The Walking Dead, Season Five, Episode Six, Live Bait.

 

The episode begins with the Governor leaving a dead body by the side of the rode.  Later in the evening, he sits by a campfire, as a female zombie slowly makes its way towards him.  Martinez shoots the zombie as it tried to crawl through the flames to get to him.  The next day a very pale Philip crawls out of a pup tent to find himself all alone. Philip has been abandoned by all of his people. He drives a massive truck and sets fire to the remains of Woodbury and watches as zombies stroll through the town. Philip is now on the road by himself talking to a woman about how he used to live in a town filled with good people. He comes across a building with names on it with dates of death.  Philip says that the man in charge lost the town and he barely got out alive.  Phillip continues to wander alone through deserted streets and finally collapses on the road but when he sees what looks like a girl in a window, he finds the strength to stand and enter the building,

The building is dark but he comes across two women with a child.  One woman holds a gun to him and so Philip drops his weapons on the floor.  They decide to let him come in. Tara tells Philip that he look like barely got out alive.  Arlene explains that they have been waiting for the national guard and asks Philip if he plans on staying.  Philip does not answer for a long time and finally says just for the night.  Tara explains that she is Atlanta police and that if he messes with her or her family that she will put him down. Arlene tells him that they will hold onto his gun until he goes.  When Tara asks for his name, he introduces himself as Brian.

Brian/Philip is eating, when Arlene brings him a bowl of canned pasta. Brian/Philip says thank you, then closes the door.  In the room, he promptly throws the food out  the window and goes back to the canned food he was eating.  Arlene and Tara are talking about the fact that the little girl isn't eating.  They hear a noise and it turns out to be Brian/Philip returning his plate.  In the background, the old man coughs and Arlene offers to get him some coffee.  Philip/Brian sits on the couch and the old man asks for a cigarette. Arlene and Tara explain how their dad gathered them together when the apocalypse happened and that they did fine food wise because his truck was packed with food supplies.

Philip/Brian helps the old men into bed and he tells Philip/Brian about the zombies Tara has tried to kill and  they keep getting back up.  The old man asks if Philip/Brian has kids but he does not answer, so the man starts talking about how he figured out how to be a man when he had kids.  Brian/Philip starts to leave but the old man asks him to get a backgammon set up on the third floor.  The man believes that the set might make Meagan talk again. Philip/Brian heads upstairs and grabs the set from under the bed. When he heads into the bathroom, he finds a zombie stuck in the bathtub because it has no legs. Philip/Brian stabs the zombie in the head. It seems the man committed suicide.

Megan is lying on her bed when Philip/Brian returns with the backgammon set.  Philip/Brian sits on the couch and pulls out a picture of him with his family.  He folds the corner of the picture, so he doesn't have to look at himself.  The next morning when Arlene walks in the room, she sees the picture. Arlene tries to give him a few things for the road but Philip/Brian says no.  Arlene offers him back his gun and Philip/Brian tells her to keep it saying that she needs another one.  Philip/Brian stands admits to finding another gun upstairs.  Philip/Brain explains that to kill a walker you have to take out the brain.  Arlene explains that her father is dying and he has two days of oxygen maybe less.  Arlene says she never thought he would make it that far and asks Philip/Brian to go to an old folks home and get a tank.  Arlene adds that her father is the only one who can put a smile on Megan's face.

Grimm, Season Three, Episode Four: One Night Stand

"More and more she grew to 

love human beings and wished

that she could leave the sea

and live among them."

Two couples are hanging out by a river, singing and having fun.  Three of them are White and one is a man of colour.  Anna and Dan head into the lake, while Sarah leaves to get more beer. Sarah finds her sister Elly snooping and accuses her of spying.  It seems that Elly is in love with Jake.  Sarah tells Elly that Jake doesn't even know that she exists and that she needs to stop trying to become something that she is not.  Sarah heads back to Jake and the two of them make love in the river. Elly uses the opportunity to sneak back to the beach and steal Jake's phone and go through the pictures. Suddenly, Dan is attacked from below and and starts to scream.  He is being dragged under and calling for help, causing Anna to call that they should get out of the water.  Jake swims over to try and help his friend but is pulled under as well. 

