Doctor Who - 6.6: "The Almost People" Review

The Doctor continues in his attempt to get the workers off the island, as well as interacting with his own ganger and revealing the real reason why he was on the island.

 The Doctor's (Matt Smith) ganger screams in agony, prompting the real Doctor to tell him the Flesh has to cope with their past regenerations.   Ganger Doctor asks if he wants a Jelly Baby.   The Doctor wants more proof that he's really him and they talk with each other.   Rory (Arthur Darvill) and Amy (Karen Gillan) may not trust them, but the two Doctors are on the same wavelength, "great minds" and all that.   His plan is to save them all and ganger Doctor was thinking that too.   "It's just so inspiring to hear me say it."  Amy notices the different shoes one of them's wearing but can't tell them apart.   Both the Doctors have "established a protocol." They both tell Amy to "breathe."  Obviously for when she's having the baby.   Doctor: "I'm starting to get a sense of just how impressive it is to hang out with me...Yowza." He finds an escape route from the chapel.

Jennifer (Sarah Smart) wants it all to stop, is she  the real Jennifer?  Rory follows her.   Cleaves (Raquel Cassidy) says if they can get power then they can scan for Rory.   Amy comments the Doctor asked her breathe a while back, but she can't.   That's cos the acid's interacting with the stone to give off gas.   Thus they need to head for the Evac tower.   Cleaves gets headaches.   Amy's pulled a muscle from breathing too hard, but we know differently.   As Amy could see the Eye-Patch (Frances Barber) woman, as she wasn't really with them.   Read on.

Ganger Jennifer says the eyes are the last to melt and they always ask 'why?'  Why should they suffer for humans?  Ganger Cleaves just wants to live in peace.   Ganger Jennifer wants to destroy the humans and gets Ganger Jimmy (Mark Bonner) and ganger Dicken (Leon Vickers) on side.   Amy wants the Doctors to stop finishing each other's sentences.   They talk about the TARDIS again calling her " a tough, old, sexy thing."  She's "tough, old, dependable, sexy." They both have 900 years of experiences and memories and wear bow ties.  "Bow ties are cool."  The Doctor tells Amy he had a little accident and needed new shoes, which was a clue, as I said before.   Amy doesn't like being called Pond and she has more affection for the real Doctor than his ganger.   She refers to ganger Doctor as "almost impressive." Which he doesn't like.  They can't scan Rory and Cleaves manages to send a rescue message to the mainland, she also wants the gangers killed.

Ganger Jennifer can't override the thermostat as she's not human.   The Doctor makes a phonecall on delay because he's an optimist.   Amy watches ganger Doctor and sees the Eye-Patch woman again.   Finally telling the Doctor about her.   He refers to it as a "time memory, like a mirage."  (See Amy's been having the other Amy's memories and visions.)  Here's where we realize that the Doctor knows everything and that it's been happening for a while.   Ganger Doctor: "It's in my head." Oh he has his dark moments doesn't he.   Great.   Amy apologizes to ganger Doctor for calling him "almost the Doctor." and asks if he can die.   Amy: "You can be killed and I have seen that happen...because you invited us to see it - your death."  He asks "Why?" It's the shoes I say, always watch out for the shoes!

Ganger Doctor: "It's all the eyes say, why?"  Hey this could have been a subtle allusion to Eye-Patch woman.  They shouldn't throw their gangers away and they can feel death and only say why.   He briefly sensed it, but not as strong as ganger Doctor.   (Did he mean he sensed the Flesh in Amy.)  The Flesh wants revenge.   Amy says he can never be the Doctor.   Well he played them with the old switcheroo ploy to the end - very clever; and says the Sonic needs to tell the difference between humans and gangers.   Amy is certain he's the Doctor and she can tell.

The 'real' Jennifer shows Rory her burn mark and she fights with her ganger.   The ganger gets burnt in the acid and melts.  The Doctor asks, "Sure you're not prejudiced."  Rory wants them all to live like the Doctor.   The others finally see Rory and Jennifer heading for the thermostatic room.   The Doctor lets his ganger go with Buzzer (Marshall Lancaster) to rescue them, the Doctor wants them to go and "I'm rather adamant."  He tells Amy she has to trust him.   Jennifer gets Rory to scan his hand over the panel so she can access the controls.   The computer speaks; "Human source recognized."  Oh Rory it didn't click he was the human, not her.  She overrides the thermostat.   The island will blow.   The Doctor scanned Cleaves.   She has a blood clot, inoperable on earth.   The radio is dead so they can't radio the rescue helicopter, but ganger Cleaves knows the password to the shuttle: "Bad Boy."  Ganger Cleaves exhibits a change of heart when she remarks, "we're the same person."  She called them persons and didn't differentiate between "us and them" like ganger Jennifer.

Rory chances upon the discarded Flesh, led there by Jennifer.   Obviously she's not human especially when she asks "Who are the real monsters?"  Which Rory missed again.   Ganger Doctor finds the real Jennifer, dead and Buzzer hits him from behind.   The others led by the Doctor, find eyes on the wall, "the eyes have it."  They were rather large.   Rory tells them about a secret tunnel under the crypt.   Jennifer locks them up and Rory realizes Jennifer is a ganger.   There was no other Jennifer, just always her ganger.   The Doctor calls Rory "Roranicus Pondicus" (perhaps an allusion to the next episode.)  Rory doesn't want them left  there to die.   The Doctor waits for his delayed call, from Adam, Jimmy's son, on his birthday.   This call convinces ganger Jimmy to let the others out, as the real Jimmy is splashed with acid and asks his ganger to look after Adam (Edmond Moulton) and be a dad.

As they try to escape from Jennifer, who has now transformed into a four legged monster, Dicken attempts to lock the other door shut and is killed.   Cue old Sexy TARDIS.   Ganger Cleaves tells them all to leave.   The Doctor says he can stop Jennifer, as he's been with him more.   The Doctor swapped his shoes back from his ganger, so ganger Doctor was the real Doctor all along.   See the shoes.   It was imperative that the two Doctors learn they were the same and "we could never do that through your eyes."  He tells Amy.   Amy hugs ganger Doctor, "you're twice the man I thought you were."  He tells her to "push but only when she tells you to." The Doctor tells ganger Doctor his molecular memory could survive this.   Ganger Doctor replies he'll know if he turns up and nicks all his biscuits.   (What the Jammie Dodgers.) The sonic will dissolve Jennifer and them too.   He yells "Geronimo!"

Amy was so convincing, had us fooled at any rate.   The Doctor says the energy from the TARDIS will stabilize the gangers - as people now.   He gives Cleaves a cure which tastes of onions.   She has to make them stop what they're doing to the Flesh.   Dicken says he's human now.   So two gangers and one human returned from the island.

Inside the TARDIS the Doctor tells Amy, "I said breathe Pond, remember - breathe."  She's having contractions.   The Doctor needed to see the Flesh in its early days, "that's why I scanned it.   That's why I was there in the first place."  But things happened, "shenanigans, beautiful word."  He needed information to block the signal to the Flesh - the signal being sent to Amy.   He melts her, he'll be humane but he has to do this.   He promises they'll find Amy who hasn't been here for "a long, long time."  Eye-Patch opens the hatch.   She's ready for the baby and tells her to "push."

So no evil Doctor, kind of a shame, could've been fun and no deadly bugs either, no they all became 'proper little humans' aside from Jennifer, at least the ones not killed off, Dicken and Jimmy.   Humanity portrayed at its ugliest with blatant disregard for the gangers after they served their purpose and humanity at its best, spurred on by the Doctor, who else; when he tells Cleaves to make it right.   She being the only one of the humans who survived.   Good to see her change too: both her human form and her ganger, when she saves them at the end and stays behind with Doctor ganger, aka John Smith; leaving Cleaves the human, to expose the company at the press conference.

That was a huge clue when the Doctor said Amy wasn't watching out for the shoes.  She told him about his future death and they were invited.   Everyone said Amy would blab (even if it wasn't really Amy.)  So that's why it looked so obvious from the last episode that the Doctor intended to be on this island from the outset.  Amy never being here at all and not being with them long enough to carry a baby to term, at least not ganger Amy.   Apparently she must have been missing since the season opener.   Perhaps the Doctor found out when the TARDIS couldn't scan her either way.   Maybe he knew before that.   Thought there must have been something going on when the Silence had her tied up in the chair earlier in Day of the Moon.

About the Doctor's death, did he already know about this which is why he invited them, or does he know about it only when Amy told him now.   She thought she was talking to his ganger, but she told the real Doctor.   He always sensed she was keeping something from him.   Yet he had to have known about his dying, if he sent the invites.   What if ganger Doctor survived as he mentioned the molecular structure and it was him who was killed in the future...highly unlikely he would've melted when they burned him, but with this episode, it's another case of if you think too much about it, there's no logic to it, but only confusion.

Also when he asks Amy if she's sure she's not prejudiced as she likes the human Doctor more, when she can tell he's the real Doctor, she was actually talking to his ganger and not the real one, therefore also being flesh, Amy was prejudiced towards the ganger Doctor, whom she thought was the real Doctor.   Poor Rory, being without his beloved Amy again.   Love that look Matt Smith gives when he stares into space, that lost look into emptiness, either portraying sadness or darkness.  

Ganger Doctor whilst trying to adjust to the Flesh, talks in the voice of the fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) and the tenth Doctor (David Tennant) who had a penchant for Jelly Babies.  The phrase, "reverse the polarity of the neutron flow" was uttered by the thrid Doctor (Jon Pertwee.)

Anyway, it's all happening next episode, with the baby, the Cybermen, Silurians, Sontaran, our River (Alex Kingston) and lots more...

Smallville - 10.13: "Beacon" Review

The campaign to repeal the VRA reaches its climax and Lionel Luthor begins to reclaim his empire, persuading people he faked his death. Alexander rears his ugly head and attempts to shoot Martha in the hopes of killing the Blur.

