Westworld, Season One, Episode Six: The Adversary

Maeve! Maeve! Maeve!. Okay, y'all know that I have a massive thing for Maeve since she is being played by the ever so awesome Thandie Newton.  I've been waiting since the first time that she appeared on scene for her character to get some serious attention and finally it happened. 

Maeve has been on her journey of self awareness though it has largely been over shadowed by that of Delores.  This week, we watch as Maeve reports for work at her brothel with a real sense of purpose. A new customer arrives and rather than letting Clementine service him, Maeve takes over and leads the customer to a bedroom.  It begins with Maeve immediately emasculating her customer encouraging his violence by placing his hands around her throat.  

When next we see Maeve she's alert inside the lab.  It's clear that she allowed the John to kill her so that she could return to the lab.  That takes guts.  Let's remember that Maeve at this point only has a hunch that something shifty is going on and therefore it's a huge risk to encourage a man to strangle her so that she could end up someplace she's not 100% certain really exists.  As luck would have it, the tech she ends up with is Lutz.

Maeve immediately starts demanding answers and Lutz explains that she isn't human like he is.  For Maeve this is confusing because there seems to be no difference between her and Lutz. He proves that she's being controlled by pulling out a hand held device which accurately predicts what she's going to say.  It's enough to make Maeve go on the fritz and in the process, freaking Lutz the hell out.  He frankly tries to reboot Maeve.  Fortunately for him, Maeve comes back online; however, she's not satisfied and now wants to see the rest of the facility.  Lutz takes Maeve on a little tour and sees dead hosts being washed down, a bison being lead around on a leash, hosts kissing and even a set up for a shoot out over a card game. Maeve's fascinated and it's clear to both her and the viewer just how scripted her life is. Maeve pauses when she sees a promotional video for Westworld in which she sees herself and her daughter from another build.  

Salem, Season 3, Episode 2: The Heart is a Devil

Zombie Mary rises from the grave, righteously pissed at everyone, especially Tituba. Because Mary has always given Tituba way more grief than she deserves

The other Essex witches inform Mary what’s happened – she’s been bought back to kill the devil who will enslave them all and make up for what she did wrong. Mary, at least, isn’t having that and rightfully points out all of them are responsible for this and she’s definitely not playing scapegoat. Still only she can kill devil child because Motherhood (apparently) and she’s now bound to Salem forever… so hell may be preferable

She’s still obsessed with John which means Tituba can get her onside by showing her a future with John dead. Yup, the world may die but what she cares about is John – and off she goes for a brief sexual reunuion. John has questions – especially since he and Sebastian are still snarling at each other over who is responsible for Mary’s death – but is willing to shelve them because Sex. The next morning Mary opts to magically send him to sleep rather than explain so she can catch up with Baby Devil

Remember John was spared by Hawthorn last episode because they need him to train a militia? Well he’s not exactly getting on with that, partly because he has very real, scathing views at the idea of war as glorious. Tituba astrally projects her way to him to remind him that he did shoot someone last week who didn’t die and that, maybe, just maybe, this war could be supernatural so could he get on with the soldier training already so they don’t all die.

As she points out, she must save the world through 2 stubborn fools who only want to save each other. Tituba is too good for this

Of course, since we’re talking devil children and the man who didn’t die when John shot him was Native American I believe we’re in for a horrible story of demonic native American “savages” against good Christian settlers.

John finally begins the training and we’re introduced to a new character who is clearly worshipping John and desperately wants to help fight – and is able to sucker punch him so, skills, I guess. This character is also either a trans-man or, more likely given it’s Salem a woman pretending to be a man to get in on the fighting. I don’t know where this storyline is going but I am slightly bemused that this show seemed to think this was big surprising reveal at the end of the episode.

