. Danny may suspect something, but he is not sure yet. But it seems he is involved in next week's adventure, so I wonder how that happened. Also the Doctor is not mad at Clara for lying, instead he is just impressed she managed to fool him.
I like that in the moment when the Doctor is gone and it is all down to Clara, she breaks away from the role of the Doctor. She starts off asking what he would do, but then she asks what she would do to save the day. Nice moment to be independent of the Doctor.
Once again, the supporting characters barely have as many dimensions as the monsters this week. While the focus of the show understandably will be on the two main characters, if the show expects us to care about the characters it introduces each week, then they need to be better written. So it is getting a bit frustraiting to see the show do this over and over again.
This episode also continues the theme of this season of asking what kind of man the Doctor is. It is only a small moment but the Doctor tells Clara that while she makes an awesome Doctor, it has nothing to do with her being good. Clara is confused, but I think he is right. Being a good Doctor does not mean you are a good person.
I'm not going to comment on the overall plot that apparently has something to do with Clara, I'm not comfortable with speculating about that. I'm just going to wait and see how it will pan out, but I have to say that it feels better done than previous arcs.
Even though this was way late, the usual Person of Interest and Supernatural posts will be posted on schedule sometime today.
I thought this was a decent episode, the monster was interesting, and it was funny. There were some great humourous moments with the Doctor and I loved the scene where Clara pulled a sledgehammer from her bag. And the monsters do not become boring since they change shape half way through. I'd say they were scarier when they were "invisible" because I'm a firm believer that what you cannot see is always scarier than what you can see, but even in 3-D the monsters are freaky. They are kinda like flickering zombies.
For some reason it really bothers me that Clara gets annoyed that the TARDIS did not take her exactly where it was supposed to. I mean, come on! The TARDIS has never been reliable, and when Nine was taking Rose home he missed the right spot by a year, and now she gets annoyed when they end up few hundred miles off. It's not the Doctor's fault and the TARDIS was only taking them where they were needed, so stop being pissed off, Clara.
I did not expect Clara's lying come to light this early, though it is only the Doctor who knows exactly what is going on. Danny may suspect something, but he is not sure yet. But it seems he is involved in next week's adventure, so I wonder how that happened. Also the Doctor is not mad at Clara for lying, instead he is just impressed she managed to fool him.
I like that in the moment when the Doctor is gone and it is all down to Clara, she breaks away from the role of the Doctor. She starts off asking what he would do, but then she asks what she would do to save the day. Nice moment to be independent of the Doctor.
Once again, the supporting characters barely have as many dimensions as the monsters this week. While the focus of the show understandably will be on the two main characters, if the show expects us to care about the characters it introduces each week, then they need to be better written. So it is getting a bit frustraiting to see the show do this over and over again.
This episode also continues the theme of this season of asking what kind of man the Doctor is. It is only a small moment but the Doctor tells Clara that while she makes an awesome Doctor, it has nothing to do with her being good. Clara is confused, but I think he is right. Being a good Doctor does not mean you are a good person.
I'm not going to comment on the overall plot that apparently has something to do with Clara, I'm not comfortable with speculating about that. I'm just going to wait and see how it will pan out, but I have to say that it feels better done than previous arcs.
Even though this was way late, the usual Person of Interest and Supernatural posts will be posted on schedule sometime today.
Thursday, 16 October 2014
Supernatural S10E02 - Reichenbach
Last spring, when watching season 2 of Hannibal, I discovered a new level of excitement I had no idea I was capable of: the episodes just floored me with their awesomeness, so much, in fact, that I started crying. And that is what happened with 'Reichenbach'. There are so many moments in this episode that made me so giddy, so excited that at one point I realised I was crying. Lets start from the beginning.
We learn why this dude, who's apparently called Cole, wants Dean dead: he's sure Dean killed his father like 10 years ago. But we don't see what actually happened, so I see two options: 1) Cole's father was some sort of monster and Dean killed him because he had no other choice or 2) there was a monster in the house who killed daddy and Dean was after the monster. I really don't see Dean killing an innocent person, since this happened in 2003. Wait, at this point, was Dean hunting on his own or with John? Cos if it's the latter then maybe John had something to do with this...
I like that Sam is still loyal to Dean, even though he is most likely protecting Cole himself by refusing to answer his questions. Sam is not letting anyone else get to Dean and try to harm him, but at the same time he knows that Dean is a danger to others. And that Cole would be in some serious shit if Sam told him how to find Dean.
Turns out Cole has no idea what he's actually dealing with. He may have seen human monsters, but he is in no way prepared for the world the Winchesters live in. But after torturing Sam, he realises Sam is not going to give it up and decides on a different tactic; following Sammy.
Meanwhile Dean is indulging in two of his favourite pastimes: sex and violence. Dean, while you're frigging scary when beating someone, can you stop objectifying this dancer? My headcanon is that he was being an asshole so the bouncer would interfere and he could start a fight, because, Dean, that was gross.
Hannah is still hanging out with Cas, for some reason. At least she was nice enough to heal his wound since he does not have enough mojo left to do it himself. And then we get the thing I have been waiting for since season 9 finale: Cas learns that Dean is a demon. And Cas is not happy. I was hoping we would get more of Cas' reaction to the news and the situation, but even this tells that he is not taking the news well.
Hannah, are you sticking with Cas to talk him out of his friendship with Sam and Dean? Because that is not going to work, others have tried and failed before you. But looks like Cas is becoming more and more human each day. Now he requires sleep and falls asleep on the wheel. Not a good sign.
Crowley wants to have a word with Dean and get him back in the game. He reasons that since Dean needs to kill to keep the Mark satisfied, then he should work with Crowley and kill the people on his list. Dean does not really look co-operative, but he is in for this one time deal.
Wow, Hannah, you are so clueless about humanity, but at least you got to see a different side to the Earth. Maybe it will help you be less judgemental. Luckily you have Cas to help you with human interactions (never thought I would type that sentence) and stop you from smiting the nice lady for making a joke. Cas falls asleep the second the nice lady lets them into her house. His grace seems to be fading fast.
Dean is skulking around Mindy's house, but is interupted by Lester's arrival. Lester is being extremely gross and horrible towards women, but at least Dean calls him on that. I really don't feel bad for Lester and I'm kinda happy Dean killed him. What a horrible human being.
Cas apparently slept all night and is enjoying food as well. He does not seem to have a lot of angel left in him. But his interactions with the little girl are cute.
Crowley has demons working on how to improve Hell, but he does not look very happy with the results. He also does not seem to share my gladness for Lester's death. I absolutely love this scene between Dean and Crowley. To me, Dean radiates power and danger and Crowley is starting to understand that Dean is not going to follow him in any way and is maybe more trouble to him than anything else. And so crumbles Crowley's dream of ruling Hell with Dean. I'd say that for once Dean is a free agent and does not carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, so he's gonna enjoy it and do whatever he wants, so he breaks up with Crowley.
