While we wait for the new season to begin, we will be posting season 4 spoilers and screenshots as we receive them. For now, check out some screenshots, including the official Season 4 poster.

Technorati Tags: Merlin, Season 4, SyFy Network, Television, Fantasy Show, King Arthur, Screenshots

9:01 – The chefs walk in to Padre Stadium. The mission is to heighten the level of ball park food. It’s transformation time. They have 15 minutes to gather food to cook two classics. The winners of last week, Beau MacMillan and Geoffrey Zakarian get an extra five minutes of shopping time.

9:03 – Chef MacMillan really needs the extra time because he hurt his ankle during last weeks challenge. Chef Zakarian isn’t a ballpark boy, so he’s looking for anything that isn’t reminiscent of ballpark food, which could work in a positive or negative way depending on what he comes up with.

9:05 – The other chefs finally get to go and grab everything, and they are fighting for all they can get. The strategy seems to be to grab everything you can and figure it out later. Once shopping is done, the chefs run to the top of the hill and they receive 60 minutes to cook two dishes.

9:06 – The chefs waste no time in getting started. Alex Guarnaschelli goes for Sausage and Peppers with some crispy Onion rings for her first dish. Elizabeth Falkner is doing a reconstructed corn dog as one of her dishes.

9:12 – Chef Samuelsson is doing four dishes! This could be a mistake because if some of them are good and some suck, he still can end up at the bottom. Chef Zakarian went for a gazpacho and a spicy shrimp toast, among other things. Chef Chiarello is doing a fish cake and a grilled sausage with slow cooked peppers and onions.

9:13 – Chef Hughes is doing a Tilapia Corn dog as one of his dishes. Chef Burrell is doing a stuffed Brisket and some kicked up Sloppy Joes. With seven minutes left, everyone is cooking like crazy!

9:14 – Chef Irvine took two classic ballpark foods and made them into one. He’s making Hotburgs (that’s right…hamburger meets hotdog!)

9:15 – Cooking is done it’s time to show off some food for better or for worse! The chefs seem elated!

9:21 – It’s judging time and if it’s anything like last week they aren’t going to pull any punches. Guarnaschelli is up first. The judges enjoyed the Sausage and Peppers. The Lemon Sherbet was also popular because they felt it worked perfectly as a palette cleanser. The judges loved it.

9:22 – Chef Zakarian’s food was popular, but it had nothing to do with the challenge, so he could be in trouble. According to the judges, it was the best food they’ve ever tasted. The chef did not seem too worried. Chef MacMillan had some big flavors with his Deconstructed Cheesesteak and his other dish, though heaviness seemed to be an issue.

9:23 – Chef Burrell isn’t big into sports, but she loves beer! She made a Brisket Lettuce Wrap, which needed to be spicier according to the judges. The Spicy Joe was good, but they didn’t love it.

9:24 - Chef Faulkner went with a Remodeled Cheesesteak with a Bleu Cheese Ice Cream. It’s a playful dish and the Judges loved the use of the Ice cream. Next up was a Remodeled Corn Dog – the mustard didn’t work for the judges. Chef Chiarello’s fish cake was refined and the use of various seafood made the judges happy. For the second dish, the judges weren’t fond of the use of the raw egg on top. Chef Chiarello was hurt to find that the judges didn’t like his food and compared criticism of his food to criticizing one of his kids.

9:30 – Chef Samuelsson is up with four dishes! Shrimp Toastadas and a second seafood dish was flavorful and popular due to the handheld nature. Fries and a pork sandwich were also cooked. The judges recommended, doing two dishes well instead of overcooking and having a few less than popular dishes.

9:31 – Chef Hughes did a Shrimp and Pork Meatball Sub. The judges didn’t enjoy the shrimp and some had issues with the bun. The Tilapia Corn Dog was more popular. In fact, some praised it as being the best of the day.

9:32 – Chef Irvine starts with his HotBurg, which was incredibly popular. The second dish was a Deconstructed Fish Taco, but the judges felt the seasoning was off. It had a little too much acid for their tastes. Chef Irvine left not being sure what to expect.

9:33 – The results are coming in. Three of the Chefs were safe off the bat. Chef Hughes (the Tilapia), Chef Faulkner (the Ice Cream/Cheesesteak), Chef Guarnaschelli (everything was perfect. Chef Guarnaschelli takes home the win!

9:35 – Three of the chefs that performed in the middle were Chef Burrell (she played it too safe), Chef MacMillan (food was okay, but not great), and Chef Samuelsson (he cooks too much and from now on will be required to make what is required and nothing more).

9:36 - This leaves Chefs Chiarello, Irvine, and Zakarian. For Chef Zakarian the problem was that he didn’t follow the rules. The judges felt he blew off the challenge. Chef Irvine’s Deconstructed Fish Taco was his downfall. Chef Chiarello was dubbed Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, for having one dish so good and another so bad.

9:37 – Chef Zakarian is dismissed and survives, leaving Chefs Chiarello and Irvine to have to cook for their lives in the Secret Ingredient Showdown. I can’t wait to see the ingredient since the preview shows the reactions of Chef Irvine to be “OMG” and Chef Chiarello to be “Crap!”

9:42 – Chef Chiarello is ready to whip Irvine and Chef Irvine recognizes that the mission of beating him will be tough. The rules are simple. One single secret ingredient, one dish, 30 minutes. The secret ingredient is peanuts. Apparently, they never left the ballpark.

9:43 – While peanuts are fabulous, they can be hard to put into food and that is the problem both chefs see ahead of them. The other chefs are incredibly supportive.

9:44 – Chef Irvine decides to go Asian (which is where Chef Chiarello wants him to go!). Meanwhile, Chef Chiarello decides to make pasta! Handmade Fettuccine with Peanut Pesto! It’s crazy and a huge risk!

9:46 – With ten minutes left, Chef Irvine has a lot of parts cooking, but nothing officially done. With four minutes left, Irvine is beginning to plate and Chef Chiarello has dropped his pasta.

9:47 – Plating is going on. Chef Chiarello comments on how fast the time went! Still. he managed to pull off fresh pasta in 30 minutes (assuming it turned out). Both chefs are elated and hug at the end of the battle.

9:49 – Chef Irvine made Peanut Crusted Halibut with Peanut Hummus. The judges enjoy the multiple use of the peanuts and the correct cooking of the fish. Although, some of the judges (Symon in particular) felt their was too much Hummus.

9:50 – Chef Chiarello made a Peanut Pesto Fettuccine with a Fresh Tomato Mozzarella Salad. The judges enjoy the technique used. The peanuts came through and the palette cleanser of the salad was a big hit. Both dishes for both chefs ended up being successful. The question now is who is going home?

9:56 – The chefs are cooking their best, but someone has to go home. Some of the judges felt that Irvine showed more skill, but Chef Symon was gunning for Chef Chiarello, whose dish he clearly liked more!

9:57 – As the chefs come out, Alton Brown announces the non-unanimous decision that Chef Irvine will be going home. Chef Chiarello wins the battle, but with a small margin and Chef Irvine is forced to go home.

9:58 – Alton Brown calls in the Chefs to announce that Irvine went home due to the thickness of his hummus. The point being that the smallest mistake can send any of them home.

Next week: Desserts seem to be on tap and things seem to head in the wrong direction for a number of them!

Technorati Tags: Live blogging, The Next Iron Chef, Food, Reality TV, Alex Guarnaschelli, Elizabeth Falkner, Beau MacMillan, Anne Burrell, Michael Chiarello, Chuck Hughes, Robert Irvine, Marcus Samuelsson, Geoffrey Zakarian

So, here are TCMs favorite Marilyn moments. Do you see yours on the list?

Marilyn looks up at “Uncle Lon” when he sees her laying on the couch in The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
Hollywood’s censors, the Production Code Administration, won a lot of concessions from director John Huston as he filmed this realistic crime drama (the first big studio crime picture filmed in almost documentary detail): leading lady Jean Hagen was never referred to as a prostitute, and criminal mastermind Sam Jaffe’s fascination with young women was depicted as nostalgia rather than perversion. But the bluenoses were helpless in the face of Marilyn Monroe’s smoldering glances. Although crooked judge Louis Calhern introduced her character Angela as his “niece,” every time she looked up at him, usually from a reclining position, the audience knew exactly what kind of uncle he was. Huston had pretty much settled on casting Lola Albright in the role, but as a favor to agent Johnny Hyde, he agreed to read Monroe. Her audition was terrible, and he was prepared to dismiss her when she asked to read again, something unheard of in Hollywood. When she finished, he watched her walk away and got a look at the “Marilyn wiggle.” Huston was hooked and convinced the MGM brass to let him cast the untried actress. Her success in the role and the power of her final dramatic moment, when she rats out her “uncle” to the police, convinced 20th Century-Fox head Darryl F. Zanuck to start giving her better parts.

Marilyn works on her “punctuation” in Monkey Business (1952)
For his fifth (and last) film with Cary Grant, director Howard Hawks gave the debonair actor one of his sexiest co-stars, Marilyn Monroe. The blonde bombshell more than held her own as a farceur opposite Grant, Ginger Rogers (cast as Grant’s wife), Charles Coburn and a mischievous chimp. Even before the comic business really gets rolling, she proves her talents with one of her best “dumb blonde” one-liners ever: “Mr. Oxley’s been complaining about my punctuation, so I’m careful to get here before nine.” When the chimp accidentally perfects the fountain of youth formula chemist Grant has been working on, it gradually turns the rest of the cast into overgrown, hyperactive adolescents, leaving Monroe the one person unaffected. At that point, she proves herself the perfect straight woman, accompanying the now impetuous Grant on a madcap day on the town as he buys a new sports car and takes her swimming. Hawks, who would help Monroe perfect the dim-witted beauty act in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), had originally tried to cast Ava Gardner as Grant’s wife. Instead, studio executives forced him to cast Rogers, with whom he did not get along. Years later, film critic turned director Peter Bogdanovich would praise the chemistry between Grant and Monroe and suggest the one thing that would have made Monkey Business the perfect film would have been casting her as the wife.

Marilyn establishes her trademark walk on the way to a bus station in Niagara (1953)
Sex, murder and spectacular scenery were the selling points for this Technicolor film noir – with Marilyn Monroe providing all three. Rose, the dissatisfied wife out to lure jealous husband Joseph Cotten to his death, was her most evil character ever, but Monroe was so beautiful she seemed worth dying for. From the moment she wakes up, staring at the camera as she lounges in bed, her performance offers the promise of forbidden pleasures. The film exploits her beauty in a series of low-cut, bright dresses and a surprisingly provocative shower scene, with Monroe’s figure clearly outlined against the translucent shower curtain. And her sultry walk from the camera, the longest in cinema history, established the “Marilyn walk” as one of her trademarks. Niagara was originally planned as a vehicle for Anne Baxter, cast as a young wife caught up in the sexual tension between Rose and her husband. When she withdrew, 20th Century Fox beefed up Marilyn’s role and bumped her to star billing. She paid them back with a surprisingly powerful performance, particularly in her death scene, expertly paced by Monroe, Cotten and director Henry Hathaway to build both tension and a surprising level of sympathy for Rose. Although Niagara Falls was supposed to be the film’s focus, Marilyn demanded equal attention, making an impact that still holds audiences. When Andy Warhol created his famous silk screen Marilyn Diptych the week after she died, the image he used was a close-up from Niagara.

