Walker S2 Discussion

[Trix]

And seeing as my team didn't lose...

2x13 Review

So instead of jumping in where we left of we instead head back in time to see what it was that Ezekiel has been talking about. He went through this once before so he’s the one in the know and here we get to see it first hand and get an idea of what’s going to be happening soon enough in the present day. The teaser really sets things up to what to expect and now for the rest of the script you’re left with that sinking feeling that history may just repeat itself and there isn’t anything anyone can do about it. But come on if it’s the choice of saving all the little people you know what Alec would do

So glad to see Kate fighting things to keep helping the guys. Even if they don’t know it yet it’s nice to see she’s not just some damsel in distress who they need to run off and save. Of course she’ll be looking for someone to come save her but for that brief moment we see her fighting and doing what she can to help her friends who she knows in turn will help everyone else.

At the halfway point we hear what everyone has been dreading. To fix things Kate is going to have to be sacrificed. One for the many and all that. Poor Jackson just got to see her again and she’s already been kidnapped and hooked up to some god awful device that she can’t be separated from. Tough break for the girl who seems to have been getting on pretty well away from this lot with Ezekiel. Though what he said before now comes back to the forefront when he said he may ask something huge of her. Well I think if you asked her to die she’d say no but under the circumstances she may not get that choice. It’s a great thing because it sets up the rest of the episode with a will they, won’t they. Is this really the only way to stop Bishop in the time they have or will they pull something out the hat at the last moment to save everyone, including Kate.

Mr Jones does his usual appearance out of nowhere to be no help to anyone at all. At least this time we get to see a bit of history with Mr Jones and Ezekiel having some kind of connection. Jones doesn’t seem to be keen on Ezekiel and you have to wonder what that’s all about. No time for that right now though I’m sure as there is a girl and a city to save first. Something to keep in the back of the mind though for later on. Jones really is one for the connections as we have seen things with him, Paige, Gabriel and others in the past. He’s got his fingers in many different pies and I wonder if he’s just waiting to see who’s coming out on top before he reveals his motives, or is he another Bishop who knows exactly what’s going on and what the future holds. He seems very sure of what is going to happen here with Alec and the choice he’s going to have to make though maybe Alec doesn’t know exactly what Jones is talking about and is making decisions without all the facts.

Poor Jackson just can’t see the bigger picture. That’s what love does to you though and it’s understandable given he just got to see her again after a while. He should know that Alec isn’t one to do things lightly and he’s not going to go around killing innocent people because it’s easy. They’ve had a rough time of it lately but he knows Alec and he knows that he’ll do what has to be done only if there isn’t anything else on the table. Sure it’s easy to say it but Jackson sure isn’t going to like it if this ends badly.

It’s great that Bishop brought back the werewolves and the vampires because it means we can get a really tasty fight scene without the worry of nobody getting killed. It ties in nicely with how he set up the War between the werewolves and the vampires. While he didn’t have to start the War in doing so he advanced his plan to cover his tracks but it also meant he knew exactly where a bunch of bodies to control where going to be. Meant bringing them back to life but he knew they were there! Instead the guys can go all out and just do what needs to be done to get through and it’s a great read. All the action from here on out is great really. Everyone has their part to play and it’s good to see Flame getting back involved because I feel like he’s been the Jackson of season two in the sense that he’s been side lined for other things. Granted he was away doing his own thing for Alec in the run up to the end there but I much preferred his character when he reappeared. Much less of the cocky, flirty guy and much more serious while still slightly out of his depth. Very sensible to have Ezekiel as part of the team too because he’s a big gun that you’d think they’d call in at this kind of time. Also he has a really great connection to it all that adds a very nice extra layer.

Alec losing it at the end with Bishop was brilliant. He was clearly upset about what he had to do but he must have known that everything has changed now. Even if he hadn’t he would have when he saw all of the group crowded round Kate and he was the one that had killed her. Sure it was her choice too but nobody alive bar Alec knows that. While Bishop is dead and that part is over it’s clear that there is still plenty of explosive action to get through but instead it’s all going to be the emotional fallout caused by those events. Though I am disappointed in Ezekiel for just standing around looking at Kate…

As I mentioned before Jackson at least has Boone right now. These two have come a long way and now Boone can be there for him where Alec can’t. Jackson is going to need someone to help him deal with the pain and the anger and who better than someone that’s been through it all. The relationship between Chloe and Alec has been on the back burner since they put it there in season one but the feelings have been clear throughout the time Laurel has been in the picture. At the end here we see it more as Chloe is pained to watch Alec walk away. It’s not just about her caring about him romantically it’s the friendship that was strained for a while but had just began to sort itself out. Instead though Alec chooses to run away, something that he is good at. This time though he doesn’t have Jackson hunting him down to shout at him and drag him back.

This season is an improvement on season one, but then I’m sure you wouldn’t have released it if you didn’t at least think that yourself Now that we know these characters the emotional stuff they go through is much more important and heart wrenching. Jackson got his time to shine in season two so the ending with Kate dying makes things much more touching and you just know that there are fractures now that can’t easily be fixed. While we can’t expect Alec to be gone forever when he makes his return it’s going to be under a cloud and not many are going to be ecstatic to have him back. I can see things being very hostile wherever they set up shop and that will be a lot of fun to read.

I like that Alec has left and whether it’s to clear his head or he really thinks he’s gone for good it gives a great opportunity to concentrate on him for the next story. I look forward to reading Absolution and seeing just what frame of mind Alec is in.

[Adam]

As usual I'll let Tony comment on 2.10, so straight into 2.11:

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

I'm sure there would have been some skirt-chasing in there at some point (it's Flame after all) but yes, he's being useful. He did suffer a bit from being comic relief at times, but I think he gets some good dramatic material in these final three to compensate him.

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.

This was really important for Jackson's development. His relationship with Boone started out as outright hostility but after everythign they've been through together in the last two seasons it wouldn't ring true if there wasn't some genuine respect there.

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

Yes she is.

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…

Interesting theory. Let's see how it holds up in season three.

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.

This is why they're rare - because when they turn up, more often than not, this is how they turn out.

[Adam]

Onto 2.12:

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

Paige's death scene probably ranks up there among the sickest things I ever came up with, but ... well, as a statement of intent for the fact that Bishop's several different kinds of crazy, you can't say it doesn't work.

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.

This was a really important moment, because that kind of misdirection is how Bishop gets his way. I mean, let's face it, he started the whole war just to cover the search for the Lens. And the attack on the Core was great fun to write - heavily inspired by a similar sequence in the Mist, yes, but frankly that scared the bejesus out of me so why not?

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.

Newcastle's industrial area is only about a mile down river from the quayside and the main city centre, so it's pretty close. I can see your point about letting them fight it out, but the intent here is to stop anyone dying that doesn't have to, the same way the police will always dive in to stop a riot rather than letting them get on with it and arresting everyone too unconscious, drunk or dead to move afterwards.

