The Apprentice: Q&A with Donald Trump, Brandy Kuentzel, and Clint Robertson

The tenth season of The Apprentice is days away from its conclusion and millions of fans are wondering whether it will be property developer Clint Robertson of Fort Worth, Texas, or Brandy Kuentzel, corporate attorney and entrepreneur, who will hear the famous words “You’re Hired.” Monday, in a conference call, I had the extreme pleasure of speaking with Donald Trump himself as well as the two finalists who are hoping to be named his Apprentice. The finale will air this Thursday, but in the meantime here’s what Mr. Trump had to say about this final task, Brandy and Clint, and the future of The Apprentice.

The final task,
After a recession-themed season filled with highs and lows, what can we expect from this season’s finale of The Apprentice? Strong players throughout the game, contestants Brandy and Clint are faced with their own weaknesses in developing their current tasks on this week’s episode. Just what those weaknesses are, you’ll have to watch to find out. But I feel confident to say that the person who’s going to win this is the one who best compensates for his or her flaws. And speaking of flaws, many viewers were surprised last week when disgraced former contestant Anand was invited back to participate in the final challenge. As you may recall Anand was eliminated because he was found cheating, which he then denied, but finally admitted to when Trump confronted him with the evidence of his guilt. With such a scandalous dismissal, not to mention tarnished reputation, it is a true shock that he came back, but you can pin this down to Mr. Trump’s belief in second chances.

On the future after Apprentice,
While only one contestant will hear the fabulous “You’re Hired” at the end of the show, many of this year’s contestants can find life a little bit sweeter thanks to Donald Trump and The Apprentice. As we are aware thanks to elimination recaps, several of the contestants from this season’s show have either found a position with a company elsewhere or gained new skills that helped them to develop their own businesses. So in a way, everyone comes out a winner. And the Donald has at least one more thing to look forward to… An Apprentice Wedding? It’s probably far too early for a trip down the aisle, but those in the know (namely Mr. Trump and Brandy) reveal that former contestants David and Poppy are now in a relationship. I would personally love it if The Apprentice (series) ends in a fairytale wedding, if only because it would then open up the possibility of a Trump sponsored dating show (sorry Omarosa, Ultimate Merger doesn’t count. Even though I kind of liked that show…) I’m thinking Apprentice meets Millionaire Matchmaker meets (a less sleazy) Paradise Hotel. They could call it The Final Bid or Trump’s Take on Love.

Curtains closed?
And if fans want to continue to see Trump on their television, they need to act fast. When asked if this would be the last season of celebrity-less The Apprentice the Donald gives a harrowing truth: Yes it is. “We wanted to do one more,” Trump says. “We’ve had such great success with The Apprentice, but Celebrity Apprentice has really been a great success. We really wanted to do one to see what it would be like in the bad economy. When The Apprentice first went on the world was a very, very successful place people thought. The Apprentice went on in that atmosphere. We wanted to do one more of this time, showing the world as it is today. A lot of people wanted to see one more version of regular Apprentice but put into the economy we’re stuck with today.”

As an Apprentice fan, I am horrified to learn the show is ending, but not in the least surprised. The last few seasons of The Apprentice have enjoyed various ratings success. And with three of the past four seasons featuring Celebrity only contestants, the fate of the original Apprentice has long been questioned. But don’t martyr yourselves just yet. Celebrity Apprentice will continue on for at least one more season. Premiering in March, Celebrity Apprentice will reportedly feature Star Jones, country singer John Rich, baseball star Jose Canseco, and mega-rapper Lil Jon.

But as for the contestants hoping to be the final (non-celebrity) Apprentice, here’s what Trump had to say about them and what makes Clint and Brandy the ideal finalists:  “They were tremendous competitors, both of them, and I usually find that when we get down to the finals and those final weeks and the people that get this far are just great- obviously they’re smart and they’re cunning … but above all else, they’re really great competitors. These two have that in spades.”

The finalists, in their own words:

On what they’ve learned
Brandy – “I really learned how amazing all individuals, including all the contestants on The Apprentice, can be during down times. The resounding story of all the contestants was that we’ve all been hit by hard times but we’re all resilient and that’s real helpful for the future. I guess that Apprentice for me, my personal journey has been a story of promise and hope.”

Clint – “It’s really amazing to find out how many folks in this world are hurting right now. That’s the common thread in a lot of elements with my experience after the show. After the shows air each week I got out. Everywhere I go in public people are stopping me and telling me that they’re finding hope and inspiration in the show, in what I and other people are doing on the show… Hopefully, we’re starting something that will change the hearts of America and it’s just amazing to see the hope that’s out there amidst all the pain.”

Clint on TCU’s chances of making it to the National Championship
“After last night against Oregon State I’d have to say zero now. I love the Horned Frogs but I think their luck ran out this weekend when Oregon pulled away and won in a big fashion. I think we’re going to have to move to another year.”

On how they’ve changed from the show
Brandy – “I’ve become a much stronger person through the entire Apprentice competition. I’ve really just become much more thankful for the things I have. When times are down and you’re looking to build yourself back up, you remember where you’re from, who you are and be thankful for friends and family that support you.”

Clint – “My life and the life of my wife and the life of my three boys has absolutely been changed. Last year at this time, I had three ladies that worked in my file office that I didn’t know how I was going to pay… this year because of the show I’m not going to worry about how these three ladies are getting paid. Because of Mr. Trump who took a chance on the show this year, he took a chance on people like me, like Brandy, and so because of his generosity and his willingness to go out on a limb and try this my life, and the life of my wife and three boys will forever be changed in ways that you can’t even put a number to.”

The Apprentice finale will air this Thursday at 9pm on NBC. Celebrity Apprentice will premiere on March 6th of next year.

For more television reviews and interviews, click here.

Photographs courtesy of NBC Universal, Ali Goldstein, and Douglas Gorenstein.

Poptimal’s Top 5 Reality Stars We’re Glad Aren’t Part of Our Family For The Holidays

It’s that time of year again, Poptimal.com fans. We’ve officially flipped the calendar page to December, stores are adorned with wall-to-wall Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Winter Solstice-related decorations, and there’s enough holiday music on the radio to make you go ho ho homicidal. But since the holiday season is about family, we’re bringing you the top 5 reality show stars that we are thankful aren’t in our family tree and whom we wouldn’t invite over for Holiday dinner this year.

5. Bristol Palin – I will admit I feel bad that she was stuffed into those hideous Dancing With The Stars costumes like one big bedazzled sausage casing, but I can’t tell you how happy I am that Bristol-gate is finally over. Blame it on the Tea Party and millions of conservative, Palin-loving television watchers for keeping her in the competition that long.  Or, blame the media for giving her more coverage than the recent North/South Korea escalation.   Whoever you blame, for the love of God just please stop talking about it now that the season is over. Suffice it to say that DWTS probably lost thousands of viewers by keeping a girl who couldn’t have been any less smooth on her two feet if one of her legs was prosthetic and who had the personality of an Alaskan Moose . . . wearing lipstick.  Our family prefers to get our dose of  tryptophan form the turkey, not a marginal half-baked Alaskan.  Either way, don’t pull up a seat for Bristol at our family’s table anytime soon. 

