CSI:NY 9.17 "Today is Life" Review

                                              
So here it is then the final ever episode of our well loved show, seems hard to believe but CSI:NY is no more!  The scene opens with two police officers in pursuit of two robbers who have just held up a jewellery store.  The chase is continued on foot and ends up with the officers separating to pursue the suspects.  One of the robbers escapes by placing his jacket over the barbed wire fence and the second one is shot by the officer.  When the second officer arrives at the scene he hears a gunshot and the alleged robber is shot.  The officer believes he had a gun as he put his hand inside his jacket, he was going to reach for a gun.

Officer Kevin Hopkins (Patrick Mulvey) retells his story to Mac (Gary Sinise) and Flack (Eddie Cahill).  A crowd has gathered outside the twelfth precinct as has news crews.  The Vic was Timothy Brown (Koby Kumi-Diaka).  Kevin is surprised his story is being rejected and knows he doesn't have to talk with them and has 24 hours before having to report to IA.  (Which we all know from Danny's officer shooting ep in season 1 On the Job.)  He trusts Mac and respects him but thinks the radios didn't work as he did call in the shooting.  No gun was found.  His partner, Trey (Paul James) got separated in the alley and Timothy fired at him.  The mob become restless and violent and a brick is lobbed through the window which misses Flack.

Soon the mob overrun the precinct and Mac and Flack help out the officers, Flack is even pushed to the ground and almost knocked out as Mac comes to his rescue!  Ahh poor Flack!  Trey also tells them that they were separated and he followed the suspect who fled over the fence.  He got to the alley and heard a shot but didn't see any gun, but he believes Kevin.  Flack doesn't know if Trey is lying since he could have saved Kevin by telling them he heard two gunshots.  But he wouldn't cos they're not dirty cops but were only doing their jobs.  Timothy's girlfriend, Tori (Hope Olaide Wilson) tells them he wasn't violent and would never rob a jewellry store.

The others gather evidence and jewellery from the CS but Jo (Sela Ward) doesn't find a gun, not in any dumpsters, or the alley which she tells Mac.  Sid (Robert Joy) calls Mac to inform him Timothy didn't have any GSR on his hands so he didn't fire any gun.  Mac wants Kevin to tell him the truth and he gets defensive and angry cos he is telling the truth.  He can walk them through the scene and what happened but that's dangerous since there's no way out.  So erm, what about getting a helicopter onto the roof, surely they have somewhere to land one.

Mac suggests they bring the scene to them and has Adam (AJ Buckley) and Hawkes (Hill Harper) walk the alley, Adam with a camera strapped to him, looking like something out of Ghosbusters, or should that be Ghostfacers from Supernatural, ha.  Adam says he wouldn't go into that alley.  Kevin directs them to the correct place and Hawkes finds a mark where the bullet hit a post.  Mac tells him to find a casing and he does so, which should confirm Kevin's version of events.

Mac is called by the Chief who wants Kevin brought before a Grand Jury but Mac protests and isn't ready to do that.  They need evidence and he says this to Flack.  Mac thinks it's not safe keeping the officers here as they could be overrun any minute even with reinforcements and they take Trey and Kevin out in the ambulances at the back.  Why not put them both into one ambulance as Trey makes it out, but the one with Kevin is attacked by the mob, of course it has to be his.  Kevin is dragged out and beaten up with Flack and Mac coming to rescue him.  Again they got a helicopter into the air but they couldn't land it on the roof to evacuate them!  Flack and Mac coming out without wearing helmets.  Wouldn't Kevin have sustained more injuries than he did.

Hawkes finds the casing was from shootings which took place in the same alley but they don't know who the suspect was or what he looked like.  Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) found a piece of paper in the suspect's jacket which was a summons for drinking in a receptacle in a public place.  This has the address of the neighbourhood which is close to the alley.  Mac calls to say Trey got away and he got a look at the suspect with the jacket, so they take him round in the car to search for the suspect.  Trey sees him in the crowd still wearing that same grey hoodie and he makes a run for it.  Leading them to a mailbox which he tries to open. He puts his hand in and Jo shoots him, just as Kevin shot Timothy.  Lindsay finds a gun inside.  Did the suspect really think he could shoot his way out of there?

Adam arrives and parked a few blocks away and the he threw around a few garbage cans and walked in. He ran tests on the jewellery and found the ones stolen from the store were marked 14ct gold but were fake. Timothy had used his own jewellery to buy an engagement ring.  Timothy was at the store when the robbery took place but he wasn't involved.  Danny also arrests Griffin (Robert Ri'chard) the man who was the other accomplice.  He says they shot his homie and is upset, the gun was for use by everyone.  They robbed the store and ran into the alley he fired at Kevin but wasn't going to kill him.  He disappeared into a doorway as Timothy was walking in the alley.  He turned around and saw Kevin there and took his hand out of his jacket.  Kevin shot him and there was no gun.

Mac tells Tori this and makes her listen to Kevin talking.  He would give anything to get between Timothy and the bullet and calls himself a coward.  Flack replies he's not a coward cos he faced up to what he's done and did what he was trained to do.  If he was a coward he would have run and things would have been very different, it could have been him in that alley if he had hesitated.  Mac gives Tori the ring but she doesn't want it.  She doesn't need a reminder of what could have been but tells Mac how Timothy used to sign his letters, "today is life.  The only life you're sure of.  Make the most of today."  Prompting Mac to make a life changing decision.

As she leaves she talks to the reporter and tells her that Timothy died cos two men woke up and decided they wanted to rob a store.  She will forgive Kevin eventually since he was doing his job protecting them, but will never forgive them for what they did.  The crowd disappears.  Mac talks about his work and being an officer and waits for Christine (Megan Dodds) .  The others all share beers on the rooftop and Flack kisses Lovato (Natalie Martinez)(yuk).  Jo fixes Sid's plaster where he's had the chemo needle inserted and holds his hand.  Seems Hawkes and Adam have each other for company, ha.

Mac proposes to Christine eventually getting the words out.  He doesn't have a ring but gets down on one knee and asks her to marry him cos he wants to spend the rest of his life with her.  SO ends the show!  Oh woe is me!  Looks like the writers could have ended the show better maybe everyone was still holding out hope that they could have a last minuet reprieve or something.  But no luck.  CBS cancelled one of my fave CSI shows! Seems like this officer involved shooting has been done many times in the past, as mentioned with Danny in season 1 and he also claimed he saw a gun but no gun was found.  It's a plotline oft used as said already.

Oh boy don't know what to write here, we started the series 9 years ago and had some great eps and some not so good ones, especially towards the end.  Mac started out lamenting his wife Claire and still wearing his wedding ring and ended up meeting Christine again and proposing t her, so he'll get that ring back on his finger.  Although many fans wanted him to get together with Jo and not Christine.  Another blond, like Claire. Who knows maybe if there had been another series then he and Jo would have made a go of it.  But I'll miss my Flack, Danny and Adam and Hawkes moments and scenes.  Hey we didn't even get any chase scenes between Danny and Flack anymore!  Also I liked the addition of Sela to the show she was great and made her character very believable and enjoyable!

It's farewell then to CSI:NY how we'll miss ya!!  At least I will.

Mac: "Sometimes the good comes when we most need it and least expect it.  If we are lucky enough to notice it, set our eyes upon it and appreciate it, it can almost make us forget all of the bad. Today is life, the only life you're sure of.  Make the most of today.  Words of wisdom, a slice of goodness passed on by an innocent soul whose life was cut short by an errant bullet.  These are words that will always stay with me, words that are about to change the course my life forever."

Yeah and ours too, ha.  Today was CSI:NY, the only show we wanted another season of, but we made the most of 9 years!

