Once Upon A Time 6.2 "A Bitter Draught" Review

                                         
Belle (Emilie de Ravin) tells everyone that she and Rumples (Robert Carlyle) are over, and we've heard that how many times.  Yet she still confesses she might love him and still harbour some feelings towards him, as she boards the Jolly Roger as her new makeshift home, being under the protection of Hook (Colin O'Donoghue).  This time we get the Count of Monte Cristo, Edmund Dantes (Craig Horner) turning up in his quest for revenge.  Isn't everyone, take a number and join the queue. but as he reveals himself at the suave soiree, which no surprise is attended by none other than the Evil Queen (Lana Parilla). She's impressed and asks if he spent all those years planning this. Then just passes him a scroll with the names of everyone who wronged him and his fiance.  Naturally it had to have the names of Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Charming (Josh Dallas) too.  As in a flashback we see Edmund Dantes attempting to poison them with wine but then sees Charlotte's (Andrea Brooks) (Snow's handmaiden's) eyes which remind him of his own fiance.  So he doesn't carry it through.

Zelena (Rebecca Mader) and the Queen turn up at the vault which Regina sealed using a blood spell, which didn't do much good.  She needs more magic and this is where she'll get it.  She's going to teach Regina a lesson.  At Granny's (Beverley Elliott) Regina and Henry (Jared S Gilmore) talk and he tells her she's a hero, as they help the newcomers.  As Mayor Regina welcomes them and tells then she knows what they're going through since she was once an outsider like them too.

Henry meets someone who leaves behind a sealed envelope.  He's sure he's seen him before.  As he gives the envelope to Snow and Charming.  Regina tells them he will kill them and that she was the one who hired Edmund to carry out the evil deed.  Emma (Jennifer Morrison) admits to Archie (Ralph Sbarge) her dream and visions, someone she is fighting kills her and ponders if she should tells her parents, as Archie suggests, since she knows all they'll do is protect her.  As they've been doing all her life.  They find Edmund's belongings and recall how Regina burned down a village where they found him and he was nursed by Charlotte.  Becoming mesmerized by her.  Regina is confronted by Edmund when she tells him to stop with his killing spree.  He doesn't back down and apparently the town is blocked by another spell.

Regina finds missing things from her vault and asks Zelena about it but she won't be questioned and vanishes.  However Regina put a protection spell on Snow and Charming so that Edmund can't hurt them. Rumples finds a missing coin that the Queen has stolen and he'll give it to her only if she promises not to hurt his son and Belle.  Henry and Regina find Charlotte dead.  She finds she was poisoned from the bottle she gave Edmund and when Regina touches her, she loses her magic. Another showdown at the docks when he tries to kill Snow and Charming and Regina can't help.  The Queen tells her she has his heart and he can't stop doing what he's doing.  As a flashback ensues with the Dark One poisoning Charlotte, there's no cure but it can be stopped, if he listens to him.  He wants the key to the Land of Untold Stories.  That key will get around cos Nemo will have one too in another ep.  Also in the next ep was this also the key Cinderella had which belonged to her mother.

In a showdown Regina has no choice but to run Edmund through and kills him.  Charming offers to back down from finding out about his father, but he needs answers so he's not going to do that.  He finds the coin and the Queen tells him his father used to carry it around and he was killed.  He too has an untold story.  The Queen gives Zelena the rattle that belonged to their mother for helping her in her schemes and not telling Regina about her.  Well it won't be too long before she finds out.
Archie tells Emma there was one person not in her vision and that was Regina, which doesn't really mean much of anything.  She could be otherwise disposed.  Once again more characters turn up only to meet their demise in Storybrooke: the land for the most deaths and killings it seems!

Not much going on here and it's pointless adding characters if they're just going to get killed off and not have any impact except for just adding to the episodes and making them longer.  It's not going to stay a secret for long that the Evil Queen didn't die.  Could he really remove part of herself without suffering some form of relapse or even killing herself.  She is obviously a part of Regina.  Emma's story is just another rehash.  Someone will always be after the Saviour and a season's not complete without some form of danger for her or having some sort of self doubts.  Belle can't decide either way if she loves Rumbles or she doesn't, part of her just wants to do both.  As for their son he must have some form of darkness within him.  Proving the apple doesn't fall far from the tree (no pun towards the Evil Queen intended.)

