Episode 19: "Blackwater"
Original Air Date: May 27, 2012.
Directed by: Neil Marshall.
Written by: George R. R. Martin.
Tonight we get a real treat, folks. We get an epic film director in Neil Marshall, a super fan of the show who came in at the last minute to save HBO's bacon when the originally planned director bowed out. And lucky for us, too, since he would end up directing what book readers all knew was going to be an amazing battle-TASTIC hour of television! But best of all we get the author of the books himself, George R. R. Martin, adapting his own work in writing the teleplay. George wrote last season's episode 8: "The Pointy End," but could he do the impossible and write an episode to surpass that one?
For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted a job. You know, to work hard at something and be paid for my troubles. When I was a kid, I couldn't wait to grow up and earn my way through life. I thought having a steady paycheck coming in was pretty much the end all of everything, and I wanted to be part of that law-abiding, tax paying citizenry which makes up the backbone of this country.
Unfortunately, I had no connections in my family. Zip. No one who knew anyone looking for a hard worker with no experience. So when I hit 14 years old--the legal age for working (albeit part time) in this country--I had very few options available to me. The only job opportunities for young teenagers with no work experience or family connections are pretty much limited to retail--and cashier positions at that. Unfortunately, everywhere I looked only wanted girls for cashiers. And I was too young to work in the stock room stocking shelves, a job relegated to the older boys who were bigger and could lift more.
Add to this the fact that I lived in one of the most densely populated cities in the world, which means I had to deal with a lot of competition for very few openings in the job market. It was not pretty. Still, through sheer determination and perhaps just a touch of obstinacy, I eventually did find a job and the rest was history.
Or was it?
What I didn't know at the time, but was about to embark on a long journey of self-discovery to find out, is that: sometimes just getting a job is not enough. Because there are jobs, and then there are jobs. And sometimes those jobs become careers. And sometimes you end up hating your career and going through a mid-life crisis. I'm not at the point where I've reached the latter (thankfully), but I have had a hard road of it to reach where I am today.
Yes, I'm fully aware that today is not in fact Monday. But seeing as how I just got back from taking a few days off, it feels like a Monday to my mind. And one's state of mind is really what's important, wouldn't you agree?
Since I was out of touch with the interwebs for the most part during this brief hiatus, I was surprised by a couple of new developments in movie land while I was away. One good, one bad . . . and one interesting little tidbit.
I will, of course, start with THE BAD first. And it's an infuriating bad for me:
3-D Can Go Suck A Big One!
Yes, I regret to say that G.I. Joe: Retaliation, the second installment in the live-action series, has become the latest casualty of the idiotic 3-D push by Hollywood execs. Now, let me see if I can get this straight. See, this movie was looking pretty awesome. As some of you may recall, I gushed about it right here on this blog a few months back. Unlike the first film which was an all-around turd, I actually thought this one was shaping up to be the movie us fans had been waiting for. But now we're going to have to wait a very long time to get our Joe fix. A lot longer, in fact.
Originally slated to appear in theaters next month, G.I. Joe: Retaliation has now been pushed all the way back until March of 2013 -- that's NEXT YEAR, folks!
WTF?
And why is this being done? All so that the movie--already filmed and in the can, mind you--can get retrofitted with a new 3-D transfer. That's right. A film that has already finished being made and which was damn near ready to see release in theaters will be shelved for nearly 9 months so that the film execs can slap a 3-D certificate on it and charge a buttload more money on ticket prices.
I got your NO-DEE right heeere!
There's some other mumbo-jumbo the film execs are mouthing to justify this stupidity, but honestly talking about it here is only going to make me angrier. So, if you really want to read all the little details, check out the full story by clicking on the link right here.
This is some BULL SHIT!!!
And now on to the INTERESTING tidbit I mentioned earlier:
There Can Be [Maybe] Only One [Remake]!
Now normally the news of one of my most beloved 80s movies being rebooted would fall firmly under the "FURIOUS HEATED HATRED OF A THOUSANDS SUNS" category here on The Bimillennial Man . . . but honestly I've had a while to deal with this news and the remake of the 1986 cult classic, Highlander, no longer infuriates me like it did over a year ago when I first learned of this. But, what I am intrigued about is the most recent news over who The Powers That Be may cast as their titular hero. None other than Mr. Van Wilder himself--Ryan Reynolds!!!
