Dealing With 12.

Capaldi’s Past Whoniverse Appearances Not Ignored. Thank you, Moffat. You are slowly regaining all of the trust that I placed in you after "Blink" (but which you have slowly been chipping away at over the years). This is one of the things that has been bothering me about using an actor who has had a part in both DW and TW prior to being cast as 12 (especially when you consider that Volcano Day was kind of a big deal, especially after 10 was so adamant about not saving anyone, and Catherine Tate knocked it out of the park with her emoting.

I'm really hoping that whatever the reason is for why he 12 now looks like dude that was saved on Volcano Day, and dude that was involved with "Children of Earth" that it will be something that won't make me want to throw things at the TV (especially since the ending of the past couple of seasons haven't really lived up to what I think that they could have).

'Pilot' -- SHIELD 1x01

Warning: Spoiler Alert

Seriously ... what is up with pretty much every show calling their pilot "Pilot"? Can they really not think of something else to call it? I mean ... really. I know that it doesn't seem like it's something that should be aggravating, but it kind of is. I'd just like to have one of the shows that I start to get into have a pilot that is titled something else. It would be a nice change.

And since Joss is involved, we got a couple of alum from his stuff involved with the project. ::waves at Shepard Book:: ::waves at Gunn:: Did anyone else notice the fact that at one point, Skye called Mike "Gunn"? I seriously had to rewind it to make sure that I had heard it correctly. A goof? Or maybe a deliberate Easter Egg?

So, the rumors of Coulson's demise were greatly exaggerated? It makes me wonder what it is that they're not telling him about "Tahiti," cuz it's obviously something. It almost sounds as though he was implanted with false memories, while they worked on him in some underground bunker to make sure that he stayed alive (or came back to life, however you want to look at it). The fact that there is all manner of alien tech in this universe (and all manner of super human tech (as well as superhuman tech)) would possibly mean that they were able to use something to make sure that he stayed alive ... or maybe the Asgardians felt bad for what Loki did, and they decided that they would do Coulson a solid and make sure that he survived whatever happened to him cuz of Loki? They could have possibly kept him in Asgard while getting him better, and made him think he was on the beach on earth? But that would mean getting him back before he realized that he was somewhere other than Midgard. Erg. That wouldn't work, would it? At least not completely. But I wouldn't be surprised if the Agardians were in involved somehow, cuz they wanted to make sure that he survived Loki. And maybe they would only do it for him (and not the rest of NY), cuz he was a member of SHIELD. Please, no one take this away from me yet ... I WANT THEM TO HAVE BEEN THE REASON THAT HE'S STILL ALIVE!!

Overall, I thought it was a pretty solid opening for a show ... even though I kept getting the feeling that it was kind of like "Firefly" in some respects (and not just cuz Book was there). It was more cuz they were bringing together a group of "savants" (and that's how Joss described the crew of "Firefly"). I'm sure that other people could do that same sort of thing, and it could feel slightly different, but this had a Joss feel to it to me ... though, I may be imagining it a bit since I know that he was involved.

It was nice to see Scherbatsky on the show (and yes, she will always be Scherbatsky, no matter what else she's in), even though I don't think that she'll be in any other episodes (not with HIMYM being in its last season right now). She might be in some of SHIELD next season (provided that it lasts into a second season), since HIMYM will be off the air by that point, and it'll be cool to see her in more stuff.

'Valkyrie' -- Castle 6x01

Warning: Spoiler Warning

Sooooo ... Beckett is now an FBI agent ... and they're gearing the season up as though she's going to be there for a while, cuz it sounds like they're trying to make a new Big Bad for the series (now that they seem to be done with her mom's murder); and it looks like they're trying to have it be whatever this ghost base is. I can understand wanting to bring something fresh into the show, but I don't like that they're taking Beckett away from NYC or the boys (the boys were not in this episode nearly enough, not by far). And the fact that they're having her so far away, and with the FBI now ... Castle and the boys aren't going to be able to help her on cases (which Castle only proved when he started poking around after he got ahold of the picture that she dropped). So, there's got to be a point where the writers are going to bring her back to NYC and have it so that the boys can still work with her.

