By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

The next Star Wars animated series, Star Wars: Rebels, will debut on Disney XD in fall 2014.

The show will debut with a one-hour special on the Disney Channel before the series continues on Disney XD. It will be executive produced by Simon Kinberg, who will also write the premiere episode, Dave Filoni, who was the supervising director for Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Greg Weisman, who has worked on Young Justice and The Spectacular Spider-Man.

The show will be set between Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and Episode IV – A New Hope, an era where the Empire has risen to power and continues to hunt down the last of the Jedi Knights.

Like The Clone Wars, the show will be computer-animated. In a video posted on StarWars.com, Filoni said the look of the show would be somewhere between Ralph McQuarrie’s original concept art for the original Star Wars, and what was eventually committed to screen when the movie hit.

The initial press release indicates those in attendance for Star Wars: Celebration Europe this July will get a sneak peek at Rebels.

Source: StarWars.com
Image from modelmagic.com.
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By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

The first full-length trailer for Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. hit the web this week.

The show, which takes place in Marvel’s cinematic universe, stars Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson, who recruits a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to investigate, and at times combat the new, the strange and the unknown. The show also stars Brett Dalton, Ming-Na Wen, Ian De Caestecker, Elizabeth Henstridge and Chloe Bennett.

Image from marvel.com.
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By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., a television show based in the Marvel cinematic universe, has been picked up by ABC.

Marvel.com broke this story this week, along with a cast reveal. As expected, Clark Gregg stars as Agent Phil Coulson, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who has returned from the dead and assembled a select team of agents to investigate “the new, the strange, and the unknown across the globe, protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary.”

In addition to Gregg, the series will feature:

- Brett Dalton as Agent Grant Ward, an agent highly trained in combat and espionage.
- Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, an expert pilot and martial artist.
- Ian De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, a brilliant engineer.
-Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons, a brilliant bio-chemist.
- Chloe Bennett as Skye, a new recruit and computer hacker.

Marvel also confirmed an earlier report from SitcomsOnline.com that the first promo for the show would air May 12 during the season finale of Once Upon A Time.

The Avengers director Joss Whedon is attached as an executive producer, as are Jed Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen, Jeffrey Bell and Jeph Loeb.

Source and Image: Marvel.com
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By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

Showtime has released a preview for the final season of Dexter, which premieres June 30.

The featurette tracks Deb’s progression as a character from the beginning of season 1 to the climax of season 8. Showrunners, as well as Jennifer Carpenter, Michael C. Hall and James Remar look at Deb’s past, and ponder her future.

Front page image from zimbio.com. 

TITLE: The Following
STARRING: Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, Natalie Zea, Valorie Curry, Shawn Ashmore
EPISODES: 15
NETWORK: Fox
FINALE DATE: April 29, 2013

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

I want to like The Following. I really do. That was probably the main element that kept me coming back to this show for 15 straight weeks. I wanted it to surprise me and really get good. But it never did.

The Following has a great many fans who will take issue with me on that. But for my money the show feels largely hollow. Despite the suspenseful storytelling and characters that aren’t exactly uninteresting, it lacks a certain…soul. By and large, it seems like a collection of stock characters, recurring serial killer movie themes and gory stunts tossed into a show to attract fans normally drawn to that kind of stuff. Granted, the entertainment industry exists to make money, and every TV show, movie or book is derivative of something. But The Following feels uninspired to me. As such, I found myself more and more apathetic about it as things progressed. Considering it’s supposed to be a suspense thriller, that’s probably not a good thing.

Years after being captured by F.B.I. agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), former writer, college professor, and horrendous serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) has concocted the ultimate plan for revenge. From the confines of prison, Carroll uses his bizarre cult of followers to arrange for his young son to be kidnapped, and for Hardy to be drawn into the investigation. Carroll’s ex-wife Claire (Natalie Zea) must stand by helplessly knowing her son is in the hands of murderers, specifically a trio who are involved in a bizarre love triangle. Carroll’s followers proceed to make life a living hell for Hardy, the F.B.I., and anyone who might stand in their way.

