My Review of True Blood's 6x02: "The Sun"

Written by Angela Robinson
Directed by Daniel Attias

Burrell (to Eric): “It’s time for humans to bite back.”

Well, so far the human race seems to have finally caught up to vampires and it seems that Truman Burrell is actually a legitimate threat to vampires in a way that the Fellowship Of The Sun managed to be but only better. He even managed to get the better out of Eric until the latter resorted into a little kidnapping in order to even the playing field.

Silver bullets with UV light and contact lenses to prevent glamouring are the sort of things that you would’ve thought humanity would’ve been using for a while but it seems that Burrell’s influence and his growing laws against vampire rights has made things into a living hell for those with fangs.

Tara suffered with the bullets until Eric had saved her and the latter’s attempts of getting Burrell to call things off with his battles against vampires backfired on him big time. At least taking Burrell’s daughter captive might help Eric but I get the feeling it won’t work entirely in his favour. I’m not supporting Burrell’s actions but I like that in two episodes he’s become a credible foe and we need that seeing as his opposite Warlow still hasn’t materialised yet.

Getting onto Warlow – it seems Rutger Hauer is actually playing Sookie and Jason’s grandfather Niall and it even seems like he might not be that too far off from the book depiction of him as well. His scenes with both Stackhouse siblings in this episode were some of the best ones we’ve had as well.

Jason himself seemed to be easily charmed and awed by his grandfather and even seemed a tiny bit bummed out when he realised that he wasn’t a fairy prince. More to the point, he was also thankfully far less head wrecking than the previous episode but Niall wasn’t wrong about him being unprepared for Warlow though.

Of course the better scenes involved Sookie though as we learned that Warlow massacred Niall’s family and because she’s a Halfling, any ball of energy she might use to destroy the thousand plus year old vampire may use up her fae powers altogether. It’s interesting timing for Sookie given that she had already indicated to Ben that she had a change of heart of losing her fae abilities altogether.

Speaking of Ben – is he just a nice, charming Halfling himself or is there something more there? It did seem a little too convenient that he met Sookie in the manner that he did and he was a little quick to point out that she reminded him of a former flame of his. Perhaps I’m reading too much into it and he’s just a nice bloke but you can never tell nowadays with those who come to Bon Temps, can you?

Keeping with newcomers – I didn’t care that much for Nicole at all. I get that she has point about shifters making a stand and coming out given that Luna forced their hand with her televised reveal but the way she was badgering Sam and then recording Emma being taken by Alcide and Martha pissed me off to no end. Hopefully Nicole improves as a character because so far this was a pretty bad start to her presence on the show and Sam’s been through enough, especially in this episode.

Which leads me to my point – I don’t like this side to Alcide at all. Martha’s actions I can understand but Alcide and Sam are friends and the fact that he did nothing as Danielle attacked Lafayette to get Emma from Sam seriously left a bad taste in my mouth. I’m really hoping we’re not going to see Alcide drunk on werewolf power this season, especially if it leads to horrible moments like this episode.

As for power – I did not need to see Bilith drain blood from that woman in the manner that he did. On the plus side, at least Bill’s trance scenes with a fully clothed Lilith were both useful (in that we learned some much needed stuff) and weren’t as tedious as the crap we had to endure last season. I also liked the fact that Bill can now see the future and Jessica’s prayer for everyone towards the end of this episode was the most affecting thing we’ve seen this season so far. Jessica really has been placed in quite the unenviable position with Bill.

Also in “The Sun”

Both Rob Kazinsky (Ben) and Jurnee Smollett-Bell (Nicole) have been added to the opening credits.

Niall (to Jason): “I am not Warlow. I am your fucking fairy grandfather.”

Warlow has been in Bon Temps for the last 24 hours. Then again so has both Niall and Ben and that’s obviously not a coincidence.

Nora: “They fucking did it. The humans are fighting back.”
Pam: “What did you expect? They’d lie down and take it?”

Nicole: “I know what you are.”
Sam: “Excuse me?”
Nicole: “You’re a shifter, right?”

Nora and Pam seemed to get along a little better in this episode and it was nice to see the latter share some blood with Tara out of a milk carton.

Lilith: “You must complete my work.”
Bill: “Why me?”
Lilith: “You proved yourself when you won the battle for my blood.”

Sookie: “It wasn’t so long ago I wanted to get rid of my light.”
Ben: “Why would you do that?”
Sookie: “I’m sick of being different. Sick of all the pain.”

Andy tried and failed to contact Maurella in this episode and Arlene and Terry had to lie to Patrick’s wife about his whereabouts.

Burrell: “What’s your point fella?”
Eric (re whooping crane): “I’m just saying it’s a tough fucking bird.”

Standout music: The Naked And Famous’s “The Sun” at the end of the episode.

Lilith: “You must save us, save us all.”
Bill: “How?”
Lilith: “You will know what to do. Trust what you see.”

Chronology: Pretty much from where “Who Are You, Really?” left off.

“The Sun” was a pretty solid episode with some great set up moments with the likes of Niall, Lilith and Burrell but I really do hope they’re not going to try and drag out Warlow’s identity for too long though.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Dates - Episodes 4 & 5 Reviews

It's the second week and instead of three episodes, Channel 4 have given us two of them and I have to admit that due to being sucked into Big Brother once again, I ended up watching both these episodes on Tuesday and Wednesday at 11pm, courtesy of Channel 4 + 1 but here's goes the reviews nonetheless ....

Episode 4: Erica & Kate

The one thing you can trust about Bryan Elsley and his shows is that we do get some decent LGBT content and this episode, whilst far from perfect nicely managed to maintain that tradition. Gemma Chan (Fresh Meat) played the rather closeted Erica who ends up meeting Kate (Katie McGrath, Merlin) and while she likes to be bossed about it a bit by the Irishwoman, she's less enamoured when Kate makes her opinions on closeted lesbians who sleep with men pretty known. Let's say Erica being in the closet is a source of contention throughout the entire episode as even when they sleep together, it's still an issue the next morning between the ladies. There's some good performances from both Chan and McGrath and the ending has a surprising moment that will have repercussions in the sixth episode. That being said, it's probably the weakest episode so far, but not by a huge margin though, 7/10.

Episode 5: David & Ellie

This one was pretty interesting. A growing strand in this series is that certain characters keep resurfacing and because of them, we end up meeting newer people as well. David (Will Mellor), still stung by Mia (Oona Chaplin) dicking him about decides to go on a date with the rather bubbly Ellie (Montanna Thompson) on his birthday in a burger bar with singing staff. More to the point is how long it took David to suss that Ellie was only 19 (which was bloody obvious from the moment she appeared) and the fact that he wanted to bail despite Ellie's desperate attempts of keeping him interested in her. Of course, it did manage to go wrong for Ellie when her attempts of getting Mia out of David's system only drove him back into her arms. I quite felt sorry for Ellie in this episode. Yes, she was a tad immature (who uses Tumblr to catalogue their sexual history?) but she seemed like a nice enough girl and hopefully we'll see her again in a future episode. I'd also cite Thompson as the standout performance of this week's episodes, 8/10.

