The Walking Dead Season Three, Episode 11: I Ain't a Judas

At the prison, they are debating whether to leave or stay. Merle tells them that the truck through the fence was just the governor ringing the doorbell and that he has the guns and the numbers. Hershel is adamant that they leave the prison and when Rick walks away, Hershel accuses him of slipping and says that this is not the time. Hershel reminds him that he put his family's life in his hands.

The prison grounds are absolutely overrun with walkers when Rick goes to check the outside. Carl goes to see him and says, "you should stop being the leader. Let Hershel and Darryl handle things, you deserve a rest." Carl has grown and changed so much season one.

At Woodbury, Milton and Philip are going over a list of residents which can be enlisted to train. The conversation is interrupted by Andrea, who wants to know about the attack on the prison. Philip lies and says that he went to negotiate and that the residents shot at him. He claims that Rick's group is blood thirsty and must have changed since Andrea knew them.  Andrea tells him that she is sick of the lies and that she is not going to let the residents of Woodbury and the prison blow each other apart. Andrea announces that she is going to the prison. When she asks for a car, Philip tells Andrea that the roads are blocked and that they barely made it back themselves.  In a final parting shot, Philip tells Andrea that if she goes to the prison, she needs to stay there. Andrea heads out onto the streets of Woodbury and sees that the citizens are arming themselves.

At the prison, they are trying to figure out how to clear the yard. When Glenn calls Merle a snake in the yard, Darryl tells him to get used to it and walks off.  Glenn then tries appealing to Rick and says, "no one asked you to live with Shane, after he tried to kill you." Hershel jumps in and says, "Merle has military experience. He may be erratic but don't underestimate his loyalty to his brother."  Glenn then suggests delivering Merle to the governor as a traitor and then declaring a truce. Throughout this entire conversation, Michonne has been on the sidelines and has done nothing but stare angrily at the men. Yes, folks, Michonne is officially the female T-Dog.

Hershel heads upstairs to see Merle, who is taping his arm on. Merle asks how Hershel lost his leg and Hershel says that Rick did and that it saved his life.  Hershel reaches into his pocket and pulls out the bible. Merle finishes the quotation from Matthew and then says that Woodbury had a fine library. Merle adds that when the governor returns, he is going to kill him first, followed by, Darryl and then Michonne, and will save Rick for last, so that he can watch his family and friends die ugly.

The governor is reviewing the citizens of Woodbury and Andrea tells him that Noah is asthmatic. Instead of disqualifying him immediately, Philip asks of Noah has ever shot a gun. Noah tells him that he shot a BB gun once and so the Governor tells Noah that he is going to learn from the best.

Carol goes to see Darryl and tells him that she is glad that he came back. Carol says that this their home but Darryl calls it a tomb.  Carols says that this is what T-Dog called it and that she thought that he was right, until Darryl found her.  Carol then brings up Merle and suggests that he is not good for Darryl - "after all, look how far you have come."

On the streets of Woodbury, Andrea watches as reinforcements to the front gate are completed. When Milton approaches, Andrea asks if he really didn't know about the fight at the prison. Milton replies that he wouldn't "ever advocate anything like that because it's just posturing." Andrea asks him to cover for her because she is going to the prison and the governor can't know. Milton asks not to be put in this situation because he is afraid. When Milton starts to walk away, Andrea points out the child soldiers that Philip has enlisted and begs for his help. Milton suggests that this is a betrayal but Andrea counters suggesting that this is an attempt to stop this before more people get killed.

Alone, The Governor takes off the patch over his eye and lights a match in front of his damaged eye, clearly attempting to check his sight. When Milton knocks on the door, he puts on his patch. Milton tells Philip that Andrea is going back to the prison and has requested his aid in escaping. Philip instructs Milton to help her and then tells Milton that he did good work.

