iZombie Lives

Article originally published as iZombie Review on Seat42F.

iZombie Malcolm Goodwin as Clive Babineaux and Rose McIver as Olivia "Liv" Moore

The CW’s newest drama, premiering this week, is called iZombie. The show begins when Liv Moore (Rose McIver, Masters of Sex, Once Upon a Time) is accidentally turned into one of the undead at a party-gone-wrong. Not knowing if there’s anyone else like her out there, she decides to hide what she’s become from her family and friends, who just think she’s grown lazy and pale, and even break off her engagement. Blurting out a special gift she finds in front of the wrong person, though, may just give her a new purpose.

The first thing that strikes me about iZombie is that is feels remarkably similar to Veronica Mars. This isn’t surprising, given that the series is created by Mars’ Rob Thomas, but everything from the snarky main female who gives voiceover, to the types of guest characters that pop up, to the tone and music, are nearly cloned from Veronica. This is strange, given that iZombie is based on a comic book and not Thomas’ original creation, but his influence is felt very heavily throughout.

Now, I do not observe this as a complaint. As a big fan of Veronica Mars, one who misses it frequently and can’t get enough of the new books and movie, also by Thomas, that continue the story, I am happy to have a show just like it back on television. The format, one in which Liv helps the police department solve cases, is similar to Veronica’s role as a private investigator, so that makes sense, too.

The major difference, at least in the pilot, is that iZombie is far more procedural. While Veronica spends a season looking into a case, Liv helps Detective Clive Babineaux (Malcolm Goodwin, Breakout Kings) catch the killer in a single hour. This is a disappointing departure, with the structure of the crime laid out in a predictable fashion. Liv’s ability to absorb skills and memories from the brains she eats, stolen from the victims in the morgue, could certainly help Clive with more cases. Should iZombie do this week after week, rather than developing any larger arcs, iZombie will quickly grow stale and lose its season pass status on my TiVo.

There are a few signs that iZombie could be serial. Liv lives with a roommate, Peyton (Aly Michalka, Hellcats), who wants to ‘fix’ Liv since she quit being a doctor to work in a morgue. Liv’s ex-fiancé, Major (Robert Buckley, One Tree Hill), is still in her life. Her boss, Ravi (Rahul Kohli), quickly figures out her secret and is dedicated to investigating the medical side of her situation. The man that made Liv who she is, Blaine (David Anders, Alias, The Vampire Diaries), is still out there and may have some answers. Each of these provide possible tales that can be explored in extended fashion.

I also like iZombie’s homage to its comic roots and its take on zombies. Liv is not like any other undead character I’ve ever seen, thus meaning viewers won’t immediately know what’s happening to her. The brain-eating aspect is not unique, but what happens to her after the meal is. She seems able to live a relatively normal life, as long as she consumes brains periodically, and her diet is light enough to not draw too much suspicion. The choice to make her condition a virus, which could one day be cured, makes sense and gives her motivation. I love The Walking Dead dearly, but I’m glad this is not that.

In short, iZombie seems poised to be one of the best made, most entertaining, boring procedurals out there. Hopefully it embraces its Thomas-DNA more fully and casts off the strict structure. If it does, I’m prepared to like it a lot.

iZombie premieres this Tuesday on the CW.

ONCE UPON A TIME Faces A New "Witch"

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 3 Episode 13 Witch Hunt on Seat42F.

This week’s episode of ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME, “Witch Hunt,” immediately rips away some of the mystique surrounding what we assume is this half-season’s big bad: the Wicked Witch (Rebecca Mader). We start getting clues about her early in the episode, learning she can circumvent Regina’s (Lana Parrilla) blood magic, so by the time that the Wicked Witch drops her bombshell – that she is Regina’s sister, or more accurately, half sister – it’s not that big a surprise. But that doesn’t lessen the tension between the two and the excitement for fans.

It shouldn’t be shocking that the Wicked Witch is related, anyway, because of ONCE UPON A TIME’s penchant for making all of the major characters kin. Last fall’s villain was Rumplestiltskin’s father, and the vast majority of the full-time players are connected by blood or marriage. This latest development just branches the family tree out a little bit further.

