Destination Star Trek London Convention Part 1: My Day

Many hoards of Trekkies descended to the Excel Centre in London, where the Star Trek Convention was in full swing from 19-21 October 2012.  Their dedication was recognizable from their costumes, decked out in full Star Fleet attire, from all five shows. I, however, had chosen not to dress for the occasion.  Agh that sounds like I didn't wear a stitch of clothing, which I assure you I did.

I must confess, my prime directive for attending was to meet my fave star, Scott Bakula, who played Captain Jonathan Archer from my fave series Enterprise for four years.  Only four! Granted many will not agree with me, but to each his/her own.  Thought it was about time I went to one and as they say, it was now or never.  Got to have my photo taken, share a few hurried words with him and I got my hug. Yay!! Just love him to bits.

Then it was off to the Captain's Talk, again with Scott.  Which was meant to last 45 minutes long, but we were only given 40 minutes.  That was interesting when Scott was doing the talking but not so with some of the questions asked.  The time could have been better spent if the questions were not only shorter, but if some weren't off topic and downright ridiculous.  By the time the moderator, aka bloke with mike, got round to where we were sitting, time had run out and the fans on this side couldn't ask questions, except one.  How unfair was that?  At least Scott wanted fans to get a chance to ask on this side of the stage.  Showing how generous and kind he really is.  At least he didn't treat or separate fans according to what they had paid for their tickets!!

Apparently the stage was lit with blue lighting, wonder if they trying to create a Quantum Leap aura, when Sam would leap he'd be surrounded by blue light.

As soon as the talk began, Scott treated us to a few lines of Dulcinea from Man of La Mancha.  Video recordings were forbidden but as soon as he said he was going to sing, out came all the iPhones, vid cameras and everyone had their fingers poised on the record button.

Questions ranged from "Where is Sam Beckett now? Scott's character from Quantum Leap.  I mean, really, were you watching the show at all?  He never returned home, so he's still out there.  Even Scott seemed peeved at that, seeing as Sam wasn't getting his just 'dues' for helping people.

Scott thought they played Enterprise as they were in the Wild West, there were no rules.  As for which Star Trek show was the best, Scott; "our show was the best."  I concur.  He thought the scripts in the second season of the show "were better as did the work [get better]...if you go back and look at it which I know you guys never do."  If they had another season, "it would have been fun to go back there and do another musical."  It's cos he's also a great singer as well as actor and sings in most everything he does, or tries to.

There was one on his character on Desperate Housewives being called Trip, re the name of his Chief Engineer Charles Trip Tucker.  Scott replied he was meant to appear on the show for a long time but the seasons kept going by and then he finally got the chance in the last season.  He asked if they were fine with him playing it and they thought it was cool.  It was a "nod to Connor, but I didn't play him as Connor [Trineer]."

Even hinting that he may not be dead on Chuck and could still return.  "...people think I'm dead on Chuck - but you never know."  Some of his upcoming projects include a role on Law and Order SVU playing a bad guy, hey we don't care!  As well as Behind the Candelabra, a movie about Liberace, played by Michael Douglas.

Great interaction with his fans, at least he didn't sit on the chair that was provided for him, which would have made him seem elusive and unapproachable.  He's not like that.  He has immense respect and admiration for his fans, it's the fans who make the show, otherwise he could just be an actor in his own living room.  As he said, his "...whole career on TV was because of Quantum Leap and made it around the world [the show] because of fans.  I never forget why I'm here, I'm a wonderful actor inside my own house by myself, but we need each other."  So sweet and modest!

I'm really glad I went and was a part of a little bit of Star Trek history.  Scott made my day, well year...!!

I wanted to share some moments on this blog with you, cos I would hope that if I couldn't go, someone else would do the same. Enjoy.


My general review of the other guests attending and events taking place there will follow in Part 2.

Merlin 5.3 "The Death Song of Uther Pendragon" Review

Arthur (Bradley James) and Merlin (Colin Morgan) on a usual hunt out of the castle, hear screams from a woman.  Arthur investigates and Merlin, once again, tries to dissuade him from doing so.  They chance upon an old woman who is being burnt at the stake and save her.  Arthur refuses to believe she was involved in magic and as a result of saving her life, even if she is at death's door, she gives Arthur a horn.  This can summon the 'spirits of the dead.'  That was either timely or ill-timed, seeing as it turns out to be the anniversary of Uther's (Anthony Head) death.  Or rather, someone decided it was time they brought back Anthony head, to play a ghostly spirit.

To use the horn Arthur drags Merlin along, despite his protestations to a set of ruins, (resembling Stone Henge). Aka the Great Steps of Nemeton.   He steps inside the dead spirit's world and Uther tells him of his disappointment in the young Pendragon.  He hates the decision's he's made, making commoners knights, marrying a servant girl.  He thinks Camelot is no longer strong.  Uther steps away from Arthur leaving Arthur in tears and Arthur takes a last look behind him.

At Camelot during a meeting of the Round Table, the chandelier falls onto the table.  Elsewhere candles go out and there are gusts of wind.  Percival (Tom Hopper) is also attacked by an axe, which Arthur puts down to being an accident.  Merlin has no choice but reveal all to Gaius (Richard Wilson) making him angry.  Merlin explains he tried to stop Arthur.  Gaius believes Uther's spirit has been released.

Merlin visits Arthur, as he looks at the horn and then throws fruit onto the floor, so he can hide the horn under the bowl.  He refuses to let Merlin touch the bowl, even when he makes a grab for it.  Merlina asks if Arthur turned and looked back at Uther as he was leaving and this he says has allowed Uther's spirit to escape into the world of the living.

Cue funny moment when Gwen (Angel Coulby) is now the focus of Uther's attack and is dragged across the floor by him.  She runs to the kitchen and is knocked out.  Merlin rushing to save her as a fire ensues.  Arthur must now listen to Gaius and accept that Uther's spirit is rife and he must do what Gaius says in order for it to return.  Gaius concocts a potion for them to drink and Arthur wants Merlin to drink it first just to see if it's safe.  Merlin does so and Arthur follows suit with Merlin neglecting to tell him that it tastes vile.

They head out for their search of Uther and come across Leon (Rupert Young).  Merlin tells him he's discussing poetry with Arthur, who is forced to say he loves poetry and ruin his reputation as a macho man/king.  Uther refuses to bow down and return and is even intent on going after Merlin.  Arthur finds Uther on his throne where he once again riles him for marrying Gwen, whom Arthur describes as wise and strong, he values her counsel.  Uther knocks Arthur out and is about to attack him when Merlin arrives.  He uses his magic to stop Uther.  Who is surprised, "you have magic."

Have it and has had it since his time at Camelot.  He replies he "was born with it."  Merlin pushes Uther away with his hand and he flies through the door.  He's still around though and finally pins Merlin to the wall with two spears.  This time Arthur comes to his rescue and blows the horn, just as Uther is about to reveal Merlin has magic.

 Uther tells Arthur he is too trusting of people which is what I said last episode.  Yet Arthur is determined to be his own king and his own man.  He doesn't want to rule Camelot like Uther did and he makes his feelings known.

Merlin and Arthur display yet more 'horseplay' at the end as Merlin tells Arthur he should stop hitting him.  Arthur replies he doesn't and it's just some fun.  Thus Merlin slaps him with Arthur's glove, it's 'horseplay.'  Uther is still the same king he was at Camelot, even as a spirit, he is still abrupt and condescending of Arthur and condemning of Merlin for having magic.  At no point does he make Arthur feel loved, even if Arthur tells him he loves and respects him, but he doesn't want to be him.

He doesn't have one kindly word for his son and yet he wants to remain here as if he can rule over the kingdom still, or instill some sense of his own counsel into Arthur.  Anthony Head always portrayed Uther with flare and dramatically and he still shows this trait.  Even as a spirit he remains calm yet commanding.  It was good to see him return.  Still as stern as ever.  Making you wonder how he is doing in the spirit world, or the afterlife.  This episode makes it look like he is in pain or torment and his soul is not at peace.  Perhaps his soul is, but not his spirit.

No Morgana this episode but you'd have thought she would have been the target of his revenge and anger instead of his own son.  Arthur appears to accept magic is afoot at Camelot in his father's spirit returning and has to take Gaius's advice in returning him from whence he came.  He also is reluctant to believe the woman who was being burnt at the stake was a witch or held any magic whatsoever in his endeavour to save him.  Yet the very thing she gives him as reward is powerful and magical in itself.  To the point that Arthur can't resist the temptation to use the horn and summon Uther.  Clearly the timing for him was right being a year since Uther died.

Merlin continues to impress this season with its seasoned storytelling, taking it to a new mature level and yet the humour and banter between Arthur and Merlin is still as heightened as ever.  They respect each other mutually as shown by Merlin telling him once again how good a king he is and how many people think so, even Merlin, his loyal servant and though he hates to admit it at times, his trusted friend.

CSI:Miami 10.14 "Last Straw" Review

 A stray horse runs in front of a car.  Ryan (Jonathan Togo) is at the scene and Calleigh (Emily Procter) arrives when Ryan is trying to calm the horse down.  The saddle has blood on it.  Calleigh asks for a mint from him to calm the horse down. Proving she's a horse whisperer, also as she's spent time around horses as in a previous Miami ep.  The blood is all around the ropes and this leads Ryan to find a dead woman near the fence.  Horatio (David Caruso) arrives at the CS and they find she was hung with a lunge line.  Horatio knows she suffered and now the killer will also suffer.  This being Horatio's usual line now.

