On PLL, there were some fairly major revelations this week. First off, Cece is Red Coat. I will say that I was sort of hoping it would be Alison's heretofore unknown twin sister (a la the books) who was Red Coat, but oh well. Second, Ezra is (apparently) A. That was a major shock for me. Then I thought about it and I am sort of doubting the conclusion because the evidence is entirely too thin. Could he be A? Sure, but the conclusion is based on a lot of inferential thinking that does have other possible explanations. Also, I feel compelled to remind everyone that PLL is famous (or infamous) for apparently showing one thing and then giving it a *MAJOR* twist at some point to show that the previous thinking was wrong. Two quick examples of this are Toby's "death" and his joining the A-team.
This last observation actually applies to both revelations. First off, Cece could be a lackey of Red Coat and appeared in Ravenswood in the red coat in order to throw the girls off once she was wanted for the murder of Wilden. She could be Red Coat, but the revelation lacks serious punch if she is Red Coat, so I'll reserve judgment for the moment. I mainly want to focus on the Ezra revelation.
Here is what we know. The girls discover a lair with timelines of their lives, computers for observing them, and a closet of men's suits. They also bump into a woman who claims that Ali was alive after the night she disappeared and feared that a man was after her. Ali conveniently disappeared from the woman's car at the hospital, so there is no way to verify what the girls were told. After the girls leave the lair, a hooded figure enters and takes off the hood, so we see Ezra who is obviously pissed off about something.
Now, if Ezra is A, then he could be pissed off that the girls are on his trail and discovered his lair. However, it is equally possible that Ezra followed the girls in order to see what was going on and is pissed off that A is still around and is still after the girls. I will admit that I am hoping for the second, if only because I love Ezria and I don't want their whole relationship to be based on a lie. So, my thinking is not exactly impartial. However, much like with Toby's "body" in the spring, there is no concrete evidence, merely some inferences based on somewhat shaky evidence (ok, my hopes are based on the same, I must admit!). So I will definitely be holding onto the hope that Ezra was there for the second reason until it is clearly and definitively proved to be otherwise. Maybe they'll explain it in the October 22nd episode.
On Twisted, there were two revelations that rocked me on my heels. First off, the investigator brought in by the mayor to "help" Chief Masterson had argued with Regina and had scratched her arm. This would most definitely explain why she is so eager to "prove" that it was Danny. I cannot believe that *NO ONE* pointed out that finding the knife was *EXTREMELY* convenient and that (miraculously?) has Danny's fingerprints on it. Sorry, but I am calling a serious foul here. The second revelation is that Vikram is still alive and that Jo's mom knows it! That one seriously rocked me. Given this, here is my theory of what happened:
Vikram and Regina either had an affair or Regina had something on Vikram. Regina threatened to expose Vikram, so he sent the private investigator to talk with her and they had an argument in which Regina was scratched. Later, Vikram either killed Regina or sent someone to do it for him. He ordered that the necklace be taken and then got it into Danny's locker at school.
Thoughts?
[UPDATED] Apparently I was wrong. I just read this article on TVLine.com, this article on EW.com, and this article on eonline.com it appears that Ezra really is A and is not just doing something to protect the girls. This should be interesting.....
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
My Review of Under the Dome Episode 10- Let the Games Begin
Linda and Julia investigate the fuel and find out some unpleasant truths, Maxine continues to pull the strings, Big Jim goes exploring, Barbie takes matters into his own hands, and the kids do their own thing....
I am not sure how much longer Maxine will have Big Jim and Barbie under her thumb. Barbie has told Julia everything that happened and she appears to have accepted his word for it after her investigation and Big Jim found Maxine's mom and seems to think that he has gotten what he needed. So, will Maxine be able to hold anything over the two of them? I know she'll be pissed when she finds out that Big Jim left her mother to drown. Whether or not she is actually dead is up for debate. We never saw a body, but they implied pretty heavily that she did drown, seeing as her hand were tied and what not. Interestingly, Maxine's mom was an old classmate of Big Jim's who dropped out of high school after getting pregnant with Maxine. Talk about revenge being a dish best served cold....
The truth was so not a pleasant thing for Julia. She found out that her husband basically committed suicide by Barbie in order to leave her with life insurance money so that she could keep the house. I was definitely surprised that she took everything as calmly as she did. I wonder if it is the calm before the storm or if she is resigned to the worst about her husband. And I so hope Barbie doesn't have anymore skeletons in his closet because if he does, she is not going to be as understanding. I also wonder if they'll actually stay together or if this will drive them apart.
When Joe found out what Junior did, he was pissed. And rightfully so. But, as Angie pointed out, Junior was needed to help with the mini dome (I so called that last week!). Between his having a seizure a while ago (years I think) and the picture from his mom, he is as connected to the mini dome as Joe, Norrie, and Angie are. And the mini dome shows itself to be a projection of stars. I think I also saw a room plan of some sort, but that could have been something else. In fairness to Angie, what happened did initially slip out and I know there was no way that Joe was going to let that particular comment go unexplored. The only question is, what's next?
I will say that having the kids have a separate storyline bugs me a little bit. They really needs to get this storyline connected to everything else PDQ. I get why they are hiding everything given the fear that this town has shown thus far when odd things happen, but they do need to tell someone. We also need to see what part they have in the bigger scheme of things.
Poor Linda. She finds out that she has been kept in the dark on so many things. Duke was hiding the truth about the propane and drugs from her because he was trying to save the town. He made the deal so that Maxine would keep her drugs out of Chester's Mill and so that other kids wouldn't die the way his son did. Linda also has to deal with the fact that Big Jim has been involved in this thing up to his neck. So, what will she do? So hope we get to see this conversation.
Until next week!
I am not sure how much longer Maxine will have Big Jim and Barbie under her thumb. Barbie has told Julia everything that happened and she appears to have accepted his word for it after her investigation and Big Jim found Maxine's mom and seems to think that he has gotten what he needed. So, will Maxine be able to hold anything over the two of them? I know she'll be pissed when she finds out that Big Jim left her mother to drown. Whether or not she is actually dead is up for debate. We never saw a body, but they implied pretty heavily that she did drown, seeing as her hand were tied and what not. Interestingly, Maxine's mom was an old classmate of Big Jim's who dropped out of high school after getting pregnant with Maxine. Talk about revenge being a dish best served cold....
The truth was so not a pleasant thing for Julia. She found out that her husband basically committed suicide by Barbie in order to leave her with life insurance money so that she could keep the house. I was definitely surprised that she took everything as calmly as she did. I wonder if it is the calm before the storm or if she is resigned to the worst about her husband. And I so hope Barbie doesn't have anymore skeletons in his closet because if he does, she is not going to be as understanding. I also wonder if they'll actually stay together or if this will drive them apart.
When Joe found out what Junior did, he was pissed. And rightfully so. But, as Angie pointed out, Junior was needed to help with the mini dome (I so called that last week!). Between his having a seizure a while ago (years I think) and the picture from his mom, he is as connected to the mini dome as Joe, Norrie, and Angie are. And the mini dome shows itself to be a projection of stars. I think I also saw a room plan of some sort, but that could have been something else. In fairness to Angie, what happened did initially slip out and I know there was no way that Joe was going to let that particular comment go unexplored. The only question is, what's next?
I will say that having the kids have a separate storyline bugs me a little bit. They really needs to get this storyline connected to everything else PDQ. I get why they are hiding everything given the fear that this town has shown thus far when odd things happen, but they do need to tell someone. We also need to see what part they have in the bigger scheme of things.
Poor Linda. She finds out that she has been kept in the dark on so many things. Duke was hiding the truth about the propane and drugs from her because he was trying to save the town. He made the deal so that Maxine would keep her drugs out of Chester's Mill and so that other kids wouldn't die the way his son did. Linda also has to deal with the fact that Big Jim has been involved in this thing up to his neck. So, what will she do? So hope we get to see this conversation.
