Psyco-Time-Lady

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This Week in Review

May 7 – 21

 FANTASY

Once Upon a Time

Season 6: Episode 20 – The Song in Your Heart

In flashback, Snow and Charming make a special wish that Emma will be protected. The result of their wish has the whole kingdom bursting into song which infuriates the Evil Queen. Meanwhile in Storybrooke, the Black Fairy announces her plans to unleash another curse on the town while Emma and Hook prepare for their wedding.

We wait 6 seasons and finally we get a musical episode. For a show that is based on Disney stories, which are mostly musicals, this had to happen eventually. And they did not let us down. Each song was catchy, entertaining, and effort was put into it by the actors, the writers, and the musicians. Of course, as per usual, the villain gets one of the best songs, but that is par for the course. They had to tease us with the Evil Queen asking Rumple to sing… we thought he was going to do it, and then that little laugh we love so much. The story about the curse coming and the wedding added to the flavor of this episode. But I think the best parts were the songs throughout the whole episode. It really brought the magic of the fairy tale to life. But now we face a new challenge. Where is the Black Fairy taking them?

Season 6: Episode 21-22 – The Final Battle

Henry awakens to a cursed Storybrooke and discovers Emma has been in the mental hospital, and the Black Fairy is the new mayor. Henry attempts to help Emma regain her memory while Gold tries to find out what has really happened to Belle. Meanwhile, Snow, Charming, Regina, Zelena and Hook are trapped in a crumbling Fairy Tale Land and desperately try to figure out a way to be reunited with Emma and Henry.

What a great season finale. We went from hope to despair, to almost utter ruin, back to hope and that reminder that good will always triumph over evil. Hook made such a moving speech to David about his love with Emma before they climbed the bean stalk. It’s true; their love was not easy, it was not love at first sight. They had to fight for their love, and they made it through. Snow and David’s love may have been true love that never fails, but Hook and Emma had something amazing that grew over time. The battle itself did not last long, but the meaning behind it, the trap behind it, was very clever. Gold’s final decision, to try to do the right thing was heartbreaking, knowing it wouldn’t work. But in the end we all got our happy endings… or were they beginnings. This was a great season finale, everything got wrapped up nicely, and Gold and Belle were able to raise their son after all. And there was an interesting lead into the next season, though I’m curious if they’re just going to do the same story over again.

  PARANORMAL

Lucifer

Season 2: Episode 15 – Deceptive Little Parasite

When it is discovered that the flaming sword is the only hope for the family returning home safely, the pressure is on for Lucifer to control what he has never been able to control before – his emotions – in order to ignite it. Meanwhile, Chloe wants to air some emotions of her own, but when a therapist and head of admissions at a prestigious private school turns up dead, the team must get to the bottom of it

We learn in this episode that it is not anger that will fuel the blade, but pain. Something that Lucifer has a difficult time showing. But, in true Lucifer fashion, instead of going to his therapist to find out how to control and properly express his emotions, he goes to the private school with Trixie, and tries to find out how best to control and channel his emotions. We also learn more about the character of Trixie in this episode. Her character is much more complex than just Chloe’s daughter. Maize gives us the comic relief as always, listening to music instead of listening to Chloe’s problems. It was a filler episode to say the least, but we learned about the flaming sword and Lucifer’s fate as the Light Bringer.

Season 2: Episode 16 – God Johnson

When a grisly murder takes place at an insane asylum, the prime suspect calls himself God. After realizing that this man could actually be his father, Lucifer struggles with his feelings towards him and tries to find the truth, all while trying to discover who the real killer.

Nicely done by the actor who played “God”. He had a really interesting vibe to him that actually had the audience convinced he could actually be Lucifer’s father. There was some comedy with Lucifer and the character, but it was mostly dealing with Lucifer’s angst. The actual killer in the episode was a bit obvious, but it seemed that the murder was a background plot and the real part was Lucifer finding his “dad”. The show really threw us when God and Lucifer’s mother met once again. It would have been interesting to see them fighting, but we enjoyed what we got instead. Too bad it was only for a short time.

NEXT WEEK

Season 2: Episode 17 – Sympathy for the Goddess

When the man who had the final piece of the Flaming Sword is murdered and the piece goes missing, Mom joins Chloe and Lucifer on the case to track down the killer. But when Lucifer gets sidelined, Maze recruits him to help save Dr. Linda's endangered career and confronts him about the secrets he's been keeping

 IZombie

Season 3: Episode 6 – Some Like it Hot Mess

To help Clive solve the murder of an irresponsible narcissist, Liv consumes her brain and literally becomes a hot mess. Meanwhile, Peyton learns some shocking news. Lastly, Ravi experiences a major setback.

Irresponsible Liv was interesting to see. It made me think of her if she had lost about 10 to 15 years in age and become completely irresponsible. Peyton’s discovery was sad in some points, and enraging in others. It would have been interesting if we didn’t get this reveal, but it is better storytelling to have got it. It seems we were all convinced of Blaine’s amnesia, and yet… it was only partly true. It seems he was just the same old con artist just trying to absolve himself of his past guilt. Poor Peyton.

Season 3: Episode 7 – Dirt Nap Time

When Liv and Clive work together to solve the murder of a very charming, but womanizing, preschool teacher, things get interesting when they bring his jealous girlfriend Piper in for questioning. Meanwhile, Peyton is assigned a very interesting case. Lastly, Blaine finds himself in a bad situation.

Who didn’t love Liv on preschool teacher brain? That was extremely entertaining. It is difficult to interrogate someone who is on a “time out”. It seems that some old murder is coming back into Peyton’s view as she uncovers more evidence. And poor Blaine cannot catch a break. He is sleazy and a con artist, but he’s one of those ones you can’t help but to love.

NEXT WEEK

Season 3: Episode 8 - Eat a Kinevel

Liv shares the brain of a former daredevil with her new boyfriend, and the experience brings them closer. Blaine is back to his old ways. Meanwhile, Ravi makes progress in his new research. Finally, a discovery is made that could put Major in grave danger.

 Supernatural

Season 12: Episode 21 – There’s Something About Mary

Sam and Dean are alarmed when they learn hunters are being killed by suspicious “accidents” all over the country. They decide it is best to find Mary and make sure she’s safe. Meanwhile, Toni is back in the states and she and Mary face off.

It seems that everyone is out to get the hunters these days… Men of Letters, Lucifer, Crowley, and who knows what else. This episode focused more on Mary’s ‘conditioning’ as opposed to the boys searching for the hunters and their mother. It seems they slowly put the pieces together and figure out the puzzle, but by the time they do that… it’s too late. This episode would have made a great finale, with how it ended, but luckily we have two more episodes to go. I wonder if they will find a way to save Mary, or if this is her last season.

Season 12: Episode 22 – Who We Are

Caught in a dangerous situation, Sam and Dean only have each other to rely on. Meanwhile, the fight between the American Hunters and the British Hunters comes to a head.

This episode was slow to begin with, and that worked out really well. It would have been pointless if they had escaped the bunker on the first try. Not to mention we got some great Dean one-liners “we’ll Shawshank this bitch” was one of my favorites. When Sam went with the hunters to take the fight to the Men of Letters, and Dean stayed behind to work with Mary’s mind, the dream kicked me in the feels. The conversation Dean had almost to his mother about Sam, and the upbringing they had, made me worry for Sam’s safety during the fight. The fight itself seemed almost too easy and rushed. This is supposed to be a high-tech organization, and yet the hunters were able to storm it without a problem. This episode seemed very slow-paced and that worked well for the subject matter, and the show made up for it in the finale…

Season 12: Episode 23 – All Along the Watchtower

Lucifer battles Sam, Dean and Castiel for control of his unborn child.

And here we are, the season finale. I think Doctor Who is fighting for that SuperWhoLock crossover when Castiel spoke of the rift in space and time, but that’s just my opinion. This episode had more action in it and gave us so many directions for next season to go. It was interesting to see an old face in the alternate world, known as the world without the Winchesters. It will be really fun to explore that world next season; if that is the direction they go in. It is hard to say where we are heading next, but as far as cliff-hangers go, this season was actually quite relaxed, apart from what Sam found in the nursery. But now we have to wait a whole 5 months to find out… what are we going to do?

