INHUMANeS

Article first published as TV Review: INHUMANS on Seat42F.

MARVEL’s newest show, premiering tonight on ABC, is INHUMANS. The eight-episode miniseries presents the first two installments this evening. The show finds the Royal Family of the Inhuman moon settlement the victims of a coup. Fleeing, they must find one another again, then figure out how to wrest control of their home and their people back from the traitorous relation that took it over.

If you’re a fan of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which also airs on ABC, you are already familiar with what Inhumans are – people that have some alien DNA mixed into their genetics, which gives them power when exposed to Terrigen Mist. The compound was released across the planet in S.H.I.E.L.D., and now there are Inhumans everywhere.

INHUMANS is not about those Inhumans, though. The city of Attilan, where the story begins, is actually above the Earth, on the moon, hidden for many years. (The show doesn’t say how long they’ve lived there.) These Inhumans go through a gentler process of transformation than their counterparts on Earth, as they’ve been doing for generations, and the Mist isn’t harmful to those even who don’t have latent powers. Instead, the Inhumans without abilities form a lower caste to support the hierarchy of the city.

It is convenient to make these Inhumans distinctly different. For one thing, it allows INHUMANS to use the familiar characters made famous in the Marvel comic books, which were never mentioned on S.H.I.E.L.D., so could not realistically exist on the planet in the form we’re used to seeing them. Instead, we get to see a fully-formed society headed by Black Bolt (Anson Mount, Hell On Wheels), Medusa (Serinda Swan, Graceland), and the rest without interferences from other Marvel properties.

Unfortunately, INHUMANS begs to be tied in. It’s such a sweeping, important, powerful group, that one really wonders why they haven’t been involved yet. Yes, I buy their isolation. Yet, at the same time, it feels like they should have made some efforts to contact the Earth Inhumans before Triton’s (Mike Moh, Empire) tentative attempts in the pilot.

Mount is a terrific Black Bolt, even with the sign language added in, which feels unnecessary and trite for the character, he conveys the power of the man that doesn’t dare speak for fear of destroying everything. Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones) also makes a stupendous Maximus, the conflicted brother of Black Bolt who feels he must rule the people to save them. Maximus doesn’t see himself as evil, and Rheon captures that nuance. I also like Isabelle Cornish (Puberty Blues) as Crystal and the way the show has CGI-ed giant dog Lockjaw.

But the rest of the production just feels relatively thin I don’t see Swan as Medusa, and Ken Leung (Lost) feels a bit, well, lost as Karnak, while Eme Ikwuakor (Extant) is one-note as Gorgon. Lockjaw’s efforts to save the royals feels weird and inefficient. A plot that leaves most of the characters stranded in Hawaii seems like a network television stunt, rather than a well-considered story. The pacing is sluggish and the script plods. I was frequently bored, and INHUMANS failed to spark the same wonder and excitement that Marvel routinely does in their feature films (and occasionally does in their other small screen projects).

Admittedly, there are worse things on TV, and because it’s Marvel, I’ll probably still watch it. By keeping INHUMANS to eight hours, it won’t be allowed to meander too much before it wraps up the central storylines. A second season might even produce something more entertaining and interesting. But as a first effort, this is a disappointment, not among the best Marvel has to offer, and misses the mark greatly on what should have been a really awesome group of characters. These should go back to the drawing board.

INHUMANS premieres tonight at 8 on ABC.

GAME OF THRONES - The Complete Sixth Season

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: "Game of Thrones - The Complete Sixth Season" on Blogcritics.

HBO’s Game of Thrones hits Blu-ray, digital, and DVD with its latest season just in time for the holidays. By now, anyone who might be interested in this release, The Complete Sixth Season, already knows the players and settings pretty well, hooked into the battle of sex, violence, and political intrigue for years. Who will end up ruling Westeros, and who else among our favorites might survive the bloody, never-ending conflicts? The sixth year continues those threads and tees up the final two, shorter seasons, set to air next summer and the year after.