Upset with the break-up, Crowley goes to Sam. He cannot control Dean and it probably would be bad for business if all demons knew their king could not control one, tiny Winchester, so what can he do? Lead Sam to Dean, because he knows Sam can do something about Dean.
While Castiel has been sleeping (again), Hannah has driven them to the door that leads to Heaven. She seeks out Metatron in Heaven's jail to see if he has any answers for her. He offers a deal for Castiel's grace, which Hannah would have agreed to if Cas had not stopped her. Which is not a good thing. Hannah, do you really think you can trust Metatron, that he wouldn't screw you over. But Cas knows better; deals do not lead to anything good. Also, Metatron, you are still an ass.
And then Sam finds Dean. And it's so amazing. Sam wants to save Dean, thinks that Crowley forced Dean to leave the bunker, but now that Sam's there, Dean will come with him and they can cure him. But Dean tells Sam that he does not want to be cured, that's why he left in the first place. Sam, however, does not give up and tells Dean that they can fix everything. Dean does not think so and tells Sam that he is actually struggling not to kill Sam right this second, so Sam should go now and leave Dean be. I think in this moment Dean is itching for a fight, does not matter with who, and he is taunting Sam, telling him that he probably deserves to be killed. But Sam's not having any of it and was apparently prepared for Dean to be difficult, since he brough handcuffs with him.
But of course that's the moment Cole catches up with Sam. It is so chilling to watch Dean and Cole talk and eventually fight when you know Cole has no idea what he is facing and that Dean is bound to win. But Cole is the prefect distraction and allows Sam to surprise Dean. Dean is not happy to be cuffed.
Oh my god, a Princess Bride reference! That was so amazing. I love that film.
Crowley says he is going to destroy the Blade, but I kinda have a hard time buying that. Dean may be trouble now, but I don't think they are going to cure him in the next episode. He's gonna get free and maybe that will push him back to Crowley somehow, were the Blade will be waiting for him. Maybe he took the Blade so Sam and Cas could not destroy it, so in a sense, he's keeping it safe for Dean. Because come on! That scene in the bar (with the best song choice ever) shows that Crowley is not over the break-up and I'm sure he has a plan.
Sam tries to rationalise Dean's actions, thinks there is a part of him that cares. But Sam, you should listen to the way he speaks of Baby, if he's not appreciating Baby, then he definitely was not showing mercy to Cole either. And Sam's face.. Oh my god, he is just so shocked to hear Dean explain his reason for letting Cole live. But Dean, did you really think Cole would not come after you again? Or were you sure that if you told him what he was dealing with that he would do research and try again? Did you let him live so you could have a rematch that was a lot more even? Because a guy who has been chasing you for ten years is not going to give up that easily, and you should know this, Dean, you spent like 20 years chasing Azazel and did not give up.
Jensen Ackles is really kicking ass with his acting as Demon Dean. The character is so recognisable as Dean but at the same time it's so different and it is just such a pleasure to watch. The way he's taunting Sam and Cole and Crowley is just so... I don't even know what word to use. It is so well acted, it gives me chills, it's so powerful, it makes me cry, it's just exactly what I wanted to see this season. I'm way too excited for this.
I wonder now that Sam has Dean, and Dean is not really in a position to kill freely, is Dean's bloodlust going to make him snap? Just like Crowley said it would.
Hopefully in the next episode we get another scene I have been waiting for since last May: Cas meeting Demon Dean, I really want to see that. I have a feeling this season is going to kick some ass. I can't wait for next week!
We learn why this dude, who's apparently called Cole, wants Dean dead: he's sure Dean killed his father like 10 years ago. But we don't see what actually happened, so I see two options: 1) Cole's father was some sort of monster and Dean killed him because he had no other choice or 2) there was a monster in the house who killed daddy and Dean was after the monster. I really don't see Dean killing an innocent person, since this happened in 2003. Wait, at this point, was Dean hunting on his own or with John? Cos if it's the latter then maybe John had something to do with this...
I like that Sam is still loyal to Dean, even though he is most likely protecting Cole himself by refusing to answer his questions. Sam is not letting anyone else get to Dean and try to harm him, but at the same time he knows that Dean is a danger to others. And that Cole would be in some serious shit if Sam told him how to find Dean.
Turns out Cole has no idea what he's actually dealing with. He may have seen human monsters, but he is in no way prepared for the world the Winchesters live in. But after torturing Sam, he realises Sam is not going to give it up and decides on a different tactic; following Sammy.
Meanwhile Dean is indulging in two of his favourite pastimes: sex and violence. Dean, while you're frigging scary when beating someone, can you stop objectifying this dancer? My headcanon is that he was being an asshole so the bouncer would interfere and he could start a fight, because, Dean, that was gross.
Hannah is still hanging out with Cas, for some reason. At least she was nice enough to heal his wound since he does not have enough mojo left to do it himself. And then we get the thing I have been waiting for since season 9 finale: Cas learns that Dean is a demon. And Cas is not happy. I was hoping we would get more of Cas' reaction to the news and the situation, but even this tells that he is not taking the news well.
Hannah, are you sticking with Cas to talk him out of his friendship with Sam and Dean? Because that is not going to work, others have tried and failed before you. But looks like Cas is becoming more and more human each day. Now he requires sleep and falls asleep on the wheel. Not a good sign.
Crowley wants to have a word with Dean and get him back in the game. He reasons that since Dean needs to kill to keep the Mark satisfied, then he should work with Crowley and kill the people on his list. Dean does not really look co-operative, but he is in for this one time deal.
Wow, Hannah, you are so clueless about humanity, but at least you got to see a different side to the Earth. Maybe it will help you be less judgemental. Luckily you have Cas to help you with human interactions (never thought I would type that sentence) and stop you from smiting the nice lady for making a joke. Cas falls asleep the second the nice lady lets them into her house. His grace seems to be fading fast.
Dean is skulking around Mindy's house, but is interupted by Lester's arrival. Lester is being extremely gross and horrible towards women, but at least Dean calls him on that. I really don't feel bad for Lester and I'm kinda happy Dean killed him. What a horrible human being.
Cas apparently slept all night and is enjoying food as well. He does not seem to have a lot of angel left in him. But his interactions with the little girl are cute.
Crowley has demons working on how to improve Hell, but he does not look very happy with the results. He also does not seem to share my gladness for Lester's death. I absolutely love this scene between Dean and Crowley. To me, Dean radiates power and danger and Crowley is starting to understand that Dean is not going to follow him in any way and is maybe more trouble to him than anything else. And so crumbles Crowley's dream of ruling Hell with Dean. I'd say that for once Dean is a free agent and does not carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, so he's gonna enjoy it and do whatever he wants, so he breaks up with Crowley.
