Constantine 1.6 "Rage of Caliban" Review

                                              
Yeah hit the gym mate for those scenes, is the first thing I wrote about this ep, especially since an English brekkie is all that he usually thinks about!!  Alas he only gets toast and some horrible looking fried eggs but rest assured, "we'll be there by lunch." I mean he hasn't even eaten his brekkie and thinking of lunch already, erm, should've gone for brunch then!  Which got me thinking that eating is deffo one of Matt's character traits too!!  As in absolutely loves it!
Constantine: "if I need you I shall give you a little whistle that suddenly chokes into silence!"  To Chas.  Well someone was trying to get poetic here in a poignant way which turned out to be funny, or maybe that was just me?!

Stop licking the walls, soo impatient for lunch!! ha.
"I've never punched an angel but you are begging for it mate."  Well firstly he hasn't met any other angel and secondly he'd just flap his wings and be gone, so alas Constantine would be too slow and then he'd get that entire divine retribution spiel from Manny when next he appears, cryptically of course.  Manny goes on about battle plans and how "everyone knows there's a darkness rising."  Yeah get in line mate, that's old news.  He's going to stem the the attacks.  Constantine doesn't feel he's  special.  And on cue once again Manny spews (sorry) about free will and humanity leading to angels "abstaining from interfering."

Manny: "your old ways might not work."  That was Arabic ??????when Constantine recited the spell to find out what went down here.
schemateek ka-ha-al
abteen kahak - abthal???

The girl was possessed that's why she survived and this had to happen on Hallowe'en naturally or unnaturally!

Daniel Cerone tweeted:
"Believe it or not, every spell we gave John has meaning.  Some are actual spells provided by our own tech consultant.  #Constantine"  25/4/2015
[Hence my Supernatural/Constantine dream involved spells!]

Then comes the age old, 'no monsters in the closet or under the bed' retro spiel.  Don't let Dean Winchester hear him say that, cos monsters are real, human and otherwise!

The paralegal, Emily, Constantine's other source of info and help tells him about the events having occurred 35 years ago, 16 years ago, 18 years ago and there's been 3 in the last month.  Marcello is in hospital leading Constantine to utter, "I'll feel right at home."
Shall I mention the guyliner going on here with Constantine again.

This was a typical Supernatural episode.  Constantine talks of ley lines giving off electromagnetic energy and being a "psychic railroad."  Chas manages to get hold of the sword of light which empowers truth from the holder, yeah Wonder Woman's lasso, maybe he should've used that on Zed then, accidentally on purpose of course.  Frankincense will direct them towards the house as it "flees the presence of malevolent energy."  Obviously knocking won't work.

Constantine ends up at the school following Henry and that teacher needed to piss off and do his job in the playground but understandably he can't have strangers hanging around, might be some sorta perv.  Then he asks that line of the trenchcoat, ugh.
Teacher: "what's in that trenchcoat?"
Constantine: "I am."
What he was gonna do a mad dash at flashing or something cos he was fully clothed you know!    And 'bollocks, bastard, bloody hell luv' he shows up as a school counsellor and actually fixes his tie and buttons his shirt, which doesn't suit him at all!  Losing the trenchcoat cos that's really got bad press around here!  Ha.

As well as using mandrake root. From the French 'main de gloire', named for the mandrake root.  Again a reference to Hand of glory.  See 1.3 Constantine for further explanation.

Constantine: "I'm an exorcist" and here comes the expected punch!

Constantine: "took me 6 months in the loony bin to turn me into a party animal."  Anyway that pic reminds me so much of how Constantine's arrogance is personified.  He really looks so smug!

Manny talks of Constantine being burned by cigarettes by his father and how his sister left him alone and that's what he could've been too, like Marcello  He was saved from suicide. All he has to do is remember what is was like to be a child if he want to help.  Can't even let him pee in piece in the jail, just like in the ally when Manny turned up,

Constantine: "not all souls go gently in the night."  An oft used phrase from Dylan Thomas poem Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night which he wrote for his dying father.  He adds that child spirits are the worst as "tantrums end in blood." Recalling Astra and the forceful exorcism of children does not end well as shown in the flashback.  Energy is present where tragedy occurs and Marcello's house senses their presence.  Has the seance but everything dark just turns on our Constantine.
Constantine: "maybe I don't trust myself!"

Constantine carries that mirror in the funhouse incase he needs to preen himself!  Ha.  Fix the ol' hair!  The scene with the skulls with photos in most press, is where I said it reminds me of the Paris catacombs.  And the mirror crack'd.  It had to be Marcello since there was no other child we saw who was affected in that way and he's doing this for revenge.
Constantine: "this world's dark, full of pain for everyone....soul fled his body and kept on killing."  He sent Marcello's soul to the only place he could, back to his body.

Constantine: "what of my rotten inner child?  If humanity is what can save us then overcoming this damage and weakness in my nature, it may be the part of this battle I dread most.  I don't have the answers - I only know that a darkness is rising and unless I can stop it, the world will change forever."
What world, probably nothing left.  It did change and we lost our Constantine show!  And he lights up in front of kiddies setting a bad example, ha!  Not that anyone noticed.

In 1.5 Constantine was talking about not kicking Zed out of bed and here he's the one getting kicked out!  Oh how the world of poetic justice revolves.  Okay just having a larf here cos he had to leave cos of her boyfriend.
All he wants is an English breakfast for his hangover - more talk of food and how grease is a wonderful 'cure.'  But he doesn't get the full works.  Hey it's what Dean said Sam should have in 2.11 Play Things when Sam got drunk cos of self pity, Dean tortured him with that bacon!
As for food, eeww, stop licking the walls!  Soo unhygienic and maybe necessary but still.

