Then we have Troy showing up again like a bad penny. Exile seems to be just what he needed. Time to come up with a plan of revenge. He surprises Nick, popping up at his cabin in the middle of the night. He speaks of a “reckoning” headed toward the ranch. A beast like none ever seen. Troy says that he’s doing Nick a favor giving him a heads-up about the biblical proportions of the reckoning, and he’d like for Nick to make sure that Jake is there. He wants them to see his plan. He’s definitely a few eggs short of a dozen, and he disappears into the night.

In the morning, Nick alerts Jake that Troy is back and he has a plan for revenge. Jake and Nick set out in a pickup to find out what Troy is up to. Nick notices a huge cloud of dust in the distance. Jake pulls over, and the two jump out. Below in the valley, they see Troy with a rocket launcher. He’s deliberate with his shots; a horde of undead is following the explosions –  right to the ranch. Jake has his gun drawn, ready to put his brother down like like a wounded animal. Troy manages to squeeze off one more shot before Jake is all over him, hitting him repeatedly.  Troy’s shot is heard at the Ranch. Nick tries to warn Alicia over the walkie-talkie but the connection is poor. She did catch the word “horde”, and runs to tell Ofelia. Jake has his revolver pointed at his brother. Nick warns Jake that he will never recover if he shoots Troy. Jake pulls back the hammer and Nick jumps in and knocks Jake off of Troy. Jake tumbles down the hill, with a coming-out-of-nowhere walker tumbling after him. Jake is bitten on his forearm. He asks Nick to cut off his arm before the infection has a chance to spread.

Ofelia, Alicia and Crazy Dog try to figure out their next course of action. Crazy Dog isn’t ready to hand over the arsenal, but Ofelia convinces him. This is definitely a bullet situation. Nick is driving the pickup at breakneck speed trying to get ahead of the horde and back to the Ranch where Jake can get medical attention. Troy is in the truck bed, holding Jake against him. Jake, already weakened by the anthrax, is waxy pale and fading fast. The ranchers grab weapons and line up all of their vehicles, hoping to steer the horde away. Nick is forced to watch from the hilltop as thousands of the undead descend on the Ranch. Jake has died. Nick advises Troy to put him down. Troy feels that he was the one who was supposed to die. Nick tells him to kill himself if he wants to die. He drags Troy by the collar to show him what he has done. The ranch is overtaken.

Alicia gets the crowd safely into the storm-cellar-turned-pantry. The pressure from the horde has toppled a few vehicles in the blockade, and Alicia, Ophelia and Crazy Dog fight off as many walkers as they can, then join the other ranchers in the pantry. Tribe members and ranchers alike huddle together, united in their fear. On the hill, Jake is turning and Troy has to kill the thing that was his brother. There is no time for grief. Nick must find a way to save the Ranch, and he’s dragging Troy along with him. For better or worse.

Fear The Walking Dead airs on Sunday Nights at 9/8c on AMC

To take down a terrorist you have to become one and that’s what the gang has done. It’s been 100 days since Roarke took office and it’s time for the Constitutional Convention. Will they finally take down the Collaborators once and for all or will Roarke eliminate them like he did Alice Winter?

The team is now in charge of recruiting new employees for DISA, Roarke’s new intelligence agency. Sixty-two days until the Constitutional Convention and they can’t find many good candidates. Fast-forward two months, with only two days left and they haven’t made much progress. Oh boy.

At Gold Leaf, Ryan and Alex are happily back together, while Clay and Shelby are closer than ever but not yet official. When the bar closes for the night the team turns their favorite spot into the new bunker pulling computers and files out of the walls and even, the pool table. Way to use your resources guys!

Roarke needs 38 states to officially amend the U.S. Constitution. He has 34 yes’s and 12 definite no’s. The team has to work to make sure the four swing states are no. They ditch their good-guy ways and blackmail the four representatives to have them vote no to save the nation. While celebrating their flipping success, Maxwell Fletcher (Ideology) walks into the door.

He praises them on their creativity in hiding spots but points out how they fail to notice the obvious: new smart TVs with microphones that Peter Theo (Technology) installed. Not only were they caught by the Collaborators, but now they’re out of DISA. Honestly, that may not a bad thing.

Clay mentions if Theo will spy on them, he surely spies on Roarke and the other Collaborators. This means if they can hack into Theo’s systems, they might be able to find enough dirt to take Roarke down once and for all. Alex knows the perfect guy to recruit and  help them betray the country: Will Olsen.

They send Will and Iris (a frenemy of Alex’s while training at Quantico) to go undercover at Theo’s favorite bar to rope him into a threesome. The two go to Theo’s place where they break into his computer system. During that time, Alex, Clay, and a recently recruited Felix plan to sell the information to the Russians for the small price. They need the Russians to persuade Roarke to change the language in one of his currently proposed amendments. For once their plan succeeds without a hitch!

At the convention, Roarke brings Clay into his chamber to threaten him, but Clay gets the last laugh. As he leaves, he places a small camera on the door frame that could come in handy later. In the lobby, Shelby runs into Maxine who is there to protest. She reveals to Shelby that Clay actually kicked her out and “didn’t want to tarnish her good name” in the midst of the political upheaval with his family. Shelby is obviously shook but she can’t wallow in self pity because the plan is officially in motion.

Roarke officially begins the convention stating his home state wants to change the language of one amendment. This is proof that he took the Russian bait. Then on cue, Alex’s face is projected on the room’s giant screen. They play video from the small camera Clay placed in Roarke’s chambers showing he spoke with Russia before he walked onto the convention floor.

Alex continues to blast Roarke by revealing the Collaborators and how they used fear to control America. The team has this plan down to a science. On cue, Iris and Will release all the surveillance they have on the president to 100 major law firms and civil liberty organizations to comb through.

In true Quantico fashion, Alex comes bursting through the doors never breaking eye contact with Roarke. She admits she’s breaking hundreds of laws by revealing classified information but says it’s her duty to the American people to keep them safe from Roarke. Then she gets shot.

So Miranda shot Alex and in the ambulance Ryan is blubbering over her body. But SIKE, it was all part of the plan. Unfortunately for Ryan they couldn’t fill him in on the whole “Alex gets shot” part because they needed his reaction for believability. All he can say as he wipes away his tears is, “How did I do?” Lol.

Will and Iris tell Alex her death certificate is ready to go but it will only buy her time. She plans to disappear for while since she’s been made and well, broke hundreds of laws. In precious Ryan fashion, he will follow her to throw off any tails. How cute, he’s always looking out for bae. Sadly Ryan doesn’t make it all the way to the hangar to say goodbye after having to lose a tail. Instead, Owen is there to prep Alex with her go-bag. They have a precious mentor-mentee moment before she boards her plane to seclusion.

