Penny Dreadful - Casting Announced

It's been a while since Showtime have had a horror themed show and now it seems we've got with the announcement of Penny Dreadful.

Former Doctor Who and Secret Diary Of A Call Girl actress Billie Piper has been cast in the eight part anthology series in an undisclosed. The series created by created by three-time Oscar nominee John Logan (Hugo, The Aviator and Gladiator ). Logan will write and executive produce alongside Sam Mendes and Pippa Harris (Revolutionary Road). The series will examine the origins of characters such as Dorian Gray, Frankenstein's monster and Count Dracula to name a few.

Also in the cast include former 007 himself Timothy Dalton, who will also be appearing in the series along with Josh Hartnett (Black Hawk Down) Eva Green (Camelot) and Rory Kinnear (Count Arthur Strong). Dalton will be playing Sir Malcolm, a hardened African explorer while Green will play enigmatic heroine Vanessa Ives and Hartnell will play Ethan Chandler, a complicated man of action unafraid of violence. Like Piper, the nature of Kinnear's role has not been disclosed. I've got to be honest while this show does sound intruging, it also reminds me of that ABC pilot Gothika that wasn't picked up either. Penny Dreadful at least will have a first season and hopefully it'll be a good one too.

Press Release: http://www.rte.ie/ten/news/2013/0820/469146-billie-piper-cast-in-showtimes-penny-dreadful/

Filming for Penny Dreadful is taking place in Dublin and Wicklow from October 2013 to March 2014. The series will air on Showtime at some point in 2014.

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Doctor Who - Top 50 Companions: Part 10

It's my final blog of my Top 50 Companions of Doctor Who and here are the Top 5. Enjoy folks.

1: TARDIS (Suranne Jones/Various Props)

Remember back in Rose when Cliven told a certain Miss Tyler that the Doctor's constant companion was death? Yeah, well he was a bit wide off the mark, there. The Doctor's actual constant companion is the TARDIS. Type 40. The Blue Box. Sexy. Whatever you want to call her and while recent episodes such as The Doctor's Wife and Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS have given us more details, it's always been the Doctor and the bestest spaceship in the world as constant companion. Now whether they mutually stole each or Clara introduced them is totally up to you but either way, the TARDIS is the best companion ever.

2: Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen)

If it were not for a certain blue box, then everyone's favourite investigative journalist would've been the number one companion. Still in terms of human companions though, she is, so that's good right? Sarah Jane is everything you'd want in a best mate, a travelling buddy and a female heroic character in general. It might have taken over three decades but spin-off show The Sarah Jane Adventures more than demonstrated why she deserves to be seen as the most iconic companion the show has ever produced.

3: Ace McShane (Sophie Aldred)

Oh Ace- you really did live up to your name, didn't you? In some ways without this character, we might not have had future companions like Rose Tyler and Amy Pond (both of whom have some similarities to Ace) and without her around, the Seventh Doctor probably would've been done for many times over. A passionate, flighty teenage girl with a expertise in Nitro-9, the character was a joy to watch develop over the final years of the Classic Series.

4: Brigadier Sir Alastair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney)

Like Sarah Jane, the Brigadier not only has the fortune to have seen and worked with many versions of the Doctor but has worked brilliantly with nearly all of them, though his rapport with both the Second and Third Doctors have always been the most sublime to watch. A military man he might have been but not adverse to actually taking on some of the Doctor's more outlandish of ideas when the situation called for it, he's another deserved icon of the series. Five rounds rapid.

5: Jamie McCrimmon (Frazer Hines)

The finest Scots person that ever surfaced on Doctor Who (though Amy is very close too). Jamie has appeared in the most amount episodes, proved that both historical and male companions worked with aplomb and it's really hard to imagine the Second Doctor without Jamie, isn't it? A wonderful companion who never gets dull to watch.

Doctor Who Proms is on Monday 4pm on BBC1 from August 26th.

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Doctor Who - Top 50 Companions: Part 9

Penultimate blog of this impressive (haha) Top 50 list of Doctor Who companions. Last one is being put up tomorrow, folks.

6: Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman)

Without a doubt, Jack is one of the most fascinating characters ever on telly, never mind within the realms of the Doctor Who universe and spin-off series, Torchwood. An omnisexual conman with two years of his memories missing and more disasters surrounding him, it's amazing how much of an impact the character has made over the last eight years in both television shows. Surely at some point, he might resurface again. I know John Barrowman will certainly reprise the role at the drop of a hat.

7: Clara Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman)

The impossible girl with a knack for burning souffles (did she inspire a certain Carly Simon song during her many splinters?) and popping up everywhere. She's met and helped every version of the Doctor (mainly without him knowing it), with both the Eleventh and Twelfth ones being the ones she's gotten to know/will get to know. While we do need more insight into what makes Clara ticks as a person, it's hard not to warm to the character, wonderfully played by Coleman. Definitely one of Steven Moffat's most fascinating of characters.

8: Amy Pond (Karen Gillan)

Oh Amy. If there is one thing that can be said about this flame haired Scotswoman it's definitely that she leaves a lasting impression. The Eleventh Doctor lamented about her being in his hearts prior to Manhattan and we've seen Rory go through hell and back with her too. Personally, I've always liked Amy's spiky personality and wanderlust and while she might be polarising for some, I do think she is without a doubt one of the most memorable companions we'll ever have on the show. I certainly enjoyed the majority of the 33 episodes that featured her.

9: Barbara Wright (Jacqueline Hill)

Okay, you know the way lazy critics and certain fans bleat on about the female companions being screamers? Well back in 1963, a certain history teacher did a lot more than that. She was the companion who easily called the First Doctor out on his hostile attitude at times, the ones who was seen as an Aztec goddess and the one who was the much needed voice of reason in the TARDIS. Basically, Barbara Wright rules.

10: Ian Chesterton (William Russell)

Keeping up with the high standards of male companion, science teacher Ian really did set up a precedent, didn't he? Like Barbara, he was an audience surrogate into the chaotic world of the First Doctor and Susan and he was more than a match for the Doctor as well. He was also the first companion to be addressed by his surname, long before Vislor Turlough and Amy Pond ever travelled in the TARDIS.

Part 10 will be up tomorrow.

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My Review of Dexter's 8x08: "Are We There Yet?"

Written by Wendy West
Directed by Holly Dale

Zach (to Dexter/Hannah): “Are we there yet?”

Oh Zach – I finally got there and found myself enjoying you as a character (which helped when it was revealed that you didn’t kill Cassie) and then this episode had to end up with you losing some of your brain and Vogel getting another package in the mail. I should’ve known the moment I began to warm to Zach that was he was a dead man walking.

