Supernatural

Monster Movie

In a season that has raised the level of seriousness for the show as a whole, "Monster Movie" lightens the tone for a trip through the ****c monster movies of old Hollywood. It is a nice change of pace from the trademark angst and fright of the rest of the Supernatural episodes.

"My virginity is intact - I've been re-hymenated"


Shot in gorgeous black and white, the episode is a tribute to ****c monster films. The opening credits, background music, and cuts from scene to scene are all in the ****of old movies and the boys in their suits, posing as FBI agents, fit right into the atmosphere that is created. The hour is stuffed full of jokes, from the dialog, with such comments as Dean saying it is about time they investigate a "straightforward black and white case", to visual gags, like Dracula riding away from the scene of an attack on a scooter, his cape flapping behind him. And any episode that gives us Dean in lederhosen is fine by me.

It is somewhat remarkable that after the heavy nature of the first 4 episodes this year, the lightened approach here does not feel jarring at all. That is a tribute to the actors, the writer and the director, who incorporate times throughout to refer to the emotional upheaval Dean and Sam have been going through. These little moments are just enough to make the episode feel connected to the larger story arc while at the same time giving the characters, as well as the audience, a break from that and a chance to have a little fun. I found myself smiling almost the whole hour.

The mystery itself includes a nice callback to previous seasons with the monster being a shapeshifter, but at the same time it is a little predictable, with Ed being too obvious a suspect and Lucy seeming too shifty to be innocent. However, this does not detract from the enjoyment of the episode as a whole. Melinda Sward as Jamie continues the trend of good casting this season. She is fun and flirty with Dean, but also tough when facing the shapeshifter. Although Sam arrives to save Dean from being electrocuted, Jamie is the one to shoot the monster, who is then given a melodramatic death scene to keep things in the realm of the absurd.

In the midst of all the silliness, Dean and the shapeshifter have a conversation about living in fantasy versus living in reality. Born a monster, the shifter identified with the ****c monsters of old films and chose to recreate their "grand and elegant" world, trying to escape the small, messy life of rejection he was living. In contrast, Dean and Sam's own lives, filled with danger, loss and pain, are not something from which they choose to run. Dean tells Jamie that after experiencing a "near" death experience (he opts not to explain that it was an actual death experience), he now feels he has a mission, that the opportunity to save people is a gift. It is a beautiful summary of the renewed purpose Dean is feeling, a purpose that has translated to the series as a whole. If they can continue to keep their standalone episodes grounded in this, it is going to be a fantastic season.

Funny conversation:

Pizza Delivery Boy: Uhh, pizza delivery.
Dracula: Ah, you have brought a repast. Excellent. Continue to be of such service, and your life will be spared.
Pizza Delivery Boy: Uh-huh. That'll be $15.50.
Dracula: Tell me...
Pizza Delivery Boy: Yeah?
Dracula: Is there... garlic on this pizza?
Pizza Delivery Boy: I don't know. Did you order garlic?
Dracula: No!
Pizza Delivery Boy: Then no. Look, mister, I've got four other deliveries to make. You want to just pay me the money so I can go?
Dracula: Of course. Yes. But I have a coupon!

Dexter

The Lion Sleeps Tonight

"It's a jungle out there!"

Dexter's never been one for having friends. And even though A.D.A. Miguel Prado is the only man, since Dexter's actual brother Brian anyway, who seems to be totally cool with the fact that Dexter's a killer, doesn't mean that Dexter automatically considers the 2 of them to be buddies. But Prado does. Drinking buddies. Hangin' out buddies. If you thought that Prado chased after Dexter in the first two episodes, get ready for an uncomfortable "man-lationship." Prado imagines the 2 of them to be joined at the hip. The secret that they both share, that Dexter killed Freebo in "self-defense," just seems to draw Prado closer to Dexter and closer to his own shadow-self. Now Prado believes that the 2 of them must work together to try and get Miami Homicide off the Freebo Case, and onto looking for Teegan's real murderer. Yes, as it turns out, Freebo did not murder his little crackbunny and cut off her skin - it was someone else.

Meanwhile, Dexter has made a choice to stand by pregnant Rita for now, but he still remains unsure as to whether or not he'll stick around to raise their child. He still can't come to terms with the emotions involved with raising a child. Apparently even well-adjusted men who don't stalk and murder people by night get freaked out about the responsibility of being a "dad," so Dexter must barely even have the necessary neurons to fully compute this notion. Dexter does have a "jungle sense" however. A predatory understanding of kill-or-be-killed, and a strong desire to protect what's "his." It's animalistic, sure. But it just might be the driving force that allows him to accept his upcoming role as a parent.

Enter Nathan Marten, a man that Dexter can almost immediately spot as a threat using his "Kill-Dar." After Nathan strikes up a creepy conversation with Rita's daughter Astor at a grocery store, Dexter decides to take a peek into this man's background to see exactly what he might be up to. Dexter then must do something new - make a judgment call about Nathan, a man who hasn't done anything that he hasn't already paid his dues for in prison. Dexter might actually have to delve into the realm of "Pre-Crime" for the first time.

Debra continues to spar with her informant. Is it a bad thing that I think Debra's going to sleep with every man she meets? Especially when their relationship starts out as antagonistic? I mean that's part of her psychological make-up, right? Daddy issues? Seeking approval from men. Anyway, Detective Quinn is still suspiciously frowning on Debra's entanglement with "his" informant, so he might be hiding something after all.