4. Phaedra from Real Housewives of Atlanta – If you remember, Phaedra claimed that she was going to have her doctor induce her pregnancy at 7 months, instead bringing the child to full 9 month term and that her doctor said this was safe.  In short, this broad would rather have America believe that she was promoting a premature birth, that her doctor was a quack, while endangering her child, rather than tell her mother that she had engaged in premarital sex.  I’m sorry, but anyone who keeps up that charade as long as she did has GOT to go!   Phaedra, if you were 7 months pregnant, then I’m Gisele Bundchen. Have fun polishing your Mother of the Year award.  You should put the award right between the nativity scene and your plaque of the 10 Commandments.  Or, you could send it over to Poptimal.com’s offices and we will place it in the stocking over the fireplace labeled “Crazy Fake Religious Hypocrite.”  Don’t worry, yours won’t be the only gift in the stocking . . . we just heard the results from the midterms elections! 

3. Amber Portwood 16 and Pregnant/Teen Mom – Ohhhhhh Amber, know why we’re thrilled that you’re not in our family? Because you’d probably show up to dinner looking more basted and roasted than the turkey.  This isn’t the Jersey Shore guidette, you need to do less tanning.  I mean, if you are going to T (tan) like those juiceheads, please make sure you also do the G (gym) and L (laundry) part.  We can see you dropping a few F-bombs, flipping a chair and leaving by dragging your daughter behind you like a Cabbage Patch or Garbage Pail Kid.  And don’t even pretend that Leah doesn’t have Mountain Dew in her baby bottle, Amber; you’re not fooling us, we see the permanent neon yellow ring forming around her mouth. However, even though you’re banned from our holiday cheer, Gary is totally invited.

2. The Duggars – This one’s fairly obvious. Who wants to share the holidays with Jim Bob, his wife Mullet and their child army? I don’t know about you, but my table doesn’t seat 400, even if they provided their own musical entertainment like a bloated Osmond family. It would be like having to spend the night in the house of a creepy old lady who collects a ton of cherub-faced dolls.  Just be thankful that you don’t have to fight 20 other people to get seconds, and maybe ask Santa to send them some birth control this year, or at least a chastity belt.

1. Sarah Palin – I should’ve called this article “How the Palin family ruined reality television – holiday edition.” I don’t know who’s brilliant idea it was at TLC to give her a show of her own, but if her redneck accent and imbecile kids are any indication, I’m sure it’s some seriously compelling programming. The only reality television I’d like to see that Mama Grizzly in (other than being eaten by an actual grizzly bear) is if the Discovery Channel wanted to do another version of Shark Week and toss her in as bait. I’d totally set my DVR for that.  Keep your made-up words, slow wit, and fake political naivete off my DVR!  Next year I’m taking my country’s reality television back!

And there you have it  – the people we feel blessed to not have to break bread with, buy presents for, or tolerate in any official, genetically related manner. Here’s hoping your holiday season is filled with good cheer, and that your pop culture is Palin-free.

**Bristol Palin Photo courtesy of  Adam Larkey – © 2010 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.

Dexter Review: Dirty Hands

I can’t help but assume I’m not the only Dexter fan whose butt grooves have molded themselves closer and closer to the edge of the couch as season five has squashed its skeptics with yet another gripping installment. Sunday’s penultimate episode provided a jaw-dropping cliffhanger that evoked frustration from yours truly, mainly because having to wait an entire week for this morbidly riveting story to meet its conclusion is a groan-inducing notion. The only thing worse than the anticipation is the looming dread that lies within knowing the season is almost over.

That aside, a few eyebrow-raising quirks demonstrated by our titular hero and his cloudy decision-making, surely a result from his newly smitten state of mind, help pepper the upcoming showdown between Dexter and Jordan Chase with a multitude of potential hiccups along the way. While Dexter perpetually faces the risk of getting caught, Deb has never been closer to uncovering her brother’s secret as she is this season. Quinn’s feelings for Deb have put his own suspicions of Dexter on hiatus, but his imminent revelation regarding Robocop’s doomed investigation and its bloody results will surely put him in an ethically and emotionally compromising position. As for Dexter himself, well, being a sociopathic vigilante already has plenty of problematic implications, but Lumen’s unexpected presence has at least helped him experience more genuine human emotion than ever before, perhaps giving him a whole new perspective on his dark passenger. For sake of Dexter’s own sanity and personal growth, here’s hoping Lumen lives to see season six.

The morning after Alex Tilden’s “disappearance,” Deb and Quinn march into Jordan Chase’s office to thank him for the “helpful” phone tip, but reveal their true intentions when they casually mention the coincidence that Alex, Cole, and Boyd – three men whose DNA was uncovered at the Barrel Girls’ crime scene – are all connected to Jordan in one way or another. In fact, he’s the only thing they have in common other than their respective disappearances. Jordan scoffs, reminds Deb and Quinn that his own DNA wasn’t discovered anywhere among the evidence, and tartly accuses Deb of being “obsessed” with him. Deb’s amused expression seemingly mirrors my thoughts: This guy’s got serious balls. Deb informs him of her theory that an escaped victim is offing her attackers one by one, and if Jordan’s as involved as they think he is, he could be next. “Don’t say we didn’t warn you,” Deb quips as she and Quinn saunter out the door.

Dexter and Lumen, proving their post-kill tryst wasn’t just a one-night stand, moon over each other as they playfully go over plans to capture Jordan Chase. Dexter catches a glimpse of Harrison’s baby monitor and notices the screen is broadcasting a live image of them in the living room, having picked up the signal from Robocop’s secret lair. The horror of realizing they’re being watched ruins the mood and Dexter alarmingly begins to assess the possible locations of the video source. He naturally assumes Jordan has bugged the apartment, but upon further investigation he discovers the equipment and its identification – Property of Miami Metro Police. Uh oh. Lumen asks if Deb could be behind the surveillance, but Dexter debunks this theory, explaining he’d “know” if Deb were up to such a thing. “She’s really never expected anything?” Lumen presses. Dexter shrugs, and says Deb apparently has “a blind spot” when it comes to her brother’s dual existence. However, considering Deb’s remarkably accurate theory about the Barrel Girls case and its vengeful vigilante, Dexter has apparently developed a blind spot of his own when it comes to his sister’s formulating intuition.

As for Robocop, his union hearing at Miami Metro resulted in an unfavorable decision and he’s being terminated from the force for good. He pops by the station to inform Quinn that he’s planning to use his incriminating evidence against Dexter and Lumen to stage a redemption-worthy bust. Without a badge, however, said bust won’t be recognized, and Quinn’s help is needed to legalize the logistics – search warrants and the like. Although Quinn reiterates his complete disinterest in anything Robocop has to say, it’s more than clear this ordeal is far from over.

Dexter arrives at work nervous that the video of he and Lumen’s vengeful plotting has already circulated the station. Realizing they’d probably have been arrested by now if it had, Dex officially calms himself with the noted lack of pitchforks and torches as he enters the precinct. Masuka’s discovery of startling new evidence, however, gives him reason to worry all over again. A second female footprint was uncovered outside the vacant house next door to Alex Tilden’s. Remarkably, Masuka recites a spot-on theory of his own that the vigilante had executed Tilden there – the dining room’s uncanny spotlessness and faint odor of bleach had solidified his hypothesis. “Another day and the smell would have dissipated,” Dexter glumly narrates. An out-of-the-loop LaGuerta asks where the concept of a vigilante came from, and Deb reluctantly reveals her Big Idea. When a skeptical LaGuerta points out that all the Barrel Girls are slender young women physically weaker than these male suspects, Deb offers that Lucky 13 must be working with a partner – particularly, a man in her life who cares about helping her seek retribution. Dexter’s brow thoughtfully furrows as he hears an objective description of his role in Lumen’s life. When LaGuerta jeers at this notion of a romantic revenge duo, his expression reveals sudden cognizance of his deepening feelings for Lumen and their unique relationship. For maybe the first time in his life, Dexter realizes, he’s in wuv.

