Recap/Review: American Horror Story: Freak Show - Test Of Strength

Holy shit, this episode really should've come with a warning, especially for that last scene. I really wasn't prepared for that.

Written by Crystal Liu
Directed by Anthony Hemingway

Evil Gays: Okay, I have to admit it - I absolutely despise both Stanley and Dell as characters and no matter how great both Denis O'Hare and Michael Chiklis are in their respective roles, I'm at the point now where I literally want both characters to die horrible, painful deaths and I really don't want to watch until the finale for this to happen. I can almost forgive them if they were interesting or entertaining villains but they're both spineless and irritating to watch and even though there was the satisfying moment of seeing Amazon Eve beat the holy shit out of Dell, the fact that he murdered Ma Petite because Stanley blackmailed him pretty much killed any interest I had in either character. Now I just want them gone. Why is it hard for Ryan Murphy to write at least one likeable gay character on this show? He did it with Lana Winters. It's starting to actually bother me and Ma Petite did not deserve the horrible fate that she got in this one.

Father & Son: This episode was certainly a mixed bag for Jimmy. While I liked that he wanted to try and reason with Dell and figured out that the latter was his father, I hated that by not listening to Ethel and Eve that Dell is still breathing. Jimmy got to work out some issues here but while he was able to rescue Bette and Dot from Dandy and Gloria (thankfully relegated to one scene this week), he was still outfoxed by them and Elsa and I wish he'd get a clue about Maggie's continued insistence on the pair of them leaving the show. As for his version of Nirvana's Come As You Are, it was okay. Truth be told, I was just grateful that we didn't get another number from Elsa this week.

Ever So Helpful: I liked Jimmy standing up to Elsa. I even like the fact that there's hints the rest of the troupe are seeing her for what she truly is. I even liked Bette and Dot negotiating with Elsa for some spotlight and a surgeon but I still don't like Elsa as a character but given how abominably three of the male characters behaved in this episode, Elsa was the lesser of two evils, though I get the feeling she might be tempted by Stanley's suggestion of bumping off the twins. As for the split-screen/black and white exchange of letters between Elsa and Dot - that was a genius scene. Also the girls makeover scene and Bette's aspirations to be a comedian was amusing in an otherwise depressing episode.

Daddy Most Despicable: As if Stanley and Dell weren't total monsters in this episode, Penny's father managed to go that extra mile by hiring a guy to tattoo her face, fork her tongue and shave her hair. With the exceptions of Jimmy and Paul, why are all the men on this show psychopaths, misogynists and generally a shower of bastards. I did like that Paul didn't reject Penny and thankfully by the look of the trailer for the next episode, at least Penny is going to get her own back on Daddy Dearest. If she can kill Dell and Stanley while she's at it and then Dandy by finale time, that would be great.

United: While the men on this show (minus Jimmy and Paul) are awful, the women (minus Elsa and Gloria, still not sure on Maggie) are thankfully wonderful. Earlier this season, it looked like we could've gotten a petty rivalry between Ethel and Desiree over Dell but instead, both of them realising that he's a scumbag has united them as friends along with the genuine concern they each have for each other. I like that dynamic, especially the antagonist one both Bates and Bassett had to have in Coven. Also the scene where the two ladies realised the doctor was dead and also along with Eve and Suzy told Jimmy about the shit they had to deal with - more scenes like that please.

The show will be back in two weeks where Dandy and Gloria have to deal with Dora's daughter and Penny decides to get even with her horrible father.

My Review of Revenge's 4x08: "Contact"

Written by Joe Fazzio
Directed by Paul Holahan

Nolan (re Louise): “Can’t I just have a normal friend?”

Actually, you kind of have a normal friend in Jack, Nolan but seeing as he’s deathly dull and sometimes a jerk, you may have a point. Is it wrong that in spite of her crazy obsession with Victoria and general shit stirring with Daniel and Margaux that I’m actually starting to like Louise a bit?

Maybe it’s just having her combine forces with Nolan but either way, at least Louise has injected some fun in something of a fun free season so far. I still would like the Victoria fixation to be nipped in the bud but as mates, there’s some great potential with Louise and Nolan. Or there would’ve been had Nolan decided not to join forces with Margaux after all.

Nolan spent half of this episode away from the main plot and it actually did him the world of good, character wise. Sure his new business venture had one guy quit (shame, he was rather hot) and most of what he said to Emily had no effect but it’s been nice that the last few episodes have at least given him something to do, so I’m grateful for that.

However, there are some things in this episode that I am less grateful for though. Namely Ben upping his annoying factor by acting like Jack’s usurped him in the cop hierarchy and Jack in general just being a fun sponge with most of his scenes. The jury’s out on FBI lady Kate but that’s mainly because she seems more like another obstacle for David though.

Speaking of whom, this was not a great episode for David. Not only did he not take kindly to Emily revealing how much of a cow Victoria has been to her but he also took Victoria’s side even after she admitted to know about Emily’s true identity but the fact that there’s another villain on the horizon might help to even out this largely unfocused season so far. That and the fact that Emily’s also holding one of David’s would be kidnappers hostage and has a hot poker handy too.

As for Daniel, this was kind of a decent episode for him. He tried (though failed) to make amends with Margaux, called Louise out of her craziness, wasn’t too much of a jerk to Emily and gave Victoria some home truth, though not particularly new ones. Surprisingly enough, this episode managed to make him a bit likeable, which hasn’t been the case in a long while.

Also in “Contact”

The fact that Victoria would even fake a Flatline to get David’s attention just shows how desperate she’s become. The sooner Louise is set on her, the better.

Nolan: “How did you find me?”
Jack: “You tweeted a photo of this view with the hashtag ‘never leaving’.”

What exactly was that barman’s problem with Nolan? Did he even specify as to why he quit working at the beach club?

David: “Don’t feel bad about not helping, you were scared.”
Emily (re Victoria): “I wasn’t scared. She didn’t deserve my help.”

Nolan (re Louise): “She’s a sweetheart.”
Margaux: “She’s a violent psychopath who needs to be locked up.”

Assuming that Louise’s mother isn’t actually dead (though I’m suspecting she might be), are we actually going to see her properly on the show? Or even that politician brother of hers?

Emily (to David): “I did it all for you. To punish the people that hurt you.”

Daniel (re Victoria): “Are you crying because she survived? You always did try to save me from her.”
Emily: “And you just kept crawling back.”

Standout music: Lykke Li’s “No Rest For The Wicked”.

David: “I’m so proud of you, Amanda but I can’t be your father.”

Chronology: From where “Ambush” left off.

Well, I did enjoy the episode and the fact that that’s two episodes in a row I enjoyed, perhaps this is a sign of the show getting it’s shit together again, perhaps? That being said, “Contact” wasn’t devoid of it’s frustrating moments (David being an idiot, Jack/Ben etc) but still it was enjoyable enough.

Rating: 7 out of 10

My Review of Gotham's 1x09: "Harvey Dent"

Written by Ken Woodruff
Directed by Karen Gaviola

Harvey (to Lovecraft): “Don’t you ever threaten me. I will rip you open. It’s good to see you, Dick.”

To get the obvious criticism out of the way first – slow down with the Rogue Gallery members, show and focus on the ones you introduced earlier. On the other hand, this was a fairly enjoyable debut for Harvey Dent.

I kind of get the impression that Nicholas D’Agosto will be vying to play the role in a manner both similar to Aaron Eckhart’s portrayal in The Dark Knight and even Richard Moll’s version in Batman: The Animated Series and for now, that works fine enough but I do hope he injects his own identity as well.