This news seems to have met with a lot of anguish and hostile resistance from Highlander fans and non-fans alike, but I actually like the idea. Why? Well, because I always felt the franchise could do better with a little more thought and effort--and, hell, MONEY--put into it. Now RR being in the movie doesn't automatically mean we'll get either of these three things, but it's a good start. He's a fairly well-known name and has been in some big time popular movies (Blade III, Wolverine, Green Lantern . . . Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle). And plus, I actually like Ryan Reynolds! He's played some cool roles, and can do both drama and action perfectly fine.
He may be Immortal, but does he have inside him blood of kings?
And if he brings a little bit of comedic timing to some of the scenes, so what? Ain't nothing wrong with a little humor. Even Christopher "heh heh, what kept you!" Lambert infused a little mirth into the original role. So bite me, people! I for one would love for this news to be true. Unfortunately, Mr. Reynolds has only shown a cursory interest in the role. He's a busy dude these days, so it's possible he won't be taking on the kilt and fake brogue of our noble hero after all. But he has read for the role, and for that I'm hopeful. You can click here to read more if you like.
And now for THE GOOD:
The Name's . . . Skyfall.
Finally! As a huge James Bond fan--and an even HUGER Daniel Craig as James Bond fan--I'm so happy that they've decided to release a trailer at long last for the next installment in the franchise, Skyfall. It's slated to hit theaters on November 9th later this year, but get your sneak peek below to tide you over until then:
Oh man, this is just what I need! I'm so thrilled by what I'm seeing so far. I love the two shots fired while crossing laterally across the room in a suit. How freakin BOSS is that? I'm especially excited because Javier Bardem has been cast as the baddie this time around. And also because the director is none other than Sam Mendes, of American Beauty, Jarhead, and Road to Perdition fame. While his mixed pedigree of films might give some cause to worry, I actually have great confidence in this guy's talents. Can't wait to see if I'm proven right! Looking at the trailer alone, I get the feeling that this will be an even darker installment than the last two Daniel Craig-starring Bond flicks were.
Episode 18: "The Prince of Winterfell"
Original Air Date: May 20, 2012.
Directed by: Alan Taylor.
Written by: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss.
RECAP.
Again, I'm dividing up this week's recap not by scene, but by location. And whereas last week I started in Qarth and worked my way north to Jon Snow, this week I will do the opposite and start beyond the Wall working my way south. Since I gave you all free license to sound your disgust for this format in last week's comments section and only one of you did, you have only yourselves to blame if this arrangement doesn't exactly float your boat. Me, I think it makes for shorter recaps, which is a blessing on my fingers.
Episode 17: "A Man Without Honor"
Original Air Date: May 13, 2012.
Directed by: David Nutter.
Written by: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss.
RECAP.
I'm going to do something a little different this week. Instead of a recap covering every single scene as they occur chronologically in the episode, I'm dividing it up by locations on the overworld map instead--taking a general northwesterly sweep starting from the continent of Essos across the Narrow Sea. I'm hoping this will make the recap portion much shorter. Not to mention it should be easier to connect plot developments specific to each location, and facilitate remembering certain key facts without jumping from place to place like a flea with Alzheimer's.
If you don't enjoy this format, please remember to sound off in the comments section at the end. I welcome all feedback. And so, let us now begin . . .
Found this pic posted up on Facebook this morning by several writer friends of mine, and I just had to share here because of how remarkably apt it is--especially for me. I mean, wow! You wouldn't know it, but I'm amazed that I meet 7 of the 9 prerequisites here, and have come close to or will eventually meet the remaining two requirements.
Holy hell! Of course, I won't be giving away the details of just which 7 I meet. But I can admit that, sadly, all of the negative ones have already happened to me. And that's all I'm going to say on that front.
Still, this comic strip reminds me of something one of my writing instructors once told me; a poignant lesson I've never forgotten. It was after I had taken a huge break of some 8 years from writing after graduating from college. I asked this instructor why, after so many years of almost no writing, did I suddenly have so much to say and write about? And her response was that sometimes we have nothing worthwhile to write about until we've gone out into the world and lived real life for a couple of years. In other words, our every day experiences shape us--for better or for worse--in ways that can directly correlate to our writing. The more of life's harsh lessons you live through, the more your writing takes on a nuance and discipline you might never have enjoyed before as a novice student.
