The Showcase Blog

Win Royal Pains Seasons 1 and 2 on DVD - Week 5

Kirk Hooper — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:07:00 GMT

Alright Royal Pains fans, this is it: our fifth and final DVD giveaway. Four lucky winners have already been sent the first two seasons of the show on DVD - if you're interested in becoming the fifth all you have to is figure out which episode the following still came from:

Send your answers to webmaster@showcase.ca (with "ROYAL PAINS CONTEST" in the subject line) -- we'll contact this week's winner by February 15, 2012. (Click here for full rules, regulations, and eligibility). Thanks to everyone who has entered so far!

You can watch all new episodes of Royal Pains, every Wednesday at 10 on Showcase. To catch up on episodes you've missed you can always visit the Showcase video page, open 24-hrs a day, seven days a week.

Rizzoli & Isles: Season 1, Episode 6 – ‘I Kissed a Girl’ (plus, we’re giving away cool stuff!)

Steven Shehori — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:03:00 GMT

Hey there superfans! Call me your Swag Hag, ‘cause we’ve got some primo Rizzoli & Isles merch to give away every week for the rest of season 1. Beginning today, natch! The prize package (we’re doling out five of ‘em each week) consists of two very-separate-yet-very-equally-awesome things:

Merch #1: an R&I notebook. And by ‘notebook’ I mean a spiral-bound collection of loose-leaf paper, not a computer laptop. What are we, your sugar daddy?

Chipotle recipes, Harry Potter fan fiction, angry manifestos – the world is your oyster!

Merch #2: A his-‘n-her set of quality R&I T-shirts. Always wanted to dress exactly like your significant other? Now’s your chance, my well-advised friend. Since the Showcase higher-ups didn’t provide me with a photo of said garments, below is a visual approximation.

NOTE: Actual T-shirts may not be this awesome.

Of course, to nab this sweet stuff, you need to answer some trivia. This week’s question is as follows:

Earlier this season, Jane Rizzoli butted heads with new boss Lieutenant Grant, played by Donnie Wahlberg. What history does Jane share with him?

They grew up in the same neighborhood
They used to date
He used to be best friends with her brother Frankie

Send your answer ASAP to webmaster@showcase.ca with the subject heading ‘Rizzoli & Isles Contest.’ Then kick your feet up, relax, and obsessively hit the refresh button until we potentially get back to you.

Worth mentioning that if you post the answer in the comments section below, we will kill you. Not figuratively, as in “Dude, I’m so gonna kill you for finishing off my Cocoa Puffs,” but literally, as in “Yes officer, I murdered them all on account of the voices.” Then lawyers will be involved, plus arraignments, jury selections, and a whole lot of administrative crap we’d rather not deal with. So, you know, proceed with caution.

You?

Okay, season 1, episode 6: ‘I Kissed a Girl.’ Wanna watch the episode? Yeah, you do. Click here, my friend. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

The premise plays out thusly: a murder takes place outside a popular Boston lesbian bar. Thinking it’s a possible hate crime, Jane and Maura opt to interview the victim’s loved ones for any insights they can muster up. This leads them to the spouse (well, ex spouse, I guess – awkward!), played by Desperate Housewives’ Brenda Strong. Brenda’s no stranger to death herself, what with being the deceased voiceover lady on Desperate Housewives and all. Which for the record, is a show I’ve never, ever seen. (*)

(*) This is where, for comedic effect, I’d fess up to being a huge Desperate Housewives fan and we’d all share a good chuckle. But honestly, I ain’t never seen the freakin’ thing.

The investigation takes a new twist when Maura uses brainiac forensics to discover the murderer was a woman. As such, Jane opts to go undercover as a lesbian gal who frequents the bar where the victim was found.

When not warding off da ladies, Jane finds herself warding off the charming advances of fellow yoga classmate Jorge, played by one Mr. Antonio Sabato Jr.! You know, the soap opera guy! And I think he was in Melrose Place for a while. Did he get blown up in that show? I kinda feel like a lot of people got blown up in that show.

Anyhow, Maura’s matchmaking efforts to bring Jorge and Jane together hit a bit of a snag courtesy of, well, Jane. She’s just fussy is all. Sheesh, people.

R&I Post-Mortem:

-- Maura subs in as a server at the bar? You’re damn right she does!
-- Rizzoli Quotes:
Isles: I wonder what kind of women we would like if we liked women.
Rizzoli: Well, first of all, I would be the guy.
Isles: That's a cliché! Why would you be the guy? Because you're bossy?
Rizzoli: So are you!
Isles: Well, it's a good thing you're not my type.
Rizzoli: What do you mean I'm not your type? That's so rude!
-- Below: a screen cap of roughly every third Melrose Place episode.

Traditionally, their landlord frowned on such activities.

You can watch Rizzoli & Isles on Showcase, Tuesdays at 10, and make sure to catch up on episodes you've missed on the Showcase video page

Weekend Movies: Trains, Wayans & Automobiles

Steven Shehori — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:08:00 GMT

Yep, Marlon Wayans is in one of this weekend's movies. And some big ol' subway trains are too! What more can you ask for? (*)

(*) That's not a rhetorical question – answer me, dammit!

By inserting this photo, my blog title becomes 100% accurate.

Friday, Feb. 3, 10pm, plus Saturday, Feb 4, 3am, 3:30pm and 10pm. BONUS! Sunday, Feb. 5, 3:30am – G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Saturday, Feb. 4, 12:30am – Taking of Pelham 123
Saturday, Feb. 4, 12:30pm, plus Sunday, Feb. 5, 12:30am – Minority Report

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
The cast: Dennis Quaid, Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans
The Showcase synopsis: "G.I. Joe takes on an evil organization led by a notorious arms dealer."
The dad pun Twitter hashtag: #ThisMovieGaveMyCobraARise!

