Haven: The Tides that Bind

Nathan: “Let’s do this the smart way.”

What do you make of a group of creepy little boys drowning one of their friends? I was horrified. Then add an adult who nonchalantly walks over to see the boy drown as he calls the others for supper and you have real horror. Are they creating a ghost? Is the poor kid a sacrifice for some monster? And all this is happening in the cultish compound of the Glendowers. What great misdirection! I really enjoyed this episode. They got back to what Haven does best, Audrey and Nathan with a smattering of Duke.

Weekly Weirdness

I also liked the weekly trouble. A family whose males turn into mermen is a great concept and it makes sense that the process would happen gradually. It also makes sense that you would want to make sure that you all lived together in one place since you need a group for the transition, not to mention that turning into a fish isn’t something that most people would understand. I was just disappointed that the women weren’t included. It would be kind of cool to breathe underwater (and also have super jumping power).

Overarching Mystery

It became pretty clear that the Reverend Driscoll knows a lot more than he is sharing, and also that his crusade against “the cursed” is long-lived and powered by a zealot’s belief as well as some personal grudges. He was willing to let children die for his cause. I am liking him less and less. It was easy to understand why Penny might want to fake her own death to avoid him. The Reverend has his own army and he is recruiting Duke with the help of Evi. I was surprised by that as well. She may really care about Duke in some twisted way, or she is playing both Duke and the Reverend for someone else. The mystery of the tattoos was solved. They are a mark of those who stood up to, or will fight, the Reverend. Apparently they killed Duke’s father and may kill Duke in the future. Are they the good guys or the bad guys?

Lucy was also at the Glendower compound with the Chief. Were they an item? Penny says that she came for a few months and disappeared as quickly as she came a few days after the murder of the Colorado Kid. It was the only time they saw her cry. Did she fail the Colorado Kid or was his death necessary to make the troubles go away? Audrey/Lucy is obviously linked to the troubles.

Relationships

This episode seemed to take a break from relationship development. It was lovely to have Audrey and Nathan together again for the episode. They work well together. Nathan is taking on the role of the chief. I loved when he stood up to the Reverend - both times. Duke and Evi are an interesting couple. I can’t quite figure them out and I don’t think they can figure themselves out either. I wonder if Duke knows about Evi and the Reverend. He just might. Will he stay part of the Scooby gang or revert to his bad boy ways and join the forces of bigotry and religious zeal to save his own life?

Bits and Pieces

If I was on a midnight raid of a cult’s compound I think I would be a little more careful with the flashlights. Just saying.

It seemed odd that there was so little reaction to Cole murdering Leith. He was either his son or his nephew. You would think his family might be a bit more upset.

The black capes looked cool but I’m not sure how useful they would be going into the water.

Quotes

Nathan: "The Reverend and his men are this close to going all “Mad Max” on them.”

Audrey: “C’mon, I bet you look good in black.”

Evi: “Like religious cryptic.”
Duke: “Jackass cryptic.”

Audrey: “Boys, not now!”

Reverend Driscoll: “I want to see you both at Sunday Services. I want the town to see that we stand together.”
Nathan: “Not a chance.”

Penny Driscoll: “No amount of prayer or hurting people will take the troubles away.”
Reverend Driscoll: “You only say that because you don’t believe.”

Reverend Driscoll: “A good shepherd always finds a way to save his flock.”

Audrey: “Looks like we’ve been following in their footsteps without even knowing it.”
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Eureka: This One Time at Space Camp ...

… in which the Astraeus candidates have their final interviews, and Allison and Carter appeal the DoD’s ruling regarding their relationship.

This one surprised me. When they introduced the bio-cortex recorder at the top of the episode, I thought for sure we were about to be subjected to another clip show. Really? Again? Erg. Of course, my exasperation quickly turned to dread as I realized that digging into our characters memories could inadvertently expose the secrets of the Eureka Six. Even if the device only captures the memories the subject is willing to share, it seemed very possible that one of these memories could differ from known history, thus revealing that something is off base with several of the town’s leading citizens. But then the Astraeus story zeroed in on childhood memories and the rest of the episode shifted into disaster mode, and I started to relax and enjoy the ride a bit more.

When Warren got zapped, it was obvious that something was going to go horribly wrong, but it took me awhile to connect the series of near disasters to Carter’s memories and thus to Warren. I immediately remembered the maize kernels being used to lure the cat into the shower back in ‘The Story of O2,’ but I didn’t remember the crossbow/lightening event or Carter attacking a guard for his uniform in 1947, so I didn’t see how it all fit together. I kept expecting everything to relate to the Astraeus candidate interviews, so I actually forgot about Warren until he was revealed as the very delusional culprit.

Warren’s predicament was actually a rather inspired twist on the clip show, and Wallace Shawn was an absolute hoot crying over Allison and overreacting to each new catastrophic memory. I’m not entirely convinced his distress over losing his great love was supposed to be funny, but it made me laugh. Especially him hugging Carter after nearly driving off the cliff. (Carter’s and Henry’s reactions to the hug were pretty darn funny, too.) And Warren’s residual love for Allison and Carter as a couple, after his memory was wiped, was thoroughly delightful. “No one in their right mind would keep the two of you apart. You guys, you’re perfect together! […] I get you!”

Of course, I’m left wondering why Warren only tapped in to memories from the changed timeline. Because I would think that memories of Jack and Allison “working well together” would cover a lot more history than just the recent stuff. Are we supposed to believe Warren only accessed the stuff from the last six to eight months because of the way memory works, and the more recent stuff came first? Or was Carter able to hold those other memories back in the split second it took to download him? It seems like they are asking us to stretch our willing suspension of disbelief just a bit, but I enjoyed the adventure so much, I’m just going to go with it. Especially since the end result is no more external threat to Jack and Allison’s couplehood!

In the other thread (which, surprisingly, turned out to be an entirely separate subplot), we got some rather fascinating insight into Zane’s, Fargo’s, and Jo’s childhoods and motivations. Since I was worried we’d just get old clips during the interviews, I was particular pleased to instead get a glimpse at something heretofore unseen. Of course, Zane’s memory of his first felony had me slightly on edge the whole time, and ultimately it just made me sad. Poor kid. Thankfully, Fargo’s memories were completely hilarious and were a fantastic example of how his spotty track record could be a very good thing for the mission. “So, would I make the same questionable choices during the Astraeus mission? I’m gonna try, Senator.” The kicker with Parrish glorying in his own Galaxy Camp experience was perfect. (I wonder if Fargo’s memories of space camp are the same as Parrish’s, given that Fargo’s past was in an entirely different timeline. Are they close enough for any differences to be chalked up to the imperfections of memory?)

As for Jo, it was a very nice twist for the interview process to make her realize she didn’t want to go to Titan. Not really. For her, it was just another chance to tackle a challenge and prove her worth, just as she’s been doing her whole life. What a brilliant, character-based reason for her to stay behind, free from disappointment! I love it when decisions flow from past characterization, and they don’t always get that right on this show, which makes this particular turn of events even more satisfying.

I also like how the turnabout puts Jo and Zane in an interesting position relative to their budding relationship. Zane’s reaction to Jo withdrawing herself from consideration says a lot about how his feelings for her have deepened, and about how much he was looking forward to sharing his dream with her. “We did this together. We should be going together.” I hope he doesn’t feel like she quit on him and interpret her “if you’re gonna travel a billion miles for something, it’s gotta mean more than that” comment as he doesn’t mean enough to her. Because I think she just had an honest moment of self reflection, and decided that she wouldn’t want to deprive someone else of their dream just to prove she’s the best of the best. The decision had nothing to do with him. Maybe from Zane’s perspective, that’s the problem. Sigh. I hope after the initial disappointment wears off, he’s able to see that her genuine happiness for him is a sign of how much she truly cares for and supports him, and that they can keep building their relationship while he’s away. I really want these two to make things work.

Other Thoughts

I kind of hope the refresher on recent history is leading to something that brings the entire season together. We’re six weeks out from launch, so there’s still time to bring Beverly and the Consortium back into the mix. I know, I know. “Be gone, demon!”

Carter: “That’s it?”
Warren: “Well, what were you expecting the Spanish Inquisition?”
Carter: “No one expects the Spanish Inquisition.”
Tee hee!

Holly and Fargo playing D&D in bed was cute. “I’ll leave the game here … for later.” I definitely thought they were going to relieve their tension the more traditional way and got a chuckle out of the surprise.

Carter: “It’s weird though. That there’d be a trail of maize kernels.”
Allison: “Weirder than what? Dried cranberries?”

I loved seeing Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica) as the Galaxy Camp leader! Chief! Plus, his character’s name was Darlton! A subtle geek reference? Likely.

Darlton (as the Possums banner goes up in flames): “Oh! Oh! The humanity! Aaaah!”

Darlton: “You were all fantastic! There is no second place. You just don’t get a … trophy.”

The kid playing young Parrish was great. He really effectively channeled Wil Wheaton’s egomaniacal jerk. “Despite the insufficient intellect of my teammates, I found a way to win!”

Holly’s revelation that Galaxy Camp (not the real Space Camp) was shut down due to safety violations was too funny.

Interesting that Zane grew up without a dad and Jo mostly grew up without a mom. It makes me curious to see the two of them become parents together. Or maybe just anticipating impending parenthood. Perhaps as the series draws to a close?

Carter: “There’s a fake brick. I keep a hide-a-key in there in case I lock myself in.”
Henry: “Yeah, well. That was smart.”
Carter: “For the record, I only used the hide-a-key once, though.”
Henry: “Whatever you say, Jack.”

