Blade the Series - 1x09 - "Angels And Demons"

[fembuck]

Well, golly! What an episode.

First off, I like snarky female asian doctor (I'm going to call her Dr. Kim from now on, because I think it's a pretty good guess). From her entrance, "Ever hear of a lamp?" Dr. Kim amused and entertained me. It was nice to see Shen have someone to share his pain with. I mean, Shen deals with Blade pretty well, but you gotta know that being around that guy like 24/7 has got to be a serious downer like almost all the time, lol. I hope we see more of Dr. Kim, I kinda like it when Blade's inner circle is a little expanded. Plus she's like the perfect candidate to develop a new inhaler for him (though that would mean no more of Krista's orgasm face in the shower, though I'm sure Marcus Chase would be happy to help her out with that).

Despite this episode being a total Marcus/Krista shipper wetdream come true, there were still a few moments for our girls. First, Chase called her 'darling' (I don't know if it's an Australian thing and I don't care!), then Chase's mere presence was enough to calm Krista's bloodlust, then Chase totally undressed Krista (and I'm assuming bathed her because I want to), and then picked out a sexy slip to dress her in before tying her down on the bed (which I'm assuming is like totally vampire foreplay).

Awww, poor Charlotte. She sounded really sad when she declared that if Glynis hadn't checked in yet that she never would. Chase is in for a beat down, Charlotte is totally pissed. It sucks that Chase has to get the beat down because Charlotte knows without a doubt that Marcus cares about her and she can be used as a bargaining chip. Marcus I ideally should be getting the beat down (though he seemed to recover from those pretty quickly. Then again, if Krista was all "let me lick your wounds" I'd probably ignore the gasping hole in my chest to. Plus, it seemed like she was doing most of the work anyway), or at least Krista since she actually did the killing and is the one Charlotte is actually suspicious of. There is a possibility that Lurch grabbed the wrong "girl", but I don't think so. Also, I'm interested in this plan that Charlotte spoke of. I can't remember if it's been brought up before, but I'm glad to see that the pure bloods have something up their sleeves.


I was surprised by the revelation that Marcus is only 107 years old. For some reason I thought that he was older than that. In any case the flashbacks were kind of interesting in that it really explains Marcus' hatred of the pure bloods. Though I found his backstory really cliche and boring. Oh, Marucs is just misunderstood. See he was a really good husband, who loved his angel Isabel and sacrificed home and country to be with her. And all he wanted to do was open his own shop and make is way in this country that celebrated freedom and the pursuit of happiness. But EVIL vampires stole this dream and destroyed his life. And now he's sad and angry and driven, and has been meticulously planning his revenge for a hundred years (like Michael Scofield only he wants to kill people instead of rescue them, and he takes a lot longer to plan things ... and isn't nearly as fine). Because of his pain, he truly understands Krista's (even though he caused hers) and they're perfect together and it makes me want to puke. Honestly, okay I can see a bond existing between the two of them, but really Marcus just visited upon her the pain that was visited upon him because ... um, he wanted to? Frankly, you'd think he would have known better. This 'my blood is in you and so we share a love that is pure' shit is stupid, and that the point that Chase still hates Frederick's guts even though she won't kill him just proves that. The bond makes it so that she can't actually kill him, but she remembers what he did to her and can never forgive him for it. Krista should be in the same boat.

Really I would've liked it if they'd gone the Krista/Marcus dark/hatefuck route. His beatdown of her in his office was pretty awesome, and if they'd had them hook up as an extension of that, sleeping together and having Krista work through some of her vampire issues, while Marcus worked through some messed up desire he'd had to turn his wife and safe from life's suffering or something, that would have been alright. But the Florence Nightengale, schmoopiness of their union bugged. The scene was filmed nicely though.