Tituba gets herself a set of cat’s eyes that let her spy through the cat because relying on these guys? Yes, she’s definitely going to need to keep an eye on things

Isaac has still decided he’s the hero of the slums, investigating murders – in this case the man who Mercy killed for pimping out his niece. He is playing hero to the people but literally no-one cares about this man’s death or has a good word to say. Also, question question what is Isaac living on? I mean, he seems to have no gainful employment but is doing well for himself – so where’s the money coming from? Did I miss something?

Supernatural, Season 12, Episode 5: The One You've Been Waiting For

We have another Hitler episode and… can we not? It’s almost impossible to do this without it being awful, touching lots of awful and then wallowing in that awful. If you go supernatural it tends to appropriate, if you comedic it tends to be inappropriate, if you go serious it feels like you’re using The Big Bad as a tool to set tone. And when you’re going to do all this in a monster of the week episode

Of course, the Thule have been a recurring theme – Nazi necromancers running around being awful and difficult to kill and awful. They’re burning people so they can leave a signature trail of bodies of people they could just as easily have stabbed and then not have appeared on the Winchester’s radar.

The Winchesters follow the very obvious trail of breadcrumbs to find that the Thule have stolen a Nazi watch and are hunting a woman called Ellie who is waaaay out of her depth but quickly having to accept the existence of the supernatural because of the people burning to death around her

We also have Christoph, babynazi. Babynazi is the son of one of the Thule necromancers who are doing big bad terrible things and he has a shed load of daddy issues because his Nazi daddy isn’t a very nice man and continually emotionally abuses his son for failing to meet his expectations. The Winchesters are unimpressed because a) Nazi and b) The Winchesters have already cornered the market on daddy issues.

Christoph, whether because he’s not that strong willed or just not that invested in the cause or really doesn’t want a bullet in the head, decides to spill all: the Thule want Ellie because she’s related to Hitler. They want the watch because it contains Hitler’s soul. Throw in necromancer and, yes, they want to bring Hitler back

Honestly, do they really thinking the leader of their society needs to be someone who is 70 years out of date. And lost then as well. And in the modern world he’s going to have difficulty gathering a fol-

I’m not even going there.

Z Nation, Season Three, Episode Eight: Election Day

This episode made me want throw my hand in the air with disgust.  Z Nation has always been a show which has difficulty deciding whether it's going to be serious or simply wallow in cheese. After moving the meta along slowly for seven episodes, Z Nation has once again returned to a parody episode.  Unfortunately, it's far from amusing.  I am however going to acknowledge that I watched this in the wake of the election of the talking orange shag carpet and therefore might have felt differently about it if I'd seen it before America had a giant temper tantrum in front of the world. 

When we last left off, Addie and Doc had separated from Warren in Co, on a mission to find Lucy.  At this point, they can hear Kiera's broadcasts but cannot communicate with her.  They make it as far as the South Dakota badlands before the truck they're using breaks down.  They don't have to think about what to do for long because a presidential motorcade arrives.  It seems that once again, Sketchy and Skeezy are the middle of yet another con.  This time, Sketchy has taken on the role of the POTUS and to back up his claim. the duo broke into the Clinton president library and stole his limo.  I hope that they wiped that shit down with antibacterial wipes before they sat in the seats.  Since Sketchy and Skeezy are headed in the same direction, they offer to travel with Doc and Addie.

Once they all arrive in Wall Drug a supply store which is acting as housing to a group of people, Sketchy and Skeezy immediately start their con.  Sketchy takes on the identity of Thurston Howell IV. Yes, that's right, Gilligan's Island.  How completely fitting. Sketchy claims to be president by virtue of being the 137th in line of succession.  His big plan is to build a wall separating the humans from the zombies and to get this done, he needs donations from the populace. Addie and Doc are shocked to see the small group of people eating out of Sketchy's hands.