Marilyn sings “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
Although she was second-billed to established sex symbol Jane Russell, Marilyn Monroe – in the role of ultimate gold digger Lorelei Lee – came out of this film a first-rate star by proving that as a dumb blonde, “I can be smart when I need to be.” Belting “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” and trilling, “I just love finding new places to wear diamonds,” she created one of the screen’s most endearing images of greed. But her character went far beyond that; Lorelei had the smarts to know that any man with “and valet” after his name in the ship’s register had a bankroll that made him worth pursuing. And she had the warmth to attract women as well as men. Her friendship with fellow showgirl Dorothy Shaw (Russell) is one of the best buddy relationships ever put on screen by director Howard Hawks – an expert on that type of dynamic. In the midst of her big ode to diamonds, she takes a moment to share her wisdom with a group of chorus girls, adding a surprising level of humanity to her glittering performance. Even though some of her vocals were dubbed (by Marni Nixon), the timing was all Marilyn, giving her the chance to prove she had the smarts to sell a great comic role. Years later, her performance of “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” would inspire the video for Madonna’s “Material Girl,” but the original performance remained unmatched.

Marilyn takes her glasses off in How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)
Marilyn Monroe has one moment in this early CinemaScope film (the first to finish production using the process but the second released, after The Robe) that cemented her star appeal. As nearsighted fashion model Pola Debevoise, she lives by the rule “Men aren’t attentive to girls who wear glasses,” a hilarious mangling of Dorothy Parker’s famous poem. At one point, she sneaks on her glasses to check herself out in a ladies’ room mirror. Then the sumptuously gowned Marilyn hides the glasses, prepares to make a grand entrance and walks right into a wall. Like her big-screen predecessor Jean Harlow, Monroe became a star by adding a touch of humanity to her sex appeal. She plays one of three down-on-their-luck models (the other two are Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall) who pool their resources to rent a luxury penthouse in hopes of snaring rich husbands. Do they get what they want? Not completely, but each finds her true love. Monroe’s pairing with the very normal David Wayne, rather than some big-screen hunk who would rival her beauty, further humanizes her. When he convinces her to put on her glasses and face the world, it’s one of the silliest and also most romantic moments in her career. Industry insiders expected fireworks when 20th Century Fox teamed Monroe with blonde bombshell Grable, but the two became friends, and Grable was happy to end her studio contract with a hit.

Marilyn sings and dances to “Heat Wave” in There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954)
As the chorus warns, “hot and humid nights can be expected” – especially when Marilyn Monroe tackles the Irving Berlin classic “Heat Wave” in this all-star musical extravaganza. Ostensibly about a family of vaudevillians headed by Ethel Merman and Dan Dailey, the film becomes all about sex when Monroe takes the stage as determined rising star Vicky – a performance that puts her character on the road to the top. Off screen, Marilyn was already big enough that she could hold out on making the film (20th Century Fox almost cast Sheree North) until studio head Darryl F. Zanuck promised her the lead in The Seven Year Itch (1955). He also agreed to give Monroe the “Heat Wave” number originally assigned to Merman, who had performed it almost 20 years earlier in Alexander’s Ragtime Band (1938). Though some critics carped about Monroe’s sexier, slowed-down version of the standard, fans consider it one of the film’s highlights. Choreographer Jack Cole had learned how to set her famous “wiggle” to music when working on Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). He had no problem convincing audiences that Monroe’s performance could indeed raise temperatures, particularly when she started moving her hips. This and two of her other numbers, the teasing “After You Get What You Want (You Don’t Want It)” and “Lazy,” show just how witty a performer she could be. At the end of “Heat Wave,” she even makes fun of herself, over-enunciating the lyrics in imitation of her own overdeveloped diction.

A subway breeze blows Marilyn’s white dress in The Seven Year Itch (1955)
With one scene, Billy Wilder and Marilyn Monroe created an innocent image of sensuality that would become indelibly linked with her name, and also inadvertently contributed to the end of her marriage to Joe DiMaggio. As every married man’s dream, she combined sexiness and naïveté, moving effortlessly between reality and neighbor Tom Ewell’s fantasies. But she also brought a surprising depth and maturity to her “dumb blonde” role, helping Ewell realize how much he still loves and needs his family. Her performance proved she was more than just a pinup queen, while at the same time establishing that image forever when she stops over a subway grating in the midst of a hot New York summer to let the breeze from a passing train lift her skirts and cool her off. Wilder originally shot the scene on location at 52nd and Lexington, but the wolf calls and other crowd noises as Monroe flubbed her lines through 40 takes made that footage unusable. They also made DiMaggio, who had accompanied her on location, furious. Wilder had to redo the scene on the 20th Century Fox backlot, as Monroe continued to blow her lines. The extra takes were worth it, however, when the film, spurred by an ad campaign prominently featuring that particular scene, became a big hit with everybody except her husband. By the time they finished The Seven Year Itch, the Monroe-DiMaggio marriage was over.

Marilyn sings “That Old Black Magic” in Bus Stop (1956)
Fans saw a new Marilyn Monroe when she starred as Cherie, the movie-star wannabe kidnapped by an amorous cowboy in this adaptation of William Inge’s hit play. Determined to prove herself as a dramatic actress, she had taken a year off from the movies to study at the Actors Studio. She returned to Hollywood as head of her own production company and with a new studio contract. Then she broke from her glamorous image to create the right look for Cherie, wearing pasty white makeup to play a woman who never got outdoors, the tackiest clothes the costumer could find and a tousled hair style. She even insisted on playing a bedroom scene naked (under the sheets, of course). From the very beginning of the film, she branded this as a different kind of performance. When Cherie sings “That Old Black Magic” in a seedy Phoenix bar, the number is a far cry from Monroe’s more polished performances of “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” and “Heat Wave” in earlier films. Cherie may insist that she’s a “chanteuse,” but her singing is irritatingly off-key, her staging is pure amateur and the costumes are tattered and threadbare. Where on-screen audiences in the past had responded with rapturous applause, the crowd at the Phoenix dive laughs derisively. It was a huge gamble, but it paid off with glowing reviews, strong box office and one of the most memorable moments in Monroe’s career.

Marilyn talks to Tony Curtis about always getting “the fuzzy end of the lollipop” in Some Like It Hot (1959)
If there’s a role most fans think should have brought the never-nominated Marilyn Monroe an Oscar®, it’s Sugar, the softhearted singer in this comedy classic. It’s not just that she’s funny, though her attempt to seduce a backwards millionaire (Tony Curtis in disguise) is one of the sexiest and funniest scenes ever filmed, and her reaction when he claims to be heir to Shell Oil is comic perfection. Rather, it’s the sensitive heart she gives the character. Instead of playing her big confessional (in which she complains about always getting “the fuzzy end of the lollipop”) for laughs, she captures a lifetime of heartache behind the sexy exterior. Originally director Billy Wilder had wanted Mitzi Gaynor as his female lead, but he needed a bigger marquee name than Curtis or Jack Lemmon, so he signed Monroe for 10 percent of the gross. Though her personal issues, particularly her problems remembering lines, are estimated to have cost the film as much as half a million, the results were so good that nobody watching could have noticed or would have cared. Her three musical numbers, which represent the full range of her talents, are a special treat. The raucous “Runnin’ Wild” carries her trademark wiggle to new heights. “I Wanna Be Loved by You” is about as sweet as her sexuality ever got. And the final “I’m Through with Love” provides the perfect moment of heart in the midst of the comic chaos, helping make this one of the screen’s greatest performances.

Marilyn gets into a fight with Clark Gable in the desert in The Misfits (1961)
In her last performance, Marilyn Monroe went fully dramatic. Working for the only time with a script written by then-husband Arthur Miller, she captures the soul of a woman who has no trouble attracting men but can never get them to look beyond her face and body. The Monroe sizzle is still there, particularly in a kinetic scene in which she plays Ping-Pong wearing a tight, white, polka-dotted dress. But it’s the raw passion of her performance that drives the film, whether rejecting the husband (Kevin McCarthy) she’s come to Reno to divorce, suddenly giving all her money to a religious fanatic, comforting a brain-damaged rodeo rider (Montgomery Clift) or, in one of her most searing dramatic scenes, telling off lover Clark Gable (also in his last film) for taking on a job capturing wild horses for a dog food company. Her work at that moment suggests the kinds of powerhouse dramatic performances she might have delivered had she lived longer, while also helping provide an emotional grounding for a film that never quite makes up its mind what it’s about. Monroe caused the usual delays on the set, but instead of carrying her problems to new levels when she shot her scene with the equally troubled Clift, the two bolstered each other, creating a simple, touching scene that’s among the film’s best. It’s matched by the final moment, as she and Gable drive off to “that big star straight on” – a poetic coda to two dazzling careers.

Technorati Tags: TCM, Turner Classic Movies, Favorite Moments, Marilyn Monroe, TV, Battle of the Blondes, Classic

Taylor won Academy Awards for two films, Butterfield 8 (1960) and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966). Both will air during a 24-Hour tribute, on Turner Classic Movies (TCM). The tribute, which will air on April 10, 2011, will feature eleven of Elizabeth Taylor’s most famous movies.

The full schedule is as follows:

6 a.m. – Lassie Come Home (1943), with Roddy McDowall and Edmund Gwenn; directed by Fred M. Wilcox.
7:30 a.m. – National Velvet (1944), with Mickey Rooney, Anne Revere and Angela Lansbury; directed by Clarence Brown.
10 a.m. – Conspirator (1952), with Robert Taylor and Robert Flemyng; directed by Victor Saville.
11:30 a.m. – Father of the Bride (1950), with Spencer Tracy, Billie Burke, Joan Bennett and Don Taylor; directed by Vincente Minnelli.
1:15 p.m. – Father’s Little Dividend (1951), with Spencer Tracy, Billie Burke, Joan Bennett and Don Taylor; directed by Vincente Minnelli.
2:45 p.m. – Raintree County (1957), with Montgomery Clift, Eva Marie Saint, Lee Marvin, Rod Taylor and Agnes Moorehead; directed by Edward Dmytryk.
6 p.m. – Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), with Paul Newman and Burl Ives; directed by Richard Brooks.
8 p.m. – Butterfield 8 (1960), with Laurence Harvey and Eddie Fisher; directed by Daniel Mann.
10 p.m. – Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), with Richard Burton, George Segal and Sandy Dennis; directed by Mike Nichols.
12:30 a.m. – Giant (1956), with James Dean and Rock Hudson; directed by George Stevens.
4 a.m. – Ivanhoe (1952), with Robert Taylor and Joan Fontaine; directed by Richard Thorpe.

In addition to TCM’s on-air tribute to Taylor, the 2011 TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood will feature a special 60th anniversary screening of her brilliant performance opposite Montgomery Clift in George Stevens’ A Place in the Sun (1951). The TCM Classic Film Festival takes place April 28-May 1.

Technorati Tags: Elizabeth Taylor, Liz Taylor, Academy Award winner, Oscar, Actress, RIP, TCM, Turner Classic Movies, Old Hollywood, Tribute

New Series:
Franklin & Bash – Series premiere Wednesday, June 1, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 1: 10 episodes
Mark-Paul Gosselaar (NYPD Blue) and Breckin Meyer (Road Trip) star in this light-hearted legal drama as two fly-by-the seat-of-their-pants lawyers working for a button-down law firm. Malcom McDowell (Heroes, Entourage) also stars as the head of their firm.

Falling Skies – Two-hour series premiere Sunday, June 19, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT); regular timeslot Sundays at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 1: 10 episodes
Noah Wyle (ER) stars in this gripping drama series from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg about the aftermath of an alien invasion and the resistance movement formed by the survivors.

