The Watcher - Sherlock, Series 3

by Stefan Harkins

Episode 1 - The Empty Hearse

Finally I return to the keyboard, hot on the heels of one Sherlock Holmes' reappearance on our screens. A welcome rebound for the infamous deerstalker-clad detective.

How did he survive the Reichenbach fall? It’s a question that’s been on all our lips since 2012 and The Empty Hearse doesn’t bury the lead! Right off the bat we are taken back to that fateful day on the roof of St Bart's Hospital and an explanation is given... or is it?

This episode is all about Sherlock’s return and as always our great detective's understanding of the' emotions of other people is wonderfully off - the timing of his return couldn’t have come at a worse moment! We’re meeting Watson’s soon to be fiancé Mary Morstan, played by Freeman’s real-life partner Amanda Abbington, who perfectly compliments the dynamic of the show and doesn’t feel like a third wheel between Holmes/Watson.

I loved the evolution of forensics officer Anderson into a guilt-ridden conspiracy nut, reflecting all the fans ideas and theories behind the return of Sherlock! 

Once the main plot is underway we hit both action and wit at full speed. Watson and Sherlock’s days are spliced together with humorous effect; the investigation into the underground (or is that Underground?) terrorist plot as well as the usual quick side cases and a motorbike chase with Mary in tow to save a slightly singed Watson! There's also a nice cameo appearance of a very ordinary - dare I say, boring? - couple on the Baker Street sofa who turn out to be the Holmes boy’s parents, portrayed by actors Wanda Ventham and Timothy Carlton aka Mum and Dad Cumberbatch! All of this does mean that the main plot ends up feeling a little left by the wayside, but for me as the series seems to re-establish itself as a show about the titular protagonist and the people who orbit him, rather than the cases themselves.

Episode 2 - The Sign of Three

If you thought the first one was funny... well this one is a laugh a minute! It’s the day of the Watson/Morston wedding and of course Sherlock is best man - what could go wrong?!

It starts with us following Lestrade; he's been  trying to capture a certain band of criminals for years now and when he finally has his moment, guess who calls? Sherlock, in need of some assistance with his speech! Felt it was a lot of setup for that single joke but hey ho, maybe it’s a precursor to a future episode. 

Overall this episode felt a bit frantic and a tad disorientating - what with all the jumping back and forth on the day’s timeline - but overall I loved it, there is mystery, humour and bromance! The stag do was particularly hilarious, with Sherlock and Watson playing the Rizla Guess Who game before trying to investigate a case while rather drunk. Sherlock’s usual visual deductions end up going a bit askew - chair seat leather sleeeeep!

Echoing on what I mentioned about the previous episode, this series so far has shown that it has become a show about a detective and not a detective series.

Episode 3 - His Last Vow

Secrets, betrayal, shock and awe - it’s all in this one! A lot darker than the previous two episodes, but still manages to squeeze in a couple of laughs.

We meet the very Lecter-esque Charles Augustus Magnussen (played brilliantly by Lars Mikkelsen), the one villain who truly turns Sherlock’s stomach. He is a media mogul-type who utilises the power of information to pinpoint the ‘pressure points’ of others in order to blackmail them and stay untouchable. He’s like a Bond villain, but in a subtle way he's a lot more chilling! A definite reflection on modern day fears of surveillance and the abuse of personal data.

Surprises galore for us and Watson, as Holmes has apparently not been seen for months, until he suddenly turns up in a drug den! Apparently he’s been in hiding and he also has a girlfriend! And the icing on the cake - Holmes household at Christmas! An unusual mix of a maths genius mum, a quirky dad and an odd moment of sentiment from his brother Mycroft! Also thrown into the mix is Sherlock’s new drug den buddy William ‘Bill’ Wiggins, a junkie with a knack for deduction. People familiar with the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories should recognise the name as the leader of the Baker Street Irregulars. 

We hear a lot more about Magnussen than we actually see, though what we do see is unnerving - face licking, fireplace urination and continually flicking Watson’s eye.

I don’t want to give too much away but the final confrontation doesn't quite go to plan, there are some great uses of the ‘mind palace’ in order to survive, and not just for Sherlock.

Everything changes but then again everything stays the same. All threads are resolved but we are given a glimpse of something which suggests hope for more to come.

One line in particular I’d like to end on - 

“The problems of your past are your business. The problems of your future are my privilege.” 

OK, call me a liar, it has to be -

“Did you miss me?!”

Stefan Harkins is still thinking about the beautiful almost-kiss...

New Beginnings - The X-Files Season 10 #1

Late in 1993 TV-land was graced with Chris Carter’s new sci-fi series, The X-Files, and iconic fandom soon followed. Running until 2001, the show made a sizeable mark on society spanning nine series plus two films. 

Now almost 20 years later, The X-Files takes a leaf out of Buffy's book and returns with a tenth season in comic form through IDW.

The issues are penned by Joe Harris but they also have the input of Chris Carter (complete with him being credited as the Executive Producer) which should belay any concerns that fans picking the comic up may be faced with stories that are little more than non-canon nonsense, akin to the old offerings from Topps.

Staying within the mythology the plot follows on from the where the second film left off. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully are in their new lives, with cover identities away from the FBI. Their lives are apparently happy and out of the limelight, but this is all quickly shattered when Deputy Director Skinner arrives as the bearer of bad news. An unknown online assailant has managed to breach the FBI and peek at it’s secrets, including some of those that were sealed within the X-Files. With that a sinister cabal of cloaked and hooded assailants with the power to manipulate people is on the hunt for them. 

This premise leads to the cyclic nature of the issue, where we were first greeted with Scully wounded and on the run. It opens the reader to a huge amount of questions, as although it gives you something to ponder, it doesn’t give much else by way of support. There are a plethora of doors opened for the reader to step through, but at present each door simply leads to more questions. Most confusing is the revelation that whoever hacked the X-Files doesn't actually want our heroes despite seemingly hunting them down. So what does it all mean?

There was another character piece that struck me as well. Mulder and Skinner are all very easily recognised from their depictions, but Scully didn’t feel Scully enough for me. This may have been because this first issue was full of exposition at the expense of characterisation, but too often she felt more a helpless victim than the strong female front I remember from my youth. I know her trademark cynicism softened in the face of the nine series and two films' worth of revelations, but she just didn't quite act like Scully.

The artwork is provided by Michael Walsh - an artist known for his work on Image and IDW comics - and as said above is very good at recreating very memorable characters from the series, whilst still keeping a sense of his own style. He does this without using overly detailed line work or definition. It’s accomplished more by using basic shape and then focussing on key elements. In particular, the eyes and mouth identify them all very well.

