Arrow "Pilot" Review - Lost and Found

Imagine the prospect of the superhero that has your back. Except Oliver Queen has his own agenda, focused on corruption in the heart of where he grew up. Many would know Arrow from Justin Hartley's representation on Smallville, but the pilot was far from that persona. There is a dark edgier side to Arrow which probably caused the writers to strip away the 'green' image. He is a many shades of grey Arrow and as the creators explained, they need to go in that direction.

Stephen Amell has a lot going for him other than his rocking bod. He introduces a new perspective to a hero complex that is more human than anyone would expect. Off the comic pages the pilot opens to a mad man running through what seemed like a deserted island. You hear 'mad man' because that was my first impression of this person with a long beard, dirty musky face and ruffled clothing suited for time deserted on an island. Did a picture of Toma Hanks's "Cast Away" come to mind? This movie showcased the length a man can endure for survival.

Unlike any traditional story, Oliver was lost and not in the literal sense. He had probably lost his sense of humanity, shooting arrows that created an instant fire. How long was he there? What happened to this lost man? Already you form a connection with the plot. When Oliver alerted a random boat off coast to help his escape, his transformation back home was flawless. Does he now shake off the years of struggle that caused his hard appearance. His body aimed to be the perfection women fall for, but he was far from perfect. His bruises protruding through the cracks.

We learn this lost man had a family; a mother and sister, but we did not know what he had lost. Five years is a long time to survive. A long time to watch over your own back and to be alone. No one really knew from his return how much Oliver suffered. His scars alone tell you a story, or even a cautionary tale. We were introduced to Oliver's new life. Everyone else had time to move on, build a career, start a family and waste their lives away. It's difficult to put yourself in the frame mind of this boy turned man. Some people take longer to grow up.

We also learn from some well placed flashbacks, that Oliver was spoiled-rich. His ex-girlfriend Laurel now despises him for sleeping with her sister and blames him for her death. Every emotion is expected.

"Did you even try to save her"

Words uttered from Sara's father as the memories of his daughter filled his brain causing him to act irrationally. Already I wonder why this man was put on Oliver's case, when Oliver was abducted. He's too close to the matter. 'A man in a hood' Nowadays anything is possible. Why the hood? Why so specific? Does it represent an icon of what he was on the island? Can we say that Oliver is sane? He witnessed his father's suicide so that he could barely survive. Is there something slightly off about Oliver's prophecies? Maybe his time on the island made him the opposite of insane. Maybe he's more focused on what his father tried to tell him.

There were also two identities Oliver portrayed; the strong alpha male out to make his city right and the arrogant boy. He showed us his true identity. It's clever watching Oliver train his body then execute relentlessly and escape someone who was looking out for him. This series provides so many arcs for exploration that you lavish at the many possibilities. The strength of this series also lies in the family ties. Learning his mother moved on, you can somewhat understand, but it was troubling to accept. Along with his sister's escapades.

As Arrow risked his neck for his first mission, we can only see a taste of what is to come. As a pilot, Arrow not only pulls you in, but pushes you along for the ride. You dare not touch that remote, because one missed scene would feel as though you missed out so much. Lurking in the dark in the end, Oliver/Arrow may have discovered his ex and his best friend's affair. Still it only seeks to add layers to this already complex character.

Series Premiere "Pilot"
5 Stars

Lexa


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The Good Wife "Here comes the Judge" Review

In the game of politics, it sometimes creates a perception that you had not yet considered. The Good Wife creates thought provoking topics that pulls you in either way. Sometimes you can't look away. In 'Here comes the Judge' Will certainly could not run away from his past. Even though he is hardly seen lately this season, his contribution to law comes with a wittiness. Which eventually ties everything to this game politics encourages, where there is one side that tries to win you over.

Lockhart/ Gardner vs The State Attorney's Laura Hellinger

Laura is sinking into her role well. She even bested the firm. We've seen The Good Wife deliver some thought provoking cases and this one was minor. We did not get a sense of who their client was, nor did we care to. The accused seemed guilty without even saying a word. The guy she influenced to have kill her husband , seemed so one dimensional. Maybe she saw that and easily manipulated him. However, this was one case Lockhart/Gardner took because of the money needed to get out of debt. Which probably explains the lack of knowledge towards her true innocence? Shouldn't Kalinda been on that?

Since the case bore little importance, none of those questions mattered. The focus shifted to the judge. For the first time in a while, Will ran into his old flame Giada, coincidentally around the judge that was presiding over his case. Giada was the law student Will got in trouble with as a 'pretend judge'. Which is uncanny as she returns during Will's confrontation with the judge in front of her. Does Giada have a thing for judges? Who knows. I just couldn't care for Will's relationship with her. No offense but $180 for a glass of wine, could Will really afford that luxury at this point?

The States Attorney's office had a decent lawyer. Alicia got Laura the job, but wouldn't that be a conflict of interest? Alicia could soon ask to have her removed, but I doubt that. Could these women separate their professional lives from personal. I wondered why the writers kept Laura as a recurring character. Is it to start to build on her as a potential love interest for Will? There was definitely chemistry. It's funny, one day the firm is representing her and the next she putting them out to dry. All in the name of doing her job.

The Judge Recusal Banter

Here comes the judge; was there any relation to 'here comes the bride'. At least that is the first thing that comes to mind. Walking into something you may not know the entire outcome yet. Here there were similar parallels. Will crossed the judge and asked for him to recuse himself and he traveled down unknown territory that could have ended very badly for the firm. Maybe it still did. If Lockhart/Gardner needed a favor from a judge, then they may have to wait a while. The judge seemed drunk when he spoke to Will about the case and Will encouraged it. Will could have walked away, but the judge did speak in contempt of him.

Who knew of the fallout from Will's six moth probation? Will made a human error and is being outed for it. Sometimes going back to undo the wrong, doesn't distract from the problem being there before. I hoped Giada would testify in Will defense. The judge was rude. Did he forget speaking with Will? Did he even remember meeting him? This was a serious prelude to the problems the judge had and it only sought to make matters worse.

Alicia and her Children

Finally we get another look at Alicia's children. Zach working for the campaign team and Grace, well that was an interesting way to open this episode. I wasn't sure about the direction the team was going with Grace's storyline, but it is interesting to have her feel connection to this new guy because of another Grace's death. It was however odd that the guy started to somewhat date another girl named Grace. I hope Grace's relationship with this guy doesn't impact on her negatively. How creepy it was to have the other campaign teams follow her to school. That's a low, still in politics, that's the game played to win more votes.

Kalinda and her Men

Why would Kalinda have any interaction with Cary that suggests flirtation when her husband was in plain sight. She knows the jealous side to him. A lot of people have resented this storyline for Kalinda. As opposed to adding a few layers, it made her look weaker. We can assume that Kalinda doesn't know the meaning of a functional relationship. Maybe her husband was one of her firsts, but it would help this case along if we found out how they met. Poor Cary, he didn't have a chance. It was a sad way to treat someone.

Although this was not my favorite episode in reference to case of the week, we got some development in characters and a possible storyline for Grace, let's hope this works out for the better.

4 Stars

Lexa


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Adult Teenage Relationships we Either Love to Hate or just Hate

Now and again I think back to high school and the many series that try to represent that time spent. Most of the shows now exploit relationships, highlight the downfalls of student awkwardness and express the enjoyment in rebelling as a teen. It is something that just makes us human. Lately however, there has been a glamorization towards the student-teacher relationship. Where the hot older dude falls for the teen in school and they both cannot resist the temptation of being all over each other. This can point to the many stories we've probably concocted among each other, about the professor and Miss thing hooking up after school hours, but is it something we live to fantasize about at that age? Or just another one of those eh moments.


Here's a look at the older-younger, student-teacher love affairs that have been highlighted on television. You be the judge, should they date and play age as just a number, or should they just dump each other for the relationship being just too creepy.

