Every star in the sky, we were going to see them all. But he was too busy burning them." It's amazing that for an entire season, Steven Moffat has been building up an entire relationship between the Doctor and his very old friend, the Master. With the piano in Knock Knock, the game of hot and cold in The Lie of the Land and playing the music in The Eaters of Light, Missy has slowly accumulated a mountain of empathy in which the Doctor hopes she will become more like him - caring and thoughtful. World Enough and Time is essentially the final test, in which he puts her in a situation he often finds himself to monitor her method and oversee her change. Unfortunately, this is sidelined by what turns out to be one of the most life-changing experiences for Bill.
In general, the episode is steadfast in a dark and intense scenario. After Jorj shoots Bill right through her body, she is taken by a group of masked men to the lower levels of the ship, further away from the black hole. There, she spends most of her life with an odd friend, living out her life while watching the Doctor painfully slowly reach a conclusion on the top floor and finally decide to take the lift down the ship. Meanwhile, she's surrounded by a society of people who are gradually dying in the fumes of the ship's engine. This opens a gateway to one of the darkest moments possibly in Doctor Who history - a masked patient persistently pressing a "Pain" button, followed by another pressing a "Kill. Me" button. From what we know of the Cyberman as avid Who fans, this is a element of the Cybermen that has not been explored so rigorously. Emotions have been discussed before, but never with this much depth - Steven Moffat has reminded us how horrific the conversion process is and how distressing it is for the converted. Michelle Gomez is excellent in this episode, first-off giving us some wonderful antics on the top floor as she attempts to impose herself with the same air as the Doctor. The constant mentioning of "Doctor Who?" and the in-jokes are brilliant, reminding us that this season has been about questioning the show and revisiting its earlier elements. But, as the episode goes on, whilst Missy continues to show her more relaxed and Mary-Poppins-mad-type self, she is slowly discovering a revelation. This revelation comes from the odd man who has only just tricked Bill into the conversion room where she is tragically transformed. This man turns out to be the previous incarnation of the Master - not so much an unpredictable reveal, but a satisfying one, but it raises the question of how Missy can't remember that she's been here before. The Doctor and Nardole take a backseat in this story as the highlight is on Bill and Missy, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they're not important. Nardole may ironically be lumbered with being the comic relief, but his shock at seeing the Cybermen in the final moments and the old Master is defining moment for him as he's effectively been the Doctor's right-hand man in the entire unfolding events. The Doctor, however, has been quietly leading. Obviously, on one hand he's attempting to change Missy' penchant for violence, but at the same time, he wants to keep his friends safe. That's what makes Bill's role so tragic - here's another companion who has believed in the Doctor and seen him as all-knowing and invincible, but has fallen prey to the environment around him. On top of the fact that the opening sequences promises this to be the Twelfth Doctor's end incoming, we can't help feel that Peter Capaldi will be terribly missed. He truly is one of the Doctors, and one who has demonstrated great skill in portraying a darker, more subdued version of that wonderful Time Lord. Even with all the 'wham-bam' elements of this stunning episode, there's still some hidden gems in between. The Doctor's conversation with Bill on the bench above the university is lovely, and gives us a tender moment of nostalgia for the Doctor as he recalls his time with the Master in the Academy. We also get a chance to learn a bit about physics as the Doctor explains how gravity affects different points in space around a black hole. It's a fascinating concept, and as a physicist myself, I can say that it is one of the more beautiful phenomena the Universe has to offer. Doctor Who may have dumbed it down for entertainment purposes, but the idea is still the same - it really is a matter of time, and it will play with you with the utmost disregard. Also another strong element of the episode was the music. Murray Gold took the chance not only to recreate some melodies from the past (including the tune from The Last of the Time Lords), but to create something new and frightening for that scary hospital. My only gripe is that the BBC decided to reveal everything before the episode aired. We knew about the Cybermen returning, we knew about John Simm's master returning and we knew about the Black hole and the ship. The only proper revelation was Bill Potts conversion, which was shocking enough in itself. But I won't dock marks for that, because Steven Moffat has carefully and methodically crafted a tense episode that slowly but surely unfolds before your eyes as an episode with a great stature in Doctor Who history. Thankfully, next week, it doesn't seem like anything has been revealed, and hopefully we'll get to see it with a clean slate and great expectations. I can honestly say, this is Doctor Who at its very best and television at its very best. This is one of the best episodes of 2017 so far. 10/10
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Open a fire door and there's another fire." Fargo has never seemed so cynical before, but Season 3 is an example of a series that both doesn't take itself seriously, but has the capacity to teach you a few lessons along the way. Within the spectrum of all its characters, there are numerous examples of the facets of life, each defining a different aspect. It is this wide spectrum that has always marked the series as being superior to others - it likes to question everything, and ignore nothing. Written by Noah Hawley, the finale is tipped in heavy symbolism, but the subtlety is the masterstroke.
