What did you miss? For a review of the last episode, click HERE

From TVline: https://www.tvfanatic.com/2019/10/evil-season-1-episode-5-review-october-31/

EVIL S1 Ep5: October 31 

Jessica Lerner 

October 24, 2019 11:00 pm.

They say don't call it a comeback, so we won't.

And if you happen to need clarity to what I'm referring to, that would be the way that EVIL Season 1 Episode 5 surprisingly rebounded after the disasterous EVIL Season 1 Episode 4.

Sure, there were still issues -- namely the subplot involving Kristen's daughters -- but it managed to deliver something pretty great.


Viewers got their first look into what an exorcism on the series would look like, and it seemed like the average TV fanfare.


What made it stand out was the length of the exorcism, which viewers were told was longer than usual, and the constant back-and-forth.

Dr. Boggs: This is not supernatural Father. This is a sick woman who is in danger of harming herself.
Father Amara: No, she is in danger of being harmed by supernatural forces.

Something was obviously wrong with the woman, but instead of just Kristen and Acosta arguing over whether it was possession or not, Father Amara and Kristen's therapist Dr. Boggs got in on the fun.

And things seemed pretty par for the course until the woman mentioned Acosta's visions.

As a man of the cloth, predicting the priest-in-training is having visions or communing with God isn't that far of a stretch.

What made Acosta -- and viewers -- pause, though, was the woman's comment about the three stars, which has become a focal point in his visions.


Acosta: What if it’s not delusions?
Kristen: Dr. Boggs has graduated Johns Hopkins. He’s got 30 years treating schizophrenia, but I mean sure, let’s just get his professional opinion and ignore it.
Acosta: I understand that. All I’m asking is what if her possession is not delusion.
Dr. Boggs: You’re calling me here and asking me to believe, but I deal in facts, psychiatry. I look at her and see a very sick woman who needs a doctor’s care and may die without it.
Acosta: And we see a very sick woman who may die if we stop.


There's no rational way she could have known about that, and yet she did, making Acosta a true believer at that moment.

While the night's events weren't enough to convert Kristen since she left before the end of the exorcism, they might have made a believer out of Dr. Boggs.

Or at the very least, make him question a few things.


As a non-medical professional, I can't say with certainty whether there's an explainable reason for the woman returning to her old self.

However, something happened during that conversation with Acosta, and it seems to have made an impression on Dr. Boggs.

Related: EVIL Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Rose 390

Whether it was the psychological comfort that she was no longer in danger or the demon finally getting exorcised, it's unclear.

Whatever it was, the woman seemed to be doing much better in the final scene, providing both a happy ending and the looming question of if it was a demonic possession or not.


Also on the plus side, Ben got an entire subplot all to himself.

Separating him from the team at this early point in the series could have been disastrous if the character wasn't so likable.

It’s Halloween night and our investigation takes us to Jersey to one of the most haunted strip clubs in Jersey City.Tony

His scenes gave the character a chance to shine, as they provided both opportunities for snarky comments and vulnerability.

Plus, seeing him go on a series that was essentially the made-for-TV version of his job was pretty darn epic.


And the idea for a haunted strip club was ingenious, further showing how inane that paranormal show was.

Predictably, Ben had no problems debunking the show's gimmicks, though it was surprising how easily he opened up to the show's own resident skeptic, Vanessa.

We live in a world that is made up of bits and pixels, and it is so easy to manipulate them and create whatever we want. And I hate that because it encourages superstition and conspiracy theories. I just don’t like when you can’t tell what is real and what is fake. Ben

The pair had a great conversation about how most of what they deal with isn't supernatural, but each have had their own share of experiences that they just can't explain.

It was a nice moment that ended up getting ruined when Ben found out their conversation was being recorded.

It was the first time Ben had opened up about his uncertainty, something he felt he couldn't do with Acosta or Kristen.

That made it all the more disappointing when he was seemingly betrayed by Vanessa.


Ben: You don’t really believe in this crap?
Vanessa: Ninety-five percent of what we shoot is helped along, but the other 5 percent – I’ve seen some stuff you can’t exactly explain.


She made him feel like he could trust her, but she just ended up using him for content for the show.

In the end, the pair managed to patch things, and hopefully we'll be seeing more of her as Ben did manage to snag her phone number.

A romantic pairing between the two is something fans could get behind as their chemistry is off the charts.

As for other romantic pairings, how fun is it seeing Townsend and Sheryl together?

Obviously, Townsend only pursued Sheryl to get under Kristen's skin, but their interactions so far have been just delicious to watch.


