Da Vinci's Demons, Season 1, Episode 1: The Hanged Man

Da Vinci’s friend shares with him some wacky baccy (which, y'know, at the time period shouldn't really contain tobacco at all) to help him see visions and demons – which Da Vinci doesn’t believe in; leading to the rather awesome response “then why do you fight so hard to keep both away?” There follows lots of nifty foreshadowing of how Da Vinci will change the world, history is a lie and seeing the future.

Well that was a pretty nifty opener I have to say, almost enough to make me forgive us now going 4 days earlier. I hate flashforwards.

To a man going through his morning routine and kicking a much younger man (who he calls boy) from his bed. After driving him out and throwing money after him he asks his disapproving manservant what day it is. Palm Sunday. His response is “balls” and to complain about his hangover.

Meanwhile several holy looking blokes are being searched for weapons, but the guards forget to check their holy books – from which they take thin pieces of weapon they build a weapon out of when combined with their crosses. It’s like Krypton Factor assassins!

So when our hungover man arrives at church in a grand entry (and bonus points for “artless fuckwit.”) he gets stabbed in the neck – courtesy of the “secret archive.” On a Palm Sunday in a church with a dagger made of a crucifix no less – maximum blasphemy achieved.

While all this excitement is happening, Leonardo is sketching a naked woman out in the countryside and telling a story of his past – when he was 6 months old he was left in a field in a basket and a falcon considered eating him. Well it perched on his basket and looked at him, which I interpret as deciding whether to eat him or not (makes more sense than it passing on wisdom – it’s a falcon!) His mother drove it away before it managed to eat the sweet baby meat and Leonard laments he can’t remember his mother’s face despite his super-duper memory. She amateur psychoanalyses him and they kiss.

The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3) by Richelle Mead

Sidney is facing new challenges with the tasks the Alchemists have given her, to watch and protect the moroi with whom she has become friendly. But increasingly she is finding their attitudes wrong and even ridiculous, more and more she is having to assume an act to pretend the suitable levels of revulsion the alchemists continually show to the Moroi.

Increasingly, she doesn’t fit among the Alchemists, and this only becomes more extreme when it becomes apparent that the Alchemists are dealing with hunters who don’t seem to differentiate between the moroi and the strigoi. But when given the chance to leave, does she really want to break away from the only people she’s ever known?

Then her magical learning is also putting her at risk – but from a predatory witch this time. And not just her, other untrained, reluctant magic users are risking death and worse and it’s a dangerous race to see if Sidney and her teacher can protect them even while they themselves become targets

And then there’s Adrian – Adrian who won’t give up loving Sidney, Adrian who continues to intrigue Sidney and Adrian who may have permanently burrowed into Sidney’s affections despite all her attempts to stop it.

The story of this book is good, fun and pretty decent. It’s not amazing but we have several inter-twining plot lines all of which are decently placed and explored. All of them are developed and add to the ongoing meta plot which always keeps me happy and all of them kept me amused and ensured that I will be looking to the next book with curious interest.

I can’t say they enthralled me, Sidney learning magic and tracking down the witch, Sidney’s relationship with Adrian and Sidney deciding which path to take with the Alchemists, to stay or to go and leave it all behind – but they were all good, strong stories.

What did really stand out was Sidney herself

I do like the relationship between Adrian and Sidney – despite his pushiness. And he is pushy, he does constantly use innuendo to encroach on her comfort zone, even if he uses humour to do it.

GBLT Characters on Supernatural

Supernatural is one of the longest running shows we follow; the Winchester brothers have been fighting against demons, vampires, werewolves, angry spirits, angels and anything else you can imagine for an incredible 9 years, 8 seasons (and a 9th season has already been planned) and a massive 168 episodes and counting.

That’s a long time and in that time we’ve had an amazing number of people hang around with the Winchesters. We’ve had monsters galore, victims in spades, people to protect and shelter, the occasional love interest, allies occasionally and, pretty rarely, the odd friend who has joined them in their struggle.

But such a lengthy presence on our screens makes it easy to see patterns of representation - and erasure. Any show that lasts this long and, because of that, has a great many characters is going to be more heavily criticised for it’s erasure than a shorter lived one. After all, a single season show with a small cast of 3 characters and less than a dozen extras is going to have less scope for inclusion or developing numerous minority characters - not that it makes the erasure tolerable by any stretch - but when you have 168 episodes and a gazillion people with which to present some decent diversity and you still fail? That’s almost willful.

