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BoJack Horseman: The Showstopper (2018)
The best Bojack episode yet, simply stunning
The Showstopper is tense, harrowing and beautiful at the same time - it's the perfect pre-season finale and the only episode so far I've felt compelled to rewatch on consecutive nights after watching it the first time because of how much it stayed with me. In this penultimate episode to season 5, Bojack's opioid addiction reaches a point of no return as he loses the ability to distinguish between Philbert and his own life. Gradually, he suspects that most of the important people in his life are conspiring against him and trying to destroy his life (in fact the only person truly sabotaging Bojack is himself), with harrowing results as he ultimately spirals into madness and almost murders Gina on set before being restrained by his colleagues. There's a looming sense of dread throughout the Showstopper up until its climax, and this has been well built up in the second half of S5. Bojack's drug addiction is no shock by this point, as it's already been illustrated over the last few episodes, but this is where Bojack reaches a watershed moment from which he can't return. At first, the seemingly threatening note seems like a genuine mystery he tries to get to the bottom of, but as his paranoia and hostility towards those around him grows, it becomes clear fairly quickly that Bojack has constructed this whole conspiracy theory in his own head. At the same time, TV and reality begin to blend together as he loses his conception of what's real and starts to hallucinate. His false realisation that Philbert is created to expose his secrets and destroy his life is upsetting, as however deranged Bojack May have become, it's a sympathetic look into the paranoia and fear about everything in his life going wrong that he's suffered from for much of his life, way before becoming an addict. Perhaps the saddest thing is the fact that his attack on Gina is the end result of actions that were, at first, a genuine effort to protect her from the disasters that have befallen every other aspect of his life and career in the past. He truly does care about her, but in the end only ends up harming her and destroying yet another meaningful relationship through his own accidental toxicity, as well as ruining the Philbert series and Gina's burgeoning career which he was so desperate to protect. When he hallucinates Gina's musical number, it's a seriously deep scene as she takes him through all the traumatic events of his life (his fake mother falling into her coffin in front of him is particularly brutal yet darkly comedic). Another take I had on the musical scene which is like to mention is that Bojack fantasises about Gina being a broadway superstar performing on a stage like she's always dreamed of because deep down he idolises her and believes she's capable of all the things she wants to do but doesn't think she has the talent. This makes the outcome even more difficult to take, as he is essentially responsible for sabotaging those dreams and his efforts to 'save' someone he cares about actually results in her downfall; a fitting ode to his own tragic life. The final scene is especially poignant - Bojack ascends the Heaven-like staircase, and we're expecting for him to come face to face with someone like Sarah Lynn or one of his parents who may be able to rationalise his downfall and offer some kind of closure/justification for everything his done. Instead, there is no one else up there but the balloon of Bojack himself, staring hauntingly at him from above. It's a deep moment as (presumably) Bojack realises the only person left to confront or even blame for any of his life's events is himself. He's once again created his own destruction, like many times before, and has only himself to reconcile with in the search for any kind of redemption. Yet again, Bojack is his own worst enemy, and the episode ends as ominously as it has been all the way through, with the audience left wondering where he can possibly go from here. The Showstopper is one of the best pieces of television I've ever seen and it's an absolute thrill to watch. Despite being a fairly upsetting and disturbing story, it still managed to retain a lot of the original Bojack humour at the same time (the Henry Fondle arc is hilarious) while it gives a non-glamourised, sympathetic look into drug addiction which I'm sure many viewers will be able to relate to.
