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Tuesday 24 July 2012

CSI: Miami - 9.11: "F-T-F" Review


Horatio, Ryan and Walter rush to preserve evidence at a CS where the fire hydrant threatens to wash it all away. The investigation leads to a male predator on the Internet.

Horatio (David Caruso), Ryan (Jonathan Togo) and Walter (Omar Miller) rush to a call out at a CS where two people have been shot.   The car of one of the Vic's crashes into a fire hydrant, so they must race against time to preserve whatever evidence they can, before it's washed away and destroyed.   Horatio tries to stop the hydrant gushing out water and Ryan attends to the male Vic, as Walter covers the car, in desperation.   Ryan notices the gun on the ground and shouts to Walter, who can't hear him.   Why didn't Ryan just go for the gun when he saw it.   As he makes a dash for the gun, it's swept into the storm drain.   Ryan is angry he lost the gun.   It went down the drain.   Horatio: "It went down the drain."  Not a very catchy or witty one liner from him.  Come on writers you need to do better.

Where were Natalia (Eva La Rue) and Delko (Adam Rodriguez) before, well they didn't want to get wet.   Natalia finds a bullet in the grass and the gun is retrieved when the storm drain is opened, processed by Calleigh (Emily Procter).  She suggests Ryan should shower as they all got wet by a purple hydrant, one carrying non-potable water.   The vic, Marvin Hill (Richmond Arquette) is thought to have shot Rebecca in the car and then killed himself in a possible murder/suicide pact.

ME Tom (Christian Clemenson) can't find the exit wound for the bullet from Marvin's head and Natalia processes the clothes.  Calleigh finds the bullet matches the gun.   ME Tom boils Marvin's skull to reveal tiny fragments on his skull.   Walter is shocked at the site of the skull and asks for a bit of a warning next time.   This is intriguing to ME Tom who is in his element: "It's way too exciting for etiquette Walter."  There was only one entrance and exit wound.   The bullet ricocheted inside Marvin's head, came out the same way and hit Rebecca in the car.   Leading Walter to test this theory using laser stringing.   This reveals neither one fired the gun and so there was a third party present.

Delko helps Natalia process the clothes and she finds a black thong in Marvin's pocket.   He then questions his wife, Linda (Darby Stanchfield)  [hey it's Castle's (Nathan Fillion) ex.]  Who tells them Marvin would spend hours in front of the computer.   Tripp (Rex Linn) asks her about the "unmentionables" Marvin had.   It's not hers.   Marvin's computer is analyzed by Walter, revealing he was passing himself off as a 19 year old soldier, Sean, home from Afghanistan and was socializing with Ashley (Skylar Day).   Other photos of her reveal a cheerleading outfit, which Delko recognizes as being from Bayfront High School.

Horatio and Delko question Ashley and her parents, Larry (Michael McGrady) and Diane (Karen Young) where they are met with hostility from Ashley's father.   She claims not to have known Sean and her father refuses consent to collect a DNA sample from her.   Delko checks his hands for GSR.   Diane was strangely silent about the entire thing and didn't make any objections about it, coming over as being very suspicious.   He finds his .25 gun missing, the same one used to shoot Marvin.   Walter and Natalia check out the family computer and find e-mails from Ashley to Sean/Marvin.   Walter has to decipher the code for Natalia, he's got nephews.   FTF = face to face and she used others like SYS = see you soon.   IBW = I'll be waiting.   A third player was involved in the chat, called Justin (Corey Eid).  Walter arranges a meeting with him at a garage.

Delko and Horatio wait for him, why them two.   This double act is getting tiresome.   Especially since you know what's coming next, another chase (groan.) Horatio calling Delko "brother" and using "All quiet on the western front."  Since when did Horatio talk like that.   Justin doesn't show up but sends someone else in his place.   Cue Delko chasing him and his running in the direction of Horatio's car, where he opens the door on him, saying he was just getting out of his car.   They then proceed to force info from him (unnecessary again).   He describes a white car with New Mexico plates.

The best scene of the episode was Tripp trawling through directories looking for the car at rental places.   Where he has to tell one operator, New Mexico isn't a foreign country.   It's a scene Flack (Eddie Cahill) from CSI:NY would grapple with.   Luckily for Tripp, the real Justin turns up to return the car whilst Tripp is still on the phone and lucky also the man at reception had the foresight to tell Tripp he's there.   Ryan and Natalia turn up to arrest him this time and not Horatio and Delko, cos there wasn't a chase.   Natalia recalls Justin smells, like Ryan did;  causing her to examine his clothes and Marvin's clothes for the presence of diatoms.   She meets new lab rat, Rachel (Natalie Knepp) who comments Travers is out with a girlfriend and he's not mutually exclusive.   Natalia finds two similar diatoms found in the water in both samples from their clothes, concluding Justin was the third party.

Horatio and Delko lead Justin to confess to Marvin's murder with their line of questioning, since Marvin wouldn't leave Ashley alone, so he took care of him for her.   Even though he hasn't even met her yet.   He asks if he can meet her FTF now.   Again Justin didn't have a lawyer present when he was questioned, which makes you wonder if he was even read his rights.   Justin can't believe he actually confessed.

Horatio gets Walter to check video footage from Justin's hotel, which shows a woman leaving and entering his room.   It's Diane leaving the gun for him.   Horatio doesn't recognize her immediately.   She was enamored with Sean and was doing the same thing as Marvin, pretending to be Ashley, someone much younger.   They were both lying.   They met and she called the whole thing off but Marvin got angry and they accused each other of lying but Marvin wouldn't leave her alone.   So she got Justin involved.   Natalia can't believe she let an 18 year old kill for her.

Though I have to admit I did like the scene at the end where Horatio put her and Justin together in the cell: FTF - SYS - IBW, ha.  A bit cruel of him but really Justin not being able to reconcile the fact he killed someone for a complete stranger.   Still wanting to meet her now.   He can't see what he did was wrong.   Both their motives were stupefying.  Diane cos she didn't want her family to know what she'd done if she went to the police and Justin killed for the love of a stranger.   They accuse each other of lying too and he calls her sick, well if the shoe fits, he was just as bad.   But the real worry was that Diane as a mother, didn't realize how much danger she was putting her daughter in, she was meant to protect her, as Ashley says at the end, but in actual fact by the fantasies she dreamed up and carried out, she made her vulnerable to predators and perverts.   If she desperately wanted to go down that route why didn't she just fake an ID.

CSI: Miami episode To Kill A Predator was also the focus of teen girls being targeted by male predators on the Internet.   Non-potable water in the hydrant was not fit for human consumption.  thus the diatoms and the smell.   Rachel the new lab tech only features in this episode which was a bit pointless to introduce her, but probably they wanted to get in the bit about studying Natalia at the academy.

I still can't get over how they were going to cancel CSI:NY and let CSI:Miami carry on after this awful season 9.   The show has just become a shadow, or should that be parody of its former self.   After the exceptional season 8.  There was no justification for the show to be renewed, and yes it has its fans, but if there was any cancelling to be done it should definitely have been this one.   CSI:NY injected fresh life into the show with the addition of Jo (Sela Ward) and most of the season 7 storylines were far more interesting than anything CSI:Miami could muster.

This episode was a warning against all the predators, perverts and weirdos who use the Internet and the dangers of striking up online friendship's.

Evidence preservation against water and the rain seen in CSI:NY season 1 episode Rain and CSI episode $35K O.B.O.  where the CS had to be processed and it began to rain.  

Monday 23 July 2012

Supernatural - 1.21: "Salvation" Review


Meg gets in touch with them for the colt and meets dad alone, whilst Sam has a vision of another mother. He and Dean must help her, hoping they'll kill the demon.

Blue Earth, Minnesota: Meg (Nicki Aycox) goes after Pastor Jim (Richard Sali) telling him she's done bad things.   She had a chat with a man and slit his throat and removed his heart from his chest. Her eyes change.   Jim tells her it's hallowed ground and she can't be here.  She wants the Winchesters.   Then she slits his throat.

Leaving Salvation: The heartland of America.   Are you ready for Judgement Day  JW 2:27

Sam (Jared Padalecki) has a flash to a baby in a crib and the mother.   He has another vision of the map and the mother dressed in white. Monica (Erin Karplunk) talks to her baby, Rosie.  "Sometimes she looks at you and it's just like she's reading your mind." She's six months old.   Sam has a vision of the demon standing over her and she's on fire like their Mom.   The camera pans in on the clown mobile hanging from the crib.   Sam tells Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Dean says it happened in Sam's nightmares and how he has visions when he's awake now.   The visions get stronger the closer he gets to the demon.   Dad (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) berates Dean for not telling him sooner about Sam and his visions.  

Dean: "Call me, you kiddin' me.   Dad I called you from Laurence, Sam called you when I was dying.  Getting you on the phone, I've got a better chance of winning the lottery."  Dad never turned up for them no matter how many times Dean asked for his help, even when they were facing Meg.   He turned up then but only remained in the shadows.   Seems he only arrives when he hears the demon may be around.   The other times they have to fend for themselves, just like they did when they were little.

Sam knows the demon's coming and that family is going through what they endured too.   Dad says no one's going to go through this again.   Meg calls Sam who believes she died falling from a seven story drop.  "It's time for the grown ups to talk, Sam, let me speak to him now."  She tells Dad about watching Jim Murphy choke on his blood and Caleb (Josh Blacker) is with her now.   She wants the Colt.  She wants to meet him at a warehouse in Lincoln tonight, which is just a plot to get him away from Sam and Dean.  Sam says they need the gun.