Okay, even the Queen Mum (God rest her soul) knows 'G.I. Joe' is the code name for an elite covert Special Forces unit operating under the control of the United States Military. Simply put, the G.I. Joe guys are an ass-kicking bunch of patriots that mean business. In fact, meaning business IS their business. Plus, when your squad consists of the least crazy Quaid brother, the least annoying Wayans brother, and Channing Tatum, a guy who had to get tough awfully quick after his parents gave him a girl name, it's clear the Badass-o-Meter's gonna be cranked to eleven. Watch this movie or the Joes will END you, traitor.

The G.I. Joes doing the ol’ Law & Order Opening Credits Walk.

Taking of Pelham 123
The cast: John Travolta, Denzel Washington, Luis Freakin' Guzmán
The Showcase synopsis: "Armed men hijack a New York City subway train, holding the passengers hostage in return for a ransom, and turning an ordinary day's work for dispatcher Walter Garber into a face-off with the mastermind behind the crime."
The dad pun Twitter hashtag: #TakeMyPelham…Please!

Here's the straight goods: with a little elbow grease, pretty much any armchair train hijacker could take Pelham 1. It was the first of the Pelhams, and although not 'buggy' per se, let's just agree a lot of its features were still being beta tested. Most of these kinks were worked out by the time Pelham 2 rolled around, so theft-wise, not as easy a task. That being said, I'll give John Q. Regular-Guy Hijacker the benefit of the doubt and say he could possibly take that too.

But folks, you'd need a special kind of malevolent supervillian to take Pelham 1, 2, AND 3. By volume alone that's a serious buttload of Pelhams. Ah, but that's where John Travolta comes in. And come in he does, 'cause John's character – the nefarious Pellhamburglar – grabs the New York subway system by the brass cojones!

Okay, I've just been informed 'Pelham 123' is the name of one singular NYC train, as opposed to, you know, three.

Additionally, it turns out Travolta's character goes by the name 'Ryder,' and not 'Pellhamburglar,' as was previously implied. Otherwise, everything else in this blog is very, absolutely correct.

Disregard this.

Minority Report
The cast: Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton
The Showcase synopsis: "Tom Cruise stars as a Washington, D.C. detective in the year
2054. He works for a special police unit that arrests murderers before they've committed their actual crimes."
The dad pun Twitter hashtag: #MinorityGetsAmajorityOfThumbsUp!

I always enjoy movies and TV shows made several years ago that are set in the future. Once, I saw an old episode of The Time Tunnel from 1967, where Doug and Tony travel to the 'future,' a.k.a. 1978. While there, they face several 1978-esque obstacles, including immobilization rays, citywide force fields, and alien-controlled societies. Which to The Time Tunnel's credit is an eerily precise depiction of the late seventies.

Minority Report – which is set in 2054 – hit theatres a full decade ago. And although 2054 is still a ways away, I reckon Spielberg's brilliant vision of that fateful future-year holds up quite nicely. With one exception: I'm thinking that 40 years from now, scientists will have found a cure for men under the height of 5'6".

“No video games until you finish your minority report, young man!”

Trailer Watch: The Cold Light of Day, 7500, The Hunger Games, and Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Kirk Hooper — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:51:00 GMT

This week we've got Superman and John McClane uniting to fight kidnappers, ghosts on a plane, more Hunger Games, and a new Star Wars trailer which is either a brilliant parody or a terrible, terrible mistake.

The Cold Light of Day

I don't know about you, but I'm always up for a Bruce Willis action thriller. In his latest he stars opposite Henry Cavill (titular star of the upcoming Superman film Man of Steel), who plays an American tourist whose mother and siblings gets kidnapped while vacationing in Spain. Luckily, his dad (Willis) is business consultant/secret CIA agent. Unluckily, everyone seems to want him dead. Sigourney Weaver also stars.

7500

In 7500, passengers on a plane from the U.S. to Japan encounter a malevolent supernatural force. From the looks of it, the film will rely heavily on the startle factor that has proven to be so successful (and lucrative) for the Paranormal Activity franchise. Anyway, there's not much more to say about the trailer other than Alec Baldwin should have played the guy who wouldn't turn off his electrical devices and that the movie absolutely needs a Samuel L. Jackson cameo. Jamie Chung, Leslie Bibb, and Ryan Kwanten star.

The Hunger Games

The first Hunger Games trailer hit the web a few months ago, but now we've got the second look at one of 2012's most anticipated movies. If you've read the book you already know what the deal is...if not, well, this is the film that's based on the novel you've been seeing everyone read on the subway lately. Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth star.

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D - The Soon-to-be-an -Internet-Meme Kids Featurette

George Lucas frequently takes heat over his treatment of Star Wars and its legacy. A lot of heat. In fact, sometimes I used to think he takes too much heat. But now I'm not so sure. His latest baffling misfire is a 'Kids (surprisingly not spelled with a z) Featurette' for the 3D release of The Phantom Menace. The terrible voiceover sounds like it came straight out of one of those nauseating 90's toy ads, and delivers such classics as 'Hey wait, a double-sided lightsaber? That's not fair!', 'Chill out, R2! I was just getting to you and C3PO', and 'Hurry up, Qui Gonn! You don't want to be late for the celebration!'. Spoiler alert kidz: Qui Gonn gets stabbed in the chest and doesn't even make it to the celebration anyway. I know this was made for small children who don't know any better, but this thing would be patronizing for a 7-year old.

Also: Too much Jar-Jar.

Rachel Nichols and Victor Webster to Star in New Original Drama 'Continuum'

Kirk Hooper — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:02:00 GMT

Reunion Pictures today announced that production is underway on Continuum, an original one hour drama-action series about a policewoman from 2077 who travels back in time and teams with a present day cop to track down escaped convicts from her future. Continuum is slated to premiere in Canada on Shaw Media’s specialty channel, Showcase in spring 2012.

