CSI 15.2 "Buzz Kill" Review

                                               
As a man, Lloyd (Richard Speight Jr) sells marijuana in a legalized store, for medicinal purposes, a woman walks in and tells him to answer his phone, his wife is kidnapped along with his children and she tells him to do what she says.  The woman demands money, but as she's about to walk out, the guard shoots her.  She was the only one who knew where his family was being held.  David (David Berman) tells Nick (George Eads) she doesn't have fingerprints, there's no ID, no car keys, so they don't know how she got there.  Nick hopes they can find something out otherwise the guard has left four people to be killed.

DB (Ted Danson) goes over the Gig Harbour Killer case, just so you know it's actually there in the background, as he plays over what happened last ep and Ecklie telling him to find the evidence to show the twins were behind the killings.  Finn (Elisabeth Shue) walks in and DB tells her they do know Jared was in a foster home and part of the system, so they can go back and find info on him. Finn volunteers to go to Seattle and work the case from there, but we all know it's just so she can have some fun too and see Daniel again!

Lloyd doesn't know who would've done this and is at a loss for words as to why.  He sells drugs so he'll have enemies and rivals of course.  Doc (Robert David Hall) finds the woman was a former cancer suffer, but there's nothing on her body which will provide any ID.  He does notice some sort of black mark on her underarm area and thinks it's from a tattoo.  When the ink entered her body would've absorbed the ink and stored it in the lymph nodes.  As he extracts a lymph node, it oozes ink.  He uses ALS to detect a tattoo.  Greg tries to put the picture together on the database and DB finds a match to a picture.

Video footage from outside the dispensary shows a black Mustang double parked outside, but Sara (Jorga Fox) can't read the number plate.  Sara also comments that shea was nervous, like she didn't want to be here. Nick and Greg (Eric Szmanda) check out the teacher, Allison's (Alycia Grant) house and find her phone there.  It has  similar message on it which turns out to be from her brother, Stuart (Christopher Poehls) who's also been kidnapped.  Actually it was obvious he wasn't really kidnapped and he was behind it, especially since it emerged he has no money or job and that Allison was probably helped him out.  Her bank account reveals $50,000 were deposited into her account and it wasn't from her salary.

Hodges (Wallace Langham) finds that the sticky substance stuck to the bottom of Allison's shoe was black molasses which is used to grow Marijuana and that the car belongs to a friend of hers, Calvin (Matthew Tyler Risch) who was also part of the gang. She got out but he didn't, yet he was always there for her when she called.  Like she did now and he helped her but he drove away after he saw what happened to her.  Also telling Crawford (Alimi Ballard) that Stuart was a loser and that he owed money to some bookie, but he doesn't know his name.

A van is found which appears to be the one that was used in the kidnapping.  As well as Stuart's DB inside.  He's been shot and back at the lab, Greg points out where the bullet is lodged, as well as the void in the van which is clear of blood spatter.  So the shooter would've had blood on them from the shooting and was in the back of the van.  The bookie is found since the bullet is registered in IBIS and matches a gun that Remi (Andrew Fiscella) used to own and he's got many properties scattered across the state.  But he says he wants his lawyer.  Stuart owed him money.  DB suggests they look for evidence on the van so they can pinpoint the location.  So Morgan (Elisabeth Harnois) collects bird droppings, dead insects, debris from the tyres etc.  Adding that insects are Nick's thing, and gives the poop to Hodges to analyze, who has to comment on being lumbered with that job.  He finds the birds have been eating berries which are native to the Amazon and Morgan recalls the Mediterranean has those berries which starlings have been eating.  Thus leading once again to Remi.

Lloyd gets a call and drops off the ransom but doesn't get his family back.  Nick and Crawford tell him this was his last chance cos he has no bargaining power now.  As a result of the berries, Sara finds a property close by which Remi just bought and they find the family here.  They're processed at the hospital and analyzing Dina's (Jama Williamson) phone Morgan and Greg see her in the background, thus proving she was in on it with Stuary.  As well as having blood spatter on the sleeve of her cardigan when she shot him.  Stupid woman.  Apparently there's also a CODIS for cannabis as Sara puts it, set up by the FBI which led to Calvin in the first place since he used to sell cannabis  and deliver it to people.  His website went back up after he was released.

This ep was abit of a buzzkill since it was apparent that either or both of the parties had planned their own kidnappings.  I mean seriously how many kidnappers do you know who'd let children watch TV. I first thought it was Lloyd, but it couldn't have been him cos he wouldn't have been able to get away from the police and shoot Stuart unless he had an accomplice, but then he didn't have any motive though.  I mean it was his choice to run the dispensary.  Besides he may have been the Trickster in Supernatural, ha, but he wasn't guilty here.  Funny part was Dina trying to worm her way out of it, as if they don't know how to do their jobs and wouldn't have found evidence she was also behind it. The kicker being the way she tried to bribe DB, well she chose the wrong guy, with him adding there's nothing she can give him that he wants.

The plot has been done many times over in many a TV show and criminals pretending to be Vics of kidnappings and other crimes has been repeated many times over too. I didn't really like this ep that much, mostly routine as I said, killing time before they make any headway with the main arc of this season, the Gig Harbour Killer.

Revenge 4.4 "Meteor" Review

                                               
Nolan (Gabriel Mann) wants to report the break-in to the police but Emily (Emily VanCamp) refuses, there's no footage of him on the surveillance cameras either.  Nolan goes behind her back and calls the police, Jack (Nick Wechsler) and Ben (Brian Hallisay) and he wants her to make a statement. Nolan adding that the intruder was armed which makes it an aggravated assault.  Emily wants to do this all alone and Ben thinks the intruder may be injured if he jumped from that height.  He wants a statement since he got his notepad out and will also leave some cars outside for her protection.  Jack knows he'll be in one of them and Ben tells him if he wants Emily, he'd ask her straight out for a date. Jack tells him he doesn't want things complicated with her.  More like he has feelings for her.

Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) arrives at the cabin and Charlotte (Christa B Allen) isn't there, David (James Tupper) was meant to look after her for the night, well she should've been here herself instead of out begging for money.  When she leaves, David self-flagellates himself and later he steals some pills from the store, where he is arrested by two police officers.  Didn't it look like he had planned the entire arrest and made sure he would be caught, what better way to get back into public and what better way than to lead Victoria a merry dance, but also his own way of getting revenge on her.  It seems so apparent that he doesn't believe for one minute that Victoria is innocent of his ordeal and he's just playing her until the right moment.

Victoria finds Charlotte has been getting another prescription filled, cos little Miss hard done by, is upset Victoria made everything about her and she wasn't able to meet her father on her own terms. She later tries to give Daniel (Josh Bowman) money as if that'll make it all right, but he knows she got it from Margaux (Karine Vanasse) saying that cos of Pascal she is practically family.  Louise (Elena Satine) sends over a glass of 1928 champagne which apparently costs an arm and a leg, but Victoria refuses it.  I mean the waiter saying it was from a "secret admirer", how many does Victoria have of those? Ha.  Daniel doesn't want anything to do with her cos once again she's lying, saying that she wants to make amends with him and Charlotte and this is her start.

Louise the try-hard goes all out to seduce Daniel, first by giving him a job and then by getting him to rub cream on her back and if that don't beat all, she also sends him the same bottle of champagne now that he's moved back into the penthouse.  Which he thought was left there by the hotel, really?  He then asks her if she sent Victoria the champagne earlier, cos Louise says it's her mother's fave, as is Victoria's too.  Oh Daniel, you still don't have the brains to put two and tow together cos it can't be a coincidence that champagne was ordered twice in the same day and both times when he's around! Louise hoping that talking about her devil of a mother will make Daniel see her as an ally as they have the same thing in common, when she was trying to impress Victoria not so long ago, so what's her game?

Jack preps the line-up and recognizes David, even holding down the button of the intercom when he says that.  He tries to call Emily but Chief Alvarez (Nestor Serrano) stops him to give him the lowdown on the break-in, since he doesn't want people panicked.  By that time Ben has also called Emily for the line-up and it's too late for Jack to warn her.  She sees David and cries, then says she doesn't recognize anyone.  The prints come in identifying him as David Clarke and the FBI are on their way.  Emily is distraught and overcome with shock, as is Nolan and she wants to see him, but the FBI have the police station on lockdown.  Ben thinks she wants to see David cos of Amanda, but he doesn't know how wrong he is.

