Terminator, Sarah Connor Chronicles - Season 2, Episode 15, Desert Cantos

Most series pull in the viewers with dramatic stories set to a standard formula, Six Feet Under started with a death every week, Desperate Housewives has the incessant narration of Mary Alice but not The Sarah Connor Chronicles. In a refreshing mix up of television format the TV terminator series seems to subtly change its boundaries each week whilst still providing a compelling story. In Episode 14 we had a glimpse of Sarah’s husband, a guardian angel as he followed her through the episode. In other past episode we’ve flipped between present and future and for Episode 15 we have our story unfold throughout broken down segments of the mass funeral following Catherine Weavers’ murdering spree at the warehouse.

As the residents of the local town draw together in comfort after the death of so many of their loved ones and friends, Sarah, John, Derek and Cameron set about trying to find just what was going on in the warehouse, knowing only too well that it wasn’t an air vent manufacturing plant. Sarah’s vision of the flying bot is still clear in her mind and though the others don’t necessarily believe her they are encouraged to seek to the truth as to what was happening.

Crashing in on the funeral John sets about extracting information from the daughter of a murdered man whilst, seeing the picture of the man who had shot her, Sarah begins a similar treatment on his widow. In the procession John is taken to a scene where cows lay dead surrounding a pool of water by teenage girl, whilst at the funeral Derek realises that they are not the only ones digging for information as he spots someone, sent by Catherine Weaver, to clear up one last mess. Sarah, soaking up information from Diane, another widow, is given a set of keys to a storage box that Diane never knew about and upon entering it finds bloody rags and boxes of belongings – belongings that were a mother and son’s who dramatically vanished after she broke her terms of contract at the warehouse.

At the following wake, with input from Cameron, John & Derek soon realise that the teenage girl John’s been talking to is hiding something – her father isn’t dead after all. Whilst they try to discover why his whereabouts are being covered Sarah is on the trail of the company man, leading her into a basement where she discovers camera feeds and links to all of the company employee’s houses and a tunnel connection two of houses together.

Drawing the family of the non-deceased employee together they set about getting information of his whereabouts and just exactly what was happening at the facility only to met with ignorance and a sense of “never ask, never tell”. Realising that there are not going to gain any valuable information John takes his mother to where the cow carcases are, only to find the dead body of the company man, followed by an eruption from the pool when the bot that Sarah saw explodes out of the water and flies away, entering a truck and being shut down and driven away by the only surviving man from the facility. In no uncertain terms the team now know that there is indeed an AI flying about the skies, but where is Skynet?! Who is Skynet? And whatever happened to finding the Turk?!

Calling All Shorties

Whilst we in England are still enjoying Cycle 11 of America's Next Top Model Tyra's empiric show snowballs on as it announces the casting call for Cycle 13 with just one difference, all models musn't be taller than 5'7"!!

Tyra's enforced a height restriction, none over 5'7" should apply

In a motion to turn the modelling show on its head Tyra announced "There have been top supermodels in the past that weren’t as tall as the industry demands, like fashion icon Kate Moss. So we are changing up ‘Top Model’ for cycle 13 and making it a year for the shorter model!”

It seems that girls over this height will not be considered for the Cycle which leaves me wondering, with the apparent lack of success of any of the previous winners within the supermodel world can this only be a marketing ploy to get more viewers rather than an actual attempt to create supermodels? You decide.

ANTM - Cycle 11, Episode 5

After their new locks last week the show turned to the next crucial part of any models artillery – her walk. Arriving at a bowling alley Miss J quickly thrust a pair of high heeled bowling shoes at each girl and barked for them to strut the alley like never before. With Isis up first feeling confidant and with something to prove it was only a matter of time before she skidded on the shiny surface and nearly toppled over. Many of the girls seemed to have it this year and the only outrageously awful show was put on by Hannah who was so stiff she looked like she should be creaking each time she moved a limb. With no idea what to do at the end of the runway she whirled around and stomped back to the beginning, the rest of her competitors in hysterics.

 Returning to the house Isis and Analeigh went out of their way to try and help the struggling Alaskan but it was all too late when they discovered they were doing a fashion catwalk the following day. With much excitement the girls turned up to a vintage bank to find they would strutting down the catwalk as catburglers – and blindfolded! But, in a series twist, they also discovered that one of the girls would be leaving post catwalk, no photoshoot, no panel, no Tyra.