Horatio and Natalia (Eva La Rue) arrive at the ranch to see the owner, Joanna (Bo Derek).  The Vic was Cassidy (Candace Moon) and she boarded her horse here.  Elle (Jill Flint) her daughter takes care of the clients.  Elle doesn't know her personally or so she says and Natalia finds the lunge line.  ME Tom (Christian Clemenson) finds she was knocked out before she was hung and there are signs of sexual intercourse.  As Delko (Adam Rodriguez) finds a condom wrapper in the stable.  ME Tom also finds a hair on her leg, when analyzed reveals Mickey Quint (Travis Van Winkle).

He and Cassidy met at the stables and she liked it rough he tells Natalia.  He's also got a conviction for statutory rape.  Natalia tells him he's not here cos of the 'kink' but cos of the murder.  He was the last one to see her alive.

Natalia and Calleigh run forensics and Calleigh wants to check the rope,  Cassidy wore a sorority necklace, Phi, Gamma, Alpha.  Sam (Taylor Cole) and Ryan return to the stables and Ryan finds a half eaten burger outside.  She finds finds a bloody rock.  Ryan warns her of the snake which turns out to be the horse's crop.  Sam laughs at him and word has gotten to her about Ryan's reaction to the horse from earlier on.  The crop has the initials 'RP' which belong to Rachel Patrella (Tiffany Dupont).

Walter (Omar Miller) and Calleigh check out the sorority house and finds Rachel instructing girls on how to drink with a straw.  She lost her crop and wasn't at the stable until later on, she's going through a divorce, her husband being Mickey.  Mickey has an alibi but Horatio thinks he could have hired someone to kill her, as could have Rachel.  She claims not to have liked Cassidy.  They find Elle was also at the sorority ten years ago.  Elle didn't look like the type to fit in there.

Elle used to be picked on and made an object of humiliation and ridicule in front of the other girls.  Cassidy was president and her best friend was Rachel.  Elle admits to wishing Cassidy was dead, but only in her dreams.  Rachel attends a spa and gets into a tanning chamber.  Where someone turns up the UV and cuts off her oxygen supply, locking her in beforehand.  Ryan and Walter think she was cooked to death, but ME Tom corrects them, she died of lack of oxygen which is explained by her blue fingers.  The machine had duct tape around it so no oxygen could enter it.

The owner, Liam Flynn (Michael Lombardi) has an arrest record and is more worried about losing business.  He was arrested for locking the sorority girls in their dorm and setting off the fire alarm.  He hated them since they forced Elle to break up with him and in flashback you can see the humiliation she underwent.  Elle came to him to apologize for breaking up with him, but he's not interested since he's moved on.  Why did she apologize now.  He thinks it's perhaps cos they had a ten year reunion recently.

Horatio and Walter return to the stable and Elle tells them about Liam but also she probably wanted to be part of the sorority even more.  Walter notices duct tape and she also has a bicycle but the lock is missing.  Elle is arrested and her mother tells her she'll be okay.  Her father Dan (James Eckhouse) arrives in an airport van and he promises to help her.  Horatio thinks he won't.

Joanna tells Calleigh about being in the sorority.  She was in the same one and thus she was a legacy.  They talk about the necklace found on Cassidy and she wouldn't wear one out horse riding.  It belongs to Elle.  She explains how Elle was humiliated and made fun of everytime the girls came to the stable.  Calleigh suggests the horse would have been brushed and Natalia finds some DNA on the brush after Ryan and Sam retrieve it.  This time Ryan works his magic on the horse feeding it a mint to calm it down, whilst Sam collects the evidence.

The DNA matches a male and Elle's father is questioned.  He tells them his flight landed at noon but in actual fact he arrived earlier.  The airport van was for show and he confesses his anger at Elle's treatment.  Elle calls Horatio to tell him she's nothing left to live for.  Strangely it's Horatio who rushes to the stable and the one what she calls.  Cos traffic was a breeze and he gets there in time to save her from killing herself by hanging herself.  Horatio suggests she should start over.  Wonder how many times he should have said that to himself.  If he didn't he should have.

Ironically at the start Horatio says that they're going to make the killer suffer as much as Cassidy.  In reality, Cassidy was the one who made others suffer and though hanging is not justification for all the hurt that she caused, remember the saying; "hangin's too good" but she did deserve the same kind of humiliation she made Elle suffer.  Once a bully, always a bully.  It is hard to believer why Elle stuck it out at that sorority other than the legacy aspect of it, she could have left there anytime, instead of putting herself through that torture.  To add insult to injury, the humiliation didn't end there but continued on and Elle had to live through that again.

As for the suffering, her father killed Cassidy and Rachel for her, what was the point of ending it all now, when he had already done the deed.  What a waste of his life, if Elle hadn't survived.  It would have been all for nothing, even if it wasn't the right thing to do. Thus the killer did suffer too at the torment his daughter underwent.

Calleigh showing once again how proficient she is with horses as this upside sees her get out of the lab more and get a bigger role.  Naturally, Calleigh would be the one to tell everyone about Ryan's handling of the horse.  No mention this episode of Ryan and his attraction to Sam or about the bracelet she was given by Delko.  Calleigh went horse riding in 7.13 And They're Offed.  Also once again it's Delko who finds some evidence in the stables.  Calleigh found evidence of drugs under the horse's bridle.  Here she noticed the blood on the ropes.  In 7.13 Calleigh's love of horses was revealed.

In the film I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, one of the girls, Julie, was locked in a tanning chamber by a fisherman.

Without A Trace 3.14 "Neither Rain Nor Sleet" Review

A postal worker has a conversation with a colleague saying she doesn’t like video games and then disappears.

4 Hours Missing

Viv (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) drives up to the crime scene?? In tears.  The postal worker’s abandoned truck has been found: number 4281.  Sam (poppy Montgomery) tells her the missing woman’s name is Rosie Diaz (Elizabeth Pena).  She works at the Carpenter Street station and left this morning at 6:30 am.  Her truck was found 3 hours later.  The alley where it was abandoned isn’t on her route.  She was carrying the new video game Demon Storm and this was the only thing that was taken. Viv tells her Reggie plays it and if she didn’t let him play it, he’d only play it somewhere else.

5 hours Missing

Scott (Rob Moran) tells Danny (Enruque Murciano) that postal workers are mugged but not in this way.  Danny asks him how many video packages were on the truck: 316 worth $12,000.  He also asks if Rosie was having problems with any of her fellow workers and who knew what she was carrying?  The postmaster and the sorting people knew but she never had been in trouble.  She used to date Scott and called it off as she had some issues to sort through.

Rosie was a foster mother and was fostering a brother and sister.  Becky (Hillary Tuck) the social worker tells Viv and Jack (Anthony LaPaglia) they’d been with her for 6 months: Shantel (Jowharah Jones) and Malcolm (Jessie Usher).  They were removed 3 days ago as they received a call complaining of abuse.  Shantel thought they were too much trouble for Rosie and that’s why she doesn’t want them anymore.  Rosie promised she’d do anything to make their life better and she loves them.  They never had any such previous calls about Rosie.  Jack wants to see the records of her other foster children.

Danny and Sam do the rounds to see if Rosie had delivered the mail.  Her car is also missing.  Martin (Eric Close) puts out and APB on it.  Sam comments that not every criminal is a mastermind and robbing her own truck and escaping in her own car isn’t a good plan.  Sam thinks she may have needed the money.  Martin says Rosie spent most of her money on the children.  Danny thinks she might be helping out one of her children.

Viv checks Shantel for signs of physical abuse.  Jack asks her what it was like living at Rosie’s for the last 7 months.  It was okay but she doesn’t know if she hit Malcolm.  She and Rosie fought about a week ago.  She was angry when Shantel took her training DVD from the shelf.  She said she’d have to pay for it if it broke.  Rosie doesn’t get angry and it was out of character.

8 Hours Missing

Martin finds the DVD under Rosie’s mattress.  The DVD contains kiddie porn.  Martin says the boy isn’t much older than her foster son.

10 Hours Missing

Danny questions why the children in the DVD didn’t tell anyone and it wasn’t made in her apartment.  Sam says none of them are her foster children.  Danny says she could make a fortune.  One of her former foster children, Luis (Jon Huertas) says Rosie wouldn’t let anyone hurt her children.  He saw her 2 nights ago when he was going to babysit.  Luis told her she couldn’t disappoint anyone.  He’s happy and better off because of her.  Danny asks him what Rosie meant by “long shadows” as he thinks she probably meant something else by this.

He wonders why Rosie would have the DVD if she’s not into porn.  Sam suggests she may have suspected someone at work.  So Danny says the call about the abuse was a threat for her to back off.  She could be accused of mail tampering among other things.

Viv receives a personal call.  Jack asks if anyone brought any video cameras into the house.  Malcolm has a relapse and withdraws.

11 Hours Missing

One of the people on Rosie’s route, King (Bob Morrisey) is on the sexual predators list.  Danny comments call him old-fashioned but someone like King getting porn in the mail isn’t a good thing.  He tells them the girl told him she was 17.  Martin tells him she was 15.  Rosie brought a friend with her and asked him where the DVD came from?  Her friend knocked him to the ground.  She apologized a few days later.  Danny tells Sam that King’s porn is legal.  He also asks her about her and Martin.  Danny faxed the sketch to the post office and no one recognizes the mystery man.  Shantel doesn’t either.  Jack asks her if it’s possible Malcolm is withdrawn because he saw something traumatic..  She tells him he had a nightmare about someone being in the house. About 5-7 days ago.  She’d forgotten he used to have nightmares.

