Above The Fray - Scandal - Season 3, Episode 12

Our motley crews spends yet another hour digging the holes deeper.  Let's get started with...

Olitz, which is Gladiator-Speak for Olivia and Fitz, now that they are definitely on again.  We see them in her apartment, putting clothes on after sex that I hope was good, because it needs to make up for the blow-out screaming match they're having about Jake.  Fitz is furious that his wife Mellie even suggested it, and he's mad at Olivia for taking Mellie's advice.  Heaven forbid your wife and your mistress coordinate, Fitz.  They'll make sure to conflict more.

Note the well-placed furniture, right over the baby bump

Fitz is furious.  He wants Olivia as a mistress and a campaign manager, but he wants her all to himself.  So he throws a tantrum without actually proposing any solution to the problem of Olivia's public reputation.  So she puts her foot down, definitively and without any room for argument.  She wants to run Presidential campaigns.  She can't afford to lose her reputation (remember the season premiere?).  Her employees can't afford to lose her reputation.  And she wants the satisfaction of running a campaign without rigging the election at the end.  So she's in, and she's doing this.  In a way Mellie never did during her marriage, Olivia sets boundaries for Fitz.  She sets the ground rules:  she's not a trophy, or a prize.  She doesn't "belong" to anyone.  She is her own person and gets to decide what's in her best interest.  Not. Fitz.

It goes great until they realize who heard the whole thing:

Jake's favorite part of the job

The awesome thing about a super-duper top secret security clearance is all the awesome stuff you learn about your friends.  And lover.

David Rosen, US District Attorney extraordinaire, is just waking up to Abby telling him she loves him.  He doesn't say it back.  Not even a "I love you, man."  Weak.

We flashback to about fifteen years ago, listening to Fitz and Mellie argue.  Notice the contrast with Olivia's fire and firm refusal to back down.  Fitz is screaming at her because Mellie neither wants to spend any time in his father's company plus she won't allow Fitz to touch her, let alone have sex with him.  You and I can easily see that something happened that shouldn't have.  Fitz, clueless and self-absorbed, is wholly caught up in his first election.  His wife is supposed to fuck him and appear wherever he goes.  If she doesn't, she owes him an explanation.  When she won't tell him anything (it was the deal with father so he'd play nice with Fitz, remember?), Fitz acts as if it's the end of the world. Like the first argument, this one also has an unfortunate audience:  new VP candidate Andrew Nichols, at the time helping Fitz with his first election.

Harrison is getting his shit together after fucking Adnan Salif.  Who presents Harrison with a huge suitcase of cash, and asks him to get it where it belongs.  Harrison tries to refuse, but Adnan brings up something called "Clearwater", and hints that insider trading is the least of his past.  So we later see Harrison dialing Fitz Grant's campaign headquarters, offering to make a donation.  So Adnan is funding Grant?  What does she want?

Mellie starts the day in the briefing room where Fitz's campaign staff will meet, but first she has to confront Andrew.  She makes it clear that Andrew really can't hope for anything from her.  She's married and a mother and the First Lady and Andrew is not allowed to screw that up for her.  He tries to reassure her, but it's not very convincing.  Olivia and Fitz appear, separately, and she starts the meeting with news that some journalist has a story of drug use at the governor's mansion during Fitz's first campaign.  Specifically, that Andrew took some painkillers without a prescription.  The team at first wants to kill the story, or discredit it, but Andrew cops to it, with a story about a bad back and no time to fix it or stop campaigning, and no desire for his medical condition to be news.  Olivia likes the idea of Andrew stepping up and being refreshingly honest, but she'll work on killing the story all the same.  Mellie catches up to Andrew in the hall, asking him not to sacrifice his career over this.  He's nonchalant about going down.

Back at her headquarters, she puts Harrison and Abby on it.  The Gladiators discuss where the story could have come from, he checked out in all their research.  The main suspect is Leo Bergen, VP Sally's campaign manager.  But Leo's worked against Andrew before.  He would have used the story years ago.  Notice how possibly non-prescribed drug use at the governor's mansion is only important as a useful story, or something to be buried.  At least, we think that's it's sole importance.  Olivia, remembering that her dad is out for Fitz, wonders if it's Daddy Pope who found the story and leaked it.  When she goes back to her office, Huck appears.  With coffee.  That Olivia doesn't drink.  Huck disappears and Olivia gets to business.  She calls Jake, with no real apology for fighting over fake dating him earlier, just a request that B-613, which he heads, investigate Daddy Pope.  Jake balks at first, since he's not on Fitz's campaign.  But he gives in if it means neutralizing Daddy Pope.