The episode was well-directed - everything from the tension-filled assault to the landscape shot of both Swango and the police officer lying dead on the highway. Keith Gordon paints a gruelling, if beautiful, picture of the world of Fargo in fine detail. Despite almost being immune to the events of Hawley's show, Gordon manages to make us question everything with some unsuspecting direction, and that closing shot of the clock is just the right closure the season needed. In terms of the events that happened - this was a bloody instalment. Perhaps not as violent and emotive as the second season, but this season takes the biscuit for the decisions of its characters, and the ultimate consequences that arise. Last week sought to give us a sum-up of all the weird and wonderful things that have happened so far, but this week sought to complete them. Swango and Mr. Wrench turned into a formidable double-team as they quickly dispatched Varga's henchmen with barely a scratch. But, whilst Mr. Wrench has always shown a stubborn professionalism in the way he executes his mission, Swango is new to the game. On top of that, she's driven by the urge to avenge. This inadvertently leads to her demise as she becomes so confident that she believes that she's invincible to the harsh world. That was her final chance. Interestingly, Emmit, who has suffered a lot for barely any catalyst whatsoever, manages to survive everything, and even gets five years of respite to regenerate himself from the entire ordeal of Varga and the demise of his company. But the past still came to kill him, better late than never. Mr. Wrench's decision, I think, comes from his respect for Swango, whom he worked well with during their brief partnership. Anyhow, Emmit seems to me to be the most fascinating characters, seeing as he probably the most vulnerable target in all the events. He was outsmarted by everyone, and yet he came out of his hidey-hole five years later, ready to depart. Varga managed a lot in the illegal dealings he made with Emmit - the twist involving Goldfarb was actually quite shocking, and tied-up the whole money-laundering scheme well. But, it was most interesting to see Varga, the lone wolf, scared for a brief moment as he was trapped between death. A man so caught up in his riddles and money-magic that he forgot the one thing that's certain in life - death. And, despite years of trying to finish her mission, Gloria finally got her hands on him, the elusive catalyst in the entire affair that started with the death of her stepfather. Whoever wins the future prediction, Gloria is content at the fact that she knows everything - through thick and thin and through all the deception, she has finally connected the dots. That's the most satisfactory payoff of the season. A nuanced series, with a thousand messages embedded within the minds of every character, Fargo continues to be a defining television series in the new age of filmmaking. With its elaborate tales, twisted nightmares and unsavoury personae, Hawley has created a masterpiece on camera that will forever be remembered for its originality. Apart from a few shows that have affected me more (but they'r minimum), Fargo is one of the best things ever made. 9.5/10 Season 3: 9/10 To Kill a Mockingbird." In an episode that is pretty much summing up all the consequences of a fairly busy season, Lantern proves that sometimes a quieter finale is the better version. There's a heavy air of justice hanging over everyone this week as big decisions are made that have the capacity to change things forever. One fateful decision will no doubt have catastrophic repercussions, but less look at these conclusions as a whole.
