NCIS – Nature of the Beast

While NCIS didn’t end on much of a cliffhanger last year, it’s one of my favorite shows and I was really looking forward to spending time with the team again. Much like the season 7 opener, season 9 premieres with a Tony DiNozzo-centered episode in which he narrates what has happened over the intervening months.

Castle ended its first episode of the season with Beckett saying, “I remember everything.” NCIS starts off this episode with Tony saying, “I can’t remember any of it.”

Spoilers below!

Tony was knocked unconscious with a bullet to the vest. His weapon had been discharged twice, and there was blood at the scene, but no body. What was left behind was a bloody NCIS badge that wasn’t Tony’s.

Dr. Rachel Cranston (Kate Todd’s sister) urges him to go back to the beginning and try to put the pieces together, starting with his top-secret assignment from the new Secretary of the Navy. Tony wanted to bring the rest of the team in on the case, but Jarvis refused. Gibbs and the others gradually found out about the assignment, and Gibbs started bothering Jarvis about it and the microchips cut out of the arms of both Levin and Captain Wright. Tony’s assignment also leads him directly to E.J.

In present day, an FBI agent comes to the hospital and tries to talk to Tony. Agent Stratton is played by Scott Wolf, who played Chad Decker on V.

This was one of my favorite lines of the episode:

Tony DiNozzo: Who doesn’t like hot girls who carry guns?

I also loved Gibbs imitating Mike Franks’ voice. It’s nice to know he won’t be forgotten by the team. And Tony quoting three of Gibbs’ rules at Secretary Jarvis was amazing!

While the episode itself was a bit slow, the final twist sets things up nicely for a longer case that should occupy the next half season or more. Looking forward to a “real” episode next week, though!

Castle – Rise

Castle is back! This was definitely one of my top five, if not my most, anticipated season premieres this fall. (Though the Castle makeover my site got may have clued you in, and don’t forget the giveaway! Ten days left.) And I was not disappointed.

Spoilers, as usual, abound in this episode review, so come back later if you haven’t yet seen “Rise”!

Of course we knew Beckett wasn’t dead. The episode opened (after a quick “previously on”) just minutes after the shooting, with Lanie trying to keep Kate alive. In an interesting twist, Josh is the one who has to start operating on her until another doctor gets there. It’s kind of nice that we got a little bit of closure on him before Beckett breaks up with him somewhere in the three-month hiatus.

Yes, after Castle visits Kate in the hospital for two minutes, in which she tells him that she doesn’t remember what happened (including his profession of love) and that she needs space, they don’t talk for three entire months. And while I hate how terrible that was for Castle, I think it was a great move for the episode and this season. It helps the two get back to their camaraderie without negating what Castle told her – it instead tempers it with time and silence. It clues the viewers in that it’s still going to be a while until these characters get together.

The three months gave Ryan and Esposito time to figure out Gates, the new captain, while still making her new to Beckett. I love how they’re sneaking around Gates’ back, and I like the twist that they have to be extra careful that Gates doesn’t investigate Montgomery.

While Beckett recovered, Castle kept himself busy, finishing his book (though less than three months from finishing first draft to published novel is a bit of a fantasy) and helping Ryan and Esposito hunt the killer. I absolutely love how Beckett approaches him at the book signing.

The case in this episode is understandably non-twisty, given that there are far weightier matters to take up screen time. It simply gave us the opportunity to see that Castle’s out-of-the-box thinking is still a valuable asset to the team, and Beckett’s emotional scars are going to take a little longer to heal.

I assumed that Montgomery sent the files to Castle, but instead they went to someone else, as insurance to protect Beckett and the others (too bad they hadn’t arrived before the shooting at the funeral). And now Castle has to keep Beckett from pursuing the case. I love that Castle confided in his mom about it, and how concerned Alexis was for her father, not only with him being in danger physically, but emotionally as well. They were the two who had to pick up his pieces during those three months of silence.

And the final twist of the episode, where Kate admits the truth to her psychiatrist, I definitely saw coming. It was obvious in the way she reacted in the hospital that she remembered Castle’s “I love you.” Now the big question is, when will she tell Castle the truth?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Helpless

Many shows return or premiere this week, so my blogging schedule should get quite full! I still haven’t decided whether I’ll be keeping up with blogging about Buffy every other post or not, but most likely I’ll take a break for at least a week or two.

“Helpless” is full of the amazing father/daughter moments between Giles and Buffy that I love so much. I hate it that the Council makes Giles betray her for the 18th birthday Cruciamentum test – but it does an excellent job of painting the Council as the bad guys (or at least the out-of-touch authority figure, now that Joyce knows what’s going on and Snyder only has half a season left).

Having already been let down by her real father, who can’t even make it to their traditional birthday date, Buffy turns to the person who has stepped into that role in her life:

Buffy:  You know, it’s usually something that families do together.
Giles:  Now, look very carefully for the tiny flaw at its core.
Buffy:  I-if someone were free, they’d take their daughters or their student… or their Slayer.

Sadly, it’s at that very minute that Giles is drugging her to suppress her Slayer powers for the test. When the insane captive vampire Kralik escapes, it’s Giles who rescues her, and then tells her the truth.

When Kralik takes Joyce, Buffy goes to fight him in her weakened state, and creates a new way to kill a vampire – tricking one into ingesting holy water. Giles arrives just in time to dispatch the second one and start to regain Buffy’s trust.

