Supernatural - 1.5: "Bloody Mary" Review

Sam and Dean investigate the Bloody Mary legend as Dead bodies pile up. Sam suffers from nightmares about Jess, before being subjected to the wrath of Bloody Mary herself, along with Dean.

Toledo, Ohio.   Girls dare each other to say "Bloody Mary" whilst looking in the mirror.   Bloody Mary is meant to appear and scratch out the eyes of her summoner.   One of the girl's father is killed when he returns home.   A woman appears in the hallway mirror of their house before he is killed.

Sam (Jared Padalecki) dreams of Jessica (Adrianne Palicki) she says, "Hi Sammy."  He's having a nightmare.   Sam and Dean (Jensen Ackles) both look into the death and Sam pays off a morgue attendant for info on the deceased.   Money, which Dean comments, he earned.   Sam: "You won that in a poker game."  Same difference, ha!  Dean asks if any exploding eyeballs were seen.   Someone had to mention this eventually.   Dean then asks Sam how many times Dad (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) has come across something which is really a supernatural occurrence and not some other, normal event.

They question the man's daughter, Donna (Kristie Marsden) under the guise of working with her father.   She believes he died because she said "Bloody Mary" three times and she took his eyes.   That's why Dean was asking about popping eyeballs.   Sam talks of the Bloody Mary legend and whether Dad found any evidence to support its existence.   Dean knows children play it everywhere but no one has died before.   Sam says it's usually the person who says her name three times who dies.   Sam's exposition of the legend follows, about Bloody Mary being a witch or mutilated bride.   It's always a woman named Mary who dies before a mirror.  They go to the library for research, what happened to Sam's faithful computer.

Jill (Chelan Simmons) talks to Charlie (Marnette Patterson) in front of her mirror and feigns being attacked by Bloody Mary.   After she hangs the phone up, she's really killed.   Blood pours from her eyes.   Sam dreams of Jess again and berates Dean for letting him fall asleep.   Dean let him sleep, cos he's an "awesome brother."  Sam jokes he dreamed of candy canes! So that's how he sees Jess (joke.)  He doesn't tell Dean yet that he's been having these nightmares for a while.   Charlie calls and they check out Jill's room.   Dean asks Sam, "Do I look like Paris Hilton?"  An apparent in-joke as Jared starred with her in the movie House of Wax (2005).   Before she went on to make an appearance in the show in season 5.

Sam alludes to the first victim not calling Mary, but the second one did.   Dean: "Someone's gonna say it again, it's just a matter of time." Yeah, that someone being Sam!  Sam spots a handprint on the back of the mirror.   Gary Ryman was killed in a hit and run and Charlie tells them Jill was driving the car.  Linda Shoemaker is another name on the mirror, she was Charlie's mother and died of a pill overdose.   Sam wonders if Mary is haunting the town, or maybe she died here.   Dean makes the connection when he says that both the victims had secrets.   Sam mentions the lore where mirrors are seen as "a reflection of the soul" and can reveal secrets.   Thus it's bad luck to break them.   Dean adds Mary sees the secret and punishes you for it; irrespective of whether you summoned her or not is what Sam thinks.

Dean comes across the murder of a Mary Worthington in Fort Wayne, Indiana.   The detective (William S taylor) who investigated tells of the killing of a woman whose eyes were cut out with a knife.   She was killed by Trevor Sampson, a surgeon.   Her mirror was returned to Mary's family.

Donna says Bloody Mary three times in the mirror and she sees Mary in the window.  Charlie sees Mary in her mirror compact and in the reflection of the doors.   Mary's mirror was sold to an antiques store in Toledo.   All that travelling just to return to Toledo again.   It's concluded that wherever the mirror goes, Mary goes.   Dean reckons Mary died in front of her mirror so her spirit was drawn into it.   Sam poses the question of how Mary is able to move from mirror to mirror; but alas that question isn't answered for us.   I could theorize but don't want to bore!  Ha.  

Charlie calls again and they keep her in a room, ensuring all mirrors and reflective surfaces are covered up.   Her secret was breaking up with her boyfriend and he threatened to kill himself, she told him to go ahead and do it, so he did.   Sam states they need to summon Mary to her mirror and smash it.  Sam volunteers.   Dean stops the car.   It's about Jess.   Dean: "Do you think that's your dirty little secret, that you killed her somehow."  He advises Sam to stop calling out her name and having the nightmares, as they'll kill him.   He should blame who took her away from him, or the thing that killed her.   But Sam doesn't blame Dean for Jess's death.   Sam could have warned her.   But how.   Would she have listened to him or more importantly believed him.  Sam doesn't tell Dean everything.

Sam breaks in this time, usually it's Dean, triggering a silent alarm.   Sam says "Bloody Mary" three times and waits.   Dean must deal with the cops telling them he's the Japanese owner's son.   He was adopted.   Sam's busy smashing mirrors inside the shop but no one hears him.   His reflection bleeds from his eyes and so does he.  "It's your fault, you killed her, you killed Jessica...you never told her the truth, who you really were...those nightmares you've been having of Jessica dying, screaming, burning, dying, you had them for days before she died...how could you leave her alone to die..."  Dean smashes the mirror.   Mary comes out of the broken mirror after them.   Dean holds the mirror up to her, Mary's reflection in the mirror tells her she killed them all...

Sam tells Dean in the first of many times, to stop calling him "Sammy." Yeah that'll happen.   Question: why was Dean also bleeding from the eyes, what was his dirty, little secret?  If Sam's was keeping the secret about causing Jess's death.   He felt guilty since he didn't tell her what he used to do, hunt demons etc.   He feels he could've warned her, but how could he.   He didn't know what was about to happen.   Even if he did, he didn't know what or who.   Since dreams are only dreams  and they don't necessarily come true.   Unlike Sam's premonitions, which is what they are but we're not meant to know that just yet.

This story was by Eric Kripke, delving into legends and lore which he loves to do.   A bit scary, or should that be gory, at times.   Remember don't say her name three times for yourself, at home! And no daring either.

Castle 2.10 One Man's Treasure Review

A woman disposes a box down a rubbish chute and a DB drops down.  Castle (Nathan Fillion) flies his toy police enforcement helo annoying Martha (Susan Sullivan).  Castle comments how Alexis (Molly Quinn) hasn't learned to forge his signature on permission slips.  She only forges his credit card.  Beckett (Stana Katic) wants Alexis to volunteer at the station.

Lanie (Tamala Jones) IDs a single GSW to the chest.   Castle can't stand the smell as he has an acute sense of smell.  Could say he has an acute sense of everything!  Lanie always showers before a date, Castle could time it for her.  Ryan (Seamus Dever) looked like he was at home in the dumpster, at least he dived in.  The DB was Sam Parker.  Esposito mumbles the DB was discovered by a hottie.  Castle comments about the killer cleaning up after himself as it's all very American Psycho.  Castle can comfort if she's distraught.

Castle makes coffee for Beckett, "big Castle likes to get in the way."  Sarah (Abigail Spencer) IDs the DB, she's not the wife but the fiancee.  Esposito is distraught, ha, "he doesn't make me coffee."  Beckett comments how it's not easy breaking such news and Castle and Captain Montgomery (Ruben Santiago-Hudson) are both interested in there being a wife and a fiancee.  Castle: "Isn't it delicious?"  He could get mileage out of that one for more books.  The fiancee met Sam six months ago at work.  He spent the weekends with his wife.  He always answered his phone.  Ryan comments how his girlfriend freaks out if he doesn't check in every hour.  Esposito backs up Ryan doing this and sometimes even more.

Beckett asks if he was through with marriage, he was Jake before he met Sarah.  Castle says two wives don't add up for him.  It's 'two wives too many.'  The common denominator is him.  Alexis dresses like Becket.t  Martha is "still waiting for that moment" when Castle is all grown up.  Alexis is sent to work  logging property.  Castle used to worry about Alexis all the time and hid in bushes all day when she was in pre-school.  The Captain followed his son's bus.  Beckett wonders if that was creepy or sweet.  At least they cared about their children.

Sam had a wallet and a double-sided picture frame.  Voicemail left on his phone from his wife's brother, Charlie (Alex Skuby).  Sam owed him money.  Castle says he earned less at his new job.  Beckett: "never underestimate the fragility of the male ego." Castle will "ignore her and she'll lose her witchy powers."  She searches for her broom.  His new employer Carlberg (DB Woodside) who was my suspect, checked his references but all the phone numbers are gone.

Alexis finds a photo album and wants to find the owner.  Castle keeps his photos on his phone and what happens when he loses his phone.  Which reminds me he doesn't take snaps at the CS anymore, has he grown out of that or can't be bothered anymore?!  Sarah recalls Helen watching her apartment outside in the silver Hybrid and she called her for her grandfather's pen.  Helen (Perrey Reeves) thinks Sarah made it up.  Esposito discovers Connecticut Solutions lost shares to NY Recycle due to new technology.  They found a new way to recycle battery fluid.  The phone numbers belonged to Connecticut Solutions.  They wanted Sam to get hired as he was a corporate spy.

The forensic IT man finds chemical equations on the harddrive.  Sarah feigns Jake was acting.  Andy (Matt Champagne) the CEO of Connecticut Solutions sent emails to Sam and sent him in as a spy.  He called him when he was killed.  Castle didn't mean to rub Beckett up the wrong way, so there's a right way to rub her up?  He didn't meant to sound dirty when he and Esposito were talking about the chick fight.  Ryan tells Castle to take photos of the cat fight between Helen and Sarah and he didn't even do that either.  Sarah takes the pen.  Beckett says Sam didn't have an ulcer but had doctor's appointments which is what Sarah told them.  Castle crosses his fingers hoping there's another woman involved.  Photos are found of the Long Island house and the NY Recycling plant and Newport.

