Review: World Without End

Non Spoiler Review:

Last year saw a pretty fair adaption of Ken Follet's novel, Pillars of the Earth. The time period was presented beautifully (and suitably gritty), the characters were interesting and the plot compelling (if not more than a little melodramatic). So while I enjoyed its conclusion, I was equally excited that World Without End would be coming up next, this time on Reelz.

I've not read Ken Follet, so knew little of World Without End aside from it being set in the same town of Kingsbridge (which in hindsight is fortunate). The first episode reintroduced this medieval world  of 1327, over 150 years later, with the town now a thriving center for wool, and England again suffering a conflicted succession with Edward III taking the crown from his father (with help from his scheming mother), and the apparent death of Edward II. Once again the royal goings on spill over into Kingsbridge, with a fleeing knight taking refuge in the priory with a secret that could shake the monarchy. The new king embarks on a war with France that will become the Hundred Years' War just as the plague begins to make its appearance in England. Of course this all has particular impact on the characters in Kingsbridge.

The series' main players are Charlotte Riley as proto-feminist Caris, Rupert Evans as villainous monk Godwyn and Tom Weston-Jones as builder Merthin. Throw in some familiar faces like Miranda Richardson as Mother Cecilia and Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City) as Petranilla, and you have a small taste of this expansive cast. They all look good, but it's quickly apparent they don't all have much to work with here.

While the production of the series appears to have suffered some budget cuts, it still is presented quite believably. But after the first episode it was evident that plot points were trumping any attempt at letting the characters evolve to achieve any real connection with the audience.

Each episode brought a new list of plot points to be checked off with each passing minute. Things happen to characters. They don't actually experience them. And if you thought Pillars of the Earth was melodramatic, World Without End leaps fully into medieval soap opera. The amount of terrible things that happen to the characters in Kingsbridge becomes laughable by the time the series reaches its climax.

World Without End suffers from another syndrome that similar period pieces tend to fall for—the out of place character who expresses our 21st Century ideals. In this case it's feminist Caris who embodies everything progressive you might imagine—feminist, revolutionary, progressive doctor, etc. I really can't see someone like this showing such contrarian views (and not getting burned as a witch for them), much less being able to attract a husband (who is equally progressive).

Meanwhile, villainous characters kill virtually out in the open and arbitrarily without ever getting caught or the least bit of suspicion.  Even more black and white than Pillars of the Earth, it was clear with every introduction who the villains and heroes were, with no area of grey to muddy the themes.

The plot was quite similar to Pillars of the Earth for most of the narrative, as well. Conspiracy in the monarchy. Mysterious secret centered on Kingsbridge. The Earl of Shiring is unfairly deposed. The travails to build a cathedral bridge. But even the building aspects introduced early on, like with many details, are suddenly abandoned in the flurry of activity as episodes progress (and the narrative jumps ahead in time). After the first couple of instalments my interest was left behind.

A final significant criticism is how much this departs from the book. The climactic episode creates a vastly different conclusion which feels very out of place and in contrast to everything that was set up in the first episode. I did a bit of research on the book's plot, and had I read it I would be fuming at how this mess all resolved itself. Or did not resolve—because the final coda of Pillars of the Earth is something we don't get here. Just a quick fade out with a few notes tacked on before the credits roll. But that all didn't really matter given I didn't really care what happened to these characters.

This is eight hours I won't get back. It doesn't come close to matching the decent Pillars of the Earth, much less a production like The Tudors. I can't even recommend this to even the most die hard fan, simply because it lacks any heart to keep you coming back each chapter (and any fan of the novel is going to be irritated by all the changes). It's all very disappointing and achieves success only as an example of how not to adapt a book to screen.

Review: American Horror Story: Asylum "Nor'Easter"

Non Spoiler Review:

Briarcliff Asylum is about to be hit by a wicked nor'easter, prompting Jude to borrow a movie projector to keep the patients occupied during the night. Satan Sister Eunice is busy manipulating Jude and Arden while Lana enlists Dr. Thredson's help to get a message out to Wendy. Grace and Kit want to make good on their escape with the storm as cover. In both 1964 and the flashforward, Bloody Face's confusing identity grows more convoluted.