Lois (Erica Durance) confronts Tess (Cassidy Freeman) over the censored articles in the Daily Planet and Tess denies approving any of them.   Walking into her office, she finds it's been taken over by Lionel Luthor (Julian Glover.)  Wielding a paraphrased  Mark Twain quote this time, instead of a Shakespearean quote, "the reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."  Tess wants nothing to do with him but he claims he's still her father.   Now he acknowledges her.   He successfully faked his own death is the spiel he's been giving everyone and the gullible old world believes it.   She turned her back on him in his world and now he believes is the time to put things ight.   He's here to provide for her and her brother, Alexander (Lucas Grabeel).   She tells him Clark (Tom Welling) isn't his in this world.   He knows about Clark saving Lex and calls her Lutessa.   Lex needs his father.

Oliver (Justin Hartley) and Chloe (Allison Mack) are together  and they watch the news story about the VRA and the vote to overturn it, a pro-hero rally.   Martha (Annette O'Toole) is campaigning to overturn it.  Chloe knows Oliver's been helping people still.   He wore a hoodie. Clark's still saving people even if they don't want to be be saved by him.   Lois tells Clark he's still focused on "flying under the radar" and he's lost touch with reality.   They watch Martha's speech on the TV where she says they can't do it on their own.   They must join together so their "strength shines through the night like a beacon."  No one is born to hate.   A message clearly intended for Alexander and Lionel.   Lois believes there's still hope.   Martha is shot at.  Begging the question Clark could just as easily have watched the rally in person, then that'd make him an easier target.

Clark arrives at the hospital to find she wore a bullet proof vest  and Lois on the phone to her.   Martha has to protect Clark and his friends and needs to encourage them to stand up for what they believe in.   They need to believe in Clark.  She and Jonathan made a pact to protect Clark.   He doesn't want to lose Martha too.   Chloe turns up and they talk about Clark when he's not there, saying she has to share Clark with the world and he worries about Martha.   Chloe understands why she became the Red Queen and Martha realizes why Chloe took over from Amanda Waller, but she asks why she left Clark.   They both had to leave for him to step up on his own.  Chloe's part of their family.   Martha is Chloe's mother figure and Chloe's watching over Clark as one of his oldest friends.

Clark investigates the CS and stumbles across Oliver in his hoodie.   Martha's also standing up for him, he couldn't just sit around.   Clark finds Kryptonite meaning the bullets disappeared on impact which is why there's no trace of them.   The shooting was personal, not political in the hopes of luring the Blur.   Lois bakes muffins, she's getting better.   Lois believes the shooter could be Ray Sacks (Dylan Neal) or Bruno Mannheim.   Martha tells her she's been impressed with her for ages and gives her the necklace that Jonathan's mother gave her on their wedding day.   Lois is "a perfect fit for Clark." Lois inspires him.   She wishes she could do that now as he's losing hope.   Clark's been losing hope for a long time now.   Martha inspires Lois too and gives her an idea when she tells her how Perry White began his fight by printing pamphlets from a storage unit.   Lois: "So low rent and so rebel."

Lionel finds Alexander, who was glad to watch him fall 40 storeys.  He takes the gun from him and realizes he's the shooter.   He betrayed Lex for Clark in another life but they have a chance to work together now.   His own son, "you will rule our family destiny no matter what it costs."  Including Lionel's own life.  Lois goes through Perry's old stuff and Chloe arrives disguised in her black shades and hat.   Lois needs her help to hack into all the news sites.   She can't let all these "power puff pieces piling up against the Blur" continue.   Clark finds the shooter's crow's nest and an 'S' symbol scratched on the ledge.   He's seen it in Alexander's cell.   Oliver says they'll find him and he does.

Lionel's been reading the other Lionel's journal and the board members took him back at Luthorcorp.  Oliver tells him how he murdered his parents in this life and he almost hits Lionel, who relishes the thought of Oliver being thrown out by security.   He accuses Oliver of wanting celebrity and making the mistake of trusting people, who he describes as 'vulgar, uneducated' and don't realize they're fighting for them.   When Oliver's name is cleared he'll be coming after them.   Lionel promises the people will turn on them tomorrow, cos it'll happen to Lionel with his family.

Tess informs Clark that Lionel is back and he can't send them back as he destroyed the mirror box.   He thinks Jor El might be able to help and wants nothing done until he returns.   Tess comments there must be another way to deal with them.  Is Tess running from her destiny, of what she may become as she's determined to want to get rid of Lionel and Alexander, for whom she cared a while ago.   Lionel takes Alexander to the mansion and Martha tells him it's not Lionel's home.   She says Alexander's not well and needs help.   Lionel comments on Clark's journey through the looking glass.   Oliver already made an Alice in Wonderland 'down the rabbit hole' reference last episode.   Lionel finds Martha attractive and recalls Lionel gave her an engraved wristwatch and asks if she told her husband about it.   Alexander hears everything, he used Clark to kill Lex in his world.   He knocks out Martha as she's about to leave.   Lionel picked his son in two worlds and it wasn't Alexander.   Lionel says he was wrong and pleads for his life.   Alexander sets fire to the mansion.

At the farm Tess looks for the Phantom Zone crystal and Clark returns when he realizes what she meant by other means of handling them.   She asks how Clark can be so good and Alexander replies cos "no one  taught him to hate" like Lionel did.  He uses Kryptonite on Clark, who tries to convince him he's not a killer yet.   Tess tells Alexander he blames everyone but himself and she understands how he feels, he can't step into the light if he's ashamed.   Clark changed things for her and can do the same for him.  She takes the gun from him just like Lionel did.   Alexander has Tess.   Clark rushes back to save Martha and reluctantly Lionel, throwing him to the ground when he gets him out.

Clark thinks they'll lose the vote, but people speak out in favour of the Blur and how he's changed their lives.   Clark: "a beacon of hope shining light on the truth."  Chloe tells him how they all stepped forward for him.   Lois tells him, "You're an American hero Clark." Clark wants to be the man Martha made the suit for.   Clark is inspired by them.   To be a beacon hr believes they need to see his face.   In the future he wore glasses and had a "bad haircut."  He can't treat Clark Kent as a disguise cos of his parents.   Martha tell shim he's who he is cos of his strength and bravery, these are all real.   He'll always be her son.   He's "the light."  (Lots of light references in this episode and some darkness ones too.)  Jonathan would be proud of him.

Alexander tells Tess he's beginning to lose his memory, what if he begins to forget her.   Tess promises to make everything okay and injects him with cyanide but the needle bends.   Does this mean Alexander won't really die.   Look a boy of steel.   Plenty of inspiration lines with Clark being bombarded with inspiration from all sides, but he needs others to inspire him, instead of finding it within himself and it's always those around him who have to fill him with hope and convince him to continue what he does and fulfill his destiny as he should.  Glad the VRA's done and dusted.   Funnily enough, this is the first time we hear of Martha's tireless campaign against the VRA, from Lois and when Martha is actually in Metropolis.   Alexander conveniently beginning to forget who he is, so he won't recall Clark is the Blur.   Then he'll forget Tess and what she's done for him too and become another ruthless Lex.   Which Tess probably knows so was attempting to kill him now.

The videos used in the show were made by actual fans and the better ones were used in the segment.   As for the Kryptonite bullet wouldn't Martha's clothes still have remains of the dust.

Lie To Me - 2.1: "The Core of It" Review

Cal investigates one of his most complex cases yet, when a woman approaches him at his book signing to tell him of a murder she had visions of. Ria gets to go it alone.

A man cleans himself in a dingy motel room.   The killer's face can be seen but then we're shown the face of a woman in a broken mirror.  She's seen the murder though a vision.   Cal (Tim Roth) is at a book signing with Emily (Hayley McFarland) and the customers all avoid looking at him and maintaining eye contact.   The woman who 'witnessed' the murder is also there, Trish (Erika Christensen) who tells him the police won't listen. Does Cal believe her?  Gillian (Kelli Williams) turns up dressed in a new outfit.  Cal has a meeting to vet judge Trent (Richmond Arquette) as he's nominated for the Supreme Court by the President.   Cal wants to find the science behind her vision and wants Gillian to meet Trish.   Cal puts Ria (Monica Raymund) in charge of vetting the judge, which he doesn't like and neither does Ben (Mekhi Phifer).   He tells Cal the President asked for Cal especially but Cal knows when he's lying.   Zoe (Jennifer Beals) also arrives informing Cal she's left the DOJ for a job in Chicago where she'll have her own firm.   It's with someone from college who Cal distinctly hates.   They need to tell Emily.   Cal can see her on holidays.  

Cal checks out the motel room, swiping the key when the manager's occupied. He sees blood, but there's no DB so the police can't do anything since the blood could belong to anyone.   Ria questions the judge, asking about his wife, whether he's cheated on her, making him clam up and angry.   The judge reckons anyone so young doesn't really know anything (referring to himself as will be revealed later.)

At the hotel Cal observes a woman come in, looking for something.   He thinks it's Trish as she has the same tattoo, but she calls herself Jessie.   She's a hooker and he pays her to accompany him to the Lightman Group.   She sufferers from multiple personality disorder.   Ben is absent when Ria continues her questioning of the judge and brings up his past cases and her interest peaks when she mentions a particular case, that of Margaret Lane.   Ria can tell he's lying when he claims nothing happened.

Gillian questions Jessie under hypnosis and needs Trish back.   She mentions another personality, RJ who's the protector.   When she's released from hypnosis another personality emerges, that of Sophie, she's the main personality.   She has  a brother, Gavin (Michael Raymond-James).   Ria tells Ben why he shouldn't be nominated as she looks at a video saying the judge was aroused by her and comments on her "gooey voice."  Ben believes Ria hates the judge and it's personal for her.   Cal talks to Gavin who informs him their grandfather abused Sophie.   Cal walks round the room where Sophie used to stay and he watches Gavin hold his breath.   Cal finally steps on a loose floorboard and Gavin exhales, Cal realizes he's hit the mark.   A wallet belonging to Kyle Arnold (Anthony Starke) is found.   Cal visits his house under the pretext of admiring his car.   Kyle admits two prostitutes robbed him and Cal suggests his wife should have herself checked out for every STD going as he likes unprotected sex with hookers.

Eli (Brendan Hines) doesn't surface much this episode but he is still around.   They need RJ to surface.   Cal is about to talk to Emily when Ben interrupts, they've found a DB belonging to Amber.   Cal locks the room and orders Sophie to strip, in the hopes of making RJ emerge.   Eli brings the master key and RJ punches Cal (not another beating he already suffered one in season 1.) Trish is arrested and Cal says RJ can't speak but she needs to ask him what happened and who killed Amber.   She returns saying she knows who the killer is.   The judge admits to kissing the woman but wants to withdraw his nomination.   Ria doesn't want him to do this since he was young and made mistakes.   Cal tells Ria she was right about this case.