These two episodes were solid, if not as strong as the first three we've had in the previous week. Still, this is an absolutely cracking series and I'm definitely intrigued to see where the series will go with the final four episodes, in spite of my reservations for episode 6.

Reviews for the sixth and seventh episodes will be on the blog next week.

The Fall - Series 1 (Spoilers Included)

It's been a little over a week since both RTE1 and BBC2 have aired the first series finale of The Fall and now I've decided to have a look back at the series itself.

What can I say about this show that hasn't been said already? Well, the basic synopsis for the five episode first series mainly comprised of serial killer Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan - Once Upon A Time) bumping off many a young girl in Belfast whilst being in hot pursuit by ice queen Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson - The X-Files) and it was certainly an interesting pursuit, given how sparing their interactions were over the course of the series.

Let's focus on Paul Spector, shall we? It's not too radical a thing for television nowadays to try and generate sympathy for serial killers. Dexter has managed to run for eight seasons, due to the fact that we can sympathise more for him and far less for his victims. With Paul, it's a different kettle of fish. His victims are innocent women, none of whom have done anything to deserve the violent and partly sexual deaths inflicted upon them and yet, at times, it's been hard not to like Paul. We've seen his good side through his job as a grief counsellor and his love for his wife, Sally (Bronagh Waugh) and children has shone throughout the series that Gibson's accusation of misogyny for his selected victims doesn't entirely feel true. And that's in spite of the fact that he really does have a specific sort of woman he tends to terrorise and kill as well. Either way, Dornan has given a very layered and nuanced performance throughout the series as Paul.

And then there's Stella Gibson herself. If there was ever a character to have Gillian Anderson really escape the shadow of Dana Scully, it's certainly the more sexually unapologetic Gibson. One of the more interesting female protagonists that we've had in this genre for quite a while (Saga from The Bridge excluded), I've enjoyed Stella's steely determination to track down the murderer in Belfast over the last five weeks, even if every rebellious cop cliche was utilised and her startling phone conversation with Paul in the final episode as the two of them sized each other up. A finale that shockingly decided not to resolve things with Paul Spector but instead ended up with him escaping with his family as Stella miscalculated his final move.

It's certainly been a source of contention for viewers. Some have been vocal in their disappointment over a lack of resolution of the Spector storyline as it will now bleed into the show's second series (BBC2 were a little eager in announcing it would come back in 2014). Personally, I don't mind it too much but I do hope that the Stella/Paul cat and mouse game, interesting as it is, is brought to a satisfying conclusion at the end of the series second run though. The Fall might not be the most original of cop dramas we've had but it's certainly been one of the more interesting and deserving of acclaim ones we've had though. Watching the five episodes again, it's not too shocking to see why it's become BBC2's biggest dramas in the last eight years as well.

The Fall - Series 1 is out on DVD and US viewers can see it on Netflix.

My Review of True Blood's 6x01: "Who Are You, Really?"

Written by Raelle Tucker
Directed by Stephen Moyer

Sookie: “What are you?”
Nora: “Are you Lilith?”
Bill: “I am Bill Compton, though clearly I am something more. I see that now. I see everything so differently now.”

For those potentially hoping that the arrival of Bilith would mean that a certain Mr Compton might be on borrowed time, then there’s a chance this episode might end up disappointing you. Bill Compton might be no more to a certain degree but there’s still a part of him that lives on a little.

This part was evident by his refusal to kill any of the gang, especially Sookie who actually staked him defending Eric and more importantly, his compassion for Jessica asserted itself nicely when she elected to stay at his side. I’m not sure where the writers are intending to go with Bilith but I am certainly intrigued but then again, I also spotted a trend in this episode too.

Bilith seems to be one of three main antagonists for this season but the more fanatical side of the character seemed absent in this episode. Sure he might have blown up the Authority and used a horribly extreme method of summoning Jessica (hasn’t that girl been through enough?) but again, he didn’t kill anybody or perpetuated any of the annoying Lilith spiel we had to endure last season.

Basically, he’s an unpredictable loose cannon and truth be told, Stephen Moyer has never been on finer form either. He really has had some new life breathed into his character and it definitely reflected in the performance this week. I don’t think Bill has ever been more interesting than he is right about now and the nice thing is that the other two antagonists are similarly interesting too.

Take Governor Burrell for instance. He might be imposing curfews for vampires and seizing control of businesses such as Fangtasia but he’s also meeting up with Tru Blood factory people as well and offering them a place of operation too. I’m not entirely sure what his game is yet but Arliss Howard managed to impress me with only two scenes. I really hope that unlike the Authority he doesn’t peter out and become less interesting as the season progresses.

As for the last villain – who was shocked to learn that Rutgar Hauer would be playing Macklyn Warlow? Anyone? I didn’t think so. What I was shocked about is how long it took Jason to piece it together before Warlow did a disappearing act in the truck. And he’s left some words on a bloody parchment for Sookie to look at as well, so along with Bilith and Burrell, I can’t see him being a straightforward villain either. So far, so impressive on the baddies front.

As for our main characters – I can’t decide who annoyed me more – Jason or Pam. Pam certainly pissed me off with her annoying petulant behaviour throughout the episode that I was delighted to have Eric, Nora and more interestingly, Tara actually put her in her place a few times throughout the place. Pam and Tara might have had sex in this episode but it’s certainly not the start of something beautiful just yet. It also didn’t help that Tara suffered once again for standing up for someone she loves when Fangtasia was raided by Burrell’s men as well.

As for Jason – we get it, vampires killed your parents. I sympathise with the bloke as much as the next person but he behaved like a jackass towards Sookie and he stupidly divulged information to Warlow as well. Seeing Jason behaving in the same thick manner that made him a chore to watch during the first season isn’t great television. Hopefully he wises up as the season progresses though.

Last but not least – I think this was kind of a good episode for fans of Sookie and Eric. I’m not a shipper of them but they had some lovely moments. Eric was right to give Sookie back her home and she was right for the time being to rescind his invitation. I don’t think she was harsh to do that, even if Eric has been gradually earning her trust and given that Alcide’s off the market and Bilith is Bilith, maybe some Sookie/Eric might happen this year.

Also in “Who Are You, Really?”

Added to the opening credits are Robert Patrick (Jackson), Kelly Overton (Rikki), Arliss Howard (Burrell) and Rutgar Hauer (Warlow).

Eric (to the gang): “I think it’s time to ditch this party.”

Luna’s death was sad for Sam and Emma but I saw it coming a mile off though. I did like Lafayette comforting both Sam and Emma though – he’s a trooper, isn’t he?

Pam (re Nora): “Who the fuck is Mary Poppins and can I please kill her?”
Eric: “She’s my sister.”

Jason (to Nora/Eric): “I am sick as fuck of you bloodsuckers brain raping me against my will.”

We learned in this episode that Warlow is Lilith’s progeny, so I’m expecting scenes with him and Bill fairly soon now. Is Warlow – half-fairy/half-vampire by the way?

