The Wasted Potential of the Women on Teen Wolf

We have spoken before about the dubious treatment of women in this series - including the laughable label of the Argents as a Martriarchy despite their complete male dominated society. The female characters were too often victimised, utterly wrong  or killed off and discarded after being woefully underused

This has changed to a degree over the seasons - but even as the characters have become richer, with ever more increasing potential, that under-usage has continued

What is most frustrating about this gross under-usage of women on this show is that they have had some incredible female characters. It’s almost more insulting that they haven’t just made empty tokens to stand around and look pretty - because they’ve gone out of their way to create really well developed, interesting and inspiring women… then treated them like empty tokens who stand around to look pretty.

Lydia - a Banshee with her own arcane powers. A brilliant thinker, an excellent planner, a great source of knowledge and research for the group… yet how many storylines have we followed that involve her? Her Banshee powers are an interesting tool for tracking down useful information like the latest bodies or the whole force behind the “murder list”. But do we actually have any research or examination of what it really means to be a Banshee? Beyond “she screams and hears death”? Anything of their history, their legends, what else it means to be a Banshee, the history of her grandmother and what it means and how it affects her? Even her excellent relationship with her excellent mother, Natalie?

Where are these storylines? Look at all of that! All of those plot hooks? You could write several spin offs on Lydia’s storylines alone! Equally irritatingly, Lydia is one of the most involved women on the show, probably the most involved since Alison died - and her most prominent storylines tend to be related to her love interests (Jackson, Stiles, Ethan, Parrish). And, sadly, her most prominent appearances are inevitably of her in peril. Lydia has spent entire seasons of being in peril - her whole character is stained by endless peril to the point where we both begin and end the latest season with her in a catatonic state

Then there’s Kira. Again, another female character with amazing potential for her own storylines. She’s a Kitsune, a supernatural being that is screaming out for more development especially with all the hints we’ve had - all the touched on world building about different kinds of Kitsune, the tails as blades, even the Fox taking over Kira all beg for more attention. This is demanded all the more by the presence of Noshiko, Kira’s mother, a Kitsune with several centuries of existence and experience behind her. It is mind bogglingly ridiculous that none of the cast has felt the need to consult more with Noshiko, to delve into that incredible well of experience she must have. It goes from mind boggling to offensively ridiculous that Kira herself didn’t, especially as she grew more and more concerned about her Kitsune powers being out of control.

In the Still of the Knight (Black Knight Chronicles #5) by John G Hartness

It seemed like another series of supernatural murders to investigate – young people aged and left for dead. Definitely a job for Greg, James and Sabrina.

But they stumble on to a major secret under the city – and James’s life is suddenly riven by dangerous, tragic and difficult conflicts. How far will he go for what is right? Who will he save, and what will he pay to save or avenge?

There’s no easy choices and maybe no good choices.

This book took the series to a decidedly dark place. This series has always had excellent action, a whole lot of zany fun and a very wide world setting – but it has generally been light, fun, jokey. Even when it did try to go dark, it never went that dark, at least not for long. Whackiness normally ensues and overwhelms

This book takes the whole series into a very new direction. I think of this book as the one where James has to grow up – where he faces a lot of conflicts that cannot be easily overcome – not just because there are bad guys to face, but because the conflicts are not just against bad guys you can stab or beat up until they give up. The conflicts are between James and his friends.

Between James and Abbie, James and Greg and even James and Sabrina we have a lot of heartbreaking conflict. Storywise, this drives James to the very edge and pushes him further than I ever expected him to go and puts him in a very different place at the end of the book. He’s harder, stronger and never more powerful – but also never more alone.

The conflicts with his friends and loved ones are especially good because they are difficult to unravel. In each case even when someone is wrong (such as Greg, who is very very wrong about wanting to turn someone into vampire against their will), their anger still comes from a very real place. Yes Greg is wrong, but his emotion, his rage is understandable and, in turn, that makes it all the harder for me to see how the relationship can be bridged

From Dusk Till Dawn, Season 2, Episode 6: Bizarre Tales

Back to Dr. Aiden Turner, (Sex Machine, alas). Having sex with and biting a woman before Narcisco catches up with him and isn’t a big fan of the delay. Aiden explains why he is so sex obsessed – because he lost his genitals in an accident as a child and has been over-compensating on an epic level ever since. Anyway, he’s still missing 4 bonds with the clues to the treasure – and he can’t find it without them

Narcisco kills the woman Aiden just turned.