I liked so many things about this episode but Zach’s bond with Dexter and his following of Harry’s Code without actually realising it was interesting. I liked that he had done his research on Sean before killing him and that he had a kill room prepared even if he made the odd rookie mistake. More to the point, I liked the more genuine connection that he had with Dexter in this episode.

Dexter realised just in time that Zach was innocent and helped him dispose of Sean’s body. Along with Vogel and Hannah, they also realised that whoever really killed Cassie was trying to frame Zach as well. I think it might be a safe bet that Cassie’s killer was the Brain Surgeon and that leads to another thing.

Vogel has to be connected to the Brain Surgeon. If she’s not aiding them in some capacity then she is undoubtedly responsible for them in some other way. This isn’t even speculation anymore – it has to be a fact. We’ve had too many coincidences surrounding her and the Brain Surgeon for it to be otherwise. Also, now that we’re four episodes away from the big ending, can we please actually learn who the Brain Surgeon is now?

Getting back to Zach for a bit though – he still had some creepy moments (especially his post kill glee) but I did love his reactions to everything, especially the tension between Dexter, Hannah and Deb in this episode. I also really loved the dinner table scene with Dexter, Hannah, Zach and Vogel as well.

Vogel made some interesting points about Dexter and Hannah’s relationship. Both of them are good and bad together and this episode tried to highlight both as it swayed towards the good end of the scale. Deb let go of her anger towards Hannah and almost grudgingly gave Dexter her blessing but by then her snooping had been done and Elway decided to continue where she left off with Hannah being back in Miami.

As for Dexter and Hannah – there’s a load of issues you can raise about two killers getting a happy ever after but the possibility of them actually getting it does seem rather likely. Hannah was persuaded by Dexter to stay in Miami even after he went to the trouble of getting her fake papers to leave the country and more to the point, she took an interest in his methods as a killer and the impact that Vogel has had on him.

As for Deb, it wasn’t her best episode. It felt weird not seeing her at that dinner scene with Dexter and the gang and her decision to walk way from Elway’s business will more than likely backfire on her as well. Elway started off being a reasonable enough guy but it kind of seems like he’s got a nasty side to him as well. I wonder if he might end up being one of Dexter’s final kills before the show ends.

Also in “Are We There Yet?”

Masuka and Nikki dressing alike at Miami Metro was a little weird to watch. I wonder if Nikki will end up being killed off in later episodes.

Dexter: “Miami is not the place for you to be in right now. The sooner we get you out, the better.”
Hannah: “I completely agree.”

Vogel seemed deliberately evasive when Hannah asked her about her interest in psychopaths. Stating the obvious here but that has to mean something.

Dexter (re Cassie): “She’s dead because you talked me out of killing Zach in the first place.”
Vogel: “He showed real potential. You saw that. I thought you were having an impact on him.”

Deb (to Dexter, re Hannah): “Are you on top of it or on top of her?”

I’m surprised Quinn didn’t get suspicious when Dexter told him to back off with Zach. The plotlines with him and Jamie continue to bore though.

Hannah (re Zach): “So, he’s a terrible student?”
Dexter: “I wasn’t exactly a hands on teacher.”

Hannah: “So what brilliant turn of phrase have you come up with to describe me? The evil temptress? The passionate poisoner?”
Dexter: “Fiendish florist.”
Hannah: “No, really when you’re lying in bed at night and I happen to cross your mind, what do you call me?”
Dexter: “Hannah. You’re just Hannah.”

Jamie moved in with Angel in this episode, Hannah was given the passport of a Claire Thompson and was Oliver lying when he told Quinn he didn’t recognise Zach?

Dexter (re Zach): “He was following the code without even knowing it.”

Dexter (to Hannah/Deb): “You’re both still breathing. That’s a good sign.”

Standout music: Mama Cass’s “Make Your Own Kind Of Music”. Guess what the next episode is called folks.

Vogel (to Dexter/Hannah): “The truth is you make a good couple and probably a bad one too.”

Chronology: From where “Dress Code” more or less left off.

“Are We There Yet?” was certainly the best episode we’ve had this season. We’ve had road trip episodes before and this was another delightful one, especially for the family meal and last few minutes.

Rating: 9 out of 10

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Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D & The Tomorrow People - Acquired by Channel 4 & E4

With both shows due to air on ABC and the CW respectively, it seems that UK broadcasters have swooped in early and nabbed both Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D and The Tomorrow People.

Channel 4 have confirmed that they have swooped up Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D and in probably a wise move, have also confirmed that they will air the show shortly after transmission on ABC. This isn't the first time the channel have aired a Joss Whedon show as they did air the first two seasons of Angel in the early 2000s. I just hope for this show's sake history doesn't repeat itself and it ends up in a crap timeslot with bad editing.

Elsewhere E4 have also bagged the rights to the US remake of The Tomorrow People and will be airing it in 2014. The show (like the ITV original) will focus on a group of young men and women with extraordinary abilities and stars both Robbie Amell and Luke Mitchell. I have to admit, I'm surprised both of these shows were gotten by Channel 4 and E4 respectively but I guess it does make a change from Sky bagging them. I just hope both shows fare well on their respective channels.

Marvels Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D: http://www.digitalspy.ie/ustv/s227/agents-of-shield/news/a508912/marvels-agents-of-shield-to-air-on-channel-4-in-uk.html
The Tomorrow People: http://www.digitalspy.ie/ustv/s226/the-tomorrow-people/news/a508962/e4-to-air-new-us-shows-tomorrow-people-the-100-in-uk.html

Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D airs Tuesdays at 9pm on ABC from September 24th and The Tomorrow People will air Wednesdays 9pm on the CW from October 9th.

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Crazy About One Direction

"We're a part of a fandom that could kill you if we wanted to."

Never since the words "I'm your number one fan" from a certain Annie Wilkes in Misery has the idea of a fandom being scary become so apparent. Okay, I am going to be fair here because while I'm sure these selected girls are the more Crazy About One Direction and the majority of the lads fanbase is pretty harmless, it does get you thinking about the intensity of fans, especially given the rise in social media nowadays.

When I was their age, I was barely using the internet, never mind obsessively checking out for Twitter updates on my phone/laptop/tablet every five minutes for bands I've liked (and I'll admit my own taste in music can be all over the flipping place at times). These girls on the documentary that aired on Channel 4 last Thursday (talk about good time - given that a certain movie has been released this week) certainly proves that fandom can be a double edged sword.

It was these fangirls that propelled One Direction from another runner up on The X Factor back in 2010 to the most talked about boyband over the last few years. Musically, I don't think there's much that actually separates One Direction from their other predecessors and rivals and while they're not the only band with an intense fandom, it has been their fandom just of late that has generated a lot of negative press for the last while. This documentary did show that some of this negative press towards these particular set of fans wasn't entirely unjustified.