13 Hours Missing

Viv puts a receiver on Shantel as she speaks with Malcolm.  Jack tells her to ask if he recognizes the man in the sketch.  He tells her someone came to the house and argued with Rosie, demanding money.  She gave him $900, everything she had after selling her car. And even Shantel’s DSS cheque.  Malcolm pulled a gun on him.  He’d had the gun in the closet for a long time. Rosie told him he was her brother..

Sam doesn’t find any information on her brother or whether she had any other family.  Sam wonders why she hid him.  Sam tells Martin he wasn't to tell everybody about them but decides not to talk about it.  Someone mailed a DVD to their brother in Vegas it had the original tracker on it.  He bought it form a man at Bronzdale and Whiteplains subway entrance.  Ryan (Pat Healey) tells them Marquez sold them.  He only has his phone number.

14 Hours Missing

Danny finds Rosie’s brother.  They found the man who bought her car.  There was a photo on the visor on the back it said:  Rosie 17, Manny 7 1978 .  Martin says that makes him about 32 or 33.  Sam says the palm trees in the photo mean it could be Florida.  Martin gets the photo analyzed by Tech to read the number plate.

27 Hours Missing

She sees Rosie once a year.  Danny needs her help to find Manny.  She tells him he’s dead when Rosie was 17.  She wanted the family to stay together.  He was killed by a car, Rosie told her he didn’t see it coming.  She didn’t watch many for her.  Her mother told her she should’ve left their step-father and so she wouldn’t be in prison now.  Her other son is called Jorge Hernandez (Lombardo Boyer).

Sam doesn’t find a death certificate for Manny Diaz or Hernandez.  She says no autopsy would be carried out on an 8 year old hit on the street.  Martin gets a call from the Miami register about a mall being built where the family lived.  They found the remains of a 7 year old boy with evidence of blunt force trauma.

29 Hours Missing

Shantel shows Malcolm 4 photos of men named Jorge Hernandez.  He picks the right one.  Sam checked out Ryan, he knew Jorge.  He tells them he only brought he games and left Rosie an Jorge with the truck.  He only paid him $6,000 and not $10,000 so Jorge was angry.  He gambles and was $5,000 short.  He plays at an underground club.

Rosie confronted Jorge saying he called and had her children removed.  He went to the ATM for more money but she told him she doesn’t have anymore.  She got out of the car and told him she’s been helping him for 25 years since Manny died.  He didn’t meant to kill him.  Rosie walked away and he shot her in the back.  Viv tells him Rosie gave him everything.  Rosie is in the park.  Viv tells Shantel there’ll probably be a funeral for her.  When she’s 17 she should come and see her and she’ll see if she can help Malcolm stay with Shantel.

Jack tells Viv to go home.  He asks if he can help her in any way?  Viv has a flashback to her doctor.  He tells her she’s got hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: deterioration of the heart muscle.  The  wall between the ventricles is enlarged and obstructing the blood flow.  He gives her medication to begin with.  The condition is serious and may have killed her uncle.  It’s hereditary so she needs to get Reggie checked out too.  Viv receives a call from work.  Cut to Viv crying in the car at the start.

This episode was all about secrets: Sam and Martin, Danny finding out about them, though he suspected something from episode 6.  Viv and her fate, we finally get to see she’s suffering from a heart condition so more secrets for her to keep from everyone until episode 16/17 when Sam finds out, by accident.

Also Rosie and her brother, Manny’s death; keeping the real reason from her mother.  Her brother Jorge being just like her step father with his hereditary violent streak.  He killed his brother and she had to protect him, then in the end he killed her too.  Who’ll help him now?

Sam and Martin getting carried away like Danny wasn’t there, of course he’d ask what was going on.

Danny: “well I understand why it was hidden under the mattress.  Kiddie porn.”  Isn’t everything hidden under the mattress, or at least the bed anyway.

Danny: “Most kids that leave the system don’t look back.”  As he’s probably had a lot of experience dealing with such children in his line of work: also cf season 1 episode Little Big Man, when his friend Polly - social worker friend, deals with such children.

It’s good the way Danny’s so perceptive when it comes to the little things that suspects or people say that he picks up on when questioning them.  Like here he asks what Rosie meant by “long shadows” as obviously there was something more going on in her life than she told anyone.  The shadows referring to her brother Jorge and her brother Manny.  (See also Danny’s remark in episode 6 Nickel and Dimed about asking the woman at the hotel the for one thing "what’s the other,” line.)

Danny: “Well, we’d like you to come downtown and give us a sketch of that Puerto Rican.”

Danny: “So you and Marty seem, well you seem something.”
Sam: “yeah we are.”
Danny: “good.  It is good Sam.  Why are you hiding it?”  Saved by the bell.  They do that a lot in this.  Especially since you’d like to hear their reasons.  Eg season 2 episode 3 when Viv asks Danny about his real name and his phone rings, again!)  When did Danny begin calling Martin 'Marty?'

If Rosie had sold her car wouldn’t the new owner have to register it, so wouldn’t that come up on the system?  Malcolm pulling the gun on Jorge is exactly what he does to Rosie.

Sam: “You wanna tell everybody don’t you?”
Martin: “Sam you already know how I feel and now Danny’s asking.”  They don’t talk about it, no like it’s something they don’t need to talk about.  They do a lot of this, not talking that is.  Danny already knew anyway.

Why is Sam hiding it?  Is it because she doesn’t want Jack finding out?  Making judgements about her like not being able to find someone outside of work?  Afraid of what he’ll say.  Jorge not meaning to kill Manny just like he didn’t mean to shoot Rosie.

Jack: “I know that you think that I haven’t always been there for you and you’re right I haven’t; I’m here for you now.  If there’s anyway that I can help you?”
Viv: “This you can’t do anything about, but thanks.”  (No, I want my job back, under other circumstances.)

Pun in the title there, since the postal service is meant to deliver through this, but hey something always gets lost, including the postie who doesn't turn up until the late evening round here on most days!

Jon Huertas went on to Castle.

The Closer 7.19 "Last Rites" Review

A priest, Father Adam (Ben Bode) receives a call to administer last rites and the doctor on call leaves a note.  Fr Adam is killed and his DB dumped outside a school.  Provenza (GW Bailey) comments on a murdered priest being dumped where he was and Flynn (Tony Denison) comments, it "makes me think bad things."  Taylor (Robert Gossett) arrives with Pope (JK Simmons) and Taylor wants the DB moved ASAP.  Pope tells them they have to wait for the archivist before they can search his room.  Then Pope will make a deal with the Archbishop to examine Adam's papers.  Pope adds if Brenda (Kyra Sedgwick) has a problem with that then she'll have to deal with him.  Gabriel (Corey Reynolds) repeats what he said, "...Chief Johnson ...problem with that."

Brenda's father Clay (Barry Corbin) has arrived and she wants him to use the walker, she had it made up with police lights and CS tape.  Her mother, Willie Rae (Frances Sternhagen) tells her the new drugs and therapy is working, since he couldn't even move in Atlanta.  Brenda says no one will go into the rectory until the LAPD.  Brenda goes in the front way with Sanchez (Raymond Cruz) and Mrs Wallingham (Sandy Martin) wants her to leave.  Adam taught elementary school and if the parents found out about the murdered priest they'd be angry.

Tao (Michael Paul Chan) finds the rug left an impression in the carpet at the apartment where Adam was sent.  There's a girl's uniform in the drawer and photos of girls on the wall.  Adam has the lease to the apartment.  Brenda says none of Adam's prints were found in the apartment.  Fritz (Jon Tenney) is helping her with the molestation issues.  Clay can't taste his food.  Fritz interviewed the girls and found no evidence of abuse.  There were too many different girls in the photos and that's not the MO of a paedophile.  Brenda must convince the church they're not on a witchhunt.  Fritz takes Clay to the doctor as he likes his driving better.

Raydor (Mary McDonnell) posits as the photos weren't pornographic, they can open a dialogue with the church.  Brenda conducted a warrantless search and refusing to follow Pope's orders was insubordination.  She has an unsigned complaint from Pope and he wants Brenda to "recognize his authority."  She got him not to sign so that Brenda can see his position.  Brenda wonders why Pope has a chip on his shoulder.

Pope resumes negotiations with the church.  Tao found Adam's prints on the travel mug and the camera button in the bedroom.  Dr Hamlin doesn't exist or isn't registered in the state.  Brenda says the killer bought the rug with him and Tao adds olive oil was also in the rug, which is used in last rites.  Willie Rae tells Brenda her father is fine and his numbers need improving which gives Brenda a clue.  The clock on the camera wasn't set so they can see the time of day on the photos.  Adam was at a debate or at the cathedral at the time of some of the photos so he couldn't have taken them.  The landlord, Morris (Gary Perez) says he doesn't change the locks.  Father Calhoun (Paul Vincent O'Connor) is brought in and Pope wants Taylor present, not Brenda.  He refuses the journal request.  Raydor also adds they need a handwriting sample.  He comments Raydor is no better than Brenda.  Pope threatens to get a warrant and Taylor mentions the evidence they found, re photos, prints etc.  Raydor asks if they can have the journal for one day, with Calhoun being present all the time.

