'The Vampire Diaries' S4: There's work to be done here.

CW

I’m going to spend most of this talking about where the Vampire Diaries has gone wrong this season, but first I want to talk about what was arguably the best moment that has happened this season.  

'American Horror Story' 209 'The Coat Hanger' Review

FX

Now that is more like it, show. Last week’s American Horror Story was…not my favorite. Not even of both seasons. I mean the crazed Santa thing along with all of the Christmas trimmings just felt like the definition of filler with the exception of some forward motion in some of the more important storylines that have been ongoing since the first episode. Now in ‘The Coat Hanger’ we get to see how the journeys of the respective characters have shaped them so far. We also get the return of the alien storyline, but don’t worry because it may actually be going somewhere!

'American Horror Story: Asylum' 208 Review 'Where's your Christmas spirit, Sister?'

FX

At first I wasn’t really sure how I felt about this episode as it was ongoing. I was fully on-board with the idea of an American Horror Story holiday episode after last season's finale ended with a final shot of the Harmons--dead and ghostly in the house that killed them-- trimming the tree together. But this was the very definition of a filler episode. First of all, visually this episode was a huge let down. There had to have been any number of cinematic tricks that could have been busted out for this type of holiday-tinged affair but there wasn’t anything but some cheesy jump-cuts and jump-scares to be found. I expected better after we’ve had some truly spectacular camerawork this year. It wasn’t my favorite of the season, but there were ultimately a few good moments of character development and forward plot motion in it. Jude and Lana both got the chance to show us just how hard they’re willing to fight, and we were treated to a full episode of the devil in Sister Mary Eunice running the place with perverse glee as the Christmas holiday nears. I wish they would have shown us more of the grotesque objects on that tree...but hit the jump to see how the naughty and nice of Briarcliff Manor fared in 'Unholy Night'. 

'Once Upon A Time' 209 Review 'Set Sail for Storybrooke'

ABC

In an age of television where things are getting darker and morally murky all around in terms of storyline and character motivations, Once Upon A Time truly does stand out as a show that sticks to its fairy-tale morals. True love triumphs over all, love is strength, and if you’re the product of the truest most epic love of all then you are apparently not a character to be messed with. Emma Swan in tonight’s winter finale realized that the fire of true love that forged her made her into something of a warrior in the name of the power of not only love but of good winning over evil.

Revenge 209 Review - Revelations

ABC

This Week on Revenge, Nolan continues to prove his loyalty while Daniel rises to the top.  An unlikely alliance is formed, while the show decides to explore some revenge that isn’t coming from our heroine.

'American Horror Story: Asylum' 207 Review 'The Angel of Death Comes to Visit'

FX

Never trust a drunk. That’s something Sister Jude says to our very special guest star, returning S1 cast member Frances Conroy as the Angel of Death, this week on American Horror Story: Asylum and drunk is how you feel during this episode in terms of your own sense of not knowing what the hell is going to happen next.

What we really should come away thinking after tonight’s events are that, much in the same way this was so in season one with the murder house, you can leave Briarcliff but you can never really be free of it. The entire hour played out like a hazy collection of vignettes with little to hold them together except for the "Dark Cousin" of the episode’s title and an overall season theme that’s really starting to make itself known.

"Revenge" 208 Review - 'Lineage'

ABC

Last season on Revenge we were treated with an episode that consisted entirely of flashbacks, it was a delight and had a lot of moments of fanservice for all of us who love this show.  This season they decided to try the same formula again, but aside from one story thread the episode entirely failed in my book.

'Once Upon A Time' 208 Review 'Sleeping Curses For All!'

ABC

Well that certainly made up for the ill-advised Red-centric episode two weeks ago didn’t it? We had a reunion, we had betrayal, and we had Aurora is actually going to get to do something that doesn't involve nearly getting killed all the time. Two of those things are related, but let me begin this review by talking up the awesomely badass duo of Cora and Killian.

