Sherlock: A Study in Pink

Sherlock: "The game, Mrs Hudson, is on!"

Sherlock is a reboot of the Sherlock Holmes franchise and is the brain child of Doctor Who head-writer Steven Moffat and The League of Gentlemen's Mark Gatiss. It's also set in modern day London. Sounds awful? That's what I thought. In fact, I was completely prepared to hate this programme. How can anything good come of moving an iconic 19th century detective to the 21st century? Is the character of Sherlock Holmes even relevant these days? More importantly, can his unique brand of deductive reasoning cut the mustard in this modern age of GPS, computers and forensics?

Vampire Diaries: Let the Right One In

“Revenge. They want revenge.”

Our heroes and our villains are choosing sides. Damon, Elena, and Alaric made an alliance to save Stefan, the tombies are replaying the civil war, and Jeremy is trying to bat for the other team. With only five episodes left until the finale, it seems like some serious battle lines are being drawn.

Star Trek: The Return of the Archons

Man: "Come for the Festival, ayuh?"
Kirk: "Yes."
Man: "Got a place to sleep it off yet?"

Was this a communism metaphor?

The X-Files: Born Again

Case: The death of Detective Barbala, who appears to have been thrown out a window by an eight-year-old girl.

Destination: Buffalo, New York

‘Born Again’ takes us back to basic freak-of-the-week territory when, during an investigation of a suspicious suicide, Mulder and Scully encounter Michelle Bishop, a psychologically damaged young girl who may have telekinetic powers. When Michelle seems inexplicably connected to Charlie Morris, a police officer who died before she was born, Mulder begins to suspect that Michelle is Charlie, born anew and seeking revenge on his killers.

Moonlight: 12:04 AM

Mick: "Shepherd's risen, all right. And he is pissed."

Audrey certainly lucked into the right private detective, didn't she?

The crazed cult leader plot has been done to death, so to speak. It was pretty obvious right from the start that Donovan Shepherd thwarted his own execution because he'd been turned, and I'm glad they didn't try to pretend the audience wouldn't figure that out.

Haven, so far

[This review contains spoilers for the first three episodes of season one, "Welcome to Haven," "Butterfly," and "Harmony."]

Nathan: "Keep your hands where I can see them."
Audrey: "What am I gonna do, pull out another gun?"

The "quirky small town with a supernatural secret" has been done to death, and the SyFy channel is not known for consistency when it comes to the quality of their original series. But I have to say that I was more entertained by the first ten minutes of Haven than the first two full episodes (which were all I watched) of The Gates and Happy Town.

The female lead, FBI agent Audrey Parker (Emily Rose), is particularly strong, and I like her a lot. Audrey grew up as an orphan with no past and discovered during this pilot episode that she may have a connection to Haven, a town that appears to be trying to kill her. So far, the situation with Audrey's possible mother in the old newspaper photo feels like an excuse to get her to stay in town, because otherwise, why would a talented, ambitious FBI agent stay in weird little tiny little Haven? But it's true that finding out about one's past is strong motivation, and of course, there are the mysterious "troubles." So okay.

And the other characters certainly didn't bore me. I like the town's detective, Nathan Wournos (Lucas Bryant), and his ideopathic neuropathy (loved the EMT telling him he would get his tenth MRI for free). The producers also get points for casting Eric Balfour (Six Feet Under) (okay, and the Buffy pilot) as Duke Crocker, which is just an exceptionally cool name for what might be a cool character. Nicole de Boer guest starred in the pilot, and I've always been fond of her, too. The producers of Haven also did The Dead Zone, so she's worked with them before.

Since this review is late (I had intended to post a review of the pilot, but other stuff got in the way), I can report that I liked the second episode ("Butterfly"), too, even though it wasn't quite as strong as the pilot. They get big points for the big metal ball. Loved the big metal ball. And the third episode ("Harmony") was a good one; Lucas Bryant got a chance to shine – or more accurately, to freak me out. You'd think never feeling pain would be a good thing, but there's something about his malady that is just super creepy. (Yes, I know, Stephen King, of course it's creepy.) Eric Balfour's Duke was fun in this one, too. I'm a bit confused about his history with Nathan, but I'm certain we'll learn more as the series progresses.

