The Last Man on Earth, Season 1, Episode 3: Raisin Balls and Wedding Bells

1 wedding dress, 1 suit, 1 church and some vows and Carol has her marriage. Phil is distinctly unimpressed and almost as bemused as I am by the whole charade. Even more bemusing is that this is some kind of nightmare of Phil’s where there are actually still people left alive and she’s duped him into marrying him

He wakes up, therefore sparing us from a dream that’s even more ridiculous than the plot. He is relieved and reassured that the human race is still nearly extinct. I am saddened that the human race is merely “nearly” extinct. Alas Carol joins the scene and adds her gross “insight” on pornographic magazines, declaring that all the women in them were molested.

Carol continues to have a secret stash of some drug because there can be no other explanation for her behaviour. The only saving grace is that Phil, as annoying and revolting as he is, has just about as much bemused exasperation for her as I do.

So Carol prepares all the decorations for a wedding while Phil burns things and talks to balls and the mannequin he was obsessed with.

Wedding time – music, white dress, décor and, of course, Phil has forgotten the rings. Carol storms out

After a while Phil goes looking for her since she’ giving him the cold should and finds her house has been massively decorated for the wedding, along with a wedding cake. He tracks her down and admits that, enraging though she may be, he’d rather endure her endless annoying habits than live alone.

Not the choice I would have made.

They go jewellery shopping and Carol embraces random destruction in the name of diamonds. They complete the wedding

And that night go to bed together though Phil looks decidedly unenthused and Carol very business like. She is… truly horrifying during sex. Art least during what appears to be supposed to be sex? She has some after event criticism.

Once Upon a Time, Season 4, Episode 14: Unforgiven

For 5 brief seconds, Mary Margaret almost pretended to be a tough and no-nonsense character last episode. So now she’s having guilt dreams about some nebulous thing she did to Maleficent and the terrible revenge she will wreak against Mary Margret’s family

I have to vote in favour of terrible revenge being wreaked against the Charmings. More wreaking!

She wakes up and she and David fret over the upcoming vengeance wreaking

At this rate I’m going to stop even pretending I’m not Team Evil.

Time for an Enchanted Forest flashback – David and Mary Margaret returning from the honeymoon with Mary Margaret focused on the Evil Queen (Regina) still being out there looking to do some vengeful wreaking. They come home to find the whole castle is under a sleeping curse. In the castle they’re met by the three villains looking to make a deal. Of course, Regina got the Dark Curse that created Storybrooke from Maleficent back in season 1 so they know she has it – and don’t particularly want her to use it either. To defeat Regina they need to speak to a magical fae tree of knowledge (hereby known as the Wikitree) that doesn’t like evil people so much (though cringe at the ego of David who assumes “most valiant heroes” means him and Mary Margaret).

The villains plan to escort Mary Margaret and David to the Wikitree. On the way they run into guards who don’t really want to let villains cross a bridge – so Maleficent roasts them. Mary Margaret and David protest… and let it go. They do try to ditch the villains to go to the Wikitree alone – but it refuses to answer their questions. They failed the valiant hero test. Someone Wasn’t worthy.

They draw swords when the villains catch up which is kind of hilarious given how powerful the three are. Apparently the tree rejected them not because they’re not worthy (c’mon that could be an answer!) but because Mary Margaret is pregnant and her baby isn’t a valiant hero. Opportunities of heroism are few in a womb – and potential for great good comes with an equal potential for great evil (super duper evil).

That night we inch closer to the big dark secret – Maleficent visits Mary Margaret to appeal for them to work together in the name of their shared motherhood. Maleficent is pregnant and doesn’t want her child to suffer Regina’s curse. Mary Margaret refuses in the name of their integrity and keeping her baby pure.

In Storybrooke the villains are having trouble fitting in (and the Knave is present, all is good in the world – also did he just call granny “mum?”) with added snark of bringing up Regina’s evil past in front of Henry which Regina considers a terrible faux pas. She still insists to Mary Margaret that redemption is possible and she’s not really entertaining Mary Margaret and David’s fears

So David goes to Emma (and it seems Ursula and Killian have had dealings in the past) to convince her to follow the villains

Who go to Gold – Belle’s – shop to be duly threatened with a toad potion. At some point in the past the villains kidnapped Belle (Cruella barely remembers it, it all blurs together) and they congratulate her on what an utter mess Rumple has become for lots of Belle conflict. While they talk, Ursula uses her tentacle to steal a box. This is part of their plot to bring Maleficent back

As David and Emma stalk the villains, Emma realises there’s a little more to David’s obsession than “aargh villains!” But Belle has discovered the missing wooden box (she has some awesome inventory skills) so they pull the villains over. David finds the box, insider which is what looks like the head of Maleficent’s staff. He lies to Emma and says he didn’t find anything.