'American Horror Story: Asylum' 206 Review "The Origins of Monstrosity"

FX

It was a back-story bonanza tonight on American Horror Story: Asylum as we peeled back the skin on several characters’ motivations including Bloody Face himself, Dr. Oliver Thredson. ‘The Origins of Monstrosity’ gave us some quality time with some of the darker characters on the series this year, and each was given a chance to try to defend to themselves (and thereby the audience as well) why they are the way they are. Basically, the entire episode boiled down to a study of psychopathy and it brought up the old nature vs. nurture debate.

'The Vampire Diaries' 406 Review - "We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes"

CW

This week on The Vampire Diaries, we possibly get introduced to the real big bad of the season, someone wises up that Elena is nothing but trouble, and Klaus actually does something right -- until the Salvatore brothers fuck it up as they are want to do.

'American Horror Story: Asylum' 205 Review 'Oliver Thredson shows Lana his hobby'

“God always answers our prayers, Judy it’s just rarely the answer we’re looking for.”

FX

From the onset of this second season, everyone was placed into certain roles that fit into the dramatic archetypes we’ve all come to expect. There’s a mad scientist doctor, there’s a wrongly accused killer, there’s a sexy French free spirit—it’s all right there but five episodes in it’s clear that expectations are one thing and results are something entirely different altogether. This show loves to take what you think you’re sure of and drop it through a trapdoor into harsh reality.

Revenge 207 Review - "Penance"

ABC

This week on Revenge, we get a glance into Emily’s possible end game, a long dead romance may get rekindled, and Emily hands forces some “Penance” onto someone who did her father wrong.

'Once Upon A Time' 207 "Child of the Moon" Review

ABC

Ruby’s scared of her first full moon after the breaking of the curse, and other things happened in tonight’s episode that felt like stories that should have been told in season one on Once Upon A Time. Ruby was a delightful highlight of last season and Meghan Ory is plenty charming enough to warrant her being made a series regular. It’s just a shame that the story they felt the need to tell with her character just wasn’t anything of consequence for the rest of the show.

'The Vampire Diaries' 405 Review: "The Killer" brings out the lamepire in Elena

CW

There comes a time when you’re watching a television show and you glance over at the clock only to notice that the episode is merely halfway over. It fills you with dread because the episode already seemed to be dragging on forever before you actually checked the time. This is what I experienced this week while watching the latest episode of The Vampire Diaries.

'American Horror Story: Asylum' : Making the case for our Bloody Face

FX

Now that we’re four episodes in for the second season of American Horror Story:Asylum the question on everyone’s mind is what is up with Bloody Face? Well there’s a character that we believe to be the top suspect, and he was the very same character that explained the most case info to date regarding Bloody Face’s murders. The cards are on the table more than ever and we believe that the series has been misdirecting its audience so far in an attempt to shock and stun when the killer’s identity is revealed. If only because it’s a ‘good’ character and because many aren’t expecting this actor to play a character somewhat similar to one he has before.

'American Horror Story: Asylum' Poster Easter Eggs Uncovered

FX

One of the most exciting parts of the American Horror Story: Asylum promo campaign was this poster from FX featuring the cast in character for their roles in season two. It was filled with what we assumed to be various hints and clues as to what the new season would contain. Now that we're three episodes in to the season it's become apparent that some of these images truly hold a second meaning. 

Check out what we found by taking a second closer look at the poster including some confirmation on character arcs as well as a Bloody Face identity theory. 

'Revenge' 206 Review - The threads of Emily's "Illusion" start to fray

ABC

For the past several episodes it’s been obvious that Emily Thorne hasn’t been her usual self.  So off of her game that things repeatedly happened that wasn't what she planned.  But now that her mother has been found her focus is back on the task at hand.  But how long can she keep it up before the illusion of it all crashes all around her?

'Once Upon A Time' 206 Review: 'Emma Swan's Portland Hipster Origin Story'

ABC

This week the focus was almost entirely on the Emma Swan of now vs. the Emma Swan of the past and how they both wind up having adventures with charming raffish bad boy types. It answered a few questions including Henry's paternity, and brought a welcome return to a fan favorite character who's currently M.I.A and well, made of wood. We also saw another LOST veteran become part of Once Upon A Time canon in 'Tallahassee'.