After confirming his suspicions that Quinn had rented the surveillance equipment (although we know Robocop had just forged his signature), Dexter also notices that the case number listed in the computer system is bogus – Quinn’s working “off the books,” and wants his investigation to be unknown to the department, at least for now. Dexter and Lumen proceed to snoop around Quinn’s apartment in the hopes of finding the footage before it’s released. Instead, they come across a video of a cat that hiccups and farts at the same time, which is admittedly amusing for all of five seconds (in real life, this clip was officially crowned a YouTube phenomenon by Monday morning — thank you, Information Age, for helping make America’s descent into idiocracy a bona fide reality). Finally, Dexter finds the pictures of he and Lumen setting sail the night they dumped Cole’s remains into the sea. “He’s been watching us for weeks,” Dexter moans.

Meanwhile, Deb and Quinn need to solidify connections between their known suspects and Jordan Chase before securing the right to hold him for questioning. They approach Dan the Dentist’s former office to ask his widow (not-so-coincidentally possessed with long blonde hair – yikes) if she recognizes the names Boyd Fowler, Alex Tilden, or Cole Harmon. She sadly shakes her head and offers a glum, “No, no, no,” to each one, but perks up when Jordan Chase’s name is mentioned. “Well, that’s him right there,” she declares, pointing to an old trophy with the name Eugene Greer (Jordan’s real name – how had the police not found that out via background checks?) carved below Dan’s. Quinn unleashes a monsoon on this poor woman’s already rain-soaked parade when he reveals Dan is suspected to be part of a rape and murder ring with all the aforementioned men. Considering the crime scene where his body was found (remember Plastic Wrap Man?), his wife had simply assumed he’d been hiding his real sexuality behind her back and engaging in lurid affairs on the sly. When she learns the horrifying truth, she closes her eyes and weeps, “Who is this man I married?”

On their way back to the station, Quinn wonders how someone could be completely unaware of their spouse’s criminally monstrous behavior. “He’s probably a really good liar,” Deb spits at Quinn, letting both him and us know she’s not ready to forgive him. Later, Deb runs into Dexter and the two launch into a rather heavy-handed conversation about the vigilante theory and Quinn’s “betrayal” of Deb’s trust. Deb reveals to Dexter that Quinn had suspected he was “somehow involved in Rita’s death,” and her inability to trust Quinn as a result has potentially ruined their relationship. Having someone she can completely trust, Deb insists, is the cornerstone of a lasting partnership. “Like them,” she gestures to the mold of Lumen’s footprint. Dexter quizzically raises his eyebrows as Deb explains how she finds the notion of the escaped victim’s boyfriend helping avenge her trauma “f—ed up,” but “beautiful.” Okay, writers, we get it. The conversation illuminates Deb’s growing acceptance of Dexter’s lifestyle before she even knows it exists. Her dreamy, romanticized idea of a crime-fighting couple is already preparing her to discover Dexter and Lumen as the vigilantes in question. Right?

More foreshadowing is revealed as Dexter and Lumen are next shown browsing an outdoor mall, pausing at a jewelry kiosk to gaze at the merchandise. While the cashier attempts to entice Lumen with a bracelet, Dexter draws her eye to a delicately sleek pocketknife instead. “How does it feel?” he asks, as she gets a sense of the weapon in her hand. “Good,” she firmly attests with a smile. “We’ll take it,” Dexter proudly tells the shopkeeper, as if they’d picked out a diamond ring. Gee, I wonder if this impromptu purchase will come in handy. The swooning couple retreat to the waterfront balcony to discuss their next move in the Jordan Chase revenge plot. They toy with the idea of running away together (hence the episode’s title, “Hop a Freighter”) and, no kidding, gaze into each other’s eyes like teenagers at prom. While Dexter certainly cared for Rita in an honest way, he certainly never displayed googly eyes of this magnitude in her presence. While I’d somewhat bristled at the idea of Dexter and Lumen becoming romantically involved (I liked the brother and sister vibe they shared at the beginning, but I suppose that would steal Deb’s thunder), I now stand corrected as Dexter’s display of goofy glee at being so genuinely crazy about someone is arguably the most human we’ve ever seen him. I’m surprised Harry hasn’t popped in to offer his opinion, considering at the beginning of the season he’d unexpectedly supported Dexter’s spontaneous slaying of the random redneck, saying that was the most human he’d ever been. I’m curious to know his stance on Dexter dating the victim of his victim.

The lovey-dovey only continues back at the station, as Quinn declares his affections for Deb in an amazingly sweet way that doesn’t give me the slightest inclination to roll my eyes. Seriously. The tables really have turned since the start of the season. Unfortunately, their moment is ruined as Batista strolls in to inform them Jordan Chase has made plans for a multi-city speaking tour in Europe and will leave the country the next day if they can’t secure a court order keeping him in the U.S. for questioning. After unwisely bypassing LaGuerta, Deb’s direct request is initially denied.  That godforsaken LaGuerta just ruins everything. After the two women marginally acknowledge their issues with one another, however, LaGuerta reveals she asked another judge (who owed her a, um, “favor”) for the court order and was approved. Huh. Deb is grateful but rightfully surprised, and heads out to the airport to intercept Jordan’s private jet before it takes off.

Unfortunately, Jordan’s running a bit late for his flight, as he’s busy pulling the puppet strings of poor, delusional Emily Birch. His first victim and apparent number one fan (Boyd no longer counts) is duped into calling Lumen and pretending to fear for her life, citing Jordan’s knowledge of their prior conversation. Emily begs Lumen to bring Dexter over to her house to “protect” her, insisting she needs both of them there. Lumen has no idea Emily is still under Jordan’s spell, of course, and tries to call Dexter and ask for his input.

Dexter, incidentally, is rendered indisposed by Robocop’s taser and can’t answer the phone. Yup, now it’s getting good. Dex had ventured out to inspect the nearby van he thought was the source of the surveillance, and spotted a figure stepping outside. Assuming it’s Quinn, Dex sneaks to the van’s back doors and prepares his syringe – Jesus, is he planning to kill Quinn? – just as Robocop leaps into frame and paralyzes Dex with a few thousand volts. He comes to a few minutes later in back of the traveling van, his wrists and ankles secured, and recognizes Robocop as “Quinn’s friend.” Robocop makes no bones about his intentions with the evidence he’s compiled after investigating Dexter and Lumen. “I don’t care about you, I don’t care about her,” he drawls. “I just want my job on the po-leece force back.” Robocop gives Quinn a call and demands he show up to help make his career-rejuvenating bust, or else. Not wanting to further jeopardize a possible reconciliation with Deb, not to mention his job, Quinn reluctantly heads to the scene.