In Roarke’s chambers, Clay comes face-to-face with the president once again. The man knows he’s done and talks about how the other Collaborators can buy their way out from this scandal, but he can’t. Clay sympathizes and leaves. As Clay is walking away, he hears gunshots from the chambers where Roarke just shot himself.

Shelby finds Clay sitting on the steps as Roarke’s body is being wheeled away on a stretcher. She asks how he’s doing and he says, “I won, I think.” Sad to think that this is winning when four of eight Collaborators are dead. Shelby tells him that she talked with Maxine and reveals what she said. She tells him she’s not the one for him and that Maxine is.

Two months later, the gang is together in the bunker. Well, part of the gang. Owen and Shelby are there along with Raina and Nimah who are out of prison, and Clay and Maxine who are married after eloping. Owen reveals Miranda will be in prison for a bit, but that’s the sacrifice she made. Owen is also the new Deputy Director of the CIA to reshape the agency. Congrats!

But the finale doesn’t end there. We flash back to the moment Alex is on the plane alone, or so we think. Ryan was there the whole time. He comes out of nowhere, sits next to Alex and introduces himself recreating the moment they first met before Quantico training in Season 1.

Alex: “You really want to do this? Give it all up for me?”

Ryan: “I’m nothing when I’m not with you. Wherever you run, that’s where I want to be. If you’ll have me.”

Alex fights back tears (and so do I) making it the most pure and beautiful moment in Quantico history.

FINAL CONTRIBUTOR COUNT:

Law: Thomas Roth [Dead]

Money: Christian Kelly

Government: Henry Roarke – President of the United States [Dead]

Ideology: Maxwell Fletcher

Logistics: Rebecca Sherman [Dead]

Technology: Peter Theo
Media: Warren Shepard

Defense: Alice Winter [Dead] ]]> http://tvrecappersdelight.com/bates-motel-recap-dark-paradise/ Sun, 26 Feb 2017 04:09:30 +0000 http://tvrecappersdelight.com/?p=11376 We return to White Pine Bay. It’s morning and Norman is awakened by the sound of music and the smells of breakfast. Juno hops into bed to greet Norman and they run down to the kitchen to find Norma smiling, surrounded by breakfast delicacies. Norman sits to eat and chat with his mother. The motel still needs tending, so Norman puts on his blazer and kisses his mother before heading out. As soon as the front door closes, Norma fades away, another painful reminder that she’s gone. The kitchen, in reality, is filthy with old plates, pots and pans and Norma’s apron.

Norman heads to town to look for some paint to spruce up the motel. Village Hardware is under new management, and Norman walks in to look around. The owner, Madeline Loomis (Isabelle McNally), a pretty blonde, looks a lot like Norma. I don’t feel confident that she will be in too many more episodes, but you never know. Norman chooses a few paint samples, and pulls out his wallet to pay. He opens it to find that it isn’t his wallet, it belongs to a man named Jim Blackwell. Norman mumbles his apologies and promises to come back when he has his wallet. Back at home, Norman asks Norma if she’s seen his wallet, she says she last saw it on his dresser. She suggests putting Blackwell’s wallet into the motel safe. Just in case someone comes looking for it – Ha! Norman decides to check his blackout log.

Dylan and Emma are thriving in Seattle, and now have a baby girl. When Norma died, Norman told Dylan that Mother wanted to cut all ties so they have had no contact. It’s Emma’s birthday, and there are lots of friends there to celebrate. The doorbell rings and Emma answers the door to find Caleb, looking more pitiful than ever. His face just makes me sad. He looks like he needs a hug. He says he followed Dylan and Emma on Facebook, saw the baby, and felt the need to reconnect with family. Caleb asks to hold baby Kate, and Emma gives a nod that it’s okay.

Alex is still in the federal penitentiary, working on his prison muscles, still angry as hell. His parole has just been denied, but he still wants Norman dead and jail won’t stop him. He repeatedly makes calls from the prison phone, but he gets no answer. What are you up to, Alex?

Back at the motel, Norman scans the registry book, searching for Jim Blackwell (John Hainsworth). He’s not registered. Norman looks through the wallet and finds a receipt. The date matches the date of one of his recent blackouts. Surprise, surprise.

He’s also received a bill for Luminol and is arguing the charge with the merchant on the phone. While Norman’s on the phone, a man enters, wishing to rent a room for a few hours. A smarmy Norman explains that the motel doesn’t operate that way, and makes the guy pay for an overnight stay. He registers as David Davidson (Austin Nichols). Norman gives him Room 1, right next to the office. He looks outside and sees the man helping a woman out of the car and into the room.  Norman hurries into the back room to the peephole he made under a painting on the wall. He watches the couple make love and decides it’s a good time for some pocket pool. The phone rings, and Norman buckles up with one hand and answers the phone with the other. It’s Norma on the phone asking him what he’s doing. Geez! Busted by his mother from beyond the grave!

Later, Norman heads up to the house for dinner. He asks Mother about a bill for Luminol. Norma knows nothing about it.  He says that he hates having blackouts, but dismisses Norma’s suggestion that he start taking his meds again. Norma notices the paint swatches, and is very curious about Madeline Loomis. Norman bristles at the interrogation, asking Norma what her problem is. Norma rants about the sacrifices she’s made just to keep Norman safe and happy.  Alive or not, Norma is angry. She reminds Norman of their “agreement”; she pretends to be dead so she can protect him. Oookay, so how ‘bout those meds? That night, a restless Norman gets out of bed without waking Norma. He sneaks out of the room and heads to the basement. He sits at the feet of the real Norma, resting his head on her lap. Poor dead Norma is wide-eyed and propped up in the macabre shrine that Norman created for her.

The next day, Norman finds the motel safe open, just as Madeline Loomis stops by with some paint samples. Norman has his wallet this time and pays Madeline before walking her to her car.  She invites him to a meeting in town for small business owners that evening. Norman sees Mother watching from a window in the house.

Dylan tells Emma that Caleb risked his life to get the money for her transplant. He doesn’t feel that he can turn him away. Emma speaks to Caleb privately later that evening. She is so very grateful to Caleb, but she has to protect her man. She tells Caleb to keep it moving. She fears Caleb’s presence will complicate Dylan’s relationship with his daughter. Sad Caleb agrees to go. Now Emma is the one looking out for Dylan. She is strong in so many ways now.

And none of them know about Norma.

Norman decides to attend the small-business meeting despite Mother’s objections. She doesn’t want him to use the car, but he decides to go anyway. Before he can back out of his parking space, Mother is behind the car. Boy, she’s quick for a dead woman!  She’s angry and drags Norman back to the house by his ear. She hustles him into the house and down into the basement to the freezer. She opens the freezer to show Norman why he needs her. Jim Blackwell is in there, wrapped in a shower curtain. Norman has flashes of Jim coming to the motel looking to hurt him, and Norma slashing at Jim, blood everywhere. They load Jim into the trunk of the car, and then into a rowboat. Once they’ve rowed out far enough, they lift the body, ready to throw it overboard. Jim’s cell phone begins to ring, and Norman decides to answer it. It’s a recording, asking Norman to accept a call from a federal correctional facility. Norman presses 1 to accept the call. He listens silently. It’s Alex, trying again to reach Jim. Unfortunately, Jim is indisposed. Well, now we know what Alex is up to.