I liked that Harvey already has both Montoya and Allen as allies and I also liked the beginnings of what could be a rather interesting friendship between him and James Gordon as well. However what I really liked was the glimmer of Dent’s darker side when he came face to face with corrupt billionaire, Dick Lovecraft and lost his cool.

Unfortunately for Harvey his whole plan to get Lovecraft is flawed. Not only did his whole witness threat do nothing to put the fear of God into Lovecraft but he very well put Selina and Bruce in direct danger, judging by the trailer for the next episode. Even Gordon didn’t seem that much on board with his overall plan to expose Lovecraft for the corrupt git he is.

While the obvious symbols to Harvey’s future fate were a little over the top (the coin tossing, shading half his face in darkness etc), it is nice to have someone other than Gordon want to do the right thing by Gotham. It’s just that we know Harvey is doomed and his volatile will eventually be his own undoing but as introduction episodes go, this was a nice enough one for him.

Keeping with Gordon for a minute – the angst with Barbara was boring to watch but I did like that he palmed Selina off to Bruce and Alfred and both him and Bullock stopping an unwilling bomber turned out to be more interesting than expected. As for Barbara renewing her relationship with Renee – I knew it was going to happen eventually but it did seem a tad rushed though. I’m hoping though that perhaps this might finally help flesh the character out better though.

As for the Bruce and Selina – I think I can safely say they were the highlight of the episode. I don’t want to start any Batman/Catwoman shipping stuff, but both David Mazouz and Camren Bicondova did well in this episode as the two of them seemed to enjoy each other’s company, learn more about the other and engage in a food fight.

Even by the end of this episode, Alfred went from desperately wanting to get rid of Selina to being delighted that her presence was able to bring Bruce out of his shell. I don’t know if it was the right time to have these two interact with each other so early in the show’s life but it’s hard to deny that they were essentially the best part of the episode.

Also in “Harvey Dent”

Selina’s still using that cat nickname. I kind of wish the writers would drop it though.

Harvey (to Gordon): “Teenagers, they nearly always pick heads. I don’t know why. Two headed coin.”

Oswald quickly figured out that Liza was working for Fish and threatened her to keep doing it. If I were Liza, I’d be fleeing the city by now.

Gordon: “You like to bet a lot.”
Harvey: “What have we got to lose?”

Selina: “Your house makes noise.”
Bruce: “It’s old.”

This was another good episode for Edward Nygma – he got to lament about video games, figured out an important piece about Ian Hargrove (the unwilling bomber of the episode) and even got a thank you from Bullock. That last bit shocked me.

Fish (to Oswald): “I’m starting to think you enjoy being hurt.”

Selina: “You move quiet.”
Bruce: “So do you.”

Fish’s whole bomb plot with Ian and the Russian mobsters, it had it’s moments but if she doesn’t watch herself, Falcone will do her in before we even get to the finale.

Selina (to Bruce): “You’re a nice kid. Five minutes on the streets and you’d be mincemeat and holding your breath won’t do a damn thing.”

Chronology: From where “The Mask” more or less left off.

I think this episode could’ve been a little better than it was but as an introduction, “Harvey Dent” was a solid episode nonetheless though. I do like that things with the Wayne murders are progressing again and the Bruce and Selina scenes were definitely a highlight too but when it comes to future villains, the show does need to slow down a bit though.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Atlantis's 2x01: "A New Dawn Part 1"

Written by Howard Overman
Directed by Justin Molotnikov

Ariadne: "We are at war."

What a difference a whole year can make. Well, kind of. In terms of the show, since the first series finale in which we found out that Pasiphae was Jason's mother, this new series opened with Ariadne as queen, Minos rather dead (not that he was much use in the first place) and a banished Pasiphae mounting an army to take down Atlantis.

So, what about our three heroes then? Well, they're still together, there are less jokes about Hercules weight and hygiene (a minor miracle) and despite some initial reluctance, the trio decide to help Ariadne retrieve the Palladium, a statue that protects the city. Needless to say, it's current in Pasiphae's possession thanks to the help of her rather skilful niece, Medea (Amy Manson) and the fact that Ariadne has got an obvious traitor in her court, courtesy of  Lord Sarpedon (Robert Pugh).

During the build up for this new series, there was plenty of hype from the producers that the show would somehow adopt a much darker tone and while there's certainly a sense of foreboding (imminent war, the Oracle showing Jason a gloomy vision of the future, the fact the episode is mostly set at night, etc), it doesn't really feel that much darker compared to the first series.

Sure, the humour is a little more restrained but there are still moments, deliberate and unintentional ones and the pining between Jason and Ariadne isn't going to go away anytime soon. The gang's compassion towards a rival soldier though ended up being their undoing when Jason was later attacked and the end scene with the trio trapped in a cave with an unknown monster was an okay enough cliff hanger in an episode that meandered a bit too much for it's own good.

While I like the idea of Ariadne being queen (hey, she got there much quicker than Gwen did on Merlin), I do get the feeling that Sarpedon is going to be one of many obvious traitors in the court that Ariadne will have to deal with and won't stop until it's literally too late. Plus, while I'm not exactly a shipper of her and Jason, I do hope the series doesn't try to drag out their 'will they/won't they?' longer than necessary.

As for Medea - the character certainly has potential and it's nice to have Amy Manson on the show. I know some fans are interested in her eventual pairing with Jason but to be honest, I'm more curious about her rapport with auntie Pasiphae. After both Circe and even Heptarian being somewhat missed opportunities in better fleshing out the now warlady. Why is Medea so loyal to her auntie and can Pasiphae be written as anything more than a one dimensional tyrant? I certainly hope so.

- There was a nice scene at the fireplace where both Hercules and Pythagoras discussed why they followed Jason. Little moments like that are needed more for this series.
- Fans of Medusa are going to have to wait until 2015 to see her again. Only six episodes of this series will air for the remainder of this year while the remaining seven air next year. She was mentioned in passing though.
- Is it me or has Jason's hair gotten even curlier than last series? Pythagoras's too as well.
- We didn't get the opening sequence, the episode launched into the action.

I was hoping for something a little more exciting than this. For an opening two parter, even I found A New Dawn a little too plodding for it's own good. The tone has changed a little but the writing itself is still lacking and unless it pulls up it's straps rather quickly, I cannot see a third run of episodes for Jason and company any time soon.

Rating: 6 out of 10

The Fallen Canary

It's been an interesting few weeks with so many show returning and others getting into their stride, so here's a rundown of some of them.

Arrow: Season 3 kicked off to an impressive start with the death of Sara. I hate that the character died but the mystery of her death should provide good material for the chunk of the new season and the fact that it's helping to steer Laurel in a certain direction can go either as well. Meanwhile the 'will they/won't they?' with Oliver and Felicity is being handled well enough but the jury is definitely still out on Brandon Routh's Ray Palmer just yet. I want to like him but I don't, not for now.

Downton Abbey: This series has certainly not been the best one (though a slight improvement on the previous one). I have to admit that Isis's death was more interesting than the dawdling with Edith and Marigold and the double tedium of the Mary's love life and 'who killed Green?' saga, both of which seem be dragged out too long at this rate. Rose's wedding to Atticus, while lovely did seem a tad rushed and the less of Denker, the better for me. On the plus side, every scene with Violet and Isobel is golden and I thought I spotted some potential with Thomas and aspiring footman, Andy as well. One can hope the latter somehow makes it to Downton as an employee because after this series plot, Thomas is in desperate need of something that resembles a good time.

