Stargate Archives

Wednesday 31 August 2011

Screwed - The Movie



Ok it's Julie I admit it but the trailer does look like it'll be a lot of fun with tongue firmly in cheek...



Saturday 27 August 2011

Supernatural Marathon Season 3 Part 3

S3E14 "Long-Distance Call"
Phone calls from the dead drive or convince people to take their lives. Tracking down a century old phone number leads them to the spirit phone and then John calls Dean. A nice idea and modern working of an old age myth but the episode is nothing special apart from some intense Dean/Sam moments.
S3E15 "Time Is On My Side"
Body parts are going missing and the finger points to an old saw bones (played by Billy Drago) who practiced back in 1816 and never died. Sam believes it could be the loophole required for Dean but that's crazy talk. We do meet Rufus (Steven Williams) a former hunter and friend of Bobby's which pretty much makes this episode worthwhile.
S3E16 "No Rest for the Wicked"
The finale for this strike hit truncated season.
Well what can you say, with only hours to go on his deal the boys locate Lilith and take the fight to here along with Ruby's knife which they managed to take from her when she was trying to convince them it would have to be Sam and his powers to finally put Lilith down. Of course it doesn't go to plan and Ruby is gone, Dean is gone and Sam well much to Lilith's surprise isn't gone which bodes...
Extras
Behind The Story
Gag Reel
Impala Feature


Fantastic season finale to an overall solid season, it had some weak episodes as they mixed the recurring characters around but they've set the players out for season 4 and well at the time everyone was wondering how this would all play out.

Friday 26 August 2011

Supernatural Marathon Season 3 Part 2

S3E8 "A Very Supernatural Christmas"
It's christmas and Santa is killing people, bad santa.
Of course it's not the Santa we all know and love but his evil brother at the beck and call
of beings who were around long before the rise of Christianity.
Fun and games with a christmas special:)
S3E9 "Malleus Maleficarum"
A local bookclub aka coven goes awry when the goings on of the local neighbourhood folk cause distress and distrust but is it all part of a bigger plan?
Quite bloody and gruesome but a weak episode although lots of pretty women such as Marisa Ramirez.
 S3E10 "Dream a Little Dream of Me"
A Bobby episode which is long overdue because at this point we know little of his backstory and he's an
important character now. I dream of Bela, priceless:)
S3E11 "Mystery Spot"
Fun and hi-jinks when the boys investigate the "mystery spot" attraction and it's Groundhog Day once again.
Lots of fun and that's needed for what is to come.

S3E12 "Jus In Bello"
Henriksen is back and gets the jump on the boys but holed up in a local sheriffs office makes them an easy
target for the Demons out there which includes Peter DeLuise (SG1 writer/producer/director/actor). As the building is under siege only the most drastic action will save the souls trapped inside because someone is coming to finally take care of the competition. Brilliant episode.
S3E13 "Ghostfacers"
Ed and Harry are back selling their new fly on the wall reality show which includes Sam and Dean.
Awful episode.

Extras
A Closer Look
Ghostfacers Confessionals

Supernatural Marathon Season 3 Part 1

S3 Premiere "The Magnificent Seven"
The aftermath of the Hell Gate opening is pretty nondescript although in one small town 3 people starve to death whilst watching TV and a women is beaten to death over a pair of shoes. Sam, Dean and Bobby meet two more hunters and discover a diner populated by the possessed and then the battle commences.
Damn I'd forgotten how HOT Ruby was when played by Katie Cassidy and all things considered a kick ass premiere.
S3E2 "The Kids Are Alright"
Dean runs into an old flame who has a son from around the time they got together and well you'd put money on Ben being Deans kid given his looks, attitude and taste in music:)
Ruby also makes another appearance but that's nothing to do with the trouble that is surrounding the kids in this small housing community.
S3E3 "Bad Day at Black Rock"
A not so lucky rabbts foot, vengeful past associates and new human nemesis give Sam and Dean a run for their money.
Lauren Cohan plays Bela Talbot and gives Katie Cassidy serious competition in the looks department, not my favourite episode though despite a few laughs.
S3E4 "Sin City"
A town of sinners so where do you begin to look for the demons and it's not always the femme fatale although most of the time it is but that can be a good way to go all depending upon the time line:) The chat Dean has with the Demon is very interesting given what is revealed as the season goes on.
The late Don S Davis and Julia Benson (Stargate alumni) guest star as well as Sasha Barrese (Casey).
S3E5 "Bedtime Stories"
Fun and games with the Grimm style fairy tales coming to life.
This is a fun episode and perhaps holds true to the spirit of the original stories that have been watered down over the generations. For all the fun and games it has a heart wrenching conclusion.
 S3E6 "Red Sky at Morning"
A ghost ship spells doom for all those that see it when every 37 years it sails the tide and people drown on land. A hung sailer and a mummified hand hold the key to the vengeful spirit but the ends Sam and Dean have to go through stretch their nerves. It's Bela time and a joy to behold when shes runs rings around the boys.
S3E7 "Fresh Blood"
If vampires were not enough Gordon is out of jail and hot on the trail of Sam.
Not the greatest episode ever but nice stunt casting with Mercedes McNab the former high schooler and vampire on Buffy.
Extras
A Closer Look