Until next week!
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
My Review of Under the Dome Episode 9- The Fourth Hand
We meet Barbie's boss and she has a surprising connection to another character. The mini-dome disappears, Junior appears to have calmed down a bit, Linda investigates the propane, and Big Jim has an interesting request of the town....
So, Barbie's boss is also Big Jim's boss. Or, at least, she is the one supplying him with what he needs to make drugs. Nice woman. And apparently Barbie knows her in the biblical sense of the word. Talk about a complicated relationship. Barbie and Big Jim are barely getting along, but now they find out that they are working for the same person. Oh, and Maxine (the boss) has enough dirt on both of them to keep them in line and doing what she wants. Gotta say that she seems to be an absolute sweetheart and someone I would love to have as a next door neighbor. One of the first things she does is get Big Jim to do a "voluntary" confiscation of all weapons in Chester Mill. Please note the quotes because when a man who earlier accidentally shot his neighbor doesn't turn his guns, Big Jim goes to get them. Gotta love this definition of voluntary. <eyes rolling> I must admit that I was wondering if Barbie was going to take a shot at Big Jim. I figured it wouldn't happen, but it was fun to imagine, I must admit.
Julia went to show Barbie the mini-dome and it was gone. Poor Julia. Turns out Joe went out in the middle of the night, dug it up, and brought it back to his barn. The question is what was controlling him since Angie said that he was walking like a zombie. Why she didn't stop him, we'll never know. I know that if I saw one of my brothers (or my sister) walking like a zombie at 3 in the morning, I would at the very least follow them to see what was up. I would probably stop them if I thought there was no danger in doing so. The really interesting thing is that when Angie, Norrie, and Joe put their hands on the mini-dome, it lit up where their hands were and a place for a fourth hand lit up too. So, to whom does the fourth hand belong? Could it be Junior who was painted in a picture with pink stars falling around him 9 years ago? Could it be one of Joe's friends? Or, could it be someone else entirely? I am going to go with Junior for a couple of reasons. First off, the aforementioned picture seems to indicate him. Secondly. Joe and Norrie are a couple, so having Angie and Junior as a second couple would make for nice symmetry. Twisted, but nice nonetheless.
I was surprised at how easily Junior seems to have gotten Angie to trust him. Granted, he did help her after the seizure and did bring her back to her house, but still. You also have to wonder if he is actually off his rocker. Is it possible that he and/or his mom have some sort of psychic sense that tells them about the true nature of things and that is how he knew that Angie was being affected by the dome? Or, is he actually crazy and therefore able to see things that others miss?
Linda needs to be careful. She is investigating something very, very hazardous to her health. I have no doubt that if she stumbles across the truth and Maxine finds out about it, Maxine will have her killed or (at the very least) put away somewhere. I am glad that she is such a dogged investigator, but that sort of thing can get you in trouble. Be careful dear.
Until next week!
So, Barbie's boss is also Big Jim's boss. Or, at least, she is the one supplying him with what he needs to make drugs. Nice woman. And apparently Barbie knows her in the biblical sense of the word. Talk about a complicated relationship. Barbie and Big Jim are barely getting along, but now they find out that they are working for the same person. Oh, and Maxine (the boss) has enough dirt on both of them to keep them in line and doing what she wants. Gotta say that she seems to be an absolute sweetheart and someone I would love to have as a next door neighbor. One of the first things she does is get Big Jim to do a "voluntary" confiscation of all weapons in Chester Mill. Please note the quotes because when a man who earlier accidentally shot his neighbor doesn't turn his guns, Big Jim goes to get them. Gotta love this definition of voluntary. <eyes rolling> I must admit that I was wondering if Barbie was going to take a shot at Big Jim. I figured it wouldn't happen, but it was fun to imagine, I must admit.
Julia went to show Barbie the mini-dome and it was gone. Poor Julia. Turns out Joe went out in the middle of the night, dug it up, and brought it back to his barn. The question is what was controlling him since Angie said that he was walking like a zombie. Why she didn't stop him, we'll never know. I know that if I saw one of my brothers (or my sister) walking like a zombie at 3 in the morning, I would at the very least follow them to see what was up. I would probably stop them if I thought there was no danger in doing so. The really interesting thing is that when Angie, Norrie, and Joe put their hands on the mini-dome, it lit up where their hands were and a place for a fourth hand lit up too. So, to whom does the fourth hand belong? Could it be Junior who was painted in a picture with pink stars falling around him 9 years ago? Could it be one of Joe's friends? Or, could it be someone else entirely? I am going to go with Junior for a couple of reasons. First off, the aforementioned picture seems to indicate him. Secondly. Joe and Norrie are a couple, so having Angie and Junior as a second couple would make for nice symmetry. Twisted, but nice nonetheless.
I was surprised at how easily Junior seems to have gotten Angie to trust him. Granted, he did help her after the seizure and did bring her back to her house, but still. You also have to wonder if he is actually off his rocker. Is it possible that he and/or his mom have some sort of psychic sense that tells them about the true nature of things and that is how he knew that Angie was being affected by the dome? Or, is he actually crazy and therefore able to see things that others miss?
Linda needs to be careful. She is investigating something very, very hazardous to her health. I have no doubt that if she stumbles across the truth and Maxine finds out about it, Maxine will have her killed or (at the very least) put away somewhere. I am glad that she is such a dogged investigator, but that sort of thing can get you in trouble. Be careful dear.
Until next week!
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Some thoughts on Scott's Pack and Derek
Last night, after I wrote my review, I had some thoughts about Scott's pack and Derek that I wanted to share.
What I was thinking about Scott's pack, I've basically said before, but I think it bears repeating. First off, it is a very eclectic group which is its biggest strength. It consists of a human (Stiles), a werewolf hunter (Alison), a banshee (Lydia), a werewolf (Isaac), a druid advisor (Deaton), and 2 (possibly 3) former (possibly present) Alphas (Ethan, Aiden, and Derek). It is being protected by a healer (Ms. McCall), a lawman (Sheriff Stilinski), and a werewolf hunter (Mr. Argent). It also has 2 other potential members in the form of a druid advisor (Ms. Morell) and a human (Danny via Ethan) as well as one potential protector (Mr. McCall). This is quite the group with different skills and talents to bring to bear and that makes them quite formidable as many a supernatural creature has discovered.
The other thing about this group is that they have managed to defeat every enemy that they have come across. First it was Peter, then Derek's pack (even getting some of them to join), and then the Alpha pack (doing the same re. joining) and Ms. Blake. Trying to fight Scott's pack is extremely difficult, not because they are the strongest or the best, but because they are bound together by love and mutual admiration. There is no forced bonding here, every member chooses to belong for their own reasons. The other thing that makes them difficult to fight are the different skills and fighting styles. Trying to fight another enemy (say the Alpha pack) is easier because they are all basically straight physical attackers. Scott's pack uses different means, methods, and styles that means that an enemy has to be *VERY* flexible to fight them.
Of course, this strength can also be a singular weakness. Because the bonds are voluntary, they are easier to break than other bonds. Also, the group will be subject to great internal tension as Scott learns how to be a leader and as the group figures out how to deal with the expansion it has just undergone.
Then there is Derek. Some people may think that I have been overly harsh on Derek recently and I may have been. Derek is the classic tragic character. I do not doubt his intentions or his innate goodness. He is a good person and wants what is best. The problem is that he is in over his head and refuses to look for outside help. When I said that he has been useless, it is because he has not done much good recently. Granted, he came up with an insta-ploy that helped defeat Ms. Blake, but it has been a long time between that and his previous good idea. His plans suck, he consistently bites off more than he can chew, he is one of the worst leaders I have seen, and he has lost his entire pack to death or abandonment. As a Beta in Scott's pack, I think he will be much better. He won't have the pressure of leadership that he has had since killing Peter in the S1 finale and he'll be able to help if needed. So I do hope he comes back in that sort of capacity.