Ria tells him how her boyfriend robbed a store and she was sitting in the car when she was younger.   Cal tells her she has the ability to aim even higher than baggage checker.   Sophie dresses as Jessie to trap the killer, the hotel manager, who finally confesses he killed Amber.   Cal gives Zoe a cheque for her share of the Lightman Group. He's buying her out and she can open up her own firm right here.   Cal sees Gillian dressed in pink and she's happy she can wear this colour and no longer needs to wear her blacks, greys etc.   Gillian knows Cal took the money from the Group and he reassures her he can win it back in Vegas.

So what's Cal been up to in Vegas since Gillian says not Vegas again?  Multiple personality disorder done umpteen times and this had to follow suit.   A bit of  a no-brainer as to what was happening with Trish.   What was more interesting was Ria, not so her case itself, but her attitude towards the judge, or should that be her prejudices towards him.   Then she was the one to tell him to not withdraw his nomination.   Gillian's transformation after her divorce was interesting and that Alex was stifling her in their sham of a marriage.   No mention of why she divorced him again (even if it is obvious ) - like to know when she discovered his philandering ways.  Hey her divorce came through quickly.   Hopefully we'll see more of Ria going it alone.   Plus Cal pulling out all the stops to ensure Emily stays.   People may see him as a lot of things - but he loves his daughter.

Eli: "Where are you going?  None of my business.   Power of non-verbal communication.   Awesome.   Love it."

Gillian: "I'm divorced and I'm free and I'm happy and if you do something to screw that up..." Like admitting his feelings for her?

Cal: "What will you be when you grow up?...You're on your way to becoming one of the lead experts in deception.   But up here [in Ria's head] you're still a baggage screener at the airport.   Until you change that you will always think you're not ready." Only last season Cal used to insist Ria wasn't ready to go it alone and here he's let her do just that and she could handle it too, proving she has grown up, but still has to change her mindset.

Thought that scene in the bookshop was going to turn into a scene from Castle. Luckily it didn't.   When did Cal find the time to write a book and do the others know about it?

Charlies Angels - 1.4: "Angels in Chains" Review

The angels end up in a Cuban prison to rescue a missing girl and end up in a pickle when they are used as 'entertainment' for men. Bosley meets an old flame CIA agent.

 Charlie (Victor Garber) sends the angels to rescue Tess (Krista Kalmus) who was  kidnapped 3 weeks ago.   She's the sixth American kidnapped in this area.   Bosley (Ramon Rodriguez) is already in Cuba making contact with an inside man.   They are to go in undercover as American tourists.   Abby (Rachael Taylor) comments, "Loud and obnoxious."  Charlie's yacht will be international waters in 24 hours.

Havana, Cuba: The hotel man registers them and tells them to leave their bags so can plant stuff in it and have a drink.   He makes a phonecall.   Bosley waits for them at the bar suited out  in glasses, he's a lawyer.   Abby says, a Communist lawyer, "that is so cute."  Santos(Romero Fumazoni) is their man on the inside.   Their bags contain drugs and Bosley tries to help, introducing himself as Jose Juan Bosley but bails out on helping them as soon as drugs are mentioned, so they are arrested.

Prison De Val Verde, Cuba:  The warden (Elizabeth Pena) slaps Eve (Minka Kelly)  when she protests at being kept here.   She replies Americans have no rights here.   Santos gives them earwigs and Abby her tools.   Tess is in the hole after attacking the warden, well she was as headstrong as Eve.   Eve and Kate (Annie Ilonzeh) get themselves thrown in the hole too after fighting the inmates where they get hosed down for talking.

Eve tells Tess she's been in prison before.   Bosley tells Santos he's not changing their plan now and the angels are "good at what they do."  Bosley is held up by Samantha Masters (Erica Durance) he was her ex hacker playboy and they had a good time until he found out she was CIA.   She was demoted when she failed to catch him.   Bosley is in a rush to leave so tells her to shoot him as he has to go.   She's been watching him.   He isn't a criminal anymore and was given a second chance by a "powerful mentor." Samantha refers to him as a "nameless angel of mercy."  He runs a detective agency.

Abby must overpower the fat prison guard and the others can't hear her cos of water in their earwig,s which turned out to be damp squibs.   Bosley has no plans on returning to rescue them and he was right there wasn't going to be a chase.   Santos is found out, shot and the angels are stuck inside prison.   Samantha doesn't have any reinforcements to call, there's only her as she was exiled.  

The women are taken in the van and Samantha recognizes Jonathan Cartwright (James Morrison) a businessman she told the CIA he was here.  The warden tells them to pick a dress for their customers, she only does this to Americans and no one else.   Eve rejects having to play dress ups.   Tess is threatened with a gun.   Ugh those outfits, especially Kate's one again. Someone has weird dress sense.   They need to contact Bosley.   Charlie knows Cartwright.   It will take a while to track him and his yacht will be arriving in six hours.  They ranged from calling it a yacht to a ship to a boat.  

Abby gets a man drunk and she uses his phone to call Bosley to track their location, getting sprung by the warden who tells her to find another man.   Bosley enters dressed a security and leaves a gun for Kate.   They shooting the air and Eve exchanges herself as a hostage in place of Tess and the others.   As in the Pilot, Eve will be subjected to more beating.   Bosley promises to get Eve back.   Cartwright shows the warden footage of Samantha from outside the prison and hits the warden, calling her a peasant.  She has to earn her share of the new Cuba.

Cartwright guesses Eve is freelance and she refuses to talk.   Bosley isn't leaving Eve behind as Samantha calls her an acceptable loss.   Bosley: "No loss is acceptable."  Speaking from personal experience.   She asks if he's worried about Eve cos of Elizabeth.   He talks in his sleep, that's dangerous.  Bosley: "Don't mention her name again."  The angels were standing there but didn't seem to be too curious about who this mysterious woman was that Bosley didn't want mentioned again.   Bosley forces the hotel man to call Cartwright who he tells them he knows of the angels as he has money and contacts cos Eve didn't talk just like she said she wouldn't.     They decide to exchange Eve for Samantha.   Abby: "not a woman to negotiate - my kinda girl."  Bosley says Samantha lost her career cos of him but she won't lose her life.   So another one who lost her career just like Kate, though with Kate it was her own fault.  

Samantha is adamant when the CIA find she was murdered by Cartwright, he'll be thrown in Guantanamo.   Bosley likens Samantha to Elizabeth, "smart, stubborn, I did everything I could to save her."  He doesn't want to lose her too.   Samantha is a public servant, it's in her job description, there's an anonymous wall of stars for her back at Langley.   At the exchange Samantha takes Cartwright hostage.   The warden arrives.   She wasn't going to let him get away with treating her like that.   Bosley made a deal with her, he'll do anything to protect them all, no matter what the cost, but he won't let the warden get away either.   He recorded what she said against the government on microcam.   Old school entrapment.   Bosley adds he learned from the best.  Bosley: "They do answer my prayers." Samantha is staying behind to get Intel on Cartwright's deals.   This isn't the Casablanca ending??  The warden will end up an inmate in her own prison.  

Bosley speaks with Charlie about bringing up old ghosts like Elizabeth.   Charlie doesn't blame him for what happened to Elizabeth.  It wasn't his fault.   Elizabeth loved Bosley, never forget that.   Elizabeth was his daughter.   Is that why Charlie started his own agency, to help women cos he couldn't help Elizabeth.   Now that she's mentioned we should get  more on her, she can't turn up cos she's dead, or is she?

Erica Durance turns up hot off Smallville, kind of, and she didn't do a bad job with the material she had to work with.   Actually I found myself getting into the show and just as I did, it was cancelled.   Spoiled sports.    The original episode of Charlie's Angels Angels in Chains was also 1.4, where the angels were hired by Christine to find her missing sister, Elizabeth, who disappeared after she was parolled and refused to become a prostitute for the prison.   Charlie's daughter was called Elizabeth.  Charlie appears to have settled down in this new series.   Also no head shots from the back for Charlie, he clearly remains just a voice and he doesn't have a female 'companion' every episode either.   That would have been too sexist for the twenty first century.   I liked the way they kept Elizabeth for Charlie's daughter, as an homage to the original episode and then had her being dead too.

The 1976 episode of Charlie's Angels got a mauling in the press.   TIME magazine 22nd November 1976 issue recounted the story as : "...the matron, dressed SS style ordered the girls to 'strip down to your birthday suits'." It even went on to call this episode "family style porn and raunchy."  Feminists were in uproar too, describing the series as "exploitative and misogynist."  In this episode  Kim Basinger played an inmate and was hired by the Townsend Agency as a receptionist but wasn't shown again.  The two episodes even had similar prison outfits in blue jeans and shirts.   It was suggested by some that Cartwright did more than just beat up on Eve as he removed his jacket.  Rather it was more to keep it clean from blood.   Eve is not the type to keep something like being physically assaulted to herself.

As for those descriptions of the original Angels In Chains, not so for this new version.   Bosley's past turned out to be more interesting and intriguing than the angels!  Turns out he was a bad boy and yet seems he suffered the greatest loss and heartbreak with losing Elizabeth whom he loved.   Showing why he's so protective of the angels and would not leave Eve behind.  Perhaps cos of this Charlie offered him a way out and maybe a means of helping his daughter.   Or did they meet when Bosley had turned a different corner.   He was/is quite the ladies man but Elizabeth came before he met Samantha.   Who certainly wasn't going to let Bolsey escape her clutches without a passionate kiss.   There must have been some feelings still there or was she merely a one night stand.

Eve bonded with Tess cos of her own experiences in prison.

CSI: NY - 1.9: "Officer Blue" Review

A sniper attack in central Park leaves an NYPD mounted police officer dead and his horse fighting for his life. The horse has the crucial bullet and Stella wants it removed for evidence.

