The Walking Dead "Try" - Review - "There not like us!"

Maybe listening to Carol isn't always a good idea Rick

*Spoilers for the episode follow*

"You can't just put it off or wish it away because your in here. If you don't fight you die and I don't want you to die" Was just one of the many amazing lines that came out of this episode and it was hard to pick one to start this off with but when it came down to it that line is one of the most important to this arc. It might not seem like it right now but as next Saturday comes around I think that Ricks message to Jesse will become very clear and the people of Alexandria will realise just how right he is. Try was perfectly represented in that boat with the red balloon. As that string began to loosen and strain trying to stay attached to the boat and not drift apart from it, so did the group with the people of Alexandria Try was about them having tried to fit back into civilisation as it once was. But Rick put it perfectly in his little monologue that they don't live in that world anymore and the quicker they realise that then the easier it will be for all of them to get along. This second half of the season has been setting all the nails in place for the "uprising" which I will talk about in a separate piece as I go into spoilers from the comics. But if this wasn't already brutal then next weeks brutal finale is something to look forward to. 

Can we just talk about how great opening the episode with "Somewhat damaged" by Nine Inch Nails was, because it was easily the best opening from Walking dead that I've ever seen. After last weeks episode you knew that tensions were going to be high but Somewhat damaged just really put the nail in the coffin (no pun intended sorry Noah) as Deanna came to the decision that was obvious from last week that she didn't trust Ricks group anymore. Which is really understandable isn't it? I mean they have only been there a little while and in that time they have gotten two people killed, taken over the authority on the wall building group and have Daryl out on runs for new people with Arron. Deanna burning that note from Carol was amazing because it was less a were sorry to here about your loss as much as it was a peace offering. I think it would have been better if she just really hadn't have bothered to be honest because those eyes as she burnt that note showed pure hatred for them. Which I can't hold against her its one persons word against another at this point and her son died and in this world that sort of stuff sends you mad. Also isn't Deanna just a brilliant character, she's the ultimate crazy old woman that I wanted from this show if she just starts going mad next week as things start going to hell then I will be a happy man. But back to the song it just really represented everything about the episode from start to finish as relations between the two groups became more damaged, and the nails were no longer sitting on top of the coffin. But I feel were slowly being banged into the coffin throughout the episode with the final one being put in place with that final scene. 

Look at those crazy eyes!

So those crazy eyes were brought on by the events of last week because of that coward Nicholas who did exactly as I said he would last week and I don't think anyone thought he would do any different really. He tried to save his own ass and make himself out as the victim because Glenn was to busy trying to take over the job and save himself and his group instead. Nicholas said something that stuck with me those "Their not like us!" which he is right they aren't like them because they have learned to survive out in the world because they had to. Glenn up until this season was one of my most hated characters on the show because I always just found him quite annoying but in the last season he has just really come into his own. That scene where both of them recounted their stories of what happened were brilliant because if I hadn't watched last weeks episode if I'm honest I couldn't tell you was telling the truth because both sounded believable. Its very much so he said she said at this point and I feel Deanna dismissing Nicholas was accountable to that because she can't believe what Nicholas without getting all the facts. Also come on she must know how much of a coward he is and that its because of him that those four other people died before. Either that or I'm just giving her way to much credit and its about time that Alexandria came under knew management. Am I wrong in thinking that those graves that she was standing by in the episode was the people that Nicholas had gotten killed before, so maybe just maybe she knows that it had nothing to do with Glenn at all. 

But when Nicholas and Glenn had their little chat it really did terrify me for a second because I was sure that Glenn was about to kill him and leave him there in the truck. He was mopping up the blood anyway and you are never going to get that truck to the same condition as it was so why just add to it more. Nicholas did show genuine fear in as Glenn did basically threaten to kill him if he let it happen again and because of that he wouldn't be going out on a runs again. Which then led to us finding out who had stolen the gun from the blender that Carol and Rick had left just incase it was Nicholas. So now Nicholas has a gun also things are getting ready to just explode next week as I think more then one confrontation will come to loggerheads next week. I mean Nicholas is stupid enough to go after Glenn and try and kill him so which could mean the end of either of them, or now hear me out what if he accidentally shot the gun and ended up shooting Maggie instead which in turn makes Glenn go bat shit crazy and kill Nicholas. Probably won't happen but it would be great for that to be the way things go next week because when we have been promised a brutal finale then thats what I think we expect. But I will be writing a what I expect from the finale piece after I've finished this one so expect that soon. 

Carl and Enid next time you choose to hide from walkers choose somewhere that isn't a tight space like a tree because as nice a moment as it was to watch you to get closer you really had no where to go if they caught you. But that whole thing between them to has been on the cards since Carl started following her outside of the walls. Now I have my own little theory about who she really is but I will save that for another piece because its something that I could go into much more detail by itself. But it was a nice change of pace from the brutal nature of the rest of the episode as we watched a couple of kids being kids in this world. They were getting closer and did I see the sparks of young love there? I think that I did. Also credit due to Enid for that use of the timer to lure the walker away that was brilliant little touch that showed a kids way of surviving in this world. She's a strange little one is Enid but I like her character so far and hope that its something that we get to go into more detail because she's interesting. 