Constantine's line here of whistling and choked silence I quoted in my Matt/Constantine colouring book on a picture with Constantine and Zed from 1.2, when they they first met and he makes the pencil holes in his eyes of his sketch!  Next time I'll get Matt to do that to one of my useless sketches and then see what we'll see in the light!  Actually I may just do that myself instead!
Zed is at an extra long art class - yet we'll know why in 1.8.  Why does she need art classes.

Constantine doesn't see himself as special (never mind luv someone does) but he is in all modesty.  It's more arrogance as people see him vs his true calling.
Manny use free will again, he'll never tire of using that as an excuse.  Oh and let's not forget the angel on Constantine's shoulder: one recording the good things he's done and the other the bad.  In all fairness the one he got lumbered with in reality would lead him to his own downfall and defeat. Or would he?

Leylines are a real paranormal concept, I should say seen in that sense, which holds true for much of this sort of activity.  The creator of the ley line map is Ken Ondaate - aka Hellblazers "as Alap - a powerful magician - instead of becoming King of the Magi - he preferred to work the lines of the London Tube.

Thusible is a metal censer for burning incense.

Constantine's sister Cheryl left him when with their father, leaving Constantine to contemplate suicide at one point.

This ep was the third one filmed, so very early on.

The eyeball part could've been a flashback to Criminal Minds:Suspect Behaviour 1.3 See No Evil involved some gruesome eyeballs and their removal in the early scene.

Caliban appears in The Tempest and oddly was played by Matt in a production going back to 2002  {See Matt's Bio in my book.}  A deliciously dark character who is the offspring of the witch Sycorax and the devil.  He is Prospero's servant which makes him very tumultuous and can only be controlled by magic.  He is representative of the black magic of his mother and at first seems to be a bad character.  Plotting Prospero's murder, he is tricked in some ways by those he gets to help him as he is incapable of understanding what is happening around him and the people involved.  He primarily reacts to emotions and physical needs without grasping the consequences.  He is more nature than nurture and behaves as a wild animal.  Reminiscent of Henry here and in some ways Marcello too.  When exacting his revenge for what he endured as a child.  Not understanding that this is wrong, why would he, when he wasn't taught this and only saw the bad in what his father put him through!

Brekkie was mentioned four times in this ep alone, most important meal of the day, features heavily in Constantine's life !  Ha.

Sword of Night belongs to DC Comic's Nightmaster.

Some backstory on Constantine's childhood is revealed.  Manny couldn't wait to get that in, it seemed, not just as an almighty guilt trip, but more so to ensure Constantine understanding what children go through.  Either way he didn't need it.  He's the youngest of the siblings - would've been good to see his sister make an appearance eventually - from what we know in the show; she doesn't seem to have stuck around for him or had much of an impact on his childhood or teen years, leaving him to go it alone and suffer in silence in lots of ways.  So unlike elder siblings to do this.  They are the 'substitute' parents almost, especially for us young'uns or those who lose parents at an early age.

Constantine's past and flashes to Astra, yes people can have dark pasts and lives but how they deal with them is what matters.  As we slowly get pieces and snippets to Constantine's past and what made him who he is today.

The spell Constantine uses in the house early on is the CS to see what happened and from Matt's phonetic pronunciation.
However I'd have to see the script!  Ha, hint, hint.?? Which I did and heck Manny comments it's Mayan, well if that's Mayan I'll eat my woolly hat, one of them!  It sounded more Arabic to me and it also had some Arabic words in there deffo, like 'Abthal' the final word he says!??  Which means 'champion' in Arabic and appears in several prayers.

Child vengeful spirits aplenty in Supernatural and one of the earliest was in 1.3 Dead In the Water.  Peter didn't get a childhood which was cruelly snatched away from him when he lost his life.  Hell he didn't even get a life.  Marcello would be vengeful after having his fingers chopped off.  What kind of parent does that and here the similarity to Constantine's father and burning him with cigs.  Begging the question of having experienced this, why is he drawn to smoking and basically being a puffing, fuming human chimney.  Wouldn't his past and those incidences cause him to steer away from these or is it just he's a glutton for punishment.  Or rather a way to meet his past head on and that he's not afraid of cigarettes and the punishment he went through.

Henry appears to be a changeling.  See Supernatural season 3 The Kids Are Alright and season 9 The Purge.  In folklore and myth changelings are said to be the child of a fairy left in place of a human child.

My Matt Ryan book.  Yeah I know a lot of you are fans in name only which is fine but this was a labourious one to write so do check it out!!

https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Ryan-Behind-Becoming-Constantine/dp/0244677557/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1526609115&sr=8-4&keywords=mila+hasan

Longmire 6.1 "The Eagle and the Osprey" Review

                                         
The final season of Longmire doesn't appear to pack in any surprises at this point in time as it continues on from season 5 with Walt (Robert Taylor) still facing the civil trail and the prospect of losing his job.  So he sets out to 'bury' his assets, the money that he had at home.  As a bank robber hits the local bank.  Asking for money by calmly giving the cashier, Paula (Alyssa Gabrielle Rodriguez) a note and standing by.  Until Paula signals the security guard, Al (Michael Weaver) that there's been a robbery.  He gives chase and a blogger, Brooks Cameron (Harry Katzman) does the same with his phone.  Vic (Katee Sackhoff) finds Walt burying the money and says they should've been at the bank robbery ages ago.  He's not going to get his land taken away and used for building.