SCI-FI

The 100

Season 4: Episode 11 – The Other Side

Clarke faces the consequences of her fateful choice

It is strange that we are seeing the repeat of the Arc from season 1, where the teenagers are now making the same decisions that they fought against in the beginning. It is also interesting that Octavia has now become the one seeking unity, whereas it has been Clarke in the past few seasons. It seemed out of character for her to side with Jaha in this episode, and Bellamy was the one who acted out, just as he did in the past. It is a good thing that he did, as it would lead to war and massacre if Skykru were the only ones who got places in the bunker. This was certainly an Octavia and Bellamy episode. With all the possible moments in this episode to kick us in the feels it was the Monty and Jasper scene that got me tearing up. Such a great performance by both actors, and it really caught the audience by surprise. This entire episode was full of events and much foreshadowing to come. Who thinks that Raven is going to be the one to save everyone in the end?

Season 4: Episode 12 – The Chosen

Jaha and Kane disagree over how to handle their grim reality. Meanwhile, Clarke leads a group to save a friend.

Octavia really comes into her own in this situation. When the people of Skykru start to disagree with the situation and try to enforce their own opinion, she points out that the other 12 clans had already chosen their 100 and Skykru is no different. What they end up doing to decide is heartbreaking. It was difficult to watch Kane making the calls as to who lived and who had to die. Clarke and friends make it to Raven, but sadly without enough time. Are they really going to go back to the arc? So next season will most likely be about the trip to the arc, or how the 13 clans will get along in the bunker. Though, there is one episode left, and The 100 is well-known for its twist endings. So who knows what will happen next.

NEXT WEEK

Season 4: Episode 13 – Praimfeya

It's a race against the end of the world as Praimfaya arrives forcing our heroes to make impossible decisions to ensure their survival.

 Doctor Who

Season 10: Episode 5 – Oxygen

The Doctor, Bill and Nardole answer a distress call in deep space, and find themselves trapped on board space station Chasm Forge. All but four of the crew have been murdered – and the dead are still walking! In a future where oxygen is sold by the breath, and space suits are valued more highly than their occupants, the TARDIS crew battle for survival against the darkest evil of all…

So, while watching this episode, who remembered “Silence in the Library” from Series 4 and wanted one of the suits to say “Hey Who turned out the lights”… no? Just me? Oh well. This was an interestingly creepy episode. The idea that everything is sold and measured in breaths of air, as opposed to steps or time. It really makes you think about how many breaths you take in a minute’s time, not to mention the question… will there come a day when we become so obsolete that the suits that keep us alive will be more important to our employers? Of course Bill shined in this episode and is becoming more and more a great companion. The way she talks back to the Doctor reminds me very much of Donna Noble, again from Series 4. This was a great episode with a wonderful twist of an ending, the Doctor losing his vision... It will be interesting to see how he continues to be a brilliant as he is now, without being able to see.

Season 10: Episode 6 – Extremis

In the Haereticum – the Vatican’s secret library of blasphemy – there is an ancient book known only as The Veritas. Throughout history, anyone who has ever read it has immediately taken their own life. Now a new translation is online, and the danger is spreading. The Vatican appeals to the Doctor. Will he read The Veritas? But can even the Doctor survive the ultimate truth?

This is the Matrix… I mean Doctor Who. At first it seems this book is the danger that everyone is worried about, but upon reading it, and upon Bill’s discovery with random numbers, we learn something completely different is going on. Bill seems more curious than some of our last few companions, who does what she likes. This endears her to me, as she won’t just blindly follow the Doctor’s instructions without question. I do enjoy a companion who thinks for herself. At the same time, we also learn who was in the vault that he had been guarding all this time. Who was surprised to see Missy in the vault? I had my guesses, but was not certain. It will be interesting to see her interacting with the Doctor once again.

NEXT WEEK

Season 10: Episode 7 – The Pyramid at the End of the World

  Please be advised that the comic book shows will have their own weekly post this season, just changing things up a bit. Please keep an eye out for the Superhero Low-Down

If there are any shows that you think we should check out or that we have missed, please send us a private message or leave a comment below.

Until Next Time...

Thanks for Watching

[lovenerdthings-blog]

SUPERHERO LOW-DOWN

April 23 – May 7

 SUPERGIRL

Season 2: Episode 18 – Ace Reporter

Lena’s ex-boyfriend, Jack Spheer, comes to National City to unveil his big breakthrough in nano-technology, which has the potential to eradicate all diseases. Lena asks Kara to attend Jack’s conference with her for support. When Kara sees Snapper in attendance she’s inspired to tap back into her reporter skills and questions Jack on his discovery, which ultimately leads to a bigger investigation that puts everyone in danger.

So, who else had a hard time seeing Jack Spheer as anyone except for Ravi from IZombie? The actor did well at playing a character we were uncertain of. His confidence and suave behavior with Lena, suggested that he may have been the villain. But in episodes such as this, we all know there is a twist involved. Apart from the cameo from our favourite ME from IZombie, this episode was one of Kara getting her old job back, and the audience learning that there is always more than meets the eyes of a perfect miracle cure. It makes you wonder what kinds of things are being hidden in other medical breakthroughs. Though I doubt that we need to worry too much about nano-bots. And we have some foreshadowing at the end of the episode that makes us eager for next week’s episode.

Season 2: Episode 19 – Alex

Alex is kidnapped and the kidnapper threatens to kill her unless Supergirl releases a notorious criminal from prison. Supergirl and Maggie have always had different approaches to apprehending criminals but this time they must work together to save Alex. Meanwhile, Rhea has an interesting proposal for Lena.

Was this really an episode of “who loves Alex more” situation? And then realizing they needed to work together in order to save Alex? Really that’s what happened in this episode in a nutshell. Alex getting kidnapped was interesting, but we all knew she would survive. We knew that Kara going off to save her was going to backfire and that Maggie was going to be right. And then Maggie doing something reckless was going to blow up in her face. This was a very predictable episode. I wish they had spent more time developing the story between Lena and Rhea. It looked like foreshadowing, but it would have been interesting to see a bit more development on that story line. Hopefully we see more of that next week.

NEXT WEEK

Season 2: Episode 20 – City of Lost Children

When an alien attacks National City, Supergirl and the DEO learn the alien is a Phorian, an otherwise peaceful race with telekinetic powers. Guardian gets a lead on the Phorian’s address but instead of finding the culprit, he finds a very scared boy named Marcus. Marcus will only trust James so it is up to Guardian to stop the attacks on the city. Rhea’s plan escalates.

 THE FLASH

Season 3: Episode 19 – The Once and Future Flash

Barry travels to the future to find out Savitar’s still unknown identity in the hopes of saving Iris. Upon his arrival in 2024, Barry encounters future versions of his Team Flash friends, who, following the death of Iris, have become very different people, profoundly impacted by their showdown with Savitar. It will be up to Barry to infuse a sense of hope back into the team, as he proves to be the hero his future friends have been waiting for. Meanwhile, back in 2017, the hunt for Killer Frost continues.

It was really interesting to see 2024, and the different directions the team had gone in after Iris’ death. This episode was pretty much filler, but it was a good filler episode, so we can forgive the story for that. Barry takes all that time and effort to go into the future, just to discover that Killer Frost is going to team up with Savitar and that even in the future, Barry did not know who he was. But it was interesting to see the future characters, and we got a lead on another person who could help trap Savitar in the speed force. The one issue with this episode was Barry’s staying in the future to set things right with the team. It made no sense that he did this. If he was going to go back and save Iris, thus defeating that timeline, why bother setting things right anyways? The reason why the team broke up and everyone went to do their own depressing things, was because Barry failed in saving Iris, and so, if he alters the timeline, none of these events would have happened. It could be argued that what if Barry doesn’t save Iris, now he actually saved the future timeline, but it felt like a filler episode.

Season 3: Episode 20 – I Know Who You Are

Barry and the team meet Tracy Brand, a scientist, who may be the key to stopping Savitar. Unfortunately, Killer Frost is also after Tracy so Team Flash must battle their old friend, which proves to be particularly difficult for Cisco. Joe and Cecile’s relationship takes a big turn.