There may be a theme to the chosen screencaps but hey they said in a commentary why don't they have more women in the cast and not be so fast to kill 'em off:)

Thursday 25 August 2011

Supernatural Marathon Season 2 Part 4

S2E19 "Folsom Prison Blues"
Ghostly apparitions in a prison but where can you run too with bars on the windows so Sam and Dean get themselves arrested and sent on remand over the weekend (more or less) and pretty much do a Prison Break story before PB came along:) Not my favourite of the year but does have a shaggy haired Garwin Sanford.
S2E20 "What Is and What Should Never Be"
Dean runs across a Djinn and he loses the fight and finds himself in a world where he has a good looking steady girlfriend, his mother is still alive plus Sam and Jess are still together. He wallows in this aspect of his life he has never been able to embrace until visions of a young woman appear and even here the spirit of the hunter reasserts itself but this time he his hunting for his own life. Nice episode for the depth within Dean but still pretty much a filler to soften us up for the end of the season.
S2E21 "All Hell Breaks Loose 1"
Sam is whisked away to a wild west ghost town and meets up with others of his kids, children touched by the Demon some of which he does not some he doesn't. It soon becomes apparent that this is a deathmatch and only one of the trapped people will leave this arena. Dean finds the roadhouse burnt to the ground with no sign of survivors but thanks to the telepathic talents of one of the trapped Dean and Bobby discover where they are being held.
S2E22 "All Hell Breaks Loose 2"
Fresh from the terrible events in the ghost town Dean is driven to extremes and does a deal with a crossroads demon, a pretty piss poor deal but Dean argues he should be dead anyway so giving his life is balancing the books so to speak. The Demons plan is finally revealed and it's epic and now he has a willing hybrid everything is in motion but the gang are in place to stop the Demon and his minion. It does not end well.
Extras
Commentary on "All Hell Breaks Loose (1)" & "What Is and What Should Never Be"
Gag Reel
Road Map
Webisode Galleries

There are some excellent episodes in season 2 and you can not argue about the epic scale of the yellow eyed demons plans and the results. That said I still consider the overall season to be fairly weak at least in comparison to the first season and what I recall of the newer seasons. If nothing else it sets up season 3 beautifully.

Supernatural Marathon Season 2 Part 3

S2E13 "Houses of the Holy"
What could be an Angel appears to people and leads them into committing murder but maybe the victims deserved what they got so is it the hand of god or some sort of vigilante.
I didn't really enjoy the episode much but the chat about the existence of Angels was fun given what we know now.
S2E14 "Born Under a Bad Sign"
Once again Sam has gone AWOL but this time he's been a bad boy and that ain't half the trouble. This episode had some good moments during the second half but took a little too long to get going to be rated as a good episode.

