Stargate Atlantis - 5.4: "The Daedalus Variations" Review

The team find themselves aboard an empty Daedalus ship from an alternate reality, and discover themselves on board, leading to Daedalus continually jumping hyperspace.

Rodney (David Hewlett) complains about Teyla (Rachel Luttrell) not letting him hold the baby, after he dropped him.   Rodney was dropped when he was little.   Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) "that explains a lot."  The Daedalus arrives at Atlantis but there's no one on board.   The actual Daedalus is on its way to earth so this one isn't their one.   They fly to the ship and find scorch marks underneath it.   As well as an energy reading.   Inside there's an abandoned jumper and it's cold.   I said that jumper was theirs, as will be explained later.   Rodney analyzes the ship and finds it's him, "think there's a ghost on board."

The log entry shows the ship was abandoned by Commander Sobol, whom Sheppard doesn't know nor has heard of.   The energy reading fluctuates and the ship jumps into hyperspace.   They can't reach Atlantis and Lorne (Kavan Smith) can't reach them, either.  Rodney exclaims the city isn't there.   Teyla thinks they may be near a different planet but Rodney knows they haven't moved.  Readings are being obtained from deck 9 and according to Rodney, the ships navigation shows they haven't moved.  He's picking up the same radiation reading when his double arrived on Atlantis.

They are in a parallel universe where all four of them are dead, so that explains the jumper they found on board.   Oh one thing, they find all four of their DB's together in the same place, that was a bit strange, unless they knew there was no hope for them, but then wouldn't Rodney in any universe try to find a way out of their situation?   He wouldn't just lay down and die.   Sheppard thinks they could have been dead for months.

Rodney finds the other Rodney's tablet and found they did the same thing and couldn't get back to Atlantis.   Well clearly that Rodney can't have been as great a genius as the Rodney on Atlantis that we know.   As Rodney says, "They were us and they failed." Sheppard tells him it's not them as they're still alive.   Rodney has to find the alternate reality drive and figure out how it works.   The others lives were similar to them.   Ronon (Jason Momoa) doesn't really care about them.   Teyla says they're real people with real lives and wonders if she had a baby too.  

Sheppard wonders why the blast door is closed and Rodney insists the other Rodney was a genius too.   Power at a ZPM rate would have been needed to jump from one reality to the next.   Daedalus jumps into hyperspace again and Atlantis is back.   Teyla received preliminary training from Major Marks last t time they were on Daedalus which Ronon didn't bother with, he was busy.  Ronon thinks this Atlantis has their own Sheppard.   Teyla reads another ship in orbit powering weapons and fires on Atlantis.  Sheppard fires back to help Atlantis.   Ronon must help fire weapons.   One ship crash lands on Daedalus.   Rodney will be able to make the alternate drive to jump sooner but he won't be able to undo it, they'll just begin jumping faster and faster.

The temperature rises in the hull and they find themselves two million kilometres away from the sun's surface and shields are needed.  Rodney says they need to jump to save their relative position in space.   Sheppard saw the sun in this way in the future (season 4).   Rodney claims the sun came to them.   Ronon gets bored and goes exploring on the ship coming across an alien from the crashed ship, which they seemed to forget about.   Ronon fires his weapon to get attention and more aliens fire.   Rodney tells Teyla they need the sublights and they have only reached 70% but 100% is essential.   The shields are dropped to transfer power to the engine so they can jump.   There are only a few more jumps remaining before they burn out and will be stranded.

They end up in an asteroid field.   Rodney must focus on sending the ship back the way it travelled, which is what Sheppard suggested hours ago.   I.e reversing the ship's path.   Rodney had to think the opposite of Sheppard which wasn't far from the opposite of him.    Sheppard: "So what do we do?  Can we just throw this thing in reverse?"  Rodney: "It's a little more complicated than that."  The ship has maneuvering thrusters and sublights are needed to get past the aliens.   Rodney is unable to do ten things at once, who'd have thought? ha.   However Rodney showed no fear from the aliens being on board and none reached him either. That must have been a first.  

Teyla helps Rodney.  It's her first mission back he won't let it be her last.   The next jump will be sooner.   The alien ship isn't there but appears behind them.   They fire again and this time are saved by Atlantis.  They no longer have sublights and f302s fight the aliens.   John Sheppard calls the Daedalus.   Sheppard tells him it's a long story and they were saved by Sheppard so they're returning the favour.   John tells him their Daedalus was destroyed two years ago in a battle with the Replicators.   Sheppard replies they're only borrowing the Daedalus, it's not theirs.   Sheppard: "It's been a pleasure...obviously a man of dignity..."  John was going to say the same to him.   They are in awe of each other, ha.

Rodney says there's one more jump to reach home.   Rodney is shot at by an alien which they forgot about.   The alien explodes the detonator and there's a hull breach also causing the jumpers to be lost.   They're too far from Atlantis to get help.   Something appears and Lorne thinks it must be them.   Zelenka (David Nykl) finds they are within radio range.   They head to hyperspace once more and Lorne comes across four lifesigns in spacesuits.   Rodney claims there are six jumps left before it burns out.  Sheppard once again with his Nintendo DS in hand.   Rodney works on the hyperdrive system for episode 20.  Teyla lets Rodney hold Torren.   He'll make a good father.   Sheppard is scared at the thought of Rodney as a father.

Great stand alone episode  which is my favourite so far, not that there's many to go on.   Sheppard: "Easy Chewie that button's our friend."  Just had to think Star Wars here and Millennium Falcon for obvious reasons.   Well you just had to and to top it all off no guest cast either, aside from those pesky, metallic aliens who were nobodies really.  The other great scene  was Sheppard talking to the other Sheppard, as the one from Atlantis (not their Atlantis as he's on board the Daedalus) saves them from the aliens this time round.   As the time before, in the other reality, Sheppard had to defend Atlantis from those aliens.   Then having to explain but it being too long a story - but got the chance for lots of self-congratulations, you know what I mean on their relative skills.   Some would think that creepy, to use Sheppard's word.  Right - kind of.    Just think about all those Sheppard's in the never ending realm of alternate realities and keep thinking...

Then Rodney compliments himself quite a bit as a genius in all realities - so it's only fair Sheppard does the same.  The alternate Rodney referred to regarding the radiation readings was in the episode McKay and Mrs Miller.   The Last Man was the episode with Sheppard encountering the red sun.   Funnily enough in the other reality, Daedalus was commanded by a woman - maybe something Sam Carter may have gone on to do.   What do you mean that explains the battle cruiser being abandoned and doomed?

Rodney's saving the data on the interdimensional drive and plans to build one for Atlantis, which will become relevant at season's end.   John must have recognized our Sheppard's voice and why leave the Daedalus to float away into space. It will eventually burn out, at least the drive will, but someone else may encounter it and end up in the same predicament and especially since they won't have anyone with the talent of Rodney and Sheppard on board.   That's what happened to their alternate selves, even if they did have a Rodney and Sheppard.

Guess the introduction of these new aliens and their ships was acceptable cos they weren't going to be seen again and where had they been hiding out with all these Wraith about.   One thing I like doing in some of my reviews and other stuff, is speculating. These new aliens were in an alternate reality so doubt they'll get to ours - but what if they were the Wraith as they became after Jennifer's treatment?   Okay it's a bit far fetched.   One thing about Sheppard meeting his alternate self is relevant I think for the penultimate episode of this season for reasons which will be explained when I review it.

The working title for this episode was The flying Dutchman for obvious reasons. The Flying Dutchman was a ship whose captain and crew were doomed to sail the seas for eternity.   This episode had the most costly VFX, just as the Pilot, Adrift and Be All My Sins.   Andy Mikita told Newsarama that "Alan McCullough's script very cleverly put our characters in different places where they each had to deal with their own situations while also attacking a common problem.   I think it turned out quite well and ended up being a pretty strong episode." What was also remarkable was there was time for some character input too.  

NCIS - 8.2: "Worst Nightmare" Review

The agents must contend with the grandfather of an abducted girl who has a secret past. Also the agents must put up with interns for the week, leading to no end of trouble and fun.

A classroom full of pupils pass out and so does the teacher.   McGee (Sean Murray) is tasked with showing around Interns and assigning them to their designated departments.   He introduces Tony (Michael Weatherly) as "our senior agent, very Special Agent, Anthony DiNozzo."  Tony and Ziva (Cote de Pablo) both tell them Gibbs (Mark Harmon) doesn't like interns nor does he want any.   But Tony fails to answer why that is cos if he does then he'll walk up behind him - which he does and slaps him with a file.   The interns are here for a week.   Sarah (Elizabeth Wright) is assigned to autopsy; Michael (David Magidoff) to forensics and Conrad (Zack Lively) stays with McGee.

Ducky (David McCallum) is already at the school too, though there's no body and Sarah tells him a story.   Well he's at home having her around.   Whoever Ducky gets in autopsy always ends up telling their own stories.   Tony and McGee check out the ventilation system where a valve was opened on a cylinder by the use of a timer.   Conrad is a finance major and thought he'd be out of school, not still be in one.

When questioning the teacher, (Sam Anderson) who looked suspicious - I mean he may be a substitute but shouldn't he have retired by now and besides there was no one else shown who could be assumed  a suspect.   They realize one girl, Rebecca (Sadie Calvans) is missing.   Her backpack has been left.   So how'd he mastermind that  - pretend to pass out; abduct her and then return?   Rebecca's parents are deployed on ships and she lives with her grandfather, Mason (William Devane).   Tony is worried by Gibbs' look.   Tony: "Did I miss something...overstep my authority...what's wrong?" Gibbs: "That's not enough."  As he looks at her photo on the plasma.

Mason tells Gibbs her mother just inherited and he's confused as to how this could have happened on a marine base.   Cos it was an inside job that's how.   (Similar to the episode from season 3 Bait,  which had a boy holding his classmates hostage with a bomb.   Mason's phone rings, he says it's her father, Nick (JP Hubbell).   Abby (Pauley Perrette) announces Michael must not touch anything and has to stand where she can see him.   He comments he should wear bells - giving her an idea.   She tells Gibbs she found the imprint of a workboot on the cylinder, but the gas inside is something new.   So they're looking for a chemist.

