CSI: Miami 10.12 "Friendly Fire" Review

CSI:Miami once again delves into the high life with an episode which opens with the unveiling of a new smart phone: a topical subject.  The Solamyrge.  The inventor of this, Matthew Stone (Leonard Roberts)wakes up to an alarm call, infact everything is technical, using voice commands.  He gets up and sits in a chair outside, where he receives a text message saying: "the time is now."  Then a countdown 3, 2, 1.  He's finally shot; as a disturbance ensues downtown at the unveiling.  Protesters protesting against the unequal, wealth woes, corporate greed, blah, blah, blah, go on the rampage.  Matthew is shot.  Knew that was coming, it was so obvious and that he had planned the entire shooting.

Horatio (David Caruso) and Natalia (Eva la Rue) survey the CS but it's unclear as to where the bullet could have come from as there are no high rises nearby.  Natalia talks with the Vic's girlfriend, Amanda (Malese Jow) who met him for breakfast everyday.  They had an unusual relationship and he was suffering from cancer.

Ryan (Jonathan Togo) Walter (Omar Benson) and Calleigh (Emily Protector) analyze the CS.  Walter and Ryan are impressed by the voice commands and use it to open the TV, where a football match is in play.  they are about to watch a key moment in the game, when Calleigh switches it off.  Like she's never done anything like that before. Walter wants her to turn to it on and she'll only do so cos he notices something connected to the case.  Walter finds an object on the TV, a bug.  Whoever planted it was sloppy as they left a fingerprint.

The print is traced back to CEO of the company, Jerry Wilkinson (Michael O'Neill) who was monitoring everything Matthew said cos he was affected by the medication and was no longer lucid.  Natalia and Tripp (Rex Linn) think he had a lot to lose.   Matthew was receiving texts and these are traced to a protester's phone, Heidi Taylor (Amy Gumenick).  She denies sending them but is questioned anyway.

Ryan is stopped by Walter as he takes a gift to Sam (Taylor Cole) and welter thinks it's great news she's become a detective.  Ryan got her a charm bracelet with a shape of Texas charm, as she's from there and Walter rightly knows he's got a crush on her.  But he doesn't give it to her as he sees Delko (Adam Rodriguez) talking to her.  Instead Ryan decides to call the lawyer and ask about Matthew's will.  He later returns to Matthew's place with Delko.  There's no will in the safe, but Delko does find a hair.  Sam IDs this hair as human, from the body and is a lanugo hair.  Natalia recalls Amanda is thin and so could be anorexic. Dave (Wes Ramsey) finds Heidi's phone was hacked into using a Trojan virus and so she didn't send the texts.

Amanda tells Natalia of Matthew's paranoia and he thought people were listening to him.  He told her to take the will, which she did an put it in a safe deposit box.  The will contains a new clause, incorporating Matthew's former business partner, Raj (Sendhil A Ramamurthy)as a beneficiary.  He tells them he doesn't want money and was never interested in it but hh didn't kill Matthew.  Also saying Matthew asked him to include the clause using his typewriter as he didn't trust the lawyers.  That wouldn't make the will valid, what about witnesses and signatories, not to mention the clause stood out like a sore thumb.

ME Tom (Christian Clemenson) removes bullet fragments from Matthew's brain and he finds a microchip.  Calleigh removes more fragments and analyzes them to reveal the existence of a smart bullet.  One that is capable of changing direction in mid air.  Matthew had the money to manufacture this but so did Raj.  Calleigh manages to reconstruct the bullet and finds Matthew's company logo on it.  Jerry admits they had made prototypes of the gun, but only two.  Matthew researched this after his brother died in Iraq from friendly fire.  He wanted to ensure no other American suffered the same fate.  But they were conveniently stolen 48 hours ago.  Their private security is investigating.  At the same time, Tripp receives word of a robbery in progress at a bank.

Delko asks Sam to tag along and once they arrive, the robbers use the guns to shoot at the police.  Sam runs during the gunplay to the other side which gets Delko's goat.  The robber falls down dead.  Tripp thinks Horatio fired (what in yet another one of his famous gun battles in which he gets away with everything).  Horatio says it wasn't him.  The gun backfired.  The prototypes show they weren't used to kill Matthew.  Thus there was a third gun, which Jerry didn't know about or didn't tell them about.

Walter and Calleigh are able to trace the bullet's trajectory after Calleigh explains why the gun backfired, as the bullet changed direction in the chamber.  They come up with two possible addresses where the gun could have been fired from and Walter recognizes the one of the addresses of one, it's Raj's place.  Delko and Ryan search and Delko notices the opening in the ceiling, where the dummy has hidden the gun.  Thought he would have gotten rid of the evidence by now.  He tells them Matthew wanted him to shoot him and that's why he changed the will, he paid him for it.  Raj changed his mind about the money when he saw how well Matthew had done.  The gun didn't work but Jerry wanted to put it into production.  Matthew wanted to prove him wrong and this was the only way he could.  So he had Raj shoot him.  People would now take notice.

Horatio and Tripp stop Jerry en route to a sale of the gun.  He was selling the military faulty weapons.  Raj also hacked into Heidi's phone cos of Matthew who had sent her a form letter.  Ryan notices the logo contains a magnetic strip and Calleigh tells him he's been watching too many spy films.  Then changes her mind and says he could be right, since banks use magnetic stripes on credit cards.  Oh the strip in the logo was a fantasy but a smart bullet isn't. Matthew knew no one would believe him and that's why he staged his shooting.

Ryan is about to give Sam the bracelet but Delko mentions he doesn't know how to say sorry after losing it with her.  Ryan gives him the bracelet and they recall how they both went for Natalia when she first arrived.  Ryan tells him it's not like that and Delko takes the bracelet.  Yes Delko is still meant to have feelings for Calleigh.  Delko gives Sam the bracelet with Ryan watching but then Ryan disappears and doesn't notice Delko and Sam both look at him.  Thus Delko told her it was from Ryan.

Natalia mentions the late Steve Jobs, as soon as they arrive at the CS saying Matthew is even bigger than him.  Which came out standing a tad distasteful.  Especially in relation to the way Matthew died and how he masterminded it, even if it was to reveal Jerry's deal.

Walter smelling a whiff of Ryan's cologne and he claims it'd hide the from the smell at the CS.  Another funny scene between the two.  Dave is back this ep but that won't last long since the show was cancelled, as we all know.  Showing his enthusiasm for the gadgets and the smartphone.  Delko throwing his weight around as far as Sam doing the wrong thing was concerned, even if she says she was following protocol.  It's not something she should have done and it wasn't Delko's place to reprimand her either.  As for the issue of trust, they haven't been out in the field long enough for any trust to develop between them yet.

Ryan may have a crush on Sam but Natalia clearly does not.  She still has issues with her especially when her thoughts of congrats to her becoming a detective become more of rivalry when Sam suggest she would like to interview Amanda.  Natalia quickly shot that idea down (no pun) by saying she already spoke with Amanda and has developed a rapport with her.

The final scene has Horatio talking with Kyle as Matthew's secret message is discovered by Dave.  One where he speaks of sacrifice and everyone gathers together to listen.  Matthew: "We make choices everyday.  Some we're conscious of, others we're not.  These choices they affect others and not just ourselves.  And not always on good ways.  For that I am truly sorry.  But we must all follow our own path no matter where it leads.  I hope I can be forgiven for my mistakes.  I'm not perfect but then again none of us are. [That line was intended for Horatio!] These choices they're up to all of you now and I pray you make them with the same ethic I've tried to live by.  In the end I guess all that matters is that you try to leave this place a little better than when you got here.  The time is now."

A message most people would do well to listen to but can't help thinking most of the end part was aimed at Horatio.  He's tried to live by an ethic but now that has sadly changed since season 9, especially, for the worse.

The song this is read to is Forgiveness by Patty Griffin.

CSI:Miami is always the one to come up with new ideas and weapons out of the three shows.  It did so in the past with the machine guns in ep 6.11 Guerillas in the Mist, which had the ability to vapourize its Vic's.  But to be fair, CSI came up with their own deadly guns in the episode 12.9 Zippered. With 143 stolen/missing guns, military contractors ad all the rest of it.

Sendhil A Ramamurthy and Leonard Roberts were both in Heroes and Malese Jow was witchy Anna in The Vampire Diaries.

Merlin 5.1 "Arthur's Bane Part 1" Review

Season 5 opened with knights of Camelot being chased in the snow covered North and finally a wolf catches up to Gwaine (Eion Macken).  Apparently Morgana (Katie McGrath) now has her foothold up North and is still out for revenge.  This time she has roped in Ruadan (Liam Cunningham) a sorcerer whom she has convinced or rather he is already certain that the Pendragons are trouble.  Morgana was meant to have been caught at the close of series 4 and could only see "darkness."

Arthur (Bradley James) awaits Gwen (Angel Coulby) at the Round Table counsel and she is late, having Merlin search for her everywhere reveals no sign of her.  Arthur agrees she isn't late when she finally arrives.  The knights speak of Gwaine and Percival (Tom Hopper) and three score of his men going missing and there's no sign of them.  Three years have passed with Camelot now at peace and has prospered.  However dark forces are still at work.  Arthur wants to rescue his men, as no knight is left behind and Gwen suggests he take another route into Ismere; through Queen Annis' (Lindsay Duncan) lands.

Now at peace with her also and the two of them are staunch allies, Arthur gets Leon (Rupert Young) to send a messenger.  Meanwhile Merlin seems infatuated with a new servant girl.  One to take Gwen's pace, no doubt and Merlin bumps into her outside the counsel door listening in.  Of course she was, she was that suspicious.  Can't believe no one would have her pegged as a traitor.