Enid next time find a hiding place that isn't a tree

But while it was nice little moment to watch them both be kids again and enjoy that moment together it felt like filler, just as much as Sasha story felt like filler this week. While Michonne and Rosita were out looking for Sasha and it was meant to be about her I felt that it was actually just about Michonne. It was all about giving Michonne a reason for giving Rick a right-hander like she did, which was beautiful by the way because she knocked him the f**k out! But watching her have all the flashbacks to when she was living outside with her pet walkers and what it was like out there helps her realise just how much she doesn't want to go back to that. She desperately wants this to work out and if punching Rick and maybe even having to banish him is what she has to do just to get back to normality then thats what she will do. Michonne hasn't been part of this uprising group thats been happening between Rick and Carol and Daryl for a little while but even he's starting to get used to the thought of living there. So to see her basically go full on crazy when she punched Rick isn't surprising but I think right now we think that she's punched him to save Alexandria from him but what if its all just part of a plan and she starts shooting up the place. What if Michonne has just gone as crazy as Sasha and she's just playing into their hands to start an uprising?

But back to Sasha if you have read the comics then her sitting in the watchtower is basically a nod to Andrea the annoying blonde woman from the show that had a relationship with the governor. Yeah her but she is such a cooler character in the comics and I feel like Sasha is starting to take up that role for the show. Having her in this episode means that we don't forget about her and seeing as she has basically been living in that watchtower, we could be looking at her being tempted to shoot Michonne next week because she has a grudge against her now. As everything comes to a head next week I feel that the safest person right now will be Sasha up in that watchtower but at the same time she is going to be the most dangerous individual having that higher ground. Plus seeing as she is taking shifts between her and Abraham could we see Sasha going crazy up then and Abraham having to go up there and take her out before she does anymore damage. I dunno make I'm just think to much into it. Also you felt how awful she felt and the pain she was going through over Noah's death because she told him that he wasn't going to survive out there. It was hard watch as she started to blame herself for something that was out of her control and the anger took over and blinded her to what she was doing. Losing everyone she cares about to the walkers is something thats been a big part of her arc this season and its done exactly what the walkers did to Carols character changed her and made her stronger. But at the same time its unhinged her a bit and made her much more dangerous. 

Has Michonne made an enemy with the wrong person?

Now I don't wanna say that I was right about the wolves or who the wolves are but I feel like I'm on the right track going off of that poor woman tied to the tree. Seeing Arron and Daryl out doing their thing was great this week because they really work well together out there and seeing them completely unaware of anything happening at Alexandria is great. Mostly because what will happen when they come back and see these things that have happened and the people that have died. Will Daryl then go through with the plan set out by Rick and Carol because I feel like thats something that will play out next week. 

But these Wolves signs were being thrown out there a lot more this week and the biggest sign of just plain danger was the woman tied to the tree and how much close they were to it happening. If they had gotten there any earlier then they would have stumbled upon them in the middle of tying this woman to the tree. Now when they saw the light in the distance and they started heading for it and the next time we see them it was day and there was body parts all over the floor and a woman tied to a tree made me wonder why it took them so long to get there. I mean I know that it was far away from them but it was bit crazy that they took that long to get to this light in the distance but thats just me being picky. 

But now those body parts on the ground I have gone back a couple of times and had a look at the way that they are placed and I was sure that they were placed to make a word. While that doesn't seem to be the case it does seem like they were placed there to ward off people and scare anyone that came closer into their lands. If you haven't read my piece on what the"W" on the walkers heads mean then I suggest checking it out because it will make more sense now for what we saw in this episode. My feeling on that they have entered their territory makes more sense having watched this episode. It also feels like to me that this isn't the first time that they have done this to someone and that its something that they do on a normal daily basis. Its used as a way of expanding their territory and warding off anyone that might come to far into the forest. The reason that they have just left the arms and legs and taken the torsos and heads from that pile of body parts is a mystery but I feel we could be finding out next week. Now they have started to bring the gore back to this show over the last couple of episodes and that naked woman tied to the tree wasn't as gore factor as last week but is still keeping in that great direction. Walking Dead is a horror show and lately they have gone back to those routes of it being horror and having the walkers such a big focus has been brilliant because I feel the show lost its way for a while. 

So something just made my mind explode that light that Daryl and Arron saw in the distance was a small group of people that were camping in the forest. So when they made it to where that light came from and all that was left was body parts and the woman tied to the tree that was all that was left of the group after the wolves got to them. So that woman that was tied to the tree may have been their leader and you can all speculate on the reason that she was naked because they could be savages and rapists but I feel that they aren't as crazy or mad as that. They are protecting their territory and unfortunately for this group they distanced just way to far into their territory and it cost them. Now this is all just speculation and I could be completely wrong about that but it feels like something that could have happened because it makes the most sense for why there was so many body parts around there. But like I said the torsos and the heads will probably be made clear for whats being done with them next week. Effigies everywhere in there territory thats all I'm saying. 

What have Daryl and Arron stumbled upon?

Now lets talk about the royal rumble that was the fight between Pete and Rick because something that this show has always managed to do brilliantly was fight scenes and this is one of the best. But first can I just say Carol is maybe just the worst person to get advice off of because every since she said that Rick would have to kill Pete things have just started to go wrong for him. Now Rick and Pete's tensions really started off this week after Rick chillingly told Pete "Keep Walking" because his eyes just said it all that your going to die if your not careful. Which while he's not dead "yet" remember I said yet because I feel that Pete's days are numbered now, not even days maybe just hours if Rick gets his way because we saw crazy Rick come out again this week. Now I don't feel that Rick really wanted to kill Pete at first and wanted to do this as civilised as possible and in a way that wouldn't hurt Jessie as much as possible. But obviously Pete wasn't having any of that and it all just swung back to something that Deanna said earlier in the episode that well what if Pete doesn't go for that what are you going to do? And Rick gave a clear answer of that I will kill him if it comes to that because thats the only way that you can deal with situations like this now because what if they did let him go. They let the governor get away and he came back and destroyed the prison killing Hershel and nearly killing Rick in the process. Pete and Rick aren't very different they are both loose cannons and will snap at the first sign of something that they don't like and will snap when things don't go their way. 

