TV Reviews

Leave a comment Posted on by Mata A Song of Ice and Fire, Game of Thrones, TV Reviews

Game of Thrones 4×03 – Breaker of Chains Review

GOT.CerseiTroubling episode, no? Well, more troubling than usual that is. Let’s talk about what transpired tonight on our favourite cutthroat show, Game of Thrones. Most of the episode consisted of the immediate aftermath of the Purple Wedding (a framed Tyrion, a Sansa on the run!) while the rest of it was spent playing catch-ups with some of our other favourites. Beware of SPOILERS.

‘Breaker of Chains’ sets us up for what is sure to be the trial of the century, preparing us for the far-reaching ramifications of Joffrey’s murder, interspersed with scenes of Dany at Slaver’s Bay, Arya and The Hound on their way to the Eyrie, Jon Snow, Samwell Tarly and Gilly at Castle Black- Littlefinger and- haha jokes, he’s no one’s favourite. Okay, maybe he’s someone’s favourite- but not mine.

But first thing’s first, should we get right into that scene? I think we should, because the fandom is split, I mean really split, about what occurred in the Sept between Jaime and Cersei. On one hand, this series has never shied away from using rape as a plot device, while it’s not pretty you should know what you’ve invested your time in, and on the other hand there’s a chance that something has been lost in the translation from the page to our screen that changed what occurred in the Sept from consensual sex to outright rape. As someone who sped-read through all five books in the span of a week after binge-watching the first season, yes it’s possible when you’re procrastinating, I won’t pretend to be an expert on the finer details. However having said that, this was one of the scenes that stuck in my mind for a bit after reading A Storm of Swords because of the ew factor. I mean, c’mon guys- nasty incest is already gross without the added factor of nasty rapey incest beside the corpse of your nasty inbred child in your world’s place of worship? Ya nasty.

In the book, the scene could be interpreted as consensual- although the fact that the chapter is told from Jaime’s POV kind of pulls that into question. All of the information that is given to us reflects his subjective perception of what’s going on, and upon a second/third glance at the scene, Cersei does also protest at the start in the scene on the page. So is it really consensual in the book? Portraying something completely from a particular character’s point of view is hard to do onscreen, the closest way to mimic the book’s format would be to have a voice-over narrating and that’s just all kinds of no, amiright? It could be that by simply taking what occurs at face value and translating it onto the scene, stripped of any internal focalisation, the show depicts a much more unbiased account of what went down in that Sept. Ya dig?

I don’t want to spend anymore time talking about it, because other things did happen in this episode, but I’m curious to see what others made of the scene other than the usual ‘ew, naaaasty incest again‘. I continue to lament Cersei’s lack of agency and how it’s informed the development of her character- and the continued perpetuation of the patriarchy and how shitty it is for women in Westeros. We’ve got fans yelling about how the Sept scene undoes Jaime’s development so far (losing a hand for saving Brienne from rape and all that jazz) but what of Cersei’s?

Say what you will about Cersei, but that woman loves her children. Her character is defined by the men around her, Cersei is the daughter of a power-hungry man who married her off to a drunkard that never really wanted her, and the female half of a twincestuous relationship- with the other half not hearing her say no on the occasions she does say no to nastiness- she hates her younger brother not just for his being a dwarf but for -in her eyes- killing their mother and perhaps one day bringing about her own demise. Not to mention the fact that she spawns a monster of a son- who by the very fact that he was male was given the power (if not the respect) she felt she deserved. She wants to be her father, but she can’t because she’s a woman. Oh to be a woman ‘of power’ in Westeros, huh? Kudos to Lena Headey for her performance. For someone who hasn’t read the books she sure can embody that haughty, crazily trying to make up for her complete lack of agency, ruthless and utterly protective of her children lioness rather well. Joffrey was a monster but, as I said last week, his death was a tragedy for someone- his mother.

Tywin, not too bothered by the death of his eldest grandson, merely points out to the next in line (the sweet-tempered Tommen) that he is the next in line and gives him a history lesson on what makes a good king- over Joffrey’s grave and in the face of his grieving mother. Cersei’s expression as they walk off is one of sad-realisation that her role, after everything she’s put in or sacrificed, is so reduced that she can’t even keep her children from dying or at the very least in her own care.

Someone, for whom Joffrey’s death was not a tragedy was the Queen of Thorns. While Margaery is unsettled by what she witnessed, further strengthening the idea for viewers that she wasn’t involved in her new husband’s early demise, the Queen of Thorns is quick to say what we we’re all thinking, “You may not have enjoyed watching him die, but you enjoyed it more than you would’ve been being married to him, I can promise you that.” Lady Olenna needs to be around to show me how to life like she does- and how to poison kings without any of the backlash.