Waaaaait, doesn’t everyone know by now that it’s impossible to lie to Emma? Emma grows ever more suspicious but doesn’t call him on the lie. To add to the suspicions, she asks Killian who he knows Ursula and he dodges the question. And then Mary Margaret and David try to convince her they’re going “hiking” and totally don’t care about the villains

The Walking Dead, Season Five, Episode Thirteen: Forget

Sasha heads to the armory to get a weapon, as Olivia natters away. Is it me or Olivia just the most irritating resident of Alexandria that we have met yet?  Outside the walls, Sasha takes target practice by shooting at the pictures of the family that were hung up in her home.  Clearly, this is Sasha attempting to break the illusion that she feels Alexandria to be.  Once finished, Sasha puts down her gun and says, "come and get me." For Sasha, the struggle is clearly not over, despite the normalcy that the people of Alexandria are trying to push down her throat.

Rick, Carol and Darryl are gathered outside of the wall.  They are forming a plan to get into the armory and it's Carol who suggests leaving the latch on the window open. Rick is insistent that they arm themselves quickly just in case, adding that the townspeople are lucky because he has arrived with his group.  Rick however suggests that they want the others of the group to try and that they should keep the plan to steal guns between them.  On their way back, they pause when they see a zombie with a W carved into its forehead.

Michonne is dressed in her sheriffs uniform and is joined by Rick, who questions if Deanna giving them authority is some kind of play.  Michonne however thinks that this is a smart play because when the people see them as an authority figure, there will no longer be a division between Rick's group and the citizens of Alexandria.  When Rick questions if this a smart play for before the apocalypse or now, Michonne is adamant that they are living in the now. 

Darryl is outside the walls hunting when he stops suddenly and orders the person following him to come out.  Aaron steps out with his hands up, asking if Darryl can tell the difference between walkers and humans by sound.  Aaron then asks if Darryl can tell the difference between a good person and a bad person, adding that Rick doesn't seem to be an expert at that.  Darryl replies that it doesn't make much of a difference anymore and demands to know why Aaron is following him.  Aaron replies that he is out to hunt rabbits and asks to join Darryl. 

Back inside the walls, Deanna explains to Michonne her new role as sheriff as Maggie and Rick listen in.  Deanna tells Michonne  that the people will listen to her because she is telling them to.  Deanna then adds that there will be a government in Alexandria one day and that this is why she wants Maggie working with her.  Deanna says that she sees a community at Alexandria with industry, commerce, and civilization.  Rick then asks to talk about security. Outside, Rick warns Deanna that people are the real threat now and asks for a 24 hour watch in the clock tower, to make sure no one scales the fence.  Sasha steps forward to request the position as main lookout and Deanna says that there hasn't been the need to keep someone up there permanently.  Deanna then questions why Sasha would want that role and Maggie tells Deanna that Sasha is one of their best shots.  Deanna agrees to consider giving Sasha that role, if she agrees to attend a party she is holding that evening to welcome Rick's group to Alexandria.

Carol is trading recipes with one Alexandria's women and excuses herself when she sees Rick.  As they walk down the street, they talk about the fact that the party will give them an excellent opportunity to gather some guns.  When Rick offers to back up Carol, she points out that people will wonder where he is, since he is the new constable.  Rick quickly removes Darryl from the equation, feeling that Darryl is being too closely watched.  Carol however says that what's great about Alexandria is that they all get to be invisible again.

Fury's Kiss (Dorina Basarab #3) by Karen Chance

While the war rages on and the American Vampire Senate looks to fill its empty seats, Dorina is still part of the squad looking to track down the smugglers using portals to arm the Dark Mages with deadly weaponry and creatures to tip the balance of the war

The investigation turns deadly when several vampire agents are destroyed leaving only Dorina as a survivor with a hole in her memory. To find out what happened, she will have to deal with vampires, fae, fallen angels – and more plots than she could ever have imagined.

