Constantine 1.8 "The Saint of Last Resorts" Part 1 Review

                                                   
Zed frantically sketches and Constantine comments her strength's coming back.  The Old Testament says if you touch an angel you can see what they see.  The Ivanche ripped throats in Noah's day.   He gets a message from Anne Marie but she's in Mexico.  If the demon was human she would've gone elsewhere for help and Constantine owes her.  She appeared to him using bi-location: the power to be in two places at once.  He slept with her once when younger and "magic was his salvation when growing up and she hooked me up with the occult scene."

And Chas didn't get to drive a green Mexican taxi.
Matt's Liverpudlian accent is strong in some scenes.
Constantine knew one of them would go to Mexico but there'd be Tequila and skinny dipping involved.

Anne Marie: "don't call me honey."  She should be thankful I add sarcastically!  Mentioning Judith, Gary and Ritchie.  Judith we had yet to encounter and probably would'v been ep 14 if the show had lasted.

Zed finding that door obviously will come in handy.
Constantine uses rune stones and mentions wall dwellers, fairies all targeting children.  Yes it was the nosy nun!  If she was afraid why snoop around.
Constantine: "Sister flirtatious - she started it."  See!

Constantine lost Anne-Marie's trust when he left her bed and went "trawling for girls."  He apologizes.  It's his ego she hates.  As in Pride and Prejudice fashion, Anne Marie and Constantine had their own Lizzie Bennett and Mr Darcy scene going on here.  What with her prejudice against his arrogance and  his pride in being the only one who can help, well ya gotta there!

They go to his house and Constantine finds "human fruit!"  Yuk.  Akin to the tree of forbidden fruit from the Garden of Eden, evil more like.  One of Eve's sister's is at work, "goddess of hell."
Anne Marie: "your arrogance is out of control."  When Constantine tells him his baby is okay.  The woman will cast a reflection only in water.  Chas tells Anne Marie how Constantine can't work if he lets people get too close to him, like Anne Marie.

Watching all these eps gave me deja vu, especially on first viewing!  Have no idea why!!

Silly not much of a goddess, she let's him see her reflection in the fountain goddess, she let's him see her reflection in the fountain.  Sister flirtatious was just an amateur.  He mentions their names, Di Rehih, Nama, Lilith, Lamashtu!  As soon as Constantine said Sister of Eve Lilith did come to mind See Supernatural below.  Well that would've been too Supernatural if it had been Lilith so luckily it wasn't!  Lamashtu eats children and is also a kind of vampire.

He's told about La Brujeria - warlocks in Chile.  During prehistoric times wielded magic before God struck them down and there is no spell to stop them.
Constantine mentions the Rising Darkness and that the fight was started by the Brujeria.

Anne Marie: "you can't care about anybody and do what you do," as she repeats what Chas told her.  And another chicken bites the dust.

Constantine;:"I'll have to dress as a woman."  Yeah would've loved that!
Anne Marie: "no price is too high to save them" they're babies.  Newcastle was his failure and she had nothing to do with it or anything to repent for.  She should've "shagged him" instead of showing him magic.  It was his world and she says he took that world to hell.
Anne Marie volunteers to take the baby and it was what he wanted her to do all along.

He mentions the icon of Pazuzu and he and Lamashtu were soulmates.
Hell and earth will become one Lamashtu tells Constantine and they figured out how to break the boundary for the Rising Darkness.  Anne Marie shoots him to get the Pazuzu to attack Constantine.  "Oh you're a quick study luv."

This was the mid-season finale so part 2 didn't follow the following week.  Fall finale which brought everything to a head and Constantine face to face squarely with Anne Marie once more.  The one who got him into the occult scene.  So it was pointless her having a go at Constantine for what he does/did and for what happened to Astra.  Who could have foreseen that.  She's not 'clean' or pure either in the sense that she too carries around guilt for what happened.  But appears to find it easier to blame Constantine for everything.
Her guilty conscience led her to become a nun and Constantine's line of "get thee to a nunnery." Why do women always have to retreat to becoming nuns to hide from their guilt and shame.  As she also accuses him of hitting on a 'Bride of Christ' - yet she snogs him back!

As for the phrase "get thee to a nunnery"  - it has a double meaning (double entendre) since a nun signifies pureness - the other meaning of nunnery is a brothel.  Thus Ophelia (from Hamlet) in many ways both chaste and impure at the same time.  Something reflected in Anne Marie - her turning to God when things went awry.  Yet she was the one most into the black arts.