As he questions Paula, she's already on the blog and interview and she tells Walt about the note and how he had a gun.  She can't find the note but recalled everything it said.  Walt tells her if he sees it on eBay then there's going to be trouble.  She hands him the note and he also wants to close his bank account.  The robber didn't ask for any twenties and that's how Walt gets his money.  Mayor Sawyer Crane (Eric Ladin) approaches him telling him about how the robbery is all over the news and he had to hear it from his friend and it took so long for them to get on the case.  Putting his foot in it as he mentions the shot guard and his wife turns up right then.  Yeah Mayor what's eating his arse?  I mean this isn't the first time the robber has struck, known as 'Cowboy Bill' he has hit the West coast too as Walt says and also the East coast cos of the news bulletin.  Vic doesn't notice anything on the blogger's video footage cos she was only looking at it casually when she should've scrutinized it more.

Cady (Cassidy Freeman) is rescued by Mandy (Tamars Duarte) and brought back to the office.  She was out of it enduring the sweat and she punched her.  She had weird dreams about Mandy cleaning up blood and seeing Henry (Lou Diamond Phillips) hanging, as well as an owl.  Which Mandy says is probably Cady's spirit animal but she should talk to someone about it.  Mathias (Zahn McClarnon) finds Henry's abandoned and overturned truck and knows something is wrong as he tries to look for Darius (Joseph Daniel Havenstar).  Cady says she can't tell Mathias cos he's her client and he asks her whether she wants him as a client or finding Henry.  In actual fact, Cady doesn't know where Darius is.

As Darius heads out into the desert to throw some burgers in Henry's face and not give him any water.  Tormenting him further.  Later Marilyn/Crow Medicine Woman (Tantoo Cardinal) shows up and doesn't let him go either cos he brings trouble here.  She knows Henry's Cheyenne and that's all.  Laying down some bags next to him letting the spirits decide if he's worthy to be saved or not.  Mathias talks to Walt about Henry who has to delegate solving the robbery to Vic even if his job is on the line as he has to find him.  She doesn't think she can fill his shoes, well how many times has she actually taken on a case before.

As Walt and Ferg (Adam Bartley) spoke with the guard before, he tells them he saw nothing and he gave chase only to be shot.  Vic tells Ferg if they don't find out what's happening then Walt could lose his job and she won't let that happen so he should ask Meg (Mary Wiseman).  She says it's unethical but does so anyway.  As he goes to apologize to her for asking, she tells him that the guard lied and feels guilty about it.  Vic says they need to recheck the footage and notices a man standing in the road across the way and then heads back in instead of checking on the shot guard or 'gawking.'  Meaning he was the one who shot the guard.  Ed Nardo (Joel McKinnon Miller) thought the cameraphone was a gun and so he shot him thinking he was the bad guy.

Vic takes the results of the solved case to the Mayor and tells him she came here to punch him and Walt told her to take the higher ground like him which is what she's doing.  He asks if she wants to speak like that to him cos she's going to be alone and Walt is going to lose the trial. 

Walt follows Cady as she meets with Darius telling him she has his money and Walt traced her phone.  He notices the burger bag from the Crow Res in is car and knows someone who can help.  Yeah Marilyn who only wants to look out for herself telling him the same thing about bringing trouble here.  He replies it's trouble that brings them.  She wants something in return and he gives her the money he withdrew from the bank.  Huh all of it!! She takes him to Henry but he's not there.  Henry having visitors like Hector (Jeffrey De Serrano) who tells him it's not his time to die and shoots at the rattle snake.  Then also by Elwood (Eddie Spears) who gives him the bag in his hand.  Henry was sorry he couldn't help him.

Marlilyn doesn't stay when Walt finds Henry and asks for water, thought he would've brought his own.  He helps Henry by making a makeshift gurney and drags him away; getting bitten by a rattler in the process.  Making it out alive.  Cady berates herself for not helping and it's her fault he's missing.  Telling Walt about her dream.  Not much of an exciting intro to the final season but you could have slapped a few people in here with some legal technicalities!!  Firstly Meg says she can't tell Ferg what the guard said about the robbery.  Well it's not unethical to divulge anything relating to a crime.  Even lawyers are required to do this in certain circumstances.  Also Marilyn and giving her all his money, even if he had good intentions, Walt should've saved some of that cos all she did was just run out.  Not very deserving or worthy!  All she could do was compare Walt to an eagle preying on the osprey.  They've been here so many times she can't tell which is the fish and which is the eagle.  Walt tells her he's not an eagle.

Henry asking "are we there yet?" in typical child fashion.  But also telling Walt he needs a cellphone.  Walt replying he wouldn't get a signal out here.  But kudos for seeing it through and taking Henry out all the way even with a snake bite.  In season 2 he had to do that in the snow with the criminal he was after and here it's in the sweltering heat with Henry to save.  Don't know about you but seems it's Cady who always seems to do the wrong thing lately and for a lawyer that sort of behaviour isn't good enough.  She has ideals but she must weigh those up with doing the right thing, that's obvious but she keeps falling into the same trap of not thinking through the consequences of her actions and Walt must help her out as she's still a little girl.  I know as his daughter, she always will be but she needs to make more informed choices.

The Mayor deserved a good hiding with his attitude, if the FBI haven't caught Cowboy Bill and have no leads where's the shame in a small county not being able to do the same.  But of course it will be Walt who breaks the case or I'll eat his hat!! ha.

Constantine 1.5 "Danse Vaudou" Review

                                            
New Orleans - my favorite city, though this was filmed in Atlanta.  For the first time Constantine actually lights up a cigarette.  He uses a zoetrope here which was used in seance's by Queen Victoria.  Saying that there's a psychic connection between Zed and the map "which is what I wanted."  Yeah always what he wants - for the greater good of course, he's the master after all.  Running into Jim Corrigan and his line of "occult investigators."  Isn't as funny since there are paranormal investigators out there.  Constantine still hasn't got new cards printed, but why bother, he won't really need them and who's to know they're incorrect.

