Vampire Diaries
Season Two, Episode 2.7, Masquerade
Original Air Date: October 28, 2010
The night of the Lockwood masquerade ball has arrived and it's also the night when Stefan, Damon and their group of friends have chosen to battle Katherine. Everything goes according to plan until they learn that they aren't the only one with a witch on their side and that the battle with Katherine will affect Elena more than they figured it would. Will having Katherine safely sealed away protect everyone or is Elena still in grave danger? Life has changed for Tyler Lockwood. Bonnie learns that she isn't alone as a Bennett witch.
Caroline tells Stefan and Damon about an encounter she had with Katherine that day while she was at the Mystic Grill to "quasi stalk Matt". While in the ladies room, Katherine, posing as Elena, walks in and asks if she is alright. Caroline knows it is Katherine and, when she tries to leave, Katherine tells Caroline to deliver a message to Damon and Stefan: "I want the moonstone or I will rip this town apart until it rains blood. Tonight, at the masquerade ball". Damon and Stefan know Katherine was caught off guard by Mason's death. Damon vows that he will kill Katherine at the ball but Stefan says Damon will not be the one to kill her, he will be.
Matt, Elena and Jeremy bring Jenna home from the hospital. Jenna believes she walked into a knife rather than intentionally inflicted the wound on herself. Jeremy questions Elena about what they are going to do about Katherine. When she says nothing, he replies that they can't let her get away with trying to kill Jenna. Elena feels convinced that because she broke up with Stefan everything will be fine with Katherine. Jeremy insists she is being naive.
Lucy, a witch friend of Katherine's shows up at her room and it's clear the two have a past. Lucy isn't afraid of Katherine and questions her about her masquerade mask. Katherine tells her about the ball and asks if she wants to be her date. Katherine is going to be impersonating Elena at the masquerade ball that evening. Lucy knows Katherine is after the moonstone and asks why she wants it. One look from Katherine and it becomes clear to Lucy: Katherine wants her to use it to break the curse.
Bonnie arrives at the Salvatore house, with Bennett grimoire in hand, and finds that both brothers, Caroline, Alaric and Jeremy are there making preparations for something. When she asks what is going on, Jeremy matter of factly states "we're gonna kill Katherine". Alaric is showing them how to use his vampire killing equipment. Bonnie needs some convincing to go along with the plan. Stefan tells her Katherine can't get away with what happened to Jenna and that she has to be stopped before something like that happens again. She agrees to help them by performing a spell to trap Katherine away from everyone else. Alaric will not be at the ball as Stefan wants him to keep an eye on Elena so she will not know what is going on. Caroline is in on the plan because since Katherine killed her fair is fair. Bonnie is in as long as no one gets hurt.
Elena invites Matt to stay and have pizza and watch bad TV with them that night but he declines saying he is going to the Lockwood masquerade party. Elena isn't going and Matt tells her he must because there is something he has to do but will not elaborate on what it is.
Before they go out into the party, Tyler apologizes to his mother for being such a jerk lately. He wants to know if she's heard from Mason. She doesn't think they will. Katherine and Lucy arrive at the party. Matt sees her and thinks she is Elena. Katherine uses her powers on him to go over his plan for getting Tyler to kill him. Damon and Stefan arrive and Stefan asks Damon if he is sure he can do what they are setting out to. Damon is positive he will not hesitate regardless of what Stefan has to say about his past with Katherine.
Matt takes Tyler into his father's study and starts getting him drunk. Two girls that are in there with them drink as well. Jeremy and Bonnie sneak upstairs to set things up for the nights work. Jeremy asks Bonnie about the spellbook and she tells him about it belonging to her ancestor, Emily. Bonnie has only worked the spells that have done good because she doesn't particularly like anything relating to the spellbook.
When Jenna mentions to Elena that Jeremy has gone to the Lockwood party, she questions Alaric about what is going on. He doesn't want to tell her anything but, when she starts to leave saying she will go meet up with everyone, he stops her telling her Stefan wanted him to keep an eye on her in case Katherine showed up. Ever-suspicious Elena still wonders why Stefan would be at the party and Alaric tells her to let this one go.
When Bonnie and Jeremy go downstairs, she gets a "weird vibe" about the room. She goes right up to Lucy, taps her on the shoulder and asks if she knows her. Lucy says she knows no one then walks away. Katherine orders Stefan to dance with her but, when he refuses, she asks who she should kill. Stefan leads her away to dance and they talk about the moonstone. Stefan insists the exchange will be done his way or she will not get the stone at all. A friend of Elena's walks up to speak to Stefan and Katherine walks around behind her and punches her in the back paralyzing her then she kills her and throws the body into Stefan's arms.
Elena claims she is going to bed but grabs the car keys and leaves. Shaken by the death of Elena's friend, Stefan wants to call the plan off but Damon will not let him. He insists that tonight, everything ends with Katherine and assures his brother that he's got his back. Damon sends Jeremy a text message saying simply "now". Lucy tells Katherine that another witch being at the party changes everything but Katherine refuses that. Lucy owes her a favor and she is ready to collect. Jeremy walks up to Katherine and, when Lucy leaves, tells her he has a message from Stefan. Stefan and Damon want her to meet them at the edge of the lake by the woods as they have the moonstone. As Jeremy is walking away from Katherine and texting Caroline with "your turn", Elena grabs him from behind a bush and asks what is going on.
As Caroline is going to prepare for her part in the plan, Katherine grabs her and wants to know what is going on. When Katherine grabs her by the throat, Caroline tells her the Salvatore's are trying to kill her. Katherine asks where the moonstone is but Caroline claims she doesn't know. Jeremy and Bonnie tell Elena they are trying to kill Katherine which surprises Elena they would choose the party to do it. They tell her things aren't about her anymore as Katherine has messed up all their lives and needs to be stopped.
Caroline leads Katherine to the room upstairs. Katherine goes in and looks around then turns to face Caroline who is now smiling. Caroline is pleased because she was successful in fooling Katherine who is now trapped in the room with Stefan and Damon. Damon comes out of hiding and shoots Katherine in the back to kill her. Problem is, Elena is the one who feels what Katherine should be feeling. As Damon and Stefan continue stabbing Katherine, Elena shows the wounds inflicted on Katherine. Bonnie realizes that Katherine is linked herself to Elena and tells Jeremy to get Damon and Stefan to stop. The fight between Damon, Stefan and Katherine is monumental but the Salvatore's are clearly no match for her. As Katherine is trying to force Damon to stake himself, Stefan grabs her from behind and gets a hold on her so Damon can stake her. Before he can, Jeremy calls to him to stop and tells them that everything happening to Katherine is happening to Elena.
Stefan sends Jeremy back to check on Elena while Katherine continues to torture her feeling her witch is better than Bonnie. Bonnie can't break the spell but she can try to take some of Elena's pain away. When Bonnie learns from Jeremy that another witch was working with Katherine, she heads off to find Lucy.
Katherine still wants the moonstone and Stefan wants to know why. Katherine tries taunting them with their love for Elena. Stefan wants to know why Katherine has aligned herself with werewolves. Matt starts antagonizing Tyler by pouring booze on the floor in his father's study and on the photo of Tyler's parents. Matt escalates the antagonism and starts a fight with Tyler. Caroline hears it and rushes in to stop the two. She keeps them apart and knocks Matt out. Sarah, the girl in the room with them, picks up a knife saying "Matt failed. If Matt fails, I can't." She stabs Tyler with the knife and when he pushes her away she falls and his her head on the desk. Sarah is dead and the curse is beginning for Tyler.
Stefan realizes Katherine had given the moonstone to George Lockwood. She refuses to tell him why she wants the stone but he continues to put two and two together. Stefan wants to know who she was running from in 1864 but she continues to tell him about how much she loves him. Bonnie finds Lucy and wants to know who she is and what she is doing there. Lucy tells her she will remove the spell if the moonstone is handed over to Katherine but Bonnie will not let her leave the room until the spell is gone. Lucy grabs Bonnie by the arms and knows Bonnie has the stone and tells Bonnie she (Lucy) can be trusted. Damon pushes Katherine against the wall and holds a stake above his head. Stefan grabs his hand to stop him but Damon swears that as soon as the spell is broken he will drive the stake through Katherine's heart.
Lucy arrives in the room with the moonstone. She tells Katherine that the second she hands the stone over her debt to Katherine is paid in full. When the stone lands in Katherine's hands, she immediately starts having a negative reaction to it. Lucy tells Katherine she should have told her another witch was involved. As Katherine falls to the floor, Lucy tells Damon and Stefan that the spell is broken and Elena will heal quickly and apologizes for her involvement.
Caroline explains what happened to Sarah to Tyler's mother. Caroline is doing everything she can to make the situation easier for both Matt and Tyler. Much to his surprise, Caroline knows exactly what Sarah's death meant for Tyler.
Bonnie learns that she and Lucy are related. Bonnie wants Lucy to tell her how to stay out of the middle of everything but Lucy tells her that because she is one of the good ones, the middle of it is exactly where she needs to be. Lucy leaves, assuring Bonnie she will see her again.
Stefan goes to see Elena who is starting to heal. He confirms that Katherine is gone but that doesn't change anything for Elena. She wants to be with him but she needs to know those she loves and she herself are safe.
Katherine awakens where Stefan and Damon and put her and grabs the stone and starts to stumble her away out. She cannot leave the tomb and Damon starts to seal her in when Katherine tells him Elena is in danger and he needs her to protect her. He vows he will protect Elena while Katherine rots in hell. As Elena is walking to her car at the Lockwood party, someone wearing a mask walks up to her and grabs her.
What an episode! Could the fight between Stefan, Damon and Katherine have been any better? It was non-stop for a little while there until Jeremy let them know Katherine was hurting Elena. I loved seeing how everyone pulled together in this episode despite all the troubles they have with each other. Damon pulled his fangs in and protected those he cared about, Bonnie (finally!) started being an active member of the team and Caroline did great. I liked Lucy once we finally got a bit more detail about her. I do hope she does appear again in the future because I think she could be a real force to be reckoned with.
I can only imagine what is in store for us next now that Katherine is sealed in the tomb. Since someone has taken Elena we know that Katherine was speaking the truth to Damon when she said she was in danger. Course, we all know that Damon will stop at nothing to keep Elena safe. What girl wouldn't want Damon watching over her?
I'm wondering if we are going to see a friendship building between Caroline and Tyler now? She knows his secret and I can only imagine it won't be long before he learns about the vampires in town. I've got to feel sorry for Tyler here. Like with Caroline, the curse was forced upon him despite everything he tried to do to prevent it from happening. Let's just hope he is able to deal with it as well as Caroline was able to deal with her problem.
For more information:
Official Site: http://www.cwtv.com/shows/the-vampire-diaries
The Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1405406/
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/The_Vampire_Diaries
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
AUS Television: City Homicide, Episode 4.17 "Gut Instinct"
City Homicide
Season Four, Episode Seventeen, Gut Instinct
Original Air Date: October 27, 2010
A jewelery store owner and his wife are awakened by two masked men. While one takes the husband, Isaac Goldberg, to his store to rob it, the other stays at their home with his wife, Gisella. She is found murdered by her sister, Ruth Engleman, who arrives for a planned trip to the gym. The case turns out looking like an inside job gone wrong. When Bernice Waverley asks Detective Sergeant Peter Copeland to assist with the investigation, the trouble begins.
Matt arrives at work early to find Rhys already there hoping to get caught up on some work while everything is quiet. However, a call takes the two out of the office. Jennifer and Nick, who have rekindled their relationship, are called in just after 6:30 in the morning.
With information provided by Ruth Engleman, they learn that Isaac is probably at his store. Matt dispatches Rhys and Nick to find him. They find him tied to the staircase of his shop with tape over his mouth and wanting to know about his wife.
The suspects list starts off with a store employee, Adam Milton. He didn't show up for work that morning and the CCTV footage was removed from a concealed cupboard inside the store leading Nick to believe it was an inside job. Jen and Allie were unable to find Milton at his flat and the neighbours believe he moved out the day before.
As Nick and Rhys are leaving Matt's office, Bernice Waverley comes to speak with Matt. She has received a call from armed robbery who want a role in the Goldberg case. Matt wants the case left exclusively with Homicide but Waverley has already asked Detective Sergeant Peter Copeland to assist with the case. While they are waiting for Isaac Goldberg to arrive at Homicide from the hospital, Matt and Copeland grab a coffee so Matt can bring him up to speed on the case. Copeland suspects Goldberg might have set the robbery up himself.
Rhys and Copeland go into the interview room with Goldberg while Duncan and Matt watch on the monitors. Copeland takes the questioning down a road to set him up because he thinks he is involved in the case. Rhys says nothing and simply watches Goldberg and his reactions and Copeland. Goldberg is offended by the implication he had anything to do with the robbery and especially the death of his wife.
Rhys doesn't want to rule Goldberg out as a suspect too soon but Copeland has already ruled him out in his mind. Matt gives the order to Rhys, Duncan and Copeland to find Adam Milton and bring him in for questioning. When Rhys and Copeland have left, Duncan expresses his concerns that Copeland is hijacking the case, caring more about the robbery than the murder. Rhys is uncomfortable with Goldberg and Duncan suggests he keep digging and see what he can turn up. Matt gets information that Adam Milton is really Adam Miller. Miller has past experience with aggravated burglary. With the new information, Miller becomes the top suspect.
The next morning, Bernice shows up to the briefing and Copeland tells her they got a lead on the man who was fencing the stolen jewelery. The information comes as a surprise to Matt as he wasn't told about it. No new information has been found on Miller and he still cannot be located. Bernice thinks the fence might be able to give them some help and Copeland suggests he take one of the Homicide crew along with him to the bust. He chooses Jennifer because he says the fence has a weakness for good looking women.
The fence, Rob Doherty, is due to arrive at his favorite pub in a few minutes giving Copeland enough time to hit on Jennifer while they wait. Doherty arrives and Copeland goes after him, cornering him. Doherty is cooperative but Copeland still resorts to brutality to get the information he wants out of him. Doherty gives them the name of Dale Blunt. Blunt is Miller's partner in crime. Rhys questions Copeland on the information he has received from Doherty suggesting Doherty might have been lying. Copeland responds by making the point that Miller's criminal activities escalated throughout the course of his career and says that Maplethorpe was there and can corroborate what Doherty said. Jen admits she didn't believe Doherty had lied. Allie wants to go after Blunt but Copeland lets them know he is being picked up already. Armed Robbery is doing the bust instead of Homicide.
Jennifer goes to see Matt to make a complaint against Copeland for roughing up Doherty. Matt asks her if Doherty will sign a complaint or corroborate her version of what happened. She doesn't believe he will because he's afraid of Copeland. Matt tells her he will take in on board but Jennifer gets the impression he will not be doing anything about it.
Dale Blunt comes in and it is clear he has been beaten. Copeland struts in, his shirt and jacket covered in blood and he admits he used force because Blunt "resisted". Copeland waltzes out of Homicide telling Rhys and Matt to call him when they are done with Blunt.
Duncan and Allie interview Blunt about Gisella Goldberg's murder. He denies having anything to do with it. He claims Miller told him where everything was kept in the shop and Blunt went to the shop with Isaac while Miller stayed at the house with Gisella. Blunt wants a deal in writing before giving them Miller. Rhys asks Matt if he can take a closer look at Isaac Goldberg but Matt turns him down because of the interview with Blunt. Allie overhears Matt denying Rhys his request and telling him to "for once, try and act like a team player". When Matt leaves to speak with Blunt, Allie asks Rhys what he will do. Rhys is going to speak with Ruth Engleman again.
Rhys brings Ruth in and talks with her about the relationship between Isaac and Gisella. She says her sister was the dominant one in the relationship. Gisella liked to remind Isaac that the money between them was hers. She then tells Rhys about an accident that happened two years ago. The family was returning from a cousins wedding. Isaac and Gisella took a shortcut off the highway and the car had run off the road into a dam. Isaac had gotten free but Gisella was stuck in the car. Ruth saw him go back to rescue her. Later, while Rhys is researching the accident, Bernice arrives at his desk. He runs the theory by her that the accident might have been Isaac's first attempt at killing his wife. Bernice tells him to test the theory on the team.
That night, Jennifer confides in Nick that she feels like she is losing a friend in Matt. There is a knock on her door and it is Matt with a bottle of wine in tow. He feels bad about how things went that afternoon. Matt tells her about Waverley bringing Copeland on board and that he never would have gotten involved with Armed Robbery.
The next morning, Rhys presents his theory to the team. Copeland immediately has a laugh at it. Rhys believes the CCTV was taken not because Blunt wanted to keep himself from being seen but because there was something else on the footage that couldn't be seen: Goldberg leaving the shop. He also feels the method of murder shows an emotional connection to the victim. When Matt says the theory doesn't take anything away from Miller being the prime suspect, Waverley speaks up about the accident, which Matt knew nothing about. Rhys then tells them a bit about the accident. Bernice wants the theory looked into.
Jen and Nick are looking for clues at Goldberg Fine Jewelery. Nick finds duct tape that was used to bind Goldberg's at his store and Jen feels if Rhys can go above Matt, she can too regarding Copeland. Allie learns that the wound they found on Goldberg at his shop shouldn't have still been bleeding if it had been administered several hours before he was found. Matt shoots down all the evidence they bring in against Isaac Goldberg saying it is too thin for the DPP to do anything with. When Matt receives word Adam Miller has been found and is being brought in, he tells Rhys he can talk to him all he wants about Goldberg once Miller has been interviewed about Gisella Goldberg's murder.