Of course, Regina isn’t the Wicked Witch’s only bond to our cast. She, too, was trained in the magical arts by Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle), and is supremely jealous of the roles both Rumple and her and Regina’s mother, Cora, played in Regina’s life. The Wicked Witch is the abandoned sister, the one left to her own resources in a far-off land, and she wants revenge.

This is the set up for a delicious war. Regina has been slowly turning good, working with our heroes, and that’s a welcome thing. But it’s also nice to see Parrilla play the darker side of the rich character, and by bringing in someone she can do battle with while not losing her positive status, exercising her great powers of destruction once more, they should give us one heck of a spring season.

The Wicked Witch has her own secrets. She has a resurrected, and one again crazy, Rumple locked in her storm cellar (where else?). Her flying monkeys are like werewolves, able to turn Storybrooke residents into more of their kind, a fate that befalls Little John (Jason Burkart) and possibly some dwarves. And the witch seems to know something about the baby in Snow’s (Ginnifer Goodwin), which she takes far too great an interest in. All of these things make her very dangerous, largely because of what the rest of the characters haven’t figured out about her yet. Viewers now know who she is, but Regina and the others, their memories of the past year and earlier encounters with the witch wiped, do not.

Besides Regina and her sister’s first conversation in the Enchanted Forest, Regina has many other shining moments in “Witch Hunt.” We see her meet Henry (Jared Gilmore) again, as painful as that is for her, since he doesn’t remember her, and just how depressed she was right after losing Henry, which I guess it now feels like again for her. She and Emma team up to try to figure out who is behind the latest curse, strengthening their partnership even more than we’ve seen before. Plus, sparks are beginning to fly between Regina and Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) when they bond over their children in fairy tale land, a foretold love many are anxious to see blossom.

I’m excited for Regina to have such a large arc in the coming weeks. Parrilla is an amazing performer, quite possibly my favorite on this series, and she captures the subtleties and layers of the Evil Queen in ways that can only be described as magical. There are so many sides to Regina, often overlapping, and Parrilla balances them all with great skill. More Regina can only be good for the series.

It’s also going to be neat to see Rumple in his new old state. Rumple’s story arc had really come full circle and he had a very natural ending in his death last fall. Yet, Carlyle is too valuable an asset for ONCE UPON A TIME to lose. “Witch Hunt” shows us how the writers will solve that, resetting his role, at least for now, allowing him to explore more deeply the parts of him that had been taken away. Cool.

The biggest question hanging unanswered right now, more immediate than figuring out the Wicked Witch’s game plan, is where is Neal (Michael-Raymond James)? The other characters assume he’s become a monkey, but that seems far too simple. One may wonder if his disappearance is connected to Rumple’s reappearance, as that would make more sense.

“Witch Hunt” does well in the larger stories, as mentioned above, but also excels in the little moments. It’s great to see Ruby (Meghan Ory, who has been starring in the new show Intelligence), Archie (Raphael Sbarge), Dr. Whale (David Anders), and others again who have been missing for most of this season so far. The bits where both Snow and David (Josh Dallas) are curious to hear more about what’s been going on with Emma’s love life are cute. Not to mention, everyone seeming to already know much about Oz, including how to possibly kill the Wicked Witch, which surely won’t actually work, is fun.

Basically, “Witch Hunt” is a terrific installment, moving the tale along quite briskly, providing ample opportunity to showcase Parrilla’s massive talents, and even nailing the referential dialogue. It’s near perfect, as far as hours go, not that I’d expect anything less from an episode written by Jane Espenson, as this one is.

ONCE UPON A TIME airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Lana Parrilla Soars in "Save Henry"

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 3 Episode 9 Save Henry on Seat42F.

The latest installment of ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME, “Save Henry,” is more about a mother than the son named in the title. Through flashback, we see how Regina (Lana Parrilla) comes to adopt Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) and how it ties into the larger story. In the present, Regina, Emma (Jennifer Morrison), and Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) attempt to rescue the boy and escape Neverland.

