Strike Lethal White Part 4

The finale felt rather rushed and obviously Strike (Tom Burke) would save the day and Robin (Holliday Grainger). It did feel drawn out in places and I really didn't care much for the explanations of why Chiswell was killed or even who did it.  That was apparent since we met Raf (Adam Long) and how he was the hated son.  'Put upon' and all that.  Got my suspect!  It was apparent that if Freddie was such a bastard that Raff would be one too even though he was illegitimate.  Motive schmotive money after all and the realization that Kinvara (Sophie Winkleman) would've been murdered too in the future by Raff just for the painting.  Which Robin takes a snap of in the attic of the house when they pay a visit to Kinvara at the house, she's alone and she comes out gun in hand.  Also that dumb story about having a dog loose.  No hound here!  More like a convenient excuse to have them out of the house.  It was kind of silly for Raff to move about in the room when they already know about the creaky floorboards.  But heck no.  And Robin's excuse of wanting to use the loo.  Where surprise surprise she finds photos hanging there.  I mean family snaps in the loo.  These wealthy types and their decor ha! 

She spots Raff with a pony and in horse riding attire and spots how much of a girl he looks like with longish hair too.  Thus it was him who Billy (Joseph Quinn) saw being strangled by Freddie but it was the pony that was buried cos Freddie and his pals shot it.  What a family 'ey.  As well as Kinvara's alibi bopping about all over the place on CCTV at Paddington, how obvious was she.  As well as the beggar and her giving him the key to Ebury Street.  So he could carry out the dastardly deed.  But neither one of them knowing the horse painting was a Stubbs and Robin getting Sarah (Sophie Colquhoun) to value it asking about whether she got her earring back.  The one she left in Robin's bedroom.

Robin admitting to Strike finally that she left Matt after Jimmy (Nick Blood) calls her and tells her he'll get her back.  Leading to another panic attack and she comes clean about everything.  Strike comforting her with the talk of her being a better detective than him and having no training whatsoever.  Well it's all about instinct and following clues and leads.  Also she did get to be privy to more info than him.  Strike telling her the business will pay for her therapy. Wow generous boss!  Must've raked it in with this case and sure Izzy (Christina Cole) would've paid plenty.  Just as Izzy pays for Billy's treatment/therapy at the end saying that's what the family owed him.

So Knight and Chiswell were into building torture devices and the bloody EU changed their rules.  That was probably one thrown in for topical Brexit.  That's what they made their money from, gallows.  Definitely built their gallows high! So it had nothing to do with trafficking.

Showing Geraint (Robert Pugh) photos of his daughter and what they did to her.  They had to give us an explanation of what happened and how he felt and as a father couldn't do anything to save her, but that Freddie's friends will get theirs now from the photos.  Strike having a pissy moment with Charlotte (Natasha O'Keeffee) as she's at the gallery and feigns being unwell so that he'll walk her to the restaurant and wanting him back.  He was right royally f**ked about her when he couldn't give a damn about her selfishness.  She was all about the money and jewellery and what he couldn't give her.  He didn't care about their baby or what happened to it.  He's not a baby person.  Oh watch out Robin. Guess we'll find out she's too messed up to have one either.  See all this seemed so contrived and unnecessary to me.  Did we really wanna know about her and their past since it was already mentioned before.  Except for when she asks him f he's never loved anyone like her since.  He replies "thank f*8k" he hasn't.  Meaning the way he 'loved' her he wouldn't go there again with anyone else cos she just wasn't worth the hassle! 

So Strike is pissed when he gets back to the office with a bottle of booze and Robin has a drink too with the looks passing between them.  Blooming heck that and kissing her too even if by accident.  No guesses for what crossed their minds then.  As well as Strike touching his lips afterwards.  He looked more like he was trying to wipe the lipstick ha! 

When Robin gets a text she believes is from Matt, she tells Strike she's got to go see him cos he'll threaten to tell the press about them being an item.  As if that was reason enough.  Strike then realizing that it's not from Matt but Raff on his narrow boat.  The ending, damn it, Raff saying if she tells him he's caught then he'll give himself up.  When she tells him about the CCTV and his face was seen as the beggar.  He's got nothing to lose so he wants to shoot her.  Strike having removed the bullets beforehand at the house, enters to save her.  She doesn't want a lecture on not giving suspects personal info as she did when she met Raff for drinks and ranted about Matt.

The agency lives on and Strike and Robin will meet up for curry and beer later!  As said rounded up rather quickly and no mention of bloody Jimmy and Flick and that tax driver didn't turn out to be a menace after all, darn it! 

Strike Lethal White Part 3

                                                          
The action came in thick and fast in this one, or maybe the dialogue rather than action.  So much in one ep, makes you wonder why they were so lax in the first two eps.  Strike (Tom Burke) arrives at Chiswell's and asks how Robin (Holliday Grainger) got in.  Telling her to search the library where Chiswell's DB was found whilst he calls the police.  Apparently Chiswell died not from the overdose of crushed sleeping pills in his drink, but being suffocated.  Main suspect being Kinvara (Sophie Winkleman) as she also left a note telling him she was leaving.  Obviously he wouldn't kill himself over this.  So Izzy (Christina Cole) asks for their help for the same reasons, but he wouldn't kill himself at all.  So where was his suicide note and why would he use plastic on himself.  In this day and age of too much plastic in use, sorry!  Izzy believes it was Kinvara who is now back at their home.  So they drive down to the house, they meet the rest of the family.  With Raff (Adam Long) calling Robin by her name now.