Jennifer goes to see Bernice Waverley and asks if she was able to speak with Matt that morning. She tells Bernice about Copelands brutality against Doherty and assures Bernice that Matt was going to raise the issue with her. Bernice says she will look into the matter. As Matt is getting ready to go into interview Miller with Copeland, Waverley lets him know that Ethical Standards has just launched an investigation into the armed robbery detective.
Miller admits that there was no reason for Blunt to remove the CCTV as he was adequately disguised. He also claims he didn't harm Gieslla Goldberg. Miller goes on to tell them about how much Isaac disliked his wife and about the things he'd seen while working at the shop. Copeland isn't pleased about the investigation against him and he blames Matt for it. Matt warns him to never compromise a member of his team again or he will take action against him himself. Rhys wants to go at Goldberg for the murder and Matt agrees they will do it together. Rhys presents Goldberg with a theory of how things happened the night of the robbery and asks him about the rescue in the auto accident. Goldberg admits that Gisella loved to belittle him in front of everyone and that he enjoyed killing her.
Matt calls Rhys into his office and wants to know why Rhys didn't come to him earlier with the evidence he had instead of going above his head to Waverley. Matt accuses him of trying to undermine his authority. Matt warns Rhys that if it happens again, regardless of who his aunt is, he is out of the squad.
The case in this episode was interesting and engaging, as usual, but I think the biggest part of this show was the interaction between the Homicide team members. Some big things happened in this episode. Matt and Rhys have never had a strong relationship but things deteriorated even more here. Waverley finding out about Goldberg's accident wasn't something Rhys planned. It isn't like he went to her office and started telling her about it and complaining that Matt wouldn't let him do any checking. Jennifer, on the other hand, did go over Matt's head with her complaint about Copeland (who needs to be taken down a couple of notches, by the way). If Matt ever finds out about that, I'm sure their friendship will suffer for it. I truly felt sorry for Rhys when Matt had him in his office. And the looks on the faces of the rest of the team, they said a lot, didn't they?
Music from this episode:
How Does it Feel by Eskimo Joe
For more information:
City Homicide Official Site: http://au.tv.yahoo.com/city-homicide/
Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024932/
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-17228
Season Four, Episode Seventeen, Gut Instinct
Original Air Date: October 27, 2010
A jewelery store owner and his wife are awakened by two masked men. While one takes the husband, Isaac Goldberg, to his store to rob it, the other stays at their home with his wife, Gisella. She is found murdered by her sister, Ruth Engleman, who arrives for a planned trip to the gym. The case turns out looking like an inside job gone wrong. When Bernice Waverley asks Detective Sergeant Peter Copeland to assist with the investigation, the trouble begins.
Matt arrives at work early to find Rhys already there hoping to get caught up on some work while everything is quiet. However, a call takes the two out of the office. Jennifer and Nick, who have rekindled their relationship, are called in just after 6:30 in the morning.
With information provided by Ruth Engleman, they learn that Isaac is probably at his store. Matt dispatches Rhys and Nick to find him. They find him tied to the staircase of his shop with tape over his mouth and wanting to know about his wife.
The suspects list starts off with a store employee, Adam Milton. He didn't show up for work that morning and the CCTV footage was removed from a concealed cupboard inside the store leading Nick to believe it was an inside job. Jen and Allie were unable to find Milton at his flat and the neighbours believe he moved out the day before.
As Nick and Rhys are leaving Matt's office, Bernice Waverley comes to speak with Matt. She has received a call from armed robbery who want a role in the Goldberg case. Matt wants the case left exclusively with Homicide but Waverley has already asked Detective Sergeant Peter Copeland to assist with the case. While they are waiting for Isaac Goldberg to arrive at Homicide from the hospital, Matt and Copeland grab a coffee so Matt can bring him up to speed on the case. Copeland suspects Goldberg might have set the robbery up himself.
Rhys and Copeland go into the interview room with Goldberg while Duncan and Matt watch on the monitors. Copeland takes the questioning down a road to set him up because he thinks he is involved in the case. Rhys says nothing and simply watches Goldberg and his reactions and Copeland. Goldberg is offended by the implication he had anything to do with the robbery and especially the death of his wife.
Rhys doesn't want to rule Goldberg out as a suspect too soon but Copeland has already ruled him out in his mind. Matt gives the order to Rhys, Duncan and Copeland to find Adam Milton and bring him in for questioning. When Rhys and Copeland have left, Duncan expresses his concerns that Copeland is hijacking the case, caring more about the robbery than the murder. Rhys is uncomfortable with Goldberg and Duncan suggests he keep digging and see what he can turn up. Matt gets information that Adam Milton is really Adam Miller. Miller has past experience with aggravated burglary. With the new information, Miller becomes the top suspect.
The next morning, Bernice shows up to the briefing and Copeland tells her they got a lead on the man who was fencing the stolen jewelery. The information comes as a surprise to Matt as he wasn't told about it. No new information has been found on Miller and he still cannot be located. Bernice thinks the fence might be able to give them some help and Copeland suggests he take one of the Homicide crew along with him to the bust. He chooses Jennifer because he says the fence has a weakness for good looking women.
The fence, Rob Doherty, is due to arrive at his favorite pub in a few minutes giving Copeland enough time to hit on Jennifer while they wait. Doherty arrives and Copeland goes after him, cornering him. Doherty is cooperative but Copeland still resorts to brutality to get the information he wants out of him. Doherty gives them the name of Dale Blunt. Blunt is Miller's partner in crime. Rhys questions Copeland on the information he has received from Doherty suggesting Doherty might have been lying. Copeland responds by making the point that Miller's criminal activities escalated throughout the course of his career and says that Maplethorpe was there and can corroborate what Doherty said. Jen admits she didn't believe Doherty had lied. Allie wants to go after Blunt but Copeland lets them know he is being picked up already. Armed Robbery is doing the bust instead of Homicide.
Jennifer goes to see Matt to make a complaint against Copeland for roughing up Doherty. Matt asks her if Doherty will sign a complaint or corroborate her version of what happened. She doesn't believe he will because he's afraid of Copeland. Matt tells her he will take in on board but Jennifer gets the impression he will not be doing anything about it.
Dale Blunt comes in and it is clear he has been beaten. Copeland struts in, his shirt and jacket covered in blood and he admits he used force because Blunt "resisted". Copeland waltzes out of Homicide telling Rhys and Matt to call him when they are done with Blunt.
Duncan and Allie interview Blunt about Gisella Goldberg's murder. He denies having anything to do with it. He claims Miller told him where everything was kept in the shop and Blunt went to the shop with Isaac while Miller stayed at the house with Gisella. Blunt wants a deal in writing before giving them Miller. Rhys asks Matt if he can take a closer look at Isaac Goldberg but Matt turns him down because of the interview with Blunt. Allie overhears Matt denying Rhys his request and telling him to "for once, try and act like a team player". When Matt leaves to speak with Blunt, Allie asks Rhys what he will do. Rhys is going to speak with Ruth Engleman again.
Rhys brings Ruth in and talks with her about the relationship between Isaac and Gisella. She says her sister was the dominant one in the relationship. Gisella liked to remind Isaac that the money between them was hers. She then tells Rhys about an accident that happened two years ago. The family was returning from a cousins wedding. Isaac and Gisella took a shortcut off the highway and the car had run off the road into a dam. Isaac had gotten free but Gisella was stuck in the car. Ruth saw him go back to rescue her. Later, while Rhys is researching the accident, Bernice arrives at his desk. He runs the theory by her that the accident might have been Isaac's first attempt at killing his wife. Bernice tells him to test the theory on the team.
That night, Jennifer confides in Nick that she feels like she is losing a friend in Matt. There is a knock on her door and it is Matt with a bottle of wine in tow. He feels bad about how things went that afternoon. Matt tells her about Waverley bringing Copeland on board and that he never would have gotten involved with Armed Robbery.
The next morning, Rhys presents his theory to the team. Copeland immediately has a laugh at it. Rhys believes the CCTV was taken not because Blunt wanted to keep himself from being seen but because there was something else on the footage that couldn't be seen: Goldberg leaving the shop. He also feels the method of murder shows an emotional connection to the victim. When Matt says the theory doesn't take anything away from Miller being the prime suspect, Waverley speaks up about the accident, which Matt knew nothing about. Rhys then tells them a bit about the accident. Bernice wants the theory looked into.
Jen and Nick are looking for clues at Goldberg Fine Jewelery. Nick finds duct tape that was used to bind Goldberg's at his store and Jen feels if Rhys can go above Matt, she can too regarding Copeland. Allie learns that the wound they found on Goldberg at his shop shouldn't have still been bleeding if it had been administered several hours before he was found. Matt shoots down all the evidence they bring in against Isaac Goldberg saying it is too thin for the DPP to do anything with. When Matt receives word Adam Miller has been found and is being brought in, he tells Rhys he can talk to him all he wants about Goldberg once Miller has been interviewed about Gisella Goldberg's murder.
Jennifer goes to see Bernice Waverley and asks if she was able to speak with Matt that morning. She tells Bernice about Copelands brutality against Doherty and assures Bernice that Matt was going to raise the issue with her. Bernice says she will look into the matter. As Matt is getting ready to go into interview Miller with Copeland, Waverley lets him know that Ethical Standards has just launched an investigation into the armed robbery detective.
Miller admits that there was no reason for Blunt to remove the CCTV as he was adequately disguised. He also claims he didn't harm Gieslla Goldberg. Miller goes on to tell them about how much Isaac disliked his wife and about the things he'd seen while working at the shop. Copeland isn't pleased about the investigation against him and he blames Matt for it. Matt warns him to never compromise a member of his team again or he will take action against him himself. Rhys wants to go at Goldberg for the murder and Matt agrees they will do it together. Rhys presents Goldberg with a theory of how things happened the night of the robbery and asks him about the rescue in the auto accident. Goldberg admits that Gisella loved to belittle him in front of everyone and that he enjoyed killing her.
Matt calls Rhys into his office and wants to know why Rhys didn't come to him earlier with the evidence he had instead of going above his head to Waverley. Matt accuses him of trying to undermine his authority. Matt warns Rhys that if it happens again, regardless of who his aunt is, he is out of the squad.
The case in this episode was interesting and engaging, as usual, but I think the biggest part of this show was the interaction between the Homicide team members. Some big things happened in this episode. Matt and Rhys have never had a strong relationship but things deteriorated even more here. Waverley finding out about Goldberg's accident wasn't something Rhys planned. It isn't like he went to her office and started telling her about it and complaining that Matt wouldn't let him do any checking. Jennifer, on the other hand, did go over Matt's head with her complaint about Copeland (who needs to be taken down a couple of notches, by the way). If Matt ever finds out about that, I'm sure their friendship will suffer for it. I truly felt sorry for Rhys when Matt had him in his office. And the looks on the faces of the rest of the team, they said a lot, didn't they?
Music from this episode:
How Does it Feel by Eskimo Joe
For more information:
City Homicide Official Site: http://au.tv.yahoo.com/city-homicide/
Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024932/
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-17228
Monday, October 25, 2010
US Television: Outlaw, Episode 1.6, "In RE: Tyler Banks"
Outlaw
Season One, Episode Six, In RE: Tyler Banks
Original Air Date: October 22, 2010 (Canada) & October 23, 2010 (United States)
Garza and his team head to Miami to champion the cause of a fourteen year-old boy who will die in two weeks if he doesn't get a liver transplant. Because he is in foster care, the hospital is removing the boy from the top of the transplant list. Things get even more complicated when someone steps up to adopt Tyler but the adoption is denied because the candidate is gay. Someone from Lucinda's past returns raising even more questions about her.
Garza and Claire arrive at an event as a massive protest is happening. He is approached by Theresa Cain from Children's Light and informed the protest is against hospitals for removing sick children off organ transplant lists simply because they are in foster care. Garza gives Theresa the ride up fifteen floors in the elevator to make her case to him. Theresa shows Garza and Claire a video of a young man, Tyler Banks, who is number one on Greater Miami's waiting list for a new liver. Tyler will not receive it because he is also in foster care. Fourteen year-old Tyler will die in two weeks time without the liver.
Eddie gives his girlfriend Bethany (Bitsie Tulloch) a tour of Garza's house where he works and she is none too impressed. She is certain he can't be happy there and wants to help him. Her firm is throwing a party that weekend for the head of the litigation team who is retiring.
Garza wants to know why he is just hearing about children being removed from transplant lists for being in foster care. Mereta confirms that national statistics are tough to pin down because of the nature of foster care but that agencies across the country have admitted that foster kids are removed from lists. A friend of Al's in Los Angeles knows of four kids that died in the past 5 years because they were unable to get transplants. Garza says they are headed to Miami leading Al to want to set up a class action suit on behalf of the foster kids. Garza shoots that down because there isn't that much time left for Tyler and he wants to save him before mounting a crusade. Eddie gets out of going to Miami by saying he and Bethany are having their 3 year anniversary that weekend. Since they are just in talks, Garza leaves him home to hold down the fort with Lucinda.
Lucinda has her own problems. She is talking with someone who shows her a picture of the man that attacked Mereta when she was driving Lucinda's car. He knows Lucinda's name and her involvement with his daughter. The woman she is talking with tells her they have to "move the girl". Lucinda disagrees because for the first time in her life, "the girl" has a good home and is happy. She won't let the man change that.
Garza and his team go to see Tyler. He is very aware of the situation surrounding him. Cyrus and Al speak with Dr. Damon, the doctor who is removing Tyler from the list. The doctor is adamant that Tyler is a bad choice because of the statistics regarding foster children. He feels that if Tyler gets the liver two people will die: Tyler, when he rejects the liver (and the doctor is certain he will) and the person the doctor should have given it to in the first place. Cyrus wants an injunction filed to keep Tyler on the list.
The judge they have for the case is being supported by contributions from hospitals. To make matters worse, after checking into Tyler's background, they find he really isn't a kid that will find a home easily. He has been in five foster homes since his mother committed suicide. In four of the homes, the police were called. He was thrown out of his fifth foster home when he got sick. Mereta arrives with news that there is a possible liver for Tyler and Garza sends her to track the liver and make sure it isn't assigned to someone else.
Dr. Damon testifies before the judge that foster children do not have the stability necessary to maintain the strict post-operative care required for an organ transplant to be successful. He cites the instance of a 10-year-old girl who went to 3 foster homes and, because of missed follow-up appointments, rejected the organ and died. Cyrus questions how Dr. Damon came to the decision to base hospital policy against allowing foster children to receive organ transplants. He used his medical knowledge rather than consulting the Department of Children and Family Services. Cyrus produces a report from the AMA that speaks against removing a potential patient from the transplant list because of surmountable difficulties in the cases.
Mereta goes in to see Tyler and he coughs. He asks her to raise the IV bag on the pole in case the bag isn't dripping right. While she's raising the IV, Tyler takes the chance to get a look at her bum. Dean, Tyler's primary nurse enters with his lunch and calls Tyler down for checking Mereta out. Theresa arrives and takes Mereta aside. The family of the girl who is the potential match for Tyler is struggling with the decision to remove the girl from life support. Theresa explains that Dean has grown close to Tyler in the year he's been taking care of him and that it will be hard on him if something happens to Tyler.
Lucinda is accosted by the man in the photo. He wants to know where his daughter is. As they are struggling, they bump into a car and the alarm goes off. Eddie and Bethany come out to check and Eddie rushes to Lucinda's aid. The man begins yelling that Lucinda kidnapped his daughter. The situation comes to an end when Lucinda pulls a knife. The man leaves but swears he will find his daughter.
The judge denies Gaza's request for injunctive relief for Tyler which doesn't really surprise him. He wants to know what judge is most open to hearing an appeal. Mereta, who thinks she has found a solution, wants Garza to accompany her. They meet with Dean who wants to adopt Tyler. The next on the transplant list is Doug Pullman. Dean has also attended him and says he is nowhere near as sick as Tyler. They agree that an adoption is their best chance because the judge will have to put Tyler back on the list, if the adoption can be rushed through in time. First, Garza wants to run the adoption past Tyler.
At the hospital, Tyler agrees to Dean adopting him. Garza calls Eddie wanting him to pull an old shoe box from the top of his closet and send it down to him. The donor family is terminating life support that night. Garza wants Mereta to go with Dean to get the adoption approved as quick as possible.
Eddie wants to talk to Lucinda about what happened that day and she feels they don't need to. The man who attacked Lucinda is Ben Kershaw. Two years ago, he filed a missing persons report on his daughter Valerie after she had falsely accused him of molesting her. A group that helps abused teens helped her run away. She admits that she helped Valerie escape an abusive home. They argue about Valerie. He tells her she has to tell the police just in case there is a chance Valerie is lying about the allegations she made against her father. If she doesn't, he will.
Garza goes back in front of the same judge to try and get Tyler back on the list. The judge asks Dr. Damon who needs the liver more, Tyler or Doug Pullman. When Damon answers that it is Tyler, the judge re-instates him to the top spot on the transplant list conditioned upon the final approval of his adoption.
Tyler tells Garza that he Googled him and found out he was a "real important guy" and wants to know why he is helping him. Cyrus tells him it is because he is important. The liver is on its way and the application for adoption was filed on an emergency basis. Dr. Damon informs Garza that Tyler will still not be receiving the liver as Dean is gay and the state of Florida prohibits homosexuals from adopting a child. Damon delivers the bad news to Tyler and Dean.
