The X Files 11.10 "My Struggle IV" Review

                                               
The X-Files finale seemed to end on a cliffhanger - of sorts considering it was apparent William (Miles Robbins) would come out of the water and wasn't really dead.  Question is why Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) didn't believe he was still alive.  Of course he wanted his freedom, to stop being chased by people who only wanted to use him for their own purposes.  However Scully with her psychic connection to him should have known he was still alive.  Did she just choose to let him go and concentrate on the new baby instead.

Salvator Mundi was the tag line at the end of the opening credits which means "Saviour of the World" in Latin and is also the title of a Leonardo Di Vinci painting. 

William narrates his life and being born.  Being adopted and known as Jackson Van Kamp.  Not knowing his real parents or his birth mother, but always being on the run.  Finding out he was different at school, dealt with bullies and became a criminal.  Having to change schools when people found out he was different.  He heads back to where we came in before in Ghouli and to Sarah (Madeleine Arthur) and Brianna (Sarah Jeffrey).

We get flashbacks to what is happening or is about to happen, including Mulder being shot and his confrontation with CSM (William B Davis).  Beginning with Kersh (James Pickins Jnr) having another go at Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) for Mulder going rogue and how he was supposed to take their badges.  With a news story running on Tad O'Malley's (Joel McHale) channel about the Global pandemic and Mulder is filmed walking around bloodied.  Skinner adding what if it's not really "fake news".  Kersh adding it wouldn't make any difference.  This story's been leaked to he press and Kersh thinks Mulder's behind it.  Aptly as Skinner exits his office there's a photo of Drumf and that in reference to fake news was one final dig at the ludicrousness of all this "fake news" et al crap!!

Scully approaches Skinner asking for help for Mulder and admits she was the one behind the story not Mulder and also he tells her he was meant to be taking their badges.  He's always got their back.  As Scully flashes to going to Mulder's place and asking him for help with William as she's received a call from Reyes (Annabeth Gish) telling them William is on a plane and the message of "whoever controls William, controls the future."  Leading Mulder on a chase to Tennessee and meeting up with  Mr Y (AC Peterson) again at an airport and being threatened by his men.  He makes a break for it and heads to his office and manages to shoot him.  Well Y was easily taken care of. 

Scully tries to locate William again and finds he's heading to Norfolk.  He won lotto and shared his winnings and Mulder finds him on the CCTV footage.  At the gas station a tracker is planted on Mulder's car.  That pesky tracker responsible for everything.  As CSM also begins his search for William again.  The man trailing Mulder passes him on the road and he picks up a hitch hiking William after he scares the truck driver into stopping his truck.  Mulder realizes where William is heading and asks Brianna for help.  But he's not there.  Before turning up at Sarah's where William had been before wanting her to leave with him.  She tells him to head to a motel where he'll meet up with him.  Instead Mulder gets the info and tells William he's his father and he will protect him.  That Scully gets the same visions too.  William would rather be dead than alive like this and wants to end it all.  However Erika Price (Barbara Hershey) finds the DB of the man who gave William the lift and there's blood everywhere but the tracker is still working, leading her to William.  Who proceeds to blow them all apart with his mind.  Cue Mulder caught on the news footage as he leaves. 

However CSM gets the tracker and follows William to the sugarfactory by the docks.  Here Scully also turns up and finds Mulder.  However it was apparent it wasn't Mulder but William who tells her he loved her and she asks how William would know this.  The real Mulder shows up and they chase after William.  Skinner spots the car in the ally and heads for it.  Mulder shoots  Reyes as the CSM accelerates towards him running Skinner over between the two cars. 

CSM gets to William before they do and he still has Mulder's face.  Asking how he could kill his first born.  CSM replying he also killed his second born.  Mulder was CSM's son and Jeffrey Spender was his second born.  He shoots him and Mulder shoots CSM both ending up in the water.  Scully arrives, late as usual and he tells her William's gone.  She tells him she wasn't really his mother, she carried him and bore him but he was just an experiment in the lab.  Mulder stating he is no longer a father, but she tells him he still is one, pointing to her stomach and placing his hand over it.

SO this was how Scully leaves the show. As for William when he returns in the water he still has the bullethole in his head, signifying the Stigmata.  As well as some sort of an allusion perhaps to an  'immaculate conception' for Scully since Mulder says it's not possible for her to have a baby.  This ep seemed a little rushed, consisting of chases and running around.  Not even giving Mulder and Scully their final swansong to investigate together.  Instead it took the easy way out and ended up shooting or exploding to bits anyone and everyone connected with William and who were after him, including Reyes and Skinner.  His demise just didn't seem that credible being chased by a car and well there wasn't much done or said that was satisfying, just in my opinion of course.  My Struggle IV - a struggle to know why the season went this way without much of a clearer and better conclusion.