Constantine: "I'm flattered luv, but we really oughta keep things professional...I respect everyone I sleep with but I usually like to get to know something about them first, you know what I mean."  Well, 'usually' being the operative word cos in all probability he doesn't really get to know them if he can help it.  Too many complications involved in that.  Zed tells him to ask her anything, he asks, where she comes from? Why she's running and why why she's risking "your life seems a better alternative."  Zed doesn't like champagne - now he knows something about her.

Little by little we got the character development evolving and that simmering chemistry.
Constantine: "two at twice the trouble."  Two cases that is.  Jim arrests him for murder.

Ghost killing on the road Supernatural 2.16 Roadkill.  The DB was a hitchhiker.  

Spirits with unfinished business are formed of the energy from a soul of a once living person who is not evil.  A spirit that remains behind and refuses to move on is known as an ‘intelligent’ spirit.  These maintain or reflect the qualities of the human soul.  But if the person was bad or evil, the spirit will also retain such a character trait.
See his hair's more strawberry blond there's so much involved in brunette hair going blond, the shade doesn't work out right.  As I can tell ya, it looks more reddish blond.

Chas loses another life and Constantine releases himself from the handcuffs (like Dean) only he's a magician.  Now if ever Dean Winchester and John Constantine got together, we'd see them as one entity.  Constantine is Dean and vice versa.  No coincidence that Sam and Dean's Dad was named John.  Or as I like to think!

Constantine:"...wouldn't kick that out of bed!"  And the references in this ep too, at least I prefer to say that.

Jim asks how Constantine can live with the knowledge that this is all real.
Constantine: "it marks you for life but it doesn't change who you are."  Unless you're like that to begin with.
Constantine: "sounds like your hell - but on a path for redemption luv."  (That theme again see elsewhere.)
Constantine: "a lot of my clients are haunted by the people they've hurt by their crimes."
Actually haunted.   He was like a medium.
Papa Midnite returns.
Constantine: "voodoos nothing but a magical excuse for a party."  Who brings up the acetate and losing it.  Constantine overpowered again by his dust, happens a lot to him.  Constantine says it took him so long to notice the Rising Darkness and if he erases his debt, then he's got questions for Midnite's sister.

Jim works out what Zed is running from which is more than Chas could do after he said she doesn't show on any databases.  But Jim is a detective and it's his job.

Matt: "Jim and I cross paths on a case and I think what's interesting is Jim is into this world which he doesn't believe;" what's interesting about their relationship is they both want the same thing, ultimately, but they come at it from different angles and they're willing to sacrifice different parts of themselves, and I think that ultimately, Corrigan wants justice, but that comes from a form of rage and a form of anger. With John, it's complicated. There's those things as well, but there's a lot of other stuff going on as well."

Midnite calls him "jackass of no trades - master of none."  Ha, I said that but not a jackass.  As they head to the cemetery Midnite doesn't want a lecture from Constantine on "gullibility.  Making reference to his ego, he's a magpie of magic and steals from other cultures.
Constantine: "whatever works."  Midnite's one to talk about stealing with his reputation and stealing the acetate for himself.  They need to burn the corpses.  And great to see Constantine doesn't throw his lighter into the fire, cos heck there's not that many made (in reality) and it's far more valuable than to just throw away.  Constantine doesn't have a phone.

Constantine: "guilt is a very powerful emotion."  Speaking from experience, he gives Midnite the lecture anyway.  There's a lot of energy involved as the three women can't forgive themselves for the deaths of their loved ones, thus driving their ghosts.  Jim tells her she's been reported missing by her family and he can't forget a face like hers.  He worked in missing persons once.  Zed said she shoplifted an apple and a stale cheese sandwich.  She doesn't exist anymore.  She has a vision of what Jim will become.  See Constantine had more to worry about here with Jim entering the picture than he ever did with Gary, in a personal capacity of course.

Constantine wants to find out about the Rising Darkness and is told his efforts will be in vein as the Darkness is controlled by someone close to him, "someone will betray you."  No narration from Constantine at the end.

Meets with Papa Midnite again who's got plenty of bones to grind about losing that vinyl from 1.3 (see Constantine didn't use it to bargain with the devil - his integrity remains intact and always will.)
A tentative truce in that he gets to find out Constantine will be betrayed by someone close.  So we (some) immediately jump to the conclusion that it will be newcomer Zed.  Since we don't know much about her and another reason why she perhaps wanted to stay with Constantine.

Zoetrope from the Greek: translation - "wheel of life" and an excellent hypnotic device.  Yet more flirtation on the part of Constantine and Zed - particularly relevant here as we get the introduction of Jim Corrigan and Zed's visions of him now.  She sees him 'die' very clearly here but visions may appear to show one 'fate' (no pun) and end up meaning or turning out completely different in reality.  Strangely she's never had visions of Constantine (aside from the sketches) but I mean in the sense of his impending doom, damnation to hell.  Apparently perhaps showing this eventually might be avoided.

Zed was quickly fitting in already and proving she's capable of holding her own.  Possessing the psychic abilities Constantine so desperately needs in his continuing fight.
Constantine: "she's a regular smorgasbord - picks up impressions from tactile stimuli which I'm guessing is kind of a buzzkill in the sack."  Yeah first thing he'd think about!  Especially when he sees her with Jim in 1.13 which wold have been such foreshadowing here, you know he wants Zed all to himself and for himself!

Matt: "I think that Jim's world is very much based in the real world and John obviously knows about the world beyond ours, so there's whole other kinds of levels to what's going on with John and John uses his humour as a defence mechanism...He's become really good at kind of just hiding it, whereas Corrigan is someone who I think is – you can kind of see more on the surface, he's a little bit more scarred, but I think that John's problems are probably more deeper rooted, if that makes sense, but he hides them.  He hides them well."