Dominic (or is it Damic? I really sounded like they were saying Damic this episode but whatever, I'll just call him Big D) is a total bastard and I'm glad he's dead. If all the Armayan pure bloods were thugs like him it's not hard to see why they got kicked off of the council. The Marcus/Big D fight was pretty awesome though. Marcus was actually menacing and intimidating this episode and I liked him much better this way.

Leave it to Chase to have the heels of her boots tipped with silver. Gotta love that girl! Oh Chase, you so crazy. It was pretty funny how Lurch just downed her though and then dragged her out of the alley like a sack of potatoes.

The Agent Collin's storyline was somewhat interesting tonight. Okay, not really but at least there's some forward movement with them knowing about Blade and the cover-ups and probably going to track him down very soon. Plus, Dr. Gilmore (I'm going to call her that because Doctor lady reminds me of Lauren Graham and I didn't catch her name) is all sorts of hot, and is pretty smart to boot. If she's in scenes with Agent Collin's well, at least I'll have something to look at.

God that wig they gave Marucs was hideous. I think Neil Jackson's kind weird looking anyway, but in a kind of SexyUgly way, but in those flashbacks it was just fugcity. Not interesting looking, just FugUg.

Also, Blade ... sweetie, honey ... you totally didn't have to watch them for that long. I know you don't have much of a social life, but really. Oh, and before you say he got up at the end of the scene to leave, I say to you we never say him leave, we never saw him even turn to leave. We saw him stand up, take of his dark glasses so he could see better and lean forward. So I'm gonna call a perv a perv on this one ;)

Next week looks interesting though! I'm looking forward to Krista's detox (honestly, I think she will rethink her position on Marcus once she's feeling better. I don't think she'll hate him quite as much, but I don't she'll be wanting to kiss his boo boo's better anymore either). Not sure who those masked people are, but they look interesting, and I like that it seems like Blade will be called out on his viciousness. Disappointed that there was no hint of Chase in the previews (thought there's really no way they could avoid dealing with what happens with her since there's no way Marcus won't notice that she's missing).

Comments

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

just finished watching it and, honestly, the Marcus/Krista thing wasn't totally as bad as I thought it would be

Yeah, the concept of it bugged and bugs, but watching it wasn't too painful. It was actually far less explicit than I feared it would be. If it hadn't been Krista and Marcus I could even describe it as hot. But because it was Marcus with her, I won't ;)

When Marcus was kicking the crap outta Krista I was all 'woo-hoo, finally they let the villain actually *act* like a friggin' villain'.

I honestly loved that part. Marcus was bad-ass right then. And in the previews I'd seen they were both bloody, which was why I started hoping for the hate!sex angle which would have been interesting. Unfortunately they took that great set up and just did nothing with it. If anything it's just one more strike against him. It's like she's supposed to be your new great love, but the moment she sass's you to give her the Ike Turner special. Whatever dude.

That said, what exactly is Marcus' obsession with Krista? Was killing Zach a ploy to bring Krista in the fold? Or am I really supposed to believe it was love at first in her sniper sight?

Another big problem I have with this storyline. They've never given us any indication why he would risk upsetting the purebloods at such an important time in his life to turn Krista. It's like, okay so she has brown hair like his wife, so do half of the women in his coven. The writers have done such a good job so far that I can't believe they're going with the "he recognized the other half of his soul in her" idiocy. There must be more to it and I'd like to get a hint of what it is, cause right now it's venturing into Harlequin territory ("and when Krista saw the truth of Marcus' past and understood his pain, her heart throbbed painfully. She tended to him with the utmost care, with a tenderness he had denied himself for so long, and when their lips finally touched her heart shattered into a thousand rainbow shards" ... puke)

And, was it just me or was there a glimmer of Blade/Krista? 'Cuz dude was going way out of his way to rescue her.

I think they are dropping hints of Blade/Krista. I mean dude obviously has a soft spot for her, cause this is the second time Krista has fucked up magnificently in as many days and he's still helping her next episode. Plus, I think Sticky might have acted a little in that scene, because Blade seemed hurt at what he was seeing. Blade's maybe not the greatest guy ever, but when Krista pissed him off he put his hand through the wall instead of beating her so he's already better boyfriend material than Marcus.

