The X-Factor USA S3 Audition 1

23 09 2013

The X-Factor USA S3 Audition 1

There is a new panel of judges and what seems like really good chemistry between the judges this year. Returning are Demi Lovato and Simon Cowell. The new judges are Kelly Rowland (who was part of Destiny’s Child) and Paulina Rubio.

The first audition is from Los Angeles. Our first contestant from Chicago, Illinois is Carlito Olivaro, age 23. He wants to be the Latino Chris Brown. I really get annoyed when people say that. Does that mean you approve or dismiss his domestic violence? He sings, “Stay” by Rihanna. It was just okay and very average, but he was also very nervous. He gets four yeses.  I would have said no.

Over to the auditions from Charleston, South Carolina, first up is Sally Hessnice, a 55-year-old registered nurse who has been married 35 years. She sang, “Greatest Love of All” by Whitney Houston. She should reserve her singing for comatose patients. If I was in a coma, I would endeavor to wake up just to tell her to please stop. All 4 say no. At least they are sane so far.

Valeria. Just Valeria. (Valeria Colombo) She is a karaoke DJ. She tries singing “Without You” by Nilsson. Oh geez! Please do not make these auditions about the train wrecks. I want the focus to be on the good ones. She is a definite no.

K-Nected is a group of mom and 2 teenage girls. They try to sing, “Waterfalls” by TLC. They should stop singing. Period. This led into a montage of horror of unknown singers who Paulina called “peachy” (its pitchy dawg) including the recent graduate from high school John Tanner Davis.

Still in Charleston auditions, Rion Paige was up. I LOVE her mom. Rion is differently-abled with a congenital condition but her bubbly personality bursts through and blinds us to the physical challenges. She sings “Blown Away” by Carrie Underwood. She was pitchy in spots but I would put her in the “potentials” category. She may have been nervous because she improved as the song went on. Four yeses.

Over to Long Island, Lillie McCloud who shocked the crowd by telling everyone she is 54. She has three children and seven grandchildren. She chose “Alabaster Box by CeCe Winans. Lillie could win this competition. I got major goosebumps. I don’t know why she is not already professionally singing. I was tingling from head to toe. I have not felt that way for a very long time. All four judges were on their feet.

In New Orleans after a run of horrid groups, duet boyfriend/girlfriend Alex Kinsey and Sierra Deaton who are madly in love with each other. Alex is funny. Singing “Toxic” by Britney Spears. They almost reminded me of Sonny and Cher on their variety show. I really liked them. They had a unique sound. Who doesn’t melt seeing two people in love singing to each other but bringing the audience in as well? I definitely put them in the final group selection. Four yeses.





So You Think You Can Dance S10 Memphis Auditions

7 06 2013

LogoJoining resident judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe was entertainer Wayne Brady for this trip to Memphis, the final city of the auditions. (Please note that I do my commentary as I am watching the show, so this is why everything is in the present tense). Of course everyone trying out appeared to be NOT from Memphis.

Dorian “BluPrint” Hector, age 19, Atlanta, GA

I wonder why he is called that aside from his two-tone blue hair, blue sweatshirt, blue jeans and blue sneakers. Wonder if he blue eyes? He is from Dragon House, home of Cyrus who stole his way into our hearts last season. Would Dorian leave a “BluPrint” on our hearts? I like how he called himself a malfunctioning robot because I immediately got the reference. I think he should go straight to Vegas. Mary puts him on the hot tamale train and he gets that ticket.

Curtis Holland, age 8, Miami, Florida

He is the third tap dancer we have seen in the edited auditions. I like his personality. His tap is like watching someone in double speed, or how they used to make those old silent movies. His choreography had equal measure of humor and skill. The judges send him to choreography and then onto Vegas.

Tucker Knox, age 22, Nashville, TN

Made it to Juilliard but was in a tragic car accident and broke his spine among other injuries. He has really beautiful lines and control. His gymnast abilities are impressive. It was not as good as Anthony Savoy, but I think he has a ticket to Vegas awaiting him (and he does).

Courtney Thurston, age 18, Clifton, VA

Contemporary dancer. Some moves surprised me but there was a lot of rolling around on stage. I thought she was average by the standards of the show now in its 10th season. Her father married her dance teacher. I like the father. He said he did krump dancing. The judges insisted that he come up on stage. Dad had a few moves, but he is no krump dancer. The daughter is going to Vegas.

Shanshan Qiao-Rothlisberger, age 25, Albuquerque, NM

Performing a Mongolian dance called Ding Wan Wu. It was quite beautiful and I think she should go through to choreography and that is where the judges send her. After the choreography round, the judges send her to Vegas.

Nico Greetham, age 18, Woodbridge, VA

He danced a very unique contemporary dance that incorporated these cool staccato, locking-type movements timed perfectly with the music. He is going to Vegas.

Elyse Frelinger, age 23, Los Angeles, CA

She performed a contemporary dance that resembled her day job as a trapeze instructor at the Santa Monica Pier. It was fluid and unique. She gets a ticket to Vegas.

Day 2

Jenna Johnson, Age 18, Provo, Utah

She looks like Megan Fox’s cousin. Her cha-cha partner is 17 years of age and cannot try out…this year. They hold 4 national titles so I am expecting great things. They were good. I know in some years they have had more contemporary dancers than ballroom so I was sure Mary Murphy was thrilled to see all them. Without further comment from the judges, Jenna gets a ticket to Vegas.

Novien Yarber, age 21, Huntsville, Alabama

He is NOT a hip hop dancer just because he is black (he wants us to be clear on that). This boy is full of technique, strength and creativity. Triple threat. Was it perfect? No. But I would love to see the choreographers get their hands on him in the top 20. He runs down for his ticket to Vegas.

Isabel Freiberger, age 26, Chapel Hill, NC

This woman can do the salsa! I wanted her partner to try out, too, but he was not. I liked this better than the cha-cha of the other contestant. The judges send her to choreography just to see if she can do other things. She does not get a ticket to Vegas.

Caleb Brauner, age 20, Blue Springs, MO

I lived in Blue Springs for 3 months. I went to the high school there, too, for those few months of my freshman year. He does a little of everything. He had a lot of comedy in his routine but the dance had a story that was not abstract or difficult to interpret. I loved it. Nigel asked his dad to come up on stage and do hip-hop with Caleb. His father is just as much fun as Caleb is. Of course he is going to Vegas?

Larry Booze, age 29, Macon, GA

My ankles hurt watching him move. The flexibility and fluidity of his movement was magic. The three judges send him on to choreography. My ankles hurt watching him move. At choreography he does the gentlemanly thing and withdraws to give his choreography partner a better shot of making it. M

Jasmine Harper, age 19, Lawrenceville, GA

Cyrus’ ex???? Girlfriend. For a minute I thought we were going to find out Cyrus had a secret ex-wife. She is among my favorite female contemporary dancers we have seen thus far in the auditions. After tormenting her for a moment, they give her a ticket to Vegas.  My sister used to live in Lawrenceville for many years.

Paige Pellicano, age 19, Detroit, Michigan

Her dad is an Elvis impersonator. She is rolling too much around the ground for me, but she is a beautiful young lady. They send her to choreography but not to Vegas.

Next week: So You Think You Can Dance Vegas Hell Week!





So You Think You Can Dance S10 Los Angeles Auditions

15 05 2013

So You Think You Can Dance — Season 10 — Los Angeles Auditions

Tonight’s judges are our resident judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy with guest judge, Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Contestant: Du-Shaunt “Fik-Shun” Stegall, Las Vegas Nevada, a street performer, age 18

He was so much fun. I loved the booty popping. He had a bright smile and a great attitude. What fabulous body control he had when he went down into that semi-backbend swirl-like move towards the end. The judges gave him a standing ovation. Straight to Vegas.

Contestant: Malece Miller, age 19, Salt Lake City, Utah, contemporary dancer

I like this girl. She is beautiful, radiates light, and has an awesome sense of humor. Her story growing up is one we have heard many times on this show. That backspring into a sit position took my breath away for a moment. And I am a big fan of her haircut. Straight through to Vegas.

Contestant: Paul Karmiryan from Glendale, CA, age 21, Latin ballroom. Won SYTYCD in Armenia. Hmmm. If you win in one country, should you be allowed to enter in another? I say no.

It was okay. It was crisp and sharp. He had nice foot work. If he had tried out for the first time without having won on another version of the show I would say okay. I have mixed feelings. Mary loved it. He is through to Vegas.