Dean suggest they give her a fake gun from an antique store.   Dad declares his hopes for them once more, "I wanna stop losing people we love - I want you to go to school, I want Dean to have a home.   I want Mary alive.   I just want this to be over." Sentiments echoed by Sam in 1.16 Shadow when he said the same thing to Dean about it being over and then him having his own life and doing what he wants.

They know it's a trap cos Meg ain't really that clever.   Dean makes him promise he won't get himself killed.   They have four bullets left in the Colt.   Dean insists they have to get the demon before it gets the family, but Dean would prefer to be with Dad and so does Sam, who wishes Dad was here.  

How come Meg couldn't sense Dad when he was up on the water tower.   He puts a rosary into the water, turning it into holy water.  Does he just carry the rosary around for blessings or does he really believe in having it close for religious reasons?    Sam is finally relieved they'll be killing the demon and he thanks Dean for everything.   He knew he could always count on Dean and wanted to let him know.   Dean doesn't want to hear that  cos "no one's dying tonight." One of Dean's fave lines, well okay not fave but oft used.   Only the demon will be dying.   Meg: "I can see where your boys get their good looks...considering what they say about you, I thought you'd be taller."  No that's Sam.   She's joined by another demon (Sebastian Spence) and shoots him. He lives, showing the gun's a fake.   Holy water seems to work on them.  

Sam notices static on the car radio and Dean can't get hold of Dad.   The lights flicker inside the house as in the Pilot episode.  Monica's husband has a gun. What was he doing with that? He appeared to be waiting for them, or for something else, like he's expecting the demon.   The bullet goes through the demon and he disappears when the colt is fired.   The crib is set on fire.  Dad is caught.   The house is ablaze and the demon watches through the window.   Dean stops Sam from going in.   Sam wanted to end all this, Dean tells him it would have ended his life.   Dean: "You're just willing to sacrifice yourself is that it?  Well that's not gonna happen, not as long as I'm around...it's not worth dying.  If hunting this demon means getting yourself killed, then I hope we never find it."

Sam: "That thing killed Jess, that thing killed Mom."
Dean: "You said yourself once that no matter what we do they're gone and they're never coming back."  We get Dean repeating Sam's lines now and making him remember that it's not worth dying over right now.   Sam said that in the Pilot and Dean was angry at him for saying that, now the position's reversed and Dean says it.  Jess and Mom won't be back but they're here and he won't let Sam kill himself.   Dean' s line of  telling Sam he's going to sacrifice himself and Dean won't let that happen as long as he's around; is kind of the premise of this show, at least one of them.   His line resonates throughout the seasons as we'll come to see.   Nothing will stop Dean and Sam sacrificing each other for one other.

Sam however is angry, "Don't you say that after all this."  He pushes Dean against the wall.   Dean: "The three of us, that's all we have. That's all I have."  Dean's barely holding it together but without Sam or Dad he doesn't know what he'll do.   Meg answers Dad's phone and tells him he'll never see Dad again.

The episode was heating up as the penultimate in season 1 and now it's left to Sam and Dean to rescue Dad, even if he hasn't been around for them and  being there for them when they really needed it.   At this point in time, he's family and Sam and Dean are still in awe of him and need him as much as he needs them.   Darn demon got away again.

Thought the JW on the writing in the beginning was referring to Dad, John Winchester, a foreboding of what was to come for him and that was what I thought the first time I watched this episode.   As for Dad admonishing (love that word) Dean for not telling him about Sam's visions sooner, Dad was in Laurence when Dean called him practically begging for help in season 1 Home episode but he preferred to hide out at Missouri's.   Also he knew of Sam's visions since Missouri spelled out to him that even with all his powers, Sam couldn't sense his own father.

Saturday 21 July 2012

CSI: Miami - 9.10: "Match Made in Hell" Review


A man turns up dead in hos pool, the victim of an alligator attack. The investigation leads to two matchmaking services, to which there's more than meets the eye and Ryan goes undercover, for the briefest of moments.

A man on the phone is attacked by an alligator in his pool.   Horatio (David Caruso) and Ryan (Jonathan Togo) are on the scene pretty quickly.   Ryan spots a blood trail and sees the alligator, which hasn't gone very far, after finding some meat used as bait.  Horatio shoots the alligator dead, as is in his character, especially this season.  Horatio: "Welcome to South Florida."

Natalia (Eva La Rue) believes the alligator was deliberately lured there, uh that's what the bait was for.   Horatio finds someone tampered with the gate and so knew the code.   Matthew, the Vic, (Patrick Heusinger) was rich and retired.   The CS and the house are processed.   Delko (Adam Rodriguez) finds a torn piece of paper and ME Tom (Christian Clemenson) comments he hasn't seen anything like this and fancies himself as a bit of an alligator expert.   Not to be outdone of course by Delko who has to go one up with his staring at an alligator underwater at night.

Abby (Julie Gonzalo) the woman on the phone to Matthew whilst he was attacked, is questioned and Walter (Omar Miller) tests her hands for animal blood.   They went out together and she used a matchmaking service.   Her hands are negative for any trace.   Walter can't help smirking when she mentions the service  There's no sex permitted until 90 days into the relationship.   The woman who runs it is Tandy King (Julie Claire) whom Natalia questions.

Tandy shows Natalia as an example of how she extenuates her assets and that's what the women should do.   Obviously she looks suss.   She gives Natalia his file and video.   The men have the money and the women the beauty.   Me Tom calls her about finding an engagement ring and Matthew was going to propose.   Natalia wants all the files and gets directly to the point of not caring about Tandy's business.   At least she didn't beat around the bush.   There's Tandy's motive right there, her business reputation.   Also she went from being helpful, to obstructing by not handing over the files.

All the women tested prove negative for animal blood, hey, would these women actually touch a piece of raw meat with their bare hands, it's highly unlikely! So that wasn't really conclusive.   Walter: "all these babes." He wants to sign up.   Delko crushes that fantasy by telling him he needs to be a millionaire  Though he says Tandy was thorough in giving them the files, cos she was hiding something.   Or else she didn't want to endure Natalia's wrath, ha.

Natalia examines the sheets from the Vic's home.   Delko finds one of the women, Kate (Amber Clayton) is missing.   Her DNA matches the sheets.   She slept with Matthew.   Tripp (Rex Linn) doesn't find her at her apartment and Horatio asks if her car has GPS, then he can track her.    Why didn't Tripp think of this.   Her car is tracked to another matchmaker party, organized by Paul Nichols, (Peter Wingfield) but he's more than that.   It's apparent the security man, Ricky (Antonio Leon) was hiding something.   Tripp brought his own invitation, his badge, that's been done before in CSI:NY.   Paul only caters for high end clients.  Horatio screws up his business card and throws it down, he wouldn't have done that in past seasons.   Kate tells them she was there to end it and one thing led to another, but you know she's lying.

ME Tom happily saws into the alligator and it takes him back to undergrad anatomy.   He finds another torn piece of paper like the piece Delko found.   Which he bags for later, as in much, much later, cos no one examined that until right near the end.   Natalia notices a bandage on Matthew's hand when ME Tom pulls out his arm from inside the alligator.   Something hot was held against his skin and Natalia needs to match the burn pattern against whatever caused it.   Calleigh (Emily Procter) goes through the books with her and Natalia jokes she hopes it's not a pipe.   Tripp enters telling them he found two 'Insufficient Funds Notices' in Matthew's letterbox and IDs the burn as being from a motorcycle.    He recalls the bikes at the party.

The burn was from the exhaust pipe of the motorbike and Delko finds blood on the pipe.   Ricky owns the bike and tortured Matthew.   Paul sends his own lawyer to help, which is for his own protection.   Horatio tells him he'll be next.   Look at the way Horatio and Delko pushed him into the room, there's really no need for it, someone should sue for police brutality.   No really, since they've obviously got no IAB watching over them, they think they can get away with anything.   No wonder they got rid of Rick Stetler (David Lee Smith) last season, pity.   Horatio tells him he was set up by Paul to take the fall and he's afraid to talk for his family's sake.   It's all about money with Paul.   The lawyer arrives and has already posted his bail.  

Horatio gets an idea, of finally, well following on from Natalia's idea to go undercover in 9.5, he sends Ryan this time.   He needs to call every 30 minutes and has to talk to Kate.   He can't wear a wire, well no one checked his shoes!  Ryan makes small talk with Kate and uses the usual lines, including "penny for your thoughts."  Paul wants Kate to be alone with him, since he's none other than a pimp.   Ryan leaves her on the pretense of wine and investigates before he's caught and injected by security man (LaMonica Garrett).   Horatio and Delko seemed to know exactly where Ryan was when they came in.   Horatio holds the security man's head underwater and he's shot when he reaches for his gun.  There was a time when Horatio would have dragged him out of the water, not force his head in.

Ryan recalls finding something by the bookcase and it's opened up to reveal a safe containing lots of money.   Kate tells Horatio that Matthew wanted to marry her and she tried to break up with him.   Paul threatened to kill one or the other, if either one went off with each other and wouldn't let Matthew buy her out.   Matthew didn't have any money but she didn't care.   Horatio: "If Paul did this, justice will be served."  Yes, Horatio style!  Paul is arrested for prostitution, kidnapping and other offences and he's taken away without being given a lawyer, so what happened to due process.   CSI: Miami just keeps getting more and more incredulous now, it's the same thing every week, talk about being unoriginal.

ME Tom finds yet another piece of paper, which is what Natalia and Walter only get to now, why couldn't Calleigh have been working on it.  Natalia works out it's a cheque signed by Tandy - who else.   Walter asks why it's torn and why the red ink?  Then recalls what the bank writes on the cheque when there are 'insufficient funds'.   Tandy was there to collect her fees.   Natalia tells her she knew the code cos of the video.   Horatio has his feet up on her desk now - he hasn't done that before either.  Matthew couldn't pay and she had to protect her business reputation, so she killed him.   As said in the beginning, it was all about business with her and Horatio helps Kate out for testifying against Paul, the State Attorney will grant her probation, she needed the money.   Another hug for Horatio.   Who also admits he's also capable of anything, like we've seen.

