The Mentalist 5.4 "Blood Feud" Review

Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) is arrested for a crime and viewers don't get to see what that's for until kind of flashback moments throughout.  He's arrested in front of his son Ben, but one of the agents says they shouldn't handcuff him in front of his son. He then has to answer to La Roche (Pruitt TaylorVince) who is back.  Rigsby's father, Steven (William Forsythe) appears again when he's found shot at a CS at Carson Springs California.  Following the death of a man who had associations with a drug family.

Rigsby and Lisbon (Robin Tunney) are at the hospital and Rigsby must question what his father did, calling him 'dad.'  Though Steven never calls his son by name, only, 'son.'  Yet through all their problems, Rigsby is genuinely concerned about his father's health.  Steven however is more interested in the gender of his grandchild and Rigsby tells him he's a boy.  Then asks if Lisbon is the mother, calling her pretty.  That was a funny moment and also rather  touching in that Rigsby wouldn't have relationship with Lisbon, not only as she's his boss, that agents can't date fellow agents, but that he's already gone down that route before with Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti).  He replies she's his boss.  Lisbon persists in her questioning even if Steven continues to evade the subject, even by being crude at one point, where Rigsby has to stop him.  Lisbon tells Rigsby to go home and spend time with Ben.

Lisbon and Patrick (Simon Baker) question Samantha (Daisy Eagen) Andy's business partner and Patrick determines she's holding something back as she didn't react when they told him Andy was involved with criminal Steven.  She replies she doesn't want to be involved.  Andy's father was an Overton and they have been feuding with the Lo Ryders, another gang.  Alluding to Rigsby and how his mother raised him and he became a good guy rather than following in his father's footsteps which is what many children do.

Rigsby tells La Riche Lisbon didn't want him on the case and was told to be cautious.  Cue Rigsby at the diner with Steven as he waits for his girlfriend.  Rigsby comments how Steven isn't going after his shooter cos he doesn't know who he is, if he did he would be doing exactly that.  A bit like Rigsby himself cos he too will think that way, when everyone suspects he will be gunning for revenge.  Steven tells them someone wanted to burn down the barbershop and then asks to see photos of his grandson.  As for the mother, Rigsby replies, "we're split up...the team was working a case, I faked my own death, she got mad, it's complicated."  Steven then keels over and Rigsby tells him to fight, but he dies.

The team express their sympathy, especially Van Pelt and Cho (Tim Kang) goes after him to tell him not to do it. He won't want Ben growing up with his father in jail. Patrick gets out of the lift and tells him the same.   Rigsby's motivation for finding his killer: cos his father would have done the same and killed him for it.  Thus he does believe his father had some feelings for him as a son if he could resort to such measures, him being a criminal aside.

Anyhow, the team pays a visit to Sue Overton (Jeanetta Arnette) and she's reluctant that she was dealing drugs and spits on her own rug.  She runs a dry cleaning business and Patrick comments she can clean her rug.  Then they visit Beltran (Michael Irby) the Lo Ryders leader who tells them she had a gang member killed.  Patrick devises a plan to get both of them talking.  Van Pelt is sent to the gym where she meets with Moss (Max Martini) who is very helpful to her.  He trains former gang members and keeps them out of trouble.  Of course it was immediately apparent he was a suspect and more involved in this, being too nice to Van Pelt for starters.  Anyway, Patrick's plan is to set up this meeting and Moss will be a kind of neutral referee, so to speak.  Overton and Beltran realize he was the one behind the killings so that the gang war would erupt again between the two sides.

Rigsby is also present and he gives chase to Moss, finally catching him up and shooting him.  Which was apparent otherwise he wouldn't be in front of La Roche now.  Patrick now perched in Lisbon's office tells her she's got too much paperwork one her hands.  La Roche frees Rigsby and enters Lisbon's office to tell her Rigsby acted "appropriately and with good judgement."  Then turns to Patrick, "you got away with it."  Patrick had the chance to set up the meeting at a remote place, Moss escaped and Rigsby was there.  Lisbon interjects that he shot at Rigsby first.

Patrick says he's flattered but he can't take the credit.  Yet he did have this cunning plan up his sleeve.  Even if Lisbon tries to unwittingly defend Patrick.  Seems La Roche has gotten to know our Patrick and his games.  Patrick feels "it's better to regret something you did do than something you didn't do."  Oh so sheepish Patrick.  He of course would say that, especially since a few seasons back he told Lisbon he was going to kill Red John and to make him suffer, when she told him he has to bring him in, she will bring him in and he'll have to go through her, cos she'll stop him.  Here he's given Rigsby the revenge Patrick so desperately wants against Red John. An opportunity to avenge his father's killing.  Also Lisbon was right as well, Moss didn't have to run.

Patrick also admits he called Rigsby and Lisbon didn't.  La Roche tells Lisbon her instincts in protecting her team are flawed and I love Patrick's reply here, "Well we all have our flaws here, don't we Agent LaRoche." Referring to the secret Patrick knows about him from Strawberries and Cream.

The scene where Patrick tries to get a slap from Beltran when he does the same to one of his gang, was included by Simon and wasn't written into the script by Jordan Harper.  Rigsby clearly was in some sort of agony after the shooting but it was self defence on his part, not his fault Cho was a little slow in giving chase and it's not in Rigsby's character or nature to take out hardened revenge like that.  Especially since Moss was also begging for a shoot out with his line of not being able to move.  Again it's in contrast to Patrick who is still gunning for revenge for Red John and feels he's helped Rigsby achieve that same goal too for his father.  Even if that's not what his real purpose was.  Moss was after all a ruthless killer and had his plan worked would have led to several more deaths and murders.  It appears in that sense Steven is more alike to Patrick with their sense of doing what's right for family and exacting revenge.

It was a revelation that Rigsby's girlfriend has left him especially after convincing him she was so in love with him and having the baby.  Again I have to ask, my cynical nature, is he really Rigsby's.  Of course once again it leaves the road open for him and Van Pelt to have some sort of a possible relationship, or not.  They clearly still have feelings for one another.

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Scandal 1.5 "Crash and Burn" Review

                                          
The episode where it all crashes and burns.  The gang arrive at Amanda's (Liza Weil) apartment to find she's gone.  Quinn (Katie Lowes) thinks she just left but Huck (Guillermo Diaz) tells her the trash is gone so she's been taken.  They are also being watched a government car.  Olivia (Kerry Washington) asks for help from ASA David Rosen (Joshua Malina) but he can't help her.  Their next case leads them to the field and a plane crash, it's a wonder Quinn managed to make it down with her heels.
Gideon (Brendan Hines) tells Quinn he no longer has a story cos Amanda's missing, her father filed a missing person's report.  Gideon comes and goes so freely now at Pope and Assocs.

The press guy has already allowed the airline to go first at the  press conference where the airline blames the pilot.  They have a meeting with the NTSB who tells them anything they hear they can't record, and any notes them make they can't take out with them and they hear the final conversations.  Everyone makes notes except for Harrison (Columbus Short) who listens with his eyes closed, thought he was recording on his phone.  When later he tells them he has a good ear as he hears the pilot trying to push the rudder down.

Huck examines some CCTV footage from near the apartment and freezes it on someone he knows, someone he used to work with at the Agency.  He later meets with him and he laughs at his name being Huck as in Huck Finn.  He's called Charlie (George Newbern) now and they talk about the past and he was seen on the road near the apartment.  He's Charlie as in Manson.  From this meeting, Huck concludes that Amanda is dead and lets the others know.  Olivia tells the agent in the car across the street she knows what the President (Tony Goldwyn) did and he relays this to him.

At the office, they try to determine if it is pilot error and if the female pilot could have frozen but are stopped by the arrival of her husband, Andrew (Darren Pettie) who corrects them, she couldn't have frozen.  She was sober for twenty years and also a war hero.  Which makes it into the news, about how the pilots had been drinking and the waitress at the bar Abby (Darby Stanchfield) interviews tells her the pilot had been drinking.  One of the stewardesses, Lisa (Leslie Grossman) didn't turn up for work and she tells Abby it was cos her birthday party and the pilot was only there cos of that, but she didn't drink.  Olivia talks at the press conference saying they have a witness to this effect and gives some personal background on her.

The President also gives a press conference on how one of the Vis on the plane, a senator who was sanctioning the bill for illegal immigrants to have an education was a great person.  Their main job now as Cyrus (Jeff Perry)tells him is to ensure the D.R.E.A.M Act passes.   So the President calls people, getting them on side, and it finally comes down to a tie.  He has to call upon the Vice President, Sally Langston (Kate Burton) the right wing, church-going female who has ambitions of becoming president herself one day.  She's against the Act but he talks her round after telling her every Vic President who ran for President had the backing of the President.  He claims he's back.

The Pres calls Olivia on the private line and informs her it wasn't him who killed Amanda, she knows him and it wasn't him.  She replies "murder is murde" and thinks it was Cyrus cos he let him off his leash.  He wants to see her face to face, "Livvie..." but she's not falling for that one.  Then again Mellie (Bellamy Young) is really shifty, calling the Secret Service Agents over and asking if they'd take a bullet for him.  She definitely knows more than she's letting on and I have a sneaky suspicion she is involved...Amanda's father hank (Grahan Beckel) shows up and Quinn promises they'll do what they can to find her.  Olivia riles her, they do not make promises, especially when Amanda is dead.  Only they can't tell her father as they don't have her body.  Oh and where exactly was Quinn when Huck told the others?  Sneaking off somewhere herself.  She's a bit of a dark horse, also why is she in the show anyway?