David refuses to speak until Victoria arrives with a lawyer (Susan (Lola Glaudini) after Alvarez calls Victoria and tells her about David.  He doesn't want the lawyer and he makes a statement of how he was stabbed in prison, but he survived and Conrad kept him locked up for ten years.  When he was tortured and beaten, showing him the marks on his back.  He can also lead them to the place where he was kept and his story needs to be checked.  FBI Agent Steigel (LaMonica Garrett) agrees to release him since his name was cleared by Conrad's confession and he also says that Conrad was killed six months ago.

Victoria tells David she wants to stand by him and Charlotte is on her way.  He tells her he won't be held prisoner by anyone anymore, not even her.  She needs him, but you know what, he doesn't need her.  Emily needs to see him and by now the story is breaking news.  Ben knows Jack will want to see David for his wife, but he says he can't see him now and wants to leave already.  Emily arrives at the press conference with Nolan, but David introduces Victoria and Charlotte to stand by him as his family, which is exactly what Victoria wanted, to shut Emily out.  She smirks at Emily.  Can't believe David didn't see Emily there, and to want to stand by Charlotte, really, what a worthless daughter!

Have to say the David reveal was unexpected and was one of the highlights of this ep, let's face it, a lot has been lacking in this new season.  It's a shame the big reunion between long lost father and daughter was behind a glass window and one-sided only!  He still doesn't know Amanda is alive and Victoria certainly isn't going to tell him.  David's press conference was eerily similar to all those Conrad and Victoria used to hold didn't, as if David had been watching them all along and planning to make his move.  Was he really held hostage by Conrad, it doesn't seem that likely.  But then everyone's been lying left, right and centre, so who knows what the truth is anymore.

One thing, the sound is far too low on the voices and needs to be turned a notch up and the music needs to be lowered a tad!  It garbles their voices especially Emily and Victoria!

Mr Selfridge Series 3 Episode 1 Review

                                                  
The episode opens with Rose's funeral as the family say goodbye to their mother and Harry (Jeremy Piven) bids farewell to his "beloved Rose."  As everyone is lost without her.
Harry returns to London via plane after acquiring another store in Ireland to become part of the Selfridge's name.  He's greeted by press and one asks when he's buying the land for the new aerodrome in Acton.  He doesn't have a clue what they're talking about and Gordon (Greg Austin) drives him home. His daughter Rosalie (Kara Tointon) is getting married to Serge de Boltoff (Leon Ockenden) and plans are underway for the wedding and reception to be held at the rooftop garden. Mr Crabb  (Ron Cook) is worried about their finances which are stretched already, but Harry hasn't spared anything for the wedding.

Apparently Rosalie is marring a playboy and one who's into planes but is plainly clueless and penniless and it's apparent he only married her for the money.  As shown by his mother Princess Marie (Zoe Wanamaker), another penniless Russian and to put it bluntly, a freeloader!  Also back is Lord Loxley (Aidan McArdle) who is intent on revenge cos Harry took away May, i.e. what was his. He funded her for the divorce.  Miles Edgerton (Raymond Coulthard) has to work for a living now and thinks Loxley should just "draw a line" and forget this vendetta, but of course he's not that sort of a man as we saw from last series.

Peacocks have been ordered for the wedding and crates of vodka too for the in-laws and they splurge and get drunk on this free booze.  Harry doesn't know what he and Rosalie have let themselves in for. As Serge leaves Rosalie and gets drunk,  Rosalie sits on her own.  She's clearly unhappy and later tells Harry she misses her mother and doesn't know what to do.  Miss Mardle (Amanda Abbington)gets a telegram for Agnes (Aisling Loftus) and takes it to the store for her, which has been closed for the event, much to the chagrin of Mr Crabb once more.  Grove (Tom Goodman-Hill) telling him the shoppers will return the next day.  Agnes reads the telegram and it says that Henri (Gregory Fitoussi) is alive and coming home, having been discharged from the hospital.  But he doesn't say why.  Seems he's suffering from shellshock or some such condition as later on Miss Mardle asks him to change a fuse and he begins to see fellow dead soldiers.

Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) has also married Frank Edwards (Samuel West) now and turns up in a dress that is a similar colour to that of the Princess. Henri arrives at the wedding in his uniform and Miss Mardle is morning the loss of Florian.  As we're in 1919 now, it seems everyone who went to war and was meant to return has.  Harry is glad to see Henri whilst the in-laws are boisterous and loud.  Serge takes it upon himself to make a speech which the Princess cuts short after overhearing Kitty remark how he talks a lot.  Then smashes the glass.

Victor (Trystan Gravelle) has opened a club it seems instead of a restaurant and is hiring a Dixie band, as well as paying off the police so that he can stay open after hours, something which will come back to bite him. Geroge (Calum Callaghan) isn't happy at the store and especially with the bickering between the male and female wrokers as the men return from war.  He leaves the job and wants to watch Victor's back at the club, as he pays off the policeman with more money to save Victor from having unsavoury business pass through his club.  He also tells him that Agnes married Henri. It seems, Victor's brother, Franco did not return from the war either.

It seems everyone is of the opinion that Harry has made up his mind about the aerodrome and Serge has been spreading the news around town and to the press.  Rosalie is clearly unhappy as she comes to the store to buy china for the house that Harry is renting for them.  Since Serge skipped their honeymoon breakfast to meet with Loxley about funding his business and other pursuits.  As Loxley also learns that Harry doesn't own the entire store.  Rosalie said it herself, she's marrying her father, yes, playboy, yes wanting to make money, but unlike Serge he did actually make his own fortune, as well as squandering it away too.  Even Harry seemed despondent when Rosalie said this to him and later, Henri says something similar when he adds that Serge is just like they were at his age.

Harry calls the entire family together for champagne.  A woman named Nancy Webb (Kelly Adams) arrives at the store and asks him if he's buying the land since Lord Meadow wants to buy it but has pulled out as he's heard Harry may be bidding too and they wanted it to build 'housing for heroes.' Subsidized housing for those returning from the war.  She's got her own company and has a degree too.  Harry says that he hasn't made up his mind about the land and will be in touch, but he likes the idea since his late wife designed cottages for artists in the US.  Gordon tells Harry that the women must be moved from the loading bay and it's a good idea if they're sacked.  However he will find jobs for them elsewhere and train them if necessary, even if it'll cost money. Reminding Gordon that his mother made their uniforms for them and it's one way of remembering her.

At the meeting he tells the family that Rosalie and Serge will be living with them at the house, as it's a good way for the families to get to know each other, also Serge's mother will not be moving in with them.  She says she'll move back to her apartment in Eton Square, but instead rocks up to a fancy hotel for an indefinite stay, charged to the Selfridge account.  See freeloaders!
Harry finds Rose's painting of the cottages and looks at the land for himself, as this is something he can do and would be a fitting legacy and lasting tribute to Rose.

Not much happening this ep, but more of a way of setting up stories for future episodes to come.  All the cast is involved in some plot or another, from Agnes having to learn the hard way what ails Henri, Miss Mardle having to move on from losing Florian and most of all Harry having to deal with the in-laws and of course Loxley when he finds out about him, which doesn't appear will be that early on. He also tells Serge he'll have to answer to him if he's not good to Rosalie and Serge mutters he'd like to see him try.  Well obviously Harry will take him on.  Seems Nancy Webb may be some sort of a future love interest for Harry, but it's early days yet.  However as she's only in two eps, this seems unlikely, oh never mind! Ha.

This series is to be much more darker and already you can see the storm clouds gathering and the effect that losing Rose had on Selfridge both in his private and public life and how he was distant from his family. No Lady May, now she will be missed!

Apparently the real Rosalie and Segre had a daughter and he built a bi-plane, but only one and wasn't in step with the Russian government, especially after the Russian revolution.

CSI 15.1 "The CSI Effect" Review

                                                     
This title seemed catchy enough especially considering the subject matter, the so-called copy cat killer, but that he was copying the CSIs and was processing the CS and mapping out areas for the CSIs already, thus the 'CSI Effect.'  If you recall when CSI first started there were many articles about how the show affected the number of people wanting to become CSIs and study forensics and criminalistics.  I even mentioned a part about it in my CSI:NY book, yes cos the introduction and early part was about all three CSI shows.