Andrea is out in the woods and she and Milton trap  a zombie and hack off it's arms. She then takes a page out of Michonne's book and smashes it's jaw so that it cannot bite.  Andrea puts the zombie on a harness and then Tyrese and his people come out of the woods and kill a walker before it can attack.

Michonne is working out and Merle approaches her to say that they should put the past behind them because he was just carrying out orders. Michonne compares this to the Gestapo. Merle admits that he has done a lot of things in his past that he is not proud of. Michonne continues to work out and does not answer, settling instead for more angry eyes.

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.

18th February - 25th February: King Makers by Griffiths
28th February - 4th March: Brilliant Devices by Shelley Adina
4th March - 11th March: Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs
11th March - 18th March: Summoning the Night by Jenn Bennet
18th March - 25th March: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
25th March - 1st April: The Struggle by L.J. Smith
1st April - 8th April: Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger

The Kingmakers (Vampire Empire #3) by Clay & Susan Griffith

 The war has begun, Equatoria’s armies are moving into Europe to reclaim their long lost lands from the vampire clans and free the herds of humanity reduced to squalor, enslavement and an early death.

But the delay has been costly, it’s a winter campaign rather than summer when the heat makes the vampires sluggish, even with the best weapons at their disposal it’s clear the cost of lives is going to be extreme. Unless Empress Adele’s skills at geomancy can tip the scale and be their ultimate weapon – but at what cost?

Of course, they could adopt the American tactic of slaughtering the humans and starving the vampires, but then, who are they liberating? And is it even right to commit genocide against the vampires, including their own children? Beset by these hard questions Adele also has to consider what future she has with Gareth, especially as Gareth looks to his own people and the potential of him taking Britain’s crown now his father is dead.

The war has begun, but the questions of how to fight it, how to win it and the cost of it remain to be seen.

A big epic showdown but it was so slow. I can’t even put my finger on exactly why it was slow, I think it was several elements. We had pages and pages devoted to single battles. Pages and pages to Adele’s angst over the Greyfriar and the difficulties in their relationship. Pages and pages of the Greyfriar’s own angst, pages and pages – actually pages and pages about everything. I think everything that happened and everything anyone felt in this book had to be accompanied by a rather long winded internal monologue.

I don’t know if this has always been the style of this series because I don’t remember being frustrated by it before. But I think the problem here is that the book is reaching a culmination of epic. There’s a literal war going on. The Equatorian Empire has invaded southern Europe, they have armies in France and the Balkans, thousands of people are dying – and against that backdrop we have the Greyfriar, Gareth, cooking eggs for Adele. Was it a lovely scene? Yes, it was, it was cute and romantic and funny and endearing – but epic conflict is happening! At the beginning the war was front and centre, an epic battle, a grand conflict, a huge show down brewing, but then the rest of the book veered so very far away from it. It became a very personal book of Adele and Gareth – and it was a book very much about their emotional states and various other feelings.

Many of these scenes weren’t bad – like Gareth visiting the King of Paris (a scene that ended up pretty irrelevant in the grand scheme of the novel), or, as I mentioned, Gareth cooking for Adele. Adele re-uniting with Morgana. Adele talking with Sanah. Anhalt sparring with Senator Clark. Senator Clark’s war in the US. They were all good scenes, albeit overly written with too much monologue, but they were great in their own right for character development and exploration and just plain fun with this world and these people who I enjoy. But they weren’t relevant to the plot – if they were removed the ending would be exactly the same as it was with them. Some of these scenes would have been wonderful to include and to underscore the difficulties the characters faced – Anhalt’s worry over Adele’s recklessness, Gareth and Adele worrying about the morality of the war, the difficulty of them having any kind of relationship and Adele becoming ever more isolated by the the necessities of state – but all of them together was just too much.

The Vampire Diaries Season Four, Episode 15: Stand by Me

Elena is looking at a picture of her and Jeremy and she flashes back to finding Jeremy dead in the cave. Stefan talks with Damon and informs him that Katherine stole the cure and Bonnie is missing. He then tell Damon that Elena is waiting for the Gilbert ring to bring Jeremy back to life but because Jeremy was one of the five hunters (read: a supernatural), he is sure that the ring won't work anymore.  Damon then volunteers to find Bonnie and sends Elena and Stefan home.

