Once Upon A Time 7.17 "Chosen" Review

                                       
An ep marking Lana Parrilla's directorial debut and she did a great job too.  Hence she was missing for most of the ep but at least she did appear and it was also good she got to direct one which involved Zelena (Rebecca Mader) and her story as well as her farewell.  Though we won't be too disheartened by it since this is the final season after all, which means we'll have to say farewell to everyone at season's end!  This one also gave Lana the chance the direct an ep which involved one of her fave fairytales of  Hansel and Gretel; with a twist as is always the case with this show.

Zelena stumbles across the gingerbread cottage in the woods and finds Hansel (Seth Isaac Johnson) and Gretel caged, fatted calves ready fro slaughter, don't ask why I said that!  But she doesn't rescue them and seems the witch got one over her in terms of using magic.  So Zelena stumbles and loses her necklace too only to be rescued and taken back to Ivo's (Dan Payne) house.  He nurses her back and she finds he's blind thus he can't see her in all her magnificent wicked greenery.  She notices the exquisitely carved chairs and finds that he is Hansel and Gretel's father mentioning how he told Hansel to leave breadcrumbs to find his way back home.  They weren't that young though in this ep that they needed breadcrumbs.  I mean if Hansel can threaten Zelena with the knife then he's old enough to know his way back home.  Zelena finds he doesn't judge her for who she is and as she plans on rescuing them she finds their cages empty and takes the witch's sight to restore it to Ivo.  Obviously he wouldn't want it and they found their way back themselves.  See!  Hansel wants to punish her but she burns his hands adding children shouldn't play with witch's or they'll get burned.  This was her chance at redemption but of course no one wanted to listen to her explanation.  Thus that's why she didn't bother anymore with anyone.

Back in Hyperion Heights Reggie (Lana Parrilla) has found the moss that she needs for Henry's spell and to break the curse but Zelena receives a box of those choccies!  As I said a few eps ago in my review it had to be Hansel and Gretel behind it since they were the ones with the sweet tooth.  Also Gretel was featured in 7.15 with Drizella.  Of course she was double crossed there and so she would've been avenged by Hansel.  Zelena speaks with Rumples (Robert Carlyle) who really doesn't want to help her but reminds her it's good to have a piece of their sorry past to remember how they have changed and come that far. As he gives her back her necklace and also she mentions Belle and if he doesn't help her then it won't get him any nearer to being reunited with her.

As Nick cum Jack cum Hansel has kidnapped Henry (Andrew J West) as he wants him to see that the book Henry wrote is real and he's a part of it, Henry sees his lollipop keychain and realizes he's the killer.  Although he doesn't believe that he is Hansel just that he's probably delusional and a killer.  Hansel (Nathan Parsons) commenting on him being the truest believer but yet doesn't believe.  Margot (Tiera Skovbye) and Zelena have problems too as she can't share anything with Margot right now and she wonders why she came back here.  Hansel also kidnaps Chad (Kip Pardue) as Zelena thinks of him too and how he won't like her and what she's done but Reggie thinks she should have the happiness of Kelly too.  That baseball bat didn't come in handy though.  Jacinda (Dania Ramirez) hasn't herd from Henry who's meant to be in New York and then suddenly gets a text calling her 'J' which only Sabine (Mekia Cox) does.

Henry's car is found and Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) tries to find him.  Noticing the gingerbread making kit in Jacinda's car and how she tells him she was called 'J.'  Hook finds Henry and it's actually Zelena who's left to take care of Hansel as he has Chad tied up.  But she doesn't kill him and knocks him out.  Chad still wants to marry her as he says no matter what she might have been like as Zelena he saw how she could have gotten her revenge on him but she didn't.  She asks Margot to be her bridesmaid and gives Margot the necklace.  Margot wants to stay here since she wants to see how things will work out with Tilly.

Zelena and Reggie bid farewell and she tells Zelena to find her life and be happy since she came when she needed her and now she should leave.   Facilier (Daniel Francis) gets what he wants from Naveen (Jeff Pierre) a Beignet to add the dusting to his voodoo puppet since he takes care of Hansel with it.  He failed in his killing of the witches and now he's a loose end.  Facilier's still after the Dark One's dagger, but has Reggie wrapped around his little finger still.  Henry returns to Jacinda and they almost kiss except Lucy (Alison Fernandez) interrupts them.  Henry realizing this is where he must stay.

Henry being shown the birth certificate doesn't believe he's Lucy's father since Hansel killed the doctor.  And he doesn't want to rewrite any happy ending for Hansel since s Hansel tells him, Henry doesn't believe that bad guys like Hansel are worthy of it.  (See all that stuff we went through with Reggie and wanting her own happy ending when she was the Evil Queen.) As well as not batting an eye when Hansel tells him he's more concerned with Henry's aunt, Kelly, getting whats he deserves for Gretel, and in short, for being a witch.  We await Mother Gothel's fate!

