NCIS 14x19 "The Wall" Review

SPOILERS

"The Wall" had three simultaneous stories going on: the main plot, a humorous subplot, and a character revealing subplot. I was preparing not to like the episode for some reason, but I really did like it. It had all the usual points of an NCIS episode with a little something extra added in.

The main story was a pretty usual one: who killed the Marine? The use of a small poison-filled dart was definitely a deviation form normal and it reminded me of the episode with those small KGB pellets that killed you slowly. It's another case of wrong place, wrong time. And even though last time I said I would be watching out for the random people (to figure out who was the killer) I didn't even think about suspecting the actual killer. I had forgotten about her. Good job, writers. I was surprised. I guess I will have to expand my suspect list to include anyone with dialogue. What was more important to this episode was not this main story, but the setting of the tours of the memorials for vets and in particular the experience of one vet were more important, which I will get to later.

An episode like this needed a humorous subplot, and so it ended up being Bishop and McGee chasing a rumor that Quinn and Torres had a fling at FLETC. So maybe they didn't have a thing, but they definitely knew each other. So why did their old classmates say it was true? Very funny and light, I enjoyed it more for Torres than for Quinn. And Gibbs' little comments were the best, "Fantasize on your own time, McGee."

Henry refuses to cooperate.

Reeves...I had forgotten about Officer Reeves to be honest, since he kind of disappeared from stories after the Kai Chen thing. Doesn't mean I don't like him; I really do. And this episode was great for him, character-wise. He is getting antsy stuck at a desk in DC and is willing to take any job that gets him moving, even if that means a detail on a cranky vet. But his experience with Henry Rogers and a little Gibbs life talk is enough to make him turn down a high-risk job in Syria and think about the people around him. Henry is not very likable at first but I loved the slight adversarial nature between him and Reeves (handcuffing him? I laughed out loud!). The bit of him alone at the Vietnam Memorial was something I saw coming but nonetheless enjoyed. Also, that final scene with Henry coming home and the people were waiting for him? I was nearly in tears. That was so sweet.

They are probably gearing up for some kind of international crisis to be the center for the final few episodes and carrying into next season. So maybe Reeves didn't take the job now, but he might have to in the future. As long as they keep him around.

8.5/10

#TBT Dollhouse Review

First watched in: 2014

I’ve heard Dollhouse described as the black sheep of the Whedonverse, and I can see why. For someone who’s had experience with Firefly or the Buffyverse, Dollhouse is something very different. I still enjoyed it, and like with anything else, I get more out of every runthrough. For new watchers, I would recommend to watch the show as close together as possible, especially in the second season. There are many details and nuances to the world that can get lost if you spend too much time between episodes.

Dollhouse is a Joss Whedon original that ran from 2009 to 2010 and starred Eliza Dushku, of Buffy fame. It gives the audience a look into a Dollhouse, which are places where people, called Dolls, can volunteer to have their personalities and memories removed for five years and instead get rewritten with different personalities and skills depending on the demands of the extremely wealthy clients, becoming "actives". That’s the point of contention; in a way, it shows human slavery. These volunteers (well, sometimes “volunteers”) have no free will. The argument is whether or not the personality and the body are two separate things, and the show gets a little into the morals of it all but was cancelled before much of the lore could fully develop. It’s a different kind of show, that’s for sure.

In retrospect, I saw this show as a bit of an actor’s vehicle. Over the course of the show, the people who played the Dolls had many different personalities, which included accents, tics, likes and dislikes, talents, and mannerisms. There was an instance where one of the scientists put his personality into a Doll so he could have an assistant he trusted. The actor who played the Doll was phenomenal, getting everything from vocal inflections to hand gestures spot on, so much that you really didn’t notice it wasn’t the scientist. Yes, the purpose of being an actor is to play all these different people, but having to change so quickly and give their characters full backgrounds and personalities, sometimes several in the course of an episode, is talent. There’s no other word for it. Some actors discover different layers to their characters over years of playing the same person. That’s not the case here. There’s only 26 episodes.

Fans of other Whedonverse shows will appreciate actors such as Eliza Dushku, Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Alan Tudyk, and Summer Glau. It’s always a treat to see familiar actors in different roles.

Dollhouse, despite its controversial themes, really lays out an enjoyable story that makes the viewer think as well as entertained.

Would I watch again? Yes, but probably not for a while

Once Upon A Time 6x14 "Page 23" Review

SPOILERS

You probably could have cut everything else out and just had the Regina parts and this episode would have been perfection. Props to Lana Parilla. That's all I have to say.

Well, there's more.

I am glad they finished off the Evil Queen storyline in a believable way. The flashbacks into the past were enjoyable. Pure Evil Queen with a bonus Henry. It's a typical "Kill Snow White" scheme that turns into a feels fest. Seriously, the saddest moment of the entire episode was when she realized the person she hated most was herself. I guess I never realized that until now, but it does make sense. And we knew we were gonna get a Regina versus Regina face off, but I was a little thrown by the sword fight. The dialogue leading up to the sword fight was a little bit cringy ("this town's not big enough for the both of us") but the rest of it was pretty good.

Regina in the Enchanted Forest, once again looking for Snow.

I guess this goes to show how much Regina grew; I was expecting her to crush the Evil Queen's heart, but she doesn't do that anymore. I'm not sure what I was expecting to happen, but it definitely wasn't combining the two hearts (I guess I was expecting more of a literal merging than a figurative one). She now loves and accepts herself and everything is all right in her world for now.

