TV Bloggers: Quick TV Season Recaps VIDEO!

Our little season recaps for our weekly TV Shows is now up for our ISYS100 video project..

Hope use enjoy it as much as we did filming it, also check out our little blooper reel below.

BLOOPERS

Game of Thrones S03E06: There's a Cog in the Works

This week's episode of Game of Thrones seems to have slowed things down a touch. In comparison to the absolute action-packed and satisfying cunning that has been the rest of season three, episode six feels a little stretched, trying to cover many plots. Some how, they are making it work though. With a bit of attention, and some faith in the next four episodes, viewers will hopefully realise that we need to get out the nitty gritty before we can get to the action. We hoped you paid attention! If not, we can offer some important points you should make a note of for future episodes.

Jon Snow can handle the Cold
This week Jon and the other Wildlings climb the wall. Their intentions to take the Wall from the Night's Watch have driven them upwards, and the climb is trecherous. The Warg they travel with tries to cut Snow and Ygritte lose as they climb, but it seems at least one of the men in the North can cheat death, and Snow manages to take hold of the wall again before they plummet to their deaths. When they reach the top, Ygritte and Snow share a very romantic embrace, looking out over Westeros. Who knows what the crass Wildling girl and her cold, handsome 'bastard' boy will get up to?

The Red Lady makes Arya Red in the Face
Its the woman you don't even like to hate. The very shady Woman in Red tracks down the brotherhood this week in her search for Barathean blood to aid her wounded Stannis. For those who missed season one of Game of Thrones, it was established that Genry was a bastard child of the deceased Robert Baratheon, and therefore may have some claim to the throne should he find out. The Red Lady trades two bags of gold for the boy, promising him he will change the state of the war. Arya of course, who seems to be the only character left with a moral compass pointing north, protests, but can do nothing. When she confronts the Red Lady, the priestess reveals that she knows of a darkness inside the young Stark, and that they will meet again.

 Who's Down in the Dungeon with Poor Theon?
Even after his betrayal of the Starks, Theon doesn't deserve this. Nobody does (okay maybe Joffrey). Theon continue his plight in the dungeon, tortured once more by the maniac that feigned helping him to escape and then brought him back. He offers Theon the chance to guess who he is, and when Theon guesses he is a Karstark, it seems that we have finally discovered who exactly is torturing the Greyjoy Lord. However, he was lying, and as punishment for guessing wrong, Theon is tortured until he begs for the removal of his finger. The torture scenes are very sickening; whoever this guy is, we think maybe he would get along well with Joffrey. The young Prince makes a small appearance this episode, after torturing and killing a prostitute sent to him by Little Finger. Both boys are very sick indeed.
 

Robb Bargains for an Army
Sadly, Robb broke his promise and married another woman. Unfortunately, this rather wounded Warden Frey is now demanding a formal apology; seems easy enough. He also wants Harrenhal once the war is over. Well, okay. But he also demands that Robb's uncle, Lord Edmure Tully, to marry his 19-year-old daughter. Edmure is obviously outraged, and does not wish to go ahead with the marriage. However he is swayed by the cooky character, Blackfish, and Robb himself. Its just another wedding to add to the ever-growing list of betrothals now all lined up in Westeros.


Speaking of Weddings...
Unfortunately, Tywin Lannister is holding firm and both Tyrion and Cersei are to be wed. The usually sassy Lady Olenna Tyrell is even forced into a corner by Tywin, and must agree to the marriage between her grandson and the aging Cersei. Tyrion is left to tell Sansa the news, and unfortunately for him, Shae demands to be present when he does. We would remind viewers that Shae is still Tyrion's current love interest, making for a very awkward situation in deed. Little Finger also leaves Kings Landing at last, and Sansa cries as she watches her last chance of leaving the city sail away.



Make sure you check in next week for what is sure to be an action-packed episode! And don't worry Team-Dragon, Daenerys will return next week. Check out the preview below!

~ Written by Jessica Sheridan

Image Sources:  Sidequesting, Forbes

The Vampire Diaries Season 4 Episode 21 "She's Come Undone" Review!

This week The Vampire Diaries transported fans back into Mystic Falls after last weeks' New Orleans outing. It got back right into the thick of things and made for one big interesting episode.

Below is a look at the major events of the week:

 

Elena Vs. Katherine is here.. We all know how badly these two hate each other but for the first time in TVD history Elena is ready to fight back! And who wouldn't? She killed her brother, ruined her life and meddled with her lovers.

Elena's feelings also finally made a comeback last night thanks to Damon's elaborate plan of killing Matt. Well not really kill him, he had the hunter's ring on but that doesn't go without saying that we were all in complete shock when he did it. I really thought he might just be dead.

Anyway Elena's back.. thank the heavens! It was fun while it lasted but it's good to have her back.

Caroline gets manipulated.. by Klaus, wait Matt, wait her mum. Wait no, who else in Mystic Falls can shape-shift into that many people? Silas that is, who continued to torture her into finding Bonnie. Is anyone else growing tired of him though? I just want him to finally leave the gang alone and move on to another story, but no show can exist without some sort of villain.

It was quite emotional though when Caroline's mum died for a brief moment. It was the second time during the episode that i thought another character will die. But turns out her magical blood thankfully brought her back.  Also how mean was Elena to poor Caroline before she got her humanity back? Ouch, that was harsh.

