Glee - Season 2 Review

US Airdate: September 21st 2010-May 24th 2011

For the second year at McKinley High, the gang go through their usual quest for popularity but can the success really keep a coming for the series?

New York, New York: I have a confession to make. For anyone who’s been reading my blogs over the last several months, you’ll have noticed that I’m not near as damning towards the series second season as many other critics have been but that doesn’t automatically mean that the show has been perfect either in it’s second run, even if I have enjoyed a lot of the second year.

Let’s get the negative stuff out of the way first. While this show is fantastic and hardly in a minority, some of the pacing for the second season has definitely been a problem for the show, in particular with the multitude of relationships that have dominated the entire 22 episodes of the show.

Rachel and Finn are supposed to be the lynchpin relationship of the season but contrary to Ryan Murphy’s promises, they actually spent more time apart than together and even when they were a couple, there weren’t as riveting as they could’ve been. I think with these two, it’s a case of the show putting their leading characters together and not really knowing what to do with them.

When they’re apart as well, there’s a terrible attempt of Finn and Quinn rekindling their relationship and something of a wasted reunion between Rachel and Jesse in the final three episodes as well. Similarly, the writers keep telling us to ship Brittany and Santana as a couple but instead we’re lumbered with the dullest relationship in the series run – Brittany and Artie and despite being a good looking guy, newcomer Sam had difficulties sustaining relationships with either Quinn and Santana for two thirds of the series.

Even when they decide to pair him with Mercedes in the finale, its a case of being too late and let’s not get into the mess with Will and Emma (and Holly and Carl) or else I really will want to tear my hair out. Heck, even the somewhat odd pairing with Puck and Lauren loses it’s appeal long before the finale kicked in.

In fact the only romantic pairings that actually seemed to work this year were the savagely underused Mike and Tina and of course, Kurt’s relationship with Blaine, even if it’s a little rushed to an extent. I’m beginning to think that with this show, the friendships – Rachel/Kurt/Mercedes, Quinn/Santana/Brittany and Will/Beiste were the only times when the writers really got the interactions more finely tuned.

However, I think the biggest issue for me with this series is the show’s continuous insistence of making the Glee kids into outsiders. I can understand the thematic relevance for it but at this point, I’m bored to tears of the slushie facials and it’s also beginning to lose it’s credibility as well. Plus for the most part, the likes of Puck and Will really don’t have much to do and the writers over exaggerate Brittany’s stupidity as well.

Similarly, Sue’s continued machinations against the gang and Will really got old this series. In fact, the only times in which I’ve actually enjoyed Sue have been when she’s shown either compassion to Kurt or when she lost her sister Jean in the penultimate episode of the season. Other than that (and despite Jane Lynch being on fine form), I have actually grown a little tired with the character.

As for the positives of the series, well there were some. Kurt’s gay bullying/meeting Blaine/transferring to Dalton/coming back to McKinley might not be that radical to watch on repeats but it certainly helped cement Chris Colfer’s abilities as an actor and gave the character the much needed depth that he had been sorely lacking from the first year.

More riveting however was Santana’s storyline. I’m not entirely sure if Santana needed to be revealed as gay (I think it did seem more likely that she was bisexual) but this was definitely Naya Rivera’s year to shine and considering the amount of stuff the writers threw at her to play with, it’s amazing that she knocked it out of the park every time. I just hope that Santana and Brittany are an end game though, couple wise.

Another great element of the show was expanding the character. It was nice to see Karofsky given more depth and Lauren did have her plus point as did Becky but the newcomers in Sam, Beiste and Blaine is where the season worked at it’s best too. Plus even Gwyneth Paltrow as flighty Holly Holiday and John Stamos as Emma’s short lived husband Carl went down a treat too, though Sunshine could’ve been used a little better and Figgins has to be the worst principal known to man. How someone that incompetent is running a school is beyond me.

As the music itself – okay, not gonna lie, the show did rely too much on themed episodes and current chart stuff (please never subject us to Justin Bieber again) but considering that some of those themes hinged on religion, binge drinking, sexuality, identity, Christmas and gossip, I’m actually forgiving of it. Plus, we did get an interesting take on a cult classic and an episode dedicated to Fleetwood Mac should be seen as a good thing.

In terms of the Glee club furthering in success, I’m hoping that their loss in Nationals during the finale will teach them a valuable. Then again, if it doesn’t, I’m pretty sure that Santana will teach Rachel a valuable lesson, Lima Heights style and also more original songs to. We need another “Trouty Mouth” and “My Cup”

EXTRAS: Actually there’s an impressive bunch of stuff here. You’ve got the usual array of bloopers, deleted scenes, commentaries and interviews. There’s a look around the set with Cory Monteith, filming in New York, a featurette on Brittany, making of The Rocky Horror episode to name but a few.

EPISODE RATINGS:

2x01: Audition = 8/10, 2x02: Brittany/Britney = 8/10,
2x03: Grilled Cheesus = 9/10, 2x04: Duets = 9/10,
2x05: The Rocky Horror Glee Show = 7/10, 2x06: Never Been Kissed = 9/10,
2x07: The Substitute = 7/10, 2x08: Furt = 8/10,
2x09: Special Education = 9/10, 2x10: A Very Glee Christmas = 9/10,
2x11: The Sue Sylvester Shuffle = 8/10, 2x12: Silly Love Songs = 9/10,
2x13: Comeback = 6/10, 2x14: Blame It On The Alcohol = 7/10,
2x15: Sexy = 10/10, 2x16: Original Song = 9/10,
2x17: A Night Of Neglect = 6/10, 2x18: Born This Way = 9/10,
2x19: Rumours = 9/10, 2x20: Prom Queen = 8/10,
2x21: Funeral = 9/10, 2x22: New York = 8/10.

Season 2 is currently available on DVD.

Downton Abbey - Season 1 Review

For the last while I managed to evade the buzz about this series quite well but thanks to my sister, I actually succumbed to the period piece and have found the antics of both the upstairs and the downstairs types of Downton actually quite gripping. Of course, it’s mostly the downstairs lot that win out but with a cast like Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton and Dan Stevens, this show certainly aimed high and succeeded because of it.

Episode 1: A really solid opening episode. Gorgeously shot, it set up the main premise about the Grantham’s dilemma over Mary’s inheritance going down the crapper as well as Robert’s attempts of solving the solution with adding Matthew and Isobel into the mix. And I loved the Titanic connection as well here. April 1912.

Episode 2: Stronger episode. The tension between Mary and Matthew worked pretty well, but the rivalry between Violet and Isobel was a lot more gripping to watch. It’s a good job; they actually paid attention to Isobel’s medical knowledge in this one too. Both Thomas and O’Brien make for a scheming double act and Carson’s music hall past was an interesting reveal. September 1912

Episode 3: One of my favourites of the bunch. I didn’t see Kemal’s death coming but I did see Mary, Cora and Anna’s attempts of saving Mary’s dignity being scuppered though. However, this was also an interesting episode for Gwen when Sybil stepped into the fray and tried to help her. The Matthew/Edith part just petered out though. March 1913.

Episode 4: A good one for showing us more of Mrs Hughes and there was some nice moments between Anna and Mr Bates too in this one. Also, trust Thomas to stick in the boot with William by trying to cosy up to Daisy and there was also the debut of socialist chauffeur Branson as well. May 1913.

Episode 5: Thanks to O’Brien and Thomas, Edith had the perfect means of getting even with Mary and she did it with malice style. Other good plots included Mary getting closer to Matthew, the whole snuffbox debacle (nice save, Bates), Sybil’s continuous encouragement of Gwen’s secretarial endeavours and Violet at the flower show. August 1913.

Episode 6: Ah, damn, they nearly got there with Anna and Bates and we got bloody sidetracked. Still, at least Mary and Matthew kissed and it even seemed like Edith was getting a love interest while Sybil was doing her bit for women’s rights. I also liked that Mrs Patmore’s eyesight issue got dealt with and Daisy did the right thing as well when O’Brien and Thomas continued with their plotting against Bates. May 1914.

