NuWho Review: Series 6 Episode 3 "The Curse of the Black Spot"

By: Steven Thompson

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

        Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! And all that jazz...

       This episode is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine. When it comes to the story, it's not very strong. There's lots of issues with pacing and all that, but it's pirates! HOW CAN WE GO WRONG WITH THAT?! Answer: we can't. There's nothing wrong with this episode if you just accept the shaky technobabble and hang on for the ride. We've got pirates, we've got sirens, we've got alternate dimensions, we've got The Doctor walking the plank, we've got Amy fencing, we've got alien snot, we've got just about everything that you could possibly want from a Doctor Who pirate-themed episode. It's definitely one that I watch again and again and it just becomes more fun with each repeated viewing.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- This episode has one of the best openings ever with the pirates certain their shipmate was doomed for death that very night because of a small scratch on the hand. At first this seems very absurd and ridiculous (even the pirates from PoC weren't that cowardly) but then the titular curse is revealed and we hear the song of the siren for the first time. Then we know that we're going to be in for a wild ride.

- "Yo ho ho! ...Or does nobody actually say that?"

- It's Rory and Roman and Pond the Pirate! Implausible as Amy actually holding off a bunch of pirates with her fencing skills is, I do really enjoy this scene a lot. Especially since all of the pirates are so terrified of the smallest scratch. It's both funny and chilling.

- "If someone's going to kill you, it's nice when they drop a note to remind you." Man, The Doctor is so comforting to Rory.

- I really love the effect of the Siren leaping up out of the water. Lily Cole really gives a serene, ethereal performance as the seductive spirit. Is that really her singing? Because it's beautiful.

- "Look at these brilliant pirates. Look at their brilliant BEARDS! I'd like a beard. Amy, I'm going to grow a beard!" Why didn't Rory get enchanted on this show more? He's a riot!

- The Doctor equating the siren to a shark (and then the later revelation that she was a medical program) was a cool twist. What was so sinister makes an equal amount of sense as a helpful thing.

- Amy and The Doctor getting taken by the siren was quite a tense scene. It is, unfortunately, also the place where the episode starts to break down a bit logic-wise.

- The med bay was quite interesting. I do find it hilarious that the siren went all red-evil-eyes whenever The Doctor sneezed, though. She really did not like that he was leaving snotty handkerchiefs around.

- One of my issues with the ending to this episode is the question of WOULD the captain REALLY be able to pilot a futuristic spaceship? Really? There's quite a difference between a sailing rig and a rocket, just sayin'.

- Oh, and Rory died again...

- Rory's continued Kennyfication is starting to become a big problem, especially when it is used to force a climax like this. We don't believe that Rory is really in danger. Not really. We know that he's going to come back to life with little to no consequence, so why would we care if Amy saves him or not? It's not like he's going to be gone for good. 

- The scene where Amy saves him is either sad or annoyingly hilarious, depending on your level of attachment to the Ponds.

        This episode was a lot of fun. I do take issue with the ending, but it's harmless enough. I really, really enjoy all of the banter and jokes when they're on the pirate ship and (with the exception of the alien snot joke) all of the humor is very on point and funny. The Curse of the Black Spot is a 3/5.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Merlin Review: Series 2 Episode 10 "Sweet Dreams"

By: Lucy Watkins

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

         Well, at least now we know what happened to Jenny after she flew off at the end of The Doctor's Daughter; she went to Albion, got amnesia, and became a princess. A very beautiful, spoiled princess, no less.

         This was one of Merlin's more comedy-oriented episodes and it involves a very Puckish love potion. A very Puckish love potion that is given to Prince Arthur, no less, pulling his gaze away from Guinevere and onto the Lady Vivian. This would be all well and good, except Vivian's father is, quote, "...the most overprotective buffoon I've ever met" and is sure to skewer Arthur if he even gets wind that the Prince of Camelot is LOOKING at his daughter. Cue hijinks and humor...and thankfully no fart jokes.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- There are few characters I have felt a stronger urge to kick than Trickler, King Alined's servant/magician. He is the most irritating little whiner of a man. Ugh.

- Though this is a story about Arthur being enchanted to fall in love with Lady Vivian, actually the episode has a lot of great Arthur/Gwen moments. I especially like the scene at the beginning with the two of them laughing over how ridiculous Vivian is.

- "Anyone insulting Gwen should do so at extreme peril." Arthur has his own vat of hot oil, you know...

- Merlin ribbing Arthur about his (very obvious) feelings for Gwen is always quite funny. And pretty cute, since he's so obviously over the moon happy for them.

- Okay, so HOW was Uther not suspicious whenever Trickler created butterflies out of nowhere? Live, flapping butterflies, no less! Did he think that Trickler had them in a pocket before or something? Because that looked like magic to me.

- The scene where Arthur wakes up under the power of the love potion and proclaims that his purpose is "To woo." leaves me cringing every time. Because Merlin thinks Arthur is thinking about Gwen. And it's just such an awkward, hurtful situation.

- "It is destiny, my love! Destiny and chicken!"

- Though, I must say, sulky!Arthur is almost adorable. Poor Merlin, though, having to deal with him. Merlin really deserves a day off and a pat on the back for the things he does for that clotpole.

- Okay, so question, did Merlin erase Vivian's memory or something? Because he hit her right between the eyes with that spell. There's no way she (silly though she is) could miss the fact that Merlin has magic. For a moment there I thought we were going to get a magic reveal and I'm still confused as to why and how exactly we avoided it.

- "I am in love! With a man more courageous than a lion, stronger than an ox, and so perfectly formed it is as if he has been sculpted by the gods themselves." Stop building up Arthur's ego, Lady Vivian!

- It is hilarious that Merlin stuffed her into Arthur's wardrobe, though, and Arthur was none the wiser.

- Bradley James makes some of the most hilarious faces.

- Georgia Moffet is an absolute charm to watch, as always. She just really strikes the perfect balance between bratty hilarity that makes her character fun to dislike and a joy to watch.

