Doctor Who "Last Christmas" Christmas Special Review

                                                 
Clara (Jenna Coleman) wakes to the commotion of finding Santa (Nick Frost) on her roof, Santa with his sleigh which has crashed and his two elves, ordering them to pick up the tangerines.  Big clue were the tangerines, as everyone says, nobody wants them, but they find their way into stockings and the like. Which nobody likes.  Moments later the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) arrives telling Clara to go into the TRADIS cos she's not safe.

On a base in the North Pole, a woman, Shona (Faye Marsay) prepares to enter the infirmary after being told what to do, but she's reluctant to do so.  She's also forgotten what she was trained to do. So they play music for her, the music being Slade's Merry Christmas Everybody, of course!  She's to get past the other four on the bed, but we don't know what's happening, or why she was even in the infirmary to begin with.  The Doctor and Clara arrive and find the things on the bed are waking up as they're honing in on their thoughts.  She has to get distracted or they will find them.  He asks Clara to think of maths problems and then to think of Danny (Sam Anderson).  He's probably texting some other woman, which she hates cos he's dead.  This reminded me of guess what, the weeping angels, don't blink, or you'll miss 'em, which I added.  Then again there was, "listen" as well.  Now we had don't think of them, or they'll get you.  Take over you mind and your thoughts.

There's an explosion and who saves the day, you've guessed it, or dreamed it more like, Santa.  But Santa isn't real and doesn't exist.  Why the Doctor asked Clara if she believed in  Santa cos lives were at stake.  This Christmas the invasion involved dream crabs, well if you like that sort of thing, personally I hate crabs!  So the crabs fall from the skies and we're to believe Santa saves the day, as he asks, "who you gonna call?"  In the North Pole.  In march the armed robots and the tangerine and that's the end, short Christmas ep I've ever seen.  Of course it's not the end, it's just the beginning.

The dreamcrab is caught and jarred in a specimen bottle, as the Doctor asks Ashley (Natalie Gumede) and the others why they're here?  Each one responding, 'it's a long story'.  Yeah it is, cos they're answers were identical and that's where you should have got your guard up, since when is Christmas complete without a good horror story.  Clara is angry at the Doctor for saying those things about Danny cos he's dead and she lied.  She wanted him to get home to Gallifrey and he admits he lied too since he wanted her to be happy with Danny.  It seems they were both at cross purposes with each other, as we saw from the last Doctor Who ep  Death In Heaven.  Clara admitting that she lied (lies) as we know the Doctor does too.

Prof Bellows (Maureen Beattie) shows them surveillance footage of the crabs and how they took over the others.  As Shona talks with Santa making notes about the North Pole having a candy cane striped pole running through the centre and how he's not the Easter Bunny but he can call him.  He doesn't get to deliver so many millions of presents himself, thus he has two sleighs.  Perhaps the one scene many would have enjoyed is when the Doctor asks Santa how he gets to fit all the presents into the sleigh, "bigger on the inside."  Naturally! Ho, ho, ho!

The Doctor needs to examine the crab and asks Clara to retrieve it for him, as well as a cup of tea too and slap in the face, cos he deserves it, leaving her alone like that.  But the crab has escaped and is on the prowl, getting Clara as she can't stop thinking about it, even maths problems don't help and neither does Danny, as she finds herself back home, with Danny as Santa.  He tells her to come down and as she walks through the hall, a blackboard appears with her name written on it.  As she tries to rub it out, it changes to 'dying', Clara is dying, you are dying' and many other boards appear.  She runs through and thinks she's past them, but there's one that appears behind her on the stairs.  As she tells Danny she knows he's wearing pyjamas under his Santa suit cos he's too shy and needs a second layer of clothing.

The Doctor tries to awaken Clara but she doesn't get up.  He asks Santa if he can help cos he ordered the others in the infirmary to obey him and get back into bed.  He can help of course but this involves the Doctor getting a crab on his face too.  He knocks on the door and Danny says that'll be her dad then. He tells her Danny's not real but she's not listening.  Danny tells him he is real, cos he knows she's dreaming.  He wants her to get on with her life, be sad for him or five minutes cos that's what he wants, but then get on with her life.  They come out of the dream, as both the crabs fall from their faces.

The Doctor asks if they're still awake or are they dreaming, why do they still have that ice cream pain at the side of their heads.  They're still dreaming.  Explaining it with why they would think of Santa coming to their rescue.  Their battle is still going on and they're still being attacked, so it's not too late for them yet.  He gives them the manuals to read and Clara chooses three random page numbers where the words should have been identical, but they're not.  Finally reading, "we are all dead."   As well as mentioning again why they would all say their story is too long for them to tell it.  They need to wake up.  I was going to ask where Santa had disappeared to?  And his elves.

They find the others are waking up and he tells them there are only four manuals for eight of them, why?  Well obviously cos they are the others in the infirmary and as they come for them through the monitors, Prof Smithe (Michael Troughton) is pulled through.  Their only hope is to get out, but they manage to come out behind them.  The Doctor asking who they would call for help, cue Santa once again on his sleigh.  He can get them back to their homes and he eventually does this.  When the Doctor gets to see Clara and manages to remove the dreamcrab from her face, she's aged.  It's been 62 years and she tells him about her life, how she travelled.  How their were other men but none of them were Danny he asks.  She replies, there was one, but he "was impossible."  Which has more than one meaning.  They should celebrate this Christmas like last Christmas.  Of course there's many a meaning to that too isn't there.  Last Christmas as in Christmases gone, or last as in THE last one they will celebrate.  He wishes he hadn't left it too late and Santa asks him if that's what he really wants. As Clara finally returns to normal.  Clara said she always believed in Santa, so she had to come back.

As a Christmas ep it wasn't really ranked there with all the others, at least for me it wasn't.  It could turn out to be confusing in places since he comes for Clara but she asks if it was a dream why was Santa already on her roof and why or how was the Doctor affected by the dreamcrabs too and managed to get hold of him.  Though they were trying to clear up the question of why the Doctor and Clara took so long in admitting the truth to each other.  SO if they had been honest this one time, they wouldn't have been alone.  Than again, life isn't that straightforward.  Not in this show.

Not much can be said about this ep, so just watch it and enjoy it, if you do.  Cos Santa is real and yes, Santa did save the day.  So how do we know that they were still awake and we weren't still dreaming when Santa made Clara young again?  Ha.  However rest assured as it said at the end of the ep, the Doctor and Clara will return in 'The Magician's Apprentice.'  How do we know that wasn't written in dreamlike induced state?  Ha.  Best line maybe, when he finds out there's a film called Aliens and replies, "no wonder everyone keeps invading you."  That's not nice. Had to be mentioned though, once the facehugging mask from Alien was brought into the picture.

Clara was staying and I'm just glad it's been put out there now for everyone to see, cos she's a big part of the show now and a great companion to have around.  Especially now she's over her 'love' for him in the romantic sense.  We need more of their fights and arguments.  Could have had a good one there when the Doctor was about to get into his TARDIS and leave, problem solved, when nothing was quite over yet.