Throughout the hour I saw a group of teenage girls who weren't content with seeing the boys but took to levels of stalking them, fantasising about at least two of the members dating each other, viciously attacking their girlfriends through social media sites and even each other as well as well as even joking about cutting off their own limbs in order to be close to their idols. I know some will chalk it up to them just being kids and that they'll learn eventually but given the recent reports of more online cyber bullying (particularly from that ask.fm site), this documentary was something of a depressing insight into how some people take their enjoyment of certain things to extreme levels and how vicious things can escalates over nothing either.

Now I know that not all fans of bands like One Direction behave this way (thank goodness) but the fact that there's even a vocal few who do (and realise their behaviour is a bit excessive and still do it) behave this way is worrying. After the Channel 4 documentary aired, some of them took to Twitter to express their anger in a way that was both laughable and worrying as well. In these girls defence, if social networking had been around during Beatlemania, we would probably see similar behaviour patterns but at the same time, I couldn't help thinking these girls should just get a grip and enjoy the lads music without behaving like lunatics over them. One Direction might be the hot boyband right now but I doubt it'll be that long before another one swoops in and take their title.

Crazy About One Direction can be watched again on 4OD.

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Revenge - Season 3 Trailer/Spoilers

It's just a little over a month away from airing but ABC have started with the promotional material for the upcoming third season of Revenge.

The 30 second trailer for the third season has already revealed what will happen in the first few minutes of the season premiere, Fear. Emily gets shot, presumably after marrying Daniel for real this time and falls into the ocean. I think it's a safe assumption that Emily will actually survive this but who shot her and why? Has someone else rumbled that she's actually Amanda Clarke after all? Either way, it's a rather soapy way of opening up the new season.

As for Nolan - good news viewers, we'll be seeing him with a male love interest this season. According to The Backlot (formerly AfterElton) and producers Aaron Harberts and Gretchen J. Berg, the reveal of Nolan's new suitor will be delicious. I get the feeling it could be Patrick (Justin Hartley) but that might be wishful thinking on my part though. Other spoilers include a feistier version of Charlotte who returns from Europe and will be doing some revenge of her own this year. There's rumours she might be getting Daniel to wise up about Emily a little as well.

And here is the first promotional picture of Victoria and first born Patrick released as well. It also seems from more recent spoilers that Patrick will be something of a handful as well. I don't doubt that he'll rub both Daniel and Conrad up the wrong way and may provide some sort of an obstacle for Emily as well. The trailer for the new season also showed us that we'll be seeing Patrick shirtless as well, which will undoubtedly back up Gabriel Mann's comments about there being more skin shown this season with the cast.

Season 3 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhZH9-WTYPg
More News: http://www.thebacklot.com/revenge-nolan-is-back-to-men-sexy-season-three/08/2013/

Season 3 of Revenge airs Sundays at 9pm on ABC from September 29th. Airdates for RTE2 and E4 have yet to be announced.

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My Review of True Blood's 6x10: "Radioactive"

Written by Kate Barnow
Directed by Scott Winant

Sookie: “Monster. What the fuck are you smiling at? Your intended just called you a monster.”
Warlow: “Good news. Night has fallen.”

Even better news for those who didn’t like Warlow – he didn’t survive this episode. Well, him not surviving was obvious but at least he finally showed his true colours before being tag team killed by both Jason and Niall (who finally appeared for a few seconds this week) and it was a rather quick death.

For a vampire-fairy hybrid Warlow managed to be even easier to kill than Russell was last season with Eric. However staking Warlow after he tried to use brute force in order to keep Sookie as his vampire bride did make sure that at least the Bilith and vampires walking in the sunlight plot was swiftly dealt with as well.

I said in my previous review that “Life Matters” felt more like a season finale and watching this episode, I stand by that opinion. This episode did what usual finales of the show have done – the first half tied up loose ends while the second half set up a whole load of plots waiting to be explored next season with a six month fast forward.

Sam as the new Mayor of Bon Temps and Bill the book author banding together to get humans and vampires to have consensual feeding/protection relationship against the Hep V infected vampires could go either way to be honest. Most people at the church seemed pissed off with the idea and Lettie Mae suddenly wanting Tara to feed off her seemed a little suspicious as well.

Of course the cliff hanger with a horde of infected vampires coming towards Bellefleur’s Bar & Grill (yes, Arlene bought Merlotte’s and changed the name) was a nice image even if it came in the middle of Bill sticking his oar into Sookie and Alcide’s relationship by trying to offer her some protection.

I can’t say I exactly blame Alcide for being pissed or Sookie for turning down Bill’s offer either on the matter. Bill might his old self again but him and Sookie really should not renew their relationship. Both of them keeping a respective distance from each other is probably the wisest thing they can do for each other. Also I actually like that Sookie and Alcide have ended up together, even if certain segments of fandom are less enamoured with this pairing.

The biggest about this episode however seemed to be whether or not Eric truly fried. We saw him starkers roasting when the fairy blood wore off but I just can’t see the writers killing Eric off in such an anticlimactic way. Besides, the episode did make a big deal about Pam wanting to go find Eric, so unless HBO confirm that Alexander Skarsgard has actually left the show, I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of a certain Viking vampire just yet.

As for Jessica, this was an interesting episode for her too. She got herself a lovely vampire boyfriend with James (who can actually sing quite well), told Bill to save Sookie and more to the point, she made genuine steps to atone for her actions with Andy by offering him her protection without wanting feeding in return. Andy has every right not to forgive Jessica but the fact that he didn’t kill her when she was reaching out to him was good. I got the impression though that was more for Adylin than Jessica.

Also in “Radioactive”

Violet is still around and she’s a sexually teasing relationship with Jason for the last 178 days. I did like that she helped with rescuing Sookie though. I didn’t however like the jealous strike she showed with Jessica though during the volleyball game.

Sookie: “Alcide, I’m a survivor too.”

I bet there were a lot of fans who were pausing their screens when Eric appeared in this episode. Famous Males Forums already has the pictures too.

Pam: “Sookie, I am actually happy to see you.”
Tara: “Back off bitch.”

Sookie: “Honestly, I’m asking if you’ll date me.”
Warlow: “Date you? As in drive in movies and bowling?”

The maypole ritual was a bit on the cheesy side and Warlow did seem to enjoy tying Sookie up a little too much here.

Pam: “Take care of Willa.”
Tara: “You guys are the worst fucking makers ever.”

Warlow: “Don’t you get it? No more Bilith. No more access.”

Was it me or did Lettie Mae seem to assume that Tara and Willa were actually involved with each other? Lafayette and Nicole also had no lines in this episode and Bill’s book was called And God Bled.

Lawrence: “So why the book at all?”
Bill: “To establish trust. To end all the secrets.”

Violet (to Jason): “I told you I wasn’t going to make it easy.”