Marvel's Agents Of SHIELD: This season has been enjoyable and adding Lance's ex-wife into the mix has certainly helped to even out the male/female ratio on the show, which is definitely not a bad thing. The scenes between the reunited Fitz and Simmons have definitely been a highlight as well as the introduction of Ward's brother, Christian and the ongoing saga with Coulson and May as well. It's amazing what a year can do for a show creatively but unless the ratings for this series pick up and fast, I have a horrible feeling that ABC will wield the axe on it.

Once Upon A Time: I was sceptical about the inclusion of Frozen franchise but merging it with The Snow Queen and taking some creative liberties has done wonders for the show. I'm not gonna pretend that everything has worked - Hook's brief deal with Gold was trite, Snow's been reduced to being an idiot and I'm caring less and less about Regina/Robin but the friendship between Emma and Elsa, the darker side of the former's powers and everything concerning Ingrid has been gripping to watch. I'm actually going to miss Elsa when she leaves and a part of me really wants Ingrid to get some kind of redemption arc as well.

Scandal: I really hope that SkyLiving aren't going to waste time and will air Season 4 (as it's kind of weird watching a previous season while current seasons of Grey's Anatomy and How To Get Away With Murder are airing on SkyLiving/Universal respectively). The last few episodes have been brilliant though - both Maya and Rowan are the parents from hell, Jake has gotten a lot more darker, Mellie had an affair of her own (more power to her) and Cyrus's relationship with James got the flashback treatment upon the latter's violent death. Olivia flipping back and forth between her job and unhealthy relationships with Jake, Fitz and Rowan though has been a little frustrating and it's hard to get a hold on Quinn's loyalties or what Huck will do next but other than that, I can't wait to see how the last two episodes will cap off this season.

The Flash: I've only caught the first two episodes of this season so far but damn it, I love it. I think even as much as I currently enjoy Gotham. It's arguably lighter than Arrow and there's definitely elements of Smallville to it but as a show, it's bloody fun to watch with Grant Gustin perfect as Barry Allen. The supporting characters are decent enough (though Iris is potentially in danger of being an early series Laurel) but it's really Harrison Wells who is standing out the most so far. Overall though, it's no wonder this series is doing wonders for the CW at the moment.

The Vampire Diaries: With the fifth season ending on that ending, the opening episodes of the sixth season haven't been that exciting. Maybe it's just that truth be told, I just don't give a shit about Damon and his boringly toxic relationship with Elena. In fact, I feel sorry for Bonnie being lumbered with him in that place they are while half the cast can't enter Mystic Falls while the rest of them brood and feel sorry for themselves. Even Stefan has been somewhat tedious in these episodes with his distancing of Caroline. Hopefully things kick into gear soon because this isn't a great start to the new season.

- Matthew Goode will be appearing the Christmas special of Downton Abbey as a potential suitor for Mary. The show has been renewed for a sixth season.
- Karen Gillan's comedy series Selfie has been cancelled by ABC and it's remaining episodes pulled from the schedules.
- Tommy Flanagan will be playing a villain named Malcolm Black in the second half of Revenge's fourth season.
- Alex Kingston will appear in the Christmas episode of Arrow.
- The Scarecrow will be coming to Gotham in the second half of the first season.
-  Victoria Smurfit will be playing Cruella DeVille in the second half of Once Upon A Time's fourth season.
- The TV version of Scream will not feature Ghostface but a similar looking killer. Think with a flesh type of mask.
- Marcia Gay Hayden will be appearing in the second half of How To Get Away With Murder's first season.
- Witches Of East End has been cancelled after two seasons.
- Homeland has been renewed for a fifth season.

Recap/Review: How To Get Away With Murder's 1x04: Let's Get To Scooping

This was the episode that had nine words that were hyped to death and out of the four I've seen so far, it's certainly the most interesting episode we've gotten too.

Written by Erika Green Swafford
Directed by Laura Innes

Take Off Your Clothes: I'm not gonna lie. Part of the reason why this episode became my favourite (for the time being) was the huge focus on Connor that we got here. In flashforwards he might have been humming Christmas song in a creepy manner and telling Michaela to get scooping, but after getting rid of Sam's body, he had a proper meltdown at Oliver's place when he showed up at an ungodly hour. In the present day, it seemed like him and Oliver were getting that bit closer and were about to go beyond being purely about casual sex and hacking skills until Oliver realised that Connor was playing away. Leading to the next bit.

Eyes Watered: I'm not sure what Connor exactly did to pretty assistant boy, Pax's (Niko Pepaj) backside to make his eyes water but for a network show, it's nice to see them trying to push the boundaries with Connor's sex scenes. Connor's romping Pax for information might have cost him his relationship with Oliver and literally Pax's life (that I didn't see coming), but damn, that was one hell of a sexy scene. If the writers of Looking wants tips to write for the likes of Agustin better, then Connor is a perfect template for a well defined bad boy. He's also the best character on the show at the moment and Jack Falahee has been quite a find for the series.

Why Is Your Penis On A Dead Girl's Phone: Now, there's an interesting question. I think what worked about this scene was the delivery of those nine words by Annalise to Sam, just moments after we see the former remove her makeup, eyelashes and wig. The fact that Bastille and Naughty Boy's No-One's Here To Sleep playing in the background certainly heightened the scene as well, because truthfully it's not shocking that Sam was sleeping with Lila and it's also not shocking that Annalise discovered this as well. That being said though, and I'm trying not to get sucked into hyperbole mode here, it's definitely an Emmy nominated worthy scene for Viola Davis.

Group Dynamics: This episode was a lot more fun with the group as well. While Wes was continuing to do his level best to keep helping Rebecca (who was less annoying in this episode, but I'm still not fond of her), Bonnie managed to acquire evidence of coercion, which at least got Rebecca out of prison on bail for the time being but the real fun of the episode was actually watching the core five students interrogate various members of the case of the week's company with some pretty interesting and comedic results. I also quite like the fact that Michaela seemed suspicious of both Wes and Laurel and that Asher did something useful. The Frank/Laurel thing though, I'm not that particularly interested in.

Top To Bottom: This week's case was actually the most entertaining so far. It might have been because Elizabeth Perkins (formerly of Weeds) put a lot of spirit into her character, Marron, was brazenly unapologetic about making a sex tape with an employee but also seemed to have a personal history and decent insight into Annalise and her trust issues. The reveal of Pax and two other disgruntled employees trying to bring down Marron wasn't too shocking but along with Pax's shocking suicide and the downfall of the other two, this was one case of the week that certainly held my attention.

Next week, the focus shifts onto Laurel and Annalise takes on the case of a killer teenager.

Recap/Review: American Horror Story: Freak Show - Bullseye

Getting to the halfway point of this current and it's clearly that this season might be outshining the previous year but at the same time, this wasn't exactly my favourite episode.

Written by John J. Gray
Directed by Howard Deutch

Everybody Loves Paul: Well, they certainly did in this episode as it was revealed that Paul was sleeping with both Elsa and Penny, the candy striper. The latter of whom decided to return to the camp after Elsa injured him during the wheel game. Elsa seemed somewhat miffed that she wasn't the only woman Paul was sleeping with but that had more to do with her own vanity rather than genuine feelings for him. While I'm not really that fussed about Paul and Penny's relationship (or her annoying possessive father), I did like that Paul wasn't convinced about Bette and Dot just leaving the camp and the fact that he confronted Elsa and told Jimmy where the twins were endeared him a lot to me. I think Paul might have become one of my favourite characters now.

