Hey Guys, it's that time again! I want YOU to choose the title for the upcoming chapter. Keep in mind, this will be the last chapter before a long story arc surrounding the Christ family (martin, malcom, michael, mary)
Simply submit your idea and you can win a $10.00 gift card for Chapters/Indigo Books. I know, I know, what a steal!! Just be creative, and you can win!
You can submit your idea:
Here on Wiki Wiki What, as a comment
On Facebook at Kevin Nielsen, as a private message or a comment
On twitter @elevensink
Best of Luck! Will announce the winner on Friday April 1st.
Past Winner:
Ashlie Benham, for suggesting the winning title for the first contest.
The sky was sparkling bright with stars the first night they hit the road. Jesus was struggling to fall asleep in his twisted uncomfortable position. It wasn't easy catching z's in the back of a pick up truck. They had managed to sell their previous sedan and were fortunate enough to stumble upon this '93 Ford Ranger. Martin had driven south most of the day. They finally decided to sleep a bit before heading on the road again.
Their location was a rundown truck-stop diner. They had gotten a quick bite to eat, borrowed the showering facility and then nestled the best they could in the cab of the Ranger. Jesus was twisting and turning, trying to position himself comfortably. He knew Martin was awake, making sure Jesus would fall asleep first. Images of his girlfriend, Joan Archer, were running through his mind.
He had barely spoken all day, still angered by their sudden departure. Jesus knew the consequences of staying there, he simply couldn't grasp why he had to be the one to lead this life. He hadn't asked to be leader of a unknown mission twisted with secrets and deception. He simply wanted to lead a normal life. God had chosen a different path for him, though.
He was playing around with his hands, lighting the tips of his fingers and removing the rust on the small patch of metal that had been welded in the corner of the cab. He had first learned of this special ability when helping a man back in his hometown, the same town they were heading to. The villagers, those who had learned of what Jesus had done, had decided to scare them out of town.
This news of a kid with special powers took flight with no looking back. Soon media reporters from around the world were beckoning. People wanted to meet the boy who could heal the world. Martin was upset about this, frightened even. He knew this would finally attract the opposition he always feared: The Sacarii.
They were an elite cadre of assassins, hell bent on proving destiny was in their hands, and not the other way around. They had been following them since Jesus' birth and adoption in the hands of Martin Christ.
Their leader and members were unknown to the Agency, the group that was helping and protecting Jesus.
Those two groups had been at war for centuries, and it came at no surprise to Martin when he eventually learned of their goals to twart the prophecy.
He was thinking about just that when Jesus finally spoke, for the first time that christmas day.
"You promised you would tell me the name of the prophetess who predicted what I would become, what I would do. You promised me to tell me the truth on my sixteenth birthday," Jesus said, turning over to face Martin, "You promised to tell me everything"
"And that is something I regret, Jesus." Martin's voice trailed off, a slight lump passing visibly down his throat. If the trucks weren't rolling into the diner's parking lot, Jesus would have heard the gulp of Martin's harsh swallow. "Telling you will only put you in more danger then you already are."
"Isn't it my right to know this? I have been in the dark most of my life. Finally I have the chance to know more about myself, about what I am suppose to do"
"If I tell you, you will spend your days trying to find her. I don't want you putting your life at risk, Jesus."
Jesus processed what his uncle had just said. He wanted to know the truth for once. He wanted the name of the women who predicted his final mission. She was the key to ending all of this, to make things right, to tell him that this was all a lie, a dream, that we would wake up and be a normal boy. She was the answer to life.
"It has already happened, dad. Prophecy. Destiny. I am suppose to do this as predicted by a seer. It basically happened already, nothing we do will change that. Maybe you were suppose to tell me. Maybe i'm suppose to visit her." Jesus pleaded, getting up from his resting position and looking out at the stars. It was warm in the south, something Jesus wasn't use to on Christmas day. On his birthday.
"Thinking like that will only get you killed. A prophecy is only as good as it's key players. Be humble, Jesus. You'll appreciate me hiding this information from you in the long run."
"Doesn't matter. I die anyways." Jesus grunted, a distinct finality in his tone. He was done for the night, and showed this by turning over and closing his eyes. "Goodnight, Martin"
I experienced something nobody should have to experience in their life: listening to a sixty year old woman's voice crack as she tries to recount what happened to her in her faculty. Seeing her eyes swell with tears at the injustice that was committed against her. Madame Parent, this is for you!
Madame Parent has been studying sice 1995, after divorcing her husband. Having no education and no means to support herself, she decided to go back to school, at 45 years old. She studied psychology since she was always fascinated with mental health. She worked alongside the community, especially The Glebe, and slowly got acquainted with several ministers and became a prominent fixture in social debates surrounding mental health issues.
She last studied in the summer of 2010. Madame Parent, which I affectionately call her, was slated to continue her doctorate's memoire in the Fall of 2010 right through Spring 2011. She had proposed a pilot project involving community housings, mental health facilities, and of course, a slew of volunteers. This dear tender woman even had the respect and blessings from former PM Jean Chrétien, a proud advocate of human rights. Everything was going good until she noticed her name had been dropped from the website and her prof had decided he didn't want to contiue with this project.
Without the backing of her prof, she couldn't continue her studies and didn't register for the Fall 2010 semester. When you are not a full time student, you must repay your loans immediately. Madame Parent has money, she doesn't mind paying back the loan. She does't WANT to. Her situation is still being overseen at the Student Appeal Board, as she feels she was dropped because of her advanced age, and she came to me to ask if I could waver her loan repayment. I can't.
Telling someone that studied at the University for over 15 years - got dropped and led on by an asshole prof, then being forced to abandon a project she holds close to her heart - that I can't help her because she isn't a student here nearly broke my heart. Hearing her voice falter as she describes the situation she has been living the past year is disheartening. Nobody at that age should feel overwhelmed, abused, uncared for. It made me mad inside that someone took advantage of her.
I gathered all the information I could, told her contact her lending institution and gave her my personal number and name and informed her that if she required anymore information, that she could contact me directly. I hope the people from the Financial Aid in Québec won't give her a hard time. They better not!
Madame Parent assured me that this would not stop her in accomplishing her project to help mentally ill citizens find housing and education. And this woman is over sixty years old. God bless your heart Madame Parent.
My real reward is when she turned around before leaving the office and told me "keep that nice smile of yours" and then smiled herself. I will toast to you Madame Parent! Best of luck to you, and...again...why do elderly people always tug at my heart?!
Has anyone else been amazed that the second most googled event, besides the obvious Japan tragedy, is Charlie Sheen's erratic behaviour on and off the small screen. Nowadays though, it mostly is off screen. The guy is a nutcase. Pure and simple.
Now I know most of you are probably shaking your heads in astonishment and screaming at the screen: "Yeah but Charlie is anything but pure and simple". And to you I say fuck off!