CSI:NY 9.16 "Blood Actually" Review

CSI:NY gives us a Valentine's Day ep as its penultimate ep, trying to soften us for the finale!  But it didn't work! The CSIs have to solve three murders which all take place on this day and Mac (Gary Sinise) and Christine (Megan Dodds) have a date with destiny (well in the next ep at least.)  Mac looks for Valentine's cards and finds one which is blank inside so he can write his own message in there, whilst three people are getting killed.  Funny how they were all male! ha.

The first story: Love for Sale concerns the death of a man who attacked another man in a hotel room.  Jo (Sela Ward) processes the scene and collects some evidence such as a champagne bottle.  Lovato (Natalie Martinez) tells her the Vic's name was Theodore Hart (Trenton Rostedt).  Jo finds the room was registered to a Wayne Brown (Wayne Bastrup) and he lives nearby, so why the expensive hotel room?  Wayne is found and tells them he met a woman at a bar named Laura and they were having drinks.  They went back to the hotel room and then a man came in.  They fought and he tried to kill him so he says he got hold of the corkscrew and stabbed him with it.  He didn't mean to leave but didn't know the man was dead until she told him now.  He doesn't know Laura's last name.

Sid's (Robert Joy) autopsy finds there was a puncture wound on Hart's neck but it didn't kill him.  He has blunt force trauma to the back of his head which makes Lindsay )Anna Belknap) wonder how he could have got that if Wayne claims he was under him.  Sid also found green flecks in his wound.  So either Wayne lied or he was there with someone.  Lovato finds Hart was a pimp and Laura (Georgie Flores) worked for him. Laura Palmer (what this isn't Twin Peaks! Ha)  Lindsay tells Jo that Wayne was not in his room alone since there was a partial print on the bottle and also on a chocolate wrapper.  These merged into one print and belonged to Laura who has been arrested for solicitation.  The print on the bottle was reversed so she was holding the bottle from the neck and thus hit Hart on the head with it.

Laura says Hart was her pimp and he would check up on her but he forgot the time since she and Wayne talked.  He asked her everything about her life and seemed genuinely interested but she doesn't believe that true love exists.  Jo tells her differently since Wayne confessed to killing Hart for her.  Jo wonders where you'd look for a good man and Lindsay tells her good men are out there if you know where to look, which don't mean work!

Flack (Eddie Cahill) makes a date with Lovato (ugh) and suggests a slice, beer and a game.  She's happy with that cos she doesn't want all this sentimentality like other women.  Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) also making a reference to having to fork out for expensive dinners on this day just cos other people do it. Lindsay promises him something else after work.  (Groan!)  Jo tells Ellie (Sydney Park) to go straight home after her date with her boyfriend and make her curfew, giving her an extra 15 minutes after midnight.

Story 2 Love is Blind finds Danny questioning the widow of Bernard Chandler (Clint Culp) Sarah (Amy Gumenick) and finds them to be a mismatched couple.  She is younger and he is more portly and older.  He had a penchant for chocolate but was on a diet.  Sarah also tells them he was diabetic so wouldn't eat chocolate.  They were meant to go away on their dream vacation and it was their fifth anniversary.  Hawkes (Hill Harper) finds a box of chocolates, empty and sweet wrappers and his phone when he tried to dial for help.  Danny prejudging thinks Bernard is rich and that's why Sarah married him cos they don't go together. Hawkes thinks he's prejudging and is about to tell him something but stops.

Sid takes his pills and Danny arrives at autopsy.  It's been a long time since he's been there and this is what Sid also tells him.  Suppose they had to get Danny down there one last time before the show was over!  Sid tells him COD was a sugar overdose.  Also it appears Bernard did try to inject himself with insulin.  Hawkes analyzes Bernard's stomach contents and finds the presence of sucrose as he tells Adam (AJ Buckley).  Yet the box of chocolates were labelled as being sugar free.  Part of the label had been ripped off and obviously the only one who knew Bernard was diabetic was Sarah.  The spouse being the prime suspect as always.

Adam went through his phone and thinks Bernard was having an affair with a woman named Evelyn as there were several messages to her.  Of course Adam is also prejudging as did Danny.  Sarah is brought in and Danny tells her she ripped off the label from the box and added sugar water to his insulin.  He ate the chocolates since she gave them to him otherwise he wouldn't have.  He tried to inject himself but he didn't have insulin in the hypodermic.  Sarah tells him other women were envious of her when they saw him with her.  Also that she found out he was going to take another woman on their dream vacation but Danny tells her Evelyn was his travel agent and he had booked tickets for Europe.  She killed him for nothing cos she couldn't see past her jealously, which isn't really love.

Hawkes shows Danny a pic of himself when he was younger showing he was overweight.  He liked a girl but no one could see past his weight and he had to do something about it.  Danny wants to keep the photo but Hawkes doesn't want him telling anyone about it.  Though don't know why he's ashamed, he overcame his obesity which is a good thing.  Funny he carries that photo around with him though.  Thought he was going to take out the photo of a woman or something so we know what's he's been up to in his personal life.

The third story: In the Name of Love sees Mac and Flack investigate the shooting of a man in the back in the street.  His wife was also there but fled the scene.  The Vic was Jeremy Howser (Mark Hengst) the CEO of a company and the name sounds familiar to Mac.  He was in the middle of a divorce with his wife, Wendy (Shanna Collins).  The gun was found underneath him.  Jeremy was being investigated cos he had swindled some of his clients.  Sid finds the bullets hit him in the back and the fragmented bones hit his heart.  Mac calls it an execution.  He also notices some ink on his wrist which Sid missed but Mac tells him he's allowed one mistake after 8 years of exemplary work.  Sid also found defensive wounds on his knuckles which were there a few ours before.

Adam finds the bullets from Jeremy didn't match the gun found under him as he was able to piece the fragments together.  He's loaded the info into the computer to search it and Mac will be notified when there's a result.  He removes his lab coat since he's got a date with Michelle and they're going ice skating.  Mac lets him know he can go, but first he has to decipher the ink stamp.  That's easy and says it's from a nightclub where they stamp your wrist if you want to leave and then come back.  Mac lets Adam go and he hugs him, yeah first and last time! Ha.  The computer finds a match to an officer Thomas Reynolds (Omar J Dorsey). He was recently cleared of an unjustified shooting case as Flack finds out and retired.

Reynolds now runs a security firm and has worked for Jeremy.  Reynolds was fired and he left with a black eye.   They go to Reynold's apartment and find some pics.  He was surveilling Wendy and so Mac thinks she was the intended target.  Also she said she fled the CS cos she was afraid for her own life.  So did Wayne in the first story.  As Mac drives back to the precinct, Flack notices a grey sedan and tells Mac.  Reynolds turns himself in.  He tells them how when he followed Wendy for dirt on her he couldn't find any.  She was good and helped people out using her money on them.  Then realized Jeremy was going to murder her.  He had the gun in the street and Reynolds shot him to stop him from killing her.  He wanted to be good like her but thinks it's too late now.  Mac tells him he did good by saving her life.  Jeremy got a stamp from a nightclub so he could return and establish his alibi there. Flack also tells him about the one way ticket Jeremy brought for himself to Geneva and the gun found under his body.

Mac meets Christine at the new bar and listen to Josh Groban singing.  As he gives her the card.  Danny and Lindsay spend time together and she bemoans them not doing much of that and just as they are about to get close, Lucy calls them telling them there's a vampire in her room.  Ellie meets Jo and tells them they'll have ice cream and watch movies together and it's not cos she feels sorry for Jo being alone.  She ditched her date for her mother.  Flack has a surprise candlelit dinner for Lovato who wanted all that sentimentality anyway. She tells him he'll have to meet her brothers now and he wants her to bring it on, he's not worried.