Not Bound By Chains: To be fair to Dandy and Gloria, they're probably treating Bette and Dot somewhat better than Elsa did. Dandy himself developed a romantic affection towards the twins but while Bette seemed charmed by him, Dot found him boring and refused to indulge him when he try to get her to tell him a secret. Predictably Dandy went apeshit and kept trying to justify his murderous while Gloria spent most of the episode worrying about inbreeding. The question now remains - can Jimmy get the twins out of Dandy's clutches or will he end up hacked to bits? I'm going to assume it'll be the former.

I Just Want To Be Loved: I really want to feel sorry for Elsa and while Jessica Lange gave an Emmy worthy speech in this episode when Elsa lost her cool with her troupe, it's really impossible to sympathise with Elsa. The troupe were right to accuse her of wanting to get rid of Bette and Dot and even Paul has seen past her benevolent act (as I suspect will others, Ethel especially if that threat is anything to go by). As brilliant as Lange is to watch, Elsa is every bit as unlikeable as Constance, early Asylum Jude and Fiona. This episode more than anything made me hope that Elsa receives another housecall from Edward Mordrake pretty soon.

Butterflies & Ponies: The best thing about this episode was that Ma Petite lived and that's after this episode gave us two horrible fake outs where it looked like both Maggie and Stanley were going to kill her off. I liked that Maggie had an attack of conscience and didn't kill off Ma Petite and I'm even starting to warm to her relationship to Jimmy a tiny bit as well. As for Stanley, well he seems to be itching to kill someone off and probably will if the trailer for next week's episode is anything to go by. Oh and the less said about Elsa treating Petite like a baby, the better, though those scenes icked me out - birthday or not birthday.

Imminent Mutiny: This episode, while surprisingly not factoring in Dell and Desiree, did seem to shift the dynamics of the freak show. While Elsa might have raged on about saving her troupes from various terrible fates, the fact that she refused to answer what she did with the twins and the fact that she caused injury to Paul could end up being her undoing in the second half of the season. I like that Jimmy, Paul and Ethel are starting to see through her now.

Next week it seems like Stanley's determined to bag a freak and Dell's actions cause chaos within the camp as well.

My Review of Revenge's 4x07: "Ambush"

Written by Shannon Goss
Directed by Hanelle Culpepper

Emily (to David): “You told me to be strong and brave but you’re a coward. You could’ve come for me.”

I actually thought it would be the winter finale before David found out about Emily being Amanda. The fact they did in this episode pleased me and the way it was done too – Emily blurting it out in pure anger after realising that David’s stories haven’t been adding up was actually pretty perfect. And then that thing happened.

I love this show being ludicrous as much as the next person but Victoria getting struck by lightening after the reveal was just bizarre. Possibly karmic and more funny than it should’ve been as well. I don’t doubt she’ll survive and try and keep her claws into David but right now, it also couldn’t have come at a worse time for Emily.

Keeping with things being out in the open – I liked the confrontation scene Emily and Daniel had in the lift. The fact that he’s not bothered by her being Amanda but wants no involvement in his ex-wife’s clash with Victoria didn’t seem like the most unreasonable request to make. If I wasn’t reminded by the fact that he shot Emily last season, I might have even felt a bit bad for him when he asked her if she ever had any real feelings for him.

This episode wasn’t really Daniel’s though. Not only did Emily leave him stuck in a lift but Loopy Louise tried to kill Margaux, teased him about his sexual prowess and Margaux herself wasn’t best pleased when she realised that Danny slept with the nutty redhead.

As for Louise, her little murder attempt on Margaux and creepy obsession with Victoria aside, I actually enjoyed the scene where she tried to cheer Nolan up. While Nolan would be best avoiding Louise like the plague, they did seem to have a fun rapport together and the fact that she got him to buy a beach club was a welcome distraction from him moping about David and Emily.

As for the rest of the episode – Jack and Ben are the most boring crime busting duo going. Seven episodes into this season and I still cannot buy Jack as a cop and Ben, despite wanting to solve what really happened to Conrad is downright annoying as a character. Perhaps David could pay him a house call in the next few episodes.

Also in “Ambush”

Louise’s mother was played by one of the vampires from the fifth season of True Blood. Too bad she was only a hallucination though.

Nolan: “You believe your father murdered Conrad Grayson?”
Emily: “He had more motive than anyone.”

Victoria used a necklace to bribe a stripper into pretending to David that she was good to Amanda. I’m also surprised she didn’t try to reclaim her throne.

David (to Emily): “I thought it was time we met.”

Emily (re David): “All the time I’ve spent honouring his memory and he doesn’t even have one of me. Who the hell is he, Nolan?”
Nolan: “It’s time we find out.”

Louise photo shopping images of her and Victoria on her tablet is definitely the creepiest thing this episode did.

Daniel: “If I knew you were this flexible things might have worked out for us.”
Emily: “Will you stop talking?”

Standout music: Emika’s “Double Edge”.

Nolan (to Louise): “I used to be happy when I was trending.”

Chronology: Not long from where “Damage” left off.

I’m not gonna lie – I really liked “Ambush”. Arguably the strongest episode this season, the reunion with Emily and David mostly worked and some of the character moments (anything excluding Jack/Ben) were interesting enough as well.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Gotham's 1x08: "The Mask"

Written by John Stephens
Directed by Paul Edwards

Sionis: “In order to succeed, you have to be a warrior.”
Gordon: “No you don’t. You have to be a good businessman. Warriors fight wars, it’s different.”

I wasn’t exactly looking forward to this episode. Ever since Fight Club was released, it’s become a thing with genre shows to have an episode like that movie and usually they tend to be pretty awful episodes. Oddly enough, I actually enjoyed this one, only because I think there an introduction to another Rogue Gallery member.

The Black Mask might not be in my top twenty list of favourite Rogue Gallery members (actually, I think he’s kind of rubbish), but Richard Sionis, the owner of a business where if you want to be employed, you literally have to fight for a position was actually pretty well realised.

He was delightfully oily, slick and full of bluster that it was easy to see why Gordon was so irritated by him. I also quite like the fact that the show didn’t try to make it into a mystery either. As soon as Sionis appeared on screen, we knew he was responsible for the businessmen deaths with his competitive antics and more to the point, Gordon got to unwillingly participate in the fights before taking Sionis down as well.

While I do think this show is arguably introducing too many Rogue Members too early (next week sees the debut of Harvey Dent), like Zsasz from the previous episode, Sionis worked pretty well as a guest antagonist and given that he survived his altercation with Gordon, I wouldn’t be surprised if we encountered him again in the near future.

Speaking of Gordon, another strength of this episode was the fact that the fallout from the previous one was dealt with head on. Gordon was rightfully pissed at the cops who abandoned him last week while Essen felt remorseful and Bullock delivered a rousing speech that seemingly managed to cool the tension at GCPD for now.

Unfortunately while that side of things was dealt with nicely, Barbara spent most of the episode being a jittering wreck before leaving Gordon again. That’s twice in eight episodes. Perhaps Barbara should just stay away until the writers can figure out what to actually do with her. I don’t want to dislike the character but she’s emerging as the weakest one so far with even Essen getting better material (at least in this episode) than Barbara. Fix it writers.

As for the gang related stuff this week, no appearances from Falcone or Maroni but both Oswald and Fish were kept busy. Oswald quickly delighted in kidnapping and torturing his replacement Timothy to get information on his former boss while Fish went to interesting lengths to make sure that Liza continued to play maid/mother/lover for Falcone. I did like Oswald and Fish’s brief interaction but the latter is in need of more back story, given that she told a pack of lies to Liza about her past.

Also in “The Mask”

Selina got caught shoplifting and was promptly reunited with Gordon towards the end of the episode.

Fish (to Oswald): “When I order some fool killed, I expect him to stay that way.”