Returning Series:
Men of a Certain Age – Premiere: Wednesday, June 1, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 2 continues: Six summer episodes
Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond), Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap) and Andre Braugher (Homicide: Life on the Street) star in this acclaimed drama series about three men facing the challenges of midlife.

Memphis Beat – Premiere: Tuesday, June 14, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 2: 10 episodes
Jason Lee (My Name Is Earl) stars as a Memphis police detective with an intimate connection to the city, a passion for its music and a very demanding boss. Alfre Woodard (True Blood) and DJ Qualls (Hustle & Flow) also star.

HawthoRNe – Premiere: Tuesday, June 14, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 3: 10 episodes
This powerful drama series stars Jada Pinkett Smith (The Matrix trilogy) as Christina Hawthorne, the impassioned Chief Nursing Officer at James River Hospital, with Michael Vartan (Alias) and new cast member Marc Anthony (El Cantate) also starring.

Leverage – Premiere: Sunday, June 26, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 4: 10 summer episodes
Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People) stars as the head of television’s coolest gang of thieves, grifters and con artists out to help everyday people get even against the big shots who have destroyed their lives.

The Closer – Premiere: Monday, July 11, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 7: 10 summer episodes
TNT’s record-breaking series returns this summer with 2010 Emmy winner Kyra Sedgwick as Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson.

Rizzoli & Isles – Premiere: Monday, July 11, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 2: 10 summer episodes
Last summer, Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander proved two heads are better than one in this drama series based on the crime novels by best-selling author Tess Gerritsen. As Boston detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles, the pair share a quirky chemistry and put away some of Boston’s most notorious criminals.

Technorati Tags: Men of a Certain Age, Leverage, HawthoRNe, Rizzoli & Isles, Falling Skies, Franklin & Bash, Memphis Beat, TNT Summer Lineup

Release Info:
Episodes Original Air Date:
DVD Release Date: January 18, 2011
Online Availability: Amazon for $34.99

Ash and I love Merlin. I discovered the first season on Netflix last summer. Ever since then, we’ve been racing to catch up with the series, which is in its third season on SyFy, currently. We had a chance to check out Season Two on Hulu, before owning this Complete Second Season. Of course, Merlin is a series worth owning. It is a travesty we in the U.S. do not get BBC One, so we can watch Merlin and other great shows when they originally air in Britain. However, luckily, we have the chance to at least watch it when it airs on SyFy, after the initial run on BBC One is completed.

There are so many reasons to like Merlin. The acting is great. Veteran actors Anthony Head and Richard Wilson are central figures in the cast. They complement the acting of the younger, less experienced counterparts. Leads Colin Morgan (Merlin) and Bradley James (Arthur) have great chemistry and excellent comedic timing. Colin Morgan’s popularity has been soaring recently and that is largely due to his exceptional talent as a actor. Even Katie McGrath and Angel Coulby put in fantastic performances. The addition of Emilia Fox near the end of season two just adds to the caliber of actors who pass through the episodes of Merlin. Fox is a rare acting jewel who sparkles as brightly as she did in The Pianist. It’s nice to see her back in Season Three, even if she is there to wreak havoc on Camelot.

You can’t come into this series and expect it to be like the legend. Otherwise, you are going to be highly disappointed. Merlin is a new, unique adaptation. Fans of the legend are going to have to suspend their disbelief. Merlin and Arthur were not around the same age in the Legend. Guinevere was not a servant. It can be argued until we’re all blue in the face about the lack of black people in England during the time in which the legend is set, and how the creators have chosen to ignore these race issues, but this does not make the show any less entertaining. It is a Sci Fi series, so you should already be suspending your disbelief.

In a twist, magic has been outlawed by Arthur Pendragon’s father, Uther (Head), who has his own secrets concerning the practice of magic, which come to light during Season Two. This means that Merlin, who has been told by the Great Dragon (voiced by John Hurt) that he and Arthur’s futures are intertwined, must hide his ability as the greatest of wizards from Arthur and everyone else, save for his trusty guardian, court Physician, Gaius (Wilson). While it is sometimes frustrating to see how selfless Merlin is and how little credit he receives when helping Arthur, the dynamic between the two actors is excellent enough to carry viewers through until the day Merlin can reveal his secret.

Merlin: The Complete Second Season Episode Synopsis’

#2.1 – “The Curse of Cornelius Sigan”
Original Air Date: 19 September 2009

Uther’s men make a startling discovery, when they come upon a secret chamber filled with treasure, and a tomb covered with a massive, blue stone. The only person who holds the key to the new, guarded area, is Arthur. When a new servant, Cedric, shows up and makes Merlin look like a fool, Arthur hires him to take over for Merlin. What Merlin soon discovers is Cedric has ulterior motives, involving the blue stone. When Gaius discovers the tomb is that of Cornelius Sigan, the most powerful sorcerer in history, it is already too late, as Sigan has taken over Cedric’s body. In order to save Camelot from Sigan, Merlin must make a terrible promise to the Great Dragon, so he may receive instruction on how to take Sigan down.

#2.2 – “The Once and Future Queen”
Original Air Date: 26 September 2009

Arthur and Gwen share their first kiss, when he stays with her for a spell. He is hiding out so he can partake in the Camelot jousting tournament anonymously. Arthur discovers that his jousting partners have been letting him win simply because he is the future prince. Gwen is, at first, put off by Arthur’s arrogance, which she calls him out on, but her house provides a sanctuary for Arthur, in a time of need. The moor assassin, Myror, has been paid by King Odin, of a neighboring kingdom, to kill Arthur, and there is a bounty on his head. When Myror discovers the secret identity of Arthur, Merlin must save Arthur from impending death.

#2.3 – “The Nightmare Begins”
Original Air Date: 3 October 2009

Morgana’s nightmares continue and things start to happen as a result of them. She becomes convinced that she has magic and fears for her life. Gaius lies to her, to try and protect her, but Merlin cannot sit back and let her continue to go down a road where Uther might discover her secret. He attempts to connect Morgana with the Druids, who he believes can help her. Unfortunately, Uther believes that she has kidnapped by the Druids, so he sends Arthur out to rescue her and kill the Druids.

#2.4 – “Lancelot and Guinevere”
Original Air Date: 10 October 2009

When Morgana is kidnapped with Guinevere, she manages to escape. Gwen convinces her to get to safety, when they are being chased, and she is recaptured, in Morgana’s place. Since the person who seeks Morgana does not know what she looks like, they decide to pass Gwen off as Morgana. Lancelot is visiting and recognizes Gwen, so he devises a plan to save her. In the meantime, Arthur goes against his father’s wishes and heads off to rescue the woman for whom he has developed feelings.

#2.5 – “Beauty and the Beast”
Original Air Date: 24 October 2009

Lady Catrina shows up in Camelot, and woos Uther. Unfortunately, she is really a troll who must drink a potion once a day to keep her normal-looking appearance. She is accompanied by her servant, Jonas, who does her bidding and keeps serving her the potions. Gaius has met Catrina before, and he is suspicious at her transformation. After Merlin discovers her true identity, they set out to convince Uther he is falling in love with a troll. Uther, bewitched thanks to the magic pendant “Catrina” gives him, asks her to marry him. Merlin’s magic will not reveal her true identity, so he must find another way to stop this insanity.

#2.6 – “Beauty and the Beast II”
Original Air Date: 31 October 2009

Merlin is accused of theft by Lady Catrina, who has become the new Queen of Camelot. He is able to switch her potion with a fake one Gaius created. He also must hide out since Uther still is bewitched. When Catrina turns into a troll, only Uther remains enchanted by her spell and fails to see her for what she really is. In order to get Uther to realize exactly who he has married, Merlin must make him cry real tears. To do that, he must kill Arthur.

#2.7 – “The Witchfinder”
Original Air Date: 7 November 2009

Uther’s obsessions with finding magic in Camelot hit a peak when he hires Aredian to rid his kingdom of magic once and for all. Aredian is a witch hunter, who is unrelenting in his quest to hunt down witches. Merlin and Morgana, both who have magic and are hiding it, are afraid Aredian will discover their secrets and have them executed by Uther. Gaius worries for himself and Merlin. When Aredian decides to cast blame upon Merlin for being a sorcerer, and gets witnesses to make up stories about the boy wizard, Merlin must find a way to shift blame from him and save his own life.

#2.8 – “The Sins of the Father”
Original Air Date: 14 November 2009

Arthur accepts a challenge to the death. When Morgause, who turns out to be a woman warrior, gets him in a position to die or accept her challenge, he chooses to do as she asks. Little does he know she has sent him on a quest that allow him to discover the truth about his mother. Armed with new information that is devastating to him, Arthur returns to kill the man responsible for all of this, Uther. Only Merlin stands in his way of committing the deed.

#2.9 – “The Lady of the Lake”
Original Air Date: 21 November 2009

Merlin cannot resist saving a Druid girl, who is being kept prisoner due to her magical nature. He keeps her hidden and falls in love with her, putting himself at great risk and in grave danger to keep her safe. Camelot is also being attacked by a mysterious creature and Arthur and his men must hunt the beast down. With the increase in security, protecting the girl takes a lot more out of Merlin, and with her secret, which makes any chance of happiness seem impossible, he must try to find a way to get her to safety before she is the one being hunted down and killed.

#2.10 – “Sweet Dreams”
Original Air Date: 28 November 2009

Uther invites five rulers from the five nearest kingdoms to Camelot for a conference promoting peace and solidarity. Among the guest are King Olaf, who is over protective of his beautiful but spoiled, arrogant daughter, Vivian and King Alined, who is more interested in creating chaos then peace. When Alined’s jester, Trickler, uses sorcerery to make Arthur and Vivian fall in love, something that will drive Olaf crazy and lead to war between his kingdom and Camelot, it is up to Gwen to help Merlin snap Arthur out of his love-sickness.

#2.11 – “The Witch’s Quickening”
Original Air Date: 5 December 2009

Morgana is persuaded to help Alvarr, a wizard, steal a crystal from the vaults of Camelot. Mordred, the Druid boy she helped, is convinced she will help them, especially when she learns the crystal can help people with magic. The real goal by Alvarr is destroy Camelot with it, so Merlin and Arthur must go after the wizard and the crystal. Merlin happens to catch a glance at the future, which terrifies him, and Morgana is disillusioned by her place in Camelot, so she helps Alvarr escape his fate, after being caught.

#2.12 – “The Fires of Idirsholas”
Original Air Date: 12 December 2009

Morgause sends the revived, deadly knights of Medhir to attack Camelot. Only Arthur and Merlin survive the attack of the knights, so they must return to Camelot. Back in the kingdom, Morgana is used as a vessel by Morgause, to bewitch everyone. They fall asleep and cannot defend Camelot from the approaching knights. Merlin is given advice, but he must free the great dragon to get it. Realizing Morgana is the vessel used, he must use her to bargain with Morgause and stop the attack.

#2.13 – “The Last Dragonlord”
Original Air Date: 19 December 2009

Morgause takes a half-dead Morgana, having called off the attack in exchange for saving Morgana’s life. Uther believes she has been kidnapped. The dragon, finally free, begins its assault on Camelot. Arthur and Merlin are sent by Gaius to find the last remaining Dragonlord, Balinor, who Gaius had helped escape when Uther persecuted all of them. The Dragonlord can control the Dragon, and Merlin soon learns he has a special connection to Balinor, but when something happens to the last Dragonlord, it is up to Merlin to set things right in the kingdom or see it destroyed by the creature he let loose.