Gossip Girl 

Nate and Diana Payne

Remember these two? Well I stopped being a Gossip Girl fan long before they became an item over night, but it still should be mentioned. Elizabeth Hurley was an actress I first knew from Austin Powers. Gossip Girl had the tendency to use the art of seduction for you, while having the main cast act older than their age suggested. Sure Nate was probably far from being a young boy, but he still had not grown up. Let's chalk one up to Gossip Girl that threw us this pair.

Date or DUMP

It was probably best that they did not last, even Diana had her own agenda to cause more Payne.

Jenny and Nate

Even though this pair were closer to each others ages, Jenny was still a younger version of herself. Worse yet to find Nate and Dan were like brothers at this point. Come on Nate, Jenny is like your sister here. This is why this relationship did not last. Jenny was still finding herself and trying to become too many people at once. She was not ready for a serious relationship and neither was Nate.

Date or DUMP

I am most certain you guys can come up with many more odd pairings from this series. I'll leave it to you guys, but like I said, I stopped watch Gossip Girl a while ago and stopped caring along with it. (Ouch)

Pretty Little Liars

Ezra and Aria

As much as many people may either extremely love or hate this pair, these two are up for debate. It's how they met that sets these two apart. Aria was at a bar drowning her sorrows, because at her age she has loads of problems, at least far more than the average teen. Ezra saw a girl roughly his age that spoke his language and liked his interests. Chalk one up as being 'too good to be true', but these two within minutes of knowing little of each other, began making out in the bathroom. Did they exchange numbers? Aria led Ezra to believe she was older, probably in college. She knew he was in to teaching English. Maybe everything about this relationship went into impulse and lack of thinking things through.

Which makes the perception of them being completely wrong sort of an exploit. It's complicated to say yes or no and stick to it. Frankly Ezra should have DUMPED before things escalated into a romance. When intense feelings are involve, it's hard to pull your heart away. Still, there is just enough time to make the right call before things reached to that point. Ezra was responsible for making that choice. Probably they are suited, in terms of maturity, they both match each other. Now if we're deciding if these two should date, it would be towards who they became as a couple, while struggling through a lot more than most couples.

DATE or Dump

DUMP is only highlighted for this situation before a romance. There be it, if they ended it earlier, the wound would be smaller and easier to heal than the wound now created because of the love they now share.

Life Unexpected

Lux and Eric

This was one of my favorite series for the first season. We focused on Lux's abrupt lifestyle, where she sooner had to become an adult. She did not really get to live out her childhood and be a teen, because she was too busy taking up adult responsibilities that tested her as a teenager. This could explain why as soon as she went to school, she escaped into an identity that rediscovered her childhood. Let's face it Lux and Eric looked about the same age. Eric looked about two or three years older than Lux. The only thing that made this pair seem wrong, was Eric's title as Lux's teacher.

There were so many things that did not work for them. Firstly, Lux interchanged being an adult and a teen too frequently. She imposed on her best friend and came close to sending her back into the foster system. Lux became rebellious, which only helps reinforce the belief that 'you're just not mature enough' and lastly Lux wanted to keep Eric to herself. As much as the idea seemed thought provoking, it sought to alienate this pair into nothing more than a stereotype.

Date or DUMP
This arc should not have been even considered, probably what sent this series home packing.

Switched at Birth

Daphne and Chef Jeff

Daphne showed many lengths of her maturity by aiming for so many goals that could help better herself. She even reached a point where she could help others and prove even the most judgmental wrong. Chef Jeff was introduced as a potential love interest for Daphne, probably as a way to showcase how mature she was, but it did the opposite. Daphne became jealous, angry, focused too much on her physical attributes, which didn't matter to her before, and possessive of something that was not concrete.

Daphne had a complete character transformation, which happens when you're still growing up and figuring things out. You begin to think that the good thing in your life, would be the only thing that would ever happen. What made matters worse, was that Chef Jeff was mature and knew better. As a boss and a more responsible adult, he chopped Daphne up for left overs. The chemistry people hoped for was thrown out the moment Jeff treated Daphne like a lovesick teenager, telling her she could find someone better. What an A&$.

DUMP


Hellcats

Marti and Julian

Hellcats showcased the college side of growing up, but still managed to still be high school. It had the same recipe to what made a high school series work; the mean girl, the boyfriend, the jealous girlfriend, the love triangle, the ex, and the list goes on. To throw in the teacher student love affair or even past teacher, ex student love affair, only places the icing on the cake. Marti got to experience some of the many challenges that came with dating someone older; the ex and the child. As much as Marti was more grown up than most stereotypical teens TV represents, she still wasn't prepared for this other life.

Unfortunately this story arc felt more like a distraction from Marti actually hooking up with her best friend Dan, which might have worked better for the series. Sadly we may not ever know.

Date or DUMP

Desperate Housewives
Gabby and John

Remember these two? Many of those fans of this suburban tale would know of Gabby carrying on an affair with the young and irresistible gardener that was still in high school. At that time John was still the impressionable boy who was manipulated for his looks and as an outlet for a lonely stay at home socialite. Poor boy made this relationship into something more than it was. He did what anyone who fell in love easily at that age would do. Gaby had the responsibility to sway her temptations to get with the gardener and work on her marriage, but who are we to impose.

DUMP

Jane By Design
Jane and Jeremy

Well well, if you are faking your age and representing yourself as someone older than you appear to be, then why not invest in this co-worker relationship. Sadly Jeremy's brooding body and masculine developed features made him more like a father or brother figure for Jane. Anything other than that would seem odd, like a man taking advantage of a girl. Happily Jane did not feel the same way about him, though Jeremy's choice of relationships should make for an interesting case study.

Date or DUMP

Finally...


Parenthood 

Amber and Bob Little

Saving the best for last. Not only has Amber played the parent in her life, she has also grown up far more than many others her age. She is smart and tough, both qualities some adults don't even have. Being out of school and in a job post would encourage opportunities for Amber to focus on the main side to her that showcases responsibility.

This love affair was bold, but both shared a level of confidence and maturity in what each other stood for in life so far. Even when Aunt Christina tried to break this pair up, in the midst of heat, things didn't spiral out of control. There was an attraction and a closeness that was already established. Unfortunately Amber chose her career over the romance.

Still what happened to Bob Little? He lost the campaign and was free to move on, Amber had already moved on. Still if the opportunity even presented itself again, I wouldn't mind a relationship for this pair. Even though he was the boss, they mirrored each other far more mature than irrational teens. Little is far more a character than his name suggests.

DATE


So there it is guys. You may have your own doo's and don't s for some pairings that television created for us. They already have been represented in society. Do you agree with the Date and Dump. Which couple in your opinion do have a chance of making it against all odds?

Lexa



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Missing Fans "TNT Network" Save Missing Event -June18th

So after finding out more information on this topic it became amazing how much support this series had. On Monday, July 18th 2012, all of Missing fans are gathering, now I am not sure if it is in front of the TNT Network. All I was told was that all fans make every effort to get TNT's attention. I was overwhelmed with the participation of members across the world. Since TNT is based well here in the US, those located internationally can spend time contacting them as much as they could. You can read up more here on how you can help. Members agreed that TNT Network is the most suitable choice to house our series. So here's how...

The site mentioned some details that would be helpful for Missing fans that want to get involved.

Our first MISSING assignment! On June 18th, 2012 we all fans are going to contact TNT Network for saving the show.

TNT Network
-Karen Cassell (Atlanta/ Senior Vice President)
EMAIL: Karen.Cassell@turner.com
...
-Jennifer Greene [Atlanta/ VP (TNT and TBS)]
TWITTER: @JenTNTtbsPR
EMAIL: Jennifer.Greene@turner.com

-Gina McKenzie [Atlanta/ VP (TNT, TBS and TCM)]
TWITTER: @MayaTNTTBSPR
EMAIL: Maya.Brooks@turner.com

--Also you can post on TNT Network Facebook page and Twitter page about saving Missing.

