Friday, November 6, 2015

The Librarians, Season Two, Episode One: And the Drowned Book


Then

When last we saw The Librarians, magic had  returned to the world and the ley lines reopened. Nine months ago, Prospero took the complete works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's, Sherlock Holmes from a book shelf. Prospero opeeds the book and placeed it on the floor.  With his hands he created a magical sphere and smoke poured from the book.  The smoke shifted into none other than Moriarty. Well, the Librarians are in trouble now.

Today 

Jenkins watches as objects begin to flash and disappear from the Library.  The bookcases start to move and crash to the floor.

Eve sits in a boat as Flynn pulls it down a river.  The plan is to enter a village to collect an idol but when we see them next, they are being chased by the villagers.  When Eve and Flynn return to the Library, she points out that they haven't seen the other Librarians since they left and wonders if they should check on them.  Flynn tells Eve not to worry because they are doing what Librarians do. Rather than dealing with Eve's concern, Flynn decides that they should check out shipwreck exhibit and the museum of history in New York when the books opens and reveals clippings about the event.

 Jake is somewhere in Asia and he is being chased. When he opens his book, he sees a clipping about the museum.

Cassandra is at a lab and when she opens her book, she sees the same clipping.

Jones has once again broken into somewhere.  His phone signals (yes, Jones made his book digital) and like the others, he has a notification about the museum event

Jake returns to the library and is welcomed back by Jenkins.  Cassandra arrives right after Jake and  is followed by Jones.  All of the librarians head off to New York without even seeing each other, or becoming aware that they are on the same mission.

Flynn and Eve approach the shipwrecked Isola Perduta.  Eve warns Flynn about his wallet, as Jones tries to slip by and is grabbed by Eve. Cassandra and Jake show up and explain that the librarians together but split up after Peru.  A tornado suddenly appears in the sky as the librarians head inside. Flynn suggests that they find out what the shipwreck has to do with the storm, but it seems that Jake's notice is about a chess set that was donated the museum, Cassandra's about new high frequency weather sonar equipment and Jones is about jewelry.  Eve suggests that they pool their resources but Jones thinks that they should each do their own job.  All the librarians say that they all kind of have their own style and Flynn is quick to support them. The conversation is end when James Moriarty announces that no one will be allowed to leave because of flooding. As he speaks, Moriarty takes note of Flynn in the gathered crowd.

Jake goes after his target and finds a series of chess sets.  Jones approaches a woman from the Italian delegation and he gets his flirt on but his shot down.  Cassandra rushes up the stairs to the National Weather Station to find people starting to evacuate, leaving her alone.  Eve suggests to Flynn that they should ask for some help because checking out the artifacts might take a while but Flynn, being Flynn, responds that doesn't need any help. Eve approaches Moriarty to ask if he knows about the exhibit but Flynn cuts her off saying that the man she is talking to is James Worth, professor of antiquities from Oxford university.  When Moriarty asks how he discerned his identity, Flynn replies that it was,"elementary."  Really Librarians?  No, that wasn't at all forced.  Moriarty returns the favour by revealing that he not only knows Flynn's name but knows that Flynn is a Librarian and finishes off with "elementary." Yeah I am rolling my eyes really hard now.  Moriarty charms Eve by calling her a Duchess but Flynn snarks that Eve's accent should have given her away.  Moriarty walks off with Eve.

Cassandra has manged to boot up the power and is using the computer to investigate the storm. When she puts on the headset, she can hear a sound in the storm.  Cassandra sends it Jenkins, who records it and she reveals that she cannot see a mathematical formula to explain the sound. Jenkins asks her to put aside logic and mathematics for a moment and asks Cassandra what it sounds like to her.  Cassandra says that it sounds sad.  Jake bursts in asks Cassandra to write down the relative densities of any stone she thinks someone might make a chess piece out of. Cassandra tells him that he could look this up on her own but he responds that she is faster than the internet.  Jones bursts in and asks Jake to write down some Italian cultural stuff: paintings, poem etc.  Jake questions why they stopped working together and Jones responds that Jake kept ordering him around and Cassandra kept taking Jake's side.  Cassandra says that she tried to get Jake and Jones to stop arguing and wonders why they can work so well together at the library but not when they are on their own. Right so this whole thing is going to be about the fact that the librarians get more accomplished together than apart.


