Tuesday 12 March 2013

The Walking Dead 3.13 Review: Arrow on the Doorpost


Rick and the Governor finally met this week, under an attempt by Andria to negotiate a seize fire between those at the prison and Woodbury. Both Rick and the Governor however are leaders who will do whatever it takes to get things done, and neither is very willing to compromise. I felt as frustrated at them as Andrea did when they asked her to leave the meeting, but I simultaneously understood that in the world of The Walking Dead trust is something very few survivors can afford to do and both Rick and the Governor live by this. During the meeting Daryl and Hershel conversed with Martinez and Milton highlighting how similar the two groups are and potentially trying to build some history between characters so that when the inevitable time comes they have to fight each other, the stakes will seem that little bit higher (despite that nothing these characters shared during this episode was all that interesting). Back at the prison Merle believes that it's a good idea to attack the Governor now while he's unprepared, Glenn disagrees with him and refuses to let Merle jeopardise the lives of Rick and the others. A fight ensues but Beth breaks it up by shooting a gun. Merle settles down, but tries his hardest to convince Michonne that it could be their last chance to take the Governor by surprise. Later on Glenn and Maggie inevitably make up, so much so that they have sex while on watch. While I was a little annoyed the Rick confide in Hershel that he was considering giving up Michonne, it most certainly brings up interesting ethical and moral decisions that will likely have dire consequences regardless of Rick's choice. If he gives The Governor Michonne he is betraying a woman who, while new, has been invaluable to their groups survival. Then, as we know, the fact that the Governor is going to kill them regardless of them sacrificing Michonne. Rick raises an interesting point to Hershel though. Are they really willing to risk all their lives for Michonne? Yes, the Governor will kill them regardless, but is fighting for Michonne's life a more or less valuable cause then fighting for their own? Rick's decision to tell the others that that Governor wants them dead was a wise move. Now only he and Hershel have to be burdened with the fact that by giving up Michonne they could possibly save themselves, while the others will fight has hard as they can, believing that it is their only option.

Rating: 3/5

Sunday 10 March 2013

Supernatural 8.16 Review: Remember The Titans


This marks the second consecutive episode Supernatural has had a stand-alone that has been very poorly linked to the overall seasons arc. Sam and Dean travel to Montana to investigate a man who was seen lying dead on the side of the road by a state trooper only to resussertate and walk away. While Sam and Dean talk to the state trooper, a fax comes through identifying the man he saw, who now dead and in the morgue. Sam and Dean go to the morgue and the man revives again. They take him back to the motel and he's attacked by Artemis, who we later learn is Zeus's daughter, sent to punish Shane, who is actually Prometheus who stopped Zeus from stealing power from all humans. When Hayley, a past lover of Shane's shows up with their son Oliver, she tells them he suffers the same ailment as Shane and wants Sam and Dean to help her cure it. They summon Zeus to do so, but Artemis stops them and takes Sam and Dean away while he tortures Shane in front of Hayley and Oliver. Sam ridicoulously figures out that Artemis and Shane had a fling and he convinces her to help them. In the battle against Zeus Shane sacrifices himself pushing an arrow Artemis shoots through to Zeus and they both die, curing Oliver of Zeus's curse. The villians were unusually large-scale for such a low-key episode, giving it a disjointed feeling. Sam's connection to Shane/ Prometheus though, that he too could die to save the world in his attempt to shut the gates of hell for good, was a weak attempt to make the episode relate back to the overall arc of the season.

Rating: 2/5

The Vampire Diaries 4.15 Review: Stand By Me


I was highly anticipating Silas' awakening and Katherine's return and while I was a little annoyed The Vampire Diaries slowed down the progression of its major arc during this episode it was understandable that the show took a break for the characters to mourn Jeremy. Elena's denial was painful to endure in the first part of the episode, as was Stefan and Damon's tip-toeing about confronting her straight on about Jeremy's death. When she finally came to the realisation though her reaction was entertaining and Damon's decision to turn off her humanity, while it was just another quick fix, will no doubt provide an interesting change in the Elena, Stefan, Damon love-triangle. Burning down her house, too, will provide a fresh setting for the show. Every character’s ability to leave the island at their will was logistically impossible, but at least Rebekah's discovery that Shane was still on the island, revealing that Silas is posing as him back in Mystic Falls was a thrilling twist. Bonnie's infatuation with bringing Jeremy back is just annoying, despite having her be bad providing cheap thrills. The ability in which Shane a.k.a Silas was able to convince her was not very believable and I hope Bonnie's logic in helping him is further developed, but I doubt it.

Rating: 3/5