As for Clara getting a cup of tea for him, that was reminiscent of Jo Grant and how Doctor Three (Jon Pertwee) would always ask her to do this, look she's a companion, not the tealady! Ha.  Commander Strax (Dan Starkey) was also visible this time as he played the elf, Ian.  We've blinked, or not, breathed, or not, and now we're not meant to think, what's next, "don't watch!"  That'll never happen.   Guess this ep follows hot on the heels of Doctor Eleven (Matt Smith) mentioning in A Christmas Carol, that "Father Christmas is real, I've met him."  Also his name was Geoff.  So he had to appear.  Mind you we also get a reference to his portrayal of the Doctor when Santa mentions, "dreamy weamy."  As Steven Moffat revealed, all but the last seen was a dream, well that much was apparent, cos the clue that gave it away, the tangerine in the window at the end, which is why he asked the Doctor if he really wants things to change and want Clara back!  But also it's what Clara said, why was Santa already on her roof, setting things into motion!  Plus she wasn't in her PJ's for nothing.

The Doctor it was said was dressed as a magician, well that pre-empted the next ep! Ha.

Downton Abbey Christmas Special 2014

                                             
This special was really to tie up the loose ends and call it a day on the old stories which were left lingering from Series 5.  Which sees the Crawley's heading over to Brancaster Castle, rented by the Sinderby's for a grouse shoot.  Though it appears that Robert (Hugh Bonneville) is reluctant to go as he doesn't seem to be in good spirits, also picked up on by Cora (Elizabeth McGovern).  Bates (Brendan Coyle) doesn't accompany them as he must stay for Anna(Joanne Froggatt) who has been arrested and put into prison.  It's a wonder she didn't get bail, not like it was proved yet she's guilty and she hasn't even had a trail, sure the crawley's would've gladly put up bail.  Mary (Michelle Dockery) visits her and Anna asks if she used an assumed name since the press won't be too happy when they find out she's here.  Even with all this going on, she's still concerned about her reputation.  Mary stands by her since she doesn't care and she'd be happy to say the Crawley's stand by her.  Seems she can think of Anna which is more than she does for Edith (Laura Carmichael).

As Edith worries leaving behind Marigold and once again Mary comes up with the phrase of how she's the only mother here and she's not worried.  Robert wants to tell Edith he knows, but Cora tells him it's not their secret, seeing as Edith wanted to call herself mother when she said goodbye. Doesn't appear that anyone was looking forward to the hoot and the only reason they went was cos they were Rose's in-laws.  Lord Sinderby (James Faulkner) certainly didn't want them here and this was also shown by his snooty butler, Stollen, which is how they kept saying his name, which was actually, Stowell (Alun Armstrong) by name and nature, ha!  Or that would be sullen, never mind.  Well he has the final say on most things and seems to be running the house and having a holier than thou attitude, high and mighty also.  Which Mary dislikes and so does Thomas (Rob James-Collier).

Stowell doesn't like Branson (Allan Leech) cos he's just the chauffeur who made good and tells Thomas he's the footman here as they're short staffed.  This later leads Thomas to come up with a plan to embarrass him, hailed on by Mary, infact it was Mary's suggestion that Thomas do something to put him in his place.  Surprised no one got fired over it!  Which Thomas does by writing a note to the cook saying that Sinderby wants a simple meal.  So at dinner he embarrasses Stowell when he says he sent the note to the cook from his valet, Daunt informing her of this.  He says he did no such thing and gives him a dressing down in front of everyone, also calling Thomas, "a stupid fool."  Of course Thomas won't let this pass and is determined to get his own back on Sinderby as well.

Thus he befriends Stowell who asks him to write and checks his writing against the other note.  As if he'd use his own handwriting to do so.  Thomas must have been a dab hand at forgeries at some point in his life.  So he worms Sinderby's secrets out of him.  At the grouse shoot, the agent, Bertie Pelham (Harry Hadden-Paton) has also been invited, as has a friend of Attius' (Matt Barber) who gets partnered with Mary.  What was the purposes of the women accompanying the men, I mean it's not as if they'd get any shooting in, though I wouldn't have been surprised if Mary had wanted to get into it! If only to give Edith a scare. Ha.

Robert confesses to Cora he may be suffering from angina but he's not sure yet and she makes him miss the rest of the shoot.  Seems like Mary gets another love interest in Henry Talbot Matthew Goode). At the house, a woman arrives, Diane (Alice Patten) with a young boy, who happens to be Sinderby's son and mistress, but Rose (Lily James) saves him by introducing her as her friend and gets Mary and Robert to do the same.  Seems Sinderby is human like the rest of them and yet doesn't act that way.  Later he apologizes to them and knows Rose is an asset and very clever too.  As well as Mary getting Stowell to be kind to Branson.  Since he's the one who knew the secret.  But Lady Sinderby (Penny Downie) and Atticus are oblivious to this, seems Rose is keeping a secret from him now.  But no matter as he's been offered a job in New York and Rose will be leaving with him.

Robert tells Cora he isn't certain of what's happening tomorrow, so he wants to tell Edith he knows about Marigold and she asks for his forgiveness.  He should be asking her and he knows Michael was a good man.  Branson has guessed that Marigold is hers, cos he's seen a number of such cases in his own family, leaving Mary the one in the dark as it should be.  Can you imagine the repercussions for Edith from her.  Though I wonder if she'll find out next series.  Talbot has also found out and he asks Mary what's happening, but she's in no position to tell him, although he's astute.  He's into cars and owns the one that Mary comments on.  Isn't it a bit like Matthew and he was driving a fast car when he met his end!  Yet it seems Mary doesn't recall that, but she seems to be going after him now.

Bates knows Anna is innocent and has no doubts, when she asks him the same thing she did when he was in prison, about not having doubts and he knows that for certain.  He gets the idea to go on the run and confesses he pushed Green.  (Imagine if that were true, they'd have gotten away with it, just a thought).  Leaving Molesley (Kevin Doyle) to find out his alibi when he said he was in York, taking Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) with him and a photograph from Bates's cottage.  Hey Molesley went snooping in his things.

The Dowager (Maggie Smith) brings Princess Irina (Jane Lapotaire) back and gives her some clothes and allows her to stay before Kuragin (Rade Sherbedgia) takes her away.  The Princess, rather standoffish of course, as she knows what the two of them had planned, as the Dowager later confesses to Isobel (Penelope Wilton).  She and the prince ran away to his yacht, but the Dowager's maid betrayed her and  the Princess dragged her out of the carriage and sent her home in her cab. Thus she stayed with Lord Crawley and her children.  Isobel looked like she wanted to laugh!  Also Lord Merton (Douglas Reith) declared his continuing undying love for Isobel, convinced if he could get his sons to change their minds about accepting her, Isobel would marry him.  Especially as she doesn't want to end up like the Dowager in her old age.  The Dowager adding there were other men, well implying it, but not really saying anything to elaborate.  The Dowager sends the Prince and Princess on their way and calls it quits with him, being the right thing to do.

Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) admits to Carson (Jim Carter) she doesn't have a penny to her name as everything she earns goes into looking after her mentally challenged sister, so she can't go ahead and invest in the property with him, but this doesn't deter him, as he goes ahead with it as planned and finally proposes to her.  She accepts and plus she's been waiting a long time for it, as were we, cos it's been brewing for ages.

As Branson and Edith hang up the stockings for the children on their bed, Branson has regrets about leaving and Edith doesn't want him to go either.  They share a thought for Sybil with Mary, as Robert overhears them and asks if Branson will leave Sibby behind until he settles in.  Robert being tipsy and verging on being drunk since he found out he has an ulcer and needs to change his diet but only agrees to stay off booze until Christmas Eve, so he makes up for it now.  Branson gives the speech on his behalf and then he gives one for Branson in return, pretending to be sober.