What I was thinking about Scott's pack, I've basically said before, but I think it bears repeating. First off, it is a very eclectic group which is its biggest strength. It consists of a human (Stiles), a werewolf hunter (Alison), a banshee (Lydia), a werewolf (Isaac), a druid advisor (Deaton), and 2 (possibly 3) former (possibly present) Alphas (Ethan, Aiden, and Derek). It is being protected by a healer (Ms. McCall), a lawman (Sheriff Stilinski), and a werewolf hunter (Mr. Argent). It also has 2 other potential members in the form of a druid advisor (Ms. Morell) and a human (Danny via Ethan) as well as one potential protector (Mr. McCall). This is quite the group with different skills and talents to bring to bear and that makes them quite formidable as many a supernatural creature has discovered.
The other thing about this group is that they have managed to defeat every enemy that they have come across. First it was Peter, then Derek's pack (even getting some of them to join), and then the Alpha pack (doing the same re. joining) and Ms. Blake. Trying to fight Scott's pack is extremely difficult, not because they are the strongest or the best, but because they are bound together by love and mutual admiration. There is no forced bonding here, every member chooses to belong for their own reasons. The other thing that makes them difficult to fight are the different skills and fighting styles. Trying to fight another enemy (say the Alpha pack) is easier because they are all basically straight physical attackers. Scott's pack uses different means, methods, and styles that means that an enemy has to be *VERY* flexible to fight them.
Of course, this strength can also be a singular weakness. Because the bonds are voluntary, they are easier to break than other bonds. Also, the group will be subject to great internal tension as Scott learns how to be a leader and as the group figures out how to deal with the expansion it has just undergone.
Then there is Derek. Some people may think that I have been overly harsh on Derek recently and I may have been. Derek is the classic tragic character. I do not doubt his intentions or his innate goodness. He is a good person and wants what is best. The problem is that he is in over his head and refuses to look for outside help. When I said that he has been useless, it is because he has not done much good recently. Granted, he came up with an insta-ploy that helped defeat Ms. Blake, but it has been a long time between that and his previous good idea. His plans suck, he consistently bites off more than he can chew, he is one of the worst leaders I have seen, and he has lost his entire pack to death or abandonment. As a Beta in Scott's pack, I think he will be much better. He won't have the pressure of leadership that he has had since killing Peter in the S1 finale and he'll be able to help if needed. So I do hope he comes back in that sort of capacity.
My Review of Teen Wolf 3.12- Lunar Ellipse
Scott does the impossible, Ms. Blake does the unthinkable, Deucalion shows his true self, and Peter shows his true colors....
Well, Ms. Blake is officially dead. After having her throat slashed by Deucalion and retreating to the chamber to heal again, she meets Peter who kills her with finality. What puzzled me was what he said as he killed her. Killing her was no surprise; come on, this is Peter Hale; but after she said that he would steal Scott's Alpha power, he shouted that he was always an Alpha. I suspect that he meant that he was able to lead, even if only through manipulation, but what if being brought back by Lydia did actually restore his powers? That would be weird, because he hasn't used them since he came back, but given how cunning and untrustworthy he is, it would not surprise me. I don't think it is the case, but I could be wrong.
Deucalion managed to escape with his life because Scott and Derek allowed him to. He also got his sight back, thanks to Derek tricking Ms. Blake into healing him. After Scott's little display (see below), I don't blame Deucalion for leaving. The question is whether or not he'll come back. His Alpha pack has been decimated, Scott has become an Alpha, and he is alive because of mercy. I am curious as to what (if anything) he will do in the future.
Scott has fully embraced his True Alpha side and managed to do something that was thought to be impossible. After Ms. Blake threw down a circle of mountain ash, Scott managed (with considerable effort) to push through the circle and break it. Whether this is a True Alpha ability or something unique to Scott remains to be seen. I suspect that since mountain ash is a protective measure and a True Alpha is made one because of their innate goodness, this ability is one that all True Alphas have. It may also be something that can only be done periodically. Or, it is also possible that now that Scott has truly embraced his Alphaness, he can go through it easier next time. I know that is not really saying anything, but there is very little to go on, so speculation will be of little use.
And Scott's pack has (apparently) been enlarged. Ethan and Aiden have apparently thrown their lot in with Scott. I say apparently because they are (presumably) still Alphas and it is possible that they will either leave or try and form their own pack. I suspect that they will stay with Scott because of Danny and Lydia respectively, but I could easily be wrong. Either way, this will be very interesting. With 3 (possibly 4) Alphas in the same town, life will be exciting. I think that Scott (as a True Alpha) will be preeminent since his power is purer. Ethan has definitely shown signs of a good heart and a conscience and Aiden seems to be starting to show the same.
Derek and Cora have both left. I do not think that Derek is gone permanently, but I do think that Cora is gone pretty much permanently given the fact that Adelaide is the lead on Reign. If she is back, it will be sporadically. Derek leaving is a good thing because he has become more and more useless as time has gone on. I hope he comes back, even if it is only for a visit, but he will have to take a back seat to Scott now. I do not think that he will have an issue with that, but I could be wrong.
Scott's dad is back and the temperature in the McCall house is subzero. Scott has some *MAJOR* issues with his dad and he is not afraid to let his dad know about it. Watching this relationship develop will be truly interesting. I think that he will sneak around and figure out what is going on. It is questionable whether or not Scott needs him since he has protectors in the form of his mom, Sheriff Stilinski, and Mr. Argent. Having all three adults around should prove useful to Scott as he learns about leadership.
Speaking of leadership, Alison is stepping up to the plate in the best possible way. She is insisting that her dad teach her about fighting because of what is coming to Beacon Hills as a result of what she, Scott, and Stiles did. Just had a thought. I wonder if Scott's willingness to sacrifice himself, coupled with the determination to go through the mountain ash, was what pushed him over the edge into True Alphadom. Speaking of the ritual, we learned something interesting. At least, I don't remember it being said before. The night that Scott was bit, the vehicle that nearly hit him was driven by Mrs. Argent with Alison inside. Also, Scott, Stiles, and Alison were all by the stump that night. Also, the drawing that Scott was showing Derek as the inspiration for his tattoo, was a picture of the stump. Weird, but cool.
So, Teen Wolf comes back for Season 3B on January 6th. Will be back with more Teen Wolf reviews then. Tomorrow, I will put out my Under the Dome review. Under the Dome will last until the middle of September and in the fall, I will be writing reviews for The Vampire Diaries, Arrow, and (hopefully) The Originals. Until then!
Well, Ms. Blake is officially dead. After having her throat slashed by Deucalion and retreating to the chamber to heal again, she meets Peter who kills her with finality. What puzzled me was what he said as he killed her. Killing her was no surprise; come on, this is Peter Hale; but after she said that he would steal Scott's Alpha power, he shouted that he was always an Alpha. I suspect that he meant that he was able to lead, even if only through manipulation, but what if being brought back by Lydia did actually restore his powers? That would be weird, because he hasn't used them since he came back, but given how cunning and untrustworthy he is, it would not surprise me. I don't think it is the case, but I could be wrong.
Deucalion managed to escape with his life because Scott and Derek allowed him to. He also got his sight back, thanks to Derek tricking Ms. Blake into healing him. After Scott's little display (see below), I don't blame Deucalion for leaving. The question is whether or not he'll come back. His Alpha pack has been decimated, Scott has become an Alpha, and he is alive because of mercy. I am curious as to what (if anything) he will do in the future.
Scott has fully embraced his True Alpha side and managed to do something that was thought to be impossible. After Ms. Blake threw down a circle of mountain ash, Scott managed (with considerable effort) to push through the circle and break it. Whether this is a True Alpha ability or something unique to Scott remains to be seen. I suspect that since mountain ash is a protective measure and a True Alpha is made one because of their innate goodness, this ability is one that all True Alphas have. It may also be something that can only be done periodically. Or, it is also possible that now that Scott has truly embraced his Alphaness, he can go through it easier next time. I know that is not really saying anything, but there is very little to go on, so speculation will be of little use.