Some great performances this week, with Jessica Lange coming into her character with her best scene of the season (so far). Eunice is starting to shine now that she's got Satan on board, and watching her begin to manipulate everyone around her is pretty fun stuff. 

So much was thrown at the screen this week, it's a lot to digest, but Nor'Easter was definitely the best of the three so far—an even mix of fun, scares and disturbing moments.

Spoilers Now!

Bloody Face breaks into Teresa's cell, but Leo isn't finished off yet and manages to bring him down and allow her a moment to stab him multiple times with an awl. She tries to carry him out, finding her phone on the way. Then she runs into another Bloody Face who shoots them both in the head. There's two of them, and they take off their masks and appear to have been playing their own game in the asylum, and one named Cooper thinks has gone too far. They notice Leo's arm has been ripped off, just as the other Bloody Face appears and walks towards them.

In 1964, Satan Eunice brings the mail to Jude, warning her of a storm coming. The newspaper she brought is from 1949 and has an article about a missing girl (the one Jude hit with her car). Jude is unnerved and promptly has flashbacks to the night. Dr. Thredson comes in, suggesting she stop her corporal punishment policy. She dismisses his claims and explains she borrowed a movie projector to take the patients' minds off the storm. Thredson asks for Jed's autopsy report for his files and thinks it will say he died of natural causes. He also suggests her veneer is a defence to protect her own guilty conscience. She immediately asks if it was him who got the newspaper, but realizes he didn't. She wants him gone in two weeks.

Meanwhile, Kit and Grace continue to plot their escape, and he even forgives Lana for turning him in as he would have done the same if he weren't innocent. This time Shelley wants in on their next attempt. Eunice addresses the patients in the common room to advise them of the coming storm and Friday's movie night of Sign of the Cross. One of their charges, an old woman called the Mexican, seems to sense who she is and can see her demonic eyes.

Eunice returns to Jude with news someone has been drinking the communion wine and wants her to taste it, claiming it's been watered down. Jude is shocked to see her wearing lipstick and demands she hand it over and wash it off. Eunice adds Dr. Arden said red was Jude's favorite colour and she'll understand why he wants her to have it.

Arden is analyzing the alien implant, finding that it reassembles itself. He shows the device to Kit, and notices it appears to want to get back into him. Arden accuses Kit of working for someone, like the East Germans or KGB (as well as making an offhand comment about the Jews). He proceeds to start searching for more implants by cutting into him.

Eunice visits the Mexican in her room. The woman is terrified so Eunice demands she get on her knees and prey. She stabs her in the neck with scissors, then takes her into the woods as food for the creatures. Eunice then goes to see Arden, saying she's worried about how the creatures will survive the cold. They only need to get through the winter, he says. Then she proceeds to try to seduce him in a display of sexuality that shocks and outrages Arden. He slaps her and demands she leave. 

As Thredson oversees the set up of the theatre, Lana asks for a word in private. He's not authorized to discuss her treatment, he says, but she realizes he's not one of them. She needs to get a message to Wendy as she hasn't heard from her. If she could just see her she could straighten out her predicament. Thredson takes the message for her.

Jude comes to see Arden, who is sleeping in his office due to the storm. She wants to know about the lipstick Eunice gave her. Arden claims the asylum has corrupted Eunice, while Jude blames him for scheming to replace her. He suggests she take a leave of absence.

Jude then gets a phone call from her dead girl accusing her of leaving her on the road, and finds the girl's broken glasses on her desk. It proves too much for her so she indulges in the communion wine Eunice had left for her and stumbles out into the common room where everyone is assembled. She introduces the movie as Thredson sits down with Lana and implies he delivered her message. Jude proceeds to deliver a warm and erratic speech of encouragement that the storm will bring a golden sky in the morning, then breaks down. She gets a hold of herself and goes off to find the Mexican, who is now missing. 

