Supernatural - Season 11 Episode 15 - "Beyond the Mat"

February 25, 2016

Maybe it’s residual disappointment from the X-File’s finale earlier this week, or my disdain for professional wrestling that colored my opinion of this episode, but either way, I was not too impressed this week. I wasn’t a fan of “The Miz” when he graced our TV’s for the first time as a reality star from MTV’s Real World, and I still am not a fan. He’s just too over the top for me, and I did Theater so that’s saying a lot. Dean however, doesn’t share my opinion, and was so moved by the passing of one of the professional wrestlers that he wanted to stop to pay his respects. Having an older brother who was a huge wrestling fan growing up, I pitied Sam as Dean’s childlike fan-boy behavior took over. I don’t know what it is about it, but wrestling is like crack to some people, and the characters in this episode are no exception.

Source: CW and http://rizlow1.tumblr.com/

I do give them props however, for their twisted take on addiction. Taking a seemingly human problem and turning it into a supernatural issue. When we first saw the shady exchange, I am sure many passed it off as just another professional athlete on steroids. It wasn’t until the drunken father who stepped outside to pee met his violent end that we began to see the pieces put together. This isn’t just a normal field trip for the boys, it’s a case. And even with the serious nature of the crime, Dean takes a moment to live out a childhood fantasy in the now empty wrestling ring, and for a brief moment I forget how much I don’t like wrestling. But all that is interrupted by Sam’s childhood crush and a rumor of a curse.

Dean makes his way to a local bar to pick the brain of one of his childhood favorites, Gunner, along with the other wrestlers. But it gets weirder. The curse mentioned to Dean? It goes hand in hand with the information Sam uncovered. Every person who has died around the “Top Notch Tour” has been branded with an ancient Sumerian symbol that allows for the “spark of life” to be taken. This sounds like the work of demons. Which isn’t surprising since Crowley, the king of hell has been under Lucifer’s control leaving the demon’s pretty much to fend for themselves as Lucifer is too preoccupied to care.

Yes!!! Just as I was wondering when we would get our spunky, roll over for no one, king of Hell back, he makes an unexpected escape with Simmons. I knew Crowley wouldn’t be defeated just yet! I miss him and his witty banter. This watered down, shadow of the man himself was beginning to shed his appeal. Back in his trademark suit, and out of his thrifted campy clothes, Crowley is back at it! But for how long?? That will have to take a backseat for now, the case is still open, and now Harley is missing? I’m not really complaining, but sure, lets save him.

Looks like we found our demon, Duke, and he wants Harley BAD. The more he protests, the greater the appeal. Gunner has about wore out his usefulness, and he needs new life. Harley tries to give this great speech about being about to accomplish his dreams alone. This only seemed to annoy Duke, who shows him just how weak the human body is when he cuts Harley’s Achilles heel. Now he’s going to have to make a deal if he wants to succeed, right? Cold hearted, but I wouldn’t expect anything less of a rogue demon. You can see the pain in Gunner’s face when this happens; he obviously never wanted it to get that far. Through his anger you can see he wishes he had had the strength to deny to the deal when he was offered it. Oh but it goes further, when Duke forces Gunner to finish his dirty work, a job he seems to have a little enjoyment doing.

But we need to get back to Crowley! He is at his secret lock up, and he has the rod of Aaron?! Who knew Crowley possessed one of the hands of God? I swear this guy has everything, I would love to poke around his lock up. Let’s hope Lucifer doesn’t hold it against him too much! Speaking of, when Lucifer pops up and joins Simmons and Crowley at Crowley’s lock up, my heart stops for a second. I mean, it is Lucifer, but I was hoping Crowley would be able to get away from him, I’ve become such a Crowley fan since he began his friendship with Dean! Oh no, Simmons, Crowley’s thought to be trustworthy companion worked against him?! That bitch. Why would she ever think this would end well for her? Sure Lucifer is higher on the totem pole, but Crowley ALWAYS gets his payback, and I wouldn’t have to wait long for her demise. Towards the end of the episode it kind of volleys back and forth between the Lucifer/Crowley stand off and the Duke/Winchester stand off. I kind of like this type set up, it keeps it exciting. However, when Crowley decides to use the hand of God, I cringe. For such an intelligent man, he should know better than to waste such an important weapon, right?! I mean hello, we still have the Darkness to destroy! But at least when Simmons jumps in the way, and it solves that problem. Stupid girl. But now we have no hand of God, AGAIN, and Lucifer is pissed. Poor Crowley. Hasn’t he had enough misery in his immortal life? I guess we will have to wait until next month when the show returns to find out. As for the Winchester men, the episode wraps with Gunner killing his tormentor, Duke the demon, and sacrificing himself to the hell hounds who come after him shortly after leaving Sam and Dean free to continue on a search for a way to end the Darkness. What are we going to do for a whole month without our boys?

