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Featured, Strange Empire

Review: Trapped in a Stranger than Strange Empire

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Oh John Slotter, you sure put the strange in Strange Empire. The morally challenged character played to creepy perfection by Aaron Poole seems to be going off the deep(er) end in “The Cage,” directed by Anne Wheeler.

The episode begins with the aftermath of the mine collapse that ended the previous, pre-holiday episode. Actually, if you’re counting crows it begins with one for sorrow in a striking treetop tableau before cutting down to Slotter sitting with clasped hands as the other folks of Janestown frantically retrieve the broken men and broken bodies from the mine. When one head-smashed-in unfortunate is stacked in front of him , he digs into the skull to retrieve a bone fragment in a scene I may have watched from behind outstretched hands.

Ruby, as she so often does, has one of the best lines of the episode: “Pretending everything’s rosy don’t make nothing pink.”  Isabelle has secured funding for the mine by promising repayment, with the mine and her body as collateral. It culminates in a battle between the Slotters, with John telling Cornelius “You’re the part of me I’ve tried to root out my entire life” but pulling the final punch  and accessing the better — I didn’t say good — part of his soul.

The  bone fragment reappears when Slotter crosses into the Montana territory to shoot the marshal’s friend the smithy and kidnap the man’s daughter as an offering for his own father, to make amends for Isabelle’s sake if not his own. How sweet, if you ignore the twisted family dynamic, murder, kidnapping, and placement of the bone inside her mouth before he gagged her.

Miner Franklin remains underground long after only dead bodies are being retrieved, causing Mrs. Briggs to realize she loves him and to be snide to Rebecca in her grief: “It’s good you don’t feel. God blessed you that way. It’s like not being a woman at all, isn’t it?” Her distress results in the most touchingly awkward attempt at comfort by the doctor who seems to feel a great deal, just not in a way Briggs can understand.

After Briggs has agreed to halt the rescue in order to not jeopardize the rescuers, Robin has one of her visions that leads to his rescue, very much alive and able to receive Briggs’ affections. How sweet, if you ignore that she’s been quite the judgmental harridan to Kat and Rebecca in particular and is not one of the woman on my most deserving of a happy ending list.

Is Kat destined for one? It seems unlikely on this show but she’s got a protector in the marshal, who heads off bounty hunters who are after her for murder. With the help of Isabelle’s right hook, she has a favour for the marshal as well: Slotter delivered on a platter in a cage.

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Featured, Lost Girl

Review: Lost Girl brings it

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Finally, some answers. Or at least some massive hints as far as Lost Girl’s ongoing mystery of the elevator crash and its resuscitated bodies. After weeks of speculating about what could possibly be at the root of the unnamed woman and her troupe of undead, it seems we’ve finally got confirmation of my suspicions—we’ve got some devious Greek gods on our hands.

Although, that might actually be a bigger cause for worry considering the family dynamic of the threatening, glowing woman and Kevin Brown (or at least the god wearing Noam Jenkins’ skin like a flashy post-Jerry power suit), because the only Greek couple I know that could bicker like that would have to be top dogs Hera and Zeus. And if I learned anything during 10 years of Greek school (admittedly questionable), it’s that you really don’t mess with Hera.

Bo got a taste of that lesson this week, getting blown through a doorway and given a strange scar that won’t disappear, no matter how many girlfriend cards Tamsin tries to play. Still, at least the group finally knows what they’re up against and are now getting around to trying to fight it. Just in time too, if that Angel-esque nod to the apocalypse means some serious storms are coming to town. Considering what comes after the rains and flooding was enough to make Cassie and her family gouge their eyes out, this will probably require the full attention of the Fae. Any chance Lost Girl will burn the whole world down during its last season? Unlikely, but building towards that threat is a popular motif for a supernatural fighting drama to make its exit on, and it looks like that’s what we’ve got on our hands.

That, and clearly no resolution whatsoever to Bo and her wandering heart. After what struck me as quite the intimate moment with Tamsin last week, Bo was backpedaling hard, calling Tamsin her roommate and playing her against Lauren in what struck me as a particularly cruel—if dense—way. Surely by now Bo must also be picking up on the rising heartbreak vibes as she communes around the table with her trio of rotational lovers?

Still, at least it was Tamsin’s week in other ways as the series gave us our own versions of Bring It On and Friday Night Lights (“Clear Eyes Fae Heart”). Although I do think Tamsin’s takedown of the head cheerleader, pre-going full Valkyrie on her, was the more satisfying burst of athletic prowess—if only because everyone had been so sure Tamsin would fail at the task. It was a small bump in what was generally a bad week for the winged fighter, even if she isn’t yet aware of the dashed hopes coming her way as Bo bails yet again.

In perhaps slightly better news, Dyson’s love child, Mark, was taking a break from being an irksome pubescent boy in order to alert the others about Iris’ big boom hint. It probably helps that Shanice Banton (another Degrassi alum) as the mischievous Iris tends to rightfully reduce Mark to a quivering, silent mess while leading him along for her own pleasure/convenience. If there’s going to be any in with the gods, it’s probably her—though communicating through Mark probably isn’t the best way to get things done.