- "Every woman in the land is attracted to this boy! I'm almost attracted to him myself." Now, now...let's not build up Arthur's ego, my lord. It's big enough as it is.

- Even if Merlin hadn't found Vivian's hair under Arthur's pillow, the fact that Arthur fights so incredibly badly in the arena (he's too busy showing off to 'his love' to parry) would have been a clue.

- I love the scene where Merlin has to go and find Gwen and convince her to save Arthur. It's the combination of terribly sad and incredibly funny that this show does so very well and both Colin and Angel just sell it.

- Let's hope that Arthur apologized PROFUSELY for the downright prattish way that he treated Gwen all throughout his enchantment. That was just cruel.

-  I guess it really was a case of "...with true love's kiss the spell will break." Did Maleficent cook up this love spell?

- And the episode ends with Arthur threatening bodily harm on Merlin if he ever speaks of the these events again. Typical. Status quo is restored and Arthur gratefully waves goodbye to the still-enchanted Lady Vivian. Shame she never came back to the show...

        This episode is a lot of fun, if a bit awkward in places. There's some really great characters, but the story can be painfully awkward in places and it doesn't really contribute anything to the overall season arc or the story of Camelot in general. Trickler is also a grating annoyance that takes away some of my enjoyment due to his involvement. Sweet Dreams is a 3/5.




What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Pride & Prejudice Review: Episode 4

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.


  "Be not alarmed, madam, on receiving this letter, by the apprehension of its containing any repetition of those sentiments or renewal of those offers which were last night so disgusting to you."


           Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned...but when Mr. Darcy is scorned he goes back home to write a long, involved, and incredibly soul-baring (not to mention brutally honest) letter. Through the words of the letter, we are given an important glimpse into Mr. Wickham's past that reveals just what a cad he is and how narrow an escape Lizzie had. It also starts to cast everything that we have seen in the series thus far in a totally different light. Suddenly all of Wickham's actions and insinuations start to make all too much sense.

         We also get a rather painful outsider's look at the Bennet family as Lizzie has to concede Darcy's point about her mother, sisters (minus Jane), and even her father having a tendency to make spectacles of themselves. It is here that we begin to see the other side of Mr. Darcy and, while we'll never empathize with his rather extreme pride, we do begin to see the man behind the mask.

        Also in this episode, Lydia takes off for Brighton with the militia (showing us just how spoiled she is in the process) and Lizzie meets up with her aunt and uncle Gardner (the ones Jane had stayed with in London) to take a tour of Derbyshire...including a visit to Pemberly, Mr. Darcy's estate. But only with the promise that the family is not at home. Little does Elizabeth know that Darcy, still in agony over his unrequited love, has rode ahead of his party of friends and is taking a refreshing swim in one of the ponds. The meeting between Lizzie and Mr. Darcy at Pemberly is another highlight of the series. It's just so painfully awkward and yet it gives Darcy hope because he is completely vulnerable, completely caught at an undignified moment, and is granted a chance to show Lizzie a more hospitable, gracious side of himself. He doesn't expect to win her back, but he does try to at least show her some courtesy. One thing that catches Lizzie's eye is the fact that he is all kindness and genuine graciousness to her relatives...the ones that she KNOWS that he knows are not gentlefolk and reside in Cheapside. Lizzie cannot imagine what has caused this change. Her aunt (who is a delightful and wise woman) smiles knowingly.

5/5

Merlin Review: Series 1 Episode 6 "A Remedy To Cure All Ills"

By: Julian Jones

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

        Am I the only one who finds the scenes with Edwin and Morgana to be incredibly creepy? Like, not just because of the bug in the ear, but unintentionally stranger danger type of creepy. Maybe it's the way he looms over her bed like that...

        If you have a phobia about bugs, I would advise you to enter this episode with caution. Because there's a LOT of nasty creepy crawlies going into people's ears and chewing on their brains. Disgusting!


Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- I love how, when Gwen says that the flowers may be from Arthur, Morgana makes a face and says that would be quite disappointing.

- The scene where Merlin and Arthur are pacing in Arthur's chambers is supposed to be serious (I think) and to make us worried for Morgana, but I can't help cracking up every time I see it.

- "You seem too bright to be just a servant." "Oh, don't be fooled, I'm not that bright."

- Soooo, using a poultice to heal one's father is VERBOTEN and will land you a reserved place at the stake, but Uther is just fine and peachy with alchemy? Huh. Somehow that smells fishy...

- The scene where Edwin is tending to Morgana will never not be creepy to me. Just, ugh.

- Though I will say that the scarring make-up on Edwin's face is quite well done. It gives him a distinct, almost grotesque look like all of the hatred and evil inside of his heart (guess Yoda was right about fear being the path to anger and the dark side) was coming out on the outside.

- "A gift like yours should be nurtured, practiced, enjoyed. You need someone to help you, to encourage you." Y'know, it's really uncomfortable when you realize that you've been saying the same thing that the villain of the week does.

- I love the talk Gaius has with the dragon. But the overgrown lizard is as cryptic and unhelpful as ever.

- Uther gives indication that there was something fishy going on at Arthur's birth and that Gaius helped. Hmmm...

- So, um, did Edwin cast a spell over Arthur and the rest to make them so quickly believe his word about Gaius' work being riddled with errors? Or is it just another case of plot convenience swaying the characters this way and that?

- "My Lord. My Lord. It seems the drugs I gave you have taken hold. Your body is now paralyzed. Now, open your eyes, My Lord. I want my face to be the last face you ever see. You took my childhood from me. And now finally, I take my parents' revenge. Within a few hours, the beetle will eat into your brain. And you will suffer, as they suffered. And I long to hear you scream, as they screamed the night you gave the order for the fires to be lit. With your death, magic will return to Camelot. Bebeode þe arisan ealdu." Whoa...Edwin got a monologue. Syndrome would be proud...

- I absolutely love the climax of this episode where Merlin has to use MAGIC to save Uther. It's very tense and risky and pushes the characters in a new direction. Great stuff!