Brenda asks him to look at the dates and they'll need a handwriting comparison.  March 23rd, he was travelling to a San Diego conference.  Brenda believes it can't be coincidental that Morris's prints are there but none from Adam.  Morris had access to the apartment 24 hours a day.  He was involved in a car accident a few years back and a missing person's report was made on his wife.  A rug was also missing from the Morris home.  He has two sons, David and Michael and a priest, Adam was called to the hospital.  Adam didn't write down the message Morris had for his sons.

Adam's car was towed 30 miles.  Adam's car ran out of gas and Morris couldn't drive it back.  A storage facility is located nearby.  Morris confessed to Adam back at the hospital as he thought he was dying.  He left a message for his sons, that he killed their mother.  Brenda can't offer him absolution.  Provenza calls to say they found his wife's DB.

Pope tells Brenda he's going upstairs and won't be around to watch Brenda.  Someone will be replacing him as Assistant Chief who won't have time for her and he throws away the complaint, suggesting she doesn't need that in her record if she wants to circulate her resume.  Hinting that Brenda may want to leave.

Clay makes breakfast and Brenda tries to speak with her mother but she doesn't wake up.  So much for Brenda telling her mother that they'll have Clay around, no one thought about her mother.   What was it she wanted to tell Brenda and why did she tell Brenda she wasn't worried about not having her father around, but how she's going to look after him.  Don't suppose many saw that coming and now Brenda will probably have to look after him.  Strange she was looking after Clay for six months, but no one bothered to ask her how she was doing.  It was sad for Brenda though, she never got to say goodbye.  No one did.

The episode started out as what could have been dangerous territory with the death of the priest, but luckily it didn't go down that route.  Instead it focused on his past coming back to haunt him, so to speak with the confession that he heard.  How pathetic was Morris.  First he killed his wife and left her in the storage facility, he could have buried her anywhere by now.  Secondly he uses his own apartment building to kill Adam there and to fake all the photos and leave them there, when he could have lured him there under other pretexts, or even somewhere else, like the storage facility itself, under the pretext of wanting to confess without going through the motions of giving him an address, his own address etc.  Then he remembered to put Adam's print on the camera but not on the lease!

Willie Rae telling Brenda she can't "keep working like this your whole life.  It'll catch up with you."
Brenda: "I expect it will, but not tonight."  No tomorrow instead, was that some kind of a foreboding from Willie Rae.  Provenza will miss her too.

Oh boy after eveything Brenda had to deal with this season, they now throw in that for her to deal with too, seems they're going all out to make her life and departure as miserable as possible.  Pope's still turning on her and can't be bothered to look out for her anymore.  Taylor was when he tried to get her out of the rectory, wonder why?  Don't read anything into that, I'm just thinking out loud.

Merlin 4.12 "The Sword in the Stone" Part 1 Review

Merlin (Colin Morgan) cuts an extra notch on Arthur's (Bradley James) belt as he's fat.  He's "enhancing it for comfort and ease of use."  Merlin's good at keeping secrets.  Morgana's (Katie McGrath) army invades Camelot, led by Helios (Terence Maynard).  Agravaine (Nathaniel Parker) is missing.  Merlin lets slip about the holes in the belt.  Arthur tells him it's a good thing he doesn't have any secrets.  Otherwise he'd be blabbing.  He has many secrets though and they're mostly about how he's helped Arthur as well.

Arthur thinks of Gwen (Angel Coulby) when he sees Percival (Tom Hopper) with a woman.  Arthur looks for her and recalls why she's not here.  Leon (Rupert Young) et al can't hold the army back.  Agravaine attempts to fight Elyan (Adetomiwa Edun) but Morgana uses magic on him instead.  Why?  It wasn't only cos they just don't have enough time, it's cos he's Gwen's brother of course.  Merlin knew Agravaine was planning something.  Arthur joins the fight and is wounded (as usual).  Looks like those men could have gone under the fire Merlin started.

Arthur finally sees Morgana and Agravaine who wants Arthur.  Merlin says they can't fight them now.  Helios knows he's here and can't run.  Gwaine (Eion Macken) says "Arthur will not abandon his people."  Merlin needs to get Arthur out.  Gaius (Richard Wilson) tells Merlin he must make Arthur lose his will and takes Arthur away.  Gwaine stays to help, along with Gaius, who uses his usual excuse of slowing them down.

Arthur becomes a simpleton and they cross the boarder.  How come Merlin didn't use any magic on the army? But Morgana uses hers on Camelot.  Percival is missing, Elyan holds them off but is taken too.  Merlin needs to find Arthur some clothes as he's in Merlin's hands.  Only loyal to Arthur.  Morgana wants their corpses burned.  Merlin steals clothes from the line.  Arthur looks like a "turnip head."  Merlin holds onto the gold.

Morgana uses her snake on Elyan, the Nathair serpent, causing Elyan to reveal where they are headed., to Eldor.  If Agravaine fails her he'll be taking Elyan's place.  There as I said before, she's eventually bound to turn on him and here she mentions exactly that.  Well it's about time she threatened him.  Gaius tries to help Elyan.  Agravaine says goodbye before he leaves but wants to stay and protect Morgana.  Yeah fat lot of good he'll be.  Morgana shouldn't trust Helios.  Agravaine is her true ally and friend and she's entrusted this mission to him, out of how many others too... they were all failures.  Morgana doesn't need protecting.

Merlin is taken by a band of smugglers and he wast to go with them as he'll pay in gold.  He calls Arthur a simpleton and he wouldn't last without Merlin.  Agravaine finds Arthur's clothes, "what kind of a coward would deny who he is?"  Well you for one, lying, cheating traitor.

Merlin meets up with Tristan (Ben Daniels) and Isolde (Miranda Raison) and smells the frankincense and gets Arthur to clean.  Arthur recovers.  Eldor is attacked by Agravaine and Merlin tells Arthur he must stay in character.  Arthur carries a sword, where did that come from?  He couldn't exactly hide it in his clothes.  Merlin says he won the sword.  Isolde is injured during the fighting.

Gaius comments on Merlin gloating if he was here and Gwaine has to earn food for them, so he must fight for it.  He's not thinking of himself.  Tristan refuses Arthur's gold and Arthur was a fool to trust Agravaine.  It's too late now.  He was blind to him and Morgana.  This keeps happening to him and why do they hate him?  Merlin replies they want his power for themselves, Arthur isn't to blame.  He is honest and brave and "one day will be the greatest king this land has ever known."  Arthur comments, at least he has his servant's support.  Merlin's not alone.  Merlin comes home.   Tristan loves Isolde.

Arthur comments on Tristan being richer tan he knows and of course Gwen had to be here too.  They missed each other yet she was the only one  who didn't betray Arthur.  Merlin's home village is attacked and they escape - just...Merlin uses his magic now.

At least Merlin gets Arthur to behave like he has to for the most part back at Camelot, i.e doing his work for him, though Merlin isn't a simpleton.  So it was good to see Merlin turn him into one.  That was the fun part of the show, to break up the darkness as Morgana leads her attack.  Yet we know how it will all turn out next episode.

Of course Arthur will realize his one true love is Gwen so it wasn't really an accident she happened to be here as they find each other, especially as he sees what Tristan is suffering.  Cenred's kingdom now belongs to Lot, yet in the episode Lancelot Du Lac, when they said Lancelot was found in Cenred's kingdom, it was no longer his, so they should have correctly identified it as such.  Cenred was killed in 3.12 The Coming of Arthur Part 1 by Morgause.

Did Agravaine think he was in Lord of the Rings during his fight scenes?  Arthur was also pant-less in 4.3 The Wicked Day and 4.5 Aithusa.

CSI:NY Casts Charmed Actor

CSI:NY has cast James Read to appear as Lindsay Monroe Messer's (Anna Belknap) father.  He will play Robert Monroe and will star in the eighth episode of season 9.  As reports TV Line.  Lindsay will apparently go home to Montana and there she will come across yet more ghosts from her past, as she deals with more angst.  Probably from teen years again and the aftermath of witnessing the killings of her friends.

Oh not another Lindsay-focused episode, groan.  Sure there's a lot more they can do instead of brining up Montana and her past.  Oh no, don't get me started on those cow comments from earlier seasons either!  Re the cows are returning home to Montana.  Not to mention Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) doesn't call her 'Montana' anymore, that was shortlived if it was meant to be his pet name for her.  I know season 9 is meant to be more personal-stories-orientated but the emphasis should be or one of the other characters.  So when do we get to see more about Adam (AJ Buckley) or even Danny himself.  I know people get excited about Lindsay but not me.

James Read as you will recall played Victor Bennett, father of the Charmed ones on Charmed.  As well as being in season 1 of Remington Steele as Murphy Michaels, who had a thing for Laura Holt before Rem arrived on the scene, oh getting carried away there with one of my fave shows.  As well as Civil war drama, North and South.

Stargate Atlantis 5.20 "Enemy at the Gate" Review

Incoming wormhole through which Todd (Christopher Heyerdahl) sends a message that his treatment worked.  He wants to regain his position as head of the alliance and has rare technology - a ZPM.  He volunteers to put himself in their custody.  Rodney (David Hewlett) says an underling "in a hybrid ship is a threat we can't tolerate.  Woolsey (Robert Picardo) asks if they don't help him, will Todd destroy Atlantis? The underling being one of Todd's Wraith.