McGee hands Conrad lots of files to search through again and is enjoying his bout of power.   As Tony explains, "Now you understand." That's how he feels everytime he throws orders around.   Tony informs Gibbs he's unable to reach Rebecca's parents - meaning Mason lied and has left the building.   Ziva can't reach him at home.   His line was forwarded to a number on Skype.   They can still listen to the call he received from the server's memory.   It was a ransom demand and they arrive at the location to find a DB.   His boots match the print on the cylinder and he wasn't a chemist.   McGee finds no viable info on Mason's background and thinks he was a spook - but not one of theirs.

In MTAC McGee finds Mason's calls going through military satellites.   Mason contacts Gibbs and tells him it was self defence.  Palmer (Brian Dietzen) returns to autopsy after his visit to the dentist, Tony used to have visits to the dentist and find himself redundant and a bit jealous of Sarah.   Sarah has taken over his spot as autopsy gremlin - at least for a week.   Ducky finds the bruises on the DB were indicative of self defence.   He'd hate to see Mason on the offensive.   Tony talks to a clairvoyant over the phone and hangs up, after saying she didn't see her future.

Oh one niggle, Mason says killing the DB was self defence, but when confronted at the end in the pharmacy, he finally says the DB was one of his colleagues, so he wouldn't have killed him.

Tony calls Conrad "Mini-Gee." McGee found a DVD in the DB's car - a video showing Rebecca and proof of life.   The DVD has a virus and has data containing McGee's number.   His phone rings and the voice asks for a million dollars ransom.   They have 24 hours.  Mason traces the call.   At the location McGee traces the call to, they find another DB in a trailer.   This one has been tortured.

Nick tells Gibbs about a box his father keeps at home.   Conrad sweeps the floor and Gibbs takes money from the evidence lock-up for ransom.   He can do that.   Gibbs never had interns on the team before and he thinks maybe he's changing cos he let them stay.  The box contains, "need-to-know" papers.   McGee mentions kidnapping Rebecca was like kidnapping Jason Bourne's daughter.

Michael wears Abby's bells when he comes to get Gibbs for Abby, she couldn't just call him now.   He's more afraid of Abby than Gibbs.   That'd be a first.   Abby has found a patent for scented billboards and Gibbs can smell burgers, making him hungry, Abby thinks.   The chemist must have filed the patent.   Michael smiles at Abby as their faces meet, Abby: "No, no don't go there."  Outside Greystone Pharmacy, McGee spots Mason inside with  third DB.   He didn't kill him.   He went back to his team for help and they've been killed by the kidnapper.

Michael discovers Mason's car was sabotaged and would have exploded making it look like an accident.   Abby has the killer's prints, matching Walter Carmichael the teacher.   Ducky analyzed his belongings and found he was in guilt cos of his past actions.  Carmichael calls and offers Rebecca in exchange for Mason.   Mason is cuffed and he manages to slip them free and grabs Tony's gun.   Ziva shoots him and Carmichael is duped into thinking he's dead and gives up Rebecca.   Mason gets up.  Conrad could get used to this job and McGee hands him a form for a full Internship at NCIS.  Gibbs tells him it's already filled out, he just needs to sign it, handing him a pen.   Vance wanted the interns around and yet he wasn't.

No movie references from Tony again this episode, though McGee mentions Jason Bourne.   NCIS has had its share of abduction episodes, mostly involving little girls, just to tug at Gibbs' heartstrings a bit more cos of Kelly.   Such as 2.1.  See No Evil.  Conrad having a rich father yacht in tow, was a little like Tony and Senior, though last time we saw him he was broke.   Abby alluding to Michael as her "new number one" is what Picard used to call Riker in Star Trek: Next Generation.   Gibbs must be mellowing allowing interns around.   So must Abby as she's accepted Michael.

Abby hates assistants, she had problems with Chip in season 3's The Voyeur's Web, he framed Tony for murder in Framed.   Also Agent Rinnet in season 5's the Ex File, who destroyed evidence.   The plot of this episode was similar to Commando with Arnold Schwarzenegger, who came out of retirement to find his missing daughter. Hey, Tony could have mentioned that.

Tony: "What's going on here?  We being replaced by younger models."
Ziva: "I am a younger model."
Tony: "If that was intended to hurt me, you've succeeded...Internship program is not a good idea.   It feeds McGee's need to have groupies."  But McGee already has his following from the books he wrote.

What was happening with Tony and his suits this episode, he wore a dark one in the beginning, which changed to grey, then dark again and when he went into MTAC he was wearing a dark one when he didn't let Palmer in and then when he was in MTAC, it was grey again!

Smallville - 10.3: "Supergirl" Review

Clark's cousin Kara returns to save the world from the Darkness, telling Clark this isn't his fight. Lois returns and attempts to ensure Godfrey doesn't reveal Oliver's true identity.

3 weeks ago.  Gordon Godfrey (Michael Daingerfield) engages in yet more hero/vigilante bashing and this time turns his attention to illegal aliens.   He's taken over by a gust of wind and crows, representing the new Darkforce in town.

Today.   He's written a book about the vigilante menace and at it's book launch, Lois (Erica Durance) returns, much to Clark's (Tom Welling) joy.  She thinks Godfrey is just after attention.   She apologizes for leaving him a letter and he thought her leaving was something she had to do.   Godfrey: "real heroes  are not faceless mutants." Well he's right about that.   Lois knows that the Blur is aware he's taking potshots.   Clark is confident that Godfrey isn't even on the Blur's radar.  Lois is riled when Godfrey mentions the Blur and is about to give him what for, when the sign comes away from the crane.  Kara (Laura Vandervoort) arrives to save the day, dressed as Supergirl.  Hey she's stepping onto Clark's territory and she's got her outfit in his customary colours before him.

Clark comments she flew off somewhere and he can't believe he said that out loud.   Lois wonders why she's 'flaunting' her powers.   Clark tells her she was affected by meteor rock last time she was here.  He thinks the Blur should show his face and then people would trust him.   Lois thinks that's a bad idea and 'Ubergirl' is putting the Clark/Blur in danger too.   Now Lois has to watch what she says around him and Kara, so that he doesn't find out she knows his secret.   She suggests Kara needs glasses and should disguise herself before Godfrey hones in on her too.  The disguise being a hint for Clark no doubt, for the future.

Too late, Kara is at a photoshoot.  Kara can't steal Clark's thunder.   Jor-El (Terence Stamp) talked about Clark's pride in the season opener, what about Kara's pride, how's this different when she says she's doing all this for him, he's not completely helpless.  No wonder Clark is angry when he says "what she's doing flies in the face of how I've chosen to live on this planet." Jor-El gave her this mission and he no longer considers him his son.   Godfrey admits to Lois that he knows Green Arrow's real identity and will be revealing it tomorrow on-line in the final chapter of his book.   Referring to him as a "depraved playboy."  There's the pot calling the kettle..but Godfrey's no playboy!  Lois decides to check out Godfrey's private life.

Oliver (Justin Hartley) has a flashback to teaching Chloe (Allison Mack) how to use a bow and arrow.  Lois tells him destiny brought her back to Metropolis (and a pep talk from Carter (Michael Shanks) last episode.   She thought she'd get in Clark's way if she stayed here.   He thinks she should leave Godfrey be.  "People deserve to know the truth."  Clearly they're all on conflicting sides this season.   Lois wants them to hide and not reveal their identities, Kara is blatantly flaunting hers and Clark is caught in the middle, what with his darkness and his secret; thinking perhaps it would be better if people saw the Blur for who he really is.  Oliver believes it's too costly to keep his secret.

Lois decides to do something about it, going undercover at the strip club Desaad to unmask Godfrey's secret fetish and getting photos to use on Godfrey.  Thereby destroying his 'wholesome' reputation.   Kara's taken Clark's key to the fortress and thinks she knows what's best for him.  She's attempting to draw the Darkness towards her and Clark believes she should have come to him.  He knows his own destiny.  Kara only seeks to put him down again, he can't even fly yet.   She teaches him to fly but he doesn't succeed saying he's not ready.   The Darkness came through the rip three weeks ago and Clark recalls he opened the portal using the Book of Rho.   The Darkness can see thoughts and emotions and could possess Clark since he's not "pure of spirit" and doesn't have clarity of purpose.  She's wrong he does have that.   He knows what his destiny is but he's unsure how to go about achieving it, when he's got so many other factors and people to consider.

Oliver goes to church to remember his parents and how he's let them down and couldn't protect  the people he loved.  He "can't have people risking their lives for me."  If only he told Lois that.  Possessed Godfrey takes Lois hostage in order to lure Clark here.  Clark takes Kara to Watchtower to find where Lois's phone signal came from when she posted the story about Godfrey.   They notice Lois as the chauffeur in the photo and Clark can hear Godfrey's voice change, the Darkness is inside of him.   Not much of a superhero is Kara when she couldn't hear what's happening, where's her heightened sense of hearing.   Not as sharp as is.   Clark may not be able to fly yet, but his other super-senses aren't blinkered.

Lois's blind faith got her into trouble.   The Darkness notices Clark's doubts and the fear he won't be the hero he wants to be. "There is darkness in you and great power."  Something Jor-el warned him about.   Kara intervenes to save Clark repelling the Darkness with her bracelet.  Lois thinks she was rescued by Kara, whilst this time it's Clark's turn to hide in the shadows and watch.  Kara: "there's two sides to everyone." Lois asks her what it's like being a hero.   Kara is free and nothing holds her back.   It's easier when no one is there to hold them back.   Kara: "Even heroes need someone to come home to."

Clark berates Lois for going too far this time.   She admits she was afraid and her greatest fear is "to be alone in the world without heroes." She can't find a suitable handle for Kara calling her 'Power-girl.  Mega-girl'.   Clark thinks if you "put them on too high a pedestal, they might let you down." But Lois doesn't think like that.  "The Blur is my hero" and she believes he'll always be there for her.  