The next morning, Cyrus gives the team the news that Judge Petino agreed to prevent the hospital from giving the liver to someone else pending the outcome of an emergency hearing regarding the adoption. The liver is good for maybe another 14 hours. Garza isn't planning to overturn the law, he just wants an exception made to it for Tyler. Again, before the same judge, Garza argues against the state that he doesn't want to overturn the law but to allow a narrow exception to save Tyler's life. Before making a decision, the judge wants to hear from Dean Hughes.
Lucinda takes Eddie to talk to Valerie. She wants him to hear what she has to say before deciding to call the police. Valerie tells about getting gonorrhea at the age of four. It was reported by her aunt but her father got a doctor friend to convince the judge it was just a virus. She was left in his care for another ten years. She says she will kill herself before she goes back to her father.
Dean testifies about how he has cared for Tyler for over a year and how he can help with his recovery period. He tells how he chooses to spend the money he has saved raising Tyler. His mother visits more than he'd like and she can't wait to have a grandson. His family hasn't turned against him because of his homosexuality. As the judge is getting ready to give her ruling, the State interrupts saying Dr. Damon has a solution that will save Tyler and the judge will not have to issue an exception to the state law. Dr. Damon has found a hetereosexual couple, the Walthams, who are in pre-adoption and will take Tyler. The Walthams are members of Damon's church who he says have agreed to take Tyler even though they haven't met him. The judge orders that the Walthams meet Tyler to see if they will work as a family.
Cyrus wants to accept the deal so Tyler can have the surgery immediately. Al and Mereta don't agree, however, because they feel Dean would be the best home. Al accuses Cyrus of not wanting to stand up for gay rights. After Al leaves in anger, Mereta reminds Garza of a case with the same subject matter two years ago where he refused to take a stand just like he is refusing to take a stand now.
At the party held by Bethany's firm, Eddie finds that things aren't as he thought they would be. Bethany and her colleagues have nothing but negative things to say about Garza, the house they work from and the people Eddie works with. When Eddie is told that his life would be so much better without "those people" in his life, he comes back that what is interesting about Garza's firm is that the lawyers actually care about thier clients instead of the money or prestige. They love the law and they want to do what is right. Any self-respecting lawyer would be honored to work with Cyrus Garza. He tells them he wouldn't take an offer from the firm if they begged him. He leaves and, instead of leaving with him, Bethany says she will take a cab.
While Dean is talking with Tyler before giving up all chances to adopt him, Tyler crashes. The next few hours are spent tensely waiting for news about Tyler. The liver went to the next person in line. The shoebox Cyrus wanted Eddie to send him contains a baseball card collection. Tyler's biological father was from St. Louis and was the only thing he knew about him which is why Tyler is a Cardinals fan.
Tyler didn't make it through surgery. Cyrus, angry about his death, heads to Dr. Damon and accuses him of murdering Tyler in cold blood. The men argue about their motives. Cyrus accuses Damon of being a bigot and Damon accuses Cyrus of everything being about him. When Damon accuses Cyrus of being a hypocrite, Cyrus punches him. He spends a night in jail and is bailed out by Claire. Damon has agreed not to press charges. Cyrus knows he could have prevented what happened when he had the chance in court. He agrees Dean and Tyler would have made a good family.
Eddie tells Lucinda that he and Bethany have broken up. He tells her about following the coordinates on her arm and finding the cemetery with the gravestone that had Lucinda Pearl's name on it. He wants to know what happened to the real Lucinda Pearl. He passes a parked car wth a police car behind it. Ben Kershaw is dead in his car, apparently having shot himself.
This was another great episode, I thought. Apparently, this is a series that improves the longer it is on. The main story concerning Tyler was good and even more of Lucinda's back story was given. We got to see deeper into Garza this week. Learned more about him and what he believes in and what he will and won't stand up for. There are two more episodes left to get as many details as we can about Lucinda and why she has mysteriously taken the name of someone who has died.
Outlaw airs on Saturday nights at 10:00 p.m. (9:00 p.m. Central) on NBC.
For more information:
NBC Official Site: www.nbc.com/outlaw/
Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1592226/combined
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/Outlaw
Season One, Episode Six, In RE: Tyler Banks
Original Air Date: October 22, 2010 (Canada) & October 23, 2010 (United States)
Garza and his team head to Miami to champion the cause of a fourteen year-old boy who will die in two weeks if he doesn't get a liver transplant. Because he is in foster care, the hospital is removing the boy from the top of the transplant list. Things get even more complicated when someone steps up to adopt Tyler but the adoption is denied because the candidate is gay. Someone from Lucinda's past returns raising even more questions about her.
Garza and Claire arrive at an event as a massive protest is happening. He is approached by Theresa Cain from Children's Light and informed the protest is against hospitals for removing sick children off organ transplant lists simply because they are in foster care. Garza gives Theresa the ride up fifteen floors in the elevator to make her case to him. Theresa shows Garza and Claire a video of a young man, Tyler Banks, who is number one on Greater Miami's waiting list for a new liver. Tyler will not receive it because he is also in foster care. Fourteen year-old Tyler will die in two weeks time without the liver.
Eddie gives his girlfriend Bethany (Bitsie Tulloch) a tour of Garza's house where he works and she is none too impressed. She is certain he can't be happy there and wants to help him. Her firm is throwing a party that weekend for the head of the litigation team who is retiring.
Garza wants to know why he is just hearing about children being removed from transplant lists for being in foster care. Mereta confirms that national statistics are tough to pin down because of the nature of foster care but that agencies across the country have admitted that foster kids are removed from lists. A friend of Al's in Los Angeles knows of four kids that died in the past 5 years because they were unable to get transplants. Garza says they are headed to Miami leading Al to want to set up a class action suit on behalf of the foster kids. Garza shoots that down because there isn't that much time left for Tyler and he wants to save him before mounting a crusade. Eddie gets out of going to Miami by saying he and Bethany are having their 3 year anniversary that weekend. Since they are just in talks, Garza leaves him home to hold down the fort with Lucinda.
Lucinda has her own problems. She is talking with someone who shows her a picture of the man that attacked Mereta when she was driving Lucinda's car. He knows Lucinda's name and her involvement with his daughter. The woman she is talking with tells her they have to "move the girl". Lucinda disagrees because for the first time in her life, "the girl" has a good home and is happy. She won't let the man change that.
Garza and his team go to see Tyler. He is very aware of the situation surrounding him. Cyrus and Al speak with Dr. Damon, the doctor who is removing Tyler from the list. The doctor is adamant that Tyler is a bad choice because of the statistics regarding foster children. He feels that if Tyler gets the liver two people will die: Tyler, when he rejects the liver (and the doctor is certain he will) and the person the doctor should have given it to in the first place. Cyrus wants an injunction filed to keep Tyler on the list.
The judge they have for the case is being supported by contributions from hospitals. To make matters worse, after checking into Tyler's background, they find he really isn't a kid that will find a home easily. He has been in five foster homes since his mother committed suicide. In four of the homes, the police were called. He was thrown out of his fifth foster home when he got sick. Mereta arrives with news that there is a possible liver for Tyler and Garza sends her to track the liver and make sure it isn't assigned to someone else.
Dr. Damon testifies before the judge that foster children do not have the stability necessary to maintain the strict post-operative care required for an organ transplant to be successful. He cites the instance of a 10-year-old girl who went to 3 foster homes and, because of missed follow-up appointments, rejected the organ and died. Cyrus questions how Dr. Damon came to the decision to base hospital policy against allowing foster children to receive organ transplants. He used his medical knowledge rather than consulting the Department of Children and Family Services. Cyrus produces a report from the AMA that speaks against removing a potential patient from the transplant list because of surmountable difficulties in the cases.
Mereta goes in to see Tyler and he coughs. He asks her to raise the IV bag on the pole in case the bag isn't dripping right. While she's raising the IV, Tyler takes the chance to get a look at her bum. Dean, Tyler's primary nurse enters with his lunch and calls Tyler down for checking Mereta out. Theresa arrives and takes Mereta aside. The family of the girl who is the potential match for Tyler is struggling with the decision to remove the girl from life support. Theresa explains that Dean has grown close to Tyler in the year he's been taking care of him and that it will be hard on him if something happens to Tyler.
Lucinda is accosted by the man in the photo. He wants to know where his daughter is. As they are struggling, they bump into a car and the alarm goes off. Eddie and Bethany come out to check and Eddie rushes to Lucinda's aid. The man begins yelling that Lucinda kidnapped his daughter. The situation comes to an end when Lucinda pulls a knife. The man leaves but swears he will find his daughter.
The judge denies Gaza's request for injunctive relief for Tyler which doesn't really surprise him. He wants to know what judge is most open to hearing an appeal. Mereta, who thinks she has found a solution, wants Garza to accompany her. They meet with Dean who wants to adopt Tyler. The next on the transplant list is Doug Pullman. Dean has also attended him and says he is nowhere near as sick as Tyler. They agree that an adoption is their best chance because the judge will have to put Tyler back on the list, if the adoption can be rushed through in time. First, Garza wants to run the adoption past Tyler.
At the hospital, Tyler agrees to Dean adopting him. Garza calls Eddie wanting him to pull an old shoe box from the top of his closet and send it down to him. The donor family is terminating life support that night. Garza wants Mereta to go with Dean to get the adoption approved as quick as possible.
Eddie wants to talk to Lucinda about what happened that day and she feels they don't need to. The man who attacked Lucinda is Ben Kershaw. Two years ago, he filed a missing persons report on his daughter Valerie after she had falsely accused him of molesting her. A group that helps abused teens helped her run away. She admits that she helped Valerie escape an abusive home. They argue about Valerie. He tells her she has to tell the police just in case there is a chance Valerie is lying about the allegations she made against her father. If she doesn't, he will.
Garza goes back in front of the same judge to try and get Tyler back on the list. The judge asks Dr. Damon who needs the liver more, Tyler or Doug Pullman. When Damon answers that it is Tyler, the judge re-instates him to the top spot on the transplant list conditioned upon the final approval of his adoption.
Tyler tells Garza that he Googled him and found out he was a "real important guy" and wants to know why he is helping him. Cyrus tells him it is because he is important. The liver is on its way and the application for adoption was filed on an emergency basis. Dr. Damon informs Garza that Tyler will still not be receiving the liver as Dean is gay and the state of Florida prohibits homosexuals from adopting a child. Damon delivers the bad news to Tyler and Dean.
The next morning, Cyrus gives the team the news that Judge Petino agreed to prevent the hospital from giving the liver to someone else pending the outcome of an emergency hearing regarding the adoption. The liver is good for maybe another 14 hours. Garza isn't planning to overturn the law, he just wants an exception made to it for Tyler. Again, before the same judge, Garza argues against the state that he doesn't want to overturn the law but to allow a narrow exception to save Tyler's life. Before making a decision, the judge wants to hear from Dean Hughes.
Lucinda takes Eddie to talk to Valerie. She wants him to hear what she has to say before deciding to call the police. Valerie tells about getting gonorrhea at the age of four. It was reported by her aunt but her father got a doctor friend to convince the judge it was just a virus. She was left in his care for another ten years. She says she will kill herself before she goes back to her father.
Dean testifies about how he has cared for Tyler for over a year and how he can help with his recovery period. He tells how he chooses to spend the money he has saved raising Tyler. His mother visits more than he'd like and she can't wait to have a grandson. His family hasn't turned against him because of his homosexuality. As the judge is getting ready to give her ruling, the State interrupts saying Dr. Damon has a solution that will save Tyler and the judge will not have to issue an exception to the state law. Dr. Damon has found a hetereosexual couple, the Walthams, who are in pre-adoption and will take Tyler. The Walthams are members of Damon's church who he says have agreed to take Tyler even though they haven't met him. The judge orders that the Walthams meet Tyler to see if they will work as a family.
Cyrus wants to accept the deal so Tyler can have the surgery immediately. Al and Mereta don't agree, however, because they feel Dean would be the best home. Al accuses Cyrus of not wanting to stand up for gay rights. After Al leaves in anger, Mereta reminds Garza of a case with the same subject matter two years ago where he refused to take a stand just like he is refusing to take a stand now.
At the party held by Bethany's firm, Eddie finds that things aren't as he thought they would be. Bethany and her colleagues have nothing but negative things to say about Garza, the house they work from and the people Eddie works with. When Eddie is told that his life would be so much better without "those people" in his life, he comes back that what is interesting about Garza's firm is that the lawyers actually care about thier clients instead of the money or prestige. They love the law and they want to do what is right. Any self-respecting lawyer would be honored to work with Cyrus Garza. He tells them he wouldn't take an offer from the firm if they begged him. He leaves and, instead of leaving with him, Bethany says she will take a cab.
While Dean is talking with Tyler before giving up all chances to adopt him, Tyler crashes. The next few hours are spent tensely waiting for news about Tyler. The liver went to the next person in line. The shoebox Cyrus wanted Eddie to send him contains a baseball card collection. Tyler's biological father was from St. Louis and was the only thing he knew about him which is why Tyler is a Cardinals fan.
Tyler didn't make it through surgery. Cyrus, angry about his death, heads to Dr. Damon and accuses him of murdering Tyler in cold blood. The men argue about their motives. Cyrus accuses Damon of being a bigot and Damon accuses Cyrus of everything being about him. When Damon accuses Cyrus of being a hypocrite, Cyrus punches him. He spends a night in jail and is bailed out by Claire. Damon has agreed not to press charges. Cyrus knows he could have prevented what happened when he had the chance in court. He agrees Dean and Tyler would have made a good family.
Eddie tells Lucinda that he and Bethany have broken up. He tells her about following the coordinates on her arm and finding the cemetery with the gravestone that had Lucinda Pearl's name on it. He wants to know what happened to the real Lucinda Pearl. He passes a parked car wth a police car behind it. Ben Kershaw is dead in his car, apparently having shot himself.
This was another great episode, I thought. Apparently, this is a series that improves the longer it is on. The main story concerning Tyler was good and even more of Lucinda's back story was given. We got to see deeper into Garza this week. Learned more about him and what he believes in and what he will and won't stand up for. There are two more episodes left to get as many details as we can about Lucinda and why she has mysteriously taken the name of someone who has died.
Outlaw airs on Saturday nights at 10:00 p.m. (9:00 p.m. Central) on NBC.
For more information:
NBC Official Site: www.nbc.com/outlaw/
Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1592226/combined
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/Outlaw
AUS Television: Offspring, Episode 1.9
Offspring
Series One, Episode Nine
Original Air Date: October 24, 2010
Alice, Chris' absent wife arrives to see him. Billie learns that her decision to have Stacy stay with Mick was a bad choice. Stacy's actions lead Billie to do something that shows how much she still cares for Mick. Nina makes some decisions of her own. Cherie has a day for herself.
We pick up exactly where we left off last week with Nina coming to work and Kim stopping her to tell her about Chris' wife being there, then Chris seeing her.
Nina envisions Chris walking to Alice and kissing her passionately while everyone looking on claps wildly in approval as she is standing there, her heart breaking. She decides to think of something else. That something else: Chris introducing the two women then asking "so, who's up for a three way?". Dr. Clegg immediately pipes up "ME!" and Chris shoots him down. Clegg then offers to hold the camera, then the leash. Nina then wonders "what can you hope for at a time like this?". Kim goes into labor screaming "Nina! My baby's coming early!" and chaos ensues.
When things play out for real, Chris walks to Alice who asks if there is somewhere they can talk. They go to Alice's hotel room where after some small talk, he asks her where she's been. She returns the question on him wondering why he moved to Melbourne to live with her mother. She tells him she doesn't expect anything, doesn't know how things are there and she doesn't have any rights and whatever he says goes.
Darcy takes Ray to work with him so Cherie can have a day to herself.
Jimmy tells his mother that he's discovered $2,500 and she wants more details. After shocking him with a phrase she thinks means something completely different, he tells her he is doing a paid medical trial which she objects to. Starting the next day, he will be at the trial for five days.
Mick is watching rats play basketball while Billie and Stacy talk in the garden. Billie admits that things didn't work between her and Mick and Stacy asks if she minds if she has a crack at him. Billie gives her blessing. She asks Stacy what her plans are and how long she will be staying. The answer she gets is sharp and somewhat rude that she isn't there to sponge off them, if that's what Billie is worried about.
Nina arrives at the nurses station to find Kim and Zara laughing about the "funny looking baby in 205". After asking them if they ever do any work, Nina goes on rounds--again--while imagining that Alice is telling Chris she has come to reclaim him and destroy of the happiness of that woman he thinks he likes (meaning Nina, of course). Alice then turns into a vampire and bites Chris.
Alice and Chris have lunch and she tells him she would like to see their daughter. He doesn't want her to because he doesn't want her visiting Lucy to have an ill affect on the child. He takes a photo out of his wallet for her and tells her that she is talking.
Cherie is out and about on her own (and gets a smile from a fella!) when Darcy calls. He assures her everything is alright and that he'll call if he needs her and to enjoy her day. Billie arrives as he is hanging up and he asks her to help him undo the baby carrier he is wearing as he's got to go to the bathroom and can't get it undone. Geraldine calls Darcy and asks him what the phrase she dropped on Jimmy earlier meant. When Darcy doesn't answer her the way she wants, she hangs up.
