Review: Grave Dance by Kalayna Price, Book 2 of the Alex Craft Series

 Since the much publicised events of Grave Witch, life has got much better for Alexis. She has steady work, her name is well known (a mixed blessing) and things are much less desperate than before. But she also has some odd repercussions from it – a ghost sidekick for one, and her newly awakened fae blood means she has to do some more adjustments to help her round the iron-saturated world and dance around the fae codes of obligation and language.

But a quiet life can’t continue as the police call her with a curious case of disembodied feet which even she can’t raise a shade from. Further investigating quickly leads to the fae – which pulls her hip deep into fae politics where the Winter Queen is looking to snatch up the independent fae however she can. Alexis’s new status as feykin puts her more at risk; her new people can make demands of her and have expectations of her should her fae blood become known. Then there’s her developing magic which makes her in high demand among the courts – and the subsequent pressure for her to pick a side.

As if that weren’t enough, the Soul Collectors are also involved, magical glamour monsters are running rampant through the streets and seem to be targeting her, her best friend is caught in the cross fire, she may be in the middle of police politics, one of the fae agents is gunning for her, her old friend and now fae changeling wants her to inherit a castle and her long absent lover, Falin has reappeared with very conflicted loyalties.

It’s complicated to say the least.

I love this world. I really really love it. The fae and their courts are always a favourite of mine. The different magic systems, the Soul Collectors, the difficulties of fae language and the web of obligations around them – it just has so many elements I love

I can also feel that it’s really well built – just the way the different law enforcement agencies with their various acronyms are described makes me sure of it. The different and detailed way magic works, the different planes of existence and, so far, everything being extremely consistent. It’s a rich world, a deep world and a very well put together world. It’s one of those worlds that makes me think that Kalayna Price has books upon books of notes into which she’s poured a lot of effort to make sure her world works.

The Walking Dead Season Three, Episode 3: Walk with Me

This episode opens with a helicopter flying and suddenly it starts to experience turbulence and it looks like an engine blows out. The helicopter lands in the bushes and from a distance, Michonne and Andrea see the smoke. Michonne checks out the crash and sees that two are dead but she is forced to leave the crash site when two vans pull up.  Michonne and Andrea hide in the bushes and watch as the men kill the zombies who have been attracted to the noise from the crash. One of the men grabs a zombie out of the helicopter and Andrea wonders if they should show themselves, but Michonne warns that they should be cautious. Unfortunately, Michonne's zombies and reveal their location, so she sneaks up to them and beheads them.  There is an order to move out, so Michonne and Andrea think that they're clear but Merle sneaks up on them from behind.  He uses a weapon on his new false hand to kill the zombie that sneaks up on him and Andrea faints.

Andrea is in a car and she is blindfolded.  There is a small gap and she can barely see through it.  Michonne is sitting in the vehicle right next to her. When we next see Andrea, she is getting medical treatment.  Andrea asks to go but the person treating her suggests that they stay the night and points out that it's dark out now.  Merle sends the doctor on her way and tells Andrea that he knows that they were probably hoping that he was dead.  He says that when he was found, he was starving and thinking about committing suicide and meeting Darryl on the other side.  Merle asks about his brother and Andrea tells him that Darryl did go back for him but he was already gone.  Merle still blames Rick for locking him up in the first place and Andrea tries to explain by saying that they wanted to keep looking but a lot of people died. She tells him how Darryl stepped up and became a valued member of the group.  Finally, Andrea asks what they want from them and Merle says that he plucked them out of the dirt and suggests a thank you. Michonne reminds Meryl that they had a gun pointed at them. When he starts to ramble, Andrea says thank you.

The Governor enters the room and asks them how they are doing? Michonne asks for their weapons back and he tells them they can get them back at the gate. Andrea is upset because she saw them put a gun into the skulls to two dead men and the Governor then informs her that whenever someone dies, they become a walker.  He tells them that they are free to leave whenever they want to but Andrea needs a solid nights sleep. The Governor offers them medical care, food, and keys to a vehicle if they stay the night.  The Governor then opens the door and says, "welcome to Woodbury." Michonne and Andrea walk out and see that the residents have erected a bridge to keep the walkers out.  Andrea asks if they are military because they are carrying heavy artillery and the Governor says that these are weapons they have collected over time.

The Governor escorts Michonne and Andrea to a room and tells them that they even have food and running water for showers. He promises them that they are safe there. Andrea asks about the pilot and the Governor says that Dr. Stevens is doing all she can. He leaves and tells them that if they need anything, there men will be waiting outside the door.

The next morning, Michonne and Andrea are getting the tour and learn that there are 73 people living in Woodbury and that the walls have not been breached in over a month.  Apparently, the Governor has a tight leash on the town and this includes a sunset curfew.  The governor is interviewing the pilot from the helicopter and learns that ten in his group escaped. The governor promises to find the land group that he was with and bring them to Woodbury.