A lot of exciting stuff happens in sixth season. The North descends further into chaos as Ramsey Bolton (Iwan Rheon) secures his hold on the land. At the same time, Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) and a resurrected Jon Snow (Kit Harington) build an army to unseat Bolton, the bastard sitting in their departed father’s chair. Further north, the brothers at The Wall are thrown into chaos, and beyond that, Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright) reappears after a season off, and we finally learn the story behind fan-favorite Hodor’s (Kristian Nairn) name in a very memorable episode.

Looking south, King’s Landing is a mess as Cersei (Lena Headey) and Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) each try to bend the ear of the ineffectual King Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman), who continues to be stream-rolled by The High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce). A clear winner emerges by the end of the year, probably surprising even Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), who has come home to the capital. However, the new ruler shouldn’t get too comfortable, as the vengeful Sands steal control of Dorne and look towards the Red Keep.

This isn’t even taking into account what’s going on across the sea, with Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) training to take her revenge, and Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) trying to hold a city together for the MIA Daenerys (Emilia Clarke). And off the coast of Westeros, Yara (Gemma Whelan) and Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) struggle with murderous family members to attempt to hold onto their own lands.

This is all only a very brief overview of a busy ten episodes, which include many more characters and scenarios. The pacing is excellent, everything constantly in motion, and the various threads balanced beautifully. The world created continues to be grounded and compelling, and it’s very easy to see why this is one of the most popular series being made right now.

However, as a fan of the books first, I still find it a bit hard to overlook the horrible way in which the TV show departed from the source material. For four seasons, Game of Thrones was a pretty faithful adaptation of the novels. Beginning in season five, and continuing even more blatantly this year, the story has gone in a myriad of different directions, thumbing its nose at the author, George R.R. Martin. I get that a video medium needs to take certain liberties, but either it stays fairly true or it is its own thing; I can’t recall another example of a show that started the former and changed to the latter mid-stream. While part of this may be because the show has gotten ahead of the books in many regards, Martin being a notoriously slow writer, it still feels fundamentally wrong, a betrayal of the fans.

And yet, I can’t stop watching. I have come to love these actors and their portrayals of the characters, and if I can push the books out of my mind, it’s still a very good show. It makes me supremely sad that such an excellent show is tainted in this way, but at this point, it’s too late to change that. I am committed to seeing it through to the end regardless, even as I already long for a re-do in the future.

HBO usually takes good care of its viewers in terms of extras on their home releases, and Game of Thrones – The Complete Sixth Season is no exception. Besides the expected deleted scenes and audio commentaries (thirteen for ten episodes!), there is an in-episode guide that seems invaluable for such a complex, interwoven tale. The guide also provides background info for the series, not just the story, which means there is useful trivia even if one is already well-versed in all things Westeros. Adding to the mythology are a batch of “Histories & Lore,” as told by the characters.

Beyond that, there is an in-depth look at the impressive Battle of the Bastards sequence and a peek at the work done in Paint Hall. We also get to see how the Dothraki made their come back in the production after having been out of the story so long. So there is quite an impressive array of bonus material.

Despite my reservations about Misters Benioff and Weiss, the show-runners, and some of the (in my opinion) poor decisions they’ve made of late, Game of Thrones remains a must-see program, and this set is well worth a look.

Game of Thrones – The Complete Sixth Season is available now.

Every GAME OF THRONES Is a "Gift"

Article originally published as GAME OF THRONES Review Season 5 Episode 7 The Gift on Seat42F.

This week’s GAME OF THRONES gives us “The Gift” of great story, albeit one that is leaving the book series behind quite rapidly. Right now, there aren’t many big offensives sweeping the Seven Kingdoms, nor armies clashing on the field of battle. The characters are all mainly concerned with what is happening in their own locale. But this is important, resolving a number of smaller plots before the tale goes big picture again, as must inevitably happen.

Let’s start with, in my opinion, the most affecting thread this week, which involves Sansa (Sophie Turner) asking Theon (Alfie Allen) for help. Viewers may feel sympathy for Theon last week when he cries while he watches Sansa be assaulted, though he frustratingly does not act. When Sansa reminds him who he is and begs him to signal for help, he agrees, but quickly betrays her to Ramsay (Iwan Rheon).