Standout music: Imagine Dragon’s “Radioactive”, which is one of my favourite songs at the moment.

Sookie (to Bill): “That’s the thing though. Even at your best, I could never really trust you.”

Chronology: Six month jump, which means we missed Christmas in Bon Temps and are back into the summer.

“Radioactive” might not be as great as previous finales but I seriously thought it was actually a decent way of ending the season. It tied up the right loose ends, gave a few interesting cliff hangers and some great set ups for next season. Sorry, Eric obsessives but I am not done with this show.

Rating: 8 out of 10

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Orphan Is The New Black

It's summer and while there's a fair share of period dramas, hit and miss comedies and more reality fodder on telly, here are some of the other shows I've been watching lately.

Orange Is The New Black: Netflix have been streaming this since the second week of July and I decided to give in and see what the fuss was about. Having watched the first two episodes, I can easily say it's certainly a charming show. Taylor Schilling is pretty good as the put upon Piper coping with being in a prison with the same woman who caused her downfall (though they've barely interacted so far). The flashbacks detailing Piper's relationships with both Alex and Larry and volatile Russian cook's Red's own flashbacks have been fun to watch. It might not be one of the most innovative shows you'll ever see but it's certainly worth a gander.

Orphan Black: Another show that's been hyped for quite some time, I also decided to throw caution to the wind and watch the first two episodes. Truthfully, I am so glad I did because this show is every bit as good as people on my respective feeds have been saying it is. Tatiana Maslany is a revelation as Sarah and Alison and Katja and Beth and Cosima and probably every other clone she'll play in the remaining eight episodes of the first season. I'm seriously fighting the urge to gorge on the entire season in one sitting (instead I'll watch two episodes a week). It really is that good. If you haven't seen it, do. You won't regret it.

Skins: I've got to be honest - I've never been the biggest fan of Cook. In fact, I'd probably go as far to say that along with Freddie, he was my least favourite character from the second generation, so the idea of a two part story with him filled me with dread. However given that both Effy and Cassie's episodes were seriously lacking, I was impressed with how well Rise was by comparison. Granted, it was cliched to the hilt with Cook falling foul of an unconvincing drug dealer, Louis but it was better acted and quite atmospheric in parts. Perhaps not the most satisfying way of ending this series after seven years but certainly better than I expected it to be.

The Americans: I've said it in previous blogs but I'll say it one more time - I don't think this show belongs on ITV, especially not on a Saturday night. It's a shame really because every episode has gotten so much better, especially with the further examinations of what makes Elizabeth tick and the lengths Philip himself will go to keep Martha on side, along with both Jennings complicated feelings for each other too. It's a great show with some truly excellent writing, not just with Philip and Elizabeth but also with Claudia, who still manages to be a pain in the ass and Stan, who has become rather endearing as well as a character. Looking forward to the last two episodes but if ITV have picked up this show's second season, they need to give it a better timeslot and air it closer to US transmission like Channel 4 have done with Homeland.

The Returned: The most hyped about show over the summer period came to a conclusion with a strong episode in my opinion. I know some people were unsatisfied that not everything was resolved but given that we've had plenty set up for next series (various characters taken by the Horde, the water rising, Adele's pregnancy, etc), I'm more than happy not to know everything for a little bit longer. This show isn't likely to run for six seasons like Lost and personally, I'm not ready to see this show go just yet. I'm also glad that Channel 4's risk in airing this has paid off for them tremendously. It's been a superb series to watch for the last eight weeks.

- Sandra Oh will be departing Grey's Anatomy at the end of it's upcoming tenth season.
- Lindsay Lohan will be guest starring in Eastbound & Down.
- Lauren Bacall will kiss Peter Griffin in an episode of Family Guy.
- Dreama Walker will be playing a mean teacher nemesis for Jess in New Girl.
- Ian Hart has a recurring role as a scientist in Agents Of SHIELD.
- Nick Jonas will play a computer hacker on Hawaii Five-0.
- Marc Cherry's Devious Maids has been renewed for a second season by Lifetime.
- Sky1 will air Glee's fifth season within seven days of it's FOX transmission.
- Teryl Rothery will play The Atom's love interest in Arrow's second season.
- Doug Jones will play a killer named Barrow in a 2014 episode of Teen Wolf.

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Doctor Who - Top 50 Companions: Part 8

Well, I'm two blogs from revealing my Top 10 Companions of Doctor Who and it was a toughie but until then, here is the eighth part of this list.

Warning: Contains a spoiler for a future Big Finish release.

11: Romana (Mary Tamm/Lalla Ward/Juliet Landau)

If ever there was a companion who needed to return to the actual show itself right about now, then surely it's Romana? Not only does the show desperately need to scrap the last of the Time Lord thing with the Doctor altogether, but Romana like Sarah Jane is another Classic Series companion I could easily envision going down a storm with a whole generation of new viewers, especially after the sterling work both Mary Tamm and Lalla Ward did with the character during the Fourth Doctor's era. In 2014, Juliet Landau (Drusilla from Buffy The Vampire Slayer/Angel) will be playing a future version of the character for the audio, Luna Romana and for me, that's brilliant but it only makes me want to see the character on screen that tiny bit more. Make it happen, Moffat.

12: Jo Grant (Katy Manning)

Or more to the point, Jo Jones as her appearance in The Sarah Jane Adventures classic, Death Of The Doctor informed her. Jo might have her moments of dippiness here and there but she was a lot clever than people gave her credit for. One of her glorious moments was stopping the Master from hypnotizing her and her onscreen dynamic with the Third Doctor remains one of the strongest we've had in the show's fifty year history.

13: Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman)

Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you. I have actually ranked Martha higher than both Rose Tyler and Donna Noble and yes, I am being serious. Out of all of RTD's companions in the Tenth Doctor era, I felt that sometimes Martha got a bit of a rough deal from fans. The unrequited crush might not have worked in her favour (or the off screen marriage to Mickey) but Martha was a kind, capable, resourceful Doctor who managed to defeat the Master and leave the Doctor before things got too complicated. She might not be everyone's cup of tea but no way is this woman anywhere near as unpopular as some fans like to insist she is.

14: Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill)

Mr Pond. The Boy Who Waited. The Last Centurion. Rory has had a few nicknames and a good share of deaths over his two and a half year run with the Eleventh Doctor and while it might have been the Weeping Angels that took both him and Amy out last year, there's no denying his brilliance as a companion. Some might feel he was overshadowed by his own wife and daughter during his time in the TARDIS but honestly, I don't feel Rory was. He held his own in many ways and his spiky banter with the Eleventh Doctor never failed to be entertaining to watch. Don't we all want a Rory, folks?

