The Epic Show Post: Sanctuary, Fringe, SGU, Castle

[holdouttrout]

Okay, let's see if I can manage not to spoil anyone accidentally.



Sanctuary

Oh. My. Freaking. Gosh. That was AWESOME. Okay, so if I hadn't had faith in this show, I would seriously have considered giving it up after the last couple of episodes, because they were PAINFUL. But this ep totally turned it all around.

I was absolutely delighted by all the Helen and Nikola parts, especially all the Helen/Nikola banter/flirting/snarking. I would expect nothing less from them, since they always seem to be in fine form. You can definitely tell the show writers think they are as fun as we do!

I totally called the vampire queen being… well, a vampire queen. She did have a larger court than I expected. *g* I mostly thought she was really confident and terrifying (There were a few moments that felt off to me, honestly, but Helen's reactions to her worked for me.) I told gravity that I want the dark!fic where she makes it out of the caves and starts taking over and keeps Helen as her pet--that wouldn't really go well for her, because HELEN MAGNUS, but it sure would be entertaining.

Still, I was made EVEN HAPPIER (if possible) by all the awesome Kate in this episode. I actually have to watch those parts the whole thing again, because I was so busy squeezing inside. But KATE. :-D

Here ends Sanctuary. Fringe is next!






I am… confused. And underwhelmed. I want more Olivia and Astrid and less Peter, so… maybe this will work out for me?

Someone said that their main problem with JJ Abrams shows is how central the love story is to the plot, and I TOTALLY agree. Look, love shouldn't always be the answer to a mysterious centuries-old puzzle buried for people to find according to prophecy.

That being said, I did like: Astrid (I always like Astrid), seeing Ella, and… actually, I kinda liked the future!domestic Olivia/Peter stuff. So that's a plus.

I'll still watch next year, but honestly, I'm not DYING to see the next season. Which is too bad, because the first half of this season was pretty much GENIUS.

Here ends Fringe. SGU is next.






SGU

I am so unexpectedly sad this show is over. I mean, I'm sad because no more Stargate, but I'm genuinely sad Universe itself is over, because I really felt like it finally became enjoyable, with characters I cared about, and tension that I could believe.

That being said, I actually think this was a brilliant episode to end with. There was just enough drama with the drones, and a really ingenious solution, and Eli coming into his own. "I'm smarter than him." HAH. There was the hope that this crazy, insane plan would actually work, and the possibility that it would go horribly wrong in unexpected ways.

And to end with Eli on the ship, alone, both watching over his crew-mates (and friends) and fighting for his own survival? PERFECT.

I really, really loved it. And I want fic.

Here ends SGU. Castle is next.







Castle

I admit, I didn't expect Montgomery to be involved. I actually ended up liking that twist, and especially liked his stand.

I also loved pretty much everything else about the episode ever. gabolange has a more detailed reaction post (WARNING: She has spoilers for Sanctuary at the end) that I went *nods emphatically* on pretty much everything, although I do think Montgomery is dead. I'd kinda like him not to be, but… yeah.

I was telling annerbhp that Castle/Beckett is an OTP that I completely buy in-show. I just… I love that they respect each other and rely on each other and talk to each other and ignore their attraction most but not all of the time, and I love that it really, really seems like their relationship is moving forward. It's a sense I don't get from shows hardly ever, and it's so much fun!

Oh, and yeah, right, Beckett's dead. Mmm hmm.

That's it for Castle right now. :-)

Comments

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

You win at spoiler cuts. Remaining unspoiled for Fringe has practically been a full time job. ;)

OMG SANCTUARY!

If it rains tomorrow and I am miserable at work, you might get dark!fic. Just sayin'.

AND CASTLE! OMG CASTLE!

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

You should have seen me flipping through my flist last night BEFORE I watched Sanctuary (or Castle). That was like a minefield. *shudders* (All your stuff was behind cuts and labeled, so the only thing I picked up from that was squee. :-))

daaaaarkfiiiiiic

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

I had to stay off of twitter entirely until I'd seen Castle. Which, admittedly, is my own fault (the primary reason for me GETTING twitter was to stalk the cast of Castle, and I deliberately do NOT have anyone besides Amanda Tapping on my feed because I don't want Sanctuary spoilers). But still.

[geneeste.livejournal.com]

YAY Castle!

(Yes, here is Genie, randomly commenting on your post. Sorry about that.) Ahem!

I loved 99% of the finale. I loved the Castle/Beckett fight (finally - they're honest with each other!), I loved the Beckett/Montgomery scenes, and how Beckett backed down immediately about wanting Castle gone as soon as she got it. And oh, Montgomery! I didn't call him being involved, although I was sure he was going to be killed as soon as we met his wife (and didn't he mention having a young son once? What happened to him?). Man, that actor did his best here, and I'm very sorry to see him go, but his story - his involvement in the conspiracy and how he redeemed himself - was perfect.

And Esposito. OMG. Did you see the look on his face after he found out about Montgomery? Dear god, Jon Huertas can punch me in the gut. And the fight between him and Ryan, how angry and desperate Esposito was not to believe it (which totally made sense for his character, former military with that deep loyalty and respect for authority). That got me big time.

Beckett at the end of the hanger scene, the "I forgive you!" and Castle dragging her away and to the car, and then Montgomery facing the bad guys alone. UGH.


The 1% I didn't like...Beckett shooting at the helicopter. What the what? Hell no would that ever happen. EVER. A cop who discharges her weapon randomly in a populated area = really bad cop. That really twigged me.

