True Detective 3.3 Review: The Big Never

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After being informed that the Purcell's have received a note stating that Julie is still alive Hays and West re-examine their investigation to see if they can uncover something they have missed. Mainly, why did Will and Jamie tell their father that they were going to meet the Frankie Boyle when, after interviewing him, he informs them that he had never made concrete plans or met up with the Purcell's outside of school. What were the Purcell children doing and who were they meeting? They return to the Purcell's to look through the children's possessions again they find a map, along with some handwritten notes with messages: 'It's alright', 'I'm always here', 'Don't listen', 'I'll always keep you safe'. The messages were in a sketchbook found in a Hoyt Foods bag, where Lucy Purcell previously worked two years ago on the chicken line. Coincidentally, Hoyt Foods also runs the Ozark Children's Outreach Centre, which has put a reward out for Julie's safe return to her family, causing a lot of false tips for the case (although, it turns out, the companies board cleared it with the count prosecutors office).

Later during another search party West finds dice to a game they believe Will was playing, and a bag of toys, as well as the site of Will's murder before his body was moved. The site is near a farmhouse the original search missed as the farm road wasn't on any maps. The owner tells them that he already spoke with the police, and that in addition to seeing Will and Julie multiple times, he also mentions a black man and a female driving around in a brown sedan. Be refuses to let them search the property without a warrant. West and Hays take the toys back to the Purcell's to identify, but neither recognise them despite having their children's prints on them, in addition to a set which they couldn't get a match for. West spots a family photo album that he hadn't seen before, as Tom had only taken it out since the children had been missing. Inside is a photo of Will's first communion, him posed with his hands in prayer the exact same way his deceased body was posed.

In 1990 the deposition continues, but now it is West recounting the events above in 1980. Hays and Amelia visit the Walgreen in which Julie's fingerprints were found. Hays expresses how tired he is with the case being in their lives, but Amelia suggests that she uses her book as an excuse to find out more information about Julie from the police. Hays goes to Walmart to shop with the kids while she does this, and Rebecca goes missing, causing him to panic. Amelia returns home giddy with success but Hays is angry as he doesn't want it in their lives any longer.

West visits Tom Purcell to ask how him how he feels about the case being re-opended and the discovery of Julie's prints, and we learn that Lucy has passed, perhaps a suicide, and that Tom is five years sober. Tom then asks West to pray with him. He alter leaves a message with Hays and work, whom he hasn't seen in nine years, telling him he wants to meet. They meet at a bar and he asks Hays to become a detective again under him, as he is in charge of re-opning the Purcell case.

In 2015 Hays and his son Henry visit the Doctor about his memory loss and it is all but confirmed that he has Alzheimer's, but he tells Henry he will kill himself if he is put into a home. He continues his interviews with Elisa and she throws him off guard with testimonies of witnesses who claim they were never questioned by police during the initial investigation. Some of these witnesses also claim to have seen the brown sedan the farmer mentioned driving around Devil's Den they day the Purcell's went missing, as well as the black man. Later in his study as he is trying to record things to remember Hays has visions of Amelia who implies he is worried about them finding something he left in the woods, and she tells him to finish it.

Rating: 3.3/5

Call Me By Your Name Review

During the summer of 1983 in Northern Italy seventeen year old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and his parents await the arrival of an American graduate, Oliver (Armie Hammer), who his father has invited to live with them for the summer to help him with his academic paperwork in return for him giving notes on Oliver's novel. Elio is initially annoyed by Oliver's presence - he has to give up his room for Oliver and the visitors carefree attitude draws the attention of Oliver's friends (especially the females).

Gradually, though, Elio begins to warm to Oliver and tension between them becomes clear - but of what type? Animosity? The desire to be like one another? The desire to be with one another? This is not made clear until over a third of the way through the long film, where while during a trip into town  Elio reveals to Oliver that he doesn't know anything about the things that really matter. Oliver asks him why he's telling him this, and he he's thinking what he thinks Elio is saying they can't talk about such things. It's a frustrating watch because these characters saying what they truly want to say, and everything they do say can be easily misconstrued. It's a testament to the film that it mimics reality so well in this sense but also detrimental to the audience in understanding the special connection Elio and Oliver seem to develop after this point in the film.

From here the film becomes slightly more comprehensible and relatable when Elio makes a move on Oliver after showing him his secret swimming spot and Oliver turns him down, telling him he wants to be good. The rejection is painful and Chalamet is excellent at portraying a young boy first obsession with a love he seemingly can't have. But as soon as the pain starts to sink in, Oliver gives in to the teens' advances and the rest of the film follows their whirlwind but ultimately temporary romance. It's a shame because there's a lot to be explored from both characters of wanting something that they shouldn't have, the thought process of finally deciding to cross the lone, the idea of age transcending love, and the ramifications of such an affair but ultimately the film seems more concerned with celebrating their love, as demonstrated by a powerful conversation Elio has with his father (Michael Stuhlbarg) before the end of the film. And this is fine, but it perhaps makes it a little less entertaining by the time Elio and Oliver get together.

Rating: 3/5

Unreal 2.8 Review: Fugitive

The end of last week's episode posed the question as to what Rachel and Quinn would do without one another, but wasn't really a question that Fugitive was all too concerned about deleting into. Rachel's stay at the psychiatric facility was simultaneously surprising at and not so. I would have thought the series would have wanted to play up this situation, but at the same time a prolonged stay there would have seemed out of focus for the series so understandably Rachel was quickly brought back onto the set of Everlasting. Coleman confronts Quinn about letting Rachel's mother take her to the facility but Quinn reminds him that Rachel called her - so things must be really bad and perhaps she needs some time off. Coleman insists that he is in love with her and goes to get her, but not before he catches Yael in his office looking up the footage of Romeo's shooting and she reveals that *GASP* she's actually an undercover reporter writing a book called 'Reality TV Kills' and wants Coleman to help her get the dirt about what really goes on behind the scenes at Everlasting. I like the idea that we don't really know Coleman's intentions with Rachel even after he gets her out of the psychiatric facility, does he really love her, or is he in it for himself and to get revenge on the series? I think his character is still conflicted about this, which makes for good viewing. Adding the Yael reveal is just too much though, and it is an unnecessarily soapy trope for Unreal to go down when when know it's capable of so much more.

Another somewhat soapy reveal was the true nature of Rachel and her mother's dysfunctional relationship - she was raped at their home by one of her mother's patients when she was  12. I do like they are are trying to explore what makes Rachel such a fascinating character but I'm not sure that I like the simplification that all her problems stem from the fact that she had been raped as a girl. Having been easily coerced (thanks to the drugs she was on from the hospital) by Coleman to record all the unethical things she knows that Everlasting has done over the years I guess Rachel felt compelled to tell him about that too. It was probably the wrong decision, her mother seems to have always told her that no one wants to deal with damage like that (although she was likely just protecting herself and her practice), and she's partially right. An already torn Coleman is going to have a lot more to think about. He lays awake staring at Rachel before meeting with Yael, seemingly willing to help her in exposing Everlasting and theoretically also ruining Rachel in the process.