Upset with the break-up, Crowley goes to Sam. He cannot control Dean and it probably would be bad for business if all demons knew their king could not control one, tiny Winchester, so what can he do? Lead Sam to Dean, because he knows Sam can do something about Dean.
While Castiel has been sleeping (again), Hannah has driven them to the door that leads to Heaven. She seeks out Metatron in Heaven's jail to see if he has any answers for her. He offers a deal for Castiel's grace, which Hannah would have agreed to if Cas had not stopped her. Which is not a good thing. Hannah, do you really think you can trust Metatron, that he wouldn't screw you over. But Cas knows better; deals do not lead to anything good. Also, Metatron, you are still an ass.
And then Sam finds Dean. And it's so amazing. Sam wants to save Dean, thinks that Crowley forced Dean to leave the bunker, but now that Sam's there, Dean will come with him and they can cure him. But Dean tells Sam that he does not want to be cured, that's why he left in the first place. Sam, however, does not give up and tells Dean that they can fix everything. Dean does not think so and tells Sam that he is actually struggling not to kill Sam right this second, so Sam should go now and leave Dean be. I think in this moment Dean is itching for a fight, does not matter with who, and he is taunting Sam, telling him that he probably deserves to be killed. But Sam's not having any of it and was apparently prepared for Dean to be difficult, since he brough handcuffs with him.
But of course that's the moment Cole catches up with Sam. It is so chilling to watch Dean and Cole talk and eventually fight when you know Cole has no idea what he is facing and that Dean is bound to win. But Cole is the prefect distraction and allows Sam to surprise Dean. Dean is not happy to be cuffed.
Oh my god, a Princess Bride reference! That was so amazing. I love that film.
Crowley says he is going to destroy the Blade, but I kinda have a hard time buying that. Dean may be trouble now, but I don't think they are going to cure him in the next episode. He's gonna get free and maybe that will push him back to Crowley somehow, were the Blade will be waiting for him. Maybe he took the Blade so Sam and Cas could not destroy it, so in a sense, he's keeping it safe for Dean. Because come on! That scene in the bar (with the best song choice ever) shows that Crowley is not over the break-up and I'm sure he has a plan.
Sam tries to rationalise Dean's actions, thinks there is a part of him that cares. But Sam, you should listen to the way he speaks of Baby, if he's not appreciating Baby, then he definitely was not showing mercy to Cole either. And Sam's face.. Oh my god, he is just so shocked to hear Dean explain his reason for letting Cole live. But Dean, did you really think Cole would not come after you again? Or were you sure that if you told him what he was dealing with that he would do research and try again? Did you let him live so you could have a rematch that was a lot more even? Because a guy who has been chasing you for ten years is not going to give up that easily, and you should know this, Dean, you spent like 20 years chasing Azazel and did not give up.
Jensen Ackles is really kicking ass with his acting as Demon Dean. The character is so recognisable as Dean but at the same time it's so different and it is just such a pleasure to watch. The way he's taunting Sam and Cole and Crowley is just so... I don't even know what word to use. It is so well acted, it gives me chills, it's so powerful, it makes me cry, it's just exactly what I wanted to see this season. I'm way too excited for this.
I wonder now that Sam has Dean, and Dean is not really in a position to kill freely, is Dean's bloodlust going to make him snap? Just like Crowley said it would.
Hopefully in the next episode we get another scene I have been waiting for since last May: Cas meeting Demon Dean, I really want to see that. I have a feeling this season is going to kick some ass. I can't wait for next week!
Wednesday, 15 October 2014
Person of Interest S4E04 - Brotherhood
At first this felt like the usual number-of-the-week episode, but in the end it has upped the game for this season. The first half wasn't exactly boring but it did leave me wanting something more from the episode and it wasn't until the last third that this started to feel really good.
I did not expect to see the Brotherhood again, and I certainly did not expect the writers to reveal the identity of Dominic so soon, but it will be great to see how these characters will come to play this season. And looks like Dominic has been taking lessons from Elias on how to be a crime lord whose identity is known only by few. He seems smart and dangerous, so looks like the Team has a new threat to worry about it.
While the true identity of Dominic did surprise me, the fact that Agent Lennox turned out to be the mole was definitely not a surprise. That was straight out of the rulebook of narration devices. I was sure she was up to no good the moment she mentioned there was a mole in the DEA.
The story is very light on Fusco this week, but that is not a surprise considering he was the star last week. But it is always nice to see his snarky banter with John while he's complaining about paper work.
This is the second time that the team has lost the number-of-the-week to the enemy. Claire from 'Nautilus' was successfully recruited by Samaritan and the Brotherhood are very keen to recruit Malcolm so he is in big danger to go dark side. I wonder if this will happen more often this season.
No Amy Acker this week, which is a shame, but Elias is back and it's awesome. It is always a treat to watch two kick-ass actors interact, and usually it's the scenes between Root and Harold that are the highlight of the episode for me. This week it's the scenes in the subway between Harold and Elias. Elias is starting to realise something is going on and knows that Harold is in on it. While Harold does not explain the situation, he does give Elias some pointers and this sets up an interesting future and potentially a much bigger role for Elias.
I did not expect to see the Brotherhood again, and I certainly did not expect the writers to reveal the identity of Dominic so soon, but it will be great to see how these characters will come to play this season. And looks like Dominic has been taking lessons from Elias on how to be a crime lord whose identity is known only by few. He seems smart and dangerous, so looks like the Team has a new threat to worry about it.
While the true identity of Dominic did surprise me, the fact that Agent Lennox turned out to be the mole was definitely not a surprise. That was straight out of the rulebook of narration devices. I was sure she was up to no good the moment she mentioned there was a mole in the DEA.
The story is very light on Fusco this week, but that is not a surprise considering he was the star last week. But it is always nice to see his snarky banter with John while he's complaining about paper work.
This is the second time that the team has lost the number-of-the-week to the enemy. Claire from 'Nautilus' was successfully recruited by Samaritan and the Brotherhood are very keen to recruit Malcolm so he is in big danger to go dark side. I wonder if this will happen more often this season.
No Amy Acker this week, which is a shame, but Elias is back and it's awesome. It is always a treat to watch two kick-ass actors interact, and usually it's the scenes between Root and Harold that are the highlight of the episode for me. This week it's the scenes in the subway between Harold and Elias. Elias is starting to realise something is going on and knows that Harold is in on it. While Harold does not explain the situation, he does give Elias some pointers and this sets up an interesting future and potentially a much bigger role for Elias.
Tuesday, 14 October 2014
Doctor Who S8E08 - Mummy on the Orient Express
This is late because I have been feeling ill and haven't had the energy to write, but I did like this one.