Fractured (2016)
Average revenge horror with a twist
I'd never heard of Fractured till I stumbled across it on Amazon Prime, and it's no surprise considering it's very low budget with very few actors and seemed to have gone under the radar completely. It clocks in at less than 80 minutes, one of the shortest films I've seen, and progresses in reverse timescale, thus separating it from some other, very similar films. The two main characters are set up as a fairly bland, friendly couple who are given no backstory or development particularly (we'll get to that later) but just kind of exist, standard horror characters on a deserted piece of road. Set over the course of one night, Michael and Becca drive through an isolated bit of countryside, encountering an odd petrol station worker, who Becca then believes to be following them, eventually arriving at a house which is hinted not to belong to them, but it's not made clear why they're there. The first half of the film passes by feeling easily watchable but somewhat pointless and essentially totally uneventful. Something's not right, clearly being watched, but they behave suspiciously nonchalant about that, which I first assumed to simply be some poor acting. Out of the blue, with no real reason, they are suddenly attacked and Michael is found stabbed to death. Flash back to several hours earlier, and they're hitching a lift from Alva and her non-English-speaking boyfriend, again another ordinary couple. They're suddenly revealed to be high-profile serial killers, who murder Alva's boyfriend and leave her for dead, stealing their car and also killing the petrol station worker along the way (who is revealed to in fact be terrified after identifying the couple from a news report about them). With events having passed in non-chronological order, Alva who is still alive follows the couple back to the house, which actually belongs to her, stabs Michael to death as shown before and inflicts the same fate upon Becca for killing her boyfriend. That's literally it. I'll give Fractured praise for doing things slightly differently to other revenge horror films like I Spit On Your Grave etc, but remove the non-chronological timescale and it is basically just that, the same film that's been made many times already with a very simple plot that will be enough to just about satisfy many horror fans. For a nighttime viewing it's decent enough if you've got nothing else you want to watch, and won't take a chunk out of anyone's life as it's over very quickly in under 80 minutes. The story probably could have been wrapped up in less than an hour given how simple it is, but fans of this type of film will read the description and know it's probably going to satisfy them for the running time. There's far better, similar films of this genre out there (In Fear, The Rental etc) but it's good enough to entertain if it's what you're into. Not bad.
Black Mirror: Crocodile (2017)
Crocodile Tears
Crocodile is easily the most underrated episode in all of Black Mirror's five seasons. Why it has a lower viewer rating than most of Black Mirror is a mystery to me. Rather than focusing mostly on the horror of its technology, like many episodes like White Christmas, Crocodile instead plays out more like a traditional thriller/murder drama, as its protagonist desperately tries to cover up a series of disturbing secrets which spiral completely out of control towards the end, and it just happens to feature the invention of memory-harvesting technology, although this isn't the central theme. I've seen some viewers slate this episode because it has an unlikeable main character, but isn't that the whole point? If anyone tries to suggest that Crocodile is a bad episode because Mia is a horrible person, then they've missed the point completely. What makes Crocodile so disturbing is how it portrays an otherwise fairly normal person going to such lengths to cover up her tracks from 15 years ago that in the end she becomes a heartless monster, murdering four people including a baby to try to preserve her own life. It makes the viewer question how far they would go to do the same, and makes you wonder what terrible things people are capable of deep down when they get desperate. The last shot is of Mia crying at the end, which are likely crocodile tears for herself rather than the lives she's destroyed, because she's ultimately failed to protect herself and will now be humiliated in front of her own family, and also because she would surely never be able to return to a normal life after this even if she did evade justice. The setting is so spectacular that's surely worth a mention too, with the frozen, sprawling landscape reflecting the general bleakness of this story. Yes, there are some arguably dubious plot holes, such as whether Mia would really be able to kill a man much larger and stronger than her so easily or whether a guinea pig's sight is good enough to identify someone's face, but those are fairly insignificant and don't ruin my enjoyment of Crocodile at all, so I'll overlook that and say it deserves an outstanding rating, contrary to some people's reviews that I've seen on here.
