Once Upon A Time 7.21 "Homecoming" Review

                                           
As the others in Hyperion Heights are celebrating getting their memories back and the curse being removed; Henry (Andrew J West) celebrates with his family and with Reggie (Lana Parrilla).  Also Alice (Rose Reynolds) and Robin (Tiera Skovbye) bring in Beignets from Tiana's.  Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) is in hospital but stable and is later leased as Alice calls him when he returns home.  She can't come any closer still but misses him and wanted to see him, declaring his love for her and her for him.  Henry mentions Facilier to Reggie and they haven't seen him here and she heads over to see him.  When she gets there she notices Rumples' album on the floor and can hear some loud water sounds from the fountain.  Well Facilier was easily removed from the picture and the finale too.  She magics the water away to find Rumples (Robert Carlyle) tied up there.  He breaks the news about Facilier to her and tells her his Wish Realm self killed him.  They need to stop him.

Henry, Ella (Dania Ramerez) and Lucy (Alison Fernandez) celebrate with three cupcakes and as Lucy lights the candles and makes a wish, she and Ella vanish.  Henry is approached by Rumpelstiltskin and tells him he wants the dagger in return for his family.  Saying that Rumple's been weakened and poisoned by love.  As Rumples, Hook and Regina talk of his dagger, Henry needs their help and Reggie says they will stop him together.  However they "will not negotiate with villains."  Henry adding that could've been their family motto at any other time.  There might be something Alice has hoarded and Rumples returns with the mirror with Reggie.  It's broken but they think they can get it to work.  Going through the portal they are separated and Rumpelstiltskin was the one who cracked the mirror to ensure they'd be separated.  Henry and Reggie end up in Rumpelstiltskin's castle and see Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) in the stock who tells them they won't get out of here alive.  Cruella (Victoria Smurfit) arrives.  She's been helping Rumpelstiltskin and she won't tell them where they are until she's threatened by Henry and they fight, as Reggie put s her into the cage after the swordfight.

Cruella tells them they're in his dungeon, wouldn't that be obvious.  They find them in a snow globe on the table miniaturized.  Rumpelstiltskin was waiting for them and still wants Henry to get the dagger or else they will freeze in there.  The glass is unbreakable and Reggie can't use magic on it either.  Rumples and Hook finds themselves at the cottage rumples recognizes as his old house.  This is where he showed his cowardice and hobbled his leg so he wouldn't have to fight in the Ogre wars.  As we too rightly remember.  There isn't anything inside the cottage that will help them.

In the Wish Realm we see Henry (the original) riding back into a cave to rescue Sleeping Beauty but he fails at that cos the Prince strolls in and kisses her to awaken her.  Losing out again, seems this Henry (Jared S Gilmore) is a failure and always misses his boat/chance.  In this realm Rumpelstiltskin offered him a chance to be a hero in return for a deal.  However Henry said he would find his own "happy ending the right way."  Recall he told Henry he would only find his happiness with his help and his way when he was in this realm and went back (or forward) to Hyperion Heights Henry.

Hook knows someone who can help them and takes Rumples to his "beachfront property".  A friend helped him when he was down too and was going to binge on drink.  He calls for Ariel (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) who thinks Rumples is the Dark One, however he miniaturizes her wand.  Hook tells her he's here to help and rid their realm of their Dark One.  She gives them the scant remaining shell of squid ink she has left.  Hook and Rumples return to stop Henry from giving the dagger, but he criticizes Rumples for not doing for Lucy what he would've done for his own family and Reggie's magic won't work on the globe.  Rumples wants to confront Rumpelstiltskin with the ink and Reggie cos with him as she has magic, but tells Henry and Hook to look for something in the library to break the globe spell.

Rumples finally says he will hand him the dagger as long as he gets to be with Belle. He had no belle in his realm which is why he's such an evil monster.  He tells him how more people shouldn't be sacrificed for the sake of the dagger.  As he hands him the dagger the handle is tainted with the ink and just for a moment Rumpelstiltskin loses his power.  However Reggie interrupts them and his magic returns.  Couldn't they just have given him the dagger, yet if he did that then there'd be no way to defeat him.  So he was thinking on the lines of doing good after all.  Rumples knows killing Rumpelstiltskin is the only way to end the darkness in the world even if it means he won't be reunited with Belle.

In the library, Henry notices the quill on the table and gets an idea.  He is the Author after all and can just write another chapter in their book.  So he knocks out Hook and heads to look for the Apprentice (Timothy Webber) telling him he is the rightful Author and needs his pen.  He places his hand on Henry's heart and sees all the adventures he has written about.  He warns Henry that his job is to record stories and not create them, which is what he was going to do here.  Oh yeah and that line being directed to Once writers where he says how it's a "complicated story and the timeline alone would make one's head spin.  Only a true author could weave such a tale."  Okay some self-indulgence for their final time or rather penultimate time of writing for Once.  Henry steals the ink from Cruella's hair who vows to get him back, alas not in this show!  Ha.