Contestant: Elijah Laurant, age 20, Los Angeles, CA

I was upset that they kept cutting away to the judges’ faces. Just as I was being drawn in by the craftsmanship of this extraordinary dancer, it would cut away. DRAT. Absolutely going to Vegas.

Contestant: Taylor Ward, Claremont, CA, age 20.

Oh my God. My heart just broke for her. She had given up her academic scholarships and sports scholarships to dance with the blessing of her grandfather who raised her, but passed away before he could see her try out. She was rehearsing during a break called by the judges and crack went the knee, a dislocation. And yet she still tried out. She has beautiful lines despite her injury and a beautiful heart. Yes to choreography and from there she was on to Vegas.

Contestant: Morris Isby, B-boy, age 28, Sacramento, CA

Impressive resume. I am reminded of Legacy a little bit. The kneel-crawl move was something I have not seen before. Yes to choreography, but he was close to getting a ticket to Vegas but still has some work to do.

Contestant: Armen “Armen Way” Avetisov, age 27, Glendale, CA

A Russian rapper who likes to make cheesy videos with women in bikinis washing cars. I don’t think I like this person. When he danced, it was truly all about him even though he was partnering with a beautiful woman. Self -worship I would call it. Sloppy foot work. I liked the woman dancing better but she was not a signed-up contestant. Mary loved him, however. Gave him an automatic ticket to Vegas.

Gr818Ers: The father was known as Papa Wiz a famous b-boy in the 1990’s. They stopped doing much of anything because he died unexpectedly when they were young boys. They founded the group to bring positivity back to the community. Trying out we’re Eric and Lorenzo Chapman, age 21 and 22 respectively, from Pacoima, CA. I thought it was wonderful. What tremendous role models they are. Nigel offered them help from Dizzyfeet Foundation.

The choreography round was with Marko and Sasha. It was so great to see them back again.

Tomorrow night: Detroit with guest judge Stephen tWitch Boss!

Update:  Day 2 of the LA auditions seen on Tuesday, May 21.

Brooklyn “Flex Dancer” (bone breaking, hat tricks and glides, animation) Nicholas “Slick” Stewart

This guy is not double-jointed–he’s multijointed.  I think he might be the modern-day reference of the song, “Rubberband Man.”  He is entertaining, but I would want him back for choreography to see if he could at least try to partner with another person.  Maybe Ringling Brothers is hiring.  The judges agree to send him to choreography.  But Slick was headed home.

Alex Kessinger, age 18, Riverside, CA.

Nigel is drooling over her.  I think there is too much rolling on the ground.  VEGAS

Sebastian Serra from Puerto Rico. It was good, not great.  He is going to Vegas.

Latin dancers Mariia Lebedeva and Misha Smagin are some of the few Latin dancers in the crowd and a heck of a lot better than Armen.  Mary does the WOOOOOO!

Emilio “Millie” Dosal. He is Phillip Cheeb’s friend.  Yes to choreography. He is going to Vegas.

Makenzie Dustman

It was a typical routine I thought.  There were lots of floor rolling.  I never connected to her emotionally.  She is going to Vegas





Series Finale for Touch on Fox

11 05 2013

On Thursday, May 9, 2013, Fox Broadcasting confirmed what we all had been expecting: Touch would not receive a season 3 renewal. Friday, May 10, 2013 would be the series finale.

I think we could see the writing on the wall from the beginning of season 2. It was supposed to be aired in October 2012. Then it got bumped to January of 2013. Then it was pushed to Friday, February 1, 2013. Then it was changed to Friday, February 8, 2013. People in the science fiction community believe the Friday night slot is the place where shows go to get the final nail in the coffin. It was true for Fringe.

There was very sparse advertising for the show’s premiere. The shows the network had more faith in, like The Following, The Mindy Project, Ben and Kate, and New Girl got far more advertising both on-air and with the use of social media.

The first season struggled. Although 12 million viewers tuned in to watch it on Monday, a sweet day in the past for Kiefer Sutherland when he was on “24”, viewership quickly declined and it was moved to Thursday night after Idol, hoping to give it an American Idol bump. Fringe had that same progression. Monday to Thursday to Friday. For years now, people have been critical of the antiquated Nielsen structure to determine number of viewers and to target 18- to 49-year-old men. As a woman, that is really insulting to me. I have as much buying power as my husband, if not more. People have new viewing habits. The days of an actual TV in a home are limited as people go to the internet to watch TV shows now. But the methods advertisers base their rates are still built on the old model. In February, it was reported that Nielsen was going to roll out a new system. It would include people who watch over broadband, XBox, Playstation. Then next phase of the program would include any type of video viewing. It is also adding a new viewing measurement for social media to include people participating in tweeting and those exposed to those tweets (I am thinking this sounds similar to Klout). But it is too late for many of our cult favorites. Fringe would have benefited greatly from the massive fan support on social media.

The story also struggled. The biggest mistake was calling Jake autistic. After the first episode, many of my friends tuned out, turned off by the unrealistic portrayal by Hollywood AGAIN of their beloved children. At first, the show was about finding people who were hurting and help restoring happiness and wholeness to their lives. Shows are often a reflection of the times we live in. I think this is why The Following has had tremendous success–it is a very dark show. Then mid-season, Touch started building into it a mythos that sounded promising but moved a little bit too slow for an audience who needs to be on the edge of their seat an entire show to go out and convert others to watch it. When season 2 was introduced, people who gave up by the end of season 1 did not care to tune back in to see all the wonderful changes that were made. The story pace was quicker. It was building the mythos quicker, resolving things (like finding Amelia) in a timely manner, introducing an element of evil vs. good in the plot. Without a massive campaign saying, “Come try the show out again.”

Shows struggle in their first year to find their footing. I know this is true of Stargate Universe. It came from a franchise that had phenomenal fans and a lengthy history of good ratings, 10 seasons of Stargate SG-1, 5 years of Stargate Atlantis, 2 Stargate DVD movies. With the success of Battlestar Galactica, they wanted to try a storyline they had really wished to pursue on Stargate Atlantis but could not–the heroes were trapped without any way to contact Earth or the original SG-1 team for help. By the end of season 1, Stargate Atlantis knew it needed to connect back to Earth. In Stargate Universe, they used a unique way to do this. There was an active campaign from within the Stargate community to boycott the show and point out all the flaws. Free speech still governs our society and they had the complete freedom to express their opinion. Whether it played as a factor in the ultimate demise of Stargate Universe remains unclear. I do know season 2 of Stargate Universe was better than season 1. Season 2 of Touch was better than season 1.

I was concerned for the finale. In the last episode, Amelia and Jake had been kidnapped after Martin’s car was hit. Would we have a finale where someone’s life hung in the balance, and the viewers would not have resolved whether or not a character would live or die? Would they be endings that would leave us at peace? Would the people in season 2 who were evil or sometimes evil and sometimes good receive justice? Would a new threat be introduced? Would Avram be found or locked away somewhere that we will never know if he is freed?

After watching the show, I have a feeling Tim Kring saw the possibility that this show would not get a season 3, and he decided to write the final episode, giving emotionally invested fans a story to leave in peace. He gave us just that. And the ending was a sweet acknowledgement of the first episode with the same narratives. I did cry at the end. However, it was not like the finale of Farscape where I was so disgusted with the abrupt cancellation and the inability of the writers to give fans a proper ending that I talked about it for years and, in fact, boycotted the network (in my narcissistic narrow world, I thought it would matter) for years, missing out on Stargate SG-1 for quite awhile.

Coming on the heels of hearing of Touch’s demise was the immediate rumors that Fox Broadcasting is now in talks with Kiefer Sutherland about reviving “24” in a “limited fashion.” Some on the internet think it might be a 13-episode series. Some think it might be the movie he was hoping for. For others, they are speculating that a miniseries might work. With the number 13 episodes, I now wonder if they plan for this to be tied in with The Following next year given its phenomenal ratings as that would be about the number of episodes. The first episode could give us background for the new story and then the episodes could still be in a full-day fashion with each episode being: “The following takes place between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.” which would be more realistic in Los Angeles or New York traveling times (or wherever they plan for it to take place). Twelve episodes of 2-hour increments would give us “24”.

And so it goes….another well-written show that goes into our history. I want to thank the cast and crew for producing a type of show I was craving, something I cared deeply about. But in the end, thank you for giving us a happy ending.

