The Vampire Diaries 4.10 "After School Special" Review

                                                                                
School's out or in whichever way you want to look at it as the residents and students of Mystic Falls say farewell to their beloved mayor Carol Lockwood.  The sheriff (Marguerite MacIntyre) gives a rousing farewell and then has a meeting with the new interim mayor, Rudy (Rick Worthy) who as it happens turns out to be the Alpha vampire from Supernatural, oh wait he's Bonnie's (Kat Graham) father here.  He accepted the job after six people turned it down and she lets him into how Carol really died and the general goings on in the town.  Which being Bonnie's dad shouldn't be news to him.  He tells Bonnie he's there to protect her and she shouldn't need to protect the town using her 'gifts.'

Rebekah (Claire Holt) gets hold of Elena (Nina Dobrev) Caroline (Candace Accola) and Stefan (Paul Wesley) and compels them to reveal their feelings.  She gets Elena to admit sire bond aside she's in love with Damon (Ian Somerhalder) ho hum, not really news to us but mainly for newcomers or those with short attention spans and memories, ha.  Rebekah wants Stefan to suffer the pain she suffered for 900 years with a song in her heart, and relishes how Stefan has a dagger through his heart now and the pain he feels at her rejection.  The same thing she felt when Klaus (Joseph Morgan) compelled her to forget Stefan.  She offers  to compel him to forget Elena but then refuses.  Seeing as she's Klaus's sister through and through of course she wouldn't oblige.

She wants info on the cure and they tell her about Shane (David Alpay) who gives Bonnie a witch's necklace, it's real bone.  He's also been deceiving Bonnie when he tells her 'expressionism' has nothing to do with black magic since Stefan tells Rebekah what that is.  Rebekah enlists Kol's (Nathanial Buzolic) help to torture Shane into revealing where the cure is and Bonnie uses a protection spell to save him, which gets misfired and ends up with April (Grace Phipps) feeling everything that he does physically at least.  Stefan has to save April who then blabs to the sheriff and new mayor about how her father didn't kill all those people but was made to do it by Shane.  Funny Bonnie not recognizing Kol straigtaway when he passes her at Shane's.
Rebekah uses Kol to torture Shane for the info on the cure and he tells them about the immortal Silas and how he wants to bring them into the world leading Kol to impale him.

Rebekah meanwhile plays her game of truth or dare after compelling Stefan, Elena and Caroline and Elena tells Stefan she loves Damon, sire bond or not.  That she loves Stefan but isn't in love with him, well if Stefan didn't have a puppy dog look on his face!  She also refers to him as a broken toy and Damon makes her feel alive.  Bet many were calling Elena many names right about now, especially 'bee-ach' for one!  So what's so special about Elena anyway, no really?  Rebekah has also roped, okay compelled Tyler (Michael Trevino) into coming to save Caroline and then compels him to turn so he will kill them, not that she wants them dead.

Poor Tyler had it bad this episode finally breaking down over his mother's death and blaming himself for not being able to save her and ending up in the same hall where the memorial was held at school.  Damon helps Jeremy (Steven R McQueen) at boy's camp and keeps him and Matt (Zach Roerig) from pizza, well someone had to stop them eating too much junk food, until Klaus arrived wanting to speed the process up of Jeremy hunting vampires.  Damon gets to shot Klaus in revenge for Carol, but not like that hurt him.

Elena running after Stefan as if he wants to hear anything she has to say with her 'we need to talk' just to ease her conscience.  What could she possibly say that would make him feel better.  As if admitting she's in love with Damon wasn't the final nail in the coffin.  Rebekah tormenting Stefan with her offer to compel him to forget everything about Elena which he falls for but she refuses so he can feel the same pain she felt for 900 years.  Particularly after Klaus compelled heh to forget Stefan.  Stefan and Rebekah forge alliances since Stefan tells her Damon has Jeremy and Klaus, kind of, Klaus has the sword, Shane has Bonnie and they have nothing.  Rebekah wants the cure to use on Klaus to watch him become mortal.

Klaus meanwhile has fresh prey waiting for Jeremy to hunt at the bar and Elena tells Damon Stefan knows about them, yet the Salvatore hate continues once more with Stefan hating Damon again, just after they 'found' themselves again a few episodes ago.

Good to see Rebekah having fun for a change  with her game, well she hasn't had any in a long time.  Damon wants to find the cure for Elena, thought Stefan wanted that and Damon wants Elena to drive to him, huh so much for brotherly love.  Turns out Damon doesn't want Klaus to find another way of speeding up the mapping process on Jeremy's body but instead agrees with Klaus, yeah only cos of Elena.

April: "It's time the entire town started telling the truth" yeah like that'll happen.

Revenge 2.7 "Penance" Review

                                       
Emily: "penance is a sacrifice.  A voluntary punishment to show remorse for a sin.  The more grievous the sin, the greater the self- inflicted suffering.  For some, the ultimate penance is death.  But for others it is simply a means to an end."

Lots happening this episode beginning with Kara (Jennifer Jason Leigh) sneaking up on Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) or rather scaring her in the process, to tell her she's leaving and needs a credit card, obviously Victoria volunteers thinking the sooner she's out of her hair the better.  Mason (Roger Bart) confronts Emily (Emily Vancamp) with the revelation that she and Amanda (Margarita Levieva) were at juvvie together, is that all, would have thought it would have been the revelation everyone was talking about, that Emily is really Amanda.  He thinks she and Amanda were lovers.  So he will expose everything in his next book which will make the New York best seller list as did his first one.  Emily threatens him with a libel suit when that happens, but he doesn't give up there.

Aiden (Barry Sloane) plans a meeting with Daniel (Josh Bowman) and will give him the ammo necessary to prove David Clarke had a large share holding in NolCorp and provided finance for it, thus Grayson Global is entitled to a large chunk of the company and more importantly profits.  Daniel wants to use this to take over Grayson Global with a no confidence vote in Conrad (Henry Czerny).  The plan is skank Ashley (Ashley Madekwe) will ensure Conrad is held up at the meeting with investors whilst Daniel will reveal his plan to the other investors, including Helen Crowley (Wendy Crewson) from the Initiative.  Little does Daniel know who she is.  Victoria listens to Daniel's plan and tries to tell Conrad, but Kara holds them up in their room.  She demands questions and answers about David and how they framed him.  Conrad attempts to stall until Victoria can get her gun, taking the blame for everything, cos David was stealing his wife and he wanted him to hurt as much as he did.  Think Victoria was a little shocked at that.  Too late the gun's not there.

Kara takes them into their dressing room and Victoria tells her Gordon killed David as she has the other half of the photo to prove it.  Yes that photo that everyone has seen, well Emily at least and found its way into Victoria's possession.  Kara makes them wear blindfolds and get down on their knees.  Victoria and Conrad manage to hold hands in what they believe is their final moment.  So how did Kara arrive here...

Well Mason was to blame for that and partly Emily too, as he contacts Amanda for the truth on Emily.  She can't talk to him at the bar but she will at his house as Amanda plans to get rid of him once and for all, you know, using her old tyre iron ploy as weapon.  Before that she confronts Emily about Mason and how she hasn't told her anything about him.  She tells Amanda to cancel lunch with him and to threaten a restraining order if he doesn't oblige.  Emily arrives in the nick and wants Amanda to go home and think of how lucky is she is with what she has.

Daniel tries o get info from Kara about David and his investments before she leaves but she tells him he was very secretive and hid things so there might be something.  Emily arrives with a present for Victoria and she has it placed with the rest of the unopened gifts.  Wonder if Emily bought her an empty box just as she did when Emily was engaged to Daniel.

