TFCM20 - Valid Monday, November 30 for 20% off at TeeFury TFCT15 - Valid Tuesday, December 1 for 15% off TFCW10 - Valid Wednesday, December 2 for 10% off
TeeFury is having a sale for the next three days on everything! Well, almost everything. The daily t-shirts are excluded, but they're already at a very low price. Use the codes above to get 10% to 20% off all other tees, hoodies, posters, shoes or leggings that your heart desires. My heart has wanted a Doctor Who hoodie for a long time.
I've always loved hoodies, but I've always had them plain, no designs whatsoever, very boring. I have four in my closet right now. The cuffs on my little grey one are stretched out and no longer wash clean. The forest green one is very big and kind of blech. Yup, blech. Also, not very soft. And the maroon suddenly developed holes! That leaves only the black one that's actually in a condition I can wear in public and not have strangers come up to me and drop change in my cup.
So, I am going to get either 'All of Time and Space' or 'T4RD1S'. I think I tweeted both of them when they premiered as the daily tee, T4RD1S not that long ago. No idea why I didn't order it then, except maybe to save money. But now I'm buying them anyway. Not only that, but I have to get at least '12' as a tee so that I can wear Peter Capaldi on my chest...in a non-creepy way.
And since this is a Cyber Week sale, I must include some more can't miss Doctor Who designs from the fantastic Whovian Style Collection. There are plenty of other designs from innumerable TV series and movies, but I'm on a Doctor Who streak lately. In his first season, I thought Peter Capaldi was a great choice for the role, and he nailed being the Doctor. But his heartbreaking performances this season, along with the beautiful stories and writing, have gone far beyond that. And that's why I chose here a couple tees with Twelve on them, one or two of which I think I need to buy. Capaldi and Twelve will never be forgotten.
Did you hear Twelve's worry about losing people in The Girl Who Died or his conversation with The Woman Who Lived, whose heart he didn't know would rust if he saved her life and gave her back eternity? Did you see Capaldi's emotional anti-war speech in The Zygon Inversion and the impeccably acted goodbye between him and Jenna Coleman in Face the Raven? Did you experience the 4 billion years of the Doctor's loneliness and terror and confusion in Heaven Sent? If you haven't and you're not a Whovian, I suggest you start right here, right now.
It's really best, of course, to start at the beginning of new Who or the first episode of the actor you're most interested in. You can go classic Who if you want, but that's quite a committment. If the imagination, poignancy, and flawless acting of any of the episodes I mentioned can't get you interested then it may not be the right show for you. If that's the case, you can check out What's Trending or Shop All for something more your taste.
Doctor Who Face the Raven ~ The Consequences of Being Breakable Series 9, Episode 10 Review
11/28/2015
Sometimes what I write could be considered sort of a hybrid of review and recap, but more often it's like impassioned reactions to the best, most traumatizing moments. So, what you will see here today are a lot of words about basically one scene.
Spoilers from here on!
I knew "Face the Raven" was going to be a sad one; Peter Capaldi confirmed it, and I do assume that most episodes will have some emotionally piercing moment. But I thought Clara would face her end in the finale, which is usually when a series would decide to off a main character or leave on a cliffhanger for the next season. I was quite sure I would need a few tissues. I was certain beyond all doubt that this departure would stick with me. If my experience with Doctor Who has taught me nothing else, it has taught me to expect change and brilliant heartache and to accept and embrace them.
It's inevitable that every companion and every Doctor leaves, so you might think it would get easier. But the writers and actors are relentless when it comes to wringing every last drop of emotion from a moment. You think you can prepare, and then they do something like this, something that was somehow even more poignant than expected, because they did the unimaginable: neutralized the Doctor and gave Clara no way out.
Clara, there's nothing special about me. I am nothing, but I'm less breakable than you! I should have taken better care of you.