Oswald’s mother reappeared again, this time talking about getting revenge on a former rival and taunting a rat that she caught. I love how delightfully bonkers she is.

Alfred: “Don’t you want to live like a normal kid?”
Bruce: “I’m not sure. Define ‘normal’ and make a good case for it.”
Alfred: “You’re going to bloody school. Now start walking.”

Barbara (to Gordon): “I said I wanted half of your life and I got it. Leave the gun.”

I’m not sure Alfred allowing Bruce to beat up Tommy (future Hush guy?) was totally wise, even if the irritating child kind of had it coming.

Liza (re Falcone): “I don’t know if I’m his maid, mother or lover.”
Fish: “Or all three. He cares about you.”

Essen (re the Waynes): “Why were they so important?”
Gordon: “It’s what they represented. Different Gotham. Decent, hopeful. Whatever it was, it’s gone now.”

Nygma got a lot more screen time in this episode with the Sionis case and who was that elderly woman singing at Fish’s club? Her mother perhaps?

Selina (to the police): “A girl’s gotta shop.”

Sionis (to Gordon): “Seems like I’ll have to give myself a million dollars.”

No Renee or Crispus in this episode, though they seem to have a bigger role in the next one if the previews are anything to go by.

Liza: “You are rich, people are afraid of you. Isn’t that enough?”
Fish: “No, it’s not.”

Chronology: Not long since the events of “Penguin’s Umbrella”.

A better than expected sort of episode. I had no expectations for “The Mask” and while we’ve had better episode (the previous episode being an obvious one), this was still more interesting than expected, even if the Barbara scenes are dragging the show down a bit.

Rating: 7 out of 10

First Look: Looking - Season 2 Trailer

While the show may not be back until the new year, HBO have released a 30 second tease for the upcoming second season of gay dramady, Looking.

The trailer doesn't actually feature any clips from the upcoming season but is more of a concept trailer with the five main characters in various shades of disco light.

Patrick (Jonathan Groff) - blue light.
Agustin (Frankie J. Álvarez) - red light.
Dom (Murray Bartlett) - purple light.
Kevin (Russell Tovey) - green light.
Richie (Raúl Castillo) - orange light.

It's a fun trailer with Tiga's “(Far From) Home The Speed of Sexor (Reprise)” playing in the background as the boys pose and look all kinds of delicious. I know the first season didn't exactly make for compelling television at times (like Girls, it had issues with not enough diversity and not much actually happening each week) but with the additions of several new characters, including the show's first transgendered character and 10 episodes, hopefully the second season will be made of stronger stuff.

Season 2 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ott9VndhVEo

Looking's second season will air Sundays at 10pm on HBO from January 11th. SkyAtlantic will air it shortly afterwards for UK viewers.

My Review of Doctor Who's 8x12: "Death In Heaven"

Written by Steven Moffat
Directed by Rachel Talalay

The Doctor: “Why are you doing this?”
The Master/Missy: “I need you to know we’re not so different. I need my friend back.”

There are so many quotes I could’ve used because let’s be honest, Moffat gave his version of the Master practically all the best dialogue of the episode and if you thought Michelle Gomez was a little unhinged in the previous episode, then this one allowed her to go well and truly maximum crazy here.

Of course the Master would dedicate all that time and energy into pollinating a whole army of the dead as Cybermen just to hand over control to the Doctor. I saw people criticise the plot but when has the Master ever came up with a plan that actually made any sense? This one was no more bonkers than the Master race or the Toclafane but it was certainly as enjoyable even if corrupting the Doctor with an army predictably went to shit really.

While I’m still not overly in favour of the idea of a female Doctor someday and would’ve preferred that Moffat had brought the Master back as a male character, I cannot heap enough praise on Michelle Gomez. Everything she did in this episode was the Master. The glee she took over knowing where Gallifrey was and giving the Doctor false coordinates? That’s the Master for you.

The fact that she simply kept the Doctor and Clara together (yes, she was the woman in the shop), just cos the latter’s a control freak – that’s the Master. The utter joy she took in bumping off Osgood and nearly killing Kate – again, the very thing the Master would do. The whole confrontation at the graveyard scene with the taunting, the tempting and even the offer of going with the Doctor to find their home – also the Master. Basically, Gomez and Moffat know the character and nailed her brilliantly with this whole episode.

Which leads to the bum deal – did she really have to die and more importantly, by a Cyberman version of the Brigadier? I get the intention was meant to be good but that sort of left a bad taste really and I don’t feel the episode needed to honour the Brigadier in that way. However, I also didn’t like the idea of the Master being killed off yet again, when she simply could’ve escaped or been held in UNIT captivity. I’m going to wager though the next time we see the Master, it’ll be when the Doctor actually does find Gallifrey and that will probably be sooner than later.

As for the rest of this episode – the Cybermen were certainly creepy enough and while they were better used here than previous stories, they still played second fiddle to the Master. Aside from that cameo scene, the only other significant Cyberman was the recently uploaded/converted Danny who ended up mucking the Master’s scheme, getting an emotional goodbye with Clara and righting a previous misdeed from his history.

I have to admit, I did think that Moffat was actually going to undo Danny’s death at the very last minute so the fact that it stuck was kind of surprising. I liked the character but I don’t think Clara and Danny worked as well as Amy and Rory did but at the same time, at least he got a dignified and somewhat heroic exit.

As for the Doctor and Clara themselves – their relationship seems to be a weird place. Clara’s convinced that the Doctor’s going back to Gallifrey and the Doctor’s convinced that Danny’s alive. However it does look like with the help of Santa Claus (am I allowed to say I’m not a big fan of Nick Frost?), that things between this Doctor/companion won’t end on the strained note quite so soon.

Also in “Death In Heaven”

I assume putting Jenna Coleman’s name in the opening credits first with her eyes was a dig at certain fans complaining about Clara’s screen time this series.

Clara (to Cybermen): “Clara Oswald has never existed.”

Clara’s birthday was confirmed as November 23rd 1986 and while pretending to be the Doctor, she mentioned he had been married four times and mentioned Jenny as well.

Kate: “He’s on the payroll.”
The Doctor: “Am I?”

Clara: “I am an incredible liar.”
Danny: “Correct.”

People in the street taking selfies with Cybermen? They weren’t doing that in 2006, were they? Osgood also got the companion offer before being killed off as well.

The Master/Missy (to the Doctor): “Do you know what’s the best part of knowing? Not telling you!”

Osgood: “If it was that important, why would you tell us?”
The Master/Missy: “Well, look at me, I’m bananas.”

She’s not wrong – we had ‘oh, Missy, you’re so fine’ and the dodgiest Cockney accent when explaining about Clara too. Plus that umbrella scene and randomly bumping off Seb too because he wanted to squee.

The Master/Missy (to the Doctor, re Osgood): “Have you got any more friends I can play with?”

Clara: “Danny?”
Danny: “Danny Pink is dead. Help me.”

The funeral home was called Chaplet. As someone pointed out to me on Twitter, the Master actually killed Dodo Chaplet in a novel once.

The Doctor (to Danny): “Pain is a gift. Without the capacity of pain, we can’t feel the hurt we inflict.”

Clara: “I wasn’t very good at it but I did love you.”
Danny: “Loved you too.”

The scene where the Doctor started smashing the console in anger over the Master tricking him about Gallifrey was a stunning moment – possibly Peter Capaldi’s best one in this series.

The Master/Missy: “Say something nice. Please.”
The Doctor: “You win.”
The Master/Missy: “I know.”

Clara (to the Doctor): “Travelling with you made me feel really special. Thank you for that. Thank you for making me feel special.”