Regina has long been one of the most fascinating characters on the series. While she has done evil things, I do not believe that she is ultimately a true villain because she still has heart. We see this in the hole she feels in her life when she is absent a Henry. And we see how much she loves young Henry and that she will do anything to get him back.

It’s true, Regina kills the first Henry she loves, her father, in order to enact the curse that creates Storybrooke. This is a truly vile thing to do, and as promised to her by Rumple (Robert Carlyle), Regina soon begins to feel the loss, craving something to plug that hole. She finds that something when she gets Rumple to secure her a baby, which just happens to be the son of the savior that can ruin her.

We witness Regina’s early struggles as a mother, unable to stop her child from crying. Does baby Henry sense the darkness in her? And when she finally connects with him, does he sense the love? This is a woman who would go to the ends of the earth for her child, and would not make the same mistake with him that she made in dealing with the elder Henry.

That’s why, when Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) has the three ladies bound to a tree that feeds off their regret, Regina alone is able to break free. It’s not that she doesn’t have remorse for the mistake she’s made; it’s that her focus is on the greater feelings she has for Henry, which makes the rest of it worth it to her. Her love for Henry is true, and she is rewarded by Henry calling her “mom” as she tucks him in, safe back on the Jolly Roger near the conclusion of “Save Henry.”

Will this relationship be what ultimately can redeem Regina? It’s hard to say at this point. There is little doubt she would do bad again if Henry were threatened. But I’m starting to think that she will not do anything too evil without Henry’s survival on the line. She knows that she cannot keep Henry and fall back to her bad habits, so unless she has a driving purpose, or unless Henry dies, she likely won’t truly cross the line again. Not fully.

A sign of this is the way Regina wipes her own memory of whom Henry’s mother is, even though that hurts her chances of stopping Emma. Like Rumple, who has to put Henry’s welfare before his own in order to repair the relationship with his son, Neal (Michael Raymond-James), Regina puts her existence on the line to protect the son she has fallen for from herself. It’s a selfless, noble gesture, done before we even know Regina has such things in her.

Parrilla is a fantastic actress, and she deftly handles the role with a level of skill nearly unmatched in the show. Once more, I am drawn to the way she can find the subtleties and buried qualities in the part, and make us care about someone that we should have written off long ago. I do think both the story arc of the character and her popularity can be majorly attributed to Parrilla’s impressive talent, and wish for more episodes featuring her soon.

The conspiracy and coincidences in “Save Henry” leave a lot of questions unanswered. Does Mr. Gold always know he is Rumple? Is his knowledge triggered by Emma arriving? Is Regina destined to get Henry, or is this something Rumple builds into the curse? Why does Pan send Michael (James Immekus) and John (Matt Kane) to look for Henry eleven years ago, instead of only recently? These answers matter.

It’s fun to get back to Storybrooke and its charming residents. Granny (Beverly Elliott), Archie (Raphael Sbarge), Dr. Whale (David Anders) and even Sidney (Giancarlo Esposito), or Sidney’s voice, play a role in Regina’s flashback. I didn’t realize how much I missed them until they are glimpsed again in the sleepy hamlet. I’m looking forward to getting back there next week.

The only real complaint I have is that Snow, Emma, and Regina set off on their own to face Pan. I understand Neal staying behind to look after the Lost Boys, and can even see why he shouldn’t be left by himself. But the Boys seem to be mostly defeated, happy to help in return for a home, so more than three people can go after Pan. David (Josh Dallas) or Neal, at least, could have gone, too, leaving the other, Hook (Colin O’Donoghue), and Tink (Rose McIver) to watch the ‘captives.’ It’s another case of using half measures against a foe that has proved deserving of more.

It is weird that Henry is quickly dying without his heart when others survive for months or years just fine on the show without one. However, that could have something to do with Henry’s heart specifically, which we know is special, or the way Pan wants to use up the energy from it.

I will not complain about how easy Pan is to defeat in “Save Henry.” It certainly seems too good to be true that he is stopped at the tree, but his sneaky twist at the end, taking over Henry’s body and recruiting Felix (Parker Croft), his one loyal servant, to cause more trouble, is a very satisfying continuation of the arc. He is not defeated; he rises again!