Anna is brought back and released on bail and Robert gets word to Bates to come home since they found out his alibi was proved.  The police case won't stand up as the witness has his doubts now.  So this was a Christmas to remember for the family, but not as much for us, cos really, there's not much that happened this ep.  With Denka (Sue Johnston) and Spratt (Jeremy Swift) having a sprat between each other and challenging her to make the Dowager broth.  So she gets Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nichol) and Daisy (Sophie McShera) to help, but Daisy just makes it for her and is caught by Spratt after she delivers it.  Then he throws it out and the Dowager samples the one Denka made, stating it's good when in actual fact it's not, just to stop the squabbling.

I seriously thought Molesley would find that hidden package belonging to Mary in Anna's house, but alas she must have disposed of it when she no longer needed it.  Imagine the look on Molesley's face if he did.  Matthew Goode more recently seen alongside Benedict Cumberbatch (now imagine if he made an appearance in this desperately need for new stories show, ratings would plummet to new heights!! Ha.) in The Imitation Game and with Allen leech too, and as Wicked Wickham in Death Comes to Pemberly, last year's seasonal offering.  Alas no Bene!!  Also I didn't think the murder of valet Green could be dragged out for so long and yes it has, by golly!  It'll be ongoing for two years when Downton returns and let's see if this is actually concluded.  Like I said, imagine if they were both in on it and get away with it! Ha.  There's something about Bates that is a bit creepy in terms of his 'secrets'.  Sure he's keeping some.  I mean we get the revelation that Anna's step father had designs on her and she threatened him with a knife.  She's a dark one too.

Time Called on The Mentalist

                                           
Dismayed to hear that The Mentalist will be leaving us after seven seasons, especially since it's become such a staple diet for us fans and Simon Baker fans too.  Okay, not just him but the rest of the cast too.  It's a shame it has come to this and though I am loathed to say it, something tells me it's a lot to do with the fact the villain of the piece and the great Red John reveal was such a letdown in 6.8 Red John.  It was either you liked who it turned out to be Sheriff McAllister (Xander Berkeley) or you didn't.  My thoughts have been made clear in the review for this episode.  Yeah, it could've been better, but I guess we got what we didn't really expect when the Pilot first aired.

Seven years of Biblical proportions, just mentioned that cos seven is usually considered a Biblical number, yet I didn't really think this would be farewell and so soon, with so very few episodes, my all time horrible number of 13!.  Not enough to say a proper goodbye in this way.  Are we hoping for happy endings?  The years were a blast.

Season 1 building up on Red John and Patrick, losing his family and knowing that he contributed to that.  What else will we remember, the cat and mouse games, working people, he's not a psychic, the brown shoes, the three piece suits when first we saw our beloved Patrick Jane and that white shirt, boy that white shirt worked wonders on him, as did that waistcoat.  A shame he 'lost' it in season 6.  Let's not forget Patty's/Simon's hair to die for.  The smiley faces, Patrick's genius

Saying goodbye will be hard, maybe we can just bid the show and cast a bon voyage instead or more likely an au revoir, we'll still them around, but not as we will no doubt remember them for months and years to come.  Think I'm going to cry...

At least we'll get to see Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) and Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) make an appearance in the finale ever ep of the show, hate using that 'ever' word for something like this, cos it's like losing something that you've had around for years and have gotten so used to and so close to your heart!
However I will return with a final piece on The Mentalist when it airs here. Ha. Not that you'll want to know that!

The Vampire Diaries 6.6 "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get" Review

                                           
Damon (Ian Somerhalder) can't wait to see Elena (Nina Dobrev) and rekindle the passion, but alas he isn't aware she doesn't feel the same way, until Stefan (Paul Wesley) breaks the news to him.  So he didn't have time for the story of how he got back, it was just Elena on the brain, understandable, but he could've mentioned Bonnie, that way Stefan could've warned him about the new hunter in town, or out of town.  Elena hiding behind a closed, locked door, as if that would really keep him out.  She's compelled to forget him but why did she still act and look like she's still in lust with him, er, love with him.  If she was so determined to forget him and her feelings; that the compulsion worked and she wanted to keep her bad feelings about Damon, why the hesitation.  Why isn't it that Alaric's (Matt Davis) compulsion didn't come undone when he was saved at the end and the 'magic' wore off and he became human? Maybe that's not what happens, but it would've made for a better plotline.  Then Elena could've had no choice in whether she wanted to be uncompelled or not and would have to face her feelings, instead of hiding, not to mention, then it wouldn't be all about her again!

Damon telling Jeremy (Steven r McQueen) that Bonnie is at peace was harsh, especially since he really doesn't know where Bonnie is or whether she survived or not.  It's not like she will give up without a fight and it didn't help Jeremy any, as he practically broke the pool table and smashed the phone, so he can't listen to the message Damon left on the phone.  He was trying to be kind to Jeremy and save him the pain of the truth, that she's gone for a second time and worst of all for him, after saving Damon.  But he should've understood that lying is not the way to go.  Especially when he feels similar to what he's going through cos Elena doesn't want him.  Maybe that's the entire reason why he didn't tell him, as he later told Stefan, he didn't want Elena to be happy, but miserable like him, this applied to Jeremy too.

Enzo (Michael Mularkey) wanted Matt (Zach Roerig) to break him out or else he'll tell Tripp (Colin Ferguson) about Stefan, Caroline (Candace Accola) and who else are vampires, but if Tripp is a hunter, how come he can't already tell.  Just cos Ivy (Emily Chang) had Caroline on speed dial, that doesn't mean she's a vampire too.  A bit silly if you ask me, oh okay, you didn't but...  Matt has to tell the others about Enzo and so Caroline wants to kick his butt for getting caught, but Stefan admits he turned him in to Tripp, thinking he'd kill him.  Again why would he just kill him?  Caroline saying the same thing to Stefan when rescuing him, only to discover he's gone.  Yeah Stefan, which brain were you thinking with when you turned him in, 'upstairs or downstairs brain', as Dean would say!! Supernatural Dean that is! Ha.

Alaric tells Elena about Jo (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) not being compelled and tastes her coffee to find it doesn't contain vervain, so how did she resist his compulsion.  She knows about the girl Elena saved last ep and her 'miraculous' recovery and Elena works out she's a witch and she already knows they're both vampires.  So they leave it at that.  Matt finds Caroline's phone in Tripp's locked drawer, after Sarah (Gabrielle Walsh) opens it and he tells her that Damon and Stefan are her relatives, but they're not good and so they're not her family.

Damon hangs out at Elena's dorm, drawing a silly matchstick men on her photo frame and she calls him telling him she wants to talk.  But Tripp gets there first whilst Damon's prettying himself in the mirror and gives away the game plan, or rather his gameface when he tries to attack him.  Thus he ends up with Enzo in that van and Caroline and Elena and Stefan and Alaric set up roadblocks for the van.  Excuse me, but if you're going to set up a roadblock, why so close to Mystic Falls border? Alaric tells Stefan he's not the only one who gave up on finding Damon, cos he was all consumed with himself, well, thoughts of consuming blood, so he wasn't alone in that.  Elena tells Caroline she wants to be uncompelled, which was news to her.  Didn't look like she took it as good news though since she didn't really react to it.