I particularly liked the ending of "Harmony" because about three quarters through, I was saying to Dan, "Wouldn't it be great if that nice couple could just go off on the boat and be together forever? And they could take those two catatonic guys with them." And son of a gun, it happened. If there can be a feel-good ending to a horror story, that was it.

Haven is just fun to watch. It strikes the right note between scary and ludicrous. (And again, points for the big metal ball.) I have no idea if the show will succeed, but I'm getting a charge out of it, and looking forward to it every week.

And I'll close with a quote from the pilot.

Audrey: "Santa Barbara?"
Marian: "Yes. Have you been there?"
Audrey: "Twice. Once for a pedophile, the other for a serial killer."
Ted: "Marian and I are thinking of moving there and buying a shop."
Audrey: "Oh, it's beautiful. It's... it's... beautiful. And a lot safer now."
---
Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.

• Haven home
  

The X-Files: Tooms

Case: The return of Eugene Victor Tooms, who is up for release from the sanitarium.

Destination: Baltimore, Maryland

‘Tooms’ brings us back to the early days of The X-Files by resuming the story of Eugene Victor Tooms, genetic mutant extraordinaire. When Tooms is deemed capable of rejoining society by the court, Mulder embarks on a one-man surveillance mission to ensure that the quietly creepy killer does not claim the last of his five livers before going back into hibernation. Meanwhile, Scully struggles to balance her boss’s insistence that the X-Files investigations proceed “by the book” with her desire to help her partner catch an unconventional murderer.

Star Trek: Court Martial

Kirk: "It's not all bad, Mister Spock. Who knows? You may be able to beat your next captain at chess."

Did they forget they were doing a sci-fi show?

True Blood: I Got a Right to Sing the Blues

Russell: "Tell me what you are."
Sookie: "I'm a waitress."
Russell: "Yes, and I am Marie of Romania."

When I begin a review, I usually start with the prevailing theme of the episode. This one was such a violent jumble that all I could think of was half-naked men and a whole lot of blood. And did you notice that all of the violence was inflicted by women? Not what I would consider a valid feminist theme, but it was a nice change of pace.

Persons Unknown: Smoke and Steel

The Great Unnamed Organization (GUO) routinely kidnaps people who have lots of untapped potential, puts them through a sort of life-coach wilderness adventure trial by fire, and the sets them on their merry way to succeed, become powerful, and owe it all to GUO. Despite the vast number of people who do this, only one—whom we have yet to meet—has any objection to this coercive brainwashing. Everyone else feels like they owe it all to the program.

Don't You Just Love Vampires, Josie?

Yes, yes I do. Sadly, though, I gave myself the unenviable task of being the last of our vampire interviews, so I'm not sure I have many original insights to contribute. But if you find this interview boring, don't despair: Billie is compiling a list of the best Buffy quotes for next Sunday. A fitting end to Vampire Month.

The X-Files: Darkness Falls

Case: The disappearance of thirty loggers.

Destination: Olympic National Forest, Northwest Washington State

When thirty loggers vanish without a trace in Northwest Washington, Mulder and Scully take “a nice trip to the forest” to investigate their disappearance. Initially, the primary suspect is a group of “eco-terrorists” that have been actively harassing the logging company, but the agents soon discover a desiccated body trapped in an enormous cocoon and realize that something much more terrifying and dangerous is to blame.

Vampire Diaries: There Goes the Neighborhood

Stefan: “I remember them, from 1864.”
Damon: “Yeah, about that.”

Melinda Clarke and the Pearl-led tombies really shook things up tonight. The title refers to both of them, but they couldn’t be more different: Kelly isn’t much of a mom, but Pearl runs her crew, and her daughter, with an iron fist. Neither Kelly’s laissez-faire policy nor Pearl’s dictatorship, though, really worked out the way they wanted.

Star Trek: Tomorrow is Yesterday

Colonel: "I am going to lock you up for two hundred years."
Kirk: "That ought to be just about right."

This was a fun one.

The X-Files: Shapes

Case: The death of Joseph Goodensnake, a Native American who may have been murdered by Jim Parker, a white rancher with whom Joseph had a reservation boundary dispute.