As Arthur and his knights set out for Annis' lands, Elyan (Adetimowa Edun) is sent to scout the ridge ahead, returns informing them of shocking news.  Dead bodies.  Merlin finds an old man inside, Lochru (Julian Glover) an old Druid seer who has been waiting for Merlin to arrive.  As he dies his hand hits the water and Merlin is shown a terrible future.  One where Arthur has a shadow, Arthur's bane stalks and kills him during the end of a battle.  This clearly causes Merlin to be distraught.  As yet again he worries about his friend and king and the future of Albion.  Arthur tells him he's seen plenty of dead bodies before.  But the images clearly have him shaken.  Especially the sight of the man who he sees killing Arthur.  Knew that was Mordred, since many years have passed, he would no longer be a boy.  Also ironic in that Arthur was the one who saved him and he is the one destined to kill Arthur.  Mordred even tells him as much in their first meeting.  Well, that he saved him.

Mordred is now in league with Morgana, of course.  Morgana meanwhile sets the knights digging, looking for a key, which she believes will help her in her quest against Arthur.  At Annis' court, the night proceedings involve a bit of action from the 'fool' as she calls Merlin and he uses magic to entertain with some juggling of eggs.  He tells Arthur he's not a juggler, shown by him being unable to catch Arthur's boots he throws at him and Merlin is still troubled by the vision.  He calls to the Dragon (John Hurt) who knows nothing of this prophecy. But only Merlin can keep Arthur safe.  Er, isn't that old news by now.

Next day Arthur and the others are ambushed by Morgana and her men.  Ruadan puts up a fight and injures Leon as well as hitting Arthur over the head.  Like to know where Merlin was during the fighting and why he couldn't use any magic.  Instead he drags Arthur away from the fight to save him.  The knights return to Camelot and inform Gwen of Arthur's and Merlin's disappearance.  Gwen immediately realizes they were betrayed as soon as Gaius (Richard Wilson) asks how anyone could have known of their route.  Gwen summons Sefa (Sophie Rundle) Ruadan's daughter, whom she saw leaving the castle the night before and she knows it was her who is a traitor.  She sentences her to death.

Here we get  to see how far Gwen as come as a queen and has a lot of say in the running of the kingdom.  Elyan looks at Gaius as if to think death is a harsh sentence, but Gwen doesn't flinch.  It appeared as if Gwen was walking in Uther's footsteps there for a second as she metes out this punishment.  Even if it is under the laws of Camelot, it was a fate she was once resigned to herself by Uther and was saved.  As well as being exiled by Arthur last season after her 'betrayal' with Lancelot.  Yet he didn't punish her by death.  Power has gone to her head.

Morgana searches for Arthur and Merlin and they spend a night together under the stars.  Merlin wants Arthur to take the urgency of the vision seriously but of course Arthur won't.  He's just a sorcerer.  Merlin is hungry and wishes they could find a pig to roast when Arthur wishes they had a horse.  Well they could have eaten the horse too, ha.  Merlin spies two rabbits on the ground and makes a play for them only to be caught in the net, together with Arthur. All that time stuck in the net and Merlin, once again didn't use any magic to free them.  Not even when Arthur was asleep.  No, then he couldn't have met up with Mordred (Alexander Vlahos) who reveals himself and suggests they let Morgana decide their fate.

The opening episode to season 5 sets up nicely the legend of Arthur and hopefully will make some inroads into Merlin using his magic more and revealing it to Arthur.  Gwen has come far since the serving wench and shows a little displeasure at being served on hand and foot by Sefa, but she's been queen three years now and you'd think she'd be used to it by now.  Especially since she has no qualms in laying down the law of Camelot.

Merlin is once again distressed by another vision of impending doom (as in season 3) and can only tell Arthur about it, Gaius not being around.  Arthur would naturally dismiss it as gobbeldy gook.  As he would.  It would have been good to see how the Round Table was established.  Suppose that would have been too much to ask!  Arthur is loyal to his men and will do anything for them, as he knows they will do for him too. They are "more than friends, more than brothers..."  Meaning what exactly, ha.

Gwaine also sees a glow come from another part of the caves where he and Percival have bee sent digging/mining.  It's a glowing creature, the Euchdag (Josette Simon).  You may recall her from Blake's Seven.  The battle Merlin sees is the Battle of Camlann, where the legendary King Arthur is meant to have fallen.  can't help but notice shades of Lord of the Rings:Fellowship of the Rings here, when Morgana turns up riding the horse in her black attire and Merlin and Arthur are hiding under the trees; as well as Game of Thrones.

Stargate Atlantis 5.18 "Identity" Review

A woman appears on Atlantis (and I said it's Andie from The Vampire Diaries) and attacks Zelenka (David Nykl).  She sees herself as Jennifer (Jewel Staite).  Rodney (David Hewlett) catches up with her for lunch.  Zelenka needs to be operated on, but lucky for her, McBride (Rick Wong) was assisting, since Jennifer says she's not well enough to operate on him.  Beckett (Paul McGillion) examines her.  Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) says there weren't any witnesses to the attack and Woolsey (Robert Picardo) wants to know who is responsible.  Ronon (Jason Momoa) checks up on her and she tries to sound like Jennifer.  Rodney interrupts.

She doesn't know what a puddle jumper is (or piddle' as I call them, affectionately ha.)  Beckett doesn't find anything wrong, it's probably psychological.  The woman tries to escape on the jumper but Rodney catches her again. She can't fly one of those and so she attempts to seduce him into taking her for a ride.

Ronon knocks her out.  Beckett says he wouldn't have pulled the trigger and Ronon says she's not Jennifer.  Sheppard wants to talk to her.  She stabbed Zelenka.  Her name is Neeva (Dawn Olivieri) and she was looking at the artefacts in the village when she was brought here.

Rodney is interested in the artefacts.  Sheppard says she steals and put the rune into the device and connected to someone far away.  Rodney reminds them about SG1 and the Glastonbury Cavern.  Daniel's grandfather and Janus lab.  Jennifer visited him there and touched a rune.  The stones connect to a terminal.

Woolsey is told of the problems disconnecting and how Jennifer's mind is in her body.  She's elsewhere and is obviously going to be executed for her crimes.  The magistrate isn't fooled by her.  Rodney says they need to shut it down at the source.  Beckett reminds them of the psychological connection as well.   If Neeva is killed so will Jennifer.  Neeva agrees t take them there if they will free her.  She complains plenty.  Sheppard: "only when he's awake."  He thinks Rodney and Jennifer together is "hard to believe."  Teyla (Rachel Luttrell) thinks they shouldn't say anything in the village.  Sheppard telling them his rank as if that means anything to the villagers, ha.  The magistrate is at an execution. Jennifer manages to escape  and meets up with Neeva's accomplices.

Ronon tracks her.  They ask Jennifer about the plan and Teyla says the whole village is looking for Jennifer.  Neeva runs and Jennifer tells them they should leave the planet and set an explosion. Jannick (Ron Selmour) ask why they would run towards the explosion?  Which is what Daniel said to Rodney in First Contact/The Lost Tribe.  Neeva turns up at the cave.  She is shot and wounded.  Sheppard thinks the villagers are better off being Atlantis's friends than enemies.  Jennifer runs into Bordal (Todd Thomson). Sheppard tells him to blow up the device, which Ronon does, thus they change bodies as Jannick shoots Neeva.

Rodney brings Jennifer flowers and chocolates and they wheel Zelenka to another room.  Rodney wants to take her for a ride and a picnic under the stars.
It's a shame that with so very few eps left, they came up with this storyline which was more of a filler, reinforcing what's gone before really and Rodney and Jennifer's relationship, which we already know about.  Jennifer falling out of her top again, almost.  Felt more like a rehash of Stargate SG1.

Carl Binder was Jennifer's father in the photo of her graduation.

Merlin 4.9 "Lancelot Du Lac" Review

Arthur (Bradley James) finally tells Agravainne (Nathaniel Parker) he wants to marry Gwen (Angel Coulby).  Merlin (Colin Morgan) drops the tray out of surprise, probably that Arthur is actually telling the one person who is not on his side.  Gwen has provided valuable support and counsel.  Agravaine thinks she's too much trouble to be his wife and Arthur tells him he must accept it.  Which means running off to Morgana (Katie McGrath) first chance he gets.  She's in new digs now and always needs help as I said.  For someone with magic, she can't do anything for herself."  About time she got out and about and came out of hiding.

Morgana: "it's like my dream."  One that can come between them.  She knows Gwen's secrets and can't have her on the throne.  The Dochraid tells her Morgana is destined to being back the old days and needs her help.  She shows her Morgause's present.  "The price of a soul."  Travel to the last of the five gateways separating their world and the world of the dead to the pool of Nemhain and cast the coin in raising Lancelot; who emerges naked.  Morgana needs his heart - not his sword.  Wanted Arthur's hand and Gwen won his heart.  Arthur trusts her and also Lancelot too.  Gwen was his before Lancelot's (Santiago Cabrera).  "You were her first love and you will be her last."

Arthur proposes to Gwen with Merlin listening in.  Morgana is sad, he was mighty once and now he's not.  Arthur plans a joust to celebrate the engagement, just like Uther did for his wife.  Merlin: "two days of sweaty men knocking the sense out of each other."  That's  aprospect! ha.  So Arthur couldn't have done something different to Uther.  How many jousts does that make now?  There were four before.