The Belko Experiment (2016)
Wow that was disturbing
I'm not at all squeamish when it comes to violence and gore, but this is a film that did make me think about whether it can make a film less enjoyable and distract from its overall message (if there even was one here). I'll compare The Belko Experiment to 'Circle', a psychological suspense film I saw on Netflix which is executed hugely differently, but is fundamentally the same essential premise in the end. Both films focus on a group of several dozen people in a constrained space who face the moral dilemma of whether to participate in killing others to possibly save themselves. Circle contained no real on-screen violence at all, but gains its impact on the viewer through the dialogues between characters as they confront their own personal prejudices and decide which of them are capable of killing other humans to serve their own interests. The Belko Experiment, on the other hand, while it does dwell on the ethical dilemma of the situation the characters find themselves in, opts instead for long periods of gratuitous, nihilistic violence, and this is what takes up most of the film's running time. It's one of the most violent films I've ever seen, far more so than exaggerated, unrealistic ones like The Fly 2, because it concentrates entirely on violence between humans, but that doesn't necessarily mean it has any more of a coherent message (if any at all) than these sorts of other films. The basic principle of both films may be extremely similar, but Circle is far better executed by exploring the consciences of characters through words, rather than action. I much preferred the first half of the Belko Experiment, which focuses on the characters' confusion and coming to terms with their situation before drawing the lines between morally good and bad, as opposed to the second half, which was an all-out bloodbath featuring crying people being lined up against a wall and shot, and a man being brutally crushed by an elevator by accident. Was there even a point to all of it in the end? The ongoing romance between Michael and Leandra was perhaps meant to show that there is something deeper to strive for amongst all the violence, but even that proved futile in the end as she was shot and killed (by the way Michael responding to Leandra's contributions by stroking her cheek, saying 'hey hey hey' and trying to shut her up was cringeworthy and pretty lame). The violence was completely meaningless most of the time e.g. Dany being set up as the saviour of the story and spending ages surviving the elevator only to be gunned down literally the very second she emerges by Norris, and it makes you wonder whether there really is anything left for the viewer to reflect on, or did the filmmakers just decide to occupy an hour and a half by having 80 random people stab and shoot each other to death for entertainment. Whilst Circle's (almost) final twist makes you dwell on the nature of human beings for hours afterwards, the Belko Experiment just made me want to forget its brutality and move on. They say offending an audience is better than making them feel nothing at all, which I can understand, so I'll give this film credit for being something a bit more interesting than your standard Marvel film or anything else that's just churned out for money, but I really think there could have been something more here than just an all-out massacre. Near the end of the film, as we change setting away from the tower, Michael was shown literally being carried out of the darkness into the light, but that's really not the kind of message I got from this film and it's definitely not how I felt as a viewer. I rewatched Circle 3 or 4 times afterwards because repeat viewings do let you see the bigger picture better, but I won't be watching this one again as I don't see much to enjoy about it.
Skins: Pure: Part 2 (2013)
Pure Parts 1&2: Like a post-apocalyptic tale of bleakness and isolation
I was conflicted about what to say about Pure, as it can be viewed in many different ways. Firstly, Cassie's return is a delight for every fan of the original Skins generation. She was one of the best and most interesting characters of the first two seasons, and therefore of Skins as a whole. For viewers of the season 2 finale left disappointed by the ambiguity of the ending of Cassie and Sid's tale, Pure pretty much provides an answer after all the years. Although it isn't explicitly confirmed, we assume that Cassie is talking about Sid when she describes travelling around America with someone. As usual, Hannah Murray gives a brilliant performance, which she never failed to do in the first two seasons. Pure is beautifully made in parts; I particularly love the long camera shot of London at night when Cassie looks out of her window, and also the scene at the end of part 1 when Jakob walks up behind her. The music makes it all the more moving as well. It's probably open to a variety of interpretations, but for me, Pure is largely about Cassie finally becoming accepted by into society and recognised for who she is. After years of struggling with self- harm, anorexia and depression, and ignored and neglected (by her parents, even by Sid at times), Jakob's obsession and idolisation of Cassie and her beauty is basically a symbol for her finally being appreciated by those around her, and perhaps finding her place. At least that's what I think Pure was trying to convey. But my problem with Pure is that, to put it simply, it just didn't feel right. It was tragic and emotional, but not in the way I would have hoped for. Watching Cassie isolated and alone without the rest of the original cast that we loved was sad to watch, and I deeply wish that they could have brought back Tony, Michelle etc for these episodes. Surely they could have at least given Sid a scene or two, as him and Cassie always worked best on screen when they were together. Perhaps some kind of college reunion 5-10 years later would have worked better, rather than just Cassie on her own. Ultimately, Pure feels essentially like a post-apocalyptic tale of sorts; as if everything good has already been and gone, and we are now simply looking at remnants of a bygone era, where almost everything has moved on. The problem is, I didn't want any of it to go. Skins was always about relationships and friendships, and Pure just doesn't feel like that. Instead it seems to be a story of isolation, demonstrating that nothing really lasts forever. Overall, fans of Skins 1&2 may find Pure worth watching, for the return of a beloved character and for what it is, it's reasonably good. But it simply doesn't match up to what fans of the original generation are used to, whilst being heartbreaking and mournful, and not in a good way. To properly say goodbye to Cassie, Tony, Sid, Jal and all the others, it's better to watch the season 2 finale.