The other parts of the Fugitive focused on the making Everlasting and as usual that weren't nearly as entertaining as the character insight into Rachel and Coleman. Darius was still missing after the shooting so the producers had to keep coming up with Survivor-esque challenges in which the ladies had to know all the answers to questions about Darius to avoid elimination, and then vote each other off. Jay eventually finds Darius thanks to eliminated contestant Ruby who lets him know when Darius contacts her and asks to meet. He tells her that he wants to quit the show and be with her and now that he's had his back surgery he can't play football and can focus on being abetter person. But she's not interested after being dumped on live-television, believing he practically told the world that she's too demanding. Jay tries to comfort an agitated Darius and tells him that without his football career his best chance to get anywhere with his life is to finish off Everlasting and marry the entitled Tiffany to set himself up. Back on set the other girls have turned against Tiffany though, and despite Quinn, Chet, and Jay's attempts to manipulate the situation they decide to vote her off. Until Darius appears at the last second and votes off Jameson. It sort of annoys me that after all the set-up they did with this boring producing of an episode of Everlasting that Darius can just come in and get whatever he wants. I'm sure that it wouldn't actually work since everything they filmed prior lead to a different conclusion, but anyway. Darius makes it clear he doesn't want Rachel anywhere near him and that he only talks to Jay and from now on he does the series his way. Quinn seems to think that it will makes things interesting, but I can't imagine anything more boring if he's already chosen Tiffany with two weeks left (although of course we all know her make-out session with Chet is going to come back to haunt her, so there's that at least).

Quinn also spent the episode fielding questions about having children from John Booth and while I'm not particularly adverse to Quinn having a love interest that's not Chet, I always hate how series' think it's okay to have an older couple talk about children so soon in their relationship because they are old and their biological clock is ticking. They've still only been dating for a couple of weeks, writers! Baby talk is too soon. Apparently not for Quinn though who agrees to keep dating John because she doesn't completely hate the idea of starting a family with him. Perhaps this is because of Rachel? It was made clear to her that Rachel is not her family in this episode, so whiteout her she doesn't have one at the moment. Perhaps another bad decision that will come back to haunt her.

Rating: 3/5

BoJack Horseman 3.1 Review: Start Spreading The News

The season starts off with BoJack doing a press tour for The Secretariat in New York and as with most things in life BoJack tells reporters constantly that 'it's a dream come true', but it's also a nightmare having to repeatedly answer the same questions and be teased about his previous work like Horsin' Around. The press are also constantly asking him, 'what's next for BoJack?'. He wants an Oscar for his role, sure, but after that who knows? BoJack reveals to his publicist Anna at the end of the episode (after having accidentally revealed to a Matinee Fair that his performance in The Secretariat is a digital construct), that he was almost relieved that the farce of having to act at a certain way and say certain things for so long just for one night of happiness to get an Oscar wasn't worth it. She seems to think is it, however, telling him that this has been his dream and that he's worked so hard already that he deserves that one night and that together they'll get it for him. Knowing BoJack Horseman, I very much doubt he'll actually win an Oscar for his role, because that's life.

Back in LA, J.D. Salinger announces that he no longer wants to keep making 'Hollywoo Stars and Celebrities: Do They Know Things? What Do They Know? Let's Find Out' stating, 'I told the story I wanted to tell. To prolong it for commercial reasons would be crass and inorganic'. This puts Mr. Peanutbutter out of a job, and Princess Caroline decides to focus all her agency's attention on the small amount of clients it has rather than trying to attract big name celebrities like J.D. Salinger again. This prompts Mr. Peanutbutter to put P.B. Livin back in business and his accountant unwillingly gives him one of his worst ideas to date while impersonating Todd (who had been accidentally packed into BoJack's luggage and was in New York) - 'A Spaghetti Strainer That's Also A Hat: The TV Show.' Naturally Mr. Peanutbutter tells him that he wants to put all his money into the series. I personally could see it running as long as Horsin' Around.

Rating 3/5

Difficult People 2.3 Review: Italian Piñata

On their way to attend the launch of Kevin Smith Jorts Emporium in Hoboken, Julie and Billy decide to kill time in an Italian restaurant. Much to Julie's surprise there is a group of women there that laugh out loud at her meat jokes and just seem to get her, after she was earlier wondering why women her age didn't like her as her and her mother Marilyn got free (and disastrous) student hair cuts. They mistake her for being Italian, thanks to the aforementioned 'little orphan Weird Al Yankovich' perm, and invite her and Billy out to a gay bar for Coming Out Day. To take advantage of the drinks special, naturally Billy pretends that he has just come out, which also attracts Joey, the brother of one of Julie's new friends.

Elsewhere, Arthur was tasked with organising PBS' staff birthday celebrations for the next month, but after accidentally spending the entire budget on one birthday Julie helps him by combining the birthday's of their neighbours son and Arthur's boss which results in the latter's clown phobia resurfacing. After the incident Marilyn shows up at his office after having a particularly stressful day as work as well (her stupid haircut was making it difficult to concentrate). Her client, who's daughter had joined a cult, made her fear for Julie's newfound identity conversion to Italian and together the pair set about going to get Julie back form Hoboken.

They needn't have worried though, as a seasoned watcher of Difficult People would expect, both Julie and Billy kept up their charade of being Italian and recently out, respectively, until they were caught out at the end of the episode, by characterising a Frank Sintara song as more of a 'Liza Minnelli song'.
The pair mourned the loss of New Jersey as they left to catch the train back to New York. Julie had finally felt accepted for who she was amongst the Italian women, earlier telling Billy, 'Everything that made me unacceptable as a New York Jew is celebrated as a New Jersey Italian'. Meanwhile, Billy had a difficult time playing a recently out straight guy in an attempt to get into Joey pants - who seemed to be aroused by the idea. Particularly hard when Joey offered to give him a crash-course in being gay. 'Lying about who we are made us accept who we really are - after we changed it', he responded to Julie, pretty much a classic line to some-up the pair as characters. Deep down, they will never change. They are who they are and they love themselves for it, but that doesn't mean that they'll   ever stop trying to validate themselves by trying to get other people to like them.

Rating: 3/5

Preacher 1.8 Review: El Valero

With Odin Quinncannon coming to collect on his bet, a drunken Jesse finds himself trapped in his church as the businessman attempts to bulldoze it to make way for a bigger and better Quinncannon Meat & Power.

