Once Upon A Time 5.1 "The Dark Swan" Review

                                               
The episode opens with Emma (Jennifer Morrison) as an even younger and more cuter version of herself sits in a cinema, watching what else but The Sorcerer's Apprentice.  She steals some chocolate from a woman and as she sits down the usher warns her not to do what the boy attempts in the cartoon, to remove Excalibur from the stone.  Then cue some knights from Camelot, viz, Lancelot (Sinqua wells) Arthur (Liam Garrigan) and someone else chancing upon Sir Kay (Lee Majdoub) who attempts to remove the sword and is turned to dust.  It's Arthur's turns next and he manages to retrieve it, though the bottom part is missing.   He can't rule Camelot without the tip of the sword but he will have to fool the people.  Guess that's where the woes of Camelot also began, I mean it's not an entire sword.  Since the tip is none other than the Dark One's dagger, which brings us back to Storybrooke, Emma is swept away by the darkness, as Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) attempts to use the dagger to summon her.  Regina (Lana Parilla) stops him.

Seems she and Hook were on opposing sides here but she really has to stop him from doing things without thinking about them or their consequences, which he doesn't do much of anyway.  True love is one thing but attempting to go in half-cocked is another.  Regina resorting to calling Hook, "Guyliner."  The sorcerer's apprentice gives them a wand which they can use to find Merlin but it needs dark magic to work.

The Blue Fairy (Keegan Connor Tracy) thinks Belle (Emilie de Ravin) can help them and gives her a bell jar with a rose, when all the petals fall off then Rumples (Robert Carlyle) will die.  So she can leave his side.  Regina thinks Zelena (Rebecca Mader) will help or they'll make her help but how pointless was that.  All she said was how she's having the baby and will have someone to love her all of her own.  Sorry but this was Regina's story with Cora in 4.21 Mother when she drank the potion and decided she wouldn't have children, all for the wrong reasons of course.

As Emma is in another realm, that of Camelot, she emerges in rather dishevelled clothing and limp hair, whereupon Rumples emerges, he's the darkness within her and not the Dark One who's still in a coma in Storybrooke.  She asks a peddler the way to Camelot and he asks for silver but she uses her dark magic on him instead and chokes him, what she couldn't rustle up a coin or two?  Rumples tells her she has to find Willo the Wisp and catch it so she can ask it questions, but Merida (Amy Manson) is already after it and catches it.  Of course she says she'll share it with Emma as she's on a quest to rescue her kidnapped brothers.  But changes her mid after she hears Emma talking to Rumples who tells her the wisp only answers to one person.  Lots of running around and getting arrows fired at her which don't work on Emma, but she seemed to relish catching them all, erm, you'd think she'd have learned by now.  With Rumples making a jibe at Merida's accent!  Ha.

Hook asks Henry (Jared Gilmore) to write Emma good but he can't cos he broke the quill.  Then they hatch a silly plan to get Zelena to use he,r powers but she instead lops off her hand with his dagger and gets the magic inhibiting bracelet off her.  Then opens up a portal which will take her back to Oz. However Regina overpowers her putting the bracelet back on and they use Granny's (Beverley Elliott) diner as a way to transport them through the portal to Camelot instead, with the help of Emma's baby blanket.  

Then just as Emma's about to crush Merida's heart cos of the darkness within her, she didn't even try to resist it, the others arrive in time and Hook stops Emma from going dark on them, well at this time. Stopping Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) from using the dagger cos it has to be Emma's choice not to use dark magic.  Sounds like he was speaking from experience.  Maybe all that time working with Rumples in sesaon 4, through no fault of his own, has taught him a few things about darkness.  He was after all just a pirate rogue himself, once.  Emma giving the dagger to Regina cos at the end of the day she knows if anyone has to use it on her, it'll be Regina cos she won't hesitate and knows what it's like to go dark and also it was like she was appealing to the dark in Regina, or at least the dark that was once there.

As they arrive back at Granny's so does Arthur and he takes them back to Camelot where they will need to help him find Merlin, or rather bring him out of the tree.  You see, Merlin prophisized they would arrive and the Savior would help.  Where they also have time for a banquet, well they skipped the banquet in favour of a ball, including dress-ups which the Charming's were used to.

Before we're transported back 6 weeks later and once again they had their memories wiped.  Enter Emma in her new costume for season 5, which doesn't suit her at all.  It's very 'Regina' in most ways especially with her skirt, but she looked more school marm than Dark!
My comment, hey it's the same day but everyone went away for a three month hiatus and all got their hair done, as if that was the highlight of their time off, ha!

Longmire 4.2 "War Eagle" Review

                                                 
Walt's (Robert Taylor) working overtime as usual and collects soil samples to compare which ones were found in the shell and by the river, so they can be analyzed.  Henry's (Lou Diamond Phillips) botanist friend can do that and he deputizes him so as not to break the chain of evidence, thus allowing Nighthorse to get off on a technicality.  He gets a call from Ruby (Louanne Stephens) about some kids hearing Asian voices by War Eagle.  Henry says he can hold Walt's hand if he's too scared to go down there at night.  As he'll look into it at first light.  Walt says he was 12 at the time.

Next day he takes Vic (Katee Sackhoff) and they find Thorvin Hampton's DB after he was locked in a room and tried to scratch and claw his way out.  There's a radio mast there so he was a CB enthusiast and those were probably the voices they heard.  Walt wants to investigate this rather than Vic being lead since he has to investigate all crimes, not pick and choose and that's not why he was elected.  He has her check out the kids who made the report.  She manages to talk to some of them except one, who she finds outside his home with a baseball bat, causing her flashbacks to when she was abducted and subjected to the same.  She calls Walt for back-up.