After leaving the survivor, the Governor enters a building and catches Merle bickering with a scientist. He asks about Andrea and if she is from the group in Atlanta who left him on the roof. The Governor asks Merle to talk to Andrea again to see what else he can find out. The scientist pulls the cover over Michonne's zombies and explains that what she has done to them brilliant.  The Governor asks why she kept them and the scientist says they're camouflage. The scientist says that the zombies are starving, they're just doing it more slowly that we do. The scientist wants to question Michonne and Andrea but the Governor says that Merle is handling it.  the Scientist tries again and says that letting Merle talking to the women is a mistake.

The Governor sets up a meal for Andrea, Michonne, the scientist and himself. The scientist asks if they believe the walkers remember the person that they were trapped inside like an echo.  Andrea says that she thought about that one time before a walker tried to bite her. The scientist ask about Michonne's zombies and suggests that she knew them once but Michonne does not answer. Andrea asks if they expect what they have at Woodbury to hold but Michonne says that it will hold. The governor says that the real subject is what happens in the walls - "it's about getting back to who we were." Throughout the conversation, Michonne keeps looking at the governor with hate in her eyes.  The governor says that they are going to take back what's theirs, only this time they won't be eating each other. For her part, Andrea looks intrigued and even raises her teacup to the Governor.  The Governor gets up to go and Michonne stands and says that they want their weapons.  The governor again reminds them that their weapons are waiting for them at the gate, but again suggests that they should wait awhile and check out the town.

Fangs for the Fantasy Book of the Week

 

Every week on the Fangs for the Fantasy podcast (archives here) we read a book and discuss it on the show. The review for the book of the week always goes up on 3:00pm (EST) on a Monday (Monday’s book review).

To give people a chance to read along with us, every Monday we’re also going to include a list of our planned books of the week for the next few shows, so people can get the books, read them and join in the conversation.

 

22/10-29/10:Grave Dance by Kalayna Price

29/10-5/11: Dark Descendant by Jenna Black
5/11-12/11: Runelight by Joanne Harris

12/11-19/11: Her Own Devices by Shelly Adina

19/11-26/11: Eternal Night by Guillermo Del Toro
 

We will discuss each book on the latter date – so on the 29th October, we will discuss Grave Dance by Kalayna Price

We will post a new list every Monday with any changes or new books.

Misfits Season Two, Episode Four

Future Simon is busy looking at his countdown clocks planning what to do next and Alisha gets up to tell him to come back to bed, if he is done playing superhero. The next day at the community center, there is a new arrival to serve out the terms of their ASBO. Shaun introduces him to The Misfits as Tommy. The Misfits gather in concern and Curtis says whatever happens, they cannot let the new guy find out about their powers.  Simon jokes that if he does find out that they should kill Tommy. Yeah present Simon is still really creepy.  Nathan is not impressed and tells Simon that he is the funny guy here.

When Tommy approaches the group, Kelly asks why he got community service and Tommy says that he was arrested for protesting against CO2 emissions. Tommy then asks if they have any powers, which throws them for a loop and then Tommy admits that he can teleport. Alisha asks to see Tommy in action and Tommy teleports directly behind them. Kelly is not impressed and points out that he could have walked that distance quicker, and Nathan says that he thought something more exciting was going to happen.  Tommy protests that sometimes he goes further.

The Misfits all head outside to clean up the garbage and Nathan asks Kelly if they're okay because he slipped her the finger.  Kelly says that she doesn't want to think about it and I don't blame her.  A man comes running towards The Misfits screaming, "he's fucking crazy," as a red car chases him. A man gets out of  a car and through his vision, we can see that he is trapped in some sort of video game. He asks where's Conti and Nathan points at Simon and says, "oh it's him, he's a right Conti."  We get another flash to the a video game and learn that Conti is a crime boss who stole money. The man says, "did you think I was going to let it go? I want my money." Nathan tells Simon to give the man his money, but Simon says that he hasn't got any.  When the man then fixates on Kelly, he thinks that she is Roxy - a woman who betrayed him on his wedding day. The man believes that Roxy is with Conti now and says that he was still waiting for her at the church, when the cops picked him up. Tommy believes that this man has some sort of mental illness and decides to talk with him because he has training in conflict resolution. Tommy steps forward asking what the man's name is and promising not to hurt him, but the man responds by shooting him in the forehead. Lost in his video game world, the man looks at Tommy's body and sees that he has gained 15 points. After being spattered in Tommy's blood and brain matter, The Misfits take off running.