Really? That’s who Savitar is? We have had hints all season long but … really? The twisted part of the story with Tracy Brand was interesting. They had the name of the person who could help them… only she hasn’t discovered how to help them. H.R.’s rapport with her was certainly a bit of comic relief. It was good to have that because we had to watch the heart breaking moments of Cisco trying and failing to fight his best friend. How difficult could that be, fighting your best friend. You know that you have to do the right thing, but that could mean killing them? Our hearts go out to Cisco this week.

NEXT WEEK

Season 3: Episode 21 – Cause and Effect

Barry takes drastic measures to stop Savitar. Meanwhile, H.R. continues to push Tracy Brand to design the trap for Savitar and Killer Frost returns with an interesting proposal.

 ARROW

Season 5: Episode 19 – Dangerous Liaisons

Oliver, Team Arrow, ARGUS and the SCPD kick off a citywide manhunt for Adrian Chase. Helix tells Felicity they have a way to find Chase but they will need something big, and illegal, from her in return.

Wow talk about crossing lines in this episode. There was actually a point in time when Team Arrow was about to face off against Felicity and Helix. And with the lengths that ARGUS was willing to go, it seems like nothing had changed wince Amanda Waller was head of the organization. This was a very action-packed episode, and had us all on the edge of our seats, and let us all wait for the aftermath of everyone’s decisions. It was difficult to see Felicity basically get told by Oliver that he could not forgive her for this… or Diggle saying the same thing to his wife. But it seems that Helix saved Felicity from her own darkness, seeing her too close to Team Arrow, and asking her to leave. This was probably the best thing that could happen to her. Talk about getting in over her head.

Season 5: Episode 20 – Underneath

Things get intense when Oliver and Felicity are trapped in the bunker together. Meanwhile, Lyla and Diggle deal with their marital issues.

It seems this episode was about trust issues. Lyla and Diggle were talking about trusting one another with their secrets and trusting that they can make the right decision when the time came. Felicity and Oliver’s being trapped in the bunker allowed them to sort out their issues both as a couple, and as partners on the team. It was heartbreaking to watch Oliver break down and tell Felicity about Chase’s torture and what he learned about himself. It also taught Felicity about who she wanted to be, or rather, who she did not want to be. We learn that Oliver does in fact trust her, and who knows, this could lead to Olicity again, or it could give both characters a chance to grow on their own. This would have been considered a filler episode, as everything was contained in one episode, and got wrapped up nicely at the end. But it was an entertaining one at that.

NEXT WEEK

Season 5: Episode 21 – Honor Thy Fathers

Oliver returns to the mayor’s office and faces one of his most pressing issues yet – the forced release of dozens of violent criminals prosecuted by Adrian Chase. Meanwhile, a crate is delivered to Oliver’s office containing a mysterious corpse encased in concrete.

 Until next time

Thanks for watching

[lovenerdthings-blog]

SUPERHERO LOW-DOWN

March 12 - 18

SUPERGIRL

NEXT WEEK

Season 2: Episode 16 – Star-Crossed (Part 1)

A new villain comes to National City, putting Supergirl on high alert. Meanwhile, Winn's girlfriend, Lyra, gets Winn in trouble with the law. Maggie attempts to help Winn but old loyalties get in the way. The Music Meister attacks Supergirl.

 THE FLASH

Season 3: Episode 16 – Into the Speed Force

Desperate to stop Savitar and save his friends, Barry turns to the speed force for answers. H.R. gives Jesse some advice

Barry’s trip into the speed force was a really interesting homage to the past. We see past friends and foes along the way to rescuing Wally. Barry learns that everyone he seeks was gone because of his choices. But they are not there to punish him, but to teach him to forgive himself, and to teach him that it cannot be anyone else who sacrifices themselves for his actions, but that he has to be the one to stop Savitar and save Iris. Wally himself is now going to be damaged, having to re-live his mother’s death over and over while he was in the speed force. What a punishment, to be forced to re-live the worse moment of your life over and over again. And who was yelling at their screen at the last few minutes of the episode? Hopefully that gets resolved, or perhaps this decision has been how it should have been all along.

NEXT WEEK

Season 3: Episode 17 – Duet (Part 2)

Barry and team are surprised when Mon-El and Hank Henshaw arrive on their Earth carrying a comatose Supergirl who was whammied by the Music Meister. Unable to wake her up, they turn to Team Flash to save her. However, the Music Meister surprises The Flash and puts him in a similar coma, one that Team Flash can't cure. Kara and Barry wake up without their powers in an alternate reality where life is like a musical and the only way to escape is by following the script, complete with singing and dancing, to the end. This episode began in Supergirl S02E16.

  LEGENDS OF TOMORROW

Season 2: Episode 14 – Moonshot

When the Legends track Commander Steel to NASA Headquarters in 1970, they learn where Nate’s grandfather hid the last fragment of the Spear of Destiny. The team notices a time aberration during the Apollo 13 mission and believes that the Legion of Doom might be involved. As the Legends journey into space to intercept Apollo 13, the Waverider suffers massive internal damage and Ray’s life is left in jeopardy when he is stranded on the moon. Meanwhile, tension grows between Rip and Sara as to who is the leader of the team.

Did this episode just imply that in saving the world, the Legends caused Apollo 13’s destruction? They don’t come outright and say it, but it sounded like the mission was a success until the Legion of Doom and the Legends showed up on the moon. Forgive me for being a nerd, but I believe Doctor Who did this in “The Fires of Pompeii” in Series 4 of the newer seasons. It is an interesting way to look at history and make you wonder what events were actually done on purpose. Without creating too many conspiracy comments, let’s talk about something else. Of course it had to be Ray who walked on the moon to get the piece of the Spear. No one else could have found that more amazing. And let us not forget the song number that the professor and Mick tried to pull off. It was certainly amusing to see that no one joined in, but a bit of a comedic break during a rather intense moment. We also learn about the effects of pulling people out of history and putting them back in. Sadly by fixing one person’s life situation, you could cause so many different effects later down the road. Best to just leave history where it is.

NEXT WEEK

Season 2: Episode 15 – Fellowship of the Spear

The Legends must devise a plan to retrieve the last remaining fragments of the Spear of Destiny from the Legion of Doom. They find themselves in France at the height of World War I faced with the knowledge that they must destroy the mystical object. They enlist the help of a soldier by the name of John Ronald Reuel Tolkin and find that the Spear is leading them into the heart of the war. Meanwhile, the team must all resist the temptation of the Spear, and the return of a former teammate.

 ARROW

Season 5: Episode 16 – Checkmate

Oliver gets closer to the truth about Prometheus. Meanwhile, Helix refuses to continue helping Felicity until she does a favor for them

And finally the truth comes out. The audience has been waiting for a few episodes, screaming at the screen that it is the DA, but no. We had to wait until all the evidence was clear and still they can’t do anything to bring him down, because he has Oliver’s girlfriend, no wait, now he has Oliver? This is leading up to a great season, and makes us anxious to see what happens in the episodes. Felicities trip down the rabbit hole into the darkness that is Helix has gone further this episode. It is interesting that she doesn’t know what they are doing, but agrees to hack into Homeland security drones and do it without questioning their motives. It could be argued that she is doing it in order to attain Helix’ help with her missions with the Green Arrow, but how far is she willing to go, and how much will she be accountable for. It looks like this is going to be leading into something much bigger.

NEXT WEEK

Season 5: Episode 17 – Kapiushon

Prometheus goes to great lengths to break Oliver. Meanwhile, in the flashbacks, Anatoly becomes worried about Oliver’s increasingly violent tendencies, which come to a head in a brutal confrontation.

 LEGION

Season 1: Episode 6 – Chapter 6

David goes back to where it all started.

Wow, from a psychological perspective, this was such an amazing episode. I suppose it was an amazing episode either way. But the depiction of a mind regressing back to a safe place after the traumatic experiences of the previous episode. David obviously has some psychological abnormalities, causing his brain to wish to regress to a safe place. For him it was Clockworks, but with the people he knew and trusted. His powers made it possible for him to create this location and put everyone he trusted in there. He even made his alter-egos into friends and even a therapist who was there to help him. But we learn it is not an alter-ego, but really whatever beast was inside him all along. But what a subtle way of showing his regression. The not wanting to leave, the denial of his actual diagnosis. This episode was beautifully done.

