Sometimes it takes me a while to find and watch a series that everyone else has already seen. Like Xena. Not that I didn't know it existed, but I never paid attention to it til recently. I started watching it on Netflix, part of their instant watch thing, and I'm up to the second season. I must say I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would. When it first aired, I thought it looked silly, now I'm enjoying it for what it is. Is that age, am I mellowing or what? Whatever it is, I love to watch Xena fight, even though I know most of her moves are not possible, it's still great to see her kick the bad guys' asses the way she does. Also, Ares is rather easy on the eyes (even if Karl Urban looks odd to me as the pretty blond Cupid). Joxer is hilarious, a great comic foil. Lucky him to have a brother that likes to employ him, eh? Like Clint Howard? Not that I'm saying I don't like Ted Raimi, I do, just saying  he's lucky, and I wish Sam Raimi was my brother.

We started a new series last night, and by new I mean new to us as it originally aired in 1998. It's Canadian, and it's called DaVinci's Inquest. Nicholas Campbell plays detective Dominic DaVinci, whose ex is the coroner that is also dating his boss. The ex's name is Patricia and they definitely have a love/hate relationship, but they try to hold it together for the sake of their teenaged daughter. DaVinci has his own sense of humor and his own way of doing things. He's far from perfect and drinks to excess. In fact, he can be downright abrasive. I like him already. Donnelly Rhodes plays another detective, named Leo. You might remember him from the series Soap - he played escaped convict Dutch who ended up in love with both sisters - Corinne and Eunice.. Or you might even remember him from the soap opera The Young and The Restless as Philip Chancellor (yesk, father to the younger one, whom I believe is still on the show, assuming the show is still running, which I'm not sure of). DaVinci's Inquest ran for 7 seasons - I'm looking forward to seeing more of it.

I started to watch a movie called Gabriel the other night. I chose it for two reasons: one is Andy Whitfield, hot star of Spartacus, and the other is the theme - archangels and such, which I have a weakness for. I didn't make it through the first half hour before giving up. Andy is easy on the eyes but his portrayal of Gabriel was too angsty and too tormented without reason for me. The cinematographer must have gone to the 300 school, and as for the special effects/cgi guy - I won't even speculate where he went. Gabriel's eyes are a piercing blue, obviously not real. And Sammael (at least I assume that was Sammael, after half an hour no one'd said and I stopped caring) had weird eyes that were basically all white with tiny pinpricks of black pupils. The effect wasn't eerie or cool, it was just odd. He was just odd. His Rastafarian friend was a cliche. The dialogue in the whole thing was affected and horrible. And the plot - was there a plot? Hell if I know or care. I recommend passing on this one, despite the reviews on Amazon which praise it. There are people who like Resident Evil too - I think it was horrible. To each his own.

***********possible spoilers ahead************

I'm enjoying where Justified is going, though, and last night's episode was another good one. Boyd has thrown off whatever pretense he had to goodness. Now he's just going with what he is - which is his daddy's son. And he has Ava taking that trip with him. They are officially a couple. I'm glad, now she'll leave Raylan alone. I'm not sure where Raylan and Winona are going, but I loved the part with Gary last night when Raylan opened his eyes to what was going on and that he, Gary, was Duffy's target, not Raylan. That boy can be damn slow. I don't like him. William Ragsdale, who plays Gary Hawkins, Winona's second husband, once had his own show, Herman's Head. It was unusual in its pov and the characters that were actually only in Herman's Head. Maybe it was ahead of its time, but I liked it. I love the way that Raylan isn't perfect, and that the characters seem as real as people you'd meet on the street. Except I'd rather not meet most of them lol

Do you have series that you discovered long after the fact?  I'd love to hear about them!


♥ Julie

Silver Flash #12: Yes He's My Ex: The Government Lends a Hand

Here we are at Hump Day again, which must mean it's time for another Silver Flash. The story of Sonny and Tim continues with this week's installment in their saga.  Our prompt was: "Wouldn't that be romantic?"  Don't forget to check out all the Silver Flashers. This week we have a bonus - a scavenger hunt. You'll find the details here:
 http://heatherlin88.blogspot.com/2011/04/silver-flash-scaven
ger-hunt.html

Without further ado, I give you

The Government Lends a Hand

As I pivot around to face the unknown, I instinctively put a protective arm about Sonny, thinking that somehow the numbnuts have caught up with us. Let them bring it on. I’m ready to fight for him, no matter what it takes. That is, if I can manage not to fall off this bench in the process.