Theon is truly Reek now, too terrified of Ramsay to act. Those tears may have been sympathy, but they were not a sign that he would turn on his master. As Theon tells Sansa, there are worse things that being killed and Theon has lived through them. Compared to his existence a year or two ago, Theon is relatively comfortable now. He doesn’t want to risk going back to the worse.

So how can Sansa escape? Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) remains outside of Winterfell, waiting for a sign that won’t be coming. Theon is Sansa’s only hope that she knows of, no one else being granted access to visit her locked room besides Ramsay himself, and Theon no longer seems a viable option. Sansa has shown more of a spine this season, and her grabbing the corkscrew in “The Gift” might prove she’s willing to take matters into her own hands. Not well experienced, though, can she be successful with such a venture?

Speaking of strong women, Tyene Sand (Rosabell Laurenti Sellers, Mia and Me) taunts Bronn (Jerome Flynn) through the bars of their respective prisons. Tyene reveals how dangerous she is when her scratch almost kills Bronn. But she’s not cruel enough to let him die, so I can’t hate her, at least not yet. GAME OF THRONES hasn’t given us enough of the Sand Snakes yet to really judge them, but this interaction is a fun, tense scene that makes for good entertainment.

While Tyene and Sansa display their resolve, Cersei (Lena Headey) does the opposite. She thinks she is at the top of her game, reveling in the imprisonment of Margaery (Natalie Dormer) and rubbing the victory in the young queen’s face. (I believe Cersei is sincere about her devotion to Tommen (Dean Charles-Chapman) but not in her promise to help his wife.) However, that leaves Cersei vulnerable, too pleased with herself to watch her back. And so, as has been anticipated by fans for weeks, “The Gift” finds the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) locking Cersei herself up by the end of the hour.

The High Sparrow has quickly proven to be a very dangerous man. He’s not mean, but he has strong opinions and beliefs and lives by them fully. If he could be persuaded to compromise by anyone, Olenna (Diana Rigg) would have been the one to do it, but he remains completely unmoved by her pleas, logic, and threats alike. Being so rigid means the High Sparrow will give no credence to anyone’s advice but his own, and that means, righteous or not, he’s an enemy that cannot be reasoned with.

At the Wall, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) leaves, almost as stubborn in his mission, not convinced by the likes of his First Ranger and others to change course on the Wildlings. To be fair, Jon is in the right, but being in the right doesn’t help Samwell (John Bradley), who struggles to protect Gilly (Hannah Murray) from his own black brothers when he doesn’t have many friends left around to help him. Might it be time for Sam to break his vows, and could Jon ever forgive such an action, no matter how true Sam’s intentions, when the punishment for such is death?

These are just some of the plots in “The Gift,” as GAME OF THRONES has a lot of moving parts at all times. Other highlights of the hour include Sam’s touching eulogy for the departed Maester Aemon (Peter Vaughan), Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) convincing someone to buy him, Jorah (Iain Glen) fighting for the attention of Daenerys (Emilie Clarke), Daario (Michiel Huisman) pointing out to Daenerys that she’s the only one in Mereen not free, and Stannis (Stephen Dillane) firmly shutting down Melisandre’s (Carice van Houten) suggestion that he sacrifice his daughter. There’s a lot going on, and as usual, it’s quite good.

My only complaint, and this is an ongoing one, is that GAME OF THRONES starts off very faithful to the books, and now has been completely disregarding them. It’s something I’ve decided I have to let go, taking the television show completely on its own from this point forward. There are likely to still be some similarities between the two, but now the differences vastly outnumber those. I still feel betrayed by those making the show, since this does not seem to be their game plan at the beginning, but I do still think the TV program is excellent.

GAME OF THRONES airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

GAME OF THRONES Remains "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken"

Article first written for Seat42F.

In the latest installment of HBO’s GAME OF THRONES, our heroes remain “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.” They sure have more than their share of challenges to overcome, so that’s quite impressive. Among the tribulations this week, Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Jorah (Iain Glen) are captured by slavers, Arya (Maisie Williams) learns secrets in the House of Black and White, Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Bronn (Jerome Flynn) fail to execute a rescue, Margaery (Natalie Dormer) and Loras (Finn Jones) face trial, and Sansa (Sophie Turner) marries a monster.