We meet up with Ryan's (JR Bourne) brother Nate (Michael Trucco) this episode and how they're trying to get all the ships and other businesses in the area, er, out of business cos they're nasty people, including Jack's  (Nick Wechsler) father.  But Ryan tries to tell him that Jack and Declan are good.  Nate meets Jack.  Oh no Declan and Charlotte missing this episode and I didn't even notice, maybe they ran off together, ha!

Aiden needs Nolan's (Gabriel Mann) help since he wants to help Emily, saying he wronged her and wants to make it right, when Nolan asks him why he's here, considering he took away his best friend.  That's aiden's penance.  Aiden reminds him of how forensic accountants will be able to locate the extent of the shareholding, including that of Emily's.  So Nolan gives him David's cheque for NolCorp so Daniel can use it to take over Grayson Global.

Funny moment when Victoria finds Conrad on the beach, thinking he was going to end it all, did that last episode too.  He's not going to do that since there are enough people gunning for him.  Victoria suggests they play along with the Initiative for now.  Amanda tells Mason that Emily is stalking her and is obsessed with her since her first day inside and is about to hit him with a tyre iron when Emily stops her.  Finally admitting she's the real Amanda Clark and needs his help.  Suppose it was only fitting that Emily should reveal her own real identity instead of Mason or anyone else doing it for her.  Mason calls Kara and whilst he meets with her to give her Gordon's pocketwatch, Nolan plants evidence at Mason's implicating him in Gordon's murder and conspiring to frame Conrad.  Well that's one way to skin a writer.

Emily gets Aiden to rescue Conrad and Victoria by using chloroform on Kara and taking her out.  She's allowed to leave and her message for Amanda, she "tried to be a good mother."  Well at least Emily got to heat that, kind of meant  for her ears only.  Conrad and Victoria think the Initiative have more uses for them which is why they probably saved them from Kara since she's disappeared.

Nolan asks Padma (Dilshad Vadsaria) if she still wants him if tomorrow everything changes and he's no longer who he is.  Wish they'd get on with that storyline cos I for one would like to see the back of her!  Jack also tells Emily he's proposed to Amanda and Emily gets to use Mason by getting him to confess to Gordon's murder and that she holds the real evidence for getting him out of prison, i.e her confession.  Which she will do when she's ready to.  Also he can now write his second book about her and David.

Emily: "To properly do penance, one must express contrition for one's sins and perform acts to repair the damage caused by those transgressions.  It is only when these acts are complete that the slate can truly be wiped clean.  And amnesty gives way to a new beginning."  Emily can resist Aiden no longer as they passionately kiss, surprised no one was watching them from the famous balcony!

Seems Emily's plans get side tracked quite a bit in her quest for revenge, whereas she was firmly of the belief that the Graysons were her true enemies and the ones she had to bring down, lately she hasn't really been concerned with doing just that.  Here she even says that Conrad isn't her endgame and the one she wants to bring down.  Other people keep getting in her way and she always finds she must come up with some other plans to salvage what she can of a bad situation, or to save someone and then leave her schemes for another day.  Here she enlists Nolan once again to help and he will do anything for his real family as he puts it, which doesn't include leaving Padma though, he's still enamoured of her for some reason.  Well I'm still waiting for the ultimate betrayal from her!  Oh loved Nolan's matching blue shoes!  Matching his jacket that is!

Mr Selfridge Series 1 Episode 7 Review

                                        
Today marked the occasion of the visit of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (John Sessions) a bit of a coup and especially since he holds a seance with his friend and medium, Mr Crenell (Todd Boyce).  Not something to go down well in those times.  Yet as we know Harry's (Jeremy Piven) game for anything particularly if it beings in sales, or rather punters, I like saying that for some reason. Though it's actually held for the staff.

Rose (Frances O'Connor) chases after Harry as he opens the lights in the house and puts the clocks five minutes forward to give them more time.  She thinks he's crazy and she's crazy too cos of him.  He's sorry for putting them through all that pain and he promises he'll always be there for them.  Then invites her to lunch with Conan Doyle and she can get her books signed.

Agnes (Aisling Loftus) beautifies herself in the mirror before leaving for work and tears a piece off her petticoat to use as a ribbon for her hat.  George (Calum Callaghan) comments she'll make someone a good wife, but she's not ready for that just yet.  She assures George he'll find someone too.  The store is abuzz as usual and Harry greets hi staff, not out of the lift this time, but from the balcony.  checking the counter glass for dirt, as Miss Mardle (Amanda Abbington) asked Doris (Lauren Crace) to clean properly not five minutes before.

Frank (Samuel West) is happy to see Harry return and asks Harry for a quote, "life must go on."  Well didn't need a quote there then.  Frank needs a new pencil and asks Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) for some samples, but not before there's flirting to be had.  Her hair is natural strawberry blonde and Kitty is taken with him.  He buys the pencils and before you know it, she gets a note, "sweets for a sweetheart" and a box of humbugs.  Kitty thinks she has a secret admirer and believes it could be Frank, with Doris jumping the gun and calling her Mrs Frank Edwards.  Obviously it's not Frank, but George, well the way he looked at her outside the teashop was a giveaway.

Irene (Anna Madeley) asks Harry for Agnes in her fashion department and she seems to be the apple of everyone's eye.  Though Henri (Gregory Fitoussi) seems to be a little cold towards her, especially when she tells him news of her promotion, but he's already heard.  Miss Mardle seemed reluctant to let Agnes leave but she's eager to go.   Kitty and Doris see Miss Bunting (Pippa Haywood) at the teashop and Doris feels sorry for her as she can't find work without a reference.  Doris speaks with her but Kitty chooses to ignore her, all right and proper, she doesn't associate with common riff raff.  Doris gives her a coin to help her buy some buns.  Her mother has passed now.

Doris later asks Grove (tom Goodman-Hill) if he will give Miss Bunting a reference since it would be something she'd ask for her own mother. Grove will have to speak with Harry and gives her a farthing for her to tide her over and for her to return same time next week.  Grove comments Kitty is "soft of heart."  In comparison to Miss Mardle whom he was rather standoffish towards, especially when she tells him she gave him her child bearing years and waited for him, and waited...even at the seance when a woman with the initial 'H' (Hettie) told him to marry again and thanked him for looking after her.  Grove finds it too much and walks off.  Seems he was only interested in Miss Mardle as long as his wife was alive and he didn't have to offer her any sort of commitment, but it was fine for him to use heh like that! Just stringing her along, seemed that way.

The seance also reveals a man, very hostile who Crenell doesn't allow to speak or convey his hostile message, especially since it's meant to be Harry's father.  Conveniently it had to be him, since Harry's been having all those nightmares, made worse after his accident.  Harry refuses  a private seance with him since it's the past and he's moved on.   He's more worried about his mother, Lois (Kika Markham) and especially after the conversation she had with Rose, he doesn't know anything about, of how Harry acts reckless and Rose thinks he may be born that way.   Or she can think like Rose and imagine they made him that way.   They also prepare Rosalie's (Poppy Lee Friar) dress for her coming out which she will attend with Lady Mae (Katherine Kelly) and without her parents.  So naturally she's nervous.  Who wouldn't be with Lady Mae around, who keeps on with her affair with Victor (Trystan Gravelle) who didn't seem to be at work, nor did he attend the seance.

Musker (Tim Woodward) talks to Harry about not being so eager to float the stock and issue shares so suddenly and the bank suggests a few weeks for this, Harry prefers a day.  He instructs Crabb (Ron Cook) to bring the bankers to the store for a meeting, which he actually manages to do.  But Musker also has Lady Mae up his sleeve, who puts in a good word for Harry and how he's so progressive.  Not to mention the way he held the seance too, so very daring.  As well as the reception of Conan Doyle.  With Sherlock Holmes being bounded around just for good measure and for anyone who doesn't know who Conan Doyle is. Thus the bankers arrange a meeting with Harry for the Monday.  Lady Mae also cautions him about the public floating of shares since they also mean publicity for his family.

