Downton Abbey Christmas Special 2015

                                             
The family walk outside and have cocktails on the lawn as they speak of Marigold and how Edith (Laura Carmichael) wants to move to London and put her in a school there.  Of course they can speak freely now since Mary (Michelle Dockery) found out about her.  Henry (Matthew Goode) has gotten over his friend's crash and wants to stop racing but doesn't know what to do.  Which Mary will be happy with.  He also doesn't want to live off his wife, as he's taken to lounging around at the house and on the bed.  The Dowager (Maggie Smith) hasn't had a visit from the family and Robert (Hugh Bonneville) decides they should visit her.  But Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) can't go as she has a meeting.  And he finds this unbearable cos she sees more of them than she does of him and he feels left out.  Mary and Robert decide to visit her instead and she wonders if they'll be staying long enough for tea.  She also talks of Edith and Bertie (Henry Hadden-Paton) and this gives Mary an idea.  She arranges for Rosamund (Samantha Bond) to take Edith to dinner whilst arranging a blind date of sorts with Bertie.

He misses her and was a fool for leaving but can't live without her.  He hasn't told his mother about Marigold and won't want to either but he wants Edith back and still wants to marry her.  He invites Edith down with the family to visit his mother (Patricia Hodge) and meet her.  She's very moralistic in tone and wants Bertie to be more moral and upstanding than his predecessor, whilst the family raise their eyebrows at that.  Edith decides she can't get married with a lie hanging over her and so comes clean with her.  She's disappointed but Bertie says he's going through with it no matter what.

At dinner, to announce the engagement, Robert tells Bertie's mother to do the right thing, otherwise she'll lose her son. Later saying she does approve of Edith as she was honest and forthcoming, instead of getting married without telling her.  When they return home Edith knows Mary arranged it but can't think why, calling her a paradox.  She's made her life miserable for years and now she wants her to be happy.  As Mary says the Dowager made a comment which struck her.  Obviously she's over not being titled like Edith who'll become a Marchioness.

Thomas (Rob James-Collier) breaks the news of having a new position and George doesn't want him to leave.  He also has a chance to thank Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) Anna (Joanne Froggatt) and Andy (Michael Fox) for saving him.  Anna hopes he'll think about what made him do it.  He also tells Baxter how she shouldn't let Coyle have power over her and shouldn't go and see him, but put it all behind her.  Which she does.  As Thomas and Bates (Brendan Coyle) also part as friends.  Thomas thanks Robert for all he's done and how he's grateful for everything he's learned from him.  "I came here a boy and leave a man."  And return as a butler!  ha.  But instead of making new friends, he finds there's only another two people at the estate and feels out of place.  As we cut to the lavish grandeur of Brancaster Castle.
                                               

Carson (Jim Carter) it seems, has the shakes but it's an inherited condition his father and grandfather had before him, they called it a 'palsy.'  He was hoping it'd pass him by and Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) is worried for him.  He also spills the wine at diner which was new to him, in terms of it being highly irregular. He's not done that before.  His condition materialized out of nowhere, he was perfectly fine all through series 6.
Isobel (Penelope Wilton)  realizes she loves Dickie Merton (Douglas Reith) after all and can't fathom why she didn't marry him before.  As she and the Dowager head to rescue him from the evil clutches of his son and Amelia (Phoebe Sparrow) after finding out he has pernicious anemia and there's no cure.  The Dowager making a spectacle of herself by speaking loudly and getting Dickie out of his room.  Isobel tells him he's moving to her house and she intends to marry him too; he's glad to leave. Giving them the house.

Rose (Lily James) arrives with Atticus (Matt Barber) and was eager to share photos of the baby with the servants and Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nicol)comments on why she didn't include her mother's name in the baby's names.  As she shares news of her life in America.

Denker (Sue Johnston) tries to get Spratt (Jeremy Swift) fired for his writing in Edith's magazine column and she doesn't like his tone, implying there's something going on with him and Edith.  Even after she was listening in at the door, which we knew she'd do.  So she tells the Dowager to do fire him for this indiscretion.  She however finds his column very amusing, especially also commenting how Denker already had the page open to the column too.  She later tells Spratt that she'll ask him for fashion advice in the future and didn't know she had such a hidden expert in the basement.  Denker trying to say she thought the Dowager already knew about the column.  Spratt gleefully tells Denker that the Dowager doesn't like being predictable.  Thus she wouldn't have fired him.  Though she didn't notice Denker with her nail polish shade, even if it was  a nude shade.  Denker was quite irritating making comments about being honest and the truth.

Cora must attend a meeting and won't be here to help with the flowers for Edith's wedding.  Much to Robert's chagrin.  Leading Robert to ask for more claret from Carson but he can't help him, asking Andy for help instead.  Cut to Thomas and his boring job where he just stands around with nothing much to do.  He's been invited to the wedding though and will be glad to get away.  Henry and Branson also have an errand to run and Rose will help with the flowers.

Mary and Robert find out what's wrong with Carson  and he offers his resignation as he can't perform his duties.  He'll stay for the wedding and will interview prospective butlers.  Should've just asked Thomas instead, which is what all this was leading to anyway.  Mary thinks Carson can stay on run things as before, but he's adamant the new butler wouldn't want to work under such circumstances.

Dickie has more tests since he should've been much weaker by now and he's not.  He feels quite well. Clarkson (David Robb) runs more tests.  Rose takes Robert to the village and he watches Cora speak to the locals about the hospital and he tells Rose she reminds him of when she ran Downton as a convalescent home during the War.  Branson and Henry show Mary their new car sales business. They aim to sell new cars too eventually and even produce their own.  Mary is proud of Henry and she tells him her news of being pregnant.  But doesn't want to steal Edith's thunder by announcing it just yet.

Daisy (Sophie McShera) wants to spruce herself up a little bit and says how nice and smooth Rose's hair looked.  She cuts her hair and next morning looks a bit of a mess.  Seems Mary's new hairdryer came in handy for all.  See no one caught her in Mary's room.  Anna has to help fix her hair and Andy couldn't help but laugh and Mrs Patmore tells him she made a fool of herself for him.  He thinks she looks like Clara Bow.  And he says they should sort this out.  Did anyone think, "Daisy, Daisy give me your answer do..."  ha.  Maybe just me then.  She also decides to move to the farm.

Henry wants to break the news about the baby already.  Rosamund hopes they'll be happily married and the Dowager says they'll be happy enough, blaming the weather for the way the English are.  Branson meets Laura Edmunds (Antonia Bernath) and obviously there's another romance waiting to happen.  Dr Clarkson tells Dickie he has anaemia but not the serious kind and he'll live.  Anna asks Thomas about his job and if he's getting on with everyone.  Not that there are many of anyone to get on with.  But she tells him it feels good not to be at war with anyone,

Robert is proud of Edith and how beautiful she looks in her wedding dress.  He has seen her in a wedding dress before in series 3?? when she was stood up at the alter, or rather jilted at the alter.  She hopes he'll be as proud of her for as long as possible.  The other romances being Baxter and Molesley (Kevin Doyle) and Mrs Patmore and Mr Mason (Paul Copley).  Henry asks Mary if she'll get on with Edith now and she tells him not to mind that cos they're "sisters and sisters have secrets."    Robert feels "a great sense of achievement" at having the last of their children off their hands.  Robert was proud of Cora too after he watched her at the meeting and she's a "woman of real substance" and seems Robert is proud of many people in this final Christmas episode.   The servants gossip about Marigold heading for Brancaster Castle and wonder if they'll tell Bertie's mother about her.  Just as well they didn't know about how she already knows then, with their gossiping.

