bigbadabruce-blog

[bigbadabruce-blog]

Basically, I have decided to make a change, and convert to a new Tumblr, one that focuses more on articles and original work. I have appreciated every single follower on this Tumblr, and I'd be even more appreciative if you followed me to my new Tumblr. Regards to all, Sam/Bruce

A collection of Reviews of Film, Thoughts on Television, Football, anything that strikes my fancy.

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1x08 – Form and Void

Here...we...go.

Childress is creepy, his smashed dolls in his house, his Dad tied in the outhouse, his flowing between gravelly Southern accent, an Irish accent and an upperclass British accent. “You haven’t made flowers on me in weeks” sounds like it means sex, which is creepy as well, especially as the mention of Grandpa makes them sound...related.

Geraci being forced to watch the videotape, doesn’t surprise me, and again, by not showing what happens, it feels more horrifying. Geraci’s admittance that the file was changed by Sheriff Ted Childress, and he just followed orders, because Childress said he knew the family of the missing girl, ties back to Rust’s theory of corruption. Rust setting up Geraci, by saying that his fingerprints on the videotape, combined with lawyers prepared to release all their information, is an intelligent touch as well, very Rustin Cohle esque.

I love the fact that Marty cracks the case, an off-hand comment of looking at the case with as if they were “green” by Rust, making Marty think of paint, it’s the first clue Marty completes himself, and it feels rewarding that after all of Rust’s brilliance, Marty gets him moment in the sun.

Marty and Rust’s conversation about the fight, (Rust totally held back), and Rust blaming Marty for pushing her away. I actually giggled at this conversation, they were like petulant children, and it had a great cap-off with the line “What’s scented meat?” by Marty.

Discovering that the green ears were from paint, and using previous customers and tax deduction to discover “Childress and Sons”, had a realistic monotony to it.

Then Rust and Marty arrive at the home of William Childress, with Rust immediately realizing it’s the home of the killer.

Childress reminds me of Jason Vorhees, a giant with deceptive speed, and watching Marty as he clears the house, with Betty the mentally challenged woman, is unnerving, full of tension. Marty finding the decomposing body of William Childress just added to the creepiness.

And then Childress disappears into some large structure, with Rust and Cohle following him in. The large structure, bricked walls and tunnels, with sticks and grass overflowing through, with corpses, is an unforgettable image, as you hear Childress’ poetic mumbles, proclaiming it “Carcosa”.

Rust’s vision of a galaxy, was a gorgeous image, then whiplashed as he gets sliced through the stomach by Childress. I barely breathed as Rust and Marty fought the giant, Marty poleaxed in the chest, Rust gutted in the stomach, with Childress surviving gunshots and headbutts, before his head gets blown off by Rust.

Marty calling Rust his mate, gave me a lump in my throat, and then seeing his family surround him, as he breaks down, and admits he isn’t fine, was heartbreaking.

The Tuttles may have gotten away with it, and Errol Childress is the only suspect, but seeing Rust alive during the news flash, made me punch the air. I think I’d have cried, if he’d died.

The montage of the surrounding areas of Louisiana, and all the important locations, ending on the large tree where it all started, was beautifully melancholic.

The final chat, where Rust tells of how he saw his daughter, and wanted to die, was an emotional moment, and then the final line, of how “the light’s winning”, with a shot of the stars in the midnight sky, was perfect.

And then, it ends...

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1x07 – After You’re Gone

There are two episodes left, and I can barely hide my excitement.

Rust looking brittle, according to Marty, is probably the best description of Rust in 2012. “If you were drowning, I’d throw you a fucking barbell” is a great line, just one more to the huge list of fantastic dialogue.

Watching Rust and Marty in the bar is like witnessing two young bucks seething and circling, butting heads over who is the true alpha male.

And we finally arrive at Rust’s storage shed...and it looks terrifying. It’s like the ultimate wet-dream of obsessive investigators. This feels like the ‘expositional’ episode, and yet I still reckon it’ll be awesome.

So, Governor Tuttle was seemingly interested in the Dora Lange murder because he possibly recognized the murder scene. Charlie made mention of men committing sacrifices, and both Tuttle men could have been involved. When the men took pictures of naked kids, they were seemingly wearing animal faces, except for three younger men, one of whom had scars around the bottom of his face.

The Spaghetti Monster picture is back, possibly the man with the scars, according to Rust, sounds plausible enough to make sense. There are ties to a Mardi Gras event, which included women tied up, blindfolded, like Dora Lang. Rust believes in a conspiracy set up by both Tuttle men, who could possibly be using State PD as their pawns, including Detectives Gilbough and Papania.

Rust breaking into Tuttle’s houses doesn’t surprise me, he’s the sort of crazy but determined bastard who would take that chance.

Marty meeting up with Maggie has a melancholic edge to it, a sense of finality to it, their polite attitudes depictive of release from each other.

Rust’s refusal to watch again and Marty’s reaction to watching it, is more impactful than anything we could have seen, and it is a brilliant choice of direction. It makes sense that this would be what makes Marty agree to helping Rust, it shows that for all their mistakes and darkness, they are the men who are willing to take the bigger bads down.

Seeing Marty on Match.com and eating microwaved dinners, whilst seeing Rust bin bags of bottles, as they both put on appearances about how their lives aren’t that bad, is pretty depressing to watch.

Seeing all those boxes from before ’05 of unsolved cases, is daunting, and realistic enough to feel just as depressing as the lies Rust and Marty tell to hide their problems.

Watching Marty come up with lies to help him and Rust interact with witnesses ties into his strength, of being able to converse with people. This comes in handy when they meet an old domestic who worked for Tuttle’s father, who mentions something called ‘Carcosa’, and an old friend of the Ledoux’s.

And then it turns out, Steve Geraci, one of Marty’s old friend and Rust’s enemy, had investigated the original crime in ’85, never mentioned anything, and is now the Parish Sheriff. I always thought there was something off about him, so I was quite pleased to see I was right.

I did laugh when, after Marty chatted to Geraci, he rang Rust and told him “Better get those jumper cables read, motherfucker’s lying”.

Maggie showing up at Rust’s bar was a bit of a surprise, I admit, but it showed the kindness she actually has.

Marty saying how he quit, because some tweaker tried microwaving a baby, makes sense as the crime that finally made him leave, the imagination I have makes this horrifying enough that I don’t blame him for leaving.

The Bird’s Eye View of the marshes was a beautiful shot, one that amplifies the lushness green grass and the tranquil blue water. And then Rust prepares Geraci for an ‘interrogation’.

But, holy crap, we see a man on a lawn mower, with scars on his face, giving directions to Papania and Gilbough, before they drive away. And I swear down, we saw him before, when Rust and Marty first got a lead on Reggie Ledoux.

Oh, bloody hell, I’m barely able to keep my excitement down.

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1x06 – Haunted Houses

Marty’s beating of the two lads who had sex with his daughter was really dark, and for a minute I thought this was a foreshadow for him being involved in the murders, until he puked out his car. For me, that puking moment could be vital, a way of saying that for all his dark anger, he doesn’t have the true stomach for the darkness.

Cohle investigating the case of a missing boy, seemed suspicious, until the mention of Tuttle, who has slowly been more prominently mentioned.

Maggie is being interviewed in 2012, and I love how strong she seems, the fact she has a new husband, a refusal to be messed around.

Marty going shopping, and bumping into Beth, the former child prostitute, was a bit coincidental.

Rust finds the old Minister, Theriot, now a drunkard. He’s asking about Wellspring, a foundation that helped inspire all the schools Tuttle had set up, who supposedly used to cover up scandals of molested children. Theriot found a folder of naked children, which when he took to his superiors, forced him to stay silent.

I wasn’t that surprised to see Marty ending up in bed with Beth, I actually expected it to happen.

Rust telling a woman who killed her kids how difficult prison will be, and that if she gets the opportunity, she should kill herself, was another dark moment, but feels like quintessential Rust.

Rust interviewing the girl who ended up catatonic after Ledoux’s attacks, who admits there was a third man, a giant with facial scars, was creepy to watch.