TouchbutterflyThankYou





Touch (S2E10) Two of a Kind Recap

26 04 2013

I was pleased to see two characters in the pilot who were also in “The Road Not Taken” reappear in this episode. We find out Dr. Nell Plimpton (Samantha Whittaker) is one of the 36. Please read Touch pilot episode I wrote for details. What I was not expecting was the ending which I won’t say until the recap is at that point.

As Martin (Kiefer Sutherland) and Trevor (Greg Ellis) sort out their grief and details of Lucy’s death, Martin realizes Amelia (Saxon Sharbino) was not in the car.

Pic1

Martin and Trevor grieve.

Meanwhile a creepy man (David Ury) listens in to the conversation and then heads over to Guillermo (Saïd Taghmaoui) who is looking at Dr. Nell Plimpton who is coming to Los Angeles today bringing over an ancient artifact. After the homeless guy wants to get paid, Guillermo kills him. That is going to be some mess to clean up!

Pic3

Homeless man blood splatter

And meanwhile Amelia is with Jake (David Mazouz) in his room. She wants to stay but can’t yet. Guillermo is coming to get them this date. The numbers are 10262000 (Jake’s date of birth and the day Guillermo’s family died.

Pic2

Cipher number for tonight.

Over in England, Dr. Plimpton is an insomniac and since “The Road Not Taken” they have had another child. It was Simon’s (David de Lautour) cell phone that made it around the world and helped people find each other. She is going to a clinic for insomnia suffers while in the States [why do I think evil Aster Corps has something in the works.]

Pic4

The Plimptons

Jake is feverish. He gets Martin to look at the cipher, the number and ultimately he speaks to Martin. “Find him.” Music to Martin’s ears. When Martin sees Avram (Bodhi Elfman) they discussed what happened with Jake and the “he” he has to find is Guillermo Ortiz.

Pic5

Jake talks!!!!

Jake writes in his notebook the 10262000 but then there is dash for the first time: 10262000 1026 2013-1026 2013-1026.

Pic6

More numbers. They are changing. The future is in constant motion, isn’t it? I learned that from Star Wars.

Calvin (Lukas Haas) sees a news report on Aster Corps given by Mrs. Nicole Farington (Frances Fisher) to the public trying to reassure them the bad parts of their company which completely denies knowing about have been taken away.

Pic7

Mrs. Farington of Aster Corps

Trevor was able to discover a body at the morgue.

The building manager (Ravil Isyanov) goes to collect the rent and thinks Guillermo’s room smells “funny” [like death perhaps?]. The number on the door is 27.

Pic8

You know when someone exaggerates and says “it smells like death in here.” For Guillermo it usually does.

Simon reads the book “Colors” to his daughter, red being on e cover. Nell calls from Chicago where her plane to stop and she was bumped. She wants him to make sure her package is picked up since it will arrive before her. Simon asks her what she sees. She starts saying the things in her surroundings. He asks again and describes the people who once were living on the land, a Potawatomi Indian Village where Chicago O’Hare is now.

Pic9

Nell’s power. She can visualize history.

Her flight 1026 to Los Angeles was now boarding so she says good-bye.

Avram talks out loud his theories on how the cipher is working. Baruch HaShem (thank God). Jake’s looking at a real map the whole time he is talking. He sees 2013 schedule LAXTrans: Take the 1026 bus to the airport. With Avram kicking the whole way, Jake is ready to take off and Avram has no choice.

Pic10

Take the bus to the plane (wait, I think the jingle was take the train to the plane).

Down at the morgue, Trevor and Martin see Guillermo’s work. His toe-tag number is 2013-1026.

Pic11

I hope I’m more than a number on a slab when I die.

When Jake and Avram get on bus 1026, they see a very exhausted Amelia.

Pic12

Bus 1026 and a waiting Amelia.

Mrs. Farington pays Calvin a visit. She is looking for Tony Rigby (Adam Campbell). She offers Calvin a job. They are running a “sleep clinic”. They have 6 of the 36 [and I bet Nell will make 7 once she checks in]. Calvin looks like he just got a dose of the drug of his choice–a cure for William–and after talking to him, he will be more motivated and convicted to achieve his goal.

Avram tells Martin he has Jake and Amelia. Amelia says today he must find Guillermo or innocent people will die.

Pic13

Jake, Amelia and Avram

The hotel was at 167 5th Street. The manager lets them in. They see the blood on the floor. Trevor hands Martin some trash.

Pic15

You can always find great clues in the trash.

They arrive at LAX and Jake sees flight 1026 had arrived. The box is going to St. Matthew University, 2013 West Adams Blvd, Room 1026. Jake writes on a piece of paper and hands it to Avram. They are symbols. He needs to call Martin but there is no cell service. Famous last words “Don’t move!”

Pic14

Another 2013-1026 connection

A man comes and takes the box away. Jake and Amelia follow. Avram and Martin talk via phone about the hieroglyphics. Nell bumps into Avram. She is wearing a blue shirt. After she gets in the car, Guillermo is right behind her. Guillermo sees a car, and stabs the man to get it.

Pic16

Nell bumps into Avram at the airport.

Jake and Amelia get into the van going to St. Matthew University.

Avram goes inside and does not see Jake or Amelia.

Mrs. Farington gives Calvin a tour of what they are doing. Aster Corps has their own quantum computer now. They have an almost 90-digit sequence. Calvin accepts the job offer. Mrs. Farington asks Calvin if he knows where Martin Bohm is and he says no. So he is holding out on Aster Corps should they do something he does not like. Or as a backup plan to help his brother in case things go wrong.

Pic17

I don’t know any Jake or Martin Bohm.

The package arrives. The kids get out.

Trevor tells Martin about the hieroglyphs and gets Martin connected with Simon. Simon says she is in Los Angeles. He asks what hotel she might be staying at. Simon has to think about whether to give this information out, saying “I can lose my job.” But deeper I think Simon recognizes Martin’s voice but cannot place where.

Martin and Avram update their situations. Martin says he thinks he knows where they have gone.

Amelia and Jake use 318 [the beginning number of the sequence] to open the security and then opened the box. Jake tries to leave her the numbers on the crate of what the hieroglyphs say. He does it with a red marker.

Pic18

Code 318 — back to the beginning.

Dr. Nell arrives in cab 287 [three numbers in the God sequence]. Guillermo pulls up as well. Jake realizes he is there. After going into the building Guillermo follows Nell and attacks her.

Pic19

I’m gonna kill you, but we have to wait.

Martin drives up. Nell asks Guillermo if he is going to kill her. He replies, “Yes but not until he arrives?” Jake talks telepathically to him, “She’s not the one.” It distracts him enough for Nell to escape.

Pic20

Jake speaks telepathically through the floor to him.

Nell runs into Martin. Martin tells her to leave and then he calls 911. He then pulls the fire alarm. Guillermo comes out of nowhere and attacks Martin. They stumble into the church sanctuary. [At this point I think Guillermo will not be able to kill in a church.]

Pic21

Martin and Guillermo struggle for the knife.

Martin has developed some fighting skillz that killz. Martin tells him it’s over. Guillermo breaks down sobbing. He says that today he is going to rid the world of another one of the 36. [I always knew he was going to, in the end, take his own life.

True to the character, however, Guillermo apologizes to God for not being able to complete his mission. He says, “I never found the nest of seven.” [Hmmmm. Now that Martin has found Amelia, I guess this is the quest for season 3, if they get a season 3]. Guillermo then slits his own throat.

Pic22

Guillermo slits his own throat. He was such a great bad guy. Sad to see him go.

Jake comes in. He rips the Tree of Life necklace off Guillermo’s body. Amelia follows and Martin and Amelia hug.

Pic23

Jake takes the Tree of Life off of him.

The police officer (Mykelti Williamson) questions Martin. He does not believe Martin. He tells him he needs to come down to the station tomorrow.

Pic24

I really don’t believe anything you’re saying Martin “Bishop”

Martin talks with Nell. Jake goes to Nell and grabs her hand. Martin tells Nell he thinks Jake wants to show her something.

Pic25

Jake wants to show you something.

Jake takes her to the artifact. Nell is very excited Jake cracked the code.

Pic26

The gift of numbers.

Amelia and Jake play chess at the house. Martin asks Avram about the nest of seven. Avram shrugs it off as ravings of a madman. [And I think Avram just lied to Martin].

Pic27

Avram lies to Martin.

Martin tells Amelia they are going to have to find her father. Amelia tells him he can try, but he won’t.

[There is a book on the table called “Aloft” by Chang-rae Lee; I looked it up and it does not seem to pertain to anything related to Touch…yet].