Finn (Elisabeth Shue) is locked in her car and a bomb is about to go off, a distorted voice asks DB (Ted Danson) "Who am I?" and he doesn't reply.  Though it should have been him asking, "Who are you?"  Ha. The timer on the bomb changes from one hour to a minute and we get to:
3 Days Earlier
which finds Finn in the car with a former detective Daniel Shaw (Mark Valley) who is now a PI. He's here investigating the disappearance of a college student named Emily and he doesn't tell Finn yet that his partner, Kerri also a PI now is missing whilst working the same case.  Though he didn't expect to stumble on the Gig Harbour Killer.  Now you should have recalled that name going back all the way to S12.1 73 Seconds and with the arrival of DB as head of the lab.  As Sara (Jorja Fox) congratulates him on catching the Gig Harbour Killer

DB, Finn, Daniel and Kerri all worked on the serial killer case back in Seattle and he even stalked DB's daughter, Maya, to the point where she had to have protection for herself and her family.  The Gig Harbour Killer actually tuned out to be Jared Briscoe (Mark-Paul Gosselaar).  He murdered five college students, All blondes and DB found him when the evidence pointed to a boat where he found more evidence relating to the killer.  Jared even turns up and fights with DB.  Here he also found photos of himself, Finn, Maya.

Jared was sentenced to death row after being convicted but after four years and five failed appeal attempts later he is still there.  He wouldn't give up any of the whereabouts of three of his Vics.  Nick (George Eads) and Sara (Jorga Fox) process the current CS where Emily was supposedly meant to have been found and Nick thinks that DB processed the scene already, as well as stringing the blood spatter.  Even if Nick was late, DB didn't do it, it was already done and there was no DB either, but a fish gaff was found at the CS.  Being the murder weapon.

DB also tells Nick that this appears to be the work of a copycat killer since Jared is still in prison. DB wants to interview Jared in person and has a requested a transfer to Vegas.  Ecklie (Marc Vann) is furious about this cos DB has pull, he went behind his back and asked for this.  Since it's also a reflection on the department.  DB needs to do this even if it looks like he has a personal motive behind it.

As Nick processes the CS for a second time, for their own evidence, Sara does remark that everything was done as if a real CS had been over the scene, as well as there being green and orange CS stringing done.  That looked good, always liked that in the show, though they don't use that much anymore, it's mostly laser stringing if they do that.  It was cool, until we find out that Hodges (Wallace Langham) finds the string was made from human tissue.  What was even more cool was Nick wanting to use the lab's 3D mapping system which Ecklie invested in to take 3D photos of the CS, basically like a helicopter and giving a 360 degree picture of the entire CS.

The DNA also belongs to Emily who went missing five weeks ago from Seattle, as said that was why Daniel was here.  Though Finn doesn't want to share much with him especially since she tells him he wasn't that good in the back of the car.  Finn's signature trademark she leaves behind wherever she's been, no really, is there anyone she hasn't been with or chased after.  Daniel and Kerri were hired by Emily's parents to find her, he couldn't get hold of her, so he took a trip to Vegas for himself.  Her last known address was at a coffeshop and looking at the photo from the footage, she's seen with a man wearing a hat.  Finn notices that he runs his hand under the table which means there should be some DNA left behind.  Greg (Eric Szmanda) has the task of doing the honours and finds there is DNA from a middle finger.  As Morgan (Elisabeth Harnois) comments, as have so many before them, he's giving them the finger.

The print belongs to Jared Briscoe.  When DB talks with him, he tells him he lost his finger in prison, someone bit it off and he swallowed it, he didn't get it back, so maybe someone sold it.  Obviously you know where this is going from the start since DNA evidence from twins is the only viable way in which this DNA could've turned up there.  DB also tells him Emily and Kerri are both missing.   DB has to question whether Jared is the real killer, but Jared confessed he was.  Or that he was probably a psycho.

Kerri's car has been found and Sara tells Finn and Daniel that it was cleaned.  There was however, some dots on the window which look like spatter, but weren't as it's an unusual pattern.  Obviously it was a constellation of some sort, which is what I said, it wouldn't be a random pattern.  Files relating to the Gig Harbour Killer and Kerri's diary are also found.  Where she was pinpointing things to the killer.  Kerri had a meeting with Mark Turner(Rob Nagle) and when Finn and Daniel question him, he states he's the counsel for Jared and was hired by his brother Paul Winthrop.  Then we get the age old story about twins being set to separate homes, one comes good and the other doesn't.  Finn shows him the photo from the coffeeshop and he used his middle finger to position it on the table.  Giving Finn an easy feeling that something isn't right here.

She tells this to DB but is given the same word of warning from Ecklie.  That they're making this too personal.  In the flashback from 2009 in Seattle, we see that Finn is the one who shot Jared, and he says he should finish it off.  Finn telling him she's got his back.  She tells them now she should've finished him off and Ecklie warns her about telling that to anyone else.  Finn also thinks Jared had an accomplice.  DB doubts whether Jared even masterminded the killings.

The DNA results on the human string belongs to the three Vics who were never found.  Greg finds the blood spatter on the ceiling of the car belongs to the constellation Gemini, Pollux and Castor and Nick says he found the same thing in the blood spatter.  There were two other signatures in the blood that looked strange.  They too were of Gemini.  Also the green strings from the CS also formed the same Gemini constellation.  This leads to the location of where Emily's DB was meant to be and the same company also owned a chemical plant.  Here the killer has already dug up three mass graves and exhumed the DBs.  Belonging to the Vics.  One of them wears a college ring and David (David Berman) finds some evidence in the mouth of one of the Vics where she bit the killer.  As well as hair.

Nick runs the DNA and we don't find out who it's a match to, until we return to Finn in the car.  DB is called again and this time he answers the killer's question, saying he knows he's the Gig Harbour Killer.  Finn is released and Ecklie once again admonishes DB for saying that, since he's opened up a can of worms now.  If he's right, he may have sent an innocent man to Death Row and he needs to solve this case.  DB says he knows that and he'll have to deal with it, but we know he's not wrong and that both of them were involved.  With Paul looking that bit more of a psychopath and actually fitting the picture of this criminal mastermind.

Cue to the end of the ep with the song playing and Paul and Jared walking together to be interviewed. As well as the CSIs putting together the puzzle.  Also why didn't they analyze the fingerprint when Paul touched the photo, that was an obvious clue, especially since they may have identical DNA, but they wouldn't have the same prints.  That was overlooked by Finn, who always drops the ball whenever she has some flirtation with some man or another.  Why does she always have to be the one in trouble and she wasn't utilized for her blood spatter expertise here either.  Hasn't done much of that lately as I said in my previous reviews, that after all is her forte.

So the show goes back to another serial killer storyline this season, but I have yet to see if they will actually match the brilliance of the Miniature Serial Killer storyline, as this opens up a new arc of the season.  Also it harks back to the early season of CSI when Grissom was dealing with Paul Millander and he left similar clues for him, such as the obviously 'faked' hand/print.

The end song was Come With Me Now by Kongos.  Also funny did you see when Greg pulled up the results of Jared's DNA, someone made a booboo and listed his Hair as Caucasian and his race as Brown. Oh please! ha.  Mark Valley was also in 1.13 Boom ep of CSI.

So as George is leaving the show at the end of the season, make the most of him now!

Revenge 4.3 "Ashes" Review

                                                
Emily (Emily VanCamp) gets rescued by Jack (Nick Wechsler) just in the nick as he goes inside to see if he can salvage anything and finds her lying there. Charlotte (Christa B Allen) watches in horror as she sees her rescued but once gain drippy Charlotte (or Harlot as I'd call her) gets away with another attempted murder.  It's the never ending Grayson circle, they all have killer blood in them and I don't mean that in a nice way.  Victoria's (Madeleine Stowe) still scheming to ensure David (James Tupper) gets revenge on Emily for everything she's done to her and her children and Louise (Elena Satine) accidentally on purpose bumps into her after she speaks with Daniel (Josh Bowman) who's still under the impression that Victoria was living it up for six months . Victoria is in dire need of funds and thinks that Daniel begin the head of the family now, would have some stashed away for a rainy day. But he's skint of course.