Kitty isn't too pleased when she finds out it's George who's been sending heh the sweets and she agrees to tea with him anyway, seeing as she likes cats.  Oh not another cat comment, seem to recall she made one about Agnes in the first part and Agnes replied she had a cat named Kitty.  Agnes meanwhile gets flustered over ol' Henri and asks him for help with dressing the mannequin for the store window.  Taking a chance and kissing him in the process, yeah we know it was just an excuse asking him for help, just to check as she wasn't sure if she kissed him right.

Harry tells Lois he knows about his father and how he left them, he wasn't really a war hero and understands why she lied to him. To not go through the pain she did. But he promises he won't do that and doesn't want to be like him. Well, he may not leave the family for another woman, but that didn't stop him from having his fun and dalliances, affairs of the heart.  Speaking of, no Ellen Love this episode, a relief, ha.

Not much happened this episode but seemed to be more of a way to make Harry get back into the stride of things and thinking to the future, which is what he always does.  Kind of a way to tie up some loose ends in
that his brush with death was put aside and he's ready and eager to move on.  Think one of the best lines coming from him was when he said he'll leave his legacy and the store will continue on even without him.  Which rings true as we know.  "What we leave behind is more important than ourselves."

Oh and Roddy's Paris show is a success as Lois tells her Rose's portrait will be worth quite a few dollars.  Rose is glad she made the right choice then. Right choice in not going with him, but he's not gone for good and next episode will rear his ugly head again, to cause more trouble.

Oh and there's that lift scene again with Harry coming out to meet the bankers, though it wasn't that prominent as in the past, see more serious business, and which proves successful for him.  Those exits from the lift usually do!  Seems we didn't get much of a mystery with Conan Doyle around after all, though Rose was acting all shy over not getting the book signed in her own name.  He refers to her as 'Rosa' and not Rose, wonder if that was relevant, or just a slip of the tongue.  Though Conan Doyle didn't turn to spiritualism until the death of his wife Louisa and his son in World War One and his brother.  Here he's already portrayed as being into the spirit world, most probably due to Louisa dying in 1906.

Simon Baker Receives Star on Walk of Fame

                                                    
Simon Baker, 43 year old Aussie actor and star of The Mentalist today received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  Wowing fans and critics in how soon he received this.  Some actors have to wait practically a lifetime for this honour, but it's nice to see lovable and generous Simon, received his so early on in life.  Just goes to show what a good show and how an Aussie can make it big in the US.  It was star number 2,490.  The ceremony was held outside of Beso, the restaurant owned by Eva Longoria.

Simon was accompanied by his wife, Rebecca Rigg and their three children, Harry Friday, Claude Blue and Stella Breeze.  As well as his co-star Robin Tunney, The Mentalist creator Bruno Heller and Naomi Watts.  This was a bit of a surprise for many fans and followed hot on the trail of the UK release of his most recent movie I Give It A Year.

How fitting he received this star today of all day's, showing the love, appreciation and admiration Simon so rightly deserves.  Congrats Simon!

Without A Trace 3.23 "Endgame" Review

                                                   
A man named McCreedy brings a woman a cup of coffee at work and she remarks the cup is made from paper and not Styrofoam.  She spots a man and hides behind her desk.  McCreedy tells his boss she needed air as she disappears.  The man was Det. Beaumont from the NYPD and he wanted to ask Paige (Anna Belknap) some routine questions.  Her room mate said she didn’t come home.  Paige Hobson is a data analyst for Infomerge and has worked here for 2 years.  Jack (Anthony LaPaglia) tells Martin (Eric Close) the NYPD told him Beaumont doesn’t exist.

24 Hours Missing

Paige is an activist.  McCreedy wasn’t her type as he’s “too shallow.”  They were working on something for Fit’n’Thin who has the potential to target 10 million customers in the 25-49 demographic.  Paige says they target white women because they’re more concerned about their weight.  She commented on the technology here whilst children are going hungry, have no textbooks and people are without healthcare.  She doesn’t make a difference and he suggested she should get laid.  Jack asks if she took his advice.  He doesn’t know the man’s name.

The doctor tells Viv (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) the procedure during her operation.  Her heart will stop beating for an hour but the bypass machine will keep the blood circulating around her body.  He’s carried out a lot of these procedures.  Martin tells Jack the coffee vendor outside recalls Paige getting into a yellow cab.  Jack has a stop to make before he gets back to the office.

Paige’s roommate tells Danny (Enrique Murciano) and Sam (Poppy Montgomery)  that she doesn’t have any enemies and has a sister in Cincinnati.  Danny checks her computer.  Paige was dating a man 2 months ago, she was secretive about him but she was happy.  Danny finds a photo of the mystery man.  Julia Gomez (Shontae Saldana) came to see her here, she was one of her mentors from her high school.  She told Julia she was pregnant a week ago and wants to keep the baby.  The father wants her to have an abortion.  He’s a policeman and he’s married.  Danny thinks the policeman is probably the man who went to see Paige.  Danny and Sam show Julia a photo of the man, Beaumont but he’s not her boyfriend.  Paige called and she told her she was leaving.  She gave her $50,000 for the baby.  Danny asks for the money.  Jack visits Viv, she doesn’t want him there and tells him her operation is at 3pm.  He wishes her luck and wanted her to know he was thinking about her.

26 Hours Missing

Sam tells Danny, Internal affairs is investigating the policeman.  The $50,000 was withdrawn from a bank account by a Sarah Reynolds from the Borough National Bank.  The licence number matches a photo of Paige.  Martin can’t help watching Sam talk with Danny.  Martin finds the security software on Paige’s computer wipes everything, but finds a photo of the same man they found at her place.  Martin and Sam question Paige’s sister.

She identifies the man as Adisa Teno (Jason George).  Paige met him 4 years ago in Makeba, Africa when she worked for an aid agency.  He was at her place 2 weeks ago.  He arrived in New York 2 months ago as he’s not welcome in his own country.  General Gamba (Frank Emeka) is in charge and there is nothing but famine, disease and death squads there.  Paige expresses her abhorrence at the pharmaceutical drug companies which experiment on children there.  Adisa changes the subject.  They were in love and he wasn’t looking for a Green Card.  Paige always had a soft spot for strays.

Danny finds Paige had a million consumer records a week on her computer; identity, socials.  Sam thinks she was involved in identity theft.  Jack says she sold the identities to fraud companies.  He finds Adisa is part of the Makeba Liberation Front and is on the terrorist watchlist.  $250,000 million were transferred to a JF Holdings.  Jack asks Sam how she is and she thinks he’s checking up on her and Martin.  Jack will wait outside the Makeban embassy and Sam heads back to put a name to the face of the fake detective.  Viv undergoes surgery.

Sam deosn’t find any African names on the list and will ask at the State Department.  Jack talks to a man. He’s the security attachment and asks what interest he has in Paige.  Their Intel has told them Adisa is part of a terrorist group and will be making an attempt on the General.  The MLF are a threat.  He calls Adisa brutal and ruthless.  Jack tells him that’s what people here also think of the General.  He leaves and tells Jack he’s in the buffer zone, on African soil.  Martin tells Danny Paige changed cabs at South Street and Fulton.  Danny tells him JF Holdings have a warehouse 2 blocks away from there.

28 Hours Missing

The FBI raid the warehouse and Jack arrests Adisa.

