Dead Rising on American TV

Nope, I'm not talking zombies, I am talking TV and it's new trend of killing pretty much anyone.  If you haven't watched the following shows (and plan to) READ NO FURTHER:  Person of Interest, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, Boardwalk Empire, Being Human (The UK version) or read The Divergent Series.

Okay are all you guys out?  Last chance.

Good.  So last night, I, a huge J.J. Abram's fan, was settling in to watch Person of Interest.  Well, for me this season has been a bit of "Person of no interest at all whatsoever".  I was starting to find the plot tired, the characters tired and I was considering cutting the show from my epic TV schedule.  But, I was impressed with last week's episode of Detective Carter pretty much single handedly taking down the corrupt cops of HR.  I was down to watch last night's episode to see how the plot would thicken, the previews leading me to believe it would be the end for Detective Fusco.  I had mentally prepared myself for the loss of one of my favorite characters, but when he freed himself from a bad situation, I was overjoyed.

Then again, this is network TV.  Nobody ever actually dies.  I mean, you kind of know it, don't you?  The most shocking death I can remember on network in the last few years is when they killed Kal Penn off of House, but then again we knew that he would be leaving when he took a job at the White House.  So, when Fusco didn't take a bullet to the brain, I was slightly relieved but not too surprised... however, in the final seconds of the show, just when we think we are out of the woods, a payphone rings with a new number and CARTER IS SHOT TO DEATH!

Now, to be fair, I have always felt that Taraji P. Henson was too good for this show.  Not that the show isn't wonderful, it's just that she is such an amazing actress with a RANGE, a tough cop character was not enough for her, in my opinion.  She is an incredible actress who I truly fell in love with in her her Oscar nominated role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  But the second Harold heard that payphone ring I knew it was either curtains for John or Carter, thinking it may be John after his number had already come up and Root had hinted at Harold losing other partners.  But no, when corrupt HR 2nd in command Simmons finds the two, he hits Carter who was defending weaponless John.  And since I was so used to Network close calls I was waiting for the miracle, for the ambulances, for the emergency room OR scene, but none of those things came.  Carter was dead.

Well, lots of fans out there may be angry or upset but I am overjoyed.  Of course I am sad to see Henson leave, but the networks are FINALLY catching on to what cable networks/BBC have already discovered.  When nobody is safe, people will watch.  For God's sake, BBC's Being Human killed off every single main character, poor Nina not even getting an onscreen death, and people STILL watched.

And your little wolf too.

It seems like this new trend on American TV started with shows like The Walking Dead, and HBO's Game of Thrones, who killed Ned Stark the apparent main character in the first season.  And let's not forget this years Red Wedding (pictured above) which had fans declaring they would never watch the show again.  To be fair, both of these are based on books, but when Boardwalk Empire abruptly killed main character Jimmy despite his widening character arc, people were shocked.  But the value in these deaths is that the audience gets an adrenaline rush every time they watch the show.  Nobody is safe, not the main character, not your favorite character.  Nobody.  And isn't that real life?!  Cop/fire fighters/soldiers husbands and wives worry everyday for the safety of their loved ones.  It's not like TV where you know they will survive because they are  the main character or "the good guy."

Now, as a Doctor Who fan I should be used to character favorites dying (most recently Rory, Amy, River Song and shortly #11), I should know better that just because it's for "kids" doesn't mean people are safe.  Having just finished the Divergent series I surprisingly left angry as (SPOILER) THE main character Tris died within the last few chapters.  "THIS IS YA!"  I practically screamed, "HOW COULD THEY!"  But, this was the wrong way to look at it.  I should say "BRAVO!  This is REAL!" just like I do with TV, but then again, I think you get a little more invested with books.  So shame on me.  I will be interested to see how moviegoers who did not read the book react when the final film comes out.

So now it will be interesting to see if any other networks follow suit.  Just because somebody is in the poster, doesn't mean they can't die, in fact, in many action shows it's impractical.  So, BRAVO POI, while I am so, so sad to see Carter go I think it's a step in the direction of more interesting American TV.

Wholockians! If You Haven't Been Watching Game Of Thrones, You Will Be Now!

