American Horror Story: Coven 3.03 Review: You Can't Fight Getting Older

Anyone that has yet to watch last night’s episode of American Horror Story: Coven, entitled ‘The Replacements’, then I suggest you go do so now. This is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

This episode was a little too Fiona centric. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed watching the flashbacks with the actress playing a younger Jessica Lange, but for a series with only twelve episodes in a season, and one season is one complete story, they’re squandering away minutes to unnecessary additions. Plus she’s not scary enough. She may murder those she chooses, but I’ve watched numerous series about serial killers (i.e. Dexter) and that doesn’t scare me all that much. She’s afraid of aging, getting older and not being attractive, and that’s because she’s not an attractive person beneath the skin.

Again, can I just enforce how strongly I dislike the cinematography techniques this season? They’re far too distracting and add little to the overall story. I mean why does it have to constantly be moving? This series is not on a boat, and yet it insists on making me feel like we are and making me rather seasick.

It was rather intriguing to watch Fiona jump to the conclusion that Madison was the next Supreme. But I suppose she is in a harried state, and despite witches having the possibility of carrying more than one power, she deduced that it must be her. So now she’s dead, because she didn’t want to kill Fiona to take the full Supreme power. Still, I have the strong belief that Zoe is the next Supreme, why else would she be bragged as being important to the overall season, other than to bring Tate – I mean Kyle – back from the dead?

All this Supreme business, and I have to take note of the issue with the name. Is that actually what the head witch of a coven was believed to be called? Otherwise it’s a rather moronic name to call them, rather distracting. Every time I hear the word, I think of the Supremes, and I don’t think that’s what this season had in mind at all.

I finally figured out who Denis O’Hare is playing. Kind of a blink and you miss him character, being that he looks very little like himself and his character’s tongue was cut out so he’s mute. That’s right, he’s the butler. Here I was thinking he’d been listed as a series regular this season, and between the first two episodes had yet to appear. Then I really get a good look at the character Spalding this episode, and low and behold it’s O’Hare. Not much point to having him this season if he can’t talk.

Speaking of being unable to talk, let’s discuss Kyle (or Tate forever in my mind). Can he please start speaking soon? I’m not a fan of the heavy physical acting, I find a person’s voice and words helps form who they are – being a writer as I am. He did kind of yell this week, gutturally I suppose, when he bludgeoned his mother to death – who totally deserved it for the sexual abuse she put him through. Though, that did come as a curveball, he seemed a little too normal on the bus in the first episode, and he didn’t react as if he understood what Madison was going through when she was being raped, just mortified by the horrendous act his frat brothers were committing.

Two things I enjoyed this week. One was Misty Day, watching her array of emotions in the brief moments she appeared this week. I’m curious to know what is up with her abandonment issues? Is it because she never fit in? Or because she was burnt as a witch? The second was the way Zoe was dressed this week. She looked very poised and classy – especially opposed to Madison – and she looked very put together with her perfectly straightened hair. These two and Kyle are definitely my favourites this season thus far.

Overall better than the premiere episode, but still not great. I’d expect more from a series with the word ‘horror’ in it. But I’m trying to make peace with my disappointment for each season since the first. Maybe it set the bar too high, or there were no expectations for it as it was the first season and there are expectations for the last two seasons. Either way, I still think I wouldn’t mind this season if the cinematography was less distracting.

My rating: 7 out of 10.

Best Line:

“This coven doesn’t need a new Supreme, it needs a new rug.” – Fiona states, referring to the rug she’s bloodied with Madison’s body.

So it seems like I was able to post this tonight, or morning for most people just getting up now. Anyways, check back tomorrow – or later today – for reviews of The Vampire Diaries, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Grey’s Anatomy, and The Crazy Ones.

Revenge 3.03 Review: Confessing is Good for the Soul

Anyone that has yet to watch last night’s episode of Revenge, titled ‘Confession’, or are simply not caught up in the series, I urge you to do so now. This is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

This week’s episode was actually a pretty good one. The revelation that Aiden is not actually betraying Emily was quite welcome. In that last scene where she touches his scar, it was heart wrenching, she so obviously wants to be with him, but she can’t, not if she wants her vengeance wrought upon the guilty people. Still, it almost makes me want her relationship with Aiden to be who she ends up with, despite being someone who thought she belonged with Jack.

And Jack, the way he was looking at her this week, at the point right before Margo walked in, was so subtle but perfect. Obviously he wants to protect his son, but he also does still care about her, and I’m just glad he does. Though, he is awfully short, compared to Emily in heels. But I digress.

Nolan as always was hilarious. I loved when he was telling the party planner he didn’t need SeaWorld, he just need an enclosed space with a few dolphins. It was probably my favourite line of the episode, and you’d find it below if it wasn’t so long and I really wanted to get to being finished my reviews for the night. Otherwise with Nolan, I felt kind of bad for him when he realized who Patrick was, though I’m not surprised if he’s the man Nolan will give his heart to at some point. It also makes me hope more that Patrick sticks around for a while.

Before learning that Aiden was really just helping Emily out, I was wondering why he hadn’t told Victoria that Emily is actually Amanda Clarke. I suppose that helped to cement in the back of my head that he wasn’t actually going after Emily. But at the same time, why had he searched through her house for the box (which had thankfully been hidden at Nolan’s)? That’s one point that now no longer makes sense.