         This is a pretty standard Merlin episode; villain comes to Camelot, villain gets in good with royals, villain starts evil scheme, Merlin finds out, Merlin stops evil scheme, they all live happily ever after until next week. There's nothing particularly special about it (aside from the fact that this scheme involves super gross bugs) and I don't think it's very memorable. But it's not boring and there's some good stuff in there. A Remedy To Cure All Ills is a 3/5.




What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Pride & Prejudice Review: Episode 3

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.


         "In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." 
       

           So Charlotte Lucas snagged Mr. Collins on the rebound, Wickham has set his sights on a rich young heiress, and Mr. Darcy finally can't take it any longer and gives Lizzie a very flustered and utterly insulting proposal. Poor Lizzie!

         Well, actually I don't feel too sorry for her. She gives as good as she's got and royally dresses him down for being such a jerk. He had it coming...

          That is the climax of the episode (and, I daresay, of the entire series). There's LOTS more that happens. For starters, we have the beginning of the rift between Jane and Miss Bingley. We've long seen that Caroline is a catty, rich snob who only tolerated Jane's company because it was the best to be had in Hertfordshire (aside from Louisa's belching, drunk husband, that is) but Jane was determined not to think the worst of the sister of her prospective husband. In this episode, Miss Bingley comes to visit Jane in London where she is (oh horrors) staying in Cheapside with her aunt and uncle. The uncle who is in (gasp) trade of all things!

       Lizzie then travels with Sir William Lucas and his youngest daughter, Mariah, to visit the new Mrs. Collins in Kent. This also gives them an opportunity to meet up with the esteemed patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. I am very glad that Mariah Lucas was included in this adaptation, as she is a fun character who - for some reason - is often cut. She gives Lizzie the chance to be the big sister to someone actually agreeable. Unlike Lady Catherine and her daughter, who are exceedingly unpleasant and rude. But, because they are rich, they can afford to be.

      But all of this, including the introduction of Colonel Fitzwilliam, is all building up to the big reveal and proposal of Mr. Darcy and Lizzie's subsequent refusal. It is the highlight of the episode. No questions asked.

5/5

Supernatural Review: Season 10 Episode 14 "The Executioner's Song"

By: Robert Berens

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

            I knew it, I knew it, I KNEW IT! And I'm not happy about being right.

        We are back to our season arc this week with the return of Cain as he picks off his descendants one-by-one as they're on death row, solely to get the attention of his two most famous descendants, Sam and Dean Winchester.


Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- Are we ever going to get an explanation for the salmon-colored light that Cain uses to smite demons? Huh? Are we? Because, despite myself, I am quite curious.

- That guy in the prison looks very much like Sir Gwaine from Merlin. Please tell me I'm not the only one to see it.

- Love the visuals of Cain slowly stalking down the hall and turning the lights out as he goes. Whatever grievances I may have with the MoC story, I do honestly like Cain as a character. Maybe it's the charm of Timothy Omundson.

- Hmmm. Sam and Dean are breaking into a prison with fake badges? Risky, risky. I cringe every time they come in contact with law officials of this kind, even though they look little like the mugshots that are on file. Maybe it's a good thing that Sam has turned into Rapunzel over the course of this show...

- They had better be thanking their lucky stars that they evaded capture, seeing how death row of SuperMax would have been their destination at one point in their lives. Just sayin'

- "Bass fishing, needlepoint, that's a hobby. Collecting serial killer stats? That is an illness."

- Omundson still has the flowing locks and beard from Gallavant. I confess I kind of chortled whenever they zoomed in on his profile. It looked like it belonged on a medieval coin. About Billy Shakespeare.

- It's so good to see Castiel being a badass again with interrogating demons. He's been conspicuously absent thus far for much of the season, and it's really a delight to see him again, doing what he does best. I am a little bit miffed that Cain was able to fling him around like a ragdoll, though. C'mon! ABADDON, another totally awesome Knight, was scared to death at the thought that an angel might be hanging around with the Winchesters. What is this madness?!

- Crowley being bored to death by the political and business side of Hell will never not be funny to me. Neither will Rowena being a total helicopter smother mother (in the worst possible way) and attempting to manipulate Crowley. At least we now know that Crowley, sort of, knows that she is not at all on his side. I was getting worried for a bit there.

- Have I mentioned that I really love the relationship between Crowley and Rowena? I could watch these two all day. Give them a spin-off already, darn it!

- I'm pretty sure Rowena was making a reference to King Solomen with her 'split the baby' talk. "I'd cut this pulling, pathetic, greed-grubbing git in two." Charming, Rowena, charming. And somehow I think you missed the principle of catching more flies with honey than with vinegar. Darling, calling your son a 'chunky child' and 'a bit of a bloater' in front of his court isn't exactly a way to get in his good books.

- On a side note, why hasn't Crowley been assassinated yet? Are there really no demons powerful enough left after all the wars? Because, fun as he is, he's not exactly Azazel or Lilith. He's kind of a wimp now, actually. Is everybody really that afraid of him?

- I got chills whenever Castiel showed us the graveyard that Cain has been making. That looked like ash on the ground. It called back shades of Cas resurrecting Dean or the field where Adam was brought back to life. Only, instead of being a site of resurrection, it was a site of death.

- "This is a massacre!" "Yes. And soon it will be a genocide."

- Okay, so whenever Cain revealed that he was culling his descendants, I had a horrible thought (just about the same time that Cas expressed it). Cain is the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, the first two humans. That means that almost all of the people on earth are descended from him. Think about it! Abel was murdered. That means that Cain was the one to pass down the bloodline for many years. Adam and Eve did have a third son (Seth) but he was much younger and so wouldn't have started having children for years after Cain did.

- We at last know what Rowena is after. She wants Crowley to take out the head of the Grand Coven. Interesting...

- Is it wrong that I really WANT to see Rowena and Crowley go on a rampage together? They'd make a great team and be a lot of fun to watch. The only problem is, I'm pretty sure such an action would end with one or both of them dead. And I don't want that.

- Dean's wearing the red shirt that he favored as a demon again. This is not a good sign, methinks.