In the first story, a man is assaulted in Central Park, leading to a mounted police officer intervening and is shot.   The horse escapes but is run over by a taxi and is still alive.   Flack (Eddie Cahill) says he heard the shot from 6th Ave and it shook the windows of his car.   Mac (Gary Sinise) explains it was the echo from the weapon, as if Flack wouldn't know that already.   The policeman was shot through the back and through his vest by a sniper.   Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) and Aiden (Vanessa Ferlito) process the scene in search of the elusive bullet.   Mac finds a mobile/cell phone, but no bullet and Danny takes the tapes from the cameras.

Hawkes (Hill Harper) deduces the COD was a single GSW to the back, which left through the front, from a high powered rifle.   His vest is examined to see where the bullet entered and it exited into the saddle and the horse.   The vet, Dr Huff (Jim Metzler) does a CAT SCAN to check the neck area of the horse and finds the bullet which will be needed for evidence.   Mac says the bullet changed directions and he needs it.   However removing it could prove fatal for the horse.   Danny says the centre of the CS is the distance where the officer fell and the taxi and the horse, at the naval, where the shooting occurred.   They scan Central Park in various directions.

In the second story, Aiden is sent to investigate the possible homicide of a DOA.    Det Thacker (Paul Carafotes) tells her about the 19 year old Lenny, ( Kanin Howell) who has burns to his face.   Aiden: "Don't check out my ass on the street when a kid is dead, have some respect."    She tells Thacker.   This is what was so great about Aiden, sassy and not afraid to speak her mind, unlike dire, boring Lindsay.

Danny uses the security tapes to determine the geography and begins the reconstruction at the taxi and Vic perspectives on the computer.   Mac gives various orders on the direction Danny should focus on and they end up with the location of the Patterson building.   Here they find GSR on the window ledge.   The sniper was here.   Mac notices a print on the window.   Flack relays the results of his canvas of witnesses and comes up with the usual, it was aliens or he shot himself.   "This city's full of nuts."  Yep and he comes across most of them.   Mac: "That's why we're scientists." Yes but he's a cop first, they all are.    The print is a match to a Richard Smockton (Barry Del Sherman) who has a record for staging animal protests.   Obviously it's not him.   Mac notices his hands shake, he has hyperthyroidism, known as Graves Disease, so he couldn't have been the shooter.

Hawkes autopsies the Vic from the second story and finds he had trauma to the cranium, secondary burns, severe blistering.  Destruction of his epidermis shows he suffered a contact burn, like from an iron.   The burn hadn't healed yet so it was recent.  Voids on his face reveal the burns were obstructed and tissue is sent for micro analysis.

Danny uses facial recognition, courtesy of Identi-feature software used at the Tampa Superbowl 35.   This measures the distance between the eyes, nose width, jawline, chin.  It matches facial recognition to the NYPD, where  a mugshot is revealed on the database, belonging to Willie Chancey ( Allen Payne).  Mac found his phone.   Danny: "They don't call me the eagle eye for nothing."  Chancey admits he was in the Park and got into a fight, losing his phone.  A tourist was harassing him demanding his money back.   Mac is visited by DA Tom Mitford (Terry Kinney).   There's photos of Mac from his time in Beirut on his office wall.   The horse was donated by the widow, Mandi Como (Erin O'Connor) of policeman Don Como, in his memory.   A delay of 6 hours is requested before operating on the horse to see if a weapon is found.   Flack hits on a signal from the phone at La Guardia airport.   Brown (Gabriel Casseus) is arrested on the plane and he doesn't own a car.  

Results of the analysis shows Lenny had beaker's yeast on his face and corn meal, which is narrowed to a pizza place.   Aiden checks the oven for  blood or burn stain inside.   The cook says she burnt two fingers of her hand and it's a fresh wound.   Aiden uses ALS (Alternate Light Source) and Nick, (Jude Ciccolella) the owner, tells her to leave.

Mac is all for saving the horse and constructs a 3D replica of the bullet.   Jane (Sonya Walger) calls him a "scientist with a heart." Jane had her eye on Mac didn't she, but alas he wasn't to be a conquest.    The bullet matches a military surplus round, which Stella (Melina Kanakaredes) says is no good since they can't get any real stria from it.   Mac wants to construct a profile of the bullet to understand the shooter.   Stella however wants the horse dead and in autopsy already.   I didn't like Stella from the outset, as you may know, but her reaction here was justification enough for my feelings.   Already inconsistent character-wise, she reinforces that by wanting to get on with the case, without giving a thought to anyone, including Mac, whom she just wants to override on everything he wants to do.   She's not friendly towards suspects or Vic's alike at the best of times, but at the worst, she's just someone who has no emotions whatsoever, unless it's about her.

As Mac tells her, "no one's delaying the case - we're not forensically there yet...the bullet's only half the puzzle."  Stella says the bullet should have been removed first.   I rest my case!  Mac replies they need both the bullet and the weapon for an arrest, but she wants to jump the gun (bad pun fully intended!)  At least Mac overrules her, it's his call.   Stella searches Brown's house and finds pieces of the weapon and then tests it herself.   Stella: "In Stella talk: it's time to get the bullet out of the horse Mac.   End of conversation."  She 's so patronizing, thinking she can always throw her weight around, reinforced by her using Mac's phrase of "end of conversation."

Aiden assures Mac she'll call for back up as soon as she finds something.   He advises, "you're processing evidence that could put someone behind bars for life.   You take nothing or no one for granted."  Clearly this shows Aiden's inexperience and that she's new to all this.   As we know, this line of Mac's will come back to haunt Aiden, after Vanessa decided to leave the show at the end of the season.   The pizza place is a sport's book, which isn't unusual in NY.   Mac: "It's your first threat, it won't be your last so you take back up.   You go back to the scene, follow the evidence and if for some reason, you need a little help with this Nick Vincenzo, don't forget the rule." Which will be seen in action later in the episode.   Mac was giving her pointers just like he did to Danny previously, now it's her turn to follow the evidence.

The surgery on the horse was a success and Mac tests the gun.   The bullet isn't a match and there's no GSR on any of the suspects.   Chancey's DB is discovered at the airport garage in the back of his own car.   He was shot in the trunk.   Danny examines the car, with Stella and finds a secret compartment, which has the stashed AR15 rifle.

Aiden returns to the pizza place with back up.   The cook's fingers match the voids on the Vic's face.   Two sets of prints were found from the oven and Nick says it's his place.   Lenny's head was slammed with the door.   He left and was stabbed to death.    At least this is what Aiden tells him.   Nick admits he hit him, but didn't kill him since he owed him money.   Here's that rule, Aiden: "you know what one of the greatest rules is of an investigator: we can lie to suspects legally."  Which will be demonstrated a few times over the seasons.   Lenny wasn't stabbed but died of an epidural haematoma behind his ear.   Lenny died after Nick had left him in the street, as he experienced "delayed deterioration."  Here's another suspect trying to be clever and failing miserably.

The prints on the gun bullets match Brown, who was a sergeant in the army, a marksman who was dishonourably discharged.  Mac being a Marine knows that the "chain of command is sacrosanct."  Someone should tell Stella that, cos she always wants to be in command.   Chancey was his accomplice so he had to kill him.   Chancey was the bait in the Park.   Brown shot him since he hated policemen as his father was falsely arrested for drugs and was killed in jail.   Brown claims to have picked any cop.   Mac: "you shot an NY City police officer.   He wasn't just a cop, he was somebody's son...  when you shot him in the back, you shot those people through the heart, from where I stand, you're the one who should be put to death...an eye for an eye."

You can see this was an emotional case for Mac and not just cos of the horse but of the shooting.  Stella apologizes , they haven't had a fight in a while and he reminds her of the old Mac Taylor, "the one that lets his heart out of his chest once in a while." Which is more than can be said for Stella.   Mac wouldn't do this job without her.   Yet in season 7 that's what he exactly does when she leaves.   I liked them arguing, it was different, showing their characters aren't infallible.

The widows of police officers actually donate the horses as was mentioned here.   CBS wanted the producers to inject more science into the show and that explains the technical scene between Danny and Aiden in the Park.   Mac makes his feelings known about the death penalty, which makes you wonder how easy it was for him to take a life as a Marine, since that comes under the heading of serving your country.   Some of Mac's emotion will be lost in future episodes.   In real life, the NYPD are legally allowed to lie to suspects.

Flack's allusion to the eye witnesses and aliens will be done again in 3.8 Consequences.   Though he gets his line in about the city being full of nuts.   Oh wrong choice of word, especially since in the plane scene, Flack was meant to have the line, "I'll carry your nuts for you." Which had to be removed for obvious reasons.   Why were Mac and Stella test firing weapons without their lab coats on!!

CSI:Miami had a sniper episode in season 1's Kill Zone.   CSI:NY also had a sniper episode in season 7 Hide Sight.   CSI season 2 episode Alter Boys, here Sara (Jorga Fox) also found that the flour was used in making pizza.   The actor who played Brown, was considered for the role of Warrick in CSI.

Castle - 2.8: "Kill the Messenger" Review

Castle and Beckett investigate when a bike courier is run over, leading to one of Captain Montgomery's old cases when he put away an innocent man. Alexis sets up a social networking page for Martha.

Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic) investigate the death of a courier who was run over by a car.  Alexis (Molly Quinn) sets up a Myface page for Martha (Susan Sullivan) who has two words for Castle, "hairline and receding," which prompts Castle to jump to the mirror for an impromptu check of his hairline!  The phone rings and he comments, "It's either a dead body or you just wanna hear my sultry voice."  Castle arrives on the scene before Beckett, which surprises her.  It was in his neighbourhood.

The courier Shamansky was left to die and Castle comes up with a Kevin Bacon movie reference, Quicksilver (1986).  Ryan (Seamus Dever) says the car had a stolen licence plate and the witnesses described seeing a masked man.  Captain Montgomery (Ruben Santiago-Hudson) complains about budget cuts and how they must meet their mandated minimum review.

Esposito (Jon Huertas) claims the courier service was delivering the parcel for S Nadal Mattar who is on the Terror Watch list, addressed to the 64th precinct. The team breaks into Sally Neidermeyer's (Hatty Winston) apartment.  It was sent by her nephew, Brady who was in prison and she doesn't know what was in it.  He called her to send the package to the man who arrested him, Det Montgomery.  The Captain explains Brady confessed to killing a woman and Esposito finds he was killed in prison this very morning.