Louise needs to speak with Victoria but she's too busy trying to help her own children specifically Charlotte who she takes to meet with David.  He can't believe he's actually seeing her and she can't believe he's alive, but Victoria makes her out to be good saying she brought Conrad down with that confession and how she's all goodness and light, blah!  Daniel and Margaux (Karinne Vanasse) have their night of passion but he can't find work cos he's name's mud and so Louise cunningly encounters him in the hotel bar after he's thrown out for not paying his bill for over three months.  She pretends her financial advisor is selling off her investments when she doesn't want him to and Daniel says that if she doesn't pay him then he can't be her advisor anymore.

Emily finds out where Charlotte is cos Nolan (Gabriel Mann) tracks her GPS and he's glad she's alive and sets to work on fixing her alarm system, cos she's gonna need it.  She'll take care of Charlotte since she's the only one who knows what she did and she still has this stupid sense of loyalty as if she owes her. Charlotte was a lost cause even before Emily came here, so really she owes her nothing. Jack finds out from the man Charlotte told the bar was empty that he saw her run out.  So he knows now too but obviously Emily talks him round.  He doesn't want the Stowaway anymore and he manages to salvage a photo of her and Jack together when little.

Emily pays Charlotte a visit to the cabin when David conveniently happens to be away and Victoria threatens her with a shotgun, but shooting's too good for her, she wants her to suffer little by little. Charlotte listens to what she has to say and Emily tells Victoria to end it now, she keeps looking to make sure David doesn't turn up.  Later Victoria goes grovelling for a handout to Margaux as she's family now, but wont accept anything unless it was a loan.  How could Margaux say she doesn't know of Victoria's predicament considering she knows Daniel is broke.

Victoria tells David how Emily was here and he goes to knife her in bed!  He recognizes her, of course he does but it doesn't click in that instance since Nolan gets the cameras up and running, well some of them and stops him.  Of course she's got that photo now as well, but he didn't have time to look at it.  It's just dragging out the inevitable longer bit by bit, that he will find out Emily is Amanda, he's her father, how can he not know or recognize her.

Ben (Brian Hallisay) finds Emily's car in the woods and it's like he's stalking her, I mean he turns up everywhere she goes, but she tells him she's not looking for company anytime soon.  No, it's Emily and Jack isn't it, always has been.  The only way any of this revenge plot can be salvaged is if David is playing Victoria for betraying him and will ultimately get payback for his time in prison and losing his daughter.  So how come the Fire Department missed that big can of accelerant and put it down to an accident!  Amateurs or what. Ha.

As for the title well it's more like it's referring to Emily rising from the ashes once again like a phoenix and that, let's face it Victoria et al, she's invincible! Where'd Victoria salvage that dress from? Ha.

Revenge 4.2 "Disclosure" Review

                                             
Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) tells David (James Tupper) that she cares for him, he wraps his hands around her neck and strangles, which was too good for her.  She awakes in the van cos she was only dreaming. He takes her to where he was hiding out all those years, which resembles a converted jail cell.  She tells him she loves him and he her, but she's got something up her sleeve and it's called revenge. You know, hell hath no fury and all that.  Claiming she never stopped loving him and Conrad threatened her when she wanted to go to the DA and tell the truth.  He also threatened their children.  He finally admits he killed Conrad  after he heard his confession cos he would've dragged her down with him. Victoria trying to hide a steak knife from him, as the waitress points out she's dropped her knife. David knows she's worried and is afraid of him.

He assures her he's not here to hurt her but he wants to see Charlotte (Christa B Allen) and he read about what happened to the boat and to Amanda. Of course when Victoria was referring to boat, it could've taken to mean what happened to Emily (Emily VanCamp) on the boat on her honeymoon with Daniel (Josh Bowman) when he shot her, but alas she was not.   David wants to meet Charlotte but the question remains of how Charlotte will accept that revelation, since she's on the edge.  She hasn't really accepted much of anything.  Also Victoria must be deluding herself thinking that Emily and David will never meet and she does know what he looks like, even if he doesn't know she's still alive, then he also knows Nolan (Gabriel Mann) and vice versa and of course their paths too will cross.  How can Victoria get away with making David take revenge on Emily.  Didn't realize David was so gullible as to believe anything she has to say.  He wasn't the love of her life, not two minutes ago she was pining for Pascal.

Daniel and Margaux (Karine Vanasse) set up Gideon (Daniel Zovatto) first Charlotte catches him with another woman and she naively believes that he actually was interested in her, Charlotte needs to grow up and grow a brain too.  She tells Daniel she cashed the cheque without paying the rent.  But he sees Emily there and hangs up on her.  Daniel says there no longer are any Grayson's after what Emily's done.  She's here to see a friend and that person was Charlotte but she can't find her.  Nolan also realizes Emily hasn't given up the revenge business and comments on how he thought he had a "revenge-free Summer."

Nolan locates Charlotte using GPS and tells Emily she should be right on top of her with her Manolo's.  She looks up to see Charlotte about to jump.  But doesn't succeed in talking her out of it saying she's been trying to be there for her.  Instead Jack's (Nick Wechsler) partner, Ben (Brian Hallisay) tackles her off the edge, hurting his shoulder in the process.  He's set his sights on Emily and asks Jack about her past.  OH look, fun being a policeman, as they sat there in an earlier scene with the speed gun! Ha.  Jack tells him she and Amanda were in juvvie together, now did he need to do that since it got his interest peeked.  He also asks Emily what she was doing at the hotel, but she fobs him off saying she nearly lost her friend.  Jack also warns him off Emily cos she's not looking for anyone right now.

Jack brings Charlotte to the beachhouse since she was released by the doctor and says she can only be helped by family.  Emily admits she's Amanda and she wanted to tell her but couldn't.  Charlotte saying all she could think of was revenge and not her.  Emily shows Charlotte the wooden box with the journals but she just breaks it before storming off.  Cos you know, it's always about Charlotte isn't it!  Nolan tells Emily she won't forgive her overnight and just then she gets a call from her.  Emily arrives at the Stowaway with Charlotte telling her to read from the pad cos if she talks to her she'll get angry, as she clobbers her from behind.  That was very Victoria of her.  See she is nothing but Victoria's daughter.  Then sets fire to the Stowaway.  Yeah immature Charlotte, that's really yours to burn as you please!  Now we have mother and daughter out for revenge.  Oh should also add, Daniel is also like them too. So now now all of Victoria's children have had murder in mind and have gone through with it, including Patrick.

Daniel sets Gideon up at the meeting with a magazine owner and calls a reporter too, a woman walks in and takes drugs from Gideon's pocket saying he owes her.  Of course that makes the papers but Margaux goes one better when Gideon realizes she knows about the redhead.  He threatens her and she tells him she'll arrange a meeting with the man in London but he wants to fly tonight.  At the airport he's arrested with more drugs as Daniel and Margaux celebrate by going full speed ahead on the office desk! Ha.  Well she got over Jack quickly! She's also very trusting of Daniel all of a sudden.

That all seemed too convenient and quite frankly that entire Margaux/Daniel storyline is as boring as Charlotte running around playing up! Missing that whole Emily narration part now, as I said the tables are turned and she's in the firing line now.  didn't think this was the right moment for Emily to admit who she was and that she kidnapped her, I mean she just tried to end it all, as well as being on drugs.  Cos this sent her over the edge even more, though sadly not literally!

John Terlesky is now supervising producer on the show, as well as directing some eps too. He was David Taylor in shortlived show, Legmen, alongside Bruce Greenwood.

Revenge 4.1 "Renaissance" Review

                                              
Victoria: "In my lifetime, I've come to understand that there are three ways for a person to disappear.  The first is to die.  The second is to lie.  And the last is to be reborn."  Clearly Victoria's on her second bout of this, as she lies to her therapy group, "it was after my former husband's death six months ago that my transformation began.  I made my peace with those who have wronged me and with those who I've wronged.  No one more so than Emily Thorne."