Arthur knows Gwen understands and Lancelot reveals himself and he remembers little when he entered the veil.  The Madhavi people found him and was found  in Cenred's kingdom which is what Elyan (Adetomiwa Edun) says.  (Hey but Cenred is no more so why is it still his kingdom?)    Arthur tells him how he can't offer enough thanks for his sacrifice on the Isle of the Blessed.  Merlin is glad to see him and he thinks he could have used magic to save Lancelot.  For all this talk of magic, he didn't sense there was anything out of the ordinary or strange about him.  Lancelot: "If any of us had magic Merlin, life would be a lot easier."  Finally Merlin realizes he's not Lancelot.  He was suspicious before but now he's sure.

Agravaine has to report to Morgana.  Gwen truly loves Arthur and she gives him the enchanted bracelet to "reawaken those feelings" between Gwen and Lancelot.  Which Lancelot gives to Gwen and she accepts it.  Huh accepting gifts from former beaus when she's engaged.

Gwen never thought she'd see him again.  That's nothing new.  He never used to be around that much anyway, not until he became a knight.  She felt guilty since he protected Arthur like she wanted.  Lancelot did what was in his heart and she will make a good queen.

Merlin looks up necromancy in books.  Gaius (Richard Wilson) explains it's the most dangerous of magical practices.  Merlin suspects Lancelot's been raised from the dead by Morgana.  Gaius calls it 'shades' summoned from rest by necromancer's art.  Merlin paints a symbol on the floor in a circle to see if Lancelot is dead.  He steps into it revealing his skeleton.  Gaius tells him they all wanted him back.  He's a shadow of his former self - a shadow with ill intent.  Gwen is drawn to him but doesn't know why.  But she still looks at him longingly anyway.  Percival (Tom Hopper) says people will like seeing Arthur and Lancelot together in the joust.

They joust and Lancelot lets Arthur go cos he has other plans.  Arthur:" noblest of my knights.  You just proved me right," and he was until Morgana bought him back and sullied his name.  Merlin sees Gwen enter Lancelot's tent and still he doesn't get it - why he's here.  Lancelot then meets with Agravaine and Merlin watches.  Yet he still does nothing until it's too late.  Agravaine wakes Arthur and he sees Gwen and Arthur kiss cos Merlin gets knocked out by Lancelot.  So much for his magic.  Arthur fights Lancelot in rage and Merlin uses magic to save Arthur.

Lancelot is imprisoned and Gwen throws her bracelet away in the cell.  Which no one found, conveniently, not even Merlin.  Agravaine tells Arthur he was made a fool of and "death's too good for him."  Er, yeah he's already dead!  He already died painfully, probably.  Arthur is alone with Gwen and tells her to get off her knees.  "What are you still doing on your knees.  Am I just your king?  I am to be your husband."  They were happy.  Gwen can't speak.  It's their wedding tomorrow.  Arthur is angry and Gwen means everything to him. Lancelot was dead and she had feelings for him and was drawn to him.  Arthur: "...only had to wait one more day."  Gwen pleads she only wanted to be his queen.  Would have thought she'd have said wife and not queen.  Uther would have demanded her death.  Arthur exiles her.  "I don't want to see you dead Gwen - but I don't want want to see you."  It's okay for Uther to have another child and engage in adultery but Gwen gets exiled for doing nothing wrong.

Gaius says if Arthur knew it wouldn't change what Gwen has done.  She betrayed him.  Agravaine gives Lancelot a note from Morgana.  Her wish is for him to kill himself.  Merlin knows Gwen is good, that it's Agravaine.  People will find Arthur is merciful and he will forgive her in time.  Arthur can't trust her and can't live like that as a king or husband.  Arthur: "Lancelot was a man of honour in more ways than one."  The burial is left to Merlin and he uses a spell to remove Morgana's magic and ensures his soul can rest and Lancelot finds peace.

A good episode but many holes and inconsistencies in places.  Merlin not picking up on Gwen and the bracelet.  It's magic, he should be a dab hand at that kind of stuff now.  Then Lancelot, one of the greatest knights as he's referred to and yet he's juts a zombie who ends it all.  Merlin couldn't help him either, except for the end scene when it's too late.

Merlin also buried a loved one in 2.9 The Lady of the Lake on a boat before setting it on fire and adrift.  The end scene was sad and Lancelot wakes long enough to thank Merlin for what he's done.  One of Colin Morgan's fave episodes.

Yes about those jousts, there was one in 1.2 Valiant, 2.2 The Once and Future Queen, 3.4 Gwaine, 3.11 The Sorceror's Shadow.

The Closer 7.17 "Fool's Gold" Review

Another ep of the 'Provenza and Flynn show,' that's two this season.  Provenza (GW Bailey) doesn't want to pick up the phone and the woman keeps calling him.  Liz (Deirdre O'Connell) his ex shows up.  Buzz (Phillip P Keene) wonders which wife she is and Tao (Michael Paul Chan) says she corrected him on his grammar, that's something a first wife would do.  Liz tells him the ring isn't worth $500 but $49.  She needs the money cos Frank the dog is sick.

Provenza and Liz and Flynn (Tony Denison) take a ride to 'Goldibucks' which exchanges gold for cash and hear drilling inside.  Flynn is too taken aback by the woman in the store to notice what's happening and Provenza doesn't either.  She takes off her glove to shake Flynn's hand.  Outside, Liz notices the woman leaving with a man with bags from the back.  Provenza remembers the glove, but Frank beats them to it as he eats the glove.  Inside they find Milo Billings, the owner's dead, apparently of a heart attack.

Brenda (Kyra Sedgwick) doesn't let Flynn or Provenza speak yet.  Buzz finds the harddrive is gone and Brenda tells them they don't have to watch the video of Flynn and Provenza on the news not noticing the robbery.  Liz gives them the description of the woman and Gabriel (Corey Reynolds) finds the warrant signed by 'Judge Judy.'

Raydor (Mary McDonnell) explains they pretended to be from the LAPD.  Pope (JK Simmons) calls this a professional standards case but Brenda needs to be involved cos of Milo's murder.  Taylor (Robert Gossett) reminds them Flynn and Provenza were there as witnesses.  Pope wants Brenda and Raydor to work together.  Milo was a street scam artist.  They dub the robbers 'Bonnie and Clyde.'  Brenda tells Raydor she needs the right confession to deem it a murder.

Milo's partner was Jerry Cooper (Reg Rogers) and Milo called about the raid and the police were searching for stolen property.  Cooper is distressed over the safe being raided and feigns worry over his personal possessions, such as a baseball card, a photo with Bruce Willis.  Gabriel finds the financials and they received a half million dollar wire transfer.  Provenza doesn't find any criminal history on Cooper.  He volunteers to play the 'dirty cop' if they need one.  "I'm at your service."  Wonder if there was anything behind him wanting to play a dirty cop.  No mention was made of the leak this episode.  Provenza doesn't want Liz to be 'Bonnie.'

Cooper shows up at his house and asks for two things back.  He'll pay them in return.  Provenza asks him how much the wedding ring is worth and he will give him $60.  Adding when people sends rings etc to them, it means there no longer of any personal value.  He wants the double eagle coins returned.  His buyer calls and they sold the coins to someone else.  Frank makes a run for it out of the house.

Fritz (Jon Tenney) explains the coins were meant to be destroyed. The coins are stolen US government property and are worth $8 million each.  Raydor and Liz take Frank for a walk and Flynn is sent to carry the evidence bag for the dog poop.  Cooper says a woman mailed them the coins and she was paid for them so they're not stolen.  Brenda makes him answer his buyer's phone and Victor (Ilia Volok) tells him the thief called him.  They're to meet at the gallery at 9am.  Tao and Sanchez (Raymond Cruz) help Raydor with the glove.

This case was easily wrapped up, making a change.  Ensuring we didn't have to sit through this ep any longer than necessary.  Brenda accompanies Cooper and he tells her Victor won't believe he could be with someone like her.  Paul (Jayson Blair) brings the coins with him.  He was a chemistry teacher who lots his job but they still haven't found Bonnie.  Tao believes he'll get 5 years and Provenza says plus more for impersonating an officer.  Raydor IDs Bonnie as Audrey (Sunny Mabrey) a lawyer.  Which is why she was able to write out the warrant.

Brenda wants Flynn and Provenza to take Paul's lunch order and Audrey is shown Paul writing.  Brenda asks why she thinks they found her so quickly after Paul was arrested.  He's cooperating with them.  Audrey revokes all rights to a lawyer, what an idiot and she's meant to be a lawyer herself.  Pope tells her of Milo's heart attack during the robbery.  Taylor reminds her of the felony murder rule, which she doesn't seem to know of.

Brenda tells Raydor she can't believe she had to beg Pope for the murder case.  Raydor: "a good relationship depends on what you're willing to overlook."  Fritz takes the coins.  Cooper's real name is John Hughes Smith and he's in witness protection.  Liz tells Flynn the others think of him as Provenza's fifth wife and they get together every month to vent.  Provenza buys the ring from her.  It reminds her of their wedding and she sees their children and grandchildren and how life could have been  and takes the cheque.  Provenza gives her the ring for safekeeping.

This episode was a big let down as far as The Closer is concerned.  The continuing arc with Brenda's lawsuit, the leak was interesting and made for tense viewing, but this episode doesn't rate a mention.  It was one of the worst ones out of all the others, where Flynn and Provenza get up to mischief.  Don't know whether this is adding insult to injury but it happened to be directed by Jon Tenney.  Surely they could have given him another ep to direct!