But while all this is going on Dorina has another battle – with herself. Old barriers in her mind are coming down and everything she believed about her dhampire nature is being challenged – presenting new threats and new possibilities

There is a lot about this book I love

I love the development of what Dorina is, of the very nature of the dhampires and how this relates to vampire culture. The whole sense that vampires are deeply social and hierarchical and that Dorina’s vampire side feels all of that but is then isolated from the hierarchy by vampiric hatred of dhampires and her human side’s own weakness. It’s a wonderful little twist and manages to greatly expand what Dorina is without the sense of retconning or changing the established world setting at all. It also led to more excellent exploration of Dorina’s character and history as well as vampire culture. There’s also the ever-complicated relationship between Dorina and her father which is also wonderfully expanded on and explored in this book.

I also really liked Ray in this book. We had a lot more of his history as someone who is half-Portuguese and half-Indonesian and his history of being rather stuck between two cultures (including an interesting insight that previous Asian vampiric masters had used him, in centuries past, to be their guide to Europe but missing that European blood doesn’t give knowledge of language or custom). He really grew as a character in this book beyond his standard role as somewhat inept comic relief. He’s survivor and a chancer. A vampire who will never be a major power nor has any real close family ties to keep him safe - he’s always found his niche by being clever and being daring. He takes risks, he’s willing to try things no-one else would consider (sometimes for very good reason) he’s imaginative and creative and comes up with a lot of crafty answers and work arounds because of it. He becomes an asset and we can see him as an asset without having to greatly increase his power.

The plot itself is amazingly complicated (which I have some problems with which I will get to) which draws on every element of this vast world – and it is vast. I think every faction and player that has been introduced in the last two books all plays a hand in this book – the fae, the vampires, the mages and some new ones we’ve never heard of before. It all adds up to an incredibly complicated master plan which fits so well in this rich and wide world that is laid out for us

The pacing of the book is break neck (which, again, is not without its problems). Dorina runs from action to action, scene to scene at an incredible rate with no time to catch your breath before the next concept or battle or revelation lands on you. This doesn’t pause or get bogged down, though it can certainly exhaust you as you struggle to keep up with the battles or absorb yet another chunk of world building, all of it thrown at you with little chance to process.

The main problem I have with this book is that it feels long. It is somewhat long, that’s certainly true, but it’s the feeling of its length that is the problem. That sense as you’re reading that this book has already gone on for a very long time and isn’t it about time it started to get wrapped up?

Fangs for the Fantasy Book of the Week

It's Monday and time for our podcast - and yes, the sickness Moose have been banished and we are back in action!

Naturally, since it's been a few weeks we have a lot to tackle, but we're certainly up for the challenge! We will get through it all, including our past books of the week

If you have missed any of our previous podcasts, they're all available here.

The podcast starts at 7:00pm EST (12:00am GMT) You can follow us by the sidebar, this website or our youtube channel.


Our books of the week - both ones we're catching up on and our next few reads are:

9th February - 16th February: Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop
16th February - 23rd February: Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs
23rd February - 2nd March: Dark Debt by Chloe Neil
2nd March - 9th March: Fury’s Kiss by Karen Chance
9th March - 16th March: Ash by Malinda Lo
16th March - 23rd March: Grave Visions by Kalayna Price
23rd March - 30th March: Waistcoats and Weaponry by Gail Carriger

30th March - 6th April: The Antelope Wife by Louise Erdrich

6th April – 13^th April: Vengeance of the Demon by Diana Rowland

Bitten, Season 2, Episode 5: Rabbit Hole

Just in case we weren’t already convinced that Dr. Bauer is a little creepy we open in her lab playing classical music and surrounded by mutated creations and experiments. I think this is a flashback because we see her boss (who isn’t Alistair, but her boss Randall) shutting down her experiments and killing her terrifying mutant monstrosities for being creepy even for a sinister lab. She’s so upset but the death of her minions that she attempts suicide – only to be stopped by Alistair who magically blocks her pain and promises her many more abominations in the future. She seems passionate about joining him – and having her pain back

Well, one short scene and Sondra has established her creepy credentials.

Which is used as a background explanation for the current events – not only have all the experiments on witch and wolf blood not quite worked, but Sondra has injected herself with Elena’s werewolf blood and is now going through the change. Alistair is rather vexed by this and wants Elena to fix this – he needs his evil scientist. Elena, of course, can’t do anything to help and expected Sondra to die (most people don’t survive the transition from human to werewolf). Alistair demands Elena save Sondra or die. Because ultimatums make everything work.

After last week, Savannah is considerably less happy and trusting of Alistair and is now all friendly with Elena. Alistair disapproves because of the whole werewolf thing. Moral outrage is put on hold for a magic lesson and ominous music.