The preview last week made me assume Clara was not going to be involved, so at first I could not figure out why she was there. I thought we would see the Doctor going off on his own, let Clara blow off some steam and then maybe they'd have a confrontation and Clara would be back. But it seems she cannot stay away.
So this week has nothing to do with Agatha Christie, which is slightly disappointing, though understandable since they have already done a Christie-episode. But I still like the idea of the Orient Express in space. The train holds some fascination over me and I admit, I would love to get a chance to travel in it, so it is still a fun premise for the story.
And then Clara and the Doctor's discussion reveals that this is the last trip. And this is why Clara is smiling sadly; she is going to miss this. She says that she hated the Doctor and that she cannot deal with his way of solving things. Which suggests that she would love to continue traveling if only the Doctor would change his approach to things. She even sounds disappointed in the fact that there might be no danger onboard.
I have to say, Clara, do you really think the Doctor is going to pop in for a dinner? He might be your friend now, but he is not that kind of friend that stays in touch. And, while Eleven might have been more comfortable with the idea of domesticity, Twelve is hardly the domestic type. And, while he says he will come over, I don't really believe him at all.
The Doctor goes to a professor to ask few questions and he seems to have a very clear idea of what is going on. This really confused me on the first viewing, but of course on the second one it makes perfect sense since the Doctor had some idea what to expect when boarding the train. So we learn that the mummy is something called the Foretold, a creature one can only see when it is coming to kill you.
Then we learn that the people on the train are there for a reason. They all are there because of this mysterious Gus, who wants them to study this Foretold, find out what makes it tick, and capture it. And the Doctor feels his best choice is to follow Gus' orders and use the people who can see it to figure out how to defeat it. His approach is very clinical and impersonal and showcases Twelve's cold and rational way of solving problems and it really is Peter Capaldi's time to shine. He portrays the Doctor in such alien way and it will be interesting to see how far they are going to take this.
The Doctor realises Maisie is next and so he demands that Clara gets them to the lab, it does not matter how she does it. Clara, while not okay with this, still does as she's told. Again, Clara has been pushed into doing something she does not want to. And then the Doctor tells her that he knew what he was walking into, or at least suspected. And Clara is not happy and tells him that this is why she is leaving and I thought that would be it. Clara would not be okay with the Doctor lying and manipulating her again and this time she would stay gone.
In the final scene Clara and the Doctor talk about addictions. He says he does not know if he is addicted to his way of life since he has never given it up. And then it's all made clear, he's not the addict, she is. As much as she might like to stop, she can't. And now she is lying to Danny and the Doctor about it all. This can't end well. And when it does blow up, I'm going to feel very bad for poor Danny.
I like Perkins. He has nice banter with the Doctor and he is obviously smart. He would have made a nice addition to the TARDIS crew, but he has seen the Doctor in action and understands what traveling with him would mean. So he rejects the offer. And maybe he made the right choice.
So yeah, I thought this episode would push Clara into giving up the traveling, but it seems she is not ready. It will be interesting to see if future episodes will continue to push Clara to a point where she will finally say, "okay, that's enough, I can't do this anymore".
The preview last week made me assume Clara was not going to be involved, so at first I could not figure out why she was there. I thought we would see the Doctor going off on his own, let Clara blow off some steam and then maybe they'd have a confrontation and Clara would be back. But it seems she cannot stay away.
So this week has nothing to do with Agatha Christie, which is slightly disappointing, though understandable since they have already done a Christie-episode. But I still like the idea of the Orient Express in space. The train holds some fascination over me and I admit, I would love to get a chance to travel in it, so it is still a fun premise for the story.
And then Clara and the Doctor's discussion reveals that this is the last trip. And this is why Clara is smiling sadly; she is going to miss this. She says that she hated the Doctor and that she cannot deal with his way of solving things. Which suggests that she would love to continue traveling if only the Doctor would change his approach to things. She even sounds disappointed in the fact that there might be no danger onboard.
I have to say, Clara, do you really think the Doctor is going to pop in for a dinner? He might be your friend now, but he is not that kind of friend that stays in touch. And, while Eleven might have been more comfortable with the idea of domesticity, Twelve is hardly the domestic type. And, while he says he will come over, I don't really believe him at all.
The Doctor goes to a professor to ask few questions and he seems to have a very clear idea of what is going on. This really confused me on the first viewing, but of course on the second one it makes perfect sense since the Doctor had some idea what to expect when boarding the train. So we learn that the mummy is something called the Foretold, a creature one can only see when it is coming to kill you.
Then we learn that the people on the train are there for a reason. They all are there because of this mysterious Gus, who wants them to study this Foretold, find out what makes it tick, and capture it. And the Doctor feels his best choice is to follow Gus' orders and use the people who can see it to figure out how to defeat it. His approach is very clinical and impersonal and showcases Twelve's cold and rational way of solving problems and it really is Peter Capaldi's time to shine. He portrays the Doctor in such alien way and it will be interesting to see how far they are going to take this.
The Doctor realises Maisie is next and so he demands that Clara gets them to the lab, it does not matter how she does it. Clara, while not okay with this, still does as she's told. Again, Clara has been pushed into doing something she does not want to. And then the Doctor tells her that he knew what he was walking into, or at least suspected. And Clara is not happy and tells him that this is why she is leaving and I thought that would be it. Clara would not be okay with the Doctor lying and manipulating her again and this time she would stay gone.
In the final scene Clara and the Doctor talk about addictions. He says he does not know if he is addicted to his way of life since he has never given it up. And then it's all made clear, he's not the addict, she is. As much as she might like to stop, she can't. And now she is lying to Danny and the Doctor about it all. This can't end well. And when it does blow up, I'm going to feel very bad for poor Danny.
I like Perkins. He has nice banter with the Doctor and he is obviously smart. He would have made a nice addition to the TARDIS crew, but he has seen the Doctor in action and understands what traveling with him would mean. So he rejects the offer. And maybe he made the right choice.
So yeah, I thought this episode would push Clara into giving up the traveling, but it seems she is not ready. It will be interesting to see if future episodes will continue to push Clara to a point where she will finally say, "okay, that's enough, I can't do this anymore".
Thursday, 9 October 2014
Supernatural S10E01 - Black
Oh my god, the wait is finally over and Supernatural is back!
Firstly I just want to say that if someone has not seen the mockumentary on the season 9 DVD, go watch it! It is probably the best thing this cast and crew have ever done and one of the reasons I adore this show so much.
Like with Person of Interest, I have tried to stay away from spoilers, which is not an easy task when you follow most of the cast and the show's official account on Twitter. I have not seen any previews, but I have seen some clips from the Comic Con panel, so I'm not completely unspoiled for this season. I plan on staying as unspoiled as I can, but I don't know how strong my willpower is so I might not succeed. Now, to the episode itself.