This time round the revenge tables and stakes are reversed as we get Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) becoming Emily (Emily VanCamp) as Emily lives it up in the Grayson mansion she bought.  As we know the Grayson name is now dirt and Victoria plans on colluding with her fellow 'inmates' to get out of the psych hospital.  Making friends inside she manages to get hold of a phone, courtesy of Phyllis (Yeardley Smith) but calls the house where Emily is the one who answers it.  Notifying the doc of Victoria's call.  But Victoria also gets a new ally to use in terms of planning her getaway.  This time round it's a girl, Louise (Elena Satine) whose mother has committed her so she can get over her father's death, or as she puts it, to make her insane.  Victoria uses her trunk to get Phyllis locked inside so she can leave.  As a diversion the sprinklers are put on and she manages to get away, but leaving her 'poppet' Louise behind.

Emily crashes Nolan's (Gabriel Mann) car into another woman's, Nancy (Alicia Lagano) and we know Emily can't quite leave the revenge behind, but more importantly, she can't leave the addiction behind of helping others, hence a reason why she can't reveal herself as Amanda Clark.  Even Nolan calls her out on this at the lavish party she throws, she invites Nancy over to pay her the cheque for the damage to the car and also reveals the man who killed her fiance, by substituting the name of his mistress, 'Valerie' on the boat to be launched, instead of his wife's, Jennifer.   Nancy telling Emily she was angry but she got over it, cos he'll get out anyway and what good will it do her now to see 'justice' done.  Something Emily realizes is that she can't help people who don't want to be helped, or who are not her, those vying for revenge.

No matter though since Victoria pays her a visit and tells her the revenge will all be hers now, which is why I said she's going to be Emily now.  She says she wants to end this and she wants Pascal back, Emily adding she wants Aiden back.  Also saying Emily should've admitted she was Amanda when she got here and things would've been different.  Also that she feels she's like Emily now when she came out of juvvie.  But then Victoria gets taken by David (James Tupper) who chloroforms her.  After deciding it's time to return home.  A shame Emily didn't see him hiding out in the dark in her beach house, but her first thought was of Aiden whom she found lying there after he was killed.  Thinking that Nancy was the only one who could sympathize with her cos she went through the same thing.  But it wasn't the same thing, she did lose him, only she moved on instead of careering off the tracks.

Jack (Nick Wechsler) has become a policeman now. albeit a rookie and is teased that it's cos of the kidnapping by Ben (Brian Hallisay) when Charlotte (Christa B Allen) was kidnapped, but he wanted to do some good when he saw people get away with murder for so long (meaning the Grayson's). Charlotte takes Carl from nursery just to make Jack worry and to get him to admit he kidnapped her, which he denies.  He later brings Ben to Emily's party where he finds Charlotte taking drugs along with Gideon (Daniel Zovatto) who's no doubt being encouraging her.  Then again Charlotte always was a waste of space and as Emily tells Nolan that's one reason why she's still here, cos of her.  Little good that does.  Ben arrests her, but Jack has to talk him out of it cos she's family.  Charlotte also scams $7,000 for rent from Daniel (Josh Bowman) which isn't for rent of course and it's obvious Daniel doesn't have any money.  Selling his car at a loss, but also having resigned from his position at the magazine.

Nolan tells Margaux (Karine Vanasse) about Gideon and tells her to ask Daniel about the 'redhead.' The redhead being the woman Gideon took compromising photos of with Daniel after she ODed, with a little help from him.  I couldn't help think of, "oh how the mighty have fallen" when I was writing this! Ha.  Then Daniel is no saint, he did shoot Emily after all and got away with it.

I didn't find this episode as interesting as the other season openers, no longer done is the 'x number' of months earlier ploy and then coming back to the present day, I missed that.  Wonder if Emily's narration will return or if it'll be Victoria doing all of them from now on.  Lots of questions, here's hoping the season will improve over time.  Oh and did I mention Nolan brings in a throne for Emily, "long live the new queen", now if that isn't a reversal of fortune or taking over from Victoria, then I don't know what is.  But I still miss Victoria's first throne, er chair!  David, Victoria and Emily playing happy families, I think not!

Doctor Who "Last Christmas" Christmas Special Review

                                                 
Clara (Jenna Coleman) wakes to the commotion of finding Santa (Nick Frost) on her roof, Santa with his sleigh which has crashed and his two elves, ordering them to pick up the tangerines.  Big clue were the tangerines, as everyone says, nobody wants them, but they find their way into stockings and the like. Which nobody likes.  Moments later the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) arrives telling Clara to go into the TRADIS cos she's not safe.

On a base in the North Pole, a woman, Shona (Faye Marsay) prepares to enter the infirmary after being told what to do, but she's reluctant to do so.  She's also forgotten what she was trained to do. So they play music for her, the music being Slade's Merry Christmas Everybody, of course!  She's to get past the other four on the bed, but we don't know what's happening, or why she was even in the infirmary to begin with.  The Doctor and Clara arrive and find the things on the bed are waking up as they're honing in on their thoughts.  She has to get distracted or they will find them.  He asks Clara to think of maths problems and then to think of Danny (Sam Anderson).  He's probably texting some other woman, which she hates cos he's dead.  This reminded me of guess what, the weeping angels, don't blink, or you'll miss 'em, which I added.  Then again there was, "listen" as well.  Now we had don't think of them, or they'll get you.  Take over you mind and your thoughts.

There's an explosion and who saves the day, you've guessed it, or dreamed it more like, Santa.  But Santa isn't real and doesn't exist.  Why the Doctor asked Clara if she believed in  Santa cos lives were at stake.  This Christmas the invasion involved dream crabs, well if you like that sort of thing, personally I hate crabs!  So the crabs fall from the skies and we're to believe Santa saves the day, as he asks, "who you gonna call?"  In the North Pole.  In march the armed robots and the tangerine and that's the end, short Christmas ep I've ever seen.  Of course it's not the end, it's just the beginning.

The dreamcrab is caught and jarred in a specimen bottle, as the Doctor asks Ashley (Natalie Gumede) and the others why they're here?  Each one responding, 'it's a long story'.  Yeah it is, cos they're answers were identical and that's where you should have got your guard up, since when is Christmas complete without a good horror story.  Clara is angry at the Doctor for saying those things about Danny cos he's dead and she lied.  She wanted him to get home to Gallifrey and he admits he lied too since he wanted her to be happy with Danny.  It seems they were both at cross purposes with each other, as we saw from the last Doctor Who ep  Death In Heaven.  Clara admitting that she lied (lies) as we know the Doctor does too.

Prof Bellows (Maureen Beattie) shows them surveillance footage of the crabs and how they took over the others.  As Shona talks with Santa making notes about the North Pole having a candy cane striped pole running through the centre and how he's not the Easter Bunny but he can call him.  He doesn't get to deliver so many millions of presents himself, thus he has two sleighs.  Perhaps the one scene many would have enjoyed is when the Doctor asks Santa how he gets to fit all the presents into the sleigh, "bigger on the inside."  Naturally! Ho, ho, ho!

The Doctor needs to examine the crab and asks Clara to retrieve it for him, as well as a cup of tea too and slap in the face, cos he deserves it, leaving her alone like that.  But the crab has escaped and is on the prowl, getting Clara as she can't stop thinking about it, even maths problems don't help and neither does Danny, as she finds herself back home, with Danny as Santa.  He tells her to come down and as she walks through the hall, a blackboard appears with her name written on it.  As she tries to rub it out, it changes to 'dying', Clara is dying, you are dying' and many other boards appear.  She runs through and thinks she's past them, but there's one that appears behind her on the stairs.  As she tells Danny she knows he's wearing pyjamas under his Santa suit cos he's too shy and needs a second layer of clothing.

The Doctor tries to awaken Clara but she doesn't get up.  He asks Santa if he can help cos he ordered the others in the infirmary to obey him and get back into bed.  He can help of course but this involves the Doctor getting a crab on his face too.  He knocks on the door and Danny says that'll be her dad then. He tells her Danny's not real but she's not listening.  Danny tells him he is real, cos he knows she's dreaming.  He wants her to get on with her life, be sad for him or five minutes cos that's what he wants, but then get on with her life.  They come out of the dream, as both the crabs fall from their faces.