Katherine gets played at her own game.. by Bonnie? Who knew how easy it could be to manipulate the vindictive bitch that is Katherine Pierce. Well i guess only Bonnie can by offering her the one thing she desires most.. her freedom!

Bonnie tricked her into thinking that she wants to stop the unveiling of the other-side by getting her to reveal just how to do so. Nice to finally see the tables turned, but just what has Katherine got herself into?

Matt finds some relevancy.. Finally no-more working at The Grill (at least for now). Matt really got something juicy to work with last night by becoming just what Jeremy was on the show, starting as the most underused character before finally transitioning into someone more worthy. Better watch your back Matt, the writers might kill you off now.

Well onto what actually happened with him. He helped restore Elena's humanity by literally dying for her (before coming back to life) and also managed to share a scene with ex-flame Caroline whilst continuing to show some kindness towards Rebekah. Now that there on the same page with each other, i expect a hookup before the season ends.

Overall a truly impressing return to Mystic Falls that not only managed to set-up the direction of the final two episodes of the season but also further enhance it's characters and provide fans some raw emotional scenes, something The Vampire Diaries works best with. Hopefully the show manages to maintain this energy for its seasonal home stretch.

Overall Rating:

4.7/5

 

Next week the vale is dropped to the other-side! Which deceased favorites will return?

 

Wrtitten By: Shahbaz Malik

Image Source: CW

        TOP GEAR : UGANDA SPECIAL! Season 19, Episode 6. 

 In this episode of Top Gear, James May, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond are out on an expedition to find the true source of the river Nile. They're in the Ugandan capital, where they witness what a real traffic jam is. After being in that mess, I don't think they'll ever complain about being in a traffic jam in the centre of London.

 All the essential ingredients were here. There are three estate cars, of varying degrees of decay, purchased for £1,500. True to form, Jeremy Clarkson chose a classic BMW, and James May a Volvo – both wildly unsuitable for the African terrain. Less predictably, Richard Hammond for once seems to have made a sensible pick – a Subaru four-wheel drive turbo – though the fact that he has already jettisoned the spare wheel is ringing warning bells with me.

So our heroes assemble in a village where the locals look warily neutral, josh about their car choices and set off. Five minutes later, they seem to have reached their destination: the vast expanse of Lake Victoria. But because this is Top Gear and there are two hours to fill, Clarkson comes up with a hare-brained theory about the source of the Nile stretching back from Gibraltar (I wasn’t entirely concentrating on the geography) and it is off to the traffic jams of Kampala, the horrors of Ugandan hotels, and the mud-clogged roads of the interior. 

Written by - Taaruk Raina

Image Source: Topgear.co.uk

Homeland: Season 2 Episode 3

With the final scene of last week’s episode revealing Saul had discovered the video tape of Brody from the remains Carrie retrieved in Beirut, this week’s instalment of Homeland is shaping up to be an all-revealing thriller that will hopefully answer those lingering questions we all want answered!

Leaving Beirut following their unsuccessful operation, Saul is stopped by airport military officials. Even after his best attempts to threaten them with the power of the CIA and U.S military, the video of Brody’s confession is taken from his belongings. At that point it seems as though any leads on Brody in relation to Hezbollah are lost, however with years of experience behind him Saul reveals he in fact planted a fake video in his suitcase and has the explicit footage of Brody safely in his possession.

 

 

 

Having agreed to help with a fundraiser for war veterans, Jess had asked Brody to make a guest speech at the presentation. She finds a copy of what he has planned to say lying on the bench and, briefly reading through it, for the first time she comes to thoroughly realise the anguish and pain he experienced over his 8 year capture. Brody admits he doesn’t like talking about the topic, hence why Jess had never really found out how he felt.

Their touching moment is interrupted by a phone call Brody receives from one of Abu Nazir’s contacts, claiming that the CIA is investigating information found from the operation on Nazir in Beirut and they would soon be able to piece the evidence together and find the tailor who provided Brody with the bomb belt. To cover up his tracks Brody is forced to move the man into hiding before authorities catch up to him. When he arrives at the tailor’s store, the tailor is hesitant which gives unwanted company enough time to track them down and follow them. Brody quickly evades the threat, however on the way to the safe house things could not possibly go more wrong as they’re forced to full over with a flat tyre.

 

 

 

Having been asked to write a concluding report about the operation, Carrie returns to CIA headquarters for the Beirut operation debrief. Arriving ahead of schedule (so she though) Carrie’s curiosity leads her to the conference room where she realises the debrief is already underway. Although being praised for her efforts and wanting to continue to be involved, Estes reminds her that the job at hand is not a concern for her anymore.

After replacing the flat tyre Brody makes a pit stop, only for the tailor to flee from the vehicle. Attempting to run him down, Brody accidently spears the man’s torso through a rugged piece of metal. The man pleads Brody to take him to hospital, promising he won’t say a word about Brody’s involvement in the operation. However an ever-cautious Brody doesn’t want any possibility of word getting out about his relationship with Abu Nazir. With Jess continuously ringing and questioning his whereabouts, and the tailor still resiting to settle down, Brody is forced to eliminate him from the picture.