The President tells Cyrus about Amanda and he's quite thrilled at the news, he's sad at the deaths in the planecrash and at US troops being killed, but not at that news.  Olivia asks Huck to revisit his past and find Amanda's body.  Thus he engages he what the CIA taught him to do, torture Charlie until he gives up the info.   Huck was also tortured by the CIA when he lost the plot and he was homeless when Olivia found him, so he owes her.  They find her body in the river and it's being ruled a suicide.  Rosen wants to know what Olivia knows about the murder.

Stephen (Henry Ian Cusick) finds the mechanic's reports were forged as there's two reports from different destinations which have the same spelling mistake of the word "controll."  would you trust a mechanic who can't spell to carry out inspections on your plane?  Harrison finds the woman who was in charge of filing the reports though it more important to be at her daughter's piano recital and so she copied the same report twice.  Olivia uses this for the airline to accept responsibility.

Cyrus tells the President they have a blackmail letter and finally admits it wasn't Olivia behind it.  Showing him a video of Nixon's resignation.  The President makes a deal with his Secret Service security detail and leaves the Whitehouse to visit Olivia, who else! Who is on the phone with Stephen telling her Amanda wasn't having his baby.  Thus leaving the way clear for them to get down and dirty next ep?!

Abby still watching Stephen longingly, well she was and Stephen resorting to using his "tools" to get what he needs, throwing his engagement out the window!

Quinn shows up at Gideon's place in tears and he's made grill cheese, bless him cos that's all he can manage and it's comfort food.  Don't trust that Quinn.  Now we have the lowdown on most everyone except her.  She tends to disappear and appear quite a bit and not to mention also has this thing about her where she can play the 'innocent' but she doesn't quite appear to be so wholesome!  Again reminds me of the lying Harrison mentioned last ep.  Quinn was quick to jump to the conclusion that Amanda ran away, why was that?  She was so desperately trying to be her friend and not just cos Olivia asked her to keep an eye on her and here she comes up with and running off, without even telling her of all people.  It was like Quinn was trying to cover her tracks.

Speaking of Gideon, nothing on that photo he took a copy of last episode, what's happening with that, so really sorry but you were just eye candy this week Gideon!  Oh and that apron.

                                

This episode didn't quite live up to the excitement and fast pace of the one before but actually gave a chance for the President to show us what he does when he's not brooding over a lost Olivia.  She tells him she no longer has her gut when it comes to whether he had Amanda murdered or not.  She also told David Rosen "the white hat looks good on you," when he tries to delve for details from her.

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The Vampire Diaries 4.6 "We All Go A Little Mad Sometimes" Review

Elena (Nina Dobrev) can't sleep and warms up some hot milk, yeah she's really going to drink that.  She has more hallucinations of Connor (Todd Williams) and he remarks on her guilty conscience for killing him.  She thinks he's a ghost and she stabs him, but it's really Jeremy (Steven R McQueen) she stabs.  Agh, Elena, she's doing my head in, especially how she's going to keep on doing that throughout this episode!  I mean how many times will Jeremy et al, be stabbed and killed.  Damon (Ian Somerhalder) says he should be grateful he didn't lose the family ring.  She's not talking to Stefan (Paul Wesley).  Damon is adamant she should have called Stefan.  Damon: "PS I killed Stefan."

Elena says this isn't about Damon or working with Klaus (Joseph Morgan) who shows up at Tyler's (Michael Trevino).  Caroline (Candace Accola) brings over Tyler's things in a charade for Klaus to highlight their "break up" drama.

Elena has yet another hallucination, this time a scene from Psycho, with blood in the shower.  Damon comments on how "shady people get outed" with regards to Stefan and he replies it wouldn't have happened if he had kept the secret.  Klaus knows about Elena's hallucinations since he killed the five hunters.  The hallucinations are a consequence and was spelled by witches which prevented him from his destiny.  He needs to take Elena with him or she'll kill herself.  Which he does cos she stabs Stefan next.

Jeremy tells Matt (Zach Roerig) about Connor's mark and he can see one too.  Shane (David Alpay) hangs out with April (Grace Phipps) and he looks familiar to her.  They tell Bonnie (Kat Graham) about the curse and she can't do magic to break the curse but she can ask Shane, cos after knowing him for a short while she trust him completely.

Klaus went through the same hallucinations for 52 years, he felt time.  Elena wants to know what else Stefan knows.  The hallucination eventually stopped.  Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) wants to help Chris (Ser'Darius Blain) and others break their sire bond.  He's no longer sired to Klaus.  Connor had a family and he's not happy, he's dead.  Katherine appears and tells her it's Elena's fault her parents died.  April recalls she knows Shane cos of her father Pastor Young.

Shane talks of Silas creating a spell to grant himself mortality and he was buried alive.  Is he Silas?  Well I had to ask didn't I?

Katherine tells Elena she's like her now and Elena'll kill again until she becomes like her.  Stefan will hate Elena but at least she'll have Damon.  Who tells Shane he's into origin of the species, monsters, not Darwin.  He shows Shane the drawing of the tattoo.  The Hunter's Mark  is a legend of how the curse torments until a new hunter awakens, i.e. Jeremy. They are called "potentials."

Caroline goes to the bar and distracts Klaus so they can rescue Elena.  Who now stabs Stefan.  Jeremy needs to kill a vampire and they need Klaus's help now since Stefan loses her.  Jeremy comments on killing Damon if he had a stake.  Damon must find Elena.

There's ye olde bridge again and her mother appears to her now positing she should kill herself cos she was meant to die.  It's the right thing to do and Jeremy will have a ghost for a sister who helps him.  Just how many ghosts does Jeremy need around or to encounter anyway.    She doesn't hallucinate Damon at first.  "Third time's a charm."  She sees Connor again and she doesn't wear her ring.

Klaus confronts Chris and Hayley takes the blame for Elena.  Stefan daggers Chris and Jeremy stakes him.  Damon isn't as fast as Klaus and Elena moves from him.  She begins to burn, which has all been done before.  Now it's Elena's turn to feel the burning sensation of the sun and not just the sun, ha.  Damon says vampires hate disappointment.  She knows Stefan has been lying.  Now Damon spills and tells her there may be a cure for her.

Tyler is angry about Chris, he was his friend, just like Elena is to Caroline.  She has a date with Klaus.  Matt isn't a replacement for Alaric as he tells Damon about the Pastor's phone records and how he called the same number everyday and he called it ten times the day of the explosions.  He was calling Shane.

Damon says she should talk to Stefan but she can't.  She's become different, darker.  Stefan asks her who or what she wants.  Something's changed between her and Damon and she feels more for him.  Stefan calls it "magnified".  Her feelings for him now she's a vampire have magnified.  When he was the ripper he understood why Elena cared for Damon.  He can't do this anymore and she wants Damon now.  Ugh!!

So we finally get that break up moment where Elena admits she wants Damon now and what an excuse that was, turning into a vampire caused the little feelings she had for him to be "magnified" and now cos of Stefan's secrets and all that, she can have Damon.  What a cop out, why didn't she just come out and admit it was really Damon she had the hots for, irrespective of whether she became a vampire or not.  Who's she fooling she always wanted him and was in denial.  Yes I am ranting, cos after all the hooha and breaking up with Stefan, "oh Stefan I love you" blah, blah, and then getting back together, this is what it boiled down to.  Nooo, they should have let Elena suffer, not get her own way and end up with Damon.  He's too good for her!

Now she'll probably be in two minds about the cure cos if she becomes human again, highly unlikely, will she still have the same intense feelings for Damon.  What was funny, was Katherine telling her Stefan wouldn't want her anymore cos she's a vampire and no longer human and he treated Katherine in this way too.  Yet he didn't say that to Elena, he still wanted her but he can't cos she has feelings for Damon, so actually she's the one who did the breaking up, getting in before Stefan could even if eh did want her to choose.

As for Jeremy becoming the hunter, that was always obvious and perhaps it looks like Caroline will go the same way as Elena and end up with Klaus, especially over Tyler's carry on and how he's lost a friend when they kill Chris to save Elena from the torture of her hallucinations.  It's all about Elena and just for once I'd like to see her suffer and suffer for longer than one episode, not end up with the hot guy!! Ha.

Bonnie trusting Shane and how he's ingratiated himself into their lives for his own purposes.  As for the title referring to Elena, she went more than just a little mad, but on full blown murderous spree, stabbing everyone within her sights, except for Damon, who had to save her, as usual.  No she had goo-goo eyes for him.

CSI Meets CSI:NY

CSI and CSI:NY are to crossover in a two part episode to air next February 2013.  Mac (Gary Sinise) will visit his girlfriend, Christine (Megan Dodds) in Las Vegas and discovers she's missing.  As her hotel is a CS, he will enlist the help of DB Russell (Ted Danson) and the two will investigate together.  The CSI episode is titled In Vino Veritas.

The action will then switch to CSI:NY when this time DB will touchdown in New York to help Mac continue the investigation.  It will be determined that Christine was kidnapped, so they must find out if she's still alive or not.

The CSI franchise has had cross-over episodes before.  CSI:Miami was introduced in the episode 2.22 Cross-Jurisdictions when Warrick (Gary Dourdan) and Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) travelled to Miami to solve a case and we were introduced to the CSI:Miami team, headed by Horatio Caine (David Caruso).  Two years later CSI:NY was also introduced with a cross-over, when Horatio headed to New York to find the killers responsible for a gruesome family slaying in Miami.  The episode was 2.23 MIA/NYC - Nonstop.