The Doctor asks if they're still awake or are they dreaming, why do they still have that ice cream pain at the side of their heads.  They're still dreaming.  Explaining it with why they would think of Santa coming to their rescue.  Their battle is still going on and they're still being attacked, so it's not too late for them yet.  He gives them the manuals to read and Clara chooses three random page numbers where the words should have been identical, but they're not.  Finally reading, "we are all dead."   As well as mentioning again why they would all say their story is too long for them to tell it.  They need to wake up.  I was going to ask where Santa had disappeared to?  And his elves.

They find the others are waking up and he tells them there are only four manuals for eight of them, why?  Well obviously cos they are the others in the infirmary and as they come for them through the monitors, Prof Smithe (Michael Troughton) is pulled through.  Their only hope is to get out, but they manage to come out behind them.  The Doctor asking who they would call for help, cue Santa once again on his sleigh.  He can get them back to their homes and he eventually does this.  When the Doctor gets to see Clara and manages to remove the dreamcrab from her face, she's aged.  It's been 62 years and she tells him about her life, how she travelled.  How their were other men but none of them were Danny he asks.  She replies, there was one, but he "was impossible."  Which has more than one meaning.  They should celebrate this Christmas like last Christmas.  Of course there's many a meaning to that too isn't there.  Last Christmas as in Christmases gone, or last as in THE last one they will celebrate.  He wishes he hadn't left it too late and Santa asks him if that's what he really wants. As Clara finally returns to normal.  Clara said she always believed in Santa, so she had to come back.

As a Christmas ep it wasn't really ranked there with all the others, at least for me it wasn't.  It could turn out to be confusing in places since he comes for Clara but she asks if it was a dream why was Santa already on her roof and why or how was the Doctor affected by the dreamcrabs too and managed to get hold of him.  Though they were trying to clear up the question of why the Doctor and Clara took so long in admitting the truth to each other.  SO if they had been honest this one time, they wouldn't have been alone.  Than again, life isn't that straightforward.  Not in this show.

Not much can be said about this ep, so just watch it and enjoy it, if you do.  Cos Santa is real and yes, Santa did save the day.  So how do we know that they were still awake and we weren't still dreaming when Santa made Clara young again?  Ha.  However rest assured as it said at the end of the ep, the Doctor and Clara will return in 'The Magician's Apprentice.'  How do we know that wasn't written in dreamlike induced state?  Ha.  Best line maybe, when he finds out there's a film called Aliens and replies, "no wonder everyone keeps invading you."  That's not nice. Had to be mentioned though, once the facehugging mask from Alien was brought into the picture.

Clara was staying and I'm just glad it's been put out there now for everyone to see, cos she's a big part of the show now and a great companion to have around.  Especially now she's over her 'love' for him in the romantic sense.  We need more of their fights and arguments.  Could have had a good one there when the Doctor was about to get into his TARDIS and leave, problem solved, when nothing was quite over yet.

As for Clara getting a cup of tea for him, that was reminiscent of Jo Grant and how Doctor Three (Jon Pertwee) would always ask her to do this, look she's a companion, not the tealady! Ha.  Commander Strax (Dan Starkey) was also visible this time as he played the elf, Ian.  We've blinked, or not, breathed, or not, and now we're not meant to think, what's next, "don't watch!"  That'll never happen.   Guess this ep follows hot on the heels of Doctor Eleven (Matt Smith) mentioning in A Christmas Carol, that "Father Christmas is real, I've met him."  Also his name was Geoff.  So he had to appear.  Mind you we also get a reference to his portrayal of the Doctor when Santa mentions, "dreamy weamy."  As Steven Moffat revealed, all but the last seen was a dream, well that much was apparent, cos the clue that gave it away, the tangerine in the window at the end, which is why he asked the Doctor if he really wants things to change and want Clara back!  But also it's what Clara said, why was Santa already on her roof, setting things into motion!  Plus she wasn't in her PJ's for nothing.

The Doctor it was said was dressed as a magician, well that pre-empted the next ep! Ha.

Downton Abbey Christmas Special 2014

                                             
This special was really to tie up the loose ends and call it a day on the old stories which were left lingering from Series 5.  Which sees the Crawley's heading over to Brancaster Castle, rented by the Sinderby's for a grouse shoot.  Though it appears that Robert (Hugh Bonneville) is reluctant to go as he doesn't seem to be in good spirits, also picked up on by Cora (Elizabeth McGovern).  Bates (Brendan Coyle) doesn't accompany them as he must stay for Anna(Joanne Froggatt) who has been arrested and put into prison.  It's a wonder she didn't get bail, not like it was proved yet she's guilty and she hasn't even had a trail, sure the crawley's would've gladly put up bail.  Mary (Michelle Dockery) visits her and Anna asks if she used an assumed name since the press won't be too happy when they find out she's here.  Even with all this going on, she's still concerned about her reputation.  Mary stands by her since she doesn't care and she'd be happy to say the Crawley's stand by her.  Seems she can think of Anna which is more than she does for Edith (Laura Carmichael).

As Edith worries leaving behind Marigold and once again Mary comes up with the phrase of how she's the only mother here and she's not worried.  Robert wants to tell Edith he knows, but Cora tells him it's not their secret, seeing as Edith wanted to call herself mother when she said goodbye. Doesn't appear that anyone was looking forward to the hoot and the only reason they went was cos they were Rose's in-laws.  Lord Sinderby (James Faulkner) certainly didn't want them here and this was also shown by his snooty butler, Stollen, which is how they kept saying his name, which was actually, Stowell (Alun Armstrong) by name and nature, ha!  Or that would be sullen, never mind.  Well he has the final say on most things and seems to be running the house and having a holier than thou attitude, high and mighty also.  Which Mary dislikes and so does Thomas (Rob James-Collier).

Stowell doesn't like Branson (Allan Leech) cos he's just the chauffeur who made good and tells Thomas he's the footman here as they're short staffed.  This later leads Thomas to come up with a plan to embarrass him, hailed on by Mary, infact it was Mary's suggestion that Thomas do something to put him in his place.  Surprised no one got fired over it!  Which Thomas does by writing a note to the cook saying that Sinderby wants a simple meal.  So at dinner he embarrasses Stowell when he says he sent the note to the cook from his valet, Daunt informing her of this.  He says he did no such thing and gives him a dressing down in front of everyone, also calling Thomas, "a stupid fool."  Of course Thomas won't let this pass and is determined to get his own back on Sinderby as well.

Thus he befriends Stowell who asks him to write and checks his writing against the other note.  As if he'd use his own handwriting to do so.  Thomas must have been a dab hand at forgeries at some point in his life.  So he worms Sinderby's secrets out of him.  At the grouse shoot, the agent, Bertie Pelham (Harry Hadden-Paton) has also been invited, as has a friend of Attius' (Matt Barber) who gets partnered with Mary.  What was the purposes of the women accompanying the men, I mean it's not as if they'd get any shooting in, though I wouldn't have been surprised if Mary had wanted to get into it! If only to give Edith a scare. Ha.

Robert confesses to Cora he may be suffering from angina but he's not sure yet and she makes him miss the rest of the shoot.  Seems like Mary gets another love interest in Henry Talbot Matthew Goode). At the house, a woman arrives, Diane (Alice Patten) with a young boy, who happens to be Sinderby's son and mistress, but Rose (Lily James) saves him by introducing her as her friend and gets Mary and Robert to do the same.  Seems Sinderby is human like the rest of them and yet doesn't act that way.  Later he apologizes to them and knows Rose is an asset and very clever too.  As well as Mary getting Stowell to be kind to Branson.  Since he's the one who knew the secret.  But Lady Sinderby (Penny Downie) and Atticus are oblivious to this, seems Rose is keeping a secret from him now.  But no matter as he's been offered a job in New York and Rose will be leaving with him.

Robert tells Cora he isn't certain of what's happening tomorrow, so he wants to tell Edith he knows about Marigold and she asks for his forgiveness.  He should be asking her and he knows Michael was a good man.  Branson has guessed that Marigold is hers, cos he's seen a number of such cases in his own family, leaving Mary the one in the dark as it should be.  Can you imagine the repercussions for Edith from her.  Though I wonder if she'll find out next series.  Talbot has also found out and he asks Mary what's happening, but she's in no position to tell him, although he's astute.  He's into cars and owns the one that Mary comments on.  Isn't it a bit like Matthew and he was driving a fast car when he met his end!  Yet it seems Mary doesn't recall that, but she seems to be going after him now.