Moriarty is still escorting Eve around as he explains the shipwreck to her.  Flynn interjects and says that he hasn't seen anything that could have caused the storm and Eve suggests that Flynn speak to Moriarty because he seems knowledgeable.  Flynn notices a bottle of English rum in the cargo displays and James responds that they have had difficulty identifying some of the artifacts. Flynn asks where the artifacts are and James tells him the archive room, Flynn takes off to see what he can find.  Eve then asks James about chess sets and he agrees to educate her over some drinks.

Terry (Aka Prospero)  lets Flynn into the archive room and in the process drops the book from which he got Moriarty.  Flynn picks it up and puts it on a table but pays it no attention.

Jones is back to getting his flirt on with the Italian woman wearing the pearl earrings but she walks away saying that she wants a man to surprise her.  Jones calls out that he and his friends are about to rob the museum and this is what finally gets her interested.

James asks if Eve works with Flynn and she explains that she works with a team now but isn't sure that she is needed anymore. James suggests that Eve shouldn't allow others to define her and to do the things she knows she can do.  James excuses himself to go and check on Flynn. Eve uses her phone to look up the chess set.

Flynn is busy trying to break into a chest when James walks in.  James says that he cannot seem to open it and Flynn replies that the lock has a magical symbol. James takes note of the book and asks for it back. When Flynn opens it, he notes that there is no ink on the inside. Flynn finally realises that James is a fictional character who has been brought to life.  Moriarty calls it ludicrous but when Flynn suggests that he is Sherlock Holmes, James tells him that he is correct. Really? Flynn, who is apparently so intelligent couldn't match the name James with James Moriarty?  Another eye roll. Actually maybe two.  Flynn and James shake hands, as Flynn goes on about how much he loves his adventures.  Flynn suggests a team up between the two of them and asks why he is there. James claims that he is there to solve the mystery of the magic box. When Flynn turns to focus on the box James grabs something to bash Flynn over the head with. Before James can act however, he is hit from behind by Eve. Flynn is shocked by what Eve has done.  Eve explains that the Italian delegation were invited to the Museum by James, the owner of the chess set who died under mysterious circumstances was talked into leaving it to the museum by James, and finally the researchers wanted to show the British artifacts but were talked out of it by James. It seems all of the items the other Librarians are investigating can be traced directly back to James.  Eve calls James the mastermind and so he introduces himself as James Moriarty.

Now in handcuffs, James says that Flynn may be the genius but it was Eve who played the role of detective to put it all together. Flynn holds the book that James came from and Eve questions why the clipping book sent the Librarians on four different missions. Flynn asks for enlightenment and James says that he won't rattle off his scheme like a penny dreadful villain.  Flynn decides that he has to get the book to Jenkins and Eve decides to fill in the other librarians.  Eve does pause to consider whether it is wise to leave Moriarty and Moriarty swears that he wouldn't go anywhere without her.

Jones leads his mark into the chess room to find Jake looking over the chess pieces. The mark reaches in and grabs a piece as the two men argue. The mark puts down her drink and walks out of the room. Jones looks up and realises that his mark is gone, so he follows her and Jake continues to investigate.

Back at the library, Jenkins says that fictional characters don't adjust well but Flynn reports that Moriarty is doing just find and has even gotten himself a fake identity. Jenkins suggests that Moriarty had help and that someone summoned him into this world.  Jenkins does however add that there are different kinds of fictional beings who release themselves from stories.  Flynn realises that there must have been another fictional being at the party and adds that he just has to figure out who. Jenkins warns that fictionals can be trapped within the rules of their own tales but they can be extremely powerful if their narrative matches the real world  Jenkins goes on to say that the fictional being might be trying to gather parts of his story to gain strength. Aha...now the storm makes sense since Prospero has the ability to alter weather and wield magic.

Jones rushes into the weather monitoring center only to find the Italian mark with Cassandra.  The mark takes off her earrings in order to listen to the storm on the headset. It seems that the woman always had an interest in science, so Cassandra encourages her to follow her dreams. The woman kisses Cassandra on each cheek, offers up her number and leaves.  Jake and Jones watch absolutely stunned.  Cassandra says that Flynn has got to hear the sound in the storm and all three take off to find him, leaving the earrings on the desk. The moment the librarians leave the room, a hand reaches out and grabs the earrings.

