This episode had all the things that have made me love Doctor Who. It had humour, wit, drama, and emotion. And even though it was Matt Smith's last, I still managed a big smile on my face at the end of it.The story followed the Doctor and Clara on Christmas day to Trenzalore where the Doctor's enemies were massing. The Doctor pledged to protect Christmas Town, ended up dying there.
A fabulously written episode, it brought together lots of past stories. The crack in the "fabric of reality" (wall crack) from season 5, River Song from season 6 and the "impossible girl- Clara herself from season 7. It even included an appearance by Amy (Karen Gillian) at the very end. It even brought threads in from the "Day of the Doctor (50th anniversary)- references to Gallifrey, the "war doctor" (John Hurt).
Some thought Clara's (Jenna Louise Coleman) Christmas cheerfulness a bit over the top. I thought it was to cover up the fact she was worried about the Doctor. I felt sorry for her too as her family tried to keep setting her up. She ended up bringing the Christmas magic by convincing the Time Lords to give him another regeneration. As usual she believed in him.
It was an emotional ending. Clara standing there in the Tardis helpless to do anything, watching it happen. "I will not forget one line of this, not one day I swear," he promised her. It was simple, and sweet, making her feel like she mattered to him. Amy's appearance: "Raggedy man, good night." It was as memorable as Peter Capaldi's first line as the Doctor: "Do you happen to know how to fly this thing?"
Predictions
1. Peter Capaldi's Doctor will come in somewhere between Mad Hatter, and absent-minded professor.
2. We will see River Song again. Tasha: "We sent a psychopath to kill you." The Doctor: "I totally married her."
3. Maybe Tasha Lem is a Time Lord? (would explain her ability to fly the Tardis)
Writing prompt this morning from a friend: Write down your favourite colour, month of year, and city. Here's my response.
She walked along the jubilee trail beside the river.The Thames had an iron grey look today,
reflecting the clouds above. It would
rain later; she thought.In London it
always rained, when it didn’t there was a wet feeling on the air.‘It’s an island in the middle of the sea,’
she reminded herself.
She stopped looking south along the river; what an
impressive sight.Tate Modern loomed
straight ahead.She knew the path on
that side of the river twisted, and turned through Southwark; past Shakespeare’s
original Globe theatre, the London City Museum. Straight ahead
was probably the most impressive sights; the Victorian marvel that was Tower
Bridge. She knew without looking the north side was equally
impressive; the Gherkin stood looking over the river.St. Paul’s cathedral balanced out Tate
Modern.The tower stood; a stubborn
fortress guarding the river, and the city as it had for centuries.How could she give this up? She was bored of the landscape; so much grey, white, and
black.She longed for colour; a splash
of red in the fall leaves.The trees would
be changing colour at home; rich reds, and gold’s.She closed her eyes leaning against the railing;
she could almost feel the warmth sunlight on her face.She took a deep breath opening them
again.She was surrounded by grey, and,
white. The red bricks even carrying a dull sheen.
She couldn’t fault the city for that; she loved it
here.She loved its nooks and crannies;
Carnaby Street tucked away almost as a private treasure.Loved wandering through the museums; she could disappear into the
British museum for hours at a time.The
Churchill War Rooms were her favourite, it was as if stepping through time into
the 1940’s.You expected the old bulldog
himself to come wandering out of his bunk, asking you to take notes.
Home though held its allure.She missed the changing seasons; the changing leaves in fall, the blossoms
in spring.She missed family,
friends.The homesickness was on her now,
and she stopped to rest on a bench staring out at the river.
What was to stop her from going home? She knew almost before
she thought about it.Home wasn’t the
same since he’d married her.She’d been
accused of stealing jewellery, and her dad took his new wife’s side over his
original daughter’s.
What about her mother? Her mother had remarried, and made it
clear there was no room for her there.She’d had a second family. So here she was in London; an amazing city, yet longing to be somewhere else.
Honour Roll at my high school was around the 75% mark. I managed to make it three times in five years; I still have the certificates somewhere. There was always a special breakfast once a semester for honour roll kids. It gave me something to aim for; to see if I could make it again next semester. Usually I'd try my best, but wouldn't necessarily get it. My attitude was "there's always next term." And no matter what I always felt I had done my best.
School boards in Alberta are doing away with the honour roll, and all year-end awards. No more most-improved, no more best mark, or best attendance. Officials at St. Basil Catholic School in Calgary argue in a Calgary Herald article that awards eventually lose their shine. They're also citing the effect on self esteem of students singling them out.
It's unrealistic. In the real world you're singled out for doing a good job, and told when you're not. What better place to teach kids this key lesson than the relatively sheltered environment of a school. Recognition for doing a good job is never a bad thing; it encourages people to keep doing it. And it inspires others to join them.
Awards lose their shine. I'm at the point in my career where it matters more that I can get the exclusive, or make the front page of a newspaper than whether I made the honour roll in high-school. The work ethic involved in making the honour roll never goes away, and that can be attractive to universities, and future employers.
It makes me wonder about this generation of kids coming up. If they have no hope of recognition for a job well done, then what will they be like in the work force? Will they try as hard? Will they learn as much? If they can't understand failure, and success what hope is there? If we don't teach them the importance of achievement then what kind of Canada are we making?
What role do parents have to play? When I was at school, my marks were always okay by my parents as long as I could look them in the eye and tell them I'd done my best. Even now as I'm taking an online class as an adult, I'm finding the mark means less than the knowledge.
Keep the honour roll in place; give kids something to aim for. Achievement inspires excellence.
It's September, and that means it's time to answer the immortal question: What should I watch on television? TV Guide presented a comprehensive list of new, and returning shows. I've picked out some of my highlights.
1. Agents of Shield: Premise: From This is what happened after the Avengers. Airing: Tuesdays at 8 on CTV
I'm looking forward to this because: Of two words: Joss Whedon. If you haven't heard of him, check out Buffy The Vampire Slayer, that should tell you why he's so great.
2. Crossing Lines:
Premise: Crime fighting with an international twist: a team of agents representing the International Criminal Court (ICC) solve crimes others can't.