Destination: Northwest Montana

‘Shapes’ finds Mulder and Scully traveling to Montana to investigate a reservation homicide, which Mulder suspects may be linked to the very first X-file, initiated by J. Edgar Hoover in 1946.

Moonlight: The Ringer

“She’s a dead ringer for Katherine Coraline.”

Alex O'Loughlin spent most of this episode looking completely nonplussed—at Morgan, at the fire photos, at Beth’s idea that he was hitting on her co-worker. I found Mick’s reactions more interesting than the plot of the week, although the is-she-or-isn’t-she emotional roller-coaster definitely ended on a high note. Josef’s sassy comments were pretty delightful, too.

True Blood: Trouble

Tara: "We need to talk."
Franklin: "Don't say that. Women say that, everything goes black, and I wake up surrounded by body parts."

I gotta say, my favorite part of this season so far is lunatic vampire Franklin Mott and his obsession with Tara.

Persons Unknown: The Truth

Okay, dear readers, dear strangers. It’s time for a confession. No, I don’t work for the evil whatever-it-is that’s running the “program” in the mysterious town. No, I’m not behind Tori’s death, and I’m not secretly married to Janet. But I am starting to feel awfully sluggish about this show—and I’d like to hear what you think, because I find myself consumed in a violent conflagration of 100% proof apathy. See, even my metaphors aren’t working.

Vampire Diaries: A Few Good Men

“Unrequited love sucks.”

It’s all about moms tonight—a bit odd, for an episode called "A Few Good Men." While Mia Kirschner’s Isobel is the emotional center of most of the plots afoot, Melinda Clarke (Julie Cooper from The O.C.) is the highlight. Two hot mamas.

Vampire Diaries: Children of the Damned

“Some people just shouldn’t journal.”

Normally, I don’t enjoy scenes in which two characters talk about a third. It’s lazy storytelling and lazy characterization. But Elena and Stefan, talking about Damon in the kitchen, was perfect: as they figured out Damon’s thoughts and motivations, they were also talking about themselves, and Stefan was, in his own way, reflecting on the past.

The X-Files: Miracle Man

Case: A series of deaths which apparently occurred at the hands of a young faith healer.

Destination: Kenwood, Tennessee

As the star of his adoptive father’s “Miracle Ministry,” Samuel Hartley has been miraculously healing the afflicted for the past 10 years, much to the chagrin of local authorities who believe the whole thing is a scam. When several of Samuel’s recent attempts at healing result in deaths, Scully and Mulder are called in to assist in the investigation. Mulder begins to suspect the boy is a legitimate psychic healer, after he “sees” Mulder’s long-held pain regarding his sister, but believes that the murders are the work of a third party.

Vampire Diaries: Unpleasantville

“What is this, like, a threesome now? You and the Salvatore brothers?”

The Vampire Diaries are all about vampire diaries in this episode. Not just Elena’s and Stefan’s journals, but Jonathan Gilbert’s, Papa Salvatore’s, Anna’s alleged grandfather…The parallelism is interesting: a whole collection of first-person narratives being exchanged among people (vampires) who have inhabited all the times under discussion. Whoever possesses the stories has the power.

Vampire Diaries: Bloodlines

“I knew that I could trust you if you believed that I was worthy of your trust.”

I think there might be a trust theme here. Bonnie doesn’t trust her powers, Elena doesn’t trust her boyfriend, Jeremy isn’t sure about trusting this pretty Anna girl, Damon is starting to trust Elena... but will she trust him? Should she? Can she help it? He’s just so pretty.

Moonlight: B.C.

Lola: "'Evil' is a word that gets tossed around a lot. Like 'great' or 'awesome'."

When this series first aired, "Fever" kept me watching. But "B.C." closed the deal.

Vampire Diaries: The Turning Point

“Oh, that sucks.”

This is it! This is the episode of Vampire Diaries that made me a convert, back during the CW’s marathon in December! Looking back, I think the past five episodes have been pretty darn awesome. I also realize the comedy inherent in being turned by an episode called “The Turning Point.” But I felt all nostalgic during my re-watch.

Star Trek: Arena

Kirk: "We're a most promising species, Mister Spock, as predators go. Did you know that?"

