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Legend of the Seeker review: Elixir
Mar. 11th, 2012 11:42 amFor the legendland review challenge. In which I glare at the writers for their treatment of magic.( Read more... )
Snarky review of 'Listener' in which Toby Logan is sadly absent, Renn annoys me, and Zedd gets a makeover.
544 words plus picspam.
( Read more... )
544 words plus picspam.
( Read more... )
Fringe Review - The Equation [spoilers]
Nov. 26th, 2008 01:09 pm Am I wrong or did we only have one glyph this week? [A six-fingered hand, I believe]
No sign of the Observer - my own take is that once again this is something human rather than alien and so not of his concern. Or am I wrong? Did anyone else spot him?
Poor Walter! What's with creepy chief of staff at St Claires? Is he just obnoxious or is he part of the pattern? If he is working for whoever is behind the pattern, is he hoping to undermine Olivia et al's efforts by taking Walter from the or is he more interested in controlling Walter? Who knows what Walter may have invented or disclosed during his incarceration. Still, Walter was incredibly brave, and there was some nice character development.
On a side note, Olivia ought to set the auditors [or the FBI's forsensic accountants] on St Claires. That would make the guy's life a misery, and maybe the auditors might find some unexplained financial transactions that could open an investigation. I'm highly suspicious that the inmates are being used for testing new drugs.
Peter has become a lot more sympathetic towards his father over the last few episodes and now, having seen the conditions he was kept in, he doesn't want Walter back at St Claires. He's become more protective of Walter and I got a real sense of responsibility and purpose from him as he fought to get Walter released. Usually Peter runs when things get tough, but now he has people and a purpose, he's staying put.
Yay, more Charlie. Unfortunately, less Astrid. Ah, well. This was a Walter-focused episode, so I'll have to be content with what I get. And didn't Olivia came perilously close to shooting Charlie when he woke her from her trance?
Last but not least, Olivia kicks butt. We've seen her armed and dangerous, but this is the first time we've seen her in close combat, and she rocked! She also came away with a few bruises, adding some realism.
Looking forward to next week.
No sign of the Observer - my own take is that once again this is something human rather than alien and so not of his concern. Or am I wrong? Did anyone else spot him?
Poor Walter! What's with creepy chief of staff at St Claires? Is he just obnoxious or is he part of the pattern? If he is working for whoever is behind the pattern, is he hoping to undermine Olivia et al's efforts by taking Walter from the or is he more interested in controlling Walter? Who knows what Walter may have invented or disclosed during his incarceration. Still, Walter was incredibly brave, and there was some nice character development.
On a side note, Olivia ought to set the auditors [or the FBI's forsensic accountants] on St Claires. That would make the guy's life a misery, and maybe the auditors might find some unexplained financial transactions that could open an investigation. I'm highly suspicious that the inmates are being used for testing new drugs.
Peter has become a lot more sympathetic towards his father over the last few episodes and now, having seen the conditions he was kept in, he doesn't want Walter back at St Claires. He's become more protective of Walter and I got a real sense of responsibility and purpose from him as he fought to get Walter released. Usually Peter runs when things get tough, but now he has people and a purpose, he's staying put.
Yay, more Charlie. Unfortunately, less Astrid. Ah, well. This was a Walter-focused episode, so I'll have to be content with what I get. And didn't Olivia came perilously close to shooting Charlie when he woke her from her trance?
Last but not least, Olivia kicks butt. We've seen her armed and dangerous, but this is the first time we've seen her in close combat, and she rocked! She also came away with a few bruises, adding some realism.
Looking forward to next week.
“Merlin” is another well-made fun-for-all-the-family offering from the BBC.
Fringe: The Cure: My Two Pence
Nov. 9th, 2008 10:29 pm Sunday's episode, "The Cure" ; some random thoughts.
American assumptions about women drive me crazy: all women want kids (when Esteridge threatened Olivia) and all women are scared of rats. I don't and I'm not. Then again I'm not American (nor typical).
Also, why a hairless rat? These poor creatures are actually quite rare and I wouldn't think of them as "lab rats" more as a specialist variety for the home market. The association of Fancy Rat breeders dislikes and refuses to acknowledge them as a breed; they also disapprove of the tail-less rat. The reasoning is that it is cruel to deliberately breed for a genetic disadvantage that causes an animal lack of quality of life or causes discomfort. Tail-less rats can have problems balancing and hairless rats need special skin care; their delicate skin can be harmed by other rat's claws or indeed their own.
Peter's past; does this mean Walter is intimately (I don't mean it in a sexual way though it could be argued for) acquainted with the head of Global Dynamics? And just what favour might Peter have to do in return?
Olivia's birthday; maybe she should pick another day and celebrate it then. That way she could still enjoy quality time with her friends and some sense of normality; surely she would be spitting in the face, metaphorically speaking, of her stepfather by refusing to let him ruin her special day. In the one season crime drama "Killer Instinct" Detective Hale refused to celebrate his birthday since it was the day his father was arrested for murder. Law enforcement agents seem to have had terrible childhoods. I'd like Peter to offer to share his birthday with her; it would be sweet and romantic and seems like the kind of thing he'd do. I may feel a fanfic coming in...