As Damon and Enzo have a reunion, he tells him he killed Ivy and Stefan turned him in.  The roadblock proves useless as Tripp overpowers Alaric and drives the van across the boundary, overturning it in the process and escaping too.  Enzo and Damon have consumption, as Enzo puts it and Alaric is wounded.  Jo happens to arrive cos she's stalking him and saves him as Stefan rescues Damon and Enzo.  Jo saves Alaric's life and in the process he becomes human.  Did she use magic on him to make him human as she saved his life?  I think she did cos I don't think she's a good witch, if she is a witch, she was very schtum about it all.  Elena not pursuing it further.  What's with all the, 'don't ask about me' and vice versa comment anyway.  It appears Jo knows more about Elena and Alaric than she does about Jo!  Which means her witchy magic may have worked there in Mystic Falls.  Is she a Gemini witch?  Oh I give up making any sense of this! Ha.

Caroline tells Stefan she doesn't want to be friends with him, no, she wants more than just friendship, only Stefan can't see it.  Elena agrees to finally talk with Damon and thinks it's better this way, so maybe she can make her own memories of him, as they meet up at the dorm again.  Nice song, Unbreakable by Jamie Scott, shame it had to be used on Elena, ha!  So that's it, we get our Christmas break, which wasn't fair, we only got 6 eps, we usually get 8 at least!!  Stingy much ITV2?!!

Enzo saying Stefan was jealous of his accent when he turned him over to Tripp.  Damon wanting Alaric to uncompel Elena, he knew he wouldn't get anywhere with that.  Did it seem as though he was going for Alaric's neck, but reached for the bottle instead.  Damon telling Jeremy he's not stalking Elena but lying in wait!!  So was the ep title also a reference to Alaric and Jo.  I honestly don't know why the eps have to be Elena-focused so much.  So boring.  How come Damon has gone back to being so cruel again, messing with Jeremy's emotions and everyone else's too.  What, he can't have Elena so he's not going to tell everyone Bonnie is alive and could get back?

The Vampire Diaries 6.5 "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here" Review

                                                
Looks like there's nothing much happening on campus, wait it's another homecoming party, this one's about how Lady Whitman haunts the cornfield in her white, blood stained dress, as Alaric (Matt Davis) tells the students of the tale of falling for your brother's girlfriend, getting caught out and then getting murdered for it, like that wasn't a direct reference to Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder).  A party that Caroline (Candace Accola) misses once again, as Stefan wants her to look after Ivy (Emily Chang) for him while he gets her a daylight ring.  But wait, he blames Caroline for turning her along with Enzo, cos if she hadn't turned up, then he wouldn't have turned her.  Also getting a call from Tripp (Colin Ferguson) who tells him how helpful Enzo's been with providing him info.  Well you didn't see that coming did you Stefan, as I said before.  But he's hellbent on sending everyone on a guilt trip for being the ones who interfered in his life, whilst he wanted a new start and get away from everyone cos he still cant get over Damon.

Bonnie (Kat Graham) and Damon try to get back home and Kai (Chris Wood) makes them dig a hole so they can use the spell underground and be magically transported home.  Bonnie asks to see the spell which he doesn't do.  He goes for supplies and comes back with stuff from 1994 so he doesn't feel homesick.  Bonnie tells him to take her magic cos she's not taking him with her.  He tries to but then she realizes he needs her cos she doesn't know what the spell, is, he needs a Bennett.  Thus Bonnie uses her magic to kill him with the pick axe, or so she thinks.  Damon getting a taste for fizzy, fruity water!

Ivy snaps Caroline's neck cos she turns her back on her and the moral of this story, well would a newly turned vampire really want to play a boardgame (yeah, a bored game, as was this ep!)  Really seems like there's not much left to do here, except keep going round in circles.  Caroline still ruing how Stefan left her and then still doesn't answer his phone.  Or listen to his messages either.  As she tries to tell him Ivy's done a runner.  Ivy runs into a boy and drinks his blood but her compelling skills are zero and so she tells him to run.  Which he does, right into Tyler's (Michael Trevino) truck, who just happens to drive into the cornfield where the party is in full swing and drags the boy with him, as well as injuring some of the students there.

Elena (Nina Dobrev) invites Liam (Marco James) there too, as well as Jo (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) to matchmake her with Alaric and she conveniently had to be there cos otherwise if anyone dies then Tyler will become a werewolf again.  Elena feeds the girl dressed as Lady Whitmore her blood and so saves her life when the new guy in her life, Liam, says she's practically dead.  Alaric pretending to be squeamish at the sight of blood has to help and Jo tells Liv (Penelope Mitchell) and Tyler over the phone, that the boy is dead, practically.  So Live kills him to stop Tyler from being the one who killed him.   Moral of that story don't get distracted by your phone on the road!

Liam notices the girl is still alive and Elena tells him she got better and mysterious things happen, before she tells him he's her type cos he was a "jaw dropping hero" tonight, especially when she sees him save another girl's life by using the old pen in throat ploy to help her breathe.  Jo wants Alaric to kiss her cos she's been waiting for him for a long time, so what's her story, as he tries to compel her to forget him and basically saying he's a drunken loser.  However she kisses him anyway.

Caroline tells Stefan to leave cos she's had enough of him and not reaching Ivy in time she sees her being taken by Tripp.  Oh no, does this mean we're going to get some recriminations and bonding time with Enzo and Ivy!  Stefan feeling sorry for himself again heads to the crypt, Bourbon in tow and talks to his family, barring Damon.  Kai shows up to put a spanner in the woks, or rather an arrow into Bonnie, foiling her attempts to get home and also manages to get one into Damon too. They fight, come on Damon, you weren't seriously getting beaten by a powerless witch!! And Bonnie gets to send Damon home, getting stuck with Kai, as the gadget falls down in pieces.  Just as Stefan thought things couldn't get any bleaker for him and how much he misses his brother, Damon catches the Bourbon bottle as he throws it.  He's here and he's alive, as they hug.  Aww, rude awakening for Elena next ep, but hey let's hope they don't get together (unlikely) and she doesn't make Alaric uncompel her.

Tyler is grateful to Ivy for saving him cos the other boy was already dead and so she saved him.  He will do everything he can to make sure he's worthy of his life being saved.  The title being the same from a song by Wheezer.  More likely it should be, Ivy got turned and now she's left to her own devices with Caroline babysitting! Ha.  Or left Bonnie there, where they can send all the big bads, or Stefan really wants to leave this world.  Let's not hope they spend too long trying to get Bonnie back, but it appears after Bonnie said she didn't really mind being stuck with him here, he'll be instrumental in doing just that.  After he gets the news that Elena couldn't live with him being dead, got compelled, then found a new guy, just like nothing's changed.  You know, you can always get compelled and move on as Alaric said, don't fall in love, the moral of that story being, it applies to him too! Ha.  Though it didn't quite work out that way for him with Jo.  SO it's hugs and kisses all round then, well sort of!

The Vampire Diaries 6.4 "Black Hole Sun" Review

                                                    
Not much in terms of moving the plot or story forward in this ep, another chance for Elena (Nina Dobrev) to feature again and Stefan (Paul Wesley) showing her how to reinvent herself every 30 years.  He doesn't want to face up to losing Damon (Ian Somerhalder) so what's new, but he can't go back home to Mystic Falls cos of the spell and doesn't seem like he wants to even if he could.  Thus he takes Elena back to Savannah showing her what he does at the garage, as well as the meagre pittance of a pay cheque he gets.  It's now time for another booze up, as they feign a wedding proposal and Elena being pregnant.  With Stefan being watched by the man at the bar cos he beat up his brother, but he doesn't recall who that is, so he wants him to beat him up anyway, his way of moving on from Damon.  Also reminding Elena that she wanted to forget him too, that he's not a monster but she remembers him like that cos she had Alaric (Matt Davis) compel her to make her forget him.  She loves him and couldn't cope with losing her soul mate.  But it's not the same for him.