S2E15 "Tall Tales"
Funny teaser which pretty much sets the tone of the episode:)
Sam and Dean are at each others throats and getting nowhere in the case of some mysterious events surrounding a campus building. Bobby gives moral support and pretty much solves the problem and it's a hell of a lot of fun getting to the end. Nice to see Neil Grayston (Fargo from Eureka) with a small role and Richard Speight Jr.
S2E16 "Roadkill"
Tricia Helfer guest stars in this nice and tight yarn. It's a nice idea and used quite often in the series Ghost Whisperer but Tricia as Molly McNamara really shines she makes this episode special.
S2E17 "Heart"
A violent murder which leads to Werewolves as the culprits and it's just Sam's luck that a woman he likes ends up being the middle of the mystery. Emmanuelle Vaugier plays the love interest "Madison" and as with Tricia earlier gets the most out of Jared emotive talents. The episode is pretty average except for the conclusion which bumps the whole thing up a notch or two.
S2E18 "Hollywood Babylon"
Murder on the set of a horror movie (suspiciously like Evil Dead) with Dean and Sam getting jobs as PA's aka Slaves and it isn't long before the history of the stage is played out in all it's gory details. Gary Cole is the smarmy producer and there is a caricature of McG a producer of Supernatural as the director of the movie.
A fun episode and in the style the show often reverts to just to lighten things up.
Extras
None

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Fringe Season 4 Teaser

Supernatural Marathon Season 2 Part 2

S2E7 "The Usual Suspects"
Dam and Dean are arrested in relation to the murder of a young couple who they had been investigating after claiming to see spirits. Dean is also linked to the torture and murder perpetrated by the shame shifter back in St Louis.
This an excellent episode as the boys fence with the cops and the spirit makes it's presence known beyond the initial investigation. Linda Blair guest stars as Detective Diana Ballard and Keegan Conner Tracy as Karen Giles.
S2E8 "Crossroad Blues"
Crossroads demons are those that can be called and deals done for your soul in return for 10 years of whatever you desire then the Hellhounds come a calling. In the attempt to save a soul which was offered in trade to help another Dean summons the demon played by Jeannette Sousa and not only asks for the souls return but pushes the issues of John's death and possible return if the price is right.
Another good episode with the hellhounds done particularly well.
S2E9 "Croatoan"
A vision leads the boys to the small mountain town of River Grove. The townsfolk are a little off and when they witness an assault on a woman by her husband and son the intervene and than are faced with a town sealed off and the people infected by a plague. We are on a roll because again this is a good episode, lots of tension and conflict including between Dean and Sam who both are acting at the extremes of their characters. A big picture arc episode.

S2E10 "Hunted"
Sam goes out alone to search for more people like him and meets Ava who claims to also have visions including Sam dying in a fire but her mother didn't die in a fire which breaks the Demon/6 month pattern he had been tracking. The episode twists dramatically when Sam becomes the target of a hunter and Dean is the bait. You know I may have to revise my opinion of this season, it's firing on all cylinders.

S2E11 "Playthings"
An old country hotel, an invisible play friend and death for anyone that threatens the continued existence of the spirit and it's spectral home. It's not too bad an episode but felt more like a hangover from something like Poltergeist Legacy but it did have Annie Wersching (Renee from 24) playing the mother and Conchita Campbell plays Maggie, you may recognise her from The 4400. Sam as Doll Boy was chucklesome:)
S2E12 "Nightshifter"
Robberies with extreme violence yet not real motive (valuables discarded) and the culprit committing suicide are the centre piece of an episode which starts in a different style, quite interesting intro. Chris Gauthier best known for his role in Eureka plays Ronald who gives the boys the first lead but things go wrong when they find themselves in the middle of a bank heist.
Extras
Deleted Scenes

Lost Girl - Anna Silk chat



The TeleVixen will be posting new content each day until the season 2 premiere on the 4th of September.

Tuesday 23 August 2011

Portal : No Escape

Supernatural Marathon Season 2 Part 1

Season 2 
This will be the first time I've watched these episodes since their original broadcasts mainly because I didn't really rate the second season at all. I did buy the DVD boxset not that long back (bargain bin deal) just to have the full set but never watched it but now it's time to give this season a second chance so off we go:)