And Scott's pack has (apparently) been enlarged. Ethan and Aiden have apparently thrown their lot in with Scott. I say apparently because they are (presumably) still Alphas and it is possible that they will either leave or try and form their own pack. I suspect that they will stay with Scott because of Danny and Lydia respectively, but I could easily be wrong. Either way, this will be very interesting. With 3 (possibly 4) Alphas in the same town, life will be exciting. I think that Scott (as a True Alpha) will be preeminent since his power is purer. Ethan has definitely shown signs of a good heart and a conscience and Aiden seems to be starting to show the same.
Derek and Cora have both left. I do not think that Derek is gone permanently, but I do think that Cora is gone pretty much permanently given the fact that Adelaide is the lead on Reign. If she is back, it will be sporadically. Derek leaving is a good thing because he has become more and more useless as time has gone on. I hope he comes back, even if it is only for a visit, but he will have to take a back seat to Scott now. I do not think that he will have an issue with that, but I could be wrong.
Scott's dad is back and the temperature in the McCall house is subzero. Scott has some *MAJOR* issues with his dad and he is not afraid to let his dad know about it. Watching this relationship develop will be truly interesting. I think that he will sneak around and figure out what is going on. It is questionable whether or not Scott needs him since he has protectors in the form of his mom, Sheriff Stilinski, and Mr. Argent. Having all three adults around should prove useful to Scott as he learns about leadership.
Speaking of leadership, Alison is stepping up to the plate in the best possible way. She is insisting that her dad teach her about fighting because of what is coming to Beacon Hills as a result of what she, Scott, and Stiles did. Just had a thought. I wonder if Scott's willingness to sacrifice himself, coupled with the determination to go through the mountain ash, was what pushed him over the edge into True Alphadom. Speaking of the ritual, we learned something interesting. At least, I don't remember it being said before. The night that Scott was bit, the vehicle that nearly hit him was driven by Mrs. Argent with Alison inside. Also, Scott, Stiles, and Alison were all by the stump that night. Also, the drawing that Scott was showing Derek as the inspiration for his tattoo, was a picture of the stump. Weird, but cool.
So, Teen Wolf comes back for Season 3B on January 6th. Will be back with more Teen Wolf reviews then. Tomorrow, I will put out my Under the Dome review. Under the Dome will last until the middle of September and in the fall, I will be writing reviews for The Vampire Diaries, Arrow, and (hopefully) The Originals. Until then!
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
My Review of Under the Dome Episode 8- Thicker than Water
A father-son showdown occurs, Barbie faces off against Big Jim, Joe shows Julia the minidome, Norrie goes through grief stages awfully fast, and someone else dies....
Let's start with Norrie. While I appreciate the stages of grief, she moved through them entirely too quickly. I get that this is TV, so things are accelerated, but going through the stages as quickly as she did is a tad unrealistic. In the space of one hour of TV (maybe a day in show time), she went from depressed to angry at Joe to blaming Joe to blaming her mom to blaming herself. Each of these stages is true, but I do not think anyone (even an emotionally volatile teenager) would go through all of these as fast as she did. I think it would have been a lot better to have gone through them over a week or two of the show. Just saying.
Julia now knows about the minidome and the egg, which is now pink. When she touched the minidome, she saw Joe appear and say "The monarch will be crowned." The weird part is that Joe was there with her. Apparently the minidome allows people to see different things. I do wonder if it was connected to Alice's death. I suspect that the minidome allowed Norrie and Joe to see Alice because she died rather than causing her death directly. If I am correct, the minidome would be a conduit of sorts to the large dome or whatever is controlling it.
When I first heard the phrase about the monarch, I assumed (logically) that a new leader would come forth to lead the people of Chester's Mill. It could still be that, but given the monarch butterfly on Angie's shoulder, I suspect it is something else. She could rise up and lead people or she may rise up for another purpose. Given the previews for next week, it would appear that she will join Joe and Norrie in the dome communication crew. I wonder if she and Joe were meant to be the communicators given their kinship, and Norrie was chosen because Angie was not around.
Big Jim had a bad week. Olly is using the water as part of a bid to gain power in Chester's Mill and Big Jim is more or less powerless to stop him short of an assault on Olly's farm, an incident that leads to the death of 5 (maybe 6) people and the wounding of another. The reason I say "maybe 6" is that I am unsure if Barbie was counting Olly among the dead or not. Given the fact that he was not present when Junior killed Olly leads me to suspect that he was not counting Olly, but I could be wrong.
Barbie's plan was trickier, but ultimately the right choice. Turns out that Olly's family siphoned all available underground water to their well years ago. That would make them thieves which places Big Jim ever so slightly on the right side. The problem is that I think Barbie was correct, Big Jim wanted to seize the water to enhance his own power. When Barbie bombed the well, he dispersed the water which means that Big Jim cannot use the water for his own aggrandizement. Barbie and Big Jim are definitely going to come to blows (at the very least metaphorical if not actual) soon. Both of them has told the other that it is a bad thing to have them as an enemy. So which is the worse enemy?
Junior learned some unpleasant news about his mom. Turns out that she killed herself in the car accident. She was unstable and drove herself into a tree. I would feel sorry for Junior if he weren't a total loon. He is mercurial and he has guns. This makes him very dangerous. He claimed that he went to Olly's side in order to destroy him from within, but I call bull. Junior was pissed at daddy, so he joined Olly. After daddy told him the truth about his mom, he killed Olly when Olly threatened Big Jim. I so do not trust this guy.
Until next week!
Let's start with Norrie. While I appreciate the stages of grief, she moved through them entirely too quickly. I get that this is TV, so things are accelerated, but going through the stages as quickly as she did is a tad unrealistic. In the space of one hour of TV (maybe a day in show time), she went from depressed to angry at Joe to blaming Joe to blaming her mom to blaming herself. Each of these stages is true, but I do not think anyone (even an emotionally volatile teenager) would go through all of these as fast as she did. I think it would have been a lot better to have gone through them over a week or two of the show. Just saying.
Julia now knows about the minidome and the egg, which is now pink. When she touched the minidome, she saw Joe appear and say "The monarch will be crowned." The weird part is that Joe was there with her. Apparently the minidome allows people to see different things. I do wonder if it was connected to Alice's death. I suspect that the minidome allowed Norrie and Joe to see Alice because she died rather than causing her death directly. If I am correct, the minidome would be a conduit of sorts to the large dome or whatever is controlling it.
When I first heard the phrase about the monarch, I assumed (logically) that a new leader would come forth to lead the people of Chester's Mill. It could still be that, but given the monarch butterfly on Angie's shoulder, I suspect it is something else. She could rise up and lead people or she may rise up for another purpose. Given the previews for next week, it would appear that she will join Joe and Norrie in the dome communication crew. I wonder if she and Joe were meant to be the communicators given their kinship, and Norrie was chosen because Angie was not around.
Big Jim had a bad week. Olly is using the water as part of a bid to gain power in Chester's Mill and Big Jim is more or less powerless to stop him short of an assault on Olly's farm, an incident that leads to the death of 5 (maybe 6) people and the wounding of another. The reason I say "maybe 6" is that I am unsure if Barbie was counting Olly among the dead or not. Given the fact that he was not present when Junior killed Olly leads me to suspect that he was not counting Olly, but I could be wrong.
Barbie's plan was trickier, but ultimately the right choice. Turns out that Olly's family siphoned all available underground water to their well years ago. That would make them thieves which places Big Jim ever so slightly on the right side. The problem is that I think Barbie was correct, Big Jim wanted to seize the water to enhance his own power. When Barbie bombed the well, he dispersed the water which means that Big Jim cannot use the water for his own aggrandizement. Barbie and Big Jim are definitely going to come to blows (at the very least metaphorical if not actual) soon. Both of them has told the other that it is a bad thing to have them as an enemy. So which is the worse enemy?