Heroes

Angels and Monsters

It's all happening so fast. My life is a speeding train and I'm not sure where it's headed. One thing is certain, I've been given a second chance, touched by God and I've got to believe that he has a purpose for my life. So why am I filled with self-doubt? Plagued by demons, real and imaginary? Frightened by the challenges ahead, and haunted by the ghosts of my past? Does God know what I am? Do I? Am I an angel, or a monster? A hero, or a villain? And why can't I see the difference?

"Angels & Monsters" is a mix of poor character choices and neat ideas that hold a great deal of potential. There were plenty of "Huh?" moments and convenient occurrences, but the reveal of Father Petrelli and his Pinehearst Company was a big step in the right direction and it looks to have started to give the season a much-needed focus.

Hiro, made a sacrifice that he felt was part of being a hero. That, of course, was killing his best friend Ando. For me, this falls into the category of "poor character choice." Yes, earlier in the episode, Hiro did establish that a hero must often make sacrifices to help the greater good. This was his reasoning for digging up Adam. But everything we've come to know about Hiro leads us to believe he's the ultimate do-gooder. I just do not believe that Hiro would push a sword into his best friend's chest, causing him pain and death, because of a greater good. And, yes, I'm sure Hiro will travel back in time (even though he has sworn he will never do that again) and save his friend. But even so, the Hiro I've come to know would not be able to live with the fact that, in some timeline, he killed Ando.

In other developments we have Mohinder. I was okay with him being a spider guy, even with the whole "I'm scaly now" thing. And beating on his building's resident, no problem! But now we find out that Mohinder is abducting people, like the jerk, and then a drug dealer, and slapping them into "cocoons" in his lab? Huh? Mohinder' s a nutjob now? Right now I can only take a look at this and see how it makes no sense whatsoever. Mohinder has only ever been interested in helping people. Then this season begins and suddenly he wants to be special so he injects himself with Powerade and now he's a crazy spider guy who kidnaps people, including Maya? Maybe this character turn will make some sense in a few episodes. Maybe there are pieces of the story we're still missing. But right now, it seems to me that Mohinder's jump from "aww shucks" scientist to "crazy" scientist has come way too fast. If they want to turn the guy evil, be my guest, but make it make sense!

Also found in the department of strange character turns, we have Peter, freshly returned from the future (where he sliced off Nathan's head). He snaps Sylar' s neck with one hand, and when the Scary Grandma intervenes, Peter takes the head slice gimmick to his own mother! I ask again: Huh? At the same time, we saw Sylar (who put his new healing factor to good use) save the day, and then show genuine concern for the wellbeing of his newfound mother. On one side, a character who has been built from day one as empathetic, caring and heroic. And he acts like a psycho, out of nowhere. And on the other, a character who has been built as an evil, psychotic, terrible killer. And he acts like a decent guy. Also, seemingly, out of nowhere. The only way for this to make sense is for the "hunger" power to be incredibly powerful, to the point of overriding a person's actions or, at the very least, their common sense and their true nature. Otherwise how can Peter's sudden change be explained? As for Sylar, as I said last week, I have a soft spot for redemption stories, and if the Big Bad truly is capable of redeeming himself, I'd like to see him try. But the fact remains, we saw him do many terrible things. The only way they can explain those away in a manner that will allow us to believe he deserves to be redeemed, or even really wants to be, is to show us that the "hunger" truly takes control of one's actions. In this way, Peter's and Sylar's fates are tied. For both of their paths to make sense, we will have to learn more about this "hunger", and soon. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying these twists aren't interesting, or entertaining. I have to admit, I cheered for Sylar as he saved Angela, and I even rooted for him when HRG tried to have him killed. I just hope this all makes more sense in the near future.

Having Claire confront a man whose only crime was due to not having control of his power was interesting and the plotline took a logical turn when Claire realized this man was not a monster. It was also a great idea to have Mr. Bennet take Sylar along to apprehend a man that can make people disappear by sucking them into a vortex. Bennet knows Sylar cannot be killed, so this might be his only chance to exact revenge.

Nathan learned that his power is synthetic, part of an experiment his mother and the Company performed when he was a child. Also we got the answers to the Linderman thing; Nathan's not crazy, and it's not really Linderman! It's a figment created by Mauri, and he's also been talking to Daphne. I knew it! I should get a cookie He's the one looking for the formula, and his next mission is creating an army of super villains. And he's doing all this at the behest of a truly terrifying individual, one who is giving the orders from what looks like a death bed, one who can't even speak, but who can appear to the suddenly-not-that-Scary Grandma in f'ed up dreams.

Overall, the episode ended on a high note reminiscent of S1 twists. I had no idea that the patriarch of the Petrelli clan was going to turn up in this episode, and it was too shocking to see that he's apparently on life support. And I didn't know he was the man pulling the strings behind the major events that have occurred this season. With these pieces starting to fall in place, the series is becoming more focused, and it' s getting great.

Supernatural

Metamorphosis

This week, Dean and Sam are hunting Jack, a man who unknowingly is a Rugaru, going through a metamorphosis that will turn him irreversibly into a monster once he gives in to the urge to feed on human flesh. In case you were wondering, yes, this storyline is appropriately gross for Supernatural's return to a more traditional horror story. Watching poor Jack eat anything, whether it is raw meat from the fridge or the ill-fated hunter who becomes his first taste of human flesh was disgusting.