Paranormal Lockdown 3.5 "Cambria County Jail" Review

The Cambria County Jail located in Pennsylvania was used to house some of the worst criminals and also had a wing for female prisoners too.  When I saw this jail it reminded me of Old Geelong Goal in Australia, especially the style of the stairs being located in the middle.

There was also an Execution Wing where prisoners on Death Row would be locked up awaiting their hanging.  One such prisoner named Michael 'Smitty' Smith became legend when his cell was found empty on the morning he was to be executed in 1884.  Thus sparking off many questions and mysteries over where he vanished to.  Did he escape or did he reach a more sinister end.  Apparently he left a note for the Warden on his bed. The Jail also boasts a Dungeon in the basement which was accessed by a trap door in the Warden's room where prisoners were placed to suffer inhuman treatment by the guards.  Receiving some of the most harshest punishments they could mete out.  The jail was closed in 1999.

Nick and Katrina ventured here to investigate the hauntings and also to see what happened to Smitty.  They met with Darcy from the Corrections Service and he told them of Smitty.  As well as how he saw a man at the top of the Bullpen but when he approached him he vanished.  This was after lockdown when roll call ha already been taken and all the prisoners had been accounted for.  From the outset you could tell this was going to be an eventful investigation and thus far aired, one of the more interesting ones this season.

There were numerous orbs/light anomalies flying around here and also random noises, such as doors banging and footsteps.

Nick used the Geobox and received various voices coming through.  Such as when he asked what happened to Smitty?
Sure I heard "he left us."

Nick: "who just slammed the door shut?"
- "I did."
"Did you escape?"
"No."  Wonder if that was Smitty coming through.

Nick: "what floor are you on?"
"Seventh Tier."  I heard 7 too.  The "seventh tier" as Nick explained is what the levels were referred to as and the seventh tier was on the fourth floor.  Hearing more doors banging loudly.

Other voices heard were "Smitty."  "Smith."  "Smitty" and "I didn't run."  Of course this could be confirmation that he did not escape or was executed but met a more crueler fate than that at the hands of the guards or even the inmates.
They also heard "Dungeon"  which needed to be investigated since Nick and Katrina were the first ones to investigate here, thus the jail had remained devoid of any human presence for all these years.  Katrina also said how the guys, Nick and Rob were the only ones who were affected and she hadn't been at all.  Not even by any female prisoners still lingering here.

When Nick's name came through the first time you could clearly hear it even before Katrina repeated it; after Nick asks "what did you see?"
Nick chose to spend the first night on the catwalk where the presence of a large man has been seen.  Leaving the Geoport on to detect any voices.  He was awaken by noises and when he analyzed the recordings next day he caught: "the town ruled" and "money."  Which had an impact later on when they showed their findings to Darcy.

Nick's name comes through again as if he was drawn to that Dungeon and I tweeted if Nick was going to be brave enough to sleep there?  Well a bit of a rhetorical question on my part!!  Obviously.  In the Dungeon they heard noises again and growling, almost heard some deep breaths too.  Rob was attacked on the neck.

Nick decided to stay in the dungeon by himself and heard more growls as well as turning off his night vision to show how dark it was down there.

That's when he also said he saw a man pass him by after looking at him.  With a scruffy beard.
When examined there seemed to be some sort of a dark figure on screen, but it wasn't too clear.

This was the photo from Nick's camera and there does look like a bearded man there to the right in the light blue circle.

This is one I messed around with using their pic above and on the right light patch you can see a man's face. 

In the photo below you can see a man's face  in the blue circle.  This I got on 'pause' before it moves to the right where they showed it.

Was that a shadow on the left corner in the Dungeon. It moves when Nick and Katrina are to the right but it doesn't seem to be Rob.  See above pic. You have to see it in the moment when it moves.

When asked if it is getting attention a voice is heard to say "I did" again.    And Dungeon also comes through again.  As the sun was nearly rising they decided to get some sleep, with Katrina sleeping in Smitty's cell and Nick opting to sleep in the dungeon as I said.  Hmm, how come none of the guys went to the women's cells?!!  They heard noises and clear footsteps could be heard coming downstairs into the dungeon, causing Nick to wake a few times just as he was falling asleep.

Nick used the VFL: Video Feedback Looping which would help the spirits to communicate and using the projector to relay images on the wall and a figure appeared to be projected onto the wall
With Katrina taking photos with a vintage Polaroid camera, but don't think anything was caught in those.  I love those Polaroid's still have mine!

Katrina decided since they were getting more responses and activity when vulnerable and alone that they should split up.  Rob went into the cell where he was attacked, Katrina went to the other end and Nick stayed in the Dungeon where he saw the solid figure of the man previously.  Rob stating he heard "Nick" being said again.
Nick asks "why stay here?"  And the answer comes through "secure."
Rob hears "disappeared" in the cell.  Was this a reference to Smitty?
Nick asks if "they're angry"
- "we're stuck."
-"They beat us."
Nick" they beat you?"
-"Yes...that."
"Murdered."  Was that again a reference to Smitty?