We don't get to see how Hawkes sent the night or Adam ice skating either.  CSI:NY getting all mushy on us and breaking the eps down into three stories.  Though they haven't covered much cases like this before which involved more than two cases in one ep, it kind of felt rushed and too easily concluded since their suspects were right there for them and were connected to the Vics.  Being Valentine's Day they had to bring chocolate into the stories, especially the second one and again it was the man who had the sweet tooth again alluding to season 1.17 The Fall choc ep where the obese man was meant to give up on choc and hid it outside and then fell from the balcony whilst getting it.

Lovato denying she's into the whole romance thing was silly, didn't she think Flack could read her as was her remark asking why the bottle is a giveaway as to what happened.  Of course if the bottle is held from the neck upside down it means it was used as a weapon!  Duh, how long she been on the force?  Danny telling Mac Christine is a fighter and he should hang onto her.  After Christine has a flashback to the previous ep when she was kidnapped.  Seth an Apep.

Seems each of the stories had a relevant title, the first one being love comes as a price and can only be brought but Wayne proved Laura wrong.  Who is probably going to get off with self defence.  The second one where Sarah didn't care about the appearance of her husband but she did care he was cheating on her and couldn't see him with anyone else, but she could kill him instead.  How twisted was that love of hers. The third story where it seems Jeremy did only marry Wendy in name only, quite ironically he didn't love her anymore at least and wanted her to suffer - in the name of love.  Of course we know that the overall title of the ep is a play on the movie Love Actually.  Each couple supposedly in love was out for blood!

Hawkes: "love has the power to overcome almost everything  but only if we all can get past our own prejudice and let it."

The Paradise Series 2 Episode 1

                                             
Series 2 returns of this drama ahead of Mr Selfridge, its 'rival' as we know from last year and will take a little getting used to before I get back into it, at least for a short time anyway.  This time round Moray (Emun Elliott) is in Paris and writes to Denise (Joanna Vanderham) confirming his love for her, as he's picking up tips in France.  We find The Paradise is in trouble and when wasn't it in trouble, ha, as Dudley (Matthew McNulty) brings in 200 fur capes as worn by Princess Alexandra.  However there's a traitor in their midst who has been sent there by Fenton to ensure he can get a cheap price for the store when its sold.  The pipe leaks in the storeroom and the capes are damaged.  Sam (Stephen Wight) and  Nathaniel (Kevin Guthrie) notice the pipe was cut so this was deliberate sabotage.  It's also obvious who the culprit is since he's a newcomer.  It wouldn't be one of the regulars.

Also added to the cast is Susy (Katie Moore) who replaces Pauline, not that any of her friends and colleagues noticed cos she wasn't mentioned at all, not even by Sam or Denise.  Maybe she got a facelift and came back as Susy who is sweet on Nathaniel too.  Also we get the cook, Myrtle (Lisa Millet) who is boisterous and loud and isn't liked at all by Miss Audrey (Sarah Lancashire) especially when she remarks how she wouldn't break if she was touched by a man.  Miss Audrey again stressing how she had to work or marry and had a hard choice to make. Later she asks Edmund (Peter Wight) to marry her.  Myrtle has notions of becoming a shopgirl herself one day!  Needs a lot of work doing there then, ha, not only in terms of her mannerisms but appearance.  She'd have the customers running a mile!

Katherine Glendenning (Elaine Cassidy) has now become Mrs Tom Weston (Ben Daniels) as she is married and has a step daughter, Flora (Edie whitehead) whom she shows off at the store, along with her husband who takes a shining to Clara (Sonya Cassidy) cos he has a wandering eye, of course.  He also notices how Denise is afraid of Katherine as she asks for her to show Flora around the store. Weston gets the lowdown from Clara who tells him everything.

Weston is determined to sell but Katherine doesn't want to and sends for Moray who is pleased to return not only cos he can see Denise again but also cos he sees this as an opportunity to get the store back.  Lord Glendenning is now passed and Katherine has inherited his fortune so it was surprising she married beneath her and married a soldier as is repeated several times by Weston himself.  We also get to see him distant from Katherine when she's amorous towards him but later needs her when we're shown the scars on his back which cause him great pain, which appears only Katherine can comfort him from.

Moray is determined to make the store a success and asks Denise to marry him, to which she doesn't reply yet.  He wants the Paradise closed for a day so he can display his "exotica" which Weston doesn't approve of.  Denise sees Nathaniel with Fenton (Adrian Scarborough) in the night as he pays him off but Susy doesn't know anything about it.  Next day there's panic as Susy screams claiming she saw a scorpion in one of the crates.  Of course Denise has to get to the bottom of this since she was nosing around and makes Nathaniel confess he put the thought into her head.  Weston was on the verge of selling but now tells Fenton to leave his store or he'll remove since he was trying to play him to get a cheap price.

Katherine tells Moray she wouldn't have let Weston sell and Denise tells Moray they can't rush into marriage cos Katherine isn't really over him and will do anything to mess up their lives.  They need to get the store back first and marriage must wait.  Katherine denies her feelings for Moray even now saying "it was ridiculous I could marry a storekeeper and be at war with a shopgirl."  Who's she fooling it was Moray who jilted her at the alter and she would have married him in a heartbeat.

Looks like there's plenty of intrigue to come yet with Weston and his past and how Katherine really fits into his life.  He looks menacing enough to make mischief and keep viewers entertained and will Clara make a move on him and vice versa as she tells Moray how she's still looking out for him even though he doesn't want her to.  It has been a year so we wonder how Moray fared without Denise and from next ep trailer, looks like he found his moments of amusement without Denise around, but how will she react when she finds out?

Lots of moustaches in the picture as Moray gets a new hairdo and looks like Weston will be twirling his moustache in evil manner!  Denise also gets some new outfits, where'd she get the money for those then?

Downton Abbey Series 4 Part 5 Review

                                     
Cora's (Elizabeth McGovern) new maid Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) makes an impression on everyone as she worms her way into everyone's good graces both upstairs and below.  Impressing Cora with a glass of orange juice for breakfast as that's what Americans like, so she's taken with her.  Thomas (Rob James-Collier) is pleased as we find the real reason for him bringing her here is to spy and then report back to him, seeing as there's big changes afoot at Downton he wants to be in on them.  Telling her he and O'Brien were pally until they had a falling out.  Baxter asks if Anna (Joanne Froggatt) can't help him as she seems to be quiet.  But he describes her as "incorruptible" which is what makes them so different.

Baxter needs to use her sewing machine which she places in the servant's dining hall since the socket's too far in the laundry.  Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nichol) is once again loathed to accept new inventions and doesn't like the machine, though it impresses Daisy (Sophie McShera) who later has a go on it.  Mrs Patmore even going so far as trying to talk Cora out of getting a refrigerator for the kitchen.  Alfred (Matt Milne) gets a letter from the Ritz inviting him for a test which is in two days, apparently the letter was lost.  Daisy helps him prepare the savouries which are served to the upstairs who are impressed by his fete accomplie.  Oh okay I went all french for cooking! ha.  However they don't realize he will need more than just cooking skills, that should read culinary to impress them.  So his big day arrives and the sous chef asks questions which Alfred isn't about to answer, like the name of potato and leek soup being vichyssoise. He's clearly out of his depth.

Anna is still avoiding Bates (Brendan Coyle) for fear of his losing his head and getting Green back and he's fed up of it.  He overhears Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) talking to Anna about how she should tell him but she still refuses.  Thus when she's off in Rippon on an errand he persuades Mrs Hughes to tell him what really happened or he'll walk out and hand in his resignation.  She stops him cos he's left her with no choice cos it'll kill Anna to find him gone.  But when he knows it's Green who was the assailant she lies and tells him it was an intruder who was waiting downstairs.  Which sounds pretty far fetched, like he knew Anna would come down there and be waiting for her.  When Anna returns Bates tells her Mrs Hughes told him everything and at least we didn't get one of those scenes where Anna blabs about it being Green, which was kind of expected.  Instead she asks him what she said and he mentions the outsider.