NEXT WEEK

Season 1: Episode 7 – Chapter 7

David tries to find a way out of his predicament.

 MARVEL’S IRON FIST

Please look for the full season review of Iron Fist on the blog page.

Until Next Time...

Thanks for Watching

[lovenerdthings-blog]

12 blankets down, 23 to go...

This blanket was created for one of my Grade 5 boys, who wanted dark red, black and yellow. This blanket has a bit of a story to tell. After 3 or 4 days of knitting, I was about halfway done the blanket, when I discovered that I dropped a stitch. For those of you who donèt knit, when you a drop a stitch, it is not as easy to pick it up again as if you were crocheting. I had to take verything off the needles and start over again. Then, I took the project with me on a trip to the other island, and while I was eating, a puppy decided my knitting needles were chew toys. They were not badly damaged; nothing a little tape couldn’t fix. It was a bit tricky having to get stitches around tape for the rest of the blanket, but as you can see, I was able to finish it.

I have ordered new knitting needles, same size (10 mm) and wire/circular, so that I can have a spare just in case, but until then, I have alaready started and made quite a dent into blanket number 13.

Nothing gives me more joy than to see the look on a child’s face when they get their blanket that I have made especialy for them; it’s why I am taking on this project. Now...back toknitting.

[lovenerdthings-blog]

First thoughts on Hades of OUaT

So, we’ve been introduced to Hades on Once Upon a Time as Season 5 continues through it’s 13th episode. His character has been hyped up for centuries, and here it is now. It appears that the writers of Once Upon a Time have gone with the Disney rendition of the Greek god, created for the movie Hercules. This character was intentionally funny with a tendency to fly off the handle. Once Upon a Time seems to have taken a different path with this character, making him more quiet, threatening, and serious. It could be perhaps because his Underworld is under threat, but the Disney version was much more entertaining. I found this villain to be a bit underwhelming as far as gods went. he was not as frightening as I would have hoped, and not nearly as entertaining. I am a lover of entertaining villains, such as Rumplestiltskin or Zaleena.

I do hope that Once Upon a Time does a bit more with this character, or at least give him some henchmen that would be some kind of hilarity or entertainment. I did like the blue hair when he got upset, that was very much the Disney Hades, so I am very hopeful.

Until Next Time...

[lovenerdthings-blog]

Took my dog for a walk along the beaches of Haida Gwaii. He wasn’t a fan of the windy waves, but I thought they were beautiful.

Took advantage of the beautiful break in the stormy weather. So worth it.

[a-nerds-ponderings-blog]

Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 12 “Souls of the Departed” Review

The 100th Episode

Once Upon a Time is back with its 100th episode, entitled “Souls of the Departed”. We take a turn away from the King Arthur and Camelot story as it has come to a head and has been more about Emma, and then Hook, becoming the Dark One. But now it is off to the Underworld for our heroes, to save the soul of one who has sacrificed himself for the good of everyone, and died too soon…

The Story

There are two stories taking place in this episode, but they have a lot to do with each other. They mostly circle around Regina’s father, Henry. So the story will be told in two parts, first in the world of present-day, and then the one in the Enchanted Forest.

After we discover that Hook made his sacrifice in vein, thanks to Mr. Gold, Emma and the gang decide to travel down to the Underworld to regain their fallen comrade. But there are a couple obstacles in the way. First, they need to find Hook, and second, they need to avoid anyone and everyone they sent down to the Underworld in the first place. For example, Mary Margaret runs into David’s twin brother James, and Rumpelstiltskin runs into his father, Peter Pan. Regina faces her worst fear as her mother threatens her father’s life if she does not return to Storybrooke as soon as possible. However, because they are in the Underworld, Cora cannot exactly kill Henry; she will just send him to a worse place where he will be constantly tortured. Seeing his daughter on the side of good and that she let go her want of vengeance against Snow White, Henry lets go of his unfinished business, and ascends to a “better place”. Learning that souls can be saved and sent to a better afterlife, Emma, Regina and the rest of the group, apart from Gold, decide that finding Hook is their first priority. But their second priority is going to be freeing all of the condemned souls, even those who have hurt each and every one of the heroes in the past. We are introduced to a new face in this episode; one that is ruling the Underworld. It is not revealed who he is, but the blue hair and quirky attitude leans towards the Disney rendition of the Greek god Hades. But we shall see.

In the Enchanted Forest it is Regina’s birthday, several years ago, and she is about to receive the one thing she has always wanted, Snow White’s heart. Hoping that she could help Regina get away from the want of revenge, her father Henry retrieves Cora from Neverland using the magic mirror. Cora, tired of waiting, retrieves Snow White’s heart and delivers it to Regina. But wait, did her father betray her? When Henry returns the heart to Snow White and Regina sees it through the mirror, she is enraged. She shrinks her father down and puts him in a box. When Regina sends her mother back to Wonderland, Cora grabs the box and drags Henry with her. Sadly the portals are closed and there is no way to get Henry back. But wait, chronologically this is before she unleashes the Dark Curse, and Regina needs her father’s heart to do so, so perhaps we shall see how she gets her father back from her mother.

The Good Parts

An interesting thing about this episode was that it was a bit of a twist. With the title and the promo, we were lead to believe that it was going to be an Emma – Hook episode, but apart from the reason for going down to the Underworld, we only see Hook at the graveyard, and Emma seems to just be tagging along for the ride. We are introduced once again to David’s brother, James, and Rumpelstiltskin’s father Peter Pan, but the story does not go much farther with these characters. This is all foreshadowing for later in the season. The real story is with Regina and her mother Cora. This was a great red herring, and it led to an even better surprise.

Even though it was a bit cheesy, the scene where Henry finally meets his namesake grandfather as Regina’s father ascends into the better place, it was one of those feel good moments. For the entire show we have seen old Henry in the supportive role with his daughter as the Evil Queen, but really he has been trying to sway her away from the role of vengeance, and into the light. When he finally sees her as a hero, he knows he can be at peace. This gives the character, and Regina, a bit of closure and ends a great story. We know that everything Henry has done for his daughter has been for her own good and for the good of her future.

Some Issues

Even though the idea of going to the Underworld was great, the layout was merely Storybrooke lighted with an orange hue. This showed somewhat a lack of imagination on the writers’ parts, but it worked in the sense of giving us something to relate to. Sadly, even though it is mentioned several times in the episode that it’s the exact same, it does give us a frame of mind to work with, and the characters have an easier time getting around.

When they first arrived in the Underworld, Rumpelstiltskin mentioned that everyone they were likely to meet in the Underworld had been put there because of our heroes. And yet, we run into the blind witch, Prince James, and Peter Pan; none of which attempt to harm our heroes. We get a mention of Cruella DeVille, but our heroes seem to be able to walk around without a problem. A way of improving this issue could have been them having to hide or flee from one villain or another during their pursuit of Hook.

It is interesting that they speak of the Underworld, but then they talk of a “better place” and a “worse place”. They do not speak of Heaven or Hell, but they touch on the imagery and symbolism of both. Also, if Hades is just in the Underworld, then who is in charge of both of these other places? And what is going to happen to our heroes as they attempt to save other souls? Perhaps we shall see more about this in the next few episodes.

What’s To Be Expected

Now that we have dealt with Regina’s situation with her mother, it is to be expected that each character will have a demon or two to face in this land. Rumple will have to deal with his father at some point, David will have to deal with his brother, and in turn Mary Margaret will do the same. It is unclear what kinds of demons Henry or Emma will face, but it is certainly going to be an interesting couple of episodes.

It is expected that we will spend some time in the Underworld. We know our heroes are going to search for Hook, but it seems they have taken on a new crusade; saving the souls of the people trapped here. Rumple’s protests did not go unheard by the audience, most of the souls they want to save are not their “dearly departed” but some of the worst people our heroes have dealt with. It is not going to be easy helping them overcome their “unfinished business”, and are some of them even going to want to be saved, especially by our heroes?

We will see more of the Hades character in the future, as he is beginning to notice that souls are being lost to the “better place”, and he does not like to lose things. So it will be interesting to see what happens as Emma and her friends begin to save the souls of other people living here. Perhaps this will be the demon that Emma is going to have to face; she is the Savior once again.