Henry now confronted by himself: the Wish Realm version who is bitter and wants to write his own happy ending but can't and so made the deal with Rumpelstiltskin.  He tells Henry to write "the powers of the guardian are no more."  With the others there to hear that too.  Rumpelstiltskin vanishes them all into the snow globe with Lucy and Ella, that was a mistake on his part cos he underestimated the power of their determination to get out of there.  As well as the others in Hyperion Heights knowing something was wrong, particularly Alice, who gets a pain in her heart and knows Hook is in trouble. 
Reggie is still there and Henry didn't want her sucked into the globe cos she's the Evil Queen who crushed his grandparent's hearts and wants revenge.

Tiana (Mekia Cox) is at a loose end in Hyperion Heights and stress bakes Beignets when Naveen (Jeff Pierre) tells her she should be doing more.  Alice and Robin ask for her help and she asks if anyone has anything magical they may have forgotten about.  Remy (Trevor Roberts) hands over his magic bean he had been keeping incase he needs it.  Alice and Robin take it and the truck to Storybooke as a detour where Robin gets reinforcements. 

The action hotting up for the final ever episode of the show.  It was good that the writers managed to remove Ella from the rest of the show cos she wasn't really an original character and would've gotten in the way.  This one was for the important characters and so they could have their ending.  Otherwise it would've left no time for real stories to be told.  But who'd have thought Henry would've become so bitter in his travels and ended up alone.  However in many ways that's how Rumpelstiltskin was too since he didn't have his Belle to make him change.  her influence we saw in Rumples and how he didn't put himself first anymore.  Though they did manage to bring back some of the other characters for a little bit, especially in the next episode.

Constantine 1.6 "Rage of Caliban" Review

                                              
Yeah hit the gym mate for those scenes, is the first thing I wrote about this ep, especially since an English brekkie is all that he usually thinks about!!  Alas he only gets toast and some horrible looking fried eggs but rest assured, "we'll be there by lunch." I mean he hasn't even eaten his brekkie and thinking of lunch already, erm, should've gone for brunch then!  Which got me thinking that eating is deffo one of Matt's character traits too!!  As in absolutely loves it!
Constantine: "if I need you I shall give you a little whistle that suddenly chokes into silence!"  To Chas.  Well someone was trying to get poetic here in a poignant way which turned out to be funny, or maybe that was just me?!

Stop licking the walls, soo impatient for lunch!! ha.
"I've never punched an angel but you are begging for it mate."  Well firstly he hasn't met any other angel and secondly he'd just flap his wings and be gone, so alas Constantine would be too slow and then he'd get that entire divine retribution spiel from Manny when next he appears, cryptically of course.  Manny goes on about battle plans and how "everyone knows there's a darkness rising."  Yeah get in line mate, that's old news.  He's going to stem the the attacks.  Constantine doesn't feel he's  special.  And on cue once again Manny spews (sorry) about free will and humanity leading to angels "abstaining from interfering."

Manny: "your old ways might not work."  That was Arabic ??????when Constantine recited the spell to find out what went down here.
schemateek ka-ha-al
abteen kahak - abthal???

The girl was possessed that's why she survived and this had to happen on Hallowe'en naturally or unnaturally!

Daniel Cerone tweeted:
"Believe it or not, every spell we gave John has meaning.  Some are actual spells provided by our own tech consultant.  #Constantine"  25/4/2015
[Hence my Supernatural/Constantine dream involved spells!]

Then comes the age old, 'no monsters in the closet or under the bed' retro spiel.  Don't let Dean Winchester hear him say that, cos monsters are real, human and otherwise!

The paralegal, Emily, Constantine's other source of info and help tells him about the events having occurred 35 years ago, 16 years ago, 18 years ago and there's been 3 in the last month.  Marcello is in hospital leading Constantine to utter, "I'll feel right at home."
Shall I mention the guyliner going on here with Constantine again.

This was a typical Supernatural episode.  Constantine talks of ley lines giving off electromagnetic energy and being a "psychic railroad."  Chas manages to get hold of the sword of light which empowers truth from the holder, yeah Wonder Woman's lasso, maybe he should've used that on Zed then, accidentally on purpose of course.  Frankincense will direct them towards the house as it "flees the presence of malevolent energy."  Obviously knocking won't work.