Martha (re Alcide): “God help him.”
Rikki: “Seems like he’s got all the help he needs.”

Andy: “Look at me, Arlene. Do I look like someone’s parent to you?”

Arlene and Terry’s parental advice to Andy was amusing but the fact that his kids are already ageing fast didn’t exactly shock me as a viewer.

Warlow: “Long time ago I had family here.”
Jason: “What are their names? Maybe I know them.”

Burrell: “I am not the Big Bad everyone needs to fear.”

Alcide’s plot of the week was the dullest of the bunch and that threesome with him, Rikki and Danielle was pretty naff too. I do hope he gets better storylines this year.

Eric: “Stay away from Bill.”
Sookie: “I will.”

Standout music: Mikky Ekko’s “Who Are You Really?”

Jason: “How do you know my sister’s name?”
Warlow: “Who the hell do you think I am, Jason?”

Chronology: From where “Save Yourself” left off.

“Who Are You, Really?” was fun, maybe one of the most fun openers we’ve had and certainly an improvement on most of last season. There’s a lot of great plots here that have been set up and I do hope that the show (producer swapping aside) can deliver nicely on them.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Doctor Who - Who Could Be The 12th Doctor?

It's been nearly a fortnight since Matt Smith announced that he will be stepping down as the 11th Doctor during this year's Christmas special of Doctor Who and already the internet/papers have been flooded with rumours and requests from fans as to who should play the Twelfth Doctor, so here's a rundown of some of the more interesting/favoured of choices ...

1: Ben Daniels

One of the first rumoured choices - apparently as early as a few months ago (I saw his name mentioned on GallifreyBase back in March) and to me, my favourite choice for Twelve (which totally means it's not him). It's interesting because there's been contradicting rumours that he had been cast but dropped out and ones that say he hasn't been cast at all but unlike other actors rumoured, Ben hasn't commented a peep about it. Even when his former Law & Order: UK co-star Freema Agyeman said 'he'd smash it' upon being asked by someone on Twitter if he'd make a good Doctor, he didn't reply at all. It might not mean anything but it is rather interesting though. Personally I think he's perfect for Twelve - great actor, not conventionally Doctorish/eccentric (which isn't actually a bad thing), tonally different to Tennant and Smith and older as well - he'll be 50 by the time Series 8 would air in 2014. Moffat and the BBC would almost be mad not to cast him to be honest.

2: Damien Molony

Another name that's being mentioned but more through fan forums and Twitter than actual press (though Digital Spy did an article recently marking him as a favourite), I have to admit that Molony is making me want to break my desire for an older Doctor rule for Twelve. In his two series of Being Human, playing OCD vampire, Hal Yorke, he's displayed a versality that any potential actor would need for a role like the Doctor and when he was asked about the role February on the Blog for Being Human, he did mention "being honoured" as well. Again, it might not mean anything but Molony is an appealing choice for Twelve and already has something of a steady fanbase too and he does seem to be quite the rising star as well too. Personally if the BBC are keen on keeping a younger Doctor, he's a brilliant choice and he would be 30 by the time Series 8 would air in 2014.

3: Dominic Cooper

Last week, Starburst on their website mentioned three names that were in the running for the Twelfth Doctor - Daniel Kaluuya, Domnhall Gleeson and Dominic Cooper. The latter certainly seems to have generated a fair amount of interest and recently while the actor did deny his involvement (as has Gleeson too), he did seem pretty open to the idea of playing the Doctor. While I can't necessarily see Cooper putting his movie career on hold to play the Doctor - even for a series (and I really can't see the BBC wanting a one series only Doctor either), he's probably the better choice out of the three suggestions Starburst have made to be honest if he did decide the role was worth taking on after all.

4: Idris Elba

Come on - who wouldn't want Luther himself for Twelve? Elba himself hasn't commented on the prospects of playing Twelve and the papers have only mentioned him in passing on a list of candidates but to me, he's another interesting choice for the Doctor. He's certainly got the chops for it and I definitely think he'd offer something different to the role, which is needed as well. It probably won't be him though but with Luther coming to a conclusion with it's upcoming third series, he might have the spare time for a newer/longer television role. Assuming he would want it of course.

5: Stephen Mangan

Okay, he's already denied being Twelve and has teased fans about Steven Moffat calling him seventeen times but if we have to have a more comedic actor in the role, well he's a better choice than Chris Addison and this is coming from someone who found Mangan rather meh on Dirk Gently and loathed Episodes. I think he has a certain potential which could make him an interesting Doctor. Plus again, he's an older choice and I am thinking an older Doctor is needed again, much as I've enjoyed Matt Smith's portrayal over the last three series.

Now this is a more simplistic rundown of some of the many names that are seriously (and largely not seriously) being thrown out there by both the media and fandom alone. With filming due on the Christmas special for August/September and events such as Comic-Con and The Proms taking place in July, hopefully the casting will be announced within the next month and the speculation/debates (especially the female Doctor one) can be rested for another while.

So, what do you think of those choices? Any of them worthy of being Twelve or has the right actor not been mentioned at all yet? The role has apparently been cast though, according to some spoiler sources on GallifreyBase. And no, it's definitely not Rory Kinnear folks, though I'm sure he would've been cool. Whoever does get to play the Twelfth Doctor is going to have some adventures ahead for them in every aspect possible.

Dates - Episodes 1-3 Reviews

It's Mating Season on Channel 4 and given that we haven't been able to move without trailers to remind us of that fact, at least something good has come out of it with this nine part series.

Dates is the latest show from Skins creator Bryan Elsley with each half hour episode focusing on a particular potential couple. The first three aired between June 10th and 12th and here's an overall review of them.

Episode 1: David & Mia

An interesting opening installment with widowed lorry driver David (Will Mellor) meeting up with a woman named Celeste (Oona Chaplin) in a posh restaurant. Except her name is actually Mia and she's already decided that David isn't worth the effort until his ribbing of her to a waitress motivates her to actually stick with the date. It's a terse date, mainly due to Mia's acidic behaviour towards the more earnest David (who does manage to get some revenge in sussing out her reasons for her bitchy behaviour) but as the episode progressed, we did see a slightly softer side to Mia before she decided to stick to her original convictions about David not being her type. Also, fans of EastEnders will recognise the waitress - Madeline Duggan aka, the first Lauren Branning. Overall, a great opening episode for the series, 8/10.

Episode 2: Jenny & Nick

If Mia was something of a nightmare date, then it's amazing how Nick manages to surpass her in the annoying stakes here. Nick (Neil Maskell) is an annoying, belligerent City Trader who spends most of his date with primary school teacher, Jenny (Sheridan Smith) making snide remarks, lamenting about his hangs up with the opposite sex, generally coming across as a sleazy wretch and then adding insult to injury - he actually shags someone in the bathroom on the pretext of taking a phone call. On the plus side, at least Jenny managed to get the last laugh when she took his wallet and showed him up for the annoying tit that he was. It's a brilliantly awkward date with both Smith and Maskell on fine form too, 8/10.