But then why does Deanna keep Pete around because she made it clear this week that she has known for a while about everything that he has been doing to his wife and kids. So why does she keep him around well because of the obvious reason that he's a surgeon and he's the only doctor that they have and he's the only one thats keeping Tara alive at the moment. Probably the only reason that she is still alive which does surprise me really because he always seems to be drunk whenever you see him. I certainly wouldn't be letting him examine me or work on me when he's permanently drunk all the time. It scares me to think that there is so much that Deanna knows about and the dark secrets that Alexandria is hiding beneath its heavenly like expression it gives to newcomers that I wonder just what else their hiding from people. 

Ricks speech didn't really go the way he hoped...

Now back to that fight those because if you had to choose a winner of that fight for the most part Pete was more or less kicking Ricks butt throughout. Now that might seem crazy to some people because you think of the other people that Rick has thought in the past such as Joe who's throat he ripped out or Gareth when he hacked at him with a machete. But for the most part that was all just luck of the draw that they managed to get the upper hand on those people for him to do that because when he thought the governor he was more or less on the brink of death if it wasn't for the fact that Michonne stabbed him with a sword. Rick is a bad fighter when he's heading into things on a head on head fight because he's had to rely on his luck in the past. Plus to look at both of them Pete is the bigger of the two of them and so to see him get the upper hand on Rick throughout wasn't really a surprise to see. But the shock was to watch his punch off Carl who tried to stop him and you could blame it all on the heat of the moment but Rick does going into a state of rage in those moments. But the thing that changed it all for him was when Pete punched Jessie and Rick just went full on rage mode and the adrenaline started pumping and he basically had him dead on the floor if Deanna hadn't stopped him. Now I will say that I am not a supporter of Pete and think that he's a massive douche for what he's been doing to Jessie and the kids but killing him isn't the answer to their problems. But maybe that is the way now for Alexandria to go now because the way that they were doing things hiding everything under the rug just isn't working for them anymore. 

Carol has played a massive part in this whole kill Pete off because I know what it feels like to be in Jessie's shoes fiasco and I can understand why she would want to help her get out of that situation. But so far Carol has just been standing on the sidelines letting everyone else get their hands dirty while she plays peacekeeper for the most part. Actually saying that where is Maggie in all of this because surely as general "government" member for the group shouldn't she have at least been there wondering what the hell is going on. But I hope that Carol gets her hands dirty and helps sort this mess out next week because she has been to docile up to now while being there. Plus that line "I wouldn't be here if those walkers hadn't got it" was a brilliant line this week from her and really is the pinnacle of the new Carol. It changed her as a character and for Carol, Rick and Sasha the crazy ways that they are now is because of the walkers and I don't think we would have them any other way. 

Rick did come over as the mad man from the outside with the gun at the end and its certainly not done him any favours seeing as he was already low down on peoples respect list anyway. His speech to everyone that felt like he was repeating the same point over and over that they can't survive this way anymore acting like it wasn't happening out there. But my problem with his speech was that he did just sound like the mad man crying wolf everything was just hysterical crap to them quite frankly because the people of Alexandria don't know about any of this because they haven't had to survive on the outside world like he did. Andrew Lincoln was amazing this episode giving that speech face covered in blood and gun in hand he really did look like a complete and utter mad man which was great to see that nutty Rick hasn't really left he's just been kept under wraps for a while. But now all I ask myself is well what are they going to do with him now because theres a lot of people that will be against him being thrown out. Next weeks finale is going to be a good one from the way that they have set it up and if the Wolves don't make any appearance then I think it won't matter because theres enough going on at Alexandria to deal with first. 

Try was no where near as brutal as last week which I think it would have been hard to capitalise on that but having 9 Inch nails in the opening to the end fight made for a great episode none the less. Will Sasha go mad up in that watchtower? Will the Wolves finally make an appearance next week? Will Michonne agree with Rick being thrown out and more to the point where the hell is Morgan in all of this…. All questions I hope are answered in next weeks finale but were in for a treat either way because brutal is what their promising and I feel brutal is what were getting.

The Walking Dead: Issue 138 Confrontation - Review

*Spoilers will follow* 

Everything has built up to this. The moment that the people of the Hilltop were confronted with the creepy people that wear the masks made out of dead people, also commonly known as the Whisperers. (I still feel my name works better) But did all the build up pay off in the end? I would like to think that it did and while everything seems calm and sorted for now I sense big repercussions due to their unexpected meeting. Also where the hell is Michonne at? We haven't seen her since the end of the All out War story arc. While I was hoping that she was going to end up being one of the people captured by the whisperers or that she had gone crazy because of everything that happened with Neegan that she was going to also be wearing a walker face. But unfortunately that wasn't to be, I sense big things when she comes back and I look forward to it but for now lets focus on the present. 

We pick up seconds after the previous issue with Gregory having poisoned Maggie (badly) hoping that she would die and that he could then go back to being the leader of the Hilltop. Being the twisted sort of person that I am I was hoping that we might see Maggie die because then Jesus would have to take up the reigns and Sophia might have more of a reason for being there maybe. Sophia wasn't here this issue apart from a moment of shock at the end when she realised that Carl was gone, well thats what I was guessing was the reason that she was in shock. Im not a big fan of Sophia, my love for Sophia in the comics is about as much as it was when she was in the show so if she turns up dead in a barn then I really would feel sad. But what I'm hoping is that from seeing the cover for issue 140 with a really angry Maggie that maybe Sophia will be the same and she will want to help get him back and knock some sense into him. Sophia feels like a expendable character at the moment which I would like to see change but I've got a feeling that we will just be looking at the death of Sophia in the coming issues. But now that I think about it I feel the biggest shock for Sophia is to see Carls hat on his bed because he doesn't go anywhere without the hat so for him not to have it would mean somethings wrong.  