Clark bumps into Kara in her disguise of glasses and brown wig.   (Taking a leaf out of Lois's disguise book.) She's not leaving until she knows everyone is safe.  Her bracelet didn't work on the Darkness when he was possessing a host.   Clark says it didn't want her since she's "pure of spirit" and she risked her soul to save Clark.   She thinks if the Darkness gets Clark's powers it will spell doom for all.   Also adding "how you overcome failure defines you."  He should let her fight the Darkness since it's not his fight.    Clark, when he sees a cross sprawled through the 'S' logo on the wall, thinks, "Maybe the Blur isn't the hero he thinks." Yet more self-doubt from him.   He can't do that to himself what about what Jonathan (John Schneider) told him, he can't let other people tell him what to do and he needs to prove this to himself.  As well as to Jor-El.

Clark has so many self-doubts boiling gover to the surface which he never had in such a deep way before.   Oliver tells Lois Chloe left and she's not coming back, when the "person you love knows your secret" it affects them too and that's why she left.   As Lois did too, but she came back.  So will Chloe.  Oliver gives a press conference, wanting to "set the record straight.   I am Green Arrow." Lois went through all that hell and high water to prevent Oliver's identity being revealed  and he decides to come clean in the end.   Well that was uneventful.   Clearly he's wrong to reveal his secret, as Clark will show.  Oliver wasn't even aware Lois risked all for him and others like him.

Castle - 1.3: "Hedge Fund Homeboys" Review

A DB found in the lake appears to have been killed by drug dealers, but there's more to this killing than meets the eye. Cue plenty of suspects in the form of the Vic's friends.

A DB floats in a boat in Central Park.   Martha (Susan Sullivan) is going to teach an Introduction to Life Coaching Class and she's made cards, quoting Castle (Nathan Fillion) as a client.   She's had experience with him since she's told him what to do his whole life.   (Well almost his entire life.)  Alexis (Molly C Quinn) wants Castle to chaperon on her Washington DC trip.

The DB in the park was Donny (Drew Van Acker) and attended Redding Prep.   Castle says he also attended Prep school.   Lanie (Tamala Jones) puts COD to a single GSW to the chest and he wasn't killed in the boat.   Castle brings up the subject of Vikings burying their dead on boats, but a Viking burial isn't his theory on this case.  Donny's parents explain he was always with his friends and this father lost his money.   Castle claims that's tough on a teen.   Castle knew they'd moved using his keen observational skills, he notcied the Chinese screen was too large for their small apartment.   More silly questions from Beckett (Stana Katic)for someone who's meant to be a detective,  she's not very observant.   Castle: "I've been kicked out of all of New York's finer educational institutions at least once." Why was that not surprising.   Now he's rich and famous they want him as alum.

The Principal explains Donny stayed on at school through a scholarship and they don't know much of what happens here since the students are the "tip of the iceberg." They should speak with Donny's friends, who'd want them as friends is the question no one asked.  Brandon (Nolan Gerard Funk) shows them a video of Donny and they blatantly lie about not knowing what he was doing in the park.

Beckett lies about going to York Prep herself, to gain their trust, but she didn't lie when she said she's been through something like this, as Castle pointed out in the pilot when he profiled her.   Romy says they'd cover his costs for Donny, but "he couldn't handle it." Should've been up on that clue, but at least Castle got it later on.   That they didn't pay off the drug dealer for Donny.  Castle explains, Donny "can't get into trouble." But his friends can.   Castle then talks about Greek tragedies and that the original Greek tragedy means "goat song." They said Donny became a drug dealer and as I've said many times, when the Vic's not around they can say whatever they like about him.

Castle tries to listen in on Beckett's call and she pulls his ear.   He wants to see photos of her in her uniform, obviously she didn't attend Prep school, as she couldn't believe Castle would know anything about Redding Prep and what goes on there, even when he says he's been kicked out of them all.   She wants in on his poker game now.   He likens Beckett  Meryl Streep on her performance and she wants to know Meryl streep in Out of Africa or Mama Mia.   Apparently the latter as there's so much she misses; makes one wonder how she actually manged to get any collars before he showed up, "with his blue eyes and mysterious past" (or not so mysterious) wait I'm quoting Remington Steele - stop it.

Ryan (Seamus Deaver) tells of a 911 call made from near the bench in the park, nearby there's blood on the ground and Castle notices it's a large pool and so there should be more of a blood trail.   The DB was dragged to throw them off the scent and that's the clue, but you see, it didn't work.   Castle: "Everything evolves, why not criminals." Cos they'll always remain stupid and thus they become criminals in the first place; is my answer to that one.   Mrs Falcigno (Anita Finlay) made the call, Esposito (Jon Huertas) says, when walking her dog and IDs the killer from the mug books.

Scoville was the dealer and Beckett uses quick-fire questions on him.   Captain (Ruben Santiago-Hudson) explains she needs to build a case for the DA, it's not about the shooting per se.   Now they're trying to show that Beckett knows how to do her job and Castle knows squat about policework.   Scoville admits he was running in the park.   The Captain explaining again that he puts himself at the CS.   He saw Donny, thus "Beckett placed him with the Vic."  Donny's friends were also there - knew that was coming, cos just like last episode and the week before there's no such thing as an open and shut case on TV.   Castle refers to them as "witnesses who lied."Well they're actually suspects and not witnesses.  

Becket questions Donny's friends and there's Brandon being all helpful in wanting everyone to tell the truth.   Amanda (Michelle Page) was at the park with the others.   Castle doesn't believe anything they said.   Again Brandon regurgitating what he thinks they want to hear, leading his friends on and the fools take his lead, like he's 'oh so clever' - not!  Brandon's the strong one, so he's the 'leader'.

Romy (Jamie Chung) was nearest and she IDs Scoville from a  line-up as the shooter.   Castle watches Alexis sleep like he did when she was little and she was adorable.   She asks if he's trying to work out how to murder someone in their sleep, not this time.   She can tell him anything and everything and he asks if she's taking drugs.  Castle uses the Principal's term for her friends too, that they might be "icebergs." Alexis doesn't ever have to lie to him.   Alexis knows her friends would be there for her if anything went wrong, thus providing Castle with another clue.   This time about Donny's friends not giving Scoville any money, since he only wanted money.   Scoville gave them Romy.   Castle: "One of them did it." Yankman, Scoville's lawyer comments, Beckett should, "consult the consultant before you arrest the wrong guy."  Scoville admits they were all dealing for him, Donny needed money and the others thought it was a laugh.   The Mayor called the Captain to thank him for the arrest, wonder how many times the Mayor called the Captain before Castle got involved.   Castle comments he knows they're meant to arrest the right man.

Beckett checks Romy's bag and finds enough money to have paid off Scoville for Donny.   Romy crumbles, Max (Creagon Dow) shot Donny.   But it was an accident, they were playing Russian roulette but there weren't any bullets in the gun.   Spencer (Kunal Sharma) brought the bullets, suggested by Brandon.   Beckett receives a call Max committed suicide, allegedly, just as Romy fingered him.   Alexis admits she lied and she didn't pay to use the subway one day when it was raining, when she couldn't get  a taxi home.   Beckett thought she was better at reading people, apparently not.   Castle comments Max moved his friend's body, which makes him a cold-blooded killer, cos that's what they do, so he wouldn't kill himself.   Lanie finds an abrasion on Max's index finger, he was helped in pulling the trigger and he was drunk.   Castle: "way drunk."  Beckett concludes Max didn't kill Donny but he did shoot him.  

Spencer alibis himself and Brandon as being at his father's club.   Cue BS from Brandon regarding the video about Donny's shooting.   He videoed it.   Castle is shocked to see the shooting, not only because he only writes about killing - not actually seen any - as far as we know yet - but that he's also a parent and no one could stomach seeing anything like that happen to their child.  Castle: "...not too often you get a murder caught on tape."  He was both smart and lucky to have recorded it, so why was that night so special?  Cos Brandon needed proof.   Beckett was actually defending them before Castle said that.

Donny and Amanda were dating, Donny ended it, so she went with Brandon as he was the only one there for her.   Castle: "I bet he was." Brandon told her to film the video.   See Brandon is the chief instigator in all this.   All had alibis except Brandon and he makes a play for Beckett twice.   Much to Castle's chagrin, that Brandon could do that and get away with it, unlike him.    Castle: "I hate that kid." Ryan and Esposito report no one saw Max or Brandon on the night in question and Ryan's still reading Castle's books, is he hooked now.   He was reading one last episode too, so clearly he's meant to be the Cho (Tim Kang) character from the Mentalist, doing all that reading.

Castle finds another clue: that their phones would have synced cos of the file sharing.   Beckett says there would be a record.   Brandon confesses he'd like to get under Beckett's blouse.   Brandon once again thinking he's better than them, better than Castle, at least!  Castle now lulls Brandon into a false sense of security as Beckett did with Scoville to get him to admit he killed Donny and made Max do it.   Castle posits Brandon set Max up to kill his best friend.   Castle: "sometimes they just have to be led to the truth."  Brandon agrees, so they get him for "an admission against interest," i.e.  another name for a confession, as Castle calls it.   Beckett explains if Brandon hadn't moved the body they wouldn't have known.   Castle 's positive he'd have worked it out, not her.  

Brandon was my suspect cos he was attempting to be so clever and helpful, wanting them to come clean everytime and having his alibi all ready and he outsmarted himself.   He thought he could play them and get away with it -  all his money and lawyers, didn't mean anything.   Liked the way smooth-talking Castle had to think of the things they did or didn't do, leading Brandon in the right direction and yes he would have figured out who do it and that Donny was moved cos he was the one who spotted the blood pool in the park to begin with.   So much for Beckett saying she would have worked it out.

Thought it was the case that two suspects can't corroborate each other's testimony/alibi.   An objective third party is needed, also by that stage they were all suspects.   If Brandon was with Spencer and at the club, why didn't anyone see them.   At the end of the day there's always a girl or woman involved, so much for 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' - this works both ways and men have killed for a lot less.