The main point behind this storyline is that it parallels Sam's struggle with knowing he has demon blood inside of him.

And Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki are both fantastic in the scenes where Sam is forced to come clean about his activities. Sam's face shows clearly that he is simultaneously fearful of Dean knowing, but determined that what he is doing is right; he is contrite yet resolved. Dean, fresh from witnessing the tragedy of his family's past, is a bundle of fury, worry and hurt. And Dean punches Sam! Twice!

Sam is trying to deal with his powers the best way he can think of, by using them to help people. It's also pretty heartbreaking to hear him talk to Dean about how he felt when Dean was dead. Meanwhile, Dean is scared out of his mind, both that Castiel threatened to make Sam stop if Dean can't, and also that Sam is on a slippery slope, getting too close to the evil they have always fought against. The fact that Sam has been lying doesn't help either. The history of the show has led to this place, and if this wasn't planned from the beginning, they have done a heck of a job tying all these elements together. It's also a credit to the writing that they are allowing their characters to be human, to make mistakes. The cracks in the brothers' relationship make things more interesting.

The dialog in the episode was pretty funny, including what is a new favorite comedic moment when they bust down the door of a woman who doesn't need saving after all and then make a hasty retreat. Dean's line "We're here to save you, I guess" was priceless.

However, the episode is tinged with sadness throughout, first with the failure of Dean and Sam to save Jack, who really did seem like he might be able to be saved, as well as the fact that the wife not only has lost her husband in a horrifying way, but unbeknownst to Dean and Sam, she is pregnant and the child will grow up to be a Rugaru. And then we have the ending, where Sam declares he will not be using his powers anymore, he is making the choice to stop. I know that Sam wants to do what is best, but I would bet this isn't the end of this particular storyline.

Last night I watched Wanted with my boyfriend, and we had a fairly good time. Here are my thoughts on it...

Synopsis (skip it if you don't want to be spoiled): Wanted, based on the graphic novel by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones, follows twenty - something Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy, doing a convincing job in hiding his Scottish accent) - an office drone who one day discovers that he is actually the son of the world's greatest assassin. Before this revelation, Wes suffers panic attacks brought on by his overbearing boss at his soul-sucking accounting job and the blatant affair carried on between his girlfriend and best friend. Wesley is pulled out of his everyday life by Fox (Angelina Jolie), an alluring mystery woman who tells him about his special heritage and then proceeds to save him from Cross (Thomas Kretschmann). After an absurd but exhilarating car chase-shootout sequence, Fox reveals to Wesley that he must take his father's place in The Fraternity, an ancient league of assassins led by Sloan (Morgan Freeman). The Fraternity metes out justice as determined by the Loom of Destiny (an over-explained plot device built around murderous weavers - yeah, that's right). Wes then undergoes an excruciating training regimen (including beatings, guns and knives) until he accepts the Fraternity's motto: Kill one, save a thousand. He must then carry out a few hits in order to prove his mettle before he is sent after Cross, whom we learn is a rogue member of the Fraternity out to kill his former comrades one by one. Wes gradually learns to enjoy and embrace his newfound vocation, finally feeling empowered after a lifetime of being a nobody. But soon, he learns that some of his colleagues aren't as righteous as he first believed.

My opinion: It's ridiculous stuff, but in the hands of this director and cast, it all somehow works. Jaw-dropping sequences tumble off the screen, and while he proved himself adept at the car chase in his previous efforts, Bekmambetov not only tops those set-pieces with his work here, but truly takes it to the next level with some spectacular train-based action. An early chase atop a locomotive is impressive enough, but a later sequence involving an almighty pile-up is an exhilirating flight of fancy.

The cast is wonderful as well. James McAvoy truly announces himself on the world stage with his performance as Wes, playing the everyman with great charm in the film's opening scenes before transforming into a convincing muscle-bound dispenser of death right before our very eyes. Angelina Jolie is on typically fiery form as Fox, and Morgan Freeman commands the screen as Sloan, the enigmatic Fraternity leader.

The film is breathlessly paced, gratuitously violent and over-the-top in almost every conceivable way. Cars crash through speeding trains, bullets curve in mid-air, a man smashes through a skyscraper window and then sails across the sky to kill his opponents. Thankfully, a blackly comic mean streak runs throughout the film that helps acknowledge the absurdity of it all without ever diluting the fun of watching bullets, cars and people do the impossible. However, life is so cheap in Wanted that it's impossible not to be revolted by how many innocent civilians make up the film's body count (particularly during the climactic train sequence).

If you want to see a fun, fast-paced movie where the action is cool and you are prepared to give yourself over the bombastic madness of it all, then this is for you.

I'm currently rewatching Roswell (I don't know what's gotten into me), and I made an account on Photobucket where I found this icons: In addition, I'm addicted to the music on the show; there are some great songs. Right now I'm listening to Glenn Phillips - Darkest Hour (from the episode Missing). Unfortunately, I could only find the live version.

Couples...

A Roswell Christmas....

Good Lord, those are MANY icons... Try not to judge me too harsh!

Dexter

Finding Freebo

There must be a reason that Miguel Prado goes out of his way to befriend the creepily terse Dexter Morgan. We know that Prado seeks justice for his younger brother, Oscar's, death and caught Dexter performing his own investigation into the case, above and beyond what is actually called for as a Blood Spatter Analyst. There must be something that he recognizes in Dexter that's either familiar or attractive. It may be something that never actually gets said aloud, but Prado sees something in Dexter that A: he feels he can trust, and B: will somehow lead him to the closure he's yearning for. It's unclear whether or not he knows the secrets of Dexter's darker dealings, but he clearly has an affinity toward him, enough to invite Dexter and Rita over to his splendiferous house for dinner.

