Kara McCoy - Page 2

Tonight's episode of OUTLANDER was, in a word, different. Yeah, I already know what you're thinking. 'Different.' That's like what you say when your friend shows you her terrible new haircut. Oh! It's...different! Get that idea out of your head, because that's not what I mean. It was just different. A little kooky, a little--dare I say--funny, and, okay, a little uneven. I might even go so far as to label it a filler episode, which pains me slightly, because that 'f' word has such a negative connotation in TV world, doesn't it? But with only two episodes left in the season, I guess it was inevitable. That being said, however, filler or not, different or uneven, 'The Search' was definitely entertaining. 

Tonight's OUTLANDER picked up right where Episode 12 left off, which was great, because last week's 'Lallybroch' ended with one doozy of a cliffhanger. Three guys pulling pistols on Jamie, the Laird of Lallybroch, mind you, in his own home! Well, I never! Before the situation can escalate any further, Jenny walks in, clearly unfazed by the scene in front of her. Not only that, but she seems to know the pistol-wielding intruders. They may be friendly, but not that friendly, because Jenny introduces Jamie to them as her cousin. Jamie catches on quickly, calling himself MacTavish. One of the newly arrived crew tells Jenny that they thought Jamie was a robber--because what else could Jamie possibly be, right?--so, heh, sorry for the misunderstanding.

Last week's episode of OUTLANDER was wild. Witches. Time travelers. Courtroom drama. 'Lallybroch' was basically the complete opposite, but not in a bad way. It gave us all a chance to catch our breath--the calm before yet another eventual storm, I'm sure. It wasn't particularly action-heavy, but neither was 'The Wedding' earlier this season, and much like episode seven, what 'Lallybroch' lacked in momentum, it made up for in development, focusing more on characters and relationships. Plus we finally got to see Lallybroch, which was great, because Jamie just would not shut up about it, y'know...

It may be a bit early to call it, having only reached the third of an eight-episode long homestretch, but I'm going to do it: the latter half of OUTLANDER's premiere season has exceeded all of my expectations. I'm not totally sure what they were to begin with, but they've all been tossed out the window by this point anyway. Already this show has topped itself, with each new episode since the September mid-season finale proving to be stronger than the last. Tonight's installment, intriguingly titled 'The Devil's Mark' was--yup, yup, I'm doing it--the best so far. I'm probably going to kick myself next week, if we keep up this momentum, but I'm just too darn excited about it.

A lot went down on tonight's episode of OUTLANDER. And I mean a lot. So much, in fact, that it felt like the type of episode that would pave the way for one heck of a season finale. But guess what, folks? We still have six episodes to go! So if this is Ronald D. Moore's idea of a typical filler episode, well then my goodness, color me impressed.

Welcome back to the 18th century, my fellow lads and lasses! If you, like me, spent the last 6-ish months in a state of downright painful anticipation, the wait is finally over. The STARZ hit OUTLANDER is back and ready to dominate TV screens once again. When we last saw our favorite new “it couple,” you may (definitely) recall, Claire had been captured by the British, specifically by the super evil and super skeevy Black Jack Randall, only to be saved by her dashing new beau Jamie at the last second. The mid-season premiere picks up where we left off, more or less. It opens with a voiceover from Jamie, which is a bit different; Claire's typically the one who handles the disembodied introspection and such. Now it's Jamie's turn to contemplate, making it clear right from the get-go that this episode will be Jamie-centric.

By now, you may know his voice, and you probably know his face, but you definitely know his name. To the delight of everyone with an internet connection and a Netflix account, 'Benedict Cumberbatch' has finally become more than just an overly abundant collection of silly syllables. It's become a household name (insert obligatory 'no matter how kooky of a name it may be' joke here). Today, he's easily one of the busiest men in Hollywood. A bonafide movie star. An Oscar nominee. And that's great. Because I'm a huge fan. You should be too. Here's why.