Carrie makes a monumental decision and returns back to her own home, in what becomes a very unusual and confronting scene. In what it looks as though she is trying to make sense of where her own life is, she creates a deadly concoction of her medication and alcohol. Contemplating her actions lying in bed before voluntarily making herself sick, it comes across as a very bizarre scene in general.

 

 

 

Whilst trying to cover his tracks and bury the dead tailor’s body, Jess does her best to impress those at the fundraiser given Brody’s unexpected absence. After providing a heart-felt insight on the pains and joys of her husband’s time both at home and away she is given a standing ovation. Her former lover Mike escorts her home and, after hearing about Brody’s relationship with Carrie, he accepts Jess’s offer to come in for a drink. Brody arrives perfectly on cue to interrupt their evening and to an onslaught from his wife who questions his honestly in their marriage.

 

 

 

After their little stoush, one would be forgiven to believe that it would be Brody knocking on Carrie’s door in the early hours of the morning. However it turns out to be Saul who, having come straight from the airport, shows Carrie the video she retrieved in Beirut proving that she was in fact right about Brody all along. Although the video clarifies Brody’s intentions, its brief exposure still leaves multiple questions and even more possibilities as to where the story will lead next!

 

 

 

 

Stayed tuned and be sure to check out next week’s posts for more Homeland material! 

- Written By: Mike Duffy

Image Source: ten.com.au

Homeland: Season 2 Episode 2

Having kicked off Season 2 with an enthralling opening episode last week, this week’s episode of Homeland is sure have you sitting on the edge of your seat screaming at the TV for more answers!!

After narrowly escaping last episode’s attack, Carrie is finally able to meet with her intel. Having been assured a $5 million reward as well as freedom from war-torn Lebanon for information on Abu Nazir, the woman reveals her husband is meeting with Nazir the following day.

At an official congress function back in the United States, Vice President Walden informs Brody that Israel’s attacks on Iran were not entirely successful. Within his religious beliefs still hidden from the public eye, Brody tries to stay as calm and focused as possible – however the news has clearly left shocked and distressed. Having been a militant officer, the Vice President asks Brody to use his experience to convince the President to allow for Israel to use U.S military weapons to finish off their job on Iran. Attempting to avoid bringing his beliefs into the conversation Brody looks at the possible decision from a holistic approach, claiming it would ultimately look as though the U.S were behind the attack on Iran. However his argument goes unheard, with an ignorant and arrogant Walden showing little sympathy for the Middle East. Absorbing what just occurred Brody is momentarily lost in time but eventually, after Vice President Walden questions his commitment, agrees to his requests.

 

 

 

Back in Beirut, Carrie returns to the safe house following her meeting much to the delight and relief of Saul. However after finding out that Carrie had already engaged in contact with the intel rather than the two of them going together, Saul questions Carrie’s ability to follow protocol but is more concerned about the source’s reliability. However after Carrie informs Saul of the information on Nazir, he is somewhat more accepting of her actions.

Estes on the other hand, back at CIA headquarters, is not as impressed as Saul. Having broken the agreement to meet the intel together with Saul, it seems as though Carrie is going back to old habits – basing her judgement off other people’s word and her own suspicions. Her inability to completely prove that the capture or death of Nazir is certain does not sit favourably with the head of CIA. Estes consults Saul for his judgment and a decision on the situation. Not realising that Carrie is on the verge of a mental breakdown, his demeaning comments about her presence in Beirut as well as her participation in the operation on a whole could not have come at a more bad time. However in justifying that the Carrie of old (at the time of recruiting her intel 8 years prior) was more trustworthy and reliable than her current self, Carrie manages to persuade Saul to go ahead with the operation.

 

 

 

 

 

For the first time in Season 2, Brody’s old mate Mike is reintroduced in to the story. Although having had their differences in Season 1, the pair seem to be making up for lost time. That is until Mike brings up Tom Walker’ death and the attempted assassination of Vice President Walden, claiming that the whole situation made no sense especially when Walker had the best sniper shot out of their whole military group. Having been made public that Walker acted alone, Mike asks Brody to use his authority to look further into the case. Trying his best to avoid the conversation and dismiss any conspiracies, Brody half-heartedly agrees to look into the case.

As the operation regarding Abu Nazir begins to unfold in Beirut Brody is informed of the major breakthrough for the first, joining other cabinet members to oversee the possibly historic event play out. Having had to eventually question who the prime target was, Brody quickly realises the seriousness of the situation for Nazir. Out of sheer desperation to save Nazir’s life, Brody sends him a sly message just in time to avoid being gunned down. Confusion and frustration begins to generate in the room as the operation fails to take down Nazir.

 

 

 

 

 

If the failure of the operation wasn’t bad enough, Carrie jeopardises the cover and lives of her colleagues as she flees from the escape car and ventures into the building complex of her intel looking for any more information. As the situation on the street begins to get out of hand and fearing for their own safety, Saul and the team are forced to drive on – leaving Carrie behind. Having had to momentarily fend for herself from the hostile local men, the team fortunately crosses paths with her and move on to their exit point.

Having agreed to look into Walker’s file Brody falsely claims there was nothing being covered up, much to the disgust to one of his former military partners who questions again the facts behind the attempted assassination. Again, as he does so well, Brody reverses the line of attack, cleverly using his experience as a prisoner of war to justify his actions and ease the burden of guilt.

