La Dee Da

I caught up on the show this weekend - as an Ottawa resident, I thought "eh, it's not that bad driving around the city" as people were getting lost. However, tonight I drove by Commissioners Park along the canal and, because the one road leading to my destination was blocked by construction, I had to go into downtown and then back from a different direction. I feel a little more sympathetic now!

The sequencing of the last two seasons is very intriguing - I thought it would be The war with Cersei this year and the Night King the next. The talk of an armistice reorders that a bit - Dany joins the fight in the North, likely depleting some of her forces, while Cersei bides her time and reloads with sell swords. It doesn't have the same stakes, though, in terms of bringing the series to a close. Littlefinger's manoeuvres are a little too obvious - I'm hoping they're setting up a student defeats the master storyline for Sansa, with the help of Arya ... that said, I would not be surprised if the next episode has a moment in which Arya is reciting her list and ends it with Sansa's name ... it would be too tempting from a writing perspective. Besides Gilly, I wonder who else has read Maynard's diary. She can't be the first to have looked at it (maybe the first the have read it in detail, given the largely engrossing details).

I feel for the teams who flew from BC to St. John's to start the race, only to fly all the way back home - hope they get to keep the air miles! Beautiful scenery as always. I try to reserve judgment on teams for the first couple of episodes - it must be hard to be yourself and to let the moment or reaction come naturally when you're so conscious of the cameras - but the jury is itching to start deliberating on some of them. I'm skeptical about the multiple express passes, given how the infinity plus number of immunity idols has impacted Survivor. Maybe the producers feel they will lessen the temptation for penalties?

I often look at google maps during the show to gauge how far they're travelling - for Seoul it automatically defaulted to transit mode as the fastest and refused to switch to car mode. But I agree cabbing is the cardinal rule in TAR. I played video games for the first time in years over Christmas and it was sooooo hard. There were a million buttons and switches for different moves and weapons. It's too bad the racers weren't able to use my strategy - I ran away (off a cliff once or twice) and hid until someone took out the "enemy". I slow-mo'd the cups footage to see how the kids were proceeding. It was impressive!

Could anyone who participated in a "my son!!!" Drinking game please check in? We need to make sure you're alive. I've only watched sporadically this year but it doesn't seem like you need to see the whole season to catch the plot points in the finale. I liked the fight sequences and most of the cameos. It certainly wasn't as dour as last year, even though we're supposed to presumably think everyone! Could! Be! Dead! The cliff hanger is whelming at best - not as outrageous as the Walking Dead but not as conversation generating as some of the Game of Thrones endings. I like discussing what developments mean to the characters and their trajectories but there isn't enough substance for that. I guess we're supposed to wonder how they reunite and how and when the get off what remains of the Island. On that: Maybe the argus prison but if someone yelled out "what's in the hatch" as they were running to it, it would be fab!

It's been several years since I saw the original but I remember it having more character-driven elements. These episodes were more artistry oriented, which is fine and thought provoking. But I want to care about the omniscient glowing tree arm creature, you know? I wonder about all the seeming tangents that were introduced - are we going to circle back to them? Like, what's with the prospector ghost in the jail with the principal? Should we care about the handyman's furtiveness? Who is the extra body in the bed? It's going to be an interesting challenge as a viewer - we like to solve puzzles but I think Lynch is more about the journey and why you took the journey than he is about the destination.

I'm leaning toward Malone being evil or at least non-good inclined for two reasons. First, he's too inoffensive, between the aw shucks, boyish actor to naming him Billy. I can see the appeal of that "twist" - Felicity seeing a nice uncomplicated guy who's different from Oliver but who also turns out to be the dark mirror of the Green Arrow. Dun dun duuuuun! Second - and pretty irresistible for the writers, I think - it creates the opportunity for dialogue along the lines of the following, including a post-break-up: Scene: Team Arrow discovers Billy is up to no good. Felicity: oh my god, I've pulled an 'Isabel'! Well, not 'pulled' exactly, although there was that one time after the reeeeeallly good wine ...." Someone in the lair/on comms: Felicity!! Felicity: Right. Tracking his location now. Scene!

Yay for my little province! St. Andrew's is a beautiful spot to visit. You need a few more exclamation points in your excellent alternate title, zibnchy, to fully convey the spirit - and volume - in which it was said. ? Despite the face-off, this was a well paced episode - it felt like it was anyone's leg to win or lose, especially given that last disorienting task. I'm sad no one did the Moosehead challenge but the Crosby challenge was super educational - who knew you could make edible vinegar taffy!