But it’s not either one of them, it’s some guy in a shiny suit with a ten dollar smile that looks like a walking advertisement for tooth whitener.  He’s reaching into his breast pocket. I start to stiffen, but he’s only pulling out his wallet.

“Mr. Mansfield?” he asks, before turning to Sonny.  “Mr. Scrignoli?”

Before I can tell Sonny not to reply, he has.

“That’s us, that’s us.” Grinning like a striped ass baboon. Moron.

“I’m Agent Ronald Nelson. Of the Fed’ral Bureau of In-vesti-ga-tion.” He flashes something gold at us. It’s here and gone in a split second. We don’t even get a chance to blink or process what we see before he’s moved on, turning his attention to the dimwit behind us.

“Mr. Dale Camel?”

What? I turn toward Dale in disbelief. Camel?  Seriously? As in Joe? Who has a name like that?

Apparently Dale does. He looks like he would rather crawl under the picnic table than answer. I can’t help but enjoy watching him squirm.

“Did Daddy send you?” he bleats.

This only gets confusing the longer it goes on. Why would anyone’s father send the FBI after them? Am I crazy or what?

“Indirectly,” the federal agent replies cautiously, and my brain begins to work, trying to make sense of things. Camel, Camel, Camel. Should I maybe know that name?

And then it hits me.  Surely he isn’t talking about—he can’t mean—Giuseppe Camel? Well known crime boss and gangster? Well known in our part of the world, that is. And owner of the notorious Cameltoe Restaurant and Lounge? Holy shit on a frosted Cheerio, and what the hell? How funny is it that the man’s nickname is Joe Camel, just like the one in the cigarette advertisements.

And that guy is Dale’s daddy?  Then why—

You know what? I don’t even care. This is obviously Dale’s gig, it’s time for me and Sonny to split the scene. “Well, it’s been swell,” I say—insincerely—as I stand up and offer Sonny my hand so that he can do the same. “But we really gotta go. Dale, have a nice life, away from Sonny.” I glower at him for good measure and hope he takes my less than subtle hint. Let’s just step away from the nice officer, or agent, or whatever he is, and get the fuck out of Dodge, and back—

It doesn’t work like that. Of course. Agent Nelson blocks us with a quick hand and an apologetic grin. “I’m sorry, Mr. Mansfield, but this concerns you and Mr. Scrignoli as well as Mr. Camel.”He waves his free hand toward the picnic table. “Why don’t we all have a seat and discuss the situation, calmly and rationally, like good citizens?”

As if on cue, two other dark-suited men appear from nowhere. Their jackets bulge suspiciously somewhere in the chest area, and their eyes are dead serious. No choice but to sit down and listen.  Nelson takes a seat beside Dale, which prevents him from rising and coming around the table, so I guess the FBI guy’s good for that much; maybe he can keep Stupid in line, at least til we figure out what is going on here.

“How does it concern us?”

Sonny meeps a little, and I take his hand and squeeze it reassuringly. I feel a little less anxious at being out from under the potentially painful aegis of Carlo and his stooge, but I’m not totally reassured that we’re out of the fire yet.

The Federal guy ignores me and my question, focusing on Dale instead. “The men who kidnapped you? What did they want?”

“More money than I had to give,” Dale whines, casting a quick glance first at Sonny, then at me.

“What, are they loan sharks?” I ask, trying to maintain a foot in the conversation, since I’m forced to be here. I assume that’s what happened, that Dale borrowed more money than he could pay back, what with the exorbitant interest rates those guys charge. But if his dad is really Joe Camel, that makes no sense either.

“Among other things,” the FBI guy says glibly. Can he be any more vague? “In the meantime—“

What? Did I miss something?

“We’re going to put you three up in a hotel. For safekeeping.” He flashes us another government grin—I think they must get them by the gross.

“Now just wait a minute…,” I protest, the sound of my voice drowned out by Sonny’s excited cries of, ”Sleepover!” Dale reaches across the table for a high five and his hand and Sonny’s meet in the middle, before I can stop them.

Gee, me and Sonny and Dale in one hotel room. Now,  wouldn't that be romantic?

I clear my throat, pull Sonny’s hand back possessively and start again. “Last time I checked, this was still the United States of America, and I believe we have a right to have some sort of a say-so in what—“

My words are arrested by a sharp crack which comes out of nowhere.