The episode concludes with Carrie returning back to her sister’s suburban home whilst Saul is left to search through what she retrieved from the intel’s building complex. For those that remember, in Season 1 Brody made a video tape of himself (what it looked to be) confessing to his actions. However his actions at the conclusion of Season 1 were not successful. With Saul finding this tape stitched into the seam of a backpack coming from Carrie’s intel’s building, next weeks episode is sure to provide viewers with a few answer but many more questions!

 

Stayed tuned and be sure to check out next week’s posts for more Homeland material!

 

 

 

- Written By: Mike Duffy


Image Source: ten.com.au

Modern Family Season 4

Hey guys,

Modern Family just released its 20th episode in season 4 which has lived up to the high standard set by the previous seasons. This show has been a tremendous success recently receiving 14 prime time Emmy Award nominations.

Season 4 revolves around Gloria and Jay Pritchett's new born baby and how Gloria reveals this to Jay is shown in the first episode of season 4 itself. The season moves on by focusing on Jay's struggles with the baby and how Manny deals with not being the centre of attention anymore.

Cameron and Mitchell's story continues with the two of them struggling to decide whether to adopt a second child and the problems associated with adopting a child on the whole. The episodes move on by focusing on the new project that Cameron and Claire have taken on of renovating a house together. The tension between Claire and Cameron is very realistic and definitely adds to the drama side of the show.

The Dunphey household starts the season off with Haley in her first year of college and focuses on the different troublesome situations she gets herself into. However, in the middle of the season she actually gets kicked out of college and comes back home. Her struggles to find a job and focus on her studies becomes her main part in the rest of the season. Luke and Alex continue to be themselves with their smart comments and Claire gets caught up in her new house project with Cameron. Meanwhile, Phil continues to be hilarious and tries to manage the household on a day to day basis.

Season 4 is extremely funny and it is highly recommended that you get a hold of these episodes as soon as possible. Hopefully they produce a 5th season because it would be awesome to see how the characters progress through the years. It is hands down hilarious. So what are you waiting for?

Episode 21 should be released in the next week.

By Shri Sivalohan

Revenge 2x19 "Identity" Review

Well Revengers, Revenge is back after one hell of a long hiatus. And did it return with a bang?

Oh YES! With plenty of new developments and revelations to keep fans happy.

Below is a look at the juicy highlights of the night:

1. The Fa1c0n is!.. a random? Sorry but i thought it would be someone really significant to Emily or Nolan. But it wasn't a total letdown as the girl named Edith Lee had one intresting background that forced her into hiding her identity and forming a business relationship with Victoria. She not only served as a hacker for her but managed to cover her long forgotten son!

Then in comes Nolan (aka Bruce freaking Lee) and Edith's empire is knocked on it's feet with a simple game of Street Fighter!

In the end he managed to kill two birds with one stone by revealing Victoria's baby drama to the press and sending the Fa1c0n right to jail. Go Nolan! But does Edith's threat of messing with the wrong person offer fatal consequences?

2. Re-engaged? Okay spoilers revealed that this would happen, and well it turned out kinda more better than expected.

Not only does Emily face the dilema of re-marrying Daniel but the ugly head of jealousy from Aiden. She insists thats it's all part of her Revengey scheme and that once the Graysons have fell flat on there face will she ditch Daniel for Aiden.. but something tells me shes's actually harbouring feelings for Mr.Daniel Grayson with those flashbacks of memorie of when he popped the question the first time. Only time will tell on just what these two are.

Oh and another Dillema Emily is facing is the balancing of her relationship with Jack. If she accepts Daniel's marriage proposal she will be cut out of the Porter's lives including being godmother of recently deceased best friend's child, Ouch!. Poor Emily, she's in quite the pickle right now and wether or not she decides to go through with the wedding holds some serious emotional damage.

3. Team Ashley and Jack begins?.. Who knew these two could actually be fun?. Now that there working together to bring down Conrad we saw some fun from the two. Jack watches from the outside whilst Ashley effectivley managed to get back in on the inside. The question remains though wether or not vixen Ashley will go through with the scheme? Afterall she's definetley one easy girl to persuade. My bets are still on the two hooking up in the future though.

4. Victoria at her most vulnerable.. It was intresting seeing this deep personal side of mama Grayson with all her protective walls being temporarily brought down. I kinda actually felt bad for her again, after the terrible decision she had to go through.

The young actress who played young Victoria though seemed quite off, I expected her to be a bit more cold-hearted or something. Via the flashback though, we learned just why she gave up her son. It was all because she was offered a one-way ticket to study in France! Ofcoarse Victoria ate the offer up but don't forget she was just 16 and didnt know what to do.

Skip forward to present Victoria and she now wants her son back! She's lost her Fa1c0n though with her only option now being Nolan. And what an option! It now offers fans some potentially epic stories to come. Will he help her or use it to Emily's advantage? Will he do both? Or will Victoria discover Nolan's secrets. Oh so many ways this could go, Time will tell once again.

5. Lesbehonest Charlotte.. Mind my Rebel Wilson reference but what's up with Charlotte? Fair enough the girl you slapped had a really sad story but did you ever think that she could be playing it to her advantage? I really don't trust this girl befriending her, afterall this is Revenge and everyone has an agenda! Will Charlotte take a trip down her dark past thanks to this girl? Also come on Declan get your act together, help your girlfriend out for once and stop being so judjmental.