Dan is doing the dead man float, when Elly swims over and pulls him out.  Her eyes have gone a funny colour and she is webbed.  Elly performs CPR and Jake looks up to see Elly looking strange.  Elly takes off and Dan stands up screaming for Dan

Rosalie has moved the last of her things into Monroe's house and questions if this is a good idea. Monroe reassures her and Rosalie points out that she has so many things and now Monroe's house seems so much smaller.  Monroe is confidant that he can get rid of some thing.  Monroe grabs an item from the mantle to prove his point but then goes on a spiel about it's importance to his family.  Rosalie informs Monroe that she thinks everything should stay, including her.  The two kiss.

Nick comes down the stairs and Juliet hands him a travel mug full of coffee. They talk about how this is all so great.  Nick kisses Juliet goodbye and starts to leave, but Juliet asks about the doctor's report.  Nick tells her that the doctor was supposed to send him an email yesterday and suggests that Juliet check his email to find out if he is still alive. What doctor sends emails to his patient rather than having them book a follow up appointment?  This is a thin excuse to get Juliet to look at Nick's email.

The police have Dan's body and Nick and Hank are informed about the missing person's report that Jake filed yesterday. Apparently, the death has been listed as a possible assault (possible assault? Why not homicide?) and upon looking at the body, Nick says that Dan looks pretty beat up. Nick and Hank note the scratches on Dan's body.  They decide to head over to Jake's.

At Jake's, Nick and Hank inform Jake that Dan has been found dead.  Jake sits down in shock (This btw is some of the worst acting I have ever see on Grimm) and says that Dan was pulled under water.  Hank tells Jake to tell them anything he can remember.  Jake then mentions that he and Dan where at the beach, with Sarah and Anna, but he didn't get their last names. Hank asks if Jake got their numbers but is informed that he didn't get the chance.  Nick questions if things got sexual and Jake nods his head yes.  Jake explains that he and Sarah had sex and that afterwards, they were swimming and Dan started screaming.  Jake adds that something pulled Dan under and though he tried to help him, he was pulled under as well.  Hank questions how Jake managed to get out and he replies that some girl helped him but he is not sure who she is.  Jake admits he doesn't know what he saw.  Hank notes the scratches on Jake's leg.

Jake, Nick and Hank head back to the beach where Dan died and Jake explains where their belongings were. Hank questions where the girls Jake was with are and Jake explains that he thought they might have been grabbed as well but their clothes were gone when he came to.  Hank continues to question Jake, when Nick hears some rustling of the trees behind them.  Nick takes off running after he sees a girl and chases her right into the lake.  It's Elly, who jumps into the river and takes off like a bullet.  Hank catches up with Nick and asks what happened and Nick explains that the girl jumped into the river and took off. Jake joins them as says that he think Elly is the girl he saw when he woke up.

Nick and Hank head back to the station and inform Renard about their case. Nick tells Renard that the girl he chased turned into something more than a girl when she hit the water. Renard suggests that they round up the unusual suspects.  Hank and Nick leave and Renard checks his phone to see that he has been sent a photo.  Renard heads into his office where he sees a picture of Adalind.  Renard makes another mysterious phone call and learns that Frau Pech was approached to make a deal for a royal baby, since she is the family lawyer.  Renard questions whether Eric knew about this and is informed that he didn't.  They wonder who the father of the child is and if Adalind is the one who is trying to sell the child of royal blood.

Back at Monroe's, Nick tells Monroe what is going on.  Rosalie brings up a girl she used to know in Seattle, who was a Nyad and how well the girl could swim. Monroe says that he has heard of them, though he has never seen one.  Rosalie explains that they never stray far from the water and suggests that Nick head out to the Grimm trailer.  Nick and Frank stand, saying that it looks like they have a lot to do.  Monroe offers to help and Rosalie assures Monroe that it will be fine. 