The connection as they were told is that Smitty could well have been 'taken care of' by the guards since he killed a man from Johnstown and tied that with the voices Nick got of "the town ruled" and "money" there could be a connection here.  As he also mentioned the town was associated with corruption, which they didn't know about until now at the end.

This ep was labelled as 3.7 but shown here as 3.5.
Next ep Nick returns to Bobby Mackey!!  That should be an interesting ep!

Once Upon A Time 7.14 "The Girl in the Tower" Review

                                           
After writing about some serious stuff, previous post, let's go into some fantasy mode!
It's Alice's (Rose Reynolds) birthday as she's grown up now and she's more Tilly here in appearance than the Alice in last ep.  She makes a wish wanting to get out of the tower and moments later it comes true.  She finds the roof ripped away and a giant peering inside as he takes her into the palm of his hand.  He let's her go and in the woods she falls into the trap set by Robin (Tiera Skovbye) hoisted up into the cage.  Didn't this happen to Snow and Charming too.  After she spies Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) with baby Lucy.  Anyhoo, Robin set the trap for the giant since he's been terrorizing the village.  Alice wants to get out of the cage and Robin finally lowers her down after she tells them she was spying on her papa since he's cursed and she can't be with him.  Alice has been searching for a cure everywhere and in Wonderland and we get a reference to the Mad Hatter as she has one of his hats.  Which got me thinking how did she get the hat in the tower cos if that's the case, surely she could've used it as a portal.  Or did she make it herself.  She does have magic and that she inherited from her mother Gothel.   Maybe I was overdoing it in thinking too much!

As they arrive at the inn, they find villagers taking refuge there and when they learn Alice wants to save the giant they imprison Alice and Robin.  Robin shows her photos of the Bug in Storybrooke and how it belonged to the sheriff and she went for a ride in it.  Alice is impressed by her phone and the photos on it.  They escape and come across the village folk, menfolk, trying to kill the giant.  Robin shoots at him with an arrow and she tells them who she is.  They're not impressed but as they're cornered again, the Yellow Bug comes to their rescue and Robin tells Alice she is magical.  As they come across the giant again (in resemblance or allusion to The BFG - which isn't a Disney creation so no reference could be made to it by name.)  Robin tells her that she wished for the giant and so it saved her so she can wish him away.  As she does so, he turns into stone.  This is the same statue that is in Hyperion Heights and in its hand he holds the Bug.

As we return to Hyperion Heights and Hook or Nook as Zelena (Rebecca Mader) called him, with Alice's joke of calling Robin 'Nobin'; is trying to find an alibi for Tilly for the murder.  However he can't and he brings her to Henry (Andrew J West) as they need somewhere to escape.  She can't recall where she was at the time of the murder.  When they leave she finds a fruit sticker stuck to her shoe and asks all the people there at the market, but no one recalls her.  She's invisible to everyone.  Hey that's what I call myself, Invisible Girl, ha!  As she walks past the dumpster she finds her backpack in there and Hook and Henry have to save her from the police and Hook must take her in.  Tilly turns up at the statue again and here she meets Robin as she returns to Hyperion Heights.  They have a conversation about the book she's reading amongst other things, Alice in Wonderland, Tilly was reading Robin Hood earlier on.  At least she glanced through it when she was at Henry's.  Obviously they had a moment as Robin and Alice in the other realm.  This kinda leads to Tilly noticing the red light in the statue's eye, thus a CCTV camera.  Hook finds the time stamp and clears her name.  He also offers her a spare room at his place as the killer is still on the loose.

Reggie (Lana Parilla) and Lucy (Alison Fernandez) go ahead with their operation and Lucy thinks it's old fashioned to use walkie talkies (well it was good enough for her father!)  Reggie distracts Facilier (Daniel Francis) and Lucy breaks into his place to find evidence or clues.  Reggie convinces him to go on a date with her, a walk and they're interrupted by Zelena who knows Facilier is aware they know who they really are.  He leaves them and get backs to his place and Reggie can't get through to Lucy.  Zelena adding they should've used walkies.  Lucy finds the cards on his table and takes a photo, hiding from him, but he was aware she was there and sees her reflection in the mirror.

He brings back her woolly hat for Reggie and also gives her the Empress card, it's what she wants he tells her.  She admits to Zelena she does have feelings for Facilier also revealing he's after the Dark One and his dagger but doesn't tell her about the card.  Does Reggie still harbour Evil Queen tendencies now?  Robin returns and Zelena is glad to see her.

Another turn of events now and will Robin be helpful in finding the witch killer or is she just a distraction for Tilly and a potential love interest.  Hoping this is resolved quickly.  Henry wasn't much help this episode.

Zak Bagans "Demon House" Review and Commentary

                                                   
A few SPOILERS so don't read if you want to watch it first!  There my Disclaimer!!