15: Rose Tyler (Billie Piper)

Oh Rose - if ever there was a companion where fandom's obsession was ever evident, it would be with her. You've got fans incapable of moving on from her and others who view her as the worst thing to ever happen to the show (possibly). My own stance - I like her of course. Personally I think she's a good companion and deserves some of the acclaim she gets but at the same time, she's also a companion who in my own opinion worked better with the Ninth Doctor than the Tenth Doctor (Donna really was his companion). Still, I am looking forward to seeing her in the 50th anniversary episode in November though.

Parts 9 and 10 of this will be up next week.

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My Review of Dexter's 8x07: "Dress Code"

Written by Arika Lisanne Mittman
Directed by Alik Sakharov

Dexter: “It’s gonna be okay. I’ll take care of everything.”
Hannah: “I believe you.”

After that nice little cameo in last week’s episode, everyone’s favourite little poison expert is deservedly the main focus of this week’s episode. I’ve been looking forward to seeing Hannah return all season long and now that she’s here, it’s certainly a mixed bag for everyone involved.

First of all – did the writers really need to make Hannah into a victim of an abusive husband? It kind of felt like a tacked on way of generating sympathy for the character but at the same time, her arrangement with Miles was definitely something I didn’t want to see dragged out for several episodes, so thank goodness she bumped off in this episode.

Unlike previous victims, Hannah had some mixed feelings about killing Miles. Initially she wanted Dexter’s help in order to do but changed her mind because she’s still in love with him. I’m glad the writers addressed that one during her scenes with Dexter in this episode but can she be trusted though?

Miles was an abusive man she killed in self defence and while Hannah admitted that she doesn’t get off on killing people, she certainly has no problem with doing it to get rid of obstacles. Deb will certainly be an obstacle for Hannah and both Vogel and Zach have the potential to be ones too. Will Hannah try and kill either of them?

Deb already sussed in this episode that Dexter’s feelings for Hannah were still prominent and she didn’t hold back her disgust when she realised that Harrison had affection for the black widow as well. However, this episode did seem to give an impression that Hannah might be redeemable and Dexter himself certainly made no effort to take her out at all.

He was openly jealous about her marriage to Miles and kept questioning her motives for returning to Miami. More to the point, he also helped Hannah dispose of Miles’s body as well and begged her not to leave town. Needless to say, Dexter really is besotted with Hannah and that’s going to be a problem.

Hannah’s return took over his mentoring of Zach and the little psychopath responded by killing poor Cassie as well. I know Vogel seems annoyingly determined to champion Zach as another Dexter but in reality, he’s just another Brain Surgeon with too much information on her and Dexter. This is one time bomb Dexter might want to defuse sooner rather than later.

Also in “Dress Code”

Hannah was given the new name of Maggie Castner upon marrying Miles and seems to have gotten over her fear of water as well.

Deb (to Dexter, re Hannah): “I don’t want to deal with this. I want her gone.”

Quinn earned some pointers this week with his continued pursuit of Zach. I actually want him to succeed here. Still don’t care about his relationship with Jamie though.

Harry (re Hannah): “You think she wants to be found?”
Dexter: “I think she wants to destroy our lives. Mine and Debra’s.”

Dexter: “What are you doing back in Miami?”
Hannah: “I was about to enjoy a martini.”

Nikki was working as topless waitress while Masuka trying to get her as his lab assistant. I’m not really sure where they’re going with this plot to be honest. Elway’s attitude with Deb was a little annoying in this episode, even if she was snappy with him.

Dexter (re Hannah): “I found her. She’s married.”
Deb: “Well, there’s someone for everyone I guess. I hope he’s sleeping with one eye open.”

Dexter (re Miles): “Why did you marry him?”
Hannah: “Because he was there when you weren’t.”

Hannah became the third person this season to see Dexter’s full ritual. That probably means Zach will see it soon too if he’s not killed off next week.

Deb: “You don’t know who I am.”
Elway: “I just want a chance to find out.”

Deb (to Cassie): “Trust me, Dexter is not a mystery you want to solve.”

Chronology: From where “A Little Reflection” left off.

Definitely a better episode than the previous one. “Dress Code” nicely placed Hannah back into the mix of Dexter’s growing little family but like Zach, it’s too early to tell if she’s going to be a success or a failure for Dexter though.

Rating: 8 out of 10

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Homeland - Season 3 Trailer

The trailer was released a few days for the third season of Homeland and here are some of the highlights of what looks like another intense season ahead.

- First of all, the song being used in the trailer is called To Build A Home by Cinematic Orchestra.
- Can no-one do ugly crying like Claire Danes? Carrie seems to be crying a lot in this trailer.
- Quinn looks pretty trigger happy in this as well.
- Brody is on the run and sporting a massive reduction in hair as well.
- Meanwhile Jess, Dana and Chris seem to be falling apart in his absence.

- Nice scene with Carrie being comforted by Saul whilst another has her handcuffed to a hospital bed.
- Brody seems to have been injured as well in some of the shots in the trailer.
- Could Dana be taking up her father's other religion? Laying down the mat did seem to indicate it and she's taking pictures of herself.
- Jess seems to have moved onto someone new as well, judging by one moment in the trailer.
- There does look to be more location filming this series as well, especially with Brody's storyline.

Season 3 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXOUIsu-E0Q

Season 3 of Homeland will air Sundays at 9pm on Showtime from September 29th and will air on Channel 4 and RTE2 in October.

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Downton Abbey - Series 4: Three Dashing Gentlemen

Let's face it, Downton Abbey isn't exactly lacking when it comes to attractive men, even with the departure of Dan Stevens, but for Series 4 you can expect at least three new fellas thrown into the mix ...

Gary Carr will be playing American musician, Jack Ross. Earlier in the year, it was mentioned that the show would be introducing a black character and Carr's character is something of a celebrity and he's quite the charismatic character. Carr's previous credits have included BBC1 drama, Death In Paradise.

Julian Ovenden will be playing aristocratic character, Charles Blake. It's been reported that he will arrive at Downton along with recurring character, Evelyn Napier and he's probably hoping that he doesn't go the same that Pamuk did in the first series. Ovenden's previous credits include The Royal and Foyle's War.

Last but not least Tom Cullen will be playing the role of Lord Anthony, a friend of the Crawleys and also a potential love interest for the widowed, Mary Crwaley. Cullen's other credits include Black Mirror and Weekend.

And as a final note, the cast shot for the fourth series which isn't too radically different to what we've had in previous series. The photoshop does look a bit dodgy though.

More Details: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-08-13/downton-abbey-introduces-three-dashing-new-gentlemen#.UgoeA6OVFZg.tumblr

Downton Abbey's fourth series will air on ITV in the autumn.

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My Review of True Blood's 6x09: "Life Matters"

Written by Brian Buckner
Directed by Romeo Tirone

Terry (to Andy, re catfish): “Every life matters, throw it back.”