He found the ZPM in a city destroyed by Replicators, why now.  Todd says one scientist succeeded and the hybrid is a work in progress and reached full potential, so they must attack now.  Todd is dressed in one of their overalls.  Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) "I feel like I'm walking around with a live grenade in my pocket;" for the one thing he'll pull as a surprise.  They had a deal to let Todd go last time and they thought he'd die.  If he plays them Sheppard will kill Todd.

They check out the hive in a jumper and cloak themselves but if the hive has advanced technology which is anticipated they do, their cloak etc, wouldn't be of any use.  Rodney checks high energy levels from the hive and the hull is growing with energy, making it impenetrable.  The hive powers weapons cos they can see them.  The hive is too powerful and the jumper is hit.

The Daedalus is damaged and the hive uses hyperdrive to get away.  They discover an encoded message  picked up on their monitors.  Rodney has seen that energy signal before from another reality (re McKay and Mrs Miller and The Daedalus Variations).  The message contains co-ordinates to earth, which explains why the hive left.  The signal was too short or weak and wasn't picked up by the rest of the hive.  Ellis and Apollo are down.  Woolsey is certain nothing stands between them, the hive and earth.  Except Sheppard naturally!

Rodney and Sheppard says one ship can get to earth, they both had the same idea.  Need the ZPM.  Sheppard will kill Todd anyway and might want to do it out of spite cos the Wraith betrayed him.  Woolsey says Sheppard is not flying Atlantis as he's  needed on earth.  It has the ancient weapon platform and General O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) wants Sheppard in the chair.  Carson (Paul McGillion) will fly the city: he's number 2 after Sheppard.

Carter (Amanda tapping) will take charge of the next ship.  Mentioning General Hammond had a heart attack.  Major Davis (Colin Cunningham) is now with Homeland Security.  The hive ship arrives in orbit.  Sheppard asks for nukes and takes the fight to them.  Carter tells him there's no chair.  Woolsey gives Teyla (Rachel Luttrell) and Ronon (Jason Momoa) a chance to leave and not take part in a losing battle.  Can't make them leave and it's too late.

The chair was moved to Area 51 (as said in the alternate reality Vegas ep and not to Antarctica as it was in violation of the proliferation of arms treaty.  Sheppard leads an attack on the Darts unsuccessfully.  Some fly as Kamikazes.  Sheppard is hit and manages to survive by pulling the plane up.  The chair's destroyed.  Sheppard is heading into the hive.  He's volunteering and earth is defenceless without the chair.  Atlantis drops out of hyperspace.  Dialling earth through the gate but the gates are offline as Rodney explains there's a Wraith energy signal to prevent them dialling out.  There's a gate on the hive and the wormhole leads directly onto the hive which they can access.

Zelenka (David Nykl) mentions Rodney was working on a wormhole drive.  They are attacked in the hive and Ronon is attacked and dies.  Sheppard: "If Atlantis shows up, tell them I said goodbye."  Rodney picks up his communicator and tells them they're on the hive.  He sets up remote detonation.  Jennifer (Jewel Staite) is told to prepare for casualties or for none at all to survive.  It was a shock seeing Ronon being killed off but they didn't leave him dead, guess they wanted a happy ending for all. Re the movie also.

Sheppard goes back for  Ronon who is being revived by a Wraith for information.  Atlantis arrives giving them enough time to detonate and destroy the hive.  Atlantis lost orbit and re-enters earth.  Ronon calls earth his home.   Amelia (Sharon Taylor) comes to see Ronon and show him something, i.e the bridge.  Sheppard asks what will happen next time.  Todd asks if there will be a next time.  They land near the Golden Gate bridge and are cloaked.  Sheppard: "nice view."  Yes we mean you Joe!! Ha.

So there ends five years of the show which could have had at least another two more seasons in it, if not another five.  But it wasn't to be and no movies either as I said before.  Coincidentally the hive was created when the message for earth arrives and so it feels a bit like this was added on last minute.  Also that this hive received the message too and no other one.  The story seemed a bit rushed and I didn't like the ending of arriving back at earth and just leaving them there.  Could have made more of it or at least made the episode a bit longer.  Giving us a chance to see what was going to happen to Atlantis now.  Suppose that was to come in the potential movie(s).

Seems they started out at earth, leaving for Atlantis and returned home bringing Atlantis with them, kind of ending up full circle.  Best scenes, some of them, at least were Sheppard doing what he does best, to fly the plane and come to the rescue, though he was willing to be hero once more by risking his life and volunteering to end it all, Kamikaze style to save earth.  Something he has done or been a large part of in all of the other realities.  As in 5.19 Vegas, he tried to do the same and died a hero.

The lost city of Atlantis was most no more.  Atlantis was my fave series and not just cos of the cast but cos the Wraith were much more of a formidable and scary enemy than anything Stargate SG1 came up with, no really, the Replicators got boring as did the Goa'uld System Lords etc.  Atlantis done us proud! Don't get me wrong it had its moments, Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) ha and it also got movies too, so jealous Atlantis didn't.  It's a shame they had to make Stargte Universe though!

Ronon has been to earth before, in season 3's Sunday, Season 4's Miller's Crossing, Outcast, Midway.  In Watergate episode, it was said that "two existing stargates don't prevent outgoing wormholes."  Todd is back to feeding on humans though so that's what he meant when he said he's better, not that Jennifer's treatment was successful after all, would have been interesting to see where Todd's feeding would have lead.

Joseph Mallozzi on his blog posted, "some storylines will be wrapped up by series end, but the Wraith will continue to be a presence beyond our 100th episode."  As Col Caldwell (Mitch Pileggi) mentions the Odyssey is on a secret mission, Joseph Mallozzi posted on his blog, "initially Odyssey's secret mission was tied to the search for a naquadria-rich planet, capable of providing  the energy needed to dial destiny."

Merlin 4.11 "The Hunter's Heart" Review

Gwen (Angel Coulby) is abducted by a mercenary.  Arthur (Bradley James) tells Merlin (Colin Morgan) to shut up and he keeps going on anyway.  He announces that Nemeth and Camelot have reached an agreement and their union has been cemented.  He is to marry Princess Mithia (Janet Montgomery).  Gaius (Richard Wilson) tells Merlin to "smile and clap."  Merlin asks why he can't tell Arthur he can't do this?  It's too soon after Gwen. Arthur doesn't want Gwen's name mentioned as she betrayed him.  Merlin insists he still loves her.  Arthur threatens to have Merlin join her in exile if he says that again.  Oh no not another Arthur marriage episode, He's already been through that.

Agravaine (Nathaniel Parker) asks for a map from a man but he didn't get it.  Eoghan (Tom Meredith) could be arrested but he can't betray his master's trust.  Agravaine knocks him out and once more gets away with his dastardly plan. Then gallivants off to Morgana (Katie McGrath)  telling her he hasn't got the plans.  Anyway, what makes Agravaine so sure Morgan won't dispose of him too after she's finished with him.  Couldn't Morgana use her magic to get the plans.

The plans are for the siege tunnel which is protected.  Morgana asks why he can't take the risk himself.  Helios (Terence Maynard) dresses Gwen up and she tells him her actual name, ugh, why?  He's her abductor, not her friend.  He needs new recruits and she's 'no one.'

Mithia arrives at court and Arthur is taken aback by her when she removes her veil.  Why'd she ride up on the horse like a bride?  She says he's "more handsome in person."  So what was she sent a painting of him, ha.  Why didn't Arthur know what she looks like, he was prepared to marry someone without seeing them first.  He has a feast prepared to welcome her, no not another joust thank goodness.  Agravaine dumps Eoghan's DB outside the castle and plants a letter on him.  Morgana visits Helios and leaves.  She's so busy strutting around, she didn't notice Gwen pass her.

She's building an army to attack Camelot (which is always attacked in the final two episodes of the season, as in season 3.)  Morgana's still harping on about being crowned queen, but she already was.  Leon (Rupert Young) finds the DB and thinks he fell.  Gaius should find the COD.  Merlin asks if it's Arthur's fate to marry Gwen.  Could he do anything  about it?  Gaius sounds arrogant.  He surmises he broke his neck.  He should have sustained more injuries from such a height, but there are none.

Agravaine mentions the siege plans to Arthur and he should check the vaults, so Agravaine can take the map now.  Everything is there.  Morgana burns a copy of the map using magic, oh she can do that then.  If she's been at Camelot so long, how come she doesn't know where the siege tunnels are located and what they consist of, etc.

Merlin uses magic to ensure Arthur spills soup on him to make him look bad and Arthur asks her to breakfast, for what another demo of his ineptness, ha.  Mithia loves hunting.  Morgana gives Helios a map and tells him it's from Agravaine.  Gwen whilst listening in clumsily loosens a rock.  Then runs prompting Morgana to see her tunic.  Like she's the only one who wears that.  Merlin makes Arthur burp and Mithia does the same.

Gaius looks at the note and claims something's not right.  Mithia tells Merlin she likes Arthur and he values Merlin's opinion, but won't admit it.  Morgana spots the smoke from Gwen's fire, again why not use magic to locate Gwen?  Then knocks her out.  The hunt takes place in the same part of the woods where Gwen is and Morgana removes Arthur's ring from her neck and drops it there.  Before she turns Gwen into a deer, all ripe for the kill.