Chronology: Still present day London 2014, but also the Doctor’s birthday as well, according to the Master.

I know a certain cameo scene might have divided viewers and you can make the argument about the Cybermen plotline not making too much sense but fuck it, I actually really loved “Death In Heaven”. Not only was it an impressive and satisfying first series finale for the Twelfth Doctor but it was a brilliant return to form for the Master, had some wonderful character moments, bits of horror and great scenes. Overall, a brilliant wrap up to an impressive debut series for Peter Capaldi.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Recap/Review: How To Get Away With Murder's 1x03: Smile Or Go To Jail

Out of the three episodes so far, this one was probably the least impressive but it still had it's moments though as we got learn a little bit more about Michaela.

Written by Rob Fresco
Directed by Randy Zisk

Choose Your Spouse Wisely: Michaela has mentioned in the previous two episodes that she has a husband to be somewhere and this week, we met him - Aiden, played by Sinbad's Elliot Knight. On paper, Aiden came across the perfect fiancee for the rather ambitious Michaela but as soon as it was revealed that he had a brief sexual history with Connor (which reveal wise, came across as a little contrived for some reason), Michaela began to wonder if getting married to Aiden was such a bright idea at all. I don't know if Aiden was being sincere when he said his experimentation with Connor was a one-off or if the writers are setting up a coming out as gay or bisexual reveal for the character later on, but I do get the impression that any marriage between Michaela and Aiden will probably not be a long lasting one though.

Lost The Ring: I have to admit the flash forwards to the aftermath of Sam's murder weren't particularly that interesting this week, even if Laurel had the bright idea of using the bonfire as an alibi for the gang. I guess the reason why they bothered me this week was the callous way Connor behaved with Michaela (love the guy but he's too much of a dick to her, especially when revealing about his past with Aiden too) at the bonfire. He managed to make uttering the title of this episode sound so menacing as Michaela seemed to have great difficult in actually pretending to have a good time. Connor also didn't do himself any favours by challenging Annalise this week but he did make me laugh of his comments about the hotness of Asher and Frank, the former seemingly a little put out that Connor didn't find him as attractive.

He Didn't Do It: Well, thanks to Nate, Annalise now can sleep safely at night in the knowledge that her husband didn't murder the college student he was clearly sleeping with. Except that Nate wasn't actually that truthful about Sam's whereabouts on the night of Lila's murder. Sam seems like such an obvious suspect that it probably won't be him but he's no more obvious than Lila's football stud boyfriend or surly Rebecca. Speaking of Sam, is there something going on with him and Bonnie because this episode certainly seemed to imply something at the very least.

A Worthy Cause: Well, thanks to Wes, Annalise decided not to represent Lila's boyfriend but instead local drug dealer/general sour face, Rebecca. No disrespect to the actress but three episodes in, I just find Rebecca thoroughly unpleasant as a character and even more so in this episode. Granted, Wes's whole mantra of wanting to be her knight in shining armour is somewhat grating, given that he barely knows her and has absolutely no evidence of her innocence. More still, I did find it a tad annoying that Annalise sided with him over it as well and I don't even like Lila's boyfriend. I like Wes but Rebecca tends to cloud his judgement and not in a good way.

20 Years Ago: I mentioned during my recap/review for the opening episode that I wouldn't always be gripped by the cases of the week and while I enjoyed last week's one, this case kind of bored me to tears. Ana Ortiz is a great actress (Ugly Betty, Devious Maids) but I didn't much care for her character in this one and the bit where her and former partner in crime, played by Jason Gedrick managed to fool everyone and flee on a bus was pretty unsatisfying. Hopefully next week's case will be far more interesting to watch.

Next week, it's time to get some proper focus on Connor as his relationship with Oliver hits a new low.

Recap/Review: American Horror Story: Freak Show - Pink Cupcakes

Well, Halloween has come and gone and this week we got an episode with a lot of moments that even I didn't see coming to be honest.

Written by Jessica Sharzer
Directed by Michael Uppendahl

Hello Handsome: Given that Matt Bomer has previously worked with Ryan Murphy on an episode of Glee and earlier this year with The Normal Heart, it's fantastic that they managed to get him to finally appear on this show (is it wrong that I hope he's a regular next season?). In this episode he played a hustler whom Dell seemed to be in love (when I referred to moments I didn't see coming, Dell being in the closet wasn't one of them) but more importantly/unfortunately, Bomer's role in this episode was to be the helpless victim for an increasingly psychotic Dandy who brought back to Twisty's caravan and chopped him up. A waste of Bomer's talents but narratively at least it did serve a purpose though.

Yes, You Are A Bad Mother: This episode was a frustrating one when it came to Gloria. I liked that she was able to see through dandy's pathetic claim of a break in and realised that he murdered Dora. What I didn't like was the fact that she helped bury the body an then later dismissed the concern of Dora's college bound daughter, Regina (Gabourey Sidibe making her return) in favour of defending her awful parenting. Also given that Dandy then just showed up at the end with more blood on his hands, you just have to wonder how many more people will he bump off before Gloria even tries to rein him in?

Delusional, Much?: A part of me really wants to feel sorry for Elsa. We all know that Stanley is stringing her along but at the same time, even with a bit of an audience rejection (did not want to hear Life On Mars again), I just cannot sympathise with Elsa. Her chances of becoming a star are long gone, her snobbery towards television grating and the fact that she handed Bette and Dot over to Gloria and Dandy at the end proves to me that she doesn't deserve the stardom that she's desperately craving. I think I'd be fine if Stanley bumped her and Dell off but definitely not the rest of the freaks.

Cupcakes, Anyone?: For a large portion of this episode, Stanley spent a great deal of the time fantasising about murder (as a contrast to Dandy actually committing it, perhaps?). Mainly it was fantasising about killing Bette and Dot with the aid of some poisonous pink cupcakes, so either way, these girls are in danger for the remainder of the season. Much as I'm loving O'Hare on the show and his team up with Roberts fake medium, I really do hope that Stanley gets his comeuppance but I have a feeling he's at least going to kill someone off before that happens though.

More Than A Woman: This episode had a lot of interesting side plots. While Esmeralda/Maggie seems happy to help Stanley with his devious schemes, she also seemed desperate to get Jimmy to leave the camp as well while Jimmy nearly sleeping with Desiree revealed a lot more about her character. I liked Desiree in the previous episode and more so in this one, especially when she finally chose to ditch Dell once and for all. As for Dell, he lost my sympathy when he attacked that kind doctor who wanted to help Desiree.

Next week Dandy confesses his antics to Bette and Dot while Elsa has some questions to answer.

My Review of Revenge's 4x06: "Damage"

Written by Christopher Fife And Sallie Patrick
Directed by John Terlesky

David (to Nolan): “She died without knowing you betrayed her. That you betrayed me and for that, I will never forgive you.”

I really wanted to like this episode. There were some moments I genuinely enjoyed and then there was the live television interview from hell and that was one of two moments that I truly hated. David humiliating Nolan on live television believing he stole from Amanda and later punching Nolan. Both moments annoyed me more than they should’ve done.

I can understand why David might think that Nolan might have betrayed Amanda but the fact that he was so unwilling to listen to Nolan’s side and humiliated him so publicly actually made me hate the character with an intense passion. Then again, this whole David storyline has been a bad idea from the start.

We’re six episodes into this season and it feels as directionless as ever. David being brought back to life has done more to hinder and undo everything that has gone on before than help it. I’m not even sure if Emily actually revealing herself to be Amanda and David believing it will actually help this show.