Back in 1994, Kai (Chris Wood) wants to hear what Damon did back then cos unless he does, he's not telling them how to get out of here.  Cue Damon arriving back in Mystic Falls in 1994, wanting to see Stefan and to get back his brother.  Zach (Chris William Martin) their nephew/uncle having set up their house as a boarding house and is also with a woman, Gail (Tadasay Young) who's pregnant. Bonnie (Kat Graham) guesses he killed the pregnant woman, she can't believe he did that, but she doesn't seem too shocked.  Kai acting all innocent and keeping the gadget they need to use when the eclipse is going on to get back home.  Stefan reminds Damon of how he changed him in 1912, then again in 1942, how he killed his best friend in 1977, even though she was trying to help him.  But Damon can't quite give up on the blood lust.

Here he also meets the sheriff (Marguerite MacIntyre) who tells him about her husband and how she wasn't the sheriff yet, but she mentions Caroline.  Damon feeds off Gail and Stefan takes his ring for doing that, being unaware that it's the eclipse and Damon makes it to the house, kills all the guest there and that includes the woman.

Everyone is still searching for Sarah (Gabrielle Walsh) and Matt (Zach Roerig) thinks he can befriend Tripp (Colin Ferguson) and get some info out  of him.  He needs to talk to the sheriff about Jay and Matt tells Tripp that Jay said he was looking for a vampire when he last saw him.  Leading Tripp to take him to Enzo (Michael Malarkey) who's going to tell him the names of everyone else.  You see his wife, Chris was killed by a vampire and he came back to town, thought he'd forgotten everything but his compulsion wore off and he recalled everything.

Jeremy (Steven R McQueen) is taken to hospital for his drunkeness and Alaric can't help seeing the doc, Jo (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) as blood fodder.  But he makes Jeremy see sense and a wake up call by telling him how his wife ran off cos he'd rather be a vampire, how Jenna died, then he died and how he can't stop looking at everyone without thinking about feeding.  Jeremy heads home and finds Sarah, who's found a pic of her mother, said pregnant woman, Gail, and her father.  She was six months premature but she survived and Jeremy tells her that father is Zach Salvatore.

Bonnie finds the paper on the ground which Damon was  making paper planes out of, yeah just wishing he could fly out of there, no doubt, so she was thoroughly bored, along with me, ha.  In which she reads Kai killing his family, a coven of witches and the Gemini coven thought of him as an abomination!  Surprise, surprise, here they find exactly who everyone else was looking for to rescue them.  He tells Damon this isn't his hell, it's Kai's.  He can take Bonnie's magic and get home himself, so they have no choice but to take him with them.  Bonnie realizes that Damon making pancakes everyday is his remorse for killing the woman.  Yet Kai is just a cold blooded killer.

Alaric shows Elena her diary in which she writes about Damon and how she loves him but needs to move on.  He can compel her to remember him but right now, she doesn't want that.  Elena making Stefan realize he needs to face up to losing Damon, which makes him get his car out and start fixing it.  When up pops Ivy (Emily C Chang) who's been attacked by a vampire.

Well Enzo's still around, so Stefan didn't think that Tripp would use him to get info on all of them, which was pretty silly, cos if he really wanted to finish him off, he should've done it himself.  Damon saying he wanted to see Stefan after 50 years cos he felt his humanity.  Then wanting to go on a road trip with him and devour some more people was a bit too hilarious!  Seeing as he killed everyone at the house, was that out of spite now?!  Seems Kai of the Gemini coven everyone was looking for was a bit too convenient being 'planted' right where Bonnie and Damon need him to get back home.

Renew Dallas Now

                                                     
How can something as dull as Falling Skies be renewed and Transporter with 0.22% too, it didn't even get half the ratings of Dallas at 0.47% . There's more going on here than just ratings and demographics, seems the sci-fi element is more of a turn on for execs rather than having a channel devoted to a mix of programmes catering for everyone's needs.

The system of determining renewals or cancellations is archaic too, it shouldn't be about demos anymore.  The survival of a show shouldn't just depend on ratings when in the twenty first century, there is much more to how well a show does or doesn't do.  Tired of seeing that 18-49 demo, yes I fall within it, as do the majority of my US friends and family, but how many 18 year olds are in a position to spend so much on buying products advertized.  Not everyone's made of money and not at that age.
The cancellation of Dallas unfortunately was expected and I have to say I did see it coming.  It's not as if they were given full-on 22 eps per season, so it shouldn't even come to spending too much & getting back very little returns.  TV executives don't know a good thing when they see it these days and quite frankly, a small cable channel was not the right home for such a show.  Agree or disagree it's true.  Such channels do not know how to publicize a show, back it completely, promote it and stick with it for as long as it has fans.  That's why they can't justify renewing something as mundane as Falling Skies (been done before - maybe it's cos of Steven Spielberg) or Transporter when that got renewed with so little ratings. Showing a season in two halves doesn't really help either.  It's not very commonly done in the UK, although we have to wait a while for the season, it is always shown in one go, unless it's aired the same time as the US, which rarely happens.

The executives seem to be adept in ignoring an already established audience, thinking that something new with less quality will attract more viewers to the channel, it may work with that endless reality stream of shows, but drama is completely different.  Firstly you need some intelligence to watch and secondly to keep it going, you need to understand the fans and their needs too.   It's the fans who can make or break a TV show and as a result a TV network too.  We live in a time where fans are very vocal and we have all sorts of social media to help us publicize our cause too.

Old or new, this show has a legacy and can't be so easily and readily forgotten by cancellation!  We at least need a conclusion to the S3 finale.  It appears those Arctic leases left the cold hearts of these TV executives on display, being oblivious to the popularity of the show, which only dwindled due to the network's own mishandling of it.

We need to continue on with the fight for the renewal and #SaveDallas wagon until we get what we want.  I took the following from the piece I wrote for Longmire, but it's equally applicable here!

We want our Dallas back: the cast and crew we all love and have gotten to know as family over the three years. We want to be able to say, 'look, we fans changed the face of TV history - again' by wanting this back.   Just as in the past letter writing campaigns worked for shows like Cagney and Lacey, social media has to work for us. It's not just about one generation or two, this show spans decades and transcends age groups.  How many shows can boast this and how many would want to?  We demand to continue seeing the rolling hills and skies, the characters, the backstabbing, twists and turns through the good times and the bad...

We demand our show back!  #SaveDallas

Our cast: Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, Josh Henderson, Jesse Metcalfe,  Juan Pablo Di Pace, Jordana Brewster, Julie Gonzalo, Brenda Strong, Mitch Pileggi, Emma Bell and Judith Light.  
Plus I liked how most of the cast had first names beginning with 'J'!  Cool.