At the trailer, Monroe finds a story from a Grimm in 1865, who worked for the East India company. Apparently, the Grimm reports that their third mate disappeared over night, after raving about a beautiful woman swimming alongside their ship.  The Grimm took the position of nightswatch and saw the creature known as the Nyad.  The Grimm got the Nyad on ship and she took on a human shape.  The woman begged to return to the sea, as her skin began to dry out.  The Grimm questioned her but the Nyad refused to answer and ended up dying of dehydration.  Hank gets a call from Woo and Woo says that GPS has located Jake's phone at the Anderson marina. Nick suggests that they pick up Jake in case he can identify whoever took the phone.

At the marina, Hank tells Jake to stay by the car and see if he can identify anybody.  Nick and Hank follow Woo, who is tracing the phone, which leads to a houseboat. When Elly sees them coming, she hides and Woo identifies a boat.  A man exits and Nick explains that they are following up an investigation about a drowning. Able introduces himself and Hank explains that they followed a signal here for a cell phone.  Woo calls the cell phone and when it rings, Hank and Nick head on the boat and find the phone. Nick discovers a photo of three young women and says that the girl on the left looks like the one he chased into the river. They head topside and Hank asks Able how the cellphone got in his house.  Able again denies knowing anything about the cellphone.  Nick shows Able the photo he grabbed and asks about Elly.  Able declares that Elly didn't do anything but Nick says that Elly may have been in the area at the time of the drowning.  Able says that Elly is deaf and that they cannot talk to her.

Dracula, Season One, Episode Four: From Darkness to Light

There are three vampires on the tube and when they spot who they perceive to be a drunk woman, they make their way towards her.  Lady Jane reveals herself and an epic battle begins.  I gotta say, the choreography was awesome, given the small space the actors had to work with.  Lady Jane manages to kill two of the vampires but one man escapes out the back, when he senses himself outmatched.

Greyson and Renfield are discussing the fact that Lady Jane is a hunter and Greyson concedes that the Order Draco is more forward thinking than he thought. When Renfield suggests that Greyson kill Lady Jane, Greyson points out that the Order would only replace her. Refield suggests that at the very least, Greyson should end his relationship with her but Greyson points out that he can distract her from her purpose. Greyson has Renfield make a reservation at the Savoy for the most exclusive visible table.  When Greyson heads outside, he is met by the vampire who escaped Jane.

Lady Jane and Lord Laurent are examining the bodies of the vampires she killed.  From the remains, she surmises that they are not old enough to be the vampire they have been hunting in London.  They do however believe that this mystery vampire called the ones she killed to city and wonder if the vampire who escaped is the master they long to get their hands on. Lady Jane makes it clear that if she cannot kill the best no one can.

Back at Carfax Manner, Greyson introduces Renfield to Josef Cervenka, his right hand. Dracula says that he summoned him there and soon they will destroy their greatest enemy.  Dracula starts to talk about how they are going to destroy them and Josef reveals that two of his people were slaughtered by Lady Jane. Josef wants to take the direct approach and strip the flesh from their bones but Dracula informs him that they are going after their capitol.

Lady Jane and Lord Davenport are leaving Daniel's funeral.  It seems that rather than revealing that Daniel committed suicide after his lover died, Davenport has told everyone that Daniel's heart gave out. When they see Lord Laurent they both turn in his direction and follow his lead.

Back Carfax Manor, Lucy is busy making plans for Mina and Harker's engagement party. Greyson ensures Harker and Mina that it is his honor to host their engagement party.  When the women head off to discuss how Mina is going to make her grand entrance, Grayson asks for any information Harker has on General Arthur Ogilvy, who seems to be seeking to force the military to engage in war with the Ottoman Empire. Harker reveals that in private, Arthur opposes the war and the real push is General Colin Shaw - a war hero.  Greyson questions why a war hero would be willing to shed an ocean of blood to guarantee access for oil.  Harker surmises that Grayson believes that Shaw is acting for the sake of enriching himself.  Grayson makes it clear that Shaw is little more than a puppet. Grayson suggests that powerful men have much invested in the future of oil and have thus declared war on Grayson Energy, which of course means a personal war against Harker and Greyson himself. Grayson instructs Harker to find out everything he can on General Shaw.