Time for a flash back with Feddie and his old mentor Earl, and his-less-than-stellar moment defending the rangers’ brutally violent past. Then on to the autopsy of the bodies he found (he has invited Katie along which is apparently ok) – and learning that a similar grave was found back in 87 as well.

Freddie also has the missing bonds. He tries the blood-sharing-memory trick with blood under the fingernails of one of the victims – and gets little info but a lot of very horrific images of the mass killing. It is not pleasant – especially since he sees a whole lot more than the deaths they’ve seen, thousands of people killed by one of the Nine Lords.

Of course, the ranger who was investigated the case back in 87 was Earl. Chasing the paperwork finds a surprising lack of information – and Freddie’s boss is also irritated/concerned that Tony (the range killed by Aiden) is missing. Freddie ducks all knowledge (and his boss doesn’t seem to care that Freddie has brought a teenaged girl along for investigation. Because reasons). Back to chasing after Earl’s notes which leads to an oil company.

Time to arm up and go “investigate” finding and incapacitating a Calebros. Which gets them an introduction of sorts to see a guy with a lot of books, a typewriter and ominously long fingernails (the victims were all marked by human fingernails). They introduce themselves to the man, Ceslestino Oculto, at gunpoint. He’s ominous, scary, cryptic (he talks about “arriving in this realm”. Freddie finds the ominous obsidian club that was used to incapacitate the victims. Celestino is their “serial killer.” And a Calebros. And one of the Nine Lords.

Celestinos is very very dramatic and he worked with Earl in the past – he threatened Earl’s family, which apparently convinced him to back off

Sorcerer to the Crown (Sorcerer Royal #1) by Zen Cho

Zacharias, freed slave, reviled by his fellow thaumaturges, is the reluctant head of English magic, the Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers. And he needs to find out why English magic is drying up, why no more flows from faerie

But his path crosses with the intriguing Prunella Gentlewoman, an immensely powerful witch (despite all of the claims that women cannot use magic) and between them they shake the foundations of English magic to its core

There are a lot of books in the genre set in the Victorian era, after all, the whole Steampunk genre pretty much relies on it. All too commonly, these books highly sanitise what this era was like for marginalised people. While we have seen several female protagonists challenging this narrative and overcoming the patriarchy they have to live under, but we rarely see this with other marginalised people. In fact, POC are nearly always erased which doesn’t touch on the actual diversity of the era and both ignores the diversity of the British Empire – and all of the oppressive problems of colonialism

So here we have a paranormal Victorian story where the protagonists are a Black man and a woman of South Asian descent. Both of their stories are constantly informed by their experiences. Zacharias is the Sorcerer to the Crown, technically the most powerful magician in the country but constantly faces derision, rebellion and open attacks against him because he is Black. The other wizards, despite his obvious skill and patience and impeccable manners, constantly regard him as less than them, as little more than an animal and wholly unworthy of his position. They scapegoat him for any and all problems they’re facing (including England’s declining magic).

Zacharias constantly shows how wrong they are with endless patience and restraint and skill. While his rivals constantly seek their own power and advancement, it’s Zacharias who worries about the actual future of English magic, how their infighting may turn the country against them and how their infighting may jeopardise the treaty they have with the French Sorcières. Even though he doesn’t want the job he performs better than his predecessor and certainly better than any of his competitors. At every stage and at every moment it’s clear that his racist detractors are beyond wrong and clearly Zacharias’s inferiors.

Last Man on Earth, Season Two, Episode One: Is There Anybody Out There?

Phil and Carol drive through the streets of Washington in a jet plane on a run to pick up some liquor.  Phil accidentally drops a bomb in the parking garage and drives away.  Naturally this upsets Carol but Phil doesn't know how to reinsert the bomb.  In order to make Carol happy, Phil offers to get the bomb and this satisfies Carol because he was willing to go back.  Phil then agrees to go back the next day and put warning signs around the bomb.  When next we see Phil and Carol they are floating in a inflatable child's swimming filled with vodka in the oval office. Phil and Carol then get about some general wreckage, as you do if you're in the White house.  Phil heads to the press room and gives a briefing to his collection of balls regarding his position on Tuscan, which apparently hasn't changed. Carol decides to try on all of the first lady dresses.  Later that night they have the most awkward sex in the Lincoln bedroom.  Once finished, Phil suggests that they move into the White House permanently but Carol isn't interested in settling there because it doesn't feel right. Phil lists the various locations that they have been to which Carol has turned down but agrees to continue the search when Carol says that this doesn't feel like home.  Carol looks through all the sketches she has made of the two of them on their travels but pauses at the one she did of Tuscon.

