At the start of tonight’s episode, AMC’s Suspect Tracker currently has Darren Richmond as the most likely culprit at 39%.
Last week’s episode 11 dealt with Linden’s missing kid, and ended with Holder’s discovery of Rosie on the ATM camera. This week we begin with Linden ripping Jack’s father a new hole, Stan still in prison, and Belko losing his job. Also, as ground breaks for the Mayor’s new water front property they uncover a skull. An Indian skull. Looks like the Mayor’s re-election campaign is falling apart. People don’t take kindly to desecrating Indian burial grounds to put up condos and what not…
Spoilers Ahead>>>
While at the office Mitch hears a message from Stan’s old Mob Boss, assumes that has to do with why all the missing money from their savings, and figures maybe that’s what got Rosie killed. When she goes to see her husband through the glass, she tells him as much. He doesn’t bother to inform her about the new house he bought her as a surprise, but instead simply gets pissed and storms off back to his cell.
Mayor Adams pays a visit to Gwen to let her know that Darren isn’t the man she thinks he is, and gives her a package. The contents aren’t yet made clear. What is made clear however, is Tom Drexler’s intentions and expectations. Jamie visits Tom at ‘Beau Soleil’ and lets him know that he owns Darren once the election is won. And he does so right under the best swimming pool ever.
Linden and Holder also become acquainted with ‘Beau Soleil’ as they convene with Holder’s old partner. And it looks as though our girl Rosie may have been involved. When they attempt to talk to Terry they find her very uncooperative…
Jack’s dad shows up at the police station to apologize to Sarah and ask for another chance to be in the boy’s life. An opportunity to be the father he never has been. She tells him if he goes near Jack again she’ll have him arrested. That’s pretty harsh.
After further investigation, Rosie’s computer leads them to believe that it is Terry, not Rosie who is the escort. Makes sense why no one trusted her now as she was hiding something. It’s also makes sense why they cast an actress who’s most famous role was a hooker to play the aunt… Anyhow, this prompts another talk with Aunt Terry and the cops learn a little bit more. They head to “Pimp My Feet”, which is where the server for the escort service is housed. Their new suspect, a cyber-ghost name ‘Orpheus’, whom Holder believes to be Drexler. The cops set up a ‘date’ through the site and meet with a girl who went out with ‘Orpheus’ and feared for her life. Holder gets too aggressive though and she flies the coop.
As the episode comes to a close several things happen. Terry bails Stan out of jail, Linden sends an e-mail to the mystery man, and Gwen opens up the Mayor’s damning package. This is when Holder gets a call from the scarred escort. She tells him to come to the pay phone she’s calling from.
Expecting to be bailed out by his wife, Stan seems disappointed to instead find his Sister-In-Law downstairs. That’s the bummer man.
While this is happening Linden pays a visit to Darren Richmond. She wants to question him about his connection to Drexler. This is when, at the same time, Holder and Linden both learn who the real Orpheus is – Richmond.
Looks like my prediction is shaping up nicely…
Pretty solid episode overall, and especially the last 5 minutes, tension was built and I can’t wait for next week. That last sequence with Holder and Linden both figuring it out at the same time – excellent. 4/5 Bears.
Well this is it boys and girls. This episode is either going to make you throw up, crap your pants, cry, or punch something. Whether it’s from hatred of King Joffrey, love of Ned Stark or the ravages of unpredictability. Whether or not you read the books, or you’re a first timer for Game of Thrones, you’ll still be impacted. I told Dr. Kronner I didn’t even want to watch the episode because of what happens in it. Even having read the book and knowing the outcome, it’s completely different watching it on-screen.