Airing: Tuesdays at 9 beginning October 2, on CBC
I'm looking forward to it because... Of 2 words: "Donald Sutherland." He plays the team leader Michael Dorn.
3. Sleepy Hollow:
Premise: It brings the old tale forward to 2013, literally immortalizing Ichabod Crane and his headless quarry.
Airing: Mondays at 9pm on Fox
Looking forward to this because... It just looks interesting
4. The Originals:
Premise: A "Vampire Diaries" spin-off featuring Klaus (Joseph Morgan), as he takes his act to New Orleans
Airing: Thursday's at 9 on the CW. Haven't seen an air time/ channel for it in Canada yet, but I'm sure eventually there will be one.
Looking forward to it because... of the eye candy. Also if you've loved the Vampire Diaries you'll love this one.
5. Reign
Premise: What happens when Mary, Queen of Scots heads to France for a diplomatic marriage? lots of intrigue, love triangles, and castle mysteries
Airing: Thursdays at 9pm on CTV2
Looking forward to this because: I'm a history buff, and you don't see very much of this period from Mary's perspective.
6. Dracula
Premise: Bram Stoker's immortal vampire is back, and out for revenge. This time he's working with the mysterious Order of the Dragon impersonating an American businessman in London.
Airing: Fridays at 10pm on NBC, and Global
Looking forward to this because... of Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, who was previously seen on television as King Henry VIII in the Tudors, which he was great in. I'm sure he'll have his own take on Dracula. I'm a little worried about this one because it is on NBC; they have this awful habit of pulling their shows just as I'm getting into it. I hope they give this one a chance.
For a full list of shows visit TVguide.ca's Fall preview. Tomorrow: Returning Shows. Got something I missed or a different take on one of these picks? Leave a comment.
I broke down and grabbed a copy of Inferno by Dan Brown, from the library last week. It was a one-week loan; one of their frequent flyers. I only made it halfway through because I worked last weekend, and it wasn't very good.
Brown is known for his stories rather than his writing. They're thriller-mysteries, involving a lot of travel, a bit of killing, and are successfully wrapped up with a conclusion. Inferno meets all of these; it takes place in Florence, begins with a suicide, and ends with the main character safely on a plane (I skimmed the epilogue). As an added bonus; it includes Robert Langdon one of Brown's enduring characters.
Where this book failed was the pacing. Every few pages it hit the pause button to go on at length about a painting or a sculpture. I'm a history buff; I understand the significance of the setting, and the many gorgeous works of art created throughout the renassiance. But is it necessary to go on, and on about them? Seriously I could've cut this book's length by a good 50 pages by asking the question: "How is that relevant to the plot?"
What happened to the style of the DaVinci Code? It was faster paced, with enough dialogue to make it a really easy read? The characters led the action, not the writer. Inferno is written as if Dan Brown is more impressed with himself, than into telling a good story.
With the time spent on Florence, and its history it reads like a travelogue. And if I wanted one of those, I would've picked one out, instead. I have no idea how this is still on a best-seller list.
Broadchurch is a British mystery series featuring David Tennant (aka the 10th Doctor) as a tired, cynical Detective Inspector Alec Hardy called upon to solve a child's murder. The series followed him, and his partner DS Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) as they followed the clues, and unravelled Town secrets better left hidden.
The brilliant part of this show is that it kept the tension up right until the very last episode. I couldn't guess at it, I had ideas but they were proven wrong, I really had no theories other than it might be someone close to the child's family. I purposefully stayed spoiler free, and didn't tweet about it outside episodes.
Last night the killer was revealed, and in true British fashion it was the person you least expected. I won't reveal the name, but I will say the killer was related to a police officer. This show is best viewed without spoilers.
The first season covered about 2 months, following the police every step of their investigation. It was about the town, and family of the dead boy himself. It gave a taste of what life was like; how the family dealt with losing a son, and how the community dealt with this sudden violent crime was committed by someone living among them.
Broadchurch will be back. There are rumours of season 2 as a possible prequel focusing on Tennant's character. In a recent Digital Spy article, series creators refused to confirm if David Tennant or any other cast member will return to the show.
A while ago I took a short-story writing class at the library. One of our homework assignments was to write a 300 word story based around two sisters. Here's what I came up with.
The Visit
Mary stared out the windshield at
the barren winter landscape.“While you
were away on vacation Gary and I split up; we’re getting a divorce,” she
blurted.Patty opened her mouth, closed
it, and opened it again without saying a word.All Patty talked about since she got in the car was her latest exotic
trip. ‘Misery loves company,’ she childishly thought.
“They know dad’s away on a
trip.I haven’t told them he’s not
coming back,” Mary answered.
“They’re not stupid,” Patty pointed
out.
“I know that,” Mary snapped.They were both quiet for a while lost in
thought.Patty counted the snow banks until
they arrived at the house.
“Do you still love him?” Patty
sought to understand her sister’s bitterness.
“Yes... No... I don’t know.He’s the father of my children.He was supposed to be my one great love.But people grow apart you know.Maybe that’s what happened with us?” Mary
speculated.Someday she might be able to
buy that; after the bitterness and anger faded.
“That’s likely,” Patty
suggested.Mary parked the car, and
started to open the door.Patty put her
hand on Mary’s back.“For what it’s
worth I think you’re making the right decision.
Mary audibly sighed climbing out of
the car: “Kids! Aunt Patty’s here.She’s
got presents,” Patty found herself hugged almost before she could stand
up.Another visit had begun.
I saw an interview on CTV News Channel today with Dina Goldstein. She's a photographer based out of British Columbia, and has made a name for herself with her "Fallen Princesses project.
We often wonder what happens after "happily ever after," and Goldstein presents her answers using photography. Belle is shown having plastic surgery, Jasmine dressed up for war. Ariel shown in an aquarium setting, and Cinderella (always my favourite) shown drowning her sorrows at a bar.
Goldstein's daughter was just getting into the Princess stage, which formed part of her inspiration. The other part came from her own mother who was going through cancer treatments and wondered "what if they had to deal with situations like that?"
I watched the interview thinking "is nothing sacred?" I'm old enough to know, and accept life isn't a Disney movie. Even though I'm beyond the age where I watched, and took those movies seriously a part of me hopes there is a handsome prince out there. Every girl does. Is there any harm in that? Is there any harm in showing kids that beauty is only skin deep as in Beauty and the Beast? Or that beautiful self-assured women still needs a John Smith as with Pocahontas?