Constantine ends up at the school following Henry and that teacher needed to piss off and do his job in the playground but understandably he can't have strangers hanging around, might be some sorta perv.  Then he asks that line of the trenchcoat, ugh.
Teacher: "what's in that trenchcoat?"
Constantine: "I am."
What he was gonna do a mad dash at flashing or something cos he was fully clothed you know!    And 'bollocks, bastard, bloody hell luv' he shows up as a school counsellor and actually fixes his tie and buttons his shirt, which doesn't suit him at all!  Losing the trenchcoat cos that's really got bad press around here!  Ha.

As well as using mandrake root. From the French 'main de gloire', named for the mandrake root.  Again a reference to Hand of glory.  See 1.3 Constantine for further explanation.

Constantine: "I'm an exorcist" and here comes the expected punch!

Constantine: "took me 6 months in the loony bin to turn me into a party animal."  Anyway that pic reminds me so much of how Constantine's arrogance is personified.  He really looks so smug!

Manny talks of Constantine being burned by cigarettes by his father and how his sister left him alone and that's what he could've been too, like Marcello  He was saved from suicide. All he has to do is remember what is was like to be a child if he want to help.  Can't even let him pee in piece in the jail, just like in the ally when Manny turned up,

Constantine: "not all souls go gently in the night."  An oft used phrase from Dylan Thomas poem Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night which he wrote for his dying father.  He adds that child spirits are the worst as "tantrums end in blood." Recalling Astra and the forceful exorcism of children does not end well as shown in the flashback.  Energy is present where tragedy occurs and Marcello's house senses their presence.  Has the seance but everything dark just turns on our Constantine.
Constantine: "maybe I don't trust myself!"

Constantine carries that mirror in the funhouse incase he needs to preen himself!  Ha.  Fix the ol' hair!  The scene with the skulls with photos in most press, is where I said it reminds me of the Paris catacombs.  And the mirror crack'd.  It had to be Marcello since there was no other child we saw who was affected in that way and he's doing this for revenge.
Constantine: "this world's dark, full of pain for everyone....soul fled his body and kept on killing."  He sent Marcello's soul to the only place he could, back to his body.

Constantine: "what of my rotten inner child?  If humanity is what can save us then overcoming this damage and weakness in my nature, it may be the part of this battle I dread most.  I don't have the answers - I only know that a darkness is rising and unless I can stop it, the world will change forever."
What world, probably nothing left.  It did change and we lost our Constantine show!  And he lights up in front of kiddies setting a bad example, ha!  Not that anyone noticed.

In 1.5 Constantine was talking about not kicking Zed out of bed and here he's the one getting kicked out!  Oh how the world of poetic justice revolves.  Okay just having a larf here cos he had to leave cos of her boyfriend.
All he wants is an English breakfast for his hangover - more talk of food and how grease is a wonderful 'cure.'  But he doesn't get the full works.  Hey it's what Dean said Sam should have in 2.11 Play Things when Sam got drunk cos of self pity, Dean tortured him with that bacon!
As for food, eeww, stop licking the walls!  Soo unhygienic and maybe necessary but still.

Constantine's line here of whistling and choked silence I quoted in my Matt/Constantine colouring book on a picture with Constantine and Zed from 1.2, when they they first met and he makes the pencil holes in his eyes of his sketch!  Next time I'll get Matt to do that to one of my useless sketches and then see what we'll see in the light!  Actually I may just do that myself instead!
Zed is at an extra long art class - yet we'll know why in 1.8.  Why does she need art classes.

Constantine doesn't see himself as special (never mind luv someone does) but he is in all modesty.  It's more arrogance as people see him vs his true calling.
Manny use free will again, he'll never tire of using that as an excuse.  Oh and let's not forget the angel on Constantine's shoulder: one recording the good things he's done and the other the bad.  In all fairness the one he got lumbered with in reality would lead him to his own downfall and defeat. Or would he?

Leylines are a real paranormal concept, I should say seen in that sense, which holds true for much of this sort of activity.  The creator of the ley line map is Ken Ondaate - aka Hellblazers "as Alap - a powerful magician - instead of becoming King of the Magi - he preferred to work the lines of the London Tube.

Thusible is a metal censer for burning incense.

Constantine's sister Cheryl left him when with their father, leaving Constantine to contemplate suicide at one point.

This ep was the third one filmed, so very early on.

The eyeball part could've been a flashback to Criminal Minds:Suspect Behaviour 1.3 See No Evil involved some gruesome eyeballs and their removal in the early scene.