I don't see her coming back and becoming captain, and not just cuz Gates is still there ... she doesn't seem like she wants to be the captain (at least not yet). She still seems like she wants to be out there solving cases and not have to put up with the BS that comes with the job.

So, maybe realizing that Castle is so close to death, she'll realize that she wants to be closer to him once they find the antidote, and she'll go home? I'd love to say that I think that the writers of this show would be above doing something as pedestrian as that, but I can't. They've proven over and over that they are willing to go for the easy out on stuff. That isn't to say that I don't still enjoy the show (even though I want to pull Beckett's hair in every. single. episode.), cuz I do (and if I didn't, I wouldn't still be coming back). But sometimes there are things in the grander scheme of things that I wish didn't seem kind of predictable.

Also, I'm really hoping that this doesn't prove to be a repeat of season three (where the entire season felt ... off. Kind of like the odd/even thing with ST, but every third with this). That season almost seemed like there were some sort growing pains going on, and they weren't really able to get back in the grove again ... at least not wholly (since there were one or two episodes that still seemed like the show), and it didn't come back again until the next season.

So, here's hoping that things work out this season so that they're kind of awesome.

'Blood Moon' -- SH 1x02

Warning: Spoiler Alert

Is it just me, or is it kind of hilarious to watch the man who is not Hiddles, but who possesses Hiddles' nose and hands Ichabod go all amazed!balls over the stuff that the world has now that it didn't have a couple hundred years ago? Watching him use the shower and getting all alarmed by what happened with the water ... Ha!! And I suppose that if you don't know what a hair dryer is, using it to dry your clothes might be a logical conclusion for its use.

I suppose that adding something like a photographic memory was kind of necessary for Ichabod, since that might help him a little bit more when it comes to making sure that he is at least able to function in the world now, instead of always being three steps behind and to one side. At least now, once he actually starts figuring things out, and Abbie properly explains things to him, he might at least be able to "pass" as someone who is from our time ... though, still a little bit odd (since I doubt that he would completely adapt to his new surroundings, and I doubt that the writers would even consider doing that with him, since the way that he tends to trip balls over things is really rather humorous).

I was really glad to see Clancy Brown come back, even if he did only come back in a hallucination/vision. If you get Clancy Brown on your payroll, you don't waste him by killing him off at the beginning of the very first episode. You use that man!! He's too Big Name in the dorky circles for you to not use him (kind of the same way you would use Ron Perlman for the same reason). And I don't care how much time passes, he will always be the Kurgan to me, and I'm always going to want to watch him singing "New York, New York" along with Queen.

But the fact that he did come back in some kind of vision makes me wonder (and hope) that he might be back later as well. The fact that the actress who is playing Katrina is in the opening sequence would make it look like she's going to be a big part of the show, but the fact that he seems to be Abbie's Katrina makes me think that he might be coming back at least a little bit in future episodes.

I'm still buggin' about the way that the writers have been dealing with the horsemen, especially since they made the headless horseman out like he was Death in the first episode (despite giving him all of the trappings of Conquest), and now, they seem to be saying that he's actually Conquest (while making Death someone else, and giving him an appropriate colored horse). Yes, details like this are always going to get my brain running around in circles; that's just how it roles.

'Stay' -- Suits 3x10

Warning: Spoiler Alert

I don't know why it was that when I heard "Stanford," what I actually heard was "Harvard." So, Rachel still didn't get into the school that she would have needed to go to, and I should have remembered which school it was. That's my bad. But I suppose at least she's gotten the promise from Jessica to wave that rule about which school they're allowed to go to if they want to work at that particular firm, so she'll get to stay ... but I feel like that is going to come back to bite Jessica in the ass at some point. If/when other people realize that Rachel got hired after going to (Columbia, I'm assuming) not-Harvard, I have a feeling that there might be other people who would want to exploit that fact (regardless of the special circumstances that were involved with her getting a position as an attorney with the firm).

