What Happens When I’m Bored + Review: Sanctuary, “Homecoming”

What Happens When I’m Bored:

It’s that dull period before a major content patch where there’s nothing left to do but wait. And when I’m bored, I start doing silly things to pass the time.

Like play my death knight for the first time since Wrath, only to remember the only thing I really liked about that character was the Tauren emotes.Dance, cow, dance!Or just waste time chatting with friends.My rogue chatting with her ghostly skull companionOr perhaps stage a coup d’etat of Orgrimmar.Burn, Hellscream, burn!My mage surveying his new domainWhose eyes are on who now, bitch?

Review: Sanctuary, “Homecoming”

So remember how in my last Sanctuary review, I said this was a very consistent season I’ve enjoyed every episode of? Yeah, about that…Sanctuary logo“Homecoming” is an example of Sanctuary at its most mediocre. The main storyline follows a pair of brain-dead, yammering Abnormal con artists trying to hoodwink Magnus and company into aiding in their nefarious scheme — which turns out to not be so nefarious after all. I’ve seen worse from Sanctuary, but this was definitely not my idea of an entertaining story.

There is also a plot following Will, who is badly injured on a mission to aid a sanctuary in a lawless African nation and proceeds to suffer through several morphine-induced flashbacks to his childhood.

This plot does have some merit, but it would have made more sense had this been the first season. At this stage of the game, establishing backstory for a central character feels unnecessary, especially since we already know Will’s history pretty well. We know he had a rotten childhood; we don’t need to be told again.

Overall rating: 5.3/10 Not terrible, and they’ve done worse, but definitely a very mediocre and forgettable episode.

Review: Sanctuary, “Resistance”

Review: Sanctuary, “Resistance”

Be warned: Minor spoilers ahead.Sanctuary logoIt seems I got my wish with an ongoing arc/threat following the Hollow Earth invasion. I just miscalculated where that threat would be coming from. It’s not the bands of renegade Abnormals running amok; it’s the paranoid government trying to contain them.

I rather enjoy this direction for the story, though it does make the show smack of X-Men even more than it already did.

Anyway, getting on to this specific episode, “Resistance” has Magnus and Henry trying to infiltrate a top secret government facility for Abnormal experimentation. They are promptly captured and introduced to the facility’s director, who is someone they know well.

ZOMGTesla.

What follows is the kind of monster and arrogance-filled caper that always results from Tesla’s presence.Nicola Tesla on Sanctuary

This season does feel like a step up from previous ones, at least in terms of consistency. It may not have hit the heights of the Adam Worth/Hollow Earth arc yet, but I’ve yet to see an episode from this season that I haven’t enjoyed. They even remembered that Henry is a werewolf again. Three times in a single season must be a record.

Between the more consistent writing and the lack of Kate Freelander getting in the way, this episode greatly reminded me of the first season. This is largely a good thing, though I think they have gone too far to the familiar. I can’t help but think of all the other times I’ve watched Magnus and Tesla stalk monsters through dim tunnels. The characters even joked about it. But this isn’t a crippling flaw.

There is once again a side plot with Will that felt a bit like filler, but it did have a good twist for an ending.

Overall rating: 7.4/10 Sub-par for a Tesla episode, but still decent overall.

The first three seasons of Sanctuary are available to buy on my Amazon Affiliate for anyone looking to get caught up.