Episode 7: Cora had an heir to the house and thanks to O’Brien getting the wrong end of the stick, she lost her baby. Mary lost Matthew and also made sure that Edith got her comeuppance, Sybil finally seemed successful in getting Gwen a job, Anna learned more about Bates’s past, Patmore got her eyesight fixed, there was fuss over the house getting a telephone and Robert had to tell everyone that Britain and Germany were at war. Plus much joy in William punching Thomas’s lights out as well. July 1914.

An absolutely gripping first run. For seven episodes, this show ran smoothly, packing in a lot of action, great character moments, sublime performance and now, I finally get why everyone is raving about it. I’ll be watching the second season without further delay.

Rating: 9 out of 10

My Review of Doctor Who's 6x11: "The God Complex"

Written by Toby Whithouse
Directed by Nick Hurran

Rory (re the Doctor): “What’s happened? What is he doing?”
Amy: “He’s saving us.”

Meme to this series, I already had enough shocks this week thanks to another show I watch but even I saw the last scene of this episode coming a mile off. Did that ruin the moment for me? Actually, no it didn’t but more on that later.

I loved the concept of this episode – a creepy hotel feeding on people’s fears and resulting in their actual deaths, so when the episode actually subverted and it was their faith that was becoming the guests undoing in this episode, my enjoyment skyrocketed a little more for this particular story.

The Doctor has a tendency for bringing the gang to the wrong place a lot of the time but obviously, the TARDIS must have thought that he needed to visit this creepy hotel and form an alliance with the remaining survivors against the Minotaur in order to save the day, didn’t she?

Most of the guest characters in this one worked extremely well. Lucy Haywood set the tone up nicely with her death and fears of a gorilla giving us the first clue that faith rather than fear was the key to the whole thing.

Similarly Joe when he wasn’t bound and gagged by everyone else also showed us the way before getting killed by the Minotaur. I have to admit that I find ventriloquist dummies more annoying than terrifying but it seemed like a plausible thing to be frightened of, even if Joe’s faith in gambling/luck became his downfall.

But it was really Howie, Rita and Gibbis who were the guest characters we got to form more of an attachment to, compared to Lucy and Joe. Howie definitely seemed to be a socially awkward young guy consumed with his fear of being rejected by women and his obsession with conspiracy theories.

In some ways that made the character a rather broad stereotype but given that he was played extremely well and that his possession of the Minotaur actually gave the Doctor a chance to trap the creature, he did work a lot better than expected to, even if he did also perish in this episode.

For me, the death that actually got to me was Rita. Okay, so the moment she was written as a potential future companion should’ve been enough of a hint that she wasn’t going to survive the episode but for once, I was hoping the show would do something different.

I loved the character of Rita. Her fears of her father’s disapproval of her academia worked extremely well, she had a wonderful rapport with the Doctor, Amy and Rory and because she sacrificed herself to the Minotaur, she did actually manage to buy the Doctor some time and I loved that he lost it as well.

As impressive as the body count was in this episode, what was better was the Doctor reacting to it. Joe, Howie and Rita’s deaths along with the others that happened in the hotel bothered the Doctor as they should but they also gave him some food for thought concerning Amy and Rory as well.

It’s interesting that Rory didn’t have a room in this episode (all the characters had rooms with fears) but considering the stuff that he’s been through, I think Rory really is made of sterner stuff. Though there was a point in the story where he did look an exit door, so maybe that was intended for him.

As for the Doctor’s room – of course we weren’t going to see what was in it but if I to hazard a guess, it’s either the astronaut revealing itself or it’s the Doctor himself. Remember if “Amy’s Choice” has taught us anything, it’s that the Doctor has a lot of self loathing issues and it makes more sense than a PE teacher as well.

Amy’s fears of her seven year self being abandoned really does sum her up though. I loved that the Doctor shattered her faith in order to starve/kill the Minotaur, especially as the scene in question was similar to what the Doctor had done to Ace in “The Curse Of Fenric” but done in a different manner with Amy.

As for the departure with Amy and Rory at the end – I actually loved the scene. In some ways, it’s a reverse of Martha’s exit from “Last Of The Time Lords” but it also made a lot of sense too. Eventually every companion has to leave the TARDIS and given that Amy/Rory have suffered whilst being with the Doctor, he’s actually being kind in his own way too.

More importantly what I loved about the scene was that Amy understood what the Doctor was doing as well. She might not have liked the idea of leaving the Doctor but she understood and seemed to accept his reasons. However, considering that Amy/Rory are still in the last two episodes, their time with the Doctor isn’t completely over yet and let’s not forget about the whole River arc too.

As for the rest of the episode, I really liked the reveal of the hotel being a prison as well as the reveal of the Minotaur being a distant cousin of Nimon but as enjoyable as David Wallaims is, I actually disliked Gibbis as a character.

Gibbis’s cowardice really had been a form of slyness and I hated that he was responsible for Howie’s death. Similarly, I don’t really that Wallaims was given that much to really do but aside from that, there’s very little about the episode that bothered me.

Also in “The God Complex”

Did anyone think the hotel in this episode looked like a slightly bigger one of Honolulu Heights from Being Human?

Amy (to Rory): “Did you just say ‘it’s okay, we’re nice’?”

The Daleks were mentioned in this episode, the Weeping Angels were Gibbis’s fear and on the wall of the defeated, there were pictures of Judoon, Sontaran, Silurian and a Cat Nurse.

Joe: “We’re going to die here.”
The Doctor: “Well they certainly didn’t mention that in the brochure.”

Gibbis: “Times like this, I think of my old school motto – resistance is exhausting.”

Joe (and presumably) everyone else was here two days before being taken over. Gibbis is from Tivoli, the most taken over planet in the universe.

Rory (to Amy, re Rita): “Every time the Doctor gets pally with someone, I have this overwhelming urge to notify their next of kin.”

Gibbis: “All I want to do is go home, be conquered and oppressed. Is that too much to ask?”

The Doctor’s room was 11 (a reference to his current incarnation) and Amy’s was 7 (a reference to the first time she met the Doctor). The gang were also meant to go to Ravan-Skala, where the people are 600 feet tall.

Rita: “How’s it going?”
Amy: “Don’t talk to the clown.”

The Doctor: “Have you found your room yet?”
Rory: “No, is that good or bad?”

Side-note: Why were some fans offended by Rita’s Muslim comments? Rani said something similar in The Sarah Jane Adventures once. It was also Rita who spoke the episode’s title in obvious relation to the Doctor.

The Doctor (re his room): “Of course. Who else?”

The Doctor: “Let me find you.”
Rita: “You stay where you are. Let me be robbed of my faith in private.”

Are Amy and Rory actually living in the same house we saw back in “The Impossible Astronaut”? I have to admit, the car was nice too.

The Doctor: “Forget your faith in me. I took you with me because I was vain. Because I wanted to be adored. Look at you, glorious Pond, the girl who waited for me. I’m not a hero, I really am just a mad man in a box and it’s time we saw each other as we really are, Amy Williams. It’s time to stop waiting.”

For everyone wondering about River, well Amy did mention her in this one before the Doctor left.

Amy: “So, you’re leaving, aren’t you?”
The Doctor: “You haven’t seen the last of me. Bad Penny is my middle name.”

Amy (to the Doctor, re River): “If you bump into my daughter, tell her to visit her old mum sometime.”

Chronology: I assume it’s 2011 where the Doctor left Amy and Rory but I’m not sure when though. Before or after “The Impossible Astronaut”?

Now, this to me is why I hope Toby Whithouse either succeeds Moffat as a producer or simply writes more for this show. The man simply gets the characters and “The God Complex” certainly enforced that more and more. I guess I should say I have faith in Toby Whithouse but I could’ve sworn I saw a Minotaur looming about, so maybe writing it down will keep me safe.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Doctor Who - Christmas 2011 News/Spoilers

There might be three episodes to Season 6 left to air but filming has finally begun on this year's Christmas special.

