BFI The City and The City Preview Q&A

The City and The City Preview 12 March 2018

A new drama to air on BBC TWO.  TV preview and Q&A attended by actors David Morrissey, Mandeep Dhillon and writer Tony Grisoni.  With Preethi Mavahalli from Mammoth Screens. Adapted from the book by China Mieville.

A veritable apocalyptic or thereabouts setting for this new drama by Mammoth Screen productions to be aired on BBC TWO.  The first impression was very 1984 meets Blade Runner.  It really had an impact on the senses, especially visually: the squalor, suspicion and solitude of living in such a world.  East and West Germany, almost; two cities divided by nothing but a street, a piece of concrete, metal, stairs, as shown by the two lovers who could almost be Romeo and Juliet, not being able to talk, barely being able to hold hands.  Only stealing silent touches in the hopes they are not too conspicuous.

Tough scenes, plenty of swearing, used to comical effect, especially in the opening scenes as the lead character, Inspector Tyador Borlu (David Morrissey) of the Extreme Crime Force meets the policewoman, Constable Corwi of the Beszel Policzai, assigned to the case.  One of murder and even this develops further to provide much intrigue.  As it opens up old wounds for Borlu.

To anyone who hasn't read the book, it was stunning to see adapted, easy to follow and to get into.  Interspersed with narration/commentary from Borlu to explain the setting, life in these two cities.  The other city being Ul Qoma, as the murdered woman came from here.

Trust Beszel and how it identify Breach, they look just like you and me,Breach coming across as a military Big Brother type organization.  Also how there's tourist training for anyone coming into the cities.  Though why anyone would want to is beyond me.  As the murdered girl's mother says, it's a horrible place.

The cast really propels the drama forward and Borlu in his determination not to give up this case but also how it relates to the murder case of his wife, Katrynia (Lara Pulver) and how it remains unsolved.  Of course it will all connect and make sense as the eps air and the stories unfold, but it did seem haunting to watch.  A dystopian future that awaits, bleak.  The contrast between the two cities will be revealed later when the series gets underway.  Also similar to Dark Angel, I felt in that, it had different sectors and sector passes needed to travel.  This has travel documents which are needed to pass between cities.  The interesting aspect how a child's toy falls by Borlu's feet but he doesn't pick it up or throw it over, he just stands there and comments.  She waits til nightfall and then retrieves it herself as they wave to each other.  Adeptly described by David in the Q&A where he says how it's akin to living in the street but not knowing everyone on that same street.

A must see drama as far as the first episode went.  Lots of secrets to be revealed...

Q&A

This is the first time China's works have been adapted for the small screen and he attended the event.  Many came here cos they knew the work as did David.  Tony and David knew each other and was a fan of his work.  When David reads books etc; he thinks if they'll make good adaptations for the TV etc; and with this he just read the book which he stated was "wonderful and complex."

Tony didn't know this book but did know the other work and was sent the book and asked if he wanted to read it.  There's talk of the other city and there's much exposition.  The whole book is about what you choose to share and choose to tell.  He showed that in the script, only hear about it, discuss it and then start to tweak how you want it done.  The director was also the designer of the set, Tom Shankland, visually there's a crumbling city, multi-cultural. Ul Qomo is glass and steel, Beszel is crumbling.
Tom commented how he writes longer notes than the other Tom.

Had a huge respect for the actors and the sets and was incredible watching people get into the piece and how to interpret it, to get back into it.  There were pronunciation differences about the languages, which were adapted for this production.  Made up and resembled a little Polish and German thrown in.
Mandeep: didn't want to think about it, the story and just did the piece in terms of the production.

Audience Q: How did writer try to bring in the exposition and what would work and wouldn't.  Answer Tom: By asking about it and thinking to yourself if you want to do it, or include it.  Were many versions of the script and was very amazing and important everyone asking and helping.  He had read the book towards the end of 2013 and just finished writing the script now.

Q differentiate between the two cities and how the blurred look of the film was achieved?
David: special filter on the lens and were varied techniques.  Filmed with a filter but it was Manchester and Liverpool, because of the architecture, the modern city and also some Victorian structures.  Glass, metal.  He spoke of how we live in our houses and it's not such a big leap of faith to see people we know and those that live at the end of the street and we don't know.  The drama used the idea of not being allowed to interact with some certain people living right here and now and it's just accentuating that in this drama.
Ul Qomo is more militarized, more fine lines and cleaner city than Beszel: more industrialized.

Preethi said the language was developed for the production.  One asked how would you say "hello!"  David: "Hello."  David's character can't speak it but the actors were fantastic and they just came on and spoke it on set.
David respond to people emotionally inside the story and the restrictions they encounter emotionally.

Should air in April, although Preethi was keeping mum about it.
David: "I'm free from April that's all I'm saying."

David: golden TV drama is like the golden team of football, it's always been around.  TV become the place where writers express themselves and not seen as a poor relation of film. This show he gets a lot of scripts, this is addictive, raw not spooky but it's engaging.

David: A really different world see here is torment quickly and is reflected in the world around Borlu and he likes that.  Great to do this and for every department, asking questions always and was challenging in every aspect to do and he's very proud of it.

David: Loved book, knew it and loved Tom and the script and he loved Tom Shankland's work.  Fun challenging and worked to create that role.

Once Upon A Time 7.12 "A Taste of the Heights" Review

                                          
It's Princess Tiana's (Mekia Cox) coronation and she has to help her people as  Dr Facilier (Daniel Francis) shows her some tarot cards spelling trouble for her kingdom.  She enlists Hook's (Colin O'Donoghue) help along with Ella (Dania Ramirez) and along the way they encounter a stranger with a magic spear, who just happens to be a prince, Naveen (Jeff Pierre).  Hook doesn't like him of course and they split up when one of her subjects was attacked by a gator, leaving Tiana alone with Naveen.

