Dominion, Season 2, Episode 13: Sine Deo Nihil

Alex is about to get his Chosen One Stripes – facing a huge influx of 8 Balls and dwindling ammunition, he strides forwards with bared arms and chants the exorcism – as his marks glow he explodes with energy and drops all the 8 Balls, though doing so exhausts him. The former 8 Balls stand up – all free from possession. He orders the newly released confused 8 Balls to get to safety

Claire states the obvious – special chosen one ness

But Vega is under attack by the 8 balls who got through the open gates because of William Wheele. Claire tells them all that she left David Wheele in the control room and gets the surprised look she so richly deserves. Luckily for her, her dad arrives in a chain of armoured cars so now Alex has to explain that her dad is now a Diad angel controlled by Duma who is loyal to Gabriel rather than questioning her decision making on trusting David

This also means that Gabriel’s forces know everything David does – he then goes on city-wide TV to demand that Alex be delivered to him.

In the control room Arika joins David and he tells her what William did. They discuss guilt and killing and Arika’s creepy yet quite deep belief that everyone you kill is now a part of you that you have to carry with you, to both comfort David and encourage him to move. Arika also wants to save Claire.

They meet with Alex and Claire (who are arguing over who is more important and who should be sacrificed for who). After the brief snarling, Alex tells Claire to run with Arika to safety in Helena; after protests she agrees while he describes how much she means to him (with Noma right there, gaaaah).

So when Alex and Noma go on, they have a discussion about how much Alex loves Claire – but he also says how much he loves Noma. Good, can we please have more showing of this? Alex goes on while Noma holds off the people following them.

Claire decides to give herself up so she can be taken to her father to save oh-so-special Alex. She is taken to Duma who uses her father’s memories to promptly disarm her and destroy her plan of stabbing him. Oops.

Claire appeals to her dad to fight against Duma, bringing him to the fore so they can have a tearful reunion (now would be a great time to do the stabbing thing though wouldn’t that need Empyrean steel?). When Alex finally confronts Duma, he is back in control and holding Claire hostage, forcing Alex to disarm.

Sleepy Hollow, Season 3, Episode 1: I, Witness

The headless horseman of death is looking all scary and menacing riding through the woods when he runs into a woman – who freezes him with magic while her eyes glow ominously yellow and she sucks the horseman into a magical box. Well she made an entrance. She then opens the box and completes a deal – she has given something in it the power of death now she wants fear

That is probably not a good thing

Now to the awesomeness of Abbie who is now an FBI agent with a very demanding boss. She goes to meet Ichabod… in prison, much to her surprise. Apparently nine months have passed since Abbie and Ichabod last spoke – Ichabod deciding to go walkabout (and supporting himself… somehow) after they killed Katrina (and can we have another round of applause for that moment). While Abbie understands needing to get his mind together this whole situation is still not one she’s a fan of. She gives him judgy eyes while he explains and expresses regret

He also has Katrina’s necklace – the magical one the Horseman of Death gave Katrina which suddenly glowed and burned and cracked (I would smile at the “Jesus” fake out but a) it’s been done and b) I’ve never known a Latino person pronounce their name like that). Damn the Horseman gives cheap gifts.

Hey what is this prison that allows their inmates to wear convenient hang-themselves-items around their neck?

Anyway the necklace proves that something has happened to the horseman which means something big and bad is out there. First they need to get him out of prison where he is for smuggling something he deemed vital.  Apparently it wasn’t that bad because Abbie easily gets him out and even cuts short one of his patented outraged rants about his property being seized. Well, almost. At least we get Abbie’s eye rolling and snark.

Meanwhile a monster, possibly from the box on the opening credits, slaughters a couple of guys.

Time for travel and Abbie deciding that Ichabod can stick with Lieutenant (I think because the writers and a substantial amount of the audience is enamoured with the pronunciation), snarking a little and Ichabod’s angst over not actually having a mission and purpose in the modern world any more after they stopped Moloch which set off his 9 months of wandering

Including to his ancestral home where he found his apparent grave inside which was a mysterious stone tablet (which was what he was imprisoned for smuggling – cultural artefacts can’t just be raided any more or easily. Anyway, despite the tablet being 4,000 year old Sumerian, it was entitled “the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”

Sixth Grave on the Edge (Charley Davidson #6) by Darynda Jones

Charley and Reyes are moving closer – he’s even proposed to her, but there are still some obstacles getting in the way. She keeps trying to dig up his past despite his protests and he can’t keep standing by and watching her put her life in danger

A habit she continues when she gets involved with both a soul trading demon and a major organised crime cartel. Neither bring the people who love her peace of mind. And these are just the major challenges, the ongoing chaos of her life continues with commitments and adventures everywhere.

I am happy to be able to praise the immense fun of this book again. I think the last couple of books just got a little too extreme and pushed the zaniness a bit too far. It felt contrived and silly and destroyed a lot of the fun.

This book toned it down and worked a lot better with it. Charley and Cookie are back to being their extremely fun and freaky selves. They continue to bounce off each other excellently and Charley’s endlessly distracted asides are hilarious. Charley is just so much incredible fun even if I would completely understand if everyone around her would merrily strangle her in a minute. I can’t really think of a book series or a protagonist that is this consistently hilariously fun.

One downside of Charley being so hilariously, randomly, zanily fun is that it makes it hard to fully accept the fact that Charley is living with a lot of trauma. She has night terrors, she has anxiety, she has flashbacks. She’s actually an excellent example of a character who is dealing with PTSD after what she has suffered. And, in some ways, the zaniness does work with that- because having PTSD doesn’t mean you ca  never have fun or never enjoy life or never find anything funny again – I like the idea of presenting a character with a mental illness who doesn’t just BECOME that mental illness. But the overwhelming light funness of the story just turns her symptoms into another punch line.

The fun of Charley and her random nonsense makes this book. It made me enjoy it for start to finish, which, I have to say, is kind of more than what the plot line did. I’m not saying the plot was bad (and anything that let me enjoy more of Charley’s zany fun is a good thing), but there were too many plot lines and plot-ettes.

We have some minor mysteries, like what exactly the nature of the ghost in her living room is and we have Angel’s (the ghost who kind of works for her) family and we have the ghost that has taken up residence in her car. We have a deeply traumatised ghost and Charley trying to deal with that and the people who hurt her and were equally traumatised. All of these are nice little moments that ensure the daily life of Charley continues even when she’s involved in a mystery. But then we have the saga of getting Cookie and Uncle Bob together (which is elaborate and convoluted because it was one of Charley’s ideas so of course it is). Then we have the FBI agent and the historical case she wants Charley to look into which is also connected to Reyes. Then we have something going on with Charley’s dad and stepmother.

The Wasted Potential of the Women on Teen Wolf

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Narcisco kills the woman Aiden just turned.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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