“Down, now!” Agent Nelson barks, pushing Dale under the picnic table. The other two suits waste no time in hustling me and Sonny into the same tight space, while another shot—I’ve finally figured out that’s what that is—rings out, wounding a nearby tree.

I throw myself over Sonny. “Keep your head down,” I instruct him. Dale is far too close for my liking, although it can’t really be helped. Or can it? I kick him sharply with one foot, never releasing my hold on Sonny, and then I begin to pray.

Be sure to check out the other Silver Flashers:


Sui Lynn          m/m
Ryssa Edwards         m/m
Heather Lin       m/f
Pender Mackie        m/m
LM Brown              m/m
Lindsay Klug        m/f
Nicole Dennis          m/m          Flash Virgin!
Victoria Blisse       m/f
Lily Sawyer          m/m


Come back next week for more of Sonny and Tim!


♥ Julie

Time for a Scavenger Hunt!

Now that I have your attention, we're having a Scavenger Hunt! The Silver Flashers have gotten together and decided to play with our readers! In a totally good way, of course. Come check out the details and join in the fun!

http://heatherlin88.blogspot.com/2011/04/silver-flash-scavenger-hunt.html

Read some fun flash fiction and win some prizes!  It's a win-win situation!

No Main Character is an Island

We're watching Six Feet Under last night, almost to the end of season two. It's a damn good episode, full of  drama and emotion up the wazoo. Oh, be warned, there may be spoilers for those who are slower at watching this than us. Nate found out about Brenda's extracurricular activites, having read her WIP and then by chance meeting one of the two young men she fucked and wrote about, recognizable by his unusual cap, not to mention he acted as if he knew her. Well, he went ballistic and the engagement was called off. Also, Keith and David are going through their own problems, what with taking care of Keith's niece Taylor cause her mom's in jail for a hit and run, and social services are breathing up their ass. Ruth broke up with Nikolai (while I like Nikolai fine, I didn't think they were all that compatible, but sometimes you never know). And then there was Federico.  An elder woman who was like a grandmother to him, whom he and his wife were nice to and did favors for, passed, and it brought back memories of when he first came to Fisher & Sons on the death of his father, who fell off the roof, smack dab into some bricks, and the  young Federico saw him. But Nathaniel Fisher restored him to what he had looked like in life. I was so moved by the scenes involving Federico and Nathaniel, watched their burgeoning relationship - and then it hit me. Federico is a secondary character, he's not one of the Fishers, but even so, he is intimately woven into the fabric of the series and their lives. He may be a supporting player, but without him, what do you have? A show full of holes.


When you think of Gone With the Wind, you think of Scarlett and Rhett, but if you look at the amount of time these two are even together in the book or the movie, you realize it's not a lot. I love this book (not so much the movie) and what makes it memorable is not just Scarlett and her growth as a character - her trials, tribulations and joys - but the people in her life - her doting father Gerald O'Hara, the man she thinks she loves Ashley Wilkes, Ashley's patient and sweet wife Melanie, Scarlett's maid/friend/companion Mammy, and more. They bring the novel to life, and add color to what would otherwise be a single tone.

Too many writers add secondary characters like they were filler, only there to pad the plot or fill in the empty spaces. They don't develop them, they simply shove them on stage and expect them to perform without any sort of motive or history, and it shows. Without securing them in place, weaving these characters in tightly, you end up with holes in your fabric - holes which will come back to haunt you later. But if instead you figure out who they are from the beginning, give them color and breadth and depth, you don't have to worry so much. Sure, you can go back and make amends, and if you're good enough, the result will be flawless. But if you're not, it will appear to be patched, and that is sloppy writing indeed.

There are different ways of building your characters. Some people go into it blindly, and develop them as the story advances. Other write full bios ahead of time, include information which may never see the light of the page, but which goes into the foundation of that character and enriches it. There is no right and wrong way. Sometimes it depends on what you're working on. The same writer can approach the question different ways for different works. But you need to be aware of  your secondary characters and flesh them out, otherwise your main characters are stuck out there on that island, and frankly my dear, no one gives a damn.

How do you deal with your secondary characters? I'd love to hear!