Over to Stonehaven and Clay is trying to track down Sondra so checks in with ex-boss Randall who is very circumspect about firing Sondra – recognising that the personal relationship they had makes any kind of criticism he levels seem suspect and is initially reluctant before telling Clay what she was up to

Nick and Paige continue snarking back and forth with Nick trying to be nice and Paige snarling back repeatedly. They do find Bauer’s last boyfriend to go looking for her. Thy head off after checking on Jeremy and Ruth – Jeremy is continuing to try and get Ruth to reveal what’s going on, Ruth continues to play ignorant. But she has a side plot for them

Back to the compound and Elena talks Sondra through how generally horrible becoming a werewolf is though her message is somewhat lost because, even while screaming, Sondra declares that the pain is “beautiful”. She refuses any pain relief, saying it’s hers and for Alistair. Elena tries to ask Sondra questions and gets lots of crypticness in response. Alistair still questions her about it, mainly so we can see him use his magic to make Elena helpless and so he can rant out his past – being cast out by the witches and raised by hyper religious people. Hyper religious people who weren’t super understanding about him magically killing a cat and resorted to abuse to try and change him. He shows off his scars

Nick and Paige go to see this Timothy’s mother (Timothy will apparently lead them to Sondra). She suffers from dementia and denies having anything to do with Timothy; and it’s clear this Timothy is Alistair as she rambles about the devil possessed boy who managed to magically kill her husband. She doesn’t give any more information because she panics when she realises Paige is a witch (apparently something she can tell from looking in Paige’s eyes).

Getting back to some exposition, Alistair talks about destroying all the witches (I think) by injecting Savannah with werewolf blood and “introducing a predator”. Everyone on this show has a master’s degree in cryptic.

Cryptic interrupted by Sondra escaping and leaving bodies in her wake and Elena convinces Alistair to let her go find Sondra an stop her eating Savannah – but he sends a minion after Elena to kill her if she tries to kill Sondra.

12 Monkeys, Season One, Episode, Eight: Yesterday

Year 2043

Ramse and Jones are worried because Cole has not returned and the fact that they are still there, indicates that they didn't stop the army of the 12 monkeys.  Cole's coordinates are found and when they try to bring him back, the machine goes wonky.  Jones pulls Ramse aside to say that they are losing their real time tether, which means that Cole could be lost in time forever.

Year 2015

Aaron and Cassie talk about the fact that it could potentially be all over.  Cassie however says that if Cole's body is still there, then the threat of the virus is still very real.  Aaron offers to attempt to get a meeting with Royce to discuss the aftermath of the explosion.  The camera centers in on Cassie's watch, where the scratch is still evident. 

Year 2043

Jones works with the scientists to fix the core.  Jones needs a specific part and Whitley offers to go and get it.  Jones does however suggest that Ramse accompany Whitley and of course, Whitley is not pleased with this suggestion.  Jones believes that Ramse is as motivated as she is to bring Cole home.  It seems that Whitley and Ramse will be traveling to Spearhead - the place where the president and all the top minds where transfered to wait out the virus.  The scientists worked there for twenty years before the virus mutated and killed them off.  It was Col. Foster who when he lost his wife due to the virus mutating, who started a coup killing the last of the leadership.  It was then that Jones left  and started project Splinter.  Because the virus has now mutated a further two times, Jones is absolutely convinced that the only way forward is to stop it from being released altogether. 

Year 2015

Surprise, surprise, Cole isn't dead.  He is however injured and dealing with it by pouring alcohol into a leg wound and pulling out a bullet.  Outside, he hears people speaking in Russian and Cole calls out to them for help.

Back in Washington, Cassie and Aaron enter Senator Royce's office to ask if anyone survived the drone strike.  Royce declares that he is not giving them any more information but Cassie is not taking that lying down and once again threatens to tell the news because if anyone survived, they would be patient zero.  Cassie demands to know if Cole survived and is told that Wexlar and his men were pulled out but Cole was not found.  Royce declares that no one survived but Cassie asks to be put on the ground under CDC jurisdiction to make sure the coast is clear. 

Year 2043

Ramse and Whitley drive into Spearhead where it turns out that Whiteley's father is Foster's head of security.  Whiteley speaks to his father and asks to talk to Foster.  They are led into the compound where children run around freely.  Scientists are working in a lab and Foster is praying when they approach him.  Whitley and Ramse confirm that project Splinter works and ask for a stabalizer manifold and suggest a trade. Foster leads them to the computer network he has created, saying that its function is to find a cure for the plague.  Ramse however brings up the fact that the virus mutates quickly, making a cure an impossibility but of course, Foster is not dissuaded, firm in his belief that they are only a few years away from a vaccine.

