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This is a bridging episode, to large extent. Last time, John stated his motive to infiltrate Scorpius’s command carrier. But it’s not like he can just waltz on in, even if Scorpius is having wormhole problems. There’s too much bad blood between men. Luckily, the Moya crew sends their brightest and their brawniest to set up terms. :P

Amidst all of that, the showrunners set up two subplots. One involves the folks left on the ship, and particularly the other ship, aka Talyn. The other is an attempted robbery meant to spruce up the negotiation game. Results are mixed, but kudos for trying, show.

Overall, I’m impressed how this episode keeps things moving forward. There are a lot of balls in the air, from the culmination of the major plot to some deep-seated character moments like the tension between John and Aeryn, Chiana’s growing psychic powers and Talyn’s continued rebelliousness. Even Jool gets a few moments to assess her wants and needs. At the negotiating table, unusual partners Rygel and D’argo also get a chance to shine. And of course it’s great to see Scorpy (and Braca!) again. The robbery stuff is undoubtedly the weak part, but that’s a small niggle in an ultimately complex hour of television.

Episode summary is here, courtesy of the John and Aeryn Fansite.

( Spoilery thoughts )

chavalah

After a series of serious and semi-serious episodes, we are back to the silly. :P Weekly mission gets obfuscated by magical spell that gives Xena, Gabrielle and Joxer another excuse to act out of character, hee. I tend to love the banter in these sorts of episodes, though in the commentary it seems like Lucy was less enthused to have Xena mime fishing all day. :P Hee, and here it was her husband who wanted to do something with fishing!

The provenance of this episode is a bit varied. We have Robert’s fishing fantasy, and also one of the show sponsors wanting to do something with diamonds. Given those parameters, it seems like the writers did a decent job at creativity. But there’s a darker underbelly to the behind the scenes, too, regarding issues of subtext. Wuh-oh. No one should ever mess with “Xena”subtext! I’ll delve intro the controversy under the cut.

Summary is here, courtesy of whoosh.org.

( Spoilery thoughts )

chavalah

Welcome to the reunion episode! Though because this is “Farscape,” it turns out to be so much more. :P We do get the Moya and Talyn reunion, which is of course marred by Talyn John’s absence, but our guest aliens of the week also introduce a mystery thriller arc. I think that the ScapeCast crew had a little bit more fun with that than usual, mainly as a way to break the tension between John and Aeryn.

The episode also mixed and matched Crais and Jool to surprising effect, and introduced a transgender theme before that identity became quite the buzzword that it is today. And finally, it propelled John towards a new trajectory, which sets the course for the end of season three. Which also happens to be my favorite arc of the show ever. :P I get tingly, starting with this ending!

Episode summary is here, courtesy of the John and Aeryn Fansite.

( Spoilery thoughts )

chavalah

Much like this clip episode leaves a disjointed feeling to the hour, I have some disjointed feelings about the episode. :P Mostly good…I think. I do like that the show is returning to Gabrielle’s feelings. The execution may be clunky but the reminder that she is a character with an actual arc this season is most welcome.

That being said…I’m not sure how I feel about her motivations concerning certain spoilery things. :P According to whoosh.org even Renee O’Connor had issues with this development, and she ultimately chalked it up to Gabrielle being human and flawed. And I can always get behind human and flawed characters! Maybe it’s the intensity of her emotions that gives me pause. Apparently they run deep enough to give Gabby some post traumatic stress and provide the impetus for this episode.

We also get some answers, that certainly at least a few fans wanted, about Gabrielle’s quick travel time to Chin. Yay for tying up loose ends! Though boo for some really bad acting by the newbie guest stars. I guess after an episode like the last one, with such great acting across the board, I should just count my blessings. And here we do get the return of two notable guest stars—Ted Raimi as Joxer, and—I’ll leave the other one as a surprise for under the cut! :P

Summary is here, courtesy of whoosh.org.

( Spoilery thoughts )

chavalah

Season four is undoubtedly the darkest season of “Farscape,” but I think that that shift started here. This is basically an entire episode dedicated to one character’s grief. OK, it’s a liiitle more complicated than that. Mainly, the show is probing its biggest theme, that of multiple possibilities of reality. Often it’s an astrophysical question revolving around John, but in this one its more spiritual and emotional with Aeryn at the forefont. Everyone has a choice, especially in his or her darkest hour…which choice will he or she make?