Keep reading to find out what could possibly have happened in the episode to make me open the review like this. In the last episode you have a couple major things happening. Ned is now a prisoner of the Lannisters as is Sansa just not in a dungeon in chains. Arya is missing and Robb has called all of the banners of the North to march on King’s Landing to free his father and now is running headlong into a clash with Tywin Lannister’s forces. On the Lannister side, Jaime is commanding his forces against the River Lords of Riverrun whom are the kin to Catelyn Tully Stark and Tyrion has found himself in the predicament of fighting alongside the Hill Tribesmen he enticed to guide him out of the Vale of Arryn with promises of steel.
SPOILERS AHEAD>>>>
The episode starts with Ned still in the dungeon with Varys all but pleading with Ned to make peace and keep Joffrey’s birth a secret and put the realm before his honor. Ned all but refuses and Varys leaves him in the dungeons.
The Twins
Robb and his forces are at an impasse: they need to cross the river using the bridge system at the two keeps known as the Twins. The Twins are held by the House of Frey, their Lord being Walder Frey who is an lecherous piss pot. I actually expected him to be a hell of a lot older looking but he was masterfully played by Harry Potter alum David Bradley, the second one on the show so far.
Lord Walder is met by Catelyn Stark to negotiate terms for crossing at the Twins and Walder makes it abundantly clear that he knows how Catelyn’s father Lord Hoster Tully has always disliked and avoided him, as have the other great houses. But Catelyn is able to convince him by offering to marry one of his sons to Arya and Robb to one of Lord Walder’s many daughters. Robb gives his consent to the arrangements and the Northmen move across the river unhindered.
For Tyrion, life just keeps getting better and better because now his dear old dad has ordered him to not only fight in the upcoming battle, but he will be in the vanguard of the force. The vanguard being the people to move in first for those of you who don’t know. So in preparation for what may be the end, Tyrion has Bronn find him a whore in the camp tp travel with him and we are introduced to Shae, who becomes something of an important character in the coming episodes.
In the scenes with Shae we get to learn more of Tyrion’s relationship with his father and the story of Tysha. Then it is off to battle for Tyrion and the Hill Tribes, but after a rousing speech to his men Tyrion gets knocked out and trampled by their excitement.
By the time he wakes up they have won, but it was only two thousand of Robbs men as he had divided his forces with the other 18 thousand riding off to stop Jaime Lannister in the Riverlands, and stop him they do with the sister-layer’s capture. Jaime tries to challenge Robb to a fight that would decide the war, but Robb isn’t stupid in knowing that he would lose. He refuses and sends the Kingslayer off to be put into a nice set of chains.
Way up North on the Wall, Jon is the talk of Castle Black, even receiving Lord Commander Mormont’s Valaryian steel blade known as Long Claw in lieu of his efforts in saving Mormont from the wight that attacked him. (A wight is a person who is reanimated after being killed by a White Walker.)
Not much else happens with Snow except the conversation with Maester Aemon at the rookery. It turns out that Aemon is the uncle to the Mad King Aerys and he tries to point out to Snow that even though his family was killed by the Lannisters and their bannermen, he stayed true to his oath as a Maester of the Citadel and Jon should do the same instead of rushing off to rescue Ned and fight alongside Robb.
Daenerys has some major problems going on across the Narrow Sea, as Drogo’s wound is becoming worse and he is literally falling out of the saddle. His blood riders are distrustful of Daenerys using Mirri Maz Duur to try and nurse Drogo back to health, one of them pointing out to her that once Drogo dies that she is nothing.
Jorah urges Daenerys to flee with him to Asshai before Drogo does pass but Daenerys refuses to lose her husband and authorizes Mirri to use ‘Blood Magic’ to heal Drogo, which many of the Dothraki are not too keen on. She leaves her husband, his sacrificed horse and Miri to complete a ritual which honestly sounds creepy as hell. We finally get to see Jorah in action as he fights one of Drogo’s blood riders to stop him from interrupting the ritual. The blood rider gets a joker smile from Jorah to end the fight. Daenerys is about ready to give birth as Jorah carries her into the tent where the ritual is still happening.
