Greta

The walled city does have sort of a rationale. The show makes a distinction between higher angels, who have their own bodies and wings, and lower angels, disembodied spirits who possess human bodies without wings, and so can be kept out with walls The lower angels are called Eight Balls and they were the only ones fighting with Gabriel in the original war. Besides Michael and Gabriel, the higher angels (including my adorkably hapless favorite Furiad- the red-winged one who fought Michael) all stayed neutral until now. There was also some mumbo-jumbo about the Colorado River being diverted after some final battle at the Hoover Dam that makes Las Vegas more water-friendly, but yeah, that one just needs a genre wave. I agree with all of your points on the weaknesses because there are many frustrating flaws in execution, but I stuck with Dominion and am hoping for a renewal to see what happens next (the finale upends A LOT in awesome ways). Michael remains compelling, particularly when he gets to interact with other angels and people not named Alex. He does appear to have spent 25 years making decisions on the care and feeding of the Chosen One based on the young adult fantasy section in a Vegas bookstore and a well-worn Blu-Ray of Star Wars: The Original Trilogy, but I actually found that to be perfectly in character with Legion Michael. He's a soldier, so saving a baby while blowing up shit real good? No problem. Actually raising said baby and communicating effectively with it? Really more Gabriel's territory, Biblically speaking. Also, if you keep watching, watch the Wheles! I've grown to actually love ASH's David's flat, try-hard enunciation because it's so in character. And William is awesome.

I take the opposite view- if everyone was droning on about and justifying their actions with achieving "dominion," it would be eye-rollingly pretentious and not at all believable in terms of how people (for lack of a better word for characters) think most of the time. I have my nitpicks (and a flourishing need to see Alex die), but I overall enjoyed this finale and this season. It was flawed but there were some elements that were very well done. Becca's Angel-topsy Rooms of Death weren't, in retrospect, a shocking character twist considering every. single. thing. she'd said about angels all season long. Although it did add retrospective creepiness to those scenes of her looking at and stroking Michael's back, not to mention hanging over him while he bled to death, which now seems like it might have been calling dibs on the body. I also really liked that she never showed any empathy whatsoever for Louis (great actor! wish we'd seen more of him) and really appeared to think that reassuring Michael she like-liked him would fix it. I hope Michael regrets killing the guards but maintains a firm "Bitch had it coming" attitude towards Becca. Were we supposed to be taking Idiot Alex's side in his shock! and horror! and immediate attack mode! over Michael's (relatively brief) raginess? Alex (well, Chris Egan) was acting like Michael snapped because someone put cinnamon in his latte instead of nutmeg. I didn't care over much either way for General Riesen for most of the season, but I hope the old coot makes it to New Delphi (and that we get to see it next year). Loved William and David. I really believed that Willy would love and raise that child as his own. Ironically, given time, it might have been enough to turn him against Gabriel. And ASH's face when Claire insisted that William not get a hero's story as a cover-up? Was only matched by Shavani ???'s Evelyn's slight face flinch when Uriel was all about Father's will instead of the Divine Feminine. Speaking of Evelyn, did all the handmaidens who originally came with "Arika" not know that she was really Evelyn because there was an Evelyn decoy? And what about the little angel boy? He wasn't a dropped plot point because he was sitting in Gabriel's throne room. Also in Gabriel's throne room, Felicia from the pilot, whose motivations interest me all out of proportion to the screen time she's had. And also, my new favorite, Furiad. He's the hapless, unlucky in love Smithers of Gabriel's army. And finally Michael and Gabriel. I'm a sucker for brothers at war and Tom Wisdom and Carl Beukes really delivered. Plus, name-checking of Raphael and Lucifer. I'm going back to googling "Dominion Season 2" now

Scene from tonight's show (Spoiler obviously). What I love about this show? There's still about a 45 percent chance that Michael is just throwing out another Great Big Lie to tell Alex what he wants to hear. Edited many hours later to correct a horrifying spelling error and to note that "Damn!!!!" was my overall reaction. That and a frantic google search for "dominion renewed." Now I have to go to bed for an early morning meeting, in which I will sit quietly composing my longer reaction.