Also seeing David being continuously manipulated by Victoria as well has certainly gotten exhausting to watch, even if this episode did show moments where Victoria’s concern for David’s well being was genuine. However, that’s not enough to make me care and I’m really struggling with this season as a whole. I hate to say but ABC really might have to put this show out of it’s misery and end it this season.

Of course there were some good moments in the episode, surprisingly enough stemming from Charlotte. She managed to bump off a would be kidnapper in one of the show’s least extravagant fight scenes and even seemed receptive when Emily finally gave her the very harsh dose of reality that Charlotte’s been needing for some time.

I liked that both Daniel and Victoria were supportive of Charlotte going to rehab and the idea of a Charlotte free zone for a few episodes really won’ hurt the show at this rate. I also liked that Charlotte called Victoria out on her psychotic need to hurt Emily, though it’s unlikely Victoria won’t give up on that one.

As for the Louise plot, I’m still not really sure what the point of it is really but she did have some interesting scenes with Daniel, Victoria and Margaux in this episode and just maybe I was a little harsh on her last week. Her plot is no different to Tyler’s on a cosmetic level but I’ll happily take her lunacy over anything involving Ben and Jack’s cop shenanigans though.

Also in “Damage”

Nice recreation/expansion of a certain David/Amanda flashback that’s been prominent with the show since the opening episode.

Victoria (re Louise): “That girl is mentally imbalanced.”
Daniel: “So she’s a friend of yours.”

Emily managed to figure with a basic look that David staged the whole kidnapped/tortured thing. Strange how trained professionals such as the FBI were then easily fooled.

Louise: “You were like a mother to me.”
Victoria: “We were roommates for a day.”

Emily: “I’ve never killed anyone, Charlotte. I know you hate me for the things I’ve done but I’ve never done that.”

I’m surprised that Charlotte actually did believe Emily murdered Aiden. I also like that she knows Victoria did and told Daniel who Emily really is.

Nolan (to Victoria): “Oh, I just love live TV. You never know what’s gonna happen.”

Victoria (to David): “No matter what happens, I will always be on your side.”

Standout music: “For You” by Angus And Julia Stone.

Nolan (to Emily): “Your lies finally caught up to me.”

Chronology: From where “Repercussions” more or less left off.

“Damage” is kind of what this show feels like at the moment. This episode was utterly frustrating in parts, boring in others. I’m trying to enjoy this season but I am really struggling with at the moment.

Rating: 6 out of 10

My Review of Gotham's 1x07: "Penguin's Umbrella"

Written by Bruno Heller
Directed by Rob Bailey

Oswald (to Falcone, re Gordon): “Don’t worry, he’ll see the light, one way or another. I guarantee.”

For those who felt like the show has been treading water for a bit, well this episode helped to shake things up a bit. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it was a game changing episode as such but the reveal of Oswald working with Falcone all along was the best twist the show has pulled off so far and yet, it was also signposted as well.

Fish herself noticed how relaxed and unconcerned Falcone actually was when it was revealed that Oswald was alive and Falcone himself could’ve used greater force on Maroni had he had actually been that desperate to get Oswald back. The fact that he didn’t only foreshadowed the final moment of this episode.

I love that Oswald will literally do anything to survive. Falcone told Fish that dying men were honest back in the second episode and in flashbacks to the first, Oswald’s honesty spared his life along with the fact that he could use Gordon’s morality to his own advantage. In other words, Oswald has become an even bigger problem for everyone around him, including Falcone himself.

If Oswald can orchestrate both Frankie and Nikolai’s death so easily, then both Falcone and Maroni need to pay better attention to their golden goose. Fish’s reaction to him being alive was particularly delightful to watch though. She definitely knows how to maintain a grudge and she’s rightly scared that he’s still breathing. If she knew that Falcone was on to her, she’d be even more scared.

Speaking of Falcone, the series really has done wonders with him so far, haven’t they? While he might be unaware of Liza’s motives (or is he?), he certainly knew how to get Gordon on side. When Victor Zsasz couldn’t get him to come to Falcone of his own volition, having Barbara used as bait to get Gordon to back down was the next best thing.

Which leads to my problem with this episode – Barbara. I really like Erin Richards but at this rate, Barbara is not being served well by the show and is coming across as Lana Lang levels of useless at times. Gordon tried to get her to leave Gotham after Butch intimidated and she ended up being used leverage by Falcone instead. The show really does need to find a way of integrating her better into the plots or just write her out of certain episodes.

As for Gordon’s attempts to the right thing – it was a mixed bag. He failed to get the Mayor and Falcone arrested for their cover up in the Wayne family murders but he did get himself allies in Renee and Crispus (the former who actually apologised to Gordon), managed to get Bullock on side and even Essen seemed somewhat empathetic towards his plight if actually powerless to help him out though. Realistically he was never going to be able to clean up Gotham, but at least he’s starting to get a little bit more support though.

Also in “Penguin’s Umbrella”

This episode had Oswald referred to as Penguin more than usual. It’s great but is it perhaps a little too early?

Essen: “Are you insane?”
Gordon: “No. Maybe a little. Feels good. They’re gonna try and kill me anyway.”

The fact that Essen mentioned her family should hopefully mean that she’s going to get some more significant character moments in later episodes.

Victor: “I’m here for Jim Gordon. Only him. Everybody else, mind your own business and we’re cool.”

Gordon: “There are fifty cops here, try something.”
Victor: “Everybody out! Please!”

Victor Zsasz, delightfully played by Anthony Carrigan (he’s killed 28 people) – I definitely want to see more of this guy.

Oswald: “I’m sorry you feel that way, Fish.”
Fish: “Only my friends call me Fish.”

Which begs the question – what is her real name? In fact, we are somewhat due a bit more back story on the character now.

Oswald (to Frankie): “Love conquers all.”

Maroni (to Falcone): “There’s nothing more dangerous than an honest man.”

Both Nygma and Selina were missing from this episode but Bruce and Alfred were introduced to Renee and Crispus for one scene. The scene with Bullock and his date was also pretty funny.

Bullock: “I figured I’m doomed so I might as well join the good guys.”
Gordon: “Thank you.”

Standout music: Anyone notice a slight change in music for the title sequence? Also the fact that Zsasz has “Funkytown” as his ringtone is funnier than it should be.

Falcone (to Gordon): “I have my faults but I am no liar.”

Chronology: From where “Spirit Of The Goat” more or less left off.

Now this definitely was more like it. “Penguin’s Umbrella” might not be a huge game changer in one sense but it was definitely a turning point for the series and one that should hopefully see a tighter focus on things. There are still some characters in desperate need of fleshing out (Barbara, Essen, even Fish to a point) but overall, this is the best episode we’ve gotten so far.

Rating: 9 out of 10

My Review of Doctor Who's 8x11: "Dark Water"

Written by Steven Moffat
Directed by Rachel Talalay

The Doctor: “Who’s Missy?”
The Master/Missy: “Oh, please try to keep up. Short for Mistress. Well, couldn’t very well keep calling myself the Master, now could I?”

Well, Steven Moffat really went there and in the space of forty five minutes has probably changed a lot more about the show’s internal workings that ever before. On Saturday, we finally learned that Missy was actually the Mistress or formerly the Master and it was the very thing that overrode an episode with a lot of going on in it.

It’s been two days and I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about this reveal. I’ve always been vocal about my preference for both the Doctor and the Master to remain male characters but now that the latter is female, it’s quite likely that this could possibly work after all. At least with Michelle Gomez playing the role, Moffat has managed to find a worthy successor to John Simm at the very least and her scheming with the Cybermen is very Master/Mistress like as well.