Without A Trace 3.12 "Penitence" Review

CROTON CORRECTIONAL FACILITY
Prisoners are escorted on a bus, inside one starts a fight and others join in.  One standing around with a broom disappears.

42 Hours Missing
The prisoner’s name was John MacAvoy (Jeremy Davidson) and his sister Laura (Anne Ramsay) asks the FBI for help. Viv  (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) tells her he’s not a missing person.  Jack (Anthony LaPaglia) says everyone including the warden think he’s escaped.  Laura says he would have been out on parole in 2 weeks and reads them an extract from his letter; 'my faith is truly being tested.  Come what may know that you are truly in my heart and that I have tried to walk the path the Lord has laid out for me.  Love Mac.'  Viv asks what’s happened to him if he hasn’t escaped.  On her last visit he told her he was attacked by guards and they threatened to kill him.  Viv assures her they’ll look into it.

44 Hours Missing
There were 66 inmates and 64 after the fight was stopped.  Ferris (Corey Reynolds) also escaped.  They don’t have any leads.  The fight was a distraction and they hid in the food service truck.  The guards realized they were missing after a head count but it was too late.  The guard assigned to the gate left it open, it was him, Orley (Dean Norris).  The Warden Hillary Guiterrez (Jenny Gago) says the relationship with her staff was fine.  Mac punched a guard 18 months ago during a fight.  Viv tells her they’re here because he’s missing.  Damon Ferris was state raised and has been in and out of prison since 16.  He and Mac weren’t friends as Mac was part of the Arian tribe; the leader is Beast.

Laura doesn’t seem to recall when Mac told her about the attack.  Jack tells her the real truth is she called everyone, i.e. the sheriff, warden to sell them the idea of him not escaping.  He lied about being killed by the guards.  He beat men up as part of a group.  Laura tells him people change and she saw this at his parole hearing.  He apologized for killing Mrs D’Angelo’s husband in a drunken brawl and cried.  He seamed sincere.  Mrs D’Angelo dropped her objections to parole.  Jack wants a list of known associates Mac may contact.

Danny (Enrique Murciano) and Viv question Beast but he’ll only speak to Danny, he’s not black. He has a 666 tattoo on his arm.  Viv asks him why Arians would help a black inmate escape?  He replies there’d be one less of someone like her.  Viv says he’s trying to steer them towards Ferris.  Danny replies that’s why they’ll focus on Mac.

Sam (Poppy Montgomery) finds Mac hasn’t contacted anyone on the list.  Viv asks for a background check on Orley.
The Chaplin (Damien Leake) attended Mac’s hearing and wrote a letter about his deeds.  He can’t see into the priosners’ souls.  They’re usually working an angle anyway.  Mac assumed religion for parole until a few weeks ago.  Mac told him he got no comfort from religion.  His father was a drunk and beat him up.  Every hit made Mac meaner.  He excluded his weak feelings and doesn’t cry or show mercy.  He can’t even recall the face of the man he killed and now sees him all the time.

Danny reads a bible in the prisoner’s cell.  He speaks with the Professor (Dave Florek) Mac’s cellmate.  He wants a job in the library in return for information.  Mac left the Arians and cut his tattoo.  He and a prisoner Randall Bowen (Billy Lush) seemed to be an ‘item’.

47 Hours Missing
Randall attempts to hang himself in his cell.

48 Hours Missing
Viv asks the warden why he wasn’t placed on suicide watch? As he was Mac’s punk, the warden thinks he’s got a death wish.  Viv says he had a good reason to escape.  Mac was protecting Randall.

Kansas (Cyrill O'Reilly) runs a gang.  He comments that Viv did a good thing by bringing a white man with her, i.e. Martin (Eric Close). Martin says he’s in charge and they ask why Beast helped Ferris escape?  Why Mac escaped and carved out his tattoo?  Martin comments on how it must be frustrating not having visiting privileges.

Jack tells Sam the Highview PD reported a stolen car with guns and ammo.  Sam thinks the escapees must be up to something big.  Danny questions Randall.  He understands why he needed protection from Mac and made a choice to survive.  Randall tells him it wasn’t his choice to make.  The others gave him to Mac as a present when they heard about his parole.  Kansas said they should take care of each other.  Mac didn’t want Randall.  He protected him because he reminded Mac of someone.

49 Hours Missing
Sam finds that in 1999 a Jersey City patrolman was shot and killed.  This carries a capital sentence.  An eye witness, Doris came forward to testify against Kansas at the Grand Jury trial.
Danny asks about Doris.  They need Randall’s help and offer him protection.  Viv says he knows something.

Jack tells Laura he’ll arrest her for obstruction.  Mac didn’t mention Doris and he wouldn’t kill her.  They had an argument and she wanted to help him.  He hasn’t done anything good in his life and only knows how to be inside.  He belongs in prison.  Jack tells Laura Mac was trying to let her down gently.  Laura asks Jack if he’s ever tired of being wrong about people.  Danny is stabbed by Randall.

53 Hours Missing
Martin pulls off Danny’s blood patch.  No one else knows of this set-up and he’ll be  recognized by the others for stabbing an FBI agent.  Randall tells them Mac kept a low profile.  He requested Randall should get transferred.  Mac told them he wasn’t one of them anymore.  Kansas wanted him to take care of Doris.  Jack says Doris is alive and well and in protective custody.  Sam says she spoke to the DA 6 months ago, the same time Mac began Bible class.  The DA moved her up so Mac had to escape now.

Ferris is picked up by state troopers.  He got the weapons from his cousin.  He doesn’t know where Mac is.  He saw his chance during the yard fight.  Mac was sweeping, minding his own business.  The guards went in and headed straight for Mac.

55 Hours Missing
Viv tells the Governor Orley is dirty.  He paid cash on an addition to his house costing $100,000 on a $45,000 salary.  The records of prison assignments show Orley changed Mac’s assignment to yard duty.    Martin wonders how Kansas keeps going inside.  He’s missed his daughter’s life whilst inside and knows he’s filed 7 petitions for visiting privileges.  Viv brings his daughter to the prison.  Martin tells him the fight was a diversion for Mac to be taken out.  He tells him to speak with Randall.

Danny tells Randall part of the reason why he tried to kill himself is because Mac tried to protect him.  His sister deserves to know the truth about her brother.  Kansas gave up Randall so if he goes back inside he’s a dead man.  He tells Danny Mac couldn’t kill Doris.  Kansas wanted him to persuade Mac to change his mind.  The guards brought Mac to him and din’t have a choice.  Mac lights a candle.  He’s listening to someone else now and says doing this will make Randall safe.  Mac hugs him and Randall stabs him twice.  He cleaned up and Mac’s body was burnt in the incinerator.

Jack tells Laura that Mac didn’t suffer.  Laura reads his letter:
"Dear Laura
It seems like every week the Chaplin preaches on Psalm 23 – like I have to be reminded that I’m walking through the valley.  It’s the other stuff, the goodness and the mercy that I need to hear about and I’m trying to find inside myself.
My faith is truly being tested but I’m not afraid.  Come what may, know that you will always be in my heart and that I have tried to walk the path the Lord has made me.
Love Mac."

Jack: “I don’t appreciate being made a jackass.”
Laura: “People change.  You’re wrong.”
Jack: “Not people like that.”  hey this people change line was used by Horatio in CSI:Miami 10.11 Crowned.  That was a coincidence all these years later.

Viv: “Your brother talk to you about what I was like inside?”
Danny: “No, the only thing he said is that everything that happens in here happens for a reason.”
Of course Danny’s brother was right about things only happening in prison for a reason, almost always the wrong ones.  No wonder prisoners who go in come out worse off than when they went in, in most cases. We get a mention of Danny's brother and him being in prison and how lucky Danny was not to have walked that path.

Danny looking through the Bible in the cell, was he just looking at it or was he looking for something inside it.    Typically prisoners do find religion in prison.

Professor: “You should watch your back…sweat smells of fear…”
Danny: “You should watch your mouth….maybe you should get your nose checked out.  That’s a little friendly advice.”
Danny has to rescue Randall when he hangs himself, true to form it’s what we’ve expect from him: he always has to do this, save someone or find the DBs etc.

Jack: “I just get tired of being right.”  Again he’s proved wrong.  Though makes you wonder why he wasn’t right about Maria or maybe he didn’t want to believe what a backstabber she’d turn out to be.

Danny being stabbed.  You could sense that was a set up a mile off.  He wouldn’t really be so silly or reckless as to walk around in prison on his mobile, oblivious to his surroundings.  Especially since he knows all about prisons and the prisoners.  Though on the other hand, it would’ve been interesting if something actually happened to one of the team at some point and not just Sam.

Danny:”You just shanked a Fed – thanks to me, you’re big man on campus okay.”  But in the end he didn’t really need his help anyway or protection.

Danny: “do the right thing.”

Randall stabs Mac in exactly the same way he did to Danny, no wonder he was such an expert at it.

Jack: “For what it’s worth you were right.  Your brother had changed.”

Mac’s letter at the end and the Chaplin referring to the same Psalm, you’d think he’d had a premonition about his fate and what awaited him.  Especially since he also tells Randall that doing what he was would make him safe.  He didn’t put up a fight.

Jack mentioning he’s never wrong about people.  Whereas at the end you know he’ll be proved wrong again.  The second time in this season so far.  He was also proved wrong in season 3 episode 2 about the bomb at the abortion clinic being on a remote, whereas I was on a timer.

It was a bit silly Beast saying he’ll only talk to Danny since Danny isn’t exactly a WASP, though he is 'white.'  Would’ve thought the Arians would’ve been prejudicial not only against black people.