It’s good to see Arya and the Hound doing well- and the Hound continually teaching Arya the facts of their hellish life. Even if it means smashing and stealing from a farmer and his daughter who did nothing but take them in and give them food- after Arya’s quick wits saw her easily lie to the poor man about the Hound being her father and fighting for the Tullys. Which brings me to a very important question that’s gnawed at me since the Red Wedding, what happened to the Blackfish? Catelyn’s uncle? I mean I know what happens to him in the books, sorta, but we haven’t heard a word about Arya’s baddass great uncle. If the larger theme of this episode is the idea of ‘survival of the fittest’, the Blackfish is sure to have survived the Red Wedding. The Hound really hammers the idea that the weak die and the strong survive into Arya’s head- reminding her that most of her family is without a head for thinking that their world was an honourable place where justice prevails and the good come out on top.

Closer to the wall we’re confronted with the danger of the Wildlings breach and what it means for those poor folk caught in the crossfire. Once again, the Wildlings are the fittest in this case and when those Thenns tell that young boy they’re going to consume his mother and father the idea that being part of ‘the fittest’ perhaps means losing most of your humanity. We get to see Jon Snow! And he’s showing some sound judgement in regards to how the Night’s Watch should approach the ‘Wildling Problem’. Seeing Ygritte exercising her right as a free woman was great, but man the brutal killing of innocent folk is always a difficult thing to watch.

Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones - Breaker of Chains

And finally Daenerys Targaryan, ending the episode with a bang. She catapults barrels full of broken slave collars, a symbolic move and one that should prove fruitful, working in her favour as she diplomatically navigates herself, again, into the position of the people’s champion- she has the eyebrow down pat. It doesn’t hurt that she is also a rousing orator and her champion, Daario, basically owned the slave masters of Meereen’s champion. Dany doesn’t use her dragons this time, choosing the simpler avenue- her words. For a young Queen who initially began with less agency than Cersei, she has become one of the main power holders of the show. Sure, it’s all the way across the Narrow Sea- but everyone knows that eventually Dany will find her way to Westeros. Eventually.

Honourable Mentions:

- Because I spent so much time up there on other things I didn’t get to discuss my favourite heartbreaking scene from the episode. Tyrion’s conversation with his squire, Podrick. You come away heartbroken and fearful- both for Tyrion and the most loyal squire in all of Westeros- because it’s just not fair, is it? I’m sorry, but if you didn’t feel anything during this scene you’re a monster. Because Pod not only tries to smuggle Tyrion all the things he refuses to betray him- thus putting a bulls-eye on his own back. Honour is a dangerous thing to have in Westeros, especially in King’s Landing.

- Ugh, Littlefinger returns. That slimey slimey man. Sure he saves Sansa- but why? Also, he knew what would occur at the wedding, because he had something to do with it? Why does he crush the necklace? Why have it given to her to take it, crush a stone and throw it down onto Dontos pin-cushioned corpse? Spoiler alert, I do believe the foreshadowing is strong in this one. Alayne Stone?
- “When it comes to love, I don’t choose sides.” Oberyn explaining bi-sexuality in less than ten words tho’. I will admit, while his seksi time scenes may be lulz- I feel it detracts from his overall baddassery. When Tywin interrupts to speak to Oberyn about poisons, serving as the third judge in Tyrion’s trial and whatnot you find that Oberyn’s poison backstory is really stripped down. There’s more to this Dornish man than seksii-times with both men and woman and his excellent wordplay- he founded his own sellsword company for Stranger’s sake. So here’s to the show giving us more bamf and less fudgery.
- Samwell and Gilly and little baby Sam join us, hi Cassie, this week. It’s understandable that Sam would be protective of Gilly- he’s a decent bloak if a bit of a dunce- so duncey everyone thinks he’s bullshitting about killing a Wight. However he just comes off as patronising and his efforts a bit in vain.
- BOOK SPOILERS AHOY! Seeing Gilly’s baby again makes me wonder, have they completely shafted the so-called Wildling Prince storyline? Mance Raydar’s wife, Dalla, his baby (the Wildling Prince) and Dalla’s hot sister Val are noticeably absent- both onscreen and unmentioned. It’s an odd choice considering the large part played by Val at the Wall, which involves the Wildling Prince- Gilly’s baby and the Red Woman and an eventual trip across the Narrow Sea.
2 Comments Posted on by Mata Reign, TV Reviews, TV Talk

Reign on Prime – 1×12: Royal Blood

Clarissa1x12This episode was all go, wasn’t it? From kidnapping, murder, and suicide fake outs (not necessarily in that order) to marriage proposals and gambling and breaking the rules of feminism (once again, not necessarily in that order).

