Interview with the Cast of “Spartacus: Vengeance”
by Administrator on Jan.27, 2012, under News
Contributor: John Keegan
The following is an excerpt from a conference call interview with the cast of “Spartacus: Vengeance”, including Liam McIntyre, Peter Mensah, Lucy Lawless, and Viva Bianca.
Note: There are spoilers!
*****
John Keegan: This question is for Viva Bianca. One of the best parts of the first season was of course Ilithyia and her scheming ways. Can you give us a little bit of a look at what we might see in the second season?
Viva Bianca: I think, you know, obviously what we all saw in season one was that Ilithyia developed into a more and more of a complex woman. So, you know, in terms of season two “Spartacus: Vengeance”, Ilithyia has that whole recent history of really a guilty past. And a suitcase of treachery lies in deceit. So, firstly she has a lot to fight for and she’s had a lot to fight against. And, you know, as people become aware in episode one, Ilithyia lands right back at the place she so much wants to escape. So it kind of just, you know, ends of playing out as a fight for her life really.
Lucy Lawless: That’s right, it is a fight for her life, and her husband’s affections.
Viva Bianca: That’s right, and I think with regards to Ilithyia and Lucretia, what’s so interesting in season two is that, because of the circumstances in which they both landed, they are forced into a situation of becoming a lot closer than they even were in season one. Which means a potential for drama and the unraveling of that revelation is so much more interesting. Really there’s a lot in store in too for this female relationship.
Liam McIntyre: Well that’s what I like about all the characters. I think it’s safe to say that every single character has death right at the corner every time – at every turn, actually. From Spartacus all the way up to you guys.
Lucy Lawless: Yes.
Viva Bianca: It was not a kind or gentle society, that’s for sure!
*****
John Keegan: The first season was largely centered on the House of Batiatus and the ludus, and so with the second season, it seems the story is definitely widening in scope. How did that affect how you approached the character or how they approached their situation? And I know that, Liam, you won’t be able to answer that quite as much as the other three, so I just wanted to emphasize…well done, sir, what I’ve seen so far, you’ve done a wonderful job.
Liam McIntyre: Thank you! Fire away, guys!
Viva Bianca: To me, it was different coming back to the House of Batiatus and actually being the lady of the house, the domina, and kind of being in a subversion of power in roles with Lucretia. So it was just kind of being in the same environment as season one, but with a different relationship to that environment. So it was good because it meant that it was different and as an actor it’s always nice to be challenged by new things.
Peter Mensah: I think what was great about it is, with each episode, we kind of have a little bit more information, a little bit more experience playing your character and I definitely feel like playing Oenomaus it was – it’s a continuing learning curve always finding out the elements that help at one point, make him who he is and then exploring so the journey as it unfolds, he has to figure out, okay, there’s one structure in life that I was attached to, it’s all gone, so now what do I do?
So it was sort of the expanding story. It was actually something I really embraced and I felt it was really useful in playing the character because it allowed for, you know, different platforms to react to. Everybody meets Oenomaus in the first season as Doctore. He’s pretty impassive. He doesn’t’ really let on much. And as the story unfolds you see a human person and the reasons why he was the way he was when you first meet him, and I think in this season we really get to explore when all those structures are gone from him he’s incredibly vulnerable and for an actor it was just great to go to a higher range from being that dominant person to a person who really had to show every single emotion. So I loved doing it. It was a fantastic fantastic season to work.
Lucy Lawless: Yes, my character goes from having everything and being on the make on the up and up with her husband to losing everything, her husband, her baby, her lover, her house, her status and her marbles. So it’s going to be – she’s going to have to claw her way back to any kind of safety. And she’s in a pit of vipers so she better watch out. No offense, Ilithyia.
Viva Bianca: I’m offended, Lucy! OK, not really.
*****
John Keegan: This is just a quick follow-up for Peter. Earlier you were talking about the fact that Oenomaus had to make that choice at the end of the first season. Of course, part of that wasthat he had been betrayed by Spartacus. So how does that play into the beginning of the second season?