I was happy to hear that this series had impacted others in this way. Most times I fall for a series and whenever it is cancelled I usually settled for an "Oh well". I would write a post on how sad I felt to have my series leave, but that did not seem like enough. You ever had that feeling where you could have put your best foot forward, up until the moment passes for you to do so?

So guys we have an appointment June 18th, 2012? It sounds like fun. The information the site provided has given us a lot of information to work with. I know you have been busy with my posts on sign the petition, but those who want to go the extra mile here's a good start.

Lexa


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Fairly Legal "Finale" Review - Ben and Kate Neighbors?

Kate on her own, this we must see.

The latter half of this season surprisingly had a more sappy Ben. He suddenly spoke nice words to Kate, he 'cared' about her relationship with Justin, suggested tips when he could and then mentioned 'a guy' that would help with her apartment search. The finale proved something, Kate and Justin wanted separate things. The moment Kate saw her dream apartment, Justin gave an "eh". He certainly did not see why an old apartment would get Kate's attention. Justin could possibly be elected into the scheme of politics, he needed glamor to show for it. Sadly from the first apartment they saw, it was just too much glass. It looked like an office space.

Justin is now where Kate was a few years ago, trying to blend work and home. That was the very same thing that he saw unattractive in Kate earlier on. As much as Justin has grown as a character Leo was right, we love him but Kate is not moving in his direction. When the finale ended with Kate meeting her new neighbor it was slightly expected. Why would Ben have this sudden interest in where Kate was staying. Still wouldn't that be awkward if she was moving in it with Justin? Maybe Ben knew Justin well enough to understand his taste and Kate well enough to know what she would eat up. That would surely push them further apart if she and Justin both stayed there together. Someone would be grumpy, if not both. Although that was not up to Ben to make apparent to Kate.

When it comes to moving on, Lauren surely had the bright idea. Even though she was dating, Robin Archer was a riskier deal. Lauren likes risks. Going up against Davidson was a risk as there was no guarantee Justin would win the race. That just made Lauren an even more likable character. Even her relationship with Kate has matured. I wonder what Kate has as her ringtone for Lauren now. They stopped doing that after a while. Robin Archer was a late addition to the plot and the finale gave us too much information to sink in. The word of a scandal with Davidson's involvement seemed premature. If it had been introduced earlier in the plot, I would have been more invested.

The finale just seemed to tie up some loose ends by default making Justin a winner. I wanted Justin to win on his pure merit. Yeah right, Davidson finally found himself and his family in the end. Archer was a man of many tales. He too should have established a connection earlier in this series. He and Lauren have deep chemistry. Provided that Season 3 is in gear, I would love to see how that relationship evolves. There were also sidelines with the FBI, a flash drive with information to destroy Davidson's career, Kate playing detective (risky). It was all too much to sink in. However the merits of what Kate discovered in herself made up for that.

Kate finally made her choice. She was not scared into something or out running away. She clearly saw that she and Justin were in different places in their lives. They love each other, but if Kate cannot even come to terms with them as a couple, then their relationship would not work. They were finding an apartment, but Kate still saw him as her divorced ex, always introducing him in the negative, that would only pollute them as a pair.

Season 3 should now focus on maintaining that responsible Kate. She has her own apartment and she should not second guess herself. As much as I like Ben, Kate still needs some of her own figuring out to do. Jumping into them as a couple would have Kate make too many mistakes to compensate. I still cannot believe this season was so short.

Extras
Did Davidson refer to Reed and Reed as Bitc$# and Bitc$#? That's right Ben you clear that up for him. They are Bitc$#, Bitc$# and Jacka%$

Rating 4.5 Stars

Photo Credit:
Kate: tvfanatic.com
Lauren and Archer: thevoiceoftv.com

Lexa


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Fairly Legal "Force Majeure" Review

Lawyers, who needs 'em! That's basically Kate philosophy. It seems like not many shows have made the job of a mediator popular. Who wants to see everybody win? This is probably one of the things I like about Kate, she wants fair at all cost. Kate not only made a friend in "Force Majeure", but also an ally for the future. She and Claudia seem to carry the same principles. When Kate dragged Justin along for the ride after the concert, the atmosphere was so uncomfortable.

Claudia: So you guys are married...
Kate: what no um, Justin is my friend, boyfriend, no wait we're just dating, almost no recently divorced. (Words to that effect)

I am sure you were just as confused with Kate's terminology for her relationship with Justin. She just did not nail it.

The moment Justin went into the limo for the after party, I knew something was up. Even more so when he hinted he had something big the next day. I had expected some kind of hangover episode that would taint his reputation in politics, working in Davidson's favor. Suddenly Davidson is doing all he could to discredit him. I think I am just rooting for Lauren to come out on top of this since she practically became Davidson's enemy. No good would come of that.

Kate's confusion however srinkles on to everyone around her. YEah Kate, why wouldn't you buy that car from that site Leo mentioned. (We hardly saw Leo here...) which reminds me how sad Ben looks now. I expected his character to be written as cold again. Going back to the old Ben would have seemed practical, but this guy is acting in love don't you think? Nope, well... I figure Kate reached a crack in his surface. Once that crack was opened Ben couldn't help himself. With their one on one last week in the hot tub, Ben was being real. There were no games. Still she settles. I always wondered why Kate would hook up with Justin as though he were that random guy you met in a bar. It's cliche. She has all these freshman moments with this guy that was supposed to be her husband. Justin becomes more of a stranger when he's around Kate, which proves their relationship keeps going in reverse.

"Force Majeure" cleared up some dangling loose ends. As much as I was open to Kate making a decision and sticking to it, I also wanted to know whether being a political wife was in her DNA. Firstly persuading Justin to go to an after party was not such a good idea, especially with his life under a microscope. Davidson might have been the guy behind the drugs on purpose if Claudia was not in the picture. Claudia still proved to be innocent. When the random car hit the limo, Justin looked at it with the classic TV look. You guys know it. Something was off, but then the cops show up. That was another hinky. It was funny to hear Ben exploit the conspiracy Claudia spoke of. One thing this episode proved was that Ben and Kate work well as a team.

Sarah Shahi commented on her character Kate as being emotionally scared that resembles a somewhat childlike behavior. We saw that this season. We also got to see a different side to Kate here, she was more loose at the concert because that was something she loved and was not afraid to admit it. Josefina Scaglione (Claudia) did a good job in her acting role, by also playing something she is good at professionally. Did she give a special copy of her song to Kate and Ben? It was funny how in sync they were in the end.

Speaking of relationships, what's with Lauren and the billionaire. She was her normal self, but with extra caution. She and Kate may share the same fear when it comes to men. It was nice and awkward somewhat when Kate and Lauren had their 'girl chat'. I am still getting used to them. Lauren has proven herself to be someone you can count on.

I still think Kate needs time to grow between now and the finale (yup the finale is up already). Claudia proved to be the voice of reason for Kate. The conspiracy added a little excitement in this mix that allowed Ben and Kate to work together. Davidson did not make an appearance, but he still annoyed me, him and his pawn. All in politics. Most likely the finale would tie all these loose ends together. I still am not certain whether Fairly Legal was picked up. It is a genuine show that makes you root for characters, but is that enough?

This episode closed with a happy-sad ending. They won the case for Claudia, but Ben and Kate were lost separately. I still cannot get over how much Ben has grown on me. He is mature and ready for any fight. I guess that's what Kate is craving in her own life. I still wonder whether Kate left being a lawyer because she wanted to be fair, or because being in the middle is easier when you can't make up your mind.