Clarissa hanging out in Catherine’s room, looking through her mother’s jewellery box and finding locks of her half-brothers’ hair- before her snooping is rudely interrupted by servants looking to do the nasty in the Queen’s rooms. You already know that Clarissa, Peeping Tina Extraordinaire, is poised to do something to make you go ‘what the actual’. She doesn’t disappoint. Que Mary’s furrowed brow as she tells Bash she’s worried about hearing from the Vatican and Bash’s half-bros, Charles and Henry. She thinks it’d be a good idea to take them to the Frost Fair, but some peasants attack the carriage and the words ‘dirty whore’ are thrown about. Rude.

Mary and the princes make it back okay but she and Bash have some disagreements, mostly with how to better take care of the young princes after the attempt on their lives. You can see both their points and also see the cons of both their ideas. Of course neither of them see Clarissa coming, do they?

Although Mary wants to integrate Clarissa into society. She even makes her a creepy phantom of the opera type mask that doesn’t help Clarissa at all. When Mary relays this to Catherine Catherine’s harsh stance on this is heartbreaking. She wants nothing to do with the daughter she gave up. Meanwhile Clarissa sits in the tunnels, where Olivia must be- surely, watching her half-brothers play through the walls. And for some reason I’m reminded of that Supernatural episode ‘Family Remains’.

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Lola comes to a house of abandon in Paris, no less, to pay her brother’s debt and get him out. While there she’s grossed out by the owner, who wants to do the ‘horizontal no pants dance’ with her. To be honest when she walked into the place I thought she was there to find Francis. Funny that, because Francis is there and is masquerading as a wealthy viscount who conveniently, after a fake out loss, wins his wager (I didn’t know the game but everyone clapped so we knew that Francis won) against the owner saving Lola from an unpleasant night ahead. So they get drunk together instead and then get freaky with each other? “We’re a pathetic pair, aren’t we?” Teenagers get with each others significant others and exes all the time, even if it’s against the Bro Code and/or the Rules of Feminism or something.

Bash being adorable and bringing the ‘Frost fair’ to his brothers. But they make the mistake of leaving the kids under Kenna and Greer’s watch and they seemingly go missing. There’s a creepy guy off to the side and everything to pull the best fake kidnapping since Bash was locked up by the Italians who stormed the castle that one time. Bash pulls Mary aside and assures her that the whole thing is a ruse set up to get the boys safely out and on the road, which proves to be the worst idea because Clarissa. Suddenly the princes are kidnapped for real, by their facially disfigured half-sister who’s mentally unstable. Unstable enough to tell the boys to put rocks in their pockets and go for a swim with her while it’s still technically winter. They’re eventually found by Catherine and Mary who’ve had to work together on this one despite the whole ‘you tried to kill me’ issue.

Catherine’s Mary’s main antagonist, but she’s not the ‘bad guy’ she’s a complicated character. She’s in the clear, once Nozza helps her fake a suicide to get out of jail but upon hearing about her sons’ kidnapping she refuses to listen to any reason and with all the stealth of the ninja in the corner of your room watching you without your knowledge she sneaks into Mary’s room because nothing’s more important to her than her sons. Too bad that isn’t extended to Clarissa who’s knocked over the head by Mary as she holds the prince who’s not only her half-brother but was also the only one to play with her at the castle.

I suppose it takes a betrayal to highlight the other betrayals.

Honourable Mentions:

- “Oh good. More sanctimonious talk from my self-appointed redeemer.”

- Greer and Kenna had one job.

- Mary proposed to Bash but then he tells her that’s not how it’s done. Bro, you’re a bastard about to be legitimized- don’t go telling people how things shouldn’t or should be done. Also, them eyes.

- I do believe we have a Wedding to attend next week, but who pray-tell is the groom?

Leave a comment Posted on by Mata Reign, TV Reviews, TV Talk

Reign on Prime - 1×11: Inquisition

1x11 Inquisition

You know what else works really well for Reign? When they don’t even pretend at historical accuracy. As Torrance Coombs (our lovely-eyed Bash) said, Reign is ‘historical fantasy’ more than anything. Mary’s earlier years were boring as hell, I mean, the most interesting parts of Mary’s life, as told by history, comes much later. We’re talking unhappy marriages, murder and eventually something called the ‘Babington Plot’ (none of which occur in France). Oh yeah, the Tudor Era was my favourite history subject in college (high school for you Americanised few). I say Tudor because I only learned about Mary, Queen of Scots via my obsession with Good Queen Bess.