CSI then also had a crossover episode with Without A Trace, 8.6 Who and What which focused on Gil Grissom (William Petersen) joining forces with FBI agent Jack Malone (Anthony LaPaglia) to investigate their case after a serial killer escapes capture in Las Vegas.  The investigation was concluded on Without A Trace episode, 6.6 Where and Why.  Later all three shows did a Trilogy, though it was actually Ray Langston (Laurence Fishburne) who travelled to Miami in Bone Voyage, then New York in Hammer Down and then back to Vegas in The Lost Girls, where he investigated human trafficking.

Merlin 4.13 "The Sword in the Stone" Part 2 Review

Merlin (Colin Morgan) returns to cover their tracks and calls for the Dragon (John hurt) which we knew he would.  Agravaine (Nathaniel Parker) manages to escape.  Arthur (Bradley James) needs to lose them.   Merlin: "yeah do I look like an idiot?"
Arthur:"YES."  Merlin says he hasn't changed.  Agravaine enters the tunnels.  Arthur overhears Tristan (Ben Daniels) saying he's not a good king.  Gwen (Angel Coulby) replying he doesn't know him.

Merlin says he needs to create a diversion, he knows the tunnels.  Agravaine is about to kill Merlin, but he uses his magic in front of him cos we know Agravaine is getting killed as not only did he find out about his magic, but also cos he was in league with Morgana (Katie McGrath) after all and betrayed Arthur.  Merlin was born with magic, he's Emrys.  He deceived Arthur just like Agravaine who comes at him with the sword and Merlin repels him.  Arthur returns for Merlin - his servant.

Merlin asks if he was worried about him.  Arthur came for him cos he's "the only friend I have and I couldn't bare to lose you."  Then adds not really.  They decide to head to the woods to find the others, towards Camelot.  Morgana comes for Gwaine (Eoin Macken) to take part in some more fighting.

Tristan says there's "nothing special about Arthur."  He's like everyone else. Arthur feels he doesn't deserve to be king.  He had a moment of weakness in Elidor and everything he cherished between them no longer exists and won't change.  So he says.

Morgana gives them mouldy bread to eat which Elyan (Adetomiwa Edun) gives to Gaius (Richard Wilson).  Merlin says he shouldn't listen to Tristan.  Arthur trusted and was betrayed.  He misjudged Morgana and Agravaine.  All his decisions were wrong; he should be more wise, a statesman.  Merlin feels he is a worthy king.  People love him and he's given up on everyone including himself.

Merlin calls for the Dragon  to thank him.  He responds that Albion and the future is in danger.  The fate of Camelot is in Merlin's hands.  Only he can restore Arthur's faith and make him believe he can be a king again.  Merlin has an idea and finds the others in the forest.  He thinks of the sword in the stone which he put there in The Coming of Arthur.  Merlin tells Arthur the story Gaius told him.  The land was at war and one man drew plans for the land to be divided.  First king of Camelot, Bruta was taken into the forest and put the sword into the rock. The test is that only the true king of Camelot can pull it out, with a little help from Merlin.  History isn't a strong point for Arthur.  Merlin's found the sword.

Merlin tells him he's "the true king of Camelot."  He is special.  Helios (Terence Maynard) gives Morgana news of Agravaine's death and she knows only Emrys could have done it.  They plan an attack on Camelot.  Arthur must fight for Camelot.  Tristan says he'd lay down his life for him, Percival (Tom Hopper) and Merlin too would all fight for Arthur.  Isolde (Miranda Raison) says Gwen should not give up on her love for Arthur.

Arthur knows Morgana's power is great and they have nothing to fight with.  Merlin finishes the story where the king when in need of the sword, pulled it out and united Albion into the greatest kingdom.  Merlin isn't making it up and Arthur's head is already "as big as his waist."  Merlin has always believed it. (The story and Arthur's head being so big, ha.) Merlin enters Camelot and changes into Dragoon.  Morgana sees him as Emrys and is afraid.  Asking why he's tormenting her?  She always needs help and then manages to fall asleep so soundly too.

Tristan wants to fight.  Arthur is different from the others and he wants to fight for what's right and fair.  Arthur tells them they stand as equals.  Gwen never stopped loving him.  Percival frees the others.  Arthur wonders what happened to Morgana as they were friends.  She can't blame him for his father's sins.  Morgana says he's not as different to Uther as he thinks.  Arthur adds she isn't either.  Also saying Emrys can't help Arthur either, like he knows who that is.  Her magic doesn't work and she has to run.

Isolde is stabbed as she saves Arthur from Helios.  Morgana is injured, where was Gwen all this time?  Merlin conjures a rock slide in front of Morgana and she escapes as usual.  Isolde's death makes Arthur change his mind about Gwen.  Arthur wants her to stay and marry him.  She can't forgive herself.  He doesn't want to lose her.  "Long live the queen."

Morgan is healed by Aithusa, who will become an ally of course.  She'll manipulate him into becoming evil, yet can she command a dragon not being the Dragon Lord?  A bit implausible if that's the right word in how the sword in the stone legend developed, felt almost like Merlin made it up as he went along.  The last part of his story was exactly that, made up, making Arthur believe his destiny is to be the greatest king that Albion has ever known.  Also aside from Arthur marrying Gwen, there wasn't much to be said about this episode.  Morgana's still out there and will get up to yet more dastardly deeds as we know, now she'll need other people helping her as usual since Agravaine is dead.

Gwen being crowned queen at her coronation isn't the same one that Morgana imagined in 3.10 Queen of Hearts.  The sword in the stone, aka Excalibur was last seen in 1.9 Excalibur and in 3.13 The Coming of Arthur Part 2.  Also the straw doll has been used before in 1.1 The Dragon's Call, 3.8 The Eye of the Phoenix where Morgana used one in the form of Arthur to bind the magic of the bracelet she gave him.

CSI:NY Season 9 Episode "The Real McCoy"

Lots still to come in season 9 of CSI:NY as the CSIs investigate the murder of a Speakeasy owner with money also going missing.  The Real McCoy airs on 7th December in the US.

                                   
Flack's (Eddie Cahill) on the case again along with Mac (Gary Sinise) and the rest of the team. Oh wish they'd give Flack a decent outfit, can't have one of New York's finest dressed like that!!

                                  
Meanwhile the episode is a personal one for Adam (AJ Buckley) as he heads home and an appearance is made by James Handy as Charles Ross.  Yet Adam neglects to tell his girlfriend, Michelle (Melissa Fumero) a thing or two.  Adam has a girlfriend, get out!

This episode is partly Adam orientated at least as far as CSI:NY's foray into the personal lives of its characters continues.

CSI:Miami 10.18 "Law and Disorder" Review

A woman staggers through a nightclub and the waiter asks if she's okay, she needs some air and walks back through the crowd.  Yeah great help you were, weren't you meant to call for help, not leave her on her own to get some air!  She's run over outside and the driver tells Tripp (Rex Linn) he didn't see her.  He thought he drove over a dog, whilst Tripp does all the tests on him.  ME Tom (Christian Clemenson) finds signs of poisoning, there's foam in her mouth and she was dead before the car drove over her.

Horatio (David Caruso) wants the club locked down and Walter (Omar Miller) tries to get the people gathered to question them.  Calleigh (Emily Procter) and Delko (Adam Rodriguez) question the waiter and he tells them about her walking out again.  Calleigh makes an appointment on her phone for two O'clock and Delko overhears her. The DB came from the bathroom where Calleigh notices a purse in the trash.  Now who'd throw a purse away?  Her name was Denise (Jessica Garvey) and Delko tells Calleigh about overhearing her phone conversation.  She's not becoming a PI.

ME Tom narrows down the poisons, they could be dealing with Sarine and Calleigh thinks if she ingested it, then there must be something in her bag.  Delko gets a positive reaction from her eye drops.  Calleigh positing that if she put those in her eyes, it would be enough to immediately shut down her system.  Anyone nearby could have been affected.  Walter and Delko talk with the valet (Lawerence Adimora) who tells them he noticed a woman needing a taxi and she was sick outside.  She paid him $100.  He still has the note and Delko finds it has traces of Sarine.  He's not affected though.  Walter calls the taxi company and gets an address where she was dropped off.

Tripp and Sam (Taylor Cole) check out the deserted warehouse and Tripp gets beaten by a woman.  She attempts to hide the canister.  Finally Sam catches up to her.  She's an assassin and put the poison in Denise's eyedrops in the bathroom, but she turned around too quickly and she injected herself with a bit accidentally.  She won't tell them who hired her.

Natalia (Eva La Rue) and Delko check out Denise's apartment, which is a mess.  She has papers everywhere and was writing a story for the Miami Herald, which Delko finds amusing.  It was an expose.  There are a lot of take out containers in the room, so she had company and Natalia finds some trace on a dress on the floor.  Natalia returns the key to the landlord and leaves Delko with the evidence which he leaves on the ground outside unattended and heads for the shouting he hears.  A man and woman fight and the woman hits Delko.  Well obviously they were a diversion as anyone knows since he left the box behind.   Calleigh attends to Delko's face and she tells him she wants to adopt Austin and his sister.  He thinks she'll make a good mother and then they talk about their own relationship which is on and off again.  So they don't have any stability.

The DNA is matched to Councilman Randall Stafford (Richard Burgi).  Horatio sees him at a press conference and loudly says he's involved in Denise's murder.  He was having an affair with her as she was working on his profile for the paper.  He won't say anything else without his lawyer.  Who arrives in the form of  Darin Vogel (Malcolm McDowell).  Accompanied by Gaby (Danielle Bisutti) she was lawyer for Esteban Navarro.  Delko is questioned on where he put the evidence when the couple were arguing and he says it was unattended.  Something the judge will deem inadmissible.