Photo Credit: tvfanatic.com

Rating 4.0 Stars

Lexa


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Missing "The Three Bears" Review - The Heist

Love is but a genuine affection

When you think about "The Three Bears", the story with Goldilocks comes to mind. It's more fitted for nurseries and storybooks, but is it that simple. As Paul put it to his young son, he then oddly fit the story for his purpose. Michael knew he and his family would be protected because of their love and their strength. It seemed like they painted every inch in a different light. I could also compare a portion of that fairytale with Goldilocks. Becca was lost and in an impossible situation. She needed to be in control. She needed to find something that connected her to Michael. Paul's alive so now what? Her home soon became one she had to borrow. The only way she could be free and relaxed, is if she tried out everything. The soft approach, the hard one, but she never knew what was just right.

Giancarlo was my favorite charater here. I not only had my questions about him and Becca answered; they were a couple in love, but it was obvious that they still loved each other. Giancarlo more so had more of a tell. When it came to Becca, he would stop at nothing to help her. Which made this bank robbery/heist so intriguing, they worked so well together. I also found Dax to be quite the opposite. As soon as they started to suspect Becca of knowing something about Paul's disappearance/fake death ploy, they just cut her out of the loop. What's wrong with that? Telling someone "I suspect you" and "I am cutting you out" is not going to get you answers. It would make the 'suspect' more alert and attempt to find clever ways of getting around you. Case and point, Becca served him a checkmate.

Dax can come across naive sometimes. Especially for a guy with high honors in the agency, running a task group came off as the weakest point in his career. He went from completely trusting Becca, to being distrustful of her. I know there would be moments where you question someone's intentions, but Becca's intentions have been clear from the beginning. Are we as fans searching Becca to see if she knew Paul was alive, or hinted it? I certainly was, but she cleared that up. It seems like Dax searches for answers from others. Since his supervisor mentioned Becca was not to be trusted, he went on that. I had only hoped he would set aside time to pick one side and stick to it.

We know Becca's story, but at some points it seems like others have forgotten that Michael was captured. The agency is not doing everything they could to find him, Becca is. A disadvantage to showing Michael's side, is that we feel he is safe in this huge castle. We don't know what the bad guys have planned for him, but for now he seems okay. Which also makes the other story lines crucial. "Missing" does not disappoint. As much as I find myself interested in Michael's well being, I still focus mainly only Becca's storyline. How odd was it that Paul set up an account for Becca, Michael and himself? How did the bank get the three fingerprints on record without Becca's knowledge? The manager of that bank was convincing as someone you do not cross. She was good at her job. She went up against the CIA and won.

"Open that vault or I'm calling your supervisor"
"Wait I have him on the phone"

Pretty funny, but we got the point. No one was getting in there without a personal account. Does that security make you convinced that your valuables would be safe? Becca still found a way to screw with the system. I would have loved to have a prequel to bad ass Becca in the CIA, I am sure she was good. I also appreciate the back story they are giving her. Back to Giancarlo, I cannot stop gazing into his eyes. He has this way he just looks at Becca. It's really sweat.

I was upset that Becca was not more careful with Paul. Was he truly going to hurt her. He set her up. I found great difficultly in believing Paul's credibility. He loves his son too much to hurt him, but does he love Becca? He was willing to have her thumb removed. Did he think it would come to that? Did he expect her to have backup? The story is a bit tangled when you are in the middle. If only we knew the big picture.

This episode was one of my favorites. I know I have grown to dislike this Violet character, who has many shades of grey (no pun intended). Now she and Dax are sleeping together. I just don't see the connection. Let's hope in the end Becca gets out of this alive. Let's face it, we all know she will.

Remember Guys Save Missing Sign the Petition

Rating 5.0 Stars

Photo Credit: maxupdates.tv

Lexa


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Rookie Blue: "A Good Shot" Review

Courtesy tvguide.com

What is a good shot really? Epstein sure did not feel like he had done the world one better. Did his shooting have anything to do with class or ethnicity? I doubt it. He saw a man behind a counter with a hoodie? Is that grounds to shoot someone? Certainly not. Did the man look and act suspicious? Yes. Did he look like he had something to hide? Why would he dodge under a counter if he didn't? Maybe he was afraid that a cop would shoot him right there. The neighborhood had no reason to trust cops. However it still felt as though Epsetin jumped at a situation and it did not help that both were nervous and he was probably a scared cop. I felt as though he should not have raised his firearm so early. If that man was just a scared boy, he would have only heightened an already shaky situation. Anything could have been possible in that moment.

Why are the writers suddenly picking on Epstein this season, first he has his squad car stolen by foolishly leaving the keys in the car, then he shot someone under suspicious circumstances? It's like they are setting him up for some bigger changes in the future. This entire situation was shaky. I only knew the boy was wrong when he shot at Epstein, but Epstein could have been a dirty cop. When faced with a live situation like that, Epstein became just as scared as that boy and they became two scared guys with guns. He could not even recall that he shot his gun once. Didn't they check ballistics for that?

Speaking of changes Traci bumped up to detective? That is a huge change and I am proud of her. She truly strikes me as the one that would work hard to earn something she deserves and I was happy that her hard work paid off. What made me upset was Peck. She seemed to have applied to simply get on Traci's nerves. I understand her position as a Peck and holding on too the family name, but her cold sarcasm can sometimes be confusing to read. I don't think if a chance came to up size others, that she wouldn't take it. Had she gotten the job instead of Traci it would have clearly been an unfair advantage. Peck's relationship with this new guy is just as confusing. I guess it's one of those things you have to warm into if at all.

On a side note I saw the looks Sam was giving Andy. It made me happy for the two of them. My only concern would be the problem they have when faced with danger. Sam tends to get dramatic when his girl faces any kind of danger. It's sweet, but how they handled their relationship was also what got the both of them suspended so they should be careful and work on how they are together during tricky situations.

When SIU (Special Investigations Unit) interviewed Epstein I was worried for him. That woman was very good at her job, but she wasn't trying to help him either. She clearly sounded as though she had the best intention in the beginning, up until the questions sounded as though Epstein set out to kill the guy. His memory was fuzzy and she could take advantage of that, Epstein did the right thing by asking for his lawyer. I hope she returns though, those five to ten minutes of questioning were the edgiest. It was good that the gun was found and Epstein's name cleared. It didn't look like the SIU Officer was going to cut him any slack anyway. It was quite an easy catch though. Why would the guy who ran off with the gun not dispose of it right away? How sloppy it was of Detective Barber to disregard Epstein and not follow the same root Traci did? I am glad she didn't take his advice.

The side note with Noelle did not really catch my attention. Although I was concerned when she fell, that's about it. They need to do more with her storyline.
I was happy that we got to see the family side. The family of the deceased gave Sam and Andy a hard time with good cause. I wanted Sam and Andy to return to the family to instill some sort of hope that at least they were not the enemy.

Next week's installment showed Epstein still communicating with the family of the boy he killed. That only shows that he is not over the shooting and that is natural. It does not end after one episode. I would like to see how they handle that story. It was clearly not a good shot, otherwise this story would be over.

Lexa

Rating 4 Stars


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Fairly Legal - Clueless Kate, What's your Deal Girl?

After tuning into Fairly Legal, lately it's been those treats Friday has to offer. I am here hoping my addiction to good television doesn't consume me again. So I am taking a piece that is intriguing one step at a time. I didn't want to only showcase my passion for Missing, I wanted to talk about something different. Relationships are challenging, even when you have found the right person. Right now I believe Justin is not the right person for Kate.

Last season when I was glued to my television, Kate was a mess. She was living out of a boat, she had her no strings attached relationship with Justin, her not yet divorced husband, and she was at odds with her stepmother. This season Kate's lifestyle has changed. She has agreed to a relationship with Justin and has a temporary residence at her step mothers place who is not as presumed wicked as last season.

