Smallville - 10.16: "Scion" Review

Tess brings Alexander, now known as Connor, over to the Kent farm to hide out from Lionel Luthor. before she ousts Lionel from LuthorCorp. Nothing's that easy.

Tess (Cassidy Freeman) lets herself in at the farm to ask Clark (Tom Welling) to look after Alexander (Lucas Grabeel).   Now going as Connor; which stands for Congenita Neuroplastic Replicant.   Claiming she and Clark haven't caught up in a while.   Alexander's  been rebooted and is in need of guidance from Clark.   Who states he's "a genetically, engineered version of Lex." He needs a family.   Here be the beginnings of Superboy.   Connor, meanwhile in the barn, lifts a tractor - he's got half of Clark's DNA, which wasn't the only hole in this story.    As later Tess and Clark will talk about Connor, seemingly in private, did they forget about his super-charged hearing.   Clark suggests Oliver (Justin Hartley) but he's in Star City with Chloe.  (Allison Mack)

Lionel (Julian Glover) searches for Alexander but Tess tells him he's dead, hoping to throw him off the scent.   That he should check his DNA in the ashes, did she think he wouldn't.   Dumb move on her part.   She says that Lex killed Lionel in her world, which Lionel explains is the sign of a true Luthor.   Something Tess will never be.   He regrets trusting Clark over Lex in his world.   The Luthor legacy will end with Lionel.   Lionel then giving Tess  a huge clue when he mentions adoption papers, for later, which she doesn't get and tells her if he was Lionel in this world, he'd have signed the adoption papers too.   She's inferior.

Clark speaks with Connor explaining Tess is trying to protect him.   It doesn't matter what he is after people get to know him.   Connor can't recall anything from the past, which is good news in some ways.   But he needs to know where he's from.   He then sees Clark has powers too, or abilities, as they call them here.   Clark prefers being called a brother to dad.   He also finds out Clark is the Blur and he's read about him .   Clark says he needs to learn to control his abilities and needs to practise on the farm.   Until he sees Lois (Erica Durance).   He clearly demonstrates he's not in control when he watches her with his X-ray vision.

Clark explains about taking Connor under his wing but she doesn't receive the news well.   She expected some hitches with Clark being the Blur but Clark pleads for her help.   His blood was stolen by Lex from Helen Bryce's office and prevented the accelerated mitosis within Connor.   She calls Clark Chicken Little.   She didn't see what it was like to grow up, feeling like a freak.  It "never goes away - it's always in there."  Only Lois has made him feel normal.  So what about his parents, though this could have been a clever ploy on his part to subtly coax Lois into going along with him.   Which works.

Lois tells Tess there are other ways of making Lionel go away and he knows what can hurt Clark and she was right, as he used the Kryptonite on Clark and a gun on Lois, almost.   She comments Elliott Ness used tax evasion to nab Al Capone, so Tess finally gets that an overlooked detail on his part will prove he's a fake.   He already told Tess about this overlooked detail, wake up Tess! Dr Lammel is named but not shown, but Lexia Doig was credited as a guest star.   So what was the point.   The resultant tests on Lex's remains, show the DNA doesn't match him.

Clark informs Connor about how his parents were there for him, his dad taught him the power of hard work and was a means to control his powers.   He'll be there for Connor, who burns Clark's shirt when he uses his heat vision.   Tess tells Clark that Lionel is aware of Connor's whereabouts and Connor hears every word they say about him being a Luthor.   Lois is taken hostage by Lionel after she breaks into his office, but comes up empty.   Lionel finds Connor at the remains of the Luthor mansion, he was tracked from the farm.   Lionel wants to answer his questions and tricks Connor into wearing a red Kryptonite ring, knowing full well the effect it will have on him.   Connor is part Lex and part Clark.   Lionel tries to convince him Clark considers Connor a threat as he's a Luthor.  "Embrace your future."  What's Lionel's future going to entail?  He convinces Connor the ring is his birthright. "Now the journey begins."  Hence the title, Scion meaning descendant, heir.

Lois claims she's not afraid of Lionel, he brought her to the slaughterhouse so no one would hear her screams.   Lois is not really a 'screamer' (!)  She was raised to protect the one you love.   Lionel is about to shoot Lois but is rescued by Connor who carries her off, Lionel telling her lesson 1 before she's whisked away, "never let anyone stand in your way," which Connor has taken to heart since he left Lionel standing.   He goes on to steal a fur coat and necklace for Lois and a car which they drive off in.

Clark believes Lionel is turning Connor into something he's not.   The red Kryptonite brings out the core of selfless freedom.   Clark won't let Lionel hurt Connor like he did Lex, calling Lex his close friend.   Lionel is adamant Clark destroyed Lex with his secrets.  Clark arrives at the mansion and Lois escapes as if she wasn't there - but Lionel already told Clark she was with Connor and he finds the coat.   Clark is trying to keep Connor safe which is what he said about Tess.   They fight and Clark manages to smash the red Kryptonite in the ring.   Connor accepts he is a Luthor.   When Clark said he's coming home with him, he sounded more like a dad than a brother.   But not before Lionel arrives with the green Kryptonite as Lois predicted, but Connor destroys it with his heat vision which he can now control, especially when it mattered.   Lionel exclaims Connor was "meant to be a god."  Connor: "I know who I am."  Gotta love Lionel and his eccentricity.

Tess hands Lionel papers to relinquish his control over LutherCorp to her.   He drank the Scotch which was laced with nano receptors, so she'll know his location.   She won't kill him, it's not in her.   However the adoption papers show his prints are reversed in this world, proving he's a fake.   See that was Lionel's big clue in the beginning.   Lionel's final words to her, deep down, she'll always be a Luthor.  Yet he just said she was inferior earlier on.   Associating being a Luthor with being inferior there,

Connor repairs the farm and Clark tells him "you decide who you really are."  There's a shadow inside him he doesn't need to embrace, that being the Luthor part of him.   Connor reveals the Blur's red 'S' on a black T shirt.   Clark's enrolled him at Smallville High and his name is Connor Kent, he figured Connor needed a last name.  "Welcome home." Lois admits she was investigating Lionel.   Clark has a new found respect for his parents, that his powers can cause harm if misused.   he didn't just realize that though.   They were responsible for raising him and the world would have been dark if Clark didn't have them.   Lois thinks he'll be a great father.

Lionel laments what could have been at Lex's grave, what could have been if he was here.   He'd give anything to have him by his side,  allowing Darkseid to emerge, with red eyes a-glowing.     Lionel is now confronted by Darkseid, but he was always susceptible to be taken over by the darkness within.

In the comics, Connor's shirt was the black shirt Superboy used to wear.   Lots of darkness going on in this episode, but it goes to show Clark and Connor both need to be under the influence of the meteor rock to undergo changes, they have the ability to do good and remain strong at all other times so they couldn't be under the influence of Darkseid, ever.   Suppose Oliver will get his money back now that Tess has taken LutherCorp back.   Most of this was just how Clark's parents raised him, which we didn't get to see, but he tells Connor and Lois about.  

Lois was wrong when she tells Connor that Clark never acted in the way he's doing for love.   Since Kryptonite does have an effect on him and he has no control over.   In the episode Crimson, Clark, kidnapped Lana in the name of love, whilst under the influence of Kryptonite and tried to strangle Lex.   So maybe Lois is oblivious to this part of Clark's past.   Clark mentions Helen Bryce (Emmanuelle Vaugier) who was a doctor and who double crossed Lex, after he married her.   Tess refers to Lionel as "Daddy Dearest" alluding to Mommie Dearest, book and movie, written by Hollywood film star Joan Crawford's daughter.    Lois says she feels like she's in a Tom Clancy novel.   As well as mentioning Lazarus, which was also the title of the first episode of season 10, as Clark got his strength back from the yellow sun, saved by Lois.

Lois mentions Don Godfather in relation to Lionel and also Romeo and Juliet.   Been referencing plenty of movies, books, this season, which they hardly ever did in past seasons.   Jonathan was mentioned in this episode in preparation of next week when he makes an appearance.

CSI: NY - 1.14: "Blood, Sweat and Tears" Review

Mac and Stella look into the apparent death of a circus performer, but the story turns into one of Romeo and Juliet. Danny investigates the murder of a woman in her apartment.

In story 1, a swimmer finds a box on a beach with a DB inside.   It hasn't been in the water for long.   Mac: "It's not a box, it's a coffin."  Cold water leads to minimum bloating, he was probably in the water for 48 hours, surmises Hawkes (Hill Harper).   Mac (Gary Sinise) must straighten out the body back at autopsy.   Stella (Melina Kanakaredes) finds salt water residue on the box.   The lid has some fibre with roots, but the hair isn't human.

Story 2, blood from the apartment went through the ceiling.   Paige Worthy (Sarah Lafleur) wasn't seen for a week.   Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) "That doesn't mean anything, I've lived in my apartment 3 years and none of my neighbours recognize me." Maybe they have a reason for keeping to themselves, ha.   Flack (Eddie Cahill) "You better hope you don't go missing."  There aren't any signs of a struggle and Danny believes the DB was carried out in a shower curtain.   Danny: "You've gotta get out of here without leaving a trail of evidence and that trail starts right here."

