'Defiance: Down in the Ground Where the Dead Men Go,' 2013, SyFy Channel. Written by Kevin Murphy and Anupam Nigam. Directed by Michael Nankin. Starring Grant Bowler, Julie Benz, and Stephanie Leonidas. Rated TV-14 for language, sexual situations, and violence.
In this episode, we're surprised to find out that Ben (Douglas Nyback) isn't dead, after all. He's 'jump-started' by a dangerous drug known as vrytex and given new orders: he's to follow the 'old plan.' This means stealing some gulamite, going underground, and setting off a bomb (created by the gulamite) to release radiation to kill the townspeople of Defiance. Nolan (Grant Bowler, pictured far left), Rafe (Graham Greene), and some other miners go underground to stop him.
Meanwhile, the Castithans are having a cleansing ceremony for Elah Bandik (Robert Clarke), an admitted coward. The ceremony, which involves torture, unsettles a number of people, particularly Irisa (Stephanie Leonidas, pictured far left). But Mayor Amanda Rosewater (Julie Benz) is reluctant to stop it due to a previous tragedy. So Irisa takes matters into her own hands.
Will Rafe get revenge for his son's death? Will Elah survive the torture? Will Irisa get away with trying to save Elah, or will convention rule out? These questions are answered, but we're still left with unfinished business, like why is former mayor Nicky trying to kill everyone in Defiance? Guess we'll just have to keep watching to find out.
Family Guide: Washington, DC, 2012, DK, $25.00, softbound, 255 pages. Category/Genre: travel. Cover: makes you want to open the book. Where we got it: bought it. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million.
If you're planning on going to Washington, DC with your kids -- or if you're looking for a research book to help you write about Washington, DC -- then this could be the right book for you.
This guide provides practical information (such as getting round, accommodations, health, etc.) along with expert recommendations for sightseeing with kids.
There are also some really nice colour photographs, along with interesting facts about Washington -- facts which adults will enjoy as much as their kids will. For instance, the book says that Abraham Lincoln's shoe size was a staggering 14 -- whereas the average shoe size for a man is 10 1/2.
Each chapter has a 'best of' feature followed by key sights in the area and ideas on where to eat, drink, and have more fun. There are sections on 'Washington, DC on a budget,' 'Washington, DC by season,' 'Three days in Washington, DC,' and 'Theatrical Washington, DC.'
There's information on getting to your destination, whether you're going by air, bus, car, or rail.
If you like this one, try: Frommer's Washington, DC 2012 by Elise Hartman Ford; The Rough Guide to Washington, DC by Jules Brown and J.D. Dickey.
'Swinging on a Star,' Bing Crosby, MCA. Cover: good. We don't have the CD jacket, so don't know if it comes with lyrics or not, but except for not knowing Latin, this may not matter; Crosby's voice and enunciation are so clear that you'll probably understand every word.
Our parents instilled in us a love of Bing Crosby's music, so this album is sentimental and special to us. Perhaps predictably, it has a bent towards romance: 'Moonlight Becomes You' (which shows off Crosby's voice nicely), 'Constantly,' 'Sunday, Monday or Always,' and 'The Day After Forever' are all romantic, as is 'If You Please,' which has some truly poetic lyrics.
There are also some really upbeat songs: 'Road to Morocco,' with Bob Hope, is one of our favourites. Then there's 'Ain't Got a Dime to My Name,' about a guy who's free and doesn't care that he's broke; the slower (but still happy) 'Going My Way'; and 'Swinging on a Star,' a quirky song which tells kids to stay on the straight and narrow if they want to grow up right.
There are two Christmas classics, 'Ave Maria' (to which Crosby's voice is well suited) and 'Silent Night.' We also like 'Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (An Irish Lullaby),' which Crosby does as appropriately soft and tender.
Favourite lyrics include: 'We may run into villains but we're not afraid to roam/Because we read the story and we end up safe at home (yeah)/Certainly do get around/Like Webster's Dictionary we're Morocco bound' ('Road to Morocco'); 'Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral/Too-ra-loo-ra-li/Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral/That's an Irish lullaby' ('Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral'); and all of 'Silent Night.'