While I appreciate any form of change for Kate, it would be better if she was not staying with Justin because it is safe. For those new to this series, Kate is someone who avoids making the complicated decisions. This also made her job as a mediator a challenge, because she always pushed to have others make up their own minds for themselves, without truly taking responsibility for herself. This definitely would be the reason you see Kate now having to spend extra time on cases that could be closed earlier. While I have always admired her passion for cases, I find Ben's actions more effective.

As an addition to the cast, it took me a little while to get used to Ben. He is wild, he makes decisions for his pure financial gain and can be self involved to a degree that may harm others around him. Somehow his input have frustrated the normal balance of life at Reed and Reed. Last week we were introduced to the actual idea of a real relationship between Ben and Kate. Prior to that Ben kissed Kate and there was definitely a spark, but now Kate is in hiding. Kate let us down I am sure when she stayed with Justin out of what it seemed was fear. She also slept with Justin because she was afraid to jump into bed with Ben.

I understand the history Justin and Kate had, but their paths in life are split at opposite ends. Justin always complained that with Kate it was always about work and he seemed to not appreciate her passion for her job. Now we only see him doing things for Kate and her cases because it matters to her, but not because he himself has some self interest in those cases. It's like he is just trying to impress her, but their relationship should have gone pass that stage after knowing each other for so long. Ben was the only one that showed compassion for her cases (no pun intended) and it is what possibly pushed him to care for Kate. Caring is something I thought Ben was not capable of, which made his passion for her even more interesting.

I thought maybe Ben was being a tease when he asked her out on a date, but he was being real. When Kate stayed over with Justin on the same day as the date I thought she lacked maturity. She needed to grow a pair. If Kate ran away from something so simple as a meeting, it is no question why she drags her cases on for as long as they are. Kate is a complex character. Just when you know the right thing for her to do, she does the opposite and when you want her to be brave, she becomes a coward. I hope some way down the line she can overcome some of the fears she has within herself. She can learn that when it comes to relationships, she would not know unless she tried.

Here is for wishing Kate the best on her next adventure, while encouraging her to make the tough decisions.

Photo Credit: fanpop.com

Lexa


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Missing "Tell Me No Lies" - Rewind! Paul's Alive?

We were probably just as surprised as they were.

Running through a crowd to unmask someone cleverly hidden from camera in the last moments of the episode. We are now in Becca's head. The one lead to her son is dead and a next person is running away. By the looks of it a him, but his face is hidden. All the while we try to unmask the man with the knife. Becca was so close to Michael and finding out where he was. We discover that it is Paul and that he faked his death. Suddenly he jumps into a deep sea to get away. Tell me no lies, but that was the biggest one of all.

Becca: "Where has he been the pass 10 years, he is the father of my child. I mean did he love us at all?"
Becca's questions summed it up for us and it showed of Ashley Judd's skills as an actress. I believe every word she said.

This episode dealt with lack of honesty. First Paul, then Martin. Be it for the wrong or right reasons people still got hurt. The last episode asked was who was Becca, now we have no idea who Paul really is. These people lead so many secretive lives, it is hard to keep track of their original identity. We only base our true impressions of them on their character choices. What are the actions of someone who is dirty? The art of movie making and use of styles to keep us on edge. It also makes you hypersensitive to the twists writers throw your way. Even if I had my suspicions as to whether Paul was dead, this revelation was still a huge surprise.


"I wanted you to hold on too your good memories"
Martin comforted Becca after momentarily giving her the heaviest piece of information to carry; Paul was dirty. Somehow I believed Becca, she knew her husband and so I trusted her judgment. Although Paul did lie to her about his plans while he was away, there is still more to the story. Paul seems so honest. He taught his son the skills he needed to escape a high risk situation. He wanted to be in his son's life. That doesn't strike me as someone who would put his family in danger, nor does it sound like someone who would have his son abducted.

I was right from the beginning, I knew Michael's abduction had a lot more to the story. There was a lot Becca was not certain of. She was playing a game that bigger players knew the pieces too and she was struggling to survive the pawns handed her way. Becca is good at getting out of tricky situations, which makes me appreciate her devotion as a mother. It also makes me feel that Michael may not be in his housing situation for much longer if Becca persists.

If Michael also continues, he may also find a way to escape his troubles. Only unless he accepts Oskana as a loose end. Unfortunately he has already formed a connection with her. Since Oksana mentioned to the guard that Michael is trusting her, I wondered if she may be part of this entire scheme? Taking a few punches along the way to make the act convincing could be deceptive. I still may not trust her. Michael is a smart boy and he figured out his importance. He was like merchandise and no matter how annoying he was, they could not leave a scratch on him. The guard seemed like the only person around and was not much of a threat. Having such a spacy place to hold someone captive is also new, how could they not expect to lose Michael. I am certain those men planted in sniper positions outside the mansion would have too attend to bathroom breaks. Their hands are not glued to the gun. Which is probably why Oskana was placed to dissuade any plans of escape from Michael. It's not perfect, but it is something convincing.

I missed Giancarlo here. After he formed a truce with Dax last episode, I had hoped to see him at some point. I guess it was Paul and Becca's time. This was definitely their episode. Giancarlo's meaning to Becca had to be paused at the moment. Watching the kind of relationship Becca had with Paul was complex, but they found a way to make it work. It made me root for them. I believed that they loved each other. Even when Paul did his proposal gesture, it did not seem premature, it was simple and effective. Martin proved to be a decent father figure here. He comforted Becca in her time of need and he made sure and reaffirm Paul's love for her. There are still loads of unanswered questions that keeps Becca among the pawns. The only way for Becca to truly come out of this with Michael alive, is if she sees the whole picture clearly.

As for Dax, I really did not appreciate him second guessing Becca's 'surprise' to see Paul alive. She was genuine and after all they had been through, it is clear that all Becca wants is her son back. I had hoped for Dax to subconsciously come too her defense. If even it was his job to doubt her.

Another wonderful installment that was filled with emotion. Paul's disguise is one that can be debated and success calls to any series that can stir up a debate.

Photo Credit: tvequals.com

Let's work together to save Missing. Read the 8 Steps and please Sign the petition.

Lexa

4.5 Stars


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Missing "Pilot" Review - Re-edited

I understand the meaning of attachment. When someone becomes a part of you, they are so attached to the limb. Even when you are apart from them, you are still close. That is the kind of relationship I understood for Becca and Michael. She loves Michael. It's that simple. The acting is an acquired taste that pulls you into a Missing imagination. You can relate, but you have to let it sink in.

235@W' brought me back to the days I used to make up some kind of code my friend and I used to outsmart our kindergarten teacher. Things like that we forget now because we barely find the time to learn a new language unique to ourselves. I have forgotten the symbols I formed when I was younger, but it was cool. This is was when the pilot kept me glued. I found the pace a bit slow in the beginning. Becca was running, but I still felt as though I wanted to be on that run with her. When she passes by some people now warming up for their run, this kept it real. It is subtle things like that some writers forget to include. A sense of continuity prevails when we realize that the pilot is not when Becca's life begins, we have partially interrupted a portion of time from Becca's life. That run looked very good too.

When I did my research on the title of course mainly serious matters appear. That is missing children among many. It can be a very sad topic to think about. This can hurt this new series. If at some point it turns out to be clichéd and overacted or just boring, it does no justice to the real issues that exist in society. Who can or should be entertained by someone being abducted? This series however slowly parts from that perspective and focuses on the perils of a mother. We see the connection a mother has with her child and we feel the torture of watching your child grow up and then mature away from a mother's oversight.

Clearly this explosion was an oversight. When Paul's car exploded during a conversation Becca was having with her son it lends itself to the drama television somehow creates, but not in real life. How would the Becca Winstone of this time deal with hearing an explosion and not knowing what happened on the other end of the phone. Unfortunately this was not truly delved into. The writers thought it more important to show Michael survived and Paul did not. It was clear, no more debate. I still felt that about ten years later, watching Becca run with Michael happy did not wet my appetite. Did the child actor look like present day Michael? Maybe. We don't care at this point. How did this explosion affect their lives? We do not get to see that.

