Revenge 1.12

‘Trust me, one doesn't easily forget a deal that’s made with the devil’

The shock factor was high in the last 10 minutes of this episode of Revenge. A burning down house and the reveal of a long buried secret gave what has come to be the classic weekly Revenge punch in the gut.

This week Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp) took her revenge to a new level by burning down Mason Treadwell’s house. Her anger was clearly shown at the beginning episode by her dramatic crossing out of the biographer’s face.  Roger Bart played Treadwell, the desperate, slimy fame seeker who had written the ‘true’ story of the David Clarke scandal, betraying the young Amanda Clarke in the process. Nolan Ross (Gabriel Mann) once again came to the rescue by providing Emily with the technological resources to bring down Treadwell (and whilst making faux Amanda actually useful for once) but along with the rest of us was also impressed – and equally unfazed - by Emily’s sheer determination and penchant for causing chaos with the arson attack

Daniel’s (Joshua Bowman) sudden transformation into ruthless businessman was slightly confusing, particularly with his unwavering loyalty to Emily coming into question with his plan to use her to get his trust fund. This uncharacteristic change is welcome though, as Bowman’s character was becoming one who was easily walked over both by his parents and friends.

The pair who had been inconsequential over the last few weeks, Charlotte and Declan,  have suddenly been thrown into the spotlight with the revelation that Charlotte (Christa B Allen) is David Clarke’s daughter, throwing a whole new light onto Emily’s pursuit for retribution and providing much anticipation for her next steps.

Aired 13/08 E4

Once Upon A Time 1.20

‘You come with me and I promise that you’ll find everything you’re looking for’

After spending the last few weeks wondering who exactly the mysterious Mr Booth was, his fairytale identity was finally revealed in a dramatic fashion.

The stranger revealed that he was the boy who found the lost baby Emma when she was transported through the enchanted tree and that his role was to persuade her that Regina’s (Lana Parrilla) curse was real. Despite his earnest honesty and conclusive proof that he was who he said, Emma, frustratingly, still didn’t believe him. This intense scene between the two was gripping and when August (Eion Bailey) attempted to reveal his real wooden nature to Emma (Jennifer Morrison), we all thought this was it, this was when our heroine would finally accept her fate. But no. The fact that Emma couldn’t see Booth’s wooden leg due to her strong anti-curse beliefs leaves us thinking, will she ever manage to save the fairytale characters from the curse?

Once again, this episode was all about the parent-child relationships. This week the focus was drawn to Gepetto a.k.a Marco (Tony Amendola) and his son Pinocchio a.k.a August Booth. The relationship between the two was touching, with Booth’s tips to Marco in his carpentry shop emphasising their past as well their unusual relationship. The second parent-child relationship in this episode was Emma and Henry’s (Jared Gilmore). Emma’s revelation that she was going to take Henry away from Regina and her leaving Storybrooke with him proves how much she is now ready to be a mother to him. But their exodus from Storybrooke at the end of the episode leaves us all wondering how far she will go to do this...and what exactly is she willing to compromise in the process?

Aired 12/08/12 Channel 5

Revenge 1.11

‘Tyler can be very unpredictable when off his meds’...’We’re figuring that out’

A bitter divorce battle?

Two double-crossing, scheming women?

A gun bearing psychopath?

What more could you want from an episode of great TV drama? Because episode 11 of ABC’s Revenge had all of it. We are now mid way through the first season of Revenge and are still just as addicted to the programme as we were when it first started.This week everything seemed to come to a head as Tyler’s (Ashton Holmes) grand plan for Grayson domination came to an end and Emily’s (Emily VanCamp) plans for both Tyler and the Amanda Clarke impersonator came together.

It hadn’t taken too long to realinse that there was something mentally wrong with Tyler, as his escapades became more and more erratic – blackmailing Nolan (Gabriel Mann) and trashing the Grayson’s pool house. Thankfully the characters began to realise this too, but not before Tyler was able to hold up Daniel’s (Joshua Bowman) beach birthday bash. The moody and atmospheric lighting in most of Tyler’s scenes, especially when he was confronted by Daniel and on the beach, as well as the ominous music, added to the unpredictability of Tyler’s actions. Of course as soon as Tyler had got one up on billionaire Ross, we all knew something big was going to go down.

We were rewarded with an explosive scene at Daniel’s birthday which threatened to expose many of the Grayson’s dark secrets. However, the timely reappearance of the injured Ross, along with the mad man’s brother prevented that. Daniel and Jack’s (Nick Wechsler) decision to work in tandem to surprise tackle Tyler was touching and showed just how these two could cross paths more, leading to a confusion of feelings for Emily Thorne which have clearly already been exacerbated by faux Amanda’s relationship with the bar owner – but we all know that Emily and Jack just have to end up together, right?

Aired 6/08/12 E4

Once Upon A Time 1.19

‘I have broken one deal in my life, and it certainly wasn’t this one’

Last week it seemed that Once Upon A Time needed to step up, and step up they did with an intense last few minutes of this episode! We were taken from a tear jerking reunion to shocking surprises, all of which set the stage for what is sure to be a fabulous season finale.