And maybe set himself as Gabriel's new chief acolyte in the process? I like it.

I agree Mak1908. You know what would be an awesome game changer in the season finale? Alex dies via random, non-affiliated 8-ball. Due to various choices, it's partially everyone's fault (Michael's, Alex's, Gabriel's, Vegans') and partially just dumb luck. It would be interesting to see the angels' reaction to the last shred of divine intervention being stripped away from them. Plus, I'm about 99.9% certain that Gabriel is Alex's father now; it actually sounded like that's what he was about to tell Alex ("Do you know who I am? I'm....") just before being evicted. I just watched Legion for the first time and it's already heavily hinted at in the movie, particularly in the entire final scene with Charlie, Gabriel and the baby. At the end, Gabriel apparently learned killing the baby was not really what God wanted after all and promptly left; he never seemed gleeful at the prospect anyway, just dutiful about it. I like Angel Noma and want to learn more about her. I'm not clear on whether everyone knows she's an angel now or not? At the end, it looked like Michael was checking the bodies to see if she was one of them, whereas our Sensitive Chosen One didn't bother. I love this show; I'm not even going to qualify it this time. I just do and I'm so hoping for a second season.The only quibble I'll add is that the anti-(higher)angel sentiment in Vega could have been spelled out and drawn out better. We never really get scenes with the random people of Vega to establish their mindset; one or two quick pieces, even as a quick introduction to another scene with the main characters would have gone a long way. Likewise, Becca's thing with Michael being a dirty little secret could have been established better. Her not being in his hospital room (either because she couldn't get in or wasn't willing to take the risk of exposure) would have established that nicely, particularly in combination with a scene of hospital workers being ambivalent about treating him to begin with.

I liked Clementine 8-ball so much more than Claire- the wrong one died. Or, you know, was murdered by her only child. Since the only thing that appeared to be wrong with her was she could barely breathe, couldn't they have tried a hospital or something? The choking didn't even seem that serious since Claire had plenty of time to wander off to have a heart to heart with Daddy and then wander back some time later to smother Clementine. Meanwhile Michael apparently had time for a trip over to his sister's, apparently in the same time period. Was William and David's conversation supposed to be suggesting that David knew William was Acolyte in chief and was covering for him? Apparently I also like Becca more than I thought, because I kind of missed her in this episode. I shouldn't love this show so much but I do.

I'd already figured Michael was so anti-baby because he'd already had one and Bad Things resulted. Now I'm convinced (even before the previews) that God ordered him to kill the baby (like Abraham/Isaac without the take-back) and that's what he needs redemption for. It actually makes sense as his motivation to save baby Alex. I refuse to entertain the notion that Alex is God because I refuse to entertain the idea that the Almighty would be dating PPP.

My first post on this show was tropes, ahoy! But last night I watched The Leftovers, a finely acted, well-constructed drama, and then switched over to watch the Dominion pilot for the second time and enjoyed the world-building (even with its lapses) of Dominion so much more. So I think there's potential. Michael especially has grown on me. Sure he's a secretly freaky prissy pants cipher, but he managed to be that and still have a great long friendship vibe with Jeep. And then I realized the actor (?) actually does a great subtle job showing the relationship Michael has with each character in his interactions with them. Plus, Pretty Princess Macbeth is much more tolerable than Pretty, Pretty Princess. I'd like to see the character allowed to like her special princessy place in Vega and reluctant to give it up. (I also hope the fact that Alex didn't seem to tell her he planned to bring Bixby along on their escape wasn't just an oversight on the writers' part.) And I really like Evil American Giles (EAG-ads!) A televangelist who's now bitter over his lost faith? That's a promising back story.

Maybe I was subconsciously spoiled at some point, although I don't recall reading much about this show, but I thought it was completely obvious that the chief's wife was the, well, chief perspective inside the White Wackadoodles. Shrug, the feral dogs being shot didn't bother me at all, although I cringed over the poor (non-feral) dogs shot in the Warren Jeffs' Lifetime movie.