Jake gives the assignment to Charlie, who is enjoying breakfast in bed with Quinn.   Jake repeats that Quinn is not getting involved, and Charlie turns out to be a loyal company man.  He turns down Quinn's help even though the thought of all the hacking she can do turns him on.  Charlie's grown on me.  I have to respect a man who loves his work.  We go back to Jake, who gets a huge folder plopped on his desk with ridiculously top secret super duper Justice League stuff.  Including the info that the White House has a B-613 member who will make himself known to Jake.  And soon.

David Rosen isn't liking his work today. Or at least, isn't liking one particular aspect of today's work.  Cyrus has reached out to the journalist who raised suspicions about Daniel Douglas' death, offering her a totes awesome interview with Fitz, so he can get her to divulge the identity of Publius, her source.  When Cyrus tells James about the plan, the look on that boy's face should have been all Cyrus needed.  Instead, James gets it together to suggest that maybe he, a fellow journalist, should do that.  Cyrus can be a little, well, intimidating.  Cyrus is fooled.  But James finds a way to secretly meet with David and whine and cry like a baby about how he's scared and going to die anyway.  David, to his credit, calms James down by telling him that the journalist, Vanessa Something, doesn't even know who Publius is.

Olivia tries to scare another journalist into ditching the Andrew Nichols drug story.  She's got a lot of threats, but brunette reporter chick is not scared.  She's got rock-solid evidence and she strides away from Olivia.  So, Olivia goes out to dinner with Daddy Pope, trying to get him to admit that he leaked the story.  When that doesn't work, she storms out of the restaurant to find....

Quinn, spying on Charlie while he spies on Daddy Pope.  It's a good idea to be Charlie's back up.  But wouldn't Charlie know all Daddy Pope's tricks by now?  Olivia walks right up to Quinn, alone in her car, and begs her to return to her old job at OPA.  Quinn turns her down flat, telling Olivia that in addition to all the torture, Huck licked her face.  Okay, maybe that is a deal breaker, but Olivia gives it another try, offering to help Quinn dig herself out of whatever hole she's in.  Quinn insists that she's doing her own digging, and pulls out a gun.  Quinn, near crying, threatens to shoot Olivia, so Olivia leaves her, still thinking Jake has assigned her to the Daddy Pope case.  

We flashback to Andrew, wrapping things up at the governor's mansion late, and finding Mellie passed out on the living room floor.  He struggles, but gets her to the nearest toilet and pumps her stomach.  Old school. 

Back at OPA, Huck appears again, and brings Olivia coffee, again, before she goes home.  Where she is in the middle of a lovely white wine and popcorn meal when Jake lets himself in.  She tries to confront him about Quinn.  He's surprised to learn that she's working on any B-613 business, and tells Olivia so.  He then berates Olivia for having only white wine and popcorn, and insists on real food and beer as the price of his charade.  He then takes off his shirt to go take a shower, wash off all the secrets, and have pretend sex with Olivia.  I don't see the problem.  I have pretend sex with Jake all the time.  In fact, I'm having pretend sex with Jake right now!

VP Sally meets with good ol' boy Hollis Doyle, who has learned absolutely nothing after the escapade of his atrocious daughter and her really sick greed.  He agrees to make a huge, ridiculously huge, donation to Sally's campaign, in exchange for naming the Energy Secretary.  And he wonders why his daughter cut off her ear for money.  Hey, she learned from the best that you do what you gotta' do.  VP Sally, mentally in and out as she is reminded of killing her husband, agrees.  Turns out, Hollis's playing Leo Bergen.  Hollis goes to Cyrus, and let's him know that VP Sally is willing to let him name the Energy Secretary.  The whole bit with VP Sally was just to give him leverage with Cyrus, who grudgingly gives him what he wants if he'll donate to Fitz's campaign.