This episode had not one, not two, but three continuing Star Trek themes: an all-powerful superior race or being toying with the Enterprise, a seemingly heartless and evil enemy turning out to have good reasons for what it was doing, and Kirk once again sacrificing himself for his ship. But they are good themes, and the ultimate point of the story was valid. We're better than this. Brain is mightier than brawn. Mercy toward an enemy is the right thing to do, even if you're not sure they deserve it.

The X-Files: E.B.E.

Case: An apparent close encounter for a truck driver in Tennessee.

Destination: Tennessee, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, and Washington State

‘E.B.E.’ marks the return of the overarching show mythology, and finds Mulder and Scully in pursuit of suspected alien craft wreckage and/or an extra-terrestrial biological entity (E.B.E.) while trying to dodge shadowy government conspirators following their every move.

Vampire Diaries: History Repeating

“I think we should start over. Give this brother thing another chance.”

Good brother, bad brother. Ex-boyfriend, new potential. Best friend, other best friend. The past and the present. Elena and Katherine. The boundaries are getting blurry, sometimes due to forces beyond anyone’s control.

Vampire Diaries: 162 Candles

“When it’s real, you can’t walk away.”

There’s no reason this episode should have worked. Introduce a new character, let us get to know her, then stake her—these cameo deaths are as old as Lexie herself. But, despite itself, this episode was pretty darn good. Plus, we found out that Damon has a diabolical master plan.

True Blood: 9 Crimes

Ann: "I know the truth about life. It's a hell I'll never get out of alive."
Bill: "No one does."

You know what? This has nothing to do with my obsessive Eric/Sookie shippiness, but I just realized that I like Bill a lot better when he's not with Sookie.

Don't You Just Love Vampires, Jess?

[The next installment in our interviews with the writers about vampires.]

Actually, no I don’t. I’m a huge fan of Buffy and Angel, and I really liked the first two Underworld movies, but other than that, I’m not really into vampire lit, media, or culture. It’s not even like I’ve tried the other vampire stuff and not liked it (True Blood, Twilight, Vampire Diaries, Anne Rice, Laurel K. Hamilton, etc.)...

Vampire Diaries: Fool Me Once

“God, it’s like 1864 all over again.”

We’re back in the thick of it with this episode: Bonnie and Elena are still kidnapped, Damon and Stefan are still at loggerheads, and something is a-brewing with the Witches of Mystic Falls. There’s a lot going on in this episode, enough to mask the fact (for me, first time ‘round) that it’s really a long-con episode.

Moonlight: Arrested Development

“Maybe it’s the sum of a million coincidences beyond our control that brings us to a particular place at a particular time.”

It’s all about fate, and everything that gets in the way of fate. In our plot of the week, the killer vampire’s immortality was ruined by a cruel twist of fate (and some really bad acne)—Mick and Beth are just as cursed, only with slightly more epic problems.

Star Trek: The Squire of Gothos

Kirk: "If it's fighting that you want, you may have it."
Trelane: "Are you challenging me to a duel?"

I've always enjoyed this episode. It was probably a combination of William Campbell's gleeful, exuberant performance as Trelane, and the clever twist at the end.

Wonderfalls: Caged Bird

Objects: Caged Bird, Barrel Bear, Karma Chameleon
Mission: “Let him go,” “Tell him you’re happy,” “Give him heart,” and “There’s a hidden door in the bathroom”

Moonlight: Fever

Beth: "You're a delicate flower, Mick St. John."

Tonight's theme was trust.

Newsflash: 2010 Emmy Nominations

The 2010 Emmy nominations were announced this morning, and a surprising number of shows covered here at Billie Doux received nominations, including Lost, Glee, and True Blood!

Glee was showered with the most love, receiving 19 nominations. Nominations include Best Comedy, Matthew Morrison (Will) for Best Lead Actor, Lea Michelle (Rachel) for Best Lead Actress, and Jane Lynch (Sue) and Chris Colfer (Kurt) for Supporting Actress and Actor. Even the guest actors received some shout outs with Mike O'Malley (Kurt's dad), Neil Patrick Harris (Bryan Ryan), and Kristen Chenowith (April) getting nominations.

Lost also got several nominations for its final season, including Best Drama, Matthew Fox for Lead Actor, Terry O'Quinn and Michael Emerson for Supporting Actor, and Elizabeth Mitchell for Guest Actress. The finale was also nominated for directing and writing awards.