[NB these musings of mine have no reference to the comics and what goes on therein - but strictly limited to the TV show - which was filmed in this way to satisfy both fans of the comics and novices.  You really don't have to have read a single issue of Hellblazer to understand the premise of this series and the stories!]

Hellblazer Special #1 Confessional
#151 Good Intentions Part 1 had Constantine hitchhiking too.

Supernatural reference here from Roadkill where Molly died in a car crash but she didn't know she's dead and that's why she hasn't passed over and won't do that until she accepts this truth. ****

 Supernatural 2.4 Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things
Necromancy “actively seeks out the spirits of the dead” who have knowledge of information, not available to anyone else; or the conjuring the dead for divination, practiced by magicians, witches in Persia, Rome.  It was outlawed in Elizabethan England under the Witchcraft Act 1604.  (Perhaps something Parliament still needs today.)  A practice commonly used in Voodoo.  Where it involves either conjuring the spirit of the dead body; or summoning the corpse itself. 

Zombies are present in cultures ranging in India, China, Japan, Native Americans.  Are also associated with medieval Norse mythology where “dravgr” were the dead bodies of warriors brought back to wage war on the living.

This concept of relevance for the LOT Necromancing the Stone ep most likely but won’t know until I see it.

Daniel Cerone tweeted:
"I forgot we lost my Hitchcock moment in the final act.  Ah well, season 2.  Fingers crossed. #Constantine #SaveConstantine 25/4/2015 Cameo
Was this for 1.13??
Look for David Goyer and I sitting at end bar when John walks out.
My Hitchcock moment. #Constantine. #SaveConstantine #Hellblazer"

Redemption
Constantine mentions redemption here again as recurring theme.  Redemption  being one way for Constantine to salve or assuage his conscience over Astra.  His own Achilles Heel in some respects.  His turning to the dark arts was his own way of struggling and giving his life meaning.  However, it is a wonder that he didn't sign or sell away his soul at this early stage of his 'sorry' life.  But suicide did enter the equation. See Redemption.

Another scene indicative or implying  Constantine doesn't have a phone (mobile/cell).  Jim gets to the nitty gritty of Zed's past which is something Constantine didn't get to do - in honesty he had problems of his own with Midnite and now the new reveal.

Blood Moon a reference to the New 52 Future's End also included Constantine.
Gary's death was like in the comics and he 'haunts' John' any chance he gets; as well as coming to his help.
Some tweets from Matt:
"I would run I mile from that house. But John would prob run towards it ha #Constantine 14 Feb 2015 But  personally I'd be like John love the scary paranormal world!!"

"What I love about john is you can put him in any situ and he will find a way through.  #Constantine #SaveConstantine"

My Matt Ryan book.  Yeah I know a lot of you are fans in name only which is fine but this was a labourious one to write so do check it out!!

https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Ryan-Behind-Becoming-Constantine/dp/0244677557/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1526609115&sr=8-4&keywords=mila+hasan

"In Quest of the Indescribable: The Artistry and Life of a Gem Carver" by Glenn Lehrer Review

                                                       
I received Glenn's book last June when it was first sent out by Gemporia and had put it aside after reading, intending to write a review as there were many interesting aspects to it, not least of which had nothing to do with the jewellery side of Glenn's life, but more the aesthetics.  I picked it up again lately when I had a little more time (a year later go figure ha!  But it was my third read) and finally decided to get down some thoughts on it.  Firstly you don't have to be a jewellery lover or even like or own any of Glenn's exquisite pieces of jewellery which are works of art; of and within themselves.
Each one is masterfully crafted with precision, dedication, creative flair and years of lapidary experience.  Each one is also unique as each is handcrafted.  My first purchase was the Torus ring.  Again a work of beauty mirroring the iris of the eye and found in many patterns of mother nature's splendorous creations.

Who is Glenn Lehrer?
Gem crafter, lapidarist extraordinaire, jewellery creator and fascinating carver of wondrous gem art.  With many of his carvings being especially commissioned and adorning pride of place in many museums as well as the GIA.  (Gemological Institute of America)

Getting to what I enjoyed about the book was the freeflow of thoughts and concepts.  It wasn't clogged up with useless facts, or formal in having to follow a specific chapter or order and I also liked how Glenn kept referring to different areas and aspects of his life and then would veer away to another topic before returning to write and explain some more about the first thing he was describing.  It may seem haphazard to some, but it all made sense.  Especially as I sometimes do the same, jump about from page to page expressing varied views before returning to the topic at hand and digressing.  It keeps the writing and chains of thought fresh and on point.

I especially enjoyed and was fascinated by the areas on astral projection and his dreams.  How he was led to this career, guided if you like, and never giving up on his dream, no matter the obstacles in his way.  As well as the dangers he met whilst travelling and how he overcame them.  Being honest in his approach and writings, even calling his book perhaps a little "vain" in having to write about himself.  It is more of a memoir of his life's adventures and how all the facets slotted into place enhancing his love of gems and gemology.  In Glenn's own words, he saw it as a "fantastic opportunity...to share with the world the life, art and inside view of a Gem artist's mind and studio."

Glenn's gem journey began in 1975 after his brother, Wayne handed him a Quartz crystal and how this had a physical impact on him as the surge of energy shot through his body to his head,  he wasn't aware of the impact of crystals at the time, indeed as he says no one did.  This included himself not having an interest in jewellery at all.  This monumental piece of crystal led Glenn to buy lapidary equipment for the very first time and the rest as they say is history.  As well as the fascinating history of crystals and how "our consciousness is a mirror of the very symmetry of the mineral kingdom, which forms with exacting crystallography."