Great to see Castle's done such a brilliant job at being a father to Alexis, that he actually "guilt's" her into coming clean about her going over the turnstiles.   (That was all the rage once upon a time on le metro in Paris, but that's another story.)  He's relieved to hear this is all she's done especially after everything he's done in his younger days, as Alexis knows all too well.

The bruise on the finger ploy done in many shows, as well as Crossing Jordan's final season.   Still mentioning Beckett being able to say certain things to suspects to make them admit or confess to where they were or what happened.

Alexis gives Castle some ideas, at times and then he passes them onto Beckett.

This episode had many similarities between the season 1.3 Red Tide episode of the Mentalist and it was the same episode number too.   Where a drowned surfer girl was actually killed and her friends were suspects, lots of hooking up with boys not liked and Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) confirms the dead girl was actually murdered, as well as her friends lying, drinking etc and not admitting it as they didn't want to get into trouble.   Catch being they all murdered her.   Brandon was the smart one in this group, making them do what he wanted and covering his back in the process.

In season 1.5 A Man A Mile episode of CSI:NY, Aiden (Vanessa Ferlito) feigns attending prep school commenting she didn't really, but 'the girls cut through the attitude if they feel you're one of them.'  As Brandon did here with Beckett, at least for a while.

CSI: NY - 8.7: "Crushed" Review

The CSIs investigate when a balcony collapses at a viral party, leading to the discovery of a disturbing game being played. Jo's past case: the one that got away, resurfaces in New York.

A teen party goes viral and out of control when a balcony collapses, leaving one dead, Libby (Valentina de Angelis).   Flack (Eddie Cahill) calls it "most parents' worst nightmare: someone spills their drink on a new carpet."  Continuing, "Welcome to the end of the world as we know it."  Wow Flack actually got the end line before the opening credits.   Sid (Robert Joy) actually gets out of the autopsy lab to personally attend the DB at the scene.   She was asphyxiated.   Jo (Sela ward) estimates there were than fifty on the balcony, plus the marble table.   Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) collects prints from the table.

Back at the lab, Hawkes (Hill Harper) and Lindsay (Anna Belknap) calculate the stress analysis (could have just put her on the contraption.) Hawkes calculates without the use of a calculator, but Lindsay insists on using a calculator anyway, as if he'd be wrong.   The balcony would have held the weight if the marble table hadn't been placed on it and this caused the collapse.  Hawkes says whoever brought the table out is guilty of manslaughter..

Flack questions Jake (Blaise Embry) at the scene.   Flack: "I know how hard this is losing your girlfriend" but this is beyond an accident.   Flack tells Danny no one saw anything (his usual line) or they're not willing to give up anyone.   Danny finds a print with an '8' impression which he subsequently finds belongs to Steven at the hospital.   Whilst there he also talks with Rachel (Shanley Caswell) who is running the Marathon.   She was forgotten about 'til the end and she had to be shown for a reason.   If I had a dollar for every suspect I have got right a the killer etc, I would be rich by now.

Flack spots a woman at the precinct and talks and helps her, ahh.   She was raped at a hotel bar.   He was more understanding than Lindsay ever could be.  Her name is Ali (Beau Garrett) and he tells her it's not her fault, which is not what a jury will think, given her 'profession.'  She still has all the forensics on her as she didn't wash.   Irony being there weren't any forensics found.  Mac (Gary Sinise) tells Jo it's her DC rapist, John Curtis, (Jason Wiles) which Flack recognized as her old case.   Mac puts Lindsay on the case (!)

Jo gives her pointers which she clearly resents.   Lindsay needs to be careful as they need every piece of forensics.   He uses GHB on the Vic's, ties their hands behind their back.   Lindsay recalls the mistake she made back in season 7's Vigilante episode.   This case eats away at Jo.   Lindsay thinks it's hard to turn over information to the defence and how Jo feels responsible.  Jo corrects her she doesn't feel responsible for the mistake of her colleague.   She could only do what she could, which is her job as a forensic scientist, under oath and she hopes Lindsay would do the same thing.

Sid finds the base of the Vic's skull had concentric fractures where the spinal column gave in by force.   Libby was strangled.  Flack and Mac question Jake who tries to act all innocent.   Flack comments "It wouldn't be the first time a boyfriend has ever killed his girlfriend."  Yeah he was only one guy as Jake says.   Lindsay processes Ali and she's about as subtle as Stella.   Curtis drugged her and Lindsay comments he probably had a whole lot of practice.   That's right Lindsay, give the details away and mess the case up for Jo this time.   She's a prostitute and he picked her up but he already had drugged her before he knew this.   He will probably get out of jail.

Jo comments there weren't any contusions on Libby's neck even after refrigeration.   If she had worn the necklace it would have left marks, so the necklace was placed on her after she was already dead.   They return to the house which Hawkes comments, "Extreme home makeover" and Danny says it reminds him of "Jo's office."  They need to locate the primary CS.   Hawkes finds a note, "#WORDSRDEAD" as do Jo and Danny.   The primary CS was Libby's bedroom.   Danny finds the man leaves behind "hashtags" everywhere he goes  at every viral party.   Hawkes finds his blog.   Mac calls him a frustrated writer and Libby probably walked in on him when he was stealing.   The precincts didn't make a connection.   Mac: "Plus we have Adam (AJ Buckley)."  In walks Adam afraid he's done something wrong.   The burglar is identified as he posts from the department store posts.

Flack calls him a "mall cop."  Danny corrects him, it's "Department Store security." Flack's going to enjoy this.   Mickey (Dominic Colon) makes a run for it and Flack and Danny play rock, paper, scissors to see who will chase him on foot and who will drive the car.   Flack chases, ha.   Funny scene in a long time between the two.   Mickey claims he was making a statement with his hashtags.   Danny suggests he should stick to burglaries.  So how come no one noticed him at the parties?   He keeps the stolen property in the wall safe at work.

They find five necklaces like Libby's.   Hawkes tests hers for DNA and comes up with two profiles, female.  Adam puts together all the footage from the party and there's one girl wearing the same necklace.  He doesn't get any thanks and jokingly says he'll be solving his next big crime in the other room.   Jo thinks it's some "deadpool game" but Danny says it's more serious than that.  The girls are singled out, are made to think they're popular and then take their virginity.   They are then rated on the website.   Jake was involved in this and Libby rated them.   Erin (Juliet Brett) has a necklace and Jo calls them tokens like scarlet letters.   Mac calls it a motive for revenge.

Flack and Jo talk with Erin, who just happened to touch her necklace is to appears in full view.   She got it from Jake.   Flack is texted that the DNA matches Kate.   She wasn't at the party but she has a necklace.   Libby invited her to her house and Jake was part of it.   Adam analyzed the grease Danny found on Libby's bedroom window and he recalls dating a girl who was a runner.   So how many girls does that make now?   Hawkes says Rachel and Kate are half sisters.   See there's Rachel as I said everyone forgot about her.   Kate's behavior changed and she found the website.   Rachel confronted Libby and lost her temper.   She placed the necklace on her cos she should be the one wearing it.

Lindsay finds GHB in Ali's system but no other forensics.   Mac calls it enough for a circumstantial case.   No one would have believed Ali if she reported it cos of what she does, so that's why he told her his name.   Jo listens in when Flack questions Curtis.  He ask what it is with guys "like you...to get your rocks off." Curtis worries when he shows her Ali's photo, but why do that when she was afraid for her life and clearly afraid of him?   Lindsay apologizes.   Jo tells her she does feel responsible.  Curtis is arrested but the way he was staring at Jo somethings going to happen.

Mac remains seated throughout this ep due to a leg injury he suffered after the fight scene in 8.6 Get Me Out of Here, where he ripped a leg muscle.   The two stories overlapped in a way.   One took their virginity playing a cruel game and making fun of people and the other, Curtis is a ruthless, callous rapist who thinks he can beat the system and get away with it forever.   Plus there's always a slant on the popular girl storyline.

Jo's and Flack's scene with Erin was filmed in Washington Square Park.   The books shown in Libby's house, included John Grisham's The Pelican Brief and Stephen J Cannell's King Con (mentioned in season 2.1 episode of Castle.)   What's wrong with the show when they have to bring Lindsay into every case going and especially if it involves a rape case; given her handling of the one from last season, 7.15 Vigilante. She's really not emotionally equipped to handle such a case and yet here she's taken off the other case.  Even if she happened to be the only female forensic scientist they had, seeing as Jo couldn't process Ali cos of her past dealings with Curtis.   Just to remind viewers, a clip was included from the Vigilante ep where Jo had to give Lindsay a pep talk cos she thought that case was all about her.

Here she does much the same thing in thinking their cases revolve around the detective/scientist involved.   Where does she get off talking to Jo like that?   She may have thought she was being sympathetic and understanding (gulp) but again she just puts her foot in it, calling Jo "responsible" for the case being mishandled and Curtis being acquitted.   Lindsay gave also gave the impression that if push came to shove, she'd wouldn't have given the necessary info to the defence.   I for one was happy to see Jo reprimand Lindsay and put her in her place concerning the duties and obligations of a forensic scientist when the right thing has to be done irrespective of the consequences.   Mac wasn't around to hear this.  Lindsay gets away with too many liberties.   She did owe Jo an apology at the end and I'm glad Jo didn't go into any further details; other than saying she did feel some responsibility.

Think Lindsay was expecting an apology for what Jo said.   Sorry but Lindsay is still a weak character and should know how to do her job by now, without judgements.  Jo told her in the vigilante ep, "Even if good people get hurt and bad people go free but it's what they do.   It's hard."  Lindsay forgot that.   Jo was only reinforcing what Mac tells his team over and over, that the integrity of the lab is always at stake and with it in doubt they will not be able to put criminals away.   That they can't so what Aiden (Vanessa Ferlito)  did back in season 2 Grand Murder at Central Station, when she messed with the forensics when out to catch the said rapist, DJ Pratt.