Thredson explains he couldn't get a hold of Wendy, so went to check on her himself. When he let himself in to her house, he found similarities between her disappearance and other victims of Bloody Face, and something terrible might have happened. However, the police won't entertain the notion that they might have the wrong man, but Thredson isn't sure Kit is the killer.

Grace excuses herself to go to the bathroom. Lana notices and leaves, as well. She meets up with Grace, Kit and Shelley, but Grace is not about to take her with them. Lana admits she was wrong about him, and Kit believes her. Shelley opts to distract the guard and takes him away, allowing the others to make their escape and later wait for her to rejoin them at the door to the tunnels. Jude sees something is going on and goes after.

Arden takes the lipstick and paints up a statue of the Virgin Mary. He calls it a whore and pushes it over. Jude hears that and turns around to see an alien. After knocking out the guard, Shelley runs into Arden instead.

The others can't wait any longer for Shelley but Lana vows to expose the place and get her out. They run outside into the storm to find the road. Grace stumbles over the remains of the Mexican in the woods, and Kit sees one of the creatures who takes pursuit after them. They run into more of the man-creatures and have to flee back into the tunnels.

In the common room Thredson gets suspicious of the absences and asks the guard on the projector if he's noticed patients are missing. Arden takes Shelley to his lab to have his way with her, even though she doesn't want him. He proceeds to try to rape her but finds he can't and when she laughs at him he knocks her out.

Eunice finds Sister Jude passed out in her room. She wants to know if Eunice saw it too. Jude returns and berates the guard that three patients are missing. She shuts down the movie and declares no more privileges due to the three who abused her good will. But Kit, Grace and Lana are in their seats and Jude is actually referring to the Mexican, the pinhead (who got up to go to the bathroom) and Shelley.

Shelley wakes up on Arden's table, and he informs her they all think she's run away. She promises not to tell them anything but he explains he had to clip her wings so she wouldn't fly away. He's cut off her legs at the knee.

The Verdict:
Definitely the best and wildest of the season so far, with a drunk Sister Jude just the icing on the cake. I was laughing out loud at her speech to the patients before the movie. There was a lot to take in with Nor'Easter and it didn't let up until the end.

It seems obvious now that Arden is a Nazi, what with his paranoia about the KGB and his quip about the Jews, so that means we have an interesting mix of aliens, demonic possession and Nazis—quite a genre mash up going on. Poor Shelley seems to be on a path to becoming one of Dr. Arden's creations.

I'm glad that Kit is behaving in a sane manner (but that, too, could be a ruse). He forgives Lana for her betrayal and is quite the white knight when it comes to Grace. But I have a suspicion Grace is not as benign as she seems, either, and could be playing everyone.

As for Dr. Thredson—could he be Bloody Face? His Mr. Spock delivery of what he saw in Wendy's house was pretty stoic. He's my leading suspect at least as far as this week goes. In the present, Bloody Face's identity becomes even more confusing as we now have too psychopathic cosplayers facing down what could be the real serial killer, as well.

Of note is the radio report Arden is listening to during the storm referring to sightings of lights in the sky (with the implant in the jar jumping around). Did the alien do anything to Jude and does she remember the encounter? What is their interest in the asylum, or have they come for Kit?

Next week...Anne Frank!

Review: The Walking Dead "Walk With Me"

Non Spoiler Review:

The narrative shifts to Andrea and Michonne, who witness a military helicopter crash, and the subsequent arrival of a new group of survivors from the town of Woodbury. Can they be trusted, especially their strong leader known only as the Governor?

With a longer season, it's refreshing to be able to leave Rick and the crew to focus on Andrea and the still mysterious Michonne, who, even after this episode, doesn't get a lot of new insight. The arrival of the Governor to the cast is a geekout moment for fans of the comic, but also a very ominous and interesting one for those just watching the series. There are other additional characters, the return of an old face, as well, including one background character that is sure to raise some suspicions as to his identity (or at least it did with me!). 

Walk With Me was an intriguing episode for the mysteries it's set in motion, as well as the focus on two of my favs—Andrea and Michonne. Lots of revelations no doubt are to come.

