TV Tyrant

Supernatural: Free to Be You and Me

September 28th, 2009 | by | supernatural

Sep
28

Well, here was an interesting twist: As more hunters find out that Sam isn’t hunting and that he once drank lots of demon blood to fight demons, they’re gonna be looking for him.

supernatural

The question is, now that all the demons of hell have been unleashed, will Sam be able to fight them using the demon blood?

Actually, the real question is, were Dean and Sam born to be vessels of heaven and hell? And when I say heaven and hell, I mean, Heaven and Hell. Dean is supposedly the vessel for the Archangel Michael. And Sam for Lucifer himself.

I don’t doubt Lucifer when he says Sam is his vessel. I think, actually, that he’s telling the truth when he says he doesn’t lie.

It’s just a matter of what truth is he telling. Didn’t we all hear all the fairy tales growing up where someone got three wishes and all the wishes turned to crap because they were taken literally? Remember, we often hear what we want to hear when someone tells us something. How many times have each of us been disappointed by believing someone meant one thing when it turned out the reality was far different?

Lucifer doesn’t need to lie. The question is, will Sam somehow convince himself that if Lucifer uses him as a vessel that he’ll somehow be able to control the demon within and help save the world?

And if Dean doesn’t allow Michael to use him as a vessel, will it all matter anyway?

This week, we get zombies (cool!) as Dean goes forward five years to see what happens if he doesn’t allow Michael to use his sword. So the question is whether this will convince Dean.

I wonder, however, who the demon was who killed the boys’ mother and Sam’s girlfriend. Was it a demon? Or was it actually an angel who was trying to set the boys on their life’s journey? We’ve seen enough of the angels now to know that we can’t put that past them.

The only thing that disappoints me about the upcoming episode is that its focus on the future means we probably won’t find out where God’s been hiding out yet. I’m really curious.

If you were an omnipotent being who controlled the planet to some degree or another, where would you go for R&R?

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Behind the 8-ball

September 25th, 2009 | by | tv shows

Sep
25

The Soloist premiere - Paramount Studios

I have not had a chance to watch Flash Forward or this week’s Supernatural yet. I will see them before the weekend’s out and muse upon them in this spot. I know you can’t wait.

Meanwhile, here’s a tidbit of news for you: Stephen Root will have a “multiepisode arc” on 24‘s Season 8, according to Backstage. He’ll play Ben Prady, “an officer of the Department of Corrections looking into a parolee gone missing.”

Well, that can’t be good. You’ll recognize Root from
Office Space (Milton) or as the nerdy accountant vampire who sold his blood to Lafayette in Season 1 of True Blood. Even if you don’t recognize his face, if you watched King of the Hill, you’ve heard his voice a zillion times, in Bill.

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Boycotting the Emmys

September 20th, 2009 | by | 30 rock, battlestar galactica, bored to death, curb your enthusiasm, emmys, fringe, hbo, intervention, jericho, kings, the wire

Sep
20

I went back and forth on whether I’d live-blog the Emmys tonight, mainly because, after all, this is a TV blog.

But then I thought about it.

Picture 1

Where’s Battlestar Galactica? Kings? Did Jericho ever get any love?

Sure, critical darlings 30 Rock and The Office, though relatively low-rated (compared with the CSI juggernaut, anyway) get lots of Emmy love – as they well should. But most of the best shows on television rarely get any attention from the academy, unless they’re on HBO. And even there, The Wire never got recognition and it was, bar none, the best show on television during its run.

And if nothing else, this blog is about quality television (OK, and sometimes Charles in Charge, but I was young, sue me). And the Emmy broadcast itself is not quality television. How does the Oscar ceremony win a freakin’ Emmy every year? (Though I have to admit, choosing Intervention for Best Reality Series is a teensy bit redemptive.)

So tonight, I’ll be watching the Curb Your Enthusiasm season premiere and the series premiere of Bored to Death. We’ll probably catch up with the season premiere of Fringe, which I was waiting for my husband’s return to watch.

The Emmys? I’ll probably glance on Twitter every now and again. Or maybe I’ll just wait ’til morning.

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Supernatural: Where in the hell is God?

September 18th, 2009 | by | supernatural

Sep
18

I just need to start off by saying Thursday’s episode had so much of the humor that makes Supernatural also enjoyable.

I mean, “Spirit in the Sky” playing as the background music as Sam & Dean stroll into Demon Central, for us only to discover that the song’s actually playing on the radio of one of the abandoned cars? “Gonna recommend you/To the spirit in the sky,” indeed.

supernatural

And even when Bobby became all morose, his demanding Castiel “lay his hands on” him to heal him provided some much-needed comic relief. And Cas having to call Sam on his cell phone to find him? Too perfect.