I feel like this is the last that we will see of the hilltop until issue 140 so the place that leave everything leaves me wondering if when we go back there that we will be looking at Hilltop beginning to crack. Just as it did when Gregory was in power at the hilltop everything feels like it is starting to go full circle. I also wonder if the poison is going to do something to her mentally and maybe it will start to make Maggie become mentally unstable. I am very excited for whats coming to do with the Hilltop as I feel that we are going to be reaching a new arc for all the communities as one starts to find peace (Alexandria) another starts to break. When Gregory shouts that they can't lock him in the cell and that he will die in there I really do believe that Maggie in the state she is and the mental state that she is in right now would be happy to just leave him there to die. 

But as Maggie was beginning to try and get her strength back another member of the Hilltop comes running to her and Jesus to tell them to come outside quickly. Are be honest I did not expect there to be a small army of crazy people with masks on standing outside the Hilltop. It suddenly made me realise that they are much more of a threat then I had first thought they were, also that there are a lot lot more of them then I thought that there would be. I was expecting it to just be a small group like Ricks group was before they made it to Alexandria but we were looking at a small army. But the benefit of that was we got to see it over a two page spread which looked amazing. The meeting of two groups, a new battle on the cards maybe? But what we do know is that its going to affect Carl quite a bit. 

Carl and Lydias relationship has been something at the forefront for the last few issues ever since he was in the cell next to Lydia and they started to bond. For a while I was so sure that Lydia was there to spy on the people of the Hilltop and find an easy angle to take them over and wouldn't making friends while your there make it easier. So when Carl gave her his hat I was thinking no don't do that, your now just playing into his hands and before you know it your all be being killed while you slept in your beds. But for the most part right now that doesn't seem to be the case at all, but Kirkman is good at just pulling out the twists so this isn't the last meeting between the two groups. 

It was also good to see the aftermath of Lydia and Carl having sex from last issue because Carl lost his virginity to a girl that he really likes and it feels like he's becoming a man. Carl is defiantly a different kid to the one from issue 1 and its great to watch him grow up over the course of the comics, the boy becoming a man if you would like to call it that. But as much as I'm still distrustful of Lydia mostly because I don't know where her loyalties lie if the Hilltop were to come and get him for example if the Whisperers took Carl in. Would Lydia stand by her group or would she try and help them take him back and would she then stay with her group or not. As much as I want to like Lydia I really can't get a grasp on her mental state or where her loyalties lie. 

As easy as the groups meeting went and it felt like the Whisperers might not be as aggressive as they first looked in previous issues, Lydia gave an insight into a different side of the Whisperers. What Lydia  said I feel helps you understand her a lot more because sure Lydia is weird but she has a very good reason for that. When she says that they don't rape her because thats just a word made up by us to make us believe that we aren't animals. It made me start to like her as a character more because I felt the same feelings as Carl of anger at the people that did this to her and sadness because I really did get the feeling that doesn't want to go back. But that life is the only thing that she's ever known and its hard to then leave that and go into a more normal society if you can call the Hilltop normal. But you felt like the experience that she had with Carl was the first time that she had someone that actually cared for her as a human being rather then a piece of meat. It was a sweet moment for the characters watching teenagers growing up. 

Also it was great that it wasn't Sophia because they have as the comic has gone on become much more like brother and sister. So seeing them to getting together would have just been weird and a bit wrong really. Plus I feel that Lydia and Carl have much more in common and they have seen just how dark this world can be and they feel connected. I could see them being together in this crazy world that they live in because they have seen the worst parts and given each other some of the best parts also. So for Lydia to them be dragged away from that its easy to imagine that she wouldn't want to leave and go back to Hell if you want to call it that. Hilltop is heaven and Whisperers are hell. 

So when the meeting of the two groups happened I was expecting there to be much more of a confrontation then we actually got, it was a lot more civil then I had imagined it would be. Especially after everything that we have seen and what Lydia said about them I imagined them to be there running at the walls trying to tear peoples faces off. But something that did happen was that we met the leader of their group who also happens to be Lydia's mother Alpha. Now Alpha could mean many different things that she was given that name by her group because by all accounts the Whispers see themselves as animals rather then human beings so Alpha female of the pack as it were. It could mean that she's from a military background and it was a code name given to her when she was in the military and she continued to use that when the world went to hell. Or theres the third option which is must more appealing right now which is that she is just crazy and that keeping them as far away from the Hilltop is a very good thing.

I didn't really know what to expect when that mask came off but when it was this normal looking woman much like Lydia it just made me much more curious about what made them into the people they are. Its also interesting in the way that Alpha talks because she talks very robotic is the way that I saw it everything is closed, which really makes me sure that she might have come from a military background and something down the line has made her like this. Im sure that we will start to get more an explanation for the reasoning behind the way that she is because from just the few short frames I've instantly become intrigued with her. Kirkman has this brilliant way of pulling you in and intriguing you with characters and I don't feel that it would be right to call the Whisperers villains as of yet. 