Those Disney Princess wouldn't survive well when faced with the same struggles as modern women. At the same time, you've got to have a little fantasy; what's the harm of dreaming of Prince Charming? Or imagining life under the sea.
A fairy tale is defined as a story in which improbable events lead to a happy ending. Kids are smart; they quickly catch on that princesses aren't awakened with a magical kiss; or rescued from a tower by a prince climbing up their hair. It's not too much to keep a little bit of magic throughout our lives. These movies make us feel good, and give us permission to dream a little.
David Tennant in Broadchurch, beginning August 4 on Showcase
I find it boring. I'm not into the Amazing Race: Canada; What's the point? How come we only do Canada, while the U.S. has the entire world? Generally I've had it with reality television though. Sharknado just has no appeal for me, even though I hear it's so horrible, it's good
I've given The Listener a second chance; or tried to. It's changed too much since I first watched it. I loved its otential as a science-fiction mystery show. But now it's just a procedural crime show where a guy uses his mind-reading ability to solve crimes. I liked Toby's mystery; where did his mindreading ability come from? Are there others like him? There's still a few open questions left to be solved there.
I watched the first season of Showcase's Continuum. I've only seen bits and pieces of its second season; and it looks like it's even better maintaining its constant questioning of how your actions affect the future. I've definitely got some catching up to do there. I am looking forward to David Tennant in Broadchurch beginning August 4, 2013.
I've loved Saving Hope so far this year. There was a huge pay-off with Charlie (Michael Shanks) finally waking up in the season 1 finale, and the new wrench into the relationship of Charlie's talent. I like seeing what's going on with the other characters too; it's developed into an ensemble show.
The one good thing about summer is having a chance to catch up on reruns. CBC is rerunning a lot of last season's lineup; Murdoch Mysteries, Arctic Air, and Republic of Doyle. If you've missed any of those, now's the time to catch up on them.
I'm turning to Netflix a lot. I've watched House of Cards, and have got a couple of episodes of Hemlock Grove left on season one. It's filmed in Canada, and I think I read somewhere even in Milton. I'm also starting to re-live old favourites like Foyle's War. All are worth checking out if you're look for something to watch.
Other than that, I'm more likely to watch a movie, or spend time on the web than watch tv. The fall television season can't come soon enough.
Looking up on my blog I have an entry about Summer reading from last year. This year though I have nothing. I've been reading George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones' series and have returned library books unread.
I've got 190 pages of book 5: "Dance with Dragons." The whole series so far has been a work of art. Martin has created his own world; complete with its religions. It is as detailed as Lord of the Rings, but I find it faster-paced thanks to the way he switches points-of-view every chapter. I keep waiting for story lines to merge and it seems like I'm about to be rewarded for my persistence. And yes, you should be reading the first four books before you read this one. If you spend your summer reading one series, make it this one, it'll make you forget how hot it is outside.
I still have a few on my table waiting to be read- Hilary Mantel's sequel to Wolf Hall; I think this one takes on Anne Boleyn. It could be good for a break from the fantasy world. There's also Jack Layton's "Speaking Out Louder" which, I can't seem to get through without arguing with myself. I'd love to go back and read more Kelley Armstrong, for a bit of Canadian content.
The last book in Ken Follett's Fall of Giants' trilogy is due out later this year. This series follows the fortunes of five interrelated families across the 20th century. Think of this as historical fiction with the pacing of his thrillers. The first two books seamlessly blended elements of both. Like with Game Of Thrones, you should read them first.
What have you guys been reading this summer? Any books I should add to my reading list? Hit that comment button below
I don't need much to write; my laptop, my blackberry and its usb connector (aka the charger). A notebook or two, a few pens. Usually I need a silent, or low-distraction environment; the fewer people around the better which I get at my home office. I haven't written in my home office for a good two weeks now due to renovations; it was just easier to move around the house or even go to a coffee shop.
This week it's been different. I've been living in a hotel for the last week; restricted mostly to my one room with a king-sized bed, television, and bathroom within a few feet of each other. As far as places to write go, that sounds like paradise doesn't it? I mean you don't need to leave the room accept to eat. But do I write in there? Have I done anything with my laptop besides fool around on Facebook and check email? No, at least not until today.
Today I broke out. I left the room with its huge comfortable bed (did I mention there was room for probably three of me) and took the small step of moving out to the breakfast bar for a while and watched TV. Then my parents left, and shortly after so did I. I was bound for the lobby or "Great room," or lobby home to both breakfast buffets, and dinner receptions. I snagged a table right beside an outlet and set up shop. Then went and grabbed my laundry basket with the goal of multitasking; laundry plus writing. I was determined to be productive either domestically (laundry) or professionally (writing).
I managed to do both. There was one other person using the "great room" as his office; we chatted a little about the cabinet shuffle, then went back to work- I to my interview audio, and he to his transcript. Of course it being a semi-public place there were a few distractions; people passing down the hall, stopping at the front desk. But it didn't stop me. Within a couple of hours (that includes stops for laundry checks) I had what I consider a passable draft of an article.
In my bedroom, I would have watched tv, read my book, and enjoyed that giant bed. Hotel rooms have always equalled vacation, coziness, and relaxation. The lobby distractions focused me, knowing I had a limited amount of time to get it done before dinner. Knowing I had another chore on the go at the same time helped too. It was as if the more distractions, the more the focused I became.
"I want to buy another dress." Six words I'd never thought I'd hear myself say. It was Monday; hot, and sticky. I was getting ready to head off to a networking meeting and asked the daily question: "What do I wear?" Usually the answer ends up being jeans, a nice top, maybe a blazer. I cast aside the 'jeans' option it was too hot for denim; didn't feel right with capris- it was for "business" after all.
So I found myself taking the only dress I own from the closet. It's black with purple polka-dots, and a skirt that goes just past my knees. I slipped it on, and matched it with a pair of low black heeled sandals and I was good to go. And it kept the heat away too; so much so that I found myself thinking later that day "I want to buy another dress."