Far beyond it, moving on we focus on Becca as a mother. She is ordinary and works in a flower shop. Did Becca always work there and was her life spent in flowers, what led to her husband's explosion? This is where her CIA past becomes clearer when she goes searching for Michael in Rome. After departing from her son in the airport as a grown man and not hearing from him, Becca found herself in his dorm. Missing moves fast when it comes to editing and pushing a lot of information at once, but it does not seem rushed at this point. We learn to accept it and move with it. We meet new characters like Becca's guy on the other end of the phone, Giancarlo who is very attractive. Why are they not allowed to talk and why was she not supposed to call him again? He still has the same number after so many years? Or was it a recent departure? This is when you get submerged in the plot and move with the flow. Sure there are moments that seemed dramatized for television "I am a mother looking for her son". I don't seem to mind it much. The characters represent some form of a fraction of life and theater we adore. It entertains. Still it has not yet focused on the detrimental sides of an abduction, but just on the reaction of a mother. Anyone can relate, and if not as a mother then as a child.

So yeah we look for many things in a pilot. 1) A relationship, 2) Action 3) A story we can actually follow. Spy movies and television series have been done and overdone time and time again. Let's face it we all picture at some point being spies in our minds and keeping secrets that no one else but you and a selective few know. We let our minds explore the possibilities of anonymity to hide away our true selves and we escape. We pride ourselves on learning skills and holding the wealth of technology in our palms. These are all trade qualities we crave sometimes on a long on the clock day of work, come on it happens. If not then through the people we socialize with. I forget all that with Missing. I don't need to compare with other series because it stands on its own. So the pilot worked for me and I caught the reruns when available.

The writing of this series comes full circle in the pilot when Michael tried to make sense of his symbol with his mother. Part of how it all began, to end with Becca knowing that his son stayed at a place where that symbol existed. It melts you in a way that not many truly understand. Some shows are just there for you to look at but Missing goes the extra mile to pull a cast from all over to have a home in one sitting. That is truly remarkable.

Got to keep the story alive so that it would not be forgotten.

SAVE MISSING - Sign the Petition
4.8 Stars - Reassessed with a glimmer of perfection, but still needing that push to be greater.

Lexa


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Missing "Ice Queen" Review - Who are you really Becca?

Courtesy http://www.chevronone.com/

A blast from the past. What happened to Mary? So much has gone on in Becca's life, that I forgot she actually had her own life before with her close friend. Running a flower shop pails in comparison to Becca's life now. She is always on the go and every second counts when it comes to finding Michael. Mary showed up out of no where and presented a torn in Becca's plans. Frankly she was easily forgettable in the pilot and I had forgotten her in the buzz of it all.

What I did appreciate was the continuity and ties Mary presented to Becca's changed lifestyle. She was a single mother, she attended PTA's and was involved in her son's life. Becca was the whole package that came with being an ordinary mom for about 10 years. That's is something we should not forget, hence Mary's reappearance reminding us of such. If my friend left suddenly to find out about her son's whereabouts and I hadn't heard from her since, I would be concerned as well.

We left off from that incredible scene from Ashley Judd, where the plane took off with Michael. Becca uses CIA support to bring the plane down, but Michael was no where on it. Which was odd. Had the plane taken a detour before it landed? Aside from future thorough checks of the plane and questioning some blonde woman, the CIA gave up. All I knew was that whoever came off that plane would be guilty... of something. There is no way they would not be involved somehow. At this point everything is a puzzle when it comes to Michael. Who are his abductors? Do they want a ransom? Is Becca the real target? None of those questions are made clear.

We only see Michael awaken in some huge palace like place that appears to be isolated. A lot of people have compared Missing with the movie "Taken", but here is where it differs. We get to see Michael's side of things and experience his side of the capture. One thing is made clear, Michael is definitely part of some bigger conspiracy that highly likely deals with Becca's past as a CIA agent. One main reason for showing Michael's story would be to give the viewer hope that he would try and free himself.

Giancarlo has been taking the back seat lately under Becca's orders. I was certain it was an attempt to keep him from being involved in her difficult situation. Giancarlo was already invested and something about his character made him seem more to Becca and made Becca someone special to him... but what is their history? Was he an asset like Hard Drive, or did she work with him sometime before she met Paul? Those were the questions running through my mind at the moment. In addition to how attractive he was as well as trustworthy, I had a crush. When Giancarlo went the extra mile to help Becca this time I was happy Becca had the support. The CIA was holding back almost as though Becca was not trustworthy to them. I would expect Dax to bend over back after watching Becca grieve on the airport grounds. She wasn't faking that. His confidence in what Becca saw plummeted.

Which leads us to Mary's concern for Becca. Becca completely forgot about that life, who blames her. Mary was persistent. She called all over in hopes of finding her friend who had forgotten all about her. Up until the point she decided to close the shop and travel to Rome to find her. Mary would have probably made a good agent with her level of determination. Unfortunately she was my least favorite character here. As much as I wanted to, I could not care for her story that seemed too cliched. Her husband left her for someone probably younger after years of a troubled relationship. Mary no longer had a home. Her character needed a little more development on my part. When she offloaded on Becca for abandoning her, she had no clue what Becca was involved in and that made sense. Becca had just fed her a story about Michael running away with some girl so Mary would go home.

As much as I try to review small elements of each episode it turns out to be a long review regardless because the importance of detail this series pays attention to. It makes me feel like if anything is left out, you would not get the entire picture. It makes each piece substantial in this series. I loved how Mary sensed that Giancarlo loved Becca, I sensed it too. Especially when Becca asked him to pretend for them too be lovers so that Mary would be safe and return home. If only Giancarlo had not been so convincing. I was glad to see Mary leave as much as a significance her character was. After she discovered the truth about Becca, staying would only have Mary killed in the end.

While this episode was not as strong as the first two installments the chemistry among characters grew along with each storyline and new revelations in plot. It surely made me expect more from episode 4 "Tell me No Lies".

Please Missing tell me no lies, Missing you are my new favorite. Hey it turned out the blonde woman was dirty after all, but why would a sniper shoot her instead of Becca with a clear shot in the end?

Rating 4.5 Stars

Remeber guys, pass the message and Save Missing by signing the petition.

New Follow SaveMissing on Twiiter
Follow @SaveMissing


Lexa


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8 Basic Steps to Save Missing

A group of fans (SaveMissing among many) have come together to save the series we have grown to love, but it seems as though petitions and fan pages in the past did not have the reaction it needed from the stations to pick up the show again. Some of us have agreed on a set structure to get more fans unified rather than having a bunch of petitions scattered all over, we could focus on a few and pool these together to make a more recognizable difference. These are the steps you need to follow if you truly love Missing, these are the stages for you.


1. Information is power.
These are the twitter pages of the main cast on Missing. Whenever we are referencing them, we use their pages and keep them in the loop.
ASHLEY JUDD  as Becca Winstone and her Official Website
CLIFF CURTIS as Dax Miller is unfortunately no longer on Twitter
NICK EVERSMAN as Michael Winstone
ADRIANO GIANNINI as Giancarlo Rossi

Keep in touch with the Creator/Executive Producer of #MissingABC

GREGORY POIRIER


2. "Like" Save ABC's 'Missing' (Season 2) on Facebook
There is more in numbers just click like below. 
LIKE

3. Sign these Petitions
After a little research I managed to pull together these petitions that stood out. I know I have been talking about this one a lot, but I still felt as though there were so many shows I loved before but said nothing. Now I would not know if I had said something if things would have been different.