- I love how every time Dean calls Crowley the name on Crowley's phone is 'Not Moose'.

- "What the matter, Crowley? Suddenly grow a conscience? Don't want to put a minor in danger?"

- We got a few lovely (but heartbreaking...typical) broments in this episode. It seems like the writers are really making up for the abysmal lack of them in Season 9. This can't be anything but a good thing.

- I am still miffed that Cain (a demon) wasn't the slightest bit affected by Castiel's mojo.

- "I need you three out here to take out anything that comes out of there. I'm serious. Whatever. Comes. Out." Oh Dean...

- We really need to give a shout-out to Jensen Ackles. I don't like the MoC story line very much, but he just sells it...even to me. I'm always amazed by what these guys can do with the roles they are given. Wow. Just wow. Especially the scenes where Dean is using the Blade. It's Jensen Ackles' face...but it's not his eyes. And it's not Dean's eyes either.

- So after a frankly thrilling Darth Vader-esque execution scene (telling us that the title of this episode SHOULD have been 'The Executioner's Death Song') Dean walks out of the barn room again and coldly hands the Blade to Castiel. I have to say that this was an extremely electrified climax to the episode. It was exciting to see Cain back again and it was great to see he and Dean face off against each other. What made it so scary, though, was Jensen Ackles' performance. I'm telling you, he's been just amazing. He alternated between frenzied slashing and a cold, calm, controlled persona that was just eerie. You could SEE Dean fighting the effects of battle with the Blade.

         THIS episode should have been the mid-season finale. I liked the episode we got (though Claire is a bit grating on repeated views) but this just has the epic, end-all feel that I think they were trying to strike. Cain was a great addition to the episode and I love the way he kept goading Dean while they were fighting. We also ended this episode with the reveal that I have been dreading ever since Cain was introduced. In order for Dean to master control over the Mark and the Blade, he is going to have to kill Sam. I knew it, I KNEW IT! WHY COULDN'T I BE WRONG THIS TIME?! I have a bad feeling about the season finale. The Executioner's Song is a 5/5.

He sits there with you

All concern and love

When you look at him

You feel it should be enough

But still there's a thread

Of unrest in your heart

When you think of how

It all could fall apart

"We'll fix this." He says

And he means every word

Yet the love that he shows

Is a two-edged sword

"Cain found a way!"

But you wonder if he knows

What the price really was

For Cain's final blow

Cain killed his brother

He spilled Abel's blood

And with that one act

Managed to stem the Mark's flood

At the thought, your heart breaks

Your mouth's dry as a bone

You feel sick, your hands shake

You turn into stone

Your brother, your soulmate

For him you'd go to Hell

And you'll not drag him down

With you just 'cause you fell

"Like Cain did." He still says

And you bite your tongue

For when you think of that story

You want to scream at him to run

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Merlin Review: Series 3 Episode 6 "The Changeling"

By: Lucy Watkins

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

        

          Well HELLO there, Professor Sprout, fancy seeing you here! This episode is definitely one of the ones geared towards the more childish and comedic side of Merlin and it pits Merlin against the king of the Sidhe. Not to mention a pixie who tries to seduce Gaius...but the less said about that the better.

         Princess Elena is a precious treasure and I will hear no words against her. The actress (Bradley James' girlfriend at the time, I believe) is clearly very comfortable with all kinds of comedy and just plays this awkward, lovable princess with a good deal of gusto. Far from being irritating or evil, Elena is someone who - in the end - you're almost rooting for her and Arthur to get together. I think that, at the least, they might have become good friends and it's really a shame that she never returned to the show. 

        There was a minimal amount of Morgana McSmirk-ing this episode (thank God) as the relationship between Arthur and Gwen really was given a big boost forward. Gwen's speech to Arthur about how she would support him, even if he had to marry Elena, was just beautiful and the acting of James and Coulby was spot on.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- Love the scene where the Sidhe King is is imprinting the fairy into baby Elena. Very creepy.

- - Uther is hugging someone? Wow...we HAVE dropped down the rabbit hole! Arthur's reaction when his father drops the bombshell on him that he is to court and marry Elena is just priceless. He's so flummoxed he actually goes to Merlin in front of everyone and splutters in his ear.


- We need more princesses like Elena. She's kind and sweet but also unpolished and klutzy.

- Merlin's attempts to cheer Arthur up about the impending match to Elena couldn't be funnier. "Perhaps you've more in common than you think. Bad breath for example..." "Excuse me?" "...appalling table manners..." "Now hang on a minute!" 

- The effects in the scenes with Grunhilda treating Elena with pixiedust and revealing the fae inside of her are actually quite interesting.

- I also find it highly disturbing that Grunhilda has a thing for Gaius and actively seeks to seduce him. Ugh.

- Merlin finds it hilarious, though, and...okay...it is kind of funny to see Gaius desperately trying to avoid her advances. Not to mention the scene where Gaius has to 'reciprocate' them, in order to trap the pixie in Camelot's crypt. (He tells Merlin never to mention it again.)

- I love Merlin's fight with the King of the Sidhe. Poor Gaius...his chambers will never be the same again!

- "Nobody likes a clever clogs, Merlin."

- Of course any of Arthur's interactions with either of his two love interests (either Elena or Gwen) are the highlight of the episode. Bradley James really had a lot of heavy lifting to do with this story. He had to be a comic foil while working with Georgia King and also had to carry quite a bit of drama and emotion while doing the scenes with Angel Coulby. And, of course, he comes through wonderfully. The scene where Arthur and Guinevere talk about how Arthur is going to have to marry Elena stands out above pretty much everything else in this episode, of course, but all of the scenes Arthur is in are just perfect. Thank you, Bradley James!

- I love that Arthur and Elena do actually bond a bit. Like I said, I think they could have become very good friends.

- "I've been riding since I was a child. I don't get to do it as much as I'd like, princesses don't, but apparently my mother was an excellent horsewoman. I never met her." "I never met mine either. I...often wonder if I'm like her.."

- Destinies, destinies, destinies...of course Merlin knows nothing about how it feel to be under one. Right?