Overall Rating:

4.3/5

Only 3 episode left of the season guys! Check out the promo below:
 



Written By: Shahbaz Malik

Image Source: ABC

Game of Thrones is All Coming Together

Where to begin? This week's episode of Game of Thrones seemed to want to touch on everyone and everything. So if you missed it, or got a little lost amidst it all, we can give you a recap of this week's episode. We are half-way through the 10-episode season, and things are certainly starting to snowball coming into the last half of season three.

Stannis Baratheon
The defeated King Baratheon is still following the One Lord - the Lord of Light - and visits his wife in her tower. This is quite a creepy place indeed; his wife, who has suffered three still-births of sons, has kept the three baby bodies in fancy jars in her bedroom, and she talks to them as though they are alive and listening. No wonder he keeps her in the tower. We also learn that his wife did give birth to one child, but it was a girl. He is there to visit her too, and at first viewers might be confused as to why he keeps his daughter locked away. We soon discover that his daughter Shireen has an awful scar across her face from when she had greyscale (a disease) as a babe. The girl is incredibly sweet though. Later in the episode, she visits 'the Onion Knight' in the dungeon, where he has been sent for challenging the Lord of Light and the Red Lady. The young girl brings him a book and offers to teach him how to read. One can't help but be touched by the sad but sweet girl's story.

Lions in King's Landing

Tywin Lannister must hate his children. Tyrion and Cersei are put in their place this week, when the issue of the Tyrell's planning to marry-off Sansa becomes learned by Cersei through Littlefinger. Knowing that Sansa is the key to the North (remember everyone seems to think Bran, Arya and Rickon are dead) Tywin puts forward his remedy; Tyrion will marry Sansa. Cersei of course finds this hilarious, but she is soon silenced when Tywin orders Cersei to marry Willas Tyrell - the man the Tyrells are planning to have Sansa marry. This puts quite the cog in the Tyrell plans, and means Sansa might have to go with Littlefinger after all. The mighty Lions don't seem so mighty all of a sudden, as Tywin pulls two of his three children into line. Tyrion and Cersei are left devastated by the news.

SPOILER! Will the Marriages go ahead as planned?
We can reveal that only one of the two proposed Lannister marriages will go ahead, but we won't yet reveal which one. Either way, the Tyrell plan will be ruined, so we will keep you on your toes guessing which Lion will have to marry for the second time.

The King who Lost the North
Robb is having some trouble, poor bloke. A mutiny in his ranks sees the two Lannister boys he was holding killed while they slept. Lord Karstark was the mind behind the treason, and so Robb himself executes him, despite being urgently advised against it. As a result the Karstark men leave the army, and so Robb's forces are halfed. He is left in quite the predicament, charged with being the King who Lost the North. Desperate, he plans to move on Casterly Rock, which is undefended while the Lannister's focus their forces elsewhere. This means relying on Walder Frey, the man whose daughter he was supposed to marry. This might pose a bit of a problem for Robb, since we can't imagine Frey will take kindly to hearing Robb married someone else. It seems this might be Robb's last chance.

The Brotherhood without Banners
The Hound is ready to stand trial by duel, and just as he is laughing confidently with sword and shield in hand, his opponent prays to the One Lord and of course, his sword lights up with fire. This would be a problem for any regular joe-blow, but lets remember that the Hound is deadly afraid of fire. That being said, the Hound is victorious, striking his enemy down to surely die. But a prayer to the One Lord brings him back to life! It seems the Lord of Light isn't as crazy as the Lady in Red makes him out to be. Arya is 'kind of' held hostage now, with the Brotherhood planning to take her to her brother in exchange for coin. But its hard to view these friendly drinking chaps that seem to radiate a Robin Hood vibe as villains. Gendry, unfortunately, has decided to stay at the Brotherhood as a blacksmith - much to Arya's and no doubt fan's disappointment. The scene is incredibly heart-breaking.

The Kingslayer?
Jaime and Breanne have finally found some kind of salvation. Their captors take them to Lord Bolton, who orders the removal of their chains and the mending of their wounds. Jaime's decapitated stump is treated to many a cry of agony, but it is a later scene that draws enough sympathy for the old Knight of the Kingsguard to perhaps forgive him even of his attempt on Bran's life. He intrudes on a bath Sir Breanne is enjoying, and shares the story of when he slayed the mad King. Turns out things are not all as bad as they seem for Jaime; the mad King had ordered Jaime to kill his own father, and his Pyromancer to burn thousands of innocent people while they slept in order to fend off the encroaching rebellion. He refused to surrender, and so, to save the lives of many, Jaime killed the king and his Pyromancer, thus ending the Targaryen rule. When Breanne asks why he never shared his story, Jaime declares that the honorable Ned Stark who found him standing over the King's corpse would not hear his side. Even after all he has done, we can't help but feel for the crippled Jaime.