Tandy was always the obvious suspect, her business meant more to her.   CSI:Miami is one of those shows where the person of interest who helps the most, has the most to hide or is actually guilty.   Anyway, who exactly would talk about Matthew not being able to honour his debt.   He didn't tell anyone about his business manager running away with his money, except for Kate and she didn't care.   It's embarrassing, to say the least, so he is unlikely to have told anyone else about it.   Besides Tandy would have got her money cos he'd have to sell his assets,his house.   Very poor episode for a ninth season.

In CSI:Miami 2.4 Death Grip, a girl is abducted from her bedroom and her arm is found in an alligator.  Seems the alligators in Miami have a penchant for arms.

Friday 20 July 2012

CSI: NY - 7.10: "Shop Till You Drop" Review


Jo takes Mac shopping, when his interest is aroused by a pickpocket working the crowds and then by a DB in the window display, which also catches Jo's attention.

Jo (Sela Ward) takes Mac (Gary Sinise) shopping, which he hates and can't believe he let her talk him into it.   Oh admit it, you really wanted to go! Mac notices a pickpocket whom he watches and then chases.   Jo can't believe he just did that.   She then calls the window display amazing, agreed by the pickpocket, whom she wasn't talking to.   Mac still is disinterested until he sees a DB in the display.  Mac: "You see why I hate shopping."  They process the shop window.   Yay  Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) without Lindsay's (Anna Belknap) 'shackles' ha.   Someone listened to my plea from last episode, when I said we need to see less of her,

Flack (Eddie Cahill) identifies the Vic as Richard grossman (Jeff Roop).   The staff liked to call him other names as employees were being fired.   Jo comments he "makes our boss look pretty good."
Danny: "I wouldn't go that far."
Mac: "I heard that"  and lets them off, must be Christmas as they all share a laugh.   Hawkes (Hill Harper) finds signs of blunt force trauma and that the wound impressions are "oddly textured."  He must have fallen against something.   Or Mac suggests he could have been struck very hard.   Flack tells them the pickpocket's jacket has a blood stain on it.   Based on the liver temperature the Vic died about half an hour ago.

Danny finds signs of a struggle, as someone stepped in his blood.  Jo asks if he's "ready to go shopping?"  Danny asks what for.  The killer of course.   They follow the blood trail until they lose it in the store.   Using luminol to spray the floor.   Jo and Danny follow the second trail to the make-up counter.   Where the assistant, Tracy Parker (Hayley Marie Norman) was giving away free make-up kits.   Jo looks at her shoes, but she's wearing stilettos which calls cute.   Danny grabs the free bag she gives to Jo, for "the girls." Like Lucy really needs it, now Lindsay...  Hey, that'd be considered a bribe, you can't accept gifts like that.   Jo comments that the astringent in the bag is 80% alcohol, thus the killer would have needed it for the wound.   Since they see blood on the counter.   Checking out the family bathroom, Danny finds bloody cotton wool and the discarded bag in the bin.   Danny: "Boom."  He hasn't said that in a while and seizes the opportunity, now he's free from Lindsay.

Blood on the cotton wool matches the blood on the pickpocket's jacket.   Howie (Steven Crowley) is questioned by Flack and Mac and Flack gets no amount of amusement from it.   Flack comments that perhaps pickpocketing isn't his forte.   Howie says he knows the law and they haven't found him with any stolen goods.   Mac tells him he's a witness, he saw him lift the woman's wallet, which will be enough for the Grand Jury.   Howie calls it his word against Mac's.     Which Flack finds funny.   Good to see his humour back when dealing with suspects in usual Flack interrogation mode.  Mac asks how blood from the Vic got onto his jacket.   Flack tells him he hasn't heard of felony murder.   He can still be found guilty.   He claims a woman bumped into him and he went "about my business."  Yes he did; he stole from her.   This was apparent from the security footage Jo and Danny watch.   But don't see him lifting something from her.

Jo recalls the woman from the street, she was making snow angels.   She goes back there and finds blood on the snow and also the woman nearby.   She doesn't reply to Jo's questions and Jo takes scrapings from her fingernails.   She has bruises too.   Jo tells her what she knows.   Her blood was found in the area and she cleaned herself in the bathroom.   Flack explains her name is Alena (Lisa Brenner) and she's assistant manager at the store.   She bought a one-way ticket to Aruba for tomorrow.   Jo says this makes the killing premeditated.

Adam (AJ Buckley) checks the iron branch.   The print on the broken USB belongs to Grossman.   (Well he had an appropriate name.)  The blood spatter on the branch is impact spatter so was used as a weapon.  Hawkes says it matches the odd wound on the Vic.   Danny finds that the burnt human flesh on the broken glass found at the scene belongs to Pascal Denton (Hart Turner).   He was fired a week ago.    Flack and Danny back together again ha, go to pick up Pascal, who happens to run from Flack, why does he run if he had nothing to hide.   Guess that'd be 'once a perp, always a perp'.   Danny throws the dummy down and domino style the other dummies fall on him.   They don't waste anytime time taking him downtown either but continue their questioning right there.   Joking that they have a thing going where they bet each other $100 everytime a perp says they didn't do anything.  They're up to $2.5 million now.   Flack calls Danny his partner here.

Flack with another funny line, "there you go getting all innocent again."  Pascal fought in the shop window with Grossman over the display and burnt his arm on the lamp.   He was engaged to Alena but she called it off 6 months ago.   Jo says he's telling the truth.   Sid (Robert Joy) tells them Grossman was also an attacker as there are scratches on his face, neck; bitemarks on his arm and defensive wounds.   Jo thinks Alena was defending herself.

Jo talks with Alena again and tells her she was taught to respect the dead.   There had been harassment complaints from other employees.   Alena holds Jo's hand and then lets it go.   Jo feels what she's going through, she wishes she could read Alena's mind.   Flack tells Mac that she still killed him.   Mac calls Flack Don here and tells him the new DA is not pressing charges for lack of evidence against premeditation.   Flack is worried about her leaving the country if they find new evidence.  

Tracy was being sexually harassed by Grossman but her complaint was dismissed by the store.   Tracy explains how Alena would cover for her when she left early, she closed her till.   Tracy agreed to date him as he threatened to cut back her hours.  Alena wanted him to stop taking advantage of the other women.

Adam tells Mac the USB was froma pocket camera which broke off during the struggle.   Mac believes there was something on it Alena didn't want him to see.   Mac recalls the camera Howie had and knows where to find it.  In the drain.   Adam dries the camera out using silica desiccantt.   Howie stole the camera from Alena.   It was taken from her cardigan and not her coat as Mac says.   Adamrecovers footage of Alena stealing money from the tills (cash registers.)  Jo explains any minor discrepancies under $10 are written off by the store.   Lindsay examined the blood and found Alena had leukemia.

Jo explains that she would want to live as long as possible.   Grossman knew Alena was stealing and extorted her, he demanded 'sexual favours'.   Alena tells Jo he was robbing her of her humanity.   They fought in the window and she hit him.   Taking the camera but leaving behind plenty of evidence.   She gave the money to the employees.   Jo realizes she was stalling by not talking to her earlier on.   Alena wanted to leave behind a reason for her living.

Jo and Mac are in his office again and she picks up the snowglobe; explaining why she loves window shopping: where you don't have to buy everything you see, "you stop, you look; find something to admire and then move on."
Mac: "I'll buy that."  So who does shop for Mac, we know from a past episode that he does his own grocery shopping, but what about his Christmas shopping.

CSI:NY hasn't done a Christmas episode before so it would have been interesting to see what the others were doing for Christmas.   Again at the end Jo was telling Mac why Alena shouldn't be arrested - not only since she has a short time left but because she didn't steal for herself.   But the staff were still receiving the proceeds of a crime, but the trick would be having to prove all that.   Not their work.   This was the show's Christmas episode as said already, so there had to be some Christmas spirit in the air; of charity and understanding.

The song at the beginning, 'Baby It's Cold Outside', was partly sung by David James Elliott in an episode of JAG.   Oh come on they were so preparing us for his appearance next episode!! in my opinion.

Thursday 19 July 2012

Desperate Housewives - 7.14: "Flashback" Review


Paul reveals Zach shot him and asks Mike where he is, reluctantly Mike agrees to take him to Zach, as he's their son. Gaby gives in to therapy and Frank drops dead on Lynette's couch.

Mary Alice: (Brenda Strong) "Paul Young had a son but he had not seen Zach in years...he lost him to a world of fast women, easy money and hard drugs...he was determined to find him and he would do anything, even if that meant asking for help from a man who despised him."   Paul (Mark Moses) asks Mike (James Denton) for help.   Zach's (Cody Kasch) mansion is in foreclosure and Paul admits to Mike he was shot by Zach with the same gun Mary Alice used to kill herself.   Zach was last in Idaho.   Paul's disappointed with Zach.  "Though he didn't admit it, Mike knew exactly where Zach was , but the son Paul Young had lost, had no interest in being found."  Was Zach hiding out in the same house where Lynette (Felicity Huffman) went into labour last season.

Mary Alice: "It doesn't matter where we're going - how quickly we try to get there, the past we left behind will still find a way to catch up with us."  Keith (Brian Austin Green) brings home pizza (as will be made clear later on why) as he doesn't want to eat Bree's (Marcia Cross) healthy grilled salmon.   Amber (Rochelle Aytes) calls Bree and asks her for a cashier's cheque, she had a nerve, first she takes her cheque and then asks for instant payment!  She has a photo of Charlie (Sayeed Shahidi) for Keith.   Susan (Teri Hatcher) finds out she's on the waitlist for a kidney, up to 3-4 years, which will also depend on the DNA and how long she's been waiting for.

