Walker S2 Discussion

[Adam]

Your turn now, Tyler mate. Episode 211:

The beginning of the end.

And how.

And the Big Reveal from the finale (which I'm halfway through right now because I just got access to the forums and want to type my review while the episode is fresh) about Bishop was kinda made obvious from that "Did you see it?" line. And then Saskia gets captured and killed. Bad day to be a villain.

I figured it was time to ratchet things up a bit and, as I said to Dino, the reveal with Bishop at the end of this was very much the point of this episode. I know it's telegraphed a bit, but I like to think the moment he turns still works as a result.

I agree with Dino that the side plot of them going to get the Lens was one of those necessary but obvious stories. I'm not going to spend a lot of time on it because it clearly wasn't the point of this episode and the resolution was never in question -- they get the Thing, they make a harrowing escape and no one gets killed because we've got a finale coming up and we don't want to shoot our wad too soon. Although Walker and Flame, Undercover Ops would be a pretty cool show...

I see me a spin-off coming on.

Kidding. In fairness though, you're right, Alec and Flame do make a good team and it's something I'm planning on using a lot more in season three.

Hearing Boone call someone "the man" was a strange experience. And his moment with Jackson -- wherein Jackson proves yet again that he should be in charge of MI-16, figuring out the connection between Boone and Isabelle -- was one of those beautiful interpersonal moments that this show does so well. Seeing the two men who're often at odds sort of come together and have this "I'm there for you" moment, even if it wasn't quite so friendly as that, was a good way to make this episode stand out as more than a way to move the pieces into place.

This scene was important for a lot of reasons, not least because it shows how much this relationship has changed. At the beginning of the series Jackson doesn't trust Boone at all. That we've come to this point in two years should say a lot about how much the characters and their relationship has changed.

Chloe and Alec take steps toward amends, and I was going to say that I don't understand why she forgave him so fast but then I realized -- it's not like she's actually fine. It's just that she has bigger, more important shit to deal with. And it's not like Alec won't just do this again the next time the opportunity presents itself. And it's not like the season finale isn't going to ruin everyone's day anyway.

Again, another very important beat. One key and mandatory thing in going into writing this series as a whole was that I didn't want to present Alec as a whiter-than-white heroic type. That's not interesting for me to write and also doesn't ring true. Alec's genuinely well intentioned, but he's also got a few quite childish sides to his character that we've hopefully seen over the course of this thing. And yes, I think Chloe's starting to realise some of this, as evidenced by her "I know who you are" moment.

And it was good to get Mr Jones back. Being all cryptic again. Apparently he and Paige were in contact. Wonder what he was trying to do. Wonder what was supposed to happen, before those "actions of a few" derailed the whole thing.

See my comments on the next episode for a more detailed explanation of this. Speaking of...

[Adam]

212:

Ezekiel's back! I like Ezekiel. And Kate! A good day for Tyler. Ezekiel delivers his Vague Speech of Crypticness -- I bet he and Mr Jones went to the same university -- and we learn that Bishop is a major league nightmare. I am in my head putting him together with Gideon, because as Dino says we're not just getting an episode all about him without him being important somehow, and I am coming up with one result: Alec and co. are screwed.

Bringing both of these characters back was fun (interesting point about Mr Jones). And on your last point, hell yeah.

But this second scene is something I have a problem with. For the past 3 episodes, a woman has been kidnapped or otherwise abducted, tied up, and tortured at the hands of a stronger enemy. Maybe this is me and my sick-of-Criminal-Minds-style-torture-porn thing, but it's a lot. Especially what happens here, a woman in her nightie being burned to death slowly and horribly. I dunno. That it happens twice in an episode -- with Kate later on -- sort of set me off.

I see the point. I knew the Paige thing was going to be controversial when I first came up with it (ask anyone who attended the Brumble when I told them I was killing a character off in this way). The logic going into it is that it mirrors the scene with Saskia in the previous episode - Paige crossed a line, like Mr Jones told her not to, and if she hadn't done that to Saskia then Bishop may have delayed making his move and this might not have happened. A 'what goes around comes around' sort of thing.

Moving along. Bishop's powers are interesting. Is this an analogous thing to Flame's ability to project fire into people's minds? Instead of fire, Bishop gets walking, talking sentient creatures? Or is Bishop not that special, and Flame only ever uses fire for reasons yet revealed/that I forgot about?

Flame could concievably do everything Bishop's doing here. The idea is that male Seers are the most powerful ones, hence the reason they're so rare. At the moment Flame's only got complete control over the projection thing, specifically fire, and a couple of flashes of other bits here and there. Bishop's got the full package. Or to put it another way - this is what Flame and Ezekiel would be like if they ever went off the rails.

And, finally...

[Adam]

2.13

Congratulations Tyler, you're the first person to get to the end of the season.

You cruel bastard.

Thank you.

This finale really had everything -- action, intrigue, heartbreak. No Gideon, though. So was that an intentional red herring? Or did I just jump at nothing?

Thank you again.

The Gideon thing's not really a red herring per se. I always knew he wouldn't be the major villain of season two because I knew Bishop and the werewolves would be moving centre-stage, but he's an important player so I wanted to keep his presence alive in this. Gideon's story is going to be played out across the series as a whole - but having said that, it's something that you can expect to be picked up very soon.

-- well, that's not exactly where we pick up. We pick up many years ago (the year I was born if I have the timing right), showing perhaps Ezekiel's greatest failing. He failed to stop Bishop so long ago, and now he and the rest of the team have to reap the consequences. It kind of sucks that the ending of this little flashback gives away the plot/confirms my theory about what Jones meant in his message to Alec.

It was never meant to be about giving away the ending. Yes, it shows the plot mechanics of how to stop this thing, but the idea was very much that, knowing how this could pan out, you go into it seriously worried about what could happen to Kate. The drama was never what was going to happen, it was the question of would Alec and co actually go that far.

Especially Jackson's fury. I love the moment between him and Boone at the bar. The best parts of this show tend to be those little moments, and especially with Jackson and Boone.

Given that Jackson was universally singled out as the character most in need of development, hearing that makes me feel we made it work. Thanks mate. And those scenes were great fun to write, the little moments.

(Now I have this fruity theory that eventually Boone is going to Turn Jackson, maybe in a similar situation as with Cassandra -- desperate, life-saving type thing. It'll probably never happen, but. It would really cast a new light on their relationship.

