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Mark Baker

Castle 5-2: Cloudy with a Chance of Murder

Second episode but first day of work? As strange as it might sound, that is what we saw on last night’s Castle as Beckett, Esposito, and Castle all returned to work after Beckett and Esposito finished serving their suspension.

The episode opens with Beckett trying to decide what to wear to work for her first day back. And Castle is there to help her. That is if suggesting she constantly needs to change is actually helping. They discuss the need to keep their new relationship a secret since Gates wouldn’t go for them being together. (No couples as partners, and Beckett doesn’t think the fact that they aren’t truly partners/co-workers would matter to Gates.) So they don’t car pool into work. And Beckett is upset when Castle doesn’t bring her a morning coffee like he always does. She wants everything to be completely normal.

They arrive at the murder scene to learn the victim is the evening weather woman at a local TV station. Family is not in the area, so they turn to co-workers. The other weather woman at the station had a feud with her since our victim got the plumb evening gig even though she wasn’t a true meteorologist. Furthermore, our victim stole some equipment from the other weather woman’s office. But she alibis out.Read More »Castle 5-2: Cloudy with a Chance of Murder

Once Upon a Time 2-1: Broken

Welcome back to Storybrooke from a long summer, my fellow Once Upon a Time fans.

Last year, I would watch the episode and immediately sit down to write my recap. Last night a friend hosted a viewing party, and by the time I got home, it was too late to write the recap. Frankly, that was okay because I was still trying to wrap my head around a few of the events. Frankly, trying to summarize it all is going to be hard. I feel so sorry for the poor guy who has to try to do that.

Oh wait. That’s me.

Seriously, don’t rely on my recap. This is one episode that must be watched. So shut down this page and find a way to actually watch this episode. It really is that good.

Ready now? I’m going to share my thoughts on things, but please remember that spoilers are going to start immediately if not sooner.Read More »Once Upon a Time 2-1: Broken

Castle 5-1: After the Storm

ABC Castle

Welcome back, my fellow Castle fans. I trust you had a good summer. Personally, I’ve been looking forward to tonight more than any other season premier of the year. (Well, almost, I’m also very excited about the premier of Once Upon a Time on Sunday.) Yes, that’s how much I still love the season 4 finale.

But we don’t know what kind of summer Beckett and Castle had. See, this episode picked up the morning after the season 4 finale. In fact, Castle wakes up in bed alone, but Beckett soon comes in with some coffee. They start to flirt when Castle’s mom comes in. She was supposed to be in the Hamptons for the weekend, but there she is. Castle quickly sends Beckett to the closet to while he deals with his mom, who is ranting and rambling about something. He puts her off long enough to get dressed and then discovers that Alexis had too much to drink at her graduation party the night before, and called Martha to get a ride home. Castle distracts them to allow Beckett a chance to get out in the funniest scene of the episode. (Although why Alexis wasn’t at a school sponsored alcohol free grad party was a surprise to me. Are those only a California thing?)

Read More »Castle 5-1: After the Storm

Getting Ready for Melissa & Joey’s Season Two Premier Tonight on ABC Family

Tonight is the second season premier of Melissa & Joey on ABC Family. (Although since the first half of season 1 aired two summers ago and the second half aired last summer, seems to me like it should be season 3, but I won’t quibble too much.)

I’ve got to admit I started watching for one reason – I’ve been a Melissa Joan Hart fan since her Clarissa Explains it All days. Yes, that means I watched all of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as well.

In this sitcom with Who’s the Boss overtones, she stars as Melissa Burke, a city counsel member in Toledo, Ohio. She’s a single woman whose world is rocked when her sister and brother-in-law are accused of running a Ponzi scheme. Her brother-in-law goes on the run, and her sister winds up in prison. What that meanas for Melissa is that she is now responsible for her teenage niece Lennox (Taylor Spreitler) and Ryder (Nick Robinson).

As she’s trying to figure out what to do with them, enter Joe Longo (Joseph Lawrence). He worked for Lennox and Ryder’s parents and is now on the street with a ruined reputation. Of course, it doesn’t help that his wife kicked him out and filed for divorce. He winds up becoming the family manny (you know, male nanny), which is a good thing since Melissa can’t even boil water.Read More »Getting Ready for Melissa & Joey’s Season Two Premier Tonight on ABC Family

Once Upon a Time 1-22: A Land Without Magic

I’d read that the creators completely changed the game in the season finale of Once Upon a Time. It left me wondering what in the world they were going to do. I had a guess, and it turns out that guess was correct. And, as they predicted, it’s left me wondering where they are going next year.