Many of us can’t help but be fascinated by the minds and methods of serial killers. Head into the true crime section of any book store and you”re bound to find titles on John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, Jeffry Dahmer and the like. Let’s certainly not discount our fixation on fictional killers like Hannibal Lecter, Patrick Bateman and Dexter Morgan. Serial killers pique our curiosity. We’re inevitably drawn to watch them from a safe distance, like children peering in on predators at a zoo. Also, serial killers are often uncannily skilled actors and manipulators who know how to say just the right things to get the reaction they’re looking for from a prospective victim. The Following hoped to capitalize on all these ideas to create a weekly psychological suspense thriller about a serial killer using his cult following to wreak havoc on the world, and the man who ruined his life. Make no mistake about it: That’s a damn good idea for a TV show.

But the most glaring problem with The Following is it’s littered with things that have been done before, and frankly, done better. As those elements started to add up, the show’s universe started to dilute, and my suspension of disbelief gradually faded away. Need examples? I’ll give you six…

1. The loner agent (or sometimes ex-agent) who drinks to numb his pain, and is drawn into a confrontation with a figure from his past. Though Kevin Bacon plays him well, there is very little about Ryan Hardy that is unique or original. This character is a staple of crime and noir stories from just about any medium.

2. The English serial killer manipulating things from his cell. James Purefoy’s prison scenes with Bacon, and various other actors were practically screaming ”The Silence of the Lambs!” The fact that Joe Carroll’s wife is named Claire, a name very similar to Clarice, didn’t help much. In the episode where Claire comes to see Joe in prison, I half expected him to say: “What became of your lamb, Claire?”

3. The kidnapped kid. This one is a staple of just about every genre. I’ll give you that Kyle Catlett, the kid who played Joey Matthews, is a pretty good actor. He gave off enough of the innocent kid vibe without making it annoying. Still, that line he had in episode about Ryan being “one of the good guys!” was downright cringeworthy. But that was a writing issue, not a performance one.

4. Edgar Allan Poe. Edgar Allan Poe’s Wikipedia page should refer to him as “a great American poet, and popular culture’s go-to source for Gothic quotes and references.” I understand that wrapping Carroll’s following in Poe allusions was advantageous because most people have heard of his work. But the idea was tired, not to mention a little too “on the nose.” Joe Carroll is a writer isn’t he? Why could the cult of Joe Carroll be wrapped up in the writings of Joe Carroll? That would make sense, wouldn’t it?

5. Joe Loves Ryan? During the finale, Joe uses a love at first sight metaphor to describe his relationship with Ryan. This motif has been used in the Batman mythos as least as far back as The Dark Knight Returns in 1986. The idea is that Batman and the Joker complete each other on some level, and as such Joker has a perverse “love” for Batman. It’s a cool concept, but it feels forced here.

6. The lighthouse. The big climax between Joe, Ryan and Claire takes place at a lighthouse. Claire actually comments on how predictable it is. Even the characters have seen this stuff before.

The big original twist in this show, or so I thought, was supposed to be the cult element. The question of who’s in it, where they are, how and when they’ll strike, etc. But as the season progressed we found out they all lived together in a big house, as if it were The Real World for murderers. While the cult story did bring us some exciting moments (the chase through the gymnasium being the best), the idea was never tapped to its full potential.

The Emma character irritated me, but t wasn’t necessarily Valorie Curry’s fault. It had more to do with some of her dialogue and her involvement in that weird love triangle with Jacob and Paul. That all seemed like cheap, sleazy fluff to me. Remember that scene where Emma and Paul are in the shower together (because they’re suddenly attracted to each other somehow), and then Jacob comes in and they all…um, hug? Brutal.

I did find Jacob’s story arc interesting though. The idea of a murderous cult member being scared to make his first kill made for good drama. For my money, Jacob’s story should have gone to Emma to get the audience more invested in her. Picture it. Joe convinces a naive young girl to join his cause, and in the process she falls in love with him. Then she winds up having to look after Joey, and the innocence of a young child makes her question what her beloved mentor has taught her. In the end, Joe tells Emma he loves her, and she finally makes her first kill…then the events at the lighthouse happen (I’m trying to stay spoiler free here, but I think you get the idea.). Emma has lost everything, and next season she comes back for revenge.