At least now, hopefully, the Marcus flashbacks are over. I'm not sure how much more of that godawful wig I'm able to take.

Just painfully. I'm afraid that we're going to be assualted with it again if there's a season 2 (please, please, please, please let there be a season 2) just like we kept on getting bad wig Liam flashbacks on Angel. At least there's no bad accent to go along with this bad wig. *squints trying to see the glass as half full*

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

The writers have done such a good job so far that I can't believe they're going with the "he recognized the other half of his soul in her" idiocy.

Aha! I think you've nailed down why this storyline bugs. Like, with every other storyline/character you can see how much care and thought has gone into it. Yet, with Krista/Marcus they're falling back on tired bodice ripper tropes/stereotypes and it feels inauthentic and, most importantly, unearned compared to everything else on the show. Too much pounding of square pegs to fit into round holes. And it takes too much fanwanking to make it work.. unless you're a Krista/Marcus shipper. So if they want me to buy Krista/Marcus, they're gonna have to try a little alot harder.

..just like we kept on getting bad wig Liam flashbacks on Angel.

Oh man, just when I thought I'd brain-bleached those godawful memories away, they come rushing back to me!

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Yet, with Krista/Marcus they're falling back on tired bodice ripper tropes/stereotypes and it feels inauthentic and, most importantly, unearned compared to everything else on the show.

Wordy, McWord. It's like they just assume that everyone wants to see "the pretty people" together and that we won't care how or why it happens. *bad writers, bad!*

It's like, Krista looked like his wife but acts nothing like her and really didn't look all that much like her facially and body wise anyway. Marcus didn't met Krista until his fundraiser so he couldn't have been aware of anything special about her before he turned her. Other than making a couple boring ass speeches he hasn't really spent time teaching her or talking to her to get to know her and fall in love with her personality. Chase has been doing that. So the Marcus and Krista ship seems to be based on the fact that ... they're both pretty (and single). Um, no thank you. I want more than that.

I thought I'd brain-bleached those godawful memories away

They never truly go away, they just recede and lurk waiting for the right time to strike, lol

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

It's like they just assume that everyone wants to see "the pretty people" together and that we won't care how or why it happens. *bad writers, bad!*

Exactly! Which is why it doesn't work for me because I don't find Neil Jackson particularly attractive. He's a bit too fey prettyboy for my tastes. Which would be perfectly fine if the Marcus/Krista ship were based upon something that made, you know, sense as opposed to an assumption of the audiences descriptor of 'attractive'. 'Cuz, if Steve Bacic (or, you know, someone who looks like they're actually capable of producing testosterone) had been cast as Marcus? I woulda been all over that ship like white on rice!

It's like, Krista looked like his wife but acts nothing like her and really didn't look all that much like her facially and body wise anyway.

Heh, I saw that and was like 'wtf!?! She doesn't look anything like Isabelle!'. So, if they were going with the starcrossed soulmates, why *didn't* they just have Wagner playing the role of Marcus' wife so there were at least SOME similarities? At least then Marcus' obsession with Krista would have made a little more sense. Which leads me to the speculation that Isabelle ain't dead. Why else would they cast and spend the money on another actress when they could just have Wagner playing a dual role? Although, the idea of an evil Isabelle, as played by Wagner, does have its appeal. Mmm, Evil Not!Krista/Chase.

So the Marcus and Krista ship seems to be based on the fact that ... they're both pretty (and single).

...and have no chemistry whatsoever! Seriously, Jill Wagner's turning into quite the little chemistry magnet - Chase, Blade, Shen, Glynis, Frederick. And yet, you put her in the same room as Neil Jackson and it all deflates like a sagging balloon in a Warner Brothers cartoon. I don't know whether Wagner's trying too hard, or Jackson isn't trying enough. Either way, it is soo not working.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Exactly! Which is why it doesn't work for me because I don't find Neil Jackson particularly attractive.