Caliban appears in The Tempest and oddly was played by Matt in a production going back to 2002  {See Matt's Bio in my book.}  A deliciously dark character who is the offspring of the witch Sycorax and the devil.  He is Prospero's servant which makes him very tumultuous and can only be controlled by magic.  He is representative of the black magic of his mother and at first seems to be a bad character.  Plotting Prospero's murder, he is tricked in some ways by those he gets to help him as he is incapable of understanding what is happening around him and the people involved.  He primarily reacts to emotions and physical needs without grasping the consequences.  He is more nature than nurture and behaves as a wild animal.  Reminiscent of Henry here and in some ways Marcello too.  When exacting his revenge for what he endured as a child.  Not understanding that this is wrong, why would he, when he wasn't taught this and only saw the bad in what his father put him through!

Brekkie was mentioned four times in this ep alone, most important meal of the day, features heavily in Constantine's life !  Ha.

Sword of Night belongs to DC Comic's Nightmaster.

Some backstory on Constantine's childhood is revealed.  Manny couldn't wait to get that in, it seemed, not just as an almighty guilt trip, but more so to ensure Constantine understanding what children go through.  Either way he didn't need it.  He's the youngest of the siblings - would've been good to see his sister make an appearance eventually - from what we know in the show; she doesn't seem to have stuck around for him or had much of an impact on his childhood or teen years, leaving him to go it alone and suffer in silence in lots of ways.  So unlike elder siblings to do this.  They are the 'substitute' parents almost, especially for us young'uns or those who lose parents at an early age.

Constantine's past and flashes to Astra, yes people can have dark pasts and lives but how they deal with them is what matters.  As we slowly get pieces and snippets to Constantine's past and what made him who he is today.

The spell Constantine uses in the house early on is the CS to see what happened and from Matt's phonetic pronunciation.
However I'd have to see the script!  Ha, hint, hint.?? Which I did and heck Manny comments it's Mayan, well if that's Mayan I'll eat my woolly hat, one of them!  It sounded more Arabic to me and it also had some Arabic words in there deffo, like 'Abthal' the final word he says!??  Which means 'champion' in Arabic and appears in several prayers.

Child vengeful spirits aplenty in Supernatural and one of the earliest was in 1.3 Dead In the Water.  Peter didn't get a childhood which was cruelly snatched away from him when he lost his life.  Hell he didn't even get a life.  Marcello would be vengeful after having his fingers chopped off.  What kind of parent does that and here the similarity to Constantine's father and burning him with cigs.  Begging the question of having experienced this, why is he drawn to smoking and basically being a puffing, fuming human chimney.  Wouldn't his past and those incidences cause him to steer away from these or is it just he's a glutton for punishment.  Or rather a way to meet his past head on and that he's not afraid of cigarettes and the punishment he went through.

Henry appears to be a changeling.  See Supernatural season 3 The Kids Are Alright and season 9 The Purge.  In folklore and myth changelings are said to be the child of a fairy left in place of a human child.

My Matt Ryan book.  Yeah I know a lot of you are fans in name only which is fine but this was a labourious one to write so do check it out!!

https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Ryan-Behind-Becoming-Constantine/dp/0244677557/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1526609115&sr=8-4&keywords=mila+hasan

Longmire 6.1 "The Eagle and the Osprey" Review

                                         
The final season of Longmire doesn't appear to pack in any surprises at this point in time as it continues on from season 5 with Walt (Robert Taylor) still facing the civil trail and the prospect of losing his job.  So he sets out to 'bury' his assets, the money that he had at home.  As a bank robber hits the local bank.  Asking for money by calmly giving the cashier, Paula (Alyssa Gabrielle Rodriguez) a note and standing by.  Until Paula signals the security guard, Al (Michael Weaver) that there's been a robbery.  He gives chase and a blogger, Brooks Cameron (Harry Katzman) does the same with his phone.  Vic (Katee Sackhoff) finds Walt burying the money and says they should've been at the bank robbery ages ago.  He's not going to get his land taken away and used for building.

As he questions Paula, she's already on the blog and interview and she tells Walt about the note and how he had a gun.  She can't find the note but recalled everything it said.  Walt tells her if he sees it on eBay then there's going to be trouble.  She hands him the note and he also wants to close his bank account.  The robber didn't ask for any twenties and that's how Walt gets his money.  Mayor Sawyer Crane (Eric Ladin) approaches him telling him about how the robbery is all over the news and he had to hear it from his friend and it took so long for them to get on the case.  Putting his foot in it as he mentions the shot guard and his wife turns up right then.  Yeah Mayor what's eating his arse?  I mean this isn't the first time the robber has struck, known as 'Cowboy Bill' he has hit the West coast too as Walt says and also the East coast cos of the news bulletin.  Vic doesn't notice anything on the blogger's video footage cos she was only looking at it casually when she should've scrutinized it more.