Zak Bagan's Demon House Documentary was much anticipated and a long time coming since its announcement.  But after filming this lengthy, arduous and in some ways momentous journey, it was in post production for a while.  A number of years later and after watching it, it was easy to understand why this was the case.  As it was a lesson in filming documentary per excellence, bar none.  Containing the right amount of background especially for those unfamiliar with the house and the possessions/hauntings of the family that resided there.  So that was my little gripe since much was already reported in the media and by Zak.  Although in this doco Zak chose to edit what he deemed necessary to provide the relevant facts without going overboard and keeping it concise, punchy and on point.

I was disappointed however that there wasn't any  opportunity to film the family affected as they refused to appear on camera or off.  Money over "public service" since someone else was making a Hollywood movie about the house also.  Including how the person involved having the audacity to threaten Zak.  Heck whose house was it anyway.  But interesting to hear from the police, the Child Protective Services' personnel involved and others too, for their experiences from just stepping foot inside the house.

Meke visiting and bringing her family inside was a moment of contention since the children of the Ammon's family were already affected by the house as well as the adults themselves.  Though Meke was willing to take that chance, having lived there herself.  But her daughter did have a change of character and expression when she returned from the basement and was asking Zak questions about his investigations and how he is affected by them.  There was something happening with her, that much was obvious.  Don't know if anyone else noticed this when filming and whether Zak did too.  Since a few days later (not rightaway) Meke called Zak to inform him of what happened to her daughter.  Which was disturbing to say the least and requiring an exorcism.

The other disturbing aspect of this was how the people who entered the house from Zak's team were affected, especially cameraman, Adam and also Dr Barry Taft.  I recall when he investigated the Oman House in LA, he stated he wouldn't return to it after the negative effect it had on him.  It is thus sad then that this Demon House also took a toll on him healthwise and affected him too.  Hoping his health will improve.

Secondly Zak deciding on being locked into the house by himself especially after many warnings.  How he was affected by feelings of anger and lashing out in the basement and the house in general, when he vented on Jay.  Setting up 'house' in this place with all the doors and windows boarded up for the purposes of the investigation and sufferance for his his life's work.  When I say that I do not mean it lightly or in a nonchalant way.  I genuinely felt for him in this and it was a decision he didn't make off the cuff or faint heartedly.

Sure enough it was an eventful night with those footsteps (sounded like hoofs on the wooden floors to me.)  Then the voice he heard inside.  To me it sounded like a very distinct English accent, it didn't sound like an American accent to me.  Then waiting for events to unfold, it was expecting something bad to happen.  I felt it.  My eyes were focused on that right corner where it appeared there was something there, perhaps it was just how it was filmed by the camera.  But that's the way he saw that dark mass or figure that flashed across the hallway.  Not even flashed it appeared to manifest out of the side of the hallway.  The camera went blurry and moved.  Thought he had moved it himself but on several rewinds, it moved by itself. 
There was a light anomaly that flies on screen when Zak is sitting on the bed and sure saw another one there too in the front room in the next shot..

Then the intense headache he got and the end result of his eyes being affected and having to permanently wear glasses, prism glasses.  That was a heart stopping moment.  Suppose there's something about that story I mentioned on Twitter about the man who put recording devices in a grave to record anything that went on in there and he went deaf.  Suggesting there are many things we are not meant to know yet or perhaps even at all.  Not being cruel here or anything, just making a general comment. 
Zak: "More importantly, in the bigger picture of this [his eyesight affliction] to know that this hit me within a day after I left the Demon House. There's no explanation to that. I'm looking for someone to explain to me how that couldn't be related to what was going on inside of that house."
One interview article stated how he was affected by the house re his eyes as he demolished the house.  However this happened before the house was even demolished.

I was fine watching throughout all of it, except for that part towards the end!  Not only did I have some kind of pain transference, hand on heart, next day I had a pain across the right side of my head, the back of my head and the right eye.  When I closed my eyes all I could see was that moment replayed over and over.  Still happens now three days later.  Plus there was an overwhelming feeling of deja vu on my part; a strong feeling that I have seen that room before and the way the furniture was set up with the pink chair!  Yeah that pink chair dude!!  Pink not being a good colour when it comes to certain Ghost Adventures eps!  Anyway this isn't about me.  SO moving on...

It really brought home the dangers of such investigations and the dangers of how some put off or dismiss such evil as not being real! It was an effective and moving piece of documentary filming and making and no matter how people have dissed it as fake, it was and is far more real than even the most hardened sceptic could even imagine.  It was Zak's cross to bear and it was burdensome and no one would have been equipped and able to handle something this destructive and perilous.

Not to mention too much, think I already have,  it is worth watching for yourselves and I will be watching again.  However, I have to say it left more questions than providing answers, opening up a whole can of worms! Such as the effects on the neighbours etc. Seems after this experience the Ghost Adventures episodes, some of them, became more darker too and also helping people more who have been and are, the victims of possessions, more so than in the past. Did this experience impact on that?