Carson loses the plot when he's unable to pour the champagne and "cannot pour the bloody stuff." Robert decides Thomas will be the new butler and Carson will stay at the old house and have a pension.  Carson trained Thomas and so he'll be able to handle the job.  See after all that drama they could've just had him stay anyway, what with Molesley leaving.  Anna has her baby in Mary's room and Carson dictating that Anna can't have it now and in Mary's bedroom either.  They have a son.  As well as Robert taking them champagne, Anna's going to drink straight after giving birth.  So what was the son named?  Think it was a first Anna calling Bates "John" maybe they'll name the baby after him.  What with Molseley leaving to teach and getting a cottage on the grounds, everything was moving so fast here.

Laura catches the bouquet of course.  Edith tells Bertie's mother she won't disappoint her and she just wants her to love Bertie.  Robert having to console Carson.  Downton will be different without him there running things.  The world is changing he replies.  Robert wants to give them plenty of booze to see in the New year (!) and they're grateful to Carson for everything.  Cora believes the more adaptable we are the more we'll be able to get on through the years.  She just wants a long and happy life to watch the children grow up.  Robert thinks they have a good chance of that.  Cora and the Dowager make up and she thinks Cora will do an excellent job.  It's all hers now, the village, the hospital.  As they all ring in the new year.  Mrs Hughes knows they can make it work, echoing Cora. Isobel says they're moving into the future and to the past, somehow the Dowager would've preferred moving back to the past like Carson.

Lots of jokes from the Grantham's after Edith's call to them, like Cora saying she's pregnant again or she's been arrested for treason.  Also we didn't quite get to hear what Cousin Peter did in Tangiers that was so scandalous!  As well as Bertie finally standing up to his mother in favour of the woman he loves, so what took him so long.  Apparently Cora was right about the pregnancy, but wrong daughter.  Mary certainly did turn over a new leaf and it was like a butterfly emerging from a selfish cocoon.  She was in the helping mood, what with being sad at Thomas leaving, helping Edith and being worried for Carson and being thrilled Henry had given up racing.  You'd think that really wasn't Mary.  Seems being married to Henry agrees with her.

SO it ended, five years of love, laughter, scheming, scandals, weddings, deaths, back stabbings and everything else this show could fit into six series.  Maybe someone might come up with a movie or two in the future.
"Should old acquaintance be forget..."

Doctor Who Christmas Special 2015 "The Husbands of River Song" Review

                                            
The TARDIS is in a village, well planet where the set looks suspiciously like the one where Clara was killed, as a man calls out for a surgeon and knocks on the door.  The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) agrees and ends up at a flying saucer, as a woman in a cloak approaches.  It's River Song (Alex Kingston) of course! But she doesn't recognize the Doctor who immediately does her, of course.  She introduces him to hr husband, a man's head inside a machine, which looked more like a giant robot in the vein of a lobster! No, really.  So as they tip toe around, but more vocally in who he is, King Hydraflax (Greg Davies) (how many times was that name mentioned) and he needs an operation, which the surgeon will perform.  Naturally the Doctor has no idea of how to remove the projectile in his head.  As River takes the head, she shows him a hologram image of the projectile which is actually a diamond.  She needs the diamond, the most famous and valuable diamond i the universe. During all this she still has no inkling who he is.

She's an archaeologist and says she was hired to find the diamond, still insisting she didn't marry Hyrdaflax but the diamond.  She was his nurse and they were married within a week.  The Doctor saying she was a fast worker, whilst all the time trying to keep a straight face.  His body which is more a computer manages to catch up to them after taking Nardole's (Matt Lucas) head.  However they manage to put his head in a bag and get away to the TARDIS.  Meeting Ramone (Phillip Rhys) on the way, as River shares passionate kisses with him, to the doctor's chagrin, well he wasn't too pleased.  Ramone's her husband, but they're not married yet.  Also she pulls out the pictures of all twelve Doctors she's looking for and he does try to drop massive hints as to who, or WHO he really is!  Even attempting to point to his chin.  As we recall Doctor Eleven had plenty of jokes made about his big chin!! Ha.  Ahh the good old days.  But she hasn't heard the Doctor now has a new face. Where's she been then.

She says she's stealing the TARDIS, changing the name to a box and she has a key.  She needs to time travel and she has a key.  The Doctor also referring to it as the TARDIS, er box.  She warns him it's not so snug on the inside and true enough the Doctor plays along and acts shocked.  Going on about how shocked he really is and spouting lots of lines on the technicality of it all and he always wanted to say that.  A scene to savour!  She comments about being taught technical things at his medical school.  As he tells her not to push a certain button.  They're not able to take off since the head is slit from its body and so the doors aren't able to close, but not for long.

The body finds Ramone and takes his head too and takes off like a Transformer, well no other way to describe it.  Finding the TARDIS it comes in and River closes the door as they take off and arrive on a ship, a cruise ship: "Harmony and Redemption"  which was neither on this starship, as River puts it, "it's where genocide comes to kick back and relax."  This one containing all the criminals and bad people, where they come for a holiday.  So there weren't any tears shed when they met their doom. Just desserts.  Even the Doctor doesn't regret it.

 River orders a table for dinner and wants the baggage hold secured.  At this point Hydraflax's head speaks and the Doctor says it's his stomach.  At the table, after spraying herself a new outfit, she pulls out the diary.  The blue book the Doctor gave her and she says time is short for her as she's coming to the end of her diary ad the Doctor told her this once.  She then makes a bargain with Scratch (Robert Curtis) Scratch appropriately having an awfully large scratch across his face and head.  Having the money transferred to a bank account.  However all the people on the ship are loyal to Hyrdaflax.  As the Doctor turns the events into a bidding auction and they bow before Hydraflax.

Shifty Flemming (Rowan Polonski) makes a bargain with the body saying he knows where he can get an ever better head.  So as they enter a stalemate.  As he reads from her diary, River states she doesn't know where the Doctor is.  He doesn't love her and so wouldn't be here to rescue her.  She loves him but he doesn't return the favour.  The body scans her and finds she's not lying.  All this time the Doctor wants to stop her especially when she says it can scan the ship for two hearts.  Yes she went too far and the Doctor finally says, "hello Sweetie."  River's catchphrase.  She times all this to the second as there's an impending meteor strike and they've calculated the exits.  The body disintegrates the head as it's no longer required, revealing the diamond.  The meteorite hits and they make their escape.  However the body finds them too.  The diamond falls from the ceiling and River catches it in her bodice.  She runs to fix the engines and the Doctor will deal with the body.

Talking of stock markets the Doctor plants the ball containing banking information on the body as a head and it can't deal with the influx of information and the firewall, having a massive breakdown. The Doctor joking it couldn't deal with the markets.   River tries to stop the ship from heading to the planet and the Doctor tells her that's his job.  She recognizes the planet as Derrillium (delirium?) but he doesn't want her on the ship as it's about to crash.  He transports her into the TARDIS, however she gets out and there's no time to save the ship.  So they both head for the TARDIS, as it takes the brunt of the impact of the crash, they're knocked out.  The Doctor gets up first and sees the crashed ship outside.  He then makes the TARDIS move again and opens the door once again.  Taking the diamond from the floor.  He runs into a worker who looked for survivors but there aren't any, the Doctor telling him they won't be missed not being good.  He tells him to build a restaurant here and gives him the diamond to get the hefty reward for it.  What if he kept the diamond for himself.

                                               

He then returns again for reservations to the restaurant and has to wait four years for an opening on Christmas Day.  He brings River here and she changes once again.  Did he read her diary, or there's really no need as he knows what's in there.  She listens to the singing and then talk about her time nearing the end cos of the diary.  But adding he's the Doctor and there's always some last minute thing he does and fixes everything.  Echoing Clara when she thought he could save her.