I'm still a bit annoyed with Rachel, and I won't lie that I would have liked it if there would have been a bit of a cooling off period with her (where she went to Stanford for a year or two). But I suppose that without her, there wouldn't be anyone that would be able to keep Luis in check. Yes, Jessica is able to do it to a certain extent, but it's not the same. When it's Jessica, it's like a parent coming in and smacking him on the nose (and kids don't always listen to the parents). But when Rachel does it, it's more like a younger sibling, and I think that he actually listens to her a little bit more than he would someone else.

I was super glad that Harvey has learned enough at this point to be able to put aside his pride and tell Luis the things that Luis needed to hear, and I have a feeling that those things coming from Harvey are going to have more impact than if they came from someone else (cuz of the history that the two of them have with each other). If Harvey hadn't been able to step up like that (and do what Jessica suggested that he do), I don't think that Luis would have been willing to do as much as he would have otherwise. Sure, blondie had managed to convince him to at least do a little bit of the right thing, but hearing Harvey tell him the things that he needed to hear only ensured that he would be on Harvey's side. And I have the feeling that if Harvey continues to be able to put his own crap aside, Luis may be willing to back him in most anything. I keep getting the feeling that he's kind of like a neglected kid who will do anything for the grown-up who gives him the attention that he most desires.

'Pilot' -- SH 1x01

Warning: Spoiler Alert

The first thing that must be said is that I dug this show ... a lot. To the point that I have a feeling that it’s going to be one of my new appointment DVR viewings, and I’m going to be pissed off if I miss any of the episodes (kind of like what SPN was in the beginning, and what “Grimm” has become now). But that being said, I do have a nitpick that I have to get out (before it makes my head explode).

They said in the show that the horseman was one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, right? They also said that he was Death and that he had a bow on his hand (and had him riding a white horse). Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. Death does not ride the white horse, nor does he carry the bow; that’s Conquest. Death rides the pale horse (which is described as being an ashen or yellowish green color, and if they were in a pinch, they might be able to use a palomino if they couldn’t find a “yellow/green” colored horse), but not the white horse. Yeah, this may not seem like a big deal to a lot of people, but getting the color of the horses when we’re talking about the Four Horsemen right is one of my pet peeves; especially since if everyone is going to the same text to get their information when they’re wanting to play with the horseman as characters, it’s not as though there’s all kinds of interpretations as to what the colors should be ... their origin is only in one book of the New Testament, and it should be easy to be able to get the information correct.

Moving on before I make my head explode ...

I kept thinking throughout the entire episode that the boy that they got to play Ichabod reminded me of Hiddles, and after talking to my friend Johnny, I guess that I’m not the only person who kept having my brain go there. It wasn’t just the accent that did it; it was his facial features (especially his nose) and his hands that really did it for me. And the more that the episode went on, the more that I liked the guy (cuz he made me really like Ichabod). I will also admit that I love the fact that the writers had him pronouncing “lieutenant” as “leftenant.” Yeah, that shouldn’t be a big deal, and I can understand why some people might get annoyed by it, but I dug it. It added that air of “I’m not actually from this time” without going overboard with the vocab.

I’m really digging Abbie, and I love the fact that she believed Ichabod (and that she was willing to stick her neck out for him). I have the feeling that the two of them are really going to be able to work well together, and they are going to be able to become besties (without any of that annoying sexual tension that you sometimes get in shows where the leads are male and female, or where the writers seem to have written an opening for themselves in case they decide later that they want to have the characters in a romantic/sexual relationship).

Also love? The fact that the captain’s last name is “Irving” ... as in “Washington Irving,” the writer of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” That makes me all kinds of happy on the inside, right inside of my nerdy place, and that is a fact.

So far I’m digging the thing that they’re doing with the covens, and not just cuz they don’t seem to be treating Wiccans like some other shows have done (even in recent years). I love, love, love Katrina, and I love even more that in the story by Washington Irving that was the name of Ichabod’s sweetheart (the one that Brom Bones was trying to chase him away from, which implies that Ichabod won out in the end).