Beckett has to break the sad news to the courier's sister and the Captain thinks Beckett is good at this and Castle wonders how she does it.  The phone log from prison, has Brady asking for the package to be delivered and one call was logged to Brady's wife, Val (Sonya Leslie).  Her son has a respiratory condition.  Ryan still has a copy of Castle's new book.

Martha has received a Friend request from Chet, whom she knew from high school.  He was her first which is too much info for Castle and asks if she should accept.

Brady was paid $7,000 a month for his son's treatment.  Castle knows his calls would have been monitored and the Captain wants a list of the prison staff.  Castle believes they should begin at the start in order to solve this case, just like a mystery story.  All mystery stories are the same.  In this case a murder was committed to cover one up from ten years ago.  He came up with that all by himself, without any help.

Olivia was killed in her apartment and it looked like a robbery.  Beckett finds Olivia was at a high society club party where the waitress saw her arguing with a man in a blue blazer and orange striped tie.  Ryan tells them Perlmutter (Ayre Gross) doesn't t find Olivia was killed by a baseball bat.  Castle tells him it's unhygienic to eat in the morgue.  They want to exhume Olivia's DB.  Jeff Dillahunt (Ron Melendez) took Olivia as his date and asks why a man and woman can't be friends.  That's taboo to Castle.  Also he wonders if the two of them are together.  Castle: "Not yet."  Beckett: "Absolutely not." Jeff has an alibi.  One of the Wellesley's, Blake is running for the senator's seat.  Jeff agrees to take Castle to the party next time he's invited.

Ryan can't get the duty roster from the warden.  The waitress recalls one of the men spilled wine and  Beckett spots one in the photo.  The Wellesley matriarch, Leanne (Jill Andre) mentions her stolen ring, a clue.  Trent (Josh Daugherty) had an argument with Olivia since he wanted her to leave.  She was taking advantage of his uncle Winston (Gregg Henry).  Winston claims to have been home alone and from his mannerisms it's obvious he's lying, cos he's gay.  The Captain gets hold of the roster. He has his ways and asks why the money was no longer paid to Brady.  Blake (Mark Moses) wants them to question other family member at his office and the Captain refuses to comply.

Castle sweet talks Martha, describing her as being pretty in the past and she's pretty spectacular now too.  Castle accepts Chet as her Friend on her behalf.  Chet's also posted a younger photo of himself.

Olivia's coffin is found to be empty which was obviously going to be the case. Castle notices the coffin is expensive and from his research for Storm Warning he recalls they usually have a secret drawer, where a photo of Olivia's mother is found, who wears a pin for Senator Casper Wellesley. Beckett asks Castle if he's viewing porn. No, he uses Ryan's computer for that.  Patterson, a guard at the prison was paid off.  Winston admits he was Olivia's father.  Esposito and Ryan discover Winston's alibi, he was with a man and he was protecting the family.

Blake didn't know she was his daughter and Winston hid it cos of the campaign, which Blake lost anyway.  Their mother mentions her ring again.  She saw Olivia at her apartment and had  it "taken care of." Frank (Jeff Harlen) leaves to get her meds and is arrested by the Captain since the guard confessed.  It could only have been him since he's still doing things for their mother.  He was the 'family fixer.'  Blake took over power of attorney from their mother and so the money wasn't available.  Frank stole her ring to make part payment.  Beckett says they've closed three cases so have met their quota.  Also there's closure for Olivia's aunt and Shamansky's sister.  Castle wonders if "having answers makes it any easier?"  Beckett: "It does in time."

Castle tells Alexis he's already ruined their family reputation.  Blake has given $420 million to a children's charity which will help Brady's son.  Martha goes on a date with Chet since she just wants some fun.  Alexis wonders if insanity is hereditary.

Plenty of family skeletons lurking around in this episode for the Wellesley's; so it was only fitting Alexis signed Martha to social networking; where she also had a few clanking about in her closet. Re her young photo and Chet deciding to post the same.  Makes you wonder just how many actually look like their photos when they upload to such sites.

Wow wonders will never cease,the Captain got to work a case this episode; even if it turned out he put  someone away for a crime he didn't commit.  At least he admitted he made a mistake and did something about it.  Castle being in awe of the Captain not backing down when dealing with Blake, calling him, "awesome."

Ryan's still reading Castle's book. For a few episodes he didn't have one but clearly he's reading the new one.  Castle also gets to mention Derrik Storm once again and Storm Force, the driving force behind his success after all or he'd never have met Beckett.

Another moment where it become painfully obvious Beckett would like her mother's case solved but can't bring herself to do it.  Doesn't look like Castle's going to volunteer anytime soon.

Okay here we have Castle returning to those porn comments again - even if it was Beckett who brought it up.  Hadn't heard the 'P' word in a while.  Castle, cats and tea!  This episode was directed by Jonathan Frakes, Number 2 from Star Trek: The Next Generation.  So he did an excellent job and kept the action going, the laughs coming and some sombre moments too.

Mother was behind the killing and it was apparent from her 'missing ring,'  also how Frank was her 'go to man' for taking care of such things for her.

Hey no one gave any clues to anyone this episode when it came to solving the case; which also made a change.  Oh and for once, okay, maybe twice, Mark Moses didn't play a killer.  Martha's Myface account was an obvious reference to MySpace and Facebook.  Gregg Henry starred alongside Nathan in Firefly  episode The Train Job and in the movie Slither (2006).  Beckett said a magnifying glass isn't standard issue for detectives since Sherlock Holmes. Well, he wasn't a police detective!

The Closer - 6.10: "Executive Order" Review

The big day arrives for the announcement of Chief of Police. As expected it wouldn't go easy for Brenda, as Major Crimes investigates the killing of two paramedics and Brenda must work with her rival, Tommy Delk.

Paramedics arrive at the scene of a call-out, where they find a man alone, distressed and apparently unwell.   They get him onto a gurney and take him to hospital.   Anthony, (Emerson Brooks) one of the paramedics, blares the siren, which appears to distress him further.   He wakes up uncontrollable and Anna Vargas (Jaclyn De Santis) asks for help.   He then holds a gun on them both and shoots them dead.   Wiping his prints clean form the ambulance; he misses the fact he got hold of Vargas's glove when they lifted him onto the gurney in the beginning.

Brenda (Kyra Sedgwick) arrives at the scene and Tao (Michael Paul Chan) demos what a GS lift is - giving her an idea as to what to look for on the DBs.   But Taylor (Robert Gossett) tells her the LAFD took them away.   Just as the LAPD does for its officers, she wants the DBs brought to the morgue, but in a certain way.   Vargas has paper bags on her gloves to protect any evidence on them, viz, fingerprints belonging to the killer.   Morales (Jonathan Del Arco) knows Vargas, they were friends and Brenda tells him he doesn't have to perform the autopsy yet.   There wasn't one shown to be done either as it wasn't relevant.

Tao reveals a fingerprint on her glove belonging to Kevin Mason (Matthew Glave).   Sanchez (Raymond Cruz) informs Brenda about the use of a phone and this is connected to another case.   They think Kevin had an accomplice who made the 911 call for help.   Listening to the call, Brenda believes it's the killer's voice.   She  wonders how Kevin could have faked his symptoms.  Obviously some sort of medication would be required.

Pope (JK Simmons) tells Brenda she has to deal with Chief Tommy Delk (Courtney B Vance) - part of counter-terrorism, who investigated the earlier case.   He's also in the running for Chief of Police.   Brenda clearly bereft of this asks why a grown man would call himself 'Tommy.'  She doesn't want him taking over the case or bringing in the FBI until she as more to go on and as usual, no one listens to Brenda's requests anymore.   But Tommy has already called them, giving them three hours before the FBI shows up to take their evidence.   Like the way they always put deadlines in the show, cos it's gotta be solved in less than 40 minutes.  Pope wants them to work together.

Going through the evidence from the previous case, Brenda thinks the real targets were the firemen and not the IRS, where the bomb was left outside of their building.   Fritz (Jon Tenney) and some agents arrive for their evidence and Tommy lets them take everything.   Then suggests to Brenda they investigate the lead on Kevin, as they wouldn't want to lead  the FBI on a "wild goose chase."    Tommy came across as cunning.

Kevin puts the gun away along with dozens of empty medicine bottles into a drawer and puts on his name tag, 'Bob.'  He works in a nursing home and wheels around an old man as he's going to fix his electric wheelchair for him.   Kevin has other needs for it.  Taylor informs the paramedic's memorial will be moved forward so the announcement for Chief of Police has been moved to Tuesday.   Just to cause more tension in the air, did ~I say tension, I meant so Brenda can solve the case.

Brenda and Tommy question Dr Wexler (David Barry Gray) who analyzed Kevin when he applied for a position as a fireman.   He was rejected twice as he was described as controlling and sure of himself.   Dr Wexler advises to take what they think Kevin might do and think much bigger than that.   The patient asks about his wheelchair and threatens to report Kevin, when Kevin kills him, then makes a DVD recording before changing into an LAPD uniform.   The casings from the gun match Owens', (Kenneth White, the old man) and lead them straight to the nursing home.   Sanchez, Flynn, (Tony Dension) Provenza (GW Bailey) and Gabriel (Corey Reynolds) arrive too late.   Tao finds bottles of oxybutynin, which is used for bladder control.   Gabriel tells them Kevin was identified as one of the attendants there and Sanchez asks how long the DB will be released in since the staff want a quick burial - giving Brenda a clue as to what "the bigger" plan is that Kevin had in mind: to bomb the paramedic's memorial.

Kevin sits in the wheelchair carrying two oxygen canisters behind him.   Brenda wants the memorial cancelled and Pope does it for her - she could lose the position if she does this herself.   Flynn finds his abandoned van and the DVD inside an envelope addressed to the media.   The DVD contains his manifesto.   Brenda races to the van and Tao calls to tell her the bomb contains sarin.   Oxybutynin is used for the effects of this.   A policeman tells Kevin about the memorial being cancelled and he returns to the van, where Brenda comes face to face with him.   Wonder who got the bigger shock?

She tries to talk him down by telling him she's watched the DVD and agrees with he part about the system being corrupt.  Sanchez flees to get a better shot at Kevin from behind and he calls him a scared Hispanic - but he's not "racist."  Yeah that's why racists have to justify themselves by always using that line.   Gabriel goes for Kevin and they fight.  In the struggle, Brenda manages to get a shot off in Kevin's head and Tao arrives to in time to stop the canister from rolling into the pillar.   September 24 was when an executive order for affirmative action was given.