Rust’s investigation being closed down, with Marty refusing to believe in him, definitely feels like the world is turning against Rust.

Marty coming home briefly, to clean his clothes afterwards, was a stupid mistake, as it made Maggie suspicious, and she discovered the picture of a topless Beth on his phone.

Rust’s interview with Reverend Billy Lee Tuttle was daft, and explosive, with Tuttle calling the Department, and Rust getting suspended for a month.

And then Maggie arrives at Rust’s place, where they end up fucking...and it turns out it was a ploy by Maggie, to make Marty leave. I admit, I’m a little disappointed to see Maggie use Rust like that, but I can understand her thinking. The pleasure she seems to take out of telling Marty this, surprised me, but it does seem like she’s going for the jugular, to help push him out of the door.

The moment where Marty leaves his gun in his desk before going outside was a clever move, and the fight between them is violent and bloody, with Rust almost ready to break Marty’s wrist. I liked the extra moment when Rust says “Stay down, Marty”, and Rust saying after “I quit. Fuck this shit” was the perfect anti-climax to the scene.

And then we cut to 2012, with Rust flagging Marty down, suggesting they talk, in the first moment since the fight.

This entire episode feels like the explosion of tension from the entire season, and the final end of the past, before focusing on our present.

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1x05 – The Secret Fate Of All Life

DeWall Ledoux gave me an actual shiver, as he tells Rust that “there’s a shadow on you, son”, telling Rust he’s full of darkness, which could have been outlandish and laughable, but instead was chilling.

The location where DeWall leaves his truck is beautiful to look at, lush greens and placid walls, with gnarled trees of history to look at.

Marty saying how he has told the same story for 17 years because “It only went down, the one way” is a fantastic line.

The score is immense, the vocal representation of a creeping, oncoming storm. Reggie is an extremely creepy character, his smug grin disconcerting. And then Marty finds a truck, with two kids hidden inside, storms out and blows Reggie’s brain out, and DeWall runs onto a mine. The fact that the scene is played out during the voiceover of both Rust and Marty telling the lies of the story they concocted to cover them, is a fantastic idea and one that works perfectly.

“Time is a flat circle” is possibly the creepiest aspect, the idea of futility, the idea that those kids would forever end there.

Rust getting a commendation and Marty being promoted to Detective Sergeant gives the lies the perfect ending.

The previous four episodes have gone between 1995 and 2012, but this is the first time you enter 2002, the middle of the story, as we see Marty’s family relationship, and Rust’s interrogation.

Cohle getting a reputation as a renowned interrogator, one who you call in anytime you can, makes sense as well, the idea that Cohle is perfect at manipulating criminals into confessing.

Marty admitting that his biggest crime was not his affair, but his lack of attention on his kids, is the sort of false truth he’d make for himself, wanting to focus more on his idealism of family, than the truth. Seeing Marty slap his daughter Audrey after being caught in a car having sex with overage boys shocked me, I have to admit. I did not expect to see Marty do that, but I cannot completely say it was uncalled for. There are probably a lot of parents who would admit they would have done the same thing, after she said “Fuck you” to him.

Rust’s monologue about how time is not necessarily linear, it’s just how we perceive our interpretation of time.

Watching Rust in interrogation is clever dialogue, but then the shit hits the fan. The prisoner starts saying how he met “The Yellow King”, the guy who committed the murders, as well as a name nobody released to the police. Rust goes mad, refusing to believe him, but when he returns the next day, with Marty, he finds the prisoner committed suicide, after a phone call with his “lawyer”, the sort of “lawyer” that makes a phone call from the middle of nowhere.

We get a gorgeous shot of Rust next to a tree, in the middle of a grassy field, the sun in the sky behind it, another brilliantly aesthetic shot.

The idea that the present day Detectives suspect Cohle of being behind the murders all along, makes complete sense in retrospect. Them saying how Rust was photographed at a murder scene, describing how Rust came up with every piece of evidence, set up every lead, is terrifyingly true, and seems to be convincing enough for Marty. The fact that Cohle refuses to deal with them, and walks out, will probably have consequences.

And then we see Rust, in 2002, going to the old abandoned religious school, and finding new evidence of stick sculptures, is terrifying.

I have to admit, I have no clue who it could be, and that makes such a refreshing change.

For me, this episode is about the fall out of the solving of the case.

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1x04 – Who Goes There

Reggie Ledoux sounds terrifying, I can easily believe he’s the creepy guy in the grass with the gas mask. Rust saying he reckons Charlie showing the Polaroids to Reggie probably did get Dora killed, it was harsh but funny, I couldn’t help but laugh.

The suggestion that Ledoux was involved with rich men, who ‘worship the devil’, and sacrifice women and children, seems like the sort of over-the-top investigation that will distract the Detectives from the true motives for Dora’s murder.

Lisa’s anger at Marty and his blase attitude seems like the sort of thing that will come back to bite him in the ass.

The desperation to find Reggie leads them looking for people who are affiliated with Tyrone Weems, a mutual friend of him and Charlie.

I wasn’t surprised to see the Lisa went to Maggie and told her all about their affair, and I was really glad to see that Maggie was brave enough to leave with the kids.

Iron Crusaders, a motorcycle gang who supposedly buy bulk drug orders from Reggie, sounds like the sort of dangerous gang that would populate Sons Of Anarchy.

Maggie’s bollocking of Marty when he accosts her in the hospital was great to see, I think Marty is an awesome character, but the repercussions of his fuck-ups are great to see him suffer from. It was also refreshing to see Rust basically tell Marty to shut up about Maggie and Lisa, especially when saying he’s surprised Marty couldn’t see the craziness he got himself involved in.

The idea of Rust going rogue, taking personal time so he could immerse himself into his old cover from his Narcotic days, is fascinating to me. But him snorting cocaine to help his story seems the sort of excessive aspect he’d undertake, I worry a little about whether he’ll get caught or not.

Rust saying his dad had cancer and he wanted to take some time off to check on him, is unsurprisingly suspicious.

I was quite impressed that Rust was willing to let Marty live with him, considering they’re complete opposites. Rust meeting up with Maggie to pass along messages from Marty is quite dangerous for him to do, Marty is paranoid enough about their relationship as it is. It was quite clever of Rust, though, to lie and tell Marty that Maggie is softening, in order to keep Marty from being distracted, even if Rust is coked up to the eyes.

The meeting with between Rust, or ‘Crash’, and Ginger, was terrifying in just the build-up, yet alone as Rust is dealing with these bikers, high on drugs as he’s talking. His story about security for a Mexican cartel, and being drawn into taking down a stash house as part of a four man team, is dangerous territory.

Marty entering to find Rust, just as he gets taken away on a boat, felt like it could blow the whole thing up.

And then Rust, Ginger, their hostage and two men, enter the Houston Projects, and the tension is building, and building. Even Rust putting a kid in the bath tub, so as to protect him, is terrifying. That tracking shot, as Rust and the team break into a stash house, then a firefight breaks out, and then they escape, running through the Projects, is an excellent piece of cinema that demonstrates a talent able to challenge themselves as far as possible. What a brilliantly directed scene, I applaud the director, and am gasping at the bit to watch the next episode.

This episode was seemingly about the depths that man is willing to fall to, whether in his personal or professional life.

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1x03 – The Locked Room

I love the noiristic imagery in the opening credits, the hazy sexuality and intertwining religious iconography is great.

The evangelist Joel Theriot, as played by Shea Wingham of Boardwalk Empire, has a great line about what you show on your face is not who you are. Rust’s theory of how people who use religion to be good demonstrates people who aren’t worth life because they aren’t truly good, is fascinating, whereas Marty believes religion helps give people belief. I have to admit, I fall more on Rust’s side, but maybe that’s just me projecting upon myself through his words.

The first suspect they have, Bert, a slightly retarded member of the church, who was arrested when young for public masturbating outside a church, is instantly cleared, as he was castrated in prison.

Rust wanting to research dead bodies over the last five years, to build a profile of a possible serial killer, is shot down by Marty, who considers Rust too narrow minded to work with what he has.