Hawkes finds skin under the nails, bruises on the male DB.   He finds it difficult to ID a COD.   There are no broken bones inside his body and he determines COD is asphyxiation, but he wasn't strangled.   He was alive when inside the box and was grabbed by large hands, thus the bruises on his arms.

Danny finds multiple prints on the door knob and an unknown powdery substance on the floor.   Gravitational blood drops leading to the rubbish chute and blood on the handle.   The DB found in the shower curtain doesn't match Paige's photo.   Hawkes says she was married also there are defensive wounds on her hands and the COD was exsanguination.   She was stabbed by a small blade, severing her femoral artery and she bled to death.   Danny thinks she could have been a battered wife.

Mac doesn't believe the man was double jointed but had very loose tendons and ligaments, he could be an escape artist.   Aiden (Vanessa Ferlito) matches the hair Stella found to an elephant.   Neiman (Mark Ivanir) saw him last night and Lukas was a contortionist.   His box was part of the act.   Neiman punches Bernardo Espargosa (Jim Pirri) who is a trapeze artist.  His daughter, Anasuya (Katie Conacus) is the star of the circus.   She has scratches on her hand.   Mac says Lukas was off limits and so was she, thus invoking Romeo and Juliet.   The theme of the circus act.   Act 2 scene 2: "parting  is such sweet sorrow."  She hurt her arm on the trapeze, it was a bad release and her father caught her.   Stella finds twine used on the box in the elephant enclosure and sand but they don't find Lukas's costume, which is in the bin.

Lita Carty was the woman at the apartment.   Paige stayed in a hotel.   Her husband, Jason (Vidtor Browne) didn't hit her cos she was pretty and educated.   He was at the apartment but she didn't open the door.   Mac has to give Danny another pep talk, of sorts and tells him to breathe.   Danny: "I feel like it's right in front of me, Mac, I just can't see it." Mac wants him to talk it out.   The husband's DNA doesn't match.   The substance on the floor was loomi, a Middle Eastern spice made with boiled limes.   Mac concludes Jason wasn't there but someone else was.   Mac: "...evidence is right there Messer, you're not." Danny was a bit messed up.

There was a powdery substance on the arms and chest on the costume.   Also wool fibre.   Jake the elephant handler has his coat and fingerprints checked.   The coat is made from cotton and not wool.   The box has clown make-up on it.   A cane was used to cause the bruises.   Lukas spilled the bubbles and his act failed.   He was taken to clown court and punished in the stocks.   His costume had traces of corn syrup and washing up liquid.   The white powder is identified as chalk, used by trapeze artists.  Bernardo grabbed Lukas as he attacked Anasuya.   His first name, Bernardo means 'strong as a bear' in Portuguese.   Hawkes says Lukas had Ehlers Danlose Syndrome, "a genetic defect in manufacturing of collagen"  for which there is no cure.   His skin was elastic-like and so could be easily bruised.   Mac asks why he didn't fight to get out of the box.   Life imitating art backstage.    Lukas wanted to leave this life but why is Juliet still alive?

Danny posits Lita bought food and Flack comments anything can be delivered in NY.   She ordered loomi and who made the delivery? Danny ran tests and the blood on the knife was from the delivery boy.   He spilt loomi on the floor and was flirting.   Flack states she misread the signs and she wasn't into him.   Danny said he did it and Jason was trying to get in.   It was too late to save her when he left, so he threw her out instead.

There's also female DNA on Lukas's costume.   Mac: "Not blood, not sweat, I think I know what they are."  Anasuya wears a woolen jumper.   They are her tears, as the droplets had traces of mascara.   Stella says Lukas committed suicide and she found him.   She hated it here and she got away and she was going to kill herself too by jumping from the trapeze, but she changed her mind.   As they always do in a suicide pact, one person relents when it's too late for the other.   "A pair of star crossed lovers take their lives..."

As always the clue is always in the title, especially as far as the first story was concerned.   Pointless loss of life in both stories, Also the time her husband was at the door, was time wasted when she could have been saved.   Why didn't Anasuya tell Lukas she didn't want to die and save him too.   Evidence of powdery substances in both stories.

In CSI episode Chaos Theory, a DB was disposed of down the rubbish chute, and there was a bloodstain on the dumpster chute.   Season 2 CSI:Miami episode, Complications, a DB was found hanging just when her husband was outside the door whilst she was being killed.   Season 2 CSI episode The Finger,  a shower curtain was used to wrap the DB.

CSI - 11.01: "Shock Waves" Review

Season 11 opens with an explosive start as several bombs explode in a continuation from the season finale. Ray fights for his life after being shived, as Nick faces up to being shot.

Ray (Laurence Fishburne) is rushed to hospital after being stabbed by Haskell (Bill Irwin) and whilst there he hallucinates him escaping his handcuffs and being attacked by him.   He comes out of it when he hears Nick (George Eads) saying he'll be okay.   Glad Jorga came back, she was missed!  Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) worries about her team, which some may call being too emotional for a woman! But she's got the right balance between knowing when to show emotion and when to be heavy-handed.

At the funeral of Officer Clark (Reggie Vaughn Watkins), Nick is asked to leave by Brass (Paul Guilfoyle).  "Sometimes the best thing to do is to just walk away."  Understanding Officer Clark's family's grief, but that was a harsh thing to do, it's not his fault he died in the line of duty and Nick wasn't the one who pulled the trigger.   Nick is clearly hurt by this and his pain is apparent.   Brass has been where Nick is.   Leaving Nick to sit alone in his car and cry.   He's another CSI who gets to show plenty of emotion, which is a good thing and again isn't a sign of weakness.   He flashes back to sending Officer Clark to the back of the restaurant and getting shot.   There's something about Nick and guns in this show - ever since season 1!  Nick spots cockroaches streaming over and under a parked van and hears chirping.   Our Nicky being the curious CSI that he is, has to check this out , hearing a clicking sound, he finds a bomb strapped underneath.   Before he's able to act/react, two bombs go off one after the other, sparking chaos and panic.   Causing everyone to run towards the parked van.   Nick fires his gun to warn them off, the bomb explodes and the door comes hurtling towards us on the screen.   Duck!

Nick can't hear Catherine question him due to temporary tinnitus.   He tells her Pariplaneta Americana (a species of cockroaches) were attracted to the clicking.

So are Catherine and Lou Vartann (Alex Carter) still seeing each other, they appear to be.   Brass vents to Catherine, angrily that if Haskell remained in prison then none of this would have happened and his officers wouldn't have been killed.

Greg (Eric Szmanda) takes Nick's jacket for evidence.   It was his best suit.  Greg asks if he's seen the state of his car.   Nick heard that or did he read Greg's lips.   Still it was Nick's car, so must be a male thing as far as car's are concerned.

Ray asks after Nick and refuses morphine as it has an affect on his thinking process.   Haskell's mail and calls were being monitored, but he could have got outside help, as he's used acolytes before.   Ray informs Brass to "play your game, not his" when questioning Haskell.   Ray has lost one of his kidneys.   Haskell hopes Ray's fine so he remembers him everytime he uses the loo, he'll see the scar.   So why did Haskell want to be untied so he can eat lunch, he doesn't need to be untied.

Kacey Monahan (Sienna Guillory) is the resident bomb expert on the scene, finding unexploded ammonium nitrate, as only one barrel went off.   Ugh if I hear one more Brit who can't speak their own accent properly, I'll scream!  No one really talks like that here.   It's meant to be called a 'lilt', her accent.   But she ended up sounding like Peyton (Claire Forlani) from CSI:NY.

Catherine and Sara (Jorga Fox) determine the bomb was to cause maximum chaos and injuries.   Catherine has plenty of evidence.   Nick finds a cellphone under the turf, which was the detonator.   He asks if it could make a clicking sound.   There were three different bombs.   The first was the casket bomb, in the coffin of officer Clark, the second the tombstone bomb.   The first was a low explosive.   Ray explains it was easy to build the car bomb, as a similar one destroyed the Federal Building at Oklahoma City.    The tombstone contained a Claymore and the van was the kill bomb.   The first bomb was to scare, not to kill, so people would run for cover towards the tombstones where the second bomb was planted and the third bomb was in their path when they ran to it.   Ray: "shock, run, kill."  Catherine believes the bomber has a grudge against cops.

Nick finds it difficult to work with one arm and Catherine tells him to go home.  She almost lost him and Ray and she doesn't want to lose this case.   She advises him to see the shrink, as is standard procedure, she's not worried about the rules, but him.  Nick feels he'll just be wasting time when he could be working the case.   She confides in him that after losing Warrick (Gary Dourdan) she threw herself into work so she wouldn't have to think about his death, but "there isn't enough work in the world.   I realized I couldn't do my job without talking to somebody."  Nick didn't know that about her and she's good at hiding things.   She asks if Nick would want to be his own back up in a situation if he was called out to the same restaurant where Clark was killed.

Doc Robbins (Robert David Hall) comments how Clark has now been in his morgue twice.   He finds a simcard in the officer's body.

Kacey finds the bomber's signature, he took the wire out of the post and twist it.   Maybe he had OCD and was meticulous.   She admires his work.   A phone number is found on the Sim.   Sara: "hey bomber we got your number."