No surprise that "Evil" Regina and "Evil" Robin seemed so well suited to each other. I enjoyed their behind-the-scenes bantering, the almost-flirting. I figured when she sent "Evil" Regina away she would end up at the tavern. But it was still a nice ending. A bit open-ended, but at least there's the possibility of a happy ending for them.

The reason this episode isn't a perfect 10 is because of Captain Swan. Sometimes I suspend belief, but at this point I can almost see the planning behind the scenes of how exactly we are going to orchestrate this drama. I was following along on Twitter, and someone pointed out how exactly did Emma know what her grandfather looked like? Why was Killian watching the memories instead of just tossing them in the fire? Why don't they ever talk to each other? (Why doesn't Emma give Killian a chance to talk?) Why did Killian go back on the submarine? (He could have just not showed up!) (Also...effing Gideon. What is his motivation here? To shake up Emma?)

I don't think I'll enjoy next week's episode very much. Drawing out the drama with Captain Swan is just annoying at this point. Then again, no one really gets a happy ending in this show, do they? Crossing fingers that the preview was edited to make it look worse than it will be.

8/10

Sherlock 4x2 "The Lying Detective" Review

SPOILERS

“The Lying Detective” was deliciously creepy with a twist ending that made me say, “Oh, come ON!”

I really enjoyed the sequence when Sherlock is dissecting Faith’s note. It was visually appealing and interesting. That’s one of the things that sets Sherlock apart from other shows. The way it uses on-screen effects to show text messages, thought processes, and other things in Sherlock’s head is always entertaining to watch. It helps bring to life the character a little more. Besides, watching Benedict Cumberbatch closing his eyes with a furrowed brow for 30 seconds isn’t very interesting.

Mrs. Hudson was amazing. Getting Sherlock into her car and speeding like crazy while Ode to Joy is blasting was one of my favorite scenes. Well, the whole car chase was just okay, but finding out it was Mrs. Hudson just made the episode.

John going to a therapist contributes to the idea that the series is coming full circle, something I will touch on in the next review.

Culverton Smith was a surprisingly good villain. The idea of messing with his friends’ minds to be able to confess and get away with it had me on the edge of my seat; I was expecting him to kill them. He was also a very smart villain, creating a name for himself and hiding in plain sight. The whole scene in the hospital with the children was creepy as well, since we knew the truth that he was a serial killer. The scenes with Sherlock in the hospital were very creepy as well, making me worry for his safety even though I knew he wouldn’t die.

The realization that Sherlock was just following Mary’s instructions was a little frustrating. They had to get John talking to Sherlock again, but did Sherlock really have to nearly kill himself by abusing drugs to get there?

The ending was definitely a surprise. I did not realize Eurus was the same as the other two women, so big props go to the actress and the makeup department for the show. Eurus herself was a surprise, since I was of the mindset that Sherrinford was the third Holmes brother, not a completely newly made up sister in a special prison. And I knew that she would not kill John (it was only the second episode; if they were going to do something as drastic as kill John they would wait for the third episode) but it was still quite a cliffhanger.

I found through engaging online with the Sherlock community that most people regard the second episode of the seasons to be the weakest (I did not share this opinion) though they decided this episode was better (that I agreed with). 

Come back next week for "The Final Problem"!

Criminal Minds 12x17 "In The Dark" Review

SPOILERS

“In the Dark” was a pretty okay episode. It followed the same pattern as the other episodes this season in splitting the attention between the unsub of the week and Reid’s misadventures in prison.

As soon as they said there were two unsubs with two very different motives, I thought there was an episode of Criminal Minds where they did just that: two unsubs were in the same city and they were competing against each other. I figured that’s where they were going with this – with each murder it would get more gruesome and they would start stealing from each other (I thought that’s where this was headed when the knife murders suddenly changed). So I was a bit disappointed when they made the big revelation that it has to be the same person. They made up for that conclusion by explaining the reason there was one unsub with two different MO’s was because the unsub was sleepwalking. That was unexpected and definitely a unique explanation. All is forgiven, writers.

This was a pretty big Luke episode, despite the story not revolving around him. He has two interactions with Garcia, at the beginning and end to bookend the episode. In each you can see that he is trying to find out what’s under Garcia’s armor and offering to be there for her. It takes her a while to warm up to him, however slightly. Also, we find out Calvin Shaw is some kind of scumbag apparently. Luke dug up some info and used it to blackmail Shaw into protecting Reid. The only problem I had with all this is why didn’t Luke visit Reid while he was at it? I suppose he had to get to the field and work the case, but Reid seemed so hurt when he found out Luke was there and didn’t come see him.

Reid calls for help after Luis is hurt.

I was not expecting that ending. Is Luis dead? I guess we won’t find out until next time; it could be a fake-out and as soon as they turned the camera off someone came to help them. However, I think it is more likely he is dead and now Reid is stuck between a rock and a hard place. He will have to play by the rules in order to survive, but that will include doing dangerous things. His situation isn’t looking all that great; true, his trial might be at a better place, but he could still be found guilty, and he is still not in protective custody. As each week gets us closer to this trial, I can’t help wonder how they’re going to fix it. Like I said in a previous post, if they were writing Reid off the show, they wouldn’t make him go through all of this just to stick him in prison behind the scenes for the rest of the run of the show. Let’s hope there is a happy outcome in the works.