There's a sister, Fizzy (NB this was not The Tweenies with Fizz, ha - oh wait someone must've been obsessed with champers/wine as the blanc de blanc refers to a chardonnay as Strike later tells Robin) Izzy, Fizzy (Natalie Walter) really no originality!  Ha.  And a brother in law, Torquil (Nicholas Burns).  No love lost between each other in this family then as they all hate each other and also Kinvara.  Maybe not so much hate as loathe.  They all swear they were home or have alibis.  Kinvara taking a train from Paddington which is confirmed by the police, as are their alibis too.  Though Kinvara could have an accomplice and the family providing alibis for each other doesn't mean anything.  Strike finds out there's only one key and she has hers, the other person with a key was the Polish maid but Kinvara doesn't know her name, only that she had c's and z's in the name.  Oh wow not big on the hired help then was she.  Why didn't they ask for a description at least, colour etc even if it wouldn't have been PC in this day and age.

Apparently the bones Robin dug up belonged to a pony as Izzy tells them, that Freddie shot for target practice.  Raff is out of the will which he puts down to Kinvara and she wants everyone out since this is her home still.  Raff calling Robin 'Venetia' when she leaves.  They find Billy is out of danger but they can't see him as Jimmy (Nick Blood) has said next of kin only, he being the only relative.  Strike wants Billy protected as he's a witness in a murder case.  He also recalls Flick (Saffron Coomber) knows Polish and could've been the maid.  Cue Robin going undercover again in a magic potion shop; in disguise with a wig and heavy make up.  You wouldn't recognize her except for her pout!  Flick invites her to a party and Jimmy shows up so Robin hides her phone in the storeroom and records them.

At the party she manages to search the bathroom and find a note hidden in the sanitary product, right so there's no room to hide anything in.  Ha.  She takes a pic whilst Jimmy has a mate check her out as she calls herself Becca Cunliffe.  Being Matt's name. When they found out who she really is she's already left and called for backup.  But she didn't run fast enough.  As Jimmy et al give chase, he runs into a policecar.  They visit the hotel where Robin went for her anniversary and lo and behold, beyond dumb coincidence she's able to be at a place where Kinvara also frequented.  She was having an affair and they suspect with Jimmy so she probably poisoned the orange juice as Chiswell was a creature of habit and then got Jimmy to finish him off.

Also finding out that the message on the text with the initials CBB belong to a Christopher something or another (tell I was bored by the pieces fitting together so conveniently already) and that Aamir Malik (Danny Ashok) was sent by Winn to find info on Christopher's computer.  He doesn't want Della (Anna Cannings) to get into trouble and admits he didn't find anything but got a black eye.  Strike's convo with Della reveals she's divorcing Winn.

On top of this we have Lorelei (Natalie Gumede) telling Strike to show some respect and not be a coward by breaking up in person with her.  Robin jabs her foot on a stud earring belonging to Sarah and lo and behold - again - she finds it in the shagpile (aptly named) in the bedroom, with that thick rug makes you wonder how far up that earring was sticking, ha.  She confronts Matt who says he was breaking up with her, he's been lying and he wants her.  Yawn!  She leaves and enters a taxi with a sinister taxi driver.  Hell Sherlock season 1!!  A Study In Pink!  Cue Robin being abducted or something, of course.  Man this book didn't have to be so long!!  Robin finally growing some balls as she tells Flick earlier on and leaving Matt.  Though hopefully them being single now won't mean they run into each other's arms!  She admits to Matt if she hadn't been raped she wouldn't have been with him.  He was just there at the right time.  So using each other.  Though Matt as his last name suggests is such a Cuntliffe!  She should've found someone else for comfort.

Strike : Lethal White Part 2

                                          
The police are on the scene and Strike's (Tom Burke) friend sends him a photo of the girl which could be the one who was murdered.  They need to ask Billy (Joseph Quinn).
Having visited Chiswell's (Robert Glenister) home and Strike asking to see Freddie's medal which he  says was rubbish since no one liked him, Robin (Holliday Grainger) uses the pretext of the loo once again to snoop into the same room and finds some photos from Freddie's 18th birthday party days.  One with a woman in a green dress with 'whore' written on her back.  They later find out that Rhiannon was good enough for the fencing team whereas Freddie's girlfriend wasn't.  Rhiannon in the green dress was the one in the photo and later hanged herself.  She was Winn's (Robert Pugh) daughter. 

The Core group are having a party before the building is demolished for the development and Strike finds out that Billy maybe here since Jimmy has a room there but he'll have to move him soon.  So Strike manages to get in there as they're having a party and buys a mask for £10 from one of the protesters commenting on how they think capitalism is bad, sarcastically!  He finds Billy and he tells him that's not the girl he saw.  Billy can't keep doing this anymore and finds his chance to escape when Jimmy (Nick Blood) shows up.  Pushing Strike on the stairs and causing him further injury to his leg.  He asks Lorelei (Natalie Gumed) if he can stay with her to heal.  As Robin turns up to retrieve the bugs she's planted she's caught by Winn's assistant, Malik (Danny Ashok) who threatens her when she says she's borrowing a stapler and she uses the excuse of knowing six people who can fire him.  Whilst she's at the intern office she overhears an answerphone message saying "they say they piss themselves when they die".