Why did it have to be Chas to put things into perspective and tell her that Constantine can't/doesn't let people get too close to him.  Did she really not know him that well.  In 1.?/ it was Chas who told Zed this to discourage her from staying around.

We get the first mention of what's behind all this Rising Darkness - the Brujeria from the Spanish meaning of "witchcraft."  Coven of ancient witches/warlocks hailing from South America.  Their ultimate goal: to destroy heaven.  Witches plotting to take over the earth and what better way to do this than get an angel on their side (Manny.)  But there's lots that could've been done with this storyline.  They are behind the Rising Darkness, as said.  Their 'governing body' is called  "The Council of the Cave" and they themselves are protected by the Ivanche - which they also created themselves.  Zed draws one here and one is also revealed in reality here too in the sewers.
In Swamp Thing they were behind the death of an American girlfriend of Constantine's called Emma.  The Brujeria also appeared in Swamp Thing Issue #46 Revelations.

Eve's sisters were Naamah, Durgia, Lamashtu, Lilith.  Lamashtu being behind it here.  In the comics, Anne Marie is much older than Constantine, at least by 20 years.  She had to be to get him involved in the occult.

Supernatural Lilith mentioned in 3.12 Jus Im Bello
It is a myth that Lilith was Adam’s first wife. One tale says that God created Adam and Lilith was his twin, they were joined at the back.  Not getting the equality she demanded from Adam, stated by one Muslim legend, she left him and slept with the devil, thereby leading to the creation of the Djinn (made from fire.)  The name is also found in the name of Sumero-Babylonian goddess Belit-ili.  Lilith is also the name for a night demon in search of children to kill or kidnap (see 1.18.)

Pazuzu is "King of the Demons of the Wind."  He is conjured or invoked in a response to other demons - mostly Lamashtu using an amulet with his likeness as Constantine had or by his effigy in some form.  Is a demi-god but not associated with possessing humans.  (Appears as the demon in The Exorcist films.)  No that mantle was taken on by Constantine when he needed him to save his life and thus had to embody him to do so.  Lamashtu is actually a goddess.
Pazuzu, a god or demon, was invoked to protect new mothers and infants against Lamashtu's malevolence, usually was depicted on amulets and statues, as he was here.  Pazuzu was said to be the harbinger of famine and drought, he was also invoked against evil for protection.
Daniel Cerone: "did John take the Pazuzu inside?  Yes.  Told you he was bi."
Matt: "question - once you've had a demon inside you - will you ever be the same?"
Daniel: "you tell us squire."
(No you're not the same re Supernatural."
"John runs a prison.  Pure #Constantine."
"Love it when John gets all emotionally dark and honest.  Man needs a hug."  #Constantine."
"That was John's 4th shot in this scene alone.  #Constantine"
"Our brilliant prod designer Dave Blass, currently sitting in my living room, designed and built that sewer on our stages. #Constantine"

Judith is mentioned here as part of the Newcastle Crew re Daniel Cerone's comments about her eventually making an appearance and the script for 1.14 which was already written and introduced us to Judith.

In some respects, Anne Marie gave Constantine his "unjust desserts" when he hints at perhaps needing a human sacrifice (she says she's willing - but would be respectful if he came straight out and said it.).  But the tables are turned when Constantine is the one getting shot by her and becoming the "sacrifice" to the Ivanche causing him to take drastic action.

Obviously this cliffhanger had to be resolved unlike 1.13, had to be cos couldn't leave Constantine dangling between life and death.  Although the (un)natural progression of this would be his soul in hell.

This episode showing the series really found its edge and would continue to grow from strength to strength.  I mean look how much was included in this episode.  So fast-paced containing more backstory than you could throw an apple (from Eden) at!  As well as some serious mythology and those creepy demons.  What more could have been on the cards just to show how intriguing this show could get.

Zed is their salvation.  Seems like Constantine is the world's salvation and Zed too is the same but for the Crusade and their own nefarious ends.  Explaining her running away.
Eddie tells Zed her father wants her home and calls her 'Mary.'  Only we learn about about Zed is and how her father wants her back for their own purposes, which wouldn't really have any bearing on the Rising Darkness would it.   But it goes deeper than that it can't really be all about witches.

Angelica: "there comes a moment where maybe I just want to kick some girl's ass [Anne Marie]..."  That moment Matt was talking of - ha - where you just know that connection is there - the romance more than just the physicality of it all.