Kim tells Nina she thinks both Alice and Brendan are bonkers. After Nina tells her she has completely moved on from Brendan, Kim questions why she is still married to him. Nina talks with her mother about failed marriages. Geraldine asks Nina what the phrase means and still doesn't get an answer. Nina's mum tells her the situation with her and Darcy is different from Nina and Brendan. Darcy was never 100% Geraldines while Brendan was exclusively Nina's and she didn't like that. Chris Havel is comfortable because he isn't completely available to Nina.
At Mick's, Stacy takes one of his guitars out and plays around with it. He tells her the guitar was left to him by his father after giving her a short history of that kind of instrument.
Chris tells Alice there are things neither of them are saying and he doesn't want to fight with her so he leaves.
Ray needs a diaper change but Darcy is busy with a client leaving Billie to have to change the diaper. She gets the diaper off only to find it is fine. As she picks his legs up Ray lets lose all over her blouse. She starts screaming and runs to Mick's house screaming "I need a shirt! I need a shirt, now!" She changes into one of Mick's shirts and asks about Stacy. Mick tells her Stacy has taken his guitar and gone angering Billie. Mick tells her to let it go but she is very angry, not only at Stacy, but at herself for believing her. She leaves Mick's in an angry huff.
Chris, back at the hospital, wants to talk with Nina. They stand outside kissing but Nina feels weird about it all things considered. Nina asks him about details of what happened with Alice. He tells her he doesn't want to be with Alice. They kiss again and she pulls away telling him she will give him all the space and time he needs. He doesn't want that but she does.
Nina later talks about what happened with Chris with Cherie over A LOT of wine. At the pub, Cherie sees the same man who smiled at her while she was out earlier that day and the two share a smile. Nina wants to be more like Cherie: fun, gorgeous and fearless. Nina feels she gets nowhere because her past keeps crashing back on her and Cherie says that the past is what Nina's problem is. She shouldn't live in it.
When Jimmy arrives home, Geraldine says she will give him the $2,500 not to go to the medical trial.
Billie arrives at Nina's and finds the door ajar. She goes in calling for her sister and finds that Stacy is there. Billie grabs hold of her and wrestles her to the floor. Stacy "has debts and owes people money". She has already sold the guitar and the money is gone. She tells Billie she's lucky because she has people who care about her. Nina arrives drunk and goes off to bed leaving Billie and Stacy to continue talking. Billie questions how much money Stacy needs and tells her she will get her out of trouble then she's gone and she will leave Nina and Mick alone.
Geraldine calls and awakens Nina the next morning telling her she needs her to come over now. She had given Jimmy something to make him sleep and he is now unconscious. Nina checks him out and he's alright but will sleep for several more hours. Billie arrives and immediately knows about her mother's sleeping potions. She recalls the cordials and suspicious chocolate slices or "something herbal" (like what poor Jimmy got the night before!) Geraldine had given them when they got in the car for trips as kids. Her new boyfriend arrives and sees Jimmy remarking that "he was like that for most of year 10". Darcy is the next of the gang to arrive and knows Geraldine has been giving "the old sleeping potion" out again.
While everyone else has a cup of tea, Nina leaves to see Brendan. While she is waiting, she calls Mick, who is struggling to get dressed, to remind him "never, never, never, never, never". Brendan is surprised to see her and gives her a tour of the facility he's living in. She sees his "positivity wall" that is covered with photos of the two of them together. He knows she has a reason for being there and she surely does. She wants a divorce. Chris isn't the reason. She wants to stop living in the past and start making a new future for herself. Nina has to leave the facility because it's been over an hour that she's been with Brendan. Before she leaves, he gives her a letter to read but she cannot read it there. Nina calls Chris and tells him she really wants to see him once she arrives at work.
While Cherie is out walking, she again sees the man she shared a smile with at the pub. He's a fireman and this time they share a "hello". Geraldine goes to lunch with Colin and, as she has with everyone else, asks him the definition to the phrase of the day. He knows but he will not tell her. When Jimmy gets up, he isn't upset about missing the drug trial because there is another one starting next week.
Billie goes to the pawn shop where Stacy got rid of Mick's guitar to get it back for him but finds someone had already bought it. She takes another guitar back to Mick telling him she can never replace his but this one is a bit like his. He starts to smile. He asks her what she paid (a couple of thousand) and he offers to pay for it because he knows she can't afford it. She refuses to let him do that. Mick isn't wildly angry about the loss of the guitar because, while it was true that his father gave him the guitar, but the true gift was that his father loved him and that is something Stacy never could have stolen. They end up kissing.
Nina reads Brendan's letter. He's been doing a lot of thinking and most of it has been about her. He sees that it is time to let her go because loving someone doesn't mean you are the best partner for them. As she looks out in thought after reading the letter, Chris stands behind her watching her.
Am I the only one who just loves Jimmy? He's so funny and charming. He is bound and determined to get into a medical test study no matter what. I guess Geraldine is going to be doing a lot of drugging! Looks like Cherie has caught the eye of a charming fireman! I wonder if anything will be happening there? It looks like Nina is finally starting to clean up some of the mess in her life and go after what she really wants. You go, Nina! And speaking of Nina, can she fantasize or can she fantasize? I could not stop laughing as she ran down every possible scenario that could happen between Chris and Alice.
I knew the second Stacy looked at Mick after he had told her about his guitar that she was going to steal it. I don't like Stacy and I hope we've seen the last of her. I loved everything that happened between Billie and Mick. She cared so much about him that she spent the entire day trying to find his guitar and when she couldn't, she spent money she didn't have for a replacement hoping to make up for her mistake with Stacy. Mick, as it turns out, has every single priority in the right place as he valued his father's love more than a worldly possession (is Mick the perfect man or what??) and was incredibly touched that Billie cared enough about him to do all she did. It's about time Billie and Mick make up, don't you think?
Next week: Nina knows that even though the situation between she and Chris isn't perfect she is crazy about him. But, she receives a phone call that will change everything.
Offspring airs on Sundays at 8:30 p.m. on Ten Network.
Official Site: http://ten.com.au/offspring.htm
The Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1530541/
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-25992
Series One, Episode Nine
Original Air Date: October 24, 2010
Alice, Chris' absent wife arrives to see him. Billie learns that her decision to have Stacy stay with Mick was a bad choice. Stacy's actions lead Billie to do something that shows how much she still cares for Mick. Nina makes some decisions of her own. Cherie has a day for herself.
We pick up exactly where we left off last week with Nina coming to work and Kim stopping her to tell her about Chris' wife being there, then Chris seeing her.
Nina envisions Chris walking to Alice and kissing her passionately while everyone looking on claps wildly in approval as she is standing there, her heart breaking. She decides to think of something else. That something else: Chris introducing the two women then asking "so, who's up for a three way?". Dr. Clegg immediately pipes up "ME!" and Chris shoots him down. Clegg then offers to hold the camera, then the leash. Nina then wonders "what can you hope for at a time like this?". Kim goes into labor screaming "Nina! My baby's coming early!" and chaos ensues.
When things play out for real, Chris walks to Alice who asks if there is somewhere they can talk. They go to Alice's hotel room where after some small talk, he asks her where she's been. She returns the question on him wondering why he moved to Melbourne to live with her mother. She tells him she doesn't expect anything, doesn't know how things are there and she doesn't have any rights and whatever he says goes.
Darcy takes Ray to work with him so Cherie can have a day to herself.
Jimmy tells his mother that he's discovered $2,500 and she wants more details. After shocking him with a phrase she thinks means something completely different, he tells her he is doing a paid medical trial which she objects to. Starting the next day, he will be at the trial for five days.
Mick is watching rats play basketball while Billie and Stacy talk in the garden. Billie admits that things didn't work between her and Mick and Stacy asks if she minds if she has a crack at him. Billie gives her blessing. She asks Stacy what her plans are and how long she will be staying. The answer she gets is sharp and somewhat rude that she isn't there to sponge off them, if that's what Billie is worried about.
Nina arrives at the nurses station to find Kim and Zara laughing about the "funny looking baby in 205". After asking them if they ever do any work, Nina goes on rounds--again--while imagining that Alice is telling Chris she has come to reclaim him and destroy of the happiness of that woman he thinks he likes (meaning Nina, of course). Alice then turns into a vampire and bites Chris.
Alice and Chris have lunch and she tells him she would like to see their daughter. He doesn't want her to because he doesn't want her visiting Lucy to have an ill affect on the child. He takes a photo out of his wallet for her and tells her that she is talking.
Cherie is out and about on her own (and gets a smile from a fella!) when Darcy calls. He assures her everything is alright and that he'll call if he needs her and to enjoy her day. Billie arrives as he is hanging up and he asks her to help him undo the baby carrier he is wearing as he's got to go to the bathroom and can't get it undone. Geraldine calls Darcy and asks him what the phrase she dropped on Jimmy earlier meant. When Darcy doesn't answer her the way she wants, she hangs up.
Kim tells Nina she thinks both Alice and Brendan are bonkers. After Nina tells her she has completely moved on from Brendan, Kim questions why she is still married to him. Nina talks with her mother about failed marriages. Geraldine asks Nina what the phrase means and still doesn't get an answer. Nina's mum tells her the situation with her and Darcy is different from Nina and Brendan. Darcy was never 100% Geraldines while Brendan was exclusively Nina's and she didn't like that. Chris Havel is comfortable because he isn't completely available to Nina.
At Mick's, Stacy takes one of his guitars out and plays around with it. He tells her the guitar was left to him by his father after giving her a short history of that kind of instrument.
Chris tells Alice there are things neither of them are saying and he doesn't want to fight with her so he leaves.
Ray needs a diaper change but Darcy is busy with a client leaving Billie to have to change the diaper. She gets the diaper off only to find it is fine. As she picks his legs up Ray lets lose all over her blouse. She starts screaming and runs to Mick's house screaming "I need a shirt! I need a shirt, now!" She changes into one of Mick's shirts and asks about Stacy. Mick tells her Stacy has taken his guitar and gone angering Billie. Mick tells her to let it go but she is very angry, not only at Stacy, but at herself for believing her. She leaves Mick's in an angry huff.
Chris, back at the hospital, wants to talk with Nina. They stand outside kissing but Nina feels weird about it all things considered. Nina asks him about details of what happened with Alice. He tells her he doesn't want to be with Alice. They kiss again and she pulls away telling him she will give him all the space and time he needs. He doesn't want that but she does.
Nina later talks about what happened with Chris with Cherie over A LOT of wine. At the pub, Cherie sees the same man who smiled at her while she was out earlier that day and the two share a smile. Nina wants to be more like Cherie: fun, gorgeous and fearless. Nina feels she gets nowhere because her past keeps crashing back on her and Cherie says that the past is what Nina's problem is. She shouldn't live in it.
When Jimmy arrives home, Geraldine says she will give him the $2,500 not to go to the medical trial.
Billie arrives at Nina's and finds the door ajar. She goes in calling for her sister and finds that Stacy is there. Billie grabs hold of her and wrestles her to the floor. Stacy "has debts and owes people money". She has already sold the guitar and the money is gone. She tells Billie she's lucky because she has people who care about her. Nina arrives drunk and goes off to bed leaving Billie and Stacy to continue talking. Billie questions how much money Stacy needs and tells her she will get her out of trouble then she's gone and she will leave Nina and Mick alone.
Geraldine calls and awakens Nina the next morning telling her she needs her to come over now. She had given Jimmy something to make him sleep and he is now unconscious. Nina checks him out and he's alright but will sleep for several more hours. Billie arrives and immediately knows about her mother's sleeping potions. She recalls the cordials and suspicious chocolate slices or "something herbal" (like what poor Jimmy got the night before!) Geraldine had given them when they got in the car for trips as kids. Her new boyfriend arrives and sees Jimmy remarking that "he was like that for most of year 10". Darcy is the next of the gang to arrive and knows Geraldine has been giving "the old sleeping potion" out again.
While everyone else has a cup of tea, Nina leaves to see Brendan. While she is waiting, she calls Mick, who is struggling to get dressed, to remind him "never, never, never, never, never". Brendan is surprised to see her and gives her a tour of the facility he's living in. She sees his "positivity wall" that is covered with photos of the two of them together. He knows she has a reason for being there and she surely does. She wants a divorce. Chris isn't the reason. She wants to stop living in the past and start making a new future for herself. Nina has to leave the facility because it's been over an hour that she's been with Brendan. Before she leaves, he gives her a letter to read but she cannot read it there. Nina calls Chris and tells him she really wants to see him once she arrives at work.
While Cherie is out walking, she again sees the man she shared a smile with at the pub. He's a fireman and this time they share a "hello". Geraldine goes to lunch with Colin and, as she has with everyone else, asks him the definition to the phrase of the day. He knows but he will not tell her. When Jimmy gets up, he isn't upset about missing the drug trial because there is another one starting next week.
Billie goes to the pawn shop where Stacy got rid of Mick's guitar to get it back for him but finds someone had already bought it. She takes another guitar back to Mick telling him she can never replace his but this one is a bit like his. He starts to smile. He asks her what she paid (a couple of thousand) and he offers to pay for it because he knows she can't afford it. She refuses to let him do that. Mick isn't wildly angry about the loss of the guitar because, while it was true that his father gave him the guitar, but the true gift was that his father loved him and that is something Stacy never could have stolen. They end up kissing.
Nina reads Brendan's letter. He's been doing a lot of thinking and most of it has been about her. He sees that it is time to let her go because loving someone doesn't mean you are the best partner for them. As she looks out in thought after reading the letter, Chris stands behind her watching her.
Am I the only one who just loves Jimmy? He's so funny and charming. He is bound and determined to get into a medical test study no matter what. I guess Geraldine is going to be doing a lot of drugging! Looks like Cherie has caught the eye of a charming fireman! I wonder if anything will be happening there? It looks like Nina is finally starting to clean up some of the mess in her life and go after what she really wants. You go, Nina! And speaking of Nina, can she fantasize or can she fantasize? I could not stop laughing as she ran down every possible scenario that could happen between Chris and Alice.
I knew the second Stacy looked at Mick after he had told her about his guitar that she was going to steal it. I don't like Stacy and I hope we've seen the last of her. I loved everything that happened between Billie and Mick. She cared so much about him that she spent the entire day trying to find his guitar and when she couldn't, she spent money she didn't have for a replacement hoping to make up for her mistake with Stacy. Mick, as it turns out, has every single priority in the right place as he valued his father's love more than a worldly possession (is Mick the perfect man or what??) and was incredibly touched that Billie cared enough about him to do all she did. It's about time Billie and Mick make up, don't you think?
Next week: Nina knows that even though the situation between she and Chris isn't perfect she is crazy about him. But, she receives a phone call that will change everything.
Offspring airs on Sundays at 8:30 p.m. on Ten Network.
Official Site: http://ten.com.au/offspring.htm
The Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1530541/
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-25992
Friday, October 22, 2010
UK Television: Law & Order: UK, Episode 3.7 "Anonymous"
Law & Order: UK
Season Three, Episode Seven, Anonymous
Anonymous, Original Air Date: October 21, 2010
Based on Law & Order (US) "Stalker", Season 8, Episode 18 (15th April, 1998)
When a young woman is found to have been thrown down the staircase of the building where she lives, the case takes on a new turn when Brooks and Devlin find e-mails from a cyberstalker in her home. But when it appears the attack on the stairs might have been faked, things change. The suspect is sent home and the woman is found dead a week later. Because of the possibly faked attack, will who Brooks and Devlin believe killed the young woman get away with murder?
A young couple hears a commotion in the flat next to theirs late at night and upon investigating they find the body of a woman, Stephanie Blake (Michelle Bonnard), at the foot of the stairs. The woman isn't dead but in serious condition. The question is who hurt Stephanie and how did they get out of the building?
Using a spare key given them by the owner of the building, Maria Golofsky (Eileen Essell), Brooks and Devlin enter her flat and find a notebook full of e-mails addressed to the young woman all signed by "Giovanni". She had tried blocking him and tracking him by the e-mails continued coming. She had even changed her e-mail address a half dozen times. The e-mails are extremely descriptive in a sexual nature and "Giovanni" appears to know every detail of Stephanie's life. She had reported the e-mails to D.S. Frasier (Sara Woodward) at Northcross C.S.U. Brooks and Devlin interview her and find out even more details about Stephanie's stalker including threats he had made against her. Frasier gives them a tip about a prisoner at Ashbridge Prison who wanted Stephanie's new mobile number added to his list of approved numbers.
Shane Morgan (Mark White) had given Stephanie's name as well as number for his list of approved numbers but he claims he made a mistake. After a little pushing from Devlin, Morgan admits that a bloke named Lowry wanted him to request the number because he was running low on phone credits and wanted to hook up with Stephanie. Lowry was released from prison the week before.
Brooks and Devlin are finally able to track down Russell Lowry (Rocky Marshall) to question him about Stephanie. He claims they met in a bar about a month ago and 'clicked'. While talking with Brooks and Devlin, Lowry says "I like to spread the love". Devlin remembers the line from one of the e-mails Stephanie had received. There is absolutely no evidence to link Lowry to the scene of the crime. Lowry had recently sold his laptop on eBay and they need to track the buyer down and need time. To get that time, they go back to his neighbor to see if she wanted to file charges for him having groped her not long after moving into the building. She does file assault charges and Lowry is taken into custody.