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

Yes she does.

(file that under 'balls, I didn't think of that.')

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.

There is something about writing a finale that just ramps things up a notch. And I'll take the above as a compliment. I think I've got better at writing the multi-part episodes as we've gone on.

[Adam]

Congratulations on finishing the series, Trix!

So instead of jumping in where we left of we instead head back in time to see what it was that Ezekiel has been talking about. He went through this once before so he’s the one in the know and here we get to see it first hand and get an idea of what’s going to be happening soon enough in the present day. The teaser really sets things up to what to expect and now for the rest of the script you’re left with that sinking feeling that history may just repeat itself and there isn’t anything anyone can do about it. But come on if it’s the choice of saving all the little people you know what Alec would do

That was the point of the teaser. Some people called me on it and said it gave away the ending, but what you said is kind of the point - it's meant to illustrate how far this could go, so it leaves the reader with the dread of 'my God, could they actually do that to Kate?' I don't think it would have half the payoff without building it up like this.

So glad to see Kate fighting things to keep helping the guys. Even if they don’t know it yet it’s nice to see she’s not just some damsel in distress who they need to run off and save. Of course she’ll be looking for someone to come save her but for that brief moment we see her fighting and doing what she can to help her friends who she knows in turn will help everyone else.

It was very important that Kate went out a hero and did her best to fight back, otherwise it cheapens the character and her struggle. Kate's final episode gives her what nobilty I could out of this, though I doubt Jackson's going to see it that way for a very long time.

Mr Jones does his usual appearance out of nowhere to be no help to anyone at all. At least this time we get to see a bit of history with Mr Jones and Ezekiel having some kind of connection. Jones doesn’t seem to be keen on Ezekiel and you have to wonder what that’s all about.

That's a major slice of the mythology right there, and it will be answered, just not for a while yet.

It’s great that Bishop brought back the werewolves and the vampires because it means we can get a really tasty fight scene without the worry of nobody getting killed. It ties in nicely with how he set up the War between the werewolves and the vampires.

Yeah, that was very much the point of this in that it comes full circle and ends sort of where it began - but this time with the puppet master actually physically present.

Everyone has their part to play and it’s good to see Flame getting back involved because I feel like he’s been the Jackson of season two in the sense that he’s been side lined for other things. Granted he was away doing his own thing for Alec in the run up to the end there but I much preferred his character when he reappeared. Much less of the cocky, flirty guy and much more serious while still slightly out of his depth.

Good, I'm glad you like that because that was very much the point. Flame's arc this season's been low-key compared to everyone else's, but this ending will have affected him and going into season three he's a very different person now.

Alec losing it at the end with Bishop was brilliant. He was clearly upset about what he had to do but he must have known that everything has changed now. Even if he hadn’t he would have when he saw all of the group crowded round Kate and he was the one that had killed her. Sure it was her choice too but nobody alive bar Alec knows that. While Bishop is dead and that part is over it’s clear that there is still plenty of explosive action to get through but instead it’s all going to be the emotional fallout caused by those events.

I really worried about that moment of Alec going nuts at the end - I was concerned people might think it was over the top, but I think it's entirely justified given what Alec had just been forced to do.

At the end here we see it more as Chloe is pained to watch Alec walk away. It’s not just about her caring about him romantically it’s the friendship that was strained for a while but had just began to sort itself out. Instead though Alec chooses to run away, something that he is good at. This time though he doesn’t have Jackson hunting him down to shout at him and drag him back.

Exactly. As bad as Jackson's situation is, I think Alec will take the loss of Chloe's friendship just as hard.

This season is an improvement on season one, but then I’m sure you wouldn’t have released it if you didn’t at least think that yourself Now that we know these characters the emotional stuff they go through is much more important and heart wrenching. Jackson got his time to shine in season two so the ending with Kate dying makes things much more touching and you just know that there are fractures now that can’t easily be fixed. While we can’t expect Alec to be gone forever when he makes his return it’s going to be under a cloud and not many are going to be ecstatic to have him back. I can see things being very hostile wherever they set up shop and that will be a lot of fun to read.

Thank you, I appreciate that. As for season three ... well, I'm not ditching the regular cast so yes, I think you can easily infer Alec will come back at some point. But what's happened here has been a game-changer - there's no reset button on this, Alec made a decision that he'll have to live with, and that decision will forever change the team dynamic. Hell, hat am I saying - there IS no team, not anymore.

I like that Alec has left and whether it’s to clear his head or he really thinks he’s gone for good it gives a great opportunity to concentrate on him for the next story. I look forward to reading Absolution and seeing just what frame of mind Alec is in.

Three months. You don't have long to wait.

Many thanks for reading, Trix, and as always thanks for the detailed reviews. Can't wait to see what you think of what I've got planned for season three...

[Raul Bloodworth]

I'm totally behind on my Walker reading. Fear not, I'll continue shortly!

[Adam]

I'm totally behind on my Walker reading. Fear not, I'll continue shortly!

Between you and Vaughn, Jake, that's made my day. Well played!

[Pete D. Gaskell]

Yes, I've realised I'm miles behind with these reviews, so here's me digging in!

NONE BUT THE BRAVE

This episode has all the hallmarks of a mid-season "pushing the pieces into position" episode - and that usually spells trouble for pacing. Couple that with the main thrust of the episode being centred around a couple of guest stars and not regulars, and all the ingredients are there for this to be terrible.

But it works, and it works well. You know why? Adam proves here, beyond any doubt, that he's a classy showrunner - he takes a bog-standard plot and he imbues it with so much character work that it sings. And it sings like Pavarotti.

It's never going to be the best episode of the season, but it does what it does brilliantly. All the stuff with Laurel ends up falling back onto Alec, and we see how that affects Jackson and Chloe as well. Everything rebounds back onto the main characters, so that, even though they do bugger all in terms of the actual plot, we never feel that they're being left out.

Throw into that mix as well the political manoeuvreing in the turf war - Caleb's bloody reminder in the teaser is a stunning image - and Boone going AWOL in search of some more info - and we've got an episode that's so much more than the sum of its parts.

There were lots of nice little moments scattered throughout as well - Chloe having to take Alec to task about him obeying her orders, or at least seeming to (which bears out later on), Jackson's warnings about where Alec and Laurel will lead to, and the strange game that Flame is playing with Ezekiel...

You know my favourite part of all, though? The shock moment when it turns out the attack's in Newcastle after all. Devilishly clever.

I can't finish this review without mentioning Laurel and Reynolds - who are, for all intents and purposes, the protagonists in the plot of this episode - and they're both such interesting characters that it doesn't matter that we've barely seen them in action before.

The ending was possibly a little telegraphed, though it works well to further muddy the waters in terms of group harmony, and Jackson's warning about Alec and Laurel seems to be bearing fruit. There'll be plenty more where that comes from...