This should have been an interesting showdown but Jesse being the marksmen that he is and assumedly the power of Genesis on his side he easily bests Quinncannon's men not one, not two, but three times throughout the episode as they try to charge the church - and it all happened off-screen as well avoiding any potentially exciting action sequences as well. Not only that, but the oddly-timed attacks ensured that is was made painfully obvious in this episode that the writers were stalling. There was no reason for Quinncannon and his men to sit around and wait to attack Jesse again but they did so twice, obvious that the writers were trying to give time to Jesse's going-ons in the church.

Eugene's return was a welcome surprise but Jesse soon realised that it wasn't actually Eugene that had crawled his way back from hell, but rather an hallucination. His presence was odd, sure Jesse felt guilty about what he had done but the hallucination didn't seem represent of Jesse's conscious at all but rather the spirit of Eugene himself - which also randomly departed at the end of the episode and very much felt like they just needed to put actor in the episode for contractual reasons. It also seemed like that was happening with Tulip for majority of the episode as her few short scenes showed her adopting a dog - only for her to later push it into a dark room assumedly feeding a severely injured Cassidy.

Fiore and DeBlanc's visit to the church, as least, was somewhat more interesting. Realising his inability to control Genesis - with Quinncannon on his doorstep with a bulldozer and a hallucination of Eugene messed with his head while the real one was in hell - Jesse called upon the angels to finally remove it from him with their song. While they were annoyingly tight-lipped with information this episode they revealed that Eugene could in fact come back from hell. Jesse wanted them to bring him back in return for giving back Genesis - but it had other ideas - popping straight back into his body before the angles left in a huff (maybe to get their chainsaws?).

The church siege ended due to yet another loophole with Jesse's powers. Donny, desperate not to be coerced by Genesis again, but also desperate to to prove himself to his wife and Quinncannon shot himself in the ear enabling him to go into the church and pistol-whip Jesse without a problem. He awoke with Quinncannon and go serving him with the papers to sign over the church. Jesse didn't understand how Odin hadn't followed God - yet he had. Again with those loopholes, as the flashback at the beginning of the episode told us in which Quinncannon lost his entire family in a skiing accident - he has only followed the God of Meat for a long time. Jesse asked Quinncannon for one more week to prove that God was tangible, and that he could bring him to Texas. Assumably Odin refused to listen to Jesse anymore as the episode ended with him been taken away in a police car by Sheriff Root.

Rating: 3/5

Music Review: Delta Goodrem - Wings of the Wild

One look at the cover of Delta Goodrem's fifth album makes it clear of the record's primal nature. Titled 'Wings of the Wild', Delta, garbed in a cheetah-print dress runs bare-footed alongside a tiger on a desert plain. The allusion to that theme of what it means to be a human being and exploring a  person's animal nature is clear all throughout the album, from song titles 'Feline', 'Wings', 'Only Human', to the lyrics with lines like, 'I broke the bars that kept me caged inside, yeah it's my time, to be be the fearless queen out in the wild' and ''There's power in the madness, there is presence in the truth of letting go' (I'm Not Giving Up).

But does the exploration of these ideas make for good listening? Sort of. The better songs on the album are those that are a lot louder and busier than the soft yet powerful ballads that defined her earlier career. Unfortunately there are also more than a few that delve far too into presenting songs that you'd imagine complementing the cover and they just don't work very well. 'Feline', is a good song that builds to the chorus, but lyrically, as you can probably tell from the title, falls short, and the same can be said for 'Encore'. 'Just Call' as a background of what can best be described as jungle-drumming, and again, is lyrically painful: 'And my love said, Ay ay ay ay ay ya, Ay ay ay ay ay ya, I will be here just call my name'.

Delta does manage to successfully capture what one presumes Wings of the Wild was trying to accomplish as an album though at some points. Faster-paced, more-produced and just more brash and confident tracks include 'Wings', 'The River' and 'In the Name of Love'. The biggest surprise of the moment is 'Enough' which features rapper Gizzle who performs the verses of the track and is a drastic change in tone, but still fits perfectly within the themes of the album. Which I suppose is the best way to describe the album. Not all of the tracks are memorable, like 'Only Human', 'Hold On' and 'I'm Not Giving Up', but Delta does enough to try and differentiate them, 'Heavy' being a prime example, in which, again, the last minute and a half of the song drastically changes in tone that it at least makes it for an interesting listen. While the uplifting ballad and second single 'Dear Life' was presumably meant to entice longtime fans the standout song truest to Delta's old music is left for the very end of the album in 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love', which highlights the allure of her as a vocalist and artist, which often got drowned out by the business of everything else the album tried to do.

Goodrem literally and metaphorically threw caution to the wind with 'Wings of the Wild' and while it didn't entirely work it did provide her most enjoyable album since 2004's Mistaken Identity, which is not something too many longtime artists can say about their work.

Rating: 3/5

Joy Review

Joy is a semi-biographical dramedy following the life of Joy Mangano, a woman who overcomes her dysfunctional family life as well as the difficulties of building a business from nothing, to invent the Wonder Mop in the 1990's.

The film starts off as a surprisingly funny one considering the potentially dry material. Joy (Jennifer Lawrence) is struggling to run a household which includes her bed-ridden mother, Terri (Virgina Madsen), her grandmother Mimi (Diane Ladd), her two children, and her ex-husband Anthony (Édgar Ramírez), who lives in their basement. Things become even more complicated when her father Rudy (Robert DeNiro) is dumped on her doorstep by his current partner, claiming she can no longer deal with him. It would be easy to evoke empathy with a set-up like this but O. Russell  gleefully paints this family with vivid strokes of outlandish humour, like Terri and her soap operas, or Rudy's inability to not be in love, that instead garner a greater sense of empathy through the familiarity of family. There are however, some more questionable writing choices, like that of having Joy's grandmother occasionally narrate the story, or it's odd use of flashbacks throughout different stages of the film.

Regardless of all this the film does have a plot though and eventually, after moping up glass on her fathers' new girlfriend Trudys' (Isabella Rossellini) boat, Joy is inspired, just as she was as a child, to invent a self-wringing mop. From here she must convince Rudy and Trudy to help her invest in her product after showing them a prototype so that she can manufacture them, but even after placing a second mortgage on her home she is unable to sell her product, when Anthony introduces her to Neil Walker (an underused Bradley Cooper), executive of the recently started cable network shopping channel QVC (Quality, Value, Convenience).