Following Kim's accident last week, our hard-working lawyer has suddenly had a change of heart as she decides to put her own health before her job for once. But, of course, postponing all her meetings and arrangements means that her and Jimmy's office is in danger as they are forced to move out for the time being until they can both get back on track. Francesca has been a brilliant asset for the both of them - diligent and unperturbed by the high octane personalities of her employers. Seeing the "KW" in the final shot of the office was a great way to sign off their concurrent and now former partnership in law. Plus, the mention of To Kill a Mockingbird being Kim's favourite film was a nice touch and you can easily see the origin of her kindness. Jimmy has had a rather unsteady season, first under the spotlight after being accused of meddling by his brother, then losing his license following a bitter trial and now obligated to reveal his ministrations in getting the Sandpiper deal completed. It's quite incredible to see him simply toss away his trust with the Sandpiper residents so easily, but it redeems his character somewhat in that he attempts to rival what Chuck accused of - hurting people. Here he is now, looking after Kim and taking a clean slate. Nacho's life took a turn for the worst, but was then given hope as Don Hector fell during a confrontation with Don Eladio's compadre. I was anxious to see how long it would take for the poison to kick-in before Salamanca caused more irreparable harm to Nacho's relationship with his father, but thankfully, that possible damage has been cut short. You can start to see the pathways opening to the eventual state Hector's in during Breaking Bad. It was interesting to see Fring so easily connect Nacho to Hector's fall in that final short as the original pills are given to the paramedic for examination in hospital. The biggest development of the night, I think we can all agree, is Chuck. Here's a man who's had it worse than anyone else this season - especially in light of Jimmy's trial. Mentally wounded, he's still attempting to live within the confines of electromagnetism, but things start spiralling out of control. The first scene involving his meeting with Howard at HHM becomes far more meaningful when you look back after that final scene. The fact that Howard and all the employees of the company he helped build clap him out of the building is a powerful moments that ushers in Chuck's demise. Peter Gould uses a touch of his mastery in directing the scenes in Chuck's house, depicting its dismantling by showing us the devastation as Chuck desperately tries to find the source of the electricity still in use. All the walls and insulation that have been torn away, and all the debris scattered across the floor. The house is a living symbolic representation of Chuck's internal makeup. Here is a man peeling away from reality after bravely trying to fight his psychological condition - but unfortunately he's failed. That final scene is possibly the most powerful imagery Saul has given us yet - a good, old-fashioned flame of a lantern burning through the house. The denouement of the season may seem anti-climactic, but it's the mark of good writers that they can create these rich characters and have the audience understand every aspect of their lives to the point where we know them inside out. I've docked marks for not including Mike in the extravaganza, but this is still a masterful episode filled with shock and instability. If my predictions are right, Season 4 will be the penultimate season as Gilligan and Gould setup another five seasons that will hopefully tie in perfectly with Breaking Bad. Above all, this is an astounding series - some may criticise it for being slow - but it is the fact that it is patient with its content that makes it so aesthetically pleasing. Every moment is savoured, and every character is explored. Better Call Saul is one of the best of the year. 9/10 Season 3: 8.5/10 Another artist I've never listened to before have released a new album recently. From the very first track, you can tell that there's a lot of room for improvement. Perhaps influenced too much from other artists, Royal Blood have relied too much on mimicking. They are clearly skilled musicians, but the tune, beat and riffs are unoriginal and lack depth. Light Out follows the same pattern by introducing us to a slower rhythm, but some annoying backing vocals and an uninspired chorus that gets more and more jarring. There's some decent drumming, but the familiarity is overwhelming and undermines their entire aim.