The Misfits manage to hide and are suitably freaked out.  Kelly suggests that they go back for Tommy, but Curtis points out that he was shot in the head. From the roof, Nathan sees Tommy walking and declares that he is okay.  When Curtis looks where Nathan is pointing, he cannot see Tommy. Nathan says, "oh then that must be his ghost, which means he is not at all okay on account of him being dead." Nathan then calls down to Tommy and says, "hey new guy, I'm sorry you got shot." Tommy's response is to flip Nathan the finger. Nathan being Nathan, gives him the finger right back and says, "fuck you." Nathan justifies his actions saying, "he made an obscene gesture. I don't care if he is dead, there's no excuse for rudeness."  Alisha is not impressed and reminds Nathan that Tommy just got shot in the face. Simon suggests that Curtis rewind time, and Kelly adds that he can save Tommy. They all look at him expectantly, but when Curtis tries, he cannot do it. Curtis says that because he didn't know him, he's not feeling anything. Nathan says that Tommy was a bit of a twat and Kelly tells Nathan that there is something wrong with him. Nathan replies, "he was never going to fit in what with all of the caring about the environment and crap. Better him than me." Simon reminds Nathan that he is immortal and Nathan replies, "better him than one of you."

Tommy's body has been taken to the hospital and they are harvesting his organs. The heart is taken to an operating room where Nikki is lying on a table unconscious.  They saw through her ribcage and it's clear that Nikki is going to get Tommy's heart.

At future Simon's flat, Alisha is looking at the pictures on the wall. She realises that he knew that Tommy was going to die and asks him why he didn't stop it. Simon says that he cannot save everyone and Alisha calls bullshit.  Simon tries again and says, "If I had stopped it from happening, someone else would have died." In the hospital Nikki is coming back to consciousness.

The next day, Shaun has all of the misfits in his office and tells them, "the police want witness statements off of all of you. Try not to screw it up, cause I don't want them on my back. Do you think you can manage that?" Kelly is not impressed and asks Shaun if he's not even a little bit upset but Shaun is only concerned with the amount of paperwork he now has to do because Tommy was shot while doing community service. As Shaun turns away, Nathan says, "it's a cruel senseless waste. A young man taken from us in his prime, leaving us to pick up the pieces of our shattered lives, knowing that he is gone for ever. So maybe, we should have the rest of the week off. You know, to cry and grieve and remember our dear friend." Nathan pauses because he cannot remember Tommy's name and so he points to Simon who says, "Ollie" and Nathan goes on about "dear beautiful Ollie."

When we next see The Misfits, they are busy painting over graffiti and Nathan calls Shaun a heartless bastard.  Simon suggests that they should do something about the guy who shot Ollie.  Waving the paint brush in Simon's face, Nathan asks, "so you're talking about stepping up to the plate and taking him down?" Alisha agrees with Simon and when Curtis asks why she is supporting this, she says that it's because of having someone's brains blown up across her face. Kelly points out that if they go up against the man that one of them could end up dead. Simon asserts, "we can't just pretend that it didn't happen." Alisha asks, "how are you going to feel when you read in the paper that he shot someone else?"  Curtis turns and asks, "alright, what are you two going to do when you find this guy and he sticks a gun to your head?" When no one answers, Curtis continues, "I'm glad you got it all figured out. Curtis then points to Alisha and adds, "there's no way you're getting involved in this." This pisses Alisha right off and she asks, "Since when do you tell me what I can and cannot do?" Nathan responds, "since I care about whether you die or not. Have you forgotten about that?" Nathan interrupts the argument to add, "I think that I speak for all of us. We're lazy and incompetent. We're practically handicapped okay. Leave it to the police, they get paid to get shot." Well it actually took 13 minutes this time before Nathan used an ism to say something problematic. That has got to be a new record for his character. Curtis adds, "I never thought I would say this but he's talking sense."

Nikki is in the hospital and the doctor is checking out her wounds. She says, "it feels weird, like someone else's heart." The doctor tells her that it will feel strange for a little while but points out that she is making the most remarkable recovery. Nikki asks, "how does it work? Am I supposed to send a card to his parents - thanks or the heart?" When the doctor asks Nikki if he should ask the next of kin if he can share their details with her, Nikki says yes. When the doctor leaves the room, Nikki's heart rate goes up and she is transported to the morgue, where she lands on Tommy.

Curtis and Alisha are walking together and he says, "I cannot even go back and save someone who has just been shot. What's that all about?"  When he notices that Alisha is more focused on her phone than him, he asks if he is boring her. Alisha says that she is just checking the time and the two start to bicker. Suddenly, the man who believes that he is living in a video game pulls up in his car, and Curtis and Alisha are forced to hide. The man gets out of his car and screams, "Conti."  In hiding, Alisha tells Curtis, "I knew we should have done something about him." The two start to bicker once again and Curtis says that he is done with her.  When Curtis peeks out of their hiding space, the man sees them and changes direction to walk towards them. Curtis and Alisha going running and when they pause to hide again, Alisha asks him, "are you finishing with me?" Curtis asks if they have to do this right now and Alisha says yes. Curtis replies, "things with us haven't been right for awhile now. You're different, you've changed." He stops talking when he sees the man and they have to run again. When they stop again, Alisha says, "so I guess that's it." They then go through the whole, it's not you it's me ritual.