Thomas Rand was a marine who died in Afghanistan.   Brass questions his wife who gave the phone for a charity drive at the community centre.   Well that was easy.   Also we find out Brass was a marine in Vietnam.   Hey what's the SEC NAV (Jude Ciccolella) doing playing a radical, sorry wrong show, that was NCIS.  Ha.   Sara taking a swing at that woman was fun to watch, she's never done that before and later tells Ray, she's like Ghandi and believes in turning the other cheek.  Ralph was Jason's brother and he speaks up for him, in the first scene with Justin Bieber.

Ray analyzes the blast pattern and finds it was all about timing.   The bomber had 'eyes' there and finds the plane on the film footage.   It was radio controlled and dips and crashes at the same time the as the two explosions.   So the bomber had to be nearby.

Ecklie (Marc Vann) needs more evidence and can only sanction holding the group from the community centre for 24 hours.

Greg finds the plane at the CS because "nobody looks up."  Kacey discovers the cell phone didn't click as the radio controlled detonator can make the clicking sound.   (I have to say come back Wendy (Liz Vassey) all is forgiven.)  The click searching for a signal and didn't find one, Nick comments all he had to do was flick the switch and he becomes a bomber.

Brass has a black eye from the fight before and wants some good news.   A print comes back to an Alex McCann, he has  a brother in their custody, Jason.  (Justin Bieber).   Anyone can tell he was a part of the bombing too and it runs in the family.  Brass is angry at Catherine for telling him how to do his job again and she tells him she's more concerned with how he shouldn't question Jason.   Nick questions him instead and his obvious aversion to authority is apparent.   The little weasel.   Nick describes how the police officer lost his life on Nick's watch and Nick became a part of law enforcement because of his desire to help people.   Nick doesn't have a badge, only an ID.   (As we know, he's a criminalist, not a cop.)  Nick asks where they can find Alex and Jason claims he didn't blow anyone up, he only bought the plane.   He gives up his brother so easily, so much for family loyalty.   Why was he quick to do that, to get him out of the way.   He does exhibit some sociopathic tendencies.   But his innocent exterior hides a murky and depth.   Even Nick couldn't see past his fresh face.

Kacey checks the hideout for booby traps.   Should've exploded her lousy accent.   Nick's arm healed quickly.   White powder is found at the scene which turns out to be TATP: triacetone triperoxide.   Alex ran out of hydrochloric acid so Nick scans the barcode on the bottle to find the nearest pool store for more supplies.  That was simple.  (Agh Kacey is completely cockney now.   talk about changing accents.)  They arrive at the store just in time to see Alex leaving.   Refusing to surrender resulting in a shoot out.   Nick panics and empties his entire magazine of bullets when he fires at him along with the others.   Catherine tells him to drop the gun and finds a map and plans to bomb the entire police department.

Vartann doesn't want Catherine to beat herself up next time Brass tries to do the same to her, she saved the cops and she shouldn't forget that.

Doc gives Ray a walking stick, there are "some things you have no control over in life...and when accept that...  can move on."

Nick glances at Gil's (William Petersen) 'pickled pig foetus' as I call it and decides to call the shrink.   Probably given him inspiration to call.   Gil that is, not the foetus.

Sara is too tired to go home - too tired or some other reason.   Catherine takes Greg to a call out.   David (David Berman) comments that a trash run can be refreshing.   Vartann has no battery in his torch and asks Greg for one, conveniently dropping the battery so the bomb would explode.   He was killed and dragged there to lure them.   Greg pulls back Vartann and saves him after Catherine yells not to touch anything.

So begins the bomber storyline with the CSIs and cops lives being placed in 'grave danger' once more.   (Oh subtle pun there.)  No, it's just an excuse to bring back Justin Bieber!  He was evil!

A great start to the season and a pity Marg is leaving very soon.   With lots of displays of emotion from Nick, Ray and Catherine.

Unlike Lindsay's (Anna Belknap) display of machismo, Nick was finally more than happy to see the shrink.   Nick has an aversion to guns and who can blame him, as he's been on the wrong side of one for as long as the series is old! (Somehow get the feeling the writers don't want to forget how George faced a gun man when he was younger back in Texas, as they seem to keep writing this into storylines with Nicky.)

It's always good to see Nick let go of his emotions and have a good cry since there's nothing wrong with a man showing emotion or man tears.   (Even Horatio (David Caruso) cried in CSI:Miami)  That makes Nick who he is and gives the character a different, more caring and vulnerable edge.   As I said before, he is a criminalist as opposed to a hardened cop and at least there's some consistency with his character.  Similar in some respects to Catherine who is so human and a perfect leader for this team, she cares.   Expect more emotional portrayals from them all in the future.   Especially with Nick I hope, as he's always excellent in that department.  George plays Nick with such believable depth, it's great to watch that in a CSI show.

Catherine telling Nick and Sara to go home.  Whilst all Nick and Ray wanted to do was to get on with the case.   Having Ray liaise and carry out his own investigation from his bed was a good touch.

Using a cellphone as a detonator was also done in the season 2 finale of CSI:NY.

NCIS - 7.12: "Flesh and Blood" Review

Tony's father appears, took long enough, with Tony realizing the truth about who he really is, whilst investigating the murder of an Arab Prince's bodyguard.

A driver/bodyguard, Walid (Yan Feldman) clicks the car alarm and gets blown up when the car explodes.   Tony's (Michael Weatherly) on the phone and says Anthony Di Nozzo Jnr is in Washington.   Anthony Di Nozzo is in New York City.   McGee (Sean Murray) comments on Tony conversing, junior, Senior and asks if the conversation is coherent.   Ziva (Cote de Pablo) says Tony's calling his father to straighten things out.   (Yeah like Ziva did with her father last season and this season - eventually.)  Tony talks about a cruise for Spring Break and when Ziva asks about it, he replies, "none of your business."  Gibbs (Mark Harmon) tells them they have a DB at Pax River, a foreign national.   Tony refers to the cruise as a 'need to know' and she doesn't need to know.  He's not too old for Spring Break.   Not Spring Break again, Tony has already been to tonnes of those and more recently, loosely discussed, this with Kate (Sasha Alexander) in the season 2 episode Conspiracy Theory when threatening to reveal her Spring Break wet T-shirt photos.

Prince Sayif (Amir Arison) rented the car.   Ducky (David McCallum) doesn't find any burns or blistering on the DB's hands but finds the presence of blunt force trauma. "If the explosion had knocked his socks off," would've sounded better.   Sayif is on the Navy Marine Corps Strike Pilot Programme and Gibbs believes the bomb was meant for him.   Sayif comments assassinations are part of the Saudi royal family life.   Gibbs has a say in the US Navy and could have his training stopped if he doesn't agree to protective custody, at the Adams House Hotel.   Vance (Rocky Carroll) thinks the 'Freedom Warriors' could be a part of the attempt on his life and Prince Omar (Alon Aboutbool) is a major part of the family.

McGee tells Tony he's got a visitor, neglecting to tell him who and Tony crouches behind the railing like a little child.   Anthony Di Nozzo Snr (Robert Wagner) tells Ziva, Junior (Tony) mentioned her , she's stunning and suggests she should wear her hair down, which she does anyway at times.   Tony was trying to sort out the mix up at the bank and Senior's name is still there as trustee.   He hasn't seen Tony in a while so he took the train down; obviously cos of money problems.   Which should have got Tony's radar flashing but it doesn't; so much for him being senior field agent.   Tony asks if Ziva's got anything to do.

Senior notices Sayif, he knows his father when they met in Monte Carlo.  Tony wants him to spill the beans on why he's here and then says he can't talk about it, it's work, but then he does mention the car bomb and also where he is, which happens to be the same place Senior is staying and also that Sayif's father is arriving.   Ziva knows Arabic and can understand Sayif and his brother   Abdallah (Mido Hamada) (my suspect) doesn't like Sayif's Western ways and that's why he claims Sayif was attacked.   Sayif selects Ziva as his bodyguard during protective custody.

Ducky talks with Vance and not Gibbs, that COD was blunt force trauma.   The Saudi embassy wants the DB released quickly.  Vance asks Ducky about his mother, who is "losing touch with reality."  (The clock on the wall behind seems to be going backwards.)  Vance replies, "I've had days like that."

Abby (Pauley Perrette) calls it 'Mismatched Monday' cos of her socks and shoes.   Gibbs: "Make my day Monday for me."  She found trace of nitromethane and the timer.   Vance says the satellite Echelon will have chatter, the IP address of the computer is traced as it's sending a message with the words: Prince Omar, Assassination, contract and killer.   Tony and Ziva find Senior on the computer at the hotel.   Abby: "Maybe Tony didn't have a mother, maybe he was cloned."  (Oh what like Dark Angel, ha.)  Ducky mentions the strong familial resemblance between Tony and Senior.   Senior: "meet the real Tony Di Nozzo."  Senior says he was contacting a business association, the Prince is known as 'Al' to his friends and was notifying investors.   He's staying at this hotel too.   Ducky's been to the Roof Top Grill too.   Gibbs says Senior has to stay away from the family.   Abby came to see what Senior looks like and she didn't meet him.   Gibbs thinks Senior's got an agenda.

