SOA Finale: Papa’s Goods

Warning: Spoilers Ahead! Don’t read it if you haven’t seen it!

Sons of Anarchy ended this week, and it was exactly what I expected it to be. I have read some criticism about it, because people were upset that it was “predictable”. Now, for a series that has been as intense and with as many twists as Sons has been, I think a nice, clean ending was the way to go.

Every loose end was tied up, and everybody ended up the way I thought they would. If they had done something crazy and unexpected, people would have hated it even more. People just get so caught up on criticizing series finales instead of just enjoying them.

My prediction was this: I thought Jax would tell the DA everything, give them the address where Gemma was, take care of his stuff, and go out on his bike like JT before the cops could take him in. I thought that Chibs would be president and Tig would be VP. I was a little unsure of Nero’s fate, only because I read an interview with Jimmy Smits where he made it seem like he wasn’t going to get away.

My mom had been telling me from the start of this season however, that she thought he and Wendy were going to get away with the boys (before there was any hint of that happening…good guess, Mom). Together, our prediction was exactly what happened. I cried for a good ten minutes after the end, but I really felt so happy. The kids and the club are now free from violence (hopefully), and Jax is free from his fate of life in prison for all of the murders that it took to make that happen.

I feel like all the people who are hating on the finale really didn’t understand the show. I’ve read the typical “selfish suicide” comments; how is this selfish? It is the complete opposite. He is a martyr. He sacrificed himself to save his club and his family. Anybody who truly loved and understood this show could see that.

What did you think? Did you hate the predictability of the series finale? Or did you love that it was exactly what you expected?

I guess there will always be haters. Whatever people may say, I thought it was perfect. Sons is one of my all time favorite shows, and although I’m sad it’s over, I sure as hell enjoyed the final ride.

Look Both Ways

Warning: Spoilers ahead! Don’t read it if you haven’t seen it!

I knew that something was going to happen in this weeks episode to land Carol in the care of the people at the Grady Memorial, but not knowing when made it agonizing to watch. I jumped a foot when her and Daryl were sitting in the car and a walker slammed on her window!

I probably should have anticipated that it wouldn’t happen until the end of the episode, but Carol is just such an important character at this point that it made me anxious to know her life might be in danger. Carol has changed a lot since season 1, so let’s take a look back at how Carol has evolved over the years.

TWD: Strangers

It’s a BobBQ!

WARNING: Spoilers ahead! Don’t read it if you haven’t seen it!

Poor Bob. I really didn’t think that it was the leftover Terminus members lurking in the woods. I knew that Gareth and some others were still alive, but I didn’t think they would have come back so fast. But we’ll get to that, let’s talk about the episode: Strangers.

At the start of the episode we meet a new character, Father Gabriel, who seems harmless. But as we all know from past experiences (i.e. Woodbury, Terminus), nothing is what it seems. Does he have a connection to Terminus? Or perhaps to the people who kidnapped Beth? We don’t know yet, but for now he is providing the crew with a place to sleep, food and WINE! I know I would need some wine after everything that has happened.

AHS: Massacres and Matinees

Freak show has only had 2 episodes so far in this season, yet it’s already had tremendous success. The season 4 premiere had such high ratings that FX has already renewed the series for a 5th season! In fact, the premiere has set the record for the network’s most watched TV show episode ever! FX has some really great shows, so that is very impressive!

WARNING: Spoilers ahead! Don’t read it if you haven’t seen it!

This week, couple Dell Toledo (Michael Chiklis) and Desiree Dupree (Angela Bassett) join the Freak Show. Dell Toledo is a strong man, and Desiree, as she describes it, has “Proper girl parts and a ding-a-ling. I’m a full-blown hermaphrodite. Put that on your banner.”

SOA: Smoke ‘Em if You Got ‘Em

WARNING: Spoilers ahead! Don’t read it if you haven’t seen it!

So much happens in the 90 minute episodes that it feels impossible to talk about it all. This week, Gemma and Juice have survived another episode on the show, but I’m constantly wondering for how much longer.

The episode opened with Gemma walking down a deserted road; Juice let her go but took her car. She makes it to a diner where she has another nice conversation with Tara’s ghost. I’m not sure if this is her just trying to cope with the fact that she killed her or if Gemma has actually lost her mind. Her waitress, Gertie (Lea Michele), sees that Gemma isn’t doing well and talks to her for a while.

The Walking Dead: No Sanctuary

WARNING: Spoilers ahead! Don’t read it if you haven’t seen it!