In Hyperion Heights, Henry (Andrew J West) narrates about old stories and having endings and new stories too, as he's set up a podcast called "H Town" all coming on the heels of Victoria's demise.  As Lucy (Alison Fernandez) lays flowers at her grave.  Facilier visits Henry on the guise of being a developer by the name of Samdi and wants to see Reggie (Lana Parilla) to help out with her bar.  All this as the lights flicker, of course that suggests an evil presence.  Henry also finds that Jacinda made a mix tape for him.  He tells Reggie about the visitor and she wonders what he's doing here.  Great a new bad to take over.  Maybe he's aligned with Eloise/Gothel and maybe he's not and is the one killing the witches.  Zelena (Rebecca Mader) and Reggie try to fool Samdi into revealing whether he recalls everything or is affected by the curse, by Zelena pretending to be Ronnie and Reggie pretending to be Kelly.  Of course that wouldn't help much.  It wasn't even an elaborate plan.

Lucy tells Henry that she knows there's another book and that Victoria showed it to her, but she doesn't know where it is.  That true love's kiss is waiting for him and Jacinda and she tries to speed this up to break the curse, as she invites him over and he comes over with the intention of playing games.  Lucy has other thoughts on her mind of matchmaking.  This however turns out to be a goer as Henry tells Jacinda he heard she left him a mix tape, which she has to show him.

Tiana opens up her food truck business but she's hindered by being reported for not having a food licence.  That could only he Samdi and she meets Drew, who happens to be Naveen.  He's got a rival food truck a called 'Flaming Cajun' which happens to be financed by Samedi.  He was given money, had hand outs whilst she had to work and she's angry about that.  They both went to cooking school but she was the better cook and her Beignets show this.

Hook and Rumples (Robert Carlyle)are on the trail of whoever killed the doctor last ep and visit one of her patients, Hilda (Chilton Crane) who happens to be blind and makes gingerbread houses.  Thus being the witch from Hansel and Gretel.  Obviously Rumples would've known that seeing as he's got his memories intact, but no mention was made of this or even an implication of it.  Oh and he's lost his cockney accent all of a sudden.  Infact ever since Victoria was killed.  Also he's still leading Hook down the fanciful road of there being a cult, I mean it's not as if Hook would have anyone to share the truth with if Rumples told him and anyway who'd believe him.  I mean look at Henry and how many times he's been told by Lucy.  Hilda doesn't tell them much but offers them a cookie, hey that was one cookie between them which they refuse but they notice the tattoo on her wrist.  Thus she's a witch as said.  Later they return and find her by the oven (no coincidence) passed out as someone tried to gas her.

As Rumples pays a visit to Reggie with the news, and a picture of a scar that reveals a tattoo was removed from the doctor's wrist.  Thus she was also a part of the coven with Reggie stating that someone is killing witches.  Drew gives Sabine/Tiana her licence since she's a better cook and this wasn't his fault.  Admitting that he flunked cooking school and didn't leave.  Samedi has words with him about it later.

Tiana and Naveen talk as he tells her the gator killed his brother and as he struggles with the gator he is attacked by it and she manages to kill it with the spear.  Facilier turns up and she wants him to save him, but he says it comes at a price.  She replies she got him back his bauble so that's her price.  As he saves Naveen, he spirits him away, that should be smokes him away to another place and he says that wasn't his price so he's got to pay his own.  As she's crowned she wants all her friends to appear on the balcony with her since she will need their help when ruling.  Reggie tells Facilier to come out cos she knows he's there and they kiss as he brings the necklace to her as it was hers to begin with.  She's not the same Evil Queen anymore but she still can't resist him.  Everytime the mentioned the gator I couldn't help but think of Hook and his battles with the Crocodile aka Rumples.
Hook: "alligator, crocodile, they both kill people."

In Hyperion Heights, Lucy finds her closet opened and as she gets up to look inside, there's nothing there.  Yeah beware strangely opening closest.  As she gets back into bed she drops a page from her book and finds a picture with Henry and Ella, he's going to die from true love's kiss and she stops them kissing in the nick!  Wanting to play the game now after having a nightmare.  Reggie knows Samdi was pretending about not remembering and she goes to see him.  She won't come in but then he says she always did what she wanted and she enters.

All we get is more mystery about how Reggie and Facilier know each other, and why he's on the scene now.  Especially as Victoria is no more and why he claims to be a developer too.  Obviously his hold on Drew is his payback for saving him.  As Rumples mentions first a doctor and now a baker.  Who's next, a candlestick maker, the butcher?  Well I had to say it.  Also let's not forget how Rumples  suddenly recalls everything as Reggie said to him how he didn't help her when she asked and how he's coming round here with news.
Rumple says he was having to work with Victoria and so couldn't help.  A lock of their hair is missing too.

This episode just seemed like a filler and one where Lucy realizes her mother and father can't be together after she was the one pushing for it the most.  Now that Henry finally succumbs he can't be with Jacinda.  Also what happened to Drilzilla/Ivy, her mother is barely buried and they choose not to show her.  Will she become an ally or will she go off the deep end.  Though she should be good now knowing that Victoria wanted to reunite the family.
This entire Facilier/Reggie love bit seems to be tacked on just for the sake of it.  Very boring, Zelena was just there as a filler too.  Seems Facilier is now wearing black gloves as Samedi but he was wearing white as Facilier.  And those white trainers seemed so out of place!!  No sense of fashion at all!  Ha.  Samedi hails from Baron Samedi associated with voodoo.  So do the black gloves mean he's the killer or is it just a red herring.