Tony and Senior share a drink at the hotel and Tony has a non-alcoholic beer and a "lecture from Senior."  Tony gets to carry a gun.   Senior wasn't disappointed Tony chose to become a cop, he was supportive but failed to tell Tony this.   He's proud Tony found a career he's passionate about.     Tony tells Senior he didn't know where Tony was or what he was doing when he was little.   But Senior thinks they had great vacations together.   Tony recalls their trip to Maui where he left him in the hotel.   He had to close a deal.  He mentions his ex-step mother, Karen, it was Phoebe.   Tony gives him condolences and his congratulations too.   McGee looked at the surveillance cameras when the car was serviced.   The mechanic is clean.  

Ziva calls Sayif a royal pain in the tush, she got that term right and they should hire someone to protect Sayif from her cos he's a chauvinist.   Vance asks if there are any other leads, cos they only had one.   Gibbs mentions the Amendments to the Constitution, he was born here so he doesn't need to study them unlike Ziva.   Ziva's hair is different here than at the end of the episode, and she calls Senior 'Tony.'  He likes her hair.   Sayif had a party in the hotel and naturally it was on Tony's watch, who attempts to do some yoga.   Gibbs hits him with the cowboy hat several times, party's over.   Their father's plane has landed.   Tony didn't think Gibbs would be here for another hour - honestly.

Senior intercepts the Prince in the lift.   McGee tells Abby to show hers first, her findings that is.   The bomb maker was an amateur as the timer didn't set it off, it was 30 minutes earlier and was set off by the plane overhead.   Abby: "Show me yours." McGee knows the car went to the hotel garage and Pax River.   The GPS shows the car was driven to a part of the base where there aren't any security cameras (not very efficient security for a base).   Abdallah wants to take back the DB.   Vance says the DB's not been released yet.   Senior insists that funds are available in the account.   Of course Tony had to get McGee to check his computer.  Complementing McGee on being a good investigator.  Ziva's hair has changed again.  

Gibbs gives him Senior a tour of their office.   The armoury is their conference room.   Tony: "get your skinny butt up here now." Gibbs talks about Tony who, "hides behind the face of a clown" but he's the best agent he's worked with.   Four years ago, Tony came close to dying, (season 2.22 SWAK, the plague episode) in terms of seasons it would be 5 seasons ago, so longer than 4 years.   But his father didn't show up then, they don't keep in touch.   Gibbs: "Tony inherited his personality from you."  Senior is missing out on Tony's life, something Gibbs would never do with his child if he had had the chance.   Hey I just said that and now Gibbs says it, that he didn't see his daughter grow into an adult, but he can with Tony.  Tony thinks the world of Gibbs.

Abby says trace evidence swabbed by Ducky were molecules of nitromethane.   McGee: "Victim was his own killer."  Abby calls this hinky.   Ziva wonders what the motive was for planting the bomb, which was already revealed by Abdallah, that he didn't like what Sayif was getting up to, partying and the like.   Abby got to meet Senior on the tour.  Abby: "I think I showed him everything on tour."  Senior replies, "Well, not everything."  Hint, hint.   Prompting Gibbs to give one of his looks! Gibbs says they need to look at Walid like a murderer.   Tony broke Rule number 6: never say you're sorry.   Gibbs quotes Rule number 18: "better to seek forgiveness than ask permission." Gibbs says he's not forgiven and he doesn't know his father.   Tony tells him Senior is broke.   Tony confesses to Gibbs but Senior has a chance for a score when the Prince is here.

Tony refers to this as being his father's last con, the end game when he checks out of the hotel and tries to pay his bill.   McGee asks how long they were friends, since Sayif was assigned his bodyguard by Abdallah and if Walid and Abdallah were friends he'd have done anything Abdallah wanted.   Omar sent Abdallah home - part of his diplomatic staff and he'll take care of his son.  Abdallah admitted he attempted to kill Sayif due to his lifestyle.   Omar: "fathers do what they have to do for their children." He'll be in Monte Carlo next month and he and Senior can meet.

Senior says it was great to see Tony and should talk more.  He loves Tony.   Tony shares steak dinner with Gibbs at his place (so if ever you have dinner with Gibbs, expect steak and beer.)  Since when does Tony get invited round.   Tony paid for the hotel bill with his cruise money, but Tony can't fool Gibbs, he doesn't need a Spring Break cruise he's too old for that, or so feigns Tony.  Gibbs: "...conned a con man - runs in the family." Tony still has to stick up for him, "he's my father, he is who he is." The same can be said for Tony. "Sometimes it's better to keep things to yourself."

An episode about fathers and sons this time round just for Tony and insight into his father, well he was mentioned long enough, so it was only right he should make an appearance now.   Knew Tony would pay his bill cos he found out about Monte Carlo for next month and he feels sorry for him; not wanting him to realize Tony knows that he's really a con man.   Gibbs thinks of Tony as a son more than his own father does.

This was NCIS 150th episode.   Senior is quite the ladies man and you can see where Tony gets that from, since he mentioned he hired great women at NCIS, as well as his fear of commitment.   So the saying like father, like son is true as far as Tony's concerned.   Though he may not like to admit that.   Though in some ways, Tony is different, he isn't a con man per se, but he knows how to get his own way more times than not.   Especially specializing in sweet talk and being charming.   All except  to his colleagues that is.  Tony says he was 8 when his mother died, but there's been talk she was still around when he was 10, in past episodes.

This was Vance's first time in autopsy.   Tony doesn't mention any films this time round, though there were a few choice father/son movies he could have mentioned.   Tony was a bit serious this episode with so much on his mind and it's Gibbs that he feels comfortable sharing his feelings with.  Is Tony finally growing up, at least as far as Senior goes.   It's been noted the resemblance between Michael Weatherly and Robert Wagner, but Michael kind of reminds me more of George Peppard in his younger days.  Think Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961.)

Without A Trace Pilot Review

A woman on the street is seen talking to a man.  She enters her building on Tuesday at 10:47pm.  Jack (Anthony LaPaglia) does a voiceover; Maggie Cartwright, 28, single, a marketing executive.  She didn’t show up for work

34 Hours Missing

There was no forced entry and her door was open.  She left everything behind.  She spoke to her mother and disappeared after the call.  Her boss sent out the missing call.  The police canvasses the neighbourhood and found nothing.  Jack picks up a book in her apartment: Karma & Reincarnation and reads a highlighted passage. She has travel books and Danny (Enrique Murciano) says she went backpacking.

 FBI MISSING PERSONS UNIT

MANHATTEN

37 Hours Missing

Maggie (Arija Bareikis) was vice president of marketing.  Her mother is Nancy, her father is Paul (Bruce Davison).  They were divorced in 1982.  He’s single and lives at Alphabet City.  Danny finds the night foreman at Maggie’s building has a record for dealing cocaine.

11:02….  Tom Wilkins is the last person she called so Jack tells them they must speak to him first.  The security footage shows she left work at 6. 

 Jack introduces Martin, (Eric Close) a rookie and new member of the team.  Martin didn’t want his father to call Jack.  They don’t know if Maggie’s been murdered or kidnapped.

38 Hours Missing

Maggie had a meeting that day and her boss says it was the best presentation she had ever given.  Everyone respects her and she was promoted to president of marketing.  Martin thinks he may have been sleeping with the boss and since she’s been climbing the corporate ladder.  Jack tells him he loves her but isn’t sleeping with her as he’s gay.

39 Hours Missing

 Martin adds she doesn’t have a computer.  Danny says the doorman saw her with a man, blonde, 6’1”. Viv Marianne Jean-Baptiste) says Tom (Taylor Nichols) arrived at Heathrow on flight 43.  He’s staying at Claridges.  Maggie sent an e-mail to Brian Docherty on Tuesday.  Jack deciphers it’s true meaning.  Her position on the relationship was clarified, she was sleeping with him so they have a suspect.

41 Hours Missing

Brian paid off a witness in a Federal investigation.  It was meant to be a fling and he called it off weeks ago.  He was in Philadelphia at a conference.  Maggie’s computer harddrive was being formatted, except for her e-mails, everything else had been wiped out.

12:30…

Her father describes Maggie as independent.  She dated Tom for about a few weeks a year ago.  She told him about her affairs.  He spent $300 on her Saturday night.  Sam thinks this behaviour odd.  Men only spend so much out of guilt or romance and no one goes to ‘Carmen’s  unless it’s Valentine’s day or to propose.  Jack asks how she knows. Sam (Poppy Montgomery) thinks he treats her like his mistress.  Jack calls her a role player as everyone in her life treats her differently.

44 Hours Missing

She had problems with her files, internal e-mails.  Martin doesn’t think there was anything suspicious and no internal competition at work.  Tom is a tax attorney, 41 and divorced.  The computer technician at the company tells Martin Maggie was trying to hide something.  Sam says they don’t know where she was between 9:15 and 10:47pm.  Danny says the footage form the security camera in the alley of her building shows her with a backpack at 2:32am.  The 'ying & Yang’ logo matches the one in her photo.  None of it makes sense.

4:23AM

Jack ponders why she left through the alley.  Sam replies she may be hiding, or adds Jack, escaping.  Her backpack had personal items form her childhood etc.  Sam thinks maybe she’s committed suicide.  Jack say she has no friends, is an only child and she role plays.  There’s a ransom note received.