WOW! So after last season, I had slowly been losing interest in The Walking Dead. It wasn’t that season 4 was bad; I did like that they took the opportunity for more character development while the group was separated, but it made each episode seem very slow-paced, and less like a zombie-apocalypse.  There were some episodes that were really good (like the one where Carol, Tyreese, Lizzie, Mika and Judith find that house…ugh), but for the most part I was feeling bored. Character development in season 4 for characters that have been around since the first season isn’t really necessary.

The season 5 premiere last night left me satisfied and wanting more. In the first five minutes, we are reminded that this is The Walking Dead, as Terminus members are brutally murdering people that had been lured to the “Sanctuary for All”. Bob, Rick, Daryl, and Glenn are all in line to have their throats sliced open, when an explosion outside distracts the butchers. What could that be…

Week in Review 10/11

Another week of TV has come to an end, and there’s so much to talk about!

Sunday

The Strain came to an end this past Sunday, and quite a few people, including Marc Buxton from Den of Geek, were not happy with the way it ended. It’s true that nothing was resolved in the finale, but from what I understand this series is closely following the novels written by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. I haven’t read the books myself, but I have heard that the season 1 finale ended the same way the book ended. The subsequent book, The Fall, takes place 2 weeks after The Strain and the final book, The Night Eternal, 2 years later. I enjoyed the first season of the Strain and am looking forward to season 2.

Monday

SOA: Some Strange Eruption

WARNING: Spoilers ahead! Don’t read it if you haven’t seen it!

The war in Charming is getting worse every week, with the body count going up every episode. How many more people are going to die before the truth is revealed about who really killed Tara?

A lot goes down in episode 5. One of the most interesting plots unfolding is the relationship between Althea Jarry and Chibs. Not only is she on SAMCRO’s payroll, but they seem to have feelings for each other. I cannot see this relationship ending well.

It seems more and more likely the Charlie Barosky is the one that revealed the warehouse location to the Chinese. He and the club approached his own employee who was patrolling the warehouse to question him. He claimed he got an anonymous phone call offering him money to stay away from the warehouse the night the Chinese made their move. Barosky shot him right in the head after he said he didn’t know who paid him to stay away from the warehouse. Did Barosky shoot him so he couldn’t reveal the truth to the club? It almost seems that way. Either that, or he really didn’t know it was Charlie behind the phone call, if it even was him.

Juice was in a really bad place in last nights episode, as usual. Juice has always been one of my favorite characters, though a lot of people don’t like him. Theo Rossi explains Juice’s character very well to Entertainment Weekly; he makes a lot of mistakes, but everything he does is for the benefit of the club, at least in his mind. When Juice is alone, his mental state deteriorates. Last night, he killed a motel employee who entered his room because he was of asian descent, assuming he was part of Lin’s gang. He really thought he was doing the right thing, but this action only made his instability more clear to Gemma, who then decided it would be best to put him down rather than let him go on his own. Juice is smart though, and saw right through Gemma’s lie and turned the gun on her. They cut the episode with Gemma begging for her life while Juice pointed the gun at her. Will he do it? I definitely don’t think that is how Queen Gemma goes out; it’s way too simple. The truth about Tara still hasn’t been revealed to Jax and Nero, and nobody but her and Juice know what happened that night.

Lin approached Nero and told him why his crew has been attacking SAMCRO, demanding that he bring Jax to him, threatening to kill him and his son if he doesn’t cooperate. After Nero gave Jax a swift punch in the face, Jax explained his motivation for attacking the Chinese; he thinks they killed Tara. Nero helps Jax once again, lying to Lin about Jax having a plan to attack him and his men, so they attack first. Fake police intercept and Jax is able to get a few good swings at Lin. Lin tries to tell Jax that he had nothing to do with Tara’s death, but Jax obviously didn’t listen. Anybody would deny killing a supposed ally’s wife. Jarry warns Chibs that the real police are on their way, so SAMCRO has to pack up and leave. They arrested Lin and his crew on gun and drug charges, and Jax and some of the guys shot up the rest of Lin’s crew very carelessly on a street with cars driving by. I have to say, the confrontation between Jax and Lin was less climactic as I thought it was be, but of course they have to draw out this war a little longer; it is the final season after all.

Every week I get anxious about what is going to happen because of Kurt Sutter’s constant reminders that people are going to die. I love all of the main characters, and even though I know that it isn’t real, the characters are so well written and played that they feel real to me. That is how you know you are watching a good show.

Does anyone think that Juice will kill Gemma? Is he going to join the Mayans? I wouldn’t be surprised; he is so desperate to have a “family”. What is going to happen with Jarry and Chibs? Is Barosky working with the Chinese behind SAMCRO’s back? And most importantly, when will Jax learn the truth about Tara? Will it be after he kills Lin, when it’s too late?