It is predicted that they will find Hook, but because of that they saw of him in this episode, it is doubtful that saving him will be easy. When we saw him at the grave, it appeared that he was being tortured in the “worse place” and so perhaps one of our heroes, and you can guess who, is going to have to go to that place to retrieve Hook.

These are just some predictions, but I am interested to hear what you think will happen in the episodes to come. Please leave a comment or send us a message with your thoughts. While we watch the next few episodes I will be working on the season reviews for Once Upon a Time seasons 1 through 4, and then a final season review for season 5 when it has finished. So you will have plenty of Once Upon a Time discussion to read.

Until Next Time…

Karen

[lovenerdthings-blog]

Another 2 blankets down, about 23 to go.

These blankets were made for a boy (left) and a girl (right).

The boy wanted to have red, orange, and yellow, so I had the idea of doing a flame. I think they both enjoyed what they got, and hopefully it will help them to remember me when I am gone.

[a-nerds-ponderings-blog]

Daredevil Season 1 Review

With Season 2 of Marvel’s Daredevil about to drop on NETFLIX, it is time to catch some of you up on Season 1. Daredevil is a vigilante in Hell’s Kitchen, a sector of New York where crime runs rampant and the police do what they can to try to stay ahead of the criminals who run the area. Daredevil takes place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) at the same time as Season 2 of S.H.I.E.L.D. after Avengers and before Age of Ultron. This is indicated by references to the Battle of New York, and the Avengers Tower’s presence. The episodes of Daredevil and S.H.I.E.L.D. do not coincide, but that is the order the season should be watched. This is not an episodic series, but more of a linear one with an ongoing timeline. The theme of this is how far can a man go being good before he is considered evil? Daredevil does not have any kind of super powers, but was trained from a young age and taught how to use his disadvantage against his enemies as an advantage. As this is a review of a past show, with the new season coming up, I will issue a Spoiler Alert fro those of you who have not yet seen the season.

THE STORY

Daredevil spends this season facing his foes, righting wrongs, and doing what he can to clean up his city. His foes are not few in number, but cannot always be taken out with a punch. This is where his alter-ego, attorney Matt Murdock comes in; he uses the law to help the citizens of Hell’s Kitchen find justice. Daredevil / Matt Murdock faces many foes, including Nobu, Madame Gao, Leland Owlsley, and the Russians, all leading up to the big one…Wilson Fisk. Daredevil is limited in the sense that he will find justice for people in his city, but will not kill. This is something his counterparts have over him; they see no problem killing. The violent nature of this series gives us a feeling of realism; something that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. lacks. There is no limit to the show’s graphic scenery.

Wilson Fisk, the future Kingpin, is the big enemy in this season, but he does not see himself as bad. He too wants to clean up Hell’s Kitchen, but he is going about it in a different way. He does not see it as a problem that can be fixed with a bunch of small acts; he sees Hell’s Kitchen as a disease that must be destroyed before it can grow. He believes the city must burn before it can rise from the ashes and be what he sees for the future. But these are the main themes; let’s get to the story…

It all starts with a woman…Karen Page. She has been framed for the murder of a co-worker after she learns information she should not have about her company. She turns to the new law firm of Nelson and Murdock for help. Convinced of her innocence, they take her case, and eventually get her released. From there, she goes on to becoming their secretary. But Karen is a fighter, she is not done seeking justice for her co-worker, and making those responsible pay for his death. Little does she know that one of the lawyers, Matt Murdock is secretly a vigilante who roams the streets at night. He gets injured in a fight with the Russians and seeks the help of Claire, the Night Nurse. She becomes a regular assistant to Daredevil, and something of a love interest.

The plot thickens as Wesley, Fisk’s assistant, hires Nelson and Murdock to get a killer off at trial. Meanwhile we meet Wilson Fisk himself as he acquires some art and kindles a love interest of his own. During dinner, Fisk is interrupted and embarrassed by Anatoly Ranskahov, which results in Anatoly losing his head…literally. Blaming Daredevil for the murder, Fisk begins to turn the city against our hero. Fisk does this to distract the Russians from what he is about to do; blow up several locations in the city to destroy their stronghold.

Another player enters the scene when we meet Stick, Matt’s former mentor. He returns to New York after several years to recruit his former student to further fight in his never ending war regarding Black Sky. He had taken Matt under his wing when Matt was a child, and attempted to train him to be a soldier. At the same time, Karen is trying to link her former company, Union Allied, to Wilson Fisk, and recruits a reporter named Ben Urich to help her. Urich had done several revealing stories on Union Allied in the past, and Karen was convinced he was the man to go to in order to go public with everything. Later, during a meeting with Madame Gao, another member of Fisk’s ring of players, Fisk discovers that his whole organization is starting to crumble around him and he has no idea who to trust. Meanwhile, Matt gives in and starts to join with Foggy and Karen to go public with the whole thing, but to do it smartly. With the “help” from Daredevil, Ben Urich writes the story, hoping it will draw Fisk into the light; but it does far worse, it makes him an icon, a saviour of the people. This drags Daredevil’s name even further through the mud.

As things begin to come to a head with Fisk cementing his position in Hell’s Kitchen and Matt questioning his morals, Karen and Foggy start to lose hope as an elderly woman they were helping is murdered. Matt must decide what kind of hero he wants to be; can he kill Wilson Fisk, or is it against his Catholic upbringing? Fisk seems to be getting more power because of the release of Urich’s article, but perhaps it is just a cover for his fear that his world is crumbling around him. As Matt causes the death of Nobu and attempts to take Fisk out, he gets the beating of his life. This results in Foggy finding him in his apartment, and discovering his secret. This puts their close friendship in jeopardy.

After Ben Urich exposes Wilson Fisk, about everything he has done, including his mother, he pays for it with his life. Grief-stricken, Karen, Matt, and Foggy are more determined than ever to bring Fisk down. They find the officer who formerly worked for Fisk and who killed his own partner for Fisk and Daredevil convinces him to turn himself in and make a testimony against Fisk. This brings everything to the forefront, and the police are able to finally arrest Fisk and put him behind bars. Sadly, he has a plan to escape and he and Daredevil have one last battle. But Daredevil’s morals get the better of him, and instead of killing Wilson, he allows him to be taken into custody and remain in prison. But is Wilson Fisk a dangerous man even behind bars? Only time will tell…

THE CHARACTERS

Matt Murdock / Daredevil

Matt Murdock, AKA Daredevil, is played by Charlie Cox, who portrays a blind man very well. Matt Murdock went blind at the age of 10 after a truck accident when he saved a man’s life. Chemicals spilled into his eyes and caused almost instant blindness. This scene was one of the best introduction scenes I have ever seen; the fear of the character was felt by the audience as well, as we thought about how we would feel going blind. Despite his blindness, Matt became an attorney with his best friend Foggy Nelson. They graduated at the top of their class and moved back to Hell’s Kitchen to start their private practice; to help clean up their city. By day he is an attorney, but by night he puts on a black mask and fights crime as a vigilante tired of seeing his city going to Hell. How can a man fight when he is blind you may ask? He had a lot of training and works at it every day. This is not just physical training; he had to learn how to see without seeing. As the season progresses, we learn more about Matt’s past; learning how Stick trained him to use his blindness as an advantage. Stick was an older man who was also blind, who saw Matt’s potential and taught him, rather roughly, to fight back. With his training, Matt could do things most sighted people can’t, and Matt became something his father never wanted; a fighter.

Daredevil does not have any super powers; he is still just a man. He has his heightened senses, learned to meditate to heal faster, and can fight very well, but he is still just a man. Because of this, he takes quite a beating from time to time. Luckily for him, he came across Claire Temple, played by Rosario Dawson. She later becomes known as the Night Nurse. Because of his identity, Daredevil refuses to go to hospital when he is injured, and so Claire must stitch him up herself. They have an on again-off again relationship, but it does not amount to much. She cares about him, but cannot be with someone who is a super hero; the job is just too dangerous, and it would be dangerous for her as well.