James and David meet under a bridge.  Vanessa Something has asked to meet with Publius.  James can't out himself (as an informant).  So David offers to go instead.  David also suggests that he release the original, taped phone call between Cyrus and VP Sally.  Then, the information will be public, and the pressure will be off Publius.

Abby and Harrison catch up with the doc who will crush Andrew Nichols' career with the drug story.  He's stubborn, but he lets slip an important point:  the drugs were for a her, not a him.  So, Andrew is covering for someon.  Let's see, who just took some drugs at the governor's mansion.  We cut to another flashback, hopefully the last one, where Andrew tries to get Mellie to tell him why she would want to kill herself.  Unlike Fitz, he actually shows some concern for her and desire to at least give her some comfort.  So, Mellie gives Andrew the joyous news:  she may be pregnant with her father-in-law's baby after he raped her.  Mellie can't even call it rape, she says he "forced himself on her", instead.  Andrew takes it all in stride, and confesses his secret:  ever since he was her knight in shining armour, he can't stop thinking about her, and how much he wants to help her all the time.  Mellie, a little flustered that someone might actually care about her, turns him down as gently as she can.

Mellie has the nerve to approach Fitz in his office, offering to solve some problem for him.  He doesn't have time for whatever she has to say.  He only has time to berate her for solving his Olivia problem.  Once again, without providing any alternative solution, he bites her for feeding him.  Mellie is clearly more hurt at his contempt for her initiative, even when Olivia ends up agreeing it's the best idea, than whenever she finds him making out with Olivia.  She takes it well, leaving Fitz to his terrible twos.

Ummm.... I think what you meant to say is...your welcome?

Olivia, back at her office, figures out who the drugs at the governor's mansion must have been for as Huck appears, offering her still more coffee.  Olivia, who is definitely not over the face-licking reveal from Quinn, learns that Huck is trying to make amends for torturing Quinn, because he knows she's angry about it.  Huck attempting to explain how he's just trying to be normal reminds me of a five-year-old reciting poetry he doesn't understand.

The farmhouse lingers, though averse to square/ With the new city street it has to wear

Olivia tries to tell Huck that coffee isn't going to do it.  Huck, after confessing that he's learned to be afraid, very afraid, of angering his boss, reminds Olivia that he's here because sometimes Olivia has to show who's the boss with her clients' enemies.  And so she has her very own monster.  But she left some slack in the leash, and Huck strains at his leash.  He ate someone.  But he's a monster, and monsters eat people.  At the end of last season, Olivia tried to end her personal and professional relationship with Fitz because of the horrible things they did to save Fitz and his Presidency.  Now, Olivia is right back in his office and in his pants.  And Huck is going on about eating people.

Olivia is reminded, again, how petulant and spoiled Fitz is.  As they finish going over poll numbers, and Olivia reports that the drug story has been killed by telling the network the story was bought, Fitz decides he's had enough work for the day.  Notice how he's too busy to talk work with his First Lady, and too tired to talk work with his mistress.  Who does he talk about work with?  Oh, yeah. Cyrus.  Anyhoo, we leave them just when Fitz wants Olivia to tell him if she feels anything for Jake.

Baby bump hide #2!

Olivia tries to confront Mellie about the drug story.  Olivia has realized that it's Mellie who took drugs that night, not Andrew.  And, she's realized that Andrew is covering for Mellie because he loves her.  Or something.  After having the nerve to tell Mellie not to have an extramarital affair, she gets schooled by Mellie, who insists that she's always been faithful to her husband, and Olivia might want to avoid comparing the two of them.  Ever.  Again.

Wait, you actually think I'm a slut, too?

Fitz and Mellie are dressed all fancy because he's got a fundraiser with.... Hollis Doyle!  Andrew is having fun at the podium, working the crowd, when Fitz sees the guy who funded his election rigging four years ago.  He angrily demands in furious whispers on stage that Cyrus refund the donation and kick Hollis to the curb.  Little does Fitz know, even though Cyrus does, that he's pretty much sending Hollis down the hall to VP Sally.  Guess who Fitz will blame when that happens?  Definitely not himself, that's who!