The City and The City Series 1 Part 3 "Orsiny" Part 4 "Breach" Review

                                            
Part 3 Orsiny
After all that fuss we find out the real secret surrounding Orsiny (or if you're really annoyed by the fact this was very slow, call it Arseny!) well okay not in this part but you knew it was heading there even if you haven't read the book.  Borlu (David Morrissey) still on the search for Mahalia's killer and finding out what happened to Kat (Lara Pulver).  He finally gets to meet with Bowden (Christian Camargo) along with Dhatt (Maria Schrader) and he tells Borlu he's being victimized.  As he recalls being targeted by other people too.  That he saw Kat before she disappeared and how invested she was in finding Orsiny.  He leaves and Borlu says they can use that warrant how since he won't be at his apartment.  When they arrive the door is ajar and there is writing all over the walls which Dhatt says isn't Ul Quomo.

Everything leads back to that dig again and there was quite a bit of repetition with the flashbacks and after getting onto a rip roaring start it seemed to fizzle out in the last 2 parts.  Borlu was meant to be deported back to Beszel and happens to have dinner with Dhatt and her partner, Yallya (Kasia Koleczek) which he enjoyed seeing a different side to her, making her a little more human and like him in some ways; but at the end of the day she's still a policewoman and is getting her orders higher up.  Just like him.  As she later will say to him, she has a life.  That being the difference between them both as he is dedicated to his work and finding out who killed Mahalia and what happened to Kat.  Which makes it more personal for him but since he is a policeman with a conscience and hating this divide between the two cities.  It's the people who suffer the most and in some ways reflected in him not being able to open his eyes when he sees those blurred lines. 
Yeah going back to that dig whilst they are there talking with professor Nancy (paprika Steen) someone sends Bowden a bomb which explodes just as the shifts change and Tairo (Barry Aird) is saved.  So Bowden becomes a target now as if someone was trying to remove his existence too as he knows too much.

More flashes to Kat and Borlu and how they met and got married, including their 2 year anniversary and including how she moved in with him beforehand.  He was clearly besotted with her but she was more into that city and finding it.  At their 2 year anniversary Bowden arrives with another woman friend and still Kat can't help but be taken in by him.  It was if Borlu was just that consolation prize and she wouldn't end up with anyone but marrying a policeman would give hr some kind of freedom to carry on with her research.  Even being known as a subversive.  She is a lecturer at a Beszel Poly  and even this isn't enough for her.

Borlu talks with Tairo after the bomb goes off but he doesn't give him his number.  Instead Borlu follows him and finds Yolanda (Moryffd Clark) hiding out with him and some others.  They believe Orsiny doesn't exist and it's all made up.  Borlu wants to take Yolanda over to Beszel and they come up with this silly elaborate scheme to cross the border with her dressed as an Ul Qomo policewoman, with Corwi (Mandeep Dhillon) meeting her other side.  As Borlu's still waiting to cross over there's gunshots and Yolanda panics and runs away and is shot doing so.  Gotta ask why Corwi didn't put her in the car instead of hiding behind it.  Well as said, that was pointless.  Borlu turns back into Ul Qomo on the pretext of having left something behind and follows Corwi chasing the shooter.  It's as if he can see everything but can't cross over when it would be so easy to do so.  Finally he sees the shooter and takes a shot at him going through the membrane between the two cities and the bullet penetrating this membrane.  For a second it looked like he had actually crossed over into the street and the next city.

As he doe so, he's approached by men, who must have been Breach.
As we get to Part 4 Breach.

Borlu is tortured as they try to get tot he bottom of how much he knows and also speaking of Kat.  He's permanently removed from duty as Gadlem (Ron Cook) takes his badge and also is told not to fraternize with any other officers.  Borlu meets Corwi who finally admits she's Breach Manifest.  As she tells him all bout Breach in flashes and the case.  Taking him to an apartment where he'll be safe with his things and also he's now a part of Breach too, so they can go anywhere and cross over and through the blurred lines of the city.  Some people might be confused in the previous ep as Borlu fired his gun through the cross hatch, the disputed part of the cities.  However they can travel freely and she plays him tapes and video recordings of their surveillance on Mahalia, Bowden and Kat.  How they met that night and Borlu was following her, but he didn't go after her when she left Bowden.  How Mahalia found the artefacts and substituted them for nothing.  Seeing Kat on the last known footage of her and disappearing into Ul Qomo through a desolate part of the city.  Which Borlu plays over and over.  As he analyzes the footage and prints photos marking them on the map.