Later Mrs Hughes tells Anna how he forced her to tell and made her swear on her mother's grave for which she believes she's going to burn.  Anna's moving back to the cottage and Mrs Hughes is glad that it's all over but Bates tells her it's far from over.  "Nothing's over," he just didn't want Anna to be concerned even more and be in distress that's why he wanted to make her think it's over.  As we know, Bates will pursue this matter relentlessly since it's in his nature.  I wasn't really convinced that he's convinced it wasn't Green. Being Downton expect him to get to the bottom of it though.

The doctor (David Robb) wants Isobel (Penelope Wilton) to find a job for Pegg who is a reliable young boy and is good at gardening.  She convinces the Dowager (Maggie Smith) yes I still call her that! to take him on and they have a conversation about Isobel always wanting to do the right thing helping everyone.  Isobel also has a moment with the doctor when she tells him she's not part of the family even if the village sees her as such, as do Robert (Hugh Bonneville) and Cora, but she's not a part of it.  Appears she's having a crisis of identity and belonging too just like Branson (Allen Leech) since the first ep of this series 4.  As he tells the others since the houseparty he feels like he doesn't belong here.  He thinks he should take Sibby to America and make a fresh start for them all, which Mary (Michelle Dockery) doesn't want.

Robert attend Drew's father's funeral and he wants the debt to be repaid and wants a chance to do this.  He'll have to discuss it with Mary and Branson but he feels he should carry on farming the land as his ancestors have done in partnership with Downton for centuries.  Robert wants him to do the same and offers to pay his debt, the last £50.  Drew tells Mary about this cos he thought she knew and she pretends she does.  This shows her father in a new light and she's glad he did that cos it shows he cares.  Robert later coming up with the line, about 'the past being an investment in their future'.  Which I paraphrased.  The Dowager hopes there isn't going to be a poet int he family cos the only Lord who was a poet was Byron "and we all know what happened to him."  Branson still thinks of himself as a socialist as far as the farmers are concerned but he's been changed too much by the family to go back to Ireland.  We actually get to see Mary with baby George this week.

Carson (Jim Carter) thinks they can solve two problems in one go by helping out Molesley (Kevin Doyle) with getting a job and fill the position vacated by Alfred, everyone jumping the gun there.  Molesley has to think about it since it's beneath him and Alfred gets news of being rejected but he was amongst the top four.  Not surprised with that sous chef he seemed quite snobbish!  Especially when he asks why he's not happy working for the Granthams.   Jimmy (Ed Speleers) can't see what the big fuss is about but Ivy (Cora Theobold) admires his ambition.  Carson encourages Alfred not to give up cos he's a hardworker and he'll do better next time, but he's despondent.  Daisy's happy though cos he won't be leaving.  Molesley accepts the position after "mature deliberation" as he tells Carson who asks him what position since Alfred won't be leaving.

The Dowager has her expensive letter opener stolen or rather she's misplaced it, it seems and thinks Pegg has stolen it.  It was special she explains to Isobel since her late husband was given it by the King of Sweden.  Which Isobel adds is why it's important.  Isobel and the Dowager could get a comedy double act going here!  As she asks Isobel if she ever doubts anyone and she didn't mean if she doubts Pegg's innocence either.

Napier (Brendan Patricks) pays them a visit and Mary is happy to see him, he's here assessing troubled farms and estates but reassures them Downton is fine.  Mary asks him to stay with them and he tells him he couldn't since his boss, Charles Blake will be accompanying him too.  Someone who will also vie for Mary's affections.  Seems like everyone's after her now Matthew is gone and hey no one mentioned his name today! Napier just describes it as a "ghastly business," charming!

Edith (Laura Carmichael) pays a visit to the doctor cos she thinks she's pregnant now that Anna is out of the woods as far as that's concerned for her.  Mary still being horrible to Edith, calling her a stick now.  Robert shows Mary the news of Anthony's engagement to the Lane Fox woman which brings Mary to tears.  Cora plans a party for Robert but doesn't know what to do with Mary suggesting they should throw a party to cheer themselves up.  What say you Rose (Lily James) will invite the singer, Jack Ross and get into strife.

Evelyn Napier was first seen in series 1 and he was engaged to someone else but ended this engagement, seems like everyone is engaged until they meet Mary.  Napier was the one who warned her about the rumours of her and Pamuk in London and felt responsible since he had brought him to their home.  In series 2 he was injured during WWI and Mary insisted he be brought to Downton to recover.  Think Charles had better watch out seeing as Napier brought Pamuk there and look how he ended up! Ha.

Scandal 2.16 "Top of the Hour" Review

                                                
Olivia (Kerry Washington) hands over the docs recovered from Wendy's flashdrive to Jake (Scott Foley) who needs to know where they came from before he can give them to Fitz (Tony Goldwyn).  Olivia can't do that but they will help him out.  Elsewhere Mellie (Bellamy Young) wants to get back into Fitz's good books and the Oval office using their son to do so since Fitz feeds him, but he doesn't let her in.  Cyrus (Jeff Perry) also wants to see him and Fitz asks to see him causing Cyrus to believe he's definitely back into his good graces.  It would never be that easy.

Olivia has a case this time, the woman is Sarah (Lisa Edelstein) she had an affair with the candidate of the Supreme Court Randall (Tim Halligan) nominated by Fitz but she tells Cyrus that Randall isn't her client, Sarah is.  Sarah's affair was when she was in law school and Olivia thinks she should come clean to the press.  With her husband, Phil (Jay Karnes) standing by her.  That is of course until he learns the true extent of her betrayal.  Another case which is close to Olivia's heart or rather her personal life.  That is when she has a moment to herself cos Cyrus intends to fight her on this every step of the way and to use every dirty trick and tactic in the book, or out of the book to destroy Sarah's reputation.  To the point where now she's CEO of a corporation, they fire her cos she violated her morals clause and this is a breach of contract.

A bit of racial prejudice on Sarah's part as Sarah assumes Abby (Darby Stanchfield) is Olivia, why cos a black woman can't be a fixer and good at her job! As dirt is dug Fitz wants Cyrus to spin the story so Randall appears to be innocent of all sexual advances and that the affair was one-sided.  That she pursued him, which is apparent when there are no e-mails found from him, but only from her.  Until Abby finds a tape of their weekends in Mexico which Cyrus also has and makes it public.  Abby tells Olivia the date stamp doesn't match, thus Sarah lied and continued her after for longer.  Even when their daughter, Annie (Mandalynn Carlson) was born.  Phil thinking she may not be his demands a paternity test.

Jake comes to see Olivia at the house which was not only incredibly stupid of him and risky.  Look the guy works in military intelligence, why would he do that with press around?  SO Olivia tells him the Intel she gave him is legit though she can't revel her source.  Olivia is snapped by a paparazzi and Jake turns his head round and gets snapped too.  Again stupid, why would he turn his head around to get in the frame.  Olivia tells him to let it go but why would he, especially when he doesn't want Fitz to know what he's up to.  Speaking of -Mellie makes it her mission to find out who Fitz is having late night rendezvous with, asking Lauren (Sharmila Devar) to show Fitz's schedule.   Lauren telling her she doesn't know who he meets and that it's probably a phonecall meeting.  Which was adding fuel to the fire and sending Mellie the bloodhound on a chase.  Mellie automatically assumes it's Olivia and thinks he's seeing her again, which could lead to divorce.  Confronting Cyrus with it who has his own problems as he tells her there's a mission going on right now to rescue the hostages in Kashfar.

Thus they're both out in the cold again.  Jake you see provided Fitz with Olivia's Intel and he ordered the rescue to take place.  Though he didn't take it to the CIA as Olivia told him not to, which was wise.  Huck (Guillermo Diaz) and Quinn (Katie Lowes) follow Osbourne (Kurt Fuller) to find out where he's making the drops which lead them to a laundry.  Quinn walks in without any clothes to launder and so has to give them the shirt off her back.  Huck telling her that's what happens when you go in without a cover story and props. As what happens is she gets made, something he didn't warn her about as the second time round she picks up his clothes and finds a wad of money.  Money from Kash(!)far.  So Osborne gets her pic from the laundry man and will now be on her trail.  Something Quinn could have done without considering she's not really Quinn.