All in all, a very good episode considering how different it is from the norm.

Character of the Week:
Reynolds. That surprises me, seeing as how Adam always, always focuses on his regulars, but there's something about this snarky mercenary that's just so intriguing. Despite being a fully signed-up badass, you can't help but like him when he gives Caleb the big "up yours" at the end. Can definitely see why he's coming back in Nightingale!

Quote of the Week:
Laurel: Posturing. Either that, or he just really wanted to see me bend over in this dress.

Rating:
7/10

[Adam]

Thanks for starting to review again Pete!

Now...

This episode has all the hallmarks of a mid-season "pushing the pieces into position" episode - and that usually spells trouble for pacing. Couple that with the main thrust of the episode being centred around a couple of guest stars and not regulars, and all the ingredients are there for this to be terrible.

But it works, and it works well. You know why? Adam proves here, beyond any doubt, that he's a classy showrunner - he takes a bog-standard plot and he imbues it with so much character work that it sings. And it sings like Pavarotti.

Thanks, I appreciate the compliment. This episode was always going to be about Laurel and the world she inhabits - no, she's not a regular, but it would be a shame not to use her in this series at some point, and I made sure that what she was doing fed right back onto Alec, Jackson and to an extent, Chloe. I'm really glad it worked.

There were lots of nice little moments scattered throughout as well - Chloe having to take Alec to task about him obeying her orders, or at least seeming to (which bears out later on), Jackson's warnings about where Alec and Laurel will lead to, and the strange game that Flame is playing with Ezekiel...

I always think it's important to keep stuff like this bubbling over, because we're seeing a world in motion here. The bit with Chloe and Alec, though, was very deliberate - the last episode was about the immediate aftermath of her getting promoted, which basically resulted in a lot of piss-taking for the honeymoon period, but now it's important to make the point that she's now in charge and to show how the others reacted to that as it went on. It's subtle here, but it's by no means the end of that arc.

The ending was possibly a little telegraphed, though it works well to further muddy the waters in terms of group harmony, and Jackson's warning about Alec and Laurel seems to be bearing fruit. There'll be plenty more where that comes from...

Indeed. And this is why Jackson's been so arsey since Laurel came back - because he knew damn well this was going to happen.

Character of the Week:
Reynolds. That surprises me, seeing as how Adam always, always focuses on his regulars, but there's something about this snarky mercenary that's just so intriguing. Despite being a fully signed-up badass, you can't help but like him when he gives Caleb the big "up yours" at the end. Can definitely see why he's coming back in Nightingale!

I think this was the episode that convinced Tony there was mileage with Laurel beyond Walker, so I was completely unsurprised when he asked if he could borrow Reynolds for the movie. This ain't the last we've seen of him, either...

Quote of the Week:
Laurel: Posturing. Either that, or he just really wanted to see me bend over in this dress.

Somehow, I knew that would be quote of the week for you...

Thanks for reading Pete, looking forward to a lot more of these.

[Pete D. Gaskell]

Because I can't adequately review perfection (aka 207)  , I'm moving on to:

THE BATTLE OF SINNERS AND SAINTS

Probably the high watermark of S1 of Walker was Tony's epic, appropriately titled Boonecentric, John Henry Boone. As soon as I knew that he was planning a similar venture this season, I automatically pointed out this episode as the one to watch. Could lightning strike twice? Could Tony match, or even, whisper it, improve on his magnum opus from last year? In short, I believe he has.

First off, this episode feels different to any other episode before it, but in a good way. It's epic and cinematic, elevating the universe to a whole new level, as we cover 250 years of history with this episode...but not just any history - the history of that man John Henry Boone.

This episode tells the story of three crucial events in Boone's life - how he became a vampire, what happened to his daughter, and how he ended up finding religion. The whole story is told wonderfully in a succession of flashbacks, charting the demise of a man.

What works so well here is that Boone is given an adversary and a tormentor in the form of Singleton, a man who pushed Boone to his very limit, and he's one of the most despicable villains the series has ever produced - which is fitting in such a dramatic character tale.

This episode is a masterclass in how to use flashbacks effectively - too many people scatter them around haphazardly, or the flashbacks themselves are irrelevant to the main tale - but every flashback here is crucial, and Tony deploys them with finesse.

The tying together of the tales in the past and the present are what elevates this episode to masterpiece level - and the difference in Boone's character every time we see him shows what a truly great character he really is. The scenes with his daughter are some of the best I've ever read in Walker, truly heartbreaking stuff.

That's not to say that this episode devotes all its time to Boone - there are some major arc developments going on as well. The turf war between the vampires and the werewolves reaches a crescendo of sorts - and the character of Paige gets some strong treatment here as well. Despite showing what a cruel character she can be, you can't help but sympathise with her at episode's end when you realise just how thoroughly she's been played.

The regulars of Alec, Chloe and Jackson take more of a back seat this time around, but there's still enough room for a crucial character moment, as Chloe and Laurel have a bust-up, leaving Alec torn in two different directions, in a plot that is going to develop still further.

All in all, a truly stunning episode - the best of this season so far without a doubt, and quite possibly the best of the whole series up to this point.

Character of the Week:
John Henry Boone. It couldn't, in all conscience, be anyone else, really. This IS Boone's story - and what a story it is - a complete deconstruction of the man which leaves you with a whole new appreciation of who he is and what he's done.

Quote of the Week:
Boone: You cannot possibly hate me...as much as I do myself.

Rating:
9/10

[Pete D. Gaskell]

HONOUR AMONG THIEVES

And so on we go into the second installment of the “Tony Black Trilogy” – and this is a completely different beast to the previous episode. This is much more what I would term “tradtional Tony” – there’s escapist action, intrigue, mythology and style. This episode plays like a cross between an episode of Hustle and Indiana Jones – and there’s no better indicator of that than the action-packed teaser.

Whilst I have reservations over whether anyone could mistake Karen Allen for Taylor Cole, even without looking at the face, it starts the episode off with an exciting beginning – and introduces us to Carolynne Ravenwood – the original Nightingale. Carolynne’s an intriguing character, actually – tough, dependable, and it’s clear just how much she’s passed on to her daughter. Having said that, she seems a touch more human than Laurel, not quite as cold.

There’s another major guest role brought into play here as well – the devious and deadly Julian Sark. Sark’s a brilliant character, and Tony captures his voice well, but where Tony really succeeds here is in minimising Sark’s role, keeping him in the background. Too many people would have placed him front and centre of an episode like this, but Tony realises that’s not where the main drama of this episode lies – despite a few tantalising hints – and Sark remains for the most part in the background.