Let's talk about Flack since I'm such a d-Eddie-cated fan!!  Reminding us again of knowing what it feels like to lose a girlfriend - didn't see Jake being cut up about losing Libby.   If he really did care about her why this cruel game -preying on hapless, unsuspecting, innocent girls - whose downfall is always wanting to get in with the popular crowd.   At least the scene with Flack and Danny was a breath of fresh air.

In the Vigilante ep, there was a sweat ointment which preserved sweat and had female DNA.   Here the oil used by runners was a clue which led to Rachel being caught.    This ep Lindsay's role was mentioned by Pam Veasey and Zach Reiter in the CSI:NY online chat last September where she, "plays a big role in a 3 episode arc re the rapist that brought Jo to NY from the FBI to the crime lab."

Doctor Who - 6.2: "Day of the Moon" Review

An action packed episode filled with yet more clues and spoilers, as the Doctor leads a rebellion against the alien invaders. River laments over the Doctor not recognizing her at all soon.

3 months later July 1969

Valley of the Gods, Utah.   Amy (Karen Gillan)  is caught by Canton (Mark Sheppard) and shot.   She aks if he can remember why he's doing this.   Cue flashback with the Doctor (Matt Smith) telling Canton to look behind him.   The Doctor is tied up and now sports a beard and long-ish hair.   Reminded me of Robinson Crusoe.   Well the image just came to me as he looked  a little ship-wrecked, or should I say TARDIS-wrecked.   Amy had markings on her arm.

New York.   River (Alex Kingston) has the same markings too as she's chased by The Silent.   She marks her arm everytime she sees one.   It's a tally to remind her she's seen them.   Canton catches up with her too and she tells him they were invaded a long time ago.   She's cornered by him and his men; uttering, "There's always a way out."  Before she plunges backwards off the edge.   Yes there is, considering the number of times she's escaped from prison.   The Doctor is having a prison built around him and asks if the bricks are made of "zero balanced dwarf star alloy." His perfect prison won't be enough to hold him.  

Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona.   Rory (Arthur Darvill) is also shot by Canton and he and Amy are both brought back to the prison by Canton cos they're not really dead.   The invisible TARDIS is also in the prison with them and they make haste to catch River in the swimming pool.   Cool, she was still freefalling for so long.   The Doctor says the aliens are everywhere but he has a secret weapon, no not Apollo 11, but Neil Armstrong's foot.   To be revealed.   Amy and Canton drive to the Graystark Hall Orphanage.

The Doctor injects a nano recorder in the palm of their hands.   Three months past they're in the world.   Amy isn't pregnant.   River makes the point that they don't know what the aliens look like.   Rory: "...like they edit themselves out of your memory - the exact second you look away." Akin to the Weeping Angels.   Don't blink or they move.   Amy was sick and so was River, so which one of them had the baby.   The Doctor ominously tells them, "As long as you can see something in the corner of your eye, creaking in the floorboard, breathing in your bed," that's how long they've been here.   Then his fired up speech where he ends with "We're leading a revolution."  He really gets you going does our Doctor!  The nano recorder is to record what they see, they can describe it and it's like a telepathic connection.   When it flashes red they'll know there's a message.   Canton's is flashing right now.   The Doctor shows them a hologram from Amy's phone, so she showed it to him after all.   How'd she remember that then, or did she just come across the image.

The Doctor wonders where they got the girl from.   He's going to NASA.   The orphanage is empty aside from Renfrew (Kerry Shale) and there's writing scrawled on the walls: "Get out, leave now."  Renfrew thinks it's 1967.   The Doctor is caught having just made some adjustments to Apollo 11.   Amy, as usual is always taken and she goes missing.   She plays the recorder back, telling herself to get out.   Her face has lots of marks on it.   The Doctor's on a top secret mission for the President (Stuart Milligan) who arrives to get the Doctor released.   Rory would have to meddle with the module model.   Renfrew claims they must look after the child.   Amy finds an empty room and spots the photo of herself with a baby.   The girl approaches in the spacesuit and asks for help.   Canton shoots an alien.   Amy's gone and there's an empty spacesuit.   Her recorder has been removed but it's still flashing.

The alien speaks, "Silence Doctor, we are the Silence."  Flashbacks of silence being mentioned and how they ran from it. "And silence will fall."  Ironically this line could have two meanings here, one where silence will fall and one where they did fall and their reign was ended.  (But for how long?) River examines the spacesuit which has its own lifesupport, it appears to be an exoskeleton, containing 20 different alien technologies, able to make a phone connection.   The Doctor's brought his invite along and says it was brought by a stranger.   Surely he would know if he used those coloured envelopes.   His future is River's past.   The Doctor surmises the Silence let others make things for them and influenced human history.  "Why did the human race suddenly decide to go to the moon - because the Silence needed a spacesuit."

Canton records the Silence on the videophone when he utters, "You should kill us all on sight."  River aks if the spacesuit can move without an occupant.   Amy can be heard again, calling him a stupid fool, her life was so boring before he dropped out of the sky.   Rory assumes she's talking about the Doctor.   Who both talk about the fall of Rome, they were both there and Rory waited for Amy for 2,000 years: the last centurion.   Rory admits he can recall it, but not all the time.   Amy is tied up, wonder if she was 'probed' as she wouldn't recall what happened to her.   She'll bring the silence.   The Doctor brings the TV to watch the moon landing.   He and River flirt.   She can shoot 7 of them, or 8 for "you honey."  She tells him to make her and maybe he will.   Amy asks if their flirting is important.   They should surrender.   He has two hearts which are big on forgiveness, but he won't let them go, not really.   Canton plays the video message, telling everyone to kill them on sight, which is seen on the TV by everyone.   The Doctor says they've given the order for their own execution.

That's where Neil Armstrong's foot came in, inserting the message just before he sets foot on the moon.   Amy calls Rory "stupid face."  River suggets he should build a cabinet with that screwdriver, which he calls being rude.   Amy always calls Rory stupid and Rory still carries around the recorder.   Canton wanted to marry a man, a black man.   The Doctor says Nixon will be remembered and he tells Nixon to say hello to David Frost for him.   David Frost of course conducted interviews with Nixon, after the Watergate scandel.

River tells the Doctor she has a "promise to live up to" and they kiss.   They've done that before.   He says there's a first time for everything and River adds, "and a last time." This is their last kiss.   Amy told the Doctor she was pregnant and not Rory, as she was worried about the baby's health, but Rory's a nurse.   The Doctor scans Amy using the TARDIS, and the scan reverts between positive and negative, so we don't get to see.

New York 6 months later.   The girl is dying but she can fix it, she lights up.   So it's more probable she's the Doctor's daughter, since the only way she can fix herself is by regenerating.   This makes her a Time Lord  - yes?  So this episode also explained to some extent the allusions to the Silence from last season.   Thus it was good to actually get an explanation about this and that it wasn't conveniently forgotten after such a build up, since the silence could have amounted to anything back then.   Turns out they were creepy aliens with powers, unlike any we've come across before in the show: to make people forget they've seen them, the height in spookiness.   The silece first mentioned in season 5 episodes The Eleventh Hour and The Vampires of Venice.

My gripe was the opening to this episode, since they were rushing around and the Doctor about to be put into a purpose-built prison; us not knowing how they arrived there and why Amy, Rory and River were running from Canton, who conveniently or coincidentally, just happened to have found all three of them and captured the Doctor too, who's too good to be caught.   Also no explanations as to why Canton would shoot them either.   Rory and the fall of Rome mentioned from season 5's The Big Bang.

The Silence says Amy will bring about the silence, how will she achieve this; by the girl killing the Doctor.   Yet in the future, the girl was still only a girl.   Now she's regenerated herself, does she get a new body and face.

Stargate Atlantis - 5.03: "Broken Ties" Review

Ronan is abducted by a former friend of his and undergoes the Wraith treatment to become a Wraith himself. Teyla has to decide whether to return to the team or not.

Teyla (Rachel Luttrell) complains of not getting much sleep and how Kanaan (Patrick Sabongui) is finding it difficult to adjust to life on Atlantis.   Ronon (Jason Momoa) spots a body on the ground and is shot and taken.   Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) comments how Tyre (Mark Dacascos) would have killed him if he wanted to.   Teyla believes he may still have his Setedan sense of honour.  Sheppard has to ask for permission from Woolsey (Robert Picardo) to "go off world." Woolsey hasn't received Teyla's formal request to return to duty and she hasn't decided whether she wants to or not.   Sheppard is sure she will return.   Woolsey gets stuck in the conference room.

Tyre calls Ronan and himself brothers.   He recalls Sarif Sur where Ronon risked his life to save him and he's returning the favour now.   Sheppard and the team visit with Solan Sincha (Sean Campbell) who comments Ronon was always in danger and Tyre is a former Wraith worshipper.   Tyre tells Ronon help is on the way for them from the Wraith.   When the team return to base, Woolsey tells Teyla about the Yorkie he used to own and his wife got him in the divorce (thus his photo in the office in later episodes.)  Woolsey adds priorities change.   Teyla: "and sometimes they don't."

The Wraith sucks the life from Ronon and then brings him back.   He'll submit eventually just like his fellow  Setedans.   Rodney (David Hewlett) claims to have been up all night, pacing, snaking and bathing.   Archimedes got his ideas in the bath and he needs a new perspective.   Sheppard: "I'm not taking a bath with you!"  Oh no can picture that now!  Lorne (Kavan Smith) has a message from Solan that Ronon is at Sarif Sur.   Ronon thinks Tyre is a traitor to their people's' memory  Tyre demands his reward for Ronon.

The team brings back Tyre but don't find Ronon.   Jennifer (Jewel Staite) sedates him but his brain activity shows signs of withdrawal.   Sheppard didn't tell Teyla about Ronon's rescue and she's angry she was left behind.   She's having second thoughts and Woolsey wants Sheppard to find a replacement for her, so she has to decide what she wants.   The Wraith tries to break Ronon as his friends died cos they couldn't stand the conversion process but he's stronger.   Ronon and Tyre both suffer in their respective processes, Ronon from conversion and Tyre from his withdrawal.