This is the reason I should stick to The Dresden Files. Every other show, I'm like "wouldn't it be cool if!" without thinking about the implications on the story.)

Alright, who's given Tyler the backstage password?

Speaking of little character moments. I knew -- well, suspected -- that Alec and Jackson's easy forgiveness and close bond would be put in real danger here, and ultimately destroyed. And it would have to be Kate to do it. Love. The only thing that could really destroy Jackson. I wish we'd had a moment between Alec and Jackson after Alec did what he did. But it does make sense that Alec would want to get the hell out while he could. I wouldn't want to face my best friend after something like that.

Exactly. The key mandate I set myself in this season was to explore the Alec/Jackson friendship and how far it could be pushed. And after this, you're right, there's no going back. Hence Alec doing a runner. Season three will very much be about the team being broken up, acting as individuals rather than as a unit, and this moment's going to have repercussions for a very long time.

The action here was fun, but really a sidenote to Alec's struggle and desperation. My favorite sequence was Boone vs. Kell in the sewer. I always enjoy Boone vamping out.

Somehow, I knew people would like that moment.

Some mysterious things: Something would have happened if Ezekiel knew about Mr Jones? What? What's the story there? Is that for next season?

No comment. Consider it the equivalent of the Jones/Gideon scene last year - it'll be answered, eventually.

And what is Alec off to do? Is he following up on what Baines told him about Gideon?

Yes.

And what is the big thing that Gideon is trying to prevent?

Coming soon.

Was the vampire-werewolf war all a scheme by Bishop to get the pieces of the Lens? Surely that was a lot of work to get everything in place like that.

That was the point. The war was a gigantic, messy sideshow to keep everyone distracted while Bishop went out looking for the Lens, because if they'd been more overt about it they'd have brought Ezekiel down on top of them immediately, which wouldn't have worked out well for them.

Is the war part of the future Gideon's trying to avert? Is the Ezekiel/Mr Jones thing? So many questions.

All stuff that directly ties into the major mythology of the series itself. And all of these answers are coming. Patience.

I'm going to miss Kate. You bastard. Is no one allowed to be happy?! That was quite a gutwrenching moment, even though I guessed it. So that's a really good writing job.

Thank you. I appreciate the compliment.

This season was even better than season 1. Which was a tough act to follow. But here we've got more action, a deeper exploration of the fascinating Walker universe (DSRverse? Aliasverse? I've never watched Alias, so I dunno how connected they are), and more of the tiny moments between people that really make Walker great. This season planted tons of threads for next season (and the next and the next and the next et cetera I am sure), while still being satisfying on its own. That last sentence was full of awful grammar. But that doesn't matter. I am so excited for season 3.

And that alone makes this job worthwhile. Serious thanks for reading Tyler, it's always appreciated. See you next year for season three.

Or ... maybe even sooner than that...

[TylerMoody]

Oh, I'd definitely say that you did a great job developing Jackson further. We got a whole episode about his backstory, but  just over the whole course of the season in general it seemed like he had more to do and we learned more about him than last season. He became a much more compelling character -- that's why those moments between him and Boone work so well.

[Dino]

Control.

You told us, we won't believe you could do that. Well based on the last two episodes I figured you would do just the very thing and it would be the only course of action.

While Bishop is doing is best at channeling Auric Goldfinger, the need to show his method of madness is paramount. It goes to show how much he really wants to prove a point and especially to those who have the smarts to stand up to him - Ezekiel and Alec in question.

The episode pretty much centres around the team launching an assault on the Colby towers which is being held by Bishop quite successfully; as well as mounting a rescue of Kate Osbourne. While Jackson told Alec he'd kill him if Alec so much as thinks about killing Kate - which seems to be the "only way" that Mr. Jones told Alec in how this could all end; Jackson must have known that there wasn't going to be other alternative. You could have even placed Jackson in the same situation and Jackson despite all his own reservations would be forced to do it. (Even to the point of Kate making him do it.) I say this because a similar scene is used in the Preacher comic series.

I did find it interesting that Mr. Jones is afraid of Ezekiel. Which now makes me think that Jonesy is another seer - one who hasn't lost his marbles.

Or has he?

The scenes between the team and the possessed vamps, werewolves and troops is intense on all fronts. The use of Ezekiel and Flame creating their own illusions to make the enemy see an army of troops behind them gives Alec and the others the impetus to do their tasks.

There is no qualms into how violent Boone can get. Did Kell even think he had a chance with Boone?

Speaking of extreme violence. Alec destroying Bishop goes to show how pissed off a Knight can get. And Alec didn't even Flame out - so it makes you wonder how furious Alec could get.

The final scenes were quite sad, and you chose the right song to play it out on. So Jackson is drowning his sorrows in booze. Alec can't face anyone else anymore and the ending is a sad reminder of what happens in times of war. I'll leave you with a quote taken from The Mahabharata: Yudhishtira says:

"In all cases war is evil... Victory and defeat, O Krishna, are the same to one who is killed. Defeat is not very much better than death, I think; but he whose side gains victory also surely suffers some loss."

Rating: 9/10.

[Tony O'Stark]

Well done, guys, for getting to the end of the season - you both get one gorilla, you can fight over who keeps it!

I will respond to your reviews, Tyler, but just to clarify the AliasVerse point. Walker may share the same universe as Alias but they're only very loosely connected (even though we used Sark - but then he could pop up in almost any show and still work). Reading The DSR and Schism will only make reading Walker richer, but you're not directly missing anything if you don't or have never seen Alias.

[Dino]

Tyler can have the gorilla. They one I have here is a teeny weeny territorial and doesn't take kindly to others trespassing on his territory. I've seen National Geographic and Greystoke. These apes can get pretty nasty.

[Raul Bloodworth]

Queen of the Underworld review

(click to show/hide)

It occurs to me I haven't done an individual episode review for a show... I think, ever! So count yourself lucky.

So, the second season - The Two Front War - begins. After a fun action beat, we get into full season premiere mode. The characters are reintroduced, with Flame - one of my favourites from last season - joining the cast full-time, and joining the team. Excellent.

The "two front war" is beginning: a conflict between vampires and werewolves (Lupans, as they're known in the MZP-Aliasverse). The titular queen of the underworld is Paige Collins, now leader of the House of Cain (and also a full-time cast member). She's oddly likeable, if still a bitch.