Natalia goes over Denise's notes, written in shorthand and finds Denise was writing about the city council.  She was getting info from Stafford.  There's one part about Stafford approving paving for an area involving Cassell and Ruiz.  Cassell was accused of murder but wasn't convicted.  Natalia has the street dug up and they find 5 bullet casings and blood.  Er, why not just remove the casings after the shooting.

Sam and Ryan (Jonathan Togo) examine the casings and take photos of them.  ASA Josh Avery (Ryan McPartlin) is also at the lab as he'll be prosecuting the case.  Cassell (Troy Kittles) asks for his lawyer, cue Vogel and he points out the bullet casings were for a 9 mm but there's one for a .45 there as well.  So someone switched bullet casings.  Of course it could only only be Avery, but is Sam involved too.  If she's not then she and Ryan can get together like he wants ha.  Okay  digression over.

Walter ad Delko analyze the clients Vogel represented and find they were all acquitted or freed on lack of evidence and that he was blackmailing his clients into helping him.  Delko notices the man who had the fight with the woman was also one of his clients.  Horatio tells Stafford about Vogel and he needs his testimony, however he's concerned for his family.

Vogel gets Gaby to take the fall for the blackmail and Natalia and Horatio ask her if she knows what it's really like in prison.  Vogel also accuses Sam of messing up at a press conference and thus all the cases in which she examined the evidence will be overturned, meaning Esteban will also be freed.  Avery meanwhile shares a drink with Vogel. Sam fears she's lost everything but not if Ryan can help it.

CSI:Miami was certainly trying to go out on a high note bringing in Malcolm McDowell again to reprise his role of attorney Vogel.  The same one Horatio crossed swords with on Jesse's (Eddie Cibrian) behalf in season 8.16 LA.  Here a murderer could be freed due to an event from Jesse's past.  Jesse was cleared here when they came up against Vogel so it seems unbelievable that they'd be stymied here when he makes an appearance in Miami and seems to outwit their every move.  Nevins also told Horatio that Jesse would be tainting and and all the evidence he handles in the Miami lab and that she would reject everything he handles as he is compromising Horatio's lab.  Horatio replied he'll have to clean his name then.  Similar to Sam here, only it's Ryan who will bat for her and get into strife over it.

Malcolm McDowell loves playing these sorts of roles, as he plays something similar as Brett in The Mentalist.  Anyone would have worked out Avery was on the payroll especially since he wasn't very forceful or strong during the Esteban trial.

All of Sam's cases being overturned and reviewed reminds me of CSI:NY 3.8 Consequences episode where Mac went ahead and arrested Det Dean Truby against Flack's wishes, knowing his arrest would have consequences and all of his cases would be looked at, including criminals going free as a result.

Also looks like Delko ad Calleigh may get together and Sam and Ryan too, in the final episode.  Richard Burgi loves playing his philandering roles.

Vogel telling Horatio he loves Miami.
Horatio: "Don't get too comfortable."
Vogel: "You know I love Miami...can you recommend any good restaurants?"
Horatio: "You heard what I said."
Vogel:" Oh come on you're such a grouch.  Cheer up.... have   nice day...not you."  To Delko, that was funny. It's a bit late for Horatio to cheer up after what he's been through, but more importantly after all he's done and how he's changed, not for the better either.

NCIS Season 10 Snippets

Seems so far away for us and those who haven't even had season 9 of the show yet, sucks being a year behind but sometimes it's good to know what's coming - eventually, not really spoilers but the way the storylines and plots are heading.

Spoilers, did I say spoilers.  Well it's not new but Alex Kingston, as said earlier, will be making a guest turn on the show as Gibbs' (Mark Harmon) potential love interest.  Is that a sigh I hear...well she'll be playing Miranda Pennebaker, states TVGuide as the show steps into the area of human trafficking.  Apparently Gibbs will need her help.  Will this be like Holly Snow (Dina Meyer) in season 7 or completely different?  Holly was a good character but not in the love stakes for Gibbs.  Said executive producer Gary Glasberg: "They [Gibbs and Miranda] clearly have a bit of a sordid past.  It's never really determined how far their past went, but there's flirtation in the air.  This is the first time that they are really working together on something."

Not really giving anything away here, but Gibbs with a sordid past, never.  Who'd have thunk it?  Or in Gibbs' words, "D'ya think?"

It's also said Tony (Michael Weatherly) has to deal with some emotional issues and whether that will involve a romantic interlude with Ziva (Cote de Pablo) remains to be seen.  They are meant to be sharing close secrets.

Gary Glasberg also told TVLine that "Tony will have some decisions to make as the season progresses, decisions that could leave him at a real emotional crossroads."  This is nothing new for either Tony or Ziva and we've been skating around this area for many seasons now, especially season 6 and how Ziva treated Tony for killing Rivkin.  After that there was little possibility or hope of the two getting together.  Yet there have been moments between them in season 7, not least shared in the men's room where they could have had a brief hint of something romantic there, which passed them by.

I'm actually hoping that Tony and Ziva don't get together, as Tony says quite a bit, "that ship has sailed" and I think they really need to move past that now on the show and concentrate on other stories.  The same with Gibbs.  He is a bit, okay a lot of  a loner and that's just his character, so any romantic longterm attachment could change him a really big way, not just emotionally but also who he is.  Shannon is and forever will be the love of his life, never mind any other woman!  She makes Gibbs who he really is.

Any romance would just detract from the premise of the show and the jokes, the one-liners, which seem to be missing of late.  There are may fans out there who don't want that and feel a romance between the team characters, or players would just diminish the show and the reasons why they watch.

So let's just leave them all as friends and co-workers.  Except McGee (Sean Murray) and Abby (Pauley Perrette)  they need to explore them more as a couple.

Don't forget My NCIS unofficial NCIS book is available at amazon.com

Merlin 5.7 "A Lesson In Vengeance" Review

Arthur (Bradley James) and Gwen (Angel Coulby) head out for an anniversary picnic after Arthur is pleased he recalled the day, which Gwen reminded him of a while ago, as did Merlin (Colin Morgan) but Arthur still insists he remembered what day it was.  With Merlin following behind so they won't be completely alone.  Soon a piece of cloth explodes and Arthur is thrown from his horse, only to be attacked by two mercenaries.  Having fought one off, Merlin uses magic to thwart the other one, allowing Arthur to kill him.  Not had such gratuitous violence from Merlin in a while.  You know outright sword stabbing like that, ha.

Leon (Rupert Young)  finds Arthur's saddle had been re-stitched and this leads to Leon and the knights questioning Arthur's steward Tyr Seward (John Bradley).  Well he's just an extra, as we know so he'll be disposed of pretty quickly.  A search of his house leads to Percival (Tom Hopper) locating the red twine and Tyr is arrested. Of course he'd have twine at home, he looks after the saddles and horses doesn't he?! Questioned by Arthur, he claims he didn't do it and pleads his innocence only to fall on deaf ears.  He refuses to tell Arthur who may have put him up to it, or more importantly who actually did the dirty deed.  No prizes for guessing who is actually was, er, someone by the name of Gwen.

Arthur doesn't believe he had the intelligence to act alone, has no choice but to sentence him to death for treason.  Merlin tries to plead his case but Arthur resorts to the laws of Camelot, even reluctantly, as Gwen once did.  Of course no one has noticed that Gwen is different, surely she would have wanted Tyr's life to be spared and would have accused Arthur of acting hastily.  Yet there's no chance of that, as she is the one who is behind it.

Merlin brings Tyr food and questions him, eventually Tyr says he was threatened his mother would be killed so he can't say who it was.  He saw someone when he was in the stable.  Merlin having to tell Arthur in front of Gwen, prompting her to talk Arthur out of confronting Tyr until the morning.  She can then take care of the loose end and stabs him to death, without so much as a ruffle of her hair extensions!  Arthur blames himself when Tyr's DB is found so he should have questioned him sooner.

Merlin suspects Gwen has changed and tells Gaius (Richard Wilson) about this change who puts it down to her losing Elyan, her only family.  Merlin thinks it's more and can't put his finger on it.  Gwen takes a stroll to the woods to meet Morgana (Katie McGrath) and breaks the bad news that Arthur is alive, but she's taken care of the only witness who saw her mess with Arthur's saddle.  Well Gwen's been busy, managing to find the time to plant the twine at Tyr's house.  Gwen is almost caught by Gwaine (Eoin Macken) as the two scarper, Gwaine gives chase and Morgana throws him off his horse using magic.  Did you see Gwen's hood fall on and off again in several shots whilst she was running?

Gwen arrives back at the castle to be met by Merlin and he tells her of the patrol being ambushed in the woods.   Arthur sees that Gwaine is okay and he and Merlin speak about Arthur and his life being in danger.  Gwaine must look after him closely, all the while Gwen listening to them in secret.  Arthur sends out Gaius and Merlin to search for clues in the woods and Merlin comes across a dead branch, showing the magic is at work.  Surprised he didn't send the knights to do that bit of investigating as the did at Tyr's house! Also they find a rag on some twigs.  Merlin searches Gwen's closet and Arthur catches him in the act, which is what I said.  Oh Merlin looking for a dress to match your eyes! Ha.  He tells Merlin he should be doing his laundry.  Finally Merlin finds Gwen's cloak in the basket which matches the rag he found, Gaius identifying it as an expensive piece of embroidered silk.