       In case you haven't noticed, I really enjoyed this episode. It was a little bit goofy, but also managed to hit the feels in places too. There were also a lot of great characters. We didn't see as much of Elena's father as we did of her, but I really like him. He didn't feel as flat as some of the other kings we have met in the past and certainly he's not as sleazy as Cenred. This was just a lot of fun and it is an episode that I will watch over and over. The Changeling is a 5/5.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Film Review: The Hobbit "The Battle of the Five Armies"

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this movie, please go and do so before proceeding.

            This was so incredibly anti-climatic that I don't even know where to start. There were times when I honest-to-God felt like I was watching a play-through of the video game. I'm all for a final installment of a trilogy being non-stop action and drama, but this was just ridiculous. If this were a TV show, I would be saying that it 'jumped the shark' at this episode. Really, these movies should not have been split into a trilogy. Two films would have been better as originally planned AND the title could have been There And Back Again with exactly the same impact. It did not need to be changed.

What I Liked:

- Martin Freeman. Just...just Martin Freeman. Whenever I heard they were making The Hobbit, he was my first pick as the actor to play young!Bilbo. Thankfully he was PJ's first pick also and he just does a tremendous job in the titular role of the hobbit.

- Love that they kept Bilbo's less-than-welcoming homecoming in there. That was always one of my favorite parts of the books and it's just hilarious to see him spluttering at those who are making off with his best armchair (and silver spoons) as he stumps up the path with his sword and dragon gold.

- Absolutely ADORE Ian Holm returning as older!Bilbo.

- Galadriel's fight with the Necromancer is one of the most beautiful, terrifying, and incredible things I have ever seen. It called to mind shades of Luthien Tinuviel facing off against Morgoth (which I'm sure was intentional) and really showcased just how much power the Lady of Lorien carries inside of her, both as an elven queen and as a ringbearer. Great stuff!

- The visuals of Smaug burning down Laketown were quite impressive. I still say that should have been the climax of the last movie, rather than the dwarves trying to dip the dragon in nacho cheese.

- Thorin and Bilbo and Balin. Man, I still can't believe the acorn scene exists. That was just too funny.

- The Elven King's reaction to Bilbo apologizing for stealing from the pantry just made my day.

- Thorin's actual death scene was done pretty well. It was changed from the book, but the impact wasn't any less. He still had his speech to Bilbo about how it's important to value love and friendship and hospitality over gold and power.

- The entire confrontation with Bard and Thranduil was just about perfect. I really, really like how they did it with Thorin and Bard speaking through the wall. The moment when Bilbo reveals that he stole the Arkenstone (which I'm still waiting to hear why it glowed like that...) was just as painful as it was in the book. Though I do miss Thorin threatening to sting Bilbo's feet with arrows if he doesn't leave quickly.

- Billy Boyd's song made me cry a bit, I confess.

What I Thought Was Weird:

- Thorin became Scrooge McDuck in this film to the point that he even had a 'swimming in gold' moment. Not quite sure what they were trying to do with that.

- Why were Thorin, Fili, and Kili riding mountain goats? And did we really need to hear the clip-clop of hooves? That was just ridiculous.

- There was too much CGI. It utterly lacked the grit of LotR which wouldn't be an entirely bad thing, except it tried to still have that. It still tried to be that big, epic story that LotR is. And it's not. It's The Hobbit. Even WITH the Necromancer stuff, it's still not as big and epic as LotR.

- WHY was that waterfall frozen solid? It wasn't even winter yet! What is this, a lego set???

- I don't think that King Thranduil riding on that moose will ever NOT be hilarious.

- Why exactly did Thorin take off his armor before going out to fight? That seems kind of counter-intuitive, does it not?

- And why did they copy the worms from Dune?! What even was the purpose of that? I honestly don't understand. Why?

- I guffawed when Smaug died Emperor Kuzco style with his tongue hanging out. Seriously. That was some of the funniest stuff I've ever seen. Problem is, I'm not entirely certain if that was intentional or not.

- Legolas is totally a show off. Why is everybody else even fighting? Just send the blond guy in! Heck, he could have had The One Ring destroyed and Sauron taken down before tea time if they'd just given him a chance. He probably wouldn't even have broken out into a sweat. WHY IS EVERYBODY ELSE EVEN FIGHTING AGAIN?!

- I really hope that Thorin's funeral scene is in the extended cut. It had a lot of important resolution for the different character arcs that we missed out on.

- Alfred (aka Unibrow aka Not-Grima aka Little John Wore The Dress Better) was the saving grace of the Bard scenes. The guy deserves a miniseries all of his own (preferably without Bard's brats) and I really, really enjoyed him in this movie. That being said, we really could have used less of his scenes. They didn't belong here. You thought Gimli farting and burping in LotR was bad? Imagine that times 10,000 and you'll get an idea of what we endured.

What Made My Eye Twitch:

- KILI DIED PROTECTING/AVENGING TAURIEL! AAAAAAAAUGH! NO! NO! NO! I accept that this is a movie. It is an adaption. Changes are going to be made. BUT THEY HAVE TO BE CHANGES THAT MAKE SENSE! This made no sense. The romance felt forced already (it was semi-okay last movie, but REALLY felt shoe-horned in here) and this only made it worse. Fili and Kili were supposed to die defending their king and their uncle with body and shield. They were supposed to die with honor, darn it!

- Thorin's fight with Azog was just painful. Azog himself should never have been in these movies. According to the lore, Azog had been long dead and his son, Bolg, was the one out for blood. It would have been fine to leave it as, rather than reducing Thorin's pompous, selfish nobility to a half-crazed, revenge-bent idiot. The fight atop the waterfall was made me cringe while watching it. I could practically predict each movement that the dueling foes made (cliches, cliches, by-the-book cliches that weren't in the book at all) and it felt like it had been ripped from The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe, which is another movie that has a fight with a frozen waterfall and cracking ice. Ugh.

- Tauriel is pointless. Just thought I'd re-iterate that.