Townsend: Was your friend OK?
Sheryl: Excuse me?
Townsend: Your friend?
Sheryl: Oh, yeah, he just had some hiccups. He’ll be fine.
Townsend: I’m glad. I knew a man that had hiccups like that; he had a heart attack and died.
Sheryl: I’m so sorry.
Townsend: That’s all right. He was suicidal anyway.

Plus, Sheryl has been underutilized throughout the series so far, only relegated to babysitter duty, so any chance to spend more than five minutes with her is appreciated.

Due to the lack of screen time over the past four episodes, I don't have an opinion on the character.


She seems like the cool relative who would take you to a rock concert without your parents' consent and get you in with a fake ID.

She's someone teenagers would want to hang out with, but maybe not the most reliable of caretakers.

Sheryl: Ok, take it off.
Townsend: I’m practically naked here.
Sheryl: Wait, what color are your underwear? Let me guess: They’re boxers, and they’re Cupid hearts.
Townsend: Worse, Jedi knights.

That was proven true tenfold when Sheryl didn't even realize Kristen's daughters and their friends had a) left the bedroom, b) went down into the basement, and c) ended up in a local cemetery.

Kristen should rethink her choice of babysitter in the future, as three out of four of her daughters ended up in a graveyard at night.


And speaking of her daughters, I'm compelled to wonder why the writers decided to give this annoying foursome yet another substantial subplot.

Once again, the girls found themselves dealing with a creepy little girl, this time going by the name of "Brenda."

Except "Brenda" wasn't really Brenda, so it's not really clear who that little girl was supposed to be.

Related: EVIL Season 1 Episode 3 Review: 3 Stars

Was she a demon in disguise or just some kid who got off on having the girls play a game where they pretend to kill their parents and bury them?

And since the writers were so adamant about introducing yet another creepy little girl, wouldn't it have made more sense to nod to "Brenda" being Rose390?

Some mentioned the Rose390 plot from EVIL Season 1 Episode 4 felt unresolved, so having "Brenda" be Rose390, the Wednesday Addams-like character from the scary virtual reality game, would have made sense.

Only now, it's more confusing than ever why Kristen's daughters keeping "attracting" creepy little girls as playmates.

Once upon a time there was a girl who was so burned by her parents that she looked like a monster. No one could look at her for more than a minute. She couldn’t go outside because people were too scared of her. They would scream and they would run away, but Halloween night was the only night she could go out because she could wear a mask and no one thought it was weird. And no one was scared of her until she took it off.Fake Brenda
Permalink: No one could look at her for more than a minute.

It's a question that if indeed does receive an answer means spending an ample amount of time watching the shrieking girls on the TV screen.

Maybe it would just be better to "quit" while the writers are behind and drop these wasteful subplots, but knowing the Kings, they probably have something clever up their sleeves that may make it all worth it.


Some stray thoughts:
There wasn't much mention of the show's larger mythology, but there were some subtle references, including the three stars from Acosta's vision and another mention of the Sixty. Hopefully, this means we're getting back on track and will be getting answers soon.

Was anyone else curious how Kristen's daughters and their friends got to the cemetery? Is there one right around the corner, or did they simply walk there? And if the latter, how come no adults asked where their parents were?

Can we please see more of Sheryl and Dr. Boggs in the future? I would much rather spend time with them than with Kristen's annoying girls who the series seems intent on showing.

So what did you think EVIL Fanatics?

What's your new favorite 'ship: Ben and Vanessa or Sheryl and Townsend?

How will Kristen react when she finds out about her mother and nemesis cozying up?

Are "Brenda" and Rose390 the same little girl?

Hit the comments below to let my know your thoughts. If you happened to miss the latest episode, don't worry. You can watch EVIL online right here at TV Fanatic.

Amazing Spider-Man #50-55: Last Remains

 

Amazing Spider-Man: Last Remains

Collects Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #50-55

Written by Nick Spencer
Art by Mark Bagley, Patrick Gleason

Spider-Man just took the beating of his life — and that's only the beginning! Kindred — the mystery villain who has been plaguing Peter Parker's life from the shadows — is stepping out on stage for the first time, and Spider-Man is not ready for the havoc that will result. Now the wall-crawler must seek out the aid of one of his oldest allies: Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme. But it's not going to be enough! To take the fight to Kindred, will Peter be forced to consider the unthinkable? If you think you've seen a brutal Spider-Man fight before, you are wrong. This one is going to change the way you look at Spidey — and the way Peter Parker looks at himself!

Guardians of the Galaxy #6-12: Here We Make Our Stand

Guardians Of The Galaxy:

Here We Make Our Stand

Collects Guardians of the Galaxy (2020) #6-12.