Sketchy and Skeezy don't get to seal the deal because an opponent shows ups with a different plan. John J Lannister shows up wearing a cheap Trump wig with a plan of his own.  Lannister suggests that they need to dig holes and then drop criminals into the holes to encourage the zombies to jump in and feast on them.  According to Lannister, his plan is a winner because it presents a two prong solution to the ills of apocalypse society. Lannister and Sketchy trade barbs back and forth quoting familiar lines from past politicians, sounding more and more ridiculous with each passing moment but the fact is, people at this point are desperate and need something to be hopeful about. It's a ridiculous mockery.  Because there's no agreement between Lannister and Sketchy as to whose plan is best or who has the right to call themselves president, it's decided that an election is needed and that comes with a debate.  Addie is chosen to act as the debate moderator because she's supposedly neutral. Yes, Z Nation went there.

America Horror Story, Season 6, Episode 9: Chapter 9

For some reason the title of this show feels ironic today. Like nothing on TV can truly be a real American Horror Story any more. Except maybe the news.

Lee and Audrey have just found another survivor – or, rather, Dylan, an actor arrives on the dead Sid’s instructions to stir up a little more drama in a show he assumed would be dead by now. Well it is dead… but not quite the way they thought

Dylan is ex military and is confident he can help them escape – and they decide to go steal one of the Polk’s trucks (so Lee can have another chance to grab the camera with her murder confession on it as well).

Audrey also pushes to rescue Monet

She finds Monet. Lee finds her camera – things are looking good. Except the Polks find Dylan and he is promptly murdered. Audrey kills a Polk in return – but then the Polks bail, taking the truck with them.

Because the Butcher and her minions are on their way – and without their mother the Polks fear they have no protection and even they’re smart enough to get well away.

Unable to move quickly, Lee tells Audrey and Monet to run. And they do – leaving Lee behind

They flee to shelter, but have managed to hold on to the camera, their proof of their own innocence. They watch the tape with all the horrors on it – and see Lee’s confession

Time to start drinking. And I don’t blame them one tiny iota. There are times to be teetotaller. This is not one of them

But outside, Lee isn’t dead. Lee is saved by… someone? I think it’s Forest Gaga since she arrives with a pig heart she makes Lee eat

Yes, we have a new Butcher, complete with the same dramatic speeches which is kind of glorious

Aftermath, Season One, Episode Seven: What the Thunder Said

So when we last left Aftermath, Mount Rainer was set to explode.  The Copelands are desperate to get off the mountain. They listen as the radio advises which direction they should go but they are cut off.  Things come to a head when the RV overheats and they are forced to stop.  Joshua is confidant that they still have some more time and will just wait until the radiator cools down a bit. Given that the family is outside, Dana and Martin decide to use the time for a little privacy. They don't get to fool around for long because Karen enters the RV.  She's not impressed to see Martin and Dana together and starts to grill them.  For the first time we learn that Martin is 28.  Karen asks about Martin's military service and how he came to be under the command of Booner. Once satisfied, Karen quickly gives the couple her stamp of approval. Look, I know it's the end of the world but there's something wrong with a 28 year old man canoodling with a 15 year old girl and professing his love for her. If this weren't happening at the supposed end of the world, there would be a nice jail cell waiting for Martin. 

The Copelands are able to get moving again.  Jane travels with Brianna and they end up talking about Jane's dead son. It seems that Jane thought that her son was getting better and so she accepted a deployment but unfortunately, Jane's son died while she was away. This of course is a set up to explains Jane's actions later. What obvious bad storytelling.  The caravan is forced to come to a stop when Joshua sees a bald, barefoot man standing in the center of the road.  He claims to be a monk who woke up not far from their current location in this body. The chat with the monk is brought to halt when they come under sniper fire.  Everyone except the Monk and Joshua who has been shot looks for cover. The monk does his mojo thing and kills the sniper. 

Joshua is rushed into the RV because he needs medical attention after being shot in the stomach.  The monk does the woo woo thing and declares that none of Joshua's organs were damaged and removes the bullet with his bare hands.  He then puts some herbs on Joshua's wounds and says that they work better than stitches.  Joshua promptly passes out. The Copelands get moving again and Dana worries about the health of her father prompting Martin to give her some song dance about how only the people who believed they were going to die ever died while he was in battle.  