Jake hauls Quinn into his super secrete B-613 office (in fairness to him, Quinn already knows where it is from before), telling her he doesn't want her in B-613.  Quinn, in her best impression yet of a teenager, starts sexting right there.  When Jake points out how rude that is, Quinn directs him to his email, where Jake finds....  proof that Daddy Pope and Leo Bergen had a chat in public.  The link Olivia asked him for, insisted was there, Quinn found.  Guess she's not such an amateur, is she?  Will Jake keep her work for him a secret, a little behind-the-scenes helper he keeps in his back pocket?  That's what I would do!

Yes, I text during job interviews.  Sue me.

We find out what Harrison's donation to the Grant campaign was all about when Adnan Salif introduces herself to Cyrus.  Watching her completely useless feminine wiles on a gay man are amusing, but she also knows to get Cyrus where it counts.  She tells him that she's just recently made a big gift to Fitz, and more can come.  Since Hollis Doyle will be funding VP Sally, Cyrus needs a new big pocket, and Adnan is offering to scratch his back.  Cyrus is in such a good mood that he lets it out to James that he's having Publius taken care of.  He knows about the meet-up with Vanessa Something, and he's arranged for Publius to be taken care of before he can meet with her.  James leaves a frantic message on David's voicemail.

Which David doesn't get.  When he gets kidnapped outside the cafe where he's meeting Vanessa, he leaves Abby a heartfelt voicemail, telling her he loves her too and he's sorry he's only saying it now.  Good thing his girlfriend's been tapping his phone lately.  You never know when she might need to kidnap you to save you from Charlie.  So, does that mean that David's going to have to tell her that Daniel Douglas' death wasn't heart failure?  And that he has no proof?  Will Abby use it against VP Sally, or bury it to protect Cyrus (and therefore, Fitz?).

Jake is still at the office when one of Fitz's Secret Service Agents shows up, one we've seen a zillion times before but now we'll have to learn his name, with a flash drive showing everything that happened at the White House that day.  Including Fitz and Olivia discussing whether she feels anything for Olivia.  Jake is all ears, only to find out she doesn't know.  That's certainly worth all the intrigue, right?

Andrew and Mellie bond a bit over a room full of First Lady portraits.  With them looking on, Andrew tries to kiss Mellie, Mellie pulls back and is about to leave when she turns around and kisses him.  Once.  And leaves.  Will Mellie be content with just that kiss?  Is this a show about people content with breaking the rules once?  Andrew touches one of the portraits, just to let Jackie know that he's here for her. 

Andrew's been a doll for the last fifteen years.  Professionally loyal to Fitz, even while he pines for the guy's wife and knows a horrible secret about Fitz's son.  Personally devoted to Mellie, so much that he'll throw away his career to hide her suicide attempt.  He's been so helpful.  And you know, on this show, when someone is amazingly helpful, there's always a terrible reason why.

It's been a long day and a fabulous party.  Adnan is just settling into her room, talking to someone sitting in the corner.  It went swimmingly.  They're in as major financers of Fitz's campaign.  So, Adnan is a middle-woman for an even bigger villain....

Criminal plotting is totes fun!

It sure is, little grasshopper.  It sure is....

All Tracks Lead to Terminus - Walking Dead - Season 4, Episode 13

This week, the action is split between two sub-groups:  Darryl and Beth's dynamic duo, and the trio of Bob, Sasha and Maggie.  One group comes together.  One is torn apart.  And yet another group gets a new member.

But first, the episode opens with Bob's traveling alone. He's got a Bill Withers look going, but his face is practically that of the undead.  He cares about a safe place to sleep, some snacks for a pit stop, and booze.  By the time Darryl and Glenn find him, Darryl still with his poncho and bike, and Glenn still all cute and innocent, Bob has been on his own for a while.  He answers the questions three to Glenn and Darryl's satisfaction, both finding it easy to believe that a friend would ask to be killed, and Bob goes with them literally because he has nothing else to do.  He doesn't even care enough to ask them anything.