Bates Motel airs on A&E Mondays at 10pm/9c

There were bright spots, too. Thank you, Chris Harrison for a season of The Bachelor, which will make this the most superlative season yet! Maeve on Westworld is everything! Here are some 2016 TV musings and shout-outs by and about our writers here at TVRD.

1. Blackish–The black cat’s out of the bag
White people – if you feel you need a black consultant to navigate the cultural divide, just watch Blackish. Here you will learn about “Black Twitter”, “the Nod”, ashy, and best of all, how your latent white guilt may have been activated without your even knowing it.

Black people – I am sure you are dismayed that all of this got outed. You will have to talk to the showrunner about that – I am not succumbing to white guilt about it. But, there is a great episode on the science of instigating white guilt and reaping the rewards. Worth watching because a lot of white people still won’t have watched the show and will be completely unaware they are being manipulated. Meanwhile, I heard someone is thinking of launching a secret underground Black NASCAR – but keep it quiet. — Geri M.

2. The Bachelor Franchise–Playing with our hearts
From zero to hero: Seeing Nick go from villain, to super villain, to a sad little teddy bear, to a winner! At least I sincerely hope that Nick will leave his season of being The Bachelor with a woman by his side, but with his track record, there’s no guarantee.

Tempting us with the Chad bear: Getting us all to watch Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After? under the guise of Chad being on the show, only to find out he’s only featured for two minutes of one terrible, terrible episode. That trick cost me three hours of my life!

Bachelorettes turned lesbian lovers: If I haven’t convinced you yet to branch out into the international Bachelors, this should do it. This year on Bachelor Australia, two of the women vying for The Bachelor ‘s heart fell in love and are now a couple! Frankly, if I had to date any of The Bachelors, I’d probably go lesbian too! — Andrée H.

3. Downton Abbey–Crawleys they’re just like Us! Except they have oodles of money and nothing to complain about.
Thanks to a series of exclusive interviews, we learned that even English nobility have everyday issues. Why, even the haughtiest and most sought-after woman in the UK had a bad day once in a while.

4. Orange is the New Black–Nooooooooooo! Anything but this!
Socially relevant, yes, but why did it have to be her? Couldn’t it have been Piper? Of course, not. That would have been as realistic as unicorns. It was a masterful illustration of what happens in a society in which “above the law” trumps decency. It was masterful.

5. Orange is the New Black–Well, okay you did a phenomenal job. Happy now?
Despite the heartbreak of losing a beloved character, you honored that character and the audience. A lesser show might have just left us with the shock and moved on. Thank you for giving us a proper bittersweet farewell and using the death to set up the next season.

6. Power–Magnificent chestnut tresses
That’s it. We just like saying that. Angie is so pretty.

7. Sleepy Hollow–Do we even have to say it?
You should have just yanked us by our heads and poured the poisoned Kool-Aid down our throats. It would have been more merciful than this act of sadistic cruelty. Welp, goodbye show. Until Friday, January 6 at 9/8c on Fox. And then…

8. Westworld–Wait, what?
Wow, it’s so hard to talk about all the best parts of this show without spoilers. Let’s just say:
“Wait, you mean he’s a…?”
“Again and again? That’s just sick.”
“I knew it, I just knew it! See? I told you!”
“And he’s also…?”
“The logos, hmmmmmmm.”
“That’s him! Wow! Didn’t see that coming unless I was on reddit.”
“He can’t see the door!!!!!”
“But what about the one he’s building? Did you notice that?”
“Welp, they brought it on themselves but aren’t people going to look for them?”
“Samurais?”
“F-ck yeah, she’s going back!”

And now for some thoughts about and thanks to the TVRD family

Andrée Harris–Most Influential Award
Our Bachelor philosopher and Canadian empress, Andrée took TVRD to a place we never dreamed of by sharing her views on The Bachelor franchise. Andrée, who is strong in her beliefs, used that irresistible Canadian charm to browbeat, gently encourage me to watch Bachelor in Paradise. She told me why it’s better than the main shows–and she was right. She was right for the right reasons. Thank you, Andrée. Would you accept this rose?

Savannah Brock–Humanitarian Award
Besides having a name scriptwriters would stab their moms to use, TVRD’s newest special contributor gets this one for voluntarily watching The Royals, a show which Elaine F. gave up on. Thanks, Savannah for bringing it back to life for us and recapping it in an enjoyable manner.

Ralph Spencer–Power to the People Award
He slips social statements into many of his Gotham and Ballers recaps. Ralph, a badass by day (as you’ll glean from his bio) brings his unique voice to TVRD. That voice suggests Ralph is not one to be trifled with. So watch your back!

Tracey Mendes–Not Afraid of Things that Go Bump in the Night Award
Tracey writes about American Horror Story and Fear the Walking Dead and still manages to sleep without a night light. That is an act of fearlessness rarely seen in today’s world. Wait, I think I just heard a noise in the basement, wanna go check it out for me?

Geri M.–Ninja Award
Who is Geri M.? Nobody knows. She has no bio and yet, she pops up now and then to weigh in before slipping off into the night. Some say she killed a man once, just to watch him die. Others say, she’s part of a secretive blog cartel. There’s a persistent rumor that she she only watches PBS. Whoever she is, we love her sense of humor.

Valerie Bracken–Warriors Come out to Play-i-ay
We made the leap from a recap site to a site with quotes from actual actors thanks to Val B. She took TVRD to the next level at a Warriors reunion. We’re proudly able to boast that we got a quote from an actor. If she has time, one day Val may provide us with another post with a quote. We aim high!

Mr. TV Recaps–Husband of the Year Award
In addition to being Executive Editor, TV Recaps was a stoic Sleepy Hollow widower. He never complained about Mrs.TV Recaps unhealthy obsession with a show that eventually stabbed her in the back. He was there to pick up the pieces.

Our return to Mexico has shed some light on the gentle soul of Nick. After deciding not to leave the Abigail estate with his family, he spends days looking for shelter and water. The few people he encountered along the way were suspicious, scared and hostile. He finds kindness in the home of a woman, Sofia (Diana Lein) and her son, Juan (Moisses Arath Leyva). She’s leaving to find Juan’s father (likely a really bad idea) and supplies Nick with some food and water before they part ways.

Sofia advises Nick to head for the mountains.

He wanders miles of deserted road, scavenging what he can from abandoned cars. He finds shelter in an empty house, lights a fire and falls asleep, dreaming about one of his court-mandated stays in rehab. In the dream there’s a girl, and she was able to get him to talk about his father. Nick was so angry with his father he could barely speak. He eventually says that his dad came home every night, but wasn’t really there for the family. He spent most of his time at home holed-up in his office, though Nick really needed him. These wounds are still fresh. Who was supposed to show Nick how to be a man? My heart breaks for him, even dreaming, he seems to be holding so much inside.