Fitz calls Olivia and asks her why she did this.  He doesn't mean the vote rigging (not that again) but why she didn't have any faith in him, in becoming president.  She has another moment of crisis as he still holds all the shots as far as she's concerned and tells him she made a mistake.  At the same time Sarah and Phil argue which is just a reflection of her own life and betrayal as far as Fitz is concerned.  Sarah asks her for a drink, an expensive bottle of wine and yes Olivia probably did down the entire bottle.  She tells her she has to learn to live with it and forgive herself.  It'll be hard but she has to do it.  Again another reflection of Olivia's own life.

Meanwhile Jake breaks into the paparazzi's place to retrieve his photo as we see the lengths he will go to and as he's beating up on him, Fitz and his advisers are watching footage of the hostages being rescued as Osborne looks mighty disappointed, okay right royally pissed!

Abby and Harrison (Columbus Short) talk of Harrison's betrayal of her when he put the spanner in the works as far as she and David were concerned and he says he's sorry and will be sorry everyday.  She forgives him cos she realizes as a gladiator he was putting work first and being human second, which she will also do now.  Giving her a brainwave to ensure Sarah keeps her job.  They bring an empty box to the meeting and call their bluff by telling the board members they have dirt on them.  Finally giving in when Abby's about to open the empty box.  A bit like watching Deal or no Deal! Ha.  Well they dealt!

Olivia gives him the paternity test results and tells him that after 13 years he will always be her father.  So he tears up the envelope, giving their family a new lease of life, eventually.  Never do understand these affairs of law students etc with 'older' men, I mean what's the big attraction anyway.  Not like most of them want to further their careers or anything.

Jake turns up at Olivia's telling her he was mugged.  Again how he could get so easily mugged is beyond me. So she fetches him ice and he sits in front of his own camera and has that sly grin!  Well it was sly as he's recording every bit of it.  Glad Scott Foley came aboard actually cos he really is adding another dimension to the show.  Fitz/Olivia was getting tiresome, especially since he'd always get his own way and Olivia would come running no matter what and drop her pants!  Or rather have them pulled off at every second.  Mind you he don't look so bad in a uniform either!  Hey he could have had a great part in JAG, once upon a time!!
                                                 
Fitz is still inebriating himself and wallowing in self pity but really when he will wake up and see that he would not have been President right now without their 'cheating' tactics and be relishing in the news of getting the hostages back and thus adding more weight to his Presidency.  They made him and whilst it's not right and underhand and all the rest of it, he should just get on and deal with it.  Move on it's been a year, oh, that's not really in his nature to do that.

Oh and Mellie happens to be there when Jake leaves Fitz and shows Cyrus his photo (ooh in his dress whites!!) Erm, er, lost my chain of thought there! She tells him Fitz is replacing him too.  SO what's Cyrus going to do now.  Sarah's boss, Samantha (Saidah Arrika Ekulona) tells Harrison: "You're pretty and you talk fast" is exactly what I thought when Olivia, Harrison and Abby were in the car waiting to make a dash for it as soon as the reporters when on air, aside from the pretty part.  I did think that's what they do and you wouldn't have a conversation firing quickfire words at each other in real life!

But somehow we know Olivia and Fitz will get past this and also he will find out about Jake and his 'betrayal' towards him which I must admit is what I'm waiting for and I don't think I've written this much about a Scandal ep before! Olivia: "you messed up and there was a price.  Betrayal always has a price," as we'll see later!  Oh and come on how did some of you not realize that was Jake in the hoodie/ski mask!!!!  Wouldn't be anyone else.

Some choice quotes this week, though let's face it Cyrus was even more annoying this ep and talk about sexist too.  It's okay when men cheat but when women do it, they're whores, stalkers and all the rest of it. Cyrus: "classic sexual harassment, or does it only matter when it's boy on girl?"
Same with Fitz: "I trusted you, you were all I had.  You ruined me. I'm ruined."
Olivia: "I'm ruined."  Somehow he doesn't seem to care what she's going through.   Oh Fitz!!

Lisa Edelstein was in an ep of Without A Trace and of course House, just reminded me of Tony Goldwyn guesting in Without A Trace too where he played murdering twins, well one was a killer and the other one used him!  Good eps to watch.

Truth and Consequences: An X-Files/Tour of Duty Piece

                                                       
Actually penning an article about the season 4 cliffhanger, Gethsemane, many moons ago of the X-Files and Mulder's (David Duchovny) demise  I noticed some similarities between Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Mulder's 'relationship' and her actions towards Mulder and some of the issues raised in Tour of Duty (TOD).  Sure many of you will recall this series about the Vietnam War.  Situations which are not only common in war, but during everyday life.  (A most suitable digression as it enables me to ramble on about 'spooky' goings-on - a very favourite topic of mine.)

Firstly there are relationships between ordinary friends; then there are those between colleagues and people thrown together cos of situations and circumstances beyond their control.  Scully's relationship with Mulder focused on ultimate betrayal.  Human beings are frail - life even frailer - yet we do not understand one another as well as we may perceive to; or should.  Scully's ultimate betrayal came with her expressing Mulder's frailty and naivete, as well as his vulnerability.

Is Mulder dead?  (Of course we know/knew better.)  Are we gullible enough to believe that Mulder was so weak that he finally gave up and lost his fight - in the end at his own hands.  Did he "Believe the lies".  After being through so much - experiencing the unexplainable, such as the disappearance of his sister, Samantha; the murder of his father...we are to believe this was all an elaborate hoax by the Government - but why?  (What about the expense involved - the tax payers millions - they obviously have no regard for human life.)

They were carrying out experiments on their own kind - on the population of the world.  A cover up/conspiracy exists to hide the fact that aliens exist or don't exist?  What are we to believe anymore?

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, "the cruelest lies are often told in silence."  The very crux of human nature is the ability to lie and to deceive.  To say one thing and mean another, or a to say nothing at all when they should speak out against injustices.  Perhaps his quote can be applied to Governments (bureaucrats) to military personnel.

Lies and cover-ups (conspiracies) have become an all too common factor in our existence.  They may be more pronounced in the 1960's but are still common even today.  Episode 42 of TOD A Bodyguard of Lies showed human nature at its most cruelest and warfare at its most deadliest and dangerous.  The abhorrent massacre of innocent civilians by a 'platoon' out of control.  Miscreants who had to be brought to justice at all costs.  'Costs' being the operative word, as the military transferred the men involved to other units: to hide the truth - as if that tiny population of a small village was negligible; it did not matter!  "People are strategic."  (Episode 3 Dislocations.)

The episode title in episode 42 was attributed to Winston Churchill's quote, "in war the truth is so valuable it must be protected by a bodyguard of lies..."  But whose version of the truth?  And whose lies?  Irony perhaps?  As surely they did not believe that such matters had to be concealed, but for whose benefit? What purpose would a cover-up achieve?

If there were no court martials brought - there would be no justice, truth would be the victim.  This would leave open an invitation for such actions (massacres) to become commonplace.  Justice involves retribution; but for these victims it was too little, too late.  They strived to show man's inhumanity against man.  Truth becomes manipulated - even more doubly in wartime.
Hence the parallels, although applied to aliens, governments etc in The X-Files - there was really a subliminal message that the truth can be easily twisted and used.

The question I want to know is why?  Why Mulder?  Why out of all the people in the entire universe who believe in UFOs and EBEs, did the government choose to dupe Mulder?  (Okay apart from the fact it adds material for more episodes).  Cos he wasn't the only one who who wanted  to "believe" or "believed."  We had numerous flashbacks to his childhood - his sister's abduction; father's murder; mother's affair - was Mulder chosen cos of what his father knew about the 'project.'?