For the last few episodes the fallout of Terry’s death hasn’t been as impacting as I wanted it to be but here was not only the episode that finally had his funeral but the one that made me realise I will actually miss him as a character. The fact that it also made me want to cry as well also helped matters too.

The flashbacks delving into Terry’s past with Sookie, Sam, Arlene, Lafayette and Andy were all nicely done as they managed to intercut well with the funeral scenes itself but the three that stood out for were the following ...

Lafayette. If ever there was an award for most stylish outfit at a funeral, then La La certainly would deserve but the flashback where he was teaching Terry how to make fries in Merlottes was just lovely. I liked the bit about Lafayette being able to see into the troubled veteran’s soul as well, which I guess should’ve been a hint back then for Lafayette about his medium abilities.

Then there was Sookie’s flashback scene as well. I loved that at the funeral she outed herself as a telepath and proceeded to tell Arlene that Terry had fallen in love with her from their first meeting. It was a beautifully written scene and had some of the best acting we’ve seen on the show this season.

As for Arlene’s scene – the plot at the hospital with her breastfeeding Mikey made enough sense and it was good way of showing viewers how intuitive and kind hearted Terry was as a person and seeing Arlene going from dreading the actual funeral itself to making some kind of peace with it felt very believable as well to be honest.

The scenes with Sam and Andy – mainly centring on getting Terry back into the real world, some beer and fishing weren’t as strong but they certainly had their moments. I think the obvious moment was Terry’s reaction to catching a catfish and telling Andy that all life matters. It’s not a particularly subtle piece of writing but it was certainly a nice moment and one of my favourites from this episode as a whole.

The interesting thing about this episode was the stark reminder that in spite of the huge body count on this show, it’s only the second time we’ve seen the community of Bon Temps actually grieve a death. Terry’s funeral was every bit as poignant and strained as Adele’s was back in the first season and this episode has now become one of my favourites as well.

Getting away from the funeral bits, it kind of does seem for now that the vampire camp stuff has been dealt with. Eric released the vampires who slaughtered everyone in sight (except Sarah of course), whilst killing Steve and Bill gave them all his blood so they could walk in the daylight while all the contaminated Tru Blood seems to be destroyed as well.

In some ways this episode felt more like a finale than a penultimate episode. Unless Warlow finally does something completely devastating next week, all of our baddies have either been killed (Burrell) or just about escaped with their lives (Sarah). I did like however that it was Jessica and James who ended up going back to save Bill after he had sacrificed himself for vampire kind though.

As for the final scene with Eric – I doubt he’s dead. If he was, we would’ve seen it on screen. He’s probably just flown away either to track down Sarah or just to get his shit together after going on a holy rampage in this episode. Besides, I really can’t see the writers having the balls to kill him off either, so for the time being, I think it’s safe to say that Eric Northman lives for another season, don’t you?

Also in “Life Matters”

Sookie, you daft girl, why did you promise to agree to be Warlow’s again? Something tells me she’ll regret it next episode and Mrs Bellefleur was a handful at the funeral too.

Sookie (to Bill): “You’re the God of all vampires. Deal with your vampire shit.”

I actually thought for a brief moment that Sarah was going to tell Jason she was pregnant before he spared her. I’m really hoping she’s not if we see her again next season.

Eric (to young vampire): “Your maker’s gonna die a horrible death. It’s up to you whether you want to watch it but like I said, you’re free to go.”

Eric: “Have I ever healed you before?”
Jason: “I don’t think so.”
Eric: “Hmm, well you’re in for a treat and when you dream of me, dream of nice things.”

What is it with Jason and male vampires? Steve wanted him, he drank from Warlow and dreamed of him and now the same will happen with Eric. Oh and there’s also Violet maintaining her possessiveness of him as well.

Finn (to Eric, re Pam): “I fucked your progeny.”
Jason: “Woah, you didn’t just go there. That’s gonna cost ya, doc.”

Sookie (at the funeral): “I’m a telepath.”

It was a little strange but right seeing Lettie Mae, Jane and Maxine in this episode. Maxine ogling Alcide was a little unexpected though. Ginger’s screaming on the other hand, not so much.

Terry: “What’s her name? What?”
Sookie: “Arlene. Her name’s Arlene.”

Steve: “I love you, Jason Stackhouse.”

Standout music: Chris Pierce/Nathan Barr’s “Life Matters” sang by Big John at Terry’s funeral.

Bill (to Lilith’s followers): “I’m not going anywhere.”

Pam (to Eric): “Don’t you dare leave me.”

Chronology: From where “Dead Meat” left off.

“Life Matters” was without a doubt the best episode we’ve had this season. I think because it reminded me so much of my favourite episode from the first season and because the flashbacks worked so well, it just came together brilliantly. It’s episodes like this that do prove the show has some life left in it.

Rating: 10 out of 10

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Doctor Who - Top 50 Companions: Part 7

Well, it's been six days since the casting of Peter Capaldi as the 12th Doctor, so putting my excitement for that aside, here is the seventh part of my Top 50 Doctor Who companions list ...

16: Donna Noble (Catherine Tate)

Perhaps I'm being controversial by not having one of the most adored companions in the Top 10 but I'm certainly not trying to be. I have to admit during the first twenty minutes of The Runaway Bride, I wasn't particularly enamoured with Miss Noble but towards the end of that episode and the show's fourth series, Donna became exactly what the Tenth Doctor needed and what he needed was a best mate. Donna was that and more to him, which made her eventual fate all the more sadder because of it.

17: Lucie Miller (Sheridan Smith)

Oh Lucie Miller. In some ways she's a companion who has actually lasted longer than any of the companions Doctors 9-11 have had and like her predecessor, Charley Pollard, she is undoubtedly the Eighth Doctor's most signature companions, played by one of the UK's most in demand of actresses at the moment. A feisty, brash, Northern girl, Lucie had some truly brilliant stories with the Eighth Doctor and her final adventure, To The Death is the type of exit I would be interested in seeing the revived series attempt at some point with a companion.

18: Leela (Louise Jameson)

After the success of Sarah Jane Smith, any companion who followed might have had some big shoes to fill but the introduction of savage warrior, Leela almost made me forget about a certain journalist. Leela was not only a delightful contrast to her predecessor but was equally as smart and capable of dealing with the Fourth Doctor and the plethora of enemies he attracted in her own way. Plus, you really don't want to mess with someone who knows their way with Janus thorns. Just saying is all.