S2E1 "In My Time of Dying"
The seasons kicks off right from the cliffhanger of season 1, the car is scrap and Sam and John are an awful mess but Dean is in serious condition infact his soul/spirit is out and about but unable to communicate with them and a reaper is doing it's duty. Brilliant start to the new season with the sacrifice and realisation of the price that sometimes has to be paid to continue or simply just be in the fight. Lindsey McKeon plays Tessa and Fredric Lehne is the Demon.
S2E2 "Everybody Loves A Clown"
Dean has buried himself in repairing the Impala and is in conflict with Sam but an old message from a friend of their dads has them go back on the road in a minivan. This is where we meet Ellen and Jo and once more the hunter lore and community is re-enforced which is critical in the long term arcs the series builds. Oh always fun to see Dean get his ass kicked by a girl:)
Samantha Ferris plays Ellen and Alona Tal plays Jo.
S2E3 "Bloodlust"
The Impala is back on the road and it's vampire time again this time coming from the point of view of Gordon Walker who had worked with John and now tracks vamps in part to avenge the death of his sister. We see quite clearly that hunters are a dangerous breed, obsession and forgetting why they take this path can lead to black deeds as bad as any the demons bring to earth. Nice casting for the role of Lenore as Amber Benson was a regular on Buffy.

S2E4 "Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things"
A young woman dies in a car crash and her grave exhibits all the marks of unhallowed ground. Dean unwilling to view his mothers gravestone focuses on this mystery eventually revealing signs of the undead and necromancy fuelled by revenge and guilt. Tamara Feldman plays the troubled Angela.
S2E5 "Simon Said"
The power of suggestion is perhaps the most invasive acts and even worse when used recklessly for the pleasure or sadistic whims of a young guy. While the episode has links to the main Demon arc it didn't really do much for me except for seeing Dean being whipped and eventually realising it:)

S2E6 "No Exit"
Jo joins the boys (without her mothers knowledge) in a hunt for a serial killer who turns out or have been doing it for a long long time. There is some good chemistry between Dean and Jo and the enclosed location gives ample opportunity for creating a good atmospheric situation. Some truths are revealed which changes things between the boys and the roadhouse.
Extras
Commentary "In My Time of Dying"
Deleted Scenes

Monday 22 August 2011

Supernatural Marathon part 4

Disk 4
S1E19 "Provenance"

A family portrait which holds a dark and bloody secret born in blood reigns terror around an auction house. Sam becomes involved with the galleries owners daughter (Taylor Cole) whilst researching the history and when she is exposed to the real world around her she joins in to combat the evil.
S1E20 "Dead Man's Blood"
It's vampire time which comes as a surprise to Dean who thought they didn't exist and to John who thought they were extinct. The solution is to recover a weapon capable of killing any entity natural or supernatural which is now in the possession of the vampire nest. We get some good interaction between Sam and his dad with Dean in the middle as they hash out issues from a few years ago when Sam left for college.

S1E21 "Salvation"
Meg is back and running around killing the former associates of John and informs him she will continue unless he hands over the Colt. He leaves to meet Meg with a fake weapon leaving the Colt with the boys who are lying in wait for the Demon that killed their mother to claim another 6 month old. This is an excellent episode both in terms of action but also character interaction a lot of which has had it's groundwork laid out during the season. Erin Karpluk guest stars as the mother destined to die at the hands of the demon.
S1E22 "Devil's Trap"
John is missing and the Demon escaped so the boys meet up with Bobby Singer (Jim Beaver) a long time family friend and hunter but Meg finds them and all hell indeed breaks loose even name calling "chuckleheads":)
A rescue attempt succeeds and the family finally come face to face with the Demon that sent them on this journey and some home truths are revealed changing everything.
Excellent season finale.
Extras
Devils Road Map
A day in the life of Jared and Jensen
Tales from the Edge
Gag Reel

There are no bones about it season 1 of Supernatural pretty much hit the ball out of the park every episode, there are one or two weaker episodes but that number is pretty remarkable for a first season show. The mixture of standalone and arc based stories is pretty much done to perfection and already they know exactly how to craft not only a episode cliffhanger but season cliffhanger.
Roll on season 2.

Supernatural Marathon part 3

Disk 3

S1E13 "Route 666"

Road deaths at the hand of a ghostly truck and a call for help from a "friend" of Deans has the boys investigating a history of racial prejudice which spans death and the afterlife. Fans of The 4400 will recognise the beautiful Megalyn Echikunwoke in the role of Cassie the former girlfriend who knows about his families calling.
An interesting mix of story elements but works pretty well.
S1E14 "Nightmare"
Sam begins to have visions beyond those of his own home and following the clues leads to a troubled family and alarming similarities to the events that shaped Sam's life. Not a favourite of mine but significant in terms of the series arc.