Skins: Cassie (2008)
Started off brilliantly, but...
I would have given this episode a 9 or even a 10, had it not been for the last 10-15 minutes. I was delighted to see another episode focusing on Cassie, particularly as she was on screen pretty much all the way through. Cassie is probably, in my opinion anyway, the most likable character in Skins and my personal favourite by a long way. It was good that the writers had clearly tried to change her back to the way she was in the first season, as over the last several episodes Cassie had become a bit deranged and slightly creepy at times. After all, she's meant to be quirky and gentle, not psychopathic. This was an episode full of emotions (most of it anyway) as it becomes clear that the end is in sight for our beloved group, with the relationship between Cassie and Sid explored particularly well. Towards the end though, Chris dies! Yes, Chris Miles, a fan favourite since the beginning of Skins, actually died. But we didn't get to see the aftermath or reaction to his death, because instead Cassie packed a bag and ran away to New York, where she meets a guy called Adam, whom she chats to for the remainder of the episode. I just didn't see what it added, as I would much rather have had set in the same place, with the group reacting to Chris's death. What's even worse is that from the way it ended I have a bad feeling (having not seen the finale) that I have just seen the last of Cassie, and that she may not be returning for the finale, which would really ruin it for me. To conclude, a good episode overall with more strengths than weaknesses, but could have been improved with a different ending. 7/10.
A Perfect Getaway (2009)
A perfect waste of my time
A Perfect Getaway is living proof that a famous cast DOES NOT make a good movie.This is a really dull, lifeless movie which keeps the viewer under the illusion that at some point in time, something exciting is going to happen, but it never does. I watched about two thirds of A Perfect Getaway, and gave up because it got SO boring. I always see movies through to the end, even when I'm not particularly enjoying them, but for this one I felt obliged to make an exception. If you want almost two hours of literally nothing, go right ahead and watch this. But if you like movies in which stuff actually happens, do yourself a favour and get away, seriously.
Vikings: Revenge (2017)
Absolutely brilliant episode
This was certainly one of the strongest episodes of a season which has already proved itself to likely be one of 'Vikings's best. The title of the episode, 'Revenge', is justified by King Aelle's death scene at the end, which arguably one of the show's most powerful scenes and the one for which this episode will be remembered for by the fans. After a pretty miserable series of events ( the Viking defeat in Paris and Ragnar and Aslaug's deaths) the death of King Aelle is a huge turning point and highly satisfying. The way he was killed is actually quite symbolic of the whole Christians vs Vikings rivalry throughout the show, with his hands being nailed down then hung up in the air, and the moment when the great army appears on the hill is riveting, with a cut to Aelle being dragged violently through the mud, his forces presumably decimated. The subplot about King Finehair really made me sympathise with his character in a way that I hadn't before, and his infiltration of Kattegat is making me very optimistic about Lagertha's potential death in the near future, as I really cannot abide her anymore. The writers messed up her character really badly with the blatant attempt to make the show more 'politically correct' by making her bisexual, which would have been fine, provided that they'd revealed this originally and not at a much later date when she's decades older. Plus her killing of Aslaug seemed utterly pointless, as she clearly didn't love Ragnar anymore and had already got Kattegat back at this point. Really don't like Torvi at all either and hope she goes fairly quickly. They're two characters on my list which began to be ticked off with King Aelle's death at the end of this episode. The remaining two episodes will likely see the defeat of Ecbert's army by the Vikings and probably his death, to be honest. Ecbert is a character who I think is actually more appealing to the viewer; he's compassionate and merciful when it matters, unlike his son Aethelwulf, who unlike Ecbert, I would absolutely love to see the back of. Overall, a fantastic chapter in the Vikings saga which will likely go down in the show's history. A perfect 10/10 from me.