Ferg (Adam Bartley) checks out the radios and he was a bit of a dab hand at radios too, his call sign, 'High Plains Drifter' well Clint, he can radio around and find out anything on Thorvin.  The government set up the internment camp for Japanese Americans during World War Two and Thorvin was renovating the place, wanting to turn it into a museum.  Speaking with Rett Jacky (Jeremy Ratchford)  his son, Caleb (Eddie Hassell) says they were there but they didn't see anything and only heard the noises, and didn't steal from the donation box either.  His father doesn't like what Thorvin was doing but they didn't start the war and reminds Vic about Pearl Harbour.

Back at the office Walt takes prints from Branch's computer, hoping to get lucky and find Nighthorse's prints on it.  Vic says his suicide note sounds just like him for a fake, so Walt surmizes whoever wrote it, knew Branch really well.  Ferg and Walt pay a visit to Sunshine Sally (Leslie O'Carroll) who keeps tortoises and tells them how she and Thorvin used to talk all the time.  He was angry they set up the camp and how they even interned babies.  As a tortoise plops into Walt's hat. They learn that Thorvin's father was a guard at the camp and he slept with a Japanese woman, Birdy, who had a son.  This was Francis Igawa (Sab Shimono) and they pay him a visit.  He has dementia and his daughter, Shiori is a nurse.   He looks for something in the house and gets angry when he can't find it.  She knows about his half brother.  Obviously it wouldn't be her father who killed him, even if she does say he's still strong, even if his mind has gone.

Ferg learns from a man over the radio that Sunshine Sally lives in Florida, and finds a photo of a blonde woman in a bikini.  It's not her but she went to talk with Thorvin at the bar and he didn't even notice her since she didn't look like the photo.  She heard where they found his body over the radio, since it's not very secure.  Vic tells Walt she should check Nighthorse's prints over the database but he doesn't want to give himself away.  Vic sarcastically commenting that Nighthorse doesn't have a link to an FBI database.  She does that for him and finds that Jacob Nighthorse is actually Jacob Blankenship.  He was arrested and was part of the American Indian Movement.  His partner was found dead with a gunshot wound to his face just like Branch.

Malachi's man, Darius (Joseph Daniel Avila) follows Henry to the university and he gets a letter to Hector from a young woman who's money is being stolen by Lane Potter (Adam Gifford).  Henry follows her to the store with her daughter and she doesn't have enough money to buy what she wants. Later at the bar, he comes across him and puts a note under the toilet door with 'Thief' written on it, as well as writing 'Hector lives' on the mirror.  Henry's friend tells him that the pollen found in the soil was from balsa wood and it doesn't like water.  As Walt recalls Martha tried growing some. Meaning branch was killed somewhere else.

Rett brings Caleb in cos he stole the money and they also found a lighter with a Japanese inscription on it.  It belongs to Shiori's (Michelle Krusiec) grandfather and he was drafted in the war, whilst her grandmother Birdy was in the camp.  Vic has an App cos she ordered sushi and needed to read the menu, which translates the writing.  Walt calls Shiori and tells her to bring her father to the camp.  He'd rather not see him get locked up.  Where he confronts her when she lies about following signs here, didn't she realize there weren't any signs on the road, oh and she's never heard of GPS either, even if Walt doesn't use it!  She locked him in the room and left him there with a clear conscience.  That's what they did to the Japanese who didn't do anything either.  He lived in the past, but she is an American who doesn't. Her father at then end, ironically saying how beautiful it is there.  Oblivious to what his daughter has done.

Walt does know that life and his investigations must go on and he can't focus full time on Branch no matter how much he w ants to.  Besides we can't be getting a conclusion to what happened to him so quickly.  As for this episode it showed the futility of war, but more importantly how people were treated back then, as possible traitors, as much in the same way as today, not so much traitors but outsiders, refugees seen as terrorists and the like.  Also showing the callousness of Shiori and how she held Thorvin responsible when he had nothing to do with the camp, but was trying to ensure people didn't forget about it.  Some sort of revenge on her part where she coldly didn't blink an eye as she left him there, even if he was related to her.

Henry meanwhile wants to continue where Hector left off as we know and maybe a response or rather reason for it is his heart is no longer in the Red Pony.  Vic still has to deal with her ordeal but won't talk to Walt about it, as he wants her to get help.  However she doesn't feel she needs any, though the flashback she has when she sees the bat shows otherwise and Walt noticed this too when he told her to leave the bat.

The Vampire Diaries 7.17 "I Went To the Woods" Review

                                                 
Valerie (Elizabeth Blackmore) finds the burnt out car where Nora and Mary Louise died and says they destroyed the phoenix stone with them even before they knew that Stefan (Paul Wesley) had already been taken by it.  Damon (Ian Somerhalder) says they need to find Rayna (Leslie-Anne Duff) before and that Thelma and Mary Louise were selfish and didn't think of anyone but themselves. Valerie leaves Damon there and when he returns to the airport Stefan's body is gone, he thinks she took him.  Stefan wakes up in the middle of the road and sees a burning bus, from which he rescues cheerleaders.  He later gets checked out and finds he can recall he's Stefan but he's in his own hell. The policeman finds a wallet belonging to a Marty (Ryan Dorsey) the bus driver, he crashed the bus whilst under the influence.   He makes Stefan walk the line.  As Damon drives up he sees Stefan walking on the road and takes him into the car.