For me personally the film peaks at the end of the second act when Joy successfully markets the Miracle Mop on the QVC network after it had previously failed on the first attempt. By this point she has overcome an appropriate amount of obstacles to make this victory well-earned and inspiring. The writers, however, seem to disagree and the third act begins with the tonally jarring death of her grandmother, Mimi, and from there Joy's problems seem to unnecessarily multiply as once again the validity of her success and dreams are put into question. Her dysfunctional, yet previously endearing, family lose any semblance of kindness as her half-sister Peggy (an unrecognisable Elisabeth Rohm) makes a blunderous business decision behind her back, while her father and his girlfriend are revealed to have given her bad advice about her invention patent at the beginning of the film, and the father of her children stands idly by as all this happens and Joy is forced to declare bankruptcy. The scenes are potentially the most emotionally charged of the film, and Lawrence and DeNiro are given the best material to work with here, but to what end? After a western-esque standoff with a troublesome business partner in which Joy successful solves all her problems the end of the film shows Joy as the head of a multimillion dollar advertising agency in which she helps inventors like herself produce their products for television. It is a very odd ending. She's still taking care of her heartless family, a problem, it turns out, she was never to overcome. And while she's helping those like herself, she no longer comes across as herself, sitting at a big desk, dressed in a fancy suit (something she made a point about not doing before unveiling her Miracle Mop on QVC), no longer in touch with the woman that needed and made that mop. And that's not even mentioning that flashback to her time as girl is which she pronounced she didn't need a prince but seemed to be longing for one now.

Undoubtedly inspiring and surprisingly funny, although tonally problematic, Joy maintains itself to be an enjoyable enough film.

Rating: 3/5

Looking 2.1 Review: Looking For The Promised Land

It’s important for a series with an ensemble cast to take time every now and then to ensure that its main characters are keeping in touch with each other and haven’t become too separated or marginalised by their own individual storyline. There no better time to do this than in a season premiere, allowing both the characters and the viewers to take stock of what happened last season and where they are now. Looking did this by having Patrick, Dom, and Agustín head to a secluded house in the woods, owned by Dom’s now boyfriend Lynn, and it eventually resulted in a well needed release for all of our characters.

I usually find Patrick to be the most relatable character, early on in ‘Looking For The Promised Land’ he was a downright painful goodie two shoes, wanting to visit a thousand year old trees, quite Walt Whitlam, and play board games all weekend. I actually felt sorry for Agustin, who, while a master of his own misfortune last season, Patrick had slyly planned the weekend for to in attempt to cheer him up. All I can say is that thank god Doris arrived to convince them to attend an almost mythical fairy party that Agustin was brashly invited.

While there Agustin went skinny-dipping with Eddie (the welcome return of Mean Girl’s Daniel Franzese to our screens), the man who invited him, who works for a homeless shelter that supports gay and transgender teens.  It’s hard to say at this point whether this relationship will lead anywhere, but I hope it does. I was half expecting Agustin’s grief over his breakup with Frank to dominate his characters’ storylines early this season – but it might be more interesting to see him exploring a new relationship after have being in one for so long.

At the other end of the spectrum Dom is staying at Lynn’s house and musing over his baby photos, hoping to get more insight into him, but is then going and having ecstasy-fuelled sex with random men. I like Dom, I think he’s a refreshing take on the older characters usually depicted on television, so I like that he doesn’t really have his life together because it is so relatable – but I wasn’t really okay with this. He says he’s in an open relationship with Lynn, which may be the case (although be haven’t seen him and Lynn talk about their relationship so it’s hard to tell), but even if that’s true it’s obvious he wants something serious, but is still messing around with the relationship. Much like Agustin before him, if this keeps being the case I’ll stop enjoying his character. Yes, people make mistakes, but it’s painful to watch people purposefully sabotage themselves without good reason.

For example, Patrick is making mistakes too, but I’m sympathetic towards him because he finds himself in new territory and doesn’t know what to do. His liaison in the woods with Kevin turns out to be one of several, and it must be intoxicating for Patrick to know that someone likes him as much as he has loved in the past, most recently Richie. He seems to want more with Kevin, but also seems to be acknowledging the ridiculousness of the situation – that he’s cheating on someone with his boss, no less.  It’ll be interesting to see how things unfold throughout the season.

Rating: 3/5

American Horror Story 3.13 Review: The Seven Wonders

American Horror Story: Coven concluded its season this week with the witches of said coven undertaking trails, or 'The Seven Wonders', in order to determine their new Supreme, and the tension between each of the candidates, as well as the allure of the successor's reveal made for an entertaining first half of the episode.

The girls first had to use their telepathy to move candlesticks, and then coercion to manipulate one another, and there was plenty of bitchiness and snark to go around, particularly between Madison and Zoe. Then the girls had to undertaken descensum, having their soul travel to hell and then return. Queenie returned from her personal hell first, having already visited herself behind the counter at PLACE with a line of customers as far as the eye can see in last week's episode 'Go To Hell'. She was soon followed by Madison, who had to endure playing a supporting role in a live network production of a musical, and Zoe, who had to endure Kyle breaking up with her over and over again. Their hell experiences were played for laughs, but I would have preferred a much more in-depth and abstract exploration in which we got to see each witch have to fight their way through their personal hells to return to their bodies. Misty's personal hell was a perfect encapsulation of her character, having revived a toad, and then being forced to kill the live reptile over and over again by a biology teacher. It was a poignant end for such an uplifting character, but her innocence and squirminess was also a significant reason why she would never make a good Supreme, and thus, Misty day died, unable to return from hell.

Cordelia was surprisingly anguished at her demise, considering she was the newest addition to the coven, and therefore the witch she knew the least. The others, however, were eager to continue with the wonders and were soon participating is a lively game of transmutation tag throughout the grounds of the academy, despite the calls of Cordelia and Myrtle for caution. For good reason too, for seconds later Zoe accidentally transmutated back into reality and impaled herself on the gates of the academy, which at least provided the opportunity for the remaining two witches, Madison and Queenie, to perform vitalis vitalum and bring Zoe back to life. Unfortunately Queenie was unable to revive her, and Madison, unwilling to revive Zoe back into the running to be the Supreme, revived a fly to prove her worth, and crowned herself the new Supreme of the coven. Cordelia and Myrtle was smart enough to know that Madison would serve about a good a Supreme as Fiona never did, but the notion it took them to get into such a dire situation until the considered Cordelia to be a possible candidate for the title was overdue.

Nonetheless, Cordelia quickly got to work undertaking the trails, and soon enough not only had she caught up with Madison, but had successfully demonstrated her skills in divination, a task that Madison was unable to perform. And Madison was very annoyed about this, promptly decided she was done with the coven and threatened to reveal them to the world. Cordelia and the others seemed non-plussed at yet another one of Madison's bitchy outbursts, and proceeded with the trails by reviving Zoe. Kyle, however, was not too happy about Madison leaving Zoe to die before this point, and strangled her before she had a chance to pack her bags and leave the academy. Considering the amount of power she seemed to have earlier in this episode, death by zombie strangulation seems unrealistic, but then again, what doesn't in American Horror Story? Madison definitely got what she deserved, but I found her death underwhelming, and Spalding's sudden reappearance to help Kyle hide the body was just unnecessary and confusing. Madison's death did provide a nice juxtaposition with Zoe's revival and Cordelia subsequent completion of the Seven Wonders, looking as radiant and refreshed as ever (including a new set of eyes), having become the new Supreme. Good on her, she was definitely the character most deserving of the title, having lost the most for the coven throughout this season.