Wonder if Zak is going to put into his own words, in another book or something, all of his experiences there, including the aftermath.  Since there is so much I want to know and am sure others will too.  At least those genuinely interested in such paranormal encounters.  It's something that needs to be addressed in a lot more dialogue and detail.  Perhaps an eventual DVD release with some extra additions on this. 

In my book on Zak and the book review of Zak's second book I Am Haunted I wrote:
"Life's journey takes us on different paths - sometimes for the better - sometimes not.  Zak's life took him onto the one where he's constantly on a quest to find answers, search for them pertaining to the afterlife and much more .  He might not believe in coincidences or destiny, but this was his fate..." 

Paranormal Lockdown 3.4 Jim Beam Distillery

This one was going to be different with getting in as many puns/jokes over the spirits and spirits in a  bottle.  Came up with plenty but too spiritual to include here ha!  The distillery boast many a haunting and well, it's no wonder, who'd want to leave this place.  The Beam family emigrated from Germany and their actual name was Bohm.  "Reginald" Beam began making whiskey, he was a farmer and it became known as bourbon.  Jacob and Mary Meyers Beam settled in Kentucky.  Jim Beam also married a Mary in 1897.

Katrina and Nick being shown how to savour the tasting of bourbon.  Leaving their glasses there for later.  Hey they used some bourbon in the shot glass experiment with the lights inside the glasses and decanter, in the actual Beam house, but other than a thud sound, they didn't get any reactions or activity.  Not until fellow investigator and friend of Nick, Lee Kirkland shows up, being a native Kentuckian.  That's when the decanter and glasses began to light up and Lee's name came though twice on the Echo Box saying his name "Lee" and "hello Lee."  Seems as Nick said they were more at ease with Lee being around.  And guess what during this part of the show my TV switched off by itself!!  Probably got too many bourbon fumes coming through.  But what sort of WTF moment was that anyway??!!  That's never happened.

Lots of noises in Warehouse K and Warehouse D and Katrina seeing some mist but wasn't caught on camera at that point during the first day of the investigation.  A shame cos I mean she did have her camera with her.  With me thinking if you're not going to use the camera why carry it around, especially if the order of the day is to document whatever happens or doesn't happen and that's the entire purposes of camera and equipment, so it can be captured and shared with others.  So it was great when Rob on the final day,  actually managed to catch that mist manifesting, almost like a woman in a white dress and then they caught the whiff of flowers, a perfume-y scent.  Funnily enough when I took a photo of the mist, the 'Face mapping' feature on the camera and phone focused exactly where the mist appeared.

This pic shows it a bit better:

Seem to see some faces in this too...
Earlier on they used the Echo Box, which echoed their voices when asking questions and they got some responses on that, even getting someone saying "it was me."  Though they didn't ask who me was.  As well as a woman's voice with "yes."  Katrina also managed to get her name come through, maybe why she felt nauseous there.  As she said it was a bit of an unusual investigation with them having to continue during the day alongside the workers which she believed would give them more results.  They also got the name "Daniel" when Lee was around.  Which of course had nothing to do with Jack Daniel's [whiskey]!!  (Joking!)

There were just voices and more noises coming through, so as said, glad when they got that mist seeing as most of the employees saw that there.  As well as the light sensors lighting up where the spirit of Mary has been seen looking out of the window.  Nothing negative or dark here though and the spirits appear to be still at home with the, er, spirits!

NB noticed that Quest Red is showing eps with different numbers, this one was listed as 3.6 but I've labelled them in chronological order.

Once Upon A Time 7.13 "Knightfall" Review

                                                
This ep of the show is about Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) mostly which was good to see and how he brought up Alice by himself stuck in that tower (what'd they do for food) and then when she's older along comes Gothel (Emma Booth) to mess things up as usual.  Look, for someone who only wanted a baby to escape those towering chains why was she bothered about what Hook does with Alice (Elle McKinnon) and how they spend their lives; with him wanting to get Alice out of there.  Alice dreams about being taken by Gothel and Hook being thrown out of the tower.  Well that was bound to happen.  Yet there's no way he can defeat her without magic, leading him to confront Rumples who seems (Robert Carlyle) to be forever imprisoned in that cage of his own.  He wants a deal and if Hook sets him free, he'll tell him how to defeat her.  Which involves some involvement with Captain Ahab (Chad Rook) of all people!

Ahab's surprised he turned up calling him a washed up pirate but Hook's not in the mood for a fight, he just wants the fish hook.  Which he'll get if he fights him.  But Hook decides on a game of dice instead and wins it from him.  Heading back to Rumples he's confronted by Ahab again who wants a duel cos he won't leave it alone, bloomin' peg leg!!  But he wants it in front of everyone.  Goading him over still being in league with the Crocodile instead of wanting him gone and defeating the Dark One.  Should've just released and let him take care of him like Rumples wanted.  So pistols at dawn leads to Hook getting injured in his shoulder but Ahab facing a much heftier injury.  As Hook returns to the tower Gothel once again appears to put a fishbone in the works and this time he's thrown out for good and can't get back to Alice.