Phil's brother is in space and he is searching for survivors.  For company, he talks to worms which he has named.  He then decides to leave the room to go and masturbate.

Carol and Phil leave the stealth bomber and the White House behind.  They arrive in Delaware, at the site of Carol's old apartment. Carol gives Phil the grand tour and yes, it's as bizarre  and typically Carol as you are imagining.  Carol's room is filled with craft items she created to commemorate friends and family members who succumbed to the virus.  Later that night, Carol kisses Phil to thank him for the visit but once again Carol is not happy because there's no one there.  Phil reminds Carol that the only place he cannot go is Tuscon because the implication was strong that if Phil returned, he would be killed.  When Carol suggests that as the last people on earth they should all be together, Phil makes it clear to Carol that she chose him and that he is not going back to Tuscon ever. An upset Carol leaves to sleep in another room.

Astronaut Miller explains that he is a scientist and not a pilot.  He tells his worms that if he did get down there, he might very well die of the virus.  It's then that he notices that one of his worms is dead.

Phil and Carol are back on the road and still they still have hurt feelings from the night before. Carol decides to have a nap in the back of the RV.  Phil stops at a gas station for fuel and talks to his balls about Carol's refusal to settle down.  Carol, unbeknownst to Phil, is in the shop.  Carol decides to sit and decorate a t-shirt while Phil gets gas. Carol  calls out for Phil to wait but he does not hear her and drives off.  Carol runs outside frantically and shoots her gun several times to get Phil's attention but because he has the music so loud, he doesn't hear her.

The Strain, Season 2, Episode 12: Fallen Light

It is now the penultimate episode of the season. For the love of all that is sensible, please move the story ON. Really “vampires are taking over New York, the good guys can’t stop them” has been the state of play since the very first episode. So far this entire season is almost skippable.

The show mocks me by recapping all the mini plots that didn’t go anywhere. Why do you taunt me show? I also may scream if Abraham doesn’t get that fecking book. I’m not even going to bother remember it’s name now. It’s going to be The Fecking Book from now on.

So we start moving the plot along with a flashback to before the whole vampire invasion

I’m just going to weep quietly in a corner.

It’s Ephraim and Nora at the CDC discussing plague and Ephraim and Nora having sexual tension back when Nora had ideas and opinions and a point rather than being a babysitter. And yes I mention sexual tension because no soon have her qualifications been raised than they’re quickly shoved to the back burner to talk about how hot she is. And how good Ephraim and Nora are as a couple.

In the present we now learn that Zack’s grandparents (Kelley’s parents) are alive. Because we care. Honest. Ephraim is concerned because he wants to focus on stopping the end of the world rather than the boring side plot that is Zack, while Nora is, again, in babysitter mode. Oh if only she were a CDC scientist dedicated to saving mankind from a deadly scourge and not a childminder.

Blah blah emotion, grandmother, kid-no-one-cares-about-who-needs-to-be-eaten. Family angst, blah. In the end Ephraim decides to get Zach out the city to his grandparents

Dutch is deeply traumatised after her experiences last episode and Vasiliy kind of needs to give her space. But he doesn’t and now she feels guilty because he’s so amazingly wonderful and she was terribad awful and had the temerity to be attracted to someone else (who, recall, she has a terribad awful relationship with unlike the awesomeness of Vasiliy). She has chosen to live with Nikki, she wants a real relationship with her (I don’t hold my breath because she’s just spent 3 episodes saying how awesome Vasiliy is and has little good to say about Nikki).

When Dutch goes to see Nikki it seems Nikki is just leaving with her mother (while her mother provides a narrative of contempt). Dutch tries to convince Nikki how they will have happy families, but Nikki decides that the whole saving the world from vampires is totally not her fight and leaves after a goodbye kiss. I am totally unshocked

Dark Heart of Magic (Black Blade #2) by Jennifer Estep

It’s time for the Tournament of Blades, the annual celebration where all the magical families of Cloudburst Falls send champions to compete for the hefty cash prize (and, more importantly to the families but not for Lila, the prestige). It’s a major tourist event and there’s no way it can’t go ahead

Even if one of the competitors seems to be trying to kill the competition.

Both Lila and Devon are competing for the Sinclair family, giving them a double motive to win – and to stay alive and find out who is behind it.