This is just a normal zombie day in San Francisco

Zombies in a fog!  While we may dislike not having visibility, remember, the undead need to see too.  As long as they make no sound, they can just let the group of walkers pass, picking off only the ones who get too close.  It works for about a minute, but one lunges at Bob, then takes Maggie off her feet.  Sasha dispatches them both with the gun, then complains that she's running out of bullets.  Well, then use your stick, Sasha. Since the compass is long-since broken, Bob suggests that they use the sun during the day to know what direction to go.  For days, they've been going in circles around the prison, trying to find anyone, but especially Glenn.  Sasha's about had it, happy to give up, cut their losses, and find a secure location.  Maggie is fanatical about finding Glenn.  Bob has nothing better to do than to help Maggie, and is holding Sasha to the plan to avoid anyone going off alone.  Until, that is...

They find the railroad tracks. A sign for Terminus is right there, and Bob is the only character who makes the connection between the sign and a radio transmission heard by the vet college scavenge crew right before shit hit a fan.  Neither Tyrese nor Michonne seem to remember this, and Bob gets points with me for connecting dots.  Maggie is sure that Glenn has seen this sign, or will, and is/will be on his way to Terminus looking for her.  Bob thinks it's worth a try.  Sasha is the only character who has suggested this could be a trap, which is also my theory.

Bob-Sasha-Maggie is the most interesting of the groups now heading down the tracks to Terminus.  Well, okay, the Carol-Tyrese group will be the most interesting as they get closer and meet up with Rick, who will have to decide what to tell Tyrese, and will have to justify to Carol why he should get Judith back (if she's still alive then).  But for this epsiode, Sasha and Maggie have been pulling Bob in different directions, and only Maggie and Sasha resolving their differences solves his problem.  As Sasha sets up camp, Bob inspects his wound, which is still bleeding (really a bite from their fight earlier?), and Maggie is off finding wood.  So, Sasha starts demanding that Bob back her up for a change.  They have to stop wandering the woods.  They have to find secure shelter.  They have to cut their losses.  Sasha has insisted for two episodes now that she's not going to look for Tyrese, that he's gone even if he's still alive.  Bob insists that he's probably also on his way to Terminus.  Notice how Glenn still hasn't found the tracks, but Tyrese has.  Yet it's Maggie who thinks she'll find her family on the way.

Looking for people in the woods SUCKS

Beth is developing her tracking skills with Darryl right behind. They find the zombie, but Beth steps right into an animal trap before she can shoot it, forcing Darryl to make the kill and get her back on her feet.  They emerge from the woods into a cemetery, probably the only safe place during a zombiepocalypse.  Looking for help for Beth's ankle, Darryl carries her piggyback, and they stop for a moment at a grave marked with dates from the 1800s and "Beloved Father".   Beth can't resist the connection to Hershel, and even Darryl gets into the moment with some wildflowers on the stone.  They proceed to the funeral home, with Beth hopeful that there could be good people inside, and Darryl sure that the good people are gone.

Inside, it's clean.  It's neat.  There's food, as well as two properly embalmed bodies.  They figure someone lives here, and has made it their hobby to repair the bodies of the undead as if for burial.  Darryl is unconcerned, since it's a pretty harmless hobby.  Beth is touched;  someone remembers that these were people once.  They decide to take only what they need to eat, as the junk food stash is clearly being saved for later by the Mortician.  They should have checked to see if the hearse was still in the drive.

Sasha and Bob wake up.  Maggie has left them a note scratched in the dirt and left them.  Bob insists on following her along the tracks.  Since they know where she's going, and have no where else to go, they may as well follow Maggie and keep her safe.  Sasha is, like, a minute away from a temper tantrum.  For all the days they've been traveling (and it's a while, as the cast has broken out the sweaters and jackets- signalling the end of another season soon), Bob and Maggie have insisted on doing what she considers a waste of time.  Now, Maggie's left and Bob still wants to do what Maggie wants.  Not fair!

Darryl and Beth are settled in for the night.  Beth plays a song, that happens to have been written after the zombiepocalypse on the show supposedly happened (the show debuted Halloween, 2010).  Darryl relaxes in an empty coffin to her singing.  It's all so domestic and perfect.