When Stephanie Blake regains consciousness, Devlin and Brooks question her about Lowry. She doesn't recognize him and can't identify him as the man who attacked her as she never saw him. The only name she can give the police as to who might have been "Giovanni" is Lucas Dutton (Matt Cross). They lived in the same block of flats when the e-mails started. Dutton still lives in the same building but doesn't have any criminal record. Lowry, on the other hand, did time in Woodbury Prison for computer fraud. However, he was still in prison when the e-mails started.
Devlin and Brooks speak with Dutton who doesn't want to speak with them and even cites Article 8 of European Human Convention that them chatting with him would be a breach of his human rights. From the front door, Devlin sees a video camera set up in Dutton's flat. They forgo the warrant and take Dutton in for questioning. Dutton has been videotaping a woman living in Stephanie Blake's old flat. Dutton can quote laws by section and give his interpretation of them to make everything he is doing perfectly legal. Dutton is a smart man as is his solicitor. Before he will answer any questions regarding where he was at the time Stephanie was attacked Brooks and Devlin must show proof linking him to the crime.
While asking Mrs. Golofsky if she recognized Dutton's photo, she mentions that she had to ask Stephanie's mother to throw away the bag from the rubbish can in Stephanie's flat as there was a terrible smell coming from the flat. That directly contradicts what Stephanie had told the detectives at the hospital. She claimed she had taken the rubbish out and was attacked when going back to her apartment.
They bring Stephanie in for questioning when it appears she staged the attack herself so her case would be important enough to be investigated further. She is angry and terrified because she knows "Giovanni" will kill her eventually and she feels the police can't or won't do enough to prevent it. Stephanie having been pushed down the stairs cannot be investigated because it never happened. To complicate matters for Stephanie, Phillips needs a copy of the report as one of the hospital lawyers wants to see it because Blake might be fired if it is true the crime was faked. Devlin tells her to leave it with him.
A report comes in that is seriously troubling to Chandler, Devlin and Brooks. Stephanie Blake was beaten and stabbed and her neck was broken.
Brooks, Devlin, Steel and Phillips listen to Stephanie's call to 999 where she says "It's Giovanni--the man in the picture". Dutton was in custody at the time of Stephanie's murder and Brooks and Devlin are positive Russell Lowry is the man they are looking for. In a search of Lowry's flat, they find 25 different copies of Mozart's Don Giovanni. Having very little to go on, Brooks and Devlin go to Woodbury Prison to try and find out how Lowry started e-mailing Stephanie while behind bars. The early e-mails are traced to the prison's IP address. Steel thinks that Lowry's cellmate, Keith Wilson (Rowe David McLelland) must have been helping him gain access to the media center at the prison. Before he was imprisoned, Lowry worked for an organization setting up funds for animal rescue. Stephanie Blake set up an account to deposit funds for the organization meaning the two would have talked on the phone as Lowry was the one who signed her up. Due to him being a hacker, once he had her personal information, he could find out anything he wanted to know about her. Keith Wilson denies helping Lowry at first but eventually admits he did allow him to use his information to use the computer. Wilson owed Lowry a favor as Lowry helped him prepare the presentation that got him into the media program at the prison. The man running the program had a problem with his firewall. Wilson suggested Lowry could fix it and he eventually became the "unofficial IT support" for the program.
Steel, Castle and Phillips know they are in for a rough time as Evelyn Wyndham (Anna Chancellor) is defending the case. Wyndham, using Stephanie Blakes fabrication of her attack a week prior to her murder, is able to sway the judge to leave the 999 tape in as evidence but allow Wyndham to chip away at Stephanie's credibility. If she can destroy that, the tape is worthless. It's looking more and more unlikely that a murder conviction will be possible and perhaps they will only be able to get Lowry for cyberstalking.
Stephanie's mum, Jean Blake (Chrissie Cotterill) is angry that her daughter's murderer is apparently going to walk free for the murder. She feels the police have let her daughter down every step of the way. Brooks wants to re-examine all the evidence in the case and Chandler warns him and Devlin against allowing a guilty conscience to let him make any untrue changes to the reports. Brooks talks again to Mrs. Golofsky asking her if there was anyone she might have buzzed into the building the night Stephanie fell down the stairs. She is, at first, certain there wasn't anyone. After he asks again, she admits that there might have been.
Brooks takes the "new evidence" to Steel and Phillips to convince them he now believes Stephanie wasn't faking the attack. Brooks insists that the evidence was misinterpreted at the time despite objections from Steel. Brooks insists he absolutely has the evidence to back the claim up and Steel agrees to amend the indictment to attempted murder.
Ronnie Brooks gets up in court and states that Mrs. Golofsky let someone into the building the night Stephanie was attacked but didn't know who it was because of her poor hearing. Wyndham all but accuses Brooks and even Steel and Phillips of being dishonest in the case by reopening the case after she had started the process of highlighting Stephanie Blake's "bad character". When questioned by Wynhdam if Devlin agrees with Brooks' revised conclusion, Brooks answers "as far as I know" then, when asked again says flat out "Well, of course he does. She didn't stalk and kill herself, did she?"
Chandler is angry at Brooks' behavior and Devlin isn't too happy either. Matt wants to know why Brooks didn't let him know what he had planned. They could have gone together and found something on Lowry. Matt is standing by the original report.
In court, under questioning from Wyndham, Matt testifies that he used the term "no crime" to describe Stephanie's attack on the stairs. He states that he stands by the original report. Steel questions him on Brooks going back over the original evidence and admits that he took no part in the re-evaluation because he was working other cases. Steel establishes with Devlin that the original investigation concluded Stephanie was being stalked by "Giovanni" who they found to be Russell Lowry. Devlin states he found no evidence to point to Stephanie facing substantial threat from "Giovanni"/Lowry. Steel then points out that Devlin told Stephanie's employers that she faced a serious threat from "Giovanni" and gets Devlin to admit he lied about that.
Russell Lowry is found guilty of both the charges of attempted murder and murder.
The ending of this case was excellent. Steel was unrelenting in his examination of Matt Devlin. He started in and didn't let up until he knew he had been successful in casting doubt on Matt's word. As Steel told Phillips, Devlin was "collateral damage". The questioning of Matt Devlin by Steel reminded me of when Executive A.D.A. Benjamin Stone (Michael Moriarty) grilled Dr. Elizabeth Olivet (Carolyn McCormick) on the stand for being biased in a rape case because of her own rape in order to win the case. The harder Steel pushed, the more I was reminded of Ben Stone going after Dr. Olivet. It is moments like this that make Law & Order so tense and utterly brilliant.
This episode wrapped up season three. Six episodes are ready to air for season four. Hopefully, we will get those around the end of November or in December.
Law & Order: UK airs on Thursday nights at 9:00 p.m. on ITV1 in the UK.
For more information:
Law & Order: UK ITV1 Official Site: http://www.itv.com/drama/copsandcrime/lawandorder/
Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1166893/
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-18198
Season Three, Episode Seven, Anonymous
Anonymous, Original Air Date: October 21, 2010
Based on Law & Order (US) "Stalker", Season 8, Episode 18 (15th April, 1998)
When a young woman is found to have been thrown down the staircase of the building where she lives, the case takes on a new turn when Brooks and Devlin find e-mails from a cyberstalker in her home. But when it appears the attack on the stairs might have been faked, things change. The suspect is sent home and the woman is found dead a week later. Because of the possibly faked attack, will who Brooks and Devlin believe killed the young woman get away with murder?
A young couple hears a commotion in the flat next to theirs late at night and upon investigating they find the body of a woman, Stephanie Blake (Michelle Bonnard), at the foot of the stairs. The woman isn't dead but in serious condition. The question is who hurt Stephanie and how did they get out of the building?
Using a spare key given them by the owner of the building, Maria Golofsky (Eileen Essell), Brooks and Devlin enter her flat and find a notebook full of e-mails addressed to the young woman all signed by "Giovanni". She had tried blocking him and tracking him by the e-mails continued coming. She had even changed her e-mail address a half dozen times. The e-mails are extremely descriptive in a sexual nature and "Giovanni" appears to know every detail of Stephanie's life. She had reported the e-mails to D.S. Frasier (Sara Woodward) at Northcross C.S.U. Brooks and Devlin interview her and find out even more details about Stephanie's stalker including threats he had made against her. Frasier gives them a tip about a prisoner at Ashbridge Prison who wanted Stephanie's new mobile number added to his list of approved numbers.
Shane Morgan (Mark White) had given Stephanie's name as well as number for his list of approved numbers but he claims he made a mistake. After a little pushing from Devlin, Morgan admits that a bloke named Lowry wanted him to request the number because he was running low on phone credits and wanted to hook up with Stephanie. Lowry was released from prison the week before.
Brooks and Devlin are finally able to track down Russell Lowry (Rocky Marshall) to question him about Stephanie. He claims they met in a bar about a month ago and 'clicked'. While talking with Brooks and Devlin, Lowry says "I like to spread the love". Devlin remembers the line from one of the e-mails Stephanie had received. There is absolutely no evidence to link Lowry to the scene of the crime. Lowry had recently sold his laptop on eBay and they need to track the buyer down and need time. To get that time, they go back to his neighbor to see if she wanted to file charges for him having groped her not long after moving into the building. She does file assault charges and Lowry is taken into custody.
When Stephanie Blake regains consciousness, Devlin and Brooks question her about Lowry. She doesn't recognize him and can't identify him as the man who attacked her as she never saw him. The only name she can give the police as to who might have been "Giovanni" is Lucas Dutton (Matt Cross). They lived in the same block of flats when the e-mails started. Dutton still lives in the same building but doesn't have any criminal record. Lowry, on the other hand, did time in Woodbury Prison for computer fraud. However, he was still in prison when the e-mails started.
Devlin and Brooks speak with Dutton who doesn't want to speak with them and even cites Article 8 of European Human Convention that them chatting with him would be a breach of his human rights. From the front door, Devlin sees a video camera set up in Dutton's flat. They forgo the warrant and take Dutton in for questioning. Dutton has been videotaping a woman living in Stephanie Blake's old flat. Dutton can quote laws by section and give his interpretation of them to make everything he is doing perfectly legal. Dutton is a smart man as is his solicitor. Before he will answer any questions regarding where he was at the time Stephanie was attacked Brooks and Devlin must show proof linking him to the crime.
While asking Mrs. Golofsky if she recognized Dutton's photo, she mentions that she had to ask Stephanie's mother to throw away the bag from the rubbish can in Stephanie's flat as there was a terrible smell coming from the flat. That directly contradicts what Stephanie had told the detectives at the hospital. She claimed she had taken the rubbish out and was attacked when going back to her apartment.
They bring Stephanie in for questioning when it appears she staged the attack herself so her case would be important enough to be investigated further. She is angry and terrified because she knows "Giovanni" will kill her eventually and she feels the police can't or won't do enough to prevent it. Stephanie having been pushed down the stairs cannot be investigated because it never happened. To complicate matters for Stephanie, Phillips needs a copy of the report as one of the hospital lawyers wants to see it because Blake might be fired if it is true the crime was faked. Devlin tells her to leave it with him.
A report comes in that is seriously troubling to Chandler, Devlin and Brooks. Stephanie Blake was beaten and stabbed and her neck was broken.
Brooks, Devlin, Steel and Phillips listen to Stephanie's call to 999 where she says "It's Giovanni--the man in the picture". Dutton was in custody at the time of Stephanie's murder and Brooks and Devlin are positive Russell Lowry is the man they are looking for. In a search of Lowry's flat, they find 25 different copies of Mozart's Don Giovanni. Having very little to go on, Brooks and Devlin go to Woodbury Prison to try and find out how Lowry started e-mailing Stephanie while behind bars. The early e-mails are traced to the prison's IP address. Steel thinks that Lowry's cellmate, Keith Wilson (Rowe David McLelland) must have been helping him gain access to the media center at the prison. Before he was imprisoned, Lowry worked for an organization setting up funds for animal rescue. Stephanie Blake set up an account to deposit funds for the organization meaning the two would have talked on the phone as Lowry was the one who signed her up. Due to him being a hacker, once he had her personal information, he could find out anything he wanted to know about her. Keith Wilson denies helping Lowry at first but eventually admits he did allow him to use his information to use the computer. Wilson owed Lowry a favor as Lowry helped him prepare the presentation that got him into the media program at the prison. The man running the program had a problem with his firewall. Wilson suggested Lowry could fix it and he eventually became the "unofficial IT support" for the program.
Steel, Castle and Phillips know they are in for a rough time as Evelyn Wyndham (Anna Chancellor) is defending the case. Wyndham, using Stephanie Blakes fabrication of her attack a week prior to her murder, is able to sway the judge to leave the 999 tape in as evidence but allow Wyndham to chip away at Stephanie's credibility. If she can destroy that, the tape is worthless. It's looking more and more unlikely that a murder conviction will be possible and perhaps they will only be able to get Lowry for cyberstalking.
Stephanie's mum, Jean Blake (Chrissie Cotterill) is angry that her daughter's murderer is apparently going to walk free for the murder. She feels the police have let her daughter down every step of the way. Brooks wants to re-examine all the evidence in the case and Chandler warns him and Devlin against allowing a guilty conscience to let him make any untrue changes to the reports. Brooks talks again to Mrs. Golofsky asking her if there was anyone she might have buzzed into the building the night Stephanie fell down the stairs. She is, at first, certain there wasn't anyone. After he asks again, she admits that there might have been.
Brooks takes the "new evidence" to Steel and Phillips to convince them he now believes Stephanie wasn't faking the attack. Brooks insists that the evidence was misinterpreted at the time despite objections from Steel. Brooks insists he absolutely has the evidence to back the claim up and Steel agrees to amend the indictment to attempted murder.
Ronnie Brooks gets up in court and states that Mrs. Golofsky let someone into the building the night Stephanie was attacked but didn't know who it was because of her poor hearing. Wyndham all but accuses Brooks and even Steel and Phillips of being dishonest in the case by reopening the case after she had started the process of highlighting Stephanie Blake's "bad character". When questioned by Wynhdam if Devlin agrees with Brooks' revised conclusion, Brooks answers "as far as I know" then, when asked again says flat out "Well, of course he does. She didn't stalk and kill herself, did she?"
Chandler is angry at Brooks' behavior and Devlin isn't too happy either. Matt wants to know why Brooks didn't let him know what he had planned. They could have gone together and found something on Lowry. Matt is standing by the original report.
In court, under questioning from Wyndham, Matt testifies that he used the term "no crime" to describe Stephanie's attack on the stairs. He states that he stands by the original report. Steel questions him on Brooks going back over the original evidence and admits that he took no part in the re-evaluation because he was working other cases. Steel establishes with Devlin that the original investigation concluded Stephanie was being stalked by "Giovanni" who they found to be Russell Lowry. Devlin states he found no evidence to point to Stephanie facing substantial threat from "Giovanni"/Lowry. Steel then points out that Devlin told Stephanie's employers that she faced a serious threat from "Giovanni" and gets Devlin to admit he lied about that.
Russell Lowry is found guilty of both the charges of attempted murder and murder.
The ending of this case was excellent. Steel was unrelenting in his examination of Matt Devlin. He started in and didn't let up until he knew he had been successful in casting doubt on Matt's word. As Steel told Phillips, Devlin was "collateral damage". The questioning of Matt Devlin by Steel reminded me of when Executive A.D.A. Benjamin Stone (Michael Moriarty) grilled Dr. Elizabeth Olivet (Carolyn McCormick) on the stand for being biased in a rape case because of her own rape in order to win the case. The harder Steel pushed, the more I was reminded of Ben Stone going after Dr. Olivet. It is moments like this that make Law & Order so tense and utterly brilliant.
This episode wrapped up season three. Six episodes are ready to air for season four. Hopefully, we will get those around the end of November or in December.
Law & Order: UK airs on Thursday nights at 9:00 p.m. on ITV1 in the UK.
For more information:
Law & Order: UK ITV1 Official Site: http://www.itv.com/drama/copsandcrime/lawandorder/
Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1166893/
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-18198
UK Television: BBC One Dramatic Series "Luther" Filming a Second Series
Well, I'm just about as happy as happy can be here!
Ever since the first series of Luther ended a few months ago I have been wondering if the BBC One would renew the show for a second series.
Well, folks, wonder no longer.
According to information on the official Luther Facebook site, scripts for a second series are finished and the shooting for the second series has already begun. There is even a photo of the scripts! The Facebook posting was dated September 20th and the information given was "Scripts in. Shoot starts two weeks today."
To read the postings on the Luther Facebook wall.
To see the photo of the scripts.
BBC one also issued a press release announcing the recommissioning of Luther and the beyond excellent series Sherlock for second series'. You can read the entire BBC one press release at their web site.
There's all kinds of great television news coming out of the UK right now, isn't there? I can't wait to see Luther and the diabolical (but so likable) Alice back on the screen!
Ever since the first series of Luther ended a few months ago I have been wondering if the BBC One would renew the show for a second series.
Well, folks, wonder no longer.
According to information on the official Luther Facebook site, scripts for a second series are finished and the shooting for the second series has already begun. There is even a photo of the scripts! The Facebook posting was dated September 20th and the information given was "Scripts in. Shoot starts two weeks today."
To read the postings on the Luther Facebook wall.
To see the photo of the scripts.
BBC one also issued a press release announcing the recommissioning of Luther and the beyond excellent series Sherlock for second series'. You can read the entire BBC one press release at their web site.
There's all kinds of great television news coming out of the UK right now, isn't there? I can't wait to see Luther and the diabolical (but so likable) Alice back on the screen!