Although as a teenager I loved the X-Files, I’m not sure that this is enough for me. Hardcore fans on the other hand will love it, as it has all of the mystery and uncertainty of the series. With Chris Carter as a guiding force I have no doubt that this title will live up to the franchise. Will it find a stronger following than the recent Buffy comics? Who knows. As they say, the truth is out there...

Matt Puddy couldn't resist that last line.

The Watcher - Doctor Who: The Bells Of Saint John, A Prequel

Doctor Who returns for the second half of season seven this coming Easter Saturday, on BBC One and BBC One HD at 6:15pm.

Here's the online prequel! Enjoy!

Ben Fardon has his head in the clouds with Bioshock Infinite

The Watcher - Being Human S05E06, "The Last Broadcast"

When we last looked in on Being Human, just over a year ago, the show had undergone a difficult rebirth that saw most of the original cast replaced with new or returning characters. It was an awkward and tricky transition, best summed up by Stefan thusly: "Overall a difficult start to the series, with way too many changes and new characters to fit in, but by the third episode I think you will start to relax and come to like the new dynamic."

In fact, as the fifth and sadly now final season began, I was eagerly looking forward to more bickering from Hal and Tom. New ghost Alex completed the mix, a welcome return for Kate Bracken as Alex having already made three appearances in the previous season. It's been a tight, cohesive run of episodes deftly introducing the key elements and antagonists that lead to the end, without skimping on strong character moments and compelling drama along the way.

So long guys, you'll be greatly missed.

The introduction of the Barry Grand Hotel gave the characters a great new location to inhabit, with stand out moments such as the Employee Of The Month competition and the fate of poor Bobby occurring within it's walls. Not to mention, "the fucking Devil, sweetheart!" Old Nick himself, bound in the body of a madman and left to decay into an eternal pensioner, known simply as Captain Hatch. After four preceding seasons of vampires, werewolves, ghosts and even one occurrence of zombies, it seems fitting that the final villain is Satan.

With our Honolulu Heights heroes assembled and the ultimate evil trundling around the Barry Grand Hotel in a wheelchair, the six episode arc had a mysterious wildcard in the shape of one Mr Rook - first seen in the season four finale - the head of the Men In Grey. Fittingly positioned between the black and white of the other characters, Rook is the face of the modern Briton in this final season. Beset by Tory cutbacks, he's essentially a good man, but a self-serving man. In his desperation he makes increasingly morally dubious decisions - from his use of the clueless underdog turned unstable Type 2 known as Crumb, to the aforementioned Bobby, and finally using the lovely Natasha against his better judgement - culminating in an unwitting deal with the actual Devil.

All of this set the stage for our finale "The Last Broadcast", knowingly named with a wink and a nod by series creator Toby Whithouse. Opening with a delightfully fun musical number from Hal, this almost sold the one slightly clumsy element of this season - the revelation that Hal is akin to Angel from Buffy The Vampire Slayer, battling against his soulless alter ego Angelus. The good Hal/bad Hal dynamic is thankfully slightly more oblique and Damien Molony supplies an understated performance as a discretely more confident and vicious version of the same character. "Your friend is dead, " he calmly explains to Tom. "We wake up in the world the other has created around them."

Despite this new Hal, the Being Human Trinity reunites to stop Hatch - revealed as the source of all their curses - because the Apocalypse is bad for everyone. With the Four Horsemen dispensed with due to "budget cuts" (not even Hell is immune to spending reviews), the showdown occurs in a TV studio as Hatch prepares to whisper in the ear of the country through the emergency broadcast system. Or does it? Suddenly our protagonists are separated and dispatched to individual realities based on their past lives or in Tom's case, his secret hope for the future. These bottle worlds include welcome reappearances of Leo (Hal's former werewolf housemate) and Allison (Tom's geeky werewolf paramour).  It's a testament to the performances and writing behind these two characters that their brief moments in this final episode are so delightful.

The story doesn't end here though, as Whithouse has two more tricks up his sleeve. The Trinity escape Hatch's make-believe fantasies just in time to witness Rook seemingly save the day, complete with a wonderful moment as the human the Devil had been possessing is himself once more after so very long.  The poor madman gets a word or two before being shot in the head and the Devil flees in a manner that seems to be a homage to the demons in Supernatural.

This seemingly anticlimactic ending shifts the focus back onto Hal versus Tom and Alex, with a heartbreaking exchange that name-checks all of the preceding main cast and gets right to the heart of the truth behind the series' title.

"Are we wasting our time doing all this, trying to be human? The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Is that what we're doing?" Tom

"I'm not part of this little project now, which gives me a... clarity I didn't have before. Annie, George, Mitchell, Nina, the two of you, what none of you realised - none of us realised - is the desire to be human is the end, not the beginning. To want it is to have it. You're not wasting your time Tom, you've already won. Adieu." Hal

It would have been a good coda despite the anticlimax, but that's not really the end. The other shoe drops as Rook knocks at the door and reveals that Satan hasn't left, he's merely moved to a new host. Seizing the opportunity, the trio perform the ritual and bind the Devil into Rook, who uses his last moments of clarity to stake himself and end it all. The resulting shockwave rids Hal, Tom and Alex of their curses, apparently making them human again, with a chance of a happily ever after. Only the presence of an origami werewolf amongst the mementos of all the main cast characters on the mantlepiece suggests that something else has happened. It's a wonderful ending that recalls those gut-wrenching final moments of Twin Peaks, Sapphire & Steel, Inception and of course Blade Runner. It will leave fans debating for years to come and as such is a masterful stroke of letting the audience have their cake but perhaps making them to afraid to actually eat it.

I have to add that I really felt these last two years of Being Human succeeded where Misfits last season failed. Both shows came along at the right time, after the relaunched Doctor Who, when commissioning editors were open to genre dramas with a quintessentially British edge. Both shows were faced with adversity when successful cast members decide to leave for new opportunities. Both shows have sought to continue their fundamental premise with new characters in place. And both shows had the ignominy of writing out memorable main characters off camera, as we lost Nina and Kelly between seasons. Misfits had already faced this once and triumphed with the introduction of Rudy. But lightning didn't strike twice as the latest season served up some fairly bland and mostly unlikeable new characters with shitty powers.

One great character, two mildly interesting with potential and two that are just dull to the point of being offensive!

In fact perhaps a second storm would have been ideal. As seemingly daft as it first was, the cheeky way that Being Human 1955 gave us another set of similar supernatural housemates was a fun way to bulldoze past the loss of Mitchell, George and Nina. With his own friends also departing, Hal was left with little choice but to stay, and so our triumvirate was whole again. The use of Tom from a previous season gave the audience a welcoming familiar face, and it was trick that was repeated with the introduction of Alex in season four, before promoting her to main cast when Annie left. If only Misfits could have done the same, bringing in a mix of the former guests and the new characters, we might have been given a more enjoyable season than that last one!