Is it Maxine Peake or Claire Skinner? Arguments have been made on various sites for both (I think it's the latter though) but the lucky lady is clearly going to be the main focus of this year's special with Matt Smith. Details of the special are still unknown, though there have been rumours that this one could be a take on The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe. Very interesting if that turns out to be true. More importantly, while the 11th Doctor will certainly be back, will Amy and Rory factor into this special? Oh and apparently a regular from QI will be in this one too.

Elsewhere, DWM have released the cover of next week's issue and unsurprisingly, it's theme is for The Wedding Of River Song. Yes, the 45 minute, one part finale will tie up the loose ends surrounding River, the astronaut, Madame Kovarian and the Doctor's death but what of Amy and Rory? I know both Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill have said in interviews that they're coming back for Season 7 but I'm beginning to think it won't be as regulars. As for the upcoming release of the complete sixth series on DVD, expect a load of new scenes, prequels, commentaries, bloopers, monster files, trailers and deleted scenes as an additional Confidential called The Night's Tale.

The Complete Season 6 will be released on DVD from November 14th.

Desperate Housewives - Season 8 Cast Shots

With the eighth and final season set to air, on ABC next Sunday, here's what to expect from the ladies of Wisteria Lane ...

Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross): She's still dating Chuck and it's potentially going to get more serious as the show progresses.

Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria): There's tension between her and Carlos, following the murder of her abusive stepfather.

Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman): Both her and Tom are seperated, he's got a new girlfriend and Lynette's sister Lydia is also making a reappearance as well as a grown up Kayla.

Renee Perry (Vanessa Williams): Meets and dates a new guy called Ben, who is more than he seems. On this show, that's an expected thing.

Susan Delfino (Teri Hatcher): She's affected a lot by covering up a murder but there's also trouble afoot for her when she gets her teaching job back.

Other stuff that should be noteworthy in the first two episodes, include the women dealing with Alejandro's death in their own way, including a homage back to the first season. Here's hoping this show goes out with a bang.

Season 8 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBYVe_2ubQ0

Season 8 will air on ABC, Sundays at 9pm and a date for it's returns on both RTE2 and Channel 4/E4 has yet to be confirmed.

The Fades - More UK TV Spookiness

Okay, if Bedlam wasn't enough for UK viewers this year and Being Human wasn't enough for BBC3 on the supernatural front, then it's rather nice that The Fades is offering another piece of spookiness to UK telly, right?

The series, set to debut next week focuses on a loner named Paul (Iain De Caestecker) who has apocalyptic dreams that both a therapist and his friend can do nothing about. On top of that, he's also seeing the spirits of the dead, or Fades as they're called in this series.

The trailer for the series is definitely promising and BBC3 definitely seems the right place for a series like this to flourish. Plus with a cast that contains Game Of Thrones newcomer Natalie Dormer as a visionary as well and Daniella Nardini as a priest, this is definitely a series with a lot of promise.

Press Release: http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2011/03_march/29/fades.shtml
Season 1 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB3iMW0fbLs

The Fades airs Wednesdays at 9pm on BBC3 from September 21st.

My Review of True Blood's 4x12: "And When I Die"

Written by Raelle Tucker
Directed by Scott Winant

Marnie: “Oh, this fucking sucks.”
Antonia: “Change is hard.”

Oh, Antonia, you were a lot nicer to Marnie than I think I would’ve been. Clearly you are a way better woman and witch than Marnie would’ve ever been. I have to admit for a last episode, Marnie did another no-no and made my hit list of characters to despise – she killed Jesus while still possessing Lafayette.

Maybe it’s because of that action, that it felt oddly perturbing that both Antonia and Adele were sent to bring her to the spirit world/other side but if it wasn’t for Sookie, Tara and Holly summoning the dead on Halloween, then Bill and Eric would’ve also been added to the impressive list of casualties in this one.

Not that I believed for a second that Bill and Eric were in any actual danger. Sure, they were bound to a stake with silver and got a little crispy but given that even they didn’t seem that worried for their lives, it was hard to actually believe they were going to meet the true death. Still, Marnie’s determination to annihilate them one last time was oddly admirable, if for it’s consistency with her character more than anything else.

As for Jesus’s death, well it was one of four important deaths in this episode and it was sad as well. I didn’t cry but what made it sad was the fact that he died because Marnie wanted the demon inside and because she made Lafayette commit the deed and it was also sad because of Lafayette’s guilt when he came to his senses again.

Of course, the biggest death in this episode wasn’t Jesus. If Tara is legitimately dead thanks to Debbie, then damn show, I did not expect that one bit. I really don’t know how I feel about Tara’s death in some ways. Obviously, I’d rather she wasn’t dead and it kind of sucked that she was killed because she was trying to save Sookie but more so, I just don’t know if I should believe it.

I mean, there’s a slim chance that she could come back or be turned as a vampire but if this is really it for Tara, then I applaud the series for the element of surprise but also curse it for ridding us of one of it’s strongest female characters too and especially when Tara and Sookie were getting their friendship back on track too.

Debbie Pelt really made a final impression. Not only will she be known as Alcide’s crazy, V-addicted ex but now she’s also going to be known as the woman who murdered Tara. Of course, Sookie reacted like anyone else in the situation and promptly shot Debbie down in the process.

I have to admit to having mixed feelings about the last scene and Debbie’s demise too. On one hand, it was better than the book version but on the other hand, there should’ve been more dialogue between the ladies before Tara and Debbie ended up being shot. I would’ve liked more of a confrontation between Sookie and Debbie as well before the latter got her just desserts.

As for the last death – like Jesus and Debbie, I totally saw Nan getting staked in this one. She made the cardinal of both getting on Bill and Eric’s bad sides and threatening Sookie’s life, so there was no way in hell she was going to make it out of this episode alive. Much as I liked Nan as a character, I didn’t feel bad for her when she was staked by Bill. Only Jesus and Tara’s deaths ignited any sympathy for me.

Speaking of Bill and Eric, this was one of my favourite episodes with those two. Okay, them both drinking out of Sookie to heal themselves didn’t do much for me but I loved their snarky banter whilst tied up and I certainly liked them having each other’s back with Nan and not behaving like dicks when Sookie dumped them both. If we get more of that with them next season, I will be one extremely happy viewer.

Keeping with the vampires of this episode, I might not have liked Pam this year as much as previous ones, but I found her frustration over Eric rather delightful, story wise and the fact that she let Ginger give her a hug was sweet. Ginger is a much better character when she’s not bloody screaming all the time as this episode nicely proved.

You know what else I loved, vampire wise here – Jessica deciding to take things slowly with Jason. Because it made a lot of sense. It made sense that she would want to have a less serious relationship after Hoyt and while I’m a bit sad that Jason and Hoyt’s friendship has been ruined, I am glad that Hoyt knows about Jason and Jessica too.

And then there were the two best vampire related plots of the episode as well. I don’t care how ‘obvious’ it might have been to have turned Steve Newlin into a vampire, I think it’s an absolutely genius idea and I cannot wait to see where the writers go with it next season. That being said, Jason better not be dumb enough to let Steve into his home though.

As for Russell breaking free from his cemented prison – I literally wanted to jump with joy. Russell has been my favourite season baddie and if his return works brilliantly second time round as Herrick’s did in Being Human, then it is going to be a lot of fun seeing him cause upheaval for Bill, Eric and Sookie. Too bad we didn’t actually see Russell in the episode though but there’s definitely always next year.

Last but not least – the set of Patrick. He might have appeared in this episode for two minutes but it’s evident that he’s going to be trouble for Arlene and Terry. I didn’t need a ghostly visit from Rene (the last person I was expecting to see in this one) in order to drill that home but damn, I’m intrigued by what kinds of craziness Patrick can add to the series and I have to admit, Scott Foley is definitely nice to look at too.

Also in “And When I Die”

While it was sweet that Maxine attended Tommy’s funeral and wanted to mother Sam, shouldn’t she just actually try and make up with her own son first? Oh and Andy and Holly have made up too.

Tara (re Adele): “If she was here, what do you think she’d say to us?”
Sookie: “To be good to each other.”