Hyperion Heights: Henry (Andrew J West) sees Reggie (Lana Parilla) return in the early morning, admitting she looked up a boyfriend.  She looked high actually, not just tired.  What were they doing turning tricks all night?!  Sorry I mean that in the context of magic, and planning something together.  He tells her about Jacinda (Dania Ramirez) and Lucy (Alison Fernandez) stopping him from getting to second base with her.  Ivy (Adelaide Kane) calls Henry for help as she's packing up her mother's things but doesn't know what to do with them and what she wants to keep.  She makes a move on him cos they're both in the same boat.  But Henry shuts her down and tells her about losing his family too and she just needs to find an outlet for herself.  Reminding Ivy she has Jacinda and a niece too.  She calls on Jacinda and gives her the box of things Victoria had and Jacinda gives Ivy her doll back.  That was one creepy doll!  Ha.  She decides she knows what she's got to do, as Jacinda tells her about her woes with Lucy.  Ivy adding she's a great mother.  You see earlier Lucy tells Jacinda she doesn't want her seeing "that guy" anymore and she needs her more.  Which upsets Jacinda after she tried to get them together for an eon.  Telling Jacinda she doesn't believe in fairytales anymore after everything bad happened.

Hook and Weaver/Rumples try to figure out the murders and Tilly (Rose Reynolds) comes in wanting a chess game, but Hook doesn't have time.  Gothel/Eloise comes in as they speak of the devil and she only wants to be questioned by Hook.  She appeared to be trying hard for him to remember for some reason or was she just playing him.  Rumples warns him about her and letting her get inside his head, but he still wants to question her.  She sees the ship doodle in his notebook and asks for the painting he did.  Outside he tells Rumples he's one step ahead since he doesn't know how she knows about his painting.  But he goes to get it anyway.

Tilly is still around and sees Gothel there telling him she's bad news and something bad is going to happen.  Hook brings in the painting and she wants answers about him and his emotions.  He just tells her how he loved the ocean when he was little and she asks how he felt when he saw it.  Telling him  that all of the Vic's received a heart shaped box with marzipan.  Now who likes ,marzipan.  Hook and Rumples follow up on the lead and head to a florist who tells him his wife got those chocolates but she died a while back.  They think Eloise led them on a goosechase.  But they still have the baker and get to the hospital to find her dead and Tilly standing with a scalpel in her hand.  They ask what she's doing here and she tells them of the bad thing happening she told them about.  She escapes through the window.  At her storage facility, Hook finds a board with some of the witches crossed out from it.  But they don't believe Alice/Tilly did it.  Hook and that chess piece!!  Also the bottle of sand was there that he gave her in the tower.  Yet more clues and still nothing solved.

Ivy brings moo shu for Henry to thank him and wants his help.  She needs to look for Anastasia and she knows he can be the hero deep down that he is.  Lucy shows Reggie the page with Henry and she admits she has her memories and Lucy explains that's why she stopped Henry and Jacinda from kissing.  They agree on a plan to move forward and Lucy names it Operation Hyacinth, the flower Henry gave Jacinda.  Only Reggie doesn't want to be called grandmother.  They're Mills and they're going to give her parents the happy ending they deserve.

Still so much more to go yet and sometimes the episodes don't really do much to answer anything.  Even though this was focused on Hook a little, it doesn't get him any closer to finding Alice or realizing who he is.  Not sure what Gothel's up to but she does want the killer of the witches found or is just another ploy on her part.  And what was this nonsense about the chocolate boxes.  Hmm who in Storybrooke and the other realm had a sweet tooth.  So there's the doctor, the baker, the florist, who is already dead but no further to getting answers.

I'm still waiting for the Hook revelation where he realizes Rumples/Weaver no longer speaks with his cockney accent!!  I mean you're a cop but that's eluded you!! Ha. Understandable the poor guy has other things on his mind and with Gothel giving him the once over on making him say he doesn't have anyone special!!  Nah luv you're so not his type!!  That was rich coming from her about giving Hook the curse so he can't be with Alice considering she's not a perfect mother, if at all.

When Ivy left Jacinda and said she's going to finish what her mother started, that look on Jacinda's face thinking she's going to start with the development again or something.  So who exactly is going to run Victoria's empire now.  Surely Ivy could've done something meaningful and constructive with it and not in the building construction sense either!!

