The Monarch is crowned, pink stars rise in lines, darkness and light both come, and we get a pseudo-answer about the dome....
Julia is the Monarch. I was honestly not expecting that. I was expecting it would be Barbie or one of kids or, in a weird twist, Junior. Julia never actually entered my mind as a contender. So what is her first decision as the Monarch? She drop the egg into the lake in order to protect it and make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. That actually makes sense. It could be found, but somehow I doubt it will be for some time.
I think Junior expected to be the Monarch given how badly he reacted to the news about Julia. The problem with Junior is that he so desperately wants dad's approval that he is willing to go along with whatever Big Jim wants. He knows the Big Jim has killed people, but now that Big Jim has told him that they have a destiny together, I don't think that Junior will ever go back. The truly scary thing is how quickly Junior turned on Angie and the rest. Attacking Barbie was no surprise, but turning on Angie was something I did not think he would do. Guess his "love" has limits after all.
Big Jim is becoming scarier and scarier by the week. I think he is as unbalanced as his son is. Barbie is right, Big Jim is a politician and has no issue switching sides if the need arises. The scary thing is that he seems to honestly believe that everything he is doing is for the greater good of Chester's Mill. I am not sure if this is his attempt at coping a justifying the horrific things he has done or if he is delusional enough to actually believe his own propaganda.
Linda's actions regarding the minidome make sense so long as you believe in what Big Jim says. If Big Jim were telling the truth about everything, then the minidome is vital to the survival of Chester's Mill. The problem is that Big Jim is a liar and Linda refuses to look at that basic truth. She doesn't see that everything she is doing is tightening his grip on Chester's Mill.
The dome was apparently sent by some entity to protect Chester's Mill from something that is coming. The nature of the threat has not been defined. All we know is that it is that the dome is protection for Chester's Mill. So, why this particular town? Why not a bigger city or another town? What is so special that Chester's Mill deserves this type of protection? And who exactly are these entities? Extraterrestrials? Some lifeform within the Earth itself? Or is this some massive hoax on the part of some human group? Or is it the truth from some human group?
So, going into next season we have those answers as well as the question of what happened to Barbie. Will what Julia did somehow save Barbie or will something else? Or, will he end up being hanged by Junior and Big Jim?
Until next summer!
Monday, September 16, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
My Review of Under the Dome Episode 12- Exigent Circumstances
Chester's Mill come even more tightly under Big Jim's grip, the kids get in trouble, someone else dies, and Barbie makes an interesting choice...
Chester's Mill is now Big Jim's personal fiefdom. That man now has the town right where he wants them and he is milking it for all it is worth. Out of fear of the "murderer" Barbie, they gave him carte blanche in his methods. So not a good thing. This demagogic @$$hole is manipulating people left and right and killing people who get in his way. Wonderful leader, just the sort of person I would want to lead my town. I get that he is supposedly a known quantity and that the people trust him, but I am seriously surprised that no one has thought to question anything he has to say. Like I said last week, he has given them a story to swallow and they are interpreting *EVERYTHING* through that filter.
One of my big problems with Big Jim is that the man is a major league hypocrite. He spouts off about following the rule of law and what not, but in the fine tradition of demagogues everywhere, he proceeds to completely violate everything he said in the name of "protecting the people". What he actually means is protecting his power. I suspect that the person who so conveniently said that Big Jim should be able to search houses may very well have been planted by Big Jim in order to get the ball rolling. The problem for Big Jim is that the army knows what he did to the reverend and when Dodee overheard it, he killed her and torched the radio station in order to ensure that no one else would find out and he then pinned it on Barbie to an all-too-willing-to-listen-and-gullible Chester's Mill.