Curry could have pulled that off beautifully. But instead we got awkward scenes with this girl who is hopelessly devoted to Joe, yet somehow also romantically linked to Jacob, and also attracted to Paul. So much of it was unfocused and loaded with empty lust. Also, that scene where Emma meets Claire was painful.

Joe had too many lieutenants for my taste. For a few episodes we had Charlie, the guy who kidnapped Claire. Later we met Roderick, the cult’s inside man at the police department, who happened to have a game show host haircut. And all the while we also had Emma, Paul and Jacob. Despite her weird awkwardness, Emma was the only one I found myself caring about because the others either came and went too freely, weren’t developed enough, or were part of silly sub plots. Personally, I would have enjoyed seeing episodes with self contained sub stories, spotlighting individual cult members. We’d see somebody new each week. That way we could keep things nice and simple, have a fresh threat to deal with every episode, and get to know the commonalities that bind this weird group.

It’s also worth noting that this season Joe either escaped from prison or police custody three times, two of which happened right in front of Ryan. Let’s also not forget Claire was able to get away from the F.B.I. twice so she could pursue Joe on her own. Ryan was able to push the agents quite a bit a lot as well, considering he’s supposed to be retired. He held a press conference on the investigation without their knowledge, and even beats up on suspects. In the finale, he even convinces Mike (Shawn Ashmore’s character) to let him go after Joe, an escaped serial killer whose cronies are responsible for the death of dozens of innocent people, on his own with no back up at all. These folks are pretty inept, considering they’re supposed to be the Federal freakin’ Bureau of Investigation…

One thing I will say for The Following is, despite having writing that was at times downright sloppy, it was very well cast. Awhile back, one of the showrunners said in Entertainment Weekly that Kevin Bacon was cast as the lead so viewers could have a lead they felt a sense of comfort and safety with amidst all the chaos. Bacon provides that, and plays the run down cop role pretty well. Shawn Ashmore was a good choice for the Mike role, as he’s got plenty of nice guy appeal. James Purefoy and Valorie Curry could have been great in their roles, had they not been so uninspired. But all the performers seemed to do the best with what was given to them.

The Following set out to be television’s hottest thriller, and the truly sad thing is that it could have been. But at this point it looks like it’s destined to become a guilty pleasure. I look at it almost the same way I look at Glee. You watch it, and constantly find yourself rolling your eyes at the way the story is put together. But you respect the performers enough that you tune in for their sake. But you know what? I don’t see Kevin Bacon belting out pop covers any time soon. So The Following‘s may not even have that going for it.

RATING: 4.5/10

 Front page image from sheknows.com. Images 1, 2 and 4 from forcesofgeek.com. Image 3 from cartermatt.com. Image 5 from seriable.com. Image 6 from pearlsonastring.com.
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By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

I’m calling you out, Felicia Day.

Oh, don’t look at me like that. Don’t give me the innocent “Who, me?” look. Don’t try the adorably quirky smile, either. And don’t try to geek your way into my heart like you’ve done to so many others with your work on The Guild. You certainly can’t melt me with your singing, which we saw in Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-long Blog. None of that’s going to work this time. It’s time for you to face the music. I’m going to expose you…

What? No. This isn’t a creepy fanboy thing. Just relax, you’re going to be fine. But I am going to expose you for the usurper of justice that you are. I’m going to tell the world about the travesty that you committed in Chicago at C2E2 this weekend. And most importantly, I’m here to tell you how you ruined my life.

It all begins with me and my people skills.

I like to think I’m pretty good with keeping my cool around famous people. Through my jobs, this web site and various comic book conventions, I’ve been fortunate enough to talk to or interview a lot of people with different levels of celebrity. From Justin Timberlake to Ernie Hudson to Peter Mayhew (the guy in the Chewbacca costume) to Jared the Subway guy, I’ve mingled with my share of stars. I even got a quote from President Obama during his senator days.

Then there was the time I made Lance Bass laugh. It was an ‘N Sync meet and greet (Shut up. I was in middle school.), and I said I “did not know there were so many teenage girls in the state of Illinois.” Alright, so it wasn’t brilliant. And it was only later we learned he was gay. But he laughed, so I’m calling it a win!