Junior learned some unpleasant news about his mom. Turns out that she killed herself in the car accident. She was unstable and drove herself into a tree. I would feel sorry for Junior if he weren't a total loon. He is mercurial and he has guns. This makes him very dangerous. He claimed that he went to Olly's side in order to destroy him from within, but I call bull. Junior was pissed at daddy, so he joined Olly. After daddy told him the truth about his mom, he killed Olly when Olly threatened Big Jim. I so do not trust this guy.
Until next week!
My Review of Teen Wolf 3.11- Alpha Pact
Scott, Alison, Stiles, Mr. Argent, and Derek all make major decisions; a new character is introduced with major ties to two other characters; Lydia finds an interesting way to help Stiles; a new relationship appears to be forming; and a showdown is prepared for.
Mr. McCall is an FBI agent. That was unexpected. When he first appeared in the episode, I was wondering if maybe I had forgotten a character who had appeared previously. There was obviously bad blood between him and Stile because Stiles was snarky, and not in his normal funny way. Rather, it was a rude and mean way. Amusing, sure, but out of character until Stiles mentioned that he was Scott's dad and then everything made sense. He left Scott and his mom which caused Stiles and his dad to be extremely unfond of him. It is pretty obvious that he still cares about Scott (and maybe his mom too) given the look on his face when he was in Scott's room. I definitely look forward to seeing more of him.
Derek has chosen to sacrifice his Alpha abilities in order to cure Cora. I am not surprised really. He is (understandably) being very hard on himself about what happened to her and is willing to do anything to cure her, even if it means that he will die (now or at Kali's claws later). Whether or not this is a good idea is up for debate. I totally understand and applaud the decision, but I do wonder if it was the best one because it does leave him at a distinct disadvantage should he fight Kali. Then again, if he is no longer an Alpha, he may no longer be of interest to her. Please note the word "may" there. The fact that he was a True Alpha may still cause her or Deucalion to be interested in him, so no guarantees on that front.
I was shocked that Mr. Argent chose to let Ms. Blake kidnap him. While it may make a weird sort of sense, it does weaken Scott's pack during the upcoming fight. As I've noted before, the power of Scott's pack is that it is a diverse group of people and werewolves each of whom have unique abilities that contribute to a fight in different ways. Granted, being kidnapped led him directly to Sheriff Stilinski and Ms. McCall which enabled him to activate the ultrasonic beacon in order to draw the wolves to him, but still, it did not seem like the best idea. I will say that he has shown himself to be a good strategic thinker, so he probably has a good plan in mind. In fact, I would not be totally surprised if he and Scott somehow came up with a contingency plan like this in case it was needed.
Scott's loyalties are not completely with Deucalion and the Alpha pack. I was a little unsure after last week, but he clearly demonstrated that he has formed a temporary alliance with Deucalion in order to procure the release of his mom and Sheriff Stilinski. From the way he protected Ms. Morell from the Alpha pack to leaving them in order to confer with Stiles and Dr. Deaton, he is clearly still his own person. I suspect that a part of this is that Scott will have to choose to be a part of the Alpha pack; in other words, he cannot be forced into it. There is probably more to it, but I do think that is part of it.
I am intrigued at the relationship that is forming between Alison and Isaac. I am not sure if it will turn into something romantic, but it is interesting. He is definitely growing more comfortable around her to the point that he hugged her in order to comfort her tonight. If they do develop romantic feelings, I wonder how it will impact Scott's pack. Will the fact that Scott is still in love with her cause problems of a wolfy nature given Scott's status or will he choose to step aside temporarily convinced that Alison will eventually dump Isaac and return to him?
Love how Lydia stopped Stiles' panic attack. Kissing Stiles full on the mouth is guaranteed to make him lose his breath. I was telling her to either slap him or kiss him in order to help him regain control, and I was highly amused when she kissed him. I was particularly amused by the music that swelled in the background. It reminded me of some of Xander and Cordelia's first kisses on Buffy.
Dr. Deaton's plan is most dangerous. Basically, he is going to sacrifice Scott, Stiles, and Alison in the place of their respective parents in order to stop Ms. Blake from completing the ceremony. After a few moments, he will (hopefully) revive them. There are three issues. First off, they may in fact not be able to be revived. Secondly, the amount of power that will be released will draw other (nastier!) supernatural creatures to Beacon Hills. Thirdly, it will link the three of them and "scar" their hearts. I do not think it will affect Scott's status as a True Alpha, but you never know. I was interested in the people chosen to kill each one. None were unexpected, but they were interesting. Isaac held Alison down, Lydia got Stiles, and Deaton got Scott. Each of them has an emotional connection that will aid in the revival process.
Next week, the showdown between the various groups....
Mr. McCall is an FBI agent. That was unexpected. When he first appeared in the episode, I was wondering if maybe I had forgotten a character who had appeared previously. There was obviously bad blood between him and Stile because Stiles was snarky, and not in his normal funny way. Rather, it was a rude and mean way. Amusing, sure, but out of character until Stiles mentioned that he was Scott's dad and then everything made sense. He left Scott and his mom which caused Stiles and his dad to be extremely unfond of him. It is pretty obvious that he still cares about Scott (and maybe his mom too) given the look on his face when he was in Scott's room. I definitely look forward to seeing more of him.
Derek has chosen to sacrifice his Alpha abilities in order to cure Cora. I am not surprised really. He is (understandably) being very hard on himself about what happened to her and is willing to do anything to cure her, even if it means that he will die (now or at Kali's claws later). Whether or not this is a good idea is up for debate. I totally understand and applaud the decision, but I do wonder if it was the best one because it does leave him at a distinct disadvantage should he fight Kali. Then again, if he is no longer an Alpha, he may no longer be of interest to her. Please note the word "may" there. The fact that he was a True Alpha may still cause her or Deucalion to be interested in him, so no guarantees on that front.
I was shocked that Mr. Argent chose to let Ms. Blake kidnap him. While it may make a weird sort of sense, it does weaken Scott's pack during the upcoming fight. As I've noted before, the power of Scott's pack is that it is a diverse group of people and werewolves each of whom have unique abilities that contribute to a fight in different ways. Granted, being kidnapped led him directly to Sheriff Stilinski and Ms. McCall which enabled him to activate the ultrasonic beacon in order to draw the wolves to him, but still, it did not seem like the best idea. I will say that he has shown himself to be a good strategic thinker, so he probably has a good plan in mind. In fact, I would not be totally surprised if he and Scott somehow came up with a contingency plan like this in case it was needed.
Scott's loyalties are not completely with Deucalion and the Alpha pack. I was a little unsure after last week, but he clearly demonstrated that he has formed a temporary alliance with Deucalion in order to procure the release of his mom and Sheriff Stilinski. From the way he protected Ms. Morell from the Alpha pack to leaving them in order to confer with Stiles and Dr. Deaton, he is clearly still his own person. I suspect that a part of this is that Scott will have to choose to be a part of the Alpha pack; in other words, he cannot be forced into it. There is probably more to it, but I do think that is part of it.
I am intrigued at the relationship that is forming between Alison and Isaac. I am not sure if it will turn into something romantic, but it is interesting. He is definitely growing more comfortable around her to the point that he hugged her in order to comfort her tonight. If they do develop romantic feelings, I wonder how it will impact Scott's pack. Will the fact that Scott is still in love with her cause problems of a wolfy nature given Scott's status or will he choose to step aside temporarily convinced that Alison will eventually dump Isaac and return to him?
Love how Lydia stopped Stiles' panic attack. Kissing Stiles full on the mouth is guaranteed to make him lose his breath. I was telling her to either slap him or kiss him in order to help him regain control, and I was highly amused when she kissed him. I was particularly amused by the music that swelled in the background. It reminded me of some of Xander and Cordelia's first kisses on Buffy.