It wasn’t long before nerves set in and whilst some – Joselyn, McKey excelled through their first showcase, Hannah lost her nerve and all she’d learnt was swept away, whilst Sam embarrassed the designer by hoisting her skirt up at the end of the runway. It was a fairly obvious cut and after the two J’s announced their decision a teary Hannah left the competition.

In an ANTM first Hannah gets cut with no panel, no photo, no Tyra.

 But what next? Would there still be a cut? Was there still a photoshoot? What was happening?! Well ANTM went back to normal with the girls attending their next photshoot comfortingly in their own pool, shot by their own judge Nigel Barker. A water shoot the girls were to be immersed with only their nose up being shot.

Analeigh, fearing she was to be cut from the competition stepped up her game and proved some outstanding photo’s, with Sam and McKey and Clark continuing their upward rise. Joselyn, not able to swim couldn’t keep her nerve, a previous stunning Elina lost all focus and floundered and Isis, once again in a swimsuit, found her mind ill prepared for the photoshoot.

At judging Lauren Brie was called first, with Analeigh straight from last week’s bottom two coming a close second. Samantha, although with a stunning photo was viciously berated for disgusting the designer with her end of catwalk moves and ended up in the bottom two along with a sinking Isis. In the end Sam had the better picture and the transgender queen from Maryland crashed out of the competition.

The transgender queen sinks out of the competition

With Tyra cutting two this week, does it mean a reprise in the next episode or is it simply a tactic to spice things up?

Living - Mondays at 21.00

NEW SERIES - The Beast

Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January 2009 our minds have been ever presently concerned with Patrick Swayze’s health rather that his acting credentials so it’s nice to see him once again taking the lead, this time in a undercover FBI role.

As far as this opening episode and pilot went it was far from original but if you like this genre of television it still had enough to suit everyone. With rookie agent Ellis Dove (Travis Fimmel) becoming Charles Barker’s (Swayze) handpicked undercover partner the two set about bringing down a black market weapons gang, amidst a cover of punches, blown up cars, wrong doings and a general air of hostility. As always wanting to cause intrigue to further the series there was the inevitable first “drink” with a new girl, the problems of a rookie’s inexperience fitting in with his new partner, and the rookie’s over excelling confidence that he actually knew how to run the show already.

Swayze’s Barker is the FBI agent with his new rookie side kick

Trying to crack the weapon’s gang it was the duo’s responsibility to “borrow” a RPG (rocket launcher), find the appropriate contacts, set up the meeting and then capture the buyer alive whilst not trying to become worm food themselves. Ellis, on a mission to get the RPG activity keys, entered a den of meth and madness and found himself in a situation where he had to either smoke meth or take a risk of blowing a hole in his foot with a gun. He chose the meth option and soon found himself trying to focus through a haze of drug taking whilst still getting the job done.

All ended well as they took the gang down in style but it was the final moments that took an unexpected twist and made me want to see more. Returning home for the day Ellis found himself surrounded by a number of offices, some of whom he’d seen before throughout the operation but as other people. It seemed that his whole partnership with Barker was built on a lie, he’d been hand picked by them to ride alongside the FBI agent and discover whether he was crooked or not. I didn’t see that coming and it added a great twist.

It was also refreshing to see Ellis, as he looked across at the bar where his new date was waiting, realise that life was too difficult and he couldn’t include her, walking away and turning his life to focus on the undercover job in hand. This isn’t the usual plot, normally the girl is quickly drawn into the mix of danger, so it was refreshing to see Ellis take an unusual but appropriate turn. However, she does live in his building so whether this stays that way I’m not sure is likely.

I’m looking forward to see where this series goes, it may become original and fresh, it may die a traditional and obvious death, the next few weeks are sure to tell.

Five USA – Wednesday’s at 10.00

Terminator – Sarah Connor Chronicles, Season 2, Episode 14, the Good Wound

After what seems an eternity Sarah and John are back in our lives with the continuation of Season 2. With initial rumours that the series was to be scrapped to relieve fears for a flagging Prison Break, now that the latter series has been cancelled perhaps we will see a reprieve?!

The Good Wound opens with Sarah in hospital after she’s been shot in the leg at the desert warehouse. She slowly comes too and realises what’s happening, worried to see police outside her room, and feeling like death itself. John is currently tied up with Riley who has slit her wrists while Derek is trying to find Sarah and warehouse and Sarah finds herself completely alone until the vision of John’s dad, Kyle Reese who says “come with me”.