The Walking Dead: Swear (2016)
Don't be fooled by the negative reviews
Contrary to the absurdly low 5.8 IMDb rating, this was actually a very good episode. I for one like Tara, and it was good to be able to focus on a character who we don't actually see or know very much of. She was vastly underwritten in the past 1/2 season or so, and I'm glad the writers finally devoted some screen time to her. I've seen many reviews of not just this episode, but also S7 in general, accusing it of being boring and saying they're going to stop watching. Not as good as some previous seasons? True, but to say that this is the worst TWD has ever been is ridiculous. The first half of S6 was far worse; actually it was rubbish to be honest (Glenn's 'death', the mediocre mid-season finale, that atrocious episode about Morgan etc) so it's completely unreasonable to treat S7 as people are doing. Overall, no real issue with this episode. Actually really enjoyed it - 9/10
Game of Thrones (2011)
The most overrated TV series in history
After seeing hundreds of ridiculous reviews calling Game of Thrones 'a masterpiece', 'the finest piece of TV ever' etc, I felt as though I had to explain that this is simply not the case. A 9.5 rating on IMDb is baffling, to be honest, as there are literally tens of thousands of titles that deserve a better rating than this series. Having watched the first several episodes of S1 and selected other episodes from various other seasons, I can confirm that this series really DOES NOT live up to its reputation. Not by a long way. Truthfully, I actually found it rather dull, and lacking anything of real interest. I'm convinced that about half of Game of Thrones's audience is most likely teenagers who simply watch due to the large amount of nudity/sex scenes, because that's really the most notable aspect of it, and that isn't even necessarily a positive factor. I've read some of the books by George RR Martin, and they were far more enjoyable than this, so if you want to know the Game of Thrones story, I strongly advise you to read the books rather than sit through 60 hours of this nonsense. It's nothing but a chore. But if you're looking for a TV series that could actually, realistically be considered a masterpiece, there are many other and let's face it, infinitely superior ones. Breaking Bad. True Detective. Lost. These are just several of the shows that I guarantee you would find far better than this, and they prove that Game of Thrones getting a 9.5 rating is, quite frankly, a joke. If you're thinking of watching it, please don't waste your time. There are better shows out there.
Transformers: The Return of Optimus Prime: Part 2 (1987)
My favourite Transformers episode ever
Even with four seasons and five movies (so far..), I don't think the Transformers saga has ever been better than 'The Return of Optimus Prime'. Split into two parts, both of which are brilliant, this is undoubtedly the superior one. In the story, the 'hate plague' has spread across the universe, infecting almost every living creature. Sky Lynx and a lone Quintesson have attempted to revive the long-deceased Optimus Prime, which has proved successful. Optimus sets out to reverse the effects of the plague, but the only way he can do so is with the Matrix, which lies within the infected Rodimus Prime. Despite being part of a series watched mostly by children, TROOP (as I like to abbreviate it) is actually quite violent under the circumstances. It's not difficult to imagine six year olds becoming traumatised at the sight of their favourite transformers being struck down by the plague. As a child, I watched the animated 1986 Transformers movie and was genuinely upset when I saw half of the original Autobots massacred within the first 5 minutes, the protagonists failing to save a dying Optimus, and Megatron being fatally wounded and abandoned by his own brigade. TROOP is similar, in a way. By the time this story reaches its climax, Optimus and the Quintesson are the only two remaining organisms left uninfected, and all seems lost. Even Rodimus Prime, Season 3's hero, is turned into an deranged villain who attempts to kill the title character. Ultimately, Optimus does, however, triumph over the plague, when everything seems to be hopeless, essentially sacrificing the Matrix to do so. 'The Touch' song, which featured in the 1986 movie, is also included and is a great reference. Optimus Prime's reappearance is superb. For me, Rodimus wasn't as good, so it's great to see the Autobots' original leader make his comeback ("and now, no force in the universe will stop me"). Bumblebee, who didn't feature much in Season 3, also gets to make an appearance, which I'm sure was popular amongst fans of the previous seasons. TROOP can actually be quite moving at times, such as the climatic scene in which the Quintesson begs, in vain, Galvatron and the other infected transformers not to destroy Optimus. This episode would have made the perfect finale to 'Transformers', ending the series on an all-time-high, and it's unfortunate that the actual series finale, 'The Rebirth', was nowhere near as good as this.