His dream is interrupted by a Spanish-screaming, baseball bat-wielding woman, who chases him into the night. Guess not everyone’s a fan of Nick’s gore-suit. Food and water soon run out that next day, and the highway is a long and hot. As night falls, a shivering Nick drifts off and dreams of rehab again, and the terrible day Maddie came to tell him his father was killed in a head-on collision. Nick was brokenhearted.

Two barking wild dogs are Nick’s wake-up call this time, and he’s bitten on the leg before climbing on top of a small bus. A large herd of the infected is drawn to the sound of the dogs. Also approaching is a vehicle full of hoots, hollers and gunfire. It’s a band of Outlaws — the infected are their sport. The herd turns toward the Jeep. Nick snags a belt from a passing walker to use as a tourniquet and blends into the herd. The undead continue toward the noise of gunshots. Nick’s cover is blown once he locks eyes with one of the men. He limps into the hills, dodging bullets.

The dogs are a tasty snack for the remainder of the herd, as are some of the unlucky Outlaws. Sunburned and dehydrated, the sun beats down on Nick and the thorns of the cacti join in the assault. He tries to get water from a piece of cactus by eating it. It sickens him, so he instead opts for an Idi Amin cocktail of his own urine.

Maybe Nick’s will to live is much stronger than we thought. As he walks with the herd again, he begins to hallucinate, and some of the infected turn into familiar faces. They speak to him and confuse him. A group of Lookouts watch this from a distant hilltop, and see Nick through their binoculars. It’s clear he’s not one of the infected, but they don’t know what to make of him. His last ounce of energy gone, Nick collapses on the road. Unconscious, Nick flashes back to his time in LA with Gloria (Lexi Johnson). They’re in the church, and Nick is reading her passages from a book he’s reading, Winesburg, Ohio. She promises him she’ll read it the next day, but we know that day never came.

A drenching rain revives Nick and literally saves his life. He manages to make his way to a small town, now called “El Colonio. It’s full of survivors trying to make sense of the new world. He meets Alejandro (Paul Calderone), formerly the town pharmacist, now the town doctor. He cleans and dresses the dog bite, but Nick is morose. His will to stay alive is broken. He tells Alejandro he wants to be “where the dead aren’t monsters.” Still, it seems Nick may have found a home, at least for now.

Once he steps outside into the courtyard, he sees children laughing and kicking a soccer ball. The ball rolls over to him, and he kicks it back gently. He smiles that beautiful smile. I think this has been Nick’s first smile in a long time.

Fear The Walking Dead Airs on AMC Sundays at 9/8c

In a small chapel in Mexico, a boys’ choir sings; weary parishioners cling to their faith. The Padre encourages them to  stay strong against this abomination; this is not the work of his God. Slowly, the faithful approach the altar for communion, the Padre being the last to put a wafer on his tongue. The parishioners slowly head out into the hot sunshine, just as Thomas Abigail drives up to the chapel. He’s desperate to stop the Padre. One by one, each of the faithful drop on the sandy ground. The Padre’s last words blame Celia Flores. Thomas is too late to stop her and ends up bitten. I hate it when that happens!

As the Abigail pushes ahead for Baja, a small watercraft full of armed men approaches. Luis Flores works with Victor to negotiate their entry into Baja. The rest of the group is hiding below deck. They hear others boarding the yacht, shouting, and then gunshots. Once he feels it it safe, Victor calls  them back up on deck. After trading gunfire, Luis has been mortally wounded and lays bleeding on the deck. Daniel approaches Luis to stab him in the brain. Love the bedside manner, Daniel. Luis begs Daniel not to kill him, because it’s against everything he believes in. He’s Celia’s boy, all right. Daniel leaves Luis alone and Nick stays by his side. Once on shore, Victor leads the way. They walk past the small chapel and are confronted by a revival of dead parishioners. Daniel freaks out when he sees his own face in the face of a choirboy. Nick is having a hard time, too, faced with stabbing an undead little girl. At this moment Daniel is losing his sanity just as Nick seems to be  finding his. Chris sees Madison on the ground, struggling with a walker but does nothing. If he can’t have a Mommy, no one can! Alicia runs to Maddie’s rescue. Chris is being quite the jerk, isn’t he?

Victor sees Thomas’ pick-up truck, and calls his name. There’s no sign of Thomas, so Victor takes the pickup and speeds to the Abigail estate. The gates open and the estate looks like paradise, but we all know looks can be deceiving. There are men farming with crops growing, and people thriving. The pick-up’s occupants are told to hand over their weapons; even hard-headed Daniel grudgingly hands over his arsenal. Victor is frantic to see Thomas. Celia Flores (Marlene Forte) arrives to take him to Thomas’ room.  She wonders where her Luis is. Finding Thomas bitten and sickening, Victor is devastated. He offers to help Thomas into bed, tears coursing down his cheeks. His true love is dying and his heart is broken. This is a different Victor Strand, not the slick, fast-talking dude we met at the detainment center in LA. Things are starting to real here.

Nick finds Celia in the kitchen cooking and tells her Luis’ last words. She gives him a snack before dinner. She tells Nick he’s a beautiful boy, (Yes. Yes, he is.) but she sees a deep sadness in his eyes. She also sees great strength. Nick says he’s tired of killing. Celia smiles and says that the afterlife isn’t new, it’s just visible now. (O-o-okay) Madison walks in on their conversation and hustles Nick out of the kitchen. To Maddie, Nick seems vulnerable and weak, in need of protection. This is a clear case of Enable vs. Empower, and Maddie wants to keep Celia’s maternal hooks out of her son.

Daniel is out in the garden, by a memorial of the dead covering a stone wall. Celia comes to put Luis’s picture up, explaining to Daniel her belief that her son is still alive somewhere, just different now. That’s an understatement!

That night, while Alicia sits watching recorded TV in the living room, Chris walks in. He asks her what she thought she saw earlier that day. She says that she saw him watching her mother fight for her life.  Chris tells her to keep her mouth shut so he won’t have to hurt her. What the hell, Chris?

Maddie brings a tray of food to Victor and Thomas. She and Victor playfully spar back and forth. Thomas asks Maddie to take care of Victor once he’s gone. She promises to do her best. I see a genuine friendship developing between Maddie and Victor; they understand and depend on each other – despite their better judgement.

At dinner time, Daniel is morose and stays in his room alone. He’s a shell of the man who defended his family in LA. He’s lost without Griselda and Ophelia is worried about him. At bedtime, Alicia tells Maddie that Chris threatened her. Maddie tells Travis, but he doesn’t want to believe it. Ever-idealistic Travis wants to work things out as a family, with Maddie by his side. She tells him how Chris refused to help her at the chapel. The accusations tear them apart.  That night, Maddie sleeps with Alicia and Travis sleeps with Chris.