The episode ends with Giles choosing a side – and Buffy as well:

Quentin:  Congratulations, you passed. You exhibited extraordinary courage and clearheadedness in battle. The Council is very pleased.
Buffy:  Do I get a gold star?
Quentin:  I understand that you’re upset…
Buffy:  You understand nothing. You set that monster loose, and he came after my mother.
Quentin:  You think the test was unfair?
Buffy:  I think you better leave town before I get my strength back.
Quentin:  We’re not in the business of fair, Miss Summers, we’re fighting a war.
Giles:  You’re *waging* a war. She’s fighting it. There is a difference.
Quentin:  Mr. Giles, if you don’t mind…
Giles:  The test is done. We’re finished.
Quentin:  Not quite. She passed. You didn’t. The Slayer is not the only one who must perform in this situation. I’ve recommended to the Council, and they’ve agreed, that you be relieved of your duties as Watcher immediately. You’re fired.
Giles:  On what grounds?
Quentin:  Your affection for your charge has rendered you incapable of clear and impartial judgment. You have a father’s love for the child, and that is useless to the cause. It would be best if you had no further contact with the Slayer.
Giles:  I’m not going anywhere.
Quentin:  No, well, I didn’t expect you would adhere to that. However, if you interfere with the new Watcher, or countermand his authority in any way, you will be dealt with. Are we clear?
Giles:  Oh, we’re very clear.
Quentin:  Congratulations again.
Buffy:  Bite me.
Quentin:  Yes, well, colorful girl.

And that sets up the introduction of Wesley, a character you’re predisposed to hate, but end up loving (especially on Angel).

What Do You Want to Read About TV?

Most of the posts I’ve written so far for TV Breakroom have been things I’ve wanted to share – great shows I’d discovered, surprising actor connections, and speculations on why certain show failed to grab my attention. It’s been fun, and I’ve needed an outlet for that, but now I want to focus on my readers as well.

What do you want to read on this blog?

More specifically, what would cause you to stop by every day there’s a new post? What would make you decide to add this blog to your feed reader, or get posts by email? What would push you to share posts with your friends?

Now, I’m not going to change the general focus of this blog (TV shows), or widen the scope (no discussing reality TV, competition shows, or informative shows). But within the site’s parameters – generally scripted weekly shows and web series – there are many directions I could take.

Episode reviews. I’ve been moving the blog in this direction since I started running out of shows to do general overviews of. The main problem is that to review an episode, you usually have to spoil it, so people tend to only want to read them after they’ve watched the episode. Good if people want to discuss the episode, bad if people just want to find out more about the show before watching it.

TV news. I’ve started a new Twitter account to share news that crops up about favorite shows, but would you prefer I posted it here? Most news would lead to very short blog posts (which is why I started tweeting it), but I could also compile all the recent news about a show into a longer post.

Interviews. I’m taking the first steps toward building contacts in the TV industry via Twitter, and I hope to reach the point where I can interview TV writers, guest actors, and maybe even someday regular cast members. Initially this would be a slow, difficult process, so would interviews be something you’d like to read?

Recommending shows. For example, I could write a post, “If you like Supernatural, you might want to try . . .” and mention several shows and why fans of Supernatural would be likely to watch them. I wouldn’t be able to make every post about this, but I could write about it perhaps up to once a week.

Actor spotlights. Looking into a specific actor’s career, focusing on their TV roles.

Character spotlights. An in-depth look at one character from a show.

Polls and competitions. This could be as simple as adding them to the end of other posts to a huge March Madness bracket.

Online show roundups. Some of the best websites for a particular show, actors’ and writers’ Twitter handles, and more.

Top 10 lists. The ten best friendships on TV, the ten best non-human characters, the ten worst villains, you name it.

Music videos. Youtube has tons of fan-made videos that focus on TV shows. I could embed the best of the best into a post.

Comparing shows. A post seeing how two (similar or widely different) shows stack up against each other.

Fan fiction. Either pointing to some of the best fan fiction out their for a particular show, or following some of my own “what if?” ponderings (including dumping two shows into the same universe) and seeing what happens.

TV tropes. Following a specific trope through several TV shows.

As you can see, there are a ton of options! Which ones would you enjoy reading? Do you have any additional ideas for posts?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Gingerbread

My 100th post! I don’t think I’ve ever had a hundred posts written within one year on a blog before. Just nine months ago I was almost embarrassed to link to this site since I had so little content up. Now I have well over 50,000 words spread throughout the site.

“Gingerbread” is Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s witch hunt episode. Now for all the things I love about Buffy, one of the things I dislike most about the show is the witchcraft in it. I know it’s mostly used in the mythology of the show as a story device, but it covers a huge spectrum from light spells to summoning dark powers, and even the show itself varies on how it is portrayed morally. In the end it’s seen as a force for good, evil, and many shades of gray in between, but this episode lacks that complexity.

Side note: I found it rather interesting that the first major spell Willow did (to restore Angel’s soul), if you look at the translation of the words she uses, she’s not begging some evil spirit. She’s beseeching God. Fitting, since the whole soul thing fits best in His realm anyway.

The broad strokes of this episode turn it into a battle cry for tolerance and accepting differences. The entire town gets into an uproar over the deaths of two children, and begins to target those suspected of witchcraft and anyone else different. The episode’s saving grace is that it senses the ridiculousness of the fervor and exaggerates it, throwing in some humor along the way.

Buffy:  What is this?
Willow:  A doodle. I do doodle. You, too. You do doodle, too.

Xander:  Whoa, whoa, whoa. I’m still spinning on this whole fairy tales are real thing.
Oz:  So what do we do?
Xander:  I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna go trade my cow in for some beans. (Gets a look.) No one else is seeing the funny here.

It’s interesting – this fall there are two whole shows premiering based on the premise that fairy tales are real. In Once Upon a Time, the fairy tale world is separate from this one, and the characters trapped in this world have forgotten who they are. In Grimm, the fairy tale creatures look like humans to all but a select few.