Poor Sansa. She has worse luck than pretty much anyone else in GAME OF THRONES, and that’s saying something! Her marriage to Tyrion, the disfigured, older dwarf is probably the best thing that happens to her. But now, back in Winterfell, she must wed Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon), arguably the most twisted individual in the Seven Kingdoms, and that is also saying something.

Yet, Sansa remains “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.” She doesn’t start out as strong as most Starks. She alone of Ned’s children seems fragile and easily manipulated. Throughout her travels, though, she has steadily found a solid core she can rely upon and a self-reliance that would do her parents proud as evidenced by her bearing throughout the hour. It’s quite surprising to see this, and while she certainly doesn’t have fun being raped by Ramsay in front of Theon (Alfie Allen), I don’t think this will completely destroy her, either. She will overcome.

Might Theon be able to assist Sansa by escaping with her? Theon did some very bad things early in GAME OF THRONES, but he has paid for his mistakes by now. Had he actually killed Sansa’s brothers, as she believes he did, there would be no redemption for him, but he did not. Mostly, he just played at war. While his actions did lead to the fall of Winterfell, the keep probably would have fallen anyway if he’d not acted, given the chaos around it.

Theon has been broken severely by Ramsay, and for awhile, it seems like who he is is gone forever. However, there’s something in his eyes in “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken,” even if those adjectives don’t describe him. Now that he must watch Sansa suffer, someone he feels deep regret for hurting and a older brotherly-type of protectiveness, he may find an inner motivation he could not muster to save himself. Let’s hope that’s what happens.

Half a world away, Arya is doing the opposite of Theon, not finding herself but losing herself. In order to join the Faceless Men, she must learn to lie and give up who she is. “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken” sees her make significant progress on this, leading a girl to her death and being allowed into the chamber of faces. I can’t help but think Sansa may be her family’s future since Arya likely won’t be a Stark at all for much longer.

But is anyone ever truly not themselves? Jorah’s father was a part of the Night’s Watch, men who give up their families and former lives. Yet, when Jorah hears of his dad’s death via Tyrion this week, he looks pained. Even long after a patriarch leaves a clan, there are residual feelings from a bond forged too hard to even be completely severed. It’s a moving scene that reminds us of this.

In King’s Landing, Cersei (Lena Headey) believes she scores a major victory against the Tyrells when the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) arrests the queen and her brother. Cersei’s smug smirk, honestly telling Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg) she cannot do anything for Olenna’s grandchildren, shows how victorious Cersei feels. Things are finally going her way.

I can’t help but feel Cersei doesn’t realize there’s another shoe to drop. She has granted the High Sparrow too much power, and by allowing him to take a queen, Cersei doing nothing as the ineffective child king Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) watches on in horror, she grants the High Sparrow even more. Yet, Cersei is one of the biggest sinners in the city. She doesn’t realize that she will probably be the next target, and she really should. Her impending downfall will be her own fault.

The one thing that didn’t sit right with me this week is that Lancel (Eugene Simon) and his fellow sparrows don’t arrest Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) when he returns to the capital. Littlefinger is a big offender and not nearly as powerful as Cersei. His crimes against the religion are known, his brothel having already been raided. Why do they hesitate? Is the High Sparrow just waiting to see how Cersei will react to Margaery’s arrest to gauge how far he can push the ruling body? I think Littlefinger should have been taken into custody.

Assuming Littlefinger flees the city before he is taken, I do fully believe that Littlefinger will kill Sansa in a heartbeat if it will advance his position. He isn’t just blowing smoke up Cersei’s skirt when he tells Cersei he agrees with the queen mother. However, he’s also a long-game guy, so it may be wise for him to agree with Cersei but not actually execute Sansa, as it would be awfully hard to rule over the rebellious north after murdering a daughter of such a respected house. Just know that he will do whatever best suits him, with no regard for anyone else, and that makes him dangerous.