The X-Files 11.8 "Familiar" Review

                                              
Back to the X-Files and how it used to be with another episode dealing in superstition and mass hysteria in a small town and Mulder (David Duchovny) says it best at the end "there's no getting out of this town Scully, not these days..." A jibe at today's political mentality no doubt and how people react toward one another still.  So when Mulder and Scully (Gillian Anderson) arrive, they find Andrew (Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez) was the son of a policeman too.
This one had shades of the old X-Files of course and did anyone get pangs of deja vu going back to The Great Mutato in Postmodern Prometheus.  Was just talking about that ep the other day with that nonsense published by The Sun about Frankenstein and how "snowflakes" treat him as a victim.  What seriously didn't read the book, didn't know what the story was about?  Okay that was digression, but relevant too since Mulder and Scully's quick fire rounds at each other were again derived from their past opposite reasons for the crime and its explanations.  In Postmodern, Scully said that he was going to call these townspeople as mass hysterical fame seekers, whilst she remained the voice of ration and reason.  (See quote below.)  But here once again they take the same stance when Mulder refers to witchcraft and the town burning a witch, without proof she was a witch during the witch trials and also speaking of McCarthyism.  As well as hell hounds (yay Supernatural territory!) and the wolf coming for the people.  With explanations of what a hell hound is, guarding the gates of hell.
                                         
Still Scully you're sceptical after all these years! A boy, Andrew, walks into the woods after seeing a TV character, Mr Chuckle Teeth (I know others have said it but clearly that could only have come from the mind of Stephen King himself) but WTH was that character anyway.  With the children singing about going to hell in that song.  A cross between a clown and a spooky doll?  He follows Chuckles into the woods and is attacked.  The police are called and when Mulder and Scully arrive they believe that the officers are protecting Rick Eggers: the boy's father.  As she says that he was probably attacked by someone aged 19-42 and that he's probably aroused by the crime, as well as being local.  So they can't not suspect Rick (Jason Gray-Stanford).  She doesn't believe it was an animal attack.

Examining the DB, she says there were marks that could have been caused post mortum by an animal, but she still thinks it was murder.  Scully can't believe how a child's death is still painful since Mulder adds it's the loss of innocence.  He finds a substance on the Andrew's leg which appears to be salt.  Lucky he didn't eat it then, not there anyway.  Scully refers to Mulder's time in violent crime and how she profiled the killer.  As Scully talks with the chief (Alex Carter) in the hopes to question Rick, the chief says that it wasn't Rick.  Of course Wentworth (Roger Cross) tells Rick of Scully's profile and he immediately looks up the sex offernder's database.  Coming up with a Melvin Peter (Ken Godmere) who hasn't registered but lives here.  Rick sets off to his house followed by Chief Strong and Scully.  The house is empty.

Mulderis still at the CS and sees a wolf in the woods as she calls him down.  A warrant for the house leads to a monkey in a cage and also some outfits and that of Chuckles too.  Scully puts it down to John Wayne Gacy (the clown killer) and Mulder still goes with witchcraft, it can't be ruled out.  He speaks with the witness everyone is keeping from them, the little girl, Emily (Emma Oliver) also in the park and she's watching an equally perverse variation of the Tellytubbies called Bibble Tickles and they looked right scary and alien-like.  What were they doing subliminally hypnotizing the towns children whilst spaced out.  She only saw Andrew go into the forest and her mother, Anna (Erin Chambers) asks if Mulder has children. mentioning William, not by name, but that he's grown up.  He also looks at the witchcraft books on the shelf and a witch's Grimoire.  She says they belong to her husband, the chief.  Yeah small town. 

Later Emily too disappears after seeing a Tubby at the window and ends up dead in the woods too.  The chief blames himself for unleashing the demonic curse cos he's a lustful man and having an affair with Diane (Sharon Taylor) Rick's wife.  Rick knowing about the affair.  He finds Peter as he drives into town and proceeds to beat him up.  Mulder finds more salt and he discovers the magic circle where witchcraft was being performed in the woods.  There's a call on the radio about Rick and Wentworth tries to stop him beating up Peter.  As they arrive, they still can't stop Rick as he shoots him in the head.

At Rick's bail hearing, Mulder says the suspect is around here and they talk of hell hounds again and he says that cos he's a policeman he'll be let off.  He's released and he goes after the chief, confronting Diane about knowing of the affair and she says she's leaving him.  She sees Andrew in    the road and her car turns over.  As the chief returns home he finds Rick there who's been seeing Chuckles in the house.  He shoots Rick dead.  As Mulder and Scully arrive she notices salt outside and they head back to the the CS.  The chief looks for Diane and sees her car, then sees her in the woods.  Obviously it was his wife since Mulder finds the Grimoire is missing.  Of course she was the only suspect and in the circle she tries to stop what she started.  The wolf attacks the chief and as Mulder and Scully arrive, she goes up in flames.

Mulder still says it was witchcraft and Scully tells him to stop taking the stance of the tourist poster, asking about the hell hounds as well.  She can't wait to leave.  I actually thought Mr Chuckle Teeth sounded much better as Mr Chuckle Cheese.  Such mayhem and loss over a curse that Anna placed on Diane, man she could've just left that creepy town anyway, cos none of them were worth the trouble of all this spell fiasco.  Cos no, it doesn't all come back to backfire does it. Especially when she didn't know what she was dealing with.  There's always a price to pay when magic is involved and I didn't need to get that from Once Upon A Time either! Ha.

Notice the chief's daughter was named Emily, not really alluding to an earlier season 5 ep title Emily who was a girl with Scully's genes.  Again Scully was listening to Mulder's witchcraft explanation, when they had already come across all this in Chinga.  Perhaps new writers should have done their homework (even if there might be a few new viewers to the show who required an explanation.  Mulder could've said she knows all this as they've encountered it before and that's all that would've been needed. 

Scully thanking Mulder earlier for having his back when he tells them she's a god medical examiner.  With Mulder's reply: "you're my homie."  Propelling the show well into the twenty-first century in terms of today's lingo!  Ha. 