I love Buffy’s conversation with Angel in this episode:

Angel:  Buffy, you know, I’m still figuring things out. There’s a lot I don’t understand. But I do know it’s important to keep fighting. I learned that from you.
Buffy:  But we never…
Angel:  We never win.
Buffy:  Not completely.
Angel:  We never will. That’s not why we fight. We do it ’cause there’s things worth fighting for.

And I think it’s awesome that Cordelia, who has been acting like a bitca for the past several episodes, comes in to save the day in her own unique way.

Cordelia:  Wake up! (Slaps Giles repeatedly.)
Giles:  Cordelia?
Cordelia:  Took you long enough to wake up. My hand hurts.
Giles:  Pity. Oh… Why are you here?
Cordelia:  Things are way out of control, Giles. First the thing at school, and then my mom confiscates all of my black clothes and scented candles. I came over here to tell Buffy to stop this craziness and found you all unconscious… again. How many times have you been knocked out, anyway? I swear, one of these times, you’re gonna wake up in a coma.
Giles:  Wake up in a… Oh, never mind.

Their conversations always make me laugh. And it’s nice to see Cordy doing more than just dropping snide remarks at the gang.

The heartbreaking part of this episode is how Joyce slowly turns against her daughter. I actually cringed when she lumped monsters, witches, and slayers in the same group, right in front of Buffy (and half the town). And what Joyce almost did isn’t discussed between them at the end of the episode, though the following one works toward re-establishing their bond.

In all, this is one of my least favorite episodes of season three, but it was still a fun watch the second time around.

Ringer – Pilot

Sarah Michelle Gellar is back! That was really the only tagline needed for the new noir drama on the CW. But the premise is intriguing by itself. Bridget runs away the night before her testimony in a criminal trial and goes to visit her estranged twin sister Siobhan. When Siobhan apparently kills herself, Bridget sees a way out and assumes her sister’s life. But she soon learns that Siobhan has secrets of her own, and someone wants her dead, too.

I watched a lot of the Comicon coverage for Ringer, and several trailers, so almost all of the secrets revealed in the pilot (and even a few that weren’t) had been spoiled for me. So I didn’t expect to be wowed by it, and I wasn’t. I’m looking for the next episodes too, though.

So for those of you who didn’t see all the previews, or didn’t watch the premiere episode, beware of spoilers!

This is the first thing I’ve seen Gellar in since Buffy, so I was a little surprised at how much older she looked, but it was more her clothes and mannerisms than her actual face. I noticed a few Buffy references in the first segment of the episode, but my guess is they were more imagined than actual hat tips to the show. The gargoyles on the penthouse roof gave a cemetery-link feel to the first moments of the episode, so that was probably deliberate. I probably only noticed the word “amends” in a conversation since that was the last Buffy episode I watched, and the word cookie because the cookie dough conversation was in the final Buffy episode. And when Bridget mentioned waitressing, I could only think about how that paralleled with the final issue of the Buffy season 8 comics (season 9 starts today!).

One of the “surprises” that got ruined was when Kristoffer Polaha seems to be following/stalking Bridget. I already knew he wasn’t a hitman out to get her, but Siobhan’s best friend’s husband Henry with whom Siobhan was having an affair. The show did manage to keep the surprise of Siobhan’s pregnancy, and that Siobhan blames Bridget for her (apparent) son’s death.

It’s easy to see Bridget as the hero in this story, as she tries to right Siobhan’s wrongs – breaking off the affair, trying to mend things with Andrew (Siobhan’s husband), reaching out to his daughter Juliet. I also like the setup of Bridget’s relationship with her sponsor, Malcolm, as the one person she can be “real” with.

One preview showed an extended clip of the final scene, of Siobhan’s phone conversation in Paris (yeah, we knew she wasn’t really dead). Only when I saw the clip, I thought it was Bridget. So that was a bit of a surprise.

So who sent the attacker in the climax? Was it Gemma, the best friend who’d summoned her to the loft? Andrew, whose mysterious phone conversation seemed like he was trying to call off a hit after he’d learned of Siobhan’s pregnancy? Or Siobhan, wanting to put the final nail in the coffin of her fake suicide and get revenge on her sister in one move?

I guess I’ll find out next week.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Amends

I wondered why the seventh episode of this season wasn’t quite as good as other sevenths, but that was only because Joss Whedon saved his writing and directing talents for this gem of an episode.

After half a dozen episodes of waiting, we finally get a reason for Angel’s return to Earth. The First brought him back to kill Buffy. A notably evil plan, but why Buffy? Was this an earlier indication of things not being right with two Slayers in the world? Wouldn’t another Slayer be called when she died (though there’s no mention that it happens when she does die)? And why Angel? He loves her, so he’ll do whatever he has to to keep her safe. True, he’s one of the few people who would have a chance to beat her in a fight, and he could get close to her, but I think the First would have been better off going with Faith. She could even have her dead Watcher haunting her and urging her on.

The dream flashbacks gave another glimpse of how truly evil Angel was. And how truly awful his hairstyles were. Spike makes fun of his current hairstyle, but those were much, much worse.

This is the first time I’ve rewatched this episode, so I saw the First and the Bringers in a whole new light after season 7. It was also interesting comparing the First driving Angel crazy in this episode to the First driving Spike crazy in season 7. But the First didn’t use vivid dreams and connected dreams in season 7, though. The only dreams were Buffy’s regular prophetic and historic Slayer dreams.

Mixed in with the story are Christmasy bits – shopping, school break, lights, decorating the tree. Buffy reaches out to Faith. Willow makes up with Oz:

Oz:  Well, I don’t know. I don’t know that it… ever will be between you two.
Willow:  Oz, please believe me.
Oz:  This is what I do know: I miss you. Like, every second. Almost like I lost an arm, or worse, a torso. So, I think I’d be willing to… give it a shot.
Willow:  Really?
Oz:  Yeah.