7:21AM

Viv finds she made withdrawals from an ATM every year and then stopped.  Danny thinks it could be related to drugs or blackmail.  Her doorman is a dealer.  Martin suggests it could be Brian, perhaps Maggie threatened to tell his wife about them.  No one saw him until 9AM the following day.  The last train left from Philly at 10:30PM or he could have rented a car  There’s an 11:15 New Jersey transit to New York at 2 AM and he could get here and back within 4 hours.  Sam thinks it was her father so he could get the money.  Viv suggests Tom.  Jack wants her to get him back to New York.

1:30PM

Sam recalls her father wanted to pay the ransom so she suspects him.  She used to tell him everything and now he knows nothing.  Tom arrives on Concord. (Which is no longer flying.)

3:23Pm

He was with clients in London.  He dated Maggie a few times.  He saw her Tuesday she had something to tell him, but in the end she didn’t.  Jack thinks it convenient all that money is in London.  Tom hasn’t checked his answering service.  Jack tells Sam it’s not Tom.  Things aren’t normal.  Maggie saw Brian, her mother, father and Tom: she was saying goodbye.

48 Hours Missing

Viv checks the names of an employees travelling and finds Bartholomew Higgins, (Bradford Tatum) the computer technician.

4:29PM

Higgins has gone for home for lunch.  Sam asks about Martin at the office.  They find photos of Maggie at work.  Martin spots Maggie’s backpack at his apartment.  Sam and Jack find Martin passed out on the floor and Maggie's in the bath.  Danny arrests Higgins with the money.

Jack tells Martin off for going in alone, he almost got her killed and shouldn’t have gone in alone.  Maggie wanted to disappear back to Nepal.  Higgins understood her so they began hanging out after work.  She brought the wrong passport.  She left the apartment like that, she was dreaming.  Jack tells her she wanted to be found.  Higgins real name is Joseph Deemar, wanted for murder in Delaware; he would’ve killed her.

The pilot episode didn’t have any opening credits only cast names.  This episode was also directed by David Nutter who directs most Pilot episode such as Dark Angel and the X-Files.

 A good opening episode which not only introduces the team at work but also Martin, the newcomer and all his naivety and mistakes, of which he makes many and also in episodes to come.  Also it appeared that anyone who knew Maggie was suspected at one point or another so it took a while to find the real suspect.

It was fast paced and action packed compared to some other episodes and especially compared to some season 2 ones.  Which were markedly slower and had less in content, plotwise, with fewer suspects.

The highlighted passage reads: For his past works – he shall return once more to birth, entering whatever from his is set on.

Danny: “Two years working white collar in Seattle and he gets this assignment.”

Sam: “Doesn’t hurt to be Victor Fitzgerald’s kid.”

Danny: “No wonder he’s smilin’.”

Sam: “Not a bad smile either.”  First day on the job for Martin and already they’re gossipping about him.  As well as knowing who he really is, i.e the son of the deputy Director of the FBI.

Martin: “I don’t want nay preferential treatment.”

Jack: “Good, cos you’re not getting’ any.”

Jack: “We’ve gotta work from the inside out.  Once we find out who she is, odds are we’ll find out where she is.  In most cases after 48 hours, they’re gone.”  Not only giving insight into how they work to find missing persons, but also the time factor involved is important.

Martin: “What cos he called her a fireball?”

Jack: “No, cos he was checking you out!”  Didn’t Martin notice?

Jack: “Everyone skeptical of you white collar guys.”

Martin: “yeah, I’ve noticed…password is ‘Nepal’.  Think it means something?”

Jack: “What’s your password?…see.”  We’re not told what his password is but judging form the conversation about women they have later it’s probably something unmentionable anyway.

 Viv: “…had to get them to put down their fish and chips.”  That’s very stereotypical.  Viv got this line, she’s from London.

Jack: “Sam you in a trance?”

Danny: “Maybe a booty call.”

Sam: “Your mind is always in the gutter.  There was no call.”

Danny: “Tom Wilkins, 11:48.”

Martin: “in my experience, there’s usually a 3 hour lag between the call and the delivery.”  Everyone looks at Martin.

Sam: “Think a fresh change of clothes will make up for last night’s lack of sleep?”

Jack: “If I looked as good as you in black, I wouldn’t need to change.”

Sam: “Jack, your collar.”

Jack: “You’re starting to sound like my wife.”

Sam: “You should listen to your wife.”

Jack: “Do this for Dr Fred?”

Sam: “sure.”

Jack: “How is Dr Fred?”

Sam: “Busy and unavailable, just the way I like ‘em.”

Funny, in the previous scene jack has just been analyzing Maggie’s intimate e-mail and here there are intimate goings on too.

Jack didn’t wear black in this pilot episode, but began to wear it from episode 2.

 Sam seems to have something against her father of fathers in general.  But everyone has a suspect  they like to link to her disappearance in this episode also.

Jack: “That’s our job.  It’s what we do.”  Again, the episode finishing with Jack summing up they’re here to find missing persons.

 Personal Window

The conversation between Jack and Sam is very intimate and personal, not to mention flirtatious.  It all seems harmless until Jack mentions his wife. So we suspect there’s something going on between them.  Her line about being ‘busy and unavailable and how she likes them' : a possible reference to Jack.

Sam’s had 2 relationships in this season plus Martin’s enamoured with her too.  Plus she keeps commenting on martin’s pretty face and nice smile so she must feel some sort of immediate attraction towards him.

Sam mentioning Danny’s mind is always in the gutter, what about her and her beaus?

Martin not only embarrasses himself on the first day by that ‘booty’ conversation but then proceeds to play hero and gets told off for it.

Said Eric: “Obviously when he first joined the team and he had that moment where eh went in and tried to stop the criminal and then almost got himself killed – that was in the first season, and that was embarrassing for him.”

CSI: NY - 1.12: "Recycling" Review

The death of a bike messenger leaves the team with a puzzle, meanwhile Mac and Aiden walk into the world of dog shows and the bitter rivalry between owners vying for the prize.

Story 1: A bike messenger collapses and has a prior record for assaulting a taxi driver.   Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) asks "Is that still a crime in New York?"  It's probably commonplace since there's an abundance of taxis in the city.   He suffered a stab wound to his upper right side.   It appears to be the secondary CS.  Danny finds his delivery manifest, his boss was Michael Stalin.  Speaking with him, Danny is told, the better the route, the more money they were paid.   Danny: "I'm looking for the truth, you don't seem so eager to deliver." Danny questions another messenger, Brett (Aisha Hinds).   So there would be plenty of suspects vying for his route.

The second story sees the death of  a dog handler.   Flack (Eddie Cahill) questions Emily Curtis who showed other dogs.   The show's vet, Ross, (Zach Grenier) found the body, but he didn't hear anything.   She had the key to the dog's case in her hand, the one containing the dog's medication and a knitting needle in her bag.    Milly (Julia Duffy) wasn't well liked and a judge had to recuse himself.    Aiden (Vanessa Ferlito) finds bloody paw prints leading away from the CS.

Hawkes (Hill Harper) finds the bike messenger had multiple heeled fractures of the collarbone and ribs.   A hairline fracture to his pelvis where he was stabbed.   Part of the murder weapon was left behind.   He lost a lot of blood and kept going due to the adrenalin.   Stella (Melina Kanakaredes) says the Vic was stabbed in his right leg and there's blood on the left pedal, so blood transferred to the bike.   Danny says the red mist is too fine to be blood spatter.   There's a grey, granular compound on the back of his jacket.   Stella finds the two grey fibres on the jacket are woollen.   There's a second DNA sample.   Danny thinks they can narrow down the path he went on using the heart rate monitor, which is interpreted wirelessly to his wristwatch showing where he was riding.

Mac (Gary Sinise) finds Hawkes in the freezer. The pipes were iced when a trainee left the door open, revealing a wealth of talents on the part of Hawkes.   COD was a ruptured aorta.   The needle should have passed through without any trouble, but it caught her aorta.   There are no defensive wounds and foreign hairs are present under her clothes, a bite mark on her leg and piece of latex in her mouth.   Milly has animal hair all over her.   The paw prints in the blood belong to a Spaniel or a hunting dog.   The dogs are lined up and their paws checked.   Elaine and the handler were involved, she had a fetish and bit her on the leg.  

The messenger's last delivery was on Wall Street, his heart rate spiked between Clarkson and Walker.   Danny uses his jacket to provide a sequential time line, cement and red paint reveals he rode on the pavement through wet cement.   The bike tyres match red paint on a sign.   That is the primary CS, near a news paper vendor.   A knife is found in the gutter.   The DNA from the blood matches Brett Stokes and Danny sees the female bike messenger.   Danny: "Think I might have spoken to her this morning."
Stella: "Really, she seem suspicious?"
Danny: "I didn't think anything."
Stella: "Cos she's a girl."  Now Stella's getting Danny's lines.   Well actually she did kind of take a shine to Danny.   I liked the way Danny got the cryptic lines, kind of.   It's the sort of reply he gave Mac in the earlier episodes when they spoke about the evidence and getting the job done.   There's a residue on the tip of the blade containing aromatic hydrocarbons found in lotion.

Aiden's results from the Tox screen reveal anti-depressants.   Serotonin suppressors, used for Serotonin Syndrome, which can cause nausea, hypothermia.   Mac doesn't think it was accidental, but she fell onto the needle..   A DNA profile is carried out on the skin under the nails and matched to CODIS.  Ross is a compulsive gambler and has a scratch on his hand from a dog.   Mac: "Someone wears a nice shirt and that makes them a player."  Elaine scratched him.   He pretended not to hear her as he was gambling.