Maggie and Rust’s conversations about bettering himself demonstrate a connection between the two, the fact they find it easy to converse.

Rust mowing Marty’s lawn, and Marty’s annoyance at it, has two meanings: one, proving Marty’s incapability to release possession of something he deems his, and two, the obvious subtext of how he’s bristling at any positive relationship between women he possesses, and other men.

Marty and Maggie’s conversation with their daughter about pictures she has been drawing of naked men with penises and women was suitably uncomfortable, and it feels like a set-up for future occurrences.

Marty’s determination to keep appearances up, is seemingly finally broken by an angry Maggie, who seems to have reached her tether. But then he admits he feels all fucked up, and it segues into a sex scene between the two, the first truly compassionate scene between them...but is it just paper being plastered over the cracks in their relationship.

Rust, suffering from insomnia, spends his nights researching old cases, looking for other murders akin to Dora, whilst lamenting the inept sanctity of life.

Marty and Maggie have a double date with Rust and Maggie’s friend, Jennifer, but Marty is distracted by seeing Lisa with another man, and instantly, he’s on edge, angry and flustered at Lisa daring to want someone else. And when she admits she doesn’t want to marry him, his ego is bruised, making him more angry. And that leads to a drunken Marty arriving at Lisa’s, and beating her date violently, as he hypocritically tells of the importance of family and boundaries to the present day Detectives.

And then Rust finds a previous victim, one called Rhianne, found in a river, but with similar wounds and drawings to Dora, but only two days left before Task Force take over.

“World needs bad men. They keep the other bad men at the door” is my favorite quote, one used in all the trailers, and to me, it defines Rust and Marty better than any other quote. They’re flawed, messed-up, but that means they reach the depths of darkness required to stop the monsters out there.

Rust and Marty meet Rhianne’s grandfather, and finally get a good suspect: her ex-boyfriend, Reggie Ledoux. He’s a former rapist and drugs maker (LSD, Meth, both drugs found in the victims), he was in the same cell as Dora’s ex, Charlie, and he skipped out on parole eight months ago. And as the two of them speed to find Reggie, Rust tells us of how death is like a locked room, and how “like many dreams...there’s a monster at the end of it”. And then we cut to a tall man, in underwear, a gas mask, holding a gun, in long grass fields. That final shot, with Rust’s monologue, gave me legitimate shivers.

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1x02 – Seeing Things

The theme song is reminiscent of Johnny Cash and Chris Isaak, giving it a slightly dark, dirty connotation, overtly masculine, before being serenaded by a soft, saintly female voice, a wonderful contrast.

Rust’s opening monologue of his ex-wife and daughter, how it was like his name was engraved in them, is good example of emptiness within him, a foreshadow maybe of how Marty views himself, defined by family.

The slow tracking past young girls, smoking cigarettes, on the way to Dora’s mother, talks of the corrupting vices that remove the innocence from people, a lead into the mother’s house, contrasting images of pills and the pictures of an innocent young Dora.

The Bird’s Eye Views of the detectives’ car continues the habit of maximising the space around the detectives, which I like.

The idea of how family defines you, Marty’s mention of his father, who could still take him by the end, and his already admitted view of the importance of family, continues to show the chasm between him and Rust’s loss of family and unknown parents.

“Like a torn-up person on her last legs” may be said by Rust about Dora, but could just as much describe Rust himself.

The shots of trees in the evening in a darkened haze and the picturesque image of fields and rivers are beautiful.

Rust finally telling Marty about his marriage, and daughter, is probably the first time that the two truly have a chance of understanding each other.

McConaughey’s drawl and haggard appearance in the future is so impressive to watch, his body language and every movement a diagram in emptiness.

Marty prides himself on appearances, whether joking with the guys in a bar, drinking, or being charming with Lisa, his affair.

Rust’s mention of how he suffers from hallucinations because of when he was undercover for four years in Vice, gives you an idea of why Rust comes out with such strange quotes, his world is misshapen and unclear, a hazy cloud of life and death. Marty is a control freak, uncomfortable with Rust because he can’t control his speech or actions, and is frustrated because he wants Lisa waiting purely for him, to pleasure him, getting annoyed that she goes out looking for a man.

Rust noticing that Marty hasn’t changed clothes, and the fact he can smell sex all over him, leads to a confrontation, Marty obviously angry that someone was observant enough to question Marty’s family man appearance.

Rust taking his jacket off and turning badass, forcing a confession from an unhelpful witness, backs up his threats to Marty that he could break his wrists, and I feel is a set-up for a later episode.

This episode repeats comments from the previous episode about how Dora went to Church, this time from teenage prostitute Beth, played by Lili Simmons from Banshee, continuing to build the idea of the Church as a dangerous, unknown entity.

Marty’s argument about Beth getting paid for sex, and her female pimp calling him a hypocrite, how Marty is just angry because it means women are no longer screwing for the ownership of men, but instead for their own money, was a fascinating scene. I already noticed Marty seems possessive, and this seems to hit close to home with him.

Rust’s present monologue to the two investigating detectives is brilliant, all about how after the death of his daughter, he become a druggie, before he killed a methhead who injected his baby with drugs. To stay out of jail, he become a floating undercover for Narco for four years. Hearing the depths he fell to, is quite depressing to hear.

Rust’s hallucinations of the sky turning color, suggests to me a foreshadow for a rolling conflict, one of blood and violence.

Despite Marty wanting to paint a good portrayal of family life, his mother-in-law knows things aren’t perfect, but Maggie promises that she would have out with someone she had problems with. And that she does, telling Marty that he doesn’t really want to be home, and he argues back, saying she should support him. The argument between the two portrays a decaying marriage, one held up by strings and lies. Maggie refuses to bow down, and Marty keeps picking at her, turning it on her. But the shot of the girls having laid out their dolls in as if a woman is naked and being attacked by men, is a violent punch into Marty’s mind, demonstrating how the work he does infects and corrupts his family and relationship.

According to Rust, his daughter dying, helped him avoid the sin, of being a father. I don’t know how to feel about that.

The Cult Task Force is made official, and Rust isn’t even pretending to accept them, with their boss telling Rust to keep his mouth shut. The scene where Marty and Rust are getting a bollocking from their boss, is actually really funny, Rust prompting a quote of “smart ass with your mouth closed” as he puts his hand up to ask questions. But most important, is the fact that neither of them want to give up the case, regardless of how difficult it is.

Seeing Rust and Marty arrive at the burnt-out church Dora frequented, as Rust watches crows fly into the shape of designs on Dora’s body, made me apprehensive at what could happen next. The placing of Rust and Marty in the church, with the spires and roof top, is beautiful direction. And then they find a painted mural of a woman tied up, with antlers on her head. As Rust put it, “sometimes I felt like I was seeing the secrets of the universe”. This series is really good at leaving you wanting more.

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1x01 – The Long Bright Dark

There probably isn’t much more I can say about this show that others haven’t. But I will try to just talk about things I notice.

I watched the first episode when it premiered, and I thought it was a beautiful piece of art. I love the high shots, the Bird’s Eye View of the detectives driving, their car minimal in comparison to the landscape that surrounds them. It creates an image of how their actions may seem to have little impact upon the life around them.

Rust’s monologue of how everybodies self-importance is the worst thing possible, believing in entitlement, is a good example of the sort of dialogue we shall get from Rust.

The fact that the dinner at Marty’s house being the main drive of the episode makes sense, as the episode is about the burgeoning relationship between these two contrasting personalities.

The repetition of Rust mentioning “His daughter’s birthday” becomes a repetitive headbang, placing us into the mindframe of Rust as it overwhelms his emotion.

When Marty arrives at home, the quick shots of the height wall for his daughters, and the keys on his side, demonstrating his true drive, his daughters. But then we see him and his wife, her waking up alone in bed, waking him up with coffee, and him sleeping on his chair. The first depictions of a couple in a piece of media can be indicative of their relationship, and we see here that Maggie brings more to the relationship than Marty, him enjoying the idea of family, but absent in love, Maggie caring and dutiful, but hinting mentions of the daughters missing him.