29 Hours missing

They confiscate their stockpile of weapons.  Jack isn’t concerned about the General but only about Paige.  Adisa tells Jack he works for the General because his colleague will want his deportation and he’ll listen, when he arrives at the airport he’ll be shot.  The General gave the order and Jack obeyed it.  He hasn’t seen Paige.  Jack says being in love with her isn’t so noble.  She took data from her work to fund their cause.  Jack says this isn’t about love.  Adisa betrayed her trust.  She came to him for help when a man came to see her at work.  Jack calls him a killer.

Danny and Martin question one of Adisa’s men.  Danny says they can detain him alone on the weapons charges for an indefinite period.  Martin tells him they’re helping him by not deporting him and that there won’t be bait on the General.  Paige turned up at the warehouse and was told about the General.  She thought the money was going to be used for relief supplies.  The weapons were the relief.  Deep down she knew the money was really for arms.  Adisa told her of his family being murdered and he was the only survivor.  Nothing can jeopardize their work.  He couldn’t let Paige go.  When the man returned she was gone.  Danny asks what he did with her?

Jack speculates Paige knew too much so Adisa killed her.  He apologized for deceiving her and said he loves her,  he gave her a gun.  Jack says it wasn’t for protection but he probably shot her with it.

Sam finds the man is Emil Dornvald (Charles Mesure).  He served in the army and then was a mercenary and even worked for the CIA.  Martin finds Paige bought a ticket from Grand Central station to Cincinnati.  Danny thinks she’s going to her sister.  The train leaves at 2:42pm and they have it held.  It’s 3pm Jack looks at the station clock.  Viv’s heart doesn’t start at the end of the operation.

30 Hours Missing

Danny looks at Viv’s photo with Reggie on her desk.  Martin looks up the record on Paige’s phone.  She had 2 calls at 2:38pm and a picture message.  Jack and Sam are called to a crime scene in an alley where Julia’s body is found.  She was shot through the head.  The time of the 911 call was 2:42pm.  Sam thinks she called Paige.  Jack tells her it wasn’t Julia who made the call, but someone else.  A black SUV was seen leaving the scene.

32 Hours Missing

Danny puts out an APB, Interagency alert and stop notices at the airport on Dornvald.  Jack, Martin and Sam watch the embassy.  Jack phones the hospital, Viv is still in surgery.  An SUV arrives with the General.  Jack says they’ll take Dornvald out of the buffer zone if they have to, but he’s not with them.  Jack spots Paige but she shoots the General.

Paige tells Sam she wasn’t the shooter but she was about to leave when she got the phonecall and everything changed with Julia’s murder.  Dornvald told her there wouldn’t be an assassination and wanted the names of all the MLF members, then he’ll stop killing her loved ones.  She told him she’s at Hartford, Connecticut.  Dornvald will pay for what he did.  Sam tells her she’ll be charged with murder as the General’s dead.  Paige wanted to make a difference, maybe she has now.  Jack tells Adisa news of the assassination has reached the rebels and the government, they fortified the palace.  Adisa tells him it’s a battle now.  He asks about Paige.  Jack watches him from outside the interrogation room.  Martin removes photos form the board and leaves Dornvald’s on the suspect board whilst the news shows pictures from Makeba.

Sam takes Paige away as Danny and Martin take Adisa away in handcuffs.  They watch each other.  Jack visits Viv at the hospital.  Her husband, Marcus (Joseph C Phillips) nods his head when he sees him.  Danny and Martin transport Adisa in a car.  Jack calls Danny and tells him Viv’s fine.  A van pulls up and stops in front of their car.  Dornvald and others get out and shoot at the car…

A routine episode in many ways  as all the missing pieces all fall into place easily: i.e. the warehouse connection leading them to find Adisa so easily, Paige taking 2 cabs thinking no one will find her, they did.  So you know something's about to happen , so much for Danny saying, “it’s over.”

A first for the show ending on a cliff-hanger – of course one of them will be shot!  Danny being rather preminitious (ok my word) first he says “it’s over” which is far from the truth then his last words of the season : “at least we’re ending the day on an upnote…”  Yeah, on a shoot out.  Those were the highlights of this rather tedious episode, the last few seconds with Danny and Martin!  But it is over for Viv who’s out of surgery, it’s also over for Paige and Adisa, but only just beginning for Makeba and it’s struggle.  Though the story isn’t very original, African country being ruled by a despot whilst its people suffer disease, death and famine… There were some uplifting moments, such as the revolution being sparked, albeit by a plot twist , with Paige turning assassin which she wouldn’t have done if Julia hadn’t been murdered, if Adisa hadn’t given her the gun and the call to arms: "Sending rice is not the solution…it requires one moment to spark a revolution, to take action…”
Repeated by Paige when she tells Sam her reasons for the killing, “Sam: “you don’t seem the type.”
Paige: “I’m not…Adisa says there’s a moment that makes people take action – that was my moment.”  Well it would have meant much more if the lines hadn't come from Lindsay from CSI:NY, so boring here and in that too!!

Jack having an empathetic moment when he tells Adisa about Paige, “she’s not the girl you first met.” Watching him on the other side; sympathizing with their predicament, kind of.

Martin: “So I have you to thank for all the junk mail.”  A repetition of his from episode 18 when he mentions he gets so much junk mail from a certain bank.

Fit’n’Thin rears it’s head again from season 3 episode 5, American Goddess when Danny had a lot to say about it too.

Viv: “for that hour I’ll be dead.”  Just like she was shot and died in episode 3.22, Jack’s dream.

Viv: “oh you think I want you to see me like this.”  She’s worried about her operation but she could’ve been more appreciative of Jack’s visit, after all, he’s seen her collapsed on the roadside and in the ambulance.  Also whatever happened to Viv’s brother, they don’t get on as mentioned in season 1 episode, but he is still family.

Danny: “She gets around.”

Martin watching Sam speak to Danny, jealous much maybe?

Danny: “She’s in deep.”

Jack: “How are you – how you doin’?”
Sam: “it’s not affecting my work Jack – me and Martin.”
Jack: “I’ wasn’t talkin’ about Martin.  I was just trying to have a damn conversation!”  Think Jack was trying to be more communicative with his team, i.e when he spoke to Sam, she was defensive for no reason – they are meant to be over.  Ha, funny how they always say the wrong thing, whatever made Sam think Jack would bother asking about them too anyway?

Viv’s out of danger as Danny and Martin are entering into it...

Jack: “African soil, looks like Park Avenue to me.”

Jack: “you are taking our Second Amendment just a little bit too far.”  The Second Amendment being the right to bear arms.

Ooh Danny making more threats of indefinitely holding…!  Danny and Jack are the only ones who think of Viv, Sam doesn’t but Martin’s relieved at the end she’s okay.

Viv’s photo of her with her husband seems to have vanished from her desk.
Funny Paige’s last name being Hobson, re Hobson’s Choice, she had a choice and she made it.  The wrong one but I can't sympathize with her, it's Lindsay after all!!  Just think if Medical Investigations had continued she'd never have made it onto CSI:NY!!

Jason George was in Sunset Beach and  Stargate SG1, to mention a few shows, and Lisa Sheridan was seen in the new alien drama series Invasion.  With Eddie Cibrian, also Jason's co-star in Sunset Beach.  Charles Mesure went on to Crossing Jordan and Desperate Housewives.

CSI 11.3 "Blood Moon" Review

CSI does vampires and werewolves once more. This time it's a convention but with people who actually believe they really are vampires and werewolves.

Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) and Vartann (Alex Carter) 'gettin' it on', interspersed with the Vic being chased and killed - and the five announcer (UK channel where the show is aired, warning us of violent scenes from the outset.)  This scene not left to our imaginations.   (Wonder what Marg made of it all, ha.   I know it's only acting...) They then arrive at the CS and Vartann tells Catherine that the speed limit isn't a "suggestion."  Catherine: "You gonna give me a ticket, copper?"  A DB is found with his head on a spike and Ray (Laurence Fishburne) comments on the terror in his eyes - he knew he was going to die.  Or rather it wasn't just the terror, but who actually did the dirty deed.   (See later.) Catherine tells from the amount of blood on the ground that he was still alive when beheaded.   Ray notices the blood moon and that it could be a  ritualistic killing.   Referring to the Book of Revelation and specifically the precursor to the End of Days.

This was CSI's  answer to the Twilight saga and the battle between vampires and werewolves.

Nick (George Eads) doesn't find any tyre tracks or footprints or an ID.   Ray: "Where is the bugman when you need him?" Nick answering his call.  A longhorn beetle crawls out of the DB's mouth and some hair from an unknown source is also found.   Ray's reference to 'bugman' immediately made me think of Gil and Nick mentions him too, later on.   Nick has also become the 'bugman' now in the absence of Gil.   In the season opener, Nick noticed the behaviour of the cockroaches too.  

Ligature marks are found on his wrist and chains were used to hold him in place, there are also abrasions on his chest, indicating he ran into the barbed wire.   David (David Berman) tells Nick that Doc Robbins (Robert David Hall) wants the head on the spike and the body with the fence brought back.   David and Doc attempt to remove the head off the spike, Doc: "...like trying to get meat off a shish kebab." That'd be enough to put you off any sort of skewered meat!  Lots of foody references in this episode.   The spike went straight in the Vic's brain.   David brings up the Lizzie Bordon poem, but Doc corrects him that the number of whacks she gave weren't 40, but 29.   They can't determine the type of weapon used, until the flesh is boiled and the toolmarks are examined.

Sara (Jorga Fox) comments on how the will to kill is very strong.   Ray remarks on the absence of body hair on the Vic.   Sara finds traces of wax.   Vartann doesn't find the Vic in the system and then throws a bombshell, by asking Catherine to move in with him.   Overheard by Hodges (Wallace Langham) who dotes on what could have been with Wendy (Liz Vassey).   The ingredients in the wax were rosemary, lemon juice and olive oil.   Leading Catherine to identify the hotel which gives such waxes.

Ray finds the Vic was about to be married and Nick finds a yellow contact lens on the floor of his hotel room.  Ray discovers the Celtic love knot ring.  The venue for the wedding is chock-a-block full of vampires.   Nick asks Ray for garlic.  The Vic was Michael (Thad Luckinbill) and he was seen yesterday.   Julie (Laura Breckenridge) his fiancee, says it's her fault what happened (and she's right) since she wanted to get married at the Convention.   Her hand, Thomas 's hand (Max Beesley) and Michael's all had scars.   Thomas comments they're not 'Sanguinarians' and their blood is symbolic of the life force that flows within.   (Sorry maybe I always say this, but my first suspect was Julie) also because Ray made particular comment to the Celtic knot ring, signifying 'tying the knot'.

Mentioning Sanguinarians, or sanguine was more like the CSI:NY episode, Sanguine Love (season 6) written by Carmine Giovinazzo - not that I'm biased - hang on I am, jut a little!) but I thought that episode was exceptional.   Kudos to Carmine for his great writing and creative talent! Everyone in their various groups also took their beliefs seriously in that episode.

Greg (Eric Szmanda) comments that to kill real vampires their heads need to be lopped off.   Sara says he wasn't a real vampire.   She doesn't believe in them.   She's more of the scientific believer.   Gil (William Petersen)would theorize over their existence, alluding to various cultures around the world.   As did Ray when he mentioned the werewolf.   Sara matches the stria, indicating the marks were made from one tool.   Greg thinks it's an axe or a hatchet.

At the convention, Ray dons red contacts and vampire fangs and admits they make him feel powerful.   They dress up to embrace their dark sides.   The lens are similar to the one found in the hotel room.   Nick tells Ray he scared of him.  They get an axe from a weapon's seller who claims he's a direct descendant of Van Helsing.   Back at the lab, Ray strikes 'Jello-man' with the axe, splattering Nick with fake blood.   Nick finishes off the job, counting 16 strikes of the axe, beating the killer's strikes of 18.  Ray surmises the Vic was struck from all sides, thus there had to be more than one killer.

Hodges identifies the hair from the Vic's mouth to be from Canis Lupus, i.e.  wolf.   Vampires were once slaves to werewolves, as legends go.  Catherine tells him that as a scientist, "wanna-werewolves can't transform into wolves."  Hodges gets personal with Catherine asking her who's going to move into whose place, since he had a chance to love and lost.   Greg finds the wolf in the system, named Timber, owned by Kurt Francis (Michael Grazladei).   The wolf took part in a fight.   Sara states they should blame the owner for the fight, not the wolf.   Wolves hunt in packs.

Whilst attempting to question the werewolves at the Convention, Ray demonstrates his ability to subdue Kurt, without the use of a gun, or any other weapon.   Nick, meantime, has to draw his gun again to hold back the others.  Nick's funny/sarcastic comment that werewolves and vampires are in the same movies.   So they have plenty in common.   His DNA was on the contact lens, but he claims he doesn't recall where he was.   It was a full moon and he "shifted."

Sara and Greg examine Kurt's truck, to find dog collars, which could have been used to hold Michael as they have the same ligature patterns on him.   Blood spatter on the door checks positive for blood and Sara smells vomit inside, which Nick objects to mentioning since he's eating.   Yeah, about time someone said it.   Greg tells him he's always eating.  Someone drank Michael's blood and was sick, as humans don't have the enzymes necessary to digest blood.    Ray asks what a vampire was doing in Kurt's truck?  He mentions, Porphryia the vampire disease.   Allowing Nick to recall the case they had a few years back about the woman who had the disease and used to grind up meat into protein shakes.   (CSI episode Justice is Served, pun there.)  Ray almost chokes on his shake! They're looking for a Sanguinarian.   Ray opens the curtains at the Convention room and Thomas's skin burns.   Nick: "the great thing about science is that it always sheds light on the subject."

Thomas tells them Michael was already dead and he got a ride back with Kurt.   Why would a vampire kill one of their own?  Nick was right when he said it was about the girl, Julie.   They examine Thomas and Kurt's clothes and conclude there should be more blood spatter on them.   Catherine deducing as cast off was present, they were both there.   Hodges analyzes the cloak showing traces of a flowering herb, which grows at 2,500 feet in the mountains.

Nick: "Grissom, is that you, Gil" to Sara.   Who tells him Gil wouldn't like him calling him by his first name.  Sara asks Nick if he knows that a "12 letter word for 'beyond the forest' is Transylvania."  Sara finds the axe buried in the ground and Nick finds pieces of a torn photo.   Why not just take the objects with them, they had all that time to bury everything up there.   So why not bury Michael too.  Kurt's in the photo and so is Michael.   He used to be a werewolf, but became a vampire after falling for Julie.  (As Nick said it too.)

Ray and Sara notice marks on the handle of the axe during analysis and Ray mentions the marks on their experiment were from his wedding ring.  The marks are from a Celtic ring.   Julie admits to killing Michael since "love based on a lie" isn't love.   She was whacked out!  She won't testify against the others to avoid the death penalty.  Well, not being cynical, but being who she professes to be, don't see her lasting long in any prison with the kind of inmates she'll come across, so the death penalty will be the least of her worries.   Also what about Nick and Ray's findings during their experiment that there had to be someone behind Michael to have killed him.   Shouldn't that be admissible at trial too for the jury to decide for themselves.

Catherine doesn't want to move in and bicker over small stuff, she's happy as they are.   Ray and Nick watch the Nosferatu (1922) movie, which scared Nick when he was 7.   Ray can't explain why there's such evil in the world, and how people can commit such violent acts.   They wouldn't have a job if there wasn't any evil.   Getting another call out.   Ray: "let's go hunt some monsters."  Hey Nick didn't even get to finish his sandwich!