Allison: “The man holds the key to our future, we just fried a bunch of neurons in his brain, and you want to go out for pizza?”
Carter: “No! I want to go for Chinese.”

Jo was right: Carter wanting to be the one to let her know she didn’t make the Astraeus Team was incredibly sweet. Another nice little moment for those two.

I’m so happy for Holly and Fargo! Their happy dance at Café Diem made me grin from ear to ear.

Did Grace make the team? And are we done with Parrish now, or will he be angling to make it in as an alternate?

Final Analysis: A very fun episode that, much to my delight, wasn’t a clip show!

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NewsFlash: Logan Echolls and Buffy Summers

Great casting spoiler from TVLine: Jason Dohring of Veronica Mars and Moonlight fame will be a recurring character on Sarah Michelle Gellar's new TV show, Ringer. (SMG, as you may have heard, used to be on a show called Buffy. It had something to do with vampires.) Click for more details, but only if you're not afraid of the tiniest bit of information.

Dohring will play a teacher at SMG's character's sister's stepdaughter's school. Or, if that's not clear: SMG will play two characters, twin sisters Bridget and Siobhan. Siobhan has a stepdaughter. That stepdaughter attends a school where Dohring teaches.

And if that's still not clear: tune in to the CW on Tuesday, September 13th to watch Ringer for the full story.

Without having seen even a split second of the show, I hereby create the Logan Echolls/Buffy 'shipper club. Dialogue already included: "Like, will we hang at the mall and hold hands and buy each other teddy bears with hearts that say, 'I wuv you beary much'?"

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True Blood: Burning Down the House

Tommy: "There ain't no heaven, and hell's a dog fight. I'm gonna disappear like I never was. That's what I want."

Yet another terrific episode that just flew by. It was jam-packed with all the right stuff, too, with many scenes of personal connection between two characters.

Sam and Tommy

Tommy's exit was surprisingly moving. How incredibly sad that Tommy thought of Merlotte's as his only real home, and Sam as his only real family. How incredibly sad that Tommy was hoping for nonexistence instead of heaven. Tommy just self-destructed, probably because he couldn't live with the guilt of what he did to his parents and to Sam. It was good of Sam to tell Tommy he loved him, and I believed it. I've never liked Tommy, but I always felt sympathy for him and his death made me cry.

(This is only the second time a True Blood scene made me cry. The other was Sookie at the kitchen table eating Gran's last pecan pie.)

Alcide and Debbie

Tommy's unexpected death has inadvertently resulted in Sam and Alcide teaming up. I'm starting to like more about Alcide than his spectacular body; he's a stand up wolf who chose justice over Pack politics. Does Debbie have any taste at all? Who could possibly prefer Marcus or Cooter to Alcide? Although Marcus and Debbie have all that poisonous jealousy in common and would probably make a great pair. If Sam doesn't kill Marcus, that is.

Sookie and Eric

Eric remembered everything, which really pleased me; it would be so frustrating if he didn't, and I'm deliberately not going to discuss what happened in the fourth book. Absorbing his amnesiac experiences appears to have pushed a lot of the arrogant jerkiness right out of him. He's now both Erics, a combination of the sweetie that Sookie fell for and the vampire Viking we all know and love. As far as I'm concerned, that makes him practically perfect in every way -- for a vampire love interest, that is. What more could Sookie possibly want? Why, oh why is she still hung up on Bill?

Bill and Nan

Bill's continuing conflict with Nan this season has been the gift that keeps on giving. The two of them keep making me laugh out loud. Eric said that Nan was on her way out, though. What does Eric know that Bill does not?

I have to give the writers tons of credit for the fun scenes in the cell under Bill's house. It started with just Bill and Jessica chained to the beds, and now it's every vampire in the cast -- and all they can do is argue. I can't blame them for being crabby, under the circumstances. At least Bill and Eric seemed to have buried their differences for now because of a common foe. Actually, Bill had better hang on to Eric, because I don't think he's going to have any other sheriffs around when all this is over.

Terry and Andy

Andy's struggle with V addiction has been boring and frustrating, but it finally paid off. Terry finally knocking some sense into Andy at Fort Bellefleur were probably the best scenes both characters have ever had. Their common past and shared experiences with serious addiction worked for me. And it was nice to hear that back when Terry was at his worst, it was Andy who took care of him, and Terry was just returning the favor.

Jason and Jessica

Jason has become such an adult. He was serious about asking Jessica to glamour him, and he didn't blurt out the truth to Hoyt, after all -- something I'm sure he would have done a couple of seasons ago. I'm all for truth, but Hoyt doesn't need to lose his BFF on top of Jessica. Maybe they won't go for predictable, and Hoyt won't find out.

Antonia and Marnie

We finally know Antonia's backstory, and her shock at what happened at the Festival of Tolerance makes sense -- she was a healer, not a killer. Antonia was ready to pack it in, but Marnie wouldn't let her. Marnie didn't care about the humans who were injured at the Festival; she hates the "normal" humans who have mocked her. So she's not the crunchy granola innocent victim that we thought. She invited it. She wants the power. She wants to kill. Good to know. Maybe Antonia is the only one who can stop Marnie.

Frontal assaults on the Moon Goddess

Sookie, Jason, Lafayette and Jesus decided it was time to get Tara out of the Moon Goddess Emporium. Jesus impressed me by taking the lead. He was wrong about Marnie, but I absolutely give him credit for trying. I didn't like Jesus at first, but I do now. He's shown where his heart is. I hope that means he's not about to die.

And now Sookie, Lafayette, Holly and Tara have vanished. (I had to run that scene three times to be sure exactly who disappeared.) Since there's more than one main character in the mix, I think they'll magically appear somewhere else. I was sorta expecting them to show up at Fort Bellefleur.

Our four favorite vamps in black, striding toward the Moon Goddess armed and ready to take down their common threat -- I want that shot for my screen saver. Seriously. It made me think of Angel, Darla, Drusilla and Spike during the Boxer Rebellion.



Was that a bazooka Jessica was carrying? Jessica seems to be turning into a vampire bad ass. I love it.

Bits and pieces:

-- Tara and Holly also found common ground and were pulling together with the Latin.

-- Sookie and Jason standing together with their arms folded and determined expressions on their faces looked and felt like brother and sister, possibly for the first time.

-- I don't see a good future ahead for Marnie's buddy Roy.

-- Even though the shots are working, I assume Pam is still spellbound. She should have gone to the Tolerance Festival and hung out with spellbound Eric. Maybe Sookie's death ray would have caught her, too.

-- Gold acting stars for Marshall Allman and Sam Trammell. Everyone was good in this episode, but they deserve singling out.

Quotes:

Nan: "What's the deal with your little dairy maid and her lightning trick?"

Jessica: "Fucking humans. I'm gonna find somebody to eat."

Sookie: "Maybe it's just chemical." And she's just thinking that now?

Jason: "He drank eleven of my beers, passed out and started farting continuously."

Andy: "For a year after the Marines, you lived up there like an insane squirrel."

Lafayette: "If she woulda goddam let her parakeet rest in peace, then Eric Northman and Bill Compton wouldn't be marching on Moon Goddess to blow up my only fucking cousin."

Marnie: (to Antonia) "Fate brought us together to fight evil. Did you really think no one was going to get hurt?"

Jessica: "I don't care what happens, as long as I get to kill shit."

Jason: "What's that on his head?"
Lafayette: "It's a... latin thing."

Marnie: "It's marvelous. They'll do anything I want. They'll slaughter their friends, kill each other, eat chocolate, go to the beach..."

Four out of four bazookas,

Billie


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Doctor Who: The Dӕmons

“Azal! Azal! Azzzaaalll!”

For a long time ‘The Dӕmons’ was considered to be an all-time classic. Fans only used to talk about it in reverence. Jon Pertwee even stated that it was his favourite story. But that was then and this is now and ‘The Dӕmons’ isn't a story that stands up well to critical reappraisal.

Everything starts out well. The first episode is actually quite creepy with an atmosphere of approaching dread. With its witches, satanic cults, sinister vicars, scientist hero and aliens influencing human evolution ‘The Dӕmons’ is like some mad fusion of Nigel Kneale and Dennis Wheatley. But this is a family programme so the more horrific elements have been stripped out for teatime broadcast. No buckets of blood or heaving bosoms here.

But by episode two it all starts to go wrong. This is one of those stories that gets progressively worse and worse as it goes on. Even with all the occult goings on this is still very much a Jon Pertwee story with lots of racing around on cars and motorcycles and a helicopter attack featuring some fantastic stock footage. Not to mention loads of scientific jiggery pokery and hullabaloo. Heck, a polarity even gets reversed at one point.

But in-between all the action too much time is spent sitting around the pub while the Doctor explains everything. With a slide shows, no less. Good thing he didn't have PowerPoint otherwise this pointless exercise could've gone on for hours. When they do get out, our heroes find themselves making the most idiotic decisions simply because the plot needs them to be in a certain place at a certain time. There is no reason for Jo to sneak out of the pub (using the most conveniently placed ladder in the universe) and to go to the church to get captured. But the writers need her there for the finale so off she goes.

And then Azal finally shows up at the end of episode four and the whole thing just falls apart.

Throughout the story Azal is built up to be this powerful and terrifying creature, capable of destroying the world on a whim. But then he shows up looking like a drunken Dave Lee Travis after a Halloween party before being defeated with the flimsiest deus ex machina this side of Russell T. Davies.

But that's not the worst of it. Oh no, just when you think it can't get any worse, the Morris dancers show up. Demons, witches and devil worship are one thing but this goes too far. For heaven's sake, there are children watching. They shouldn't be forced to watch such indecent behaviour. Where is Mary Whitehouse when you need her?