When a group of fanatical terrorists escapes their planned execution in the year 2077, they vault back in time to the year 2012, sweeping dedicated CPS Protector, Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols), along with them. Stuck in the past and unable to get back to her husband and son, Kiera concentrates on bringing down the terrorists before they can wreak havoc in our present. Kiera receives unexpected assistance from a teen tech genius Alec Sadler (Erik Knudsen). Impersonating a member of local law enforcement, Kiera also forms an uneasy alliance with her detective partner Carlos Fonnegra (Victor Webster).

“We've been excited about this show from the day Simon Barry told us the story,” says Reunion Pictures Tom Rowe. “It's attracted a lot of terrific talent on both sides of the camera. Shaw Media shares our belief that smart writing, a great cast and a highly creative production team will bring us all success.”

Starring Rachel Nichols (Criminal Minds, Alias) Victor Webster (Castle, Melrose Place) Erik Knudsen (Jericho, Scream 4) the cast also includes Stephen Lobo (Smallville, Little Mosque On The Prairie), Roger Cross (The Gates, Fringe), Lexa Doig (V, Stargate SG-I), Omari Newton (Blue Mountain State, Sophie), Luvia Petersen (The L Word) and Terry Chen (Combat Hospital).

Misfits 3.04 - Back to the Future

Melissa Girimonte — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:14:00 GMT

It's not exactly the first time a movie or TV series has dabbled in a bit of revisionist history, particularly when it comes to the Nazis. In this episode of Misfits, an old man purchases Curtis' old power from Seth and goes back in time to kill Hitler, things go terribly wrong and an alternate timeline is created where Hitler lives, kills the old man and the Nazis win the war because of a cell phone.

Shift to present day where the Nazis rule Britain. Outside the community centre (which is also a prison), we see soldiers taking a man out of a trunk … it's Seth! It seems they are rounding up people with powers. This is definitely not a good thing. And a couple of familiar faces are Nazi guards - the probation officer, and of all people, Simon! We find out the Nazis are using Seth to figure out who has powers, which very briefly brings back another familiar face, Peter, but he is very quickly shot to death by the Nazis.

We learn that Simon was conscripted, so he doesn't want to be a Nazi, and he is much like the Simon we know in that he tries to be the hero. The same old man who changed the course of history is imprisoned at the community centre and very sick, so Simon tries to steal antibiotics to help him. Alisha is working for the Nazis as well - again, not by choice - as a secretary. The probation officer from our timeline is high up in the Nazi ranks, but he's still a slimeball, and has Alisha working directly with him, mostly because he thinks she's hot and that he can have his way with her. Alisha learns that Simon is trying to help someone out, and she creates a distraction by kissing the probation officer so that Simon can steal the antibiotics. It appears that even in this timeline, Simon and Alisha are drawn to one another.

A Resistance has formed that will try to fight the Nazis, and Curtis is a part of this, as are Kelly and Rudy. They want to stop the Nazis from rounding up everyone with powers, and know they need to do something about Seth. The action moves to the prison and Seth is forced to give powers to a Nazi captain. The Nazis are using the powers with the hopes of becoming invincible and all-powerful.

We see that Kelly is still in community service, and is feeding the prisoners. She pours something into some of the food - it's poison. The intended target? Seth! But when she gets to his cell, she finds that he's hung himself, but he survives.

In a conversation later on with Curtis, we learn that Kelly was supposed to poison Seth so that the Nazis couldn't use him any longer to take other people's powers. She goes back to see Seth and feeds him, and he tells her that the Nazis are planning to move him to a "more luxurious prison". With that detail, the Resistance is able to come up with a plan.

As the Nazis are transporting Seth, a woman with a baby in a carriage quickly come into their path and there's a collision. When they get out to investigate, we see that the woman is Kelly in a mask and the baby is a doll! The Resistance - Curtis, Kelly and both Rudys - has created a diversion, intercept Seth's transfer, and rescue him.

The Nazis are mad, and seem to think that Alisha was the leak, but the probation officer basically says that she's too stupid to have orchestrated anything so elaborate.

Simon continues to care for the old man, who tells him, "This shouldn't have happened." The old man takes full responsibility for everything that has happened.

The Resistance is keeping Seth at a "safe house" - the same bar where Curtis works in our timeline. Seth tells Kelly that he wanted to be the ultimate dealer, and Kelly confesses that she was going to kill him until she saw he tried to kill himself. Kelly then falls asleep with her head on Seth's shoulder.

The Nazis then raid the bar, but Curtis and Rudy try to make it seem like they're the only ones there. Kelly and Seth are hiding in the cellar, and as the probation officer searches for them, he makes the discovery and threatens to shoot them through the floor. Seth comes out of the cellar, and it looks like he's about to surrender, but instead, he fights back and Kelly escapes. Seth, Curtis and Rudy are arrested.

Seth is back in jail, in a cell beside the old man who recognizes him as the person who sold him his power in our timeline, but Seth doesn't recognize him. The old man tells Seth that he gave him the power to go back in time and that he didn't succeed in killing Hitler. Instead, the Nazis took his cell phone and used the technology to win the war. The scene shifts to the probation worker, who has found the letter that the old man had written, explaining what he has done. Back in the prison cells, the old man asks Seth to take his power back and "put it right".

The Nazis have other plans for the old man. They want the power to die with him because too much could change and they'd no longer be in power. The captain asks Simon to shoot the old man. Simon silently disobeys at first, but then is forced to draw his gun, but doesn't get a chance to pull the trigger because the captain shoots the old man instead. They demand that Seth give Curtis the old man's power, which Seth appears to oblige. Curtis having his old power back is short-lived, as the captain shoots Curtis dead.

Alisha goes to a shaken Simon to see how he is, and he says that he just stood there as old man was shot. He may not have taken control of the situation, but he certainly makes a bold move at this point and kisses Alisha.

Enter our hero for this episode - Kelly! She shows up at the community centre/prison with a gun in each hand and shoots up a bunch of Nazis! When she runs into Simon and Alisha, they offer to help her, and off they go to the cells to save Seth. They put up a really good fight, but end up cornered by the Nazis. Kelly creates a brief diversion with a can of pop that the Nazis think might be a grenade. A firefight worthy of a video game or a big budget action film ensues, and Seth is shot. Then the Nazis fire back with tear gas. Seth tells Kelly that he didn't really transfer the power to Curtis, that he still has it. He transfers it to Kelly as he kisses her, and then dies.