We have the leader of the werewolves in Caleb, a nice dangerous villain to threaten our heroes. Why exactly is he "acting out" (if that's what we'll call it) in such a manner now? It all has to do with the "Lens". Whatever the hell that is. Alec, on the other hand, just seems pissed throughout. Given he hasn't made any progress on Gideon and The Circle, it's understandable.

The stage is set for a season which Pete assures me is one of the best MZP-TV has ever produced. I'm not entirely sold yet. Which isn't to say this isn't a solid premiere at all. It's just that: solid. Not particularly awe-inspiring or confounding, but definitely above average.


"Just misses the mark of excellence. Great stuff that's rough around the edges and/or slightly flawed."

[Chris Wilson]

While I’m procrastinating, and before I forget every detail, here’s a review for the whole of Season 2. Pardon any spelling mistakes or grammar errors…

Season 2, I thought, was a much more cohesive series than its predecessor. Granted, the Project Spartacus was a well thought out arc, it’s just I felt connected to the characters this time around, therefore I cared.

My main criticism of season 1 was how Jackson wasn’t developed. At all. I think I mentioned in an earlier review that he was the one without the ready-packaged character. He was the one who needed attention. So here you achieve that with flying colours, delving into his marriage-like relationship with Walker, and his relationship with Kate. Considering how things turn out, I’m genuinely excited to see what his behaviour will be like next season. Surely there’s a part of him that understands why things happened like they did; yet there’s another part that’s angry and vengeful. Possibly. Given his warning towards Alec before the ‘incident’, I’ll be disappointed if there isn’t a follow-up.

Speaking of, poor Alec Walker. It’s amazing that a man with so much power is shit on so much. I believe the ending of 2x13 (I love those endings to series by the way where a character departs, it leaves open so many possibilities) sums up his feelings exactly. He swept aside any chemistry with Chloe, and trust of (especially) Jackson only to be conned by Laurel and forced to make prophetical decisions. Obviously with Nightingale coming, I’m not surprised Laurel didn’t appear again.

On the other hand, I’m surprised Boone’s storyline with Isabella built up, only to be left out minus a mention here and there. I guess this will come up in season three. I think we’re all in agreement that Boone is the type of character who unintentionally shadows the main character as his backstory and quirks are just as interesting. While I don’t believe Boone-centric episodes have been the best so far in Walker, they’re the most consistent. If I had to rate every episode out of 10, all of Boone’s would be an 8. I anticipate them the most.

As an aside, a John Henry episode called ‘The Battle of Sinners and Saints’. Guess who I’ve been listening a lot to since reading that episode?

Paige – PWNED!

Finally, although you did a good job on him in 2x05, an excellent one in fact, I still hate Flame. He is a scene diffuser - the equivalent of Hollywood’s bizarre tendency to split up action scenes with crappy one-liners and normal people going “huh?” at the action. I simply dislike those types of characters. If you kill him off, Adam, I’ll buy you a pint of coke in person! Make a fellow teetotaller happy!

I apologise for not reviewing by the episode. Honestly, sometimes it’s such a challenge because some episodes in television are supposed to be subdued in comparison to help towards building up to something big. Plus I get excited and want to move onto the next episode instead of spending 15/30/45 minutes writing a review first,

I’ll give you the best and worst episode of the series:

WORST: Proving Ground, 2x04… Absolutely nothing wrong with JB’s writing, but the plot felt stationary. I never felt anyone was in real danger, especially with the “middle of act 3 in teaser” method of kick starting an episode. Honestly, has anyone ever pulled the trigger (no pun intended) on killing a main character with so much forewarning?

BEST: Control, 2x13… So many good ones this season, with 2x06 winning until the final episode. It’s the high emotional dilemma and aftermath that won it for me. I actually felt a lump in my throat reading the final moments because I was upset the events had unfolded like that. Now that’s good writing!

I absolutely cannot wait for more. 26 episodes and counting, it’s been a pleasure throughout. Well done Mr Scott, and your band of Merry Men. And Pete, the village idiot. 

[Tony O'Stark]

Cheers Chris!

I call dibs on Little John!

[Pete D. Gaskell]

Mucho appreciado, Chris.

And I'm sure our friendly master will say the same. Though perhaps not quite with that wording.

[Adam]

Because I'm SERIOUSLY behind on some of these:

Queen of the Underworld review

It occurs to me I haven't done an individual episode review for a show... I think, ever! So count yourself lucky.

I do! Believe me, I do.

So, the second season - The Two Front War - begins. After a fun action beat, we get into full season premiere mode. The characters are reintroduced, with Flame - one of my favourites from last season - joining the cast full-time, and joining the team. Excellent.

I've said a few times now that the introductory scene in this ep is one of my all time favourite beats in Walker.

Alec, on the other hand, just seems pissed throughout. Given he hasn't made any progress on Gideon and The Circle, it's understandable.

Oh you bet he's pissed off. Angry Alec is going to be here for the duration.

Which isn't to say this isn't a solid premiere at all. It's just that: solid. Not particularly awe-inspiring or confounding, but definitely above average.

For now, I'll take solid. If we're starting from that as our benchmark then we're going in the right direction.

Many thanks mate, sorry for not replying before now, I'll try and stay a bit more on top of things from here.

[Adam]

And now you, Chris:

Season 2, I thought, was a much more cohesive series than its predecessor. Granted, the Project Spartacus was a well thought out arc, it’s just I felt connected to the characters this time around, therefore I cared.

I said from the start that season two had a far better story than season one, and I'm glad to see people seem to think that's true. Cohesive's a good word.

My main criticism of season 1 was how Jackson wasn’t developed. At all. I think I mentioned in an earlier review that he was the one without the ready-packaged character. He was the one who needed attention. So here you achieve that with flying colours, delving into his marriage-like relationship with Walker, and his relationship with Kate. Considering how things turn out, I’m genuinely excited to see what his behaviour will be like next season. Surely there’s a part of him that understands why things happened like they did; yet there’s another part that’s angry and vengeful. Possibly. Given his warning towards Alec before the ‘incident’, I’ll be disappointed if there isn’t a follow-up.

I always knew Jackson was going to get a major arc in season two, but then dropped the ball with not giving him enough to to in season one. Lesson learned, believe me. And yes, there really is no going back from what happened at the end, and it'll be a major part of season three and beyond. Anything less would be an insult to Kate's sacrifice and undermine what Alec was forced to do.