Pic28

The book on the table doesn’t appear to mean anything.

Martin tells Jake that Amelia is part of their family now. Jake gives him a small smile with direct eye contact. Jake likes the sound of that indeed.

Pic29

Jake smiles at Martin.





Touch (S2E9) Clockwork

5 04 2013

Kiefer Sutherland is reunited with his old “24” co-star, Annie Wersching (Renee Walker). This episode marks return of one of my favorite characters on the show, Avram (Bodhi Elfman). BreakWire is about to go under after Guillermo (Saïd Taghmaoui) murdered many of its employees and by the end of the episode, Martin learns the news that Lucy (Mario Bello) was found dead. It also seems to take another pivot in its plot devices by adding ancient hieroglyphics that will need to be deciphered. By the end of the episode, 318 becomes the numbers again, which brings us to the original numbers of season 1, episode 1, and where Calvin (Lukas Haas) thought the sequence would go–back to the beginning and it includes patient number one of Professor Arthur Teller (Danny Glover).

More Detailed Recap:

Jake (David Mazouz) narrates: “Physicists will tell you that time does not exist, that it is a human construct used to organize experience and catalog existence, so we can quantify it, confirm it, remember it. Einstein did not believe in time. He believed in timelessness, that all time existed at once–past, present, future. He did not acknowledge the concept of now. All moments are equally real, equally accessible if we know how.”

 

Pic1

Love the attention to detail to show us red, blue, stars, clocks, butterflies

Amelia (Saxon Sharbino) is running. Martin looks at patient 0001 of The Teller Institute.

Pic2

Jake’s red-striped shirt, red letters on milk, red cereal box

There is a knock at the door. It’s Avram!!!!! He is here to help keep Jake safe.

Pic3

So nice to see Avram back! Soldier of light!

The number tonight is 948.

Pic4

Tonight’s number: 948

BreakWire is going under after the deaths of the employees. Martin wants to help Trevor (Greg Ellis) keep it afloat. Trevor has a story on Phillip Green (Paul Vincent O’Connor), a prisoner about to be put to death. It’s patient 0001 [of course!]. [Note where his current address is: Block 9, Cell 48. Also, within the body of the article it talks about him being secretly kept at Teller Institute and Anthony Brown, his landlord, said he would scream numbers at him, and mentions the number 85647. The paragraph on the left is the same as the second paragraph on the right. I’m being too obsessed over this show, aren’t I? LOL]

Pic5

Patient 0001 of The Teller Institute

The back-story on this man is that there were three murders that occurred in a robbery. Phillip worked at an antique shop. He went back after hours to clean the place out, saw a passerby and gunned him down in cold blood. Supposedly there were no witnesses to the murder. If Martin would do the story for BreakWire, Trevor could get him in to see his attorney.

Mike (Jamie McShane) is making a rock-climbing fortress for his son Max (Blake Bertrand) [who is sporting a red cape and red sneakers, and has a blue swing].

Mike gets a call. There is something he needs to do, but his wife, Jenny (Karis Campbell), thinks not. The argument is interrupted by a splinter. [Not only does Max have red sneakers, they have a star cut into them!].

Pic6

Check out the red star cut into his sneakers! Wow, the details.

Martin meets with the lawyer, Mr. Miller (Scott Klace) who thinks Martin might be a crazy man. When Martin shares information that was never submitted into evidence, he hears Martin out.

Avram and Jake play chess and uses the French Defense against Jake’s move of king pawn to E4. Jake becomes agitated. He looks at the clock on the wall, takes it down, and starts unscrewing things.

Pic7

Playing chess (remember Amelia used a chess piece buried in the sand for Jake.

Martin meets Phillip but the man will not speak. He confirms for Martin he is one of the 36. Martin will do anything he needs. Phillip gives him a picture of his daughter. Martin is so used to Jake being nonverbal that he can read Phillip’s intentions quite easily through his facial expressions.

Pic8

A man in great emotional pain.

His daughter is Dr. Kate Gordon (Annie Wersching). She is a family therapist who specializes in early childhood trauma, behavioral issues, children who are nonverbal, or disturbed.” Martin shares that Jake is nonverbal. Martin tells her about his visit with her father. The story was this: Her father had a gift with numbers and symbols and ancient languages. He was taken to The Teller Institute. When he came back, he shot three people. When she asked him if he did it, he said yes. When she asked why, he went silent. She tried to visit him but every time would be turned away [red thing on the coffee table].

Pic9

Ahhh… Kiefer and Annie together again.

Avram tells Jake about the history on clock-making. Six gears in six piles [equals 36]. When Martin calls and when he tells Avram that Phillip is one of the 36, Jake stops his work for a moment and looks up.

Jenny tells Mike that making this decision won’t bring his father back [I wonder if his father was one of the ones killed]. Max was in the car when his grandfather was shot. The guy who did this to his father is living his life [so I guess it is not Phillip].

Pic10

Another man in great emotional pain and a child with a lot of red toys.

[Wow. This gets into a great argument about capital punishment. Are the people who are part of the execution murderers? If you don’t think so, then what happens if you are a part of it, and later find out the person was innocent? Or maybe you don’t know, and you only find out once you have to atone to God before being welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven? ]

In investigating the case, Martin discovers that nothing was actually stolen at the shop where Phillip worked. The three victims were Richard Davis, Frankin  [a typo by Trevor or Greg Ellis?] Price, Derek Reynolds. Their link? Da, da, da, dum–Möbius, a subsidiary of Aster Corps.

Pic11

“Blue” Orb, Mobius, a link between 3, and a typoed name– Frankin in the parameters, but Franklin in the results. Someone may need to reserve a room for me. This is what I get for having a child with high OCD/low-functioning autism.

The antique store is at 948. There is a red awning and a star shape in the window.

Pic12

Arrows point to the spots.

Martin talks to Mr. Zedner (George Wyner). Phillip wanted to store a box of his in the store’s safe. It belonged to him and that is what the police found at the house. Phillip’s machine looks like clock gears.

Pic13

Phillip’s secrets

Martin brings the box home and Jake starts rearranging gears. Avram thinks it is a cipher. They are used for sending and interpreting messages. What kind of message is something to kill for?

Pic14

A cipher!!!!

Martin meets up with Kate again. She tells him their code for “I Love You” was holding up the middle three fingers one at a time in rhythm. Martin tells her about Aster Corps and thinks that by shutting down and pushing her out he was trying to protect her. He shows her the box. Kate says her dad said it was the road map to finding 36 magical people who could save the world. One key gear is missing.

Pic15

I….Love….You

The guards start taking Phillip to the execution chamber. His lawyer gets a call from Martin that he and Kate are on their way.

Pic16

Guard is actor Patrick Brown (my son is Patrick Bowen)–Social Security had first sent me a card with “Brown” as my married name. His Twitter handle is @PBitters mine is @PBMom (just thought that was funny)

Avram makes tea in the red kettle. Jake keeps writing 948 in his book.

Pic17

It’s always a good time for tea!

In the locker room Mike’s friend is gloating about how they were lucky enough to get picked for “this” [the execution]. They both press their buttons at the same time so that neither knows who gave Phillip the dose that kills him. Mike needs to get some air. Mike recognizes Dr. Gordon. [Would that not at least postpone the execution since Kate is his son’s therapist? They would have to find someone else to push the button.]

Pic18

Kate wants to see her dad before he is executed.

Mike wants to talk to the warden. [Ah ha! I knew it.] Mike dropped out of the execution team duty and that has delayed things. Kate will get some time with Phillip. [Good grief, I’m crying again]. She tells him Martin’s theory that Phillip was trying to protect her is the only thing that makes sense, Phillip holds up his three fingers–I love you. Kate does the same.

Pic19

Knowing his fate, the father says I…Love…You for the very last time to his daughter.

Martin feels like he failed that he could not stop it. Kate said that was not it. Kate and the lawyer head to the gallery. Martin feels defeated. However Phillip left a box for him. Inside is a note–“your son knows.”

Pic20

The weight of the world on poor Jake’s shoulders.

Martin calls Avram. Jake wants Martin to go to antique shop. Jake, Avram and Martin go together. Jake focuses in on a specific clock. Phillip fixed it the night he was arrested. Jake opens it and finds the gear–the key.

Pic21

The key to the cipher.

Back at the house, Jake puts the cipher in and manipulates the dials. Then gears then start working automatically.

Pic22

Obviously the still picture cannot show the movement of all the gears. Trust me, it was working.