Aeryn, after grieving John, makes hers at the end of the hour (spoiler alert. :P) These others are less central but still pertinent—Talyn must choose whether or not to return to his mother, Crais must choose whether or not to remain Talyn’s captain, and on a planet of mystics Stark must choose whether or not to follow Zhaan’s voice, and even Rygel remembers a choice from his younger years concerning a lost love.

There’s also a little bit of a family drama plot, and I admit, when I was younger I fell for a ridiculous ploy. I was pretty gullible. :P I’m also a sucker for said family drama (thanks, Star Wars) but now I agree with the members of the ScapeCast—it didn’t really work on a logical level. I rather wish that everything, other than her interactions with the boys, was happening in her own head. But that’s not the way that things went down; I’ll go into the specifics under the cut.

But other than that small quibble, this was a very moving hour, worthy of any drama, not just science fiction. Even watching it now, years later, it made me cry! /feklempt And one of the most poignant things about it is looking back on it now and realizing that some foreshadowing was put in place! :o Thanks again to the ScapeCast for expanding my love of this show.

Episode summary is here, courtesy of the John and Aeryn Fansite.

( Spoilery thoughts )

chavalah

Of course around the time that I blog elsewhere about “Xena” being “kooky,” I get to watching this thoughtful episode. It’s not exactly as dark and brooding as some of my other faves in “The Rift” sequence but maybe that gives it a power of its own, too. Xena and Gabrielle continue to grow as people and within their relationship, so they can’t keep hitting the same notes all the time.

In this episode, Gabby comes into her own, or “grows up,” as members of the cast say, in a new way. I hadn’t really thought of it that way before, but now I get it. And how fitting that it should happen in a Caesar episode, when her last big turning point, involving her first kill and Hope’s conception, also took place with him in the background. That may just be happy coincidence.

But what isn’t happy coincidence is that this episode, which is largely based on real history, ultimately leads to a handful more of them, concerning Caesar’s reign, in season 4. The guest stars had a lot of juicy political roles to play here, and then of course there was Karl Urban, back and being awesome. :D Though perhaps nothing beats Xena’s complete and utter disdain for the whole cadre of Romans…she’s sometimes scornful and sometimes dismissive.

In fact, I’d say that the biggest flaw about this episode is the CGI for the gladiatorial scene, and to be fair, that really couldn’t be helped. The show didn’t have a huge budget, after all, and they were further constrained by the technology of the time. Still, since it was supposed to be portraying the glory of Rome, it left a lot to be desired.

Summary is here, courtesy of whoosh.org.

( Spoilery thoughts )

chavalah

This won’t go down as the funniest “Farscape” episode of all time, but it sure does beat the last Moya-centric one. But more importantly, it was a very needed reprieve after the seriousness and impending depression of the last two in the lineup. Most viewers would probably give this little number a bit of leeway, so long as it could provide some light-heartedness. And man oh man, it did provide plenty of that.

Of course it’s not an entirely light episode. We are also dealing with the implications of D’argo’s rage, and the girls struggling with just who they are on this boat. John’s parts are the funniest, but more than anyone else this hour he has to dig deep in order to find a reason to live. As usual, there are significant parallels between what is going on with Moya John and what is going on with Talyn John, but there’s no way not to be spoilery about it! I’ll leave it for under the cut.

And in that vein, I don’t exactly want to spoil the type of humor that this episode entails, but suffice to say…things get animated. :P I can’t claim credit for that pun; you’ll find it on the site listed below. But this, to me, is classic “Farscape,” the creativity, the charm. And hey, the CGI isn’t too dated either! Booyah!

Episode summary is here, courtesy of the John and Aeryn Fansite.

( Spoilery thoughts )

chavalah

Welp, if anyone was still in denial, this title proves that the show has officially gone beyond the published books. :P I hear rumors that book six, THE WINDS OF WINTER, miiiiight be published by the end of this year, but who knows. It is what it is.