The Strain: Season Finale

WARNING: Spoilers ahead! Don’t read it if you haven’t seen it!

Season 1 of the Strain came to an end last night, and I’m already looking forward to season 2. The FX series has easily become one of my favorites over the summer. I really enjoy the team of characters that are working to fight the Master, although I’ve recently read some criticism for Eph. People don’t like him because he doesn’t fit the archetype for protagonist; I find this a welcome change. He is arrogant and selfish, but he, like everyone else in his ragtag group, has to learn how to work together to save not only himself and his son, but the entire human race. I think his transformation has been interesting and more realistic than the perfect group leader.

Anyways, to talk about the actual episode, I felt satisfied with the way it ended. There is much more left to the story, yet there wasn’t a huge cliffhanger. I actually thought that Eichhorst might be killed during the final fight, and that might be Palmer’s way in to being the Master’s right hand. I’m glad he didn’t die though, I do really love his character.

Now that Palmer is healthy and evil as ever, he is a force to be reckoned with. He wants to be turned, and he will do anything to please the Master. I’m glad that Fitzwilliam has realized the evil within him and has left him. Perhaps Fitzwilliam can join Team Setrakian now.

Gus has been kidnapped by Quinlan and his team of vampire hunters, and we learned that they are working for the Ancients. The Master is another Ancient who has gone rogue, and the others want to stop him. They make an offer to Gus, because he wants revenge and they need a human soldier to help defeat the Master. I’m wondering why they have never approached Setrakian for this job; he has spent his entire life in search of the Master to get revenge. Perhaps they have approached him and he declined their offer.

Team Setrakian locate where the Master is rebuilding his coffin and make a second attempt to eliminate him. Fet, Dutch and Nora took on Eichhorst and a horde of vamps, while Setrakian, Eph and Zach approached the Master. They planned the attack during the day so they could use the sunlight to their advantage; Eph and Zach begin breaking all the windows while Setrakian made the attack. The sunlight hurt the Master bad enough for all of his vamp followers, including Eichhorst, to retreat from battle in a weird moonwalk fashion, but the Master crawled down the side of the building and ran away, in direct sunlight. So their sunlight plan didn’t work out too well…they are going to need a new plan to defeat the Master since sunlight doesn’t kill him like Setrakian thought. Perhaps they will all join forces with Quinlan’s team in season 2.

While I’m pretty upset that season 1 has come to a close, at least next Sunday the Walking Dead returns. At this point, I like the Strain more than the Walking Dead, but I’m just glad I will have SOMETHING to watch on Sunday nights. Is anyone else looking forward to the Walking Dead? Or have you grown tired of it after 4 seasons as a lot of people have? It isn’t as exciting as it used to be for me, but I still want to watch it. I’m pretty curious about this spin-off that Robert Kirkman is working on, too. While on one hand I think that it will be interesting, it’s kind of just overkill. It’s better to leave some things to the imagination.

Gracepoint: Pilot

Crime dramas have never been my thing. Maybe it was Anna Gunn that drew me in, or maybe it was the allure of a miniseries. Anyway, here I am.

I liked the pilot for the most part, but there’s just something about crime dramas that doesn’t interest me. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s been done over, and over, and over…and over. The fact that it’s only ten episodes long makes it unique, so I plan to stick around for the duration of the series.

The pilot kicked off with the body of a young boy, Danny Solano, being found on the local beach. After suicide was ruled out, the small town was in a frenzy about what happened to the 12-year-old. This single crime seems like it will be the sole mystery of the miniseries, so that too makes it unlike other crime dramas. Det. Ellie Miller (Anna Gunn) was expecting a promotion to police chief, but was put on the back burner for a new, more experienced member of their police department, Det. Emmett Carver (David Tennant). Ellie, as a result, was pretty angry at her lost promotion, as well as the loss of a local child and family friend.

After coming home from work, Ellie told her son Tom (Jack Irvine), who was Danny’s best friend, about his death. Curiously, after Ellie told him it was ok to grieve and left his room, he deleted all of his text messages and his entire hard drive. What could he possibly know about Danny’s murder? Was he involved?

The police later determine that Danny was not abducted from his house, but he snuck out late at night. They caught him on a surveillance camera riding his bike down the street.

Gracepoint seems like it will be an interesting crime-mystery. What happened to Danny Solano? If he wasn’t abducted, then what happened?

The new series has only received a 69% from Rotten Tomatoes, which isn’t too bad, but it isn’t great either. I can’t say that it roped me in entirely from the pilot, but that is hard to do with only one episode. What did you think? Has anyone seen its British predecessor, Broadchurch? What do you think happened to Danny?