Supernatural is not diverse on any real front - throughout its run the majority of the regularly recurring characters have, by far, been cis, straight, white men: Sam, Dean, Bobby, Castiel, Crowley - even Garth. We have a few women, but most of them are dead. Kevin has tried to shift some POC into the line-up by reading feverishly in a boat and Bobby was, briefly, disabled before he was magically cured when it became too awkward, but you can hardly say the show has made more than a token attempt at inclusion.

When it comes to GBLT characters, the pickings have been slim; we have a very very few gay characters and no trans characters. The very first was a lesbian who appeared in Season 2, Episode 21 All Hell Breaks Loose, she was one of the demon children, along with Sam and she accidentally used her power to kill her girlfriend (behold, the dangers of gay sexuality!) After that, she is brutally murdered; the first to die to get her out of the way (no, that doesn’t count as a spoiler. It’s Supernatural and, frankly, a gay person dying is hardly a spoiler in fiction anyway).

Then we have Corbett. Never heard of him? Well he’s one of those annoying “Ghostfacers”, a group of amateur ghost hunters who keep getting in Sam and Dean’s way for much comedy (allegedly, anyway, can’t say they ever made me laugh). He only appears once - as an intern for the comic team in Season 3, Episode 13, Ghostfacers. While there he is, along with the rest of the team, comic relief. He also has a pretty blatant crush on uninterested straight guy, Ed. Alas, the Ghostfacer’s bungling gets Corbett killed and he becomes a ghost, a death echo. To save the day, they have Ed reach out to Corbett and use his feelings for Ed to have the ghost sacrifice himself to save them all.

Concealed by Sang Kromah

 Bijou has always known she was different, with abilities and insights no-one else shared. Her nights were disturbed by weird and surreal dreams. Many times she thought she was losing her mind and she did her best to develop ways to cope with the impressions and senses that bombarded her

Her eccentric and dramatic grandmother seemed determined to shelter her and keep her from the world, but Bijou wishes a normal life and after a long battle, succeeds in being enrolled in school for the first time.

While it’s overwhelming, it’s not school that derails Bijou’s life – but the revelations of the people in it. As she increasingly sees the Others and her dreams become more vivid, more strange and clearer, her own nature is becoming known to those around her – and the secrets of her past, her family and her very nature are finally being revealed.

This book began with a slow, but intriguing start. We had a lot of foreshadowing, a lot of build up for this huge and powerful world and a slow gradual indication that Bijou was something well and truly special. It wasn’t a great start – it did drag, but the world setting seemed fascinatingly broad with a new slant – especially since we had an emphasis on Djinns rather than the usual stalwarts of western mythology.

Except then we hit the half way mark and the story knotted itself up, “djinn” was just used as “generic supernatural” in the same way other authors have used “fae” and then there were the characters.

The characters derailed this book for me. Or rather, character – because while there are a lot of other cast members we never really see them be developed, we know some things they’ve done, but no real sense of who they are as people. I think Bijou was the only realised character in this large cast.

And I didn’t like her.

She is, like so many Urban Fantasy protagonists, very very very angst laden. Part of this is from her powers which, like so many many many Urban Fantasy protagonists, she doesn’t like and just wants to be normal. Already my angst fatigue cries, but I can filter the angst into background noise if it is well done, well reasoned and she has some other, redeeming qualities.

Dark Angel Season 2 Episode 19: She Ain't Heavy

With the secret out, there’s now a senator task force asking questions about transgenics  - and presenting them as a dangerous, criminal and even infectious, threat. Normal, watching the task force on television, is all in favour. Elsewhere in Jampony, 2 workers playing round with Normal’s barcode stamp, stamp one of their fellows on the back of the neck and someone else is wearing a “Wanted” poster t-shirt with an artist impression of Joshua, much to Max’s disgust. She also fills in Original Cindy on her still being apart from Logan and how she let Logan think she was with Alec to end it for good

Normal notices the barcode on the back of his employee’s neck, grabs a gun and points it at him. Max takes it off him and ejects the bullets – in time for them to see that the ink on his neck smudges. Max takes off moping and wonders if it would have been easier if she’d gone elsewhere

Zoom to San Francisco where a woman who looks just like Max returns home to her husband and child. The domestic bliss is interrupted by White and a huge numbers of goons moving in – she throws one across the room with Manticore strength before being tased. White taunts her, calling her 452, she says she’s 453. Max’s twin (because everyone in Manticore has one per the new retcon). White checks her barcode (he can actually read a barcode?) and see’s it’s true.