Castle makes cocoa for Alexis and gives her a clue to finding the recipient of the missing album. When he  says she'll retire from law enforcement and he'll always be here. Sarah thought she had one over on Sam but he knew about her.  She has an alibi.  Castle comments about women leading men on, well they do that all the time, men that is.  Castle mentions her alias bubble, as he hates to say it, Sam was faithful to his wife.  Was he talking about alias as in Sara's ID or as in the TV show Alias.  Cos that was all about secret IDs.  They check Sam's office and find shredded paper so he had a ribbon shredder making it easier to put the documents back together.  Castle sits back and "writes a scene."

Captain says the plant wasn't processing battery fluid, it was switching labels and dumping it.  Castle says Sam was Erin Brockovich and the gun was found in the dumpster.  Carlberg should have recycled it.  Said it was Carlberg all along.  They tell Helen about Sam's work and Alexis finds the album owner.  Beckett talks of how this is important when a person loses someone.  Always a reference to her mother.  Castle says Alexis is a chip of the old block but Beckett doesn't answer.

Much as I like this show and I do, think there's a little too much 'playing for laughs' involved, which was abundant this episode.  Castle playing with the helo in the opening, much like his Guitar Hero antics just shows how a little too young at heart he is which Martha points out; about waiting for him to grow up.  That's fine but there seems to be a lot more of that this season.  But watching him and the Captain being so protective of their children it's easy to forgive Castle for his juvenile antics, at times.

Yet more film name dropping from Castle and his reference to Alias.  I like to think it was a reference to the show, a homage; considering that was all about aliases and convoluted plots which some found difficult to follow.  Not that it was, just this episode of Castle was easy to follow.  Knew who the killer was and it didn't hurt  Nathan and DB got a 'Buffy' reunion happening.  DB as Principal Wood was out to kill Nathan as Caleb in that as we recall.  Beckett reminded me of a school 'marm,' ma'am, trying to keep her boys in line.  Alexis's storyline was to remind of Beckett's mother and her wearing that leather jacket made her look like a mini Beckett.  How important it is to get closure for loved one's in such terrible times of loss.

Helen Shaver directed this episode and not seen much of her since Poltergeist: The Legacy.  Matt Champagne was in Angel, Happy Birthday.  Lanie is back this episode.  Perry Reeves was in X Files ep  3 where Mulder fell for her 'vampire' character of Kristen.

Lie To Me - 2.4: "Honey" Review

Cal exchanges himself for a hostage in place of Ria, as the team have to find out who killed the hostage taker's wife. Cal and Gillian get that one more step closer.

Cal (Tim Roth) is at a Lovematch Connections singles mixer and this was a funny opening to the show so far, as we don't know why he's there.   As he's also single he may be on the look out to meet other women, but we also know that's not really his forte.   Also his heart really lies with Gillian (Kelli Williams).   He pretends to be a furrier to ward off the woman who feigns to show an interest in him, more like his Brit accent (which she mistakes for Irish!)  He meets another woman and asks if she was in a hotel room what would she order, chocolate cake, strawberries or warm honey.   (The answer being obvious.)  She's flustered and walks away.

Gillian calls telling him about the wife killer, Eric Matheson (Garret Dillahunt)who is on the run and the FBI are searching for him.   Cal then meets another woman and in their conversation she admits she has never cheated on her ex.   He leaves to pay his meter as we zoom to Ria (Monica Raymund) sitting in her car with a file on Eric.   Ria visits Eric's sister, Gwen (Karina Logue) in search of his whereabouts and leaves the file on the seat and the car door unlocked.   That was shown for a reason.   Gwen doesn't know how to tell her children their uncle is a killer but Ria senses she's hiding something.   Returning to her car, she finds the file gone. Eric has it in the backseat of her car and holds a gun to her.

Eli (Brenden Hines) and Ben (Mekhi Phifer) are already checking out other leads away from the office.   Eric takes Ria back to the institute at gunpoint.   Cal doesn't want anymore of these cheating spouse cases and Gillian reminds him he paid off his ex wife, but that was so he could keep his daughter here.   Eric separates everyone and claims to be innocent. He doesn't want police involved and Cal substitutes himself for Ria.   Gillian wants Eli and Ben to be called back but not told why.   Cal believes Eric didn't kill his wife, whilst Eric watches the exits on the computer screens from Cal's office.   Ben insist on calling it in since his job's on the line, but Gillian persuades him to wait.   Well he's always got a job here and as you'll recall from 1.13 Sacrifice, he is practically assigned to the Lightman Group.

Gillian is given the name of Eric's wife's, Connie's boss, Tom McHenry (Sean O'Bryan) and she wants Ben to accompany her to make him talk.   Ben refuses to leave so Eli takes his place and asks for Ben's tie, but he doesn't get his badge.   Ria tells Ben she screwed up, what again?  Tom denies killing Connie and they manage to tape his 'interview.'  Ben suggests Gillian set up the tape in the lab so he can watch them from there.   Cal watches and finds Tom is telling the truth, he didn't kill Connie.   She was after a loan to pay off Eric's debt, $10,00 which he borrowed from a friend.   Cal demands to know the name and Eric finally relents after threatening Cal with the gun again.   Danny (Dean Chekvala) was out of town and he didn't give Eric the money, he just facilitated the loan.   Ben loses his temper and demands to know who was behind the loan.   Ria tells them Danny said Connie was always cleaning up Eric's messes.

Cal asks "Why feel guilty?"  The man who gave the loan is spotted with his buddies outside a bar and Ben wants to call the police cos there's no way they can get him out.   Gillian is adamant Cal will be killed.   She freshens up her lipstick and goes in pretending to need help with a flat.   Now we know why she wore the low cut dress.   She asks him to fix the flat.   Eric feels guilty Connie got involved with his problems.   Cal convinces him to put the gun down and walk away.   He'll tell the police Eric didn't kill Connie.   Just as he's about to oblige, two policemen arrive outside.   One of the employee's called in about a man with a gun and Ria improvizes saying a disgruntled employee who was fired this morning called in a prank.   They check the office and leave after Cal speaks with them.

Ben and Gillian bring in Zancanelli (Billy Smith) and admits giving the loan.   Ria recalls Gwen was hiding something and she tells her Connie came by wanting a digital recorder cos she had a fling with a married man and wanted it on record.   Gillian tells Eric that Zancanelli sexually blackmailed Connie.   Eric demands a confrontation with him, but they refuse and once again he threatens to shoot Cal.   Eli comes up with a plan to impersonate Zancanelli and they all walk into the room with Eric.   Eli tells Eric Connie told him something before she died, giving Ben a chance to get in a shot.   Zancanelli finally confessed to killing Connie.

Cal meets the warm honey woman, Raven (Meta Golding) but leaves, he shouldn't be here.   No, he should be with Gillian.   He apologizes for their argument and Gillian knows what's best for the group.   He asks if he can sleep in her spare bedroom and they finally hug and share a brief kiss.   Oh it's so apparent Cal is so smitten by Gillian, wonder if she can tell?   He turns to her for comfort rather than Raven, under the pretence of checking on Gillian.   It had to be pretence, the emotional looks that passed between Gillian and Cal.   There was also a moment back in the office, when she faced Cal and was in tears.  

Cal getting beaten up again, that makes three thus far, one in season 1's Blinded, then season 2.1 The Core of It.   Deciphering lies clearly comes at a price for all concerned.   Cal actually volunteered to play hostage in place of Ria cos he knew he was better equipped to handle the situation.   What now for Ria and her confidence which seems to be shattered?  She wanted to branch out alone and yet made a serious error.   Even though Ben reassured her it wasn't her fault.   At least she came up with some quick thinking to stall the police.   Wouldn't have pegged Eli as taking one for the team when he comes up with the idea to play Zancanelli, especially since he knew Eric's volatile state of mind and that he was gunning for Zancanelli.  So in his agitated state he could have shot Eli.

Lots of pretense in this episode, playing someone who they're not: Cal in the beginning pretending to be on the look out for single women and ends up actually going for a drink with one of them.   Gillian glamming herself up to seduce the suspect and get him alone, another thing she doesn't do.   Then Eli pretending to be an FBI agent first and then Zancanelli and he's big on not lying.   Although it was understandable he did it to save Cal and everyone else.   Cal kind of shared an affinity with Eric due to the flaws of his own marriage and could understand where Eric was coming from.  

Yet the part where Eli says Cal could just lie and tell Eric Tom is guilty of murder, it was so easy for Eli to say that and as I just mentioned, he doesn't normally go in for lying.   Eli would be justified for saying that here as Cal's life was at stake, but it is also understandable on the other hand to see why Cal doesn't do that. He wasn't willing to turn away from Eric and make him wreck his life even further. He did the same in 1.11 Undercover, when he refused to let the innocent boy take the blame for the killing of a man, just so other lives could be saved in the process, when looking for terrorists.  He refused to hand over an innocent boy.   That's another reason he would follow through with this until the end. It's in Cal's nature and he wanted to get at the truth in the end.   He was just doing his job.

As a rule I don't necessarily condone romances with lead actors in shows, but this is one show where something between Cal and Gillian would be welcomed.    One of the outstanding episodes of the second season thus far.

The Closer - 6.13: "Living Proof: Part One" Review

As the team prepare to leave for their Christmas getaways, a case turns up after an old man is run over by a police car after attempting to kill his son.

A man spots another on an escalator and follows him.   They argue in Albanian, then physically fight and the elder man pulls out a knife and is then pushed in front of an approaching police car.   No one at Major Crimes wants the case as they all have plans for Christmas.   Captain Raydor (Mary McDonnell)  has a family event planned since her father is unwell and this may be his last Christmas.   Brenda (Kyra Sedgwick) believes it's not a murder since the murderer is dead and the Vic was only slightly injured.  The Vic, Armand Marku (Michael Aronou) is interviewed and states the Vic was his father, Shariq (Patrick Faucette) .   Armand married a Christian woman and his father disowned him.   He believes his father got angry when he saw him with Christmas presents.   They are Muslims.  He also has two sisters, but hasn't been in contact with them.