Daniel Cerone tweet: "Matt Ryan possessed is about to blow your mind.  I wish I were watching for the first time.  You're all beyond lucky."  17 January 2015

#Constantine is not a role model.."
"This episode the VFX team were nominated 4 V ES award ."
"That's his magic and his curse."  Quote from the pilot used here.
Filming took place inside an actual prison.
A mausoleum was used as a convent.

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

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

Once Upon A Time 7.22 "Leaving Storybrooke" Review

                                          
Alice (Rose Reynolds) and Robin (Tiera Skovbye) drive into Storybrooke and think they will just blindly accept them, they're strangers after all.  As Granny's (Beverley Elliott) prepared lunch for the Dwarfs.  Grumpy (Lee Arenberg) of course is almost run over and leads the charge against them as they run away.  Robin finds Zelena (Rebecca Mader) with her five year old self in the car and knows she doesn't have magic otherwise she wouldn't be driving Reggie's (Lana Parrilla) car.  She tells them they need help and to get the magic bean she's been hiding.  Ella (Dania Ramirez)and Lucy (Alison Fernandez) are in a house with some heat as Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) and Rumples (Robert Carlyle) also arrive.  Hook refuses to give up as there's always some way out and they try to break the glass, Rumples now being mortal.  As they try, Hook finds a real hook in the snow, shattering the glass.  Hook asks why Rumples didn't kill him when he had all those chances and he replies cos he was the only friend he had.  Hook had brains which is why he kept him as his partner.

Reggie attempts to plead with Henry (Jared S Gilmore) telling him that she's a changed person and didn't mean to kill his grandparents, but he refuses to listen.  Stubborn like his other mother, Emma (Jennifer Morrison).  He reminds her that in this realm stories are written in blood and he will do the same tomorrow, as he cuts her hand with the blade.  He will fight her and get his happy ending culminating in her death.  As Reggie is locked away she dreams about her Robin (Sean Maguire) as he serves her a drink in the tavern.   She tells him about Henry and he reminds her of how he saw the good in her once too and how "no one's path is set."  Their story she says was so short, but he says it was still "epic" as they kiss.  She wakes to find a feather in eher hand.  With Henry finding he can use Reggie's blood as ink, Rumpelstiltskin has new plans and has magicked up stories for all of his enemies with far from happy endings: all being alone.  There's one for everyone we know and begins his revenge with vanquishing the Blue Fairy (Connor Keegan Tracy) to her own dark world through the book.

Rumples picks up a dreamcatcher and recalls a happy moment with Belle (Emilie de Ravin).  Coming to terms with not being able tot see her.  Hook and Robin attempt to remove the guards from the castle gate to rescue Reggie and Robin asks him a question but doesn't think it's an apt time.  Hook tells her it may be the only time she has.  She asks for his blessing to marry Alice, which of course he gives.  Henry (Andrew J West) rescues Reggie but is confronted by a guard.  However there are two other guards there who help him in the form of Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Charming (Josh Dallas).  They have a discussion around their round table on ways of defeating Rumpelstiltskin.  Charming mentions the books that he found with all of their names and as they look at their destines he's weaved out for them (no pun, well on second thoughts!)  Reggie comments on how they're all alone in there and Snow mentions her usual line of how she and Charming always found each other.

Rumples has found some magic Rumpelstiltskin had been saving for a rainy day and hatches a plan to defeat him.  He sprinkles it on his hand and decides he will rip his heart out.  Reggie faces off with Henry in their duel and he doesn't want to listen to her telling him she's a different person now.  Though when it comes to actually killing her, he can't go through with it and drops his sword, as she tell him she will face death if he knows he is loved and doesn't need Rumpelstiltskin.  Rumpelstiltskin opens the portals for the others to meet their fates and all hold onto the table.  But Alice can't hold on much longer.  Didn't she have magic she could've used to help herself first and maybe the others too, or did the writers forget that plot device, in favour of getting Hook to grab hold of her no matter the consequences for him.

Their portals vanish and Hook lies dying on the floor.  Rumples can't get to Rumpelstiltskin to use the magic and rips his own heart out, so he makes the ultimate sacrifice and rips out his heart, placing it inside Hook's chest.  The ultimate sacrifice for a friend.  Hence their earlier conversation in the globe.  Saying "you don't do the right thing for a reward, you do it because it's right."  As Hook is saved, Reggie walks in but is too late to save Rumples.  Hook tells her he saved him.  But Rumpelstiltskin also meets his demise and is no more.  Reggie wishes Rumples peace and is saddened.  However he finally gets his reunion with Belle which is what he wanted all along.  He gets his happy ending with Belle after proving that he has changed and saved everyone from the darkness, not just Hook.
                                      
                                         
Regina tells the two Henry's that she's going to cast another curse.  This time she will need a piece of everyone's heart and hopefully she can reunite all the realms so everyone comes together in one place, in one Storybrooke and not be alone.  Reggie is surprised as the two Henry's accompany her to her coronation.  By unanimous vote she has been elected Queen of the realm.  The "Good Queen."  She accepts this and as Emma arrives with the real Hook and baby Hope, fashionably late.  Reggie in her final speech says of how they will be happy, sad, suffer losses but they will still have adventures.  As we see flashbacks to past eps to accompany her words.  (Epic speech!)