On an unrelated note, I watched last night's Hawaii 5-0 this morning, and this was the first episode that I can honestly remember being not so impressed with. The guest for the episode was Sean Combs as a NY cop undercover in a crime organization who is compromised, his wife killed and his son (whom he hasn't seen in two years) endangered and now Steve and Danny have to find him as well as solve the crime. The plot wasn't bad, it just wasn't particularly good. I didn't find Combs' performance all that good either - he only has one emotion level and that's angry, and not a believable angry at that. The kid who played his son wasn't believable to me either, although I blame the writer for part of that too - this boy looked too old to be talking like he did, and calling his mother Mommy. He was supposed to be nine but his dialogue seemed geared for a five or six  year old. I guess that goes to show that you can't hit a home run every time. Since there were no previews for next week, I assume we play the waiting game again until we get to watch the next episode.

That's all for now,  have a great day!

♥ Julie

Jesus of Nazareth (1977) Review

There are few people who are not familiar, at least to some degree, with the story of Jesus of Nazareth, from birth to death.  It's a story which has been portrayed in books, in songs, in verse, as well as in the cinema and on the small screen many times, not to mention it has a prominent place in the New Testament.  In 1977, acclaimed filmmaker Franco Zeferelli filmed his own version of the story, which was broadcast as a TV mini series of more than six hours' duration (probably a lot more than that by the time commercials were thrown in).  I admit that it took me a while to get around to watching this version because I was put off by the choice for the lead role of Jesus Christ.  I had only seen Robert Powell in one thing prior to this, and that was the rock opera Tommy, where he played Tommy's father.  I could not see him, based on that one performance, as Jesus Christ, so I didn't try.  And I was skeptical when I heard of his powerful performance in the role.  I stuck with old familiars, such as King of Kings, with Jeffrey Hunter, and two versions of Jesus Christ Superstar.  Until I finally got around to seeing this version.

I was totally wrong, and very remiss for not having watched it sooner.  This film delves in great depth into the life of Jesus, beginning even before his conception.  Robert Powell is magnificent as Jesus.  He completely brings him to life, and makes him real in a way that I think few can ever match (I admit I haven't seen all Jesus films, of course).  Even despite the blue-eyed thing and the fact that he doesn't even look Jewish, which of course Jesus was.  But putting that aside as a cosmetic difference, he has a definite presence and an appeal and his eyes are truly haunting in their intensity.  One of the reasons for this is that Zefferelli had him not blink, an effective method of creating an otherwordly presence when among men.  The notes I read said he only blinked once, and that includes the portrayals of him at all ages, so I must conclude that the one scene is the one at the very end; at least it's the one I noticed.

As I said, the story begins before his conception, with Mary (Olivia Hussey) and Joseph, and a lot of time is spent with them.  In fact, after an hour into the film, we are still dealing with an infant, which is pretty drawn out by anybody's reckoning.  I admit, the beginning is rather slow, but not uninteresting.   Olivia Hussey is an unusual choice to portray His mother.  She had worked with Zefferelli prior to this in Romeo and Juliet, in 1968.  At the time Jesus was done, she was 26, but certainly doesn't look it.  I can't honestly say she added anything to the character, but she wasn't bad either.  Kudos to the film for dealing with what must have been a difficult subject between herself and Joseph, who is asked to take on the role of father to a child he knows for a fact can't  be his - a difficult task for any man.  But he rises to the occasion, and helps to provide Jesus and his mother with the home and stability that they  need, despite the difficulties they must go through along the way. 

The cast of Jesus of Nazareth is a stellar one by anyone's standards, and whereas sometimes that's a great and wonderful thing, it can also be a deterrent in some ways, especially if the actor or actor involved is very well known outside of the part.  I don't know about others, but I found having Darth Vader (James Earl Jones), Donald Pleasant and Ben Gazarra as the three magi was a bit offputting.  Michael York made an interesting John the Baptist, lacking perhaps a bit of the fire and brimstone to be found in Robert Ryan's portrayal in King of Kings (and a whole lot of the crazy).  What I found interesting in my reading (a novel called Pilate's Wife by Antoinette May), was that Jesus and John were cousins, a fact that I'd never heard before, which is hinted at here if you pay attention.  Make of that what you will, I'm just throwing it out there.  Christopher Plummer acquitted himself well as Herod Antipas, dealing with a nagging wife whom he loved, despite her shrewishness, and a nymphetic stepdaughter, who inflamed his lust.  You can feel his sympathy with and liking for John the Baptist; he finds him harmless, and is loath to do anything against him, until driven to it by a rash promise to his wife.  Also very interesting casting is Ian McShane as Judas Iscariot, one of the more sympathetic portrayals of him I have seen, not resorting to automatic bad guy status.  He plays him as sincere and earnest, believing he is doing what is best for Jesus, not realizing he is being used as a pawn by Zerah (Ian Holm).  Other members of the cast, which is too numerous to list in its entirety, include Rod Steiger, Laurence Olivier, James Mason, Stacy Keach (as Barabbas), Anne Bancroft, Ernest Borgnine, and many more.