This isn't CSI's (TV) first foray into vampire territory, see the episode Suckers, where Catherine and Warrick (Gary Dourdan) looked into the death of a teenage girl who thought she was a vampire.   Also the episode, Werewolves, which dealt with Hypertrichosis.   Allusions to werewolves too in the CSI:Miami episode, Sunblock.

I've said it to my friends and I'll say it again, why does George feel the need to go 'short back and sides, and get a haircut when he doesn't need to, He does that every season without fail and I come up with my comment, every season without fail! Ha.

Nick and Ray have a great rapport going, not just in terms of CSI to CSI, but as friends too and Nick still calls him 'Dr Ray'.   They make a great team.   Having been paired together last season, glad it's continuing this season too, they also really click and understand each other.

Supernatural Never-ending With Season 9

                                      
It was inevitable, bound to happen and was just a matter of time that Supernatural would get a season 9.  There were no ifs or buts about it, though some would wonder why.  Yes those cynics out there who believe the show should have exited stage left by season 5. But we won't give in to their pointless machinations or rantings of our show.  Supernatural kicks ass!

Even with so many different stories, characters and the addition of angels, ha, Supernatural is one show that still stands out from the rest.  From its humble beginnings back in 2005, the brainchild of creator Eric Kripke, it showed grit, out of this world stories and plots.  Fiendish demons and ghosts and above all it was a show about family.  That through the ups and downs at the end of the day family is what everyone needs.

Yet the show wouldn't be complete without its amazing stars, Jensen Ackles and Jarad Padalecki.  They deserve plenty of credit for making the show what it is and for making us the fans believe in them and Supernatural.  Of course the crew, writers and everyone else involved also merit attention too, including the rest of the cast in Jim Beaver, Misha Collins.  All completing and complimenting the circle and adding so much more to a wildly, entertaining concept.  Always ready to try out new avenues, monsters, bringing in angels to counteract and interact with the demons and taking the risk.  I recall certain people arguing the show was wrong for doing that as it headed down the religious path, but that wasn't the case at all.  Especially since this was a piece of fiction, it wasn't reality.

Above all Supernatural showed us it was okay for men to cry, real man tears and not be ashamed.  On the verge of adversity, experiencing harrowing and painful death, of their father, of losing Sam, then Dean, crying was an out, a way of expressing emotion and bringing fans to tears also.  Helping us to face our own heartbreaks in reality when we lost someone close to us.  In my case my father and this coincided with Sam and Dean losing Dad (Jeffrey Dean Morgan).  Somehow it helped put it all into perspective.  This may not be the right outlet or medium for such an outpouring of grief to occur and some people may not agree or feel the same way, but for me and for many others, it gave us a better understanding of what these two brothers were going through in their own loves, even if they were just characters on a TV screen.

We live Supernatural, their loves, lives, hunts, jokes and above all their brotherhood and always being there for each other.  They went through hell and back, purgatory and so much more but their spirits never faltered.  Their hearts remained loyal and true to each other, to their cause and "helping people."  If not the Winchesters, there'd be no one to protect the world.  Not forgetting to mention Dean's baby, the Impala!

From the Pilot and beyond, Supernatural is and will always be my fave show ever! Some shows you can never be without and this is one of them.  Who knew the tagline used here, "scary just got sexy," would prove to reign year after year.  Drawing us forever more into the Winchester world.

Supernatural Season 9 we salute you!!

Revenge 2.6 "Illusion" Review

                                                      

Emily: "If we choose to, we can live in a world of comfortable illusions.  We can allow ourselves to be deceived by self-realities or we can use them to hide our true intentions."

Emily (Emily VanCamp) gives Amanda (Margarita Levieva) details about where and who removed her scar to get Mason Treadwell (Roger Bart) off the scent and to put him back on the Grayson radar, as Amanda lets slip she doesn't think the white haired man kidnapped Victoria (Madeleine Stowe).  That she saw a call from Conrad (Henry Czerny) on his phone and she thinks they set him up like they did her father.  This Emily does by getting Gordon's (James Morrison) DB from ice and getting Aiden (Barry Sloane) to help her.  She needs the gun but he'll only give it to heh if she accompanies him to the wedding as Conrad has invited him.

Preparations abound for the 'sham' wedding as Victoria looks at a photo of David when Kara (Jennifer Jason Leigh) walks in.  Victoria tells her to stay at the mansion until Gordon is found as she'll be safe here.  Charlotte (Christa B Allen) refuses to attend the wedding as she thinks they're just pretending.  Instead she goes to help Declan (Connor Paolo) at the opening of the Stowaway, where bad guy Ryan (JR Bourne) has Jack (Nick Wechsler) dispense with his spirit delivery man as he can get him top shelf stuff for only $8 a bottle, thus he must be into something illegal but Jack can't see it, even if the delivery man tells him so.  All Jack is in awe at 'what price booze?' Top Shelf reminded me of Brendan Hines song of the same name from his first album, Good For You Know Who.  Sorry, it's all this talk of booze.

Mason calls Nolan (Gabriel Mann) for help in tracing a number and he obliges, luckily Emily had to be there already before he gets the call to get him to go along with it.  Nolan: "You win with the steely eyes."  Been missing his one-liners since Aiden arrived and cut him out.  Mason thus turns up at Gordon's trailer and finds his DB as well as Conrad's missing cufflink, the same which he not mere seconds ago pointed out he wanted to wear to their wedding but he can't find it.  Charlotte gives Victoria the necklace she gave her for her sixteenth, something borrowed and blue at the same time, well that didn't bring her luck, or Conrad either for that matter.

Daniel (Josh Bowman) can't hide his ogling or his jealously at seeing Emily arrive in red (again) with Aiden.  After the wedding he asks Emily to dance and knows his pride got in the way, this could have been them at their wedding.  He asks if there's any hope of getting back together but just as he does, the police arrive to arrest Conrad.  You see, during the wedding they were checking put Conrad's office and found blood on one of his shirts, not to mention the gun in his car boot, yeah he'd really be that stupid enough to keep the evidence, or even so close to home at any rate.  Also Mason having given Victoria the heads up before the wedding of not having to spend the night with him.

Conrad from jail tells Victoria he was set up and she denies her involvement in any of it.  Thinking it was the Initiative.  Where speak of the devil Conrad is paid a visit by that nice lady from the Initiative, Helen Crowley (Wendy Crewson) and she reminds him of what he did for them.  How Grayson Global laundered money and he won't know what they plan this time until after it happens, which is exactly what he tells Victoria, after being released on bail so quickly.  

Emily is shown to plan the evidence at Conrad's place as Mason simultaneously strings together the pieces of the puzzle leading him to pin Emily and Amanda at juvvie together, that Emily is Amanda; after Victoria's little slip about Emily having also been there.  Leaving open the question of what exactly he'll do with that info, he can't reveal it just yet, unless the writers plan on removing him from the equation.  Well it's Revenge, with all the killings going on here, no one is safe.  Would Emily really get him on side?  It's too risky for starters, can't trust him at all, especially as she knows of his 'dealings' with David.

Kara finds out Gordon is dead after seeing it on the news and confronts Victoria, see her back away towards her balcony, now that was dangerous!  Then again there have been way too many of those scenes in this already.  Jack proposes to Amanda on The Amanda and Ashley (Ashley Madekwe) the minx, has her own agenda going on, and her remark about not wearing white cos Victoria wouldn't like it.  Padma (Dilshad Vadsaria) also has her own agenda.  Nolan confronts her about digging for dirt on David Clark with the Grayson's and doesn't seem to do much else with it other than asking how far she is willing to go in protecting him and NolCorp.