Episode 3: Mia & Stephen

The third date but second episode for Mia. If the first one was geared more from David's point of view, then this episode is definitely from hers. In this episode, Mia ends up going on a date with surgeon Stephen (Ben Chaplin and no, he's not related to Oona as the Ch4 announcer was keen to point out), a bloke whom she's previously slept with when she was an escort/Celeste and one that Mia wastes no time in reminding of their previous liaison (as well as his appendages). It's a fun, tense episode, almost an intellectual battle between the pair which takes an interesting turn when Mia ends up going to the hospital with Stephen and a patient's death stirs a tender moment from both characters. Easily the best installment from the first three and it's a bit appropriate that Mia is given a Dr Watson alias, considering that she did briefly play a girlfriend of his in A Scandal In Belgravia last year, 9/10.

An impressive slew of installments, nicely linked with some great performances from both Chaplins, Mellor, Smith and Maskell and the theme tune is actually quite luscious and addictive as well. I'm definitely excited to see what the remaining episodes will offer us.

Theme Tune - Hannah Peel - Chloe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcVodHiCp_c

Next week, I'll be doing another review for the fourth and fifth episodes and subsequent reviews for the remaining episodes will also follow in this format.

Two Weddings And A Liberation

It's been an interesting few weeks for some of the programmes I've watched. I'd like to also point out that shows such as In The Flesh (courtesy of BBCAmerica airing it recently), Dates (courtesy of Channel 4), and The Fall (courtesy of RTE1/BBC2/Netflix) are not being covered here but will be in later blogs during the week. Promise. Anyways, onto the shows I've taken note of here ...

Banshee: This show is ... it's there, isn't it? Seven episodes in and it's good viewing but it's not really compelling stuff. The main interest still seems to be Proctor because the Ukranian mob that are after Lucas and Carrie (who decided to leave her ex tied to a bed in the last episode) are boring as fuck, character wise. Lucas and Carrie are another point of contention as well to be honest. I think I'm getting a little less interested in their backstory but maybe the final three episodes will change my mind on things.

Defiance: Like Banshee, this is becoming another show that just feels there to be honest. It's still probably one of SyFy's better shows but eight episodes in, it's still not really gripping me. It doesn't help that aside from Irisa and the Tars at times, most of the characters don't feel fleshed out enough. It also doesn't help that Nolan is one of the dullest every man characters we've had on TV for a while and while the affair between Stahma and Kenya has shown some interesting enough facets to the characters, it's still the type of tryst that makes me wish this show had an actual gay character as well. On the plus side, at least Irisa is still interesting to watch though.

Game Of Thrones: Did anything remotely discussion worthy happen in the final three episodes of this show? Oh yeah, that's right - every flipping thing was discussion worthy. Season 3 has hands down been the show at it's very best and with the likes of Tyrion/Sansa engaged, the horror of the Red Wedding, Daenerys becoming a liberator and Jon/Ygritte's relationship taking a sour turn of sorts, Melisandre's continued devotion to Stannis's claim for the Iron Throne and Jaime finally returning to King's Landing, it's been a busy bunch of episodes. The finale did feel more like a set up for the upcoming fourth season but it's been such a triumphant season, it's hard to complain. There's a reason why this show has been the best thing on television this year.

The Americans: It's been about five years since ITV last aired a US show in a prime time slot on Saturday and that was the excellent but short lived Pushing Daisies. Thankfully, this show doesn't seem destined to be short lived just yet. Having watched the first two episodes, I can honestly say I love this show. It's got a great premise, a wonderful onscreen partnership with Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell as KGB agents Philip and Elizabeth and it certainly makes you think. I can see why this has gone down a storm and it's nice to see that ITV are going to air another US show, they've picked a worthy candidate like this one. If you're not watching this show, give it a go. You won't be disappointed.

The Returned: It's been hyped to the rafters and the trailers have been aired relentlessly but was the French supernatural thriller worth it? Judging by the first episode alone - absolutely, yes! There are very few original things that can still be done with this particular genre and while I dread that a generic US version is in the works (or will be within a year), the show definitely offered something new as the focus mainly pivoted from creepy child Victor hanging around the local nurse and school girl Camille and her family's reactions to seeing the girl barely aged since her death. It's a wonderful show with some brilliant performances, genuine chills and a nice sense of mystery and confusion. This deserves to be a huge hit for Channel 4.

- Christopher Eccleston has signed up for apocalyptic drama The Leftovers, in which he'll play a reverend. The series will be airing on HBO. Justin Theroux will also feature in the series, playing the lead character
- Speaking of HBO, they'll also be doing a first contact series named The Spark as well.
- Lauren Graham will be adapting her debut novel Someday, Someday, Maybe into a TV series.
- Amanda Noret and Sam Huntington will be returning for the Veronica Mars movie.
- Christian has joined TNT crime series, King & Maxwell.
- Vinnie Jones will be a brutal criminal in the eighth season of Psych.
- Stephen King's Under The Dome will air on Channel 5.
- Marc Gugghenheim has said that Oliver will go from vigilante to hero in the second season of Arrow.
- Bridget Regan has been cast as Neal's love interest for Season 5 of White Collar.
- Michelle Fairley will be guest starring in the third season of Suits.

My Review of DaVinci's Demons 1x08: "The Lovers"

Written by Brian Nelson And Corey Reed And David S. Goyer
Directed by Michael J. Bassett

Riario: “God’s vengeance is upon you.”

Well, I’d say a religious fanatic with a big gun is upon Lorenzo and DaVinci but that might be considered nitpicking, even if it is the bloody truth though. As a cliff hanger scene goes, it’s pretty good but this episode really does feel like the sum of it’s parts to be honest.

The attempts of assassinating the Medici clan was always going to be a mixed bag because not only would they have the likes of DaVinci, Lucrezia and even Dragonetti (who suddenly changed his mind about betraying them) on their side but of course, Francesco’s impatience would also go against Riario’s grand scheming as well.

Francesco could barely contain his bile towards the Medicis during Easter mass and when Giuliano managed to make into the church after surviving both Lucrezia’s stab wound and Dragonetti’s fickle mind (seriously, there’s no motivation whatsoever as to why that guy switches teams halfway through the episode), all hell managed to break loose in big style but it felt kind of off to be honest.

Maybe it was after seeing the shock of a certain Red Wedding on another show this week, but the near extermination of the Medici clan just didn’t feel as shocking as it could’ve been. It was certainly violent alright with Giuliano being stabbed to death and Vanessa telling him that she was carrying his boy but the rest of it was a bit on the meh side of things. Giuliano however as a character will be missed though. He certainly did surprise and charm over the course of the first season and the fallout with Vanessa’s pregnancy next season should be interesting to explore too.

However as for the rest of the Medicis – Clarice and her daughter came close to death, only for Lucrezia to do something good for a change and kill their would be assassin. I can see that the writers are going to try and redeem Lucrezia next season and while saving Clarice and the children (as well as her kindness to the blind man in the church) is a good start, it’s going to take more than that to convince me she should stick around.