Robocop treats Dexter to a preview of the footage he’s compiled to prove this is no joke, but takes a misstep when he uses Lumen to try and elicit a taped confession from Dexter. Offering to let Lumen off the hook if Dex “confesses” on camera, Robocop shoves a camcorder in his face (how would a confession from someone who’s tied up hold any merit in court?) and proceeds to taunt him. Dex promptly responds by kicking Robocop squarely in the mug and is subsequently met with the threatening end of his knife. Fortunately, Dexter’s superior physical prowess enables him to wrestle the weapon’s blade toward the other direction (he’s still tied up, mind you) and slowly plunge it into Robocop’s chest.  And that’s that. While certainly a vile creature, Robocop made a delightful villain and I’m somewhat dismayed his demise occurred so abruptly. I guess they’re saving the drawn-out, Shakespearean melodrama for Jordan’s impending defeat. Quinn, meanwhile, pulls up just as Robocop draws his last breath. How convenient. Dex locks all the doors and makes nary a peep, mentally urging Quinn to get the hell out of there. Annoyed, Quinn leaves an appropriately terse message on Robocop’s phone just as a drop of blood slowly leaks from the van’s doors, inconspicuously dripping onto Quinn’s shoe. The proverbial sledgehammer driving these foreshadowing elements down our throats, however, is not so discreet. Gosh, I wonder if Quinn will get implicated in Robocop’s murder?

Once Quinn drives off, Dexter makes an alarmingly sloppy exit from the van. He receives the frantic message from Lumen about Emily Birch, and knows he’d better hightail it home. After merely wiping the knife, removing the videotape, and tossing the laptop into the ocean as though it were a frisbee, Dex angrily tells Robocop’s corpse he’ll “deal with [him] later,” and simply takes off on foot. Really?

While Dexter assumingly hops on a city bus or hails a cab back to the apartment (I still can’t believe he didn’t drive the van), Lumen makes the brilliant decision to go to Emily’s by herself. We, of course, know Jordan is already there before she does, but this doesn’t make his appearance any less creepy. While interrogating Lumen about Dexter’s whereabouts, Emily’s pathetic need for Jordan’s approval grates on everyone’s nerves. Or maybe just his and mine. “Are you mad at me?” she whines. “It’s not my fault! I told them both to come!” Oh, for crying out loud. Jordan’s finally had enough, and relinquishes his self-given role as the overseer in he and his buddies’ gruesome operation. Not usually one to get his “hands dirty,” Jordan seizes a fireplace poker and delivers two swiftly fatal blows to Emily’s pretty little head, shouting “Of course it’s your fault!” Jesus. Horrified, Lumen attempts to flee but is knocked to the ground by a truly terrifying Jordan, in full-on monster mode.

By the time Dexter finally arrives (again, shoulda taken the van), the house is silent. “Is this the only love I’ll ever find?” Dexter wonders, as he spots telltale signs of struggle on the hardwood floor. “In blood?” He follows the trail to Emily’s body, and then uses his CSI skills to determine the following chain of events. After spying Lumen’s brand new knife (aha!) covered in blood, he realizes she’s at least put up a fight, but has definitely been abducted. The episode ends on an unexpectedly sudden note as Dexter, armed with an entirely new motivation for revenge, wields Lumen’s dagger and stares into the distance, formulating his plan of attack with the ferocity of a wild animal. This is, indeed, a brand new dark passenger at work.

Season five’s finale has clearly been staged as the ultimate final duel between Dexter and Jordan Chase, but it will also prove yet another game of Beat The Clock as Dexter struggles to stay ahead of his own colleagues. While Quinn will surely deduce Dexter’s role in Robocop’s death, I predict it’s a secret he’ll keep, along with Deb’s surefire discovery that Dexter and Lumen are the romantic vigilantes she’s been looking for. The recently greenlit season six will hopefully delve into Dexter’s adjustment to his sister knowing about his lifelong secret, and perhaps deal with an unforeseen element next week’s finale will unleash. A red herring subtly alluded to all season long is the background presence of the seemingly perfect nanny. Although I dismissed early speculation of her possible ulterior motives, I now can’t help but be suspicious that Dexter and Lumen may arrive in Orlando next week expecting a happy ending, only to discover neither the stepkids nor the grandparents possess any knowledge of Harrison’s supposed visit. However, with Dexter’s continuous pattern of letting him remain undetected by the skin of his teeth, I also consider the cop-out possibility that Emily Birch could be deemed Lucky 13, leaving Dexter and (hopefully) Lumen free to continue their undercover work.

Regardless of the outcome, season five has been an opportunity for Dexter to shift gears and focus on a new facet of our hero’s personality. With a new partner in tow and his grief behind him, it would be a refreshing change of pace to allow Dexter to reveal his true nature to another trustworthy person. Deb has made so much progress as a character herself in the last five seasons, it only seems fitting that she be finally clued in on what’s been going on for the last, oh, 30 years. I think, by now, she can probably handle it.

Season 5, Episode 11: “Hop a Freighter” (Originally aired December 5, 2010)

Sundays at 9pm EST on Showtime.

Photos courtesy of Showtime and Randy Tepper.

The Amazing Race Review: Nick and Vicki Shut Out of Final Three

This week’s episode of The Amazing Race was pretty much all filler as the push to make it to the final three was decidedly anti-climactic. Poor Nick and Vicki didn’t have a chance; neither bad directions, lost taxi drivers nor a rule violation could help them overcome their disastrous two episode race to elimination.

The teams travel this week to South Korea, and that ‘oh crap’ sound you heard was just the halting of eight heartbeats as one-by-one the teams realize the significance (and inherent danger) of their current mission. You may well be aware of the forever long tension between North and South Korea which recently culminated in North Korea unexpectedly dropping a bomb on the South, with this being said the teams are a little apprehensive about their visit. Brook/Claire, Nat/Kat, and Jill/Thomas are all scheduled on the same flight. Because of their 4 hour penalty, Nick and Vicki are the only team to miss the flight and are scheduled on another flight which arrives in South Korea a daunting 9 hours later.

In South Korea, the three lead teams begin a neck and neck race to the pit stop. Their first task is to raft down a river and then take a humvee to a US Army base where they will receive their next clue. Jill/Thomas lead this task with Brook/Claire close behind. At the Army base the teams find a platoon of soldiers practicing their Tai Kwan Doe. For the challenge the teams must choose a headband and look through the line for the soldier with a matching band. While it seems straightforward, there’s a heck of a trick. For one, there are a couple hundred soldiers practicing Tae Kwan Doe. In order to see their headbands the teams will have to dodge the incoming fists. And the second part is all the headbands have Korean symbols on them, symbols which are both unfamiliar and horribly similar as Brook unfortunately finds out. Because she gives her headband to the wrong soldier, she has to start the task over again which allows Jill and Thomas to widen their lead.

For the second part of their challenge the teams had to travel by train to an ice skating rink to complete a 2 man relay of 24 laps. By some miracle of nature Brook/Claire, though the second team to leave the Army camp, are the first team to arrive at the skating rink baffling the near perfectly run of Jill/Thomas. Jill/Thomas can’t understand how the girls got there so fast using the train. And the answer’s as simple as Brook/Claire’s mistake; they didn’t read the instructions that told them to use the train. Instead, they took a taxi which allowed them to whiz by the other rule-abiding teams. This will of course give them a well-deserved penalty in the end. Come on Brooke and Claire, it’s too late in the game to make such silly mistakes. A rule violation could totally screw with your chances of being the first female team to win this, and getting sloppy now is in no way an option. Keep your eyes on the task, work hard, and FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS; it would really suck if something this minor ended up losing it for you.