Max goes to see Joshua who is still very sad over Annie – and is painting out the windows on his house. She also finds a map to Terminal City, an area of Sector 7 that is fenced off because of a bioweapons spill during the Pulse, where “downstairs people”, animal transgenics have been gathering because they’re immune to the toxin. Alec told Joshua about it and he wants to know why she didn’t. She calls the house his home but he refuses to be distracted (really highlighting how Max infantilises him) and tells her everything in the house reminds him of Annie.

At White’s he has men trying to track Logan’s bulletins, relying on his rambling when he talks about transgenics and going over time and we find out that 453, Max’s clone has different DNA from Max (yes, I know I know, Dark Angel long since stopped making sense). 453 has never contacted Max and Max didn’t break her out –s he was already out on a deep cover mission and she then fell in love with her mark and his son.

White’s plan is to have 453 pose as Max and speak to the doctor who treated her and see what he knows about Max and where she is. She does this and she gets to see her family again. And if she believes that then Manticore training failed dismally.

Speaking of that doctor – he’s treating Logan who is magically getting the feeling back in his legs again. Of course this happened last time he received a transfusion from Max, only now it’s almost instant, far faster than before. Yes, this may be the miracle cure AGAIN.

Downstairs Clone!Max arrives on her bike (stamping out a cigarette so we know it’s not Max) and she walks past Logan without recognising him – dum dum dum. 453 isn’t great at the undercover thing but does learn Max works at Jam Pony and was shot recently – and the doc notices she doesn’t have a wound. She heals fast but not that fast. She smacks him and tells him to get out of town.

She starts to drive off and White’s team begins to follow them – before she pulls 2 guns and shoots up their car. She tells them that if she’s on to them, she would be on to them. She works alone. Like good little people facing a bullet to the head, they nod politely.

To add to the complications, Normal has been thinking about how easily Max pushed him aside and talking to Sketchy – they talk to Alec about maybe Max being transgenic. They plan to look at her barcode. Alec calls them paranoid – and goes to see Max to tell her she needs to top up her tattoo removal. Max is also having problems with Joshua – he’s tried of hiding, he wants to go to Terminal City. She tries to talk him out of it but he refuses to be silenced, he refuses to be babied – he’s been looking after himself and everyone else for a long time back in Manticore and he doesn’t want to be alone.

White’s boss catches up with him – white has been subpoenaed to appear before the senate committee. White is told to plead the 5^th and continue to pretend Transgenics do not exist, despite his objections.

453 goes to Jampony and runs into Logan who is snippy about her ignoring him earlier, dodging him and waiting until Jam Pony closes she checks the files and finds Normal’s file on Max (rooms with “nubian princess” really? Really? C’mon Dark Angel you’re better than that) and that she lives with Cindy. The real Max is at home having a pity party to which, unfortunately for her, Cindy is invited. She’s planning on packing and leaving town because waaaaaaaaaah waaaaah largely because Joshua won’t let her baby him. And Logan will be just finnne without her.

That Just fine Logan does a streaming freedom bulletin which is traced by White – seeing he’s been tracked he signs off and tells everyone it will be his last hack for a while. Logan packs up and leaves. By the time White’s gang arrives he’s gone and the computers have had their hard drives erased. They take out their frustrations by breaking down walls and shooting computer monitors.

Max makes her goodbyes with Cindy –or rather Cindy has the super touching goodbye and Max drives off. Followed by Clone!Max who shoots out the tires on her bike. 453 calls White (at Logan’s erasing the White board with his details on it) to tell him she has Max. 453 tells Max how much harder the twins had it after her group escaped, Manticore wanted to make sure there were no more flight risks. She’s nto happy with Max – less so since being Max’s twin lead White right to her.

Joshua makes his way to Terminal City and meets up with a whole group of transgenics who can’t pass as human. They work together, organised and rely on the biotoxins to protect them – there are apparently several groups of transgenics in the city but most of them stick to their own type. Alec, finding the map at Joshua’s follows him.