Once again we get evidence against Gwen, yet Gaius and Merlin can do nothing with it, cos this time they'll be accusing the queen, as in the past it was Morgana and Agravaine.

Morgana buys some poison henbane from the apothecary (Tony Guilfoyle) and has to pay him double for him to keep his mouth shut.  One drop of valerian will make Arthur unconscious and a drop of henbane in his ear will render him dead.  Thus Gwen gets a chance to do exactly that.  Having made the cloak connection, Merlin rushes to help Arthur but he's too late.  The deed has been done and Gaius can't do anything for Arthur.  Once again a replay of sorts of the scene with Uther last season, when Morgana ensured magic would not save Uther.  Here Gaius tells him only Merlin's magic can save him.  That was what Merlin also tried to do with Uther but Morgana getting the better of him cos of Agravaine spilling to her.

Before all that though, Gwen being busy once again accuses Merlin of poisoning Arthur.  Of course Arthur's in no position to speak up for his loyal servant.  Thus it's Merlin's turn to be thrown into prison.  Morgana having told Gwen that she has to act like her wholesome self  as the knights must trust her and ensure she'll be the one who will rule after Arthur's death.  Which is exactly what Leon tells Gwen.  First we used to get face pulling from Morgana and now we get it from Gwen, as she smirks when Gaius tells her there's no hope for Arthur.  Niggle, Gwen accuses Merlin of poisoning Arthur and yet she implies he ingested it, he only drank the valerian but that wasn't the poison; yet Gaius says there's signs of a tincture near Arthur's ear.  No one picked up on the mistakes she's been making.  This was straight out of Hamlet, as his father was killed in this way.

Gaius helps Merlin get out by giving him his potion to turn into Dragoon and after making a fool out of the guards he manages to leave his cell.  Yet he changes back too quickly and the knights give chase.  Merlin, his eyes lighting up now as he uses magic, blows out all the torches and lights in Camelot.  Oh look, Mordred's (Alexander Vlahos) made an appearance now that Elyan's gone and gets a line.

Merlin climbs up the building to Arthur's chamber and works his magic, eventually Arthur recovers after Merlin chants some magic over him, touching his chest.  Which doesn't sound right, no it was like resusitating him, Arthur has Merlin released and  tells Merlin he didn't believe it was him for a second.  Also the cook confirmed his alibi, that dreaded cook who was abused by Dragoon.
Arthur: "I also told them you simply weren't bright enough to organize an assassination attempt."
The apothecary tells them it was Morgana.  Merlin watches Gwen and she him.  No signs of a smirk there.

Some parts of this were a repetition of what has gone before, as already mentioned, but with different characters.  Such as Gwen meeting Morgana in the marketplace, Morgana once again disguised as an old woman, which is exactly what she used to do when she met Morgause.  Only it was Morgause who used to disguise herself.  It's good to see Gwen being so darkly evil, cos then we get an excuse to boo her and shout at the TV, ha.  Would have thought Arthur would have noticed those little mannerisms of hers have changed and the way she spoke to Merlin when he caught her coming back from her 'stroll.'  It wasn't normal, confident Gwen, but she seemed rather uppity and arrogant.   She's a queen now, it's a wonder she's left to wander alone outside.

Also it just happened to be Gwen who found the bottles were from the apothecary and the knights all applaud her, "long live the queen."  Merlin doesn't though, which is good, especially not after she tried to kill Arthur, making Merlin's task of ensuring Arthur doesn't die that much more difficult as he now has an enemy working inside Camelot.  That should read, another enemy inside Camelot once more.

So the grate in the cell ceiling can be used to send stuff in, why has no one thought of that before, so probably merlin could have gotten out through there using his magic, it looked large enough.  Can also be used to eavesdrop too.  No signs of Aithusa either, what has Morgana done with him?

The Mentalist 5.3 "Not One Red Cent" Review

Another opening scene where we have Patrick (Simon Baker) driving up in his Citroen, this time he pops in to have his shoes repaired.  Choosing this place most probably as it's a "while you wait" shop.  Though the cobbler doesn't know how long he will actually take to repair his shoes.  Meanwhile there's an armed robbery in progress at Sacramento Federal bank.  The robbers get away with the money but then one of the workers, the assistant manager, Ernie (Mark Provencher) is shot in the vault.  Of course it's obvious the robbers didn't do it cos they had what they needed, no need to kill anyone.

Patrick hears the gunshot and watches from the shop, as we know, he's not one throw himself into danger or the line of fire.  Poor Patty he won't be getting his shoes back in a hurry as the cobbler is in shock and collapses.  The shoe story being only ancillary to the main plot, giving Patrick the chance to sport some white shoes, with his grey suit, yeah we know the writer was having a laugh here.  When was the last time we saw Patty without his trademark brown shoes, just the one time they were dumped in the alley.  Oh and there was the time there was that blooper in season 1's Flame Red when his shoes changed from brown to black in the same scene when he drove that tractor.  But hey off topic here with Patty's shoes, he'll do that to you.

The ring leader gives the other robbers their share and wants them to leave town, so we get to see their faces so early on in the show.  That's cos as said, none of them fired the fatal shot.  Lisbon (Robin Tunney) arrives and Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) fills her in, pointing out Ernie's fiance Nancy (Katie Walder).  Cho (Tim Kang) has been taking statements and Patrick asks him if the vault door was open or closed.  It was open, when it shouldn't have been.  Clue for later.

The employees are interviewed and they're all a mismatched bunch but none of them look the type to be killers or bank robbers.  Thus the robbers enlisted an inside an, that much was obvious and even I said that ages ago.  Not to mention getting my suspect very early on.  As soon as the manager, Armin Gagnon (Don Stark) and then Nancy said they were both in the loo, away from the sight of the others, there could only have have been two suspects.  Nancy was overdoing the waterworks.

FBI Agent Mancini (Ivan Sergei) argues over who should be in charge of the investigation and Lisbon says they have the homicide which supersedes the robbery.  Bertram (Michael Gaston) compromises with Mancini having access to the files.  Mancini asks why Lisbon doesn't like him and she asks if they're in school, admitting she doesn't like him.  He invites her to a law enforcement poker game which she may attend. So Lisbon tells Mancini outright she doesn't like him and especially since he lost Lorelei.

The robbery wasn't the first and Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) finds that no one was killed in any of the other ones.  He's taken surveillance camera footage and found one of the men is the same height and is always at the scene.  The other accomplices are always different.  Van Pelt thinks if they can ID the man without his balaclava on camera since he probably cases the banks beforehand, then they can find the others.  Patrick up to his usual antics bets Van Pelt lunch for a week whoever finds the suspect first.  Van Pelt agrees to this even though Rigsby says he's not going for it.  He tells her he found the man two hours ago and asks Van Pelt to write his name down, using the old 'watching what she's writing' ploy, he deduces that she wrote John Hutten.

Hutten (Paul Schulze) is arrested but is giving nothing away.  Whilst waiting for that pesky lift, Patrick asks Hutten about the inside man.  Attending Ernie's wake Patrick questions each of the employees and deduces none of them are the killers.  Lisbon has to contend with Ernie's grandmother.  Patrick sneaking to Ernie's room finds an air ticket to Brazil wedged under his drawer.  At one point he even sees if his shoe size matches Ernie's shoes, well he would, they were brown after all.

Patrick then questions the manager, Nancy and Casey (Joanna Canton) and asks them where they're from.  Another clue when Nancy says she was from Upstate New York.  He notices Ernie was different in his photos and she tells them how she helped him change.  He lost weight and she got him this house.  Also Patrick lets slip, on purpose, that Ernie was the inside man.  Again that was obvious the way he volunteered to open the safe for them.

Patrick gets a list of the people holding safe deposit boxes at the bank, after he talks the manager into recalling that when he came from the loo, the vault door was open.  He thinks someone put something in the box rather than take something out.  He and Lisbon confront the employees in the vault and Lisbon offers them a deal for 10, 15, 20 years, if the killer comes forward and opens the box.  Like a gameshow! Ha.  Patrick narrows down the names to three people, one of them being Hudson, re New York and Nancy being from there, which again was easy to figure out.  Said that when she mentioned where she was from.  Ahh, couldn't we get some difficult clues?

Nancy admits it was her and gives them the key and the gun is found inside.  Ah stupid woman, what was wrong with dumping it in the toilet flush or somewhere else!  She recalled she forget to shut the door but couldn't go back as the manager was already there.  She tells Van Pelt she helped him change but he was leaving her.  He flirted with Casey and she followed him to an Internet place.  She even hacked into his secret e-mails where she found out what he was planning.  She knew where everyone would be and took a potty break at that time.  Lisbon gets her man too as the e-mails provide evidence as to Hutten's planning and involvement in the robbery.

As in last episode Nancy doesn't show any remorse over the killing, he deserved it.  These women killers are getting ruthless in this show and it's always Van Pelt who has to deal with them.  Van Pelt asks Patrick how he figured out Hutten's name.  He tells her he saw her writing it and asks her to write something else, this time it's Rigsby.  Wonder why she wrote his name, got that too, especially since the last letter she wrote was a 'y'.  She writes something else and he figures out what the last word was but not the first.  He looks at the pad, "that wasn't very nice."

Lisbon arrives at the poker game and finds Betram also there.  SO there's something that will definitely go down there.  Also in Red Handed Lisbon never mentioned she plays poker or may even be good at it as she tells Bertram here that "it's not gambling if you win"  suggesting that she is good.