Brenda tells everyone they'll be out of here for Christmas, but since when has anything gone according to her wishes.   She doesn't see it as a murder since he was killed by one of their own cars.   Brenda's parents arrive and she introduces them to Raydor, as her friend.   They're surprised she has a friend but then disappointed her 'friend' is a colleague.   Gabriel's (Corey Reynolds) parents are taking him to Italy.   Fritz (Jon Tenney) isn't happy about them being here, they have news for Brenda.

Pope (JK Simmons) is Acting Chief as Delk is away and he must sort out whose case it is.   He tells them to work together on it.  Tao (Michael Paul Chan) is assigned to help Raydor with the 911 calls, how about collecting video footage of the fight from the witnesses.  Brenda's parents have decided to move to LA.   That's their big news.

Flynn (Tony Denison) has located one of Armand's sisters and she too is dead with her throat slashed.   Her apartment is sparse, there's baloney in the fridge and a dog, things not found in Muslim homes.    A boy outside makes a getaway with the dog, he's her son.   Provenza (GW Bailey) is charged with taking him in.   Morales (Jonathan Del Arco) finds a bullet lodged inside Shariq's back and his daughter has signs of being raped and tortured in the past.   Taylor (Robert Gossett) informs Brenda Child Services want Skander, (Aaron Refvem) the sister's son.   But Brenda tells him he has a relative.

Skander doesn't say much and needs to be medically examined.   Brenda asks him for his gum and gives it to Sanchez (Raymond Cruz) for DNA analysis.   Armand is questioned with his wife, Joan (Margaret Easley) a lawyer and he is upset over his sister's death, then relates their past life in Kosovo.   Everyone was either killed or taken and he survived. His father called him a coward.   There is a code of honour going back centuries.   Armand wants to take Skander but Joan argues over this.   Skander's father is probably Serbian.

Fritz and Brenda agonize over Clay (Barry Corbin) and Willie Rae (Frances Sternhagen) staying here permanently and Fritz thinks maybe he can get a transfer to DC.   Brenda sees they've brought Frosty the snowman with them and she's happy now.   Gabriel reopens the case as he's found ATM footage of Armand's sister and she was still alive when her father was meant to have killed her.   Sanchez doesn't find any records of a boy named Rudy at Skander's school, whom he said he was with, so he's lying.   Joan has a change of heart and is now protective of Skander, what has she got to hide now, changing her tune so quickly.   She says she was concerned for their other children before.   She offers to be his lawyer and they leave with Skander.   Brenda asks Pope to stop them from leaving.   As they enter the lift, Pope grabs Skander and a policeman stops Armand and Joan from coming out of the lift.

Skander is arrested.   That look Skander gave Brenda was pure evil, talk about Damien from The Omen, he'd have given the beast a run for his money.   Raydor has to investigate Skander now and Brenda wants her own questions asked too since Raydor is allowed to talk to him.   Joan is filing a civil rights lawsuit but Taylor says they did nothing wrong and Pope adds he was preventing the lift door from closing on Armand.   Skander lies about being hit by Pope.   Willie Rae makes a passing comment that they don't have to ask him questions they can just spy on his e-mails.   That's what they do to Brenda's niece.

Skander goes online as soon as he's provided with a computer and with Provenza specifically telling him to not go on the Internet.   He e-mails someone called 'Saramed.'  She being the other sister.   He types it's time for the 'blood food'.   Which they think means 'blood feud'.   Gabriel finds  Sarah Miller Marku lives in LA.   Arriving at her house, they too find her with her throat slashed...

More of a Christmas horror episode than the normal Christmas fare.   Yet again about the war in Kosovo and how it affected people.   Lots of possibilities behind who can be responsible for the deaths.   It could be anyone including Armand.   How do they know Armand is who he says he is? He could be a Serbian war criminal playing Armand, who has to kill before he's found out.  Shariq could have recognized him, not as his son, but as a killer.   As is normally the plot twists writers enjoy.   How about Armand's cousin, was he really killed?   Then there's Skander and his connection.

Well not the usual run of the mill episode but as obvious from the outset no one was going to get away and this wasn't going to be an open and shut case either.   Will Brenda's parents end up staying? Some will be pleased as they gladly welcome the food Willie Rae brings them.   At least there were some laughs to be had, which helped to ensure the story didn't become too heavy: Raydor leaving for the airport, changing her flight, coming back from the airport; whether FID or Major Crimes should investigate; Taylor and Pope watching TV and hanging out, not concerned about the lawsuit.   Brenda's parents wanting to stay, being worried, then Brenda finding Frosty.   Gabriel wanting to leave, re-opening the case.   Wow the UK actually got a seasonal episode on time when this episode was aired.

Desperate Housewives - 8.5: "The Art of Making Art" Review

Susan takes a stand against going nude but does it anyway. Carlos starts drinking and Gaby doesn't get on with the PTA women. So much for being coerced into playing president.

Mary Alice: "In their twenty years together Tom and Lynette Scavo followed a few simple rules...always share the housework...and never go to bed angry.   The rules for being together were simple, the rules for for being apart were anything but."  Lynette (Felicity Huffman) doesn't want Tom (Doug Savant) having dinner with Jane.   He's been taking her out to lobster places for dinner, she still gets the credit card bills.   Tom claims Jane lives in his building and so he was being nice. They're just friends.   The counsellor asks if they want to get back together or are looking for a graceful way out of their marriage.   Tom was hoping to work things out and they haven't been happy with each other for a while.   Mary Alice (Brenda Strong) "Tom and Lynette were learning the rules of separation and the first rule, there are no rules."

Mary Alice: "In any group there are roles that people are destined to play...financial wizard...busybody and sometimes the important role of all goes to someone who's not prepared for it."  Gaby (Eva Longoria) is late to the PTA meeting, she's wasted their time going to the spa and they all leave.   Reverend Sikes (Dakin Matthews) visits Bree (Marcia Cross) he's been missing her snacks.   She doesn't feel worthy of God's love right now so he suggests she speak with Ben (Charles Mesure) as he works with the homeless.

Susan (Teri Hatcher) can't stop talking at her art class.   She aims to show Andre (Miguel Ferrer) she has pain.   He gets them to draw the naked male form and she can't stop giggling and smirking like a school kid.   We know what catches Susan's eye. Carlos (Richard Antonio Chavira) can't go into the room where he killed her stepfather. (Wasn't he in that room a few episodes ago?)   He thinks of that night and he doesn't want to be dependent on drink.   Gaby thinks the PTA are jealous of her and Carlos has a drink anyway.   Ben asks Bree what she's done: something she's ashamed of and she asks him the same thing. He replies he wouldn't answer.   His development is being held up by the council.   Bree whisks up her own simple soup recipe for the homeless.

Andre states some are uncomfortable by naked bodies and so next class the painters will go nude  Gaby brings along her beauty team to make over the PTA women and tells them they don't have to be jealous and they agree to help with the food etc.   More fool Gaby for thinking they would.   They're not helping her but themselves.   Renee (Vanessa Williams) thinks she's caught Lynette looking at porn and throws some porn terms at her.   She's actually signed up to an online dating site since she and Tom have decided to see others, well he's decided.   Renee comments Lynette's video is "more disturbing than any porn I've ever seen." She'll take Lynette to a bar.

Susan walks around nude at home, surprised none of the neighbours saw her through her kitchen window.   It's to shed her inhibitions.   Mike (James Denton) thinks Andre is good as he gets to "see naked co-eds and call it work."  Susan isn't a 'naked person.'  What about the stuff she did last season to make money? She was practically naked in her lingerie and falling out of it too.   She's not a serious artist but Mike thinks the class is good for her.   She strips for Lee (Kevin Rahm) who turns up with Bob's mother.

Bree's attracting the wrong crowd at the soup kitchen and the college student has given her a good review online, which appeals to her vanity and pride.   Mike sends Carlos away and says if he had killed someone he would have gone to the police (he didn't do that in the past) and not goad Gaby into covering for him.   He should leave Susan alone.   Carlos finds it's helps to talk to her.  Mike doesn't see it helping her.   Susan turns up to class naked and finds the others dressed.   Andre sent her an e-mail, the school wouldn't let him do that.   Susan vents he just wanted to humiliate her and she quits.   The Reverend points out the homeless are no longer at the soup kitchen and asks where they can go for a hot meal as she's taken their home away.   Bree needs to keep it for the hungry; the place was theirs before she took it away.   Ben wants her to make a speech for him at the council.

Andre comments on Susan's giggling and running away.  She's hiding something and he'll find out what.   Gaby calls Carlos for help as the women refuse to budge.   Carlos is drunk.   Lynette has been through dating and finds it depressing to be back.  Renee agrees, she has Ben and deserts her - nice friend she was and it was her idea.  Gaby is more worried about Carlos embarrassing her and wants him to leave. He drove here in that condition.  Did she really want him to leave the same way?   Cindy (Melissa Greenspan) decides to help and gets the others to as well.  Porter's friend sees Lynette at the bar and she leaves, mistaking a man for a valet.   They go for a drink and later at his apartment, she kisses Scott (Richard Ruccolo )and loses her wedding ring and leaves.

Bree impresses at the meeting and she doesn't even know where the development is yet.   Mary Alice: "We all think we are destined to play a certain role but sometimes those roles can unexpectedly change...longtime wife confronts a harsh new reality...a woman also wanted to do a little bit of good might find herself playing a role she never expected." This episode was quite a borefest, no really it was all done before.   Susan and her naked inhibitions, but it's okay to cover up a crime even if it was only an accident at the time.   Bree making everything about her as always and taking things over - like she did with Danielle last episode.   Carlos getting drunk now of all times just as though he couldn't talk to Susan. Why go to her house?  He turns to drink instead of talking to Gaby who is too busy as usual to see his pain.   It was her stepfather after all.   Perhaps Bree and Carlos should have shared as she's turned to the bottle before.