Victor tends to a tearful Thomas who doesn’t want to leave him. Victor mentions the communion wafers, and offers to join him in the afterlife. Thomas states his wishes to be set free, not left to turn.

Ophelia lights a candle at the memorial wall, asking her mother to please look after Daniel. Nick finds her there, and the lighted candles take him back to the L.A. church, where he was a different version of walking dead. Nick’s growing dark and haunted.

Later that same night, Daniel wanders outside and discovers the pen where all of the infected friends and relatives are kept. There’s a young boy outside the gate, talking to his undead mother. Daniel confronts Celia about his horrific discovery. She defends her actions, stating that she cannot let her loved ones be hunted down. (No, best to let them rot) She provides them with food and shelter. She is carrying a tray for Thomas and Victor, and Daniel notices the communion wafers. He picks one up and sniffs it, smelling the poison. It dawns on him that what happened at the chapel was Celia’s doing. Poor Thomas was collateral damage! Celia suggests to Daniel that he find peace with his own dead. She heads to Thomas’ room, overjoyed that Victor has decided to take the journey with him.

Nick is sleepless and heads outside to the courtyard to find Celia sitting there under the stars. He sits to talk with her. He asks her what the infected really are. She says they’re what comes next. Yikes! They sit silently for a while.

Victor stays with Thomas until his last breath then kisses him goodbye. He reaches for the wafers, but on second thought, he goes for his gun. Chris has snuck out of his room, and stands over Maddie and Alicia as they sleep.  A gunshot rocks the household, and Maddie wakes to find Chris standing over her bed holding a knife. Victor honored Thomas’ last wish – to be set free. Chris’ cover is blown and he runs off into the desert like a coyote, with a gun tucked into the waistband of his pants.

Daniel hears the gunshot and joins the rest of the household hurrying to investigate. Celia berates Victor for shooting Thomas. She orders the entire group off the property.  Nick manages to get Celia to back down. She says she’ll allow Victor to bury Thomas, but he is no longer welcome. As Victor digs, Daniel is peeking from behind some trees like a wily leprechaun. He sees workers carrying piglets to the infected.  

A barefoot Travis runs into the desert looking for Chris. He finds a small house whose inhabitant says “No Ingles” when Travis asks if he has seen his son. The man sees Travis’ feet are badly cut and bleeding, which is generally  what happens when you go running into the Mexican desert barefoot. I think this is Travis’ version of self-flagellation. He feels guilty for not spending more time helping Chris deal with the loss of his mother. “No Ingles” offers Travis water and a pair of shoes. Travis sees a book on the man’s bed. The title is written in English. Aha! Travis sees there’s another room; he forces the door open to find Chris holding the man’s son at gunpoint.

Celia asks Nick to bring Luis home to her. Nick covers himself in the usual gore, and returns with a bound and gagged Luis. Celia is overjoyed (really??) and begs Nick to stay with her family. Nick bargains with her until she agrees to let his family stay as well. Celia gives in, but Victor is still unwelcome.

Nick feels untouchable. He can walk among the dead undetected. He’s not afraid. He tells Maddie he can bring Travis back just like he brought Luis back. He heads back into the desert.

Daniel is losing his grip on reality. He drags Ophelia to the front gate, saying Griselda’s there waiting for him. Guards come to subdue him, and he lashes out at them.

Maddie asks Victor to help her with Nick. Victor says Nick is a lost cause now that Celia’s got her hooks in him. He offers to take Maddie with him after Thomas’ burial.

Meanwhile, Chris has Travis at gunpoint. He thinks everyone sees him as a monster now and that he’s damaged goods. He runs outside, slashing at Travis with his knife. What other weapons have ya got there, pal? A guilty Travis feels responsible.   

At Thomas’ gravesite, Celia reminds Victor that he needs to leave by sunset. (Hasta luego, crazy lady!) Celia has Daniel trussed in the basement. She visits him and tries unsuccessfully to get him to eat something. I don’t think he’s into her cooking as she’s pretty liberal with the poison. Celia sees the fear and hatred in his eyes. She tells him his true fear is of his dead, not her. Daniel stares past her, he sees his Griselda. She speaks to him and comforts him like she always did. Celia leaves and Daniel is left alone with his wife.

Outside, Nick is in his gore getup, looking for Travis and Chris. When he finds them, Travis begs him to tell Maddie he couldn’t find them; he needs to be with his son.

Maddie begs Celia to let Victor stay. She refuses, then tells Maddie proudly that Nick sees the world through new eyes now. Oh yeah?! Maddie pretends that she, too, wants to understand and asks Celia to show her. Celia takes her into the basement where the dead are corralled. When Celia opens the gate, Maddie pushes her inside, locking it. No one messes with her son! Celia seems resigned to her fate and more than a little afraid. In another part of the lower level, a guard has come to offer food to Daniel. Daniel responds with a head-butt. Lights out for the guard, and  Daniel manages to untie his restraints. Griselda is with him, asking him to let go of his burdens. As Victor is walked to the front gate and locked out, Daniel is dousing the entire lower level with gasoline. The faces of the walkers become the faces of his victims, and he lights his zippo. He and Griselda smile at each other, and he drops the lighter. Victor sees the flames from his pick-up and slams on the brakes. As Maddie and Ophelia call for Daniel, Victor pulls up and urges them to get in. The flames have caught the attention of a large herd of walkers. Maddie sees gore-covered Nick, and urges him to get into the truck bed with Alicia and Ophelia. Nick refuses, saying that Celia predicted that they would bring death and destruction, and he’s not going anywhere. The herd advances, and there’s no time to spare. Maddie watches helplessly as her son walks unseen among the dead, eventually disappearing into the herd.

Things in Mexico have taken a nasty turn. Is this truly the end of Daniel’s story? I thought he had so much more to reveal. Nick is somewhere wandering among the dead, and Travis and Chris have a hard road ahead of them. Maddie needs her son, and Ophelia has likely lost her father. This is Baja. Outside the gates of the Abigail estate, our survivors will face some harsh realities.

FTWD Returns Sunday, August 21 on AMC 9/8c

This week, the action starts in the ocean. Nick is swimming al fresco onto the shore towards a rudimentary tent-city, closed off by a steel wall. He has a waterproof bag tethered to his leg. There are dry clothes and directions. He and Strand have a secretive bond, planning quietly. He finds a tent and a walker. He harvests its blood, digging into its belly and covering himself with the putrid mess, and I’m gagging right along him. Once his blood-shield is on, he finds the piece of paper Strand gave him and surveys the area.