As Lorelei's at the office picking up his things.  Robin shows up and she tells him about the photos and thinking doctor Elspeth Curtis-Lacey (Ruth Lass) involved with the charity could have info on Winn.
Robin finds out that Winn was stealing money from the charity fund and Chiswell can use this to reverse blackmail him into stopping Winn hounding him.  So they go to the charity do and Robin picks a dress to wear and wears that green one.  The one she wore when she went undercover in the fashion store series 1 and Strike couldn't keep his eyes off her.  God good man a dress isn't everything!  Ha.  Strike getting beaten up by Jimmy and his pals when he arrives at the do.  He also gets to see his uni love, Charlotte (Natasha O'Keeffe) again who's having twins.  She wants to share a cab with him but he refuses, good for him!  As we get another flashback to him giving her the bracelet she still wears.  Robin watching them leave together.

Talking of flashbacks Strike has one to calling Robin and being told that she's gone on the honeymoon after all.  Lorelei tells Strike she loves him, leaving him with a dilemma.  Yeah break up with her.)  Talk about making this messy.  Meanwhile smarmy Matt (Kerr Logan) tries to get it on with Robin who says she's not in the mood and tears her dress.  Strike gets a call from Billy who tells him he can't live with this any longer and he finds him stabbed.  As Robin turns up at Chiswell's house for their meeting Chiswell is dead with plastic wrapped around his head.

The girl in the picture was Suki but not the dead one. So maybe she's still alive and know what's happening.  Found this series rather tedious to be honest with those whistful, lustful looks passing between them, oh why do we have to get this attraction bit in at all.  They do that with everything and spoil the show.  Can't they just work together without falling for each other.  That was one reason loathsome Matt was added, but then Lorelei too and Charlotte all in the one ep.  Ugh Strike was only looking for a good time and his 'they were good together' was a bit cruel considering she was there for him but he doesn't want her.  Which we know of course!  What's so great about Robin though I have to ask.  She's just ordinary and his colleague.

Strike: Lethal White Part 1

                                                   
The much watched series returns for a four part mystery concentrating on blackmail of a politician, the death of a girl and of course the personal battles and relationships of the two leads, Cormoran Strike (Tom Burke) and Robin Ellacott (Holliday Grainger).  Beginning with Robin getting married and yes to that loser of her boyfriend, Matt (Kerr Logan) who didn't do much of anything other than boozing and sleeping.  As well as being jealous somewhat of the time she spends at her job and her work.  Of course Strike is invited to the wedding and turned up at the reception too, though admittedly he got rather bored and doses off.  Not surprised really.  Though once again there were major pangs and deja vu relating to Sherlock and John Watson's wedding, which turned out to be more eventful than this.

As the couple dance, Strike leaves but not before she can't stop staring at him and he at her.  As he leaves she goes after him and says she'll accept his offer to return to work after he fired her last series.  As they hug, more connotations of Sherlock and of course also a little Doctor Who with Amy and Rory's wedding when Doctor Eleven walked off on his own.

At work with a new receptionist who really didn't want to be there and wasn't so good at what she does either.  Neither was the guy he hired out to help him who botched up following a person of interest in one of Strike's current cases.  So he fires him too.  As Robin returns to work, a man, Billy Knight (Joseph Quinn) turns up and hides out in the office, a potential client who can no longer keep his childhood secret a secret.  He tells of witnessing the death of a girl on the hill with a painted horse.  He was six and he saw the killer placing her on the eye of the chalk horse and strangling her until she pissed herself.  He won't give his details but Strike convinces to write down his address, until the receptionist walks in and scares him off as he tears the paper from the pad.  Robin filming the incident on her phone the entire time.

Strike uses the tried and tested method of pencil rubbing over the remaining page and finds a possible address.  Arriving at Billy's flat he breaks in and finds a run down place with leaflets advertizing CORE and a time and date of a meeting.  An anarchist housing group protesting against a new development.  Strike goes to the pub as Robin has other plans and ingratiates himself into the group asking about Billy.  One of the women says the speaker is Billy's brother, Jimmy (Nick Blood).  They don't know where he is.  Jimmy takes his brother to a 'safehouse' and gives him a knife and chopping board to film him cutting himself and is obviously going to use this for blackmailing purposes.

As Strike leaves the pub he is watched.  Arriving at the office he is stopped by a man in a car, the politician Jasper Chiswell (Robert Glensiter) who wants to hire him as he's being blackmailed.  He wants to get something on his blackmailer.  This leads Strike to get Robin to go undercover at the Houses of Parliament, plant some bugs in the offices,    especially of Geraint Winn (Robert Pugh) a smarmy MP who is involved in a charity.  Whilst Robin acts as an intern who is Chiswell's goddaughter.  Not a very robust perfect family, as Strike knew his eldest son, Freddie who died and he had to investigate his death.  He was hated by his men.  The younger son, Raff (Adam Long) killed a woman whilst high and got a light sentence obviously.  Chisel also doesn't get on with his second wife, Kinvara (Sophie Winkleman).  His daughter, Izzy (Christina Cole) is in on the operation.  But small world that she knew him at uni along with his ex, Charlotte.  As well as Investigating Freddie's death in the army!