Merlin spots Gwen in the deer's eye and causes Arthur to misfire the arrow but he neglects to do the same for Mithia's arrow.  Well he wasn't much help.  Arthur finds his ring.  Merlin finds Gwen and removes the arrow form her leg, healing her.  Morgana enchanted her.  Agravaine gave them the plans.   Merlin must tell Arthur everything himself as she can't see him again after she betrayed.  Arthur finds the map there.  Oh man, here we go again, first Arthur mentioned her betrayal and now she mentions it herself.

Agravaine gets away with it as usual.  Arthur asks how he can love someone who betrayed him or loves another.  He asks Merlin what he should do?  Merlin says no one should make a sacrifice, more for Arthur than Gwen.  Arthur offers up the land of Gedref to Mithia and her people, he has no desire for war.  Arthur can't offer anything more.  Arthur says Gwen is "no one and everyone" even if she is a blacksmith's daughter. Mithia would give up her own kingdom for such a love.  Merlin knocks over Arthur's chamber pot to show he's still clumsy.  Arthur wonders if Merlin's really wise or a fool.  Merlin replies he's Arthur, he knows all.  Merlin says he will find Gwen.

An episode where Arthur tries to move on from Gwen and settles for a marriage to bring peace to his kingdom.  Yet Morgana, unwittingly brings it all back to him and sets up Arthur and Gwen's reunion, the fool!  Arthur was quickly enamoured with Mithia for someone whose heart has been broken, did he really think he could ever forget Gwen so easily, being his destiny.

Eoghan was stabbed but no one noticed, not Gaius and not Leon either, and where was all the blood on his clothes.  Surely a stab wound can't be hidden from sight.  The person in the eye of the deer ploy has been used twice already, once in 1.1 The Dragon's Call and in 3.8 The Eye of the Phoenix. Where the deer's mirrored reflection shows the real person.  Merlin calls Arthur: "the once and future king."  Gwen has already been referred to as the once and future queen, in the episode of the same name in 2.2.

Janet Montgomery was a cast member of 5th Disconnected (2008) movie to appear in Merlin.  Bradley James was in it, as was Kyle Redmond-Jones who played Sir Owain; Caroline Faber as Hunith and Holly Grainger as Sophia.  Janet Montgomery was also in season 2 of Human Target and in Made in Jersey.

In 3.6 The Changeling, Uther pressures Arthur into an arranged marriage and in 1.7 The Gates of Avalon, Arthur announces his intention to marry Sophia, who is really a Sidhes.  She must sacrifice the heart of a prince to cross the gates of Avalon, where the Sidhes (an immortal race akin to fairies) belong.

Downton Abbey Series 3 Episode 5 Review

Edith (Laura Carmichael) breaks the news of receiving an offer to write for the paper which is met with reservation by Robert (Hugh Bonneville. Seems Matthew (Dan Stevens) is the only one who supports her.  Even the Dowager (Maggie Smith) frowns upon it at dinner when Matthew mentions it and asks when she'll get "an offer to appear on the stage."  The Crawley's don't like to move with the times, at least not the elder members in the Dowager and Robert, but they don't seem to understand the younger generation do need to move on and things won't be the same as they were for them.  This is shown tragically when Robert brings in Sir Phillip Tapsell (Tim Piggot-Smith) to help with the birth of Sybil's (Jessica Brown-Findlay) baby.

Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) would prefer Dr Clarkson (David Robb) as he knows Sybil and it wouldn't be right not to use him.  But Robert turns his nose up at the very thought since Sir Phillip is well respected and has been there for the birth of many a titled aristocrat.  Cora insists, yet are protestations fall on deaf ears.  Dr Clarkson  notices Sybil may have trouble with the birth since she is showing signs of suffering from pre eclampsia, as she's delirious, confused and has swollen ankles.  At dinner, Sir Phillip tells Dr Clarkson this may be cos she's got fat ankles, which Dr Clarkson knows isn't the case.

Sybil wants her child to be christened Catholic as this is what Branson (Allen Leech) wants and he speaks of getting a job in Liverpool as a mechanic.  However Sybil doesn't want him moving backwards and she tells this to Cora.  Wanting her mother to be on her side.  Well Robert won't considering his "Johnny foreigner" remark about Catholics last episode.

Thomas (Rob James-Collier) is getting so very familiar with James (Ed Speleers) and is all touchy-feely with him when O'Brien (Siobhan Finneran) suggests he should get his help in setting the clock.  O'Brien having a plan up her sleeve that if James complains of Thomas's actions of being too familiar, then he'll be forced out of his job or leave, leaving Albert (Matt Milne) as first footman.  She tells James he should get in with Thomas as he's close to Robert.  Daisy (Sophie McShera) is still being mean to Ivy (Cara Theobold) shown when she messes up the souffle, which Albert helps her put right.  Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nichol) watches Albert help Ivy and tells Daisy she should thank her for rescuing the dish.  Albert won't like Daisy any better for treating Ivy horribly.   Ivy meanwhile prefers James to Albert.

Anna (Joanne Froggatt) finally visits Bates (Brendan Coyle) in prison and gets to tell him about Vera's friend and the pastry Vera made.  Thus she intended to kill herself after all and blame Bates for her murder.  The police didn't check the pastry only the food in the house and Bates was on a train when she made the pie.  Thus the reference to her having pastry in her fingernails a few episodes ago.  The prison guard, Durrant (Neil Bell) and his former cellmate Craig (Jason Furnival) meanwhile plot against Bates and Durrant reads his letters from Anna which tell of Vera's freind.  Suppose she'll be 'taken care of' now.

Sybil gives birth to a baby girl whilst the others still debate the practicalities of taking her to hospital and undergoing a Cesarean.  Well too late now.  Didn't you just want to punch pompous Sir Tapsell with his shooting down all of Clarkson's suggestions and diagnosis.  They think Sybil is over any danger, but obviously that's not the case.  Later in the night, she suffers from the the symptoms of  eclampsia and there is nothing that can be done to help her.  She stops breathing and dies, as her family look on helpless as does Branson.

Cora promises her she'll look after them both and says goodbye to "my beauty, my baby."  She refuses to go anywhere near Robert and wants him to sleep in the dressing room.  The staff are naturally upset too with Thomas actually crying.  She was the only one who was good to him he tells Anna, when they worked in the hospital together.  Cora reveals to the others that Robert wouldn't let Clarkson take Sybil to the hospital and help her.  Whilst Mary (Michelle Dockery) and Edith vow to live as sisters, to love each other as this is the last time the three of them will be together in their lives. A fitting tribute by the Dowager when she called Sybil, "the sweetest spirit under this roof."

Murray (Jonathan Coy) arrives to speak with Anna about Bates's news and Matthew speaks with him about the running of Downton, which Mary walks in on.  She's disgusted they're plotting behind her father's back.  First she wanted his money and now she doesn't want anyone to be in charge of running Downton unless it's Robert, who clearly has driven it into the ground.  Granted the timing was off, but Matthew has the best interest of Downton at heart, she bought him in on investing and now she doesn't want Downton to move with the times, just as Robert doesn't. Or for anyone else to run it.

Isobel (Penelope Wilton) brings in Ethel (Amy Nuttall) to work for her and help Mrs Bird (Christine Lohr) who finds this despicable.  She wasn't handing in her notice, she just thought  Isobel would listen to her ultimatum and not hire Ethel.  She writes to Moseley (Kevin Doyle) about this who tells Carson (Jim Carter).  Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) tells them Ethel no longer engages in such activity, but Carson bans the maids and the footmen from going over to the house;  lest they be tainted by Ethel.  Ethel however is no cook and so they think she won't last long there anyway.

It was a shame Jessica Brown-Findlay wanted to leave as she was a well loved character and it was so sad to see her go in that way, never to return.  Especially coming so close on the events of last episode when everyone was worried about her being left in Ireland on her own.  They didn't see this coming.  Hated the way the men were making the decisions, Robert and Sir useless doctor!  It wasn't as if they were having the baby.  No one even bothered to ask Branson as Cora rightly stated and it should have been his decision if any man was going to be involved.  Also Cora's, having been through childbirth, not to mention losing her baby too in the first series.  Now she has lost two children.

It's the same thing where Edith is concerned, she can't write for the paper for fear the editor is only exploiting the Crawley name.  God forbid if she should do something for herself.  So much for the Dowager telling her to do something last episode, anything but this.  As Edith says they all think her a failure.

Downton however, preferred to bring in Dr Clarkson in a kind of effort to prove his diagnosis right at this point in time, his having been so wrong in earlier series, re Matthew's spine injury last series, for starters.  As he's always been portrayed as someone who sniffs at new medical procedures and practices.  However he was right this time and Cora so wanted to help Sybil, though making those sorts of decisions on her own were unheard of, but this especially was one time when she should have defied Robert.  Even if the Dowager does add that women have been dying in childbirth for ages.  This is one time when it could have been averted.

One episode where tissues are needed and indeed one which will be very hard to watch again, but perhaps a little easier since we know what's to come.

CSI:Miami 10.13 "Terminal Velocity" Review

Two men jump from a plane skydiving and one of the men's parachute strings begin to burn, as he falls to his death.  He lands on a road and Ryan (Jonathan Togo) and Horatio (David Caruso) arrive at the scene.  Ryan states all his bones have been broken.  A witness remarks there was another man who drifted off in another direction.

Ryan and Walter (Omar Miller) process the scene and a funny smell is given off by the DB.  Acid is burning the DB's back and Walter tells Ryan to use ammonia to neutralize it.  Also Ryan finds an altimeter on his DB stating the wrong altitude, reading much higher than the DB, Kevin Ramsey (Ron Melendez) actually was.  The acid was used to cause damage at a reduced rate and to delay the onset of decay until he was actually wearing the parachute.