Without giving a blow by blow account of a well-known story, I'd like to mention two scenes which stand out in my memory.  The first involves Ernest Borgnine as a Roman centurion, who approaches Jesus to ask for his help.  He has a servant that is ill, and the man is more a friend than a servant, and he is very concerned about him, will Jesus please help him?  Although many of those around him protest at the centurion even being there, because of his being Roman and all, naturally Jesus does not listen to words of hate, but instead to words of need.  He says he will come with the centurion, who then protests that he does not expect that, he does not wish to trouble him.  He goes on to say that he just need say it is done, that then it will be done, he understands how that works.  As a soldier, he gives the order and it is obeyed, without him  having to be there.  Thus it is with Jesus.  He trusts that if Jesus says it will be, then it will be.  Jesus is very touched by the faith in him that the Roman evidences, and tells his followers that this man has got it right, that he understands better than they do.  That is a very heartwrenching tearful moment, especially when the news arrives that the Centurion's servant is well once more.

The second moment comes on the night of his arrest, prior to Judas' arrival,  as Jesus waits in the garden of Gethsemane, his disciples sleeping around him.  He is apprehensive and a bit fearful, naturally so, of what is going to happen.  And for a moment he is filled with doubt, and he has some introspection going on, and this is one of Robert Powell's finest scenes, I do believe.  I was very very touched, and wept myself.

Yes, six hours is a long film to watch.  I don't pretend to have watched it in one sitting, or two or three.  But I'm very glad I did.  This is one of the best versions of this story I've ever seen, and I highly recommend it.  I don't think you'll be sorry if you take the time to watch it.

Jesus (TV Miniseries) Review

 Jesus

Starring: Jeremy Sisto, Gary Oldman

American release date: March 2, 2010

Format/Genre/Length: DVD/Biblical/176 minutes

Overall Personal Rating: A

Similar series or titles to check out: Jesus of Nazareth, King of Kings

When I first began to watch this particular production of the life of Jesus Christ, I was honestly not sure what to expect. I’d caught glimpses of it on TV when it first aired, but not enough to get a feel for it, and back then it was shown with commercials, which never add to one’s ability to enjoy a film or mini-series. To be even more honest, the basic reason I watched it was to see Gary Oldman, who is my favorite actor and whom I’ve adored for years. Adding to my potential confusion, though, was the fact that I had just recently started watching Six Feet Under, which also features Jeremy Sisto as the crazy Billy Chenoweth. And now I was going to watch him play Jesus? I wasn’t sure how well I could wrap my head around that.

Well, I was totally unprepared to be blown away. Jeremy Sisto brings a freshness and realistic approach to his portrayal of Jesus that is almost as good as Robert Powell’s version. He makes him human, as he undoubtedly was, and he makes him playful—there are some really cute scenes with Jesus and his apostles. I wasn’t necessarily as taken with the actor who played Judas, his was a more traditional portrayal. It wasn’t bad, I just didn’t find it above average. Also, I recognized one of the apostles, Thomas as being in the new Showtime series The Borgias. He plays Micheletto, the assassin.

Debra Messing as Mary Magdalene was an interesting choice—don’t look for her to play Grace here. She plays Mary M in a traditional way, as that of the prostitute who turns her life around for Jesus. I think that is a stereotype started by the church, and that the real woman was not a prostitute, but she has been vilified for years by the church for its own reasons. Regardless, her performance is better than I expected, and shows that Debra Messing can play more serious roles. Jesus’ mother is played by veteran actress Jacqueline Bisset, who does a fine job of it.

GW Bailey is Philo, a character that helps to unify the plot in terms of the Jewish side and the Roman side, becoming a confidante of the new governor, Pontius Pilate, played very well, as always, by Gary Oldman. He beings humor as well as cruelty to the role. You might remember him as the less than bright but entertaining Rizzo, from the MASH series.