Unfortunately the episode lost much of its allure once the Seven Wonders were completed and the rest of the episode served as an overly-long and tedious epilogue to the series. Apparently Madison's idea to reveal witches to the world wasn't such a bad one in Cordelia's eyes since she held a television interview in the academy announcing the existence of witches to the world and asking any girls possessing powers to come and see them. This didn't make a whole lot of sense, but I guess the series was trying to demonstrate that after the destruction of the witch hunters, the voodoo witches, and the witches among the coven that posed a threat, that they had nothing left to die from. Myrtle's sudden desire to be burned at the stake (again) for the murders of her fellow witches also made zero sense, since her actions, although against the rules of the coven, indirectly led to it being saved. But Myrtle's theory was out with the old and in with the new, so back to the stake she went.

Speaking of people coming back from the dead only to die again (was this really not the major theme of this season?), back at the academy Fiona, who was thought dead at the hands of the Axeman, revealed herself to Cordelia. Fiona told Cordelia about her ploy to let the coven think she was dead by implanting a false memory in the Axeman, letting the coven kill him, and then returning once the new Supreme had risen so that Fiona could finally kill them and stay alive. Cordelia proposed that it would be difficult to kill her daughter, but I think the only reason Fiona couldn't do it is because she had just grown too weak. I wasn't really emotionally invested in Fiona's passing or her heart to heart with Cordelia, their relationship has felt very one-note and underdeveloped all season, so there was no reason I would suddenly buy into it now. But that being said, Fiona's hell was on par with the excellence of Misty's; forced to endure an eternity of being the housewife of the Axeman, a perfect vision of the life she promised to him that they'd build together.

For a series and a season that thrives on the allure of the unexpected and crazy, American Horror Story produced a rather conventional, and rather happy, ending, and could have benefited from a little more of the bizarre nature of the shown viewers have grown accustom to.

Rating: 3/5

Riddick Review

Based five years after the events of The Chronicles of Riddick, our titular hero finds himself abandoned on a harsh desolate planet inhabited by vicious Vulture-like flying animals, Viper-like swarms of water animals and packs of Jackal-like beasts. While he is able to best them for a time, even after being mortally wounded, Riddick soon adapts to his surroundings and raises and trains an orphaned jackal-beast pup as his own. Riddick soon realizes, however, that a massive series of storms that are approaching form the distance are unleashing countless more of the Demons, who must keep their skin wet at all times to survive. Desperately needing to escape, Riddick locates an empty mercenary station and activates an emergency beacon which broadcasts his identity and his presence on the planet. Two groups of mercenaries arrive, both after the large bounty placed on Riddick's head, and he must strategically eliminate them one by one in order to steal one of their ships to flee the planet.

Riddick looses the big-budget premise of the second film in the series, The Chronicles of Riddick, returning to its roots and going for the understated sparseness of the first film, Pitch Black, and it's done to much effect. A small group of characters, with conflicting wants that cause tension, as well as an unseen oncoming force that they must work together to overcome, will always be a proven formula for entertaining viewing. As is inherent with the film series, the film's futuristic sets, well-crafted landscapes, and the contrasts between the bright harshness of the planet with it painfully cold nights make it a visual spectacular to watch.

Diesel has really grown to encapsulate the titular hero over the course of the three films, and while he has never been a particularly well-developed character, Diesel provides an enigmatic and often sarcastic portrayal that proves to be fun viewing. The films, unfortunately, have always been too afraid to show the protagonist in a negative light, always hinting at the possibility of a truly horrible character, but always shying away from showing him. Riddick lures the two mercenary factions onto the deserted planet in which he has been abandoned, planning to escape, at no matter the cost. Initially Riddick does set traps that brutally maim and kill some members of the group, but they're all the sort of really annoying and unimportant characters that are killed off in all horror movies, so they're not much of a loss. Once they're all gone, however, and some of the more important secondary characters remain (important in the sense that they've have more screen time, but they aren't necessary any more developed), there's the opportunity to explore this really dark character in Riddick, but ultimately the film choose to make the role of the planets vicious alien inhabitants into the final villain that must be faced, and Riddick's ruthlessness falls to the back burner, pretty much in exactly the same way as it did in Pitch Black.

As mentioned, the mercenaries with which Riddick is ultimately forced to work with vary in their importance, but none really stand out in the film. Jordi Mollà would be the most interesting of the lot as Santana, the unstable leader of the more aggressive mercenary group. Despite a menacing start in which he brutally kills a female prisoner he's been holding captive, his character quickly turns into a slapstick caricature intended for laughs, not scares. Matthew Nable tries his best to bring something to his character Boss Johns, but unfortunately his character is written as a thinly-layered connection to Pitch Black, and serves little purpose in the scheme of the film. Katee Sackhoff's character, Dahl, Johns' second in command, is worst of all, however. While Sackhoff is well-known for playing hardened female characters, it's painful to watch her try to do the same here when her character is unnecessary written as a lesbian, with constant homosexual jabs been thrown about, and where she does a topless scene.

Like the problem with Johns' character, the film also has the difficult task of removing itself from the large mythology the series was left with at the end of The Chronicles of Riddick, and it doesn't do it well. Flashbacks are used at the beginning of the film to convey how Riddick, growing tired in his role as Lord Marshall of the Necromonger as caused uneasiness among his subjects. He strikes a deal with Commander Vaako (a surprising appearance by Karl Urban) for the location of his mysterious home world, Furya, and a ship to get there in exchange for the leadership. Riddick is escorted there by Necromonger guards, and he realises he has been taken to a desolate planet to be assassinated by them, before he kills them escapes. While it was an honourable attempt to still explain how Riddick got into his current situation, it was always going to be difficult doing so, and one can't help but feel that it may have been better if it had been ignored completely. It would have avoided an incredibly long and tedious opening act of watching Riddick have difficulty acclimatising to his new harsh surroundings interspersed with this unnecessary exposition.

Riddick provides nothing new to the formula it has already established, but Diesel is fun in the role, and for a science-fiction/ horror film it definitely does for audiences what it is designed to do.