Now, this is not to say that you had to have personally lived through a Shakespearean tragedy in order to become a good writer, no. However, I will say that age and experience has certainly changed the way that I write my stories now. The stories I wrote in my teen years were whimsical and full of cliches. And while the stuff I write today is still on the far-fetched and tropish side of things to some extent, I have noticed that my writing is oftentimes morally ambiguous now. My protagonists are not always these white-bread paragons of truth and justice, nor are my villains so simply evil for evil's sake. Or at least, I try not to make them so. I still get burned every now and then by my critique group (especially for my thinly constructed antagonists at times), but for the most part my writing reflects the increasingly complex moral world I find myself co-inhabiting with roughly 4.4 billion other hairless apes on this planet. Do any of us really know what we're doing in life? Do we???
Anyway, enough navel gazing for now. In other news . . . expect my weekly Game of Thrones recap to be a little late. I simply haven't had a chance to watch last Sunday's episode yet. But when I do, you'll be the first to hear about it.
In the meantime: how about you? Does this comic strip reflect your own path to becoming a writer? I mean, is your cat really that loyal? Really?
Episode 16: "The Old Gods and the New"
Original Air Date: May 6, 2012.
Directed by: David Nutter.
Written by: Vanessa Taylor.
At the end of last week's review, I mentioned how there had been some rumblings among the general viewership that things were getting a little too dark in this show for some viewers to handle. And I remarked that nothing we've seen so far would come close to how dark the storyline will truly get if they continued to stick with the books.
This week we got a chance to see those words come true. Seven Hells, this was one brutal episode! And yet, it makes my heart sing. For this is exactly the tone of the books! This episode came closest to capturing the dark, twisted brilliance of the author's mind than any other this season and before. Yes, exactly.
So let us get started, shall we? Let us find out how . . .
Episode 15: "The Ghost of Harrenhal"
Air Date: April 29, 2012.
Directed by: David Petrarca.
Written by: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss.
Oooh, a chilling title for what I'm sure will be a chilling episode, especially given how last week's showing, "Garden of Bones," ended on such a deliciously dark and horrific note. Knowing what I already know about which parts of the book tonight's episode roughly covers, I sat down in front of the tube already expecting a few more gruesome killings than usual for this show. And one notable death in particular. But, I'm getting ahead of things. Let us begin from the, er, beginning . . .
The mid-season finale of South Park aired this past Wednesday, and what a pleasant surprise it was to find a Game of Thrones reference thrown in there:
So I guess this confirms that Trey Parker and Matt Stone are Thrones fans. Kewl! And is it just me, or did anyone wish that Cartman would just shut up and let Mr. Garrison carry on with his lecture in peace? It was certainly a more entertaining history lesson than I ever remember receiving in primary school.
On a side note, please excuse the bizarre sound quality. I don't know how this guy recorded this clip, but the voices are a bit off. Also, I would imagine this will be taken down from Youtube in short order, so get in while you still can--and enjoy!
Due to unforeseen circumstances and a hectic schedule, I won't be able to bring you this week's recap of Game of Thrones. But, have no fear, for my good buddy Rodney Lopez--aka, Dilking--will be picking up the slack in the meantime with his own take on the episode. Please show him the same courtesy you would myself, and look for me to add my own 2 cents in the comments section below. And for those of you wondering, no this won't be a permanent thing (I hope). If it all works out well on my end, I plan to be back with next week's recap.
Okay, the Bimillennial Man has determined that these GoT recaps are taking way too much time. So in an effort to keep them alive, I, Dilking, have submitted this recap in his absence to keep the series rolling.
Also, please pardon the drop in writing quality, I'm a gifted amateur at best when it comes to writing, (and I've NEVER read the books) but I'm willing to help out a friend in need. And now, onto the recap!!
Well folks, I hate to have to say this: but I've been too busy of late to find the time to write this week's recap of Game of Thrones.
What you say? This cannot be. Someone set up us the bomb! (Don't worry if you don't get the geeky reference, it's an old interwebs meme from back around the dawn of the new millennium.)