'The Vampire Diaries' 404 Review - Klaus proposes (a deal) to Stefan

CW

This week on The Vampire Diaries -- Klaus compliments Jeremy’s line-work, we learn you can pick a lock with an earring, and we are once again subjected to horrific flashback hair.

'American Horror Story' 203 Review: A "Nor'easter" makes Briarcliff the Devil's playground

FX

 Sometimes, TV mimics real life circumstances and vice-versa in terms of big events happening on both and there’s no rhyme or reason as to why that is. While Sandy ravaged the East coast today in 2012, back in 1964 a nasty nor’easter blew through town and trapped everyone inside the walls of Briarcliff Manor. What unfolded during the first and last movie night at the asylum was a dark and stormy night of twisted motivations, guilt coming to the surface as long-kept secrets were revealed, and an escape attempt (a better one than last week, they got outside this time!)

First and foremost, bless me Ryan Murphy for I have sinned against thee.

'Revenge' 205 Review - "Forgiveness"

ABC

This week on Revenge, secrets start threatening to spill out all over the place especially when it comes to Amanda’s identity.  I also start to worry that the show is about to pull the same trickery it did last season.

'Once Upon A Time' 205 Review: Dr Whale Revealed

ABC

In case the completely different title card wasn't enough of a clue, ‘The Doctor’ doubles as the Halloween episode for Once Upon A Time. It also finally gave up the answer to one of the most pervasive questions in OUAT’s mythology thus far: who the hell is Dr. Whale? In doing so, it showed that there’s often far more interesting stories in the flashbacks of other lands, both fairy tale and something else entirely, than there is in the present-day.

The Vampire Diaries 4.03 - "The Rager" Review

CW

Previously on The Vampire Diaries... wait we don’t have that intro anymore we have this this is Mystic Falls recap.  Am I the only one who finds it annoying?  I digress.  This week on The Vampire Diaries we see that the new hunter in town means business, Everyone who wants to leave town can’t, and Matt almost dies...twice.

Elementary 1.03 - "The Rat Race" Review

CBS

What happens when a large company’s C.O.O. goes missing and they want to keep it quiet?  They call in Sherlock Holmes of course. But then what happens when a disappearance turns into a murder and that murder indicates a string of murders that point to someone climbing their way up the company’s corporate ladder?  Well then you have this week’s episode of Elementary.

'American Horror Story: Asylum' 2.02 Review- Tricks and Treats at Briarcliff Manor

FX

If you thought that last week’s season premiere of American Horror Story: Asylum threw way too many characters and stories at us then this week gave us more of what the show’s weekly rhythm may resemble. When a severely troubled patient is brought inside Briarcliff Manor, the procedure involved in his healing unearth dark secrets, keep a new character around, and give some of our favorite inmates their first real chance at escape. Plus more Pepper!

Maroon 5 Song Lyrics That Predict Adam Levine's 'American Horror Story' Fate

FX

If you caught the season premiere of American Horror Story:Asylum this past Wednesday then you already know that Adam Levine's character Leo suffered a bloody fate. After watching the scenes with the Lovers play out, it's a little difficult to hear a Maroon 5 song without thinking about that grisly image. After a conversation on Twitter brought up how funny it is to hear 'Harder to Breathe' right now in the wake of the events on Asylum ("is there anyone out there cuz it's getting harder and harder to breathe"), we thought there's probably other Maroon 5 lyrics you can pluck right out of their poppy context and view them in a manner that's far more sinister. Here we have five Maroon 5 songs with lyrics that can now have double meaning thanks to the delightfully warped minds of Ryan Murphy and the writers of American Horror Story:Asylum.

*NSFW and Spoiler Alert warnings apply*

'Revenge' Review 2.04 - "Intuition"

ABC

This week on Revenge, someone takes a nearly deadly tumble, the band-aid gets ripped off past traumatic memories, and we force a little chemistry with a bit of grief bonding in a number of storylines.  Oh, and let’s not forget the long con that’s been quietly playing out in the past few episodes.