Reign’s strongest episodes feature four things, creative liberties with Mary’s story, random acts of violence, plot-line revalations that might not make sense except for the fact that it totally does and leave for Megan Follow’s Catherine de Medici to outshine everyone in the episode. Yes, even Bash’s eyes. This episode is a treasure trove of soap that culminates in one of the most intense scenes of this season yet.

Mary and Bash are trying to protect his cousin’s pagan baby. And they’re making eyes at each other but all our eyes are fixed on Catherine, her ruthless Medici family and the unfortunate soul accused of having an affair with her.

“Hello old friend, too bad you didn’t see this one coming.”

“Somehow I never see anything coming that could help me.”

NOZZZY! Of course that’s who Henry’s accusing Catherine of treason and adultery, that sound is my 14 year old sister screaming about double standards behind me. The Medici’s pressure on the Pope meant Henry couldn’t get his marriage with Catherine annulled- so he’s keen to get rid of her through other avenues. Thanks to the Medici pull, however, Catherine has the chance to perhaps save herself, or at least secure Francis’ spot as king again, but how does she go about it? By trying to expose Bash’s dark past. She only succeeds in exposing her own dark past, it would seem. Speaking of dark, we find out why Noz thinks it’s okay to keep Clarissa in a cage, he feels responsible for her. Nozzy’s dad tried to remove this bastard baby’s birthmark and botched it up so badly the baby’s face had to be covered by a sack for the rest of her life- Nozzy feels responsible because not only was it his dad’s fault that Clarissa ended up looking the way she did, but also because he couldn’t just kill her or release her into the wild as a kid. I love that it’s been how many episodes and Mary’s barely gotten a glimpse at Clarissa, but Catherine sees Clarissa lurking in the shadows and grabs a hold of her like damn, no fear. Catherine’s face when Noz tells the story, though. How can she go from cruel and harsh to confused and hurt in 60 seconds flat, Follows is ridiculously rivetting.

Catherine’s inquisitor turns out to be Henry’s friend, Richard Delacroix, she had banished from court a long time ago. Henry thinks he’s got someone not ridiculously loyal to her but what Henry doesn’t know that Richard and Catherine had a thiiiiiiiiiiing going on. Just call her Mrs Jones. The reveal was enough to make me go ‘what?! WHAT?!’ Especially after (Richard’s mule comment) finding out that once upon a time Henry and Catherine were happy, or were at least in love with each other early on in their marriage. I didn’t know I could ship Catherine and Henry, but I shipped them so much in those few minutes they were discussing, well shouting, their past mistakes at each other.

And then Reign pulls a fast one on us and Catherine is suddenly in the Richard’s arms as he comes to tell her that Henry’s had second thoughts about the trial. Everything seems to just snowball at this point. Because Bash and Mary’s storyline finally start to converge with that of what we’re all fascinated by. The lady looking after the pagan baby reveals what we’d been suspicious of since Nozzy told Catherine the story of the deformed baby having a weird birthmark and what happened to it.

CLARISSA IS CATHERINE AND RICHARD’S LOVE CHILD. Bash and Mary rush to narc, I mean which is totally what they should have done after all she’s trying to get Bash killed, trying to pin him as a pagan. Henry, proving he’s quicker in the noggin than we give him credit for puts two and two together when hearing the pagan-baby’s carer’s story about Queen Catherine’s illegitimate child with a portwine birthmark and the fact that his ‘friend’ Richard has the same kind of birthmark. Richard tried to save Catherine but only ended up condemning himself and so Catherine gives one last ditch effort to expose Bash as a pagan by bringing up Diane’s pagan decorations. But it doesn’t go quite as she planned.

Henry’s reaction to one of the guards just trying to tell the truth is so very Game of Thrones. It may be the first time I ever found King Henry attractive, not sure what that says about me. But hey, I’m here for it. As Follows utters ‘well played’ just before she’s dragged out you can almost feel her desperation. Henry’s rage is splattered all over her face in the guard’s blood and Catherine may have seen through it, his real anger does reside in what he perceives as not just Catherine’s ultimate betrayal, but Richard’s too. I mean, yo that’s one of the most important rules of the Bro Code. Don’t bone a bro’s wife.

However the episode isn’t finished with you yet. Because the Medici then advise Catherine that the best way to save face is to take some poison and that final montage of Catherine getting ready does seem to lead trick you into a false sense that Catherine’s about to do the unspeakable. Instead she makes her way to Mary’s chambers, where Mary had been doing the opposite (stripping down for a bath) and tries to poison her. Deciding to go kamikaze, before Clarissa bursts in to save Mary’s day, and in the process also save Catherine who rejects her. It’s all very disorientating, but at least Mary winds up back in Bash’s arms just as the credits roll.