At the hospital, Nikki tells the doctor that there is something wrong with the heart they put in her body. The doctor assures Nikki that there is nothing wrong with it, but Nikki tells them to take it out because she wants a different one. The doctor says that they just don't have spares lying around but Nikki points out that people die all of the time and points to the man in the next bed saying, "look at him, he doesn't look like he has long to go. I'll have his heart." This causes the doctor to pull the screen closed and say, "when a patient makes a miraculous recovery, we don't hold a big inquest. We treat sick people and you're not sick anymore.

Alisha returns to future Simon's flat and says that she did what he said and let it all play out. Alisha tells him that her relationship with Curtis is over. They share a kiss.

The next day, Nikki looks at a memorial that has been put up for Tommy. Curtis approaches and asks her if she knew him and Nikki says that they transplanted Tommy's heart in her. Curtis calls bullshit, until she pulls up her jumper and shows him her scar. When he asks Nikki if she is okay, she admits that something weird is happening to her. They have a seat and Curtis explains to Nikki that she can now teleport. Nikki quips that it will be faster than taking the bus and then thanks Curtis for the pajamas. Curtis smiles and says, "I hope they fit, I had to guess your size." Curtis stands and says that he has to go and do his community service, but Nikki is not impressed and says, "you just told me that I have inherited the ability to teleport from the guy whose heart was transplanted into me and now you have to go. Well fuck you very much." Curtis gets his back up and asks her how she wants to leave it and Nikki responds, "The very least you could do is ask me out for a drink." Nathan sits back on the bench next to her.

Future Simon is watching Alisha put on her makeup and she stops and says that they should go away somewhere. He asks where she would like to go and Alisha replies that she always wanted to go to Las Vegas. Simon promises that he will take her there. Simon says that he has something for her and he takes the keychain off and hands it to her saying, "now you can let yourself in." They kiss and there is something bittersweet about it.  Alisha asks him what's wrong and Simon says nothing.  Alisha says that she has got to go and is going to be late.  Simon then turns and looks at his clocks.

The man is back driving around in his car and he runs over an older pedestrian to gain 25 points. Kelly and Alisha meet up and Alisha tells Kelly that she broke up with Curtis last night.  Kelly asks if Alisha is okay and says that if this was her, she would be home crying.  Suddenly, the man turns the corner and Alisha and Kelly are forced to run. The man gets out of his car, catches Kelly, punches her with brass knuckles, and puts her in his car.  Alisha comes running and asks him to let Kelly go but the man pulls out his gun and says, "you tell Conti I want my money." Alisha insists that there's no Conti and no money but the man is insistent and demands Alisha tell Conti to bring is 100K to the warehouse on Kipton street. The man then gets in his car and drives off with Kelly.

Fringe, Season Five, Episode 4: The Bullet That Saved the World

In Boston, Peter siphons gas out of a car and then enters a store with what I guess could be called antiques. The store is run by a Jamaican man with dreadlocks, but before he can say that he is looking for a new chain for Henrietta, Windmark hands him the chain. Windmark says that it will look good on the young woman.  This freaks Peter, so he starts to think about baseball. The observer tells Peter that he is upset and does not like to be read.  Peter hands over a twenty and rushes out of the store but he observer follows and tells the guards outside to detain Peter.  To escape Peter climbs down a manhole and though he pulls out his gun to protect himself, the guards do not follow and instead drop a bomb. Peter wakes up on the ground after climbing out of a storm drain.

Astrid and Walter have released another tape from the amber but Walter is not impressed with the pace at which they are working.  Peter returns to the lab and Olivia is concerned that he is hurt. Peter says that he is fine and explains about the run in with the observer.  He tells Henrietta that the observer got an image of her from his brain but figures that since she has already been exposed that it's fine. Peter is concerned that they will never beat the observers but Etta reassures him that he did the right thing instinctively but he has to build a labyrinth of planned thoughts. Peter believes that it is impossible but Etta assures him that she has taught others, but it just takes a really longtime.  Peter hands her the new necklace and she hugs him.

The observer is still in the store when in walks Broyles.  I was starting to wonder if he was ever going to appear this season. The observer is holding up a necklace and asks Broyles why Peter would put himself at risk to buy this.  The observer points out that the fugitives are confidant enough to walk freely and he believes that the resistance is protecting them. In what is a clearly threat, the observer informs Broyles that a man in his group failed his security test last week.  When Broyels asks why he wasn't informed about the security fail, the observer says, "I could ask you the same question."  Broyles responds "I didn't know about it," to which the observer says, "that is my point."