Danny doesn't find the DNA under the messenger's nails matches Brett.   Danny has the time to joke though, "Don't kill the messenger.   See what I did there?"  Actually don't think so, since Stella feels she's the only one who can make jokes.   It matches Theodore Gates (Brad Greenquist) who was convicted for sexual misconduct on an 8 year old boy.   Danny flashes his badge.   Stella tells him they're not here for a Megan's Law visit and Danny asks, "What's the matter, am I too old for you?"  Theodore lost his knife and was at an airplane model convention for which he has a receipt.     Yeah probably scoping out more younger Vics.  

Danny checks the lotion.   Stella: "If you wanted beauty tips all you had to do was ask." He tells her that water mascara dries out lashes.   Don't think Stella would be the first port of call for beauty tips.   The substance was actually hand lotion given away as a free sample in magazines.   It was the news vendor who came into contact with it, again the apparent suspect and he also wears woolly gloves, thus the fibre.   He used a box cutter.   He's the sole worker at the CS.   Danny tells him he took an innocent life.   The messenger raced past him on the street and next time he did that he stabbed him.   All for what, racing around when he knows what the streets are like.  

Mac checks out the Ross's alibi and Elaine's stomach contents are examined.   She ingested it in liquid form.   Mac sees a woman drinking from the dog's feeding bottle.   The dog's water is tested for SSRIs (the suppressors).   The lock on the case was tampered with and the dog's hair sample is a match to the hair in the bottle.   Elaine put the dog's depression meds in the dog's bottle.   Milly was tired of her dresses and wanted to slow her dog down.   Mac: "You had everything to do with her death."  Aiden explains Elaine was on medication of her own and she reacted to the dog's meds which made her fall onto the needle.   This wasn't Milly's intention.

Mac takes Stella to the dog show and they eat hot dogs, betting on which dog wins.  Of course Stella wins the bet.   Mac doesn't wear  his tie which will become commonplace in the next seasons.   Stella: "Some days you're the dog, some days you're the fire hydrant."  So not funny, Stella calling herself a dog there.   You know, every dog has its day.

This is Danny's second arrest.   Stella got Danny to be her 'dog's body' this episode, making him fetch and carry for her.   Both stories had Vics with trace under their fingernails.   See CSI:Miami episode 7.7 Cheating Death where a suspect had a credit card receipt to provide an alibi, but she was actually the killer, so a receipt doesn't really prove much of anything.

Megan's Law was mentioned in a season 1 episode of CSI:Miami and relates to federal law which requires states in the US to tell communities if a sex offender is in a neighbourhood.   Megan's Law was named after Megan Kanka, a seven year old who was assaulted and killed in New jersey by a neighbour who had previous convictions for child sex offences.

Doctor Who - 6.8: "Let's Kill Hitler" Review

The Doctor meets Mels, an old friend of Rory and Amy's who he's never heard of and neither have we. She wants to kill Hitler and commandeers the TARDIS with a gun to the Doctor.

Rory (Arthur Darvill) and Amy (Karen Gillan) drive around in the car making crop circles, with Amy giving instructions in the passenger seat (!)  This is to contact the Doctor (Matt Smith) and they write his name in the form of a crop circle.   Which becomes a headline in the local Leadworth paper.   Amy asks if he's found Melody yet, he's had all Summer (and so have we waited around all Summer for the remaining episodes.)   He reassures he'll find her cos of who she grows up to be.   They notice a line running through the crop circle, which they didn't do.   Mels (Nina Toussaint-White) drives up in a stolen car.   (NO prizes for guessing Mel is short for Melody.)  Oh spoilers, never mind.    It was obvious.   Mels tells Amy she "never said he was hot."  Think Matt Smith's Doctor is probably the only one who'd be described as hot!  Other than David Tennent.

Rory tells her she can't keep doing what she does, "you're going to end up in prison."  Ain't that the truth!  She asks if the TARDIS is the fun box?   Mels is their best friend.  The Doctor repeats, "never said he was hot."  The Doctor doesn't know her and he danced with everyone at their wedding, even the men, most of whom were  shy.   Well she was around at the wedding, only with  a different face, thus all the clues and allusions.   If you get the feeling we're being toyed with here, well we are.  

A long time ago in Leadworth:  Schoolgirl Mels (Maya Glace-Green) asks if he's hot.   Amelia (Caitlin Blackwood) replies he's funny (clearly Mels was more mature than Amelia.)  He's got a time machine.   Rory's ignored as usual, even back then.   In class Mels gets into trouble when she replies the cause of the Titanic sinking was cos the Doctor didn't save it.  Mels says the Doctor didn't stop Hitler.   She's always in trouble and she needs a 'Doctor'.   Amy's lucky she's got Rory, but Amy replies he's not hers and he's gay.   Which Rory denies.   The TARDIS goes haywire cos Mels shot at the console.   He told her guns don't work in this place.  Doctor: "that was a clever lie."

Berlin 1939:  Miniature people are inside a Third Reich officer's body.   The Captain, Carter (Richard Dillane) orders Harriet  to check his skintone and is about to be killed by antibodies since her bracelet isn't green, thus she's not authorized.   The man transforms into another version of Zimmerman (Phillip Rham) right before his eyes.   He's guilty of war crimes so they can leave him to the antibodies.   Which were like robotic Oods without bodies.   Just as the transformed Zimmerman is about to shoot Hitler (Albert Welling) the TARDIS crashes though the window and saves him.   The Doctor doesn't know what room they're in as he hasn't memorized all the rooms in the universe yet.  They notice it's Hitler and realized they saved his life.   Doctor: "it was an accident."  He tells him it's a policebox from London.  "The British are coming."  Rory knocks Hitler out and puts him in a cupboard.   Zimmerman faints and the Doctor calls it a 'perfect faint'.

Mels has been shot.   The ship identifies the box as the TARDIS and they've come across the biggest war criminal ever.   When they said 'she' it could only be Mels.   She tells the Doctor she used to dream of him and the Doctor mentions the Vampires of Venice was a great story.   She was going to marry him.   He tells her if she recovers, he will marry her.   He must ask her parent's permission and they're right here: Amy and Rory.   She regenerates into River (Alex Kingston).   She recalled being a toddler in New York (6.2).   The Doctor realizes Mels is short for Melody and tells Amy, "you named your daughter after your daughter." River tells Rory to shut up, she's focusing on a dress size.   See they got to be with her growing up after all.   Though they appeared to be similar ages back then.

River has to examine herself like the Doctor did after every regeneration.  She loves her new body, she's all 'sort of mature,'  "Hello Benjamin...watch out for the bow tie."  She utters when she gets close to the Doctor.   For the first time he doesn't reply, "bow ties are cool."  He calls her River Song and she asks who that is.   Doctor: "spoilers."  Did he get that line from her or did she pinch it from the Doctor? River: "What's spoilers?"  They don't know her yet, she's here at her start and she doesn't know her name yet either.   She pulled a gun on him.   Thought they were getting married.   The Doctor anticipated her going for the gun and emptied it.  He knew she was coming.   Knew she'd go for the gun after her bow tie line, so he gives her a banana.   He tells her she could have killed him in the cornfield.

 River: "I'm a psychopath, I'm not rude." She was born to kill the Doctor and he reminds Amy she was being built at Demon's Run (6.7).   Doctor: "building my bespoke psychopath." She calls him sweetie and the Doctor tells her only River song can call him that.   She kisses him and then adds "my love."  He missed that she'd poison him with her lips.  "Oh River, River, River, more than a friend I think."  She tells him he doesn't understand all warfare except for the cruelest, it was never going to be a gun for him (as in 6.1).   She's poisoned him.   The Doctor knows she's been brainwashed and "she's a woman."

She rides off on a motorbike and Amy and Rory follow, also on motorbike.  Jim (Davood Ghadami)  comments the Doctor must die at a confirmed "fixed point, he always does." The Doctor inside the TARDIS needs a voice interface and it comes up with Rose (Billie Piper) , then Martha (Freema Agyeman).   The Doctor calls them all guilt.   And Donna (Catherine Tate) is the biggest guilt of all.   There must be someone in the universe he hasn't 'screwed up yet' and the interface becomes Amelia.   But she repeats she's not Amelia Pond several times.   He'll hang on for her, but he can't regenerate.   She finally says "fishfingers and custard,"  (from 5.1) giving him hope.

At a hotel restaurant, River sends everyone running in their undies and tries on their clothes.   Rory and Amy drive up, hotly followed by a robotic version of Amy.   The miniature people having transformed into her appearance now.   Rory and Amy are trapped inside of her with the antibodies about to attack.  Rory's stuck inside Amy's body, "how can I not see this as a metaphor." Jim gives them bracelets to show they're authorized.   They're in a Justice Department vehicle, the Teselecta.   They're not guilty of anything and can live.

The Doctor quotes Rule 408: "time is not the boss of you." He's changed into his wedding attire, top hat and tails, with a cane.   Thought he was about to burst into song there.   That's his new sonic, Amy having the other one.   Rule 27: "never knowingly be serious."  Amy signals him with the Sonic.   River is caught in a beam, streaming from robot Amy's mouth.   The Doctor admits he didn't see the miniatures coming.   He's still alive and he's the Doctor so whether River kills him or not has nothing to do with them.   Their job is to extract them near their time lines and "give them hell."  Who (!) do they think he is?  He demands to see his biography.   Amy convinces them to let him do that.   The Silence want him dead.  The Silence being a religious order/movement.  'The Silence will fall when the question is asked.   The oldest question in the universe hidden in plain sight.   The question is unknown.'