UK Television: 13 Episodes Commissioned for Law & Order: UK for 2011
It was announced on Monday, 18th October, 2010 that ITV has commissioned another 13 episodes for Law & Order: UK that will air sometime in 2011.
This is great news for fans of Law & Order: UK as season three is now complete for the series and there are currently six more episodes waiting to air for season four. I'm hoping we will get those closer to the end of the year. They would make a perfect Christmas present, wouldn't they?
You can read the entire press release on the ITV web site.
This is great news for fans of Law & Order: UK as season three is now complete for the series and there are currently six more episodes waiting to air for season four. I'm hoping we will get those closer to the end of the year. They would make a perfect Christmas present, wouldn't they?
You can read the entire press release on the ITV web site.
US Television: Vampire Diaries, Episode 2.6 "Plan B"
Vampire Diaries
Season Two, Episode 2.6, Plan B
Original Air Date: October 21, 2010
Jeremy wants to help Damon in the fight against Mason and Katherine. Caroline comes to the rescue when Stefan gets in trouble while trying to find Mason's moonstone. Damon tries his hand at convincing Mason Lockwood to reveal what Katherine's plans are. Caroline and her mother have a truly sincere mother/daughter moment. Katherine steps up her plans in torturing Elena and those she loves.
Elena awakens with Stefan next to her and the two share a kiss when she mentions it wouldn't be good if Katherine found out they were still together. Katherine has her own distractions, though. She is spending some quality time with Mason Lockwood at the bed and breakfast she is staying at while in Mystic Falls. Elena is still giving Stefan a little bit of her blood every day in hopes it will make him stronger as he thinks it will. Mason promises Katherine he will give her the moonstone that night and Stefan promises Elena that they will get through everything that is happening.
Jeremy goes to the Salvatore house to speak with Damon. He tells him what Tyler had told him about how the curse needs to be activated, that Tyler isn't a werewolf yet and that Mason is looking for the moonstone. Jeremy says he knows where the stone is and wants to help. When asked what Elena would think of his wanting to help Damon realizes Jeremy hasn't said anything to her.
Everyone has assembled at the Lockwood mansion to get it ready for a masquerade ball. Bonnie is there to help and seems to be much happier when Elena assures her that Caroline isn't coming. Elena takes Bonnie somewhere quiet to talk. Elena tells Bonnie everything about what Katherine is doing to drive she and Stefan apart. Bonnie feels she is being left out by Elena. Bonnie can't yet bring herself to reconcile with Caroline because she is a vampire.
Liz Forbes is still imprisoned in the Salvatore home. Caroline goes to see her but Liz doesn't want anything to do with her daughter and asks her to leave. As Caroline is getting ready to leave, Liz asks her if she is really dead to which Caroline replies "yes and no". Liz asks how that is possible. Caroline stays and tells her mother about how she is living as a vampire. They actually are able to have a good moment where one isn't saying something hurtful to the other.
Alaric arrives at the Salvatore home with a box of Isobel's research. They discuss the Aztec curse that caused vampires to only be able to walk at night and werewolves to turn during the full moon. The curse is controlled by a moonstone and, as Damon explains, "it's a witch thing. Whatever seals the curse is usually the key to unsealing the curse."
Mason is surprised to see Stefan at the Lockwood mansion. Stefan assures him that he is alright and that Liz Forbes is also doing fine but that he will have to do his own dirty work from now on which isn't a problem for Mason. As Mason is walking away, he bumps into Bonnie who has a reaction to his touch. Stefan asks her about it and she says she saw Elena when she touched Mason. They were kissing. Stefan knows immediately that it wasn't Elena but Katherine.
Damon tells Elena to keep Jeremy from following him causing Elena to warn Jeremy against having anything at all to do with Damon. Jeremy feels she got him into the mess in the first place so she can't tell him what to do. Stefan informs Damon that Katherine and Mason are together. Damon figures she is using him and that the moonstone lies at the center of everything. Stefan is just as unhappy about Jeremy being involved as Elena is.
Jeremy questions Tyler about the moonstone and Tyler reveals he gave it to Mason. Stefan and Damon overhear Tyler telling Jeremy about giving the stone to Mason. Stefan and Damon take Bonnie aside to ask her to touch Mason Lockwood again to find out if he gave Katherine the moonstone. While Stefan is filling Elena in on what is going on, Damon is trying to convince Bonnie to help them. Bonnie refuses to hurt anyone for Damon and he comes back that Mason and Katherine are the bad guys.
Bonnie ends up agreeing to the plan and gets Mason to help her with a table she is struggling with. She causes him to drop to his knees is pain, as she is so fond of doing to Damon, and Damon, Stefan and Bonnie are able to get him into his truck and away from the Lockwood mansion and to the Salvatore house. While Damon is chaining Mason up, Bonnie puts her hands on his head to try and find out anything she can about the stone. The stone is somewhere small and dark with water, a well.
As Bonnie is leaving the Salvatore house she runs into Caroline. They engage in a little small talk but Bonnie wants to leave as quickly as she can. She asks Caroline about the old well they used to play at when they were kids and Caroline remembers it to be on the edge of the old Lockwood property. That is where Bonnie believes the moonstone is. Caroline wants to go with her to help and Bonnie, at first, says no. She has a change of heart and agrees she can come along. Bonnie texts Stefan the location and he leaves the Lockwood mansion without Elena even though she clearly wants to go.
Damon tortures Mason wanting to know how he knows Katherine and what she is up to. As Damon is questioning Mason, Jeremy arrives with wolfsbane in tow. Damon goes back to Mason and asks him why Katherine is there. When he doesn't answer, he tortures him with the wolfsbane. With Jeremy watching on, Damon shoves the wolfsbane into Mason's mouth causing him to gag and spit blood. Threatened with wolfsbane in his eyes, Mason tells Damon the stone is in the well. Katherine is going to lift his curse so he won't have to turn anymore because she loves him. Damon sends Jeremy away after threatening him that it is kill or be killed then goes to Mason and pulls his heart out.
Stefan arrives at the well followed by Elena. Stefan jumps into the well and is immediately affected by the water. There is vervain in it. Caroline arrives and wants to get in the well to safe Stefan but Elena stops her. Caroline grabs a rusted chain that Elena couldn't budge to lower Elena down into the well for Stefan. Bonnie, who has just arrived, helps Elena into the well while Caroline holds the chain for her. Elena reaches Stefan who is in a very bad way and secures him in the chains for Caroline to pull up. Elena finds the stone but is nearly attacked by snakes that are living in the water in the well. Once she is out of the well, Elena rushes to Stefan and cuts her hand to give him blood to save him.
Caroline goes back to see her mother and tells her about how she saved both Stefan and Elena. Her mother watches on in shock noting that her daughter has become a strong and confident person. Liz tells her daughter they don't need to take her memories. She will keep the secret and never do anything to hurt Caroline. Caroline knows she can trust her mother but that her mother will never trust Stefan and Damon. Caroline compels her mother so things will go back to the way they were before.
As Stefan and Damon are preparing to get rid of Mason's body, Damon sends a text to Carol Lockwood to explain his absence. Damon then calls the last number dialed on Mason's phone to taunt Katherine with Mason's death and the fact he and Stefan now have the moonstone. She isn't concerned because she has a Plan B, Plan C, Plan D and so on.
Katherine calls Elena at home and lets her know that she knows Stefan was with her that morning. She also reveals that Jenna's vervain perfume has been replaced and that she was convinced to stop drinking her "special" tea. Katherine has been using Jenna as a spy and has control of her. While she is talking to Elena on the phone, Jenna, apparently being compelled, stabs herself in the stomach.
Jenna is going to be alright but she remembers nothing. Elena confides in Jeremy that it was all part of Katherine's plan. Jeremy vows that Katherine will pay for everything she has done. Worried that things will only escalate, Elena breaks up with Stefan. As she is leaving the Salvatore home, Damon apologizes for his role in everything. Elena says it doesn't matter; Katherine has won.
Katherine needs a werewolf. She compels Matt that he will go after Tyler Lockwood and will not stop until Tyler kills him.
This was an excellent episode that is setting things up for a showdown between Katherine, Damon, Stefan and Elena. Katherine is playing hardball with Elena and those she loves. I can only imagine that Damon is going to start playing some hardball of his own now knowing that Elena is in such pain because of what Katherine is doing. Despite everything, he does love Elena and if she's hurting, I think he'll do what he can to make things right for her. I'm truly hoping that something happens to Katherine before Matt and Tyler get into a bust up and Tyler is able to kill Matt. I like Matt and would hate to see him leave the show.
The scenes between Caroline and her mother were great. Caroline has really become a different person since becoming a vampire. When she was compelling her mother that she wouldn't remember anything that had gone on was an emotional scene. You know Caroline would have loved to keep things good between she and her mother. She would have loved to have a good relationship with her. But, as with Matt, she understands that the less her mother knows, the safer it is for her. Caroline has really matured this season and I'm liking her character more and more.
For more information:
Official Site: http://www.cwtv.com/shows/the-vampire-diaries
The Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1405406/
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/The_Vampire_Diaries
Season Two, Episode 2.6, Plan B
Original Air Date: October 21, 2010
Jeremy wants to help Damon in the fight against Mason and Katherine. Caroline comes to the rescue when Stefan gets in trouble while trying to find Mason's moonstone. Damon tries his hand at convincing Mason Lockwood to reveal what Katherine's plans are. Caroline and her mother have a truly sincere mother/daughter moment. Katherine steps up her plans in torturing Elena and those she loves.
Elena awakens with Stefan next to her and the two share a kiss when she mentions it wouldn't be good if Katherine found out they were still together. Katherine has her own distractions, though. She is spending some quality time with Mason Lockwood at the bed and breakfast she is staying at while in Mystic Falls. Elena is still giving Stefan a little bit of her blood every day in hopes it will make him stronger as he thinks it will. Mason promises Katherine he will give her the moonstone that night and Stefan promises Elena that they will get through everything that is happening.
Jeremy goes to the Salvatore house to speak with Damon. He tells him what Tyler had told him about how the curse needs to be activated, that Tyler isn't a werewolf yet and that Mason is looking for the moonstone. Jeremy says he knows where the stone is and wants to help. When asked what Elena would think of his wanting to help Damon realizes Jeremy hasn't said anything to her.
Everyone has assembled at the Lockwood mansion to get it ready for a masquerade ball. Bonnie is there to help and seems to be much happier when Elena assures her that Caroline isn't coming. Elena takes Bonnie somewhere quiet to talk. Elena tells Bonnie everything about what Katherine is doing to drive she and Stefan apart. Bonnie feels she is being left out by Elena. Bonnie can't yet bring herself to reconcile with Caroline because she is a vampire.
Liz Forbes is still imprisoned in the Salvatore home. Caroline goes to see her but Liz doesn't want anything to do with her daughter and asks her to leave. As Caroline is getting ready to leave, Liz asks her if she is really dead to which Caroline replies "yes and no". Liz asks how that is possible. Caroline stays and tells her mother about how she is living as a vampire. They actually are able to have a good moment where one isn't saying something hurtful to the other.
Alaric arrives at the Salvatore home with a box of Isobel's research. They discuss the Aztec curse that caused vampires to only be able to walk at night and werewolves to turn during the full moon. The curse is controlled by a moonstone and, as Damon explains, "it's a witch thing. Whatever seals the curse is usually the key to unsealing the curse."
Mason is surprised to see Stefan at the Lockwood mansion. Stefan assures him that he is alright and that Liz Forbes is also doing fine but that he will have to do his own dirty work from now on which isn't a problem for Mason. As Mason is walking away, he bumps into Bonnie who has a reaction to his touch. Stefan asks her about it and she says she saw Elena when she touched Mason. They were kissing. Stefan knows immediately that it wasn't Elena but Katherine.
Damon tells Elena to keep Jeremy from following him causing Elena to warn Jeremy against having anything at all to do with Damon. Jeremy feels she got him into the mess in the first place so she can't tell him what to do. Stefan informs Damon that Katherine and Mason are together. Damon figures she is using him and that the moonstone lies at the center of everything. Stefan is just as unhappy about Jeremy being involved as Elena is.
Jeremy questions Tyler about the moonstone and Tyler reveals he gave it to Mason. Stefan and Damon overhear Tyler telling Jeremy about giving the stone to Mason. Stefan and Damon take Bonnie aside to ask her to touch Mason Lockwood again to find out if he gave Katherine the moonstone. While Stefan is filling Elena in on what is going on, Damon is trying to convince Bonnie to help them. Bonnie refuses to hurt anyone for Damon and he comes back that Mason and Katherine are the bad guys.
Bonnie ends up agreeing to the plan and gets Mason to help her with a table she is struggling with. She causes him to drop to his knees is pain, as she is so fond of doing to Damon, and Damon, Stefan and Bonnie are able to get him into his truck and away from the Lockwood mansion and to the Salvatore house. While Damon is chaining Mason up, Bonnie puts her hands on his head to try and find out anything she can about the stone. The stone is somewhere small and dark with water, a well.
As Bonnie is leaving the Salvatore house she runs into Caroline. They engage in a little small talk but Bonnie wants to leave as quickly as she can. She asks Caroline about the old well they used to play at when they were kids and Caroline remembers it to be on the edge of the old Lockwood property. That is where Bonnie believes the moonstone is. Caroline wants to go with her to help and Bonnie, at first, says no. She has a change of heart and agrees she can come along. Bonnie texts Stefan the location and he leaves the Lockwood mansion without Elena even though she clearly wants to go.
Damon tortures Mason wanting to know how he knows Katherine and what she is up to. As Damon is questioning Mason, Jeremy arrives with wolfsbane in tow. Damon goes back to Mason and asks him why Katherine is there. When he doesn't answer, he tortures him with the wolfsbane. With Jeremy watching on, Damon shoves the wolfsbane into Mason's mouth causing him to gag and spit blood. Threatened with wolfsbane in his eyes, Mason tells Damon the stone is in the well. Katherine is going to lift his curse so he won't have to turn anymore because she loves him. Damon sends Jeremy away after threatening him that it is kill or be killed then goes to Mason and pulls his heart out.
Stefan arrives at the well followed by Elena. Stefan jumps into the well and is immediately affected by the water. There is vervain in it. Caroline arrives and wants to get in the well to safe Stefan but Elena stops her. Caroline grabs a rusted chain that Elena couldn't budge to lower Elena down into the well for Stefan. Bonnie, who has just arrived, helps Elena into the well while Caroline holds the chain for her. Elena reaches Stefan who is in a very bad way and secures him in the chains for Caroline to pull up. Elena finds the stone but is nearly attacked by snakes that are living in the water in the well. Once she is out of the well, Elena rushes to Stefan and cuts her hand to give him blood to save him.
Caroline goes back to see her mother and tells her about how she saved both Stefan and Elena. Her mother watches on in shock noting that her daughter has become a strong and confident person. Liz tells her daughter they don't need to take her memories. She will keep the secret and never do anything to hurt Caroline. Caroline knows she can trust her mother but that her mother will never trust Stefan and Damon. Caroline compels her mother so things will go back to the way they were before.
As Stefan and Damon are preparing to get rid of Mason's body, Damon sends a text to Carol Lockwood to explain his absence. Damon then calls the last number dialed on Mason's phone to taunt Katherine with Mason's death and the fact he and Stefan now have the moonstone. She isn't concerned because she has a Plan B, Plan C, Plan D and so on.
Katherine calls Elena at home and lets her know that she knows Stefan was with her that morning. She also reveals that Jenna's vervain perfume has been replaced and that she was convinced to stop drinking her "special" tea. Katherine has been using Jenna as a spy and has control of her. While she is talking to Elena on the phone, Jenna, apparently being compelled, stabs herself in the stomach.
Jenna is going to be alright but she remembers nothing. Elena confides in Jeremy that it was all part of Katherine's plan. Jeremy vows that Katherine will pay for everything she has done. Worried that things will only escalate, Elena breaks up with Stefan. As she is leaving the Salvatore home, Damon apologizes for his role in everything. Elena says it doesn't matter; Katherine has won.
Katherine needs a werewolf. She compels Matt that he will go after Tyler Lockwood and will not stop until Tyler kills him.
This was an excellent episode that is setting things up for a showdown between Katherine, Damon, Stefan and Elena. Katherine is playing hardball with Elena and those she loves. I can only imagine that Damon is going to start playing some hardball of his own now knowing that Elena is in such pain because of what Katherine is doing. Despite everything, he does love Elena and if she's hurting, I think he'll do what he can to make things right for her. I'm truly hoping that something happens to Katherine before Matt and Tyler get into a bust up and Tyler is able to kill Matt. I like Matt and would hate to see him leave the show.
The scenes between Caroline and her mother were great. Caroline has really become a different person since becoming a vampire. When she was compelling her mother that she wouldn't remember anything that had gone on was an emotional scene. You know Caroline would have loved to keep things good between she and her mother. She would have loved to have a good relationship with her. But, as with Matt, she understands that the less her mother knows, the safer it is for her. Caroline has really matured this season and I'm liking her character more and more.
For more information:
Official Site: http://www.cwtv.com/shows/the-vampire-diaries
The Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1405406/
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/The_Vampire_Diaries
Thursday, October 21, 2010
AUS Television: City Homicide, Episode 4.16 "Undercover"
City Homicide
Season Four, Episode Sixteen, Undercover
Original Air Date: October 20, 2010
Jen and Nick, still undercover, must convince Muhammed Hartono that they can work for him again. McCallister's plans for Jen and Nick aren't what they appear to be. When things do not go according to plan, Homicide and SIS must team up to find Hartono's bomb before it is too late.