"Face the Raven" was amazing. Haunting and beautiful and devastating. Ashildr - now going by Mayor Me - set a trap for the Doctor, a trap that works all too well. She knows he cares so much for others that he will always put himself in harm's way for them. Ashildr counted on the Doctor's selflessness, to do what he always does, to save people even when he knows something is up. She needed to exchange the Doctor for protection for her people. So, she tricked Rigsy, last seen in "Flatline," into thinking he killed a woman, which is a crime punishable by death by Quantum Shade, which takes on the form of a raven and destroys from the inside. Of course Rigsy didn't hurt anyone, so his memory had to be altered. A countdown tattoo was placed on his neck to draw the Doctor into the mystery and eventually to get the Doctor to use a TARDIS key to free the supposedly dead woman, trapping himself with a teleport bracelet in the process.
Though Ashildr's plan was elaborate, the outcome should have been simple: the Doctor would sacrifice himself, and Rigsy's countdown would be stopped. But Clara did something Ashildr never imagined and she was genuinely shocked by. Clara thought she had it all worked out, that the raven wouldn't come for her because she was under the protection of Ashildr, who had given the Doctor her promise that Clara would be safe. But taking Rigsy's fate upon herself broke the contract, and the raven could not be stopped by Ashildr or the Doctor, leading to another scene that will always be remembered as one of Doctor Who's most poignant.
You don't be a warrior. Promise me. Be a doctor.
What's the point of being a doctor if I can't cure you?
Heal yourself. You have to. You can't let this turn you into a monster.
It was the saddest goodbye ever, because they actually got to stand there and say goodbye. The dawning realization on his face that he really was losing her, saying that this wasn't happening, was unbearable. Then Clara ordered the Doctor to not seek revenge, lovingly touched his face, and he gently kissed her hand for the last time. And the raven cried out. If your eyes were dry throughout this, or if you felt nothing else, then you might be dead inside.
This is another episode that will stick with me forever. No matter how it happened, it would have been sad, even had Clara just left, which would be wildly out of character, or been lost to time and space. I had hoped for an ending where she could live on. Instead it was the most devastating it could get, especially considering her life has ended before...in other times, before we and the Doctor knew her. I dreaded that happening again, but it seems inevitable it had to happen this way. It was just such an awful moment knowing Clara was about to do something that would lead to her death. An even more awful moment when the Doctor understood that this time he could do nothing. After all he's done, nothing could be done. With all his knowledge and brilliance and luck, he was powerless to save his best friend, his Impossible Girl.
You will not insult my memory. There will be no revenge. I will die and no one else here or anywhere will suffer.
What about me?
If there was something I could do about that, I would. I guess we're both just gonna have to be brave.
Oh my God, Capaldi's eyes and face in this scene, especially the sadness in his voice when he says, "What about me?" Ouch. His entire body language is spot on. He's slightly trembling with a grief that's about to overwhelm him, not able to do anything else but accept the inevitable, hardly able to look at Clara, trying not to break down. Could Capaldi be any more unerringly brilliant?
I love this scene for being exactly what I had hoped it would be, that Clara would make the Doctor promise that, through his pain, he would change not for the worse but for the better, that he wouldn't be out for blood. A scary, emotionally raw Doctor is an amazing one, but so is a forgiving and kind one. Either way, his hearts will still be broken, but he can choose whether that will make him less willing or more willing to let people in.
I loved this scene for being the the one where the Doctor needed a hug the most and, as at the end of The Zygon Inversion, didn't shy away from it. I loved this scene for being equal to his war speech in terms of the beauty and truth of the emotion, but surpassing it because the crisis could not be averted, only faced with bravery. I loved this scene for Clara's farewell to the clever boy who will want to run from his emotions but will forever remember her. It was terrible and beautiful and delicately handled.
And this is all okay. Everybody knows that everybody dies. Unfortunately, this wasn't one of those days in a million where everybody lived. Clara will be missed deeply. Her character grew and grew until she was indispensible. She saved the Doctor on numerous occasions throughout his existence as a time meddler. She was fun and funny. Coleman played her so well and was eminently likable. I can't say they should have given her a nicer end. Acting and thinking like the Doctor was always going to get her into trouble she couldn't get out of. Clara was so important to the Doctor that he would have found a way to keep her by his side if it were possible, so a death impossible to run from was the only way that was genuine for her to go, and it gave us one of the greatest gut-wrenching moments ever in the series.
This is as brave as I know how to be. I know it's gonna hurt you, but, please, be a little proud of me... Goodbye, Doctor.
If you're distraught (or even a little miffed) and don't understand how they could possibly do something like this to you, Doctor Who is a story about change and loss as much as it is about imagination and adventure. Without the pain, or the threat of it, how could you appreciate the good? Clara was always going to leave and she wouldn't have done so willingly. I'll let Capaldi and Moffat explain why Clara faced the raven.
That sorrowful music was just perfect. Did you hear the emotion in Capaldi's voice? He didn't expect her to die. Aww.
It is in keeping with the character that Clara would only stop running with the Doctor if she could no longer physically do so. The series wouldn't compromise its integrity by taking the easy way out and have Clara suddenly be who she isn't just for a happier ending. This will resonante with the Doctor for a long time to come, and I hope he heeds her words! If not immediately, because of his pain, then eventually, honoring her memory by being better. One thing's for sure, this will be one of the most memorable, remarkably acted and emotional moments ever in the entire series. And I can't say I would ever want to change it if I could to make the fans not feel these emotions. It's better with them than without.
The final two episodes, "Heaven Sent" and "Hell Bent," will let us delve even deeper into the hearts of The Doctor as he deals with yet another loss, and one so very personal. He could do nothing but impotently threaten Ashilr as Clara told him to stop. He could only stand there once he realized there was no going back, no way around it, no controlling what was coming, no negotiation, no talking his way out. He could only stand there with tears in his red eyes as Clara hugged him in the most beautiful embrace they've ever had, as she told him to not seek revenge, to not become a monster and taint her memory. And now the Doctor faces his emotions alone.
It was all quite intense and I wouldn't want it any other way. If a drama doesn't make me cry and feel for the characters then it's completely wasted my time. Doctor Who has never wasted my time.
To cheer you up after that depressing episode, just watch this blooper.
I would love to see Peter and Jenna working together again.
Just the sweetest words.
Listen to the Nerdist podcast if you need support. Someone tweeted that it was cathartic, like an episode of The Talking Dead. I haven't had the chance yet because of work this week and distractions and Thanksgiving and trying to finish this post before the new episode. Speaking of new episode...
Where to Watch
"Heaven Sent" will be on BBC America this Saturday night at 9 PM Eastern. "Face the Raven" and previous episodes are available on Amazon and various other places, like iTunes, or streaming on AMC.com and BBC America's OnDemand cable and satellite channel. For more options, please see BBCAmerica.com.
The Doctor and Clara, with their old friend Rigsy, find themselves in a magical alien world, hidden on a street in the heart of London. Price: $1.99 SD, $2.99 HD Runtime: 46 minutes Air Date: November 21, 2015
Doctor Who Heaven Sent Series 9, Episode 11 Preview
11/25/2015
"Spoilers!" If you haven't seen "Face the Raven," do that first and then come back.
If you think because she's dead I am weak, then you understand very little. If you were any part of killing her and you're not afraid, then you understand nothing at all.
Wow, what a scene. This series has so many quotable moments that have emotional resonance.
I promised myself that I would get everything done that I needed to today. Then, of course, the BBC released a preview of the penultimate episode of this undoubtedly fascinating season of Doctor Who that's been overflowing with tremendously beautiful acting and writing. "Heaven Sent" picks up where "Face the Raven" ended, after one of the saddest character deaths ever on television, let alone Doctor Who. We will never be the same, and it will surely be very hard on the Doctor. Not only does he have to deal with the loss of Clara, but at the same time he has been kidnapped/taken prisoner by someone or something called the Veil.
Thanks a lot, Ashildr. Bet the Doctor's not too happy he saved her anymore. But remember, Ashildr never wanted anyone to get hurt. She offered up the Doctor in exchange for her own people's safety, and she did not count on Clara taking on someone else's burden. It's just an unfortunate thing that Clara was so gung-ho about being more like the Doctor and such a good person that she would risk her life for someone else the way she did, ignoring her own mortality because she was sure the Doctor could find a way out. Ashildr never wanted Clara to get hurt, and so I blame her, but I don't hate her. And you can't hate Maisie Williams! She's been brilliant.
It's a sad fact that companions never get to stick around for too long, and it's terrible Clara's fate was to die, but her goodbye was a perfect scene and her death will give some more incredible material for Capaldi moving forward. And we start moving forward by keeping the Doctor in one place, to face his loss instead of trying to run from it. From the images I saw the other day, it looks like he'll be emotionally and psychologically tortured while in the Veil's company or under his/her/its influence or control. And the Doctor's having none of it. He's kind of in a bad mood at the moment. I'm going to really enjoy watching Peter Capaldi give another top-notch performance.
After these pics and videos, these next few days of waiting for this episode are going to feel like weeks.
Where to Watch
Heaven Sent will be on BBC America this Saturday night at 9 PM Eastern. Previous episodes are available on Amazon and various other places, like iTunes, or streaming on AMC.com and BBC America's OnDemand cable channel. For more options, please see BBCAmerica.com.
The Doctor and Clara, with their old friend Rigsy, find themselves in a magical alien world, hidden on a street in the heart of London. Price: $1.99 SD, $2.99 HD Runtime: 46 minutes Air Date: November 21, 2015
Doctor Who Face the Raven Will Bring Another Sad Goodbye Series 9, Episode 10 Preview
11/20/2015
Let me be brave. Let me be brave.
Once again I have lost sleep over this series and the episode hasn't even aired. Here it is, folks. We have come to the end of Clara Oswald. I'd much rather it was a joke or something she could come back from in the future for at least a brief time, but that's highly unlikely, I would think. I had hoped Jenna Coleman would finish out this season of 12 episodes, but Capaldi confirmed that "Face the Raven" will be her last. It will be followed up by "Heaven Sent" and "Hell Bent." Those are two intriguing titles. Obvious that it's another two-parter. I love those. Even though there's an overall arc to the season, as usual, and this is a series where characters grow and past events influence the future (or even vice versa), I do adore stories that take longer to resolve and delve deeper.
I wonder who or what is Heaven sent. Will it be the Doctor who is Hell bent? On revenge? On trying to get Clara back? He won't succeed if that's the case, so that's a devastating scenario right there. It's always sad to see a great companion go, and I keep reading that it certainly is not a happy time, but you only have to look at their eyes in the trailer to see how devastating it will be for both Clara and the Doctor. Whatever happens, I wouldn't be surprised if it matched the series high point of Twelve's ardent speech about war, which happened quite recently in "The Zygon Inversion." Can I dare hope that this mostly excellent season have another episode to remember? Bitter but still so sweet with the emotion that comes through from Capaldi and Coleman? Yes, I think I can.
Any time I think of ravens, I of course think of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven." So, even if this sure to be devastator has no hint of inspiration from or tribute to that Gothic poem, I'm sure I'll feel a tug forevermore whenever I read it, hear mention of it, or watch that Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episode. I'm not going to delve deeper in to any synopsis of the episode, because I'd like to go in as fresh as possible. I would rather have not even known which was Clara's exit, though I and everyone else knew for a long time that it was coming this season, but it just popped up in my Twitter notifications from @Superhero Feed yesterday afternoon and I just had to share a thought or two.
I don't doubt this will be a proper farewell for Clara. She was a highly enjoyable, smart, strong, capable companion, and I can't see the Doctor getting over her any time soon...or ever. She'll likely be mentioned now and then in passing for a while, then on down the road at random vulnerable moments for this Doctor or even the next. Theirs is a deep friendship, one that was strengthened immeasurably when Clara lost Danny, and she was so desperate to get him back she threatened the Doctor outright rather than take the chance that he would refuse. She didn't know if she could trust him to do something so massive for her, so outside the realm of possibility. She didn't really know his new incarnation at all, but Twelve cares for her so much that he forgave her betrayal without a second thought.
I can't see anything other than him being devastated by this, after everything they've been through together, and everything he's been though before, like when Amy and Rory were zapped to the past by Weeping Angels, when he had to wipe all of Donna's memories of him, when Rose was pulled into another dimension, and many other devastating things. He's lost everyone he's ever loved and that will only continue. Farewell to the Impossible Girl and I wish Jenna Coleman luck in her new role. If you'd like to say a few nice words, you can find her on Twitter, @Jenna_Coleman_.
Where to Watch
If you missed Sleep No More, The Zygon Inversion, or any other episode, you can buy them on Amazon and various other places, like iTunes, or stream them on AMC.com and BBC America's OnDemand cable channel. For more options, please see BBCAmerica.com. And don't forget to watch "Face the Raven" Saturday night at 9 PM Eastern.
P.S. Bring a box of tissues. We're losing a valued companion here, which would be a poignant enough moment on its own, but we also have to see the dawning realization on the Doctor's face and the brokenhearted aftermath of this parting of the ways, whether that be through distance or death. And this just after he finally started getting used to hugs, too.
Look at that smile. *swoon*
I hope this experience doesn't shut him down - not for too long anyway - but instead bolsters his insatiable love of life and makes him hold onto his relationships that much tighter. And not just the characters themselves. No matter how great they are, remember that these are two actual people that work closely together in intensely emotional scenes and seem also to have a lot of fun and enjoy each other, and now they're saying goodbye. The feelings and tears are always real and truly conveyed, because Capaldi and Coleman are consummate actors, but there will be an extra layer of palpable pain there.
Doctor Who The Zygon Inversion Series 9, Episode 8
11/08/2015
Beware Possible Spoilery Bits Ahead
Okay, what is up with all my favorite series being so incredible all at the same time? I have never written a blog post so quickly before. That's how much I loved, loved, loved this epsiode. And because of one scene, it will be absolutely unforgettable. It's hard to believe that was the eigth episode of Doctor Who already. I liked "The Zygon Inversion" more than "The Zygon Invasion," but I think that's been happening with all these two-parters. Usually it seems the most emotional moments come in the second half, while the first half is the set up. But they do set them up brilliantly, so then I take them as a whole.
I could probably write about this episode for days, but it's late. I need sleep. It's my Mom's birthday. Busy day ahead. So, I just wanted to leave you with the best speech I've ever heard on war or anything. The best speech the Doctor has ever had. The most beautifully acted and deeply felt speech I've seen. Peter Capaldi was so emotional. It's like he pulled his heart out and showed it to us. He was utterly invested in the scene and was incredibly affecting because of that. He needs to win an award for this.
And so does whoever wrote the speech. Both Peter Harness and Steven Moffat are credited. They did an amazing job, too, because without the words it would have just been Capaldi standing there, making faces, and throwing his arms about. That would have been more funny than gut-wrenching, a miming Doctor.
When you fire that first shot, no matter how right you feel, you have no idea who's going to die! You don't know who's children are going to scream and burn. How many hearts will be broken! How many lives shattered! How much blood will spill until everybody does what they were always going to have to do from the very beginning - SIT DOWN AND TALK!
And because it was so hard to choose one section of this to quote, here's a bit nearer the end. This is the moment that goes with the image I used. I'll have to replace that one when the episode is available, because I got it from my TV, so it doesn't look that great.
You're all the same, you screaming kids, you know that? 'Look at me. I'm unforgiveable.' Well, here's the unforeseeable. I forgive you.
After all you've done... I forgive you.
Again, hard to choose. Needed this part, too.
Do you call this a war, this funny little thing? This is not a war. I fought in a bigger war than you will ever know! I did worse things than you can ever imagine, and when I close my eyes...I hear more screams than anyone could ever be able to count!
Though Capaldi has been exceptional all along, this right here proves like nothing before that he absolutely deserves to be the Doctor, is the Doctor, and that there could have been no better choice in this time, for these stories. He just keeps proving himself and it culminated in a ten minute-long, desperate plea for two people on the brink of destruction, thinking they hold the destiny of billions in their hands, to think before they act, to realize what they are about to do, to understand that there are living beings on each side who have done nothing to deserve their fate. Just...WOW.
I adored the previous Doctors and so many other superb episodes, but if I had to choose one scene to show someone who had never seen the series, I think this would be it.
Oh, and Clara and Osgood were also in this episode. But Capaldi! Come on, he was spectacular. This may now be my favorite episode of the season, of Capaldi's run so far, and one of my all-time favorites. I guess I have to give you a little something about the ladies, though. They were both wonderful: Clara being able to control her Zygon doppelganger, Bonnie, while she was still asleep in a pod; and the lovely Osgood being a great companion while Clara was away. It's another beautiful bit of writing that Osgood kept saying she was herself, never revealing to the Doctor whether she was human or Zygon, and would keep that secret until it didn't matter anymore. And just love when an actor has to completely change their personality and play two, or more, people in the same scene. Terrific work by Jenna Coleman. Reminded me of Anna Torv in Fringe and Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black.
Tweets and More Quotes
Well, that's all the time I have. I'll leave you with my reactions and some more great quotes, all of which I actually tweeted.
What an amazing scene for Peter Capaldi. He couldn't have been better. I felt every emotionally charged word. #DoctorWho#TheZygonInversion
This series has way too many fantastic quotes to keep up with.
The Doctor: "Don't look at my browser history."
Osgood: "Whoa."
The Doctor: "Yeah, I said don't."
The Doctor: "London! What a dump." I really didn't expect that line.
The Doctor: "I'm dead now. And I think I might be a bit more dead in a minute."
The Doctor: "I'm over 2,000 years old. I'm old enough to be your messiah."
Bonnie: "We've been left to fend for ourselves."
The Doctor: "So has everyone."
The Doctor: "The only way anyone can live in peace is if they're prepared to forgive."
The Doctor: "I let Clara Oswald get inside my head. Trust me. She doesn't leave."
[Edit] Oops, forgot this one! Don't know how. It's one of those quiet, poignant moments that fits a universe of feeling and character into a small package.
Clara: So, you must have thought I was dead for a while.
The Doctor: Yeah.
Clara: How was that?
The Doctor: Longest month of my life.
Clara: Could only have been five minutes.
The Doctor: I'll be the judge of time.
Oh, the moment where he paused before he said that last was so full of pain. And if I could never watch anything else until the end of time but for the Doctor saying "yeah" then I could console myself knowing that just that one word conveyed so much.
[Update, 11/8/15] I rewatched the war speech scene the next morning. Remember how I said that would have to be what I would show to someone who hadn't seen the series? There have been countless scenes that could do the job, but this now is the definitive moment of who the Doctor is, a lengthy and intense bit of brilliance, and it worked. I don't know if my brother will ever get a chance to start Doctor Who. He's seen bits of episodes here and there, but he picks his shows carefully since he has little enough time to watch what he already does. Work and chores just demand too much. This new season he's already 6 weeks behind on everything and that includes Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and The Walking Dead! But my brother stood quietly in the doorway for the entire ten minutes that Capaldi was pouring his heart out into this performance. It was like a miracle. So, good news; if you have someone in your life who's on the fence about trying Doctor Who, they won't be anymore after this.
[Update, 11/14/15] So, I had a bit more to say when I went to
Pinterest...
Peter Capaldi was sheer brilliance in #DoctorWho's The Zygon Inversion. He gave us all of his heart for ten uninterrupted, emotionally-piercing minutes. This is the scene to play for the uninitiated if they only think they might want to watch the series eventually, some day, when they have nothing else to watch. This is the scene to sneak attack with, to play louder than normal, so the person you've been wanting for years to start watching this beautifully imaginative and poignant series will stop in the doorway and quietly stand there, no joking around or commenting, for the entire scene. This is a scene where you just stare enrapt, wrapped in tension, stilled by the raw emotion, stunned at the power of the impassioned words that are truth without being preachy, as Doctor Who does so well, so often. To be able to think about those words and Capaldi's indelible performance over and over again for the rest of my life will be a privilege. If one of you gets the chance to meet Capaldi, please give him a hug from all of his fans...especially me. ;-) But only if it's appropriate, of course.
Missed the Episode?
Did you miss this episode or want to see it again? I will no doubt, 100 percent be rewatching this as soon as I can. If you feel the same, you can buy The Zygon Inversion on Amazon. The Zygon Invasion and the previous 6 episodes and seasons 1 through 8 are also available. And don't forget, it's on BBC America on Saturdays at 9 PM Eastern and their OnDemand channel soon after. For some reason AMC.com also has new episodes the Monday after they air. They seem to keep only two new episodes at once, plus some from the previous season, so they disappear quickly. I'm not sure if AMC's cable channel actually airs the series. BBCAmerica.com has more links where you can watch.
And if you haven't seen the episode, I don't know why you kept reading after the spoiler warning, but here's a trailer and a preview. Now please go watch it.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Among Us Hide... Season 3, Episode 6 Podcast with Clark Gregg
11/07/2015
Well, that was a fantastic episode with a reveal I never saw coming. It was astonishing and I can't wait to see how it affects everyone and plays out in the rest of the season. I'd like to say more, but it's the weekend and there's so much to do. Instead, I have Marvel's own podcast here, which is actually less about this milestone 50th episode than it is about the inception and culmination of everyone's hard work. Clark Gregg, Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed and Joss Whedon, and Jeffs Bell and Loeb contribute. One of the Jeffs said, "It was love," about working with people like Maurissa and Jed. Love - of storytelling, of television, of characters and the real people who create them, of the fans - is often the driving force behind all my favorite shows and it's nice when those involved confirm that.
When you have a number one who every day comes to set and every day is excited and thrilled and brings, after 50 episodes, the same enthusiasm that he brought to the pilot, it's kind of impossible for everybody to not only just behave but to bring their A game. And that's on Clark.
So, here you go. Enjoy. This is one of my favorite interviews ever, especially when Clark says that Ward is heartbroken and searching for a place to belong. I understand that, even if he has gone off the deep end of evil. It's commendable that this series doesn't just have one-note cartoon villains, but human beings who have a soemtimes somewhat sympathetic reason for the terrible things they do. Makes me wonder if they'll make me feel for Lash. Of particular interest was learning how the others reacted in real life when they learned that Ward turned.
I had no idea that Marvel had podcasts. I currently listen to three podcasts and I'm actually subscribed to seven of them. Two are about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and it looks like I'll be adding this one! Yes, that's how wonderful the series is. It's beautifully acted and beautifully written. It's so good, in fact, that a few times I have even shared thoughts with Marvelverse Podcast. I think the only time I ever contributed to or participated in someone else's project, in some tiny way, was during the final season of Fringe.
There are a couple other podcasts I love, like Twin Peaks Unwrapped, and some random ones I haven't even listened to yet. Also, somehow I completely forgot there are Doctor Who podcasts! And until today I didn't even think of looking for Supernatural or The Blacklist or The Walking Dead. Silly me. Silly busy, distracted me. But that's way too much to keep up with when I still have a number of series to catch up on. I wish I had a Time Turner.
Oh yeah, then there are the multitude of interviews, both video and print, that I don't get to very often. It'll happen every couple of months that I'll suddenly be obsessed with an episode or an actor and spend all day and night finding interviews. It's exhausting. One day I really want to put together a page of all the best interviews.
Missed the episode?
If you missed "Among Us Hide..." you can see it again on Hulu for the next few weeks or you can use the link below to buy it on Amazon.
My life has been crazy as of late, so I won't be able to find the extra hours that I would love to have to praise this episode in a review. But I sure wish I could. "4,722 Hours" is on par with game-changers such as "Turn, Turn, Turn," "The Magical Place," "What They Become," and "S.O.S." Just about any episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has a reason to recommend it, but this one has a uniqueness all its own. In eternal blue dusk tones and a feeling of hopefulness that slowly, and then all at once, gets eaten away, it is certainly one of the most memorable.
At the start of this flashback episode, we already knew Jemma was saved, yet that didn't lessen the impact of her ordeal. Watching her figure out how to survive on a desolate alien world was an emotional experience, as she clung to the idea of getting home to Fitz so they could have their date, holding onto hope as the hours turned to days and the days to months. And then her only chance to get home was taken away by an evil in the desert that apparently loves a game of cat and mouse, that can manipulate minds and possibly geography.
This outcome was all the more beautifully despairing because of everything Fitz went through for Simmons and how much they mean to each other. He had already sacrificed himself so she could make it to the surface of the ocean when Ward had left them for dead in the first season. Fitz's confession of love just before his sacrifice and resulting brain damage was too much for Simmons and she avoided those feelings by avoiding him. But finally they found a way back to each other, knowing they're better together. Then Simmons disappeared and Fitz spent six months obsessively and desperately seeking answers.
Yeah, these two have been through some stuff. And this episode introduced quite a big new wrinkle in that relationship in the form of the one person to survive this place: Will, a lonely astronaut who had been there for 14 years, who watched his team go mad. When the shadow in the raging sands got its way, as Will knew it would, Jemma finally gave up and resigned herself to this fate.
Nooooo! But also, Yeeeees! Because it was gently handled in a natural, believable progression, and I'm sure it will lead to more gut-wrenching scenes in this fantastic series. When we learned Jemma needed to go back, did anyone doubt that it was because she had to save someone? People had been taken by the monolith before and that would be the only reason someone would want to go back into hell.
Some may wonder why I would love moments like that, moments of tragedy. The answer is simple; the feeling is not. Those moments have emotional resonance and make the hopeful eventual triumph all the better and more complicated. If nothing bad ever happens to a character then you can't really connect to them on a deeper level, won't truly care. What's the point in watching a drama without any drama? I want characters who I would fight for, who I would want to protect, who I couldn't bear to lose. If there are no stakes then there is little substance, little change to give characters the opportunity to grow.
So, I'm all for whatever direction the series wants to go, because I realize it is all in service to the story and characters, and it will be more satisfying in the end wherever they end up. I have complete faith in this show, these actors, these writers, and the stories they tell. Since very early on, it's been clear that characters matter first and foremost and emotion is front and center.
Speaking of emotion, how amazing is Fitz? This scene revealed just how good a guy he is, just how much he loves Jemma, when he selflessly decides he has to help her save Will. Did anyone believe that he was mad at Jemma for telling him what happed, for revealing to him that she fell in love with someone else? I don't even know yet if it's really love driving her need or if it's friendship and loyalty. Jemma thought she would never get home and had to make the best of her situation or fall victim to depression. But there was no way she could feel good about being home if the person who helped her survive was still stranded. Though this situation broke Fitz's heart, he will do anything for Simmons. As long as she's alive, they will always have a chance to be together.
This superb episode also showcased the strength of not only Jemma Simmons, but also Elizabeth Henstridge's talent. It proved that a single character, besides the one the series was made for, can easily carry an entire episode. This has been done similarly with "Melinda," where we learn the origin of May's despised nickname of "The Cavalry," but this episode did away with all other characters, introduced a new one, set it in the most remote and desolate place, and made it so intriguing that I wanted more rather than wishing it would end and get back to normal. In fact, I'm sure I would watch a spin-off, Simmons Vs. The Evil Planet...or even Simmons Dictates to Her Phone.
If you missed the episode or want to watch it again, you can do that on Hulu or ABC.com for the next five weeks or so. You can also buy it on iTunes or Amazon. I suggest Amazon because, as an affiliate, it helps to keep the site going and I would really appreciate it. And don't forget to listen to the Marvelverse Podcast.
Until the series ends, I'll always be behind adding to this playlist. I had to stop for quite a while, so there's a big gap. Still, there are 170 songs to enjoy.
This is the essence of The Blacklist. Probably my favorite is Disturbed's cover of "Sound of Silence." The scene it played over was one of the most devastating ever in the series.
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, or any other episode, you can buy them on Amazon and various other places, like iTunes, or stream them on AMC.com and BBC America's OnDemand cable channel. For more options, please see BBCAmerica.com. And don't forget to watch "Face the Raven" Saturday night at 9 PM Eastern.
[Update, 11/14/15] So, I had a bit more to say when I went to
on Amazon. 
and the previous 6 episodes and seasons 1 through 8 are also available. And don't forget, it's on BBC America on Saturdays at 9 PM Eastern and their OnDemand channel soon after. For some reason AMC.com also has new episodes the Monday after they air. They seem to keep only two new episodes at once, plus some from the previous season, so they disappear quickly. I'm not sure if AMC's cable channel actually airs the series. BBCAmerica.com has more links where you can watch.