Brook and Claire are the first to arrive at the pit stop, but because of their 30 minute penalty they cannot be checked in yet. Jill and Thomas scramble to find the pit stop and when Jill stops to ask a man for directions Thomas immediately stops her because “you can’t ask old people.” When Thomas stops a younger man, Jill smartly asks “is he in your age range.” He may be in range, but unfortunately he can’t help them. The team then continues their misadventures by getting into a cab with a driver who doesn’t know where to go. In spite of all this, Jill/Thomas arrive at the pit stop and are surprised to find that they are team number 1. Brook and Claire look on miserably as host Phil Keoghan informs them that they have won a trip to Argentina. After their penalty, Brook and Claire are the second team to check in followed by Nat and Kat at number 3.

If you’ve spent all this time wondering ‘Where’s Nick and Vicki,” that’s pretty much the theme for this episode as until the very end, this team has been completely out of it. By the time they finally land in Argentina all the other teams have been checked in. The game’s over before they have even begun. Over the next thirty seconds, we see a montage of the team as they complete the tasks of this leg accompanied by the sappy play out music of eliminated contestants. By the time Nick and Vicki get to the pit stop there’s absolutely nothing else to say. They’re eliminated. Race is over.

Next week, the final three teams compete on the race to a million dollars. This ought to be pretty interesting as the teams are all equally matched. Brook/Claire have proven that they’re good at just about everything (except reading directions, don’t let it happen again) and Nat/Kat have yet to have a bad leg of this race. Jill/Thomas may be the only team with a male still in the race, but unless the next leg involves a testosterone test, I don’t think he can do anything teams Nat/Kat, Brook/Claire wouldn’t be able to conquer as well. Personally, I’m rooting for Brook and Claire. Any other favorites to win?

Season 17, Episode 11: I’m Surrounded by Ninjas (originally aired December 5, 2010)

Sundays at 8pm ET/PT on CBS

For more on The Amazing Race, click here.

Photographs courtesy of CBS and Jeffrey R. Staab.

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The Real Housewives of Atlanta Review: Racetrack to Hell

There hasn’t been as much drama and gossip as I’d like with my Real Housewives of Atlanta, but I forgive. There have been more big life events, i.e. divorce, the birth of a child, and an engagement, which doesn’t lend itself to pointless chitchat or juicy hearsay; therefore it’s understandable. So what have the ladies been up to this week?

Surprisingly, Kim got a visitor. I thought that the Tracy Young issue had been put to bed, but Kim and the DJ do have a real relationship of some kind. Whether it’s smart PR or true friendship is anyone’s guess. There wasn’t any bisexual lovin’ so that rumor can’t be put to bed, but she did give moral support to Kim as she tackled voice lessons. You’d think performing live in front of thousands would be the hardest part of being a “real” artist, even recording your first track, but Kim would say differently. The highly regarded vocal coach/vocal producer Jan Smith is what makes Kim shake in her boots. And, I don’t care what Kim says about Jan being hard on her. Jan is right, and she speaks the truth. If Kim would just accept the fact that she’s primed for autotune, instead of acting like she’s truly better than she is, well she wouldn’t annoy me as much. If she just didn’t sing at all, that would annoy me much less. Jan was still tough but did give positive feedback as well, and Kim left feeling not as humiliated as the first time.

Sheree visited her own coach Kristen who suggested the novice actress join a play with a two week run…for free. (Oh, no you didn’t!) Kristen expected a hooray, but to that Sheree said, “I’m a grown ass woman with some grown ass bills over here.”  Her time is precious and needs to be compensated. She also gets excited over very few things outside of celebrating herself and buying new things for herself. Kristen made it clear that her job isn’t to get Sheree jobs, so she hooked her up with a meeting with an agency and plans to take headshots. (During one of the commercial breaks, we got to see Cynthia help her out with these shots. Poor Cynthia. Her screen time always revolves around someone else.) At the agency, Sheree sat with a room of casting directors and consultants so they could get a feel for her experience and desires. I’m not sure if it was a testament to the plays’ quality or Sheree’s dedication, but it was painful to watch her struggle to come up with the names of the TWO plays she’s ever been in. Their looks of non-recognition and confusion were awesome though. Her nerves got the best of her, causing Sheree to stumble and appear, overall, just plain awkward, but as always, her confidence can get her through anything.

And what happened to Peter. His turnaround was almost as quick (though not as dramatic) as Greg’s this season. Peter appeared to be so sweet, but the more I see of him, the less I care for him. When we first saw Cynthia, she was getting off the phone with Nene, which didn’t make her fiancé too happy. He was ticked off because when he’s home, he’d rather have her undivided attention and not watch her yap on the phone. Cynthia, rightly, told him that Nene was going through a hard time, and she wanted to be supportive, and Peter is all for that…until he walks through the front door. Then, she has to immediately shutdown all emotions and concern for anyone else but him. It’s almost like she’s marrying a 10-year old. He also found this to be the perfect time to give Cynthia advice on being a good friend and told her to be a sounding board but to not tell Nene what to do, something a 10-year old could actually figure out on their own.

Meanwhile, Nene suffered the fallout of the leaked tapes and her last conversation with Greg, and she suffered it alone, holed up in her bedroom. Luckily, Nene has a good friend in Diana, who will hunt you down and knock on your door until you talk to her. When it comes to lonely friends, that’s a great thing. Nene was embarrassed but especially disappointed in Greg for not sympathizing with what he put her through and acting like marriage is about who earned what and who owes who more. Diana suggested they show up at Kandi’s drag race (more on that later) just to get out of the house, but Nene just rolled her eyes. She voiced her frustration after Cynthia told her that Peter didn’t like his girl talking to Nene so often. The way Nene explained it to Diana, she hates women who listen to their men like puppets, but I also think, she considered Peter a friend and took it personally.

Spark St. Jude, the infamous pickle photographer, came back from some new Parks-Nida family photos . Instantly, Ayden became my new favorite person for pooping all over Phaedra during their photo shoot. It looked like she was ready to drop him in that moment. Freeze frame for child services! Spark was baffled that the snafu was the closest Phaedra had been to poo in three week? (Seriously, this surprises you?!) He is one super cute baby, though.

Kandi and Kim met at the studio to discuss their upcoming tour and take another stab at “The Ring Didn’t Mean A Thing.” Kandi still didn’t believe that she’d “seen any growth” in Kim’s voice, and Kim had a ton of excuses from struggling to breathe to not being able to see Kandi’s face (Kandi being her new security blanket), to the Atlanta heat. But there was no hiding from Mama J, vocal extraordinaire. She had to help her through almost every single note, and Kandi knew they “were in for a long night.”

Earlier, Kandi and her manager Michael Mauldin had hit the radio circuit to chat up FastLife car race, and later, all the girls came out to watch Sheree and Kandi compete against each other in the drag race. Things started out riotously when Sheree asked Tracy about her relationship with Kim, and by riotously, I mean they totally made her feel like everyone was staring at her and whispering. Way to go “friends”! I agreed with Kim, for once, that most “friends” don’t interrogate each other’s ex or current lovers. Cynthia and Sheree didn’t understand why it was okay to have their “love story” all over the tabloids, but not talk about it, but I also don’t see Kim asking Sheree about the ins and outs of her sex life with her ex-husband that she rails on all the time. How about everyone agree to have a right to say what they want to say about their own relationship when they want to say it? I think everyone can agree on that, and let’s put this boring storyline behind us. By this point, Kim was already wearing Big Poppa’s ring again, and currently, she’s having a baby with a footballer, so I’m over it.

