OUAT in Wonderland S1 E1

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland

Season 1, Episode 1

Title: Down the Rabbit Hole

Cast:

Sophie Lowe: Alice

Peter Gadiot: Cyrus

Michael Socha: The Knave of Hearts

Emma Rigby: The Red Queen

Naveen Andrews: Jafar

John Lithgow (voice): The White Rabbit

            So this isn’t your typical Alice in Wonderland telling. This time they think Alice is crazy and are ready to perform a lobotomy on her until the Knave of Hearts shows up. Alice thinks that her fiancée, a genie named Cyrus, was killed by the Red Queen. So Alice gives up all hope and returns home to England and is sent to a sanitarium by her father. There she is worn down until she tells the doctors what they want to hear.

            The White Rabbit hunts down the Knave of Hearts in present day Storybrooke (connecting the two shows as the Knave appears in front of Granny’s restaurant with Ashely (Cinderella) and Leroy (Grumpy) telling him that there was storm coming and to find shelter) and badgering the Knave until he agrees to help him free Alice.

            The Knave shows up just as Alice is about ready to go for her lobotomy. What gets her attention is that he says Cyrus is alive!

            This was different than Once Upon a Time, more fanciful, but I’ll wait a few more episodes before I pass judgment. I have to say that the addition to Jafar from Aladdin was unexpected and interesting at the same time.

            I can’t wait to see what the next episode brings.

OUAT S3 E1

Once Upon a Time

Season 3, Episode 1

Title: Heart of the Truest Believer

CAST:

Ginnfer Goodwin: Snow White/Mary Margaret Blanchard

Jennifer Morrison: Emma Swan

Lana Parilla: The Evil Queen/Regina Mills

Josh Dallas: Prince Charming/David Nolan

Colin O'Donoghue: Killian Jones aka Captain Hook

Sarah Bolger: Aurora aka Sleeping Beauty

Jaime Chung: Mulan

Jared Gilmore: Henry Mills

Robert Carlise: Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold

Julian Morris: Prince Phillip

Michael Raymond-James: Baelfire/Neal Cassidy

            What can I say about the first episode of the new season of OUAT? It was amazing! You get see them attacked by mermaids and the Lost Boys. You get to see Peter Pan and Neverland.

            There was a ton of action and just simply pain from the characters. Especially Emma who still feels hurt by what her parents did to her; sending her through the wardrobe to protect her from the curse.

            You also see Neal aka Baelfire very much ALIVE and back in the Enchanted Forest with Aurora, Prince Phillip, and Mulan. Neal trying to explain what movies are to Mulan was kind of funny but not as funny as the trio’s reaction to Neal being the Dark One’s son.

            We find out that Pan is a not very nice boy and lies to Henry upon first meeting, something that Henry doesn’t like. He knows that his family is coming for him, but I have a feeling that Pan will try to make Henry not believe that.

            Mr. Gold aka Rumplestilskin leaves Hook, Emma, Snow White, Charming, and The Evil Queen on the Jolly Roger to find Henry. He feels that he can find Henry faster. Apparently he’s been to Neverland and knows how Pan can be. It seems that even the Dark One is a little afraid of Peter Pan.

            You may be wondering what happens to Greg and Tamara? Pan kills Greg (as far as we know) by ripping his shadow away. Tamara is shot by one of the Lost Boys’ arrows, but is healed by Gold. She begs forgiveness, but he rips her heart out and crushes it in true dramatic fashion.

            I’ve been so excited all summer about this premiere and it didn’t disappoint. From the Jolly Roger arriving in Neverland to Henry flying using pixie dust was great. The green screen isn’t any better, but what can you do? It’s not about the cinematics of a show, in my opinion, but about how well it captivates you.

            Heart of the Truest Believer had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t wait to see if Emma and the rest made it through on the Jolly Roger. I admit I knew what was coming, there would be no show without these core characters; however, there’s always that chance that something can go wrong. It’s a TV show and the creators are the same people behind LOST. You never can tell.