The other thing to hate about Big Jim is the fact that he is a major league bully. Arresting teenagers for protecting their parents, threatening them, and shoving them up against walls is not the mark of a good leader or a decent man. Big Jim also has to watch out for Junior. The guy is so confused by what is going on that he doesn't know which way is up. Big Jim is manipulating his desire for parental approval and Angie used him to help Barbie get Julia out of the clinic. It is really hard not to feel sorry for him. About the only thing that is preventing me from feeling sorry is what he did to Angie and the fact that he is at least somewhat of a loon.
Fortunately, there are some who are willing to stand up to him. Unfortunately, they can't do much because Big Jim is using the townspeople to enforce his will. As he said, he does not want the dome to come down (at least not yet) because it would threaten his power. So he is doing everything in his power to ensure that the dome stays up. He did not count on Joe, Norrie, and Angie standing up to him.
And it is a good thing that they did. Hiding the mini-dome and egg with Joe's friend was smart. I am also glad that Carolyn now knows about the mini-dome and that she accepted it without histrionics. I just want to know what was up with the high pitched sound and red lines at the end.
I continue to be severely disappointed in Linda. She knows that Barbie cares about Julia and that Julia's husband planned his own death, but she is still swallowing everything that Big Jim has to say. She seems to be an honest, decent person, but she is also seemingly incapable of independent thought. Not meaning to be harsh, but I haven't seen much on that front from her. She is acting like since Barbie was involved in Peter's death, he must be involved in the other deaths. That chain of logic is not flying at all, particularly where it comes to Julia. I really hope she gets her head screwed on straight soon.
I was glad that Barbie chose to break his "deal" with Big Jim and declare his innocence, particularly now that Julia is awake. Hopefully someone will take the time to look at the so-called case against him with a hint of rationality instead of this mob mentality that the town has adopted. As soon as someone does, they'll realize that the case against him boils down to what Big Jim says being true. If that can be undermined, the case falls apart.
Next week, the season finale....
Chester's Mill is now Big Jim's personal fiefdom. That man now has the town right where he wants them and he is milking it for all it is worth. Out of fear of the "murderer" Barbie, they gave him carte blanche in his methods. So not a good thing. This demagogic @$$hole is manipulating people left and right and killing people who get in his way. Wonderful leader, just the sort of person I would want to lead my town. I get that he is supposedly a known quantity and that the people trust him, but I am seriously surprised that no one has thought to question anything he has to say. Like I said last week, he has given them a story to swallow and they are interpreting *EVERYTHING* through that filter.
One of my big problems with Big Jim is that the man is a major league hypocrite. He spouts off about following the rule of law and what not, but in the fine tradition of demagogues everywhere, he proceeds to completely violate everything he said in the name of "protecting the people". What he actually means is protecting his power. I suspect that the person who so conveniently said that Big Jim should be able to search houses may very well have been planted by Big Jim in order to get the ball rolling. The problem for Big Jim is that the army knows what he did to the reverend and when Dodee overheard it, he killed her and torched the radio station in order to ensure that no one else would find out and he then pinned it on Barbie to an all-too-willing-to-listen-and-gullible Chester's Mill.
The other thing to hate about Big Jim is the fact that he is a major league bully. Arresting teenagers for protecting their parents, threatening them, and shoving them up against walls is not the mark of a good leader or a decent man. Big Jim also has to watch out for Junior. The guy is so confused by what is going on that he doesn't know which way is up. Big Jim is manipulating his desire for parental approval and Angie used him to help Barbie get Julia out of the clinic. It is really hard not to feel sorry for him. About the only thing that is preventing me from feeling sorry is what he did to Angie and the fact that he is at least somewhat of a loon.
Fortunately, there are some who are willing to stand up to him. Unfortunately, they can't do much because Big Jim is using the townspeople to enforce his will. As he said, he does not want the dome to come down (at least not yet) because it would threaten his power. So he is doing everything in his power to ensure that the dome stays up. He did not count on Joe, Norrie, and Angie standing up to him.
And it is a good thing that they did. Hiding the mini-dome and egg with Joe's friend was smart. I am also glad that Carolyn now knows about the mini-dome and that she accepted it without histrionics. I just want to know what was up with the high pitched sound and red lines at the end.