Peter Mensah: Well, actually, that’s the interesting thing. Effectively, you know, he recognizes that he has no affiliation. He’s been betrayed by everyone he knows and so the problem for Oenomaus as the season begins is, you know, he doesn’t identify himself with the rebels and absolutely is no longer attached to the ludus. And remember, he was just about to gain his freedom when all hell broke loose. So he remains a slave, he doesn’t have a status, he has no friends, it’s a pretty sad beginning to the show. So, you know, as I say, I hope everybody can go along on the journey with him but it’s a pretty tough place to start.
Liam McIntyre: That’s one of the things I loved working with you on as our characters – when we meet was how we could build that relationship between us after we burnt that bridge. I think Peter is a real great thinking man’s actor and it was a real pleasure to be able to kind of develop that kind of relationship with someone like that.
Peter Mensah: Thanks, Liam. I don’t remember thinking too much but…(laughs)
Liam McIntyre: Well, it looks like it, so that’s how good an actor he is!
Peter Mensah: Oh, that’s the acting part!
Liam McIntyre: No, but it was really great for all those reasons and that kind of betrayal, especially from Season One giving – when Andy gives you the poison chalice, as it were, and really just building up because you’re a real powerful driving force in the rebellion as it moves forward and then really trying to get a relationship, a way to base that relationship in, was great.
Peter Mensah: Well, I think that’s one of the interesting things about this season is that all the journeys that everyone goes through. Spartacus has so many sort of battles to fight, but at the same time, the humanity in him is what I think you tend to identify with, and what Oenomaus sees in him ultimately as being someone to align with.
And I think that’s the interesting part. Everyone in this story has to find out who their affiliations are, and what they believe and sort of what to stand up for. And, you know, Liam plays a very strong, very sensitive Spartacus that also sees all the conflict, but somehow or other finds himself the leader of men and has to find a way.
And I think this is the journey – every character in this has to find out who they really are. And then Steve, his writers have actually put in a number of really challenging scenarios in front of everyone and I think that’s what helps the audience sort of go along with it.
So, as usual, there is no one clear path, so what you might see in one episode gives you no indication what’s going to happen next which is, you know, the brilliant part about doing the show.
Liam McIntyre: It sure kept it interesting for us, didn’t it?
Peter Mensah: Oh, yeah!
Review #3248: Ghost Hunters 8.3: “Flooded Souls”
by Administrator on Jan.26, 2012, under Reviews
Contributor: John Keegan
I’m not sure what to think of a lot of what they captured. I think a lot of it was just a function of the location itself, and not necessarily evidence of anything paranormal. Some of the noises would be worth investigating further, but I certainly don’t get the impression that they had enough “evidence” to say that it was haunted, even in a residual sense.
The review for Ghost Hunters 8.3: “Flooded Souls” has been added to the archive.
Review #3247: White Collar 3.12: “Upper West Side Story”
by Administrator on Jan.26, 2012, under Reviews
Contributor: Gregg Wright
The previous episode was all myth-arc, so it’s not surprising that this one is more of a bread-and-butter type episode with a primary emphasis on the stand-alone case and the larger story elements taking more of a background role. Despite the fact that the myth-arc elements tend to provide the long-term hook for me, I can certainly enjoy a well-crafted procedural episode. “Veiled Threat” (which shares a writer with this episode) was one of the more entertaining stand-alone episodes this season, and “Upper West Side Story” has a similar sense of fun and humor to it.
The basic premise involves a young prep school student named Evan Leary coming to Peter and Neal for help in dealing with a corrupt school board member named Andy Woods (played by the recognizable Dylan Baker) who is funneling money out of the school’s endowment fund for his own purposes. As it happens, Woods’ daughter (Chloe), who Evan has a massive crush on (a fact that does not go unnoticed by Neal) goes to the school as well. It’s a premise with potential, and the writers successfully wring a lot of humor out of it.
Having Peter or Neal go undercover is an easy method of making an episode of “White Collar” more interesting, so it probably helps things that both of them end up going undercover here. Peter once again slips into his role as a man of wealth, and Neal starts out as his assistant. It isn’t long before Neal finds himself subbing for a poetry class that both Evan and Chloe attend. This is, of course, perfect fodder for humor. Naturally, Neal would be able to recite romantic poetry on command.