Jack: “You shouldn’t eat this stuff.”  Another clue as to what’s going on between Sam and Martin when Jack tells her she shouldn’t eat junk food.  Some of Martin’s bad habits running off there since he’s the only one who does this.  Also one episode Martin eats a sandwich for a change so there’s Sam's good habits brushing off on him.

Going to prison didn’t affect Danny in any way re Viv’s question to him about his brother, does this mean they’ve been speaking to each other since he was released.

Danny’s scar seems to have vanished from his wrist.

A familiar episode of CSI here.  Lots of clues about what happened in this episode; such as the shank, Danny getting stabbed was just a repeat of what happened to Mac.  Wonder if they knew then Randall was guilty.

Also appears in the last episode with Danny’s brother, season 2 episode 18 Legacy – he didn’t really tell anyone about him and Viv asks about him in this episode.  Does that mean everyone knows of his brother now.  If so, she knows his name at least Danny’s real surname.  DO we take it they’ve been talking about his brother.  She could find out Danny’s name, that is if Danny isn’t his actual first name.

See CSI:Miami episode 24 from season 1 Body Count where an inmate at a prison is stabbed to death in the prison yard.  The murder being a decoy to help inmates escape.  Corey Reynolds before being cast in The Closer.

Downton Abbey Series 3 Episode 3

More monetary woes from Mary (Michelle Dockery) as she tried to talk Matthew (Dan Stevens) round into accepting the inheritance from Swire but Matthew was standing firm and not having any of it.  So the big wedding day was almost upon the residents but not before the family set out to see their new humble abode.  We shall name it Downton Place Robert (Hugh Bonneville) said.  Yet all this was being kept quiet from the servants, well most of them were going to be laid off.

As Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) fretted over the news from the doctor, Carson (Jim Carter) wheedled the news from Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nichol) by telling her he'd spoken with the doctor Clarkson (David Robb) who told him of the cancer but it wasn't conclusive yet.  Thus Mrs Patmore although aware of doctor/patient privilege went ahead and blabbed anyway, thinking the doctor told him.  Prompting Carson to request Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) to have a word with Mrs Hughes.  Telling her she can stay here for as long as she needs to rest.  Carson also attempting to lighten her duties.

Elsewhere, Thomas (Rob James-Collier) took it upon himself to get back at O'Brien (Siobhan Finneran) oh come on are these two just going to play like little children and try to get one up on the other, i.e. tit for tat.  He tells Molesley (Kevin Doyle) O'Brien will be leaving soon and he heard one of his nieces was in need of employment.  Leading Molesley to get in early with Cora and ask that she be considered as a replacement.  This being news to her and is thoroughly disappointed O'Brien didn't tell her for herself.  As if O'Brien would love such a cushy position!

Carson reveals O'Brien's plans to leave at dinner, which is also news to her.  Thomas with smug grin on face, which O'Brien later warns will be wiped off his face soon enough.  Actually, when he least expects it.  Thomas thought he was clever and tells her and Albert (Matt Milne) he hid some of Robert's shirts so he won't be caught out next time!

Mrs Hughes is given the all clear and everyone is relieved.  Not more so than Carson, who takes to singing whilst polishing at the end.  Ethel (Amy Nuttall) comes to see Isobel (Penelope Wilton) and is troubled but can't talk abut it.  Isobel gets her address from Mrs Hughes.  That place of Isobel's, it's so obvious the 'pros' are only there for a free feed, not to actually make something of themselves, is there a pun there?

Can't tell if Daisy is in awe of Albert or whether she just wishes she could be like him, care free and living for the moment as she asks Anna for advice about love.  Think she has a crush on him.  Anna pays a visit to Vera's friend and pays her off but she's reluctant to speak at first.  She tells her Vera was afraid of Bates (Brendan Coyle) and he had changed.  Telling her Vera had made pastry beforehand, as she scrubbed her fingernails.  Was this some sort of a clue?  Why make pastry if you're going to end it all anyway.  In prison, Bates is warned about being set up before a cell search.  He finds the offending material and hides it in his hand as the guards search and one of them is disappointed at not finding anything.  Talk about making it obvious that something had been planted!

As for Edith's (Laura Carmichael) wedding, the Dowager Countess (Dame Maggie Smith) is still insistent Robert get Sir Anthony (Robert Bathurst) to call the whole thing off again remarking despondently on the age difference.  Robert doesn't want to but he still has a word to Sir Anthony about it at dinner.  He hopes he will accept Branson (Allen Leech) into the family, just as they have.  Edith comments on her sisters being married and Sybil (Jessica Brown-Findlay) having a baby on the way.  Oh how did Sybil and Branson afford to be there for the wedding this time round.  So Downton has seen two weddings, it couldn't be third time lucky of course.  Where's the drama in that?  The big day arrives and Sir Anthony finally jilts her at the altar even if he was in torture.  The Dowager intercedes and tells her to let him go. As he's finally doing the right thing.

Think Mary jinxed the entire wedding by wishing Edith all the luck in the world before she stepped into the church.  Edith is resounded to life as a spinster and doesn't want any comforting from her sisters.  Well it's always Edith who has all the bad luck in the family and despite her selfish snickering ways, especially during the first series, you would think the writers would manage to give her some happiness, even if it was only for a few hours.  But alas it wasn't meant to be.

As for the inheritance, Mary secretly reads Swire's letter to Matthew and it transpires he knew all along about Matthew and his feelings for Mary, so he didn't want Matthew to feel guilty about anything.  Apparently Lavinia wrote to her father whilst she was dying.  Yet Matthew won't believe there is a letter.  After making enquiries, Daisy reveals to Mary she sent the letter for Lavinia when she was making the fire, they talked.  Matthew finally relents and gives Robert the news about not having to leave Downton.  Robert accepts his generosity but on the condition they are both lord and masters of Downton together.

Agh these Downton men and their notions of honour.  Matthew refusing to accept the inheritance, Robert only accepting Downton be saved if they share the manly duties and if Matthew invests in Downton.  Sir Anthony abandoning Edith as it's the honourable thing to do, never mind her happiness.  Yet the Dowager coldly steps in and stops Robert and Edith from talking him out of it.

Merlin 4.8 "Lamia" Review

A couple hear  a noise outside and John (Wayne Foskett) goes to check, telling her to lock the door behind him, but if the thing is supernatural, it will get in anyway.  Mary (Melanie Hill) comes to see Gwen (Angel Coulby).  The village has sickness and they need a doctor.  Gwen takes him to Arthur (Bradley James).  Gaius (Richard Wilson) declares Camelot is under a sweating sickness and he can't go, so sends Merlin (Colin Morgan) instead.  Arthur finds that hysterical but Gaius says he can describe him the symptoms and tell him so he can find a remedy.  So why couldn't anyone else do that, cos they don't have magic.  Arthur comments he's not capable of finding his backside most of the time."  No cos he's too busy making sure Arthur doesn't lose his, ha.  That's harsh coming from Arthur.

Gaius knows Merlin knows more than that and they put their life in his hands everyday.  he is intelligent, courageous and passionate.  "I have every faith in you."  He has Gaius's medical bag.  Merlin changes his shirts now in between from red to purple.  Elyan (Adetomiwa Edun) calls him Merlin and not a boy.  The sickness strikes without warning and his magic doesn't work.  Merlin sees a shadow outside and it's not Gwaine (Eoin Macken) answering his call of nature.  Merlin believes magic is at work.  John felt an evil and they need Gaius.

They come across some slave traders with a girl and they rescue her.  she forms a bond with Percival (tom Hopper) who becomes protective of her and she lashes out at Merlin.  She's a Lamia (Charlene McKenna)  Arthur feels they should have returned by now ad he leaves to rescue them.  Leon says they should ride east as she wants to go home.

Merlin tells him the people need help and Leon retorts he's not a knight, "you're nothing but a servant."  Elyan tells Gwen to stay out of it ad they've all fallen under her spell.  Arthur finds the abandoned wagon and dead men.  the scratches were made by a human.

Gwaine and Leon fight over her.  Agravaine (Nathanial Parker) left yesterday for Camelot.  Merlin suspects their strange behaviour began when they found Lamia.  She's bewitched them.  A Lamia is a "creature of magic".  the high priestess took the blood of  a girl and mixed it with a serpent, sucking life from them.  they become monsters.  Elyan is attacked.  Gwen was meant to wake them.  Elyan is then found unconscious.  Gwen tells Merlin Lamia did it./  the castle is near.  they leave a trail for Arthur, placing rags on tress.

Agravaine covers over their footprint.  Lamia disappears when they get t the castle.  Merlin tells them Lamia attacked Elyan and they can't see it.  Arthur must find them.  Gwen was with them.  Gwaine goes in search of more wood and is attacked.

Arthur finds the rag from Gwen's tunic, of course he'd "know it anywhere."  Merlin uses his magic to attack Lamia with a sword and she changes into the "hideous monster" Gaius mentioned.  Gwen fights it and Arthur saves the day.  Arthur: "...almost good to see you."  Arthur humorously comments Merlin was saved by a woman.  Arthur thought he knew everything about her, her loyalty, wisdom, when did Gwen become a "fearless hero."  he's proud of her.  well that felling won't last long.

Lamia was mentioned in Supernatural season 6 episode Weekend at Bobby's. Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) were on the hunt for one.  Lamia apparently sucks the life from men.