Caroline is shocked when Stefan carries Jeremy in.  Elena decides to sit vigil over Jeremy until he wakes up and asks to be informed if Stefan learns anything about Bonnie.

On the island, Damon begins his search for Bonnie and finds Rebekah instead.  Rebekah asks where the cure is and Damon informs her that Katherine has it and that she probably killed Jeremy. Rebekah makes a sad face and says that she is not heartless and realises that Jeremy was Elena's only family.  Why she would care, considering that Elena is directly responsible for the deaths of two of her brothers is beyond me. Rebekah suggests that they need to find Katherine but Damon assures her that Katherine is long gone and what they need to do is find Bonnie and beware of Silas.

Bonnie wakes up in the woods around a fire and is approached by Shane.  Bonnie asked how it is that Shane is healed and Shane replies that Silas helped him and now he is going to bring back everyone they lost.  Bonnie tells Shane that what he wants to do is unnatural. Shane assures her that she is going to change her mind and then informs Bonnie that because Silas was dessicated, he drained Jeremy of his blood and killed him.

Elena is still sitting vigil over Jeremy while downstairs, Caroline and Stefan talk about whether or not Elena realises that Jeremy is indeed dead. Stefan believes that deep down, Elena "must know but she feels grief more deeply than anyone else." Is this show ever going to get tired of casting Elena as a special snowflake? Even for The Vampire Diaries, that line is laying it on a little thick.  Stefan believes that denial is the one thing protecting Elena but does not want to tell her about Jeremy, until they know that Bonnie is okay and Damon returns to use his sire bond if necessary. Elena interrupts their conversation and admits that Jeremy was supernatural but that she's hopeful that because the tattoos were gone that it might mean that Jeremy fulfilled his supernatural destiny and returned to normal. Elena asserts, "there's absolutely no way that my brother is dead. I'm not in denial."

Caroline is out on the porch and she calls Tyler to tell him that something happened. When Stefan joins her, he assures Caroline that Katherine has been running from Klaus for five hundred years, and while it may not be easy, it's possible to survive.  Stefan then suggests that Katherine stole the cure so that she could bargain for her freedom. Caroline replies that she cannot believe that after everything  they have gone through that the cure is gone. Stefan answers,"yeah, talk about denial. In my head, I thought that there was no way Elena was going to stay a vampire forever."  Caroline tells him that they cannot talk about that now because they need a funeral and a cover story.  Stefan suggests that they get Matt over there.  When Caroline prepares to leave, she picks up on a smell, and Stefan says that it's the smell of Jeremy's body decomposing and tells her to get Dr. Fell to join them.

Back on the island, Damon and Rebekah are making their way through the woods. Damon teases her about being scared of Silas, when she says that she doesn't like being out in the open.  In turn, Rebekah questions the fact that Damon is there looking for Bonnie, instead of comforting Elena.  Their little argument is interrupted when Galen Vaughn shoots an arrow, and Damon pulls Rebekah in front of him for protection.  When Galen takes off running, Damon follows and quickly over powers him.

Bonnie is crying at the campfire and Shane brings her tea to calm her down.  The fire suddenly flares and Shane tells Bonnie that he is not going to let her magic get out of control. Shane assures Bonnie that Silas needs her and that she will see Jeremy again.