Mina comes downstairs but does not realise that Josef Cervenka has been watching her from the shadows.  Mina and Lucy come downstairs discussing plans for the big party. Kwalski appears and says that they are ready for the next test and this excites Mina, while Lucy simply doesn't care.  Grayson offers Mina the opportunity to watch and then takes Lucy aside saying that she can leave because he will arrange for another carriage for Mina.

Mina and Greyson head down into the lab and meet Renfield and Kwalski.  The test begins and Greyson hands Mina her own light bulb.  Mina's light bulb lights up but moments later something goes wrong, causing Greyson to grab her and shield her with his body.  The moment Greyson holds Mina, his eyes shut and she follows seconds later.  Clearly, they are both finding comfort in each other. Renfield approaches and lightly grabs Greyson's arm to find out if he is okay.  It seems that while the coolant system worked, unlike the night of the grand gala introducing Greyson to society, the metal used for the casing failed.   Greyson tells Mina that her ability to save lives makes his efforts seem simple.

Later that evening, Renfield is helping an astonished Josef get dressed.  Josef is convinced that Mina is actually Ilona, Grayson's wife.  Grayson assures Josef that Ilona is dead and that Mina simply looks like her. Grayson then demands that Josef never again mention Mina's resemblance to Ilona before leaving.  Grayson heads to the Savoy, where Lady Jane is sitting at a prominent table by herself.  Instead of joining her, Grayson stands out of her sight and watches.

When Harker returns home, he finds Mina waiting for him.  Mina apparently has been reconsidering have the engagement party at Carfax and says that not only is she uncomfortable, she doesn't understand Grayson's reasons for hosting it.  Mina adds that after all, Harker is just one of Grayson's employees. Of course, Harker the prideful argues that he is a little more than that. Mina wonders why Grayson is so interested in their relationship and suggests that it's like he is a part of it somehow.  Harker explains that when they split up that it was Grayson who told him that he was a fool and forced his to see Mina for who she is, a woman with aspirations as important as his own.  Mina is shocked and Harker reveals that he didn't want to tell her.  Harker points out that Mina should let Lucy handle all of the arrangements because Mina hates all of the fuss.

The next day, Van Helsing hands Mina a load of papers to grade and leaves her specimens to get ready for a dissection before getting ready to leave.  Van Helsing is at Carfax Manner, where he injects Greyson with a new formula.  Greyson informs Josef that if this works, he will be able to walk in the daylight making them invincible by night and day.  Van Helsing opens the shutters and Greyson slowly walks towards the light.  Greyson holds his hand in the sun and wonders that he can feel the warmth of the sun on his skin, before his hand suddenly bursts into flames.  Josef moves to attack Van Helsing and Greyson has to call him off.  Van Helsing however, is very excited that his experiment worked. Van Helsing informs Grayson that it worked in the tissue surrounding the injection sight but because he does not have a functioning pulmonary system, it cannot be delivered to the rest of his body.  Hesling suggests that they need a dispersion agent but Greyson argues that they need to find a way to make his heart function.

Mina is still in Van Helsing's lab and she begins to snoop through his things.  When she comes across a padlocked door, she starts going through draws desperately looking for a key.  I suppose a locked door doesn't mean keep out to her.  Mina finds the key and once again snoops, until she comes across slides of blood which puzzle her.

Back in the main lab, Mina tells Lucy of her discovery of nine year old blood sample slides which are still alive. Lucy questions if this is why Mina didn't meet her and adds that she does not understand how Mina can maintain such a disinterest in her own engagement party. When Mina is clearly not paying attention, Lucy tells her that it is like talking to a man sometimes. It seems that Lucy is sad that Mina is getting married because it means their relationship is going to change.  Lucy sees Mina's engagement party as a celebration of the end of everything that has ever mattered to her.  Mina promises Lucy that they will always be friends but this does not pacify Lucy.  Lucy asks Mina to get her things so they can go to the cafe and talk.