Having Lucrezia revealed as a traitor to everyone other than Lorenzo is certainly going to make things difficult for her next season as well as the fact that she was revealed to be Riario’s cousin too. I can’t help thinking maybe the finale should’ve killed her off too because all of her actions this season have amounted to nothing.

The father that she was desperate to free declined DaVinci’s offer of escape and this was something he had no problem telling Lucrezia when he finally confronted her on her betrayal and the same father in question also turned out to be Pope Sixtus IV’s brother as well, which I guess wasn’t that shocking in the end.

Then there’s Lorenzo too. He came pretty close to death in this episode and probably would’ve died had DaVinci not listened to Lucrezia and saved his life at the last minute. Of course this would also turn out to be the same time that Lorenzo would find out about his artist and mistress shagging around and decided to threaten their lives while Riario was trying to end his own. Lorenzo really should learn to prioritise at times, shouldn’t he?

Keeping with DaVinci, this episode made a few more advancements on the Book Of Leaves by having Cossimo’s Mariner’s Astrolabe come in handy for an overseas journey with Nico and Zoroaster. It might have been better for DaVinci had he listened properly to Al-Rahim and his friends just this once as well and just left Florence when he had the chance. If he survives Lorenzo’s wrath next season, he’ll probably end up being banished from court anyways.

Also in “The Lovers”

Another title for this episode probably should’ve been The Chariot if Zoroaster’s Tarot cards were anything to go by this week.

Al-Rahim: “I’m afraid I cannot give you any reassurances. If the future indicated by these signs comes to pass, only one of us will live to see it.”
Cossimo: “So, which lucky one gets to survive?”

According to Solomon, it’s the unlucky one who outlives the Sons Of Mithras, which means that a grisly is probably awaiting Al-Rahim as we speak.

DaVinci: “This particular man is tired of being manipulated.”
Al-Rahim: “If you are lost in a forest, you see a landmark. Is that landmark manipulating you along a certain path? I am merely your guide.”

DaVinci: “The question answered.”
Verrocchio: “Which leads to another question.”

A falcon lead to DaVinci finding Al-Rahim yet again and it was the use of axis that got him Cossimo’s Mariner’s Astrolabe as well.

Dragonetti: “That’s not what spurs me.”
Giuliano: “Then what does?”
Dragonetti: “A desire for a Florence that fears God, not it’s monsters.”

DaVinci (to Lucrezia): “I couldn’t care less what they do. Let the politicians kill each other. It’s their forte.”

Not only is Lucrezia’s father played by the same actor playing Sixtus but I could swear the music in the opening/closing credits was done a little differently in this episode.

DaVinci: “I think I’d rather go down fighting.”
Francesco: “As you wish.”

Chronology: As we were told several times throughout this episode, it’s Easter in Florence.

“The Lovers” was a solid enough finale for the show but I can’t help thinking that it could’ve been better though. Perhaps that’s the overall feeling of the show in general – a lot of interesting things but often it could be better. Perhaps next season it will. It’ll certainly be interesting finding out.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Dexter - Season 8: How Should It End?

If you can guess from my blog, I don't tend to watch a lot of procedural dramas and usually the exceptions to the rule are that for good reasons - and let's face it, Dexter is most definitely an exception to the rule.

It's amazing that Showtime have managed to get eight seasons out of Jeff Lindsay's book series of a serial killer Dexter Morgan who mainly kills bad guys but with an excellent lead actor in Michael C. Hall, a wonderful supporting cast (namely Jennifer Carpenter as the utterly magnificent Debra Morgan) and a brilliant writing staff, the time has come to say goodbye to this wonderful show and Season Eight is that season. Now the question remains - how should it end?

Away With Murder: Why not? After all - this is a television show and not real life and Dexter's victims have primarily been actual threats to society and bigger monsters than himself. Do we really want the Brian Moser/Lila Tournay/Arthur Mitchell/Travis Marshall to name a few out on the street terrorising and slaughtering innocent victims? In his own twisted, Dexter has done good in that respect even if his motives were anything but altruistic.

He Has To Pay: Then again, Dexter's actions might have resulted in some of the most dangerous people being taken off the street but they haven't come without prices as well. People like Doakes, Maria and Rita have all died as a consequence of the double life that Dexter has led and he has killed at least one or two undeserving victims as well. Worse still, without meaning to, he's actually compromised Deb, who ended up shooting Maria in order to protect his secret and then there's Harrison to consider as well. Perhaps Dexter should pay for his many, many crimes over the years with the options being incarceration or his own demise.

Either of these scenarios will end up the ultimate result as the eighth and final season begins to air next month and it's nice to see that Showtime are ramping up the promotions for it. The concept trailers focusing on Masterpieces, Masks and Killer Or Innocent Victim are a nicely way of highlighting the dark journeys both Dexter and Deb have gone on over the series and the use of Tom Odell's Can't Pretend (funny, the final season of Being Human used the same song) has certainly ramped up my own enthusiasm for the last season. I'm gonna miss this show but it certainly seems like it's going out with a bloody bang.

Season 8: Killer Or Innocent Victim Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osmOCyy3Aak
Season 8: Masterpiece Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGRBmZ4gG0Q
Season 8: Behind A Mask Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXw0LWcp22Y

Dexter's eighth and final season will air Sundays at 9pm on both Showtime and FOX from June 30th and July 7th respectively.

Skins - Series 7 First Trailer

Well, it's due to air next month, so it's about time E4 got a move on and with this first trailer for Skins seventh and final series, it's a good way to go about things.

The minute long concept trailer, promoting the stories - Pure, Fire and Rise go back to this show's love of concept trailers as they tease the new fates of Cook, Effy and Cassie. Cook, it seems still in trouble with the law while Effy is in a high powered position and Cassie herself seems to be wandering about aimlessly again.

It's a nice trailer, though the lack of Emily and Naomi (supporting characters in Effy's story) is a little disappointing but overall, I can't wait to see what these final three stories bring for out returning characters.

Series 7 Trailer/Press Release/Photos: http://www.digitalspy.ie/tv/s89/skins/news/a486620/skins-stars-grow-up-in-new-series-trailer-watch.html

Skins - Series 7 will air on E4 in July.

My Review of DaVinci's Demons 1x07: "The Hierophant"

Written by Sarah Goldfinger And Corey Reed
Directed by Michael J. Bassett

Riario: “I see you escaped.”
DaVinci: “And I see a key you’ll be giving to me.”
Riario: “You best kill me first. I will follow you to the ends of the Earth to retrieve what is mine.”

Well, well, Riario. Even when he’s bound and gagged to a tree and outsmarted by both Nico and Zoroaster, he still manages to get the last word in and I don’t doubt he’ll deliver on his promise to kill one of DaVinci’s loved ones in the next episode. I suppose the question does remain as to who it will be though.