I have a ton of respect for what Usain has accomplished and how he did it. But I'm so excited for Andre! He started running four years ago - he's just getting started! Whoooo! The CBC is almost squeeing over the brotherly camaraderie between some of the runners although the announcers did say two of the finalists refuse to speak to each other, so maybe it's not all changed?

On the one hand - everybody's dead!! - but on the other - that was perfect!! Seismic changes for next season. Cersei ascending to the throne was everything she ever wanted but the cost in terms of what she has paid and will pay is staggering. She has to know that Tommen chose death because she took everything he held dear away from him. Her grip on the throne would be unsustainable even if Dany had chosen the scenic route to Westeros - she is utterly alone. I loved the little things in this one - the Sparrow's face when he realized he was wrong but his pride wouldn't allow him to evacuate, Sansa's face when she realized Jon is an obstacle to Littlefinger and that she needs to protect him, Cersei's armor-like dress...

I look forward to updated credits next week, with the wolf sigil spinning on the Winterfell pop-up! Whoo! A good GOT episode for me are the ones that work well internally - was the story over the hour well told - and that make you imagine the direction all future episodes can take. This was definitely one of those episodes. Props to the director in particular - the two battles were well done and so distinct. I loved the wide open, aerial battle of the now fully operational dragons and the claustrophobic, frantic, stab or be stabbed Winterfell battle. For Mereen, I am cautiously optimistic that forward progress has been made - I usually find myself taken out of Dany's storyline because I'm wondering how they'll delay her from reaching Westeros. Now I wouldn't be surprised if she ends the season with her fleet en route, perhaps to Dorne. And then her next challenge is to marshall support so she can rule over the long run, moving from "I'll break the wheel" to "can I interest you in realigning the spokes a bit?" It will be a struggle, given her current approach to leaving the world a better place is to burn half of it to ashes. For Winterfell, I think the Starks are fine militarily speaking - it's too close to winter to mount an assault or siege, and the likely opponents are busy elsewhere. As usual for this show, things are less certain politically. I'm curious how Jon and Sansa will work together to rebuild the support of their banner men and women, and how they will manoeuvre the chaos loving wildly ambitious elephant in the castle that is Littlefinger. The only thing that is predictable about him is his Catelyn-driven affection for Sansa - how does she deploy that to her advantage without marriage (he'll definitely suggest it given he's now their primary backer)? i didn't worry about Jon during the battle - the Lord of Light seems to have plans for him - but I did worry about Davos. I thought he might come across a Bolton sneak attack during his stroll or, once he found Shireen's toy, that he'd succumb to dispair. A small part of me was wondering how did they unlock the cages without the dogs attacking them, and when did Ramsay have a chance to train the dogs to only appear at the most dramatic beat of the scene. But most of me was all "whooooooo, dinner time!"

Some intriguing set up for interesting questions but it seemed like a lot of filler. I like Sam and Gilly, but I don't think we needed three scenes to get to Sam stealing a white walker-killing sword. I don't think Margery is playing a long con ... yet. She's motivated by the short term goal of saving Loras. The expression on her face when the army arrived at the sept said "aw dammit, all I had to do was wait another day?!?" That said, she is one of the best at adapting to her circumstances - she'll make this alliance work for her family's interest. Tommen, on the other hand, could be in thrall to a sunbeam - who lets a child that impressionable out of their sight? They keep mentioning Cersei's upcoming trial by combat - I wonder who might be the church's champion? Prophecies must be fulfilled after all.... I'm curious about Bran's visions and his "I found it". The new part of the visions was about the dragon fire was season two-ish and the mad King that Jamie killed during the last war. Maybe the "it" is the Night King's lair where the babies are turned and, in absence of Dany and the dragons, the next best thing for taking it out is the dragon fire? i disliked him on sight but couldn't remember why! Thanks!

Maybe the show can have its cake and gleefully smash into people's faces by (1) starting the next season with a freaked out Barry telling his fourth parental figure - the speed force - that he made a horrible mistake and wants things to go back to the way they were. The Speed force allows the course correction, warning that there will be consequences. Everything starts to go back to normal... but an evil speedster from the the new timeline (probably a familiar face to be revealed later) realizes what's going on and makes it into the old timeline! S/he And a super guilty feeling Barry then fight over the entire season to make their timeline the true timeline. And (2) the show has flash sideways, like the last season of Lost, showing what the alternative reality would be and why Barry was afraid. They'd get to do fun Earth 2 style shenanigans, like Iris being a cop or different super hero buddies from other cities. Hmmmmmmm?