The whole convoy is forced to stop when the come to a creator blocking off the road. The Monk suggests that they head to the prayer wheel on the mountain because anyone who stands in the prayer wheel will have their wish fulfilled.  Joshua who is now magically healed gets up to discuss this. Seeing Joshua without a mark from the gunshot wound is enough for the Copelands to seriously consider doing as the Monk asks.  Karen and Joshua argue about who should go.  Karen is worried about Joshua's health and he is concerned that she's not exactly a believer. Joshua relents and Karen heads up the mountain with the Monk and Jane because she promised to protect Karen.  The rest of the family decides to head to the avalanche shelter. 

As Karen, Jane and the Monk make their way towards the prayer circle, Joshua, Matt, Dana and Martin drive towards the shelter.  Joshua stops the RV when they come across a couple coming down the mountain. Steve and Anna introduce themselves and explain about losing a friend of theirs on the mountain.  Joshua tells them of their plan to head to the shelters but Steve argues that the shelter only hold enough oxygen for a few people and they are more than a few people.  Joshua feels that it's their only option, so invites Anna and Steve to either join them or make their own way to safety.  Seeing that they have few options, Anna and Steve come along for the ride.  Martin is concerned with how easily Joshua accepted Anna and Steve and ponders whether or not Joshua is too nice of a guy for the apocalypse.

Karen, the Monk and Jane make it to the prayer wheel.  Karen's all set to enter but is stopped when her gun is taken by Jane. It seems that Jane wants to enter the prayer wheel because she wants to see her son again, eruption be damned. Karen tries to talk her down but Jane will have none of it.  The Monk warns that if Jane enters the prayer circle that it won't achieve the result she wants and she responds by shooting him. Jane and Karen scuffle for the gun again but Jane ends up in power again. Jane enters the circle and at first nothing happens but then the rocks begin to float and light shines up from the ground.  Jane gets sucked into the earth and disappears. 

Cold Hearted (Yancy Lazarus #2) by James A Hunter

Yancy Lazarus is a drifter, a gambler, a drinker and a blues man and he’d really like to be left alone. He did his bit for the Guild of the Staff, the wizards’ ruling body, and now he’s past done with them.

But when an old friend asks for help to rescue his grandson from some winter fae, Yancy can hardly say no. He can’t leave a child in their hands.

Unfortunately, the kidnapping of a child is only the beginning of the problems he uncovers – and not only does he find a conspiracy that could cause immense damage, but he also places himself smack in the middle of it. Accused of murder (and then relying on the arresting FBI agent to be an ally), weakened and depowered and targeted by a pissed off mage and some ancient elemental force, Yancy’s own survival depends on him getting back in the fight.

It’s been a while since I read the first book in this series Strange Magic, but despite the wide and rich world it quickly came back to me because it has an excellent voice and tone that’s pretty unique

In the world we have a flawed wizarding organisation

In many ways it reminds me heavily of The Dresden Files but, perhaps due to length of the series so far, not quite on the same scale. But I think that’s also very much due to Yancey – because Yancey generally doesn’t want to get involved. Yancy is getting by and is quite resentful at the Guild of the Staff dragging him any further in.

Yancey is quite happy to slope around the world, preferably warm parts of the world, smoking and drinking and gambling and eating excellent BBQ whenever he can. He’s not into saving the world and he has little faith with the Guild of the Staff, with its far greater emphasis on politics and excessive caution than in actually looking out for the members it’s supposed to be helping.

Yancey isn’t involved in the wider aspects of the world setting here – which is also reflected in the world building: we have lots of hints of various monsters and creatures more than the larger organisations. This draws more from Yancey’s long and varied experiences – so we have some excellent world building about the monsters and creatures Yancey runs up against (which are varied, different and original creations which are excellently depicted for a very action packed book) than the sweeping organisations (though I love the world building around Old Man Winter and the summer and winter fae)

That doesn’t mean there isn’t epic here – but it’s epic that Yancey is beginning to uncover (and reluctantly at that) and become part of. The wider world that they are being dragged into has been excellently hinted at and I’m sure is going to develop much much further in later books.