Didn't think this was that good an episode for season 4.  there was no Morgana and Lamia was predictable and boring, she didn't even look evil, let alone cat evil.  Arthur recognizing Gwen's rag from her tunic was the comedic highlight of the show.  Merlin having to put up with yet more jibes and put downs from the knights, even after they were under her spell.

Don't know why Agravaine was around - was it to ensure Gwen isn't found and thus he can be of help to Morgana with this unforeseen opportunity presenting itself.  Even the lamia didn't come after him, what a shame.

CSI: Miami 10.11 "Crowned" Review

CSI:Miami delves into child beauty pageants this episode.  Mothers preen their daughters for the beauty pageant and there is marked animosity between two of them.  Later the mother of one of the girls, Melrose (Danielle Parker) is found dead and Melrose hides out in the bathroom.  There are pillows stuffed under the bed to make it appear someone is sleeping.  Now how many adults would think of doing something like that?  The room is processed by Ryan (Jonathan Togo) and a pink bead is found on the floor by Delko (Adam Rodriguez).

Calleigh (Emily Procter) and Ryan talk with the pageant organizer, Darla (Kiersten Warren) she herself resembled a little girl in terms of intelligence and she sends her husband, Edwin (Larry Sullivan) to take care of the mothers.  Darla hasn't announced Suzanne's (Jenny Cooper) murder yet, but Calleigh breaks the news with the other mother, Alicia (Lindsay Northern) there.  Those girls didn't even look like children and Delko later says what I was thinking, that they resemble dolls, real life ones you could play dress-ups with.

Melrose is drawn towards Calleigh who tells her the Doctor, Rachel Porter (Aisha Hinds) will come and talk to her but Melrose doesn't want Calleigh to leave.  She gives her the necklace she wears for Melrose to hold onto for her.  This season they were showing how much children are drawn to Calleigh, prompting her later on to perhaps decide on having her own.  Well it looks that way.  It was obvious Melrose had something to do with with Suzanne's death.  I mean who would hide out in the bathroom if she didn't have anything to hide.  Some children would want to get out of there and get help.

Rachel asks if she saw who hurt her mother and Melrose recalls her father shouted at her.  Melrose also replies her mother just fell.  Which was another obvious clue.  Larry (Nick Sandow) says they argued over the amount of money Suzanne was spending at these pageants and he wasn't aware Melrose was awake, but he didn't kill her.  Ryan and Calleigh look at the surveillance photos and Ryan finds the tape was played and stopped at specific intervals.  Especially when Melrose and Tori (Caitlin Carmichael) the other girl, were in the frames.  Thus the girls were being targeted.  Calleigh calls Delko, who arrives at the room to find Tori missing.  Alicia didn't kill Suzanne over a Regional but she took the dress to her room to show her what she had done to it.  That's when the bead must have dropped off.

Darla's phone shows she was allowing her husband, Edwin to target the girls.  She claims he made her do it and threatened her.  At their house, Delko finds a separate part in the garden which reveals a section for children.  Natalia (Eva la Rue) finds Tori's clip on the ground and Delko finds a music box.  Prints on the box show that Jan (Meredith Hagner) Melrose's sister was also at the scene.  Showing she too had been kidnapped by Edwin.  But she doesn't recall anything and also used to take part in the pageants.

Horatio (David Caruso) wants her  to see the Doctor and she coaxes memories from her.  Jan recalls seeing a big mouse on screen and was held in a cinema.  Walter (Omar Miller Benson) finds six cinemas where the cartoon played and Edwin used to do his own thing on a Tuesday.  Only one of the cinemas was closed on Tuesday.  Tori is being held here and refuses to play with Edwin.

Natalia and Horatio holds guns on him and he threatens to shoot Tori.  Horatio allows him to run so he can give chase and shoots at Edwin.  He falls over the balcony and hangs from it.  Horatio refuses to help him and Edwin pleads for help, stating he can change.  Edwin falls and Horatio just casually looks on.  Clearly wanting to mete out his own justice once again and play vigilante.  However Edwin being a paedophile wouldn't have lasted long in prison anyway.

Walter analyzes the crown and finds there are prints on there which weren't visible before, like someone was holding it.  The substance is analyzed as fake tan.  He asks ME Tom (Christian Clemenson) if Suzanne has tanned fingers and he finds she does.  He thinks he missed it but Walter reassures him it wouldn't have been visible yet.  Melrose was being sprayed by Suzanne and she didn't want to be, whilst jumping on the bed.  She took hold of the crown from her mother and Suzanne fell onto it.  It is ruled an accident. Calleigh hugs Melrose.  What if she really wanted her dead - so no more beauty pageants.  Just saying there are children who are capable of such actions.  Calleigh reveals to Ryan she was in a pageant herself when younger, seems like they're the done thing down South.  Ryan can't believe parents would subject their children to them instead of letting them be just that, children.  Delko is disgusted with the whole idea.

Once more we get Horatio showing how much he has really changed and is no longer able to tolerate criminals without taking on the role of judge, juror and executioner upon himself.  Which is demonstrated over and over again every episode, practically.  It appears the writers were no longer concerned with 'doing the right thing' and especially as a law enforcement official.  Either that or they thought, CSI:Miami will probably meet its end and so they couldn't be bothered anymore.  Cos Horatio has come  along way from the caring officer he once was.  Edwin: "I can change..."
Horatio: "none of us changes that much."  Well Horatio is living proof that he has changed for the worse.

The idea for this episode was pitched to the writers by Eva La Rue and her own daughter, Kaya McKenna Callahan was seen in the episode as Blakley.

Walter: "Samo I got something."
Samantha "oh way to go Simmons."
Walter: "was that supposed to be funny?"
Samantha; "seeing as you're holding biological evidence in the trace lab, I figured you came in here for an ego boost."  A fun scene between the two to break up the seriousness of proceedings.  Just as well.

Doctor Who 7.5 "The Angels Take Manhattan" Review

"New York: the city of a million stories.  Half of them are true, the other half just haven't happened yet.  Statutes the man said, living statutes that moved in the dark."  Garner (Rob David) is a PI who is paid $25 a day plus expenses.  Grayle (Mike McShane) asks of he believes in statutes that can move.  Only they can't move when you look at them.  "The address was an apartment block near Battery Park he said it was where the statues lived.  I asked him why he didn't look himself.  He didn't answer.  Grayle was the scariest guy I knew.  If something scared him I kind of wanted to shake its hand."  'S Garner' on the door but it wasn't his place, not yet anyway.  There's an old man in the bed who is Garner.  "They're coming for you - they're gonna send you back in time...I am you."  'The Dying Detective"  is typed on the typewriter.  Statue of Liberty is behind him on the roof.

The  Doctor (Matt Smith) reads aloud from a book "...packing cleavage..."  Amy (Karen Gillan) doesn't want him to read aloud.  The book is written by Melody Malone PI in New York.  Did anyone think Melody as in River when he said that name.  Amy doesn't like him saying "Yowza" either.  Rory (Arthur Darvilll) adds only the Doctor "could fancy someone in a book."   Something's different about Amy, her glasses.  The Doctor says they "make her eyes look liney."  Rory tries to be diplomatic; saying "yes/no, not noticing them."  They kiss and the Doctor finds it humiliating when they do that.

He tries her glasses on, but hey her glasses were square rimmed, not round like he wears!  She wants him to read to her and he tears out the last page, "then it doesn't have to end.  I hate endings."  He reads: "...saw the thin guy..." i.e Rory.  Who meets River (Alex Kingston) "hello dad."  She doesn't know how he got here.  She is Melody!  The Doctor found the book in his jacket.

The year is April 3rd 1938 and River didn't come in the TARDIS since there are many time distortions in the city.  She used a vortex manipulator, "it's less bulky than a TARDIS.  Well she always used one of those.  It's impossible to land the TARDIS here.  Amy mentions weeping angels in a cemetery.  The Doctor explains the weeping angels take them back in time but Amy says they didn't start out in a graveyard.  On Page 43 she tells him he's going to break something. She has to stop reading ahead and "if you find that Rory dies...once we know it's coming, it's fixed."  Amy tells him time can be rewritten.  That's his line, he knows that, but it can't, not once you've read it - it's written in stone."  As in Rory's headstone which reads: " In loving memory Rory Arthur Williams."  Why did the Doctor refer to Rory dying, he could have said anything but he utters that specific phrase.

The Doctor needs landing lights.  The vase River looks at in Grayle's mansion is early Ming dynasty.  Rory can translate the Chines letters.  River tells him "a gift of the TARDIS hangs around."  Rory is looked with the babies, ie. cherubs and is given some matches.  China 221 BC, the Doctor has permission from the emperor to be here.  "Yowzah" is written on the vase and River says, "hello sweetie."

Grayle doesn't want anyone to see what's behind the curtain and turns out to be a weeping angel.  She sends the Doctor a message, "yowzah" and he locks onto the signal.  The angel grabs River's wrist.  River: "just you wait until my husband gets home."  The Doctor does a "final check" and fixes himself up for her.  "Sorry I'm late honey, traffic was hell."  He asks, "where now Dr Song?"
River: "it's Professor Song to you."  She was pardoned and there's no record of his death.  His existence, he deleted himself from every database."  The doctor replies River said he got too big.
River: "didn't you used to be somebody?"
Doctor: "weren't you the woman who killed the Doctor?"
River: "Doctor Who?"  Oh not that again!

She asks why he must break her wrist. Amy read it in her book and he has no choice.  River hasn't written it yet so they can't read it. River doesn't like the cover, but she was dressed like that when she came in.  Amy suggests they can read the chapter titles.  Chapter 11 Death at Winter Quay.  The Doctor is frantic when he reads Chapter 12 Amelia's Last Farewell.  Which is meant to be in reference to her last farewell to Rory, but in fact it isn't that at all!  He tells River to get her wrist out without breaking it and change the future.