This weeks episode picks up where last weeks left off: Nick and Jen are talking in the bedroom of the house they are staying in when masked men burst in. The masked men aren't underworld figures but two men working with SIS. McCallister isn't pleased with Jen and Nick's reaction to the masked gunmen. Nick called Jen by her real name instead of calling her Trish. McCallister is angry that they aren't handling the situation the way they should. He orders Radcliffe to take them back to their house.
One of McCallister's employees gives him photographs of Rhys and Allie going into Waheed's home. The pictures make it back to Homicide where Waverley questions Matt about them. Jarvis suggests that Matt's team has gone rogue on him but Stanley steps up for Matt. Jarvis informs Matt that this incident reflects on Matt as a senior officer. Matt is clearly extremely angry and assures Waverley he will be speaking to the team again.
Once Matt and Stanley are gone, Bernice tells Jarvis times like this make her regret Kingston being on the team because of how headstrong she is and the problem she has with authority. Jarvis agrees she is that but he also says Rhys has a mind of his own as well.
Matt calls Rhys and Allie into his office. Duncan arrives with them and, even though he doesn't need to be there, he stays. Matt tears into Allie and Rhys about their night trip to Waheed's house. When told about the photograph of Jen and Nick it doesn't matter. He simply tells them that all bets are off. They step out of line and he writes them up. Duncan stays behind after Allie and Rhys leave and Matt tells him how Jarvis questioned his ability to lead the team. When asked if he knew what Allie and Rhys had done, Duncan says he didn't know until afterwards and that being a team, you don't tell on a team member to which Matt replies "I'm part of the team, too".
Muhammad Hartono arrives at the home where Nick and Jen are living while McCallister and Burns watch from their headquarters. Burns alerts them to his presence and when the bell rings, Nick answers the door and lets him in. Once the formalities are over, Nick gets down to business telling Hartono they want to work with him again. Hartono is troubled because after Wesley and Trish were "imprisoned" many of his friends were arrested both in Australia and overseas. Without saying whether or not he will accept them back into his organization, Hartono thanks Jen for the water then leaves hastily.
Burns questions the timing of Jen and Nick showing up and asking to rejoin Hartono. McCallister says the timing is perfect. They are wanting Abbott, the man who killed Supomo. McCallister knows that Hartono will not let Jen and Nick get in the way of his operation and will send Abbott to kill them. When he kills Jen and Nick, SIS will be able to get Abbott.
Udiano Supomo, with Bernice Waverley at his side, holds a press conference asking for public help in the murders of his brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew. Allie, Duncan and Rhys watch the conference from the office and Allie cannot resist commenting that even if they did solve the murder, the case would be taken out of their hands. Allie is angry that four people have been murdered and Homicide's hands have been tied and they are supposed to be alright with that.
Don pays a visit to Nick and Jen to deliver a message from McCallister. He wants Jen and Nick to crank things up a notch. He wants them to go to Hartono this time instead of calling him to them. Jen and Nick are uncomfortable taking things to another level like this but McCallister wants it done. Nick offers to go alone and Don tells him he'll go in an hour.
Rhys goes to Bernice to let her know it wasn't Matt's fault he and Allie went to Waheed's home. She insists that, as their senior officer, Matt is still responsible. As she is showing him out of her office she asks him who had the idea to search Waheed's house. Before he can answer, she says that she guessed it had to be Allie Kingston.
Jen knows that something is up and she warns Nick. Don comes into the room unannounced for Nick. Don and Burns take Nick to where he can talk to Hartono and they insist they both have him covered. Hartono tells Nick his services aren't required. Nick makes it clear that he is not going away and that Hartono basically has no other option than to take he and Jen on again. Jen and Nick wait for a call from Hartono. She tells him that next time, she goes as well and they do it together. Nick agrees.
The next morning, Hartono texts them that he wants Nick to meet him at his shop. Burns and McCallister are watching Jen and Nick on the cameras as the two talk about meeting Hartono. Burns wants to know if there is another way things could be done. McCallister warns him not to get all bleeding heart on him. Abbott will talk, Hartono won't.
Jen and Nick go to Hartono's shop and they are in doubt that anyone who will protect them is even around. Burns is watching from his car with Don and another man standing by. McCallister is in another car and is certain Abbott will make his move before they get to the shop if he is going to do anything. None of the men watching Jen and Nick see anything but Abbott is there with a gun trained on the two. Abbott takes a shot and hits an innocent man walking past Jen. He takes another shot that hits Jen in the shoulder. McCallister, Burns, Radcliffe and the other man move in to take Abbott.
Homicide is called in and Duncan and Stanley arrive. Matt, who is already on the scene, alerts Stanley to the blood where Jen fell. Witnesses saw her being put into a car by a group of men. Allie tells Stanley that it was Jen and Nick. Witnesses reported that the man was calling out "Jen" and their descriptions were a perfect match to Jen and Nick.
McCallister is called into Bernice Waverley's office. He is rude and wanting to get the meeting done and over with as fast as possible so he can "get back to where he's really needed". Jarvis asks if Jennifer Maplethorpe is dead. McCallister reluctantly provides them with the information that Jennifer was injured but not killed and that she was shot by the same man who killed Waheed and the Supomo family. McCallister refuses to give Jen and Nick back because he "still has a use for them" but just what use is classified information.
Burns arrives at Jen and Nick's house. He admits to them that they need to know when and where Hartono is going to strike and Abbott is the only way to get that information. He tells them they don't believe the cover has been blown and that they still have guards on their home even though they won't ever see them or know they are there. That night, they whisper a plan of how they are going to take matters into their own hands rather than trust McCallister. Jen will fake a shopping trip and Nick will accompany her. They will find Hartono and Abbott.
As they are getting ready to leave for their fake trip to the shops, Radcliffe arrives and tells them to come with him. McCallister, watching everything unfold as always, wonders where Radcliffe is taking the two. McCallister orders Burns to tell him where Nick and Jen have been taken and when he tries to get into his locked office, the key won't work. Burns tells him he is no longer in a position to threaten anyone. McCallister has been removed from the operation and Burns orders him to be escorted off the premises.
Burns teams up with the Homicide squad to run a joint operation for Muhammad Hartono and Travis Abbott. Jen and Nick arrive as the briefing is getting ready to start. The briefing commences with information that Hartono is close to setting off his bomb in a high-density area and will be taking emergency services out with sniper fire once they arrive. They have no idea where the bomb could be.
Abbott's car is found, burned out. Stanley sends Allie and Duncan to handle that lead. Matt is to organize a major search of the area and Rhys is to talk with the search team as Abbott could still be in the area. A lead on Abbott turns up when a woman recognizes him as a tenant in her apartment building. The police surround the building but Abbott is nowhere to be found. They find the name Brian Hale written on a bill. They bring Hale in for questioning. Hale and Abbott were foster brothers. Hale last saw Abbott two years ago but doesn't know exactly where he is. Allie and Duncan find torn paper in a rubbish bin at Abbott's home and, when they put the pieces together, find it is a map and realize it is of a football stadium. Hale recounts how Abbott used to like to shoot people even as a kid.
Hartono is setting up the bomb at the stadium when Homicide arrives. Hartono is arrested and Allie, Nick and Duncan go after Abbott. Nick finds him and fires on him. Nick and Abbott fight before being separated by Duncan and Allie.
As they leave work that night, Nick tells Jen in the elevator that she will finally get to sleep in her own bed. She replies that it will be strange without him there.
This was an excellent end to what started last week! McCallister got what he deserved. Jen and Nick are safe and back with Homicide where they belong. Matt got his first real chewing out by his superiors. Bernice has made things perfectly clear that she doesn't like Allie Kingston (course, we all knew that already!). There was a lot going on this week. I'm glad Jen is alright and I think we all knew that eventually, she and Nick would get back together. This has been coming for a little while now. While I've always wanted to see Jen and Matt together, I really like Nick so I'm not too unhappy with the pairing.
I like that we saw all the characters this week, too. This season, there have been some that we haven't seen much of in some episodes (Stanley!!). One thing I love about City Homicide is the large cast. They all bring something to the show and even if you only see them for a few minutes, it's still enough time to get that special something in.
It doesn't look like things are completely over for Jen and Nick. From the previews for next week we learn they are having an affair once again and someone arrives at Jen's house unexpectedly. Could the visitor be dangerous? We'll find out next week!
For more information:
City Homicide Official Site: http://au.tv.yahoo.com/city-homicide/
Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024932/
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-17228
Season Four, Episode Sixteen, Undercover
Original Air Date: October 20, 2010
Jen and Nick, still undercover, must convince Muhammed Hartono that they can work for him again. McCallister's plans for Jen and Nick aren't what they appear to be. When things do not go according to plan, Homicide and SIS must team up to find Hartono's bomb before it is too late.
This weeks episode picks up where last weeks left off: Nick and Jen are talking in the bedroom of the house they are staying in when masked men burst in. The masked men aren't underworld figures but two men working with SIS. McCallister isn't pleased with Jen and Nick's reaction to the masked gunmen. Nick called Jen by her real name instead of calling her Trish. McCallister is angry that they aren't handling the situation the way they should. He orders Radcliffe to take them back to their house.
One of McCallister's employees gives him photographs of Rhys and Allie going into Waheed's home. The pictures make it back to Homicide where Waverley questions Matt about them. Jarvis suggests that Matt's team has gone rogue on him but Stanley steps up for Matt. Jarvis informs Matt that this incident reflects on Matt as a senior officer. Matt is clearly extremely angry and assures Waverley he will be speaking to the team again.
Once Matt and Stanley are gone, Bernice tells Jarvis times like this make her regret Kingston being on the team because of how headstrong she is and the problem she has with authority. Jarvis agrees she is that but he also says Rhys has a mind of his own as well.
Matt calls Rhys and Allie into his office. Duncan arrives with them and, even though he doesn't need to be there, he stays. Matt tears into Allie and Rhys about their night trip to Waheed's house. When told about the photograph of Jen and Nick it doesn't matter. He simply tells them that all bets are off. They step out of line and he writes them up. Duncan stays behind after Allie and Rhys leave and Matt tells him how Jarvis questioned his ability to lead the team. When asked if he knew what Allie and Rhys had done, Duncan says he didn't know until afterwards and that being a team, you don't tell on a team member to which Matt replies "I'm part of the team, too".
Muhammad Hartono arrives at the home where Nick and Jen are living while McCallister and Burns watch from their headquarters. Burns alerts them to his presence and when the bell rings, Nick answers the door and lets him in. Once the formalities are over, Nick gets down to business telling Hartono they want to work with him again. Hartono is troubled because after Wesley and Trish were "imprisoned" many of his friends were arrested both in Australia and overseas. Without saying whether or not he will accept them back into his organization, Hartono thanks Jen for the water then leaves hastily.
Burns questions the timing of Jen and Nick showing up and asking to rejoin Hartono. McCallister says the timing is perfect. They are wanting Abbott, the man who killed Supomo. McCallister knows that Hartono will not let Jen and Nick get in the way of his operation and will send Abbott to kill them. When he kills Jen and Nick, SIS will be able to get Abbott.
Udiano Supomo, with Bernice Waverley at his side, holds a press conference asking for public help in the murders of his brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew. Allie, Duncan and Rhys watch the conference from the office and Allie cannot resist commenting that even if they did solve the murder, the case would be taken out of their hands. Allie is angry that four people have been murdered and Homicide's hands have been tied and they are supposed to be alright with that.
Don pays a visit to Nick and Jen to deliver a message from McCallister. He wants Jen and Nick to crank things up a notch. He wants them to go to Hartono this time instead of calling him to them. Jen and Nick are uncomfortable taking things to another level like this but McCallister wants it done. Nick offers to go alone and Don tells him he'll go in an hour.
Rhys goes to Bernice to let her know it wasn't Matt's fault he and Allie went to Waheed's home. She insists that, as their senior officer, Matt is still responsible. As she is showing him out of her office she asks him who had the idea to search Waheed's house. Before he can answer, she says that she guessed it had to be Allie Kingston.
Jen knows that something is up and she warns Nick. Don comes into the room unannounced for Nick. Don and Burns take Nick to where he can talk to Hartono and they insist they both have him covered. Hartono tells Nick his services aren't required. Nick makes it clear that he is not going away and that Hartono basically has no other option than to take he and Jen on again. Jen and Nick wait for a call from Hartono. She tells him that next time, she goes as well and they do it together. Nick agrees.
The next morning, Hartono texts them that he wants Nick to meet him at his shop. Burns and McCallister are watching Jen and Nick on the cameras as the two talk about meeting Hartono. Burns wants to know if there is another way things could be done. McCallister warns him not to get all bleeding heart on him. Abbott will talk, Hartono won't.
Jen and Nick go to Hartono's shop and they are in doubt that anyone who will protect them is even around. Burns is watching from his car with Don and another man standing by. McCallister is in another car and is certain Abbott will make his move before they get to the shop if he is going to do anything. None of the men watching Jen and Nick see anything but Abbott is there with a gun trained on the two. Abbott takes a shot and hits an innocent man walking past Jen. He takes another shot that hits Jen in the shoulder. McCallister, Burns, Radcliffe and the other man move in to take Abbott.
Homicide is called in and Duncan and Stanley arrive. Matt, who is already on the scene, alerts Stanley to the blood where Jen fell. Witnesses saw her being put into a car by a group of men. Allie tells Stanley that it was Jen and Nick. Witnesses reported that the man was calling out "Jen" and their descriptions were a perfect match to Jen and Nick.
McCallister is called into Bernice Waverley's office. He is rude and wanting to get the meeting done and over with as fast as possible so he can "get back to where he's really needed". Jarvis asks if Jennifer Maplethorpe is dead. McCallister reluctantly provides them with the information that Jennifer was injured but not killed and that she was shot by the same man who killed Waheed and the Supomo family. McCallister refuses to give Jen and Nick back because he "still has a use for them" but just what use is classified information.
Burns arrives at Jen and Nick's house. He admits to them that they need to know when and where Hartono is going to strike and Abbott is the only way to get that information. He tells them they don't believe the cover has been blown and that they still have guards on their home even though they won't ever see them or know they are there. That night, they whisper a plan of how they are going to take matters into their own hands rather than trust McCallister. Jen will fake a shopping trip and Nick will accompany her. They will find Hartono and Abbott.
As they are getting ready to leave for their fake trip to the shops, Radcliffe arrives and tells them to come with him. McCallister, watching everything unfold as always, wonders where Radcliffe is taking the two. McCallister orders Burns to tell him where Nick and Jen have been taken and when he tries to get into his locked office, the key won't work. Burns tells him he is no longer in a position to threaten anyone. McCallister has been removed from the operation and Burns orders him to be escorted off the premises.
Burns teams up with the Homicide squad to run a joint operation for Muhammad Hartono and Travis Abbott. Jen and Nick arrive as the briefing is getting ready to start. The briefing commences with information that Hartono is close to setting off his bomb in a high-density area and will be taking emergency services out with sniper fire once they arrive. They have no idea where the bomb could be.
Abbott's car is found, burned out. Stanley sends Allie and Duncan to handle that lead. Matt is to organize a major search of the area and Rhys is to talk with the search team as Abbott could still be in the area. A lead on Abbott turns up when a woman recognizes him as a tenant in her apartment building. The police surround the building but Abbott is nowhere to be found. They find the name Brian Hale written on a bill. They bring Hale in for questioning. Hale and Abbott were foster brothers. Hale last saw Abbott two years ago but doesn't know exactly where he is. Allie and Duncan find torn paper in a rubbish bin at Abbott's home and, when they put the pieces together, find it is a map and realize it is of a football stadium. Hale recounts how Abbott used to like to shoot people even as a kid.
Hartono is setting up the bomb at the stadium when Homicide arrives. Hartono is arrested and Allie, Nick and Duncan go after Abbott. Nick finds him and fires on him. Nick and Abbott fight before being separated by Duncan and Allie.
As they leave work that night, Nick tells Jen in the elevator that she will finally get to sleep in her own bed. She replies that it will be strange without him there.
This was an excellent end to what started last week! McCallister got what he deserved. Jen and Nick are safe and back with Homicide where they belong. Matt got his first real chewing out by his superiors. Bernice has made things perfectly clear that she doesn't like Allie Kingston (course, we all knew that already!). There was a lot going on this week. I'm glad Jen is alright and I think we all knew that eventually, she and Nick would get back together. This has been coming for a little while now. While I've always wanted to see Jen and Matt together, I really like Nick so I'm not too unhappy with the pairing.
I like that we saw all the characters this week, too. This season, there have been some that we haven't seen much of in some episodes (Stanley!!). One thing I love about City Homicide is the large cast. They all bring something to the show and even if you only see them for a few minutes, it's still enough time to get that special something in.
It doesn't look like things are completely over for Jen and Nick. From the previews for next week we learn they are having an affair once again and someone arrives at Jen's house unexpectedly. Could the visitor be dangerous? We'll find out next week!
For more information:
City Homicide Official Site: http://au.tv.yahoo.com/city-homicide/
Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024932/
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-17228
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
El Camino del Rey 2010 HD: Balance
This amazed me.
I'll admit, I'm horribly afraid of heights so this is something I could never, never, ever (did I mention never, ever?) do. Ever. I'm in awe of people who can do these sorts of things because they have to have nerves of steel, incredible patience and absolutely no fear of anything.