The iron-born may have to settle for a thousand-ish ships, give or take several hundred. In addition to the labour shortage, there can't be that many trees on Pike and they may not have enough ships to scavenge the mainland. By the time they're ready, Yara will have already integrated her fleet into one of the contestants for the throne. I wondered about that, too. I thought maybe the three-eyed raven was giving Bran a crash course, the essential thing Bran had to know to take his place. But beyond being a moment of good-byes, the vision seemed fairly innocuous in and of itself - the three-eyed raven could've chose a memory of how he became what he was, or how the Night King was last defeated. So maybe it was all about closing the time loop for Hodor, to ensure that Hodor became the person Bran needed him to be to survive?

That was a nice "moving the pieces into place" 55 minutes and then an intense "oh God nooooooooo!" 5 minutes. Poor, brave Hodor! Bran is either super powerful - did he basically warg into Willis in the vision and create a bridge to his final moments as Hodor in the present? The show hinted at his ability to affect the past with his father at the tower. Or Bran is super screwed - can the Night King track him and Meera wherever they go now? How does he use his visions to affect the future? I appreciate why Sansa doesn't want Littlefinger's support, as well as the lie - she knew the others would argue pragmatically for allying with the Vale, and she couldn't abide - at least for now - working with someone she can't trust. I think she'll come around to the benefits of using him. I wonder how often the Iron Islands coronation ceremony doesn't work and the King to be drowns? Do they turn to the runner up and say "no hard feelings?"

So much hugging in this episode! I thought it was serviceable - the chase scene and hacking duelling were good, Damian descending to no fucks given mode was effective - but kind of distracting. Like, if the dome dwellers weren't brainwashed, how did they volunteer for either HIVE or the ark? Is there an evil craigslist out there? Given what happens in the flashbacks, how could Oliver possibly forget about the idol (they need to write in a concussion for him in next year's flashbacks)? Does Felicity stock a local microbrewery or a big label beer in her kitchen? Regarding Malcolm, maaaaaaybe both Oliver and Thea threatening him is foreshadowing for the finale? Given he's firmly and actively entrenched in HIVE, it's beyond believable that they'd let him go AND turn to him to save people. And that he does it - he needs to stay unredeemingly bad at this point and then vanquished for good. Preferably by Thea, so she can have some agency. That felt underwhelming - there must be something more to why Donna felt the need to leave. Ooooooh - maybe he was involved with whomever will be the season 5 bad guys?

The Stark reunion might be the most shocking thing this show has ever done! Their scenes were really well done - i can't remember them ever speaking to each other but the rapport felt real. I loved Sansa arguing for action - she's writing her own story now rather than living in a fairy tale. i fully expected Drogon to come tearing out of the sky during the meeting with the Khals - Dany making and executing a plan, knowing from past experience how the Dothraki would react, was muuuuuch better. V. Curious how she will react to Tyrion's work on her behalf. It's a sign of how brutal the Ramsay scenes are, that my reaction was "oh, thank god" when Osha died so quickly and unflayed.

That was one of the best episodes of the season - a straightforward and fast moving storyline with fantastic fights (did they put more spandex in Oliver's suit this week? He hasn't moved that much in forever), fun capers at PT and a calamitous ending to overcome as we move toward the finale. I'm eager for next week's show - it's been awhile since I've felt that. Tom Amandes was a great get by the show - he does grey really well. That irked me almost as much as the firing the owner nonsense. Should the Board be upset about that, beyond maybe not being involved in the decision? Between the power cell/battery thing and the bio-stimulant, PT has inventions that will change the global economy. Once they go to market, PT will be richer than most nations - it's financial clout will make Apple's resources look like the equivalent of a kid's paper route. And giving the bio-stimulant to help disabled persons, a corporate social responsibility win, doesn't prevent them from profitting in other ways. Felicity was simply being a good CEO, mean Board! Boooooo- I need to read my first paragraph again. It's a night for quoting you, Bkwurm1 :) looking at it this way makes the most sense to me. It's an opportunity to demonstrate his processing Laurel's death and the relationships he'll build and rely on to move on. I think that fits with the themes of the season, that no one walks alone.