The episode started in Fairy Tale this time as poor James was struggling to get out of his jail cell. Just as he loses the rock he’s using to bang on the lock, two guards show up to take him to his execution. Yep, Regina lied about releasing him if Snow ate the apple. Really surprised, aren’t you? But James manages to overpower them and make a break for it. Unfortunately, he’s immediately cornered by two more guards, but then one guard shots the other with an arrow. And that guard? The Huntsman. Even knowing he’d be back, it was a shock when we saw him. He gives James provisions for the journey and sends him out to find Snow.Read More »Once Upon a Time 1-22: A Land Without Magic

Castle 4-23: Always

I am still basking in the afterglow of last night’s Castle. I was worried they wouldn’t really deliver on the promises of the previews, but they did in a perfect way.

Of course, since it was a season finale, we had to bring Beckett’s mother’s murder back into the mix. Honestly, I’m not sure I follow what’s happening with that any more. If they mentioned it more than once or twice a season, it might help. But I actually like the fact that this show doesn’t have something they advance every week. I can only handle so many shows with advancing every week arcs, so it’s nice to have some shows where I can just enjoy the show when it’s on. And I certainly enjoy Castle.

Anyway, as Castle and Beckett meet up at the crime scene, they are discussing Alexis’ upcoming graduation. Castle says he plans a double feature for after the ceremony and invites Beckett, who actually smiles as she says yes. Then she has to prompt a stunned Castle to actually come to the crime scene.

The victim is a former gang member who joined the army to get away from the gang. Since getting out, he’s been attempting to get a job, but hasn’t been having much luck. But his girlfriend insists that he hasn’t gone back to the gang. He wants to keep his son away from that life.Read More »Castle 4-23: Always

Once Upon a Time 1-21: An Apple Red as Blood

My brother and sister-in-law have stopped watching all previews for future episodes of shows they like because they feel these previews give too much away. And I completely agree with them. I just can’t help myself from watching them. This time, the preview gave away the ending of the episode. But that didn’t stop it from being gripping. And I can NOT wait until next week to see what happens next. (BTW, we need to be working on theories of the season ending cliffhanger because I will do much better waiting all summer if I can guess what’s coming.)

In the world of Fairy Tale, we got the next chapter in the Snow/James saga. When last we’d seen them, James had been captured by his “father” and Snow was promising to come for him. She’d better hurry because King George isn’t wasting any time in executing James. Then again, James pretty much dares him to, saying he would rather die for love than live with the riches he was offered to play the part of the prince. But as the guillotine is falling, the blade turns into water. Wait, what? That’s what everyone is thinking until Regina walks in. She is willing to pay George for James, what George would have gotten from the marriage. James is a trap for Snow White.Read More »Once Upon a Time 1-21: An Apple Red as Blood

Once Upon a Time 1-20: The Stranger

True confessions time – my brain is fried. As I mentioned in my Castle recap yesterday, I spent Monday and Tuesday this week at Disneyland. Then the last two days have been crazy busy at work. So my insights into Sunday’s Once Upon a Time won’t be quite up to par. But that just gives you an opening to point out all the cool connections I missed.

The Fairy Tale portion of the episode focused on Pinocchio and crossed over into our world. It started with the ending of what we know of the Pinocchio story. We watch him sacrifice his life for his father Geppetto. As a reward, the Blue Fairy turns him into a real boy with the warning that if he isn’t brave, noble, and truthful, he will turn back into a puppet.

But then the Blue Fairy comes back for another visit to ask Geppetto to build the wardrobe that was used to send the baby Emma to our world ahead of the curse. Again, we hear how Emma is the only one who will be able to break the curse. The wardrobe would have enough magic to keep two people safe, James and the pregnant Snow. However, Geppetto says he will only build it if one of those sent through to safety is Pinocchio. The Blue Fairy agrees to lie and say only one person can go through since Emma will still have her mother to raise her and teach her about her true destiny.Read More »Once Upon a Time 1-20: The Stranger