I just love the sweetness of that. And yes, I know I do go a little Oz-crazy on this blog, but that’s just because I know how soon he’ll be gone from the show.

And the end of the episode, the Christmas miracle, is perfect. Most of the time, snow just brings a cute “aww” moment in a holiday episode of a show. This time, it brings much more:

Angel:  Am I a thing worth saving, huh? Am I a righteous man? The world wants me gone!
Buffy:  What about me? I love you so much… And I tried to make you go away… I killed you and it didn’t help. And I hate it! I hate that it’s so hard… and that you can hurt me so much. I know everything that you did, because you did it to me. Oh, God! I wish that I wished you dead. I don’t. I can’t.
Angel:  Buffy, please. Just this once… let me be strong.
Buffy:  Strong is fighting! It’s hard, and it’s painful, and it’s every day. It’s what we have to do. And we can do it together. But if you’re too much of a coward for that, then burn. If I can’t convince you that you belong in this world, then I don’t know what can. But do *not* expect me to watch. And don’t expect me to mourn for you, because…

And it begins to snow. The sun isn’t coming out. Soft flakes of forgiveness fall, sparing Angel’s life and convince him that he can make amends for the evil he’s done in his past.

Who made it snow in Sunnydale that day? The Powers That Be would best fit in the mythology of the show, though the part they play in the series seems but a dim reflection of the Power Who Is.

Fall 2011 TV Shows Anticipations

Fall TV is about to start for 2011! Here are some things I’m anticipating about the shows I plan to watch, in the order of their season premiere dates.

September 13

“Ringer”

I’m hoping this show will be as in-depth and multi-layered as Veronica Mars. I don’t think  the show will make me laugh, but as skilled as many of the cast are with dramatic moments, it may make me cry. Previews gave away maybe a little too much of the pilot, but with 3 seasons planned of twists and turns, I expect to be surprised quite often. It has stiff competition in its Tuesday 9PM slot, but I foresee an early renewal.

September 14

“Free Agents”

Previews show this to lean toward the bawdy type of workplace comedy I usually avoid, but I love Anthony Stewart Head’s acting, so I’ll probably give this show at least two episodes to prove itself to me. And since The Office has flourished with its UK to US transfer, I’d say the odds for renewal are slightly greater than 50/50.

September 19

“How I Met Your Mother”

A great cast and hilarious hijinks make a few off episodes bearable, and I’m pretty content with not having met the mother yet, since that means the show can continue longer. The twist of another wedding should add interest for long-time viewers and keep them watching.

“2 Broke Girls”

As the only half hour show in its time slot, and paired with the popular “HIMYM,” this show should do well by default. I’m not expecting much from it, just a few laughs, but I would love to be pleasantly surprised.

“Castle”

I’m positive Beckett’s not dead, as the premise of this show would fall apart without her, but I hope the events of the final moments of last season will have far-reaching effects on this one. I am not looking forward to the new chief. The absence of station politics is one thing I enjoyed about the show, so rumors I’ve heard worry me. But it would take a lot more than that to make me stop watching this show. Hoping for some more Whedonverse guest stars and Firefly references this season.

September 20

“NCIS”

Can’t wait to hang out with the gang again. With the start of season nine, this show is the longest-running one I watch, and it’s stronger than ever. Starting out with emotional turmoil for DiNozzo sounds like a great way to begin the season.

“NCIS: Los Angeles”

Unlike its sister show, NCIS: LA is picking up right when the last season ended. The only thing I ask for season 3? Don’t get rid of Hetty. If I had one other wish, I’d love to see Nate back as a regular part of the team.

“The New Girl”

With two shows already competing for my Tuesday 9PM viewing, I wasn’t even going to look at this show, but with the other Deschanel sister not coming back until November, I probably will check out at least the pilot online. But with strong competition on every other broadcast channel, the ratings will probably be terrible enough to make a renewal unlikely. It’s one saving grace is that it’s the only comedy in its timeslot.

September 22

“The Big Bang Theory”

This show makes me laugh more than any other. And it’s one of those shows that while you know the two of the characters belong together, you don’t really care how many detours they take along the way, because it adds new dimensions to the show.

“Community”

I’m still mad at the networks for making this and the previous show compete. It’s a little sad to think that cast will be juniors this year, so the show is most likely halfway over. It was left up in the air whether Chevy Chase would return to the group, but if any of the main 7 characters had to go, I’d prefer him.

“The Office”

The show proved it could survive without Michael Scott at the end of last season, so I plan to keep watching. While not every episode tickles my funny bone, I love (some of) the characters enough to tuning into their workdays for as long as they’ll let me.

“Person of Interest”

An intriguing premise and Jim Caviezel are enough to put this show on my to-watch list for at least the first several episodes. With Bones starting late, this show has the potential to grab a few extra viewers. Most of my action shows tend to be summer ones, so I’m hoping this will be good. Need to know more before predicting renewal, though.

September 23

“Nikita”

The new season brings a twist to the dynamics of this show, with characters switching sides, but I’m confident Nikita will make it work. My one fear is Lyndsy Fonseca looking like a powder-puff villain next to Melinda Clarke. And the show has a month to establish some viewers before Chuck comes in to try and woo them away.

“Blue Bloods”

This show has a great cast and interesting episodes, but doesn’t have the compulsive watching quality many other crime dramas do. I hope the second season starts off with a bang and adds a layer of intrigue.

September 28

“Suburgatory”

Alan Tudyk is the only reason I’m checking this show out. The fact that it’s unlike most of the other shows I watch may help it stay on my list. But it’s kind of funny that the only Wednesday night shows I’m interested in air at the same time and pit Whedonverse actors against each other.

September 29

“How to Be a Gentleman”

I hated the first preview for this show, but the second was a little better, so I’ll still watch the pilot. I have my doubts about this one being a keeper, though.