Cassandra plays the recording for Flynn which says, "master I have brought the storm." Flynn surmises that the storm is being controlled by some kind of wind spirit.  Flynn starts to put the pieces of the puzzle together and realises that they are looking for Prospero from the Tempest.

Prospero  heads to the roof and uses the chess piece and the earrings  to open the wooden case Flynn was looking at earlier. Inside the chest is a book. The lights in the museum go out and Flynn suggests the gang get moving. Flynn tells the group that the library was telling them to keep the items away from Prosepro.  Flynn drops back and lets the others race ahead  To Eve he says that Prospero is getting stronger every second and Eve agrees to find Moriarty.

Flynn makes his way to the roof and reminds Propero that he renounced his magic and broke his staff but Prospero says he did those deeds because Shakespeare wrote it that way. Flynn argues that he has to play by the rules but Prospero says that magic is back and the night the ley lines came back, his power came back, thus allowing him to summon Moriarty. Flynn again argues that Prospero has to play by the rules of his story but Prosper replies that his author is dead and that he writes his own ending now.

Eve heads to find Moriarty but he is not in chains.  Moriarty sneaks up on her and a fight breaks out, causing Eve to  stab  Moriarty in the stomach.  Moriarty pulls out the sword  out and tells Eve that this is not how his story ends, before fleeing. Eve tries to follow but Moriarty locks her inside the archive room.

Prospero says that when he finds his staff the world is his.  Prospero calls out to his sprite Arial, and a beam of light shoots into his watch.  Moriarty shows up and Prospero, says, "with me villain."  Flynn tries to follow but is held back by Eve, who tells Flynn  that he cannot go alone.

The two arrive back at the library to find the other librarians already there. Eve wonders why the storm is still raging now that Ariel has been pulled out of it and Flynn explains that a storm that size is self sustaining and is actually far more dangerous now. Flynn says that they need to stop the storm because it is dangerous and suggests using Zeus's lightening bolt.  Jones suggests blowing it away with Thor's hammer and Cassandra suggests killing the storm with heat but Flynn says that would take a second sun.  As it turns out, they have a second sun.  Flynn gives each librarian a task to complete to end the storm.

The librarians take a moment and make peace as they face their dangerous mission. Flynn and Eve end up in the torch of the Statue of liberty.  Jake and Jenkins open the doors and release the energy of the sun and Cassandra uses a computer to direct the energy. In the end, Jake is ecstatic to not have burned alive.

With the danger over, Cassandra says that they screwed up because they didn't work together.  Eve suggests that they all need to work together from here on in.  Flynn walks away saying he hasn't been needed in a long time.

With magic now officially a part of The Librarian world (yeah I cannot believe given the weird things that have happened in the universe, they are now just claiming magic in the world) that things are gong to change.  It's once again worth noting that there's absolutely nothing original about this show. It blatantly robs from various different universes and it seems that this season, Sherlock Holmes is going to play a big part of its ongoing thievery.  Generally, speaking I love the character of Moriarty because he is ingenious but David S Lee is absolutely no Andrew Scott. It's like watching a pale shadow.   With both Flynn and Moriarity posturing and both saying elementary, I almost hurt myself with the eye rolling.  The Librarians doesn't believe in subtlety whatsoever.

Speaking of unoriginal, the premise that the group cannot get along and so go their separate ways but then are forced together and learn that they are better together HAS BEEN DONE. OMG it's been done until it's dead, so naturally, that's the choice The Librarians choose to make. The next time I sit down to watch an episode of this show, I will make sure to make a pot of coffee before because it's so boring that I found it hard to keep my eyes open.

I suppose we have to talk about Cassandra and Eve, who are clearly the smartest of the bunch. They do there thing while the men are largely caught up in a pissing contest.  I think that's about the only redeemable thing in this episode.  It's however worth noting that Cassandra is forced into the role of peace maker as though women have nothing better to do than act as referee to ridiculous posturing males.  Flynn who is so caught up in how intelligent he is, is quick to dismiss every damn suggestion that Eve has to make.  Sure it's somewhat redeemed in the end because the men learn that they shouldn't have dismissed the women but is this really a plot we need in freaking 2015?  Maybe in 1970 when the modern day women's movement was starting this would have been progressive but not now it's just another example of been there done that. Couldn't we just start from a place where the opinion of the female characters is listened to and respected? How's that for progressive?