Notes and Quotes

--The Unit gang are all watching the dig on BBC3. Nowadays its hard to imagine such a programme going out on the same channel that gave us Snog, Marry, Avoid?, Geordie Finishing School for Girls, The World's Strictest Parents, Underage and Pregnant, Don't Tell the Bride, World's Craziest Fools with Mr. T and, of course, the legend that is The Real Hustle.

--The story is credited to Guy Leopold, a pseudonym for producer Barry Letts and his collaborator Robert Sloman.

--I just love the Master posing as the local vicar. Another chance for Rodger Delgado to steal the show again for the umpteenth time this season.

--The Doctor makes everyone sit through his dreary slide show presentation and not once does he offer to get a round in.

--Yates and Benton should never be allowed out of uniform ever again.

--It's hard not to snigger when everyone keeps saying 'devil's hump'.

The Doctor: “Klokeda partha menin klatch.”

Man: “You one of these TV chaps, then?”
The Doctor: “I am no sort of chap, sir.”
Man: “Forgive me but I thought, the costume, the wig...”
The Doctor: “Wig?”

The Master: “I only need two things: your submission and your obeisance to my will.”
Squire: “What's all this of obeisance and submission? You said we were going to rule?”
The Master: “You rule? You’re all less than dust beneath my feet.”
--Way to win the crowd, mate.

The Brigadier: “I see, Captain Yates. So the Doctor was frozen stiff at the barrow, then revived by a freak heatwave. Benton was beaten up by invisible forces, and the local white witch claims she's seen the devil.”
Captain Yates: “I know it sounds a bit wild.”
The Brigadier: “It does indeed, Yates.”

Captain Yates: "I see. So all we've got to deal with is something which is either too small to see or thirty feet tall, can incinerate you or freeze you to death, turn stone images into homicidal monsters and looks like the devil."
The Doctor: "Exactly."

The Brigadier: “Do you know what you're doing?”
The Doctor: “My dear chap, I can't wait to find out.”

The Brigadier: “Chap with the wings, five rounds rapid.”

Jo: “As if blowing things up solves anything.”
The Doctor: “Jo, the Brigadier is doing his best to cope with an almost impossible situation. And since he is your superior officer you at least might show him a little respect.”
--Pot, say hello to kettle.

Captain Yates: “Fancy a dance sir?”
The Brigadier: “Kind of you, Captain. I think I'd rather have a pint.”
--You now, I'm starting to suspect that Jack Harkness wasn't the show's first bisexual character.

Miss Hawthorne: “We're dealing with the supernatural, the occult, magic!”
The Doctor: “Science.”
Miss Hawthorne: “Magic!”
The Doctor: “Science, Miss Hawthorne.”

The Doctor: “I'm not a wizard or a magician or anything of the sort.”
Landlord: “See, I told you.”
The Doctor: “But neither is the Master. I tricked you, yes, but only to save you from him.”
Landlord: “To save your own life you mean.”
The Doctor: “Yes, of course, that too.”

Two and a half out of four rounds rapid. ... Read full post

Doctor Who: Let's Kill Hitler (2)

Mels: “You've got a time machine. I've got a gun. What the hell. Let's kill Hitler.”

Bonkers! Absolutely bonkers. I don't think I've ever seen anything so mad. "Let's Kill Hitler" had just about everything. They gave us answers, puzzles galore, humour, cleavage, conflict... Rory punching Hitler and then locking him in a cupboard. What more could anyone ask for? (Bearing in mind this is a family show, not HBO). Any fears I might have had over the second half of the season not living up to the first are now well and truly behind me. This is shaping up to be the best season so far.

I thought knowing Melody couldn't die (or be harmed in any meaningful way) would strip the season arc of its tension, but it really didn't. True, we already know River's fate: she dies in “Forest of the Dead”. But what I didn't count on was Madame Kovarian's scheme to turn River into a weapon actually working. I thought they dismissed the question of how Mels could both love and want to kill the Doctor too quickly, however. Alex Kingston offered an interesting theory on Doctor Who Confidential. She saw River as a sleeper: meaning her desire to kill the Doctor didn't manifest itself until triggered (presumably, by seeing him). I'm not sure that's what Moffat had in mind, but it's a more intriguing explanation than her being a "brainwashed woman".

The pace was so fast it was easy to miss the details. I didn't make the connection between Mels and Melody. Her darker skin tone completely threw me. What a brilliant twist. I loved that Rory and Amy got to be a part of Melody's childhood. Despite being lost in time, she was there all along. Little did they suspect she'd grow up to kill the Doctor. Except, she didn't. At least, not yet. We know she'll kill him in the future because we've already seen it. (Goodness, this is getting confusing.) That River is the person in the spacesuit seems so strongly indicated that it just couldn't be anyone else. Or could it? Until I see the face behind the visor, I'm reserving judgement. Especially after they threw in that "time can be rewritten" reminder.

River may have been unable to override her programming, but she was still able to use the last of her regeneration energy to bring the Doctor back. Unfortunately, the process also consumed her remaining regenerations, making Alex Kingston River's final incarnation. Not a bad body to go out in. (Jodphurs? Yes, please!) What I didn't understand is why the Numskulls in the Teselecta chose that moment to torture her. Aren't they supposed to take people near the end of their established time line? This was River's first meeting with the Doctor. She has plenty of adventures between now and "Forest of the Dead". Was it just a case of opportunity knocking and them taking it?

So many great quotes. Which other show gives you lines like “Shut up, Hitler” and “Right, I'm putting Hitler in the cupboard". And, if memory serves me correct, he's still there. The whole Hitler storyline was nothing more than a red herring. He was only on-screen a few minutes. I hope he doesn't do anything stupid when he gets out... like start a war. I laughed out loud at the Doctor's “You named your daughter after your daughter?” line. (Bootstrap paradox number one.) Ditto with "Spoilers". A brilliant reversal. Only Moffat could come up with this stuff and make it so terrific.

I'm glad at least one tabloid rumour turned out to be true. Tonight's episode saw the return of Amelia Pond. (Played by the lovely Caitlin Blackwood.) The Daily Mirror (an English newspaper of dubious repute) also promised cameos from Freema Agyeman, Billie Piper and Catherine Tate. (Despite Billie saying she was done with her character in the very same newspaper just months previous.) They must have somehow gained access to footage of the TARDIS' holographic interface, put two and two together, and come up with five. Typical tabloid nonsense. I'm not sure cameos would have worked, anyway. There was no real reason to bring any of them back.

I loved that River managed to eventually outsmart the Doctor. The Doctor was initially ahead in their battle of wits. He managed to empty two guns, swap one for a banana, and deflect a knife attack. But even Time Lords can't resist a kiss. The old poisonous lipstick ploy. I was genuinely shocked to see the Doctor dead. Actually dead. His regeneration cycle terminated. Thankfully, whatever the Doctor said to River, worked. It was enough to make her realise that he must mean something to her in the future. But what did he say? Did he tell her his name? That was the implication, right? (Which would tie in nicely with "Silence in the Library".)

There was oodles of continuity, too. We learned that it was the TARDIS who taught River to fly, not the Doctor. Maybe he was busy that day after all. Since it was Amy travelling through the Time Vortex (whilst on the job) which caused Melody's unique genetic make-up, then River truly is the TARDIS' child. I liked, too, that we got to see River starting out her career as an archaeologist. And in Bootstrap paradox number two, we uncovered the origins of River's blue journal. It was a gift from the Doctor.

We know a lot more about the Silence, too. They're a religious order, not a race. Which means just about anyone could be behind them. (Even someone we already know.) Silence falling when the oldest question is asked felt thematically similar to Douglas Adams' answer to life, the universe and everything. But what does it mean? And is River truly free of her programming? Or are there more twists yet to come?

Bits and pieces:

-- The Teselecta was a mad idea. It reminded me of the Numskulls from The Beano.

-- Bootstrap paradox number three was Mels' part in getting her parents together. Without her as a catalyst, it may never have happened.

-- The Doctor now knows he's going to die at Lake Silencio on 22nd April, 2011. Which, presumably, means he can do something about it.

-- The TARDIS being in a state of temporal grace was a nice throwback to the Tom Baker years.

-- I loved the way they explained Rory's motorcycle riding prowess... by brushing it off as just "that sort of day". Why not, indeed?

-- "Hello, Mr Benjamin" is a line from The Graduate. River's obviously the Mrs Robinson character.

-- Mels said she didn't do weddings, but, of course she was there. River dropped in to give Amy her diary ("The Big Bang"), thus facilitating the Doctor's return from oblivion.

-- Loved the Doctor crop circle, and Mels' little red Corvette.

-- I wonder who Mels was living with all those years? Adopted parents. I did at one point think of Madame Kovarian, but she'd probably have been dead at that point. Plus, Amy would've remembered the eye patch.

-- "Cut to the song, this is getting boring." A nice foregleam of Mels' true identity... which I totally missed on first watch.

-- Rory's Scottish accent was awesome.

Quotes:

Doctor: “You never said I was hot.”

Hitler: "I think he was going to kill me."
Rory: "Shut up, Hitler."

River: "Oh, it's all going on down there, isn't it? The hair! The hair just doesn't stop, does it?"

Amy: “That's Melody."
Rory: "It's River Song."
River: "Who's River Song?"
Doctor: "Spoilers."
River: "Spoilers? What's spoilers?"

Rory: "Is anybody else finding today just a bit difficult? I'm getting sort of a banging in my head."
Amy: "I think that's Hitler in the cupboard."