At the hospital, she bumps into Monroe Carter (Dave Foley) he used to sit behind her in Chem lab at Fairview High.   That didn't seem like he just casually bumped into her to me, but then he was a pharmaceutical rep, so anything's possible.   Susan bursts into tears over needing a transplant, she kept her composure that long and upon meeting him, she lets it all out.   She didn't even cry when she found out her mother wouldn't help her.   Frank (Larry Hagman) gives Stella (Polly Bergen) earrings belonging to his first dead wife.   He wants a family portrait with Lynette's family.   He tries to bribe her but she still refuses.   Lynette wants him to come to her house if he still wants a photo with them.

Gaby (Eva Longoria) is in therapy and asks for wine.   Her mother re-married and she doesn't like talking about her childhood.   She prefers to gossip about others instead, or talk about her modelling days cos that's not painful for her.   She remarks that to her friends, "I'm the shallowest person they know."  Too true, ha.   Correct me if I'm wrong, but in last week's episode, Carlos (Richardo Antonio Chavira) was clean shaven, his beard grew back very quickly, or have months supposed to have passed on the Lane.   But they couldn't have, otherwise, Amber's cheque would have been cashed already.   Clearly this was Gaby's first therapy session.   She's attending therapy three times a week and he has to do her chores for her, including on the day he was playing golf, it was his idea after all.   She knows how to manipulate, considering she wasn't going to therapy again.

Susan is beeped, she has a donor, Monroe offered to donate and he's signing papers.   So if he was signing over a kidney how could he take it back when he entered into a contract.   Susan: "I'm getting a man kidney."  She was nice to him in high school.   They hug and it's obvious he's obsessed with her.   Keith turns up at the pizza place where Amber's left Bree to look after Charlie.   He plays games and she admits she's a closet pizza lover.   Charlie needs more money for the machines and Keith plays games with him.

Tom (Doug Savant) is astonished Frank drives a Bentley, whilst Lynette has to suffer another infuriating racist comment from him.   He calls Porter (Charlie Carver) and Preston (Max Carver) Cagney and Lacey and makes them help him rearrange Lynette's sofa.   Frank dies when the photo's being taken.   He's dead.   Lynette: "Of course he is."  Stella wants his body to remain on the sofa until tomorrow when the new will takes effect.   Lynette's convinced to go along with it when Stella tells her she won't have to take care of her anymore and Stella will be able to help her, re money for college etc.

Mike has a flashback to Zach, having lost all his money and tells him he's rented the house to Paul, who is out of prison.   Zach didn't know.   Tom gets the appropriate line about how money changes people.   Of course it does.   There's Amber taking Bree's money when she 's not the one responsible for Charlie, Lynette being 'bribed' by Stella and Gaby taking advantage of Carlos, which is nothing new and Susan and her kidney, which isn't money but body organs are a precious commodity.   Carlos answers the phone confirming Gaby's booking for the spa treatment.   Carlos tells her she's ignoring the problem.   Tom wonders what they're going to do about the Bentley.

Zach admits to Mike he shot Paul since he ruined his life.   He practiced shooting him in his head, that's Zach's head, not shooting Paul in the head and he left the gun at Bree's.   Mike notices Zach is high and tells him he's been there and he still cares, he's Zach's father.   Susan gives Monroe a crystal heart.   He dreamed she'd give him her heart in high school.   He gives her a scrapbook with photos from high school, he's been stalking her.   Stella's been spending the money on gifts and orders Lynette to dinner with her on Sunday, or she'll share with her sisters instead.

Bree finally gives Keith Charlie's photo and tells him, he's his son.   Renee (Vanessa Williams) can't believe Susan never 'put out' for Monroe but he's giving her his kidney anyway.   Lee (Kevin Rahm) finds the scrapbook.   Renee: "You used to be cute, what happened?"  Lee says the scrapbook's a shrine.   He should know he's been stopped from mailing Ryan Seacrest.   Monroe also has a lock of her hair.   If Susan doesn't take his kidney, she'll have to wait 6 years, thought it was 3-4 years.   Renee warns her she'll be connected to him if she takes it and then she'll never get rid of him.   Lee adds that's probably not the only organ he wants from her!

Gaby makes excuses as to why she shouldn't see the shrink and tries to escape through the loo window.   Carlos is already     waiting for her on the fire escape.   The therapist wants to talk about her childhood and she doesn't.   Carlos reminds her she told him about it when they were married.   Gaby opens up that losing Grace meant she needed to protect children, no one protected her when she was molested by her stepfather.   Mike tells Paul he didn't tell him where Zach was before as he didn't know what he was going to do to him.   Zach needs their help.   Monroe takes an apartment near to Susan.   She remarks, "there's close and then there's Glenn Close." (As in  and what he's doing feels "stalky."  He wants to be more than friends and she's married.   As he'll only have her thanks, Monroe can't go through with the donation.   Well at least Susan came clean before she got the kidney, she could have been devious and waited until afterwards.

Mary Alice: "We may think we've left the past behind us but it has a way of catching up...though we want to run away, we are forced to confront our past and the secrets its buried must come into the light.   If we are strong we are able to move on toward the future and if we are lucky we will have help getting there."

Wednesday 18 July 2012

Supernatural - 1.22: "Devil's Trap" Review


The first season was climatic and didn't prepare us for what happened in the last minutes of the show, just to ensure it did return for another season and even more after that.

Dean (Jensen Ackles) exclaims, "They've got Dad (Jeffrey Dean Morgan).   As far as he knew Dad was only going to to meet with Meg (Nicki Aycox).   He then says the demon's got Dad.   They don't  know how many are out there and only three bullets are left.  Dean thinks they may be able to trade him for the Colt.   Dean doesn't want to do this anymore and says they should "screw the job."  Sam (Jared Padalecki) however now wants to do what Dad would want - "He would want us to keep going."  Dean: "Quit talking about him like he was already dead."

Dean's plan is to go for help and get Bobby (Jim Beaver) as they need help.   Sam tells him demon's won't leave a trail, then mentions the Book of Solomon and how protective circles will work to trap a demon.   Bobby claims there have been 3 or 4 demonic possessions in a year at the most and this year, he's heard of 27 so far.   Bobby: "Storm's coming and you boys and your daddy, you are smack in the middle of it."  We know that for sure.

They wonder how Meg found them, she questions did they think she wouldn't find them, but Dean was counting on it and looks up.   She's trapped in the circle.   Dean never one to hold back or play nice, "Where's our father bitch?" then hits her.   Dean: "You're no girl."  Bobby tells them she's possessed but they can't tell.   There's a de-possession ritual in the journal.   Dean can't believe they're going to use that, "We're really going for it, projectile vomiting - the whole nine yards."

Sam does the Latin chanting, as always.  As in 1.4 Phantom Traveler.   Dean comments he will march into hell and slaughter all of them himself.   Could call that a future foreboding for Dean, considering what happened to him in season 4/5 and no he didn't slaughter the whole of them either.   Meg admits he's not dead yet and is being held in Jefferson City, Missouri.   Dean wants her to be killed, he lied.   Sam doesn't know what to do since she's an 'innocent' girl.   Bobby is adamant they'll kill her since it's the demon keeping her alive.   Dean wants to put her out of her misery.   Could they have used her to find the demon as Sam thinks, but they didn't really need her since the demon found them.   That's why Meg was sent cos they'd come looking for Dad.

Sam studies the Book of Solomon and draws a 'Devil's Trap' on the boot of the Impala so no demon can get in or out and they can hide the Colt in there.   However Dean insists they need to take the Colt and doesn't care what Dad wants them to do and since when did Sam care what he wants?   Sam doesn't like being questioned, "Hell you're the one who came and got me out of school.   You're the one who dragged me back into this Dean - I'm just trying to finish it."  As you'll recall he also wanted this finished back in 1.16 Shadow so he could go back to his own life and leave hunting behind.   Suppose he wants that here now too and the sooner the better.

Dean wants the demon dead too.  Dean now says Sam and Dad are more alike than they think and Sam said this to Dad in 1.20 Dead Man's Blood, then again Dean wasn't around to hear that.   Dean: "You both can't wait to sacrifice yourselves for this thing.  I'm gonna be the one to bury you - you're selfish you know that.   You don't care about anything but revenge!"  But Dean wanted that too all these years.   In this episode Eric Kripke wrote that Dean came for Sam to go after the demon, but Dean actually came for Sam so they could search for Dad.   The second time Dean came for Sam, when Jess was on fire, Sam insisted he wanted to hunt the demon.

The demon knows what they look like so they will have 7 minutes once the fire alarm is pulled.   Dean: "I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up."  Dad is kept in a room with two possessed people and Sam and Dean wear fireman clothes so they can't be seen.   They find Dad and Sam thinks he might be possessed too and uses holy water on him.   The first question Dad asks is where the Colt is.    Now if this rescue wasn't too simple then I don't know what a trap is!  He didn't ask how they are are or what they're doing here but asks about the Colt.   Some would say that's what Dad was like anyway but all the times he's been watching out for them or watching from afar and not helping, that's something he wouldn't have asked first.   You can become possessed by being touched by someone already possessed.   Sam is beaten by the demon's son (Sebastian Spence) and Dean shoots him with the Colt, leaving two bullets.