Trevor comes to the house and tells Martin the shocking news about Lucy [but he does not ask about Amelia which is weird].

Pic23

The men who cared about Lucy sit in silence together.

When the cipher stops at 318, we are back to the beginning, where episode 1 of season 1 began, the beginning of The Amelia Sequence, also known as The God Sequence, the point Calvin said where the equation would eventually loop around on itself.

Pic24

The sequence starts again.

Jake looks out the window and sees Amelia.

Pic25

Jake sees Amelia. Is it real or a dream?

Next week: Jake talks to Martin (his first REAL words because the prior words spoken where inside Amelia’s brain so that was actually telepathic, not verbal)!!!!! And Guillermo is back.

And here’s something very funny. I was looking at this pamphlet in my mail pile and I did not see the word EASTER but the word ASTER and laughed. You know you are a Touch fanatic when this occurs.

Pic26





Touch (S2E8) Reunions

4 04 2013

I was not prepared for this episode. I had heard Maria Bello wanted out of the show and was happy how it happens, but I had no idea it would be before the end of the season and it would happen in this way in this episode. I was sobbing. But let’s not jump ahead….

Amelia (Saxon Sharbino) is running through the desert [another dream sequence?].

Jake (David Mazouz) narrates, “Bodies at rest stay at rest, and bodies in motion stay in motion unless acted on by an outside force.”In this case she is stopped by Aster Corps security, and more specifically we see Tony Rigby (Adam Campbell). License plate on one vehicle 6Q49951. Tony tells Amelia she would have to run 1-1/2 days to reach civilization. Security takes her away.

Pic1

Amelia is caught trying to escape

Jake continues, “People, like objects, become set in their paths, embedded in a constrained reality. As we travel our path, the possible futures which were once infinite collapse down to one. One outcome. Unchangeable. Inescapable.”

[Sign read The Teller Institute, established in 1997]

Pic2

An old Teller Institute testing lab

There’s Kase! [Friend or foe?] Tony wants Kase (John Boyd) to give him data. Kase informs him the place is antiquated. Files fall out in front of Amelia. Amelia opens it and sees a man’s MRI study analysis. Patient #0001. This man, according to the report, has an abnormally enlarged amygdala on both sides of his brain and the volume of the white matter is bigger on the left side than e right. On the negative side, it also contains compromised features. His left inferior gyrus (important for language) is less developed and he has fewer connections to the right fusiform gyrus (which helps process faces). Amelia worries about his ultimate fate. She folds the paper and takes it. Tony tells Kase a new generator is on the way, but he needs results or else he is of “no use” to him [which I interpret as a death threat].

Pic3

Patient #1

Kase apparently has a gambling problem [and debt]. Amelia retreats to the beautiful garden in her head. Jake continues: “We’re each on a path and sometimes those paths become inclined, pulled into each others’ orbits and collide.”

[Blue butterfly-I discovered today that my son with autism is using a blue butterfly icon for his log-on for Windows long before this show ever aired. I thought that was cool.]

Pic4

Amelia screams to the universe for someone to help her.

Amelia calls out, “Please save me!” and Jake hears her. Outside the hospital [presumably waiting for Lucy], Martin (Kiefer Sutherland) reassures him that everything is going to be okay. But Trevor (Greg Ellis) tells them there is a problem. Phil gave a statement that contradicts him. Someone named Denny Lange had access to Trevor’s database. Martin is ready to disappear but Trevor tells him to go home. A battered Lucy (Maria Bello) walks out of the hospital. Jake writes 0175 in the window of the car.

Pic5

Tonight’s number

While driving home, Martin sees a floral van whose phone number was 310-555-0175. Follow that van!

Pic6

0715 is on the van

There it is: “Jake, stay in the car.” [This has become an affectionate joke among Twitter fandom, either that or “Jake get out of the car.” It’s Tony Rigby’s house but Calvin is there. Calvin tells them Tony murdered his mother and took Amelia. Calvin has a directory to all the high-level facilities that Aster Corps has at his place. [Red throw blanket over the couch; red pamphlet on table next to laptop.]

Pic7

Red, red and more red.

In his red jacket, Jake wanders in the loft to an experiment area. Martin freaks when he sees him with the thing on his head. Calvin said he could hurt him shutting it down. Calvin sees Wernicke and Broca waves are beginning to oscillate. He’s getting ready to speak.

Pic8

Jake is plugged into The Matrix.

Jake turns up in Amelia’s safe place in her head. Jake says to Amelia, “I found you.” Jake hears Lucy in the background to tell Amelia she loves her, which he repeats to Amelia. Tell her that we’re coming for her.” Lucy asks him to find out any details about where they are. Amelia tells him.

Pic9

Jake meets Amelia in The Matrix.

He writes 1997 1188. Martin gets it. 1188 belonged to Teller. Calvin says may have given him the information he needed to help his brother.

Pic10

Important numbers!

Calvin goes to William (David Hoflin). A 17-year-old named Evie (Katherine McNamara) pops in to say hello and offer her services. She wants to be a neurosurgeon one day. Suddenly, William is back to himself, talking and moving around. William wants to know what happened.

Pic11

William recovers….sort of

Lucy, Martin and Jake go to Amelia. There was some time for Martin and Lucy to talk about Lucy’s old life, like her profession. The car breaks down. They stop a truck and for $200 he will deliver them to the place they need to go (in the middle of nowhere). This man is Jerry Woods (John Lacy),the estranged father of Evie, the young lady with Calvin. As they survey the area, Jake lets out a primal scream to alert the guards. Martin realizes that was his plan after all. Martin runs into the path of the security guards asking them for their help. Martin may have them convinced and they take him away.

Pic12

Even bad guys pick up guys who claim they have car problems

However, he winds up in a cell at the facility. Passing by, Kase hears Martin’s pleas to the guard. Martin and Kase come face to face. Kase was hired by Calvin’s mother to care for Amelia more so than being Calvin’s assistant. Kase said they will kill him if he tells Martin where Amelia is. Martin forcefully persuades Kase to show him.

Pic13

You WILL take me to Amelia.

Calvin and William speak about times in the past. William recalls the details of the accident. There were some very emotional scenes where Calvin blamed himself for the accident and William knew he was moving mountains to save him. [It made Calvin not so much of a bad guy.]

Pic14

Calvin and William speak to one another.

Jake and Lucy break into the area with vehicles. Lucy pulls out key 6908 and Jake takes out the other keys and drops them into a grate. Jake grabs the electronic key, puts it on the windshield and runs to a door.

The guard knows Martin is gone. Tony Rigby is there. Martin meets Amelia. She skips the pleasantries and tells them they have to leave. Tony knows she is gone from her room.

Pic15

No time for pleasantries!

Amelia says that they need to block out the cameras and Martin follows. Kase moved away from them. Amelia tells Martin they will overload the system. Tony recognizes Martin Bishop (aka Martin Bohm) when the cameras catch him before the lights go out.

Pic16

They are discovered!

Amelia knows exactly where Jake and her mom are. A guard pops into the garage. Martin sees the key Jake left for them. When the second guard comes in and they notice the keys are gone, Martin and Amelia leave. License plate on the Jeep is 6IRA337.

Pic17

Martin and Amelia arrive.

Amelia tells Martin to stop at a particular place. Lucy pops out of a bush. A happy reunion commences. All four of them get into the Jeep and drive away.

Pic18

A mother and child reunion.

An anonymous woman (Mrs. Farrington, actress Frances Fisher from Eureka) tells Tony she is sending “Tanner” (D.B. Sweeney) which is upsetting to Tony.

Pic19

Mrs. Farrington–Hey she was on Eureka!

Martin wants Lucy and Amelia to disappear. Lucy agrees. Martin cares a lot for Lucy and they have an emotional good-bye and share a more-than-friends kiss.

Pic20

Martin cares deeply for this woman

Jake gives Amelia her red car from the center in New York (season 1 reference). Amelia gives Jake something to give to Martin.

Pic21

Season 1 reference– nice callback.

Jake says good-bye to Lucy and takes her hand.

Pic22

Jake loves Lucy.

Evie wakes Calvin. William has regressed. A distraught Calvin yells at her and tells her to leave. Evie cries on the bench outside, but her father arrives at the perfect time.

Pic23

Reunion for Evie and Jerry

Jake narrates: “We each have a path. Some are forced apart, but flow back together, their synchronicity inescapable. Some paths touch only briefly and glance off in different directions, forever changed by the meeting. Some loop back again and again across time and space, always finding each other.