Speaking of, poor Alec Walker. It’s amazing that a man with so much power is shit on so much. I believe the ending of 2x13 (I love those endings to series by the way where a character departs, it leaves open so many possibilities) sums up his feelings exactly. He swept aside any chemistry with Chloe, and trust of (especially) Jackson only to be conned by Laurel and forced to make prophetical decisions.

Yeah, twisting the screws on Alec is always fun. As I said, there's no going back now, for any of the team, which will lead to a dramatically different season three. And something I'm proud of is that all of this has come out of character - Alec made some spectacularly bad choices in this season, and one truly horrific choice but for the right reasons.

Obviously with Nightingale coming, I’m not surprised Laurel didn’t appear again.

We aren't done with her yet by a long chalk.

On the other hand, I’m surprised Boone’s storyline with Isabella built up, only to be left out minus a mention here and there. I guess this will come up in season three.

Yes it will, but not in the way you might suspect. This is a major, in it for the long haul arc, and there's no quick answers coming with this one. We ended the season with them on uneasy speaking terms, that's good enough for me right now, but there's a lot there that's still unresolved.

As an aside, a John Henry episode called ‘The Battle of Sinners and Saints’. Guess who I’ve been listening a lot to since reading that episode?

  What's not to love about Joe Bonamassa?

Paige – PWNED!

And how.

Finally, although you did a good job on him in 2x05, an excellent one in fact, I still hate Flame. He is a scene diffuser - the equivalent of Hollywood’s bizarre tendency to split up action scenes with crappy one-liners and normal people going “huh?” at the action. I simply dislike those types of characters. If you kill him off, Adam, I’ll buy you a pint of coke in person! Make a fellow teetotaller happy!

If anything, it's the opposite. Flame's really coming to the fore in season three. And who's to say that ^^ isn't exactly the reaction I wanted from you?

WORST: Proving Ground, 2x04… Absolutely nothing wrong with JB’s writing, but the plot felt stationary. I never felt anyone was in real danger, especially with the “middle of act 3 in teaser” method of kick starting an episode. Honestly, has anyone ever pulled the trigger (no pun intended) on killing a main character with so much forewarning?

Lesson learned.

BEST: Control, 2x13… So many good ones this season, with 2x06 winning until the final episode. It’s the high emotional dilemma and aftermath that won it for me. I actually felt a lump in my throat reading the final moments because I was upset the events had unfolded like that. Now that’s good writing!

That's the biggest compliment you could have paid me, mate. Serious thanks.

I absolutely cannot wait for more. 26 episodes and counting, it’s been a pleasure throughout. Well done Mr Scott, and your band of Merry Men. And Pete, the village idiot. 

Actually, if you've heard the podcast, you know you won't have to wait that long...

Serious thanks for reading, Chris, and thanks for the review. Coke's on me at the Brumble.

[Trix]

2x08 Review

Right it’s been a very long time since I’ve had a Walker script open (or posted a review in this thread) so I think it’s time to crack on with the final run of episodes. I recall leaving off with a rather juicy reveal including Boone and Isabelle. Their first meeting in however long doesn’t really have that father and daughter reconnection. Not that one was really likely. There is clearly a lot of history here and with everything heating up in the War between the vampires and werewolves the facts need to be laid out from the beginning. Boone is ready to do what needs to be done, at least that’s what he says.

It’s a great little teaser that carries straight on from the last episode cliff hanger and sets up the relationship between the two right off the bat. Isabelle is cold and determined that she isn’t the girl from the past who needs her father and Boone knows that when it comes down to it he might just have to remember that Isabelle isn’t Cassandra anymore. The small flashback looks to set up how the rest of the episode is going to go. Glimpses into the past of Boone and Isabelle, more than likely showing how they have become who they are. While I’m not always convinced by flashback episodes, Season One managed it in episode six but not so well in episode eight; Boone has such a storied life as a Vampire that it would be a waste not to see him in some of these different Centuries and Countries.

The scene with Parkes and the vampires is pretty cool. We have that twist where the lone man is the guy that you expect to win the fight as soon as he reveals that he’s a werewolf but straight away things are twisted right back as the homeless men turn out to be vampires. With their added strength and numbers they’d be the clear favourites. Parkes does get a slight advantage with a brief head start on his run but he’s not good enough to dodge a tranq dart. This is pretty good because, after my reading break, it really reminds me of where the War is and how it’s beginning to escalate. The first episode had them jumping the car and now they are upping their game a bit more as they try to discover what the werewolves are playing at. We all know that there is something strange going on in the background but we also don’t know for sure what’s going on at the forefront. It can’t be as simple as the War between werewolf and vampire flaring up again just for the sake of it, so what gives? Sure we’ll find out soon enough.

Awkward group tension while things begin to get closer to the finale is always fun. Alec seems to be quite the ladies’ man without really meaning it. First season he had his moments with Chloe before they decided it was best to put it to the side for now. This season he has the old flame returning to ignite a long and drawn out romance that is more likely than not doomed from the word go anyway. Doesn’t mean the pair can’t have fun for the moment though and they seem to be doing just that though Jackson and Chloe both seem to be rather upset by the idea of Laurel sticking around so close to Alex. I like it though, loosens Alec up to some extent and throws in some tension that can boil over at that critical moment. I’m also glad of it because my feelings are that it would be very interesting to see Alec having to get on without Jackson by his side whenever he needs him. Jackson can get annoyed with Alec, especially when Alec does things like run off alone, but he’s always got his back with things really go off. What would be much more fun would be Alec not having that leash that Jackson holds (to some extent.) What would happen without that person to pull him back when things get a little bit hairy? Jackson though has only just come into his own this season so I don’t see him getting the chop (though a girl can dream ) I’m saying that and I like Jackson, I just think it would be good for the story.

I’m kind of surprised that none of the group seems to know the history of Bosworth Field.

So now we find out what Isabelle wants from Paige for her and the House of Girad’s services. Ties back nicely to the first episode of the season with her labelling herself as the queen of the underworld, if she gets the control she wants. It’s a problem for Paige who can’t really turn the help down which leaves her with no way to negotiate a deal with Isabelle. It is rather fun that their discussion is going on over the torturing of Parkes. Clearly he’s not getting out of his situation to tell anyone about what he hears and the girls are waiting for that moment he cracks so they can also plan their next move. It’s all about trying to one up each other now (werewolves and vampires) and they need to get any and all information they can to work with. The Bosworth Field clearly means a lot to more than one person so whatever it is that Caleb hopes to accomplish Paige is just as interested in stopping it.