- Bard's brats...WHY? JUST WHY? Why were they even there? They were cute in the last movie, but we didn't need them here. We didn't need them bleating out "Daaaa!" every three minutes and constantly putting themselves into danger. No. Just no.

- It was literally pointless for the dwarves to split up and for some of them to stay behind in Laketown. At first I thought that maybe it was to raise the stakes of Smaug burning down Laketown, but nope! Literally pointless.

- Tauriel had no reason for being there and she didn't even have the decency to die in the final battle. I'm still not over that. She might have been okay if she had just been a bit of girl power (because, y'know, apparently Galadriel wasn't enough). Why? Why was she even there? She added nothing to it. All she did was mess some things up.

        And yet, despite all these complaints, I did still honestly enjoy it. I do take issue with some of the...choices. Oh boy do I ever take issue! But it's still a fairly decent movie that I think will be enjoyable to watch as part of the (now 24-hours-long) Middle Earth Marathon. Unfortunately, though, the problems are many and involve things that even I, a devoted fan, cannot excuse or ignore. *sigh* This movie is a 2/5.




What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Pride & Prejudice Review: Episode 2

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.


     "And you should take it into further consideration, that in spite of your manifold attractions, it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage may ever be made you."    

   
      What a charmer...

     David Bamber is the quintessential Mr. Collins. Nobody before him so perfectly managed to capture the mix of arrogance and self-abasement that this character ascribes to and now that he has played the role, nobody else can even compete.

      In this episode, Mr. Bennet's cousin (the aforementioned Mr. Collins) arrives for a visit. He is the man guilty of the truly heinous crime of being the relative to which the estate of Longbourn is entailed, and so he has decided to make amends by marrying one of the Bennet girls. He's not particular as to which one. After finding out that Jane is already taken, he just continues on down the line and latches on Lizzie. Lucky girl...

      Mr. Collins is really the highlight of this episode, particularly in the way that Bamber plays off of all the other actors. He gives us a toadying, bumbling, self-centered, patronizing clergyman who is utterly obsessed with his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh and who has almost no original thought outside of what she has told him. I would not want to sit under his sermons, let me tell you!

     There is competition for the affections of Elizabeth Bennet, though, as no sooner does Mr. Collins arrive on the scene then a dashing young officer named George Wickham also comes to town. Wickham is a charming cad, a romantic rogue, a simpering, smirking, handsome, conniving man who wastes no time in weaseling his way into Lizzie's affections by detecting and exploiting her willful feud with Mr. Darcy. In these early episodes (particularly if you haven't seen/read the story before) Wickham seems the very picture of wronged goodness. He seems like the everyman hero who is put down and crushed by life and yet pulls himself up by the bootstraps every time. Mr. Collins is utterly blown out of the water. He cannot compete with Wickham in Lizzie's eyes, though he certainly tries.

       Really the climax of the episode comes with the Netherfield ball where Darcy finally gives in to his feelings and asks Elizabeth to dance in quite possibly the best scene of the entire miniseries:

        Then the day after the ball, Mr. Collins (doubtlessly feeling the pressure from both Wickham and Darcy) proposes to her in a scene that is as uncomfortable and infuriating as it is hilarious. He manages to insult pretty much everything about her and then has the audacity to let her know that he is proposing, not because he loves her, but because Lady Catherine de Bourgh feels that he should find a wife. Then, when Lizzie turns him down, he smirks at her and assumes that she is merely playing coy and hard to get in order to further inflame his 'love' for her. Pardon me while I gag.

        The episode ends with Lizzie's father staunchly refusing to make her marry Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas (Lizzie's best friend) swooping in to save the day by inviting the spurned lover to dine with her family.

5/5

Supernatural Review: Season 1 Episode 13 "Route 666"

By: Eugenie Ross-Leming & Brad Buckner

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

         Sammy is a brat. As all younger siblings tend to be whenever they feel they can get away with embarrassing the elders. And he had plenty of ammunition this week as we are taken to meet an old flame of Dean's, Cassie Robinson. 

         Turns out, while Sam was off at college with Jessica, Dean too met a girl and fell in love. He actually dated her for longer than a weekend too. In fact, he was so in love that he told her the family secret. She promptly dumped him, thinking that he was just crazy or that he was trying to end the relationship with this wild story. But, whenever her father is killed in a strange accident, she gives her old boyfriend a call, begging for his help. And Dean, being the knight Templar that he is, immediately takes Sam and hightails it to Cassie's side. Sam, after getting over his annoyance that Dean broke Winchester Family Rule #1, finds Dean's interactions with his former girlfriend to be a great source of mirth. It's okay, Sammy. I think it's hilarious too. The most fun out of any Winchester Romance is watching the reactions of the brother not involved. Always funny. In this case, this is probably the most awkwardly we've ever seen Dean behave. And Cassie's a pretty nice girl too. I like her. Shame it didn't work out between them.

           I really feel like the sensitive race issues were treated very well in this episode as well. It's good that they didn't go with the cliched 'evil white mayor' and that both sides of each argument were presented well. In the end of the day, the real villain was prejudice and hatred...very human emotions that we all have to struggle with at some point in our lives.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

        

- "By old friend you mean...?" "A friend that's not new." Gotta love Winchester Logic!

- Sam spent a year and a half lying to Jessica?! Whoa...NOT a good foundation for a relationship there. I know why he did it (she'd probably take him to see the campus shrink if he started telling her about wendigos) but still. The Winchesters really aren't cut out for long term relationships, are they?

- I absolutely love the visuals of the ghost truck with the bright headlights cutting through the mist. It really gives an ethereal, otherworldly quality to everything.

- The chase scenes involving this truck are very tense and full of action too. Great stuff. 

- It's also suitably spooky whenever they talk about how this truck is leaving no tire tracks behind at the sites of its kills.

- "What's interesting is you guys never really look at each other at the same time. You look at her when she's not looking, she checks you out when you look away. (Grinning) It's just a...just an interesting observation in a....you know...observationally interesting way." Sam just has WAY too much fun with this 'relationship' his brother keeps dancing around.