I continue to be severely disappointed in Linda. She knows that Barbie cares about Julia and that Julia's husband planned his own death, but she is still swallowing everything that Big Jim has to say. She seems to be an honest, decent person, but she is also seemingly incapable of independent thought. Not meaning to be harsh, but I haven't seen much on that front from her. She is acting like since Barbie was involved in Peter's death, he must be involved in the other deaths. That chain of logic is not flying at all, particularly where it comes to Julia. I really hope she gets her head screwed on straight soon.
I was glad that Barbie chose to break his "deal" with Big Jim and declare his innocence, particularly now that Julia is awake. Hopefully someone will take the time to look at the so-called case against him with a hint of rationality instead of this mob mentality that the town has adopted. As soon as someone does, they'll realize that the case against him boils down to what Big Jim says being true. If that can be undermined, the case falls apart.
Next week, the season finale....
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
My Review of Under the Dome Episode 11- Speak of the Devil
Very resonant title mainly due to Big Jim and Junior. The kids continue to investigate the dome, Julia meets Maxine with tragic results, and Big Jim shows why he is the king of Chester's Mill...
There's a couple of sayings that this episode brings to mind. First is, "If you sup with the devil, bring a long spoon." The second is, "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." Or those are approximately the sayings anyway. Both sayings are very apt where this episode is concerned and they both concern Big Jim and Maxine. Barbie and Big Jim both got into bed (Barbie literally) with Maxine and ended up paying a price. In Barbie's case, it shook his relationship with Julia and got her shot. In Big Jim's case, he is lying to people to protect himself, which is why the second saying is so very apt for him. The first saying also applies to Linda because she is starting to fall in with what Big Jim is saying about Barbie. More on that later. The second saying is particularly apt because Big Jim is managing to convince people that he truly wants what is best for them and not just what is best for him. The people are not seeing him for who he is, rather they are falling for the spin that he is putting out because it is safe and easy.
Part of Big Jim's problem is that he has managed to convince himself that what is best for him is also best for Chester's Mill. Therefore, any lying, killing, or other sins that he commits in the name of protecting himself is for the common good and therefore excusable. So, in his own way, he is as unbalanced as his son. Junior is more overtly dangerous, but Big Jim is also very, very dangerous. I won't deny that he may have every intention of protecting the town, but he is doing so in some horrendous ways. While executing Maxine and her "business partner" may have been incredibly pragmatic, and even good on some warped level, it was done with the intention of framing Barbie for what happened so that people would trust Big Jim.
While I cannot say that I am surprised that they town as a whole fell for what Big Jim was saying, I was surprised and disappointed that Linda appears to have done so. More than anyone else, she has seen Barbie in action and knows that he is not the horrible person Big Jim is saying he is. Is he dangerous? Sure, if you do something to get him riled up. But if you don't, he is a good man. Linda has seen how helpful Barbie has consistently been, but she still swallowed Big Jim's lie. The problem is that Big Jim mixed in a little truth with the lies and then spun the whole thing so that all of Barbie's actions would be viewed through the lens of someone who is a dangerous outsider and therefore suspicious. I was so hoping Linda wouldn't fall for it but, sadly, she did.
I do wonder why the military is looking for Barbie. Doody, like Linda, viewed what she found out through the lens that Big Jim set up and therefore leapt to the worst possible conclusion, that he was wanted for some bad reason. But, what if the military wants Barbie for some other reason? Maybe he could be used to investigate the dome from the inside. Maybe he is working for the government to figure out why there was lots of propane going to Chester's Mill. We just don't have enough information to figure it out yet.