This is the second book in the series and I think it is an excellent next step. This book took the story above and beyond the first and helped banish some of the parallels with the Elemental Assassins Series that I found so strong before. This book took the excellent foundation of the first and expanded it and cemented this book as its own.

I’m honestly kind of frustrated with this review because all I really have is a lot of well deserved but somewhat vague praise.

I love the world building, it’s very original with the combination of noble houses who run this town, each of them controlled by magical people all vying against each other, a modern setting and a range of monsters lurking around the fringes of a tourist trap. I like the combination of both the dark danger hiding behind every corner and the bright, shiny exterior which is all welcoming and kitsch for the tourists. It’s a wonderful juxtaposition, the pageantry with the lethal politics lurking just under the surface.

I love the protagonist Lila, with her endless love of bacon and her complicated relationship with the family. Her conflict about being both part of the Sinclair family and outside of it is excellent. Her conflict over whether she can trust the head of the family, whether she can really get invested in it and whether she can really establish any connections there. Her conflict is very real as she both wants to protect and help the family but still feels she needs to be ready to leave at any time and all of this is linked to her complicated memories of her mother who was both loyal to the Sinclairs – and died because of that loyalty. On top this we have her life as a thief, her habit of keeping her head low and hiding and now she’s very much thrust into the lime light, drawing lots of attention and being really uncomfortable about it. This past also comes with an experience of being poor – so even when in two minds about the Sinclairs, their wealth and the comfort she lives in now are not things she can step aside from. I like how well this is down, Lila never feels like she’s greedy or grasping – she feels exactly like what she is, a character who knows poverty and is unwilling to dismiss the security of wealth. She’s a character with a lot of interesting and very real conflicts about her.

Doctor Who, Season Nine, Episode Two: The Witch's Familiar

Clara finds herself hanging from her heels outside of the compound.  Missy says that she is going to tell her the story of the Doctor with no tardis, no friends and on the run - The doctor being happy. The Doctor was travelling by teleporter and being chased by 50 invisible android assassins, set on killing him. Missy tells this story while sharpening a stick and explains that Clara is tied up in case there's nothing to hunt. Back to the Doctor, who is surrounded and with seconds to live, uses the energy ray to recharge the energy bracelet and then teleports away. Clara realises that this is how Missy escaped the Daleks.  Missy is impressed because unlike her, the Doctor made the calculation on the fly. Missy finally cuts down Clara and asks how it is that the Doctor always survives.  Clara answers that the Doctor always assumes he is going to win and survive.  Missy then points out that this is not what the Doctor thinks now because this time, he made himself a will and threw himself a goodbye party. Clara and Missy turn and look at the heart of the Dalek empire and armed with only a pointy stick, start walking off to save the Doctor.

In the heart of the compound, Davros tells the Doctor that he has the him at his mercy. The Doctor picks up a weapon and holds it to the back of Davros's head. Davros is not worried, calling the weapon ancient and inoperable but the Doctor being the Doctor, powers up the weapon without a problem.  Davros asks if the Doctor would threaten a dying man and the Doctor orders him out of his chair.  Davros says that he needs the chair to live but the Doctor orders him out.

The Daleks are freaking out with one saying that Davros is leaving the infirmary.  Over the communicator, Davros calls for help from his children and is told that he must return to the infirmary. Davros tells the Daleks that the Doctor is escaping and must be found. From a distance, Clara and Missy watch as the Daleks start to look for the Doctor.  On the intercom Davros continues to call for help and Daleks prepare to assist him but when the door opens, it's the Doctor sitting in Davros's chair.  The Doctor opens with "admit it, you've all had this exact same nightmare."

Davros is lying on his back in the infirmary calling for help when Colony Sarff makes his presence known.  The Daleks call for the extermination of the Doctor but when they fire their weapons, nothing happens.

Clara and Missy are at the Dalek sewers but there's a long drop down to the bottom.  Missy decides to gauge the fall by pushing Clara in.

The Doctor is now surrounded by Daleks, who are shocked that he is unharmed.  The Doctor points a weapon at the Daleks, saying that the force field on the chair probably doesn't work both ways.  The Daleks are not concerned because they are aware that the Doctor doesn't use weapons.