Back at the lab, they are watching the tape but it is so blurry that it is hard to make out. Astrid pulls the tape out and says that it's ripped but it's not a concern because Walter says that the item they need is hidden in the wall at Newarks Penn station.  Etta says that every major access to Manhattan has an observer check point. Walter replies that he needs to get to the rolling cabinet in the amber, but Astrid thinks that this is ridiculous because the cabinet only holds his easy bake oven.  Walter says what's important is not the cabinet, but what is under the cabinet.  Underneath the cabinet is a set of stairs but before the team goes down Walter gives them Mentholatum to deal with the smell. 

When they get there, they discover that Walter has a storage of all of the fringe events that they have ever worked on.  Walter believes that they need to create a Fringe event, in order to have a distraction. It seems that he kept them all because he has a healthy distrust of the government. Walter says that he will have to go through everything to see what is still viable but before doing do so, he eats the most disgusting doughnut ever.

The man who failed the security test is being questioned. The observer pulls up a copy of the tape.  The lie the resistance fighter was caught on was about the weather, the day he supposedly graduated from the academy. He tries to lie his way out of it and the observer starts to read his thoughts, as the man struggles.  The observer asks about Peter Bishop and unable to fight anymore, the man thinks about someone called the Dove but fortunately, he doesn't know the Dove's real name.  As the questioning goes on, Broyles watches the video feed. The observer then enters Broyles office and says that the man they were questioning is a low level operative.  The observer picks up the lab from Broyles mind and points out that he had a relationship with the fugitives. The observer is clearly trying to read Broyles but all Broyles says is that he knew them a long time ago.  The observer says that the fugitives are in the lab and leaves to make his report and Broyles takes his hand off his gun.

In the lab, it looks like Walter has found a delivery system for whatever plan he is hatching.  On the a computer, Olivia notices that there are even more loyalists at the subway station.  Etta starts playing with the bullet on her new necklace.  It turns out that this is a bullet that Olivia saved, which Etta took from their old apartment when she was 13 in order to feel closer to her mother. Etta offers the necklace back to Olivia but Olivia says that she wants Etta to keep it.  Olivia tells Etta that Peter used to call the bullet, "the bullet that saved the world."  Etta then gets a call that the lab has been compromised.

Haven Season 3, Episode 6: Real Estate

 It’s Hallowe’en! Which means Tina and Chad, teenagers in costume, have to go investigate the haunted house. In Haven. Because suicidal teenagers in costume are a staple of hallowe’en. As is predictable, once they get in the huge spooky, deserted house, lights start flicerking, music starts playing and doors start closing on their own. Tina, being marginally more sensible than Chad, runs for it,

Audrey is at a Hallowe’en party at the Haven herald – but not in costume. As she tells the vampire slaying cheerleader clad Claire, it’s redundant to dress as someone else when you don’t’ actually know who you are. She’s also managed to finish her photofit of the Colorado Kid from her memories – though running it through facial recognition databases hasn’t achieved anything. Claire is torn about this, while Audrey says she wants to remember, her subconscious is telling her no – or she wouldn’t have had a dream of her old boss telling her to stop

Before they can get into that, Tina comes storming into the party in a panic. She’s worried that her boyfriend Chad is actually Troubled with telekinesis and was going to hurt her and/or was out of control. I do like how overt the Troubled are and, even when presented with a  hunated house, the populace looks for a Troubled person. Audrey decides to go investigate and takes Duke along – she phones Nathan to let him know and he has his obligatory “rar hate Duke” moment and sends Tommy as backup. Along the way Duke gets to fill Audrey in on the history of the house – the massive Holloway house. He vanished without a trace and shortly afterwards his wife and 2 daughters also disappeared. No-one knows why but there are some bad stories. When she gets there, Audrey has no cell phone service

Jordan drops in on the police station to see Nathan, to say the Guard are impressed by him helping in the prison break – and to flirt with Nathan some more. They go out, there is touching she’s clearly angling for more, but Nathan spends the whole time checking his phone to see if Audrey has checked in. This is more than a little annoying for Jordan, even as he assures her that Audrey is just his parent. As she leans in for a kiss, he gets a call with a broken message from Audrey which he focuses on – Jordan leaves rather huffily.

In the house Audrey comments on the many many mirrors and has a memory faint. She sees herself as Lucy re-arranging the pictures. She wakes up, possibly miffed that all she remembers is that Lucy was one of Those People who rearrange your ornaments and check the shelves for dust when Duke points out Audrey has been leaving bloody foot prints behind her. They track the blood back and find a hand sticking out a bookshelf, dripping bloody.

Tommy joins Claire and Tina outside the house and through the intercom on the door they hear Audrey say that they’ve found Chad. All three rush in to find Audrey and Duke dismantle the book case to find Chad’s crushed body behind it. Messy. Tina has a mini freak moment, understandably, and the house starts shaking which leads her to run in panic (much less sensible). They follow her but she’s disappeared – and so has the front door. Tommy has a “you have ghosts in haven now?!” moment and Duke continues his poking of him. Audrey still thinks it’s a Trouble – but her money’s on it being Tina, time to pair off and find the Troubled Tina.