In essence, I always do my best to keep my cool and not freeze up around famous people. Awkwardness and embarrassment torture me. It’s an anxiety thing I’ve got. So when I get the opportunity to meet somebody famous, I take pride in being able to talk to them like they’re regular people, and not stammer or get star struck. I’d like to think they appreciate that on some level.

But this weekend, my non-awkwardness/embarrassment streak was broken. At C2E2 in Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center, one man finally broke me. He gave me a bumbling fumbling star struck brain freeze, and left me stumbling across my mental landscape to pick up the pieces of my shattered dignity…

It was Burt Ward. Robin from the 1960s Batman show. That’s right, folks. The man who would become America’s first black president didn’t get to me, but the Boy Wonder did. If that doesn’t illustrate what a hopeless fanboy I am, I don’t know what to tell ya.

As most people know, from 1966 to 1968 Adam West and Burt Ward defined the Batman mythos for a generation (for better or worse, depending on who you ask), as they POW, WHAM, and ZAPPED their way through Gotham City’s rogues. In the process, they became American icons and staples of popular culture.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who can cite the Batman TV show as my “gateway drug” into comic books. Burt Ward helped me find something that I’m passionate about, and gives me a lot of joy. Not only that, but his unwavering exuberance in everything he did on that show accounted for much of what made it great. As great as West’s performances as Batman were, he couldn’t have sailed that ship alone. Ward deserves just as much credit for making that show what it was. So imagine my excitement when I heard Ward was attending C2E2, which is practically in my back yard!

I arrived at C2E2, anxiously awaiting the meeting of Boy Wonder and Fanboy Wonder. After combing much of the convention floor, spending way too much money on action figures, and getting autographs from the likes of Brian Wood, Ethan Van Sciver, Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason, the time had arrived. I’d given myself a few hours before approaching the entertainment guest tables, so my subconscious could whip up something charming and witty to say. We were going for another Lance Bass chuckle, ladies and gentlemen. Oh yes, we were.

This is where Felicia Day comes in…

When I reached the guest tables, I saw that Robin had found himself an adversary in none other than Felicia Day. With her two million Twitter followers and uncannily crushable geek goddess appeal, Day had a line that dwarfed our hero’s. That is to say, she had between 50 and 100 people, and Ward had about five. It was still fairly early in the day, but I’d say this was a fair indicator of where the fans were going.

I met Felicia Day at Wizard World Chicago a few years ago. She’s a nice girl. I liked her in Dr Horrible, and I got her autograph for my girlfriend. I’ve got nothing against her. But with that in mind I say…who the hell is Felicia Day??? After all he’s done for our geek subculture, and American culture in general, Burt Ward should be carried into comic book conventions on one of this big…uh, throne thingies. He shouldn’t have to sit there like a chump while fans furiously flock to the fiery follicled Felicia! This was blasphemy! Where was the justice?!? Someone tell me!

So in that moment, I became justice personified. I handed my back pack to my girlfriend, made sure I had my $50 for an autographed 8X10 (I know, it is pretty steep…), and marched my way up to Burt Ward’s table. He and his agent/publicist/handler guy were just finishing up with a fan. I got up there, greeted them both, and happily asked if I could have an autograph.

In response, agent/publicist/handler guy said: “Well gee, there’s a big line right there…”

And suddenly, it was all clear. I’d made a huge mistake. That huge line I’d seen wasn’t for Felicia Day! It was a line of anxious fans waiting to meet the Boy Wonder, and pay tribute to him for his contributions to geek culture! All was right with the world!

There are a great many questions I could have asked myself to avoid what happened next. I’m going to list the top three.

1. This agent/publicist/handler guy seems like a sociable dude. Is it possible he could be joking?
2. There are a lot of 8X10s sitting there at the table. Is it possible they haven’t had many visitors?
3. If the line is for Burt Ward, why are they all standing in front of Felicia Day’s table? (This one probably would have helped the most.)

But no, none of those light bulbs went on. Instead I apologized and walked halfway back the way I came. Then I noticed no one else was stepping forward to take my place. I immediately looked back, and saw Ward and agent/publicist/handler guy laughing and waving me back.

I’d gotten a chuckle, but it certainly wasn’t for my wit.