'Once Upon A Time' 2.04 Review 'Introducing Hook'

ABC

Avast me hearties, it’s time to set sail for a brand-new episode of Once Upon A Time. That is the extent of the pirate talk in this review, I swear. This week was the moment many of us have been waiting for since July when the Comic Con teaser informed fans that this season we would be getting the OUAT version of Captain Hook. But that wasn’t the only story to be told this week as the primary focus of the hour was a story about Rumplestiltskin, mainly how he lost his first love, Milah, to the swarthy pirate captain and the exciting life he could offer her.

Vampire Diaries 4.02 Review - "Memorial"

CW

Only two episodes into this season of The Vampire Diaries and it’s pretty clear what the running theme is going to be.  If we had just listened to Damon in the first place, then things wouldn’t have been as hard as they are now.  That says a lot considering for the longest time Damon was the captain of bad ideas which included hiding the moonstone in his soapdish.

Elementary 1.3 Review - "Child Predator"

CBS

This week’s episode of Elementary offered a twist to the usual formula we’ve seen so far.  In the first two episodes our criminals were both motivated by greed, and I expect most of the cases we’ll be dealing with on a week to week case on Elementary to be similar crimes of avarice.  However, this week we met our first true psychopath, a wolf in sheeps clothing.  

'American Horror Story' 2.01 Review- Sinners, Saints, and Bloody Face

FX

All week long I kept up with the latest reviews of American Horror Story: Asylum. So many TV critics and bloggers prefaced every post with the fact that they weren’t fans of the show’s first season of sexual mayhem and violent ghosts over at the Murder House. It wasn’t for everyone that’s for certain but I fell in love with the exploits of the Harmon family and the people who changed their lives forever both living and dead. Sure, it was bat-shit crazy and sometimes it could be incoherent, but it was hugely entertaining in the way it embraced a true anything goes mentality.

Asylum opens in Massachusetts in the year 1964, and we are thrust into a landscape where the characters don’t only need to stay away from a single house in order to stay safe and sane when the entire world is against certain types of characters.

'Revenge' 2.03 Review - Confidence

This Sunday’s episode of Revenge was all about ‘Confidence’.  It made me question if we should be confident in one character’s weird storyline, another’s pending romance, and the possible real paternity of yet one more character.

'Once Upon A Time' 2.03 "Lady of the Lake" Recap

Tonight’s episode of Once Upon A Time dealt with a family that’s been torn apart across two vastly different lands trying to get back to each other and keep themselves safe from the dangers of both lands while doing so.  We were given the chance to see far more of what’s left of the Enchanted Kingdom, there was a touching reunion between one of our favorite OUAT characters and their dearest loved one, and there were also ogres which are apparently far more deadly than giants even though they’re blind as can be and hunt only by sound so maybe a certain character shouldn’t be playing around with her gun in this far-off place. For the sake of narrative clarity, each part of this recap will separately deal with the three places our story currently takes place: Enchanted Kingdom past, Storybrooke present, and Enchanted Kingdom present.

          

'The Vampire Diaries' 4.01 Review

For four years now The Vampire Diaries was the standard for teenage demographic-skewing supernatural entertainment on television. People compared the series to True Blood along the way and though in some ways this was an apt comparison—hey they both have vampires in them—it felt like something unique. It suffered from the presumption of many that it would be Twilight for television—the marketing did nothing to assuage those fears as the focus was on the sad pretty girl who would find herself torn between the love of two pin-up worthy vampire brothers. But something happened somewhere in the first ten episodes of season one—The Vampire Diaries became one of the most engaging dramatic thrill-rides you could find anywhere in genre television. It was easy to defend to the haters who thought that it was simply a televised rip-off of the Twilight novels because it was filled with rich characters, surprising storyline shifts, and a growing mythology that wove those characters into the history of the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia.

Somewhere in the last season however, the wheels began to fall off of the storytelling, many of the characters became one-note versions of their former selves, and hardly anything that would be built up story-wise had a single real consequence attached to it. There are a number of factors that could be blamed for this decline, but the issue here is here we are in season four with a brand new chance to redeem the less than stellar season three…did they do it?