Transformers: Starscream's Ghost (1986)
A welcome return for everyone's favourite decepticon
In my opinion, Season 3 of Transformers is, all in all, superior to the first two seasons. For me, the only notable issue is the lack of classic characters from before the movie. Starscream and Optimus Prime are the two most significant ones that come to mind. The third season did suffer from their absence, but thankfully the writers managed to remedy the issue to a degree. This episode revolves around decepticon deserter Octane, who is on the run from Galvatron and his brigade as he tries to reach Autobot city, only to encounter the ghost of Starscream. Yes, the ghost idea does sound like an extremely silly premise, even for an animated series. But the story works far better than one might expect. Starscream is probably my favourite Transformers character of all time, and I'm glad the 1986 movie wasn't the complete end of him. Even before the title character actually makes his long-awaited appearance, the episode is a triumph. Octane is a very likable character, and it's a shame that he only really played a significant part in two episodes. There are some hilarious moments in 'Starscream's Ghost', for example the exchanges between Cyclonus and Scourge, the latter accused by the former of being a coward and an awful leader. I also love the references to the original decepticons (e.g. Thundercracker) by having Octane discover their monuments whilst hiding in a tomb. As always, the music is spectacular. The episode even manages to end with Starscream still alive and well, with the possibility of coming back (which he did, even if it wasn't as good as this episode). My only complaint is that the audience never finds out the final fate of Octane, as it ends with Cyclonus being shot and Starscream fleeing his body, without Octane even being shown. Did Galvatron kill him, or did he escape to Autobot City? We are never provided with an answer.
Blake's 7: Rescue (1981)
Awful opening to the fourth series
After watching with great enjoyment the flawed yet brilliant Series 3 finale 'Terminal', I was eagerly looking forward to beginning the fourth and final series of Blakes 7. Needless to say, the Series 4 premiere DID NOT live up to its predecessor. Okay, I get it. 'Terminal' was a finale, so naturally the writers worked harder on it than other episodes and was always going to be a good one (mostly due to Gareth Thomas's long awaited return as Blake, even if it was very brief) and obviously hard to top. But still, they did a horrible job of this one. 'Rescue' is probably my least favourite episode of Blakes 7 yet, despite having seen some rather questionable episodes in the past ('Moloch' comes to mind). The new music and opening titles are simply awful. When the intro was changed at the beginning of Series 3, I was frustrated, but this is actually much worse. However, the music/intro problem is nothing compared to Cally's death. I would have thought that they might have learnt a lesson or two after Blake & Jenna's exits from the show and actually given Cally a proper send off, unlike the aforementioned. But no, the writers couldn't even manage that. Instead, the hatch blows up in the first minute of the episode and we learn that Cally is dead. It's possibly the most anticlimactic character departure I've ever seen (yes, worse than Nick Cutter in 'Primeval'). If they wanted Cally out of the show, why didn't they just kill her off at the end of Series 3 and actually make something out of it? Two new characters are introduced in this episode; Dorian and Soolin. Unlike the latter, Dorian actually seems reasonably interesting. But by the end of the episode, he's dead and we're left with Soolin, who I presume is going to become Cally's replacement. Also, most of the episode is actually rather boring, and none of the actors really stand out as having given any exceptional performances. The only positive thing about 'Rescue' that I could find was some funny scenes involving Villa. When all else fails, at least he's still around to provide the audience with some humour. He's the only reason I've decided not to give this episode 1 out of 10. If I'm being honest, it's actually put me off watching Blakes 7 for the moment. I'll try to give the next episode a go at some point, but for now I think I'll give the series a rest and just hope it gets better than this, otherwise I'm finished with Blakes 7. The only remaining thing I can think of to say is "Bring back Gareth Thomas!". The show really was a lot better when it's title character was still around.