To his credit, Ward was pretty cool about the whole thing. Agent/publicist/handler guy gave me two signed 8X10s for just $10 more. I think he knew an embarrassed sucker when he saw one, and went for the easy sale. Ward seemed to pick up on it too, and kindly asked me if I had any questions for him. I blurted something out about how it felt for Bat-Mania to have lasted this long, to which he modestly said something about it being “crazy.”

At that point I went into recovery mode. We talked a little bit about how Adam West was supposed to have been there, but pulled out due to some herniated discs in his back (ouch). I was able to stick the ending a little bit, when I told him I was disappointed by West’s absence, but his presence still made the day worth it. Later, I was able to get a photo with him.

It all worked out in the end. But the fact remains, my witty celeb encounter streak is now broken. And it’s all Felicia Day’s fault. Her adorable, geeky, entrepreneurial presence at C2E2 completely threw my game off, and now Burt Ward thinks I’m a gullable sucker. So you live with that Felicia Day. Live with yourself knowing what you did to both the Boy Wonder and the Fanboy Wonder. Think about that the next time you’re on one of your fancy schmancy Hollywood sets.

Then again, Felicia Day’s line would eventually be eclipsed by the line for none other than Jason David Frank, who you might remember as Tommy from Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. Heh. Maybe justice isn’t dead after all…

Front page image from wallpapers.co.uk. Image 1 from last.fm. Image 3 from fuckyeahdickgrayson.tumblr.com. Image 4 from tvsluts.blogspot.com. Image 5 from thebrotherhoodofevilgeeks.com. Images 2 and 6 from author’s collection.
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By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

I knew Glee was going to do a school shooting episode. I knew it back in season one, and it became more and more evident as the series progressed. Glee just loves to be that show. It’s already dealt with teen pregnancy, LGBTA issues, school bullying, suicide, eating disorders, and even texting while driving. Glee is essentially the after school special of prime time television. So it was only a matter of time before they got around to the issue of guns in schools.

In the middle of last week’s episode, our cast suddenly hears two gunshots. They barricade themselves in the choir room and go into panic mode. They start recording messages to their loved ones, and one boy even fights to get out into the hallways and find his girlfriend. In the end, no one is hurt. We find out that Becky, a recurring character with down’s syndrome played by Lauren Potter, brought the gun into the school to feel strong, as she was feeling anxious about graduating and leaving her comfort zone in the school. The gun accidentally goes off in the office of Jane Lynch’s character, Sue Sylvester. Sue takes the fall for Becky and is fired.

The episode is understandably controversial, coming a mere four months after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, and less than a week after the stabbing at Lone Star College. Some are calling it powerful, moving television. Others have referred to it as exploitative trash.

I like Glee. I’m not exactly its target audience, but the kids on that show have a lot of talent, and it’s a guilty pleasure. Still, this whole thing seems a little too far for my taste. Had it been done on another show, it might have worked. We certainly can’t say school violence isn’t a relevant topic right now, can we? But Glee spends so much time pulling dramatic twists and messages out of the hat, that this very tragic, and at least somewhat true to life story seems like just the next one in line. Keep in mind that in the previous episode, Lea Michele’s character found out her boyfriend is a gigolo. And in this shooting episode a character also dealt with being “catfished” by his online girlfriend. Throw in Sue having to take the fall for it, and the whole thing seems more like a TV stunt than an attempt to start a dialogue about school violence.

Having the Becky character bring the weapon into the school undoubtedly ruffled some feathers as well. I don’t necessarily have a problem with it, though I can see how parents or friends of kids with down’s syndrome might. Granted, a student with down’s syndrome can just as easily get scared and make a bad decision as anyone else. But it doesn’t exactly paint a nice picture for younger viewers, does it? And how many other characters with down’s syndrome are there on network television?

Fox also should have attempted to be a bit more sensitive toward the Sandy Hook community in Newton, Connecticut. Though warnings did air before and during the episode, Newton residents reportedly only found out through a victims’ advocacy group.

Earlier this month, Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy called this episode “the most powerful emotional Glee ever.” Emotional? Sure, I’ll give ‘em that one. It’s a heck of an emotional subject. But powerful? Not really. I’m a Glee fan, but even I have to admit the show jumped the shark awhile ago. It’s been a victim of bad writing for awhile now, and has had to resort to stunts and plots with cheesy after school special messages in attempt to stay fresh. This school shooting story is simply the latest one. That’s sad, as it seems like they actually had good intentions. But it’s just too little, too late.