Meanwhile, we’re still left to wonder about what else the gods will be bringing with them (Herculids being the tip of that “classic” iceberg), what the triskelion is doing popping up everywhere and what will happen with Kevin Brown’s wife now that she’s on the trail of her husband’s corpse and obviously being offered up as an alternative interest for Dyson. Oh yes, and what Bo’s father—the Greek god of the Underworld—has planned with the world’s creepiest toy box. I’m not sensing a happy family reunion in the works.

Losing it:

  • Tamsin’s nightmare is my nightmare: “The drive-throughs were closed for ever. FOR EVER.”
  • Though still not as creepy as Bo’s dream about Lauren.
  • And speaking of Dyson’s new lady friend, who still prints photos? Especially ones taken with your phone…
  • “He’s famous now. He’s going to be on a protein bar.” Iris is easily shaping up to be my favourite new addition.

Lost Girl airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Showcase.

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Featured, Heartland

Review: Heartland’s pasts and futures

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We can all breathe easy, Heartland fans. After a pretty rough go this fall–Peter and Lou accused of child abuse, Amy and Ty broken up and those wild horses looking like dead meat–Sunday’s return set everything right.

“The Heart of a River,” written by Heather Conkie, closed out with the best news of this season: Ty and Amy are getting married. Yes, I know, it’s early days and I can’t help but think there will still be challenges along the way (the Prince will return or perhaps Ty will be hit with a bout of rabies), but for now the couple are truly happy. And Tim is pretty sure he’s the reason why. (We won’t tell him the truth, will we?) Both Amy and Ty have been on emotionally personal journeys this year–I’ve really enjoyed Ty’s character growth as a man and businessman–and they both know the future includes each other.

Cue Lou, who is clearly glad she’s got a new project to take on now that Peter and she are on the same page and have excised Crystal from their lives. Crystal’s attempt to have Georgie taken from the ranch with trumped-up charges of child labour and abuse failed when she tried to blackmail Lou and Peter for money; having the social worker there to witness the attempt was savvy (where did the social worker park her car?) and sent Crystal packing, hopefully for good. I mentioned earlier this season how fantastic Alisha Newton has been as Georgie and she proved it once again in an emotional scene with the social worker, explaining that Crystal was someone she didn’t want to associate with and concluding with the heart wrenching lines: “You’re supposed to be helping us. You’re supposed to be helping me!” Needless to say, Georgie is staying put.

The final piece of Sunday’s puzzle were the wild horses, Will and Matt. Before the Christmas break Matt was poised to have Amy and Ty arrested for loosing the horses from his pen. They returned them to Matt–rather than be arrested–and the poor, proud animals seemed destined for the glue factory. (The fact Matt blamed the horses for the death of his father rang a little hollow for me; perhaps it would have been more believable if he’d said he was ignored in favour of the beasts all his life.) An impassioned plea by Will finally sunk in and Matt released the horses back into the valley where they belonged. It was as Amy walked slowly through the herd that Ty finally realized he couldn’t live without Amy and he made the move to make her his wife. Awwww. Are you happy Ty and Amy are finally tying the knot? Let me know in the comments below or via Twitter @tv_eh.

Heartland airs Sundays at 7 p.m. on CBC.

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Book of Negroes, Featured

Recap: Book of Negroes Episode 1

To begin I must put this review into context. I have not read The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill. This will be my review untainted by previous knowledge of the story. That said…

This is the first of six episodes, featured on CBC in Canada and later this year on BET in the US, directed by Clement Virgo, and produced by Conquering Lion Pictures and Out Of Africa Entertainment. In it we will learn the story of Aminata Diallo and her life as both a slave and a loyalist to Britain during the Revolutionary War.

We open in 1807 in the House of Parliament in England. Aminata Diallo (Aunjanue Ellis) is waiting to testify on behalf of the Abolitionists petitioning the Court to end slavery. Her testimony is our story; Aminata is our Djeli (storyteller).

The elder Aminata transports us back to the time of Aminata’s youth (Shailyn Pierre-Dixon) in the village of Bayo and we learn she is raised as a Muslim by newly reverted parents. Her mother is a renowned baby catcher who travels freely from village to village and Aminata learns the same skills at her mother’s knee. Her father is the only member of her village who owns a Qur’an. As her story unfolds, we are told that the Man Stealers are targeting the local villages and so as a precaution Aminata’s father accompanies his wife and daughter to a birthing in one of the nearby villages. Coincidentally, it is on this very journey that the young family is ambushed on their way. Aminata is captured and shackled, her parents are left to die in the jungle, and Aminata’s village is set to fire.