Tom and Lynette reaching the same impasse.   Bree sticking up for something she knows nothing about was really not like her, driving the nail further into reinforcing her destiny.  Why didn't Gaby call someone else for help setting up the hall for the PTA?  She can afford it.   Also Cindy deciding to help after seeing Carlos drunk, showing Gaby has a human husband after all, unlike Gaby who didn't really have any emotions or the slightest bit of humility in her.

CSI: Miami - 8.15: "Miami, We Have a Problem" Review

The CSIs investigate a body which appears to have fallen out of the sky, but come across a more dire and shameless, callous conspiracy between all those involved, masking a man's murder.

A couple's car is carjacked and the carjacker barely gets in, when a body falls onto it.   Horatio (David Caruso) on the scene, looks up.   Tripp (Rex Linn) explains the carjacker tried to run, but the body fell from the ficus.    Walter (Omar Miller) says he was too big to have just fallen out of  a tree.   Horatio replies he didn't since the tops of the branches are sheared off.   Horatio: "He fell from the sky." ME Tom (Christian Clemenson) determines there's no perimortum bruising and they'll be lucky if they can find the COD,  he fell from terminal velocity, higher than a tree.  

Calleigh (Emily Procter) says he was found in the middle of Miami airspace, so he's most probably a stowaway from a plane.   They both refer to him as 'Icarus' who flew too close to the sun and got burnt.   His bone marrow shows signs of osteoporosis but he's only in his 40's.   ME Tom: "Either he's 100 or I can't say."  He needs to ensure he's not crazy.   Ryan (Jonathan Togo) thinks he could have fallen from a helicopter since it wasn't a commercial flight..   They have the tail number of the helicopter.

Beau (Flex Alexander) was the pilot of the helicopter and denies having seen the Vic before.   Horatio says air traffic control has him flying the helicopter but he says it wasn't him, someone could have flown it and brought it back, which Ryan finds hard to believe.   Horatio notices an imprint inside which appears to be from a knuckle.   Ryan notices the Vic's knuckles are all shredded.  ME Tom confirms his theory is reality.   The blood and cells prove it.   Zero gravity pulls on red blood cells into a doughnut shape and without zero gravity, they relax into spheres.   Also calcium loss showed the Vic was in space less than 24 hours ago.    He's an astronaut.   Walter thinks he's an alien and that Tom's an alien too, covering the truth.   Well he was right, there was a conspiracy, but not one involving an alien, something more sinister.   Jesse (Eddie Cibrian) says he wasn't an astronaut but a space tourist.  

Walter finds one company in Miami owned and operated by Keith Palmer (David Chisum).   His ship is a Leer jet which he built himself.   Ryan comments you pay $2 million and you get to space walk.   Palmer identifies the Vic from the photo as Sam (Ted King) and he was on the last trip.   (As if he didn't know.)  Ryan notices micro-meteor damage, which was the clue.   They returned last night and were debriefed.   Horatio tells him he was the last one to see him alive as he doesn't tell him who else was on board.

Sam tells Janet (Claire Carey) his wife, that it takes 90 minutes to orbit the earth, on the disk he sent her.   He didn't call her last night.   Natalia (Eva Larue) asks why Janet didn't want to see him.   She didn't want him going on the trip.   Others on the disk include, Beau and Dominic Cross (Thad Luckinbill).   Natalia recognized him, she likes his action movies.   Tom cuts Sam open and removes his lung.   The blood boiled out of his lungs and he calls Horatio, "That means your presence is requested."  He died from space explosive decompression.   Somehow he got outside of the ship.   His body swelled to twice his size.   He thankfully died from hypoxia before his heart exploded, as ME Tom puts it.  

All three deny pushing him out of the ship.   Dominic says he was asleep and Tripp, sarcastically asks he was asleep for 10 days?  Beau says he was flying the ship and Sam got sucked out, that's the truth.   Horatio: "You're not capable of telling the truth, Beau."  No he wasn't and neither were the others.   Dominic was concerned his fans would find out he was airsick.   Horatio tells him a man lost his life.   Which has no effect on him.   Ryan asks how Sam ended up in the helicopter.   Beau got rid of the body and was going to dump him in the Atlantic.   SO if it was an accident, why lie about it.   Since it wasn't and Ryan asks this very question.   Palmer wanted to save his company.

Horatio tells him the ship is his CS.  Ryan's going to cut it up as it's a piece of evidence.   He loved saying that to Palmer and I don't blame him.   Ryan will be gentle.   Jesse tells Calleigh when he was little he pretended everything was a spaceship and now he's actually in one.   He'd have paid two million for a ride without even thinking about it.   Does Jesse have that much spare cash lying around.   Calleigh replies she doesn't have that gene.   Inside, Jesse thinks Sam would have had to open the hatch, but there's no buttons inside the airlock.   Calleigh finds prints on the buttons, someone opened the hatch for him.   The prints belong to Dominic.   He denies it was him.   Ryan mentions cases of astronauts getting cabin fever in orbit.   Dominic claims Sam threatened him if he didn't help him on the spacewalk.   Which cost extra and he couldn't afford another trip.   Ryan asks if Sam was wearing the suit.   Calleigh adds if the suit failed because of Dominic, then that's negligent homicide.

Horatio analyzes the suit with a radiation meter.   If the suit was in space it should be covered in radiation.   Walter sees it's picking up the same radiation that's barely on earth.   There's blood on the suit, indicating Sam died on the ship.   Walter luminols the suit, which was kept in the airlock.   The blood matches Sam.   Horatio says the solid proteins from the blood spatter created a timeline for them.   Sam was attacked before the airlock was opened.   Horatio to Walter: "You're going into space."  With Jesse, who offers Walter airsickness pills beforehand.   He refuses.   His nickname in college was 'Iron Belly' .  

Look Jesse's dream coming true, almost.   Travers (Christopher Redman) asks Ryan why he's not in the "vomit Comet" that's why, cos of the name.   But Horatio didn't send him.   Travers found the residue in the tank was pure oxygen.   It was the ship's airsupply and there was a hole in the tank from the micro-meteor.   Ryan asks the equation to figure out the rate of a leak, Bernoullis equation.   Travers is British but he's adjusted for American measures and hands Ryan a calculator.    They had 12 minutes before the oxygen ran out so he's found a motive for Sam's murder.

Palmer tells Horatio they had air in the EVA suits.   Horatio says someone decided there wasn't enough air for all of them.  Horatio: "I don't need luck [to solve the case]."  No, he's got evidence.   Jesse and Walter float around in the plane in zero gravity, which Jesse loves.   They use different tools to determine which one was the possible murder weapon; alternating between zero gravity.   But no spatter flows from any of the weapon marks.   Jesse notices the blood pools around the rubber body and doesn't leave it.   Walter eventually throws up, giving them a clue to solving the case.   Jesse calls him Iron Belly.   He says they've been approaching it all wrong since the velocity's the same on earth and space.   He tests the theory suing a rubber bullet.  

Walter asks what's with Jesse pulling out guns all the time,  That's true.   Jesse hits his back when he fires the gun and hurtles backwards.   Jesse determines Sam was shot.    What were they doing with a gun onboard anyway, being prepared for all eventualities.   The bullet was sucked out when the hatch was opened.   Jesse refers to Newton's third law of motion: every action has an equal and opposite reaction.   So whoever shot Sam will have a bruise on him.   It was Beau.

Palmer claims he had to make choices as there was only enough air for three of them.   Beau has the gun in the flashback and Dominic saves himself by saying he's famous so he should shoot Sam.   Sam tells them Palmer built it so he should be able to figure out a way to get back.   Horatio tells them they're all guilty of murder and Horatio asks why Sam was killed?  Beau replies it was either him or Dominic, since he and Palmer had to pilot the ship.   Jesse says Sam never had a chance.   Palmer had to bring back four so they couldn't push him out of the airlock.   He couldn't let everyone die and Horatio says it wasn't his decision to make.  Sam left a video journal for Janet.  He was looking over Florida.   The trip means something to him, because at the end of it he's coming home to her.   Calleigh tells her Sam tried to save everyone.   Janet says he would always say there was another way.

What a vicious and cruel bunch that lot were, only thinking of themselves when the chips were down and how easily they took a life to save their own sorry miserable asses.   As for Palmer as Sam said, it's unbelievable he didn't have another emergency plan ready for such an outcome.   Why did he take up two passenger if there only ever would be air enough for 3.   Greed, pure and simple and how little human life meant to each of them.   Beau doesn't have a job, Palmer doesn't have his company and his ship and Dominic no longer has his fame.    Prison was too good for them.    At least there were some light hearted moments along the way, with Jesse's dream of being on a ship and Ryan taking pleasure in taking the ship apart.   A bit of a an unusual episode for CSI:Miami, but one still advocating that crime doesn't pay whether you're on earth or in orbit!

Charlies Angels - 1.7: "Royal Angels" Review

The angels are tasked with looking after royalty this episode after a prince's father is killed. Bosley appears to be his mentor as well as basketball coach.

The angels are at a basketball training session/match and Kate (Annie Ilonzeh) tells the others it's the first training of the season.   Bosley (Ramon Rodriguez) plays too.   Eve (Minka Kelly) says how good Bosley is.   Bosley and Eve appear to have a connection, I know I keep saying that, but she was there when he got the postcard last episode and in episode 8 he'll be there for her too.   A sniper shoots and kills Mark's (Romeo Miller) father.   Kate says Mark is part of the royal family of Ukata, which Abby (Rachael Taylor) explains is on the Atlantic coast, as her father had a weakness for exotic locations and they safaried.   Eve: "Miss Googlemaps herself."

Eve also points out Ray (Isaiah Mustafa) is watching them, more like watching Kate.   Kate tries to convince her relationship with Ray is finished, but she watches and wants him anyway.   Ray takes over the investigation of Mark's father's shooting and has got "four pretty reliable witnesses."  Pretty as in their looks or pretty as in probably.   Eve heard four shots.   The shooter walked away like a fan.   Kate asks where Bosley was standing and finds two shots were fired which were also meant for Mark.