Sasha and Bob, camping together, listen to a nearby zombie stuck on or in something.  Bob can't sleep through it, so he stays up with Sasha, trying to convince her to have some hope for Tyrese, asking why she's so scared.  Sasha insists she's not scared, she's just not convinced that she'll beat the odds.  The theme of the episode is that Sasha's afraid of facing her grief, but she's really just shellshocked, a place beyond attachments and wanting connections.  The next day, Sasha has had it with Bob's happy attitude despite all the danger and hardships.  He tells her that he's happy to just not be alone.  That he wants to find Maggie and reunite and keep everyone together.  Because no one should be alone like he was.  The tracks lead through a town with an abandoned warehouse.  Sasha thinks its perfect, and it is, as a semi-permanent shelter.  Bob wants to find Maggie. Not even a gentle, loving kiss can convince Sasha to spend one more minute following Maggie.  They say goodbye, and Bob trudges on as Sasha explores her new home.

The second floor is empty, with lots of space and good sightlines of the surrounding town.  Sasha, alive and in a safe place, almost lets her grief out, but holds it together and goes to one of the windows.  Where she sees Maggie, lying motionless among the dead of the town.  She reaches out to open the window, but it falls out, crashing into the ground below.  Not only is Maggie roused, so are the town's remaining walkers.  Sasha races outside with her new wooden spear, outrunning the zombies pouring out of her building, and does a fantastic job of holding her own, bashing heads with the blunt end and piercing others with the pointy one.  Maggie rejoins her, after finding an old sign to bring to the fight.  She and Maggie rejoin, backs to each other as they were at the episode's beginning, and together, they bring down the remaining walkers.  Together, they admit how much they need each other, and head down the tracks together to find Bob, who is overjoyed to see them both.  Together, they head to Terminus, hoping to find their friends and family.

Look what's for dinner!

Darryl and Beth are not so lucky.  On the second day there, Darryl's noisemakers go off, and he heads to the door to check it out.  Thinking it's either the current resident or zombies, he finds instead a mangy stray dog missing an eye.  The animal is semi-friendly, but still dashes off instead of letting Darryl touch it.  Their second night in the house begins with dinner and soda.  They discuss staying in the house, and living with whoever is already there.  Beth asks Darryl why he's so willing to trust his future with someone he hasn't even seen yet.  Beth continues poking and prodding, realizing that he's willing to stay for her.  There's an uncomfortable pause.

Oh.  You mean me.  Oh.

The noisemakers go off again.  Darryl is convinced that it's the dog, and takes a treat to see if can lure the animal inside.  Instead, he opens the door to a walker bomb.

Guess the honeymoon's over?

All hell breaks loose.  Darryl screams to Beth to grab her shit and go, and meet him at the road.  Beth only screams that she doesn't want to leave him, but he's already leading the zombies away, down into the basement embalming room.  Darryl uses a portable table as a barrier between himself and his attackers, about ten zombies.  With his knife, he reaches over and stabs them in the heads one by one.  Eventually, he wheels the table around, keeping it between him and the zombies, and gets himself a path back to the stairs.  He emerges from the house, dodges more walkers, and finds the road.  Beth is not there.  Only her bag, dropped on the ground with her things is left.  A car screeches in the distance, and Darryl can only watch as it drives off, presumably with Beth in it against her will.  Darryl, desperate to keep his only friend, runs after it.  It's useless.  He eventually slows to a walk, and by morning halts completely when he has no idea where the car could have turned at a train crossing/intersection.  He collapses. He's lost everyone.

Darrly is ready to make a really bad decision

Darryl isn't alone long.  Boots show up around him, and Darryl finds himself surrounded by six nasty-looking thugs.  It's not until one tries for his crossbow that Darryl reacts, punching the man, knocking him down.  We see someone unfortunately familiar.  Yes, this is the gang from two episodes ago that almost found Rick, Michonne and Carl.  Darryl must know what kind of "man" Joe is, despite Joe's compliments and offer to join his group.  It's like Merle all over again.  So Darryl, after swearing not to go back to the person he was before the world turned, is doing just that.  But only because the last person he ever cared about is gone.  Better off with people you don't mind losing.

Why doesn't Darryl go back?  The Mortician will be back.  Unless the house really was his home base and he plans on relocating permanently with Beth, he has to come back to re-set his trap for the next victim  (Notice how both he and Beth are trapped unexpectedly during the episode?).  But Darryl isn't thinking about his next move at this point.  He's thinking what a loser he must be to have lost everyone.  How long will he put up with Joe?  Will he stay even if Joe bullies him around?