S1E15 "The Benders"
A young boy witnesses a man being dragged away by an unseen force but investigations are hampered when Sam himself vanishes but when Dean teams up with a local deputy the mystery reveals to be less of a spiritual/mythical issue and more of the mundane blackness with the heart of men. You've seen this story many a time on cheap and cheerful slasher flicks and while doing something different is always worthwhile it really doesn't work for television.
Jessica Steen guest stars as the deputy.

S1E16 "Shadow"
A young woman is chased down by a shadowy figure who that proceeds to mutilate her. Investigating the case which has the hallmarks of a demon inspired murder the boys find a mysterious symbol and run into Meg which may be too much of a co-incidence. A surprising piece of information comes to light and combined with a revelation about Meg the boys go to war but there is still one more surprise to come. Pretty good episode and well Meg is just awesome:)
S1E17 "Hell House"
The dilapidated house in the middle of nowhere surrounded by local legends lead Sam and Dean to discover the truth when a girl is reported to have been hung in the cellar. Talking to local youths offers up some information but proves more troublesome than they are worth. Yes folks this is where we meet the Ed and Harry the loveable rogues who cross paths with the boys later in the series.
S1E18 "Something Wicked"
"Two Queens", delivered beautifully:)
Children are succumbing to an unknown pathogen but as we see in the teaser dark forces are afoot draining the life from the kids and Dean has met this creature before. Good episode with some nice flashbacks to the time Dean was left in charge of his kid brother and this time Dean won't fail to protect the kids.
 
Extras
Paley Festival Panel Discussion & Deleted Scene

Sunday 21 August 2011

Supernatural Marathon continued

Disk 2

S1E7 "Hook Man"

Another urban legend in which sinners are butchered by a hooked handed man and in this case it's basically anyone that even considers messing around outside of marriage. It's an interesting episode and for the most part the boys are a little out of their depth before they finally piece together the puzzle. Dan Butler is the familiar guest star at least for those who were fans of Frasier.


 S1E8 "Bugs"
I definitely got an X-Files vibe off of this episode perhaps the mixture of the norm and the bizarre with a healthy dose of existing culture and legends bumping against the modern world. A few very familiar faces in this episode starting with Ryan Robbins (Sanctuary), Jim Byrnes (Highlander), Andrew Airlie (Defying Gravity, Reaper, 4400) and finally Anne Marie Loder who is married to Peter Deluise and appeared in Stargate, Smallville and Due South.
A fun episode.


S1E9 "Home"
The boys return to their family home after Sam has nightmares which seem to indicate trouble. The house is now the home for a woman and her two children and things are going bump in the night and with the help of a local psychic who their dad had been in touch with they investigate if the entity that killed their mother has returned.
This is a good episode with great echos from Poltergeist and some twists and turns.




S1E10 "Asylum"
The old trope of an abandoned mental asylum where gruesome things happened and the spirits of the dead and the evil lives on to claim the lives of idiot local townsfolk. I can't say I really enjoyed this episode and again it didn't keep me focused. The highlight is perhaps Brooke Nevin (Katherine) seen recently in Breakout Kings and The 4400.

S1E11 "Scarecrow"
The boys have a few issues after final getting a call from their dad and go their own ways. Dean investigates missing couples in a small town while Sam hitch-hikes to California and meets up with a young woman who is not as cute as she appears. Good episode for the conflict between the boys and the introduction of Nicki Aycox as Meg.




S1E12 "Faith"
Hmmmm Julie Benz, 'nough said although excellent music:)




Extras
Just a bunch of deleted scenes.

Saturday 20 August 2011

Supernatural Marathon

It's time for a Supernatural marathon now I have the first 5 seasons on Blu-ray thanks to the uber cheaper releases of the first couple of seasons and finally the fifth season dropping in price as well. No sixth season anytime soon as I simply won't play the game with overpriced Blu-rays, sorry guys but the format war killed the formats illusion of awesomeness. Jared Padalecki (Sam) and Jensen Ackles (Dean) star in the long running show (7th season kicks off September 23rd) with a recurring role by Jeffrey Dean Morgan playing John the missing father to the boys.
The series premiered September 13th on The WB network which later morphed into The CW and to this day the first season pulled in the shows highest ratings and despite changes in approach and timeslot/days it's retained a solid core audience and good syndication, overseas and media sales.
These brief comments may contain a few spoilers at least from within each season, I'll certain try to avoid any more significant spoilers.