Now to the biggest part of the episode, where I’m sure many viewers might stop watching the show or realize what a fantastic writer George Martin is. As Arya is trying to survive in the streets of King’s Landing, some kids inform her that the Hand of the King is being brought to the Sept of Baelor. At the sept, Ned is brought before the masses and the King and his cohorts. He spots Arya and in passing tells the Night’s Watchman Yoren where she is and Sansa also stands at Cersei’s side to watch her father… as he confesses to attempting to murder Joffery and betraying the realm to take the throne for himself.
*Warming Glow
All lies of course, but Ned wanted to save his daughters and was content to serve on the Wall as Cersei planned. Joffrey however has other plans as he order Ser Ilyn Payne to behead Stark on the spot with his own sword ‘Ice’. The scene was beautifully shot, following the book pretty much exactly from what I can remember in reading the book. Like I said above though, seeing the scene on film even had an emotional impact on me knowing what was going to happen so I am curious as to what first timers of the series thought of the moment when Ned Stark met his tragic end. I know people say he made terrible and stupid decisions but Ned was truly doing the right thing and acting honorably as every knight and lord in the realm is supposed to, but unfortunately no one else out there is honorable enough. As Robert said, it’s all about backstabbing, money-grubbing and ass licking. No one cares about the good of the realm or honor. I’ll admit that the scene with Ned dying did cause me to tear up and it could not have been portrayed any better.
I give this episode a 4.5 out of 5 bears. It was a little slow but still managed to fit everything in without feeling bloated or rushed. The finale next week will have some great moments in it, though it might not be as memorable as this one. This episode should remind everyone who watches the show that no character is safe and that there aren’t always happy endings. George R.R. Martin is a genius and the show will only get better in the coming seasons, so get ready everyone! Season Finale next week!
The Camelot finale is here finally, and I have to admit, after being disappointed with the last few episodes of the show before The Battle of Bardon Pass, this one paid off. A lot of things were tied up and there was a good set up for next season.
BUTTERFLIES!!!
As you may or may not know in the last episode, Arthur told his men to leave Bardon’s Pass and that he would hold it himself. The men agree, because let’s face it… Arthur is a wife stealing turd eater. Gawain tries to stay of course due to his promise to Merlin. What ensues with Arthur protecting Bardon’s Pass can only be likened to Home Alone, with men falling on trip wires onto stakes, and paint cans flying from atop stair ways into the enemy soldiers’ faces. Well not paint cans, but rocks tied to boards and shit like that. He holds his own for quite some time, but Excalibur is taken from him by one of Morgan’s men and delivered to her. Little does she know that Arthur escaped and pushed them back once again.
While Arthur is making his last stand, Morgan is hard at work turning the people of the realm against Merlin and Igraine, and taking Camelot away from her brother. When she receives Excalibur from her men, Morgan believes she has won, and presents it to the people. They then question who would rule now with Arthur gone. Morgan’s little nunnery buddy Sybil suggests that Morgan be the one and the people in the throne room agree, Morgan prepares for her coronation.
Arthur in the meantime is pulling a ‘medieval Jack Bauer’ on one of Morgan’s men that he captured during their unsuccessful raid, cutting his face up, and threatening to poke his eyeball out before he cracks and spills the beans. Arthur now knows that Morgan is behind the whole debacle at Bardon Pass.
It’s the patented ‘Jack Bauer Crazy Eye’…
The next morning Arthur makes what should be his last stand against Morgan’s men, and he does admirably even though he’s certainly doomed. And then (predictably) out of nowhere Leontes and the others show up to save the day. But in another predictable turn of events, as Arthur and his knights celebrate, Morgan’s Knight ‘Sir Jack Meoff’ attempts to shoot Arthur with an arrow. Leontes shows his true loyalty and honor by jumping in the way and taking the arrow through the chest for the man who boinked his wife.