At the consulate, Det Millard (Michelle Jones) meets Kate,  who adds, sarcastically, "that Kate Prince."  Ray says they're witnesses.   FBI Agent Carter (Damon Sementilli) says he'll find answers before Ray does.   His father's aide, Richard (Richard Brooks) hires the angels and Ray says they're not Carter's witnesses. Kate tells Carter that Mark is now their client and so they can talk to him,  with Ray smirking.   Mark's gone.   He's the sole heir to the throne and there could be a civil war.

Charlie (Victor Garber) lets them investigate their own cases.   He will ensure there's a news and media blackout of the story.   Abby says the social media hasn't been quiet and his godfather wants Mark to return to their country as it's the only way to maintain stability.   Eve replies Mark has the perks of being a prince.   Bosley asks what they wanted to do at 20.   Kate wanted to be a sharp shooter.   Eve a racecar driver and Abby wanted to be acknowledged by her father.   Bosley finds Facebook has the lowdown on Mark.   Dominique (Inbar Lari) has photos with him and she's a lifeguard.   She was suspicious anyway.   Bosley notices she's watching the beach more than the ocean.   Eve dresses like Kris (Cheryl Ladd) from the original show.   They find Mark hiding in the tower.   Everyone's been looking at him differently and calling him 'highness.'  He doesn't know what his father deals with, or what should be dealt with.

Kate doesn't find anything from the footage where Abby saw the muzzle flash.   Abby spots the banner is reflective and they see the shooter, who is a woman.   Kate calls Bosley and sends him a photo, who then shows it to Eve.   And along comes said shooter casually strolling on the beach.   Eve in yet another fight.   Abby tells Eve her fight made it to the Net and the key Eve found from the shooter, Eve says belongs to a motorbike.   Bosley takes Mark and Dominique to the safe house, telling Mark it's fine to be scared.   When Mark was seven he lost his mother and uncle who were attacked in the car.   His uncle was the king.   It was never safe and his father sent him to the US, "where dreams come true."  He could come home when he's ready.   Listening to his father's voice at school made him feel okay.   Bosley can relate and thinks Mark is a natural leader.   When Bosley was 20 he had a scholarship to MIT and wanted to graduate and work for the NSA and change the world.   He made bad choices.   Life makes other plans.

The angels find money and a phone in the motorbike box.   They try to work out the password to unlock the phone and Eve rearranges the letters to spell, 'ghost.'  She's good at Scrabble.   Hillary is in the US Army and has an alias.   She was a sniper in the Ghost programme.   Her real name is classified and she died five years ago.   Charlie contacted a retired general friend of his and Abby adds, he has "useful friends."  Her name is Tabitha (Raquel Alessi) and her body was never recovered.   There are outgoing payments from different accounts and Kate believes she has a secret.   Abby thinks Kate should talk to her and Eve tells her it is Ray's case after all.   Abby doesn't think Kate is persona non grata to Ray.  Besides Ray doesn't know who Tabitha is.  Kate makes a deal to talk to her for five minutes.   Kate investigates her own way or she threatens to make a deal with Carter instead.

It's been a while since Kate has been in a cell like that, i.e.  holding room and shows Tabitha a photo of her sister, Rachel.  Tabitha's been paying her tuition with blood money and she'll keep her out in return for Tabitha telling her who she was hired by.  She'll hide the money trail for her.   Ray took his time coming in when Kate called to him.   She was hired by a company, Mason Winkler; which is based in the Bahamas.   Abby finds it's a shell for Langley Diamonds and Langley (Jeff Moore) runs the company, which is clean since Langley covered his tracks.   Ray needs Kate's help and has to come out and ask her for it, giving Kate ideas about getting back together.   Langley inherited the family fortune and Abby determines this case is about corporate greed.   Bosley thinks Langley can get whoever he wants into power.   His company server is located at Star Island.   Eve suggests they should get his corporate records.

Abby wants to see his neighbours and they'll be able to get in through the front door.   Eve will pay whoever out of the boys can break a window first.   One of the boy's (Nick Merico) asks for Abby's digits.   Abby hates that she manages to attract juvenile boys of all ages.   Abby and Eve enter the mansion as glass repairers and download info from his server, well Bosley downloads the info.   Bosley "I'm in."
Abby: "I love it when you're literal." The info leads to lithium as there's money to be made in telecoms.  Langley's expanding into batteries  and he arrives home.   Eve spots a photo of Dominique and Kate took her time calling Bosley.  Abby says Dominique tipped off the assassin...she holds a gun on Mark, it was for the money cos he has everything and Langley promised no one would get hurt.   Bosley grabs the gun saying, "You always have a choice."  Mark blames her for his father's killing.   The safehouse is raided but Bosley takes them out.   Mark escapes to go after Langley.

Bosley tries to prevent him from shooting Langley and tells him he won't get away when he's up against them.   His father let justice run its course after his mother died.   Mark relents and Eve shoots Langley when he goes for his gun, Abby calling it a nice shot.   Mark is ready to go home.   Bosley gives him a St Christopher his grandmother gave him.   Mark could use a chief of staff.  Bosley suggests he could send the royal jet for when he feels like a game of basketball.   Mark claims Bosley's too old for that.

Ray doesn't believe he could have solved the case without Kate and invites her to the game, which she misses and asks Ray for a drink, but he's seeing Miller.   Kate throws some baskets and Abby and Eve arrive with food and beer to cheer her up.   Kate comments her timing sucks.   Funny how first Eve and Abby pointed Kate in Ray's direction and then they were there when she needed some friends at the end.   They just knew.   Kate couldn't decide what she wanted as in 1.3 she returned his ring when he didn't want it back which probably told him she's moved on or at least wants to move on.   Then she changes her mind and it doesn't take much coaxing from the others to make her go for it again.   Then she's hurt and angry when she sees Ray has moved on as if it was anyone else's fault but her own for being a dirty cop.   Didn't like that detective much though, she was rather snide and stuck up by the way she turned her nose up when Kate told her who she was.   Then when she came to meet Ray at the court, it was as though she was rubbing it in Kate's face.

Bosley tells Dominique they have choices which is what he said in 1.2.   Bosley turned out to be a real mentor/coach didn't he? After all he's been through, he can still relay hope to Mark and be positive.   Though he didn't tell the angels what he wanted to do at 20, he tells Mark later on.   Out of the three angels Abby was the one who didn't want to aspire to much, though having money maybe she didn't feel she needed to, but only wanted her father's love and approval, which is fine but they could have had her add something else too and given her some ambition.  Or was that wanting to meet a man who wasn't a juvenile, considering in the Pilot she said the bartender she liked had future plans, of getting a yacht.   She didn't really aim high.

When Bosley asked what the angels wanted to do at 20, their replies were similar to the original angels.   Besides the newer angels being all bad to begin with.  Of the originals, Jill (Farah Fawcett) wanted to be an athlete, she also coached a girl's basketball team on her day off, as Bosley coached a basketball team too.   Jill was also a racecar driver; Eve's ambition.   Kelly's (Jaclyn Smith) parents abandoned her, but in season 1 she had a boyfriend, Dr Alan Samuleson (played by none other than Magnum PI himself, Tom Selleck).   Kelly was also a sharp shooter and adept in martial arts, specifically karate and judo.  Sabrina (Kate Jackson) was really the one who'd practically done everything.   She had an ex husband, Bill Duncan who was also a police officer and ex military.   In the original show, The Prince and the Angel episode sees Jill flirt with a real prince who is the target of assassins from his own country.

Ramon played basketball in his eleventh and twelfth years at high school and college basketball at Wheeling Jesuit University.   At New York University he received a BS in Sports Management.

Doctor Who - 6.9: "Night Terrors" Review

The Doctor receives a distressed message from a scared little boy, prompting a search for him. Amy and Rory are left to their own devices again and Amy becomes a wooden doll.

A boy living in on a council estate is afraid and has been told to put the things that scare him into the cupboard in his room.   (Why are scary things always found in the cupboard or under the bed.   What is it with bedrooms and terrifying stuff.)  He wants his mother, Claire (Emma Cunniffe) to do the ritual with the lights, turning them off and on five times before she leaves.   George (Jamie Dram) hears the lift and even that makes him afraid.   He calls out for help, "Please save me from the monsters"  over and over.   This is relayed eons away to the Doctor (Matt Smith) in the TARDIS on his psychic paper.   Just as Claire says George needs a doctor.   The Doctor's doing something he's never done before, "making a housecall."  Or that should be a (dolls) housecall!  Sorry spoilers!

The TARDIS lands outside a rundown estate, Rory (Arthur Darvill) comments  "we could get a bus somewhere like this."  Meaning it's not historical or anything astronomical.   They're answering a call for help from the scariest place in the universe,  "a child's bedroom" utters the Doctor.   Amy (Karen Gillan) can attest to that from season 5!  An old woman, Mrs Rossiter (Leila Hoffmann) wheels her shopping trolley past.   There's no crack in the wall this time, only cracked paint!  They search for the child.   George looks out the window and is spotted by the Doctor, who leaves Rory and Amy alone again, typically.   Rory thinks they "should let the monsters gobble him up." They get into the lift and it freefalls.   Mrs Rossiter is swallowed by the garbage bags outside.   The estate did look like something you'd find in Brit soap Eastenders, which is what I thought and Rory makes a similar comment.   Knew they were in a dollshouse though, that was apparent.

Alex (Daniel Mays) says they talked of getting help for George and sending him away.   The Doctor mentions "pantaphobia" the fear of everything.   Not pants, though pants could be included as everything.   George hates clowns, Doctor: "Understandable."  As do most people.  Amy and Rory find there's no lift.   Rory believes they're dead.  "The lift fell and we're dead, we're dead again." Well considering the number of times Rory's been killed off and Amy in 5.12 The Pandorica Opens.   He thinks the TARDIS has done some time "slippy thing and the Doctor is stuck in Eastenders-land back there."  There's his Eastenders comment.   (Well it would be, that soap is so dreary don't know how people watch it.   No offence to avid fans.)