The demon thing that is trying to get the horsemen riding again ... OMG that thing was creepy. I liked what they were doing with it (giving it the jerky movements, and never letting us see it in focus), cuz that made it even more creepy than it might have been if they had just shown it to us clearly and had it move normally.

So, overall (even with my nitpick), I’m really looking forward to getting into this show and its mythos.

'Bad Faith' -- Suits 3x09

Warning: Spoiler Alert

Normally I really like Rachel, but in this episode I wanted to pull her hair so very, very hard. All I could think was that she was one of those stupid bitches who can't seem to be happy about anything, and who insists on throwing eighteen fits about every damn thing.

Ok, I'm not sure that I would exactly thrilled if someone I possibly cared about used me against someone else that I possibly cared about, but I don't know that Mike using her in a roundabout way should have made her freak out so badly and make her talk about how she didn't know if she wanted to move in with him.

But then, I suppose that we found out why she was all over his case about everything for pretty much the entire episode ... she had gotten into Stanford, and she already knew that she was going to go (cuz let's face it, she is going to go). But that is something that I really don't like about Rachel. She is one of those girls who demands that the guy she is with be totally and completely honest with her (the way that she was all over Mike about his big secret last season ... yeah), but she'll keep secrets of her own and act like it's ok for her, but not for him. It's one of those things that makes me want to pull her hair. Hard.

I may be able to appreciate that she is smart, and that she is so patient with Luis (even when he's being a jerk), but I really am not digging how high maintenance she can be.

'Endgame' -- Suits 3x08

Warning: Spoiler Alert

So, I guess that we’re finally done with the murder trial, and on a certain level, I’m kind of glad (since they don’t typically spend so much time on only one trial that the gang is dealing with), but it also means that I’m not going to be able to see either of my homeslices from “Game of Thrones” anymore. Even though I would love to see Darby on the show for a little while longer, I have to give it up to Jessica and Harvey for being able to figure out a way to get rid of him so succinctly.

What was so kind of fantastic about that was that it didn’t look like Darby had any idea that they were even planning such a thing, which was totally good on them. But I don’t see why it was that he wouldn’t think that they wouldn’t plan on trying to get rid of him. The fact is that he came into the firm cuz Jessica was trying to get rid of Daniel, so he should have known that she would have been willing to do that sort of thing to people, and that he wouldn’t be exempt from her doing it to him as well.

I would have loved it if they would have been able to figure out a way to rightly get Steven on what he had done, instead of having to lie and get him in a round-about way. Sure, they were still able to get him, but it still felt a bit too much like cheating for my tastes. But I suppose that we should be grateful for what we get when it’s about him. Also, I loved the fact that Donna was the one that was able to let him know that he had been caught (that it was part of the deal that was struck). It made things that much more awesome cuz of how much he hurt her. Poor little ginger.

When she was waiting by the car, I’ll admit that I wanted her to hook up with Harvey, even if I knew that it wasn’t going to happen again. The way that the two of them look out for each other all the time, even when they’re upset with each other, it makes me kind of want something more to happen between them (even if it’s completely unrealistic). I guess that I’ll just have to be happy with the fact that the two of them are friends again, and Harvey isn’t upset about Steven anymore (or that he at least doesn’t appear like he’s upset about that anymore), cuz I don’t like it when the two of them aren’t a team.

Speaking of teams, I am always pleasantly surprised whenever Rachel and Luis have bonding moments. It makes me all kinds of happy that he has someone that he feels like he can connect with (and that he can open up to), and that he is willing to listen to her when she tells him that he is way out of bounds (especially since she seems to be the only one that he actually listens to when that happens). I get the feeling that the only reason that he listens to her is that he feels like she actually cares about him, and she has his best interest at heart. Harvey tells him things that are true all the time, but cuz of their rivalry, I don’t think that Luis is ever going to listen to Harvey, and not just cuz Harvey is so confrontational whenever he says anything. And it’s awesome, too, that giving Luis a friend in Rachel, the writers are giving him a chance to be something other than a one-trick-pony when it comes to him having a rivalry with Harvey. Now, he has the chance of becoming more of a well-rounded character.