River: "Well, I was on my way to this gay gypsy Bar Mitzvah for the disabled, when I suddenly thought, 'Gosh, the 3rd Reich's a bit rubbish. I think I'll kill the Fuhrer'. Who's with me?"

Rory: "Okay, I'm trapped inside a giant robot replica of my wife. I'm really trying not to see this as a metaphor."

Amy: "We come in peace."
Rory: "When has that ever worked?"

Doctor: "Sorry, did you say she killed the doctor? The doctor? Doctor who?"

Doctor: "What is the question?"
Teselecta: "Unknown."
Doctor: "Oh, well. Fat lot of use that is, you big ginge.”

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Torchwood Miracle Day: End of the Road

Gwen: "Start again. Any chance of a drink?"

I'm a bit of a Pollyanna when it comes to shows that I love. But this episode was like someone just tossed a bunch of plot elements in a bowl and stirred, and some of them slopped out of the sides.

Life and Death and Jack and Angelo

Did Jack literally give Angelo the kiss of death? Did Jack's DNA do something to the alien null field under Angelo's bed that somehow came from underneath the decimated Torchwood Hub? What does it have to do with jellyfish and cancer cells and morphic fields? Why the obsession with Jack's blood when we all know his immortality has nothing to do with it? What the hell is The Blessing? I'm so confused.

Angelo spent his life essentially stalking Jack, obsessed with immortality. But he didn't cause Miracle Day. The Families did. The Three Families are named Ablemarch, Costerdane and Frines, and those names were somehow erased from the Earth just as Torchwood was in the first episode of Miracle Day. (Good thing, too. They're creepy names.) Apparently, the stock market has crashed and the banks are closing, which has something to do with their master plan. They employed Friedkin, and still employ Charlotte. They just hired Jilly, and I have no idea why.

Jack talked about how Miracle Day is changing the timeline and we won't get the future we were supposed to get. This feels important. (Of course it's important, but I mean plot important.) If there is no future where Jack is born, does he vanish?

Revolving Characters and Dueling Redheads

Why introduce Nana Visitor and kill her off in five minutes, only to replace her with another Star Trek actor? It's always nice to see John DeLancie (Shapero), and he made me laugh out loud a couple of times, but it's episode eight -- did we need a new player at this point? They introduced Shawnie Yamaguchi, secret CIA agent, and knocked her off. Did they bring Friedkin back just to confuse us?

I knew Danes would eventually demand a victim, but it was like they finally went there, but they didn't go there. Why introduce a stand-in of Jilly for Danes to abuse in the first place? They even cast a woman who was doing a Lauren Ambrose imitation, with the nose-wrinkling and the giggle. Why? So that Danes and Jilly could have a fistfight in the hotel hallway, and Jilly could get promoted?

The prostitute mentioned Category Zero, something no one else knows, because clearly, the senators she slept with told the most classified secret on Earth to her. That makes sense. And so does Esther's sister volunteering herself and her children for Category One. I can understand the corrupt governments allowing suicide in a world crisis like this, but the murder of perfectly healthy children? This just feels completely ridiculously unbelievable.

Why put Gwen on a plane back to freaking Wales? Gwen has spent half of Miracle Day on a plane. I know they want to keep Torchwood connected to its Cardiff roots, but just having one character go back and forth by plane is not how to do it.

I was all encouraged after last week's, and now I'm down again. There are only two episodes to go. I hope they leave us with something good, because at this rate, Torchwood will need a Miracle to get another season.

Bits and pieces:

-- Dan was ticked that after all they went through to become Torchwood, Rex and Esther just went back to the CIA.

-- It was sort of fun that Jack literally pulled the plug on Angelo. And at least Ianto was *mentioned.*

-- In keeping with the rest of the American intelligence community, Shapero called Jack "Red Baron". Geez. Does everyone in America have to diss the coat?

-- Nice point about the name "Hitler" disappearing from the phone books.

-- Bisected bride. Positive thinking and a colostomy bag. Yech.

-- I thought the mark in Angelo's eye actually meant something, but it appears to have been there just so Jack could identify him ninety years later.

-- Gwen's mom got to be cool. "Go get 'em."

I haven't given a Torchwood episode one star in a long time, but... one category out of four. I may watch this one again before episode nine, and if it makes more sense the second time, I'll revise my review.

Billie


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Haven: Audrey Parker's Day Off

Nathan: “You’re stuck in my second favourite Bill Murray movie.”

Haven is back. This was a much better episode. Although we still didn’t get much about the overarching mystery, this week’s weirdness was very interesting.

Weekly Weirdness

As Anson Shumway says, if you have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder you feel responsible for everything that goes wrong--and if you are from Haven, the unbearable guilt that you feel when something truly terrible does happen can be enough to reset time. It was heartbreaking to watch Audrey try to prevent a tragedy and instead watch each of the men she cared for die. It was even more heartbreaking to watch Anson sacrifice himself for his daughter. It seemed the only possible answer, but Audrey is struggling with her inability to help some people, although she did help Anson understand his trouble and what he had to do. The town could have been stuck in a time loop for a very long time without her. The focus on Audrey made for a much better episode this week.

Relationships

Well, our triangle is now a quadrangle. Audrey enjoyed her evening with Chris and probably would have been happy to go on a picnic with him, but her job and the town troubles come first. It was very interesting to watch Audrey with each death. Her joy at seeing Duke was uncomplicated and direct, and she was obviously upset when Chris died and happy when she woke up to him alive. Her reaction to Nathan’s death was deeply felt, but her reaction to seeing him alive again was curiously reserved. I wonder if she has some rule against dating partners. The scene at the end with all the men she cares about sitting at the bar (with Nathan and Duke trying not to look at Chris) was priceless.

Bits and Pieces

Best death scene goes to Duke, although Nathan’s comment about only feeling Audrey was quite poignant.

I loved watching Duke making his Taco Tuesdays sign. He is really getting into being a restaurant owner.

The first time Audrey did career day was hilarious. She finally realized she was getting a little graphic and just said "Don’t do drugs."

There was a sign at the school encouraging people to follow Vince on Twitter. Apparently Dave actually has an account. I wonder if Vince does as well?

Audrey flicking Nathan on the back of the head was one of my favourite scenes.

Quotes

Audrey: “I only have one little piece of official police business, but then I’m all yours.”

Duke: “I’m just honoured that you would choose my place of business to express yourselves... physically. Love happens...here.”

Nathan: “It doesn’t hurt. The only thing I feel is you.”

Chris: “Here’s the deal, you’re weird, you wear a gun, you wake up with mysterious woundsm and I’m okay with that. But you’ve got to tell me what’s going on with you."

Nathan: “What Ansen did saved his daughter’s life. In this town, he did what he had to do. He got the world moving forward again.”
Audrey: “No. I failed.”
Nathan: “You can never fail me.” ... Read full post

Star Trek: Assignment: Earth

Roberta: "Very groovy."

This was actually a pretty decent try at a spinoff. It had something of a Quantum Leap feel, except they'd be fixing things *before* they went wrong. Preventing World War III was a good start.

Gary Seven had a bunch of cool science fiction doo-dads. He had a super transporter, a snobbish talking computer, a magic typewriter that took dictation, a Doctor Who-like screwdriver thingy that could do pretty much anything to anyone, all kinds of Supernatural-like fake ID, and a fancy office in the city to keep them in.

And of course, there was the cat. I gotta say, the cat lover in me really liked Gary Seven carrying that cat with him everywhere he went. She sat in his arms, stood on his shoulders, walked on his back. How did they find a cat who could do that? Seriously, you can't make a cat do anything it doesn't want to do, and the cat scenes were seamless. Just keeping a cat from jump-kicking out of your arms right after you pick it up is a superpower.

Robert Lansing looked and acted rather Spock-like, and I'm sure that was their intention. (Not a surprise that they didn't pick a Kirk-like character as the lead. They were very aware of who everyone's favorite character was.) Roberta Lincoln (played by Teri Garr, future star of Tootsie and Young Frankenstein) was pretty much an anti-Spock -- a spunky, cute teenage patriot. I don't think Lansing and Garr had acting chemistry, though. Of course, she was awfully young. Future Teri Garr probably could have manufactured some.

There was the mystery of the aliens who took people from Earth six thousand years ago, too. Of course, the cat wasn't really a cat. I always thought she was one of the superaliens monitoring Gary's assignment. Gary acted like she was his girlfriend, too, which could have been fun. Sort of sad that we'll never know.

Ben says...

It's hard to ever know what to say about these failed back-door pilot episodes. Seeing the very young Teri Garr again was fun and the episode had a few good moments, but overall I think they probably made the right choice in not bringing the show to T.V.

This episode did inspire in me some intense nostalgia for the space age. I am writing this the week that the shuttle program ended (which of course began with the Enterprise), and I can't help feeling that the world of space exploration has receded continuously through my lifetime. The sixties were certainly a time when there was still a sense that the big things could be routinely done.

Although not always just the good things, it's during this same period that the Air force, CIA and Atomic Energy commission are littering the Nevada desert with plutonium just to see what would happen and pondering plans for a "space battleship" to claim the ultimate high ground. It was in 1965 that the NERVA program melted down a nuclear rocket engine in Jackass Flats, Nevada and created a huge radioactive accident. This wasn't even partially declassified until 2008, but Roddenberry's assumptions about what kind of stuff might be going on behind the scenes was right on target. In fact, his ideas were kind of tame. Mostly this stuff was done because it could be done, which is scary in a circumstance where people are playing with nuclear weapons and hypersonic spy planes. Okay, I take it back, maybe we really could have used Gary Seven and his funky sidekick back then (hell, maybe we had them and they kept the show off the air).