Scully's scientific opinion, "over the course of three years he became a victim - a victim of his own false hope and of his belief in the biggest of lies," is of no use!  But fear not - for Mulder returns to get to the bottom of things (thank goodness).  After all the "Truth is [still] out there" but whose version or creation?

From this stems the question - if he was fooled into this false sense of 'aliens' by the government - why did Scully - if she was such a rational, methodical scientist - go along with him on every case, encounter (she needed the money? -ha)  she put forward her own explanations and her own 'sceptic' views - yet she could have walked out on Mulder and left it all behind her - then she wouldn't be a victim of the government now either; cos that's exactly what she is now too - a victim!

Why was there such a need for a massive blanket over the amount of information given to the men themselves.  Obviously there was the secrecy aspect: that the other side should not find out anything strategic.  Support was dwindling but a cover-up was maintained as a denial to protect those that took part in such activities - as those in command would be held accountable or personally responsible.  But even after the war secrecy existed surrounding the facts on certain actions by 'rogue' troops, eg the treatment of POWs, civilians...

Scully blames Mulder for her disease, the truth (if there is any) is that she contributed to her condition as well.  (Self apportioned liability is the legal term).  From season 1 episode 1 (Pilot) she was sent to 'spy'  on Mulder, to report (to the men in dark suits) on his feelings and his "incredible manipulations." She 'walked into with her eyes open!  Now Mulder is searching for a cure for her - is this cos he feels guilt or is it genuine concern for someone who finally showed little regard for him - evidenced by her actions.

Certain areas in TOD weren't really explored as fully as they could have been.  One is the rather 'grey' issue of faith and war.  A hazy issue cos so many people can be offended.  Hence the non-association.  Episode 42 A Necessary End where McKay (Dan Gauthier) finds ('religion') faith - well not so much a 'religion' but a nun (who he subsequently asks out to dinner - ugh).  Well, actually he was in search of peace and meaning to their purpose for being 'over here.'  To find out the answer's to life's mysteries (something we'd all like to know) like why he's doing what he's doing what he does best (in flying) - a waste of time; life?  But WB Yeats: An Irish Airman Foresees His Death summed up his sentiments beautifully.  Well the four lines that were used.
"I balanced all, brought all to mind,
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind,
In balance with this life, this death."

                                                         

Yet the remainder of the poem holds a certain sense of truth and poignancy to it as well.  Like McKay's character, Yeats' pilot in the poem only went  into battle cos of his love of flying and nothing else.  Not for God, countrymen, country, justice or freedom.  (In fact this poem was one of the first I read at school all those years ago - I knew there was a point to reading it.)  But there are times of trouble and life when poetry does sum up a whole sepia of emotions which sometimes otherwise would be heard to express.

What of Scully - she was kidnapped and infected by the very people she works for.  Now she's dying. What of her scepticism now?  Who or what does she believe was the cause of her disease?  She wants (and always needed) proof - hard facts to substantiate Mulder's claims.  She questioned his every move and belief cos, "every answer lies in science".   Now that very science she holds so dear to her - her own belief in fact cannot help her overcome her fears and fight her disease.  Her cure does not lie in science but with the Government itself.  What about her faith in God?  In the unseen.  She has lost that too by betraying Mulder (she blames him for her cancer) - "they infected me to make you believe."

Then there was Doc in TOD being ostracised when he refused to shoot an escaping prisoner in Episode 55 War Is A Contact Sport.  This is heralded as the "ultimate betrayal" in the eyes of a soldier.  (The rules in the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners spring to mind here.)  But in war, how meticulously are such rules adhered to and who monitors these?  (Other than JAG - but that's usually only when a legal grievance is aired or when a certain situation merits investigation.  Not every country has one of these)

Doc's actions were seen as irrational and cowardly - but did those that signed up as Medics have to fight? They didn't have to fight, which is why many 'Conscientious objectors' who did not want to fight but still wanted to contribute to keeping their fellow countrymen alive were assigned to positions of medics.  If they wanted to fight then they could do so.  It was their personal choice.   They did not take the Hippocratic oath (hypocritic?) as doctors do - but they were also responsible for human lives and shouldn't have had to take them.  Re Army Chaplains who weren't expected to carry a gun or fight.  His actions (lack of) were seen as selfish.  'Mulder's fight' and 'Doc's fight' was a kind of self-serving sacrifice, to be singled out and be betrayed cos of their beliefs.  Their faith was what they retained  - that helped them to overcome and to come to terms with what they had to do; to endure and the atrocities they witnessed.
It seemed that time and again, it was Ruiz who constantly referred to his faith. The death of the chaplain left him (shell) shocked and 'jinxed.'  He refused to enter the cemetery out of respect for the dead.  (Episode 40 The Ties That Bind).  Perhaps faith can overcome irrationality.

Scully's own 'irrationality' will be demonstrated in the episode, Emily where she attempts to adopt a little girl cos she reminds her of her dead sister.  The Government had one purpose and one purpose only - to make everyone so incredulous about anything that was ever found on the subject of EBEs and UFOs, that in the end we believe nothing at all, not even the truth!

A sort of irony in itself - in the end can we say that what Mulder experienced was so unbelievable that finally in the end - perhaps there was some truth in the lies.

Hope you enjoy this and well, if not, then maybe you can debate it and come up with some of your own answers.  It was a while since this was written!

CSI 11.22 "In a Dark, Dark House" Review

                                                 
Ray finally has his showdown with Nate Haskell, and the rest of the team have to find the evidence to prove he acted in self-defence, or was it murder.

In a dark, dark house, a struggle ensues between Ray (Laurence Fishburne) and Haskell (Bill Irwin).   Ray subdues and cuffs him using regulation issue flex-cuffs.   (Important for later.)  He then cuts the cuffs and they go head-to-head.   Obviously Ray would come out the victor.   Before all this, Haskell taunts Ray saying he's killed many.   Ray doesn't want to shoot him.   Ray would beat Haskell up in that way, with such violence and rage; partly for himself and mostly for Gloria (Tracee Ellis Ross).   He knew how to play Ray and that's exactly what Ray did, he went for the taunts.   Haskell says they "share something special."   He assaulted Gloria, including torturing her and that got Ray's goat.   Brass (Paul Guilfoyle) had to arrive first at the scene, so he could help Ray.   That's why the camera focused on the cuffs which Ray left on the floor.   Brass advises Ray to refrain from speaking with anyone.

Greg (Eric Szmanda) and Sara (Jorga Fox) process the CS and the rest of the house.   Sara commenting serial killers "always go home." Greg adds that Arvin Thorpe, the farmer, (Raymond J Barry) was lying.   Brass: "He's still lying, face up."  Dry wit from Brass, he's in no mood to be funny though.  Brass insists Ray acted in self-defence.   IA will be working the case and they need to help Ray.  This could have been interpreted in two ways, either they help Ray since he's one of them, or they find the evidence vindicating Ray and proving it was murder.  Greg tells Sara that Ray "had more to fight for."  Not only in terms of trying to stay alive, but also fighting who he is inside.

Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) arrives at the hospital with Nick (George Eads) and she will process Gloria.   Nick would hug Ray, but he's evidence.  Nick tells him Ray saved her life and that's all that's important.   He notices white trace on Ray's hands and blood stains on his T-shirt.   Ecklie (Marc Vann) tells Brass he'll handle IA Det.  Schultz (Jay Karnes) and the process should be straightforward.   Greg and Sara measure the distance that Haskell fell from the banister.   Sara comments plenty of force would have been needed.  David (David Berman) finds a contusion on his back from the railing.   Greg mentions the GSW to Thorpe's head.   He was beaten and stabbed 13 times; indicating he was Vic number 13.   There should be blood from all four of them.