Matt (Zach Roerig) calls Alaric (Matt Davis) to tell him he's sending some people his way, Rayna and Valerie and that he kidnapped Caroline as she was bait but he freed her.  Caroline's in hiding with the twins and Alaric packs to leave.  Valerie arrives with Rayna as she told Matt on the phone when she asked for help and he refused, how she had trapped vampire souls and now they're free since the stone was destroyed.  So when Matt needs to help them he can't.  Telling Alaric he's three states away, so he also didn't really get his revenge since Stefan is free, but not only that so are the worst vampires around.  You'd think Matt would want to help instead of sitting in a bar, very poor story for him, since he hates vampires and would so anything to save humans from them, including finding them.

Rayna says she can feel them and it's painful, so Valerie tries to make her concentrate on seeing Stefan, who by this time has escaped from the policeman and is in the woods.  Coming to an abandoned cabin.  Stefan's human now and has withdrawals, as well as human tendencies, such as pain, hunger and as he later tells Damon, the worst thing about being human is how he can't compel people.  Valerie sees everything, as Alaric recalls the news report about Marty having a tattoo since he's a merchant sailor.   Valerie uses a locator spell and Damon knows it's not Stefan, but gave him his journal to read.  er, who brought Stefan's journal.  Unlikely Damon would have it considering he spent three years in a coffin.

They manage to locate Stefan to Arkansas as Damn needs to keep his body with him and head there. However the fake Stefan knows Damon's realized who he is and leaves the car, wanting to head to Memphis, not before having a conversation of how Stefan hates him.  Rayna hears he's heading to Memphis and says he's a dangerous vampire.  It snows as Stefan gets stuck on the road and stops a passerby who just happens to hear the news on the radio about Marty and Stefan asks for her phone. Damon arrives pretending to be Matt and compels the policeman to let him conduct the investigation, as the woman arrives and gives up the location of where she saw Stefan.  She also lost her phone and Stefan didn't even know the phone was there until Damon rings it.

Giving the two time to have a heart to heart of sorts on how Damon bailed on him, not just the spell, but three years ago, he walked out on him and gave up, deciding it was best to live in a coffin, than face life and be around.  He hates him for that and resents him and Damon uses this anger to make him walk towards him so he doesn't freeze.  Stefan says he had 160 years before Elena to lived without her, but he didn't want to and didn't care about anyone not even his brother, until Elena came along.  Stefan recalls hide and seek and how he used to hide in their father's study and how Damon didn't find him.  He was afraid, not of going in there but afraid for Stefan.  Stefan bets he won't find him again, that's why he mentioned the game.  Sorry Stefan but he did find you.  Cos he couldn't really lose his brother and deep down he knows that.  Even if he hates him and doesn't forgive him, they have 48 hours to find his body before he dies as a human.

Alaric and Valerie are stuck in a diner as Rayna already escaped and she talks about Caroline and how Stefan coming back will be a spanner in the works of their wedding.  He says Stefan left her to go round the world with Valerie, but she knew he wouldn't be hers.  Alaric fell in love with Caroline and she knew it was the best  thing for the children, he's not bothered about Stefan returning.  The locator spell finds him in Memphis.  Alaric recalls what Rayna said about him being dangerous and also how a serial vampire killer lived there during he 1800's;  he used to frequent frat houses and make the people murder each other, as Stefan arrives with some beer and locks them inside.

So the phoenix stone is destroyed and the souls inhabit any humans they can find, as we saw with Oscar.  A bit of a Supernatural theme going on here, not only with the souls being released to wreck havoc but also the storyline between Stefan and Damon.  Though here Damon is made out to be a bit of a worthless sot, than heroic, since he's never around when needed and has to think twice before doing the right thing.  But at the end of it all, they're still related and are brothers.  And I would agree with Stefan, Damon doesn't need Elena around to bring out that good side in him.  He won't have her around for another 57 years, so he has to stop being selfish.

Paranormal Lockdown 1.5 "Hinsdale House"

Hinsdale House was exactly the sort of location that gives me the shivers, it was unnerving and even before the investigation started and the clock ticked on the lockdown, knew it would be an eventful 72 hours.  I have to hand it to Nick for his dedication and willingness to see this through, even when he said he had a 'dream' before he got here.  The girl warning him.  As Tony Spera rightly said, demonic presences as we know, present themselves in any form and most usually girls.  Even the EVPs were warning to 'Get Out.'

Here's a first typing this, my mind's drawn a blank and I have no idea what to write next!!!  I never get writer's block!! Ever!  Maybe it's got something to do with the fact that I'm writing it between 'Devil's hour' of 3am, but I don't think so as it's not the first time I've done that.

That was a woman's voice on Katrina's recorder and sounds like she says "yes" when Katrina asks "was that you that who just said something?" "Where's Nick" was very audible too.  As for the "There's no heaven" EVP, was that more of a response to Nick asking he needs to know what happens after you die.

I said that about Nick's eyes they didn't look like his at all and Katina wasn't there until later, when she also said that too when she returns to the house.

Sorry don't wanna creep anyone out!

Also when he went down the stairs for the first time, it looked as though his camera was out of focus, or he wasn't focusing it properly.  And Nick's scream, reinforcing this place was worse than bad and so very evil, cos never have I heard Nick scream like that, or at all.  Like he was genuinely distressed. Didn't think of it as a way to bring Katrina back to the house, which is exactly what she did and should have done.  Is there some sort of a voice at 37.54, can't hear it clearly cos of the music, but it's not the music of the show, but sounds like a mumbling, "mphh" sound.

What also struck me was how Rob arrived to wake Nick up this time round and he looked drained, so he wouldn't have got much sleep, but he wasn't able to get up either.