Clara regains consciousness at the bottom of the sewers and points the pointy stick at Missy.  Missy is in full snark mode, pointing out that Clara will not survive on the sewers on her own.  Clara counters replying that Missy will not survive if she turns her back.  Missy takes the challenge and shows Clara her back and when Clara fails to act, Missy charges Clara and takes the stick.  Missy informs Clara that she should have had the courtesy to kill her because team work is all about respect. Clara informs Missy that they are not a team.  In Clara's defense, who would want to be on a team with Missy?  Missy counters that they are team because every miner needs a canary.  To Missy, Clara is highly disposable. Missy comments on the sludge pouring out of the walls and informs Clara that the sludge is decaying Daleks.  It seems that Daleks cannot die and that the Dalek word for sewer is the same as their word for graveyard.

Still pointing his gun, the Doctor says that he has been at the heart of the Dalek empire for 42 minutes and is in complete control of it.  The Doctor demands that the Daleks ask him what he wants. A Dalek complies and the Doctor says that he wants Clara Oswald safe, alive and returned to him immediately.  The Doctor is in a rage and tells the Daleks that if Clara is dead, they had better be careful how they tell him.  Missy hears the Doctor's demand and says that this is what the Doctor sounds like without hope.  The Doctor asks again who is going to tell him that Clara Oswald is really dead. In the sewers, Missy tells Clara that the Doctor will burn everything including them.

Davros makes an appearance on the screen and the Doctor snarks about Davros's seat being taken. The Doctor finds himself wrapped in Colony Sarff's snakes and is forced to drop his weapon.  In the infirmary, Davros advises Colony Sarff  to tread lightly because the plan is to entrap the Doctor tonight. Say it with me folks, "not gonna happen."

In the sewers Missy points to a round circular thing on the wall and tells Clara to have a look. When Clara doesn't notice anything distinct, she asks what she's missing. Missy explains that she is giving the circular object a good look at Clara.  The sounds of a Dalek can be heard announcing, "intruder alert."  Missy then handcuffs Clara to the wall explaining that they need to trap and kill a Dalek and that Clara will be the bait.  Clara  demands to be uncuffed but Missy only has eyes for a broach given to her on the birth of her daughter by the Doctor.  Clara is adamant that a Dalek cannot be killed with a pin.  The Dalek moves closer to Clara telling her not to move and that she is in a restricted area. The Dalek announces its plan to sterilize Clara and Missy jumps out and sticks the Dalek with the pin repeatedly. Missy announces that she is killing the Dalek because it's her job as a Time Lady. The Dalek does not believe that it has been unduly damaged, until Missy points out that the Dalek is surrounded by a bunch of angry decomposing Daleks.  The Dalek sludge attack the Dalek, forcing it to fire and move in circles.  During the Dalek's confusion, Missy unties Clara and pushes her against a wall, protecting Clara with her own body from the resulting explosion.  As the Dalek explodes, Missy yells, "weeee."

Back in time to Davros, with the hand bombs. Davros calls out for help, saying that the Doctor promised that he could survive.  A frantic Davros calls again for help.

In the present, the Doctor awakes to find himself sitting in the only other chair on Skaro.  The Doctor jumps to his feet and Davros tells him not to bother because he is sealed in the chamber and he is not carrying his sonic screwdriver. Davros adds that he is dying and it's now time for them to conclude their business together.

In the sewers, Missy picks the remains of the Dalek out of its shell and tells Clara to get in.

It seems the reason that Davros is still alive is because he has been feeding off of all of the Daleks. The Daleks allow this because they have respect for their father, a trait Davros never managed to breed out of them.  Davros offers the Doctor the opportunity to commit genocide on the Daleks. Davros lifts the Doctor's hand towards the device, asking if the Doctor is ready to be a God.  The Doctor briefly touches the device and withdraws, as Davros taunts the Doctor with Clara's death. The Doctor says that he's a bloke in a box and that he came because Davros is sick and he asked and because on a good day if he tries hard, he's not an old time lord who ran away. Davros realises that the Doctor cannot be tempted because of his innate compassion, something the Doctor has no problem dying for.

Clara is now in the Dalek shell and Missy instructs her on how to control the Dalek container.  The moment Clara thinks something, the Dalek shell moves, so Missy seals her in.  When Clara speaks it comes out in the Dalek voice.  Missy decides to have some fun and have Clara say her name which results in Clara saying, "I am a Dalek repeatedly." Missy then asks for Clara to say, "I love you" and what comes out is "exterminate". The same result happens when Clara says you are different then me. When Missy gets Clara to say, "exterminate", the gun goes off repeatedly and Missy dances around, giddy with joy, dodging the shots.  Apparently, the Daleks channel emotion and that's why they say exterminate repeatedly.