And so it is that Being Human joins a very exclusive list of shows that never jumped the shark, though granted it did threaten to on one occasion. It's a world I'm going to miss greatly. I can't wait to see where Damien Molony appears next, because his performance as Hal was perfectly understated and ever more powerful because if it. Toby Whithouse returns to our screens soon with a Cold War spy drama series, The Game, and from the strength of Being Human, I'd be keen to see him step into Steven Moffat's shoes should the Grand Moff decide to leave Doctor Who.

In fact, wouldn't Damien Molony make an excellent Timelord?

Ben Fardon is aware that TW also wrote "The Vampires of Venice." No one's perfect.

The Watcher - Walking Dead, season three trailer and promotional images

The Daily Mail had some new photos from The Walking Dead season three today, which returns to US screens October 14th.

My favourite is the new cast photo:

In case you missed it, here's the trailer from the San Diego Comic Con:

Looking good. I have to say David Morrisey as the Governor is not physically how I picture him after Charlie Adlard's illustrations, but I admire the actor a lot so I'm confident this will be a satisfying re-envisioning (or whatever Hollywood nonsense term you want to use!) of the character.

Ben Fardon feels like a zombie. Tired and permanently hungry. Yup, must be dieting then. 

The Watcher - Animated Double Feature: Ultimate Spider-Man and Green Lantern The Animated Series

I’m a big kid! Just like those old Saturday mornings I woke early, ready to watch some cartoons!

First up, episodes one & two (Great Power and Great Responsibility) of the new Ultimate Spider-Man series for Disney XD. Right from the start we get comic nods (Romita’s cake shop!), JJ screaming about how the Spider-Man is a menace and Spidey himself swinging between skyscrapers while going on about how being a hero isn’t easy. Flashback to my childhood and the Nineties animated Spider-Man series - the characters all feel right, the theme is rocking and the animation is slick but still has a classic look.

We join the story as Peter has been Spider-Man for about a year - he’s still a little rough around the edges but has fought a selection of not-so super villains already. He is approached by Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D who offers to assist him with training to help become "the Ultimate Spider-Man". The series does tend to pull a lot from Marvel's Ultimate line of comics, what with S.H.I.E.L.D’s involvement right from the start and Aunt May being a lot younger and cooler than her past incarnations.

Even when pulling from previous versions the show still manages to feel unique, Spider-Man quips and thwips left and right as he should. Cut-away moments designed to look like they’re from a school notepad (with a kind of Japanese chibi-style to them) and Spidey breaking the fourth wall to make the odd off-hand joke are great fun.

These first episodes made me laugh out loud several times, especially the cameo of Stan “The Man” Lee as the schools janitor! Also adding their vocal talents are the brilliant J.K Simmons once again reprising his role as J. Jonah Jameson and Clark Gregg as the Avengers fan favourite - Agent Coulson.

There have been a few Spider-Man animated series over the years but I can honestly say that I look forward to watching the rest of this one.

Next up... Green Lantern: The Animated Series, Beware My Power Parts one & two.

My first impression of the GL animated series is it's bright and massively CGI. In a way it reminds me of Reboot (the first completely CGI animated series), but obviously better looking! The main focus of this series seem to be Hal’s adventures as he battles the vicious Red Lanterns and their leader Atrocitus.

We begin with the death of a Green Lantern in the far reaches of space. Back on Earth, Hal Jordan is up to his usual tricks of mucking up test runs and destroying very expensive prototype aircrafts in the process. But he saves lives while doing it, so it doesn’t matter! Hal is then called to the planet Oa to stand in front of the Guardians and answer for some previous unseen misconduct. During this he hears of the Lanterns which are dying across the far reaches of frontier space. With this he decides to go against the Guardians orders and steal a prototype spaceship, this allows him to reach frontier space faster than using his power ring so he can try to save the Lanterns who are being hunted.

The character design of Jordan is very similar to the previous DC animations, Superman and Batman - his upper body is huge in comparison to his arms and legs and his jaw is so square that Chuck Norris would be jealous! I do feel that the CGI animation works nicely for the Lantern universe, the bold colours of red and green battling throughout the darkness of space.

The Red Lanterns plan to destroy the Guardians and the Green Lanterns because they blame them for the destruction of Atrocitus’ home planet. A new Red Lantern by the name of Razer is trying to kill one of the frontier Green Lanterns called Shyir Rev when Hal and Kilowog turn up. They battle heavily, but ultimately manage to escape, seeking refuge on Rev’s home planet.

Razer along with Atrocitus track them down and threaten to blow up Shyir Rev’s planet if the Green Lanterns do not give themselves up. Things escalate, and I don’t want to give it all away but things reach a explosive climax. The series will continue with Hal and Kilowog hunting for further Red Lanterns, all with a prisoner in tow. I feel this series is Green Lanterns as they should be - in space, boldly fighting against bigger and unknown alien threats.

Stefan Harkins is currently watching Avengers Assemble without you...

The Watcher - A Game Of Thrones, season two, episode one

WARNING: SPOILERS for the first episode of season two lie beyond, plus spoilers for season one as well.

OK, let's get this out of the way. I don't like George R. R. Martin's prose style and thus I couldn't get into the books. Great plot and some fascinating characters, but the constant shifting narrators was pretentious and detracted from the whole - often creating a frustrating elipsis of time as events were covered by more than one side with little benefit. In the seminal Japanese film, Rashomon, different narrators were used to weave four accounts of a murder, before a final version of the story reveals the truth. This has been mimicked many times since in both films and TV, and of course you can trace its roots throughout storytelling. However, Martin rarely seems to use his changing of the point of view to add to the story.

Thankfully, the TV series benefits from a move to third person narration, presenting us with the interesting plot without the pretentious prose style, reminiscent of a 15 year old boy convinced he'll be the next big thing in fantasy fiction. The characters are brought to life with compelling actors - an international cast that is a credit to HBO's dedication to the series. I loved the first series, pleased to see a television series with the scope of a feature film - and a rare example of an adaptation that surpasses the source material.

And so to the second season of A Game Of Thrones, eagerly awaited both here and in the US (as parodied by Funny Or Die below).

Sunday Is Coming - watch more funny videos

This opening episode is a compelling example of why this series is such a triumph, expertly weaving the introduction of new characters, whilst re-establishing the existing characters. A huge cast, with armies raising in all four corners of Westeros and beyond - juggling that is now small feat, not to mention all the intrigue and petty machinations in the court of King's Landing.