Savour these Mash/Mabastian moments, Mash shippers- because Francis will be back soon enough and history will intervene at some point. (And yes, I’m aware that this comes at the end of a review that barely even mentions Mary and Bash.)

As Catherine is dragged off by guards, yet again, and Mary says ‘we’ve killed you’, I have to wonder how Catherine will get out of this bind this time.

Honourable Mentions:

- Life lessons from dear old dad:

- After this season I might just start reviewing them in real time, that is the day it airs on the CW. Thoughts?

- Quote/Shade of the week goes to King Henry: “No one cares, Kenna.”

Leave a comment Posted on by Mata Skins, TV Reviews, TV Talk

Skins Rise - Part 2 Review

Well this is late, extremely late, and I do apologise. However rather than waste time on my shortcomings let’s just discuss the finale to not only a series but to a show that’s taken a little piece of ourselves. Skins Rise is perhaps the best damn way to end the entire series and I’m sticking to it. These final six episodes had thrown the fandom into a bit of a tizzy, hadn’t it? In retrospect I suppose it makes sense that it ripped the fandom into two camps, those who could easily have done without the final series and those who were grateful for it. I, for one, am glad for it. It didn’t claim to offer closure, it granted us access into the lives of three main characters from the first two generations and allowed us to see how they’d gotten on since we last saw them. That was it, no more no less. What we learnt was that time changes people, a concept we’ll all be familiar with, or at least one we’ll all come to face. People change and life goes on is the message. However let’s get into this episode, shall we?

The way part one ended had us intrigued, no doubt, and part two picked up right back where we’d left off. Cook, Emma and Charlie on the run from Charlie’s mental drug dealer boyfriend, Cook’s boss, and they wind up at Emma’s parents’ country house. We find out that Emma’s parents are actually there and that she’d been estranged from them for a while. In Skins no one’s life is perfect, something we learn very early on and the Redux series has reinforced. And before now there has always been a splash of humour that used to soften the blow for the audience against moments of complete anguish on the show, that distinct brand of humour only Skins could produce. The awkwardness between Emma and her parents, coupled with Cook and Charlie’s presence granted us a bit of that old Skins humour, the awkward scene in the pub before they got kicked out was a highlight. However eventually Louie, and the severity of the situation, catches up to them. The grisly events that follow are both reminiscent of the end of series four and intentionally parallels it. Once again Cook finds himself in a situation where he’s to make a reactionary decision and where it would lead to could take him back or propel him forward.

When Cook sees Emma hanging from the tree there’s an obvious resignation in the way he walks towards Louie, this was the moment we’d been waiting for. Her death sparked within him that primal rage he’d managed to contain since we’d last seen him in series four. In that moment, once Cook’s rage took over and he kicked the living daylights out of him, Cook could have killed Louie. Cook could very well have reverted right back to his old self. However ‘Time Changes Everyone’ and of all the Redux characters, for me, Cook had changed the most. Nothing signified this more than when he spared Louie’s life, choosing instead to tie him up. On top of this, rather than run away with Charlie, Cook opted to stay behind and wait for the police to, presumably, turn himself in. There’s an obvious Effy-like quality to Charlie, as Emma points out when she urges him to fight for her- to fight for something. Charlie represents a piece of Cook’s old life, the one where he took what he wanted no matter the consequences- Charlie herself states that she screws everyone, and you remember how Cook took Effy despite knowing that Freddie was in love with her, or sleeping with Pandora despite Pandora being Effy’s best friend.

It was an interesting parallel, having Cook yell out his signature line, and I suppose it was cathartic. In that moment he’d reclaimed himself, both in terms of confronting his past and making it right in this moment. He’s risen above it, he’s no longer that angry kid and he’s no longer that man struggling to live with the mistakes he made as that angry kid. And it seems he was ready to face the consequences of his earlier actions. We won’t know what happens next but that’s okay. You move on and live your own life, perhaps you’ll think back on it- maybe you’ll see something that reminds you of it. However in the end your life continues along and there’s nothing more to be done about the way this series ended. And you know what? It’s a good thing. It’s a good thing. And that’s all I’ve got to say about it. See what I did there? But in all seriousness, Skins was good while it lasted- careening onto our screens in 2007 with all the boldness of a self-possessed teenager, making us love a cast before shiving them for a new generation after their second series. It was a show that punched you in the feels and made you laugh about it, a show that reveled in its own brand of simple-but-complicated storylines and a show that that finally, in 2013 and after six years, we say goodbye to.