Not to mention the Queen making her moves on Rumbles, oh boy she waited years for that!!  But they'll just play each other of course.  He doesn't want anyone but Belle.  As well as Hook apologizing to Belle for hitting her, er, well you know, he was a pirate back then.  What did he know of behaving properly, even if he did love Milah and now he knows what redemption means.  Even if he did kill his father and was bad to the core.  Seems everyone can change and then go back to their former selves as if nothing happened.  Rumples did and then said he couldn't change cos he's a coward and too afraid to be powerless.  Truth is he's known nothing but power so how could eh give all that up.  Love conquers all but not Rumples and the Evil Queen!

Once Upon A Time 6.1 "The Saviour" Review

                                             
This begins with a foreshadowing of events to come as Jafar (Oded Fehr) hunts down a man and obliterates him and later sets his sights on Aladdin (Deniz Akdeniz) who's also the Saviour.  Jafar taunts him saying he's not a hero, only a common thief but someone who's lost his reason for being.

Present Storybrooke as Emma (Jennifer Morrison) and Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) can't keep their hands off each other.  The house shakes and it turns out to be the ship carrying the refuges from the Land of Untold Stories.  Appropriate name and they were refugees as they didn't really have a story to take refuge in and live as they should.  Emma helps look through the wreckage but her hand shakes. She hides it from Hook and Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin).  Yet another storyline all about her just like last season.

Hyde (Sam Witwer) is leading Rumples (Robert Caryle) a merry dance as he sends him to the Temple of Morpheus (Giles Matthey).  Regina (Lana Parilla) seals her crypt with a blood spell so that Hyde can't get to the Evil Queen and Regain and Emma think they can bribe Jekyll (Hank Harris) to leave Storybrooke.  Emma is meant to shoot Hyde but her hand trembles and she can't go through with it. Even if it won't affect him at all but she manages and they lock him up.  Later he tells her he knows why she's suffering in that way.  He had an answer for everything but they couldn't do anything with his character.  He tells Emma to follow the red bird who turns out to be the Oracle.Jordan Ashley Olson).

Zelena (Rebecca Mader) stays with Regina and is in the process of unpacking when she tells Regina about a gift she had for her, a feather from Robin but she can't find it.  Yeah since when was Zelena ever absent minded, it wouldn't help her be wicked.  She's also upset that she spoke to Snow but not her and just got rid of her dark self.  It's not like she could talk to her as she was once wicked herself and wouldn't really have given her any objective advice.  A point proved when she joins up with the Evil Queen.  Emma's hand starts to shake again and she tells Hook she needs to be alone. She finds the bird and follows it, then it's revealed the visions are of Emma's own future.  She will battle the cloaked figure and end up dying.

Henry (Jared S Gilmore) tells Regina she can't be down and let Hyde get to her.  She's upset about the feather and also tells this to Snow, with the feather falling down on the bench where they sit. Rumples finds Morpheus at the temple and a sleeping Belle (Emilie de Ravin) and Morpheus makes her dream. Morpheus is their son from the future and he wakes Belle with true love's kiss.  He doesn't want her to go back to him.  Belle agrees and tells Rymples it's over for the countless time!  Hyde tells Emma the figure might already be here or even someone she's known for a long time.  Now who could that be considering there aren't many options right now.  Unless it's someone from the Land of Untold Stories, or another long lost relative.  So what happened to Maleficent and her daughter.

Once again Emma keeps the real reason for her trembling from Hook, so much for no more secrets. As well as Zelena finding out the Evil Queen is alive and lurking.  Obviously having repercussions for Regina who'll realize it wasn't easy defeating the darkness within her.  Instead of keeping it checked inside of her, she unleashed it to cause more problems for herself and everyone else. Sometimes it's better to keep your troubles to yourself but not always, as Emma will eventually reveal her secret, or have it revealed for her, always happens.