ONCE UPON A TIME still has two full hours left in this fall run, airing Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Once Upon a Time anything but "Broken

Grade: 92%

The fairy tale is nowhere close to being over as ABC”s ONCE UPON A TIME returns last night with “Broken.” The curse has been broken, indeed, and magic has returned, in limited form, to Storybrooke. Yet, their land is destroyed, according to Regina (Lana Parrilla), so they remain stuck in the real world. How can they get their home back, or will they try to build a new one here?

“Broken” shows us many familiar faces to remind us of who all is in Storybrooke, but mostly sticks to the core group of characters for the central story (This, somewhat regrettably, though it won’t likely affect the size of his role,  as he never did make it into the inner circle, no longer includes Jiminy (Raphael Sbarge). It’s hard to complain about getting a glimpse of these beloved characters, and, considering their small part, they could easily have been dropped from this episode, which would make the world feel sadly smaller.

Most are out for Regina’s head, of course, since she is the face of their misery. But Henry (Jared Gilmore) maintains a little sympathy for the woman that raised him and convinces Emma (Jennifer Morrison) to protect Regina. It’s kind of hard to fathom why a kid who believes his mother is secretly an evil queen for so long doesn’t want to see her hurt. But the relationship between parents and children can be complicated. And although Henry does provide a possible salvation for Regina, she is really going to have to work hard to regain his affection after the events of “Broken.” Not that they are her fault.

See, Rumple (Robert Carlyle) promises Belle (Emilie de Ravin, upgraded to series regular), that he won’t kill Regina, so to get around this, he unleashes a wraith on her. Emma springs to the rescue, aided by her parents, Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Charming (Josh Dallas). They save Regina, but Snow and Emma fall through a portal after the wraith, leaving Charming alone to care for Henry.

Besides Regina, Rumple is another soul that must be saved. While Regina has Henry as a motivation, Rumple has his Belle back. Initially, that is not enough to get him to change his ways. But her continued presence can only be beneficial to him. Will she help him find a way to not be the Dark One anymore? That may or may not happen. She will, however, likely to influence his actions to be a little less evil.

Not that ONCE UPON A TIME is going to make its villains all warm and cuddly. Both Regina and Rumple still have a sharp edge to them, and it will not be rounded out anytime soon. Plus, with creatures like the wraith, new dangers will be introduced. Have no fear; ONCE UPON A TIME will not fall into a “happy ever after” anytime soon which, will satisfying, would also be boring.

The relationships between Snow, Charming, Emma, and Henry are very awkward in “Broken.” Technically, Snow and Charming are Emma’s parents, even though they appear to be the same age, and it feels odd for Henry to think of a couple so young as his grandparents. Also, Emma feels abandoned, as anyone would, by her parents, since they left her alone all these years. Yes, it was to save everyone, but there are still those emotional issues that would come from being set adrift, no matter what the intentions behind it. This makes all of these interactions seem odd.

Oddness is not a complaint, however. Given the very strange circumstances, it would be far worse if the characters quickly hugged and all was right in the world. There are a lot of unresolved feelings, and even if the feelings may not be completely logical, emotions seldom are. This uneasiness is natural and right, lending an authenticity to the characters.

As mentioned, magic is back in the real world, but it’s unclear exactly what that means. Rumple has some, certainly, but Regina is unhappy to discover that she does not. That is, until Emma touches her. All of the sudden, Regina can do things again. Is Emma the key? Will each person she touches get some power? Yet, not every storybook character had powers. The rules of this are completely murky at this point, but at least it feels like the writers have a handle on it, even if they aren’t going to share that with us yet. Bottom line, Emma remains the key, her importance no less after breaking the curse.

 

The only thing that really bugs me in “Broken” is that the storybook names and real world names are used interchangeable. Presumably, the characters remember both lives now, so they see each other both ways. But it’s weird to here Mary Margaret called Snow in Storybrooke, and then called Mary Margaret again a few minutes later. Are they forever stuck with two identities now? Can we not settle on one moniker per person? Even if they get to decide which it is, and some pick names from each world, it would be preferable to the current situation.