You think you know death, but you don’t know it until you’ve seen it. It gets under your skin and lives inside you. You also think you know life. you stand on the edge of things and watch it go but you’re not living it. Not really. You’re just a tourist, a ghost. Then you see it. Really see it. It gets under your skin and lives inside you, no escape. There is nothing to be done. And you know what? It’s good. It’s a good thing. And that’s all I’ve got to say about it.

Special Mentions:

- Was Emma’s death really necessary? I suppose it provided the catalyst for the change in Cook’s handling of the situation. He no longer wanted to run and instead faced Louie head on and beat the living crap out of him. Emma had practically begged him to fight for her and you get the sense that in the end he did- even if it was a tad too late.

- Because she was snarky and I loved it.

- I was shipping Emma and Cook so much, it’s just so sad how it ended for her. Tragedy. People are angry that Charlie got to live while Emma died, but I don’t think she would have been right following the death of her parents. Assuming Louie had them killed, which was very likely. Also, like I mentioned above, Emma’s death propelled Cook into action. Pulled him from the in-between he’d been living in since running away after killing John Foster. It just sucked that her death had to be the catalyst for his final movement into action.

- Uh, where was Louie’s right hand man?
Leave a comment Posted on by Mata Skins, TV Reviews, TV Talk

Skins Pure – Part 2 Review

Everything is good, everything matters.

I’ve had a few days to mull over Part Two of Skins Pure and mulled over it I have. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is about the episode that I liked. Was it the fact that Skins Pure ended on a much more uplifting tone than Skins Fire? Or was it the fact that Cassie, a character fraught with so many self-destructive traits, was finding her way in a world that she had tried to leave as a teenager? When the episode begins we’re with Cassie and Jacob in Wales, visiting Cassie’s dad (Neil Morrissey) and her little brother Reuben. What we discern during this visit is that Cassie’s father has not coped very well after the death of Cassie’s mother and it’s bled into his parenting of Reuben.

Obviously Cassie’s father doesn’t mean to let his grief get in the way of his parenting, however it does. It isn’t unlike the way in which Cassie had largely been ignored by her parents when her mother was alive in series one. Pure offered veteran fans of the series a few references to the past while not alienating any newcomers stumbling across the show with no previous knowledge of it. For instance when she mentions to Jacob that when her mother was alive they communicated through messages, namely one summer when she almost starved herself to death. I’m not sure how much her messages worked with her parents, they were rather wrapped up in themselves to take notice of her beyond having her put into a mental institution. However this time it isn’t bliss that blinds Cassie’s father but grief.
It seems that Cassie has always been waiting for her life to begin, or running from the ‘slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.’ When she begins to cry while Maddie says they’re all just waiting for their lives to begin you get the sense that it’s just hitting Cassie how unsure she is about where she stands in life. She’s no longer that damaged teenager harming herself in an attempt to feel powerful and in charge of her life, however she is working at a diner, the same thing she’d been doing at the end of series two. And so in Skins Pure when Cassie takes it upon herself to allow Jacob to keep photographing her and posting it online, we’re watching Cassie begin to reclaim her sense of agency. The girl who first brings the website with Cassie’s photographs on it to Cassie’s attention convinces Cassie to do a photo shoot with her and we finally get the sense that this is something Cassie was meant to do. Granted it seems a bit triggering for someone who’s suffered through an eating disorder and confidence issues to be thrown into the world of modelling, however since the beginning of Skins Pure it’s obvious that Cassie isn’t the same girl she was in series two.
Whether or not this leads to more modeling work in her life is irrelevant, what matters is the happiness it appears to bring her. However despite it there’s still something missing, Cassie isolates herself to talk to Reuben on the phone and that’s what you realise it missing, companionship. You think she has found companionship in Jacob, who’s even confronted Cassie’s dad about having messed Cassie up somehow. However, evident in his dissent into possessive crazy guy, she does not find long term companionship in Jacob. He goes back into stalker mode and follows her around until- When Yaniv sees the message he beats the crap out of Jacob. Cassie stops it, telling Jacob not to spoil it, citing the need to remember something good. It harks back not only to her past but to her past relationships, with her mother, Sid, her friends. Remembering something good can keep you sane when it seems like everything’s gone to shit. Although I do reckon it should used in moderation, Cassie’s father is an example of allowing his memories of something good to interfere with his present responsibilities as a parent.
This, among other reasons, is why Sid doesn’t show up. As the audience we have to remember something good, Sid makes it to America and the show suggests they find each other and this is confirmed in part one of Skins Pure. We have to remember something good.

