Mystical Magick

Stargate Universe (s02ep06): Trial and Error
★★★
Col. Young has visions that warn of an impending alien attack.

Caprica (s01ep14): Blowback
★★★★
Lacy’s journey to Gemenon turns into a race against the clock.

The Vampire Diaries (s02ep08): Rose
★★★
Elena is abducted by a masked stranger at the masquerade ball, and Stefan and Damon learn surprising information about vampires in the distant past. Meanwhile, Jeremy helps Bonnie after she casts an exhausting spell, and Caroline tries to make life easier for Tyler now that he is a werewolf.

Nikita (s01ep08): The Phoenix
★★★
Division agrees to kill a woman having an affair with a senator in exchange for continued government funding. Meanwhile, Nikita and Alex contact the woman’s parents, but the conversation doesn’t go as planned.

Fringe (s03ep05): Amber31422
★★★
The alternate universe Fringe Division investigates a shocking breach of security when a twin frees his brother (guest stars Shawn and Aaron Ashmore) from a quarantined Amber area. As the team sets out to crack this sophisticated case, Walternate experiments over there more with Olivia as she reenters the tank.

Eric: I can’t. I won’t actually.
Lux: What?
Eric: Let you go.

How does this show make me feel good, and yet so bad at the same time, for shipping Lux with her teacher Eric? They’re doing a good job at putting us into Lux’s shoes. We know we shouldn’t like them together, but we can’t help it. Seems Eric decides he can’t help it either, then let’s her sit next to him on the bus home while he secretly holds her hand.

I loved how she was back to being the mature Lux from last season, and basically told him off for not leaving her alone like he said he would. I also liked how Emma unknowingly told her to go for the guy who is ‘doesn’t come around everyday’. Then, there was their stupid decision to go swimming and kiss in the lake where Tash, who is clearly not supportive, goes looking and sees them. This can all lead nowhere good, but I’m excited to see where it does go.

Emma: A Baze doesn’t come around everyday.

Speaking of Baze, I’m still not on the Emma/Baze bandwagon, but I do like these new sweeter and a bit more mature Baze. Never thought I’d see the day when Ryan and Cate have more problems than Baze and immaturely air out their dirty laundry in front of everyone old and young. I found myself ‘aaw’ing for Emma when he showed her the inside of the van he decorated and lit up for her.

Ryan: You know what they say about break-up sex…
Cate: Or make-up sex. But we’re not making up are we?
Ryan: I don’t know.

Cate and Ran and their roller coaster of love. I’m so tired of it. It’s getting beyond ridiculous on how they’re both blaming each other for everything wrong in their relationship. They just need to let it all out and either get over it or don’t. Ryan needs to either show up for therapy and work it out, or don’t show up and call this relationship done. I knew they should have been more honest with each other before they got married.

Eli: But what am I supposed to say? The girl’s from another planet.
Greer: I guess I’m supposed to tell you to be yourself, but in your case…

I’m liking this new Eli love interest, Ginn. It gives the story an in with the other side, plus it keeps Eli away from Chloe and with someone new. Plus, they’re just so damn cute together. You know, cause of the math. I’m still not fully trusting of her, btw. We have to be on guard and all.

Young: Hell, you wanted to be a shrink. Now here’s your chance.
Wray: What are you talking about? What’s going on?
Young: Oh, I think I might be going insane.

Young finally hits rock bottom, more and more drinking combined with repetitive nightmares he can’t escape nor figure out. Rush is off doing his own thing. Camille is trying to keep everything sane, but it just feels like there’s no one leadin this ship. I have to wonder if Young’s nightmares are the ship talking to him just like Rush’s visions.

I liked the idea that Destiny was all weird while Young was also spacey, and then once he took charge everything went back to normal. It’s too bad it was just coincidence and it was actually just Rush controlling the ship again. I’m just happy we got to see more Young and less Rush. Rush has a big ego and he’s going to face a problem he can’t defeat alone.

SCOTT: Look, you’re right. I couldn’t do it; live with the burden every day. That is not me, or T.J., or Camille.
YOUNG: Rush could do it.
SCOTT: For Rush, it wouldn’t be a burden. And that is why we need you – because you feel it; and not so much you can’t get up and do it all over again the next day.
YOUNG: Really?! You sure?! You-you sure about that, Lieutenant?
SCOTT: You know, a real leader, a good commander is not so callous that he stops caring; just enough that he can keep on going. We both know you are a good commander. It is never gonna stop hurtin’. That’s the whole point.

I also liked Matt stepping in for Young while he was out of sorts. I’m fine with him taking over the ship too if Young can’t do it. Just not Rush, anyone but Rush. And I’m also happy to report Matt and Chloe still seem happy together and Matt was unaffected by her blood transfusion.

My favorite scene of the week though was between Young and Tamara. He’s still freaking out by his dreams and drinking more. She thinks it has to do with his depression about everything and their baby, so she tells him about the baby being back on the planet. At this point I’m not sure which one of them sounds crazier, but it was a beautiful scene.

I really didn’t guess the whole hijacking was a test on the part of STO for the new recruits. Glad Lacy passed though, because then at the end we see what happens to those who fail. I’m so sad this show was cancelled, because just seeing how fast they’re moving now, and how the cylons are already being employed…as executioners, it was just getting good.