Audrey goes with Claire and tells her about her memories coming back which Claire puts down to buried memories being triggered by right stimuli – and they see a shadow. After a moment of panic they see it’s Nathan who came to check on Audrey after getting the call – the call that Audrey didn’t make. They go check to see if the front door has reappeared since Nathan got in – nope, it’s disappeared again.

Duke and Tommy wander around until they hear a scream – they rush to the source to find Tina impaled on the iron chandelier, with Jordan stood underneath, looking at the swinging body. Tommy grabs her – and collapses in pain from her Trouble. Audrey and the rest join them and they see the blood pattern – a big pool of blood and the words “This is your fault” written in blood. Nice. Claire provides the introductions for Jordan since she’s a patient of hers and Nathan tries to play the stranger card until Jordan is bombarded with questions about why she’s there and Tommy points out they’re looking for a serial killer with her tattoo. Jordan points out her Trouble doesn’t involve throwing people into chandeliers and Nathan finally admits to knowing her and that she’s with him. He holds her hand and Audrey has a totally not!jealous look on her face, honest.

This awkward scene is interrupted by a phone ringing. When the gang goes to check, Nathan and Jordan have a little conversation – she came to apologise, he has to tell her about the serial killer and she accuses him of just pretending to be interested in the guard to investigate (true). She also says Crockers hunt down Troubled and floats the idea of killing Duke before he kills them. Nathan protests that he put his job on the line for them by freeing the prisoner and yes his relationship started as a case but – the but is cut off by her smacking him. Which is kind of pointless since he doesn’t feel pain.

Unfortunately for Nathan, this entire conversation is being broadcast by an intercom by Duke and Tommy who are Not Pleased.

Claire and Audrey have a brief relationship conversation about Jordan and Nathan’s hand holding when Audrey decides to follow in the footsteps of her Lucy memory and mess with the painting on the wall – which opens up a secret passage. Inside which are three desiccated bodies – Mrs. Halloway and her two daughters. It looks like the mother killed the kids and then herself. There was a note with the words “I want you to watch. This is your fault”. Very creepy – and it makes Audrey faint. No, she doesn’t need the smelling salts, she’s having another Lucy memory. Lucy found the bodies when they were fresh when, accompanied by a man, she’s sad that she’s too late and that it was her fault. Audrey wakes up thinking it was her fault – but also realising that if Lucy were trapped in the house, she must have got out. Claire’s more worried about Audrey’s nose bleed and thinks the memories could cause brain damage.

Nathan drops in looking for Jordan who stormed off and Claire asks if she’s “loose”. Nathan takes umbrage – Jordan’s not a threat to which Clare, who has read Jordan’s file, points out she did torture a guy for 3 days and that man is now in a coma so she’s not ready to go with the “not a threat” judgement. Nathan huffs off again, because he’s Nathan and  Claire and Audrey get the full report on the overheard conversation between Nathan and Jordan from Tommy and Duke. Are we confused yet? Claire instantly hits on the bond of Nathan being the only person Jordan can touch but Audrey is still team Nathan, no matter how arsey he is. At this point Audrey gets shut out of the room – see, even the house thinks she’s being ridiculous!

Jordan gets knocked down the stairs by the house’s ghostly machinations, Duke finds a gun and Audrey gets to hear an intercom repeat Nathan’s conversation. She’s still not having it and demands whoever’s behind it shows themselves – she even offers to help. At which point a ghostly figure appears in the mirror – Roland Holloway. Seems he was a DIY fanatic who put so much of himself in the house that he ended up putting himself into the house entirely. To help him his wife filled the house with mirrors to be his eyes and intercoms to be his ears. When his family tried to leave he imprisoned them in the house –and he accuses Audrey/Lucy of not trying to help him, of leaving him stuck in the house. And since he had to watch his loved ones kill themselves, Audrey has to watch hers do the same.

Speaking of, we switch to Claire and Tommy finding Jordan and Nathan arriving, seeing her unconscious at the foot of some stairs and demanding to know who did it. When they both say they didn’t, he assumes it was Duke and carries Jordan off in another Nathan huff. If the house could kill Nathan, that wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Time for another meet up, Audrey again fills them all in on the situation and Audrey announces she’s going to go back to the corpse room to poke her memories even if it makes her head explode. Claire has to stop everyone killing each other (and by everyone, we mean Nathan of course) and Tommy needs to be ready to help Audrey – I dunno, by mopping up the brains if her head does explode, I guess. Claire apparently gave Tommy instruction on what to do if Audrey has a brain aneurism, which means either he got a crash course in brain surgery or he’s going to fall to his knees and pray.