One of the interesting aspects of this series which isn’t normally brought out much in films concerning Jesus is the relationship between himself and his earthly father, Joseph, played here by Armin Mueller-Stahl. It also shows Jesus in his role as a carpenter’s apprentice, and portrays a close bond between the two men that I have no trouble believing existed.  Also there is mention of a love between Jesus and Mary, Lazarus’ sister, which is also believable. Jesus was 33 when he died, how hard is it to believe he had feelings for a woman at some point, even if he realized nothing could come of it? There are some realistic scenes where Lazarus gets upset with Jesus for seeming to lead his sister on and breaking her heart.

All in all the nearly three hour mini-series flies by. I enjoyed watching it, enjoyed Jeremy Sisto and Gary Oldman very much. I would watch it again without hesitation.

Of Hot Men, New Series and Stupid Plots

*********Warning, possible spoilers ahead for various things*****************

There is only one reason that I am still watching Vampire Diaries in the second season.  Okay, maybe one and a half. The main reason is right here - Damon Salvatore. The additional second partial reason is that the writing started to get better in the second season, as compared to the first. Getting better does not mean it's good, though, or that I think it'll last. Seriously, they would have been a lot better off following the books.

That aside, I constantly have to ask myself - what the fuck does Damon see in Elena. Seriously. I see no compelling reason for him to be so smitten with her. She's got a martyr complex a mile wide, refuses to listen to reason even when it's for her own good. She isn't any great shakes in the looks department. With Damon's looks, he can get any girl he sets his mind - or heart - to. Even that old chestnut of her being Katherine's lookalike doesn't cut it for me any more, cause as we all know Katherine is a major bitch, so what sort of selling point is that?

You know why Damon is in love with Elena? You could make a point that it's in the books, therefore it's canon. Canon only works when it suits the writers to use it, which isn't often. No, my theory is that it's because otherwise Damon has no reason to stay in Fell's Church. Sorry, I mean Mystic Falls (did anyone catch the blooper in a previous episode where it was actually referred to as Fell's Church? I sure did). And if Damon leaves, the ratings plummet and it's bye bye Vampire Diaries. Obviously it works, doesn't it? I'm still watching, even though I moan and groan through it a lot. Like last night. I just knew deep down that Bonnie wasn't going to stay dead, even if I didn't know how it would happen. What about Elena's next stupid move? Reviving Elijah?  Good one, Elena, we saw how effective he was before. Let's just set him against Klaus, shall we?  Gah!



Enough of that. On to the Hot Men front. My new hot man/love interest comes to us from the new Showtime series The Borgias. With the Tudors being done, they had to find another interesting historical period, one that hasn't been overdone, and they certainly found it in this original crime family. The action begins in 1492 (does that year ring a bell anyone?) when the current Pope is dying, and the Cardinals have all convened, cause they know what comes next - the election of the new Pope.On the death of the old Pope, the cardinals are sealed inside a room and begin to cast their ballots. When the votes are counted, if there is no candidate with the requisite majority, then a signal goes up to the outside world in the form of black smoke; if there is, then it's white smoke. There are some rather ambitious Cardinals who would love nothing better than to sit on the Papal throne, for at this time the Pope wielded far more power in the known world than most people can imagine, so it was a very prestigious and powerful position to attain. Rodrigo Borgia wishes to be Pope very badly. Rodrigo has three children and a wife. I don't know when he joined the Church or began his rise to power, but his family isn't exactly a secret. His two sons are Juan and Cesare - Juan is in the military, while Cesare has been forced to become a man of the cloth, very much against his will.

HOTTIE ALERT!  Cesare Borgia is very hot, he lights up the screen when he is on it. The role is played by Francois Arnaud, whom I've never seen before but hope to see a lot more of in the future. Cesare is his father's pawn. Without his help, Rodrigo wouldn't have been able to bully and buy his way into the Papacy. Cesare has an assassin in his employ by the name of Micheletto. When I first saw this guy, I thought he looked familiar, turns out I was right. He played Thomas in Jesus, which I just saw recently. Cesare has a very complicated relationship with his younger sister, the infamous Lucrezia Borgia. Everyone has heard of her, surely, one of the most famous poisoners ever. Must be a family trait. The series hints at a very close relationship between the brother and sister, one which I believe is historically accurate, although I'm not sure how far the series will take the innuendoes or what they'll do with them.