Sherlock 4.2 "The Lying Detective" Review

                                             

Contains Spoilers

John (Martin Freeman) has found himself a new shrink (that'll be shortlived) - okay and called it as soon as they showed her, it was Daisy woman from the bus, well her nose was a big giveaway and the fake accent and John wouldn't exactly divert from his routine and get a new shrink now would he.  I mean unlike Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) he wouldn't deduce that Sherlock would even contemplate seeing a shrink and that he'd choose his one.  So it's just the usual questions and John however is seeing Mary (Amanda Abbington).  Only she's inside his head.  So yet again she's guiding him to what he must do and the point being it's really John cos she's dead.  Also of course we knew Sherlock would let himself go once again and fall into his bad habits, viz one, that of his drug habit. It's an easy way out for him and Sherlock in this instance is more emotional, can't cope and has to fall back into his drug induced stupors to get by.  Even with his dealer around he's brewing up a Meth lab in the kitchen.

Cue Culverton Smith (Toby Jones) : egomaniac, psychopath and serial killer.  He's a most detestable small minded, little human being and he relishes getting other people to do what he wants.  In short he loves the fame and throwing his weight around.  The only reason why he's an entrepreneur and philanthropist.  He calls a meeting and talks of darkest secrets.  How he'd tell someone his secret and then wouldn't be able to take it back cos they'd know now and it'd be off his chest.  He couldn't take it back even if he wanted to.  In some ways an allusion to Sherlock who has many secrets, as does the entire Holmes family.  Smith makes his friends take a drug TD12 which is basically a memory inhibitor cos they won't remember what he told them.  He tells them he's going to kill someone.  His daughter Faith objects but he makes her take the drug anyway.   Later she wakes up and makes herself write a note and remember.  Of course we already know who the recipient of this note will be. She recalls one man was a police officer, some worked at Smith's company, she was there, and someone was going to be killed by Smith but she couldn't recall who.  (No reference to Doctor Who of course!  Although at the end John - a doctor - did get the gun in his face so...ha!)

Smith walks in and finds her with the note and takes it from her.  First clue was here: if he saw the note and what she wrote, why not just take it from her, it's easier than being discovered, unless he wanted exactly that; in his arrogance that no one could stop him.  Not even the world's greatest detective.  No, she goes to Sherlock and she gives him the note.  Sherlock as usual noticing her nuances, like the marks on her dress showing she drove here, but she was in a left handed car, perhaps.  That she's damp, it's raining and she didn't bring a coat.  She was once in a relationship but not anymore.  He says there's no case and throws her handbag to her.  He then realizes her handbag was heavy hence she's carrying a gun.  He stops her from leaving and tells her about his deductions. With her replying she came in a taxi, but his brain finally catches up to his thinking and he says that's what he looked for outside of the window: there was no taxi waiting for her and she didn't call for one.  He gives her a coat and tells her about the gun: that she was going to end it all, but they're going for chips.

Sherlock also knows that he's being watched by Mycroft (Mark Gatiss) who calls John about how Sherlock's a security risk and he has to act on it even if he is his brother.  Who doesn't seem to be interested.  Smallwood (Lindsay Duncan) will also accept an apology from him for arresting her, which she doesn't get.  Sherlock notices the police helicopters and he walks with Faith around London and we're back to Piccadilly Circus (see season 1) and the operators telling him he's leaving a trail as he doublesback leaving: "*uck off" for Mycroft!  He tells her about the note and how she lives in a small place with a small kitchen.  She had the note hidden cos of the fold in the middle and was in a relationship.  When it ended she pinned the note on a board in the kitchen and it smells of spices. She loves to cook (yeah cook up plans to ensnare Sherlock).  As well as having no visitors that's why it was on display.

At the bridge he says he wants payment but not cash and she gives him the gun.  With him saying she can't take her life.  It's not hers to "take" and why do people take their lives.  They only leave behind others who are affected by it (which is what I've always said about suicide: it's selfish - never thinking of those they leave behind who will have to deal with it. It's not about ending their own suffering but leaving loved ones to cope with theirs.  Okay digression!)  She stops him and tells him he's not like everyone else: he's "nice."