            I was on pins and needles waiting to see who was going to play Peter Pan and find out why he wanted Henry. For his heart, naturally, it all seems to come down to the heart of the matter. I will be tuning in for the rest of the season, no matter what. If this first episode is any indicator, we’re in for a great ride!

Hemlock Grove Review

Hemlock Grove Review

Cast List

Famke Janssen—Olivia Godfrey

Bill Skarsgard—Roman Godfrey

Landon Liboiron—Peter Rumancek

Penelope Mitchell—Letha Godfrey

Lili Taylor—Lynda Rumancek

Dougray Scott—Norman Godfrey

Aaron Douglas—Sheriff Tom Sworn

Freya Tingley—Christina Wendall

     I have to admit that when i heard that Netflix was going to begin creating its own original programming I was skeptical. Netflix is an online streaming company and nothing more. Well, that’s a great big fib on Netflix’s part. They could charge twice as much as they do for their services and they don’t. Of course, this is beside the point. You’re here for a review and a review you shall have.

          Hemlock Grove is a show about a small town rocked by the death of a young high school student. There are secrets in abundance in this town, as there are in many small towns; however, I don’t think they are this bad. Hemlock Grove stars the ever amazing Famke Jenseen as Olivia Godfrey.

          The twists in this are great,

          The difference between this series and the other original series on Netflix and those on network television is the ability to watch an entire season at once. Being able to sit down want episode one and then get to watch the subsequent episodes made it that much better.

          I quickly became intrigued by the idea of a serial killer along the lines of Veronica Mars and Harpers Island where it takes to the end of the first season to figure out who the killer is. If you’re like me you probably can guess who the killer is within the first few episodes, but its still worth the wait for the reveal. Even if you know who it is, it’s still a shock.

          I totally recommend the series. Hopefully it comes back for another season. 

Army Wives, Ashes to Ashes

Army Wives

Title: Ashes to Ashes

Season 7, Episode 1

          The episode begins where the last episode began, with Michael Holden (Brian McNamara) saying “Oh my god!” In the next scene we find out that it wasn’t the plane going down, but that his wife, Claudia Joy Holden (Kim Delaney) had died. He goes to inform Denise Sherwood (Catherine Bell) who in turn informs everyone else.

          This was a very sad episode as you had to watch everyone come together and deal with the loss of Claudia Joy. The scenes between Michael and Emmalin Holden (Katelyn Pippy) were heart wrenching.  They could barely speak to each other half the time because of the high emotions.

          Great episode, but sad. I enjoyed seeing the old faces and getting to know the new people. I don’t know if I’ll continue to watch, I rarely do until the end, but I do hope they continue with the series.

          However, I foresee the end of Army Wives at the end of this season.

Bates Motel, Episode 1

Bates Motel

Title: First You Dream, Then You Die

Aired: March 18, 20

Stars: Vera Farmiga as Norma Bates

                    Freddie Highmore as Norman Bates

          Okay, so I couldn’t even sit through the whole episode. I had to DVR the episode because of the time it was on. I was working at the time and I wouldn’t be able to watch it, so I had to fast forward to get through to the end of the episode.

          It started out with Norman (Freddie Highmore) waking up and finding his parents missing, at first. As he goes through the house, he finds his father laying a pool of blood in the garage and he can’t find his mother. Norman’s mother, Norma Bates (Vera Farmiga), was in the shower. I figure his mother killed his father so that she could have Norman all to herself.

          That’s all I can say about this.

Coming of the Storm

Review of Coming of the Storm (Book 3)

          In Coming of the Storm a short time has passed and it’s when things really start to pick up. The future begins to look up for young EJ as his new family, The Downings, continue to treat him as if he has been with them his whole life. Meanwhile his brother, Danny, is forced to return home.

          Shep takes you on a whirlwind of a ride that leaves you, once again, on the edge of your seat.

          Strap yourself in for one wicked ride.

What's Behind the Looking Glass

Review of What’s Behind the Looking Glass (Book 1)

          In What’s Behind the Looking Glass Shep finds a niche.

          Follow EJ and his family as they learn the true meaning of family and what it means to be there for someone who truly needs it.