But grab your towels and RELAX! Don't Panic! (Yes, more geeky references) Because I'm here to tell you: you're still covered! See, I have awesome friends. And one of the things which makes a friend awesome is being there for you when you are down. And into that role steps in my very good friend, Rodney Lopez! He will be guest blogging here tomorrow with his own take on this past Sunday's episode of my favorite show and yours while I'm busy with other matters. I really hope you can all extend a warm welcoming embrace and don't pull any of those substitute teacher shenanigans while I'm away. Because you wouldn't like me when I'm angry, would you? No, you probably wouldn't.
Rod, aka "Dilking," and I go way back to our Academy days in Starfleet (that's college to the rest of you), and we share many of the same interests in books, movies, games . . . and of course, television shows. You may recognize him from the comments section on this blog, as he's been a guest here since pretty much Day 1. And like me, he's an ardent fan of Game of Thrones, although he has never read the books the show is based on.
Personally, I think this is a good thing. Rod will guide you through Episode 14: "Garden of Bones" as fresh as the driven snows of the North. He's just handed in the finished draft of his report, and I'm currently adding on some personal touches and screen grabs to the whole shebang. But I can tell you already -- it is DAMN GOOD!
And, hey, while you wait -- why don't you head on over to Rodney's blog, Deliberations Of Dilking, and check him out? It should become fairly obvious in short order why we two are friends. And in the meantime, here is a lovely message from everybody's favorite and most charming boy king to tide you over:
Episode 13: "What Is Dead May Never Die"
Air Date: April 15, 2012.
Directed by: Alik Sakharov
Written by: Bryan Cogman
RECAP.
As has been the trend starting with this season, all new episodes start off exactly where the previous ones end. So where last week we left off with Craster clocking Jon Snow something fierce on the noggin, this week we begin with the old coot dragging the emo Night Watchman by his ear back to his "keep." Furious with the actions of the one man, Craster hands Lord Commader Mormont and his men their walking papers. Outside, looking like he just walked off the set of Spartacus, Jon Snow is getting bandaged up by his good friend, Sam. Aww, Sam -- you're such the perfect wing man. This Bud's for you! Mormont chews his understudy out, but when Jon tells him what he saw Craster do in the woods, the Commander's eyes tell him he's playing a broken record. Turns out the Night's Watch has always known about Craster sacrificing his sons. Sacrificing to who or what, no one really cares. He tells Jon that the wildlings worship some pretty frightening gods, and its best not to get involved. There's some heavy stuff at work out there in the wilds of the Far North. Things they will have to face themselves soon. And men like Craster, well, they're all the friends a ranger's got behind the Wall. Yeah, but with friends like these . . .
The Nintendo Entertainment System--or NES as it's commonly referred--is one of the most legendary home gaming consoles ever to be launched. Not the most successful selling console of all time (that would be Sony's PlayStation 2), but definitely one of the de-facto, most talked about systems to come up in conversation whenever important milestones in gaming history are discussed. Although Atari and the Commodore 64 came out before it, and the Playstation 1 after, no one can deny that the NES is where the huge multi-billion dollar gaming industry of today really secured its footing in the hearts of countless eager young kids (and not just a few adults) back in the mid 80s.
Meet Henri -- Henri "le chat noir." Henri is a very depressed black cat, full of apathy and ennui. Happiness in the midst of routine everyday life eludes him, even as he's surrounded by luxuries, freedom (or sometimes lack thereof), and loving caretakers who try their best. In other words, Henri is . . . very, very FRENCH!
Of course, I jest. I have nothing against the French. Lovely people, really. These short-short films by one Will Braden are actually a hoot, voiced over in Henri's horrible French and just too adorable to ignore. They remind me of every pretentious French art film I've ever tried to sit through and failed. But if you live with or otherwise adore cats like I do, you'll no doubt get a kick out of the original Henri video as well as its sequel, Henri 2: Paws de Deux:
I believe Will put together this popular Youtube video 5 years ago, which as you know is a terribly long time in cat years. The sequel was just released a few days ago, and Henri is visibly older but no less apathetic with his life. And his French has not much improved either, poor kitty! On the flip side, he does have a new energetic white companion to share in his misery:
I've been cracking up to these videos all morning. I love them!