This is a big step for me in terms of fashion. I'm the girl that asks 'is this comfortable?' instead of 'does this look good?' when shopping. I was never really the fashion crazy girl; call it a left-over after spending my childhood playing with the neighbourhood kids; which all happened to be boys. Call it a side-effect of being a bigger girl, and because of that having my clothing options severely limited. I've always let my comfort level override my sense of fashion.
I bought the dress almost by accident. I was shopping with my mom, and she found it hanging on a sale rack. I tried it on, and before I knew it I was willingly buying a dress. It wasn't for a special occasion like Prom (I was also the girl who bought the first prom dress she saw), it was just because I liked it.
I've worn it maybe 10-15 times including to that networking meeting. And it's been a faithful friend, as I've lost, and gained weight. And now it's made want to take that next step in a slow style evolution and admit; "I want to buy another dress."
Period Drama "The Borgias" ended its three-season run last Sunday with an episode entitled "The Prince." This one centred on Francois Arnaud's Cesare, as he successfully took Forlis from nemesis Caterina Sforza (Gina McKee), and her as his prisoner. Rodrigo (Jeremy Irons) placed ultimate trust in his son, laying out his vision of a Papal empire ruled by Cesare.
Meanwhile, Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger) continued to struggle with finding happiness in her marriage to Alfonso of Aragon (Sebastian De Souza). The culprit; persistent rumours of her incestuous relationship with Cesare, who upon returning to Rome plots his brother-in-law's murder using an assassin. He ends up doing the deed himself when Alfonso comes after him with a sword after returning home following a night of drinking.
The final scene is on Alfonso's deathbed. Cesare arrives to find Lucrezia laying beside her dying husband covered with his blood, and lovingly caresses her face. "I cannot wash this blood off," she says. Cesare offers to strip her wash it from her body.
I've read about behind-the-scenes drama, and how it was planned to follow Rodrigo until his death. Also about how plans for a movie just to wrap up all the storylines were nixed. There is even a #SaveTheBorgias hashtag on twitter. I'd love to see the tv movie, but I'd be careful of another season. I think there was a risk of the whole 'incest' angle taking over, and moving it too far towards becoming a 'soap opera.' It was only rumoured incest.
I'm satisfied with the way it ended. There was no cliff-hanger; just a single dramatic moment. I could easily see stopping in to visit the lives of these characters in a year or two down the road. The one major cliff-hanger moment was with Micheletto; is he dead? Cesare only dreamed he was. I loved him, and I think he'd make a good character for a spin-off if they had one.
The way the episode was done from Cesare's point of view left open the possibility they could even go beyond Rodrigo's death with stories told from his point of view, and that could be a direction to take it.
They could go either way, or just leave it as it ended.
That actually wasn't revealed to the audience in Saturday's episode. It was revealed in a whispered aside by River Song, so we still don't know the Doctor's name. Wouldn't it be funny if it's John, or Fred or Henry? Something surprisingly ordinary.
But we did solve the riddle of the "impossible girl," but not until the last few minutes of the episode. "I was born to save the doctor," Clara starts. She's born, lives, and dies over, and over again. And she gets to save "Doctor," something that's a little bit mind-blowing of itself; the Doctor needs saving?! Who knew. This time was no different.
This episode started off with Clara psychically consulting with Trax, Madame Vastra, River Song, and Jenny through a communal dream. Madame Vastra had just met with a prisoner who told her that the Doctor's greatest secret has been revealed. The conference didn't get very far before the whisper men interrupted to tell River and Clara, 'killed' Jenny, and awakened Madame Vastra: "Tell the Doctor his friends are lost forever more unless he goes to Trenzalore."
When Clara tells the Doctor his reaction is unexpected. He sits on the sofa, and cries. Then he goes off to the Tardis' underbelly eventually programming the coordinates to Trenzalore. Trenzalore is... the location of the Doctor's grave site. The Doctor must never go there because he's crossing his own timeline- a big no-no for time travelers. Remember the first half's finale when Amy dies- she reveals her own grave stone and the doctor couldn't save her.
The TARDIS knows this and initially refuses to land of its own accord. The Doctor forced it to fall to the ground. The scene reminded me of something out of a Christmas Carol- the part where Ebeneezer Scrooge is with the ghost of Christmas future walking through a cemetery. The Doctor meanwhile sees the graves of his friends; River Song- ("River's not buried here," he says). River appears to Clara, and they have a little conversation; her grave is actually a tunnel to the Doctor's grave. Of course, The Doctor and Clara follow it. Clara remembers the "forgotten day (Journey to the Centre of the Tardis), and starts asking him about it. The Doctor lets slip the little detail River is his wife.
A vine-wrapped TARDIS interior is the stage for the final battle. Everyone's there looking at the Doctor's corpse; a blinding blue light made of frayed threads. Dr. Simeon (aka The Great Intelligence) announces: "The doctor's life is an open wound, and an open wound can be entered." There's nothing left to do following that statement but enter it, which, is exactly what he does. The Doctor falls to the ground writhing in pain; all of his good work is undone.
The stars begin going out, Jenny dies again;"The silence will fall, and darkness will reign..." I digress. Enter Clara who comes up with the idea of jumping into the time stream to save him. "The time winds will tear you apart," warns River. That explains why the Doctor keeps running into her; each version of her life will be lived to save him. Clara doesn't heed the warning of course, and jumps into the time stream anyway, and everything is set to rights. It's kind of the ultimate expression of love; living your life unconditionally to save just one person. "Run you clever boy, and remember.." were her last words.
The Doctor wakes up, has a little exchange with River which ends with her saying enigmatically: "Spoilers," when he asks her why she hasn't faded yet. Maybe season 8's mystery??
The Doctor enters his own time stream to save Clara. They meet up in a post-apocalyptic type of place, where John Hurt. "I didn't say he was "The Doctor," I said he was me," The Doctor informs Clara. And that's where it ends. I can just hear Clara asking John Hurt the next question: "What am I to call you?" Which is probably going to reveal to the audience The Doctor's name.
I think John Hurt's going to be some version of the Doctor. Perhaps the one who destroyed Gallifrey? It would fit with his seemingly world-weary attitude; lonely bitter, resigned to his fate. And Clara- still a mystery; is this the real Clara? and what happens when she crosses her own timelines?