The three-eyed raven is like your DVR when it cuts off a minute too early - booooooooo! I wonder if he merged with the tree because he stayed in a vision too long? I wondered about the wording of the prophecy as well - I remember the "gold shall be their shroud" bit, but could that be artfully interpreted as Tommen casting off his old life (therefore "dying") and taking up the faith? Some of the priests wore gold and white robes, I think. He'd still be lost to Cersei.... in a strange way, I'll miss Ser Alliser - a total jerk face for sure, but a good antagonist with some strengths. You could see the reasoning behind his decisions and actions, even though we know he was wrong. I guess you could say the same for the Umbers. But they could have told Ramsey they had Rickon but kept him hostage, until either (1) Ramsey defeated the wildlings and solidified his power base or (2) Until the North rebelled, needing only a Stark - and his brave protectors - to rally behind. To do what they did, they must feel super threatened by the presence of the wildlings.

This episode did a lot of fine work to set up the finale - the magic showdown, Hive's real estate investments (evil must pay really well if they could build all that), rubicon. For next year's flashbacks (if they must), can Oliver be in a British branch of Bratva? I don't know which scene I rewinded more, Oliver's Constantine impression, or Sara's "I really could've used those diapers!" face while in her assuredly bullet proof baby carrier during the motorcycle chase. Those final scenes with Digg and Andy were really well done. I hope for Diggle's sake that Andy was truly evil and not just under the influence of the yellow pills. If the latter, Digg's guilt would be unimaginable - he's already not willing to believe that he had no choice and then to find out Andy could've been saved....... I loved how the Hive drones didn't even flinch when Darhk took out Milo and whatever the lady was named. I am curious what or who Milo's "contingency" plan is - maybe the season five big bad?

Who would've thought that Tommen would be among the longest serving Westeros leaders at the beginning of the season? Between this and last week, that was quite the cleaning of the houses! Roose's words about leaders who act like mad dogs being treated as such is going to come back to haunt Ramsey, I think, in terms of rallying the North. I'm definitely more curious about Bran's storyline than in past seasons. I wonder what he sees in his visions that helps with the "Great War"? Loved that Brianna told Sansa about Arya - in too many shows that would've been forgotten until convenient or treated as a secret that Sansa is too delicate to hear.

He would be way more patient than I am - if a puzzle doesn't have a border to start from, I'm all "forget this!" Or possibly mashing things into place. I am sad though that, because Oliver is reverting to past coping mechanisms, we're not getting him mastercheffing his way through a Julia Child cookbook in order to sublimate his feelings. He could have made a fancy cake for each time the team showed up for training. :'(

I thought this was a good start to season 2. I had to laugh when Claire and Jamie, after talking about how to strategically manoeuvre themselves in order to influence the Jacobites, go and paint a large target on themselves by pissing off the local nobility. I'm sure that won't be an issue at all! Bien fait, mes amis! Shouldn't someone be sceptical about her time travelling, though? Even the French priest to whom she confessed last season was all cool about it. I wondered about that as well. If she's pregnant with a first child, she doesn't seem far enough along to have had the time to return to the stones, presumably after some adventures in France. I guess, though, there could be a second portal in France, and she and child #1 return from there to the 20th century (not at her volition, based on her reaction)? A second child is plausible, though. She appears to be in France long enough to put some of her changing history plan into motion (hence her question about whether The Scots won at Culloden) but has also come back to Scotland (I'm basing this on her clothes at the beginning of the episode). If there is a second child, I think the first is alive in the past - siblings raised 200 years apart would be interesting, but also devastating to both parents.

If they want Laurel's death to mean something - that the threats superheroes face are real - Darhk needs to stop playing with his food, as it were. As great as Neil McDonough is, there are no stakes going forward if he continues to just freeze people and reel off bon mot after bon mot, especially now that he knows who everyone is. I'm not advocating for more death, just a greater sense of urgency.

I thought there were some powerful moments but that's largely attributable to the acting - I believed the immense loss the team was feeling. I believed Dig's conviction and anguish about Andy. And Quentin, from the the moment he realized Laurel was hurt .... gahhhhhh! And I was mostly in on the episode (minus a few "come onnnnnn!" Moments) ... Right until Darkh said he needed a sacrifice to power the idol. I thought "ooooooh, Laurel's going to break free and she's going to put up a valiant fight!" But she dies because she's someone's daughter, not because she's a lawyer unafraid to prosecute a known evil, not because she's the Black Canary. I wish they had kept all her thoughts on these dual roles until the end - I thought Laurel's belief in her contributions should have been her final defining moment, not her relationship with Oliver. On those "come on" moments - reassembling the idol in a museum quality display box? Oliver just revealing he's saw the idol on the island? Damian just figuring out the team's identity? Not knowing Oliver almost won on a write-in? The lax security at the prison? I was hoping that the idol was at least being smuggled in by a hollowed out massive dictionary.