Click on the link below to sign the online petition.
Change.org Petition 1  -  Time to make a change for the betterment of fans
ipetitions Petition 2
Twition Petition 3


4. Follow SaveMissing on Twitter
Just click follow below
Follow @SaveMissing



5. Write your letter
Make it personal. If you can add in a tid bit related to your life then that would be all the better.

eg. Dear ABC Network

I am an avid viewer of Missing since Mar. 15, 2012. I heard about this series through a friend who thought I needed to watch an action series because I was getting too grumpy at work. He said it was clear that the stress was getting to me. He was right, I was not myself. Usually I would go straight to sleep and wake up just as miserable. There came a time when I took his advice, some shows have escaped me recently, but Missing stood out. I had not seen Ashley Judd in a long time and it was refreshing to see her again on television. I am 25 and I work too much, but I liked seeing Ashley kick some butt. My boyfriend did not like it when I tried to practice on him the stunts Judd pulled off, I would not be trying that again.  I thank you for hosting this series on your station. So if you must know my bf has forgiven me and we have sat down every week after the pilot to watch Missing together.


My heart sunk when you announced the cancellation. It was something that I looked forward to every Thursday night after work. I am truly saddened, because Missing is a big part of my life. It lends the opportunity for me to be relaxed if only for one day a week. I assure you the fan base is growing. Where I work almost the entire staff talks about Missing, along with their families and their families. I just need you to understand the fan base that is greatly saddened to have Missing leave. Please find a way in which to bring this series back if even for a short second season. I admire how passionate these actors are about their work and it is yet another reason I love this series.

Sincerely,

Lexa Cliche.

Guys, it may not be this long, but it could have the simple ingredients.
a) Why you love Missing
b) How does its absence from television impact your life
c) What is a quality of the series that is outstanding.


You can write you letter to ABC here
You can write your letter to CBS here
You can write your letter to FOX here
You can write your letter to NBC here


6) Share these Steps
The more people that know the better we can help the series and as a community work together to bring Missing back.
Tweet

Tweet to @SaveMissing

7) State in the comments why you love or want to see Missing back. 

8) Talk with the cast on Twitter, they are really cool people.



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Missing "The Hard Drive" Season 1, Episode 2 Review

A human storage machine; this is someone who has the capacity to store every bit of information. They don't forget unless they choose to place the missing pieces at the back of their heads, yet pieces of information would always crumble to the surface. Simply Hard Drive. "Missing" provided a character that was very early introduced to television and caught on in "Unforgettable". Yet another one of my favorites in storytelling removed from television. Hard Drive was rough around the edges, but had a bundle of personality stored inside. Like the real machine, you wouldn't know what kind of person he was, unless you opened him up. It was a fair play for "Missing" to provide such a significant character so early in the series. Unfortunately with a series short of ten episodes, you can't hold anything back.

We pick up where we left off in the pilot. Becca is seen floating in the river after she was shot. By the look of the blow she was clearly hit in the shoulder. As Becca is the main character, we had a clue that she would have survived. I still couldn't wrap my head around it. Becca was going on a huge leap. How many friends did she have and how long would she have lasted in a place that was not her home? Becca was out for survival because of the one thing on her mind 'her son'. That is a terminology that would be heard throughout this season. Until Becca finds her boy, not even a gun shot would would slow her down.

It was made clear that Becca had no choice in the circumstances surrounding her. She needed help. When she stumbled into a restaurant drenched in water, it was clear that she wasn't there to eat lunch. She knew someone there that could help her wound. This adrenaline also led her to dealing with her worst enemy through blackmail, Antoine Lussier. She was in his country and would have had to play by his rules, but he also held the most power. Becca had leverage that proved Antoine to be as dirty and crooked as he looked. He had the cards. Becca badly wanted Michael back and it would have surely caused Antoine to take advantage of that. I just didn't trust him at his word.

Bring me the 'hard drive' and you will get your son back. Not those exact words, but that was practically the deal. If Michael was still in his city, he would bring him back to Becca. When they mentioned a hard drive I kept thinking of some 'thing' Becca hid. A machine like a flash drive, or some kind of tech, but it was actually human? Someone that used to be on Antoine's dirty payroll. The one thing I thought would have gone against this series would have been the title "Missing". Once someone is rescued, there would be no point to this title. Longevity would have been out the window. It also causes viewers to be comfortable that no matter how close Becca gets, Michael would always slip away. Why not rename the series, "Escape" or "Advantage". Something, that is so vague, it could carry many story arcs. I still ponder on that thought.

Yet "Missing" proved to overpower that aligned pattern of thinking. Michael could be freed or rescued, but still lose his mind. Something else could go. The writers played with that possibility of thought. It still pulled you into the storyline long enough to allow you to to be lost. That in yourself, your mind goes missing into the plot. I was amazed with the depth of information I learned about Becca in the short of two episodes. It wasn't like Becca was an open book either.

Lothaire Bluteau as Hard Drive was a unique character for television. He reminded me of a brother of my good friend. It was so natural and he acted with ease. He was in his element. When Antoine Lussier turned the tables on Becca by bringing the deal on his terms, I was not surprised. He used her. She was willing to trade an old friend in Hard Drive to get her son back. I admired when Becca found out he had children, she hesitated giving him up so easily. It humanized him, and it showed up her motherly instincts. Antoine made it look as though he had Michael, but it was too easy. He would not remove this bag from the boy's head. Becca should have asked to see his face first. I was surprised Becca did not do that, but it leads you to think about what happens when desperation takes over your mind. Someone could give you a box and tell you there was gold in it. You don't trust them, but you want to believe it is badly gold that you would go through lengths to get that box. The video recording of Michael Becca got didn't help either.

It was good to see that Becca did make friends even through her dealings with enemies. Already I appreciate Giancarlo for his small appearances. He helped Hard Drive be a free man with his children and he was willing to help Becca with anything. Becca needed that support. I was happy Hard Drive got his victory and safety. He risked a lot for that.

Becca found a plane that was being used to transport something. As soon as she saw Michael she began running towards him. How heartbreaking that Becca was so close. She was recovering from a bullet wound and she still ran on adrenaline. She couldn't let him slip through her fingers. As the plane took of with Michael, I cried. Becca was grieving. She had succumbed to her wound, she was out of breath, and her boy was gone. That was epic and saddening. To see Becca suffering for her son had done it. I am sure it wrapped the audience into an uncontrollable grief.

It still doesn't get old. Michael is missing, and the writers are giving us enough detail to keep us on edge. This is truly another reason we need to have more of this on television.

Sign the Petition and Bring Back What is "Missing"

Photo Credit: seriable.com

Rating 5 Stars

Lexa


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Missing "Pilot" Review 235@W'

I understand the meaning of attachment. When someone becomes a part of you, they are so attached to the limb. Even when you are apart from them, you are still close. That is the kind of relationship I understood for Becca and Michael. She loves Michael. It's that simple.

A strong relationship exists when you can create a special language that only the two of you understand. The pilot chose to open with Becca running, which is ironic since she spends the whole series doing so. Everyday is like a chase for her 'missing' link. Normally when you hear the term 'missing' you become instantly concerned, because it is an abduction case and you put yourself in that situation. Which also makes us feel for Michael and how Becca must of felt when she watched the tape of Michael's abduction. That is every mother's worst nightmare.

The episode already establishes this parent connection. I liked how they gave us a brief look at what Becca's life was before she lost Paul. We got to know her as a family person and when she told Paul she wanted another child, I rooted for this couple I did not know. They just seemed so much in love. It made seeing his car explosion even more devastating. We all know in television when the camera focuses on the keys in the car of any scene, we expect some kind of danger. I thought that was when Michael would have gone missing. Some guys circled him afterwards as though he was cornered, but he was surprisingly returned to her. A few years later Michael is an old man outrunning his mother, I just thought this was picture perfect. Why hadn't Becca began her search for what happened to Paul? It wasn't an accident, somebody had him killed.