Fortunately, it was on to the races where Sheree and Kandi fought over who really won, and when the judges came down on Sheree’s side, Kandi threw a fit because she never loses. On anyone else, it would be whiny and annoying, but on little, fiery Kandi, it was pretty adorable watching her beg Sheree for a rematch. But the real fire flamed when Nene confronted Peter for being cold to her at the racetrack. Normally, the two are bosom buddies, but all night Peter wouldn’t acknowledge her. He said that he was under pressure, and Nene surely was too. Peter wanted to avoid the negativity, and Nene took his avoidance personally. When she called the two, later, to invite them out to a late meal, they declined, but Nene just haaaaad to ask Peter if he had “a problem” with her. Already, any expert communicator would know they’d started down a bad path. Then Peter said, “If I have a problem with you I don’t have no problem saying I have a problem with you.” Simply, Peter was saying that if he did have a problem, that she’d know about it. In essence, no. He didn’t have a problem. But, anyone could get lost in the syntax of his poorly constructed statement, and only hear problem, problem, PROBLEM! Nene couldn’t believe he’d talk to her that way or that Cynthia would allow it. And poor Cynthia, again. She just sat there wondering how things got so bad so fast between her new friend and new fiancé.  Me too, Cynthia. Me too.

I can’t wait for the sparks to fly next week, when Nene and Peter confront each other, and Dwight steps back into the picture. (So that’s where all the gossip has been hiding!)

QUOTABLES

“And we had sex…okay…great…quiveeeeer.” – Kim

Kim: I was thinking about what you were saying.
Jan: Excuse me, you were doing what?
Kim: I was thinking about what you were saying.
Jan: Wow! You were thinking! That’s awesome.

“Child support man? Yeah, I’ve been rehearsing this play for years. It stars my ex-husband.” – Sheree

“I think Kim knows what she sounds like, but she doesn’t care. She’s laughing all the way to the bank.” – Sheree

“I’m not a fan. I’m a friend.” – Tracy

“Lord, help us.” – Jan

Season 3, Episode 10: Contract Player (originally aired December 5, 2010)

The Walking Dead Season One: A Prologue For What’s To Come

It was impossible to miss people talking about The Walking Dead during San Diego Comic-Con. No matter where I went, it seemed to follow me around like advertisements of Scott Pilgrim vs The World. For those that weren’t at SDCC, Scott Pilgrim ads were EVERYWHERE.

It wasn’t till Friday night at SDCC that I realized I had to get my hands on these comics. I was waiting in line for the Scott Pilgrim screening and found myself surrounded by TWD enthusiasts. I felt so lost in their talks, but the amount of energy within their discussion had me electrified. I wanted to be a part of it. Once I returned home from the convention and rested up, I jumped into the series.

What I found turned out to be one of the best stories I’ve ever read. Even better, it’s still ongoing. Creator Robert Kirkman weaves a tale about survivors, their struggles, and what it means to live on the brink of extinction. Sure the setting takes place within the zombie apocalypse, but it’s just that, a setting. The series is more than just about zombies. Characters have their motives, personal drama, and breaking points which makes reading it so great. Just imagine my excitement come Halloween when the show finally premiered on AMC. The pilot was fantastic, but from there on out the show felt like it was missing something. It was still a good watch, but there were aspects that, if present, could have made the show great.

Let’s start with what bothered me the most and make our way to what I enjoyed. List Time!

What Bothered Me

1. Geeks

Whose idea was it to call the zombies “Geeks”? Seriously? Worst idea ever. Call them walkers, call them zombies. Just don’t call them geeks ever again. I’m looking at you, T-Dog.

2. Band of Extras

The show introduced more survivors than were present in the comics. T-Dog? Merle? Daryl? Ed? Morales and Family? Jacqui?

None of the above mentioned were in the comics. It’s not that I hate them, but with more characters added the character development of the series’ core characters started to suffer. Take Rick Grimes for example, The Walking Dead‘s main protagonist. I didn’t care for him at all until the finale where he finally started to act the way he should, a leader who will do anything to protect his family.

T-Dog, Daryl, and Merle are new additions that I don’t mind having around. Daryl actually sits as my favorite survivor on the show. Who would have known? I think he’ll be around for some time as one, Norman Reedus is awesome, and two, he is a fan favorite.  T-Dog on the other hand I am indifferent to. I might want to see him take a backseat or end up as zombie chowder when Tyreese arrives next season… hopefully Tyreese arrives next season.

Majority of the extras ended up leaving or were killed by zombies. Take Ed for example. Don’t remember Ed? He was Carol’s deadbeat, drunken, good for nothing husband. In the comics he was already dead. In the show, he was killed in the zombie attack at the end of episode four. Jacqui? Killed within the CDC explosion. Morales and Family? They just got up and left making me question why they were even around in the first place.

Time spent on extras could have been used to develop the complexity of the core characters.

3. Character Development

There was barely any character development within the six episodes. I really hope this is addressed. The show spent more time trying to force character development instead of giving it to us. The boat scene between Andrea and Amy? The writers were forcing an intimate moment between the sisters, but at that point in the series Amy barely had more than five lines of dialogue. How is her death at the end of the episode supposed to resonate with the audience if the majority of us don’t have a growing connection with the character?

4. It’s A Prologue

As much as I hate to say it, season one of The Walking Dead is a prologue. The only episode to come straight out of the comic was the pilot. Episodes two through five took bits and pieces here and there from Kirkman’s graphic novel to weave in and out of with the show’s story. Episode six was the show’s own story entirely.

In the comics Merle never existed so there was no need to go back to Atlanta. There was no run in with the Nursing Home Survivors. The biggest diversion from story was the CDC. Kirkman never spent a minute in the series trying to explain what caused the epidemic. None of it was in the comics. Even Kirkman admits he still doesn’t know what caused the outbreak. He has repeatedly said when he gets to that part of the story, he’ll write it then.

The first season of The Walking Dead doesn’t even get past issue 5/6. Issue #80 plans to hit shelves later this month. That means the show has a lot to cover in terms of story. Season one was only a small taste of what’s to come. I was hoping for a bigger morsel.

What I Liked

1. The Atmosphere

Death. It’s everywhere. You can feel the hopelessness seeping from the survivors, but you also relish the joy of little things like a hot shower. When emotions are done right, the show shines.

2. CDC Storyline

Yes, I complained about going off track from comic book’s story. Yes, I realize this is going to happen a lot with the show, but hear me out. When done correctly, it really works. That is why I enjoyed the finale so much. Getting to see what happens to the human body as it transforms from living to undead fascinated me. What the comic never touched upon, the show did. It was a risky move if you ask me, but it was well handled. As long as the show doesn’t try to explain the outbreak before the comics again, I’ll be happy.

3. Zombies

I’m enjoying the look and the feel of the zombies. Some of them are so mutilated and ugly that it amazes me how the costume and makeup people pull it off. This is one extra feature I’m excited to see when the show releases on DVD/Blu-ray.

3.5.  Zombie Deaths

Bullets to the head, crossbows to the forehead, baseball bats taking heads off, axes, and sooo much more. Watching a zombie get killed is just plain fun.

4. The Love Triangle

The Rick-Shane-Lori triangle is great to watch. Watching Shane’s and Lori’s faces when Rick arrives to camp is priceless. It almost makes me feel bad for Shane. Almost. As Rick and Lori are now back together the show has done a great job showing Shane’s downward spiral when it comes to his affection for Lori. He nearly went as far as raping her to get what he wanted. Then again he was drunk and wasn’t thinking straight. I know how this story ends and so does anyone who read the comics. If the show continues to concentrate a bit longer on this triangle in the second season, viewers will be in for one hell of a treat.