Amy notices the pan in the kitchen is made of wood and painted copper.   Rory's got his little torch out again (as in 6.6).   Time for Amy to open the bigger lamp! and she finds a huge glass eye in the drawer.   The Doctor tries a Rubik's cube.   He liked reading when he was George's age, a thousand years ago.  Books like "The Three Little Sontarans," i.e.  the Three Little Pigs, they won't be happy being called pigs.  Ha.  Also "The Emperor Dalek's New Clothes" what clothes, now shell maybe.   Also "Snow White and the Seven Keys to Doomsday."    The Doctor and the Rubik's cubes, "...must be broken.  Hate those things."  They should tidy it away in the cupboard.   How come he's no good with the Rubik's cube.   Monsters go in the cupboard he adds.

The landlord Purcell, (Andy Tiernan) pays a visit demanding payment and George listens to him.   The Doctor makes the toys move with the Sonic.  He tells Alex "George's monsters are real."  They shouldn't open the cupboard.   Surprised Alex wasn't more shocked when he appeared to just accept it.   Rory realizes there's no doorknob on the front door and Amy says the hands on the clock are painted.  They hear children laughing.   Alex calls the Doctor irresponsible and the Doctor refutes this.   They need to stay away from the cupboard, it's bad.   In a moment of crisis he makes tea again.   He's missed something staring him in the face.   He refuses to leave.  "I'm not just a professional, I'm a Doctor" and he's come a long way to help.   Whatever is in the cupboard has "amplified" the boy's fears, which travelled all the way through time and space and he does his flattering speech about all the nebula and oceans etc.   He asks for Jammie Dodgers, no Custard Creams this time.

Rossiter's in the house too.   Rory and Amy come across a giant wooden, peg doll, but it moves when they turn away.   Children sing a rhyme.   The Doctor looks at the photo album again but can't put his finger on what's bugging him.   Purcell watches TV and and comments they're showing Bergerac a 30 year old TV show.  (With John Nettles, years before he did Midsummer Murders.  Hey we're still getting Bergerac too.   So that was a topical comment.)  He's taken through the floor.   Cos George listened to his threats to Alex and is afraid of him, but curiously not the dog.   See it's all about George.   The Doctor realizes Claire isn't pregnant in the photos.   Alex had forgotten Claire can't have children.   So who is George?  Through his heightened fear,George sends the Doctor and Alex through the cupboard.

Amy accuses Rory of panicking.   Children sing the rhyme again.   Amy: "I take it all back.  Panic now."  The Doctor thinks a perception filter is in operation, not another one, which made Alex forget.   The Doctor looks into the mirror on the wall as in the Vampires of Venice episode.   Amy has the idea they should open the door and push past them, but only Rory has the mop (like the Doctor had in 5.13 The Big Bang) and Amy is caught and turned into a doll, red hair 'n'all.   Hey no bow tie comment this week.   Alex and the Doctor end up in the dollshouse too and Alex notices the lights go on and off five times, like they do for George.   The Doctor goes over what they know and concludes George is no ordinary boy.   Funny bit where the Doctor and Alex do a double-take on the wooden doll behind them.   Liked the giant scissors.   The Doctor tries to use his Sonic on the doll, but it doesn't work on wood.   Doctor: "I've got to invent a setting for wood.   It's embarrassing."  As in 5.8  when Rory dissed the Sonic and said it doesn't work on wood.

The Doctor realizes, finally, that George is a 'cuckoo in a nest'.   He's a Tenza.   There are millions of them adrift in space and they assimilate into what people want.   A Tenza's function is to fit in and to be wanted.   George isn't aware he's controlling everything that's happening.  The Doctor pleads with George to end this, he's the only one who can and George steps into the cupboard.  The dolls stop and then they go for George.   He calls out to 'Dad' and Alex hugs him, he will never send him away.   Making George overcome his fears of being rejected.   The dolls become human again.   The Doctor tells Alex that George will adapt perfectly now and he gives them kippers.   (As in 5.1.)

The Doctor then says it's good to be together again "in the flesh."   They can't decide where to go.  Doctor: "Mind's gone blank."  She was turned into a wooden dolly.   Children sing the rhyme again, "tick tock goes the clock even for the Doctor..." As we're shown the Doctor's photo on the TARDIS' monitor from last episode with the date of his death: 22/04/2011 at 5.02pm at Lake Silencio.

This episode moved away from the arc of the Silence, finding Melody/River, until the end where we get the date again from the last  episode and the rhyme, which means we're still forging ahead (or backwards) to the Doctor's demise.   This was much a stand alone episode and was creepy in places, probably a few children and some adults hid behind the sofa again, as they now nurse a fear of wooden dolls and dollshouses.   What was George doing with a dollshouse, it's not really a boy's toy, no wonder he was afraid of it.   Also George was afraid of the sound of the lift which explains why the sound could be heard from the cupboard, but if the sound is in the cupboard, the lift wasn't, so why did Amy and Rory find themselves in the dollshouse.   Didn't those dolls remind you of something from the French revolution, spooky.

The Doctor also asked for Jammie Dodgers and tea in Victory of the Daleks.   Not too bad an episode, think most of the reviews I've come across people actually wanted blood, except for that diabolical, inaudible, unintelligent rhyme throughout, not even the subtitlers could subtitle (closed captions) it!  Were we not meant to understand any of it, aside from the line at the end.

This episode was meant to have been shown earlier on as episode 6.4.   Also writer Mark Gattis admitted in an interview in Radio Times of his fear of dolls and how the show had never done an episode with dolls.   The Sonic not being able to work on wood was also mentioned in 6.3 The Curse of the Black Spot and by Donna in Silence in the Library.   Snow White and the Seven keys to doomsday was a reference to the play Seven Keys to Doomsday from 1974, and the character of the Emperor Dalek.

Next week it's Rory's turn to choose.

Lie To Me - 2.3: "Control Factor" Review

Cal is on holiday with Emily but still gets involved on a case whilst still keeping an eye on things back at the office. Gillian must work with one of Cal's former protoges.

Gillian (Kelli Williams) convinces Cal (Tim Roth) to go on his planned vacation to Mexico with Emily (Hayley McFarland) and he finally relents.   Gillian doesn't believe he can leave her in charge and for everyone else to do their jobs without him around.   Cal and Emily agree that he will let  her do her own thing and more importantly trust her ,if he treats her like an adult.   She stops him from spying on the office back home, it causes stress.   But not for long.   Clearly Cal has trust issues, not just with Emily but with his staff.

A man from the American Embassy, Lou Nemenoff (Patrick J Adams) asks Cal for help in locating a missing woman, Marla, (Nicole DuPort) who has left her daughter Tyler (Mary Matilyn Mouser) on her own.   Emily watches the videos of the police and the bartender with Cal and feels empathy towards Tyler.   She wants Cal to take on the case which of course he would have done anyway.   Cal lets Emily get involved when he takes her to the police with him.  I would have thought he would have been weary about dragging Emily around with him, especially since this is Mexico and secondly, it perhaps gave him a chance to keep an eye on her.   Marla was considered an addict as needles were found in her hotel room and she was meant to be meeting a man that Tyler had found for her from an online dating service.

The policeman, Molina (Jose Zuniga) doesn't want Cal on the case and is advised to drop it.   Everyone around him gives Cal dirty looks and Emily asks what Molina is doing about the man Marla was meant to be meeting.   Cal questions the bartender, Miguel (Max Arciniego) and he is hiding something as Cal can tell he's afraid.   The woman stops Miguel from talking.   Cal calls Ria (Monica Raymund) for help and uploads her profile on the dating website, adding she's fond of dirty limericks.   She informs Cal that Jack (Marc Blucas) has been called onto the case and is working with Gillian who has gone gaga over him.   Then notices Cal is jealous.   Cal wants Ria to report what's happening back at the Institute.

Jack has been called in by the CDC to investigate a case of contaminated blood supplies turning up at blood banks, a case to which Gillian has already been hired by the hospital director Krentz (Mary Mara).   Jack once worked for Cal and is now his rival.  Ben (Mekhi Phifer) doesn't like him but Gillian isn't so sure, in fact she's attracted to him.   Cal doesn't like him cos he's all about the money and fame.   Gillian makes it clear that she's in charge.   They have two people for questioning but Jack and Gillian put on a display as if they're trying to outdo each other.   One of the two gets restless and complains.   Eli says their little plan worked cos people don't like drawing attention to themselves if they have something to hide.

Gillian knows the woman, Jenna (Rebecca Field) was almost fired and she admits she was preoccupied and her daughter needed her. (She's divorced).   Gillian understands her predicament being recently divorced too.   She didn't run some checks on the blood.   Eli tells Jack that Cal doesn't think much of his employees and Jack believes after he left here he realized he was good at what he does.   Ben tells Gillian someone has died but the blood came from a different centre.

A man follows Ria and Cal and Cal wonders if he's from the police or a drug cartel.   They take a taxi to the bar where Miguel plays pool and he tells them about another woman from Miami who died.  The police like to keep it quiet cos of tourism.   He recognizes the man Marla was meant to meet from his photo.   Cal finds this same man with Emily at the hotel, she was trying to get info from him.   Cal doesn't want her involved and they have a falling out.   Ria meets with Jerry (Timothy Carhart) and speaks of a weird guy she once met.   Jerry tells her about Marla.   Cal watches the office from his webcam and texts Eli to give Gillian the blue file.   Didn't they wonder how he knew about this and she might need it right this minute?   They use the cameras everyday but don't seem to know they're being watched in the same way by Cal.