Strand is still a major sore spot between Maddie and Travis. Maddie wants Travis to trust Strand like Nick does. Chris and Ophelia stay up late imagining life in Mexico. They talk about how things used to be not that long ago. Old lives, old loves. Ophelia promises Chris there are girls out there somewhere. I think Chris needs to focus on his mental health for now. He’s a mess and is the first one alerted by screams of help from an approaching raft. A young man shouts for help, there’s a pregnant woman in distress. Strand is on the upper deck listening in. Alicia hears the commotion, and recognizes one of the voices, it’s her buddy Jack. Aww, shoot! Jack, along with Reed and his crew force their way onto the Abigail. Strand warned you,  Alicia, this one is on you.

Vida (Veronica Diaz-Carranza), the pregnant woman, knocks Maddie out, ties her hands and helps tie up the rest of the group. Alicia is forced to help, maybe leaving Daniel’s restraints a bit looser. The pirates search the yacht looking for Strand and Nick. Reed has Chris at gunpoint, demanding Strand’s whereabouts. He sure knows a lot about who’s on the boat, and is just too damned cocky to shut up. I want to hurt him. Real bad.

Jack looks overboard, and sees Strand’s raft leaving. Reed fires two shots and hits Strand and the raft. There’s no sign of Nick. While Strand lays cold and wounded, we finally get a glimpse into his past. He’s sitting at a bar in L.A. watching news about hurricane Katrina. Victor Strand tells the man next to him that his investment is now submerged. He introduces himself as Thomas Abigail (Dougray Scott) and the two talk about their investments while tying one on. Later, Victor helps Thomas back to his hotel room and puts him to bed. Victor, always the opportunist, helps himself to a few of Abigail’s credit cards. Thomas sees him with one eye and smiles, “Now you’re obligated.” The next morning, Thomas Abigail and Luis Flores (Arturo del Puerto) bang on Strand’s door. Abigail likes what Strand’s done with $36k lifted from his accounts and isn’t angry.  He likes Victor and his way of thinking. Victor says he’ll pay Thomas back with interest. Abigail asks Strand to meet him at the bar. Eventually, Thomas asks that Victor stay with him on his private island and not want for anything. Who would think that a con man and his con could fall in love?  

Back on the boat, Travis is having trouble starting the yacht. Reed takes him to the engine room at gunpoint, but not before Travis can slip a crowbar to Daniel, who devises a fight plan with Maddie. Alicia and Jack are in her room, away from Reed and Vida. Jack asks Alicia to go with him, once his brother, Connor arrives. Jack says his brother always listens to him. Jack has to promise to keep her family safe before she’ll agree. He cuts her restraints so she can hug him. Work that body, Alicia!

Maddie and Ophelia get into Vida’s head, scaring her. What if her baby is dead, won’t he turn? He’ll be hungry. Eww. Soon, Connor (Mark Kelly) arrives by boat with more goons. They barge aboard the yacht. Daniel is working his restraints ceaselessly while Reed continues to taunt and brag. Meanwhile, Luis and Nick are on a raft rushing to the Abigail. Luis fires some great sniper shots, taking out a few goons. Now free, Daniel impales Reed with the crowbar, and frees the others. Maddie heads out on the raft to rescue Strand, who is barely floating, trying to stay alive. Maddie extends both hands to pull him aboard. Strand is truly grateful, and that is something you can take to the bank.

Connor and his goons cover Travis and Alicia’s heads with pillowcases and retreat with Travis and Alicia to their docked ship, leaving Reed behind. Alicia and Travis are separated on Connor’s huge, docked ship. Connor is upstairs cooking steak for  Alicia while an unconscious Travis is in a locked cage below. Travis wakes, rattling the cage, yelling for help. And guess who comes around the corner to gloat, our flight attendant, Alex. Whoops!  She refuses to help Travis, but makes sure he knows how it was for her, stranded at sea. And how much she told Connor about the passengers aboard The Abigail. A badly wounded Reed is attended to by Daniel, and I know he made cleaning the wound hurt more than he had to. There’s still so much I want to know about Daniel’s past. He’s an under-the-radar badass. Reed warns that Connor will come back for him and make them pay. He’s waxy-pale and sweating, in no position to threaten. Daniel asks Chris to stand guard over Reed. Chris is unstable now though and needs to be the one being watched. Connor has made contact and wants his brother back. Maddie agrees to a trade for Alicia and Travis. Reed continues trash-talking Chris, so it’s no surprise that Chris shoots Reed in the face, swearing he was about to turn. Great, there goes the bargaining chip. Apparently, Chris didn’t hit the brain, because Reed has turned, and thrashes around in his seat.

Connor agrees to the exchange; Maddie and Daniel cover Reed’s head with a pillowcase, and march him out to the raft. The pillowcase prevents him from biting, but Maddie is nervous about thrashing zombie-Reed.  As she pulls up to the dock, Travis, head covered, is marched toward her. She manages to get Reed onto the dock, close to his brother and frees his hands just in time for Travis to head butt a goon, kick some ass and get away. Connor removes the pillowcase from Reed, and screams as Reed munches on him and his henchmen. Alicia has gotten free and is high on the deck of the ship. She sees the raft, and decides Jack isn’t worth jack. Heartbreaker or tease, Alicia? She slides down the slope of the bow, and jumps in the ocean. The raft heads toward her, and she climbs aboard. She and Jack stare at each other as the raft pulls away. Poor, sad Jack. Connor and crew are left wrestling with a very hungry, bitey Reed, and soon they’re far behind the Clark/Manawa family as they return to the Abigail. Now to find out why Luis Flores was so surprised that so many were coming to Baja. Let’s hope Strand’s plan will work out for all of them. I have a feeling that nobody rides for free.

Fear The Walking Dead airs on AMC Sundays at 9/8c.

Strand talks on the satellite phone during the night, re-confirming that he is on his way. Travis lies awake, worrying about the future. Maddie notices Travis isn’t able to sleep. Maddie and Travis start to kiss and reconnect but are interrupted by a loud noise followed by silence from the engine.  There’s a problem with the yacht; the ship won’t move. Travis volunteers to swim under the boat and check out what’s going on. They need to keep moving. It’s not safe at sea. As Travis dives deeper, he sees a floater with his arm stuck in the intake valve. Yuck! Travis says it might take a day to fix, and Strand jumps down his throat to get it done. Travis doesn’t work for you, Strand, you pompous ass! I’m not the only one having a problem with Victor Strand this week.