Amy can't find Rory and he's disappeared from the cellar.  He's at Winter Quay.  He's been moved in space but not in time.  River got out but she doesn't tell him she broke her wrist after all and did change the future, kind of.  River: "that's marriage honey."   So she's not that good as he says she is. Why lie to him anyway?  he asks.  River: "When one's in love with an ageless god who insists on the face of a 12 year old...hide the damage."  The Doctor replies it must hurt.  River: "yes, the wrist is pretty bad too."  He heals her wrist using regeneration energy and she slaps him for wasting it.  She tells Amy to " ...never ever let him see you age, he doesn't like endings."

The door reads 'R Williams' now and old Rory "just died."  'Death at Winter Quay' is typed.  People get zapped back in time and creates time energy and the angels feed on it and send them back feeding off their time energy, like a  battery farm (at Battery Park.)  New York is the city that never sleeps.  There's plenty of food source and they're coming for Rory.  They will zap him back here and he will live here forever in that room until he dies in that bed.  Amy wasn't there cos he was pleased to see her.  Rory thinks he can run.  The Doctor tells him it's already happened.

River says if Rory got out it would create a paradox, the whole place would never have happened.  The Doctor says they need power for that.  Amy says they've got her. (The power of love.) They will run forever.  Amy: "husband run."
River: "husband shut up."  Hey the Doctor says that, shut up a lot that is.  They run.  Rory always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty.  He wants to jump over the edge so he will "die twice on the same building on the same night" creating a paradox.  Killing the angels.  Amy wants to jump with him.  Rory asks "when doesn't he come back to life."  Dying is better than old age without Amy.  "To save you I could do anything."  Amy wants him to prove it and take her with him.  Amy: "changing the future, it's called marriage."

They all end up at the cemetery again after they both jump.  The Doctor says they collapsed the timeline and "came back here where we belong."  Rory asks in a cemetery?  The Doctor hugs them and doesn't want them to do that again.  Rory looks at the gravestone which now reads: "Rory Arthur Williams Age 82."  Rory disappears and there's an angel pointing to the gravestone.  The angel is a survivor.  The Doctor says he's in that New York apartment.  River calls Amy 'mother.'  Amy wonders if there's room for another name and will the angel send her back to the same time.  River adds it's her best shot, all she has to do is blink.  "Me and Rory together" it's where she belongs.

The Doctor is despondent and doesn't want her to go, she'll be creating fixed time.  "I will never see you again!"  He was being selfish, well he had to be, also for us too.  Amy: "raggedy man, goodbye."  The gravestone now reads "and his loving wife Amelia Williams Age 87."  Inside the TARDIS the Doctor apologizes to River, they were her parents.  "Sorry, didn't think."  River says it doesn't matter.  What matters is he shouldn't travel alone, as Amy says.

River can travel with him but not all the time.  She will send the book to Amy to get published so she'll get Amy to write him an 'Afterward.'  'Maybe he'll listen to her.'  He recalls the last page, as did we and it's still there in the picnic basket, as is the basket!

Amy: "afterwards by Amelia Williams.  Hello old friend and here we are.  You and me on the last page.  By the time you read these words Rory and I will be long gone.  So know that we lived well and were very happy and above all else know that we will love you always.  Sometimes I do worry about you though.  I think once we're gone you won't be be coming back here for a while and you may be alone which you should never be.  Don't be alone Doctor.  And do one more thing for me.  There's a little girl in the garden.  She's going to wait a long while, so she's going to need a lot of hope.  Go to her, tell her a story.  Tell her if she's patient the days are coming which she'll never forget.  Tell her she'll go to sea and fight pirates.  She'll fall in love with a man who'll wait 2,000 years to keep her safe.  She'll give hope to the greatest painter ever lives and save a whale in outer space.  Tell her this is the story of Amelia Pond and this is how it ends."

Oh but we don't want it to end.  Did that have you in tears?  SO that's how the Ponds, Williams actually, left the show.  At least they didn't get killed off as most were expecting but got to live and get old.  Only live apart from the Doctor which is what he couldn't stand and didn't want.  That's what happens when you get to close to companions, but he needs them around.  So did anyone tell Rory's dad?

River somehow always ends up in a black dress somewhere doesn't she, re black dress with the Daleks in Manhattan.  Anyhoo, in the afterwards Amy refers to the episodes: The Eleventh Hour, The Curse of the Black Spot, The Big Bang, Vincent and the Doctor, The Beast Below.  Steven Moffat said he "completely changed" the ending he was writing and Karen Gillan cried when she read the script, that is when she got round to reading it.

Don't think Amy and Rory could have ever been killed off as they were rather well loved companions and though they were separated from the Doctor, they could never be apart from each other, after everything they went through.  It took the Doctor to bring them together in Asylum of the Daleks after that ridiculous divorce they were going through and they couldn't be apart now and not for all his woeful pleadings either, he would have realized that eventually.

Most of the filming took place in Central Park in April 2012, including some night filming.  The cemetery was in Llanelli, Wales and other shots were filmed at Bristol and Cardiff Universities.  Have to complain that Rory didn't get much of a send off being taken back like that and Amy didn't hesitate in wanting to join him.  She didn't want to stay with her raggedy old Doctor, no matter how much he wanted Amy to stay.  It was Amy's choice and she chose Rory - always.  SO much emotion and sadness and yet River never flinched even if the emotion showed in her face.  She knew how strong love is and she wanted Amy to be with Rory for as much as River loves the Doctor.

River and her vortex manipulator, could she visit them with it.  Even if she could 'send' Amy her book, where would she send it.  Not to that hotel since the hotel no longer existed cos of the paradox that Rory and Amy created when they jumped.  So when the angel sent Rory back, was he was presumably sent back to the same time and year but not the hotel, and Amy too.  So they wouldn't be stuck in that hotel together if it was destroyed.

A fixed point in time cannot be changed as we saw in the Impossible Astronaut and the Doctor's Death.  Tine can't be rewritten once you've read about it, that's a new one and River didn't mention her "spoilers" as she did non-stop before.  Oh and the flickering lights in the hotel when Rory went there.  But why did he go there and what made him enter it to begin with?

River being concerned the Doctor was using his regeneration energy on her why?  But hey she was/is his wife. Also River correcting him, she's not a Doctor but a Professor, as she was when we first met her in Silence in the Library.  No mention of him no longer not being able to recall her.  Maybe another time, as this was definitely Amy's story.  Yet he will travel to see the little girl in the garden won't he.

As for Chapter 12 Amelia's Last Farewell, this didn't turn out to be for Rory but to the Doctor as she bid her raggedy Doctor goodbye forever.  So much emotion exuded from all the cast but Matt's portrayal of the Doctor just gets better with age.  No pun there.

River and her line of "texting a boy."  Also great to see Amy finally calling herself Williams and not Pond, showing she embraced her life, both their lives in the end.  Karen cried in that final scene in the cemetery for real. We'll miss our fave companions Amy/Rory, Karen/Arthur!!

Can't help but think PI Sam Garner was named for James Garner, the actor who played Jim Rockford PI in The Rockford Files.  They always used to mention his expenses in that, though it was $200 a day plus expenses.  The first name Sam probably cos of Sam Spade, fictional PI in Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon novel.

Also when the Doctor tried on Amy's glasses they were round rimmed, Amy's were square rimmed and when he read the book they were still round rimmed glasses!  Just like the ones Matt Smith wore in Bertie and Dickie!

Some parts of this episode drew me back to the season 6 ep The God Complex. Amy saw herself in one of the room sin the hotel as Amelia waiting for the Doctor with her suitcase.  he tells Amy he's not a hero, that it's time she stopped waiting for him.  Which she finally did and even more so here.  Also Rory says, "not all victories are about saving the universe."  This one was clearly about saving Rory or even Amy but seems strange how the Doctor was unable to do that here, as he always has come up with some plan in the past.

 In 6.11 The God Complex, the weeping angels were also in one of the rooms and the Doctor reassures Amy they weren't real when he puts his hand through them.  Amy: "don't blink."  Here she does "blink" and in some ways this could be seen as a piece of foreshadowing here - that she and the others come across the angels again and it is them who separate the Doctor from his beloved companions forever.  In 6.11, the Doctor also tells Amy he's just a mad man in a box and here River alludes to not having two psychopaths  in the TARDIS at the same time.  In 6.11 the Doctor also acknowledged Amy as Amy Williams.  She went on to call herself Amy Williams when she was reunited with Rory.

CSI:NY 7.17 "Do or Die" Review

A killing of a popular student at a prestigious New York school has the CSIs investigating far more than education, as a far more sordid picture of the rich and elite develops.

A girl staggers through the hall with a wound to the back of her head and drops dead.   The other pupils can only stand around, stare and take photos on their phones.   Got my killer straight off, after she was interviewed, it was too easy: jealously, the girl scorned, made fun of, the boy never noticing her.   It's been done before.   Flack: (Eddie Cahill) "The digital grapevine is in full effect." They even snap photos of Jo (Sela Ward) and Mac (Gary Sinise) arriving.   The Vic was Olivia (Cassandra Jean) valedictorian of her senior class.