Equipped with the power to turn back time, Kelly takes on Hitler. She head butts him and takes back the cell phone. And then, in classic Kelly fashion, she asks Hitler, "Why you got to be such a dick?"

She goes back to the future and everything seems to be back to normal again. She goes to Seth and tells him what happened in this alternate version of history. He asks her if they shagged; she says he kissed her when he gave her the power. She asks him to take this power from her because she doesn't want anyone to be able to change history again. The friction continues to build between these two, and Seth has opened up a bit to Kelly. He tells her that there's a lot she doesn't know about him, and she responds that the knows there is much more to him than just being a dealer.

Kelly finally meets up with the rest of the gang again, and they ask her where she's been. Her response? She was just fighting Nazis and kicking the you-know-what out of Hitler!

In tonight's new episode of Misfits, we're in for an ol' switcheroo when Kelly gets trapped in the body of a girl in a coma and coma girl takes over Kelly's body! Will the gang learn what's happened and save Kelly before it's too late? Tune in at 10pm to find out!

Win Royal Pains Seasons 1 and 2 on DVD - Week 4

Kirk Hooper — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:55:00 GMT

We're in week four of our ongoing Royal Pains contest, and yet again we're giving away the first two seasons of the show on DVD. To enter, all you have to do is to let us know which episode the following still came from:

Send your answers to webmaster@showcase.ca (with "ROYAL PAINS CONTEST" in the subject line) -- we'll contact this week's winner by February 7, 2012. (Click here for full rules, regulations, and eligibility). And don't forget to check back next week for the next installment of this contest!

You can watch season three of Royal Pains on Showcase, Wednesdays at 10pm. As always, you can catch up on episodes you've missed on the Showcase video page.

Rizzoli & Isles: Season 1, Episode 5 – ‘Money For Nothing’

Steven Shehori — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:31:00 GMT

As Showcase’s resident expert on Boston (I was there once and caught a Bruins game, so suck it), I know the odd bit of trivia about this fine city. And I can tell you two things. 1) There’s a badass system of social stratification & restriction in Beantown, whereby the blue and white collared-folk don’t always see eye to eye. And 2) Locals hate when you call their city ‘Beantown.’

Titled Money For Nothing, the episode cuts right to the bone of this class-based tension, just as these custom kitchen delivery men once did in a similarly named music video.

They got to move these refrigerators (not shown) and these colour TVs.

The inciting incident is the drowning death of Adam Fairfield, whose old-money industrialist family is Boston royalty, thank you very much. Haven’t caught the episode yet? Well, you’re in luck, because we have the entire G-darn thing right here. And it’s better than anything you’ve ever seen on TV at any time in your life ever. (*)

(*) You think I’m kidding about this? I will CUT you!

Maura is immediately able to I.D. the corpse for the simple reason that she once dated his non-corpse brother. Who just so happens to be played by this week’s guest star: Mr. Mark-Paul Gosselaar! And no bell’s gonna save him this time as he and our sexy medical examiner reunite for the first encounter since their college days as a couple.

Either this is our drowning victim or vampire David Cross is taking a catnap.

Although Adam’s death is initially considered accidental, Jane, Frost, and Maura pay a visit to stately Fairfield Manor to ask a few questions. Routine kinda stuff, but the Fairfield lawyer ain’t having none of it. Why? ‘Cause the family is powerful, and therefore shouldn’t be subjected to potentially embarrassing investigations. (*)

(*) As per the landmark case of Rich Guy v. Working-Class Schlubs.

Even from this angle, you can totally tell he’s a douchebag.

Mind you, when they finally get to chat with la familia, Maura doc-blocks Ms. Rizzoli from asking said questions. Whaaa? Understandably, this makes ol’ Janie wonder if her so-called ‘friend’ is showing more loyalty to these elite moneybaggers than her ‘lowly’ cop pals. After all, the Fairfields pretty much started this town. As we see in scene four, their private collection even includes the original manifest from the Mayflower – a parchment that has their name on it!

“How about a drink over here – I’m PARCHED! Hahahaha. Ah, we like to have fun.”

As the investigation continues, certain Kennedy-esque indiscretions slowly come to light: financial mismanagement, adultery, obstruction of justice, and yes, quite possibly murder! Hey, that’s New England for ya, amirite? And making matters more complicated are Maura’s rekindled feelings for Garrett (Gosselaar!). Perhaps she truly belongs alongside Boston’s elite after all? Hmmm…

Although quite the bird’s nest earlier that day, Mark-Paul’s coiffure
was eventually saved by the gel.

Meanwhile, mama Angela Rizzoli – sick of hanging out in the kitchen, one can assume – decides to explore a lucrative business opportunity. Specifically, one that has her hawking suspiciously-coloured Polynesian health drinks to friends and family. It’s a little Amway-esque, which makes Jane and her baby bro rather concerned. Perhaps some kind of intervention should be in order. Just saying.

By viewing this logo you’ve entered into a binding non-written contract
valid in perpetuity throughout the universe.

R&I Post-Mortem:

-- Quotey Rizzoli (The ‘Maura is Being Hoity-Toity’ Edition)
Isles: “The Governor called. He’d like the reports right away.”
Rizzoli: “Did you have a nice chat? Maybe tonight you could attend the opera with some senators, and then afterwards go out on the veranda and smoke big rolled-up wads of $100 bills.”
-- The gang eats oysters in this episode. Product placement, maybe? (*)
(*) No.
-- As I write this blog over at my local coffee shop, the overhead speakers are blaring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Given that it’s now February, this is freaking me out.

“Be careful, Elf – it’s not so much ‘shiny’ as it is
a fiery face-orb of concentrated evil.”