They stop at a cabin in the woods and the doors and windows are salted - this didn't work to keep out the demon, so what else will work on him/it?  Dean saved Sam's life and Sam says he didn't have a choice.   Dean: "...for you or Dad the things I'm willing to do, to kill, scares me sometimes."  But it shouldn't cos he's a hunter and with Dean it's always shoot first and will always be that. It's the only way to stay alive he thinks.   Dad says he used the bullet, he's not angry but proud of him.   Dean watches out for them.   The light flickers, meaning demon's around.   Dad wants the Colt, he won't fire and miss the demon.   Dean is furious he wasted a bullet and Dean realizes it's not Dad.   He knows Dad better than anyone and he was possessed since they rescued him.   He was acting differently.   If he's sure then he should kill him and changes into the demon.   Saying, "You think something like that works on something like me."  He tells Sam to make the Colt move towards him using his telekinesis.  

Dean wants him to let Dad go or he'll...Meg was his daughter and the other one was his son, he killed his family.   Sam asks why he killed Mom and Jess.   They got in the way for plans he had for Sam and other children like him.   Adding, "...mask the truth - you fight for this family. Truth is they don't need you...  you need them."  That's what he tells Dean, cos Sam is Dad's favourite.   Dean says he's proud of his children too, "Oh wait, I forgot, I wasted them."  No wonder he wanted Dean in return for Dad.   Dean: "Dad, don't you let it kill me."  Sam shoots Dad in the leg and Dean's lost blood.   Dean tells Sam not to shoot Dad but the demon escapes from Dad's body.   Dad says he should have killed it.   There's still one bullet left and they can start over.   They already found the demon once and can do it again.   Actually it found them.   A truck crashes into their car...

So that was the season 1 finale, not that much was revealed here just to ensure we kept watching.   Liked the final scene though, it was actually one scene that wasn't anticipated, although you knew something was about to happen - didn't know the truck would crash into the car like that.   Also plenty of clues for season 2, such as dying and Dean having to pick up the pieces for them, burying them and how selfish Sam and Dad are.   Dean was right in so many ways, like he was predicting the future or knew what was to come.

In this finale Eric Kripke wanted Dad to be killed off, Sam and Dean were meant to survive and Dad was to die in their arms.   This was decided against since he felt the episode would become even more dark.

CSI: Miami - 9.9: "Blood Sugar" Review


An explosion at a sugar refinery leads to all kinds of findings for the CSIs including, illegitimacy, immigration problems and the age old monster, money.

Apparently these season 9 episodes aren't being shown in the order listed, which is really frustrating!  An explosion at a sugar refinery provides the team with this week's case and Horatio (David Caruso) and Delko (Adam Rodriguez) are on the scene to rescue and pull out two people alive.    There's one DB, whom ME Tom (Christian Clemenson) refers to as "fragile."  He states it looks like a bomb went off in there and he wasn't that far wrong.   The blast shattered his bones.   Nina (Leela Savasta) recognizes his watch and IDs him as Eduardo (Bryan Cid Borreo) her fiance.   Walter (Omar Miller), Ryan (Jonathan Togo) Natalia (Eva La Rue) and Delko process the refinery.

Horatio finds the presence of sugar dust, which in excessive quantities could cause an explosion.  Natalia says it's on everything.   Horatio doesn't think it was an accident.   Walter says there are regulations in place to prevent such an explosion so if the owner broke the rules, and adds Horatio, "he'd be responsible for the death."  Horatio demands Cavanaugh (Gregg Henry) shut down the refinery.   Ryan tells him they're investigating a negligent homicide.   Cavanaugh claims to know all his employees.   He doesn't believe it's a dust explosion as he has all the measures in place: a ventilation system and the door remains open at all times.   One of his employees stands guard all the time to ensure this.   He'll need to look his name up on the computer.   Ryan comments so much for him knowing all of his employees.

Natalia doesn't find any fire residue on the vents or the ducts but Ryan finds charring on the outside of the ducts, meaning the vents were closed.   Cavanaugh's daughter, Christie (Julie Mond) is in charge of the operations.   She asks Tripp (Rex Linn) who he is, he's the guy who just took her phone.   Calleigh (Emily Procter) informs her it's against regulations to switch off the ventilation system and her "measures may have contributed to Eduardo's death."  At the refinery the failsafe door is missing and it was blown during the explosion.   There's no latch and Walter says it was sheared off, the door was shut before the explosion occurred.   Manny (Leandro Cano) was on the door but he left his post to help Nina.

Nina confirms his story and Immigration turns up for her sister, Isabel (Shontae Saldana) she's an illegal.   Horatio tells the Immigration official this is his investigation and asks for 48 hours to complete it.  Nina tells Horatio there's a raid every month, Cavanaugh turns in his employees.   The door could have been closed by anyone running from Immigration.   They almost took Eduardo as well.   ME Tom requires special tools to process the DB.   He suffered fractures and Walter says he was crushed by the sugar.   Particles are baked onto him, so he was under the sugar when the explosion occurred.   He either jumped, fell or was pushed.

Natalia notices the funnel wouldn't have held the weight of Eduardo's body.   Ryan says he collected sugar dust with the vents closed.   Delko finds the image of something on the side of the silo, but he's not seeing things as he tells Walter; who tells him his grandmother thought she saw Elvis on a potato chip.   Walter finds a hair from a horse, leading to their suspect, Luis (Ramon Franco).   He denies any knowledge of what happened and was teaching Eduardo how the factory worked.   His own son was deported, which gives him motive and the most likely suspect, at least I thought so.   Delko asks "that's all you know?"  As if he doubts him.

Nina gives Horatio a hospital file from two years ago.   It was when Eduardo had a tractor accident and needed a blood transfusion.   He had a rare blood type and the donor was Cavanaugh.   Eduardo was his son.   Tripp thinks Eduardo asked for money but after the accident he thanked Cavanaugh for saving his life.   Cavanaugh put him in the will, equal share with Christie.   She doesn't know about her brother, but she did know about Eduardo and the new will.   Calleigh found the boy she used to hack into her father's computer.  Christie doesn't acknowledge Eduardo as her brother and he didn't have the right to inherit the business.   She calls him an illegal.   Calleigh tells her Eduardo was a citizen as his father is a citizen too.

Ryan has to help Delko ID the silo image and thinks it looks like the map of Italy and describes the image as a boot, cos Italy does resemble a boot.   Christie was wearing boots.   Walter said he used to have a sweet tooth and Natalia comments she'll never eat caramel again.   Walter says Christie "cares deeply about money."  Natalia notices the fresh wounds on Eduardo's arms.   ME Tom describes them as nail scratches.   Walter believes whoever pushed him may have tried to pull him up.   Natalia suspects it's Christie.   Ryan finds the DNA taken from swabs under her nails doesn't match and her boots are clean.   Delko thinks someone was hanging from the catwalk as the boot looks like it's a got a spur on it,  jutst like Luis.   Oh took your time.

Not another chase, obviously the bag was headed straight for Delko who was just standing around.   Luis pulls a gun on Cavanaugh and reminds him he gave his son to Immigration, instead of Eduardo.   Luis knew about him, they fought on the catwalk and he fell.   Luis tried to pull Eduardo back up.   As Horatio successfully talks Luis to back down, Cavanaugh thinks it an appropriate time to confront him over Eduardo.   Luis killed his son (he always wanted) and Luis shoots at Cavanaugh, who dies.   Horatio shoots and only wounds Luis, as we get a sl- mo bullet scene (courtesy of Smallville).   Now Luis won't see his son again.   Horatio threatens Christie with a prison sentence, as is the norm this season; as hacking carries a mandatory 15 year sentence and she's willing to do whatever it takes to save herself.   Christie provides the first ever scholarship to Isabel who gets a student visa.   The sisters, as always, are grateful to Horatio for helping them out.  

Blood Sugar  - be needing plenty after this episode.   What's wrong with season 9 of CSI:Miami; the storylines seem so haphazard or hurriedly put together.   This storyline was just as dire.   The show's done illegal immigrants before trying to eek out a meagre living and life for themselves, but this episode was very weak in comparison.   A tale of good v bad: come to America to make a new life, but your boss deports your family after taking advantage of your labour, to keep his business going and they have to continue working for him even after he turns them in cos there's nothing else they can do.

It was apparent Luis had a hand in killing Eduardo, even if it was an acccident, but his anger only erupts when he's confronted by Horatio for Eduardo's death.   If not, he would have continued to kow tie to the man that he abhors, who took his son away.   Why not exact revenge as soon as his son was taken.   Horatio up to his usual helping the hapless and keeping Isabel from being deported.   The script wasn't so good either, Calleigh and her replying "bet you do,"  when Christie asks for a lawyer.   is that all she could manage.   Blood Sugar just failed to satisfy and hit all the right veins!

Tuesday 17 July 2012

CSI: NY - 7.9: "Justified" Review


A woman's body is found in the river, who just happens to be the same woman who allegedly stole Roni's identity. Mac pursues his investigation of Chief Carver.


A DB is found in the river and Jo (Sela Ward) believes the killing was about rage as she was beaten and shot in the heart, "an emotional statement."  Hawkes (Hill Harper) finds no traces of peticule hemorrhaging and she was only in the water for a few hours.  Chief Carver (John Larroquette) arrives on the scene stating he wasn't expecting this (a loaded comment.)  Mac (Gary Sinise) says the killer left something behind, i.e.  the bullet.

Sid (Robert Joy) retrieves the bullet from the DB and Lindsay (Anna Belknap) matches it to the Chief's gun.   Lindsay over the past seasons is always the one who matches forensics or evidence to items belonging to, or concerning the CSI team, or Flack (Eddie Cahill.)  It was Danny's discarded cigarette in season 2's Run Silent, Run Deep, Flack was the one who was responsible for the drug raid in season 3's Consequences episode, she's a bit of a 'snitch' for want of a better word.   As she doesn't know how to deal with it but always goes running to Mac, aside from the episode where she actually told Danny about the cigarette matching his DNA, but that was only because she had feelings for him.