We still don’t know who Dr. Whale (David Anders) is in the fantasy world, a mystery alluded to in “Broken,” but not explored. This tease only makes me want to know more.

And what of the mysterious man (Michael Raymond-James, Terriers, True Blood) who lives in the big city, but gets a note from a pigeon? Is he Rumple’s son? If so, did he know about the curse, and was he working to break it? Or is he the March Hare, since he has a Hatter sign in his apartment? Is it possible that some of the storybook characters did not dwell in Storybrooke? How did the curse and its breaking affect them? Is this man on his way to Maine? Who sent the note? A wonderful mystery to kick off the new season.

Viewers also get another storybook story. Sleeping Beauty (Sarah Bolger, The Tudors) is awoken by Prince Phillip (Julian Morris, Pretty Little Liars). But before they can ride off together, a wraith attacks Phillip. Even with Mulan (Jamie Chung, Samurai Girl) there for support, the women can’t save Phillip from losing his soul.

Far more interesting, though, is the revelation that a small corner of the fantasy world survived Regina’s destruction, and time stopped for twenty-eight years then restarted, same as the clock in Maine, they are aware of this, and have banded together to…, well, who knows? Snow and Emma are thrust into this place, so through them, viewers will get a chance to see what the other consequences of Regina’s spell are. How cool!

“Broken” is a terrific return for ONCE UPON A TIME, furthering the arcs beautifully, while providing enough new mystery to keep the story magical. New episodes air Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Once Upon a Time is a land with magic

Once Upon a Time there was a series on ABC. It featured fairy tale characters stuck in the real world. Despite a promising pilot, the next few episodes sucked, driving some viewers away. Then, like a magical spell that takes a little time to work, things began to come to life in the show. Bit by bit, it revealed the charming, fun and whimsy series it could, and deserves, to be. As the first season draws to a close, a heck of a finale proves that Once Upon a Time should get to live happily ever after.

In the fairy tale segments of "A Land Without Magic," Once Upon a Time finally completes the tale of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas). Their reunion in the real world means more, seeing all of the trials they go through in the past, sprinkled throughout this season. If anyone is still doubting that they belong together, given their difficulties in Storybrooke, this should erase that.

"A Land Without Magic" is the title of the Once Upon a Time finale. But the land isn't entirely without magic. Regina (Lana Parrilla) calls upon the little she has left to do away with her foe, Emma (Jennifer Morrison), once and for all. Sadly, this backfires when Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) sacrifices himself heroically to prove to a disbelieving Emma that the tales he tells are true.

And it works! Instantly, Emma believes. Which means that she can see August (Eion Bailey) turning back into wood! She goes to Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle) for help, because, while he isn't trustworthy, he is her only chance to save Henry.

"A Land Without Magic" is interesting because it finally makes Regina truly sympathetic, just in time for her to be shunned. Regina's back story has been told, and it's sad, but seeing her as a mother fearing for the life of her son is another thing entirely. Regina and Emma are able to work together because of Henry, who is a true unifying force in their worlds. The boy could also be the key to saving Regina's soul, and by this episode, there is a desire to see her redeemed.

Too bad for Regina her secret identity is exposed. Emma slays the dragon, which is merely a scheme by Mr. Gold, and then wakes Henry with a kiss on the forehead of true love, Happy Potter style, from mother to son. Henry's awakening lifts part of the curse. All of the fairy tale characters become self aware, remembering their past, and who they truly are. Which means Regina had better flee before they string her up, now that she is powerless to defend herself.

Or is she? Mr. Gold's quest in "A Land Without Magic," for reasons still unknown, is to bring magic to Storybrooke. He succeeds, using the egg that Emma retrieves from the dragon. So, while everyone remains in the real world, again, for reasons unknown, Mr. Gold is bringing a little bit of their land into reality. Might Regina make use of this development? This clash of fiction and non-fiction should make for a hell of a second season.