Catherine comforts Gloria, she survived and Haskel''s dead, so she beat him.   Gloria has the same white trace on her hands as Ray.  Haskell hooked her arms to the walls.   Greg finds the 9mm gun used on Thorpe and probably on Tina (Amanda Wyss) too.  Sara, they'll "let the walls talk." She finds large amounts of blood spatter on the walls, hidden beneath the wallpaper.  This was Haskell's room as a boy.   Sara: "Nate Haskell died in the house, but I think a serial killer was born in this room." She determines the first blood sample wasn't human but animal.  Nick surmises Thorpe knew what Haskell was doing, so Ray was more likely dealing with more than one killer.   Greg's done his research and tells Nick that this was Thorpe's main residence until 1976, then he brought the house across the road, so he didn't want anyone to know what was going on here.   Nick thinks the more bodies they find, the better it will be for Ray.

Gloria's mother, Nora Parkes (L Scott Caldwell) loses it with Ray and blames him for everything Gloria went through.  Determining whose blood was where and how much, Sara finds most of the blood belonged to Haskell.   Greg tries to make sense of it by saying Ray got some punches in but it doesn't mean he could have gotten Haskell under control.   Ray's shoeprints are in the blood, so he must have picked Haskell up.   Greg says he was fighting for his life.   Sara posits one man can dominate the other.  "We're looking for the truth here."  Outside, Nick, Hodges (Wallace Langham) and Henry (Jon Wellner) find pets in graves; which increase in size.   Hodges digs up human remains.   Ecklie gets dirty and helps out.

Catherine has to deal with Schultz, who'll get her report when it's finished.   He comments they've been through this before with Warrick (Gary Dourdan).  By the way, should they have even been on this case, since Ray's one of their own.   Doc Robbins (Robert David Hall) tells Catherine, Thorpe was the only justifiable murder as Haskell suffered childhood abuse.  He suffered blunt force traumas in a fist fight, you could "call it karma."  Also there are marks on Haskell's wrists from the cuffs.   None of the injuries will affect his final COD, which is what he also told Schultz.   Catherine advises Ray against looking at Gloria's SAE (Sexual Assault Exam) results.   Ray need to do this and he's clearly distraught and angry at the same time.

Hodges finds an adult male with a crushed skull in one of the graves wearing a Superlux logo on his overall.   Henry recalls his grandmother used to have a Superlux pink oven.   Greg shows Nick the Superlux mini-fridge.   The Vic was a salesman and his name was Douglas Nathan Haskell.   Missing since 1976.   Haskell took his name.   One remains belongs to Lois, Haskell's mother.   Thorpe beat and killed her.   Haskell used to hear everything that happened in his room, which was next to theirs.

Sara tells Catherine, from the blood evidence Ray dominated the fight.   Catherine says Ray should have cuffed him and the marks were from flex-cuffs, department issue.   They didn't find any at the scene, unless Ray cut them off.   Catherine decides they must "let the evidence speak, no cuffs present,  no cuffs used." Catherine visits Gloria in hospital wanting to ask her what happened; but changes her mind and asks how she is.   Mrs Parkes tells her Gloria made her dream to play music come true.   Ray was scared of having a baby with her because of what he'd pass onto the child.   That's why their marriage ended.

Sara checks Ray's kit and finds 3 cuffs.   Greg asks if she'd do the same if he were in Ray's place.   Sara explains they've 'all had their dark moment where they had to fight our way out and up to the rest of the team to shine a light on it.'  Sara needs to know what she's dealing with.   We know that Brass replaced the cuffs. Catherine confronts Brass as there was no mention of cuffs in his report.   Ray had all three in his kit.   Brass: "I look out for my team, how about you?"  Catherine already signed off on the report.   Brass has come a long way since season 1 and the Pilot episode and the second episode, when he berated  Warrick for getting Holly killed.   Brass also knows how to stock a kit, he was in charge of the team in the Pilot episode.   Then again there's always that line that isn't meant to be crossed and Brass has crossed it as far as Ray is concerned.   Understandable Haskell was a monster as everyone keeps saying, but was it up to him to watch out for Ray.   He hasn't known him that long and not as well as Doc and Nick.   Anyway did Ray even have his kit with him.   He went into the house alone, and it's not really procedure to carry cuffs with him on his person, but Ray did since he'd have to hold Haskell, if he got the chance.

Mrs Parkes apologizes to Ray, it's not for her to judge his actions.   Ray goes back to the house, where Brass admits he covered for him.   If Ray admits what he did to anyone, he'll be taking him down too.   Though he doesn't refer to himself by name.   Brass says he killed in self-defence and Ray says he did what he did for Gloria.   Ray finally giving in to his dark side which he's been rebelling against for years.   Flashback to what really transpired.  Ray beating up Haskell.   He's going to take Haskell's kidney like he took Ray's Then throws him over the banister.   Brass finds him at the house and wants what happened to stay between them.   Brass took the cuffs (as we know).   The white trace on both their hands was chalk from the floor.   Gloria was writing music on the floor.   Another flash to her playing The Swan by Saint-saens, on the cello.   She doesn't think it's appropriate music for their first date.   Ray: "The music saved her life."  Brass adds she knew Ray would come for her.

Doc Tells Ray he needs some reflection, that Haskell wanted him at the house to turn Ray into a helpless child, just like Haskell was.  Ray says Haskell saw Ray as his reflection.   Ray's father was on the other side of that wall, but Ray trained himself to be good.   Doc: "You are good."

Ray attends the IA interview saying, "fact is that I killed a man."   Schultz asks if it was self-defence or murder?

Now that Laurence Fishburne has left CSI, the writers have more leeway as to how they want to conclude this story next season.   Also Marg Helgenberger and Paul Guilfoyle were negotiating their contracts too, so if they do return it will be interesting to see how next season develops.   Especially Brass's relationship with Catherine, who is certain Brass had a hand in replacing the cuffs and removing the other cuffs from the house.   If Ray replies he murdered Haskell, then effectively he'll be taking Brass down with him.   They're kind of bound together in their pact, which wasn't really of Ray's choosing.

Well there was nothing more left than to see Ray go down the route he did, fate was written for him and he conceded to it, more so for Gloria.   That's not justification for turning into something he's fought against all his life.   His actions weren't right, but they were understandable.   If he had been an ordinary member of the public, self-defence wouldn't have to have been questioned so rigorously, since he 's a CSI, that line has been crossed by him.   As Doc reminds Catherine, he'd have done the same for his own wife.   Sara was the only one striving for the truth, aside from wanting Ray to be innocent, she was looking for evidence to prove this, not rely on friendship or instinct.   She was the only one doing her job.   Catherine wanted to but as she said they didn't have any evidence to prove it wasn't self-defence.   Catherine wasn't happy with Brass.

Greg wanted it to have been  a fair fight.   But that Ray got to overpower Haskell shows the difference in their physical stature.   Haskell remained the weak boy he always was, using drugs to subdue his victims and terrible torture to act out his childhood abuse onto them, before killing them.   Catherine says Ray could have cuffed Haskell and left it at that.

Catherine questioning Gloria, at least attempting to, was almost as if Gloria could tell her something to "save" Ray and prove the case of self-defence for him.   Nick, strangely, had to focus on the 'other' storyline: that of digging up Haskell's past.   Never giving up on Ray though and knows the more they find, the easier it will be to vindicate Ray.   Even Ecklie mucks in, which he hardly does, but he was on Ray's side too.   Maybe he's going soft in readiness for his daughter, Brody's (Elisabeth Harnois) arrival in season 12.

A shame Laurence Fishburne decided to leave and concentrate on movies, as there would have been a wealth of personal stories arising from the fall out.   At least there'll be no more Haskell, so it was good they ended that part of the story when they did.   Though Haskell will leave his mark and legacy on the entire team.   We'll have to wait for January 2012 in the UK for the new season!