Nice to see how Boone learned about the vampires and became one. Funny that it is basically a business deal that Singleton had offered Boone’s father first and then took the chance to give the same option to Boone after being turned down years before. Surprising that Boone doesn’t think too long about why his father would turn down the offer. The family seem to have got along quite well without Boone’s father taking the offer so times must be hard for Boone to make such a quick decision.

That darker side of Boone is beginning to creep out again. It’s usually the case with things from Boone’s passed and he’s a man on a mission here with Isabelle, though he insists on using her real name. It’s interesting in the sense that he may want to distance himself from her because he might have to stand against her but he doesn’t do that by pretending she’s anyone other than his daughter, instead he just gets on with doing what it is he wants/needs to do.

I’m surprised that Paige wouldn’t know how Caleb would react to the body of Parkes. Throwing his dead body back was always going to enrage Caleb and send him into overdrive. The result was his attack on the Field. If the Cain House had waited then they could have been sure that the extra vampires had arrived and then done the deed. A much safer idea I think.

If the War gets any more out of hand everyone is going to have to start worrying about the humans round about realising that there is something strange going on. You can cover things up for so long but there has to be a line where you start asking questions. Everyone at The Core will have a lot of work to do if this War goes nuclear. It’s interesting to see what the “right” thing to do is. Help the vampires or the werewolves or try to fight them both. They don’t look ready for sit down talks and the gang can only do so much to stop the small incidents building up to something much bigger.

By the time we reach the December 1783 flashback at Boone’s home it’s pretty clear how things are going to play out. It’s not really about that though it’s more about the tension being built as Singleton gets ready to destroy what remains of Boone’s life. He takes away Boone’s daughter and Boone can’t deal with that so turns her. Unfortunately for Boone she’s not too happy about that and the fact that he ran off. Not the best move he could have made but it’s a little bit too late to change now. He knows that already but gets what he needs by the end. Isabelle first has to throw a great big tantrum and it’s a great contrast between her and her calm father who doesn’t lose it often but when he does, watch out.

The significance of the field, I kind of felt like it was going to be some big thing. With the group not really seeming to know about it I thought that meant it was going to be something to do with the history of the War. Though Alec seemed to know what the story behind it was when it was the most poignant time to mention it rather than when he was in the meeting where Boone asked the actual question. That side of the story was pretty by the book I’d say as it was clear things would turn around at the last minute when Isabelle returned to lead her troops with Paige there too. Things ended up back to how they started as Caleb failed in taking over the area but it probably doesn’t really matter in the long run.

This was an interesting episode to come back to the show with as it was so centric on Boone and his passed that the rest of the group didn’t get to do anything at all really. That’s not a problem though as this is all about Boone but still pushes forward the War and Isabelle’s story. What a nice ending though as we see how Boone got his rosary and who it was that helped him reform. Boone will never be a saint but he’s not a sinner either… unless you really piss him off.

[Adam]

Wahay! Trix is reviewing again! Great to have you back!

As this is Tony's episode I'll leave all the really serious feedback to him (I know he always likes your reviews) but to address a couple of specific points:

While I’m not always convinced by flashback episodes, Season One managed it in episode six but not so well in episode eight; Boone has such a storied life as a Vampire that it would be a waste not to see him in some of these different Centuries and Countries.

Flashbacks are a tricky bugger, no doubt about it. That's why I always intended for Tony to write this episode, and he almost bit my arm off to accept - he knows how to do this stuff and make it work, and it was important for the two strands to mesh in this episode given what we were dealing with.

I’m kind of surprised that none of the group seems to know the history of Bosworth Field.

We've decided they all flunked GSCE history. A stretch, maybe, but for dramatic impact I think it works.

What a nice ending though as we see how Boone got his rosary and who it was that helped him reform. Boone will never be a saint but he’s not a sinner either… unless you really piss him off.

That ending was one of the few things I outright told Tony to include, and I'm glad you picked up on it. I've always described Boone as clinging to his faith the way a drowning man clings to a lifebelt, so ending the episode on this was vital. But we still haven't told all the story here - there's a lot more yet to come.

Thanks for reading again, Trix, I'm sure Tony appreciates it too.

[Trix]

2x09 Review

Do you want to know how excited I am for this episode?
 
I love me some Sark and I know that Tony can capture his character very well from what I've seen in the DSR. With Laurel in the picture now it really isn't much of a stretch to have her in contact with someone who is in a similar line of work and does it very well. He can be so suave and he's just such a fun character to see even when he is being the bad guy I can't help but hope that he gets away.
 
You have to know when they say Ravenwood that it's not going to be Laurel. Asking the actual question in the script gets a big no from me but it's more interesting to wonder if it's not her then who? It doesn't really sound like a common name (and it would be a silly choice in this script) so it has to be a relation of some sort or someone pretending to be her. Easy way to find out though… I'd say that Laurel wouldn't be one to get caught but she did end up in that coffin a while back. Never the less we learn that this is her mother and now we have a better idea about how Laurel came to be the woman she is with the skills she knows.
 
Very nice teaser all the same though with reminders of Alias as we go back to basics with someone trying to steal something. No vampires and werewolves to dodge just your run of the mill security though the book she's after does add that little bit of mystery given its subject. I always enjoy this little move away from all that stuff and go a bit more down to earth with the thievery. It will be interesting to see how well the episode works at trying to keep the War involved while concentrating on Laurel and what she'll be doing this episode. After the last episode the vampires surely have the advantage now that Isabelle's forces are helping out and that can only spell trouble for the gang as Caleb will have to do something drastic or face being wiped out.
 
Jackson seems to be getting the run of the place around The Core. Noticing what may just be gremlins in the system but more likely is something that they need to be worried about. Everything is getting close to kicking off so while he has the chance it's a good idea to get things checked out. As Chloe said, leaked information would be very bad but it could be interesting to see what this all pertains to and if someone is keeping an eye on things in The Core. If it is easy enough for Sark to find his way in and get the information he needs then who’s to say that somebody else can’t do the same and cause the place some problems.

I’d like to just say that I didn’t miss Flame but at least he acted like a normal human being for a change. It’s much better when he’s just getting on with things and not putting that over the top act of his on. This way I can at least care about what it is he’s up to with his father and whatever he’s hiding from everyone.