Written by Al Ewing

Art by Juann Cabal and Marcio Takara

The new age of space is here! In the wake of EMPYRE, the political map of the galaxy is being radically redrawn — and now it's time for a nice, peaceful diplomatic conference. As the ambassador for the Utopian Kree, Marvel Boy makes a solemn promise to be on his best behavior. So how come his fellow diplomats are being murdered one by one — and it looks like he's the killer? Meanwhile, everyone thinks Peter Quill is dead. Instead, he journeys through a mythic world on the other side of reality. But is he still Quill — or is he the legendary Star-Lord? Plus: Knull and his symbiote dragons target Spartax, and the Guardians cannot save it alone! And the Olympian gods return to our universe — but they're taking their exile very personally!

What did you miss? For a review of the last episode, click HERE

from the Dexter fandom wiki: https://dexter.fandom.com/wiki/Episode_104:_Let%27s_Give_the_Boy_a_Hand

Dexter S1 Ep 4:
Let's Give The Boy A Hand

In the opening sequence, a severed male hand is found at Petrie Beach. It is unknown whether this is the work of the Ice Truck Killer or not. Whilst investigating the hand, Doakes spots Guerrero's men watching him. After discovering that the hand belongs to Tony Tucci (LaGuerta's Ice Truck Killer suspect) the Lieutenant visits Tucci's mother in an attempt to make amends for branding him a killer on television. She promises to bring him home, dead or alive.

Dexter remembers that this is a beach he came to as a child. During a flashback scene, Harry, his foster father, lectures him on the importance of faking emotions to make other people happy. Back at his apartment, Dexter looks through an old family photo album. It appears that The Ice Truck Killer broke into his apartment to get to know him, not just leave doll parts.

Debra is forced to watch boxes of surveillance tapes by LaGuerta, who continues to make life miserable for her. Kara’s brother continues to taunt Doakes about how he’s going to get himself killed. Doakes lets him know that Ricky wouldn’t come out of cover to give Kara a divorce and that he’s the reason she was killed.

Another body part is found, this time a severed foot at an old football ground where Dexter had played. He tells Doakes that the killer is sending a message that is more important than the ritual, but cannot tell him what, or why. After analysis of the foot, Dexter determines that Tucci is still alive and is systematically having his limbs removed by the Ice Truck Killer. LaGuerta phones Tony's mother to tell her that her son may still be alive and that they will find him.

Angel asks Dexter for his advice on an anniversary gift to give his wife, Nina. He continues to ask for advice from Dexter on various gifts he's gotten, first a diamond-filled stud that Dexter says looks like a butterfly and an "XO" necklace that he says looks like "tic-tac-toe". Angel later buys a diamond heart necklace and tries to find Dexter in the Miami Metro Police Department in order to make sure there's nothing wrong with this gift, but instead finds Debra, who tells him that, "She'll love it." It is revealed, however. that Angel and his wife have been separated for three months due to "something he did." Nina still wants to be alone, despite it being their tenth anniversary. Angel is saddened and proceeds to leave, but Nina gives him the courtesy of seeing their daughter. He apologizes to her, while she is asleep and leaves the diamond necklace next to her, before leaving.

Doakes is kidnapped as soon as he gets home by Carlos Guerrero’s men. As Doakes is about to be killed, the cops rush in to arrest them all. Using him as bait was the plan all along, as Detective McNamara wanted to catch Guerrero dirty-handed. McNamara also told Doakes that they are "even now" (since Doakes had an affair with his sister, who was married, although seeking a divorce).

Dexter follows the clues to an abandoned hospital (another flashback from his past). Whilst searching the hospital, Dexter finds Tucci (who is blindfolded), waiting for his kidnapper to make the final kill. Tucci begs for death, but Dexter cannot kill an innocent man, due to Harry's influence. He makes an anonymous tip to Debra and leaves, resulting in the police arriving and rescuing Tony Tucci. Debra's efforts result in LaGuerta taking her off surveillance duty.

Deadpool #7-10: King Deadpool Vol 2

King Deadpool Vol. 2

Written by Kelly Thompson
Art by Gerado Sandoval

Collects Deadpool (2019) #7-10.

It's a love story, Deadpool — just say yes! Elsa Bloodstone the monster hunter is dying, and the only one who can save her is…Wade Wilson! What has gone wrong with Elsa's mystical, magical Bloodstone gem? What can Deadpool possibly do about it? And what is the actual truth of the Bloodstone curse? Scandal, betrayal and a dimension full of hideous goo all await — it's gonna get messy! Then, the King of the Monsters takes on the King of the Dragons! An evil, ancient cult wants to kill Deadpool. An evil, ancient space god wants to kill Deadpool. Why does everyone want to kill Deadpool?!?