I like that the episode starts with Sam looking for Dean. He has no idea what happened. He thinks Dean has just disappeared. Or I guess it would be more accurate to say that Sam thinks Dean did not leave of his own free will, a.k.a he thinks Crowley took him. There is an obvious parallel to season 1 where the boys were looking for John, except now it's Dean who does not want to be found.
We learn that Dean left a note to Sam to tell him to let Dean go. This parallels last season and Sam telling Dean that he should have just let Sam go, let Sam die, because that's what Sam wanted. But, like last season, Sam is not letting go. But I think Sam learned a long time ago that they should not keep bringing each other back forcibly and when the time comes they should let the other die. I know Crowley said in the finale that Sam was summoning him to make a deal and bring Dean back, but I'm not sure that's true, maybe Sam just wanted vengence, since he thinks Crowley is to blame to Dean's apparent death.
Why isn't Cas in the bunker? I'm sure it would be more comfortable for him to be there than some dingy motel. Sam, are you actually blaming him for the shoulder? Because you shouldn't, I mean, it was technically Master Chau's fault. But I guess they are both working on different "cases" since Sam is busy looking for Dean while Cas should be worrying about his grace, so it makes sense he's elsewhere.
And then we get DemonDean. I have to say, on one hand he is exactly what I was expecting. Just having fun, indulging in things Dean loves (sex, alcohol, violence) and not worrying about anything. The karaoke is a bit weird, but still in character as Dean has showed his love of singing before, now he just does it a bit more publicly. On the other hand, he is not what I was expecting. I thought he would be creating more havok, and why did he interfere with Ann-Marie and whatever that dude's name was? Sure, it gave him reason to fight, but still, why does he care?
Jerk and bitch are finally back! When was the last time we heard that banter? Sure, it's now been adopted by Dean and Crowley because now they are bros, but it was still nice to hear it.
Hannah is vising Castiel. "I'm sensing awkwardness". Oh Cas, how I love you. Hannah is updating Cas on Heaven and so far things are going okay. But since it's Heaven, I'm guessing we will not see any of it, just hear of it. She also wants Cas' help tracking two angels who like Earth better than Heaven. Hannah, are you sure you want Cas' help on this one? Because I'm pretty sure he's with Daniel and Edina on this one, except he doesn't usually resort to violence.
And then Sam finds evidence that Dean is alive and kicking. And killing a random demon in a gas station. And that Dean has black eyes. I think it's interesting that while Sam and Cas discussed Dean and the effects of the Mark earlier, when Sam sees that Dean is a demon, his first instinct is still that Dean in dead and Crowley let a demon in, not that Dean himself has turned. They saw how bad he was, that he was turning into something, but this never crossed their minds.
I'm gonna go on a limb here and say Cas is not a good driver. Poor Hannah, even though I don't like you half of the time, motion sickness is still not fun. And now Cas is lying to her about feeling okay. But the conversation shows how far Cas has come in his journey. He does not place more value on his own life than another angel, but would rather spend the time he has left helping others. Hannah does not seem to agree, which I can understand. Castiel must be some kind of legend with everything he's done and I can understand that his opinion would mean a lot to other angels, so of course Hannah would like him to stay alive for the cause.
Not sure why anyone would be surprised that Crowley ordered some demons to jump Dean. Of course he did! It's Crowley and he has a plan; to rule Hell with Dean.The problem is, Dean is having fun and he's done with doing work, this is all he needs. So of course Crowley had to do something to make Dean move on. Sending someone to kill him did not work, so what's the next step? Letting Sam trace the call and leading him to their location. Which leaves Dean a choice: to face Sam or get the hell out of town.
The Misadventures of Crowley and Squirrel. Crowley, I love you.
I don't understand why Hannah wants everyone to return to Heaven. Daniel and Edina seemed happy, they embraced free will, just like Castiel wished the angels would. And Cas understands Daniel, even if Hannah does not. But as always with angels, they think killing the opposition is the answer. The final scene between Cas and Hannah shows the issue. Angel and human societies work in a completely different manner. Angels need order, human world is full of chaos. But some angels, like Cas, have been on Earth so long that they have adapted to the new society. Some angels after the fall adapted too, but some, like Hannah, have not and need order. And it is not order unless everyone is in it together.
Okay, who is this random military dude and what is his problem? It sounds like his beef with Dean was a long time ago, so why are you after him? And do you even realise what you are chasing?
This is what I like about making Dean a demon: it allows the show to rewrite the rules. Crowley already expressed in season 9 finale that it has all become so expected. We know these characters, know how they would react, but now Dean is a demon and the bond of brotherhood is broken. No more sacrificing one's self for the other. As always, someone is using Sam to get to Dean. And normally that would work like a charm. While watching, I was thinking that no way, they can't be doing this, tell me this is not going to work because that's what always happens. But I had forgotten the finale, no more playing by the rules. Dean does not give a crap. For all he cares, Sam can die. And that attitude is bound to lead to some kick-ass episodes. Because, like Dean said, if he's one thing, he's a man of his word. I'm ridiculously excited for this even though it will most likely break my heart.
Firstly I just want to say that if someone has not seen the mockumentary on the season 9 DVD, go watch it! It is probably the best thing this cast and crew have ever done and one of the reasons I adore this show so much.
Like with Person of Interest, I have tried to stay away from spoilers, which is not an easy task when you follow most of the cast and the show's official account on Twitter. I have not seen any previews, but I have seen some clips from the Comic Con panel, so I'm not completely unspoiled for this season. I plan on staying as unspoiled as I can, but I don't know how strong my willpower is so I might not succeed. Now, to the episode itself.
I like that the episode starts with Sam looking for Dean. He has no idea what happened. He thinks Dean has just disappeared. Or I guess it would be more accurate to say that Sam thinks Dean did not leave of his own free will, a.k.a he thinks Crowley took him. There is an obvious parallel to season 1 where the boys were looking for John, except now it's Dean who does not want to be found.
We learn that Dean left a note to Sam to tell him to let Dean go. This parallels last season and Sam telling Dean that he should have just let Sam go, let Sam die, because that's what Sam wanted. But, like last season, Sam is not letting go. But I think Sam learned a long time ago that they should not keep bringing each other back forcibly and when the time comes they should let the other die. I know Crowley said in the finale that Sam was summoning him to make a deal and bring Dean back, but I'm not sure that's true, maybe Sam just wanted vengence, since he thinks Crowley is to blame to Dean's apparent death.
Why isn't Cas in the bunker? I'm sure it would be more comfortable for him to be there than some dingy motel. Sam, are you actually blaming him for the shoulder? Because you shouldn't, I mean, it was technically Master Chau's fault. But I guess they are both working on different "cases" since Sam is busy looking for Dean while Cas should be worrying about his grace, so it makes sense he's elsewhere.