For Halloween, Sam wore some kind of a hat (policeman or chauffeur?), Arlene and Terry were zombie, Lisa was pretending to be a teen mother, Holly dressed as a fairy, Sookie wore bunny ears (while getting her job back) and Jessica dressed as Little Red Riding Hood.

Jesus: “Marnie, before Antonia came along, you were afraid of your own voice.”

Sam: “You want your job back or not?”
Sookie: “I’m gonna get you for this, Sam.”
Sam: “Nobody likes an angry bunny.”

Sam and Luna seemed to be in an odd place with each other in this episode and who was that wolf that went for Sam?

Sookie: “I can’t change who I love. Lord knows I’ve tried.”
Alcide: “Try harder.”

Eric: “Any idea how to get us out of this your majesty?”
Bill: “You could summon Pam.”
Eric: “You could summon Jessica.”

So, who exactly in the Authority and AVL have different views to those of Nan when it comes to how vampires are in society? I also wonder if this means that Russell is going to get himself in league with those sorts of vampires.

Marnie: “I don’t want to go. I’m not ready. Please.”

Adele: “Being alone is nothing to be afraid of my Sookie. We’re all alone in the end.”

Even as a vampire, Steve Newlin’s dress sense is horribly conservation. I’m wondering who turned him because I’m not sure if Russell would’ve been free long enough to have done it.

Jason: “You don’t know me very well.”
Jessica: “Fair enough. I’m just getting to know myself but I don’t want to hurt you the way I hurt Hoyt.”

Eric: “You saved my life.”
Bill: “Both our lives.”
Sookie: “It was my turn.”

Standout music: Bobby Borris Prickett and The Crypt Keepers “Monster Mash” and the Heavy’s “And When I Die”. The former is a guilty pleasure of mine.

Bill: “We are not fucking puppy dogs.”
Eric (re Nan): “What a bitch.”

Debbie (to Sookie): “I should’ve done this a long time ago.”

Chronology: It’s Halloween and a couple of days since “Soul Of Fire”.

Well, that was certainly a finale to behold. “And When I Die” certainly tallied an impressive body count and set up some potentially brilliant storylines for next year. I will definitely be coming back for more.

Rating: 9 out of 10

My Review of Doctor Who's 6x10: "The Girl Who Waited"

Written by Tom MacRae
Directed by Nick Hurran

Older Amy: “You didn’t save me.”
Rory: “But this is the saving. This is the ‘us saving you’. The Doctor just got the timing a bit out.”

With a title like this, it was only logical that once again, Amy Pond would be placed in a familiar predicament. Waiting for the men in her life, especially the Doctor and Rory has been a repeated strand in Amy’s life and each time, it’s been effective.

As a child, she waited twelve years for the Doctor to show up and after their encounter with Prisoner Zero, Amy waited another two years on top of that. For a great amount she also waited for the Doctor and Rory whilst being kept captive by Madame Kovarian on Demon’s Run but even this episode went a bit beyond those lengths of time for Amy.

Waiting thirty six years on Apalapucia in the Twostreams facility and fending herself against the helpful but dangerous Handbots made Amy Pond into a rather bitter woman but understandably so. Amy’s faith in the Doctor was always going to become shaken at some point and considering what she’s been through most of her life, it made sense that she snapped at him here.

The Doctor and Rory might not have intended to wait nearly four decades in order to rescue Amy but fate certainly wasn’t in their hands and it was rather sad the kind of living that the older Amy had been thrown into. Stuck on a world where she had to survive on her wits alone, I think it’s understandable to see why Amy hardened as much as she did.

I love the Doctor to bits as a character and while I adore his dynamic with Amy and Rory a lot, this is another example of how him being in their lives have cost them. Losing Melody (which strangely isn’t addressed here) was the worst thing but older Amy’s predicament also comes across as being mighty unfair too.

I did like that no matter how hardened the older Amy appeared to be, Rory could break through it. The fact that she neutralised a Handbot and named it after her husband spoke volumes as did her initial refusal to help her younger self until she was reminded about how much she loved Rory.

And here lies something about this episode that I loved – Rory. I’ve never needed proof that Amy loves Rory and we’ve had more than enough of it in past episodes but if “The Doctor’s Wife” was a love letter to the series and the Doctor’s relationship with the TARDIS, then this episode is an even bigger love letter to Amy and Rory’s relationship.

The way both versions of Amy lament about Rory speak volumes of how much he actually means to them and the fact that Rory was put in a position where he had to choose between both versions of his wife was damn well effective. I think that was however mainly down to an astute comment that Rory made about the Doctor trying to turn Rory into him.

Of course, there was no way that both versions of Amy were going to make it out the episode alive. Seeing the older version beg to be let into the TARDIS was heartbreaking but not as much as her poignant goodbye to Rory and eventual defeat at the hands of the Handbots. Poor Older Amy, it might have been emotionally manipulative but I couldn’t help feeling bad for her in the end.

As for our Amy, well she was largely trapped in a different time stream during her stay in the Twostreams facility but her scenes with her older self and Rory really just cemented how far Karen Gillan has come with this series. I thought she was absolutely superb in both roles. I bought her as the older, hardened version of Amy and of course, her regular self as well.

I also found it interesting the way this episode ended as well. The Doctor might have been right about unsustainable paradoxes with both versions of Amy but it still felt rather cruel in some ways what he did, even if he was in the right. It also raised an interesting question of how much longer can Amy and Rory stay with him as well.

One of the biggest themes of this season (apart from the mystery of River and the Doctor’s imminent death) is that it does seem that time is running out for Amy and Rory too. At some point, their time with the Doctor is going to come to an end and considering the things they’ve been put through, perhaps the time to leave is coming a lot sooner for them after all.

As for the rest of the episode – I really liked the Handbots. Okay, it’s another episode in a row where the monster isn’t technically evil but it worked rather nicely and there is something rather sinister about the idea of being killed with kindness too. Though in the end, it only seemed to be an anaesthetic they gave out rather than a poison to Amy and Rory after all.

And as for the Doctor – for an episode that was supposed to be Doctor-Lite, it didn’t feel like one. The Doctor was in enough scenes that his onscreen presence was always felt and his presence lingered nicely during the moments where we didn’t see him either. Perhaps that is the best way of dealing with the Doctor every once in a while.

Also in “The Girl Who Waited”

Tom MacRae who wrote this episode, previously wrote the second season two-parter, “Rise Of The Cybermen”/”The Age Of Steel”

Amy (to the Doctor/Rory): “Where am I? In fact, where are you?”

Amy pushed the red waterfall button instead of the green anchor button, leading to the whole chain of events.

Amy: “Rory, I love you, now save me. Go on.”

Amy: “I’m not from this world; your medicine will kill me.”
Handbot: “Statement rejected. Do not be alarmed, this is a kindness.”

The Handbots could be neutralised with feedback to each other but Older Amy using her katana on them was more fun to watch.

Amy (re gardens): “You could really spend a lifetime here. Not that I’m going to.”

Older Amy: “I got old, Rory. What did you think was going to happen?”
Rory: “I don’t care that you got old. I care that we didn’t grow old together.”

The Computer Interface was voiced by Imelda Staunton, who didn’t actually appear in this episode. I would’ve liked to have seen her in this one.

Rory (re Rory Handbot): “You named him after me?”
Older Amy: “Needed a bit of company.”
Rory: “So, he’s like your -”
Older Amy: “- Pet.”

Rory: “But you’ll die here.”
Older Amy: “Not if you take me with you.”

Originally, there were plans to use an older actress to play Amy in this episode. Also, I loved that Older Amy made herself a sonic probe and a protective outfit from the Handbots.

The Doctor: “That is not how I travel.”
Rory: “Then I do not want to travel with you.”

Amy: “Why are we still here?”
Older Amy: “Because they leave you. They get into their TARDIS and fly away.”

Other titles that were considered for this episode including “The Visiting Hour” and “Kindness”. Oh and Rory pretended to be in a rock band once and Amy/Rory’s first kiss was to the Macarena.

Older Amy (to Rory): “I’m gonna pull time apart for you.”