Beyond the Wall
Bow chikka wow wow! It was inevitable that Jon Snow would eventually make love to the wild girl Ygritte, and at the half-way mark of the season they finally do. The love scene occurs in a cave with hot springs, and it seems old Snow is quite a talented young pup! At least from what Ygritte can tell us. How many men of Westeros are good at sex now? Although the scene feels rushed, the couple share a cute embrace afterwards, and Ygritte expresses her desire to stay with Snow, and hide away from the war. The Wildmen plan to attack the wall, and in the next episode we hope to see their attempts at last. Check out the preview for next week to see just what we mean!

Make sure you don't miss next week's episode as we start the second half of the season. The drama is well and truly building now, and we expect the next five episodes will be very action packed!

~ Written by Jessica Sheridan

Information Source: A Wiki of Ice and Fire

Image Sources: Strathmore Standard, Geekbinge, WallStreetJournal, Rickey, Facebook, Forbes

Five TV Shows You'll Miss in 2013

2013 is a new year, with new television drama to be had. Many of us sat eagerly waiting after Christmas for the new season of our favourite shows to kick start again. Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones and Revenge lovers have had their hunger quenched. But other fan-clubs are at a loss for the 2013 television season, as we prepare to say goodbye to some of our favourite television shows.

All good things must come to an end. Here are some of the biggest shows that will be wrapping up their final season in 2013 and saying goodbye to fans for good.

30 Rock
This much loved comedy show starring Tina Faye and Alec Baldwin will surely be missed by many. The show has already wrapped up production for good, and aired their last show in the USA in January. The quirkiness of the television show drew many people in, and the classic humor was to die for. We are sad to see this 'TV Show about a TV Show' gone.

Dexter
Our favorite serial killer, played by Michael C. Hall, will be perfomring his last ritualistic murder this year. An instant success, and based off the popular book series, Dexter is now in his eighth season. Viewers shouldn't be too suprised, since his secret is known by quite a few key characters now, including his sister Deb. Still we expect this very different take on a police-prodecdural show will be missed on the airwaves after this year.

Futurama
Yet again, Futurama has had its production cancelled by Comedy Central. The show was very similar to The Simpsons, coming from the minds of the same creators, and was hugely popular for its social commentary and comic antics. We are unsure if the show will ever make a resurgence, but for now the curtains are closed and the pens are down. The show is expected to end this year with its seventh season in total.

The Office
The US version of the hit comedy series The Office will air its final episode this year in May. Some people expected the show to die out after Hollywood star Steve Carell (playing Regional Manager Michael Scott) left at the end of season seven. Now, in season nine, the shows has decided to leave with dignity in tact. The socially-awkward humor of the day-to-day lives of the Scranton staff was always a personal favourite, but the wrap-up is understandable.

Spartacus
Based on the ancient Roman legend of the gladiator of the same name, Spartacus was a massive hit both here and overseas. Sadly, as the show is loosely historically based, it began with an obvious end. The show ran for three seasons and has already ended for 2013. The finale was a real tear-jerker, though fans up to scratch on their history were probably not too suprised!

~ Written by Jessica Sheridan

Information Sources: tvseriesfinale.com, IMDB

Image Sources: fanpop

Crusaders in Blue: New Heroes in Game of Thrones Episode 4

We're almost half way! Episode four of Game of Thrones season three is out and running us off our feet. We will say, at least, that the show has gotten back into its rhythm; each episode is just the right balance of plot. As always we are left wanting more, but there is much to be excited about after this weeks installment of the gruesome fantasy.

The greatest thing about the latest episode is that we seem to at last have our heroes again. Its been a while since any of the generally twisted characters were barracking for a good and worthwhile cause, and we can't actually recall the last time evil didn't somehow prevail in Westeros. This week has introduced some very strong plotlines that lift several characters up for us to cheer for; peculiarly enough, they all wear blue. We hope that we aren't in for an Eddard Stark repeat, but we might be out of luck yet again. For now we can at least enjoy these Blue Crusaders.

The New Queen - Margaery Tyrell was introduced as quite the harlot, with her low cut dresses and pixie-features. But since her debut in season two, we have seen she is not as soft-minded as she appears. This week she demonstrated just how much influence she already has over the infatuated Joffrey, persuading him to appear in public before the people for the first time since the Blackwater Siege. Plans for their wedding are progressing, and a very anxious Cersei confronts her father about the 'Tyrell problem'. Already it seems the charming Margaery has wooed the young Prince, and already has herself in a comfortable position to be Queen.

Spoiler! The Upcoming Royal Wedding

The wedding between Margaery and Joffrey is fast approaching, and so is the death of a very central character. For those still skeptical, the wedding does occur, but not without its dramas. Season three is based on the third installment of A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, and to those of us who have read the series, we know that this will definitely be the goriest season yet. And expect a few other matrimonial unions this season as well, one of which will prove to be the bloodiest of them all.

Lord of Whispers

The Spider was very busy this week. At long last he revealed how he came to lose his genitals and became so influential in Westeros. In conversation with a revenge-hungry Tyrion, Lord Varys shares how he was bought by a Sorcerer and had his genitals taken off as part of a sacrificial ceremony in which a fire came to life and spoke to the magic wielder. Viewers were shocked when the Spider then lifted the lid on a box he was prying open to reveal the very Sorcerer he spoke of, mouth sown shut and frail. Varys is not only crafty, he seems a bit sinister. But can we blame him?