'Arrow' Premiere Review

In the CW’s latest offering, Arrow, Stephen Amell takes on the titular role of the vigilante hero from the DC comics universe. The creators of Arrow have decided to go with more of a Christopher Nolan way of handling a superhero story and make theirs a world free from superpowers in order to tell the tale of presumed dead wealthy playboy Oliver Queen. As he makes his return to his home town of Starling City in order to defend its citizens from corruption and greed as well as find personal redemption as his alter ego Green Arrow.

'Revenge' 2.02 Resurrection Review

On this week’s Revenge we once again see that you can’t keep Emily Thorne down, even if absolutely nothing is going according to plan.

'Once Upon A Time' 2.02 We Are Both Review

Following the spectacle of the season premiere with its twist endings, new (old) lands, and family reunions long in the making this week’s Once Upon A Time episode ‘We Are Both’ settled in to deal with a town whose people are in many ways as broken as the curse that once held them from their former lives. It focused mainly on Regina and Charming as each dealt with a bit of an identity crisis now that the curse has been broken.

“I did the fighting, Snow did the talking.”

That’s a quote from Charming/David when he explains to Red/Ruby his frustration with trying to lead the town now that things have changed so dramatically for everyone.

Elementary 1.02 “While You Were Sleeping” Review

Elementary returned for it’s second episode and we get the chance to see if it can stay on par to the pilot.  We also get quite a bit of insight into what Holmes and Watson’s relationship is going to be like this season.

Revolution 1.03 Review: 'The Power of Pellegrino'

All it really takes for a show on the edge of being something truly worth tuning in for every week is that one great episode. Did Revolution achieve that? Not quite yet, but they did make a lot of progress from the first two episodes in ‘No Quarter’ that gives me just a little bit more hope in spending my Monday nights in the blackout future.

The Militia hauls in Miles Matheson (Billy Burke).

Once Upon A Time: 2.01 Review 'Magic is back, but at what price?'

We all know magic is back in the real world of Storybrooke, Maine because that’s been the key to the Once Upon A Time season 2 promotion efforts. All the posters and teasers have told us that magic is back, but what was less certain was the price that must be paid for this to have happened. There are rules to how magic can be used in the real world and that’s not the only trick up the creators’ sleeves as the season premiere, 'Broken' shows us what exists beyond the city limits of Storybrooke.

Greetings from Storybrooke where the curse has been broken but what now?

Revenge Season 2 Premiere Review - Destiny

After a long hot summer of missing my favorite sudsy drama, Revenge finally returned to my TV screen and it hardly disappointed.

Doctor Who "The Angels Take Manhattan" Review

Amy Pond and Rory Williams, ever since they were first introduced with the Doctor’s newest incarnation it’s been hard to imagine one without the other.  And as we’ve arrived at the end of their run the question that’s lingering is would they be separated in the end?

Fringe 501 Review: Can we fight this future?

Freedom Fighters Etta Bishop (Georgina Haig), Astrid Farnsworth (Jasika Nicole), and Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson)

Last season, Fringe took us into a future that was bleak, dystopian, and surprisingly controlled by the Observers. Longtime fans of the show know the Observers quite well but they were always less menacing overlords than they were cryptic well, observers, of the human condition. Things had dramatically changed by the year 2036 where least season’s nineteenth episode, ‘Letters in Transit’, introduced us to a young member of the FBI called Etta who first rescued Walter Bishop after he’d ambered himself years ago back when the Observers arrived. Together they also found and freed Astrid and Peter—Etta’s long-lost father, at the expense of Etta’s own partner Simon (Lost alum Henry Ian Cusick). Olivia was nowhere to be found then, but that was just our first glimpse into this brave new world—now in the fifth season we’re living through it .

In last night’s episode, ‘Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11’, the beginning of the end of Fringe played out entirely in 2036 where the producers have said we will remain through the season as the final thirteen episodes fit together in one perfectly serialized arc.