Yanking the IV from her arm and shattering the window as to lure the guard into her room she quickly takes him down, takes his gun and hobbles out of the hospital. But the wound is worse than she thinks and taking action she kidnaps a doctor at gunpoint. Checking into a motel and still with the doctor – Felicia – at gunpoint she directs the surgeon to remove the bullet. Again Kyle Reese appears, asking her to calm down, to take the gun off of Felicia, to accept help and not always be so wary. Following her advice she starts to answer the doctors question, talking about John, talking about how there are people after her, wanting to kill her. Felicia says that Sarah isn’t the only one and as she starts to dig deep into Sarah’s leg the pair discuss John.

Coming to half an hour later Felecia tells a drained Sarah that she can’t remove the bullet, its too close to the femoral artery and one small knick would mean 4minutes of life left. Summoning all her energy Sarah, with the help of the surgeon, travel to a hospital and breaking into the morgue prepare to do surgery with more equipment.

Meanwhile John questions his priorities when it comes to his mother and Riley. After Riley does a running act, he asks Cameron to help find her to have response “We don’t need to” and he finally starts to see what is truly important.

Back in the morgue Felecia successfully removes the bullet moments before Derek arrives and points a gun at her. Grabbing Sarah’s gun off the counter Felecia comes to the conclusion that Derek must be the man after her patient and the pair eye each other up carefully…that is until the senior police man and seemingly Felecia’s partner arrives. Whilst Sarah’s been having surgery the police force have been busy trying to track her down and clear up the mess as Derek has systematically destroyed all their evidence. It becomes apparent that the deputy has attacked Felicia in the same way she believes Sarah has been treated and pulling the trigger by accident the doctor ends up shooting and killing him. Making a swift exit with Derek the pair say to blame the death on them, but Felecia says she’ll tell them he attacked her, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t done it before.

At the basement lab Ellison is shocked to discovered that John Henry has accessed the internet and found out everything there is know about his new body. It seems John Henry’s intelligence is growing and telling Catherine Weaver that she is not human he relates to her a non encrypted message he found on the internet covering a conversation in relation to the chemical makeup of his body. Catherine Weaver visits the warehouse in the desert, obviously the source of the phonecall conversation, and kills everyone there before blowing it up.

Just what is she up to?

Just what is Catherine’s game? Is she creating John Henry to out do Skynet? Is John Henry skynet? When is Ellison going to realise there is something far more sinister going on here than he ever imagined? And will Sarah and John ever get a break from saving their skins to actually focus on bringing Skynet down?

I sincerely hope this series continues, even for those who weren’t original terminator fans it has drama, action, intrigued and actually attempts to characterise its cast rather than had 2D action heroes. The scene’s of the post apocalyptic Earth are great as well as the weave of characters from passed and present. Long may it continue.

Lost, Series 5, Episode 5 - This Place is Death

As Ben desperately tries to convince the members of “The Oceanic Six” to return to the island Sun takes her chance to take down the man that she blames for the death of her husband and points a gun at Ben. Shocked to learn that Jin is still alive she agrees to go with him when Ben offers to show her proof but to the coordinators dismay only Jack follows. He fails to reunite the Oceanic Six for their trip back to the island and as they three of them pull up outside a church they are surprised to also to see Desmond, on his quest to find Daniel Faraday’s mother. Upon entering the church they are met by a woman lighting candles, she is Daniels mother, she has the knowledge of how to return and dismayed at the turnout she agrees that is too late and that the four of them, including Desmond has to be enough.

Back on the island Jin is still trying to come to terms with what is happening. Rousseau and her team convince him to accompany them towards the radio tower purely because its in the direction of the Oceanic camp but upon entering the jungle they come across their old foe the smoke monster. Dragging one of their team down a hole Jin knows only too well what is happening and stops a heavily pregnant Rousseau from following knowing that she is very much alive in the future. A glaring in the sky and a painful screech to his ears and Jin jumps through time to find himself alone in the tree’s again.

Continuing to make his way towards the beach he hears voices and running around the corner see’s Rousseau pointing her gun directly at her boyfriends head. He pleads with her, tells him that he’s the father, that she knows who he is and just as she lowers her gun he takes aim ready to fire. Rousseau, being the better shot, takes him down with a bullet to the head and turning to see Jin sets him scrambling for the jungle through a line of bullets. Another time jump and Jin once again here’s voices but this time it is that of Sawyer and Locke, he has jumped to the correct time period and he is relieved to join his lost comrades.