The X Files 11.9 "Nothing Lasts Forever" Review

                                           
"I want To Be Beautiful"

X Files back to its gruesomest, well there had to be one of those in a kind of harkback to Eugene Tooms, [Squeeze and Tooms] and who fed on human livers to sustain himself  an then go into hibernation.  Sounds like this is what Barbara needed to do. This one involved an aging star (in the form of much that is topical about celebrity in their quest to remain forever young - hmm thought that sounded a little Mulder (David Duchovny) there! ha) only Barbara (Fiona Vroom) wasn't actually a star in not amounting to much so can't be put up there with the greats, but aged into obscurity and in her fleeting ambition to be beautiful and forever young; she came across a doctor who believed he found the secret to youth.  Having performed the same procedures on himself.  Juliet (Carlena Britch) mentions her sister, Olivia (Micaela Aguilera) joined a cult, well this appeared to be just that, brainwashing people into believing they were much better than they thought of themselves to be and then harvesting their organs so cruelly and crudely for themselves.  A form of vampire cannibalism.  Almost on Mulder territory there with his line of using the materials that would've been used for Christ including wooden stakes, which gets them onto the case and full jurisdiction from the detectives.  As well as Scully's (Gillian Anderson) line of Mulder having to look forward to gout!

As doctors remove organs from a victim, a woman, Juliet, hides and then attacks then with metal bars and a hammer akin to Jesus on the cross.  A profound action in being religious herself and wants to know where 'they' are.  She leaves the organs outside a hospital with the words "I will repay."  Only the organs can't be used.  Scully attends church and communion service again a kind of parallel could be drawn here in that they are served the body and the blood of Christ, a perversion where Barbara Doctor Luvenis (Jere Burns) are given, correction: forcibly take the organs of innocents in the hopes of remaining young.  A blood fountain of youth.  Also there is Olivia, the missing sister and she willingly partakes in this, as her mother looks at her photo with her deformed face.  Barbara telling them they are loved and not ugly.

Mulder and Scully take on the case as Mulder believes there is an X-File here with Scully later deciding that there isn't.  After their visit to church.  Where they speak of Scully's beliefs and she tells him why she started to believe, when her brother Charlie was taken ill and she prayed.  He had rheumatic fever and later she started praying for a dog.  She believed her prayers worked when she got a dog for Christmas.  But her mother's faith made her strong and that's what she also believes in.  Mulder adding he knows why he's not a Christian cos his parents didn't get a puppy.  He also notices Romans 12:19-21 quoting,  “Vengeance is mine, I will repay" which is about vengeance and repaying.  As Juliet comes to the church and talks with Father Hardy (Cameron McDonald) who tells her to have faith and she will find her sister.  Outside Mulder notices the three missing bars from the fence which were used in the crime and are led to Olivia's mother, Josephine (Fabiola Calmenero) by the Father.

Juliet refuses to let them in and says she's protecting her mother shutting he door on them.  They're led to a building where the resident Barbara hasn't been seen in 7 years by the super and they have a dumb waiter which is used by them.  She's 85 and as Olivia is hooked onto the doctor, they are let into the apartment by Barbara.  She isn't 85 at all and they are attacked by the others with Scully being thrown down the dumb waiter.  As Mulder is pinned down, Juliet arrives and takes out Barbara.  Mulder finds the doctor with Olivia in the basement and kills him.  Scully's fall being broken by the years of rubbish collecting there.  Funnily they found the doctor by tracking a heart.

In church again Scully mentions William and also Mulder talks of how she could've left him in his basement at the FBI years ago, before he even got glasses and married a brain surgeon with lots of children.  But they're here and together and that's what he believes in.  Scully asking "are we together?"  He says he will believe through her and makes a wish, but she says it's not a birthdy cake, they're prayer candles.  She whispers what she wants to him, in a moment that felt like they would kiss!!  As Mulder lights a candle. 
Scully: "that's my leap of faith forward and I'd like to do it together."
Mulder: "I always wondered how this was going to end." 

Perhaps a flash forward to the final episode in this season 11 which could turn out to be the final episode of the X-Files.  But it was an enjoyable run with the exception of a few dud eps.  I can say that can't I? 

Ahh yes Mulder and his glasses which Scully tells him eventually everyone will go through and his having to use them now.  Suddenly he gets glasses when the tagline changes to "I Want To be Beautiful" as opposed to "I want to believe" (generally in aliens which eh does among other things) or "I want to believe I am beautiful."  To my recollection and never forgetful memory, Mulder wore glasses in the Pilot ep when they first met!  Maybe he got contacts afterwards!!

Also the funny throwaway line of Mulder peering at Scully closely in the beginning and asking if she got a haircut?  No it was a new wig so desperately needed two eps ago!   But honestly he appeared to be short sighted than long sighted and should have noticed the wig anyone as he wasn't looking at her face so closely and was able to drive without glasses too.  In the title which could also be an allusion to this show.  As well as Sidney Sheldon's book of the same name, about three female doctors trying to compete in a male world.  Well in some ways it was Barbara here who wanted to remain young and using the doctor but it did seem to be a mutual relationship of give and give some more and blatant take on her part.