Front page image/image 1 from zimbio.com. Image 2 from gawker.com. Image 3 from hollywoodreporter.com.
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By Seth Miller
Staff Writer, Part Time Ninja

- Last week: The Ricktatorship ended and the next phase of Glenn and Maggie’s relationship began (although it could end pretty fast if Maggie asks Glenn where he got the ring). Merle died, Daryl cried, then we all cried.

-It is The Walking Dead season finale, and I am going to miss it (Won’t miss Talking Dead as much). We open with the Governor beating the ever loving shit out of Milton and dragging him off to see Andrea in the torture chamber.  The Governor stabs Milton so he’ll turn into a zombie and eat Andrea. With a pair of pliers she gets out of the dentist chair she was handcuffed to, right as the undead Milton charges her. The Governor stages his assault on the prison, and after he has launched grenades all over the place, he notices that it is seemingly abandoned. As soon the Woodbury army enters the sealed area of the prison, flash bangs go off and Glenn & Maggie drive them out of the prison. Rick, Daryl, and Michonne go to take the fight to the Governor, and discover he killed most of his people when they refused to go back and fight at the prison. When they arrive at Woodbury, they find Andrea; who was bitten by zombified Milton. Andrea kills herself in front of a grief-stricken Michonne. With the Governor revealed for the monster he is, the surviving Woodbury residents come with Rick to live in the prison as the Governor plots his vengeance.

- Despite the fact we didn’t see the Governor get his comeuppance; this was a strong finale filled with heartbreaking losses, great character moments that will define them for next season and more, and we got some pretty cool action scenes.

- Andrea, you may have made some pretty bad decisions this season, but you will be missed.  Her valiant attempt to stop a war and save as many lives as she could ultimately failed and cost her everything. Not to tarnish the dead; but when the guy who is going to turn into zombie and eat you tells you to hurry up, you should hurry up. Despite that, Andrea was a good character who grew over her three seasons, and endured so much that she deserved a nobler end than what she got.

- Carl has officially become one black-hearted S.O.B. At first I thought he was going to be a little brat when it looked like the group was leaving, but I felt a little sorry for him because he is a good shot. Then a teenage soldier comes out of nowhere and surrenders; which is when Carl shoots him. His answer to Rick about why he did it is equally dark, but there is a twisted logic to it. He was forced to kill his mom killed because of a prisoner Rick didn’t kill, and is at war with a psychopath because Rick didn’t kill him when they met face to face. This is what happens to kids who are raised in the zombie apocalypse; their sense of right and wrong gets twisted. Rick dealing with both a psychologically scarred kid who needs help or another Governor in the making are huge parts of why I’m excited about Season 4.

- Rick can’t keep shutting potential allies out and killing anybody that isn’t part of his group, which explains his logic in letting the Woodbury residents live in the prison. We have all seen what effect that isolation method has on people like Carl and the Governor. He has to set an example for Carl so he doesn’t end up like the Governor. Why they abandoned a functioning town for a decimated prison I haven’t the foggiest idea, though.

- Did anybody else pick up on that moment between Rick and Michonne? Are the writers hinting at a future relationship or just messing with the fans?  Either way, expect of wave videos on YouTube who really want these two together. And if they haven’t come up with a mashed-up name for them, I’d like to throw out Mick.

- Didn’t see as much from Tyreese as I would have liked this season. But with the Woodbury residents moving into the prison and the potential conflict from these two groups in a confined space, Tyreese is going to step up for them and be an integral part of their co-existence. Which is going to be really important since the Governor is still alive…wait a minute…

- THE GOVERNOR IS STILL ALIVE?!  I get that David Morrissey is a good actor, and he is great in his role as the Governor, but how much more can we get out of the character? He is full on chaotic evil! This season has been building toward this conflict, and now that he is alive any time he comes back on the show will have diminished results. Maybe the writers will surprise me, but I’m not optimistic…

-Zombie Kill of the Week: Michonne slicing the heads of two zombies at once!