Dr. Deaton's plan is most dangerous. Basically, he is going to sacrifice Scott, Stiles, and Alison in the place of their respective parents in order to stop Ms. Blake from completing the ceremony. After a few moments, he will (hopefully) revive them. There are three issues. First off, they may in fact not be able to be revived. Secondly, the amount of power that will be released will draw other (nastier!) supernatural creatures to Beacon Hills. Thirdly, it will link the three of them and "scar" their hearts. I do not think it will affect Scott's status as a True Alpha, but you never know. I was interested in the people chosen to kill each one. None were unexpected, but they were interesting. Isaac held Alison down, Lydia got Stiles, and Deaton got Scott. Each of them has an emotional connection that will aid in the revival process.
Next week, the showdown between the various groups....
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
My Review of Under the Dome Episode 7- Imperfect Signals
A new life enters the dome, Joe and Norrie discover something new in the center of the dome, Big Jim takes a shocking step, and Junior finds out about what almost happened to Angie....
Joe and Norrie are definitely running for cutest couple. The two of them are adorable together. After the events of last week, they decided to explore the dome some more to see if they could get more information about their connection to the dome. I have to say that making out on the dome was an interesting way to figure things out. :-) I do want to know what was up with the mini dome in the middle of the woods. Is that some downscaled version of the dome, a power source for the dome, or something else entirely? And what is that black egg in the mini dome? Also, why was the mini dome showing visions of other people? yeah, a bunch of questions and I am *SO* looking forward to answers.
Big Jim had a roller coaster of a week. First off, his "friend" from last week manages to find the propane stockpile and uses it to force Big Jim to bow to his wishes. While Jim's response was not too surprising, I was surprised at the form it took. I assumed that Jim would shoot the guy, instead he blew up with truck. Impressive shooting, but also surprising. And Big Jim set himself up for a major collision with Junior over Angie. He told Junior, in no uncertain terms, that he was to stay away from Angie. Jim even kicked Junior out of the house. Given Junior's instability (and the preview for next week), I am not all that certain about Jim's future.
Barbie, Julia, Alice, and Carolyn brought a new life into the dome in the form of a baby to one of Julia's neighbors. Love that the baby was named after Alice and that Barbie took over so smoothly when he was needed. He is really good for people to help them stay calm and what not. I just fear what will happen if/when they find out that he killed Julia's husband. Fortunately, he and Junior seem to have come to an uneasy truce, so there will be no infighting in the sheriff's department for now.
I feel for Norrie and Carolyn. Alice seemed like such a nice, wonderful woman. I wonder if her dying was linked to baby Alice's birth or if it was all a big coincidence. I am opting to believe the latter for now, but I am open to the former. When Norrie ran out of the house and demanded answers from the dome, I must admit that I was wondering if the dome would somehow absorb her energy to revive Alice. I knew it was unlikely, but I still wondered. Norrie and Joe are (seemingly) too important to the dome to die without some Big Important Reason.
Angie is free and reunited with Joe. So happy for the both of them. I do hope that she keeps her mouth shut about Junior. While I would love nothing more for Junior than for him to get his just desserts, I don't want anything bad to happen to Angie or Joe because of it. Keeping quiet for now would not be a bad thing. If something were to happen to Jim, then that would change the entire situation.
Speaking of Junior, he was mightily pissed when he found out that Angie was nearly raped last week. He was so pissed that he executed one of the brothers. While Linda shot the one in self-defense, Junior's brother had given up and asked to be taken in. And Junior was *SO* cold-blooded about the whole thing, it was more than a little freaky. That boy is becoming more and more unstable each week.
Until next week!
Joe and Norrie are definitely running for cutest couple. The two of them are adorable together. After the events of last week, they decided to explore the dome some more to see if they could get more information about their connection to the dome. I have to say that making out on the dome was an interesting way to figure things out. :-) I do want to know what was up with the mini dome in the middle of the woods. Is that some downscaled version of the dome, a power source for the dome, or something else entirely? And what is that black egg in the mini dome? Also, why was the mini dome showing visions of other people? yeah, a bunch of questions and I am *SO* looking forward to answers.
Big Jim had a roller coaster of a week. First off, his "friend" from last week manages to find the propane stockpile and uses it to force Big Jim to bow to his wishes. While Jim's response was not too surprising, I was surprised at the form it took. I assumed that Jim would shoot the guy, instead he blew up with truck. Impressive shooting, but also surprising. And Big Jim set himself up for a major collision with Junior over Angie. He told Junior, in no uncertain terms, that he was to stay away from Angie. Jim even kicked Junior out of the house. Given Junior's instability (and the preview for next week), I am not all that certain about Jim's future.
Barbie, Julia, Alice, and Carolyn brought a new life into the dome in the form of a baby to one of Julia's neighbors. Love that the baby was named after Alice and that Barbie took over so smoothly when he was needed. He is really good for people to help them stay calm and what not. I just fear what will happen if/when they find out that he killed Julia's husband. Fortunately, he and Junior seem to have come to an uneasy truce, so there will be no infighting in the sheriff's department for now.
I feel for Norrie and Carolyn. Alice seemed like such a nice, wonderful woman. I wonder if her dying was linked to baby Alice's birth or if it was all a big coincidence. I am opting to believe the latter for now, but I am open to the former. When Norrie ran out of the house and demanded answers from the dome, I must admit that I was wondering if the dome would somehow absorb her energy to revive Alice. I knew it was unlikely, but I still wondered. Norrie and Joe are (seemingly) too important to the dome to die without some Big Important Reason.
Angie is free and reunited with Joe. So happy for the both of them. I do hope that she keeps her mouth shut about Junior. While I would love nothing more for Junior than for him to get his just desserts, I don't want anything bad to happen to Angie or Joe because of it. Keeping quiet for now would not be a bad thing. If something were to happen to Jim, then that would change the entire situation.
Speaking of Junior, he was mightily pissed when he found out that Angie was nearly raped last week. He was so pissed that he executed one of the brothers. While Linda shot the one in self-defense, Junior's brother had given up and asked to be taken in. And Junior was *SO* cold-blooded about the whole thing, it was more than a little freaky. That boy is becoming more and more unstable each week.
Until next week!
My Review of Teen Wolf 3.10- Overlooked
In the midst of a bad storm, the Alpha pack and the gang face off in the hospital. Derek, Stiles, and Peter find out about Scott; Ms. McCall rocks the house down; and Stiles realizes just who the "guardians" are....
Turns out that Ms. Blake was the advisor for Kali's pack. When Kali killed her pack in order to join the Alpha pack, she attacked Ms. Blake (different name then) and left her for dead. Unfortunately, Kali left Ms. Blake near the tree where Derek killed the girl he loved. When Derek killed (i.e. sacrificed) her, she was a virgin and her blood gave the tree a certain amount of power. Ms. Blake used the power to keep herself alive long enough for someone to find and rescue her. Now she is killing people in order to gain their power so that she can destroy the Alpha pack. Good thing? Or not? I am inclined towards not myself, but I could be wrong. Ok, not so much.
The big problem is that she now has at least 2 guardians, who are apparently the final thing she needs to gain the power she needs to destroy the Alpha pack. In this case, guardians are not people who guard or protect others, but rather parents. By kidnapping Sheriff Stilinski last week, she got her first guardian. This week, she kidnapped Ms. McCall which gave her the second guardian. This also put Scott in a *VERY* untenable position. If he rebuffs Deucalion again, he runs the risk of his mom and Stiles' dad both dying. However, if he does accept what Deucalion wants, there is the very strong possibility that he will kill his friends. Considering his options, Scott has decided to align himself (at least temporarily) with Deucalion. I really hope he knows what he is doing, because I strongly suspect that given his status as a potential True Alpha, Deucalion is not going to let him slip away easily.