Game of Throne's Groovy Granny to the Rescue

Olenna of House Tyrell (shown above to the right) has quickly become popular for her quick-tongue and very down-to-earth, realistic view on the world. This week she is seen in the gardens of King's Landing once more, still watching over her granddaughter as she woos the King. The Spider seeks her out, and conveys his concerns for the gentle but resilient Sansa Stark. Littlefinger has plans to take the young Stark girl away with him, but this is dangerous in Varys' eyes: if Rob Stark dies, then a marriage to Sansa would be the quickest route to the titles and lands of the North. 

Claiming Littlefinger is the most dangerous man in Westeros, Lord Varys seeks Olenna's aid in getting Sansa out of his reach, and wedded to someone else quick smart. Olenna, wearing the heroes blue, is quick to respond, sending the charming Margaery to speak to Sansa, who seems quite fond of the clever young Tyrell. The plan is to marry Sansa to Willas - Margaery's brother - and take Sansa away to the High Gardens which is where the Tyrell's call home. But will it be too late?

Westeros has Bigger Problems than Winter

Who cares if Winter is coming? There are bigger problems across the seas. Daenerys at last obtains her army needed to take back the Iron Throne this week, and she does it with so much style and sass that we almost can't recognise the quiet, frightened child from season one. Offering one dragon as payment for the entire army of Unsullied slave soldiers, Daenerys at last has the command. As promised, as soon as the symbolic golden whip is passed to her, the Unsullied obey her every command. The dragon, however, does not obey his new owner. As the Mother of Dragons declares; dragons are not slaves.

Once revealing she speaks Valyrian (and so understood every insult the slaver had made to date) Daenerys commands the army to kill all the slavers, but not harm any children. She then commands her dragon to kill its new owner, and set the slave city on fire. Once her bloody salvation for the slaves is over, Daenerys tells the Unsullied that they are free men, and free to go if they wish. They are only to stay if they will fight for her as free men. Every soldier stays, and the episode concludes with the army, the dragons, and the last known Targaryen crossing out of the fallen city. 

Who will Watch the Watchers?

Chaos has hit beyond the Wall, with several Crows committing mutiny this week. Most horrifying was the death of the Lord Commander, who was killed during the scuffle. The gentle Sam, who never really belonged with the Night's Watch, fled the scene with Gilly and her newborn baby, heading into the woods alone. Behind them the men of the Night's Watch proved just how dangerous it is to recruit criminals and give them a sword. With the Winter setting in, and the armies of the White Walkers and the Wildlings marching south, who will watch the Wall?

Spoiler! Where is Bran going?

The current plot revolving around Bran Stark has been moving somewhat slowly this season, and a lot of mystery veils where he might be heading as he follows the three-eyed crow. Where is he going, you ask? Where all Crows go - the Wall.

Tune in next week to Game of Thrones, and check in on Tuesday for a recap and spoilers. in the meantime, check out the preview of next weeks episode. And remember, Winter is coming.

~ Written by Jessica Sheridan

Image Sources: NoiseCreep, policymic, HuffingtonPostTV 

Spoiler Sources: IceandFireWikia

Revenge Season 2 Episode 19 "Identity" Spoilers: Will Victoria be exposed?

Revenge will finally return next week from it's extended hiatus, below is a few spoilers/pics and sneak peeks at the episode to get you ready for it with our very own commentary.

 Spoilers

• The hunt for the Falcon continues with Emily, Aiden and Nolan trying to find Padma.

Does this mean Padma is still alive afterall, i guess my previous theory was correct. And just putting it out there but could the Falcon be Emily's dad?

• Emily faces some tough decisions for her future. Will she marry Daniel again?

Previously revealed that they will walk down the aisle, i wonder how Aiden will react to this. Will his jeaoulusy over-rule Emily's revengey scheme?

• Victoria has one very exposing interview coming up! Juju Chang from 'Dateline' will be the one digging the dirt.

Could the 'exposing' interview have to do with her long-lost son?. Will Juju Chang get to the bottom of her hidden son mystery and reveal that his still out there.

 Full photos here.

Below is the promo for the episode, check it out!

Sounds like a juicy episode doesn't it. What are you most looking forward to when Revenge returns?

Make sure you also check out our full season 2 recap to prepare yourself for next week's return!

Revenge returnes next Sunday, April 28th.

Sources: SpoilersGuide, ABC

Written By: Shahbaz Malik.

Homeland: Season 2 Episode 1

After Season 1 proved to be an overwhelming success (picking up multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Awards) Homeland is back in action, with Season 2 shaping up be even more explosive and scandalous than what was an already minding-blowing first season.

 

For all those Homeland fanatics, unfortunately we won’t be treated to Season 3 until late September (2013). But fear not – a recap of all the thrilling action from Season 2 is coming your way to (hopefully) try and pass that time a little quicker!

Whilst the Season 1 finale left viewers on the edge of their seat and answered a few lingering questions, it created even more questions and suspicions about Brody’s intentions as well as Carrie’s ability to focus solely on the terrorism issue at hand.

Having attempted to treat her bipolar disorder through the use of electroconvulsive therapy, Carrie seems to be adjusting back into a regular pattern of life with the assistance of her immediate family following her dramatic dismissal from the CIA.