Bates knows Anna is innocent and has no doubts, when she asks him the same thing she did when he was in prison, about not having doubts and he knows that for certain.  He gets the idea to go on the run and confesses he pushed Green.  (Imagine if that were true, they'd have gotten away with it, just a thought).  Leaving Molesley (Kevin Doyle) to find out his alibi when he said he was in York, taking Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) with him and a photograph from Bates's cottage.  Hey Molesley went snooping in his things.

The Dowager (Maggie Smith) brings Princess Irina (Jane Lapotaire) back and gives her some clothes and allows her to stay before Kuragin (Rade Sherbedgia) takes her away.  The Princess, rather standoffish of course, as she knows what the two of them had planned, as the Dowager later confesses to Isobel (Penelope Wilton).  She and the prince ran away to his yacht, but the Dowager's maid betrayed her and  the Princess dragged her out of the carriage and sent her home in her cab. Thus she stayed with Lord Crawley and her children.  Isobel looked like she wanted to laugh!  Also Lord Merton (Douglas Reith) declared his continuing undying love for Isobel, convinced if he could get his sons to change their minds about accepting her, Isobel would marry him.  Especially as she doesn't want to end up like the Dowager in her old age.  The Dowager adding there were other men, well implying it, but not really saying anything to elaborate.  The Dowager sends the Prince and Princess on their way and calls it quits with him, being the right thing to do.

Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) admits to Carson (Jim Carter) she doesn't have a penny to her name as everything she earns goes into looking after her mentally challenged sister, so she can't go ahead and invest in the property with him, but this doesn't deter him, as he goes ahead with it as planned and finally proposes to her.  She accepts and plus she's been waiting a long time for it, as were we, cos it's been brewing for ages.

As Branson and Edith hang up the stockings for the children on their bed, Branson has regrets about leaving and Edith doesn't want him to go either.  They share a thought for Sybil with Mary, as Robert overhears them and asks if Branson will leave Sibby behind until he settles in.  Robert being tipsy and verging on being drunk since he found out he has an ulcer and needs to change his diet but only agrees to stay off booze until Christmas Eve, so he makes up for it now.  Branson gives the speech on his behalf and then he gives one for Branson in return, pretending to be sober.

Anna is brought back and released on bail and Robert gets word to Bates to come home since they found out his alibi was proved.  The police case won't stand up as the witness has his doubts now.  So this was a Christmas to remember for the family, but not as much for us, cos really, there's not much that happened this ep.  With Denka (Sue Johnston) and Spratt (Jeremy Swift) having a sprat between each other and challenging her to make the Dowager broth.  So she gets Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nichol) and Daisy (Sophie McShera) to help, but Daisy just makes it for her and is caught by Spratt after she delivers it.  Then he throws it out and the Dowager samples the one Denka made, stating it's good when in actual fact it's not, just to stop the squabbling.

I seriously thought Molesley would find that hidden package belonging to Mary in Anna's house, but alas she must have disposed of it when she no longer needed it.  Imagine the look on Molesley's face if he did.  Matthew Goode more recently seen alongside Benedict Cumberbatch (now imagine if he made an appearance in this desperately need for new stories show, ratings would plummet to new heights!! Ha.) in The Imitation Game and with Allen leech too, and as Wicked Wickham in Death Comes to Pemberly, last year's seasonal offering.  Alas no Bene!!  Also I didn't think the murder of valet Green could be dragged out for so long and yes it has, by golly!  It'll be ongoing for two years when Downton returns and let's see if this is actually concluded.  Like I said, imagine if they were both in on it and get away with it! Ha.  There's something about Bates that is a bit creepy in terms of his 'secrets'.  Sure he's keeping some.  I mean we get the revelation that Anna's step father had designs on her and she threatened him with a knife.  She's a dark one too.

Time Called on The Mentalist

                                           
Dismayed to hear that The Mentalist will be leaving us after seven seasons, especially since it's become such a staple diet for us fans and Simon Baker fans too.  Okay, not just him but the rest of the cast too.  It's a shame it has come to this and though I am loathed to say it, something tells me it's a lot to do with the fact the villain of the piece and the great Red John reveal was such a letdown in 6.8 Red John.  It was either you liked who it turned out to be Sheriff McAllister (Xander Berkeley) or you didn't.  My thoughts have been made clear in the review for this episode.  Yeah, it could've been better, but I guess we got what we didn't really expect when the Pilot first aired.

Seven years of Biblical proportions, just mentioned that cos seven is usually considered a Biblical number, yet I didn't really think this would be farewell and so soon, with so very few episodes, my all time horrible number of 13!.  Not enough to say a proper goodbye in this way.  Are we hoping for happy endings?  The years were a blast.

Season 1 building up on Red John and Patrick, losing his family and knowing that he contributed to that.  What else will we remember, the cat and mouse games, working people, he's not a psychic, the brown shoes, the three piece suits when first we saw our beloved Patrick Jane and that white shirt, boy that white shirt worked wonders on him, as did that waistcoat.  A shame he 'lost' it in season 6.  Let's not forget Patty's/Simon's hair to die for.  The smiley faces, Patrick's genius

Saying goodbye will be hard, maybe we can just bid the show and cast a bon voyage instead or more likely an au revoir, we'll still them around, but not as we will no doubt remember them for months and years to come.  Think I'm going to cry...

At least we'll get to see Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) and Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) make an appearance in the finale ever ep of the show, hate using that 'ever' word for something like this, cos it's like losing something that you've had around for years and have gotten so used to and so close to your heart!
However I will return with a final piece on The Mentalist when it airs here. Ha. Not that you'll want to know that!

The Vampire Diaries 6.6 "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get" Review

                                           
Damon (Ian Somerhalder) can't wait to see Elena (Nina Dobrev) and rekindle the passion, but alas he isn't aware she doesn't feel the same way, until Stefan (Paul Wesley) breaks the news to him.  So he didn't have time for the story of how he got back, it was just Elena on the brain, understandable, but he could've mentioned Bonnie, that way Stefan could've warned him about the new hunter in town, or out of town.  Elena hiding behind a closed, locked door, as if that would really keep him out.  She's compelled to forget him but why did she still act and look like she's still in lust with him, er, love with him.  If she was so determined to forget him and her feelings; that the compulsion worked and she wanted to keep her bad feelings about Damon, why the hesitation.  Why isn't it that Alaric's (Matt Davis) compulsion didn't come undone when he was saved at the end and the 'magic' wore off and he became human? Maybe that's not what happens, but it would've made for a better plotline.  Then Elena could've had no choice in whether she wanted to be uncompelled or not and would have to face her feelings, instead of hiding, not to mention, then it wouldn't be all about her again!

Damon telling Jeremy (Steven r McQueen) that Bonnie is at peace was harsh, especially since he really doesn't know where Bonnie is or whether she survived or not.  It's not like she will give up without a fight and it didn't help Jeremy any, as he practically broke the pool table and smashed the phone, so he can't listen to the message Damon left on the phone.  He was trying to be kind to Jeremy and save him the pain of the truth, that she's gone for a second time and worst of all for him, after saving Damon.  But he should've understood that lying is not the way to go.  Especially when he feels similar to what he's going through cos Elena doesn't want him.  Maybe that's the entire reason why he didn't tell him, as he later told Stefan, he didn't want Elena to be happy, but miserable like him, this applied to Jeremy too.

Enzo (Michael Mularkey) wanted Matt (Zach Roerig) to break him out or else he'll tell Tripp (Colin Ferguson) about Stefan, Caroline (Candace Accola) and who else are vampires, but if Tripp is a hunter, how come he can't already tell.  Just cos Ivy (Emily Chang) had Caroline on speed dial, that doesn't mean she's a vampire too.  A bit silly if you ask me, oh okay, you didn't but...  Matt has to tell the others about Enzo and so Caroline wants to kick his butt for getting caught, but Stefan admits he turned him in to Tripp, thinking he'd kill him.  Again why would he just kill him?  Caroline saying the same thing to Stefan when rescuing him, only to discover he's gone.  Yeah Stefan, which brain were you thinking with when you turned him in, 'upstairs or downstairs brain', as Dean would say!! Supernatural Dean that is! Ha.