All I could think during the "bang (Liam image) ...bang (Liam image) ...bang (Liam image)" forge scene was OMG they're absolutely foreshadowing LiQ banging:)

That would be so wonderfully A Canticle for Leibowitz that it would instantly elevate the entire show.

Has there actually been any kind of confirmation of Red Wedding 2.0 in the upcoming books? I see it stated as a fact all over the Internet but never with any backup from anything GRRM has said or explicit text in the books. One of the Lannister cousins (Devan?) says he's supposed to marry a Frey at some point but he also specifically states he's not in any great hurry to do so and the Freys really have no leverage to push for it. Being a contrarian, I wish the next wedding in these books to be a beautiful, moving joining of two souls deeply in love, with their families' complete support, no political ramifications of any kind, and a very dull reception that includes much food porn and not even a single death to liven it up. Oh, and both the bride and groom should have red hair, so I can call THAT Red Wedding 2.0.

I tuned in at 9:10 and I'm in for the season. Tropes? Ridiculously opaque and complex plots by fairly two-dimensional characters? Death by nail polish? A moppet who didn't take up too much screen time and might actually have been offed? Evil Gabriel coming off more sympathetic than Good Michael? Just top the whole thing with some fresh whipped cream (none of that Cool Whip crap- the artificiality quotient has been met in this particular dish) and give me a spoon.

JFP could bring back Pattycakes and have play a new alter named Kathy Gryphon! Who suffers all sorts of humiliations! The problem being Stacey Haiduk (who I love!) would elevate the material and I'd be cheering for Kathy. I actually think David Tom has a lot of talent and maybe just didn't fit the show's new version of Billy. I hope he lands something else quickly, just not on GH since that would be jumping out of the frying pan into the deep fryer of crap. Unless we've been treated to a massive misdirect and he's the new Jason (sure he's too young but trifles like that don't stop the idiots at GH). I would laugh and laugh.

I've been theorizing for months that Quentyn and Tristane would be combined into one character. It creates a nice through-line for Myrcella/Dorne/Essos/Dany while cutting down on characters. As for Arianne, I can't bring myself to care because I read someone's casting suggestion of Kim Kardashian and while that would never happen, just the thought has irrevocably tainted the character in my mind. As the rare person who actually loved Brienne's travelogue through Westeros, I hope the show keeps in a good portion of it, especially that great speech by the monk on the Quiet Isle. She can encounter some mysterious hanging corpses and then not meet with Lady Stoneheart until late in the season, with the finale being her appearing to lure Jaime off. I do wonder if GC's Star Wars filming will have an impact on her availability. As for Frey Pies, I hope they're included but only if the entire storyline is framed to clearly demonstrate what a sick fuck Wyman Manderly is and how toxic blind revenge is. (Which is what I think GRRM is actually building up to.)

I've got a half-baked theory, that rather than dead Cersei might end up locked as a riff on the madwoman in the attic.

I thought Ridge looked mildly cleaner today, like the producers had strapped him in the back of a convertible and driven through a car wash a few times. They should just cut their losses and double down at the same time by having Amnesiac Ridge revealed as Not!Ridge but Amnesiac Irish Poet With a Dark Past.

And if Tysha actually really feels nothing but hatred for Tyrion, that would make her wrong somehow? And Tyrion's anger towards Jaime is all about how Jaime's lie deprived TYRION of someone who loved him. As for punishing himself getting old, for me to see that first I'd have to see Tyrion punishing himself at all. In sum, I disagree except "gross and counterproductive" as general terms towards Tyrion's current arc in the books I certainly agree with. ETA: Random thought: Will the Hound take the place of Hyle Hunt next season?