I won’t go into how much “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken” differs from the books this week (see past my past reviews for that). At this point, GAME OF THRONES has made a number of huge departures from the source material, which makes the show unpredictable. Taken on its own, it remains a solid, engaging series, though, and one I enjoy. I do think what the current showrunners are doing is a despicable betrayal of the book fans, but at least they are making good television while they do it.

GAME OF THRONES airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

"High Sparrow" Doesn't Play the GAME OF THRONES

Article originally written for Seat42F.

As usual, a lot happens to many different people in this week’s GAME OF THRONES on HBO. I could write a sprawling introduction, but that seems a little pointless for an hour like this, so let’s just get to it.

First, the episode is called “High Sparrow,” so as one might expect, we meet the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce, Wolf Hall, Pirates of the Caribbean), a mild-mannered individual who truly lives his faith. His followers are terrorizing the High Septon (Paul Bentley) and his ilk as punishment for their hypocrisy. When the Septon asks the High Council to put a stop to the group, Cersei (Lena Headey) jails him and elevates the High Sparrow as a replacement.

This seems very short-sighted of Cersei. She is guilty of at least as many sins as the Septon is. Who is to say that the group won’t come after her next? Cersei is likely trying to do what she always does, buy loyalty by giving status, but that doesn’t seem like the type of thing that will work on the High Sparrow, a man who gives away even his shoes to those in need. A person like that cannot be bought, and Cersei is certainly setting herself up for punishment.

That is, if she’s even still in King’s Landing. Margaery (Natalie Dormer) marries Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman), and the first thing she does after cradle-robbing sex is slyly ‘suggest’ to her husband that his mother might be happier back in Casterly Rock. We haven’t seen a lot of Margaery’s conniving ways in GAME OF THRONES yet, but a woman that has married three kings in as many years is shrewd. Now that Cersei is all that stands between Margaery and the Iron Throne, Tommen being an easily influenced puppet, her claws are coming out.

All of this sets up a fantastic dynamic in King’s Landing. What I love about GAME OF THRONES is that it constantly tears down the people who have the power. From King Robert in season one, to those who grabbed various splinters of it after his fail, such as Robb Stark and Tywin Lannister, no one stays in charge for long. At this point, those left tend to be the lesser players, which makes the battles more messy and frequent, none as equipped to play the long strategy game. “High Sparrow” sets up what should be some very entertaining conflicts.

The one ruler in the land who does have a handle on things is Jon Snow (Kit Harington). In “High Sparrow,” Jon makes all the right moves. He promotes his nemesis that deserves respect, Alliser Thorne (Owen Teale), winning back over his detractors. He tries to promote Slynt (Dominic Carter), too, but when Slynt doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut, Jon executes him to solidify his position. He refuses Stannis’ (Stephen Dillane) offer to rule the North again because of his vow, as noble as his father was.

That last one is slightly troubling. Ned Stark was so noble that it got him killed. Will Jon be similarly short-sighted? I don’t think so. The reason being, Jon took up with a Wildling girl, indicating that he knows when to toe the line and when to diverge from it. I never bought that Ned is Jon’s biological father, as cheating on his wife would be totally out of character for Ned, so while Jon may have taken Ned’s values, I don’t think he’ll be as stringent as Ned was, not a clone of the dead man.

Now as for who Jon’s real parents are, well, that’s a topic of much debate, and if you want speculation, I recommend googling. I will say I think there is Stark blood there, and also another noble family lineage.

Winterfell’s new rulers seem much less established. Roose (Michael McElhatton) decides to wed his bastard, Ramsay (Iwan Rheon), to Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), which he thinks will win him over the North. But the Northerners are stubborn and are likely to see right through this. Either Sansa becomes worthy of her surname and takes out Ramsay to rule herself, or the other lords in the surrounding areas will think she’s a pawn not worth following. The marriage won’t last in the rebuilt Winterfell, which it’s sad to see again under these circumstances.

Might Theron (Alfie Allen) be off assistance to Sansa? Theon betrayed the Starks previously, but he’s clearly not happy in his new position under Ramsay. The question is whether all personality has been flayed from him, or if there’s still something within the lad that will allow him to fight back. If so, this man whom Sansa despises, with good reason, could end up being her most vital allay.