- I really find it interesting that a lot of emphasis is put in this episode about how all of the problems have come from hatred on both sides. How racism drove someone to do terrible things and then those who were being hurt finally had the upper hand and so struck out in anger and ended up doing something just as terrible.

- "I have heard of a truck like that....not where. When. Back in the '60s there was a string of deaths. Black men. Story goes, they disappeared in a big, nasty, black truck." 

- I really appreciate that they didn't go with stereotypical racist mayor. He was actually trying to protect Cassie and her mother and the memory of her father. 

- Cassie's mother's speech is just heartbreaking. It's such a tragic story of human evil to begin with, but the actress just sells it with so much raw grief and regret that it really is the high point of the episode. You can feel her pain and you can't help but empathize with her. What a terrible, terrible past.

- The scene where Sam and Dean dig Cyrus' corpse (mummy, actually) and truck out of the swamp is all manner of gross.

- Sam's method of getting rid of Cyrus' spirit is all manner of cool, though...

- This is a really great climax to the episode. By this point, we've seen the truck kill several people. We know that, no matter how skilled a driver Dean is, he's pretty much resigning himself to the same fate because the truck...so far...has always won. And now Dean is racing away to buy Sam some time to figure out how to lay the spirit to rest. It really gets your adrenaline pumping.

- Before he leaves, Dean tells Cassie that he'll call and come back and visit her. She sadly tells him that she knows he won't and they share one last kiss as Sam awkwardly coughs in the background.

            Route 666 is a lot of fun. It's hilarious to see Sam teasing Dean about actually dating someone and it's nice to get a bit of a look into Dean's past. But behind this lighthearted façade is a sad, tragic story of human prejudice and hatred that drove men to savagery. It's gritty, it's dark, and it handles some very sensitive ideas and issues with realistic, well-played characters and great storytelling. 4/5.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Pride & Prejudice Review: Episode 1

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

             "It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

      This 1995 miniseries by BBC is, in my humble opinion, the best adaptation of Jane Austen's famous novel ever to be filmed. It sparkles with wit and charm and beautifully enhances the source material while also preserving the original draw of the book. It is a prime example of a book-to-film adaptation done right.

      The first episode tells us of the arrival of Mr. Bingley at Netherfield Park and the flutter that this puts the Merryton society into. It is within this episode that the groundwork for pretty much all of the characters and relationships throughout the series is established. I particularly like the opening scene where the members of the Bennet family are introduced. There's very little dialogue, but through the music and some clever placings of the characters, all of the clashing personalities of this family are clearly seen and set in place. Mr. Bennet is a reclusive bookworm who spends much of his time hiding in the library and making sarcastic digs at everyone. Elizabeth (or Lizzie) is his favorite daughter and shares much of his wit and observations on life. Jane is the oldest daughter and the calming pillar of her family. Mary is plain and deadpan and more interested in her moralizing books than anything else. Kitty and Lydia are still nearly children and fight as often as they conspire together, often driving the anxious and hysterical Mrs. Bennet to distraction with their carryings on. Mrs. Bennet herself tends to favor Lydia over everyone.

      Then we are introduced to the arrival of Mr. Bingley and to Mrs. Bennet trying to make plans and play her cards right in order to make a match between one of her daughters and this rich bachelor. While, from a modern standpoint, we may look back and be horrified at this culture of matchmaking and marrying like you're buying an insurance policy and looking for the best offer, really that was what happened. It was all about making a good alliance and about climbing the social ladder. And, as Lizzie and Jane observe, really a woman had little other options for security if she was not an heiress to an estate herself. The Bennet Estate of Longbourn is entailed (which means it can only pass down to a male heir) and so all of the Bennet girls must make a good choice of husband and marry for money.

      Lizzie, though, is determined that nothing but the very deepest of love will induce her to matrimony. She and Jane have seen and observed daily through their parents what happens when one or both partners can't respect their spouse, and so the girls are determined not to let this happen to them. Lizzie tells Jane to marry for love but "...just take care you fall in love with a rich man."

       Luckily for Jane, it's not long before she catches the eye of Mr. Bingley (the rich bachelor who has just moved into the local park) and the two of them begin to fall in love. Lizzie too has caught the eye of a rich young man. Mr. Darcy is Mr. Bingley's best friend and has an estate worth twice what Bingley's is (as Mrs. Bennet gleefully and loudly tells her daughters). Lizzie has an ill first impression of him, though, as the first time they meet he rather stiffly tells Bingley that Elizabeth's appearance is tolerable, at best, and that he is in no mood to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. Needless to say, Lizzie determines that Mr. Darcy is the worst sort of proud and disagreeable and swears that she will never even stand up to dance with him.

       Already within this episode the tensions between the characters are already set in place. Lizzie hates Darcy. Darcy, despite himself, is beginning to notice Lizzie because she is the first woman not to throw herself at him. Jane and Bingley are falling in love, but Bingley's friends and family don't like Jane's connections and relatives...due in a large part to Mrs. Bennet's abysmal manners. We've learned that, for gentlefolk, the Bennets are poor and that Mr. and Mrs. Bennet do little to appreciate each other or to curb the behavior of their children. We've learned that the girls must make a good match. And there's been a lot of dialogue with so many good quotes that I could spend an entire review just listing them all.

5/5

Supernatural Review: Season 10 Episode 13 "Halt & Catch Fire"

Eric Charmello & Nicole Snyder

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.


       So we had an honest-to-Chuck ghost hunt this week and it started out with a pre-credits scene that reminded me very much of the opening to The Sontaran Stratagem. Except instead of ATMOS going rogue, it was apparently a ghost-influenced GPS system.

       This isn't the first truck they've had to burn, though. This episode called back shades of Route 666 in my mind...and a little bit of Mean Girls in places. Mean Girls: The College Years. Or maybe that new social media horror film that is coming out. Unfriended? I definitely felt a bit of the trailers for that whenever that one girl was on her computer and the unfriendly friend requests started popping up.