A musing: Is there anyone in Storybrooke who isn't a fairy tale character? What will become of them?

While Mr. Gold's motivations are murky, he does have a new goal now, and that's to keep Belle (Emilie de Ravin, Lost) safe. Angry at Regina, Jefferson (Sebastian Stan, Gossip Girl, Kings) releases Belle, allowing her to return to her beloved, Mr. Gold / Rumpelstiltskin. Will Belle's presence help ground Mr. Gold, and keep him from descending back into evilness? Or will he make the same mistake with her that he made with his son, choosing the dark power over a loved one? Hopefully, his experiences will push him towards the former.

What will happen now? Snow will certainly realize she's a grandma, though she is about the same age as her daughter! And with everyone remembering their lives, and Emma being a believer, there will be a desire to return home. Magic is back, so there may also be a means to make this happen. But will Gold control all the magic, or will some be available to others? It's a huge cliffhanger!


Once Upon a Time has been renewed for a second season, and will return to ABC next fall.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Catch up with streaming episodes of Once Upon a Time. This article was first posted as Once Upon a Time is a land with magic on TheTVKing.com

Bringing down the House

FOX's House last night delves into a case gone wrong. Dr. Walter Cofield (Jeffrey Wright, Quantum of Solace) interviews each member of House's (Hugh Laurie) team to determine who is at fault for a horrible accident. The doctors rally around House, being honest, but also trying to leave things out that they know will make their boss look bad. Cofield pushes, getting to the heart of the matter, as the case unfolds in flashback. Cofield looks like he is about to rule against House, which will send the titular doctor back to jail. But then the patient's wife (Audrey Marie Anderson, The Unit) interrupts the verdict to thank House for saving her husband, and Cofield has a change of heart. He decides that it's "Nobody's Fault." 

House is known for special episodes that are very high quality in drama, writing, and acting, and that verge from the typical formula. "Nobody's Fault" is the latest in this line, and is as fantastic as the others. Seeing things in pieces, watching how the doctors talk about House behind his back, both positively and negatively, is great. No one wants House to go away. He is not just the other characters' key to staying in a unique job, but also brilliant in the way that few people are. His team (and fans of the show) realize that, and want to protect him.

"Nobody's Fault" really examines House's process. It's messy, granted, but it is also effective, as Cofield comes to see. House pushes the boundaries of what should be done, but if he didn't, patients would never be cured. House creates a very competitive environment for his staff, and that fighting, along with his pranks, and his efforts to keep everyone on their toes, leads to the wonderful results that they get. If House were to back off, it would be safer for everyone except the person the doctors are there to help. Thus, House's techniques are justified.

The case of the week is relatively common. A science teacher (David Anders, Alias, The Vampire Diaries) collapses, and it is revealed that he is also in a chemical accident at school earlier. This combination leads to varying symptoms that have the characters guessing wildly. The team, of course, disagrees over what is wrong and how to treat him. Chase (Jesse Spencer) disobeys House's decision because he thinks that Adams (Odette Annable) might be right.

But things take a turn for the worse when Chase, who is glaringly not part of the interview process framework story up to this point, is stabbed by the patient during a mental break. The scalpel goes into Chase's heart. His life is saved, narrowly, but he comes through the surgery paralyzed. Thanks to another genius leap beyond the expected, House is able to tell the others how to fix Chase. It will take therapy, but Chase will be able to walk again.

Which means that the question of the episode is, who is at fault for Chase getting hurt? No one comes out and blames House, even though it's the negative environment that House creates, as well as the risky methods of diagnosis he uses, that lead to the circumstances that cause the patient to freak out on Chase. Cofield questions this, yet even House and Chase say that they would do the same things again. It's the way that the team works. Chase getting stabbed is unfortunate, to be sure, but it is an accident. The way things are being done is sound, in that it leads to a way to help the patient. There is no reason to change that because of one unexpected occurrence. As House says multiple times this week, "Good things usually happen; Bad things sometimes happen."