Despite his “night job”, Matt is quite a religious man. This is due to his lodgings after his father died. He was raised Catholic, and often seeks counsel with his priest, Father Lanton, played by Peter McRobbie. This is an interesting relationship, as Matt often refers to his “night job” while talking with Father Lanton. The Priest states that anything Matt tells him in confidence or confession cannot be divulged to anyone else. So, if Matt told him he killed someone, Father Lanton could not go to the authorities. This gives Matt a sort of freedom to discuss what he does, but in the same token, he is speaking to his priest. Father Lanton attempts to counsel Matt in the direction of not killing, which is something Matt takes to heart, but the priest seems to understand the city’s need for Daredevil. Lengthy discussions between the two characters shows that Matt trusts him more than anyone and that he heeds Father Lanton’s guidance whenever it is given. This is a deep theme in this series, as well as the character of Daredevil himself.

Wilson Fisk

Also known as the Kingpin, Wilson Fisk is the big bad in this season. He has not quite graduated to the title of Kingpin, so this is somewhat an origin story for him as well. He is played by the very talented Vincent D’Onofrio; a man who can be calm and quiet one second, and loud and violent the next. The ability to call upon rage like that for a role is astounding. I am curious about how D’Onofrio gets himself ready for a role like this; how does he get into Wilson Fisk’s head? This is one of those characters that, when you think “big bad mob boss” D’Onofrio does it perfectly. I know it’s a television show, but he frightened even me. Just how easily he could be set off and the lengths he would go to. For example, he decapitates a man just because he was embarrassed in front of Vanessa. That’s dedication. Also, the way he just sat there looking at the wall in the end, “deciding what kind of man [he] wants to be” like his father told him all those years ago. We have not seen the last of Wilson Fisk.

Wilson Fisk, like many villains, had a very violent backstory. He grew up in a violent household and performed his first murder at the age of 10, when he killed his father. From there, he vowed to “make this city better.” His idea of a better city would also mean allowing it to die first. This is the excuse he gives for the violent behaviour and criminal activity he condones with his partners and with the people who work for him.

Throughout the season Wilson Fisk is rarely seen until forcibly brought into the spotlight. Most of the time his dealings are performed by his very loyal friend and employee, James Wesley. In these dealings, Fisk is merely referred to as the “employer”, and mentioning his name is punishable by death. Wesley, played by Toby Leonard Moore, is almost as ruthless as his employer, as he carries out several deaths, threats, kidnappings, and other unspeakable acts. He is one of the very few people that Fisk truly trusts.

Another very interesting character that is close to Fisk is Vanessa Marianna, played by Ayelet Zurer. She is by far one of the most intriguing characters on this show, because even though she knows that Fisk is a dangerous man, she stays by him. She is not evil herself, or violent for that matter, but when the bombs go off and Fisk tells her that bad people are being punished, all she says is “good”. This tells me that she hasn’t quite made her mind up about who she is, but she is far from an innocent. D’Onofrio portrays a very heart-broken Fisk when she ends up in hospital; another very well played role from this great actor. It is interesting to see the development of Fisk’s relationship with Vanessa, just about as much as seeing his criminal activities unfold.

The “Good Guys”

Foggy Nelson – Played by Elden Henson, he is the best friend to Mat, but also a partner in his law firm. They went to school together and he knows everything there is to know about Matt…or at least he thinks he does. He wants to be the kind of lawyer that helps the good guys, but sometimes his lust for prestige gets in the way. But in the end, he will always be there for those who need the most help. His reaction to Matt’s true identity feels very real; how would you react if you found out your best friend, who is blind, was risking his/her life every night fighting criminals? There is an on again-off again flirtation going on with Karen, but I doubt it will amount to anything. He has a tendency to go for the wrong women; and Karen has more of a story to tell.

Karen Page – Portrayed by Deborah Ann Woll, Karen stumbles into Matt and Foggy’s lives when she is suspected of murdering her colleague when a framing job goes south. She found some files at her work that she wasn’t supposed to see, told a colleague, and now the company is trying to “destroy evidence”. Luckily for her, Nelson and Murdoc jump to her rescue, get her acquitted, and take her on as a secretary. She is a fighter though; she wants to help the people hurt by the cover-up, and bring to the light her co-worker’s murderers. We do learn from Ben Urich that her story has not been told yet. He tells her he had been doing some digging into her “shady” past, and so I think there is more to this woman than meets the eye. Perhaps we will get more of a glimpse into it in season 2. There is kind of a triangle with her, Matt, and Foggy, but I doubt it will amount to anything. But I suppose time will tell.

Ben Urich – Used as a narrator, or exposition carrier, Ben Urich, played by Vondi Curtis-Hall, is a reporter who tends to bite off more than he can chew. He is brought into the story by Karen, who approaches him with the evidence she has against the company who tried to frame her for murder. Quietly, they try to get more information on who is behind everything, but unknowingly get themselves in more and more danger. But Ben is not one to back down from a fight; he is a truth-seeking journalist, and will get the information to the people, no matter what the cost. It is interesting that even the “bad guys” in the show know of him, and respect him for his discretion in his writing…all except Wilson Fisk.

Stick – The man that trained Matt to become Daredevil, Stick, played by Scott Glenn, is more than he appears. We get flash backs with him teaching young Matt how to use his disadvantage as a gift, but when he comes back into Matt’s life, he is talking about a war. He refers to Black Sky, and says that it must be destroyed. Sadly, Matt discovers that Black Sky is a child. Stick seems to have less of a moral compass than Mat, as he sees Black Sky as a weapon and nothing more. This causes Matt to turn on Stick, and tell him to leave the city. The last time we see Stick, he is speaking to a man with tattoos, who we learn is named Stone, a member of an organization called the Chaste. We will learn more about this in season 2 of Daredevil, as that is the direction it seems we are heading towards. A strict teacher, but an interesting character; I hope to see more of Stick in the next season.

The “Bad Guys”

The Russians – In Daredevil, there are many players in the criminal world. The Russians were a mob of men headed by two brothers, Anatoly Ranskahov, played by Gideon Emery, and Vladimir Ranskahov, played by Nikolai Nikolaeff. They left Russia to find a better life in America; to “live as kings”. However, they found themselves catering to a higher power, and disliking the direction their bosses were taking them. As they decide to go along with Fisk’s offer, sadly Anatoly embarrasses the mob boss, and he loses his head for it. Vladimir, the less eager of the two to join with Fisk, decides to continue his operation without the help of the mob boss, and, for a time, blames Daredevil for his brother’s death. It is only when he discovers the truth that he gives Daredevil the information he needs, and sacrifices himself for Daredevil … or is it for revenge. The two brothers seem to have a sense of honour and a sense of family, but they also had a sense of greed which caught them in the end. It would have been interesting to see these two do better in this series, as their story could have been elaborated on much more.

Nobu – In the Marvel Comics, Nobu was a member of the Hand, the enemy of the Chaste. Played by Peter Shinkoda, Nobu had a small part to play in this season, but definitely gave us some good lead up for season 2. He was the one bringing Black Sky into New York from Japan, and it was because of him that Stick returned to the city. It was Nobu that Stick was fighting a war against, but it was Daredevil, with some help from Fisk, that brought Nobu to his firry end. We do not get much conversation with him, but Madame Gao lets on that she believes he knows more than he is telling to Fisk. Nobu was an enemy who was an ends to a means for Stick and Daredevil’s characters. When he fights Daredevil it also shows us how much of a bad ass Matt is at fighting.

Madame Gao – Played by Wai Ching Ho, she is one of the better criminals in the group. She plays as just a Chinese boss who brings heroin into New York City, but when she speaks with Fisk, she lets on that she is much wiser than he knows. She seems to know things before they are revealed, like when she tells Fisk that she knows he can understand her when she speaks Chinese. She says “it is a wise man who plays the fool”. I really enjoyed her character being like this, wisdom beyond her years. She is not a loud and violent enemy, but she has a way of threatening people that shows them she means business. She can strike fear into the hearts of men without raising her voice. It takes a talented actress, and a great bunch of writers to create a character such as this. Great job and I am glad they did not kill her off; tells me that we may see more of her in seasons to come. I look forward to it.

Leland Owlsley – It’s really cool that they got Warden Norton from the Shawshank Redemption to play a bad guy in this series. Bob Gunton does a great job at playing the crafty villain. Leland Owlsley plays a high-ranking accountant in New York City, and as such, he handles the money flowing from all the different people who work with Fisk. This means that Fisk trusts him almost as much as he does Vanessa or Wesley. Leland tends to play the paranoid character, always trying to convince Fisk to keep his guard up and to not trust anyone. It is interesting when the twist drops in the end of the season. Leland’s character reminds me of a weasel, trying to make deals with everyone to assist himself in coming out on top. But he does this carefully, so he does not end up being hurt in the process. This was an interesting character, and I am glad that he was a part of the group; adding another characteristic to the criminals.