“This place is like the memory of someone’s town, and the memory is fading”, talks back to the fact that Rust and Marty are describing events from 17 years ago, but is what they saying truly indicative of the truth, or manipulated by a faded memory?

“I don’t sleep, I just dream” reminds me of the dream-esque quality of the cinematography, that the creators aren’t sleep walking, but painting a lucid dream.

The discussion of the Devil Traps, the idea of being distracted by tying sticks together, with a shot of the Crucifix, makes me feel that the Satanic aspect of the case will in actuality, be a distraction from the true motivations of the case.

The body languages of the detectives when interviewing Dora’s ex-boyfriend Charlie, is a very subtle demonstration of the characters: Marty, who prides himself on appearances and his ability to interact with people, leans forward, in his suit, before removing his jacket, putting Charlie at ease. Rust, meanwhile, is spread back, tie undone, sleeves rolled back, removing himself from the emotional aspect, and creating a cold, analytical view.

The dinner meal makes the perfect climax to the episode, as beforehand, Rust and Marty were too different to work together, but the moment that Rust decides to stay, the direction between them changes. Rust’s admittance of his daughter being dead, to Maggie, is Rust opening himself up, the family setting drawing him in enough that he decides to stay.

Reverend Tuttle’s appearance, and the mention of a task force devoted to anti-Christian crimes, is a very unsubtle demonstration of pressure, especially the mention of the Governor, ‘Eddie’.

Lisa coming in with cases for Marty, and the rush at which he goes to meet her, makes it so obvious he’s having an affair with her, that it’s painful.

The musical build-up when Rust makes his way through the garden, before entering the wooden shack, is unnerving, setting tension, before reaching a crescendo as they find another Devil’s Trap.

Rust’s final line of “Then start asking the right fucking questions” is a brilliant line to want you to to continue, leaving the audience thinking “What questions, what questions?!”

[bigbadabruce-blog]

True Detective is a 60 minute long Anthology series, that covers such genres as: Neo-Noir, Southern Gothic, Mystery, Crime Drama. The first I heard of this show was when I heard that trailers would be appearing on TV soon, and when I read Matthew McConaughey would be included, I instantly became interested. I first saw McConaughey in his 1997 film A Time To Kill, and I instantly saw him as an actor I wanted to keep my eye on. Even during his romantic comedy years, I thought he was a talent who had gotten into a rut, and just needed someone who believed in him to reinvigorate his career. And now, he’s an A-List actor, renowned for several roles in critical darlings. It was then that I decided to look up this series, and upon seeing names such as Woody Harrelson and Michelle Monaghan involved, my interest rose. The idea that such great talents would be involved in a television series gave me confidence that the standard of the show must be good, and when I read that it would be an Anthology series, I was officially hooked.

I have only seen one present day Anthology series, Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story, a show I was less than impressed with. In fact, I thought it was a mess, and it wasn’t the third season that I finally decided to give it up. But the idea of a fully formed story over one season, demonstrating a beginning, middle and end, speaks so much to what I love about stories, that I decided to give True Detective a chance. And then, I saw the trailers, full of beauty and despair in equal measure, it was a love letter to my heart, one that made the show a must-see for me. My original plan had been to watch each episode as it premiered, except I made the fateful mistake of suggesting to my Mum, that she watch the first episode. Despite her reservations, she enjoyed it, and that meant I had to wait to watch each episode with her, which wasn’t easy as she was away for several weeks. It wasn’t until she returned, that I could watch the show. But the best thing about that, was that I could do a marathon: three episodes one night, three episodes the next night, and the final two episodes on the third night. Everything written here, is what I thought as it occurred, a live write-up of every episode, every scene, every moment. There will be a LOT of spoilers, I must warn anyone who reads them. With that said, let’s get started...

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Alcohol is the question..

But the answer, can be extremely varied. This is not an article on the effects of alcohol, or to discuss the science of alcohol. This is purely, the emotion of alcohol. You hear stories about people drinking alcohol, and becoming more emotional, but is that relevant to everyone?

I know that I myself, am not an alcoholic. I don't need to drink on a daily basis, I can go weeks or months without alcohol with ease. But what I am, is a person who enjoys the taste of alcohol. Not vodka, or cider, but beers, bitters, lagers, wine. As soon as I taste my first glass, I can enjoy the taste of it for several drinks. If it's a late night drink, after two or three, I feel tired, and move onto something else. But during the day, I've had that first drink, and because I enjoy the taste, I want another. I have had several days with friends where one drink during the day has led to still drinking 6-12 hours later, enjoying myself.

But why do I drink? It's not the need to be drunk, because I hate being drunk, I've actively fought over the last 8 years I've drank to make sure I hadn't gotten wankered, and it is probably on two hands I have gotten extremely drunk. A lot of the time, I will eat beforehand, eat during, and drink in moderation.

But what happens at the tipsy stage? Most people get angry, or jealous. I know I have never, to my knowledge, gotten jealous, whilst drunk, and on maybe 3 occasions, at the most, gotten angry whilst drinking. Most of the time, I've found myself opening up. Not as in stories and deep emotions, but as in my love for other people. Yes, when tipsy, I get emotionally lovable.

There are many people in my life, that mean a lot to me. My mum, the most amazing person in my life. My family, who care so deeply, that when my mum is away, will ring me once a week (at least 2 out of 3 parts, the third part will text me irregularly to check on me) to ask how I am. My friends, who even in my lowest moments, still care for me. But, do I show it?

On a day-to-day basis, there are certain emotions I hope to demonstrate. When I was young, I was angry and frustrated, because of my Asperger's. People couldn't understand me, I couldn't translate myself to them, and because of that, I hate life and people. But as I got older, and I realized my symptoms, I began to try and change my default personality. It took several years, but nowadays, my default personality, seems to be one that just, enjoys life. Every day is a gift, I enjoy the little things in life, no matter what.

But despite that default happiness, I'm not an emotionally open person, in that quite often, I can be appreciative of the love shown to me. And it is when I drink, that I become more determined, to want to tell my friends and family, how much I love them.

I think of my mum, a daily inspiration who I thank everyday for making me want to be the best I can be. I think of my two aunts and my gran, who are strong female presences, who make me appreciate any female I know. I think of my granddad, who is the strongest paternal inspiration I have had in my life, one who everyday makes me want to be as kind and loving a man as he was, one who at his funeral, had so many loved ones, they had to have the church doors open to fit everyone in. I think of my uncles, who since my granddad's death, have tried to protect me every time they see me, check on me, care for me, and inspire me to be the best man I can be. I think of my friends, who even in my lowest moments, seem to still love me. My mum once said, that I have a habit of collecting loyal friends, who would love me through thick and thin. And I like to think that the reason for that, is because I'm the same. I don't care about the differences between me and my friends, I care about the similarities we have, the idea that there is an emotional similarity that makes them amazing people that I feel privileged to share my life with.

So, what is alcohol to these relationships? Alcohol is what allows me to strip my fears, my shyness, and to be able to tell them how much I care about them. Last Christmas, I sent several messages to close friends, telling them how much they meant to me. Was I slightly inebriated? Yes. Did it mean those emotions were lies? No. It just means that I am so afraid of opening up emotions, that telling these people who mean so much to me how I feel, needs special occasions and alcohol, to occur. And that Christmas, I remember telling at least one of my uncles, how much I loved him, because I always felt guilty for never telling him.

Alcohol, to me, is not a weapon, and it is not something to be feared. In the right intake, it doesn't make me hyper, or happy. It just makes me determined, to tell those I love, how I really feel. Because everybody, no matter what, has an ego, that needs to be told how much they matter, because it drives them to continue. I love my friends, and family, and I wish everyday I didn't feel shy or shamed to tell them. But after a few drinks, as I loosen up, suddenly telling them how much they matter to me, doesn't worry me so much. Do I like the fact I need alcohol to be truthful? No. But do I regret needing drink to open up to people I love? No, because then I think of how cold a person I would seem, the idea that I could never hug a friend or family member, tell them how much I appreciate them, and how much of a dick I would probably be.