True Blood only got one major nomination, but it was a biggie, as it now goes against Lost in the Best Drama race.

Other personal favorites include a number of nominations for Modern Family (go Eric Stonestreet and Sofia Vergara!), a nod for Andre Braugher (I don't watch Men of a Certain Age, I've just loved him since his days on Homicide), Jim Parsons for The Big Bang Theory, and Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler for Friday Night Lights.

In case you couldn't tell from the picture, I'm most psyched about these last two nominations. Connie and Kyle have been doing amazing work for years as Tami and Eric Taylor, and I hear the rest of this current season is no exception (I'm watching on NBC). They've got almost no shot at winning, and I know it is foolish to look to the Emmy's for validation for your favorites, but it feels so sweet when they do get recognized! Here's to Kyle and Connie for these MUCH deserved nods!

Vampire Diaries: Haunted

“So she’s a vampire with issues?”

Vicki is a terrible vampire. Her lack of impulse control, her tendency towards addiction, and her lack of awareness about the harm she causes those around her are just magnified by the newer, stronger hunger for blood. We knew this couldn’t end well. But, even so, how it ended came as a surprise to me.

From Dusk Till Dawn

“Okay, ramblers. Let’s get rambling.”

Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn is a movie about a plucky band of misfits who learn the values of family, togetherness, strength in adversity, and Jesus. It's also about theft, vampires, gore, rape, and murder. And it’s got George Clooney. This review covers the basics but doesn’t give away the death toll. Although, obviously, I just gave away that people die. Such are the perils of Vampire Month.

Star Trek: The Galileo Seven

Spock: "The logical thing for you to have done was to have left me behind."
McCoy: "Mr. Spock, remind me to tell you that I'm sick and tired of your logic."
Spock: "That is a most illogical attitude."

Yes, this was another bad episode that we usually skipped. What can I say. Star Trek had its share of stinkers.

Moonlight: Dr. Feelgood

“We’ve got a rogue on our hands.”

It’s all about contrasts in this third entry: the doctor who kills, the vampire who saves, the astrophysicist overwhelmed by the minutiae of human interactions. And, on top of it all: the beautiful blond human who is a foil to the dark, mysterious ex-wife.

Wonderfalls: Totem Mole

Objects: Totem Pole, Bear Skull, Barrel Bear
Missions: “Go on in,” “Show him who’s special,” “Pick me,” and “Comfort her”

Persons Unknown: Incoming

“It’s survival of the fittest around here. Does this hurt?”

My inner sadist loved this episode. Kandyse McClure (Dualla from BSG) should star in that Wonder Woman movie they keep promising us: she kicked some serious ass quickly and efficiently, and even stopped for a costume change in the middle of her action sequence.

Moonlight: Out of the Past

Josef: "Humans don't know how to properly deal with their bad guys."

As I've said before, I fully acknowledge that Moonlight is derivative. But it's derived from lots of stuff I love, sort of like fantasy show smorgasbord. A little Angel, some Forever Knight, a touch of Highlander, my favorite actor from Veronica Mars. There's even a reckless girl reporter who gets into constant trouble, so you can add Superman to the list. And most importantly, Moonlight has star-crossed Buffy-ish romance, and I'm a sucker for that. Mick is a monster who saved the life of a little girl twenty-two years ago and has watched over her ever since. That's basic beauty and the beast. Very romantic. Not stalker-like at all.

Don't You Just Love Vampires, Billie?

In honor of Vampire Month, and because we were feeling a bit cheeky, we decided to continue the About Us interviews with an incisive series of conversations abut the very Important Topic of vampires. Um, I mean Vampires. Our first victim is site queen herself, Billie Doux.

Moonlight: No Such Thing as Vampires

“The food is mouthing off about the farmer.”

Due to popular demand—and our first annual Vampire Month—Billie and I are going to alternate reviews of Moonlight. We drew straws, and I wound up with the pilot. Once I looked it up on Netflix, though, I realized something. Something important. I’ve actually seen this episode before. I just forgot all about it.

Star Trek: Shore Leave

Spock: "The term is 'amusement park'."
Caretaker: "Of course."