Greyson has showed up at the home of Lady Jane who is keeping him waiting.When Lady Jane makes her appearance  Grayson apologises for standing her up. Lady Jane blows off his apology so Greyson asks  her to go out tonight.  Greyson suggests that only Lady Jane possesses the sensibilities to enjoy his diversion tonight.  Lady Jane agrees to go on the promise that if she is not happy, Greyson will agree never to call her again.  Greyson takes Lady Jane to a fight club where women are rolling in the mud fighting.  Lady Jane immediately gets excited and starts to cheer as Greyson watches her.  They end up having supposedly passionate sex.

The Vampire Diaries, Season 5, Episode 7: Death and the Maiden

Silas, neck bandaged, is apparently still alive. And telling his story to random people at a bus stop who, unsurprisingly, think there may be something wrong with him. To be fair on Silas, he’s probably having a bad day – 2,000 years waiting to be reunited with your true love who then stabs you in the neck with glass? Yeah, that’s a pretty bad day. He decides to take out that bad mood on the poor people waiting on the bus, liquefying internal organs. Some people just have no way of handling their issues.

On to the doppleganger – Stefan has bad dreams from all his unpleasant memories and Elena wakes him up with coffee and bright happiness (one out of two isn’t bad) and Stefan’s memories are back. Elena thinks this is amazing (kind of forgetting that Stefan was heart broken and pouty before he lost his memory).

Damon tests Stefan’s memory and is suspicious that Tessa would just give him back all his memories without strings attached – well, except when he starts remembering his repeated drowning in a safe he shatters a glass in his hand. Memories have their own strings attached.

Next little problem: Amarra. So long as Amarra is alive, the Otherside will be around which gives them a chance to resurrect Bonnie (something they, it seems, can’t do if she goes to a more normal afterlife) which means they have to keep the now not-immortal and very human Amarra alive despite the fact her mind has been shattered by 2,000 years of being a statue and she is both babbling incoherently and occasionally trying to kill herself.

Bonnie herself is concerned what will happen to her when the Otherside disappears if Amarra succeeds in killing herself. She and Jeremy have another touching moment together that is actually touching – keep this up and we may have a good strong relationship that doesn’t revolve around Elena

Damon gets in touch with Silas, who is on a bus and being all kinds of random. See, he’s decided to go with plan B – kill Amarra, kill himself and go to the afterlife together since he doesn’t see a great deal of future with Amarra the suicidal and unhinged. And he’s not going to bring Bonnie back since breaking his promise may create a rift between Damon and Elena and he wants that because he’s pissed at the world and enjoying these petty torments.

Elena’s new plan is to keep Amarra alive because they have to bring Bonnie back – and make Silas do it somehow. But Stefan has gained several levels of pouty in that quarry and he just wants Silas dead (though his point about Elena putting her trust in the wrong people? Accurate).

Jeremy takes a sandwich to Amarra – and she recognises him as the hunter that Silas killed – that he should be dead; and she can see Bonnie – she is the Anchor to the otherside, she can see everything and Bonnie can touch her. Inspiration! Jeremy and Bonnie wonder if they could make Bonnie the Anchor – giving her the ability to stand on both sides of the divide at once (and, possibly, reaching Amarra’s mental state?) So they need someone who can cast the Anchor spell – someone who doesn’t want Amarra and Silas to die in peace….

Broken Dolls by BR Kingsolver

RB is a powerful telepath and a private detective, working outside the clans on a series of mundane cases, often finding cheating spouses.

But outside the clans doesn’t mean she has no ties to them and when a young druid is kidnapped – one among many, she is the one that Lord O’Byrne turns to to investigate.

The trail leads across Europe to a huge human trafficking network of vulnerable women – and uncovers tensions that may start a war between the clans

So much good to say here.