Horatio and Tripp (Rex Linn) find the other man hanging in a tree and don't help him down.  He was trying to save Kevin but couldn't get to him in time.  Horatio leaves him up there as he's a suspect.  Charming, really is there no end to his audacity.  He should have sued Miami Dade, especially considering he didn't turn out to be the killer.  He tells them they pack their own parachutes and have a locker at the airfield.  The pilot at the airport Arnie (David Warshofsky) says he set the wrong altitude as he was trying to save money on fuel.  Also mentioning Kevin's car had been damaged by someone.

Walter and Delko (Adam Rodriguez) find the car and notice the smell of bleach, which was poured into the oil so the engine would overheat.  They can't help admiring the Ferrari.  Walter finds a print which Natalia (Eva La Rue) matches to a Cameron (Beau Cybulski). He found out Kevin was his father, a sperm donor on the clinic's website.  He went to see him but Kevin wanted nothing to do with him.  They also find some mucus on Kevin's shirt.  The DNA matches another man, his half brother.

Ryan and Natalia check out the clinic's website registry and find he had 103 children, receiving $200 for each donation he made.  Natalia says there's a moral question involved in that he shouldn't have been allowed to have so many children and then not bother seeing them.  Ryan comments on hating his nose if he donated, he'd be worried about them having his nose and she replies his nose is cute.  The website leads to Scott (Grant Gustin) he hacked into the computer and told everyone Kevin was his father.  Kevin refused to speak to him either and so he posted his name there.

Scott is brought in with his mother, Jill (Elisabeth Rohm) and the DNA matches Scott but he was at a teacher parent conference with his mother.  She tells Natalia she was a single mother and had her child by a surrogate.  She is shocked at learning one of her babies was taken.  The surrogate, Amy (Romy Rosemont) is contacted and they find Trent (Grant Gustin) in the back.  Trent is brought in and wants to use the bathroom, whilst there he meets Scott and says he killed Kevin.  Ryan listens in and tells him nothing said in a police station is privileged, not even in the toilet, this is always mentioned in everything.  They've done this before in Miami.

When questioning him Natalia notices he has jaundiced eyes when he asks for water and he has liver disease.  He's suffering from Wilson's Disease and needs a liver transplant.  He saw Kevin and asked him for part of his liver but he refused him that too.  So he confesses to killing him though he is innocent as he'll get free medical care in prison.  Since this disease was hereditary and passed on from Kevin, they conclude there must be other children out there who'd want to kill him and have the same disease.

Walter and Delko go to the clinic but find someone destroyed all of Kevin's sperm.  However Walter finds a substance on the equipment.  When analyzed it's revealed to be Invisi-skin, which is used by mechanics and thus leads them back to the pilot Arnie.  His daughter died from Wilson's Disease but he didn't kill Kevin.  He'd like to congratulate whoever did.  He is arrested for attempted murder as he wanted to ensure he wouldn't have enough time to open his parachute, thus the wrong altimeter reading but he made the jump before the agreed limit.

Ryan meets with Kevin's wife (Meredith (Jacqueline McKenzie)who is surprised at Kevin having so many children.   She tells Ryan she'd like to meet them.  She was older and didn't want children.  Calleigh (Emily Procter) who did nothing this episode but make a phonecall locating Cameron and now she burns her arm with acid in the lab.  Oh how careless for a CSI.  Well she had to do something since they were struggling for answers.  Delko neutralizes the effect with ammonia and this leaves an orange mark on her skin.  Thus anyone who had contact with the acid would also have such trace.

A girl shows up who was also Kevin's daughter and had called him but his wife answered the phone.  She just talked about her husband and Natalia recalls Ryan said his wife wanted to meet the children but didn't know about them.  She's called in under the rouse of collecting his DB and whist signing the form, Natalia shines the ALS on her hands, revealing the orange marks.  She was a chemistry teacher and found he had fathered all those children and yet he didn't want any of his own with her.  He had a vasectomy after they were married and so it was too late for her to have children.  She married a younger man so he could keep up with his children, but he was only into skydiving.

In a twist at the end Natalia arranged for Scott and Trent to be transported in the same van, telling them they haven't got another one, hoping to be able to help Trent out with Scott acting as his donor. Or even his mother may have been able to help. Tripp comments on the abundance of vans.

Ryan asking Walter when they will go skydiving together was another fun moment between these too and Walter doesn't want to after seeing the end result.  Funny Ryan should ask him this after having brain matter in his hands.  Also Walter was willing to go up in the sky in the space shuttle episode from season 8.15 Miami, We Have a Problem and defy gravity, but it's a no no to skydiving, having to leave the aircraft itself.  Then Natalia telling Ryan Kevin should bear some responsibility to his children but he says he doesn't have any such responsibility,  Natalia laughing he's got the attitude of a "single dude."

Also Horatio 'lurks' in the background again when coming to see Arnie and returns the photo of his daughter to him.  Suppose it was good to see he hasn't lost all his humanity/morality as far as children are concerned.  Though it's not the same with suspects.

This episode had shades of CSI episodes, firstly with the Invisi-skin which was mentioned in the quadruplets ep of season 12.19 Split Decisions when Morgan (Elisabeth Harnois) went to the garage to find they use it there.  Coincidentally that episode featured multiple children too who were also the children of one donor in particular the DB doctor had 'fathered' them with his own sperm.

CSI has also featured death by skydiving too 9.19 The Descent of Man which had a skydiver's parachute malfunctioning.

Merlin 5.2 "Arthur's Bane" Part 2 Review

Morgana (Katie McGrath) suffers yet more nightmares and this time she sees herself trapped with the dragon, Aithusa and unleashing more hell on her foes.  Yet all she managed this episode is to lie in bed, twice, cut an apple, threaten Arthur (Bradley James) in that he should have been killed and show some more of her wrath.  But we'll come to that.

Arthur and Merlin (Colin Morgan) are being transported to Ismere and the journey is cold and arduous, with none of them getting any food.  Led on by Saxon leader Ragnor (Stephen McCole).  He refuses them food or water and Mordred (Alexander Vlahos) says they should feed them or at least take the journey much more slower.  He refuses naturally as he's a Saxon and thus brutal and hungering for his money.  Mordred later gives Merlin a morsel of bread and tells him Arthur saved his life; he's honouring a debt.  He also mentions keeping Emyrus's secret safe.

At Camelot, Gwen (Angel Coulby) being a true queen hasn't shown any feelings over Arthur and how he might be fearing, especially since she knows he was betrayed by Ruadan (Liam Cunningham).  Sefa (Sophie Rundle) approaches Gaius (Richard Wilson) or rather, the other way round, oops and begs an audience with Gwen.  She is relentless and is determined for the execution to go ahead.  Finally she reveals her plans: her intentions are for Ruadan to rescue his daughter and thus she wants him caught.  There may be more traitors so she hasn't told anyone of this and only tells Gaius now.  Gwen finally showing some humanity here with not having any intention to execute her from the outset keeping Sefa in the dark and not adhering to the laws of Camelot.

Arthur feigns being too weak to travel and Merlin asks for water, a rouse for Arthur to steal Ragnor's dagger.  They escape after some use of magic by Merlin and a fight, arriving at a crevice which they manage to jump, even Merlin with some slipping over the edge action, well almost.  Men search for them and Arthur holds them off with the crossbow, whilst Merlin insures they can't jump to the other side.  Arthur saves Mordred again by not killing him and Merlin is distraught at missing the opportunity to kill him.  Strange Merlin should want Arthur to kill him, when he's got magic at his disposal, sure he'd have much more of an effect.  He seems to be overstepping the moral boundaries in wanting to see Mordred dead, but not having any hand in it.  Granted he is a wizard and not a soldier.

Ruadan arrives to save Sefa and manages to use magic, for a bit.  He fights with Elyan (Adetomiwa Edun) and he wounds him, fatally.  Sefa wants him to cure himself but he doesn't have enough power for that, surprise, surprise, he manages to get her to send a message to Morgana warning her of Arthur's arrival.  Sefa escapes.

Mordred arrives at Ismere and Morgana is furious no one could kill Arthur.  She mentions the return of the old religion and how they were persecuted for their magic.  Merlin and Arthur arrive at the mines, through a sewer, cue lines about smelly food and Merlin getting dirty again.  Arthur manages to get Percival (Tom Hopper) a sword or two and he rallies the others.  Meanwhile the blue creature, the Euchdag (Josette Simon) takes care of Gwaine (Eoin Macken) hiding him from the guards.  Oh put some shirts on!

Merlin and Arthur manage to rescue Gwaine and they come across the Euchdag.  She knows who Merlin is and disappears.  They also come across the dragon which gives chase.  Merlin goes after it and wonders what Morgana has done to it.  The dragon is unable to speak.  Being the Dragonlord Merlin is able to speak to the dragon and tells him to run when he hears Arthur.  Arthur comes face to face with Morgana who wields a dagger at his back with her magic.  He tries to reason with her, recalling how kind she was at a child and mentions Uther being her father and they are brother and sister, which gets her gall up even more.
She is about to kill Arthur, when Mordred stabs her in the back, literally and metaphorically and you can't help but think this was just a ploy to get into, worm himself into Arthur's good graces and give him reason to trust him more.