All seems well until her former colleague Saul receives news of possible intel from a woman in Lebanon – the only issue is that the agency has no idea who the woman is (having contacted the agency it would be assumed she would have some form of connection, but as Saul quickly finds out this isn’t the case). Having dodged unwanted company in order to meet her in the hostile streets of Beirut, Saul’s attempts to find out more information are cut short by a hesitant and fragile source who is only willing to speak to Carrie (this woman turned out to be one of Carrie’s previously hired agents who was “run off the books” to ensure her safety). Therefore David Estes (CIA Counter Terrorism Director) is forced to move beyond their falling out and gain the services of Carrie once again.

Back in the United States, the possibility of running for Vice-President is offered to Brody by Vice-President Walden himself. Having already been hailed as both a war hero and inspirational political figure, the scene could not be set more perfectly for Brody to make his impact. Having been approached indirectly by Abu Nazir in relation to potential targets for terrorism activity, Brody claims he is not a terrorist and only intends on using his position of power for political law enforcement. However after breaking into Estes’s personal safe and retrieving classified documents it becomes quite obvious which side Brody is pledging his allegiance to.  

However Brody’s so far smooth run in politics could soon be coming to an abrupt halt, following comments made by his daughter Dana at school that he is a Muslim. Although shrugged off at school, Brody is forced to tell his wife Jessica who is extremely against the idea. Through her frustration, Jessica (and as many viewers would) questions Brody on the basis of what Carrie claimed that afternoon on their front lawn – that Brody was in fact a terrorist plotting against the United States. Yet, as always, Brody manages to get himself out of the controversial situation by placing the blame on Carrie – reminding Jessica that she was not only fired by the CIA but locked in a mental institution.

 

Having agreed to join forces with the CIA again, Carrie makes her way through Beirut for a planned meeting with Saul. However the situation quickly turns sour and, just like Saul, Carrie is forced to content with unwanted company. In what looks to be the end of the line for her, the Carrie-of-old reignites and defuses the situation with a promising look of satisfaction and desire for more.

The episode concludes with Brody burying the Qur’an in his backyard after his wife had damaged it in her temporary rage. The fact that his daughter Dana comes out to help him leaves viewers with conflicting perspectives – will the general public be just as gullible to Brody’s antics as his innocent daughter or will the power of family be enough to swing his decision?

 

 

Stayed tuned and be sure to check out next week’s posts for more Homeland material!


- Written By: Mike Duffy

Entertainment from Overseas: The Anime Phenomenon

Globalisation is a word that often connotes boring images of high school geography classes. But in truth we have a lot to thank for the international focus the world has taken, particularly with regards to entertainment. How else would we get our weekly installments of American Idol or Game of Thrones if entertainment was not a global industry? But in recent times it is not only the dramas and reality TV shows that have reached our shores. A certain popularity has sparked for a type of television show termed 'anime' that we import from Japan.

I'm sure many of us now can remember growing up with 'cartoon' shows like Dragon Ball Z (pictured above), Pokemon, Card Captors and even Digimon on the infamously popular  Cheese TV. But these early tastes of anime, the Japanese art style common across these childhood favourites, is becoming steadily popular in Australia among older 'kids', with darker and more in-depth shows available in the popular genre. Late night television has become inundated with this new medium of entertainment, and the recent rumours regarding a new season of Dragon Ball Z have 'nerdy' fans cheering. So for those behind on their anime, we thought we'd offer up a few choice selections to check out that have been a massive hit with those familiar with the genre.

Death Note
In this anime, a Shinigami (Japanese for God of Death) named Ryuk drops his notebook into the human world. This notebook is nothing innocent, but rather is a potential weapon of mass murder. The book comes with instructions for whatever human picks it up, the first describing its primary function: "The person whose name is written in this note shall die." This book is called a Death Note, and a twisted plot ensures when Light, a young student in Tokyo with a strong sense of justice, picks up the book. The anime follows Light, and the mysterious elite detective L, as they enter a bloody battle of wits to see who will kill who first. The anime questions much about life, death, and where to draw the line with regards to morality.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
After their mother dies, brothers Edward and Alphonze try to bring their mother back to life using a science-based magic called alchemy. However the transmutation goes tragically wrong, and the two boys - misunderstanding the laws of equivalent exchange - end up losing a lot more. Horribly disfigured by the tragedy, the brothers set out into the world to find a way to restore their bodies back to normal, and perhaps bring their mother back again. The world is similar to our own around the turn of the first world war, but of course with added alchemists who are skilled in the magical science of alchemy. This anime has a lot of action, but it is the heart-warming story of brotherhood and loss that makes this anime truly popular.

Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon was largely popular in Australia during the 90s and early in 2000s. But sadly the Western version of the show was largely downplayed and censored for the benefit of audiences. In the original version, all of the planets have a Sailor Scout assigned to them, including Mini Sailor Moon, coming to a grand total of nine Scouts plus the Princess, Sailor Moon. The original version ran for much longer, with a more intense and mature plotline. Of particular note is the homosexual relationship between Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus (shown on the right of the above image as the dark green and dark blue Scouts). The original version is also a lot more gory, and we advise you don't grow too attached to any of the Sailor Scouts. Any of them.

~ Written by Jessica Sheridan

Image Sources: fanpop.com, squadmemberritsureviews, zerochan.net,