Elementary Pilot Review

Ever since the day CBS ordered the pilot for Elementary it has been a hot topic among the Sherlock Holmes fandom as a whole.  People were crying out that it was a blatant rip-off of BBC’s successful Sherlock, and just as many balked at the choice to cast Lucy Liu as John ( now Joan) Watson.  There were even people who were upset that it was taking place in New York City, because us damn Americans ruin everything!  So I’m here to tell everyone that’s seen the hate floating around that they are absolutely wrong.  Elementary is hands down one of the best new series this season.

Revolution 1.02 'Chained Heat' Recap

These recaps will be leaning quite heavily on the snarkier side of things so be forewarned. If you eye-rolled often Monday night this one's for you. For a proper review of the series so far check back with us next week as we see what kind of overall impression the first trio of episodes have made. Remember this is mostly all in good fun. We’ll probably root the ‘bad guys’ in the Monroe Republic on a lot as well. It’s more fun to watch that way. This is a full recap so there are spoilers.

Things kick off with a flashback to a week after the big blackout where we see Rachel with young Charlie as they prepare to leave the city.

FBF Takes On: Doctor Who 'Power of Three'

The Doctor (Matt Smith) and Amy (Karen Gillan) ponder the mystery of the cubes.

This week's Doctor Who made such an impression on us both that we felt the need to share our separate thoughts for 'Power of Three'. Check our reviews out and tell us what you thought about the episode, series 7 as a whole so far, or what you think might be the ending for the Amy and Rory in next week's episode.

Doctor Who 7.03 "A Town Called Mercy' Review

“We all carry our prisons with us.”

When the series 7 trailer was released, one of the standout portions of it involved the Doctor and his companions Amy and Rory winding up in the American Old West. A locale that the Doctor hasn’t been to in quite some time and since this show is Doctor Who after all, it was a version of the West with a cyborg Gunslinger roaming about as the clear threat. But the real conflict wasn’t quite so cut and dry in this episode, ‘A Town Called Mercy’ and though it wasn’t one of the more thrilling entries in the recent Doctor Who canon, what it did give us was something that there should be much more of in Steven Moffat-run Doctor Who: one pissed-off war veteran.

*Spoilers exist beyond the limits of Mercy. Tread with caution*

FBF's 2012 Fall TV Picks, Skips, and Burning Questions

Summer's pretty much over and that means a return to better clothing and so many of our favorite shows. We here at FromBeyondFandom are eagerly awaiting the fall 2012 TV season's beginning and  in the spirit of our excitement we've put together our own personal lists of the things we're looking forward to the most from new shows and returning faves. Check it out, and let us know what things you're most looking forward to and dreading about the new season.

Doctor Who - Dinosaurs on a Spaceship Review

This week’s episode had everything anyone could ever want in an episode of Doctor Who.  Including: Dinosaurs, Nefertiti, and the return (sort of) of one of my favorite aliens on the series!

 
Cut for Spoilers and Speculation on future episodes

Doctor Who - Asylum of the Daleks Review

It’s about damn time!  Doctor Who crash landed back onto our television screens with the premiere of series seven.  In an episode which by the end had even I screaming “Save the Dalek!”


Cut for Spoilers and Speculation on Asylum of the Daleks and beyond.

FBF Analysis: American Horror Story's S2 Cast Promo

The excitement for the second season of FX's American Horror Story is building by the day now that we're being given a series of tantalizing teaser videos. This morning, EW.com released a pair of new promo videos for the series. The first was a highly atmospheric take featuring a haunting rendition of 'Que Sera, Sera' while almost all the new characters (featuring some returning actors from last season mixed in with the new additions) eerily rest in hospital beds.

The second clip had the same song but a different verse visually as we were given a glimpse into the personalities and situations of the various characters at Briarcliff Asylum. After a couple (dozen) viewings of this clip we at FBF have a few observations and notes about what we've seen so far.

*Character descriptions and details about S2 story-lines sourced Here and Here*

 If you notice anything we missed, then by all means let us know in the comment below.

When the clip begins all the key players are frozen on the stage and the action doesn't really begin until we see Leo (Adam Levine) lift his camera and snap a photo--starting the rest of the action and plunging us into Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk's sepia-toned nightmare.