What did you miss? For a review of the last episode, click HERE

From Vulture.com: https://www.vulture.com/article/fargo-season-4-episode-4-recap-the-pretend-war.html

Fargo S4 Ep 4: The Pretend War

Fargo Recap: A Burning Ring of Fire
By Keith Phipps


Photo: Courtesy of FX

Before getting into this week’s episode, “The Pretend War,” it’s worth pausing for a moment to consider the split-screen transition devices the series has been using all season. They’re both elegant and ominous, never more so than in this week’s opening, which checks in on most of the major characters in the moments after Zelmare and Swanee’s raid on the Cannon safe house in between shots of Christmas decorations. The device has featured a few dual compositions, most memorably one that positioned Josto opposite Loy, but it’s mostly employed triptychs. That’s better suited to this season’s narrative. This season is about a struggle between Josto and Loy, sure, but all these other elements keep getting into the mix, like Gaetano and Oraetta and the gun-toting Bonnie-and-Bonnie pair of Zelmare and Swanee. There’s always an X-factor throwing off the balance. It’s never just about two sides clashing.


It’s not even clear who’s in charge of each side. In another sit-down between consiglieri, Ebal and Doctor Senator make a tense effort to keep the peace before tensions between the Faddas and the Cannons get too out of control. This time it’s Ebal’s turn to monologue. Recounting his experiences as an immigrant to Doctor, he recalls puzzling over the phrase “American values,” ultimately concluding that “to be an American is to pretend.” It’s an act of roleplaying that involves sustaining an attitude that you have a right to be here, that you’ve always had a right to be here. Ebal says he has no problem with that, but he can’t pretend that the two sides are at peace when they’re really at war (an exchange that gives the episode its title).


The only problem: He doesn’t really know what he’s talking about. Sure, in a memorable early scene, the Cannons surrounded a Fadda truck smuggling weapons beneath a load of oranges in a flaming ring, sent the driver off to a fiery death, and branded Constant’s face with the barrel of a gun, but they were reacting both to Zelmare and Swanee’s safe house raid and a failed hit on Loy’s jazz-loving son Lemuel. With no knowledge of how much Gaetano was flexing his muscles and trying to push Josto off the throne, Ebal came to the meeting unprepared. “It seems to be that you aren’t tracked in on all the critical goings on in your house these days,” Doctor tells him, an apt summary of the chaotic state of all things Fadda these days. Or, as Loy puts it, nobody seems to know if the “ape or the pipsqueak” is running the show.

Loy’s well-equipped to take advantage of the situation, even if he’s slow to act. Maybe he’s too concerned about the well-being of his family to lash out. Or maybe he still has designs on expanding the legitimate wing of the Cannon syndicate, even if the banks don’t seem interested in the way-out “credit card” idea he and Doctor are championing. Or maybe he’s just smart and wants to stay that way. “Nobody’s dumb and smart at the same time,” he says, and Loy’s not dumb. He quickly susses out that the safe house raid, though bloody and costly, is “just some crime.”

Instead of coming at Josto, he tries to get at him via Rabbi, a perceived weak link and a man with whom he’s developed a certain amount of understanding (even if that doesn’t stop Loy from cutting him, with both a knife and his words). It also doesn’t take him long to figure out that Thurman, as harmless as he seems, has shown up at his house with the safe house money. (Though, to be fair, Swanee’s vomit definitely looked potent enough to survive Zelmare’s attempt to clean it of blood and fumes). Will he be smart enough to survive the coming storm? TBD. After taking possession of 300 guns, he sends 200 north to Mort Kellerman, a Fargo gangster, at a bargain price in return for his loyalty. We met the ill-fated Kellerman in Fargo’s second season. Loy seems to have picked the wrong team.

While Loy sits and makes plans, Josto’s staying busy, albeit in ways that may not benefit his long-term survival. We find him, having presumably learned Oraetta’s name and where she lives, engaging in an afternoon tryst. Oraetta has decided to teach him a thing or two about breath play, and while their session goes quite well this time, she doesn’t seem like the sort of person who will always bring safe practices to the bedroom in the future. Even more concerning, though Josto seems not to notice it, she’s annoyed at his harsh language and suspects he might just be using her to get access to more “fluffy whiz-bang,” a habit that seems unlikely to help his judgement.