Yeah, I feel you on that one. Pretty much every guy they've ever shown on the show with the exception of Boone (and Fritz, sorry dude) is better looking to me than Mr. Jackson. I just find his face kind of pinched looking or scrunchie or something.

'Cuz, if Steve Bacic (or, you know, someone who looks like they're actually capable of producing testosterone) had been cast as Marcus? I woulda been all over that ship like white on rice!

LOL. So true. If Bacic had been in that scene last night, it would have been hot no matter how annoying the schmoop was. Plus, they would have had chemistry and Krista's pull to him would have seemed much more believeable. I would still hate the idea of the relationship, but at least it would be fun to watch instead of uncomfortable.

why *didn't* they just have Wagner playing the role of Marcus' wife so there were at least SOME similarities?

That's really what I thought they were going to do and I was excited at the thought of Jill in a poofy sleeved dressed until I realized that it was some other not as hot chick.

Which leads me to the speculation that Isabelle ain't dead. Why else would they cast and spend the money on another actress when they could just have Wagner playing a dual role? Although, the idea of an evil Isabelle, as played by Wagner, does have its appeal. Mmm, Evil Not!Krista/Chase.

I hadn't thought about Isabelle still being alive but it makes sense. It didn't look like Damek drank enough to have drained her and we only saw Marcus' body being packed up, so one of his henchmen easily could've been keeping an eye on Isabel to keep her for Damek. Oooh, it would be so cool if Isabel turned out to be the next leader of the House or Armya. We know that Damek was the last pure blood, so the turned vamps would have to be in charge now, and Marcus has a high position in Chthon and was turned at the same time as Isabel so she could have risen high in the ranks as well.

*pouts at the fact that I won't get see Evil Not!Krista bitching at Marcus, and flirting and possibly scheming with Chase and Charlotte*

...and have no chemistry whatsoever! Seriously, Jill Wagner's turning into quite the little chemistry magnet

So true! Jill Wagner is crazy delicious and everyone on the show manages to bring out that mad hotness but Marcus. Krista all sweaty and heaving as Blade injects her with serum/begging hot help ... um, hot. Krista and Chase whenever they're on screen together ... scorchin'. Krista and Frederick ... the looks, the looks were good. They had that sort of weary 'I don't want to like you and shouldn't trust you but I'm captivated by you' energy that was delicious (and so how Marcus and Krista is supposed to feel but doesn't). Awesome hate!chemistry with Glynis, and a kind of fun chemistry with Shen (though I would love for them to spend more time together and develop a kind of brother/sister relationship. Krista could really use a normal person to talk to sometimes and Shen's like the only one around. Plus he could make her laugh, which girlfriend needs big time).

And yet, Jackson and Wagner is like a black hole of chesmistry. I'm gonna blame Jackson, cause Wagner's proved her chemistry with others while he has yet to. Marcus/Chase too I'm suspecting is suppose to be a relationship rife with sexual tension but it's not there. Because of Chase's loyalty and jealously we suspect that there was/is something between them, but Jackson has never given an even slightly heated look at her, or gazed at her for a little to long or anything. Chase and Krista and the dude looks bored ... [CloneHighGhandi]Say Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?[/CHG]

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

I would still hate the idea of the relationship, but at least it would be fun to watch instead of uncomfortable.

Exactly, and right now, it feels like TPTB want it both ways - for Krista/Marcus to be starcrossed soulmates *and* abusive relationship. In this instance, you can't have it both ways. At least, not with the way Jackson's playing the character.

Last night's ep reminded me of the Farscape ep that was all about Scorpius' background. And, man, Scorpius had a *way* more fucked up background than Marcus. But unlike Blade, it never came across as apologizing for Scorpius' evilness. It was more like 'wanna know why Scorpy's so evil - well, here ya go!'. I'd like Marcus alot more if he "owned" his evilness instead of this 'jez mizundastood', woobie bullshit.