SPOILER! In the books, Ramsay weds a fake Sansa since no one knows where the real Sansa is and practically anyone that would recognize her as dead anyway. I kind of dig this change because Sansa’s plot in the page gets rather dull around here. It gives the struggle higher stakes to have Sana involved. I’m most interested to see where this is going, and if it continues to follow the books, with Sansa taking over her imposter’s role.

Sansa is also the last real Stark. Robb is dead, Jon is a bastard, Bran is with the Three-Eyed Crow and not likely to come home, Rickon is god-knows-where and still quite young, and Arya (Maisie Williams) is choosing to become No One. If a Stark is to play a role in the GAME OF THRONES again any time soon, it must be Sansa, though I assume Rickon will have to return at some point to carry on the name.

“High Sparrow” ends with a heck of a cliffhanger when Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) nabs Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) in a brothel. It’s a worlds-collide moment that is highly satisfying. Jorah says he’s taking Tyrion to ‘The Queen.’ Does that mean Cersei, who has offered a hefty reward? Or does he refer to Daenerys (Emilie Clarke), whom Jorah might hope to win back a position from with such a valuable hostage? Given Jorah’s status as a desperate, aimless cast-out, it could very well be either, though Tyrion should hope for the latter, the former meaning certain death.

As usual, I didn’t get to everything in the episode because GAME OF THRONES packs a lot into every hour. So far, the show been wisely choosing who to use and when, keeping enough tabs on the main players, while not forcing story where it doesn’t need to be. “High Sparrow” continues this trend, and is a very entertaining installment.

GAME OF THRONES airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

DVD Review: ‘Misfits Season Three’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Misfits Season Three’ on Blogcritics.

Misfits Season Three was recently released on DVD by the BBC. In these eight episodes, the familiar not-quite-heroes figure out their new powers, but more importantly, try to decide what they want for themselves in their lives. It’s a series with super-human abilities, but the characters are extremely down-to-earth, and their complicated relationships, both within and outside of the group, are the focus of the story.

As season three begins, Nathan (Robert Sheehan) has moved to Vegas with his lady love, leaving a hole in the central gang. It is quickly filled by Rudy (Joseph Gilgun, Emmerdale), a young man who is as obnoxious and overly sexualized as Nathan, but who is more open about his insecurities that make him that way. In this manner, Rudy does not quite replace Nathan, but serves in a similar capacity, while also deepening the archetype in a new and engaging way.

Rudy’s power is that he can split himself in two, essentially separating his good side from his bad, though neither personality is as extreme as one might expect from watching other science fiction shows. It’s cool that Misfits takes such an old trope and puts their own unique, grounded spin on it, as the series has done with other superhero elements. This also provides an appropriate conceit to illustrate Rudy’s inner turmoil.

In season two, viewers saw a badass future version of Simon (Iwan Rheon) come back in time to save his lady love, Alisha (Antonia Thomas), only to die in her arms. In this third outing, young Simon is striving to become that man, though Alisha doesn’t want him to be, as the end result would be her losing the guy she cares deeply about. Must Simon fulfill his destiny, or can time be re-written?

This question plagues the story for a lot of season three in a very intriguing way. There is an examination of fate, and a discussion about whether Alisha would just disappear if Simon doesn’t go back, or if, now that she’s been saved, she’ll be OK. Ultimately, the fate of Simon and Alisha is both poetic and poignant, not quite answering these queries, but providing a satisfying conclusion just the same.

Kelly (Lauren Socha) soon discovers her new power, being a rocket scientist, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially when people have a hard time taking her seriously because of her physical appearance and accent. Similarly, Curtis (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) has many difficulties with his ability to turn into a girl, especially when sex is involved. Both of these seem more like comic relief than Simon and Alisha’s plot, but find room to delve into pathos occasionally, too.