Alright, folks. Let's just cut right to the chase. Tonight's the SURVIVOR finale, and as I look back on the last 12 episodes, I feel more underwhelmed than nostalgic. I'm not saying the nothing happened this season, but...it kind of feels that way, doesn't it? A little bit? Usually I approach the finale with some sense of the contestant I'd like to win, or at least of the one I definitely don't. This year...I don't really care. And it's not because each of the remaining survivors deserves it; it's because they've all played this game at the same level of eh-ness. Should Baylor win? Eh. How about Missy? Eh. Jaclyn? Ehhhhh.

I tend to be overly verbose when it comes to, well, just about everything. So today, I'm going to try something different. I'm going to keep this short and sweet. After the two-hour SURVIVOR fest last week, I think we all deserve it. And honestly, there's only one point that I think I need to make at this stage of the game. So here goes: Natalie needs to accomplish something tonight.

I would have loved to have been in the room when SLEEPY HOLLOW was first pitched to FOX execs. I can only imagine how that conversation went. 'So, picture this. It's Ichabod Crane, and it's demons, and it's Benjamin Franklin, and it's witchcraft, and it's cell phones.' If a modern-day, evil-battling Ichabod Crane sounds a little zany to you, you're not alone. But now, a season and a half later, this surprise hit is still delivering, culminating in an exciting, if a bit uneven, fall finale that had me and fellow recapper Courtney Henley talking. Check out what we had to say, but beware the spoilers!

Brace yourselves, fellow reality TV junkies. Tonight's SURVIVOR is supersized, with two episodes airing back to back. That's double the challenges, double the backstabbing, and double the ridiculous hashtags. Double. The. Drama. Really. 'Tensions are running high' and 'patience is running low' in Huyopaville, which I guess is to be expected at this point of the game. With just eight contestants left on the island, the stakes are only getting higher, and the million dollars is only getting closer. It's time to be a little cutthroat. A little conniving. Plus being stuck with the same people week after week probably just gets annoying. It's only natural. Whatever it is, it makes for better TV--am I right?! (*Waits patiently for a high-five.*)

Last night's mid-season finale of AMC's THE WALKING DEAD delivered yet another gut-wrenching episode complete with twists, turns, and plenty of tears. Basically, everything we've come to expect from this zombie hit, still going strong with record-breaking ratings at season five. Even though we have to wait until February to see what's next for Rick Grimes and the gang, these two recappers still have a lot to talk about. Check out my conversation with THE WALKING DEAD recapper Jennifer McHugh, because a lot happened, and you need to know about all of it. Spoilers abound, so proceed with caution.

Last week we said goodbye to Sass Master J, and, well, I just don't know what to do with myself now. With Jeremy gone, who's going to give me my shady eye rolls and snarky asides? Who?! Wes, probably; dude's a total chatterbox. Lol jk, have we heard more than five words out of that guy this whole season? Like, my goodness, sing out, Louise! Alright, enough with the jokes. But I really am going to miss Jeremy and his unwavering dedication to the sassy cause. I guess I understand why they voted him out...Well, no, actually, I don't. But! Ultimately, my opinion means nothing. So good job, Huyopa. You, er, saw a threat, and you, um, got rid of it. Kudos to you. Ten points to Gryffindor.

Sigh. Let's revisit last week's SURVIVOR, shall we? No matter how painful and emotionally taxing it may be, I think we all need to talk about it. It's the only way to move on. To get some closure. To find inner peace. To learn to love again. (Oh, c'mon, Kara, cool the histrionics. Nope, sorry, shan't, won't.) So grab some Kleenex and dab your eyes, dear readers, because we're going to talk about Josh.

As I reflect on this season of SURVIVOR, the road so far, if you will, a couple of things are shocking to me. Number one: We're already down to 11 contestants. Number two: We're only down to 11 contestants. What is that, an oxymoron? Situational irony? Antithesis? Somewhere, both of my parents are weeping over my clearly wasted English degree. Well, anyway, whatever it is, it's true. Is this season moving at lightning speed, or in slow motion? Or both? I simply can't tell. Stick it on the bookshelf of unsolved mysteries, right between Roanoke and the Bermuda triangle.