October 2

“Homeland”

This will be the first Showtime TV show I’ve ever tried out. But with Damian Lewis (Life), Claire Danes, and Morena Baccarin (Firefly), how could I resist?

October 3

“House”

I’m curious who the show will bring in to replace Cuddy, and how House will get his job back. I almost feel like the show’s starting to wind down, which is a shame, but it’s had a good run. Of course, this next season could surprise me and pick up momentum again.

October 12

“Psych”

It’s been way too long of a hiatus for Shawn and Gus, so I’m really looking forward to the return of my favorite fake psychic, and the boatload of special episodes he brings with him.

October 21

“Chuck”

Back for a truncated 5th season, it’s nice that the show will have the chance to say goodbye. I’m looking forward to a hilarious season with Morgan’s new role.

“Grimm”

I love the idea of this show. But with cult favorites Supernatual and Fringe vying for the same slot with a month-long lead, the ratings will likely be terrible. (Whose bright idea was it to stack three speculative shows against each other?) The reviews for the pilot haven’t been great. No big-name actors or even geek favorites. And Friday nights are usually the death slot. The plus side is that it’s created by some guys responsible for much of Angel, and has a great lead-in show with Chuck. Since I didn’t catch up on Supernatural and Fringe this summer like I wanted to, I’ll definitely be watching this. I just hope the studio will focus on day+7 and online views when deciding how long to let it run.

October 23

“Once Upon a Time”

I’ve watched the preview for this show more than any other. I just hope it lives up to the beauty and intrigue that glimpse conveyed, and there are enough twists and turns to spawn multiple seasons.

November 3

“Bones”

Having caught up on this show, I’m excited to be finally watching it in “real” time, without spoilers to mess up my expectations. I’m hoping the baby mania won’t overtake the show, but I trust that it will be an awesome season.

 

November also brings the return of split season shows like Covert Affairs, Burn Notice, and Leverage.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Wish

Immediately following Spike’s short visit, Anya enters the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This was only my second time watching “The Wish,” so it was neat to see all of the hints at future episodes. The two that really stuck out to me were Vampire Willow’s “Bored now” and the fact that Buffy was in Cleveland, which we’ll later find out has a Hellmouth of its own.

But the episode begins typically enough, with Buffy fighting a demon (who reminds me a bit of Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean), assisted by Willow and Xander. The three are still dealing with the fallout from “Lovers Walk.”

Buffy:  No luck reaching Cordelia?
Xander:  I’ve left a few messages. Sixty… Seventy… But you know what really bugs me? Okay, we kissed. It was a mistake. But I know that was positively the last time we were ever gonna kiss.
Willow:  Darn tootin’!
Xander:  And they burst in, rescuing us, without even knocking? I mean, this is really all their fault.
Buffy:  Your logic does not resemble our Earth logic.
Xander:  Mine is much more advanced.

Oz needs time to think things through, but Cordelia is cutting up and burning photos and trying to pretend Xander doesn’t exist. Her old friends aren’t welcoming her back, and Cordy soon comes to the conclusion that Buffy being in town is what started the downward trend in her life. The new girl in school is the one bright spot in her week.

Cordelia:  Go ahead. Dazzle me with your oh-so-brilliant insults. Just join the club.
Anya:  Hardly. Uh, actually, I’ve been looking for you. Ever since we met this morning, I was, like, thank God there’s one other person in this town who actually reads W.
Cordelia:  But Harmony…
Anya:  Oh, she follows me around. If that girl had an original thought, her head would explode.

But Anya is really the vengeance demon Anyanka, so when Cordelia wishes Buffy had never come to Sunnydale, Anyanka grants her wish. Cordy is immediately transported into an alternate reality where vampires rule the town. Willow and Xander are both vampires and the Master’s top henchmen; Giles, Oz, and a few others drive around trying to save who they can; and Angel lives chained up and tortured. After Willow and Xander kill Cordelia, it’s up to Giles to figure out what’s going on.

I’m always surprised when I read about people not liking Anya, because I love her! Emma Caulfield does an amazing job playing Anya’s hilarious facets – her cheerful literalness, her fear of bunnies, her delight in money – but adds depth to her character whether the moment is humorous or somber. I’m looking forward to Emma’s new project, “Ripped” as well as her upcoming guest appearance in Leverage. I also just caught up on her mockumentary web series, Bandwagon. It’s finishing up its second season (Oops, which is now it’s first season. The years-ago “first season” is now the movie – which makes sense, with the time gap.) , which boasts the addition of Yvette Nicole Brown (Shirley on Community), and I plan to do a full post on it soon.

It’s neat getting to see the changes in the characters in this episode, all of them still being themselves, but under far different circumstances. Vampire Willow brings out the mad-with-power side of her character, which we’ve seen glimpses of before, but Vampire Xander doesn’t seem to have kept much of his old personality. Giles lacks confidence, Buffy’s jaded, and Angel’s hanging onto the last thread of hope. It’s also pretty interesting watching who kills who in the final battle.

V – Saga Cut Short

I never watched the original V, but ABC’s two-season remake captured my attention and held it. I tuned in to the show because it starred Morena Baccarin, best known as Inara from Firefly. Having loved her on Firefly, it was eerie to see her as the villain, Anna, in this show. You can almost see the lizard-like creature underneath her skin.

Alan Tudyk (Wash from Firefly) also showed up in the first few episodes as Erica’s partner. Erica Evans, an FBI agent, is the main character of the show, but it took me a while to warm up to her. (I primarily knew the actor, Elizabeth Mitchell, from the Santa Clause movies, so it took a while for that image to fade.)

The premise of the show is that aliens invade the earth as peaceful Visitors (or Vs), claiming to want peace and sharing their technology. But they have a hidden agenda, buried as their lizard appearance is buried under human skin. And they haven’t just arrived – sleeper agents have been in place for decades.