8/10

#TBT Torchwood Review

First watched in: 2014

Torchwood is the made-for-adults spinoff of the popular show Doctor Who, with the simple premise of “cop show with aliens”. The Torchwood team in Cardiff is part of an organization that investigates different strange and extraterrestrial things around the area and properly makes contact and saves the day, unbeknownst to most people in the city. It’s overall pretty good.

Fans of Doctor Who will appreciate the appearance of Captain Jack Harkness as the leader of the team. Torchwood delves more into his backstory, answering questions you didn’t know you had about his life before we meet him in “The Empty Child” and after “The Parting of the Ways”. There’s also special guest appearances by Martha Jones, 10’s companion in Season 3 of DW. However, you could also watch this show without ever seeing Doctor Who. Besides the appearance of Martha and little references to the Doctor, it’s mostly a self-contained show.

The show has four seasons, technically. You could also just watch the first two seasons and call it a day. It follows the alien of the week format with a couple small running stories. There’s plenty of adult content and language that I would immediately put a flag on it and say definitely not for the PG crowd. The third season is a five-part story with an interesting premise: a potential invasion of Earth and The Doctor is nowhere to be found. How do humans react? This season does wrap up the show pretty well, but there is a continuation in the fourth season. I’ve only seen it once, and I think once was more than enough. It is a ten-part story that again presents humanity with a worldwide dilemma (no one can die) and we see the disastrous results. This season feels different than the rest of the show because it is set in America and was produced by the BBC and the American network Starz, which is where it aired.

I am more partial to the characters and situations found in the first two seasons. There’s some downright spooky episodes, as well as heartbreaking ones, but all the way through that is humor and heart. The Torchwood office just seems like a cool place to hang out: underground with a pet pterodactyl. There’s complicated relationships and cool gadgets and aliens and creatures and flashbacks. What more could you ask for in a sci-fi spinoff that doesn’t have a TARDIS?

Would I watch again? Maybe, if I’m in the right mood

Once Upon a Time 6x13 "Ill-Boding Patterns" Review

SPOILERS

"Ill-Boding Patterns" was an okay episode, visiting the characters we ignored last episode. I enjoyed the fact that some parts felt like Season 1 and 2, but there were other parts I just did not enjoy. Let's get into it.

My first problem was Beowulf. You had to bring in Beowulf and his story and I was waiting for a huge Grendel showdown and it was the stupidest thing ever. Beowulf was reduced to a dickish wannabe hero who was "Dark One-ist" against Rumple and wasn't even grateful for him getting rid of the ogres because he used dark magic. Did we know beforehand Rumple was the one who killed all the ogres? I didn't remember if that's the case, and so that was a surprise. I loved the small scene in the tavern when the people were praising him until Beowulf has to go and ruin it. And he killed villagers to set up the villagers turning against Rumple. AND THERE WAS NO GRENDEL!! My eleventh-grade self was very disappointed.

Rumple and Baelfire, many years ago

Bringing back Baelfire was such a surprise and there were parts of that I really liked. I just missed his presence on the screen  and seeing Rumple acting loving and gentle and "I'm doing it for you, Bae." I didn't like this actor as much as the first one, but he got the job done. And I know they only brought him back to bring up the parallels between Bae and Gideon, but I still liked it. Again, it's some early-season stuff. Surprisingly, Gideon and Gold did not annoy me as much as I thought they would. Gideon did have a rough childhood, and Gold sort of did the right thing (?) by doing the dark act to keep Gideon from doing it himself. (Also, how did the clock face get repaired that fast? Magic? Well, yeah, probably magic.)

A shot of rum later, and there's a mangled proposal over with. He has to tell her, he just HAS to. It's stressing me out, and Killian is probably feeling a lot worse. I wasn't expecting it to happen this fast, and it just felt awkward. Emma will definitely forgive him, so why keep drawing it out? Speaking of mangled, I still hate Zelena, but Robin is growing on me. It makes sense that he would want to leave, and there's a part of me that thinks he should. But then again, he probably wouldn't fit in well with the rest of the real world, big-time thief and all. Partnering up with the Evil Queen is going to be good. So good.

As much as I am hating Regina getting constantly pummeled by the show runners, I can't have been the only person who got happy chills when the Evil Queen theme played at the very end! I'm predicting next week somehow Regina will find s way to bring the Evil Queen back into her, once she's complete she might be happier. Let's hope. Poor woman's had enough sadness for a lifetime.

7/10

Sherlock 4x1 "The Six Thatchers" Review

SPOILERS

“The Six Thatchers” was an interesting episode. It was the first full episode of Sherlock since the Christmas special in 2015 and the long wait was finally over. Fans rejoiced! Well, many of them did. This season is the first I’ve watched as it aired and followed the fan reactions of, and it wasn’t universally liked. Well, what is? And with that, let’s get into it.

I really liked the premise of something hidden in the Thatcher busts, which I later found out was based on a short story with a similar premise, except in the short story the Black Pearl of the Borgias was inside busts of Napoleon, unlike the plot they tried to introduce in the show as the pearl being something for Sherlock to find at the urging of the government. It turned out to be an Easter egg, since the real treasure hidden inside the one bust was another flash drive and the small setup of “saving priceless jewels and solving mysterious break-ins” was quickly changed.