I Only Lie When I Love You demonstrates more individuality. It coulda actually be a very good track to dance to, concentrating more on making a decent song rather than pandering to the masses. The guitar playing may be a bit cranky, but it has enough variety to be intriguing. The only problem I find is that the singing is very monotone. She's Creeping falls in that same trap, meaning that I'm already put off by the unattractive vocals - it's lazy and lacklustre to say the least. Look Like You Know is an attempt to shake things up, and it does show a different angle to the music. The drumming is a strength, and the vocals at least find some new notes to hit. This gives me a chance to listen to the lyrics, which may still seem amateurish, they actually have a lot of meaning. The middle of the song takes a lot from Muse, but it improves the song no end - especially the bass guitar, that really goes well with the drums. Where Are You Now? and Don't Tell go back to the boring basics, which is disappointing, seeing as I was starting to see some light in the shoddy darkness. Don't Tell may have a heavy bass-line, it struggles to do anything with it, replaying the same over and over again. Apart from the repeated opening sequence, this song is generally ridiculous - the music is ruined once again by the vocals, because the guitar riffs have a lot going for them. If you like, heavy blues-rock, this will probably the most appealing track, but don't expect anything incredibly groundbreaking, because we've definitely heard it all before. On the other hand, Hole in Your Heart shows that there's still life in this album. It's probably the best track on the album, simply because it takes a risk and does something a little different, offering up a nice electronic piano ballad - and the vocals don't get in the way of the music; they're subtle and actually quite melodic. Sleep is a little too noisy, so it seems like a reckless song to end on - it doesn't spend enough time on individual instruments, and once again concentrates too much on the lyrics. It's clear from this album that the band themselves are talented, but in my opinion, they haven't found anything standout or self-defining. They sound too similar to other artists, especially The White Stripes. It's also sometimes let down by the crass vocals that don't balance or compliment well with the music itself. They should perhaps concentrate more on creating their own melody rather then speaking their mind. 4/10 Let me tell you about the Romans. They are the robbers of this world. When they've thieved everything on land, they'll rob the sea. If their enemies are rich, they'll take all they have. If their enemies are poor, they'll make slaves of them. Their work is robbery, slaughter, plunder. They do this work and they call it empire. They make deserts and they call it peace." A very light and low-key episode with a simple message and a neat, if dumbed-down, story. The Doctor and Bill argue over the fate of the Ninth Roman Legion, and decide to use their handy time machine to end it. Little do they know that they've stumbled on a alien race that has the capability of eating light, and has destroyed pretty much all the Roman army that entered Scotland. The most awe-inspiring thing about this episode is the capabilities of these monsters - the fact that as a species they could devour entire stars just for their lunch.
The story itself is tidy - I liked the opening and final sequences involving the two kids who visited the cairn in present day. It provided great closure for the story and the characters involved. However, the plot itself was simple and unoriginal. The Doctor, as usual, saves the day be managing to force two armies to cooperate to fight a greater threat. Also as usual, the Doctor is prepared to sacrifice himself for the sake of the Romans and Picts, but this is quickly rectified, when the supporting characters (especially the Romans) discover they have a backbone. It's just a shame that we didn't get a chance to see more of the creatures, as CGI-wise they were very well done, and their general concept was fascinating. Pearl Mackie played a very strong Bill this week, she has really shown her mettle, especially since the Monk trilogy. Apart from another quip about her sexual orientation, her character finds it easy to take charge and make decisions. Though the people she worked with, less so. The Romans were pretty unconvincing Romans, despite them portraying cowards who deserted the crux of the Ninth Legion. The acting was fine, it was just the actual writing for the Romans nullified their reputation as a war machine that conquered Europe. Nardole was brilliant this week, adding a layer of comedy that suited his demeanour. He certainly rocked the dressing gown and exclaimed his ability to make spag bol. One of my favourite scenes was possibly his interaction with a crow, and realising that it was sometimes saying "Doctor" and other times "Master" - a hint to the denouement of the episode. Elsewhere, the episode suffers from being too light - it could have benefitted from more chases through the dark forest and a lot more of the monsters to up the scare factor. My feeling towards the conclusion of the cairn lacked the emotional punch and relied too much on the audience caring about the two separate tribes. The highlight therefore, unfortunately, overshadowed the rest of the episode - Missy in the TARDIS, again. As the overall arc continues, Missy's appears to be more and more genial towards the people around her, despite Bill and Nardole's outrageous towards the Doctor for allowing her to be out of the Vault. But, there's a wonderful scene between the Doctor and Missy at the end that is astoundingly emotional, and proves how powerful a dynamic Peter Capaldi and Michele Gomez are. It also promises some incredible things to come in the two-part finale. If the trailer is anything to go by, it's going to be a rollercoaster ride of epic proportions, involving a massive spaceship falling into a black hole. 7/10 Whatever it cost my cousin in pain and suffering before he died I will return with full measure upon the woman that caused it." With its alluring dialogue and dark concept, My Cousin Rachel promises to be one of the year's more eccentric movies with a quiet take on the gothic mystery. In some cases, it has the capacity and potential to be successful in its endeavour to attract the viewer, but it mostly fails to appeal. This is due to a long, drawn-out plot that stretches its wafer-thin story to an extreme. In absolute, the film covers the basis of a thriving relationship between a man and his cousin's widow, which culminates in his infatuation with her and eventually trying to woe her. This, in essence, is the crux of the story. There are supporting roles involved, but they predominantly fall to the wayside of a very central double-led cast.