Derek, Peter, and Stiles all discovered about Scott's unique role as a True Alpha after Ms. Blake revealed it to them. Peter seemed vaguely impressed and Derek seemed a little shocked. I do hope this doesn't set up some sort of competitive side in Derek, because that is the last thing they need. As I have said repeatedly, Scott is a *MUCH* better leader than either Derek or Peter. Peter is too self-centered to be a good leader and Derek is too impulsive and does not think things through clearly. The problem is that Derek's pack has already been weakened considerably and Isaac is virtually a member of Scott's pack already, so it may be time for Derek to face reality.
Ms. McCall showed real grace under pressure tonight. First, she took charge of the hospital and made sure that people were being taken care of as they were being moved to a new hospital. Then, when she met Deucalion, she recognized who he was and went with him quietly to avoid any problems. She was definitely respectful of him as a more powerful being, but she did not seem cowed by him, which is impressive. Then, when Scott was fighting the Twins, she shocked them in their conjoined state, thereby causing them to split. She also got the power back on. All in all, an impressive week for her. The only thing marring it was that she got kidnapped, but somehow I do not think that was her fault.
Stiles was suffering from a major crisis in confidence this week. He has grown used to helping Scott come up with a plan to save everyone, but there is not really much he can do in the face of the Alpha pack and Ms. Blake. People around him are being hurt and dying, and Cora's words from last week are haunting him. What Stiles has to realize is that he is a vital part of Scott's pack. While he might not be a good fighter or anything, he helps Scott stay grounded and on the right path. He also is smart enough to figure things out so that Scott can take action. The problem this year is that both Ms. Blake and Deucalion have been planning their steps for a long time, which means that they have plans within plans, so that the disruption of one part of their plan does not destroy the entire thing. That makes them an incredibly dangerous enemy.
The coordinated attack on Kali and the Twins at the end of the episode was impressive and shows how Scott's pack can overcome the Alphas. By bringing together werewolves, hunters, and a human (throw in the Wailing Woman too!), Scott has amassed an impressive show of strength and different strategies that may ultimately give him the edge he needs to get through this. He just needs to figure out how to use them properly and at the right time.
Until next week!
Turns out that Ms. Blake was the advisor for Kali's pack. When Kali killed her pack in order to join the Alpha pack, she attacked Ms. Blake (different name then) and left her for dead. Unfortunately, Kali left Ms. Blake near the tree where Derek killed the girl he loved. When Derek killed (i.e. sacrificed) her, she was a virgin and her blood gave the tree a certain amount of power. Ms. Blake used the power to keep herself alive long enough for someone to find and rescue her. Now she is killing people in order to gain their power so that she can destroy the Alpha pack. Good thing? Or not? I am inclined towards not myself, but I could be wrong. Ok, not so much.
The big problem is that she now has at least 2 guardians, who are apparently the final thing she needs to gain the power she needs to destroy the Alpha pack. In this case, guardians are not people who guard or protect others, but rather parents. By kidnapping Sheriff Stilinski last week, she got her first guardian. This week, she kidnapped Ms. McCall which gave her the second guardian. This also put Scott in a *VERY* untenable position. If he rebuffs Deucalion again, he runs the risk of his mom and Stiles' dad both dying. However, if he does accept what Deucalion wants, there is the very strong possibility that he will kill his friends. Considering his options, Scott has decided to align himself (at least temporarily) with Deucalion. I really hope he knows what he is doing, because I strongly suspect that given his status as a potential True Alpha, Deucalion is not going to let him slip away easily.
Derek, Peter, and Stiles all discovered about Scott's unique role as a True Alpha after Ms. Blake revealed it to them. Peter seemed vaguely impressed and Derek seemed a little shocked. I do hope this doesn't set up some sort of competitive side in Derek, because that is the last thing they need. As I have said repeatedly, Scott is a *MUCH* better leader than either Derek or Peter. Peter is too self-centered to be a good leader and Derek is too impulsive and does not think things through clearly. The problem is that Derek's pack has already been weakened considerably and Isaac is virtually a member of Scott's pack already, so it may be time for Derek to face reality.
Ms. McCall showed real grace under pressure tonight. First, she took charge of the hospital and made sure that people were being taken care of as they were being moved to a new hospital. Then, when she met Deucalion, she recognized who he was and went with him quietly to avoid any problems. She was definitely respectful of him as a more powerful being, but she did not seem cowed by him, which is impressive. Then, when Scott was fighting the Twins, she shocked them in their conjoined state, thereby causing them to split. She also got the power back on. All in all, an impressive week for her. The only thing marring it was that she got kidnapped, but somehow I do not think that was her fault.
Stiles was suffering from a major crisis in confidence this week. He has grown used to helping Scott come up with a plan to save everyone, but there is not really much he can do in the face of the Alpha pack and Ms. Blake. People around him are being hurt and dying, and Cora's words from last week are haunting him. What Stiles has to realize is that he is a vital part of Scott's pack. While he might not be a good fighter or anything, he helps Scott stay grounded and on the right path. He also is smart enough to figure things out so that Scott can take action. The problem this year is that both Ms. Blake and Deucalion have been planning their steps for a long time, which means that they have plans within plans, so that the disruption of one part of their plan does not destroy the entire thing. That makes them an incredibly dangerous enemy.
The coordinated attack on Kali and the Twins at the end of the episode was impressive and shows how Scott's pack can overcome the Alphas. By bringing together werewolves, hunters, and a human (throw in the Wailing Woman too!), Scott has amassed an impressive show of strength and different strategies that may ultimately give him the edge he needs to get through this. He just needs to figure out how to use them properly and at the right time.
Until next week!
Monday, August 5, 2013
My Review of Falling Skies 3.10- Brazil
Have to admit that this was definitely a lackluster finale. Gave us some food for thought, but after the first two finales, this one was disappointing....
On a good note, Karen is dead after being shot (in the head, I think) by Maggie 2 or 3 times. As much as I enjoyed her as a villain, I can't say that I am going to miss her. She was good for head games, but not much else. What I found interesting about this is that Hal seemed so shocked and dismayed at what Maggie did. I honestly expected Hal to do it himself. Karen has caused them so much pain and damage, so I really thought he would welcome the chance to be rid of her. Instead, he seemed disappointed and upset with Maggie for taking Karen out. While it may not have been the most moral choice, I do believe very strongly that it was the right choice.
As expected, Anne and Alexis are alive. Alexis now has the physical body of a 6 year old girl. This cannot be a good thing. I cannot think of a person who has aged quickly on a TV show who has ended up as a good person. Well, not without some serious issues along the way. I did find it interesting that Alexis managed to extract the worms from Lourdes and then crush them into a fine powder. I wonder if that has to do with her Espheni DNA. Given how humans have reacted to the deharnessed kids, I suspect that Alexis will be greeted with less than open arms.
And now for the main story of the night. The Volm, after taking down the defensive grid, landed a massive ship on Boston (yes, I do mean *ON*) and then told the humans that they would be gathered together and taken to Brazil to stay out of the way for the remainder of the war. The 2nd Mass is; not surprisingly; less than excited with this plan. The Volm apparently do this on every planet that they liberate, so they were genuinely confused by the humans' reaction to their announcement.
I will say that I think the humans were *WAY* overreacting to the news. While I understand why they do not want to sit out the war, I also think that there is a *HUGE* difference between the Volm's plan and the Espheni's invasion. The Espheni came down and wiped people out whereas the Volm (seemingly) just want to protect the native population from having to fight the Espheni. The words being tossed around by the humans were provocative, to say the least. They were talking about the Volm putting them in concentration camps and acting like the Volm came as conquerors. But notice that once Tom sat down with the Volm leader (who is Cochise's dad!) and talked, progress was made. The Volm made the decision to let the humans go and not relocate them.