I can't wait for November.
While we're waiting below is the trailer for the 50th anniversary special from BBC One.
Scandal ended its second season last night with its usual amount of fast-talking twists and turns. The mole turned out to be the former chief-of-staff to the Vice President, and Jake turned out to be working for Olivia's dad; David turned out to have busted the Defiance mess wide open, and managed to play it for a big pay-off
I loved the Fitz/Olivia moments. The chemistry between them has always been obvious and very well played by the actors but their whole together/ not together storyline is getting really tedious. Last night for the second time Fitz confessed his love to Olivia, and his willingness to do whatever it takes, and what does she do? Send him back to Millie. Of course he was aided significantly by a graphic sex tape uncovered by Cyrus thanks in part to Jake- he bugged Olivia's apartment earlier in the season.
I get the "wanting to be together no matter what" thing. She loves him even though Fitz killed Velma, he loves her even though Olivia kept Defiance from him. If I don't get some kind of huge pay-off soon, I may have to reconsider my Thursday night viewing options. Why not let Mellie play the wronged woman for a while? she can make political capital out of that. I think Fitz even learned a thing or two in the art of cruelty from her.
Quinn completely crossed to the dark side. The moment she took the drill from Huck I thought 'oh no, she isn't' and she did. What's worse is judging from her reaction is she liked it, and wanted to do it again. Huck had a 'what have I created' moment as he slammed the door in her face. How he'll sort her out next season will probably be a plot for next season.
The ending was the best part. Olivia blissfully distracted with her music opens the door to go for a run, and cameras, and microphones are shoved in her face. She takes her ear buds out to be greeted by questions about being the President's mistress. She's pulled into a limo and greets "Miles" with "Hi dad."
Does this mean Olivia's dad blabbed to the press about with Fitz? If so why? Where does he fit in with the Defiance plot? Does he have any ties to this so-called 'secret' C.I.A. division Jake works for?
Scandal returns to answer these questions, Thursdays this fall on ABC.
I loved it. It combined action, drama and a true cliff hanger. For whom the Bell Tolls followed Oliver/ Arrow as he tried to stop a manically evil Malcolm Merlin (John Barrowman) from using his earthquake device to destroy Starling City.
He succeeded in a way; Detective Lance diffused the bomb before it went off thanks to Felicity's help. "If I learned anything as a successful businessman it's redundancy," Malcolm said to Oliver.
Translation; there was another bomb, which, went off causing death and destruction in its wake. The episode's title refers to the ending. Who lives? Who dies? It's obvious that Laurel, Detective Lance, and Oliver all live. But what about Thea, Moira, Diggle, Roy and even Walter? What about Malcolm and Tommy?
I'd love to see them both live. I was starting to get into the darker, grittier Tommy (Colin Donnell) as he dealt with the fact his best friend killed people as the vigilante. I would've loved to see the dynamic between him and Malcolm as well after Malcolm's reveal as Dark Arrow. That would've really messed Tommy up.
But if I had to pick between them, I'd say Malcolm lives- he was in the 'panic room' for a while, he had an escape plan in place. Besides redundancy, I'm sure as a successful businessman he always had a contingency plan. Character aside, I love John Barrowman, and if I can't have him as Jack Harkness on Torchwood, I'll take him as Malcolm Merlin on Arrow. I also hated that line... Writers: You can think of better final words writers than that!
I was back and forth on Laurel for the whole season. The last few episodes I found her annoying. I wouldn't care if they revealed in the season 2 premiere a piece of debris fell on top of her and she died of her injuries. I am curious as to what they're going to do with that character to make her less annoying.
There have been hints Oliver's going to be completely honest with her. How will she deal with the fact her boyfriend has killed people? That he's been lying to her since he returned from the island? That the presumed dead Tommy knew? So much drama to play out in that relationship.
I just read Angelina Jolie's column "My Medical Choice" in today's New York Times. When I first heard the story this morning I thought: Why? Just because you're at risk to develop cancer doesn't mean you will. Doctors can't predict the future. Wouldn't it be better not to know; to do as the poet's say and live life to its fullest?
Then I gave it some more thought. And I think I understand now, and probably would react the same in her position. The fear factor that I wouldn't be able to grow old with my partner, or watch my kids grow up would be huge. If there's a way to eliminate the fear; to spare my loved ones the pain of watching me die then why wouldn't I do it?
Jolie's decision to have the double mastectomy isn't a brave one in the medical sense. The surgical techniques, and methods are state-of-the art. It's brave because potentially it redefines beauty. Here is one of the most beautiful women on the planet, and through her actions has demonstrated she values more than just superficial looks.
A woman's breasts can define her; they're often the first thing people notice, and comment on. How many of us have watched Hollywood actresses wondering if "they're real?" I admit, I'm guilty of this one. Jolie instead of keeping quiet has revealed why she has implants.
The brave part wasn't the surgery but coming forward. Her actions are speaking louder than her column; defiant, refreshingly honest, and beautiful. That's the kind of role model I'd choose for my daughter. Bravo Angelina.
"You're all over the Internet" someone once said to me. I looked at them worried about the potential meanings of that statement, and they replied: "Don't worry, that's a good thing." And looking at it in a professional sense for the media business, it is a good thing.
It could also be a bad thing. I'm start to look seriously again for a part-time job in order to suplement my freelance income. It could be retail, it could be office work as long as it brings in a regular pay cheque. My resume contains all of my media-related positions, and reads like someone waaay over qualified for retail, or without enough administrative experience for office work. Naturally a hiring manager looks at it and thinks "this person is gone the moment she gets a media job.
It isn't just me that's running into this. A lot of people my age are either unemployed or under employed and looking for work. The question we all face is how to tailor our resumes. Do we simply do it by re-order and condensing my positions? Or do we hit the delete button on a couple of our positions to make it seem like we're qualified?
The problem with that, is if you google my name you're going to come up with my twitter feed (third one down, page one), my facebook page- I often use it for promotion. Then there's my LinkedIn profile as well; containing details to pretty much every position I've ever held. If some of these details aren't on the resume is it considered tailoring? Or is it considered lying? Google could end up killing my shot at a job.