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The visual quality for the episodes contained within Merlin: The Complete Second Season look as good as when the show is airing on television. While presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio, the anamorphic widescreen picture isn’t perfect. There are instances of aliasing in certain scenes, though these aren’t so noticeable, unless you are looking for them. The colors are rich and deep, while the level of contrast is decent. For television, the transfer is great. This is a Sci Fi show with a great deal of special effects. In this area, things look amazing. However, imagining this with a Blu-Ray level of quality in the transfer leaves me wanting more than what is available. Merlin would look amazing in Blu-Ray, so lets hope BBC and WB consider re-releasing and upgrading this show. It’s worth it!

I was hoping that the audio for this set would feature a 5.1 upgrade, but sadly, it does not. Despite this fact, the original, Dolby Digital stereo track is quite dynamic. Special effects are lively. They come through loudly and clearly. There is no need to volume toggle as the sound of the dialogue is consistent. The soundtrack for this show is amazing. It would be nice to make use of better sound technology to provide an already great track, to make it stand out even more. This kind of show would benefit with a surround sound experience and enhance the experience of watching. However, what is here is free of faults and is not too shabby to listen to, either!

Visual: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There were more bonus features than I thought would be included in the Merlin: The Complete Second Season set. The BBC went out of their way to include some pretty cool features for fans of the series. BBC One is always very involved in their productions, so many of the bonuses are things that have aired on the BBC. They are a treat for those of us in the U.S. who never had the chance to see them before.

Here is a list of the bonuses included in the Merlin: The Complete Second Season set, with a short description of each:

Cast And Crew Introduction To Season Two – This is one of those filler pieces. The cast and crew of the series discuss how awesome season two of the series is. There is a lot of back patting going on here.

Cast And Crew Audio Commentaries – A variety of cast members offer audio commentaries on various episodes throughout series two of the show.

Behind The Scenes – This is a 13-episode special of Secrets and Magic. It looks at the filming and provides a behind the scenes look at each episode in series two. Each episode is between 10-15 minutes in length. The cast and crew of the show participate in the special, and give a sneak peek into what it is like to work on the show.

The Making Of Merlin This is an expanded, half-hour feature for Secrets and Magic. It examines the Making of the entire second season of the show! There are plenty of fun tidbits, and it even talks about the origins of Merlin’s spells!

Photo Gallery – Self-explanatory feature.

Wallpapers – You can install them as your wallpaper backgrounds on both Mac and PC.

All in all, this set isn’t too bad. The best parts involve Secrets and Magic. However, the wallpapers are pretty cool, too!

Bonus Features: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
I love Merlin, and would own this set for just the episodes. Anything else in this set is gravy. If you like fun, lighthearted Sci Fi shows, that have the ability to dazzle with storyline and depth, you need to check out this series. While I love anything British, I also love when those British things happen to be extremely entertaining. We never miss a night of Merlin, which airs on Fridays on SyFy. However, for the days/nights in between when it isn’t on it’s fun to pop in this series and play the DVD to remind myself how awesome the series really is. This set comes highly recommended and so does the series. I’m glad it’s been renewed for at least another year, and that Merlin and Arthur can have many more, new adventures together.

Overall Rating: 4.29 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: DVD Box Set Review, Merlin, Season Two, Series 2, BBC, SyFy, Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Anthony Head, British TV Show, Sci Fi, King Arthur, Camelot, Richard Wilson, John Hurt

I have heard great things about Being Human, the UK-based television series about a cluster of supernatural misfits who try to blend in and “be” human. I reduced my Netflix to just online instant queuing recently, because I have a habit of getting discs and losing them, never to watch them, since I only have time to watch Netflix online. Unfortunately, that means I am stuck watching only that which is available online. Being Human just happens to be only available on disc, so I have yet to watch an episode of the series.

When I heard the U.S. (Canada) planned to make a reboot of the series, set in North America with American sounding actors, I was intrigued but had a sense of trepidation. The U.S. has a history of taking UK shows and changing them, and usually, that is not good. Of course, I remembered how different Queer as Folk American-style was from the UK version. Both are amazing, but I am partial to the U.S. version, so my hope is that Being Human, USA-style can even hold a minor candle to the awesomeness I have been told Being Human UK is.

The first episode of Being Human begins with duel stories being told, simultaneously. Aidan (Sam Witwer) is out on a date with Rebecca (Sarah Allen), a nurse from work, while Josh (Sam Huntington) heads out into the forest, where he proceeds to take off all his clothes. Josh then starts to transform into a werewolf, as Rebecca invites Aidan in to her home for ‘a drink’. As they enter her home, Rebecca starts to strip, and Aidan hesitates to join her. However, he quickly takes the plunge and ends up having sex with her. In the midst of their sexual encounter, he bears his fangs, revealing he is a vampire, and savagely bites into her neck.

The next morning, Josh is lying on the ground next to a dead, brutalized animal, covered in blood. Aidan is sitting on the floor next to the bed, where a bloody mess and Rebecca’s body remain. He calls a mortuary for assistance, and they come to clean up his mess, removing Rebecca in a moving box. Josh cleans his face off and walks out of the forest, nude, finding a woman’s dress on a clothing line, which he puts on. He walks through town in the dress to Aidan’s car. Aidan is waiting with water and fresh clothes. Josh changes into them, cleaning his skin with the water and the two head to work. They work at a hospital, where they are male nurses.

At work, Aidan tries to convince Josh to move in together. This way they will not have to squat in hostels and go from place to place. Josh is uncertain. His life is hell and he does not see the point in moving in with a vampire. They’d only be fooling themselves as they attempt to be human, but really they are just living a lie. They soon meet Kara, a nurse sent in to replace Rebecca, who has not shown up for work in the ICU. This prompts Aidan to have flashbacks of the night before of him killing Rebecca.

While at work, Marcus shows up to talk to Aidan about his sloppy night out with Rebecca, and how he must respect him if he wants Bishop and his men to continue to clean up his messes. Aidan is quite upset about this, as Marcus taunts him. He also mentions Bishop is looking to the hospital to recruit. Things are changing and Aidan is told he needs to fall into line. Of course, this causes them to fight, until one of the nurses enters the hospital room they are in and interrupts them, unaware of what has transpired.

On his lunch break, Josh asks Aidan if he is serious about them moving in together. He tells him being a werewolf is not a curse. Living and watching people be human around him is the real curse. Josh wants Aidan to help him try to live as normal a life as he can. Aidan tells him he cannot cook and he has bad credit. Josh says he has OCD and Aidan does not eat, anyway. The two end up finding a fixer-upper. Josh loves it, but Aidan isn’t in love with the idea of all the work it needs. They are sold, however, when the current owner, Danny (Gianpaolo Venuta), whose fiancee had died in the home they bought together, tells them he does not require a credit check. Danny also agrees to help them fix up the house, if they take it off his hands.

The two promptly move in together and realize they are not alone. A woman, Sally (Meaghan Rath), is in their house. She is a ghost, and is ecstatic to know they can see her. They are the first “people” who have been able to see her since she died six months ago. Sally is trapped inside the house, unable to leave, and unsure of how she died. She has been driving herself crazy, talking to herself. Josh is kind of pissed she is there calling her the peeper ghost, but Aidan has experience with ghosts and he is more inquisitive. He also enjoys her nitpicking at Josh.

At work, Aidan shows Josh a secret area of a closed off wing, where he can transform without having to go into the forest. He can lock him in until his transformation is over and let him out. While at the hospital, Josh sees Emily (Alison Louder), a woman from his past. He can smell her and after confirming it his her, he promptly turns around to disappear before she can see him. Aidan is haunted by the death of Rebecca. Missing posters are displayed at the hospital and Kara tells him the police have been back asking more questions about her disappearance.

Sally explains to Josh that he is right and she wants to move on with her life. She asks him to call Danny, so she can try to do so. He informs her that she is always there and he just wants to be alone. She informs him he is lucky because he can at least attempt to fix his problems. Back at the hospital, a cop grills Aidan, until another officer, who turns out to be Bishop, informs the cop he will handle the situation. He convinces the cop that Aidan is innocent and that he will not remember being there. After the cop leaves, Bishop tells Aidan he is glad he is “back in” though Aidan assures him he is not. He does ask Bishop to make the Rebecca situation disappear, as a personal favor. Bishop tells him he is a shark and to be one, hinting at Aidan’s blood bank diet not working.

Josh goes to see Emily, who is at the hospital with her girlfriend (Jackie), and it is revealed that he left his family and life behind two years ago, when he became a werewolf. Josh comes from a Jewish family, who have had a terrible time coping with his decision to leave out of the blue. Emily wants to know where he went and why he left. She is Josh’s sister and she wants answers, because they have spent the last two years wondering if he was dead or alive. Josh cannot bring himself to tell Emily the truth. He leaves her unable to tell her what he has become, though he does ask her not to tell anyone she saw him.

Aidan has a flashback to a party he went to with Bishop. They killed the bride, groom and everyone else, except a little girl who was hiding under a table. He then makes an anonymous call to Rebecca’s family telling them she is dead. He returns home where he tries to comfort Sally, who confesses she cannot leave because she fears she will get lost and not be able to find her way back and never be able to see Danny again. He tries to touch her, but his hand goes through hers.

Josh puts in his earphones, heading down to the abandoned wing of the hospital. Emily sees him and proceeds to follow him. He cannot hear her calling his name because of his music. Bishop gets Aidan to go with him saying they all know he killed Rebecca. He takes him back to the place where he lives and entices Bishop with women and blood. In the meantime, Josh is down in the room and Emily confronts him. He is about to change, so he begs her to leave, but she will not go. Instead, she locks herself in with him.

Freaked out and afraid he will kill his sister, Josh calls Aidan, begging him for help. Unfortunately, Aidan’s cell is in his coat, which has been taken from him by the butler at Bishop’s place. Josh calls home begging Sally, through the answering machine, for help and telling her he is afraid he is going to kill his sister. She attempts to reach the door handle without her hand going through it. Aidan is unable to control his lust until he realizes Bishop is watching him. As Josh begins to transform, his sister attempts to help, but he throws her back, as his claws begin to form.

To find out more about this episode, and this new SyFy series, visit the official Being Human web home. Being Human airs on the SyFy channel on Mondays at 9 PM ET.

Technorati Tags: Being Human, SyFy, Vampire, Werewolf, Ghost, Based on British Television, TV Reboot, Television Show, TV Recap, Episode Recap, First Episode, TV Show

The good news is that Merlin has been renewed for a fourth series, which will begin filming sometime in March of 2011. The good news for U.S. fans is that the third series will finally air on Friday, January 7 at 10pm ET on the SyFy Channel. I will be watching and I hope you will be to.

In celebration of the series 3 coming to the U.S. the cast of Merlin has graciously agreed to do interviews. The first interview was a conference call with Bradley James and Colin Morgan (Arthur and Merlin). I just so happen to have the transcript of the interview.

The interview was a Q&A with a selection of reporters and LI Reviews was invited to the call. Here are some of the highlights from the Interview/Q&A:

Troy Rogers: This is for either one of you. I wanted to know how is the return of Morgana going to change the vibe in Season 3.

Bradley James: That’s all you, Colin.

Colin Morgan: Go for it, Bradley.

Bradley James: All right. I’ll answer that. And whenever Morgana turns up in Series 3 there’s been a year-long search for her as decreed by Uther. And we don’t know where she’s been for that year. We don’t know what she’s been up to or what she’s been harvesting. But it becomes very evident very quickly in the first episode that despite appearances she hasn’t changed. She’s just as evil as she was before if not more. And so it’s basically the beginnings within the first episode of where she’s going to go and what she’s going to create and what she’s going to change.