"I thought my story came to an end a long time ago, and then you people came into my life, people who gave me a second chance. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for me next, or for everyone.  I refuse to believe there won’t be more adventures, more love, more family, and yes, there will be more loss. Because that’s just a part of life. And in the end, we can get past it all. With hope." 
(Yeah baby Hope! ha).

                                                                     The End

It may not have been what we expected but in the end they all got their happy endings and as Emma put it, their "new beginnings."  But rather it went Reggie's way with her preferring to call it a "second chance."  A new concept in a show that took our fave fairytales and weaved new life and magic into them, transforming them into a modern arena.  It may have been a little bit of a letdown in certain places, but you can't deny that in the end, it gave us seven years of enjoyment and entertainment in its own way and with its versions of characters old and new, that we grew to love and will miss!  Including the cast who played them. 
Leaving Storybrooke for the last ever time!!  A helluva fairytale ride!

Constantine 1.7 Blessed Are The Damned Review

                                            
Zed gets picked up at art class by the nude live model. As she sees a vision of a snake.

Zed and Constantine head out to the so-called faith healer's territory where he's set up and she agrees to drink from his cup with Constantine's gripe: "middle of bugger all!"  Clearly he's a city guy.  He got the scythe from the Grim reaper.
Constantine: "I must have protection of various kinds."  I.e that protection!  But halves them for the church visit.

Constantine: "suckers make easy prey."  He didn't see Zed as religious.  Zed comments on the judging, guiding and damning.

Constantine: "I'm not critiquing or anything but I'm pretty sure he's not keen on me."
He recognizes the Enochian "language of bloody angels." Of course and she comments on them existing.
Constantine: "nobody wields that kind of power without consequences."  Unlike Supernatural no cast were in mortal danger in this episode and by cast, I should actually have said characters.  Unlike Dean. See Supernatural 1.16 Faith.

Constantine: "sharp tack you are luv;" re the comment on his accent being all foreign like!
If they're in the "middle of bugger all" why the need for that much protection or any at all - he really didn't have time for any pick-ups.  In contrast to Zed in the opening. Well luv there really was now't there to pick up anyway!! Ha.  Prime example right here with that woman and her foreign comment liking his accent!  Unlike Matt and his Valentine's Day tweet of "hitting the singles bars" and as I said hitting the with what exorcism spells??!!  Yeah exactly, like you really need to trawl bars and singles ones at that!  And that pic, was that gonna be plastered on a dating site or App?!!

Constantine gets corn on a stick "the only thing around here that isn't deep fried."  No Chas' roasts or English brekkie here but brekkies usually are greasy.  Contradiction there, ha!

Constantine: "miracles are ours to make luv.  - Scry map - bad."
Tweet: Map on fire hard to put out like it would be cos John!!

There's something in the church and "this one isn't as awe inspiring as the name suggests."  Constantine calls for Manny.  Like Dean did for Cas and wasn't answered right there and then.  Uses dry myrtle to call Manny and he says please too.
"Pobrecitos" the power required to make the healing take place is draining the energy all around.  Sigil of Ouroboros to summon Manny, which is a symbol that depicts a dragon or serpent eating its own tail.
Manny: "courtesy counts."  Constantine says he just wanted to hear him beg and it reminds him of an ex.
Manny: "it will only make sense if you stand facing the sun."  Like the explanation of rainbows in Alias.  But my bestie gave me a great explanation for that!!  (See my Alias book if you're interested - heck not really!)
Constantine: "bollocks."  Yeah thought that too in response to the above book plug!

Constantine: "you're in this bloody fight with me or you're not."  To Manny, loaded line this.  But not definitive either way.