Year 2015

Cole calls out again for help and is answered by Aza and Mikaail, whose first question is if anyone knows that Cole is there.  At this point, with everything he has seen, Cole should be suspicious.


Year 2043

Ramse has gone off to brood after being rejected by Foster and runs into Elena, who is one of the lab techs there.  It seems that these two have a history together and Elena is a little reluctant to talk.  Elena left Ramse because the seven were hunting them and she didn't feel safe.  Ramse declares that he would have protected her but Elena replies that it wasn't her she was worried about.  Elena then takes Ramse into a play area and introduces Ramse to a child named Samuel

Jones works frantically to try to get the Splitter machine up and working because Foster has turned them down.  Jones is told that without the stabilizer, tremendous stress will be placed on the core.  Jones calls for the generator to be started, saying that Cole is the priority.

Helix, Season 2, Episode 8: Vade in Peace

Aftermath time. And in Classic Helix style we have a horrendous juxtaposition of music and terrible scenes as Anne, Kyle and Peter see the aftermath of Michael’s massacre.

Day 8

Michael tells the remainder of his loyal flock – including Landry – to “purify” anyone left in the abbey. Including the CDC except for Sarah

Alan and Sarah are both arguing about the aftermath of Sarah losing her baby. Alan wants her off the island or at least not working while she not only wants to return to work but is sure that her baby is alive somewhere.

Michael goes to tell the imprisoned Amy that he has slaughtered everyone and how very hard it is, especially the children. Amy pretends to be sympathetic while her face (turned away from him) shows how little pity she has for him and his murders. She tells him he has a new goal, to be by his side as a partner, to be the best wife/daughter he’s ever had, to surpass all of her “sisters” who came before her.

She kisses him and he begins groping her and telling her how much he’s looked forward to having sex with her ever since she grew up which is immensely creepy on every level. Mid groping they’re interrupted by Landry and the minions who grab and outraged Michael; Amy snarks at them for taking their time.

He tries to intimidate Amy with his 500 year life span and immortality but she isn’t shaken. She drops him in the oubliette and snarks at him wonderfully – she’s very very good at it. He throws lots and lots of arrogance at her while she is so epicly unimpressed that I have to applaud. And, no, she’s not going to put any of the horrible things in the pit Michael imagines and dismisses – she’s just going to cement it closed and leave him in the Oubliette to be forgotten. It is an oubliette after all.

In the massacre room, Kyle can’t move from the dead while Peter reflects how much harder it is to deal with so many dead when it’s murder, compared to the diseased he is used to dealing with. He also tells Anne that Michael will pay for this – because he has associates on their way (Ilaria, we assume). Alan and Sarah join them and massacres are ignored while Peter attacks Alan. Kind of deservedly I admit. Kyle breaks it up – and a squad of armed and armoured troops enter the room.

It’s captain Winger from the boat – she’s been sent by the CDC because the pathogen has spread and there are now multiple quarantines. They tell her about Michael, the cult and his massacre. Either way, the captain wants to take Peter to help with the outbreak since he has more experience with it than anyone else on the planet; they also introduce Alan and, thankfully, she hasn’t heard about his terrorism past and is just happy to have another expert CDC doctor on the team. She’s also not asking – everyone is coming with her whether they like it or not. The island is going to be evacuated and quarantined – including the surviving cultists despite everyone’s protests.

Peter runs after Anne who is in shock from both the dead and the fact she is going to be forcibly removed from the island which is the only home most of them have known for generations. Peter helps her handle the many dead. While they do, Anne tells him about the past when Michael had slaughtered everyone and Peter confirms he knows all about the immortality thing and that he’s met a few – that originally there were 500 immortals. At least Anne is no longer a member of the Michael fanclub.

Kyle and Sarah have a moment and Kyle decides, randomly, that now is the time to show Sarah the family tree he found – and that it shows the same man as the father for every child born over the last 400 years. Sarah makes the clear leap that the father is Michael (or Michel Dubois) and that this may be related to the pathogen. Of course Kyle finds this rather dubious so Sarah decides to show off her eyes and tell him the full truth of the Immortals. She also shows off her impressive healing and when he still doubts it, she eats the infected honey.