The reasoning for that is because of the two members of Jesus's crew that were taken and presumed dead turned up with the Whisperers alive and well. So they can't be all bad right? Also if you notice the one that had injured his leg actually has his leg in a splint so they helped him and saved him. So their not out to harm anyone and want to just be left alone as much as the Hilltop crew want to also. But at the same time this brings praise to Kirkman's writing because as much as I want believe that their not out to cause harm what Dante tells Maggie. That they shouldn't cross them because what they could hear it sounded like there was thousands of them. Now this could just be because they were delirious and he just heard more voices then their actually were or it could be that they live among a heard of walkers. I mean it would make sense that they would live amongst them seeing as they wear their faces and skin. But it could easily just be simple answer crazy rapists that wear peoples skin. I don't wanna believe that because I feel it would be more twisted if the fact that where they first met the whispers was in a heard of Walkers was actually where they lived. 

Now this issue ended with Carl leaving the Hilltop to either go be with Lydia or try and save her by himself for the Whisperers. But obviously all this could then have repercussions for the rest of the group and I felt this was probably one of the best ending to the comics for a while because it feels like a new arc is starting. The peace is now over and we are now entering what could be another time of turmoil and lets not say war just yet but blood will be spilled between the two groups I can guarantee that. We are looking at big things to come and the fact that this issue was called confrontation meant big things. Big things didn't necessarily happen in this issue but I think that the first confrontation between the two groups means friction and tension which means worse things to come. Watch this space because this isn't the end and the biggest question still out of everything that I've spoke about is WHERE IS MICHONNE! But look out because bloodshed is coming and I seriously cannot wait to see more. 

I've got an idea….

So up to now and before I went on my long hiatus this blog has been primarily about Reviews of TV and Movies and thats been great so far, people have been reading it and I am really grateful for that. But I had an idea….

First off is that I am going to start doing news pieces as well as the reviews so expect for more pieces like that this weekend when I officially start doing those pieces. They will consist of Film and Tv news because I still want this blog to be a mixture of the two and with the Film stuff having been lacking lately I want to get more of that on here. So except some new pieces to drop this weekend.

But my idea I had was for comics…. I was reading the latest issue of The Walking Dead and I had an idea to start reviewing comics as well as the Film and Tv on here. I won't say it will be something that you will see all the time but it will be a rare occasion thing that you will start seeing.

I was also thinking of doing book reviews with the announcement of 20 books dropping between now and The force Awakens being released I thought I should get reading and reviewing. Especially seeing as of late I have found myself back into Star Wars and that world so expect those to drop on here also.

Just thought I would put that idea out there expect a comic review tonight or tomorrow and the news pieces to start tomorrow.

Cheers again for looking at the posts people really is great to see.

Liam

P.S I have posted my first piece on the gaming blog also so I will link that below if you wanna go have a look.

http://rsarcasmtalksgaming.blogspot.co.uk

Arrow "The Offer" - Review

                              

*Spoilers for the epsiode follow*

Arrow came back after a few weeks to finally give us are answer that we had all been waiting for after that massive cliffhanger would Oliver say yes to Rahs offer. Those while the answer just turned out to be no, Oliver will realise that it was less an offer and more an order because no one says no to the league. 

But first the issue of the flash back this week because lately they have felt more and more like they are just standing still rather then moving forward. I mean if they stand still any longer then they might as well start moving backwards. While the shock of Shadow still being alive was good it still just felt so disjointed from the rest of the epsidoe that I just found myself going right can we just go back to the present please. As much as I want to find out what happened to the little boy we already know to an extent that he's either dead or maybe Shadown took him. Who knows all I know is that they really have to choices give the flashbacks a break for a week or two or just have an episode that focuses on the flashbacks. As the present day stroyline gets heavier the flashback become a lot more of a chore to watch as you just wait for the good stuff to come back on. But no disrespect to the kid because he's been great so far it would just be good for them to start picking up the pace before they start going backwards.

The Offer picks up seconds after the last episode with Rah giving Oliver a choice to take his place and lead the league of Assassins, as he did after his master passed on the title many moons before. Now while it felt like it was obvious that Oliver was never going to agree to take his offer, it did feel like for a while there he was very tempted to do so. I mean who would right you live forever and become the leader of the most powerful assassins on the planet, what you wouldn't? No course not me neither. But when Matt Nable is offering it to you I think it would be very hard to say no. His preformance as Ra's up to now has been brilliant and as he took Oliver around the headwaters of the League you really felt the power that he commanded. But at the same time you got the feeling of a man that had been alive for many years and had been waiting for a millennium for the man that would take his place to come to his door. While everyone on Arrow always give amazing preformances this week Stephen Amell and Paul Black Throne (Oliver and Detective Lance) really gave emotion heaven and believable preformances. 

                         

Over the course of the episode Oliver had to deal with decision to not only save Malcolm but also whether saying no was really what was bets for him and the city. But what was great was seeing everyone else deal with his decision to bring Macolm back and how hard it is for them to not just kill him while he lay on the sofa. But Malcom himself was there trying to help Oliver realise that it was g a decision for you to make and that Ra's doesn't take no for an answer. As he told him the prophecy the man that survives the sword of Ra's Al Ghul will become the next Ra's Al Ghul or something to those words anyway. Which annoyed me with the way that Oliver still just shrugs him off like he's the mad uncle that always drunk in the corner at family gatherings talking rubbish. Weird analogy for a master killer and maniac but I think it works for the way that Oliver has been treating him. Even those up to now everything that Malcom has said about Ra's has more or less been correct so for Oliver to act like it wasn't something to worry about did confuse me a bit. Especially after everything that has happened in the past. 