The kids are coming dangerously close to going over a proverbial edge where the dome is concerned. They had two different responses to the same event, the storm. Joe thinks that the storm ended because Barbie saved Julia's life. Junior, on the other hand, is convinced that the storm ended because he chose to come back with the others. Is either correct? Dunno, but I am somehow doubting that either is correct. I am not familiar enough with meteorology to explain what happened, but it is possible that the limited atmosphere in the dome may have something to do with the storm breaking up. It is also possible that if there is an intelligence behind the dome that it ended the storm for its own reasons. The kids definitely need to bring someone else in on what they are thinking because they are now officially over their heads and are going to start sinking really soon. Going after Big Jim is going to cause them problems, to put it mildly.
Two more episode left in the season, then reviews will start back up in October when Arrow, the Vampire Diaries, and the Originals start.
There's a couple of sayings that this episode brings to mind. First is, "If you sup with the devil, bring a long spoon." The second is, "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." Or those are approximately the sayings anyway. Both sayings are very apt where this episode is concerned and they both concern Big Jim and Maxine. Barbie and Big Jim both got into bed (Barbie literally) with Maxine and ended up paying a price. In Barbie's case, it shook his relationship with Julia and got her shot. In Big Jim's case, he is lying to people to protect himself, which is why the second saying is so very apt for him. The first saying also applies to Linda because she is starting to fall in with what Big Jim is saying about Barbie. More on that later. The second saying is particularly apt because Big Jim is managing to convince people that he truly wants what is best for them and not just what is best for him. The people are not seeing him for who he is, rather they are falling for the spin that he is putting out because it is safe and easy.
Part of Big Jim's problem is that he has managed to convince himself that what is best for him is also best for Chester's Mill. Therefore, any lying, killing, or other sins that he commits in the name of protecting himself is for the common good and therefore excusable. So, in his own way, he is as unbalanced as his son. Junior is more overtly dangerous, but Big Jim is also very, very dangerous. I won't deny that he may have every intention of protecting the town, but he is doing so in some horrendous ways. While executing Maxine and her "business partner" may have been incredibly pragmatic, and even good on some warped level, it was done with the intention of framing Barbie for what happened so that people would trust Big Jim.
While I cannot say that I am surprised that they town as a whole fell for what Big Jim was saying, I was surprised and disappointed that Linda appears to have done so. More than anyone else, she has seen Barbie in action and knows that he is not the horrible person Big Jim is saying he is. Is he dangerous? Sure, if you do something to get him riled up. But if you don't, he is a good man. Linda has seen how helpful Barbie has consistently been, but she still swallowed Big Jim's lie. The problem is that Big Jim mixed in a little truth with the lies and then spun the whole thing so that all of Barbie's actions would be viewed through the lens of someone who is a dangerous outsider and therefore suspicious. I was so hoping Linda wouldn't fall for it but, sadly, she did.
I do wonder why the military is looking for Barbie. Doody, like Linda, viewed what she found out through the lens that Big Jim set up and therefore leapt to the worst possible conclusion, that he was wanted for some bad reason. But, what if the military wants Barbie for some other reason? Maybe he could be used to investigate the dome from the inside. Maybe he is working for the government to figure out why there was lots of propane going to Chester's Mill. We just don't have enough information to figure it out yet.
The kids are coming dangerously close to going over a proverbial edge where the dome is concerned. They had two different responses to the same event, the storm. Joe thinks that the storm ended because Barbie saved Julia's life. Junior, on the other hand, is convinced that the storm ended because he chose to come back with the others. Is either correct? Dunno, but I am somehow doubting that either is correct. I am not familiar enough with meteorology to explain what happened, but it is possible that the limited atmosphere in the dome may have something to do with the storm breaking up. It is also possible that if there is an intelligence behind the dome that it ended the storm for its own reasons. The kids definitely need to bring someone else in on what they are thinking because they are now officially over their heads and are going to start sinking really soon. Going after Big Jim is going to cause them problems, to put it mildly.
Two more episode left in the season, then reviews will start back up in October when Arrow, the Vampire Diaries, and the Originals start.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Some Thoughts on the Pretty Little Liars and Twisted Summer Finales
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.....
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.....
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.
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