Most of you will have seen Hinsdale House featured in A Haunting episode Dark Forest, but a 'live' lockdown in real time was just as creepy but even more so since we could actually see the events taking place before our eyes.  This by far has go to be one of the most ambitious and dangerous lockdown undertaken by both Nick and Katrina.  I wonder if Katrina spent more time in the woods, not only to lure out whatever was there and direct it towards Nick, but also to give him  a bit of room to carry out the investigation alone, thus yielding more results, which it certainly did!

What I also liked about this episode was that we were actually told on film/camera what happened to Nick after the investigation and also at his home.  It's all good and well mentioning it like other shows do, but only when we get to see it, without being too intrusive, do we really get to see how horrific and prolific those lasting effects can be.  I don't know about anyone else, but to me, it's like experiencing it firsthand and personally, that's how I felt it.  Hope Nick's fully recovered from it and especially after his cleansing.

The last episode of season 1 is Kreischer Mansion, it's being billed as a "season finale" and not series finale, hoping the show will be renewed, as I keep saying a lot I know!!

Longmire 4.1 "Down By The River" Review

Longmire returned to Netflix in Season 4 (and 5 USA in the UK) without losing any of its charm or hard-hitting stories with the emotional impact of loss and yet still retained the essence of essentially still being a mystery show.  This episode packed a punch to draw back viewers, as if they wouldn't, as Vic (Katee Sackhoff) comes a-calling on Walt (Robert Taylor) only to find Henry (Lou Diamond Phillips) there who notices Walt's taken his wife's ashes and he vowed only to do that when he deals with his wife's killer. This time he's gunning for Nighthorse (A Martinez) as he returns on his plane.  Only Henry gets there before the plane has time to land and they find themselves engaging in a tussle.  Cos Henry wants him to bring Nighthorse down the right way and by the book.  (Though it could be argued Walt has his own book.)  He backs down when Henry reminds him how he promised Henry wouldn't wind up back in prison.  Thus the conversation with Nighthorse ends with asking if he's got anything to           declare.

As for Vic well she's still carrying round those feelings for Walt, as she did arrive with his favourite six pack of Rainier and her top undone, so she was expecting some sort of action.  Though it wasn't action of the dramatic variety we were treated to.  Don't know about you, but I'm one of those who doesn't want to see that relationship come about or really go anywhere.  There I said it again.  Henry also realizing the he signed over the deed of the Red Pony to Malachi (Graham Greene) and no longer owns it, another thorn in his side, as if the fallout over Hector wasn't enough for him to deal with.  He takes it upon himself to return the money to anyone who pitched in to save him.

With all this going on, the main highlight was Cady (Cassidy Freeman) looking for Branch and finding his 'suicide' note on his laptop.  Though didn't think Branch was one for leaving notes on a computer, seeing as technology in the office is few and far between.  That aside, Walt finds him at the river, hence the title, with shotgun wound to his face.  Again a shotgun isn't really the best way to go, but again didn't think Branch was the type to use a shotgun; let alone commit suicide.  As we knew him to be made of sterner stuff.  Walt wants to treat the scene as he wold any other and conduct a proper investigation as is befitting Branch and would do the same for anyone else.  Asking Vic for a pair of gloves, which he never wears.

Ferg (Adam Bartley) is left with the task of breaking the sad news to Cady, as she already suspects it will be bad news.  As Walt sits in on the autopsy, having to leave cos he spoke.  Pointing out Branch's scar so we know it's really his DB.  Though the coroner could've done a better job than he did, even if he did call it a special favour for Walt later on.  Who doesn't want anything released until he finds the family, which he does when Branch's father, Barlow (Gerald McRaney) leaves a message on his phone.  Obviously he doesn't take the news well of losing his only son.

Walt has a feeling it's not suicide and there's more to this as he counts the pellets in the shell, coming up with six short of the 202 that should be there.  Could be washed away, or could be there's more going on, like a staged suicide.  Vic gets drunk blames herself for Branch and Walt silts the river looking for pellets, telling Ferg to canvas the area for anyone who should have heard the gunshot. Also deciding that Nighthorse may have been behind his death, since Branch was working on that case.

Vic tells him it's over if it's been ruled a suicide and he should let it go, then clumsily knocks over the evidence box, where Walt sees the shell has dirt in it, which couldn't have gotten there unless someone tampered with the scene afterwards.  Cos Branch couldn't have put the shell back into the gun after he shot himself.  However the coroner refuses to change the ruling, which only a court can do.

Of course Nighthorse comes a-calling emblazoned with the rest of the tribes as one, to remind him of how they were betrayed by the Whiteman, as Walt tells him he was behind Martha's death. Nighthorse adding he doesn't kill women and children and that he's after their money in the form of the casinos.

Opening up this mystery which nicely sets up the episodes for the entire season, as all the usual traits which made this show such a hit are still there, primarily the emotions and still the heartbreak of his wife's murder hanging around, which doesn't appear will be laid to rest for awhile yet.  But here most noticeable is Walt's determination that he won't let this one go cos he missed the glaring signs, including that of Barlow and his intentions.

The Vampire Diaries 7.16 "Days of Future Past" Review

                                                   
A bit of an episode that jumps about from Three Years Later, to Today, To the Present day to Two Years Later in the Philippines and not many tying up of loose ends.
Three Years Ago which now = Present Day, Damon (Ian Somerhalder) tells Stefan (Paul Wesley) he wants to take the scar and it wasn't Rayna's (Leslie-Ann Huff) idea but his.  In this way he can be marked and Stefan can live his life.  We also learn that Rayna now has a 'mystical connection' to all those she's marked and so feels everything they do and on top of that knows everywhere they've been and what they've been doing.  Funny she couldn't quite catch up to Stefan in the Philippines though. Where apparently a bartender tells Valerie (Elizabeth Blackmore) he can help them to finding a solution to Stefan's scar and as Stefan replies that's what all the bartenders say.