She catches him crying and he replies it's the wind.  He's sad but she's sad too.  He talks of how nothing lasts forever and things come to an end and can't be changed.  Obviously he's still lamenting Clara, not that we'd expect that to be mentioned here.  That's the impression, but he's not supposed to remember her.  As I said, he probably does.  He can't be sad for River.  Firstly he hasn't thought about her in a long time and secondly River's not really going anywhere.  She asks him how long this night is on the planet and he replies 24 years.  Cue lots of laughter...

Past eps mentioned include The Pandorica Opens, and The Byzantium, which was apparently made into a movie and Manhattan.  All eps with River and where Amy and Rory ended up.  As read from her diary.  This episode wasn't going to be dark, as the rest of series 9, it is Christmas after all, but it was going to have plenty of comedy, that's always expected when River's around and boy have we missed River!  As well as a sombre moment at the end, it was needed especially to have a conclusion to her line of nearing the end of her diary.  Which was first mentioned in the eps The Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead.  Well it was a conclusion of sorts, she's got plenty of time yet.  Oh and the Sonic, he gives her a gift of a proper Sonic, whilst still using the shades here. So what happened to the return of the Sonic at the end of 9.12?

Lots of choice lines and jokes from the Doctor in this festive episode and none of the mushy stuff entered the picture until the end, when the Doctor and River end up on Derillium, the singing planet where River said he promised to take her to diner, but always cancelled.  Was there a reason for him cancelling, like wanting to prolong her life.  This time they actually get there, Christmas Day four years later after the events of the ship.

Funny one liners as the Doctor needing a flowchart to explain things and "I'm going to need a bigger flowchart."  Other moments included when they landed on the snow and the Doctor has a moment of uncontrollable laughter.  At least he had it in him to smile, especially after past events.  As well as his hologram antlers on the Doctor's head at the beginning which the TARDIS has planted there.

Was this River's final moments and swan song, hopefully not, but nothing is final or permanent on Doctor Who.  River's not recognizing the Doctor also was a twist on The Silence of the Library ep, where she knows him but he doesn't know her.  It's nice when that bit of continuity shows up.  Also the bittersweet moment when she remarks on how she loves the Doctor more than he could love anyone and how the legends say this is where they spend their final moments together.  A bit of a one night stand thing here, except going on for 24 years!  Ha.  Okay I don't know why I said that! Bittersweet cos the Sonic is the same one that she used to save Doctor Ten and lost her life in the process.  As they also discussed being happily ever after doesn't really happen.  So ironically all these words appear at the end of the episode and magically vanish away being left with the word "happily" for a few seconds longer.

All in all it was an exciting and very different Christmas ep that we're used to, comical, sad, happy and all emotions rolled into one.

Hey we didn't get the usual 'The Doctor will return' writing at the end of the episode!!

Tongue in cheek title as River only really has one husband and it ain't the head!

The Vampire Diaries 7.8 "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" Review

                                          
Three Years From Now

Damon (Ian Somerhalder) is tied up and apparently he doesn't know by whom.  Though it's revealed he hallucinates seeing his mother, who tells him she's dead.

Today
Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon decide to take out Julian (Todd Lasance) now and Lily (Annie Wersching) helps by making it happen at the surprise party Julian's thrown for Nora (Scarlett Byrne) and Mary Louise's (Teressa Liane) anniversary.  Though I have to say the less said about that the better since it just gave Julian a chance to act out his usual aggression and smarminess.  Devouring the guests and also getting Lily to join in.  Seems all the Heretics want is a good time and daddy Julian does that for them.  The look on Damon's face when Lily ravages a guest's neck said it all, he was actually disgusted with her.

Caroline (Candace King) writes in the diary for Elena still (and yes we had to get another name dropping!) telling her she's pregnant.  Matt (Zach Roerig) calls and tells her the people from the school have vanished.  She tells him she's pregnant after all.  So he carries on the search himself.  She wants to tell Stefan but when she arrives they're leaving for the party.  After telling him, he doesn't know how to react and leaves.   Leaving her clueless either way.  Although as she said it's the timing and followed on the heels of Stefan finding out he lost his baby.

Enzo (Michael Malarkey) turns up when Lily's buying a present for Nora, she recalls the poem she used to read out to them in prison and Enzo recites it, The Nymph Reply to the Shepherd (Sir Walter Raleigh).  He thinks she should run away with him and he's mourning a lost love still and they kiss. Well savour the moment Enzo, cos there'll be no more.  Julian gives Mary Louise a ring rumoured to be from a princess, okay it wasn't a ring it was a big chunk of rock! ha,  as she's going to propose to Nora.  As Valerie (Elizabeth Blackmore) tells them how Julian killed her baby and beat her until it was over.  Lily believes her cos it was the only way she'd go to Europe with him.  If she'd have known about her grandchild she wouldn't have gone.  Beau (Jaiden Kaine) and Nora believe her too, but you know Blondie's having doubts.  Yeah that was obvious, Julian can do no wrong in her eyes. Stefan asks for motherly advice about Caroline and what he should do.  She replies tell her he loves her and be there for her.  In the end she'll make a sacrifice for her children.  Ironically that came down to Lily too in this episode.  She didn't choose Damon or Valerie, but chose to end it, even if it was erroneously.

Lily signals Stefan and he and Damon attack and tie up Julian.  But got to ask how he was so useless in this fight when he hasn't shown this weakness before.  However Mary Louise helps him and releases him.  Damon and Valerie finding themselves tied up.  He wants Lily to chose which one will die, Damon or Valerie.  She refuses and she kills herself instead.  Julian telling her the link was already broken.  Yeah about that, thought Lily would've gone for him, not staked herself.  They have a short while to say goodbye and though Stefan is genuinely sorry, Damon can't bring himself to say goodbye to her, or tell her how he feels, lousy in life, lousy in death is probably what he thought. Aside from boozing in typical Damon fashion.  Knew that plan was going to backfire, as said in many reviews, their plans always do, so it's best not to make any.

Matt finds Enzo feeding and tells him no one wants him here.  Enzo says he's fighting a losing battle, with a gun for a knife.  As Enzo leaves, he's tasered ad taken away by a group of men. Guessing they have something to do with the three years from now bit.  So will we be getting any answers about this, or will that be dragged out for another season?  Or was that Matt taking matters into his own hands with Enzo.  Also think Damon will eventually regret not saying goodbye to Lily.  Even if Julian did taunt him by saying she took Elena away from him for sixty,seventy years.

Was wondering when that title would show up, but it's not really apt for this episode I thought anyway and not for the Heretics either.  Valerie was right when she said he's their army and not his family.  Oh they really need to say Julian properly, it's not pronounced 'Julienne'!  OH and wrecking the house, Julia, so not on, it's what Damon's done in the past over Elena.  But he did it so much better!!

A Boyfriend For Christmas

Not one for sentimentality, ahh who am I kidding!  Just want to gush oodles of praise for A Boyfriend For Christmas!  It's a little old now but it'll never age!  Such a feelgood, romantic movie and has everything. Great cast in the two leads, Kelli Williams and Patrick Muldoon - always perfect in anything he's in!

Such brilliance from the outset when Holly makes her Christmas wish you know you're in for a treat and plenty of heartbreak too.  Okay so he's a lawyer and we know the bad press they have, but he's much more than that.  Ryan goes out of his way to reunite the family for Christmas and on top of that he even starts to volunteer and help out Santa!

Wouldn't we all love him under our tree and all wrapped up for Christmas. Bows 'n' all.  There's just something about Patrick and his on screen presence which adds so much more to this movie.  Even if he does tell fibs like being called Doug Firtree, you know he's not into lying, it's just not in him! There's comedy and smarmy Ted gets what he deserves too!

Best scene or one of them for me, when Ryan drives away from her family house and heads to the hills, his fave place.  The emotions are so rife and real, you can't help but cry along!  Also must be a first for us with Patty crying!  Oh man tears!!  Bring 'em on.

I also liked the way he stood up for what he believed was right and how sweet to sit in a meeting and doodle your true love's name!!

If you're not big on holiday cheer or Christmas movies, if you only ever watch one, make it this one, you won't regret it!  Trust me I'm a lawyer!  Ha. Or as I wrote, Patty's not just for Christmas but for life!  That includes his movies!

http://mila255h.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/patrick-muldoon.html

Not enough words to do this movie justice you just have to lose yourself in the moments!  Still waiting for one to come along which had such everlasting appeal for me.  It's something we can all relate to, finding that special someone, losing them and to top it off, having to find them again!! Such a long and arduous search, if only real love was as easy as love in the movies.

Okay before I get too mushy just go watch and enjoy!!!

Oh just a thought next time I watch will have to play Patrick's songs over the soundtrack!  Hmm wonder how that would sound!!

The Vampire Diaries 7.7 "Mommie Dearest" Review

                                         
Three Years From Now 
Alaric (Matt Davis) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) are heading to the TV studio and Damon walks in to find Caroline (Candace King) repeating a message for Stefan Paul Wesley).

Today
Caroline takes a pregnancy test to find out she's not pregnant, dashing Alaric's hopes.  So he turns to the bottle, what else.  She's sorry but it's not her fault.  As Bonnie (Kat Graham) finds him that way, he doesn't want to talk.  Bonnie meanwhile hunts for Oscar's car and Enzo (Michael Malarkey) finds a sword which they believe will kill Julian (Todd Lasance).  Bonnie also handing Enzo dating advice like he should try flowers or dinner.  Why does she care anyway.

Matt (Zach Roerig) calls Caroline cos he can't find Bonnie and tells her about the people compelled at the school.  He then finds the same thing at the Grill.  Seems like someone's fattening them up for the kill, seeing as it's Thanksgiving the next day.  He found food in the dumpster, all protein foods, couldn't help laughing at that!  Caroline is sick and she tells him she got a bad blood bag.  He can't believe vampires would get food poisoning.  She thinks Valerie (Elizabeth Blackmore) can help with siphoning the compulsion and reluctantly calls her.  She turns up and asks about the babies, Caroline saying she's not pregnant since the test was negative.  Matt overhears and repeats he hasn't seen her get sick before.  She replies she's polite not to do it in public.  Valerie thinks the siphoning will take too long but does it anyway.  She's later confronted by Beau (Jaiden Kaine) who she tries to talk out of helping Julian, but he's not listening and tries to stop her, including attacking Caroline.  Valerie does an invisible spell and gets them out of there.

Caroline wants to know why Valerie knows so much about everything and is so sure she's pregnant. She finally tells Caroline about Julian and Stefan's baby.  Which is why Lily (Annie Wersching) came back to Mystic Falls.  Valerie tried all the spells to bring her baby back but it didn't work and she didn't have an entire coven to help.  Seems Caroline was more understanding about the secret. But we'll have to wait and see.  Also how will Stefan react to the news she's carrying Alaric's babies.

Stefan invites Lily over in the hopes of putting the dinner party and everything else behind them. Damon tells him it's too early to be celebrating Thanksgiving but he eats the pumpkin pie anyway. Stefan pours a drink for all three of them turning over a new leaf and hers is laced with vervain. She's tied up with vervain ropes as Caroline was and they try to explain how she's easily manipulated by a monster, just like their father Giuseppe (John Charles Meyer).  Stefan also tells her about the baby and what Julian did to Valerie.  She still think Valerie's a liar cos she lied to her for all those years.

Cue flashback to when Damon was 12 and their father forced him to kill his pet turkey and then made him eat it.  With Lily not stopping him from doing so.  As well as finding money missing, which he accuses one of the boys of stealing.  They each deny it, but he doesn't believe them, until finally Damon confesses and gets burned with his cigar.  He was protecting Stefan.  She tells them she knew what their father was like and wasn't manipulated by him.

As Enzo challenges Julian to a duel by swords (is there any other kind ha) for her honour.  He thinks the sword will kill him.  Bonnie finds Alaric drunk and in the book she finds the sword needs the Phoenix stone to wield any power.  Which both Enzo and Damon find out the hard way.  Damon still goes ahead and twists the blade in further, not caring that Julian and Lily have a link and if he dies, she dies.  Julian stabs them both and Stefan stops him from hurting Damon.  Who didn't care if she died cos he was getting revenge for what she did to him and how she left both of them and ran away. Got another family.  Stefan tries to explain she was saving up to run away and take them with her. But Giuseppe found the train tickets and beat her.  Typical Julian behaviour.  Julian says he never loses a sword fight and they were both playing, defending her honour.  As he apologizes, Lily has a flashback to Giuseppe apologizing too and she tells Damon and Stefan, she believes Julian is a monster.

Caroline has an ultrasound which shows she's not pregnant.  Valerie says the coven would've masked the twins to protect them and the ultrasound now reveals there are babies.  Parts of this looked like it was just a rehash of past stories.  Not much to say about this one.  We already knew everything that was happening so there weren't really any new developments.  Looks like Caroline and Valerie are bonding, as are Bonnie and Enzo, like when he buys her a drink.  So looks like by the time Lily wakes up to herself, he'll be with Bonnie.  ha.  Though it's clear Lily won't get through this in one piece, if at all.  Damon just goes all out ruthless again, so much for changing and admits he'll never change and neither will Lily.  Maybe it was my ears but I didn't hear the 'E' name mentioned this ep. Okay you're gonna make me spell it out for you, Elena!!  See the ep's so much better without the gruemsone twosome, Nora and Mary Lou.  Oh Julian schmoolian, can this story just get moving already!  Matt throwing a tanty over Bonnie not being there when he needed her and has gotten Jeremy and Tyler to help instead.

The Vampire Diaries 7.6 "Best Served Cold" Review

                                               
This show just keeps trying to keep viewers interested but it just fails.  I mean why keep mentioning Elena every episode, it's like wanting Nina Dobrev back and quite frankly that's one reason why the ratings have plummeted.  The other being the abysmal stories.  Who can be interested in the Heretics, such boring, one dimensional characters.  Even their accents grate!  If the show wanted Nina to stay why didn't they try all means possible to convince her to, what's the point of wanting her back now. And not much respect for her if she does return after leaving and making it final!  The show won't get anywhere if they keep treading on Elena ground.

This episode shows why Damon (Ian Somerhalder) came to see Alaric (Matt Davis) three years from now (sounds like it's dragging on a bit!)  He's with Caroline (Candace King) and that's understandable especially as now, Valerie (Elizabeth Blackmore) and Alaric find that Jo's (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) babies were 'transferred' magically into Caroline by the Gemini coven, to keep their coven alive.  That's just to put a spanner in the works with her and Stefan (Paul Wesley) which quite frankly seems pointless them getting together in the first place.  Especially since they're on opposite sides now in that he lost his baby due to Julian (Todd Lesance) and she's carrying Alaric's.  As he told Damon, he wanted to be a father. Damon also brings up the question, having to mention Elena again (yawn) and how it wasn't an issue until she became human again.  Then it was a possibility.  So he's on board with killing Julian whenever.  Though he did spoil proceedings when he blabbed to Julian about Stefan's plan to kill him with a pool cue whilst at the pool table!  He didn't do anyone any favours.

Which further compounds Stefan wanting to kill Julian sooner rather than later, six months in the Damon calendar!  But Damon's on board and though they failed dismally at this attempt, at the so-called 'peace' inducing dinner party (read something else for peace! ha).  Lily (Annie Wersching) deluding herself things are so wonderful in Mystic Falls right now and what does Julian do.  Try to kill her precious sons.  Mind you, as expected Julian is no saint.  He's out to make trouble behind Lily's back, so much for him being the love of her life.  He's setting the gruesome twosome against each other, that's Mary Louise (Teressa Liane) and Nora (Scarlett Byrne) as well as ensuring they satisfy their blood lust.

Of course we can see Bonnie (Kat Graham) and Enzo (Michael Malarkey) getting together down the line cos they just have that love/hate thang going and he tells her to be his plus one at this dinner. Stefan telling Damon Lily's gotten rid of his TV in his room!  As if that's the scope of their woes! Also he doesn't tell Caroline about his lost baby as she plans on riding Valerie out of the country. let's see, Liverpool as a Pettigrew, which Valerie liked.  Don't fool yourself Caroline, she's not going anywhere.  So much for trust between her and Stefan.  They just don't fit together, now they are together.  Guessing that won't be for long!

Meanwhile Matt (Zach Roerig) and Bonnie follow the caterer to the school, where they meet some others and need to help them.  As Alaric has to say goodbye to Jo and gets the chance to seeing as he didn't in reality.  Caroline's vampire blood doesn't save her.  It was the wrong vampire soul in the wrong human body.

Doctor Who 9.12 "Hell Bent" Review

                                              
Nevada
The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) travels in a car and stops at the diner, getting out with his trusty guitar. Inside the diner the waitress turns around and it's Clara (Jenna Coleman).  A bit of a twist cos they don't know each other, which means either she doesn't remember him and also it appears he doesn't know her either.  He plays some notes on the guitar and she asks him what it is.  He calls it 'Clara' and then begins to tell her a story.  All stories are real and end up becoming memories.

Heading to Gallifrey he enters a deserted barn where a woman tells him they'll kill him.  The President of Gallifrey, Rassilon (Donald Sumpter) and General (Ken Bones) send a ship to bring him back.  He sits and tries to eat his soup in peace but to no avail.  He gets up and draws a line in the sand with his boot and the people all cheer.  The others watch him from the screen and wonder why he doesn't accompany the ship as ordered.  The High Priestess of the Sisterhood of Karn, Ohlia (Clare Higgins) says he's trying to eat his soup.

Rassilon, the self proclaimed President of Gallifrey turns up with a firing squad as the Doctors tell him to "get off my planet."  He's angry at him more than anyone else.  Rassilon orders the soldiers to fire, but they fire behind him and miss him.  They were in the war with him and they give up their arms and stand alongside him, as Rassilon thinks reinforcements have been ordered.  However they are they for Rassilon and for him to leave the planet.  The Doctor heads back to the High Council and the General tells him Rassilon doesn't have anywhere to go.  The Doctor saying if he wanted to ask him about the Hybrid he only had to ask, not put him through all that suffering in his confession box.

The General talks of the matrix prophecy saying the hybrid is half Time Lord and half Dalek, as it's a mix of two warrior races.  The Doctor saying prophecies don't really tell you anything.  He manages to convince the General to take him back to the Street and to the final moments before Clara's death as she prepares to die, time freezes and he appears before her telling her to come with him.  They're inside the white TARDIS and he overtakes it, killing the General as he begins another regeneration. Before he dies, he told the Doctor that they must tell her.  He takes Clara and heads to the matrix database where the place is guarded by the Time Wraiths.  They don't let anyone leave.

The Doctor and Clara see a Dalek telling it to "exterminate me."  As well as a Cyberman, he explains the matrix is database and everything gets filed here.  There's nothing they can do.  I liked seeing the weeping angels again.  He looks for a way out as there's a secret way out.  He was told this by someone who got out and wasn't so right in the head.  Clara knows he's talking about himself.  She wants to know why he did this cos she was dead and was ready for it.  He explains what he went through but doesn't tell her how long he endured life without her.  The General (T'Nia Miller) regenerates into a woman, showing it's possible to do so (for those wanting the Doctor to become a woman in the future.)  As she and the Priestess head there, Clara asks how long the doctor was in that place?  She's told about 4.5 billion years and she can't believe instead of telling them about the hybrid, he went through that just for her.  Buying time so he could find her and save her.

Clara is angry and in tears as she tells the Gallifreyans they're hated and that's why.  Also that the Doctor knew they'd be watching her as he slipped away and stole another TARDIS.  This one's white inside and he asks Clara if she can feel her pulse.  Which she can't.  He says he's at the end of the universe, so there's nowhere else to go and her pulse is frozen a moment before her death.   He travels further away and she still doesn't have a pulse and she also has the clock tattoo on her neck.  Clara earlier asking about his velvet coat before cos he was so like the Doctor in that.

With interspersed scenes back to the diner as Clara tentatively listens to the story.  Once again this is one ep to watch instead of reading about, I don't think reviews actually do it justice.  Back in the TARDIS there are four knocks on the door and he says, "this one's Me for."  As he walks out he sees Ashildr (Maisie Williams). The Doctor thinks she's the hybrid, as he really doesn't know who that is and she tells him it could be half human and half Time Lord.  Thus Clara could be the hybrid, someone so much like him.  That was said a few eps ago, that Clara and the Doctor are so alike, how they just both take off on adventures together.  If that's the case then everyone's in danger. He blames Ashildr for Clara's death but she says it wasn't her fault.  Clara's too much like him and wanted to save the people she loved.

Also how Clara listens to their conversation using the Shades.  He said he plans to tell Clara he's wiping her memories of him now and when he gets to the TARDIS Clara admits she already knows his intentions and she used the Shades to disrupt the polarity on the mind blocker.  So they won't know who will have their memories wiped, as the Doctor says they'll both do it.  He then starts to forget and tells her to smile so he'll recall her smiling for the last time.  But she can only cry.

Back at the diner he plays some more guitar and Clara cries some more as she steps into the stolen TARDIS and takes the long way round to Gallifrey.  Now we have it, two 'Doctors' (well kind of) flying around the galaxy and thus Clara having her own adventures before she returns and gets her pulse back and ends up back at the Street.  Let's hope she keeps Ashildr with her!!  No seriously.

He returns to the TARDIS which materializes in the desert with Clara's picture, painted on the front.   Inside he finds his velvet coat and a message from Clara: "Run you clever boy and be the Doctor." Hey I said that last ep review!!  Surprise, surprise, he also reaches for the new Sonic, yes the return of the Sonic Screwdriver.  I had a sneaky suspicion that the Doctor didn't really forget Clara and that everything was for her benefit, even if she claimed not to know who Clara is.  As she said in the diner that his TARDIS is somewhere out there and maybe someone will find it for him, was that someone her?  Then she also tells him about the stories being real and the memories becoming stories which is what he said.  Though that was a clue which he didn't get, or he did and didn't let on.  But also he calls the guitar piece 'Clara' it's not like a random name he just pulls out of his hat, or rather his velvet coat!  He must retain something in his subconscious, but no one mentioned any of that.  You never really know what Steven Moffat is thinking.

The Doctor mentions Amy and Rory in the diner, as well as Donna and Clara cries cos he can't seem to recall her.  Well guessing it's cos of that.  Anyway I said Clara can't lose her memories cos they already did that with Donna and I was right, ha. Another enjoyable final ep for Clara as there was more emphasis on saving her, rather than finding Gallifrey and dealing with that.  He's not too enamoured with Gallifrey, his friend, Clara coming first.  I think that was a more fitting finale than a showdown with the Time Lords.  He didn't have time for them (groan!) preferring to get Clara back, he did spend 4.5 billion years in that hell just for it and it was all worth it for him.

A lot of fans referred to the Doctor actually killing the General here and he doesn't kill, but talks himself and others out of the situation and saving the day.  Even Clara is shocked at that, but he says he'll regenerate.  Thus it isn't really like killing someone who'll remain dead.  It was all for Clara and even if it meant the risk of fracturing time, Clara asking Ashildr what that means.
Ashildr told him he doesn't like endings and with him not remembering Clara, he won't have to, as she didn't even exist for him and they never met.  Which I think is more poignant than him having to say goodbye to her.  She's off on her own adventures and not really knowing how long that could take; knowing when she finally gets to Gallifrey she will be back on the Street and her end will come. Ashildr getting to time travel with her now.  So Clara got herself a companion too!

SO why can't Clara be half Dalek and half human.  Instead of her and the Doctor forming the hybrid, especially since Davros was the first one who brought it up this series.  Going back to when we first met her inside the Dalek.  I liked that cos we were never really told much about it when it boils down to it.  Not to mention how she was in different time periods when Doctor Eleven (Matt Smith) used to meet her. That means if and when the Doctor meets her, he won't know she's Clara.

Anyway I liked this ending where it had Clara flying around in the Diner shaped TARDIS and both of them whizzing around in time and space.  Maybe one day they'll meet up.  Was also glad that although Clara is meant to be dead, she did get a pass on that and is still around until she can get a pulse.  Even if it is said her death is set and can't be altered, a fixed point in time.  It doesn't make it as sad and also that she did retain her memory.  The diner being the same one in The Impossible Astronaut.  But funny though, Clara's TARDIS can only appear as a diner!

Been wondering why Timothy Dalton didn't return as Rassilon after appearing in the Christmas Special with Doctor Ten (David Tennant).

Next up the Christmas Special with River Song and her many husbands!!

The Vampire Diaries 7.5 "Live Through This" Review

                                                 
Three Years From Now...will this show be around??  Should be the question at this rate.
Bonnie (Kat Graham) and Enzo (Michael Malarkey) get together, well we knew that was coming, even if it wasn't publicized.

Bonnie wants to learn about the Phoenix stone from Oscar (Tim Kang) but when she arrives she finds he's not quite himself, but acting out his 'ripper' tendencies.  Enzo doesn't want her to see him as he's been tasked with looking after him by Lily (Annie Wersching) after she searches for Julian (Todd Lasance).  Finding out Valerie (Elizabeth Blackmore) is trying to sabotage him.  Enzo learns Lily is enamoured with Julian and is the love of her long and dwindling life.  Well that's telling him.  Bonnie finds out the Phoenix stone doesn't bring back the same person but is a mix of vampire souls.  Which is what Lily told Enzo.  Thus Oscar isn't Oscar and neither is Jo (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe).  Oscar tries to get hold of the stone and after he gives chase to Bonnie and attacks her, Enzo saves her but she drops the stone and runs. Well that was clever, cos it's exactly what Lily wanted.  Nothing like handing it to her.

She tells Damon (Ian Somerhalder) who says she must tell Alaric (Matt Davis) and he isn't about to do it.  Still after Lily and out for revenge, he and Stefan (Paul Wesley) get Valerie to take them to Julian.  Alaric finds out Jo isn't herself after she eats plenty and then takes a gun and runs away. When he catches up to her, she says she doesn't know who she is and gives him the gun.  He will be here to help her.
When they arrive at the warehouse, Lily has already beaten them there after the gruesome twosome, Nora (Scarlett Byrne) and Mary Louise (Teressa Liane) did a location spell.  Valerie ends up in a coffin and Stefan and Damon end up staked, which riles Damon even further.

Valerie tells Stefan all about Julian and how he kept her from coming to Stefan.  She lost the baby cos of him.  Stefan would've wanted the baby and wanted to be a father.  He stands up Caroline (Candace King) for dinner and stays with Valerie.  Now he's going to be torn between them, so much for saying he doesn't have feelings for her anymore.  And so much for Caroline telling Bonnie she's a woman who's secure in her relationship and trusts Stefan.  He's going to mess up again with Caroline and after they went through last season, like her losing her humanity after her mother died and then killing people.  Seems a waste and he's already started keeping secrets from Caroline not telling her he's with Valerie and why..

Bonnie and Damon make a pact to fight Lily all the way.  Let's hope it doesn't last all season long, which it will, cos these Heretics bore me senseless!  Ha.  Seems Enzo didn't form a pact with Bonnie either cos Lily done broke his heart!  Now Alaric is lumbered with 'not Jo' what's he going to do, what can he do.  He brought her back so he can't exactly desert her.  Damon vowing to turn over a new leaf for Elena.  Had to mention her again.
Funny line, Enzo and the use of the word, "malarkey."

Doctor Who 9.11 "Heaven Sent" Review

                                         
The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) arrives in the transporter to some castle and is pursued by a hooded figure with beastly fingers, known as the Veil.  He runs for it and then says that he knows who it is.  After seeing it look back at him through a TV monitor and also from across the way through a window.  It comes after the Doctor and he comes to a locked door.  He then sweet talks the door to opening saying it's a good door and people don't appreciate it cos it's always knocked on and closed.  Then telling Clara (Jenna Coleman) he was right.  The door leads him into a room where he finds flowers and sits on the bed.  He sees Clara's portrait hanging there and then picks the flower apart.  He also examines her portrait saying it's very old.
                                            
As he goes round the castle, he's estimated it takes Veil 82 minutes to find him.  So everytime he tells the truth he gets away from the figure.  The flies buzzing around he adds were from a grave of an old woman and this castle is reminding him of his nightmares.

This one's more about watching and hearing the Doctor narrate than it is about reading reviews.  It's what you make of it and quite frankly is more interesting that way.  Though as soon as the Doctor takes a dive from the castle window after breaking it with the stool, you know he's the only one here and the he's been here before.  Thus his clothes already drying in front of the fire, as he changes into the dry clothes, his outfit is the same.  So everytime he heads back to the TARDIS, it's from another room in the castle,  each one putting out a different puzzle.  As for the shovel, of course it was inviting the Doctor to dig, which he does.  The castle spins round and he has to get further away from the figure after him.  As he falls  in there are skulls at the bottom of the water.

As he heads to the TARDIS and runs in, he realizes the Veil wants to hear him confess, or rather speak the truth.  Thus when he said he's not afraid to die, it vanishes.  Thus he jumps out of the window too, since that won't be expected of him.  He asks how he escaped and replies when he threw the stool through the window, he smelled the salt air, thus knowing there was water below.  There's no guarantee you'll survive in water, but he also surmizes he's being tortured here or rather this is his interrogation.  So it's better to speed up your own death.

The Doctor is still angry at what brought him here and how he's going to get revenge for Clara.  He knows he said he wouldn't but he's the Doctor and he will relentlessly pursue until he finds out who did it.  They may think he's weak without Clara but he's not.

Clara is all in his head, as we see a figure from behind who's meant to be Clara, funny she didn't look like her from the back.  She writes on the board asking him questions, like, not what, but why?  And how he was let go, how is he going to win?  The Doctor has his glasses but they don't really help him. He returns back to the TARDIS defeated and just wants to give up and sleep, why must he always win.  As we then get an appearance from Clara.  (Still don't know why she left, she had a good thing going here!)  Anyway she appears t him and tells him not to give up, but "to get off your arse and win."  As she touches his face and vanishes.   That's kind of a typical line they would give her.  Still remember the one for Doctor 11 when she'd tell him to" run you clever boy."  Well she can't call this regeneration a boy can she.

As he heads to the top of he tower after finding a skull with electrodes attached to it,  (Yoric anyone) he looks at the sky and says he can whiff time travel and someone's changed the location of the stars.  He then finds a wall which is made of diamonds but and he pounds into it with his fist.  Then saying there was an emperor who asked the shepherd's boy how to get through the wall, as he pounds into it with his hand, which is painful, over and over.
The figure finally catches up to him and he is embraced by it and burnt.  Then with a voiceover from him saying he's a Time Lord and they don't die straightaway.  It will take him at least a day and as long to get up the stairs and back to the transporter room.  If he plugs into the electrodes he can use the energy, but the energy needs something to burn to work.  He then writes 'BIRD' in the sand and we see this is his prison, his hell and he is being put through the same rigours and torture here year after year, until he gets to the tower and it's a count of years, 7,000 years... million, 32 billion.  Each skull in the water was his own and every time he pounded on the wall, he made an impact on it, until he finally breaks though the wall and it gives way.

The Veil wanted answers as to what is the hybrid.  But he doesn't tell them anything.  He sees the shepherd boy to tell the city he's here and he took the long way round.  This city is Gallifrey.  We see the castle in miniature and as the Doctor picks it up it closes in on itself and becomes the Doctor's confession dial.  He says there never was a Dalek hybrid as they wouldn't ever allow there to be one. Yet there is a hybrid and it's me."  Knew that was coming.
A little groundhog day but more billion years removed.  So the Veil was here to set him tests which he got through but he was expected to reveal lots of information about himself too.  Like running from Gallifrey not so he was bored, but he was scared.  Then there was that room number 1, appropriate for Doctor 12.  (Recall Doctor 11 had a room number too).  The Doctor must find  his number here too.

Other revelations included the Time Lords knew of the impending war and that there was a hybrid which was going to bring about peace or be destructive.  As I recall, didn't Davros tell Doctor 10, he was "the destroyer of worlds."  Of course we now know the Doctor has been inside his confession dial for the entire series 9.  Well we would have known if we had read any spoilers beforehand, which I didn't.  I don't bother reading any of those as it spoils the impact and sometimes the episodes too.  So if he's been inside his dial the entire eps how did he get there inside and who put him in there.  Missy had it in the opening eps and more importantly what does this say of Clara's fate.  As for Ashildr, the less said about her the better, I don't want to know.  Is the Doctor really part Dalek? Actually I still have a hard time believing he was in his own confession dial, last will, for the entire series.  Though the last will part is easy to get cos he kept dying here and being brought back.

The BBC needs to tone down the music as it was drowning out parts of his speech, they always have this problem.  Also funnily enough as the scenes of the Doctor going through his life over and over through the years, thought that's what the BBC gives you, endless repeats for your licence fee!! Ha.

Some choice quotes here "the Doctor will see you now, show me what you've got."  Clara spouting "arse" ha.  "I'm not scared of hell, it's just heaven for bad people."  So is he a part of heaven or hell, or both.  "This whole place is designed to terrify me."  Why would it terrify him though.  Granted it is part of his nightmares but didn't he always overcome them and everything else.  Being here for so many years it's understandable why he needs a companion.
I see he didn't use any of Clara's cue cards to express his feelings for her loss cos it was all anger and pain too.  No guitar playing either, never mind he wielded a shovel instead!

Don't know about you but the castle in the water reminded me of Atlantis.  Especially when the Doctor held it in his hand.
Have to say Peter Capaldi's Doctor 12 has surpassed all the expectations I had of him.  Admittedly I was a bit hesitant in him taking over the mantle of the Doctor since Doctor 11 was very close to my heart.  Yet Peter's version has been very different and has brought a different side of the Doctor to the screen.  Very impressed!

Doctor Who 9.10 "Face The Raven" Review

                                                
The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Clara (Jenna Coleman) race back to the TARDIS cos she's got him into some more trouble as he says he can't go back to some of the most beautiful gardens around.  In what will be one of their last adventures together.  Clara gets a call on the emergency phone number from Rigsy (Jovian Wade) [last seen in Flatline] and the Doctor complaining she gave out his private number.  He says he's got a tattoo and it's couting down.  Arriving at his place, the Doctor is fascinated with the 'new human' baby and he can't see anything exciting about the tattoo, until he sees it count down.  Back in the TARDIS he talks of Rigsy being drugged, "ret-conned," so he's forgotten what happened to him, but somewhere part of his frontal lobe must be remember something.

A memory which is triggered after  he heads to the British Library and the map room, looking for missing streets in London, those that the cartographers called 'trap streets.'  As Clara says.  When they drew maps they'd put in one street which wasn't real so they'd know if someone else stole their map. The Doctor saying they were just preoccupied with copyright.  He says they won't find the street in    the library and head tot he TARDIS taking aerial photographs of London.  With Clara almost falling out of it when looking through the door with the Sonic shades on.  Rigsy saying she enjoyed that a little too much.

They search for the missing street by counting steps and all meet up in the same place.  Rigsy recalls a woman falling onto the ground and the street, which they all get  o see.  The street is one from medieval times at least and Rigsy tells them the men that appear aren't really humans but alien.  As one of them sniffs the doctor saying he doesn't smell human.  They're here for asylum and Ashildr (Masie Williams) appears.  Only she's Mayor Me now, how selfishly apt!  She protects it and everyone there is at peace.  She tells them Rigsy is a murderer and she placed him under a sentence of death.  She still hasn't learnt anything about living and about life has she for all the number of years she's been alive.  Better she shouldn't have been saved at all!  Yes I said that then and I say it now cos she's nothing but trouble.

Clara recalls her and then she shows him the photo on the phone again, he didn't find her, she made him see her or some such nonsense.  Couldn't really care much about her whatever she calls herself now. Also telling Clara the Doctor reads about her in his own special room in the TARDIS. Everyone calls Rigsy a murderer and he says he didn't kill anyone.  She placed the counter on him and at the end of it he'll be killed by the quantum shadow.  Which basically is a crow which enters the body and then leaves in a smoky form taking life, as we're later demonstrated when a man stole medicine for his wife ad is killed for it.  Mayor Me has no sense of justice either.

Ashildr shows them Jen (Naomi Ackie) who was found dead and Rigsy was leaning over her which doesn't mean he killed her and what right did she have anyway to play judge, jury and executioner. He's not part of her world/street.  When they showed her in statis she wasn't dead and it's funny the Doctor didn't realize that, nor did he put on his shades to analyze the pod even further.  If they can convince the people he's innocent then can save Rigsy, the Doctor says they don't actually have to find out who killed her.  Rigsy and Clara see a boy who has two heads just like Jen. The Doctor explains she can see the future and the past and females are gifted for this reason.

Clara sees the boy again and she tells Rigsy that they should swap.  He can give her the tattoo if she asks for it, just as the old woman said he should give to her so she wants it.  Rump (Simon Paisley Day) tells her this, but also that once you have it, you can't cheat it or escape from it.  Which she doesn't tell Rigsy.  Anyway as soon as she took the tat from Rigsy we knew this was going to be Clara's swansong, doing something she always did, save people.  Always in her nature and more importantly wanting to be like the Doctor.  Whereas in the past we got the Doctor having to say goodbye to his friends and companions before he regenerated, we now get the Doctor having to say goodbye to Clara.  Who always made him a better person.  

Clara talks Rigsy around by saying that she has the protection of the mayor and nothing will happen to Clara and he reluctantly agrees.  The Doctor finds out that he was actually summoned by Mayor. Rigsy called and specifically asked for THE Doctor, not A Doctor when he came across Jen.  Clara finds her son who is really a boy and Anahson (Letitia Wright)  tells them it's safer for her that way. Also that Mayor wanted the Doctor here but she doesn't know why, she can't see it in his future or his past and once again I said this was about him and not about Rigsy.