But speaking of the books, this episode confirms a very, very popular fan theory about a certain character’s parentage. :P And the show produced high-caliber material on several levels. That first extended scene in King’s Landing carried all of the mounting tension that I felt when reading the Red Wedding buildup in the books. The music, “Light of the Seven,” was so new and so haunting that not only has the show used it for season 7 promotion; it was also the backdrop for a preview of Tom Cruise’s stupid-looking mummy movie. :P Several storylines reappeared to get in their final positions of the season; new leaders rose to prominence and old ones took major leaps. There’s a lot at stake at the macro level of politics and the supernatural, but also the micro level of interpersonal relationships.

No episode is perfect, and I have a quibble here or there, but overall, what a fantastic season finale. I can’t believe you made me wait over a year for the next (and penultimate!) chapter, HBO, but we are finally heeeere! :D

( Episode Summary and Spoilers )

chavalah

Man oh man. If there’s any part of this season where all of my feels reside, it’s here. This is the Sansa Show. OK, fine, there are large set pieces featuring warriors in battle, particularly personified by Jon vs Ramsay. It’s also worth noting the level of detail the showrunners put into production; this was their first, fullscale medieval battle without Walls or water in the way.

They apparently took a lot of inspiration from the American Civil Wars (piles of bodies so high that they were an obstruction on the battlefield) and Hannibal vs the Romans (spoilers!) Though for all of its impressive elements, there is something a little anticlimactic about this battle. Unless you’re a sadist, there’s really no question about who you should be rooting for.

There’s even some time to build up teasers for the final episode, as per the Davos/Melissandre tension and the entire ten minutes we spent in Meereen. And, more harrowingly, there’s a death that really gives me pause about the future books. Too spoilery to get to over the cut, but yeah. Talk about an uncertain world for book readers.

Sansa’s story arc and character development have skewed from the books, perhaps the most out of anyone’s. I have a lot of feelings about that, and about what went down with her this episode. But at the moment, given current entertainment news as I write this recap, I can’t help but think of her as Wonder Woman during THAT scene (not the final one; the other one :P). Or, more precisely, she’s my Wonder Woman, the female character who inspires me more than any comic book super hero (Jean Grey included. :P) We all have our biases—what speaks to us about being heroic in an oft-unjust world.

( Episode Summary and Spoilers )

chavalah

As we inch closer to the penultimate and final episode of the season, I find myself feeling less gracious towards the show. It chronicles my least favorite part of the Faceless Men storyline; other fans seemed to dislike it, too, albeit sometimes for different reasons. Also, I’m trying to think of one character on the show, neither a fool nor a pawn, who espouses peace. It’s a far more thoroughly explored idea in the novels—when has revenge gone too far? When do we realize that more bloodshed won’t bring our loved ones back? Even the minor characters can’t seem to have backstories that don’t espouse violence. I think I might have to make cases for the peacemakers, wherever I might find them.

Anywho. Other than Arya’s continuing adventures, Jaime is at least taken to task for his deeds, and questioned on the moral scale. Cersei, who quite literally proclaims, “I choose violence,” discovers that there’s still a way for the rug to be swept out from under her. The Brotherhood Without Banners makes a more official reappearance. Things come to a head with Brienne and the Tullys, and Meereen is back like a nightly news segment; how have Tyrion’s political gambits taken hold? Stay tuned to find out! :P

( Episode Summary and Spoilers )

chavalah

This is a decent hour of television, but I’ve been struggling with this episode ever since it aired. I think too much. :P I remember reading Sean T Collins’s review in “The Rolling Stone,” where he lamented a certain subplot that went into Walking Dead territory and seemed to imply that any attempt at peace is a sham; war is the only way to go.

That subplot, by the way, includes another surprise return character, so there’s issues there! :P

The more I think about it, the more we really can’t ignore warmongering nature of Game of Thrones, or in this episode at the very least. Jon and Sansa, with the able help of Davos, go on their campaign to rally the north to their cause; no sitting on the sidelines, guys, you gotta fight this fight. Arya’s attempts for a clean break from the Faceless Men won’t be that easy, even on the show. :P The Blackfish goes on to insist that even though the War of the Five Kings is long done, he won’t lay down his sword. Speaking of life and death, Theon has to make a choice in the shadow of the civil war brewing between his uncle and his sister. Only in King’s Landing are the politics complicated enough that sometimes one can make choices to avoid antagonism…at least in part.