Troy Rogers: Okay, excellent. And I notice you’re getting quite a few guest stars in Season 3, especially actors from the Harry Potter series. How do you think that part of the resume will help the show?

Colin Morgan: Bradley?

Bradley James: Oh hello. How do I think that part of the resume will help the show? Well I always say that the best thing about doing the show is the guests that come on. You find yourself learning from them quite a bit. You find you’re sort of enjoying hanging out with them and whatnot.

And the guests we get seem to be very fun people to have around. So for us personally it’s always a lot of fun. We’ve sort of had a great time this year because the people who were brought in were lots of fun. I’m going to use that word a few times I think if I keep talking.

But in terms of commercially speaking for the show, Harry Potter’s very popular. I can’t see it being to the detriment of the show that you have people in the show who’ve been in Harry Potter. But I don’t think they’re in it. I don’t think they’ve been cast in Merlin because they’ve been in Harry Potter. I just think the producers have gone out and found people who would enhance the show. And that’s how it’s felt on set for us as well.

Troy Rogers: Okay, excellent. One more quick thing for Colin. Hypothetically, if you could become a wizard would you and why or why not?

Colin Morgan: Definitely. I mean who wouldn’t want to be wizard at least for a day. As long as you didn’t have the dilemmas and the situations that Merlin and staff was thrown into I’d be happy, if you didn’t – if you could actually use them, you know, to have a bit of fun and do something good for the world and maybe for yourself whereas Merlin’s kind of limited that he has to look after Arthur. But it’s all for the good, yeah, definitely.

Troy Rogers: So okay. Well if you could do something fun would it be like rainbows and fireworks and stuff like that or something fun?

Colin Morgan: Rainbows and…

Troy Rogers: I don’t know.

Colin Morgan: I am – I don’t know. What would you create? I guess something that could – I mean there’s always a search I guess for people and for happiness. And I guess whatever that one thing is that makes people happy, if there was some spell that could give people that one thing each, I guess that would be a good thing to do.

Amy Harrington: We were wondering if you were big fans of the Camelot and Merlin mythology before you signed on to be on the show.

Bradley James: Well I…

Colin Morgan: This is Colin. I guess…

Bradley James: I certainly was very aware of it. I think kind of growing up in Britain you find it’s kind of ingrained into your psyche a little bit without your realizing it. And, they’re very sort of inspiring kind of heroic stories. So I always sort of had an interest in it beforehand, not a sort of specific interest that I followed it sort of religiously or anything but certainly when the opportunity to work on the show came up I’d already had a sort of previous knowledge of what the story was about and what the legends sort of told. And it’s kind of obviously been enhanced by doing the show. And research for the show’s kind of I guess just improved my knowledge of various aspects of the legend.

Amy Harrington: Great. And for people who may not have seen the show before what – can you tell us what separates this version of the story from all the others that have come before?

Colin Morgan: Go ahead, Bradley.

Bradley James: Well I would say that we’ve completely butchered the legend and sort of reworked it for sort of Saturday night escapism because anyone who’s kind of quite strictly religious to the legend perhaps will take a bit of time to get used to what we’ve done to it. But we – I think we’ve taken the legend and kind of – I mean the producers like to sort of compare it with the sort of Smallville idea of having Superman before he was Superman. And I mean this is Merlin before he was Merlin and Arthur before he was King Arthur. So it’s kind of the prelude story to the familiar tale that everyone’s aware of.

Kenn Gold: So I – first question I had for you, I just wondered as actors, is there any I guess the word would be frustration or just kind of wishing things would move along a little bit quicker I mean with the Arthur/Gwen story line or Arthur finding out about Merlin’s magic and just the various elements of the plot.

Colin Morgan: This is Colin speaking. I think as an audience member, being aware of where these characters end up and knowing that they become the legends that they are, that Arthur and Gwen become king and queen, that Merlin becomes being accepted as Arthur’s advisor and a wizard and that magic is out in the open and I think when you know that that’s where they end up I think it can always be possibly a sense of frustration when you want that to happen quickly.

In reality things don’t happen that quickly. It takes time for those to happen. And I guess as well that’s from a story point of view. I guess from a producer’s point of view they don’t want to rush things too quickly. But I do believe that things are happening at quite a pace already in terms of character relationships. It’s just I think that we’re – as an audience we’re in the know about their – where they – of where they’re supposed to be.

Bradley James: We haven’t started on Season 4 yet but I would say had Season 3 not gone in the direction that it went in then yes those frustrations would have been there. But I think Season 3 kind of takes the show on in the direction it needed to go because we sort of had two seasons of, what the first two were about. And I think Season 3, things change.

So I think that was needed. And I think the producers kind of answered the call with where they went with the direction of the show.

Kenn Gold: Okay, great. Thanks. And a follow-up question: I was just wondering – I know the show takes on some of the core myths of Arthur but a bit differently. Was there anything that’s I guess been done on the show that you could talk about that just kind of surprised you the way this version takes it?

Bradley James: Surprised on the show? I suppose it’s all been a surprise really in the sense that they’ve had to introduce aspects of the legend in a completely different way.

I don’t think there’s ever been a kind of straightforward way of telling the story because it’s not really a way that the story’s been told before. I think that’s one of the aspects of the show that kind of works for people is that they’re not aware of where this story’s going to go even if they are familiar with the legend. I think it constantly is a surprise because there’s no set way of doing it I think.

Kenn Gold: Okay. And I have kind of a follow-up question here and then I’ll let somebody else jump in. Starz is gearing up with Camelot which is going to be I guess maybe a more conventional take. And so at some point there will be two versions of King Arthur on TV at the same time. How do you guys feel about? Or does that have any impact at all?

Bradley James: I’m quite looking forward to it actually. I’d quite like to see what they do with it because I think it sounds like it’s sort of something that is going to be very different from what we’ve done. The one area of concern is, people have done to death vampires where it could be the case, people do to death Camelot and knights and all that. So I think there needs to be a little bit of caution over that.

But I’m quite looking forward to seeing it because it’s, again, another take on a story that certainly in this country, people can relate to. So it’ll be interesting to see what they’ve done with it.

Colin Morgan: I agree with that as well. I think because you mentioned earlier about people being into Arthurian legend and how is our show different. I guess anybody who’s into Arthurian legends they’ll appreciate that they are legends and they are retold. And that’s a huge part of what the Arthurian legends are that they’ve developed and been retold over the years. And to have two versions of that once again on TV there, possibly at the same time — I’m not sure — I think that’s going to be fascinating to see on how each one’s done.

Jamie Ruby: So how did you two come to work on the show?

Bradley James: All yours, Colin.

Colin Morgan: Okay. It seems to be the same sort of process it has been for any other acting job. It’s a case of a script comes through, you audition for it, you get called back. I think there was a series of maybe four or five call-backs and that happened over a period of maybe three or four weeks for the show. And obviously the more you go back the more you want to be a part of it. And we could see that it would be a fantastic adventure to embark on. And to arrive at the point then where you get offered the role was amazing. And that was kind of my journey. I think – was yours more or less the same, Bradley?

Bradley James: Yeah. Yes.

Colin Morgan: Or not?

Jamie Ruby: Okay. So I know you talked a little bit about how it’ll affect the show – the season. But can you talk about working with the actors from Harry Potter?

Bradley James: I will. I’m trying to think who, we had Harry. We had Miriam. I don’t think it was too different than working with anyone else really. Again I sort of said that people that were brought in were kind of brought in because they were right for the role and enhanced the show and did something great with the characters which can be said for pretty much everyone who hasn’t been in Harry Potter I suppose. You went kind of on set going oh, that person’s been in Harry Potter, wow.

So now I’m trying to think who has been in Harry Potter. But from – Harry and Miriam and who else was there?

Colin Morgan: Well Warwick Davis is quite a highlight for me.

Bradley James: Warwick, yes Warwick of course.

Colin Morgan: Not because he was in Harry Potter but because he was Warwick Davis. You know? It’s…

Bradley James: Yeah, yeah.

Colin Morgan: ..something as Bradley said. It’s the actors as opposed to their credits that just is very much cast on people who write for the roles the same way we were cast in them. And it does feel great to have those people on the show.

Jamie Ruby: Okay, great. One last quick question. This one’s for Bradley. What do you think Merlin and Gwen’s part in influencing Arthur to become a great king?

Bradley James: Well certainly, with Merlin I think traditionally he’s always been a sort of advisor and also a kind of magical helping hand in sort of previous legends. I guess we’ll see. I think there’s a bit of a danger with Gwynevere sort of at the moment. The relationship hasn’t been developed as such to know what role she will play other than she kind of turns up at moments and kind of says you’ll be the king I know you can be.

So I’m not really sure what direction that will go. But I think the obvious one would be with Merlin being that sort of advisor and magical helping hand in times of need.

Tiffany Vogt: So if there is one particular skill that you’re going to take away from your experience of working on Merlin what will it be?

Colin Morgan: Well I mean you learn so many different skills I think on the show. And I think that’s probably what it is. The ability to adapt I think for me is – you’re asked constantly to, green-screen, adventure, horse riding, comedy scenes, dramatic scenes, everything. So I think the ability and the skill to adapt under a tight schedule is one that I’d definitely take away.

Tiffany Vogt: You’re taking away a lot of skills.

Colin Morgan: I know. I know.

Bradley James: He’s greedy.

Tiffany Vogt: So do you guys have any pet peeves with your characters?

Bradley James: Have any what?

Tiffany Vogt: Pet peeves.

Bradley James: Pet peeves?

Tiffany Vogt: The one annoying thing that they do that you wish you could change.

Bradley James: Oh Arthur gets knocked unconscious quite a lot.

Colin Morgan: And Merlin tries to bring him back from unconsciousness quite a lot.

Bradley James: But never managing. Why…

Colin Morgan: I could never manage.

Bradley James: Yeah. Learn the spell already how to do that. Yeah.

Colin Morgan: Yeah.

Bradley James: The unconscious part is played quite a lot.

Tiffany Vogt: Okay. That could be annoying.

Bradley James: Yeah.

Tiffany Vogt: So if there is one word that you would use to describe your character what would it be and why?

Bradley James: Fabulous. No explanation needed.

Tony Tellado: Just wanted to ask you two, where do you feel for both of you your relationships are as characters right now?

Bradley James: Oh, I mean I suppose we’re talking, what, end of Season 2, beginning…

Tony Tellado: Season 2, yeah.

Bradley James: …of Season 3, are we?

Tony Tellado: Two, yeah.

Bradley James: Okay. Colin, before I put my foot in it, say something.

Colin Morgan: Well Merlin and Arthur will always be – I mean, there’s always that (unintelligible) issue there of servant and master. And that will always be there. But these are guys who’ve been friends for three years now. And as anyone who’s spent that much time together you get used to the quirks and those little idiosyncrasies that each person has.

And – but it’s unique in the fact that these characters have huge things ahead of them and Arthur knows he’s going to be king. Merlin does too. But he also knows that there’s greater things at stake that he’s the one who’s supposed to see and to make that journey and to be there. So they’re forced into that situation. It’s just lucky that as time has gone by that they’ve just become closer friends.

Tony Tellado: Great. And is there anything – if – Bradley can tackle this. Can you kind of tease us a little bit for Season 3 what we’re going to see?

Bradley James: Well I don’t think it’ll – I’ll get into too much trouble for this. But basically I think the thing I was most excited about with the third series is the introduction of certain characters who have a more longstanding place within the legend and the story and within the show for us because there’s one or two knights who turn up. And I was particularly sort of really pleased about that because it’s had a sort of aspect of developing the show as well which is a great thing about Season 3.