The Vampire Diaries 6.3 "Welcome to Paradise" Review

                                               
This ep once again is about recriminations, past events and yet again Elena (Nina Dobrev) moving on from Damon (Ian Sommerhalder) and trying to get on with her life, operative word being: her life and failing miserably yet again, (I'm going to be guilty of using the word 'again' too many times, ha.)   This time round it's her turn to play Caroline (Candace Accola) as she plans a party for the old gang and invites everyone.  Even Stefan (Paul Wesley) turns up but it's not for the party, or even Caroline, just to get his revenge on Enzo (Michael Mularkey).  Not just for telling him he'll inflict a lifetime of misery on him for Damon, but for killing Ivy.  Which Caroline didn't know about.  Though he's right in that Enzo needs to be curbed from the killing, he appears to go about it the wrong way.  However Enzo really doesn't have a clue if he thinks that saving Stefan from the vampire hunter, Jay (Matthew Barnes) will actually call him even in Stefan's books.  Far from it.  Though Enzo's line was funny, "I just thwarted a vampire hunter and Stefan turned into one," or along those lines!  It's not just Damon who gets the rib cracking one liners!

Then there's Matt (Zach Roerig) realizing he knew Jay since he was ten and he had no idea that he was a vampire hunter and he was training him to kill.  This party really was just another chance for Elena to get a new love interest, I mean how many does she want, or need.  Right about now she's meant to be there for her friends, getting over Bonnie (Kat Graham) which she tells Caroline she hasn't done, as she's still got her clothes, but she's more interested in jello shots like the good old days.  With everyone tip toeing around not mentioning Damon and how madly she loved him.  Poor Damon not knowing she's forgotten him, it's for the best me boy, it really is.

Jeremy (Steven r McQueen) discovering that the compelling only works to a certain extent outside of the border since the girl being compelled by Caroline no longer got the ice she demanded when she got to Mystic Falls, she overcame it.  So he was paying attention to something besides 'dog bite' girl, Sarah (Gabrielle Walsh) and just what is she up to, cos she knows Elena attacked her now. Tyler (Michael Trevino) being left to deal with the kegs and with Liv (Penelope Mitchell) as she fights her attraction to him.  Well that's just it, everyone in this show needs some romantic connection otherwise, they just can't breathe! ha.

Elsewhere Bonnie insists that there's someone else with them, since the pork rinds in the market have disappeared.  So there's a third person around.  Damon just bickering with her and still thinking this is his hell, as Bonnie tells him to give her his ring and end it all.  Even if he did leave his car here, but how could he have, when he was driving it and rammed it into the diner last season.  Bonnie saying Grams must've sent her here for a reason.  So Bonnie's point being proven as Damon finds said third annoying person, Kai (Chris Wood) at the market eating pork rinds.  He's been watching them for four months and knows all about them and how bourbon makes Damon calm, then angry, then calm again.  But he said the same thing I did about the bottles, if one has vervain, they'll all have vervain cos he couldn't be sure which one he'd take.  Bonnie comes to save him from the patio furniture stake and uses magic to set fire around him.

He tells them he planned it all cos he knew Bonnie would save Damon and she's their ticket out of here.  But I would have liked to have seen Damon inflict torture onto him with the poker!  Damon and pork rinds, yeah, since when?  Ha.

Enzo turns up at the diner and Tripp (Colin Ferguson) is waiting for him, though vervain doesn't work on him immediately, Stefan stakes him ensuring he'll finish the job and kill him off as he's introduced as another member of the founding families.  Can't tell if Stefan actually wants Enzo dead (okay he does, but I thought he was using him) or if he's just getting on his good side to see what he's up to.  I mean I'm sure Tripp knows the Salvatore's are vampires.  How could he not?

Caroline getting peeved at Stefan cos he doesn't care about anyone and not even her, and just wants to do his own thing as usual, so selfish of him, but that's juts like Elena, so that's why they were meant to be together, though she won't admit she has feelings for him.  Now who didn't predict that ages ago!

The Vampire Diaries 6.1 "I'll Remember" Review

                                            
Once more the season opens with Elena (Nina Dobrev) being the centre of attention as she talks of what's been happening over the Summer and how they're getting on with losing Bonnie (Kat Graham) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder).  However, she's the one who's really suffering and not wanting to accept that Damon is gone, to the point of asking Luke (Chris Brochu) for herbs so she can hallucinate and see Damon there whenever she takes them.  This in turn makes her more thirsty and she's been attacking people, almost killing them in the process when drinking blood.  Caroline (Candace Accola) calling her the 'border lurker.'  Since the Travellers cast their spell, there's no magic in Mystic Falls and anything supernatural can't get into the town, thus Caroline has to meet her mother (Marguerite MacIntyre) at the boarder, who tells her about the two people who were attacked.

Elena calls Caroline and tells her she's coming to the football game at Whitmore, even if she doesn't want to go.  Alaric (Matt Davis) now teaches Occult Studies and is having a hard time dealing with being a vampire, especially since he's got all those "sausage" students in front of him, when she drinks blood during the lecture which he can smell.  See Elena forever the selfish one. Caroline learning she's been crying over Bonnie but not over Damon and knowing it's cos she's been taking the herbs.  Elena deciding she wants to become a doctor, or not, as she works at the medical clinic just so she can get her hands on an endless stream of blood supply.

Jeremy (Steven R McQueen) also broods and gives up on everything as he just plays video games. Matt (Zach Roerig) trying to make him snap out of it cos he's a hunter and though there are no vampires in Mystic Falls doesn't mean he can just be slack.  Elena wanting him to do the same, hypocritical much?  He doesn't have the luxury of resorting to magic and hallucinating Bonnie back cos he can't let go and move on.  So this is his way of dealing with it.

Tyler (Michael Trevino) also has trouble with dealing with having no 'superpowers' which once enabled him to do anything and everything, to the point of thinking he might have some chance with Liv (Penelope Mitchell).  Alaric has to stop him twice from getting drunk and losing his self control and bringing back his werewolf side, but he doesn't seem to take the hint.  Especially when he also finds out that Elena's been getting the herbs from Luke and loses the plot.  Liv telling him he's lucky they brought him back along with others even if they did lose some people in Bonnie and Damon, but they shouldn't be blamed for everything and they do think about what they did when they did the spell.

Stefan (Paul Wesley) is in Savannah and is working at the garage but is being stiffed out of his pay. Well he could have just compelled him into getting it back and put Dean in his place.  Yeah, a Dean in this show, ha, but its not our Dean from Supernatural!! Ha.  Yeah, I'm just talking about the name okay!  Stefan meets ivy and he doesn't want to talk about himself though he knows all about her. telling her he's a vampire, which annoys her.  Caroline reads books Alaric's given her about finding some spell or way to being Damon and Bonnie back, but doesn't have any luck.  She calls Stefan and leaves a voicemail for him telling him she's not coping at all, but he's just given up and isn't even looking, as he tells Elena.

Damon tells Elena he's dead, but she replies he already was, so he says he's 'gone' but she doesn't want him to say that.  She needs to stop hallucinating him back and move on and she realizes she must do that too, cos she's hurting people.  So asks Alaric to compel her into forgetting about him. He was turned by an Original so he can compel other vampires.  Meanwhile Matt's part of the community protection group which has been started by Tripp (Colin Ferguson) and he argues with the sheriff over her not doing her job, after Elena attacks Sarah and she runs to the town without Elena being able to stop her.  However Matt gets Caroline to make her forget what happened.

We see Damon making pancakes for Bonnie and she hates when he makes a smiley face on them, as he reads the paper, yeah don't fool us into thinking they're in some sort of fake wedded bliss, ha! Oh you know hat I mean.