Much of the humor of the episode is derived from Neal’s attempts to deflect Chloe’s interests and re-direct them toward Evan; a task that is significantly more difficult for Neal than the average human, for obvious reasons. I liked that it was just a given for Neal that Evan need to “get the girl”. To him, it seems as important as taking Woods down. And I loved that Mozzie eventually gets in on the action as well. He admits that he needs to distract himself from Peter’s impending decision, and I’m sure that that’s part of it, but he does seem to enjoy the fun and romanticism of it about as much as Neal does.
This episode isn’t all stand-alone, of course. The worry over what Peter will say at the hearing colors everyone’s behavior and provides some much-needed context for the episode. This episode couldn’t just be dropped into any slot in the season. Neal has just been given a sign that he might achieve freedom soon, and what Peter says at the hearing could have the potential to completely destroy all of this for Neal. And Mozzie isn’t safe either. So Neal spend much of the episode trying to prove to Neal that he’s an asset, which ultimately results in Peter deciding to let Keller’s confession stand.
I’m expecting much more significant advancements of the overall story arcs in future episodes, but this had just enough to keep the episode from being disposable, and had one of the better cases-of-the-week that I’ve seen this season. I still think that we’re going to need some bigger surprises in the myth-arch material in the lead-up to the finale, but I feel better about the regular procedural episodes when they reach this level of quality, without totally dispensing with the myth-arc material, as some past episodes have done.
Rating: 8/10
Review #3246: Classic Doctor Who: “The Android Invasion”
by Administrator on Jan.26, 2012, under Reviews
Contributor: John Keegan
Written by Terry Nation
Directed by Barry Letts
Some serials have a terrible reputation, where the best thing you hear is that it’s got a fairly well known cliffhanger in the middle. Often, because I am a bit of a contrarian (stifle the chucking, thank you), I want to see if the final result was really so dire as I’d been led to believe. A few minutes into this one, though, and I knew that it was going to deliver on those rumors in all the wrong ways.
It starts when Sarah Jane goes tumbling down a hill. Well, that’s what it’s supposed to look like, but it’s fairly evident that they stitched the scene together in the editing room, and they hired someone’s car to do it in roughly five minutes. It’s one of the worst openings to a Classic Who serial I’ve seen, and that’s even accounting for some of the rough production values of the first few seasons.
I won’t even try to explain the plot, because it makes absolutely no sense. Aliens that aren’t Zygons want to invade Earth in roughly the same fashion as the Zygons, but do so by prepping a staging area that is identical to a village and UNIT facility on Earth, filled with android versions of everything. Imagine how many different ways the story can go wrong from there, and it’s probably part of the script. To say that this is one of Terry Nation’s worst additions to “Doctor Who” is an understatement.
It’s also a deeply unfortunate final appearance for Harry Sullivan and Benton. While the Doctor has yet to be released from his consultant status in strictly formal terms, it’s rather obvious by this point that the Doctor’s relationship to UNIT is mere formality. The show has moved on from that era, and more often than not, when it tries to return, it just doesn’t work.
I will give the cast credit for trying to do as much as possible with what little they were given. Even with the sloppy direction, editing, and post-production work, the performances are solid. I have to give Elizabeth Sladen particular kudos for her work as the android Sarah Jane. She plays the role very close to the usual Sarah Jane, but just far enough off-kilter that you know something is wrong, leaving alone the blatant visual cues that she’s not the real Sarah.
It all adds up to a dismal midpoint for an otherwise strong Season 13, which is a bit of a surprise. Longtime Classic Who fans point to this era as the best of the entire run, yet this season doesn’t quite match the quality of Season 7, the first year of the Pertwee era, which still stands in my mind as the strongest season of Classic Who I’ve encountered. While the early Baker era has produced some watermark materials, serials like this continue to hold it back.
Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 1/2
Style: 0/4
Final Rating: 4/10
The Critical Myth Podcast #119: Our New Obsession
by Administrator on Jan.26, 2012, under Critical Myth Podcast
The Critical Myth Crew is still dealing with some technical mishaps (like mislabeled audio files), but the content and analysis endures, as they cover three winter premieres! Recorded on 21 Jan 2012.
Topics include:
Lost Girl (spoilers through 1.1)
Being Human (spoilers through 2.1)
Alcatraz (spoilers through 1.2)
End music: “Supervixen” by Garbage (from the album “Garbage”)
Opening theme provided by The Oceanic Six. A huge thanks to Alex, Luke, and Jason!