Season 1 Disk 1


"Pilot"

The death of the boys mother kicks the series off and lays the ground work for what is to come. Years later with Dean following in the hunter tradition and Sam in college they are brought together again when their father goes missing while investigating a spate of men missing on a highway outside of Jericho. Guest stars include the scrumptious Sarah Shahi a very young Jamil Walker Smith and Adrianne Palicki. An excellent series opener with lots of suspense, action, humour and top notch production value.


S1E2 "Wendigo"
A video recording of missing guys and a scary monster in the woods leads they boys into Colorado to take on a legend from native American folklore. Rather a generic story but well shot and a solid second episode with Gina Holden and Callum Keith Rennie providing excellent support.

S1E3 "Dead In The Water"
Ok maybe there is theme with this show but it works so lets not knock it:)
Newspaper articles lead Dean and Sam to Lake Manitoc whose waters have claimed many victims but it's never relinquished their bodies. The delectable Amy Acker guest stars as Andrea a mom whose husband mysteriously drowned a few years before and so agents Ford and Hamill investigate. A good twist to the story and kudos to the filming and editing of the bath sequence:)



S1E4 "Phantom Traveler"
Suicide by plane or more to the point falling out of the plane thus causing the plane to decompress and crash has a friend of John Winchester calling Dean for help. Demon posession seems to be most likely cause of supposedly normal people doing crazy things and when the survivors of the crash then start dying in more place crashes it's time to climb aboard and chase down the entity responsible.
Jamie Ray Newman guest stars and you have to say the show did well in the early days with picking actors who become familiar within this genre.
Side note the reference to the haunting of a previous plane is based on fact when a crashed airliner was salvaged and some parts used in other planes and subsequent crews claimed to have seen apparitions.




S1E5 "Bloody Mary"
A good old story of urban folklore and the weakest episode so far.
Guilt is the driving force of this myth with Sam himself being open to it's influence but I really felt my attention waundering whilst watching.

S1E6 "Skin"
The episode kicks off with a dark dark scene and great piece of music than the twist, da da daaaa and then 1 week earlier and so this ever popular story style begins with Sam getting a cry for help via email and the boys drive to the rescue although Dean ain't happy. What happens next is a tale of impossible acts committed by people who it seems were in two places at the same time and so the notion of a shape shifter of some sort comes into play.
This is certainly a dark and gritty episode, quite brutal really but great tv.



Extras
Two commentary tracks "Pilot" with Eric Kripke, David Nutter and Peter Johnson then "Phantom Traveller" with Jenson and Jared. Also a collection of deleted scenes.




Saturday 13 August 2011

Old Spice Man

Ok it's old hat for the US market and it's rare for me so actually watch adverts relying so much on the DVR but spotted this during live coverage of some cricket and well it's bloody brilliant. Now I understand why the actor got the guest role on last seasons Chuck, probably a very well known face on American telly.

Wednesday 10 August 2011

You've Got William Shatner

Thanks to the JK and LT over at Look At His Butt!


Lost Girl Premieres on Syfy UK



Well that's good news as the highly successful Canadian series gets picked up in the UK and even
better it's already got a US screening on the way so combined with the second season production
we can expect only good things.
I don't think it's over optimistic to consider a third season already
thanks to improved overseas revenues and hopefully a DVD/Blu release soon after the first season
airs in the states. 

Sunday 7 August 2011

Summer Glau by John Anealio

John is a composer and singer of original works mostly orbiting the geeky end of the genre universe and is heavily involved in blogging and social media projects. Always worth listening to and exploring his online presence.

John Anealio


Game Of Thrones RPG (College Humour) (Spoilers)

Saturday 6 August 2011

VM XL Broadband Installed


Try broadband speed test


So far so good although VM do port throttle which kinda takes the shine off their pimped fibre networked products.

Monday 1 August 2011

Wonder Woman Body Paint

Now this is spectacular artwork, it's probably too good to be used for day to day conn attendances so maybe just an example of how capable the artist is.
Either way thanks to Lord Shaper for the tweets and TeamCTF for the ongoing cosplay feature on their website.