      Though technically this episode is a standalone adventure, Sam and Dean and the MoC was never far from our minds. And Dean, at the end, had a frankly beautiful speech about how he's going to deal with this curse he brought on himself. They're working together, come what may, and it's wonderful. I love the dynamic they're striking this season.


Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- I love how Dean just found out how to poke on Facebook.

- "So are you saying that if you died and I drove your car, you'd kill me?" "If you stunk her up with taquitos, yes. Probably." Lies, Dean. We know that's all lies.You didn't even kill Sam when he put an iPod jack in Baby.

- I have to say that the scene where that girl's computer turned against her and then strangled her with the cord was incredibly creepy.

- Dean going gaga over the menu at the college cafeteria (and teasing Sam over his fondness for lattes) will never not be funny. But it is interesting that Dean has been eating a lot recently, going between health food binges and pizza. Is this one of his ways to help 'sate' the Mark?

- "Nothing ever really gets deleted from the Internet. You knew that, right?" *Dean looks uncomfortable* Okay, Dean. Cough up. What did you do?

- One of the clues to the mystery is 810 and, about the time that the third victim is killed (by an over-loud stereo, no less), we've figured out that SOMETHING happened at 8:10 that is seriously upsetting the ghost.

- I do think the stereo death scene was drawn out a bit too long, though.

- The bloody eyeballs reminded me of the corpse's from Bloody Mary. In fact, there are a LOT of Season 1-ish parallels in this episode. Hmmmm...

- Delilah (the red-headed girl) knows something, which takes us into the flashback of the episode. There's a lot of (mostly good-natured) ribbing of the selfie culture going on here. I really feel like this entire episode was a jab at the social media age a la Long Distance Call or #THINMAN. It was a lot of fun, though.

- I suspected that maybe the teens had something to do with the death of that young husband as soon as I heard the wife's story. But I didn't realize that they had ALL been in the wreck together!

- Haha! Dean took out an iron crowbar and then nonchalantly handed a tissue to Delilah. His talk with her was really sweet too. And sad. It's almost like we've got the old Dean back...all self-denial, junk food, and snarkiness.

- Okay...so the ghost was surfing through the wi-fi? You know, as soon as Sam said that, I cringed because he and Dean were talking on smart phones. Phones connected to wi-fi. Didn't they consider that possibly the ghost might be overhearing them?

- The burn make-up on Andrew's ghosts looked appropriately gross and painful.

- Moral of the story, boys and girls...Don't Text & Drive.

           If Supernatural has a stock episode, this would be it. We've got a complicated ghost story with unexpected twists and turns, a terrific climax, a sad story about humanity and grief, and a broment tying up the end of the episode. Ghosts on this show are fascinating spirits. Some of them (like the mother from Bad Boys or Bobby) stay behind because they honestly can't bear to leave their loved ones alone. They have unfinished business. They have people to protect and answers to seek out. So they run from their Reaper and they stay on earth as a spirit. But eventually this state of half-way living is too much for the ghosts and they're consumed by the need for revenge or to continue living out their lives again and again. It's really a tragic story and I like how this one was solved in the end by Andrew's wife convincing him that she still loved him but that it was time for him to move on. Halt & Catch Fire is a 4/5.




What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Cabin Pressure Season 1, Episode 4 - Douz

 

Hi guys. Just thought I'd let you know... I am in my final year of studies (whether college or high-school, make of that what you will) so I don't have very much time to do anything but study during the week. I barely get to read anymore! But anyways, the whole point of this prologue bit is to say I will be turning out a Cabin Pressure once every one or two weeks. Everyone savvy with that? Thanks, guys, and... ON WITH THE REVIEW!

On a side-sidenote... anyone heard Zurich Pt.1 and 2, yet? I have, and cried so hard it was ridiculous. With both laughter and sadness. Love ya, Cabin Pressure!

*Bing-bong*
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the new review of Cabin Pressure. As usual, there are spoilers ahead. If you do not wish to come across them, please go and listen to this episode with haste and then come back. I'll wait for you....


Favourite Moments and Weird Thoughts:

 

MARTIN (a little more urgently): Actually, I wasn’t being entirely straight with you just now. You see, it’s this damnable sleeping sickness of mine. (He yawns.) Normally, I control it with a mysterious stimulant from South America … (his voice becomes even more urgent) … but, blast it, my supply’s run out! I’m afraid our only hope now is if, by some chance, someone on board knows how to prepare this stimulant and could …

CAROLYN (from the cabin): Yes, we get the message. Arthur, take Martin his coffee.
BEST. INTRODUCTION. EVER.

-Arthur uses 'brilliant' a lot. Camels are brilliant, the Sahara is brilliant. generally, just life itself is brilliant. Why, oh why, can't I have his optimism?

-Douglas only uses petrol stations for Kit Kats. Why do I find that vaguely hilarious...? XP

-And Douglas is also a Sky God. Don't encourage him, Martin!

-MARTIN: Mmm, because of course take-offs are cancelled all the time; landings almost never. ALMOST never?! How about never never?!

-GERTI has a freak-out (what else is new) although...

-Douglas than requires his Biggles Hat, and Martin lands the plane ('I have control! I have control! Control, I have it!) fit to wipe out the dinosaurs.

-So, our Merry Band of MJN Misfits is now stuck in the middle of the desert with a stroppy airport-runner dude, who cannot describe 'fire truck' with any other words than 'fire truck'. Dude! Where's your creativity?!

-Panda Charters went bust. Therefore the Scottish Cricket Team is being flown back to... Scotland? for free by Carolyn and Co. Thats... great.

-So, because Panda Charters went bust, Carolyn has to pay Jutteau before they can go. And they can't.

-Jutteau then surrounds them with all manner of vehicles... and Douglas does something clever to save the day (what else is new?).

-He siphons off the petrol from the surrounding vehicles and gets the cricket team to carry the fire truck (which is in their way) out of the way. And then they decide they're gonna drive to the next nearest airport. DRIVE.

-All throughout the episode, Arthur is taking pictures for MJN's new brochure. The end result...?

Thanks for reading this review, see you next week!

Jess out. :D