Curt Wagner: Hi guys. This sort of got asked last time but I thought you might expand upon it. I was wondering how the relationship between the two of you — of Merlin and Arthur — will evolve this season?

Bradley James: Yeah, go.

Colin Morgan: You go ahead.

Bradley James: Well I’d probably say the same things as you, Col. Actually I’d say one thing different in the sense that you sort of mentioned that there’s that master/servant relationship which will always be there. And I’d probably disagree with that because I think they’ll get to a point where Arthur will no longer see Merlin as a servant, where they will be equals.

I don’t think that will happen too soon. But I think that’s kind of where the progression of that relationship goes. I think the show itself kind of – that relationship has to be quite steady in its progression anyway because it can’t make any sort of major jumps because I think it’s sort of quite important to the show. So if you suddenly made too much of an adjustment to it I think the audience would kind of find it a little bit weird.

I’d say that there’s that progression to them becoming equals and the sort of high levels of trust in these seemingly endlessly kind of mortal situations they keep finding themselves in. Mortal situations, that didn’t make sense. What’s the word I’m looking for, Col?

Colin Morgan: Lethal?

Bradley James: Lethal, lethal, lethal situations they find themselves in.

Colin Morgan: I’m sorry. What was the word?

Bradley James: Yeah. That becomes a case of them being able to trust each other in those familiar situations…

Curt Wagner: All right. And so we probably won’t even see Merlin telling Arthur, listen, I’ve saved your butt 100 times and stop ordering me around?

Colin Morgan: That’s what people are eager to see I think. And I think as long as there’s any hint of doubt in Merlin’s mind that Arthur might have a similar attitude towards – that his father does, if there’s any sort of hint of then it’s not the right time.

And you’re seeing Arthur change a lot. And – but I think while his father’s still alive — maybe Bradley wants to talk more about this — but, you know, while his father’s still around. And there’s an incidence there. And I think that’s in any kid’s or anyone’s relationship with their parents they’re always an influence there and you always want to do them proud.

And I think magic being such a big thing for Uther, it would be hard for Arthur to change that. And I certainly think – certainly while Uther’s still around it would be very difficult for Merlin to justify coming out in something so huge.

Bradley James: Let’s call the pink elephant in the room here. We need to get rid of Uther. Then we can get on with it. I’ll say it if no one else will.

Curt Wagner: All right. Well which one of the two of you is bossier on set?

Bradley James: Definitely Colin. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.

Colin Morgan: Yeah. Yeah. I’ll have to agree with that in case you boss me around.

Bradley James: I think like even if I’d never bossed around anyone ever before, ever, I think it would still be me because Colin is quite saintly in his behavior. And I think he could make, you know, Mother Theresa look like a product of the devil. So that’s easily me for that. In fact ask any negative question in terms of who is the – this or that, who does this the most, the answer will be me I would have thought.

Colin Morgan: I’ll always thank you for that reference to Mother Theresa. Thanks a lot, Colin.

Bradley James: No worries. (Unintelligible), she still looks up to you, Col, for your saintliness.

Continue the Interview on Page Two

Release Info:
DVD Release Date: October 26, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $41.99

I have a love/hate relationship with The History Channel. It seems that too often the shows will promise an answer to a topic and string you along through the whole episode to leave you with nothing. However, these are the types of shows that I feel The History Channel does best. I could take or leave some of the Mythbusters type of programs that they offer, but I have always been a sucker for a good documentary. Of course, I have other reasons for enjoying shows like this, beyond pure entertainment value. As a homeschooling parent, programs like How the Earth Was Made not only entertain and teach me, but they allow me to use the program in my son’s school work. Shows like this hold his attention more than just reading books and they give us a chance to discuss the things that he learns while watching each episode.

How the Earth Was Made is one of the more science-oriented shows on The History Channel. Taking a secular look at the creation of the Earth, the series discusses the geological forces that would have the ability to create the Earth or rather, parts of the Earth. This is not a series that gives you bubblegum answers about possible ways the Earth was created. Instead, scientific experts study specific elements and answers of the world and inform the viewer on how such a process could occur. For example, you learn how the Great Lakes could have been formed or you learn about the San Andreas Fault.

I was pleased at the results of the show, offering pretty firm conclusions to the cause or event that produced certain parts of the Earth. I was even more pleased that our son enjoyed the show, as well. Unfortunately, it seems too often that children (young or older) get bored with anything that could be deemed educational programming. While younger kids probably won’t enjoy the scientific documentary style, older kids and adults that are interested in science and that enjoy documentaries mixed with visual demonstrations and cues should enjoy How the Earth was Made.

The How the Earth was Made: Complete Season 1 Episode Guide

Without giving away too much of each episode we have listed the following few sentences for each episode to give you a better idea of the series as a whole. While all of the episodes were fairly informative some of our favorites were “San Andreas Fault,” “Great Lakes,” “New York,” and “Loch Ness.” That being said, all of the episodes were well thought out and offer a fair amount of information. While some of The History Channel series’ end up leave you wanting a better answer, How the Earth was Made manages to give you enough information to help you feel like you’ve learned something while entertaining you at the same time. The first season did a pretty good job at helping us look forward to the second season of the series.

Like many documentaries you are going to get a good view of stock images mixed with fresh film. This provides a mixed video quality, but a good format for the show, as a whole. Despite the mixed quality, I actually prefer the show the way that it is. Sure, the video is inconsistent at times, as a result, but the educational benefits seem much more rewarding when this format between past and present footage is utilized.

#1.1 – “San Andreas Fault” – In the first episode of the season, scientists and geologists take a look at the 800 mile, San Andreas Fault. It is believed that the San Andreas is long overdue for a major earthquake, so these specialists discuss the possibilities and ramifications of such an event occurring.

#1.2 – “The Deepest Place on Earth” – The deepest part of the Mariana Trench is also known as the Challenger Deep. While there has only been a small group that has been able to study this amazing rift, they come together to discuss this area that is known as the deepest place found on Earth.

#1.3 – “Krakatoa” – Located in Indonesia, the Krakatoa volcano is the site of the 1883 volcanic eruption that created a tsunami which later claimed thousands of lives. Scientists are on hand to discuss the possibility of this happening a second time.

#1.4 – “Loch Ness” – Scotland and the area of Loch Ness are being discussed. According to the geologists and other experts, Loch Ness was actually the product of ancient glaciers.

#1.5 – “New York” – If you’ve ever wondered about the history of New York in terms of what the area was like prior to its modern day state, this is the episode for you. This episode discusses the connection between New York and Africa, as well as the glaciers that carved the rock beneath the city.

#1.6 – “Driest Place on Earth” – The Atacama Desert in South America is the location of the episode for The Driest Place on Earth. To put things into perspective, it is said that the Atacama Desert is 50 times dryer than Death Valley. This episode looks at the location and explains how life can exist here, even in its simplest forms.

#1.7 – “Great Lakes” – This episode was particularly interesting for us, as we hail from the Great Lakes region of North America. The Great Lakes are the largest freshwater unit on Earth though geologists believe the area was once an ancient seabed.

#1.8 – “Yellowstone” – The Yellowstone National Park is known for many things. This episode explores the caldera super volcano, which is located beneath the park. Scientists believe that the land is due for a massive eruption.

#1.9 – “Tsunami” – In this episode on Tsunamis, you learn how they are created and what could happen if a mega-tsunami were to hit the east coast of the United States in a tragic series of events.

#1.10 -”Asteroids” – One theory about the creation of the Earth, is that the planet came about with the help of asteroids. This theory is discussed, along with a look at the Barringer Meteor Crater that is located in Arizona. Scientists delve into how the crater came to be and what happened to the meteor that actually created it.

#1.11 – “Iceland” – This episode centers on the geological history of Iceland. Interestingly enough, the episode points out that the country was formed due to a combination of glaciers and volcanoes both having a hand in the creation of what is now Iceland.

#1.12 – “Hawaii” – This episode looks at the Hawaiian Islands and the mystery of how the chain formed the way that it did. Various predictions about the future of the island are also discussed.

#1.13 – “The Alps” – The final episode for season one looks at the Alps mountain range, which is located in Europe. One of the most interesting discoveries in this episode is that it is believed (thanks to marine fossil evidence) that the land was at one time actually below sea level.

Storyline/Plot: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
As mentioned briefly in earlier sections, the video quality for How the Earth was Made tends to be hit or miss. The reason for this is that past, stock footage is blended with current film. At the very least, you are going to notice some differences as a result. Still, there aren’t any major problems here that make me resent the idea of this show being on a Blu-ray. Sporting a 1080i, MPEG-4 transfer, How the Earth was Made looks good, but not spectacular. The biggest problem that I was able to take note of was noise and that was only an occasional occurrence. The new video spots were as clear and bright as one would expect. You have to expect that some of these older stock photos would have minimal issues if nothing else and that is what you receive. Beyond that small issue, the colors are good and the picture offers a noteworthy amount of detail, which adds to the show as a whole.

The audio track for How the Earth was Made is a DTS-HD MA 2.0 mix. I can only assume that something higher wasn’t picked because of the basic dialogue needed for the series. That being said, the audio does not have any major issues. It doesn’t wow you, of course, it’s mainly dialogue so it never really needs to. Overall, it’s a fair audio presentation.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Perhaps the worst thing about this entire set is that no special features were included. I suppose I can understand the absence, but it would have been nice to have something, even if it were only one or two featurettes.

Bonus Features: 0 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Despite the lack of special features, science lovers will really enjoy this set. How the Earth Was Made comes through with a decent transfer overall and includes content that is both interesting and informative. If you aren’t sure about your interest in the subject I would recommend trying to catch this on The History Channel or looking it up through your DVR or on the History Channel website. However, if you know you love science and have enjoyed other shows on The History Channel then this is going to be worth the purchase. If that is the case, we recommend you pick this up. Everyone else should at least rent it to see if it might be to their liking.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: TV Show Review, Blu-Ray, How the Earth was Made, Complete Season 1, TV Show, Television, A&E, A&E Home Video, TV on Blu-Ray, History

Release Info:
Episodes Original Air Date: 7 November 2009-22 May 2010
DVD Release Date: September 28, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $32.99

What’s a show to do? When the main purpose of the first season comes to an end, all a series can do is move on with a new story. That is exactly what Legend of the Seeker does. It makes sense because the show is based on Terry Goodkind’s epic fantasy series, The Sword of Truth. The first season seems to go along with the first book in the series, as we are introduced to the Seeker of Truth, Richard Cypher and the world of magic and mystery he lives within. This season, the series’ second is based, primarily, on Stone of Tears, which is the second book of the series. Though I have not read the books, what I have heard is that the series is respectful of the books, but is more loosely based upon it then stringent to following the books exclusively. Goodkind has also been quite supportive of the series.

I became interested in Legend of the Seeker because of the Raimi/Tapert connection. The two produced the show, as they have other fantasy epics. I must confess, I have been a longtime fan of Xena. I enjoy the work Raimi and Tapert do together. As a pair, they compliment one another. So, I had been looking forward to seeing Legend of the Seeker before it came out. Well, I need to tell fans of past Raimi/Tapert series one thing…do not expect this to be like their previous endeavors. When the show first aired, many complained the show was not as fun as Xena or Hercules. If you are looking for a show embedded in camp, with lots of laughs, that does not take itself too seriously, then you will be severely disappointed. Legend of the Seeker is not that lighthearted. It is a Sci Fi drama series, with some pretty dark topics, so this is not the typical Raimi/Tapert comedy. Still it has redeemable qualities unique to itself.