Again with the theme of the perfect fantasy being dangerous. Except in the end, it wasn't.

Doctor Who: The Big Bang

Amy: 'Okay, kid. This is where it gets complicated.'

Good grief, she wasn't kidding. This was an episode which broke all the rules. There was no clashing of alien hardware, no Doctor v arch-nemesis fight to the death—all we got is one fossilised Dalek, and even it looked fit to drop. But what this episode failed to deliver in terms of dazzling, high-octane spectacle, it more than made up for in brain scrambling complexity. We went back and forth through time more times tonight than we've done all season. We were also treated to a wedding, two Amy Ponds, the return of Aunt Sharon, and dancing so freakishly disturbing that it should never have been shown before the water shed.

Vampire Diaries: Lost Girls

“Tip for later: be careful who you invite in the house.”

Sure, this episode is about lost girls: confused Elena, compelled and compliant Vicki, and catty Katherine. But it’s also about our lost boys: Stefan and Damon, pulled apart and coerced by the very same Katherine. Does she count as a lost girl? Seems to me like she knows what she’s doing.

Haven

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

Programming note: Our coverage of Haven is substantial but incomplete.

Haven (2010-2015) is a show about an orphaned FBI agent, Audrey Parker who ends up in a creepy, yet charming little New England town where people call their psychic or super powers "troubles." Audrey is exploring her past with the help of a handsome, clean-cut detective who can't physically feel anything, and a dark, intriguing bad boy who smuggles for a living. There is a piece of weirdness uncovered each week as well as the standard ongoing web of lies and deceit about what is really going on in Haven. Haven is a Showcase original show made in Canada and shown in both Canada and the United States.

Season One

1.1 Welcome to Haven
1.2 Butterfly
1.3 Harmony
1.4 Consumed
1.5 Ball and Chain
1.6 Fur
1.7 Sketchy
1.8 Ain't No Sunshine
1.9 As You Were
1.10 The Hand You Were Dealt
1.11 The Trial of Audrey Parker
1.12 Resurfacing
1.13 Spiral

Season Two

2.1 A Tale of Two Audreys
2.2 Fear and Loathing
2.3 Love Machine
2.4 Sparks and Recreation
2.5 Roots
2.6 Audrey Parker's Day Off
2.7 The Tides that Bind
2.8 Friend or Faux
2.9 Lockdown
2.10 Who, What, Where, Wendigo
2.11 Business as Usual
2.12 Sins of the Fathers

Season Three

3.1 301
3.2 Stay
3.3 The Farmer
3.4 Over My Head
3.5 Double Jeopardy
3.6 Real Estate
3.7 Magic Hour
3.8 Magic Hour, Part 2
3.9 Sarah
3.10 Burned
3.11 Last Goodbyes
3.12 Reunion
3.13 Thanks for the Memories

Season Four

4.1 Fallout
4.2 Survivors
4.3 Bad Blood
4.4 Lost and Found
4.5 The New Girl
4.6 Countdown
4.7 Lay Me Down
4.8 Crush
4.9 William
4.10 The Trouble with Troubles
4.11 Shot in the Dark
4.12 When the Bough Breaks
4.13 The Lighthouse

Season Five

5.1 See No Evil
5.2 Speak No Evil
5.3 Spotlight
5.4 Much Ado About Mara
5.5 The Old Switcheroo, Part 1
5.6 The Old Switcheroo, Part 2
5.7 Nowhere Man
5.8 Exposure
5.9 Morbidity
5.10 Mortality
5.11 Reflections
5.12 Chemistry
5.13 Chosen
5.14 New World Order
5.15 Power
5.16 The Trial of Nathan Wuornos
5.17 Enter Sandman
5.18 Wild Card
5.19 Perditus
5.20 Just Passing Through
5.21 Close to Home
5.22 A Matter of Time
5.23 Blind Spot
5.24 The Widening Gyre
5.25 Now
5.26 Forever

Articles

Haven, so far (first three episodes) by Billie Doux
Haven: first season wrap-up by Billie Doux

Cast

Emily Rose (Audrey Parker)
Lucas Bryant (Nathan Wuornos)
Eric Balfour (Duke Crocker)
Nicholas Campbell (Chief of Police Wuornos)