Corwi entered Sear and Co attempting to speak with Gorse (Robert Firth) but she was escorted out.  Obviously Sears and Gorse - his company had a lot to do with all this.  As did Major Syedr (Danny Webb) who has been reelected in what he calls a victory for purity.  Borlu and Cowri retrace Mahalia's steps into how she got out of the dig with the artefacts and Borlu finds it was a building in one of the photos she had.  Also she speaks about Kat on the recordings.  Poor delusional Kat - my words!  They find Mahalia dropped the artefacts through a hole in the ground and climbed down there herself.  Here she followed the light but it only led her to Sears Corp.  That's why she was killed, there was no Orsiny.  As Borlu also finds the same.  Gorse and Bowden met in India and must've come up with this elaborate hoax.  As well as Gorse telling Borlu that no matter what happens they will just become the remnants of the US mining corps.  They found metal in those artefacts which are abundant underneath the city.  There was no invite from Orsiny and there was no city where people could escape and be free.  Also Syedr was a part of it and he kills himself not being able to stand the heat as they say.

Borlu meets with Bowden telling him he can be free and Corwi has the call traced.  Bowden tells him all about Kat and how Borlu couldn't save her this time, he should have but he wasn't there.  She did what he saved her from and killed herself, just as she jumped from the bridge the first time round.  Bowden telling Borlu he pushed her since he made her do it cos he took away who she was and well, it was actually Bowden and his non existent quest which got her involved in this.  As Bowden approaches Borlu he can't go through with drowning him and Bowden stabs him in the neck with the knife.  As Corwi shoots Bowden, Kat appears to Borlu and wants him to go with her.  But he turns back cos he doesn't want the nothingness that she was attracted to and which led to her taking her own life.  He turns back and survives

Corwi telling him they all breached once, they're not from here.  SO he becomes a part of the very thing he spoke of in Part 1. Breach: they are just like you and me.  And perhaps the ones who were level headed, some of them and keeping order.  As Borlu is now able to cross into both cities freely.  He sees Dhatt through the blur of the next street which is no longer a blur but blended in for him.
It was an ambitious production brought to life, can't help thinking it didn't have to be drawn out this long since the flashbacks were already shown quite a bit.  As said, Orsiny was just a city to mask their mining operation and the US attempt to make money and get rich from other countries.  Nothing changed there either then.

What it came down to is The City and The City just being your run of the mill crime drama, murder investigation.  With Borlu narrating in film noir fashion, the events, what/who he is, the city he lives in, rules and what's happening to tie in the loose threads for us.  At the end of the day he is just a policeman investigating a murder which was made to believe was alluding to a mythical city where there was no racism or hate and people could live as one, without the yellow/red divides of Beszel and Ul Qomo.  yet it didn't exist and what he was left with, what anyone was left with was the everyday reality of greed, poverty, versus intimidation, purity and misguided politicians just making a name for themselves ind riving the masses to hysteria and with the threat of being caught and deported, killed or beaten.

Agatha Christie's Ordeal By Innocence Parts 1, 2 & 3

                                                
From the outset you knew this wasn't going to be an ordinary fare served from the BBC as they like to excel in their own way when they redo these dramas and also change them significantly from the books.  As they did with And Then There Were None and Witness for the Prosecution - in some ways - ( the stage production of which is currently at County Hall is exceptional!) This one began in screaming fashion with the maid/cook/housekeeper, Kirsten (Morven Christie) finding the DB of Mrs  Rachel Argyle (Anna Chancellor) and events take a turn from there.  As her adopted son, Jack (Anthony Boyle) the outspoken 'do as I please' son, is suspected of her murder, professing and protesting his innocence to his father, Mr Leo Argyle (Bill Nighy).  The damning evidence being his fingerprints on the murder weapon, the decanter.  Of course back then there were massive miscarriages of justice and very little forensics involved.  Thus he was sent to his death, or would have been if he hadn't been involved in a prison fight.  The implication being that when Dr Arthur Calgary (Luke Treadaway) showed up to clear Jack's name he was still meant to be alive.  Of course things wouldn't be that easy or else this wouldn't have been a drama.

Resorting to flashback to paint the picture of how the entire family were not just misfits and easily falling into the category of suspects, including prodigal son, Michael (Christian Cooke) [hot off the heels from his stint in Knives in Hens on stage.  Looking so completely different here than he did on stage!] who has fought in Korea and returned home for the funeral for Jack.  Everyone wearing veils, jokingly I said they should have given him one too. ha.

Then there's the mysterious Kirsten who sneaks around hiding in the bunker and Hester (Ella Purnell) with the blood on her night gown.  The intended new Mrs Argyle, Gwenda (Alice Eve)  who is preparing for her wedding to Argyle when Arthur turns up, claiming he was in the Arctic and is shocked to find Jack isn't alive but nonetheless wants to instrumentally and guiltily clear his name, stating he picked Jack up on the night of the murder and dropped him off at 9pm.

Seems she wasn't that good a mother considering she wasn't the one who bought them up as seen from Part 2.  Thus Kirsten had plenty to lose and lots to gain when she died.  Also showing some resentment towards her.  Then there's Mary (Eleanor Tomlinson) and her wheelchair bound husband, Phillip (Matthew Goode) who does seem a bit of a cad and the only one how couldn't have done it and thus he had to be taken care of in Part 2, where more skeletons from their sordid closets are revealed.  Such as Michael and  Tina (Crystal Clarke) being in the woods and confronting their mother.  Seems it takes two to tango!  All of them at loggerheads.  With Michael warning off  Arthur and then taking him to the train in Part 2 to leave here.  But Arthur changes his mind and comes back.