The Doctor: “There can be only one Amy in the TARDIS. Which one do you want? It’s your choice.”
Rory: “This isn’t fair. You’re turning me into you.”

The Confidential for this episode had Arthur Darvill swimming with sharks (not a first for him) and Karen Gillan racing as well.

Rory: “Amy, I love you.”
Older Amy: “I love you too. Don’t let me in. Tell Amy, your Amy, I’m giving her the days. The days with you. The days to come.”

Chronology: None specified since “Night Terrors”.

I absolutely loved “The Girl Who Waited”. A wonderful tour de force for Amy and Rory and an instant classic to boot. In a season with some classics in it already, this is another pinnacle for the new series.

Rating: 10 out of 10

My Review of Torchwood's 4x10: "The Blood Line"

Written by Russell T. Davies And Jane Espenson
Directed by Billy Gierhart

Rex (to Jack): “You, World War Two. What the hell did you do to me?”

And here I thought the crux of spending too much time (if you’re anyone but Gwen) was that you ended up dead (well, that still happened here) rather than immortal. As cliff hangers, Rex’s new lease of life was not something I expected or wanted to see happen to the character.

The unique selling point of Jack was that he was immortal and now we have both him and Rex wearing the immortality badge. If we had to have gotten this particular character development, wouldn’t Esther have been a more interesting candidate instead? For some reason, Rex doesn’t seem the right choice for it or am I being unfair?

It’s interesting that Rex suffused with Jack’s blood became instrumental in taking the Blessing down and it made sense that our heroes needed to be in both Buenos Aires and Shanghai at the same time. It’s just too bad that the Blessing really didn’t seem that interesting in the end.

And neither were the motivations of the Mother Colasanto and the Families either. So, basically their grand scheme was make their own little caste system and wipe out those who they didn’t see as good enough to be a part of it. We didn’t need something like the Blessing for that plot and neither did the Families themselves.

Speaking of the Mother Colasanto – I was so hoping she was going to be an interesting but Frances Fisher was horribly wasted in this episode. I like a campy villain as much as the next one but given how uninteresting Mother Colasanto turned out to be in the end, I really felt that we lost out too.

As for Jilly – the girl got her ass kicked by Gwen, she was nearly blown to bits by Oswald, she’s become a fugitive and she’s still daft enough to go and work for the Families again? Blue Eyes is cute and all but maybe Jilly should’ve told him not to bother with Plan B because right now, this show’s future isn’t particularly rock solid stuff to begin with.

Also after ten episodes and so much convoluted nonsense, it did seem like death was restored a little more easier, didn’t it? One thing that’s consistent with this show as well is the death count but even this episode seemed to break a record with the amount of deaths that happened.

I’m not sure if Geraint actually died along with the other Category Ones because that scene did seem a little ambiguous but those soldiers who blew themselves up thinking they were preventing Jack’s blood from resetting the Blessing were certainly stupid, weren’t they? Of course it was going to turn out that Rex’s blood had been replaced with Jack’s in the end.

Charlotte’s murder of her colleagues (Noah, Shapiro and Sandra) sort of seemed pointless in the end, especially when she was killed herself after her failed attempt on Rex. I sort of wished we had seen more of Charlotte’s motivations for the Families. It would’ve been nice but instead it felt like Charlotte was a mole because the CIA always seems to have one on most TV programs.

Similarly if Oswald’s death was supposed to stir any other emotion apart from glee, then it failed spectacularly. I’ve hated Oswald throughout the entire series and while I’m glad he took Mother Colasanto with him, even in death, Oswald was an evil, remorseless bastard to the last. At least that’s one successful bit of consistency we’ve had this year.

Last but not least – Esther Drummond. You poor, sweet girl. Of course she was going to die. Given how much RTD seems to think that only Gwen can be the ‘heart’ of Torchwood, any other female character who’s an ally is ultimately never gonna be allowed to stay with the show for long. Toshiko was shot by a horrible man and so was poor Esther. Thankfully Rex also did us a favour and killed the asshole that did poor Esther in.

I don’t really know what else I can say in this main bit, except that both Rex’s immortality and Esther’s death seemed like unnecessary and silly plot developments and that the Blessing was actually poorly thought out. I don’t want to bash Russell T. Davies too much but he did really drop the ball with this episode.

Also in “The Blood Line”

Most of the action in this episode was in Wales, Washington, Shanghai and Buenos Aires.

Rex (to Esther, re Jack’s blood): “I’ve seen some crazy shit with Torchwood but now I’m at the limit.”

Am I reading too much into it, or did Rex seem to be closer to Esther in this episode before her death?

Gwen (to Oswald): “Just you wait. If this goes right, murder’s coming back.”

Oswald: “Who are you?”
Jack: “Captain Jack Harkness.”
Oswald: “No, I spent a long time in prison and I know the smile of a man who’s done terrible things. And your friends, you’ve been watching them. Sometimes they like you, sometimes they love you and sometimes, just once or twice, glittering away in those tiny little gaps, they fear you.”
Jack: “I’m from the future.”

I got a smile in reminders of the Doctor, the Silurians, Racnoss and the Huon particles. I wonder if Jack knows what the Doctor looks like nowadays.

Rex: “I got you into a whole lot of trouble.”
Esther: “I did that on my own.”
Rex: “I never did thank you, did I?”
Esther: “No, you didn’t.”
Rex: “Well, don’t expect it now.”

Mother Colasanto: “What can you see?”
Gwen: “Enough guilt to last me a lifetime but that’s okay, I’m a working mother. I don’t need the Blessing to tell me that.”
Mother Colasanto: “And you Jack?”
Jack: “I’ve lived so many lives and now I can see them all. Hey, not so bad.”

Nice to see Rhys and Andy in this episode but I was kind of hoping for more. I did like that Rhys attended Esther’s funeral though.

Gwen: “And that’s what I did in a pit in Old Shanghai. I brought death back to the world.”

Chronology: From where “The Gathering” left off.

I really wanted to like “The Blood Line” but even though “Miracle Day” was an interesting experiment, maybe it’s also proof that if the series stands any chance of continuation, it either needs to return to the format of the first two years or just do these high concept storylines with lesser episodes.

Rating: 5 out of 10

Merlin - Season 4 Preview

With only four more episodes of Doctor Who left for Saturday, you wouldn't be wrong in thinking that telefantasy drama would then be gone but thankfully, the fourth season of Merlin is very much upon us ...
The fourth season will take place a year after the events of third year and both Morgana and Morgause will be smarting from their defeats and exile from Camelot. Uther won't exactly be in much of a position to run the Kingdom, so it's up to Arthur and his uncle Agravaine (Nathaniel Parker) to do. Elsewhere, as Arthur and Gwen's relationship progresses, Merlin might soon be in a position to change the kingdom's stance on magic but whether or not he'll succeed is another thing.
Elsewhere, the Knight of the Round Table are also regulars this season and the recent issue of Gay Times has gotten actors Rupert Young, Tom Hopper and Eoin Macken on their cover. The video for the interview contains a small spoiler for an episode but in the magazine, it's mostly the lads getting to grips with the impact of the series, it's fans and the murky areas of slash fiction. Well, this show is shamelessly homoerotic and these knights are likely to increase that if the writers have anything to do with it.

Season 4 Trailer:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru3dJ0gpbwU
Knights Interview: http://www.youtube.com/user/digitalspy?feature=chclk#p/u/1/6MxkOKlfTvU

Season 4 of Merlin airs on BBC1, Saturdays at 7pm from October 8th. Gay Times is also available to buy from today.

The Sarah Jane Adventures - Season 5 Trailer

CBBC have unveiled their autumn schedule and the fifth and final season of The Sarah Jane Adventures is of course one of the highlights. The 15 second trailer, featuring clips of the last three stories - Sky, The Curse Of Clyde Langer and The Man Who Wasn't There hasn't confirmed a date for the show's return but it's likely to be October and probably a week or two after the second half of Series 6 of Doctor Who finishes up.

