Review: Suspects 1x01

Original Air date: February 12, 2014

I have seen my fair share of police procedurals (more than some could say).  It’s a tried and true story format.  Suspects, however, tries to do something a little different.  It attempts to present the information as organically as possible, "fly on the wall storytelling" was the way it was described.  The show takes on a documentary and semi-news footage feel to it.  This isn't a slick crime show, with fast talking detectives, who always know more than their audience members.  In fact, the actors were regularly told to use improvisation in their scenes, which in turn made for some clunky pieces of dialogue.    

Starring Fay Ripley, Clare-Hope Ashitey, and Damien Molony the premiere episode throws us right into the story already in progress.  There’s no introduction of our three detectives and we’re expected to just fall into step with the action.  The audience watches news-like footage and listen to a reporter’s voice over explaining the basics of the crime that has occurred.

Review: Supernatural 9x11 “First Born”

Original Air date: January 21, 2014

We find Dean sitting in a dinner by himself and Castiel feeding Sam angelic chicken noodle soup.  They have gone their separate ways for the time being.  Dean is holding to his “keep Sam out of it” plan and Sammy likewise is refusing to call Dean for help.  I can say though unlike in the past, a few days apart and no one has ended up tied to a tree… yet.  Perhaps its because they aren't completely on their own this time.  They've found new partners for the time being.  I don't think Dean is going to keep his partner longer than he really needs too.  He's not a big fan of his truth be told. 

Review: Arrow 2x10 “Blast Radius”

Original air date: January 15, 2014

It was fun to see Oliver running around town fighting crime in his brand new mask.  I have to admit, I think I might miss the black paint.  There was a nice look to it and I don’t care how impractical it was to have to paint that on every time when you're in a hurry to go save the city.  I just enjoyed the way it looked a little different from the classic superhero mask.  I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority on this one.

Anyway,

We open up on a borderline jealous Oliver, who is annoyed that Felicity is still visiting Barry.  He's sleeping because it sounds better than "he's in a coma."

Sidenote: If someone has not written the “While You Were Sleeping”-esque Barry x Felicityx Oliver fanfic yet, I am disappointed in all of y’all.   

Sean Maher makes his entrance by blowing up a building and declaring war on the city and all of its politicians.  He knows his bombs, owns a souvenir shop in Sterling City and is a member of “The Movement”, an anti-government terrorist group.  Ya know, your average Sterling City bad guy. Code Name: Shrapnel. I'm crossing my fingers this is not the last we see of him, because I love me some Sean Maher. 

Review: Supernatural 9x10 “Road Trip”

Original air date: January 14, 2014

We begin with a heartbroken Dean picking up the pieces of the midseason finale.  After watch Dean give Kevin a hunter’s funeral, if you thought this episode was going to end on any kind of slightly better note, you were wrong.

Gadreel is on a killing spree, crossing off the names that Metatron keeps assigning him.  His old prison guard, his best friend, and so on and on. 

Castiel (who is looking very Captain Sexy-esque in his new angel ware) suggests Dean uses Crowley to try and get through to Sam.  Crowley knows how to hack an angel and this might be their best bet.  As Sam is the only one who can press the eject button on Gadreel’s ass.  Crowley has a few condition first before he’ll agree to help, they have to essentially take him out for walk around the park. 

Review: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D 1x12 “Seeds”

Original air date: January 14, 2014

After the big reveal of Coulson’s Tahiti secret, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. wastes no time at all revealing another big secret this week.  I chuckled a bit as Coulson sat in Lola talking with May about just being finished with all the secrets.  We’re getting quite a few answers that I didn't think we’d get so quickly.  Of course the answers bring up quite a few more questions but I have a feeling we’ll be seeing the pay offs for those before the season is up too.

Meanwhile, at the S.H.I.E.L.D. academy a freshman prank has gone too far, a boy named Seth almost loses his leg to a pool instantly frozen.  Someone has built a freezing device and used it against fellow students.  Some of the components of the device can be traced to FitzSimmons’ work, so half the team sets out to figure this out and to give the responsibility talk. 

Review: Elementary 2x12 "The Diabolical Kind"

Original air date: January 2, 2014

Do you hear that? That lovely sound of shows returning from their winter hiatuses? Ah, it’s my favorite time of year.  Okay, it’s a close second to the actual holiday season.  Which I hope everyone’s holidays were great.

Elementary makes its return with a familiar face from last season.  There’s been a kidnapping of a little girl and Jamie Moriarty’s men are behind it.  Sherlock convinced that she’s behind it, even from behind bars, goes to her for information.  He discovers she’s no longer in a traditional prison.  Ever since her arrest she’s been trading information for favors and lives more comfortably than one would assume a criminal mastermind in federal prison would.  Yet it is exactly how I would assume Jamie Moriarty would be living in federal prison.  She offers Sherlock her help as long as they continue to get her things from her Amazon wish list.

Review: Arrow 2x09 "Three Ghosts"

Original air date: Dec. 11, 2013

Alright, so here it goes.  As sophisticated a review as I can write while I am internally screaming about everything that happened this episode.  I’m going to take a deep breath and hope that fangirl feels don’t come tumbling out.  No promises.  Winter hiatus is going to be a bitch.  That I do know for sure.

After the cliff hanger from last week we find a dying Oliver and a very surprised and confused Barry.  Being able to think quick on his feet (was that a pun?) Barry uses rat poison to return Oliver to normal.  Well as normal as Oliver can be, he seems to be having a little bit of issues with some hallucinations.

This episode was very much about Oliver dealing with his inner demons, actually more like ghosts.  Three ghosts to be exact.

Three ghosts at Christmas? That’s crazy talk for sure, but just like Ebenezer Scrooge, Oliver finds himself visited by three ghosts.  Except instead of asking him to visit past, present and future Christmases they instead have very different messages for Oliver.  Shado asks Oliver to give up his fight before he loses those he cares most about.  Slade accuses Oliver of causing death and destruction in his wake.  Then Tommy (and no I was NOT crying.  I just had a best friend caught in my eye) tells Oliver to get up and fight because that is who he is, he is a hero.