Heading back the Doctor finds it's actually a statis pod and she's alive.  Rigsy notices the keyhole at the side, but Mayor has the key.  She wanted the key to the TARDIS, which is what they think, but he puts his own key into it anyway and rescues her.  As he gets a bracelet slapped onto his wrist.  Cue Mayor who was hiding out all this time.  She tells him she did it to save this place since it would've been destroyed.  The bracelet is a transporter and he tells her to release Rigsy.  Until Clara tells him she's got the tattoo.  And they can make it all better, which they can't.  Mayor says the deal to save Rigsy was with her and Clara stepped in so there's nothing she can do now.

Clara accepts her fate and selflessly thinks of him.  She tells him to promise not to hurt anyone or destroy anyone or anything after she's gone, cos she doesn't want him to.  She knows him and what he's like when he's alone.  He can be destructive and so she orders him not to do it.  As she says her farewells to him.   If Danny could face it, then so can she.  She doesn't want to stay here with him and has to be brave she says, as he meets her end (or does she?)  Well I had to get that in.  Can't lose a companion like that and definitely not cos of bloomin' Mayor!  "Let me be brave," she repeats as she has the life sucked out of her and the Doctor can only watch.  Which would've hardened him even more.
                                          
The Doctor tells Mayor to stay away from him, she knows what he's like and what he's capable of. That Clara said all of that cos she was thinking of her.  One reason Clara was just looking for adventure and getting it any way she could, throwing herself into danger, as we saw when she was dangling out of the TARDIS.  It's like she expected it and knew it was coming, as did the Doctor and he couldn't help her.  Yet in some ways, is it really what she wanted especially whenever she said they can change it, can't they, that they can always change what happens.

The Doctor realizes what Clara's done and then she realizes there's no coming back from it, resilience and then finally accepting her fate.  Just watch the scene at the end with both Jenna and Peter was so emotionally charged.  They didn't really need words.  "You listen to me, you're going to be alone now and you're very bad at that." And as she took those final steps we were taking them with her.  Until she was gone and was no more!  Though cheesily could've said "nevermore" quoth the raven!! (Edgar Allen Poe: The Raven.)  Bu it was true.  Of course it was expected but it doesn't make it any better or easier to accept when you actually watch it and Clara was actually one of the better companions and it was sad seeing her go in that way.  Then there's the question of how else would she go anyway, especially seeing as when most of the companions leave they aren't quite themselves.

The Doctor equally poignant when he says, "what's the point of being a Doctor if I can't cure you." Yes, especially since he can manage to 'cure' most everyone else in some way.  Yet we can't really blame the Doctor for what happened to Clara, he may have shown her how things can be changed, either going back in time, or just by helping someone, but it wasn't his fault.  Not really, he wasn't the one who brought her here.

Clara Oswald the Impossible Girl, is one companion I will most definitely miss!  

As for a future companion, hope it isn't Maisie Williams, no thanks!  How about just getting a male one instead and see how that works!

The Vampire Diaries 7.4 "I Carry Your Heart With Me" Review

                                        
Three Years from Now
We see Alaric (Matt Davis) tinkering like a mad scientist (as I said last time) but he's carrying out surgery on a doll.  His twin daughters walk in and he tells them to go to bed.  Hearing a noise he finds them staring at Damon (Ian Somerhalder) who tells him no one's dead yet but unless he helps someone will be.

Today
Damon searches for Oscar (Tim Kang) and finds him stuffed in the locker, so now he won't be able to exchange him for Elena.  Getting bored of this back and forth nonsense now, really clutching at straws to get some sort of credible story going here, but I'm not pleased with Lily (Annie Wersching) or the Heretics being included.  Now is not really the time to start a completely different plot with new cast in tow.
Damon needs help to resurrect Oscar or else Nora (Scarlett Byrne) and Mary Louise (Teressa Liane) threaten to kill a Whitmore student every hour until he's returned, smelling blood in the dorm room, they didn't track him back to dangling out of the window.  They're just sooo tedious and those cheesy fake Brit accents add further insult to injury!

As Bonnie (Kat Graham) attempts t bring back Jo cos it's (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) ehr last day of being able to be kept on ice, Damon needs to revive Oscar first.  Bonnie finally manages to do so with the Phoenix stone and a spell and then the sets her sights on Jo.  Nora and Mary Lou have a tiff going on with their insecurities, especially Mary Lou who doesn't seem able to adapt to modern life with all this skin on display as she thinks it's just temptation for Nora and Nora doesn't want Mary Lou hanging off her every minute.  Newsflash don't care about either of them and let me add Valerie (Elizabeth Blackmore) too.  Acting all innocent making mushroom omelette as if she didn't sneak back late night as Enzo (Michael Mularkey) tells her.  The lovesick puppy is looking out for Lily, until Valerie tells him about Julian and he doesn't want to know who he was, Lily hasn't told him.

Matt (Zach Roerig) warns off the ghost tour bus from Mystic Falls, especially as it's Hallowe'en and Enzo looks at the surveillance cameras.  Finding out Valerie drove to Whitmore and back in a stolen car.  She told him what she did to Oscar and then Enzo asks her about Julian, who was Lily's first love.  Of course I said Enzo wants Lily so Valerie telling him that wasn't a big deal.  Enzo asks how he can help Valerie with Oscar since she doesn't know he's back yet.

Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Caroline (Candace King) scheme to find a way to get the ghastly Mary Lou and Nora to siphon off the vervain from Caroline, or at least get Valerie to do it but they refuse.  They also devise a Heaven and Hell ball so they can keep an eye on them and save any students from them both.  Which just leaves to Caroline telling him about her insecurities when it comes to Stefan and Valerie since he won't speak to her himself and tell her to remove the vervain.  Stefan trying to convince Caroline that even if she was his first love, he's over her, a 150 years over and doesn't want her back.  As Valerie lies to Lily about Oscar and about wanting to tell her anything.  Stefan takes Mary Lou hostage and Caroline holds Nora until she burns and must siphon off the vervain, so they can spend the night together.

Damon sends Lily a photo of him with Oscar and takes him back to Mystic Falls, but Oscar has a blood lust and gets away.  Ending up killing the people on the bus tour, well they were warned about heading there.  Lily gives back Elena and Damon wants to return to Mystic Falls, Lily saying she'll ask the family but he doesn't want to see Matt get hurt and have that on his conscience too.  As well as asking for another thing. The bottle of wine he's been hiding for 65 years.  He writes in the journal about how he will wait a 100 years for her and she'll always be in his heart.  How Damon's a jealous brother, horrible son.  How he waited for that bottle of wine and wouldn't drink it until he was ready for it.  SO he's ready for it now and that explains why he's a bourbon drinker.  As he gets Tyler (Michael Trevino) to drive Elena's coffin away, let's hope she won't be mentioned again!

Guess the highlight was Bonnie setting fire to Oscar cos the rest of it sure didn't impress and now Alaric has Jo back, will she be normal or harbour certain dark tendencies.  From the Gemini Coven we came to the Heretics this season and really don't know why they chose this storyline and in some ways if they did, it'd be better if they could get a cast with authentic accents at least.  Not any old dropkicks they could find, as they say Down under!  Agent Cho aka Oscar, you have been relegated to a vampire!!  Damon telling Lily she has a particular love for sons who are rippers!  The other best part was Damon writing the journal as it's not something that we'd expect him to do, though he had to begin, 'Dear Elena...'  Now can he change that T-shirt already!  Ha.