Downton Abbey Series 4 Part 4 Review

                                             
Mary (Michelle Dockery) has set up the meeting with the tax people in London being accompanied by Branson (Allen Leech) and Rose (Lily James) wants to go too.  She'll try and work out a payment plan so they can pay off the tax over a period of time and reminds Robert (Hugh Bonneville) of how he says they're the caretaker of Downton and so that's what they're doing.  Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) telephones Rosamund (Samantha Bond) to ensure Tony Gillingham (Tom Cullen) gets an invite to her house too whilst Mary is there.

The doctor (David Robb) is planning on setting up a clinic and hopes Isobel (Penelope Wilton) can help out which she'll think about.  Edna (MyAnna Buring) confronts Branson about their one night stand and he apologizes for misbehaving since he was drunk but she wants more out of it and jumps to the conclusion that she might be pregnant in which case she wants reassurances that Branson will marry her and be a father to her child.   He thinks she's being premature and won't promise to marry her. Of course anyone knows what she had up her sleeve once she got his assurance she'd have found someone to have a baby with and pas sit off as his.  Thomas (Rob James-Collier) listens to them talking though he doesn't know what it's about.

Anna (Joanne Froggatt) is still avoiding Bates (Brendan Coyle) and at breakfast she sits down next to Green (Nigel Harman) at the table but Tony's leaving today and so will he.  It was rather off Anna having to sit next to her attacker and then with the others, Bates and Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) talking about her hitting her head and cutting her lip, with Green still around.  She still hasn't told anyone especially not Bates as she still tells Mrs Hughes she doesn't want Bates to kill him and then watch him be hanged.  Mrs Hughes thinks he deserves to know and especially since she's cold towards him but says it's got nothing to do with Bates.  Mrs Hughes bringing up the question of what Anna will do if she's pregnant, to which she replies "I'll kill myself." Selfish attitude of course, then what does she think Bates will do when he finds out the truth later and take matters into his own hands.

At Rosamund's house, John Bullock (Andrew Alexander) is also there and wants them all to go to the Lotus club for dancing and a jazz band.  Rose jumps at the chance and Tony asks Mary so Branson is roped into it too.  John being called away whilst he had already started his game of cards and whiskey so he's drunk when they arrive there.  Making a spectacle of himself and Rose on the dancefloor, leaving Rose to be rescued by Jack Ross (Gary Carr) who takes over as her dance partner.  Though Rosamund is not too pleased with this and sends Branson over to get Rose away from him.  As Ross goes into a song about a "rose...by any other name..."  Rosamund isn't pleased with Rose and Ross cos she mentions him as a black singer.  Was it cos he was black or a singer or both?  Obviously it's not the done thing.

Everyone wants Mary to get together with Tony and he confesses his love for her and even asks her to marry him, otherwise he'll have to announce his engagement to Mabel Lane-Fox and with a name like that no wonder he doesn't want to marry her.   Tony comes down from London to stay the night and invites himself practically.  Anna being relieved he didn't bring Green with him.  She's asked Mrs Hughes if she can move back to the house since it will be easier for her.  Everyone's noticed Anna's attitude, even Cora but she fobs it all off.  To the point where Bate has to have a heart to heart with Robert who advises him that they love each other but all marriages have a rough period.  Bates doesn't know what the problem is which makes it harder to fix.

Mary's noticed Branson's been off too lately and suggests he should tell someone.  He wants to tell her but can't cos she's Sybil's sister and she won't like what he has to say and hate him for it so he confides in Mrs Hughes, as does everyone.  She'd make a fortune as a counsellor if it was the done thing in those days!  She helps him out by calling Edna's bluff after finding a Mary Stopes book in her room, yes she was rummaging through her belongings.  She tells Branson she's not pregnant cos she's been reading up on how not to be and if he'd agreed to marry her then she'd have found someone to have a baby with.  Mrs Hughes even going as far as telling her she'll tie her down and tear off her clothes so the doctor can examine her!  This causes Edna to leave in a huff claiming family troubles.  Yeah cos she wasn't in the family way herself, ha!

Thomas is relieved to see her go, thought they were buddies, as they exchange insults.  Even thought for a second she'd push him down the stairs in her fit of rage.  This means Anna has to be Cora's maid too which makes it even easier for her to move back here.  Glad to see the back of Edna, don't know why they even had her back!

It's no fun being downstairs either as Ivy (Cara Theobold) gets to cook and Daisy's (Sophie McShera) still pining over Alfred (Matt Milne) who's still piing over Ivy.  Alfred finds an ad for training at a school in London and wants to apply.  Though there's no guarantee they'll have him, Daisy's upset cos he might be leaving.  But Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nichol) tells her it's better if they part as friends instead of her love being unrequited when he doesn't feel the same way as her.

Alfred thinks Ivy might be interested in the training too and Daisy deliberately sends him to the boot room where he sees her kissing Jimmy (Ed Speleers). Who can't understand what the fuss is about cooking and does have dreams of his own, which involves drinking champagne and living the high life.

Edith (Laura Carmichael) is in London with Michael (Charles Edwards) who Robert likes now which is news to the Dowager (Maggie Smith) and Edith spends the night with him.  Then sneaks back late night when she's seen by Rosamund's maid.  She was careless especially since they just had that conversation about the servants leaving early and coming back at a certain time in the morning so everyone can get back to their own beds.  A story told to her by Cora and Robert, who of course were in their right beds already.  Rosamund is disappointed in her and tells her she'll regret what she's done in the future if not now, cos of the times they live in which may be changing but not for people like them.

Mary refuses Tony's proposal cos Matthew "still fills my brain" and he will for a while to come as we've been hearing about Matthew now for four weeks.  He doesn't want to let Mabel down so Mary tells him to go ahead and do what he must.  As he says something similar to Rosamund; that he's in the position where he has to marry.  Another repeat of the Matthew/Lavinia storyline, where he was engaged to her cos Mary kept putting him off and couldn't declare her feelings for him.  Although this time round Matthew is the cause of her rejection.  Which is understandable as she can't be expected to forget him already and move on with her life.  Isobel and the Dowager having a similar conversation earlier on about how Isobel doesn't want Mary to be sad and knows she will find someone else.

Glad Edna's gone but it seems Thomas is going to bring in someone else who will turn out to be another troublemaker like O'Brien, but can think of only furthering her own career and prospects.  As he tells Robert he has someone in mind to replace Edna, someone older, which Branson is pleased to hear.  Mrs Hughes gives Carson (Jim Carter) a framed photo of Alice so he will look at her and remember her, also showing he's human to the rest of the staff.  

Some choice words from Branson as he tells Edna "don't speak her name" when she mentions Sybil and also "There is nothing but regret in me," after what he did with Edna, it's no wonder.  Not to mention Mary and her reference to Edith as being "about as mysterious as a bucket."

Still there's no justice for Anna, as she refuses to go to the police still and not confide in anyone else, especially her husband.  She knows Bates yes, enough to keep going on about him jumping to murder as his first reaction to such news, but she doesn't give him the benefit of the doubt, that he will react in a less violent manner and seek to make things right for her first by being there for her and not judging her.  Mrs Hughes's line to Edna, which may have been a little funny, "I'll tear the clothes from your body and hold you down, if that's what it takes," could be seen as insensitive judging from the events of the last episode concerning Anna.  Also Mrs Hughes is aware it was Green from the look she gives him from afar when they're leaving.

Another line of wisdom from Mary as she tells Branson that someone else would have been ashamed of her too if she had been honest with them at the time, meaning when she told Matthew about her night with Mr Pamuk in series 1, but he didn't hold it against her.  Branson finding Mrs Hughes was the only one he could turn to and not be judged by her. Which is what everyone appears to be doing this ep.