For those curious, read up to the end of Issue #7 to learn what I’m talking about.

That settles my Likes and Dislikes for Season One of AMC’s The Walking Dead. That leaves one thing left to discuss.

What Did Dr. Jenner Whisper To Rick?

I have three theories on what it could be. I am labeling this as POSSIBLE SPOILERS.

1. Dr. Jenner tells Rick that Lori is pregnant. Since Jenner analyzed the blood tests from everyone that entered the CDC he would be able to determine if anyone was pregnant. Now the big question is, if Lori is pregnant, whose the baby’s daddy? Shane or Rick?

2. Dr. Jenner witnessed the encounter between Shane and Lori in the Rec Room on cameras and warned Rick to watch out for Shane.

3. Dr. Jenner reveals information about the infection to Rick. I would go more into detail about this, but I rather not spoil it. For those curious, Rick’s monologue at the end of Issue #24 will explain it better.

I find it likely to be number 1.

Overall I thought the first season was pretty good. The show has a lot of potential to improve with a 13-episode season next year. We all can hope for some great zombie killing fun. Just keep the extras to a minimum and get the story rolling!

P.S. Read the comics. You won’t regret it.

For more television reviews and interviews, click here.

Images courtesy of Scott Garfield and AMC.

Smallville Review: The Prodigal Father Returns!

Heeeeeeeee’s baaaaaack! Oh yes, the slimy and charming father of Lex Luthor portrayed with evil glee through the first seven seasons of Smallville by John Glover is back and just as fun to watch as ever. I would be lying if I didn’t profess my odd love for the character of Lionel. I would maybe even go so far as to call him my favorite character that the series has ever produced. You never quite know what his game is or what he will do next and I love that about him.

Bones Review – The Triumphs of Daisy Wick

This week’s episode was so decent I almost cried. Okay, well…I’ve been sick and a little emotional, so those factors may have played a part, but still. It was a good one.

Once again, the writers chose to focus the episode around the case – you know, like the show’s original intent – and it still works. This week begins with an exploding truck and a skeleton that appears to be melted to the dashboard. I say appears because Brennan (Emily Deschanel) is adamant that bones cannot physically melt.

The case leads us to a chop shop, where we meet a guy who identifies the victim and swears they were friends – even though he keeps antique weapons from WWII. He points Booth (David Boreanaz) toward the victim’s wife, and suspicion around her increases when we learn she recently took out a large insurance policy on her husband. The wife is a teacher, and a very nicely done comedic scene takes place when Bones bonds with the “delinquents” in detention. This is the kind of comedy that drew us into the show five years ago. Understated, funny, but still connected to the larger story – the scene has a purpose other than pure comedy, therefore avoiding the kitschy, over the top issues we’ve seen in some other episodes this season.

The supporting cast is incorporated nicely as well. They retain their specific purposes and personalities while assisting with the case. How odd, right? I mean, that’s exactly what a supporting cast is there for. Daisy (Carla Gallo) is worried about passing her psych exam, but still manages to pretty much crack the case on her own. First, she helps Cam (Tamara Taylor) figure out how to unstick the bones from the dashboard. Next, she gives Hodgins (T.J. Thyne) an assist on one of his infamous lab experiments (another great throwback moment, as he’s injured as a result). Daisy rounds out her evening with a sweet evening with Sweets (John Francis Daley) as he helps her prepare for her examination.

Angela (Michaela Conlin) works her voodoo magic with the see through image board thingy, straightening out the image of the “melted” skeleton and helping Bones and Daisy determine cause of death. The victim’s wife, it turns out, was having an affair with a student (another storyline that accomplished its goal of passing along a message without being too heavy handed and cheesy) and the student’s girlfriend killed the husband in a strange attempt to win back her boyfriend and get the teacher in trouble.

Hannah (Katheryn Winnick) reappeared and spent the episode worried about meeting and winning the approval of Booth’s son, Parker. At first it seems like this could be a problem for the couple, like perhaps she doesn’t really like children, but in the end she wins him over and for the first time, I actually like her character because I do, not because they’re telling me to.

Bones seems to be a bit jealous or put out (as much as she’s able to show those emotions) that Parker has taken so easily to Hannah.

Overall, one of the best episodes of the season so far, and one can only hope that the second half will follow in its footsteps.

Season 6, Episode 8: The Twisted Bones in the Metal Truck (originally aired December 2, 2010)

For more on Bones, click here.

Thursdays at 8/7c on Fox

Photographs courtesy of Fox, IMDbPro.

Black Swan Review: So This Is What Crazy Feels Like

It goes without saying that movies have the power to affect us in a number of ways. A comedy can cheer us up by making us laugh. A good drama can make us empathize and feel sorrow. And a musical can make us want to sing and dance down the streets in our own life. Movies can make us scared, angry, or put us at ease but I never thought I’d see the day where a movie makes me legitimately feel insane. Well, ladies and gentlemen, that day has arrived and the culprit is Black Swan, a masterful descent into madness that I will not soon forget.

Director Darren Aronofsky has taken us to some dark places in the past with films like Requiem For a Dream and The Wrestler but never before has he taken us so perfectly and terrifyingly into the mind of a character who is just plain bugnuts crazy. Obsession is not a new trait among fascinating cinematic characters but it has perhaps never been more interesting or twisted as in the case of Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman). On the surface, Nina is the most frigid, dull, and socially awkward person you’d ever be likely to meet. She has devoted her entire life to the ballet in such a way that she actually skipped normal adolescence and missed out on all of the important things that most human beings learn and experience on their road to adulthood. Nina has none of those and is effectively a child as a result.

When the autocratic director of her ballet company, Thomas (Vincent Cassel), summarily dismisses their aging star (Winona Ryder), Nina begins the process of auditioning to replace her in the leading role of their upcoming production of Swan Lake. To properly take on this role of The Swan Queen though she must be able to take on two personas – one, which comes effortlessly to her, is the White Swan who is beautiful, fragile, and elegant while the other is the Black Swan who epitomizes everything that Nina is not – seductive, impulsive, and free. Thomas surprisingly and reluctantly casts Nina in the role in hopes that he can help her find the Black Swan inside of herself and pull of a performance that is nothing less than perfection.

Thomas has a reputation for sleeping with his stars and the rest of the company naturally assumes that Nina gave up a few favors for the role, but this never actually happens. Lord knows he makes a few attempts but as the film goes on and his frustration with Nina’s inability to master the Black Swan character grows, it becomes clear that he isn’t turned on by her at all and that he maybe even regrets his casting choice. Nina’s growing insecurity mixed with the arrival Lily (Mila Kunis), a vivacious new dancer who is Nina’s complete opposite in the personality department, sets in motion a downward spiral of emotions and experiences all done in the name of desired perfection and paranoia.

With Lily’s help, Nina begins to experience everything in life that has thus far been out of her orbit. Sex, drugs, skirting responsibility, and rebelling against her overbearing mother (Barbara Hershey) all become important components in her quest to find the Black Swan inside her. And as these elements grow, a mysterious scar on her back and spontaneous bleeding elsewhere on her body point to a transformation with something darker attempting to break out. As these scenes progress the line between reality and fantasy begins to blur until, like Nina, we have no concept of what is real and what isn’t. I cannot wait to rewatch the film and become more conscious of when things started to disintegrate for me as a viewer, but I can say for certainty that the last thirty minutes or so was an uninhibited descent into the unknown. We are in completely and perfectly in Nina’s head and believe me when I say that it is a disturbing, confounding, and utterly haunting ride.