MARK GATISS HAS JOINED THE CAST OF GAME OF THRONES!  I am avoiding doing actual work right now just to right this post because I am FREAKING OUT.  I love Mark Gatiss, not only as an actor, but as an increadbly talented writer.  Without him, we wouldn't have the brilliant writing of Sherlock (or anybody to play Mycroft) and he has penned some of my favorite episodes of Doctor Who including The Idiot's Lantern, A Good Man Goes to War, The Wedding of River Song and The Lazurus Experiment.  He took a starring role in The Lazurus Experiment, but has played roles in several of the episodes he's written.  Gatiss has also penned 4 Who novels.

Now, I have not read the GoT books, but I watch the show with the ravenous soul of anybody in a fandom.  I even cosplayed as Daenerys Targaryen (which I will possibly revise at NY ComicCon).  Which character he will be playing is being kept firmly under wraps, but I am sure the readers of the books have figured it out.  I can't see Gatiss as anything other that a stuffy British guy, you know, the basic Mycroft character, but I would kinda like to see him as like a wildling or a crazy magic weilding sorcerer or something that can only exist in the GoT universe.  As if I wasn't excited enough for next season after the Red Wedding, now I have to wait a year to see Gatiss' role.  Ugh!  At least Sherlock should be back soon!

GAME OF THRONES IS BACK! (Spoilers)

Oh what a glorious weekend!  Not only is it Easter, we have gotten new Doctor Who, the premier of Orphan Black and season 3 of Game of Thrones had finally started.  Oh HBO, why must you make us wait so long between seasons?!  Well I guess absence only makes the heart grow fonder.  It's so amazing to see all of the characters we've fallen in love with back on screen (well a few of them weren't in tonight's premier but soon)... of course when it comes to GoT we have to spend every single episode fearing for their lives.  Nobody is safe in George R.R. Martin's fantastic little world.

So, to give a blow by blow of what happened in this episode is just impossible.  GoT is quite possibly the most complicated show on TV, following more characters than I can count at the moment as my brain is still on fire from watching the new episode.  Not to mention everybody has a completely different plot line... yes most of them are out to get the iron throne, but so many are sneaker than that.  So I'll give the most important plot points in the characters most followed in this episode.

Samwell Tarly:  Oh gosh the White Walkers are active again.  The show opens with their horrifying cries followed by the screams of a dying man... Sam is thankfully saved by one of the White Walker zombie minions by Jon Snow's dog and whats left of the Night's Watch.

Jon Snow:  Jon is taken to Wildlings camp where he sees things he has never seen before.  He is taken to the leader where he pledges allegiance.  Of course, it's hard to believe Jon would actually betray the Night's Watch, but when he tells the Wildlings of the White Walker's and the Night's Watch feigned ignorance of them, the Wildlings accept him into the pack.

Davos Seaworth:  IS ALIVE?!  That's right, despite his ship (and his son) being blown apart by dragon fire last season Seaworth made it through!  Not only that, but he is immediatly able to flag down a ship to rescue him... and who's ship is it?  Why none other than his pirate friend Salladhor Saan!  Well that all worked out rather well for him.  Saan tells Seaworth that Stanis has... lost his mind.  He spends all his time with the Red Woman and does nothing but burn prisoners.  After much begging, Saan takes Seaworth to Stannis... but Stannis won't leave the Red Lady and when Seaworth goes after her with a knife Seaworth is imprisoned.

Robb Stark:  Robb goes to Harrinhal to pick a fight with Tywin Lannister but comes up short as... well everybody is dead.  No, really... Everybody.  Is.  Dead.  Still pissed at his Mom for setting Jaime free, he has her imprisoned there.

Tyrion Lannister:  My how the mighty have fallen.  Tyrion is first accosted by his sister, they have a battle of words but tensions are high.  Tyrion's going to meet with Daddy dearest (or not) and it has Cersei on edge.  But the meeting with Dad doesn't go so well.  See Tyrion just wants Casterly Rock, it's his birthright and he just kicked ass in battle.  Well, Daddy doesn't want his freaky mom-killing son to have Casterly Rock, telling Tyrion that he will be given a job, a salary and a better home but he will never have the family castle.  Never.  Poor Tyrion.