No, this episode was all about the characters. All about Sherlock, John, and Mary, and mostly Mary, whose shady past had us head scratching-during the hiatus. Who is she? What did she do? And then John burned the flash drive and we thought that was the end. Turns out they weren’t willing to let that go so easy. Mary skips town in a dizzying sequence that ended with one of the few times I laughed during the episode; it turns out Sherlock knew where she was all along.

Killing her off was surprising while I watched the episode, but in retrospect it really wasn’t. Looking forward to the rest of the season plot, we needed to get rid of her. And we couldn’t kill Sherlock again. Not in episode 1. The ripples of her death continued throughout the rest of the season. The messages from the grave got a little repetitive, and I guess my biggest question is why did she write “Miss me?” on the CD except to confuse the audience and Sherlock into thinking it was Moriarty. I enjoyed the post credits “Go to hell, Sherlock” (I read it as aggressive, instead of the double meaning revealed in the next episode).

Another minor quip I have with this episode is John. I know we needed John guilty and to introduce a seemingly throwaway character (who I’ll get more into in a later review), but I don’t buy that text-cheating one bit. John would never do that, and the fact that he has to live with that with his wife dead is just a cruel turn to a character who doesn’t need any more tragedy. First he lost Sherlock, then he lost Mary, then he voluntarily lost Sherlock again. I wanted to give him a hug and shake him at the same time.

Come back next Sunday for “The Lying Detective”!

Criminal Minds 12x16 "Assistance is Futile" Review

SPOILERS

“Assistance is Futile” was an okay episode, continuing the storyline with Reid in the prison - I'm guessing every episode will have a small cameo - as well as showing the team having to track down an unsub with the help of his mother who suspects he is the person behind the kidnappings and injuries.

The opening scene with Reid and JJ was so sweet. I'm glad they showed him interacting with his friends instead of just letting it occur behind the scenes between episodes. I also didn't realize his mother didn't know where he was, but it makes sense that they would not tell her. The whole scene while they were eating was a little unclear as to what went on. It was carried over from the previous episode, talking about the hierarchies and the like in prisons. Whatever Reid said or did, it led to him getting jumped at the end of the episode. I guess this will continue next week.

JJ visits Reid in prison.

The unsub was definitely creepy but I'm glad they brought in the story with his mother. Usually they have to rely on research in order to track down who the person is and where they are probably hiding, but with this one, some of this research was already done. I liked the way they integrated the mother into the story, the way they slowly kept peeling back the layers into the past, finding things wrong with her son in the past and how it lends itself to informing the present, until they figure out where he is and what he is going to do. The selfie with him in the background was the creepiest part of the episode for me.

There was a part of me that was expecting it to not even be her son that was the unsub, and then they have to go find two guys. It would have been interesting and might have created a two-parter, not that Criminal Minds does two-parters very often. I think the title is referring to the fact that even though the mother helped them find him, and before the episode wanted to help him by giving him ecstasy, he ended up backed into a corner and taking his own life (also, did anyone else think of Star Trek?).

I enjoyed the scene with JJ and Rossi at the end. Any scenes that contribute to the fact that this team is such a family are always heartwarming. And what a cliffhanger! Obviously Reid is not going to die (he might get hurt but he won't die). But we still have to wait for a week for the resolution.

7/10

NCIS 14x18 "M. I. A." Review

SPOILERS

I really, really liked “M. I. A.”. There were many things done right in the episode. It was a nice mix of involving the main actors and bringing in one-off characters that you could really feel. The story of them trying to figure out who killed Collins felt a little predictable with a whole bunch of the same stuff being thrown at me (good guy standing up to sleazy guy, oh look it’s a drug operation). What I enjoyed more were the scenes with Laura, and especially those with Torres. And any excuse to see the softer side of Gibbs is a good one.

I just loved the opening scene. It was so short, but there were so many predictions running through my mind. At first I thought it was a guy visiting a girl in the hospital, but then some of their dialogue seemed a little odd. So I guessed the guy was hallucinating her, someone who had just died and he didn’t say good-bye or something. But it turns out this was some kind of dream on the girl, Laura’s, part, as she is nearing death and is still haunted by the death of her friend Collins. In a show that so rarely does anything fantastic (minus “Life Before His Eyes”, which is one of my favorites), this was an interesting change.

The little subplot about Team Gibbs training for a marathon seemed so realistic and was really cute. Abby’s Power-POW gave McGee the edge to catch up to the guy he was chasing. Torres is a superhuman. McGee and Bishop lost with a head start. Quinn cheated (not my favorite character, but that seemed in character for her). I wonder if they will bring it up again.

Team Gibbs meets up before a run.

Normally I try to predict who the bad guy will be. It’s usually someone I forgot about throughout the course of the episode (perhaps that’s a writing trick they often employ to keep a small element of surprise for the end reveal of who the bad guy is). That was definitely true in this case. I figured Holden was too obvious and was really banking on it being Nicole (until she turned up dead). Ah. It was Vinton. And drugs. Of course. Next time you watch an episode of a show like NCIS, pay close attention to the characters they introduce right at the beginning and are never seen or consulted again…until the evidence happens to lead the team right to them.

The most important part of the episode for me was when we see Torres completely vulnerable, sharing a very personal story about a dear friend he lost to cancer. It’s not that often we see him open up like this (not that we’ve known him for a long time). And the way he wants to keep hanging out with Laura at the end was very sweet. Good episode. Really good episode.