This episode provided us with the story of Mr Gold (Robert Carlyle) and his son (Dylan Schmid) – one which was potentially dull but proved moving and riveting. Unlike last week, it was the young actors who stood out for all the right reasons. Dylan Schmid portrayed a son who just wanted his Father to be the best person he could be very strongly. By labelling Rumplestiltskin a coward as he was passing into a different world took the actor to a different level as he showed great desperation and emotion.  Similarly, the only scene between two young actors so far in the season was also touching and a highlight of this episode.

Once again Robert Carlyle played the villain for a lot of the episode. The fact that August (Eion Bailey) was going to come out as the Storybrooke version of Baelfire was predictable but the fact that he was actually just impersonating him came as a complete surprise – something Once Upon A Time has become expert in providing over the last few weeks. We were taken to the point of hating Gold, being disappointed in him to actually having sympathy for him all with much credit to Carlyle. He has left us impatiently wondering and highly anticipating what the character is going to do next.

Emma (Jennifer Morrison), finally deciding to fight for Henry (Jared Gilmore) has provided a strong foundation for the final episodes of the season, which i’m sure the audience are eagerly anticipating. This truly gripping episode was a great improvement from last week with fascinating storylines and strong performances, particularly from the younger members of the cast.

Aired 5/08/12 Channel 5

Revenge 1.10

‘There’s no need for the dramatic pauses’

Well maybe there is, but perhaps not as many as were in this episode of Revenge. Being almost half way through the season, we are expecting Revenge to pick up steam with plot twists and shocks. Although the show has been full of those up to now, it seemed that this week’s episode was turned into a filler episode, and a way to promote the exclusive Hampton area,

It was clear that the producers were trying to make the most of the idyllic setting, as the episode was periodically full of panoramic views of the Hamptons, including the beach, harbour and Grayson estate. Such scenic views are all very well, but when you are expecting a show full of tension and suspense, as Revenge has been up to now, this episode was a little disappointing.

However, this episode kept the audience hooked by exploring two of the most interesting relationships on the show – Emily (Emily VanCamp and Nolan’s (Gabriel Mann) and Nolan and Tyler’s (Ashton Holmes). Nolan and Emily’s constantly changing relationship is interesting, with Nolan often providing the comic content to counter Emily’s scheming ways. Yet when it was needed tonight, Nolan wasted no time in questioning Emily’s methods and proved that he could potentially be the moral compass of the show, by reminding Emily when she goes too far. Similarly, the ambiguity of the relationship between Nolan and Tyler is gripping, leaving us wondering if there are true feelings involved between the two of them, or if they are simply using each other – and I wouldn’t put it past them!

It was Nolan who truly stood out tonight, both as a key man in two key relationships and as the comic relief. His quip of ‘do you know how much ecoli you just dumped next to my lunch?’ gratefully lifted the mood of what could have been an intense conversation with Tyler.

Despite seemingly being an episode to make up numbers, many plot lines were also set up, and threatened for the coming half of the season. The ominous music playing when Tyler’s empty canister of medication was found gives indications of trouble ahead and we finally saw Emily slip up for the first time.

Last week we wondered who exactly Takeda is. This week we are still left wondering, although we have been given a few more clues – the fact that he’s a wealthy millionaire and that Emily went to train in the art of Revenge withn Japan. It is mysteries such as this and the threat of more plot twists ahead which makes this programme one that the audience will keep tuning in to each week.

Once Upon A Time 1.18

‘Why can’t I just be myself? ... Because you can be so much more!’

In this week’s Once Upon A Time, we finally got to understand the true reason behind Regina’s (Lana Parrilla) vendetta against Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) and it had been a long time coming.

The difference between Storybrook Regina and younger Regina was greatly emphasised by Parrilla, although making her look younger seemed to have been attempted slightly too hard for an already youthful looking actress. Her youth was emphasised by the control her stereotypical wicked mother (Barbara Hershey) had over her – i’m sure many mothers wish they could have such controlling magical powers over their daughters!

We also saw Snow White as a young girl and, subsequently, the reason for Regina’s hate. It was clear that the producers had plumped for a stereotypically cute girl in Bailee Madison and although the scenes between her and pre-marital Regina were very touching and showed a lovely mother-daughter relationship between the two characters, they were often over the top, with Madison seeming a little too earnest to please. Despite this, Parrillia gave us glimpses of the future evil queen and the fixed grin when she discovered what Snow White had done was also a stroke of genius.

Tonight, we finally reached the climax of the Mary Margaret – Kathryn Nolan (Anastasia Griffith) debacle – something which has been coming for a longtime. The shocking reappearance of the former Mrs Nolan finally bought an end to a long drawn out plot line and providing a saving grace for Mary Margaret and once again grabbing back the audience for next week, despite Once Upon A Time needing stumbling with a couple of aspects of the episode.