As I tweeted: @HaroldPerrineau How do you think a #Constantine and Manny showdown would've fared? Sad it didn't come to that.We can still hope. John with wings could amount to something, or perhaps only in my imagination,or when the fancy strikes to doodle when waiting for trains @mattryanreal

Daniel Cerone: "We're proud John doesn't need to save the day every day. Harold as Manny killed it. Give the angel his due. #SaveConstantine #Hellblazers"
"John has a sex life!!! #Constantine"

Constantine: "echo location."  Locate an angel but not one fallen.  An indication or foreshadowing to Manny and yet I hesitate when I say that!  Imogen's had damage to her wings and lost a feather - the only way an angel can enter their realm.  [Which doesn't explain why Manny can enter their realm though does it.  Infact it contradicts it.  Unless they too have free angel will to do so.]
Constantine; "piss poor design if you ask me."  Manny wasn't aware she fell, see how can they not?
Constantine: "literally riddles and minimally helpful guidance also part of the plan."
The soul is extinguished and angels cease to exist"  Manny reveals himself to annoy Constantine, harking back to his comment about punching him and he doesn't hit angels.  Imogen is corporeal and that's why she's visible after she fell.  Angels are cagey.

Zed wonders why he's still so cynical.  He replies religion is okay but the world isn't good, "can't just pray evil away."

Constantine: "you know one of these days you're gonna have to let me be the mysterious one of this duo."  Zachery accuses Constantine of being the only evil one here.  He talks of 'ghouls' "formed by magic gone wrong."

Zed wants to believe and start all over.  There's more mystery to her but also to him too.  Manny questions Imogen's pain now she can feel the sun on he skin.  Why that particular question.  I he contemplating feeling pain in the future or his his own future downfall, if it ever happened of course.

Constantine finds out Zachery killed someone by accident and he committed a mortal sin so was on his way to hell.  Here we go again Manny and free will given to humans to stand on their own, but only fall over.  We get some Constantine fight action!
Imogen has black feathers as she killed a mortal just to see how it could be done and how easy it was.
Manny says Zachery and Constantine have nothing in common and she fooled them all.  "...Barrier between hell and earth is getting thinner than it's ever been."
Constantine: "anything to leave hell will find a way."  No narration at the end in this ep.
Zed's date with Eddie, she's a mystery.

Supernatural's 1.16 Faith ep here where these healers always get a lousy rep, is it any wonder and here one was needed to save Dean's life.  Leaving Dean to ask why he was being saved and how Layla was left to die.  Cos he was needed for the greater good and continue the fight. Also here the culprit was an angel but in Dean's case, it was the preacher's wife and her use of magic.  She was taking peoples' lives so he could heal people.

Constantine's clearly not into deep fried food - unlike Dean!  At least he thinks of food as I've said before.

Some crazy, twisty dialogue here referring to Zachery telling Constantine he's the only evil here as if a reference to 1.1 and Constantine's evil "twin" - but that was the demon appearing to him.  The other thing was angel lore and this one fell by taking a human life which they aren't meant to do.  Manny here shown in a good light - when did his "fall" occur and what was his price?  Mortal sin?  Of course all moot at this point.  But amazingly he does come through it the final moments and saves Zed from Imogen.

Ghouls: Constantine's definition of being forged by magic.  In myth can be formed by divine punishment too.  More readily appearing in Arabic folklore as "Ghul" - a shape-shifting Djinn feeding on children believed to be sired by Iblis (the devil) in Islam.  Iblis was the first of the fallen.
Ghouls have made appearances or references in 9 eps of Supernatural thus far.
Mention again of Nate being a ghoul.

A bit of a routine episode but can show the consequences of angels committing mortal sins, such as killing a human.  Does this bode a little of Manny's fate.  But he does not want to kill Constantine so much (not anymore in 1.13 end) but has other plans.  Were the Brujeria proving too powerful for Manny.  As always more questions than answers and as always most are just my own thoughts and opinions.

Use of Enochian language in Supernatural since Cas arrived.
Echo location.
The Supernatural episode where Cas finds a dead angel On The Head of a Pin is a great episode for lore on angels and angel wings.
Also Supernatural 2.13  Houses of the Holy
Dark angels are seen in angelic lore as those becoming demon-like, such as the devil; a fallen angel, not dark as in the true sense of the word.  Then there are those that bring vengeance and are fierce, these are always empowering and compassionate and will never fail humans.
Angels encompass all faiths and religions from Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Zoroastrians.  In religious circles angels are seen as stepping stones, or ‘intermediaries’ between God and humans.

This one also opens the history of Zed's past with Eddie entering to fool her into returning home.

Imogen's heart is placed in the jar next to the Medusa Mask (also shown in 1.1.)  The mask has the power to manipulate feelings which match whatever appearance the mask takes on.

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

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.