Chase and Krista and the dude looks bored

I *know*!! He has two of the hottest women at his beck and call 24/7 and he can't be bothered with one, and barely looks interested in the other. If I were Marcus, my office would be my bedroom and I'd never, EVER leave it! And that's not even throwing Sabine into the equation. Which, as a sidenote, is Sabine a vamp or a familiar?

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Exactly, and right now, it feels like TPTB want it both ways - for Krista/Marcus to be starcrossed soulmates *and* abusive relationship. In this instance, you can't have it both ways. At least, not with the way Jackson's playing the character.

Exactly. It's like they need to chose to either embrace the inherent psychoticness of Krista/Marcus and make them dark, and fucked up, cruel. It shouldn't be about love but power, and domination and revenge and bloodlust and all sorts of messed up mental issues. OR well, they should have played things in the earlier episodes different because moobie really isn't a direction that works at all with what they've done so far. If they really wanted K/M romance, they should have had Chase pull the trigger on Zach (and maybe have made the decision without consulting Marcus), but they wanted to show Marcus being a bad-ass in the first episode. Bad being the operative word. They should have given Marcus a reason besides "I want to" to have turned Krista so it seemed like it had a purpose instead of being selfish. Even something vague like "she's special" or "if she's Zach's sister she might have the same immunity" or something that makes it seem like Krista is part of a big plan and that maybe he was aware of her before and had time to fall for the idea of her before they even met (cause girlfriend wasn't that smooth at the galla). And so many other things *le sigh*

f I were Marcus, my office would be my bedroom and I'd never, EVER leave it!

I couldn't agree more. Marcus should be such a pimp, but he's not cause he sucks.

And that's not even throwing Sabine into the equation. Which, as a sidenote, is Sabine a vamp or a familiar?

Mmmm, Sabine. Honestly, it's like they don't need to be having sex on the desk or something (cause "Conviction" proved how unsexy that can be) but you never even see him like trailing his hand down Sabine's arm or standing too close, or like feeding for her neck and any sexy things a pimp surrounded by hot chicks would do. He's sooooo lame.

And I've always assumed Sabine is a vampire because of how closely she works with him, and the information she would be privy to because of that, but I don't think they've said. Also, she's ridiculously good looking and well dressed which I've come to expect from Chthon vampires while there familiars are kind of street punks or freaks like Boone. So I vote vampire, though I dont' know for sure.

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

OR well, they should have played things in the earlier episodes different because moobie really isn't a direction that works at all with what they've done so far.

Yep, because when the hardcore shippers only answer to 'why are they in love' is 'um, 'cuz they're hot.. and shut up!' there's a problem with the plotting.

Which is sad because with this being a central plotpoint, it shouldn't be hinging on such shitty plotting. They went for the 'ooh cool effect' rather than building something organic. Imo, they could have kept everything the same except *not* reveal it was Marcus who killed Zach until after Krista slept with him. Having the show start with Marcus killing Krista's brother, and all of his other manipulations, then expecting me to buy that she's falling in love with him? It doesn't make me want to be in her shoes so I can kiss Marcus' boo-boo's. It just makes me want to slap her for being so morally weak.

Marcus should be such a pimp, but he's not cause he sucks.

Heh, totally. And, it's not just Jackson but how the PTB have framed the world around him. It doesn't even seem like his people are particularly loyal, outside of Chase. Fritz seemed more into the status as number one than who he was working for. Charlotte smacks him around. Alex and Domec both mocked him. There's no sense of 'ooh, look out, Marcus of Chthon just entered the room'. That and vampires should be oozing sex and Marcus just comes across as sexless. When Stephen Dorff makes a more convincing head vampire than you do, you know you've got problems. Again, banker with fangs. If Marcus is sexy, it's not because of him, but the characters around him.

God, please tell me he's dead by the end of the season!