The offer felt like Oliver being given a choice by everyone Ra's wants him for the league but then his friends want him to be the Arrow. They also just wanted his to be Oliver and be thier friend which is what Felicity tells him that while he's in her life she's happy. Which still gives me hope that Oliver and felicity can still be a thing I still have hope that they can be a thing. Felicity was still crying as always but it helped Oliver with opening up and realising that Starling city need him and that he doesn't need to be thanked for what he does for the city as long as they know he's there. You know how it goes he's never gonna be a spiderman everyone throwing a party for him but people will still feel safer for him being there. 

Which played a part in Murmur turning up this week to cause havoc at the police station killing the cops in revenge for his forced and fake confession of a crime that he didn't commit. Murmur was used as a means to an end and was used sparingly which worked for the episode. I feel that he was there to just give a reason for Lance and the arrow to meet after he finally found out about Sarah and her death. It was a emotional moment for Lance as he lost all faith in vigilantes and hated himself for giving up the morals that he had come into the force with. It was a pinnacle moment for Oliver in the episode and made him start to question whether he was really what the city needed. While his choice and quick turn around to im needed in the city and I don't need the league was really quick I feel that it wsomething that wasn't to surprising. Oliver isn't a killer anymore and he doesn't go out in the hood because he wants to be thanked and it took him a while to realise that but it felt like a big moment for him as a character to relaise that. 

                       

The supporting cast of aarrow have been getting a massive amount of screen time in past weeks and it has been nothing but solid veiwing and writing for them. As Pheia started to lose control as her guilt for Sarah and hatred of her father took over she turned to the one person she knew wouldn't judge her Roy. It wa great to see them becoming a thing again as all season you have got that tension between them as feelings were still there for each other. Nissa turned her back on her father and became a teacher for Laurel which is something that will be great to watch play out over the rest of the season as she finally becomes the ass kicki black Canary. Then as far as felicity and dingle their just there doing their thing giving Okiver advice when he needs it like they usally do, you all know the drill. 

The last scene those is something that will cause massive probelems for Oliver in the coming weeks as Ra's prediction that the police will turn on him starts to become a reality. It now starts to feel more of a threat that he would cause them to turn on him. But then again when Oliver takes up the position as leader of the league there's going to be a position open as the Arrow and Ra's was looking great in that suit just saying... 

Overall was great epsiode, was emotional with great preformances from Amell as Oliver had to choose where he belonged. Even with the weir out of place flashback it didn't take away form what was a great epsiode overall and Ra's remember that positions gonna be open buddy you look good in green. 

I Zombie: Series Premiere Review - "Your not dead, Your Undead theres a difference"

*Minor Spoilers Follow. Nothing to major so don't worry ready away* 

"Your not Dead, your Undead theres a difference" is said by Ravi, Liv's work colleague at the Morgue and its something major that I took away from this pilot. While normal zombies can be classed as dead because there basically brain dead with just the need to feed still being there, Liv is different she still functions as a human being. Theres just the small issue of that she eats brains and sees visions of how that person died, oh yeah and she has to eat everything covered in hot sauce to really get some sort of taste from what she's eating. IZombie has been on my radar for a long time now and normally I won't get to excited for a show because I know how bad pilots can be and its normally about pushing past the pilot because its just setting everything up and everything gets better after the first episode. That really is not the case with this show from beginning to end this show was awesome there really is no other way to describe it. Its funny, intriguing and is awesome. Im going to try and avoid spoilers as much as possible because I really want to just get as many people to watch this as possible because I have a feeling this show could have a strong future.

So lets start off with the major plus of the show which is that it doesn't try and get away from the fact that its based on a comic book, if anything it just uses that as a basis and expands on that. The whole pilot is based around Liv 5 months on from dying during a party infested by zombies now having to try and deal with being a zombie herself. As well as that she also has to deal with the fact that her family think that she's losing it and that she's got PTSD because all she does is spend all day in bed and gave up a career as a doctor to work at a morgue. I mean come on anyone would go a little crazy having been attacked by crazy people at a party you didn't really want to go to right? But where as most pilots will just throw as much at you as possible to pull you in which they are meant to do because they want you to watch their show IZombie doesn't. It relies upon the fact that its a zombie show, she has visions of what happened to the person and how they died when she eats their brains and that the new cop at homicide Babineaux believes Liv is a psychic.

One of the stand out parts of the pilot is the chemistry between Babineaux and Liv as they have to work together to find the killer of a young Romanian girl that Liv might eaten the brain of. So you know theres that. Over the course of the episode Liv narrates to the audience how she ended up here and how sometimes maybe just being the flesh eating monster people think Zombies are would be better then trying to hide it from everyone. But hide it is what she does and over the course of the pilot you get the feeling that while it isn't easy she is learning how to manage it with the help of Ravi. But back to her and Babineaux they have this great back and forth over the course of the pilot as she starts to put the pieces into place for him. Its stupid and you get that feeling of how can you be falling for all of this but where as any other show this would be a bad thing IZombie just uses it to its advantage because its not trying to be a serious show. I feel one of the hardest things for a new show on Zombies in the TV market is differentiating its self and giving you a answer to "well what makes you different to other zombie show" and in many way its not. It follows that trope of that Zombie bites you, then your infected and you become a flesh eating monster like normal. But what really makes it different in my opinion is the cast because Liv, Ravi and Babineaux are fantastic but more importantly it doesn't take itself seriously and is very self aware. Having Liv look in at two of her friends playing a zombie video game and her watching night of the living dead and commenting on how different she is. Its never worried about being self aware of itself and how different it is.