Lucy drives off with Amelia into the sunset. But there is blackness on the horizon.

Pic24

Danger Will Robinson.

[I have been aware that Maria Bello wanted ‘out’ of the show, but I always assumed it was at the end of the season. I also know she was pleased how her storyline ended. All at once I am worried this is the end of Amelia and Lucy. But my mind is screaming, “This can’t be now! This can’t be it!” At the same time I’m trying to think, “How were they found? Did Lucy’s car get GPS’d? Did they inject a tracking device on Amelia the second time she was taken?” Logic would dictate since Martin is driving one of their cars, he would be the one they locate first.]

Jake continues: “Once we’re on our path there are limited chances to deviate, small moments when other forces come into play and knocks you off your trajectory. Mrs. Farrington tells Tanner she only wants Amelia–her mother is a liability. [Oh shit! It is going to end here for Lucy but how? Does Amelia get away or is she recaptured?]

Amelia has already calculated all possible outcomes. I presume she knows in all outcomes her mother is going to die and there is only one outcome where she escapes but her mother does not [at this point I start sobbing…a mother would die for her child].

Pic25

Lucy understands her fate.

 

Amelia starts running.  Jake: “What could be powerful enough to change your path, change your future? An act of nature, an act of love.” Lucy gets out of the truck and confronts Aster Corps, Tony Rigby. As Amelia runs, she hears a gunshot (Tony Rigby and the gunman, Cooper [Gonzalo Menendez).

Pic26

Lucy is about to die for her child.

Jake: “Once this deviation happens, you find yourself on a new path, uncharted, unknown, stretching out ahead of you.”

[Dead silence from me–I never expected that at all!]





Touch (S2E7) “Ghosts”

25 03 2013

This episode was written by David Eick of Battlestar Galactica and Bionic Woman fame so my expectations were high for a great story. It did not disappoint.

The narration starts like the intro to “The Perfect Storm.”

Jake (David Mazouz) picks up his pattern of a red butterfly and other things to put in his backpack. Lucy (Maria Bello) packs her things [with the red plastic container that has boxing tape]. Martin (Kiefer Sutherland) tells her he is calling in a Special Forces friend to help in the search for Amelia (Saxon Sharbino). Martin tells Lucy that Jake loves her [and I’m thinking Martin has feelings for her, too].

Pic1

Red & blue butterlies

Amelia sits on a rock surrounded by a garden but it looks artificially constructed to me. She sees a blue butterfly. She telepathically communicates to Jake that the numbers will protect him.

Pic2

A blue butterfly (symbolic of Jake)

Lucy says goodbye to Jake. He takes a cell phone out of a bag with 679 on it and hands it to Lucy.

Jake narrates: “In humans, a fear response happens in less than 40 milliseconds. Immediately a massive shot of adrenaline makes our muscles tense up to fight, our heart rate increases so we can elude predators. We sweat so we don’t overheat. Pupils dilate some can see in the dark.”

Although it is a dark and stormy night, there is a party at BreakWire and outside Guillermo waits for Jake. Ruben Santiago (Ray Santiago) is trying to make a love connection with Claire (Krystal Marshall). Actor Keith David walks in the door, playing the role of Dutch, the Special Forces friend. In the scene, lots of red liquor bottles can be seen along with a poster in the background that talks about a Masked Ball [don’t know how relevant that is].

Pic3

Lots of red references in this pic. Trevor & Dutch

Pic4

Jake and Martin arrive at BreakWire as Guillermo watches

Trevor (Greg Ellis) thinks he is calling Martin, but he got Lucy. She knows Jake is orchestrating the meeting. Jake is furiously writing a number in color in a pattern that looks like a butterfly wing.

Martin joins Dutch and Trevor talking war stories. Trevor gets up and Martin tells him about Jake. Meanwhile in the car, Guillermo is going to pose as a city worker doing something with BreakWire. He climbs in the sewer. The electricity goes out in the building [coincidence or Guillermo]? The power goes out to their buildings.

Pic5

Telling stories while the storm brews.

Lucy arrives. They say a second goodbye. Jake blocks her exit and grabs her hand. Roads are closed; Lucy has to stay.

Pic6

Jake holds Lucy’s hand.

In true Carrie-horror-like fashion, Guillermo locks the doors to prevent anyone from leaving.

Pic7

Baby lock them doors and turn the lights down low.

A young man finds Guillermo. He directs him to where he needs to go. After Guillermo passes the door where the party is taking place, Jake crawls under the table [red paddle]. The cell phone is not working so Trevor sends Ruben who is wearing a red sweater and his new girlfriend to go check into the problem [and create some sparks elsewhere]. Guillermo pops in and says “in a Holy war there is no collateral damage.” Now it comes down to people who are or are not in his way. Jake feels their death. Jake runs out of the room and Lucy follows. Jake goes into a very dark room and continues writing.

Pic9

Time to die Iron Eagle.

Martin discovers Ruben and Claire with their necks slashed. Martin gathers up Trevor and Guillermo to go off searching for Jake. Jake hands Lucy the butterfly picture and points to the mirror. She tells him she will follow him.

Pic10

The butterfly shall lead you.

Continuing his search for Jake, Martin comes across Phil (Bill Parks) another victim of Guillermo but he was still conscious. Dutch finds Lucy and Jake. Dutch barricades the door and gives Lucy a potential weapon. Guillermo is upset and tries to open the door. Jake talks to him telepathically–“I know you’re in pain, unbearable pain.”

Pic11

Someone who didn’t bleed out in Guillermo’s path.

Through flashbacks Guillermo’s story is told. A woman he loved appeared to be dying in a hospital. He tells Jake to stop it. Dutch shoots Guillermo through the door. And POW! The door flies open and through it Guillermo [I truly was not expecting that]. Guillermo and Dutch struggle. Lucy tells to run when she says go. The gun goes off. Dutch was hit.

Pic12

Who shot who?

Lucy attacks Guillermo with a tool. Guillermo throws her up against the mirror, which breaks. She tells Jake to run then stabs Guillermo with a piece of mirror in his thigh. Guillermo runs after Jake. Lucy and Dutch are collapsed on the floor.

Pic13

Lucy stabs Guillermo in the thigh? Knee?

Martin gets Phil to Trevor who says the others got out and Ted was calling the police.

Guillermo tells Jake to stop. [Seriously? You are about to kill him. If anyone else had known they were going to be killed, they would run too.] Martin runs towards Guillermo’s voice. Jake flees to the roof. He looks for a way down but does not see one so he hides instead. Guillermo opens the door to the roof.

When Amelia and Jake both realize he does not have the numbers with him, she tells him there is another way. Guillermo puts a board up on the door so he is not interrupted. Jake panics and writes the wrong number. Amelia corrects him. Martin finds the blocked door. In looking at the writing, Jake has gotten the number wrong several times before finally writing 10262000 (the day Jake was born).

Pic14

So Jake is NOT perfect under pressure!

Jake uses a rock to put the letters on the metal in his hiding place.

Dutch is alive!

Guillermo finds Jake and points a gun at him, then puts it away in favor of his knife.

“She loved you.” And Guillermo sees the date. He tells Jake that the date is even more reason why he cannot exist here.

Pic15

Guillermo’s family died the same day Jake was born.

“But you also knew love before you turned to death.” The woman flat-lines and Guillermo holds a baby in his hands. He tells Jake, “You cannot hurt a man who has lost everything. I am already dead. God took my family, my wife, my son on the blackest day, the day you were born.”

Pic16

I’m feeling slightly bad for Guillermo right now. I know the pain of losing a child.

Dutch and Martin bust down the door. Martin and Guillermo fight. Jake jumps on his back. Trevor finds an injured Lucy. Guillermo twirls around and knocks Jake into a pipe. Guillermo attacks Martin with his knife. Martin kicks him in his injured knee [NICE move Martin]. Martin grabs the gun and kicks Guillermo back. Guillermo tries to grab Jake, but Martin shoots him 9 times and Guillermo falls off the roof. [But the season is not over. So does Aster Corps become the new old bad guy or does someone else take Guillermo’s place?]

Pic17

Martin does not hesitate shooting this person as he did in Afghanistan with Dutch with someone else.

Martin runs to an unconscious Jake. Jake wakes up. Martin reassures him Guillermo is gone. Martin looks over the roof to see. Guillermo hit a car windshield but he is not dead. [Come on…really? With Martin’s expert aim he displayed with Calvin at the firing range]? Martin says, “That’s impossible!”

Pic18

A blue and red car.