At the moment, Dexter doesn't really want to be bogged down with heart to heart conversations about offspring, or to find himself glad-handing a grieving A.D.A. He's got bigger fish to fry. He's got a grave mission: namely..."Finding Freebo." Yes, Freebo, the only little jerk who can directly connect Dexter to the murder of Oscar Prado. Dexter is in a bit of a crunch here since it's absolutely necessary that he finds Freebo before Batista finds him...or even before Debra finds him in connection with her new murder case...Teegan, Freebo's "girlfriend."

But now that Dexter has resigned into a life of semi-normality, the rigors of "keeping up appearances" take time away from his "stalking killer" time that he so desperately needs at the moment. Now keep in mind, Dexter has made great progress from a psychological standpoint, but he's still got a ways to go before he could ever possibly be ready to talk to Rita about having a baby without say, reading from a cold and calculating "Pros and Cons" list that he's written up with a marker. "Pros? Kids are cute."

By the end of this episode, the heart of S3 officially gets kick started. Like a shock with some defibrillators. We get a nice sense of the long and torturous road ahead, and not to mention some prime nail-biting moments of suspense. It no longer feels like they're merely laying the groundwork. Can't wait to see where this is going.

Prison Break

Five the Hard Way

Michael and T-Bag get together, Sara learns about Scofield's nosebleeds, Sucre's indecent proposal, Self confronts the General turn this into an action-packed episode. Thoroughly engaging from start to finish, with some major plot developments and a welcome change in scenery, this episode easily stands out as S4's best outing so far.

Watching T-Bag and Scofield finally confront each other was well worth the wait. T-Bag's obsession with trying to understand Scofield is part of what makes their scenes so entertaining. He can't fathom that Scofield could really be as selfless as he is, and tries to reduce his motivations down to something he can understand - like going after Scylla for the money. T-Bag's obsession with Scofield is analogous to what a super-villain would feel towards his arch-nemesis. T-Bag doesn't have it easy in this episode. Between being tortured by Gretchen and then outwitted by Scofield once again, his luck seems to have run out. One thing we've learned over the years, however, is that T-Bag's ability to survive should not be underestimated, and we haven't seen the last of him for sure.

We learn more about Scofield's nosebleed, and what it might mean for the character. Does Scofield have a brain tumor? This story thread, while predictable, has been handled very well and it will be interesting to see where the writers go with it.

Another extremely welcome development is the much needed injection of comedy in this episode. The darkly hilarious Sucre "taking one for the team" angle is handled brilliantly, and the final swerve was completely unexpected, and a nice diversion from the heavy-handed serious tone we've been subjected to so far this season.

Roland's a bit of a difficult character to get a handle on. He is annoying, but hard to tell if it's because this is how the character was meant to be, or if it's an actor issue. Getting caught trying to steal from the casino and then losing the one device that makes him useful to the team puts the entire mission at risk.

Self's act of self-preservation was well handled, and the scene where he tucked tail and asked Mahone for advice on how to handle Wyatt was fun to watch. Mahone realizing that he would have done exactly what Self did if their situations were reversed was a nice touch.

With so much going on at once, and all of it entertaining, this episode is a fine example of what can be done with this new series format. The dark humor involving Sucre paid off extremely well, and hopefully the writers will find a way to add more of this during the rest of the season. If you're going to take your audience on a mindless rollercoaster ride, taking the time to make them laugh is very welcome bonus. Add a bit of intelligence and character moments to the mix, and it's a recipe for a fantastic episode.

SCC

Goodbye to All That

This episode offers up a new terminator, some action, and more glimpses of the future - and yet unfortunately it never quite comes together in the way I've come to expect from this series.

There's a number of logic holes, or larger-than-usual leaps that we're asked to make here. For one, how exactly does Derek prove to the commander of this military school that he's somehow an officer in the military? Getting John into the school? Maybe. But fabricating a military record and service so that Derek can get in and teach? And also sneak claymore bombs and a high powered sniper rifle onto the grounds (though I guess it's possible that the school had these weapons...).

There's some effective stuff with Sarah and Cameron rescuing the little boy from the terminator. It's always nice to see a show is willing to place children in peril - it's not something you see a lot on network TV, and it adds an uncomfortable layer to the danger. However, once the kid is rescued - things slow down and we get more than enough moments of Sarah re-establishing her bona fides as a mother. Lena Headey is good in these scenes - and so is the kid - but it's a bit more than was necessary.

The time spent with Sarah and "the other target" could have been better spent with John and. We also get some time spent with Ellison and Weaver. If we never see Weaver standing in her office, her back to Ellison as she says cryptic things - that will be too soon. It might be time to declare that Weaver just doesn't work. It's not necessarily that Shirley Manson doesn't work in the role - but the role itself doesn't seem to be going anywhere. And the exceptionally goofy moment of her seducing and murdering the plant manager doesn't help any.

The show seems to be dancing around the idea of showing John Connor in the future, and it makes us wonder if that'll happen sooner than later - or if the show has a mandate against it. It could be interesting to see the man that the John of the show will eventually become.