Charlie Sheen is a douchebag. I was all aboard with the Winning! and the D'uh! and all of his other crazy antics. All up to the point where the videos of his children swearing on a home vid were leaked on the web. Seriously? I don't care if you are wasting away again in marguaritaville - (Sing with me now: Wastin away again in Margueritaville. cue the conchs!) - you don't expose your children to that kind of lifestyle.
My first reaction to this was the obvious choice of laughter. Aha! D'uh! Winner! But then reports have surfaced that his ex wife, whats-her-face, is also involved in drug binges and past erratic behaviour. Emilio Estevez was even quoting a scene from the godfather where one of the characters kills off his own brother. Is this entire family psychotic?
Add insult to injury, Charlie Sheen has now began a tour. Yes, one of those things. You know, when artists go around cities, promoting their work. Lots of hard work. Sheen, however, is planning on ad-libing. Yes, our beloved Sheen will go in front of a crowd for 80 minutes, no less, and shoot the shit for the entire time. Right. Aha, can't wait to see the reviews for that! Who bought tickets?! Suckers!
But please do not send me hate mail when you see or hear me quote him, mimic him, or scream WINNING! when someone at the cash register gets a penny back.
I find the guy repulsive, but I have to admit, a spiraling train wreck is always better seen live, then heard about days later. Who wants to miss a guy losing his life in front of national television? I don't. So google the fuck out of Charlie Sheen so we can topple that Japan tragedy and show the world that American Celebrities are truly newsworthy. Ugh.
Yup. It's been two weeks since my last bite of meat. Any kind of meat. It hasn't been as easy as I have claiming it to be. I've had the occassional Club Sandwich Attack, apparent by my stacking everything I was eating into a three tier sandwich. Not the same. Then I had my Cheeseburger Bacon Crave, and tried to mimic the taste and feel by making a veggie patty and adding it to an ancient grain slice of bread with white sliced bio mozza. Not the same. Really not the same. I did indule in a poutine on the weekend with onion rings. It tasted so so good.
I guess I am lucky because I still indulge in the flesh of the fish and it's countless buddies, the seafood clan. Ohh my little calamari and my tiny shrimps. Bite bite bite.
What is really odd in all this is the tofu part. I actually enjoy it. I remember making it about a year ago when I was still back home, and nobody liked it. If I am not mistaken, we eventually threw it out. It was yucky. The trick is searing it and marinating the F**K out of it. Yes, that word NEEDS to be employed when handling something as odd as tofu. F**K!!!!
Being vegetarian also led to other bizarre behaviour from my part. First of all, it leads to eating healthier as a whole. I feel bad when having a bag of chips or chocolate bar because in my crazy mind, I am already not eating meat, I dont't want to warp my insides even more by swallowing whole choclate bars and munching down an entire bag of chips. Most of y'all are probably saring, don't exagerate, just have a small bag of chips and a handful of choco-covered peanuts. Yeah, that doesn't apply to me. I go big or I go home! And without a slab of protein, I prefer going home, then eating the entire Mrs. Vickies rack at my local corner store.
The second thing that this new dietary choice has brought me is a broader range of food choices and new discoveries such as Soy Beverage. I bought the vanilla one and decided to pair it (I didn't want to try it all by its lonesome, it looks and smells funky) with some Kashi Cereals. Let me tell you, I found heaven that first morning I tried that. It was divine. The vanilla soy milk tastes exactly like almond milk, it has a very nutty flavour to it. Add that with Kashi Cereals and you have pure bliss. *Sighs*
With that being said, I am so delighted with my choice. However, I will be having myself some ribs this summer on the BBQ. BBQ will be my weakness. BBQ = Love.
So we know by now what happened in Crystal Lake eight years prior to Sarah coming back to visit her bapcia for the summer. We know she has a fragile relationship with Travis and a budding relationship with Tyh. She learns of the devastating attack that Pamela Voorhees committed eight years prior and of the death of her childhood friend, Melinda.
Dan Dubois and Dana Roy were just about to get cozy when something interrupted them, prompting Dan to leave and Dana to investigate, leading to her untimely death.
Sarah and Tyh have gotten jobs working at the newly re-opened Camp Crystal Lake. Sarah meets some of Tyh's friends, Jessica Paquette and her boyfriend Jacob Tibbett, who later come face to face with death.
The main couple's relationship gets stronger and they are anxiosuly awaiting the party to begin later that night. They have supper with Bapcia before heading out to the party at Camp Crystal Lake to celebrate the opening and to get better acquanited with the rest of the counselors.
They meet up with Dan Dubois and Liane Labrie by the hiking trail where the foursome splits up, leaving Liane to trek the trail alone. While the other three are busy canoeing to the Camp, Liane is hunted down and murdered by Jason Voorhees.
Before the trio have a chance to dock at the beach camp, Michael O'Shay and his girlfriend, Sandra Clarke, are fatally attacked by psychopath Jason Voorhees. The trio finally arrive at the beach and are ready to party with their friends and Tyh is anticipating presenting Sarah to his friends.
They mingle togheter around the bonfire, Sarah getting better acquainted with some of Tyh's friends and realise some are nicer then others. As the night grows and the teens get intoxicated they slowly start to seperate. Kevin and Meredith head towards their cabin. We learn that Meredith is cheating on her boyfriend with different people. The rain has started to fall and the teens are getting restless.
While Yasmina and Patrick head to their cabin, Meredith and Kevin are ruthlessly murdered by Jason Voorhees. Dan, Sarah, and Tyh start a game of cards that quickly turn to a more heated session between the later two. They ask Dan to give them a moment alone leading to Dan's murder.
Yasmina and Patrick return from their cabin. Yasmina was sleeping but Patrick/Jason continued his murder spree and we eventually learn of his true origin. However, the remaining trio are unaware of Patrick's dark secret.
He returns from his cabin and leads Tyh outside to the docks. He struggles with Mother before finally attacking Tyh and drowning him in Crystal Lake.
Yasmina and Sarah are getting better acquainted when Jason stumbles into their cabin.
This is what transpired:
11
The Name is Jason
The girls’ backs were almost touching the log walls. The masked stranger
hadn’t even flinched since tilting his head. It was as if he was examining
them. Sarah felt extremely vulnerable at the moment. She was scared out of
her wits and trembled with fear.She couldn’t let go of Yasmina's hand.
The music was still blaring in the background but it didn’t relieve the
tension in the room. The stranger jerked his right foot forward, taunting
them.
“HAAA!” Sarah screamed, jumping back against the wall.
Still gripping hands, Yasmina started running towards the window by the
couch. Sarah followed behind in full tears. She watched as Yasmina jerked
the window open. “GO!” She screamed, helping Sarah out of the window. She
tumbled onto the sand below and extended her hand to help in turn.
“COME ON!” She bellowed, grabbing onto Yasmina’s hands. She was pulling
her out when she heard the swoosh of the machete coming down on her
friend. The blade pierced out of Yasmina's mouth and came inches from
Sarah’s eyes. The blood of her new friend dripped all over her face, the
copper taste stinging her lips. She let go of her hands and screamed in
horror. The blade was pulled out and Yasmina fell out of the window,
crashing on the ground besides Sarah. “OH GOD! HOLY FUCK!”