To me and for me the most interesting part of the book was Glenn's experiences with the mystical and the paranormal, having an interest in the paranormal too and its impact on our lives and not just through mere beliefs but also experiences.  Which for Glenn began when he was 18 and when he started having 'out-of-body experiences' and how these were the catalyst and enlightening him to "discover my muse in Gem Art."  As his lucid dreams led to his understanding the world of science as it pertains to the universe more.  And I can relate to that in part, having such vivid and intense dreams on certain objects and themes, including the paranormal.  It is such a surreal feeling at times.
These mystical experiences impacted on Glenn's life as a jewellery designer and lapidarist as being his "inspiration and moral compass" in his life and designs.

Even getting to be on TV and The Oprah Winfrey Show.  Have to agree with Glenn's views on being on that since there was just chaos for ratings and not to understand what the particular issue/concept meant and how it could be interpreted and given meaning in other's lives. If you've got a guest on; it's professional courtesy to hear them out and not cut them off!  Glad Glenn walked out of there in disgust and protest and as they say or I do, it's not worth even dwelling on something that has such a negative impact!  But at least speaking up and being vocal was the right thing to do and we must all be like that especially in today's society and world!

A staggering and perceptive read including chapters on his early life, finding his muse, historical aspects of art and gems.  Including an overview of his own Lehrer Studio in San Francisco.  His  European journey into meeting the gem masters of Idar-Oberstein in Germany who helped him hone his craft.  His love and fascination of gemstones and his appearance on Gemporia on TV.  As well as an eye opening chapter on crystals: their inner workings in an exceptionally annotated chapter on Transformational Crystallography: The Seven Systems of consciousness in Nature and the Geometry and Color of Consciousness.  I found this section fascinating and it brought back my late father's love of gemology. Oh and there are plenty of wonderful pictures too!

However Glenn's journey doesn't end with the close of the book or the final chapter, as he commented writing this after how he has only experienced at least two thirds of his life.  Which means he has much more to explore and create still and learn.  But it is such a masterful and unique insight to this world not all of us can enter.  Do read it as it is far more revealing than anything that can be written or reviewed about it.  As said you don't even have to to be a part of the jewellery world or have an interest in it.

In Quest of the Indescribable: The Artistry and Life of a Gem Carver Glenn Lehrer (2016) 
Published by Gemporia

Constantine 1.4 "A Feast of Friends" Review

                                             
Zed and Constantine just enjoying a day out talk of the powers of dabbling, not in magic but drugs of course.  Okay it wasn't just a normal day out!  Where Constantine tells her that seriously psychic energy is all about letting go and she must lower her wall first, what of inhibitions.  She sees coins.  Her visions are too much to allow her to 'dabble.'
Constantine: "pennies from heaven - subtle as a snake."  As Manny appears.  Constantine says that Zed can go her own way after they find out about the Rising Darkness.  Manny mentions how people are scared to be around him.  But she's not afraid and once again why bring that up when he's the one who's big on free will and making their own choices.

There's been a break in at the mill
Constantine: "well bugger me, Gary bloody Lester."  Newcastle and Astra are mentioned.  Newcastle being a town in North East England (for those whose geography has never been a strong point, heck forget geography it's just general knowledge!)  With the most horrible weather and the worst footy team!  Talking of "dabbling" (which of course has more than one meaning) and in walks Gary who has dabbled cos of Astra.  He tells them about the demon in Sudan and of  "power patterns for binding...containment markings" on the boy.  This is Gary's "chance to atone."  Someone put the demon in the man and he must get the demon back into the bottle.

Zed thinks Gary's lucky to have Constantine as a friend, saying also that "nobody's hopeless."  Strong guyliner on Constantine going on in this ep"  Forget about the Rising Darkness!  Ha.

Constantine: "Gary's is a life wasted."  Which is ironic.  The demon has an urge to devour everything related to food and is a 'Hunger Demon.'  Matt's accent was strong in some scenes than in others and this was obvious.
Constantine: "bollocks we are who we are!"
Gary: "charging head first into the face of danger."  Most of the Newcastle Crew just wanted to be around him and to learn some "black magic with John Constantine - who could say no."  Fear not Constantine has a plan which will backfire in some Constantine manner.  Think he was already fully aware the vessel wouldn't work and was just trying it out to humour Gary, buy some time, cos deep down he knew it wouldn't work.

Guess the black tie was appropriate in this ep again and he heads for the meat plant a little flashback to Matt's appearance in Torchwood.  Bringing back memories with the meat suit, ha!  Where you got to ride in that Pontiac Firebird!  Really jealous as it's one of my fave cars!! [The Rockford Files!] This was another one of those eps where you watch it, think of the outcomes/message and then see cute guy in bad mode!! You of course, gosh you stood out so much in these 'little' parts and lodged (ha!) or should that be squatted!?! in my subconscious and mind.  Cos that's where I saw you first, in these Brit shows and somehow you just stood out for me, even in such scenes!  Even after being tasered on the head!!  Shallowness aside, you didn't pull any punches in your portrayals and appearances and that just showed you had a long way to go but that you'd make it!  But as I said the real impact came with Criminal Minds:Suspect Behaviour cos it was hey it's cutie pie again from those shows!! But glad I got to see you in our home grown shows and leading to the future impact you had on me, not just as an actor, but also as a sweet, wonderful, friendly person. Cute Guy person!! ha.
The alien manatee was much like the Doctor who ep with Doctor eleven and the ship that was being carried by ?/ The United Kingdom transport??  Dale's line of wanting to make money and nothing but was so on topic even more these days.  Doing nothing wrong cos he didn't see it as sentient but just a piece of meat, hence the title!  Of course this could be applied to Dale: piece of greedy meat that he was!!
Another Supernatural reference from me of course, literally when he has to cover himself with it, to save himself from the demon.  But that jar was already too small and not strong enough to hold it, let alone blaming it on the Rising Darkness being too powerful.  And stronger than any demon he's come across.