"Goodbye to All That," is a decent episode, but fell short of what the series has proven itself capable. The pacing is a bit off, the show's usual attention to detail seemed lacking and the Catherine Weaver story line really seems to be going nowhere fast, and tonally it seems to belong in a different series. There's some interesting stuff here about Martin Bedell, who now knows about the coming war - and that may prove interesting should he show up in a later episode.

Heroes

I am Become Death

S3 hasn't delivered a knockout episode, but "I Am Become Death" certainly had its share of entertaining moments. Blowing Costa Verde off the map was the first unexpected and actually surprising moment of the season. Unearthing Adam was also a nice surprise. And though there were other moments I found cool and fun, it was still hard to connect with these future actions since it's likely this doomed future will ultimately be avoided. And I'm glad because all in all, I don't think I like that future!

The present centered on the pairings of Hiro and Ando, and Nathan and Tracey. Tracey learned from Dr. Zimmerman that her DNA was manipulated and she was given her powers. Beyond that, the doc was little help, except to hint that it was likely The Company that was behind the whole thing. A tortured Tracey resigned to kill herself, but Nathan, at Ghost Linderman's urging, literally flew in to save her. Then they share their power secrets and Nathan stumbles on a strangely effective pick up line "Your hands aren't even cold." And soon these 2 were locking lips. Besides learning that Tracey was created, this storyline felt like the adult retread of Claire and that flying what's-his-name from last year. Just kidding... I know his name

In other developments, Hiro continued to treat Ando like the murderer he might become, further pushing Ando towards wanting to murder Hiro. Their storyline was basically filler until the very end when Grandma Petrelli announced that Hiro held the key to the entire mystery. The key is apparently Adam. I like this character and I'm glad to see he's back in the mix. And I think his immediate reaction of grabbing Hiro by the throat and calling him a son of a b***h was brilliant. I really have to say that when Hiro was yelling "Release me, I have to save the world" I wanted to hit him, I swear. His character never annoyed me in 2 seasons than in this few episodes; it's like the writers are trying to make him look idiotic.

4 years in the future, the world is full of people with powers (mostly flying powers, appearantly) because of the formula that has fallen into the wrong hands. Abilities are sold to the highest bidder, Peter is considered a bad guy, Sylar is a stay at home dad (Why? What? Huh?), Claire is a dominatrix who loves guns and guys who feed on fear, the thief married Pac-Man , and Nathan is President (but really this time). This future is a pretty confusing place, you don't know who's good and who's evil anymore, and if your name is Raluka you don't really understand what's happening

As for angry Claire, she tries to kill Peter again, and this time succeeds, at least half way. What's wrong with this girl? What possible reason/excuse does she have to get this f'ed up? Is this the result of her quest to gain power to "make him pay for what he did to me"? Is she still stuck on Sylar's Horror Show? Is that why she's popping caps in her uncle? What does she mean Peter's 'evil'? I don't buy that for a second. Gravelly voiced, strangely scarred, sure, but not evil.

That said, you know last week, when I said I'd never buy Sylar as a good guy? Forget about that. I don't know what that was about. Good guy Sylar rules! I guess I never fully understood his original power. I knew that it was about understanding how things work, but I didn't realize the hunger for more was part of it. I figured that was just Gabriel being an evil, psycho douche, with a capital 'bag'. But if that's part of his power, and it exerts control over him, I suppose my perceptions of the character need to be re-evaluated. And then we see him with Noah, feeding Mr. Muggles and cooking waffles! Plus, he accepts magic words as payment for maple syrup. What a guy! Maybe there's hope for the Big Bad yet. Maybe he really can change. What can I say, I'm a sucker for redemption stories and happy endings. By the way, who do you think is the kid's mother?

However, Peter did gain Sylar's power to understand how things work, as well as the "hunger" to learn more and more and I'm going along with this for now, but the series needs to convince me Peter actually needed this power. After all, except for that one little thing, Peter was already able to do everything Sylar could do.

The other thing I found strangely cool about this weird future was Mohinder. I was expecting something a little more elaborate, like him scurrying across the ceiling as a spider, but I guess robed, frog skinned and weird voiced Mohinder is also cool. Still smart, more than a little cracked at this point and deeply regretful of his choices. Did you notice that when Peter read his thoughts, it was his old, normal voice as opposed to his new, strange one? Great touch! It's all in the details.

Isabel Evans (played by Katherine Heigl)

• In many ways Isabel is obscure, but nevertheless the most fascinating character in "Roswell".
• I like the fact that Isabel has 2 sides to her personality which are polar opposites. To the outside world she is an elitist snob who hangs out only with the "in" crowd, wouldn't be caught dead doing a "service oriented" job and is only interested in the latest fashions. She hides her kind side beneath a front of haughtiness and cold unfeeling - she is the perfect, unknowable, unobtainable beauty.
• On the outside, she is most outgoing of the 3 aliens and also blends in with the human society with more ease - while Michael is a rebellious loner and Max is shy and quiet, she is an active participant in social activities and very confident. However, deep down she craves stability and security, longing to fit in and be a 'normal' girl like Liz or Maria. At first, Isabel is hostile towards both humans who know her secret, but this is because she is understandably afraid of the power they suddenly hold over her. However, she begins to realize that both can be trusted. She, Liz and Maria form bonds of friendship over the following year.
• In private, she deeply loves her family (her parents, Max and Michael) and is a caring, loving individual who will stick by you through thick and thin. She is very bright and does well in school but would not be considered an overachiever.
• She would like to be a supermodel but her career placement profile says she should choose a care-giver field.
• She mainly uses her powers for recreational purposes and enjoys dreamwalking.
• Isabel and Michael share a very close friendship (my favorite), almost bordering on the brother/sister bond she has with Max. While she is often stuck between Max and Michael's extremely different viewpoints on the world, she respects Max's desire for control and caution while understanding Michael's need to find out where they come from. She is fiercely protective of Michael when he falls seriously ill and shows her care for him in his vision by kissing his cheek and hugging him - a very sisterly, best friend type thing to do.
• As the show progresses, Isabel begins to put aside her ice-queen personality in favor of the inner Isabel. She also becomes a much stronger personality - she uses her strength to help rescue Max from the White Room, and as the first season ends, it's clear that Isabel is growing up into a strong, fearsome woman, while still retaining her caring, sweet inner self
• She is a family person, she celebrations such as Christmas she tries to make simply perfect and she helps at charity events. She is the "Christmas Nazi"