Having to wear brown contacts which are scoffed at by hubs, he prefers Robin as is since she's far better looking and in held in high regard.  Again he doesn't do much of anything! As we get flashbacks to the wedding and the honeymoon on the beach, again her job is mentioned and she's happiest whilst working.  Yeah we don't need to wonder why.  She and Strike manage to find out the house which has a barn and inside is a map of the dell where Billy said the body was buried.  Venturing out Robin manages to dig up the bones wrapped in a pink blanket and are chased back to the barn by dogs.  (Look the Hounds of the Baskervilles - ha.)  As she makes a run to the Land Rover they manage to escape.

Though she didn't get the message when she realized Matt had deleted Strike's messages from her phone and that was the moment she should've walked away.  Obviously that wasn't going to happen.  Ha, Strike asking for mustard and potatoes at lunch with Chiswell he never got, reminded me of his meal every night whilst performing in Rosmersholm.  Potatoes galore and eggs, pickled herring!

Apparently Robin tells Matt she can't do this and wants to go back as it's over but he's poisoned with the cut he got whilst swimming which ruins her chances.  Wouldn't put it past him doing this deliberately but he gets her to promise she'll stay with him.

So a year later she does exactly this and returns to work and her PTSD in all from last season as she was attacked by the Strangler.  It's no surprise she reacts with shock when Billy is there and when she storms out from the Parliamentary office when she sees Raff there.   Strike has taken up with Lorelei (Natalie Gumede) adding more drama to the no-starter of a relationship.  Sexual tension is high and even Lorelei notices this  As with Robin's comment of "she bakes" when they ring ehr  cake for the housewarming party.

The eye of the Horse of Uffington - thought a good in yer face to their prospective relationships/partners ha.  Billy and Jimmy's father worked with Chiswell adding more to the lot.  Were they both involved in the girl's murder and why.  Funnily Strike doesn't know what Chiswell and their dad were exporting - be it human trafficking by chance, drugs??

This one appears to be dragged out into a 4 parter whereas the others in the series were parts each but there were added bits in here that weren't really necessary and just used as fillers.  We get to see the wedding/honeymoon and the aftermath in flashes and learn Robin is suffering from panic attacks and is having therapy.  (Again a Watson moment.)  Also speaking about Strike.  But she doesn't want to leave Matt even though shes miserable.  Good to see Tom return to this as this was filmed around last September shortly after his West End stint in Rosmersholm.

'DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow Panel – Wizard World Virtual Experiences' 2020 - Matt Ryan

Was so stoked to see Matt Ryan after so long, cos flippin' hell no one got him to cons in the UK anymore aside from the usual ones, but couldn't get to those and some, well won't even mention what a certain one was like!  This was a good listen and Matt saying he meets fans asking him to go for a drink and a smoke. Well with me it'd be a chocolate bar or twenty!  Ooh yeah seriously into our chocs! He loves chocolate as I discovered in 2017 when I handed him quite a bit of delectable nibbles ha.  Read into that what you like!!

Matt (or Al Pacino or Christopher Walken or Nick Zano) looked like he was growing his hair for another production of Knives in Hens or Hamlet as he did back in 2017 and 2009, respectfully.  Well the beard in 2017 and the hair in 2009!  But when you looked at him and Courtney Ford together, it looked like they were having a competition as to who could get their style closest to each other!  Ha,  OR maybe it was good to see Matty that way since the last time I saw him, well the penultimate time was in Knives In Hens and he had that massive beard growth, which increased incredibly on the second viewing of the play!

Another moment was when they briefly mentioned the pronunciation of Constantine - Constanteen/Constantyne.  Much debate on that in fan forums and also in articles.  Like the one on Screen Rant where it was suggested Constantine - the character - deliberately mispronounces cos of magic and to remain anon to an extent, without revealing his real name.  Funny I read that Matt says it as 'tyne' since I recall in the show he always said 'teen'.  As did I.  I also found it a little strange that 'tyne' is the Brit way of saying it.

Great seeing Matt again though can't wait to see him in person cos got so much to say, but there's something I've been holding on to give him re Constantine.  Yes it's 'teen', cos we sure as bollocks don't say Ovalt-tyne, but Ovalteen for Ovaltine 

Supernatural 14.13 'Lebanon' Commentary

                                            
Loved this one especially this season, the paradox worlds and how Dean (Jensen Ackles) wanted Dad (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) back in his heart more than getting Michael out of his head.  I said that was a little one dimensional in his wish seeing as what would they do after getting him out of his head.  It was a little like the three wishes a genie grants and they kinda cancel each other out, no matter how on the ball in your thinking you attempt to be, or how good your intentions are.  Same here.  What I loved most was how they added subtle flashes to their past and past eps.  Going into new territory but also old and Supernatural at its most exceptional in the early seasons.