Teyla worries when she goes on a mission she may not return.   Kanaan believes she has a responsibility to Torren and to other people out there in the galaxy too and she must follow her heart.   Tyre offers to help get Ronon back by taking them to him.   Ronon finally succumbs and is given his sword by the Wraith.   That was a mistake and Sheppard does the same thing at the end too.   Sheppard knows Tyre is desperately trying to help his friend as Sheppard has been in his place too.   Teyla wants to go, leaving Woolsey holding her baby.   They plant explosives on the power relay of the Wraith facility and Ronon shields the Wraith when they encounter him.

Tyre holds Teyla hostage and Ronon knocks Sheppard out.   Teyla seemed to be quiet in the cell, as Rodney attempts to hatch a plan, like having info they can only give to Ronon so he'll have to come here and they can appeal to the side that is still him.   Sheppard can think of three things wrong with that plan.   What only three, ha.   Sheppard is brought before the Wraith who demands he kneel.   Ronon chops off the Wraith's hand and Sheppard has his gun.   Cos the pitstop Tyre made was to get the weapons and to let the others out, yet Ronon and Tyre engage in a fight.   Tyre wants the Wraith to call off the others or he will destroy their facility, which he'll do anyway.   Tyre trades his life for the detonator and for the others to be able to leave.   When the others are clear Tyre declares the Wraith turned his back on Tyre first and detonates the explosives.   Ronon now has to undergo withdrawal from the Wraith enzyme.

Sheppard tells Ronon they will all help him as they're all friends and so was Tyre.   Rodney bores Ronon with his piano story and having 'nimble' fingers.   Teyla returns to the team.   Woolsey retires to his chambers to slip into "something more relaxed."  I.e his suit.  Rodney in the bath comes up with a brainwave.   Sheppard returns Ronon his sword.

All in all I can say there were three things wrong with this episode.   What only three, ha.    It just seemed like a filler and though concentrated on Ronon and Tyre's friendship, or lack of; it was too easily dismissed, just as Ronon finally giving in and becoming a Wraith 'worshipper.'   Not much was done to move the story forward and Teyla just returned to the team as we knew she would.

Think Ronon was converted a bit easily - though this may not have been quite the intention, it seemed that way.   Then what was going on with him when he cut off the Wraith's hand - an act of defiance - but he was converted by then and still had the foresight to fight Tyre.   Probably cos he viewed him as human and his enemy.   In some ways this episode could have been better if they had spent more time on Ronon being a Wraith and not have brought him back so easily.   Rodney and Sheppard in their usual funny moments and Sheppard's bath line was the only highlight here.

Joseph Mallozzi on his blog said, this "episode takes Ronon far beyond his wise-cracking warrior persona fans have grown to know and love, offering a glimpse of the character at his most vulnerable...a couple of touching Ronon-Sheppard moments as well."  In season 3's Reunion Ronon had to choose Atlantis or his Setedan friends; here Teyla has to do much the same.   Her duty to the team or be a mother to Torren.   Don't know what the fuss some fans had about Teyla choosing to return to the team, most mothers work.   Also we see Woolsey is human after all, ha.

The Vampire Diaries - 3.1: "The Birthday" Review

Elena celebrates her 18th at the party Caroline throws for her, though she's more interested in learning if Stefan is still alive or not. He proves he is with yet another trail of bodies.

Tennessee: Klaus (Joseph Morgan) under the pretext of his car breaking down asks a girl if he can use her phone, so she can invite him in.   She says she'll get the phone but he compels her.   He's looking for Ray (David Gallagher).   Stefan (Paul Wesley) waits outside and he's invited in too, so he can play lackey to Klaus once again as he lets rips into them.   Caroline (Candice Accola) is planning a party for Elena's (Nina Dobrev) 18th.   There's been a third animal attack  in Memphis, more of Klaus's Vics.  Alaric (Matt Davis) sleeps on the couch since he doesn't want to sleep in Jenna's room.

Damon (Ian Somerhalder) in the bathtub asks Andie (Dawn Olivieri) for more champagne and has to get it himself.   So he leaves the tub naked and who should walk in, Elena of course.   So after getting a good eyeful of him, she throws him a towel, which he has the decency (ha) to put on.   Damon tells her he's hit another dead end and she tells of a new lead.   Damon reminds her (and us) that Klaus has to remain believing Elena is dead.   Damon has a list of cuttings and has been following the slew of killings.

Jeremy (Steven R McQueen) has a summer job and he sees Vicki (Kayla Ewell) again and Anna (Malese Jow).   Bonnie (Kat Graham) is away.   Matt (Zach Roerig) asks Jeremy to swap tables with him since he doesn't want to wait on Caroline and Tyler (Michael Trevino).  Carol Lockwood (Susan Walters) watches Caroline.

Ray recognizes Klaus and Stefan as vampires but Klaus refers to himself as a "different kind of monster."  He's a hybrid and he wants more like himself.   Thus he wants the location of Ray's pack.   Stefan says they'll play 'truth or wolfsbane' a drinking game.  Curiously later on, Damon will refer to drinking games and how Stefan is much better at them.

Alaric calls himself Damon's accomplice and he's waiting for Elena and Jeremy to throw him out.   So how did Damon just walk into the girl's farmhouse?   Cos they were dead? They were turned into vampires and he knows this is Stefan's signature and what his Vics look like when he's done with them.   That's why he's called a 'ripper.'  He puts the bodies back in order to feel some remorse.

Caroline told Tyler about Elena kissing Damon and she calls it a goodbye kiss, yeah she thought she'd get one in before he dies.  (2.22) Caroline and Tyler talk about their horny feelings, eeww, "emotions are heightened and we're on overdrive." Tyler agrees it's the same for werewolves.   Damon has to cover their tracks, well Stefan's tracks since he's the one Klaus is getting to do all his dirty work for him and sets fire to the house, after finding chains under the floorboards, there to hold a werewolf.

Stefan tortures Ray with darts, so that's what happens when you feel like throwing darts at someone on a dartboard.   Stefan has been compelled to continue until he gives him info.   A woman tells Klaus about Damon being seen at the house and Stefan offers to take care of Damon himself.   Stefan will return as he's in service to him for saving his brother.

Damon gives Elena the necklace he found in Alaric's loft.   Not only does he give it to her but he slides it around her neck (well he could have gotten hot under the collar here).   Yet he lends Elena her arm to escort her to the party.

Jeremy smokes a joint at the party along with Matt and he's been seeing things since he got back.   Elena's blabbed to Matt about Jeremy dying.  Caroline in yet more man strife is convinced Matt hates her and so he's taken to drugs.   Damon loves high school parties. Was that an old pet love of his then?   Alaric's the worst teacher chaperon and he should talk to Jeremy.   Stefan comes after Andie, meaning to send a message to Damon and terrorizes her.   Matt tells Caroline she's been with Tyler everytime he saw her over summer and Caroline is jealous of Tyler being with the other girl.  Damon gets a call and has to pick up Andie and sits on that infamous wall with Alaric, which will be deja vu for a later episode.   Elena wonders if everyone all just want her to get on with her life.   She's not giving up on finding Stefan and just wants to know if he's alive (as alive as he can be) and that's her birthday wish.   Elena finds Damon's board.   Damon was definitely in need of a haircut, but I digress.

Stefan demands Damon should let him go and he doesn't need saving.   Damon replies Elena won't let him do that.   Andie's on the 'bridge' above them and Stefan ruthlessly compels her to walk over the edge, pulling Damon away so he can't save her.  Then disappears.

Jeremy sees Vicki and she asks him for help.   Matt hears him utter her name.   Tyler tells Caroline if he doesn't want her to date then she should say so.   Damon takes his anger out on the furniture in Stefan's room after Elena confronts him over why he lied and kept secrets.   Damon is sure they were both stupid and reveals it's not Klaus's Vics but Stefan's.    Damon's seen it before, as he told Alaric earlier and that's why Stefan's the the ripper.  "Stop looking for him.   Stefan is gone and he's not coming back, not in your lifetime." It's harsh and to the point but Elena's not listening.

Ray gives up the location  and Klaus forces him to drink his blood before killing him.   Klaus knows Stefan still cares for Damon and his old life and he hopes Damon believes him for his own sake, "never stop caring about family." The blood makes it easier to let go.

Alaric leaves Elena's  and he's no role model.   He still misses Jenna and they can do better without him.  Damon loses it, so does Stefan but in a different way; he so wants to be free from Klaus's compulsion.   He finally picks up the phone and says nothing.   She knows it's him and her heartfelt plea to him is that he'll be okay, "I love you Stefan, hold onto that.   Never let that go." Lockwood fires darts on Caroline when she leaves Tyler.

As season 3 returned it was time for Elena to grow up and take responsibility for herself and Jeremy.   Hence Alaric moving out.  he was just down on himself for losing Jenna. He failed her so he feels he'll do the same with them.   He's had his share of being a father figure as he can only do well with his students.   Alaric and Damon in the same boat, though Jenna was the love of Alaric's life and Andie was just Damon's 'would-be' girlfriend.

As for Elena, not only does she have to watch out for Jeremy but also has to move on from Stefan, easier said than done cos she doesn't want to, he's still under Klaus's compulsion and there were moments where he showed signs of his humanity trying to break through.   Yet he still has to struggle since his allegiance with Klaus is based on Damon remaining alive and keeping the secret of Elena being alive.   Doesn't he believe Damon can look after himself, but clearly not where Klaus is concerned, he can't take the risk.   He's his only family.   As Klaus also tells him, family is important.