Joffrey has grown into a full blown horror - a malicious and vindictive King who delights in torturing his subjects and tormenting Sansa Stark. Jack Gleeson continues to portray a character I love to hate and I eagerly await his inevitable downfall. Sophie Turner's Sansa is believably hollow and broken after the execution of her father. Thankfully, Tyrion sweeps into the court - newly appointed to the role as Hand of the King - bringing with him better manners, a touch of courtesy and a light humour. All of which belie the towering intellect that resides within this short man. Peter Dinklage continues to deserve every award he receives and has become my favourite character on the show. His knowing banter with Cersei is superb.

Other returning characters find themselves in a variety of new situations. With his brother away to war, young Bran Stark is now Lord of Winterfell in the wake of his father's death. At night he dreams of running through forests as his dire wolf and seeks to visit the same spot the next day. The portentous comet he spots in the sky can be seen across the land, even as far as the Red Waste where Daenerys and her people are suffering from the effects of starvation on their long journey. Even her newborn dragons are refusing to eat the meet they are offered. Through it all, Emilia Clarke's character remains the strong, fiery young leader she matured into during the first season.

In the North, beyond the Wall, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont's party make came with a disgusting new character called Craster - an aging man who makes his daughters into his wives, in order to have more wives. Jon Snow rightly finds this foul man offensive, though he fails to hide his feelings. While this opening episode has very little of the sexposition that the first series became known for, the harsh words from Craster to Jon were a sharp reminder that this is an HBO show and will not pull its punches. It also seems there is a man who has declared himself King-Beyond-The-Wall and is amassing an army. Winter is indeed coming.

The other major host of new characters are another army rising to challenge the Lannister rule. In season one, Ned Stark sent word of Joffrey's true lineage to the late King Robert's eldest brother, Stannis Baratheon, the Lord of Dragonstone. He has pledged himself to a new God, The Lord Of Light and has had all remnants of the older Gods destroyed. A clever and seemingly capable man, Stannis sends ravens to all corners of Westeros, laying claim to the throne and exposing the incest between the Lannister siblings. The Red Priestess who has his ear, Melisandre, is a dangerous new addition to the cast. I look forward to seeing what developments the court of Dragonstone will bring to the series. The island is certainly an intriguing new element in the title sequence.

The episode really is a pleasing balance between the old and new, even stopping in on Robb Stark and his captive, Jamie. A tense exchange that once again showcases just how large the dire wolves have grown. The episode ends with Joffrey's outrage at the message from Stannis. Growing beyond even his manipulative mother's control, the vicious young King orders his guards to murder all of King Robert's illegitimate children. Only one son eludes them - the blacksmith's apprentice Gendry - currently travelling North to the Wall in a caravan with a disguised Arya Stark.

It's triumphant return for the fantasy series, once again blending a variety of locations and a multinational cast to create a TV series that is a true feast, elevating the story above the clumsy prose style and exposition of the source material. Another nine episodes of murder, war, intrigue, manipulation, camaraderie, tragedy and of course, sexposition await are coming. I can't wait.

Ben Fardon is bracing himself for the flamemail from enrage George R. R. Martin fans...

The Watcher - The Walking Dead, season two finale

WARNING: SPOILERS for the final half of season two lie beyond, including the thirteenth and final episode that airs in the UK on Friday.

Season one of The Walking Dead was a sublime piece of TV, showing that AMC had the guts to make a show that would be both faithful to the source material and brave enough to deviate into interesting new waters. Despite coming from comic book source material, the show preserved the comic's tone rather than treating its origins like a bad joke. The presence of great filmmaking names like Frank Darabont and Gale Anne Hurd helped to reassure wary fans and soon it was a bona fide hit. A second season of thirteen episodes was commissioned and the long wait for new episodes began.

Like roamers searching for fresh meat, many of us scoured the 'net for news. But what began to emerge was somewhat disconcerting. First there were rumours of Darabont deciding to forgo a writers' room for season two - practically unheard of in American TV production. Then mere days after attending a comic convention panel promoting the show, Frank Darabont was seemingly fired by AMC - a move that felt quite ruthless and left a bad taste in many a mouth, myself included. As further clarification came out, I began to understand that whilst Darabont is a great filmmaker and did well on six episodes last year, the pressure and time constraints of bringing in thirteen episodes - on time and on budget - may have been beyond someone used to working in such a different manner. Television doesn't always allow the luxury of perfectionism after all.

When the show did finally return, it opened with a powerful first episode, before settling into a new location and an ongoing story arc. Hershel's farm and the characters found there, were comfortably familiar for fans of the comic book, but the search for Sophia and the more character driven focus of the show seemed to alienate some.

I'll admit, I became tired of many of the objections I read online to the show's evolving story. People bemoaned the lack of zombies and accused Rick of becoming a dull and insipid worrier, incapable of action. I saw a man doing his best to keep the peace, while still trying to get his head around the mess - not just the zombies, but the interpersonal situations and the group dynamics. His police training and status made him a natural leader, but burden of command is exactly that. A burden. Plus, constant zombie attacks would actually lessen the impact of the walkers themselves, so that didn't bother me. When we did see the undead, they were all inventive and terrifying to behold, thanks to the magic of Greg Nicotero.

Frankly, people need to remember that the title of the series is not a reference to the zombies. The back of every graphic novel of The Walking Dead makes it clear the story is about human survival, not constant gore. That said, the first half of season two was not without its faults. Darabont's departure led to some varied characterisation as the scripts commissioned under his tenure gave way to that of the incumbent showrunner. Certain characters spent the whole season sidelined as well. T-Dog in particular seemed to have little to do after the opening episode, until the zombie in the well incident. Yet he hangs on in there, presumably held in check by the writing staff until Merle returns for bloody revenge. I suspect we'll find him in league with the Governor in season three, but that's my musings for another time.

The midseason finale seemed to silence some of the dissenters, with its powerful revelation about Sophia's fate. What followed was a fairly pedestrian episode that ended in one of the most tense barroom standoffs I've seen in a long time. The show felt like it had a renewed energy, and like the ever more dangerous Shane, it was looking to take no prisoners. More jaunts away from the farm raised the stakes and character arcs began to evolve in a way that felt natural, rather than the scattergun approach of before. Lori became a twisted but almost sympathetic Lady MacBeth; Hershel became so much more than he had been before; Maggie and Glenn became one of the more convincing couples on TV right now; Carl flirted with becoming a sociopath and Andrea became more and more unlikable. Carol became a three dimensional character and her sweet connection to the show's breakout character - redneck hunter Daryl Dixon - became quite heartwarming despite all the horror she had been through.