And then we get DemonDean. I have to say, on one hand he is exactly what I was expecting. Just having fun, indulging in things Dean loves (sex, alcohol, violence) and not worrying about anything. The karaoke is a bit weird, but still in character as Dean has showed his love of singing before, now he just does it a bit more publicly. On the other hand, he is not what I was expecting. I thought he would be creating more havok, and why did he interfere with Ann-Marie and whatever that dude's name was? Sure, it gave him reason to fight, but still, why does he care?
Jerk and bitch are finally back! When was the last time we heard that banter? Sure, it's now been adopted by Dean and Crowley because now they are bros, but it was still nice to hear it.
Hannah is vising Castiel. "I'm sensing awkwardness". Oh Cas, how I love you. Hannah is updating Cas on Heaven and so far things are going okay. But since it's Heaven, I'm guessing we will not see any of it, just hear of it. She also wants Cas' help tracking two angels who like Earth better than Heaven. Hannah, are you sure you want Cas' help on this one? Because I'm pretty sure he's with Daniel and Edina on this one, except he doesn't usually resort to violence.
And then Sam finds evidence that Dean is alive and kicking. And killing a random demon in a gas station. And that Dean has black eyes. I think it's interesting that while Sam and Cas discussed Dean and the effects of the Mark earlier, when Sam sees that Dean is a demon, his first instinct is still that Dean in dead and Crowley let a demon in, not that Dean himself has turned. They saw how bad he was, that he was turning into something, but this never crossed their minds.
I'm gonna go on a limb here and say Cas is not a good driver. Poor Hannah, even though I don't like you half of the time, motion sickness is still not fun. And now Cas is lying to her about feeling okay. But the conversation shows how far Cas has come in his journey. He does not place more value on his own life than another angel, but would rather spend the time he has left helping others. Hannah does not seem to agree, which I can understand. Castiel must be some kind of legend with everything he's done and I can understand that his opinion would mean a lot to other angels, so of course Hannah would like him to stay alive for the cause.
Not sure why anyone would be surprised that Crowley ordered some demons to jump Dean. Of course he did! It's Crowley and he has a plan; to rule Hell with Dean.The problem is, Dean is having fun and he's done with doing work, this is all he needs. So of course Crowley had to do something to make Dean move on. Sending someone to kill him did not work, so what's the next step? Letting Sam trace the call and leading him to their location. Which leaves Dean a choice: to face Sam or get the hell out of town.
The Misadventures of Crowley and Squirrel. Crowley, I love you.
I don't understand why Hannah wants everyone to return to Heaven. Daniel and Edina seemed happy, they embraced free will, just like Castiel wished the angels would. And Cas understands Daniel, even if Hannah does not. But as always with angels, they think killing the opposition is the answer. The final scene between Cas and Hannah shows the issue. Angel and human societies work in a completely different manner. Angels need order, human world is full of chaos. But some angels, like Cas, have been on Earth so long that they have adapted to the new society. Some angels after the fall adapted too, but some, like Hannah, have not and need order. And it is not order unless everyone is in it together.
Okay, who is this random military dude and what is his problem? It sounds like his beef with Dean was a long time ago, so why are you after him? And do you even realise what you are chasing?
This is what I like about making Dean a demon: it allows the show to rewrite the rules. Crowley already expressed in season 9 finale that it has all become so expected. We know these characters, know how they would react, but now Dean is a demon and the bond of brotherhood is broken. No more sacrificing one's self for the other. As always, someone is using Sam to get to Dean. And normally that would work like a charm. While watching, I was thinking that no way, they can't be doing this, tell me this is not going to work because that's what always happens. But I had forgotten the finale, no more playing by the rules. Dean does not give a crap. For all he cares, Sam can die. And that attitude is bound to lead to some kick-ass episodes. Because, like Dean said, if he's one thing, he's a man of his word. I'm ridiculously excited for this even though it will most likely break my heart.
Wednesday, 8 October 2014
Person of Interest S4E03 - Wingman
This week is Fusco's turn to shine and, while the episode is not the strongest example of what the show can do, it is still a decent ride.
I was originally somewhat sceptic of the premise since I have seen the "professional" wingman character before in other shows and those episodes often end up being offensive to women. So the biggest twist this week definitely is that Andre Cooper was actually a good person and seems to have a healthy and respectful attitude towards women. While the show's treatment of women has always been quite good, it was still a pleasant surprise to see the writers tackle the subject in a way that is respectful.
Of course the fact that the team selects Fusco to go undercover as a client is played for few jokes since he clearly is not a ladies man. However, the episode does not rely on them but focuses on Fusco and Andre finding common ground and respect for each other. But Fusco, have you not learned that you should never say what's the worst thing that could happen? Because something bad will happen. Like your wingman's former friend kidnapping you. But at least you have Shaw and Bear to come get you.
Meanwhile, John is still having trouble with his cover identity. As he tells Fusco, he's spend years working outside the law so it is going to take time to adjust to being a cop and playing by the rules. But I like that Fusco is giving John crap for not respecting the job. He has come a long way and is proud of his job and John treating the job as a boring nuisance is not cool with Fusco. Well done, Lionel. John's relationship with the new Captain Moreno is interesting, though it surprised me that she was willing to overlook his, I'm guessing, less than legal, or at least not conventional methods. It will be fun to see how this develops and how it will affect John's loyalties, since he already had to let Shaw go after Fusco alone when he had to follow his case.
I'm wondering if the Captain's remark of increase in crime means something. Is it because the team does not have the resources it used to? Something to do with Samaritan? Or with something else? Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it.
Also Harold and Root have their own mission this week when the Machine is trying to win back Harold's trust by sending them on a scavenger hunt. It was great to see Harold channel his inner ruthlessness and it actually made me miss Ben Linus (I should rewatch Lost when I have time), but it was nice to see that he still would not compromise his morals, something the Machine was counting on this time. And all the scenes with Amy Acker and Michael Emerson are golden, as always. I could watch these two act for hours.
Another theme this week is identity and staying true to yourself. Harold has to pretend to be ruthless, but in the end he decides to stay true to himself, despite the situation the Machine has put him it. John has to find a way to reconcile his new identity and the habit of breaking the rules to achieve a goal. Andre tells Fusco to supress his cynism, and he's undercover so he has to pretend not to be a cop. However, he is quick to reject this and blows his cover as well to show that he is who he is and he does not have to change that.
This week was a return to the basic number-of-the-week formula, so there is not much to talk about. Harold seems to have forgiven the Machine and now the team has their resources back, so bring on next week!
I was originally somewhat sceptic of the premise since I have seen the "professional" wingman character before in other shows and those episodes often end up being offensive to women. So the biggest twist this week definitely is that Andre Cooper was actually a good person and seems to have a healthy and respectful attitude towards women. While the show's treatment of women has always been quite good, it was still a pleasant surprise to see the writers tackle the subject in a way that is respectful.