The two characters who are very much not in the background, though, are Alec and Laurel. Laurel’s role here is crucial – up until now she’d become almost accepted, an unofficial, mercenary member of “Team Sixteen”, someone who’s “fighting the good fight”, and, obviously, Alec’s love interest. But here we realise, for the first time since S1, what she truly is, what she’s capable of – we see who she is, and not who Alec wants her to be. Professional, driven, greedy, manipulative to the core – she comes off badly here, and it’s excellent writing from Tony to fully explore that.

But this is fundamentally Alec’s story, as it should be – and his arc in this episode is stunning. We get a range of emotions from him here – from lovesick at the beginning, rejecting his friends in favour of his love, operating under Laurel’s beck and call, to jealousy when Sark appears on the scene, and suspicion of his motives, to the ending, when he’s defeated, dejected and laid bare.

As in any good episode of Hustle, it’s the moment of the big twist, the revelation, accompanied by the explanatory flashbacks, that really makes you realise how good this episode is. But this carries extra wallop, as it’s a major character turning-point as well. Alec’s reaction when he realises just how thoroughly he’s been played is one of the stand-out moments of the series, and we’ve rarely seen him lower than he is at the moment.

If this episode has its failings, it’s probably that the main cast other than Alec get relatively little to do – Jackson and Boone have a couple of scenes each, and Flame turns up with the goods when needed, whilst Paige doesn’t turn up at all. Chloe does get a couple of excellent scenes with Alec, though, and they crackle with tension.

Overall, a very good action-based episode, with its roots firmly on character development and deconstruction. Good stuff.

Character of the Week:
Alec. Our leading man is our emotional guide through this episode, as we associate with what he’s going through, and it would take someone with a heart of stone not to feel for him at episode’s end.

Quote of the Week:
Caleb: Best time to become an alcoholic when the whole bastard world is crumbling around you, right?

Rating:
8/10

[Pete D. Gaskell]

WARRIORS AND KNIGHTS

Onwards into the final part of the trilogy, then - and once again, the tone is different. This episode is much darker, more sombre, and reflective. It's an episode about destiny and decisions, how one simple choice can change events irrevocably.

The episode is bookended with Gideon voiceovers, and it is fundamentally his story. But it's interesting to see how little he actually features in the episode itself, though his fingerprints are all over the place.

Indeed, it's a masterstroke that elevates this from being a simple "How I Became A Villain" story into something much more personal and interesting - Tony here folds the narrative back in on Alec, forging a connection between him and Gideon. Gideon is very much played as a shadowy reflection of Alec, and this relationship isn't subtle, but it's very powerful. The moment Alec realises what might have been is another defining character moment. Top marks.

This episode is also distinctive for bringing back the Circle - the mysterious shadowy organisation with an even murkier raison d'etre. We still don't know what they're up to, but we start to learn why. The killer moment is when Hamilton reveals that "what you think you know is wrong" - a bumper-sticker in the making! It's fascinating to see that they do not believe they're in the wrong - for them, the ends very much justify the means. It's so much more complicated than a mere black/white dichotomy. It's now that we realise that the Circle are in this for the long haul - and it should be a spectacular arc when it arrives.

But for now, there's something much closer to home, as the vampire/werewolf war continues apace. Boone tries to adopt the role of peacemaker here, and he comes off as a little naive, but it's great to see him acting as a force for good, doing what needs to be done for everybody's sakes. He personifies the selfless nature that neither Paige or Caleb should adopt, but can't. It all builds up to what could be a promising final act...

If anything, it's the heavy focus on Alec that takes away from the characters of Chloe and Jackson - who are once again relegated to the sidelines, but it's a sacrifice that has to be made in order to tell the story the way it needs to be told. Plus, we get the ever-excellent Baines along for the ride this time, and he's a joy to read.

The final voiceover gave me chills up my spine, too - it reminded me heavily of the Angelus narration in the Buffy episode "Passion".

All in all, a much more gentle and subtle episode than what we're used to from Tony, but a fascinating little beast, with plenty of hints for the future.

Character of the Week:
Alec. Again. This episode completes his arc from the previous few episodes, reuniting him with the likes of Chloe and Jackson, as he finally realises that there's more important things to concern himself with than the fallout from Laurel. His journey is a delight in this episode.

Quote of the Week:
Baines: When you're drunk, you're honest. That's not a saying, but it should be.

Rating:
8/10

[Pete D. Gaskell]

AWAKENING

And so Adam takes back the reins for the run-up to the finale! This is very much a "setup" episode, where the main arc that has been driving the season so far - the turf war - comes to a head, and the true threat is finally revealed.

It is the vampire/werewolf machinations that are the main interest in this particular episode, as we get an interesting twist on the established norm. For much of the season, the reader is placed into a position where we side with the vampires against the uncouth wolves - but that gets turned on its head here in spectacular style.

Paige is finally on the warpath with the shackles off - and she proves that she's every bit as dangerous as the wolves, if not more so. Any latent sympathy you may have for her is systematically removed as she heads down the dangerous road of revenge - pushing it to all new limits.

I've not really been a huge fan of the wolves until now - but you've got to feel a touch of sympathy for them here, as they're trapped in the middle between a vengeance-fuelled Paige and the machinations of the madman that is Bishop.

The rest of the plot is fairly standard jet-setting action stuff, but it's enhanced by the frequent character moments that elevate it above the mundane. There's a wonderful little scene between Jackson and Boone, for example, whilst Flame and Wexler get a couple of nice moments as well.

It's great to see Alec back to being himself again, as well. There's a lovely little dinner scene between him and Chloe that brings back memories of the first season, and reaffirms the status quo ready for the big showdown at season's end.

When all is said and done, though, this episode is going to mainly be remembered for its ending - where Caleb's world comes crashing down around him, both literally and metaphorically. The emergence of Bishop as the true threat is spectacular, and the scene is now well and truly set...

Character of the Week:
Paige. This episode is one of her best - truly showcasing a woman pushed to her limits and now with nothing and no-one to stop her. No longer an anti-heroine, she's crossed over the line into full-blown villainous territory...

Quote of the Week:
Flame: Yes, well, not wishing to precipitate on your chips or anything but I think this is now more your department of many explosions...

Rating:
8/10

[Pete D. Gaskell]

TRANSMISSION

And so on into the finale proper we go - and Adam takes great pains to ensure that this isn't a standard setup episode.

Here, we get the resolution of the turf war that's been raging all season. The huge final battle is well-written to keep the scale and savagery of the situation front and centre, and the idea of the MI-16 team not getting involved but penning them in is nothing short of inspired.

However, all that is nothing more than a sideshow, really, as the episode revolves around the true Big Bad, Bishop, and his diabolical plan.

The teaser scene between Bishop and Paige is one of the most horrifying, mentally-scarring moments I've ever read...and it's brilliant. Phenomenal characterisation of Bishop, marking him out as a true madman - completely insane and bloody dangerous. What's even more telling is that you're left with a feeling of incredible sympathy for Paige, who only an episode ago was proven to be a bit of a cold-hearted bitch herself. Wonderful work.