Alcohol is a controversial subject. It is contributed to discussions of affairs, abuse, rape, anger, etc. But just for once, I would like to give alcohol a credit, to those who can be happy and loving, but when they want a true, honest, bare moment, need a little liquid courage. Because at the end of the day, alcohol is deemed to be the drink of those who want forget, and sometimes, it's their fear they want to forget. So, in essence...when I drink, when I get to the tipsy stage, it makes me want to tell those who matter to me, how much i love them. Deal with it ;).

[bigbadabruce-blog]

20 years ago today in Germany Cactus Jack fought Vader and while preforming a risky move called the Hangman severed and later lost his ear. You can see in the last gif a referee pick the ear up and hand it to an official.

[bigbadabruce-blog]

TV Viewing In January - Part 4

January 23rd

American Horror Story: Coven – 48 minute long Anthology Horror

3x10 – The Magical Delights of Stevie Nicks

3x11 – Protect The Coven

Everytime I watch this show, I end up thinking to myself “Why do I watch this?” I hate Ryan Murphy’s style of throwing shit at the wall and hoping for the best. I hate seeing characters doing ridiculous things because the plot dictates it. In addition, I find it difficult to like main characters that do not have redeeming aspects. So, what happened in these two episodes that I hated? Well, I hate Madison, and spend most of my time wishing she’d never been resurrected. But now, she’s killed off Misty, who was one of the few redeeming characters, so I just want Madison gone, just gone. Everytime she walks on the screen, I inwardly groan. Nan, played by Jamie Brewer, is one of the best characters...so of course she gets killed off, in an insulting manner. At least Nan had already killed off my second least favorite character, the shitty over-the-top mother Joan, who also made me groan EVERY TIME she appears on screen. And Kathy Bates feels so wasted as Delphine, her character changes every episode, and now she’s racist again, and torturing black people, and the supposed subtext of how terrible racism is, is just complete bullshit. It’s gore, for sake of gore. Oh, and Queenie is feeling bitchy too, because why not? And then Cordelia removes her eyes, to get back her Second Sight, despite the fact nearly all the people under her roof treat her like shit. It’s just ridiculous. Ohh, and the Witch Hunters, those terrifying villains who had about 3 episodes build-up? Dead, gone, or just ignored from now on. Not even surprised. Can’t see how they waste Reddick. But, I will say, I love Lance Reddick as Papa Legba, who is just awesome, everytime I see him. Oh well, just two episodes to go...yay?

Mob City – 58 minute long Neo-Noir

1x01 – A Guy Walks Into A Bar

Frank Darabont directed my favorite movie of all time, The Shawshank Redemption. I loved his pilot for The Walking Dead. And he worked on my favorite show of all time, The Shield. So with those elements, I became open to seeing this show. Plus, I thought Jon Bernthal was great as Shane in The Walking Dead, their best villain yet. So, I looked forward to trying it out. I was a little disappointed to see this episode try a little too hard to convince the audience that Joe Teague was an anti-hero, especially with the killing of Shaun Pegg’s character, who had potential. The character who most caught my eye, was Robert Knepper, who is just awesome as Sid Rothman, who can feel the insanity washing off him, definitely my favorite so far. I look forward to the next episode.

Banshee – 50 minute long Drama

1x06 – Wicks

I really liked this episode, mostly because of the fantastic flashback to Hood’s time in prison. The Albino was an awesome villain, a distinct look mixed with a surprisingly well-spoken style. I’m actually mildly gutted he got killed off, as he would have been a great recurring villain, but oh well. The present day material had a more philosophical edge to it: what you do after you leave prison. Hood was extremely lucky by being in the right place at the wrong time. Wicks, not so lucky, and his destructive behaviour and lack of realisation at how little ground he had to stood on, left him dead in a river. Any question on whether Sheriff Hood was a bad man, got answered.

24th January

4.      Blue Bloods – 42 minute long Police Procedural

4x06 – Growing Boys

This was an episode about exes. In Danny’s case, an ex-girlfriend, in Jamie’s, ex-gang members. Danny’s ex-girlfriend happened to be played by Charisma Carpenter, formerly of both Buffy and Angel, two of my favorite television shows ever. She looked slightly unrecognisable, which was impressive. I ostly enjoyed seeing both Linda and Maria given bigger roles in this episode, Linda giving Danny’s ex Marianne a bollocking, and Maria collaring the criminal. It was also a refreshing change to see Danny’s less impressive past. Jamie has become one of my favorite characters, the one member of the main Reagan family who is less black and white, and more accepting of the grey in life. His interaction with Tomas could have been a frustrating attempt to make Jamie feel more guilt, but the execution was better than expected, and suggested more far-reaching implications for future episodes.

25th January

Mob City – 58 minute long Neo-Noir

1x02 – Reasons To Kill A Man

Wow, Jasmine and Joe were married! I admit, that I didn’t expect. But, I am worried to see how they attempt to work in their shared history without feeling like bullshit. However, I can see the writers laying down sticks for the next few episodes. We meet Siegel and Malone, the gangsters, we see Sid in action, and we see Jasmine’s actions in the train station possibly setting up for future episodes. Again, the most impressive character is Robert Knepper’s Sid, who has ice for blood and is a wildcard.

28th January

Criminal Minds – 42 minute long Police Procedural

9x04 – To Bear Witness

This could have been an episode where we would be distracted by the inclusion of new Section Chief, Mateo Cruz. Esai Morales was a good inclusion, he conveyed a sense of power, without feeling overwhelming or superfluous. In fact, I liked the fact that he was allowed in so quickly, without taking over the investigation. Of course, I’m also fascinated about what his and JJ’s secret case is. However, despite all this new interests, there was also a really great Unsub-of-the-week. The main victim had been lobotomized, which meant he couldn’t speak and was forced to communicate by blinking. The visual style to display this was both clever and fun to watch, I was really impressed.

29th January

American Horror Story: Coven – 48 minute long Anthology Horror

3x12 – Go To Hell

The first scene with Queenie and Madison shows both of them acting like bitches, giving me an instant reminder of why I hate these people. Marie Laveau has disappeared to hell, unceremoniously killed off, whilst joined by the flip-flopping Madame LaLaurie, who was finally killed off. However, Fiona was killed off, technically off-screen, by the Axeman, who was then the unfortunate recipient of a cringe-worthy ‘female empowerment’ scene where he was chopped and stabbed to death by the Coven. I kind of just want to watch the last episode, so I can wash my hands of this crap.

8.      Castle – 42 minute long Comedy Police Procedural

6x03 – Need To Know

Oh, right, okay. That was a little...disappointing, at the end. Beckett has already been fired, and now her entire storyline basec in DC, is over. Thankfully, the preceding 40-odd minutes were a good episode. The story of the week, with an interesting homage to Saved By The Bell, created tension between Castle, Beckett, Ryan and Esposito, which was interesting to see. Overall, I mostly liked the episode, but was a little gutted at the decision for the ending.

31st January

9.      Blue Bloods – 42 minute long Police Procedural

4x07 – Drawing Dead

A good episode that focused on two guest characters, one a former police officer who became a bookie, and the other a current officer who shoots a kid with history of gun charges. The former police officer and his former friendship with Danny made him a melancholic figure, one who is given an opportunity to make up for his past mistakes, and lost his life. The current officer, meanwhile, may have been cleared of wrongdoing, but he can never get past the fact he has blood on his hands. I was also happy to see Henry actually make an important appearance, he’s been sidelined for a while, and this episode gave him an opportunity to come to the forefront, as well as look at his and Danny’s closeness.

Banshee – 50 minute long Drama

1x07 – Behold A Pale Rider

Wow, this suddenly went up a level halfway through. The hostage situation was a huge surprise, and suddenly completely overshadowed the attempt by Ana to drug Hood and give him away to Rabbit. The fact that Hood, when he finally escapes and arrives, easily dispatches the two gunmen, just continues his awesome streak. And yet, one of my favorite scenes was dedicated to the villainous Proctor, and a very human scene between him and his estranged father. This was a surprising moment, one that gives extra humanity to the supposed villain. Really looking forward to the next few episodes, especially as Rabbit’s henchman, Olek, has appeared in Banshee.