Most likely to say: "Is it too much to ask to have a normal life?"

Michael Guerin (played by Brendan Fehr)

• Michael Guerin is in many ways the most complex character on "Roswell," and the most driven as well. Unlike Max and Isabel, he has grown up in a very unhappy environment, being bounced around from various foster homes with neglectful caretakers who have given him no support or encouragement. He lived in a trailer park with his latest foster dad, Hank, who was a mean and abusive drunk. As a result, Michael has become a complete outsider, coming close to flunking out of school despite his hidden brilliance, and trusting no one but Max and Isabel. He has become obsessed with finding out the truth about his origins as a means to escape the world that he has come to despise, and he often acts in an impetuous way to achieve this goal.
• He is a loner, a rebel with a cause. He never had a trusting nature and being raised by an alcoholic, uncaring foster father did not alleviate this problem. Therefore Michael only knows the negative sides of life.
• Michael looks like a teenage Fox Mulder.
• He also has quite extraordinary hair and a very grumpy personality.
• In his former life he was an alien war lord, so will always look to take the most aggressive line of action. He's impatient with Max's indecisive leadership, but at the same time he's slightly fearful of his powers.
• His feelings for Maria threaten to disrupt his carefully maintained alienation from everyone except Max and Isabel. These feelings for Maria scare him a great deal, and he simply doesn't know how to deal with them. Because of Michael's unhappy and uncertain childhood, he has not learned many of the niceties of human interpersonal behavior and also has built a shell around himself to protect him from being hurt. He is totally unskilled in relationships and his feelings for Maria are disturbing and frightening to him, so he wants to keep her at arms' length.

• As Max grows more confident and stronger as a leader, Michael begins to doubt Max less and to become more confident in his own powers as well. He wants to forge ahead with things and still chafes under Max's cautious wait-and-see approach to life; while Max sees Michael as a person who 'leaps before he looks.' But Max never doubts Michael's friendship or loyalty, or that Michael will be there for him and will continue to be the driving force in their search for their identity and their origins.

Most likely to say: "I think we should act now."

Maria DeLuca (played by Majandra Delfino)

• Liz Parker's best friend and co-worker at the Crashdown Café and the second human to learn the aliens' secret.
• Maria is funny, sarcastic, flaky and quirky and provides much of the comic relief for the show.
• Her solution for most problems involves herbs or some "new age" mysticism
• Maria is a very passionate individual who is not afraid to speak her mind.
• Her relationship with Michael is a textbook case of opposites attracting. When they are together, sparks fly; both the bickering kind and the romantic. When Michael's fears cause him to push her back she responds with an "I'm teflon babe" attitude, as if the hurt just slides right off, which in reality it doesn't. So, when Michael does something sweet and endearing, she once more gets "sucked into the alien abyss".
• Maria is by far the nicest person in Roswell. She's sparky, lovely, has great hair, and superb dress sense.
• Although she does not particularly excel in academic subjects, she is shown to be a very talented musician and interested in photography.
• She is a fiercely loyal friend, confident and compassionate (she choses not to tell Valenti the truth about Max, Michael and Isabel despite how nervous she was about them; she wants to help Brody no matter what when she finds out his daughter has cancer)
• Although the person who perhaps struggles most with the alien's secret, she is also shown to keep very cool under pressure, as demonstrated in 'The Balance' and 'Wipeout'.
• In 'Wipeout' Maria is left to save the day, using her science skills, which are almost non-existent. She succeeds and saves everyone's lives.
• "Santa and Snowflake are doing it!" My favorite line regarding the Michael-Maria relationship

Most likely to say: "Hello, girlfriend."

Liz Parker (played by Shiri Appleby)

• Liz is similar to Max in that she is very methodical and likes to be in control of every situation.
• She is very energetically to protect the life of the 3 aliens, that she alienates and abandons her best friend Alex. Despite all hindrances she tries to get her life under control again, which lies in her nature. But in parts she fails and some people get disapointed.
• She keeps a journal in which she chronicles her daily life which is really nice
• She is an excellent student and hopes to be head of molecular biology research at Harvard someday.
• Liz is genuine, caring and sincere.

Most likely to say: "Excuse me, but I have issues with that that we've got to discuss."