Paranormal Lockdown 3.3 "Higgensport School" Review

Nick and Katrina came to Higgensport school in Ohio not expecting such heightened activity, but as Alex, the manager, told them it boasted the presence of a dark entity/shadow figure which he's seen and he tells people they should expect to see it.  From the outset there was plenty going on here.  Including Katrina seeing a figure or shadow coming out of a room, like creeping out to check who's there and going back in.  Saying it was more of a leg.  With doors banging especially one in particular, where Katrina spent the night.  But nothing happened after Rob left. Oh I don't mean they only get activity when he's around ha!  But ya never know it has happened a lot in past eps!  Nick preferring the hallway and again nothing happened during the night.  Nick woke up Katrina who was really drained.  There was activity in the basement where a man was burned by the boiler.

When they were setting up their equipment and when Nick heard walking on the first day, sure there was an orb/light anomaly flying nearby.  It comes from the left (bottom pic) and floats to the top right (in the top pic.)

Also again later on when they were by the gym, I managed to see another 3 at least hovering around them.

One where Nick was about to set up his cot, it's almost as if it shoots out from where the bag is: taking the path of the arrow.

I concluded (ha) that it wasn't dust cos they were shooting around in logical fashion, not just floating around like dust would.

But some swearing from Nick and Katrina!!  Nick used the phonetic application and got the voices coming through: ""I feel lost..."
Then a deep male voice, "from you..."  Most probably could have been the shadow figure they see later.

Nick uses a new piece of equipment called the 'Parazologies' at least I was trying to work the name out on there, kind of like a digital recorder, but no voices came through on it.  Will double check the name but it did look cool hoping they use that too later on.

More voices saying: "he dragged him down here..."  Wonder if that was in response to Alex telling them about a drug addict they found in the basement, but they don't know if he died here or was brought here."
Katrina asks: "where are you?"  And the response is:
"we're stuck..."
Nick asks "...down here?"
Reply: "a syringe..."
Katrina asks who passed away?"
Reply: "me....this spot..."
Nick asks who it is?  But doesn't get any response.  As he said they don't know who they were dealing with so they can't say for certain if this was the dead man or something messing with them.

Katrina also does a recording and asks questions and gets something which sounds like a "yes" though to me it sounded more kind a like growling noise.  She caught this when she was alone in the cafeteria and that's when Nick was trying to rest during the day in preparation for more night investigation and activity.  Anyway when she plays it to Nick, or attempts to there's a voice heard, disembodied, which I'm sure says "I'm here..."  or "in here..."  Again a male voice.

Lots of doors closing again and more light anomalies as stated above.  As they used the Geobox and there were voices coming through which shounded like children.
There were plenty of orbs in the gym, about 5 darting around, you need to watch that segment when they use the light sensor in the gym.  It was like the children were still playing in the gym, probably being subjected to PE!! ha.
Here's a few pics, sorry about the clarity/quality:

They also hear a desk or a chair being dragged which is what I said it sounded like and then Katrina said the same.  Rob hears a voice and you can hear it clearly too, when Nick is asking if they want to come out of the class, it answers "no" and is the voice of a boy.  Well he must be enjoying his lessons!  Or maybe being naughty!! Ha.

In the gym with the stage, they use the light sensor and a girl's voice comes through on the Geobox telling them what it is: "light sensor..."  "there..."  which also lights up.
The same girl can later be heard saying: " I don't wanna touch it..." in reference to the light sensor.
Nick asks who they're talking to?
Reply: "gym" and it tells them to go there.
Katrina asks "will we see you in the gym?"
Answer: "yes."   As Katrina said they were getting residual energy and intelligent responses too.

In the gym where they see if they can get any stick figures, they get responses on the light sensor again when Katrina asks 'if it likes it here, how it got here'.  The response is that it doesn't want to be here and it was brought here by someone.  Which they weren't able to determine if it was brought here by another ghost group or not.  As Alex later tells them they used to stay with the groups whilst here but a few months back starting leaving them alone, so they don't know what they get up to.  Katrina adding he needs to be here and to try and push out the entity since it doesn't want to be here.  The school has been haunted since the last century but someone brought int he more darker presence more recently.

Also still in the gym Rob notices a shadow behind the camera and Nick and Katrina see it too, though why didn't Nick take his camera with him.  It's shown at the side of the curtain picked up by Rob who spotted it first.

This pic looks like there's a face on the left, it's the shadow behind the curtain that peeks out.

Katrina also gets a feeling of being touched which she says was more akin to being connected with rather than being targeted.  Maybe some child was playing with her.

All in all it was a very active investigation but I have to say it wasn't one that I particularly liked.  It was very routine almost, but there you go. That's just me.  Also Nick said he hasn't investigated a school before and this was the first time he's gotten so much activity.  But Preston Castle was a school, albeit a reform school although he hasn't investigated a school in Paranormal Lockdown before, which is probably what he meant.  So it was good that he got to do that with Katrina.