It might be a factor in his decision to go confront Gaetano after Rabbi tells him of the failed hit Josto knows he didn’t order. He stands his ground against his younger brother, who backs down. (Having a gun pressed against your testicles can make even the biggest, toughest man reconsider his choices.) But it feels like a temporary retreat. Josto’s making his family members choose sides and Rabbi, whatever his flaws, stands by Josto in the standoff. When it ends, most of the Faddas leave with Josto, but his grasp on power seems more tenuous than ever before.

It doesn’t help that Odis, his man in the KCPD, fails to lose Deafy by giving him the hot tip that Zelmare and Swanee have skipped town for Chicago. Deafy doesn’t buy it. (The “informant’s” poor performance certainly doesn’t help.) “Kansas City was my mandate and Kansas City is where I’ll stay,” he tells Odis, while also pointing out that being a federal marshal means he can always call someone in Chicago to handle it. Beyond that, Odis takes him directly to Fadda headquarters with the excuse of talking to a different tipster, Rabbi (who’s everywhere this week). That Deafy stares down both the now-marred Constant and Gaetano while recounting a story of what happened to some Italian criminals who dared to set foot in Salt Lake City doesn’t bode well for the prospect of the Faddas staying under the radar thanks to Josto’s relationship with Odis.

Their discussion also feels like an appetizer for a bigger blow-up down the line, but it’s nowhere near as ominous as what happens to Ethelrida when she reluctantly takes Oraetta up on her offer to help organize her apartment for some spare cash. The Smutny family needs every extra dollar it can get and, hey, the offer of French music and a chance to borrow some books has its appeal. Oraetta, of course, continues to be a condescending nightmare, but she accepts Ethelrida’s proposed rate and lets her be, only warning her off looking into one of the hall closets.

It’s all going just fine — until Ethelrida, maybe forgetting the story of Bluebeard, looks into that hall closet. There she finds a stash of drugs, newspaper clippings discussing a string of seemingly unrelated deaths, and rows of eyeglasses, medals, and other ill-gotten goods. It’s the trophy case of a serial killer, even if Ethelrida has only started to put that together by episode’s end. Even worse, she’s absconded with the worst possible trophy she could have taken — Donatello’s ring — and left her journal behind in the closet. This could turn ugly quickly.

If so, it’s unlikely to be the only trouble soon visited on the King of Tears mortuary. Dibrell knows right away how her husband has paid off their loan, and knows it could lead to a disaster for the family. (Their exchange gives Anji White her best moment yet after several episodes of providing strong support from the margins.) “It’ll all blow over soon enough,” Thurman says to Ethelrida, but he doesn’t sound like he believes it. And, even if he’s right, that doesn’t mean the blowing over won’t leave plenty of destruction behind.
Okay Then!

• We learn a bit more about what makes Oraetta run this episode. She’s a romantic who dreams of travel to Istanbul, an exotic place that is maybe where they shot Casablanca? They shot Casablanca in Casablanca, Josto tells her. (He’s wrong but he’s at least a little less wrong.) Nonetheless, she’s emerging as a person who’s confused her yearning to experience life in its fullness with a sense that she doesn’t need to follow the rules of conventional society. (She does not like swearing, however. She and Deafy would probably get along.)

• A couple of non-Coen homages this week. Zelmare hanging all that money on a clothesline after washing it out in a tub recalls the Wachowskis’ great Bound, in which Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly find love while ripping off some gangsters. The ringing telephone that keeps ringing even after the image shifts elsewhere gives a little nod to Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America. The oranges in the truck and later on Loy’s table echo the use of oranges as a symbol of death in each of the Godfather movies. Clearly Hawley and the rest of the Fargo crew spent some time watching classic gangster movies to prepare for this season.

• A lingering question: What did Oraetta want to accomplish with the ipecac-laced pie? Presumably sickening the whole Munson family to a much lesser degree than poor Swanee is experiencing. She couldn’t have thought one of the Munsons would have gobbled up the whole pie. Also, why she sent the pie in the first place remains a mystery, unless it was simply out of spite at Ethelrida’s understandably less-than-respectful attitude.

• Oh yeah, there’s apparently now a ghost in the mix. Ehelrida sees it in the King of Tears. Zelmare sees it — assuming it’s the same one — in the hotel room. Her line about people, not places, being haunted seems even more significant now.

• That sex scene should probably have come with a “Don’t try this at home” warning.

What did you miss? For a review of the last episode, click HERE

From Showtime: https://www.sho.com/black-monday/season/3/episode/10/one

Black Monday S3 Ep 10: ONE!

New Year’s Eve 1989. It’s Mo’s “wedding day,” but priority number one is to make sure he and his crew live to see another decade. He and Dawn, Blair, Keith and Yassir work together to do whatever it takes to make sure that happens. Season finale.