The podcast is on iTunes, and you can add this feed to the client of your choice:
http://entil2001.com/blog5/?feed=podcast
Want to leave some feedback? You can leave a comment here on the site or our Facebook page, or you can also record your comment and send it to us by E-mail at feedback@criticalmyth.com.
Review #3245: Alcatraz 1.3: “Kit Nelson”
by Administrator on Jan.25, 2012, under Reviews
Contributor: J.M.
This episode bucked the trend of strong procedural elements with weak mytharc elements, and instead just gave us viewers a weak forty minutes. While the writing continued to be sophomoric and contain many basic logic holes, the allure of the show is evident in the final scenes: Hauser, exhorting Doc to bring his adult game, and again with body thrown over his shoulder, walking into the prison and slamming it onto the table. The inherent mystery of Hauser’s character and the presence of underground recreation of Alcatraz and the return of the inmates are what make the show shine. Regrettably, it appears that these areas are the least developed of show so far.
The show begins with the kidnapping of the young boy by notorious child murder from the 60s, Kit Carson. We get to see an uneven portrayal of Doc Soto’s effectiveness. He immediately recognized the MO of an Alcatraz resident, but together him and Madsen were extremely poor detectives, were barely able to work with local law enforcement, seemingly had no resources at their disposal, and were devoid of a working relationship with Hauser. While all of these could be turned into plot points without much effort, the writers just drop them in and barely able to string together two words together in realistic dialogue.
Seeing Hauser’s weakness in the wake of Lucy’s shooting and the end of episode reveal of Dr. Beauregard, together with the seemingly haphazard nature of Hauser’s ‘organization,’ begs the question: just who exactly does Hauser work for? How does he manage to bring back at least two individuals from Alcatraz and yet be completely unable to build a functioning team to track and detain these individuals coming back? How does he seem to know so much about these individuals yet need an expert who wrote books about Alcatraz to fill out the details? All of these plot-hole related questions and issues are not swept up in the quality of the show; good procedural elements should be able to mask these issues. But because of the weakness of the “63′er of the week”, all of these questions are painfully in the front of the viewer’s mind.
For example, it would be one thing if there were an established support structure in Lucy that has a moderating effect on Hauser’s paranoia and prickly nature, but because Lucy was taken out in the second episode, that effect needs to be inferred by the viewer. It goes back to my criticism of the pilot; the writers tell too much about the characters, and what they do tell you isn’t what the viewer needs to be told. When they do try and show something, there isn’t enough context for it to be effective at all. A perfect example is the development they try and do with Soto this episode, connecting him with the victims by having him experience a similar tragedy at the same age as the victims. It sounds like something that worked really well in the writer’s room but when it was transferred to the screen it lost all its emotional power.
Which is all the more ironic considering Hauser’s pointed speech to Soto; it was perfectly pitched to demonstrate both Hauser’s tougher methods and their effectiveness while simultaneously elevating Soto’s character from his fears and his childishness. It was a scene that hinted at the potential for the show and the huge potential for the character dynamics of all involved. If only they could bring themselves to bring the dynamism and mystery that the writers give the flashback scenes into the present day, then the show would certainly be one to watch. But as it stands now, “Alcatraz” is quickly becoming another example of a poorly executed premise skating by on the Abrams name.
Rating: 5/10
Review #3244: Once Upon a Time 1.10: “7:15 AM”
by Administrator on Jan.25, 2012, under Reviews
Contributor: Henry T.
Story by Daniel Thomsen
Teleplay by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz
Directed by Ralph Hemecker
The fairytale nature of this show means that certain aspects in a narrative, like love, get heightened in service of what the writers want to do with the overall story. That doesn’t mean it will reflect reality. Mary Margaret and Snow White may talk about how they’re destined to be together with their male counterparts, but that’s not a reason for them to fall in love. Both women have to determine what they like about each man in order to sell the respective love stories. Through ten episodes, there are so many characters and stories that need to be told here that it may be possible to lose any deep character development. That delicate balance between story and character still varies wildly with each aired episode.
Take the mystery character who showed up on a motorcycle at the end of last episode. He is largely put on the backburner here, as both Henry and Emma try and find out who he is, but are unsuccessful. The character, who is revealed to be some kind of writer, exists primarily as a plot device used to further the mystery of Storybrooke and its odd rules regarding its residents. He doesn’t add much of anything to the plot because he is required to talk in obtuse terms and intentionally lacking in information to add to the show’s mysterious aura.