Most of the eight hours in season three are concerned with these character-driven arcs, as well as Kelly’s relationship with power broker Seth (Matthew McNulty). But a couple of installments interrupt most of the forward momentum to present an alternate, Nazi-controlled timeline or battle zombies. Misfits is stronger in keeping to the bigger stories, not being bogged down in weekly stuff, so thankfully there is much more of the former.

At the conclusion of the season, the past comes back to haunt the group, quite literally, as three of the characters they previously killed (including a Downton Abbey star) return as ghosts that can interact with the physical world. It’s a cool callback, especially as most of the central cast ends their story permanently, and a prompt to examine what has happened to the characters, as well as who they have become. It’s a wonderful ending.

The three disc set includes a few special features. Each episode has around 3 minutes of Behind the Scenes footage, too brief to be very informative, but it does give us a glimpse of what happens on set. The featurettes on visual effects and stunts are more than ten minutes each, and go a bit deeper, though also aren’t anything special, too technical for the casual fan, but too light for those actually excited about such things. And there’s an “On the Set” bonus that is interesting.

The best inclusions are two extended webisodes, “Vegas” and “Erazer.” “Vegas” is what happens to Nathan after leaving the group, giving us a glimpse of what he is up to now. The story is totally in keeping with the established character, whom is missed, so the mini-episode is welcome. “Erazer” explores a brand-new hero, which kind of makes it case-of-the-week stuff, but it’s short and artistic and presented separately, so it’s more fascinating than distracting to the overall story.

That makes this a great set for Misfits fans, a fitting continuation of the story. Misfits Season Three is available now.

GAME OF THRONES "Mhysa" of All Fantasy Series

Article first published as GAME OF THRONES "Mhysa" of All Fantasy Series on TheTVKing.

HBO's Game of Thrones' season three finale, "Myhsa," which means Mother, is a very busy installment, with way too many characters to fully and comprehensively cover in one review. Unless that review is several thousand words long, and who has time to read or write that? It's also hard to pinpoint what sets one episode apart from another, since events happen in sweeping arcs that unfold over years, not weeks. So, instead, here are some of the highlights of the most recent fantastic episode, which realigns some loyalties and sets the show up for another stellar run next year.

The scene where the Small Council meets at King's Landing is my favorite scene in the hour, hands down. It starts with King Joffrey Lannister (Jack Gleeson) jumping for joy with the news that Robb and Catelyn Stark have been killed, a plot twist that inexplicably has fans of the series unjustifiably turning against Game of Thrones, but I digress. Joffrey plans on doing something unspeakably cruel to celebrate, and Tyrion (Peter Dinklage), disgusted, puts Joffrey in his place.

It seems very dangerous for Tyrion to stand up to Joffrey, but because he only does it in this intimate setting, not publicly, Tyrion may be OK. Joffrey is a spoiled brat who is vengeful, and may seek to make Tyrion pay for his words. However, Joffrey doesn't dare challenge his grandfather, Tywin (Charles Dance) for authority, not yet anyway, and when Tywin seems to share Tyrion's views, Joffrey is figuratively spanked and sent to bed early.

Tywin remarks that those who must declare "I am king" are not really king, and that the crown does not necessarily equal power. He is completely correct, watching the way Joffrey is subdued. Joffrey whines and acts like a child, but he does obey Tywin in the end. Tywin is definitely the one with the real power in the realm, and until Joffrey decides not to put up with it any more and makes a real play for control, it will remain that way.

This interaction between these three would be fine enough, but "Mhysa" goes a step further and stays in the room with Tyrion and Tywin after the rest of the council has dispersed. Here, we see Tyrion talk back to his father, only to be stunned into silence when Tywin admits something that is sort of a secret about the personal "sacrifice" he made by allowing Tyrion to live and raising him. It's a painful, raw moment, and as bad as one feels for Tyrion, one also sees that Tywin is completely serious in his own right. Amazing performances by both deliver this as an exchange not soon forgotten.

Also worth mentioning is the sequence of Tyrion and Sansa (Sophie Turner) strolling through the garden, plotting pranks on those who deserve it. They still don't feel like a natural, loving couple, but this does show the girl softening towards Tyrion, who will treat her right and try to make her happy. One day, it might even make sense for the two to be together, and if it does, the seeds are planted here. If any two characters in Game of Thrones deserve happiness, it is this pair.