Part 2 also showing what Jack was really like and free with the women and one reason why the inspector didn't like him and would've framed him for his mother's murder, friend of the family or no friend.  Especially as Jack was getting it on with his wife.  As he comes to run down Arthur after he calls the police.  Argyle showing his fatherly qualities towards Arthur when he wants to leave.  That was another big clue as to the real killer's identity.

Don't recall Richard Armitage being this way when he starred in the ITV production of Ordeal By Innocence with Miss Marple in the proceedings and Jane Seymour as the lamentable Mrs Argyle.  In that the nanny did the dirty deed and also offed the intended fiance cos she didn't like her.  However in the book it was Jack who convinced Kirsten to kill Rachel after making her believe he loves her and then his wife turns up.  So Jack was married and did have a penchant for older women..

Then we got Hester and her recalling how she told Tina she could have done it cos of the blood on her.  Yet again we were still kept being drawn back to Kirsten who has so many secrets and how she nonchalantly strolled in behind Leo and Arthur and moments later they find Phillip dead in the shower.  She was my suspect but considering writer Sarah Phelps stated she changed the ending. Gotta wonder why writers have to take such liberties man, ha, no really, sometimes you don't want writer's licence coming into it and them doing what they want, a little slap in the face stating how Agatha Christie didn't manage to pull it off!  It does come off feeling that way!  However I did, well me and sis did manage to get it was Leo and as I tweeted it's always the quiet ones who put on this entire charade of being so very 'innocent' and of course Jack confirmed this in Part 1 when he spat at him.  If daddy dearest hadn't been a bastard then he wouldn't have done this.  Also the divorce aspect and how he'd be penniless and let's see how long Gwenda would've stuck around without money.

So the reveal wasn't that big a deal after all (putting aside that I haven't missed a suspect yet in anything I have watched over the years, couldn't spoil my record now.)  Leo getting his just desserts being locked away in the bunker and he was friends with the police inspector too so everything would've been easily arranged to get Jack killed on the inside.

A bit of an ordeal for audiences/viewers but the BBC did manage to pull out all the stops and what with refilming with Christian Cooke, managed to finally air it at Easter instead of its intended Christmas Boxing Day date.

Once Upon A Time 7.16 "Breadcrumbs" Review

                                               
NB some of this is carried over from the previous ep as I thought it'd be more fitting here than the last ep which I felt was more of an Ivy ep (which is was obviously ha!!)

Lucy (Alison Fernandez) thinks that Henry (Andrew J West) should have some fun with his friends as he's all alone and doesn't have her like Jacinda (Dania Ramirez) does and as he's at Barcade, Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) arrives as does Nick (Nathan Parsons).  They've come to keep him company and Henry realizes this was a set up.  They tell him he's going to ask out the first woman who walks through the door and obviously this was Jacinda!  Saying that if he gets the coin into the glass then all of the fairytales etc are true.  Of course he would've got that shot if the barkeep hadn't moved the glass.  She leaves to meet Sabine (Mekia Cox) for dinner so she thought she'd just booze around a little before their table was ready!  As they leave Nick gets a flat tyre which he will fix, always thought that Nick was suspicious!  Henry gets a job offer in New York to produce podcasts for other people.  Nick commenting on how that's a sign.

Before Henry leaves Rumples (Robert Carlyle) wants him to help with the Candy Kisses Killer investigation since he's a fan of Henry's book.  Henry finds pages marked and in one of them realizes that the killer's been changing lines in there and has immersed himself into the book as if he was one of the character just like Henry wrote himself into it too. 

Henry wanting an adventure as he tells Hook in the other realm.  So Hook decides he should come with him to find Davy Jones's locker as Hook has the map.  Thus they get recruited by Blackbeard (Charles Mesure) and end up on the Jolly Roger where they make their move after the treasure is found.  Henry having a look at that sapphire ring which he could easily give to Ella.  Thus he'd have a story behind it.  Of course we know Hook has a story behind his rings too.  As they fight Blackbeard, Henry realizes it was a set up since Blackbeard mentions he wanted the ring for his bride; until there's a storm approaching for real and Henry says he wants his ring back.  Thus they have to take the ship towards the whirlpool and throw it in!  Funny Hook conking Blackbeard out cos he doesn't want the ship to go there.  Henry finds he doesn't need an adventure of his own and takes Ella to the lake where he proposes to her.

Henry also finds that they're looking for Hansel or whoever thinks he's Hansel so he's narrowed down their search for them.  As he drives to the airport for New York he sort of has second thoughts and doesn't get a call from Jacinda nor does he leave her a voicemail either.  However his tyre goes flat right where Tilly's statue is and Nick comes to his rescue.