Jeremy is still lying in state and Meredith shows up to talk to Elena.  Meredith says that she is there to check on Jeremy and Elena says that she isn't going to find any vitals and that Rick was once dead for an entire day.  Elena adds that Rick died and came back four times before he lost his mind and suggests that when Jeremy wakes up, they are going to have to keep an eye on him because he has died a few time as well.  Stefan and Meredith make eye contact and then Meredith tells Elena that Jeremy died of sever blood loss and has a broken neck.  Meredith adds, "the lack of blood explains why there's no lividity but his muscles have tightened past the point of rigor mortis. If he's left unattended, soon he'll start to bloat and within a few hours, his skin will discolour." Elena tells Meredith to stop and says that Jeremy is not dead.  Meredith asks for Jeremy's body to be released to her, so that they can get him to a funeral home.  This pushes Elena over the edge and she shoves Meredith.  Stefan intervenes and grabs Elena from behind as she says, "now you're all about science.  Where was your science when you used vampire blood to save my life?  There is no science here; it's magic.  We need to find Bonnie. Bonnie can fix this. Someone just get me Bonny."  Matt enters the room and starts to cry when he sees Jeremy and Elena rushes over to comfort him and says that Bonnie will be here soon and will fix this.  
 
Matt and Elena head downstairs to have a coffee. He asks where Bonnie and Damon are and Elena replies that they lost Bonnie on the island and that Damon stayed behind to find her. Matt is shocked and reminds Elena that Damon hates Bonnie, but Elena says that Damon actually kind of loves her and that people are mean to those they like.  Matt rightfully calls it messed up logic.   Matt asks her to go somewhere with her but Elena does not want to leave Jeremy.  Matt tells her that there is nothing she can do for Jeremy right now and that Stefan can stay with him.
  
Damon is holding a knife to Galen's throat and then Damon starts to talk about Katherine and that he believes that this is no coincidence.  Rebekah then shows up and so Damon tells her that if she wants a lead on where Katherine is, that Galen is her man. Galen tells them that they can torture him all they want, but they cannot kill him because of the hunter's curse.  Rebekah replies,"he's right, we can't kill him. But that doesn't mean we can't tear him apart piece by piece, nerve by nerve until your brain shuts it off to give you one tiny moment of blessed relief and then we'll heal you and do it again and again." I loved that line because it is one of the few times that they have actually let Rebekah be the scary original vampire that she is supposed to be, instead of the angsting vampire cheerleader that she too often is. Galen says that he was tracking dens of vampires around Colorado, when Katherine showed up and offered to help him find Silas. Apparently, Katherine already knew all about the hunters mark and the cure from Hayleigh.  It seems that Katherine found Hayleigh in New Orleans. Damon tells Galen that he can now starve to death and that he is off to find Bonnie.  Rebekah is not willing to join Damon because she now has a lead on the cure. Rebekah says that she is not surprised that Damon is not willing to search for the cure because he never wanted Elena to be human again.  Damon responds that he wanted Elena to be human again because that is what she wanted but right now, Elena needs for him to bring her best friend home.

Beauty and the Beast Season 1, Episode 14: Tough Love

 

Catherine is freaking out that zomg Heather saw Vincent! And since Heather has no concept of boundaries, any guy she sees Catherine with is researched in excruciating detail (well, when one’s soul topic of conversation is men, you need to have enough material to talk about, right?) And they’ve just put Alex on a bus to get her out of town away from Muirfield. Vincent is the voice of reason, pointing out Heather has never met him before and doesn’t know his name and, for all she knows, he could have been just some random guy Catherine met at a bar, never to be seen again.

Except heather doesn’t buy that, thinks he’s Vincent “Selanski” who she said she was going to invite to the wedding, that he’s the guy she’s been having issues with etc etc etc and she wants to meet him she wants to wants to wants to. At this point, I’d tell her she needs a hobby.

So to Vincent for Catherine to confess how much she failed to tell her sister to mind her own business and further add that to stop Heather asking questions they should make him less mysterious (i.e. answer her questions, validating said questions and encouraging more) but having him round to dinner. Vincent suggests instead she tell Heather that Vincent “Selanski” has dumped her. But Catherine doesn’t want to lie (um… hate to break it to you, Catherine, but when you haven’t even told the truth about his last name how do you expect to NOT lie in this situation? “What does he do for a living?” “Nothing! He lurks around a warehouse performing medical tests and occasionally being a vicious vigilante murderer!” “Do you have any family round here?” “yes, but I can’t speak to them or a secret government agency will kill them!” These truthful conversations are going to be difficult.)