A car crashes outside the shrink's house and a helicopter chases it.  It's Mrs Hudson (Una Stubbs) driving and she tells John she needs help with Sherlock.  He lost the plot and she's terrified.  He was going crazy with photos everywhere and she made him a cup of tea, but he had a gun.  He threw the gun down in order to catch the falling cup and she took him at gunpoint and handcuffed him from the handcuffs in his salad drawer, which she's used before!  (Eeww wouldn't like to know about that! Ha.)  She shut him in the boot and drove him here, as Mycroft removes the policeman who was chasing her via phonecall.

Sherlock knew John would be here cos he planned it all three weeks ago.  He needs his help in catching the most despicable human being around: Culverton Smith, a serial killer and he accused him as such in the media.  Coincidentally exactly who John was looking at on the internet at the shrink's house.  Smith films an ad as a "Cereal Killer" which is nothing new and has been said before! He calls John and tells him he's sending a car around.  Again all arranged by Sherlock beforehand. John sees the marks on his hand and wants a second opinion, again contemplated by Sherlock as he's already called Molly (Louise Brealey).  Who arrived in an equipped ambulance and tests him.  At the rate he's going he's only got weeks (possible hint for next ep?)  They drive to the meeting with Smith. Mary appearing to John all the time and making comments about Sherlock planning it and being clever.  As well as referencing John's self loathing cos she's in his head.

Smith tells Sherlock he only hugs, which Smith does cos he doesn't shake hands, why DNA? Paranoia? Anyway he finds it amusing that Sherlock's accused him of being a serial/cereal killer cos that'll give give more ratings and yes his ad was tasteless (no pun) especially since the cerial (can I combine it like this? ha) was aimed at children.  As was the visit to his hospital, where he conveniently brings up the subject of HH Holmes: America's first serial killer, was expecting that a while ago, not least which cos of the Holmes similarity in name.  With it beginning and ending there, except for the third 'brother' or should I say family member.  The nurses are impressed with meeting Sherlock and how they love his blog even if John's the one who writes the blog.  They didn't like to hear that.  Smith wants them to talk about his cases, with Sherlock giving away the endings. Until Smith gets onto the morbid subject of killing and how the Queen could be a killer and get away with it cos of her money.  John adding that she's not a killer and wouldn't get away with it.  Possibly talking of himself, yet with such contempt since he has money and he got away with it too for along while.

After the tasteless subject, he takes them to his favourite room.  Sherlock saying that he's got about twenty minutes roughly, well seventeen and a half minutes exactly before they get a visitor.  His favourite room being the morgue and you know what, was getting tired of Smith's asking how long his staff have worked there when he didn't like being questioned, or playing with the dead woman's body. As John told him to stop it.  Again more mention of HH Holmes and his murder castle (which we all know about so won't mention here.  Wrote plenty on it in my Supernatural book for season 2.6 No Exit.)  He likes confessing to the bodies there, but he doesn't confess he's killed anyone.  Sherlock suffering from withdrawal and not having a fix.  Smith tells him he couldn't have met his daughter and she doesn't know him, since that's the visitor.  She doesn't resemble the woman who came to see him and at this point you were meant to see that she was actually the shrink who came to see Sherlock and was also the woman on the bus.  Well that's when I pointed it out (sorry.)  Sherlock loses it and takes a scalpel as he says Smith took one and it's behind his back.  Of course he doesn't have one.  John thinking Sherlock lied to him again cos that's what he does, he lies about everything to everyone (thus the title).

Cue Lestarade (Rupert Graves) asking John why he took the scalpel and he didn't see him take it. John wrestles with Sherlock for the scalpel and also beats him up to pull him out of it, but also cos it was brewing for a while.  Again missing the point of how that's exactly what Sherlock had wanted and planned.  He wanted to be here, as he's sedated and kept in the hospital.  John leaves his walking stick for him and says goodbye.  Mycroft searches Sherlock's place for anything untoward and again says the same thing to John about having to do this even if Sherlock wasn't his brother.  As Mary tells him he's lying, cos last time he said brother, he wasn't talking about Sherlock.  That there's another brother!  Mary loving John confronting Mycroft.  As the note from Faith falls to the floor.  Mrs Hudson comes in and says that they don't get Sherlock but she and John do.  If somethings not going right he'll fire the gun and stab something.  Where John finds Mary's DVD.  Mrs Hudson tells them all to leave her house.