Sam (Jared Padalecki) putting it simply of how he just saw Dad there on the hospital floor and not being able to say goodbye which is all he wanted.  Too close to home and brought it all back again, cos I wanted the same thing too with my dad!  To be able to say goodbye in person.  Lots of Winchester man (and woman) tears in this ep again.  Played straight from the heart (and not just Dean's - ha!)

The fact they got all those artefacts/supernatural objects and just came across a windfall, Sam just wanting to pull the cord on that teddy.  Hey remember the other teddy Wishful Thinking.  Yeah somebody should've done it.  Then going back to lore, baddie of the week, as well as Dean having to mention John Wayne Gacy's cigar box.  Heck clowns, Sam that could only spell trouble.  As well as Dean just parking Baby in the midst of all that trouble.  How easy was she to steal!  Then Dean's line of Sam hating clowns but having a penchant for serial killers.  Wasn't it good to burn his ghost.  But again with the faulty, slow lighter again.  Another harkback to the good ol' days.  I'll allude to those since some of the best eps were when Supernatural was just into 'monster of the week' territory.

Time changing, going backwards or whatever and everything being altered was as reminiscent of My Heart Will Go On with Balthazar (Sebastian Roche) and the Titanic not sinking.  Loved the part where Sam was a nerdy, self-help guru type and heck what happened to Sammy being a lawyer for good.  Dean being wanted again and those Blue Steel poses.  Yet Dean beign the voic eof reason here, when he said he's happy with who he is and knows who he is, whereas Sam not osm much.  Especially after Sam says that's what they could find themselves becoming.  Bottom line: Dean wa salways confortable in hsi own skin and doing what he does.  (Dean: wanted for so many beheadings, tell em baout it!)  But that he a step ahead in Goolging himself!

So an ep wouldn't be complete without angels and Zachariah (Kurt Fuller) who was still attempting one up on humans with his sidekick (which got typed as sidelick ha) in tow, in the form of evil Cas (Misha Collins).  Well maybe not so much evil, as smite-ful Castiel.  Even menacing with a display of his wings in the diner.  Cos yeah dude it was a flash to the first time he appeared to Dean after gripping him tight and rescuing him from purgatory.  Was waiting for Dean to say that, whilst still appealing to his better nature when they were fighting.  But that didn't happen.  Sam had to resort to sigels?? As Cas had to be saved but not Zachariah as he was already out of the picture.  Let's not forget Zachariah's reference to Constantine by calling Cas this.  Yeah Cas!  Who replies he's not familiar with that reference, Zachariah, 'you wouldn't be'.

As said before Eric Kripke made reference to Constantine when he wrote the character of Cas and I explained that in my Supernatural book, as well as my Matt Ryan/Constantine book.  I didn't notice at the time but did Cas have his old trenchcoat, will have to look.  Anyway, a year later and Legends of Tomorrow came up with a Supernatural crossover, only using Baby and other references not actually with Sam and Dean (Jensen/Jared) themselves.  Their act of revenge, ha.  Actually never did get that Supernatural/Constantine crossover I dreamed about and wanted so desperately.

In all the time they were out fixing stuff, Mom (Samantha Smith) and Dad must've had a good chinwag to catch up and it was immensely satisfying and heartbreaking the way Mary accepted John back and how he couldn't believe she was here and alive.  Then having to lose it.  Dad accepting he had to go back.  Back to another world, dimension, whereas we thought he was going, ya know elsewhere.  Okay I did.  But seems he was dreaming about his encounter whilst still hunting with Dean, at least.  Not sure about Sam.  Everyone able to have their moment with him cos all Dean wanted was a day even with just the family.  Sam agreeing he was right after all.  Some emotional scenes for many I can tell ya!  Cas walking in missing everything and wondering what happened...

References to Hand of Glory again mentioned in Red Sky At Morning.


Extract from the Matt Ryan Book P133-134

Inevitably when  Constantine aired, there were the inenviable references and comparisons to Supernatural and Castiel.  Cas all sexy angel with his trenchcoat and tie - loosely tied with the obligatory white shirt.  But everyone should wear - scratch that - all handsome men need to wear a white shirt and that goes back to my friend and I saying that to someone in college.  Well amongst ourselves cos it would've gone right to his head!  However in my Twitter poll that never was, I already got down with that and would've asked (well they didn't do polls back then) Who wore it better - Constantine, Cas or Columbo?  Hey, way before the comics were conceived, Columbo was making his own waves with his crumpled trenchcoat fashion statement.  Crumpled or otherwise! The white shirt and tie too.  So whoever wrote that in their article should've got their facts straight about that trenchcoat; tie and white shirt!  Cos when Supernatural first aired with Cas - I made those Columbo references and even to Misha Collins who plays Cas.  As well as in my Supernatural book and you know no one single person has a monopoly over their costumes or wardrobe!  If it looks the part, suits the character - where's the harm in that anyway.  Oh and let me also add all those film noir going back years had the hero in trenchcoat too, Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca say!

However, let me add that Columbo's wardrobe was no coincidence and it was actually Peter Falk who wore his own wardrobe and to his audition too.  The shoes were his and so was that shabby raincoat.  As were the mannerisms which were all ad libbed by Peter himself.  So let's hear no more about the trench/rain coat and who did it first!!