Catherine is worried about damaging her relationship with Heather since she’s already lost Tess. So he concedes and she says he can be that nice ER doctor and hang around her apartment more then as well (well the “no lies” lasted all of 10 seconds. And how’s that going to follow through with someone as nosy as Heather? “which hospital?” “Oh… uh – LIE” and then hope she doesn’t check?)

Any loveydoveyness is interrupted by JT who is worried about Evan going silent – but Catherine reassures him

Cut to Evan and he gets a visit from Dr. Sorensen, here to play “we’re nice guys at Muirfield, honest!” and try to do a recruitment drive.And doesn’t he want to stop the big bad scary monster? Isn’t that why he does that job as a pathologist anyway (no background check Muirfield? Sloppy. He does that job because he’s having the guilty heeby jeebies about someone dying on the operating table – even JT managed to pull that one up).

There we dabbled our toe in some serious plot, on to the family dinner with Heather, Catherine and Vincent. Where Catherine seems to have done Heather a disservice because her “grilling him” is some very very reasonable questions. Minus points for her deciding to invite her own date to the dinner as well – Darius, Joe’s brother. At which point we get some of the awkward questions like “which hospital do you work at?” (zomg who could have predicted such taxing interrogation? Oh yes, me.)  But we have another drama at the dinner table – Darius gets a text saying “payment overdue” and starts to get quietly stressed, noticed by Vincent’s super senses. More awkwardness – but mainly caused by everyone very classily asking him about his facial scar, tacky folks, real tacky. But Vincent distracts them from it by using super speed to stop Catherine dropping her wine. Vincent flees to the other room ostensibly to call the hospital and Heather follows to tell him how much she doesn’t trust him. Oookay… because that’s a totally reasonable thing to say on first meeting. Of course this could be because Vincent was lurking outside Heather’s door trying to steal her camera – and the photo she has of Catherine and Vincent on the dance floor at their father’s wedding. Vincent makes and excuse and leaves with Catherine seeing him out so they can discuss the awkwardness and that Darius is hiding something.

Cue next day at work and Tess wants to talk to Catherine. Into the interview room – and there’s Heather. They want to talk about Vincent. Because, shockingly, they’ve checked up on him and *gasp* he doesn’t exist. Who could have predicted this problem? Oh yes, me again. They talk about why would he have a secret identity and the fact that Catherine was constantly covering for him is, according to Heather’s notes, a red flag that it’s an emotionally toxic relationship. Catherine urges them to trust her, but Tess won’t have it – she disappears during work hours, she lies, she’s a different person around him and she’s been tampering with evidence. Trust no longer applies. And there’s an ultimatum of “him or us” looming. Maybe time for a big secret reveal?

They’re interrupted by Joe coming in, Catherine and Heather leave Tess and Joe to it. Joe tells Tess that they have to cancel their date because his wife is coming home early – and also that Joe intends to tell her he’s leaving her. Tess urges him to not do it for her, to do what feels right, but Joe says marriage doesn’t feel right.

She goes to tell Vincent but there’s another crisis, while Catherine has the photo, it seems Heather has already posted them online, JT deleted it but it could still reach Muirfied. And now they have to find the digital copy Heather has so she doesn’t repost it.

Catherine goes to Heather at the big party for Joe and asks for the flash drive and when Heather gets angry, Catherine turns it around – on the basis of one awkward double date Heather decided he was a criminal, spoke to her co-worker and did a full background check; Catherine is not happy. She also points out she’s the responsible one who helps out Heather not the other way round, but Heather counters that’s because she talks to Catherine like a normal sister – and that Catherine doesn’t know how to be normal. She gives Catherine the flash drive but says she’s lost a room mate, she’s chosen Vincent over them.