Jordan wakes up and asks who pushed her (with an added side of “waaaah everyone hates me”) and the house gives Jordan a gun too. Claire shows up and Jordan points a gun at her because…. Actually she has no damn good reason for this. Probably spending too much time with Nathan. Jordan complains that Claire thinks she’s a killer (hey, want to challenge that? Don’t point guns at people!) Claire counters that she just thinks Jordan lets her anger hurt people – Jordan thinks they deserve it, especially sicne the man in a coma was her ex who violated her and triggered her curse.

Duke arrives with a gun which he points at Jordan – reasonable since she’s pointed at Claire. And Nathan arrives with a gun and points it at Duke. Unreasonable – but then he’s Nathan.

Time for Audrey memory moment - Tommy gives us a background hint since he “knows what it’s like to have a past your running from”. Then we get the Audrey fainting flashback – of the Colorado Kid saying they’re trapped unless Lucy helps Roland Holloway and Lucy saying if he’s let out he could possess anything – and kill again. She wants to trap him in the house, make it a prison – and we see the Colorado Kid’s face, and she calls him James. More information about this man! Waaait, why was this man so important again?

Audrey and Tommy join the tense huffy stand off (which is Nathan’s fault). Audrey tells them all everything – and that to get out they need to make Holloway deaf and blind by destroying the mirrors and intercoms – lots of gun destruction follows.

Holloway appears in the mirror a bit put out by this and Audrey makes it clear that Lucy didn’t “fail to save you” she chose not to – and so is Audrey. He responds by opening the gas pipes to poison them, but the doors are appearing again, breaking his eyes and ears is wounding him, costing him control. Time for a master plan: Nathan will go forward, wielding 2 guns, and bravely clear a path for the others to follow. He has to go ahead alone because he needs to be a Big Damn Hero because he’s been such an arse all episode he needs to do some redeeming (not the reason given, but they don’t actually give a reason why they can’t all leave together). He refuses Duke’s help because Duke has to be the one to get the others out, hereby showing some kind of healing of the rift because he trusts Duke! Yeah, except why do Audrey, Tommy, Jordan and Claire even need Duke to escort them out? Audrey and Tommy at least are as violently capable as Duke.

There follows a massive anti-climax accompanied by dramatic camera work – where Nathan charges through the house,2  guns blazing, shattering mirrors and intercoms and the house responds by occasionally closing doors. No, really. If it weren’t for the dramatic music and camera work it’d be laughable. In his wake Audrey and co cower outwards, moving as if they’re being bombed from a plane.

While all this has been going on, Dave and Vince Teague notice Audrey and co have left their party and Dave realises they didn’t tell them because the Teagues are no longer trusted – and for good reason. Still the question one of the policemen present and learn they went to the Holloway house. Recognising the name they rush out to try and help, calling Boyd to help. 27 years ago they remembered Lucy getting trapped as well – and that it’s a death-trap inside. To get in, you need to really hurt it – with a bomb

They hear the shooting inside and hurry with the bomb preparations just as Audrey and co burst out the front door. Nathan has been separated, since he went ahead, he arrives last *(yes, it makes no sense) and has to run to the door over a hole in the floor. Alas, he gets out and the Teagues blow up the house.

In the aftermath, Audrey with a first name and more complete picture of the Colorado Kid’s name can now do a proper search for him – he’s James Cogan. Audrey also asks Nathan about the prison escape; he says it was necessary and he defends the Guard as something that helps the Troubled. He says it’s not black and white and Audrey just agrees to trust him. Uh-huh

Nathan and Jordan make up, she hasn’t told the Guard about his ulterior motive and he wants her to help him catch a serial killer. We also see further proof of how sensitive to touch Jordan is. And they kiss again.

I’m rapidly becoming tired of Nathan. The lying and cross purposes and throwing in with the guard because… what? Because Jordan’s sexy and tragic? He has no reason to believe a word she says, she’s already lied to him and put him at risk – but her word is more important than Claire or Audrey?

And this whole “I hate Duke” thing has to end. He doesn’t even have jealousy over Audrey as an excuse now he’s kissing Jordan. In 3 seasons Duke has done nothing to earn this level of antipathy or to believe he’s a murderer – quite the opposite. His surliness needs to tone it down or get out

While it’s probably a symptom of extreme frustration after so much build up with no answers, getting the name and the face of the Colorado Kid feels like a massive breakthrough

Grimm, Season 2, Episode 9: La Llorana

“On many a dark night people would see her walking along the river bank and crying for her children”

There’s a man and his son fishing, enjoying themselves – when they see a woman in white walking along the bank, crying. The father watches her and sees her turn and walk into the water. Telling his son to stay put he runs after her, running into the water where she went into try and find and save her. He keeps looking until he sees, on the shore, the woman now dry, leading his son away. He hurries out of the water and tries to chase them but when he gets to the car park the woman and his son, Rafael, have gone.