Sarah wiped the blood from her face. Her hands were shaking, and her chest
hurt with angst. She couldn’t feel her legs as she stood motionless
outside in the rain. The killer was walking slowly towards the door of the
cabin. Sarah turned and ran towards the main lodge. The sand was sifting
between her toes, making it harder for her to run as fast as she wanted
to. She heard the door shut behind her and she turned back to look. The
man was walking out of the cabin and was steady in his pace as if certain
of his kill.
“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT?” She screamed and continued running towards
the main lodge. She cut through the small forest patch and emerged in
front of the massive oak house. She jetted up the stairs and fiddled with
the knobs. The doors were locked.
“DAN! LET ME IN! OH GOD, PLEASE! DAAAAN!”
Sarah tugged at the handles, hit them, shook them, and pushed them. She
screamed with anger and ran around the lodge. There was an open
window about six feet up. Sarah looked back towards the beach. The
stranger was still walking a slow walk. The machete glimmered in the
shining rain. He was still far enough, Sarah thought. She tossed her wet
hair out of her face and jumped up and grabbed onto the window ledge. She
used all the strength she could muster to heave herself up and over the
ledge.
She fell on her back and didn’t waste a second. She shut the window close
and ran straight to the kitchen. It was bigger and much nicer then the
regular cabins. It had a large island with multiple drawers. It was all
custom-made out of birch wood. Sarah began ripping the drawers out,
sending utensils of all shapes and sizes to the floor below. She clumsily
searched for something sharp and settled with a large butcher knife and a
pair of scissors.
The knobs shook. Sarah gasped and stood still, her breathing piercing the
dead silence. Her weapons of defense shook in her hands as she stepped
delicately towards the pantry. She slipped inside and shut the door. She
heard the click of a lock being opened.
He had the key.
Sarah backed into the corner of the pantry, ready to strike the moment he
opened the door. She tried to control her breathing but it proved
impossible. She couldn’t help but to think of her family, her friends, her
ani – Tyh. Where’s Tyh? He killed Tyh. He killed everyone. I’m alone.
Sarah swayed where she was. She heard the door creak open and the
psychopath entered the main lodge. Sarah knew she was about to fight for
her life. A sense of defeat and fear had nestled in her pit. She wanted to
curl up and cry and wish this was all a dream. She wanted to be back at
home. There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home. There’s no
place like home.
She could hear him walking around, trashing and throwing the stuff that
came in his way. He walked up to the loft and for a split second, Sarah
thought about gunning for the front door. But her nerves prevented her
from even attempting a getaway. The stairs cracked and groaned as he
stumped down the stairs.
This is it, Sarah told herself grievingly.
*****
Krystyna was pacing in front of the shop. She had covered the bodies with
a table cloth; it still had a coffee stain on it. She heard the sheriff
before she ever saw him arrive. His sirens were blaring and flaring,
lighting either side of the street with streaks of blues and reds. He
finally came to a halt in front of the Corner Café and jumped out of the
car.
“Oh my God, you were serious.” He gasped and walked over to the entrance.
He patted Krystyna on the shoulder as he passed her. Dean Jones lifted the
corner of the cloth and bowed his head at the sight that was revealed to
him. Jessica Paquette and Marley Kluke were staring back blankly. He
sighed and walked over to Krystyna. He nestled her in his arms and stroke
her back. “It’ll be okay. We’re going to find him.” He tried calming her.
They moved to the car and Dean helped Krystyna into the vehicle. He
hurried to his seat and they sped off towards the edge of the forest. The
main street stopped abruptly at the ATV trail entrance. Houses stopped
abruptly further back. “It will take some time before we reach the kids.
You think you can manage such a trek?” He asked the elderly woman.
Her eyes were of a light blue, wrinkled around the edge with a heavy brow.
They radiated with anger and rage and hope and despair. She looked at the
sheriff with teary eyes and rested her shaking hand on his.
“No one will touch my grand-daughter” She said, spitting out the words
with the venom of a snake.
“Right” was all he was able to answer; a melancholic undertone to his
speech. He got out of the car and opened the door for Krystyna. He lit a
flashlight and handed one to the woman. Her long gray hair, which was
normally kept in a bun, stuck to her face and neck like creeping vines.
She slid the rebel strands behind her ears and walked up to the entrance.
“You have a gun to offer with this flashlight?” She asked, looking at him
through her wet, nappy hair that covered her face.
Sheriff Jones sighed and handed a pistol to Krystyna, instructing her on
how to properly handle it. She prayed silently, walking besides the
sheriff. They were searching the woods as they trekked the trail, their
flashlights acting like spotlights. Krystyna would scream Sarah’s name
from time to time, wishing for a response, an echo. They were not so far
in when Krystyna spotted something in the distance. It looked oddly like a
human body.
“Stay there” He told Krystyna, pointing his flashlight and pistol in front
of him. He stopped where Krystyna saw the silhouette. He lowered his head
and sighed.
“What is it, sheriff?”
“Another body” He let out, cursing aloud. Krystyna gasped and covered her
mouth. “Who?” She inquired, tip-toeing towards the body. “Not my baby…”
“No. It’s Joseph and Linda’s girl. Don’t come any closer.” He spat,
walking away from the gruesome scene and into the clearing. “We have to
get up there before it’s...” He looked at Krystyna and saw the pain in her
eyes. He couldn’t lose hope, now. “Come on, keep your eyes open”
*****
Sarah was crying inside. She heard her attacker walk closer to the pantry.
She clutched her makeshift weapons and pumped herself up. She was thinking
of her tormentors, her bullies, her ex-boyfriends, her father. She was
raging inside, ready to strike the moment he swung the door open. She was
swaying back and forth, her eyes locked on the knob. Her auburn hair fell
across her face and her teeth glowed white in the pitch black coffin. She
half-snarled and half-giggled at the thought of killing this psycho, of
making him suffer. She knew she had lost it at that moment.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are”
PATRICK! Sarah almost spat out the word as it resonated inside her mind.
What the fuck is going on? Sarah thought to herself, clutching her butcher
knife and scissors even stronger. She couldn’t stay put, she was anxious
to defend herself, show this asshole what she was made of. She exhaled
deeply and kicked the pantry door open.
It smacked loudly against Patrick’s shoulder, sending his machete
streaking across the floor. Sarah swung the scissors over her head and
stabbed him in the arm, just above his bicep. She pulled the scissors out
and stabbed him in the chest. He howled in pain and smacked her across the
face, sending her to the floor.
“YOU BITCH!” He tugged the scissors out and dug them in Sarah’s thigh.
“HAAAAAAA”
She kicked him the face, cracking his mask. She pulled the scissors out
and threw them somewhere in the kitchen. She got to her feet as he
tendered to his broken nose. She held the butcher knife tightly in her
hand.
“You’re one mean mother-fucker!” She said swinging her weapon down on
Patrick.