Lost Girl: Season 2, Episode 15 – 'Table for Fae'

Kirk Hooper — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:26:00 GMT

Last night's all-new episode "Table for Fae" opened with the triumphant return of Kenzi, whose back from her road trip with Nate. Her return came not a minute too soon - judging by the comments we've been getting in the blog and on Facebook our viewers were already missing her more than Bo did.

After an awkward, innuendo-filled introduction between Ryan and Kenzi & Nate, Bo and Kenzi set up a good-old fashioned double date for the two pairs. But, alas, the date starts off as somewhat of a disaster as the rich, slick Ryan and the down-home singer Nate don't exactly mesh. It turns out though that Ryan isn't quite the jerk that he comes off as; not only does he leave Kenzi and Nate alone with an open tab on his account, he sets up Nate with an agent he knows. An agent who just happens to be the Morrigan...

Of course, there was more to this episode than fancy restaurants and potential fae record contracts. Dyson yells at the wrong powerful old guy and ends up suspended from the force. It also turns out that university-aged backpackers have been instantly turning into senior citizens, and dying soon after, which is definitely not your everyday event. Trick believes that faes called Serkets are behind the mysterious deaths, and sends Bo to look into it. It turns out that the backpackers were tricked into agreeing to be the subjects of medical experiments to make quick cash - they thought they were going to get $100 out of the deal, but all they got was their youth stolen from them (and no $100 either).

Bo confronts the Serkets behind the plot, but is ambushed and quickly captured. The Serkets start draining her youth (she'll look pretty good when she's middle aged), but Ryan shows up and saves the day. What a guy.

Or not. Kenzi is obviously not happy about having the Morrigan sicked on her boyfriend, and confronts Bo about it, who reveals that Ryan is dark fae. Bo also isn't a huge fan of what Ryan has done, and, since she always has Kenzi's back, decides to break away from Ryan. But, since some guys have all the luck, Ryan not only talks Bo into sticking with him, he winds up in a threesome with Bo and some blonde girl. And that's how the episode ends.

Check out images from last night's episode:

Covert Affairs S2 blog #4: ACCELERATE YOUR (BATED) BREATH

Gary Butler — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:21:00 GMT

When is a secret agent not a secret agent? Covert Affairs Season One saw CIA trainee Annie Walker prematurely promoted to Domestic Protection Division operative, in order to lure an agent/paramour out of the shadows; love is, after all, a manifestly manipulable thing. Season Two has made Annie an official shield-sporting super-spy. Too bad she’s sworn to secrecy about the whole thing. The new question: When is a secret agent nothing more than a secret agent? If Annie can’t balance her personal and professional lives, she’ll blow her cover and break her own heart. Love is in the crossfires: Did the cold war just get colder?

--------------------

Despite the fact that Piper Perabo has a mouthful of gigantic ivories, no one would ever accuse the lovely lady of being, in equine parlance, long in the tooth — a subtle but far-from-polite catchphrase that suggests both getting old and overstaying one’s welcome. Still, the closest Covert Affairs has ever come to horsing around was in last night’s telegraph-it-in-the-title episode, “Horse to Water,” which tasks Perabo-as-CIA agent Annie with finding out whether an equestrian rancher is abetting her imprisoned father with a programme of assassinations.

Of course, when I say “horsing around,” I mean it in a more literal sense: of riding. I;m not suggesting any kind of silliness or funning. Sure, typical of every episode of CA, there’s no shortage of jaunty banter between Annie, Auggie, and various other characters. But this kind of dialogue is always a function of stress relief, a denial/coping mechanism that helps agents survive in the field during their never-ending trail-by-fire. (In archaic terms, this is known as gallows humour.) Naturally, “Horse to Water” takes place for the most part on the ranch where the suspect operates, and does involve horse racing — and chasing. Boots and saddles aside, think of it as a straightforward episode of CA, brimming with suspicions, misdirections, double-agendas and betrayals, just with a different kind of horse power.

As well, when I say that the title “telegraphs” something important, it’s not because the outcome of “Horse to Water” is obvious — as always, it’s not — but because, as always, the episode’s title infers something crucial about the players. The source phrase in question, horse to water, is actually a fragment: the full catchphrase is, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” Again, this phrase comes from equine culture. “Long in the tooth” is literal in that horses’ teeth do grow quite long over their lifespans, becoming noticable and even creating eating problems in the twilight years. Same literalism applies to the leading-to-water: You really can bring a dehydrated, exhausted horse some water and, depending on its mood, there’s every chance it will refuse to drink the very balm it needs in order to merely stay alive.

Apply this knowledge to CA, and here’s what we intuit: that a perpetually naive — sorry, good-hearted — CIA agent, for the sake of discussion let’s call this person “Annie,” can approach a suspect with information vital to not just national security but also to that person’s family and general well-being, only to have the “facts” rejected. At least, one could intuit that. (And, “facts” in scare quotes because this is, after all, an espionage show.)

What other advantages can viewers get this time ’round in Covert Affairs’ weekly game of horseshoes? Perpetually available for whip-smart consultation is Michael Stipe, former frontman of the recently defunct alt.rock outfit R.E.M. Per the long-established convention for Covert Affairs Season Two, this week’s episode title, “Horse to Water,” is also the title of an R.E.M. song, this one from the second-last studio album, 2009’s Accelerate. The name of the album suggests that “Horse to Water” might be about speed/velocity, but it’s really about control, manipulation and defiance:

You’re mixing up lose with win-win
You lead a horse to water and you watch him drown

I don’t think we need to do too much guesswork as to which character’s viewpoint might be represented, here. As always, we hope Annie knows what she’s doing — except for the fact that we also know that she’s conflicted, by both reflections in her own life (she is about to shatter a family with “truth,” the same “truth” that recently shattered her own family) and ongoing issues with the dirty-work aspect of her profession. The question in this episode is, as always: Can Annie complete the mission on her own terms? Why is it that we have the sad feeling that a horse is going to be put down at the end of this race?