Cady (Cassidy Freeman) is rescued by Mandy (Tamars Duarte) and brought back to the office.  She was out of it enduring the sweat and she punched her.  She had weird dreams about Mandy cleaning up blood and seeing Henry (Lou Diamond Phillips) hanging, as well as an owl.  Which Mandy says is probably Cady's spirit animal but she should talk to someone about it.  Mathias (Zahn McClarnon) finds Henry's abandoned and overturned truck and knows something is wrong as he tries to look for Darius (Joseph Daniel Havenstar).  Cady says she can't tell Mathias cos he's her client and he asks her whether she wants him as a client or finding Henry.  In actual fact, Cady doesn't know where Darius is.

As Darius heads out into the desert to throw some burgers in Henry's face and not give him any water.  Tormenting him further.  Later Marilyn/Crow Medicine Woman (Tantoo Cardinal) shows up and doesn't let him go either cos he brings trouble here.  She knows Henry's Cheyenne and that's all.  Laying down some bags next to him letting the spirits decide if he's worthy to be saved or not.  Mathias talks to Walt about Henry who has to delegate solving the robbery to Vic even if his job is on the line as he has to find him.  She doesn't think she can fill his shoes, well how many times has she actually taken on a case before.

As Walt and Ferg (Adam Bartley) spoke with the guard before, he tells them he saw nothing and he gave chase only to be shot.  Vic tells Ferg if they don't find out what's happening then Walt could lose his job and she won't let that happen so he should ask Meg (Mary Wiseman).  She says it's unethical but does so anyway.  As he goes to apologize to her for asking, she tells him that the guard lied and feels guilty about it.  Vic says they need to recheck the footage and notices a man standing in the road across the way and then heads back in instead of checking on the shot guard or 'gawking.'  Meaning he was the one who shot the guard.  Ed Nardo (Joel McKinnon Miller) thought the cameraphone was a gun and so he shot him thinking he was the bad guy.

Vic takes the results of the solved case to the Mayor and tells him she came here to punch him and Walt told her to take the higher ground like him which is what she's doing.  He asks if she wants to speak like that to him cos she's going to be alone and Walt is going to lose the trial. 

Walt follows Cady as she meets with Darius telling him she has his money and Walt traced her phone.  He notices the burger bag from the Crow Res in is car and knows someone who can help.  Yeah Marilyn who only wants to look out for herself telling him the same thing about bringing trouble here.  He replies it's trouble that brings them.  She wants something in return and he gives her the money he withdrew from the bank.  Huh all of it!! She takes him to Henry but he's not there.  Henry having visitors like Hector (Jeffrey De Serrano) who tells him it's not his time to die and shoots at the rattle snake.  Then also by Elwood (Eddie Spears) who gives him the bag in his hand.  Henry was sorry he couldn't help him.

Marlilyn doesn't stay when Walt finds Henry and asks for water, thought he would've brought his own.  He helps Henry by making a makeshift gurney and drags him away; getting bitten by a rattler in the process.  Making it out alive.  Cady berates herself for not helping and it's her fault he's missing.  Telling Walt about her dream.  Not much of an exciting intro to the final season but you could have slapped a few people in here with some legal technicalities!!  Firstly Meg says she can't tell Ferg what the guard said about the robbery.  Well it's not unethical to divulge anything relating to a crime.  Even lawyers are required to do this in certain circumstances.  Also Marilyn and giving her all his money, even if he had good intentions, Walt should've saved some of that cos all she did was just run out.  Not very deserving or worthy!  All she could do was compare Walt to an eagle preying on the osprey.  They've been here so many times she can't tell which is the fish and which is the eagle.  Walt tells her he's not an eagle.

Henry asking "are we there yet?" in typical child fashion.  But also telling Walt he needs a cellphone.  Walt replying he wouldn't get a signal out here.  But kudos for seeing it through and taking Henry out all the way even with a snake bite.  In season 2 he had to do that in the snow with the criminal he was after and here it's in the sweltering heat with Henry to save.  Don't know about you but seems it's Cady who always seems to do the wrong thing lately and for a lawyer that sort of behaviour isn't good enough.  She has ideals but she must weigh those up with doing the right thing, that's obvious but she keeps falling into the same trap of not thinking through the consequences of her actions and Walt must help her out as she's still a little girl.  I know as his daughter, she always will be but she needs to make more informed choices.

The Mayor deserved a good hiding with his attitude, if the FBI haven't caught Cowboy Bill and have no leads where's the shame in a small county not being able to do the same.  But of course it will be Walt who breaks the case or I'll eat his hat!! ha.