She felt a sharp sting in her abdomen. She dropped the butcher knife and
looked down at her waist. An arrowhead was piercing out of her stomach,
blood dripping darkly around it. Patrick was clutching it angrily, digging
it deeper inside her. She cried out in pain and he pushed her hard against
the counters. She hit her head on the edge and fell to the floor,
unconscious.
She awoke with a throbbing headache and sharp pains in her stomach. Sarah
found herself tied to a chair in the kitchen of the main lodge. Kerosene
lamps were lit all around, casting eerie shadows on the walls. The arrow
had been removed and her wound was bleeding carelessly. Her bra was
stained red and her shorts were moist with her liquids. Her mouth was
gagged and her hands and feet were bound to the chair.
Patrick was resting against the countertop. His wounds had been closed, a
botched job one can only do in a hurry. He removed his cracked mask and
for once Sarah could see the evil in his eyes.
“I didn’t want to kill you, Sarah” He said, standing up confidently. He
caught Sarah glancing at the machete on the ground.
“Don’t even think about it” He said, kicking it away. He rested his hands
on either side of Sarah, his face only a few inches from hers. He was
sniffing her, moving his head about her body. He felt her thighs and moved
his hands between them. Sarah cried and tried kicking him away but the
restraints proved strong.
“Something you want to say?” He smiled and removed the sock from her
mouth. Sarah spat in his face and he smacked her across the cheek. “You
smell of sin, bitch!”
“WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU, PATRICK! YOU KILLED HER! YOU FUCKING KILLED THEM ALL!”
“I did what I had to to cleanse the earth of sinners. I don’t answer to
authority, Sarah, I answer to Mother.” He walked over to the machete and
picked it up, looked at it tenderly. “I have a job to do”
“You are sick, Patrick! You need help! Don’t hurt me, please. PLEASE,
PATRICK!”
“Stop calling me that.” He screamed, walking back to the chair, the
machete glinting in the light of the kerosene lamps. “The name is Jason”
It was christmas eve. The day before Jesus's sixteenth birthday. The day before the anniversary of his mother's death. He lingered alone in his room on that day like he usually did. He would mope around, look at pictures for hours on end, cry. Jesus would switch from resting on the bed to sitting at his computer. He was doing just that when Martin came rushing into his bedroom, his hair dishevelled and scratches running wildly down his face.
"Pack up, now. They found us." There was something off in his voice, it trembled. Martin's voice never faltered. He looked panicked, afraid, something about him scared Jesus.
"What happened? We can't leave. Dad, what about Joan?" Jesus asked, getting off his bed.
It tugged at Martin's heart. That word. Dad. He had made the mistake of letting Jesus get close to a girl. He would never make that same mistake. "We don't have time to argue about this, Jesus. We knew this could happen. Look at my face Jesus. Now imagine what they would do with you."
"I'm not going. They can try and take me -" Jesus started, a slight rise in his voice.
"Don't you ever speak like that, Jesus," his uncle cut him off, "we are not like them. We don't hurt people." Martin spoke with authority, one that Jesus knew very well to respect. "Five minutes, Jesus. I'll be downstairs."
Martin nodded and looked at Jesus, waiting for his nod of approval. Jesus finally subsided and nodded. He sighed and began to gather the essentials. He lingered a while longer even when Martin began to shout at him to hurry up. He couldn't keep his eyes off of the photo beside his bed; the one with Joan. They were at the Santa Monica pier.
"Come on, cowboy. Let's go!" Martin shouted from down the stairs. Jesus scanned his room one more time. He shut off the lights and ran down the stairs.
Martin was at the door, a few bags in his hands. He wore the usual getaway gear; black pants, black vest. Nothing out of the ordinary. "When I tell you five minutes, I mean it," he said when Jesus finally reached the landing.
"Where are we going this time?" Jesus asked.
"The only place that's safe," he paused to open the door, "we're going back home."
The news struck Jesus and paralyzed him momentarily. He had never imagined going back there after what happened. Surely Martin was mistaken, he couldn't possibly want to go back there. People had seen what he had done; how he healed the man's sight. They would expose him and Jesus knew the consequences of being exposed.
"We can't go back there, dad. They know about me." Jesus protested, dropping his bags on the floor.
"An old friend has decided to help us. She's very persuasive. If we stay here any longer they will catch you, Jesus, and then they'll kill me." Martin said, very matter-of-factly.
Jesus knew what they were capable of. He couldn't dispute what Martin was saying. If he said they had to go, he was serious about it. Jesus sighed and walked out of the house and Martin followed behind. They got into the car and took off.
Starring: Jason Ritter, Sarah Roemer, Laura Innes, Ian Anthony Dale, Scott Patterson, Taylor Cole, Lisa Vidal, Bill Smitrovich, Clifton Collins Jr., Zeiljko Ivanek, and Blair Underwood.
Supportig Cast: Heather McComb, D.B. Sweeney, Hal Holbrook, and Necar Zedegan as Isabel.
Reasons I love to watch: Um, twists and turns people!! This show has everything from aliens to conspiracy, and everything in between including secret organizations, hidden agendas, kidnapping and weird experiments involving children. The storyline is top notch and the suspense never really let's go from beginning to end. The acting is flawless a part from Heather McComb, who seems to be coming straight out of acting school.
Look out for: Laura Innes who gives a bone-chilling performance as leader of the alien race, Sophia Maguire. The pilot was good but really wait for the second episode which sealed the deal and made this show an instant cult classic.
DEAD LIKE ME
Creator: Bryan Fuller
Starring: Ellen Muth, Laura Harris, Callum Blue, Jasmine Guy, Cynthia Stevenson, and Mandy Patinkin
Supporting Cast: Rebecca Gayheart, Britt McKillip, Greg Kean, Crystal Dahl, Patricia Idlette and Christine Willes as Delores Herbig
Reasons I love to watch: The wit, the sarcasm, and of course the very dry, dark humour that surrounds the storyline. The bond that these actors share is incredible and so evident when you watch them on the small screen. They feed off each other's energy and it works wonders. The writing is incredible, and the idea of Grim Reapers walking, and working, amongst us is fascinating.
Look out for: Dear lord, just about everyone. The cast is marvelous and even the mysterious Crystal (Dahl) and the quiet Kiffany (Idlette) help to round out this stellar group of actors.
AVEUX
Creator: Serge Boucher
Starring: Maxime Denommé, Catherine Proulx-Lemay, Evelyne Brochu, Benoît McGinnis, Danielle Proulx, and Guy Nadon
Supporting Cast: Marie-Ginette Guay, Steve Laplante, Pierre-Alexandre Fortin, and Marie-Hélène Thibault as Manon
Reasons I love to watch: This show has made me cry on several occasions, especially from the performance of Guy Nadon, as a father who has to cope with the surfacing of a dark past that ate away at his adopted son's soul. I have shivers just THINKING about his award-winning performance. The cast is simply astounding and almost all of them were nominated at the Gala Artis, the Quebec equivalent to the Emmys. If you like "foreign language" shows then this one is one you simply cannot overlook. Secrets are never tucked away forever.
Look out for: Guy Nadon. When he cries, you cry. Period.