8/10

#TBT Star Trek: Enterprise Review

First watched in: 2016

Star Trek Enterprise aired in the early 2000’s and takes place before the time of Captain Kirk. I actually enjoyed this concept, from the realistic nature of growing up in a world slowly exploring the universe to the absence of the traditional Star Trek things like transporters. A lot of the show felt comfortable and familiar, and seemed like a logical look into the future. Yes, if we could travel in space sometime in this century, this is what it could look like. This is what we would wear, this is what we would eat. It has a different feel than the 90’s shows, which makes sense since this is a different era in the history of the Federation (well, technically, it’s even before the Federation). That doesn’t mean it’s bad.

My main quip I had with the show was some of the storylines. I did notice that there were plots similar to stories found in DS9 and Voyager, like the crew having to be put asleep while the non-affected life forms could run the ship. I’m sure, though, that at this point in the life of Star Trek there’s only so many plots. I was more interested in the characters and the overall story of the show, not the individual episodes.

As always, the characters are an interesting assortment, pretty diverse in a typical Star Trek way. There are less main characters than a regular Star Trek series, and their jobs are slightly different. The only aliens are a Vulcan and a new species, a Denobulan, who is a somewhat cuddly, very bubbly change of pace. Everyone else is a human, but that fact that they are from a near future makes them feel familiar.

If you’ve seen the other shows, you will enjoy a lot of the little nods to things that are being developed. This show also explains things that were previously unexplained in the other series, like why the Klingons in TOS looked like they did when they looked so much different in later series. Whether or not you feel like you need that explanation is up to you.

Since I have not seen TOS and have no loyalty to Kirk, when asked “who’s the best captain” in some ways I think you could answer with Archer, captain of the original Enterprise. He did many things that Kirk and Picard and Sisko and Janeway did, except without most of the technology and knowledge the members of the galaxy are equipped with during the time of the other series. You have to give him credit for that. Overall, this show is enjoyable if you keep an open mind about it.

Would I watch again? Maybe

A Series of Unfortunate Events Renewed for Season 2!

One teaser trailer later, and even though Lemony Snicket is determined to keep us away and unexcited, Netflix was encouraged by the response to the first season and according to Snicket, they are already starting production for the 2^nd season. Check out vastlyfrighteningdecision.com to read his full message of woe. There’s not much else to say here, except to get hyped! Season 2 should include The Austere Academy, The Ersatz Elevator, The Vile Village, The Hostile Hospital, and The Carnivorous Carnival.

Here’s to more misery!

Doctor Who Season 10 Full Trailer Reaction

A full-length trailer for Season 10 just came out and I just got another dose of excitement!

I mean, it’s been a year and a half since a new episode came out, minus the Christmas episode, and I’m just hoping this season does not disappoint. I don’t think I will be disappointed. It just looks so good. The trailer is packed with a lot of things. They’re going to the past and the future, and probably a couple things in the near present (perhaps Mars). I am still excited to see Bill. Already she seems better than Clara. Nardole might be an interesting addition, and I do prefer when Team Tardis does include 3 people. Missy is back, though we knew that, but I’m looking forward to see how she fits in with the season.

There’s going to be Daleks (and there was a human saying ‘exterminate’...I wonder what to make of that) and Cybermen and new aliens and emoji-robots. Let’s hope they do interesting things and bring some high stakes without getting too melodramatic.

Let’s take a ride with Capaldi one last time!

Once Upon a Time 6x12 "Murder Most Foul" Review

SPOILERS

   This episode had a whole roller coaster of feelings, causing me to yell at my TV in anger and then leaning forward in anticipation waiting for the next scene. I enjoyed it a lot, more than I thought I would. Next week’s episode looks a little Lord of the Rings, but it might be okay.

   I was watching on Twitter a bit and oh my goodness I think the Captain Swan fandom broke a little. I was a small part of that, though I wasn’t too surprised. They practically got engaged in the Enchanted Forest last season anyway. It just makes sense that they would take that same step in Storybrooke. It’s nice to see Emma so casually happy with him, not worried about doom and gloom or creating problems for the sake of the story (those stupid shears). No, Hook does that fine on his own at the very end, with a twist I did not see coming but I did enjoy. This will make the rest of the season interesting (Will you marry me? BTW, I killed your grandfather apparently).

   Robin cursing the alarm clock is how I feel every morning. It’s been so long since we’ve had a new character in Storybrooke and that was a nice touch. I am also appreciating the stark contrast between the two Robins. This one is definitely a thief, and has a thirst for vengeance and doesn’t like following the rules. Him trying to kill the sheriff of Nottingham was a little much, but I enjoyed the scene in the vaults. And him stealing that special powerful box next week? That I’m looking forward to. Regina in pain is never fun, but this season will be a good learning experience for both of them. I’ve never liked Zelena and her appearance in this episode was just grating. Why can’t she just get killed off?

   Can someone explain to me how sweet little James becomes such a jerk? He’s such a pure, innocent soul who doesn’t want to be a knight, but wants to hide in Pleasure Island (a place which I thought was a little creepy). I loved the cameo of Pinocchio as well and his little lying bit. Again, this is feeling like early season stuff and I’m loving it. I liked the actor for David/James’s father, though I didn’t like the actor for their mother. The story was kind of sweet and very sad, but seemed to work. At least we resolved that coin from earlier. (Also, anyone else think “Rickon Stark!” when they saw little David/James?)

Killian likes David's answer.