Ex-Husband… that’s awesome. Total surprise but that’s really going to make things a bit interesting for the rest of the episode.

God Alec is so whipped it’s actually kind of pathetic. He can stand up against vampires, werewolves and whatever else you want to throw at him but his sweetheart just needs to look at him wrong and he’s under the thumb. You’d think he’d be a bit more put out by her wanting to keep things between the three of them only. A nice little threesome and Laurel seems to be quite happy with that idea. Alec needs to get his head on straight and while it’s probably something that happens all the time he really needs to step back and see the real picture. He’s pushing away not only Chloe but Jackson who is supposed to be his only friend. It’s a lonely life if he loses him because we all know that Laurel isn’t going to be around for very long. It does cause some great tension but he’s just a bit of an idiot. Men

Flame and Alec are up to things but I’m sure they’re not the only ones. When you’re dating a thief being crossed might not be too far away at any time and with Sark in the mix anything could happen before the end of this episode.

I’m actually very happy to read that Laurel was a blond when she met Sark. I’d have been very disappointed given his love for the fairer hair. Just a fun little thing that made me smile. It’s those things that add to a script.

Well Sark and Laurel are used to the long con and they pull it off nicely again. Going all the way back to Laurel’s appearance in the show she’s been playing Alec and in turn the group to get what she wanted. Once a thief…
I think it’s fair to say that Alec expected this all along. He had to know that things would end the way they had in the past. Unfortunately for him it was all a set-up from the start so while he enjoyed the time with Laurel it’s going to hurt quite a bit now. I’m glad to have her out the way now so that things can go back to the War and whatever else is going on behind the scenes.

This was a pretty good episode. I love Sark and the long con was a pretty nifty idea. It’s a weird episode in the sense that it goes back to the Alias style of mission, thievery at the start and then transitioned into the search. The episode is just kind of there and really moves away from what the season has been up to now in Walker. Now though with the Laurel story complete (in Walker at least) there are four episodes to concentrate on the group and what they are facing with the War. I did enjoy the introduction to Nightingale and Laurel’s mother and now we all know what it was about Laurel that rubbed us up the wrong way! I look forward to seeing the continuation of Laurel’s story in Nightingale but I’m also glad to see the back of her in the show. There are much more interesting characters that need their place in the show as we push forward towards the end of the season. Also now we have Alec being in the wrong with how he’s treated Chloe and Jackson at times so it’s how he handles that (if at all.) Anyway, a fun episode that I enjoyed but I’m glad that the story has been told and we can move on to the more centralised stuff with The Core, the gang and the War.

[Adam]

Another Trix review!

Again I'll let Tony do the detailed comments, but to address a couple of specific points:

God Alec is so whipped it’s actually kind of pathetic. He can stand up against vampires, werewolves and whatever else you want to throw at him but his sweetheart just needs to look at him wrong and he’s under the thumb. You’d think he’d be a bit more put out by her wanting to keep things between the three of them only. A nice little threesome and Laurel seems to be quite happy with that idea. Alec needs to get his head on straight and while it’s probably something that happens all the time he really needs to step back and see the real picture. He’s pushing away not only Chloe but Jackson who is supposed to be his only friend. It’s a lonely life if he loses him because we all know that Laurel isn’t going to be around for very long. It does cause some great tension but he’s just a bit of an idiot. Men

This was something I thought Tony wrote really well. Alec is so emotionally damaged that it's pretty much impossible for him to have a proper relationship with someone. As it is, he genuinely loves Laurel, hence the tension that's brought out here. Suffice it to say, the aftermath of this is a major part of the next episode.

This was a pretty good episode. I love Sark and the long con was a pretty nifty idea. It’s a weird episode in the sense that it goes back to the Alias style of mission, thievery at the start and then transitioned into the search.

Again, that was deliberate, and also the reason I wanted Tony to write this one because it's what he's good at (not that he needed any persuading...)

Now though with the Laurel story complete (in Walker at least) there are four episodes to concentrate on the group and what they are facing with the War. I did enjoy the introduction to Nightingale and Laurel’s mother and now we all know what it was about Laurel that rubbed us up the wrong way!

We're not done with Laurel yet either - this event will have repercussions for a long time, but yes, she's off the series now until Nightingale. And yes, things move firmly back in the direction of the war for the last four episodes.

Thanks for the review, Trix, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing what you make of the season now we're getting into the final stretch.

[Trix]

2x10 Review

I’m not sure why but I’ve got a sneaking suspicion after reading just a few sentences that we may be getting a little bit of information of Gideon. I hope so anyway because it’s been a while that he’s been at the forefront of things and it would be nice to know what he’s currently up to. Although really, I could have done without the birth scene, sometimes there is something called too much information
Life didn’t exactly start out great for Gideon with his mum dying while giving birth to him. You got to think that gravestone is going to give him a bit of a complex. Just the wording on it would unnerve me a little if I was him.

Well it seems that Gideon has always been a bit of a bad guy even before he was taken in and even though we still don’t know exactly what he’s playing at and if he can be trusted this doesn’t really do much for his reputation. But then with all that power it’s no wonder that his attitude was a bit off at times as a teenager. They have enough trouble as it is without Knight powers manifesting!

Well it seems that even with Laurel out the picture it doesn’t help fix Alec’s attitude. He’ll have to sort that out soon enough because the team won’t put up with it but I think that Jackson and Chloe will be able to get through to Alec soon enough and help him get through his problems.

If they can’t then Baines certainly can. What a good time for him to turn up with the plan to find Gideon. It gives Alec something else to concentrate on that we know he’ll be very interested in and it will get his mind back on track a little. Nice to have Baines back for a while as it was nice to see his interactions with Alec. While Alec and Jackson have a very close friendship there is something different in the relationship of Baines and Alec that is nice to watch. They can be light hearted with the Shakespeare quotes and jump straight from their into the serious business of tracking down Gideon.

I like the breaks that this episode has with Gideon’s voice-over to begin a part of his story again. It’s a nice little thing to point out just what we are going to see next and splits it from the goings on in the present with Alec and everyone else.

I’m guessing we are back onto the Seers now that Gideon is back in the picture so maybe we can get a bit more about that stuff here. See if he’s got any further along after his time with the kidnapped Flame.