But to the point of things:

We met one of the four horsemen and we have pretty much all the hunters together. OK, except Sam, who’s hiding out now when he’s needed basically more than ever before.

I understand why Sam feels he needs to pull back. His extreme desire for demon blood could cause serious problems. But would the problems be any worse than what is already happening? I mean, we ARE talking about the Apocalypse here. Hear that Sam? THE APOCALYPSE. End times. End Of Days. You know, with the Four Horsemen, Satan, Hell On Earth? Sound bad?

I also love how Dean, despite completely accepting Demons, first had a problem accepting the existence of Angels and now has a problem accepting that there is a God. Reminds me of the joke about the dyslexic agnostic insomniac who stays up nights pondering the existence of Dog.

And given that this is Supernatural, whose creators seem to delight in turning Catholicism on its head while being actually rather reverent, I somehow believe that God, once we meet him (or her – don’t rule that out!) won’t be quite what we expect.

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Supernatural: The boys are back in town

September 11th, 2009 | by | supernatural

Sep
11

An excellent start to Season 5 last night, with a reluctant host for Lucifer, a rift growing between the brothers and demons aplenty running amok.

One of the things I find most fascinating about the show is that while the demons are obviously bad, the angels aren’t so … well, angelic. In fact, the angels that seem to be the  most interested in doing what’s right seem to be on the outs with the angels who are running the show now that God him or herself is AWOL.

supernatural

If God can be AWOL, I suppose, given that s/he would be the one to grant said leave.

Anyway, I ramble.

First off, w00t! Mark Pellegrino, thanks for joining Supernatural. Now I’ll get to see you on two shows this season, once Lost returns in January.

Second, did you get totally hoodwinked for a moment by Evil Bobby? I sure did. What I didn’t see coming, however, was just how angry Dean was at Sam. But can you blame him? Sam did pretty much betray his brother and team up with a demon who – shock! – was playing him in order to get Lucifer out of Hell.

Now this is the question: Is Lucifer truly bad?

Hey – just remember that Lucifer/Satan/The Devil was an angel. And his fall was not due to his being evil. He just got kicked out of heaven and forced to deal with all the evil souls. While the demons around him are truly demonic (as opposed to the kindler, gentler sorts on Reaper), it stands to reason that the jury is still out on Lucifer’s actual evil-ness.

Sure, he basically tortured that poor soul into letting him use him as his vessel. Reminding a father of how his wife and baby were murdered by some guy who broke into his house is pretty messed up.

Third, thank you, Eric Kripke, for making Castiel still alive. I mean, really. Besides being the only angel so far who’s helped the Winchester brothers, I don’t mind seeing him on screen. And by “don’t mind seeing him,” I mean he’s easy on the eyes. Yeah, I said it.

The angels whom Castiel dispatched are pretty bad dudes. And by “bad dudes,” I don’t mean, “Wow, they’re so cool, they’re BAD,” I mean, “Wow, what assholes.”

I have to admit, I couldn’t completely follow what it meant that Dean is the sword of Michael. I got that he’s the vessel for Michael, but is there actually a sword? I know that sounds hopelessly moronic, but I got a little confused. But I was distracted. I saw something shiny and when I looked back at the screen, the bald angel was breaking Sam’s legs.

Lastly, I love that the prophet’s fan who writes the Sam & Dean gay fan fiction didn’t find Dean to be what she “expected.” Did you see the look on his face? Priceless.

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Supernatural returns tonight!

September 10th, 2009 | by | lost, supernatural

Sep
10

And, yes, I’m watching.

The CW lists tonight’s episode as “Sympathy for the Devil” (I’m guessing we’re going to hear a little of the Rolling Stones on the soundtrack, no?) and here’s the official description:

Picking up where the finale left off, Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) watch as the Devil (guest star Mark Pellegrino, “Lost”) emerges from Hell.

The brothers and Bobby (Jim Beaver) deal with the aftermath of Lucifer rising and the stunning news from Chuck the Prophet (guest star Rob Benedict) that Castiel (Misha Collins) was blown to bits by the archangels.

Robert Singer directed the episode written by Eric Kripke.

LA Premiere Of The Number 23 - Arrivals

Yes, Mark Pellegrino (center), otherwise known as Jacob from Lost. I loves me some cross-pollination, but I fear this might cause Beth & Erika to have coronaries.