Maybe this is what happens when we don’t see Tyrion for two episodes; we forget that there might be ways to avoid war. Of course, we haven’t seen the aftermath of his decisions in Meereen either. I’d better zip my lips; there’s enough to talk about in this episode without addressing future ones!

( Episode summary and spoilers )

chavalah

This episode, like the last one, is also named for the final scene, where—mild spoilers—Daenerys gives a motivational speech to her Dothraki. :P Usually khals choose three bloodriders, aka the blood of my blood.

Family and loyalty are called into question a lot during this hour. Jaime and the Tyrells join forces to save Margaery and Loras, and take down the faith militant once and for all. Arya has to decide whether or not she’s going to poison Lady Crane,as per Faceless demands. Sam’s homecoming is fraught with all sorts of unresolved tension. We visit the Twins, and get a recap on what’s been going on with House Frey, those lovely people. :P And Bran also meets up with someone who’s been gone for a very long time. Slipping pretty damn close to spoilers here!

Here’s the big shocker—no Tyrion! :0 Can’t recall any other episode where he hasn’t been around, at least briefly. Guess it shows just how much story they have to fit into this season.

( Episode Summary and Spoilers )

chavalah

If I thought the beginning of the last episode would destroy my fragile emotions, the end of this one came quite close to mounting a second attack. Anyone who has watched this hour knows just what this episode was named for (probably the biggest, most shocking reveal for we book fans), but in avoiding specific spoilers, I thought I’d talk a little bit about theme. Characters in this episode have a “door” to go through, choices to make. Sansa, reunited with Littlefinger, ponders her next political moves. Bran’s desire to gain knowledge on his own terms certainly has consequences. The Kingsmoot comes, and Theon either has to throw his weight behind his sister or make his own claim. Daenerys has to decide what to do with the twice-banished Jorah; Tyrion invites a controversial ally to spread his propaganda. And Arya—who is supposed to be no one—is confronted with the assignment to assassinate a decent person.

In lighter terms, some questions this episode ponders is—again, how the hell does Littlefinger move across Westeros so fast? Where will Euron find trees to fell for ships when he lives on an inhospitable rock? And who took the parental controls off of Bran’s remote control? :P

Regarding Sansa again, I know the showrunners want to focus on the fact that she’s still very much Littlefinger’s student. But that speech she gave about what it felt like to be sexually violated—I think that’s the most honest thing I’ve heard about rape on television. Considering the huge controversy of showing the rape last season, this seems to end it on a good note. What happened to Sansa turned out to be far more than just shock value.

( Episode summary and spoilers )

chavalah

A whole lot happened this episode, including a few walks through proverbial graveyards as the title suggests, being reborn into something new. But hands down, there’s no scene that moves me more than the family reunion at the beginning. Still got me a little feklempt during the re-watch.

This is also very much an episode about sisters—three sisters who act as the psychological support for their flailing brothers. Elsewhere, Cersei finally wins a victory and Dany …oh Dany. It’s a final scene that some fans might first find empowering, then disappointing. My own thoughts remain quite muddled. I respect what the showrunners were trying to do, but sometimes it’s a lot easier to consider the human moments, not the cosmic moments.

Which brings me back to that first scene…I thought for sure after the last episode, they were setting us up for yet another “just missed the reunion” scenario. But this wasn’t an episode for tiptoeing around story development—it was time to light things on fire. :P

( Episode summary and spoilers )

chavalah

Lots of retribution, or at least moving past old wrongs, in this episode. Even the dead are held accountable and I don’t mean the wights! I mean GoT's first big character, starring in a set piece that a segment of book fandom was surely drooling to see. Kind of ended prematurely, but yanno, we have to save some of the big reveals until later in the season. :P

No Sansa this episode, alas, but she was featured in the “previously on” segment where she’s talking with Littlefinger about something pertinent last season. Always staying relevant, girl! :D Meanwhile, as much of the fandom cheered for the end of a much maligned “villain,” I found someone even more worthy to despise. Grr. Thank goodness for often brutal deaths on this show. Sheesh, I should reign it in, shouldn’t I! Oy.

( Episode Summary and Spoilers )

chavalah

If I remember correctly, this was a little bit of a frustrating episode for fans. At least it has all of the attributes of a so-called frustrating episode, with minimal action and a much-anticipated development dragging on until the very end. I mean, when Saturday Night Live is gonna make fun of that scene in a fully fledged script, then. :P Other than that, the most “plotty” developments of this episode happened to people whom most would consider to be side characters. Otherwise, this hour has the feel of the storylines getting their ducks in a row.

I tend to enjoy these relationship-heavy episodes. Game of Thrones does character dialogue so well. There’s a compelling scene between Jaime and the High Sparrow, Tommen and Cersei, and Brienne and Sansa. And so many more, too! One of the big themes of this episode, of course, is that of “home”—people wanting to return somewhere or find somewhere that is comforting and safe. Regrets abound, and crises of faith. I wrote a ridiculously long personal rambling review of this when it first aired. Will try to keep it cleaner now.

But td;lr—the ending certainly brings a major storyline back on track and officially moves us past the final image in the published books. I find most of the other stuff more interesting.

( Episode Summary and Spoilers )

chavalah

Hello, hello! It may be later in the year than ever before, but we are ten weeks out from the start of season seven, so I’m back to recap season six! Winter is coming…or at least it was meant to come during the production schedule. :P

I’ll also be changing the content of my reviews slightly again. We’re predominately in uncharted waters here (uncharted by the published ASOIAF books, I mean,) so instead of just doing a “changes from page to screen” section, I’ll be highlighting (possible) reveals! Remember, not all of the show will map to canon, but we should be able to find some Easter eggs.

Speaking of reveals, this episode is named for one—the red woman! I’ll get to the specific shocker under the cut, but Mel isn’t doing too well in this episode, is she? In pretty quick order she lost two savior figures—first Stannis, now Jon. Difficult to keep faith in your faith that way.

Most of the women seem to be on a down note—except for the Dornish, but they suck on the show. :P Sansa is on the run from a tyrant. Daenerys and Arya have both suffered falls from grace—from conqueror queen to slave, and from assassin-in-training to blind beggar. And Cersei’s slow downfall from last season is only bound to get worse. Poor Margaery remains in chains.

The men are suffering, too—even the Dornish—but I think it’s fair to say, in this, an episode that’s named for a woman, that female autonomy or lack thereof, is a theme this season. Now I’ll shush before I give anything inappropriate away. :P

( Episode Summary and Spoilers )

chavalah

I am a relatively new presence in this fandom. “Game of Thrones,” the award-winning HBO drama, is based on a series of fantasy books (A Song of Ice and Fire) by George R. R. Martin. Though these volumes started getting published in the 1990s I, along with scores of other scifi/fantasy fans, got sucked in when it hit the small screen.

The show is known for its sweeping landscapes, compelling exposition, teasing magic, beautiful artistry, and a score of characters one better not fall in love with because bad things are near certain to happen to them. (My weak point is the Stark family. The poor, abused Stark family. :(( ) Loosely based on the Wars of the Roses, the series chronicles the political power-plays in a Medieval-based fantasy kingdom. Magic exists on the periphery, but is ever-so-slowly creeping into the main story.

“Game of Thrones” and its creators David Benoiff and D.B. Weiss are considered successful, both by the author who says they’re holding true to the source material (personally I'd say they're far from perfect, but they do cover some good stuff,) and their television and motion picture peers who have lauded their work and offered several award nominations and wins in acting, directing, writing, and much more. This fame is certainly not ill deserved, but like with “Harry Potter” and other adaptations, I would urge all tv fans to try the books, just to see how deep the rabbit hole goes in terms of deep character development and shocking plot twists. Or, at the very least, to avoid throwing large objects while screaming when certain events come to pass on the small screen. :-“ Note: my recaps will contain spoilers for both the tv adaptation and the books.

Though still in production, hopefully for many more years to come, “Game of Thrones” is what inspired me to open this community in the first place. In 2011 I wrote ten-page reviews of almost every episode, and with a little editing I am thrilled to show them off as HBO starts airing reruns. I hope you enjoy them, and remember, Winter is Coming!

( Season One )

( Season Two )

( Season Three )

( Season Four )

( Season Five )

( Season Six )

( Season Seven )

( Season Eight )

chavalah

In all honesty, I can’t remember when I started officially watching “Xena.” The sixth season is the only one I watched in real time. Seasons one-four I mostly got in syndicated reruns on The Sci Fi Channel. Season Five will largely be as new for me as for any newb! ;)

“Xena” was a spinoff born from a minor guest appearance by Lucy Lawless in “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.” Occasionally the two shows, both loosely set in ancient Greece, had joint episodes and plotlines, but “Xena” was more than capable of standing alone. The episodic atmosphere, particularly in the beginning, was very cheesy—sort of a slapstick comedy for martial arts, modern-life parodies, and a historical timeline that completely skewed into an alternate universe with how many important events, across centuries and continents, “Xena” played a part in. The show also heralded in the use of “musical episodes,” from “The Bitter Suite” in 1998 to “Lyre, Lyre, Hearts on Fire” a year later.

But beneath the cheese was a very compelling story—about a guilt-ridden warlord seeking redemption, her perky, blond sidekick on the brink of adulthood, and the life-altering bond that they create together. “Xena” was incredibly innovative in how it portrayed female issues—removing all men to secondary roles, it achieved what few other series have been able to, concerning the growth and relationships between women. As the show moved along, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle’s (Renee O’Connor) “friendship” was increasingly scrutinized in a sexual content, making the show iconic in lesbian and perhaps feminist circles. This “subtext” was increasingly alluded to in later seasons, and culminated in Xena and Gabrielle becoming bondafide “soul mates.” You can easily see from my icon where I stand on this issue. :P

Whatever you might think of Xena and Gabrielle’s life after dark, their true strength comes in the journey they take together—one character tainted by darkness, the other innocent and light—and the ways they help each other find a middle ground. Along the way they meet a cast of kooky and unforgettable characters—from the driven God of War Ares (Kevin Smith), vengeful Callisto (Hudson Leick), Amazon queen Ephiny (Danielle Cormack), ambitious Caesar (Karl Urban), and clumsy, lovable Joxer the Mighty (Ted Raimi) to name a very few. These folks help shape the story…and quite often, add to the laughs! :P

So I hope you come along with me, and enjoy the exploits of the warrior princess and the battling bard in these recaps. For more “Xena” news and fandom, you might want to check out FemPop's episode reviews or XenaCast, which was produced by

lavender_jane.

( Season One )

( Season Two )

( Season Three )

chavalah

I’ve been a fan of this show since the very beginning. I remember, one autumn night in 1999, turning on the tv to see what The Sci Fi Channel was airing (cos that’s just the kind of person I was in high school. :P) It was the night of “Premiere” and I was hooked. Farscape’s beginning chronicles astronaut John Cricthon (Ben Browder) getting “shot out” of a wormhole during a routine mission and coming face-to-face with a complex, multi-species alien society that is as bewildered by his existence as he is by theirs.

I distinctly remember getting swept into the sense of extreme discomfort as John accidentally kills a pilot during a space battle he stumbles in on, and then his module is brought aboard the vast, living ship Moya, who will become his home throughout the rest of the series. Partly due to the makeup jobs and partly due to incredible acting by D’argo (Anthony Simcoe) and Zhaan (Virginia Hey) and their angry bearing-down on hapless John, this world was just scary. I never had any problem accepting the “puppets” (more like animatronics) Rygel and Pilot either; to me, in the beginning, this made them even more alien and appropriately inaccessible. But the biggest feat was perhaps between John and Officer Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black,) because though she looked human she was not, and she pulled off the amazing feat of appearing alien as well (largely by kicking John’s ass. :P)

And finally, a huge shoutout to Ben Browder, our human protagonist, who made this world believable through his hapless reactions and famed “Crictonisms,” American cultural sayings that helped bind him to his new reality.

In all honesty, I probably didn’t get hooked on Farscape until second season. Those of you familiar with the show might recognize that Chiana (Gigi Edgley, first introduced in Episode 1.15 “Durka Returns”) is my favorite character. :P For me and several other fans, she was the missing piece that made the Moya crew feel whole. But I watched diligently from the start and was rewarded with an incredible journey, a journey of adventures, growth, nasty villains and surprising friends, love and family. I hope, as John Crichton says in the title sequence, you will use these recaps to “share the wonders I’ve seen.”

…this recap was inspired in large part by the ScapeCast’s new weekly segment, Scaper Chronicles. Check them out in coming weeks as they bring together veteran and newbie fans to discuss the series! For the J/A shippers out there, check out screen caps from all episodes on