Aiden wants to get back with Emily but she can't.  Don't trust that one, look how he wormed his way back into her life and threw Nolan out of their little circle.  Nolan's nice touch there by referring to him as "Mr Bond."  Illusion had lots of things happening at once and merging plot lines and by far was a more interesting episode than the last.  Particularly the way in which Emily set up Conrad to take the fall for a murder he didn't commit, after getting married in a sham of a wedding.  Lots of illusions here then and not of the magic variety either. As well as Conrad giving Victoria a gun for a wedding present, to protect herself if he can't and there she was thinking he hoped she'd use it on herself.  That's reversed at the end, when Conrad walks into her bedroom to tell her of the Initiative and their plans, which he knows nothing about as before, and tells her she should use the gun on him as it'll make things simpler for him.

Kara is still quietly, or should I say slyly and dangerously  insane as she works out the Grayson's did away with Gordon as they did David, only they didn't have anything to do with killing Gordon.  Also Victoria works out there was more going on between Kara and Gordon than meets the eye.

Emily: "To successfully create an illusion the first thing you need is trust, but to perfect an illusion the false reality must be as authentic as the one it hides."

Mr Selfridge Series 1 Part 6 Review

                                            
The papers are full of the accident Harry (Jeremy Piven) suffered in the car and Agnes (Aisling Loftus) walks past the boards to the store.  When she arrives people are worried about him and it's left to Crabb (Ron cook) to break the news, that he's not out of the woods yet and Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) asks why Crabb is wearing a mourning band.  It's for Grove (Tom Goodman-Hill) whose wife passed in the night in her sleep.  Leaving the way open for Miss Mardle (Amanda Abbington) and Grove to get together, but it seems the path is still not smooth for them.  Crabb says the staff should get on as best they can and makes Miss Mardle chief of staff until Grove returns.

Victor (Trystan Gravelle) has set himself up with Lady Mae (Katherine Kelly) and gets the "perks" of being her new 'toy boy/man.'  He thinks she can set him up with his restaurant he's always wanted and Agnes thinks they could meet his uncle later in the evening, but he's got other plans.  As he lets sleep he's meeting with her, er him, re his restaurant.  Irene (Anna Madeley)  has to run Fashion and Accessories whilst MissMardle is chief of staff and she asks Doris (Lauren Crace) for help in the stockroom, perhaps after overhearing the remark made about not wanting to work with "that dragon."  Irene finds she can't do everything and so makes Agnes in charge of the two departments, but Agnes delegates Accessories to Kitty, especially after Doris tells her Kitty wants to get ahead since Agnes wonders why Kitty doesn't like her.

Harry's family keeps vigil at his bedside and Rose (Frances O'Connor) blames herself for not stopping Harry from leaving after their fight, or at least that she should have gone after him.  Mr Musker (Tim Woodward) an investor pays her a visit to find out what will happen in the unlikely event that Harry doesn't pull through and she tells him they are there to take on the store, but he doesn't believe commerce should be in the hands of women.  She reassures him after telling him Gordon will run the store, at least his shares will be in trust for him and that she and Lois (Kika Markham) will oversee until he's of age.  Everyone talking about Harry as if he's already for the grave.  Gordon (Adam Wilson) hears this and takes a walk to the store.

Everyone thinks it unusual a boy should be in a department store, especially the women, so much for equality, especially this episode where the Suffragettes, re the Votes for Women Movement are holding a march down Oxford Street.   Also surprising is no one recognizes Gordon as being Harry's son, he has been to the store before.  Before Henri (Gregory Fitoussi) finds him and tells them who he is.  Harry has staff meetings and meetings with many other people throughout the day and Crabb finds it surprising he can get through so many.  Miss Blenkinsop (Deborah Cornelius) tells him what Harry says about giving fifteen minutes to each persona and after that anything else that's said is just hot air.

Grove returns to the store and takes over.  He's not happy when Miss Mardle tells him he's being overwhelmed with everyone and they should take it easy on him.  When he's told of the march he wants the Suffragettes to cancel their luncheon they have every Tuesday and Lady Mae  is not happy with this when Victor is left to break the news to her.  She tries to protest but her request falls on deaf ears.  Crabb tries to think of what Harry would do and has a meeting with the rest of the staff in the lift.  Ahh that lift again but no Harry this time!  See many things go on in and out of that lift, so many store-turning decisions made, ha.

Henri volunteers to take Gordon home and Agnes should accompany him since she's made friends with him.  Well, no, he just wanted to be alone with her! Gordon tells Rose he wasn't running away but went to the store he will run when Harry dies.  Rose is upset at hearing that and the rest of the girls think that's unfair.  She sends them to the library.  Violette (Freya Wilson) reads about the march and is nowhere to be seen when Harry finally wakes up.  He had it easy this episode, no lines, well hardly any.  They probably thought he's been working too hard and needs some time off.  This episode was rather dull without Harry's usual enthusiasm and flailing arms (meant in a nice way of course.)  He decides he must go to the store and Rose lets him.

Henri asks Agnes if she's seeing anyone and she tells him the man expects too much of her in telling her what to do.  She asks about Henri's French girl who is in New York and he wonders what he should do about the "innocent" girl he likes.  Agnes thinks he should talk to her, she wouldn't mind.

Frank (Samuel West) tells Lois he will try and keep Ellen Love (Zoe Tapper) away from the press as they love a scandal and Lois should tell them Harry was re-negotiating a contract with Ellen.  They are curious to know why he was driving so late and why he crashed the car.  Frank tells her he was at the club with him and had been drinking thinking of his father.  Frank offers Ellen a serious acting job and to put her in touch with some playwrights, if she doesn't sell her story to the press, which will set her up with a nest egg.  her first thoughts always about money.

Crabb thinks of what Harry would do re the Suffragette march problem and comes up with an idea to honour them in one of the windows.  So the staff get to work and Miss Mardle walks Grove home.  He can't invite her in cos he's thinking of his wife. still and it would seem disrespectful.  She thinks it would be okay for him to have this time to himself now, he deserves it after looking after her for twelve years.

Henri and Agnes' bond' over a piece of material, ha.  Harry walks to the store when the march is in full swing and he tells one of the women who gives him a leaflet that he supports their cause.  Irene thinks it's time the window was revealed and just as the window is about to be smashed, they see the display in their support.  Harry has a fainting spell and Violette finds him.  Well it's obvious she was at the march, as Rose called her a "modern" girl," complete with make up.

Irene congratulates Crabb on his foresight and ideas to dress the window and he thanks the staff for their hard work, including the female staff.

So not much happened in the usual sense this episode, sufficed to say the store was in good hands when Harry  was away, but also apparent was the loyalty he commands from his staff as a fair boss, which is what Agnes tells Rose, even when he's not around.  Seems Rose has forgiven him for his indiscretions thus far and her guilt is shown throughout this episode, as well as her concern for him as a loving, dutiful wife even allowing him to walk to the store by himself.  He can't stay away from the place.

On March 18th 1910, it was reported that Harry Selfridge refused to press charges against one of the Suffragettes who actually broke a store window during the march, thus highlighting his support for the cause. He was no fool, is was also good for business.  Also how Christabel Pankhurst encouraged Suffragettes to the store as they "must not be dowdy."  Biggest selling products were tea dresses and red lipstick.  Seen as the most "powerful tool of female emancipation." No windows were broken this episode though, at least not of Selfridges.

Serious fans of the show may be relieved to hear that ITV has commissioned another series of the drama for a further 10 episodes, which will include the First World War and how it affected everyone at the store.  This is to coincide with the centenary of the Great War in 2014.  Jeremy Piven will once again reprise his role as the eponymous Harry Selfridge and filming will begin in April in London and Kent.  Jeremy Tweeted, "proud to say we will be back for a second season."  His fans will be pleased, as will my friends.