Hook gets Tilly (Rose Reynolds) a job at the foodtruck with Sabine since she's eating Hook out of jam and home and it's getting expensive.  She gets on well with the customers and sales increase.  She also gives Margot (Tiera Skovbye) advice about her mother and how she must be feeling the same way without being able to talk to her openly about everything.  She also has made the Beignet into a real heart shape as Margot notices.  She makes a joke about her name Targo, but it's a 'T' at the end.  As Alice did with Robin's name a few eps back when they first met in the woods.  7.14 The Girl In the Tower.  Would've thought she would have introduced herself back then too when Margot got back to Hyperion Heights and saved Tilly from that murder charge.

There doesn't appear to be literal breadcrumbs here more the clues that Hansel/Nick left in the book which narrowed down they were after Hansel in the end.  But not who Hansel really is.  However he didn't get any flashes here to Gretel which was a missed opportunity to see them grown up and together.  Henry gets a little more backstory but again it was just marred by Jacinda and wanting her, wanting to prove he's a hero and having his own adventures.

Once Upon A Time 7.15 "Sisterhood" Review

                                            
The reveal come at the end for the Candy Kisses Killer and it didn't come as a surprise, they really didn't have a bevy of suspects and at the risk of repeating myself, I did say Hansel and Gretel were the only ones with the sweet tooth and came across a witch who was wanting to feed on them.  In this ep we get a box of chocs sent to Drizella (Adelaide Kane) too and she turns to Reggie (Lana Parrilla) for help.  But Reggie is a little hesitant and tells her to stay at the bar cos she'll be safe there.  In the other realm, Drizella is given a coin by Gothel (Emma Booth) and she wants to join the coven of witches.  Only Gothel leads them on a wild goosechase telling them to find the two golden flowers and then the two can join the coven.  Drizella meets with Gretel (Sara Canning) who is sucking lollipops and they decide to team up after Gretel saves Drizella from the trap.
Only Gothel makes them doublecross each other cos there isn't any flower and they fight.

This is the ep where Ivy/Drizella redeems herself and is reunited with Anastasia (Yael Yurman).  As in the other realm she finds her with the use of the lantern.  Facilier (Daniel Francis) visits Drizella at the bar and shows her the cards.  Offering her a magic bean to return home.  So she lights up another lantern leading Anastasia to find her.  She wants to make amends and admitting she truly loves her.  But she knocks her out.  At the office Facilier is about to extract her magic when Gothel shows up and pits the two sisters against each other again as Facilier makes his escape.  However Anastasia comes to her senses and Ivy begs forgiveness and is ready to die.  Reggie arrives with Rumples (Robert Carlyle) and the two use the magic bean and return home reunited.  Seems so simple doesn't it but can't help thinking Drizella would've been an ample ally in their fight to break the curse.  Particularly as Zelena returns home too in ep 17.  Reggie will explain to Jacinda but right now she doesn't know anything anyway so why bother.

Reggie doesn't forgive Drizella but she knows what it's like to be a villain and be wrong and sometimes in their attempt to make things right or do what they think is right.  Rumples is still going for that fateful meeting with Belle and he actually helped someone else here even if Anastasia was The Guardian, rather than being one tracked and focusing solely on himself.  Also he tells Reggie he knows about Facilier being after his dagger even letting Facilier in on this.  Yet no one else knows where the dagger is.  Facilier still comes across as a bad guy and it doesn't really matter what Regina thinks of him, even if he claims he took the magic as a gift for her.  Yeah but what's the payback gonna be for that.  But Henry (Andrew J West) and Jacinda (Dania Ramirez) soo boring still, wish that ship would sail.  She's just not right for Henry.  He had more chemistry with Ivy and a shame writers didn't realize this. 

The City and The City Series 1 Part 2 "Ul Qomo" Review

                                       
Part 2 was more of an extension of what we learned from part 1 with Borlu (David Morrissey) heading to Ul Qomo to find out further about Mahalia.  Of course before that he had to get into more strife otherwise his job wouldn't be worth doing.  This means heading to Major Syder (Danny Webb) and getting into an altercation with the TC - True Citizens: the Fascist mob.  Well it was more getting beaten up by the mob cos you just knew that that cue ball was gonna hit its mark and that was gonna be someone's head!   He's also stomped upon in fascist fashion, leading the Beszel authorities to hand over the investigation to Ul Qomo.  He can be a part of it but will require permission and training.  Of course Corwi (Mandeep Dhillon) is peed with this and enter her usual f**ing around in no uncertain terms.  It's just so funny listening to her cos that's today's society also for ya!  You'd think they'd have found an alternative expletive, especially since they managed to come up with 'wanker' in Ul Qomo speak!  Yeah as said before, it's so Big Brother 1984 territory!