Guys. Oh my gosh. Guys. It's tonight. It's finally happening. Tonight. Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. That's right, friends. For the second time this season, Jeff will utter one of the series' signature phrases, those three little words that will have you kicking off your shoes in a fit of joy: Drop. Your. Buffs.

Last week, the island got flipped, turned upside down (okay, my second Fresh Prince reference in a week? 90's kids really do have a tough time letting go) as Hunahpu and Coyopa were mixed up to create two new tribes, thereby eliminating any hope I could have possibly had at keeping these contestants straight. It wasn't quite a merge, which is really the one checkpoint that every SURVIVOR junkie oh, so eagerly awaits, but it was certainly something--a necessary something, because Hunahpu's prior winning streak was getting lame, let's be honest. Now, the 'blood vs water' theme can really come into play, maybe even more than it would in an actual merge. On Hunahpu, fate in the form of an blue buff declared that Josh and Reed be the only new pair of loved ones on the new tribe. It wasn't a problem for them last week because Hunahpu won the immunity comp--oh my gosh, it's really starting to sound like a broken record; even with a new tribe, Coyopa can't win--but if they go to tribal this week, you never know. They could definitely be targets, which makes me sad, because I don't want either of them to go. Especially now that they've just been reunited; what a tragic Nicholas Sparksian love story that would be.

Last week, in what was probably the most satisfying tribal council of the season so far, we said goodbye to Drew. And not, like, a particularly sad goodbye. Not one of those 'handkerchief-waving, sending your son off to college' goodbyes. No, no. More like a 'champagne-popping, gone with the wind FANTASTIC' goodbye. The dude with the 'tude is officially off the island and probably back to enjoying his hair dryers and down feather comforters as I type this. From chillin' out, maxin', relaxin' all useless at camp, to throwing the immunity comp, to conspiring against the girls--purely because they're girls--Drew's game weakened his tribe at best and showcased his crummy personality at worst. Woah, was that too harsh? Alright, alright, well, suffice it to say, he's gone. And he deserves to be gone. Okay, rant done.

Last week the island saw its first real blindside of the season, as John Bad-mouth Rocker was sent packing. Not too shabby for only the third episode. Now, I'm about to embarrass myself by revealing how seriously I take my reality shows, but we're all friends here, so here goes. It's very refreshing to see actual moves being made this early in the game--those aptly named 'power moves.' If you watch BIG BROTHER, another CBS reality stalwart, you know how long it can take before a contestant makes any attempt to shake up the game. In fact, it could never happen at all. BIG BROTHER is famous for its unanimous evictions, as week after week the house, the BB equivalent to a tribe, votes together according to the Head of Household's wishes. Predictable. Uninteresting. And believe me, as boring to watch as it is to write about. So thank you, Coyopa. You're keeping me on my toes.

Last week the island saw possibly one of the silliest game moves since J'Tia's rice dump--well okay, maybe it's not quite the same; Season 28's ricegate wasn't really a game move, per se, more of a temper tantrum. Val, on the other hand--how she could have possibly thought lying would actually help her game is still a mystery to me. This is SURVIVOR, after all. SURVIVOR! Lying on SURVIVOR? Who lies on SURVIVOR? Oh. Right. Everybody. Well, still. Let Val's prompt dismissal last week serve as a cautionary tale to the remaining contestants. If you're going to lie, be smart about it. Not silly. Heck, lie about mildly believable things at least. Do not, I repeat, do not, lie about having multiple immunity idols by day five. Inevitably, someone will call you out on it, and then you'll just be up a creek without an idol. Sorry, Val. It would have been fun to see what other kooky fabrications you could have cooked up. Maybe your husband Jeremy will have some similar tricks up his sleeve. I can only hope.