The Doctor tells Amy and Rory to stop River getting hell (as she's engulfed in fire.  That's hell.)   She's their daughter.   Amy uses the Sonic to turn everyone's bracelets red.  Doctor: "rule 7: never run when you're scared."  The miniatures are beamed onto the mothership.  River notices he still cares.   The Doctor calls her River and she says it must be a woman.   He pleads for help to save Rory and Amy and why didn't River care enough to do that, they're her parents and she was brainwashed into killing the Doctor, not her parents.   The TARDIS lands over them.   River did it.   The TARDIS let her fly and taught her.   River refers to the TARDIS as 'her'.   The Doctor said she's "the child of the TARDIS."

The Doctor says she must find River song and whispers what to tell her.  River wants to see her biography and the Teselecta turns into River.   The Doctor dies.   River asks if he's worth it.  She regenerates and saves him.  Saying "hello sweetie" in the process.  Amy says she used all of her regenerations in one go to save him.   (That's so she'll have to remain as River now, with her face.)  He told River no one could save him but he must have known she could.  The Doctor tells them Rule number 1: "The Doctor lies."  Mind you it could have been a cunning ploy on his part to make her use up all her regenerations and in the process, she became a better person.   Considering the Doctor has died now and that she killed him, what of dying on 22 April 2011? River said the Doctor lies to Amy in The Time of Angels episode in season 5.  The Doctor leaves a blue journal for River by her bedside, she's going to be amazing.   So he gave her the journal, was it cos he already knew she had one, so he was responsible for her writing one.   Which means he should have known who she was in the library but didn't, since his "foreknowledge" only extended as far as these events and his upcoming death.

The Doctor tells Amy they have to let her go her own way.  "We have too much foreknowledge." 22/4/2011 appears on the TARDIS screen, when he dies.   Rory recalls she was in prison for murder.   Amy: "Whose (Who's) murder."  Well she just answered that question.    Amy asks how people look for him and he replies Amy should know that by now.

The Luna University 5123: River wants to study archeology  as "I'm looking for a good man."

So this episode clearly shows the maxim of her past being his future, yet he's managed to find out some things for himself and also steered River in the right direction, making her a different person.   The Doctor knew he was going to die so that's why he sent out those invitations in 6.1 The Impossible Astronaut.   As I already said in my reviews for season 6 episodes, he already knew about this as only he could have invited them to Utah.   It was the only thing that made sense.  The girl regenerated into Mels in 6.2.  Day of the Moon.   So we know she used up three of her regenerations.   The Doctor doesn't tell them here that he already knows of his demise, even when Amy asks him and that's why in 6.6 The Almost People, I also said he was aware of this when Amy tells him he's going to die, thinking he's talking to ganger Doctor, when actually she was telling the real one.   River was meant to kill him on 22/4/2011, but this date's already passed for us.

The Doctor calls her River, but she doesn't know it's her name yet and she was programmed to be a psychopath, hence all the hell raising when she was growing up.   A bit of a nice touch for Amy and Rory to be around her when she was growing up, suggesting they were all the same age when they went to school together and Mels was the one who got the two of them together, matchmaking her own parents.   River saying she was going to marry him when she was little.   He says he will marry her if she gets better, which she did, so he has to marry her now.   This was the question they had fun with at the end of 5.13, The Big Bang, you know, was he asking her to marry him and did she think he asked her.   Of course River was at the wedding leaving all those clues around for Amy to remember the Doctor.

The Doctor giving her the journal, kind of prophetic in a way, also knowing they'll see her again.   Foreknowledge of events, which means he knows about his future, River's past.   How did River end up in 5123.   As for the title, a red herring if ever there was one, since the episode was all about Mels/River and not about Hitler or killing him at all.   Though she did say that line.  Fishfingers and custard was also mentioned in 6.1 The Impossible Astronaut.   Mels was conceived in the TARDIS, so her DNA took on remnants of the Time Lord features/characteristics, as was said in 6.7 A Good Man Goes to War.

River's use of the phrase, "Hello Benjamin" when she sees the gun, was a line used in The Graduate by Anne Bancroft's character, Mrs Robinson.   The Doctor being Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman's character), and she does the same motion as Mrs Robinson with her leg.   In 6.1 The Impossible Astronaut, the Doctor likened River to Mrs Robinson.   As for the banana ploy, the ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) used the same tactic on Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) when he replaced his sonic weapon with a  banana.  In this episode, River kisses the Doctor for the first time, whereas in 6.2 Day of the Moon, it was the Doctor's first time he kissed River.  

More paradoxes in this episode as in 5.13 The Big Bang.   The Doctor tells Amy she named her daughter after her friend, i.e.  she named her daughter after her daughter.   Also he gives River the journal, possibly cos he's seen her with it already, but she didn't think about keeping a journal until he gave it to her.   Mels was instrumental in getting her parents together; otherwise they wouldn't have gotten together, or married, with Amy under the mistaken belief Rory was gay.

The miniature people reminded me of the movie Fantastic Voyage (1966) when the doctors were shrunk and placed on a ship inside a man's body.   In one scene, they're attacked by his antibodies.   So what's the oldest question in the universe: 'will you marry me?'  When the Doctor asks River to marry him, well the Silence are a religious order, or perhaps me just being romantically sentimental, ha!

The Closer - 6.12: "High Crimes" Review

Delk asks Brenda to look into a series of armed robberies which Robbery'Homicide hasn't been able to solve. Fritz tells Brenda her post to Assistant Chief is all but complete.

Major Crimes looks into an old case at the request of Pope (JK Simmons) but Chief Tommy Delk (Courtney B Vance) wants Brenda (Kyra Sedgwick) to investigate one involving a spate of armed robberies at medical marijuana stores; on the basis that Robbery/Homicide haven't been able to solve them.   Whilst there, Delk also offers Brenda Pope's position as Assistant Chief.  The team aren't happy about this new assignment, especially not Provenza (GW Bailey).   Brenda breaks the news to Pope about his case being dropped and he tells her he's only received job offers outside of the state.   It's difficult for him to accept as he can't take his children, unless their mother leaves too.   Brenda lies about Delk offering her Pope's job.

Gabriel (Corey Reynolds) interrupts, as usual and tells Brenda there's been another robbery and a murder too.   Sam Dodson (Tim Guinee) - suspect number 1, owned the store with the Vic, Shea Collins .   He appears to be upset and the only one who signed in at the store was John Park (Aaron Yoo) whom Flynn (Tony Denison) will locate.   Their best seller at the store was 'Shea's Lounge' which Collins came up with.   Gabriel finds fliers written by Collins which warn of a man with a phone who cases the stores prior to the robbery.   Brenda requests a forensic botanist from Delk and the store to be closed.

Provenza can't get over the Hippies and their 'Mary Jo' and vents the LAPD have done enough to protect them.   His outburst leads Delk to assign him as liaison for the other store owners.   Brenda watches the surveillance footage from the cameras with Buzz (Phillip P Keene) and notices Park let the robbers in when he was leaving the store.   Flynn brings in Park who is high and he describes an orange car belonging to the robbers.   Provenza informs Brenda about one of the owners who spotted a man casing the store.   His physical description is a match to the one on the other tape.

Fritz (Jon Tenney) celebrates Brenda's assignment as Assistant Chief with champagne for her.  He was told the news by a reliable source - this being Delk.   However Brenda tells him she doesn't want Pope out of his job and if it wasn't for him they wouldn't be married now.   Fritz likens that to him still being married to his ex, Cindy.   Fritz wants her in the new job so she won't be out in the street catching murderers.   They use the store as a set up to catch the robbers.   One of them gets into the car after robbing the store and Brenda sets off a smoke bomb covering him in blue dye.   The other two are arrested by Sanchez (Raymond Cruz) and Gabriel.

After analyzing ballistics, Tao (Michael Paul Chan) reports the guns are fake.   Pope tells Delk Brenda won't stop until she believes her case is solved.   Taylor (Robert Gossett) believes they have the robbers and that's all they need.   Two of the robbers ask for lawyers and the third, AJ Clark (Noah Harpster) who was prop master on a  failed legal show says they didn't kill anyone.  Brenda has Flynn and Provenza show the other two footage of AJ cooperating and they revoke their right to a lawyer, saying they didn't kill anyone.

Fritz admits he doesn't like Brenda working with Pope as he still has feelings for her.   Brenda doesn't want Fritz telling her which job she should be doing.   Either way, Fritz tells her Pope is out; would she want someone she didn't like in the post, someone like Taylor?   Fritz gives her an idea as to who might be behind the killing, which was obvious from the start.   She calls Gabriel telling him to release the store back to Sam, who turns up for the drugs.   He stole the drugs and put them in the loft for safekeeping, where he also placed the gun and then tries to say Collins shot himself and put the gun in the loft!  He killed Collins cos he wasn't charging enough for the drugs and for the money.