THE WALKING DEAD
Creator: Based on the comic by Tony Moore, Robert Kirkman, and Charlie Adlard; develloped for the small screen by Frank Darabont (The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption)
Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn, Steven Yeun, and Chandler Riggs
Supporting Cast: Emma Bell, Jeryl Prescott Sales, Norman Reedus, Andrew Rothenberg, Melissa McBride, and IronE SIngleton as T-dog
Reasons I love to watch: When you have a backstory as violent and gruesome as a zombie invasion, you HAVE to tone down the dialogue, the movement, and the cinematography. This isn't a movie, it's a serialized drama. And who better to turn a violent backdrop into a truly touching masterpiece then Frank Darabont, who has mastered three Stephen King novels (including The Mist). The acting is subtle yet to the point and you really do scream at your screen and cringe when your favourite character dies. Although it is based on a ongoing graphic novel series, I have to admit it does not ressemble the comic at all. It's dissapointing to see new characters get screen time while my favourites, including Carol (McBride), is barely visible on screen. And excuse me, she shaves off her hair wayyyy later on. And the CDC...really?
Look out for: ZOMBIES!!!!!!
HEROES
Creator: Tim Kring
Starring: Hayden Panettiere, Jack Coleman, Dania Ramirez, James Kyson Lee, Masi Oka, Greg Grunberg, Cristine Rose, Adrian Pasdar, Milo Ventimiglia, Noah Gray-Cabey, Ali Larter, Sendhil Ramamurthy, and Zachary Quinto
Supporting Cast: Kristen Bell, Dana Davis, Tawny Cypress, Leonard Roberts, Santiago Cabrera, David Anders, Robert Knepper, and Jimmy Jean-Louis as The Haitian
Reasons I love to watch: I only started the first two seasons, I have yet to embark on the last two. I was a little bit weary after hearing the show was cancelled. Season 2 was also cut short because of the writer's strike (I HATE YOU WRITER'S STRIKE!), which caused a lot of characters to be kinda left out, if Wikipedia can be trusted. Apart from that, so far, this show is flawless! I love myself some character connections à la LOST and this show has it. The storyline is seamless, just flows so perfectly well and they casted this show brilliantly. I cannot wait to see what they do with the character of Niki Sanders (Larter). If you loved LOST and The 4400, you will love Heroes!
Look out for: Masi Oka who portrays the goofy and quriky Hiro Nakamura. Another one that I am sad to see will not return in the 3rd and 4th season (how they will explain that, I don't know) is Monica Dawson (Davis) who can mimic anything she sees. Who wouldn't want that ability??
The breeze outside was warm but refreshing, breaking the stale air that took over the month of July. Jesus was sitting in the backseat, the window wide open. Martin was humming some classic rock song in the front, looking in the rear view mirror ever so often to catch a glimpse of his nephew.
They finally arrived at the local elementary school where Jesus would start next week. Martin got out of the car first but the little boy was apprehensive and stayed in the car for a while longer. When he was finally done pouting, he stepped out of the car and walked with his uncle up to the school.
It was very colonial, with wild vines creeping up the red brick. The doors were arched and they creaked when Jesus opened them. Their was a pungent smell in the air that invaded his nostrils the second he stepped in, as if he had just walked into a laboratory. He recognized the smell as formaldehyde, a gas often used in liquids to preserve biological specimens. Martin had a few mammal foetuses on display at home, due to his eccentric taste in art, and the smell would often nauseate Jesus.
Their was something distinctively odd about the school but Jesus couldn't quite comprehend what it was. He was just about to ask Martin if they could leave when his uncle announced that they were here, at the principle's office.
"You wait here, and have a seat, I'll go talk with your principle," Martin added, pointing to the chairs that lined the waiting room. Martin walked up to the secretary and told her he had a meeting with the principle. She smiled, spoke in her intercom, and shortly after a tall, slender man stepped out of an office, and his eyes immediately darted towards Jesus. Something in his smile scared Jesus.
"Mr. Christ, how delightful. Please do come in. Will little Jesus join us?" The man asked, keeping his eyes firmly on the boy.
"Let's leave grown-up talk for grown-ups" Martin answered matter-of-faclty, pushing his way past the thin man and walking into the office.
Jesus was sitting quite calmly, kicking his legs back and forth over the edge of the antique wood bench. He was thinking about his new school, his new life. He wondered about his old friends and his old life and also about that woman that appeared to him this morning and late last night. He was just about to form a picture of her in his mind when something caught his attention to his left.
He looked up and noticed a lilac flower resting by the door. He looked back at the quiet secretary who had her nose in her book. She wasn't paying him any attention. He quickly got off the bench and picked up the flower, only to spot another one a little further down the hall. He hurried to pick it up and saw another one approximately twenty feet ahead. He was beginning to think someone had placed them there delibaretly.
Jesus looked back towards the principal's office and saw no one. He continued to follow the lilac trail when he found the source of the chemical smell he sniffed earlier. An elderly man was resting back against wall in a corner, his hands limp on either side. There was broken glass everywhere and liquids were seeping off the countertops.
The man was gasping for air and Jesus noticed the man,s eyes were bleeding. He was calling for help. Tears were forming in the corner of the little boy's blue eyes and he backed up against the wall, his lip quivering. He closed his eyes and the image of Madonna appeared to him.
"Heal the world, Jesus" she whispered, a distinct purple aura flowing from her, as if a purple hue emanated from her skin. Jesus noded in approval and opened his eyes again. He moved confidently towards the man, as if he knew what he was about to do.
Jesus kneeled down besides the screaming man and placed his hand on either side of the man's head. Something, almost like a tickle, crept from his pit and up through his chest and into his arms. It went through his limbs and into his hands and he felt warmth at the tip of his fingers. The man was crouched over, moaning in agony.
The energy that was flowing through his body had started to weigh down on the little boy. He heard his name being called out and saw his uncle running into the classroom. Jesus noticed the man's eyes and the blood that was running back into the eyes, as if someone, somewhere was rewinding the event. Jesus smiled then passed out.
When Jesus woke up the next day, he felt an odd twinge in his stomach, as if his intestines were in knots. He had felt the same way the day he found his father. He still wasn't sure if what happened was a dream or something more. The voice that had spoken to him, the weird patterns in the ceiling paint; had that truly occured?
Jesus contemplated last night's vision when he heard his uncle calling out. It was time to go register at his new school. He threw his stuffed camel on the bed and ran inside the bathroom. He turned on the water and stepped inside the shower. The water splashed around his face and he closed his eyes. He couldn't help to think of his parents in moments of silence. Just a week ago he was having supper with his father. It hurt him. What pained him more was that he had no memory of his mother, only pictures and videos.
He finished washing and turned off the water, stepped out of the tub and dried off in front of the mirror. He looked at himself, squinted his eyes and crinkled his nose. He saw a seven year old boy looking back, but somehow Jesus felt older, wiser. Thinking about that alone must make him more mature then anyone his age? Of course, he thought to himself.