But that’s what it comes down to, again, is Cassie’s loneliness. She isolates herself often but, as Yaniv points out, it’s okay to get lonely. There’s this part of Cassie, however, that needs human connection. She’s starved of it, even in a room full of people there’s always been this disconnect between Cassie and everyone around her. When her father turns up on her doorstep with Reuben to tell her that he and Reuben would be going to Italy for a while Cassie takes it upon herself to keep Reuben with her and let her father leave to find himself. It’s funny that Cassie takes Reuben for a haircut from her co-worker, at the diner where they work no less.

It is with this mundane moment between Cassie and her brother, as well as her co-worker cutting Reuben’s hair, we’re told that ‘everything is good’ and for once I would like to believe that it will be.

Special Mentions:

- Maddie was nice. I liked her and it was sad that she was having such a hard time of ‘making it’ and here Cassie was just getting modeling jobs because a co-worker got to stalking her and posting his ‘artsy’ photos of her online.

- I love that Cassie’s boss at the diner has Reuben cover his ears before swearing at his employees.

- When Cassie asks Maddie whether one can be friends with a guy without sleeping with them and Maddie responds in the affirmative only after having slept with them you’re skeptical. However it’s Yaniv that proves that it’s possible.

- Even a small moment of taking action in her life, like taking the creepy dude’s coke and dumping it over the side of the building, is triumphant as she smiles to herself while it scatters away in the wind.

- We have Skins Rise, COOOOOOOOOOK! Go relive that epic final scene of series 4. Because in a few days we see the return of the Cookie monster and it looks like, as with Fire and Pure, Rise isn’t going to be what you’re expecting.

- Forgive any typos, it’s 4am in the morning here. I’m surprised I can even string together a few words

Leave a comment Posted on by Mata Skins, TV Reviews, TV Talk

Skins Fire - Part 1 Review

Better late than never, better late than in a ditch somewhere. Words to live by, kids. Now, onto our thoughts regarding part one of Skins Fire. We know Effy’s living in London with Naomi, and working as some sort of assistant at a hedge fund, from the trailers and sneak peeks. Although the trailers seemed to portray Naomi as the one holding it together we find that Naomi’s unemployed and living the life of a serial drinker and resident unambitious. This, to me, rings a little weird. I always thought Naomi was a character with a healthy drive for success in some undisclosed field. Apparently not, although she does decide she wants to go into stand up comedy. Here’s a hint, her first gig doesn’t go very well.

I would say it’s strange seeing Effy being the responsible adult, but to be honest it actually makes sense. Effy’s always been intelligent, perhaps too intelligent for her own good. In those earlier series her intelligence, and the boredom of not having that intelligence challenged, used to land her into quite a bit of trouble. However with a focus and a challenge, it would appear that Effy can keep things together fairly well. Although I don’t know how easy it is to get into the world of trading, Effy seemingly uses what she’s got (with some help/insider info) to find her way out of being an assistant and into being a successful trader.

Now, as with everything Skins, it’s only a matter of time before things come tumbling down in the most spectacular way. Especially with Effy, I don’t know it seems, as a character, Effy always winds up not being able to handle the situations she finds herself in. When she’s solving other peoples’ problems she’s fine, but eventually her world/mind/life crumbles when it seems things are going well. We would all do well to remember what Effy’s mum, Anthea, said in regards to her daughter.

“She was four years old the first time she beat me at hide and seek. Four. I was looking for her for hours. When I finally found her she just smiled. You know, that Effy smile that means ‘you don’t know me at all, you never will’.”

Things start to slightly unravel, externally, towards the end of the episode with Naomi pointing out that the investors Effy has to schmooze are gross and grabby and Effy snapping at her before shoving her and telling her to go home. The next day we’re shown Naomi going in for an MRI scan before Effy is woken up, still wearing the clothes she’d gone out with the investors in, by extremely loud music before going up to the roof to get Naomi to turn it off.