Only two episodes in and I'm hooked. It's a full rich series with great characters. Sir Derek Jacobi appeared in the first episode, as Cardinal Orsini. Having recently been exposed to the videogame Assassin's Creed by my good friend Jack, I was fascinated at the similarities, especially recognizing the Borgia courtyard from the game as well as the series. Also, there is another pc game which deals with this time and these people, called Machiavelli. In the game you can buy your way to the Papacy too.  I recommend The Borgias to anyone, but especially to history buffs. It's not limited to them, though, it's a drama I think anyone can enjoy.

CBS - I have a complaint! How do you expect people to keep up with a series when there's no rhyme or reason to when you show it? That's the case with Hawaii 5-0. I never know when there'll be a new episode, it's hit or miss.  Show one, skip a few weeks, show another. What's up with that? Lack of consistency will lose you viewers, who will get tired of hunting the show down and waiting for it to be on, even one like the 5-0. Why do I watch this show?  Primarily for one reason:

Yes, it's for Alex O'Loughlin.  Not the only reason I watch, but the primary reason I ever started watching in the first place, having fallen in love with him in Moonlight (I never even watched this series til it was off the air, what a waste that it only lasted one season, but at least I own that season in its entirety). That being said, I do like the show a lot. It has good writing, interesting plots and great characters. My son-in-law Michael really likes Konno and Chin, and so do I, but my favorites are the main characters, Steve McGarrett and Danny (Book'em Danno) Williams. It's the relationship between these two that makes the show, in my eyes.  Yes, the scenery is quite gorgeous. Every time I watch, I envy my son more and more (he is stationed in Pearl Harbor). The writers have created quite the bromance here, between these two guys, one which is echoed by fangirl fanfiction writers in their slash fiction starring them. I've not yet gone that route, and haven't decided if I will - they are cute together as they are. The last episode was no exception.  ****** again, possible spoilers********  Steve was injured at one point, and Danno hiked up the mountain in order to find a signal and send for help for his friend. As Steve was being lifted away to treatment, Danno pointed to himself, then drew a heart in the air, then pointed at Steve. It was a squee-worthy awwwwwww moment indeed.  That and the way that they bicker like an old married couple, to borrow a phrase from HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban.  All I'm saying here is CBS, get your shit together, and be more consistent with  your scheduling, or you'll lose viewers. (No, not me, but less committed watchers).

Now, on to Justified. The second season of Justified is every bit as interesting and satisfying as the first, and the writing has just continued to soar, no complaints in that department whatsoever. I'm not saying it needed improving or anything, cause it didn't, but even great things can become greater. It's no secret why I watch this series:  It's for Marshal Raylan Givens, played by Timothy Olyphant. Besides being easy on the eyes, Raylan is a great character, and this season is showing just how versatile he is. He has his own brand of justice, but you know he will always do what is right. That being said, when ex-wife Winona approached him with her little dilemma, he didn't hesitate to offer his help.Apparently she gave in to temptation and took a bill from some money that was going into the evidence locker. That part of the story lasted for a few episodes, and I kept scratching my head as to why. Not why she took the money - she's got money problems, so that part is understandable. But what the hell did she want with just one hundred dollar bill? Well, my instincts were spot on - it wasn't one, it was a satchel full. And watching them trying to get that money back into the evidence locker was hilarious (and it also involved Stephen Root as the speedo wearing judge).

As  you'll recall from the first season, Bo Crowder is deceased. He was the main antagonist at that time, while his son Boyd was on the periphery as a secondary villain whom one was never sure how to take. My daughter finds Boyd (played by Walton Goggins) to be quite cute. It's nice to have different tastes in men between us, we never fight about them at all. I'll take Raylan, she's welcome to Boyd. Last season, Boyd experienced a religious conversion, which may or may not have been sincere. This season, he's developed in other ways, and is on the wrong side of the law again, or at least heading that way. The new baddie for this season is Mags Bennett, who controls her county with an iron fist, as well as the weed market, and her three sons - Doyle, Dicky and Coover. Doyle is the corrupt sheriff, Dicky the inbred junky and Coover is the slow Neanderthal eejit. Or was, anyway, til Raylan dropped him into a mine shaft. Don't worry, the shooting was justified. Mags is an interesting adversary, and I see a feud building up on the order of the Hatfields and the McCoys - the Bennetts and the Crowders.  Should be interesting to watch.