Borlu recalls how he met Katrynia (Lara Pulver) and attended that training and how even the children were being taught at an early age about Breach and outcasts.  Taught by a school teacher who gets into a bit of a tizzy when she asks Borlu about the car and he tells her all the details about it.  Obviously no one in Beszel would be able to afford that.  He asks Katrynia to lunch of the liquid variety and also he reads up, well picks up the book by Dr Bowdon (Christian Camargo) The City and The City which tells of Orciny.   Borlu also attends a lecture given by Bowdon and sees Kat again as she draws that symbol like a compass point in circular fashion.  He tells her not to be so loud about it.  At the lecture he speaks of those symbols and how they're calling out. 

Corwi is angry about being off the case but he still wants her to investigate for him.  Arriving at Ul Qomo, one side of the street is blurred out cos it's the other City and isn't meant to be in view and then he crosses the border with us seeing red everywhere literally !  Ha.  Then comes back in a red taxi later on.  He's picked up by his other half,  Senior Det Dhatt (Maria Schrader) in that city and she gives him the lowdown on things and how they work there.  He doesn't really have any authority and advises him to stay in his hotel as much as possible.   Also gives him a phone which was bugged apparently.  As well as smoking being frowned upon as shown by the doorman of the hotel.

Borlu visits the site where Mahalia was digging and professor Nancy (Paprika Steen) in charge but he's restricted in what he can do and ask there.  They've been finding artifacts from the other city and one of the workers there, Rebecca (Marama Corlett) asks him for a light whilst asking about Yolanda who has vanished now.  She was also her best friend.  At the bar he speaks with Dhatt who wants to know who the woman in the photo is after they stake out Bowdon'd room but he's not around.  He tells her about Yolanda and her call, well he had to after putting his foot in it by letting slip she was Mahalia's best friend. 

Borlu meets with Rebecca who takes him to the dig and the vast symbols everywhere.  Telling him they can go to the other city but they must be invited. Where there's none of this rubbish that goes on here.  They are found out and the guard pushes him over the edge, as he falls and lands in the water.  That fall took forever!  He also rescued Kat earlier on when they first met, as she fell off the bridge or was she pushed after an argument with Bowdon.  She's wearing yellow, a colour not to be worn in Ul Qomo and so Borlu goes after her.  Just as well then.  As said not much going on here just bits and pieces setting us up for the next part which is about the third city Orciny.

Some people have been confused with the blend of the two cities but it works well and can't really see what's to be confused by it, especially once you grasp that Beszel is the poorer forerunner of Ul Qomo which has excelled in terms of wealth but by removing immigrants and not allowing them in with stringent checks and controls.  These are found on the other side in the city of Beszel, the poorer relation, if you like, which is all yellow and stained in a sense with the stench and pee of that other world where all live.  Ul Qomo being a clinical state of pureness.  Thus it's red signifying danger but also coldness in stark contrast to yellow.  Perhaps they're more confused by Breach and what this is which will be dealt with in Part 4.

Paranormal Lockdown 3.7 "Return to Monroe 'Demon' House" Review

Nick and Katrina's return to Monroe House aka Monroe Demon House, Hartford Indiana, was always going to be eventful from the findings of last time and this episode was no exception.  They have been researching the house further over the past year in an attempt to find out whose bones they found: who was/is still buried in that crawl space.  Even taking their findings/photos to an anthropologist who stated the bones were indeed human, but belonging to someone who was not fully developed yet.  Thus most likely a teen (my opinion.)  However upon return they spoke with homeowner Eddie, who told them he had two different policeman here and one of them told him to step back from these events/findings and leave it alone as there were no missing persons reported.  However how do you leave something like this alone, without closure not just for yourself as a homeowner, but also to the person who is buried there after meeting such an alleged gruesome end.  They were real people, had a soul and need their voice to be heard.

Eddie continuing with repairs to the property, also had to board up the entrance to the crawl space for legal reasons and so that no one interfered with the findings there.  There is plenty that speaks volumes when a policeman tells you to let things go, why?  As a homeowner you have the right to find out what went on in your home even if the police don't want to investigate further.  Nick and Katrina said since they can't interfere with any of that for legal reasons, they can still conduct their paranormal investigation in the hopes of finding further answers and any findings they could give to the police in the hopes of opening the investigation and getting closure for all concerned.

Eddie told them that the activity at the house has gotten worse and people telling him they were doing rituals there.  As well as one group getting into a physical fight.  Some voices on the Geoport with Nick's name coming up quite a number of times.  "Nick Groff" or 'Nick Off' as it sounded like; as in 'get lost.'  Even being antagonistic towards them, a negative presence telling them to "fu*k off" on numerous occasions coming through.  Katrina saying it was a difference between the positive and the negative which was attempting to frustrate them and get them aggressive.  Most of the negativity took place on the first floor: kitchen/living area and the basement felt more positive.  Not surprising cos of that spirit or whatever is buried there and needing help in getting the story told for all to hear.  The past needing to be brought into the present.

There was more water in the kitchen again but only in the lower cabinets and Katrina even had a taste of it!  YUKKKK!!  The expression on Nick's face when she did that when it could've been anything!  The house shook again and Nick saw a shadow figure which didn't get picked up on camera.  Actually when he saw that my phone lit up for no reason at the same time!!  Was it telling me to tweet something??!!  Ha.  Or was it something more sinister.