Oxford Blood (The Cavaliers #1) by Georgiana Derwent

 The dreaming spires of Oxford conceal a dark secret among these hallowed halls of education and tradition. The Cavaliers. Rich, influential, titled, powerful and elite club of the truly elite with a herd of hungering wannabes eager for a place. Oh, and they’re vampires.

Harriet has realised her dream, following in the footsteps of her tragically deceased cousin Stephanie, she has won a coveted place at Oxford. It’s a dream come true and opens up avenues of experience and opportunity she never imagined.

And vampires. Who are very very interested in her – and interest that becomes ever more complicated when she discovers her family history with them, a history which makes her both in demand and untouchable. As she learns more, it’s a question of how much she wants to know, how deep she wants to get and what evils she can tolerate – as well as how much she live on her own terms with the man she chooses; or will she be forced by the society rules she’s only just discovering?

There is a lot about this book that’s intriguing. The setting in a university and the feel of that is not something I’ve come across before in the genre.

I also really liked the role Harriet’s family played in her relationship with the vampires. I’m trying to avoid spoilers, which is hard but I’ll try and talk round it. While Harriet has a vampire love interest that is pushing her towards the supernatural – she even has the oh-so-classic love triangle, her family may be an even greater force and connection.

In a genre full of dead mothers, it’s interesting to see one taking such an active and powerful role in her daughter’s life. It’s a shame that that role is borderline villainous but  her mother is a complex figure and I think, despite the rather cold nature of what she does, most of it is in Harriet’s best interest in a ruthlessly practical manner. If we’re thinking long term about what is best for Harriet, then she is right, entirely right.

There were two storylines in this book. The first and primary storyline was Harriet’s acclimatisation to Oxford, settling in, and discovering the true nature of the Cavaliers. Of course, the problem is that the reader knows the true nature of the Cavaliers from the prologue, so we’re then following the protagonists discovery of answers we already know. That’s not always a bad thing – the journey itself can be interesting, but it tends to lose me and it did here. Particularly since the secondary plot after that was the love triangle between Harriet, Tom and George; I don’t like love triangles, I think the genre is stuffed full of them and they’re all rather clichéd, this didn’t engage me because I could see the way it was going from the beginning and it did. There did remain one further revelation about the greater history of the vampires (which is fascinating and has excellent roots in the Civil War and I hope that is a storyline that is developed further later) and her familial connections which I did enjoy.

The second storyline was a series of murders among the vampires – but this is very much a background event, something that could have been interesting but I repeatedly forgot about with the other dominant storyline and with a rather predictable bad guy.

There were, unfortunately, several other elements of this book that were severe hurdles to me enjoying it.

It was overly descriptive. Yes, Oxford is an extremely beautiful city full of history and beautiful architecture but there’s a limit to how often Harriet needs to say this. A book shouldn’t resemble a tourist information brochure or a university prospectus. There was just a bit too much rhapsodising and revelling in the wonders of Oxford, it got in the way and almost felt like an advert.

Also, Oxford university is a university. It’s one of the most prestigious universities in the world. It’s a place where people go to learn and where many people, especially poorer people, struggle hard to get a place. Reading this book it’s possible you may have missed that because actually learning seems to be very far down Harriet’s (and, for that matter, her cousin Stephanie’s) priority list. Stephanie openly admits to being there to snare herself a rich, titled husband. Harriet herself is all about the bars (this woman drinks booze booze and more booze. I don’t think she can ever be sober – even for a student it’s impressive. And the booze is nearly always champagne), parties and bars and parties and social events and parties and dinners and parties and it’s all about which girls are with which guys and honour of honours, who has been invited to the poshest of posh societies. Occasionally this is interspaced with university politics – who gets to be in charge of the poshest of posh societies. Education? Nah, darling who needs an education, we’re getting ourselves rich and connected husbands! This doesn’t just happen with the younger women in the family, but her mother also went to Oxford and accepted a date to the club despite already dating someone else – she’s also planning on “dating” her way to success and influence.