The growing tension between Rick and Shane moved from fodder for slash fiction writers and hurtled toward the collision the comic fans knew was coming. Several times, it seemed set to come to a head then simmered some more and in the midst of it all, Dale bought the farm. On the farm no less! I'm sure many viewers didn't see it coming, though the rumours that Jeffery DeMunn had asked to be released for his contract - in a seeming show of solidarity for his old friend, Darabont - made the move seem less surprising and more like making the best of a bad situation. Still, it kept us comic fans on our toes and reminded us of creator Robert Kirkman's repeated warnings that no one is safe.

The following episode seemed like an episode of mending fences, both figuratively and literally. Until one fateful and perhaps well meant conversation between Shane and Lori, which reignited the deadly resolve in the man who had sacrificed Otis. From that point on, Rick's card was marked and only his quick wits saved him from a bullet to the head. This penultimate episode also seemingly confirmed that all the dead come back as walkers, something that had been teased in previous episodes and is true to the comics. Confirmed by Rick in the finale as the secret Jenner had whispered to him in the CDC, suddenly the stakes are raised for everyone - not just the current cast.

The meat of this finale though was the zombie herd laying waste to the farm. Here was a slice of action for all those who had complained the show was too slow this season. Between Rick's barn fire gambit and Hershel holding the line armed only with a shotgun and steely eyes, it was a sight to behold. The cast was whittled down to the more compelling characters too, as Jimmy and Patricia became walker chow. I wasn't sad to see Jimmy go, but the moment where the older woman was torn out of Beth's hands was surprisingly moving all things considered.

The chaos of the exodus was well handled and the rendezvous at the place where they left supplies for Sophia was a nice touch, bringing that whole debacle to a close. The final few scenes saw Rick shake off any accusations of being a weak leader, as he issued an ultimatum to the others. Stick around if you like, but I definitely call the shots now. After everything he went through, who can blame him? And after egging him on to kill Shane, Lori's disgusted reaction when Rick told her what he'd had to do made me furious. I now hope she doesn't survive the prison, which we saw looming in the distance at the end of this episode - a tantalising sight for the fans.

Of course, the prison's reveal is somewhat overshadowed by the mysterious arrival of an iconic character from the comics, as Michonne arrives to save Andrea with her trusty katana. Flanked by her 'armless zombie escorts and hidden under a hooded cloak, I'm sure the audience members who are only watching the show (and haven't read the comics) were slightly baffled by her appearance. I'm sure series three will demonstrate just what a badass this woman is!

The Walking Dead season two was marred by behind the scenes shenanigans, but it still produced some of the finest drama of the season. With new showrunner Glen Mazzara now firmly entrenched, season three seems set to be belter. With both the prison and Woodsboro to come - seemingly confirmed with news that British actor David Morrissey has been cast as the Governor - we potentially have a much greater variety of locations moving forward. Plus the drama born of numerous new characters - dynamic ones too, unlike young Jimmy! Mazzara says that he and Kirkman have mapped out the third year - now increased to sixteen episodes. I have high hopes as we hit the stories from the comics that had the biggest impact on me as a reader. It's going to be a great year.

Ben Fardon is now looking forward to the return of Game Of Thrones

The Watcher - Being Human, Season 4

Before the latest season of Being Human returned there were rumours of certain actors leaving the show - this did not fill me with hope for the shows return. There is always a niggling feeling - can a show continue after a major cast change?

When the show finally did dawn our screens once again it felt like we had been left out of a massive chunk of our characters' story.

Things all go a bit ‘Terminator’ as we start with a flash-forward to a bleak future where vamps rule and small bands of resisting humans try to survive and fight back, with little success. Back to current time and Nina’s dead, her death only to be mentioned in passing conversation. George is a wreck, trying to protect his unnamed baby from the army of vamps which want to kill her. All the while Annie is trying to keep him sane, then the rugged and slightly simple Tom returns, whose continuing and very unsubtle hints that he needs somewhere to stay are hilarious (find him familiar? He’s the brother to Lauren Socha who plays Kelly in Misfits - its the eyebrows!)

We are taken to Southend-On-Sea and a small hairdressers containing another trinity of the supernatural - one vampire, one werewolf and a ghost all living together, again - how likely is that? Once more it feels like we’ve been left out of part of the story, who are Hal/Leo/Pearl and how did they come to live together?

Back in Wales the vampires are plotting to kill George and/or his baby as a present to the ‘old ones’ thanks to a prophecy found by the ‘vampire recorder’ played Mark Williams - a wonderful comic relief. The baby is supposed to be the Chosen One who will bring the end to all vampires. A new face in the not-so merry band of vampires is the dry and witty Cutler, whose performance reminds me of Andrew Scott’s recent portrayal of Moriarty in Sherlock.

Random quibble, since when did werewolf blood become toxic to vampires? Bit of a quick change in the series lore, something like that would have cropped up previously surely?

On the plus side Russell Tovey’s swan song performance in the opening episode is brilliant, the forced transformation to save his daughter and of course the tear-jerking exit, he will be missed for sure.

Without a moment to grieve we’re onto the next couple of episodes which bring the new trinity to Honolulu Heights, after the brief intro in episode one we now get to sink our teeth into the new characters. Damien Molony who plays Hal really starts to shine as we start to discover more of his character. He has a daily routines and little set of rules (no Kia-Ora anyone?) which help keep him sane and I just loved the idea him having to resist the small temptations (not knocking over dominos) in order to help resist the much bigger ones. Wonderful details like this really help separate him from old moody Mitchell.

Pearl and Leo on the other hand are kind of left by the wayside, not really given much to do other than to help setup Hal become the new resident vampire. Annie and Pearl have a small ghost rivalry when they meet, this was a bit annoying as it’s just used to lead us to Leo and Pearl's love for each other. Which in itself is set up and resolved rather quickly. They cram all of these new characters into the first episode, only to get rid of them in the next!

Moving on, the best thing about the series so far is definitely the conflicted relationship between Hal and Tom. One being an OCD vamp with what seems to be a privileged past (Lord Harry?!) and the other a vampire-hating werewolf who used to live in a van. Pushing them together into a menial cafe job, watching them become sort of friends slowly, all while they argue over how to chop lettuce and pick up girls! Part of me wishes they would create an entire series just for the two of them!

Overall a difficult start to the series, with way too many changes and new characters to fit in, but by the third episode I think you will start to relax and come to like the new dynamic. It’s not the same and it may not be perfect but I’m now looking forward to the rest of the series, even if it is only for more of Tom/Hal bickering!

Stefan Harkins was suitably creeped out by a ghost called Kirby...