I'm also curious to see where, if anywhere, the relationship between Raylan and Winona goes. I'm not even sure where I want it to go. Wherever it leads to his happiness, sure, but I don't know about her sometimes. I do like her better than Ava, though, who seems to be with Boyd. Art, Raylan's boss, is funny, a good foil, almost a father figure to Raylan. Which is good cause Arlo, his real daddy, ain't much of one.I own the first season of Justified and will own the second when it's available. This series just keeps on getting better, I highly recommend it.

I started watching Top Chef Season 5 from netflix - it's the only past season that is available, for some odd reason, but that 's okay, cause it's the one I wanted to see the most, cause it was Fabio's season.  Who?  Let me show you Fabio:

I first encountered him in the Top Chef All Stars season - he quickly became my favorite, and I was sorry to see him told to pack his knives and leave. But it made me curious to watch his season, which I'm doing now. The only other chefs in that season that I recognize are Carla and Jamie.  I love Carla and can't stand Jamie. Obviously all three will get axed at some point, or they wouldn't have been on All Stars. One interesting point of watching the fifth season was that I actually saw the house where the losing contestants stay - I'd always wondered about that.

We're watching Top Chef Masters now. It's interesting, although I haven't picked a favorite yet. We've also watched some Chopped, and I've come to like that show too. Remember Ted Hall from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy? He's on Chopped - he's the host, if you will. It's great to see him again. My favorite on Queer Eye was always Thom, I wonder where he is now.

We're also watching Six Feet Under. I'd been interested in the show when it first came out but wasn't able to watch it. I recently learned that Michael C Hall, of Dexter, is in it, so of course I had to see if I liked it as much as Dexter. The answer is a resounding yes!  

We haven't started the second season of Dexter yet, but we are on the second season of Six Feet Under. This series involves a family owned funeral home - Fisher and Sons. In the first episode, Nathaniel Fisher is dead, and the family must deal with his loss. Nate Jr (Peter Krause) comes home from Seattle for the occasion. At the airport he meets and fucks a strange woman named Brenda (Rachel Griffiths). David (Michael C Hall) has followed his father's footsteps and works at the funeral home, along with Federico, the only other employee. The boys have a sister named Claire (Lauren Ambrose of Grounded For Life). She's in high school and has quite a skewed view of life. It turns out that their mother, Ruth, has been having an affair with a hairdresser for two years, which she confesses to her flabbergasted sons (who really don't want to hear this). David has a secret of his own - he is gay and having an affair with a totally hot black cop named Keith.  Let's throw into the mix, Brenda's bad boy crazy brother Billy, played by Jeremy Sisto.  It's a great show,  I love it to death, especially David. It's so funny to see Dexter with emotions, which only goes to show what a versatile actor Michael C Hall is. There are only five seasons of Six Feet Under. My friend Aly has already watched them all.  We'll get there, I know.

Finally, Queer as Folk.  Still watching that, just started the third season. A lot is going on. At the end of the second season, Justin left Brian to be with Ethan, and Emmett and Ted decided that they are in love. The third season picks up there - Brian is relying heavily on Michael's company, and Ben is being very understanding about it. Emmett and Ted are having some strange times, trying to balance their friendship and their relationship and Emmett slips up. Justin and Michael are on the outs, understandably, putting their joint comic venture in jeopardy. Brian finds relief in fucking guys that resemble Justin. And Lindsay and Melanie are discussing having another baby. Or is that fighting? I love these characters so very much, I can't say enough about this series. It's funny, warm, sexy, hot, dramatic, and wonderful. If you love gay men, you'll love it, the scenes at Babylon are worth the price of admission alone - lots of nude hot men, and yes, there is full frontal. Oh, that reminds me that I'm also watching Spartacus, watching it now on Netflix. Quick comment - I like the series okay, it's pretty, the plot is nothing great yet (I've only seen two epsiodes) but the blood is definitely over the top and the effect is totally lost. It needs to be toned down cause it's only making a mockery of itself, and it's way too much an imitation of 300, and then some. I doesn't even resemble blood. Okay, we get the idea already. Now, concentrate on something more interesting, like plot. I like watching John Hannah and Lucy Lawless as a couple, although I never imagined I'd see Lucy naked like that, but now I have. I haven't decided yet if the series lives up to its hype - I'll keep you posted.

All for now, back to my writing and editing. I'm editing Ranch Hands for Wicked Nights. It was written by my friend SL Danielson, so added bonus there. It's a good story about real men, it's worth taking a look at. I'll review it later.

Have a great day!

♥ Julie