Nothing concrete (no pun) was found in the kitchen when Katrina also slept there on the second night after Nick did and he slept in the basement (knew he would) inside a sensory deprivation tent.  Where you float in the water and get transported to wherever.  Katrina was up before Nick who she said was stuck in the tent for longer than he should have been.  He later wanted them to follow his journey as he was in there, which took him upstairs to the front door and out of the house.  He was taken to the garden area where he felt something woody, like a coffin.  This prompted them to get in a ground penetrating radar expert (I said they should do that too!) and he found that the thermal image was an old flattened coffin.  Meaning there was also a body outside or something buried there.

Obviously they can't dig it up and Eddie said he needs closure so he was going to contact some people and let them know what he's done.

They used the thermal camera and the 3D camera inside and they got a figure appearing in a funny way.  It was doing something and as Katrina walked through it, the figure grew like it was shooting out some form of energy.

The figure in pink looked to be studiously at work digging, watch it closely when you do and also in the above pic looks like it's got its hands around someone's throat and is int he process of strangling.  of course this is just an observation on my part, but clearly makes sense if you look to the first episode where they got those voices telling them to "dig."
Also Katrina got holy water and sprinkled it on the walls and the house shook, with Rob being moved back by the tremor.  Katrina also felt pressure, a little nauseous and also compression on her heart whilst there.  The water being a sign of demonic activity which isn't surprising with all the occult rituals carried on there.

This house was also in Indiana, why is that State such a 'demonic' hotbed of activity?  Remember Zak's Demon House.  Sorry it's not often, if at all, that I bring in other shows/investigators but this house wa sso similar in many ways.  Even the front design of the porch.  In actual fact it just completely reminded me of Hinsdale.  Not only in terms of its design too but also of the activity.  So in many ways not surprised Nick's name came up quite a number of times.  Also Eddie's name came up too when asked about the activity, "it's Ed" was heard frequently.

All in all there were still more questions than answers still and the police being no help whatsoever.  And no answers as to who Anna is as Katrina said this was the name that they kept getting.  Awaiting more news on this as it's one investigation that needs not only answers but also closure.

This was Ep 5 shown as ep 7 here.

https://mila255.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=monroe+house  Monroe House season 2 investigation.

Paranormal Lockdown 3.6 "Bobby Mackey's Music World" Review

Nick's return to Bobby Mackey, Wilder, Kentucky,  again in a bid to find out what is really haunting the place and again to confront it and to put to rest those feelings and what he went through the last times he was here.  He does say it himself how he said he would not come back but cos he was followed and had those attachments from here which affected him at home, he was going to return for closure.  As I already wrote about in my Nick book.  Katrina and Nick did their own research on the history and the hauntings and discovered that the murder of Pearl Bryan took place a few miles away from here.  Pearl Bryan’s decapitated body was discovered on John Lock’s Orchard in Fort Thomas,  along Alexandria Pike Road.  As well as her killers, Scott Jackson and Alonzo Walling and who were hanged away from here.  The news reports having stated that Bobby Mackey's was not the site of the murder.  Thus to find out who or what was and is really haunting the place.

Katrina felt pressure one her chest, under her neck as soon as she entered the place and this was a first for her.  She had only ever heard about the hauntings from other investigators and now she was in awe at actually being here.  The atmosphere was different and Nick had feelings of nausea and other emotions.  He met Bobby and his wife.  She believes in the paranormal and the haunting's here, having seen figures here and apparitions on the dance floor.  As well as caretaker Mike, who you will recall from before and from Nick's visit here filming Ghost Adventures.  Bobby however remains sceptical about the place.  He wanted to start a country music bar and here he is 39 years later, as he commented.

In Carl's apartment upstairs there were a few light anomalies/orbs that were seen and Rob felt touched on his ear.  The orb shoots out from where he is.  Also Katrina felt her hair being tugged.

Plenty of bumps and footsteps were heard mostly.  Katrina spending the first night on the dancefloor, sorry did that sound like a pun, ha, sleeping on the dancefloor and was really tired.  Nick chose to suspend himself over the well in a hammock, which he had brought along with him for the occasion, setting up some lights which would come on when there was a presence or movement there.  They did come on a few times.  Both days Nick was up before Katrina.  Using the Geobox they got some responses such as telling them to go to the basement.  Katrina asks "where are you, show yourself" and it responds with "basement." Where that particular energy and weirdness was felt.  Again a more darker atmosphere here.  Nick stepping into the well and feeling dizzy when he came out of there.  Guess nothing happened to Nick when he had to use the loo there for three days.  Well one must ask such things mustn't one!

They also got "Nick Groff" afterwards Katrina says "he's back" and they get the reply, "yep" on the Geobox.  Using a God helmet, originally called the "Koren helmet" and invented by Stanley Koren and neuroscientist Michael Persinger, used for paranormal research, religious experiences.  Todd Murphy tested the results of the God helmet.