I mentioned Postmodern Prometheus for the quotes:
Scully: "Isn’t it obvious?  I think that what we’re seeing here is an example of the culture for whom daytime talk shows and tabloid headlines have - have become a reality against which they measure their lives – a culture so obsessed with the media and a chance for self-dramatization that they’ll do anything in order to gain a spotlight."
Mulder: "I am alarmed that you would reduce these people to a cultural stereotype. Not everybody’s dream is to get on Jerry Springer."
Scully: "Psychologists often speak of the denial of an unthinkable evil or a misplacement of shared fears.  Anxieties taking the form of a hideous monster for whom the most horrific human attributes can be ascribed. What we can’t possibly imagine ourselves capable of we can blame on the ogre, on the hunchback, on the lowly half-breed."  As the conversation they had outside Melvin Peter's house reminded me of this with Scully's explanation of having Gacy on their hands and all that witchcraft exposition.
Also if it hadn't been for Scully's premature profile, Peter would still be alive.

However I also mentioned this as the Postmodern quote was one I used in one of my very first articles to be published on the correlation between the proliferation of chat shows and also the X-Files.  Guess I'll have to get that out and post it.

Guest stars; Alex Carter played Det Vartann in CSI and Jason Gray-Stanford played Lt Disher in Monk, so clearly they were in familiar territory.  No pun!   This was Roger Cross's fifth appearance in the series and he's played numerous police roles over the years. 

My Constantine Letter of 2015 and What I Would Write Today

                                              
Hold steadfast and firm and not give up...for we fight together...

Letter to Networks/Executives/CEOs/TV Channels: In US or UK and other countries globally.  To anyone who generally has any pull in such matters.  As well as a genuine interest in bringing back our anti-hero CONSTANTINE to our screens.  Even for a few episode short season run.

The figures spoke for themselves in res ipsa loquitur form and they were high for a new show that had yet to settle down.  And that it did! Constantine did find an audience and fans.  It garnered a following which took everyone by surprise and perhaps one reason why NBC was so unprepared for this storm.

We must keep the momentum flowing and dedicated viewers and fans alike have started a #SaveConstantine campaign on social media.  Not just on Twitter which has an immensely wide reaching audience.  It is with great trepidation and determination; that we urged NBC to reconsider its decision to cancel Constantine after only one season.  Unable to find its footing immediately it was a steady riser in the ratings.

But I, along with others also encourage in our thousands for other networks to consider a comeback for season 2.  These include; Netflix, The CW, AmazonPrime et al.  Including in the UK, Sky, E4 and generally other channels with an already established audience for such a supernatural show.
Even HBO could could find a home for this occult detective bringing it to a more adult-orientated viewership with a more darker and grittier plot and storylines.  
Ending on a cliffhanger did nothing to appease fans or the series.  But NBC in its decision instead chose to alienate its viewers driving away many from watching its other shows.

The time to act is now before this masterfully colourful character completely disappears from our screens forever.  Not to mention the loss we will all feel if Matt Ryan is unable to revive this beloved character!  Contracts won't last and the cast will inevitably move on.

We implore you in the most stronger terms to consider this show for your schedules with a guaranteed following and fanbase there is nothing to lose but everything to gain.

To all fans: we must unite in this fight to the mightiest front in showing our force and how serious we are.  We won't be divided or give up.

It was shocking, to say the least, that a network such as NBC was unable to make a go of such a successful TV show that it spoke volumes without the need for justification of the mess that the network made of it.

Fans must continue the uphill battle.  We urge you to listen to the pleas and consider how excellent this would be for your network.  Or how easily it cold be turned into amid-season replacement.

The above was the gist of the letter back in 2015 that I sent out to various outlets/networks etc.

Apparently NBC did the same to many shows over the years: premature cancellation.  Including Dark Skies as I said, it aired it on a Saturday night.  Not happy with the ratings it was also axed after season 1.  Ambitwatch wrote about the 3 Award Nominations Dark Skies had received and commented: "when will NBC execs learn to hold onto and develop their SF properties?"  This cold easily be translated to Constantine.  Not sci-fi per se but an occult, supernatural, comic book drama.  Finding itself ousted cos it was also considered too "out there" and not right for this network.  Constantine received 7 Award nominations.

As a side note: if I re-wrote this today I would have added: (well I just did!)
We fans have persevered long enough.  Bringing Constantine back is taken much more effort than was fully anticipated back in 2015.  Also partly since many have given up - alas - even though the momentum still continues on Twitter!

We need a network for the fans; listening to our fan requests and pleas needs to get on board with this show and give any producer who is still willing to and is interested staunchly, the opportunity for another stab at Constantine.  We cannot let Constantine and Matt playing him further - be forgotten.  No matter how disheartening or how it appears to be falling on deaf ears.  The time for battle continues; our time is now!

Worth noting how for any voice that keeps speaking and ears that keep listening we will, as fans, continue steadfastly and loyally our support for Matt Ryan in his performances: future or otherwise, portrayals of John Constantine.  We will commence to voice our discontent.  But this will always be translated and shown to be positive support in our attempts to revive a show we have watched and loved and taken to our hearts and has become a part of our souls!

Constantine deserves a new home as it will always have a continuous and everlasting audience.
Matt deserves to film all the episodes as far as the comics will allow!

The last word: - everytime Constantine has appeared on other shows in the Arrowverse:  Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow - the ratings have rocketed.  That in and of itself is proof positive there is life in the petty dabbler yet.  That Matt Ryan isn't going anywhere as long as there are calls for him to continue with John Constantine: he is on board!  Either in his stand-alone show or the Waverider!
So let's set sail on this new adventure and revive for a season 2.