John plays it and we get to see the rest of it too.  Mary wanted Sherlock to kill himself so that John would rescue him, or rather have himself killed.  Which is exactly why he chose Smith, not only to bring him down and make him stop, but also to help John.  John wouldn't help himself or save himself, but he would save Sherlock.   He realizes what will happen as he races over there in Mrs Hudson's car.  Oh and I liked how Mrs Hudson said she has her own house and also isn't John's housekeeper!

In pops Smith cos he can't refuse a victim and didn't that room remind you of the TARDIS!!  Some fancy wallpaper!  ha. Of course he'd have secret passages as he built the wing and yes admittedly he was in awe of HH Homles and his mistake was that he should've been in awe of Sherlock Holmes. Cos he didn't think HH Holmes was very intelligent and so could be a distant relative of Sherlock's! Smith confesses to his murders and Sherlock tells him he wants to die and he wants him to do it, which he does attempt.  Then Sherlock screaming he doesn't want to die!  With John arriving in time to stop Smith from suffocating him.  Smith says he didn't confess and he found the three recorders in his coat.  Yeah he'd be stupid enough to leave all three in one place.  He tells him he missed one in John's walking stick.  Again he'd accounted for that too weeks ago.  John calling Sherlock a cock as does Sherlock and that he "was off his tits" for weeks!

Mary saying he should wear a deerstalker in tribute to her, which he goes back and gets as they leave to meet Molly for cake: for his birthday.  See Sherlock: more human, he eats more now and chips!! Not just drinks tea!!  Mary also telling him about how Sherlock knew which shrink he'd find. Someone he'd go to in the lunch hour within bike riding distance so no one would know.  As he goes back to her now and she reveals who she is.  Mycroft and Smallwood having a mutual attraction       as she gives him her private number on her card.  And we see him pick it up to reveal a 2pm appointment with Sherrinford.  Surprise, surprise that's where John is!  And she asks him why couldn't their bother be a sister.  Pretty convenient, half expecting her to take off the mask and reveal Moriarty under it.  She pulls a gun on him and fires.  As Sherlock finds the note and realizes it really happened!  The woman was here.  So the game (race) is on for Sherlock to save John now.  As Mary already predicted and wanted him to.

Was Sherrinford in league with Moriarty all this time.  It's possible to get lost in all the confusion since everyone's using "Miss Me" these days.  Don't know what's what anymore, just joking. Also we get Irene's ringtone again: the famous moan and he's been in touch with her.  Again nothing new.  So if Sherrinford could be a woman, why can't Irene Adler be Sherlock?!!  Anyway John finds out it's Sherlock's birthday cos he never knew when it was and asks why he doesn't go to High Wycombe (how does he know she's there anyway?  She could be anywhere.  That life's too short and Sherlock should get some in before it's too late.  As Mary also tells John it's okay when he says he cheated on her.  They were only texts, but he texted her everytime he was alone.  There foreshadowing as that woman had to be involved in his life but funny how it was so easy for her to ingratiate herself into his life.  Especially since he tells Mary he's not the man she thought he was but who he wants to be.

Smith was indeed: "the most dangerous and despicable human being I have ever encountered (he hadn't met him yet had he, though being Sherlock, he would've had an inkling) a living breathing coagulation of human evil."  More so since he didn't have any remorse, most killers generally don't but the mere fact that he could kill "anyone."  This anyone being and including Sherlock.   Oh, oh and most importantly of all we got Sherrinford admitting what the 'E' stands for in the note she left for John, rather the texts.  E = Eurus: Greek for 'East Wind'!!  Re the third ep of last series.  When he says an "east wind is coming..."  Now it makes sense.  She being the east wind. and why Sherlock was needed back.  Not so much for Moriarty but his own family member!

Oh and a word on that scene where Sherlock dramatically lost the plot in his drug haze: so very Shakespeare and so very Hamlet in many ways!!  Which was also relevant as Sian Brooke who played the shrink/E was in Hamlet too with Bene as Ophelia!