Supernatural Season 8, Episode 15: Man's Best Friend with Benefits

 

A woman is walking down a dark alley by herself, wearing revealing clothing (I think she’s being coded as a sex worker – fishnets and high high heels). She gets steadily more nervous until a man stops her – and shows her his badge. She grumbles but submits to being handcuffed and then he strangles her.

And the man wakes up in horror with flashes of the woman dying still playing. He goes back to bed when his dog jumps up and lays next to him. He starts his morning routine – and finds a blood stained shirt in the bin.

Sam and Dean arrive at a motel (aww, no Winchester cave?) with lots of the bickering that works for them, including Dean still pushing Sam to let him get a hellhound for those gates of hell tests. They’re in town because a policeman who save their lives has called in a favour (how pesky).

While Dean is out for supplies, Sam hears a scratching at the door and, when he opens it, a very friendly black dog hurries in and demands belly rubs. When Dean comes back Sam hurries out to explain “she just showed up, she wanted her belly rubbed, I thought she could stay the night and we find her home tomorrow” to which Dean looks inside and sees a beautiful Black woman. He says she can stay the night

Sam draws a knife but she tells him to put away the blade she’s not a shapeshifter – she’s a familiar, a witch’s companion. Her name is Portia and she “belongs” to James Frampton – the guy who called them in. It seems since they worked on a case with him, James started studying the supernatural and became a witch. Portia describes  how James has been having headaches and nightmares that have been getting worse. Dean doesn’t want to help a witch and Portia chews him out for bigotry and that James has done nothing but good as a homicide detective and a cop. There’s silence before Dean describes her anger as incredibly hot and Sam agrees.

Pause a moment. I’m going to need a big drink to get through this episode.

Meanwhile James is in an exclusive club where there are at least 2 magic users openly using telekinesis to play chess (now that’s just lazy). He meets someone called Spencer to discuss his nightmares and other problems. Spencer advises giving it a rest – that it’s impossible to reconcile being a witch and being a detective and it’s the cause, which is when James reveals that Portia has disappeared

Portia explains the dreams to Sam and Dean – that they’re violent and that James fears they’re actually happening; this is what she got through her telepathic bond with her “master” before he started blocking her. And that it wasn’t James who called them in, it was Portia.

James has another dream of killing someone else – a blind Black man – before waking up again. Cut to Sam and Dean visiting and James and Portia arguing over Portia bringing them. After she leaves in dog form and Dean has his obligatory “witchcraft you fool?!” moment, James tells them about his dreams and adds that the people in them are actually dead he checked at the precinct and he shows them his blood stained shirt. They agree to help – but Dean pulls out some chains; first step is house arrest

Sam checks up on the 4 dreams – and the 4 victims are exactly as James described. Also, since using magic his solve rate has been almost 100% putting him on the super-duper fast track for promotion. And Dean and Sam have another talk about the demon trials, only this time Dean’s concern is apparent that he doesn’t think Sam will necessarily be able to perform all the trials, as he can. To Sam’s credit, he takes it less as a personal insult and more as an indication that Dean can’t trust ANYONE any more (and I just gave Sam credit. I feel unclean now). Then they discuss the witch killing spell they’re preparing on the assumption another witch is hexing James – except Dean is also keeping it in case there isn’t another witch (i.e. to kill James with). Sam brings up them giving free passes in the past (well, yeah, true – but someone actively killing people, just someone who is a monster). Dean points out that James is killing people and adds that Benny and Kate were forced to become a vampire and a werewolf respectively. James chose to be a witch.