Back to Billie for bits and pieces:

-- Star date 1968.

-- Teri Garr was listed as "Terri Garr."

-- What's with the black cats on this show? Spock looks good with a cat, too. Maybe it's the ears.

-- Kirk called a meeting that involved the entire ship in a sort of teleconference. That was a first.

-- Star Trek always did good time travel episodes. Interestingly, the library computer confirmed that what happened in this episode had happened the first time. Maybe it's because, even though he knows the future, Gary Seven was a twentieth century human. No paradoxes.

-- Roberta got the "ears" moment. I should have kept track of them in the series. I'm talking about that moment when someone who doesn't know aliens sees Spock's ears. It's sort of like in Doctor Who when someone walks into the Tardis for the first time and says, "It's bigger on the inside."

-- Loved the fishing hat Spock was wearing after he lost the stocking cap.



-- Roberta's pink and tangerine striped outfit with the cube-shaped purse, white tights, and matching shoes, gloves, and cape was gagworthy. I doubt any self-respecting 20-year-old in 1968 would have been caught dead in it.

We've finished season two! Two out of four alien black cats,

Billie

All of our Star Trek reviews are archived here.
More about Ben here.


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Warehouse 13: Past Imperfect

… in which Myka gets another chance to catch the man that killed her former partner.

An episode that revisits past baggage is usually going to be a winner for me, and ‘Past Imperfect’ was a reasonably engaging outing that compared favorably with the last two episodes. My primary complaints immediately after watching were that (1) the events in Denver felt too rushed, (2) it was far too easy to see where that story was going, and (3) Myka’s out-of-character behavior was a bit jarring. As soon as Leo disappeared, it was painfully obvious (even to Pete) that an artifact was involved, and once we got a glimpse of Leo’s utter bewilderment at having a gun in his hand, the identity of the ultimate bad guy was glaringly obvious. (Two recognizable guest stars, one of whom had direct contact with Leo before he disappeared. Hmmm, who could the accomplice be?) As for Myka, I know they kept hanging a lampshade on her emotional state, and her impulsive behavior was largely understandable given the circumstances, but seeing her so irrational and weepy still created a certain level of cognitive dissonance for me, negatively affecting my residual impression of the episode.

On rewatch, Myka’s erratic behavior didn’t bother me quite so much --- it actually lead to several really nice partner moments between her and Pete --- but, unfortunately, the more I think about things, the more convinced I am that this particular baggage is not something we needed to revisit. Myka had already confronted and dealt with feeling responsible for Sam’s death in Season 1’s ‘Regrets.’ That was actually one of my favorite episodes from that season, and I think it did the topic justice. It allowed Myka to mostly finish grieving and move on, despite never catching Sam’s killer. This episode just dredged up old pain, reminded us that she still has a hard time forgiving herself for failing as Sam’s backup, and then completely let her off the hook. Turns out that Agent Jim wanted Sam dead, and he used the ship’s barometer on Myka to make sure she didn’t arrive in time to save him. So she’s now absolved of the residual guilt she’s been carrying. I know that sounds like a good thing, but I think carrying the weight of that particular death (along with what she allowed to happen with H.G.) gave Myka some interesting shading, and it has significantly informed the way she approaches her partnership with Pete. At the beginning of this episode, she abandoned the pursuit of Leo and ran back to help Pete precisely because of what happened with Sam. She will not allow herself to fail another partner. I don’t know if learning that she didn’t fail Sam will significantly change her approach going forward --- after all, her perceived role in Sam’s death has been motivating her for three years --- but I wish the writers had left that baggage intact.

In other developments, we got a shocking attack on Claudia and Jinks, a strange subplot with Artie mind-melding with a dog, and some incremental steps in the overarching plot. It was nice to see Claudia and Jinks back in the field as partners (I’ve missed that dynamic the last couple weeks), and I was completely stunned when they got tazed. It was a relief when they regained consciousness and had only lost the artifact! The dog subplot was a bit silly, but Claudia’s excessive drooling after using Pavlov’s Bell made it worth the time. “Just getting a little slurpy. I’ll be fine tomorrow.” Too funny! (I also got a good chuckle out of Agent Sally’s alias: Helen Coldby. Cold B. That’s for certain.) Unfortunately, we didn’t find out what was up with the bug infestation from the end of last week’s episode. Are the bugs responsible for the malfunctioning artifact-handling gloves? Both Pete and Jinks got burned, so something’s not right there. And, clearly, Artie did not fully suspect Agent Sally of foul play before discovering the fake license, so the Warehouse crew is unaware of the Trojan horse attack. Uh oh. Hopefully it isn’t too late to mount a defense!

Other Thoughts

I really enjoyed seeing Myka in the flashbacks. She seemed so happy and in love. Plus, I miss Myka’s curly hair.

Is Joanne Kelly pregnant? Her face looks fuller to me, and she’s suddenly wearing a lot of dark, loose or bulky clothing. She’s also primarily being shot from behind or from the waist up. Hmmm …

Artie: “Was the dog there when you were attacked?”
Jinks: “You think the dog did it!”
Artie: “Don’t be absurd.”

Gunn!!! Delightful to see J. August Richards. Especially all suited up! Too bad he didn’t get more to do. Maybe we’ll get to work with him again the next time the crew is in Denver.

What the hell was Myka thinking wandering around the tour bus and looking in the windows? Of course, Leo made you! That wasn’t an impulsive move; it was an idiotic one.

Why does ‘Car Wash’ keep popping up on my SyFy shows? It was on Eureka just last week!

Myka (begging Pete to stay behind): “Look, the last time I got a tip to nab Leo, my partner ended up … I could never recover from that.”

It felt kind of strange to go back to basics with Pete labeled as “the one with intuitive vibes” and Myka labeled as “the ultra observant one.”

Who out there momentarily considered the possibility that a Rambaldi artifact was involved when Pete and Myka discovered they’d lost 47 seconds? I can’t be the only one, right?

Myka: “For three years, I have done nothing but fail on this case. I failed as a Secret Service agent. I failed as a Warehouse agent. And I failed as Sam’s partner. I was his backup, Pete!”

Pete: “Is … is it over?”
Myka: “Yeah, it’s over.”
Pete: “You feel better?”
Myka (fighting tears): “No.”

Can I just say that I absolutely hate dogs licking people’s faces? Ugh. “I’ve seen where that tongue has been.”

Artie: “We don’t own dogs, dogs own us. Cats are prisoners, but dogs own us.”

Final Analysis: Better overall effort than the last several weeks, but I sort of wish they had left well enough alone with this part of Myka’s backstory.

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Eureka: Clash of the Titans

… in which TINY returns from Titan, Henry and Grace make wedding preparations, and Allison and Carter are subjected to a relationship auditor.

Okay, this is going to sound a little crazy coming from me, but this episode was almost too relationship-focused. Romantic relationships are often an important part of character-based storytelling, but ‘Clash of the Titans’ had way too much emphasis on who was sleeping with whom, and who was or wasn’t in a long-term committed relationship. At times, I felt like I was watching a soap opera. I mean, in addition to the disaster-of-the-week and the continued preparations for the Titan mission, we had subplots about the status of four of our core couples. Four! We had Henry and Grace preparing to get married; Jo and Zane wrestling with his potential departure; Holly and Fargo deciding how to take their relationship to the next level; and Allison and Carter dealing with a government review of their intimate alliance. Too much! Don’t get me wrong, I actually enjoyed the Henry and Grace story, as well as elements of the Holly-Fargo and Jo-Zane stories, but I would have preferred if the episode had just featured one relationship story with some small highlights for one or two other relationships, and then focused the rest of the episode on non-romantic stuff.

What I really would have liked, is if they had just dropped the Allison and Carter story all together. I absolutely hate that the writers are bringing in an external threat to force them apart. Especially some government auditor that assesses “intimate alliances.” No one had a problem with Stark and Allison getting remarried, even though they both had extremely high-level positions at GD, and even though they kept a whole bunch of dangerous secrets about Kevin’s connection to the Artifact, which almost resulted in disaster. How is that not an intimate alliance worthy of a red flag? Are we supposed to chalk up this new evaluation to “lessons learned” or to “none of that happened in this timeline”? Or are we just supposed to view this as more fallout from the brain-jacking? Either way, I don’t care. I’m with Carter: this development is absolutely ridiculous.

Almost as irritating as the notion that Allison and Carter now have reservations or doubts or whatever about where their relationship is headed. The whole freaking town, including Carter and Allison, know exactly what they are to each other. They are in a long-term, committed relationship, and marriage is pretty much a certainty. To suggest that neither of them has seriously considered that “endgame” or that they are now confused about how to label their relationship is ludicrous. Jack has been in love with Allison for an incredibly long time, and not too long ago she was giving up her childhood dreams to pursue a “happy family” existence with him. They are fully committed to one another! Sigh. Maybe I’m overreacting. Perhaps we weren’t supposed to read doubts into their discussions with Mr. Hughes or their interactions with each other. Maybe they just didn’t want to discuss the topic with an outsider and were just being playful with each other. I hope that’s the case, because as disgusted as I am with the external mucking about with their relationship, I would be absolutely livid if the writers broke them up over some internal disagreement about where they see their future going.