Rating: 3/5

Californication 6.12 Review: I'll Lay My Monsters Down

Hank is torn over whether or not he should go on tour with Faith and Atticus, or stay in California and try and reunite with Karen. He arrives at Marcy's where she is showing off her wedding dress to Karen, and asks Karen's opinion on whether or not he should go. Understandably she tells him that they're no longer a part of each others lives and for Hank to consider her in his plans is redundant. Marcy is sad that they haven't reunited, explaining to them that her time in California has being one long mid-crisis but that she's tired of being unhappy all the time which is why her and Charlie are getting back together. On Atticus's plane, Atticus convinces Hank that if the two of them finish he musical on the tour hopefully the two of them will find love. Atticus's concert is undoubtedly crass, as we all knew it would, including a song called 'Right Between The Thighs'. He marries Charlie and Marcy on stage, and asks anyone else if they would like to get married. Hank proposes to Karen but she just smiles at him before Atticus asks everyone to leave the stage. I would say this is the smartest decision Katen has ever made in regards to her relationship with Hank, but the result remains to be seen until next season. Hank leaves with Atticus and Faith because of Karen's rejection, but while asleep on the tour bus he realises he has to go back for her. Faith is sad that Hank is leaving, but completely understands, as does Atticus. Crow drives Hank back to Karen's and the episode ends with him knocking on her door. A pretty uneventful episode for a season final, but it successfully wrapped by Atticus's and Faith's story lines while most obviously preparing for next season.

Rating: 3/5

Revenge 2.18 Review: Masquerade

After Padma's kidnapping Emily and Aidan try desperately, for Nolan, to track down The Initiative. Aidan uses his position at Grayson Global to ruin the companies finical holdings, which losses him his job but is successful in reuniting Daniel with Emily, Trask informing Daniel that The Initiative will no longer be doing business with Grayson Global. Aidan kidnaps Trask, and he takes him to Padma's body, revealing he killed his sister and father. Aidan snaps his neck, but Nolan is blamed for Padma's death. To me, Emily and Aiden felt cold towards Nolan throughout the episode, not truly understanding his loss. I'm interested to see when The Initiative and the Falcon will return, they obviously still have Carrion and I'm sure they have plenty more nicely dressed employees where Trask came from.

I love that Jack is infiltrating the Grayson's in an attempt to get his own revenge for Amanda, but his attempts to do so beg a different question: what does he actually want to do to make them pay? Emily has less problems in this department. She's after retribution for her father, and just when you think it's Jack's master plan to detour Conrad's election Q&A, Emily uses Nolan tricks to manipulate Conrad into making David Clarke's pardon for his crimes an election promise. This is all well and good for Emily, but it still annoys me that Emily never seems to be out of control, and I'd love to see Jack start spoiling her plans. He seems to know the right person to turn to as well, who else would want to recruit the self-serving Ashley Davenport as their co-conspiritor to bring down the Grayson's? Not a smart move Jack.

Using Mason Treadwell's information that Victoria had a son she put up for adoption when she was sixteen, Emily tortures her throughout her masquerade ball, sending letters and flowers from the abandoned son causing Victoria to faint. It also caused her to return to the nunnery to which she gave up the boy, unwittingly leading Emily there as well. What plans Emily good possibly have involving Victoria's long lost son is beyong me, but let's just hope it's good considering her mistreatment of both Nolan and Aidan to further concentrate on exciting her revenge.

Rating: 3/5

Game of Thrones 3.1 Review: Valar Dohaeris

Beyond the Wall Jon Snow finally meets Mance Rayder, the king of the wildlings, and is duely accepted by him because of his noble reasons for abandoning the Night's Watch. Jon will no doubt struggle adapting to the foreign community, but already his presence amongst a new group of characters seems promising against the stark comparison of his storyline last season.

At King's Landing Tyrion is saddened that his efforts during the battle of Blackwater have gone unnoticed by his father. Cersei is overly suspicious of what Tyrion might say to Tywin, but Tyrion asks him for his family inheritance Casterly Rock, to which Tywin replies that Tyrion is an embarrassment. I've always felt sorry for Tyrion in regards to his relationship with his family, particularly after his efforts to save them last season, but we've never actually seen a Lannister family dynamic with Tywin involved. Unfortunately it just led to a very depressing and subdued Tyrion, the opposite of what his character is loved for, so lets hope he soon finds a way to one up his father without being entirely disowned and losing his power.

Meanwhile Petyr Baelish tells Sansa that he is in negotiations to take a role that would remove him from King’s Landing and he offers to smuggle her out with him, but Ross, his handmaiden, tells Shae that Sansa should be careful with Baelish. Margaery Tyrell, Joffrey's newly be throed, has no reason to run, however, undertaking her role as future Queen quite well when she stops at the Flee Bottom and comforts children from the orphanage. Joffrey does not join her, afraid to step out of his carriage, and later that night at dinner Cersei tells Margaery that she ought to be more careful, to which Joffrey openly disregards her. It's great to see some tension between two characters that have been so strong together, especially from Margaery, who is a vast change from having passive Sansa at his side. No doubt she won.t stay there too long though if Cersei thinks she is being undermined.

Stranded on a rock in the bay outside King’s Landing after the battle of Blackwater Davos is picked up by a ship belonging to Salladhor Saan who returns him to Dragonstone despite his concerns about Davos returning. There he finds Stannis secluded and that Melisandre has been burning people alive at his castle for speaking out against her. Davos loses his temper at Melisandre, attempts to kill her, and is sent to the dungeons. While admirable, Davos's constant plight to ween Stannis out of Melisandre's throe has become quite tedious and repetitive. With still no more information given about who Melisandre is and her intentions the storyline seems baseless, and quite a waste of three characters who I'm sure could have potential. 

Across the Narrow Sea Daenerys arrives at Astapor in Slaver’s Bay and is considering buying renowned eunuch slave soldiers, the "Unsullied". She and Ser Jorah witness a demonstration of their fortitude, but Daenerys is horrified to hear of their gruesome training. Later, walking throughout a nearby market, a warlock, masked as a young girl attempts to assassinate Daenerys with a scorpion, but is thwarted by a cloaked Barristan Selmy who swears his allegiance to her. Darenerys self-importance is as heightened as ever now that she has acquired enough money to actually start progressing. However, I'm afraid her storyline will continue to be plagued by distracting subplots as it always has been, and Selmy's arrival at the end of the episode does nothing to qualm those thoughts,

Rating: 3/5

The Walking Dead 3.13 Review: Arrow on the Doorpost

Rick and the Governor finally met this week, under an attempt by Andria to negotiate a seize fire between those at the prison and Woodbury. Both Rick and the Governor however are leaders who will do whatever it takes to get things done, and neither is very willing to compromise. I felt as frustrated at them as Andrea did when they asked her to leave the meeting, but I simultaneously understood that in the world of The Walking Dead trust is something very few survivors can afford to do and both Rick and the Governor live by this. During the meeting Daryl and Hershel conversed with Martinez and Milton highlighting how similar the two groups are and potentially trying to build some history between characters so that when the inevitable time comes they have to fight each other, the stakes will seem that little bit higher (despite that nothing these characters shared during this episode was all that interesting). Back at the prison Merle believes that it's a good idea to attack the Governor now while he's unprepared, Glenn disagrees with him and refuses to let Merle jeopardise the lives of Rick and the others. A fight ensues but Beth breaks it up by shooting a gun. Merle settles down, but tries his hardest to convince Michonne that it could be their last chance to take the Governor by surprise. Later on Glenn and Maggie inevitably make up, so much so that they have sex while on watch. While I was a little annoyed the Rick confide in Hershel that he was considering giving up Michonne, it most certainly brings up interesting ethical and moral decisions that will likely have dire consequences regardless of Rick's choice. If he gives The Governor Michonne he is betraying a woman who, while new, has been invaluable to their groups survival. Then, as we know, the fact that the Governor is going to kill them regardless of them sacrificing Michonne. Rick raises an interesting point to Hershel though. Are they really willing to risk all their lives for Michonne? Yes, the Governor will kill them regardless, but is fighting for Michonne's life a more or less valuable cause then fighting for their own? Rick's decision to tell the others that that Governor wants them dead was a wise move. Now only he and Hershel have to be burdened with the fact that by giving up Michonne they could possibly save themselves, while the others will fight has hard as they can, believing that it is their only option.

Rating: 3/5

The Vampire Diaries 4.15 Review: Stand By Me

I was highly anticipating Silas' awakening and Katherine's return and while I was a little annoyed The Vampire Diaries slowed down the progression of its major arc during this episode it was understandable that the show took a break for the characters to mourn Jeremy. Elena's denial was painful to endure in the first part of the episode, as was Stefan and Damon's tip-toeing about confronting her straight on about Jeremy's death. When she finally came to the realisation though her reaction was entertaining and Damon's decision to turn off her humanity, while it was just another quick fix, will no doubt provide an interesting change in the Elena, Stefan, Damon love-triangle. Burning down her house, too, will provide a fresh setting for the show. Every character’s ability to leave the island at their will was logistically impossible, but at least Rebekah's discovery that Shane was still on the island, revealing that Silas is posing as him back in Mystic Falls was a thrilling twist. Bonnie's infatuation with bringing Jeremy back is just annoying, despite having her be bad providing cheap thrills. The ability in which Shane a.k.a Silas was able to convince her was not very believable and I hope Bonnie's logic in helping him is further developed, but I doubt it.

Rating: 3/5

Supernatural 8.11 Review: LARP and the Real Girl

It's always a little worrying when Supernatural takes on a case involving geek culture, because despite being a part of it itself, the shows primary characters, Sam and Dean, have nothing to do with that sort of culture and know nothing about it. This often results in the characters, Dean in particular, making fun of such things; he basically thinks he's better than it. And in the start of the episode, it started off that way, a lot of raised eyebrows and knowing looks between the Winchester brothers. There was a lot of exposition too, because, you know, Sam and Dean are oblivious to the world of live action role playing, and so are most of the audience, so I guess this is understandable. Anyway, with the mysterious and gruesome deaths of two LARPers the pair are led to Moondoor, where four factions are 'fighting' to rule the land, and the current Queen is none other than Charlie Bradbury. While I enjoy it when Supernatural brings back recurring characters Charlie's second appearance left a lot to be desired, character wise. She was uncertain and afraid when we first meet her and apparently since then she's LARPed her way into a false sense of security, but hasn't really started living again. Regardless, when she is inevitably captured they learn that one of Charlie's subjects, Jerry, has summoned a fairy named Gilda under his control to hurt his fellow LARPers in an attempt win Charlie's affections. Too bad for him she's into the fairies. The plot was fairly sub-standard but there were enough red-herrings and twists to keep it entertaining overall. Dean's bizarre fascination with the Moondoor and its inhabitants provided the episodes most humorous moments, particularly the ending, without making too much fun of the LARPing community.

Rating: 3/5

New Girl 2.14 Review: Pepperwood

About time Jess got an annoying jar! Schmidt's a douche, yes, but a lovable and harmless one, and why he should have to put money in a jar all the time over the more often than not cringe worthy behaviour of Jess is beyond me. Regardless, you have to admire her unwavering passion to teach, even if it is teaching creative writing to adults who write about Mer-men and masturbation. She's excited she's had a breakthrough with one of her students, Edgar, but when Nick reads his creative imagery assignments he becomes convinced that Edgar is a murder and decides to go undercover as Julius Pepperwood from Chicago as a new student in Jess's class. Initially Nick's investigation is amusing, but as with Jess, having Nick play the paranoid conspiracy theorist for the entire episode quickly wore thin. Obviously, in the end, Edgar turned out not to be a murderer, only guilty of having a much older wife and owning a mysterious duffel bag. Back at the loft, after an incident in which Winston accidently brushes himself against Cece, he discovers that his roommates talk about this often occurring with him, calling it his 'pogo'. In annoyance, he tells Schmidt the others talk about him too, and in an attempt to rectify what he thinks his pogo is, Schmidt shaves half his eyes brows out forcing Winston to reveal that his pogo is actually his ugly toes. This storyline relied heavily on the insecurities of the characters, and while it was all a bit of fun, a bit more sensitivity and understanding could have been used from the characters in regards to their roommates peculiarities. Plus, Jess and Nick's 'pogos' probably could have been a lot funnier if they hadn't had the Edgar storyline.

Quote of the episode:
Nick Miller - 'Writers don't read. We write.'

Rating: 3/5

Californication 6.2 Review: Quitters

While I'm still uncertain that Hank's time in the Happy Endings Rehabilitation Centre will do any good for his character in the long run, the new setting has undoubtedly allowed the show an interesting change of perspective. The necessary tragically hot young female that befriends Hank this season, Faith, has yet to sleep with him yet, but other than that, her usefulness throughout this season seems as if it will be pretty thin, particularly since she's already explained her backstory. Hank spent most of the episode being a sarcastic arse, but thankfully visits from Charlie, who is now a ‘gay-gent’ for Hollywood movie star Robbie Mac, and Becca, who has inherited her father’s unique ways in terms of discussing her sex life, kept things funny. I'm intrigued to see more Karen and Marcy interaction since they are now roommates, other than just them getting high, but I guess I'm going to have to wait. It looks like most of Karen's time will be taken up being interior designer for stereotypical rock-star Atticus Fetch, which at least will allow her character to be tied in nicely with Hank's 'professional' endeavours this season which is something the show hasn't done before. Marcy on the other hand seems to be having a hard time letting go of her cheating ex Stu, for which I am glad, because despite all the disturbing overzealous sex talk between them, I find the characters, and the bizarre relationship they share, endearing.

Rating: 3/5

True Blood Recap & Review 5.9: Everybody Wants To Rule The World

At the vampire Authority, the group watches the news which reports that the largest Tru Blood factory in the world has been destroyed. In celebration, they feast on a man tied to their table.
Molly tries to leave compound and finds that it is in lock down, meaning nobody is allowed to leave. Eric approaches her and asks her if there is any way that they can escape.