Gillian uses the file to question the two men, Dunst (Victor McCay) and Yager (Larry Herron) saying it contains info about friends, family etc.   Jack sees it's just full of blank pages.   One of the drivers is a criminal, Tomkins (Christopher Sower).   Ria doesn't believe Jerry is involved and Cal takes a photo of the man following them.   Molina tells him he was hired by someone.   He tells Cal about a couple who gave a statement about Marla.   Eli realizes Tomkins is aroused by bloody and gory scenes.   Jack meets with McKenzie, a reporter and Cal turns the sprinklers on them.   The couple tell Cal they were there to get an egg and thought Marla was their donor but she wasn't.   Lou has been reassigned and threatened.   Ria and Cal pose as a couple and visit the fertility clinic, where she asks Samuel Wynn (Dale Midkiff) for a baby with blue eyes and brown hair.   Dr Alvarez (Gary Perez) is present  and Cal asks him if the reason Ria is infertile is cos of the Coriolis Effect - something to do with the earth and Alvarez replies yes.

Alvarez tells them about Marla and there was a complication, she's bleeding and is being kept in an apartment Wynn has.  Molina isn't a dirty cop but but his boss talked to the embassy.   Marla and Tyler are reunited and Ria wants to stay as Lou asked her to stay  behind.   Gillian notices  something's not right in the video Eli took of Yager and Dunst.   One of them keeps looking behind him and then relaxes after Eli stopped filming to change the battery.   They were using the blood to distribute drugs and the wrong batch was picked by the driver.  Jack mentions Gillian in the interview and sends her roses.   Cal returns and she says she kept Jack away from his library.   Cal posits he'd tell her why he doesn't like Jack but she'd think he was lying.   Jack leaves and gives Eli his card if he wants to leave here.   Cal gives Eli one of his own cards.  

Three scenes which were enjoyable was the scene with the card exchanges, (Eli must have wondered how Cal knew), the sprinkler scene and Ria telling Cal he's jealous.   Appropriate title as Cal lacks the ability to completely trust not only Emily but also his staff in his absence.   Cal having to stop Ria from talking when she wants to tell him he blew it with Emily at the pool.   It's fine for Emily to play detective when he's around - like earlier at the police station - but not now.   Emily and Cal make up and she has the right to throw tantrums and spend his money, as long as he can be protective and suspicious of her.   Cal witnessed first hand Jack trying to poach Eli, another reason for not liking Jack.   Some would say Cal is stifling his staff in their development - such as Eli; maybe he doesn't want Eli to turn out to be another Jack - a rival.

The Vampire Diaries - 3.15: "All My Children" Review

Plans are set by Ester for the ritual where she will turn her children mortal and destroy them. Bonnie and Abby must help with this and Elena is abducted.

 Elena (Nina Dobrev) wakes to thoughts of Stefan (Paul Wesley) and guess what? He thinks of her too, since these two have an everlasting bond which neither one of them wants to admit anymore and neither do the writers, spoil sports!  She calls Stefan and then Damon (Ian Somerhalder) whom she called at least ten times last night, to talk.   If he's mad at her, he needs to get over it.  Sorry love, he's been there and so done that with Rebekah (Claire Holt).   Damon: "Oh I'm over it" he replies, with Rebekah still beside him in his bed.   he tells Rebekah their night together wasn't a big deal and Elena arrives to catch Damon naked, as usual and Rebekah leave.   Rebekah didn't have to compel Damon.

Elena just calls it his way of lashing out, which is what we've all been saying but Damon's adamant, "For once something I did has nothing to do with you."  But it did, it was all cos of Elena.   Elena tells him about Ester (Alice Evans) having to kill all of them and Elijah (Daniel Gillies) doesn't deserve this.   Stefan agrees with Damon in that Klaus (Joseph Morgan) must die as do they all.   Kol (Nathanial Buzolic) confronts Rebekah about staying out all night.   Klaus tells him if he wants to go out he should and accompanies him for fun.   Elijah's worried about their mother's strange behaviour.   She burnt sage used for privacy spells.   Finn (Casper Zafar) and Rebekah were taken in by her false love.

Elena blabs to Bonnie (Kat Graham) about Damon sleeping with Rebekah and Caroline (Candice Accola) can still hear them speak as Bonnie tries the sage spell.   She tells Elena about Ester coming to see her and Abby (Persia White) to introduce herself.   Ester's channelling the ancestral bloodline for power.   Elena is wracked with guilt over Elijah and how he helped find a way to save Elena during the blood moon ritual and now she's signed his death warrant.   Bonnie tells her about Elijah being dead by the end of the month since the full moon is needed to channel celestial energy for the spell to work.

Damon and Stefan argue over Damon's one night stand and Stefan still believes Elena would be better off without them both.  Damon is in agreement since neither one of them will get her.   Elijah takes Elena for a drive into the woods cos he's got something up his sleeve and recalls their school being built over an Indian village.   He saw his first werewolf here and a field where wild horses grazed.   Why the tour from Elijah?  There are tunnels beneath their feet for shelter.   Ester wanted balance.  Elijah values Elena's qualities but she lied to him and he knows.   He can hear her heartbeat and it jumps when she lies.   Elijah guesses Ester wants to kill them all.   Elijah: "be careful what you wish for."  He pounds the ground and Elena falls in.

Elena's told Alaric (Matt Davis) about Damon's "original sex."  He's not going to judge Elena for having a conscience.   Damon asks if he's busy with "sexy psycho doctor."  Damon and Stefan keep staring at the glass of blood.   Meredith (Torrey DeVitto) can't tell who stabbed Alaric. Maybe he was compelled to forget.   So it could only have been a vampire, not necessarily maybe she just wants Alaric to believe that to throw suspicion off her.   Klaus listens in and replies they can't blame the new family in town just cos they've got a killer on the loose.

Abby wonders what Grams would think of Ester.   She draws from Ayanna's bloodline which gives her power and she needs them both, "the bloodline made manifest."  Rebekah finds Elena in the tunnels and she's being held hostage by her.   Elijah tells Stefan and Damon of this and he needs their help to stop Ester.   They need to break the bloodline which Stefan knows means killing Abby or Bonnie.   And after everything they did for them.   Well Bonnie has.

Elijah says the moon will be full later (Bonnie said within the month) and Ester will have power, if they don't stop her, Elena dies and there was Elena feeling guilty about watching Elijah die.   Rebekah takes a photo of Elena for the Salvatore's.   Elena only wanted Klaus gone not all of them.   Everyone wants to save Elena so she's the perfect hostage.   Stefan holds a blood pouch in his hand and he calls Bonnie to stop Ester from channelling the power.   Damon ponders several scenarios of why Bonnie won't help, so the only option available is to kill them.   Damon's plan is to divide and conquer, kill one of the originals with a dagger.  Alaric can do it for them and they can use Caroline for distraction.   Tried that before with Elijah and things didn't work out.

Klaus follows Caroline out of the bar and asks, "How can I acquit myself."  She should take a chance and get to know him, he dares her.   Ester prepares for the ritual and draws a pentagram which she calls a connection to magic and salt is the symbol of the earth.   Five torches symbolize each one of her children.   If she reverses the spell they will become human.   Finn is her sacrifice as he thinks it's a gift.   Kol tries to pick up Meredith.   Oh their Brit accents are so irritating, aside from Klaus (as Joseph is English).   Alaric daggers Kol and they all fall.   Klaus removes the dagger from Kol, but where were was Elijah.

Damon tells him if he's killed it won't stop Ester from killing them all.   Elijah saves Damon as they need him.   It's 9.30 and he lied about 9.06pm.   Elena runs and Rebekah can't get into the cave.   Alaric thinks Meredith is a slob and for a doctor her place was pretty awful.   That's not all she is.   Stefan and Damon drive to the house and Damon thinks they should just let Ester go through with the spell.   She'll hate them all if they do it.   Damon posits only one has to do the deed so Elena will hate only one of them.  They toss a coin.

Rebekah throws gasoline on Elena so she can burn her.   Rebekah's spontaneous that's why Damon likes her.   Rebekah still wears Ester's necklace.   Elena didn't have any other choice.   Rebekah may be alive tomorrow so she'd get her revenge now and wouldn't be able to see Elena slowly squirm.   She's only tormenting Elena cos she hurt Rebekah's feelings.   Klaus et al can't enter the pentagram.   Ester only regrets not letting them die back then.   Klaus wants her to end it or he'll send her to hell.   She was forced to watch Klaus and suffer and Elijah isn't any better.   Ester and Finn vanish and the pentagram goes up in smoke.

Stefan tells Bonnie if she can't stop Ester they have to find another way.   Damon kills Abby and turns her into a vampire.   Rebekah releases Elena as she prefers to watch her suffer.   Caroline tells Elena Bonnie doesn't want to see her.   Abby is transitioning and everything was to save Elena.   She loves Elena but Bonnie always gets hurt.   Not true what about all the family Elena's lost.  Stefan tells Damon he lost the toss and he was meant to turn Abby.   Damon isn't blind. He knows Stefan wants to go back to the old days and asks how long it's been since Stefan had human blood.   Not since the night he threatened Elena at the bridge.   Damon says Stefan has enough to feel guilty for so why add two to the list.   Stefan still loves Elena who doesn't want Damon.  "I'm better at being the bad guy anyway."

Elijah had to protect his family so did horrible things.  "Compassion is a gift"  he writes in the note he leaves on Elena's bed.  Elijah tells Rebekah they don't have a mother, only Ester. He kills when it suits him and he used Rebekah as a sword.   His virtue was his downfall and they all made themselves into the monsters they are.  Klaus burns his sketches.   Rebekah hated Klaus when he killed Ester but he's the only one who stayed with her.   Elijah is leaving, Kol's fled.   She shows Klaus images on the wall behind Elena in the cave of a great white oak tree, markings are from a native calender - 300 years after they fled to the old world.  Rebekah knows the tree could kill them.   Yet none of them worked that out.   What happened to those drawing Alaric was deciphering from the cave anyway? Seems to have been forgotten about.