Constantine 1.5 "Danse Vaudou" Review

                                            
New Orleans - my favorite city, though this was filmed in Atlanta.  For the first time Constantine actually lights up a cigarette.  He uses a zoetrope here which was used in seance's by Queen Victoria.  Saying that there's a psychic connection between Zed and the map "which is what I wanted."  Yeah always what he wants - for the greater good of course, he's the master after all.  Running into Jim Corrigan and his line of "occult investigators."  Isn't as funny since there are paranormal investigators out there.  Constantine still hasn't got new cards printed, but why bother, he won't really need them and who's to know they're incorrect.

Constantine: "I'm flattered luv, but we really oughta keep things professional...I respect everyone I sleep with but I usually like to get to know something about them first, you know what I mean."  Well, 'usually' being the operative word cos in all probability he doesn't really get to know them if he can help it.  Too many complications involved in that.  Zed tells him to ask her anything, he asks, where she comes from? Why she's running and why why she's risking "your life seems a better alternative."  Zed doesn't like champagne - now he knows something about her.

Little by little we got the character development evolving and that simmering chemistry.
Constantine: "two at twice the trouble."  Two cases that is.  Jim arrests him for murder.

Ghost killing on the road Supernatural 2.16 Roadkill.  The DB was a hitchhiker.  

Spirits with unfinished business are formed of the energy from a soul of a once living person who is not evil.  A spirit that remains behind and refuses to move on is known as an ‘intelligent’ spirit.  These maintain or reflect the qualities of the human soul.  But if the person was bad or evil, the spirit will also retain such a character trait.
See his hair's more strawberry blond there's so much involved in brunette hair going blond, the shade doesn't work out right.  As I can tell ya, it looks more reddish blond.

Chas loses another life and Constantine releases himself from the handcuffs (like Dean) only he's a magician.  Now if ever Dean Winchester and John Constantine got together, we'd see them as one entity.  Constantine is Dean and vice versa.  No coincidence that Sam and Dean's Dad was named John.  Or as I like to think!

Constantine:"...wouldn't kick that out of bed!"  And the references in this ep too, at least I prefer to say that.

Jim asks how Constantine can live with the knowledge that this is all real.
Constantine: "it marks you for life but it doesn't change who you are."  Unless you're like that to begin with.
Constantine: "sounds like your hell - but on a path for redemption luv."  (That theme again see elsewhere.)
Constantine: "a lot of my clients are haunted by the people they've hurt by their crimes."
Actually haunted.   He was like a medium.
Papa Midnite returns.
Constantine: "voodoos nothing but a magical excuse for a party."  Who brings up the acetate and losing it.  Constantine overpowered again by his dust, happens a lot to him.  Constantine says it took him so long to notice the Rising Darkness and if he erases his debt, then he's got questions for Midnite's sister.

Jim works out what Zed is running from which is more than Chas could do after he said she doesn't show on any databases.  But Jim is a detective and it's his job.

Matt: "Jim and I cross paths on a case and I think what's interesting is Jim is into this world which he doesn't believe;" what's interesting about their relationship is they both want the same thing, ultimately, but they come at it from different angles and they're willing to sacrifice different parts of themselves, and I think that ultimately, Corrigan wants justice, but that comes from a form of rage and a form of anger. With John, it's complicated. There's those things as well, but there's a lot of other stuff going on as well."

Midnite calls him "jackass of no trades - master of none."  Ha, I said that but not a jackass.  As they head to the cemetery Midnite doesn't want a lecture from Constantine on "gullibility.  Making reference to his ego, he's a magpie of magic and steals from other cultures.
Constantine: "whatever works."  Midnite's one to talk about stealing with his reputation and stealing the acetate for himself.  They need to burn the corpses.  And great to see Constantine doesn't throw his lighter into the fire, cos heck there's not that many made (in reality) and it's far more valuable than to just throw away.  Constantine doesn't have a phone.

Constantine: "guilt is a very powerful emotion."  Speaking from experience, he gives Midnite the lecture anyway.  There's a lot of energy involved as the three women can't forgive themselves for the deaths of their loved ones, thus driving their ghosts.  Jim tells her she's been reported missing by her family and he can't forget a face like hers.  He worked in missing persons once.  Zed said she shoplifted an apple and a stale cheese sandwich.  She doesn't exist anymore.  She has a vision of what Jim will become.  See Constantine had more to worry about here with Jim entering the picture than he ever did with Gary, in a personal capacity of course.

Constantine wants to find out about the Rising Darkness and is told his efforts will be in vein as the Darkness is controlled by someone close to him, "someone will betray you."  No narration from Constantine at the end.

Meets with Papa Midnite again who's got plenty of bones to grind about losing that vinyl from 1.3 (see Constantine didn't use it to bargain with the devil - his integrity remains intact and always will.)
A tentative truce in that he gets to find out Constantine will be betrayed by someone close.  So we (some) immediately jump to the conclusion that it will be newcomer Zed.  Since we don't know much about her and another reason why she perhaps wanted to stay with Constantine.