UP NEXT ON THE Covert Affairs Season 2 BLOG: MONSTER IN THE MUSEUM?

Weekend Movies: Movies We Air On Weekends

Steven Shehori — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:37:00 GMT

A few important – nay, vital – things you need to know about these Weekend Movie blogs. 1) They provide vital information on upcoming movies. 2) These movies take place each weekend. 3) The aforementioned movies that take place each weekend are aired on Showcase.

I’m glad we had a chance to discuss this. Personally, I feel a lot better.

Post script: A TV set and a Showcase subscription are needed to watch these weekend movies.

Friday, Jan. 27, 10pm – Wedding Crashers

Saturday, Jan. 28, 12:30am, 2:30am and 10pm – The Hangover
Saturday, Jan. 28, 1pm, plus Sunday Jan. 29, 12am – Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Saturday, Jan. 28, 3:30pm, plus Sunday, Jan. 29, 2:30am – Night at the Museum

Wedding Crashers
The cast: Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams
The Showcase synopsis: “Two partying divorce attorneys – and committed womanizers– have figured out a surefire way to meet women: they crash weddings.”
The dad pun Twitter hashtag: #Vaughntastic!

Crashing weddings is never, ever a bad idea. Hell, for free food and drink, I’ll crash some snotty kid’s Bar Mitzvah. And I’ll slow dance with his bubbie right in freaking front of him. And if you think I’ll feel remorse about this, you don’t know the first rule of Bar Mitzvah crashing. (*)

(*) The first rule of Bar Mitzvah crashing: don’t feel remorse.

Equally important is the second rule of Bar Mitzvah crashing: always pretend you’re the hired magician. This way, you can strut your stuff from table to table, which is the perfect way to ensconce yourself in the festivities and earn everyone’s trust. Then, a couple of sleight-of-hand-tricks-you-learned-off-Google later, you’re pulling in some serious tips to boot. Ka-ching!

If you run into the Bar Mitzvah kid’s mom and she questions your authenticity, just say you were a package deal with the rental hall. As a former tween who once had a Bar Mitzvah party of his own, I can tell you straight up: no parent turns down a package deal. Ever.

“Is THIS your yarmulke, young man?”

The Hangover

The cast: Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Ken Jeong
The Showcase synopsis: “A Las Vegas-set comedy centered around three groomsmen who lose their about-to-be-wed buddy during their drunken misadventures, then must retrace their steps in order to find him.”
The dad pun Twitter hashtag: #HangOVERtheTopThrills!

The Hangover is the prequel to The Hangover Part II, a film that came out a couple of years after The Hangover. You’re in luck though: you don’t need to have seen The Hangover Part II to enjoy The Hangover. In fact, quite the opposite: a strong knowledge of The Hangover will only enhance your appreciation of The Hangover Part II.

Why? Well, because as a prequel, the events in The Hangover actually take place – get this – before (!) The Hangover Part II. “Whoa, are we talking time travel?” you’re no doubt asking. Well, that’s an oversimplification, my inquisitive friend. But if you find this too much of a noodle-scratcher, dropping a quick e-mail to the gentleman below should set things right.

“Please, ‘Stephen’ is so formal. Call me the Hawk.”

Night at the Museum
The cast: Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Mickey Rooney, Steve Coogan
The Showcase synopsis: “A down-on-his-luck museum security guard witnesses extraordinary things each night: Mayans, Roman Gladiators, and cowboys emerging from their dioramas to wage epic battles; Attila the Hun pillaging his neighboring exhibits, and a T-Rex reminding everyone why he's history's fiercest predator.”
The dad pun Twitter hashtag: #StillerIsAThriller!

This flick’s hilarious – you’ll love it. Unless maybe you’re one of them ‘cultured’ folk who’d rather spend their weekend in a real museum. Is that you?

I didn’t think so. Now plop down on that couch and start watching.

“I dare say, the new James Rosenquist exhibit at the MOMA is quite corking indeed.”

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
The cast: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Shia LaBeouf
The Showcase synopsis: “Famed archaeologist/adventurer Dr. Henry ‘Indiana’ Jones is called back into action when he becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the Crystal Skulls.”
The dad pun Twitter hashtag: #I’mJONESINGforThisMovie!

There are myriad reasons to watch this film. It took nearly 20 years to hit the big screen. Indiana Jones is an iconic character in the annals of cinematic history. Shia LaBeouf gets smacked around… the list goes on. But for me, it’s all about Karen Allen, a.k.a. one of the awesomest actresses around.

Am I maybe harbouring a slight crush on Ms. Allen? That’s neither here nor there. Did I perhaps adoringly pop into her clothing boutique during my visit to rural Massachusetts last fall? That’s on a need-to-know basis. All you should concern yourself with is the fact she’s an ethereal demi-goddess with powers even the Hawk can’t fully wrap his nerd brain around.

Karen Allen is the opposite of the Lost Ark: gaze directly unto her and eternal bliss is yours.

To remind: the woman on the left did not cause the face melting on the right.

Trailer Watch: 'Jeff, Who Lives at Home', 'Seeking Justice', and 'Iron Sky'

Kirk Hooper — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:21:00 GMT

This week in new trailers we've got Jason Segel playing a man-child slacker (again), Nic Cage seeking justice in an action flick (again), and *** attacking the Earth from a secret base on the dark side of the moon (that one hasn't happened yet).

In Jeff, Who Lives at Home, Jason Segel stars as the titular Jeff, a mopey man-child slacker who, well, lives at home with his mother (Susan Sarandon). Jeff's brother (Ed Helms) seems to be living a slightly better existence (at least he doesn't live at home), until it turns out his wife is having an affair. The brothers unite to confront the cheating wife, and much bonding ensues. The indie dramedy was met with positive reviews when it screened at TIFF last year, and is set for a wide release on March 16.