I would, without hesitation, put Rachel Weisz at the centre of my praise. Her eccentric performance and sinister manner play brilliantly with the already-gothic atmosphere. She steals ever scene with her melancholy glances and surprisingly subtle attitude. Her characters is a fascinating one, but without Weisz, it wouldn't have been distinctive enough to attract my attention. Unfortunately, Claifin, whilst charming in his own way, can't match her. Perhaps it may have something to do with his character's personality traits, but his overall demeanour is off-putting and unattractive. Also possibly ruined by character flaws, he always seems to be too preoccupied with the present rather than looking ahead, and that is ultimately his downfall in the end. There were some shocking moments in the film. The foreshadowing of the cliff fall was a great addition to the story, and setup the final conclusion brilliantly as Rachel fell to her death. The conclusion also settled Philip's realisation that everything that Rachel did was purely innocent and that he was just pushing her too much. The story itself had substance and a neat ending, but it was overstretched in terms of how long set pieces were prepared and capitalised. Certainly, the diversion involving Wellington was frustrating. And the payoff definitely wasn't enough to account for the time it took to get there. I think, personally, the lack of enjoyment was a side-effect of the tragic nature of the story and the darker elements of love and its consequences. Of the supporting cast, Iain Glen and Holliday Grainger were both great, but their characters felt sincerely lacking in importance. Whilst enough time was spent on Rachel and Philip, Louise and Nick Kendall received barely any character development apart from when necessary to feed Philip's concurrent events. The main problem was that they appeared intermittently to support the story rather be a part of it. Despite some convincing direction from Roger Michell, with some landscape shots to die for, the structure of the film was incredibly choppy and disrespectful to the story. Especially at the beginning of the film, the story seemed to rapidly transfer between scenes just to lay the groundworks for the rest of the film. This consequently gave the film an unsatisfactory tempo where characters seem to breeze through life with only minor interactions and conversations to reassert their personalities. One scene involving Philip's mourning of his cousin was so short, that I was desperate for it to take a breather and begin contemplation. The greatest movies are the ones that pause and consider the past to better the future. A mixed bag, with a stunning performance from Rachel Weisz balancing out a sloppy plot development and disregarded characters. For those who enjoy a surreal love story, in which nothing is as it seems, this could be your kind of movie, but don't expect too much investment in their relationship. The story around Philip believing Rachel to be the cause of his cousin's death is also quickly sidelined when he first meets her. This is perhaps a little unexplained, seeing as how convinced he was of her hand in the death, but that's one flaw of many in an unsatisfactory portrayal of the trials of love. 6/10 Eren, listen. You've always been at my side. Thank You. You've showed me how to live with purpose. Thank You. And you...you wrapped this scarf around me. Thank You." With a resounding cry, Attack on Titan ends its second season with more blood and desperation than ever before. I would easily call it the best episode of the series, period - simply because it is the culmination of all the pent up emotion our characters have experienced, and here they are making their final decisions and their final discoveries. In my opinion, Eren has actually come out this end of the season looking much better as a character - he has calmed and he has become wise to the fact that not everything is performed on impulse, it must be carefully prepared with consideration and patience.