Margaery Tyrell:  Now on her way to being queen, Tyrell's whorey-ness has been toned down.  Actually she's quite lovely, stopping at an orphanage, speaking to the children and giving them toys.  In fact, her kindness seems to melt Joffery's douchey little heart.  It may have grown three sizes that day.  But Tyrell isn't impressing Cersei, oh now a battle of tongues begins.  Cersei is one crazy bitch, Tyrell better watch her half naked back.

Sansa Stark:  Nothing too exciting, but Littlefinger is planning on taking her away.  Of course Shea vows to protect her but when Littlefinger is involved... well this plot will prove to be interesting.

Daenerys Targaryen:  Calm down Daenerys, they're fine.  In fact, they're growing up! SEE:

 Dani finally has her boat and is traveling with what's left of the Dothraki that were following her.  Apparently horse travel and sea travel are way different because those men are puking their brains out.  Daenerys is after The Unsullied, an army of slave soldiers who all look like Shredder from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  These guys are intense, one has his fucking nipple cut off like it was a haircut.  While Daenerys considersbuying these ruthless men, a little girl captures her attention... but FUCK THAT LITTLE GIRL IS A SORCERER!  The girl tries to kill Dani with some horrifying looking scorpion thing, but she is saved by a hooded figure.  Turns out to be Ser Barristan Selmy who we last saw renouncing Jeoffry.  Selmy pledges alleigence to the Targaryen name.  Oooooh things are getting interesting

Of course this is only the first episode, but already we are building up to sooo much!  I can't wait to see where all of this goes!

March Comes In Like A Lion... And Out Like A Freaking Lion

March is generally not the time of year that we expect new programming due to Basketball's March Madness, but not this year!  March has some of the most exciting season premieres and two new shows that look very promising.  March comes in strong with the series premiere of Bates Motel and ends even stronger with part 2 of Doctor Who's season 7, the series premiere of Orphan Black and season 3 of Game of Thrones.  March may be my new favorite month of the year!

First up, the series premiere of Bates Motel.  Now, A&E isn't known for it's stellar original programming, they mostly carry depressing reality shows like The First 48 or Intervention, but if History Channel can start producing Emmy Winning original series, why can't A&E?  The original trailers of this show were very American Horror Story-esque, with nothing more than an ominous shot of something gory, ie a burning body as seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpgdiNUttlw.  Even the music is similar to American Horror Story, so you know what I'm in.  Not to mention that Psycho is one of my all time favorite movies.  

Now, I am a little leery because they are putting Norman Bates in 2013, so it obviously can't be directly associated with the 1960 film, but it really doesn't matter, the psychology of a serial killer won't change whether or not he has a cell phone.  After seeing the cast I really have no doubts.  The incredibly talented Freddie Highmore is playing Norman Bates and I think this dark role is a great career move for him.  Then we have Vera Farmiga who has given powerhouse performances for years (not to mention she is the sister of American Horror Story's Taissa Farmiga).  Vera will bring to life the mother who sent a man over the edge, giving life and history to a corpse in a rocking chair.  I really am looking forward to the series it has great potential.

WHO ARE YOU OSWIN OSWALD!?  Finally we'll be getting some answers starting March 30th.  Doctor Who will be back with his new companion Owsin Oswald... who has already died twice.  But you know what, Buffy died twice and she kicks ass, so I think Oswin will too!  We will also be seeing the Doctor's 50 year anniversary episode at some point during the season, so I know all you Whovians have high hopes to see some Doctors past on the show... I am praying we see David Tennant, even if he is in his human form from the other universe!  

But possibly what I'm most excited about is the confirmation that Neil Gaiman has penned a Cybermen episode and it's rumored that Warwick Davis will be starring in it.  Gaiman has already wrote one of the most popular Doctor Who episodes "The Doctor's Wife" where we meet the TARDIS who has been crammed into a living body.  If you haven't read a Neil Gaiman book, GO DO IT!  I especially recommend The Graveyard Book and American Gods (which HBO has recently bought the rights to!)