Full disclosure: I'm a total Nic Cage apologist. I'm fully aware that he picks most of roles based on the size of the sack of money he's given, but when he tries he's a fantastic actor (watch Leaving Las Vegas or Adaptation if you don't believe me). That being said, Seeking Justice probably isn't the type of film that will showcase his acting chops. Co-starring January Jones and Guy Pearce (a decent enough cast , but that doesn't always mean that much with Cage's recent films...see Trespass), Cage makes a deal with a vigilante group to have them kill a man to assaulted his wife, only to have that same group force him to kill someone else in return. By now everyone knows what to expect from Cage films like this - his fans will probably like it, and almost no one else will.

Iron Sky has become somewhat of an internet legend over the last few years. Primarily a Finnish production, the story follows the secret colonization of the dark side of the moon by *** in 1945, whose descendants return in 2018 in an attempt to take over Earth. The film started production almost 6 years ago, but since then only a few teasers have hit the web, and the film seemed to be stuck in development hell, with production essentially relying on internet donations to keep churning along. Apparently the 'crowd funding' worked though, as the film is finally finished and a European release date of April 4, 2012 has been set. The latest trailer is much campier than the first trailer for the film (which was released 3+ years ago and was strictly sci-fi) and the film is quite likely terrible, but I'll still want to check this movie out, if only to say I've seen it. (The trailer contains cursing.)

Misfits 3.03 - I Can Be Your Hero, Baby

Melissa Girimonte — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:12:00 GMT

Of all the episodes of Misfits so far, this is up there as one of my faves. It begins with Simon continuing his training on his mission to become the Masked Hero that saves Alicia's life. I have to admit, that scene reminded me a bit of Spiderman, as Simon fumbles along the way. When he spots a robbery in progress, he sweeps in and saves a kid from a mugger. The kid is relieved, but he's also starstruck by the masked man, declaring, "You're a superhero!" He asks for a picture, but the Masked Hero has slipped away. Back at Simon's flat, you see the look of elation on his face because he's actually saved someone. Alisha is not too happy with this … if Simon becomes the Masked Hero, that means he will go back in time again and die saving her. And thus begins the conflict that drives us through this episode - the question of whether or not you can fight your destiny.

At the community centre, the probation officer brings in a group of kids for his version of a "scared straight" program. He has the kids meet with the community service gang, and what do you know, one of the kids is the one that Simon saved! He's there because he tried stealing a girl's purse so he could pretend to return it to impress her and be a hero. Simon ends up in the bathroom at the same time as the kid, and tells him, "You won't be like this forever. You'll meet a girl who likes you." The kid recognizes Simon's voice and realizes this is the guy who saved him. He again calls Simon a superhero and asks if they can hang out together. Simon tells the kid to move on and forget about ever meeting the Masked Hero.

We then see the kid drawing a comic, and it's of Simon and his alter ego. This is where things take a weird turn - all of a sudden, Simon and the kid (who we learn is named Peter), are sitting on the roof of the community centre together. Peter admits that he has an obsession with superheroes, and says that Simon is a real life superhero. How does Simon respond? He asks Peter to be his best friend! OK, something is definitely up here. Alisha sees Simon talking with Peter, and Simon tells her that they're friends. Alisha doesn't seem pleased by this.

Simon then takes Peter to his lair, and shares the story of his future self, how his destiny is to go back in time to save Alisha, and that he dies doing it. At that point, Alisha walks in. She's not happy that Peter's there, and even less pleased that Simon has told Peter about his secret. She tells Peter to leave and reams Simon out, which Peter overhears. When we next see them together, Simon tells Alisha that he has to face his destiny on his own, and that he has to end their relationship, that he'll "sacrifice their love for the greater good" and that Alisha will one day see that he did it all for her. Alisha tells the rest of the gang that Simon dumped her, and that it came out of nowhere. Alisha runs into Peter, who is drawing one of his comics. He tells her that being a superhero and having a girlfriend don't mix. She notices the comic and suspects that Peter may be doing something to Simon. My suspicion at this point - Peter has a power, and what he draws comes true. Sounds a little bit like a show I watched as a kid …

In the B-story this week, we see more of the Kelly/Seth chemistry. She meets him for a drink at one point, where she chugs a beer in a very unladylike fashion, and makes fun of him for ordering a G&T, which is what her ran drinks. He asks her if she's "on the market", but the conversation doesn't get very far as the gang pretty much summons Kelly. She does meet with Seth again, and he gives her the brush-off. She asks if it has anything to do with the grave he goes to visit, and he reveals that it was his girlfriend. She died of a drug overdose before the storm, back when he was a drug dealer. He actually gave her the drugs that she OD'd on. Kelly tells Seth that he needs to move on, but he says that he can't because he still loves his dead girlfriend.

Alisha is with the gang, and confronts Peter about making Simon break up with her. Simon appears at that point in costume, and Kelly asks him to beat up Peter. Instead, he takes on Alisha, Kelly, Rudy and Curtis. This is Rudy's first sighting of the masked hero, and he seems to think it's the probation worker. He couldn't be farther off the mark!

The gang, minus Simon, heads over to Peter's flat. They break in, and Kelly uses her power to disarm the alarm. Once inside, they see all of Peter's comics, and realize that everything he draws is coming true. They tear everything down, and the scene cuts to Simon, who is affected by these drawings being destroyed. At that point, a look crosses Simon's face as if he realizes that he was under a spell. Alisha goes to Simon, and he asks for her back. She tells him that it was Peter's drawings that affected Simon's behaviour. Alisha doesn't blame Simon for his actions, but he is truly remorseful.

Peter arrives home to find his drawings destroyed, then heads out to confront Simon. Peter says he was only trying to help Simon, and that Alisha doesn't understand what Simon needs to become. Simon tells Peter he's not a superhero, that superheroes are fantasy, and that he won't ever leave Alisha.

Everything seems to be back to normal - well, normal for this gang - but we see a masked man looking at them from on high. I don't think it's future Simon back again, but perhaps a copycat. We then see Alisha is being chased, and this other masked man grabs her.