Eric Kripke, creator of  Supernatural  admitted he was into those  Hellblazer  comics and  Cas was a direct derivative of John Constantine.  (See later and also in my  Dudes and Demons Supernatural book!)

Referring to Supernatural as I wrote that was inexorable.  Even if I did that when I was watching Constantine.  There were many similarities between the methods used to fight demons (since they are commonplace anyway) investigate etc; so it could be said.  Besides Supernatural also did the same and I had to jump on that bandwagon too.  Heck people even criticized Constantine having an accent.

https://www.amazon.com/Dudes-Demons-Unauthorized-Unofficial-Supernatural/dp/1326608266/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=mila+hasan&qid=1595197869&s=digital-text&sr=1-2

https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Ryan-Behind-Becoming-Constantine/dp/0244677557/ref=sr_1_18?dchild=1&keywords=mila+hasan&qid=1595197973&s=books&sr=1-18

Ghost Adventures Quarantine "Dybbuk Box: The Opening"

                                             
Zak talks of how he didn't feel well especially after sitting on the Devil's Rocking Chair from ep 3.  How he had scratch marks on his back.  He said it was a message to him but he doesn't know what that means.  He continued with opening the Dybbuk Box.  Also commenting on there being a full moon.  I said that too, that with all that fear and energy is way out of proportion that he chose this time to open the box.  Explaining the Dybbuk - the mysterious figure from Jewish mythology.  He also feels that things prevented him from opening it in the past.  See 2018 Hallowe'en Special.  He also talks of a black, cloaked figure in the hallways.  Which he has seen personally.  Making you feel uneasy and withdrawn.  His tour guide, Virginia explains how she saw a figure by the Witchcraft Room. 

He speaks with Kevin Mannis, the original owner of the Dybbuk Box and he tells of the experience he had with Post Malone.  Recall how he suffered some mishaps after that, if you want to call them mishaps.  Zak felt a jolt through his body and he felt like something was going through him, like a conduit.  He felt terrified.  As we know, Kevin gave the box to his mother for her birthday and she had a stroke due to touching the box.  She felt "pure evil."  Kevin says the previous owner and others summoned an entity.  Thus the box leading to WWII, the Khymer Rouge, Korean War, the Bohpal Indian disaster.  The woman wanted to trap the evil and made the ten different boxes.  He has two, there are still eight.  The boxes "align with the tree of life from Jewish Kabala mysticism."  The lowest foundation is the tree of life.  There are two more, Kevin has six.  The boxes will reunite and unleash evil.

Aaron takes readings of EMF energy and Zak leaves a time lapse night vision infra red camera.  They remove the glass case and feel like they hurt their back.  Zak shoves Billy out of the room and says it manipulates you and Aaron leaves the room.  Zak wants to open the box since he's an investigator and has prepared for this.  All this time leading up to opening during a pandemic.  Perhaps the box was leading to the pandemic; wanting to be unleashed at this time.  Zak collapses and has to sit down.  Gary Galka also hasn't experienced anything like this before.  Zak had a nightmare about Gracie and about the virus.  Strangely it was actually Billy's dog that died!

Zak shows then what he captured on the camera, however the puff of smoke goes towards the right, what comes under the box towards the left.  It appears to be the same strange face that Zak shows in the puff of smoke.  No one mentioned it though. 

The blue on the bottom left looks like a creepy sort of a face.  The blue by the door on the right also resembles a face, which is a different frame to the shot that Zak showed.
Zak says the eyes resembles the eyes of a beast from nineteenth century literature and feels they caught the eyes of the Dybbuk entity.

Whilst heading towards the Box, Zak feels he is being stopped somehow.  He just want to see what the entity looks like and not go into any battle with it.  Setting up equipment to show the opening.  Don't you think the outside of the box looks like a smirking face anyway.  He tells the box about what happened with Post.  Opening the Root of all Evil box.  Zak tells Aaron to stop saying what he did, when he hasn't said anything.  The static detector doesn't detect any energy around the outside of the box.  Zak sees a black shadow by the wall behind the box and they hear a sound.

Zak has to sit down and he hears the Direct Link device say "Kevin."  I hear "Peggy."  Maybe it's me but I have a certain experience due to her relating to tweets.  Also the child's voice they hear, could it have been hers?  What does she sound like anyway, not having been to the Museum.  Also they do show a camera aimed in her room??!! Is it a coincidence that they had a camera there on her room.  The child's voice sounds like "help us."  Got chills when I heard that on my right wrist and an itchy feeling and again when typing this!  Am wondering if it had any significance to the Holocaust and WWII as the owner was a survivor. "Evil" comes through on the spirit box.  Billy says the temperature of the box raises 6 degrees.  Zak uses the SLS and gets a figure inside as soon as he commands it to "appear." 
Static now appears all around the box left by the paranormal figures. 

When he picks up the Roots of Evil box they hear a sound.  They investigate the Museum as Zak carries the box through it.  Had to laugh when Billy asks if he wants to say anything when he put the recorder on the skeleton's chest.  'Speak through your chest dude', ha.  Billy is adamant he respects it but doesn't need to touch it.  He touches the box and he respects it and protects himself.  He won't let it hurt him.  Zak doesn't see Aaron black out as he falls to the ground.  Jay didn't say anything either to the others.  Billy hears "I'll f**ing kill you."  Er, Aaron didn't say it!! 