Stefan is released by Damon when he says he can use his phone to call and he gives him a headstart on Rayna by strangling her and she reaches for the gun and shoots him.  Ah Damon, you never think of what's next to you!  Ha.  When she comes too, she chases Stefan and Damon still wants to go ahead with the transfer.  As the action's moved to Dallas.  Damon thought of the transfer spell cos of Alaric's babies and if they could be transferred to Caroline, then why not the scar.  He tells Valerie when she tries to help him, after Stefan sends her to him, cos he's been infected with werewolf poison.  However he knocks her out and doublecrosses her and Stefan in the process, to an extent.  In the car on his way to find Stefan at the airport, since he says he will get the Armoury to help him, he tells Valerie if he could work out the transfer spell, then why not her.  I.e. she already knew of the spell, but didn't want to use it cos she wanted Stefan to herself otherwise he'd have gone running back to Caroline.  Damon also tells her Elena made him a better person and he's good cos of her.  He needs her back.

Whilst on the phone to Stefan, he asks if he's going to go ahead with the spell and Damon tells him he has a plan, cos there's really no way to tell little bro that he doesn't want to go through with it.  By the time Elena wakes up he'll be dead cos of the scar and cos eventually Rayna will die too.  Taking all those she's marked with her, if they're not already dead by then.

Alex (Mouzam Makkar) sends Nora (Scarlett Byrne) to find Enzo (Michael Malarkey) as he wants him back at the Armoury and also that he released Rayna.  She's got Mary Louise (Teressa Liane) and she can have her if she complies.  However she's been injected with pills made from Rayna's blood and Alex will let her have everything about her blood if she brings him back.  Rayna's blood is poison to witches.  So Alex has all these resources at her disposal but she can't find Enzo for herself.  He's that good at evading her.

Rayna catches up with Stefan after he threw the sword onto a moving truck, so she managed to retrieve it and also find him too.  She's hurting cos she doesn't really want to do this to him, but must. Cos she got to know him.  Flashback to Stefan and the scar and to getting Damon out of the coffin cos the scar opened up again and then having Rayna chase them.  She tells him he could've had Caroline, Valerie but he goes after Damon.  It's in his blood isn't it, they're both brothers that's why and it's that fatalistic kind of love shared by Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) too in Supernatural.  They will do anything for one another, except here Damon does a lot of letting Stefan down.  Damon agrees to finally take the scar and Valerie begins the spell, but it's too late, Rayna stabbed him with the sword.  As Damon arrives  he finds Stefan and vows to get him back again.

Enzo finds Matt (Zach  Roerig) and holds him hostage for a bit wanting to know why he let Rayna escape.  He doesn't answer and says he should ask Stefan.  Nora arrives and fights Enzo as Matt makes a getaway.  Also Enzo tries to make her swallow a pill.  They finally call a truce cos Enzo needs Rayna and he calls Alex to meet him at the airport.  When she arrives Alex wants to know why Enzo stole the pills and has been using them, saying they're family and she knows about Bonnie. Nora finds Mary Louise as she learns from Alex there's no cure.  As they drive away Rayna tries to stop them and throws the sword, wounding Nora.  She's marked now and so Mary Louise wants to take the scar for herself but Nora doesn't let her. As they both die together and the car goes up in flames.  Rayna is angry, so what happens with the sword now.   As we realize Matt helped Rayna cos of Penny's death.  Why else.

Ian had plenty to deal with in this episode and a lot of storyline to flash back and forth with and did a great job, considering it could've gotten a bit bogged down with all these timelines back and forth. Showing his professionalism as an actor and director too.  Though Damon's plan once more goes awry.  Like all plans do in this show!  Ha.

Now that Stefan's back in the Phoenix Stone, suppose we'l relive his hell now as we did with Damon. It just strikes me as funny Damon was so willing to let the scar become his, be that martyr and then he changes his mind cos he finds he won't be alive to see Elena.  Was it just cos of that he was going to let Stefan suffer and die earlier than his time.  More comic lines from Damon such as, "are hashtags still a thing, it's been three years."  So is that the end of the Heretics as we know them with Nora and Mary Louise gone up in flames, even though there probably are more luring around somewhere, the lot that came with Lily have all been killed off, aside from Valerie.  As that chapter closes.

Supernatural 11.17 "Red Meat"

                                       
Supernatural Red Meat showed how the Sam/Dean cycle renews itself when they have to rescue one another from the clutches of death. Well not 'Death' itself since apparently Death carked it last season, but whoever, whatever replaced Death and I don't mean that arrogant Reaper Billy (Lisa Berry) either. This time round we saw Sam (Jared Padalecki) wanting to work the case again, he was pretty reluctant last ep to take on the case but this episode Dean (Jensen Ackles) wants to end up chasing werewolves again.  That really seems to be their lot, at times.  Dean's red shirt!!
So after a massive and difficult struggle, they finally dispatch the dreaded monsters but not before Sam is shot by one.  Was wondering how long Sam stood around watching that gun to fire when he could've dived for cover a while ago!  Also great scene watching his tresses in slo-mo as he hits the ground.  When he fell to the floor, did it remind you of the first time Sam died, after being killed in season 2 All Hell Breaks Loose Part 1.

Obviously one or another of the hostages, Michelle (Erin Way) or Corbin (Blair Penner) had to have been bitten and turned, otherwise as we know, there'd be no twist.  The other thing is Dean wants to return to check on Sam after he's left them out of the woods but darn it if the police don't present him with obstacles as usual.  This time he gets tasered so he doesn't return to Sam.