Merlin talks with the Euchdag after he was thrown to the wall by Morgana and was unable to use his magic to save Arthur.  She tells him who she is and how she has the weight of the world on her, so much knowledge.  He finds it difficult just being himself.  He asks about Arthur's bane and she replies Arthur's bane is "Arthur himself."  Is this cos he just can't help himself and others, trusting them when he should be more weary.  Back at Camelot, Mordred is knighted and Merlin helps him.  He tells him he believes Arthur is right when he speaks of love and Morgana was wrong.  Merlin doesn't trust him and neither do we, as Merlin shares his concerns with Gaius over his fave pudding.  It's just that Mordred isn't giving anything away with his poker face, so cold.

Gwen wasn't giving anything away with her cool exterior was she telling Gaius: "wars aren't won without risk."  She also remained calm when the alarm bell was sounding, probably cos she wouldn't be the one going after Ruadan.  yet she has been married three years now, she's used to such things.  Compare this with Morgana who is seething at every opportunity but at least she no longer smirks as she did in series/season 3, showing she has really grown into her role as evil, revenge-seeking Morgana.  Who is foiled at every opportunity.  Stabbing her seemed so easy and she didn't even see it coming as once again she wonders alone in the wilderness, in the snow this time, last season it was the forest, followed by her dragon.  Who doesn't leave her side.  Betrayed once again by Mordred whom she thought she could trust, which is her 'bane'.  This should give Arthur et al cause for concern since if he could do this to Morgana, there's nothing stopping him from doing the same to Arthur.

Morgana calls the dragon Aithusa, by his name, how did she know what his name was?  Did she find out by asking him, was he able to speak?  Did he have his tongue cut out, by Morgana or someone else.  Obviously the Euchdag was the Diamair, the key, but Morgana never got her hands on it either.  Of course the other tried and tested formula rears its head again of the Diamair being the "last of my kind."  That's been said a lot, especially where the dragon was concerned.  Was the Morgana nightmare scene showing a grown up Aithusa, was this a future nightmare or did some aspects of it hint at what happened to them both over the past three years?

Merlin: "I feel the die is cast and for good or ill, Albion's great trial has begun."  Again he shows his concern, having once again to use caution and not be trusting.  Overall, this series continues to bring in possible future storylines, whilst leaving open possibilities of being the best one so far as Merlin comes of age.

Stargate Atlantis 5.19 "Vegas" Review

Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) drives up to a CS in his car.  A reporter (Carmen Moore) asks if this killing is related to the others.  The Vic was a white male.  Sheppard responds "most likely."  There are flashes to what may have happened just like CSI.  Cos as soon as we saw Sheppard drive up, shades in all, we knew this was a CSI:Miami style episode.  I thought it was, aside form the location.  There were 7 other Vics with chest wounds.  As I wrote in my notes, he's more Horatio than Grissom.

Jennifer (Jewel Staite) is the ME and mentions the ageing DB and other Vics.  He'll get her report when she's done, ooh stroppy!  She doesn't look old enough to be out of medical school.  Sheppard comments he got the life sucked out of him.  Even the police HQ was similar to a CSI set.

A man in a hotel suffers a nose bleed and loud music plays in the next room which is occupied by a Wraith, but they're not meant to know that.  Sheppard looks at the files, Woolsey (Robert Picardo) is part of the FBI.  Sheppard wonders why the ME didn't show radioactive isotopes on the DBs.  The nurse (Jody Thompson) tells him about the man and he says he'll call her, yeah as if he will.   Don't hold your breath, wait she's a nurse, she may be good at it, ha. Sheppard goes to the hotel room and the Wraith (Neil Jackson) disguises himself to look more human, well more 'rock rebel' human.

Sheppard follows him to a poker game and plays poker with him and others.  The Wraith runs and falls over the edge of the building, then walks away as if nothing has happened, glancing up at Sheppard.  The sick man is dead and Sheppard takes the Wraith's money from his room, for himself of course.  Well he figured he owed him. The FBI arrive.  Sheppard: "it's a CS."  There's a sat locator on his car. Rodney (David Hewlett) says he should tell him even if Sheppard hasn't signed a confidentiality document.  "I have the power to ruin your life."  He's welcome to "the little I have to lose."  Sheppard passed his detective exam after 4 years and 2 attempts, yeah rub it in Rodney, obviously he's the same Rodney as ever.  He likes spearmint gum and was a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan.  He disobeyed orders for staging a rescue.  He managed to live with himself with the deaths of others on his head.

Rodney has met another version of Sheppard.  "He was  very different to you."  They want to keep the planet safe and tells him practically what the show is about.  Wraith has flashes to a battle and being blown up.  He landed on earth 5 years ago.  (When the show began.) Found a ZPM and Darts attacked 3 months ago and a chair was found on earth.  He shows Sheppard a real Wraith in Todd (Christopher Heyerdahl) locked up. Todd speaks about a "fish in a pond".  Rodney explains he's delirious from starvation.  "The harvest moon is rising...I know the future" and calls him by his name 'John Sheppard.'  Jennifer is there too.

Rodney says the Wraith was exposing himself to radiation when building the device.  Zelenka (David Nykl) gives a talk on the worst case scenario of the device being a bomb.  Rodney believes he's signalling the Wraith and Zelenka talks of the inter-dimensional rift.  He reminds Rodney of it and they bicker.  Rodney mentions Sheppard being involved with the field medic he rescued and he made a tough choice, "things just don't always go the way we planned."  Sheppard dons his shades again.

Rodney says the other version of Sheppard opened the space/time rift.  Sheppard was the leader and was a hero.  There's no difference between him and this Sheppard.  He'd like to believe "you have the same strength of character."  Which is why Rodney told him the truth.  Sheppard packs up his stuff from the station and his Johnny Cash poster (the same one at Atlantis) and ends up just taking the poster.  Cue song: Solitary Man by Johnny cash, cos that's who Sheppard is.  He told him the money was a few thousand dollars.

Sheppard heads for the desert re Todd's words and the dessicated DBs.  Yeah and the destiny was no more show!  Sheppard locates the Wraith in the trailer which is near power lines.  Woolsey says they have Sheppard's  co ordinates.  In which case, why didn't they come to rescue him when they attacked the trailer.  Sheppard engages the target again  in a shoot out and is shot several times over.  Thus reinforcing Rodney's assertion Sheppard was a hero.

Sheppard is saved from being fed on by the planes and the Wraith manages to send out the co ordinates to earth in a transmission - encoded in Wraith.  Rodney doesn't think the message reached the Pegasus galaxy and could be sent to other realities.  Zelenka: "the transmission will be stronger in any other reality exposed to the rift."  Sheppard is dead and died alone.  Like a solitary man.

This was Joe's fave episode and I have to agree with him.  It over stepped the bounds of a normal Stargate Atlantis episode, but managed to maintain the overall mythology and premise of the show.  Yet it showed another Sheppard in another reality and how no matter how many realities over, he always stays the same: always a hero.

Rodney pronounces the ZPM as 'Zed PM' as said in the UK and he's Canadian, this line was also said by Daniel Jackson in the episode Rising, commenting on Rodney's pronunciation.  Wraith have the ability to read human minds in this reality, as Todd manages to read Sheppard's.  Rodney managed to open an inter-dimensional bridge and landed in an alternate dimension.  Also the chair has been relocated to Area 51, significant for the final episode.  Rodney also wears a wedding ring.  Suggesting he and Jennifer are married in this reality.

Rodney and Zelenka talking about the Wraith, "he probably got a job as a Klingon at the Star Trek Experience."
Woolsey: "that's shutdown."  (he'd know ha, being the holographic doctor in Star Trek Voyager.)
Zelenka: "...really, I wanted to see that."

Teyla and Ronon are not in this episode, they could have got them as extras.  Begging the question, where were their alternate selfs in this reality.  The poker scene was filmed at Planet Hollywood and they had to buy all the  other rooms too, located on the same floor, to film there.  The casino scene shows Brad Wright and his wife Debbie at the Blackjack table.  John Smith's wife, Lynn was at the roulette table.  The poker game included: Charles Cohen the Senior Vice President of MGM.  Joel Goldsmith composer, Frank Vincent and Steve Schirripa from The Sopranos.  Roy Winston and Todd Brunson are professional poker players.

The working title for this episode was CSI:Atlantis.  Jody Thompson was a bounty hunter in Stargate SG1 Bounty.  Carmen Moore was in the Stargate SG1 episode Cold Lazarus and Neil Jackson was in the episode Prototype as Khalek.

Joseph Mallozzi on his blog, wrote, "Vegas is very different from anything we've ever done on Atlantis before.  Different in a very good way and I'm sure fans will agree."  Apparently a lot of fans didn't agree.  You see, they don't like change and prefer to stick to the old tried and tested methods and episodes.  I thought this episode was good and made a change from the obvious ones set in the galaxy, in the realms of space.  Also it was a one-off and the show didn't return after that.  Hell, we didn't even get any Atlantis movies, huh!!

He also wrote: "a bittersweet time for all; me in particular.  Bitter in that it's been a great 5 years and I will sincerely miss the show and the many wonderful people who made it all happen.  Sweet in that I like to sleep in." Well as I say, any old excuse to watch Joe Flanigan.  Oh hang it, don't need an excuse!

The Vegas desert scenes were partially shot on location in Las Vegas and only Joe was present for these.  The location shooting was the final days of filming for the final season.