Let’s start with the world. A world with a huge hidden population of Telepaths – with varying gifts. Some of those gifts produces druids – or succubi (with lots of history explaining this odd link). And by varying gifts – our protagonist, RB has 15 separate ones and I get the impression she doesn’t even have a quarter of them so there’s huge scope for “varying” under that umbrella. The Telepath clans are woven into our history in a way that draws on it and explains their current affiliations, enmities and ongoing issues but doesn’t appropriate it (for example, the Clans are very involved in World War 2 but never said to be responsible for it) but with the odd name drop implying certain famous people are Telepaths in ways that work without being skeevy (like the Medici family for example) and just make me further appreciate the integration. The world is huge and awesome.

The plot is really fast paced and wide. It has a lot of elements all of which are inter-related and draw on each other as RB sees the conspiracy she’s facing grow every wider and more complex as the human trafficking she’s exploring becomes Europe wide and related to various clan plots. Despite that, RB is excellently focused on her goals among the temptation to bloat elsewhere. The action is really well written, the story is extremely fast paced – the race to find and save a girl, the many leads they have to chase down all feel both realistic and exciting; from the excitement of a new lead to the disappointment of another route blocked, it carries you along.

I love the main characters. She’s powerful without her super-woo-woo being her defining feature. She’s blessedly free of angst. She gets on with other women and doesn’t have any of those insta-hate moment. She’s sexual without it completely overwhelming the story. Her main assets, despite all of her super powerful magic and her supernatural beauty, is actually her brain and detective skills. She has familial support despite her estranged father, she has a community, she has a life and she’s happy about it. It’s kind of sad how rare all of these elements are and how refreshing it is to have a protagonist who combines all of them.

Revolution, Season Two, Episode Eight: Come Blow Your Horn

 

At the Willoughby Pool, Mile is violently interrogating a Patriot to find out where Horn is.  The prisoner informs Miles that Horn has men looking everywhere for him as well as Rachel and Aaron. Miles informs the prisoner that he is going to find Horn first. 

Rachel is spying on the Patriots and sees that Gene is amongst them.  Truman announces to the villagers that Stu Redman is really Miles and that Miles set off the bomb in revenge for execution of Monroe. Aaron is called out as Miles's accomplice.  Gene steps forward to say that Aaron and Miles fooled everyone.  Gene adds that Rachel and Charlie are victim who were manipulated by Aaron and Miles.  In closing, Gene asks for people to report in if they see them because he wants his family safe.

Outside of town, Aaron and Monroe are waiting for Miles.  Aaron makes it clear that they are not leaving because Miles promised he would meet there but Monroe has his doubts because of the ambush when Aaron arrived. Monroe wonders if Miles can get out of town or if he still alive. When Aaron reiterates that they are not leaving, Monroe agrees but asks Aaron not to light him on fire.

Charlie returns to the pool and tells Rachel what Truman had to say. Rachel asks Gene and Charlie admits to seeing him and suggests that they find a way out of town. Rachel says that they cannot live because the Patriots will never give up and never stop looking for him, unless they kill Horn first. 

Neville approaches the Patriot Regional Outpost in Glendon, North Carolina. When he is stopped Neville says that he there to see commander Roger Allenford.  Neville holds up Justine's ring and says that he will only speak to Roger. Neville is escorted to Roger's office and informs him that she is alive but tied up, safe and hidden.  Roger tells Neville that he has a lot of balls coming here and announcing that he has Justine captive.  Nevile reminds Roger that Justine is an enemy of The United States of America. Neville asks if Roger is a good patriot and he agrees that Justine is guilty of sedition and should be punished.  Roger questions why Neville didn't bring Justine in.  Nevile replies that Justine is a dark spot on his spotless career and that people must be questioning if some of Justine's treachery rubbed off on him.  Neville suggests that if Roger brought Justine to justice it would solve all of his problems. Roger questions why Neville would do this and Neville not only admits to being ambitious but suggests that there is value in being friends with a man like him.  Neville asks Roger if he would like to come and see the Mrs with a face very reminiscent of the Cheshire Cat.