CSI 11.02 "Pool Shark" Review

                                           
A shark attacks the guests in the pool at a Vegas hotel. Catherine meets a casino boss who knew her father and Wendy leaves for pastures new, much to the sadness and anger of Hodges.

The shark attack in the pool in the opening scene was more of an episode storyline you would acquaint with CSI:Miami  than Vegas.   But at least it was different, though I didn't much like this episode, it wasn't as explosive and fast paced as the season opener.   Yet it did have some redeeming features, such as allowing Wendy (Liz Vassey) to come back to give a proper ending to her character.   She will be missed.   Also Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) having a "Kodak" moment about her late father.   Also the story of casino bosses rivalries is the usual stuff of Vegas and has been covered before in the show.

This is Brass's (Paul Guilfoyle) "first shark call out" as he puts it and that was the first of many puns and fishy jokes floating around throughout the whole episode, as was expected.   Also got that 'funny' music you associate with a comedic episode of the show in some scenes.   The Vic, Desiree (Michelle Charlene Lee) was a cocktail waitress and it was her day off.   She was sporting lots of bling, as Ray put it, for a waitress.   Greg (Eric Szmanda) suggests the aquatic vet, Dr Holloway (Christopher Gartin) can clear the shark from the pool.   It's a saltwater tiger shark and it's outside of its habitat so it doesn't survive.   Nick is late for work as he had an appointment, we presume this was with the shrink he called last episode.   The casino boss, Boozell, aka Booze (Elliott Gould) recognizes Catherine as "Sam's little girl."

Catherine: "No, I'm a big girl."  Then comes Catherine's first joke, "biggest shark in Vegas" and she doesn't just mean the tiger shark either.   Catherine loves her job and he shouldn't mention her father.   Sara (Jorga Fox) looks for surveillance to ascertain where the shark got in the pool.   Jorga had a cold in this episode, one wonders if she got thrown into the pool at some point during filming, ha, but I jest!  Half of the pool is in a blind spot and is not covered by the camera, and Nick (George Eads) finds a smoked joint on the ground.

Wendy's back for her farewell episode and tells Hodges (Wallace Langham)  they need to talk later.   Whereas Hodges only wants to continue with their relationship.   Ain't it always the way, Hodges finally gets a girl and she's cruelly taken away from him.   Ray (Laurence Fishburne) hobbles into the morgue and asks permission from Doc Robbins (Robert David Hall) to come aboard.   Desiree has a missing arm and Doc finds a shark tooth embedded in the wound of her arm.   The tooth however, is devoid of any blood and they surmise why there wasn't any blood when she was bitten, her blood had to be flowing, so how can it be both.

Nick and Brass interview Drops (Method Man) who is an ex-con, whom Nick and Brass both know, as he was in the earlier episodes of CSI , Poppin' Tags; Big Shots and Drops' Out.   He was smoking but he didn't put the shark in the pool.   He was fired from Macklin's casino across from the Golden Nugget but wouldn't do anything to jeopardize his job, with a family to support.   Brass calls him a "co-conspirator" and adds Drops, "to a shark."

Catherine talks with Booze and he comes up with another fishy line, "sounds like you're fishing."

Catherine: "...trying to test the waters."  Did the cast keep a straight face with all these fish flying during filming.   More to the point what were the writers thinking?  He tells her he had nothing to do with it, "cards up" the same phrase her father used.   Booze thinks Macklin (Sasha Roiz) is setting him up and he was right.

Doc and Ray conclude she should have bled out into the pool, so she must have been dead before she was bitten.  Attempting to turn her body over, both their walking sticks fall to the floor.   On her back, Doc finds a needle puncture, she was injected with something.   The drop of blood from the needle attracted the shark to Desiree, so she was dead before she was bitten.   Henry  (Jon Wellner) runs tox on the syringe to find she was injected with heroin.   Ray sees Desiree's jewellery was missing when he watches the surveillance with Nick, so it may be in the pool.

Henry tells Hodges he and Wendy talk and Hodges demands to know if he's a 'friend with benefits'.   Before they leave for the pool, Wendy tells Hodges she's leaving to become a field mouse in Portland.   Henry convinced her it was a great opportunity.   Yeah Henry, if you can't have her, neither can Hodges!  At least Wendy actually cried for having to leave Hodges, so she really had feelings for him.   Macklin explains to Catherine if a shark was missing, he'd know.   Lots of card game references here.  

Hodges and Henry have a fracas in the pool, leading Hodges to hold Henry's head under the water and nobody noticed.   These lab rats have their own side stories going, which can sometimes be funny and interesting.   Henry finds the syringe in the pool.  A fingerprint on the syringe matches a woman in the system, Anya Sanchez (Alicia Lagano) who is found with Desiree's stash of jewellery.   She admits to the robbery and to injecting her, but she can only be charged with robbery.   Nick corrects her, Desiree died of heroin poisoning and that's felony murder.   What a way to go, that's the only thing she could use to rob her.   The funny part was actually watching her attempt to buy off brass and Nick with her ill-gotten gains.  Catherine calls the incidents "two separate events".   Nick states it was 'attempted murder on everyone in the pool.'

How could Ray cut that shark open with such a small knife.   The first thing he finds inside the shark is Desiree's arm.   Holloway says the shark was from the wild, but he didn't empty it of its fresh fish dinner, which someone had fed it.   He was so dumb for a vet.   As Doc says Holloway's not a 'Shark Week' watcher, since there are captive breeding programmes, where most aquariums obtain their sharks.   The shark was also sanded down to remove its serial number, which Ray recovers.   The shark belonged to Macklin.   He had to get rid of one of his sharks, it began eating the other fish.   Booze's car is clamped outside the PD, providing us with another clue.   Catherine comments, talk about  "shark infested waters" (groan) when Macklin and Booze argue.  

Sara and Nick check out Macklin's fish display, to find Holloway's DB floating in the water.   He's pink which can only be caused by some kind of poisoning, carbon monoxide, dioxide, and Nick thinks of his diving tank.   Asking Hodges to check it.   Hodges is wallowing in self-pity and tells Nick to put the tank in his mouth, but Nick doesn't want another explosion, as his hearing is only just returning.   So that's why he probably didn't hear Henry, when he spoke of his swimmer's ear earlier.   They found an appropriate song to play for Hodges whilst he was analyzing the tank; which contained carbon monoxide.

The team have their usual conference around the table and Greg reappears to suggest they 'let the evidence decide'.   Hate it when one or more of them vanish for almost the entire episode, they used to do that a lot in past seasons!  The exhaust fumes came from an old vintage car, leading to Booze.   He had dinner with Macklin last night to bury the hatchet and call their rivalry "squashed."  That was another clue, Macklin conveniently inviting him over for dinner.   Catherine has a flashback to her father telling her, "because it's squashed, doesn't mean it's squashed."

The valet is caught on the ATM using the pipe Sara found in the trash to take exhaust fumes from Booze's car.   How stupid was that valet, he also dumped the pipe at the offending site.   Brass relays the story of what Macklin did, removing the "fin number" from the shark, but he's caught, "hook, line and sinker."

Booze later tells Catherine he was wrong about her, she's "hard-working, passionate" but she's not motivated by money and she thanks him for the compliment.   He can see where her greatness extends from and Catherine had to have the final fishy pun of the night, "I don't swim with sharks."

As I said not much I liked about this episode and it's very hard for a CSI episode to disappoint me.

Some UK critics commented how they should get UK popstars/groups, to make appearances in our home-grown programmes, just as Method Man and Justin Bieber.