Provenza has to get his say, sarcastically telling Delk that surprisingly, the drug dealer killed his partner for money.   Delk looks for Brenda but she's not in her office.   She's admitting to Pope that she lied about the job Delk offered her but she wants Pope to stay and fight, as she needs him.   She's not taking the job.   Pope agrees to stay "to the bitter end," cos that's what it will come down to.   After all that, Brenda still doesn't want the job.  She doesn't like anyone, including Fritz telling her what to do and he should know that.   But she didn't really come up with anything to sort out Pope's feelings for her like she told Fritz she would.

Another episode where Brenda shows she and Major Crimes are an asset as they can get the job done and solve crimes, a credit to Pope as he came up with the idea.   Buzz revealed (to everyone's shock), that his mom has a prescription for medical marijuana and he's helped her out through the doors sometimes, as they have electrically secure locks.   Flynn: "...ever buy anything."
Sanchez: "How do you think he got the name Buzz."

CSI: Miami - 8.13: "Die by the Sword" Review

The Japanese Mafia encounter the CSIs this episode, with the inevitable story of a child being involved yet again and Horatio coming to his rescue. Natalia faces up to her hearing injury but not in the way she expected.

 A man chased by a motorbike is cornered and decapitated.   Horatio (David Caruso) says he's been cut clean through.   The Vic was Russell (Brian McGovern)  and Jesse (Eddie Cibrian) comments it's a long time since he's seen so much blood.   From the blood pool Horatio finds where he was killed.   There's a damaged tile on the floor.   Jesse notices cast off from the weapon in oral drops formation.   The torso would have been where the tile is damaged and Horatio uses a magnifying glass to identify a metal flake in the tile.   ME Tom (Christian Clemenson) says the weapon entered the left side of his torso and out of the right.   Horatio asks what type of blade could cause such damage.   ME Tom surmises the weapon slashed through his spine and bone, so a sword was used.  

Walter (Omar Miller) asks Travers (Christopher Redman)  what kind of world they live in where you can't go out for a walk without getting killed.   Travers replies the same one which keeps him employed.   Walter notices the blade had three layers of steel.   Travers only knows of one sword which uses this type of material and is folded over: a Japanese Katana.   To Walter that's a Samurai sword.   Jesse is refreshing himself on the Japanese mafia.   In LA he undertook a 6 month investigation on a gang calling themselves Sikuru.   A friend from the FBI sent over surveillance.   A Katana is their weapon of choice.   If any member disgraces the gang then they cut off their pinky, which is the most important finger required in using the Katana.

Photos from a club reveal Yamada (Roger Yuan)  is in Miami.   Bamboo reeds are being used to apply a tattoo onto his arm.   Yamada expects pain from such  a process.   Adds Horatio ,it's other people's pain.   Jesse says pain is necessary to be a Sikuru boss.   Yamada replies the group values discipline, loyalty.   Yamada has lost several of his fingers, through insubordination; one for a girl he wishes he never met (was that Kenny's mother) and one for the boss's daughter.   He is unable to lift a sword.   But it doesn't preclude him from getting someone else to do his dirty work.

Tripp (Rex Linn) says Russell taught Social Studies.   Natalia (Eva La Rue) goes off on her own without waiting for the others when they arrive at Russell's house.   She doesn't hear Ryan (Jonathan Togo) when he tells her to wait for them.   Ryan and Natalia check the rooms upstairs and she doesn't hear the closet door being opened.   Ryan shouts to her and the boy runs, to be caught by Tripp.   The boy tells him you can't always trust the police.   Ryan takes the sword for DNA.   The boy, Kenny (Booboo Stewart) claims he had the sword for protection since his father was killed.   Tripp doesn't believe he's Russell's son.   Tripp: "I don't see the resemblance."   Natalia thanks Ryan for saving her, she knew he had her back.   She says she didn't see him.   Ryan corrects her, she didn't hear him.   He tells her to get checked out by a doctor before she gets someone killed.   In other words, 'Pull your finger out', Natalia.

Horatio tells Kenny the sword has his father's blood on it.   They were out eating and Russell saw someone.   Kenny hid and he saw a bike chase him.   He found his father's body and took the sword for protection.   Horatio asks him if he's had any dealings with Sikuru?  Kenny recalls someone coming to their house and he took a photo of him, that was handy.   It's Sully, (Brad Leland) Horatio's former partner.   He works security for Yamada.   He was at the house at the personal request of Yamada.   Natalia doesn't find any adoption papers for Kenny.   He and Yamada could be related.   Horatio recalls Yamada getting a tattoo at the club so they can test his DNA.   Natalia says they don't need a warrant for the trash.   Walter will go and he recommends a doctor to Natalia.   Ryan told him about her condition.   Ryan likes to spread the news doesn't he, especially when it's not about him.

Russell met Kenny's mother when he was in the navy and took him as his own son.   He doesn't have any photos of her.   Kenny doesn't identify anyone from the Sikuru photos.   Horatio as usual; promises Kenny he'll sort it out.   Walter finds the bamboo reed in the trash and Natalia processes the DNA.   Jesse says the DNA matches Yamada, Kenny is his son.   His name is Yoshi and he was stolen from him.   He filed papers in Family court.   Jesse says that proper procedures will take time but Yamada knows the DNA test will strengthen his case.   Jesse states he had Kenny's father killed.   Horatio comments Russell's death was an important token.

Tripp and Kenny are involved in a car crash and a woman takes Kenny from the car.   Well, it was apparent something was about to happen.   The police arrived quickly though.   Calleigh (Emily Procter) notices the woman has Sikuru tattoos.    She wasn't kidnapping him, he's her son.   Yamada put the tattoos on her and raped her when she was 15.   She would never want him raised as Sikuru and she met Russell when she came here.   Her new name is Susan Lee (Michelle Krusiec).   Russell called her two days ago.   Jesse tells Kenny she might be his mother and when the time is right he should let her explain what happened.   He knows it's hard for Kenny.   Jesse in his understanding, compassionate mode again.   Natalia has her hearing tested.   It was just reinforcing what she already knows, that she has a hearing problem, but she doesn't want to admit it.

Horatio accuses Yamada of assassinating Russell for Kenny.   Sully tells him he doesn't need to kill anyone.   Horatio: "Seeking and achieving" are different.   Sully won't help Horatio.   Jesse contemplates the motive for the killing as being a family feud.  Calleigh doesn't believe they have enough physical evidence.   She processes Russell's clothes.   Jesse : "...thought I'd seen it all until today."  Another one of his and Calleigh's conversations when they process evidence together.   Calleigh smells pine needles on his jacket.   She and Ryan return to the CS and Ryan finds a shoe with a dead fish.   The sprinkler comes on and the run off leads to the CS below.   Ryan calls it "a waste of my time and my pants."  In what was the only sarcastic comment of the episode and even Walter and Jesse weren't around when he said that, like normal.   Calleigh smells pine needles again.   The trace was found on the Vic, so it would also be found on the killer.   Jesse  tests the suspects from the club, but doesn't find any trace of pesticides on their clothes.   The bartender is missing a finger and there's reflective trace on the back of his neck.   He acted alone.   Horatio: "You fell on the company sword."

Natalia has a flashback to the meth lab explosion in Count Me Out whilst undergoing tests.    Jesse comments Calleigh's nose for pine needles paid off.   She replies they got "the who, but not the why." Jesse already told her the why, it was a family feud, but his real reason for wanting his son was just so he could steal his liver.   Jesse checks out Yamada.   His blood sample was checked during the investigation and it was Type O not Type A.  Calleigh tells him when you undergo a liver transplant the blood type changes.   Jesse recalls the tattoo was applied with bamboo so the ink blocks the sweat glands.   He needs a liver transplant from Kenny.   Ryan informs them Kenny is missing.   Sully tells Horatio he called his helicopter to the park.

Horatio drives up, dodging bullets in the Hummer again.   They love these shoot-out scenes in CSI:Miami and Horatio always shooting his suspect too, without being injured by a mass of flying bullets.   He shoots Yamada, begging the question of why Yamada pushed Kenny out of the way, only to be shot.   He knew that was coming.   So that's another promise Horatio kept to help Kenny.

The doctor informs Natalia that the force of the vibrations from the explosion damaged her hair cells in her ear.   She lies and tells him she didn't have any symptoms before the blast.   He's a doctor, she can't get away with lying to him and he hands her a booklet on domestic violence, he thinks will be helpful for her.   This kind of injury he's only seen in abuse cases and believes she suffered a head injury.   She denies it, saying she only suffered an injury at the CS.   But she picks up the leaflet when he leaves.   So that's another issue she never dealt with from her abuse.   The fact that she may have suffered physical injuries she wasn't aware of.   Clearly she hasn't had closure on that part of her life still, as it has come back to haunt her.   It was good to see Ryan being concerned about her since he knows what it's like to suffer an injury and be in denial.   The same thing happened to him and his eye when he was shot with the nail gun.

Kenny misses his father and Horatio says he should give his mother a go.   She gave him up to protect him and missed him for 15 years.   She doesn't want to do that anymore.   That's the great thing about a CSI:Miami episode, in most of them you have to suspend disbelief and just enjoy it for the entertainment that it is.   Like when Horatio goes all out on a one man crusade to rescue Vics and doesn't get hurt in the process.   That's the fun of it all.   Though to give them their due, the storylines do deal with serious issues and murder is no joke.