This one wa  loosely based on The Adventures of the Dying Detective aka The Dying Detective (which is what Sherlock was doing, both in an attempt to rescue John and also to catch Smith.  With a reference from Sherlock to Watson after Smith tells them his word is a good as Sherlock's but won't stand up in court.  Thus Holmes saying the same to John here, that the confession was entrapment, but Smith can't top confessing to Lestrade.  Demonstrating yet more arrogance and how he still hungers for fame, even after Lestrade tells him he's already famous!  Yeah go serve him some Gnash!!  Yuk!

A little carried away on this one, showing how Sherlock still manages to excel after this long period of breaks in between episodes and also how we need it to continue.  Single handedly Britain can take over the world (and I don't mean that in some form or former or neo-colonial sense as in Colonial Gin re The Apprentice! ha) but in the sense of how Britain can still make excellent drama with a quality cast, regardless of whatever political turmoil or climate the country or the world is in!  Escapism is also good!  But as Benedict told USA Today: his words were taken out of context when he said it's the "end of an era."  He didn't mean it would end, but that it was the last one they had filmed for now. Only that if anymore come about, they won't be as regular as every two years cos everyone's busy. Yeah we know, but at least we can hope they can all find the time to bring back something sooner, even a one-off special.

You can check out my Bene book below, ah go on, you know you want to! Had some good words about this from Sue Vertue and even Mark commented on it when I met them at the Radio Times Women of Sherlock Festival. & no you won't make me a millionaire either!! Ha.

https://www.amazon.com/My-Continuing-Letter-Benedict-Cumberbatch/dp/1326198017/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1484186731&sr=8-9&keywords=mila+hasan

Paranormal Lockdown 2.4 "St Ignatius Hospital" Review

Another episode where Nick and Katrina explored the spectacularly large hospital building which was practically falling apart after it's closure in 2013.  This one was also where Valoree wanted them to see who was at the place and was attacking people there, as she told them of the paranormal experiences.  Most relevant being Rose in room 311 and also the room where they saw the hand on the window.  Clearly where all the activity was.  As well as that lift scene during the actual lockdown when Nick went in the shaft.  What a gut wrenching, heart pounding moment and agree with Katrina when she said she was more focused in making sure he didn't suffer an injury or worse!  Then again it's Nick, he always takes risks as far as investigating is concerned and it's one way to ensure results. Also glad Katrina and Rob talked Nick out of entering the lift on the third floor, cos NO! That would've been even more dangerous!

Sure the woman's voice says at 11.14 "don't" when Nick says if she doesn't talk to them they're going to leave her room. Then a man's voice comes through saying "yes." 11.28 when he asks if anyone else wants to talk.

Just want to say when I add what I hear in the  EVPs to any of their investigations or anything they may have missed it's not taking anything away from their investigations and lockdowns on my part. It's purely out of interest cos I know if I had spent 72 hours locked down, I would want to find and analyze every piece of evidence I had obtained.  It's not personal or to get one up on anyone, or to show off.  Always had a genuine interest in the paranormal and supernatural for as long as I can remember and ever since my father's own experience.

What I felt was beyond coincidental here was how they decided to do some EVP recordings and Katrina put the recorder in the lift and how when they were reviewing the playback they were exactly where they were supposed to be in that moment in time, to capture that amazing mist/smoke/dust.  It looked like it was more mist than dust and also it looked like there was part of a shoe or leg visible or something is thrown at 20.50. But if it was something thrown they would've found it. Apparently it did appear as if something was trying to manifest and again it was right in the hallway which led into that room with the hand.  It was as though they were meant to be right there and see this happen and with Nick's cam facing the right direction too!  It was attempting to emulate the smoke in the show's opening credits!  Only kidding!

This lockdown proved as successful and intriguing as those before, as once again they discovered there wasn't any malicious activity involved there which is understandable, as this was a hospital for the ill but also the mentally disabled.  Another reason why there was more activity during the day was probably cos that's when the hospital would be active and certain patients could roam the wards. Whereas they would be in their rooms during the night.  As well as the portable Geobox captures telling them to go to the third floor and 'Rose' coming through as well.  Not sure if this was meant to be heard or not but it did sound like there was a conversation going on there, with a woman's voice asking, "is this the way out?" (See below.)