Season 5 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0Ty1YE_byc&feature=related

Season 5 should air in October on CBBC and BBC1. Season 4 (along with Pyramid Of Mars as an extra bonus) will be released on October 31st.

My Review of True Blood's 4x11: "Soul Of Fire"

Written by Mark Hudis
Directed by Michael Lehmann

Marnie (to Bill): “No-one lives forever, not even you.”

And thanks to this episode, neither do you, Marnie. Come on, there was no way in hell Marnie was going to make it out of this season alive but like with Tommy last week, even I thought Marnie’s death would occur in the last episode but what the hell? Bill brought it a week forward because that’s the kind of guy he is.

It’s amazing that in the last two episodes, the writers have succeeded in defining a distinction between Marnie and Antonia, even if it turned the former from a mousey store owner to a psychotic super bitch as a result.

Marnie seemed to take too much delight in inflicting pain this week. When Casey tried to escape from the Moon Goddess Emporium, Marnie killed her and spent most of the episode trying to justify her actions to her increasingly disillusioned coven. Only Roy was truly loyal to her in the end and it cost him his life. Not that he’ll be missed at all.

Also when Marnie wasn’t killing Casey, she was also doing her best to use her remaining vampire lackeys to take out Bill, Eric, Jessica and Pam and when that failed, she used Sookie in a desperate bid to get both Bill and Eric to stake themselves. I guess we can thank Pam’s hotheadedness from preventing that plan of Marnie’s being completed.

And then there was her attempts of killing Sookie with fire after the latter mucked up her spell on the vampires again. I really wished that during those scenes Sookie tried to use her fairy powers to save herself but considering that Jesus rose to the occasion and broke the bond between Marnie and Antonia, I can sort of give that scene a pass to a degree.

I’m glad that Antonia got to escape Marnie’s grasp and that through Lafayette everyone were still reminded that it was Marnie who went off the deep end but I also loved that Jesus summoned his own demon in order to do good in this episode. Please don’t kill Jesus off writers? I want that sexy brujo to make it into the next season, okay?

As for Marnie’s death, well a hail of bullets is a surprising move for a vampire. Considering that Eric had no problem ripping Roy’s heart out, I was actually surprised that Bill hadn’t chosen a more violent method for getting rid of his witchy problem. Of course, even in death Marnie is annoyingly resourceful.

I wasn’t surprised that she possessed Lafayette at the end of the episode but along with Jesus, I don’t want Lafayette to become another casualty in Marnie’s vendetta against the vampires. Maybe Sookie will be able to hinder Marnie once again in the next episode, eh?

Speaking of hindrances – ‘fucking Sookie?’ Bill, Eric and Pam might have had points about Sookie’s abilities for getting herself into trouble but seeing as they’re usually the cause of it; it’s a bit rich for any of them to go there. I loved that Jason called them on their crap because someone sure as hell had to, though I did feel a little bit sorry much later in the story when Eric wouldn’t Pam explain herself.

However getting back to Jason, I liked him in this episode again. He stopped innocent people from getting killed the only way he could, tried to keep our main vampires from being sucked into Marnie’s sunlight barrier and seemed a lot better towards Jessica towards the end of the episode as well. All in all, hard to fault Jason this week.

Another two people I cannot fault this week were Sam and Alcide. Thanks to the both of them, Marcus is dead and I cannot be any happier with that outcome if I tried. Marcus didn’t go down without a fight and in the end, it was actually Alcide who wound up killing him but thank feck he’s finally off our screens.

What’s interesting about Marcus’s death is the fact that it now had two different outcomes for different relationships. For Sam, he was able to avenge Tommy and can now be in a relationship with Luna without having to worry about Marcus sticking his paws in. Similarly, Luna can also raise her daughter without Marcus attempting to snatch her anymore.

As for Alcide and Debbie, it had the opposite effect. They were always heading for a split but Debbie being unfaithful with Marcus meant that Alcide abjured her. I have to admit, while I totally don’t blame Alcide for abjuring Debbie, I actually felt a bit sorry for her in this episode.

She realised that Alcide was a better man than Marcus and also knew that she needed to get off the V and stay off it but because of bad timing and choices on her part, everything went wrong for her and I have a feeling that Debbie’s going to take it out on one person next week and that person won’t be Alcide.

Last but not least – Andy had sex with a fairy? I really hope to hell that Maurella is utilised far better on this show than Claudine was (and that we get Claude back) but it did seem reckless of Andy to swear an oath to her. I have a feeling that Andy will more than likely come to regret his promise to her. As for Arlene, I get why she didn’t believe Andy but it did seem a little off too, considering that she recently witnessed an exorcism.

Also in “Soul Of Fire”

This is the first time the main villain of the season has been killed in the penultimate episode, though Marnie will obviously factor in the finale.

Lafayette (to Sookie/Tara/Holly/Jesus, re Antonia): “Marnie just puked a bitch out.”

I know she was under pressure, but wasn’t it odd that Marnie didn’t check on Jesus before his demon came? She was shadowing him when he was getting ingredients to help Casey.

Antonia (to Marnie): “You murdered an innocent, one of our own. Evil has blossomed in you. Our time together has come to an end.”

Marnie: “I’m not a freak.”
Sookie: “I just meant I feel misunderstood. Sometimes picked on even. You just want a connection.”
Holly: “And you’ve got it. We’re all on your side. We’re your friends.”

Last week Jesus talked about Marnie being his teacher and this week, Holly talked about how Marnie had met her kids and spent time with her at Thanksgiving. Maybe these were things we should’ve seen during the course of the season.

Bill (re Sookie): “Let the girl go.”
Marnie: “Oh, so you’d like to negotiate?”

Jesus (to Lafayette): “Where we’re going right now is deep and you may see or hear things you don’t want to.”

Jesus had to be cut and tied up with Marnie’s scarf in order to sever the connection between Marnie and Antonia.

Debbie: “It’s okay, we can fix this.”
Alcide: “Debbie Pelt.”
Debbie: “Huh?”
Alcide: “I abjure you.”

Marnie (to Sookie): “I wish for everyone to leave here alive. I don’t guarantee it.”

Standout music: Witch’s “Soul Of Fire”.

Tara: “I fucking quit this group.”

Jason: “So, I drank your blood again.”
Jessica: “It was either that or die.”

Chronology: From where “Burning Down The House” left off and Halloween is approaching.

As a penultimate episode, “Soul Of Fire” was solid. We thankfully were rid of two terribly annoying characters in Marcus and Roy, Marnie’s death made sense and while she’s obviously cause chaos through Lafayette, it’s also relieving to know that the fairy stuff is re-entering the mix as well. I suspect I might be in a minority with that last statement though.

Rating: 9 out of 10

My Review of Doctor Who's 6x09: "Night Terrors"

Written by Mark Gatiss
Directed by Richard Clark

The Doctor: “You see these eyes, they’re old eyes and if there’s one thing I can tell you, Alex, monsters are real.”

Ever since the first trailer for Series 6 has aired, this episode has been quite an anticipated one. Probably because it was filmed so early but sadly, that’s also something that hinders this episode as well to a certain degree.

Mark Gatiss has been something of a divisive writer for this series. While “The Unquiet Dead” seems to be popular with certain viewers, both “The Idiot’s Lantern” and “Victory Of The Daleks” have had the opposite reactions and something tells me that “Night Terrors” is going to be another polarising story for the writer.

Personally, there were parts of this episode I enjoyed a fair amount but sadly, there were also a lot that bothered me to the core and the biggest cause for concern were Amy and Rory. If Gatiss couldn’t do anything decent with them, why bother using them at all in this story? It would’ve been better for them if they had just stayed in the TARDIS for all the use they were here if I’m being honest.

It’s not so much that they got seperated from the Doctor that was a problem but more that their separation for him did little to actually advance the plot. Sure, they went down a creepy lift and wound up in a doll house but most viewers probably would’ve guessed that before they were menaced by those creepy dolls as well.