On a happier note, I liked where they took things with Henry and Grace this week. Henry’s reaction to Grace’s desire to get new rings was very understandable, and I found her initial inability to answer his question about what she planned to do with the old rings quite poignant. “It’s like you're embracing me with one arm, but holding on to somebody else with the other.” Obviously, Grace has fallen for our Henry, but he’ll never be the same man she originally married, no matter how similar he is. Knowing that, I can’t imagine how difficult it would be for her to completely let go of the man she used to love. I almost wish they had let the drama play out a little longer. I’d, of course, want her to come around to a “you’re my Henry now” epiphany in the end, but given the significance of letting go of the man she used to know, I wouldn’t have minded if it took more than one near catastrophe to open her eyes. I also kind of wish Henry was struggling a bit more with Grace’s plan to go to Titan. He lost the previous love of his life three times, and it messed him up so badly that he tried to rewrite history to save her. I know he finally made peace with losing Kim, but I would think her death is weighing heavily on his mind as he prepares to send his new wife off on an incredibly dangerous six-month mission.

The basic conflict at the heart of the Fargo and Holly story also worked for me. Of course, Fargo would want to do the whole dating thing before jumping into the sack with the girl he’s sweet on. And, of course, Holly would want to skip that part. She takes social awkwardness to a whole new level, so it was perfectly logical that she’d want to just forge ahead without the “getting to know you” dinners. Fargo reassuring her that she’d do just fine and trying to sell her on the fun and excitement of dating was very sweet (especially the bonding over Star Trek). That said, I didn’t much care for their dewey-eyed flirting during training, Fargo moping to Henry and Carter instead of trying to help solve the latest disaster, or the exceedingly cheesy rescue mission on Main Street.

I also got rather irritated by Jo and Zane dancing around the issue of his departure. I hate that passive-aggressive nonsense. At least, here, as annoying as it is, their behavior feels very rooted in character. Zane has probably never made any significantly life-altering decisions based on how he feels about a woman, and the idea of a long-term future with Jo probably scares the heck out of him. Now that he’s finally got his freedom, I can understand him feeling conflicted about whether to stay. I can even understand his reluctance to openly discuss the issue with Jo. I also get why she wouldn’t just ask him to stay. Obviously, she desperately wants him to stay, but it’s not her style to put herself out there like that. She’s also not ready to make a long-term commitment to this Zane yet, so how could she ask him not to leave? Moreover, I don’t think Jo would want to influence his decision that way. It’s his choice, and if he chooses to stay, she’d want him to come to that decision on his own. She wouldn’t want to make herself the reason he stays. Sigh. Even though I’m reasonably confident that, in the end, Zane will stay and those two crazy kids will make it work, right now it is a bit frustrating to watch it all unfold.

Other Thoughts

Poor TINY! She’s always been a bit of a problem child, but that was a hell of a way to go out. I wonder if they’ll put her back together, or if she’s served her purpose and they’ll just move forward with the data and samples she collected.

How delightful to see Wallace Shawn! Even though he told Allison and Carter they have to break up or resign.

Dr. Leonardo (the florist) was last seen in ‘Welcome Back, Carter.’ She was a dendrologist, who was developing superfast growing trees. She’s a lot friendlier in this timeline.

I got a kick out of Fargo going to Zane for advice. The two of them bonded a bit after getting launched into space, and it is nice to see that friendship continuing to develop. Of course, Zane initially gave him utterly horrible advice, but he turned things around in the end by acknowledging that his approach wasn’t the right one for Fargo. A nice moment between those two.

Allison (re: Carter): “He is the most level-headed, even-tempered person in a town full of huge egos.”
Hughes: “Oh? You have a huge ego?”
Allison (pauses a moment): “Yes.”

It was nice to see Allison immediately defending Carter’s smarts.

Carter: “You nervous?”
Henry: “Well, the idea of being sucked into a giant sinkhole is not exactly pleasant.”
Carter: “I know. Marriage is a big commitment.”

Jo being so obsessed with Henry and Grace’s wedding was somewhat annoying, but it made perfect sense, given where she was at with Zane. Plus, we learned back in early Season 3 that she’s always been into weddings, so her behavior here was consistent with past characterization. Huzzah!

Allison: “It’s funny. I didn’t realize how difficult it is to define what we are to each other.”
Carter: “It wasn’t, until he got here!”
Seriously, dude. Seriously.

Gee, I always love it when we get our dose of Suburu product placement. Watch Jo’s car rapidly accelerate, effortlessly corner, and zip to the site of the emergency! Isn’t Suburu awesome?

Loved the music playing when Jo first surprised Henry and Grace with the wedding! It’s from Bear McCreary’s Season One Battlestar Galactica soundtrack.

Final Analysis: Several enjoyable elements, but there was entirely too much relationship drama this week (which I just wrote entirely too much about).

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The Golden Globe

[This is not a rundown of the Golden Globes. :) It's a book review of The Golden Globe by John Varley, first published in 1998.]

The Golden Globe is John Varley's third "Eight Worlds" novel and something of a companion volume to Steel Beach. It takes place in the same general time period -- 200 years after the Invaders have exiled the human race from Earth -- and it is also a first person story by a centenarian. This time, it's Kenneth Valentine, aka Sparky, former child star and solar system fugitive.

When I think about The Golden Globe, the sequence I always remember is when Kenneth ships himself as cargo from Pluto to Uranus via "deadballing", a drug that drastically slows the metabolism. As Kenneth sleeps and wakes, we get flashbacks of his simultaneously horrible and famous childhood, with a "Mama Rose"-like father who used drowning and suffocation as methods to force little Kenneth to memorize lines. (Much like Marjoe Gortner, who gained considerable fame as a child preacher.)

The adult Kenneth, like many who were abused, is emotionally stuck in childhood because he never had a chance to grow up emotionally. He has even retained his imaginary friend from childhood (Jimmy Stewart's Elwood P. Dowd from Harvey, a wonderful choice). Kenneth sees everything he does in terms of parts that he is playing, both on and off-stage, because he has never been allowed to be himself. Kenneth is an egotistical actor type and isn't that likable at first, but as his true situation is slowly revealed and he resolves issues from his past (sort of like non-therapy therapy), he becomes one of Varley's stronger characters, and I definitely empathize with him.

As I've said before, it's the universe Varley creates that I always enjoy the most. Steel Beach takes place on Luna, but The Golden Globe begins near Pluto and moves through the solar system when Kenneth decides to return to Luna to play King Lear. He is followed by a tenacious Charonese assassin who is very like a human version of the Terminator. My favorite bits are on Oberon II, an immense space station/habitat under construction in the orbit of Uranus (a bit reminiscent of Varley's Gaean trilogy), and an idyll on space yacht called Halley, where Kenneth's delightful dog Toby falls in love with an extremely large cat. Hildy Johnson, first person narrator of Steel Beach, is also a character in this book. And just as with Steel Beach, we again encounter the Heinleiners, who may be the key to the future of the human race.

Although the book is complete in itself, it feels like there should be more. Hopefully, Varley's upcoming Irontown Blues will be it.

For more about John Varley and a list of his works, go here.


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True Blood: Let's Get Out of Here

Sookie: "I'm proposing that the two of you be mine."

There wasn't much in the way of a beginning, middle and end, and not a lot was resolved. But this episode was damned entertaining.

The Festival of Tolerance

My favorite part (you had to ask?) was Sookie's long fantasy dream. It was funny, sexy, silly and beautifully done, with some lovely feminist overtones. That incredible red thing Sookie was wearing, the fuzzy lens, the old va-va-voom music, the resounding *thunk* as both vampires retracted their fangs simultaneously, Bill and Eric ready to do Sookie's bidding instead of commanding that she be theirs... and how interesting that it was the real Eric she was fantasizing about, not memory-free Eric.

I am loving Anna Paquin's Sookie this season. I can't quite put my finger on what they did to subtly change her character, but she's a lot more fun and definitely more lovable. Maybe it was finally pairing her with Eric. It was so funny that when Sookie woke with Bill and Alcide hovering over her, the first words out of her mouth were, "Where's Eric?" Alcide was definitely not amused. Bill, either.

The Festival of Tolerance was just hilarious, and that was even before the screaming began and the bodies started flying through the air. (I didn't even notice until the second time through that the corporate sponsors were the Red Cross, Mystic Tan, and 1-800-Dentist.) I got such a kick out of Nan this time, squabbling with Bill about civil rights, her "I'll never be a maker" reaction to Jessica, and arguing loudly while chained down with silver in Bill's mansion.

Too much to expect for Jason to remain noble forever. It was sweet how he magic-markered "For You, Monster" off the box. Not so sweet that he just tossed away his best friend for Jessica. Poor Hoyt.

The Moon Goddess Emporium

Sookie teamed up with, of all people, Debbie Pelt to infiltrate the Moon Goddess Emporium. Debbie is now off the wagon and consumed with jealousy (which we know because she was helpfully watching "Cheaters" on television), and her plan to hand Sookie to Antonia in order to get rid of her didn't quite work out. Coming to Sookie's door with flowers hidden behind her back like she was concealing a weapon was the perfect visual for Debbie's intentions. She even aimed the flowers at Sookie.

I liked that Tara and Holly led the resistance against Antonia, although all it did was make them into hostages. Tara just learned that witches can be as bad as vampires. Her only option when all this is over may be to move to an uninhabited patch of Siberia.

The resolution to the ghost baby story was really sweet, although by the end I was starting to look around for Jennifer Love Hewitt. But Jesus and Lafayette made a great team, and it was by far the best plot line involving Terry and Arlene. I still think that Lafayette is going to be the key to neutralizing Witchy-Poo. I don't mention it often enough, but I love Lafayette, and his newly discovered talent as a medium is a good fit for the character. Plus it's giving the talented Nelsan Ellis some fun acting challenges.