Doctor Who took us to the centre of the TARDIS this week, as it got pulled on to a salvage vessel. The Doctor had to trick the three salvage workers into helping him look for, and eventually find Clara. The episode was very Clara-centric following her on a journey through a parallel TARDIS, including a stop at the library where she poked through a book, and may have seen the answer to "The Question." The Doctor saved the TARDIS by throwing them back in time to re-live the day and fix the tear.
The Doctor let her in on part of a secret; that she was the girl who died twice. He didn't know how that happened; he didn't know who she was. It's still this question hanging out there; the one that guides this season. And the Doctor is for once as clueless as we are, and figuring it out as we are. My money's still on her being some kind of family; a daughter or grand-daughter maybe. A little sound advice from the Doctor: "Don't get into a space ship with a mad man, didn't anyone ever tell you that?" Does anyone think Clara might end up remembering what she read?
Orphan Black focused on Paul this week. Did he have anything to do with the clones? Did his place of work? Sarah ended up spying on Paul putting listening devices in his offices and overheard him meeting one of his co-workers. Sarah also got time with her daughter walking her home and spending time with her. She tried to get some answers on her past from Mrs. S. I still haven't figured out if she had anything to do with it; if she's good or bad.
The part that left me cursing was the ending. Paul confronted Sarah; admitting he was there when doctors told Beth she couldn't have children. And if she couldn't have kids then who was Sarah? Before she answered the ending credits played. It was the ultimate cliffhanger. Will Sarah talk her way out of this one? Or will she tell the truth, playing on their growing relationship?
In other Orphan Black news: it's been renewed for a second season.
Tv Guide has a story out about an email exchange between Smash Creator Theresa Rebeck, and Buzzfeed Journalist Kate Arthur. Rebeck is taking issue with Arthur's piece blaming the show's bad second season on her.
There's a lot more wrong with Smash than just the fact the show's creator left. Let's start with the storylines. There's no flow to it. In season one's finale you saw Julia's marriage breaking up, and hints she was pregnant... you could've mined that drama for at least four or five episodes. And what exactly was the point of her re-writing Bombshell? A plus with her character have been the scenes between her and Jesse L. Martin's character.
Then there's the Jimmy and Kyle characters coming out of nowhere without purpose most of the time. I'm starting to see Jimmy is supposed to be a younger version of Derek; if they'd made it a bit clearer sooner that would've been great. What's the purpose of "Hit List?" Karen was never to supposed to have her own musical. I understood the key to this concept was the rivalry between her and Ivy. It's a little hard to have that when they're not often in the same episode.
There's a failure to commit on the writers' part to Derek. Either he's a flirt, and a cad, or he's a one-woman guy. The scenes between him and Ivy are pretty sweet, I wouldn't mind seeing them hook up. Tom deserves to be a bigger player as well, and explore his love life a little more; he's not just Julia's sidekick. What's this big shared past between Tom, and Derek? There's another story line that could be mined for a few episodes.
Next is the acting. Katherine McPhee is a great singer; can likely sing the phonebook. But she can't act. Either minimize her character, give her someone to play off of, or get rid of "Karen" entirely. And I think the show is underusing the good actors; I would love to see more of Angelica Houston- maybe see a different side of Eileen. And Julian Ovenden who plays J.F.K. in the Bombshell musical doesn't say a word. I think he deserves a few lines every so often; he's not just a pretty face.
Stunt casting this season has been a bit of a red flag for me. So far we've had Jennifer Hudson, Sean Hayes, Bernandette Peters, Liza Minelli and Rosie O'Donnell. Big names, and well respected in the Broadway community. But aside from Bernadette Peters, and maybe Liza Minelli, what was the point? Rosie O'Donnell had one line to say; it was a waste.
Yes when Theresa Rebeck left the show it probably hurt the show in terms of continuity. But bad writing, and needless characters since then have likely doomed it to cancellation.
My inner editor annoyed me last week. Usually I don't mind it when she adds a tweak here, or changes a word there; it flows better. And it means I submit fairly clean copy, which always makes someone else's job easier.
Last week I had the pressure of deadlines. The deadline for my magazine articles was last Wednesday; I had three left on the Monday. You can imagine how it felt then when my inner editor
decided to be her usual helpful self, forcing me to go back and keep changing a line of text here, or a word there. "Leave me alone, and let me get to work," I grumbled. "Shut-up, I'm on a deadline here. You'll get your chance to play," I told her. It took me the better part of a day to write this one article because of her.
The inner editor got her chance to play on the weekend. Besides working on magazine stuff this month I've been taking a Short-story writing workshop at the library. For class last week we had to have copies of two short stories we'd written to hand around to everyone. We were assigned six to read, and critique at home for this week. This made everyone happy; my inner editor because she got to pick apart someone else's writing for a change, and it made me happy because at last she was off my back.
This process is going to be interesting. I tried to give balanced criticism; started off with the positive; things I liked about the story. Then I gave at least 2 suggestions to everyone on where to improve. I also corrected grammar, spelling, and word choice. The manuscripts were covered in blue ink of my pen by the time I was done.
This will be a test for me. How will I react to being picked apart in semi-public atmosphere? Were people as fair with me as I tried to be with them? I'd like to think so, but we'll see. I'm open to the idea some people hated my writing; didn't get the story I was trying to tell. The thought makes me uneasy, but it is possible.
This week's episode found Doctor Who and Clara in 1974 at a haunted castle with a former W.W. II spy- Alec Palmer (Dougray Scott) and an empathic psychic Emma Grayling (Jessica Raine). "Help me," the ghost cried. The Doctor gleefully took to ghost hunting sneaking off with Clara to catch sight of her. The ghost however turned out to be a time traveller trapped in a pocket universe; Doctor Who and the TARDIS to the rescue!
The Doctor continuously tried to push Palmer and Emma together. "Blood calls to blood," he says explaining the connection between Emma and the time traveller a woman who ends up being revealed as the couple's multiple great granddaughter. "Am I a ghost to you?" Clara asks the Doctor. "You are the only mystery worth solving," he answers her. Maybe there's a familial relationship between the Doctor and Clara? She's his great... etc. granddaughter. It would explain the "twice dead" idea, and the fact he always seems to find her. The Doctor as a father... hilarious.