As for Amy being turned into a doll – that was another thing that seriously mystified me as well – where was Rory’s reaction? For a guy who waited nearly 2000 years guarding his wife inside the Pandorica, Rory seemed oddly unfazed by Amy’s transformation and as a doll, it didn’t last long for Amy anyways, which made it more of a missed opportunity for the series too.

I think another thing that really stood out like a sore thumb in this story was the lack of continuity with Melody as well. I didn’t expect countless references to the character but considering the themes of this episode (fears, abandonment, parental instincts); it did seem odd how both Amy and Rory didn’t at least allude to their own child.

I guess for some viewers having an episode that was completely standalone would’ve been a good thing but for me, this episode should’ve been aired during the first half of the series as it was intended to. By airing it in the second half and not referencing the events of the previous four episodes added to the disjointed feeling with this overall story, despite the last scene reminding us that the Doctor knows about when he’s due to die.

As for the story itself – it’s a bit of a “Fear Her” redux, isn’t it? A scared alien child needing the Doctor’s help, only this time around, it’s the Doctor who has to seek out the alien. I wished the reveal of George being an alien had been a shocker but it was actually telegraphed so obviously that I didn’t really react to it at all.

Of course I will now talk about the stuff I did like about the episode – the Doctor. A scared child calls for his help and he heads to aid the child in their hour of need with no hesitation. That level of selflessness is definitely the Doctor down to a tee and it’s there where Gatiss gets things so right in this story.

The way the Doctor, Amy and Rory go around the block of flats trying to find George was nicely comic without trying too hard and the Doctor’s interactions with Alex (who takes on the companion mantle more than Amy/Rory in this episode) were fantastic to watch, weren’t they?

Daniel Mays might have brought the nastiness in spades with Jim Keats but as Alex, he perfectly captured a father’s frustration and fears over being unable to help his own child. Alex’s relationship with George was definitely the pivotal storyline in this whole episode and also worked itself as the resolution as well.

I can sort of accept the cheesy-ish manner in which Alex decided to accept George for what he was in order to get everyone out of the doll house in the cupboard but I also liked that after everything was sorted that Alex still had some fears about what George could turn out to be when he’s older.

In terms of George being a Tenza alien, interesting idea for an alien but it could’ve done with a bit more development. Similarly the dolls were creepy and childlike in this episode but it would’ve been nice if we had gotten an explanation for how they were able to turn both Amy and Mr Purcell into dolls during this story.

As for Claire – anyone feel short changed by the character? I suppose Alex’s presence with the Doctor more than made up for it but it would’ve been nice if she had factored more into the story and that’s another gripe I have with this one.

Also in “Night Terrors”

This episode was originally meant to be the fourth one of the series but was pushed to the second half when “The Curse Of The Black Spot” was brought forward.

George: “Please save me from the monsters.”

Alex and Claire had a method of putting things that terrified George into the cupboard, which is where all our main characters also ended up in (the doll house was there).

The Doctor (to Amy/Rory): “Today we’re answering a call from the scariest place in the universe – a child’s bedroom.”

Amy: “We’ve got to find that kid.”
Rory: “Or maybe we should let the monsters gobble him up.”

The Doctor’s bedtime stories as a child included “The Emperor Dalek’s New Clothes”, “Three Little Sontarans” and “Snow White And The Seven Keys To Doomsday”. You know any of those could make for a great story next season.

Alex (re George): “I don’t know, I’m not an expert. Maybe you can get through to him.”
The Doctor: “I’ll do my best.”

George: “A doctor? Have you come to take me away?”
The Doctor: “No, George. I just want to talk to you.”
George: “About what?”
The Doctor: “About the monsters.”

Proving that this show is education, I learned that pantophobia means a fear of everything, which could also include pants when you think about it.

The Doctor (re opening the cupboard): “You don’t want to do that.”
Alex: “Why?”
The Doctor: “Because George’s monsters are real.”

Amy (to Rory): “I take it all back, panic now.”
Dolls: “Don’t run away. We want to play.”

The Confidential for this episode had Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill singing their theme for the BBC3 series.

Alex (to George): “Whatever you are, whatever you do, you are my son and I will never ever send you away.”

Chronology: Early 2011, considering George’s age in this episode was stated a few times.

I’ve watched this episode twice and while I’ve softened a little, I have to admit that “Night Terrors” suffered from it’s placement in the series, not utilising its ideas/themes better and for the shoddy treatment of Amy and Rory in the story. It’s probably one of those stories I’ll like more on repeats but the bad stuff does stand out a little too much and it could’ve been a little scarier.

Rating: 7 out of 10

My Review of Torchwood's 4x09: "The Gathering"

Written by John Fay
Directed by Guy Ferland

Jack: “I’m tired Gwen. This mortal life, it hurts so much.”

Hang in there, Jack, you’ve only got one more episode to go. One more episode and hopefully, the status quo will return and the miracle will finally be out of the world’s system. I don’t know about you but this series has suddenly made me delighted for the idea of death returning once again.

Especially if it means no more overflow camps, no more convoluted rubbish with the Blessing and no more Oswald Danes. Three things the world effectively can do without and fast and also three things that supremely irritated the crap out of me throughout this episode as well, curtailing my enjoyment to an extent.

I’ll talk about the overflow camps themselves. When everyone is citing them as institutionalised murder, perhaps it’s a good idea not to have them running – especially the modules? Unfortunately the government don’t think that way and sadly that means a return to people being taken to the modules and burned alive against their own will.

I pitied Gwen, Rhys and Mary in this episode. They did their damndest to keep Ralph away from getting Geraint and sending him away and the smug bastard still managed to get the better of them in the end. I think what made it particularly worse was the callous comment about how warm Geraint was going to feel very soon.

Honestly – who the fuck comes out with that kind of a statement? Geraint is a harmless elderly man who could still be alive. If you’re going to display a level of glee for people being incinerated against their will, save it for the Oswald Danes of the world and not an innocent person.

Gwen begging during that moment did serve a purpose of hammering home how desperately she needs to help Jack and company end this miracle but personally, I would’ve made Ralph into a Category 1 after that lack of humanity on his part.

As for the second irritation of this episode – give a round of applause for Oswald Danes. Despite having the most famous face on the planet, he managed to get out of America and into Wales and even into Gwen’s mother’s house by delivering vegetables. Not only that he also managed to ensure that no-one either tried to kill him or hand him over to the coppers.

On the plus side, there’s a delirious joy in seeing Gwen smack the fecker with a sauce pan and personally, I would’ve had zero problems with Rhys actually living up to his threats of trying to kill Oswald. Too bad he was needed in this episode, otherwise Rhys could’ve done us all a favour, eh?

Last but no least, on my third irritation of the episode – the Blessing. It’s been nine episodes and I really had a headache with all the cryptic banter in this episode. Jilly showed some surprising self restraint because between Blue Eyes and that guy in the Shanghai restaurant, I certainly would’ve snapped with being given the run around by then.

Thankfully that creepy woman played by Frances Fisher seemed a little more inclined to share with Jilly. She mentioned how the Blessing could cause people to kill themselves but for Jilly, all it seemed to do was prove that she was right. What exactly is/was Jilly right about?

More importantly, why is Jilly needed in this at all? Because she’s a storyteller? Isn’t that just overinflating a PR’s ego, just a tad? Jilly didn’t seem all that convinced initially but after surviving her altercation with the Blessing, I’m guessing that she’s fully on board for whatever the Families have in store for her. I hope for Jilly’s sake, she watches her step.

Speaking of step watching, I liked that Rex actually noticed that there was a mole in the CIA but if he had looked a little harder, wouldn’t he have spotted Charlotte? She’s not exactly been all that subtle this week with her constant blocking attempts and considering how useless Shapiro seems to be as well, maybe Rex was better off in Buenos Aires this week.

The reunions of the episode were nice too. I liked Jack and Esther meeting up with Gwen and Rhys again and then Rex and Esther on one side of the world while Jack, Gwen and Oswald were on the other side of it. With Jack’s blood line leading them to the Blessing, all I know is that I can’t wait for this to actually end now. Is that terrible?