The small wise boy sprinted down the stairs and into the kitchen where he almost knocked over his uncle, who was carrying a large tray of fruits.
"Whoa whoa, there cowboy. You almost knocked over breakfast!" Martin laughed, his grin stretching from ear to ear as he placed the silver tray on the table and took a seat across from his nephew.
"How'd you sleep last night?" He asked Jesus, a slight revelation of his concern seeping through his voice.
"Good." Jesus answered. He didn't lie, but he didn't add anything to it. He didn't know what happened exactly but he knew his uncle would most likely question him about it. For now, it was his little secret. "So what's the plan for today? I mean, for school and all?"
"Well, we're going to go meet with your principal and the guidance counselor later and then after that i'm taking you out for some pizza," Martin said, and smiled when Jesus showed his excitement, "So you're okay with that, cowboy?"
Jesus was just about to answer when the room began to darken, as if the light was being pulled out of it. Their was a distinctive purple trim around the edge of the darkness and it shadowed his uncle who didn't seem to notice. Suddenly everything became black and Jesus was standing in front of a beautiful blonde woman. He now recognized her from the agency; she was the one who spoke with his uncle. Her name was Madonna Riviera.
Her posture were soft and her smile matched that. Jesus didn't feel threatened but something tickled his gut in a bad way. She circled him, her long purple dress flowing at either side of her. She had a hood over her blonde hair, masking her eyes from view.
"Hello, Jesus."
Jesus nodded, stood still, didn't know what else to do. He regretted leaving his camel behind.
"Don't be frightened. I wanted to meet you, in person. I may never have the chance again." She added, slipping off the hood, revealing her light grey eyes.
Why was she saying things like that, Jesus thought. Jesus couldn't grasp the notion of time as quickly as an adult and her words had the opposite effect of what she had intended them to. He pulled away, scared. The shadows were beginning to move and light was creeping in through the darkness.
"You're not ready, I see. I expected so. When you are, I shall be back but only once more. And then..." She looked away, and Jesus could see the tears in her eyes, "Well let's just say you will finally be able to go home"
All at once, as if nothing of it had been, the room came back into focus, and Martin bore a grim expression.
"Jesus...who were you talking to?" He asked, sadness in his voice.
Jesus hesitated before answering. That woman represented herself as a friend, but something in her tone, in her commitment to him, frightened him tremendously. She told him yesterday that he would heal the world today. Although she didn't ask him to keep it a secret, Jesus felt obliged to.
"Nobody" Jesus answered, looking down into his bowl of cereal.
So i'm sure most of you have been glued to your screens, trying to make sense of the devastating event that took place just off the coast of Japan. An 8.9 magnitude earthquake has hit the pacific ocean floor, 24 km in depth. It is not deep for an earthquake to strike and immediately Japan had fears of a consequential tsunami. Their worst fear happened when a 33 foot high wave struck the agricultural town of Sendai, obliterating everything that came in it's path.
Videos have been uploaded on the net for the entire world to witness the tragedy that befell upon our neighbours and co-citizens of this planet. The tsunami equally triggered a massive whirpool just off the coast, stirring in boats, buoys, and people alike.
The death toll is still low if you compare it with the equally tragic aftermath of Haiti and Chile. For now, estimates have put the missing at 88,000 and the death toll somewhere around 200. We all know that this estimate is far from being accurate and we will have to patiently wait for good news in the days to come. A lot of websites have dedicated their time to cover this unbelievable event and those to watch are the major three news outlet: BBCnews, CNN, and Al-Jazeera.
The consequences of this earthquake are still undetermined as they are expecting waves to reach as far as Chile and as close to home as British Columbia. Waves have already crashed against the coast of Hawaii where the state has signaled their emergency alarms and evacuated their people.
Google People Finder has already began making modifications to their system to better accomodate the traffic that their website will most likely experience in the hours to come as family members will desperatly try and find their loved ones. It's in the wake of terrible events such as these that humanity is forced take a good look at itself in the mirror and ask the ultimate question: Are we the cause of this?
Candles are staying on, in memory of those who have perished,
Eleven's Ink
///---UPDATE---\\\
Several hours have passed since the devastating earthquake that shook the great land of Japan. The death toll has increased by a hundred, with early estimates predicting it could reach upwards to a 1,000 by nightfall. The 88,000 people missing has been dropped significantly to several hundred missing.
The predicted tsunamis that would hit the western coast of North America has already begun with reports of 8 feet high waves crashing into Maui, Hawaii, and Crescent City California. Luckily, British Columbia was spared from the wall of water.
The Prime Minister of Japan, Naoto Kan, announced earlier in the day that the government was taking extreme precautions towards their Nuclear Power Plants to prevent any form of radiation leak. A leak would most certainly heighten the death toll and the damages that has already laid waste to such a beautiful and diverse countryside.
At 4h21 local time, 14h21 eastern atlantic time, another earthquake struck the populated city, and tourist-friendly, Nagano, this time at a lower magnitude of 6.6
As of now, there are no chances of another tsunami hitting the coat of Japan, but let's remember that the last large eartquake that struck Japan in the 60's was the suspected cause of the eruption of Mount Fiji. Hopefully, the worst has already past.
///--- UPDATE---\\\
Saturday Morning
It has been over a day since the 8.9 magnitude quake struck off the coast of Sendai, Japan. The death toll has risen, missing people haven't been found and the first estimate of 88,000 people unaccounted for has been reinstated.
As of this morning, the western coast of Japan was still being hit with strong aftershocks, some as high as 6.8 in the northern parts. I can't even fathom what the poor people must be going through. A 6.8 magnitude quake is strong yet they are receiving these hour after hour as aftershocks.
We're now at that part where we get the stats, the damages, and the consequences of this devastating tragedy that has befallen a peaceful country. The tsunami combined with the quake has managed to move, yes move, the japanese coast by a staggering 8 feet. As Japan sits on a nuclear hotbed, they were struck with horrofying news when a reactor at the Nuclear Power Plant in the Fukushima prefecture exploded into a giant ball of flame, worrying officials that this could trigger the already sensitive Nuclear Plant to meltdown.
According to CNN news, the death toll has risen to past 400, but these numbers were from late last night with no new updates. Although some experts have expected the death toll to rise above 1,000. Half the population of one harbour city has gone missing, totalling 7,000 people.
Tsunamis have continued hitting the shores with the tallest wave reaching 6 foot. Images from Maui, Hawaii and Crescent City, California have been shown and the damages were severe, although less then inittially expected. The waves hit all the way in Chile and the ripples of the earthquake could be felt all the way in Beijing, China.
I will be checking the news outlets and listening to the updates on TV and report back here to keep you all updated. Let's pray that the worst has passed and the Nuclear Plant stay cool and calm. We do not want another Chernobyl.
Candles stay on until the worst has passed. A light for guidance.