A bit of a slow start to season 6, yes we understand Elena's pain but there's not much difference in how she feels now after losing Damon and how she always feels after she loses someone, it will always be about her and her feelings, as if she's the only one who has to deal with that.  Seems there's more to Tripp than meets the eye and Stefan just gives up on his brother like he's done in the past too, so nothing's changed there either.  Except that Damon never gave up on him when he was the Ripper and anytime he needed him.  Selfish Stefan!  Once more it's left to Caroline to feel nostalgic, do the right thing, want everyone back how they were, when everyone just think it's too difficult and move on, not necessarily in a good way either, they're mainly in denial over everything.  Perhaps the title says it all, will remember how good the show used to be, now it's just repetition.

The Vampire Diaries 6.2 "Yellow Ledbetter" Review

                                                
Another Elena-centric ep again, as she now gets Alaric (Matt Davis) to compel Elena (Nina Dobrev) to make her forget Damon (Ian Somerhalder) catch being, the only way she can do this is if she recalls the exact moment she realized she loved him.  So enabling us to have flashbacks to their 'romance' when Damon was the one who fell for her, love at first sight for him and she fooled herself into thinking that she loved Stefan (Paul Wesley) well she did, but not as much as she thought. Especially since she admits she found Damon dangerous and attractive, as well as 'sexy' particularly after he took her to the school dance.  Recalling those moments but she still answers that Damon is her boyfriend and he died, everytime Alaric asks her.  Until he calls Caroline (Candace Accola) and she tells him how Elena fell in love with Damon when she as still with Stefan.  Thus Elena fooling herself, or rather being in denial that she was faithful to Stefan all this time.  She may have been faithful to him as far as that word entails emotions, but in her heart she knew she wanted Damon, so how faithful was that really?

Alaric makes her recall that, that she's lying to herself and even though Caroline tells Elena that they may still find Damon and things could be different, she doesn't want to believe that.  Is that to save herself the heartache of letting him go again, or just cos she didn't have such strong feelings for him, or the result of losing him.  Anyhoo, Alaric gets her to confront that true moment which was when Damon put the necklace Stefan gave her around her neck and she didn't think he was that bad of a person, or a monster.  Until she finally forgets he's her boyfriend and does recall the monster he is and how he killed Jeremy.

Speaking of Damon, well he' stuck in 1994 with Bonnie (Kat Graham) back in Mystic Falls, 10th May 1994 to be precise and the town's deserted and they're reliving the same day over and over as seen by the solar eclipse.  Damon thinking this is his hell and he's doomed to live it with Bonnie and she thinking it's hers with him.  She can't work out an answer in the crossword puzzle and finds the teddy bear she lost when she was 9 at her house.  As well as a Grimoire, so maybe she can learn magic again.  Damon also finding Elena's necklace and reliving the moment of when he put it round her neck. Guess that was meant to be a destiny, kind of parallel world kind of moment with them both remembering the same thing, but for different reasons, or maybe just deja vu would be easier. Bonnie also confirming they're not alone since someone's finished the crossword puzzle, as the answer is Yellow Ledbetter.  How could Bonnie think Damon would even be remotely interested in finishing her puzzle! Ha.  Or is even interested in crosswords.

Caroline is still searching for Stefan along with Enzo's (Michael Malarkey) help and they find him shacked up with the random, Ivy (Emily Chang) he met last ep.  Only he's a mechanic now and isn't doing his investigating anymore in searching for Damon which Enzo is peeved with and starts a fight over it. Stefan having to break his neck to stop it.  That's the point at which he finds out Elena loved Damon the same time she was still with Stefan and he wasn't meant to hear that but he does when Caroline tells Alaric that.  Caroline is angry and hurt that he didn't listen to his messages when she was breaking down and needed him, so she cries in the car and Enzo sticks up for her in a kind of twisted knight in shining jeans kind of way.  He tells Stefan he's a sorry excuse for a brother and recalls how Damon said he'd hurt him for an eternity, so he's going to do that now, not understanding what a brother could have done to hurt another brother and kills her to make Stefan understand the torment and what Damon would've done to him.  This one's for hurting Caroline.

Jeremy (Steven R McQueen) shacks up with Sarah (Gabrielle Walsh) and she's apparently stole her boss's car and is looking for her father, so is her father Trip (Colin Ferguson) who we find out was an offspring of the Mystic Falls founding fathers, the Fell family.  He's a hunter/killer, I guess, as he makes a bunch of vampires he's caught burn in sunlight.  Jeremy doesn't care what Matt (Zach Roerig) says about her, he's still hooking up with her and has paid Bonnie's phonebill so they can hear hear voice and her mother wanted that too, but he's angry she broke the news to him about her dying over the phone.

Well I'd love to spend the same day over and over with Damon! ha.  Also Damon making pancakes! But I'm glad Elena forgot her feelings for him, now let's hope we can move on from them being together.  Enzo is more like Damon's twin in terms of his evilness, just doing away with Sarah like that, like some sort of collateral damage.  He is right in terms of Stefan giving up on Damon though, just like Elena doing the same.  So in that respects they're both similar and should get back together.  It'll make sure they would get away from Damon pining for her still.   Of course we now have Trip in the picture and he's going to be the new bad guy in town.

Downton Abbey Series 5 Episode 8 Review

                                                 
The staff and family make arrangements for Rose's (Lily James) wedding taking place in London, as Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nichol) and Daisy (Sophie McShera) make the three tier wedding cake.  Also Thomas (Robert James-Collier) passes the staff their inventory for the London trip.  Rose shows off her wedding dress, she'll be wed at the Registry Office and then later have a blessing.  Mentioning how her mother, Lady Susan Flintshire (Phoebe Nicholls) doesn't approve of Atticus (Matt Barber) and neither does Lord Sinderby (James Faulkner). The family discuss the wedding and also how they need to sort out the plans for building houses too, so whilst they're in London they can look into the matter of the costs, though Robert (Hugh Bonneville) is unsure as to how he is going to pay for it. Mary (Michelle Dockery) has another jibe at Edith (Laura Carmichael) and how she dotes on Marigold and Robert also notices too, when playing snakes and ladders with Sibbie, Mary referring to him as "Donk."

Anna (Joanne Froggatt) and Bates (Brendan Coyle) will check out the London house when they are there and Carson (Jim Carter) tells Mrs Hughes (Phyliss Logan) they'll need another footman too, so they'll hire one, just for the sake of appearances, since times are changing and yet another comment on this too.  Anna is told Inspector Vyner (Louis Hilyer) is here again and would like to see her.  He tells them about a witness who has come forward when Green was attacked and Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) says she will swear she saw the entire train ticket if it comes down to it.  They thought the whole business was over.  She will be in London so the Inspector tells Anna to come to Scotland Yard when she's there.

Kuragin (Rade Sherbedgia) visits the Dowager (Maggie Smith) who's just had breakfast and Denker (Sue Johnston) has laid out the violet dress for her, since it compliments her, talk about sucking up.  He tells her even when the Princess arrives he will leave her since he wants to spend his time with the Dowager, wanting to be her friend and lover, but she doesn't think that will be easy, now what will everyone think?  Spratt (Jeremy Swift) is still unhappy with Denker and with good reason tries to sabotage her job and hides one of the Dowager's cases under the bed, but the Dowager notices a case seems to be missing and asks him to retrieve it from its hiding place.  Yeah, one up for Denker, but not for long.