Alaric tells Elena about Jo (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) not being compelled and tastes her coffee to find it doesn't contain vervain, so how did she resist his compulsion.  She knows about the girl Elena saved last ep and her 'miraculous' recovery and Elena works out she's a witch and she already knows they're both vampires.  So they leave it at that.  Matt finds Caroline's phone in Tripp's locked drawer, after Sarah (Gabrielle Walsh) opens it and he tells her that Damon and Stefan are her relatives, but they're not good and so they're not her family.

Damon hangs out at Elena's dorm, drawing a silly matchstick men on her photo frame and she calls him telling him she wants to talk.  But Tripp gets there first whilst Damon's prettying himself in the mirror and gives away the game plan, or rather his gameface when he tries to attack him.  Thus he ends up with Enzo in that van and Caroline and Elena and Stefan and Alaric set up roadblocks for the van.  Excuse me, but if you're going to set up a roadblock, why so close to Mystic Falls border? Alaric tells Stefan he's not the only one who gave up on finding Damon, cos he was all consumed with himself, well, thoughts of consuming blood, so he wasn't alone in that.  Elena tells Caroline she wants to be uncompelled, which was news to her.  Didn't look like she took it as good news though since she didn't really react to it.

As Damon and Enzo have a reunion, he tells him he killed Ivy and Stefan turned him in.  The roadblock proves useless as Tripp overpowers Alaric and drives the van across the boundary, overturning it in the process and escaping too.  Enzo and Damon have consumption, as Enzo puts it and Alaric is wounded.  Jo happens to arrive cos she's stalking him and saves him as Stefan rescues Damon and Enzo.  Jo saves Alaric's life and in the process he becomes human.  Did she use magic on him to make him human as she saved his life?  I think she did cos I don't think she's a good witch, if she is a witch, she was very schtum about it all.  Elena not pursuing it further.  What's with all the, 'don't ask about me' and vice versa comment anyway.  It appears Jo knows more about Elena and Alaric than she does about Jo!  Which means her witchy magic may have worked there in Mystic Falls.  Is she a Gemini witch?  Oh I give up making any sense of this! Ha.

Caroline tells Stefan she doesn't want to be friends with him, no, she wants more than just friendship, only Stefan can't see it.  Elena agrees to finally talk with Damon and thinks it's better this way, so maybe she can make her own memories of him, as they meet up at the dorm again.  Nice song, Unbreakable by Jamie Scott, shame it had to be used on Elena, ha!  So that's it, we get our Christmas break, which wasn't fair, we only got 6 eps, we usually get 8 at least!!  Stingy much ITV2?!!

Enzo saying Stefan was jealous of his accent when he turned him over to Tripp.  Damon wanting Alaric to uncompel Elena, he knew he wouldn't get anywhere with that.  Did it seem as though he was going for Alaric's neck, but reached for the bottle instead.  Damon telling Jeremy he's not stalking Elena but lying in wait!!  So was the ep title also a reference to Alaric and Jo.  I honestly don't know why the eps have to be Elena-focused so much.  So boring.  How come Damon has gone back to being so cruel again, messing with Jeremy's emotions and everyone else's too.  What, he can't have Elena so he's not going to tell everyone Bonnie is alive and could get back?

The Vampire Diaries 6.5 "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here" Review

                                                
Looks like there's nothing much happening on campus, wait it's another homecoming party, this one's about how Lady Whitman haunts the cornfield in her white, blood stained dress, as Alaric (Matt Davis) tells the students of the tale of falling for your brother's girlfriend, getting caught out and then getting murdered for it, like that wasn't a direct reference to Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder).  A party that Caroline (Candace Accola) misses once again, as Stefan wants her to look after Ivy (Emily Chang) for him while he gets her a daylight ring.  But wait, he blames Caroline for turning her along with Enzo, cos if she hadn't turned up, then he wouldn't have turned her.  Also getting a call from Tripp (Colin Ferguson) who tells him how helpful Enzo's been with providing him info.  Well you didn't see that coming did you Stefan, as I said before.  But he's hellbent on sending everyone on a guilt trip for being the ones who interfered in his life, whilst he wanted a new start and get away from everyone cos he still cant get over Damon.

Bonnie (Kat Graham) and Damon try to get back home and Kai (Chris Wood) makes them dig a hole so they can use the spell underground and be magically transported home.  Bonnie asks to see the spell which he doesn't do.  He goes for supplies and comes back with stuff from 1994 so he doesn't feel homesick.  Bonnie tells him to take her magic cos she's not taking him with her.  He tries to but then she realizes he needs her cos she doesn't know what the spell, is, he needs a Bennett.  Thus Bonnie uses her magic to kill him with the pick axe, or so she thinks.  Damon getting a taste for fizzy, fruity water!

Ivy snaps Caroline's neck cos she turns her back on her and the moral of this story, well would a newly turned vampire really want to play a boardgame (yeah, a bored game, as was this ep!)  Really seems like there's not much left to do here, except keep going round in circles.  Caroline still ruing how Stefan left her and then still doesn't answer his phone.  Or listen to his messages either.  As she tries to tell him Ivy's done a runner.  Ivy runs into a boy and drinks his blood but her compelling skills are zero and so she tells him to run.  Which he does, right into Tyler's (Michael Trevino) truck, who just happens to drive into the cornfield where the party is in full swing and drags the boy with him, as well as injuring some of the students there.

Elena (Nina Dobrev) invites Liam (Marco James) there too, as well as Jo (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) to matchmake her with Alaric and she conveniently had to be there cos otherwise if anyone dies then Tyler will become a werewolf again.  Elena feeds the girl dressed as Lady Whitmore her blood and so saves her life when the new guy in her life, Liam, says she's practically dead.  Alaric pretending to be squeamish at the sight of blood has to help and Jo tells Liv (Penelope Mitchell) and Tyler over the phone, that the boy is dead, practically.  So Live kills him to stop Tyler from being the one who killed him.   Moral of that story don't get distracted by your phone on the road!

Liam notices the girl is still alive and Elena tells him she got better and mysterious things happen, before she tells him he's her type cos he was a "jaw dropping hero" tonight, especially when she sees him save another girl's life by using the old pen in throat ploy to help her breathe.  Jo wants Alaric to kiss her cos she's been waiting for him for a long time, so what's her story, as he tries to compel her to forget him and basically saying he's a drunken loser.  However she kisses him anyway.

Caroline tells Stefan to leave cos she's had enough of him and not reaching Ivy in time she sees her being taken by Tripp.  Oh no, does this mean we're going to get some recriminations and bonding time with Enzo and Ivy!  Stefan feeling sorry for himself again heads to the crypt, Bourbon in tow and talks to his family, barring Damon.  Kai shows up to put a spanner in the woks, or rather an arrow into Bonnie, foiling her attempts to get home and also manages to get one into Damon too. They fight, come on Damon, you weren't seriously getting beaten by a powerless witch!! And Bonnie gets to send Damon home, getting stuck with Kai, as the gadget falls down in pieces.  Just as Stefan thought things couldn't get any bleaker for him and how much he misses his brother, Damon catches the Bourbon bottle as he throws it.  He's here and he's alive, as they hug.  Aww, rude awakening for Elena next ep, but hey let's hope they don't get together (unlikely) and she doesn't make Alaric uncompel her.

Tyler is grateful to Ivy for saving him cos the other boy was already dead and so she saved him.  He will do everything he can to make sure he's worthy of his life being saved.  The title being the same from a song by Wheezer.  More likely it should be, Ivy got turned and now she's left to her own devices with Caroline babysitting! Ha.  Or left Bonnie there, where they can send all the big bads, or Stefan really wants to leave this world.  Let's not hope they spend too long trying to get Bonnie back, but it appears after Bonnie said she didn't really mind being stuck with him here, he'll be instrumental in doing just that.  After he gets the news that Elena couldn't live with him being dead, got compelled, then found a new guy, just like nothing's changed.  You know, you can always get compelled and move on as Alaric said, don't fall in love, the moral of that story being, it applies to him too! Ha.  Though it didn't quite work out that way for him with Jo.  SO it's hugs and kisses all round then, well sort of!