Truman, Gene and Horn are having a little conference.  Horn is not pleased that Aaron and Miles have not been found and he threatens Gene. Horn is certain that someone knows something and suggests lining up all of the people that Aaron knows and shooting them one at a time until someone gives Aaron up.  Truman is appalled by the suggestion and reminds Horn just how hard he has worked to manage this town.  Truman reminds Horn that they have a plan but Horn is not satisfied and questions how many years it will take for The Patriots to take the whole continent. Horn says that if he can figure out what makes Aaron tick they can take everything in months, before dismissing both Truman and Gene.  

Rachel hands Charlie an energy bar she found but Charlie is not impressed.  Charlie tells Rachel that she knows that she is angry but argues that Rachel does not know why Gene did what he did.  Rachel simply states that Gene sold them out and questions why Charlie does not hate him for it.  Charlie reveals that she hated Rachel for abandoning her and he brother and for killing Nora.  Rachel says that that's not fair because this is different. Charlie says that hating her was the easy part but letting it go, that's hard.  Miles enters and says that the place is like East Berlin and that The Patriots have dogs.  Charlie asks if he found the place and Miles replies that their captives information about the basement of the old paper factory is accurate. Rachel questions if there is a way to get in there a drop some kind of device and Miles replies that it is not going to be easy because the place is sealed up tighter than a drum. Miles adds that he saw Truman walking in with Gene. 

Miles is standing on a boat looking around.  Aaron goes below and sees Cynthia huddled by herself. Aaron asks Cynthia to talk to him and she asks if he killed Carl.  Cynthia points out that Carl died in a car fire and that it was always strange.  Aaron says that Carl hit him and that he got angry and couldn't control himself.  Cynthia is upset that Aaron lied to her and points out that Aaron murdered Carl and then slept in her bed. Aaron says that he is sorry and that he didn't know how to explain it. Cynthia replies that she has had enough liars in her life and asks Aaron to leave her alone so that she can think.

Miles's injured hand is clearly not healing.  Charlie and Rachel are inside working on some kind of poison.  Rachel snarks that she always dreamed of cooking with Charlie, just not like this.  Rachel plans to drop the gas and kill everyone inside. Charlie wonders what they are going to do if Gene is there when they plan to act, but Rachel does not comment.

Monroe has decided to go and look for Miles in the belief that if he was coming, he would have been there by now.  Aaron follows and asks what happens if them find him and Cynthia. Aaron tries to stop him and says that they wouldn't last three days without him. Monroe argues that Miles has information he needs to find someone and now it is Miles's turn to hold up his end of the bargain. Patriots with torches approach and Monroe is forced to hold Aaron. When the Patriots get close, Monroe attacks and takes out about six of them on his own. Unfortunately, more Patriots hear the gunshots and head in their direction.  Monroe says that the patriots will not kill Aaron but will kill him and so he takes off running. Cynthia starts to scream but for Aaron can get to her is grabbed and injected with a sedative.

The Tomorrow People, Season 1, Episode 6: Sorry for Your Loss

Flashback! 7 years ago, Russell is playing the piano in a recital – excellently. And then he continues playing it without using his hands and seems rather surprised by this. He covers well though. Despite the judges accepting him, his father unleashes some harsh criticism in Korean. He also calls Russell Ryung, but Russell prefers Russell – much to his father’s disapproval and goes into a full blown “do you know what I’ve done for you!” rant that parents do so well. He also doesn’t want to hear about Russell’s telekinesis difficulties – which only become more concerning when Russell kicks things in anger – and sends them flying

Present day Russell is helping Stephen earn some money by hustling pool. Then in comes Piper, playing wonderfully ignorant of all things pool – and promptly wipes the floor with him. Of course (the minute she didn’t know what a queue was was a clue there). She also seems to be using telekinesis which Russell and Stephen think to each other. When she plays ignorant about hearing their thoughts, he throws a ball at her – which she stops with telekinesis. See, that could have been terribly embarrassing if he were wrong. She runs, they chase, she hits them with a queue and disappears.