Elena finds Damon's 'wall of ripper', for want of a better phrase and realizes Damon's been trailing Klaus.   However he hasn't told her.   The only lead she has is from the sheriff, which Caroline told her about.   Nice plot twist when Damon reveals it's not Klaus's Vics he's been tracking but Stefan's.   He's a ripper and Damon has his heart set on disowning him.   Stefan won't return and especially since he killed Andie (doing Damon a favour in getting rid of the 'other' woman for him.  That sounds harsh.)  Then Elena has Damon around as she tries to convince herself when she kissed him, it was as a goodbye kiss, when she finds out Caroline told Tyler.   For all her faults Caroline can't keep a secret, neither can Elena.   Ha.

Elena is still naive as far as Stefan goes and she can't believe he would do something so cruel.

Damon in the nude, how gratuitous was that scene? Ha, well Ian Somerhalder has appeared in a movie in a full frontal nude scene, (now don't all rush to watch it, I won't mention the name.)   An unashamed attempt to keep viewers glued from the outset.  Ha.   If  the Season 1 DVD release is entitled 'Love Sucks' then season 3 should be called 'Life Sucks.'  Elena's wish is to know Stefan is alive and she finds this out when he calls her, but even before that, when Damon tells her he's been killing, that should have woken her to the fact he is alive.   She instinctively knows it was him. Well, it wouldn't be Damon breathing heavily on the other end.  

For avid fans the scene where Stefan makes the call would have been heart wrenching as he struggles with his conscience and of becoming the very thing he fought hard not to become, a fiend, a monster under Klaus's control.   Still just being alive and barely surviving isn't enough as he kills Andie just to send a message to Damon to keep out of his way and life.   With everything Elena has to be angry with Damon about, he doesn't tell her Stefan killed Andie and what Damon's feeling right now.   Then he takes it out on the furniture.   A touching scene for Damon cos he's reacting not just to Andie being dead, killed by his own brother, but he realizes he can't help Stefan.   For once for Damon no humans bore the brunt of his anger.   Damon could not see what Stefan was really doing but that's cos he knew Stefan as he once was, just as Damon was too, a cruel, sadistic ripper and now he can see that resurface in Stefan.   Stefan needs help but Damon won't be giving it to him - thus his last ditched attempt to call Elena and hear some normalcy from the madness Klaus has instilled in him.

Stefan can still feel guilt showing his humanity is still intact somewhere.   Only Alaric would use the word, "chivalrous" seeing as he teaches history.   Damon was saddened by Andie's death and was affected by it, surprising everyone.   He genuinely cared, unless it was more concern with what Stefan is capable of doing.

Damon: "Andie wants me to pick her up."
Alaric: "Your fake, compelled girlfriend wants you to be a chivalrous boyfriend."
Damon: "Well...it's a complicated dynamic."  Isn't it always?

That wall where Alaric, Elena and Damon sit has become like a second home. Next time they are there, Damon will take his frustrations out on a human and not the furniture.   Stefan won't be back in her lifetime, but Damon's here keeping the home fires burning. That's the signal he's been sending her.   But she's too absorbed in her love for Stefan to notice, at least right now.   They are trying to get Damon to to make Elena glance his way with the necklace scene and being her protector now.   Caroline and Tyler getting together  was on the cards and Lockwood stopping her.   Why did Caroline steal away like a thief in the night (or day) like that?  She made it seem she was ashamed of spending the steamy night with Tyler.

Supernatural - 6.4: "Weekend at Bobby's" Review

An episode which delves into Bobby's life and how he does everything for everyone without a moment's peace. Here he finds a way to get his soul back. Also directed by Jensen Ackles.

One year ago: Crowley (Mark Sheppard) shows up.   Bobby (Jim Beaver) puts on a Brit accent, but he doesn't have Crowley's brand of drink, which is Craig.  Cheap drink will burn a hole in Crowley's soul.   Bobby demands his soul back and he's told to look at Para 18(b) on his "naughty bits."  Best effort to give back his soul but he can't, he's got ten years.   Bobby traps him and Crowley whistles for the hounds, forcing Bobby to release him.   It's not over for Bobby or Crowley.

Kenosha, Wisconsin.   Present Day.   Dean (Jensen Ackles) finds a claw.   Sam (Jared Padalecki) can't get any EMF readings so Dean calls Bobby.   Six DBs chests were cracked open and they need an ID on the claw.   Dean suggest Bobby should get Bo Derek out of his bathtub.   Flash through Bobby's day and his research at the library where he breaks in; visiting neighbours and how he burns the midnight oil, whilst the rest of us are watching Sam and Dean.   The creature is a 'lamia.'  Dean eats burgers again.  

Bobby has a demon in the basement.   She asks for foreplay al la Sharon Stone style in Basic Instinct and Bobby wants Crowley's real name.   She can only talk about Bobby killing his wife.   Bobby burns her bones and she screams.   Crowley is King of the Crossroads, but he's King of Hell.   Bobby's neighbour, Marcy (Jennifer Aspen) brings over peach cobbler.   She's after him, 'til she finds out what he really does.   He claims horror flicks are his guilty pleasure, well that was near enough to the truth, seeing as they do delve into horror.   Marcy invites him for DVDs and to fix her woodchipper.

Crowley's real name is Fergus McLeod.  He's Scottish. "Gave it my best effort," like Crowley and he finishes off the demon.   Bobby answers the phones, giving hunters advice.   Rufus (Steven Williams) needs help burying a DB.   He knows 'Okami'  are only seen in Japan.   He asks for a shovel and Bobby brings out the big guns: a digger.   Rufus knows about Craig of course, he's into his drink as we'll recall from season 3.15 Time is on my Side, when Dean brought him the bottle of Scotch.   Bobby hasn't had his cobbler yet, that somehow doesn't sound right.

Sam's attacked by the lamia.  The knife didn't work. Sheriff Mills (Kim Rhodes) and Agent Adams (Shaw Madison) are chasing Rufus. He's known as Luthor Vandross.   Bobby calls him a 'dick.'  Oh crap - enough with the 'dicks' already!  The sheriff tells them to put their rulers away and zip up - like Beckett (Stana Katic) told Castle (Nathan Fillion) and her ex, Will, in Castle season 1.  The agent finds the hole in the yard and is told the septic tank exploded.   The Okami isn't dead.   Rufus only stabbed it five time and it feeds on white women, cue Marcy.   Bobby heads straight for her bedroom and after a long fight finally pushes it into the wood chipper, which apparently works and was just a rouse to get him over.   Now she doesn't want him around.   Bobby: "Story of my life."

Rodric 1661, Crowley had a son, Gavin (Adam Groves) and his bones weren't found in a ship wreck, but his ring was found which Booby needs.   It's in an Andover museum.   He can swap Crowley's son for his soul, can't think it would be so easy.   He still hasn't eaten his cobbler, which he shouldn't bother with.

Dean calls to rant about Sam being different. "I get it," going through that he changed.    He's got questions about that year.  Bobby's call is important.   Rufus has the ring and is being chased by police.   He swallows the ring.   Dean reckons everything is about him and Sam.   Dean can talk to Bobby about Sam, Ben, Lisa.   Dean thinks Bobby is selfish since it's all about Bobby.  Bobby loves them but at times 'they're 'whiny, self absorbed SOBs'.   Bobby does everything for them.   They just 'bitch' about each other to him.   They've got issues but what about Bobby and his soul? They should help him for once.   Sam says he only needs to ask.   Why should Bobby have to ask, just like he's there for them and they don't ever ask? Well, not really.

The sheriff says Rufus will be extradited for murder soon.   Bobby's done plenty for this town and he's no good at asking for help, but she can't help.   Bobby goes to put the boiling water on for the ring, summoning Gavin's ghost and Crowley too.  Crowley comments it's been hell in hell.   Bobby explains that was the point.   All demons lie.   Bobby's not Dr Phil and Crowley hates his son.   He hates everyone when you think about it, aside from himself.   Bobby used Gavin to dig the dirt on Crowley and his son hates him too and told him everything.   Crowley sold his soul and was just a tailor.   He knows where Crowley's soul is buried.

Sam and Dean are in Scotland. Well, that was easy. How'd Dean get on a flight for that long?!  "Me and Sam, we've gone international." Dean comments he used to wear a skirt.   Crowley states burning bones isn't a myth and they've got his.   Crowley relents, returns his soul and Bobby wants to keep his legs too.

Crowley retrieves his bones.   Sam tells Dean that a deals a deal but Crowley doesn't need him to fight his battles.   Sam doesn't have a soul but he tells Dean not to burn him.   Dean was sick in the plane but he was sober and apologizes to Bobby for earlier.   Bobby was right about them.   Hey look Dean drives on the right side of the road!  It was great to watch an episode devoted almost entirely to Bobby and what he has to do for all hunters and not just Sam and Dean.   Even if the episode was Jensen's directorial debut; the writers could have easily put Sam into a lot of it.   Since it was the first Bobby episode we've had, suppose mention had to be made of Crowley and his background.   Can't see him as a 'Fergus' though.   Also the revelation demon souls are able to be destroyed by burning their bones.   Wasn't that always the case though, everytime Sam and Dean used to salt and burn bones?   Crowley was careless in leaving his lying around for who he is and what he does; always trying to be one step ahead of everyone else.  Didn't he realize he may get caught out one day?   Or should that be caught with his kilt down?   Then he takes them back and probably buries them elsewhere.

It was a good time to let Bobby have his soul returned and then reveal that Crowley is the 'King of Hell' but wasn't the one to bring back Sam.   Does this mean it had to be Castiel (Misha Collins)?   Let's face it, he rescued Dean and retrieved him but why wouldn't he also bring back Sam, especially seeing as he's so friendly with Dean?   He would do that for Dean.

Crowley: "Making merry, have we?"
Bobby: "Bite me."
Crowley: "If that's your thing."  Lines Sam and Dean have said to each other on many occasions.   Hey Bobby and Crowley - an alternate version of Sam and Dean, well Dean's the heavy drinker.   Um, scratch that what was I thinking, but they do bitch aplenty.  Bobby calling Rufus a chick, like Dean does Sam, hey maybe they're the 'new' Sam and Dean instead!  Also showcasing Bobby's terrible bad luck with women.   Notice after everything Bobby does for everyone, he was the one who came up with the idea to trick Crowley and get his soul returned, showing his adeptness and cleverness.   No one else thought about that, nor would they have either.