It could be both Nico and Zoroaster who managed to make a fool of him this week or maybe even Lorenzo, given another plot outlined in this episode. Lucrezia is also a viable candidate for a finale death, in fact possibly the most given her antics here but either way, I’ll be surprised if Riario doesn’t deliver on his promise to kill someone next week.

It was certainly an interesting episode for Riario, wasn’t it? The joy he seemed to take in baiting Nico was one thing but losing the second key he had been keeping from DaVinci was an oversight for him though. Still, I guess he can still use DaVinci to find the Book Of Leaves for him though, so maybe it wasn’t all bad for him this week.

Speaking of DaVinci – the scuba suit looked more like a strange fetish outfit but it did manage to do the job into sneaking into Pope Sixtus IV and the confrontation between the artist and the fanatical zealot was a highlight of this episode. For the first time, Sixtus actually came across as an interesting character rather than a one dimensional baddie for a change.

I knew his attempts of trying to entice DaVinci into becoming an explorer of the Secret Archive were more of a distraction than anything else but it did seem like for a moment, Sixtus believed he could genuinely get DaVinci on board. He even played the mother card and DaVinci still managed to stick to his guns and escape the place with some help from some ancient weaponry.

As for Lucrezia – this was her episode in a lot of ways too. While it’s been blatantly obvious from the first episode that the only reason she was a Medici spy was because Riario was holding her father captive, at least this episode confirmed it by revealing the prisoner to DaVinci who in turn realised what Lucrezia was really up to all along.

Unfortunately learning this information hasn’t done anything to make me sympathetic towards Lucrezia’s plight in the slightest. Her father might be a prisoner but seemingly one that doesn’t want to be set free and factoring both Lucrezia’s husband and aunt only reminded me of the damage her actions have caused over the last few weeks.

More to the point – Lucrezia stabbed Giuliano. While there might be a chance he’ll actually survive being stabbed by her, any sympathy I might have had for Lucrezia pretty much died in that moment. I was even feeling sorry for her when Riario’s men were inches away from killing her but not when Giuliano took his anger out on Lucrezia and she stabbed him for realising she was the traitor. I’m not sure how the show is going to be able to justify keeping Lucrezia for next season because right about now, it really does feel like she should pay the consequences for her actions over the last few weeks.

Last but not least – was anyone surprised by the assassination plotting on the Medici family? It makes sense for Francesco to come up with such a scheme whilst pretending to humour an arranged marriage with Giuliano and his sister and the fact that Dragonetti is also in cahoots with him wasn’t that great a shock either to be honest. Hopefully this does mean they’re both dispatched by the end of the finale though.

Also in “The Hierophant”

Hierophant means a person who brings religious congregants in the presence of what is deemed holy and it did seem to tie in nicely with the assassination plot of this episode.

Giuliano: “I always knew I’d pay for being me.”

Giuliano at least did manage to have sex with Vanessa in this episode. Vanessa didn’t seem adverse to the idea of becoming his mistress either.

Lucrezia (to DaVinci): “It is easier to resist in the beginning than it is in the end but then again, perhaps you’re not capable of love.”

Giuliano: “You’re a saint.”
Vanessa: “I think we disproved that last night.”

Clarice’s brother was one of the conspirators in Francesco’s meeting. He seemed a little too casual about potentially murdering her along with Giuliano and Lorenzo.

Pope Sixtus IV: “You make quite an entrance.”
DaVinci: “I had to ensure a private audience.”

Francesco: “That is how the Medicis will die – quickly. Stand with us or not at all.”

In the Secret Archives we saw a sword in a stone, a spear of destiny (which DaVinci used to kill someone) and even a manuscript that changed texts.

Pope Sixtus IV (to DaVinci): “The world needs secrets. Powerful ideas can wreak havoc if unleashed before their time.”

Zoroaster: “I wish I could see his face when he figures it out.”
Riario: “Wishes come true.”

Chronology: Not much time since “The Devil” and Lucrezia was revealed to be a Gemini in this episode, which seemed appropriate in a few ways too.

As a lead in for the finale, “The Hierophant” was definitely an interesting episode to go with. Not sure what will end up happening next week but it does look delightfully chaotic for DaVinci and company, doesn’t it?

Rating: 8 out of 10

Doctor Who - Matt Smith's Departure Confirmed/12th Doctor Rumours

Well, I think this was sadly expected, wasn't it?

While it’s been heavily speculated for a while that 11th Doctor actor Matt Smith would leave the series during the anniversary period, it’s now been confirmed that he will in fact be regenerating during the Christmas 2013 special.

The episode, due to be filmed in September will be the final episode to feature Smith’s Doctor and while both series writer Steven Moffat and Jenna-Louise Coleman have been confirmed for the eighth series (rumoured to be consisting of 12 episodes to air in Autumn 2014, according to a leaked source), a new Doctor will be joining them for the next series.

So far rumours seem to be indicating that former Cutting It actor, Ben Daniels is in line to take on the role of the 12th Doctor. The actor has previously worked with former companion actress Freema Agyeman on Law And Order: UK and if cast, will be 50 when his first series will air next year as well as the show's first opnely gay actor to take on the role of the Time Lord.

However, these are just rumours in relation to Daniels casting but Matt’s exit has definitely been confirmed and while it’s been an interesting three series with his vibrant Doctor, I’m pretty sure the next guy in the TARDIS will be equally as wonderful to watch.

Matt Smith’s Departure: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/doctor-who/10093520/Matt-Smith-to-quit-Doctor-Who-after-Christmas-special.html

N.B: Good chance this blog will edited later on in the night if more news surfaces.

Soap Discussion - May 2013

Last blog of the month and it's a soap one, so here goes nothing ...

Coronation Street: Easily the show's strongest month and probably the most discussed soap this week, due to Stella getting the Rovers back and reopened, Karl continuing to get away with murder and of course, Tina finally giving birth to Izzy and Gary's baby with all hell breaking loose over a kiss as well. It's nice to see the show on good form and it's nice that this storyline has been better handled than expected (though we did not need Gary trying it on with Tina for tension with him and Izzy) and it's better viewing than Tracy and Rob's boring attempts to fleece money from Carla as well. Though I will admit as boring Rob/Tracy are as a couple, it's nice to see that Carla isn't the pushover they think she is and I could certainly do with some more drunk Sally, especially when she puts Norris in his place.

EastEnders: Not a brilliant month but probably not as bad as the bashing it's getting in the papers recently though. I guess the stories have been flat though - Lauren's continued downward spiral, Phil finally finding out about Sharon's pill addiction (marginally better done on Hollyoaks and Emmerdale) and dealing with it in his usual style along with a rather dull exit for Ray and the tedium of Kirsty pretending she's pregnant by Max as well as Sam/Ava/Dexter. Okay, thinking on it, it has been rather bad this month after all. Oh well, Janine vs. Michael was sort of fun and at least Lola finally got her baby back as well but at the moment, it does seem like the show is treading water.