Erica gradually gathers a small band of people who know what the Vs are truly like, and they work to set back their devious plans however they can. But she’s keeping the aliens’ true identity from her son, who’s fascinated by the Vs and eventually begins dating Anna’s daughter Lisa.

The show was excellent – great plot, stunning visuals, and with the exception of a few characters, an awesome cast. But it was canceled after only two short seasons (22 episodes total), so it never had a chance to grow into its true potential. I was especially looking forward to season 3, since they’d just gotten rid of my (and judging from reviews, many others’) least favorite character.

One of my favorite characters was the mercenary Kyle Hobbs, played by Charles Mesure. I’m looking forward to where the actor will go in the future.

While ABC put the first season on Hulu, they didn’t with the second season, which made it hard for viewers to catch up with the closely-connected episodes. I think that’s one significant reason why ratings declined.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Lovers Walk

This is one of my favorite episodes of the entire show (I’ve seen it at least 4 times so far this year), and it’s the episode that brought James Marsters back as a regular for season 4 and beyond. “Lovers Walk” is, at its heart, a sad episode for pretty much all of the main characters, but Spike’s role makes it absolutely hilarious.

And it’s not just the major parts of the episode that make it so awesome; it’s the little things, like perfect scene transitions, starting with the very first one. The gang’s discussing SAT scores, when:

Cordelia:  Get out of Sunnydale – that’s a good thing. What kind of moron would ever wanna come back here?

Cut to Spike running over the “Welcome to Sunnydale” sign – again.

The sad part of the episode revolves around Xander and Willow’s continuing feelings for each other, Oz and Cordy finding out, and the havoc that wreaks. Giles is mostly absent, thanks to a retreat.

Buffy:  Okay, but you’re just going for a few days, right? I mean, you’re not gonna settle there and grow crops or anything.
Giles:  What? Oh, my gear. No, no, this is basic necessities.
Buffy:  Giles, you pack like me.
Giles:  Here. I suspect your mother will want to, uh, put it on the refrigerator.
Buffy:  Yeah. She saw these scores, and her head spun around and exploded.
Giles:  I’ve been on the Hellmouth too long. That was metaphorical, yes?

Things are still uncertain with Angel and Buffy, and surprisingly, it’s Spike who brings clarity to their relationship. They can never be “just friends.” This is the only episode on either show where the three of them spend any significant time together.

Spike is heartbroken over Drusilla, leaving him, and wants to share his tale of woe with anyone who will listen:

Spike:  She wouldn’t even kill me. She just left. She didn’t even care enough to cut off my head or set me on fire. I mean, is that too much to ask? You know? Some little sign that she cared? It was that truce with Buffy that did it. Dru said I’d gone soft. Wasn’t demon enough for the likes of her. And I told her it didn’t mean anything, I was thinking of her the whole time, but she didn’t care. So, we got to Brazil, and she was… she was just different. I gave her everything: beautiful jewels, beautiful dresses with beautiful girls in them, but nothing made her happy. And she would flirt! I caught her on a park bench, making out with a chaos demon! Have you ever seen a chaos demon? They’re all slime and antlers. They’re disgusting. She only did it to hurt me. So I said, ‘I’m not putting up with this anymore.’ And she said, ‘Fine!’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I’ve got an unlife, you know!’ And then she said… she said we could still be friends. God, I’m so unhappy!
Willow:  There, there.
Spike:  I mean, friends! How could she be so cruel?

Willow assumes that Spike will kill her and Xander whether she does the love spell for him or not, but I’m not so sure. He was smart enough to use them for leverage so that Buffy wouldn’t kill him – he probably realized that Buffy would hunt him down relentlessly if he did anything to hurt them. I don’t really understand why Spike went to Buffy’s house, unless that’s where Willow said she left the spell book. There’s no mention of him picking it up there, and we know perfectly well that she left it at the school. Willow must have told him that in hopes that Buffy would be there to stop him, but she isn’t. Joyce is home alone. Fortunately, Spike is more in the mood for hot chocolate and sympathy than blood.

Spike:  So I’m strolling through the park, looking for a meal, and I happen to walk by, and she’s making out with the chaos demon! And so I said, ‘You know, I don’t have to put up with this.’ And she said, ‘Fine!’ So I said, ‘Fine, do whatever you like!’ I mean, I thought we were going to make up, you know.
Joyce:  Well, she sounds very unreasonable.
Spike:  She is. She’s out of her mind. That’s what I miss most about her.
Joyce:  Well, Spike, sometimes even when two people seem right for each other, their lives just take different paths. When Buffy’s father and I…
Spike:  No, this is different. Our love was eternal. Literally. You got any of those little marshmallows?

I simply love Spike and Joyce’s interactions. She reminds him of his mother, who he loved even as a vampire. And her confusion is hilarious and understandable – she views Spike, sitting heartbroken in her kitchen, as the good vampire, and Angel, snarling at her door, as the bad one.

That’s another way Spike seems more “human” than Angel – he actually enjoys food and drink other than blood. Alcohol, hot chocolate with marshmallows, cookies, spicy buffalo wings – you name it. He’s also been known to spice up his pig’s blood with various ingredients. I can’t recall one instance of Angel enjoying food when he wasn’t human.

I love Buffy, Spike, and Angel teaming up to fight the vampire gang that the Mayor sent after them. And Spike keeps up his one bad thing/one good thing (for selfish reasons) rhythm from early season two. He killed the shopkeeper, but he also killed a vampire. He might have even killed several if it wasn’t for Buffy’s idea to lob bottles of holy water at the vampires to beat them back. I find it interesting that she warned him – yes, they needed him alive to tell them where Willow and Xander were, but it’s unlikely that the water would have killed him. And once he revealed their location, Buffy didn’t even try to stop him from leaving.