Paranormal Lockdown 3.2 "Wildwood Sanitorium" Review

Episode 2 of the show was just as intriguing as the others gone before.  There's just something more visual about the mansions they visit, visually stunning, even if they are run down or in need of repair; which were once sanatoriums or homes.  That lingering presence of the spirits and particularly when they are possessive and obsessive of their territories.  Which was the same with Dr Henderson who ran his clinic there at Wildwood Sanitorium, New York State.  Though he wanted to help patients, Nick said he was controlling of his patients and how medical help was administered to them.  As was obvious from the male shadow figure that Brooke sees there.  Brooke and her mother, Laurie wanted Nick and Katrina to investigate and find why Laurie was compelled to buy this place.  Already encountering spirits and poltergeist activity.

From their initial walk-through it was apparent there would be plenty activity here, with Nick feeling being touched and massaged as the place was an osteopathic clinic too.  Katrina feeling intense pressure in her head, and the situations were reversed when Nick felt the pressure and Katrina felt being poked in the back, like someone trying to massage a knot.  What was amazing was how that forty pound mirror just crashed down from the wall as if it was pulled, which was put down to poltergeist activity.  However it was as if it was actually ripped from the wall in anger or serving as a warning to keep clear of his "space" rather than a poltergeist. (See below)

Also the Geobox got some amazing results too, such as "you are an observer" since they are investigators and I'm sure the name "Anne or Anna" came through too.  NB Will add more later, as I need to watch this episode for a second viewing!  For max benefit ha!
Okay here are the additions'
The digital recordings captured the following:
"there's always been" to the question of whether it's always been in this house.
Katrina asking if it knocked down the mirror, it replies: "I did that."
Nick asks "are you upstairs right now?"
Reply: "come and look."
I heard "Bishop" on the Geobox, not "injured."
When the seance is mentioned and if something happened I heard the reply "lots of kids" it even sounds a little like lots of kissing..."??

Nick's name came through a lot and in one of the voices it sounds so uncannily like Katrina saying "Nick."

"Something's up in there" - the attic.

The "alright" sounded like Nick's voice.

Actually Nick came to wake up Katrina and she was already up.  This time round she made comments about her hair in the mirror and Nick didn't fix his hair, hmm, sure he didn't do that last ep either!  However the second night, Katrina heard walking and voices and thought it was Nick, which was strange since he was on the third floor and she was on the first floor.  She thought it was mimicking Nick.  Which was credible since later his name came through on the recorder.

The aggressive voices captured at the end on the digital recorder when it said "get out Nick" even mentioning him by name.  Clearly that male presence felt threatened by another male being there, especially as it would be unable to control him.  But also with the attic door moving and Nick being the one to see this as a lure for him to go up there.  Though nothing happened when he did; but he did get a feeling of something being up there and trying to keep them away from the downstairs room where the mirror fell.  Saying it stays there and then comes down to make noises and be a nuisance in many ways.  As Nick set up the laser module there later (not in the attic) and the quartz crystals, which would heat up to show a presence.  As well as picking up "f** that bitch" when Katrina asked the names of the people in the house.  Well at least we got to listen to the expletives without being bleeped out!

Other voices that were recorded including
"leave...this is mine..."  See very territorial, it had to be the doctor.
These came through on the Audio application used by Nick.  Including:
"that's what you should be afraid of...the attic..."  As said nothing happened when he was there.
"they watch you..."
In response to Katrina asking "who broke the mirror?"  The response was "'cause I can...'"  Or as I tweeted when Nick put a camera in that room and put a trigger device there that would sound when touched and funnily he slept there but nothing happened, until the next night when it was ripped off the mirror when they were upstairs!  Yes, sorry as I was saying I tweeted it was almost like it was telling them 'this is my mirror now and I'm taking it over,' after smashing the other one in rage.

When they asked what made them buy the house, the reply was "daughter" and "psychic."  Uncanny since it wasn't revealed until the end that Brooke is psychically connected to spirits and has been seeing spirits since she was three.  Also explaining why Laurie was brought here: the spirits wanted the house renovated but in the way they want, back to how it used to be for them.  As well as explaining the tonnes of activity there and perhaps also the dark presence.  It's almost an echo of the Winchester Mystery House in the spirits wanting rooms built and planned by them.  Although here they just want their house back.  It was good that Nick and Katrina didn't know of Brooke's abilities until night 3 when they brought them back since it helped them also find that there was a connection with Brooke and the house and the spirits she's seen.

A very active episode and there was more energy there after Brooke and Laurie returned and since there was a thunder storm the first night, also providing the house with more energy.  As "energy" also came through twice on the Geobox.  Nick adding that the activity should die (oops no pun) down after the renovations are completed to their satisfaction.  Brooke also tells them that she laid down blessed salt in the rooms, but she missed one in which there was the most activity now.  Also thought that was another reason why there was such a heavy storm that night, it perhaps would help to wash away the salt since there were many leaks in the house.

NB: the room with all the mirrors where Katrina felt they had a seance and Nick commented on mirrors being used as a gateway.  SO glad I wrote about that too when I wrote my Supernatural book all those years ago!  It's a fascinating subject.  Here's an extract:

https://www.amazon.com/Dudes-Demons-Unauthorized-Unofficial-Supernatural/dp/1326608266/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1479870358&sr=8-10&keywords=mila+hasan … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Strike "Career of Evil" Part 2 Review

                                               
As Strike (Tom Burke) once again is questioned, he does the police job for them, picking out all the obvious points as to why that newspaper pic was doctored, including the girl wearing the vest and he casually looked up at that moment and why would she go into a coffee shop to buy water?  As he begins to strike a light(!) he'll risk the fine and DS Ekwensi (Ann Akin) telling him she's got asthma.  Of course they can't tell him anything about the three men he gave them info on.  Robin (Holliday Grainger) is being followed again still and he tells her to be careful and stay in public places.  She tried to find an address for Brockbank (Andrew Brooke) and he suggested a meeting in Shoreditch but nothing more.  She is determined to get him and put him away.