Over at Winter Is Coming.net, regular contributor Fire and Blood, aka (FaBio), has gone and collected all the Twitter tweets from the night Ep. 12 "The Night Lands" aired. Click here to read the full collection of what regular viewers like me and you had to say as they watched the episode, intercut with FaB's colorful commentary. People say the funniest things about this show, which is just the epitome of cool and says a lot about its popularity. Go on click, I guarantee you'll enjoy these.
In fact, here are some of my favorites:
"@tmunzar: You know a TV Show kicks major ass if you never ever skip it’s opening theme and credits." "@Paco_ICEandFIRE: LMAO OMG EAT HER FISH PIE!!! THATS ALL VARYS WOULD BE ABLE TO DO ACTUALLY!" "@PaleGirlSquad: Holy crap! Theon is of the House of Cthulhu!!!" "@HEELSherrod: Greyjoys have an epic ass den! release the Chimney!!!!" "@AustinH_24seven: The next time I compliment someone’s clothing, I’m going to follow up by asking if they paid the iron price for it." "@MelRedPriestess: Melisandre is dark and full of Stannis." "@YgrittetheWild: Well, Stannis certainly screwed over Westeros. #GOT140 #puns." "@FYWinterfell: Jon Snow! Why are you going out there? Jon Snow, you know nothing!" "@LoriTweets: Oh, Jon. The thing about Starks: they always get caught investigating shit. SEND SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT." "@eddywards84: Is there anyone that knows whats going on in #GameOfThrones or am I just thick?"
LOL! at that last comment. Some people need to pay closer attention than others, methinks. Game of Thrones isn't the type of show you check Facebook and update your contacts on your mobile while watching. I personally watch it with the lights off and my eyes GLUED to the tv screen for the entire hour. Nothing disturbs me during this time. Nothing!
Air Date: April 8, 2012.
Directed by: Alan Taylor
Written by: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss.
RECAP.
This week we get a new addition to the title map sequence. After Dragonstone, last week's newcomer, we're sent on to Pyke and the Iron Islands, the seat of House Greyjoy. My, but those bridges swaying back and forth between each fortified crag sure do look DANGEROUS!
And here we are at last. The one show I've been waiting for to return above all others. The Walking Dead? Mad Men? True Blood? None of them have anything on my very favorite show, Game of Thrones! And yet, I wasn't so sure I would get around to writing my impressions of each episode like I did for Season 1 around this time last year.
After watching the first episode of this new season, however, all doubts were erased. How could I not talk about such a fantastic show? For those not in the know, Season 2 is based largely, but not solely, on Book 2 in the A Song of Ice and Fire series titled: A Clash of Kings, and written by George R. R. Martin. ACoK is about the war of the five kings--five men (well four men and one very delusional teenager) who claim the Iron Throne of Westeros for their own. The backdrop to the second book is a strange crimson comet suddenly appearing in the skies immediately after the birth of Daenerys Targaryen's three dragons, portending many different prophecies depending on who you ask. Is it a sign for good, or an omen for evil? Again, it depends on whom you ask.
One mysterious woman arrives in Westeros from across the Narrow Sea with an answer. In many ways, although we've never met her before now, this woman will serve as linchpin to all that gets going this season. Her manipulations will lead to a repositioning of the entire map of war currently being waged between only two factions, but which will flare up to consume the entirety of the Seven Kingdoms before long.
Come along with me as we begin what promises to be a memorable season of extraordinary television unlike any seen before it. There will be much to discuss, I am sure.
No, not Winter. Although I like what you did there . . .
Yes, I caved in. I have watched the first episode of Season 2 of Game of Thrones -- and I LOVED IT!!!
So this has given me the energy to get off my rear and kick things into motion. I am even now writing up my recap and impressions of the episode, and will acquire the appropriate screencaps to go along with the review. Look for it sometime tonight or tomorrow. More than likely tomorrow. LATE tomorrow.
What can I say, there's a lot to be said about this whopper of a premiere. Hooo-boy!
The lovely Kim Kasch over at The Writer's Blog tagged me with this meme. And while I usually avoid these things like the plague, I decided not to be such a grouch this *ONE* time and actually play along.