Emmerdale: Another soap, another prescription pills addiction with an annoying character in the shape of Rhiona but on the plus side, at least her addiction is making Vanessa a more sympathetic character but that's only a slight thing. Other than that, there's still Debbie's tiresome behaviour to contend with (and will this show just get rid of Robbie already?) as well as Kerry endangering Andy's kids and being a thorn and his and Amy's side as well. Still, it's definitely been an interesting enough month, though how much longer can they stretch out Cameron being a murderer as well?

Hollyoaks: It's been nearly a week since all of the Roscoe lot have rocked up as the new family and I'm not sure if it's early to determine whether or not they'll be a success though. Robbie's been on the show for a month and already it feels like he's been exhausted of storylines with the latest one being his part in the Price Slice robbery but I suppose as a unit, there's potential there with them. It's certainly been a busy month with Will murdering Texas on their wedding day and framing Leanne, Theresa nearly shooting Dodger, Sinead giving birth, Tony concealing his cancer from Diane, Nancy's addiction to prescription pills, Mercedes and Browning scheming again. Basically, it's been pretty eventful. No wonder it's done so well at the last soap awards then.

Reviving Shows

So, it's been rumoured that cult show, Xena: Warrior Princess could possibly be revived and given the likes of Netflix and Kickstarter reviving the likes of Arrested Development and Veronica Mars (as well as those rumours about Heroes), surely it should become a possibility?

It's hard to deny that as a series, without Xena: Warrior Princess, shows such as Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Alias to name a few might have made the same impact that they had done. The show, a spin-off from Hercules and starring Lucy Lawless as the fearless warrior ran for six seasons from 1995-2001 and became a cult classic with Lawless's career instead seeing the actress cropping up in shows such as The X Files, Battlestar Galactica and Spartacus to name a few. Back in 2010, the actress expressed a desire to reprise her most famous of roles in a movie and while there is still a certain degree of red tape, there's a part of me that wouldn't mind seeing one more adventure with Xena. I can't imagine I'm in a minority there.

Besides if a show like Veronica Mars - equally as brilliant but shorter lived and not anywhere as huge as Xena: Warrior Princess can get a movie from a Kickstarter campaign, it does make things all the more possible. I like the fact that Kristin Bell's infamous character will be coming back pretty soon for one more adventure and hopefully in one that was better than the character's last appearance. Of course, Veronica Mars only ended six years ago whereas Xena: Warrior Princess has been off the air for over a decade now and while reviving a favourite series might sound good on paper, there's also having the right story to justify bringing it back as well.

Take the newly released fourth season of Arrested Development on Netflix for example. While I have yet to reintroduce myself to the chaotic Bluths, the last few days on Twitter has informed me that their fourth run of 15 episodes (with some guests like Ben Stiller) have been a bit of a mixed bag. Some viewers have felt the new format hasn't helped the series while others have felt the show has been as good as when it originally aired on FOX. When I get the time, I will definitely make the effort to find out for myself. On the plus side, all of the original cast have reprised their roles in the cult comedy and that certainly puts the upcoming series in my good books. I guess the other thing you need in order to revive a series is the original cast. Both Arrested Development and Veronica Mars have/are in the process of doing that, so along with Xena herself, we'd also need Renee O'Connor back as Gabrielle if we're going to get one more adventure with the warrior princess, aren't we?

Of course, I should also point out that just because systems such as Netflix and Kickstarter might give some of us the option to have certain shows brought back temporarily, it doesn't mean that every single show no longer with us justifies a brief resurrection. Some shows just might be better off left where they were.

Xena News: http://www.digitalspy.ie/ustv/news/a484375/xena-warrior-princess-could-be-revived-says-lucy-lawless.html

Every season of Xena: Warrior Princess, Arrested Development and Veronica Mars are avilable on DVD. Except for the one that's airing on Netflix, concerning the middle show there.

Atlantis - Further Casting

It's been a while since I've posted anything in relation to upcoming BBC1 Saturday evening drama, Atlantis but more casting for the show (currently being filmed in Morocco and Wales) has been revealed.

Alexander Siddig, best known for his roles in Star Trek: Deep Space Nice, Primeval and recently, DaVinci's Demons has been cast in the role of King Minos, leader of the Minoans, Europe’s first great civilization. Based on the island of Crete, the Minoans were at the height of their power when the empire was wiped off the planet approximately 5,000 years ago and if there's something apt for this role, it probably is Siddig who has also previously guest starred in Merlin back in 2008.

It's also been confirmed that Aiysha Hart will be playing the role of Princess Ariadne. Other casting for the 13 part series includes singer Hannah Arteton as Greek poet Korinna, Karl Johnson as Itheus as well as Faye Brooks in an undisclosed role. Either way, this show is shaping up rather nicely, isn't it?

Press Release: http://sidcity.net/2013/05/23/atlantis-alexander-siddig-to-co-star-in-new-series-from-merlin-creators/

Atlantis will air Saturdays on BBC1 in the Autumn.

Channel 4 Buys The Returned

Airing European dramas has never been more prominent at the moment, especially given in the last few years between them, the likes of BBC4 and FOX have aired the likes of The Killing, Borgen, The Bridge, Braquo, Spiral and Jo to name a few and it seems now that Channel 4 are getting in on the act as well.

Originally called Les Revenants (or Rebound), Channel 4 have renamed the series The Returned and it's a show that focuses a group of people trying to return to their homes in an Alpine village. The snag is for them is that they are unaware they're actually dead.

The show has already been a massive success in France and it's the first time in 20 years that Channel 4 have bought and aired a subtitled drama. However while Channel 4 plan to air this series next month, there are already rumours that an English version is imminent with AbbotVision seemingly being involved should one come to pass.

Having looked at the trailer, this looks like quite the bumpy ride and definitely quite dark and creepy in places. I think this is definitely going to be an eight part show I'll be watching over the next few weeks, especially given that the producers themselves have apparently given the usual supernatural rules something of a rewrite for this show.

Press Release: http://www.spoilertv.com/2013/03/les-revenants-rebound-picked-up-by.html
Season 1 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqXP_Xw5RD4&feature=player_embedded

The Returned will air on Channel 4 Sundays at 9pm from June 9th.

First Look: Dracula

You're never far away from another interpretation of Dracula and it seems that NBC and SkyLiving themselves are getting in on the act with former star of The Tudors, Jonathan Rhys Meyers playing the titular role in their co-production. Carnivale creator Daniel Knauf will be running the series along with creator Cole Haddon.

In this ten part series, Meyers is playing the role of Alexander Grayson, who poses as an American entrepeneur who wants to bring modern science into Victorian London and it doesn't take him much time to make an impression on a variety of characters upon his arrival.

One of the significant people Alexander makes an impression on is Mina murray, played by Arrow actress Jessica De Gouw - the love interest of Jonathan Harker (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), a journalist desperate to make it in high society and in the trailer for the series, it seems that Alexander and Mina have something of a past and he's reluctant into making her into a vampire.