Mac thought the Chief would be smart enough not to use his own gun, which was registered to him, who subsequently  tells Mac he lost the gun years ago but didn't report it.   He shows Mac where Roni (Kimberley Murphy) used to live.   For a cop he didn't do much to either help his sister out of that rut she was in, or to help her children, until it was too late.   He believes she must have taken his gun, but by then he had the children and if he reported it, then someone would look for her.

Sid conducts the autopsy and finds white specks in the DB's ear, which Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) identifies as fluorescent paint.   The DB was Marcella  Gomez (Alex Madison) from Columbia and her future husband was Mitch Barrett (Mo Gallim).   He would beat her up.  Flack and Danny get themselves into a scrape, well an all-out brawl, when they go to question Mitch.   He asks if they have a warrant to which Flack replies, "if we had a warrant, you would be face down on the ground."  He spoke too soon, cos that's what happened to them.   Should've known that shots would be fired through the door any minute, it was that obvious!  Danny and Flack weren't really injured much for the beating they suffered!

Flack tells Mitch, during questioning, they were "a little iffy until you started shooting at us." When Mitch asks how they knew it was him.   Danny enlightens him that he left behind reflective paint and he has a record for beating women.   Mitch promised Marcella he'd kill her if he ever found her and that's what he did.   So he admits to killing her now.   Well that case was neatly tied up pretty quickly, seeing as how the remainder focused on the chief and Mac's never dwindling suspicions.   Flack and Danny being taken down by the big, dumb guy  and still persevering in their attempt to arrest him.   After all that  and Flack only suffered a black eye and Danny a few bruises, should've sent Lindsay!  Ha, I don't condone violence, it's a joke.   Notice Flack's obvious stuntman!  Also Lindsay didn't have anything to say about Danny's injuries, not even a sarcastic remark.

Mac comments Marcella was searching for something in her bag.   She had to know that Roni was dead so she could have used her identity so freely.   Lindsay confirms Mitch's story about the gun, as his prints were found on top of Marcella's.   Lindsay was wrong on both counts here when she concluded that Marcella did take her identity or killed Roni.   She was assuming without evidence.   Mac suspects the Chief of lying.   Jo warns him of the serious consequences of "letting his emotions cloud his judgement."   In his pursuit of the Chief without concrete evidence.   Mac: "There's no way a cop loses his gun and doesn't report it."  See Danny in the episode, All in the Family.   Marcella was sure no detective would knock on her door and she wasn't at her apartment because the Chief tipped her off.  

Jo goes over the evidence  and Lindsay has to go first.   Danny can't see a motive for the Chief killing her.   Marcella lived in his precinct when she arrived in the US.   Adam (AJ Buckley) didn't find any hits on CODIS from the casing.   The jacket used to cover Roni belonged to a Richard Hudson (Robert Mammana).   He denies knowing Roni 15 years ago and Hawkes asks him how much he used to pay for their dates.   He used to see her and together went for a walk in the park, leaving her there to get his credit card.   A cop spoke to her, but he wouldn't recognize him.  

When Lindsay questioned him, again it was more 'macho posturing' on her part (I know I've used that phrase for her a-plenty, but it's so true.)  Once more her lines seemed to have been written for someone else, like Danny and would've been delivered better by someone else.   Why are the writers giving her so much screen time this season anyway.   Plodding off smugly to give her findings to Mac from the print match on the gun. Other characters didn't have much to do this episode.

Danny says the knife used to kill her was consistent with the toolmarks on Roni's ribcage.   Adam found a partial DNA profile on the knife belonging to Jimmy Valdez (Austin M Rodriguez).   Jo concludes there was no connection between Roni and Marcella.  Jimmy tells Flack that a cop took his knife from him and he might recognize him.   Jo believes him.   Mac brings up the topic of how every cop had a shoebox full of knives in his locker, back then, crime was rife.   Jo asks if he did too, but he doesn't admit to it and cops weren't meant to leave their posts.   As Danny adds, you'd be assigned to the middle of Brooklyn Bridge at midnight.   Chambers and West subway station was only used by any cop going to court.  Jimmy recognizes the Chief from an old photo.  

Thus giving Mac another chance to accuse him of murder as he was identified in a photo array.   Mac vows to continue until he has enough evidence against him.   Obviously it was Jay as they showed him again.

Adam was ignored by Mac again when he asks him if he's OK, too caught up in gunning for the Chief.   He tells Adam to compare the DNA profile found on the gum to Roni's DNA.   The DNA was from a male donor.   Oh and another thing as Columbo would say, would the Chief really be so stupid as to leave behind all that evidence when he buried his sister, if he had killed her.

Jo questions Sid on whether the Chief's physical stature and strength would be enough for him to have killed her.   Sid recalls him and that they used to joke he should have been an ME with the name, 'Carver'.   But the stab wounds are on the lower part of her body.   The blunt force injury to Roni's head was lower - a large stone was used at an upward angle causing a hairline fracture.   The Chief would've "caved in her skull."

Adam gets a hit on the DNA profile, we knew it matched Jay, but they kind of dragged it out.   It's good when they show the team as having already analyzed the evidence, instead of actually doing it then because sometimes there's no need to see that and there was so much of it in this episode, it would've taken too long.

Jay confesses, he was in the park and stabbed her out of rage.   He buried her himself (and threw his gum in for good measure.) Jo asks just what I was thinking at the same time, why he dug her up?  There may have been an intended bike path in the park so he thought it would be found.   Well it was now.   He thought about killing her for a long time and planned it.   Mac thought the DNA would match the Chief, in his narrow minded pursuit of justice.  

The Chief explains Jay wanted to turn himself in to him.   Jay reveals his scars from the beatings and then she started on the other children.   Mac says the Chief can't changed what happened.   He found Marcella in the rain, talking of killing herself so he gave her the gun for protection.   Jay doesn't feel guilty for killing his mother.   Mac tells Jo the Chief was fired and stripped of his pension.   Jay won't be serving any jail time.   Mac doesn't tell her what he thinks about Jay being released as he's not sure how to justify premeditated murder, but it's not important what he thinks.   Oh so it was important he thought the Chief was a killer but now it doesn't matter, when all the evidence is in.

Don't you hate it when you're right, but what can you do;  as I said in my review of last week's episode, it was Jay who killed his mother and the Chief was covering for him.   So Mac had to be wrong, whilst remaining true to his convictions, he was wrong about one Chief but he hasn't been in the past when dealing with other bureaucratic chiefs.   It's not often he doesn't get his suspect or is mistaken, which shows he's human after all.   Jo telling him to be careful as he's gunning for the Chief and so that extra piece of evidence would be needed.   At least he listened to her, showing how much he respects her.

Obviously the DA wouldn't bring charges against Jay, it'd be in no one's interest.   As I also said, the Chief warned Marcella and she ran from her apartment, why'd he let her leave her bag behind, she should've known to have taken it with her, also Mitch tracked her down easily.  

Mac seems to be in a world of his own at times, ignoring Adam again; putting chiefs out to pasture is more the norm for NYPD, rather than face adverse publicity and cries of "police cover-up."  Jo was so sympathetic in her questioning of Jay.   She's the shining beacon who clearly knows how to handle each suspect or Vic she comes across, showing not only her professionalism but her humanity.   She understood why Jay killed his mother, she's a mother with children of her own and was probably instrumental in getting the DA to reduce the charges to manslaughter without jail time.   We've taken a shine to her.   A great asset to the show!

Jo commenting on Mac's poker face, Flack mentioned that in the season 2 poker episode, Bad Beat, "Now Mac, there's a man with a poker face.   Who knows what he's thinking."  Which is repeated here by Jo, great continuity from long ago, mind you, it could just have a passing comment from the writer.   Mac apparently did argue that the Chief not be subject to any charges or disciplinary action but he doesn't come right out and say it, as he normally would have if it concerned anyone else.

Also the missing gun not being reported was reminiscent of Danny having his gun taken (he had his badge stolen last season) and not reporting it either in season 4's All In the Family.   Flack covered for him as much as he could when it turned out to have been taken by Rikki (Jacqueline Pinol) to use in a revenge attack against her son's killer.   Though it was understandable because of this.   Flack showing his staunch loyalty for Danny.   On a similar note, Mac does stick his neck out  in protecting those he thinks deserve his loyalty; such as Flack in season 6 after he shot and killed Angell's (Emmanuelle Vaugier) killer, Mac knew.

Jo insisting there are consequences if he takes on the Chief and he turns out to be wrong.   Well Mac doesn't think about the consequences, only in getting the job done; as was adequately demonstrated in season 3's Consequences episode when he was at odds with Flack, but went ahead and did what he wanted to anyway.   Here he actually listened to Jo's plea to find more evidence.

Monday 16 July 2012

Without A Trace "Nickel & Dimed" Part 1 Review


Colleen (Audrey Marie Anderson) leaves her son Jake with Mrs Reese (Carol Locatelle) and then goes missing.  It’s her training day at work, if she misses it she’ll be fired.

23 Hours Missing
Colleen McGrath, 25 from White Plains.  She worked at Everymart and Jake’s now with social Services.  They don’t know where the father is.  Jack (Anthonly Lapaglia) says Colleen could’ve just left.

24 Hours Missing
Danny (Enrique Murciano) and Viv (Marianne Jean Baptiste) talk to Mrs Reese who tells them she wouldn’t just leave Jake.  She had Thursday off and someone else watched him then.  Colleen lives at cheap rate motels and she wasn’t worried about money.
The manager at the store says everyone is like family here.  He didn’t know Colleen had a son.