Star of the show was Mikasa as usual - someone who is usually straight in the action, but this time resolves to showing her love and gratefulness to Eren, which ultimately led to his resurgence as one of the most formidable weapons the allies have. Her outpouring of emotion, in front of some of the best compositions the show's had to offer was effective in the truest sense. Whatever effect it had on us, it was more than suitable to change Eren's perspective on the situation and gave him that extra power to fight back. The episode wasn't short of emotional moments - the pinnacle of which resided with Hannes' death - someone who was at the forefront of this show from the beginning, and had a great relationship with Eren, Mikasa and Armin. To see him devoured by the same Titan as Eren's mother, was heartbreaking, and yet in this show, despite knowing its danger, we are in a state of disbelief as to who could be next. For it to be Hannes is a cruel ending - and the fact that Eren could do nothing to prevent it was even worse. But, in general, the Scouts were on the back foot - Erwin had already lost his arm, Jean was dismounted by the onslaught of Titans and futilely protected by Armin in a nearby forest. But, character development-wise, seeing Ymir choose Reiner and Bertholdt over everyone else was an interesting turn of events, seeing as she exhibited herself as quite a neutral person in the whole scenario. What this might mean long term is hard to predict, but it's clear that there's more to this outside world, and more that these Titan-shifters can tell us. After the initial battle, which was possibly, in my opinion, one of the best action scenes the animators have ever depicted, we transition back behind Wall Maria, as everyone tries to get to the bottom of how they managed to escape. Eren's newfound power is hinted at by Reiner - something he refers to as the "Coordinate", which could be related to controlling Titans by will. As usual, Armin shows his mental ability by working this out by himself, but with all these sudden revelations, it's interesting to see how these things transpire eventually. I would like to see more Levi - he has a certain aura about him that shouts wisdom and capability, but he's unfortunately been rendered injured recently. But with him now contemplating Hanje's discovery about Connie's old home, and the entire population transforming into Titans, he could be anxious to get back into the battlefield. A fitting end to the second season, in what was a revelation-heavy period of twelve weeks. the emotional side of this series is its greatest strength - the way it can enhance its characters through the use of morality is impressive, and puts it up there with the quality of Game of Thrones' character development. As always, the intentions and motives of each character are logical and understandable, and it makes for all the more entertaining stories. With more lore and history, we could be looking at some exciting new revelations in the coming third season in 2018. 9.5/10 Season 2: 8.5/10 The highly anticipated Fleet Foxes album is here! Crack-Up promises to be a continuation of the band's experimental folk rock, plus an extra flare of wisdom as they head into eleven years of being together. As the band stated themselves, this is the proudest they've been for an album. Well, honestly, as the first three singles from the album came out, that promise and statement was coming true.
The album itself is an experiment in self-rediscovery. The amount of original work is astonishing, and I don't just mean songs that haven't been done before, I mean tempos, combinations, harmonies that have never been done before. This is a reimagining of this very dear genre - one in which Fleet Foxes have built their own sanctuary. The first track is a fine example of this new, quality product, a mixture of general folk rock, but given an extra kick as it bounce between falsetto singing and the addition of some classical violins. It is a ballad of epic proportions, with little to no wrong-footing. Cassius is far more mellow, but it still has that sweeping sound lead by Pecknold's wonderful voice. It never seems to stop changing tempo as the song progresses - the only thing missing is a strong guitar piece; it relies too much on the harmony. Naiads, Cassadies is stunning though, quickly reminding us of how adept the band is when setting the mood for a song. As usual, there are also some fine lyrics, telling us a great story as we fall for its melancholic music. When the piano appears in the middle of the song though, the song gets even better - highlighting the soft rhythm. Missing the guitar? Well, Kept Woman demonstrates the skill of its musicians, leading a beautiful harmony. I know I keep mentioning the harmony, but it's the band's defining trait - the key to their immense success. Not much needs to be said about Third of May / Odaigahara, the first single that was released - it's an adventurous, full of wit and charm, and is akin to the band's earliest work, stuff like Mykonos and Ragged Wood. The almost nine-minute long song ends with a deep and undulating guitar, string and piano piece that could have so many meanings. If You Need To, Keep Time On Me is possibly the most saddening track on the album - an emotionally powerful ballad, that whilst seems to repeat itself over and over, always finds a new moment or chord to ensure that it keeps new and original. The message in the lyrics is also very powerful - about ensuring lovers spend as much time together as possible. Mearcstapa offers a darker tune for those of you who prefer the deeper and more involved songs - it has a brilliant underlining drum beat alongside its guitar piece. On Another Ocean (January/ June) gives more time to its piano, providing a more haunting ballad - and it continues to change the tempo just like many of the band's other songs. The