Also in “The Gathering”

The writer Jon Fay has previously written “Children Of Earth: Day Two” and “Children Of Earth: Day Four” for the series.

Jack (to Esther): “The gunshot didn’t kill me but I think you will.”

Jack and Esther had been hiding in Scotland for the first half of the episode. Jack also retconned a photographer/spy as well in this one.

Rex: “Don’t you have a home to go to?”
Charlotte: “Not anymore. She left me, remember?”
Rex: “Oh shit.”

Gwen (to Ralph): “All that’s down there is rats, so make yourself at home.”

We learned briefly that Charlotte had a girlfriend and there was also a link in 1928 to a person named Victor Pedesta during this episode.

Oswald: “I apologise for the subterfuge but I do have the most recognisable face on the planet.”
Gwen: “Not anymore.”

Rex: “Where are you?”
Esther: “Can’t say, so don’t ask me. We’re safe, we’re fine and we’re okay.”

Rex instantly recognised where Esther was calling from and Gwen mentioned her previous history with child abusers when talking to Oswald. And there was also the issue of translating some of the Blessing messages too in this episode.

Jilly: “I keep wondering why me?”
Guy: “You’re a storyteller.”
Jilly: “Thank you.”

Oswald (re Ralph/Police): “This is good. The most wanted man on the face of the Earth and they want someone else.”

Gwen and Rhys seemed to have their own drug organisation with the neighbours. It reminded me of Ianto’s sister and her husband looking after the kids in Season 3.

Woman (to Jilly): “I’ve seen people look upon the Blessing and end their lives. There’s a brilliant truth about that because each and every time that person was hiding something vile. Isn’t that wonderful? It’s exhilarating the damage it does. I wonder what you’ll see.”

Chronology: Two months have passed since “End Of The Road”. Isn’t that a bit of a cop out for the series?

After some solid episodes, I wished that “The Gathering” had gripped me more than it actually did but something felt off. Maybe it was the issues I had with the overflow camps, Oswald and the Blessing but hopefully, next week’s finale ends this on a satisfying note.

Rating: 7 out of 10.

Glee - Season 3 Cast Pictures The Boys

And here are the cast shots of the boys ...

Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale): Could he and Brittany be getting back together? There's been rumours.
Blaine Anderson (Darren Criss): Blaine could be ditching the Warblers for McKinley if Kurt has his way. Get used to slushy facials, Blaine.

Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith): He's back with Rachel and he's one of the few character who could also be graduating this season.

Kurt Hummell (Chris Colfer): Kurt and Blaine will definitely be having their relationship further explored this season.
Mike Chang (Harry Shum Jr): We'll be meeting his parents in the third episode as they show a disapproval to him being in the Glee club.

Noah 'Puck' Puckerman (Mark Salling): He's still with Lauren as the season starts but apart from that, I've no idea what Puck will be up to.

William Schuester (Matthew Morrison): He kisses Emma within the first two episodes and chucks glitter all over Sue. I assume there will be other storylines for Will though.

Glee's third season airs Tuesdays at 8pm on FOX from September 20th and will air on TV3 and Sky1 soon after.

Glee - Season 3 Cast Pictures The Girls

With Season 3 of Glee less than three weeks upon us, the cast shots are coming out for the show in style. First up, a look at the girls ...

Coach Beiste (Dot Marie Jones): She's still on the series, recurring but it does look like Beiste's friendship with Will will be continuing.

Brittany S. Pierce (Heather Morris): She's becoming a Cheerio again and an Irish exchange student named Rory will also be staying with her.

Emma Pilsbury (Jayma Mays): Will this finally be the season where her and Will get together? Well, they do kiss during the first two episodes.

Mercedes Jones (Amber Riley): Sam might be gone but Mercedes is getting a new boyfriend in the shape of Bubba.
Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron): She's gotten a little punk in the first episode and she's not in the Glee club. Sounds interesting.

Rachel Berry (Lea Michele): She's back with Finn and still planning to be a star after high school.
Santana Lopez (Naya Rivera): Back to being a Cheerio and not so pleased with Brittany's budding friendship with an exchange student but will she come out this season?

Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch): She's running for Congress and it means that McKinley isn't the only Glee club that will need to watch their backs.

Tina Cohen-Chang (Jenna Ushkowitz): She's getting her own storyline this series as is her boyfriend, Mike.

Glee's third season airs Tuesdays at 8pm on FOX from September 20th and will air on TV3 and Sky1 soon after.

Skins - Season 5 Review

UK Airdate: January 27th-Match 17th 2011

Ready To Start: At this point, we all know the drill with this show – once every two years, the cast changes and if the series could succeed with a second generation of kids, then surely a third batch of youngsters would equally go down a storm?

Well, the funny thing is that it sounded good on paper but whether it was just fatigue with the series on a whole or the fact that shows like The Inbetweeners and Misfits had sort of stole the thunder with E4 viewers, somehow, the third batch of kids didn’t seem to quite catch the imagination with audiences and the ratings for this particular series alone haven’t been good.

To me, that’s kind of a shame for two good reasons. First off all, the new batch of kids mostly work and secondly, unlike the overblown angst-fest of the fourth year, Season Five is actually a nicely balanced mix of madness typical of this show and also some mostly decent character plotting as well.

Franky herself was the driving point for most of the series run of episodes, even when she wasn’t centre stage. An androgynous young woman, Franky went from being a target of Mini’s venom to by the end of the series, a figure that the former bully seemed to want to protect and let’s not get started on her being drawn into one of the main love arcs of the season.

On the other hand, let’s do so after all. Franky might not have gotten a love interest this year, but she was obviously alluring enough for mystery man Matty to want to ditch the hedonistic Liv by the end of the season and that was after Liv had thankfully contributed to breaking up the dullest couple of the series – Mini and Nick.

Speaking of Nick, I started the series finding him a spineless bore to actually feeling bad for him. His testy relationship with brother Matty arguably made him the more sympathetic of the two but his relationship with Mini also proved that when two ‘popular’ kids do get together, it makes for extremely boring television.

Thankfully, one relationship during this year actually generated some interest and that was the one with rock boy Rich and ballet enthusiast Grace. Maybe their relationship hasn’t generated the levels of online hysteria than Emily and Naomi did in the previous two seasons but it’s definitely the only one that actually grows within the season. Even when they fail to tie the knot in the finale, they’re still in a better place than any other relationship we’ve seen. I hope that doesn’t mean the reverse for the sixth year then.

In terms of the characters themselves, this lot mostly work for me. Both Nick and Matty improve as the series progresses and there are times when Liv seems to be a bitch for the sake of it, but loveable rogue Alo, along with Franky and Mini are the three strongest characters from their first run of this generation. I think we probably need to see more of Rich and Grace away from each other to form a better impression.

The one thing that is rather noticeable about this series is apart from Alo’s episode (in a bigger way); there aren’t a lot of party scenes, compared to previous years. I have to admit that hasn’t done the show a great deal of harm to be honest and it’s actually helped with getting to know the characters a little better too.

Plus, there are some topical issues in the series as well, such as Liv’s promiscuity being a vocal point along with Franky’s sexuality and the financial problems that Alo manages to inadvertently cause his parents too, all of which are dealt with reasonably well during the eight episode run.

Of course the series isn’t entirely perfect though – the adult characters, even now are still caricatures. Making Professor Blood into Grace’s father doesn’t give him any depth and apart from Rich, Alo and Franky’s parents, none of the rest of the parents fare well in this series at all. With the sixth series more than likely set to be it’s last, it’ll be interesting to see how this show will bow out, assuming that those who deserted it come back to see the conclusion.

DVD EXTRAS: Not really a whole lot to go on with here. It seems that the extras are becoming less and less and with a few commentaries and some behind the scenes features with the cast, there’s not much else to recommend.

EPISODE RATING FROM 1 TO 10

5x01: Franky = 8/10, 5x02: Rich = 7/10
5x03: Mini = 9/10, 5x04: Liv = 9/10,
5x05: Nick = 8/10, 5x06: Alo = 8/10,
5x07: Grace = 7/10, 5x08: Finale = 8/10