Time for Sam to impersonate a federal agent and go to the police station to learn that the victims were all pretty isolated in their lives. This gives Sam a chance to get fabric from the blood stained shirt tested and hear from the detective in charge, Ed, that a witness had seen a man in a white shirt and suit at the crime scene. Which didn’t appear in the police report – and he refuses to discuss the witness any further

Portia takes Dean to the witch bar where everyone gives him the stink eye for clearly not belonging. And Portia tells him that a familiar finds their master and forges a very close, unbreakable bond – and objects strenuously to being called a “pet”. Hmmm, maybe if she’d stop referring to James as “master” then “pet” wouldn’t be the word that comes to mind. They’re called over by someone in the bar, Phillipe LeChat (yes, he’s a cat. And yes they’re imaginative with these names and no I’m not even going to try and wait until they confirm he’s actually a cat before naming him one). Oh and Dean’s allergic to cats and sneezes despite the complete absence of cat hair (yes, I’m being grumpy but this joke is so old). Seems that the witch community isn’t happy with James for being a cop and a witch. Which is when Spencer arrives and, in answer to Dean’s question, tells him he’s never heard of a spell for one witch to control another (really? Supernatural that’s just lazy! It’s like the third most common use in all the world’s black magic folklore! 1: kill, 2: raise the dead, 3: control people. At least come up with a “no-one I know could/would cast such a spell” or “no he’s too good a witch to be susceptible!”) Spencer leaves and Phillipe turns into a cat and goes with him. I’m shocked. Are you shocked? Because that was totally shocking and unexpected.

The Portrayal of Addiction in Urban Fantasy

Because urban fantasy is thought of as unimportant fluff, it often gets a pass on many of the isms that it perpetuates. It never ceases to amaze me that in a genre which is filled with fantastical elements that so many find it difficult to create a world in which serious issues and marginalisations can be discussed or included in anything approaching a realistic or inclusive manner. Appropriation is absolutely rampant in the genre and it is quite common to take serious issues and minimise them by equating them to fantastical creatures. The viewer or reader is meant to identify with the issues of the supernatural creature, even as the portrayal leaves so much to be desired that it ends up stigmatising the very issue that the genre is supposedly discussing.

One of the recurring topics which urban fantasy has sought to integrate is addiction. One of the most obvious examples in the genre is clearly Being Human (UK).  Vampirism in Being Human (UK) is clearly a metaphor for addiction because the vampires in this series can exist for extended periods of time without consuming blood; however, the moment they are turned, they develop an overwhelming desire to consume blood. Essentially, the battle for each vampire seeking to assimilate is to forgo the consumption of blood thereby; making the consumption of blood a moral failing. By making vampirism a metaphor for addiction, Being Human (UK) is essentially saying that addiction in and of itself is monstrous and so are the addicted. This is highly problematic because even though those who love and support the addicted individual suffer, no one suffers more than the addicted person themselves.

It is clear that Being Human (UK) is attempting to create an equivalency between an addicted human and a vampire. While to some degree the biological nature is explored because it is not coincidental that children of alcoholics are far more likely to become alcoholics themselves. However, a propensity for addiction does not make addiction an inherent part of any person’s nature, not even if they go on to become an addict. This contrasts sharply with the blood hunger of a vampire which, by definition, is an inherent, unchanging biological element of who and what they are.

Being Human (UK) is not the only Urban Fantasy to use themes of addiction when it comes to the supernatural. We’ve seen the same themes in Buffy, Secret Circle and even the latest season of The Vampire Diaries, have their addictive dark magic episodes and themes, Being Human (US) even had body hopping addiction with Sally. It’s common in books as well, with Chloe Neil’s Chicagoland vampires exploring magic addiction. Addiction, whether it be to blood, magic, forbidden arts or innumerable other supernatural elements continues to be raised in the genre - but in nearly all cases, addiction is linked to the damage it does to others. The addict is shameful and needs to be stopped not for their own sake, but because of the people they hurt. No-one is stopping Willow or Mallory or worried about Cassie’s dark magic because them living with addiction so much as they are afraid of the people their powers will hurt. No-one is concerned about the difficulties vampires must endure with their blood addiction, interventions are motivated by fear for their victims.