   Like I said in my last review, I’ve been getting a little bored with the Charming/Snow storyline. I’m still not a fan. It did take me a little while to remember the whole drama about David’s father from last season, but most of it got re-explained anyway. However, I did appreciate Josh Dallas’s acting in the scene in the prison, as he struggles to make his decision and just breaks down. A little bit of fragility in an otherwise stoic character. Though how he remained a bit “pirate-ist” against Killian got on my nerves after a little while.

   Overall, it was a pretty good episode. A lot happened, and as we resolve old storylines new ones keep popping up. I suppose that is how it will go until we come into the inevitable final showdown in the finale. Next week’s episode looks like it might be a little “meh”, with more Gold and Gideon drama, though the flaming arrows and CGI trolls or whatever might be interesting.

9/10

Review of "The Miserable Mill" (Netflix)

SPOILERS

“The Miserable Mill” is the episode most removed from the source material when it came to small details, and strangely, I’m okay with that. It’s clear by this point that the story the show is telling has a different agenda than the story the books are telling. Like I’ve said before, the show introduces the VFD from the start, unlike the books which it takes until about halfway through to introduce it. One way the show made a change to satisfy this story is by having the children find the picture of the mill and going there themselves, instead of the book situation where Sir is another one of their guardians who just puts them to work.

The rest of this episode follows the basic structure of the story: the kids work in the mill, Klaus is hypnotized, they are almost caught by Count Olaf in disguise. They meet Phil and Charles (who, pardon my Tumblr-talk, are just precious cinnamon rolls) and find the library. I’m not sure which library I like better, the one in the book with only three books that are written in uncommon language (with no dictionary in sight) or the one in the show that is just filled with the same book (and a Verified Functional Dictionary). Of course the book in the show has a little hint about their parents, and all the workers know who they are.

One thing that did come to an end in this storyline was any hope we had that Cobie Smulders and Will Arnett were Beatrice and Bertrand. I held out the tiniest hope that they were for the first few episodes, but by this point I was waiting for the penny to drop and drop it did. They’re the Quagmires! It took me a little while to figure out why the names of the kids seemed really familiar. Then I remembered. I can’t wait to keep reading the books.  

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not applaud Neil Patrick Harris on his performance at some point. His Count Olaf is arguably different than Jim Carrey’s, but I think NPH feels more like the Olaf from the books, a poor actor who is definitely, definitely dangerous and capable of terrible things. And it takes talent to keep that in mind while wearing a very loose disguise and playing different characters and let it slip through occasionally when the kids need to see it and hide it when the adults are around.

I, for one, cannot wait until the next season. They say it’s already in the works and will cover books 5-9. I was very impressed and hopefully the next season holds up to the standard this one already set.

VFD noticed:

VFD on Dr. Orwell’s board

Verified Functional Dictionary

Very Fancy Door

Vigorous Fire Defense

Click here for my full series review!

NCIS 14x17 "What Lies Above" Review

SPOILERS

I really enjoyed “What Lies Above”. It’s been a while since there was a McGee-centered episode, and since he’s probably my favorite character that was a nice change of pace. I’ve also been enjoying the fact that the past several episodes have all tied into the main characters significantly, whether it’s Jimmy on the ledge, Abby with the think tank, or Ellie and Kai Chen. I also liked the location of the apartment and the mentions of Tony, hints of earlier times. And I loved the shot at the very end with Kate and Ziva (the fish).

The episode seemed to be going in so many different directions, but I didn’t mind it. At first you were thinking someone was after Delilah’s hard drive, and that would have been interesting if there was something classified on there and it turned into a data hunt. I also would have liked it if there was something connected to Tony, not that he would ever be a bad guy keeping secrets, but maybe something with his father. Or even if it was Tim, perhaps he had something antique and it was a random robbery that was just a subplot.

However, the way it turned out, the mummy under the floorboards, a swallowed safety deposit key, and the treasure hunt with the missing diamonds, was enjoyable. A little bit of a mystery. I would have liked to actually have seen Delilah. McGee and Delilah are my current OTP for the show and I enjoy any drama between the two of them. I did like the “lie” versus “omission” argument that kept going on. Torres in particular had me laughing.

Torres and McGee look for one of the robbers.

The only downer for the episode was the continuing drama between Flemming and Vance. It just started to grate on my after a while. He’s not a politician, and even though she did keep the knowledge about almost solving the heist a secret until they figured it out, it was clear that Vance was uncomfortable with using the agency’s success as a stepping stone to a political career. I can see the very ending of the show having Vance leave and Gibbs take the director’s seat, but I don’t see that happening very soon. I can see Vance leaving, but Gibbs is still a man of action and will be as long as he can.

The title “What Lies Above” is apt. The opposite of “above” is “below” and “what lies below” is the mummy. There’s not much else to it; it was a good episode because it was so straightforward. No foreshadowing, no running subplots. A couple ways it could have gone, but I liked the way it did turn out.

9/10

Game of Thrones Season 7 Trailer Reaction

HBO finally dropped a trailer for Game of Thrones Season 7 and I am so pumped!

They didn’t actually show us any footage of the coming season, just what appears to be stone statues of all the major house sigils. As though we could forget all the major players of the game: Targaryen, Baratheon, Stark, Lannister, Tyrell.