Other principal cast members include former Merlin actress Katie McGrath (she's popping up everywhere nowadays) as Lucy Westenra, Nonso Anozie as RM Renfield, the only confidant that Alexander seems to have and the more antagonist Lady Jane (played by Victoria Smurfit) and Thomas Kretschmann as Abraham Van Helsing. While we probably don't need yet another adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic novel, this does look genuinely stunning and it seems that the series is going for a more sympathetic take with Dracula too. Jonathan Rhys Meyers seems perfect for the role and the rest of the cast look good too. I'll definitely be watching this series when it airs on SkyLiving.

Press Release: http://www.spoilertv.com/2012/07/dracula-nbc-and-sky-living-hd-announce.html
Season 1 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Z1jVcmDH43Y

Dracula will premiere on Fridays in the autumn on NBC and will air on SkyLiving soon.

First Look: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (Some Spoilers)

Let's be honest here - is anyone surprised this is happening? It might have taken them a while but last week, ABC did finally confirm that they were picking Joss Whedon's Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D (also co-created by Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen) up for a series and upon watching the trailer, it's easy to see why.

As we've seen from the trailer, it's true - Agent Phil Coulson does live with Clark Gregg reprising the role for the series.  Though the character was seen dead in The Avengers, he's alive in the series and the circumstances surrounding it will be a mystery for the first season. The remaining character making up the cast include Ming-Na Wen playing Agent Melinda May. She's an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who is an ace pilot and weapons expert, Brett Dalton as the gruff Agent Grant Ward, Chloe Bennett as Skye - a new recruit and computer hacker along with Iain De Caestecker as weapons technology specialist Agent Leo Fitz and former Angel actor J. August Richards in an unspecified but seemingly heroic role. This is going to be huge.

Season 1 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw054HALX2Y
Season 1 Cast Pictures: http://www.spoilertv.com/2013/05/agents-of-shield-cast-promotional-photos.html

Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D will air Tuesdays 8pm on ABC.

My Review of DaVinci's Demons 1x06: "The Devil"

Written by Brian Nelson And Marco Ramirez
Directed by Paul Wilmshurst

Vlad The Third: “May I share a confession with you?”
DaVinci: “Yes, if it pleases my Lord.”
Vlad The Third: “I know that I’m mad.”

Geez, I wonder what gave it away really – having one prisoner savaged by dogs or the other one trapped in a torture device that would kill him upon release from it? This episode was certainly best approached by not taking it too seriously at all.

In a lot of ways, I was delighted that DaVinci decided to spend an episode out of Florence and if it meant going on a mission for Al-Rahim to learn more about his destiny with Nico and Zoroaster and rescue a Turkish ambassador named Solomon, then this episode was better for it. It certainly was a diverting episode nonetheless.

I didn’t think when this show would air that one of the storylines we’d get was an encounter with Vlad the Impaler. I’m also hoping that despite that nasty fall and stab wound he got that this episode won’t be the last time we see the sadistic warlord, especially given that he was able to survive being set alight and poisoned as well.

The scenes with Vlad and DaVinci were some of the most amusing scene I think we’ve had in the six episodes that have aired so far. I have to admit that DaVinci’s flattery in order Vlad on side was utterly amusing and up until a certain moment, Vlad gave the impression that he thought he had met a fellow kindred spirit in DaVinci but he’s not a man who takes betrayal very easily.

DaVinci, Nico and Zoroaster just about managed to escape from Vlad’s castle with Solomon alive and even then their great mission didn’t yield too much when Solomon died shortly afterwards as well. What exactly did DaVinci already learn here that he hadn’t already known as well?

Solomon alluded to his mother being alive but didn’t previous episodes seem to indicate that DaVinci suspected as much anyways? Al-Rahim similarly wasn’t that helpful even if he did provide an explanation for a younger DaVinci seeing his older self that Steven Moffat’s been using for the last three series of Doctor Who to get himself out of writing situations.

Still, the episode wins points for Vlad himself. The actor playing him was delightfully OTT and silly at some point and even a little terrifying here and there too. The macabre humour he displayed for his own tastes worked pretty well and did I mention just how brilliant his scenes with DaVinci were?

He was far more entertaining to watch than Pope Sixtus IV at the very least. I think I can speak for most viewers when I say that I really can live without seeing Sixtus starkers and while I certainly had no qualms with him nearly drowning Mercuri, I did feel a tad sorry for Riario, who was rightly humiliated by his uncle in front of Lucrezia this week.

I think another success of this episode was the brief glimmers of vulnerability we actually got to see here with Riario. I get the impression that while he mostly agrees with everything the Vatican are trying to do, it doesn’t mean that he’s immune to challenging them either. Unfortunately for him though it means getting smacked about by Sixtus for his troubles though.

Then there’s Lucrezia – doing all the spy work and letting Sixtus know about Lorenzo and DaVinci’s activities this week while at the same time getting a target on her head by Riario. Somehow I have a feeling that Lucrezia will end up surviving her imminent assassination attempt but mainly because this episode indicated that Giuliano was closing in on her.

Giuliano has been the surprise of this series as well. He could’ve been an idiot but he’s proven to being smarter than Lorenzo and with Vanessa and Clarice’s support, he focused his energies on continuing to try and find the real Medici court spy. Too bad Lorenzo decided to reward that genius by arranging a marriage with Francesco’s sister though when he wasn’t siding up to volatile dukes for further alliances against Rome.

Also in “The Devil”

I just realised this is the second episode in a row where both DaVinci and Lorenzo have not interacted with each other and the first where Lucrezia hasn’t had sex with either of them.

Moses: “My lady it’s time.”
Clarice (to Giuliano): “Oh my personal torture has arrived.”

Clarice’s bid to produce a male heir has resorted to Lorenzo shagging her from behind and drinking strange concoctions.

DaVinci (to Solomon): “I have a knack for rising to the occasion if I might only be told what the occasion is.”

Vlad The Third: “We shall talk more at dinner.”
Zoroaster: “As long as the dinner’s not us.”

Keeping with Vlad, they did make a point of mentioning that he was the Third and of course we did get the reference to Transylvania as the main action took place there.

Vlad The Third (to DaVinci): “I’m sadly at home in dungeons. As a child, my father sent my brother and me to be hostages by the Turkish Sultan.”

Vlad The Third (to DaVinci): “My tastes are not universally shared, it’s true. Let us retire.”

The coins on the floor to test his soldiers loyalty was an interesting method of Vlad’s as was the use of star signs like Capricorn and Aquarius to identify those violated curfew in Florence. Giuliano is a Sagittarius.

Vlad The Third (to DaVinci): “You’re an arrogant little fool aren’t you? I’ve endured every dragon poison known to man. I fought off the Ottoman empire. Did you really think that I would die at the hands of a fucking Florentine?”

DaVinci: “The Turk said that I would save you.”
Solomon: “And so you have – someday but not today.”

Chronology: Exactly from where “The Tower” left off.

“The Devil” will not go down as the most gruesome or frightening episode of a genre show I’ll have ever seen but it will be one of those episodes that I might want to watch again during the Halloween period. It provided an interesting take on Vlad the Impaler, which I don’t think can be denied.

Rating: 7 out of 10