Boom. Naomic bomb.
Effy, perhaps needing more of an escape than a late night trip to a club alone, winds up at her bosses’ place for bow chika wow- Wow I’m sorry for that.
Special Mentions:
- How did I not realise in the trailers that Dom was Adam (Craig Roberts) our whiny 40ish year old teenaged vampire from Being Human/Becoming Human? Honestly, he was my favourite.
- I’m sure there are a few of you out there who will think that Effy’s boss looks a little like Freddie. Coincidence or intentional slap in the face to Freddie fans? (Also, cancelled Sirens feels.)
- Emily’s in New York! Exciting! There may be some major conflict regarding Naomi’s illness. I’m thinking Naomi keeps it from Emily until the last minute, or tries to break up with her for a ridiculous reason in some misguided martyr’d attempt to save Emily from seeing her disintegrate. I’m just glad that Naomi and Emily are still together, if living apart at the moment. But surprise, surprise there will be no happy ending, potentially. (Also, Emily slapping Effy in that preview, what what?)
- I love that Effy still has the ability to reduce another character to nothing with just a few cutting words.
More thoughts? How about Convos with Friends!
Freya: I agree. I can’t help but feel like Eff still had it relatively easy in terms of her obstacles. The ever-so-helpful Dom came at an uncanny time and it all seemed superficial how she understood Trading 101 so easily, albeit with chalk and concrete. Maybe she had a super good sensei, yes? She’s a super genius? I don’t know, but overall it was Skins. Didn’t feel like it ever fell away too far from the Skin’s tree, so I’m happy about that.
Mata, err Me, guys: Yeah I always saw Effy as somewhat of an overly-intelligent figure in the series, like Tony but much more sophisticated in her manipulation of people. And she’s always been calculating, I just figured this was a more practical use/manifestation of that traits- along with her other skills. However it was always her emotions that seemed to stump her, overwhelm and eventually lead to her downfall, from which she then starts to rebuild again. Some people (read as tumblrers) have theorised that maybe Effy was abused as a child or something. Although it always harks back to the first words she uttered on the show, that maybe she was born backwards. Idk, I’m just glad Skins is back haha.
Leave a comment Posted on by Mata Game of Thrones, TV Reviews, TV Talk

Game of Thrones Finale: 3×10 - ‘Mhysa’ Review

We start where we last left off, our heroes slain in the house after the grievous breach of Guest Right by Walder Frey. (Have you figured out a way, bar alcoholism, to make the pain stop? You never will, muahahaha! Kidding.) You know, I actually didn’t think they’d include the bit with Grey Wind’s head and Robb’s body. But they did, and seeing it made me as queasy as reading about it in the book did. Having Arya see it, that was its own special kind of adaptation meanness. This episode was all about the wind down from the Rains of Castamere, checking in with some characters, before setting up for season 4.

Fuck yeah Asha (I mean Yara) Greyjoy!
Fuck yeah Arya Stark! Because after seeing what she saw, knowing what she knows, it would only take a few words from some soldiers to send her over the edge. Bet he was mostly talking shit, that’s what you get though. Talk shit, get daggered. Maisie Williams actually scared me a little here. Not just because she stabbed him, but the way she slowly walked up behind him whilst he spoke. Yes, I’m waiting for the Cat of the Canals.
Then, fuck yeah Ygritte! Which, incidentally belongs in the ‘Stop it, because it hurts’ bucket. You just know that she wasn’t going in for the kill shot, if she’d wanted Jon dead then he’d be dead. However despite his betrayal, she loves him and I think she really just wanted to hurt him as badly as he hurt her. Rose Leslie was amazing here.

Reek, Reek, rhymes with meek. Oh dear, Ramsay’s everything we could hope for in a completely psychotic bastard. Speaking of bastards, Gendry’s set free by the Onion knight after they bond. I’m glad Davos managed to turn his new found reading skill to his advantage, reading the message from the Night’s Watch and giving it to Stannis at the most opportune time.

Giving Shae a proper storyline on the show was a huge mistake, because the next season could prove to be so much more heartbreaking because of it. Also, show Sansa is a lot nicer to Tyrion than book Sansa. Speaking of deviances, we could fill this post with them, I want to quickly touch upon the decision to bring Jaime to King’s Landing. I know they sped up his storyline by quite a bit, but did they have to hurry him home before a certain Wedding? It changes a few things.

Tywin’s one of the characters, when he’s putting Joffrey back into his place, you think is so damn badass and then remember is a prick when you see how he treats his children, especially Tyrion who seems to be the one Lannister with his priorities straight.

However they chose to end the episode on a slightly more uplifting, heh literally, moment. The newly freed slaves’ acceptance of Dany as their Mhysa, Mother. I’ve seen some contention regarding that final scene, with the words ‘white saviour’ being thrown about. I’m here for the dragons, I see them flying about and that’s all it took for me to feel uplifted. Yeah nah, not weighing in the racism debate, I’m too tired and it’s almost 1am here. Ain’t nobody got time fo’ that.

Special Mentions:

- Joffrey looks a bit like an eager puppy. I need a show where Tyrion just makes potshots at Joffrey for a good half hour.

- I can’t be the only person who tittered at this.

And now The Game of Waiting begins. What are you most looking forward to for next season? Lady Stoneheart? Sand Snakes? The Red Viper? Purple Wedding?