19: Charlotte Pollard (India Fisher)

You know, it's actually quite funny that the New series hasn't really done much with the Edwardian time period, especially given that the Eighth Doctor's signature companion turned out to be a delightful adventuress and one who even Russell T. Davies was an inspiration of sorts for Rose Tyler. Charley is without a doubt one of the most delightful and resourceful companions we've had on any medium and her relationships with both Eighth and Sixth Doctors have been nothing short of riveting to listen to. Along with Lucie, she is one audio companion that deserves a television appearance.

20: River Song (Alex Kingston)

If ever there was a polarising companion in this show's fifty year history, then I'm beginning to think that it would be River Song. Is she really the wife of the Doctor or the woman that killed him? Or even neither of the above? Whatever she is and whatever your stance is on the gun toting lady with a penchant for the phrases 'Hello Sweetie' and 'Spoilers', River Song certainly provokes strong opinions and will continue to do so long after she's gone pernamently from the series.

Part 8 of the list will be up next week.

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Atlantis - The Legend Begins

And so does the overall promotion for the show as BBC1's new Saturday fantasy family drama, Atlantis has already set up official Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr accounts with a series of intriguing riddles to solve where fans get either black or white stones as well as other interesting treats and sneak bits for the show.

Also a cast picture has been released and it features Pythagoras (Robert Emms), Jason (Jack Donnelly) and Hercules (Mark Addy). A recent press release has also revealed that Juliet Stevenson will be playing the Oracle, Sarah Parish will be Pasiphae, Jemima Rooper will be Medusa, prior to her snake hair transformation and Aiysha Hart as Ariadne. The show sees young Jason washing up on the shores of an ancient land where his allies include an overweight, overbearing Hercules and like it's predecessor, Merlin, expect this show to play fast and loose with the mythology and you can expect a lot of humour as well if the tweets from the BBCAmerica press tour are anything to go by. Now all we need a trailer and an official airdate and we're good.

Press Release: http://www.ksitetv.com/atlantis/atlantis-more-details-from-the-bbc-america-press-tour/23350
Tumblr: http://bbcatlantis.tumblr.com/

Atlantis will premiere Saturdays on BBC1 from September/October and will air on BBCAmerica from November 23rd.

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My Review of Dexter's 8x06: "A Little Reflection"

Written by Jace Richdale
Directed by John Dahl

Zach: “You should go ahead and kill me.”
Dexter: “Why?”
Zach: “Because if you don’t, I’ll do it again. I don’t wanna be like this but I can’t help it.”

This isn’t the first time that Dexter has been placed in a situation where he could have a killer accomplice/wingman and if history has a habit of repeating itself, then Dexter taking Zach under his wing is going to end up being even more of a disaster area than when it was Prado.

Dexter originally had the right set of ideas in this episode – stalk Zach, befriend him, get the sufficient proof that he killed his father’s mistress and then take him out and had it not been for both Vogel and Zach himself, then things would’ve gone down the usual way for Dexter. Instead he listened to both of them and it’s obvious it’ll come back to haunt him in the next few episodes.

Vogel’s attempts of wanting to emulate what she had set in place in Dexter with Harry should’ve been another alarm bell for Dexter. She clearly learned nothing from her experience with Yates and it seems to me that Vogel thinks she can somehow condition every serial killer into a productive member of society. Dexter might have been the success story but Yates was enough proof that she shouldn’t push her luck on this matter.

Then there’s Zach himself – the creepy sociopathic kid taking pictures of his victims and getting a thrill out of it too. Dexter recognised that under Zach’s protest of wanting to kill his cheating father in order to spare his mother any more shame but it was Zach admitting that he didn’t want to be a monster that spared him.

Maybe it’s possible and Zach is telling the truth but I can’t help thinking that whatever issues he has about killing will go to one side when his bloodlust intensifies. He enjoyed killing Norma, he enjoyed stalking out Sophia Fuentes (the second mistress) and he wasn’t exactly conflicted about attempting to murder his own father either. In other words, Dexter taking Zach will not end well for either of them, character wise.

The other odd thing about this partnership as well was Deb’s seemingly relaxed attitude towards it too. Dexter admitted to her face that he was taking on an intern, knowing full well she’d get what he really meant and Deb barely reacted to it. I’m glad that things with her and Dexter are good again but the fact that Deb didn’t even raise a concern still came across as extremely out of character though.

Of course, not only are Zach and Vogel problems for Dexter and Deb in their own ways but Hannah also came out of hiding and drugged the pair of them. I had been looking forward to Hannah’s return for a while now, so her appearance in the final two minutes was a good cliff hanger moment to end the episode with.

Also in “A Little Reflection”

Vogel was married to Richard Vogel for a long time. I like that Dexter shared his research on Vogel with Deb this week.

Vogel (re Zach): “It seems that we have a conflict of interest.”
Dexter: “I don’t believe this. You’re gonna work with another killer after what happened with Yates.”

Deb and Elway’s undercover subplot this week was actually a lot of fun. I actually want Deb to hook up with the guy now.

Masuka: “Welcome to Splatter land, hope you brought some extra string.”
Dexter: “Never leave home without it.”

Dexter (re Zach): “I remember that feeling – awe, wonder. It only fed the urge.”

In other plots Miller got the sergeant job, Quinn started stalking Zach, Jamie had a birthday party, Harrison broke a remote control and Dexter and Cassie were a no go area.

Deb (to Elway): “You can’t undo the past. Families fuck you up. It’s just the way it is.”

Dexter: “Should I be worried that Harrison’s lying?”
Deb: “He’s four doofus.”

I like that Nikki seems to have no ulterior motive for wanting to get to know Masuka as well as the continuity from Harrison’s bloodied teddy from earlier this season.

Dexter: “I don’t kill innocent people.”
Vogel: “But you might have if it hadn’t been for Harry and me.”

Hannah: “Hello Dexter, remember me?”

Chronology: A couple of days from where “This Little Piggy” left off.

“A Little Reflection” isn’t the best episode we’ve had this season, it’s even a little sluggish in parts with a few less engaging subplots but the final two minutes alone are some of the best that the show has done though. Welcome back, Hannah.

Rating: 7 out of 10

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My Review of True Blood's 6x08: "Dead Meat"

Written by Robin Veith
Directed by Michael Lehmann

Sookie (re Warlow): “Fucking destiny! Why couldn’t he just ask me out to the movies next week? Why are men just incapable of wanting to date me?”

I like to think I’m one of Sookie’s biggest defenders and even I found that attitude a bit too narcissistic for the character. Granted she did have a fair point about Warlow and his obsession with making her into his fairy-vampire bride but it wasn’t Sookie at her best here though.

What was especially weird was seeing Sookie coming onto Sam as well. I know the books have gone there with the characters but the series never should and I like the fact that Sam shut down Sookie’s attempts of being normal but that was also largely down to Nicole and a whole other plotline I’m not particularly in favour of at the moment too.