Primeval: Concrete Menagerie (2008)
Tragic Perfection
I don't normally cry as a result of a film or TV series. Perhaps it's because as a viewer, I'm not as emotionally attached to it as I really should be, or do not pay enough attention to be truly gripped by it. The finale of Series 2 of Primeval is an outstanding exception to that. I absolutely love this show. I watched the very first episode when it was broadcast on ITV back in 2007, and have loved it ever since. For me, Series 2 is the grand zenith of the entire show. In my opinion. it's a masterpiece from start to finish. Often the finale fails to live up to the rest of a show, and I'm glad to say that this was not one of those times. To recap the previous events, Nick had come to realize that there was a traitor on the team, and was working to uncover a conspiracy involving the anomalies. It was revealed to be Oliver Leek who was behind all this, with the assistance of (somewhat unsurprisingly) Helen. At the end of the last episode, Nick, Jenny, Connor and Abby were taken captive by Leek's men and found themselves in a facility where Leek was keeping dozens of prehistoric creatures, taken from the anomalies. Now that's over, we can move on to the actual review. The finale begins with a scene between Jenny and Nick in their cell, in which Nick reminisces upon his relationship with Helen. The sad music begins to play in the background, and it almost brought me to tears, because it's so effective on the viewer. As a result of this, I partially dreaded the ending scene, because I've watched it many times before and it's a hundred times as sad. Jenny also informs Nick that her fiancé has left her, but lately she's been feeling 'different'. It's not too difficult for the viewers to piece together what this might mean. It sets things up so well for a potential future relationship between the two characters in the next series, which makes it even more disappointing that, for some totally inexplicable reason, the writers decided not to develop this in Series 3 and just abandoned it. Throughout the episode, the actors' performances are top notch, as usual. One of the reasons the show is so fantastic and captivating is because the casting is perfect, and each actor suits their role so well. Oliver Leek (Karl Theobald) makes a very good villain. The special effects, including the creatures, are perfect. Although that part isn't exclusive to this episode, as they're always brilliant. There was a scene in which Abby was quite irritating, but that applies to many parts of the show and the episode will not be marked down based on this. I was really glad that Jenny was given an action scene, as the other characters have had their moments, and she's possibly the best character, in my opinion. The finale also ensures that all the actors are given an adequate amount of time on screen, as it's sometimes the case that a certain character appears for little or no time in an episode. Obviously, the creatures are all there too, so even if they're the only reason you watch the show, you certainly won't be disappointed. Then of course, there's the end of the episode, which I mentioned briefly before. Nick stares out of the glass window and is powerless to stop his friend, Stephen, from being killed by the creatures. It's a truly heartbreaking moment, and it's made even sadder by the fact that in the previous episode, we saw the total disintegration of Nick and Stephen's relationship, yet Stephen sacrifices himself to save his friend's life, which will surely cause Nick to regret the way he behaved earlier on. Like I said before, I did cry. There were already tears at this point, however we then see Stephen's funeral, which is even more tragic. It's one of the most touching things I've ever seen. After the service, Nick and Jenny walk across the graveyard together and Jenny asks if he'd like to go for a drink. He doesn't reply, and shortly afterwards, when he's alone we see him taking out the photo of him and Claudia, and he rips it up. It's hugely powerful, and the impact it has on the viewer is phenomenal. It's the main reason why the episode is a masterpiece. Overall, the Series 2 finale is a potential contender for 'best Primeval episode ever', and after seeing the competition, I know that's huge accomplishment. A solid 10/10 from me.