Bishop's plan dominates this episode from start to finish, and it's executed flawlessly, with distraction upon distraction leading him to his goal. The firefight inside the Core is one of the biggest set-pieces of the season, so visceral, and the resolution, with the destruction of the Core, is one of those bold moves that distinguish the end of an Adam Scott-penned season.

If there's a flaw with this episode, it's that our regulars do very little to impact the plot - they're thoroughly manipulated by Bishop to being where he wants them to be to give him time to complete his plan. There are some nice little exchanges scattered throughout, such as the Alec/Jackson stuff at the beginning, a few tender moments between Jackson and Kate, and also between Chloe and Wexler, but plot-wise, none of the regulars really drive the narrative forward.

Props for the cliffhanger, too - it's one of those opening-out cliffhangers, where the questions of what happens next are in the forefront of your mind, rather than a closing-off cliffhanger, which leaves you scratching your head as to how they're going to get out of it. With the cliffhanger you've got, it allows for the finale to rattle on apace without having to explain away any events from this episode.

In summary, an excellent introduction to the Big Bad and his masterplan, leaving everything in the balance for what should be a suitably epic climax.

Character of the Week:
Bishop. The best Walker villain so far, bar none. He's the epitome of "mad, bad, and dangerous to know", and the sheer ease with which he accomplishes his plan is frightening.

Quote of the Week:
Paige: What do you want - - ?
Bishop: To see you burn. It'll be funny.

Rating:
8/10

[Pete D. Gaskell]

CONTROL

Wow. Mother, daughter, sister, niece, second-cousin-twice-removed and whatever other female relation you can think of, of wow. Take note, people, Adam has crafted a fantastic finale here, one that ties up long-standing arcs whilst simultaneously setting up new and exciting directions for the series to move onto in the future.

Why does this finale succeed on such an admirable scale? Mainly because Adam pares everything down to the characters. The plot, in and of itself, is decidedly simple - our heroes have to storm a building and stop Bishop from enacting his master plan - but that's only the surface layer of everything.

Because it's the character dynamics that make this what it is - and this is fundamentally a character study of Alec, and he's never been better than here. In this finale, we find out what could push him to his limits, and watch as he actually breaks those limits - the moment where he goes absolutely mental on Bishop is a chilling scene, as Alec is laid bare here - a man torn aunsder inside by the gravity of what he's just had to do.

And that moment in itself is a complete game-changer for the rest of the series. The close bond between Alec and Jackson has been established over two seasons, and finally we see what it takes to break that bond - and it looks like it's been shattered completely. This is where the solid development of Jackson over the whole of S2 comes into play - now we can sympathise with him and his plight.

The beauty of this is that no-one was clearly in the wrong. Alec did what he had to do for all the right reasons, but there's no denying Jackson's side of the story either. It's a powerful piece of character drama, and makes for compelling reading.

But the episode doesn't skimp on giving the other characters some classy moments either - everyone gets their moment in the sun, no matter how brief. One image that remains with me in my mind's eye long after reading is that final scene, with Chloe's look of utter disappointment, and that's a glowing testament to how well-drawn these characters are that a scene which features little to no dialogue is still so arresting.

Boone gets a Badass Boone moment with his vampire-self given free rein, and Flame and Ezekiel join forces to unleash a snippet of what exactly the Seers are capable of. And that’s not mentioning Bishop – who pulls off his crazy madman act once again, reminding me a lot of Moriarty from Sherlock. Maybe he’s a little one-dimensional when he throws out random one-liners earlier in the episode, but when he gets face-to-face with Alec, there’s some fire in there. The showdown between the pair is frighteningly visceral.

Any negatives? Well, there’s a bit more SPAG in here than I’m used to. Yes, it’s gone down to something as petty as that. If nothing else proves how classy this finale is, that should.

Overall, an excellently put-together season ends in spectacular style, with a finale that leaves so many questions open going into S3 – just how is Alec going to face anyone again?

Character of the Week:
Alec. This is once again a stunning deconstruction of our lead, and here we see so many facets to his personality, but nothing more striking than his ultimate desire to do good – no matter at what cost – and that’s what sets up his eventual fate…

Quote of the Week:
Flame: On a scale of one to ten, we’re buggered.

Rating:
10/10

[Monster Zero]

Because I've got to get caught up so I can hopefully write an episode for Season Three...



Slick return to Newcastle for MZP’s British answer to DSR, with a neat ‘Previously on’ to cancel the need for any unnecessary exposition during the story itself. Things bounce along at just the right speed – Paige makes a suitable replacement for Edward, new villains Caleb and Saskia make a strong and memorable impression and the banter between the team is relaxed and familiar. Flame sticks out a bit – he’s reduced to ‘comedy lame wisecrack guy’ throughout – but it’s very much all in forward gear from start to finish to re-establish the Core and bring an intriguing plot of vampire politics into the mix. The vibe of the Underworld movies is also very prevalent now with the handling of the vamp/wolf cold war, which feels both familiar and fresh, especially in terms of further distancing Walker from its roots in The DSR.
 

 



Kate’s return feels a lot like it’s to give Jackson chance to show he has more personality than just being American and using a shotgun, and while it’s a bit of a hard sell to picture 33-year old Miranda Raison undercover as a university student, the plot itself – teenagers murdered by vamps on pay-per-view is a strong, dark idea, even if the ultimate resolution is rather convenient. After several beats of running round tracking down North as the culprit, things get wrapped up in one brief fight which feels quite underwhelming. Also, the return of the ever infuriating Mr. Jones does nothing to endear me to him – I fail to see the point of him, given he does nothing but mumble vaguely and offer cryptic hints that Alec should keep doing what he was going to keep doing anyway.
 

 



The developing threat of a vamp/werewolf turf war ripping through Newcastle is giving plenty of good characters something to do, with the Eye a good plot device to frame it. Boone’s enigmatic past and scenes with Rebecca give him a lot of juicy development (hanging out with Aleister Crowley, eh? And dealing with Caleb?), and the Kate/Jackson romance doesn’t feel too forced, although Kate needs to be given a clear role in things to avoid being saddled as just a Love Interest. Flame’s still little more than an annoyance at the moment, however – the writers have yet to find his voice or clear purpose within the team, it seems, apart from ‘Conveniently Psychic Guy’ to use to push MI-16 investigations along as needed. Plenty of action to liven this one up, however,
 

 



Laurel In A Box is a very Alias plot device (although one that doesn’t really have any place in the rest of the episode), and the personal stake for Chloe also injects a touch more drama into the story. Chloe’s confrontation with Eve seems to go a bit OTT though – going for her gun? Really? Also should point out by now that the SPAG and formatting has been a bit error-prone in all four scripts to date, but worst in this one. Not a huge problem but it does start to stick out after a while. Not sure what the purpose of giving Paige the Lens was either, so all in this feels like a rather inconclusive story.
 