On the subject of the stepfather, 2 thoughts. First is to note that Olivia tried to kill her abusive stepfather while in Abram's "Lost" Kate did kill her abusive stepfather. Another running theme in Abram's work? Two, can't Olivia's FBI friends (Charlie especially, we love Charlie and he likes Olivia a lot) track the stepfather down quietly and give him a working over in order to warn him away from her for good? 40's mob voice:"We're the Feds, see, and we don't like you upsetting one of our own, capice?"
Liked how Olivia laid it out re the "emotional" comment; that's what all men say about women they work with. Does she mean Charlie and John, Peter and Walter too? In face, apart from this episode, she doesn't strike me as emotional. In the pilot she talked about being reluctant to commit, to open up (and given her past history we get a couple of reasons why). Perhaps she uses all her emotions in her work and it was only with John she began to open up.
No sign of the observer this week; bizarre as this case was, it wasn't part of the larger pattern. Another good episode with more great Walter lines (poor Astrid referred to as Asterix) and Walter/Peter interaction (the red toothbrush is Peter's; white for Walter).
American assumptions about women drive me crazy: all women want kids (when Esteridge threatened Olivia) and all women are scared of rats. I don't and I'm not. Then again I'm not American (nor typical).
Also, why a hairless rat? These poor creatures are actually quite rare and I wouldn't think of them as "lab rats" more as a specialist variety for the home market. The association of Fancy Rat breeders dislikes and refuses to acknowledge them as a breed; they also disapprove of the tail-less rat. The reasoning is that it is cruel to deliberately breed for a genetic disadvantage that causes an animal lack of quality of life or causes discomfort. Tail-less rats can have problems balancing and hairless rats need special skin care; their delicate skin can be harmed by other rat's claws or indeed their own.
Peter's past; does this mean Walter is intimately (I don't mean it in a sexual way though it could be argued for) acquainted with the head of Global Dynamics? And just what favour might Peter have to do in return?
Olivia's birthday; maybe she should pick another day and celebrate it then. That way she could still enjoy quality time with her friends and some sense of normality; surely she would be spitting in the face, metaphorically speaking, of her stepfather by refusing to let him ruin her special day. In the one season crime drama "Killer Instinct" Detective Hale refused to celebrate his birthday since it was the day his father was arrested for murder. Law enforcement agents seem to have had terrible childhoods. I'd like Peter to offer to share his birthday with her; it would be sweet and romantic and seems like the kind of thing he'd do. I may feel a fanfic coming in...
On the subject of the stepfather, 2 thoughts. First is to note that Olivia tried to kill her abusive stepfather while in Abram's "Lost" Kate did kill her abusive stepfather. Another running theme in Abram's work? Two, can't Olivia's FBI friends (Charlie especially, we love Charlie and he likes Olivia a lot) track the stepfather down quietly and give him a working over in order to warn him away from her for good? 40's mob voice:"We're the Feds, see, and we don't like you upsetting one of our own, capice?"
Liked how Olivia laid it out re the "emotional" comment; that's what all men say about women they work with. Does she mean Charlie and John, Peter and Walter too? In face, apart from this episode, she doesn't strike me as emotional. In the pilot she talked about being reluctant to commit, to open up (and given her past history we get a couple of reasons why). Perhaps she uses all her emotions in her work and it was only with John she began to open up.
No sign of the observer this week; bizarre as this case was, it wasn't part of the larger pattern. Another good episode with more great Walter lines (poor Astrid referred to as Asterix) and Walter/Peter interaction (the red toothbrush is Peter's; white for Walter).
Burn Notice Review
Nov. 5th, 2008 05:39 pmAs posted to TV.com
Burn Notice is fantastic. With its wry humour and explanatory voiceovers it’s a joy to watch. The premise is simple: each week Michael Westen, tries to find out who burnt him; that is, got him fired from the spy business. Unfortunately to do so he needs contacts and cash, neither of which are forthcoming. So Westen is forced to take on cases that will benefit from his spy skills; cases where the authorities can’t or won’t get involved, or where clients have been framed. These are often cases undertaken for very little money but underneath it all, Westen is a nice guy, and besides, he needs whatever he can get his hands on; sometimes the reward is the form of information or favours that are a suitable substitute.
During each episode he gives his wry observations on the spy game (a broken home is a good training ground for a spy since you’re used to getting knocked around and never get homesick) and demonstrates how to make practical use of those spy skills, be it making a decoy “bomb” that looks real but has no explosive, setting up a perimeter alarm with a floodlight and a mobile phone, or simply getting rid of the next door drug dealer. It’s a bit like MacGyver but without the self-righteousness.
Westen is aided and abetted by ex-girlfriend Fiona – ex-IRA, bounty hunter, sexy as hell and hard as nails – and friend Sam Axe – (Bruce Campbell, brilliant as always) ex-spy with a penchant for sunbathing at a pool with a decent bar. Sam is working both sides, informing on Westen to the Feds and using this connection to set the Feds on bad guys Westen identifies during his work.
Smart, sexy, self-deprecating, Burn Notice features the vivid colours and party atmosphere of
It’s been renewed, there’s a CD soundtrack and a planned tie-in novel; I’m pleasantly surprised at the success of this show. The