The Mayor is one of my favorite villains on the show – much more enjoyable to watch than the annoying Master or Adam.

Mayor Wilkins:  But I guess we’re past that now. This year is too important to let a loose cannon rock the boat.
Allan:  Should I have Mr. Trick send a… committee to deal with this?
Mayor Wilkins:  Loose cannon. Rock the boat. Is that a mixed metaphor?
Allan:  Uh…
Mayor Wilkins:  Boats did have cannons. And a loose one would cause it to rock. Oh, honestly. I don’t know where my mind goes these days. Why don’t you take care of that Spike problem? A committee, like you said.

The funeral scene after Cordelia’s injury was a fun twist (of course, having seen Angel season one before I watched this episode, it didn’t fool me for a second). But I love Willow’s outfit in that scene – something that’s still “her’ but less dorky than her usual outfits.

The episode ends with the soft melody, “The Loneliness of Six” as each member of the now estranged couples sits alone in sadness. But past the sadness comes Spike, rocking out as he zooms down the highway.

Eureka – Quirky Genius

I’d heard Eureka mentioned a few times in passing as a good show, but it wasn’t until I heard that Felicia Day (of The Guild, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, and Dollhouse fame) was appearing in several episodes that I decided to investigate further. Netflix had the first three seasons on instant play, so I mentally put it on my to-watch list.

When I started watching Warehouse 13, I heard that it had a number of crossovers with Eureka, so I began watching Eureka so I could have the crossovers in their correct places.

The premise of the show is a small town full of geniuses working in a secret government facility (and on their own projects at home in their spare time). A U.S. Marshall stumbles upon the town on the way back from retrieving his runaway teenage daughter, and helps out with an investigation. He’s rewarded with a “promotion” (which felt similar to the Warehouse 13 agents’ “promotion”) to the position of Eureka’s sheriff.

The double-length pilot episode was a little slow, but it showed the potential the series had. The following two episodes didn’t wow me, though. I think one of the reasons I’m not liking the show very much is that I generally dislike small-town shows. I prefer shows with close-knit teams or groups of friends than with gaggles of eccentric neighbors. Even the one small-town show I did enjoy, Gilmore Girls, I liked for the main group of characters and just ignored the others.

Another thing I dislike is the clichéd workaholic dad/rebellious teen dynamic. I’m guessing the show was trying to make them as everyday as possible to contrast with the rest of the town, but they just make me yawn.

And for a town that caters to the geeky side of the population, where are the twenty-somethings? We have gifted children and preteens, a main teenager, and plenty of adults in their thirties and forties, most of them parents. The deputy is probably in her twenties, but she doesn’t have much of a story of her own. I would expect there to be a lot more characters like the director’s assistant (loved his Sarah Michelle Gellar comment!), and I’m hoping further episodes of the show will rectify this.

As of three episodes in, this just seems like a quirky family drama, with the intelligence of the characters dumbed down and the science mashed into clichés. And it doesn’t help that I’m not familiar with any of the main actors. But I’ll give this a few more episodes (mostly for Warehouse 13 and Felicia Day’s sake) before I decide whether I’ll keep watching.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Revelations

While perhaps not quite as dramatic as other seventh episodes in the show, “Revelations” does bring in a few twists that will have a major impact on the rest of the season.

First up is the gang finding out Angel’s alive. Judging from most of their reactions, it’s probably a good thing Buffy didn’t tell them earlier, while Angel was half-mad or extremely weak. There doesn’t seem to be the clear-cut distinction of Angel with a soul versus Angel without a soul in their minds.

Xander:  What, you just tripped and fell on his lips?
Buffy:  It was wrong, okay? I know that, and I know that it can’t happen again. But you guys have to believe me. I would never put you in any danger. If I thought for a second that Angel was going to hurt anyone…
Xander:  …you would stop him. Like you did last time with Ms. Calendar.
Willow:  Buffy, I feel that when it comes to Angel, you can’t see straight. And that’s why we’re, we’re all gonna help you face this.
Buffy:  But he’s better now. I swear. Look, you guys, he’s the one that found the Glove of Myhnegon. H-he’s keeping it safe for us in the mansion.
Xander:  Right! Great plan. Leave tons of firepower with the Scary Guy, and leave us to clean up the mess.
Buffy:  You would just love an excuse to hurt him, wouldn’t you?
Xander:  I don’t need an excuse. I think lots of dead people actually constitutes a reason.
Buffy:  Right. This is all nobility. This has nothing to do with jealousy.
Cordelia:  Hello? Miss Not-Over-Yourself-Yet?
Buffy:  Don’t you start with me.

Second is Faith’s reaction to the events in this episode. Her new Watcher turns out to be a fraud, and Buffy fights Faith to protect Angel. So, not only is her faith in people in general wounded, a wedge is driven into her friendship with Buffy that will lead to betrayal.

Having just read the first issue of the Angel and Faith comic, it was interesting to watch their first meeting – a fight, of course. It’s short-lived, and Buffy has to step in to prevent Angel from getting staked, so it’s probable that Angel is still weak from his hundreds of years in a hell dimension. Though he seemed to go okay fighting Pete in episode four.

I don’t know anything about Tai Chi, but Angel looks really sissy doing it. Though it sort of fits his “big, fluffy puppy with bad teeth” persona. (Yes, I am totally looking forward to Spike’s return in the next episode!) I wonder who’s the best fighter out of the four – the two Slayers, and the vampires with souls. Buffy’s beat both Angel and Faith. Spike’s beat Angel (in Angel season 5). Spike and Buffy’s fights usually get interrupted. Faith lost her fight with Lagos in this episode, but Buffy beat him fairly easily.