Simon arrives at his flat and sees a message written on his mirror, instructing him to go to a warehouse. He grabs his costume and heads right out. At the warehouse, we see Alisha is tied up by the other masked man who, of course, turns out to be Peter. Simon arrives to rescue Alisha, and ends up in a fight against the other masked man, which ends with Simon stabbing his opponent. He doesn't realize that it was Peter. Simon learns it was Peter behind Alisha's capture, and before Peter dies, he tells Simon, "A superhero has to be willing to die for what he believes in."

Back at Simon's flat, Alisha begs Simon to not go back in time, to never leave her, and to burn the suit. He takes it along with him to the warehouse where he burns Peter's body. He then picks up the backpack that contains his suit, but we don't actually see him burn it. He heads back to his place, and tells Alisha he did it … but we see him hide the suit in a false back in a closet.

At the very end, we see the final comics that Peter made before dying … he actually orchestrated his own demise and everything that happened afterward. The final cell of the comic says "To be continued", which can only mean we have not seen the last of our Masked Hero!

What's in store for tonight's new episode? Apparently, an older gent tries to use Curtis' former power to go back in time and kill Hitler. The plan goes totally wrong and the gang finds themselves in an alternate reality where the *** conquered Britain. This is one you won't want to miss! Make sure you're tuned in at 10pm.

Rizzoli & Isles: Season 1, Episodes 3 & 4

Steven Shehori — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:58:00 GMT

That’s right, amigos – this week we’re doubling your pleasure with deets on two R&I episodes. Why? It’s a simple rule: in this world we live in, twice the amount of something is always better. Like double-necked guitars, or all those delicious pairs of animals on Noah’s Ark.

Admittedly, there are exceptions to this rule.

Okay, season 1, episode 3: ‘Sympathy for the Devil.’ Please allow me to introduce this case… A family from Cape Verde (Google it) is in mourning after the mysterious death of their tweenaged son Matt. And the probable cause is a disturbing one indeed: a religious purification ritual. Or to phrase it in a slightly less clinical manner, an EXCORCISM, baby!

A couple of things to consider about exorcisms: 1) They’re not FDA approved. 2) unlike sex and pizza, a bad exorcism is not still pretty good. In fact, quite the opposite: it’s often a bit of a buzzkill.

With this in mind, Jane, Frost and Maura pay a visit to the church that performed the aforementioned ceremony, and from there, things get hella creepy hella fast.

This exorcism dancer also does Bar Mitzvahs and sweet sixteens.

After a few setbacks (including her car being infested by poisonous snakes), Rizzoli seeks the help of Det. Korsak. Alas, due to a newly formed crush on the cute coffee shop owner down the street, he’s not his typically insightful self. Fortunately, Jane’s rather freaky night terror vision sets the case back on track. Check out the episode here for all the tension-filled goodness. Big surprises ahead, R&I fans. I wouldn’t BS ya on this! (*)

(*) I am contractually obligated by Showcase and its parent company Shaw Media to not BS you on this.

Speaking of all things romantic, Angela Rizzoli decides to do a little matchmaking by setting up daughter Jane with Lt. Grant (Wahlberg!). And not to tell tales out of school, but one of them’s wearing a pretty darn sexy dress. (*)

(*) For those of you that guessed Wahlberg, I’m very disappointed in your deductive reasoning abilities.

“Actually, that is a gun in my pocket, Rizzoli – I’m still on duty.”

Season 1, episode 4: ‘She Works Hard for the Money.’ The gist: Jane and Maura probe the murder of Danielle – a straight-A student attending college on a soccer scholarship. No easy investigation since there weren’t any witnesses. Plus, given how much Americans hate watching soccer, Danielle could have been in the middle of a game and there’d likely be no witnesses.

“Ma’am, any idea why this girl would play a sport so impossibly awful?”

Things get stranger when Jane and Frost find out Danielle had actually lost her scholarship due to an ankle injury. Which is odd, given she somehow managed to pay her tuition in full, to the tune of nearly 60K. How? Well, the episode’s right here, my friend; take a gander and revel in all the “holy sh*t” moments in store for you. (*)

(*) Not to toot my own horn, but I’m quite pleased with my semi-colon use in that last sentence.

Meanwhile, life gives Mama Angela Rizzoli a big ol’ lemon to turn into lemonade. Although in this case, the lemon actually is a lemon. That is to say it’s one seriously crappy used car with smoke rising from the hood. Fortunately, when your tough-as-nails police officer daughter joins you for a chat with the dealer who sold you said lemon, things get mighty interesting mighty quickly.

                                                                  “Put it in H!”

R&I Post-Mortem:

-- Maura’s eccentricities are sexier than usual in these episodes. Well, with the exception of her penchant for keeping munchies in the body parts freezer.
-- Quotey Rizzoli: (Crazy Mom Edition)
Rizzoli: Damn it, I’m late for dinner! My mom's gonna kill me!
Det. Frost: You were firebombed, Jane. It's a good excuse.
Jane: Yeah, you don't know my mother.
-- Full disclosure: my aversion to soccer may stem from the fact I was forced to play it for 4 years as a kid. Below is a photo of my greatest accomplishment: a 1982 Consolation Round Runner-up trophy. If there’s a greater sports award than that, I don’t wanna know about it.

         I played the entire game shaking that guy’s hand – no easy feat in those days.

Win Royal Pains Seasons 1 and 2 on DVD - Week 3

Kirk Hooper — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:49:00 GMT

It's time again for our weekly Royal Pains contest, where we're giving away the first to seasons of the show on DVD. To enter, all you have to do is to figure out which episode the following still came from:

Send your answers to webmaster@showcase.ca (with "ROYAL PAINS CONTEST" in the subject line) -- we'll contact this week's winner by January 31, 2012. (Click here for full rules, regulations, and eligibility). And don't forget to check back next week for the next installment of this contest!

You can watch season three of Royal Pains on Showcase, Wednesdays at 10pm. As always, you can catch up on episodes you've missed on the Showcase video page.