Orphan Black was sinister. It put Sarah/Beth firmly in a killer's sights this as she and her partner raced to solve a murder. The killer; a religious zealot was sent to kill the orphans viewing them as abominations. It took another turn as the innocent Beth was accused of killed turned out to be attached to the killer.
The episode put Sarah's relationship with her daughter Kira in jeopardy as she missed another chance at spending time with her daughter. However, Alison stepped in, complete with a fake British accent. Kira saw right through it saying right out, but Mrs. "S" didn't.
This show continues to puzzle me, and I have no theories yet as to who might be involved. But I love it that way, and it makes me want tune in every week and unravel the mystery.
I found last week's episode of Dr. Who boring. Clara and the Doctor trapped on a Russian sub in the middle of the cold war; trying to stop a martian ice warrior from detonating a nuclear missile. This is after one of the Russian sailors shot him of course, so the warrior had a good reason to be ticked off.
The storyline sounds exciting, but I just wasn't feeling it. I don't know if it was the lack of characters- there are always a few more colourful characters on this show than just the Doctor and his companion. Or the fact they were confined to the "one space" and "one time," but it was a real yawn for me. I'll give them this one, after all they can't all be as exciting. And it probably added something to the season's overall story- there was a tie in with the Christmas special in the ice warrior. That Christmas special is going to play a lot more into this season than they usually do.
Meanwhile Orphan Black took a few more turns but at the same time the pace slowed down a lot as they developed the characters. Sarah continued settling into "Beth's" life, and continued developing a relationship with her partner. Alison taught Sarah/Beth how to shoot a gun, and laid down some ground rules with regards to her family.
The funny part was Felix and the kids. Felix had to babysit Alison's kids while she went with Sarah to the gun range. By the time they got home he had them playing around cross-dressing. Alison was not impressed. The episode ended with Beth/ Sarah chasing a suspect who eventually is revealed to be yet another clone with potentially some kind of powers maybe? You'd have to quickly heal from those scratches.
Everyone has a space that gathers stuff; old toys- old jars, stuffed animals, suitcases. Things that gather dust, or we think have disappeared. Ours is a crawl space on the same level as our freezer, and as part of prepping for our kitchen renovations we cleaned it all out.
We found a little of everything; toys I played with when I was a kid, a plastic fisher price clock, with numbered pieces Disney puzzles I've done a million times. Dolls I played dress-up with; I had one I called baby- and I remember playing with one of my cousins when we were young and she'd say the rhyme: "Mama had a baby and her head popped off". And then she popped it off; I bawled my eyes out I was so upset. There was even a plastic tea set, and mega blocks.
We found boxes upon boxes of old jars. I think my mother kept every jar since we moved in here in 1987. She opened one that was a "Hershey's chocolate sauce," and I could still smell the chocolate; it's probably at least 15 years old. It makes you wonder how much sugar, and preservatives are in that stuff. Most of the jars were thrown out.
The toys, and dolls are a different story. A lot of them went to Salvation Army, and I had such a weird reaction. The more adult part of my was able to say "when I have kids, I can get new toys. Why shouldn't someone else be able to fun with these?" But I was reluctant part with a lot of it.
I changed my mind so many times about the mega-blocks and the tea set. "But they're mine," I thought. "What if I have kids?" I thought. It was the pull of them; so many happy memories having tea with the tea set. It was the realization that life was easier as a kid. And boy does Fisher Price make durable toys. The mega-blocks, and tea set were joined by the light brite and given to charity.
And we now have a crawl space that looks more like we're moving out instead of having renovations done. A good thing too; our cabinets, and counter tops have arrived this week filling our garage. The contractor is probably coming to start our downstairs bathroom soon.
In Doctor Who we followed Clara on her first adventure with the Doctor to the rings of Akhaten. She met what we took to be a six-year old girl named Mary who was known as "The Queen of Years complete with her people's myths and legends. Mary's role was to sing a song that would put a God back to sleep- instead it ended up awakening the God. She was transported to the temple, and kept there. Cue the rescue: "We do not walk away," the Doctor told Clara. They managed to get to the Temple, and rescue the girl from having her soul eaten. The Doctor had Clara back home in time for dinner.
The mystery behind Clara's identity continues unfolding. "You can't be real," The Doctor said in the opening moments of the episode. At this point my theory is that she's The Doctor and River Song's daughter. What other person could die twice in two different times and still live? The way she looked at the world so full of awe, and curiosity very similar to Matt Smith's version of the Doctor. Or maybe she could in some alternate universe be The Doctor in some sense?; Maybe at some point she absorbs bits of the Doctor's essence? What's your theory?
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Orphan Black slowed down a lot over last week's episode. I guess the sense was 'we've established the characters, and premise now let's play it out a little bit. It started just moments after the shooting that ended the previous week's episode. Sarah/Beth desperately called someone wanting to know what to do with the body. Why she didn't burn it/ drown it; get rid of it in some way that would erase any sign she'd touched it? Anyway. This episode centred around a suitcase at the dead woman's hotel; Sarah had to get the case and take it to suburban soccer mom clone.
I get the sense Sarah hates soccer moms. She was desperate to know more about how this was even possible that three (including Katia) other women looked like her that existed. "I just want some answers," she said at least once during the episode Sarah also was desperate for her daughter to know she was still alive, a fact that didn't seem to surprise the mysterious Mrs. S very much. Could she be involved as someone who was in on the cloning operation? At this point I don't think she's a "bad guy," but I could be proven wrong.
For some people it's action, for others comedy. Still other people love action, or being frightened out of their minds. For me though the perfect movie has to be Casablanca; the classic romance between Ilsa, and Rick set against a backdrop of World War II.
I watched it again last night; I hadn't seen it in a while. It's been almost 70 years since that movie was made; you'd think the lines would be corny, that the story would be stale. You'd be wrong. I found myself laughing at the Renaud's quips, mouthing Rick's many one liners: "Here's looking at you kid," "Play it Sam," "Louis this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship." I sang along with "As Time Goes By," found myself stirred by the Marseilluese.