Daniel is concerned that Ophelia’s wound is not healing, but insists that the Salazars stick together and depend on no one. O-o-okay, Daniel, haven’t you been depending on Strand? I’m still wondering about the skeletons in Daniel’s closet. Through binoculars, Ophelia spots a plane wreck on a distant beach. Ah, the infamous flight 465. While Travis works on the boat, Chris suggests they pick up some much-needed supplies from the beach. Daniel volunteers to chaperone Nick, Alicia and Chris to the beach and keep them safe. The kids find some body parts, and other unpleasant remnants. It appears the wreckage has been there awhile. Flies buzz about while the kids scavenge under Daniel’s supervision. Chris snoops around the tail end of the wrecked plane. He heads inside the cabin. There’s a walker still wearing his seatbelt, and an oxygen mask. Chris taunts it awhile before killing it. He’s liking this a bit too much. I guess he’s embracing the madness. In the next seat, a man begs Chris to help him. The man has broken his back. Chris can see vertebrae poking out of his skin. Again, he begs Chris for help, he’s suffering and dying slowly.  Chris bludgeons the man repeatedly, until he’s sure he’s dead. He just keeps swinging, as if he can’t stop. Chris backs away from what he’s done, upset and confused.  

Back on the yacht, Maddie anxiously watches over the side of the boat waiting for Travis to emerge. There are bubbles, then blood before Travis finally surfaces, much to Maddie’s relief. Well, I guess that floater is out of the intake valve now. Maddie confronts Strand about heading to Baja. Strand says there’s a safe place there. Maddie makes him swear not to abandon her family or the Salazars. Victor reminds her that he’s kept his word so far. Yeah, so far….

Nick’s made a decent haul from the wreckage, but Daniel refuses to take any clothes from the dead, says it’s bad luck. This whole scene is bad luck, man! Alicia is happy to be spending so much time with Nick. She’s glad to have her brother back. They have a sweet moment together when Nick finds a sun hat for her.

Maddie heads below deck to see how Travis is doing. She tells him Strand’s plan to head to Baja, and believes they should trust him. Travis isn’t happy that Maddie wants to go along with this. Maddie’s not happy about having her loyalty questioned.

On the beach, a woman runs down from a dune, screaming for help, warning that walkers are coming. Her name is Alex (Michelle Ang), and she’s got an inflatable raft from the wreckage. A horde of walkers begin to head down from the dunes. Likely more victims of the crash. Daniel has his gun out, but where the hell is Chris? They’ve all been calling for him, wanting to get back to the dinghy. Nick is foolishly looking into a hole, watching a trapped walker covered with crabs. He manages to kill him when another tumbles into the hole, taking Nick with him. Alicia finds Chris, asking him where he been. She can see that he’s upset. Drawn by the noise, walkers head their way. Hmmm, guess the yelling was a bad idea. The group is forced to fight off the herd, and Daniel hurries to get them back to the dingy as soon as possible. They all pitch in, savagely striking out at the walkers. Nick wears blood and gore like war paint. Strange as it seems, he is in his element.  Alicia stares at her brother, proud and scared. Nick has a staring contest with a walker, but notices the walker ignores him. Valuable lesson, right there. If you smell as bad as they do, walkers don’t see you as food. All aboard the dinghy, Daniel heads back to Abigail, towing Alex and the raft.  Anyone on the raft that has been bitten gets an oar to the head and a quick drop into the ocean. They started as a group of four, but now there are only two.

Strand says there’s no way they’re taking those people with them. Maddie speaks up. She insists they could at least continue to tow the refugees, and give them water and some food. A young man is badly burned and Alex tends to him the best she can. It’s hard for Maddie to watch that little raft trailing behind the yacht. Nick hasn’t changed his clothes and he smells awful. He managed to find a rosary for Ophelia and she is grateful, but not downwind of Nick. Maddie can’t stop watching the raft, there must be something more that they could do. Strand abruptly runs down and cuts the tow-rope.  Alex and Maddie lock eyes. Maddie is horrified and devastated as the vessels drift apart. Strand is a cold, cold man and Maddie is questioning her trust in him. Hey, Strand, Karma’s a bitch.

Fear The Walking Dead Airs Sundays on AMC at 9/8c.

I’m happy to report Travis has grown a pair since season one. Shooting Liza to keep her from turning has given him strength he didn’t know he had. And believe me, he’s going to need it. Nick helps Strand stock Abigail for their voyage, while Travis, Maddie and the rest wait on shore for Nick to return with the dingy.

A horde of walkers stumble down the hill toward the shore, and Maddie and Travis bash some skulls before jumping on board with Nick. Chris refuses to leave his mother’s body behind, so she’s loaded on board, too. A walker pops up at the rear of the boat, and Nick gives him a nice propeller-facial as the boat gains momentum. Ophelia nurses her gunshot wound absent mindedly.

Something has broken in her. She’s just a shadow now. The next morning, Travis finds Chris sitting alone with Liza’s body. No one has slept and nerves are frayed. Not Nick’s though. He seems right at home. The yacht passes a crowded boat of survivors begging for help. Maddie asks Strand to stop and help them, but he makes it clear that if he stops the boat, it will be to drop someone off, not pick them up. I’m liking Strand. Good guy or bad guy, he’s quick with the quips. If only we knew more about him…all in good time, I suppose.

Alicia is obsessively listening to transmissions from the CB radio. She hears screams of panic, and pain, but can’t bring herself to speak or turn off the radio. David Bowie’s apocalyptic song “Five Years” begins to play through the CB and then a voice comes through. It sounds like a young man who says his boat is sinking, and they are a party of three. He keeps talking and talking, knowing someone is hearing him. Alicia cautiously answers him and they begin a conversation. He says his location is just two miles away. Strand is firm about staying the course. This is no time to give folks the benefit of the doubt. “Fight the dead ; Fear the living” is the mantra of this new world, and we’re just getting started. Following Nick’s lead is probably a good idea. Besides, how did our CB buddy know how far apart their boats are are? Something smells real bad, and it’s not Liza. (sorry, Liza)

Speaking of Liza, Travis has had enough of Chris moping by his mother’s corpse, and organizes a memorial and burial at sea. Maybe it will bring Chris some closure. They gather at the rear of the boat, and in turn, speak their piece about Liza. Chris walks up to where she lies in repose and angrily flips the table, sending Liza’s body flying into the ocean. Ooookay, Chris, please don’t become a problem. Your blabbermouth sister has already said too much to her radio pal.

Travis follows Chris back to his room to try talking him through his grief, but all Chris gives him is one hell of a shiner. He’s so angry that his father shot his mother. Understandable. The group, minus Chris, sits down for a meal. They eat, drink and even laugh a little, as you do after a funeral.

Radio-boy has Alicia right where he wants her. They’ve even exchanged names. Alicia begs Strand to help Jack, his fishing boat is sinking. Strand is ticked off. She knows his name?! Nick follows Strand back to the helm. Nick stands up for his sister, but he knows what’s at stake.

Nick and Strand talk like old friends, until Strand calls him Nicholas. We have yet to learn why that name gets under his skin. His father named him, but that’s all we know. Meanwhile, Jack radios Alicia saying he’ll see her soon. What?! So that’s why he kept her talking for so long. He’s tracked their location!