What is amazing is that Chase refuses to blame House. He has every right to, because Cofield is correct in thinking that Chase would not be hurt if another doctor led the diagnostics department. However, as Chase understands, their patient would not be cured, either. How Chase manages to hang on to logic and reason through his trauma is impressive. Until one considers that it's emotion that is really driving Chase. He is convinced that, deep down, House cares about him. This certainty is proven when House apologizes. Chase is not going to waste time being mad at House, or getting him in trouble, when the benefits of what House does helps so many people. And gives Chase himself the chance to walk again. House saves Chase as much as any other sick person. Chase is glad to benefit from that.

The fact that House apologizes does show some growth. House's signature attitude is ambivalence. He strives for objectivity by not caring about the patients, thinking it makes him a better doctor. As his fellows say, "He's not wrong." It may not be the way most people want House to be, but it's hard to argue with results. But with Chase, someone that House has worked with for nearly a decade, on the table, House does care. He can't show it, except in a private moment, which Chase responds to gruffly to allow House to save face. But he really does, genuinely, care about what happens to Chase.

Does House feel responsible? Maybe. After all, when Cofield absolves House of the blame because of how House helps his primary patient, House reacts angrily. He calls Cofield a coward and storms out. Clearly, House has guilt. House still insists that he is right, but somehow, right is wrong in this instance. Cofield doesn't understand this because he doesn't know House as well as viewers who have watched him these past eight seasons. The clues are there for one willing to look for them.

The big question going forward is, will House change? He is definitely affected deeply by the Chase incident. Now admitting, at least to himself, that he cares, he may be less willing to risk the lives of his team. This could be a disaster for House's reputation and career. He has allowed the same fellows to stay on too long, and now it could end up ruining him. If House can't act like he does, and he can't diagnose, then he has nothing. How much will the events of "Nobody's Fault" color the forthcoming episodes? The last effects will be something to highly anticipate!

Watch House Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

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Vampire Diaries back with The Return

*Before you begin, need a refresher on the finale?  Here's my review from last spring.

     Tonight at 8pm is the long-awaited second season premiere of the CW hit, The Vampire Diaries.  In my press materials, I have been instructed not to tell you "who lives, who dies, who remains mortal, who vamps out, etc."  So I won't.  No major spoilers are below, although there are a few minor ones.  There are still a few things I can talk about without ruining the mystery.  For instance, this episode begins on the same night that the season finale ends, and goes through shortly after the mayor's funeral.

     When last season ended, a number of characters were in mortal peril.  Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) had tried to off himself with a bottle of pills.  Caroline (Candice Accola) was in a car accident.  And Uncle John (David Anders) had been stabbed by the newly returned, but often talked about, vampire Katherine (Nina Dobrev).  I am happy and sorry to report that one of these three appears to make it through their peril, only to be apparently killed before the end credits roll, though I won't say which one.  I also, unfortunately cannot give the fates of the other two.  But I so want to!  Of course, with this show, even seeing someone get killed doesn't mean they are gone for good.  There are too many possibilities.  And the one whose death I referred to up above may not even really be dead, though I suspect that he or she is.

     Katherine is, of course, the focus of tonight's season premiere, and probably the season.  Nina Dobrev gets to stretch her acting skills, proving she can portray two different people in Katherine and Elena, although, you're not always sure which one she is when the scene begins.  Hopefully the writer's will keep it easy to follow.  Fortunately, the secret that Katherine is back is not kept a secret for long, and soon many characters know that she is in Mystic Falls.  Dobrev has plenty of fun, getting into physical fights with both Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder).  Katherine also tells one brother that she has comes back for them, while telling the other that she never actually had feelings for him.  Again, I won't reveal which is which.  But it's good stuff.  Oh, and she stabs one of them.  I will say that "The Return" is a very strong Damon episode, and fans of the bad boy will not be disappointed.  It's some of Somerhalder's best work.

     The other plot point that will surely have far reaching effects in the premiere is the quick arrival in town is Mason Lockwood (Taylor Kinney, Trauma), who has come to grieve his departed brother.  What this will mean for Mason's nephew, Tyler (Michael Trevino) is still up in the air.  And why Tyler and his father were affected by the anti-vampire device last season has not yet been explained, but at least one character seems to know why.