That didn't matter after a while when we saw how much Becca settled down. She owned a flower shop. Oddly why would they choose a flower shop for her profession? It didn't have any great significance except to connect Becca and her long time friend. I still felt their closeness. This hour was packed. I mean there is so much to talk about, but the main highlight for this episode is meeting Giancarlo. For me he seemed so polite towards Becca. When Becca needed help, he went no question. It was strange they hadn't contacted each other in years, he was married 3 times (really). I guess there was some history between them.

Finally this pilot was able to execute what most pilots rarely ever do, form a lasting connection. The cast was not forgettable, and I found a way to admire Becca for her strength as a mother. When she first fought the guy that came to her son's room, I thought she was a goner, but as soon as she saw Michael's picture she pushed through. Becca took her punches and snapped that man's neck like a twig. Becca was clearly trained for years, we know nothing about her history except for a thin file. This also makes her a brilliant agent. I found myself looking at reruns of this episode, then I went by a friend who had recorded it to watch again. I was hooked. Becca had me convinced that she was on a mission.

Dax's input here was small, but I kept thinking Becca was right to say he had no children, because he was cold. He clearly did not get why she was so determined to get Michael back. When he let Becca go, I thought maybe there was hope for him. I was glad Becca saw 235@W' at a place where Michael was being 'held'. All the pieces connected, from beginning to end. Exceptional writing.

I appreciate shows that give this amount of detail in a single episode, it shows you what to expect for the rest of the season. I heard there was going to be a short season and there was a frown, I wanted more episodes. I also wanted these writers and cast to continue to wow me.

235@W'- Michael's deepest love for his mother and a code for his friends not to know whenever he told her so. Most likely he did so often.

Remember guys SAVE MISSING - Sign the Petition
5 Stars

Lexa

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Missing "Rain on the Evil and on the Good" Season 1, Episode 10 Season Finale Review

Becca is left with no one else to trust. Giancarlo is shot and recovering in hospital, Paul is in jail and Martin is the one 'father figure' in her life that stabbed her in her back. At this point, I have no idea how Becca is getting to Michael. I keep hoping Michael would come to his senses and escape to find Becca himself. That would be a twist. Especially now we know Michael is a very curious boy. What was Martin thinking anyway, he is truly a cold hearted person. There is ice in his veins. He fooled me when he said he loved Becca and acted as though he cared about her, and that rarely ever happens under my watch.

Dax's faith in Becca is renewed, especially after Violet revealed her hand and more. If Becca needs someone to trust, then he would be her guy. He is no longer chasing after her. Once she reveals what she knows about Violet, Dax would have to trust her. Becca doesn't know that he knows the truth yet. She didn't know Violet was in custody. Dax almost showed Becca guilt. She led him to the passport place, and when they met he helped her get Paul out of jail. That was unexpected. She probably saw the strain Martin placed on their family. Martin did not only frame Paul, but he pretended to love Becca and Michael. Martin turned Becca on Paul, then lured Michael into danger. He is truly ruthless. It is unimaginable that people like Martin exist, especially when it caused this family so much pain. He caused Becca and Paul's split.

The scene between Dax and Paul was fun. After Dax told Paul to knock him out, I expected Paul to surprise him. Becca drove that truck with full confidence. She really wanted to hold Michael in her arms again and she seemed to have forgiven Paul for his absence in their lives. Meanwhile there were flashbacks to 1997 between Paul and Becca, dealing with a prisoner being transported for torture. I kept wondering what was the point of showing them. It had nothing to do with the storyline at hand. Unless you counted Violet being transported.
Why would they not chain Violet down? She is capable of being deceptive. I knew she would have successfully escaped the vehicle when Dax made reference to her meeting them for questioning.


The one scene that probably made me cry a little was Becca having to torture Violet. When Violet was recaptured I thought Becca was going to shoot her right there. She practically admitted that Michael was dead, why not empty a barrel just to shut her up. See it as payback for those snide comments. Now I understood the purpose for those flashbacks. Becca wanted to free that prisoner. I expected the roles to be reversed, because Paul is usually the voice of reason in flashbacks. It showed how much Paul had changed. As for Becca, she did not want that prisoner to be tortured so she and Paul saved him together. What would have been a more appropriate flashback was to watch Becca torture someone and show how it had affected her. It is clearly defined she had a shady past and she probably tortured a lot of people for the agency. I am just not accustomed to that side of Becca.

However Becca frightened me. No one would want to be Violet in that chair. Becca was going to hurt her badly, and I believed that. She wanted to see Michael's smile. That is truly love. Whose mother wouldn't do something like that? Show that amount of love? That gives you true hope. I was happy to see that final scene between Michael and Becca. At last they found each other nine episodes later. There was no way she was going to be separated from him again. It was good that Michael didn't punch Paul for being absent either when they reunited, maybe later.

Hearing Martin's response for keeping Michael alive was just cold. He didn't spare him because he loved Michael, but because Michael loved him. I am glad Becca put him down.

It all seemed to 'happily ever after' when Becca welcomed Oksana and the four were a family. I kept saying, Becca what about Giancarlo? Is he okay a week later when Paul is saying he would work things out from now. I guess that's complicated.

After this finale, I wanted more. Besides the fact that they left on a cliffhanger with SPOILER Becca being abducted (I kind of laughed at that one. I was like REALLY steups). That definitely had a tendency to be cheesy. The cast spared their time to talk with us, so they care and they were just excited with us to watch it together.

Light Moment:
Violet: "All my relationships usually end like this" Maybe she should change professions.

This Petition needs to be circled. I am sending links to my friends and hopefully their friends and their friends will pass on the message. I hope you guys do the same. Remember they need to see numbers for there to be any change.

Save Missing

Picture Credit: seriable.com
Keep good

Rating 4.8 Stars
Lexa

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Renew "Missing" for Season 2

Here's a few facts you need to know before you let the finale sink in.

What we have learned so far?

Michael is a fighter.
Becca is a persistent woman.
Paul is a loving father.

These three factors made up a family. No matter how hard they tried to incriminate Paul I always knew he was innocent. Why? Because the first time he saw his wife after he was presumed dead, he wanted to tell her something and he didn't try to have her killed. Secondly, Becca knew Paul too well, to have her blind sided by her husband being a traitor was not going to be one. He was a loving father. Paul loved his son more than he loved money. Finally, when Becca kissed another man in front of him, he didn't retaliate because he wanted Becca's happiness.

The stories are intricate and complex, yet simple to interpret. I could not believe how much this series grew into a passion for loving it every week.

Who else admired how with little physical interaction, the writers were able to make us fall in love with Becca and Giancarlo? It takes no effort for this "Missing" team to produce such creativity. Even with Michael away, some said this show would get old. They criticized and formed drinking games whenever Becca said my son, but when we want something badly, how many times do we repeat it to ourselves and others? I have no qualms with Ashley Judd. I do not judge her prior work or who she is as a person, but I merely focus on what she brings to "Missing" which is a lot of talent.

Adriano Giannini had to speak a different language. He is an Italian actor, but he brings so much depth to Giancarlo (FUN FACT Giancarlo is his father's real name). This cast had to travel to many places, just to give this plot true authenticity. No green screen, or matched places, the REAL DEAL. They need to be given credit for that. I am certain making this fine product for us, did not come with ease. It was an experience for them and an experience for us. This is why I am shocked ABC cancelled it, because it is so good. Did the writers make time to produce a pilot for season 2? I just cannot understand their reason.

We need to now show that Missing is worth it. Their hard work does not go in vain. Guys sign the petition please and you would see what I mean. Writer/Producer Gregory Poirier has also suggested we " Start writing to A & E, Netflix, USA and TNT". He said they were "Re approaching all of them. Let's save "Missing" " via his Twitter.

Fans, let's start sending emails to our friends (those who you know would appreciate this) and to each network.

Lexa


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