Flynn says she should have let him take the shot, she's got no hope of becoming Chief now.   Taylor arrives pointing out the Mayor wants to see the Chief, not Brenda but Tommy.   Taylor couldn't help but gloat, "an example of how things in life aren't fair."  That was obviously an allusion to Tommy being black.   Brenda hands out  treats to everyone after she breaks the DVD in half and throws it away.   Saving the people wasn't as important as being made Chief.  

Brenda was disappointed even if last episode she said she didn't want the job, especially how everyone talked her into it.   Pope says he's going to type his resume.   Also can't help but think Tommy played Brenda knowing she'd take all the risks to bring Kevin down.   Just as well Brenda threw Kevin's manifesto away.   Of course Major Case won't be disbanded - not just yet anyway.   What's with the 'warning' Taylor gave Brenda earlier on, like he knew who would be the next Chief; or more likely wanting  to keep both Brenda and Tommy happy too, so he'd get on with either Chief.  "In addition to your two vics, there are several still living people counting on you."  Yes, to save the day, solve the case and miss out on being Chief.

CSI: Miami - 8.9: "Kill Clause" Review

A company is suspected of taking out insurance policies on its employees and then killing them off to collect. Jesse is suspected of stalking a woman. Natalia is jealous.

Ryan (Jonathan Togo) moonlights as a security guard and looks at the tank containing jellyfish.   When asked by the other security man if he's doing his job, Ryan remarks, "...feel at ten grand a plate there aren't many murderers" at the charity event.   The security man spots a 'bad man' because of his moves, "like he's stalking prey."  Referring to Jesse (Eddie Cibrian).   So Jesse's character could have gone either way at this point in the season, he could either have been all bad or all good and no shades of grey in between.   Ryan asks for ID from Jesse.   Ryan says Jesse, "looks gorgeous in your tux."  Hey, Ryan didn't know you felt that way, ha.   Jesse watches a woman and then denies he knows her, but Ryan insists she knows Jesse.

A man hangs over the balcony above the tank and falls into the jellyfish, which pounce and kill him.   Jesse was the only one with any initiative and quick-thinking to run and try and help him, even putting his hand in the tank and getting stung.   Ryan arrives at the balcony too late.   Horatio (David Caruso) arrives at the scene in his shades, but no lines from him, strange for a CSI:Miami episode.   ME Tom (Christian Clemenson) comments they need to "preserve his injuries."  His name is Jeff Lofton (Ciro Suarez) and he was stung over hundreds of times.   The jellyfish were of the predatory variety and the stings led to cardiac arrest.

Calleigh (Emily Procter) tells Jesse Horatio asked for a statement from him, and jokingly asks who he's stalking, cos by now Ryan's been texting her with the low down.   Couldn't wait to tell everyone the goss when it's not about him.   Jesse uses balsamic vinegar on his stings, he's been stung before whilst out surfing and tells Calleigh to "...stop asking me about the women in my life."  Ahh, so admitting he really does know that woman!  Walter (Omar Miller) and Horatio check out the balcony.   Walter says the glass was too thick and Horatio believes the railing was too high so Jeff had to have been pushed.   There's blood on the floor from the Vic's fingers.   The railing was wiped clean so any prints they find will be fresh.   Max DeSalvo (Sam Hennings) CEO of the company arrives and Horatio notices something in his pant leg.   Walter uses the UV light and he also smells of ammonia.   Max's office is here and he tripped over the bucket.   Walter finds a palm print on the railing and they need a print from Max's hand.   So if his office is there and they're having a charity do, wouldn't he have changed his suit or was he planning on attending smelling like a cleaner.

Tom comments on Jesse smelling like a "dinner salad."   He takes infra red photos of the Vic and notices he suffered subdural haematomas, the kind from a bar fight, so was in a fight before he was killed.    Jeff's wife, DeeDee (Laura Ceron) arrives for a death certificate to collect on his insurance policy.   Calleigh looks it over, using the word, 'expedite' as if everyone will know what that means.   Ryan checks the palm prints and says he'll need to look at Jesse's print too.   Jesse was there as a paying donor and not with someone, at $10,000 a ticket.   It was for a good cause.   To stop him prying, Jesse says if "you were this curious about this case, you'd have solved it by now."

Calleigh wonders if his wife had an alibi and Jesse assumes it's about the money for her and wants her palm print checked.   Jesse makes judgements in this episode about DeeDee and he hasn't done that before, so naturally something's going on with him, since he seems to be picking her out as a suspect.   He hasn't done this before or again, so yes something's up.   A noticeable aberration in his character.     Jesse tells Ryan to compare the print he found on the balcony with DeeDee's print.   It was Walter who found the print and not Ryan.   She was on the balcony and helped him clean because of his knee and if the company found out they'd fire him, no, they'd terminate him is the correct term and they did that regardless of not being able to do his job or not.   Jesse still considers her a suspect and this time Calleigh helps her out by asking Jesse to make a call to the insurance company pretending to be Jeff Lofton, asking who took out the policy.   The beneficiary is listed as Renovation Warehouse.

Max explains they take put policies on all employees, known as 'Dead Peasant' policies; for the company's protection since they invested in him.   The policy oversees their loss.   How exactly, when they have a contract, he does his job and is paid for it.   Why should it be fair for the company to cash in on employees.   Ryan and Jesse return to the tank to search for evidence.   Ryan suggests they look inside the coral as they have filters and Jesse finds sequins.   Natalia (Eva LaRue) comments on how "not to come between a girl and her dress."  Jesse talks to the woman from the party, Anna (Mini Anden).  She thinks he followed her from LA.   she says, cryptically, it's "always a dead end with you."  It's business, not personal.   Again, we're meant to suspect something bad about Jesse.   He promises he'll explain to Natalia over drinks, if she promises to stop everyone from grilling him.   And of course, Natalia was just angling for that since she laid eyes on Jesse!  There's one girl missing, Caroline (Michaela McManus) so they can't check her dress.  

The files from the company are delivered by the actuary, Garrett Yates (Chris Eigeman) and Tripp (Rex Linn) thinks maybe they are trying to help.   There are a large number of files.   Ryan, Calleigh and Walter look for any discrepancies or connections in the file.   There are spikes in June which is the end of the company's fiscal year.   Walter finds a death in Michigan and Ryan finds one in Upstate New York and one in Vegas (was there an in joke here in getting these two states mentioned, re CSI shows set there).   There was also one death, where a receptionist, Hannah Wilcox hanged herself.   Thought you couldn't collect on suicide, in most policies.   Walter concludes they're killing employees, to collect on their insurance.   Hannah left her brother, Aaron (Ian Anthony Dale) the house and she donated her body to science.

Walter and ME Tom collect her body, but instead ME Tom conducts the autopsy right there, finding evidence of peticule hemorrhaging, consistent with manual strangulation.   ME Tom: "Too bad you can't travel back in time to the original CS."  Providing Walter with the clue to carry out a reconstruction.   He finds two rope burns across the beams and so Horatio says the body was hoisted up after she was already dead.   Epithelials weren't checked or collected in the original autopsy, so Natalia collects them from the rope now.   Matching Garrett.   He confesses the company wanted those people killed and that Max was behind it.   Calleigh surmises the only problem is they have no hard evidence on Max.

They find Caroline and her dress, which matches the missing sequins.   She's his executive assistant and she and Max were together.   Jesse informs her there's a policy on her too.   Horatio claims there should be evidence of Jeff on Max and so Jesse checks his clothes.   Max claims it was self defence.   Horatio accuses Max of being responsible for the murders.   Even if it's Max's word against Garrett.   Horatio comments "these things have a way of working themselves out."  Yes they do as demonstrated by numerous episodes from all three shows; where the killer escapes justice, only to be given poetic justice in being shot by a surviving relative.   As Max is shot here by Aaron.   He throws the gun in the water, so does he get caught.

Jesse stands up Natalia and he sits in his car watching Anna.   Leading us to believe Jesse has stalker tendencies written all over him, if he's resorting to such activities.   No one believes that for a minute, it's not in his character or nature and if Eddie was staying in the show as a regular, he would never be portrayed as bad.   Not from what we've seen of him so far, he's too caring a person to be keeping suspicious secrets.

CSI:Miami handling crusades against CEOs this season and corporate greed.   All having a detrimental effect on the ordinary person.

Merlin - 3.8: "The Eye of the Phoenix" Review

Merlin agrees for Arthur to go on his quest for the Golden Trident of the Fisher King alone, but that was before he finds out about Morgana's parting gift to Arthur. The Eye of the Phoenix, not a good luck charm or a protector.

Ooh scene 1 and already we get a shirtless Arthur! (Bradley James) Stop it writers, you can't spoil us already, you'll leave us with no surprises.  Arthur meditates and soon after he comes up with a quest of his own: to search for The Fisher King and bring back his Golden Trident.  This Merlin (Colin Morgan) calls "an important day in Arthur's life."  This Trident is mentioned in the legends of the Fallen Kings.   (It's Arthur who makes another reference to this.)  Uther (Anthony Head) tells him Arthur must journey on this quest alone and this will prove him worthy of Camelot and to be King, in front of his subjects.   Well going it alone is not on the agenda, not when Merlin's around and certainly not when he finds out about Arthur's bracelet.

Gaius (Richard Wilson) provides Merlin with the lowdown on the Fisher King (so what's happened to all these books he told Arthur he was reading, okay, there weren't any.) He was a sorceror who lived hundreds of years ago.   After being wounded in battle, he was not only infected by this throughout his body, but his lands were also infected.  Many believe him to be still alive, sustained in this way by his magic.   Merlin has hiccups, he's eating hurriedly, he could have cured them with some magic!  That's one thing about Merlin, he doesn't use magic for himself, or on himself, but only to help others.   In sharp contrast to Morgana (Katie McGrath) who knows no bounds as far as being selfish and evil goes.   (The one time he did try and use magic to save himself, look how that worked out.)

In the market with Morgana, Gwen (Angel Coulby) notices she's approached by an old hag and lead away.   It's Morgause (Emilia Fox) in disguise.  She hands Morgana a bracelet which will significantly weaken Arthur on his quest and drain him of his life force, eventually leading to his death.   Begging the question of why Morgana didn't realize it was Morgause and not an old woman.   Surely she can recognize her in any old disguise.  She has to make a "likeness of Arthur" in order for the bracelet to work.   Ahh, that'd be similar to a voodoo doll, to you and me.  And "bind it to the gift" i.e.  the gift Morgause taught her.   Gwen sees Morgause's reflection in the mirror but thinks nothing of it.

Uther talks with Morgana about Arthur being the true heir and she reassures him that "a Pendragon will rule over Camelot for a long time to come." Referring to none other than herself as this Pendragon.   Morgana really oozes evil and cruelty out of every orifice and that's a huge change in her character.   She had us fooled into thinking she was so perfect, shy and timid and could do no wrong.   Clearly the magic in her, the nightmares she had, has surpassed any civility or humility she may have once possessed.  

Merlin worries about Arthur and the bracelet, he felt it's magical power and sets out to help Arthur.   Well Merlin is the only one who can save him and knows of Morgana's treachery.  The bracelet is the Eye of the Phoenix.  Like the phoenix itself, the eye burned of fire and drains the life force, as said, which is why everytime we see it light up, it makes Arthur that much weaker.  Anyway, the quest wouldn't be complete without the help of Gwaine (Eoin Macken) since Merlin isn't really any match in the fighting stakes, or should that be sword-wielding stakes, or both.   Right, he's not a fighter but a magician.   He finds Gwaine in  a tavern, naturally, facing yet more trouble and having to escape the clutches of some thugs.   Loved the music in this chase scene, it was very Pirates of the Caribbean (2003), at least to me!

Morgana weaves her magic and binds Arthur's doll, burning it.   Prompting Gwen to become suspicious of the burning smell.   Morgana is abrupt with her.   Again letting her guard down around Gwen in her haste to hurry Arthur's demise along.   I have to say, for someone who is meant to be endowed with the gift of magic, she doesn't come across as very bright.   In fact she doesn't have half the power or brains that Merlin has.   Morgause has to tell her what to do, practically all the time and give her magic 'gifts' to use.   At least Merlin knows how to use his powers, to a certain extent, without any help.

Arthur barely manages to stave off his attackers and finally comes to a bridge, where he meets Grettir (Warwick Davis), akin to a magical dwarf.   He comments, Arthur "must be courage." What was interesting about this conversation was that Grettir knows the bracelet Morgana gave Arthur is magical, but Arthur can't see that.   It's as though he's had his eyes closed to magic since Uther outlawed it in Camelot.   A cruel joke or kind teasing on Grettir's part about Arthur, especially when he tells him he'll need "strength and magic" to complete his quest.  Not all within Arthur, but in all three (Arthur = courage, Merlin = magic and Gwaine = strength) put together.  He disappears as as quickly as he appeared.

Morgana gives Gwen time off, for good behaviour, had to fit that in, no, it's for being short with her, but Gwen isn't falling for it and hides in her closet to spy on her.  Merlin and Gwaine share a joke in a bonding moment.   These two really have a developing friendship and it's good that Gwaine is ready and willing to help Arthur because he genuinely feels Arthur is a good guy and not because Merlin just tells him he is.   He's always looking for a fight and a good tavern.   I also like the threesome (not in that sense!) of the characters in how they all have such great chemistry together as actors and characters, bringing real passion to their scenes.  shown by their stopping in front of the fire and Gwaine admitting he's there to help Merlin and not there for Arthur.   Merlin is the only friend Gwaine has.   Which is a sad indictment of Gwaine's position, he's a knight so would have had many prospects and no need to venture to taverns for drinks, he could make his mark in Camelot, but he chooses not to.   Not only because he doesn't agree with Uther and his 'vision' of Camelot; but he doesn't like the entire injustices of the nobility.

Gwen admits what she saw in Morgana, her "fiery eyes" and Gaius tells her they must beware her.  At last Gwen finally gets some meat to her role.   She's been the servant for far too long and now she knows what Morgana is really up to and Merlin, Gaius and Arthur, unwittingly, gain another ally in her.

Arthur survives quicksand, only to meet Wyverns, magical creatures, similar to dragons, his energy diminishing as time goes on.  Splitting up to find Arthur, Merlin has to call upon his role of Dragon Lord to cause the Wyverns to retreat.   Arthur had to be unconscious so he wouldn't see Merlin using magic, but Gwaine kills one of the Wyverns with his sword when it attacks again.   There, magic and strength both in action to save Arthur.  Arthur can only be angry for ruining his quest, like who'd know they helped!

Merlin gets locked in the chamber with the Fisher King (Donald Sumpter), who calls him Emrys.   He wants to die and was waiting for Merlin for so long.  The others look for a door to get Merlin out and Gwaine calls Arthur a 'princess'.  A bit of his own medicine there, as he's always calling Merlin a girl.  The Fisher King was waiting for "the time of the once and future king."  And the "chosen one."  being Merlin, of course, not another chosen one seems all TV shows must have one or more.  This is Merlin's quest and the Trident falls from his hand, this is all Arthur wanted.   Merlin's true prize is the water from the Lake of Avalon and in order to save Albion, Merlin will find help in this water, it "...will show you the way."  In return he wants something from Merlin, the gift of death.   Merlin gives him the Eye of the Phoenix and places it on his wrist so he may die.

Morgana is shocked to see Arthur return, dropping her goblet.   If only we could have had some looks from Gwen, now knowing what she's like, it's only fair, since Morgana gets to smirk in evil fashion.  Gaius warns Merlin of their one enemy in Camelot and they should heed the warnings of The Fisher King.

The pursuit of the Fisher King and the Trident was not Arthur's quest but that of Merlin.   Since sure enough, Uther has the Trident locked away in the vaults of Camelot.  It was another extension of Merlin's destiny and the need for him to embrace it whole heartedly.  Think that in an abstract way, when Grettir mentioned the three requirements to Arthur's quest, he could also be referring to Merlin's strength too, not physical, but will power; and courage: the courage and determination to  do whatever it takes to protect Arthur.   Morgana was Uther's ward once upon a time, and I like to think that Merlin is Arthur's guardian and protector.

Merlin has continually excelled this series (season) and this episode was no exception.   Can't wait for the next.

Grettir appears to Merlin saying, "Magic has arrived."  for Arthur to become king, Merlin has to be by his side, this is revealed as Merlin's destiny, but Merlin already knows that.   he was told this several times by the Dragon.  (John Hurt).   Gwaine he calls "strength" and Grettir turns Gwaine's sword into a bunch of flowers.  Grettir parts company with them by telling Merlin he should obey the wishes of the Fisher King.   Already Merlin is told he is alive, even before he's arrived at his destination.

Supernatural - 1.1: "Pilot" Review

Pilot introduces us to Sam and Dean as children and what happened one night to seal their fate and their future. how losing their mother impacted on all their lives, especially their father.

As far as season openers/pilot episodes go -- you don't get much more brilliant than this.  Oodles of suspense within the opening  scene; after all, what can go wrong?  It's a tranquil night (the silence before the storm), a mother checks on her baby.  Moments before the ensuing horror torments a father turning up to see his beloved wife burn.  You'd be forgiven for thinking you've seen the opening moments of a horror movie.  And you wouldn't be wrong since that's exactly what the creator of Supernatural Eric Kripke intended.  To make a tiny horror movie within each episode.  Underpinned with lots of atmosphere, action and heart-wrenching dialogue.

This is how violently the adventures - that's too ordinary a word to use - how the anguish, of two brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) and their sad life eeked at us to keep tuning in for every second of their tales.

Following the events of that fateful night in Lawrence, Kansas, their home town; the action moves forward to focus on Sam, now grown up and attending Stanford.   Living a normal life, studying law (and it doesn't get more normal than that, some might add, even boring!) with a loving girlfriend, Jessica (Adrienne Palicki).   Listen out for Sam's phrase to describe his life without Jess, he'd "crash and burn."  His family life is not exactly "The Brady's."  Referring to The Brady Bunch.

Cue "long-ish, lost" brother, Dean.  The eldest and not exactly the brains of the outfit.  But he's cute and has a roving eye for the ladies!  I won't go into the fans' debate of which one is more hotter than the other, suffice to say, I like Jared, but I always liked Jensen from way back!  And I'm not afraid to admit it either!

Dean's on a mission to coax Sam to accompany him on his search for Dad, aka John Winchester (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who's missing.  He does act surprised at the life and style (ha) Sam's chosen over their demon hunting and all things supernatural.  Okay, I added the style part in reference to Sam's shirts!

Lots of funny lines about Dad not reassuring Sam of the "monster" under Sam's bed when he was little and he shouldn't be afraid of the dark.  As expected Dean tells him these very things do exist and they need to be afraid of.  You see, unlike the rest of us, they know from first hand experience bad things: ghosties, ghoulies and evil is very real.

That was another aspect of this show that I personally loved -- not only the legends; monsters, the two leads, but how the two had so much chemistry and knew how to act off each other.  So not only did we drool over our fave brothers, but we could understand their pain and suffering.  Sam wanted out of the hunting life and all its baggage, but Dean -- the warrior -- had to continue, it was the only thing he knew how to do.  Not only out of loyalty to Dad, but he felt it a kind of duty too.  Now he needs and wants Sam's help in tracking Dad and knowing he's safe.

The critics and cynics have asked why Dean didn't search for Dad alone.  Yes he could have done that, but this was his family, their family, all they had left in the entire world.  Dean believed Sam would join him too not only out of worry but love.  Even if in round-about fashion, he wanted Sam to hunt with him full-time.  As Dean rightly asserts, he doesn't want to do this alone.  Sam reluctantly agrees, as long as he's back by Monday for his law school interview.

Dad's been missing three weeks, his last sighting in Jericho, California, where Dad was investigating the disappearances of men on a lonely stretch of highway.  Dean managed to slow down the voice on Dad's voicemail and a woman's voice could be heard saying, "I can never go home."

In Jericho itself, a woman dressed in white hitchhikes and asks the man to take her home, at the end of Breckenridge Road.  He obliges, since no redblooded male can refuse a cool chick in plunging neckline dress, and she seduces him before attacking him on the bridge.

Sam discovers Dean's collection of music cassettes, heavy metal, rock, but the MP4 revolution hasn't hit him yet.  Loved the way Dean calls Sam "Sammy" and gets away with it.  Hey, big brothers get away with a whole lot more.  Which Sam hates, "Sammy's a chubby 12 year old."

From his vast collection of fake IDs, he pulls one out for themselves when they roll over to ingratiate themselves into the investigation.  Another appealing moment of the show, a fake ID moment.  There's also Supernatural's homage to the X-Files, namely, Mulder and Scully as Dean comments "Agent Mulder, Agent Scully" when passing the FBI agent.

They chance upon the missing man's girlfriend in town and Sam notices her Pentagram necklace.  "Penta meaning protection against evil."  Dean sarcastically thanks him for that line of info...  don't see you doing any better Dean!  As I said Sam is clearly the brains, Dean's just there for the brawn, looking good, using guns and getting laid!

They piece together a local legend about a woman who was murdered and she haunts the highway, picking up male hitchhikers, who subsequently disappear.   When Sam researches this on his trusty computer, he comes across Constance Welch (Sarah Shahi).  She killed herself by jumping from the bridge, after she murdered her two children in the bath, chancing upon her husband's affair.

Dean picks the wrong time to discuss, or rather bring up, Sam's chosen career path and future life with Jess.  I hate to say it, but at first glance, it appears Dean jinxed Sam's future happiness when he said this.  He hasn't been honest with Jess in not telling her about the "things he's done.  What they've hunted."  Dean: "sooner or later, you're gonna have to face up to who you really are...one of us."  Some of the best scenes are when they argue, man had me glued for hours!  As Sam didn't know Mom (Samantha Smith) doesn't mean he can be disrespectful to her, when Sam tells Dean she's gone and won't be back.  Dean berates him for this, don't ever say that again.

Dean notices Constance jump from the bridge.  Next minute she's driving his beloved Impala.  Woe betide the man or woman who comes between Dean and his beloved Impala.  The other love of his life, or you could say, the love of his life.  Sam has his computer and Dean his car.  She drives towards them and they have to jump to avoid being run over.  So Dean ends up smelling like a toilet!

They find clippings of Dad's research in his motel, containing important leads and clues on this case and in another of my favourite bits, Sam calls Dean a "jerk" and Dean returns the compliment by referring to him as "bitch."  That's brotherly love for you.  No, it's not a bad comment but their "catchphrase-y," insult moment!

The cops move in on the motel and Dean is arrested as he gives Sam the heads up, "Five-O."  Dean's a suspect and he rightly points out he wasn't old enough when the first victim vanished, being only 3.  He uses a paperclip to escape his cuffs.  Strangely, no MacGyver moment was mentioned here!

Sam questions Constance's husband (Steve Railsback) admitting he knows about "the woman in white" also known as "the weeping woman."

Sam also gets his own experience with the woman in white when she turns up in the Impala, wanting him to take her home.  But he plays a trump card; you see, he's never been unfaithful, so she can't kill him.  That's what you think Sam.  He has the bright idea to drive her to her house.  Sam: "I am taking you home."   Where she's attacked by her dead children.  She vanishes with them, leaving behind a pool of water.  Sam gets the first kissing scene in this episode.  As well as the first sad scene too.

Sam doesn't want to continue hunting and looking for Dad.  As he returns, he gets the fright of his life, being too young to see Mom die, he sees Jess in flames on the ceiling.  Dean breaks down the door to save Sam from the fire.  In what seems to be events from that night in Kansas.  Dad gave Sam to Dean to look after back then too.  That was my reference in the beginning to Sam uttering the words how he'd "crash and burn" without her.  Alas, it's Sam who witnesses the burning of Jess.  Sure enough, it gets him riled to find what or who did this.

After an exceptional start to the series, the ending was a bit of a let down, as the death of Jess appeared the only way to get Sam back into the fight.  My only qualm, but I can't hold that gripe for long!

Castle - 2.7: "Famous Last Words" Review

Castle and Beckett look into the murder of singer Hayley Blue, whom Alexis is a fan of. A particularly dark and disturbing episode of the show. At least they get their killer.

Castle gets some fast talking narrative in the opening to introduce the premise of the show in season 2, narrated by Nathan Fillion, as Castle: "There are two kinds of folk who sit around thinking about how to kill people - psychopaths and mystery writers.   I'm the kind that pays to better.   Who am I? I'm Richard Castle.   Every writer needs inspiration and I 've found mine.  Detective Kate Beckett and thanks to my friendship with the Mayor I get to be on her case and together we catch killers."

Castle plays Guitar hero and rolls about all over the floor etc, really getting into it, this is how he unwinds, when he's interrupted by a sad Alexis (Molly Quinn).   Hayley Blue is dead and Castle thinks if that were true then Beckett (Stana Katic) would call, which she does, as if by magic.  Hayley is found in an alley suspended from a ladder and Perlmutter (Ayre Gross)  finds her neck was broken.   Castle says they don't need ID as he took Alexis to see her band perform last year.  Alexis waits for Castle in the Captain's (Ruben Hudson-Santiago) office for news.   Which is confirmed.   She has to set the parental control on his computer for him.

Ryan (Seamus Dever) does a search for the song on the computer and finds she was singing about a stalker and had a restraining order out on him.   There's a scene from the video which resembles the scene of how her DB was found.   Castle will call the truant officer if she doesn't get back to school and asks the Captain if there is one.   The Captain comments budget cuts, which Castle believes makes Alexis lucky.   Esposito (Jon Huertas) says Hayley's stalker called her a "b-i-t-c-h." Castle tells him Alexis can spell.

Franco (Bernardo de Paula) was her stalker and Beckett thinks it's refreshing to see Castle as a father.   Castle asks if that makes her want him.   Becket thinks he's acting twelve again.   Hayley's producers, Bree (Anne Ramsey) and Ian Busch (Robert Curtis Brown) sent her to rehab as she was hooked on drugs.   She went missing.   Bree tells of how she woke up screaming at night, which was a clue to Ian.   Her sister Sky (Erin Foster) didn't like her for becoming famous.

Franco is found on the bus and he ran cos he'd be suspected.   He was listening to Hayley's song on the Net and the song lyrics stated it was going to be her final show, "death she grows near."  He recalls a man yelling at her, Zack, her guitarist.   Esposito finds Zack (Jesse Head) has a record and likes hitting women.   Castle comments if he was a woman he'd hit him back.  Beckett: "everyone looks like a killer to me, it's a job requirement."  Castle asks if he looks like a killer to her.   Beckett: "you kill my patience."  Ryan also discovers Hayley went to the police but she left without talking to anyone.

Zack claims to have been at a gig.   Hayley went solo and took the band name with her.   He calls the order 'cease and desist'.  Castle corrects him as he's been doing a lot lately this season, it's "cease and desist."  Castle tells him to "feel free to bathe."  Sky comes to the morgue to ID Hayley carrying a bottle and a knife.   She sold the bracelet Hayley gave her.   Hayley left Bree and Ian to get clean and she saw them with her dealer, Tony.   He says Hayley wanted a gun not drugs.   Perlmutter finds Hayley was clean and sober, so Beckett says she wasn't killed where she was found.   She goes through her theory which Castle claims she thought sounded so smart when she started.   Castle reverts back to the butler doing it in such cases.   Then Alexis doesn't have an alibi so she'd be the perfect suspect, he adds.

Alexis tells she would inform him if she killed anyone cos she'd need help hiding the DB.  Actually she's too clever to need help and besides she's the one who's always giving out clues for the cases to be solved.   Alexis believes her song was about new beginnings since Tarot cards are symbolic and death means something new.   Castle comments about "Final Destination in song form."

Sky's taken over Hayley's place as lead singer and John McGinnis (Clayton Rohner) is their manager.   He was the one who turned Hayley into an addict and a star he says when questioned.   Ryan is seen with Castle's book.   McGinnis called Zack, who hit Sky.   He wanted to get Hayley hooked again through Sky and lied about not seeing Hayley on the night she was killed.   Her phone kept ringing.  "Death" was calling and she freaked out.   Beckett thinks the killer tracked her down and killed her after the phonecalls.   She was right for once.

Beckett believes Bree represented change in her life.   Castle asks if Beckett's crying since he hears sniffles.   It's Sky when she sang Hayley's song she felt her.  Beckett says Hayley was strong and she wasn't using.   Ryan finds Bree's credit card was used at a pharmacy and she also brought Lava Red lipstick.   Bree left messages for her.   Hayley came to the studio and she gave her drugs to complete her song.   Hayley refused them.   Castle noses around and discovers a replaced panel in the wall, concealing a bullet hole.   Castle worries about Sky like a father, being out there alone.  "Kills me thinking she's out there alone."  They find Sky and she hasn't used.

Alexis listens to Hayley's song.   Castle tells her that losing an artist is like losing a friend.   After John Lennon died he stayed in his room for a week.   Alexis gives him another clue from the song.  "I can explain if you're listening."  The song was written a week before she died.   Ian abused her.   He used Bree's phone to lure her to a meeting.   Castle posits he was too powerful for her so the gun was useless "when it comes to slaughter."  Castle claims he was trying to work though something in his life.   The GSR matches Ian's coat.   Castle goes home to tell Alexis the truth.   They attend a vigil for Hayley.

Not such a hilarious episode of Castle as have been in the past; though it had it moments.   More of a serious, touching one in which Castle was allowed to explore his feelings and emotions as a father, rather than a writer.   How he was there for Alexis in her time of grief and she helped him solve the senseless and tragic death of a singer who died before her time.   More importantly it raised the ugly subject of sexual assault and abuse and its silent victims,who can't speak out about it.   If Hayley had, she would have been alive today.

Yet again we delve into Castle's obvious anger and helplessness in a way.   As a father he's aware of the position of trust and responsibility this places on anyone else in that position.   Ian was a father figure to Hayley.   She saw him as such, which made his crime all the more heinous.   Again showing Castle's caring and compassionate side as he went looking for Sky, not wanting to see her suffer out there alone.

When Castle and Beckett spoke to Bree and Ian in the opening, it was obvious one or the other was her killer, narrowed down when Castle found  the newly fixed panel at the studio and she was also suspended form the fire escape which would have required more strength.   Also it took Hayley's death for Sky to clean up her act.   Ryan reads Castle's book this episode, Heat Wave.