only problem with this is that the songs are in danger of being forgettable. The best song of the album was the second single released - Fool's Errand. The beat is complicated enough to get the listener to concentrate. The singing is possibly the best I've ever heard from the band. The chorus is beautifully pure, the drumming giving it that sense of boundless sound, like someone riding a horse across a mountain range. Even the end of the song has it's own unique take, with the band deciding to simply 'oooh' in harmony accompanied by a quiet piano - unprecedented. I Should See Memphis is the band at their most skilled, it's almost progressive rock in its creation - I love the strings in the background. Another great track amongst many other great tracks. This album couldn't get any better. And yet, Crack-Up, the title track, reminds us that Fleet Foxes are a band who won't decease quality that easily. Another haunting track from them to complete this magnificent album, with good use of trumpets to emulate the emotion in the singing. There's a moment in the song where the song almost pauses to allow the trumpets to just breathe and the vocals to reverberate through the speakers. It reminds me a bit of some Gregorian monk singing - and it may have been the effect they wanted in doing so. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to say it's better than their debut, because I have a massive soft spot for that undeniably talented album, but Crack-Up shows that Fleet Foxes have widened their abilities and sharpened their lyrics to create skilled and prosperous music, still with their original sound and melodies in mind. They haven't really changed their method, only their aim. 8.5/10 I've been killing him for years. That was the day he fell." It's interesting to see Varga being outwitted so easily, but at the same time, with an ally like Mr. Wrench it's not hard to see how Nikki's taken the upper hand in this bloody game. But Varga has also been implementing a contingency plan behind the curtains, allowing the unassuming police to be put off the scent with a decoy killer who had all the evidence required to convict him and a confession himself. But, this is just moments after Emmit confesses himself to the murder of Ray, which leads Gloria to conflicting tales. The question is now then, will she be forced to release Emmit back into the wild to be consumed by the wolf?
This was an incredibly short episode, possibly the shortest of the entire series, but a lot transpires. Swango especially is going somewhere, as Varga quickly realises. The trickery with the grenade was nicely done, and along with the familiar music, we were harking back to the first season. Varga may be evil and cunning, but he's nothing without his henchmen. The clever use of decoys in the final scene proved that he still has an ounce of wisdom left in him, but both he and Swango are at an impasse as to how to complete their deal. Whatever comes out in the final episode, it will no doubt be unexpected. The Sheriff continues to show his aptitude for blindness, but in this case we can't exactly blame him, seeing as everything has been meticulously planned and set up. But his cockiness and ego-induced attitude as he revealed his catch does make you want to hit him square in the face for good measure. Gloria still remains the hero of the show, but you can't help feeling that she's been left in the lurch from the beginning, tossed backwards and forwards on different trails until she will finally get an answer next week, if at all. This may go hand in hand with her aversion to technology, but when we as the audience know everything it's hard not to shout at the television to tell her the truth. Ewan McGregor takes the star of the week as his performance in the interview was astounding. It's also testament to Noah Hawley's writing that the story he tells is so poignant and rings true as the character of Emmit goes through a stage of development in his life. He's learnt the consequences of life, and as long as he can steer clear of the barmy business of Varga and his pals, he should be safe in custody by being honest with the police about his entire role in proceedings. In fact, he's brutally honest, which almost makes me forgive him for being a stuffy, up jumped git, with little to no imagination. A brief, but not quiet, episode of Fargo that sets things up easily for the finale. This story has been about the feud of two brothers that subsequently started a train of events in which the Study brothers are now null and void. It's up to Gloria and her force now to stop what could possibly be a dangerous situation as Varga and Swango inevitably face-off. 8.5/10 Oh don't deny it, you loved it. You do not want me actually to stand for anything, you just want me to stand to be a strong man, the man of action. My god you are addicted to action and slogans. It doesn't matter what I say... it doesn't matter what I do... as long as I am doing something. You are happy to be along for a ride. And frankly I don't blame you, with all the foolishness in your lives why not a man like me! I do not apologise and in the end I don't not care if you love me or hate me, just as long I win. The deck are stacked, rules are rigged. Welcome to the death of the age of reason, there is no right or wrong, not anymore. There is only being in and then being out." This is possibly the best political drama to ever grace television. The way it can turn a simple slip of the tongue into a maelstrom of uncertainty is astounding. All the characters demonstrate a flaw in the construct of society, which means that the perspective of the show is always full of colour and diversity. Some have high aspirations and their determination turns them into power-craving lunatics, others seek to survive and do so by treading carefully the line between good and bad for the sake of their career longevity.