Spoilers Now!

A military helicopter with three men on some sort of patrol malfunctions and crashes in the Georgia wilderness. Andrea and Michonne witness the impact and go to investigate. Andrea is still battling the flu, so Michonne checks out the wreckage and finds one dead body. But they're suddenly alerted to vehicles pulling up and they watch from the woods as men take a look for themselves.

They appear organized and well-versed in the proper way to dispatch with the walkers without making a ruckus. They watch them pull a man out of the helicopter while the dead one begins to animate as a zombie and the leader kills it. Michonne's walkers start to get antsy and threaten to alert them of their position, so Michonne has to kill them both. It looks like they've gone unnoticed but one of the men (with a very familiar voice) comes up behind them and tells them to put down their weapons. Andrea lays eyes on Merle (with suitable zombie killing prosthesis). Andrea faints.

Delirious and blindfolded as they're driven away, she hears the leader talking on the radio with his home base. A soldier was found alive and is being brought back, too. Through her blindfold she gets a glimpse of Merle.

They arrive at a walled town. The doctor treats Andrea but gives them little information before being ordered to see to the soldier. Merle comes in to explain how he survived—he was bleeding out when they found him. Andrea informs him she hasn't seen Daryl in a long time and that he and Rick went back for him. He seems to show some sympathy when he hears about Amy's death. But she doesn't know what happened to everyone given they were separated for seven months. She knows what it feels like to be left behind.

Merle would like a thank you, so Andrea says as much, but Michonne just watches in suspicious silence. The leader comes in, whispers to Merle, then asks how they are. He tells them they're being cared for, not locked up. They're under guard to protect his people. Andrea then asks why he drove a knife into the skulls of dead men, and he reveals that they all turn however they die, and he put them out of their misery. They're welcome to leave, but he suggests Andrea get some rest, and to come by in the morning to get their weapons and be sent on their way. 

They walk outside to the peaceful town of Woodbury. He shows them the walls and she asks if they're military. They're mostly self-trained but they have heavy artillery scavenged over time. Merle calls him the Governor. He takes them to some comfortable quarters. Andrea asks about the pilot and he just says the doctor is working on him.

In the morning they're escorted around by a woman who explains they have 73 people in their community and there have been few casualties in a long time. The Governor has enforced a strict curfew but it works to maintain order and keep everyone safe.

The pilot is conscious and tells the Governor that their camp was over run when one got infected and his team abandoned their post and escaped. Ten in their group are on the highway in a convoy. He took the helicopter up to scout ahead. The Governor explains he'll go and find his men.

He then goes to visit Merle and a man named Milton and asks about the girl, Andrea. Merle explains she's from the group in Atlanta. He wants him to find out more from her. Milton, the brains in the group, shows the Governor the two zombies Michonne had—their arms and jaws were removed to take away their ability to eat—which made them become docile. They also acted as repellent from other walkers...walk with the biters, they think you're a biter. The zombies are also starving, but they're doing it slower than humans. Milton wants to talk to the women to learn more. 

He takes Milton's advice and has the girls over for breakfast with them. Milton has a theory that there might be a trace of the person lingering in the zombies. He asks Michonne who her walkers were, which makes things awkward. The Governor goes on to explain the secret of his success is restoring a sense of community and he plans to retake civilization. Michonne wants to leave. He says they can leave whenever they like but he urges them to take a look around and rest first.

Walking alone with Andrea, Michonne says she doesn't trust him, but Andrea wants to stay for a couple of days to fully recover. She also brings up that she feels she hardly knows Michonne even after seven months, and also wants to know who those two walkers were, especially since she took them out with no hesitation. Michonne refuses to answer and walks off.

On the road, the pilot's army buddies are camped out as the Governor arrives in a car bearing a white flag. He explains he found their man, Lt. Wells, who told him to bring them to him. They appear relieved but the Governor pulls a gun and begins shooting, as do his men in the woods, killing them all. Then they look over what Uncle Sam brought them.