Nick arrives at Monroe’s house – it’s Hallowe’en and Monroe goes waaaay over the top. He reminisces about the good ol’ days when Wesen used to Woge through the woods at midnight terrifying villagers (alas, he can find no villagers in Portland). He’s borrowed a morning star from Nick and further becomes all geeky about the history of it – Nick’s wonderfully amused by Monroe’s geerkery. Then he uses it to smash pumpkins. Nick finally leaves the scarily decorated house but only after Monroe promises no-one will get hurt.

Brief interlude to a woman who is dreaming of a woman in white, underwater, who becomes a strange banshee-type person. When she wakes she’s surrounded by a wall board and newspaper articles about missing children. She seems… intense

To the crime scene, where the father is telling Wu what happened in Spanish, though Wu’s Spanish isn’t really up to it. Hank and Nick show up and Wu fills them in – Luis Alvarez missing his son Rafael and they have a video of the woman in white taking the boy away

To the police stations they fill in Captain Renard, inept intern Ryan is still inept – and Nick calls Juliette in to be a translator, which means she and Renard have another moment. With Juliette in tow (She’s a fluent Spanish speaker) they can get all the details from Luis about what happened and what he knows about the woman (very little).

Cut to intense interlude woman again, pacing around near her computer until it beeps – with an Amber Alert for Rafael Alvarez. She woges into a blue furred tiger and books a flight to Portland while panting with anger.

Hank, Nick, Juliette and Luis go to his home which has several people waiting for them and is majorly decorated for hallowe’en (Juliette comments on “dia de los muertos”). Nick, Hank and Luis go to check Rafael’s room (and take a photo of Rafael) while a woman asks Juliette how she speaks Spanish so well – Juliette’s grandmother is Spanish. She says she knows who took Rafael – Nick & co return – but Luis tells her she knows nothing. She insists – the person who took Rafael was La Lorana (the weeping woman), a ghost story about a woman who takes children and drowns them. They show her a picture of the woman from the film they have and she says that is La Llorana. Luis doesn’t want to hear it and gets more and more agitated.

When they’re alone, the woman sees Juliette’s cat scratch and says they have to talk. Juliette says it was nothing – but she says she must have been very sick and then not remember any of it. She says someone brought her a cat and the cat was sick – Juliette tries to shut it down but she tells Juliette someone did this to her. Juliette becomes angrier and won’t talk about it. They leave Juliette with the family with Wu to act as translator. Later the same woman tells Juliette she’s in pain and going to have to choose between the 2 men she cares for – something she angrily rejects.

At the police station. Renard is having a phone conversation with someone about a man who was badly tortured – and they need to find out what he told since it could put their people at risk, especially people on the inside of the organisation. Why, possibly this man his brother Eric was torturing? And is Renard involved in the resistance against the royals? He’s interrupted by a knock on his door – Intense Cat Woman, is here, she’s a Detective from New Mexico. Damn it, we were getting exposition before she interrupted! She is Detective Valentina Espinosa of Albuquerque and has information on the boy.

Mockingbird Lane

 

Last night, NBC aired the pilot of Mockingbird Lane.  This is essentially an updated version of The  Munsters.  Herman is no longer green but he is still the caring Frankenstein father who cannot get along with his father in-law. Portia de Rossi was great as Lilly monster and Eddie Izzard was awesome and charmingly evil as grandpa.  It was nice to see a vampire on television who was not filled with emo angst and desiring some teenage girl who doesn't have the sense of a concussed penguin.

To date, there are no plans to air anymore episodes due to the cost.  I think that this is a real shame because this really and truly could be a hit as far as I am concerned. Unlike many shows in this genre, it's more than clear that NBC spent some money.  The special effects were absolutely awesome.  For example check out Grandpa all vamped out.

 Now, that's what I am talking about. There were no significant changes to the Munsters we all know and love. Marilyn continued to be irritatingly human as always.

This episode was based around a prepubescent Eddie. The family is forced to move to Mockingbird Lane after Eddie ravaged his scout group on a camping trip.  This trip did come with a bit of fat shaming that I could have done without though.  The munsters decide to tell Eddie that he was thrown in the bushes naked rather than tell him that he has become a werewolf.  This is a decision that of course Grandpa is very much against as he completely embraces being a Munster.  

Herman is having some problems of his own.  Herman loves his heart because he sees it as the key to loving his family and it is his last original part.  When this heart starts to fall apart, Herman is desperate to keep it but Grandpa warns him that it is time for it to go. When Eddie's new troop leader is invited for dinner, Grandpa sees him as a potential meal and Hermain sees him as a potential heart donor.  The human of course is absolutely oblivious to the danger that he is and actually says that it feels like being welcomed into the family.

I have seen some terrible reboots of classic shows over the years and I don't think that Mockingbird Lane fits into that category.  It was fun, paid great homage to the original and brought something new to the table.  That's about all anyone can ask.  Even if NBC were to tune down some of the special effects, like Eddie's pet dragon, I still think that this would be worth the watch.

I've embedded the video below for those who missed it and would still like to check it out!