Outlander: To Ransom a Man’s Soul (116)

Angus, Claire, Murtagh, and Rupert keep Jamie safe, for now.

The television series Outlander has had a difficult road to travel.  It came with a pre-installed fan base who’d had images simmering in their minds for over two decades, with preconceived ideas of how the story would be told.  The source material had a number of controversial scenes that would surely garner criticism and debate.  Perhaps most difficult, what began as a touching, adventurous love story then veered into raw, gut-wrenching darkness.  All these things—plus some poor pacing choices by the producers—led up to a highly volatile season finale that exploded in an uproar of emotions, attitudes, and widely disparate reviews.

“To Ransom a Man’s Soul” was not an easy episode to watch.  I wondered if those who hadn’t read the books, who had been enchanted with delightful characters and gorgeous Scotland, would be turned off by the events of Wentworth Prison.  The answer?  Many have been.  In fact, had I come into the episode without having read the book (which I started only after the mid-season finale), I might have been among them.

The Flash: Grodd Lives (121)

Searchin’, searchin’, searchin… (It’s an old song lyric)

Catching up on this week’s shows, with the first to air the last to be covered.  Or FILO, as they used to say in the olden days of computer lore.  Who came in first among our players?

1.  Iris!

Iris now knows that Barry is the Flash.  Thank goodness that dead weight of a plot point is over!  Throughout the episode she learns that she’s the only one who was kept in the dark.  Well, Captain Singh doesn’t know either, but he doesn’t count since he’s a recurring character and not a regular.

Iris actually handles these reveals with grace.  She’s not so much mad as disappointed.  Guess what, guys?  She’s as smart, strong, and capable as we expected.

Arrow & Supernatural in 3 Words

Well.  That sucked.

Sad Oliver

Worried Dean and Sam

Arrow: Al Sah-Him (321)

Oh fandom, you’re so funny.  One of the first comments I read after “Al Sah-Him” aired was “I hate this show.”  To which I ask, “Then why the hell are you watching it?”  I know, I know.  Sometimes it’s hard to let go of a show you used to enjoy.  But why spend precious time watching something that’s gone sour for you?

In the holy triad of this week’s CW shows, Arrow comes in last.  But it wasn’t a total loss.

Nyssa: Can we keep her?

Outlander: By the Prickling of My Thumbs (110)

Dougal MacKenzie loses his schniz over the death of a wife we’ve never seen or heard of before.

[This Outlander “non-recap” is brought to you by this week’s Scotch, “The Glenlivet, 12 years of age.”  Hey, that’s what it says on the packaging.  I do not like it as much as last week’s 12-year-old Glenfiddich, but I will persevere and finish the (relatively small) bottle.  Not all at once, mind you, but soon enough to try a different Scotch next week.]

In an episode seemingly designed to lessen my enthusiasm obsession, who ruled the day?  Who lost?  And who sucked arse?

Ruled:

1.  Colum MacKenzie:   Do not mess with the laird.  Gary Lewis (the only Outlander actor whose Scottish brogue is perhaps even more pronounced than his character’s) for the win.  The diminutive actor made not one, but two strapping men cower.  And rightfully so.

Damn You, Outlander!

Curse you, Sam Heughan and Diana Gabaldon, for making love this guy.

Have you ever loved a story so much it hurts?  You feel so passionately, you get a hole in your gut and it feels like your heart is being ripped in two.

That’s how deeply Outlander has affected me.  I’ve been fanatical about various shows, characters, couples and the like in the recent past, but I can’t remember the last time something pierced my soul the way this show does.

Outlander actually debuted early last fall, but having never read the books, nor being a regular Starz watcher,  it passed under my radar.  I didn’t discover it until mid-December.  The upside was being able to watch the first eight episodes in quick succession, without having to wait a full seven days for the next episode.  The downside is that most of the fervent online activity has subsided.

We Interrupt This Arrow-thon to Bring You…

… the Doctor Who Christmas Special.

It’s Santa vs. The Doctor

Except that I tuned it out after 15 or so minutes.  Nor was checking in at various intervals enough to interest me.  Even the appeal of Danny Pink didn’t lure me in.  Instead, it felt as though Steven Moffat is running out of ideas.  The dream-within-a-dream-within-a-dream-(ad nauseum) has been done before, and better, in Inception.  Even the spinning jack was present, albeit replaced by the first word on a randomly chosen page of text.  Perhaps it’s time to turn the writing over to someone else.

As much as Peter Capaldi makes a marvelous Doctor, and as good as Jenna Coleman was last season, the prospect of the two of them journeying through all of space and time for another year holds little interest for me.

However!

I have been distracted. 

Jamie (Sam Heughan) wraps his “plaid” around Claire (Caitriona Balfe).

101 Dalmaitons, no, Dragons, er, Followers!

Woohoo!  SciFi Chicks followers have broken the 3-digit mark!  Thank you!

In looking over which posts have received the most views, the popular shows seem to be Supernatural and everything in the How to Train Your Dragon universe—movies, television shows, and books.  Hey, those are my two favorite fandoms, too!

Remember this?

Let’s not forget the Impala!

Yet another deal

Test Drive

The ‘Nuts and Snotlout: sash says “DUMB”

Mac & Cheese & Astrid!

I wish I had some sort of contest or give away to celebrate, but I don’t.  So, how about this:

Your How to Train Your Dragon 2 Musings

Toothless & Cloudjumper want your opinions!

Have you seen How to Train Your Dragon 2?  (I’ve been waiting for the weekend rush to subside.)  If so, I’d love to hear what you think.  Please post your thoughts in the comments section.  You can do a complete review, link to a review you wrote or like, or just say whether you liked it or not.

Thanks, everyone!

[P.S.  Just as this post was published this, another follower joined the fun!  Welcome!  Whee!]

CANCELLED!

Well crap.  Intelligence was cancelled in favor of another season of The Mentalist.  That makes yet another show down the drain.  My Current SciFi category is going to be significantly smaller next season.   Let’s look at the count.

Intelligence – CANCELLED!

Almost Human – CANCELLED!

Dracula – CANCELLED!

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – Renewed!

Freshmen programs:

Believe: Collapse (110)

Well geez, if I’d remembered Channing was shot in the last episode, I might have watched this episode sooner.  Good news for Jamie Chung fans.  She lives.  Oops, spoiler.  Sorry.

It’s a good thing the writers didn’t wait too long for Tate find out he’s Bo’s father, since Believe has been cancelled not renewed.  His interactions with Bo have become so much sweeter.  He even kissed her in “Collapse.”  (Maybe he’s done it before.  I don’t remember.)

Tate & Farrell: Frenemies with benefits?

In general, I don’t like main characters in perilous situations.  I fast-forwarded through the bulk of 127 Hours. When Magnum, P.I. was lost at sea, I really didn’t want to watch an hour of Thomas treading water. (Of course, there was much more to the story, with Magnum’s memories and the search for him).

Thus, I wasn’t looking forward to “Collapse.”  Yes, there were the tropes of the dying batteries and no cell phone service (except there was).  But having Tate and FBI Agent Farrell not only working together, but sharing similar pasts was a nice touch.  And Farrell turns out to be pretty darned awesome!