Flack wants the student body cleared from the crime scene.   Would've thought they'd have done that as soon as they arrived.   Those students were just making a spectacle of the Vic.   Imagine going to school with that shallow lot, though most teens usually are, but not everyone.   Jo comments on how most of the rich kids shop on the Upper East Side.   She was murdered on school grounds.   Flack: "used to be you'd tell your kids you'd be safe walking home from school; not through."  Mac translates the school motto but clearly they were not preparing for life.   Flack: "someone at Archford had a different idea."

Lindsay (Anna Belknap) had to be first on the main scene.   Mac comments on the lasceration to the back of her skull, which took some force.   Olivia staggered from the primary CS.   Lindsay says the students will never forget this day.   Actually they'll remember it for reasons other than compassion or suffer nightmares from it.   Lindsay still recalls in detail the night her friends were murdered.   As we get a flashback.   She had to bring that up.   Here we go again - everything suddenly becomes about her and not the Vic!  Mac on the other hand actually hopes one of them will recall what happened here for the investigation.

Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) removes a book on Greek Tragedies from Olivia's backpack, a library copy.   Danny: "You got a hallpass young lady."  Jo flashes her badge.  There's medium velocity blood spatter on the edge of the sink.   Olivia apparently was smart and had a book on Calculus C.   Jo didn't realize there was an A or a B.   Jo finds shoe treads on the toilet seat and unknown trace.   Danny's line of that being an unusual way of doing your biz!  Well, in some countries, the toilet seat is exactly where you put your shoes to do your biz.   Oh digression.

Flack: "Popularity has its price" and someone tried to take Olivia's spotlight.   Jo questions Olivia's parents who tell her she didn't have time for boyfriends.   Her parents didn't know what she was like at school, but then they're always the last to know the real truth about their children.   Jo promises to find her killer, just as Horatio (David Caruso) would promise.   The Vic reminds Sid (Robert Joy) of his niece.   The COD was epidural haematoma and the murder weapon was the sink.   There was no evidence of substance abuse and there was skin rash on her knees; which developed within hours of contact.   Traces of a microrganism.  A mark on her finger reveals an 'F'.   Prompting Mac to ask, "How does the smartest girl in the school, get an 'F'." Cos she wasn't smart.

Adam (AJ Buckly) processes her clothes and her backpack.   Danny incubated Sid's sample of the microrganism, which was mould, all grown indoors.   They need to grow cultures and isolate where she was.   This turns out to be the library.   Lindsay wants Lucy at this school, she's very easily impressed with outward appearances.   Danny's adamant she's going to go to a public school like he did and not one with such kids.   He mentions the Dewy-magicimy codes on the side of the book, which he never could figure out.   Lindsay has to call it by name, the Dewy Decimal system, what a show off, don't see her explaining it to him though!  What was the point of that line from Danny anyway, you don't need to understand it, unless you're a librarian.

Needless to say what followed next between the two was so forced and highly embarrassing for want of a better word.   When Danny finds signs of activity in the back: handprints on the table and Lindsay would have to notice the bum (ass) print!  Did we really need a 'demo' from them on the table - it's obvious what was going on there and something we didn't need to see!  Danny: "extra curricular activity" and Olivia must have witnessed it.   The prints on the table match  Benjamin (Austin Butler) that was convenient.   Having a record, so the school lets anyone in.   They search his locker to find porno DVDs he's filmed at the school.   Danny asks the principal what they're being taught here.   So that's his decision of not having Lucy here justified!

Flack questions Becky (Cherilyn Rae Wilson) the girl on the DVD and she's worried her parents will find out.   Well a  bit late for that now.   Flack: "I didn't realize having sex was considered homework."  Flack doesn't want a complete description of what happened.   Mac thinks Olivia threatened to tell what she saw Benjamin was up to, but on the contrary, she wanted in on it.   Adam believes he's found Martian soil on her blazer.   Jo asks Adam if the dog ate his homework.   Lots of school jokes from the team this episode.  Adam tells of the same chemical consistency of the soil from Mars.   Jo asks if she should get Flack to put out an APB on a little grey man.   Good to see Jo as the voice of reason here, advising Adam there's another explanation for this as secondary transfer, but equally good to see Adam acting so flustered and worried at the prospect of telling Mac, to the point where he's off when he sees Mac approaching.   Adam has to be sure of his findings.

Hawkes (Hill Harper) just when you thought he wouldn't be in the episode, says he's found the trace was from the intestinal remains of a scorpion.   The biology teacher, Booker (Jeremy Glazer) tells them it was stepped on when one of the students played a prank on Emmy (Scout Taylor-Compton) she and Olivia were very different from each other.   Emmy and Allen (Matt Angel) are working on a project together and who could have missed that soil in the cage! And the lava lizard from the Chilean desert, would have a completely different habitat.   Emmy hid in the toilet after that incident.   The cheerleaders knew she was there and were talking about her on purpose.

Jo was a cheerleader and says to Lindsay, "Don't act like you weren't."  Lindsay doesn't strike one as being a cheerleader, she doesn't look the type, and she doesn't answer either.   So whilst she was suffering from the trauma of what happened to her friends, she was on the cheerleader squad, don't somehow think so.   Mac suggests they're not looking at the evidence close enough.   Mac notices Russian names on the water bottle label, found in Olivia's backpack, so again it was apparent Olivia was the one who was cheating, but as she was the Vic, it was assumed she was innocent; because she was popular, didn't mean she was smart.   Lindsay trying to be clever again, but is caught out when she says the 'A' in National Security Act stands for Agency!  Jo calls it a cheatsheet.   Hawkes is impressed, but he's never cheated.   Hawkes finds prints on the label belonging to Olivia and another set inside the label, but no match.

Adam tells Danny about the teacher's computer being hacked to get the exam questions by way of a remote desktop access programme and demonstartes this by hacking into Mac's computer.   Jo comments every school has its cheaters and Olivia had everything going for her, but a popular girl also lacked a boyfriend.   Adam matches the soil to the Chilean desert.   Jo reads a note on the school paper from Allen to Olivia.   Flack says Allen forgot to remove the barcode from the bottle which was traced back to a credit card used by his mother.   Allen had study sessions with Olivia and he was helping her cheat, but he had an alibi.   Flack asks why he helped her cheat and finds there is a motive.   Mac explains there are three reasons for murder: money, revenge, jealousy.

Leading them to Emmy, at last.   She knew Allen in the third grade and he noticed her for herself, he didn't treat her like the others.   Jo tells her at that age she had braces and was made fun of all the time, like Emmy, she took that.   So Jo was a cheerleader with braces, ha.   She shows Emmy the school paper with the photo, she was jealous of Olivia.   Who exploited Allen to get what she wanted.   Olivia tells Emy she looks at Allen like he looks at her.   Clearly he was overwhelmed by Olivia, so he'd do anything for her.  Emmy regrets killing Olivia but she doesn't have regrets over saving her best friend.

More 'digital snapping' as she's arrested and taken away.   Jo wonders if Allen knew she loved him.   Mac says they learn all sorts of things not on the curriculum.   To Jo high school is not the end of the world, it's just the beginning.   Mac adds life's not a lesson that can be learned in school.   Was Allen really worth having as a freind when all he could think about was impressing the prettiest girl around, who clearly had no interest in him, other than using him.

Don't know about you, but this episode had pangs of the show Popular about it, aside from the murder, but nothing changes in school, over the decades; it's always about the popular girls and the jocks versus the geeks and the ordinary girls.   As for Emmy saying she regrets killing Olivia, she doesn't seem remorseful at all, that she was found out only serves to draw out the confession from her.   In the flashback to where she actually kills Olivia, it's so cold blooded and vicious.   She didn't really do it for Allen, it seems she did it for herself, without Olivia in the picture, she would be free to have Allen as her friend and the way she denies he's not her boyfriend to Olivia, just makes her sound desperate, that she wishes he was, but knows she'll never have him.   Though Olivia was the Vic and she didn't deserve to be killed, there's not much sympathy to waste on her.   She was just using Allen to get what she wanted and a better thing would have been if she had got her comeuppance as a cheat, losing her poplar status, than Emmy being marked and remembered as a murderer.   But  what I say is today's news is tomorrow's deleted text message!

Not CSI:NY's first foray into elite schools as the episode Dancing with the Fishes, featured a private Manhattan school where parents would go to any lengths to get their children a place and perhaps this episode shows what happens when their children get there!

Lindsay making judgements already about Olivia's death affecting them, when this is just something that's news for them.   She wasn't around when Flack, Jo and Mac arrived initially, so she didn't see the spectacle that was the real students at the school, snapping away.   Hard to believe any of them had consciences, which is generalizing I know, but at their age, they're not going to be reminded of this or be haunted by it either.   Yet even after Lindsay finds out what's been happening at the school, the writer didn't have her taking back this earlier observation.

Hawkes having to add he's never cheated, we know about his background from other episodes, so he didn't need to cheat, nor is it in his character, but it felt like he was having to justify himself, a bit like Adam does.   Even whenAdam figures out where the soil really came from and congratulates himself, he doesn't get any recognition from Mac.   Not letting on he hacked into Mac's computer was wise.   Also Hawkes just wanted Adam to tell them his findings, perhaps since Mac was around, but earlier on in the season he teased Adam along with Danny in Unfriendly Chat; they do act differently when Mac isn't there.

That scene between Danny and Lindsay  was so forced and not a hint of attraction or chemistry between them.   If it had been Danny with someone else, or even say, Flack with Angell, (Emmanuelle Vaugier) or someone else, that demo scene on the table, would've been so damn hot, alas it was anything but sexy; a damp squib! and didn't turn out quite as was expected when written on paper!

In the season 3 episode Consequences (one of my faves) mention was made of moon rock and here Adam thinks he found Martian soil.