I love that Boone is thinking enough about the situation to try and come up with a peaceful result. Fighting against both sides is a lost battle before they even begin so trying to work both sides into peace talks is a smart move. If that will work out though is another point all together. Boone does seem to have found some kind of ground with Caleb, though it usually results in some kind of threat of violence and also with his daughter involved he really is in the best position for this. Persuading Paige to actually follow through with anything would be difficult, though she does seem to at least be pretty smart when it comes to the bigger picture. Getting Caleb to follow through is probably the biggest problem as any sign of things going wrong or in a way he doesn’t like and the meeting would probably turn into a great big fight. Then again that’s what makes it fun to read and see what happens. It also gives Chloe a reprieve from Kennedy while she tries to sort things with Alec and work out what to do.

I wasn’t surprised to see Felix but I’m glad Baines was. That guy knew too much so it was nice that there was something to even surprise him about the trip. Felix doesn’t really seem like he’s going to be much help to begin with and it is sad to see what has happened to him over the years in his time trying to come to terms with everything. Alec worried that maybe this could have happened to his father but I’m not sure that would be the case. Of course it would depend on what happened but Hamilton didn’t get to Alec like he had hoped so nobody can know how things would have turned out. Even in his ramblings though he sees Alec for who he is, the other side. I can only assume that he is talking about Alec and Gideon and the connection they share to each other, whatever it is. While there are more Knights in the world than just these two they have become connected from a young age because of Hamilton’s actions and whatever plan is being followed through by him.

Felix leaves us with that question hanging about whether Gideon is truly the bad guy or if there is something going on that Alec doesn’t yet know about. Gideon seems set on stopping it happening but is that a good thing or a bad thing. Having Gideon come back into it when Alec isn’t getting on great with the team does a good job at showing what Alec could be like if he pushed others away and used his power however he wanted to. He knows that there are consequences that come with his gifts and that he has to keep that in mind at all times. For Gideon it isn’t such an important matter and instead he is ready to do what needs to be done to get the outcome he desires. Because we don’t know what exactly the end game is all we have to go on right now is if we think what Gideon is doing with the Seers and anything else is worth it in the long run. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices and hard decisions to stop something terrible from happening.

I’m surprised that Hamilton didn’t want to take Alec into the fold now. Try to persuade him that the Black Chapter aren’t all they are cracked up to be and that what Gideon is working towards is the best thing. Maybe he knows that Alec wouldn’t be that easily swayed but if what they say is true then things could be rather interesting soon enough.

Paige was right to be suspicious and going along with Isabelle cost her a lot of her men and her place. One question would be what happened to Caleb after Boone grabbed him. Did they just let him walk off after he made the remark or was Paige too busy running off to see what had happened. The way she’s been acting I’d have thought she’d attack him first for wasting her time and whatever he did then go home. Clearly she wasn’t going to be able to do anything else to help. Would have been nice to have that cleared up here before the end but we’ll soon see if he’s still living. I liked the scene between Paige and Isabelle as they split and Paige headed off with a new found strength and determination. Clearly she believes her ace is good enough to win the War and she had better hope that it’s true because without the Girad she’s not on a very level playing field, especially after the explosions. I’m glad Paige is getting to take back control and push forward as the leader of her House. She’s not had the best of time since she took over so she needs to get a steady footing and a chance to shine as things head to the finish line. Otherwise her character will reach the end without having done too much. She’s had a few moments to show her worth but I think she could do with something to just push her up especially because she’s supposed to be one of the bad guys. Though that’s not really a black and white area this season.

[Trix]

2x11 Review

So the vampires have had enough and are turning things back around on the werewolves with their own explosives and their own men. Not a bad plan and it certainly gets rid of some of those pesky werewolves. Paige has had plenty of time to think about what Caleb is doing with his suicide werewolves so it wasn’t going to be long until she thought of something to turn things back around. Now that she is without the Girad vampires she needs to be very smart with her movements as she doesn’t need to lose any more of her vampires because of bad judgement on her part.

The Core don’t make it in time and I can only assume they were on a similar wave length to the House of Cain. The Core has done a lot to help the vampires lately even though they are doing it for the best of the city rather than choosing sides. Course that’s something they don’t want to do but when it comes down to it nobody seems ready to stop until either the werewolves or the vampires are all dead. Caleb still has a plan with Bishop that everyone seems in the dark about but he’s still very much a man who wants to win this War by whatever means.

Paige seems to be getting on okay with her new thinking and her new right hand man but it is never a good idea to piss off Alec Walker. Up until now they’ve had an arrangement and with that out the window Paige can’t expect their help if things go a bit wrong. Falling out with Alec has also put her in Mr Jones’ bad books and that there is an interesting pair. It’s clear he’s been giving her some insight into what’s going on and she’s gone against his words. What exactly that means for the big picture I’m not too sure about right now but it’s interesting to see that everything really is connected here and we’re going to have that escalation soon enough.

Well Flame has been out the picture for a while and while I haven’t missed him it’s nice to see that he’s been doing something with his time instead of just chasing skirt. That would have been disappointing but somehow I wouldn’t have been surprised We finally get back to the Lens and that last piece that I’d nearly forgotten about. I love how Alec reminds us that the Lens has been the focus of the War when I’m pretty sure even Caleb and Paige have forgotten about it too. Out of curiosity when was the last time either of them went looking for anything to do with the Lens? While I commend the group for wanting to get the last piece of the Lens, having it all together in one place isn’t really the best plan I’ve ever heard given how important this thing is supposed to be.

I like that Jackson is smarter than he seems. That’s not an insult mind you but obviously this has been his season to actually start showing his stuff. Now that they are in The Core all the time he’s really found his feet there and was doing a really good job while Chloe was a bit preoccupied with Alec and his problems. Now here he knows the truth about Boone and his daughter and it’s pretty cool to just show that at least someone is paying attention to Boone. He’s been a bit distant, always has been really if you think about it, but recently he’s started getting more involved because of Isabelle. At least someone is noticing that and while him and Jackson enjoy sniping at each other they have a respect for each other that matters.

Looks like Saskia is right about never seeing her brother again. She’s not really been too prominent a character if I’m honest so I’m not bothered either way by this. I’m much more interested in what Bishop is up to and hopefully we’ll find out soon enough as there isn’t long left for him to reveal his master plan.