Of course the fact that the team selects Fusco to go undercover as a client is played for few jokes since he clearly is not a ladies man. However, the episode does not rely on them but focuses on Fusco and Andre finding common ground and respect for each other. But Fusco, have you not learned that you should never say what's the worst thing that could happen? Because something bad will happen. Like your wingman's former friend kidnapping you. But at least you have Shaw and Bear to come get you.
Meanwhile, John is still having trouble with his cover identity. As he tells Fusco, he's spend years working outside the law so it is going to take time to adjust to being a cop and playing by the rules. But I like that Fusco is giving John crap for not respecting the job. He has come a long way and is proud of his job and John treating the job as a boring nuisance is not cool with Fusco. Well done, Lionel. John's relationship with the new Captain Moreno is interesting, though it surprised me that she was willing to overlook his, I'm guessing, less than legal, or at least not conventional methods. It will be fun to see how this develops and how it will affect John's loyalties, since he already had to let Shaw go after Fusco alone when he had to follow his case.
I'm wondering if the Captain's remark of increase in crime means something. Is it because the team does not have the resources it used to? Something to do with Samaritan? Or with something else? Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it.
Also Harold and Root have their own mission this week when the Machine is trying to win back Harold's trust by sending them on a scavenger hunt. It was great to see Harold channel his inner ruthlessness and it actually made me miss Ben Linus (I should rewatch Lost when I have time), but it was nice to see that he still would not compromise his morals, something the Machine was counting on this time. And all the scenes with Amy Acker and Michael Emerson are golden, as always. I could watch these two act for hours.
Another theme this week is identity and staying true to yourself. Harold has to pretend to be ruthless, but in the end he decides to stay true to himself, despite the situation the Machine has put him it. John has to find a way to reconcile his new identity and the habit of breaking the rules to achieve a goal. Andre tells Fusco to supress his cynism, and he's undercover so he has to pretend not to be a cop. However, he is quick to reject this and blows his cover as well to show that he is who he is and he does not have to change that.
This week was a return to the basic number-of-the-week formula, so there is not much to talk about. Harold seems to have forgiven the Machine and now the team has their resources back, so bring on next week!
Monday, 6 October 2014
Doctor Who S8E07 - Kill the Moon
I was gonna get this up yesterday, but I just did not feel up to it. This was a pretty good episode. The first half is a bit weird before the plot really gets going, but it is the sort of silliness I have come to love about this show; the moon is not moon, it's an egg. Of course it is. The second half of the episode is great and the final scenes between Clara and the Doctor and Clara and Danny are fantastic.
Let's get my biggest complaint out first. Why is Courtney there? There have been some fantastic secondary characters in the past 6 episodes that I would love to see again and the Doctor let's her come along?! I have no patience for annoying teenagers and, while she is not as annoying as last week, she is still annoying and I really don't like her.
However, it does seem harsh to me that the Doctor would just tell Courtney that she was not special, even if he did not mean it. Yes, this Doctor does not seem to care about humanity in the same way that the other versions have, but still, espcially since previous versions have been so adamant in expressing the importance of a singe person. I think it was Eleven who said that in all his travels he had never met someone who wasn't important, so this really does highlight the fact that Twelve is a lot darker than previous incarnations.
I think this is the first episode in this season where the supporting characters are severely underdeveloped. The two male astronauts are there just be killed off to make the bacteria into a threat and I had to google Lundvik's name because I could not remember even hearing it during the episode. She, as a character, is only interesting because of Hermione Norris' acting.
I do love the Doctor's excitement over the fact that the Moon is an egg. He is so fascinated by this, in his mind, beautiful weirdness that is the universe. Everyone else's reaction to Lundvik's question about killing the Moon did surprise me a bit. Well, not the Doctor's, he's always had a fondness for unique creatures, and, yes, Courtney is naive and does not understand the world and Clara is a good person and does not wish to harm anyone, so in that sense it is believable, but I don't think the concern behind Lundvik's question is wrong. She could have phrases the question differently, but I think what she really is asking is whether the creature will be dangerous. What are the consequences of this creature being born to Earth? And that is a valid concern in my opinion (or maybe I'm just not as nice as Clara), so it's a bit weird to me how everyone just attacks Lundvik for being rational.
I do wonder why the Doctor is so insistent in not being involved in the decision. Yes, he has done this before on few occasions, but he has always shown his support for the people making the decision. Now he just leaves after telling Clara that it's not his concern what the humanity decides. And the thing is, he did not have to leave. He could have stayed and helped them make the choice. He did not need to make it, but he could have helped. But he does not. And to me that seems out of character. It might be in character for Twelve, I don't know him that well yet, but the previous Doctors that I have known and loved, they would not have done this.
But I love Clara calling the Doctor out on his manipulations. It was about time someone did that, to be honest. And he tries to explain his departure by saying he trusted Clara enough to make a choice without him, but Clara is right to reject that. While the Doctor-companion relationship has never been quite equal (the Doctor always seems to have more knowledge and authority), these people have always been a team. But now Twelve is saying that he is definitely above Clara, that he gives her a permission to do things and that is just such a shitty way of thinking.
Danny only has one scene this week, but what a scene it is. It's so simple but it shows that Danny understands. He understands the situation, who Clara is as a person and lets her rant and supports her. Oh Danny, how I love your wisdom. I was not expecting his prediction of the Doctor pushing Clara to become a plot point this soon, but it should make an interesting arc for rest of the season.
Next week looks interesting. I hope it's a space version of Murder on the Orient Express (because I love Agatha Christie) and does not just use the train as inspiration. The preview makes it seem the latter, which is a bit disappointing but I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Now, the good news is that this week I get to add Supernatural posts to my weekly schedule. I can't even begin to say how excited I am!
Let's get my biggest complaint out first. Why is Courtney there? There have been some fantastic secondary characters in the past 6 episodes that I would love to see again and the Doctor let's her come along?! I have no patience for annoying teenagers and, while she is not as annoying as last week, she is still annoying and I really don't like her.
However, it does seem harsh to me that the Doctor would just tell Courtney that she was not special, even if he did not mean it. Yes, this Doctor does not seem to care about humanity in the same way that the other versions have, but still, espcially since previous versions have been so adamant in expressing the importance of a singe person. I think it was Eleven who said that in all his travels he had never met someone who wasn't important, so this really does highlight the fact that Twelve is a lot darker than previous incarnations.
I think this is the first episode in this season where the supporting characters are severely underdeveloped. The two male astronauts are there just be killed off to make the bacteria into a threat and I had to google Lundvik's name because I could not remember even hearing it during the episode. She, as a character, is only interesting because of Hermione Norris' acting.