It’s interesting to note how little everyone in town regards this new stranger. Aside from Regina, who frets in her usual over-the-top way, both Henry and Emma basically shrug at his presence. This is odd because the mystical rules that surround the town indicate that strangers don’t come into or leave town. What makes this guy so special that he can violate that rule? That can be a mystery to be answered at a later time, but it seems glaring to switch focus mid-stream.
This episode chose to show how painful it is to have unrequited love, a common theme in many fairytales and mythical stories. It specifically applies here to Snow White/Mary Margaret. In the real world, Mary Margaret still pines for David, going so far as to head to the diner so that she can get a glimpse of him every morning at the same time. The show sets up a predictable trajectory for this storyline, in that he also comes into the diner just to see Mary Margaret and that he reveals as such near the end of the episode.
David’s wife is nothing more than a wedge to keep the two of them apart. But aside from the fact that Henry says they belong together, there’s nothing beyond idle gazing of each other that would indicate that they should be in a relationship. Thus, it makes the conflict created by David’s wife trying to conceive seem artificial and soap opera-like. But maybe that is more David’s fault since he is starting to pull away from his wife and towards Mary Margaret. His wife is the honest one (probably one of the few in Storybrooke) and he’s hiding the secret love for Mary Margaret. It may end badly for everyone involved.
Snow White’s story starts out seeming almost identical to Mary Margaret’s plight. The connection between Snow White and Prince Charming feels more solid than the pairing in Storybrooke, probably because we have already seen how this story turns out from past episodes. This connection is key to what happens here with Snow White trying to meet Prince Charming in King George’s castle. She gets captured by the guards and ends up in jail. The royal prison is where she meets Grumpy, one of the titular Seven Dwarfs that was seen in Snow White’s company last episode.
How she meets the Seven Dwarfs was one of the few aspects of the episode that I enjoyed. It is just this merry band of guys who will do anything for her in thanks for helping them escape the castle. Snow White is still hung up on Prince Charming however, and getting that amnesia potion from Rumpelstiltskin proved to be a bad idea. The show sets up the cliffhanger well, with the outside possibility that Snow will not drink the potion and the news that Prince Charming will not marry the king’s daughter after all. Only, Grumpy is too late with the news. She doesn’t remember who Prince Charming is. That will be rectified soon, though. For now, it was quite effective to play the story arc all the way through in such a short period of time.
There is balance between the real world and the fairytale world in this episode. I was invested in the stories of both worlds. That’s what I’ve been looking for as the show has been coming along. I do admit to liking the fairytale story a bit more. The way Snow White encountered the Seven Dwarfs was far more interesting than the love triangle espoused in Storybrooke along with the vague dialogue from the mysterious stranger who’s new in town. The episode as a whole didn’t really gel, but it was better than recent outings, and that’s a good sign. Some kinks still need to be worked out so I’m exercising more caution with this show than most others. Given how strange the show has the potential to be, I think it’s the right position to be in right now.
Grade: 7/10
Review #3243: Person of Interest 1.12: “Legacy”
by Administrator on Jan.25, 2012, under Reviews
Contributor: Henry T.
Written by Amanda Segel
Directed by Brad Anderson
I would describe this episode of Person of Interest as “steady” or “workmanlike.” It starts out slowly, and not much happens on the interesting side, then morphs into something different by the end of the hour. The details of this case aren’t too interesting, but I think the show is slowly building its world and showing its detailed history. That could fundamentally change it from a crime procedural into something much more sinister. What they should get rid of is the tendency to spoon feed what’s happening onscreen to the audience step-by-step for fear of the audience feeling lost with the narrative. I think we are smart enough to figure things out. The characters don’t need to explain it all the way through. That is how the show currently operates so I doubt I’ll get my wish any time soon.
Detective Carter gets further integrated into the team, this time seeing exactly how Reese operates. It’s a smart move, in that she gets to see how clever and resourceful Reese really is when he’s on the case. Given the nature of what Finch and Reese do, they should always be rooting for the underdog. In this case, a lawyer who defends criminals who have been wrongly convicted of crimes. It’s not an ideal job for a lawyer since they’re taking cases that have little chance of winning, but it appeals to this particular person of interest’s nature. A client she defends now was involved in a complicated embezzling scheme that involved foster kids and monetary kickbacks from a federal source.