Supernatural.tv says the second episode is “Good God, Y’all!” and is described thusly:

IS THIS THE END? — Castiel (Misha Collins) tells Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) that he is going to search for God, who will be able to defeat Lucifer. Bobby’s (Jim Beaver) old hunter friend, Rufus (guest star Steven Williams), is panicked about demons attacking his town, and begs Bobby for help. Sam and Dean arrive at the town and realize there is a spell over the townspeople, making them hallucinate that they are demons and causing them to kill one another. Phil Sgriccia directed the episode written by Sera Gamble.

I think we’re in for a beautiful ride, folks.

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3 new boys join the 24 cast

September 8th, 2009 | by | 24

Sep
08

They’re Rami Malek, Julian Morris and Hrach Titizian and will be on for several episodes apiece, at least.

picture-11

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

• Malek will play  Marcos, a would-be suicide bomber who is Arab American with sympathies toward radical Islam
• Morris will play a CTU SWAT agent
• Titizian will play Nabeel, the second-in-command of security for President Hassan (Anil Kapoor)

Now, this also means some things have changed. Back at the season finale time for Season 7, Kapoor was set to be the brother of/secretary of state to the president of this unnamed Middle Eastern nation.

At the time, I opined that I hoped this would not be another Behrooz plot, as Kapoor’s character’s wife and daughter were part of the plot. Of course, with Kapoor now being Mr. President, I’m not sure what other changes have been made. I need to read up, I guess.

Anil Kapoor of Slumdog Millionaire will play the brother of/secretary of state to the president of yet another unnamed Middle Eastern nation. His wife and daughter are in the picture, but I’m hoping this isn’t another Behrooz plot.

And for the sharp-eyed fans among us, you’re not wrong – Titizian had a blink-and-you-missed-it role in the Season 6 crapapalooza, two whole episodes, last seen accompanying Abu Fayed into the warehouse before the nuke went off. Presumed dead.

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Totally cool Lost posters, plus some casting news

September 4th, 2009 | by | heroes, lost

Sep
04

I have to tell you, ABC totally has learned how to do the viral thing with Lost in its roster.

Lost banner

To commemorate the final season, there’s 16 “top designers and artists” who also are fans of the show who have been commissioned “to create artwork celebrating one of the series’ most memorable, and unforgettable, ‘water cooler’ moments.” They are made in series of 300, all are hand-signed and numbered and measure 18×24. Look to cost $50.

Seems as if they’re being rolled out one a week and the first one was Hurley-centric, including nods to the meteor hitting Mr. Cluck’s, Connect 4 and Leonard and the car chase that ended in his capture. It has glow-in-the-dark elements on it, too.

The second was Locke-centric, “Just don’t tell him what he can’t do,” and designed very much in a classic movie-poster style. It’s already sold out.

The most recent one unveiled is the Dharma VW van, made out of flowers.

All the others just have a big ? on them.

Oh, and as io9 pointed out, they’re all being sold by “Ronie Midfew Arts,” which is “likely an anagram for “Widmore Fine Arts.”

Have I mentioned how much I love this show yet how crazy it makes me?

And speaking of Lost:
• TVOvermind has the news that the puppetmaster from Heroes has signed on for Lost’s final season. Not much known about who Eric Doyle will play, though it’s supposed he’ll either be Melky or Russell (see the next bullet point for explanation.
• Dark UFO had some casting info:

[MELKY] Male, 30s to 40s, any ethnicity. Dangerous looking guy that can be surprisingly calm. Runs a seedy chop shop and not someone to be messed with; has handled many dicey situations and is not thrown by anything…NICE CO-STAR

[JENNY] Female, early 30s, any ethnicity. Yuppie, sweet, happy and well off. Never had any problems until she receives heart-breaking news that tears her world apart. While dealing with her personal crisis, she then has to deliver bad news to someone else knowing it will hurt them, too…CO-STAR

[RUSSELL] Male, late 20s to early 40s, any ethnicity. Tough guy who takes no gruff from anyone. Executes orders efficiently but has a nice, compassionate streak that surfaces from time to time…CO-STAR

Now, what “NICE CO-STAR” means as opposed to “CO-STAR,” one can only guess. I keep going back and forth between thinking it means he’s a good guy and thinking it just means it’s a big role or has the potential to come back for more.

Or, of course, none of the above, and Cuse and Darlton knew this would get out, so they’re screwing with us by saying something like that. They’re for the third episode of the season

All this just makes me want Season 6 to come soooo much sooner than January. But knowing it’s the end, I don’t want it to start too soon, because that means it’ll come to an end that much earlier.

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