26 Hours Missing
Danny calls Colleen’s room “the Presidential suite.”  She didn’t take much with her if she left.  Viv finds a key.  Danny says it has pins in the front and back and it doesn’t belong to the motel.  The manager tells them she had a man in her room and he ‘overheard’ her phonecall asking for $200.

Martin (Eric Close) finds Colleen didn’t have a mobile phone, car or credit cards.  She worked 5 days a week and worked somewhere else for the other 2 days.  She needed another job as Sam (Poppy Montgomery) says, she earned $7 an hour, paid 4175 a week for the motel room.  She works under 40 hours so she doesn’t qualify for benefits so she was earning $228 a week.  She bought a backpack from work whene she bought the shoes.

27 Hours Missing
Jack talks to Nora, (Chane't Johnson) Colleen’s friend at the store.  She kept Jake quiet from the managers because they don’t like their employees to have children.  She had a job cleaning a house and had problems with the husband there.  She was looking for another job.  Danny finds the man lives in Scarsdale and drives a sports car.  His name is Ted Fortman (Christopher Cousins).

29 Hours Missing
His wife left him.  He was having an affair but not with the help.  Sam emphasizes Colleen had a name.  Colleen saw him with another woman and he thought she’d told his wife so he fired her.  She hit him and took her 4100 pay for 2 days.  She was picked up by a red and black striped van which was waiting for her. Sam didn’t like Fortman saying Colleen was only the maid.

32 Hours Missing
Danny and Viv canvas the motel again.  There’s a call for colleen on the payphone from a doctor.
Dr Evans (Ben Bode) called her about Jake who needed a hearing aid costing $500.  Foster children are the responsibility of the state so Colleen couldn’t get the money that way.  Sam doesn’t believe she’d just abandon Jake.  A woman at the motel says she heard shouting from Colleen’s room.  A  man left.  Colleen told her he’d kill her.  Sam talks with Jake and shows her the photo of the man from the motel.  He gets upset.
 Jack talks with Nora again and whilst there sees the manager drive up in the black and red striped pick-up.  He caught Colleen stealing from the store.  She needed the money so he let her go.

48 Hours Missing
 She asked Ray (Mike Dooly) for $1,000 right now.  She ordered the hearing aid but didn’t collect it.  Martin thinks she could have got the money from a loan shark.  He says this case is getting to Sam and asks if it’s Jake?  It’s everything.  Danny spies Martin and Sam on the balcony, well he would wouldn't he.

51 Hours Missing
Jeanette passed out in her room (Cathryn De Prume).  Sam gets tough with her and say she’ll fix her up with a syringe.  She claims to be clean until Colleen dropped Jake off.  She steals a bag from colleen’s backpack.  She tells her she didn’t take it and threatens to call the police.  The bag was worth over $1,000.  Colleen gives Jake a toy bus, she was taking the bus to the city.  Sam arrests Jeanette.  Martin has the lab analyze the syringe.  Jack talks with Scott, a former drug mule.  The chemical analysis of the heroine shows it’s the same smuggling ring.  Scott met Ken in the coffee shop where she worked.  It was easy money and she’d make $800.  She’d have to take the bus to the Port Authority and then would get the rest of the money.  She got 5 years for possession with intent and another 5 for being within 1,000 feet of a school.  Jack tells the others Colleen delivered short so she’s probably not missing but dead.

The bus driver recognizes Colleen.  She took the bus to White Plains 5 days ago.  She was upset things were going badly for her.  He gave her the toy bus.

Viv says she’s going home as the case is getting cold.  Martin works on case files from the DEA.  Sam says it’s not about paper trails; Colleen has disappeared like she never existed.  She helps Martin with the files.  He finds a drug dealer fitting a similar profile: 26 years old from Winchester County who was found shot in the river.  The suspect was the same unknown man from Colleen’s motel room.  Sam thinks of a plan and tells Jack.

Jack: “I am conducting a federal investigation.  I will talk to whomever, wherever, whenever I want to.”  Jack getting his own way again.
Sam: “…never on grid to begin with.”
So much for keeping quiet about Colleen having a son, Jack’s just let the cat out of the bag, not that it mattered.

Sam: “I haven’t met Mr Fortman yet, but I feel like I know him already.”  Sam after looking at his sports car, which Danny has a particular interest in. Enrique and his love of cars and bikes.
Danny: “What, not your type?”
Sam: “Nope.”
Danny: “What is your type?”
Sam: “Not Mr Fortman.”  Danny asking what Sam’s type is when in season 1 episode  The Friendly Skies Martin asks Danny if the detective is Sam’s type.  Think he would’ve known by now what her type is; it’s just more convenient for him to have asked this now that he’s seeing Martin and he’ll spot them together later.  That season 1 episode was written by Hank Steinberg and this one wasn’t, hence the continuity factor. But then Danny knew there was something between Sam and Martin since season 1.  “Call me crazy!”  Danny that is.

Viv: “People stay missing or get found on the smallest detail, so if you know anything.”
Danny: “What’s the other thing? -  you said for one thing Colleen…what’s the other thing?”  He’s very perceptive isn’t he.

Jack :"I’ll save it for later.”  Does Jack really smoke?

Sam: “It’s all of it.”  Sam and Martin have a heart to heart as this case is too close to home for her.  The first time Danny sees them together but not the last.

Viv: “Tomorrow is another day.”  But tomorrow will be too late.

Sam: “…shouldn’t have been so hard for her – she deserved better…this isn’t about records or files or paper trails; the problem is she’s invisible – this woman has vanished into thin air and if it weren’t for Jake it wouldn’t have even made a ripple.  I feel like things happen to people like her…and no one notices and no one is held accountable.”  This episode is really about Sam and perhaps her problems from her past.  See part 2.
Note the Chrysler Building behind Jack in the background at the prison.

Sam becoming so emotionally involved made this episode what it was.  So much emotion and character development too, which is hard to find in shows of this nature, but WAT was without a doubt, in a calibre of its own.  Not to mention another balcony scene too, love those, especially if Danny's around!

The title alludes to a book by Barbara Erhenrich.

Desperate Housewives - 7.13: "I'm Still Here" Review


Paul has suspicions Beth was the one who shot him and he plans revenge by stealing her away to a cabin. Bree meets Keith's son, but fails to tell him. Carlos realizes Gaby is suffering because of Grace and finds her doll.

Mary Alice (Brenda Strong) talks of Paul (Mark Moses) realizing his wife was a liar, she "lied with every smile, with every caress and with every kiss...his entire marriage was a fraud.   The only thing he didn't know, is how he would punish her." Beth (Emily Bergl) tells Paul how strange the street is and how the others tried to frame her.   Paul is astounded that the gun just appeared out of nowhere.   But he knows the truth.   At least he thinks he does.   Now that he suspects Beth, the truth won't be as clear cut as that, as she'll turn out to have been too obvious a suspect.

Mary Alice: "Paul had no choice but to punish his wife because some lies are unforgivable."  Seems that's all Paul ever had on the brain, getting back at people.   So he hasn't changed.

Mary Alice: "We are reminded every Spring with every rose that blooms...the world is a beautiful place...sadly it is filled with people who do ugly things constantly."  Renee (Vanessa Williams) asks if Bob (Tuc Watkins) and Lee (Kevin Rahm) are friends with Barbara, the "inferior designer."  Bob doesn't want to hire Renee as she's not maternal.   Lee lets it be known they're decorating a room for Eliza.   Carlos (Richardo Antonio Chavira) finds a credit card bill for $800 for Miss Charlotte's Doll place.   Gaby (Eva Longoria) bought it as it made her feel happy.   Somehow Carlos is not going to understand that!

Bree (Marcia Cross) meets Keith's (Brian Austin Green) ex girlfriend, Amber (Rochelle Aytes) when she comes to her house.   How exactly did she get her address.   Bree introduces herself as his girlfriend and not his landlady.   Susan (Teri Hatcher) undergoes dialysis and meets Dick (Gregory Itzin) hey it's whatshisname from The Mentalist.    He's a grump and refuses to speak with her, prompting her to comment, "people say she doesn't seem like a Susan - but him..."

Lynette's (Felicity Huffman) mother, Stella (Polly Bergen) pays her a visit, which she's dreading and drops a bombshell, she's getting married to Frank (Larry Hagman).   Bree sits in bed with things on her mind, namely Amber and wakes Keith up by hitting him; then feigning he was dreaming and shouting, "Amber" in his sleep.   He remembers a girlfriend from 7 years ago called Amber, surprised he recalls anything going back a few weeks, really!  She left him.   Frank just tells Lynette to call him "dad."  Lynette's more interested in asking why he's marrying Stella.   He loves her, which she finds hard to believe.   Gaby asks Karen McClusky (Katherine Joosten) for the address for the Chinese restaurant and notices the doll inside her house.   How many times has she been there and she conveniently just notices the doll now.   Her doll's named Adelaide and she was her best friend growing up.   Gaby shows her Princess Valerie and suggests they go to the  tearoom, with their dolls.

Frank calls Lynette 'Lorraine' and she finds him obnoxious and borderline racist.   Stella admits she's only marrying him for the money, since she married for love before and they all left her poor.   Paul woes how he has hate for his neighbours and how they all betrayed him, his son disowned him and he hates whoever tried to kill him...  he's tired of hating people but doesn't know how to stop.   Beth suggests he should focus on the good in his life, like her.   That's funny; she can't see that he's playing her.   He thinks of her all the time, especially since he found out who her mother is and  thinks they should go away together to a cabin in the woods, where no one can find them.   See the first sign of trouble and he's got murder on his mind again, which was how all his troubles began.