11.  Castle – 42 minute long Comedy Police Procedural

6x04 – Number One Fan

Well, status quo has now been resumed. And I guess I can’t complain, really, because the status quo is fun. Luckily enough, the plotline here was distracting enough for me to enjoy, although I was surprised that the hostage who caused Castle to get shot wasn’t punished. The ending was heartwarming, and nicely wrapped up the story. Can’t complain, run of the mill, interested to see where we go from here now.

[bigbadabruce-blog]

TV Viewing In January - Part 3

January 12th

Sherlock – 90 minute long Crime Drama

3x03 – The Last Vow

I’d already had the feeling that the last two episodes, dedicated to happy, cheerful stories, would mean a very upsetting finale. Turns out, it was also an episode of major twists: Sherlock had been caught in a drugs den whilst attempting to grab the interest of famed blackmailer Charles Augustus Magnusson, whilst also faking a relationship with a bridesmaid from the Watson’s wedding. John’s wife Mary was a former CIA agent who was blackmailed by Magnusson; Mary shot Sherlock during the attempted assassination of Magnusson. Sherlock kiss Magnusson, and could possibly be sent away from London, except for the sudden return of Moriarty. I don’t think I even got all of the twists! I loved this episode, mainly because whilst it was a huge episode, it hinged on the main relationship scenes, especially one dedicated to John and Mary’s argument over her past. The inclusion of Moriarty in the ending was a big shocker, mainly because he’d blown the back of his head off. I’m nervous at seeing how they explain his return. Magnusson, meanwhile, I thought was a creepy, unnerving villain, whose face-flicking and licking of others frustrates the audience at him. Mikkelson was very good in those role, offering a contrast to Sherlock, and yet just enough similarities to make it dangerous. Great episode, but just the third in a series of great episodes.

January 16th

Criminal Minds – 42 minute long Police Procedural

9x02 – The Inspiration (part 2)

This was a great follow-up to the season premiere. Fred Koehler actually surprised me with how convincing he was as two individual characters, utilising body language and wardrobe to make a distinction between characters. I used to watch Oz, which he appeared in, and I wasn’t that impressed by him, whereas here he was fantastic. The BAU team are still good, the sub-plot of whether Hotch will become Section Chief offering good character work. Overall, fine episode, happy with it.

January 17th

3.      Blue Bloods – 42 minute long Police Procedural

4x05 – Lost and Found

Really good episode on the return of this show. First of all, the kidnapping storyline has a good introduction, creating enough questions to entice the audience, and then involving Erin, Nicki, Danny and Maria in the plot. I gathered quite quickly that it was probably a kidnapping that had to be kept quiet, but I do slightly wish that the villain hadn’t been hit by a truck, instead I’d like to have seen Danny have to make a decision on whether to shoot him or not. Jamie and Eddie’s storyline was great because it continues the theme of Jamie questioning himself and his vocation, as well as offering a sold standalone story for Jamie to enjoy. The ending was Law and Order-esque in terms of harshness, but then led to the third storyline, Frank’s dealings with a police chaplain who is questioning his faith. The fall-out from 9/11 continues to be examined. But my favorite part was Jamie’s reaction to the suicide of the hostage taker.

January 21st

4.      Boardwalk Empire – 58 minute long Period Crime Drama

4x06 – The North Star

I always find this show one of the most difficult to discuss, as episodes can easily be dedicated solely to mood with minimal plot development. This episode was a little different, as Nucky and Eli both deal with the emotional repercussion of Eddie’s suicide, Nucky by distraction, Eli by finding answers. Nucky’s was interesting as it involved him working with Lansky and Luciano, whilst Eli became involved with Agent Knox. Knox seemingly got away with it, before a familiar hankey gave Knox away. I’m interested to see how Eli’s own story arc develops here.

5.      Castle – 42 minute long Comedy Police Procedural

6x01 – Valkyrie

6x02 – Dreamworld

I’ve cheated slightly and combined these two due to being two-parters. I was happy to see the opening scene dedicated to Castle’s proposal, avoiding any long-term vagueness just to create false tension. Becket agreeing and them two becoming fiances’ was great to see. I’m a little gutted it skipped several months, avoiding the audience getting to see the reactions of loved ones. But, I’ll make do. This two-partner was good in terms up setting up the new standard, Beckett with a new partner, Esposito and Ryan back home, and Castle floating inbetween. The relationship between Castle and Beckett is different now, there’s a closeness that sells the fact they’ll be getting married. The plot for the two-partner, involving Iraq, marines, a virus and revenge, has enough twists to keep me involved, especially once Castle became poisoned, making the story more personal. However, I was happiest at the fact that they didn’t status quo the whole thing, having Beckett return to the precinct within the two parter. I want to see where they can go from here.

January 22nd

Criminal Minds – 42 minute long Police Procedural

9x03 – Final Shot

Fascinating episode seemingly inspired by the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination, that reveals itself to be a spotlight on the protection of fleeing wives. The sub-plot of the main victim being protected by a cleaner, only for the cleaner to be revealed to be a Sharpshooter fantasising about a woman he’s about to kill, was awesome, and actually surprised me. Good, solid episode as always.

[bigbadabruce-blog]

TV Viewing In January - Part 2

January 6th

Battlestar Galactica – 44 minute long Military Science Fiction Drama

4x13 – The Oath

And so it happens. Gaeta and Zarek set into motion a Mutiny, causing both Adama’s, Tigh, Roslin, Baltar and Tyrol have to work together to get to safety. I love the fact that why Gaeta and Zarek are in the wrong, they aren’t villains. They have fair points about the Cylon-Human Alliance, they’re just going the wrong way about it.  Gaeta, especially, I find heartbreaking, as he’s gone from one of the most loyal to one of the most jaded, desperate. I disagree with his actions, but I understand his reasoning. Moreover, that is fantastic writing.

4x14 – Blood On The Scales

And the Mutiny goes wrong, in an episode that allows Gaeta to show every emotion. Another strong episode, with a surprise reappearance by Romo, played by Mark Sheppard. Whilst I am a little gutted to see Gaeta and Zarek killed off, I think they went out with the best ending possible, and leaves the fleet in a position where they must be wondering “Whatever next?”

Nikita – 43 minute long Spy Thriller Drama

2x01 – Game Change

Man, I love this show. It reminds me slightly of Chuck, with every season unveiling a higher, more dangerous covert organisation. Whereas Fulcrum was a product of The Ring, Division is a product of Oversight, the new big bad. And, the evil favorite, Amanda, is relishing control, with Alex working for her and Percy hidden down below in a prison. The fight between Nikita and Alex was dirty, personal, and impactful, a demonstration of how good Alex has gotten, and how much better Nikita is. I’m interested to see Alex’s relationship with Nikita and Division over the rest of the season.

2x02 – Falling Ash

So, Owen returns, and he’s working for Gogol. A good supporting character undertaking a mission that requires betraying himself to an evil corporation, is an interesting twist. Interested to see where it goes from here. Ohh, and Birkhoff is now on Team Nikita, awesome!

2x03 – Knightfall

An interesting twist on an international assassin, as he’s been shackled down, made a paraplegic, and forced to be the face of several assassinations. An interesting villain-of-the-week as at the same time, Alex attempts to take revenge on a Russain who portrayed her father. Alex going rogue isn’t that surprising, but it takes her more fascinating as she’s a wild card, capable of anything.

2x04 – Partners

The title can have several meanings here. There’s Nikita’s old partner, Kelly. There’s Alex and Roan, newfound partners forced together. And there is the unveiling of Kelly partnering with Gogol. Gogol has appeared twice now, so their roles are gradually increasing from last year, suggesting there may be several upcoming storylines with them. I look forwad to seeing more of Ari, good villain.

2x05 – Looking Glass

Shane West does a good job as Michael, but his history is a bit more vague than Nikita and Alex, so I liked this look back at a job he had to undertake that also calls back to Nikita’s difficult with sex-based assignments. I’m interested to see what happens in the future with Michael’s son Max, maybe it’ll be left open, or it will come back to have an impact.