Add to this Nick's idea for them to go on their own cos that's what the spirits wanted them to do, with Rob monitoring and how Katrina asked the spirit to show its pain through Nick and his backpain, again so uncanny and an intelligent response.  As Katrina asked Nick, think there were both intelligence and residual hauntings taking place here.  Those screams in the lift shaft Nick captured could've been residual when the poor man lost his life.  Then Katrina getting a response to her question of knocking on Rose's door and asking if she could come in.

Happy they asked Valoree about Rich, cos at that point before she said she knew a Richard I was going to research.  It's good when they can get information on the spirits and in some way perhaps helping then find closure, but also knowing they just wanted attention and weren't bad or negative too.  Another investigation where there was only good going on.  Nick losing all sense of time in room 310 and was definitely out of it, could tell he looked so tired emotionally and physically.  This ep was Nick's turn to be checked on.  All this and a pesky bat too! Ha.

Voices on the Geobox not sure if they're relevant or not: "
It's not finished.
Wanna see if I can hear her?
They just wanna help."

Sex, Death and Bowling Review

                                                
A film that comes round full circle in many ways as it explores the meaning of life and death, as seen through the eyes of 11 year old Eli (Joshua Rush) - so cute and so much going on in his head for one so young! He appears to have come to terms with the fact his father, Rick (Bailey Chase) is about to die.  But also how he still has hope, fuelled on by Evie (Melora Walters) who tells him stories of how a falling star is a soul of  a deceased one returning to Earth and coming back to life.  Which is a good story for him and giving him hope in some small way.  Yet he also explores other religions too and their beliefs as well as wanting to become a Catholic cos he likes the idea of purgatory and ending up somewhere, but not quite sure where (my words.)  Seems he too has trouble with the school bully, Wolf (Sean Ryan Fox) son of Tim (Drew Powell) and that aspect hasn't skipped a generation or the bully gene either, with Rick and uncle Sean (Adrian Grenier) also having to deal with the same family when they were at school and Sean still has to face up to him now.

There's Rick (Bailey Chase) who was on his last breath almost, as said and how Sean had come home for him.  A fashion designer recognized from being on the cover of GQ!  With the girls still throwing themselves at him, eve if he is gay.  As well as coming home to the town he left behind, the family and father, Dick (Daniel Hugh Kelly). Yeah when you have a character who's good in the longterm and not a bad father and a little at odds with his family and estranged Sean, always call 'em Dick!  But in a nice way.  Dick's obsessed with the bowling festival, as is Eli and they've won the trophy three years in a row.  This year with Rick not playing and having to resort to Hal's (Lyle Canouse) son-in-law, Ben (Wayne Wilderson) who isn't good at all, after Hal does his back in.

It's like a pride thing in a town where there's no sportsmanship but one-up-manship, particularly on the part of the Tile team, Tim, ergo once bullies and still are!  So it was good to see them get their faces and noses rubbed in it and that fight was brewing for years.  Took a homecoming and a bowling tournament for it to simmer, or rather boil over to the surface.  Yay nailed those bullies did Dick and Sean!  As well as winning the tournament.  The sad part being it's also the moment Rick loses his fight when they win.  He knew they would and he finally realized they did win and everything was okay and he could let go now.  As well as getting  a visit from Dick before he passed.  Stubborn as he was in not visiting him sooner. Seems he did the same when his wife died.

It wasn't just about Dick's prejudice, maybe back then over Sean's sexuality, but he came to terms with it now and he knew back then.  But something had to unite this family and that something was bowling and you could say it was exactly as the title says it all: Sex, Death and Bowling.

Ally Walker did an exceptional job with the script and directing.  Ally should write some more dramas of this quality. Of course it was a story seen before, how there are so many facets and elements behind a family's life and secrets.  Of growing up in a small town, fighting bullies, each other, but most of all it was real life and that made it different.  How adversity was always there in the heart of the McCallister's as well as pain but also love and not the fleeting kind, but the kind that lasts.