Patrick: "I love it when you get all authoritarian on me."  Well he's never said anything like that before, so again let's hope this doesn't signal any romantic notions between the two, cos I for one don't want them going down that route.  No seriously that happens in practically every other show and we've had that 'romantic interlude' with Rigsby and Van Pelt and though Patrick is only a consultant, they do work together.  Patrick telling Lisbon of Nancy being a powerful one in the relationship, "they date down so they have all the power in the relationship."  Lisbon's not like that and besides don't think Patrick would be the type to be subordinate in any relationship.  I mean what does that say about his one night stand with Lorelei and his attraction to Erica in Every Rose Has Its Thorn.  They come across as being tough women.

Lisbon as a power dater was kind of funny cos really the only man she's been with is Walter Mashburn and well, she did seem to the the powerful one in the relationship, what relationship, oh you know, their one night thing and she was kind of coaxed into it.  Also it took her a while to actually give in to him.

Patrick threatening to keep those white things he's wearing, "these shoes are actually quite comfortable!"  SO not much happened in this episode, kind of a filler after the fast paced two opening episodes of the season.  Loved the scenes with Van Pelt and Patrick as he tried to be really friendly with her and she went along with it.  Even telling her he'd like Chinese, then Italian and then Indian for lunch.  She didn't seem to mind his attention either.  Suppose Patrick needed someone to occupy his time seeing as Lisbon was otherwise detained.  Also I have to say Patrick and Van Pelt do make a sweet couple!

Don't forget the scene with Patrick and the foot powder, on his socks, oh Patrick has too much time on his hands! ha.

Oh and fun watching Amanda being told to hide behind furniture and other obstacles to disguise her real-life pregnancy.    Don't think season 5 would mark the end of The Mentalist if only we'd get more satisfying Red John episodes and more characterization of the main cast, cos I think this is one of the best cast ensembles around at the moment!  No one annoys me in this show at all.

Bank robbery also done in Fugue in Red.

CSI:NY Season 9 "Blood Out" Photos

This episode involves Det Lovato (Natalie Martinez) investigating a Latin street gang and gets her cover blown.  The CSIs look into the gang, as well as having IA on the case too.  CSI:NY delving into another episode involving gangs as in season 7's Sangre Por Sangre.

Love these Flack (Eddie Cahill) photos, looks like he's getting really physical this season!  No not in that way, at least not that we know about - yet - ha.

                                 

At least we get to see more of Eddie, sometimes he gets so little screen time!

                                  

Doing what he does best, observing, well apart from investigating, cracking jokes and witty one liners, being sarcastic and looking so great at the same time.

Scandal 1.4 "Enemy of the State" Review

This is where Scandal heats up and there's  flying everywhere.  Quinn (Katie Lowes) wakes up to banging on the door, as Olivia (Kerry Washington) answers her door to Stephen (Henry Ian Cusick) with a bottle of Shiraz so she can drown her sorrows.  He's the first person from the firm that she confides in about Amanda (Liza Weil)  being pregnant.  Probably the first person (that we know of) who sees her breakdown and drink wine, before she's called by Quinn.  There's an army at the office and it's General Benicio Flores (Jose Zuniga) a client who needs help cos his wife's been kidnapped.  Yeah Olivia helps a dictator this episode or at least it seems that way until the end.  A ruthless, enemy of the US, in this way he could be seen as the reference point in the title of this episode.  However as events progress there are other enemies closer to home revealed.  Not least the President himself.

A witness at the restaurant tells them he saw a van in the alley in the back and after checking the place out Abby (Darby Stanchfield) and Stephen find there was no room for a van to fit into the alley.  The waitress recalls seeing the boy had a games console which Huck (Guillermo Diaz) uses to trace their location.  That being the Woman's Shelter at a church.  Thus Olivia had David (Joshua Malina) send out a bunch of police cars when turns out Mrs Carolina Flores (Valerie Cruz) wasn't really kidnapped at all, but wants to leave her husband.  The usual story of him being good when she married him, wanting to do much for his country but he changed.  She no longer loves him.

Abby puts her up in a hotel for the night before she tells Olivia she found them, but Stephan does the opposite, he tells Olivia where she is as next morning she's gone.  Olivia has her brought to the office so she can reunite with her husband.  Cue Abby losing her temper and reminding her of Charles, how he abused her, threw her out and Olivia kneed him with a tyre iron.  She'd follow Olivia over a cliff and reminds her of her white hat which she no longer wears and also how she was a gladiator once and should do the right thing.

Elsewhere Olivia pays a call on Cyrus at his home on a Sunday and his husband, which was a revelation, doesn't let her in at first.  She tells Cyrus about Amanda being pregnant and wants $10 million outright.  He tells her they're no longer friends and doesn't want her coming round anymore.  Leading him to declare a war on Olivia Pope and Associates.  Taking a group of Whitehouse workers, swearing them to secrecy and then ordering them to dish the dirt on every one of Olivia's associates.  Billy (Matt Letscher) is surprised at this and talks to Olivia about it.  She doesn't tell him what is happening but instead she calls Cyrus and tells him they're talking with Diane Sawyer.  Being an ABC show, she'd be the news reporter they'd turn to.

Olivia takes note of Abby's words and she helps Carolina find asylum, only they're too slow and Benicio arrives in time.  he'll agree to her leaving but only without his children.  Olivia later convinces him with a long speech about how his wife would become not the mother of his children but the face of his opposition as she would write and talk about oppression of women.  He finally gives in, though you wonder why such a powerful man would throw in the towel so easily.

In comparison to the President.  He's not happy with the speech being written for him but Cyrus thinks of him as a bit of a wimp as he lays down the scenario of what would happen to him if his indiscretion was revealed to he public.  How he'd be impeached, return to Santa Barbara, get paid for writing his memoirs, but they wouldn't focus on his work rather the sordid secret.  Then one day he'd blow his brains out.  He gives a speech about the free world and how dictators will not win.  Before finally coming to his senses and telling Cyrus he took on this job to make a difference, to do good and that's what he wants to do, which is music to Cyrus's ears.  Who has some new found respect for him as he calls him Mr President.  That the problem isn't Amanda but Olivia.  Ooh, could call him a 'man scorned' there, as he makes this personal by going after Olivia.

Also Mellie (Bellamy Taylor) doesn't want him to step down when he asks her what would happen if this all ended? Clearly she's ambitious and as Cyrus mentions she has her own money too.  Which makes you wonder who is beind the kidnapping of Amanda.  Yes she's drugged and taken from her apartment, but is it cos of what she knows, or a result of the call she made saying she can't do this anymore and wants out.  Of course there are an abundance of suspects in this.  The short man as Olivia referred to Sanders Black (Leland Orser) Mellie, even Cyrus.

Quinn meets up with Gideon (Bredan Hines) again and they're meant to be on a date.  He doesn't want any info from her cos he has a source.  Now who could this source be? Amanda or someone else.  Harrison (Columbus Short) spots the two together and he warns Quinn off Gideon.  They don't talk to the press, nor socialize with them.  Ahh who would keep their hands off Gideon.  He looks through news footage and pauses the video on the President sharing a moment with Amanda and she has this look on her face which is enough to give away their 'affair.'  Yeah it was that obvious, surprised no one noticed it before.  Quinn however shows some defiance, continuing to see Gideon and calling it a 'date.'  Not only that but she kisses Gideon, much to the chagrin of many!!  Yet she has lied to him as well, so where will that take us.  Nah couldn't picture someone like Gideon going for someone like Quinn unless there's something more to it.

Well he looks like he's bagged a winner there then?!

So who is Gideon's mysterious source and could this source be behind the kidnapping?  Whilst Amanda is being taken, Olivia takes a vote on whether they want to continue with Amanda's case.  All voting in favour, even Abby: "over the edge of a cliff."  Which is just where some may end up in this show.

What was interesting was how we got the lowdown on Olivia's associates from Cyrus and his team.  As he turns up with some printed 'dirt' on her and her associates; laying down his declaration of war!  That has actually come from the President himself.  Well Olivia has an enemy in him now so let's hope she forgets the crying and composes herself to take him on.

Okay there were some reveals about the associates which makes them look like they were in need of rescuing by Olivia as she banded them together to start up her firm.  Stephen was a lawyer who suffered a nervous breakdown after a high profile case.  Harrison evaded charges for insider dealing after Olivia represented him pro bono.  Huck is some sort of a former CIA operative and the CIA warned off Cyrus's team from investigating him.  Most of his history being subject to redaction.  Abby was the victim of domestic abuse.  Which is why she was so vocal in wanting to help Carolina.  Quinn remains a mystery as she didn't exist before 2008.

Seems with so much going on in and out of the Whitehouse itself, there's no need for a case of the week, which just seems to distract from the real story of interest.  Also we didn't get anymore input as to why the Pres said Amanda couldn't be having his baby, which makes it seem she made all this up together with the mystery caller.  Also liked the bit where Cyrus told Olivia there's more dirt where that came from and he didn't want to print it out cos that'd mean killing more trees.

Harrison to Quinn: "...we don't lie to reporters."  Seems Quinn must be good at lying if she never existed until recently and has gotten away with it thus far.  One of the best episodes of the show in season 1 thus far.
Cyrus: "You want to know whether the President wore protection with Amanda Tanner.  I don't know, that's your department.  Did he wear one with you?"  Wow didn't expect that from him, then there's a lot you didn't expect from Cyrus, a Republican with a husband for starters.  Then how quickly he turned on Olivia even resorting to dirty tactics.

What did Gideon unearth in that photo he took, other than the President and Amanda?