Zoetrope from the Greek: translation - "wheel of life" and an excellent hypnotic device.  Yet more flirtation on the part of Constantine and Zed - particularly relevant here as we get the introduction of Jim Corrigan and Zed's visions of him now.  She sees him 'die' very clearly here but visions may appear to show one 'fate' (no pun) and end up meaning or turning out completely different in reality.  Strangely she's never had visions of Constantine (aside from the sketches) but I mean in the sense of his impending doom, damnation to hell.  Apparently perhaps showing this eventually might be avoided.

Zed was quickly fitting in already and proving she's capable of holding her own.  Possessing the psychic abilities Constantine so desperately needs in his continuing fight.
Constantine: "she's a regular smorgasbord - picks up impressions from tactile stimuli which I'm guessing is kind of a buzzkill in the sack."  Yeah first thing he'd think about!  Especially when he sees her with Jim in 1.13 which wold have been such foreshadowing here, you know he wants Zed all to himself and for himself!

Matt: "I think that Jim's world is very much based in the real world and John obviously knows about the world beyond ours, so there's whole other kinds of levels to what's going on with John and John uses his humour as a defence mechanism...He's become really good at kind of just hiding it, whereas Corrigan is someone who I think is – you can kind of see more on the surface, he's a little bit more scarred, but I think that John's problems are probably more deeper rooted, if that makes sense, but he hides them.  He hides them well."

[NB these musings of mine have no reference to the comics and what goes on therein - but strictly limited to the TV show - which was filmed in this way to satisfy both fans of the comics and novices.  You really don't have to have read a single issue of Hellblazer to understand the premise of this series and the stories!]

Hellblazer Special #1 Confessional
#151 Good Intentions Part 1 had Constantine hitchhiking too.

Supernatural reference here from Roadkill where Molly died in a car crash but she didn't know she's dead and that's why she hasn't passed over and won't do that until she accepts this truth. ****

 Supernatural 2.4 Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things
Necromancy “actively seeks out the spirits of the dead” who have knowledge of information, not available to anyone else; or the conjuring the dead for divination, practiced by magicians, witches in Persia, Rome.  It was outlawed in Elizabethan England under the Witchcraft Act 1604.  (Perhaps something Parliament still needs today.)  A practice commonly used in Voodoo.  Where it involves either conjuring the spirit of the dead body; or summoning the corpse itself. 

Zombies are present in cultures ranging in India, China, Japan, Native Americans.  Are also associated with medieval Norse mythology where “dravgr” were the dead bodies of warriors brought back to wage war on the living.

This concept of relevance for the LOT Necromancing the Stone ep most likely but won’t know until I see it.

Daniel Cerone tweeted:
"I forgot we lost my Hitchcock moment in the final act.  Ah well, season 2.  Fingers crossed. #Constantine #SaveConstantine 25/4/2015 Cameo
Was this for 1.13??
Look for David Goyer and I sitting at end bar when John walks out.
My Hitchcock moment. #Constantine. #SaveConstantine #Hellblazer"

Redemption
Constantine mentions redemption here again as recurring theme.  Redemption  being one way for Constantine to salve or assuage his conscience over Astra.  His own Achilles Heel in some respects.  His turning to the dark arts was his own way of struggling and giving his life meaning.  However, it is a wonder that he didn't sign or sell away his soul at this early stage of his 'sorry' life.  But suicide did enter the equation. See Redemption.

Another scene indicative or implying  Constantine doesn't have a phone (mobile/cell).  Jim gets to the nitty gritty of Zed's past which is something Constantine didn't get to do - in honesty he had problems of his own with Midnite and now the new reveal.

Blood Moon a reference to the New 52 Future's End also included Constantine.
Gary's death was like in the comics and he 'haunts' John' any chance he gets; as well as coming to his help.
Some tweets from Matt:
"I would run I mile from that house. But John would prob run towards it ha #Constantine 14 Feb 2015 But  personally I'd be like John love the scary paranormal world!!"

"What I love about john is you can put him in any situ and he will find a way through.  #Constantine #SaveConstantine"

My Matt Ryan book.  Yeah I know a lot of you are fans in name only which is fine but this was a labourious one to write so do check it out!!

https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Ryan-Behind-Becoming-Constantine/dp/0244677557/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1526609115&sr=8-4&keywords=mila+hasan

"In Quest of the Indescribable: The Artistry and Life of a Gem Carver" by Glenn Lehrer Review

                                                       
I received Glenn's book last June when it was first sent out by Gemporia and had put it aside after reading, intending to write a review as there were many interesting aspects to it, not least of which had nothing to do with the jewellery side of Glenn's life, but more the aesthetics.  I picked it up again lately when I had a little more time (a year later go figure ha!  But it was my third read) and finally decided to get down some thoughts on it.  Firstly you don't have to be a jewellery lover or even like or own any of Glenn's exquisite pieces of jewellery which are works of art; of and within themselves.
Each one is masterfully crafted with precision, dedication, creative flair and years of lapidary experience.  Each one is also unique as each is handcrafted.  My first purchase was the Torus ring.  Again a work of beauty mirroring the iris of the eye and found in many patterns of mother nature's splendorous creations.