An agitated Jake rocks over a very dead Dutch. [Bummer! It would have been nice to have him around for a few episodes].

Pic19

I see dead people.

A bloodied Guillermo was sporting a bulletproof vest. [I would think he would be sporting a broken back as well.]

The police arrive. Guillermo hobbles away.

Jake says, “The only uniquely human force with enough power to overcome fear is love.” A blue butterfly flies into Amelia’s hand. A voice that sounds like Kase says to her, “If you’re done working, it’s time for dinner, okay?”

And the beautiful garden she was in fades into a lab [very Matrix-esque]! “We’ll be there in a minute.” And Amelia stands up to walk somewhere. [Does this mean Kase is working with Aster Corps and may have killed Frances?]

Pic20

Amelia apparently can create safe places in her mind.

Guess who is in next week’s episode? D.B. Sweeney (from 24 and Jericho!)





Touch (S2E6) “Broken”

23 03 2013

Martin (Kiefer Sutherland) wakes up startled and checks on Jake (David Mazouz) but sees Lucy’s bed (Maria Bello) has never been slept in. Believing she had gone to the police, Martin wakes Jake up to leave.

Pic1

Lucy’s bed remains untouched (red flowers)

Calvin (Lukas Haas) lies on a red/white striped pillow in the middle of the floor. Lucy has him tied up. [A tad bit unbelievable that she dragged an injured Calvin all the way up to his loft].

Pic2

Lucy and an injured Calvin

Guillermo (Said Taghmaoui) recites the passage of Jesus surviving 40 days out in the desert, being tempted by the devil, while walking through the desert himself. A park ranger (Ransford Doherty) finds him. The ranger is looking for a missing man. He is in Tonto National Forest. [That is a real name, a national forest in Arizona].

Pic3

Guillermo and the park ranger

Jake tunes into radio station 89.2. That is the number for this evening.

Pic4

Tonight’s number 892

Jake hands Martin the notebook that is red, white and blue, the blue in the butterflies, which is like the case that Amelia had in a previous episode. The notebook belongs to Soleil (Isabella Acres). Jake wants Martin to go there. When Jake turns the car radio to that station, which at the moment is just static, Martin asks him to turn it down.

Pic5

The Notebook

Jake narrates: “In a vacuum, radio waves travel at the same speed as all forms of electromagnetic radiation–that is 299,792,458 meters per second–but human beings do not live in a vacuum. Wherever we are we are surrounded by stimuli, both positive and negative. When negative stimuli is perceived, it travels from its source to its destination, sensory cortex, at a mere 100 meters per second. But regardless of its relatively slow speed this unpleasant sensation registers as something we call pain, and as humans, we are conditioned to do anything and everything to avoid it.”

Lucy tries to get Calvin to tell her where Amelia is by inducing pain. He admits to knowing where she is but tells Lucy he would never hurt her.

Jake and Martin go to Soleil’s house. Jake goes into the house and gets a picture album out and shows Martin a picture of Carl Hirsch (Randy Oglesby) and Frances Norburg (Linda Gehringer) together. He gets a license plate number off the picture–6RHI892.

Pic6

Frances Norburg’s license plate

Calvin tries to explain that mapping Amelia’s brain is the key to helping his brother and her gifts could change the world. He asks Lucy to get him painkillers from his bedroom and then he will give her back Amelia.

Carl did not know Frances had a son. Carl says he calls her but she never calls back. Jake goes over to turn the radio to FM 89.2. Amelia is listening to the same station. It is a station that reads scripture. Amelia says, “They’re coming.”

Pic7

Amelia’s tuned in, too.

Guillermo climbs and appeals to God to speak to him. He sees an injured man below him. The man (Eric Lange) asks Guillermo to kill him.

Martin and Jake head over to BreakWire to find Lucy. [There is a red nutcracker or maybe Pinocchio behind Trevor next to the scales of justice]. Trevor tells him about the address he gave Lucy the night before, 2305 Fifth Street. Martin leaves Jake with Trevor.

Pic8

The scales of justice versus “I want to be a real boy” statue.

Calvin sent Lucy on a wild-goose chase and gets himself free. He pulls a gun on her and tells her he could have left and/or had HER arrested for kidnapping [that takes balls Calvin to even say that]. He wants something from Lucy–JAKE.

The hurt man was a doctor out on the trail to clear his head from a mistake he had made. Guillermo says he is doing the same. The doctor was drinking before a pediatric neurosurgical procedure to fix an AVM and the boy died.

Pic9

Please kill me. Trust me, he can.

Amelia is ticked off at Frances for lying to her and she won’t eat. Frances says she cannot give her back to her mother because there are people that want to harm her. Amelia tries to leave and is fighting with Frances when there is a knock at the door.

Pic10

Danger Will Robinson!

Calvin tries to convince Lucy that Martin is a liar. “There are miracles inside your daughter’s brain.”  Martin arrives at the apartment. Calvin shows Lucy video of Amelia from 2 days ago.

Guillermo tosses the pictures of the people he has killed into the fire that warms the doctor. When he looks at Jake’s picture, he hears Jake speaking telepathically about his pain.

Calvin will bring Amelia to The Valley Reservoir, to bring Jake there by 2 PM, the access road at Woodlee. Martin uses 892 as the code to her into the apartment when smashing the lock did not work. He sees the blood on the floor and a car squeal off.

Pic11

The radio station number unlocks the door. Wouldn’t Calvin have picked a bigger number, though?

Guillermo uses a hand crank to power the doctor’s phone. He tells the doctor that he is one of a handful of people on the planet who can interfere with fate. The doctor screams that God wants him to die. Guillermo says who is he to speak for God [which is interesting because Guillermo also speaking for God in his own mind. By the way, how does Guillermo’s shirt stay so white in the desert?]

Lucy looks for Martin at the house. Martin calls Trevor. Lucy calls Trevor and finds out Jake is there. Jake knows she is coming. They drive to the San Fernando Valley Reservoir East Access road. Martin goes back to BreakWire. Lucy tells Martin to come to her. [Of course] Martin leaves his phone in the car.  [Red cubbies at BreakWire].

Pic12

Red cubbies

Guillermo can’t get a signal on the cell phone and tosses it. It was 89 days ago that the boy died. He says to the doctor how many children will die if he does not go back to his practice. One boy died, but how many need to be saved? He said that his story reminds him that there is acceptable loss [I don’t think that is the lesson Guillermo; what I get out of that statement is that there is always the possibility of redemption]. He plans to help the man out.

Martin meets Lucy at the reservoir and tells Jake to get in his car. He tells her Calvin played her, gave him the time to get away with Amelia.

Calvin gets to the house (number 7729) and finds the door opened. As Martin and Jake drive home, he turns back around to Lucy. She still believes Calvin is coming. Jake dials 89.2 on the radio. He tells Lucy to get in the car. They see a radio tower.

Pic13

An unlocked door that is thumbprint protected is never a good sign.

At the Tonto National Park, the ranger’s search and rescue command post is also picking up this radio signal. Guillermo and the doctor walk out of the canyon.

Pic14

Take a life, save a life, take a life, save a life…

As they approach the tower, Martin sees the license plate of Frances’ car. Martin tells Jake to stay in the car. They see Frances Norburg in the car with a bullet to her head. Calvin is with her. He says, “They killed her.”  [I’m thinking Aster Corps–remember when Tony had the GPS tracker in the laptop?]. Amelia is not there.

Pic15

There’s no coming back from that.

Calvin leaves and tells them not to follow him or he will kill them both.

Guillermo looks down on Los Angeles. [Not quite sure how he got there so fast from Arizona. From Tonto National Forest to LA it is about a 7-1/2 hour drive and he would have had to provide the police with a statement, too]

Pic16

Ominous.





Touch S2E5 “Eye To Eye” Recap

22 03 2013

As much as I abhor the phrase “taking it to the next level,” the writers of around just did. The show is picking up its pace in storytelling. Jake and Amelia come so close to meeting. Lucy makes a decision that starts her down a path of darkness. Guillermo takes an innocent life (i.e. A life deviates from his supposed path to glorify God or ridding the world of the 36 righteous ones. Does this make him a Godless murderer per Avram’s description? If he took the life of this holy man (Father Esteban), what is to stop him from killing Avram?

I do understand they needed a mythology but if one reads about the righteous ones in the Talmud, there really is no way to rid the world of them. If one loses their way, God puts another on this path. Once any of these individuals knows they are part of this group, they are no longer one of them. But I’ll go along with this because the story is so compelling.