I love Buffy’s reaction to Faith’s new Watcher:

Buffy:  Interesting lady. Can we kill her?
Giles:  I think the council might frown upon that.

Xander and Willow are still hiding their relationship from everyone, though Willow almost confesses it to Buffy. This makes her more sympathetic to Buffy’s secret.

What secrets (in TV shows or otherwise) should be kept?

Castle – September Giveaway

This giveaway is over – check out my latest giveaway here!

I’ve only blogged specifically about Castle once before, which is sad considering that it’s one of my favorite shows. I plan to do better with season four, which starts this month. And in honor of the new season, and to celebrate the new Castle-themed look for my sidebar, I’m giving away a Castle season one DVD set!

Already have it? No worries. If the winner prefers, they can receive a $10 Amazon gift card instead. Last month’s winner was Abbi!

Castle is what happens when a charming novelist teams up with a passionate cop to solve crimes in New York City. The writing and acting on this show is top-notch, and it mixes humor, drama, and simmering-just-under-the-surface romance perfectly.

 

To enter the giveaway:

Leave a comment on any blog post on this website. Your comment should add to the discussion (at least several sentences is good), and be relevant to the post’s subject. For example, you can comment on this post about what you love about Castle, what sort of giveaways you’d enjoy in the future, or what you think will happen in the season premiere. Any posts flagged as spam will not qualify (though I plan to scan through them to make sure all real comments get through). Every post you leave a comment on will count as one entry. If you leave relevant comments on 50 posts, you will get 50 entries.

Tweeting about the contest with a link back to this page will give you 5 extra entries the first time you tweet, and 1 extra entry per day for any tweets after that.

Linking to this contest on your blog, Facebook, or Google+ will give you 10 extra entries the first time, and 1 extra entry per day after that.

The Rules:

Contest begins September 1, 2011 at 12:01AM EDT and ends September 30, 2011, at 11:59PM EDT. All entries received outside that time period are invalid.

Winner will be chosen at random from all eligible entries received.

Open to everyone 16 or older with a valid email and mailing address. A winner residing outside the US may have to pay an additional fee for shipping. (Feel free to select an e-gift card instead!)

Winner must provide a way to contact (email, website, Facebook, etc.) and respond to winning notification within 3 days or prize may be awarded to someone else.

To receive your additional entries for promoting this contest, email me at katie at tvbreakroom dot com to let me know what promotion you did.

What counts as a relevant comment will be at my sole discretion. Comments should be made in English. You may leave as many comments per day as you wish, but only one comment per blog post will be counted as an entry for the contest.

These rules may change at my discretion.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Band Candy

This is one of the most hilarious episodes of the entire show. Watching Joyce, Principal Snyder, and most of all Giles act like crazed teenagers is amazing fun. And of course, the mind behind all this mayhem in the master of chaos himself, Ethan Rayne.

But Ethan seems far less evil in this episode than he has in past ones. It is, however, just a contract job for him – the Mayor had Mr. Trick hire someone to cause a distraction so he could pay tribute to a demon. The sewer demon is probably the weakest part of this episode – just a huge snake-head that looked like it could have been made of paper mâché.

Caught between her mother’s and Giles’ demands on her time, Buffy resorts to lying so she can sneak off to see Angel, who’s still weak. That’s the only scene he gets in the episode, and Faith doesn’t even make an appearance, with no explanation given for her whereabouts.

But who cares, with the pure candy-like fun of this episode? It was especially refreshing coming off rereading some of the more depressing season 8 comics (plus Spike: Volume 2, which arrived yesterday and finally explained where and how he got his bug ship). I’d also been trying to place this quote:

Snyder:  Whoa, Summers! You drive like a spaz!

I knew it was somewhere in the show, since it showed up again in the Buffy/Fray crossover comic, but since I’d only seen “Band Candy” once before I didn’t remember who’d said it and in which episode. But this episode has tons of fun quotes:

Oz:  Something’s happening… someplace that’s else.
Buffy:  I’d say something big.
Snyder:  That guy took my candy!
Buffy:  The candy. It’s gotta be the candy! It’s cursed.
Snyder:  A curse?! Oh, I’ve got a curse.

Buffy:  Mom, look at me. Do you know who I am?
Joyce:  Of course. You’re Buffy. Hey, look. They’re, they’re giving away candy. You want some candy?
Buffy:  No, I don’t! And you don’t need any more, either.
Joyce:  I’m fine. I can have more if I want.
Buffy:  You are *not* fine. You need to go home.
Joyce:  Screw you. I want candy!
Buffy:  Mom!
Joyce:  You wanna slay stuff, and *I’m* not allowed to do anything about it. Well, this is what *I* wanna do, so get off my back!
Buffy:  Mom, please, this is…
Giles:  Oh, for God’s sake. Just let your mum have the sodding candy. C’mon, Joyce…

Xander:  I don’t get this. The candy’s supposed to make you feel all immature and stuff, but I’ve had a ton, and I don’t feel any dif…  Never mind.

Buffy:  So, Ethan, what are we playing? We’re pretty much in a talk-or-bleed situation. Your call.
Giles:  Hit him.
Ethan:  I-I’d just like to point out that this wasn’t my idea.
Buffy:  Meaning…?
Ethan:  I’m subcontracting. It’s Trick you want. I’m just helping him collect a tribute… for a demon.
Giles:  He’s lying. Hit him!
Buffy:  I don’t think he is, and shut up.
Giles:  You’re *my* Slayer, go knock his teeth down his thr…
Buffy:  Giles!
Buffy:  What demon?
Ethan:  I don’t remember.
(Buffy punches him.)
Giles:  Yes!

There was talk of a spin-off show based on Giles’ early years which never materialized. But this episode gives a little glimpse of just how much fun that would have been.