Revenge 1.09

'Remember, inside the viper's nest, you must be a viper too'

We've all got accustomed to the viciousness of the senior Grayson members and the ruthlessness of Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp). However this week, several other protagonists revealed their real colours.

Daniel’s friend Tyler (Ashton Holmes) has been slowly becoming more villainous over the past few weeks, but this episode saw him rise to whole new level by conning young entrepreneur Nolan Ross (Gabriel Mann). His attempt to get Nolan on his side whilst beating Daniel to a spot in the Grayson’s company was devious yet Tyler hadn’t counted on the strong alliance between Emily and Nolan to outwit him. By also persuading Ashley (Ashley Madekwe) to ‘raise her game’ in order to climb the social ladder, Tyler incensed some of his own desire for social reign in his girlfriend and surely set up things to come.

Cara (Margarita Levieva) as she’s known to the Hamptons also showed more of her scheming nature by not taking Emily’s money or flight to Paris. Instead she chose to toy with Jack Porter (Nick Weschler), seducing him and then revealing her ‘real’ name as being Amanda. The moment that Jack told of ‘Amanda’s return’ was clearly devastating for Emily, yet due to her dual persona she had to keep a unaffected expression – VanCamp highlighted her talent by showing Emily’s despair whilst maintaining the fake front. Amanda’s deception surely makes a romance between him and Emily completely off the cards, yet makes us frustratingly root for them all the more.

Charlotte and Declan’s deception of Mrs Grayson as well as Conrad’s removal of Lydia from the manor behind Victoria’s back put the finishing touches to an episode full of deceit, mystery and aptly titled ‘Suspicion’. This episode seemed like a stepping stone to the rest of the series, setting up more plot twists and leaving many questions unanswered, the main one being: who exactly is the mysterious Satoshi Takeda?

Aired 23/07/12

Once Upon A Time 1.17

'Ready or not, here we come'

We all know that meeting a stranger in the woods and going off with them is never a good idea, and Emma’s encounter with Jefferson proved just that. Episode 17 gave Once Upon A Time a distinctly darker feel this week - the dark forest, predominantly black clothing, sharpening of scissors and hostage like situation gave a sinister atmosphere to the episode. The atmosphere was made even more effective by the music contrasting with the periods of deafening silence. As always the music was suitably chosen for the mood and never came across as overpowering or interfered with the storyline.

Similarly, contrasts were also effectively used with the juxtaposition of Jefferson as an evil character and as a kindly father, just wanting to provide the best for his daughter - both characters Sebastian Stan acted equally successfully.

We also saw Emma (Jennifer Morrison) giving a feminist aspect to the programme by showing her heroic side in saving both herself and Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin). Both actresses ensured that their reactions to their predicament were not over exaggerated and Morrison depicted a distressed version of her character particularly well. The tension was palpable as the two were escaping yet it was predictable that Jefferson would be behind them as they exited the room where Mary Margret was tied up. However, the strengthening friendship between the two female leads was lovely to see and provided some tender and more sensitive moments in an unexpectedly action packed episode.

It is frustrating how long Emma’s disbelief in her true identity is lasting – the producers are really keeping the audience waiting. However, it seems, with Emma’s shocked facial expression in the closing moments of the show that something is around the corner to really propel the show forwards.

Aired 22/07/12 Channel 5

Once Upon A Time 1.14

‘You’ve got your reasons for being here, i’ve got mine’

From the start, this episode of Once Upon A Time appeared to be the episode in which the concept went too far –the sickly sweet fairies and Dwarves hatching from eggs? Really? Yet despite such flaws the audience’s enchantment with Once Upon A Time continues.

This week’s episode focused on ‘Dreamy’, the dwarf (Lee Arenberg), seemingly a subsidiary character, meaning that from the outset this episode seemed to be just a filler for continuing the series. Arenberg did a brilliant job of portraying the character in both worlds and the storyline allowed him to show a wide range of emotions – we disliked him as the ungrateful labourer to start with, before sympathising with him as the Blue Fairy was scuppering his plans for an adventurous journey with Astrid. Having the dwarf and Snow White work together was a master stroke, providing an interesting storyline whilst showing the problems each character was facing individually and giving the link between Snow White and her dwarfs which has seemingly been lacking.

The sickly sweet nature of both Astrid and Nova (Amy Acker) was one area where this episode faulted. Although the character was played fittingly by the actress, the over the top sweet nature of the fairy gradually became more and more irritating, especially in the fairytale world. The fairies’ costumes divulged from the stereotypical fairy apparel by being more frilly, bright and revealing but worked well in the warped worlds the programme is set in.

However, the producers also worked their magic by making the dwarf’s story a footing for the exploration and development of the storyline between Snow White and Prince Charming - the plot we are all eager to see. Kathryn’s (Anastasia Griffith) disappearance was the thread that ensured this episode did not just an also-ran episode. The confusion of David (Josh Dallas) and Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) over the mystery as well as Emma’s (Jennifer Morrison) investigation was gripping  and the closing scenes made sure that the audience would be tuning in once again next week.

Aired 1/07/12 Channel 5