Eleven's Ink
///---UPDATE---\\\
Sunday morning - Close to 72 hours after the quake
I am saddened by the events that are unfolding in front of my eyes as I type. Fears of the Nuclear reactor overheating and eventually releasing all of the radioactivity onto Tokyo and surrounding areas has become a possibility. They are bracing for the worst and the Japanese health officials are suggesting that the Nuclear core will most likely melt into the ground. The effects of this will most likely not be seen for another 15 to 25 years according to nuclear physisist. **This just in, a second nuclear power plant in the Ebaraki prefecture has began to emit high radioactive ways and specialists are trying to cool that reactor down as well. :(
The death toll has climbed and will most likely surpass ten thousand as experts state the the 72 hour mark is the time when workers go from rescue mission to recovery. Officials are already injecting the people with stable iodine to counter effect the radioactive molecules.
They haven't felt an earthquake since yesterday, tsunamis have stopped crashing into the coast and initial estimates about the coast moving 8 feet remain accurate and the planet's axis shifted slightly after the wake of the events.
As if this was not painful and tragic enough, news came that not only one but FIVE volcanoes have begun erupting in the southern part of Japan near the Mayizaki prefecture. This is just heart wrenching...
Now we just have to wait and see what is going to unfold next as rescue workers from around the globe have stepped in to aid as best they can.
Candles stay on,
Eleven's Ink
///---UPDATE---\\\
Tuesday
The country of Japan is still in turmoil. Sadly, the situation is only getting worst. They are still discovering bodies as the death toll climbed above 3,300 last night and estimates are predicting it can go as high as 10, 000. The volcanoes are still spewing while some are on the brink of eruption. Power Plants along the coast are threatening the future of this country that has already been hit hard by radioactivity and nuclear waste.
While all of this is happening, I have heard people, even some that I know, ask why this is so important to me? Who cares what happens across the globe? I don't think people grasp the situation at hand and the consequences that this will create not only for the eastern part of the world, but for us westerners as well.
There are countless people perishing on our Earth due to a natural catastrophe and we can do nothing but watch our screens and be transfixed by the images that come across it. The economy of a country is on edge and it's fragility is about to be exposed as they are bracing for an eventual Chernobyl-style meltdown.
There are early reports of volcanoes erupting in Russia as well, potentially endangering another country that is struggling with their economy.
If that wasn't bad enough, Japan is on high alert as two of their Nuclear Plants are heading right towards an eventual core meltdown, that could result in years of birth deformity, cancers, and of course impending death. International aid has already been sent to help with the shortage of food, shelter, and water; necessities we usually take for granted.
Just this morning, another shockwave of 6.0 magnitude struck the Honshu coast and experts say they are close to 250 aftershocks ranging anywhere from 3.0 to 6.9 magnitude.
This morning, low levels of radiation have been detected by US NAVY posted just outside of Yokosuka.
Please, visit CNN, OXFAM, REDCROSS or any chairty website of your choice and donate. food, clothes, money, whatever you can. These people need our help and they need it quick as temperatures around the affected area are dropping below freezing temperature.
Candles are on, and shining light,
Eleven's Ink
///---UPDATE---\\\
Friday
Week 1 of the Aftermath
The quakes have finished rumbling, the tsunamis are done destroying the shores, the whirpools have sucked in the last ships, and the volcanoes have all but covered the devastated country in lava. This, however, doesn't mean the country is no longer under attack. They are being threatened by the nuclear power plants that border the western shores. These ticking time bombs are fragile, unstable, and ready to meltdown any given day.
The authorities have continually dispelled rumours that radiation has already begun to leak, but the US Navy have detected traces of radiation along the coast since tuesday and the situation will only get worst from this point on.
They are struggling to stay afloat amidst the massive destruction that some companies and warehouses have sustained. Toyota has already sent out a newsletter stating the obvious: Shipments of cars, specifically Priuses, will be placed on hold until the situation gets any better. Although their plants have not been affected by the quakes, they are limited in electricity and water supply.
To add to the ever climbing death toll, now as high as 6,500, the unemployment rate has skyrocketed in a country that is already struggling to get by on the little that is left. Stores have been emptied out, water bottles have litterally dissapeared off the shelves, and food is scarce.
The missing has climbed to over 10,000 people, which mostlikely will be added to the death toll.
Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency has raised the severity level of the situation at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to 5, up from 4.The new level which is on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale, with 1 being least and 7 being most severe - indicates this is an "accident with wider consequences." They are comparing the possible meltdown to those at Three Mile Islands in the United States and Chernobyl in Ukraine.
It has been a week since the devastating tragedy and it seems like every day, the news and information that leaks out of Japan gets worst and worst. There seems to be nothing we can do to stop this and aid relief has already begun to experience difficulties as confusion has spread throughout Japan in relation with the merchandise drop-offs and the location they need to be sent to.
Reports from media have described Tokyo as a near ghost town compared with pictures from last week. Although troops have been sent to Japan it was just reported that a 1,000 US navy operatives have evacuated Japan and have headed to Guam for temporary relocation. They have yet to give the press an answer as to why, but I have an inkling that this may be related to an eventual nuclear core meltdown.
We will simply have wait for the day to pass to know the answer.
Until then, please stay updated by going to either of the three Big News outlet: CNN, BBC, Al-Jazeera. You can donate through the Canadian Red Cross or Oxfam.
Not only is Japan struggling with its own inner problems, but now countries around the world have begun inspecting and some halting imports from the ravaged country; mainly perishable items such as food and beverages. Some countries, such as Austria, as went as far as banning toys and vehicles from being imported (for the time being.
Automakers have insisted that their initial count in lost production was accurate, with the number reaching 300,000 units. Japan Tobacco Inc. has recently announced that they will stop shipments of its product between March 30 and April 10. This doesn't sound so bad, but when you're country is reeling from one of it's most tragic event in 60 years, I think some smokers would want to hang on to their vice, even just for a little while.
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday that the situation at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant "still does not warrant optimism" according to a Kyodo News report.
- CNN.com
Japan is use to being hit by earthquakes but after the devastating damages done by the 9.0 magnitude quake, they are trembling, litteraly, with fear as earthquakes continue to strike the eastern coast. A 6.4 magnitude quake struck just off the shore of Honshu, the main island.
Two Japanese citizens - one from Nagano and the other from Saitama, both 200 kilometers or further from Fukushima - traveling to China were taken to a hospital after showing exceedingly high levels of radiation, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported. A spokesman for the Japanese Embassy in China said Friday that the two are "fine" having left the hospital and joined their tour group.
- CNN.com
In a true story that was made to be transformed into a TV movie, officials have turned an abandonned hotel into a temporary shelter for those who has lost everything. It was an old, Japanese owned hotel that was very prominent in the 80's but kind of faded to the background when more popular, international hotel chains established themselves in the cities. It can house approximately 1,600 evacuees.
Officials have tested water in four prefectures surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and all tests showed radiation levels well above what is considered safe to drink for babies. The pertinent facilities provide water for residents in the cities of Tokaimura and Hitachi. The results, from samples taken on Thursday, showed between a low of 119 becquerels of radioactive iodine per kilogram of water to a high of 230 becquerels of the same radioactive substance.Any level above 100 becquerels is not considered safe for infants 1-year old and younger to drink, according to the Japanese government. Still, all are below the 300-becquerel limit for all adults.