Constantine in his crass way only picks up how Zed "touched" Gary in that way, yeah one track mind and here we thought it was all about dealing with evil.  Zed gets Gary's withdrawal symptoms and heads for help leaving her alone.
Constantine hasn't taken psychedelics for a while.  Once the mist is taken the effects last forever.

Gary says he betrayed Constantine and Astra wasn't his fault.  Gary was high and during the seance he ran and hid.  Constantine tells him it wasn't his fault as he never should've gotten them involved, "because not your world - never was."  Constantine never blamed him and he was right to be afraid but "everyone has the capacity to change."  Gary hasn't heard him say that before.
Constantine: "exactly.  He says the demon needs a living human body and Gary realizes that was Constantine's plan after all.  "You sneaky bastard - my chance to make my life mean something."  There's no going back and it will be painful.
Constantine: "there's no better way to go out and rage?? than  John Constantine." ?? He's proud of Gary as he saved lives even if Constantine tricked him.  It was his choice and his atonement.  Zed doesn't approve and she has to deal with it but on the other hand, she doesn't want to leave Constantine either!  Manny was by Gary's side but what help was he.  Gary exercised his free will and yet there was no help for him to ease his suffering.

Zed and Constantine have a conversation on doing drugs and she doesn't need them and she rightly says they would interfere with her visions.  Conversely she'd also be affected since she needs a clear head, seeing as her visions are always cryptic.  (Yeah like they were sent by Manny being Cryptic Angel.)  Nicely leading onto the appearance of Gary "Bloody" Lester - who incidentally has 'dabbled' and mainly cos of Astra, but in the ep towards the end, he says he already was high and ran away.  Astra's death only made him continue this path of destruction and self-pity.
See in contrast to Constantine's treatment of Ritchie later.

Constantine's comment of Gary's life being wasted is ironic in lots of way as that's what Constantine would've been doing too - had he not turned to the Dark Arts and Magic.  Not something teens should be involved in, but do it anyway.  But in his case, it was something that saved him and how he uses that knowledge to save others.  Gary sees capturing the Hunger Demon as a way of finding atonement and salvation.  Again ironically Gary's mention of atonement is exactly what he'll end up doing.  But unbeknownst to him, he too will become a sacrifice.  Thus the twist: his life will no longer be wasted and would've meant something after all.  Even if Constantine has to bare the slack and amass more guilt knowing sacrificing a friend is the only way the demon can be vanquished.

Also an allusion to the title since his sacrifice is 'fittingly' a 'feast of friends' as one by one the Newcastle Crew pops up and ends up meeting their doom.  But also a double meaning in the demon causing people to devour people?? by its acute urges to gorge itself.

Hunger Demon: possesses a bloody human and gorges on food and then leaves the body - and all sorts of destruction in its wake.  One for the Dean Winchester books if ever he encountered it.  The containment spell can only work on a human and not a jar as was demonstrated by Constantine - the demon was too powerful.  Another consequence of the Rising Darkness.  Yet it leaves Gary in pain for days before the end with Manny standing by and watching, as said.  There at least could've been something he could've done to speed up the process since this surely wouldn't have been seen as an interference with human free will.
You'd think Manny would show some quid pro quo as he was the one who initially came to Constantine for help!

Going back to that opening conversation between  Zed and Constantine - she now experiences the effects of Gary's withdrawals when she touches him.  Funnily enough Constantine can't move past the moment they "touched".  Like Zed would actually do that with someone who he's a friend of, for starters and in the millhouse!

More importantly this ep took me back to Matt's appearance in Torchwood ep Meat, when he was involved in procuring and selling 'alien' meat!  Yet more foreshadowing in many ways for this ep in the future .
The Leviathan in Supernatural season 4?? were into eating humans and they were their primary food source.  This Hunger Demon feeds on food and humans in a roundabout way.

The episode was inspired by Issue #1 Hellblazer (1988) and is one of Matt's fave episodes.
Hellblazer  #1 Hunger and Hellblazer #2 A Feast of Friends.

Nommo was an East African mystic.
Mnemoth: the Hunger Demon.

One review stated Zed did nothing in this but lie on the couch; well she was suffering Gary's symptoms and let's not forget this episode had to be about Gary and Constantine; as Gary was going to be killed off, so they had to settle old scores; so to speak and forgive.

The spell that Constantine uses in the hose to see what happened: phonetically from the script:
"Alworood min alawbee-aa Menemoth walamrad, meltahema min alnefoos, weh-yak nastaa-een fi talqe-hey hathehy alneaam min minwey-et walarad walhawah walnar walmeh.
Soltet al-arady almouqdesa tacht alsamah fowq tamkeen hathehy altahara wa-ahsar aley alabad ra-yeea Menemoth raheeb!"

In English translated.
"Mnemoth, great lord of epidemics, pandemics, devourer of souls, we beseech you to receive these blessings of the spirits, the earth, air, fire, and water"

Gotta give a massive shout out to my friend Ali for helping me when my head wasn't in the right headspace, cos man that English written as Arabic did my head in!! Spelling was not on par at all!  Kudos for rescuing me when I needed it!
In Arabic:
Mnemoth ، رب عظيم من الأوبئة ، والأوبئة ، الملتقط من النفوس ، ونحن نطلب منك أن تتلقى هذه البركات من
الأرواح والأرض والهواء والنار والماء

Alworood min alawbee-aa Menemoth walamrad, meltahema min alnefoos, weh-yak nastaa-een fi talqe-hey hathehy alneaam min minwey-et walarad walhawah walnar walmeh.
Soltet al-arady almouqdesa tacht alsamah fowq tamkeen hathehy altahara wa-ahsar aley alabad ra-yeea Menemoth raheeb!

Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=constantine-2014&episode=s01e04

Alworood min alawbee-aa Menemoth walamrad, meltahema min alnefoos, weh-yak nastaa-een fi talqe-hey hathehy alneaam min minwey-et walarad walhawah walnar walmeh.
Soltet al-arady almouqdesa tacht alsamah fowq tamkeen hathehy altahara wa-ahsar aley alabad ra-yeea Menemoth raheeb!

Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=constantine-2014&episode=s01e04

Supernatural 3.10 Dream a Little Dream of Me Sam and Dean add Bobby's hair to the tea consisting of African Dreamroot (or Serene Capensis-  cool name and how I recall it, well it just rolled off the tongue!) to enter his dream,  see 1.13 where Constantine eats some of the missing girl's Vesta hair to find info on what happened to her.  Yuk forget the gore with Grams in 1.1, this was worse!
In this ep of Supernatural, Dream Dean (or Dreamy Dean ha!) sees himself and his past comes catching up - with his other self berating him.  Dean manages to shoot him and Dean doesn't deserve to rot in hell.  Finally he gets a Demon Dean version of himself; complete with black eyes and he's transformed into this due to his deal with the Crossroads Demon and this version taunts him with, "this is what you're going to become."  In much the same way as the demon Nergal showed himself as Constantine in 1.1 telling him to take a look at his future.
Dean admitting to Sam he doesn't wanna die and got to hell - in much the same way Constantine does in 1.9?

Here Dean says Dad was an "obsessive bastard" Dean’s looking out for Sam now, he always has and says the same thing in 1.18, Dean is the one who bears the responsibility and burden of looking after him, always has, always will.  (For as long as he is around.)
Get the part about Dean not having an original thought in his head – true for where he saved Sam (2.22) would he have thought of doing this if Dad hadn’t done it first.  Anyway, that’s for you to ponder.  See, Dean dreams about becoming a demon, but as I said, only after the thought’s been planted in his head by Ruby and Sam.
 Dean takes the easy way out even in his dreams by shooting Demon Dean. That’d help, so he doesn’t have to listen to the truth.

African Dreamroot, also known as Xhosa. Is used in South African spiritual rituals – containing a “psychoactive” mixture leading to lucid dreams.  In traditional terms, was used to make contact with ancestors.  Xhosa shamen call the plant silene ubulau meaning, white paths.

Gary seems to garner approval from Constantine for what he learned from him in some sort of  schoolboy fashion: "you should have seen me John, I trapped a demon in a bottle."  A reference to Gary's addiction - but also how it's one place where demons can be drowned.  We've seen it with Constantine on many occasions when he needs that drink and to just pick up that "bottle."  Aka 'demon drink.' - it's not called this for nothing you know"
Demon in a Bottle Tony Stark's alcohol addiction story in Iron Man shares this title too.  Thanx to my friend for that.  Massive RDJ fan!!

Daniel Cerone this ep was "literally ripped from the pages of Hellblazer.  It brings back Gary Lester - it's a fantastic story that translated so well to screen...we're breaking episode 17 right now [14 January 2014] and we have a fantastic ride ahead.  Before the end of the season you're going to meet and get tho know everyone of John's friends from Newcastle involved in the exorcism of Astra [leading] to the eternal torment of John's soul."

Apt stage for their 'acting out' at the end where Gary's ready for the sacrifice and to "go out a mage - like John Constantine."  Still in an attempt to impress or atone more likely at this point.  Filmed at Atlanta's Fox Theatre.  Matt would've felt right at home on the stage here, as would Jonjo as Gary.

1.4 & above  "[Zed] did not understand that Gary wanted to go out doing something positive for a change.  He needed to do this - to go out on a more positive bang - than under the bridge doing some drugs.  She starts to understand John has a bigger load to carry than she thought, and there's a deeper side to him than what he lets people see.  That just bought Zed closer to him."  Yes that's what John said.  He's very complicated and what you see is not what you get with him.  It's much more intertwined and multi-faceted.

Zed and Constantine: "I'm waiting for that relationship to evolve 1.9.  Anne Marie comes in and Zed doesn't like it.  She's extremely territorial and vice versa.  There are a couple of guys that come into Zed's life and John isn't happy about it.  I like that we're stretching it out.  That's what happens in the real world.  You don't just jump into bed with someone. [Tell it to John!] You sort it out but Zed is infatuated with John."

Angelica was pleased the show was getting such a response.  Especially with the creative licence of writers.  "The stories are getting crazier and we're really pushing the envelope towards the end of the season."

They had 15 episodes already for season 1 which Angelica said would be re-worked for season 2 (and there's that mention again).  She was contracted for 13 eps - not 15,19 or 20.  They were in uproar over cancellations and fans wondered what happened.  "There are other series that started off slow trying to see what they were doing."
The fan support was humbling.  Especially the #SaveConstantine and on set they thought "we have got to make this good.  Forget whatever the actors want.  No - we have fans to please so we better step this up."

It's in the comics yes.  But it's different on TV since it needs to be brought out before hitting on it for real and how they do have a mutual attraction as soon as they meet in the comics.  They did have that chemistry in 1.2.  Even if they were strangers there was plenty of flirting going on - even if Constantine didn't know her or trust her yet.
Matt on Constantine and Zed's burgeoning relationship and romance.  "There is definitely a sexual chemistry between them, as well as the fact they need each other.  He uses her but he becomes attached to her."  Such as in 1.2.
Matt: "they're flirting (as I said).  There's always stares - these things you - when you really like someone, you don't have to tell them.  When it's there you don't have to say not one thing.  You just feel it - you look at each other - you have a pause - a moment - you might touch."

Angelica "to Zed, she's been waiting for John for years.  He's finally there and she can't let him go."

That Matt Ryan book available here now

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0244677557/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1526177247&sr=8-7&keywords=mila+hasan