January 8th

Fringe – 43 minute Science Fiction

3x07 – The Abducted

The idea to have episodes alternate between a prime and a parallel universe is an idea that is quite frankly, genius. It allows the creators to help build both universes, offering two interpretations of a character, with the audience getting to feel something for both versions. This way, whilst we want Olivia to be saved and come home, we can accept Fauxlivia as something more than just ‘the enemy’. Here, we spend time getting to know Colonel Broyles, an opportunity for Lance Reddick to stretch himself, showing his human side with his family. The ending is awesome, a shocking moment for Peter as he discovers he’s been sleeping with the Fauxlivia.

3x08 – Entrada

And so the first arc of the season has ended. Olivia and Fauxlivia have swapped placed back to their original homes, as Peter and the team deal with the shock of realising that they’d been working alongside the enemy. The actions of Captain Broyles was a warm moment, ending in a cold, dark death that will probably impact the rest of the season for Broyles. Can’t wait to see what happens now.

3x09 – Marionette

Ouch. This is what happens next. Anna Torv demonstrates one of her best performances as she deals with the aftermath of her return. Nobody knew about the swap, Peter had slept with Fauxlivia and not even realised, and Olivia is broken hearted because of this. “How can you not realise?”

3x10 – The Firefly

A beautiful rendition of the repercussions of Walter’s theft of Peter back in 1985. Christopher Lloyd and John Noble make a wonderful couple as they attempt to recover Lloyd’s memories after meeting his dead son. The inclusion of The Observers also impacts upon the mythology, making them even more mysterious and vague, their willingness to seemingly manipulate our heroes for good or bad means I’m fascinated to know more.

3x11 – Reciprocity

Peter is getting dark and vicious in his fight to find out the truth. Him revealed as the killer of several shapeshifters is a good shock, but makes sense in the contect of the situation. Knowing he could be the weapon needed to destroy a universe, of course he would feel desperate. However, how long he keeps it hidden may be frustrating to watch.

3x12 – Concentrate and Ask Again

The introduction of a telepathic character, I feel, is a great idea. I’m always interested in characters who read minds as I’d always wondered what it would be like. The portrayal here is a bit darker to the usual style, forcing Simon to live in a secluded location so as to prevent the pain of hearing everyone. His connection with Olivia, because he can’t hear her thoughts, was like Twilight but good.

  January 9th

Battlestar Galactica – 44 minute long Military Science Fiction Drama

4x15 – No Exit

A lot of info-dumb about the history of the Famous Five, and what led to now. An important but slightly dragging episode.

4x16 – Deadlock

Argue, argue, argue. This episode was another drag, mainly devoted to arguments and bitchiness between characters. Whether it was watching Ellen/Saul/Caprica, or Gauis/Paula, it was just frustrating and annoying. The main thing we learned was that Caprica lost her baby, which was dark, but made sense.

4x17 – Someone To Watch Over Me

This was much more like it. I loved the detail of Starbuck’s enjoyment of music, sitting alongside the piano player. This was probably the last true episode that could be dedicated to Starbuck, and it allowed Sackoff to demonstrate why she was such an important part of the series. I also enjoyed the Boomer storyline, slightly dark and cruel as can be, as Boomer has sex with Helo whilst his actual wife, Athena, is locked in a cupboard. The desperate tactics of Boomer is surprising, but leaves an interesting stance on her character, I can’t wait to see what happens.

4x18 – Islanded In A Stream Of Stars

This was actually a slightly beautiful episode, a melancholic goodbye to the actual ship, Battlestar Galactica. As Adama batles against having to include Cylons for fixing the ship, his stubbornness mirrors his fear of admitting defeat that the ship is dying. Whilst this occurs, we witness Helo and Athena struggling with the loss of their daughter. It feels like the last episode was supposed to portray the loss in your past, and this episode was about saying goodbye in the present. The two-part finale, will discuss the future.

[bigbadabruce-blog]

TV Viewing in January - Part 1

January 1st

Vicious – 22 minute long Sitcom

1x07 – Christmas Special

Vicious is not a brilliant sitcom, I know that as I watch it. And yet, I often find myself enjoying it, most likely on a meta-personal level. Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Ian Jacobi are two fantastic, world-class actors who fifty years ago would have had to hide their sexuality for fear of persecution. And yet, today, they can star on national television, playing a gay couple. Their banter, whilst not the strongest part of the episodes, are given life by these actors, who know how to make bad dialogue sound fantastic. The storyline is very simplistic, Ash wants to cook Christmas dinner, and the others entertain themselves with ‘Truth Or Dare’. However, for a Christmas episode, it does the job, offering a happy ending and sending the audience home in a good mood. Nothing brilliant, but I liked it.

Sherlock – 90 minute long Crime Drama

3x01 – The Empty Hearse

I love this series. I remember sitting down to watch the first episode with my housemate Lauren, both of us being tempted on the spur of the moment. Within twenty minutes, we were both loving, and watching that episode together is one of my favorite moments of University. I also recall watching both season finales with my housemates, The Reichenbach Fall leaving me particularly emotional afterwards. After a long wait over the years, the episode tonight was like a breath of fresh air, a cheeky and fun rendition that brought back to the fans the loving chemistry between Freeman and Cumberbatch. The actual answer for how Sherlock faked his death, for me, is the right level of clever and outlandish for me to accept, and I am also fascinated to see how Lars Mikkelson portrays the season finale. A welcome return to Sherlock that leaves me overenjoyed in excitement for the next episode, but also a little sad to not be sharing it with my housemates like previous seasons.

January 2nd

Banshee – 50 minute long Drama

1x02 – The Rave

The Pilot of this show was one that surprised me. The premise of the series, an ex-con takes on the identity of a town’s new Sheriff so he can stay hidden from his former boss, seemed outlandish, and yet was done in a way that I found plausible enough to not mind. This episode, I was left uncertain of. Whilst I expect the main character to struggle with a new role, his actions are too ridiculous to take. He beats up several handcuffed criminals, he tries making out with an ex during an open house with several people around, he walks up to someone brandishing a loaded gun and dares them to shoot him; it just goes too far beyond plausibility. The episode wasn’t fantastic, but I am willing to allow the next few episodes to try convincing me.

1x03 – Meet The New Boss

Okay, this was a bit better. Several scenes devoted to discussions between family members help to begin building up each character as multi-dimensioned, a good example of world building, ala the villain Proctor having a humanising moment, or a twist to reveal why Mr Rabbit, the crime lord, is so determined to find the protagonist. This also leads into a slightly ridiculous, over-the-top, but fantastically violent fight between Sheriff Lucas Hood, and a UFC fighter who rapes & assaults a waitress. After three episodes, it shows that this show will be more along the lines of over-the-top, fun Strike Back, which means I will allow myself to be more understanding of some seemingly ridiculous writing choices, i.e. a public beat down by a Sheriff. Ohh, and lines such as “You need to go somewhere I can’t see you, and stay there”, help me enjoy the series, too.

January 3rd

Only Fools and Horses – 30 minute sitcom

1x01 – Big Brother

I’ve always enjoyed this series, it has an inherent Britishness to it that has realistic comedy that has tinges of emotion to it as well. It’s the sort of comedy I hold up as my preference, where the humour is based on the characters and their interplay. A lot of the best moments are comedic dialogue between the two brothers, based in their apartment. However, despite this, I’ve never watched the first season, and decided to make the effort to watch it. This episode is a solid pilot, it introduces us to the main characters, gives background information about their parents and how they’ve only relied on each other, and it also gave us our first business mishap. The choice of 25 rejected suitcase is ridiculous enough to set our expectations for future episodes, which was a good choice.

1x02 – Go West Young Man

Whereas the first episode focused on their business mishaps, this episode focuses on the mishaps with women, the brothers’ attempts to pull some birds. With an accidental introduction to a gay club, and the sale of dodgy car, the episode shows us an example of future episodes, how the A-Plots and B-Plots will tie together later in the episode.