The other storyline between Clarice and Amanda also had me on edge, too. I wasn’t sure how it was all going to turn out and whether Amanda would be found out. I wasn’t expecting Clarice to kill her own wife no questions asked after being told she was spying on her. All this after her wife vouched to Amanda that Clarice was fine and she knew her own wife. Wow, what an episode.

Damon: Elena’s in danger.
Stefan: What? and you didn’t think you should ask her to elaborate?
Damon: Everything she says is a lie. How am I supposed to know if she’s gonna start spouting off the truth?
Stefan: We have to go talk to her.
Damon: No, no. Let me tell you how that’s gonna go. We’re gonna go ask her for help. she’s gonna negotiate her release, which we’re gonna be dumb enough to give her, and then she’s gonna get out and kill us. That’s exactly what she wants.
Stefan: I don’t really care.
Damon: Bad idea, Stefan.
Stefan: It’s Elena.

When your bad guy seems bad, just like how we started with Damon last season, then you one up them with something even worse, The Originals. Judging by the fact Damon staked Elijah one of the Originals and then he came back to life at the end of the episode, I’m guessing we don’t want to mess with these guys.

There’s also a new good vamp in town named Rose, who besides having a British accent, I’m not sure why she gets the episode named after her. Is it because she was introduced in this episode? I’m pretty blah with her character so far, though I did like when Elijah killed her friend…family…er countryman, Trevor. Her reaction was heartbreaking. Really, did they expect to betray Elijah, but give him Elena as a token and get out alive?

Stefan: I’m sorry.
Damon: About what?
Stefan: About being the guy that made you turn 145 years ago… what I did was selfish. I didn’t want to be alone. Guess I just needed my brother.

It’s not often we get to see the softer side of the Stefan and Damon relationship, so I really enjoyed seeing them get past their drama this week. Stefan continues to be the better brother and tries to get Damon to talk about their Elena issues, then finally apologizes to Damon after 145 years for making him a vampire. I’d say that’s progress.

Of course, then Damon tries his hand at doing the same by telling Elena he loves her and letting that go. Then he tells her Stefan is a better person and better for her, before compelling her to forget it all. Now, I know I’m an Elena/Stefan groupie, but I can respect Elena/Damon scenes as much as the next person. This one didn’t do anything for me, and mostly just felt contrived. Not one of my favorites for them.

Caroline: That werewolf road leads straight to vampire boulevard!

I also hated seeing Caroline back down from Damon, when he told her to stay away from Tyler and not be friends with him. She needs to kick his ass again soon. I’m glad Caroline was a better person and supported Tyler, without really telling him anything yet, when he had no one else to count on. I’m still on the Caroline/Matt train, but these two are interesting so far.

I think it’s reasonable to say this fandom is king of multishipping, everyone with everyone. Only possible ship I’ve seen grumbles about has been Bonnie/Jeremy. I’m thinking tonight’s scenes between them, with Bonnie overexerting her power to find Elena and Jeremy coming to her aid and taking care of her, should change people’s minds. Bonnie let’s her guard down and I liked it a lot.

Most importantly we find out a lot of stuff on this season’s arc from the existence of the Originals to the news a doppelganger can break the sun and moon seal while the moonstone keeps it together. There’s just one thing I want to know, when do Stefan and Elena get back together?

Then, of course there was the kiss she gave Thom just to plan said pill in his pocket which was also good. Only thing is I know she cares about him, but does she have any feelings for him? After last week I’m now on the shipping bandwagon, but I need to know where this’ll go. I feel bad for Thom otherwise.

Oliver: Was it even real for her?
Nikita: You were the only real thing in her life. We all wear masks. Everyone, everyday. Sometimes we wear them so much we forget who we really are. Sometimes, if we’re lucky, someone comes along and shows us who we really want to be; who we should be. You were that for her.

Sometimes the MOTW, mission of the week, is really important, and then other times it’s just to get from point A to point B like this week. We seem to get inklings of how Nikita’s mission to take down Division is futile. Once they’re gone what’s to stop another organization from taking their place? I can’t decide if the show just expanded their mythology or condemned it.

Peter: Does that feel familiar, two people that look exactly alike?

Am I mistaken or did Olivia say she’s only been back to work for 8 days? It feels like ages already. I felt like this one was another filler episode, though I did enjoy seeing Shawn and Aaron Ashmore as the twins. I’d forgotten it was them until more than halfway through the episode. Still, it’s always interesting to get another glimpse at how the alt!world operates with their strange procedures, ambering, etc.

Peter: You can take as many pills as you want, I’m not going anywhere.
Olivia: You’re not real.
Peter: Look I understand why you agreed to take the tests; you just want things to go back to normal. To be the Olivia that you think you should be. Unfortunately that’s not going to happen, because you are not their Olivia.

More important though is how this season the writers are going about things the right way and mixing MOTW with mythology. This is the Fringe I’ve wanted to see all along. I love that Peter, or her subconscious Peter, is still appearing to her and getting through to her on how she’s not from that world. Good thing too, because I miss our Olivia being fine, normal, and not taking drugs just to cope.

Peter: You know why you let him go, don’t you? Because you can understand what he’s going through trapped in that amber, just like you’re trapped over here. Only difference is, nobody’s going to save you. Only you can save yourself.

Even more awesome, Olivia uses Alt!Walter’s tank to briefly go back to our world twice. That’s the last bit of evidence she needed to convince her she’s from our world. Only problem now is how will she get home? She still can’t control it. And I’m not convinced Alt!Walter doesn’t realize something is going on.