Zak acts weird, going into long sing-y phrases.  A light anomaly is seen when Zak tells it to show itself on camera.  Billy reminds them they mess around and when they get home in two nights something will happen.  Zak tells him he just marked his destiny.  Billy disagrees and repeats he respects it.  Zak starts rapping the box table.  He doesn't understand why he did that.  He just knows he's being manipulated by the entity.  "The lifelong investigations on our bodies begins."  Three days after the investigation, Billy's family dog died.  What happened with Peggy after the box was opened is what I wanna know!!  Zak commands the entity to return to the box.
As for destiny, well you make your own and your fate is already written.

Ghost Adventures Quarantine "The Summoning Experiments"

                                               
Another ep leading to more on a homeless person attempting to spit on them.  There's a comment hat comes to mind but I won't mention it here, for lack of sensibility at this time.  Maybe later when we can all laugh at certain things going on right now around us.  So Zak ends up giving Jay a few treats for lugging around cameras and carrying the load whilst filming in quarantine.  Can't help thinking it was a bribe to later sit in on the Ouija board with Aaron.  Yeah just why he couldn't do it is anyone's guess - again.

Billy and Bill Chappell put together a series of  equipment that was 'given' to the museum by a woman's family who was conducting experiments in opening portals and gateways.  Well I shouldn't really say experiments.  But left behind an extensive set of notes where she was communicating with demons inviting entities through.  She was found dead by the equipment she was using.  They've gone from not wanting to open themselves to darkness and dark entities in past episodes to actually doing so now.  I'd comment that it hasn't gotten anywhere closer to finding answers into the afterlife.  It's just generally communicating with the dead, entities and evil spirits.  Rather than getting questions asked to move investigations up a notch or two.  It's what I said before, we know there is some sort of an afterlife, but why, how, what happens etc haven't even barely been considered. 

This experiment was just 'testing' her equipment if you like and see what happens for themselves.  Which is fine if you want to do that but how will this affect the museum, as we already saw with the clown and the circus wagon lighting up by themselves, or so it appears to us. 
Putting card into input wells and how demons were coming through.  She was photographing herself whilst going through a possession.  The realtor told him all of the story thus he would carry out the experiment in reactivating all her machines.  He reads some of her cards and papers and also has her original Ouija board.  She mentions the "seventh hell."  They put it back together, using a paranormal puck 2.  An EM resonance device, the Ovilus 5 all connected together to her equipment, and Bill 3D printed his own input well for their own questions.
Was she referring to the seventh circle of hell as stated in Dante's Inferno, which is 'violence.'

Bill types in "hello" and receives "malevolent."
Asking if it has a problem with what they're doing here, on Bill's end it comes through with "object" and "threat."  "Gateway" comes through as well as "writing."  Billy writes out her name and puts it in the input well, as well as his own and Bill's name.  Bill's camera stops recording.  They hear a bang.  As an anomaly enters Billy's arm.  Aaron and Jay use her Ouija board.  Billy uses the Polterpod and asks who's in there with Aaron and Jay.  I hear"tracking it" not "travelling."  And something like "the scissors" ??  the board spells "JAY".  Then "DIE" and "YOU."  Billy asks who is there and "L" comes through on both pucks.  The initial of the woman's name.  But how bizarre is that it only an 'L' comes through and not her entire name.  Just cos they weren't revealing her name either!  Billy tells them he added Jay and Aaron's name in the well too, but not Zak's!!??!

Jay also gets affected by the Ouija board and he puts it down with his past experience with it.  Remember his name has also come through in other eps.

Zak places a digital recorder into one of the input wells and they hear something, which Billy analyzes to be a growl and also a type of vibration.  When Zak also says his heart rate increased.  Referring to infrasound the "equivalent of an inaudible manifestation."

Zak reopens the Devil's Chair rehashing the story behind it and even sits on it before having a strange feeling.  He speaks with Carl Johnson again in the Harrisville Farmhouse, who worked with Ed and Lorraine Warren.  As well as mentioning the ET interview with Kevin and he had back problems after he mocked it.  Zak gets tapped on his shoulder when he gets the Devil's playbox.  He gets spikes on the EMF reader.  He gets a stick figure on the SLS and then the chair rests its arm on the chair as well as sitting on it and doing something strange.  So many anomalies were detected by the chair, yet none by the cross.  Zak and his high pitched exasperation at what was showing up.

Ghost Hunting For Dummies - Zak Bagans - Review

                                              
You may like or loathe this review just as you may like or loathe the subject matter of this review.
Even before there was 'controversy' over that book, Ghost Writing for Dummies, I had a sneaky suspicion it wasn't entirely 'written' by Zak Bagans.  It wasn't his 'style' of writing and am glad I made reference to this in my circle of friends and also some DMs.