I just loved the fact that Nolan was wearing a t-shirt with his mug shot on it, just something classic I would expect him to do. And boy is that Lorde song Royals making its rounds through television. Last week it was on The Vampire Diaries, this week it’s on Revenge. The girl does have a beautiful voice, especially being that she’s only seventeen. I expect a long career for her if she keeps up with this.

My one kind of minor issue with this episode was the whole Daniel trying to keep Margo from interviewing Nolan. What is up with that? I mean, doesn’t everyone know Nolcorp was owned by Grayson Global, so that can’t be the reason he’s trying to shield him from the magazine? I honestly just don’t get his problem.

All in all this was a very pleasant episode. I knew there was no way Conrad would be able to confess, but I’m wondering what killed (is he dead?) the priest. How did they crash? I’m curious to learn what happened next episode. I’m also curious to know why Emily would rather hurt Victoria more than Conrad, is it because Victoria betrayed her father more because she was in love with him?

My rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Best Line:

“Or flannel.” – Charlotte says to Jack about what he can’t wear to Nolan’s party.

All right, that’s all for tonight folks. I’m off to bed, maybe read a little more Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Check back in tomorrow for reviews of How I Met Your Mother, Bones, Sleepy Hollow, and The Blacklist.

Once Upon A Time 3.03 Review: Belief is a Powerful Thing

All those that have yet to watch last night’s episode of Once Upon A Time, entitled ‘Quite a Common Fairy’, or are not caught up in the show at all, please go and do so now. This is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

For a non-Emma centric storyline, this was a solid episode. I have to say that I think I prefer the Fairytale Land That Was scenes for Regina when she’s not the Evil Queen. It’s much nicer seeing her with a bit of innocence still left in her eyes, and the long hair definitely helps to age her down.

Before Regina basically betrays Tinkerbell by not going to the man that should be her soul mate, I really enjoyed the friendship they were beginning to have. It was nice seeing Regina friendly around someone and not plotting their death. The two actresses seem to have easy friendship chemistry between them; they bounced off each other very nicely. If Regina hadn’t done what she had, I’m certain they could’ve been good friends.

I really think it’s moronic to change it from Emma being the savior to Henry being the savior. The boy that plays him is not a good actor, and he’s rather annoying to look at because of this. Every scene he’s in I just hope he keeps him mouth shut because everything with him is so much worse when he speaks. It’s like he’s constantly just trying too hard, exuberating too much intensity into everything he does, it’s distracting. That’s why every storyline that focuses around him is just something I don’t look forward to.

Was I the only one that saw Robin Hood being Regina’s soul mate coming? It was so very obvious from the back of his head that I was just waiting to see the tattoo pop up. Though I could’ve sworn earlier on it was on the other arm. While this isn’t a bad idea, am I supposed to believe that Maid Marion either died or is not his true love? That’s rather idiotic when the basis for Robin Hood heavily relies on the fact that he loves Maid Marion. Just another Beauty and the Beast storyline that I won’t like, just this time at least the age difference isn’t ridiculous.

While I’m glad to see Neal has gotten to Neverland, I do hope that the relationship between Hook and Emma can still continue to grow. The chemistry between these two people is just amazing, and they almost work together better than her and Neal. After all, Neal did leave her and chose not to come back when her destiny was basically fulfilled – which, again, happened a season too soon.

What is this business about magic dying? How can magic die? It’s not like there’s a finite amount of it, or that it’s a living creature. I just find it ridiculous that that is what they’ve set up this “heart of the truest believer” nonsense in order to save it. Maybe that’s just going a little hard on them, but I just can’t understand the logic to it. Are they going to set up so that technology is the big evil causing kids to no longer believe in magic? I just… I don’t know.

My rating: 7 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“Which will end in your death, and more importantly mine.” – Hook says to Regina about her just magicking them to Pan’s camp.

“Where I used to live, that’s it.” – Emma answers her own question about what Tinkerbell’s lair reminds her of.

Okay, I’m off to watch Revenge, then I’ll be calling it a night. I’m all caught up in shows after the one more. Yippee!

New Girl 3.03 Review: Broken Hearted People

Anyone that has yet to watch last night’s episode of New Girl, titled ‘Double Date’, than now would be the time to do so. Otherwise, there is chance this blog could spoil the episode. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

There isn’t a lot I have to say about this series anymore. That in and of itself is a sign I’m beginning to lose interest, something I’ve done once before with this series. In this episode, Jess thinks that Nick, her, Cece and Schmidt should all go on a double date; of which Winston has decided he’s going to tag along to. Basically the whole Schmidt dating both Cece and Elizabeth comes to a head, and by the end of it he’s dating no one.

This wasn’t a terrible episode; it did finally confront the whole scenario of Schmidt having two women at once. It was nice to see that that storyline wasn’t prolonged inevitably. It also had a few good Winston moments, one in particular being the exchange between him and Ferguson at the very beginning of the episode. Although, he wasn’t overall as funny as he was in the last two episodes.

About the only thing I loved in this episode was the interchange between Jess and Nick at the end. Basically Schmidt blames the two of them for ruining his love life when he was eventually going to iron it out, so he promises that he will somehow break the two of them up. This creates a brilliantly funny exchange between the couple that includes not liking pears, or pear-shaped people (see Jess), and thinking the moon landing was fake (see Nick).

Other than that, there’s really not much else I can say.

My rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Best Line:

“I’m definitely sexually attracted to lady bugs.” – Nick says to Jess, during their brilliant exchange at the end of the episode.

All right, folks, I’m off to watch Trophy Wife. Then it’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.