The Watcher - Sherlock, Season Two Finale

On Sunday night, a nation of viewers sat gripped as Sherlock grappled with his final problem and those events that led to his inevitable fall. The final episode of Sherlock season two ‘The Reichenbach Fall’ seemingly chronicled the last few months of the titular hero’s life, as told by a tearful Watson, as he related a terrible plot by arch-nemesis Moriarty to turn Sherlock’s reputation against him and drive him to the brink of despair.

To say that the impressive twists and turns of the episodes plot is not even the most impressive aspect of Steve Thompson’s script, a clever adaptation of Conan Doyle’s original story ‘The Final Problem’ is actually a compliment, given the context of an episode which is the perfect culmination of the groundwork laid over the last two series.

Beginning with a brief montage which highlight’s Sherlock’s growing fame and Watson’s growing discomfort as his friend simply ignores the increasingly intensity of the press scrutiny, the groundwork is already being laid for a tense finale. We then cut to Moriarty who artfully carries out multiple raids on some of London’s most secure sites, for motives which remain a mystery.

Stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman seem so comfortable in the roles by this point that they no longer simply seem like the latest pair in a long line of actors to portray Conan Doyle’s famous sleuths, but in fact have made these roles their own. The emotional beats and character scenes, which are many and intense in this week’s episode, are heartbreakingly sincere and manage to elicit intense feelings without being overplayed, such is the rapport the pair have built up over the preceding two series. That isn’t to say that Holmes and Watson don’t still get to have some fun, and there are still one or two moments that bring the pair’s physical comedy and easy chemistry to the fore.

Credit also goes to director Toby Haynes who manages to fuse some of the series key visual and musical cues seamlessly into a satisfying whole. A scene in which Sherlock surveys a mental map of London is saved from being routine, as the following events remind the audience, rather shockingly that in Holmes’s world, not everybody takes his genius for granted. The music too, has finally worked its way sufficiently into one’s unconscious that at points you might even find yourself humming along the series trademark theme, proof that composers David Arnold and Michael Price have done their job well. It wouldn’t be surprising to find this theme placed alongside the likes of Doctor Who and The Avengers in nostalgic looks back at British cult television.

Many of the series supporting characters turn in equally charged and suitably weighty performances for this eventful episode, but sadly, Andrew Scott’s Moriarty still remains a frustrating enigma. True to form, the viewer can never quite see what lies behind the camp veneer of Scott’s performance, which is either genius or madness, but never wholly satisfying.

Luckily, this final episode is so thrillingly good that any shortfalls can be easily overlooked. And finally, it may come as no surprise that showrunners Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have revealed that season three is in the works. It will however, take a true genius to explain Holmes’s inevitable return.

Robert Barton-Ancliffe is pondering his theories on just how Holmes survived...

The Watcher - Sherlock, Season Two

The New Year saw the triumphant return of Doctor Who alumni Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss’s Bafta Award winning ‘Sherlock’ as the second series made its debut on BBC1. The first series not only received critical acclaim for its clever reinvention of stories and concepts, already familiar to generations of readers from the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, but it also cemented recently appointed Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat’s reputation as a master storyteller.

Perhaps the clearest example of the show’s success is its treatment of the central duo of Holmes and Watson, who are thoroughly inhabited by stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Transplanting the 19th century duo to the present day both freed the writers from the temptation to be completely slavish to the source material whilst also giving the audience a pair of heroes with who we could firmly identify, with Watson’s sense of bewilderment on his recent return from Afghanistan and Holmes’s constant struggle with addiction and frustration as the glare of the public eye dogs his every step. Supporting characters Mycroft Holmes, ‘DI’ Lestrade and ‘Jim’ Moriarty, also received a welcome shot of modern credibility from Mark Gatiss, Rupert Graves and Andrew Scott respectively.

Having established a successful formula with their first series, episode one of series two, ‘A Scandal In Belgravia’ ups the ante in fine style, as Moffat stitches together several stories to introduce sometime antagonist Irene Adler, played with panache and no little amount of sex appeal by Lara Pulver. The introduction of a character with whom Sherlock can truly match wits draws the character into new territory as the constant one-upmanship is as close as our hero might get to entertaining a love interest, but it also makes for thrilling character development as the breathless double bluff of the closing minutes sees Holmes in positively heroic form.

The episode also continues with the successful reinvention of the familiar, as Holmes’s trademark deerstalker hat is introduced as the pair attempt to avoid paparazzi – a masterstroke which acknowledges the hat’s place in familiar Holmes lore whilst also pointing out that this was in fact not the detective’s particular hat of choice.

If anything, this week’s adaptation of the first full length Holmes novel ‘The Hounds of Baskerville’ (the title a slight tweak of the original in established Moffat/Gatiss tradition), might threaten to stagnate the developments of the series debut as Gatiss tackles the most famous story of all. It seems however that the writer’s desire to get under these character’s skins is a firm decision and the removal of the pair to Dartmoor to investigation the titular ‘hounds’ actually serves to strengthen their bond through adversity.

The story itself is another reinvention that sees traditional elements filtered through modern fears and the series trademark bait and switch style, and so the hounds of the piece are somehow connected with secret genetic experiments - the Baskerville estate in fact a government installation. Ironically, the updating of the stories, a key strength initially might have become the most predicable element of the series, together with the writers’ running gag that the main characters are often mistaken for a couple.

The only real weak link for this reviewer is the presence of fan favourite Russell Tovey, who’s undeniable charisma is somehow stifled either through the rather stiff writing of his character, or his struggles to make a decent fist of the posh accent – a character element which hardly seems necessary given the modern day setting.

All in all, series 2 of Sherlock is a triumph of modern television drama, a flagship British series to sit alongside Doctor Who, who audience figures continue to grow, episode 2 having been watched by 11.16 million viewers. The only question is, will it see a third series given the rather ominous title of next week’s episode ‘The Reichenbach Fall’?

Robert Barton-Ancliffe has decided to forgive the poor CGI as a deliberate conceit of the storytelling rather than shoddy workmanship.

The Watchers’ Council - Zombies

When Halloween loomed into view like a shuffling ever-living nightmare - combined with the recent return of The Walking Dead to screens in the UK and US - attentions here turned to the idea of a gathering at Ben’s to watch a few zombie movies and devour a mountain of pizza.

With the monument to Italian dough and cheese established on the coffee table and assorted beverages and extra snacks on hand, Rob, Stef and Ben got cracking with the original Romero zombie film, in many ways the precursor to the whole living dead genre (though of course, not the first zombie movie – I think White Zombie (1932) has that distinction).

Night Of The Living Dead (1968)

BEN: Have you guys watched this recently?