However back to Sookie for a moment – I like that she considered becoming Warlow’s bride in order to save her vampire friends but I am also hoping that she finds a way of getting out of that agreement before he gets her to act on it. I also liked her scenes with Bill in this episode. These two really never ever getting back together as a certain someone would put it.

Bill went from being reasonable with Sookie to being a dick and she went from telling him to get lost to actually agreeing to Warlow being used to save Jessica and company from getting toasted in vampire camp. Of course, Eric had to go and spoil one of Bill’s better plans by drinking on both Adelyn and Warlow in this episode.

Adelyn managed to survive her encounter with Eric and while Warlow did look pretty out of it, I think it’s safe to assume that he’s alive, tight? Of course he is – after all, we have to have a Bill/Eric/Warlow faceoff at some point in the last two episodes, don’t we? One that will inevitably end up going badly for Warlow out of the three of them.

This was an interesting episode though for Eric. His grief towards Nora really did see him go to town on Bill’s delusions of being a God and something tells me that when he returns to vampire camp, Sarah Newlin and her lackeys are seriously going to wish they were never born by the time he’s through with them. I actually can’t wait to see the bloodbath now.

Speaking of Sarah – her craziness is getting more delightfully camp to watch. Torturing Steve with a hamster wheel for information was one thing but her murder of Mrs Suzuki was another. I know I probably shouldn’t laugh but that fight scene was too hilarious not to laugh at it. I wish I was bothered by Suzuki’s death but she wasn’t much of a character to get worked up over, so she won’t be missed I’m afraid. However, I can’t honestly see Sarah making it out of the season alive.

As for the rest of the vampire camp stuff, isn’t the whole dynamic with Violet and Jason just a gender reversal of Tara and Franklin from the third season? Granted Violet seems to be able to seperate eating from shagging but her possessiveness over Jason has already caused a worrying streak and if it hadn’t been for Tara spilling about the spiked Tru Blood, Jason would still be under Violet’s mercy at this point.

Last but not least – the unlucky seven vampire stuck in the room waiting to be fried are Jessica, Tara, Pam, Willa, Violet, Steve and James. Surely one of these characters has to die, right? I can’t see all of them making out of the building alive and given the amount of deaths we’ve had this season, it’ll probably add another sting as well, especially if it’s Tara, Pam or Jessica.

Also in “Dead Meat”

Finally someone bothered to ask about Niall – Sookie when she was leaving Jason a voicemail. Are we going to see him again?

Eric: “You’re no fucking God.”
Bill: “I never said I was.

Alcide did the right thing taking on Rikki, leaving the pack and saving Nicole and Mary. Sadly though, Rikki survived the episode.

Violet: “If I say that you are mine, then you are mine.”
Jason: “Even if we get out of here?”

Jessica (re sex with Finn): “How was it?”
Pam: “Oozy but productive.”

Much as I like Nicole as a character (well, starting to like her), do we really need a pregnancy plot with her and Sam this soon? They’ve only know each for about three or four days. I did like Sam and Alcide making amends though.

Steve: “I’m running as fast as I can.”
Sarah: “It is scientifically impossible for you to be this fucking slow.”

Sookie: “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
Sam: “Kinda yeah.”

Terry left Arlene $2 million. I have to say that I agree with Holly about her taking the money, even though it might make it look like she killed Terry herself.

Sookie: “Death isn’t the end anymore, I know that now. Death is just a fucking pit stop on that keeps on going with no end in sight.”

Standout music: Sean Lennon’s “Dead Meat” at the end of the episode.

Suzuki: “You’re fucking crazy.”
Sarah: “I’m getting there.”

Jessica (to Steve): “We’re all gonna meet the sun in here.”

Chronology: From where “In The Evening” left off.

Good episode. “Dead Meat” was fairly crazy in parts with a pretty decent cliffhanger at the end but it has dawned on me that despite starting off with promise, Warlow hasn’t lived up to being the menace that he should be. Thank goodness that Sarah on the other hand has really stepped up to the plate in that regard.

Rating: 8 out of 10

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Peter Capaldi Is The Twelfth Doctor

It's official folks. Following BBC1's Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor, hosted by Zoe Ball and featuring various cast and crew members and celeb guests, the 12th Doctor has officially been declared as Peter Capaldi and despite the fact I didn't think it would be him, I am delighted to be wrong on this occassion.

Peter is no stranger to the Doctor Who universe. He guest starred in the 10th Doctor story, The Fires Of Pompeii during the series fourth series and also had a regular role on Torchwood: Children Of Earth in 2009. In 2014 however, he will be playing the 12th Doctor for the show's eighth series along with Jenna-Louise Coleman who will be reprising her role as Clara Oswald. While we might have a while to wait to see Peter in action, he will appear briefly during the show's upcoming Christmas special as well.

So, who else is delighted with this stellar casting?

Press Release: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23570354

And for those of you whinging because Twelve a white male, older or not female - get a fucking grip. The show isn't being racist or sexist and if you think it is with Peter's casting, then you're an idiot.

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American Horror Story: Coven - What You Need To Know

It might be two months away but at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour we got to find out some fascinating facts about American Horror Story: Coven from the cast and crew.

- First of all the titles for the first three episodes are Bitchcraft, Boy Parts and Replacements, The.
- The characters on the show will either be witches or historical characters. Which means the show will be flitting between eras throughout it's thirteen episodes.
- Jessica Lange is playing a witch named Fiona with Sarah Paulson playing her daughter, Cordelia.
- Kathy Bates will play historical personage Madame LaLurie, a Louisiana born socialite and serial killer who keeps slaves bound in her basement. She's one of two real persons being portrayed on the show this season.
- Angela Bassett is also playing a real person - Marie Laveau, a voodoo expert who along with her daughter had a multiracial following.

- Like Taissa Farmiga, Denis O'Hare and Alexandra Breckenridge will also be returning for American Horror Story: Coven, though the nature of their roles haven't been disclosed just yet.
- Emma Roberts is seemingly playing a character named Madison while Frances Conroy's character is called Ruth. If that's true, it's a nice nod to Six Feet Under, isn't it?
- This season will tackle oppression of all minorities as well as race and family issues, especially mother/daughter ones according to producer, Tim Minear. Apparently Cordelia will be in line with a certain Shakespearean character as well.
- Expect to see witches fleeing to the South and that there are two kinds of witches in this show. Minear also promised that this season will be more fun too.
- Most of the action will be set in New Orleans as well this season.

So, that's pretty tantalising, isn't it? I cannot wait to see this season and thankfully there's only two months before it airs and it definitely sounds like it's going to be the most female centred on television for the winter months again.

Season 3 Spoilers: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/american-horror-story-five-things-598826

American Horror Story: Coven will air Wednesdays at 10pm on FX from October 9th. FOX will air shortly afterwards for UK viewers.

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