Isn't it possible to waive your contractual right to appear in the opening credits, probably in return for an extra fee of some kind? I've quite miffed about the end. They could have cut the Tysha reveal or they could have cut Shae's "my lion"/Tyrion's resulting snapping and I probably would have been fine. But cutting both just cut the heart out of what should have been epic part of Tyrion's arc. And if, as someone above suggested, Tysha shows up next season to clue Tyrion in, I will shoot my TV if her focus is on how bad and mean Jaime was for lying while pitying poor Tyrion for having to participate in his non-whore wife's gang rape. Peter Dinklage is more than capable of showing the darker, self-centered side of Tyrion who could listen to Tysha spitting venom at him and latch onto only the part about HE was betrayed by his brother.

I don't think Cersei knows anything about the wildfire. If she did, as someone noted above, she would have used it during the buildup to the Blackwater. And the larger point, that Jaime tells Cersei everything? I haven't seen any evidence of that at all. A big part of what made the bathtub scene with Brienne so great was the sense that Jaime was unloading something he hadn't ever shared with anyone ever. Even before that, when Jaime talked with Ned about the Stark burnings and Jory about the Greyjoy Rebellion, the conversations felt fresh, like Jaime wasn't used to actually articulating thoughts about his experiences. What's interesting is that, given that they're so close or think of each other as so close, is that he's never apparently confided in Tyrion.

I love Sean Kanan enough for everybody:) (Somewhere the scream of my 16-year old self still echoes from the 1997 day Billy Warlock's AJ infected my screen.) I hope DeaQuinn becomes wildly popular to the point that Ron Carlivati and Frank Valentini (of ABCD) either self-immolate or engage in a murder-suicide pact. (Maybe unpopular)I also just love Ally, the actress brings something to every scene and, I don't, grounds Ally's cray-cray in something very real. She should be the young heroine of this show and (rushes through this shameful confession) I kind of want her to eventually hook up with Wyatt.

I hope the question of Aegon or fAegon is left unanswered, frankly, just for the fun of the mystery. I lean towards fake, because I see Varys wanting to start with a clean slate to avoid the high chance of inbred crazy. However, I'm unconvinced by any arguments about it being important that the baby's head was smashed or that the exact shade of hair had to be obscured by blood. It was probably convenient for Varys, but what exactly where they going to do even if the baby was just stabbed? Compare it to the many recent photographs of Prince Aegon lying around? Ask for verification from his undoubtedly dead nurse or other dead servants? Had anyone in Robert's court or the Lannister forces, besides Jaime (unlikely to have paid much attention), ever even seen the baby? Certainly none of them had seen him (again, besides Jaime) in close to a year, at the very least, during the Rebellion. Newborns are relatively indistinguishable at any rate, for people who aren't close to them.

I think those clamoring for a Canco(sore) baby are Carlitini's ideal audience members, along with the Sonny lovers. The complete lack of, if not a rational and/or moral worldview, at least taste means these fans are likely to buy anything from the show, and by extension from the commercials. That's what I'd be marketing if I had the stomach to try to sell this show to advertisers. I'm so glad I have this board to keep me up to date while I stroll along the sun deck on the barge.

Is there a link to this article in which MM claims he was Totally! Fine! with not being in the Veronica Mars movie? I saw lots of posts from fans/sockpuppets on TWOP about how the Veronica Mars people (cast and crew) were stupid, petty, and/or jealous of Muhney's talent and good looks, but nothing about an article that I recall. Also, I haven't seen the movie, but didn't it involve MM's character's brother Dan Lamb played by Jerry O'Connell? Easy enough to make it a twin or nudge-nudge wink-wink lookalike brother if they were interested in working with MM again, and cheaper too since I'm pretty sure JO'C could ask for more money. On to more interesting topics, are there any long-time viewers who can spill on old school backstage drama?

What if it's a reverse mole and Creepy British Anarchist Guy is actually a deep, deep cover MI5 agent? I didn't care too much for Audrey in the past (didn't hate her but didn't miss her when she wasn't around), but I'm enjoying her this go-around. I think it's partially because Kim Raver has gained a little weight in her face and looks less alarming. I'm shallow like that. Plus, "Are you happy? Is he good to you?" should not have worked but so, so did.