She has dinner with her mother, Linda (Suzanne Burden) who asks if she still wants to get married and gives her £500 for a deposit on a flat or for a pair of wedding shoes.  Of course she gives it to Strike for rent otherwise they won't be running a business and he replies at the rate they're going he won't have any business, as he doesn't have any clients.  Strike looks at the photo in the paper where Laing is shown and works out it's the Strata (aka 'razor or electric razor) building in Elephant & Castle, from there, Robin finds out which flats he might be living in.  Which is followed up by Strike.  Yeah know that area very well, well know all of London obviously!! ha.  He goes door to door, until he finds Laing coming out of a flat.  He appears to be "more crippled than I am"  Strike tells Robin.  He tells Laing he's following up on the jewellery stolen from the old lady and he says he doesn't have it.  Adding that he's not a very good investigator.  Knew that was a put on cos he was really overdoing the dragging movements.

Strike also follows up on the strip club in search of Brockbank but he doesn't find him.  Though he does score a date with a Swedish stripper, which he falls asleep and manages to miss.  Matt (Kerr Logan) apologizes for his indiscretion when he was only 21 and in a bad space.  He made a mistake and leaves the ring on the counter if she does want to marry him, otherwise he'll leave.  As Strike thinks of his mother, Leda (Kierston Wareing) and she kisses him telling him she loves him and he'll have a love of his own too one day.  Robin snuggles up to Matt.  Next day Strike checks out the back door of the flat and tells her it needs a padlock which he didn't exactly put on there.  he also notices the ring and doesn't mention about it or the on again wedding.  Yes they had chemistry but obviously being in business together, they can't pursue that and not so since she wants to be with Matt, even though she had her doubts.

Robin is attacked in Catford and after buying Whittaker's (Matt King) girlfriend breakfast.  She tells her nothing and Whittaker shows up.  She tells him she thought she looked beat up and was only helping.  She tells Strike Whittaker had a gig with his band so it wasn't him.  The knife attacker manages to cut Robin's arm, but her self defence classes paid off.  Matt isn't happy with her working for Strike; who gets angry and fires her.  Matt blocks his number from her phone.

So of course the security lights are smashed and the intruder leaves a severed finger in the kettle for Matt to find.  As Robin is in Yorkshire at her parents to make wedding dress arrangements and fittings.  She calls around asking nurseries in the area if they have Zahara's correct address and finds an address for her.  She turns up there with Shankar (Ben Crompton) and tries to convince his girlfriend about the paedophile that Brockbank is.  But she refuses to listen until her daughter tells her he did those things to her.  As he returns, Shankar breaks down the door and gives chase but loses him.

Strike also manages to talk with Kelsey's sister whose boyfriend doesn't want her to speak with him.  Yeah the dodgy boyfriend see!  Especially since he did the same thing here that he did when he was with the other woman, thus showing that he is really Laing, as he loses the limp when he leaves the house later on.  Also Strike takes photos of the pics she has and searches Kelsey's room when feigning use of the loo. As he sees a fire certificate for a Ray Williams, who was the old woman's son.  After some checking he finds Ray Williams retired from the fire service.  So he heads back to Laing's flat again where he attacks him.  All on the basis that when he was in Wales he saw sea holly in the photo which doesn't flower until June, that Strike got from his uncle Ted as he left some at his mother's grave.  Thus the photo gave Laing away.

Brockbank is found and picked up and Strike tells his daughter, Brittany (Megan Parkinson) he'll be facing charges and when he's released he'll be put on the sexual offenders register for life.  She thanks him and mostly Robin for solving this even though it wasn't his case.  As he heads to Robin's wedding in Yorkshire, driven by Shankar.  He says he was invited and manages to make an entrance showing her and everyone that he's arrived!

This ep just seemed to flow routinely didn't it, with some bits and pieces thrown in, but it all seemed to fit into place to finally nail it down to one of the three suspects.  Just something about this part 2 which seemed too clinical.  Especially since as said the suspect pool wasn't that large and all of them had some sort of grudge against Strike.  There wasn't much intrigue as the other episodes had in series one.  Although Kelsey did have clippings on her wall and one of them was of Lula Landry, the model from series 1 episode 1 Cuckoo's Calling.  Which was the connection to Strike and her knowing who he was, but not vice versa.  As Strike later tells DI Eric Wardle (Killian Scott) Kelsey had a crush on him.
Funny part, Matt telling Strike he's a sociopath, er, no mate that's Sherlock! ha

Once Upon A Time 7.11 "Secret Garden" Review

                                              
Once returned for its final 12 ep run and here Regina (Lana Parilla) and Zelena (Rebecca Mader) find out how to save Lucy (Alison Fernando) and bring her back.  Regina telling Henry (Andrew J West) she knows he's a believer and Zelena knowing it's hard for Reggie to know who he is and not be able to tell him.  Zelena tells her about mother Gothal (Emma Booth) and how she will help Lucy if they give her the resurrection amulet, which they don't know the whereabouts of.  As Dr Sage (Nisreen Slim) asks for blood donors and checking compatibility, Henry also volunteers on the off chance he might be able to help, especially after glancing at the Once Upon A Time book on the bed! Hopefully acting on Reggie's words of wisdom about believing.  As Zelena  and Reggie set out to find the amulet, Zelena thinks it will be "Wicked and Evil working together", Reggie corrects her by adding, "as sisters!"