 



Ezekiel lends Flame some much-needed characterisation, but otherwise this is a story which takes its time to get going – the returning Gideon is as neatly layered a villain as ever, and the neat ‘it was a dream earlier, now it’s for real’ switch with Lucy’s abduction is also a bonus point. A Dead Zone style vision of the apocalypse also sets up our main threat for the season should the good guys fail, always an effective motivation – the fluid nature of Seers visions also makes this interesting. Will the heroes prevent or cause the explosion by getting involved? Still a few bugs, though, like Flame calling his father ‘Did’ and Alec calling Laurel ‘Chloe’ later on.
 

 



Getting Laurel out of her room and into action at last gives her a good showcase, letting her take over the episode and consign the others to supporting roles. The bickering vampire politics are also staying interesting, reminding me very much of the handful of scenes from the first Blade movie showing the strained alliances and frosty relationships between the various sectors. Well-handled heist on Colby Industries, even if Laurel doesn’t get to do much in it except sprinkle some dust and beat a guy up in the end. And is that a musical montage to end with? Ack. But plenty of secrets bubbling around – Boone, Flame – to make things interesting later on, as is Laurel and Alec acting on their attraction at last.
 

 



Jackson gets himself a nemesis this week, although the flow of information surrounding it seems a little wonky – Alec chews Chloe out for not keeping an eye on Jackson, telling her about Jackson’s dark connection with Rojas like she should already know it. So why not bring it up at the briefing earlier? It may be a personal situation, but it feels like intel too relevant and important to keep from everyone. Anyway. Jackson going off-book is a good frame for the story, given how much he hates other people doing that across him, and seeing Laurel do her Sydney Bristow thing in a more involved role than last week is also a good set of beats, apart from the slightly wonky physics behind Laurel rappelling across the vault ante-room. Arguably Pete’s got the best handle on how to write Flame – a sea of innuendo masking occasional flashes of brilliance – so he’s less annoying this week. Unfortunately, the final confrontation lets things down, rushing through several big beats (the troops showing up, for one, and the frankly baffling flashback – why does Hayden spontaneously turn into a werewolf, exactly? And how could Jackson have repressed that?) to wrap it all up. It’s a shame, because a lot about this episode is very good – the Alec/Jackson reunion particularly – so a higher mark in spirit if not on paper. If by ‘paper’ you mean ‘in a little graphic just below’. Although fabulous WUT moment right at the end!
 

 



After last week’s bombshell we’d better follow up on Boone’s revelation pretty quick! The flashbacks may beef out the episode more than I’d like, but the main plot doesn’t sit still while Boone’s story is told so credit for that – although the cuts between timelines could have been a little clearer, at times handled like a simple scene change which threw me more than once.. Vamps and wolves seem to both operate biologically a little different in all three Aliasverse shows too – do vamps really turn as quickly as the one Singleton bites in the underground chamber? Anyhoo. The Core is rapidly becoming one of those teams where every member is a massive security liability in some way or other – the kind of bonkers anti-realism that TV does so well! No denying the quality here, though – the Bosworth Field business does kind of do its own thing independent of the others, meaning Boone can dominate the episode with customary authority. He’s a wonderfully tragic hero and one of the show’s real strengths week to week, and helps make this the best story so far.
 

[Adam]

Lee, thanks for the comments. I'm really looking forward to seeing what you think of the final few episodes, you're almost completely caught up now!

To address a couple of points:

...while it’s a bit of a hard sell to picture 33-year old Miranda Raison undercover as a university student...

That's a case of the character actually being younger than the actress who's playing them, Chloe's meant to be in her early twenties so it's not that much of a stretch.

Also, the return of the ever infuriating Mr. Jones does nothing to endear me to him – I fail to see the point of him, given he does nothing but mumble vaguely and offer cryptic hints that Alec should keep doing what he was going to keep doing anyway.

Yeah, he's guilty of that a bit, but it's something I'm being a bit more careful with - when he turns up later on in the series you should have a much better idea of how he's operating and why he's doing certain things, even if his agenda's still a bit cryptic.

...the neat ‘it was a dream earlier, now it’s for real’ switch with Lucy’s abduction is also a bonus point...

My attempt to do something different with the dreaded '24 hours earlier' thing, something I'm planning on trying again (but in a very different way) in a season three episode.

Arguably Pete’s got the best handle on how to write Flame – a sea of innuendo masking occasional flashes of brilliance – so he’s less annoying this week.

It was around about this point that we all collectively started writing Flame AS Pete, so that makes sense.

He’s a wonderfully tragic hero and one of the show’s real strengths week to week, and helps make this the best story so far.

I agree. I'm now at the point where I can't imagine what I was ever thinking of trying to do this story WITHOUT Boone, it just makes no sense whatsoever.

Thanks for reading, Lee, and I think you've got five cracker episodes coming up so I can't wait to see what you make of these.

[Monster Zero]

Fabulous opening with Ravenwood Snr, so big bonus point for that. Tony’s scripts always veer more towards the action spy-fi than Adam’s more dialogue-based character pieces, and he’s clearly having a lot of fun with this one, bringing in old favourite Sark to notch up another crossover appearance for the old boy. All he needs now is a Schism and he’s got the set! The wedge Laurel is driving between Alec and the others is also widening, which is getting pretty juicy. Although Laurel decrying Crane as ‘batshit insane’ for his beliefs seems a bit much – did she forget the war between vamps and weres tearing up Newcastle, and the fact that her boyfriend has magical powers supposedly from God? Unfortunate choice of surname with ‘Felcher’ too – although possibly only funny to people who watched The Mary Whitehouse Experience back in the day. The eventual reveal of the long con is brilliantly played – full marks for the set-up and pay off – and the heartbreak of Laurel’s betrayal and goodbye adds an extra mark too.
 

 



A more talky episode now, back into Walker mythology as the parallels between Gideon and Alec are built up. They’re being played as the yin to each other’s yang, their paths through life having both similarities and differences, all of which helps to both develop and empathise Gideon as an antagonist. Baines is always fun to have around too – I didn’t realise how much I’d missed Alec’s party trick! Stops him moping around too much about Laurel, as well. The truce between the vamps and weres was never going to work out, let’s be honest, so the brutal wolf attack on Maitland is just what the arc needed to kick up for the last few episodes.
 

 



Jones finally starts to make a little sense after his confrontation with Paige, and the Lens plot comes back into focus (ARF ARF) – some kind of nonhuman-specific superweapon, perhaps? Bishop remains an enigma but who is beginning to make a little more sense with each new beat, and Paige’s switch into a sadistic, vengeful leader has been a gradual shift from the harassed manager she started the season as. Recent events have pushed her to this stage, and her chilling torture of Saskia doesn’t feel out of character as a result. Bishop’s last minute transformation into the new villain of the piece robs us the opportunity to see Caleb act on his grief at losing Saskia, but we’ll see what happens next with all that.
 