As Nina, Natalie Portman completely destroys any notions that we may have previously had about her acting chops. She absolutely kills every frame of this movie that she is in and it is stunning to behold. Not only did she go to some really dark places for this role, but she managed to take us with her and for that, she deserves every accolade at our disposal.

Portman is aided in this career-defining role with brilliant work from Cassel, Ryder, and Hershey but it is Kunis who shocks the most among the supporting players for her delicious turn as Lily. Who would have ever thought that the obnoxious girl from That 70s Show would ever pull off a serious dramatic role in a movie like this? I sure didn’t but I couldn’t have asked for a more pleasant surprise.

It also goes without saying that this is Aronofsky’s greatest work to date. By bringing the film to an overdramatized level that could best be described as operatic he somehow still keeps everything grounded with the characters despite the intentionally bombastic music and theatrical lighting. The film looks gritty and beautiful all at once and his attention to detail is seemingly beyond compare. His emphasis on simple things like the trimming of fingernails is so visceral that I may never again clip my nails without thinking about Nina and this movie. And don’t even get me started on hangnails. This movie has made them worse in my mind than they ever were before and that’s really saying something. You’ll know what I mean once you see it.

In short, Black Swan is a masterpiece that I cannot wait to revisit. The wealth of imagery and emotion put on the screen is so vast thanks to Aronofsky’s stunning direction, Portman’s brilliant performance, and extraordinary use of lighting, music, and editing. This will likely not play well in middle America or with those who like their stories spoon-fed with explanations, but this is one of the great artworks of 2010 and like Nina’s debut performance as the Swan Queen, it is perfection.

Grade: A

Supernatural Review: R.I.P Crowley

This week’s episode of Supernatural was one of epic proportions. We see the return of Meg, Castiel, Grandpa Campbell, Crowley, and many of the monsters the Winchesters have come across this season. While we get some kind of resolution in this story arc, audiences may be left questioning what’s next for the brothers.

Sam and Dean are still doing Crowley’s dirty work by looking for alpha creatures and delivering them to the demons for torture. The demon king has them locked up in a prison-like complex where he interrogates them to confess the location of purgatory. One question though, if so many of these creatures have claimed that they don’t know the location, isn’t it possible that they really don’t know? It seems far-fetched that none of these monsters would crack under pressure, if indeed they knew where purgatory was situated.

After their latest delivery, the Winchesters head back to their motel where they are knocked unconscious by Meg’s henchmen. Meg it seems is on the run from Crowley, since he is now head demon and is hunting down all the Lucifer loyalists. Sam and Dean strike a bargain with her that they’ll lead her little group to Crowley, given that they first get some face time with him. Dean is upset that they are teaming up with Meg, while Sam feels that they have no other alternative. As a backup plan they recruit Castiel along for the ride. In an homage to Raiders of the Lost Ark, Sam stands in the middle of the road talking about finding a gold box that melts people’s faces when they look into it to get Cas to finally appear.

The three of them do some digging at Grandpa Campbell’s office after unsuccessfully trying to locate Crowley through angelic means. Gramps catches them in the act and my suspicions are confirmed that the demon promised old Samuel his daughter back from the grave. Dean gets especially pissed and brought up an excellent point that in the very unlikely event that Crowley agrees to his side of the bargain and brings their mom back, is Samuel going to tell her that he refused to help her sons? How would she feel about that? In fact it’s a little creepy at how intense he seems about his daughter. It makes one think of Oedipus that is if Oedipus was a girl and the father was in love with his daughter. Just saying.

In any case Samuel tells them that they don’t understand and tells them to leave. Back at the motel again Cas is watching adult entertainment on TV with the brothers busily researching when Gramps shows up saying that he’s finally helping them out because that’s what their mother would have wanted. They rendezvous with Meg and her demon henchmen with Sam taking back the knife from her and killing one of them, saying that he just did them all a favor because it had been more interested in killing the hunters. Once again we see a very confident and focused Sam. This is the upside to his soullessness and when we’re not seeing the creepy smile, it does make one wonder if it’s better this way for the younger Winchester.

Cas tells Dean before they leave that Sam’s soul is probably in bad shape in the cage with Lucifer and Michael taking out their frustrations on it. He’s not sure if putting it back into Sam will do him any favors. Dean is reluctant to see his point, believing that his brother is better off with a soul than without one.

Their ragtag team heads to Crowley’s monster emporium where they are able to slip in a little too easily. Soon hellhounds are let loose and Meg uncharacteristically agrees to hold them off but not before she plants a big kiss on Cas. In a strange turn of events, the angel returns the favor having learned something from the pizza guy. Sam and Dean watch on the sidelines with perplexed looks on their faces. This is perhaps one of the most random and funniest scenes we’ve seen this entire season.

We find out however that Samuel betrayed the Winchesters to Crowley, proving how crazy he really is. Their grandfather sends Cas away and Sam and Dean are escorted to their respective cells. Dean soon becomes breakfast to a pair of monsters but his brother comes to the rescue after biting his own skin to draw a devil’s trap on the ceiling using his own blood. How the heck he managed to draw it so well when there didn’t appear to be any furniture he could stand on is a mystery.

Meanwhile demon Christian captures Meg and straps her to an operating table where he proceeds to torture her. She manically laughs and endures the stabbing until Dean comes and kills Christian. My inside voice cheered at the death of another weird Campbell, even if he was possessed.

Crowley is about to interrogate the female djinn from the first episode of season six when an alarm goes off and he is drawn back to Meg’s torture room with a dead Christian on the ground. Sam and Dean say hello and Crowley finds himself in another devil’s trap. Bloodied Meg comes in and joins the party. Sam then demands for his soul back but Crowley confesses that he can’t actually do the job despite earlier claims. He also tells them the same thing Cas said; that Sam’s soul was more than likely damaged beyond repair and would kill the younger Winchester if he got it back.

Dean then hands Meg Ruby’s knife saying that she can kill Crowley now that he’s useless to them. As she steps into the devil’s trap though, Crowley is able to take the knife from her and break the circle. He slams the brothers against the wall when Cas reappears with the demon’s bones in tow. Cas asks Crowley one more time if he can get Sam’s soul back and when he says no, the angel burns him without hesitation. Meg meanwhile makes her getaway while everyone’s distracted.

Outside the prison, Cas admits that the war in heaven isn’t going well and he finds himself wanting to be down on earth more than up there. He tells Sam that they’ll find another way to get his soul back, but the younger Winchester says that if he wants to help he should do something about the prison full of monsters.

The episode ends with Sam telling Dean that he doesn’t think he wants his soul back after all then walking away from his brother.

So where does the story go from here? We still don’t know why the monsters have been amassing greater numbers and now that Crowley is gone, will Meg take over as number one demon? Or will she try to release Lucifer from the cage even knowing that the devil has no love for his children? We still haven’t seen that much of the angelic civil war, so that might be a possibility as well. Also what kind of payback do the Winchesters have in store for Samuel?

The big question is whether Dean will learn to live with this version of Sam or not. Will he be able to accept his brother’s choice and can he even view him as his brother still sans soul?

One thing’s for sure though, Crowley will be missed in his Bobby-kissing entirety.

Season 6, Episode 10: Caged Heat (originally aired December 3, 2010)

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Images courtesy of The CW, Michael Courtney, and Jack Rowand.

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