STEF: No.

ROB: Ten years ago at Uni.

BEN: Controversial I know, but I remember this film being pretty bad.

ROB: I remember it being quite atmospheric. All the open spaces, a lot of it is outside which is a contradiction to the claustrophobic zombie movie cliché.

BEN: Well, I last watched it as a teenager with a low attention span!

STEF: The pace of it is what I noticed. We’re used to stuff happening all the time, but it builds the tension.

BEN: They haven’t got to the idea yet of doing gore in this film, it’s almost just a grey pallor to them.

ROB: Which doesn’t help when it’s black and white anyway!

STEF: Extra levels of grey!

And we’re off. Our initial protagonists Johnny and Barbra arrive at the graveyard after a lengthy series of shots of them driving in a car, like a really dull Sixties version of old Top Gear. We debate whether it’s just ponderous or if creates tension. As they pull up, Johnny turns off the radio just as the announcer is beginning to provide some exposition. A potentially vital clue is ignored to the chagrin of Rob and Stef, though Ben is amused by the seeming scorn towards exposition.

Then a tall pale stranger looms into view.

BEN: I'll say this for Romero, it definitely has a sense of immediacy. We've already got to the graveyard and there's our first zombie, less than ten minutes in. A lot of modern films would have started with some sort of unnecessary backstory for these two characters.

ROB: Shaun Of The Dead did that two with subtle appearances of the zombies before you realised.

The iconic line “They're coming to get you Barbra!” is uttered and all present display appreciation for the classic quote. The first zombie is noted for it's lack of gory make up and the fact that he doesn't try to bite them when he lurges at the siblings. Stef declares that he looks a bit rapey. It's the buggy eyes.

STEF: He could just be a desperate guy who's not been laid in a while.

He gets decidedly more animated as he ignores the fallen Johnny and chases after Barbra, he promptly looks herself in the car. We're all surprised when he picks up a rock and tries to smash his way in - the use of tools is something we associate with Day Of The Dead or Land Of The Dead, not this initial Romero offering.

As Barbra flees into the night, culminating in finding refuge in the house that is the primary location for the rest of the film, we begin to discuss the rules of zombie movies – whether it's an infection that is passed through blood or saliva

Inside the house, Barbra finds a dead body and we get our first gory image, which comes as quite a surprise. We all commend the film for having a black male protagonist in the Sixties. Barbra feels like a very unsympathetic character, Ben muses that this may be because she just ran away leaving her brother behind. A motley crew of people find shelter in the house.

ROB: I've never understood how people get caught by zombies in these early films because you just have to walk fast.

BEN: I think I remember reading an interview with Simon Pegg about how that was why they kinda like it. They're not a threat unless you lower your guard. A lot of the time – and in fact in this one – the problem with them is that the humans descend into infighting and then aren't careful.

STEF: It's like The Walking Dead. There's an aspect of that theme in that. It's about the humans really. They get distracted and argue amongst themselves and then they're screwed. There's danger amongst you.

BEN: The under siege mentality of the zombie genre is definitely laid down here.

Noticing that despite the progressive colour blind casting, the sexism of the Sixties remains as the woman goes to pieces and the man is doing all the work. We take a moment to muse how we would cope in a zombie apocalypse, like all good movie fans.

STEF: I'd be one of those people who see it as an excuse to beat people around the head. I'd go a bit nuts I think, I'd probably lose my mind in the mass craziness of it all and cave someone's head in with a hammer.

ROB: Let's not hang out with Stef if this ever happens.

BEN: It's fine, we'll just push him towards the zombies and away from the other people!

Zombie Flesh Eaters (or Zombi 2) (1979)

Eleven years later, we are now entering the era of the video nasty. Sure enough from the word there is a shadowed man shooting a hooded body in the head, boom! brain splatter!

Rob points out that at the time this tried to cash in on the popularity of Dawn of the Dead, they even marketed this as a sequel! Hence the original "Zombi 2" title as Dawn of the Dead was released under the title of "Zombi" in Italy.

An eerily empty looking boat enters New York harbour - the pre-credits are rolling and we try to work out the connection between the very gritty start and this sequence.

BEN: Again very much like Night of the Living Dead it has a very snappy start, just straight into it.

STEF: Well the initial 'shot' as it were.

BEN: Very interesting that this was Italian funded and directed but they set it in America and filled it with American actors.

ROB: Like a spaghetti western, in a way really.

BEN: Strange how they marketed this as a sequel to Dawn of the Dead - at the end of Dawn the world has gone to shit and yet here everything seems fine.

ROB: It's rather like the sequels you find at a market stall.

BEN: Akin to the recent popularity of 'mockbusters'.

As the music continues to mimic a bad episode of classic Who, we get our first zombie reveal. This feels much more like the zombies that we all know and love nowadays, with its skin and flesh decaying. As we witness the first jugular spurting attack, Ben points out how the effects are noticeably fake and Stef mentions the change from the previous monochrome bloodless zombies of Night of the Living Dead to this.

During a scene where our lead actress is on the phone to what appears to be a news editor we pick up on some awful dubbing which makes us ponder if the movie was shot all in Italian and then re-dubbed later but some post podcast investigation proves that in fact the movie was filmed with half the cast only speaking English and the other half only speaking Italian.

ROB: She looks like a young Jamie Lee Curtis.

BEN: Really? She doesn't look anything like a man to me!

As the daughter of the boat's owner boards the boat to investigate she bumps into a reporter who is doing the same, so they join forces to find her father.

STEF: The line "I have a morbid curiosity," does that mean he's into necrophilia?

BEN: In a zombie film?!?

As the main characters meet some tourists who are traveling the caribbean they ask them to take them to the island of Matul. (STEF: Sounds like my-tool!) Ben and Rob discuss how the audio mastery levels on this film seem to be a tad all over the place, some scenes being noticeably louder than others.

The characters, whom we seem to have lost to random conversations about the Avengers movie have now moved onto the island itself. Ben resorts to asking Siri if this movie will get any better but unfortunately gets no answer. Weirdly the next scene of the movie was a topless female scuba diving with some tiny, tiny pants and a swimming cap.

ROB: That bathing cap really spoils the look.

STEF: She's no longer hot.

ROB: It's like a bald man with boobs!

The movie captures our attention further when it introduces an actual live shark into the scene and a underwater zombie!

STEF: Zombie vs shark!

BEN: This guy is holding his breath for a very long time! He must have a buddy diver with a regulator. Woah! That guys properly wrestling a shark!

ROB: Quite impressively done this scene, I will give it that.