I did like that Missy played the role of an overenthusiastic interface droid that flustered both the Doctor and Clara before killing the rather cute Dr Chang and revealing that the Nethersphere was actually a Matrix Data Slice. The very mention of Gallifreyan technology was the obvious indicator as to whom Missy would turn out to be but even she literally had to tell the Doctor at the near last moment of this episode.

I guess the obvious question isn’t how has the Master become a woman but more how did he/she escape the time lock and hopefully that’s one that Moffat does at least answer in the hour long finale on Saturday. As for the teaming up with the Cybermen – hardly a first for the Master, now is it?

Like the Master, the Cybermen’s presence was made obvious the moment that Chang explained to the Doctor and Clara about the properties of dark water and while they only briefly appeared towards the end, their presence worked really well. If we’re lucky, this two parter is not only going to be an excellent story for the Master/Missy but also for the Cybermen and they really are overdue one.

Of course while it’s easy to get caught up in the hype of two major enemies returning, there’s also the fact that Danny Pink died in this episode. Not in a heroic way but in an ordinary way but also one that saw Clara become mad with grief and threaten the Doctor in order to get her boyfriend back. The scene alone where she’s throwing TARDIS keys into lava before it’s revealed to be a dream is some genuinely powerful acting from Jenna Coleman – possibly her most memorable to date if I’m being honest.

I do like that despite Clara’s betrayal, the Doctor was willing to entertain the idea of saving Danny by taking her to the Nethersphere. While I do think that Danny is more than likely done for, this episode raised some very disturbing notions about death. The idea of being able to feel what your corpse is feeling despite being dead is probably the most unsettling thing this show has ever done, along with the words ‘don’t cremate me’ being used to horrific effect as well.

The Nethersphere stuff is reasonably great, even more so when the Master/Missy revealed that the Cybermen were getting one hell of an upgrade but more to the point, it also turned out that Danny’s very bad day was a lot darker than expected when Seb arranged a little reunion for him. As for the Clara and Danny stuff, some of the scenes worked, some didn’t, despite Coleman and Anderson’s performances. I just get the feeling that Danny’s death is somewhat going to stick.

Also in “Dark Water”

Clara was trying to explain her travels with the Doctor to Danny via some post it notes.

Gran: “You know what you should do. You should cry, let go.”
Clara: “Of what?”

I loved that we got to see Clara’s grandmother again. I hope she appears in the second part of this story, if there’s room for her. You also have to smile at the fact the Doctor has a copy of The Time Traveller’s Wife as well.

Clara: “You know what, Doctor, when it comes to taking control, you really are out of your depth.”

Clara: “I don’t deserve a friend like you.”
The Doctor: “Clara, I’m terribly sorry, but I’m exactly what you deserve.”

It’s just occurred to me that for the first time, both the Doctor and the Master are played by Scottish actors. Oh and they kissed too.

The Doctor: “Who maintains your heart?”
The Master/Missy: “My heart is maintained by the Doctor.”

Chang: “Why is there all this swearing?”
The Doctor: “Oh, I’ve got a lot of internalised anger.”

This is also the second time the Master has murdered an assistant named Chang, only this time I get the feeling this one won’t be coming back from the dead.

The Master/Missy: “Humankind, bring out your dead.”

The Doctor: “Who are you?”
The Master/Missy: “You know who I am. You felt it.”

The iconic St Paul’s Cathedral (where the Nethersphere actually was) with the Cybermen got it’s 2014 remix in this episode too.

Chang: “Are you going to kill me?”
The Master/Missy: “Now, come on, let’s not dwell on such horrid things. This is going to be our last conversation and I’m the one who’s going to have to live with that.”

The Doctor: “I presume you’ve got stairs.”
The Master/Missy: “Well, I’m not a Dalek.”

Chronology: London 2014 I assume.

“Dark Water” was the first half of a story and it’s been a long while since we’ve had a two parter. It’s also one of Steven Moffat’s most exhilarating and even for him rather dark pieces as well. Regardless of gender, the return of the Master has been something I’ve been clamouring more for than the Cybermen and with Michelle Gomez at the helm, it looks like the character is going to be as volatile and unpredictable as ever.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Recap/Review: How To Get Away With Murder's 1x02: It's All Her Fault

These reviews will be a little earlier from next week onwards (Fridays most likely). As for the second episode, yup, still hooked.

Written by Peter Nowalk
Directed by Bill D'Elia

Blame Rebecca: Well, Michaela certainly wanted and she did quite repeatedly during the flash forward scenes as she, Connor and Laurel were stuck in the woods while Wes went off to get cleaning supplies and whatnot. Personally, two episodes in and I just don't like Rebecca a great deal. It's not the actress fault, I just find the character cold and annoying and the closeness with her and Wes in this episode just seemed convenient rather than meaningful. I'm not sure if Rebecca is responsible for Sam's death but clearly she's had some role to play in the events and Wes's vow to protect her will probably blow up in his face as well. In the present day though, Rebecca briefly had a shower in his apartment before getting arrested in relation to Lila Stangard's murder.

He Doesn't Do Boyfriends: But clearly Connor likes Oliver enough to feel bad about blowing him off. He might be a cool customer who likes to use sex as a tool but clearly Oliver means enough to Connor if the latter was willing to try and make it up to him during this episode with some takeout and more sex scenes. I'm not going to lie - Connor is rapidly becoming one of my new favourite characters this year and his scenes continue to be a highlight in this episode - even the ones where he's sniping at Michaela, questioning Wes's credentials or even shocking Asher, the latter was surprised to learn that Connor is gay. Basically, more Connor please. Even the inappropriate one in flash forwards who seems to make Christmas songs sound creepy.

Sleeping With A Killer: For someone who doesn't seem all that bothered about her clients being killers, Annalise certainly was a lot more worried about the idea of her husband being Lila's murderer though. Viola Davis is fantastic, there's no doubt of that and here, she was even better than the opening episode. I don't know if Sam murdered Lila, but you don't have to be a genius to have figured out that he was sleeping with her at the very least. The scenes with Annalise confiding in her former detective lover were brilliant. I was though surprised that Nate seemed unconvinced by Sam's guilt and that sex scene between Annalise and Sam was pretty uncomfortable to watch. This show like to talk about surprise witnesses and the likes, so when it comes to Lila, I'm going to assume that Sam, Rebecca and the boyfriend probably didn't kill her. There's a chance we probably haven't met the killer yet.

Remember Her Name: With Bonnie and Frank still yet to make a real impression, isn't a bit hypocritical of Bonnie to castigate Laurel. I know both Laurel and Asher haven't stood out in the same way that Connor, Wes and Michaela have done so far, but generally they're decent enough characters and I do think that Bonnie was perhaps a little too snappy with Laurel at times too, even if her fears about Frank sleeping with Laurel are justified. Speaking of Frank, I liked that he got both Michaela and Asher as a team for a bit of bin snooping during this episode.

Wife Hunter: The case in the first episode felt pretty bog standard stuff but the case in this episode was actually interesting. That's probably not something I'll say every week but here, I was genuinely interested in trying to figure out whether or not Steven Weber's oddball millionaire Max St Vincent actually killed his second wife. The various twists were actually quite interesting (even if his daughter was a tad annoying) and the fact that Max had no problem using both Connor and Bonnie as crash test dummies to disprove his guilt in two separate scenes was well executed as well. Connor in particularly looked both uncomfortable and a bit turned on by Max simulating a murder on him.

Next week, more flash forwards, the arrival of Michaela's husband to be and Ana Ortiz as a woman wanted by the FBI.