Legend of the Seeker: The Complete Second Season contains all the episodes of the final season of the series. Though this was a short lived endeavor, both seasons are a lot of fun to watch. My biggest complaint is not really that. It is more a word of caution to those who have never seen Legend of the Seeker before. You need to watch this series from the very beginning. The Sci Fi concept is not one that is easy to grasp by walking into it in the middle of it. Starting at Season Two will just be confusing as the characters and their stories have a lot of history from the first season. For instance, it is hard to grasp why certain characters betray others or why Richard’s true heritage is so significant if you have not seen the first season.

Ultimately, Legend of the Seeker is a nifty series. It is fun and complex. The characters of Richard, Kahlan and Zedd are likable. It is always good to want to root for the protagonist. The series progressed and had some deeper plots and storylines than we’ve seen with other Sam Raimi-Robert G. Tapert productions. This is a solid Sci Fi series that ended its run, too soon. Yes, it is no Xena but it was never meant to be. For what it was, this series was pretty great, so fans can enjoy both seasons now on DVD, together.

Legend of the Seeker: The Complete Second Season Episode Synopsis’
There are 22 episodes for the second season of Legend of the Seeker. There is a possibility there will be spoilers for this series, so if you have not seen it and do not want to know what happens, skip the following section.

#2.1 – “Marked”
Original Air Date: November 7, 2009
While they are celebrating the ending of the first season and the death of Darken Rahl, Richard Kahlan and Zedd are attacked by a beast from the underworld, known as a screeling. Richard discovers his true ancestry, a secret involving the Rahl family, thanks to a D’Haran captain who served under Darken’s father. Because of this, he is deemed the heir of the Rahl empire and the soldiers pledge the allegiance to him. Also, Richard discovers that the terrible events ending the first season caused a tear between his world and underworld, which has unleashed evil on his world and everyone in it. Cara is left for dead when she is betrayed by other Sisters of the Agiel. She later accompanies Zedd, Kahlan and Richard on their mission to find the Stone of Tears, which will repair the tear between the two worlds.

#2.2 – “Baneling”
Original Air Date: November 14, 2009
Their quest to find the Stone of Tears takes Richard, Kahlan, Zedd, and Cara to a D’Haran death camp. There they discover that the tear between worlds has allowed the dead to return to the world of the living as Banelings. They must kill every day for the Keeper to remain here. They also learn that the key to finding the Stone of Tears rests in the hands of a young man, Flynn. Flynn is killed and brought back to life by Cara, but not before Darken Rahl sees markings on his palms, which identify him as the key. Rahl sends an army of Banelings after him that Richard must fight, before they continue their journey, with Flynn.

#2.3 – “Broken”
Original Air Date: November 21, 2009
Cara faces many hurdles after she tells Richard, Flynn, Zedd and Kahlan that all the Confessors in Valaria have been killed. Cara also confesses she is the one who killed Dennee, Kahlan’s sister. When Kahlan goes into blood rage mode, Cara has no choice but to flee. She returns to her hometown of Stowecroft, where she is reunited with her sister, but it is not long before she is arrested and must face trial for being a Mord’Sith. Her judge just happens to be Kahlan, whom Richard believes will not give her a fair trial. He tries to defend Cara, but she seems to have no remorse and confesses to more killing. When the schoolteacher is revealed to be the Mord’Sith who taught Cara, they are both sentenced to death by confession.

#2.4 – “Touched”
Original Air Date: November 28, 2009
When Kahlan discovers one other Confessor, Annabelle, is alive, she and Richard set out to save her. Annabelle is afraid, and manages to escape with Flynn, though she accidentally confesses. They are being pursued by a wizard, who wishes to capture Annabelle and steal Kahlan’s Confessor powers. In order to protect herself, Annabelle starts confessing men, but goes a little too far when she confesses Richard. To free them, Kahlan and Cara manage to take the wizard’s Quillion, which they use to drain Annabelle’s powers. Flynn leads Richard to a tomb and there he finds an amulet with an orb in it, which will help him on his journey.

#2.5 – “Wizard”
Original Air Date: December 5, 2009
Shota casts a spell on Zedd, which causes him to have trouble remembering things. A confused Zedd leaves the group, as Shota manipulates him by making him young. She convinces youthful Zedd to find a new Seeker to replace Richard and to look for the Stone of Tears, returning his magic to him so he can take away the Sword of Truth and compass Richard has. Zedd ends up in a town, which is in direct threat due to the tear in the veil between worlds. He proclaims he is the new Seeker, and Salindra, a woman he meets, is his Queen. There he is building his kingdom when his Queen is killed. She returns as a Baneling, who lures Zedd into the Underworld, with Richard’s prized possessions. Richard must follow him there and ultimately save him from himself and Rahl, while Cara pursues Shota.

#2.6 – “Fury”
Original Air Date: December 12, 2009
Richard and Cara kill a group of ruthless slave traders who were imprisoning a group of villagers, but the way they helped was unwanted, as the deaths upset the matriarch of the villagers. They are members of a pacifist group, the Minders, who promote peace, not violence. However, not all members are disappointed, as they felt turning the other cheek was no way to deal with their subjugation. These villagers ask Richard to help them learn how to protect themselves for future battles. Unfortunately, they are pacifists for good reason, as Minders in self-defense training face a building rage, that may consume them and kill Richard. Richard’s own rage runs rampant and gets out of control when he threatens an injured Cara and Kahlan. Zedd helps Richard to calm down and control himself, and in turn, the compass changes its direction.

#2.7 – “Resurrection”
Original Air Date: January 9, 2010
Richard, Kahlan, Zedd and Cara follow a general who is making trouble for others. They follow him to a brothel being run by Denna. She has plans for them as she brings back Dennee and attempts to convince Kahlan to kill Cara, so Denna can rule the Midlands. She kills Richard and brings back one of her followers in his body, to use as a pawn. Rahl tells Richard he can return for a baneling and he accepts eternal torture instead. Once the group discovers Richard is not Richard, they attack Denna, kill the fake Richard, bring the real Richard back and send Dennee into hiding. Denna manages to escape with the compass.

#2.8 – “Light”
Original Air Date: January 16, 2010
Denna is pursued and manages to escape with Zedd as her prisoner. Richard is incapacitated by severe headaches. The Sisters of Light reveal to Richard he is a wizard. He must stop his quest to train as such or the headaches will kill him. He goes with the Sisters to the Palace of the Prophets, abandoning his search for Zedd. Kahlan and Cara continue in his place and track Zedd down. He has convinced Denna to give up the compass and fake their deaths, which they do, but the two women are too smart to fall for such tricks. They continue to pursue them until they find Zedd.

#2.9 – “Dark”
Original Air Date: January 23, 2010
The Sisters of Light continue to train Richard in the art of wizardry. He is puzzled when Sister Nicci tells him that they will not let him leave to deliver the Stone of Tears to the Keeper. He ends up allowing her to take his Han into her, so she can help him escape. He discovers that she is, in fact, a Sister of the Dark, who is a servant of the Keeper. The Sisters capture Nicci so he can escape, and a prophecy, which seems to imply that Kahlan must die for the tear to be resolved, appears in the Palace. Shota gives Zedd the option of naming a new Seeker, since Richard is gone. Unaware he is heading back to them, they name Leo, a blacksmith, as the new Seeker.

#2.10 – “Perdition”
Original Air Date: January 30, 2010
Richard must face his worst fears, which almost kill him, in the Valley of Perdition. Sister Nicci, who just happens to be the most powerful Sorceress in the world, sets out to kill Kahlan. Zedd, Cara and Leo search for Richard, and Cara starts to develop feelings for the new Seeker. The group heads to the Palace, where the Prelate lies to them. She does so to protect Kahlan, as she has remembered the prophecy that appeared on the Palace wall. Kahlan senses danger and escapes with the help of a Sister, ending up in the desert. Leo sacrifices himself to save Kahlan, when Nicci arrives to kill her, with Richard arriving just in the nick of time.

#2.11 – “Torn”
Original Air Date: February 13, 2010
Kahlan returns to Aydindril after a Wizard of the Second Order brings a magical amulet to her, which allows the Mother Confessor to return to Aydindril whenever she needs to. They discover that Prince Fyren has taken over rule of Aydindril and that he leads with an unjust hand. Kahlan struggles between wanting to go to Aydindril and staying with Richard, which results in two Kahlan’s splitting apart. The Kahlan who stays behind with Richard and Cara is caring and compassionate, while the strong, rational Kahlan, travels to Aydindril, with Zedd. Zedd soon notices that his Kahlan has no compassion when trying to help the people of Aydindril. Richard must intercede before Kahlan in Aydindril attempts to put Zedd to death.

#2.12 – “Hunger”
Original Air Date: February 20, 2010
Cara is killed in a battle to save villagers. She agrees to return from the Underworld as a Baneling because she wants to help Richard. When they find a merchant selling shadow water, which is said to cure Banelings, they consider giving it to Cara. This is the same stuff Zedd’s father once had, so he soon learns his brother, Thaddicus, has a hand in this. Zedd is able to make a magical map that will take him to the source of the water. Cara has to consider killing a companion or return to the Underworld. Thaddicus realizes what is going on and sacrifices himself for Cara, only to be tormented and tortured by Rahl, who wants to know where the source of the shadow water is. Rahl is able to destroy the source, but Richard still manages to find a way to save Cara. Thaddicus is also given a second chance at life, thanks to Cara and the Breath of Life, but this seems to be done in vain.

#2.13 – “Princess”
Original Air Date: February 27, 2010
Kahlan is kidnapped from their camp by trained Gars. Zedd informs them of the Margrave of Rothenberg, who owns the Gars. The problem is that his kingdom is without magic. It cannot be used to aid them and Kahlan is powerless to help herself escape. Nicci is resurrected by the Sisters of the Dark. Nicci and Margrave do business trading Kahlan for eternal life. Zedd disguises Cara as the Margrave’s future bride. Richard is her brother and Zedd is their aunt, so in these disguises they are able to enter the palace. Cara tries to woo him and gets the key to the dungeon. There, she finds Kahlan and the old Queen Arla. Once they are free, Kahlan and Nicci battle, again.

#2.14 – “Bound”
Original Air Date: March 20, 2010
Nicci is at risk when the Sisters of the Dark
The Sisters of the Dark, disgusted with Nicci’s lack of success in finishing the Mother Confessor, decide to do away with Nicci. Nicci escapes and casts a maternity spell, linking her heart to Kahlan. Richard and others agree to Nicci’s deal: Richard finds the Stone of Tears or Kahlan dies. As Richard goes with Nicci, Zedd reveals that the spell can be broken by reconnecting Kahlan with her dead mother, for which they would have to go to Kahlan’s father in order to reclaim her mother’s most treasured possession. Kahlan, reluctant to face the man who tortured and terrified her for most of her childhood, is forced to order his release from jail. Believing him to be a monster, she is shocked to learn that her father was more afraid of his children than they were of him. Meanwhile, the Sisters of the Dark send a poisonous spider to kill Nicci, who is bitten and tells a horrified Richard that she will die in a few hours. Kahlan and Nicci both drop into unconsciousness and stand at the brink of death. Zedd casts the spell with the necklace Kahlan’s father gave her mother. Nicci and Kahlan awake. Nicci kills the rogue sisters and lets Richard go, swearing allegiance to herself and exiting service of The Keeper.

