The Manhunt Begins

I admit that I didn't expect it, but the premiere of Prison Break's second season blew me away. An episode that tied all loose ends, kept you at the edge of your seat throughout, built a basis for the entire season and, as expected from all great episodes, shocked you in the last minute. Don't read below this line if you don't appreciate spoilers.
The former prisoners, and now fugitives, run like they've never run before in their lives. While Bellick's dogs are behind them, this time Michael's enemies are far more dangerous than police force simpletons. For the first time, he receives attention from the real bad guys who manage to decifer his tattoo...a bit. This allows them to apply pressure even though Michael is one step ahead. I am a bit bothered, however, at how fast agent Mahone was able to find the graveyard or how he assumed that Michael must have thrown evidence in the river below his apartment. Anyway, in the end, the party manages to blend with the crowd and escape. Which direction will they go next? Considering that Michael's plans no longer require anyone other than his brother, we can expect some conflict, especially since Westmoreland's money is involved. I am sure though, that Michael will cross paths again with Dr. Tancredi who I was very glad to see survive her attempted suicide. Michael and Sara's story is one that could either end happilly or tragically and I hope they give some emphasis on it in the course of the season
In the meantime, Veronica is really at the end of the puzzle. Having found Steadman alive, she thinks everything is over. Steadman's warnings about the prison-like nature of his habitat do not sway her. She sees through his lies that there's no signal to make a phone call here. She calls the police and asks for help. She keeps reassuring Steadman that everything will be ok while waiting. When help finally comes, Lincoln chooses this most dramatic and fateful moment to call Veronica. She is not finished urging him to give himself up and reassuring him that everything's over, when it becomes clear she's been fooled. The help that arrived is no other than Steadman's keepers. Lincoln hears the gunshot that ends Veronica's life and is devastated. The episode ends with a scene of Michael, in a most formal suit now, removing his handcuffs...

Autumn Dragons Alive

For fans of the Dragonlance books, this isn't the optimal turn of events. Nevertheless, the announcement that the first book of the series, "Dragons Of Autumn Twilight" becomes an animation movie is certainly exciting. I, too, would wish these books were turned into normal movies. The success of Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy has shown that it can be done. The Dragonlance series is, with a slight exaggeration, almost as popular and so, the audience is guaranteed. We can hope for the future.
The animation can turn out to be really good of course. Considering that we have the perfect casting of Kiefer Sutherland as the voice of Raistlin Majere, a character that deserves his popularity, things are pretty positive for the start. As the film will be released next year, a lot should change but we'll be here waiting. Meanwhile, you can read the books; they're a lot of fun.

A New Myth For The Guardian

It should no longer matter to Blind Guardian fans that their new releases take more than 4 years to see the light of day. Their perfectionism and commitment into delivering something unique pay off and the wait is more than worth it. Their previous album, "A Night At The Opera", received a lot of criticism but mainly, in my opinion, from short-sighted sources. It was a brilliant album whose only fault was that it was over the top. Indeed, it was the complexity and the elaborate production that was the reason of most criticism.
"A Twist In The Myth" is the next logical step. Retaining the new, progressive elements of "A Night At The Opera" but also recruiting a couple of their old-style dynamics that made them so popular, the new Blind Guardian offering will satisfy just about everyone who listens to this kind of music. What kind of music? Well...it is definitely a heavy metal album, but it's been a long time since we could compare Guardian with anyone else. The production is reasonably less ambitious than "ANATO", but the band's inspiration (even though there's no "And Then There Was Silence" here) is still phenomenal after all those years. Oh, and one last thing...Thomen's absence behind the drums is not felt at all! The german bards did it again.

Jordan Collier's Gospel

What summer has been lacking for a very long time was a good tv series. I'm pretty sure, though, that USA Network's "The 4400" did not go unnoticed by most of you. Indeed, the series is very near the ending of its third season so I will assume you know what it's about and move on with reviewing the latest episode.
Jordan Collier is back and he is very much alive, despite being shot and killed at the end of the second season. This is bad news for Isabelle because it ruins her wedding and she remembers that as a baby, she had given a vision to Collier that ultimately lead to his death. But where has Jordan Collier been all this time? He claims that he has been alive for hundreds of years and he has seen the future. Alana helps him remember and she is shocked by a glimpse of his visions. The 4400 and the rest of the world welcome Jordan Collier as a messiah and he does not deny the title. He seems confident and with a clear mission. Returning to the 4400 center, he resumes the leadership he was violently forced to abandon and his first job is to deal with Isabelle. He names her for what she is : the enemy of the 4400. Her protests about being free to choose are lost on Collier. He asks her to leave and never return.
So far in the season we had to suffer Isabelle as the most powerful character but also the most immature and prone to evil. Despite her claims about having a choice, she had already made her choice when she helped Ryland build his anti-4400 army. Finally, there is now someone able to oppose her. Of course, the future humanity's agenda is still unclear and the parameters are now numerous. We cannot be sure of much because the "good" guys could be responsible for the catastrophe as much as Isabelle. For now, let's wait to enjoy the confrontation that is sure to come.