Images from amctv.com.
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By Seth Miller
Staff Writer, Part Time Ninja

- Last week: Andrea finally left Woodbury and tried to kill the Governor (good for her). But she was captured and locked in the Governor’s torture chamber. Milton stopped Andrea from shooting the Governor and has earned my hatred. Tyreese did his best to stay in Woodbury but is beginning to question the Governor and his commands.

- This week: Rick and the group prepare the prison for the Governor’s imminent attack.  Troubled about what he will do regarding the Governor’s offer, Rick tells Daryl about his plan to give Michonne to Woodbury  Despite Hershel’s protests, Rick and Daryl agree that this is the best course of action. Rick goes to Merle to get his help taking Michonne to the Governor. While he gets his support, he is told he is giving her up to be tortured, and Woodbury might not stop attacking. Rick decides not to go through with it after he sees Ghost Lori (ugh, again), but Merle decides to abduct Michonne and deliver her himself. On the way, Michonne gets to Merle, decides to let her go, and take down the Governor and as many of his men as he can. Merle gets killed fighting for the group, Rick gives up his power, and Daryl is forced to kill Merle.

- This episode accomplished something I thought was impossible: It made me root for and then feel sorry for Merle. While some have said the characterization doesn’t make sense, it does when you think about how much Merle loves his brother. Even with all the bad things Merle has done, he still loves his Daryl and is willing to do anything to protect him. But Daryl will fight and die for the family he has recently made. Realizing Daryl won’t go with him, he takes Michonne and goes on his own. Whether he let her go because he wanted to be a better person, because of his loyalty to the group, or because he thought Daryl would hate him for it; he still decided to be a better man and sacrifice himself for his brother and the family he became apart of. His assault on the Governor’s crew by luring a herd of zombies and fighting the Governor to his last breath was great showcase of post apocalyptic badassery. The story wasn’t completely half-assed, it was driven by the well-established love Merle has for Daryl. Michael Rooker also gave us a great performance. Even though he was a mean, racist bastard; we all choked up a bit when Daryl found Merle as a zombie, didn’t we?

- Some other sides of Michonne were seen in this episode. She can’t break free from Merle physically, so she starts to talk him down. She could have been playing mind games with Merle, which shows she is not only deadly with blade but also a cunning manipulator. I prefer to see it in a different light. Michonne has always been a good judge of character. She could tell the Governor was a monster while everybody trusted him, and I like to believe she can see something in Merle that earned her forgiveness. Either way, this event added more layers to everyone’s favorite katana wielding badass.

- For the second time this season, our heroes have used a zombie horde as a weapon against the Governor. If the group were on a trading card with stats listed, the zombie horde would be the weapon of choice. Fingers crossed they go for the hat trick next week.

- Ghost Lori is back (a phrase that nobody said with any joy)!

- A smaller but no less significant development tonight was the end of the “Ricktatorship.”  His experience with the Governor and his realization that his own leadership is not completely foolproof has led him to the decision that the group as a whole is the reason they have made it so far. Glad to see Rick learn from his mistakes and losses so he can share the burden of leadership. I wonder if it will last for a while or switch back and forth between seasons.

-Glenn proposed to Maggie, yay! Though Glenn giving her a ring he took from the finger of a zombie is really messed up.  I mean, does Glenn secretly hate her? Because anything would be a better symbol of marriage then a ring off a dead person who wants to eat you. At the very least I hope he soaked it in alcohol, boiling water, or whatever was available to disinfect it.

-Zombie Kill of the Week: Michonne is back with her zombie decapitation via wire.

Images from amctv.com.
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By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

Mr. Feeny himself, William Daniels, has a role in the Disney Channel’s upcoming Girl Meets World series. Or at the very least, he’s in the pilot.

TVLine reports that Daniels, who played Mr. Feeny for seven seasons on ABC’s hit series Boy Meets World, was indeed filming while on the set of the pilot this week. In contrast, former BMW actors Rider Strong, Will Friedle and Maitland Ward were on set visiting their old costars and colleagues. Girl Meets World stars Rowan Blanchard and Sabrina Carpenter are also pictured.

The pilot is set to air later this year. Images from the set can be seen below.

Images from tvline.com.
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