The Vampire Diaries 4.5 "The Killer" Review

Connor (Todd Williams) tells Shane (David Alpay) of Klaus (Joesph Morgan) he's meant to kill as many vampires as possible in Mystic Falls, but the witch, Bonnie (Kat Graham) is important to Shane.  Connor will kill anyone who gets in the way and takes Jeremy (Steven R McQueen) hostage at the Grill.

Elena (Nina Dobrev) writes in her diary saying she can't write this or even speak of it.  She's a vampire and she hates it.  Stefan (Paul Wesley) also writes in his diary about how he doesn't recognize Elena at times, but there is hope.  Elena feels hopeless and scared.  Stefan mentions the cure for vampires so Elena can be human again.  Elena wants to end it but she can't cos of Jeremy, she's all he's got left.  Stefan is ready to do whatever Klaus asks of him, keep as many secrets.  Which is impossible in this show.

Italy  Klaus is told of Connor's escape and Connor has the hybrid toxin.  He took the hybrid's head but he wants Connor kept alive.  Damon (Ian Somerhalder) wants to go after Connor and kill him.  Klaus trusts no one.  Stefan trusts Damon more than Klaus.  If more know about the cure, they will go after it.

April (Grace Phipps) comes looking for Rebekah and Matt (Zach Roerig) tells her they're not a couple.  Damon looks for Stefan and Elena hasn't told him about the party.  Damon: "...newbie vampire remorse is worse than a hangover."  Jeremy is told he was compelled to forget as he doesn't remember anything.  His friends will come for him and Connor texts them all.  Damon wants to conduct open heart surgery on him cos he has them all.  Stefan says they need to be careful as he's known for setting traps and has werewolf venom and has used it before.  Damon wants to call Bonnie who is too busy with Shane.

He's written books on witch therapy and using hypnosis she can confront her fear and guilt and remove it.  Klaus says Stefan needs to get the others on board with his plan.  Elena sees Stefan on the phone and Damon thinks the tunnels are a good way in and doesn't want Elena coming.  "For someone who doesn't want to be like me, you sure are."  Only Jeremy is holding her together.

Connor has werewolf toxin in the tripwire of the bomb, when it goes off it will enter the bloodstream. Connor will know his story when the tattoo grows.  Caroline (Candace Accola) meets Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin).  Damon comments on Connor having his MacGyver crossbow and wonders why Klaus would be involved.  Stefan vervains Damon.  Tyler (Michael Trevino) tells Klaus's lackey, Dean (Blake Hood) he doesn't have to do everything Klaus says.  Klaus says he knows about Tyler and Hayley.

Stefan tells  them he needs him alive and he can tell Connor about the Tive.  Matt tries to get out through the tunnels and Stefan hears him trying to break through.  Klaus's hybrid triggers the bomb.  More of the tattoo is revealed on Connor.  Jeremy also steps onto the bomb trigger.  Stefan took Damon's ring and knows Stefan is stalling them.  Stefan has a deal with Klaus or he's been compelled.  Elena calls herself dangerous and she can kill him too when he gets too close.

Jeremy is shot.  Stefan stakes Connor and Jeremy can see his tattoo.  They get to the tunnels and Damon comments he had to go through a septic tank to get here.  He wants to kill Connor and doesn't trust him.  Damon grabs Stefan's heart and he spills.  Elena attacks Connor and kills him.

Bonnie has been undergoing hypnosis for 7 hours.  Shane tells her she can light the candle but she's afraid of the spirits and what they'll do to Grams.  She has her own power and is strong.  Elena buries Connor.  Damon tells her what Stefan did is complicated.  Elena says she trusted Stefan.  Damon told her to kill him and she did.  Hayley learns Dean is dead and Caroline wants to know what Tyler feels for Hayley.  She helped him only.  There are other hybrids they can help who need to be free and Klaus would kill them all if he knew that's why he thinks he and Hayley were together.

Jeremy gives April his bracelet.  Jeremy gets the tattoo now.  Damon went through six locks to get Stefan's journal.  He's got Stefan's back.  Stefan regrets Elena killed the only chance she had to be human, not knowing Jeremy has the tattoo now and Jeremy doesn't know that it will help Elena become human.  There are other hunters out there.  Damon is happy to go on a suicide mission with Stefan but why does Stefan want to cure Elena?  Stefan loves her but doesn't want her to be this person, well she's not a person anymore.  Damon is only doing this for Stefan.  Something he always says.

Elena writes how she lost control.  It's the worst feeling and you "realize you've lost yourself."  She has a nose bleed and follows the blood trail to the bathroom, where there is blood everywhere.  Now the hallucinations begin.

Damon wanted Bonnie there but no bothered calling her or finding out where she is, the same about Rebekah too.  Not that she would have helped them or anything but Stefan is the only one who knows she's been daggered, aside from Klaus who reminds us he did that this episode.  Damon still getting the best lines and it was inevitable he would find out about the cure.  Is he in denial, ha, saying he's only helping for Stefan's sake, well maybe not, we know what his feelings are for Elena and that he'd rather see her stay a vampire, especially since they can both party hard.  Also he keeps saying she's more like him anyway.

Elena is having vampiric mood swings, going from killer to whiny vampire to hallucinating now.  She had to become bad it was inevitable (to use again) but she really has to go through the transformation and decide what she wants to do and how she wants to be.  Either like Stefan or like Damon.  Though it seems that choice has been made for her now that she's killed.

We knew it was coming, Jeremy would become a hunter as Elena becomes a vampire.  Bonnie can't see Shane's up to no good even with her "witchy" powers as Damon calls them. So Bonnie's important to him, to use her against her friends.  Would prefer to see Elena become human, since there's Katherine, her vampire doppelganger, they shouldn't have both of them as vampires.  But Elena will have serious trust issues with Stefan as he isn't being honest with her, but it's for her sake.  Gotta ask if there's just a tad selfishness there on Stefan's part as he has a vested interest in wanting Elena to be human.  He's never really lasted long with a vampire lover.  Elena as a vampire is more Damon territory.

Oh and once again another plan goes awry!  The diaries surface this episode and Damon knowing Stefan would write everything down.

Without A Trace 3.16 "Manhunt" Review

Martin (Eric Close) and Sam (Poppy Montgomery) read papers on the steps of her apartment.  Martin comments the Knicks are playing Milwaukee on Wednesday night and they should go.  She says it’s a school night so there’ll be lots of people there and media coverage including a jumbotron.  Someone from the office may see them.  Martin asks what she’s afraid of, of what people might think, after all she’s been with two men from work now.  They argue and he goes for a run.  He sees a boy being taken by a man into a truck.  Then a woman shouts for somebody to stop the man from taking her son.  Martin gives chase on foot.

27 Minutes Missing

Martin gives the description of the man so a sketch can be made and notices Sam speaking with Jack  (Anthony LaPaglia).  He assumed they were a father and son.  He drove a green Nissan Pathfinder, a recent model.  Jack asks Martin what he’s doing here as he lives uptown?  He replies having coffee with a friend and he was going to run home.  Jack tells him to get the sketch to the media.

Danny(Enrique Murcian) questions Mrs Gerard (Grace Philips) Michael’s (Masam Holden) mother.  She dropped him off a block away since he was embarrassed to be seen with her.  She doesn’t recognize the sketch.  Danny tells her Michael knew the man.  Michael is 12 and had no problems with his father but he didn’t spend enough time with him.  The crossing guard tells Viv (Marianne jJan-Baptiste) she used to see him walk to the library with Michael and called him his uncle and just moved to New York.  Michael was lonely and didn’t have many friends.

73 Minutes Missing

Sam tells Martin the traffic camera shows the truck didn’t have a licence plate, so he’s either taken the plates off or it’s new and doesn’t have any yet.  Jack takes Martin to question the Gerard's.

The father, Paul (Patrick Cassidy) blames Martin for his son being missing.  Martin looks at Michaels’s room and finds model planes.  Jack tells them he’s been seeing the man since November and the man was nurturing a relationship with him.  His father moved out 7 months ago and was 2 hours late for his birthday.  Michael opened a present but it wasn’t from his father.  His father couldn’t spend the day with his son.  The present was a video game.  Tek Zero 3.

Danny finds 900,000 were sold in the US and there are new models, now up to 19.  There’re collectables and can only be found online.  Sam finds a new pathfinder on the Net a B stone 834 brought a game in December and the truck buyer is called Brian Stone (Dylan Baker).  He’s a teacher.  Danny says he doesn’t have a criminal record.  He came here from Oregon.

Martin and Jack search his apartment.  There are Video games and a TV.  Jack finds a photo of Michael and another boy inside the frame.  Martin finds his sweatshirt.

Jack tells his parents they met at the library and his father wants to know what they were doing at his house?  They don’t recognize the other boy.

Danny and Viv question the Principal of Harper Prep who tells them Brian no longer teaches there.  Danny asks if he left or was fired?  He didn’t like his teaching methods.  He found children at his home when he called around; Brian said he wanted to show them the movie of To Kill A Mockingbird so he fired him.

Martin finds Brian lived off his savings and has no other job.  Jack says that’s why he had so much time to spend at the library.  Martin asks why he abducted him?  He was divorced 18 months ago from Debra.  They have a son, Alan, 14.  She moved to Boston and is on a flight to Boston.  Sam tries to get her off the plane at Kennedy.

Jack and Martin check out the gas station where Brian was seen 15 minutes ago, Outside of Westchester.  The clerk thought they were father and son.  He saw the photo on TV and Brian took his gun.  He took a road map of New York State.  He dumped trash in the bin and took the clerk’s phone.