The army convoy pulls into Woodbury to much curiosity. Andrea notices Milton seems a bit disconcerted. The Governor addresses the town, explaining the National Guard survivor had told them about his men, but they found them all dead. They had trucks with essential food and medicine, and he advises them not to take what they have for granted.

Afterwards, Andrea asks the Governor his real name. He makes it clear he will never tell her. As night falls, the Governor has a drink in his home. Andrea's female tourist guide is sleeping in his bed. He looks at the photo of his family, then heads into a dark room where he sits on a couch in front of an illuminated assortment of aquariums full of heads, one of whom is Lt. Wells. 

The Verdict:

This was an interesting diversion that really worked (and continues a string of great episodes). An extended season means we can have a whole hour without Rick and the crew and focus on introducing this major storyline and its characters. That gives the audience the reveal of the Governor before Rick even gets to meet him and sets up a lot of foreboding of what might be coming.

Michonne remains a mystery, so I'm anxious to see more of this character. I'm still a bit torn about this seven month gap and the fact that Andrea and her aren't besties yet? What did they talk about all this time? Even a few months with Lori and the others got them all pretty familiar with each other.

What I did overlook was that Andrea and Michonne would not be privy to the walking dead aspect of the virus, so that was an interesting addition, as well as Milton's explanation of why the two walkers were dismembered. I hope Milton turns out to be one of the good guys. The awkward glances he sometimes gives betray a bit of a conscience at what he knows about the Governor.

Merle's back! How will Daryl react at the inevitable reunion? Will he find himself changed so much that he won't see eye to eye with his brother anymore? Merle has already commented that he sees his younger brother as weaker than him.

Finally, David Morrissey presents a different Governor than we're used to in the graphic novels which I quite like. The literary version was obviously a crazy the moment we saw him, but Morrissey conveys a very subtle psychopath who has some attractive elements (that even Andrea might be taking a shine too?). Of course, the post-apocalyptic utopia is never what it seems to be.

Who is that large Tyrese-looking fellow in the Governor's entourage? Dare we hope that this character may be getting introduction via Woodbury?

Review: The Walking Dead 103

Non Spoiler Review:

This month takes care of some details of Rick's new arrangement—specficially handling Negan's arrival to take his due.

There are a variety of reactions among Rick and the survivors with this new normal, and particularly, this second appearance of Negan allows more insight into the man's psyche.

All in all a decent issue that kept a level of tension high given the unknown reactions of some of the characters around Negan (particularly Carl).

Spoilers Now!

Andrea's captured prisoner is set free, which does not sit well with her at all. But Jesus is secretly tailing him as he walks back to Negan's camp.

Andrea is about to move out on Rick but he reveals part of his plan to her—that he does have a scheme, and right now they're in a holding patter waiting for information. That makes her happy to hear.

Negan and his men show up for their first tribute, which creates a tense situation as he hands off his bat to Rick to hold the hole time, while confidently moving from place to place to take medical supplies—which creates another stand off with Denise that Rick must defuse. He's gracious enough to leave them all their food. Carl is the only one that steps in to say they're going to kill him, which creates a brief stand off between Negan and the boy before Rick forces him to go inside.

The Verdict:

For a relatively quiet issue, there was a lot of apprehension as Negan made his way through the community and interacted with the survivors. Carl's outburst especially brought a tense few panels as we wonder what Negan will do (and if anyone will stand up to Negan, it's him).

Negan appears to have his own sense of honor, allowing Alexandria to keep its food, yet taking what medical supplies he needs. But he's really just a saner version of the Joker. That makes him very dangerous given he has the intelligence to match his will to use violence.

Rick is in a tough predicament in his attempt to turn his people into sheep as a ruse to lure their new (and clever) enemy into a false sense of security. It's all quite tenuous given anyone could break ranks and take matters into their own hands and so get killed because of it. He's already been made to look very weak in front of his people.

Meanwhile, Jesus is on the road to hopefully bring us some details about Negan's home base. Given his comments to Rick about their houses, I'm curious where they're holed up that they don't enjoy the same luxuries. It will be interesting to see their conditions and if it shares any similarities to the Governor's stronghold.