This was a nice, quick little look back over the main events of the past six seasons. The voiceovers were carefully chosen. It makes you think about what all has happened and realize how many people have died and how small the number of remaining people in each of these houses is. The Tyrells are pretty much gone, as are the Baratheons and Targaryens. There’s only a few main players left from each house, and there’s so much that needs to be resolved and revealed. But will these house loyalties mean anything in the end? Possibly not.

I loved the ending of the trailer, when the statues all break and fall to form the symbol associated with the Children…and the Others. The rivalries that exist between the houses must break apart for them to unite and band together against the White Walkers and the Others. The pull back into an ice blue eye was enough hype to last me for a while. July needs to get here soon!

#TBT Star Trek: Voyager Review

First watched in: 2016

Voyager is considered by many to be the weakest of the Star Treks. I had this perception going in and was a little nervous, afraid it would unfunny, boring, and a waste of time. However, I didn’t think it was awful or deserving of the criticism it continues to receive. The concept may be a little overused as far as sci-fi concepts go (a ship thrown to the other end of the galaxy and they have to get back home), but I think it was overall well-handled and realistic, if you can call anything about Star Trek realistic. The second half is stronger than the first half, definitely. I’ll give you that. If you are a new watcher, push through the first few seasons. You will be able to see a marked difference, particularly through a new addition to the cast.

Speaking of the cast, it was a very diverse cast, both in terms of actors and the species and characters they portrayed. I got to see answers to questions I never knew I had, like what happens to a hologram that’s left on all the time or what happened to Native American tribes in this future or what happens when a Borg stays out of the collective for a long time. They also delved more into Klingon and Vulcan lore; the Vulcan in particular was enjoyable since I haven’t seen TOS and therefore, Spock.

Of course I appreciate Janeway as the first prominent female captain. Though women have had strong roles on the other Trek shows, there weren’t any female captains that stayed for more than a couple episodes. She was a very strong leader, up there with Picard and Sisko, having to make tough decisions no one ever had to make before.

It’s a different show because there are always several layers to the story going on at once. Voyager needs to get back to the Alpha Quadrant; that’s the main goal. There’s several stories that deal with this idea, whether they’re looking for more fuel or debating whether they should even go back or just settle down somewhere. But then there are also main character-centric episodes that give many of them well-developed arcs. My only complaint with this, going back to my DS9 review, is there are very few secondary or recurring characters, and fewer who get whole episodes dedicated to them.

The Voyager theme is my favorite of the Star Trek opening themes. Something about it just evokes a journey, heroism, and strength, something the crew had much of. That’s why I liked this show better than I thought I would. It is a complete story, showing a journey, literally and figuratively. It’s not as bad as mainstream nerd culture would make it out to be.

Would I watch again? Probably

Once Upon A Time 6x11 "Tougher Than the Rest" Review

SPOILERS

Season 6B seems to be off to a strong start. I for one enjoyed this episode, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season. For being a continuation of the fall season, it seemed more like its own unique season with a different feel to it. It just felt like an early season episode, what with August and the magic tree. That I liked a lot.

First of all, props to the writers for not having Emma and Regina stuck in the wish-land all season. That is an early season trope that I’m glad they did not continue to adhere to. I knew Robin was going to come back with them, but I am just looking ahead with cautious optimism. I want Regina to have a happy ending as much as the next person, but since to the best of my knowledge this isn’t the final season, I’m just waiting for one more heartbreak. At least it seems like Robin is on board, glad to be in a new place. I’m curious as to what a future meeting with Zelena and Baby Robin will entail.

Regina and Emma in the wish-land.

I am so glad they brought back August/Pinocchio. The moment when we realize he had always been looking out for Emma was so sweet and brought back those early season feels. I always liked his character, though I had to do a wiki check to figure out when he came back to Storybrooke (because I could have sworn he was dead). And we finally get an explanation as to why her name is Emma Swan. The Ugly Duckling, of course, and a nice little metaphor of untapped potential and the fact that she was always the Savior wrapped that up nicely. For a second I thought that they were going to play out the vision as soon as Emma got back. That would have been a major plot twist, I guess, and would go along with the fast-paced way they had been solving problems the entire episode. Luckily they didn’t and saved something for the rest of the season.

I’m reading Gideon’s destruction of the clock to be a metaphor for “time’s run out”. I can’t tell if I like him as a villain or not. What I do know is I am so done with Mr. Gold as a character. I was probably done with him last season. Rumpelstiltskin? He can keep coming back. But Gold needs to be finished. Speaking of characters I’m done with, I’m so glad it seems like they will be ending that curse for Snow and Charming. Last few seasons I’ve just been tuning them out whenever they’re on screen. Maybe when they’re not whining about losing each other they might be a bit more interesting.

Also, Killian versus David? Sign me up!

9/10

Review of "The Wide Window" (Netflix)

SPOILERS

The Wide Window is probably my least favorite of the first three books, but I will say I enjoyed the story found on the Netflix show so much more. By this point, this is the third in the “goes to relative, bad things happens, goes to another relative” storyline and it lacked some depth and felt a little rushed while reading it (I think I read it in less time than the length of the show). Being able to expand the story and the world was a good decision on the part of the writers and directors, especially with the first few books being as small as they are.

The biggest change, besides the continuing behind-the-scenes VFD moments, was how they made some changes to Aunt Josephine. The show took her character and gave her a little more depth. She and Ike knew their parents and had a secret safe with the book about secret organizations like in Justice Strauss’s library. She used to be brave and ready to do dangerous things, and she tries to reclaim that right before her death. In the book her dialogue is reduced to banning things because they are dangerous and correcting grammar.