Jim Valenti (played by William Sadler)

• Jim is a dedicated, second generation, law-enforcement officer. He has been shown a concerned single parent to his son. He is very proud of his son, the school's star athlete and 'all-American boy.' The 2 things that mean the most to him in the world are his son and his job as Sheriff. Valenti is an honest man and a good person and above corruption. Apparently his marriage broke up when Kyle was very young, for reasons never stated, and he has had no contact with his ex-wife Michelle. His character was humanized even further when he started dating Maria DeLuca's mother Amy, and the 2 of them carried on like a pair of teenagers.
• He is intelligent and resourceful, as he proved when he exposed Ms. Topolsky as a FBI agent.
• During S2, Valenti does his best to protect Max, Isabel, Tess and Michael (after Max heals Kyle), using his position as Sheriff to try to cover for them whenever they are in danger of discovery. Valenti's attempts to help and shield the four aliens result in his being suspended as Sheriff for a time and coming under ever-greater suspicion. Amy DeLuca continues to befriend and support him, much to his embarrassed pleasure and bemusement.

Most likely to say: "I don't think anything out of the ordinary happened here, officers."

Kyle Valenti (played by Nick Wechsler)

• Kyle is an all American high school jock who would like to play left field for the Houston Astros but whose career placement profile says he should go into law enforcement.
• He is popular and athletic, but he also seems to bear the scars of his parents' broken marriage. He is not a bad guy (in Leaving Normal, he stood up to his friends and apologized to Liz for them beating up Max without his knowledge or consent ).
• Kyle really shines in "Blind Date" when he and Max get drunk over their mutual girlfriend Liz dating somebody from a radio contest. They work together in a friendly, if competitive, guy way to try to win Liz back, and Kyle shows off just how funny he can be. He has a quick and sarcastic wit and under the athletic letters there seems to be intelligence and a good heart.
• After he gets an injury during a play, he has a lot of time to think and a character transformation begins. He finally goes to Liz to develop a friendship.
• When he gets wounded, Max heals him and Kyle changes his mind completly. After he and his father are part of the secret, he becomes a new person.
• In S2, Kyle returns from a summer at football camp. He has been studying Buddhism, because he is so unsettled by his near-death experience and the general strangeness of his family becoming involved with aliens. He is a little afraid of Tess, who comes to live with his family, but is also intrigued by her and attracted to her. And I love their relationship Kyle gets more and more integrated into the group and he feels well. Kyle emerges after his "transformation" as a genuinly reliable friend, so that he helps out Liz in some situations.

Most likely to say: "In with hate, out with love."

Alex Whitman (played by Colin Hanks)

• He is a very caring, warm and a loyal friend. He was kept 'out of the loop' of the alien secret for a long time, driving a wedge between him and Liz and Maria, making him very angry. His friendship with them was severely tested when they chose not to reveal Max, Michael and Isabel's secret, while asking him to do things that bordered on the illegal.
• Alex is extremely intelligent, but also sensitive, and is completely loyal to Liz and Maria.
• Alex showed a lot of courage in agreeing to donate blood for Max in Blood Brothers without really knowing the reason why, and he used his computer skills to expose the evil Ms. Topolsky. Alex stood up to Liz at school, and faced down Sheriff Valenti when Valenti tried to coerce him and Liz into revealing what they knew about Max Evans by imprisoning them. He is the kind of person who would do anything, if he has the feeling it means something for his friends. And from this time, he becomes a fully-fledged member of the gang and an important confidant for Isabel.
• His sense of humor and musical ability (plays guitar in his own alternative rock band) keep him from crossing being a nerd but he's not quite mature nor sophisticated enough to be part of the "in" crowd.
• He worships Isabel and is reveling in the fact that he is now part of her circle and hopes someday she will consider him as more than just a friend. He's intelligent enough to realize that there's little chance of anything ever happening between them, but he still hopes. Personally, I like them only as friends.
• Due to his interrogatory nature, his career placement profile indicates he should be a psychologist.

Most likely to say: "It's okay Isabel, I understand."

Tess Harding (played by Emilie de Ravin)

• Tess is very outspoken, frank and outgoing, and she struck up an almost instant friendship with Isabel.

• In "Tess, Lies and Videotape" Max finds himself oddly attracted to Tess and has disturbing erotic fantasies about her.

• Tess's power to cloud minds is one of the most intersting on the show.

• I liked how she used her powers in "Harvest" and "Wipeout!" to help Max defeat the Skins - destroying them in an awe-inspiring conflagration of fire that she wills into existence. Also appealing is that the magnitude of Tess's powers aren't known by the end of the series.

• After Nasedo's death, Tess moves into the Valenti home and there is a strong attraction between her and Kyle, who basically gives up his room for her. Tess is slowly learning the ways of humans in S2- like Christmas and turkey dinners - and is becoming a little less alien and a little more human and charming. She loves to tease Kyle and has a good sense of humor.

Most likely to say: "Have you seen Max?"

Here's if you want to see some of the Roswell videos I like. Or a vid about Michael, Max and Isabel. Or Couples .Ok, I'll stop now

Hello, sick people and their loved ones! In the interest of saving time and avoiding a lot of boring chitchat later, I'm Doctor Gregory House; you can call me "Greg." I'm one of 3 doctors staffing this clinic this morning. This ray of sunshine is Doctor Lisa Cuddy. Doctor Cuddy runs this whole hospital, so unfortunately she's much too busy to deal with you. I am a Board Certified diagnostician with a double specialty in infectious disease and nephrology. I am also the only doctor currently employed at this clinic who is forced to be here against his will. That is true, isn't it? But not to worry, because for most of you, this job could be done by a monkey with a bottle of Motrin. Speaking of which, if you're particularly annoying, you may see me reach for this: this is Vicodin. It's mine. You can't have any. And no, I do not have a pain management problem, I have a pain problem. But who knows? Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm too stoned to tell. So, who wants me? And who would rather wait for one of the other two guys? Okay. Well, I'll be in Exam Room One if you change your mind.