Thus Dean thinks he's a goner for the, 'I don't know, I've lost count' time, well, no, not really, I do know, but, knew it had to be a medical reason for him not really being dead, specially since he had lost so much blood.  Thus setting Dean's mind working overtime on how he should once again bring back Sammy?!  Therein lies the dilemma(s) of their problems.  They're family, brothers, all they have left and each time it's always a case of  'I will die for you.'  'How do I get you back, I'm not losing you.'  It's not just Deano who says that, but they both do.

This time round Dean comes up with the innovative idea of how he'll bring him back and I'm sure he realized he'll be resorting to meeting with Billy again, who just can't wait to bag herself a Winchester. Oh and before I leave it out, how does she know Sam won't, or doesn't know a way to stop Amara. Well one of the problems, here was that since they have no Cas (Misha Collins) he wouldn't have been able to help Sam or Dean.  So Dean takes an overdose "of anything with barbital in it."  Guess he was lucky he found a helper in Michelle, otherwise he wouldn't have returned.  Which he did. That must've shocked Billy, losing Dean in that way, what she doesn't have much faith in the wonders of modern medicine.  Nah probably curses its creation.

Last time it was Dad in season 2 who swiped Dean away from Tessa and then Cas later on brought him back from purgatory and well, as I said it's like a renewable Winchester cycle.  Billy finally telling him that she doesn't have Sam and even if she did, she wouldn't bring him back cos she's drawing the line at repeat second chances and then some.  Yet Sam pretty much saves the day when he manages to knife the other two werewolves and shoot Corbin at the medical centre.  With Dean once again telling Sam absolutely nothing about his attempt to bring Sam back by once again dying for him.  He would die for Sam, as he says and he did.  How long is this secret going to last.  It is quite a big(ish) one.

However, the reason I mention all this is that it nicely continues on from the last episode, 11.16 Safe House,  where Dean tells him he saw Bobby (Jim Beaver) in possibly the other reality, the Soul Collector's nest and their paths could've crossed with the "timey-wimey" stuff as Doctor Who would say, since the nest in Dean's words, "exists outside of space and time."  And that he saw Sam lying there dead.  Which Sam finds amusing adding, "it's comforting to know that you saw me dead, well his exact words were, following on from Dean's "I saw you dead on the floor."
Sam: "How messed up are our lives that you seeing a vision of the death of me is actually kind of comforting."  And comforting was it not, as seen in this episode!  But it did happen and his vision came true.
 Dramatic piece of foreshadowing if ever there was any in this show!!  Suppose they had no time to mention that here, or just didn't want to.

However there was plenty of summing up in the 'THEN' segment of Dean and his several 'deaths' and how he's going to save Sammy everytime, including dying once before to get a favour from Tessa, but as we know Tessa isn't Billy and nothing like her.
Billy: "I'm gonna make sure then when you die,  you stay dead."  This line leading back nicely to season 2 and dean's line of "what's dead should stay dead" and how Dean wished this for so long cos Dad died to save him and it wasn't his time.  As we  know Supernatural has a knack for continuity in one form or another!

But our Winchesters had to live on to fight another day, win over the Darkness and get Cas back too!

Lots to reminisce here: at least seasons 1-4
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Paranormal Lockdown 1.4 "RC Infirmary"

Randolph County Infirmary was an episode of Paranormal Lockdown with a difference.  This time round, Nick and Katrina were looking for more of the residual effects rather than any intelligent findings.  They managed to get both.  Including Katrina having her name come through twice on the Geobox, which was unexpected, but again showed intelligence.

My thoughts on residual hauntings is that of course they will always be around in some form or another, especially if there are certain elements to retain this, such as iron, wood; but that there will also be intelligent hauntings either accompanying them in the same location, or just present regardless.  As was shown by the fridge door and the banging that Nick asked for.  The area of residual hauntings is not really black and white or something that can be easily explained away.

Highlight, at least one of many, Paranormal Lockdown Workout, could get so much mileage with that and also with Nick's remark of, "I call this one, mating with the carpet!"  Love the way this show has really led to Nick being more open and 'looser' in his presentation and commentary and not being stifled behind a camera!  Allowing not only his superior investigating skills and experience to be put to even more good use, but also how his creative juices, so to speak, and thought processes are demonstrated every episode.  There's just an air of fun to this show as well as enthusiastic and exceptional investigation during the 72 hours!

As this week there was also a reversal as Katrina wakes Nick up who seemed to be away with the pixies.  Seriously though, he couldn't tell if he was sleeping or somewhere else, wonder if the use of Jacob's Ladder had some sort of an influx of energy influence him.  Whereas Katrina couldn't really get to sleep this time round.

Episode 5 is Hinsdale House, a creepy looking place if ever there was one!  Then only one more to go!  Oh no, Destination America needs to renew this show.  There's so much still to be explored yet and 72 hours of lockdown really speaks for itself and produces great results!

http://mila255.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/paranormal-lockdown-13-franklin-castle.html

http://mila255.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/paranormal-lockdown-12-anderson-hotel.html

http://mila255.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/paranormal-lockdown-11-trans-allegheny.html

Ghost Adventures 12.9 "The Domes."

                                                       
From the outset it was apparent The Domes aka Casa Grande Domes, Arizona would be a creepy episode, but more than that, as I tweeted before the episode was aired, who'd want to work in such a structure, it's so UFO-y.