Karen lets Carlos know about Gaby.   He realizes  the doll was hers and not a gift.   The doll makes her happy.   It's about Grace and she lets rip that it was his rule they shouldn't mention Grace's name.   Susan brings Scrabble to her next dialysis session, but Dick prefers to play the game on his phone.   She likens him to a mean cheerleader.    Last time Renee likened the women to mean girls at lunch and now Susan comes up with the cheerleader analogy.   Dick tells her they won't be friends when the beeper goes off since it means someone has died and a kidney is available.   Susan was trying to comfort herself and not him, but he couldn't see that, bitter as he was.  

Bree confronts Amber, Charlie (Sayeed Shahidi) is 6 and she never told Keith she was pregnant.   Bree offers to tell him about Charlie for her and she believes her.   I didn't.   Though Bree doesn't like to admit it, she has changed.   Last time she told Orson (Kyle MacLachlan)  that she had changed because of Keith and this week we see her true colours.   the change in her wasn't for the better.   She refuses to tell Keith since she's afraid of losing him.   Bob and Lee love the room: it's exactly what Lee wanted when he was growing up.   Renee was thinking of that room for 20 years, for her own daughter.   Which she regrets and they pick up on this, it's not too late for her to adopt.

Tom (Doug Savant) insists Lynette go through with the wedding and wheel Stella down the aisle.   To think when she dies one day, they'll have money.   She must support her mother on her wedding day.   Lynette wheels her away from the altar and threatens not to come and visit her more if she marries him.   Frank needs her and she found it easier to say it was about money than the truth.   No one needs Stella and she's lonely.   Bob and Lee introduce Renee to Eliza and Lee asks her a favour, when they need help with girl issues, if they can bring her here.

Paul takes the note Beth leaves for the gardener.   The detectives tell him about the gun and Bree saying it was planted.   Paul recognizes the gun and lies about not having seen it before; it's not Beth's gun.   In which case, why did Susan recognize it as the one Beth threatened her with on Hallowe'en.    Paul cancels the trip, Beth "dodged a bullet there."  Keith's fine with not having a child and Bree wonders if he had the chance to be a father, would he take it.   What sort of a question was that, of course he would and she's had two of her own, so she should know better.   Bree lies to Amber saying Keith is too different after all these years.   She gives her a cheque and attempts to buy her off.   Rather she was buying Amber's silence in the hopes she would just leave!

Carlos is shocked at seeing the doll in the car seat and Gaby needs to see a therapist.   Getting lost in a deserted part of town since Carlos refused to use the satnav (GPS), it was clear they would be carjacked and Gaby refuses to leave without the doll.   Carlos tries to shake her round by saying it's not Grace.

Mary Alice: "The world is full of people who do ugly things...why do they act this way - some lie to keep from losing what they love...put up walls because they have regrets.   Everyone has a reason for the ugly things we do and once we find out why, we can try to stop them."

An episode all about children mostly this week and the regrets everyone has about them, or about not having any.   Clearly Renee wanted them but didn't have any, presumably not meeting the right man.   Gaby has lost Grace and Bree keeps Keith from his like a scared woman scorned, forgetting truth will out eventually on Wisteria Lane.

Sunday 15 July 2012

CSI: Miami - 9.8: "Happy Birthday" Review

A pregnant woman is carjacked and beaten up, with a few suspects, many of whom, her husband, seems the less obvious. Horatio remembers Marisol on her birthday and there's yet more show of brute force on his part.

Horatio (David Caruso) has flowers on the front seat of the Hummer and asks Delko (Adam Rodriguez) to cover for him, he's "out of commission."   He's got to say hello to someone.     He's flagged down to help a woman found by the roadside.

One hour earlier.   The woman is at a restaurant with her friend, Marcie (Jessica Collins) and she wants her to throw a baby shower for her.   It's a nightmare for Marcie as she can't have children of her own.   They were both selfish, it was all about each other.   The pregnant one is carjacked and beaten.   Horatio: "I want all hands on deck.   They are gonna pay."  Not only cos they diverted him from his alone time but lately he's in no forgiving mood.

The Vic is Heather (Joanne Kelly) and Natalia (Eva Larue) calls her husband, Gary (David Conrad).   Horatio says they need to find Marcie who tells them they had a disagreement.   Walter (Omar Miller) stresses she was the last person to see Heather.   Calleigh (Emily Procter) at the hospital tells Gary and her step-son Josh (Austin Butler) that Heather was assaulted.   Since when does Calleigh sit with Vics at their bedside.

Walter and Natalia process where she was found and follow a blood trail to a blood pool, locating the primary CS.  Also found are the tail lights from a Mercedes.   Walter notices the rubber marks and gets excited.   Natalia believes she was targeted.   Horatio and Delko give chase when Heather's car is located and it's left to Tripp (Rex Linn) to drive into it, stopping it in its tracks.   The two suspects escape on foot.   When Delko says they're in pursuit, he should have said "hot pursuit" but alas it wouldn't be appropriate for him.   Oh no here comes the dreaded chase after the suspects, who run into a club.   One suspect escapes when shots are fired and Delko comes down hard on another one, wrestling him to the floor.   He broke his arm.   Yet more brutality, something that's unexpected from a CSI:Miami episode and yet continues every episode.   Getting boring.   At least IN CSI:NY, where the first season did start off aggressively, you don't see this kind of excessive force! Not this blatantly and arbitrarily either.

Vicki (Lisa Marcos) is the day manager.   The photo that was thrown at Delko is taken to the lab to be examined.   She's the photographer.   Ryan (Jonathan Togo) and Walter process the car.   Walter comments on Delko's antics in taking down the suspect and Ryan adds he didn't get them both, more as a sign of how it would have helped their case, if anything.   At least Walter and Ryan get a moment to joke around like back in the 'old' days of season 8.   The airbag is missing and perhaps the suspects removed it to drive the car away.   Ryan asks why they beat her up if all they wanted was the car?  That was the important question.   Of course they missed the obvious suspect in this episode, i.e they neglected to look at the spouse, Gary, to begin with missing all the clues that pointed to him.   Which is what their work entails,  if they weren't too busy at being heavy handed.   Ryan notices the car has been keyed.

Calleigh helps Heather to pray, reciting a prayer her grandmother used to say, all about angels.   Natalia finds the rounds were used in an armed robbery and lead to Sam, (James Harry Ward)one of the carjackers.   Horatio tells them to stop the captured suspect, Ruben (Dante Basco)  from being taken to hospital as he wants to engage in some 'therapy' of his own, Horatio-style.    Resorting to more threatening tactics and in the Hummer and Natalia appeared to go along without any objections.   Horatio actually applying pressure to Ruben's broken shoulder in order for him to give up Sam's whereabouts.   Yep, there's no Rick Stetler (David Lee Smith) around to step on anyone's toes anymore.   Human life is all that matters to Horatio and he threatens they'll be finding pieces of Ruben all over the Bay if the baby dies.   S suspects aren't human, even if they are the worst of humanity.   Ruben doesn't know where Sam is but tells them about the chop shop.

When raided they find Josh.   Who demonstrates there's no love lost between him and Heather.   He hates her, she got the car and so he keyed it.   Horatio notices the presence of white trace on the key.  Surveillance photos of Heather are also found at the shop.  Heather recalls where the photo was taken, when Gary showed her the photos.   At the Sienna Sky restaurant.   She recognizes Sam as Marcie's personal trainer.   Whom Walter questions about Heather being watched and she denies everything and lawyers up.

Ryan gets the brush off from the restaurant manager, there aren't any cameras in the parking lot.   He then notices a white line across the photo taken from the club.   Which Delko missed, they're on the original photo too.   Taken by Vicki's camera.   Sam paid her to take them and they used to go out together.   Sam got around.   Well he did and that was obvious when he ran into the club managed bu his former girlfriend.   Leading them right to her in the process.   The line is an indication of a flaw on the camera's sensor.   Ryan tells her she could be charged with felony murder.   They find Sam in a hotel and he's kept the incriminating evidence in the form of the airbag.   Well that was clever.  Gary attacks him with a knife, another clever move!  Drawing suspicion on himself.

Heather is rushed to OR as she's bleeding.  Horatio gets an idea from the knife and the marks are matched to the airbag when it was removed.   Horatio recalls Gary never asked about the baby.   He admits Vicki knows people and he asked if someone could do this for him.   He never wanted another baby, only a wife.   But she wasn't meant to be assaulted.  Calleigh prays for Heather and the baby again.   Calleigh convinces Heather she's strong enough for the baby and they have each other.

Horatio sits by Marisol's grave as Delko prays.   So why were they not there together.   There's a flash to their wedding and he tells her the baby is beautiful, just like Marisol.   Look Weeping Angels, "don't blink.  A reference which will be apparent to Doctor Who watchers.

CSI:Miami's 200th episode could have been done so much better and yet it just seems to go backwards, as if none of the characters have evolved and they're all stuck back into earlier seasons.   Horatio in a lab coat again but not enough to detract from his newly-found, old toughness.   Resurfacing again for season 9 even though it was there in past seasons, it wasn't that apparent until after Marisol was killed.   Even so, the brutality and crossing the line wasn't shown on screen.

Marisol appeared in season 4, but there was never much in developing her character  and Horatio's relationship with her.   It all appeared artificial resulting in a whirlwind marriage.   Seeming more like an afterthought in the storyline.   Now they bring her back and remember her out of the blue.   It's her birthday and Heather's baby is born on the same day too, as Horatio sits by her grave, momentarily delayed by this case.   Thus the flowers he had in the beginning.   As well as being the show's birthday too.   It's difficult to reconcile Horatio crossing the line to get the job done, with his caring for Vics and feelings for Marisol.