Rufus refers to Godzilla and Marcy asks if Bobby watched Drag Me To Hell (not a sub-title for Sam and Dean's antics throughout the seasons) but Sam Raimi movie, where a woman is chased, haunted by a lamia after a curse is placed on her by a gypsy.

Crowley is the King of Hell yet he can't keep a tight rein on his demons; all going rogue and taking all sides such as Lucifer's.  Same thing with the angels too and there's no mention of a civil war in hell, but none of these demons are watching out for each other, much like the angels who are engaged in a civil war and taking sides.

A lamia was described as the Queen of Libya in mythology who turned into a child feeding daemon, has been likened to a vampire.   Merlin season 4 also had a lamia in an episode, entitled Lamia.   In the DVD extras looking at Jensen's direction, Jared said Jensen was his fave director so far.  

Castle - 1.2: "Nanny McDead" Review

The body of a nanny in the dryer leads to another case and more shadowing Beckett on the part of Castle; providing some subtle insights on both along the way.

Castle (Nathan Fillion) has to sign waivers to work with Beckett (Stana Katic) , so that no one; including "My lifeless body, can sue the city."  Beckett just wants to shoot him now.   That's another comment about wanting to shoot him, last episode she said she has a gun.   Must be trigger happy.   She has a case and he's got paperwork.   Now did she seriously think she could elude him, it's like Castle's got eyes and ears everywhere.   A nanny is found in the dryer and Beckett notices the bleach bottle and blood on the floor.   He's already there, as Castle says she thought she'd given him the slip.  Never.   And refers to the DB as 'Nanny McDead'.   Beckett is his inspiration and he doesn't know when inspiration will strike (usually at the end of the episode when he actually gets to write.)  Well inspiration is a slow process and it will take roughly 4 years and counting to strike, or should that read yet to strike, (seeing as the show will return for its season 4 shortly.)  The Door manager, another fan of his books, informed him about Sarah, the nanny.   Castle introduces himself as "Richard Castle NY."

They question the parents Sarah was working for, the Peterson's and Castle can't wait to probe them about Sarah's boyfriend, since "statistically speaking" the killer has to be someone she knew, as Beckett should already know.   Yet she tells him later that she suspected the husband, Howard peterson (George Newbren).   Sarah didn't have a phone in her bag and Castle had more questions to ask.   Beckett's MO: she likes to investigate before she asks questions.   How' s that helpful and she htinks CSU will find the phone.   No they didn't, Castle will.   He asks her if Beckett really has to tinform Sarah's parents about her death and she just replies, it's easier to write than to deal with real life, as the scene in the laundry room later will show.

Castle comments about the Son of Sam's neighbour being unaware he was a killer and thinks they should look into the neighbours, as is always the case on an investigation, strange he has to tell seasoned detectives what they should be doing, well he does.   He spins a yarn about the guy in 8b, watching the girl he'll never have a chance with, "we all know women like that"squarely directed at Beckett.   Great story telling, just when he has them hooked and us too, he breaks off, building up all that suspense.   That you see is the sign of a great writer/yarn spinner.   The Petersons didn't even live on the 8th floor!

Castle's mother, Martha (Susan Sullivan) has cooked and Alexis (Molly Quinn) thinks he's turning into a cop.   Castle: "Ya think."  He had a nanny when he was younger, but they decided on not having one for her.   He brought her up instead, as a father should.   His nannies watched Daytime soaps, instead of him and he got his plot for his first novel from watching One Life to Live.   Should've seen that in-joke coming!  As Nathan played Joey Buchanan in the soap.

Beckett calls him to view an autopsy, well at least it's findings.   Didn't think she'd accommodate him in that way, so that surprised us too.  Lanie (Tamala Jones) is pleased to see him.   Cue scene about sex and the comments that were just waiting to fly from Castle!  Sarah had sex before she died.   Beckett: "Sex?" I had to put a question mark there, it just seemed right.   Castle: "I'll explain how that works later."  At least he didn't say he'll demo later, ha.  Now that would have been interesting!  Beckett asks what evidence there is of sex and Lanie replies a condom was used.   Castle: "It really has been a long time for you hasn't it?"

Castle suggests to the others that the laundry room provided an opportunity for the killing.  Beckett questions Brent, (Michael Graziader) Sarah's boyfriend, indicating Castle is here by invitation only.   As if she could stop him from sitting in.   Besides Captain Montgomery (Ruben Santiago-Hudson) wouldn't let her.  Brent and Sarah broke up.   Beckett plays him the messages he left for Sarah, which Castle believes are even worse then the ones left by Alec Baldwin for Kim Basinger.  He advises Brent shouldn't use his credit card when buying a pre-paid phone.   But Brent doesn't have anything to hide, since he has an alibi.    Castle adds men don't like getting dumped.   Chloe (Sarah Drew) another nanny got Sarah the job.   Beckett tells him not to leave town and he says she needs probable cause to do that.   Beckett says Brent doesn't know that.   Castle: "You can lie like that - that is so cool." (As we know from CSI:NY and generally, NYPD detectives are allowed to legally lie to suspects in order to investigate their case.)

Castle used to take Alexis to the park when she was little, it afforded the chance to meet single, lonely mothers.   (Had to have been an upside to parenting, not that he doesn't care about his daughter.   Makes a refreshing change for the father to have an active role in their child's life.)  Also surprising Beckett who didn't think he could be Mr Mom.   She is very judgemental and just when she thinks she has him pegged, he comes up with something totally unexpected about himself, which just astonishes, or annoys her.  Thus she should never judge a book by its cover (had to get that in!) Beckett on the other hand doesn't like to reveal anything private and doesn't answer him when he asks if there's someone in her life.   He's been married twice, but she's the marry once type.   See there, one reason why they couldn't get together, cos he's not the type to stay married to one woman, from what we know of Castle so far.

Chloe tells them Sarah was seeing someone else and Beckett comes up with the old.  she knows what it's like to lose someone routine, which she hasn't been known to use before, since she doesn't like talking about herself.   It took Castle to reveal that last episode.   Beckett thinks Sarah was having an affair with Howard.   Chloe was my suspect, since she was trying to be so helpful, mentioning the affair and the fact it was with Howard, thereby deflecting any suspicion away from her.   She also attempted to throw them off the scent.  Mind you there were enough suspects in this episode to keep you guessing 'til the end.   But it couldn't have been Howard who killed her since Sarah wasn't close to him or a family member.   Beckett suspected him too, but didn't question him that day like Castle wanted.   Castle suggests she should play poker with him and his writer friends, she'd win.   She refuses, so he then suggests strip poker, she prefers "mystery to horror." Well there's an element of mystery in there, never know which item of clothing will be removed.

Howard admits he was having an affair but not with Sarah.  Castle: "don't leave town."  Ryan (Seamus Deaver) asks them to name one happily married couple, to which Castle replies DeGeneres and De Rossi (Ellen and Portia, respectively).   Claudia Peterson (Jayne Brook) was with her lawyer as she's surprising him with a divorce.   Martha asks if Castle is using the webcam again.   He burned the police DVD of the lift video and notices there are 5 seconds time difference on the video.   The second time Sarah took 5 seconds longer, so she came from the15th floor, yes but what if someone else called for the lift, it would have stopped on  that floor.  Thus taking up time on the video camera.  The 15th floor is Becca's floor, Chloe's charge.  Becca's mother, Diana (Melinda Paige Hamilton) was at work and her husband, Ian (Jason Brooks) didn't see Sarah that day.   Obviously he's lying as he's so nervous.   Giving Castle the chance to snoop in Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) mode.  He finds condoms in the bath and Beckett so doesn't get his clues, so he has to dial Sarah's number.   Her phone is found under the bed as it was shown in the opening scene.   Said phone having a long battery life.

The condom is being tested for Ian's DNA.  Castle: "that's something you never wanna hear." Beckett accuses Ian of Sarah's murder now.   Ryan tells her the condom's a match.  The time stamp on the video leads them to Chloe entering the lift without Becca.   She knew Ian ws questioned and she stabbed him.   Beckett doesn't want Castle to come in with them. "I already signed my life, away what more do you want."  Beckett took her time entering the room, anything could have happened.   A call leads them to Chloe in the laundry room where she cuts herself with a knife.   She's pregnant and Ian was going to leave his wife.   Beckett says she's not shooting anyone, unless it's Castle for coming in.   There she goes again trying to stop him from entering, how's he gonna research .Beckett tells her men lie and break hurts.   Speaking from experience? Castle got through the case unhurt.

Beckett is angry Ian will get away with what he's done, even if he will be taken down in the divorce.   Castle was facing a real tnreat but not to him, he was watching Beckett work for the first time in an emotional situation.   Also probably the first time he didn't say anything.   Period.   I.e no smart comments.   He writes about Nikki Heat being in love for his book.   Alexis says he'll turn into one of his readers and that sometimes it's fun to be surprised.   She thanks him for being her nanny.   Lots of surprises in this episode with the reveals.

This week's episode summed up in: sex, lies.   Lots of  similar references such as Castle saying if the guys are watching porn, he wants in and Martha asking if he's web-camming again? A commentary on men and their actions and how they almost always get away.   Have to agree with Beckett this time, surprised myself there.   These two both had affairs, lived in the same building and they didn't even think of the consequences.   It was a case of instant gratification fro them.   But goes to show Castle is different, he may be a ladies man but he sure as hell is a great father, reinforced by when he picks up the photo of him and little Alexis.  Some serious moments and laughs to keep me glued!

Did you notice the bloop at the end, Castle closes his laptop to pick up the photo frame, when he looks at the photo, his laptop can be seen opened on his desk.   Also someone didn't do the Math when the time stamps with the lift were being mentioned, there were some mistakes there too.   John Terlesky directed this episode, haven't heard his name in a while, he was in the US TV series Legmen (1984) alongside Bruce Greenwood and then turned his hand mostly to directing.