Alaric is attacked after he looks at the patient's records and papers on Meredith's desk.   The dagger was used in the killings.  She shoots Alaric.

Since Ester revealed her plans of wanting to slaughter  her abomination of children; she sets her plan into motion quickly.   But Bonnie tells Elena the full moon is needed for the spell; which also requires energy to be channelled and thus the Bennett bloodline comes to the fore once again.   She also tells her the full moon  won't be for at least a month.   That full moon is a prerequisite for most anything these days, or nights.   Bonnie is just willing to trust Ester after everything they know about the originals.   She had no doubts about her intentions or ulterior motives just as long as Klaus was dispatched.   They hardly know Ester  aside from being a witch  - that's all they have in common.

For all his morality Elijah didn't turn out to be like that here since he held Elena against her will  to save himself, as well as the rest of his family.   But desperate times called for desperate action.   At least he felt some form of remorse at the end and having blamed themselves for what they have truly become over the years which was of their own doing.

Damon back to form this episode too when he plays the bad vampire, who he's destined to forever be.   Knowing that Elena would hate him for turning Abby and he couldn't let Stefan take the fall since he still has feelings for Elena.   Damon feels his bide his time with Elena  who 'caught' him with Rebekah.   But through all the recriminations, Elena seemed a tad jealous that Damon did the dirty on her with Barbie Klaus.   But she didn't know how she felt about him so she can't complain now.   From last episode her heart still lies with Stefan.   She was also disgusted at seeing Rebekah with Damon.

Stefan is no longer drinking human blood which Damon realized he is trying to get back to his former self even if he doesn't admit it to Elena or anyone else - especially since last episode when he said he feels pain if he gets too close.   Loved the coin toss to determine who'd turn Abby and Damon goes ahead and does it anyway,  What are big brothers for?   He was in need of further acting out, lashing out, after he knows he's blown any chance with Elena.

Bonnie understandably feels for Abby but not wanting to talk to Elena seemed to show her sentiments going a little OTT.   Her mother abandoned her and she hardly knows her when Elena has been there for her more than Abby.   Caroline calling Damon "the vampire gigolo."  Er, what would that make Rebekah? Let's not go there.

So Meredith's true character has been finally revealed and came as no big shock to most of us, but poor Alaric getting shot again.   Did he have his ring?   So why did she shoot him when she knows he will recover and knows of his ring?   Just enough time to make a quick exit.   Then there was Klaus mooning (bad word) over Caroline again like a love struck child., knowing she's a lost cause.  How many times has Damon been in that bathroom washing the blood from his hands?

Supernatural - 1.4: "Phantom Traveler" Review

Supernatural's one and only plane episode, revealing some background on Dad, Dean and Sam too. Also the episode where we find out that "demons lie."

In  this plane episode out fly the 'jokes' about the odds of crashing at 20,00 feet.   The flight attendant notices the passenger's black eyes, who asks how long they've been in the air, reply being 40 minutes - so he opens the door enabling the plane to crash.

We discover Dean (Jensen Ackles) sleeps with a knife under his pillow, just in case he's attacked or ambushed in the night by ghosties and ghoulies.   Which reminds me of a comment I made in a season 5 episode - but that'd be jumping the gun on my part.   Sam (Jared Padalecki) meanwhile can't sleep.   So he's watching an Info-mercial: thought only Dean was into TV, well in the early episodes he was more than Sam...   Unknown to Dean, Sam is having nightmares about Jessica (Adrianne Palicki) .   He finds the 'job' gets to him.   Not so for trusty Dean - who is not afraid of anything - ever and shows Sam his reliable knife.   He doesn't acquaint being prepared with being afraid.

A friend of Dad's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Jerry (Brian Markinson)  whom they helped out in the past with a Poltergeist problem, calls Dean for help again.   Jerry tells Sam how Dad was proud of him.   He plays them the recording from the plane's flight recorder, on which can be heard a "roaring sound."  Only 7 survived the crash.   NTSB has the salvaged parts in a hanger.   Thus Dean has to make false IDs for Homeland Security.   Cut to Dean in a copyshop.   As it was a plane crash, Homeland Security would be involved.   Dean also remarks that since the ID is fairly new, it won't be familiar to people.

Sam researches death omens on planes and spirits, known as 'Phantom travellers' (hence the title).   He alludes to Flight 401, from which salvaged parts were used on other planes.   Subsequently, these planes were said to be haunted by the spirits of the pilot and co-pilot.   He mentions the Ghost of Flight 401 - the movie (1978).   I recall watching that several years ago, it's not shown anymore these days.   Interesting movie - but then I like anything to do with planes for some reason.

Max Jaffe (Kett Turton) one of the survivors is at a psychiatric hospital.   Dean questions if he saw anything unusual.   (This is one of Dean's noticeable traits when questioning people on their hunts.   He always comes right out and asks if they saw anything strange and unusual.)  Max describes the man with black eyes and they conclude that only something non-human could have opened the plane door in-flight as it requires great strength.  Sam and Dean buy black suits (with stolen credit card courtesy of Dean!)  This was the first time we saw them in these suits - which became a regular part of their wardrobe in most episodes and seasons.   Dean: "Man I look like one of the Blues Brothers."  Sam replies he looks like he's at his first dance.   Probably since the cut of his suit was so ill fitting.

It's the first time Sam's seen Dean's EMF reader - which he questions stating it resembles a Walkman - as that's what Dean made it from.   Sam takes a sample of trace from the door handle, in our first "ghostly" Supernatural crime scene.   Real Homeland Security arrive and to no one's surprise, they wear the same suits too!  Dean: "These monkey suits do come in handy" for when he has to scale the fence.

The trace Sam found was sulphur, left behind as a result of demonic possession.   Thus posits Dean, the man had the ability to open the plane door and makes reference to the "barfing scene" from The Exorcist (1973).   They've never heard of a demonic possession crashing a plane before.   There follows some exposition on how every religion has some form or another of demonic possessions.   (But it was great exposition none-the-less!)  This job is huge and makes Dean wish Dad was here.   Well Dean, you've gotta go it alone - as he's been doing in the past - even without Sam back then.   It shouldn't be difficult for him to handle since he does have Sam now.

 Jerry mentions the plane went down near Nazareth after 40 minutes.   Dean: "I'll try to ignore the irony in that!"   Dean leads in with the concept of "Biblical numerology" the significance of certain numbers, such as it raining for 40 days and nights, 7 plane survivors.   7 is a Biblical number (so there should be at least 7 seasons of the show, in my opinion!)  Out of the 6 plane crashes, there weren't any survivors, until now.   Leading Sam to believe the survivors are being targeted.

Amanda the flight attendant (Jaime Ray Newman) is returning to work.   Dean attempts to call her but to no avail.   Her flight will depart from Gate 13 (!)  Sam's plan is for them to board the plane - whereupon we discover Dean's afraid of flying, or should I say, Dean's irrational fear of flying. "Which is why I drive everywhere," in his baby - his Impala.   If he's never been in a plane how does he know he's afraid, watching that one too many plane disaster movie Dean!  So how come he hasn't watched the Ghost of Flight 401.  

There was Dean in the beginning of the episode telling Sam he doesn't fear anything.   How could they get past airport security with some of the things in their bag.   Mostly it was religious paraphernalia, holy water, Dad's journal,which isn't religious, but more of the 'demonic persuasion'.   Sam wants to board the plane by himself, but Dean won't let him.   (Of course if they crashed that'd be the end of the show, unless they survived, boy that sounds morbid.)

They say the name of God in Latin (which NB is not Christo) to find the 'possessed person;.   Dean can't calm down which makes him susceptible to possession - as the demon preys on fear.   Sam tells him they'll need to use the Ritual Romano to exorcise the demon when found.

Another X-Files  reference with Dean saying, "we don't have time for the whole 'truth is out there' speech!"  They hone in on the demon and douse him with holy water and tie him up, whilst Sam attempts to perform the ritual.   A fight ensues and the demon tells Sam how Jess burns and was in pain.   Sam loses the book and dives for it in the aisle.   These passengers must be asleep or deaf - since no one heard what was going on and also when Sam  read from the book on the floor!  being struck by lightning they thought was normal.   Dean's hair standing on end was funny.   The black smoke (as the demons are referred to) escapes through the vent.

Sam tells Dean the demon knew Jess and Dean replies "demons lie."  (An oft used phrase in future conversations between the two.)  Jerry got Dean's number from Dad's voicemail, telling him to call Dean and Sam finds this confusing.  "This is John Winchester.   I can't be reached. If this is an emergency call my son Dean 785-555-0179.   He can help."

A blast of an episode and not just my fondness for plane episodes either.   More insight into some of their personal lives: Dean's fear of planes (See 5.1) Sam's fear of the demon knowing everything about Jess.   Well it would wouldn't it - she died an unnatural death - like Mom (Samantha Smith).   There's more behind it than just some "normal" occurrence , something supernatural had to be involved, it's the only feasible explanation.   As we'll learn later, the demon fraternity is wide and closely related - like a demon grapevine spreading evil.

Great to see Dean making fake IDs, since he's already got them ready when they have used in the past.   Also when they realize Dad left a message for Dean to be contacted, strange this was the only call for help they got and the only one of Dad's friends to contact them like that.   Dad left the message on Dean's voicemail because he didn't think Sam would come back to hunting  and would never even have contemplated it, since he left on bad terms.   Jerry tells him of Dad being proud, maybe he thought Sam would be better off in a life of his own choosing.   The message was left 6 months ago - but in the Pilot, Dean said he's been missing for 3 weeks.    Dad must've anticipated going AWOL.

Were you glued to your plane seats? Or asleep like the passengers!  Also here's where we deal with Sam's nightmares - which will become a heightened focal point in this season.

Critics associate this episode more with Final Destination (2000); but the similarity ends with 'Death' stalking the survivors as this was different enough to give the episode a story of its own!