Anyway, here's how the meme goes:
1. Go to page 77 of your current manuscript.
2. Go to line 7.
3. Copy the next 7 sentences exactly how they're written. No cheating!
4. Tag 7 other writers to pass this meme on to.
Now my current novel WIP doesn't yet have an official title, but it's based on the 1990 Nintendo game from Konami, Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse. Some of you may recall this project from a while back here. While I haven't been able to work on it lately as much as I would like, I do at least have more than enough pages written to fulfill these requirements. So here goes. This is taken from the middle of Chapter 5, where my demon hunter and his erstwhile companion find themselves in dire straits:
"Even as his mind panicked he registered another flash of lightning, this time striking the very ground behind the creature’s feet. Before he could make sense of the peculiar nature of the approaching storm, however, the Cyclops shook him mightily as if to dislodge every bone within his body.
"Trevor groaned and struggled against the stone grip around his throat. His vision swam as he fought for air, all the while staring into that solitary unblinking eye looming so large above him. Grant screamed at him as if from far away, but a rising din in his ears drowned out the mariner's words. Whatever they were, it seemed terribly important.
"With the last measure of strength left to him, Trevor brought both fists to bear against that huge orb."
Hmmm, it's been a while since I've visited this scene. I don't even remember how long ago I wrote this. I'm currently writing chapter 12, just for reference. And, no, I did NOT cheat! This is exactly how the 7th line of the 77th page begins. But it's amazing how it begins on a new paragraph, isn't it? I lucked out! And the scene actually still makes sense within the constrictions of this meme. Kewl!
Now tell me, does this make you want to read more? Does it?
I don't have 7 writing friends to rub together. At least, not 7 who are blogging and also in the midst of writing a novel. So I'm going to skip that part. However, if you are one of those friends and you are reading this, please assume I tagged you and, well -- hop to it, buster! And don't forget to inform us of your efforts below in the comments section.
And again, thanks Kim for the tag. You're the best!
Yes, the second season of Game of Thrones has begun. Episode 11 aired last night, and . . . I have not watched it yet. GASP!
I know, right?
Unfortunately, I have it saved on my DVR but won't have the time to watch the episode until sometime later in the week. Don't cry for me, Argentina. I'll be okay. But damn if I'm not just itching to tear into this season! I've been listening to the soundtrack on iTunes something approaching fevered fanaticism all day to make up for it. Still, I must not give in until I can properly devote the necessary time for appreciation and enjoyment of what I've been waiting an entire year to see. I think I can make it . . .
I've let it slip to a few people that I won't be writing those wildly popular Game of Thrones reaction posts this season. Even though that series generated (and still does, in fact) this site's highest numbers to date, I simply don't have the time to spare like I did last year for such an exhausting undertaking. Those things took a lot out of me to write, man!
But, you know, now I regret saying anything. I've been getting a lot bemoaning and gnashing of teeth from my friends to keep it going, and what can I say? I'm a sucker for earnest persuasion.
So, this is my way of saying not to give up hope just yet. I may just have it in me to put up some sort of recap/analysis post each week. But don't hold me to that commitment just yet. I want to watch the first episode of this new season first, then see how I feel about it. If I do decide to go through with this, it won't be in the same format as last year. I know, I know . . . some of you got quite a kick out of my on the fly reactions to each scene. But that just won't do this time. I found that I ended up spending more time taking notes with each episode rather than just sitting back and enjoying it as it aired. And that just can't be allowed anymore.
This time, if I write anything about my reaction to the episode at hand, it will be in the form of a detailed recap followed at the end by my personal opinions on what I just saw. I can't promise witty, I can't promise hilarity. But I can promise that I will do my best to encapsulate all the good points about the show and make it more clear certain elements or whole scenes that might escape fans who are not as familiar with the books as I am. I've been hearing from some friends that this first episode of the new season in particular is very hard to follow for those not familiar with the names of all the new characters being introduced.
Yeah, I can see how that might be difficult to take in on the first showing. So if I can, I would like to make things easier for those of you who love the show and visit this blog.
Hmmm, talking about all this now makes me more ready to make it so! See what you guys do to me? :)
If you have seen this Sunday's episode already and want to talk about it in the comments below, please feel free to do so. Remember, I've read all the books--more than once, in fact--and there isn't possibly anything you can spoil for me. If you have any questions about what you saw, ask away, too! I don't need to have seen the episode to know what you are asking about. I already did as much for a co-worker of mine today who had a lot of questions concerning a certain mysterious red-headed newcomer this season.