And I'll be one of the few people (don't hurt me!) who wasn't really satisfied with the ending scene. Beckett getting shot I get; I even get Castle's confession. But I think the dialogue and the emotion just came across weird to me, as if it was overwrought or cliched. I don't know, it just didn't do much for me. But! The rest of the episode was so good that I didn't care. ;)

And dude, this is a lot longer than I meant it to be! Hope you don't mind my squee. :)

Genie

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

YAY! More squee is ALWAYS good. :-)

I really loved the fight, partly because they WERE being honest with each other, and because their perspectives on things were so true to each of their characters.

Hah! about guessing that something bad was going to happen as soon as we met his wife. I admit that I didn't think anything of it at the time, but during this ep I sorta had it in the back of my mind. It was the kids that really gave it away for me.

EVERYTHING about the family learning about Montgomery's involvment was perfect, just perfect--from Esposito to Beckett's breakdown... just loved it.

I agree wholeheartedly about shooting the helicopter. What a stupid move! I mean, it's a very TV move, so I'll just let it go, but still!

As far as the funeral/end scene goes, I think I agree with you. To me, the best emotional moment in that section was during Beckett's speech when she looked at Castle--but I think I liked Castle dragging her away from the hanger even more.

[gabolange.livejournal.com]

I think I have been convinced to change my mind about Montgomery? Even though I really, really want him not to be dead for personal reasons, I think after listening to everyone else that he probably is. So I'm over in my corner, sniffling a little.

And YES to Castle/Beckett as a great in-show OTP. That's so rare and so great, and I'm genuinely curious to see where they're going to take it. After they don't kill Kate, of course.

How do I not have a Beckett/Castle icon?

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Aw. Well, you never know! It is, after all, TV. :-)

Well, they can't kill Kate. I kinda wonder if that part of it was a setup of some kind... and if the "I love you" was staged or not. *g*

[ziparumpazoo]

And I want fic.

Yeah, where is all the SGU fic?

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Hiding in people's brains?

[dvslj.livejournal.com]

Yes, I must agree with you on everything about Sanctuary. That was an awesome episode. Also, I loved that whole thing about Kate's past coming back to bite her on the ass. I like Sanctuary best when the past is showing up to cause discomfort.

I want the dark!fic where she makes it out of the caves and starts taking over and keeps Helen as her pet--that wouldn't really go well for her, because HELEN MAGNUS, but it sure would be entertaining.

I'd read that, totally :D

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

I like Sanctuary best when the past is showing up to cause discomfort.

Ooh, yes. That's the perfect way to put it.

[jennickels.livejournal.com]

Fringe left me scratching my head and wondering if I wandered into an episode of LOST, lol. I was so confused most of the time. I think we saved that episode on the DVR to rewatch when we weren't so tired and easily confused. Not sure it will make a difference.

SGU made me cry. I was so sad to see it end right when it was getting good and I was interested in the characters finally. Sigh. The last few episodes were probably the best of the entire series and the offworld stuff made it feel like Stargate, along with all the bikering and banter going on.

And Castle...we just watched that last night and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I did not see it coming that Montgomery was the 3rd cop. I had a feeling it was someone up high that they knew but he played it so well I had no idea it was him. Loved the scene with Ryan and Espisito having it out when they found out.

All the shows seem to be going out with a mind-blowing BANG this season. [ps, haven't gotten around to watching Sanctuary yet so skipped that part.]

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Hah! Yes, Fringe did have a LOST sort of feeling to it.

Really, really liked SGU. *hugs Eli*

I'm a fan of over-the-summer drama! :-)

[kedd.livejournal.com]

Finally, finally am almost caught up on my season finales!

Sanctuary:

OMG, show, I'd forgotten why I love you. (Oh, yeah, for Helen Magnus kicking ass and Nikola Tesla's snarky flirtiness.) Can Jonathan Young please be a permanent cast member next year? I was feeling so blah about Sanctuary, what with the stellar first half of the season and then the huge amount of anticipation over the break, followed by the let-down of the episodes that it started with... but this... this was great. Kate backstory, Magnus and Nikola at their best (seriously, she did seem jealous), and I enjoyed the vampire queen (even if she was obv meant to provide ample amounts of T and A.) And I thought AT did an excellent job (there were a couple of moments where her reactions seemed a bit stilted, but then there were other times when there were so many layers to her facial reactions, I was bowled over). And Nikola! <3

Castle:

It's interesting, reading the reviews, some people thought that it was too 'dark' and strayed too far from Castle's normal fun, frivolous, bantering norm. But I loved it - I think these darker episodes give the rest of it a gravity it wouldn't have otherwise. And this. This. Just, why can't more shows have their characters confront their emotions? Seriously? Because the Beckett/Castle relationship at the centre of this show getting blown open with their honesty, but nothing is yet resolved. Guh. And that LOOK.

And Esposito's and Ryan's reactions to Montgomery, and Beckett and Castle in the hanger. Heart-wrenching.

Can't wait for the fall!

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

I just... can't we have AWESOME Sanctuary every week? Or at least every other week? Please?

I can't even believe how into Castle I got, considering my initial reaction to the ads was "DO NOT WANT." Now, I'm like, "Where do I sign up for more? Here? Okay!" :-D

[kedd.livejournal.com]

Really, it wouldn't be hard. All it needs is MM (More Magnus!).

(And, I know, right? I started watching it being all like, 'Well, I liked Nathan Fillion in Firefly, but that was because Firefly was awesome, so we'll see how this goes...' and ended up being, 'OMG, Castle, please be on forever, because I <3 you.' I think it and Sanctuary have become my new SG-1 - they've both got that fun vibe I adore.)