Chris heads to the back of the boat and jumps off. Nick jumps in after him asking, “What the Hell, man?!” Ya’ gotta love Nick. After pulling Chris back toward the boat, he dives deeper, and explores the ocean. Maddie and Daniel notice there are walkers in the water. Does that make them floaters? Anyway, Maddie and Daniel call for the guys to hurry back to the boat. Chris hightails it back, but Nick decides to investigate a nearby shipwreck, almost getting his face eaten. Back at the surface, he sees bodies and debris everywhere. He ends his swim, just as Strand is alerted that a boat is headed their way quickly, and it’s probably the boat responsible for the shipwreck. Time to move, and quickly. Thanks Alicia, thanks a lot.

Our characters are becoming more dimensional in season two. I’ve seen a welcome change in Travis and Alicia’s emotions seem authentic; she’s becoming real. Maddie, Daniel, and Nick remain strong. And Strand, well, he’s just Strand. I’m looking forward to finding out more of his story!

Fear The Walking Dead Airs on AMC Sundays at 9/8c

As the episode opens we find Jim Gordon in the slam settling into the routine of prison life. Things seem to be rather mundane for him until one day when the warden pulls him out of line to deliver some unsettling news. It seems Jimbo’s been in protective custody and now the warden’s decided to move him into the general population and on to F-Block also know as ‘World’s End’. When escorting Gordon to his new digs the warden explains that ‘World’s End’ got its name because there are only two ways off the block, parole or death. “And nobody gets parole,” the warden says.

Life on this block is certainly different, Gordon quickly learns. He quickly figures out that the warden is on the take and that Jimbo himself is not on the warden’s list of favorites. We even see the warden quickly planning Gordon’s demise with another inmate named Weaver.

Bullock pays Jimbo a visit to let him know that D.A. Harvey Dent is looking to reopen Gordon’s case, but it’s going to be a while. In the meantime, Jimbo has to keep his cool and not get involved in any mishaps, something that might be a bit difficult when the warden is trying to have you put down for the dirt nap. Bullock also has a bit of bad news for Gordon. It seems that Lee Thompkins, Jimbo’s pregnant fiancee, lost their baby. She’s moved away and is now out of touch. It really appears to be the world’s end. Bullock reiterates his promise to get Gordon out of this mess, but it doesn’t seem like his partner is hearing him.

Returning to his cellblock, Gordon receives his first beat-down. Weaver steps up and starts to work on Jimbo. The altercation is temporarily halted by another prisoner named Puck who also gets a beating for his trouble. Before things get too out of hand the fracas is stopped by a guard who seems to be looking out of Gordon. Both Gordon and Puck end up in the infirmary just a bit worse for wear. During this little interlude Puck explains his reason for intervening; Gordon saved his little sister a few years back. Puck himself is inside for car theft. The warden arrives and has both men sent back to their cells but not before he and Gordon have a bit of a face off. Threats are exchanged.

After a short stint in the hole, Weaver returns to threaten Gordon some more and then has Puck beaten almost to death. Gordon can do nothing to help him. After Jimbo pays Puck a visit in the infirmary the guard tells Gordon that it’ll be movie night that evening and that all the inmates will be there in the main hall with the lights off. He tells Jimbo to be ready. Sure enough as the movie gets underway Weaver, knife in hand, moves to attack Gordon. In the melee that ensues, Weaver is pushed aside and Jimbo is stabbed repeatedly by another inmate. Gordon lays on the floor bleeding to death as the guards restore order. The guard tells the warden to call for a body bag.

Oswald is also settling in as well. He’s getting to know his new family and enjoying all the creature comforts of his new home. During dinner his father, Elijah, tells the story of how he met and married wife Grace (Melinda Clarke) and adopted her two children. He then makes a point of saying that Oswald is his only living blood relative. At that point the glass in Oswald’s step sister Sasha’s (Kaley Ronayne) hand breaks. It seems to all at the table like an accident, but one has to wonder. As Oswald and Elijah spend more time together we find out that the old man has a hole in his heart, a condition that has him on medication. Oswald is confessing the bad things in his past when Grace interrupts to give Elijah his medicine. Now she knows that her new stepson has a malevolent past and we find out something about her. It seems that Grace is tampering with the old man’s meds so that they will not help his condition. Well, somebody’s certainly digging for gold that ain’t in the ground here.

Oswald’s foul deeds haunt him in his sleep and he wakes up screaming. Unable to sleep, he wanders the house and finds his father sleep walking. Upon helping Elijah back to bed, Oswald continues to tell his father about his past in greater detail. The old man forgives his son and tells Oswald that he can continue to live there in the family home in peace. This peace is threatened when Grace and her kids bring Elijah an old newspaper with Penguin’s face plastered on the front under a headline reading ‘Penguin Busted’. Now it seems that Grace and the kiddies are in fear for their lives, bemused there’s a notorious murderer under their roof. Elijah is having none of this. He’s convinced that his son has changed his ways and even seems to find Oswald’s nickname, ‘The Penguin’ amusing.

The next morning Oswald wakes to find a scantily clad Sasha in his bedroom. It’s clear that she there to seduce him but he quickly refuses her advances (chivalry ain’t dead in this house – yet) and she retreats. Upon fining out that this part of her plan has failed Grace decides that she is going to have to resort to more permanent measures. Elijah’s health worsens and the doctor tells Oswald that his father doesn’t have long. The old man tells his son that he’s going to amend his will so that Oswald will be his sole heir and inherit the entire fortune. He also tells Oswald a bit about the family history. It seems that Oswald’s violent tendencies may be a result of inherited traits. Wouldn’t Hugo Strange have found that interesting?

Grace can’t have Oswald getting in the way of the fortune that she feels she’s earned so she decides to execute the final part of her plan to remove him from the equation. It’s the old poison in the sherry trick. She sets the bottle down as Oswald and Elijah are having a chat. The old man isn’t supposed to drink due to his condition and Oswald pours himself a drink. Before he can pick up the glass Elijah grabs it figuring that it can’t hurt. Well that wasn’t a smooth deduction. The old man dies in Oswald’s arms. Something tells me that this is gonna put an end to Penguin’s future as a reformed, upright citizen.

Bullock has been looking for a way to clear his partner’s name. Knowing that Jimbo was framed for the death of a fellow police officer, he enlists the help of a figure from the past – Carmine Falcone. As always Falcone has a plan and not a small amount of influence. Seems he arranged the little drama in which Gordon appears to meet his untimely demise. It’s all part of a rather elaborate escape plan. Bullock even shows up impersonating a prison guard to aid in the getaway. Gordon, however, won’t go without getting Puck out as well. The escape attempt is successful but Puck dies shortly after they’re outside the prison walls. They meet up with Falcone who offers Gordon a choice. He can either go on to reunite with Lee and they can then go on the run, or he can go back to Gotham, lay low and try to clear his name. It’s an obvious choice. Now we’ll have to see how Jimbo and Bullock go about finding out what really happened.

We have a little wait to find out what happens, though, as Gotham‘s next air date will be April 11 when it returns with the “Into the Woods” episode.