Storybrooke Years Ago

Where they celebrate the birth of Henry and Ella's (Dania Ramiriz) baby and Zelena comes to rave at Reggie for making Robin (Tiera Skovbye) independent and telling her it's okay to experiment with magic by giving her the book, after breaking up the witche's coven, well no, they're only Robin's friends, but she's angry since she's the parent and has to teach her what she wants, not the lax aunt with no rules.  She tells her Gothel's taken Robin and Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) is livid when he hears that, not being able to find his own daughter either.  He wants to go with Zelena to exact his revenge on her, but Zelena would rather go alone than take Nook with her!  Yeah her new name for him!  He knows where the secret witch's lair is and even a pirate's map isn't obvious on directions, but he manages to find the invisible lair.  Where Gothel plans with Madame Leota (Suzy Joachim).  Robin wants to stay here and magically places the door back so they can leave.  Zelena refuses as she finds out that Robin is going to be sacrificed in the witch's pentagramic circle and Zelena says to take her instead.  However Robin fires an arrow and threatens Gothel with it.  As they leave Robin wonders why she even thought of magic when she's better with a bow and arrow and her father was Robin Hood after all.

Back at Hyperion heights Zelena doesn't like what Reggie's done with the bar since it was meant to be a dive and she's cleaned it up.  In the backroom, Zelena finds the sign and breaks it to Reggie's shock.  It contains the amulet.  Victoria (Gabrielle Anwar) manages to get out of the well using her trusty Louboutin's to aim at the pulley at the top of the well.  After having more words with Ivy (Adelaide Kane).  Of course Victoria would turn up as soon as they found the amulet and takes it from them.  She wants to be the one to get Lucy back and then people will think more of her.  As Reggie managed to change.  But she wasn't evil in that sense.  Forgetting that the amulet and magic requires a sacrifice. 

Victoria wants Ivy to work with her but only to save Anastasia and Ivy mentions how she always has to be involved.  However she doesn't manage to get back Anastasia as Gothel uses her magic to fill the amulet.  Using Ivy as a sacrifice to bring Lucy out of her coma, that it requires the sacrifice of a human life for another.  Victoria takes Ivy's place and Gothel kills her, as Lucy wakes, wondering what they're all staring at.  Ivy and Victoria manage to make up and especially after Ivy tells her that she was the one who thought of the lanterns to guide her home and not Anastasia (Yael Yurman).  That they love each other after all and all Victoria wanted was to reunite them as a family.  Obviously, since Anastasia is too naive and trusting.  Hook and Rumples (Robert Carlyle) arrive but they're too late.  Seems Rapunzel met a gruesome-ish end after all, now who'd have thunk that?  So as one 'baddie' dies, it's all going to focus on Gothel now and her secret coven plans.

Rumples also telling Hook about the cult that Victoria is a part of and how dangerous they are.  That Eloise is the real problem and as Hook went to see her at her apartment, he noticed that Gothel had cereal and a banana set at the table.  As Anastasia hid out in the closet and Gothel stops Hook from checking it out by dropping a cup on the floor.  Heck I mean hate that she knows who he is and he doesn't as he's just led up the garden path even further.  As all Rumples even tells him is that they are evil and especially Eloise.

As the doctor finds out who is really Lucy's father, she is killed by someone wearing black leather gloves.  Another mystery possibly for the remainder of the season.  Apparently someone is killing off witches according to Edward Kitsis. 

The X Files 11.7 "Rm9sbG93ZXJz" Review

                                             
An X Files with a difference still 'bigly' on the current political hype and that's not a bad thing.  Yet delving into what the future may involve for us with the rise of AI.  It was funny and thought provoking also showing how eventually machines will take over.  It all started with Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) on a date eating out in a Japanese restaurant, oddly though they're not actually speaking with each other and as the order process is mechanical and automated, seems so was their conversation being stuck to their phones!  Scully can't help but snigger at Mulder's order, possibly the resemblance between him and the fat fish!  Face-wise of course as she happily scoffs her sushi.  As well as taking a selfie with him and the fish. Yuk not a fan of sushi!  He wants to complain but the robots send him out of the kitchen quick smart and eeww but who wants to eat mechanical food, you don't know what's in it.  Or should I say mechanically prepared food! 

He then asks for the cheque but refuses the tip so that's where the troubles start, after he doesn't let Scully pay.  You think Scully would've left a tip.  They get locked in after he repeatedly hits the machine after his credit card gets stuck and the red robotic eyes stare at him, either in Terminator fashion of even the Cylons from Battlestar Galactica.  Scully manages to break them out and finds a Whipz car waiting for her!  Yeah whip you home in half the time by speeding!  Mulder can't get the Prince song he wants and also ends up back at the restaurant with the message on his phone "A good tip is good karma" and having 4 hours to do so.  So he uses an old fashioned map and manages to get home.

As he calls the "Bigly Credit" company on his phone and is kept on hold, now there's no need to spell out why it was called 'Bigly'.  He can't access his laptop either since he enters an incorrect password.  Which we know isn't the case.  Heck the dude couldn't even get to watch an ep of The Six Million Dollar Man.   Then finds he's been watched by a drone.  So when it returns a second time he takes his baseball bat to it.  Cue invasion of the red eye drones: red eyes signifying bad, which come to take the mashed drone back.

Scully isn't having any luck either.  She drops some bath salts in the bathroom and gets a Roomba-esque delivered by RoboEpress, aka another drone delivery.  Once it's cleaned up it can't stop, even finding her vibrator, I mean massager under the bed.  Which is now available in different colours and she can order them!  Infact order anything even if you don't need it, which is partly the message in this culture consumer obsessed generation.   As she wraps it up, and waits on hold, she is directed to an Indian call centre to which I would've said, ah go get your accent fixed!  And the muzak plays to increased volume which she can't turn down, this time the 'Roomba' (other versions are available!) gets out and begins breaking things to clean up.  She leaves it outside and the car looks like it's gearing for an attack.