Plenty going on in this ep too, though 12.8 Hell Hole Prison remains one of the best this season. This was seen when Zak couldn't continue the first interview with the former paranormal investigator, Adam Forner and he had to leave cos of the adverse effects from being inside there, just as Zak too was affected early on even before conducting the investigation.  Then when he was interviewing the former Satanist and now priest, Jesus.  Especially when that voice was heard after Jesus said "my God is greater"  Which definitely sounds like a resounding "nahhh."

Some of the best was yet to come during the lcokdown itself at night, which wasn't a lockdown in the usual sense of the word, considering the Domes were open-ended and in the middle of the desert, so anything, or anyone could've approached.   There was the growling that Billy heard at 22.22 minutes (without ads) you can hear it clearly without any enhancements.  At least we did.)  After Zak asks, "what are yo?."

Also have to say on this one, I got one of my feelings before what happened with Zak.  I said to my sister, that there seems to be something behind Zak's legs at 22.11 when Zak asks, "is there someone in here with us, are there portals here."  I was sure there was something there, but having watched several times over, can't see anything.  I'll mark the spot on the photo below, but there's nothing there, as I said!!

I have no idea why I felt that way, but then he asks what are you and they get the growl which Billy hears (as above) and then Zak feels his arm getting numb after he's touched.  Gosh that was like a bit of a foreshadow, not even being there and not watching the episode until Sunday!  Or uncanny as I'm always saying.
As for the voice on the recorder, that sounds like it's speaking in some sort of 'foreign 'stuff' I can't even call it a language, you know the expression "speaking in tongues" but it's so gruff and it doesn't sound Native American either.  Re the man who cursed the land.  Phonetically it sounds like, "rak salic."   Even my EVP attuned ears didn't get this one!

Clearly it was also a night of distractions, since after that, the monitor light came on, which was the Game camera and sent them to that Dome, where Zak caught the figure on the full spectrum stills camera.  Here you can see it emerging, after Zak says, "show yourself," then it's gone in the shot after and then fully manifests in the shot after that.

After which, came the knocking on the RV, leading them back to the RV and away from here.  Also giving Zak an opportunity to review the findings on the camera!

Later when Billy was investigating the Dome alone and he heard that loud noise outside, did that sound like one of the slabs being thrown or falling to you??  When they think Billy's going a little crazy.  All this and the Jesus card which Billy found under Aaron's chair and the responses Aaron got on the ovilus, made this one heck of an intriguing episode!
(NB the priest Zak interviews earlier, was also named Jesus.)

Think I need to stop writing cos I tend ot get a little away with myself, more like carried away!

Anyhoo, if you love the show, you may want to check out my Zak book.  Giving one away on my Twitter @mila255h by 1st April.

http://www.amazon.com/Endless-Supernatural-Paranormal-Unofficial-Unauthorized/dp/1326513842/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1459212303&sr=8-5&keywords=mila+hasan

Ghost Adventures 12.8 "Hell Hole" Prison.

Ghost Adventures you could say, is synonymous with its prison episodes and so much evidence captured whilst filming there.  Yet it took season 12 to surpass that as all prison chains were off, to capture the most compelling, intelligent evidence ever.  From the outset the episode got off to a thrilling start, as Zak brought back Patricia Lynn Cody to be interviewed about her experience at Yuma Territorial Prison, Yuma, Arizona.  Aka Hell Hole prison and being physically attacked by a spirit haunting one of the cells.  That of prisoner John Ryan, who committed suicide.
Hesitatingly she entered his cell and got a response from him when she asked how he hanged himself.
Other events of the night, included a shadow figure watching Aaron, ball of light when he feels something on his back in the cell and also how Billy managed to release a trapped spirit there, named Peter.  When he said the doors are open and anyone can leave.  With the sound of a cell door being caught.  Stunning evidence.  As for that scream, was it really a girl?

Some laughs along the way too, but that so-called 'spy' outside looked more like he was taking a leak than actually spying.  It's like he pulls his pants up before the car arrived for him. That would be  #pisstake!

As well as Zak saying a man could go crazy in the prison cos of the bats. Though he didn't use the oft spoken phrase of "bat shit crazy!" Though I admit I did make a joke or two about the 3.10 to Yuma!

Got the most chilling shiver down my spine when Zak was in the Dark Cell and haven't felt that during any episode!  The sound that Zak describes as "laughing or grunting" after he taunts, is actually a voice that says at 33.57, "don't tell them" and not "chu, chu, chu."  It's very deep and forceful!  Now if Zak would stop dropping the f-bomb during the recording when asking questions and taunting, so we don't need the bleeping!! ha.

Also at 33.55, on my video it's about the 3 second mark; is that an orb or a bug right in front of the cell door it shoots from the right side of the wall towards the left. (Also see video below.) But didn't see any bugs all night though.

As well as that EVP on 34.34 minutes (without ads) which said, "figure a way to wake it..."  Which when you think about it makes sense since those sounds heard beforehand, like the footsteps and the one Zak said was knocking, sounded more like stones being thrown.  So the question would be who or what were they trying to wake up?  Some other inmate in danger, or being menaced by the guards, with a snake or a scorpion.

Yet the most spectacular evidence was the actual band being filmed on the SLS camera.  Not only that but they acknowledged the presence of the GAC too.  By taking a bow, waving and also dancing for them!

The green figure looks like he's playing the double bass.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt such evidence proves the existence of the paranormal in the most compelling way.
Take a bow GAC!

http://www.amazon.com/Endless-Supernatural-Paranormal-Unofficial-Unauthorized/dp/1326513842/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1AFQGVDCBPARM6K6VA2W

Paranormal Lockdown 1.3 Franklin Castle

Franklin Castle, located at Ohio City, Cleveland boasts of being one of the most haunted places in America, or at least one of the most haunted houses in Ohio.  So not surprising it took Nick Groff fifteen years to get to investigate here and what an investigation it was in episode 3 of Paranormal Lockdown.  Franklin Castle has a dark history of criminal activity including prohibition. At any rate, the house saw its fair share of tragedy when the Hannes Tiedemann and his wife, Luise, lost four children there.  One was the daughter, Emma, who haunts the house and was seen by the Ramano family children, who moved to the house in 1968.  As Katrina said, it was good to be able to speak with actual former residents of Franklin Castle, who have seen Emma.