Back to HQ and John and Cara put on their judgey faces since last time they went out and about people were shot which really ruins a party, but scolding is delayed by Tim passing on the news that Russell’s father has just died of a heart attack.

Russell wants some alone time, just claiming he and his dad weren’t close despite being obviously upset. She and Stephen recap some events from last week and that Irene is apparently fine. Cara is still giving John the silent treatment – not for keeping it a secret that he can kill (which clearly disturbs him and he considers himself warped) but for not letting her into his head because he could have more secrets she’s not allowed to play around with. Russell interrupts and wants to go to his dad’s funeral; Cara starts to lay down the law in which case Russell says he won’t return – but he’s going. John insists on going with him (she’s pissed that he’s “running out” on the conversation about how all his brain meats belong to her).

At Ultra, Darcy shows Stephen a picture of Astrid and reminds him that secret missions for deadly conspiracies are not really something you should invite your friends to – and how she’ll look the other way now but Jedikiah will kill Astrid if he finds out. It is, after all, how Jedikiah deals with pretty much everything. And he realises that Ultra knows about Piper (not much – just that she’s a teenaged Black woman).

Stephen rushes to HQ to tell Cara – who says it’s a bad time, they have to hide. Stephen says it’s like John never left and that Cara is “minding the store” for her boyfriend. Seriously? She saw several of her people shot – excuse her if she’s not eager to risk everything, again, for a complete stranger.

American Horror Story, Season 3, Episode 6: The Axeman Cometh

New Orleans, 1919 and a man types at a typewriter while spookily reading it aloud – a taunting message to the papers in which he describes himself as a demon. He’s the Axeman, an axe murdering serial killer with massively high opinions of his own power – and lots of blood stains on his suit. He will go out and kill people again – but will spare any household that is playing Jazz when he goes prowling

His threat is read at the Academy by the then generation of witches who worry about what to do – many considering how to play jazz or whether records will suffice but one of them protests. They’re witches, they’re powerful and they’re suffragettes and she urges them not to cower and hide.

The Axeman walks down the street hearing jazz loudly playing from every home until he reaches the Academy – from which opera emerges. The door is left open. The word trap is emblazoned in neon lights above the door (not quite but still). Axe in hand, he heads towards the offending soprano. He finds the record playing and a woman dealing a tarot – the death card comes up and he swings his axe. She vanishes and appears behind him and stabs him in the heart with a dagger. Witches come from every corner of the room, each with daggers all stabbing him in a wonderfully dramatic scene – got to admire that visual.

Zoe, doing some random exploring when a series of spooky coincidences lead her to a hidden cupboard. Inside are pictures, a spirit board (oh no, bad idea) and other old artefacts of the school. She takes her find to Nan and Queenie and points to the pictures – the school used to have to sleep girls in bunkbeds it was so full and the numbers declined every year until they are the only three students. Witches are dying out and no-one seems to be doing anything to fix that (Queenie brings up Fiona but Zoe points out she’s less interested in saving witches than burning them) – so they need to stick together and watch each other’s backs. Sealing their commitment with drinking absinthe – though Queenie isn’t so sure how much she needs a couple of white girls to watch her back since she’s been looking after herself for so long.

Then she gets out the spirit board (no no no – 3 girls playing with a spirit board? Nooooo…. Have you not watched just about every horror film ever?!) Queenie has experience and tells them how much of a bad idea it is since it doesn’t just call ghosts it releases them. But she goes along anyway with Zoe’s plan to find Madison – they ask questions and find a ghost, that was murdered – and says they were the ones who murdered them (three guesses as to which ghost they found) He spells out the name Axeman. Queenie kiboshes the whole thing, knocks the glass around and tells Zoe “if survival is so important to you, you need to find out who you’re talking to.”

At least someone has sense here.