The remainder of this episode deals with the treacheries Aminata was subjected to during her journey across land and water, from her village of Bayo (present day Segou, Mali, Africa) to Port Charles Town NC. Coffled to her fellow captives, she makes the long journey across the arid African landscape to where the river meets the sky (Atlantic Ocean) and the awaiting slaver. Along her journey, Aminata is befriended by one of her captors Chekura Tiano (Siya Xaba), who as it happens is also a captive. He had been sold to the leader by his uncle following the deaths of his own parents. Chekura shares his food and water, and unshackles Aminata for her journey – finding favour with her captors I think will be a theme throughout the story as we see this happen in a couple of instances throughout this episode.

The captives reach the shore and are imprisoned at the major slave trading operation located on Bance Island, branded, and then herded onto the slaver. The lead Man Stealer, no longer in need of Chekura sends him to the ship to be traded. Once on the filthy ship Aminata once again finds favour (and value), this time with “Medicine Man” Tom (Nick Boraine). Tom learns that Aminata is not only fluent in many of the tribal languages but she is a capable midwife. An agreement is struck; Aminata assists the Medicine Man, he will in turn help her.

Aminata’s strength of character is evident during this voyage. She avoids Tom’s advances and refuses his attempts to rename her “Mary”. With her position as The Medicine Man’s Assistant, and her assumed innocence of youth, Aminata is granted freedom from her chains and is allowed to move about the ship unencumbered. This freedom leads us to the climax of this installment. Aminata is able to secretly gather weapons and supplies them to her fellow captives. The slaves then orchestrate an ambush using the women in their midst to distract the sailors. Aminata takes refuge behind the ship’s wheel with Chekura providing extra protection from the bloody fight. Ultimately though, their meagre weapons prove fruitless to the well-armed crew. However, Tom the Medicine Man dies in the fight and a woman (Fanta, played by Nondumiso Tembe) who also hails from Aminata’s village is executed for her role in murdering him.

At long last the journey ends and we arrive at Port Charles Town, North Carolina in 1761. It is here that Aminata is sold to Robertson Appleby (Greg Bryk) for five pounds sterling and taken to his plantation. The episode closes with young Aminata falling into a deep sleep in the first comfortable bed she has seen in months and we are instantly transported years ahead with the young adult Aminata (Tenika Davis) being roused from her sleep to go “catch a baby”.

So far I have only a couple minor complaints. I am a stickler for small details and I find that even though they may seem minor, I find them highly unnerving. Early on we see Aminata with her father as she practises her writing. I have to wonder, why is it that a man who knows how to read Arabic is teaching his daughter to write Arabic words in the Latin alphabet? Further, the scene in which Aminata is praying is a very poor representation for Islamic prayers (no female would have situated herself for prayers with her back to a man, at the very least even in the situation as a captive she would have likely positioned herself closer to the vegetation to preserve some sense of modesty).

All in all though, this was a great opening episode and I cannot wait to see what unfolds next. Let me know what you think or perhaps what you are most looking forward to in the next episode in the comments below.

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Featured

Chopped Canada sets dramatic Season 2 table

It may not have had the stress of competing on Chopped Canada–returning for Season 2 on Saturday–but having lunch with two of the show’s judges was still pretty daunting. Would John Higgins and Anne Yarymowich–he the director of George Brown College’s Chef School and she an instructor there–note my nervousness and trepidation surrounding the collection of forks in front of me?

The setting for our late-November sit-down was The Chef’s House, George Brown’s student-run restaurant where those enrolled in the Chef School program not only work in the kitchen preparing dishes but at the front of the house too, taking orders and passing plates to paying customers. As for how I fared in front of Higgins and Yarymowich? Passed with flying colours. Hey, I can devour food with the best of them. As we chowed down on tasty treats (I went for the country paté appetizer and braised beef main), we chatted about Season 2 of Food Network Canada’s culinary competition.

Both admitted to having many of the same reactions I do watching chefs struggle to create edible offerings out of the mystery ingredients. Their first thought is always, “What would I do with that?” followed by “What are they doing?!?!” as questionable decisions are made as time starts to tick down. The challenge for the competitors will be made even harder, I was told, though the structure remains the same: more chefs from across the country compete for $10,000 in front of Higgins, Yarymowich and fellow returning judges Susur Lee, Lynn Crawford, Michael Smith and Roger Mooking, and new panelists Massimo Capra, Antonio Park and Eden Grinshpan.

Saturday’s return finds Carol Christie of Sooke, B.C., Brian McKenna of Langley, B.C., Mario Spina of Calgary and Keith Hoare of Mississauga, Ont., challenged by a Middle Eastern ingredient in the appetizer round, monkfish in the entrée round and tofu for the dessert. The tension in the challenges have been upped to new heights, with themed episodes scattered throughout the 13 episodes, including a Viewer’s Choice competition on Feb. 7 spotlighting prairie oysters, ketchup chips, Gefilte fish and squid ink.

Higgins and Yarymowich were mum on winners, promising only that Season 2 is more dramatic than the first. I can’t wait.

Chopped Canada airs Saturdays at 9 pm. ET/PT on Food Network Canada.

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