Logan, having seen both Max’s on their bikes, follows them and finds Max tied up. He starts to release her when 453 kicks him, the rage at seeing Logan hurt gives Max the strength to free herself. Fight scene ensures – 453’s greater training vs Max’s “real life experience” (what as opposed to being on mission?) and protag specialness. Split screen and extras not looking like Max means we don’t even have a dramatic X5 fight. White arrives – and gets clobbered on the back of the head by Logan with a metal bar. She proposes a deal – White for 453s family

And part of that involves Logan, Max and White going to Terminal City to join Alec and Joshua and the many other transgenics there. She’s brought White there for the exchange, relying on the chemicals of Terminal city to encourage White’s men not to delay too long. 453’s husband and child are exchanged for White. Of course as they make an exchange White grabs his gun and they think they’ve got the upper hand. Until all the transgenics with rifles show up. Oopsie. White decides discretion is the better part of valour and leaves. Personally I’d have killed him.

Max sets up 453 – Sam – with a ride to Canada with her family. Sam is still snarly about Max but Alec points out she wouldn’t even be with her family if Max hadn’t brought Manticore down. And Max talks to Logan about how he’s going to need a good Cat Burglar to replace his Eyes Only set up. She’s shelved her plans of leaving town.

At the senate committee, White is called to testify. And he tells them everything and adds that the transgenics are dangerous and they’re at war. And while his boss may want his badge, the senator has his back – as a member of the breeding cult.

Oooooh too little too late too little too late! It’s so frustrating that the actual action that could have made season 2  great, canon breaking aside, happens when it’s too late to develop it. Imagine if, instead of all the monster of the week episodes, we could have had Max making touch with these transgenic groups that have sprung up out of nowhere?

Now we’re getting some quality meta plot, hints of Max’s specialness, more on the breeding cult and it’s all so late in the season that there’s only 2 episodes left. And that's a shame because there was a lot to develop here as you can see in this episode once we get past the wretched twin element and Max angst. 

Even Joshua is being developed into a useful character for the group - if they'd only not waited so long and hadn't confined him to the role of comic relief

This Is Your Life: Merle Dixon

Merle Dixon

What is he?:  Merle is a survivor of the zombie apocalypse on The Walking Dead and is the older brother of Darryl.

Biography: Merle was locked in prison when the dead rose and instantly made himself popular by shooting people - both Walker and otherwise. He was rescued by his brother Darryl, who nursed him back to health. They joined up with the group in Atlanta, intending to rob them. His plans failed when he met Rick, who handcuffed him to a rooftop when he attacked T-Dog. To escape, Merle cut off his own arm and eventually ended up joining the Governor in Woodbury, helping do the dirty work. When Woodbury clashed with the main group, his loyalty to his brother lead him to briefly rejoin the main group before finally sacrificing himself trying to kill the Governor

What We love about him: Not a damn thing. Seriously, everything about him was improved when he became a Walker.  The show did try to make him sympathetic before he died but this is like putting a flower on a shit heap, there is nothing to redeem there

What we hate about him: Wow, it’s so hard to even know where to begin with this simply because there is so much to hate about Merle. The man had zero conscience and only seemed to care about his young brother Darryl. His language was continually filled with racist, demeaning slurs. Merle was aggressive and hostile and clearly had a problem with authority figures (except for the Governor, possibly because they’re both vile). He beat Glenn to a pulp for information and stood with the Governor, despite knowing intimately what the man is capable of. He’s a vicious, bigoted, violent, selfish thug, what more is there to say? It continues to astound us how such a disgusting character became a fan favorite.

Television Series: The Walking Dead

Fangs for the Fantasy Episode 117

 Tonight we discuss the ending of Being Human (US). We talk about the return of Revolution, Game of Thrones continued introduction and the new show, Orphan Black.

Our book of the week is Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger

Our next books of the week are:

8th April - 15th April: The Queen is Dead by Kate Locke

15th April - 22nd April: The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C Hines

22nd April - 29th April: First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

29th April - 6th May: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

6th May - 13th May: Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

Podcast rescheduled

 

 

 Due to technical difficulties we were unable to hold our usual show yesterday - we're rescheduling the show for tonight:

Our podcast will broadcast tonight at 6:30pm EST (11:30pm BST)

As ever, our books of the week are:

1st April - 10th April: Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger

10th April - 15th April: The Queen is Dead by Kate Locke

15th April - 22nd April: The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C Hines

22nd April - 29th April: First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

29th April - 6th May: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

6th May - 13th May: Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

After tonight we will return to our normal schedule - Monday at 6:30pm EST. Technology allowing