The Motorcycle Shop

Tommy showed that he was really sorry for what he did... by doing it again, but in a nice way. Since he was the one that slept with Luna, he went to Marcus and took a beating for it. I actually thought Marcus was going to kill Tommy, and maybe he would have if Alcide hadn't been there. Alcide is turning into a serial rescuer, isn't he? That's twice in one episode he carried an injured cast member to safety.

Sam surreptitiously turned into a fluffy bunny to make Luna's daughter Emma happy. That was just incredibly sweet. And he got a sexy karmic reward for it, too. Maybe the writers heard us complaining about Sam's earlier character assassination and are making up for it. At this point, I'm starting to believe that kinder, gentler Sam will indeed forgive Tommy. Although how could he ever trust him again?

Bits and pieces:

-- Bill's bodyguards. Again, sucks to be them.

-- The Sookie, Bill and Eric triangle keeps reminding me of Buffy, Angel and Spike. Even their coloring is the same.

-- Sam is a multiple tent owner.

-- Eric began and ended the episode under Antonia's spell. This did not make me happy.

-- The "For You, Monster" box was an Amazon box. Was that perhaps a statement about Amazon? Amazon recently dropped me as an advertising affiliate because I live in California. Because they refuse to pay California taxes, California schools will suffer. http://www.thinkbeforeyouclickca.org/

-- Somehow I'm starting to doubt that Alcide will move up in the Shreveport Pack.

-- Alcide naked again. Spectacular. And I'm sure the producers are aware of this. Thank you, producers. And thank you, Joe Manganiello.

-- I am so hating Andy this season. What an annoying plotline to force on the talented Chris Bauer.

-- Jessica and Jason made love in his truck, and there was a chain saw lying next to them. Most Obvious Symbolism, anyone?

-- In True Blood world, it's October 29. It's way too funny that they scheduled a vampire tolerance festival two days before Halloween.

Quotes:

Nan: "Bolster security if you feel it necessary, but tomorrow's Festival of Tolerance is going forward. And the cameras had better find you in a festive and tolerant fucking mood."

Marcus: "Since you're about six six and wider than a door, he might be more inclined to listen with you standing behind me."
Alcide: (toasting with his beer) "To communicating shit."
Marcus: "To communicating shit."

Mavis: "Merci, Lafayette. Thank you for everything."
Lafayette: "You got it, bitch."

Joyce Watney: "... and the doorbell rings and it's Julie, wanting to know if she could watch us eat."

Bill: "How can we have an event in honor of the living dead without any living dead? It's like having a civil rights protest without any black people."
Nan: "They're called 'African Americans'. And maybe those protests wouldn't have turned into the bloodbaths they became if they hadn't been there. Ever consider that?"
It's Bill's expression that made this so funny.

Jessica: "That how he said it?"
Jason: "I might be parrot-phrasing a little."
This is my favorite Jason malapropism ever. From now on, for me, paraphrasing is "parrot-phrasing".

A bit too weird and all over the place for a four, but such a good time. I'd say three out of four parrot-phrases,

Billie


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Twin Peaks: Laura’s Secret Diary

“There are no solutions here.”

Ah, defamiliarization. Such a familiar technique. The opening scene of “Laura’s Secret Diary” shows us a microscopic view of the inside of an acoustical tile as Leland Palmer stares at it, accompanied by what sounds like the myna-bird saying “Daddy? Leland? Daddy?” Lynch likes the uncanny-magnification technique: like the hidden spaces that shouldn’t exist, a close-up view of the world shows just how many unknowns surround us in our everyday lives.

Leland being unmasked as the killer of Jacques Renault feels rather like a panacea: our sheriff heroes and FBI knight are gradually defeating all of the lesser foes, but new ones keep popping up—and we’re still not sure who killed Laura Palmer. Everyone is gradually being eliminated, and Bob is still a mystery.

Donna hasn’t abandoned her quest to find Laura’s killer, even though she doesn’t seem to be drawn in to the Bob-mystery at all. The search is changing Donna: she is becoming more manipulative as she gets drawn into Laura’s odd life. Laura describes her “insides” as “black and dark and filled with big, big men and dreams of different ways that they might hold me and take me into their control.” Does “control” refer to sex and rape, or to some other form of control?

Harold Smith sees himself as a reporter-at-small, collecting stories to create a universal pastiche of the human experience. He withdraws from the world and attempts to efface his own mark on it by watching but not participating. Or, maybe, watching is his form of participating. Either way, Donna attempts to “fix” him in a way she never tried to fix Laura. I don’t anticipate that working out well.

Meanwhile, life goes on: Lucy and Andy continue to have reproductive issues, Hank and Norma are trying to make the diner a success, and poor Big Ed is saddled with a crazy wife. Harry suspects Josie of complicity in Catherine’s death. Jean Renault continues his manipulations of Audrey and Ben Horne, and Coop is gradually getting drawn into yet another local issue, forced to abandon his FBI persona and act as a Bookhouse Boy to save Audrey.


Clues, Questions, and Answers:

• The anonymous Asian man that we’ve seen glimpses of for a few episodes now was watching Josie and Harry through the window. He and Josie are scheming about something, that’s for sure.

• Very interesting map of the town and outlying areas in the conference room. I think the intersection where Laura got off James’s bike is right in the center.

• Judge: “Before we assume our respective roles in this enduring drama, just let me say that, when these frail shadows we inhabit now have quit the stage, we’ll meet and raise a glass again together in Valhalla.” Valhalla, white houses, Twin Peaks as heaven, the major’s white palace: I’m sensing a theme. Salvation and damnation as places.
•
Bits and Pieces:

• Andy: “I was wondering if it was the sort of test you could take over, like a driver’s exam.”

• Hank: “Babe, we’re going to trick this place out like Christmas on the Fourth of July.”

• Cooper: “Are you still seeing this Dick?” That’s high-brow humor.

• Lucy: “Was it just your ascot?”

• Coop’s high-tech memorandum/calculator is oddly like a PDA.

• M.T. Wentz, the incognito/a travel writer, is coming to Twin Peaks. Could he be the mysterious Mr. Tojamura now residing at the Great Northern?


So much of the conflict in this episode is between men and women: suspicion, sacrifice, clothes-ripping sex, and manipulation. So much of the resolution, on the other hand, comes from good men banding together to fight the forces of evil. The judge said, “Life is hard…It’s harder in most places than in Twin Peaks.” True, in terms of base survival, access to clean water, etc. But emotions and stakes seem so much higher in Twin Peaks than in most places. Is Twin Peaks heaven, like Cooper said? After all, “heaven is a large and interesting place.”

Three out of four diaries
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NewsFlash: Hugo Awards 2011

The 2011 Hugo Awards took place yesterday at the 69th World Science Fiction Convention in Reno, Nevada. And if you write television shows about mad men with blue boxes, or books about television shows about mad men with blue boxes, then it was a good night for you.

Steven Moffat picked up his gazillionth award for Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form) this time for 'The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang'. I like to think it was the fez wot won it.

Moffat wasn't the only Who-related winner of the evening. Lynne M. Thomas and Tara O'Shea's book, Chicks Dig Time Lords: A Celebration of Doctor Who by the Women Who Love It, took home Best Related Work.

In non-Doctor Who related news, Christopher Nolan won Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form) for Inception. I think we can all agree that he more than deserved it.

Here's the full list of this year's winners:

BEST NOVEL
Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis (Ballantine Spectra)

BEST NOVELLA
The Lifecycle of Software Objects by Ted Chiang (Subterranean)

BEST NOVELETTE
“The Emperor of Mars” by Allen M. Steele (Asimov’s, June 2010)

BEST SHORT STORY
“For Want of a Nail” by Mary Robinette Kowal (Asimov’s, September 2010)

BEST RELATED WORK
Chicks Dig Time Lords: A Celebration of Doctor Who by the Women Who Love It, edited by Lynne M. Thomas and Tara O’Shea (Mad Norwegian)

BEST GRAPHIC STORY
Girl Genius, Volume 10: Agatha Heterodyne and the Guardian Muse,
written by Phil and Kaja Foglio; art by Phil Foglio; colors by
Cheyenne Wright (Airship Entertainment)

BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION (LONG FORM)
Inception, written and directed by Christopher Nolan (Warner)

BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION (SHORT FORM)
Doctor Who: “The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang,” written by Steven
Moffat; directed by Toby Haynes (BBC Wales)

BEST EDITOR, SHORT FORM
Sheila Williams

BEST EDITOR, LONG FORM
Lou Anders

BEST PROFESSIONAL ARTIST
Shaun Tan

BEST SEMIPROZINE
Clarkesworld, edited by Neil Clarke, Cheryl Morgan, Sean Wallace;
podcast directed by Kate Baker

BEST FANZINE
The Drink Tank, edited by Christopher J Garcia and James Bacon

BEST FAN WRITER
Claire Brialey

BEST FAN ARTIST
Brad W. Foster

JOHN W. CAMPBELL AWARD FOR BEST NEW WRITER
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Torchwood Miracle Day: Immortal Sins

Jack: "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. So many times, and that's just today."

I had a mixed reaction to this one. Glad that we finally got an episode about our immortal Jack, and what happened in his past that related to Miracle Day. Impatient because I had absolutely no interest whatever in Angelo. Miserable because it felt that even though Jack fully understood why Gwen was giving him up, it felt like their relationship might be irretrievably smashed. Worried that something horrible was about to happen to Jack... actually much like what happened to him in that basement in 1928.

This episode felt like Torchwood of old, more than any so far. Valiant Jack on a mission to save the human race from brainworm aliens about to cause an alternate World War II, and having lots of sex along the way. (Some of which was explicit. That first time in bed with Angelo -- was that the scene the BBC decided to cut?) What Jack said to Angelo in the end was fascinating, that Jack's lovers always end up killing him. I doubt that Jack meant it literally. Ianto certainly didn't. Ianto died because he believed in Jack.