The pilot manages to cram a lot into an hour but without ever really feeling like its just throwing everything at you, it still feels like its keeping stuff close to its chest. That is backed up by the end of the episode which I won't spoil but it intrigued be quite a bit and made me really excited for the next episode. The show while being a DC property doesn't feel like a superhero show because it isn't one, its a comic book show but its more a detective show with a twist more then anything. It already has that case of the week vibe about it with that underline story that we get little bits of across the season until the big finale. It feels like a Buffy or an Angel a show of the late 90's early 2000's which might be a big thing to say but thats what it feels like as we have are small team working on cases and crimes together. I don't know how long they can keep Babineaux out of the mix on that fact that Liv is a zombie but for now I'm happy with the pace that they have set and its a pleasant surprise.

I have nothing but praise for this show and I hope that it carries on across the season because its a show that really doesn't have a lot of potential to be brilliant. I didn't want to go into to many spoilers because its something that I feel is better for everyone to find out for themselves because this show is a real surprising treat for people like me that didn't know anything about the comic. Pilots never normal grab me but if more shows can take IZombies approach then I would be a happy man

The Flash: "Out of Time" Review

*Spoilers for the episode follow*

Ever since Flash went for its break we have been teased about the Weather Wizard and how he change things forever for Barry which wasn't far wrong this week. As Barry enjoyed a date with his new thing we were greeted by a awkward love triangle, a brother out for revenge, Harrison being revealed as the Reverse Flash to Cisco and time travel?

A nice cameo from Clyde Mardon at the start of this weeks episode was great as we were finally introduced to his brother the Weather Wizard who has revenge in mind for Joe. After a plane crash because of the particle accelerator both brothers got the power to control the weather you know like you do when your in a plane crash. But it was great to finally get a real explanation for the reasoning behind their powers and gave a clear motive for his hatred for Joe. But much like his brother we haven't really been given much in a way of character for him other then that he's big bad and can make a tsunami. Which after the cliffhanger ending I hope that they can now work on and build on his character because at the moment theres nothing really there. While having revenge in mind for Joe because he killed his brother it would have been nice to get more of an insight into him and who he is but I'm sure thats something they can build upon as this storyline reaches its final act. We have been promised that the weather wizard will play a massive part in Barry and his going back in time and time travel will be involved with his introduction. Which we caught a small glimpse of at the start of the episode as Barry sped to the morgue only to look and see a glimpse of himself running along side him.

I've spoke to some people about this episode and the way that they handled the time travel and everyones kinda spilt down the middle some wanted more and others felt that it was a good start. Im more in the middle myself, while its good to finally start teasing the fact that he can travel into the past it might have been good to give us something with more of a punch. What I mean is that we know that Barry travelled to the past and characters in the show such as Wells, Cisco and Joe know that he was in the past and about time travel. So giving us something such as Barry finding out that Cisco was dead and then ending up in the past would have given Barry something more to fight for and us something more to route for. Or just finding out that everyones theories on Harrison Wells being evil or up to something was right all along so giving him a choice and reason to fight for might have given the episode more punch. But thats what was great about the cliffhanger because it left so much to build upon from here and how Barry goes about everything now. Will he go about things the same way he did the first time, will he let Iris find out about him being The Flash or will he let his love for her stay hidden so that he can save her from being near the tsunami. Time will tell.

But talking of Iris well done to you Barry you finally got the girl even if all of that has now been scrapped and none of that has happened now. It was a weird thing for me at first when the episode started and they had this weird love triangle happening again and it just made me think "really? were doing this again?" But its not till the end of the episode that I felt the pay off and why they would keep this storyline there in the front of our minds, amongst everything else that was happening in the episode. Out of Time was a very busy episode and it was hard to believe that they were gonna keep the momentum going without it spiralling out of control. But for the most part they managed to just keep pulling punches that kept it going at a steady pace before the big cliffhanger moment of the ending of the episode. While the villain wasn't the best that was for the most part made up for my Wells and his reveal to Cisco as we found out how he was getting beaten up by himself that night.

The reveal of Wells to Cisco was one of the best moments of the episode because its something that has been building up ever since he started investigating him with Joe. Ciscos death was a shocking moment and well deserved moment for a great character on the show and the way that Wells killed him was horrible. But I loved the way that they handled it and showed that Wells was fond of him but knew that there was nothing else he could do at this point but kill him. As we learned more about the night Barry's mum was murdered we also started to learn the real reason that Wells wants to make Barry faster and as the tension builds up the to the final half of the season, its hard to believe that anyone will make it out it alive while Wells is still around. There is a moment of relief that Cisco is now alive again because Barry has turned back time but Barry doesn't know about Wells killing him so will he be able to save him from dying again only TIME will tell. (Im sorry)

Out of Time is a hard one to talk about because everything that happened in the episode has basically been thrown out and put back to square one again. If you didn't like this episode I think that you can be happy because everything has now been reset. Which seems like a real shitty move on their part because just as if your like me you finally got to see Barry get the girl just for that to be changed and for it to never happen will be annoyed. But who knows maybe there just pulling a third Harry Potter film and there resetting everything and making it all for the better and then he can save everyone and still get the girl. I dunno I think thats just wishful thinking on my part but I think if they can keep this moment then were safe in the knowledge that were going to get a strong second half of the season.