I don't know why I love it so much. The romance doesn't turn out the way the audience wants it to- Rick ends up tricking Ilse into going with Victor Laszlow. But even there he did it for love; that he loved this woman enough to send her to safety even if it meant he'd never see her again. Rick alone is enough to make me love this movie; I can't imagine anyone but Humphrey Bogart in the role. The best part about the character is he can be anything the audience wants him to be the character is so mysterious.
The way it ends you could pretend he and Renaud went off together, or you could pretend Rick managed to get back to America. You could even imagine that he eventually found Ilsa. And where those unanswered questions usually bother me in a movie, I'm okay with it here.
World War II, was an exciting time full of romance, and desperation. Casablanca manages to capture something of the spirit of those times. So while it isn't maybe the most thrilling, or the funniest it is in my opinion the perfect movie.
I love my laptop. It's a Dell Inspiron, red top with a 17 inch screen, running on Windows 7 (which coincidentally I love as well). It forms my life line in many ways. I find myself catching up on my TV shows on it, playing games on it, blogging (obviously) on it. It's usually on in the area of 12 hours a day.
I've been finding lately it, has a lifespan. The screen a while ago started to turn some unusual colours in rainbow patterns. I took a picture of what it's doing went to Best Buy and visited the geek squad. They tell me my screen's starting to go; that the cable inside has started to jar loose somehow. Lucky for me, I have the monitor to an old desktop so I hook it up, and have had no problem using it ever since. The lifespan of a screen they told me is about three years.
Fast forward to yesterday. The power light on the front of my laptop is blinking a couple times orange, then back to white- it's as if it's trying to transmit Morse code or something. "this isn't normal" I think to myself, so it's back to Best Buy again to the geek squad to see what's wrong. Guy at Best Buy takes it out of the bag looks at it, and says it's fine, it's just the hard-drive. I say "even when it's off?" Best buy guy says yes. And he tells me I "might" get another year out of it if I'm lucky, but a motherboard can go at any time. I walked away irritated, and still am.
I get that technology advances quickly; that a laptop bought four years ago is likely out-of-date in within a year, two tops. But on the flip side; I spent around $1100 bucks on this thing- hard earned, long-time saved money. I don't think it's too much to ask that I get four, or even gasp five years out of it. Technology advances, yes and we all should keep up.
I love Dell products. My parents bought a Dell desktop that lasted them for 7 years; it was a good quality product. Given that I've had a great experience with my Inspiron, I see myself staying loyal to the brand. I just want them to start building better products, because I want value for money. I don't think that's asking too much, do you?
Saturday Night I spent watching Space. They showed the second half season Premiere of Doctor Who and premiered a new show: Orphan Black. The Doctor was up to his old tricks; searching for the answer to the "twice dead girl," in a monastery in 1207 he gets a call from Clara trying to figure out what happened to her Internet connection. The premise for this one was really interesting; a computer virus swept the world, and when people clicked the link they would be uploaded. This reminded me of a few earlier episodes where the Doctor, and Rose spent time on this space station where people pretty much lived in reality shows. From the first episode it has a clear overarching storyline this season, if you were watching there were a couple of ties to the Christmas episode.
Quote from the night: "3 hours ago you knew nothing about computers, and now you just made a joke about twitter." The Doctor to Clara.
Orphan Black I found kind of jarring. I tuned in thinking; great another British Sci-fi series. I'll give it a try. Little did I know it opened with a scene that ends on top of a very familiar train platform at Union Station- one that I've crossed a few times as well on my way out of the station, and the train that hit a main character looked just like a GO Train. And that's just the start. In one part of the episode, the character Sarah pulls out Canadian $20 bills, and an Ontario drivers license from the dead girl's wallet. More scenery- the glass tower condos towering over Downtown Toronto; alleyways that look suspiciously like the ones Rick Mercer delivers his famous rants in. Added to that the two main characters Felix and Sarah both have British accents (both incidentally are Canadian actors).
Maybe the 'jarring' feeling is on purpose. Maybe it, is meant so the audience get a feeling for these two characters who have fallen into a situation they have absolutely no idea what to do in. I'm going to give this another couple of episodes because I'm a sucker for a good mystery.
Doctor Who airs Saturdays at 8pm on Space, and Orphan Black airs at 9pm. Catch up on both right now by visiting Space
As always with most of my television posts: SPOILER ALERT. If you haven't seen the show yet go visit my other blog: Milton Views.
After 4 long months Revolution returned to NBC last night. The ratings I've heard aren't that great- down from something like 7.2 million from its fall premiere. That really isn't surprising; everyone wanted to tune in, and see what it's like. A new post-apocalyptic drama from J.J. Abrahams, executive produced by Steven Spielberg- obvious pedigree.
I was a little bit puzzled by this episode. The season started off- girl leaves home, goes off searching for her brother. In the Fall finale she finds him, and her mother alive. And then then they kill the brother off... what?? Why kill the guy you spent the first half of the season trying to save?? Why give the family a happy ending only to have it brutally snatched away??
Initially I felt cheated. Rescuing the brother was Charlie's (Tracy Spiradakos) raison d'etre for the entire first half of the season. It seemed a waste to do get rid of the character. I'm interested to see how they develop Charlie- will she become as cold and driven to defeat the Monroe army? Or will she back down?
Another storyline that could be really good is the one happening between Tom, and his son. Tom beat his son up within eyesight of the rebel camp. It'll be interesting to find out if this was faked to get intelligence on the rebels, or if this was somehow genuine- that he sensed on some level the son's heart was being torn between his father and any feelings he might have for Charlie.
I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with Colm Feore's character Randall. He looks like he's going to be head of an army of scientists meant to reproduce the pendants or something.
The only thing that I was left wanting was more scenes between Monroe and Miles the former best friends turned enemies. Sebastian now has electricity and will no doubt use it take over the United States from sea to shining sea, as he so sinisterly put it.
The irony isn't lost on me. History nerds will know there was such a thing as the Monroe doctrine. Passed in 1823 by U.S. President James Monroe, it basically told European powers if they tried colonizing the western hemisphere they'd have a fight on their hands. Would love to see how this fits into the show's development.
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