As he dies he tells Arthur to take care of Guinevere in so many words. Sir Jack Meoff gets completely destroyed by Gawain with a mid air sword blow and two more after that. Suck it!
Before Morgan heads down to her coronation she fatally stabs Igraine, showing how evil and twisted her character is. I actually liked Igraine a lot, and I’m really bummed that Claire Forlani won’t be on the show anymore.
“SHEEEEEE-IT!” (Any THE WIRE fans out there?)
She definitely got the last laugh though by telling her killer that it was her who saved Morgan by sending her to the nunnery as a child, and even though Morgan refuses to believe it, you know she’ll be haunted by it forever. Arthur interrupts the coronation of Morgan with a slow clap. You gotta love the slow clap, it’s how I interrupt every event that I think is a complete farce too.
After Morgan’s treachery is revealed Sybil actually steps in and takes the blame for everything that has happened, including Igraine’s death afterward. Pretty ballsy on her part. I couldn’t figure out why she looked so disappointed when Morgan said she knew nothing about it though. Sybil’s execution was pretty grim, with only herself, her executioner Gawain and an empty grave.
Merlin watched in the distance, eerily stating “There is no God” as Sybil gets beheaded. I was satisfied with the ending to her character, because I honestly couldn’t stand her, but her endgame and main motives are still unclear to me.
HEYOOOOOO!
It isn’t the last we see of Sybil though: After Arthur strips Morgan of the Pendragon name and removes her castle from beneath his protection, Morgan asks Sybil for help at her grave and Sybil whispers in the wind about needing to give birth to a royal heir. Hmmmm….
The next scene involved Arthur, Guinevere and some major sex. I found myself hating the two characters even more during this scene, thinking how Leontes hasn’t even been in the ground that long and they’re just ready to move along! But then after Arthur is asleep and Guinevere’s nose starts to bleed you can see where this is going. After leaving the room we see that Morgan has shape shifted into Guinevere to become pregnant by Arthur. Sick-En-Ing! We’ll sure see Morgan le Fay by next season, and maybe little Mordred will be born by then. HOOOOOOO BOY!
Overall I give this episode a 4.5 out of 5 bears, if only for how much predictability was flying all over the place, but the execution was great and I was really caught off guard by the killing of Igraine.
I hope that now all of the set up and love triangle garbage is out of the way so we can focus on better things in the next season. I loved Camelot at the start and then it sort of sagged in the middle, but got back to greatness at the end. I have some high hopes for Season 2 and with any luck Starz will deliver!
The Wolfman, starring Benicio del Toro and Sir Anthony Hopkins came out last year to poor reviews and a low box office. This was shattering to the studio that had planned for a money making trilogy to cash in on the recent drive for all things werewolves and vampires.
“I said he flip ya. Flip ya for real.” – The Usual Suspects? Nobody gets me…
So you’d think that with The Wolfman ‘failing’ at the theaters that would be it for the movie. But no, that just is never the case these days. So instead of just going ahead with their planned sequel, they have reportedly opted instead to simply remake the movie… again. After only one year.
Universal is saying that it’s a remake of the classic version and not the one from a year ago. But the one from a year ago was a remake of the classic version as well, so really who knows anymore. Also they may call it Werewolf, further throwing originality out the window.
Mayor Adams pays a visit to Gwen to let her know that Darren isn’t the man she thinks he is, and gives her a package. The contents aren’t yet made clear. What is made clear however, is Tom Drexler’s intentions and expectations. Jamie visits Tom at ‘Beau Soleil’ and lets him know that he owns Darren once the election is won. And he does so right under the best swimming pool ever.
As the episode comes to a close several things happen. Terry bails Stan out of jail, Linden sends an e-mail to the mystery man, and Gwen opens up the Mayor’s damning package. This is when Holder gets a call from the scarred escort. She tells him to come to the pay phone she’s calling from.
Looks like my prediction is shaping up nicely…
Grizzly Bomb 