I do love the Doctor's excitement over the fact that the Moon is an egg. He is so fascinated by this, in his mind, beautiful weirdness that is the universe. Everyone else's reaction to Lundvik's question about killing the Moon did surprise me a bit. Well, not the Doctor's, he's always had a fondness for unique creatures, and, yes, Courtney is naive and does not understand the world and Clara is a good person and does not wish to harm anyone, so in that sense it is believable, but I don't think the concern behind Lundvik's question is wrong. She could have phrases the question differently, but I think what she really is asking is whether the creature will be dangerous. What are the consequences of this creature being born to Earth? And that is a valid concern in my opinion (or maybe I'm just not as nice as Clara), so it's a bit weird to me how everyone just attacks Lundvik for being rational.
I do wonder why the Doctor is so insistent in not being involved in the decision. Yes, he has done this before on few occasions, but he has always shown his support for the people making the decision. Now he just leaves after telling Clara that it's not his concern what the humanity decides. And the thing is, he did not have to leave. He could have stayed and helped them make the choice. He did not need to make it, but he could have helped. But he does not. And to me that seems out of character. It might be in character for Twelve, I don't know him that well yet, but the previous Doctors that I have known and loved, they would not have done this.
But I love Clara calling the Doctor out on his manipulations. It was about time someone did that, to be honest. And he tries to explain his departure by saying he trusted Clara enough to make a choice without him, but Clara is right to reject that. While the Doctor-companion relationship has never been quite equal (the Doctor always seems to have more knowledge and authority), these people have always been a team. But now Twelve is saying that he is definitely above Clara, that he gives her a permission to do things and that is just such a shitty way of thinking.
Danny only has one scene this week, but what a scene it is. It's so simple but it shows that Danny understands. He understands the situation, who Clara is as a person and lets her rant and supports her. Oh Danny, how I love your wisdom. I was not expecting his prediction of the Doctor pushing Clara to become a plot point this soon, but it should make an interesting arc for rest of the season.
Next week looks interesting. I hope it's a space version of Murder on the Orient Express (because I love Agatha Christie) and does not just use the train as inspiration. The preview makes it seem the latter, which is a bit disappointing but I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Now, the good news is that this week I get to add Supernatural posts to my weekly schedule. I can't even begin to say how excited I am!
Wednesday, 1 October 2014
Person of Interest S4E02 - Nautilus
I'm so happy this show is back! This week is all about finding meaning and purpose for yourself, which really hit home for me. I'm in the middle of trying to find my place in the world and meaning for my actions, so this episode resonated with me and I could relate to Claire and Finch's attempts to find a purpose for their lives.
Purpose is something that drives all the main characters in this episode. Root is following the Machine blindly because it gave her life new meaning, Harold gave John a new focus and now John follows that purpose because he has nothing else, and Shaw found a new home with the team so she will continue with the mission they gave her, but Harold and Claire are different. Claire's life lost all meaning when her parents died and she has been trying to find it again ever since. And Samaritan saw it, saw that she could be useful and decided to recruit her. Harold, on the other hand, lost his purpose when the Machine wanted them to kill the congressman. At first, he is reluctant to help John and wants only to survive the threath of Samaritan but in the course of the episode he realises he cannot leave John and Shaw to fight this war alone. He has found his purpose again.
So Samaritan is recruiting, and looking for people like Root who will follow its every command without question, and using them to destroy the potential competition to Samaritan. Samaritan already feels like an all-powerful entity and now it has agents whose actions really cannot be predicted since even they don't know what they are really doing. The team is going to be in trouble... Though it might be interesting if Claire's path crossed again with Harold and the others.
I'm still not completely sure why Claire needed a gun. Was she really taking the competition so seriously that she was ready to, if not kill, then threaten/wound her competitors? It seems a bit extreme to me, even if you are desperate to find some meaning to your life.
Oh, Fusco, your face when you brought John the case files... You are amazing. He gets such satisfaction for being able to tell John what to do. John is not amused, though.
Shaw seems to like her new cover better than the last one. And it is nice to see her in action. We'll see if this will play a larger role in the future. And I still want to know what Root is doing when not giving her pep talks. Following the Machines commands, yes, but to what purpose?
Let's talk about the competition itself. I have never been good with puzzles or riddles, so I have no problem saying that puzzles in this episode are way beyond my abilities, and, as a viewer, I feel like I wasn't supposed to understand them, but just enjoy the mystery and watch others figure them out. But it does ensure that only the best and the brightest reach Samaritan. Which, weirdly, seems to include all of Team Machine since they all were able to solve the puzzles. Also, Harold, you can really do that multiplication of the phone number in your head?? I have always known you are a genius, but that is still very impressive.
I miss the library, but the new lair looks so cool. The team is now back together again and fighting the Samaritan with the help of the Machine. Like I said last week, I'm so excited for this season!
Purpose is something that drives all the main characters in this episode. Root is following the Machine blindly because it gave her life new meaning, Harold gave John a new focus and now John follows that purpose because he has nothing else, and Shaw found a new home with the team so she will continue with the mission they gave her, but Harold and Claire are different. Claire's life lost all meaning when her parents died and she has been trying to find it again ever since. And Samaritan saw it, saw that she could be useful and decided to recruit her. Harold, on the other hand, lost his purpose when the Machine wanted them to kill the congressman. At first, he is reluctant to help John and wants only to survive the threath of Samaritan but in the course of the episode he realises he cannot leave John and Shaw to fight this war alone. He has found his purpose again.
So Samaritan is recruiting, and looking for people like Root who will follow its every command without question, and using them to destroy the potential competition to Samaritan. Samaritan already feels like an all-powerful entity and now it has agents whose actions really cannot be predicted since even they don't know what they are really doing. The team is going to be in trouble... Though it might be interesting if Claire's path crossed again with Harold and the others.
I'm still not completely sure why Claire needed a gun. Was she really taking the competition so seriously that she was ready to, if not kill, then threaten/wound her competitors? It seems a bit extreme to me, even if you are desperate to find some meaning to your life.
Oh, Fusco, your face when you brought John the case files... You are amazing. He gets such satisfaction for being able to tell John what to do. John is not amused, though.
Shaw seems to like her new cover better than the last one. And it is nice to see her in action. We'll see if this will play a larger role in the future. And I still want to know what Root is doing when not giving her pep talks. Following the Machines commands, yes, but to what purpose?
Let's talk about the competition itself. I have never been good with puzzles or riddles, so I have no problem saying that puzzles in this episode are way beyond my abilities, and, as a viewer, I feel like I wasn't supposed to understand them, but just enjoy the mystery and watch others figure them out. But it does ensure that only the best and the brightest reach Samaritan. Which, weirdly, seems to include all of Team Machine since they all were able to solve the puzzles. Also, Harold, you can really do that multiplication of the phone number in your head?? I have always known you are a genius, but that is still very impressive.
I miss the library, but the new lair looks so cool. The team is now back together again and fighting the Samaritan with the help of the Machine. Like I said last week, I'm so excited for this season!
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