The whole book has a very noir tone, while not set in that era. It has that cynical, jaded, world-weary sense that really does such a lot to explain Yancey’s character than any amount of overt explanation. You don’t need to have it expressly explained to picture Yancey sat in a dark, smokey bar, looking perhaps 10 or 20 years older than he should be, playing the blues on the piano with a large glass of whiskey to hand; occasionally pausing to share some painful old war stories with people he respects and tells people. The tone is excellent for world building.

The Walking Dead, Season Seven, Episode Three: The Cell

Last week, we got to see what's going on in the Kingdom and Ezekiel's minor rebellions against Negan.  This week, we head into the Saviours compound to see what happened with Darryl since being taken captive.  The writers clearly began depending upon dissonance to help hold this episode together.  The Cell begins with Dwight watching Who's The Boss. Dwight didn't just happen to be watching an eighties sitcom, the audience was meant to ask the question as it relates to the Saviours. The answer of course is Negan, as though we could forget it after watching Negan's brutal murder of Abraham and our beloved Glenn.

We watch as Dwight moves throughout the Saviours compound taking food stuffs from people in order to make a sandwich.  He eats his fill and then makes a dog food sandwich for Darryl, who's being kept naked in a dark closet.  “Easy Street” by The Collapsible Hearts Club, (a song which I came to loathe in this episode) plays in the background.  It's clear that the music is a form of torture for Darryl. You see, The Cell is all about Dwight's attempt to break Darryl for Negan.  The next time we see Dwight, he's carrying Darryl's crossbow and he takes Darryl for a checkup. In Carson's office, Dwight is shocked to see Sherry and a pregnancy test. Sherry is quick to inform Dwight that the test is negative.  Sherry, recognizes Darryl and tries to talk to him but is stopped by Dwight and told to leave.  Carson tells Darryl that things could get easier for him if he would just submit.

After the all clear from Carson, Dwight and Darryl leave the office but they don't get far because they run into Negan and are forced to kneel.  This is when Darryl catches sight of a very cozy living area, complete with a man chair and a television.  Dwight then takes Darryl back to his cell and advises him to simply submit, pointing out that he never thought he would take the knee but eventually did.

Negan is always playing games. I don't think for one minute, Dwight's meeting with Sherry in Carson's office was accidental.  Negan meets with Dwight and offers to reward him for all of the good work that he has done breaking Darryl by offering him a chance to have sex with his wife.  This is not actually a reward but yet another test from Negan to ensure that he still has Dwight's loyalty.  Dwight turns the offer done, prompting Negan to ask if his penis is still functioning. This question isn't asked out of a sense of concern for Dwight but yet another attempt on the part of Negan to emasculate Dwight and remind him exactly who is the boss.  They're then notified that a member of the Sanctuary has escaped with supplies and Dwight is quick to volunteer to go after them, even though Negan points out that this is grunt work.  Dwight claims that he likes doing this.

The next day, we see Dwight leave on Darryl's motorcycle to hunt down the escaped person. A long the way he has a few run ins with walkers and manages to escape. Eventually, Dwight comes across the escaped Saviour fighting off a walker.

Back at the Sanctuary, because of Dwight's absence, Darryl is fed by someone else who quite obviously does not lock the door.  It's patently clear to the audience that this is a trap but Darryl falls for the bait and leaves anyway. As he tries to sneak out, Darryl runs into Sherry, who advises that Darryl returns to his cell because if he gets caught, things can get worse.  Sure enough, the moment Darryl manages to get outside, he finds himself quickly surrounded by Negan and his men.  Even after everything Darryl has been thorough, he refuses to submit which earns him a beating from Negan's men. When Darryl returns to his cell, Sherry stands outside and recalls their time together in the woods last season. She remembers how Darryl warned her that she would be sorry.