 
 


Holy SHIT you just killed her! Right there in the Teaser! Bloody hell… now that I did not expect, cementing Bishop as a stone cold bastard in a matter of pages. This is a non-stop script and no messing – the rapid escalation of the vamp/were battle, Bishop marching inexorably onwards amidst it all, MI-16 getting its bottom kicked – and it all feels very much like Russell T’s constant deconstruction of the Torchwood team, reducing our heroes to the bare minimum to give the bad guys more of a dramatic edge. Shame to leave Gideon out of it all, though – after the great work in 2x10 to build him up, he’s been shoved out of the picture again. Bishop’s grand scheme is suitably Bond-esque, but after all the build up the vamp/were turf war seems to have kind of fizzled out into one big scrap in a car park, which feels somewhat anticlimactic. At least this is the penultimate episode and not the finale, however – we’ll at least get us some resolution!
 

[Monster Zero]

I’ve got an awful feeling I know exactly where this is heading now, so let’s see if I’m right by the finish. Lots of typos/missing words littering this one, however – needed another beta read to pick them up. This does at least get into the meat pretty quickly, with Alec and Bishop’s first confrontation nice and early, although the script does then get bogged down in a lot of tense but somewhat circular conversations as the Plan starts to form. Of course, there’s another ‘real TV using our ideas’ element here in that Bishop’s Evil Plan is similar (but thankfully not as bonkers, even though Bishop is as pantomime-y a villain) as the Master’s scheme from Who’s ‘The End of Time’ – we need to start copyrighting this stuff! When the team take their second attempt at storming Colby Towers, things get suitably tense and dramatic, Adam always one to favour short, controlled bursts of action over lengthy, complex sequences. The resolution is a painful one, even though we all saw it coming – it’s somehow more tragic for that. Great ending – maturely handled and with enough room after the carnage to throw in some moving final moments.
 

[Adam]

Fabulous opening with Ravenwood Snr, so big bonus point for that. Tony’s scripts always veer more towards the action spy-fi than Adam’s more dialogue-based character pieces, and he’s clearly having a lot of fun with this one, bringing in old favourite Sark to notch up another crossover appearance for the old boy. All he needs now is a Schism and he’s got the set! The wedge Laurel is driving between Alec and the others is also widening, which is getting pretty juicy. Although Laurel decrying Crane as ‘batshit insane’ for his beliefs seems a bit much – did she forget the war between vamps and weres tearing up Newcastle, and the fact that her boyfriend has magical powers supposedly from God? Unfortunate choice of surname with ‘Felcher’ too – although possibly only funny to people who watched The Mary Whitehouse Experience back in the day. The eventual reveal of the long con is brilliantly played – full marks for the set-up and pay off – and the heartbreak of Laurel’s betrayal and goodbye adds an extra mark too.

I wouldn't rule out some Schism characters popping up on this at some point. This ep was pretty much entirely Tony and it shows, and I have to agree - the long con (Tony's idea) was a bloody brilliant idea.

Baines is always fun to have around too – I didn’t realise how much I’d missed Alec’s party trick!

Me either, actually! Bringing Baines back became job number one on the list of things to do in season three.

Holy SHIT you just killed her! Right there in the Teaser! Bloody hell… now that I did not expect, cementing Bishop as a stone cold bastard in a matter of pages.

This ALWAYS gets a reaction, and I never get tired of hearing it. I couldn't think of a better way of establishing Bishop's sheer bloody insanity quicker.

after all the build up the vamp/were turf war seems to have kind of fizzled out into one big scrap in a car park, which feels somewhat anticlimactic.

It's meant to be a bit anti-climactic, because after everything that's gone on, by now we can see the whole thing's meaningless. Besides, all the main players (Caleb, Paige, Saskia) are dead anyway, so we're left with the henchmen now.

Lots of typos/missing words littering this one, however – needed another beta read to pick them up.

Bollocks. Noted, must try harder.

Of course, there’s another ‘real TV using our ideas’ element here in that Bishop’s Evil Plan is similar (but thankfully not as bonkers, even though Bishop is as pantomime-y a villain) as the Master’s scheme from Who’s ‘The End of Time’ – we need to start copyrighting this stuff!

I know! Mad innit? Ask Tony though, he'll tell you this idea's been there since 2007 when I first pitched him the show.

Adam always one to favour short, controlled bursts of action over lengthy, complex sequences.

I find both reading and writing action quite boring. What I was trying to go for (aim high) was the Bourne principle of action that's brutal and dirty, but fast and over quickly, as it would be in real life. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The resolution is a painful one, even though we all saw it coming – it’s somehow more tragic for that. Great ending – maturely handled and with enough room after the carnage to throw in some moving final moments.

Let's be honest though, there was no way I was going to be able to keep that a secret, so there was no point trying to make it a twist in terms of the HOW to defeat Bishop. What I was going for was a sense of "Will Alec go that far?" and letting the audience know what's at stake, and I'm thrilled to see it worked.

Thanks for reading, Lee - just Absolution to go and you're all caught up!

[Dr. Kyle Banner]

So that's me all caught up on Walker Season 2.  How did it do?

(click to show/hide)

Walker Season 2

2x01 - Queen of the Damned
A solid season première that rockets through a set up of a new season plot and of course some smaller arcs.  Overall is a decent little number, Adam once again on fine form.  Very few niggles, in fact there are none.  What we are presented with here is a turf war between Vampires and Werewolves.  A brilliant idea and smacks of Underworld done right, but with Alec Walker in the middle.

2x02 - In Cold Blood
I've just figured out who Flame really is.  He's Pete... if he were psychic.  Aside from that startling realisation, Pete D. Gaskell's début Walker script is great.  It speeds along and has the air of an episode of Spooks to it.  The dialogue is sharp and witty and the characterisation is excellent and spot on.  My all time favourite character, Boone, gets a nice dark spotlight here.  His attack on North made me think of 24's Jack Bauer... if he were Philip Glenister.  So overall, a very well written episode with a rather stupendous twist at the end.

2x03 - Set in Darkness
Chris Haigh's 2nd addition to Walker and it's a fun one.  I liked the sense of danger that comes with the eye, while the reveal towards the end shocks.  One thing I am confused about at this stage, is the references to Boone's daughter.  Now it has been implied by Caleb that she lives and yet it is implied by Frey that she is dead.  Which is it?  A question perhaps for another time.  Anyway, Alec has pissed off, leaving Jackson... pissed off and feeling like a spare part.  It was good to see him in the leadership role.  So far this season, Jackson has become far more likeable, which I think is due to the character development strands we see here.  Clearly his relationship with Kate is going to play a major part.