The Walking Dead "Spend" - Review

The 

*Spoilers for the epsiode follow*

Is it fair to say at this point that if you ever end up finding yourself in a jam while you live at Alexandria never turn to one of their people for help because they will just leave you behind. The biggest take away I found from this epsiode was that Rick taking over might just not be such a bad thing. I had the same dilemma in the comics and this just put the nail in the revolving door for me. (Sorry I had to)

Anyone that has read the comics will know that the people of Alexandria aren't such good people as they first make themselves out to be. They are liars, cowards and wife and child beaters. Can we just talk about Pete first before we get onto any of the heavier shit from this episode. That confrontation between Rick and Pete over a beer was fantastic because we had to watch Rick hold back from just beating the living shit out of him or ripping his throat out. Depends on the day really. But since the group came to Alexandria they have been giving subtle hints that this man is a bit of a monster and who better to finally figure it out then Carol former sufferer of it herself. Anyone that has read the comics like me should really be finding themselves scratching their heads because Carol wasn't there to tell Rick this in the comics. So maybe they might go down a diffrent direction with Pete in the show which won't be a bad thing. The warning sign this week for Carol was that this kid would rather spend all his time with a woman that threatened to tie him to a tree and that no one would see him again then go home. I just hope that now that Carol knows what's really happening in that house that she gives the kid a break and gives him those damn cookies that he wants. He's just a young boy wanting cookies Carol give him a break. While the ending to this epsiode might seem drastic let's all be honest there's a part of all of us that wanna see that crazy Rick rise back to the surface again. Sorry Pete but your ass is dead! 

Talking of the end of the of epsiode and how you can't trust the people of Alexandria, you can say the same for certain Father as well. Now I'm gonna put it out there that I don't like Gabriel and I never have. Just find that he is a bit of a coward and he's doing what he's always done run away from his problems and pile them onto someone else. This week he piled them onto Deanna while Maggie stood on the stairs listening to every word, nothing good ever comes from snooping Maggie. As Gabriel told Deanna something that I feel was running through her head already that the group can't be trusted and that they have done terrible things. But it made me think Father Gabriel isn't exactly squeaky clean right? He was the man that let people outside die just so that he could save his own skin and would rather hide away in his church like a coward. But of a hypocrite really. Spend felt like one of those presidential campaign videos (hear me out I know you think I'm crazy) but in those videos they show the opposition doing stuff that shows them in a bad light and why you should vote for this person because thier change that. Well that's what it felt like with the people of Alexandria they are the opposition while Rick is the man looking to be voted in as the new leader. While we won't see anything like that in the show it did just make a greater case for a Rickdictatership or a new goverment if stronger people. As we get closer to the finale something that's been promised to be both shocking and brutal I think a Rick dictatorship isn't to far away after all. 

Ever since the group came to Alexandria they have gotten the feeling that they don't belong there and that they are to diffrent from the rest of them. N for the most past they are right about that because they know how to survive and what it takes to get things done in this world and most importantly there not cowards. The same can't be said for the guys working on building the wall.

Abraham a man that I thought was on the verge of breaking last week and at the start of this epsiode just turned out to be a hero and a leader this week. I won't dwindle on him for two long because there's something much bigger we need to talk about that happened this week. But Abraham the walking tank was a stand out part of the epsiode this week, when he used that ball on a chain to smash walkers heads in it was like something out of a video game. Which brings me to something we go more into later but the gore this week was some of the best that this show has done. This season has upped the gore factor and I hope that it doesn't stop there and just keeps on going up from here. Walking dead is a horror show and this week felt like that more then it has since Tyrese's death (R.I.P Tye) But back to Abraham he saved a soon to be key member of the cast that's all I will say as long as they are going down the comics route that is. But he turned into the Abraham that I know from the comics and that is a massive thumbs up from me for the guys at Walking dead this week. Spend just hit all its marks this week pulling no punches on the gore, horror or character development. Sticking to these smaller and shorter scenes between characters really works for this show and if they keep on this path. Well then this show will stay as the top show on television for a long time to come.

Now let's get to the supply run crew shall we because that's where the biggest shock moments really happened and the gore that I was talking about just broke the meter. What's great about Walking Dead is when it does gore it goes all out and doesn't hold back. So when Noah met his demise this week and you watched as the blood hit the glass and his cheek was ripped from his mouth it was disgusting was utterly brillaint at the same time. Not many shows do practical effects as good as Walking dead so when we get effects as good as that it's hard not to just praise them, even it it did come at the cost of Noah. So poor Noah was looking to become an architect and help with the building of things and the wall, it was great to spend time with Noah this week. Mostly because the writing was so good that it made you fall in love with his character so that when he died it hit harder then it would have if they hadn't focused on him at all up to this point. Nicholas was bound to try and do something to save his own skin at the cost of the others and it just brings the fact that the people of Alexandria can't be trusted back to the forefront. While Noah's death was sad the person I felt for more was Glenn this week as he stepped up and did what Abraham did for the guys at the wall be a leader when they needed it. Glenn this season has really come into his own and take up that leadership role so maybe we could be looking at the new leader of the supply runners. The person that should be watching his back now those is Nicholas which is why I believe when Kirkman says that the finale will be brutal. Everyone is out for blood and Nicholas is easily reaching the top of that list now after the stunt that he pulled this week. Glenn's cry for help that could be heard in the back ground this week was bone chilling as they reached Alexandria. 

Spend was very much about the group standing up and being leaders, helpers and heroes and on all bases they blew it out the park. It's hard to find something had to say about a show that manages to give up a epsiodes like this that show just why routing for Rick and the troupe really is the right thing to do. Talking of heroes one quick mention to Eugene this week who stepped up and saved Gleen and we can hope Tara it was a great moment for Eugene as a character. It helped also show the difference between him and Nicholas a man that was a coward and couldn't step up when it mattered most. 

Spend punches out all the bases and while I will mourn the passing of Noah it wasn't unexpected and he got one of the best deaths on the show. For a character that wasn't part of the show for very long I see his passing having a lasting effect on how the group deal with the people of Alexandria. I can't wait to see where we go next week as we lead into the finale, all I can say is that no one is safe at this point and that is brillaint.