The cast also did a superb portrayal with Daniel playing Dick as someone who's making the most of a difficult time.  It's hard facing death once, but then twice and becoming distant was his way of coping.  As we've said often enough, a parent shouldn't survive a child and have to go through that emotional turmoil.  Adrian as the put upon son having to face small town bullies and their prejudices over again and realizing he loves his father after all and he loves him too.  As well as the funny moments.  Bowling was life and winning was everything.  Many a polystyrene cup my friend and I had ripped to shreds in the college canteen over the years!  Mostly out of boredom, not nervousness. Loved that scene! Hey Ponderosa reunion here with Drew, who played Hoss, alongside Daniel as Ben Cartwright. acting out.  "Hey don't talk to your pa like that!!  Asshole!"  ha.  Okay had to add that in.

Overall it wasn't as bad as some critics commented! Yeh who needs 'em?!!
Watching a film about terminal illness isn't easy on many levels, been through that, but Ally chose appropriate moments to pepper with simple comedy, with emotionally repressed Dick, coping as best he can.  As said having to go through it once is bad enough, but twice over, it's not a case of getting over it and being there for your family.  In many ways it's difficult to come to terms with, who does really, but doesn't mean he wasn't feeling for Rick and his family.  The father is the glue that keeps the family together. Nothing wrong with a dysfunctional family drama if and when done in the right way.

Daniel always plays his roles with relish and his comedy is exceptional.  A great choice and finally good to see him in a role which involved more than very little or hardly any screentime.  Bailey Chase and his cushy role of lying in bed for the duration, reminded me of his role in Longmire as Branch Connolly, he ended up being shot, in hospital and a short while later was murdered by his own father!  (No I wasn't thinking irony or anything here!  Ha.)

Paranormal Lockdown 2.3 "The Oliver House" Review

For a first so far this season The Oliver House presented itself with so much evidence but one where the spirits were more 'friendlier' than most of the places Nick and Katrina have investigated.  It was good to see there was nothing malicious in the house and how the children were intrigued by Katrina, as she sensed a little girl and how her hand was held.
The other fascinating aspect of the house was not only how it was seeped in so much history from the colonists to the revolutionists and how Benjamin Franklin really did get around!  But how it was also used as part of the Underground Railway network.  The Oliver's were not only persecuted by the revolutionists and betrayed by Franklin, yet to see that their house was also used for some good in helping the slaves reach Canada and freedom.

The evidence in the basement with the "ssh" so many times as you would do when hiding and running for your lives, it was so clear, as if someone was standing right next to them when it was said.  As well as the exceptional stick figures on the 3D mapping camera.  Then child with Katrina and then Nick seeing the little boy in the other room, as well as Katrina being woken when she felt like someone touching her feet.  Hey someone should've slept in the basement.

That's why as Katrina said the paranormal doesn't happen when you want it to or expect it to, but anytime, which is why sleeping in the place helps. At 15.26 you can hear a child saying "hmm." Then a voice followed by it when Katrina pulls the covers off her head, sounds like "hello" and definitely sounds like a little girl at 15.30. Such a coincidence that the voice is heard as soon as Katrina pulls the covers off.  That was some communication! When Katrina reviews the evidence next day you can hear the voice again at 16.16.
Have to say that clock counting down the hours was droning not to mention sounding like how you'd feel if you were exhausted.  Nick looked less tired than Katrina that morning, for a change.  ha.

You can hear the drums too at 18.58 as Rob says, since there's also no background music playing for the episode. More compelling evidence not only since the land belonged to the Native Americans but the deaths that have been associated with it.  Katrina was intrigued by the woods as she said, but also uncanny how Katrina ended up going out there when she was lost by Rob and Nick.  As though she was drawn out there.

At 26.40 when Nick communicates with Earl, sure there's also a child's voice that comes through before "upstairs" where something like, "let me go" is said.  The boot steps in the hallway, the back mass figures and Nick getting to interact with Earl was amazing.  Not to mention Katrina tripping on the stairs (not amazing) but what was endearing was Nick turning around and asking Rob if "she's okay" after Katrina replies that she is.  Yet more reasons why they are so in sync together and collect some of the best paranormal evidence around.  As well as Nick telling the 3D figure how it's still his house and even if people will come through, they won't be there to hurt them.  Always thinking of the spirits and being respectful.