Who is Glenn Lehrer?
Gem crafter, lapidarist extraordinaire, jewellery creator and fascinating carver of wondrous gem art.  With many of his carvings being especially commissioned and adorning pride of place in many museums as well as the GIA.  (Gemological Institute of America)

Getting to what I enjoyed about the book was the freeflow of thoughts and concepts.  It wasn't clogged up with useless facts, or formal in having to follow a specific chapter or order and I also liked how Glenn kept referring to different areas and aspects of his life and then would veer away to another topic before returning to write and explain some more about the first thing he was describing.  It may seem haphazard to some, but it all made sense.  Especially as I sometimes do the same, jump about from page to page expressing varied views before returning to the topic at hand and digressing.  It keeps the writing and chains of thought fresh and on point.

I especially enjoyed and was fascinated by the areas on astral projection and his dreams.  How he was led to this career, guided if you like, and never giving up on his dream, no matter the obstacles in his way.  As well as the dangers he met whilst travelling and how he overcame them.  Being honest in his approach and writings, even calling his book perhaps a little "vain" in having to write about himself.  It is more of a memoir of his life's adventures and how all the facets slotted into place enhancing his love of gems and gemology.  In Glenn's own words, he saw it as a "fantastic opportunity...to share with the world the life, art and inside view of a Gem artist's mind and studio."

Glenn's gem journey began in 1975 after his brother, Wayne handed him a Quartz crystal and how this had a physical impact on him as the surge of energy shot through his body to his head,  he wasn't aware of the impact of crystals at the time, indeed as he says no one did.  This included himself not having an interest in jewellery at all.  This monumental piece of crystal led Glenn to buy lapidary equipment for the very first time and the rest as they say is history.  As well as the fascinating history of crystals and how "our consciousness is a mirror of the very symmetry of the mineral kingdom, which forms with exacting crystallography."

To me and for me the most interesting part of the book was Glenn's experiences with the mystical and the paranormal, having an interest in the paranormal too and its impact on our lives and not just through mere beliefs but also experiences.  Which for Glenn began when he was 18 and when he started having 'out-of-body experiences' and how these were the catalyst and enlightening him to "discover my muse in Gem Art."  As his lucid dreams led to his understanding the world of science as it pertains to the universe more.  And I can relate to that in part, having such vivid and intense dreams on certain objects and themes, including the paranormal.  It is such a surreal feeling at times.
These mystical experiences impacted on Glenn's life as a jewellery designer and lapidarist as being his "inspiration and moral compass" in his life and designs.

Even getting to be on TV and The Oprah Winfrey Show.  Have to agree with Glenn's views on being on that since there was just chaos for ratings and not to understand what the particular issue/concept meant and how it could be interpreted and given meaning in other's lives. If you've got a guest on; it's professional courtesy to hear them out and not cut them off!  Glad Glenn walked out of there in disgust and protest and as they say or I do, it's not worth even dwelling on something that has such a negative impact!  But at least speaking up and being vocal was the right thing to do and we must all be like that especially in today's society and world!

A staggering and perceptive read including chapters on his early life, finding his muse, historical aspects of art and gems.  Including an overview of his own Lehrer Studio in San Francisco.  His  European journey into meeting the gem masters of Idar-Oberstein in Germany who helped him hone his craft.  His love and fascination of gemstones and his appearance on Gemporia on TV.  As well as an eye opening chapter on crystals: their inner workings in an exceptionally annotated chapter on Transformational Crystallography: The Seven Systems of consciousness in Nature and the Geometry and Color of Consciousness.  I found this section fascinating and it brought back my late father's love of gemology. Oh and there are plenty of wonderful pictures too!

However Glenn's journey doesn't end with the close of the book or the final chapter, as he commented writing this after how he has only experienced at least two thirds of his life.  Which means he has much more to explore and create still and learn.  But it is such a masterful and unique insight to this world not all of us can enter.  Do read it as it is far more revealing than anything that can be written or reviewed about it.  As said you don't even have to to be a part of the jewellery world or have an interest in it.

In Quest of the Indescribable: The Artistry and Life of a Gem Carver Glenn Lehrer (2016) 
Published by Gemporia