Unfortunately, that tranquility is threatened by Shae (Sibel Kekilli), who dismisses Varys' (Conleth Hill) attempt to send her away a wealthy woman, declaring that Tyrion himself must ask her to leave. It doesn't seem like Shae will physically harm Sansa, pledging her love for the girl, but Shae's continued presence is detrimental enough. Her dark wishes for revenge, while understandable, could cause some serious conflict within the royal family.

With the Starks dispatched, the Lannisters have an undisputed hold on the Seven Kingdoms. Or do they? Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) is taking her time assembling her forces, but watching the city of people worship and fall at her feet shows just how effective she is at gaining the loyalty of her followers. Joffrey's throne is safe for now, with his other competitors dead or severely weakened, but when Daenerys comes for him, it will be an epic battle, indeed.

Stannis (Stephen Dillane) still thinks he is a threat against Joffrey, but after Davos (Liam Cunningham) sets Gendry (Joe Dempsie) free, Stannis' plans for a conquering by magic are scrapped. Yet, Davos is spared when he brings to light the danger coming from the north, and Melisandre (Carice van Houten) actually agrees that Davos is needed.

This is a very interesting turn of events. Stannis has barely kept Melisandre and Davos at bay with each other for two seasons, both wishing the other would go away, even if it means killing. Yet, here it's Melisandre and Davos who unite, which takes Stannis aback as much as the audience surely is. Yes, we know the White Walkers from beyond the wall are deadly, but seeing how seriously this contingent takes the invasion, alliance made between deadly enemies, really strikes home how much the people fear them. Scary!

Stannis and company are in no position to really mount a defense, though, so it's a good thing Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) has a plan. We don't know what it is, but Bran and his group are now heading past the wall. Because of the mystique surrounding Bran's abilities and talents, there's a feeling that the crippled boy may actually be the only hope of the realm, and that he might succeed.

I really enjoy seeing Bran encounter Samwell (John Bradley). There are so many different threads running through Game of Thrones, with so many characters that major ones have to sit out for weeks at a time. For a chance encounter like this, especially between two friendlies that we like, and because there never seems to be a time the two might meet otherwise, is thrilling. Hopefully, as the show goes on, there will be more time for this type of meeting.

Of course, not every convergence is welcome. Yara Greyjoy (Gemma Whelan) is on her way to rescue her brother, Theon (Alfie Allen), from the hands of the perverted Ramsay Snow (Iwan Rheon). It seems odd to hope for Theon's safe delivery from anyone, given how detestable Theon's actions are in season two. However, no one deserves what Ramsay has put Theon through, and it is definitely time for Ramsay to go down.

The problem with this is that Ramsay is the bastard son of Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton), the new Warden of the North. That means Yara's slaying of Ramsay could start a civil war between the Iron Islands and the North. Were a more competent, focused king than Joffrey ruling the realm, perhaps serious conflict could be identified and prevented. As it stands, Yara's mission is a recipe for disaster at a time when, given the grave threats from outside the borders, the Seven Kingdoms need to stand united.

Other noteworthy bits from "Myhsa": Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) learns how much love hurts when a scorned Ygritte (Rose Leslie) ignores reason and shoots three arrows into his back. At least Jon lives to make it back to Castle Black, where he can heal. Arya (Maisie Williams) viciously stabs those who contributed to her brother's downfall, proving how deadly she can be. And Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) makes it to King's Landing, though it has not yet been revealed if Cersei (Lena Headey) can see past his new deformity, or how Jaime's relationship with Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) will be affected by having Jaime's sister / lover back in the picture.

As you can see, there is a lot going on. However, Game of Thrones has deftly balanced each of the various stories so far, creating characters that can be kept track of because of how developed they all are, and the threads come together enough to make it seem cohesive. Obviously, a lot more will happen before the end, and eventually the cast will slim. But for now, "Myhsa" is yet another excellent chapter in a very long, very complex tale.

Game of Thrones will return for a fourth season in 2014 on HBO.