1x03 – Cash and Curry

This episode seemed more focused on setting up the brothers as the supposed plotting con-men, only for the Trotters to end up swindled, a twist that would probably be a set-up for future episodes, showing how fallible the brothers are. Very much an episode of the times, it wasn’t as bad as I was worried it would be.

1x04 – The Second Time Around

This is probably my favorite episode so far, as it focuses on the relationship between the three Trotters, the lengths to which they’ll go to protect one another. While it is slightly ridiculous, it’s also fun and heartwarming to see how much they love each other.

1x05 – A Slow Bus To Chingford

This episode was slightly different to what was expected, a slightly quieter episode that allowed David Jason to reveal the motivations and dreams of Del Boy. By doing so, it helped build the required sympathy from the audience to follow him in later episodes.

1x06 – The Russians Are Coming

Again, building on the previous episode, this is a more somber and quieter episodes, allowing Grandad to be humanised more than previously, and focused solely on the interactions between the three main actors. This feels like the precursor to similar standards of episodes, based in the later seasons, where Rodney and Del Boy experience personal trauma and sadness. By showing the ability of the actors to portray angst, but also having a strong mix of comedy, it shows the standard to which John Sullivan could reach.

Criminal Minds – 42 minute long Police Procedural

9x01 – The Inspiration (part I)

I’ve been a long time fan of this show, for me, it’s a solid, dependable show that has interesting characters and great villains. This episode continues that run with a fascinating antagonist, an UNSUB who is inspired by the praying mantis. The praying mantis kind of freaks me out, anyway, so this made this episode a little more unnerving than usual. I’m glad to see the continued chemistry between the team, and have to admit, I can’t for the next episode after a fantastic cliffhanger.

Banshee – 50 minute long Drama.

1x04 – Half Deaf Is Better Than All Dead

Okay, I don’t know what it was, but I really enjoyed this one. The fact that Proctor got arrested was slightly surprising, as it showed a huge step forward. The aftermath, though, with the introduction of a White Supremacist group, leaves me feeling there’s a lot of potential to this town, and that anything can happen.

1x05 – The Kindred

Probably my favorite episode so far, the battle against the motorcycle gang, and the spotlight upon Deputy Siobhan was interesting, so far she’s the least shown characters and yet one I find fascinating. The fact that Proctor and Hood ended up working together against the Motorcycle gang was unsurprising, but a good way of adding a gray area to the show.

January 5th

Spartacus: Blood and Sand – 53 minute long Historical Drama

1x13 – Kill Them All

I love this series, I can’t help it, it’s like the drama of Game Of Thrones with the style, tone and presentation of 300. I originally watched the prequel series, Gods Of The Arena, by pure chance, wanting to see what the show was like, and found myself enjoying it greatly. Because of that, I tried Blood and Sand, which started off a little rough, but every episode, got a bit better, then a lot better, eventually culminating in this episode, the season finale. This episode, is fucking awesome, and so satisfying to watch. Starting in media res, the fight scene between Crixus and Spartacus gains new meaning after every flashback, ending with the audience fascinated to see what Crixus, Spartacus, Batiatus, Oenomaus, Ashur, etc, will do. And then the screen runs with blood. This show proves that it holds nothing back, completely decimating the Roman cast, every slave gaining some form of revenge. This is an awesome stand alone season, but one that leads into stronger thematical seasons over the next two years. And also, Andy Whitfield, in his final appearance, deserves recognition, for carrying this series through some difficult episodes, to the strong finale it ends on.

Mad Men – 47 minute long Period Drama

5x08 – Lady Lazarus

This was a fascinating look at two of the male characters, Don and Pete, and how they relate to a female. Don, the alpha male, who helped Megan gain a prominent position in the Agency, has to deal with the fact that Megan is unhappy, wanting to return to acting. He puts on a brave face, wanting to be the supportive husband, but deep down, he feels confused, the idea that she knows exactly what she wants, whereas he doesn’t. Pete, likewise, has everything he wanted (good job, money, wife, kids, home) and yet is tempted by another woman because he feels there is emptiness to his life.  The fact that neither of them can put their finger on why they are unhappy, makes it more fascinating.

5x09 – Dark Shadows

I’m sorry, but I cannot stand January Jones as an actress. I know Betty is supposed to be childish and/or mentally traumatised, but she drags down every scene she appears in. I know they can’t just get rid of her, as she’s still the mother of Sally, who has become one of the most interesting characters on this show, but the difference between these two female Drapers in terms of acting is massive. I’m just thankful we had time with Roger, and his ex-wife, Jane. Roger is a great supporting actor who can hit the emotional drama just as well as the one-liners. In fact, I’m enjoying his dramatic scenes much more, because he’s so strong at them. His storyline and the inclusion of Michael Ginsberg’s argument with Don, are the saving graces of a Betty-set episode.

Sherlock – 90 minute long Crime Drama

3x02 – The Sign Of Three

I can understand if some people don’t enjoy this episode, they feel there is less attention dedicated to the crimes in this season, but I personally loved it. This new season seems to be very concentrated on the reunion of the main characters, and the emotions of the two. This was epitomized within Sherlock’s Best Man Speech. Slightly rambling, encompassing several crimes, several stories, it also included one of the most cringeworthy speeches I’d ever heard, before changing on a dime, and making the internet cry. His confessions about his love for John, choked me up, and was one of my favorite moments in the show. I’m also a huge fan of Mary, I love the fact that her and Sherlock get along so well, it probably helps the audience to accept her. Not only that, but she’s intelligent, loving and funny. In essence...no wonder John loves her! I do feel that the reason we’re having such emotionally happy scenes, is because the third episode is going to be heartbreaking.

[bigbadabruce-blog]

The Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy

On the 21st December, I finally got to watch the final film in the trilogy, “The World’s End”. Before I did, I had already had several friends lambast it as the worst in the series. For me, I found the film full of subtle humour that was tinged with emotion, particularly sadness and lamentation. Whilst I admit it may be the least laugh-out-loud of the series, I also feel it is the perfect end to the trilogy, and reinforces a slight arc I’ve noticed in the movies: life. Let me explaon. The first, “Shaun of the Dead”, released in 2004, is the equivalent of a slacker, teenage movie. The main characters, Shaun and Ed, act immature and stuck in the guises they acquired in college. By refusing to accept maturity, Shaun loses Liz, and his journey to save her is also a metaphorical journey for him to grow up. Also, the use of zombies, represents the teenage years, these supposedly dangerous and brainless creatures who consume the world around them without thought or care. This is emphasised within the ‘morning after’ scene, when Shaun goes to the shops, oblivious to the Dead. His acceptance of them at face value shows a common lack of care by people to those in the world around them. Shaun is a juvenile teenager, and as such, must defeat the physical examples of such horrors, to become a responsible adult. In “Hot Fuzz”, my personal favourite, Shaun and Ed have become Nick and Danny, two responsible adults looking for their place in the world. They both know what they want to be, police officers, but to do so requires a commitment and determination not truly achieved until the third act, when they become a team. Before that, responsibility and position of power is represented by the older generation, those who manipulate Nick and Danny from achieving their true potential, and again, it is in defeating the older generation, that they become true police officers. They’ve become true, responsible adults who are capable of standing on their own two feet. And finally, we come to “The World’s End”. By now, Nick and Danny have morphed into Gary and Andy, two men who have lived their lives, and found themselves wanting more, either a more complete, family-based happiness, or a nostalgic return to simpler times. These adults become consumed by their pasts, unable to truly look forward, desperate to become the people they’ve always wanted to be. So, in this movie, they face aliens, but metaphorically, they face their pasts, as personified by the blanks. It is only by facing the blanks, or their pasts, head on, that they finally reach a level of contentment. Over the three movies, Pegg and Frost morph from irresponsible teenagers, to young adults looking for their place in the world, and finally into middle-aged men looking for contentment. As audiences grew over 10 years, so did the characters that anchor the movies. And of course, why wouldn’t life make sense as the true arc of the movie? In each film, it is the fight for life that drives the story, whether against zombies, cloak and dagger villains, or aliens.