I think the major problem with the Volm was their approach. If they had said that they would relocate civilians and anyone who wished to go while allowing the rest of the humans to fight, it would have been received much better. By presenting it as fait accompli with no input from the humans, they immediately raised the humans' hackles and put them on the defensive, which is never a good thing. The idea is understandable and even laudable on some level. Another problem with the Volm is that they appear to be very strict followers of protocol and orders with little to no room for independent thoughts. Humans do not operate on this level for the most part, particularly humans who are fighting for their very survival. Letting the humans go to fight on their own was a smart idea. I just wish that the General (I am not even going to try and type his name!) had made it clear to the humans that this whole thing was with his agreement.
Next season is shaping up to be a three-way battle of sorts. The Espheni are in retreat and under attack by the Volm, who are going to be distrusted by the humans. While I do not think that the humans will attack the Volm, they are on the road again, so there will probably be some conflicts. I do hope that they bring back the US government that was touched on this season to see how things work with them.
Until next summer!
On a good note, Karen is dead after being shot (in the head, I think) by Maggie 2 or 3 times. As much as I enjoyed her as a villain, I can't say that I am going to miss her. She was good for head games, but not much else. What I found interesting about this is that Hal seemed so shocked and dismayed at what Maggie did. I honestly expected Hal to do it himself. Karen has caused them so much pain and damage, so I really thought he would welcome the chance to be rid of her. Instead, he seemed disappointed and upset with Maggie for taking Karen out. While it may not have been the most moral choice, I do believe very strongly that it was the right choice.
As expected, Anne and Alexis are alive. Alexis now has the physical body of a 6 year old girl. This cannot be a good thing. I cannot think of a person who has aged quickly on a TV show who has ended up as a good person. Well, not without some serious issues along the way. I did find it interesting that Alexis managed to extract the worms from Lourdes and then crush them into a fine powder. I wonder if that has to do with her Espheni DNA. Given how humans have reacted to the deharnessed kids, I suspect that Alexis will be greeted with less than open arms.
And now for the main story of the night. The Volm, after taking down the defensive grid, landed a massive ship on Boston (yes, I do mean *ON*) and then told the humans that they would be gathered together and taken to Brazil to stay out of the way for the remainder of the war. The 2nd Mass is; not surprisingly; less than excited with this plan. The Volm apparently do this on every planet that they liberate, so they were genuinely confused by the humans' reaction to their announcement.
I will say that I think the humans were *WAY* overreacting to the news. While I understand why they do not want to sit out the war, I also think that there is a *HUGE* difference between the Volm's plan and the Espheni's invasion. The Espheni came down and wiped people out whereas the Volm (seemingly) just want to protect the native population from having to fight the Espheni. The words being tossed around by the humans were provocative, to say the least. They were talking about the Volm putting them in concentration camps and acting like the Volm came as conquerors. But notice that once Tom sat down with the Volm leader (who is Cochise's dad!) and talked, progress was made. The Volm made the decision to let the humans go and not relocate them.
I think the major problem with the Volm was their approach. If they had said that they would relocate civilians and anyone who wished to go while allowing the rest of the humans to fight, it would have been received much better. By presenting it as fait accompli with no input from the humans, they immediately raised the humans' hackles and put them on the defensive, which is never a good thing. The idea is understandable and even laudable on some level. Another problem with the Volm is that they appear to be very strict followers of protocol and orders with little to no room for independent thoughts. Humans do not operate on this level for the most part, particularly humans who are fighting for their very survival. Letting the humans go to fight on their own was a smart idea. I just wish that the General (I am not even going to try and type his name!) had made it clear to the humans that this whole thing was with his agreement.
Next season is shaping up to be a three-way battle of sorts. The Espheni are in retreat and under attack by the Volm, who are going to be distrusted by the humans. While I do not think that the humans will attack the Volm, they are on the road again, so there will probably be some conflicts. I do hope that they bring back the US government that was touched on this season to see how things work with them.
Until next summer!
Friday, August 2, 2013
Some thoughts about Continuum 2.09- Seconds
Tonight's episode of Continuum posed a few interesting questions. First, if you had the opportunity to take out someone who would eventually commit mass murder, do you do it? Second, can people change their path in life? Third, what is the appropriate balance between order and freedom?
Taking the first question, Keira discovers what we have known for some time: Julian is Theseus. In Keira's time, Theseus is the boogeyman. He is a mass murderer who is bent on killing anyone who opposes his radical agenda. As such, she has an intense and burning hatred directed at him, which is understandable. I can even understand her actions, even if I cannot condone them. From her point of view, killing Julian would save the lives of tens of thousands of people in the future, including friends of her parents. But, is that a good enough reason to kill him now? Carlos argues that it is not and Alec points out that Keira has said that he is not bound to take the same path, so he asks why she cannot extend that to Julian? The other problem is that by not killing Julian, did Keira somehow set him on the path to become the mass murderer that she so fears? Julian seemed ready to follow a different path before Keira and the police officers took him from the hospital.
This leads directly into the second question: can we change our path in life? Keira is insistent that Alec can but that Julian cannot. This is logically inconsistent, but understandable once her feelings toward Julian are taken into account. The problem is that both Julian and Alec are being manipulated by people from the future for their own purposes. Liber8 is trying to steer Julian in the direction of Theseus again and Kellogg is trying to steer Alec towards becoming the corporate head. Keira is trying to help Alec avoid that future and hopefully will grant Julian the same consideration.
The last one is the most complicated. Keira speaks of the future and a justice system where humans are basically taken out of the equation, thereby removing a source of corruption. The problem is that a system like that is not a good system. While granting the notion that human involvement can corrupt the system, the same presence also gives the justice system a needed element of mercy and flexibility. Then we also have the fact that the police squad which is trying to stop Liber8 is now under the control of a corporation that is not bound by the same rules and regulations that they were before. This is never a good thing. While the system, like anything human made, is flawed, it is not a bad system. It may be slow to respond to new threats, but it does serve to protect freedoms, even if they are not protected as thoroughly as some might wish. Witness the future justice system, where people are made into more or less mindless automatons and slaves because they cannot pay their bills or whatnot. Methinks that the punishment so does not fit the crime.
Taking the first question, Keira discovers what we have known for some time: Julian is Theseus. In Keira's time, Theseus is the boogeyman. He is a mass murderer who is bent on killing anyone who opposes his radical agenda. As such, she has an intense and burning hatred directed at him, which is understandable. I can even understand her actions, even if I cannot condone them. From her point of view, killing Julian would save the lives of tens of thousands of people in the future, including friends of her parents. But, is that a good enough reason to kill him now? Carlos argues that it is not and Alec points out that Keira has said that he is not bound to take the same path, so he asks why she cannot extend that to Julian? The other problem is that by not killing Julian, did Keira somehow set him on the path to become the mass murderer that she so fears? Julian seemed ready to follow a different path before Keira and the police officers took him from the hospital.
This leads directly into the second question: can we change our path in life? Keira is insistent that Alec can but that Julian cannot. This is logically inconsistent, but understandable once her feelings toward Julian are taken into account. The problem is that both Julian and Alec are being manipulated by people from the future for their own purposes. Liber8 is trying to steer Julian in the direction of Theseus again and Kellogg is trying to steer Alec towards becoming the corporate head. Keira is trying to help Alec avoid that future and hopefully will grant Julian the same consideration.
The last one is the most complicated. Keira speaks of the future and a justice system where humans are basically taken out of the equation, thereby removing a source of corruption. The problem is that a system like that is not a good system. While granting the notion that human involvement can corrupt the system, the same presence also gives the justice system a needed element of mercy and flexibility. Then we also have the fact that the police squad which is trying to stop Liber8 is now under the control of a corporation that is not bound by the same rules and regulations that they were before. This is never a good thing. While the system, like anything human made, is flawed, it is not a bad system. It may be slow to respond to new threats, but it does serve to protect freedoms, even if they are not protected as thoroughly as some might wish. Witness the future justice system, where people are made into more or less mindless automatons and slaves because they cannot pay their bills or whatnot. Methinks that the punishment so does not fit the crime.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)