We are all sat in shock and awe at actually how good this scene is, also finding out that René Cardona Jr. the actor who was originally cast to play the Underwater Zombie got sick (or chickened out?) at the last minute and had to be replaced by Ramón Bravo, the shark's trainer.

The next scene is very notorious for its eye-impalement section, this made us all cringe but at the same time point out that it was very well cut and shot. Again showing that this movie isn't all bad and definitely fits its gory 'video nasty' reputation.

Ben leaves the room for a brief moment, and the movie enters a flashback explanation of the first scene and that the doctor on the island isn’t a bad guy he is just trying to cure his patients before resorting to shooting them in the head! It is also hinted at that the cause may be a Voodoo Witch Doctor’s curse on the island.

STEF: Definitely has a voodoo feel to the music in these scenes.

ROB: Yeah Ben will be sorry he missed this exposition!

STEF:He's trying to figure it out.

ROB: Science versus religion.

STEF: Isn't that always the way?!

The main group are sent to check on the Doctor's wife (who we know as the eyeball lady), we start to wonder what what has happened to Mr Fardon...

STEF: We seem to have lost Ben.

ROB: Hmm... yes.

STEF: Maybe gone for a number two?

ROB: Or bed?

STEF: Dead to the world, ha!

ROB: He'll come back as the undead Ben!

The pace is upped as our characters find the Doctors’ wife being delicately munched on (by a zombie of course). The conclusion is made that actually this film is not as cheap or b-movie schlocky as we were expecting.

We wonder why the doctor is only now deciding to pack his bags and leave, we would have ages ago! Our group of strangely unaware characters, crash their jeep on the way back from the doctors home and decide to take a lie down in what seems to be a Spanish Conquistador graveyard. And also what a perfect time to try it on with your female friend, as you’re lying on a grave. A hand rises . .

STEF: Looks the dead wants some loving too.

ROB: Yet another rapey zombie!

Ben walks back into the room just as the carnage begins.

ROB: She’s just sat there while it has taken that Conquistador zombie five minutes to get out of their grave.

STEF: Still just sat there?

BEN: Paralysed with fear?

ROB: Or stupidity?

As the woman frozen in fear gets her throat torn out we point out that they do like to use that effect. The remaining survivors manage to get back to the Doctor, he begins to examine an injured member of the group.

STEF: That looks painful, he's pretty much dead.

ROB: That's quite good acting there, while the Doctor is touching his ankle his foot is twitching. Someone went to RADA didn't they?!

All of a sudden the zombies break in and take a massive chunk out of the Doctor's face!

STEF: Well he's dead then!

ROB: Why didn't the doctor inform them about shooting them in the head?

STEF: Good point.

The climax of the movie takes place as the survivors are surrounded and barricaded in a wooden barn and are throwing molotov cocktails at the zombies and then shooting them. Further stupidity abounds as one of the group is attacked, but survives to me taken with them on the boat back to America? Still it doesn’t really matter as the parting credits shot is a traffic logged bridge with a legion of zombies shuffling across.

The Walking Dead S01E06 (2010)

As things begin we recap the season.

BEN: The whole episode with the lake in season one was by far my favourite.

STEF: I do feel this episode wasn't the strongest.

BEN: It is proving that a lot of people are just wanting to watch the graphic novels made into video, they cannot handle it veering away too much.

As we see a flashback to where Shane is struggling to decide what to do with the comatose Rick in all this madness, as armed Special Forces work their way through the building killing all they encounter, zombie or human alike.

BEN: It's always assumed in the graphic novel that he just abandons Rick, but now you can see that he at least tried - he just didn't know what to do.

ROB: He was worried he would kill Rick if he took him away from his life support.

STEF: Very intense.

BEN: This is already more compelling than anything we have watched tonight!

We then discuss wether Robert Kirkman will start writing the novels specifically so they can be transferred to screen due to the popularity of the TV series.

BEN: Kirkman was the first new Image partner to be taken on.

ROB: After the original guys from Marvel Comics?

BEN: Yeah, the first who was not an artist too. And the first thing he did in the position? He hired himself an editor.

ROB: Basically hired someone to give him some self discipline.

STEF: Good idea, keep yourself focused.

The series - even though it takes things in different directions - still manages to capture the characters and the actors who play them seem to fit the bill perfectly.

BEN: I think if Kirkman had known the comics were going to be a success he would have kept Shane around for longer so that it could add further tension to the group dynamic. Which he has obviously now done here in the TV series.

A lot of people struggle with the fact the TV series is different to the comics, but most of the time they have to be due to the difference in medium. If it is done well and keeps true to the spirit like this has then it’s not noticeable.

Our characters have reached the CDC facility and met its only survivor.

BEN: I love this beginning shower scene where you are observing them in a safe environment, Rick and Lori happy to be re-united, Shane clearly still bitter and Andrea completely devastated by the loss of her sister.

A moment is taken to try and ponder who actually within the original group of survivors is left? Spoilers - it's not many.

Dr Edwin Jenner (the only surviving scientist in the CDC) reveals to the group his research into the zombies and what happens to a human brain during the transformation. Ben points out that Kirkman shied away from explaining any details about the zombies in the comics but the average TV audience would become frustrated without it and thus they've got that out of the way early on.

JENNER: The brain stem is re-activated just enough to get that person up and moving but nothing like before. The frontal lobe - the neocortex it doesn't come back, you’re just a shell driven by mindless instinct.

We sit in silence as the very evocative visuals of how the brain's synapses shut down and then spark back into life as the person changes.

STEF: I think having the visual effect helps you grasp onto the idea of what is actually happening.

BEN: Something very powerful about that.

STEF: And linking it to actual diseases.

BEN: It definitely grounds it, like a lighting rod for reality.

ROB: A very modern fear, disease and infection. Whereas Night of the Living Dead, it was radiation – a typical for of that time.

Due to not being anywhere closer to a cure and what with the facilities power rapidly running out Jenner has had enough, he has no energy to try and survive any longer. So he locks the group in to die with him.

He mentions the stupidity of how our world runs on fossil fuels, which is very topical right now due to how we are such a tech-centric generation. If we did find ourselves in this situation (running out of power that is, not the zombies) most people wouldn't know how to cope.

A rather ‘Chekov’s gun’ moment occurs as a grenade which has not been seen since the first episode helps save the day. All while Dale is trying to convince Andrea to not stay with Jenner and kill herself - at the last moment they both leave the building and join the other survivors.

STEF: Even though we have not been completely paying attention, I have forgotten how much I have enjoyed this series as a whole and I cannot wait for more!

No one is safe, do not get attached, everyone can die.

Stefan, Rob and Ben went to see The Thing last night. Rob's review should be up on Tuesday.