After fleeing Rousseau’s bullets Jin is relieved to find his comrades

Things are getting worse for Charlotte, most of the team are now experiencing nosebleeds but as they take several sequential time jumps the red headed Brit collapses to the ground, her mind rambling through different times, her body not able to cope with the haemorrhaging. Letting the team go on Daniel stays behind with her as she alludes to the fact that she grew up on the island, that she had spent her life trying to return and that as a child she had been scared by a man on the island who told her never to come back again lest she wanted to die. In a moment of clarity she realises that is was in fact Daniel who told her before finally succumbing and dying in Daniels arms.

Charlotte finally succumbs but not before some time travel rambling

At the Orchid Station they are pleased to see it standing, until of course, another time jump. Arriving in a time where it didn’t exist John rushes down a bank to find a well, a well that Charlotte had mentioned in her ramblings. Taking the rope he starts to make his way down, only to time jump halfway through and plummet to the base of the well where he shatters many bones.

He is met by one of the others, someone that tells him that Ben shouldn’t have moved the island, that is was meant to be moved only by John and that he had to correct the mistake. Stumbling his way to the wheel with bones sticking through his leg in grisly fashion John summons all of his strength and starts to push the wheel.

With John now at the island’s helm is about to save our island survivors from fatal haemorrhaging? I sure hope so otherwise by the time the others arrive there’ll actually be none left to save and their entire reason for returning will be wasted. With Kate, Aaron, Sayid and Hurley all out of Ben’s mix will they actually be able to return and what will happen to those members that stay in the real world? And think of Penelope! She’s only just found Desmond again, they’ve had a child and now it looks like she’s going to lose him all over again!!

Heroes - Series 3, Episode 15 - Trust and Blood

With the aircraft plummeting to earth after Claire’s attempt at freeing the Hero hostages at the end of last episode we were left with a horrible thought that this may be the end for some of our characters.

Taking a slightly different method to the usual episode Nathan relates the story of incidents down the phone to his mother. As the plane crashes and victims scurry away from the crash site Nathan’s forces are quickly sent in to clear up the huge mess that’s been created by his daughter. With Hiro, Matt and Mohinder dashing one way and Claire and Peter another it’s hard to choose who to follow.

As the trio make a break for freedom Matt once again is overcome with the desire to draw and with his eyes glazed over lumbers off in a random direction, Hiro and Mohinder unconvincingly in tow. Stumbling across a seemingly abandoned caravan Matt takes the opportunity of paper and crayons to sketch the future, only horrified to see that he’s drawn Daphne, back at the crash site, being shot. Along with Hiro’s will to do good and his own desire to save his love they convince Mohinder to go back to the plane to try and save her.

Meanwhile Claire and Peter are also trying to make a quick exit just as Noah Bennett arrives and points a gun at Petrelli’s head. Now only able to hold onto one power at a time he is pretty much defenceless against Horn rimmed glasses though he has one major advantage to himself – Claire, who quickly pulls the daughter card and allows Peter to escape.

Running into a scared Tracy in the bush the pair quickly establish that they need to try and pull Nathan in, get him to stop his crusade, get him to see sense. Using her feminine charms Tracy calls Nathan and asks him to meet her. However he turns up with backup and though Noah has Peter in clear shot he fails to shoot and Peter once again escapes capture by pulling Nathan’s power and whizzing away. An unlucky Tracy is once again caught, failing to change Nathan’s mind, and is quickly drugged and shackled.

At the crash site Daphne and Ando have arrived in a bid to save Matt and Hiro. The speedster quickly pulls a recaptured Claire to safety but as the team decide what to do she is shot and we believe killed in front of Matt. Losing control of his mind the future visionary takes power over one of the advancing troops, turning him on his colleagues and shooting them all dead. They once again escape the clutches, all apart from Claire who is now, tiresomely, captured again and sent back to her mother to live a “normal” life.

Daphne’s down as another female Hero is killed.

Meanwhile Sylar is still busy trying to track his family down and taking a mother and son hostage decides to pursued his kidnapped SAS to talk by torturing the hostages in front of him. He doesn’t get what he bargained for though as the son seems to have powers of his own and just as we think Sylar is about to kill again, the teenager miraculously saves his life as the SAS throws a bullet. Seeing himself reflected in the boy Sylar is convinced to take the new power with him on the promise that the boy can unearth where Sylar’s true father is.

With this new spin on things I’m intrigued to see what happens next. Our crew of Heroes have now become a rogue gang, out to seek justice, revenge, truth. With Nathan quickly turning into his father we wonder if any of the insiders are likely to be swayed – will Angela come good for Peter, will Claire give up always doing as her father says and turn into the slaying catsuit seductress of the future that we have glimpsed in the past and with Sylar now teamed up do we have a new, stronger force on our hands?