NOTE-WORTHY PARTS

One of the main things that Daredevil did really well, apart from telling a great story, was that it did not jump back and forth with flash backs. We learned backstory of characters as it happened, and as the character remembered things. For example, we did not learn about Stick, Matt’s mentor, until he returned to New York and approached Matt in his apartment. Many other shows, such as Flash and Arrow, jump back and forth so often that it is sometimes hard to decipher what timeframe we are watching. Daredevil gave us great context and always showed us when in the timeline we were seeing the characters. There was one scene in episode 9, when Daredevil was fighting Nobu, that there was some great editing involved. We jumped back and forth between the current fight, and the fight Matt’s father was in just before he died. The use of this flashback helps us to see what Matt is going through emotionally. Any other time, it would have just been confusing.

The scene with Black Sky, played by Bonala Fambrini, was usefully vague. We know that Black Sky is a weapon; we know that Nobu wanted to use it to destroy the city, and we know that Stick wanted to kill the child. But other than that, we don’t know a lot about it. This was great foreshadowing for Season 2, and I believe we will have a lot more explained about the Chaste, the Hand, and about Black Sky himself.

Religion in this series is one of the core elements of the theme. This series portrayed that theme very well. We learn about the fine line between good and evil, but we also learn that sometimes that line can be blurred, depending on the outcome and the intentions. Matt spends his evenings beating on criminals, but goes to a priest for counsel. This both makes sense and is contradictory at the same time. Matt knows what he is doing is not moral, but he knows why he must do it. So does Father Lanton; he keeps the confidential conversations between himself and Matt to himself. He knows that Matt is doing unspeakable things, but he knows that if he wasn’t, what else would happen in Hell’s Kitchen?

SOME ISSUES

One of the issues with this series is that people were sometimes put into the show just so that there was someone to die. It would not be an issue so much if they weren’t given a backstory. This refers to people like the Ranskahov brothers and Nobu. The brothers were given a huge backstory, how they left Russia hoping to find prosperity in America, how they built their empire from nothing, and how they decided after toiling for some time, to work with Wilson Fisk. But it was all for nothing, as Fisk kills one, and Daredevil almost kills the other. Why give them a backstory if they are just going to be used to show how ruthless another character is. That character development could have been better used on other people, like Wesley or Claire. Nobu’s purpose was to bring Black Sky to New York, but we barely learn more about him before he is killed off as well. If you are going to give your characters backstories, give them a bit more of a life. It would have been more interesting to see the Ranskahov brothers’ story unfold further. Additionally, Owlsley did not get much of a backstory at all, and neither did Karen Page. But perhaps the backstory for Karen has been saved for reveal next season. More effort could have been given to more main characters than the people who were just there to die. This issue does not take away from how great the series is, just makes very little sense.

Vanessa finds out about Fisk’s lifestyle when Anatoly barges into their dinner and offers himself to Fisk. But Vanessa is not happy with what she learns; that Fisk is a dangerous man. This decision only lasts a short time, and she soon changes her mind. But what caused her to do this? It seemed a bit too quick for her to reverse her decision and continue seeing Fisk. It should have been much more difficult for him to win her over; show how much he really desired to have her. And, it would have shown a stronger character on her part. But it does not appear that Vanessa’s story has been told entirely just yet. Perhaps we will see why she was so easily swayed.

The final issue I have is more of a personal thing. I am blind, well partly, and I believe that Matt’s character could have portrayed himself a bit better as a blind man than he did. If someone did not continue to mention that Matt was blind, it could be easily forgotten. I understand that he has amazing powers that Stick taught him, but he is not perfect. Also, if he wanted to convince Foggy and Karen that he couldn’t detect things as well as he did, he should have made more mistakes on purpose; walk into a door; bump into a wall, trip over a garbage can, etc. But he doesn’t. This is merely an issue because the media has a hard time portraying someone with a disability such as this, because they try to do it too perfectly; it just looks fake sometimes. Doesn’t take away from the character, and definitely not away from the action, just a minor scruple I have with the show.

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEASON 2

With the next season of Marvel’s Daredevil dropping on NETFLIX on March 18, it would be a good idea to look to the future and predict what we might see. We know that characters like Elektra and the Punisher are going to make an appearance, but what will these characters mean for Matt? I would like to know what you think about how these 2 will play off each other, let alone how they will play off of Matt. From the comics, it appears that both Elektra and the Punisher have a different moral compass from Matt, and this could prove to be troublesome in the upcoming storyline.

One thing that could be expected to appear is Stick and Black Sky. It is believed that we are going to learn more about the Chaste and the Hand, and what they have to do with Stick and Black Sky. From the comics, Stick was a member of the organization called the Chaste, who were sworn to keep peace and refrain from doing harm. But we already know that Stick has very few qualms about hurting people in order to keep the peace, so it will be interesting to see how close to the comics the show stays. The man with the tattoos that Stick was speaking to at the end of his episode, was a man named Stone, another member of the Chaste. They were speaking about Black Sky and about Matt not being ready for the war that is coming. This could easily be a war between the Chaste and the Hand, but we will have to see. What are your thoughts on this matter?

It is doubtful that we are going to see much of Wilson Fisk in this series. He will be a player later in the show, but for now he is still in jail; but that does not mean he is powerless. Remember that he is a powerful man, and even from behind bars he can still be a danger to the city. It is almost certain that we will hear his name from time to time, even if we see very little of his face.

It is possible that we learn more about Karen Page’s history. Ben Urich said once that he looked into her past, and not all of it was sunshine and roses; some of it was shady. It would be interesting if they explored this past a bit more. Not by using flashbacks, but by allowing the past to catch up with her. Perhaps this will be something that puts a strain on the friendship between her, Matt, and Foggy. Again, any ideas from you would be very much welcomed.

SUMMARY

Marvel’s Daredevil is a great character study. Not everyone on the side of good is entirely good, and not everyone on the side of evil is entirely evil. Matt Murdock knows that he is doing horrible things, but he is doing them for the right reasons. Wilson Fisk believes that he wants to save the city, but it must burn before it can be saved. This series is heavily based on good versus evil, even if it means within the characters’ own minds. Season 2 is almost upon us, and it is sure to hold just as much action, excitement and great storytelling.

Until Next Time…

[lovenerdthings-blog]

Disturbed - The Sound Of Silence [Official Music Video]

Download the song now: http://smarturl.it/immortalized Directed by Matt Mahurin http://www.mattmahurin.com New Album "Immortalized" Out Now! iTunes - http://...

Hey everyne, was going to post something in the last few days, but it was my birthday weekend. So I’ll post something soon, but until then, enjoy this.

I stumbled upon this cover and was completely blown away. There will never be acover that does as well as Simon and Garfunkel, but Disturbed did a very good job of “The Sound of Silence”. They captured the anger of the lyrics, and did a hauntingly beautiful version.

Enjoy

[lovenerdthings-blog]

These three blankets were knitted for 3 of my students, in my grand project of makng a blanket for each student in my small school. This is to make something for each of them to remember me by when I move to Australia.

I am going to miss these students dearly, and this is why I decided to take on this project. Some of the blankets will have to be shipped from Australia when they are finished, but I’m doing my best to minimize that numer. These are blankes 7, 8, and 9, out of a total of 35. So I better get my fingers busy on the next one.

[lovenerdthings-blog]

She's the kind of person who everyone likes, but no one remembers to talk to

Jane Austen.

Yup, kind of reflects my life perfectly.

[lovenerdthings-blog]

My First Live Performance

So this is what I have been up to lately. As I said way back when, I play the bass...or at least I try to. I mentioned to a student of mine that I can play “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” who immediately went to her mother and told her we should perform it at a school fundraiser coffee house. This took me aback a little as I had never played in front of people and had not practiced in several months. So, I got my fingers busy and started getting ready. During our first practice, my partner asked me if I would want to sing during the chorus. This was a challenge, but I tried. And apparently I did rather well. There is a video floating around somewhere and as soon as I get it, I’ll post it. For now, you get to deal with just a photo.