- CNN.com
As initially feared, the death toll has now went well over the 10,000 threshold. International aid has already begun evacuating the surrounding areas near the Fukushima Daiichi plant. There is even an organization requesting that westerners adopt Japanese children for the summer, question of stabilizing the economy, and clearing away the debris.
All we can do is donate and pray. Please be careful when donating and assure that the money will be distributed by the Charity Organization in question. During the Indonesia Tsunami, a lot of people donated to direct orphanages who couldn't handle all of that money. So please choose safe and secure organizations and donate. Forget your timmies for a week and give instead. A dollar can make a difference.
Candles are flickering away, giving hope in these dark times.
I am not a big fan of shows like CSI, LAW & ORDER, NCIS, and the likes. I just don't find the reward I would like as much as with other shows. If I am going to invest an hour of my time (because I don't invest in 30 minute shows, regardless of the content) I want to benefit from that investment.
It's quite the opposite for other people who prefer non-serialized drama. But I don't watch TV for the sake of watching TV (aside from sundays because sundays were created for tv surfing). Through the years I have followed only a handful of shows from start to finish and wanted to share them with y'all. So here goes the list of TV shows you gotta watch!
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
Creator: Joss Whedon, master genius
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alysson Hannigan, Nicholas Brendon, James Marsters, Anthony Steward Head, and Charisma Carpenter (seasons 1-3)
Supporting Cast: Amber Benson, Seth Green, Eliza Dushku, David Boreanaz, Emma Caulfield, Kristine Sutherland, Juliet Landau, Harry Groener, Marc Blucas, D.B. Woodside, and Clare Kramer as Glory.
Reasons I love to watch: So Buffy the Vampire Slayer the movie was a really big hit in my house when it first came out and we rented it regularly. When it was announced that the movie would be turned into a TV show, we were ecstatic. Not my parents though as weren't really allowed to watch that much TV especially not at that time with that content. But eventually they subsided and were allowed to follow the series. My mom even started watching it for a while. What really got me from the beginning was, beside SMG, the writing. If you want true wit and wisdom, watch this show. It is funny as hell and so relatable. The writers did not shy from the issues that truly impacted their viewers: teens. A lot of critics only stopped at the surface and judged the extreme violence of the show. There was so much more to it then just that. They explored everything from bullying, divorce, homosexuality, rape, murder, and everything in between. No stone was left unturned and the casting is PERFECT!
Look out for: Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers and Emma Caulfield as the hysterical Anya. Also, the show has created two excellent episodes that were rewarded with Emmy's: the terrifying "Hush" where Sunnydale is plunged into silence and attacked by frigging creepy bald thingys. Ugh. And the brilliant extended musical episode "Once more with Feeling". I could watch those two on REPEAT. Suffice to say that many of the cast members have become international stars.
LOST
Creator: J.J Abrams, Jeffrey Lieber, and Damon Lindelof.
Starring: Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lily, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Terry O'Quinn, Naveen Andrews, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Henry Ian Cusack, and Dominic Monaghan
Supporting Cast: Ian Somerhalder, Maggie Grace, Harold Perrineau, Malcom David Kelley, Emilie de Ravin, Michelle Rodriguez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cynthia Watros, Elizabeth Mitchell, Michael Emerson, Nestor Carbonell, Mira Furlan, Jeff Fahey, Ken Leung, Rebecca Mader, Zuleikha Robinson, Tania Raymonde, L. Scott Caldwell, Sam Anderson, Alan Dale, Sonya Walger, John Terry, and Mark Pellegrino as Jacob.
Reasons I love to watch: Did you read the names off the casting list? The acting in this series is SUPERB. Evangeline Lily can really say she made Canada proud with the talent chops she was blessed with. If you don't believe me, watch episode 3X06 "I Do". When Kate starts crying and Jack says :" Kate, god damn it, run!" makes my skin crawl and the hair on my arms rise. It is just THAT brilliant. The twists and turns that happen along the way are incredibly satisfying and the fun really is connecting the dots between events and characters and sometimes both. Although the ending is slightly dissapointing from a storyline perspective, the wrapping up of the characters if flawless. If you truly want to know why awards shows exist, watch the talent that these actors display episode after episode.
Look out for: The love story between Desmond (Cusack) and Penny (Walger). The conflict between Ben (Emerson) and Widmore (Dale). The love square between Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Juliet (Fox, Lily, Holloway, and Mitchell respectivaly). Every scene including Hurley (Garcia). Too much to list, this show is about capturing moments, and relishing the present.
THE 4400
Creator: René Ecchevaria and Scott Peters
Starring: Joel Gretsch, Jacqueline Mckenzie,Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, Patrick Flueger, Conchita Campbell, Chad Faust, and Laura Allen.
Supporting Cast: Kaj-Erik Eriksen, Brooke Nevin, Peter Coyote, Samantha Ferris, Karina Lombard, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Jenni Baird, Summer Glau, and Billy Campbell as Jordan Collier
Reasons I love to watch: Well what really got me attracted to this show was the pricing. They were selling the entire seires for 60.00$. I had to buy it. I had also read somewhere that Summer Glau (Firefly, Serenity, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, The Cape) had a recurring role which can never be bad as she turns every character into solid gold. Seriously. The original mini-series (now being called season 1) is to die for. Everything about it is well-paced until the shocking finale where we find out where the 4400 were taken to and who are the "abducters". The cast was relatively unknown to me besides Gretsch, Glau and Campbell (Billy) so it was fun to watch these characters grow on screen without associating them with another character as I did with Gretsch who plays Father Landry in "V".
Look out for: Joel Gretsch as NTAC agent Tom Baldwin. He is being way underused in this season of "V" and it is refreshing to see him in the spotlight in The 4400. Also check out the episode "Tiny Machines". You won't wonder where Stephenie Meyers gets her ideas from anymore.
Supporting Cast: Noémie Yelle, Isabelle Blais, David Lahaye, Francis Ducharme, Maude Laurendeau, and David Boutin
Reasons I love to watch: This show is featured on Illico sur Demande (the Quebec equivalent to Rogers on Demand) and I am a big fan of serialized dramas stretched over seasons. I like investment as stated before. And liking Quebec series more then I love food, I decided to give this show a shot. Wow. I love period pieces and this one stretches over three generations of two families. One poor, one rich. Their lives and their legacies are depicted through the ages as the families learn to love, grieve, and cherish the special moments spent at the Desrochers House. The acting is superior to none and the cast boasts the likes of veteran artists such as Pichette, Perron, and Louise Portal as Laure-Lou Meunier. This show is available in english and I highly recommend it. A true raw depiction of families at war. Just disregard the poor choice of title they chose. Summers of our Lives...ugh.
Look out for: Fanny Mallette as Nora Manning and Maude Laurendeau as her daughter, Anaïs Manning. Both give stellar performances as a mother and daughter who simply cannot stand each other.
Other notable series that are worth watching and that I shall discuss in another related post:
