True Blood: Scratches

Eric: "You surprise me. That's a rare quality in a breather."
Sookie: "You disgust me."
Eric: "Perhaps I'll grow on you."
Sookie: "I prefer cancer."

Sookie nearly died, for a second time. More than enough to make her realize that the supernatural world is, well, dangerous. And dating a vampire isn't like dating someone of another race, or the same sex. It's a whole other thing.

Doctor Who: The Impossible Planet

Doctor: 'I promised Jackie I'd take you back home.'
Rose: 'Everyone leaves home in the end.'

When the visual effects are as stunning as this, it makes you wish that we were off-world more often. K37 Gem 5 looked spectacular, as did Krop Tor and the ruined city. Even the Ood, despite their rubber exteriors, were a triumph. It's amazing what you can do with a ballcock float, a bulb and a beard o' tentacles.

Highlander: Patient Number 7

Kyra: "We'll share the bed. Under strictly honorable circumstances."

On to immortal babe audition episode number two: Alice Evans as an immortal named Kyra. According to the Watcher Chronicles, she was born in 450 BC in Sparta. And more recently, she worked as a bodyguard until she lost her longtime mortal boyfriend (shades of Tessa) and came down with a bad case of hysterical amnesia.

Virtuality (Pilot)

Frank: "I'm asking if you know fantasy from reality, Roger."
Roger: "I think I do. Do you know what's real, Frank?"

Virtuality is the sort of high concept science fiction show that is exactly my cup of tea. It's also the sort of show that gets canceled immediately. And that's if it even gets the chance to go to series.

Highlander: Diplomatic Immunity

Duncan: "Your father died to save your life. It was his gift to you. Don't throw it away."

This episode wasn't bad. But it wasn't exactly all that good. Plus it was recycled; the "bad son of a good diplomat" was the plot of season one's appallingly bad "Nowhere to Run."

Doctor Who: The Idiot's Lantern

Tommy: 'Don't you get it? You were fighting so little twerps like me could do what we want, say what we want. Now you've become just like them.'

This was a hard episode to write about—mainly because I neither loved nor hated it. It inhabited that dreaded dead-space reserved for all things unremarkable. There were bits of it I liked, but it felt far too much like Who-by-numbers. The characterisation was uneven, the plot lacklustre, and I hate to say it, but even the Doctor got on my nerves this week.

Highlander: Sins of the Father

Duncan: "Interesting style, chasing an unarmed opponent on horseback and taking his head."

This was the first of the immortal babe audition episodes.

Doctor Who: The Age of Steel

Pete: 'I thought I was broadcasting to the security services. What do I get? Scooby Doo and his gang. They've even got the van.'

A marked improvement over last week's episode. I'm not sure it was enough to lift the story up to 'epic' status, but it's certainly not languishing on the naughty step any more. The clever dialogue returned, as did the witty retorts—in fact, all of the things which make for an enjoyable episode were back. But I still have several gripes with it, which I'll touch upon once I've covered what wasn't utterly hopeless.

Highlander: Armageddon

Joe: "Let's see what we got. We got a mystic symbol. We got some ancient cave paintings. Some old German saying all we need is love."
Duncan: "The answer's got to be in there somewhere."

Well, at least it's over.

Wonderfalls: Crime Dog

Objects: Cow Creamer, Crime Dog
Missions: “Have a pancake,” “Bring her home,” and “Right on red”

True Blood: Keep This Party Going

Sookie: "I don't normally cuss, but you have completely fucked me here."

I just got the biggest charge out of this episode; I watched the whole thing with a big smile on my face. I did not have this reaction to any episode in season one. Have they hit their stride? Are they going further, taking more chances? I can't put my finger on what has changed; I just know that I'm loving it.

Doctor Who: The Rise of the Cybermen

Doctor Kendric: 'It's alive!'

Well, after a promising start to the season (and two of my favourite episodes ever), we came down to earth with a bang this week. No TV show's perfect—there's always something to complain about—but tonight, the negatives far outstripped the positives. Which is a shame, because the return of the Cybermen should have been a cause for rejoicing—but as has been the case so many times this season, something went drastically wrong. So I apologise in advance for the negativity of this review.

Highlander: Avatar

Sophie: "I don't understand."
Horton: "You soon will, Sophie. It's the morgue. Off you go."

It's a year later, and the tiresome Ariman story isn't over. I suppose they couldn't just introduce the demon plot and not finish it. But I really wish they had.

Doctor Who: The Girl in the Fireplace

Reinette: 'Godspeed, my lonely angel.'

After last week's episode, I wasn't expecting another emotionally charged story—but this was an absolute delight! It didn't resonate in quite the same way as 'School Reunion'—Sarah Jane was a well known and much loved companion, whereas Jean Antoinette Poisson (apart from clanging some vague historical bells), was a bit of an unknown quantity—but by the end of the 45 minutes, my heart strings definitely felt moderately jangled.

Highlander: Archangel

Duncan: "According to Landry, it's coming for me."
Richie: "Yeah. Well, I'm not going anywhere."

What were they thinking?

Highlander: The Modern Prometheus

Byron: "There's a fire inside, and stories to tell. Do you have one?"
Mary: "I do. Mine will be about the anguish of immortality."

In the summer of 1816, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, his future wife Mary, and Dr. John Polidori spent the summer together in a house near Geneva. One night, they decided to see who could write the most frightening story. Out of that house party came Mary Shelley's Frankenstein as well as Polidori's The Vampyre, the first vampire story in English. It's one of those delightful historical events that has always tickled my fancy; it's been written about and dramatized many times.

Highlander: Forgive Us Our Trespasses

Keane: "What happened to your friend?"
Duncan: "It's Tuesday. He doesn't take heads on Tuesday."

Interesting twist on the standard Highlander episode. Evil immortal blows into town, big battle, Duncan takes him out. But this time, it was reversed. Duncan was the bad guy. And fortunately, nobody died.

The X-Files: The Jersey Devil

Case: A homeless man found in the woods, partially dismembered and cannibalized.

Destination: Atlantic City, New Jersey and outskirts

‘The Jersey Devil’ is our second “freak of the week” episode, and is penned by series creator Chris Carter. Unfortunately, this outing pales in comparison to the outstanding ‘Squeeze,’ and the monster of the week---a wild beast woman---is only memorable because she’s so utterly ridiculous. The “urban legend as reality” well wasn’t necessarily the worst place to go for stories (after all, it works pretty darn well on Supernatural), but the notion of a man-eating Big Foot living in the woods outside Atlantic City is completely laughable and the presentation wasn’t creepy in the slightest. Maybe it was more chilling the first time I saw the episode, before I knew the monster was just some dirty woman with matted hair, clean-shaven legs, and manicured fingernails. But in retrospect, the episode holds absolutely no tension. In fact, instead of being scary, the confrontation between Mulder and the “beast woman” is just awkward.

Highlander: The Stone of Scone

Duncan: "I've seen you cheat at cards, and I've seen you cheat with women. But golf?"

Absurd, gleefully silly, and tremendous fun.

Doctor Who: School Reunion

Doctor: 'You can spend the rest of your life with me. But I can't spend the rest of mine with you. I have to live on. Alone. That's the curse of the Time Lords.'

This was a hard episode to find fault with. I'd even go as far as saying that it was my favourite episode of Nu-Who thus far. Sarah Jane was the first companion I ever knew, and tonight's episode offered a fascinating insight into her life thirty years on. Her face when she first saw the TARDIS was a delight, as was her reaction at seeing the Doctor again. He's a different looking man these days—gone is the curly dark hair and shark-like grin. The burning question is: why hasn't the Doctor mentioned Sarah Jane before?

True Blood: Nothing But the Blood

Sam: "I don't know about you, but I think I've seen enough dead bodies to last me a lifetime."

Just outrageous. I alternated between gasping with surprise and laughing out loud. That's a good sign.

Doctor Who: Tooth and Claw

Queen Victoria: 'What exactly is that creature?"
Doctor: "You'd call it a werewolf, but technically it's more of a lupine-wavelength haemovariform.'

'Tooth and Claw' was a curious mixture of the good and the not so good. In terms of atmosphere, it was right up there with the best of them. It had a genuinely creepy feel to it (helped massively by some beautiful location shoots at Treowen Manor and Penilyn Castle), and the period costumes were unobtrusively effective. So in terms of ambiance, it scored big. But what on earth was going on with the Doctor and Rose this week?

True Blood: You'll Be the Death of Me

Sookie: "You're alive!"
Bill: "Well, technically, no."

Much of this episode was set-up for season two. The resolution of the murder plot was practically an afterthought.

True Blood: To Love is to Bury

Jessica: "No more belts. No more clarinets. No more home school. No more rules."

There was something of a tough-love-taken-to-extremes theme to this episode.

Stephen King’s The Gunslinger (Dark Tower Series, vol. 1)

“Go, then. There are other worlds than these.”

I promised you this review weeks ago. I have a billion excuses, but I think my delay boils down to this: it is one thing to review a book or series that you like or find amusing in a bizarre way (I’m looking at you, Fringe). It is another to review a book or series that you absolutely love. It’s even harder to review just the first part of a series—What should I include? What should I omit? Do I hint and spoil, or ignore and cause you to miss out?

Wonderfalls: Wound-Up Penguin

Objects: Wind-Up Penguin, Wax Lion
Missions: “Bring her back to him” and “Break the taillight”

True Blood: I Don't Wanna Know

Sam: "Bill asked me to look after you while he was away."
Sookie: "Did he ask you to do it buck naked?"

A vampire tribunal seems to be a cross between a kangaroo court and the Inquisition. It was a good thing Eric backed Bill's story. (Reluctantly).

Highlander: Revelation 6:8

Kronos: "The four of us. Reunited."
Methos: "Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'dream team'."

After frantically playing both sides as hard as he could, Methos finally had to make a choice. He made the right one, of course. But we knew he would.

Highlander: Comes a Horseman

Methos: "You know who I was? I was Death! Death on a horse!"

If you're going to go big, why not go Biblical?

The X-Files: Conduit

Case: The disappearance of Ruby Morris, a “Teen Taken from Tent by Aliens” according to the tabloid headlines.

Destination: Sioux City and Lake Okobogee, Iowa

If you go by the box sets available on DVD, ‘Conduit’ is not considered a mythology episode. My guess is that, even though it features the alien abduction theme, it didn’t make the cut because it doesn’t address the overarching government conspiracy to cover up the existence of aliens. Nonetheless, I’ve always considered it a mythology episode because it deals with the personal fallout associated with the abduction of Mulder’s sister.

True Blood: Plaisir d'Amour

Eric: "Humans. Honestly, Bill, I don't know what you see in them."

So Sam is a part-time dog, after all. I loved how they revealed Sam's second nature, something they've been teasing since the pilot episode. Bill had to have known. Which was why he left Sookie in Sam's care.

Doctor Who: New Earth

Rose: 'I love this. Can I just say—travelling with you. I love it.'

If memory serves me correctly, this is the first Nu-Who adventure to take place on an alien planet. We made it into outer space last year with 'The Long Game' and 'The End of the World,' but I don't recall us landing on alien terra firma. The visual effects team certainly went to town this week making 'New Earth' look as futuristic as possible. Good job guys!

True Blood: The Fourth Man in the Fire

Eric: "Honestly. Did you think you could keep her to yourself?"

Am I twisted? I thought that Carrie coming out of the grave sex scene was surprisingly hot.

Doctor Who: The Christmas Invasion

Jackie: 'What do you mean, that's the doctor? Doctor who?'

I have to admit I'm not usually a fan of Christmas episodes. They're a little too sickly for my tastes. Too much good will to all men going on, and not nearly enough maniacal Santas trying to blow up London with mortar-launching tubas. So imagine my joy when a sanity-challenged Santa showed up after the first 15 minutes! His musical weapon of choice? You've guessed it. Which can only mean that Russell T. Davies has been reading my Christmas wish list.

True Blood: Burning House of Love

Lafayette: "It ain't possible to live unless you're crossing somebody's line."

When Gran was alive, she protected Sookie from Uncle Bartlett. Bill took on the job. He was just a bit more proactive about it.

Glee: Pilot

Fox ran the pilot of their new fall show, Glee, a week or two ago. I just got around to watching it. And I fell in love with it in the first five minutes. It's wry and clever and funny and joyous; I must have laughed out loud ten times. I got to the end and wanted to watch it again.

True Blood: Cold Ground

Sookie: "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
Tara: "Stop worrying about being so damn appropriate. This is not an appropriate event."

Why do some people turn into assholes when someone dies?

Doctor Who: Born Again (Children in Need Special)

The Doctor: 'Back to your mum. It's all waiting. Fish and chips, sausage and mash, beans on toast... No! Christmas! Turkey! Although, having met your mother, nutloaf would be more appropriate.'

The Children in Need Special follows on directly from last season's finale. After a lengthy recap, the story picks up minutes after the Doctor's regeneration. The Doctor's full of energy, enthralled by his new body, his new appearance and his new existence. Rose, however, is far less enthusiastic. On finding herself aboard the TARDIS with a man she's never seen before, she can only conclude that the Doctor's been captured and that the man before her is an impostor.

Wonderfalls: Karma Chameleon

Objects: Mounted Fish, Stuffed Chameleon
Mission: “Get her words out”

The X-Files: Squeeze

Case: A series of murders in which the victims’ livers are ripped out, and in which there is no discernable point of entry.

Destination: Baltimore, Maryland

‘Squeeze’ is our very first “freak of the week” episode, introducing one of the series’ most memorable monsters, Eugene Victor Tooms. (To this day, I can’t see actor Doug Hutchison without mentally squealing “Tooms!”) Tooms is a genetic mutant who comes out of hibernation every 30 years to consume five human livers, tearing them out of his victims with his bare hands. As though that isn’t disturbing enough, he possesses the ability to stretch and contort his body so that he can squeeze into nearly any size opening, breaking into homes and offices through chimneys and ductwork.

Doctor Who: The Parting of the Ways

Rose: 'You are tiny. I can see the whole of time and space. Every single atom of your existence and I divide them. Everything must come to dust. All things. Everything dies.'

This was such a good episode that I'm not sure where to begin. For a start, it was a very emotional episode, similar in tone to 'Father's Day'. And I have to admit, I did shed a tear or two at the end (and maybe in the middle somewhere, too). Too much heroism. Too much loss. And maybe I'm a big softie, too.

True Blood: Sparks Fly Out

Bill: "A vampire would have drained those girls of every last drop. How's your Fresca?"

Poor Gran. Why her? She didn't have sex with a vampire. Not that we know of, anyway. But she was certainly nice to one in front of half the town.

Glee

Season 1 | Season 2 |
Season 3 | Season 4 |
Season 5 | Season 6 |
Articles | Cast |

Programming note: Our coverage of Glee consists of mostly the first three seasons.

Glee (2009-2015) is an edgy, clever musical/comedy by Ryan Murphy, the creator of Nip/Tuck and Popular. It's about an earnest high school Spanish teacher, Will Schuester, and his determination to make McKinley High School's Glee Club an award-winning team, like it was back when he was a student. Glee faces an uphill battle against the high school caste system (where it is the lowest of the low), the football team, and Sue Sylvester, the butt-kicking coach of the international cheerleading champion, the Cheerios.

Like Ryan Murphy's previous shows, Glee pushes the envelope with deliciously inappropriate musical numbers, and turns every high school stereotype on its head. It's packed with snarky, irreverent jokes about high school and life in middle America.

Season One

1.1 Pilot
1.2 Showmance
1.3 Acafellas
1.4 Preggers
1.5 The Rhodes Not Taken
1.6 Vitamin D
1.7 Throwdown
1.8 Mash Up
1.9 Wheels
1.10 Ballads
1.11 Hairography
1.12 Mattress
1.13 Sectionals
1.14 Hell-O
1.15 The Power of Madonna
1.16 Home
1.17 Bad Reputation (not written)
1.18 Laryngitis (not written)
1.19 Dream On
1.20 Theatricality
1.21 Funk
1.22 Journey

Season Two

2.1 Audition
2.2 Britney/Brittany
2.3 Grilled Cheesus
2.4 Duets
2.5 The Rocky Horror Glee Show
2.6 Never Been Kissed
2.7 The Substitute
2.8 Furt
2.9 Special Education
2.10 A Very Glee Christmas
2.11 The Sue Sylvester Shuffle
2.12 Silly Love Songs
2.13 Comeback
2.14 Blame It On The Alcohol
2.15 Sexy
2.16 Original Song
2.17 A Night of Neglect
2.18 Born This Way
2.19 Rumours
2.20 Prom Queen
2.21 Funeral
2.22 New York

Season Three

3.1 The Purple Piano Project
3.2 I Am Unicorn
3.3 Asian F
3.4 Pot O' Gold
3.5 The First Time
3.6 Mash Off
3.7 I Kissed A Girl
3.8 Hold On To Sixteen
3.9 Extraordinary Merry Christmas
3.10 Yes/No
3.11 Michael
3.12 The Spanish Teacher
3.13 Heart
3.14 On My Way
3.15 Big Brother
3.16 Saturday Night Glee-ver
3.17 Dance With Somebody
3.18 Choke
3.19 Prom-A-Saurus (not written)
3.20 Props
3.21 Nationals
3.22 Goodbye

Review of 5.3 The Quarterback

Season Four

4.1 The New Rachel
4.2 Britney 2.0
4.3 Makeover
4.4 The Break-Up
4.5 The Role You Were Born to Play
4.6 Glease
4.7 Dynamic Duets
4.8 Thanksgiving
4.9 Swan Song
4.10 Glee, Actually
4.11 Sadie Hawkins
4.12 Naked
4.13 Diva
4.14 I Do
4.15 Girls (and Boys) on Film
4.16 Feud
4.17 Guilty Pleasures
4.18 Shooting Star
4.19 Sweet Dreams
4.20 Lights Out
4.21 Wonder-ful
4.22 All Or Nothing

Season Five

5.1 Love Love Love
5.2 Tina in the Sky With Diamonds
5.3 The Quarterback
5.4 A Katy or a Gaga
5.5 The End of Twerk
5.6 Movin' Out
5.7 Puppet Master
5.8 Previously Unaired Christmas
5.9 Frenemies
5.10 Trio
5.11 City of Angels
5.12 100
5.13 New Directions
5.14 New New York
5.15 Bash
5.16 Tested
5.17 Opening Night
5.18 The Back-Up Plan
5.19 Old Dog, New Tricks
5.20 The Untitled Rachel Berry Project

Season Six

6.1 Loser Like Me
6.2 Homecoming
6.3 Jagged Little Tapestry
6.4 The Hurt Locker: Part 1
6.5 The Hurt Locker: Part 2
6.6 What the World Needs Now
6.7 Transitioning
6.8 A Wedding
6.9 Child Star
6.10 The Rise and Fall of Sue Sylvester
6.11 We Built This Glee Club
6.12 2009
6.13 Dreams Come True

Articles

Gleeful Moments of 2010 by Harry Earle
Holiday Gift Guide: Glee by Harry Earle
So, about Glee being a cult show... by Billie Doux
Glee (the pilot) by Billie Doux

Cast

Dianna Agron (Quinn Fabray)
Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel)
Jessalyn Gilsig (Terri Schuester)
Jane Lynch (Sue Sylvester)
Jayma Mays (Emma Pillsbury)
Kevin McHale (Artie Abrams)
Lea Michele (Rachel Berry)
Cory Monteith (Finn Hudson)
Matthew Morrison (Will Schuester)
Amber Riley (Mercedes Jones)
Mark Salling (Noah 'Puck' Puckerman)
Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina Cohen-Chang)
Naya Rivera (Santana Lopez)
Heather Morris (Brittany Pierce)
Mike O'Malley (Burt Hummel)
Harry Shum Jr. (Mike Chang)
Iqbal Theba (Principal Figgins)

Stephen King's Carrie

“We were kids.”

I was about ten when I first read this book. It left me with a series of images: A white bikini. A table thrust through a picture window. A gigantic crucifix. Buckets of blood and lots of fire. Ever since, I’ve had a strong distaste for gym showers. And, come to think of it, I ditched my senior prom.