Saturday, May 18, 2013

The Bear And The Maiden Fair

It's been a while but here's a rundown of the last couple of shows I've been watching over the last few weeks.


Arrow: It's been an interesting first season and here we got a finale that proved why this show deserves to run for quite a while now. Dealing with the Glades and the consequences of Moira's confessions are one thing but this show manning up and actually killing off two prominent characters was another and they're characters I'll miss seeing but this episode gave them both interesting exits. Equally as interesting was seeing Oliver vs. Malcolm, Felicity becoming a bigger part of the gang and Roy's own acts of goodness as well. All in all, I can't wait to see where they'll take this show in it's second season.


Banshee: Having watched the first three episodes of Alan Ball's new show on SkyAtlantic recently, I have to admit it's good. It doesn't feel as smart as predecessors such as Six Feet Under or the first few years of True Blood but it's been engaging enough and the ongoing machinations of Proctor have probably been a lot more interesting than the love angle with Lucas and Carrie (formerly Anastasia) but it's not quite gripping yet as a series. I imagine the later episodes will hook me in more but for now, it seems more of a casual viewing than a must see and that's not the only show I can say that about.


Defiance: As with a certain other show, this remains watchable but not addictive television for the moment. It still looks good but the writing and the acting in parts let it down, particularly with Nolan, who five episodes in remains a fairly bland character to be honest. On the plus side, at least the last two episodes gave us more insight into his and Irisa's first meeting (and she remains this show's strongest character) as well as some stuff on Kenya and Amanda's mother and Stahma and Datak's thirst for power and the lengths both of them are prepared to get it. The show does need more of a push though but it's starting to go in the right direction at least.


Game Of Thrones: I am loving this season and seven episodes in, it's shaping up to be the best one we've had and considering the high standard of the previous two, that's really saying a lot. Over the last few weeks, we've seen Jaime put himself out there to help Brienne, the development of Jon and Ygritte's relationship, Melisandre getting her claws into Gendry and Arya being taken by the Hound while Tyrion and Cersei have been forced into marrying Sansa and Loras by Tywin (I could watch a spin-off with him and Olenna) as well as Daenerys putting the slavers of Yunkai in their place as well and Margaery letting her mask slip a little along with Joffrey showing some awareness for other threats. So far, this season hasn't put a foot wrong though the torture scenes with Theon are getting a bit much to handle.


Glee: It's been a rather interesting if polarising fourth season for this show but the last two episodes, especially the finale have been a return to form of sorts. The revelation of the Catfish plot was obvious all along but at least it's finally resolved and Brittany managed to get a rather satisfying exit from the show as well. Also, we finally managed to see Will and Emma get hitched and the subplot with Blaine trying to propose to Kurt was actually better handled than expected. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing where this show will go next season.


Once Upon A Time: Another interesting if not perfect finale. As antagonists, Greg and Tamara have gone from having decent potential to becoming flat out annoying and for a scenario where Storybrooke could've been blown up, it was solved fairly quickly, wasn't it? On the plus side, it does seem like they're setting up Peter Pan for the main antagonist for next season and at least Belle regained her memories and I did like that Regina might be a good guy for the time being along with a big plot for Henry next year.


The Vampire Diaries: Is that it - really? It wasn't a terrible finale but I can't help feeling it could've been a little better. I mean, why did Bonnie have to be killed off and why did Silas have to look like Stefan as well? On the plus side, Katherine taking the cure is interesting, the Delena fans can take some fun in them together and Jeremy seems to be back (as well as Tyler for now) and the gang finally graduated too. Finale wise, it wasn't poor but it could've been a little better but at least next season will be a mostly Klaus free zone too.


- Warehouse 13 has been renewed for a fifth and final season of six episodes.
- Both The New Normal and Happy Endings have been cancelled.
- The Wonder Woman prequel is still in development by the CW.
- Burn Notice's seventh season will be it's last one.
- The remake of Sirens will air on USA Network, starring Michael Mosley, Kevin Daniels, Jessica McNamee and Kevin Bigley.
- Kristin Wiig will guest star as an FBI agent on The Simpsons.
- Revenge's third season will air for 24 episodes in two different blocks as will upcoming seasons of Once Upon A Time, Scandal and Grey's Anatomy.
- Michael Raymond James will be a regular in the third season of Once Upon A Time.
- HBO have picked up a comedy pilot centering on three gay friends and their lives in San Francisco by Michael Lannon and the series will star Jonathan Groff in one of the lead roles.
- 24 will return for a ninth season of 12 episodes in 2014 with the title of Live Another Day.

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