On the book itself, it wasn't really at all what I expected.  Most of it read like the info had just been gathered online and it wasn't as if you couldn't really research for yourself online, or in libraries which hold far greater and more diverse material.  Okay it was revealed that Troy Taylor wrote the background parts, such as most of the introductory, early parts/chapters etc but what was wrong with mentioning that to begin with, even if he said he wanted to remain anonymous.  That was like taking credit for everything and duping others.  All that was required was an acknowledgement stating he had help in those sections but the writer/author wished to remain anonymous.  Then there were the sections where reference was made to certain important or significant conjunctures in the paranormal world, such as the Fox sisters.  Man I thought if they're mentioned over and over to strive to bring a point home it was too much repetition.  Then in other sections/chapters what went before wasn't alluded to or necessary and included were quite a few contradictions too.  I wasn't purposely nitpicking but I found a number of holes.  Oh hell who am I kidding, of course I was, the entire purpose for a review.

Having said do 'this, that and the other' if you want to become a paranormal investigator, it then turned all this around on its head and stated things like not arriving at locations with preconceived ideas (done all the time on TV - otherwise they wouldn't even enter the place).  Prima facie they're not there to debunk, but attempting to draw conclusions, including asking leading questions which can put a person on the spot and get them to agree to what is being questioned in the interview.  'Most important thing an investigator can possess is common sense and not to contradict oneself over what is found or what is being investigated'. (My words.)
He says you can call on "qualified paranormal investigators" if you feel your home is haunted, what makes them 'qualified' since there are no qualifications to become an investigator and experience isn't everything.

Charles Dickens was mentioned but the Victorians and their ghostly beliefs were barely touched upon seeing as they had so many different explanations and their fascination with spooky goings-on.  Is it any wonder so many Victorian mansions/houses are haunted or exhibit paranormal activity of some form or another.. Culminating in their love of ghost stories but more importantly in how the mood of the era created such interests.  No mention of djinns and mesmerism.  The onset of science and new developments in technology went hand in hand with the onslaught of the supernatural and the ability for people to believe this wasn't just magic or a trick of the light but a genuine inroad into the occult.  There was a period between the onset of science and peoples' beliefs called mesmerism, one propogated by Charles Dickens who was a firmly of the belief that he was a Mesmerist.  Mesmerists believed they could cure physical ailments by putting their subject into a trance and passing energy into their body.
Proposed by Franz Anton Mesmer in Paris, it was discredited by scientists.  [A Key To Physic and the Occult Sciences by Ebenezer Sibly, circa 1800's.]

Other proponents of Pyschical research was Henry James in his works and also since his brother was William Jams; a part of this Society.  Author Robert Louis Stevenson was a member of this society too. Then there was Madame Blavatsky who was associated with the doctrination of the Mahatmas underlying her Theophysical Society.  Their 'Hermetic Secrets' could be pursued by those who joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.  Those who vigorously fought over initiation rites included William Butler Yeats, and Aleister Crowley - would've thought  Crowley would have been mentioned considering the number of times reference has been made to him in Ghost Adventures eps.  Okay I'm not here writing my own discourse.

Typos, omitted words, some basic sentence formation, indicates a rush job.  As for contradictions how can scientists not understand and relate to scientific principles.  It's their subject matter and an investigator he won't be up on science at all.  Maybe just some parts of it.  

As for the chapter on research, 15, I always said they don't research enough for GA.  There is a wealth of information about certain locations that is left out, not found, or no one is overtly concerned with, which can shed light on another aspect of their location that can be investigated. Thorough research can provide a vast amount of knowledge.  P120 Ghostbusters is riddled with misinformation not only whose idea the script was and penned by Dan Ackroyd, but other aspects of this too. 

P139 it is well known fact by now how and why ghosts are thought to remain on Earth without delving into this. Traumatic events, violent deaths etc.  Something holding them here.  Or as my mother always says, briefly, they are the souls of people who have been wronged and aren't at rest.  A little simplistic but it sounds so much better in her native English which is lost in translation.  

There is plenty in the book which is familiar and having a memory that retains everything, certain sections gave me a sense of deja vu and having read them before elsewhere on other sites. 

There was nothing on some Ghost Adventures investigations whereas others were mentioned which didn't have that much of a significance.  Would've been interesting to know about the past ones, such as Preston Castle and why Zak has never returned there after having such an 'experience' there in his encounter with Anna.  One question that wasn't ever answered when asked several times.  That's just one of the places not revisited.  But the sections where these investigations were alluded to made the book much more interesting.  Then again Ghost Adventures and taking complete credit for the show wasn't very much appreciated especially since others (one other nameless investigator ) was involved in the concept and getting it off the ground.  Fine if you don't want to mention him and if I was him, I wouldn't want to be mentioned either, but don't make out it was "all you."

Typos, yes there were typos and sentences that didn't quite make sense.  To be traditionally published this could've and should've been more professionally produced.  Also the publishers adding references to the next edition comes too late since people have already bought and paid for one version.  How could this have been omitted to begin with, without references pertaining to relevant chapters doesn't make for a complete book or ? reading.  This book isn't the be all and end all for anyone interested in becoming a paranormal investigator as there are many other good ones out there that take a more realistic pragmatic look at starting out.  Or should I say it's not the be all and end all.

This is all my opinion and thoughts but don't all go jumping on the criticism bandwagon, it'll just show your insecurities and not being able to take criticism of your fanboy in doing the same thing.
Was written in January, edited April and left festering in the drafts as I thought I could come up with something different to include but thus far haven't.  I enjoyed his other two books more than this one!  Go figure or not!