The investigation got off to a thrilling start as Nick and Katrina were joined by John Tenney and he felt his clothes being pulled at and felt constricted in them, the same time Nick spotted a shadow figure and then John's batteries in his mic dying. Wonder why that happened to him and it would've been interesting to see what else may have happened if John could've stuck around a while longer!!

This was also the episode where fellow paranormal investigator and sensitive, Elizabeth Saint (of Ghosts of Shepherdstown (GOS)) had her very own invention, the E-Box used by Nick.  After they met on GOS he asked if she'd like to build something for the show as her background was in engineering.  She came up with the E-Box and very excellent it is too!  A shame that she wasn't shown on camera when it was used.  But Elizabeth said in an interview that she was there at the time!

Interesting games of hide and seek were played with Emma and Katrina receiving the knock back when she knocked on the wall and asked for some noise to be made.  As well as Rob, the cameraman seeing something in the basement, which couldn't be verified for certain and then finally seeing a mist in the same place later during the investigation.  Showing plenty of activity in the basement.  Making you think exactly what took place there; where Nick was brave enough to spend the night.  After setting up motion sensors which went off when an orb/light anomaly was seen at the 35.53 minute mark.  Think that was missed by them, as no mention of it was made.  However it appeared right on cue after Nick says, "I'm all by myself now..."  From the EVP he recorded it could've been a spirit asking for help, as it said "I need help."  However, not sure if the EVP was caught at the same time the anomaly appeared.  (See pic below).

The other amazing capture was the mist that was seen by Rob in the same place as before, between the doorway in the basement.  Though I'm not sure whether I'd have spent the night in or by the closet like Katrina did.  I mean it was black inside, that was creepy.  Though Nick was the only one who felt anything inside it.  Maybe Luise didn't want him invading her space.

Another brilliant episode and it's still exciting to see the affects that little, or no sleep has on them and their investigation during 72 hours and continues to bring a fresh approach to the style and concept of the show.  I'm still hooked!  Can't wait for episode 4 at Randolph County Infirmary.

http://mila255.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/paranormal-lockdown-11-trans-allegheny.html

http://mila255.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/paranormal-lockdown-12-anderson-hotel.html

Ghost Adventures 12.7 Leslie's Family Tree Restaurant

Ghost Adventures investigation into the Lesley' Family Tree restaurant in Santaquin, Utah.  Where the family was experiencing attacks, as well as there being attacks on the patrons of the restaurant, in the form of scratches.  As soon as the attack on Bobby on camera, knew it was going to be an eventful investigation.
During the seance, when Zak asks the question, "what is your name" after asking if it's a family member.  The EVP doesn't say "get out" but it sounds like, "get back."  Of course this could be interpreted as having two meanings, one as in stay away from it as a warning and, or, secondly as a foreshadowing of events to come during the rest of the night, when Zak openly asks for the spirit to attack him and to scratch his back.  Thus "get back."

The other thing I saw as ironic was that the scratch on his back was actually going through the tattoo. We know the 'Spirit Storm' tattoo has a significant meaning for Zak and his reason for getting it, after the events at Poveglia Island.  Signifying the battle between good and evil.  That scratch is positioned as if it's separating the good and the evil on his back.  Made even more relevant as Zak says he had a negative attachment for two days.

You can actually see the scratch before Aaron notices it, if you look carefully and before it begins ot get redder in colour:

It's clearer on the non-highlighted picture.

Well it wasn't a spirit that hated a tattoos, like the nuns at Yorktown, sorry I know that sounds funny or callous, but apparently this is far more evil.  I have to add I got an eerie feeling of deja vu when his back was scratched!

The restaurant was the subject of another show on The Travel Channel, The Dead Files where psychic Amy Allen and former NYD detective Steve DiSchiavi investigate haunted properties and places.  During this investigation in 2012, Amy gave her findings at the end when they gather their evidence together and what she's seen, including Amy's advice to the clients.  Here she found that there was some sort of evil entity that was at the restaurant and drew a sketch of it.  She said that it likes to attack people, so when they die it can hold them back.  "He wants more people to die." Which struck me as uncanny, since at the end of the Ghost Adventures episode, Zak says he was affected by an attachment for two days and also he had "nightmares about being trapped in a room with dead bodies."  And having to go through cleansings and prayers to rid himself of it.  Which is what Amy advised the family to do at the restaurant.

As Leslie told Zak, Amy (not mentioning her by name) asked her to do the cleansing with all the major religions.  She also advised to find out the tribe and to get a Native American elder to help too, to rid the curse put on the place by a Native American. Which wasn't done.  Not being critical, but it would have been worth trying since there would be nothing to lose.  There aren't that many major religions around.  Not to mention the fact that Amy's advice is always on the ball and she gets results and people that have taken her advice have gotten results.  Clearly there are souls there that need to be put to rest somehow, with so much activity going on for so long now and it's dangerous.

Oh and the 'unexplained' voice that's heard by Jay and Ashley is a woman's voice saying, "a lot of noise."  Wonder if they closed the seance after the investigation before they left!

You may not agree with me, but it's just my opinion and how I like to make connections and connect the dots outside of the box.