Again, I love how the show keeps the smallest details of the setting the same, such as the names of the stores in the town (Look! It Fits!), or other details like the exact allergic reactions each sibling experiences while eating peppermint or the fact that “delmo” was the first word Sunny said to Aunt Josephine. The inclusion of Larry the waiter at the Anxious Clown as a covert member of the VFD trying to help the orphans under the watchful eye of Count Olaf’s comrades was a wonderful addition. I can’t wait to see how many other little characters that are in the books they will include in slightly larger roles in the show.

Overall, ‘The Wide Window’ was a great adaptation of the book; more of an expansion than an adaptation, actually, and a very good one at that. Many of the small details remained the same and the changes did not take away from the story but rather added to it. The tone stayed the same, with a little humor mixed in with the dark story, the suspense with Count Olaf’s latest disguise, and the anxiety of the precarious house and leeches.

VFD noticed:

Very Fresh Dill

Vastly Frightening Decision

Come back next Sunday for "The Miserable Mill"!

Click here for my full series review!

Criminal Minds 12x15 "Alpha Male" Review

SPOILERS

I wonder if this is how the rest of the season is going to go: the team is off finding an unsub and meanwhile Reid’s doing his thing in prison. I’m okay with that because I never like those episodes when characters just disappear for weeks on end, but also I feel like because we need to keep Reid's story going, the other stories, the ones with the unsubs, are a little less developed and more surface level motivation. What I did appreciate with this episode was how the title and the two stories were linked thematically.

“Alpha Male” shows Reid as he transitions to life in prison and the team looking for an unsub who is throwing acid at attractive young people. The seemingly random targets turned out to be substitutes for people the unsub is angry with for their sexual success. The team narrows down who it could be and reads through a manifesto that explains where his next attack will be (all I was thinking was how fast Reid could have read through those 120 pages). Reid is approached by the “white guy gang” in the prison (note that he was purposely moved for some reason from protective custody to general population) and when he refuses to join them he is nearly attacked. He is rescued by a fellow ex-FBI fed, named Calvin Shaw, who is in prison for killing his informant. It seems that Reid has found a friend, someone who sort of knows what he is going through, who likes to read and play chess. So at least it won’t be so bad for him in the end.

Reid's new friend, Calvin Shaw.

When the team first suggested there could be multiple unsubs or it could be a woman, I was hoping for that angle. It was like they wanted to make the story more interesting, but instead went with a white, glasses wearing, socially awkward, twenty-something male, with a case of narcissism and meninism, the same unsub in probably 85% of the cases. That’s part of the reason I am rating this episode a little lower than usual. I’m not sure how I could have improved this storyline, but I felt like there were ways to play it out differently.

Thematically, the episode was pretty consistent. The title is “Alpha Male”. This idea is found in Reid’s story through the whole idea of there being a hierarchy in prison, gangs and leaders and tribute and submission. It is clear Calvin Shaw is an Alpha, deserving of respect, and Reid is lower than a Beta. The rest of the episode is heavy with this idea; the men featured on the “man-o-sphere” website were called “Alpha Males” and male superiority was praised, being tough and manly and overpowering women. It’s a topical theme, but again, I feel like it could have played out differently.

I’m looking forward to seeing what is going to happen to Reid next. At least he’s in a better situation than the last episode.

7/10

#TBT Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Review

First watched in: 2016

Deep Space Nine is my favorite of the Star Treks. I’ve seen it twice and loved it both times. There’s a feeling of completion and satisfaction at the end, the idea that all roads led to there. Everyone’s story was finished. What is started in the first episode, ends in the last episode. And there’s quite a journey to take, despite being on a space station and therefore not really out exploring new worlds. You grow to love these characters and feel so protective of them as they go out to war over and over again. I cried when I watched the finale. Both times. That doesn’t always happen. So you should totally watch it.

My favorite episode is definitely "Far Beyond the Stars". It takes place in the 1950’s and shows the struggles of writers of a sci-fi magazine, especially the woman who writes under a pen name and the African American man who isn’t allowed to have an African American protagonist. It is a brilliant episode that uses science fiction to portray racial issues of the past that can carry over to today.

The main crew is an interesting assortment, carrying over the characters Worf and O’Brien from TNG, and bringing in new species, like a Trill, a Bajoran, a Ferengi, and a shape-shifter. And they’re all great characters who grow and learn and all those wonderful things, but what intrigues me more about DS9 is how much emphasis is placed on the secondary characters. They have centric episodes and arcs and relationships and backgrounds. From Nog to Garak, there is more to the DS9 crew than those whose names appeared in the opening credits. There’s even a character who doesn’t say a word in the entire series, and he has an episode all about him. A lot of these characters aren’t exactly “good” or “bad”, but sport a few shades of gray that varies from season to season. I love it. The main villain is a delight too, but I’ll let you discover him on your own.

Though the title of “favorite theme” will have to go to Voyager, I still enjoy the DS9 theme song and title sequence, especially the beginning, with the rock slowly moving through empty space until, in the distance, you see the station. Also, in season 7, there is a small scene with music therapy that I adored and listened to several times on my first watch (right after that I began transcribing it and hope to cover it some day). The little hints of music in Star Trek are always fun.

Deep Space Nine is a piece of science fiction that I will continue to watch and recommend for many, many reasons. Give it a watch!

Will I watch again? Yes!