This episode also ponders if the end justifies the means. Even love can be corrupted. All the people are operating from this point of view. Guillermo’s love of God is his motivation. Lucy’s mother-bear instincts to protect her daughter make her do the unthinkable in order to find her. Calvin’s love for his brother, and in part his guilt that arose from tragedy, motivates him to kidnap Amelia to find a way to heal his brother. Even Martin tells Calvin he will kill him if he touches Jake. Love is such a powerful motivator but it often blinds us on the path.

Recap

Jake (David Mazouz) and Amelia (Saxon Sharbino) both dream of the moment they meet on the pier 29 at Marina Del Rey.

Pic1

Jake and Amelia meet in a dream

“Human beings are hard-wired to connect. We are drawn to one another by our own chemistry. We produce attachment hormones that create intimacy. We build neural bridges that bond us, brain to brain, heart to heart. Those bonds, once formed, are not meant to be broken.

[Red flower in flower pot where Martin stands in the kitchen.]

Pic2

Red flower

Jake combed his hair for his first-ever play date with Soleil (Isabella Acres). But first waffles! Jake makes the microwave explode so the timer reads 8877. Tonight’s number. That means breakfast on the way to Soleil.

Pic3

Tonight’s number is 8877.

Lucy (Maria Bello) is wearing a red-striped shirt. She tells Martin (Kiefer Sutherland) a sweet story about falling asleep with Amelia, but she has not done that for 1100 days.

Pic4

Martin and Lucy

Kase (John Boyd) enters the restaurant and plays the arcade game next to Jake. Martin pays for breakfast [big red tomato on his plate]. Kase calls Calvin (Lukas Haas) and Calvin tells him to follow them and find out where they live.

pic5

Red everywhere

In Mexico? [red in flag]

Pic6

More red

Father Esteban (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) is asked to administer the sacrament of reconciliation.

Pic7

Father Esteban

Martin passes a 7-Eleven (ironically the same colors of the Mexican flag) and sees Kase following them. Martin pulls into a parking garage, Kase follows, but Martin stops Kase’s car, pulls him out and beats him up. When security catches up to them, Martin leaves the scene.

Pic8

7-Eleven looks like the Mexican flag.

Jake heads into Soleil’s house where Martin and Lucy meet Soleil’s mom, Beth Friedman (Wendy Benson-Landes) and Soleil’s grandfather (remember that Frances Norburg and Carl Hirsch (Randy Oglesby) know each other from her former job). They go to make cupcakes. Jake takes Carl’s cell phone and scrolls to Frances’ name.

Pic9

Frances Norburg’s cell number

Guillermo (Said Taghmaoui) feels he needs absolution to continue his mission to kill the 36, and Father Esteban is the unlucky priest to hear it. He says, “As a servant of God I know what I must do; as a man, it hurts”. [Remorse!] He confesses that he is one of the 36. [Talk about the ultimate self-hatred. That means that he ultimate plans to kill himself once the 35 are gone]. Father Esteban leaves the confessional when he cannot give him absolution. Guillermo runs out after him and they both see what each other looks like.

Pic11

Guillermo meets Father Esteban

Lucy and Martin tell Trevor what Calvin has been up to with Amelia and Jake. Martin confesses he lied to Lucy about the meeting with Calvin, and she gets all righteous about keeping secrets yet I do not see her tell him she went to the police. She says, “Truth–not truth–it’s either one or the other”. Martin tells Lucy that this has to be on Jake’s schedule.

Amelia takes Frances’ phone and some money. The phone rings; it’s Jake! He puts 8877 into the phone. Amelia is so smart to cover her trail too. Kase comes into the kitchen and Amelia doubles over in pain [faking it, very well I might add by collapsing to the floor]. Kase and Amelia go to the hospital. She is whisked away while the doctor takes Kase to treat his injuries.

Pic10

Fake-out!

Trevor finds information on the web about Frances Norburg. She has another child, William (David Hoflin)! She is on the board of directors of The Greyber Institute (where William is) a private residence for neuroeducation made possible by a grant from–ta-da–Calvin Norburg. Martin and Lucy head over there. [The symbol of the Greyber Institute is the tree of life, the same symbol that is on Guillermo’s blade cover].

Pic12

Once there Martin finds a door that requires a code and he puts in 8877 which he remembered from the microwave. They see Frances and William. Martin wants to get information first before they confront her. He pretends to have a wife at the facility. Frances seems like a decent human being. William was in an accident 4 years prior when the car Calvin was driving went into the water. William is in a “persistive vegetative state” but Frances believes he can understand her. Calvin is trying to find a way to get William communicating again.

Pic13

William and Frances Norburg

The cupcakes come out of the oven. [There is a bottle of oil on the cabinet that has the brand name “Star” next to another bottle that has red in it.].

Pic14

“Star” brand oil. And more red.

When Soleil looks for cupcake wrappers, Jake leaves out the back door. [Lots of red references on the cabinet island.]. Jake heads out to meet up with Amelia.

Pic15

Lots of red.

At the hospital Amelia uses a hospital computer to find out where 8877 is. She leaves [with a red ambulance parked outside as she exits].

Martin tells Lucy what he learned. Carl calls Martin to tell him Jake is gone. He tells Lucy to take the car and see what she can find out. Meanwhile Kase calls Frances to tell her Amelia is gone.

Father Esteban shares his encounter with Father San Felipo (Castulo Guerra) and says when he looked into Guillermo’s eyes it was like seeing the devil himself. He questions which is worse–to the break the seal of Canon law or to remain silent and allow others to die?

Lucy visits with William and sees Calvin’s cell number 416-506-01?? She tells him there has been a breakthrough with his brother. Calvin is in his way.

Martin sees bus 8877 heading to Marina Del Rey. Martin hops on.

Pic17

Bus 8877

Jake enters the Oceanfront Arcade at 8877.

Pic18

Oceanfront Arcade at 8877

He heads over to the Donkey Kong game [remember he plays that at BreakWire]. He scores 29 and puts in his name.

Pic19

Donkey Kong

Lucy introduces herself and threatens to kill William with a syringe filled with something. Security comes in and Lucy has to run for it (the syringe was filled with water). When she gets back in the car she calls Trevor to see if he can find more information.

Pic20

Lucy and William

[Isn’t that the same security guard who was at the desk at the building where the law firm was?]

Amelia arrives at the arcade.

Pic21

Amelia gets closer to Jake.

Kase and Frances figure out where she is headed and leave to get her.

Amelia sees the Donkey Kong game. She plays, gets the same score and leaves her name [I guess it would be too easy if Jake hung out and just met her at the game, huh?].

Pic22

Amelia plays Donkey Kong

Martin arrives. He sees the Donkey Kong game, takes a picture of it, sends it to Lucy and tells her to get over there now; it’s time.

Father Esteban contemplates going into the police station.

Calvin talks to William that he is making progress, getting closer. William shocks him when his thumb closes in on Calvin’s hand.

Pic23

William holds Calvin’s hand for the first time since the accident.

Lucy meets up with Martin and he tells her to look for something with number 29.

The sequence that was shown in the dream seems to be happening. Martin and Lucy find pier 29 and Jake. [There is an extra wearing a red shirt standing next to something that is also red.]

Pic24

More red

Lucy spots Amelia and runs towards her. Amelia smiles when she sees her mother.  However Kase and Frances pull up, Frances opens the door. Kase grabs her and throws her in the car. Frances jumps in the back seat, Kase hops in the driver’s side and they drive off as Amelia hands hit the window. Jack embraces a grieving Lucy.

Pic25

A grieving Lucy

Frances tries to justify Amelia’s abduction to Amelia, but all Amelia right now wants is her mother.

In Mexico, Father Esteban wants to report a crime, but of course, he has to go to the bathroom first. Guillermo gives him a last chance to give him absolution. [Hard choice-absolution or death? I think I would pretend absolution with my fingers crossed behind him and the turn him in].

Pic27

Poor Father Esteban; we hardly knew him. The ultimate red: Blood!

Martin goes in to console Jake and gets the surprise of his life–Jake takes his hand and holds it. Martin cries.  [I cry.]

Pic26

Tears and a red blanket.

Trevor calls Lucy with a lead to the foundation, “Mandelbrot”. [Mandelbrot was a famous mathematician where we got fractal geometry who recently died in 2010]. They just bought a loft downtown. Lucy goes alone and sees him. And she runs him over into the fence.

Pic28

This is not good. What a mother will do for her child.