As is revealed in the finale, Frank Underwood is a President without scruples - his entire presidency is based on his thirst for power and the trickery he uses to acquire it. Since Elysian Fields, it seems he's been plotting a long game in which he can escape justice, while also reasserting himself in government, following a brief period outside the White House. But there's one gaping hole in his plan, and that involves trusting his closest friend - his wife, Clare. Now, Clare Underwood is quite rightly her own entity - someone who has stood proudly in the shadow of her husband, equally formidable, but less vocal of her rights and intentions. Thanks to a little help from her closest allies within the presidential administration, her reign has become possible, and she states in the final words of the series, for better or worse, this is her turn. Chapter 61 strayed perhaps a little too far from the central conflict, but the final four episodes solidified this season's strengths - the Underwood agenda and the Washington Herald leaks. The entire affair was made far more exciting thanks to the inclusion of Mark Usher and Jane Davis, two incredibly versatile personas imposing their tantamount experience in the White House, and consequently setting in motion the events of Frank's demise and Clare's coronation. Jane especially, played precociously by Patricia Clarkson, exhibits an all-knowing aura in which she almost plays the puppeteer of a corrupt administration. The way she dealt with Kathy Durant and Leann Harvey shows how influential she is in the plot, and I think she's the greatest addition yet to this wonderful series. She gets things done without so much as a paper cut. Tom Hammerschmidt is another great character, someone who appears to be on the verge of solving a four-season-long case, but fails due to the fact that the leak in government turns out to be Frank himself, who has somehow managed to orchestrate a mass deception with the help of his closest assistant, Doug Stamper. It's frustrating to see Tom struggle to get the right assumption, but at the same time, we're almost gunning for Frank Underwood to sustain this elaborate facade. For Tom Yates however, whilst I may not have liked him as a character, it's sad to see him perish by the hands of Clare, someone who has had bloodless hands so far in this series. It symbolically shows that she and Frank do have some sort of synchronicity when it comes to their methods, and it parallels nicely with Frank's rise to power back in Season Two, in which he spilt blood before climbing the political ladder. Aidan Macallan's final role in the story is still slightly hazy, but his involvement with Leann is plain and simple. They more than liked each other, and in his dying breath, Aidan attempted to save Leann from what she thought was a prosperous relationship with the Underwoods. In the end, as Doug did warn her, she has failed to duck the scythe. Frank has no remorse for her death whatsoever, perhaps resigning himself to the fact that she was a danger to his own integrity. The final two chapters of this season are pretty stunning though, and do define the elements that House of Cards does best. There's a significant speech that Spacey, as always, performs well, in which he accuses the committee of breaking the same rules that he has broken in this corrupt government. It's a clever way of side-tracking the public and turning their opinions on the members of committee instead of concentrating entirely on him. But, as we've found out, all his work may have amounted to nothing as Clare starts her own strategic game in which she's in charge. It's clear that she's more favourable than her husband as representative of the people, but with Frank's dooming words, how long can she uphold her position. Brilliant camerawork, poignant music and unyielding performances make the closing chapters all the better as we head into a new regime of government. The story struggles at times the further it strays from the White House, but with some new characters in play, and old ones lost forever, Season Six is looking just as gritty as the last five. Chapter 61 - F and U - 7.5/10 Chapter 62 - Two Corpses - 8/10 Chapter 63 - Eyes and Ears - 8/10 Chapter 64 - The Fall - 9.5/10 Chapter 65 - Shift - 9/10 Season Five Overall - 8.5/10 |
AuthorA very passionate Welsh nerd... Archives
October 2017
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