I didn’t notice it while I was playing, but I was told after, that when I went to the stage, most of the younger students I work with all gathered around in the front row. This was very flattering to me; I really do enjoy working with every one of those students. I also know that there was an audience member that only I was aware of that night. My dear friend Christopher William Cardno was watching over me as I played. I felt an odd strength in me that I knew he was helping me with. He had always pushed me to do things that were a bit outside my comfort zone, and this was definitely one of those times. I really enjoyed performing that night, and I hope to do it again very soon.

For those of you who were able to attend that evening, I hope you can joing me in congratudlating the students of ALM; they made me so very proud.

Until Next Time...

Karen

[lovenerdthings-blog]

Meeko

This happy boy is my Blue Heeler / Lab cross named Meeko. A Blue Heeler is an Australian sheep and cattle dog. They’re normally smaller than Meeko, and not usually black. But he has the distinctive spots on his chest and legs that indicates his breed. He is going to be 11 this June and has been my faithful friend the last 2 years I have been home, and every time I visited. I was responsible for training him, and having been taught how to train dogs, I think I did a rather good job of it. I am to the point where words aren’t needed to get him to do what I want, just hand gestures. I can’t take all the credit for his behaviour, he is a very intelligent dog and able to learn new things even at his advanced age of 11.

He was raised by a female cat (one of our old pets) and so has many traits that a cat would, such as making an almost purring noise’’ when he is happy. He has his own bed, or couch rather, in my room and that will always be his spot. He only jumps up on my bed when I am not home, or when he thinks I won’t notice it. Therefore I have to make my bed every morning to avoid it getting too dirty. His 2 best friends were our big fluffy cat named Frodo (now gone) and Apollo’s Pride (also gone). We had another dog when he was young, but she only showed him a few things; the most he learned from Patches, an old lady cat who punished him with bts to his face. 

With Frodo, they would always play fight. I know what you’re probably thinking, did the cat ever get hurt. Meeko was always careful not to hurt the cat or get carried away. The worst the Frodo ever got was a slobber bath from the dog, as the dog would get the cats whole head in his mouth. They were great play fighters, but also great friends. We would often walk into the living room and see the 2 of them sleeping at either end of the couch, their bums just about touching.

With Apollo, Meeko’s instincts kicked in. He was always trying to herd the horses, badly, around the field. But the horses weren’t having any of it. One of the first times Meeko met Apollo, he tried to herd him, which lead to the horse running and Meeko after him. We thought for sure that the dog was going to get kicked or something. But then we saw the dog runnng back, with the horse behind him. But the horse was taking little half steps when he got too close. It was at this time that we realized that they were playing with each other. After that day, the two of them were insearable. I think that Meeko was deeply hurt when Apollo died. We showed him the body and he just stood there for a couple minutes in silence, went up to him and sniffed him once, and decided it was time to go home. I do feel that animals know loss and comprehend death just as easily as we do.

My Meeko and I are great walking companions and you can often find us at the beach hunting for new smells, or trying to catch the birds that mock him. He doesnèt like running in the water, thankfully, but he’ll get quite close. One of his favourite things to do is go for a ride in the car. I can no longer say “ride” “car” “leash” “collar” “walk” or “beach” without hearing that purring noise.

I think, and sorry for anyone reading this if it hurts you, I’ll miss him more than some of the people in my life. He is my constant companion,a nd shows me unconditional love. I wish I could take him with me, but he is a country dog, and the city would be too much for him. Not to mention how sad it would be to take him away from my parents. My dad is very attached to this boy, and takes him everywhere. I think it will be one of the hardest things for him when Meeko finally passes away; he really has become a part of our family.

Until Next Time...

Karen

[lovenerdthings-blog]

Johnny

This is my Percheron - Quarter Horse cross Johnny. He is a gentle giant with a very commanding presence. He stands very proud and yet as of late, after Apoolo’s death, very affectionate. I have ridden him many times; he is a bit of a challenge. Before we owned him, he was enrolled as a pack horse, and very roughly treated. He has saddle sores and a halter sore from being saddled and haltered for days on end. But this means that a gentle hand is almost laughed at by him. I do not like to be rough with my horses, so Johnny and I have an interesting relationship. The last time I rode him he decided he wanted to go right and I wanted to go left, It ended with him dragging me through some alder trees. I was angry at first, but then realized it was due to my lack of training him for a time (sumer jobs kept me really busy). He and Zeus’ Traveller have been pasture buddies ever since they met, my 2 gentle giants. I really enjoy having this beautiful horse.

Whenever I get on Johnny, I prefer to ride bare back. My logic is this, if something happens, I can bail easier than if I were to ride western. And never mind fitting my English saddle on him, the girth barely gets around Sady’s big belly. I grew up riding bare back and so I find it more comfortable. You can feel the muscles in the horse tense and untense. You know when the horse is frightened or getting stubborn. I feel that it is also a test of muscles, as you have to use more to stay on the horse. Because of his hard use in the past, I do not use a bit on Johnny, his mouth is scarred from it. So I use a Hackimore, and it appears he prefers it. He knows English reining, but prefers to be neck reined. I believe that if he was trained for it in the past, he would have been a wonderful cattle horse. He is big and likes to go slow. He can trot for miles, but once you get him into a canter, he’ll go for a couple of strides and then he bucks. Not sure why, but it’s ok, he has a very comfortable trot. He is a perfect gentleman to lead, but he is quite a bully to other horses. We always have to be careful when presenting new horses into the field, as he gets very dominant. Luckily he and Sady get along great, and they make quite the happy little herd together. I will miss all my horses when I leave for Australia, and Johnny is no exception. He can be pushy at times, but nothing beats when he pulls you in with his great head, for a hug.

Until Next Time...

Karen

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Zeus’ Traveller

This big beauty is Zeus’ Traveller, he is the second youngest son of my mare Sady. He is a Standardbred - Shire cross, so a very unlikely match indeed. He is long and slender like his mother, but has the height and bulk of a draft horse. And he has some beautiful feathers at his feet. What’s odd about his fur is it’s more hair than fur, especially around his face. But this is one very affectionate guy. Always pulls you in for a hug. When we first got him, he had spent the last 5 years in a field with his mother and had never left her side. It took us about 5 days to get him out of the trailer when we got him home, and then he cried and cried for her. It wasn’t until my mum came to the field with a treat that he claimed her as his human.

He is not very rideable, so he serves as a pasture companion for our other horses, as well as a very nice friend to go visit. He is afraid of so much, having been untrained at a young age and not exposed to anything before we got him. I was the first person to show him the beach, when he was already 6 years old. How he shuddered when we got closer and closer to the water. But his trust for me grew in leaps and bounds and it was only 2 months until we were talking kneed deep in the water without him being too afraid. It is odd to see such a bug guy afraid of so many things; and yet he relies on me, who’s head he can easily rest his chin on. I really have a lot of love for this big beautiful dapple; I am going to miss him emensely when I leave. I have been on him a number of times, but his muscles were so tense I felt bad putting him through that. But he leads perfectly and is a complete gentleman.

Until Next Time...

Karen

[lovenerdthings-blog]

Sady

This is my mare Sady, she is a Standardbred that is about 22 years old. She is my best riding horse at the moment and I love spending time with her every chance I get. She is an ex-race horse, who used to race in Cloverdale (lower mainland) pulling the sulky carts. She does a really interesting pace where both left legs move and then both right legs move together. It is interesting to ride, as you have to get used to moving your body side to side as opposed to just forward. I love it.

She has had 3 sons, 2 of which we have owned. One was named Hera’s Fury who I sold after finishing his training. The other one is Zeus’ Traveller, who I will be talking about shortly. Her herd buddy was Apollo’s Pride (seen in one of these pictures), and when he passed we put her in with the big boy (both other horses are drafts). I have owned her for over 10 years and findher almost as precious as my very first horse, Harvy. I lost him 5 years ago when he was 38. Sady is quite affectionate and easy on the reins when riding. I rideher English, but she responds to neck reining when I need her to. I hope to get a video of me riding her at some point to show to you all. She is going to be one of those many thing that will break my heart to leave when I move.

Until Next Time...

Karen