2x04 - Proving Ground
So, J.B. Gibson's first addition to Walker then?  How does it hold up?  Not well I'm afraid to say.  There are numerous SPAG errors and while this normally doesn't bother me, the sheer number of wrong tenses or misspelled words is quite frankly staggering and enough to pull me out of the story.  Gibson manages to capture the voices of the characters quite well, however I do have to question the plotting of one scene in particular.  The point where Chloe pulls her gun on her boss.  This seems a ridiculous and unnecessary move and unfortunately, feels a little like her anger is being thrust down the audience's throat.  The script itself is quite hard work to get into as well.  For some reason, I found the story quite muddled and I wasn't really sure what was going on.  So, overall not a very good episode at all.

2x05 - The Book of Ezekiel
Adam takes over the writing duties once again and we're back on top form.  The story rockets from start to finish with several twists and a few WTF moments.  Mostly, however, it's the scenes with the titular Ezekiel that excel.  The man is a powerhouse of dangerousness.  The interrogation room scene ranks as one of the freakiest scenes I've read in an Adam Scott script... and I've read The Heretic.  Of course, as usual the most laugh out loud moments come from Boone and Jackson's interactions.  Specifically when the latter asks the former to look after Kate.  Boone's deadpan replies are brilliant and this only goes to show why these two are a perfect comedy duo.  Yet more questions are hinted at in this story and I find myself curious at this point to find out where they be leading.

2x06 - None But The Brave
Another Adam episode and again we have an enjoyable ride.  This is less of an adrenaline thrill than his previous instalments this season, it instead being a question and answer session.  We see that Flame is betraying Alec (does he know that Alec will kill him?) and that Paige is in deep shit.  The description of this episode creates the idea that Laurel is to have a crisis of loyalties...  but she doesn't.  Laurel remains loyal to Alec all the way through and doesn't even question her loyalties.  In some ways this a good episode, which advances the characters story arcs.  In others it's not as brilliant as it could have been.  Which is a shame.  Coming off the brilliant Book of Ezekiel is a hard task though.  Overall, enjoyable with a few missed chances.  Also... Is Boone's daughter, maybe Paige?

2x07 - The Ties That Bind
So, Pete's second addition to the Walker mythos and it goes down a treat.  Jackson on the rampage made for a wild ride.  Yet this isn't without it's problems.  The final conflict with Rojas was actually quite short, if you don't count the rehash of the teaser.  So what we get is a fairly unimpressive way of killing an antagonist who has only been "onscreen" for about five-ten pages.  Is Rojas, who is supposed to be really dangerous, really gonna fall for the "go fetch" routine?  As for how Jackson is saved, well that became obvious about half way thru.  It's handy having a Knight on your side.  It's not all bad of course.  Pete does a Stirling job of showcasing Alec and Jackson's friendship.  The story of college age Alec is something I'd like to see one day.  And finally, THAT reveal!  Didn't see that coming.

2x08 - The Battle of Saints and Sinners
Wow.  Now THAT was an episode to be proud of.  Once again, Tony lends his skills to the universe he helped extend and crafts what is possibly the best Boone story to date.  There is little wrong with this episode, it is fast and powerful and actually had me in tears at the end.  The truth of this story is that no one but Boone will ever understand what he has gone through and I like that the relationship between Boone and Cassandra/Isabelle is so cold and not explained to the others.  All in all, a well crafted story that easily takes the place of best in the season so far.

2x09 - Honour Among Theives
Let me say straight from the off: I don't like Laurel.  I never have.  So, now that's out of the way, how does the second of Tony's Trilogy fair?  Well, apart from taking 6 pages to tell me that Laurel isnt Laurel - something I'd figured out anyway - curiously.  Alec acts like an arse, who Laurel has wrapped around her little finger and ducking out of MI-16 when he's needed.  Chloe's biting remark that he "puts that woman above everything else" is completely right and frankly Alec has a cheek to ask her to show some respect.  Where's the respect he showed her when he jumped back into bed with Laurel?  The sooner this woman has left the show, the better because she messing with the main characters relationships.  Don't take this as a negative, it's very much a positive.  This is Laurel's function as a character.  The plot with Sark became obvious as soon as Flame figured it out and I must admit, if this is the last time we see Laurel, then so be it. The actual story was very tightly woven and by all measures his was a very good and well written episode.

2x10 - Warriors And Knights
The final part of Tony's Trilogy and it works brilliantly.  Not much more of Gideon's story is revealed but as always when he turns up, he's always good fun.  Same with Baines.  The peacekeeping story was a bit obvious (which is something I seem to be saying a lot in these reviews) in that I sorta knew that Caleb would try something.  In saying that, this did advance the story and blowing up the Maitland building, is a stroke of genius.  There isn't much wrong here, so a well written and paced episode that delves into the mind of Alec Walker a little bit more which is never a bad thing.

2x11 - Awakening
A furious thrill ride that never lets up.  Adam returns to his writing duties for the first of the last three episodes of the season.  The death of Saskia, truly a horrifying moment, and the death of Caleb are both terrifying and excellently written.  The attack on Lamont's home to recover the lens was executed perfectly and the dynamic between Boone and Jackson reached a new level.  That is one thing I'm glad about.  The first member of the team to find out that Isabelle is Boone's daughter is Jackson - the one team member who is the most distrusting of Boone and yet they have now reached a state of mutual respect.  Paige is truly evil as is Bishop and I can't wait to see how this is all going to unfold.  One things for sure, things will never be the same again.

2x12 - Transmission
Adam's penultimate episode of the season and it's a thrill from start to finish.  Starting with the death of Paige Collins - a truly terrifying and horrific death which begs the question "what goes on in Adam Scott's head?" - to the melee between Vampires and Werewolves.  Adam has suitably pulled the rug from under the audience's feet here with the excellent reveal of Bishop's master plan.  I must admit I half expected Ezekiel to be the villain, but that could just be because he's creepy.  There's not much wrong here and I say bring it on as we barrel on into the finale.

2x13 - Control
And we come to the finale.  Adam has crafted the ultimate story, with the ultimate outcome.  The scale of this episode staggers me and the idea of an entire city under one man's control is... words fail me.  Some curious developments regards Mr. Jones and I wonder now... is he a Seer too?  But all of this pales in comparison to THAT climax.  Oh God you had to go there didn't you?  That had me in tears and listening to Dire Straits probably didn't help.  Overall, a fantastic episode and a great way to end the season.  How will Alec come back from this?  Will he?  Who knows what the future holds in store for these characters, but I'm bloody determined to find out.

My final thoughts on this season are that is a tightly woven sequel that drives you in one direction and then jerks the steering wheel and speeds off the opposite way.  Adam knows how to put the boot in and hurt these characters, he's like a demented God in a way.  Season 2 was, despite a few blips, an excellent follow up to Season 1.

Now I just have to jump into Absolution and then into Season 3... Oh, what horrors wait for me?