I thought the case got more and more complicated as the hour progressed and as such, practically demanded the hand-holding that was involved here. Reese had the job of tracking down any and all considered suspects, some of them with Detective Carter’s assistance and others with Finch. Meanwhile, Fusco gets into the act by informing Reese that he suspects Carter is up to something. It’s amusing to see that Reese is really playing both Fusco and Carter like puppets. They aren’t aware that both are working with the same people and one gets the sense that it might blow up in Reese’s face in the future. For now, both NYPD detectives are useful in their own different ways to Reese and Finch. This could conceivably continue for the duration of the season.
Some of the show’s backstory is filled in with the appearance of Will, the son of Nate, Finch’s old business partner. Apparently, Will was estranged from his father when Nate ran the business with Finch. He and Finch appear closer in the present day, though. The dynamic between the two of them is intriguing and very different because up until now, Finch has never shown much warmth or emotion towards another person. He seems genuinely concerned for Will’s well-being, though it could be something of a facade to hide his true intentions.
The show seems to be hinting that Finch needs to get whatever is in that sealed box that was left to Will by Nate. The box probably contains pertinent information about the Machine and Finch is trying to do whatever it takes to keep that information away from Will. It might go bad for the team if anyone else knew that the Machine still exists. I think this is a great way at hinting and expanding the backstory on the early operations of the Machine. That was Nate’s legacy to the world, and possibly the reason for his murder. It feels like the past may soon catch up to both Finch and Reese.
The cases on “Person of Interest” may feel perfunctory at this point, but the mysteries of the past are the engines that keep the show running. Pieces of the overarching mythology are integrated into each episode slowly, and each piece makes the whole picture appear clearer as the season progresses. I like that each character has secrets to keep from other characters. Reese hides things from Finch and Detective Carter. Finch is hiding things from Reese. Both of them are keeping Detective Carter in the dark. I doubt Detective Carter will find out about the Machine, but that’s a card the writers can hold on to until they absolutely need to show it. “Person of Interest” is working right now. They just need to keep things moving along at a steady pace.
Grade: 7/10
Review #3242: Being Human (US) 2.2: “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?”
by Administrator on Jan.24, 2012, under Reviews
Contributor: John Keegan
If the second season premiere was all about the fallout of the first season finale, then this episode is about setting up the story arcs for the season as brutally as possible. That’s what I’ve come to appreciate about this series: they don’t hold back when it comes to the uncomfortable and disturbing. One might even say they relish in it, which is a nice touch.
As it turns out, Nora makes short work of the vampire assassins gunning for Josh, which leads to her waking up naked in a pile of leaves, blood caked around her mouth, in someone’s backyard. As noted in the review for the premiere, Nora is so adorably cute that the obvious trauma etched on her face is all the more affecting. When Josh is horrified by the realization of what has happened, and wracked with helplessness over what to do about it, we feel the same way.
Unfortunately, it’s not as though Nora looks to get over the reality of being a werewolf anytime soon. In fact, she’s apparently lost her baby and her humanity in no time at all (though I’m not so sure about the baby part), so she’s right on the edge in terms of her sanity. I can easily see her snapping and becoming a serious problem for Josh. I hope not, because as I said, she’s ridiculously cute and I’d hate to see her killed off. But she could also show Josh the allure of giving in to the animal.
Of course, there’s plenty of other trouble, too, as Aiden is reunited with Suran, his new partner in the administration of the vampires in Boston. Played by a raven-haired Dichen Lachman with particular relish, Suran doesn’t quite seem as touched in the head as Mother suggested in the premiere. But when the hints of amoral crazy shine through, it paints a definite picture; Suran is very, very dangerous.
She also has a history with Aiden, which is not unexpected. It happens to come from a time when Aiden was a bit more carnivorous, and she wants to bring that part of his back in the limelight (and get frisky in the process, I imagine). Aiden was having enough trouble resisting his urges in the first season, so this is just an escalation of everything Bishop was trying to force upon him.