Written by Kaylynn Kasandra. Awkward hippie who enjoys helping people, creating things, reading, sci-fi, fantasy, and Thor. Find more from her at kaylynnkasandra.com and
http://www.youtube.com/c/tiedyesmurf

X-Files Relaunch Episode 6 Finale Recap and Review

February 24, 2016

As the final episode begins, I find myself sad, yet excited. Are we finally going to see what this has all been leading up to!? Is this really the end or will we get more X-Files after this? I am hoping the latter. It looks as though this finale is going to follow Scully. No big surprise there as it seems the whole revival has been strongly based on her and her personal struggles. And now Mulder is missing, and Tad O’Malley, the eccentric TV host who worked with Mulder and Scully in the first episode of the revival, seems to think he knows why. It has something to do with the alien DNA Scully found in the test of her own blood. This is a fact that Einstein, who has joined Scully in looking for Mulder, can’t wrap her brain around. She can’t understand how our government could ever spike our vaccines with any unknown genomes or foreign properties. Aw, that’s cute, she still think’s everyone in the government is essentially good. A fact we have seen proven wrong in the many seasons of this series.

When a soldier comes into the hospital with an open lesion on his arm, where he received his anthrax shot, Scully uses it as an opportunity to explain the severity of a potential outbreak to Einstein and Miller; something that still seems too horrifying a concept to accept. Miller is determined to help find Mulder while Einstein assists Scully with the growing number of sick people coming into the hospital. Miller finds a way to trace Mulder’s location: his phone.

As Miller follows his lead to Mulder, Scully gets a call from an all too familiar face, Agent Monica Reyes. Reyes claims to have the answers Scully is looking for in regards to the outbreak. Is Tad O’Malley right? Is it chem-trails and microwaves that are activating this sudden illness? It seems as Reyes had been turned to the dark side, by another familiar face, the cigarette smoking man Mulder calls, “Old Smokey”. A man who claims to be the most powerful man in the world.

And now Old Smokey’s plan has been exposed! He wants to depopulate the planet. All but the chosen must go. And Scully is one of the chosen. That is the real reason she has the foreign properties in her DNA: it’s her protection from this outbreak. But what about Mulder? Why is he still missing? Is he safe too? Old Smokey wants to talk to him in person to determine that. For all we know, Mulder would rather die than give in to anyone. So let’s hope he doesn’t! Old Smokey tells him he can save him, give him the chance to be with Scully. They could start the world over; no more self-destruction, no more killing our planet in the process. A chance to make the perfect world Old Smokey has been planning for years. It’s hard to picture this world when the population is falling ill in alarming numbers due to what we now know as the “Spartan Virus”.

Thankfully Scully gets a spark of inspiration from her chat with Reyes. She thinks she can make a cure using her DNA. And let’s hope she does it fast, because now Mulder is compromised by the illness. And the rest of the world isn’t far behind him. This outbreak is now global. I’m stilled shocked there has been no reference to William, Mulder and Scully’s son. With less than 15 minutes left, I was sure the finale would conclude with some big family reunion or something. I guess I will have to keep waiting. It has to be coming, right??

Finally, Miller found Mulder. Sick himself, he tells Mulder he is getting him to safety. Mulder tells Miller to save himself, and get the cure from Old Smokey. Something he was far too stubborn to do himself. Miller, being the young Mulder type that he is, decides not to, and takes off with Mulder in tow. They call Scully, and she promises to find them, wherever they are. She finished her cure, but will it work? Einstein will be the first guinea pig to find out!

Scully rushes to meet with Mulder, single vaccine in hand. With all the abandoned cars and crowded roads, I am on the edge of my seat. Less than a few minutes to go… what is going to happen?! When is this big reveal going to happen?! Will Mulder be saved? Is this really the end of X-files as we know it?! Less than three minutes to go, and Scully spots Miller. Is she going to make it in time? All Mulder cares about is that Scully was spared. But he’s too far gone for her cure. And we finally get the William reference I was waiting for. His stem cells are Mulder’s best chance of survival. But how? They don’t even know where he is! Seconds after confessing this to Miller, a bright light shines down on Scully and Miller from above. All mesmerized by the triangular ship lowering overhead, we are left with a final zoomed shot of Scully’s eye. Really? That’s it? That’s all we get? All the talk of William led up to this? A mysterious cliffhanger that leaves us to draw our own conclusions? One can only hope they decide to come back with more. I know I haven’t had my fill yet, have you?