The War Memorial will be unveiled back at the village and Mrs Patmore decides she won't be there cos it's too painful and besides her nephew's name won't be on it, which Carson relays to Robert. Also wanting Daisy to inform Mr Mason (Paul Copley) to be there by letter when she writes to him for William.  Branson (Allen Leech) is determined to leave for Boston and they need people familiar with farm machinery, so he can make a good living out of it.  Mary doesn't want him to leave and neither does Edith.  But he knows she'll make a good run with the publishing business as she's a good writer.

At dinner with the two families, at the London house, they still talk of their religions.  The Dowager asking if Isabel has changed her mind about Lord Merton and whether he'll be at the wedding.  Rose's mother arrives and refuses to share a room with Shrimpy (Peter Egan) as well as threatening to make their divorce public, which Sinderby doesn't approve of.  But the family tries to steer the conversation towards other lines.  Atticus is staying at the Hornby which Mary adds is her favourite hotel (was that with or without Gillingham, ha.)  His mother, Lady Sinderby (Pennie Downie) says he's having his stag night there.  Shrimpy warns her not to tell anyone about the divorce until after the wedding and they discuss how they don't have any money left for any of the children.  She wants Rose to do better than Atticus.

Molesley (Kevin Doyle) decides he wants to see the galleries and museums and the Wallace Collection, and Baxter decides she wants to go with him, as does Daisy.  She's still working on the wedding cake, a joint effort with Mrs Patmore, but Baxter tells her she's good at creating things too.

At the stag party, Atticus calls it a night, but a woman gets too friendly with him and comes up to his room, even when he turns her down.  She pulls down her dress to her shoulders and then comes out, obviously she was posing with someone taking photos outside, just to disrupt the wedding in the hopes Rose will call it off.  Mary invites the four of them to lunch as a send off for Rose, that's Rose, Branson and also adds Edith can come too and calls it her treat, oh how charitable!  At lunch, Rose is sent the photos and thinks that Atticus has been fooling around, Mary calls it with some, "tart!"  Branson tells her to call Atticus and meet him to talk about it, telling Edith it's obviously some prank being played like they do at stag nights.  He agrees to meet int he park, where Baxter, Molesley and Daisy see them arguing.  Baxter says nothing's final until the ring's one her finger and Molesley asks her if she wants a ring on her finger too one day, which she does.  Daisy decides she doesn't like working in the kitchen anymore and feels like she was in coal mine and has come up for air, she doesn't want to go back now.  Molesley feels guilty that he's made things worse for her.

Denker tries to influence the new footman, Andy (Michael Fox) and wants to take him out on the town, with Mrs Patmore noticing she's trying to be a bad influence him and so does Thomas.  At the police station, Anna is placed in a line up where the witness looks at all the women and Bates tells the Inspector he knows she didn't do it, but he calls it routine after what Bates has been through he should know that.  Obviously it's not routine and especially not the way Anna was acting, she seemed nervous and was bound to look guilty, even if she is innocent.  The Inspector having said that some other women have come forward and accused Green of attacking them too, which means some other woman did it and so Anna is going to be accused now, just to make sure the Down Abbey Christmas Special has some excitement for the viewer!  More like repetition with the Bates killing his wife storyline.

Apparently Denker took Andy to a gambling den where he lost his savings and Thomas tells him next time she goes he's coming too, cos obviously he's going to get his money back.  Atticus confronts his father about the photos and he admits he isn't happy about the wedding cos their children won't be Jewish since Rose isn't and Atticus is vocal that their children will make their on choices.  He tells Atticus he didn't take the photos, well no, it had to be Susan, she comes across as more bitter anyway and we knew she's always been a troublemaker.  The family arrive for dinner at the Sinderby's which is one again fraught with tension.

Mary tells the Dowager about the photos and thinks it could be Sinderby and asks Shrimpy if they should confront him.  But Shrimpy knows better and tells Susan she did that to Rose, he checked the chequebook and saw the money was withdrawn.  He tells her if she mentions the divorce before the wedding then he'll tell Rose what she did and she'll never forgive her.  Which brings to mind the question of why Rose didn't bother to think it could have been her mother, especially since she's also so vehemently opposed to the wedding.

The wedding day arrives and Susan makes a speech saying she's divorcing Shrimpy to which Sinderby isn't pleased, but his wife says the wedding will go ahead, otherwise she'll leave him and that'll make an even bigger scandal.  Shrimpy obviously not being there so she doesn't know she's done this, but he's happy for Rose and that she found Atticus.  The Dowager tells Isabel (Penelope Wilton) she hopes she'll fight his sons and marry him since she's had a change of heart and other circumstances have led her to rethink her opposition tot he marriage. She'll have more of a fight on her hands since Merton doesn't have a wife but Kuragin does.

Daisy yells Mrs Patmore she's decided she wants to study in London and will hand in her notice, which upsets Mrs Patmore since she thinks Daisy a daughter, almost.  Thomas accompanies Denker and Andy to the gambling place and he plays cards and wins back money so he can pay off his debt, they'll talk about his paying him back later but has a score to settle with Denker, so he tells Basil Shute (Darren Machin) that she comes in here telling him she's brought people with him, but he came himself and has free drinks after saying she recommended people there.  He asks her to pay her bill before she leaves.

Edith wonders how they can leave their children alone with the nannies and Mary comments on how she's got the book on being a doting mother, also adding it'll be harder when she has one of her own. Rose wants to leave it all to the nannies too.  Edith wants to get home as soon as possible.  At the blessing, Sinderby invites Robert over to some gathering and he'll be pleased to go.  Also Gillingham (Tom Cullen) turns up with Mabel (Catherine Steadman) and they're engaged.  Mary telling him she needed him at the time and Edith tells Robert that he should give it up since he and Mary won't be together.  Carson telling Mary that Gillinghma wasn't right for her either, but she's upset how the family is breaking up and especially with Rose gone and now Branson will be leaving too, she'll be left alone with Edith, oh how positively ghastly for Mary!! Ha.  Robert notices there's something about Marigold but can't put his finger on it and sees how she dotes on her.

At the War Memorial Robert gives an added mention to Mrs Patmore and her nephew, Archie as he's had a separate memorial made for him which is on the wall which she's grateful for.  With Mason also agreeing.  He's sad but he also is proud of William and how he fought and died for his country. Mrs Patmore tells him Daisy will be leaving, but she's changed her mind.  Robert finally works out that Marigold has a lot of Micheal in her and Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) asks him not to tell Edith just yet cos it'll be her secret for a while longer since even Mary and Branson don't know.  Cora also asks if he could love his other grandchild as much as the other two and he believes he can.
Robert finding a way of financing the building of the houses by selling the painting, not cos of Bricker, but cos he gets angry when he thinks of how he didn't trust Cora.

This episode was timed to air on Remembrance Sunday, Lest We Forget, so the War Memorial was a fitting tribute for those who served, especially with it also being the centenary of the First World war.

Mrs Hughes mentioning how Anna is in prison but Carson doesn't think she will be convicted, she hates how they have such sadness and how they feel that way too when something like this happens. Seems they do have all the bad luck, especially with the same old storyline, first Bates was accused of being a killer and now it's Anna, as I said, saw this storyline coming last series.  Robert being happy that he can be at least party to one family secret.  yet there was no mention of the passing of Isis, which means next series and yes there will be a next series, that picture of him in the opening credits with said dog will be old and irrelevant.  You can see there's not much to add in terms of comments for this episode in that it speaks for itself and was just a warp up of the storylines for this series, except for the Anna one, which appears will be dragged to the gallow!