Meanwhile, Sally has figured out how to invite friends over, and as one would expect, it doesn’t go according to plan. After a few rather unfortunate attempts at possessing some vapid partygoers, she finally slips into a young woman and proceeds to indulge in food and dancing. (I love how the rest of the partiers completely ignore as Sally’s first few “victims” puke and have seizures, as if this is just a normal night on the town!) When one of her fellow ghosties ties to get frisky, however, it leads to a fight that ends with the would-be rapist completely evaporated.
Beyond bringing Sally a bit of a reality check in terms of agency, since she seemed to forget for a moment that she was violating her own “victim” on a fundamental level, this turn of events adds a wrinkle to her existence. Ghosts can be “killed”. And that means whatever came through the doorway in the premiere is more than just a vague threat.
The producers and writers have said on more than one occasion that the theme for this season is “temptation”, and we’re already seeing the seeds being planted. It directly plays into Sally’s behavior in this episode, and Suran is about as tempting as it gets. I foresee Nora tempting Josh into some animalistic ways (and how I wish that had less to do with werewolves). In essence, all these internal temptations would lead to serious external consequences. And in that respect, the season is definitely on the right track.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 8/10
Review #3241: Lost Girl 1.2: “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Fae”
by Administrator on Jan.24, 2012, under Reviews
Contributor: Bronzethumb
In many ways, this episode is a much better pilot for “Lost Girl” than the previous one. It corrects a major oversight by actually telling the audience what kind of show they’re going to be watching, and this latest crack at the supernatural detective series proves to be a very interesting throwback to the older private eyes of decades past with a Fae twist.
The Will of the title is a Will-o-the-Wisp,who contacts Bo and Kenzi to get their help in recovering his chest of jewels that were stolen by an unknown thief – as a neutral Fae with a badass reputation, Bo seems like the kind of person that guys like Will, on the fringes of Fae society, can turn to for help. Kenzi is convinced to pitch in at the mention of Will’s collection of jewels, but Bo is more interested in what Will claims to know about her birth parents. As all private eye cases tend to do, things go sideways and wind up being more complicated than they seem.
In the review of the first episode, the description of Bo’s interesting psychology could’ve been summed up with one very appropriate word: hardboiled. She has a lot in common with the tough, cynical loners of classic detective stories from writers like Hammett and Chandler: the (emotionally) gruff exterior, that snarky, deadpan humour that keeps people at arm’s length, that one vice that can’t quite be kicked, and then a streak of warm-heartedness buried deep beneath it all that makes her the hero rather than simply a protagonist.
This episode’s focus on its other genre helped put the rest of the show’s pieces into their proper context. A plucky sidekick, a straight-laced lawful neutral friend on the police force, the friendly-(enough) proprietor of the local bad guy bar, they’re all classic archetypes of the private detective genre and they all play much better when the audience knows why they’re around. The Bo/Kenzi dynamic makes a lot more sense and becomes quite fun, helped by the fact that the show doesn’t dwell on the why (or lack thereof) of the characters suddenly being BFFs and by their differing motivations for wanting to dip their toes into the private investigation game.
“Lost Girl” also seems to be brushing off the larger questions of how the real world and the Fae world rub up against each other, if this episode is anything to go by: legalities are mentioned, but for the most part, it seems like the laws Bo is worried about breaking, and that Dyson is trying to enforce on our protagonist, are Fae rather than human. “Angel” proved how that kind of conflict only has so much mileage, and that was when the police detective character actually was an ordinary human.
But that’s not to say the episode is perfect. There are some abysmal moments in the script, especially when the writers feel the need to reiterate the premise of the show and where Bo sits within it. A few of these “as you know” moments are forgivable in the second episode of a new genre show, but they come so thick and fast that the audience has to wonder, are the writers trying to retcon something? Or do they just have a very low opinion of their audience? And characters like Dyson remain very one-note, even if it’s a bit easier to appreciate them once we know how they’re supposed to fit into the structure of this show.
On the whole, this episode works as the “Lost Girl” equivalent of “The Train Job”, filling in a lot of the blanks that the pilot failed on and clueing in the audience as to what kind of show they’re signing up to watch, but at the same time, doing the work of a pilot means being structured entirely around set-up and leaving the episode feeling a bit hollow. Nonetheless, it’s a fun story and a fun introduction to this new supernatural detective series.
Rating: 7/10