          The suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

          Watch out for traps and red herrings. They are lurking around every corner.

Eternal Light

   Eternal Light is written by Layla J Omorose and is amazingly brilliant. Below is her description of the novel:

He walked in eternal darkness...Until she came and sparked his desire. Now the first of the Trinity must claim his mate or risk unleashing hell on Earth...

The eldest of three, Radien, Trinityhound of Life is haunted by the mistakes he's made, mistakes that have ripped his family apart. After years of living in self imposed exile far away from a tragic past. He is forced to me it face to face. Not only to protect a world that is blind to a truth better left alone, but to find the one thing that can him to his knees... His destined mate, a woman whose very touch makes him pant from desire...

Her dreams made flash...

As the owner of her own publishing company, Melody Sonders has all she could ever want. Strong and confident she believed she had control over everything in her life...Except love. Heartbroken she has sword off the male species...Until the man of her dreams appears and turns her world upside down. Heart stopping gorgeous and clearly bad of her health, he sparks her wildest desires and brings out the animal in her...

How do you fight a passion that electrifies the soul?

Together they must find a way past their insecurities and come together to stop the beast that hunts them or forever walk in eternal darkness...

          Layla makes her characters jump off the screen and they become engrained in your mind. She has interwoven sex, danger, and the Ancient Greek gods into one amazingly written piece of work. From her descriptions of each character to her descriptions of the surroundings of her characters it’s like you’re there with them.

          This is a must read for anyone interested in mythology, in any form.

          To Layla, keep up the great work!

Thank you

SM Garcia

SM Garcia

American Horror Story: Asylum Season 2 Finale Review

American Horror Story: Asylum

Season 2, Episode 13

Madness Ends

Aired 1-23-13

Brief Synopsis: Lana comes full circle and we find out what happens to everyone.

          I have to say that I have loved American Horror Story since the beginning. I have yet to miss an episode from either season. More on this in my full length review of the season.

          This was one of Lana’s best episodes! She showed how truly strong and an amazing she is. Not only was she a lesbian and reporter during an awful time for women, but she stayed strong and persevered. Lana (Sarah Paulson) played this episode flawlessly. From never blinking when her son came to her face to face halfway through the episode, but she never bats an eye as she tells the interviewer that she lied about him dying at birth.

          This was also Sister Jude’s best episode, I have to say. Watching her decline fully into madness only to regain who she was previously; her death scene was horrible, but well played. The way the bed comes at the screen and the Angel of Death (Frances Conroy) slowly moves towards the bed at the same time is great. It felt weird, in a good way that Sister Jude (Jessica Lange) ended up with Kit (Evan Peters) and his children, Thomas and Julia.

          Kit’s ending was a little weak. The aliens came back and got him before he passed on from cancer. That was it.

          Monsignor, now, Cardinal Howard (Joseph Fiennes); after promising Jude he would release her when Lana comes after him. She corners him after weeks of trying to get an interview with him in the garage. After hearing what Lana has to say to him about Dr. Threadson (James Cromwell) and his experiments, so instead of taking it like a man and a Catholic, he takes the cowards way out and killed himself. I shook my head at it. Catholics look down on this sort of thing. Stupid.

          As Lana interviews for a thing at the Kennedy Center when Johnny, Lana and Thresdon’s son, comes in to finish what Thresdon started over 40 years ago.

          The thing that I loved about the episode was the wrap up every living character left through the eyes of Lana. I also liked figuring out that I was right about how the whole show ended.

Update

            Thinking back as to why I created this blog, I’m not sure that I should have. I don’t review books, movies, or TV shows as often as I would like. I’m going to try to be more diligent about it, but don’t be surprised if you only get a review of a season premiere or season finale of a TV show. Maybe a series premiere; stay tuned for my reviews of the final episodes of Fringe and Private Practice. I’ll be reviewing American Horror Story: Asylum as well. Plus a season long review of the former show as well and thoughts on the upcoming season of the same show.

            Also please don’t be surprised if you get a smattering of episode reviews throughout a season as well. These will be ones that just caught my attention and that I feel like reviewing. Keep you as updated as I possibly can.