Sookie enlists Lafayette to help figure out who the vampire spirit Warlow is, and he ends up getting a message from Sookie's grandmother: that what she's looking for she's lying on top of. Sookie finds a box of Gran's old things under her bed and as her and Lafayette search through it she discovers from an old newspaper clipping that Sheriff Bud was the one who found her parents bodies. Sookie goes to Bud's house to see if he knows anything, and Sookie reads his mind and becomes aware he's hiding something. She questions him about Warlow and finds he doesn't know anything, and then large woman hits Sookie over the head with a frying pan and tells Bud to grab her body.

At the police station Jessica tells them that Hoyt is not apart of the supernatural hate group and that he tried to save her from them. She tells Jason that she's worried something has happened to him and he promises to find him for her. Deputy Kevin Ellis finds a website that Junior frequented called 'Keep America Human', on which are videos of the hate group in their Obama masks tying vampires to posts in daylight. On the video they chant long live the Dragon and Andy is reminded of Cleetus Boathouse, a former Klansman who died 20 years ago, who went by that name. Andy and Jason wonder who the new Dragon might be.

Terry leaves home and tells Arlene that he is going to find Patrick. Arlene begs him not to go for her sake and their children, but he tells her that they have to have a fair fight, and that they're the only reason he's fighting.

At Fangtasia Tara walks into Pam's office with four boxes of Tru Blood. Pam asks her what she is doing and Tara says that they have to start reserving their stock now that the Tru Blood factories have been destroyed. Pam tells her that they will keep selling to stop their vampire customer feeding off of their human customers and puting them out of business. She says that when they run out and they'll just have to pretend they're still drinking it to keep up appearances.

Eric confronts Bill and tells him his Pro-Lilith facade isn't going to fool Salome much longer. Bill informs him it's not an act, and that he believes in Lilith, but Eric reminds him that he is a true mainstreamer, and that his relationship with Sookie is proof of that. Eric tells him that they need to escape the next day by procuring Salmoe's blood to open the security doors.

Andy addresses the press about the hate group but can't reveal too much about the investigation. As he concludes his statement Sam and Luna arrive at the station and tell Andy they went back to the basement and got the scent of pigs. While Andy appreciates their help he tells them they're in danger and that they should go home and let him do his job. Irritated, Sam and Luna turn themselves into flies so that they can wait in the station overhear any developments about the case. Later, Andy notices one of the member in the hate group video is wearing the cowboy boots Bud was given at his retirement party, and they believe Bud is the dragon. Jason and Andy break into Bud's place and Jason remembers that Bud's wife's family owned a pig farm.

As Alcide drives he has a flashback to being a teenager. He's being taught by his father what it means to be a werewolf and the importance of being in a pack. A group of young wolves, including Alcide are given the option of choosing their human or wolf side as they go forward in life, and they all choose pack. In the present we see Alcide is driving to Jackson.

Arlene opens up Merlotte's and is confronted by Patrick who holds her at gunpoint. He tells her to ring all the employees and tell them that they are closed, and that he won't kill her if she does what he says. Terry arrives at Merlotte's and finds Patrick sitting in a booth with his gun at Arlene's head. Terry wants the fair fight, but Patrick says he's wife's pregnant and that he has to kill Terry for his family. Terry gets down on his knees and puts his hands behind his head so that he doesn't hurt Arlene. Patrick pushes her away and is about to shoot Terry when Arlene stabs him in the neck with a hairpin. The two men scuffle, and Patrick gains the upper hand, but Arlene retrieves the gun and points it at Patrick's head.

While in bed together, Salome tells Bill that they are chosen to bring about a new world. Bill asks her what if he didn't want to be chose, and she tells him that SOMETHING. They begin having sex and Bill sees her as Sookie and bites her until she dies. He then sees her as Lilith, before he again sees her as Salome. He has bitten her and has her blood in his mouth.

Sookie awakens tied up in a pigpen, and she sees Hoyt lying in the one across from her. Bud and the other members of the hate group confront Sookie, and he tells her that when he was Sheriff there were hundreds of unclosed cases due to supernatural beings and that something has to be done about them. The large woman that hit Sookie, Sweetie, boasts that they are doing what is right and are taking back America from the supernatural beings, and reveals herself as the Dragon. They then force Sookie to drink some ginger ale laced with oxycontin, planning to let her and Hoyt be eaten by the pigs. Before they can put Sookie into the pen with them though, Sam, who had shifted into a pig, shifts back and takes on the hate group. Sweetie runs away, and Andy and Jason arrive. Andy pulls his gun on Bud, and when Bud makes a move at Sam with his shovel Andy shoots him in the chest. Luna chases down Sweetie and beats her. After Hoyt is taken to hospital and all the group members are arrested, Sam and Luna decide to go get Emma.

Terry has his gun pointed out Patrick, and Arlene tells him he has to kill Patrick for their family. Patrick tells Terry that the reason they're in this situation is because Terry blindly followed orders, and that he needs to do what is right. The Iraqi woman appears telling him the same thing, and he shoots Patrick. The Irqai woman says that blood has been paid with blood, and summons the Irift which appears and takes Patrick's body.

Russell decides to show Steve his wolf pack. Russell tells him of their undying loyalty as pets, and Steve laments he never had a pet. They walk into a barn and Russell congratulates JD on becoming pack master. He then proceeds to bite his own wrist and the wolves flock to him for a drop of his blood. He notices Martha there, who is holding Emma. When Martha says she'll never drink from Russell, he grabs Emma and gives her to Newlin as his first pet.

In Jackson, Alcide arrives at his father's trailer. His father is watching a horse race and Alcide asks him how much money he put on the race. When he says he's entire pension check, Alcide scolds him, but then reveals that that is not why he is there. He tells his father that he lost pack master and has been abjured. He is now a lone wolf just like his father.

At Fangtasia, Pam sees a vampire sitting on Eric's throne while feeding on a human. She confronts him and tells him that it's prohibited to feed on humans in the bar, and that only the sheriff can sit on the throne. He replies that the Vampire Authority has lifted the ban on public feeding, and that Eric is finished, and that he is the new sheriff of Area 5. He throws Pam across the room, and Tara runs to help her. The vampire tells all the other vampires in the bar to drink from the humans.

Back at home, Sookie is visited by the faeries who tell her vampires are responsible for the Tru Blood factory explosions and that they want to take over the world.

Eric tells Nora that he wants to believe in Lilith but has difficulty doing so, and Eric asks her if she will help him. He takes her to the main foyer, and Molly arrives. The pair drug and Nora and are about to escape, but Eric wants to wait for Bill. He arrives and Molly proceeds to open the security doors, but Bill has betrayed them and Salome is standing in the elevator with several guards who handcuff Eric and Molly. Eric is seething, and Bill tells him he has been chosen by Lilith.

Rating: 3/5