Sam tells Martin the phone’s off but one call was made to Directory assistance.  It’s not connected to the number but he’s heading north. As the call was routed from Putnam County call center.  Martin  thinks of resorts and amusements.  Jack finds a receipt in the trash.  He stopped off at a diner in Melrose 2 hours ago.

The waitress at the diner tells Danny and Viv she remembers them.  Alan’s (Wil Meyer) photo fell out of his wallet and Michael refused to return it until he told him who it was, Brian got angry.  Brian said, “it’s not safe.”  He told him the boy was his son and he doesn’t see him.  Michael thinks he’s Alan’s replacement as he’s called him Alan by mistake.  The waitress said they were fine after that.

6 Hours Missing

His ex-wife Deborah (Chelsea Field) spoke to him a year ago.  The photo of Michael reminds her of Alan.  Brian wasn’t abusing their son.  Alan died 2 years ago today.  They  were at a lakehouse in winter and Alan wanted to skate on the ice.  Brian told him “it’s not safe.”  Alan complained he didn’t let him watch video games or do anything.  Two hours later they found him.  Brian blamed himself.  The house is Upstate.

Martin tells Jack they’re at the lake.  Jack and Sam check it out but they’re not there.  Martin has a flashback and says he’s not going there.  He took the road map so changed his plan.  Danny says there were 2,058  411 calls to Directory assistance and thinks perhaps the argument at the diner made him change his plans.  Martin says he’s going to do what Michael wants to do.

Michael’s father apologizes to Martin.  He wanted to go to the model plane museum for his birthday.  One call on 411 was to the Model plane museum in New York.  Danny says state troopers have found a pathfinder on US 20 heading west.  The phone is still off.

Martin wants to talk with Brian, he’s unarmed and gets into the truck.  Brian won’t put the gun away.  He recalls Martin coming after them.  Martin knows about Alan and tells him people will understand what he’s been through and Michael’s parents want their son back too.  Brain cares about him so he should let him go.  Martin says “it’s not safe.”  Martin radios to say Michael’s coming out.  Brain wanted to take him to the museum and tells him his father loves him, “whatever happens here” he should remember that.  Michael refuses to leave and asks what he means by that.  Martin tells him Brian will surrender.  He asks for the gun.  Michael tells him to give it to him.  Brian says he wants to be with his son and the gun goes off.  He gets shot.

Martin thanks Jack for letting him pursue the case.  He tells Martin it was risky getting into the truck.  Martin says it wasn’t by the rules but it’s been done before.  Jack tells him he knows about him and Sam and wishes him luck.  Martin watches Sam at work before leaving.

Sam’s so worried about what everyone will think and see at the office, more like she’s worried about Jack’s feelings, which is silly.  It’s not surprising the whole place doesn’t know by now with the looks that have been passing between the two.  It’s so obvious.  So here they have their first argument and things are never going to be the same again.  There’s thousands at the game and she’s positive they’ll be seen.
Sam: “I am a woman who has slept with two men on the same team.  If people in the office find that out…”
Martin: “What we’re just sleeping together.  I know exactly what you’re talking about.”
He thought they meant more to each other.

As for Martin running after the truck, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were watching a scene out of Now And Again!  Eric's other show.

Martin feels guilty about not noticing what was happening sooner with the abduction because he had other things on his mind, so he didn’t notice.  Not something you’d notice since everyone kept saying in this episode that they assumed they were father and son.

Of course Jack knew about them – Martin was in Sam’s neck of the woods after all and the ‘friend’ had to be her.  They’re always exchanging glances and even more so when Jack’s around and even Danny found out.

The number of times, “it’s not safe” was said.  That was the buzz word for this episode, even Martin said it.

Jack and Martin’s relationship has come a long way, whereas before he’d have reprimanded Martin for getting into the truck – unarmed – this time he didn’t, and for endangering lives.

Jack: “Martin, I know about you and…”
Martin: “OK.”
Jack: “Good luck with it.”  Jack doesn’t even say her name.

As for getting into the truck and where Martin says he's seen it done before, it was exactly what Jack did in the season 1 finale – going into the bookshop in exchange for Sam when she was shot.  So maybe that’s what he was referring to.  And maybe that’s why Jack didn’t admonish him.

Danny mentions 411 – the number for US directory assistance – hence the phrase “the 411” on someone or something – meaning information, the lowdown etc.  Well some people won't know the reference.  As in season 1's Fallout this episode doesn't show the Vic disappearing, though Martin does run past him.  So it was good to see Martin's feelings of guilt and how his character has evolved since the Pilot episode where he seemed so cocky and sure of himself.

A shame things didn't go anywhere with Martin and Sam since they made a great couple, but you knew nothing would happen.  There was just a good storyline on offer while it lasted.

Castle 2.16 "The Mistress Always Spanks Twice" Review

A woman is found hanging in the park from monkey bars, with ooze dripping from her.  Alexis (Molly Quinn)  tells Castle (Nathan Fillion) she's trying out as a cheerleader which he's disappointed with.  Martha (Susan Sullivan) advises he should let her work things out for herself.   Castle is called to the CS and Lanie (Tamala Jones) thinks the Vic was covered in caramel sauce, also adding she's into whipped cream bikinis, chocolate and the like, but not caramel, which sets Castle's mind and heart racing no doubt.  As he says they can hear what she's saying.

The Vic was most likely suffocated and there are marks on her body.  Beckett (Stana Katic) finds a pair of handcuffs which also sets tongues wagging.  Ryan (Seamus Dever) finds wheel marks on the ground belonging to a suitcase which was used to wheel the Vic there.  Castle is intrigued on Beckett's knowledge of sex shops in the area and is curious to know how she knows.  Beckett keeping it to herself of course.  Um maybe she's a detective, anyway she tells him about Vice working cases.  Lanie doesn't find any evidence of a sexual nature on the Vic.

Esposito (Jon Huertas) and Ryan watch sex videos on the Net and Esposito makes comments about his girlfriend, Jenny (Juliana Dever) and he says he will let them meet her when he's ready. Ryan receives a call from a sex shop owner who sold the handcuffs.  Beckett and Castle head there and once again Castle comes up with the comments about seeing her in those outfits.  Beckett shows Barry (Paul Schackman) her own set of handcuffs and he sold a pair to Tyler.  Tyler (Gil McKinney) says the Vic, Jessica was his girlfriend and he's an intern at the hospital with late shifts.  Jessica was researching bondage for a paper.  Then gives them the name of her roommate.

Danielle (Amy Gumenick) says they are old friends and Ryan and Esposito notice Jessica's bed hasn't been slept in.  Jessica worked with a Mistress Venom to conduct her research and Kelly (Keiko Agena) shows them Jessica's notes but some files are missing.  Matt (Devon Gummersall) also knew Jessica and they were in competition with each other to win a scholarship  Mistress Venom works at a place called Lady Irena's and Beckett makes an appointment for her boyfriend, Castle.

Lady Irena (Dina Meyer) tells them Jessica was Venom and shows photos of her.  She refuses to answer questions but Castle is mesmerized by her.  Particularly her shade of lipstick called Mistress Red.  Mistress Sapphire (Azita Ghanizada) who also works there tells them she saw someone wearing scrubs, which is meant to lead them to Tyler but obviously he's not the killer.  He loved her and wanted to marry her and they took out a lease together a few days ago.  Jessica had a file on a man named "Sam I Am," who was a masochist, making threats against Jessica and covering her in a sweet substance.  Richard is identified as Sam and Beckett questions him since he's into dominant women.

He has an alibi and was with his wife. Ryan finds Irena knew Jessica had other clients outside of work.  Matt borrowed Kelly's keys and so could have taken heh papers.  They see a photo of him wearing scrubs.    He threatened to tell Tyler about her work and she pulled out of the scholarship.  He took her research back to her apartment, thus Danielle is a suspect.  At the apartment Beckett finds a glass with the same shade of lipstick as Irena.

She was there to talk her out of her outside work and then she invokes her right to a lawyer. Notice the lipstick mark on the glass was brighter in the photo than the actual glass.  Ryan and Esposito find Jessica's bedside table had bleach stains but her pillow had saliva on it.  They still suspect Irena.  Obviously it's not her either.  Alexis gives up cheerleading and will stick with her usual academic pursuits.  Castle wonders who washed Jessica's pillowcase.  Danielle was the only one who could have tidied up and would have had time to wash the pillowcase.

The relationship mentioned in the paper was the one with Danielle and she read the paper to find the reference to caramel and used it to frame a client.  Jessica was going to leave but she loved her.  Ryan introduces Jenny to the others and she's heard a lot about them and has read Castle's book.  She's nice and Esposito would do anything to have someone like her.  He and Castle figure out Ryan didn't introduce them to her earlier cos they'd steal her from him.  Oh yeah, as if Castle is really looking for someone as nice as Jenny.  He's not into that sort of nice, but Beckett nice.

An episode which was right up Castle's kinky alley, oh did I just say that.  Well Beckett keeps him guessing about her extensive sex shop knowledge and she strings him along in 'domineering' form.   Not giving in to him for a second.

Castle's safe word is "apples" here when he enters the bondage dungeon with Beckett and in the pilot episode, Flowers for Your Grave, he uses the same safe word of "apples" when he's arrested and placed in handcuffs.
Castle; "Haven't you ever wanted to do something with your handcuffs besides arrest criminals?"
Beckett: "No, but there is one hot, wild, kinky thing that I like doing...putting killers behind bars."

Jenny was played by Seamus Dever's real life wife, Juliana Dever.  Once again Dina Meyer doesn't get a long part.  She would have made a great FBI agent in next week's episode instead of Dana Delaney!