But I saw, as we were meant to see, the similarities between Gwen and Angelo. The scene in the car where Gwen went into meltdown was the strongest in the episode. Gwen admitted that she loved the danger and excitement of Torchwood, and that even the deaths of her workmates hadn't ruined it for her. And this episode confirmed what I've always guessed -- that even now, Jack loves life too much to outright sacrifice himself for Gwen's family. Gwen and Jack have always had something of an unconsummated love affair, and she was about to kill him, too.

Jack strides through life with such joie de vivre, enjoying its beauties, like the wedding he and Angelo saw, and accepting the worst, like what happened in the basement at the butcher's. The Christ symbolism was all over the place. Jack being beaten and killed repeatedly in the basement and resurrecting, the reference to the blood of Christ, Angelo washing Jack's feet. Jack is now the only mortal man, and he's about to die for... well, maybe his own sins. Will Jack actually go with Nana Visitor, anyway?

From the beginning when he was caught stealing Jack's forged visa, Angelo felt like a plant, although Angelo himself might not have known it. That mark in his eye had to mean something, especially since the camera angles kept making sure we saw it. I can't even guess what happened to Angelo after Jack left, but it has to involve the Revolving Triangle, the three men who referred to Jack as "it" and wanted to buy him from the butcher. They looked human. (Well, except for that ascot.) I bet they're not. They were probably behind the brainworm in the box. Did the Triangle keep Angelo for the last ninety years because of Jack?



And now these three "men" have caused Miracle Day? Why, why, why? The constant tease about what's really happening is starting to get obnoxious. But with three episodes to go, we'll know soon.

Bits and pieces:

-- The dual rescues were great. Rex and Esther saved Jack and Gwen, and Andy led the rescue of Gwen's family.

-- Sergeant Andy had to kill a bad guy (or, correction, create a category one) during the rescue. He'd never done it before. I haven't mentioned it yet, but I'm so glad that Andy has been part of both Children of Earth and Miracle Day. Always liked him.

-- No Danes again. Didn't miss him. No Jilly. Big casting woo hoo for Nana Visitor, though, who always makes everything better.

-- Angelo said he was from a tiny town on the Amalfi coast that was practically teetering over a cliff.

-- The most wonderful thing Jack ever saw was a tiny firebird that only lived for a minute but died in spectacular beauty. Considering what Jack is, very interesting that that is what he chose to tell Gwen in their last moments.

-- I always kept track of Jack's deaths in the previous seasons of Torchwood. So... Jack died numerous times during this episode, in flashback.

Quotes:

Angelo: "You like that, don't you?"
Jack: "I like a lot of things."

Jack: "... It's been about seven hundred years since my last confession. Where do I start? How about the triplets? Or the naked circus? Or that Sapphic leapfrog jamboree?"

Angelo: "It's not very good."
Jack: "It's the blood of Christ, Angelo. I'm sure it's good enough."

Jack: "You're Welsh. You wouldn't notice if the vowels were missing."

Gwen: "I feel like I know you better than I ever have."
Jack: "Right at the end."
Gwen: "Right at the end."

Jack: "Here's one of the secrets. Run!"
Jack mentioned the Doctor by name. He doesn't do that often in Torchwood.

Angelo: "I saw the blood. I saw your body!"
Jack: "Wanna see it again?"

Jack: "It always ends the same way. You kill me."

Three out of four firebirds,

Billie

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Eureka: Shower the People

… in which a new neural networking specialist arrives to help download the data from Kim, just as guests from Allison’s baby shower begin drowning under perplexing circumstances.

The second half of Season 3 started off a little rough for me, with a string of fairly disposable episodes that while entertaining, didn’t really warrant the deeper analysis that past offerings did. I was starting to worry that the rest of the season was going to be fun to watch, but a bit of a chore to review. Fortunately, the last several episodes have really turned things around, with a solid run of engaging and emotionally complex stories.

This week the writers managed to deliver a freaky and perplexing disaster, as well as some incredibly poignant character moments. They took advantage of the typical disaster-of-the-week structure to effectively deploy several red herrings regarding the root cause of the drownings. Usually something shown or brought up at the beginning ends up playing a role in the disaster, so I totally suspected the diapers, then the mimosas, and then the self-sanitizing bottles. I also completely fell for the fake-out with Carter feeling so crappy and suddenly needing to use the bathroom so much. I was certain he’d be the next victim! When he wasn’t affected and the likely suspects didn’t pan out, I was stumped. For some reason, the emotional stakes in the Kim plot were so high and so personal, that it never occurred to me that the attempts to download her data could be tied into what felt like a separate side plot. So the reveal that the high doses of radiation accidentally compressed the syn-water, which then entered the victims through the sauna, came as a neat surprise to me. But the real highlight of this episode, and the reason it really hit the sweet spot for me, was the outstanding character focus.

Oh, Henry. I knew things with Kim 2.0 were bound to end in heartbreak, but I didn’t expect tragedy to strike so soon. Watching Henry and Kim come to terms with the necessary course of action and then say their goodbyes was absolutely heartrending. The first goodbye was bad enough, but when Henry started to break down as the reality that he was losing his love again hit him, I just lost it. (Hell, I’m losing it as a I write this.) Joe Morton and Tamlyn Tomita are fantastic together, and they really sold the hell out of their final scenes.

Henry: “But you’re not Kim. I know that. You do have her laugh … and her mind. And, her spirit.”
Kim: “And she’ll always be a part of you. I’m just a copy, Henry. And you have to let me go. I have a mission.”
Henry: “We both do.”
Kim: “Then let’s see this through.”

Kim: “She loved you, Henry.”
Henry: “And I loved her.”

The real beauty of this story is that, as painful and awful as it was for Henry to lose Kim again, his time with Kim 2.0 was also an incredibly special gift. “Kim gave this to you, Henry. You’ll always have a part of her.” “Yes, I will.” Yes, her personality was only a construct of the computer, but Kim 2.0 still captured the real Kim’s essence and understood her love for Henry. Her existence gave Henry a chance to briefly reconnect with his lost love, but, more importantly, to say goodbye. This time, with his best friends by his side, providing comfort --- at his request. Now maybe Henry, Allison, and Carter can truly lay the ugly past to rest. I think I finally can.

The Henry and Kim story was obviously this week’s biggest tear-jerker, but I was also quite touched by the way they handled the potential Carter, Allison, and Tess triangle. At first, things didn’t look too promising, as we were seemingly being set up for a “tortured love polygon” with the arrival of Dr. Manly(us), Tess’s obvious crush on him, and Allison’s stirrings of jealousy regarding her friend’s interest in Carter. But they brought it back around in the end, by dropping the misunderstandings and jealousies and by allowing people to actually deal with each other like mature adults.

I absolutely loved the scene in which Allison revealed the true cause of Carter’s sympathetic pregnancy and encouraged him to be with Tess. It was so emotionally honest, and Salli Richardson-Whitfield and Colin Ferguson beautifully played the complexity of Allison’s and Carter’s relationship. I’ve become a fan of the Tess-Carter pairing and am glad they are moving forward together, but I have to confess that Allison shutting off the baby monitor and breaking her bond with Carter was a rather bittersweet moment. “We can’t stay connected forever. Life is gonna change for me pretty quickly. And it’s changing for you.” The sadness in Allison’s eyes after Carter asked if she was sure about him going to Tess really got to me. I can’t imagine how hard it was for her to let go of her safety net. She must feel truly on her own now. I also felt quite sad for Carter when he realized the bond he thought they were sharing was technology induced. It was obviously quite a blow for him, especially given that he wasn’t around much when Zoe was gestating. Very, very poignant. At least we got to close on a happier note, with Carter giving in to his attraction to Tess and enjoying a very public display of affection.

Other Thoughts

Billy Campbell, no way! (Just for future reference, I first watched this episode the night before the first season finale of The Killing --- the last episode of that show I’ll be watching --- so it was really weird for me to see Campbell in Eureka.)

I enjoyed Jennifer Spence’s brief appearance as Dr. Monroe, the Baby Monitor Lady. It was fun to spend a few moments with a character very reminiscent of Dr. Lisa Park (Stargate: Universe).

The baby shower gifts amused me. Too bad those Draper diapers aren’t real! I could use some revolutionary childcare products like those.

I thought Manlius continually referring to Kim as “it” was a nice touch. Obviously, it was distressing for Henry, but it served as a gentle reminder for all of us that she’s not really Kim. “She is the data.” A piece of technology programmed with Kim’s personality. Not that the constant reminders made her death any easier to take.

Fargo: “Henry is staying with Kim. I’ll be doing the autopsy.”
Carter: “You?”
Fargo: “Henry says I’ve assisted him enough to fly solo.”
Jo: “I wouldn’t fly in a plane with you.”

Fargo acquitted himself well this week. His bedside manner could use some improvements, but I think he handled the autopsies and the investigation pretty well. And, for the most part, he managed to conduct himself professionally. Allison’s right. He does have some … good qualities.

The synthetic water lab was impressive. And somehow freaky. I also found Carter’s interactions with Dr. Rivers very awkward and unsettling. She seemed really odd. And she always looked covered in a sheen of sweat. I kept expecting her to be revealed as the next victim.

Allison: “Come on. Henry wants us in there.”
Carter: “Let’s go for ice cream after.”
Allison: “Two scoops!”

Final Analysis: Another strong episode, which combined both a good mystery with some excellent character stories.

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