As Mulder tries to get through, the phone repeats his name "Fox Mulder" several times over and multi-coloured drones enter his house.  Lots of tiny, little drones, it's robotic drones in place of The Birds!  He leaves and is followed by them.  Scully is locked in and she can smell gas as the house explodes, just as Mulder arrives and she manages to smash a window.  They're followed by the drones and Mulder suggests they ditch anything they can be tracked with, including her massager which he gives her a funny look over, as if to say, 'am I not enough for ya?!'  Ha!

Ending up at a warehouse the bots still continue their menacing and threatening behaviour and yes those creepy dog drones also appear.  Okay I shouldn't have called them that, they're not so much creepy as in ugly.  Even been fired at by 3D printer bullets.  Finally a bot enters with the message he still has time to pay a tip to the workers, which he finally does.
They end up at a normal cafe for breakfast, using cash and taking their time, as Scully holds Mulder's hand and puts her head on his shoulder!

Episodes this one is reminiscent of include Kill Switch but I couldn't also help think a little Ghost In the Machine too.  Written by Shannon Hamblin and Kristen Kloke, Glen Morgan's wife, who also appeared in X-Files ep, The Field Where I Died, managed to create an ep where words weren't necessary and indeed on point as in this social media, tech age, more communication is done electronically than face to face, in person.  Not the way to have a date, but the end one seemed more relaxed when no words were said in a little cafe/diner, than the beginning where it all seemed so clinical and artificial (no pun!)

The opening was much the same, with the voiceover of how humans have come to rely on AI and how they learn from humans, leading Mulder at the end to add, sarcastically in many ways, that humans have to be better teachers.   Even with the seriousness, plenty of laughs were still had with Scully's red hair cream and does she want to order more.  As well as Mulder asking why her house is nicer than his.  The X-Files still managed to pack a punch and though some eps haven't been as interesting as they could have been, at least this one kept the series fresh and not only being able to produce an exceptional stand-alone ep, but showing how versatile Gillian and David can still be in their roles which fit them perfectly as gloves still!  Other shows should take note!

Apparently the title is Basecode 64 which means "foloowers."  Thsi is also shown in the opening creds where VGhlIFRydXRoIGlzIE91dCBUaGVyZQ appears and actucally means "the truth is out there."   

Paranormal Lockdown 3.1 "Old Sweet Springs Resort" Review

Paranormal Lockdown returned for season 3 and through some sort of twist of fate, the UK actually got to see this before the rest of the world thanks to Quest Red TV.  Since we're always the last to get shows no matter what they entail.  Great to see Nick, Katrina and Rob back on our screens.  This one was at Old Sweet Springs Resort. Virginia; situated near the Alleghenies, where there was once again plenty of activity.  (Allegheny seems to be a common name!  Re Trans Allegheny Asylum.) Again with ancient spirits of Native Americans and having their land taken from them, leading to much bloodshed.  The new owner, Ashby bought the resort in the hopes of restoring it and wanted some answers as to who or what is haunting the place.  Aside from the numerous bats they encountered, it was enough to drive anyone batty.  Let alone any spirits there.

The investigation was eventful with Nick and Katina not feeling any negativity on the first night but felt they were being watched, a feeling of being stalked as Nick described it!  And not just by the bats!  They did capture some EVPs, one warning them the pool was "not safe."  But of course Nick would investigate this; part of the entire purpose of being there, which they did on night 2.  With Nick actually taking the plunge and going shirtless!!  ha.  Being shallow (no pun!) but someone had to bare the waters.  Wonder how that felt and I don't mean that he got his energy drained when he was in there, but in terms of the mineral hot springs under it and earlier on Katrina saw something swimming in there, which I spotted too.  It must have been an animal or something.

That's Nick about to come out of the pool, nice capture I thought! 

That's Nick on the left via the thermal camera. 

Also the amazing EVP Katrina caught with the hydrophone, a gadget from Maryland Paranormal Research.  Whose name was mentioned in credits at the end, along with Elizabeth Saint's Ghostly Gadgets.  Anyway, the EVP was a girl saying "stay with me."  More like in a sing(y) voice.  That was caught when he was coming out of the pool and so most likely the girl may have drained his energy.  As opposed to having a revitalizing effect from the water.  As Katina said there were reports of a girl drowning there.  As well as people hearing voices there.  Nick also saying that the pool was the heart of this property, in more ways than one!

Left arrow shows where Nick is, the other arrow shows the figure.  And next one is zoomed in.

Amazingly I don't think it's a coincidence but taking some pics for this blog, I managed this one of Nick in the water and then I decided to zoom in and screen shot that image on the right that so very much looks like a figure and a girl at that!  No response on Twitter about it, but it does look so solid too.  I have no idea why I decided to take this particular one at this time.

Day 2 Katrina woke before Nick which made a change and on the third day they kinda woke up at the same time.  But Nick really seemed to be out of it when sleeping in the basement on the first night, still having feelings of being watched.  Whilst Katrina slept on the third floor which also had reports of activity.  Seems like they just heard noises and a wheelchair being dragged, rather than anything else throughout most of the investigation.

On the third night when they went inside, they felt a different energy and presence, like everything had changed.  Not becoming more sinister, but perhaps Nick's venture into the pool and being there for three nights probably led to more activity, maybe even curiousness on the part of any spirits there.  Katrina also caught a voice there when asking if they were alright.  I actually heard the "help me" the first time round, before it was enhanced.  If you listen carefully you can hear it with your ears.  That was played for Ashby and he said it sounded like his father's voice; as his father was also here.  So they thought it was most likely validation for him buying the property and being there giving him his support from beyond.  As Katrina said it's perhaps showing that he's really there and giving him his approval and how there is some sort of  presence of 'life' on the other side.

Nick also used a new gadget the PolterCom in place of the other gadgets, but nothing came through on that.  Though hopefully they did use it again and did manage to capture something in their other investigations, as I would love to see it in action.  The Poltercom is like a spirit/ghost box but allows the motorized sweeping of radio frequencies.  A hand-held version is available for the public.