     The Vampire Diaries will be back tonight at 8pm on the CW.

Vampire Diaries spills requisite amount of blood

     The first season of the CW's The Vampire Diaries has just ended with "Founder's Day", and is it just me, or does it feel like it went through several seasons worth of plot?  Don't get me wrong.  It's been great.  I have definitely liked this show a lot.  But so much happened in just the first year, and several of the characters have gone through big, dramatic changes, that it seems like it got started a lot longer than nine months ago.

     The finale spilled more than it's share of blood, which will surely have lasting repercussions.  All of the tomb vampires are dead, bringing to a close the question of when any would return to cause trouble.  Or it is assumed they are all dead.  Perhaps a few didn't return to town.  The most unfortunate of those was the lovely and not evil Anna (Malese Jow).  Poor Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen)!  Doesn't any girl he likes survive?  No wonder he was swallowing pills!  Obviously Jeremy will return next season, but will he be human or vampire?  Uncle Jonathan (David Anders) also bit the dust, and as much as I love that actor, his death was welcome.  And very cool.

     The biggest mystery left unsolved is why the mayor (Robert Pralgo) and his son Tyler (Michael Trevino) were affected by the vampire weapon.  Tyler's eyes flashed, and the mayor was burnt alive.  But they aren't vampires.  This is supremely weird.

     The biggest moment in the finale was Uncle Jonathan's death, because of who did it.  Katherine (Nina Dobrev) has returned!  Season one wondered where she is, what she's doing, and why Elena (also Dobrev) looks just like her.  Now that the evil vamp herself has blown into town, perhaps we can get a few answers.  Also, having Dobrev play her means no worrying about actress availability or an extra salary.

     Fans of the show have taken to the internet, and many of them, myself included, are a bit bored by the Elena / Stefan (Paul Wesley) relationship.  Now that Damon (Ian Somerhalder) has decided to allow emotion and guilt back into his life, she and him would make a much better pairing.  Let's hope the show's second season, which has already been ordered, goes there.

Heroes down but not out

    Many fans of NBC’s Heroes have fled, claiming the show will never be as good as it was in the first season. Truthfully, I feel the first season was ok, but the second season was the zenith. That was when Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) and David Anders (Alias) joined the cast. They were signed to become full time characters, but a shortened season, because of the writer’s strike, and failing ratings interfered, and both ended up leaving early in season three. I agree, that the show has floundered unevenly since then, but don’t give up hope yet.

      This week’s episode, “Strange Attractors”, proved that the show can be good, and not just when Hiro and Ando are the focus, as the popular Japanese duo sat this one out entirely. Look for more of them next week when Hiro goes back in time save his love, Charlie (Glee’s perky guidance counselor, Jayma Mays). Anyway, Claire has FINALLY become interesting, trying to lead a normal, college life and possibly falling in love with the wonderfully understanding Gretchen (Madeline Zima from The Nanny and Californication). I hope Gretchen sticks around, and Claire goes for it. The comparisons between her and one Buffy Summers have been quite evident, but unlike Buffy, Claire’s lesbianism should stick.

      Nathan and Peter have had much reduced plots, which is welcome, as they both tend to make the plot drag. As the real Nathan is dead, one can only hope that the actor will be leaving the show soon as well. Of course, Zachary Quinto’s Sylar, living in two different places at once, is richly enjoyable. That show will never shortchange that actor if they know what’s good for them. Plus, I am really digging Robert Knepper, fresh off a fantastic four year stint on Prison Break. It’s not certain what is going on with him and his mysterious circus, but he is acting the hell out of the role.

      Unfortunately, not all is clear skies. HRG is actually trying to do good, and not doing very well at it. He has always been a favorite character, and after the dissolution of his marriage and the loss of his job, does he keep having to get beat on? Also, Mohinder has been missing for quite awhile, though word is he will be back soon. But will he be back full time, or just as a guest star? Lastly, the less they focus on Ali Larter’s character(s) the better. I think it’s time she leaves for good, though I wouldn’t object to her son, Micah, returning to the show.