So, I'm still not totally sold on BBC's new show which premiere's the same night as Doctor Who. The more I research it, the more confusing I find it.  For one, the trailer for it doesn't really explain anything and in it's attempt to be cryptic it kind of loses me.  The IMDB description is a bit more interesting, A girl named Sarah steals the identity of a dead woman who looks just like her, only to find that she is one of many genetically identical individuals who are being assassinated one by one.  Sarah has to discover why somebody would duplicate her genes and who is after her clones.  Now that sounds a bit more interesting.  Since it airs the same night as Doctor Who, why not?

No.  Actually we do.  But the next fucking day after Doctor Who and Orphan Black, Game of Thrones FINALLY comes back.  According to the producers this is the year they have been waiting for.  I heard about something they called "blood wedding" and refused to listen to any more because I won't ruin any of this for myself.  I think this year might be a blood bath and nobody will be safe.  I don't even want to try to speculate on anything that will happen this season but I am so so excited!  I just hope none of my favorite characters kick the bucket (even though they probably will).

So, in conclusion, March 2013 is going to be epic... at least for nerds like me.

Gearing Up for GoT

So let me be the first to admit I haven't read these books, though I keep saying I will.  I guess I have fallen so in love with the show that I'm almost afraid to read to books.  And at this point I wouldn't read past A Clash of Kings for fear of ruining the show for myself.  That being said I have no idea who the characters are or if they are well cast BUT I am pretty excited about the new actors involved.

First Clive Russel who plays the crazy Captain Tanner in the Sherlock Holmes movies.  Oh come on you know him!  Crazy guy, smokes a pipe, is really really mean to Watson.... yes that's the one!  Next is Nathalie Emmanuel who I had to look up on IMDB.  Apparently she is in a episode of Misfits which everybody keeps telling me I need to watch.  Not to much known there, other than the fact that she is quite pretty.

Then BAM!  Mackenzie Crook!  Oh now I know you all had a bit of a nerd-gasm.  Pirates of the Caribbean meets GoT.  You can NOT hate that.  And don't forget his FABULOUS performance as Gareth Keenan on the original Office.  You internet-ers wouldn't even have your "FALSE" Dwight meme if it wasn't for Crook's performance as Gareth.

Next young Kerry Ingram.  This is only her second role ever, but it she is having some streak seeing as she was just in Les Miserables, so yey for her!

Then BAM AGAIN!  Thomas Brodie-Sangster, the little boy who made us all "awww" as he ran through an airport to profess his love in Love Actually, the bratty son who is the ringleader of his brothers and sisters in Nanny McFee, the student who helps change the Time Lord back to his Doctor-y self in Dr. Who (co-starring in both Family of Blood episodes with Harry Lloyd aka Viserys Targaryen) AND apparently the voice of the oft mum Ferb in Phineas and Feb.  Oooooh this is too good!

ELLIE KENDRICK!  I nearly rolled off my couch!  Why you ask?  Because I ADORE Being Human.  Kendrick played the adorably nerdy she-wolf Allison in the episode "Puppy Love" which was one of my favorite episodes last season.  The sweet hearted, completly innocent and always confused looking werewolf Tom falls head over heals for Allison.  Oh Gosh it was just all too adorable.  I can't stand it!

Richard Dormer I don't know much about, so back to IMDB.  It seems he has been in loads of things I've seen and he absolutely has the GoT look, I'm excited to get to know him better through this role.  This is the same for Paul Kane who was apparently also in an episode of Being Human, but I'm having trouble picturing him.

Diana Rigg is bringing in the big guns this season.  Her career has spanned from 1959 to now.  54 years.  Phew!  Most notably she played Emma Peel in the 60s TV series the Avengers, which they tried and failed to make into a movie in 1998.  She is also a classical phenomenon playing roles in everything from Midsummer Nights Dream to Hedda Gabler to King Lear to Snow White.  She proves to bring a beautiful performance to the character of Olenna Tyrell "The Queen of Swords".

Again, I know nothing about the characters these actors are playing but judging by what I know and have researched they are all brilliant performers as GoT would take nothing less.  The countdown to season 3 begins!