 Nick sat by the well blindfolded and wearing the helmet when he said he saw an old man trying to get in through the wall.  Katrina used the 3D mapping camera and managed to get a stick figure.  What was amazing was the night before, the camera caught a mass of energy moving towards her when she was sleeping and it appeared to grow in size.  So it was no coincidence that when she used the 3D she got the figure there. 
The ball can be seen in the video, hopefully it works! Otherwise have got some pics below it.

They also got that growl there.  Strangely wonder if that could have been Carl.  Kind of more of a deep moaning.  However Nick said he thought Carl was watching over him when he slept in his apartment and protecting him.

Nick felt he got his conclusions and what he was after.  That the haunting, whatever was present there, was there for years before anything else and before the hauntings began.  Something very ancient.  Which made me think of Ghosts of Shepherdstown season 2 and that dark entity being there for decades before and even itself saying that it is ancient. 

It was good Nick went back there with Katrina this time and they hope to return again.  It's always better to confront whatever is affecting you than to show it fear and never go back.  Even if  there wasn't that much they caught there, but that light ball of energy was a great catch.

This episode was 3.4 but shown as 3.6.

Supernatural 13.16 "Scoobynatural" - My Musings

                                         
Scoobynatural good idea or bad?
Prima facie it could have become too overdone or overboard but it wasn't like that at all! It was a Supernatural episode after all with the dudes doing what they always do, hunt.  This time that took them to a lizard dinosaur and all Dean (Jensen Ackles) wanted for taking care of the family business was that gigantic TV screen which didn't really look that big in the scheme of things.  But already it was a 'she' to him.  It was apparent they would go through the TV and enter another realm and it had to be one of Dean's fave cartoons.  Giving him a chance to make a move on Daphne at every turn!

I think Dean's cartoon/animation took a little getting used to.  A- for effort ha!!
But the scene with the sandwich Leviathan anyone. ha  Deano wishing his mouth was so big in real life, well you know for food that is!!
                                     

Sam (Jared Padalecki) being pursued by Velma forget about ghosts and solving the mystery, his broad shoulders just got in the way of most everything for her!!
Some good lines and animated scenes which really corresponded to Scooby Doo and also making this a great homage.  As said to sis was waiting for the Scooby theme song but it didn't appear until a ways into it during the customary being chased by ghosts scene.  But glad to see Cas  (Misha Collins) get 'cartooned' too.  And shall I say it!!  Yes to a Constantine/Supernatural crossover ep.  I mean we've even got Cas immortalized as a cartoon now too.  As is Constantine Animated on the CW Seed!  With Matt Ryan's voice. SO a cross-over could go either way, although I would prefer live action personally.
Hey don't forget my crossover dream after all from months ago!

                                    
                                               

But yeah, Sam and Dean going through a TV screen into a cartton this time, did have a flashback to 5.8 Changing Channels when the Trickster (Richard Speight Jnr) made them appear in all kinds of TV shows, thus Dean mentioning it could be the Trickster/Gabriel again, but he's dead.  [Well no, Gabriel was alive in this season, but they don't know that yet.  Hey could that be a piece of future foreshadowing for what's to come.]  Though when Gabriel left Heaven cos he was fed up with all the fighting between God and his brothers.  Of course it appeared he ended up in that very same fight again.  Reasons for him being alive yet to be explained as we know.

Dean smashing the TV - oof that would've hurt and he didn't even have it as long as Baby!
                                       

Reminded me of that scene from 21 Jump Street 3.16 High High when Booker (Richard Grieco) smashed all those TVs! (Below pic) So good to know sometimes allusions come in all shapes and sizes to haunt me again.  Supernatural also having done a 21 Jump Street ep of sorts in season 4.13 After School Special!  Deano in shorts  ha!  Where Dean tells the school children on the bus that "I'm like 21 Jump Street..."

However returning to Scooby Doo it was easy to see why they needed to get such an episode in.  Season 13 it was about time some more of their childhood and past came back to 'haunt' (no pun) them yet also serving as a detraction from the events of Apocalypse World and their search of the ingredients for that spell.  Which Cas managed to find and ends up smack, dab in the middle of the cartoon as well.  So if anyone had moseyed on along, not that they would, it was the bunker after all, they too would've been dragged into the TV.  Also how they were already at the conclusion of investigating their case and managing to explode the stuffed dinosaur.  Would have been good to see how they actually got into it and how it led them to the store.

So by now you will have gathered this errs very little on the side of Scoobynatural itself.  I could write all the references and allusions from the Supernatural eps to Scooby, but then you probably know them all and well let's leave this episode forever manifesting in our memories in the manner of an homage to Scooby and the Scooby Gang, aka Mystery Inc, that we've been accustomsed to over the years from Deano et al!

https://mila255.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/supernaturalconstantine-cross-over.html 
My Supernatural/Constantine dream!