Written By Kaylynn Kasandra -Awkward hippie who enjoys helping people, creating things, reading, sci-fi, fantasy, and Thor.
kaylynnkasandra.com
http://www.youtube.com/c/tiedyesmurf

The Walking Dead - Season 6 Episode 10 Review

February 23, 2016

If the mid-season premiere began with a bang, this week’s episode begins with a whisper but still manages to hit us with a shocker. Perhaps he’s losing weight, perhaps it’s a bit more figurative than that, but we see Rick carving a new notch in his belt. Things seem peaceful. “More Than A Feeling” is playing, Judith is happy, Carl is sans eyeball but otherwise okay and it looks like Michonne is making herself right at home with them. Her only complaint is a lack of toothpaste. It’s not very clear how far into the future this nice scene takes place, but if you’ll recall Rick recently watched his old girlfriend get eaten alive, her youngest going out first, and her oldest getting shanked by Michonne herself. Love, apparently, moves quickly in the zombie apocalypse. And perhaps it should? You never know when your card will get pulled and you join the undead legion.

Rick and Daryl hit the road together for a supply run, with Daryl ruminating on how they haven’t seen people in a while and how that might be a good thing. While on their run, they come across a sorghum farm with a nice surprise parked in the garage. A truck full of supplies, including the elusive toothpaste Michonne had asked for. It seems too good to be true, and we know how that usually works out for our heroes. Making a pit stop at a seemingly abandoned gas station, Rick and Daryl run into a mysterious stranger who reveals himself to be Jesus. Fans of the comic anticipated his debut on the show perhaps even more than they did Negan. Is he friend or foe? Rick and Daryl find out he’s leaning more toward the latter for the time being, because his quick fingers and misdirection relieve them of their truck and leave them stranded at the gas station.

Meanwhile, Spencer is joined by Michonne in his walk into the forest and Carl and Enid enjoy some outdoor time themselves. Their conversation hits on this episode’s recurring theme: there’s an entire world outside of Alexandria and people living day to day just like our heroes are doing. Whether or not that’s a good thing remains to be seen. Upon encountering an unseen walker, Carl and Enid have a bit of a falling out because he doesn’t want to kill this particular ghoul. At first I thought it was Alpha Wolf, but who it was did add quite a bit of weight to this episode. Spencer carries a shovel on his walk, which perplexes Michonne, but it isn’t until the mystery walker is revealed and Deanna makes her undead return that we see why he has that shovel. It’s a heartbreaking moment to see Spencer give his own mother her final peace, and a reminder that the walkers aren’t just mindless monsters. They each meant something to someone at some point in their lives.

By contrast, Rick and Daryl’s encounters with Jesus seem almost comical. They catch up to him and he proves to be a handful, kicking both their asses before they pull their guns on him, tie him up and leave him on the side of the road. Thinking they had gotten rid of him for good and regained their truck, they find that he got loose and stowed away on the roof of the truck. In yet another scuffle, they manage to sink the truck in an oddly convenient lake. But something very important happens here: Jesus snakes Daryl’s gun away, only to use it to save Daryl’s life from an oncoming walker. He’s not all bad, but he’s not all good either. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, Rick and Daryl bring him back to Alexandria and give him temporary shelter. Comic fans know exactly how this plays out but I’m very excited to see all the tricks Jesus has up his sleeve. I refrain from making any miracle jokes here.

Carl and Michonne have a moment regarding their encounter with Deanna and we see a more tender side of Michonne and we’re given some insight to just how tight the group is. The idea of family isn’t necessarily who you’re related to, but who has your back and who loves you enough to give you a dignified death. Or second death. Later Rick and Michonne have an intimate moment and while I thought that Glenn and Maggie were the only hope for true romance on the show (Abraham and Rosita barely count as a couple), it seems that these hardened killers have finally found some solace in each other’s arms.

In the comic book, Michonne and Morgan were a thing, as well as Rick and Andrea. Yes, that Andrea. In the books she’s quite the marksman and not nearly as annoying as they made her out to be on the show. It seemed as if the writers had written themselves into a corner regarding some of the relationships between characters, and it seems a little lazy and obvious to have Rick and Michonne pair off, but it’s good to see our heroes actually living and being human beings.

The Jesus factor will definitely become a large part of this season’s direction. He’s the harbinger of a new era for our heroes, one in which other survivors will become of greater concern than the walkers. This will prove to be a double edged sword, because on one hand Alexandria can only expand and grow stronger with people, and on the other we’ve seen just how cruel and dangerous other survivors can be. Negan has yet to make his debut but rest assured it will be a hell of a thing. But when that day comes, that means yet another of our beloved heroes will have to meet their end. This week’s episode was subtle but important, and it’s probably going to be as calm as we’re going to get before the storm hits.

Written by A Play On Nerds contributor, Jerry Herrera - Lover of horror, sci fi, and fantasy in that order. Semi-permanent Disneyland resident. I'm at least one of the droids you're looking for. Twitter: @FrankenJerry - Instagram: @GeraldoPedro