This quote has nothing to do with what I want to talk about in this blog (Dexter), but I thought I should start with it because is so great. Dr. House is so great as a matter of fact

Dexter

"Our father"

As far as murdering vigilantes go, Dexter Morgan might just be the most relatable monster that we've ever been introduced to. As a man who always seems to be in a state of redefining his own idea of morality, Dexter is a fun and monumentally self-aware character, who works best when he's mastering and bending our own rotten systems and procedures of justice. Most of the suspense that stems from Dexter springs from those moments when he is not in control and is merely scrambling for survival. These moments are usually pretty wrenching, but they keep Dexter on a steady evolutionary track - and they help turn a show that could easily slip into a safe and sadistic routine into one of the most progressive shows on television.

Some of the best moments from the past couple seasons have come about during times when Dexter has felt sublimely confident in his own skin, and demonstrated a devious desire to "up the stakes" on the drop of a dime. For example, Dexter headbutting Doakes in S2 in order to lure Doakes into an assault charge, or knocking Paul unconscious and framing him as a parole-breaking drug addict in S1.

So how is Dexter doing these days? Well, he's swell, thank you very much. Swell as hell. But let's not forget that there's an intricate inverse equation involving how relaxed and normal Dexter feels in his life with Rita - and the amount of turmoil and misery he's about to go through. Because if you apply that equation to this first episode then...carry the three...Dexter's about to be eaten alive by sewer rats.

Dexter is now fairly normal - for someone who is in need of constant reminders of basic social cues, anyway. He's doing okay. Great sex. Great girlfriend. Kids that love him. He still gets to hack people apart every now and again. He's got a brand new box of bloody souvenirs. He doesn't doubt his foster father Harry's teachings, but he also doesn't feel the need to honor him. He's become his own entity. What once felt like a prison of the mundane in S2, now makes Dexter feel liberated and balanced. He's progressed quite nicely from a man, who back in S1, couldn't even imagine physical intimacy with a woman being all that pleasurable.

What's the one thing that could possibly shatter this fragile kingdom? Well, a botched murder attempt of course. We've seen this hiccup before, so I was hoping, perhaps, for a different scenario. But the twist this time around was that, while fast approaching the birthday of his deceased foster father Harry, Dexter accidentally breaks a main rule of Harry's "code" while trying to capture a drug-pusher named Freebo. Dexter then must decide whether or not this new development is going to haunt him, or thrust him forward into a new evolutionary step in murder.

As for familiar faces, everyone except Doakes is back, natch. Batista finds himself in a new position of authority over Dexter's cop sister, Debra. Debra herself looks forward to the traditional celebrating of Harry's birthday with Dexter - a day they seem to mark every year by getting plastered. With no mention of Lundy, Debra has turned over a new leaf. New hair. No men. No booze. And a burning desire to make detective. Enter Jimmy Smits as the dedicated, yet delicate Assistant D.A. Miguel Prado. After the untimely murder of his youngest brother, Prado decides to pull Dexter aside to learn the specifics of his younger brother's final moments. Their conversation, which is both scientific and spiritual, seems to bond the two of them - and also seems to provoke a desire in Prado to share a bit of his life with Dexter. And since Prado has a romantic history with Lieutenant LaGuerta the entire force is dead set on finding the killer of young Oscar Prado. Desmond Harrington also joins the cast as a newly transfered cop, Quinn, who could possibly be a future romantic entanglement for Debra. He also seems to be man who's as shady as he is rugged.

As the first episode of S2 ended, all of the bodies of Dexter's waterlogged victims were being salvaged by treasure hunters. This episode ends with a nice little morsel as well. Maybe not quite as "do or die" panic inducing, but still - a nice little biscuit. It may be enough to provoke some anxiety. It depends who you are really. I thought it was an interesting development, but not necessarily something that instantly catapults me to the edge of my seat. It really feeds into the theme of Dexter's inner phenomenology.

It's a lot of fun to use a lot of flowery language and discuss the human psyche and then still realize it's a cool show about a guy who likes to wrap people up in plastic and stick a knife in their chest. "Little pink houses for you and me..."

Did you see this season premiere? What did you think of it?

I wanted to move onto another tv character, but I've got a bad cold (catching a cold is what I do this time of the year) , and I'm not exactly in the mood. But in the end, I need to share something with you. I was reading about Heroes theories on wikipedia and I came across this funny theories:

• Mr. Muggles may have rapid cell regeneration and therefore will be the next disciple of Adam.
• Mr. Muggles is the criminal mastermind behind the whole thing.
• Everything in Heroes is Mr. Muggles's dream.
• Mr. Muggles is the leader of the Company. Some time later he faked his death so that he kept his identity secret. But now he's thirsty of blood and revenge has came back and is now planning on taking revenge on the founders. He took the form of a dog so no one can ever find him (he has the power to change form).
• As long as Mr. Muggles is alive, the future will always turn out to bad. Every vision of the future so far seen has been negative. Mr. Muggles is always seen just before the vision is shown.
• Mr. Muggles is in cahoots with Sylar. He could have let Sylar in the Bennet house in "The Second Coming."

And now...ta da.... Mr. Muggles:

How funny is this last one?