#2.15 – “Creator”
Original Air Date: March 27, 2010
The Banelings begin to spread an illness, that kills several people. When a girl, Maia, is able to heal them, the four are stunned, because Zedd is incapable of helping the victims of the illness. Maia says she is the Creator, and she is on a mission to kill Richard, because she believes he is an agent of the Keeper. The compass reacts to the girl oddly, so Richard, Kahlan, Cara and Zedd attempt to verify her story. Cara goes looking for Maia’s husband, Jason, while Kahlan attempts to interrogate Maia. When the girl knows things about Kahlan’s life no one else knows, it appears her claim is valid. Richard goes on trial, with Kahlan and Zedd attempting to defend him. Jason reveals Maia is actually a normal woman who was given the Hans of the Sister of the Light. Rahl finds out the Creator is a human, and goes after her, but Maia manages to seal the rift, but almost died. When Richard saves her, she changes her mind on killing the Seeker.

#2.16 – “Desecrated”
Original Air Date: April 10, 2010
On their way to go get supplies, Kahlan and Zedd must turn back, because, as Kahlan says, they are being attacked by Gars. She leads the group to a barn, where a surprise party is being held for Richard’s birthday. The magician at the party tricks Cara and Kahlan and traps them into two boxes, before placing them in a tomb where they have no exit and limited air supply. The magician demands Richard kill five men in town, including the son of the Duke of the province, to avenge the death of the magician’s son. Richard won’t but he also learns the Duke has been deceptive. During his search for his female companions he releases a creature of revenge, the Nygaax, whom the magician orders to kill the five men. Richard kills the Nygaax, but Zedd gets in the way and becomes the Nygaax. Richard must find a way to save all three and punish the Duke who is behaving badly.

#2.17 -”Vengeance”
Original Air Date: April 17, 2010
Darken Rahl is mad his father Panis Rahl is alive. He convinces Thaddicus to go to his father to have him get revenge, since Panis kill his father. Zedd had promised to seek vengence for Thaddicus and he agrees to kill Panis. Flashbacks show Zedd instructing young Darken in the art of magic. Horace claims he knows where the instructions for the Stone of Tears are. Zedd cannot find Panis, but Darken reveals his disguise. He is Horace. Zedd returns to kill Panis, who tries to explain about the curse Carracticus cast on Darken, but this does little to help his case. Darken convinces the Sisters of the Dark to steal the scroll of Valdaire. As a skirmish for the scroll occurs, Panis makes the ultimate sacrifice for Zedd, and he is reunited with Darken. Richard learns about Darken’s true birth story and comforts Zedd who has lost much.

#2.18 -”Walter”
Original Air Date: April 24, 2010

Darken Rahl orders Sister Marianna to deliver the scroll to the Mord-Sith temple in Jandrilyn. Meanwhile, Richard’s group stops at a tavern where a former D’Haran soldier, Malray, spins a lengthy of Walter, a village beggar and Darken Rahl doppelganger who was captured and trained at the People’s Palace at a request from the D’Haran. Malray details all of his and Walter’s exploits following Rahl’s death. In the present time, Richard and the others head towards the Mord’Sith temple where the Marianna has the scroll. Walter is revealed to be trapped in the dungeon of this temple, but escapes with a servant girl, only to be chased by a group of D’Haran soldiers. Walter runs into the Seeker who holds him at sword point as Walter explains his story. The real Rahl appears and makes a deal with Richard to exchange the scroll for Walter’s body. Richard and the group send Walter’s soul into one of the bodies of the dead D’Harans and resurrect Rahl in Walter’s body. Rahl, now back among the living is attacked with a dacra by the confessed Sister of the Dark, Sister Tyra. Richard tells his brother that the dacra will be removed once he retrieves the scroll. Rahl convinces General Egremont and the Mord’Sith that he is real and obtains the scroll and gives it to Richard just as they are attacked by Rahl’s men. As the group fights, Walter and the servant girl escape with Rahl’s gold. Darken Rahl escapes, but knowing that Richard’s group must find a night wisp to reveal the scroll’s secrets.

#2.19 -”Extinction”
Original Air Date: May 1, 2010
The group of four arrive at the Nightwisps home to a surprise. Darken Rahl is there and the forest has been burned to the ground. He has the last of the wisps and wants to play “Let’s Make a Deal!” with Richard. Rahl’s ultimatum is simple. Richard lets him read the scroll and follow its instructions, so he can become the savior of the world or he kills the wisp, which will doom the human race forever. Richard won’t allow the wisp to be killed, so he heads out with Rahl. Cara and Kahlan take the wisp to the Northern Territories, to the rottoes, where it can give birth and save its race. The Keeper sends the Sisters of Dark to kill Rahl. They wound him and then are sent to find a former D’haran general to kill Richard. Rahl reveals he was a baneling when Richard killed him and that the Keeper has been deceptive with him. When the Brute arrives to kill Rahl, Richard pushes him through the rift to the Underworld. Zedd saves Rahl as the wisp gives birth. The Listener Renn finds out what to do with the Stone of Tears, when he reads Rahl’s mind, who escapes. The four must find the stone by the summer solstice.

#2.20 -”Eternity”
Original Air Date: May 8, 2010
The Mord’Sith Dahlia seeks Cara’s help in rescuing Cara and Darken Rahl’s son. He has been kidnapped by the Sisters of the Dark. Zedd and Cara go to find him while Richard and Kahlan search for the Stone. In a hidden valley of magic, the first generation of people give them the stone. They soon discover they are trapped in the valley with no way out. Elodie, a member of the ancient order, gives them a ring to contact the world outside. Dahlia betrays Cara and Zedd, with the latter being thrown in prison. Darken Rahl tortures Cara, trying to lure her back to his side. The Sisters of Dark imbue the agiel with the pain she has caused others during her life. When ordered to kill Zedd she manages to escape with him and find a ring to communicate with Kahlan and Richard in the valley. Zedd calls the Stone to him, but Cara steals it and takes it to Rahl who has broken her. The compass repoints and the two can leave the valley, as they and Zedd attempt to get the stone back.

#2.21 – “Unbroken”
Original Air Date: May 15, 2010
Rahl, Cara, Dahlia and some of the Sisters of the Dark to a rift where he plans to toss the stone. Instead, he tosses the Sisters. He sends Cara and Dahlia after the Seeker. Richard is unable to kill Cara, but Kahlan confesses and kills Dahlia. Cara is distracted and is knocked out, so they can go after Rahl. Zedd casts a spell to remove Cara from the magic holding her. This sends him into a new reality, where Richard and Kahlan marry, at the hand of Darken Rahl. Cara is a mother and school teacher in this reality. As such, she did not use her agiel on Richard when he joined the Boxes of Orden together and Kahlan kept the boxes from controlling him. The boxes allow him to marry Kahlan. She soon is pregnant with his child. The Keeper sends Marianna to kill Jennsen, but she is captured and her blood is drank. Richard and Darken Rahl come to save her, but the Sisters who captured her take control of them and steal the boxes. Richard loses his power, Darken defeats him and takes the Sword of Truth and he puts the Boxes of Orden together himself. Darken takes control of Richard, with Zedd and Kahlan trying to save him. Dahlia kills Cara, after Richard reveals Zedd and Kahlan’s plan and she tells them to serve Lord Rahl.

#2.22 – “Tears”
Original Air Date: May 22, 2010
Zedd casts a spell on Dahlia, which reverses things back and he finds Cara, Richard and Kahlan fighting banelings. Richard has the stone back thans to the spell of Zedd. The Keeper opens a huge rift to the Underworld to try and stop Richard. Richard is separated from his three friends, so he goes to defeat The Keeper alone. A young boy accompanies him on his quest from a baneling ravaged village. The Sisters of the Dark learn the boy, Declan, is the Keeper. He sends them to kill Kahlan because the prophecy says as long as she lives the Keeper will fail. Darken Rahl is attacked by Nicci, but he orders her to go help Richard. Nicci uses Kahlan’s han to confess Kahlan sending her to get the Stone from Richard. Nicci blinds Richard with glass to slow him down. He uses Declan as his eyes and they travel to the Pillars of Creation. A Mord’Sith sent by Darken to help joins forces with Cara and Zedd, and they end up killing Nicci. Kahlan swears to avenge the death because she is still confessed. Cara let’s Kahlan escape. Sister Vera warns Declan is not who he seems and she sends monks to go kill him. Declan gets the Stone and Kahlan attacks Richard, and as he is dying, his vow of love revives her to her normal state. Kahlan’s tears create a new stone, which they take to the Pillar, after Cara revives Richard. They seal the rift, and learn there is no magic more powerful than Kahlan and Richard’s love.

Storyline/Plot: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4 out of 5 stars
Directing: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
I expect a really good picture for the episodes of Legend of the Seeker: The Complete Second Season. This show is new and it has great producers, so the budget for this should not be too skimpy. The episodes in this set are displayed at a 1.78:1 aspect ratio in anamorphic widescreen. What is here looks pretty good. I failed to notice any major, glaring visual errors, so it is safe to say they aren’t any. Still, I feel a show like Legend of the Seeker would benefit from an HD release. I hope they put it on Blu-Ray at some point, because the Sci Fi and Fantasy elements are going to look even more awesome than they do on DVD.

The audio quality for Legend of the Seeker: The Complete Second Season and its episodes is presented in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. This is standard for any DVD release. The sound is dynamic. I did not have to volume toggle at all. I like that about Legend of the Seeker: The Complete Second Season. The sound effects boom through the back channels and speakers and the music is full bodied. I still believe this could have been upgraded for an explosive release on Blu-Ray, though, which is why I cannot give the audio perfect marks. Besides the English track, subtitles are available in English, French and Spanish.

Visual: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There are a couple bonuses in this set that sweeten the deal of this release. Here is what is available.

There are a selection of extended and deleted scenes. These include:

The Story Of Panis from episode #2.1 – “Marked”
The Mother Confessor’s Return from episode #2.11 – “Torn”
Who’s Got First Watch? from episode #2.14 – “Bound”
Walter’s Transformation from episode #2.18 – “Walter”
What Could Have Been from episode #2.22 – “Tears”
The Importance Of Death from episode #2.22 – “Tears”

There are also two, very interesting featurettes. Here is information on them.

“Redemption of a Mord’Sith: Meet Cara” – A featurette all about Cara. Cara joins the group for season two. You get to meet Tabrett Bethell, a beautiful young actress who plays the Mord’Sith, Cara. She is a very interesting girl and this featurette explores her transformation into Richard’s right hand warrior. You will get to follow Bethell from read through to screen as she steps into that familiar, leather, Mord’Sith outfit and kicks some booty. This is an awesomely fun featurette, especially since Bethell is so entertaining.

“Under the Underworld” – This explores taking Terry Goodkind’s idea of the afterlife and bringing it into reality on film. This looks at the Underworld in his book series and how it compares to the Underworld created for the show. It also explores how the designers made the Underworld look as cool as it does, as they bring it to life.

While not a lot is here, what is goes above and beyond expectations for most series’.

Bonus Features: 4 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
This is the final season of Legend of the Seeker. Fans of the series need to get this box set. If you are new to this series, start with season one. I highly recommend both the first season and Legend of the Seeker: The Complete Second Season. Get them both if you want to watch an entertaining, engaging, series that is full of fantasy elements and a semi-corny ending to it. This story could be kind of crazy at times and it was a bit hard to follow for my friends who watched this with me who had not watched the first season. Still, this is a true blue Sam Raimi/Robert G Tapert show. It is done in its run, but immortalized in these two seasons, which are now both on DVD. Pick up Legend of the Seeker: The Complete Second Season and the First Season Box Set. You won’t regret it.

Overall Rating: 3.71 out of 5 stars

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