I think what got me the most was the guy walking on the bare rail.
I don't know who filmed the video or any other particulars about it and the site linked to from You Tube is in Japanese. If anyone has any info on this at all, please do post about it in the comments. I'd love to know more about it!
It's simply amazing.
I'll admit, I'm horribly afraid of heights so this is something I could never, never, ever (did I mention never, ever?) do. Ever. I'm in awe of people who can do these sorts of things because they have to have nerves of steel, incredible patience and absolutely no fear of anything.
I think what got me the most was the guy walking on the bare rail.
I don't know who filmed the video or any other particulars about it and the site linked to from You Tube is in Japanese. If anyone has any info on this at all, please do post about it in the comments. I'd love to know more about it!
It's simply amazing.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Los 33 "Trailer"
I think the rescue of the 33 trapped Chilean miners was extraordinary. I'm so very happy all 33 men were able to withstand such an ordeal. I know I could never spend 1 day trapped in a mine, let alone 69, without going absolutely mad! Bless them and their families for all they have gone through!
But, on the other side of things, we all know that Hollywood will not be able to let this rest. They will have to find a way to cash in on the ordeal those 33 brave men went through. In some darkened room at some studio there is an executive hunched over a notepad feverishly making notes of the actors, locations and personnel he wants to make his great "miner epic".
While checking Twitter today, the awesome Stephen Fry tweeted about the following YouTube video. The uploader, trevino22 did a brilliant job putting this 'trailer' together.
You just know that if there was any way Hollywood could do this, they would.
But, on the other side of things, we all know that Hollywood will not be able to let this rest. They will have to find a way to cash in on the ordeal those 33 brave men went through. In some darkened room at some studio there is an executive hunched over a notepad feverishly making notes of the actors, locations and personnel he wants to make his great "miner epic".
While checking Twitter today, the awesome Stephen Fry tweeted about the following YouTube video. The uploader, trevino22 did a brilliant job putting this 'trailer' together.
You just know that if there was any way Hollywood could do this, they would.
10,000 Packages of Marijuana Seized on Tijuana/US Border
We are all more than familiar with the ongoing drug war being waged in Mexico and the fact it is spilling over into the southwestern United States. The news is constantly dotted with headlines about the latest violence to erupt on Mexican soil.
So, it wasn't anything new to read that a shootout took place in Tijuana between members of the drug cartels and law enforcement. However, it was surprising to read the amount of marijuana that was confiscated following the shootout: 10,000 packages totaling more than 105 tons! The drugs are worth over $330 million on the Mexican market and as much as twice that if taken across the border and sold in the United States.
Soldiers and police arrested eleven people following the shootout between Tijuana policemen and gunmen in a convoy of seven vehicles. The drug violence in Mexico has claimed almost 30,000 lives.
For more information and to see a photo of the massive amount of weed confiscated by authorities, you can refer to this article.
So, it wasn't anything new to read that a shootout took place in Tijuana between members of the drug cartels and law enforcement. However, it was surprising to read the amount of marijuana that was confiscated following the shootout: 10,000 packages totaling more than 105 tons! The drugs are worth over $330 million on the Mexican market and as much as twice that if taken across the border and sold in the United States.
Soldiers and police arrested eleven people following the shootout between Tijuana policemen and gunmen in a convoy of seven vehicles. The drug violence in Mexico has claimed almost 30,000 lives.
For more information and to see a photo of the massive amount of weed confiscated by authorities, you can refer to this article.
Monarch Butterflies Medically Treat Their Offspring
New research has shown that monarch butterflies use medicinal plants, including species of milkweed plants, to treat offspring for diseases even before they hatch. Some of the milkweed plants the monarch caterpillars feed on produce chardenolides within the systems of the insects. These chemicals are harmless to the monarch's themselves but toxic to predators even once the monarch's become adults. Parasites that can invade Monarch caterpillars can stay with the insects even into adulthood and can be passed from infected females to her offspring.
Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta conducted experiments with monarch caterpillars feeding some on milkweed. Those exposed to the milkweed had fewer parasite infections and disease. Researchers also conducted experiments with parasite-infected and uninfected females who had access to milkweed and tropical milkweed. The infected females laid more eggs on the tropical milkweed (the medicinal plant) while uninfected females gave no preference.
Researchers next plan to work with a wider variety of milkweed and butterflies to expand their studies.
For more information on this fascinating way nature takes care of itself, you can read the MSNBC Technology and Science Article.
Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta conducted experiments with monarch caterpillars feeding some on milkweed. Those exposed to the milkweed had fewer parasite infections and disease. Researchers also conducted experiments with parasite-infected and uninfected females who had access to milkweed and tropical milkweed. The infected females laid more eggs on the tropical milkweed (the medicinal plant) while uninfected females gave no preference.
Researchers next plan to work with a wider variety of milkweed and butterflies to expand their studies.
For more information on this fascinating way nature takes care of itself, you can read the MSNBC Technology and Science Article.
Monday, October 18, 2010
US Television, Beast Legends, Episode 1.5 "Wildman of Vietnam"
Beast Legends
Season One, Episode Five, Wildman of Vietnam
Original Air Date: Thursday, October 7, 2010
Episode five begins with Steve and Francis in southeast Asia to get the ball rolling on the teams research into the Vietnamese Wildman. Kathryn, Mike and Scott are back home in the Beast Lab researching the origins of the legend. The Wildman of Vietnam is said to roam the rainforests. The beast walks like a man, has superhuman strength and an appetite for flesh. According the Kathryn, the legend has been around for centuries.
First person accounts of the Wildman of Vietnam have been given by inhabitants of Vietnam as well as by American soldiers who fought on Vietnamese soil during the Vietnam conflict. One American soldier who was willing to tell the tale of what he witness during his tour of duty is Gary Linderer. Linderer was stationed in central Vietnam in 1968. He had been in country for approximately a month before encountering the Wildman. He was dropped into the jungle by helicopter before dawn. When the sun came up, he saw the creature. Linderer recorded his recount of his experience on video. Linderer describes the creature as being approximately 5'6"-5'10" tall and the eyes were very clear and intelligent looking. Mike begins constructing their creature by starting with the form of a man.
In Hue, Vietnam, the region where Gary Linderer was stationed in 1968, Steve and Francis want to get the Vietnamese side of the story. Nguyen Duy Thanh is their driver/translator while in Hue. He will be taking them to meet a man who knows the legend inside and out. On the way, their jeep stalls and a downpour begins as they have arrived in Vietnam during the monsoon season. Francis manages to hitch a ride for he, Stevie and Nguyen with a passing truck driver. They finally arrive at their destination 3 hours late.
They interview Ho Van Hanh (village elder/Vietcong veteran) about the Wildman. He still believes in the survival of the Wildman and describes the appearance of the creature for Francis. According to the legends, the face is round and somewhat similar to the monkey's and the eyes resemble monkey's eyes. Ho Van Hanh relates vivid descriptions of the features of the Wildman and Francis sketches what is described so the team back at home can start constructing the creature. Mike updates the figure of the man on the computer with the new features uploaded from Hue by Francis.
Steve and Francis next go to Hanoi to speak with a professor who claims to have a plaster cast of a footprint made by the Wildman. The impossible to navigate traffic is making things difficult for them so Steve decides to run to their destination, the Hanoi Pedadgogical College, while Francis takes a skateboard. The lack of street signs causes both men to become lost in the congested streets of Hanoi. Francis arrives at the College first. At the College, they meet with Dr. Tran Hong Viet (Zoologist, Hanoi Pedadgogical College). Dr. Viet believes the Wildman is an original form of man and is classified as Homo Erectus, scientifically. They view a photograph of the footprint. Dr. Viet found the print in 1982 in Kon Tum (in central Vietnam). The very curved arch of the foot separates the print from that of a human. Viet explains that while the foot looks like that of both an ape and a human, it is neither. The physical cast cannot be filmed by the Beast Legends cameras because of research agreements and future publication agreements the scientists have entered into. While Steve and Francis are looking at the cast behind closed doors, Scott takes a copy of the photograph to a friend of his in Iowa.
After leaving Hanoi, Steve and Francis head into the wilds of Vietnam where Gary Linderer shot his footage in 1968. They guys and their translator head into the jungle to see the Wildman's alleged habitat first hand. The area isn't jungle anymore as it has been cleared for farmland and wouldn't be a suitable habitat for the Wildman.
Scott is in Pocatello, Idaho visiting with Dr. Jeff Meldrum (Anatomist, Idaho State University) to discuss the photograph of Dr. Viet's Wildman footprint. Dr. Meldrum has analyzed hundreds of suspected Bigfoot prints from all over the world. Dr. Meldrum believes part of the print looks like a drag-out rather than part of an actual foot. Meldrum provides Scott with a visual of how the print of a bear would look with a drag out on its print. There are bears in Vietnam capable of making a print the size in the photo Scott has from Dr. Viet and Meldrum feels it is very possible the print could be a misidentified bear print. However, Gary Linderer is positive what he saw in 1968 was not a bear.
Steve and Francis next head off to see the fossilized remains of Vietnamese orangutans. They speak with Dr. Vu The Long (archaeologist) who carefully lays out each piece of the skeleton for the guys to see. Francis sketches out an orangutan skeleton from the bones while Steve describes the mannerisms of the orangutans. Mike updates the Wildman on the computer with the new information from Steve and Francis.
Another eyewitness in southern Vietnam saw more than one Wildman and saw them for a longer time than Gary Lederer was able to see the creature in 1968. Steve and Francis speak with Hoang Trong Quong (farmer) about the sightings he has had. On an overcast afternoon, Quong saw the creatures while he was collected wood in the forest. Their faces were similar to human faces and the bodies covered in sparse, light brown hair. The distance between Quong and the creatures was two meters. The creatures jumped from the trees they were in and ran away when they saw Quong running away.
Steve and Francis go next to the location of Hoang Trong Quong's sighting, Ke Bang National Park, where they will be heading into the jungle. Approximately 60% of the Park has probably never been visited by a human being, ever so it is a largely unresearched and dense territory. Based upon Quong's description that the creatures were comfortable both in the trees and running on the ground, Steve describes the features the Wildman's feet should have. Mike updates the feet on the computer image. He also updates the teeth based on speculation of what the creatures might eat.
Steve and Francis are looking for the perfect cave for their creature to call 'home'. They find a cave that is flooded with water. Steve swims in but finds no dry areas where the creature could live. A distance away they find a cave that would be perfect for the Wildman. They come across a small herd of cows that proves to Francis how a large creature could move silently through the thick jungle.
Back at the Beast Lab, the team assembles to watch their complete Beast Movie. At night, in the wilds of Vietnam, the creature leaves its cave as a lone man walks through the jungle. The creature watches the man from the trees then jumps to the ground. The sound of a captured monkey causes the man to begin running and the creature is in pursuit. The man is able to escape but the creature devours the captured monkey.
Beast Legends airs every Thursday night at 10 P.M. (9 p.m. Central) on the SyFy Channel. The final episode, Bird Monster aired on October 14, 2010.
For More Information:
Official Web Site: http://www.beastlegends.com/
Official SyFy Site: http://www.syfy.com/beastlegends/index.php
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-26229/?vote=10
Francis Manapul's Official Website: http://www.francismanapul.com/
Season One, Episode Five, Wildman of Vietnam
Original Air Date: Thursday, October 7, 2010
Episode five begins with Steve and Francis in southeast Asia to get the ball rolling on the teams research into the Vietnamese Wildman. Kathryn, Mike and Scott are back home in the Beast Lab researching the origins of the legend. The Wildman of Vietnam is said to roam the rainforests. The beast walks like a man, has superhuman strength and an appetite for flesh. According the Kathryn, the legend has been around for centuries.
First person accounts of the Wildman of Vietnam have been given by inhabitants of Vietnam as well as by American soldiers who fought on Vietnamese soil during the Vietnam conflict. One American soldier who was willing to tell the tale of what he witness during his tour of duty is Gary Linderer. Linderer was stationed in central Vietnam in 1968. He had been in country for approximately a month before encountering the Wildman. He was dropped into the jungle by helicopter before dawn. When the sun came up, he saw the creature. Linderer recorded his recount of his experience on video. Linderer describes the creature as being approximately 5'6"-5'10" tall and the eyes were very clear and intelligent looking. Mike begins constructing their creature by starting with the form of a man.
In Hue, Vietnam, the region where Gary Linderer was stationed in 1968, Steve and Francis want to get the Vietnamese side of the story. Nguyen Duy Thanh is their driver/translator while in Hue. He will be taking them to meet a man who knows the legend inside and out. On the way, their jeep stalls and a downpour begins as they have arrived in Vietnam during the monsoon season. Francis manages to hitch a ride for he, Stevie and Nguyen with a passing truck driver. They finally arrive at their destination 3 hours late.
They interview Ho Van Hanh (village elder/Vietcong veteran) about the Wildman. He still believes in the survival of the Wildman and describes the appearance of the creature for Francis. According to the legends, the face is round and somewhat similar to the monkey's and the eyes resemble monkey's eyes. Ho Van Hanh relates vivid descriptions of the features of the Wildman and Francis sketches what is described so the team back at home can start constructing the creature. Mike updates the figure of the man on the computer with the new features uploaded from Hue by Francis.
Steve and Francis next go to Hanoi to speak with a professor who claims to have a plaster cast of a footprint made by the Wildman. The impossible to navigate traffic is making things difficult for them so Steve decides to run to their destination, the Hanoi Pedadgogical College, while Francis takes a skateboard. The lack of street signs causes both men to become lost in the congested streets of Hanoi. Francis arrives at the College first. At the College, they meet with Dr. Tran Hong Viet (Zoologist, Hanoi Pedadgogical College). Dr. Viet believes the Wildman is an original form of man and is classified as Homo Erectus, scientifically. They view a photograph of the footprint. Dr. Viet found the print in 1982 in Kon Tum (in central Vietnam). The very curved arch of the foot separates the print from that of a human. Viet explains that while the foot looks like that of both an ape and a human, it is neither. The physical cast cannot be filmed by the Beast Legends cameras because of research agreements and future publication agreements the scientists have entered into. While Steve and Francis are looking at the cast behind closed doors, Scott takes a copy of the photograph to a friend of his in Iowa.
After leaving Hanoi, Steve and Francis head into the wilds of Vietnam where Gary Linderer shot his footage in 1968. They guys and their translator head into the jungle to see the Wildman's alleged habitat first hand. The area isn't jungle anymore as it has been cleared for farmland and wouldn't be a suitable habitat for the Wildman.
Scott is in Pocatello, Idaho visiting with Dr. Jeff Meldrum (Anatomist, Idaho State University) to discuss the photograph of Dr. Viet's Wildman footprint. Dr. Meldrum has analyzed hundreds of suspected Bigfoot prints from all over the world. Dr. Meldrum believes part of the print looks like a drag-out rather than part of an actual foot. Meldrum provides Scott with a visual of how the print of a bear would look with a drag out on its print. There are bears in Vietnam capable of making a print the size in the photo Scott has from Dr. Viet and Meldrum feels it is very possible the print could be a misidentified bear print. However, Gary Linderer is positive what he saw in 1968 was not a bear.
Steve and Francis next head off to see the fossilized remains of Vietnamese orangutans. They speak with Dr. Vu The Long (archaeologist) who carefully lays out each piece of the skeleton for the guys to see. Francis sketches out an orangutan skeleton from the bones while Steve describes the mannerisms of the orangutans. Mike updates the Wildman on the computer with the new information from Steve and Francis.
Another eyewitness in southern Vietnam saw more than one Wildman and saw them for a longer time than Gary Lederer was able to see the creature in 1968. Steve and Francis speak with Hoang Trong Quong (farmer) about the sightings he has had. On an overcast afternoon, Quong saw the creatures while he was collected wood in the forest. Their faces were similar to human faces and the bodies covered in sparse, light brown hair. The distance between Quong and the creatures was two meters. The creatures jumped from the trees they were in and ran away when they saw Quong running away.
Steve and Francis go next to the location of Hoang Trong Quong's sighting, Ke Bang National Park, where they will be heading into the jungle. Approximately 60% of the Park has probably never been visited by a human being, ever so it is a largely unresearched and dense territory. Based upon Quong's description that the creatures were comfortable both in the trees and running on the ground, Steve describes the features the Wildman's feet should have. Mike updates the feet on the computer image. He also updates the teeth based on speculation of what the creatures might eat.
Steve and Francis are looking for the perfect cave for their creature to call 'home'. They find a cave that is flooded with water. Steve swims in but finds no dry areas where the creature could live. A distance away they find a cave that would be perfect for the Wildman. They come across a small herd of cows that proves to Francis how a large creature could move silently through the thick jungle.
Back at the Beast Lab, the team assembles to watch their complete Beast Movie. At night, in the wilds of Vietnam, the creature leaves its cave as a lone man walks through the jungle. The creature watches the man from the trees then jumps to the ground. The sound of a captured monkey causes the man to begin running and the creature is in pursuit. The man is able to escape but the creature devours the captured monkey.
Beast Legends airs every Thursday night at 10 P.M. (9 p.m. Central) on the SyFy Channel. The final episode, Bird Monster aired on October 14, 2010.
For More Information:
Official Web Site: http://www.beastlegends.com/
Official SyFy Site: http://www.syfy.com/beastlegends/index.php
TV Rage: http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-26229/?vote=10
Francis Manapul's Official Website: http://www.francismanapul.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