I really enjoy the group out on a mission. It has the Alias vibe that Sark’s episode had but it is much more in line with what has been going on all season which makes it that much more important to me. They have to get this piece and we know that not only do they have to face the security that already exists but that Caleb is on his way too. The only downside to it is that the outcome isn’t really in question, though if Caleb had managed to get there in time it would have been fun (if not cliché) for everyone to have their share of the device.

I am so happy that Chloe took one piece of the Lens away to The Core. She’s smarter than she looks too

Well I guess from Mr Jones words we can make an estimated guess that Alec is going to be making a very tough decision that’s going to reverberate for the next season. Everyone seems to think that what’s going to happen is set in stone and if that’s the case then the question is who is it going to be that’s so upsetting.

So how adorable is the Jackson/Boone bromance? I’m getting a feeling that with these two getting closer it might be spelling trouble for Alec/Jackson. Not in a sense that the pair will fall out over Jackson being close to Boone but more it’s like you are giving Jackson someone else to fill that friendship/comrade role that he should have with Alec. Could be something to think about given we are hitting the final two episodes of the season. Hmmm…

Well I was worried about Caleb’s health at the end of the last episode but I guess I was an episode early. Bishop has been manoeuvring things in the background so it was only a matter of time before things got to the stage where he wanted to be more involved. Now he can do that in his new and improved body. Those rare male Seers are starting to make quite the impression on this show.

[Trix]

One more before the pub...

2x12 Review

With this being the penultimate episode of the season I’m not surprised to see some old faces making an appearance. Ezekiel’s speech is intense and while he’s not a character that’s been in the show much we know that he has been around a long time and knows a lot more than he is saying. Given that it’s clear that Bishop really is as big a problem as he says and that what has been going on for most of the season with the War was just a sideshow and nothing compared to what is coming. Makes things rather exciting

So Bishop is just a tiny bit crazy it would seem. Poor Paige, what a way to go. Paige over the season has been a pretty good character but she hasn’t always had that moment to shine, I thought she might get to be a bit more of a player in things but while the War was a big part of the show we always knew it was a cover for something else so it slightly diminished what she was doing. It really shows you something when Bishop doesn’t just kill her and get it out of the way though. Caleb died when and where he did because Bishop needed to use him one last time but for Paige it’s just the fun of it. Paige gets what she dished out though as she suffers as Saskia did the episode before. Great death though so Paige can take comfort in that… wait

You really like to torture your women don’t you? I have to say thought, when thinking about the season coming to a close it’s the women that I feel are most likely to wind up dead or in a very, very bad position. I had come to the conclusion (right or wrong) long ago that someone was going to die. Okay so that sounds really vague when you see how many people have been dying in the War but I mean someone popular and important. Thinking about it though it’s really only the girls who are in danger of getting offed. I could see reasons for getting rid of Chloe, Kate and Paige but for the guys it was really only Jackson who could go in my mind. Just the way it’s turned out really and I’ll see if I’m at all right by the end of the season but that was just my thoughts on it.

Love that “Paige” reappears to talk to Darwin and I have to wonder how Bishop knows about what Darwin told Paige when they spoke. Well I say I wonder, given his gift as a Seer it’s not a stretch to work out how he manages it and it’s rather impressive. One point though would be that I’d expect Darwin would know Caleb made it out alive as Paige watched the footage of the hall and you’d think she’d have noticed and mentioned it. Maybe not though and it’s not an important detail as we know that Bishop already has that part of the puzzle taken care of.

Bishop’s powers then, well they are pretty impressive and it shows that Flame really should get practising some moves that consist of more than a little bit of fire. It’s always nice to have something you know you can pull off but come on, if you could make people you would, wouldn’t you? Bishop is pulling it off without a sweat too which is even more disconcerting.

Well clearly Bishop has a plan and it seems to be working out quite well. With the remaining vampires and werewolves tearing each other apart that leaves him with a little bit of cover to start in on what he’s planning. That guy in the background pulling the strings is always a great thing and it’s even better when you get to the moment where everything starts falling into place and you see the big picture.

When Chloe is giving a speech you know things are serious. While I’d be quite happy if they just left the werewolves and vampires to it I’m not surprised that they want to make sure that nobody else gets hurt. That’s what happens when you’re the good guys, you let the little people get in the way of the grander plan (I kid, sort of.) It leaves Wexler with quite the job to do when Bishop goes for another piece of the Lens. But it’s just what Bishop wanted and it’s just so brilliant. While it’s obvious that this is how this part is going to play out it’s just that moment where you think no you idiot, can’t you see the big picture. Course we have a lot more information than they do but still you can’t help but think it for that split second.

My only question about Chloe’s decision; the factory is surrounded by a bunch of other factories so how close really are the civilians that they are there to protect. Maybe this question will be answered just a bit further on in the script but it just seems like they are putting a lot of emphasis in being there to protect, at night, in a factory district. Why not just let them tear each other apart then clean up whatever is left. Makes more sense than jumping into the middle of the War when the werewolves and vampires are very much distracted with each other.

Things really are being amped up with every passing page. Now The Core has been blown up and Ezekiel has made his spectacular entrance to save them to fight again. Wonder what the consequences of The Core being destroyed will be, but then I feel that will be something to worry about either in the wind up of the season or for the start of season three.

One point, Kate must really love Jackson to make out with him after he’s just finished smoking a cigarette!

You never have to worry when you hit the final two episodes of Walker that it’s going to turn into a two parter with the first half filled to the brim with set up. Instead everything is moving at a mile a minute as the pieces fall into place and everything becomes clear. Now that everyone is where they need to be we see that Bishop is planning to control everyone for whatever gain, and really does there need to be one he’s insane, and he needs Kate to do it. I’m surprised by that but I’m not surprised that Kate is in danger because it makes a lot of sense for the narrative of the story going forward to have her in the middle of things and in the most trouble. I’ll soon find out if this plays how I think it’s going to but I think it’s safe to say now at the end of this episode that my thinky thoughts have been pretty spot on.

There’s not too much else to say really as we gear up for the final episode and see just how they are going to stop Bishop. Ezekiel managed it before but the silly man just scattered the pieces when melting them down might have been smarter. Anyway if he’s had trouble with this guy and is scared out his wits then clearly everyone should be worried about how safe they are going to be come next episode. The mind control thing is pretty cool though and with everything that has been going on Alec Walker’s supernatural world is slowly bleeding into the real world just a bit too much.