We end with another sign for Terminus.  And a too-afraid-to-hope-but-hoping-anyway Glenn.  Now, everyone but Darryl has found the way to Terminus.  Since Darryl and his new gang are right by train tracks, it won't be long before Joe decides Terminus is an easy mark.  This is going to be the craziest family reunion ever.

Every Dream Movie, Ever - Revolution - Season 2, Episode 15

This week's homage to Inception, The Matrix, Groundhog Day, and Nightmare on Elm Street centers on Aaron, the slightly comical member of Team Rebele, and his sub-conscious brain.  Aaron is primarily ruled by his fear of violent death by either soul-less enemy soldiers or marauding thugs.  Aaron's secondary emotion is disappointment.  He was supposed to spend his life as the world's luckiest flabby nerd ever.  Instead, he's spent the last 16 years bitter, hungry, and scared.  So... now that he has a chance to kill the nano tech that ruined his life, he is desperate to do it.

Did I just click my heels three times?

It starts as a segue from the previous episode's clips and blends right into this week's episode, so it's not easy to tell where the previews end and the new episode begins.  Aaron, dressed in fancy pajamas, is in a spotless, modern apartment with Priscilla, as if nothing happened.  But something did happen- the news is reporting that the Mathesons' EMP device worked perfectly, disabling the terrorists as originally planned, with no effect on anyone else.  Dr. Horn, he of the brain tumor and torture, stands in the background, and he is the first crack in the mirror- Aaron knows he's seen Dr. Horn before.  Priscilla is mildly curious, but hey- look at the time!  On his way to work, Aaron almost eats out of the garbage until a horrified Priscilla stops him.

Work turns out to be Aaron's very own Pittman Something, which he owns.  Everyone there is an employee of his (maybe even Priscilla).  Everyone likes him.  It's safe.  But Aaron is still confused.  He has no idea how any of this could be, as he has no memories of making this company over the last 16 years.  He has only disjointed pictures of something horrible in his head.  Two of his programmers, working on something to be presented the next day, are stuck on a bit of code.  Would Mr. Pittman please help?  Aaron points out the problem, leaving it to his programmers to solve.  Aaron sees a news report with Rachel explaining why EMPs are the best way to stop terrorists.  She's calm, perfectly hair-dried, and wearing a power suit.  He almost recognizes her.

You don't remind me of what I look like without a hair dryer, and I won't kill you over Belly Shirt Girl.

Aaron starts losing his grip on the reality of  what he's seeing, so Priscilla is there to tell him his story of a world without power, and some girl wearing a really short shirt running around are delusional.  Aaron ends the day watching a commercial featuring the most annoying insurance man ever, and turns to cold beer.  He desperately wishes this is real.

Ugh

When he wakes up the next morning to the same alarm clock in the same apartment, he is overjoyed.  What is interesting is how overjoyed the audience is.  We want this to be real.  A world without power is dirty, hungry, sick and frightening.  Wouldn't it be awesome if it was all a dream Aaron had?  Aaron blissfully kisses his wife, confirms he's on for the Timberwolves tonight with his staff, and gets called in again to fix some code for his programmers.  At first, he's just annoyed they couldn't do it themselves.  Was he arrogant before the power went out?  Probably.  He's just about to fix it when one of his flunkies gets an arrow in his forehead.  Blood spurts onto Aaron's face as both his programmers fall down, shot in the head by...

Belly Shirt Girl! AKA Charlie.  She is the only character who actually looks like her real self here. She yanks Aaron out of his office, and as they flee the building, Charlie explains that she's actually his own sub-conscious, there to remind Aaron that he is NOT to fix the code, that he has to let the nano die, and makes a Matrix reference, which is the last straw for Aaron- Charlie is too young to remember the Matrix.  She must be a product of his mind here.  As they crouch behind garbage containers, none other than Dr. Horn shows up with Patriot-looking soldiers, coming for him.  They quickly kill Charlie, but not before she tells him to find her mother, Rachel.  Aaron manages to run away (?), almost colliding with another skinny chick in a power suit, good ol' Nora, who tells him to watch where he's going.  He gets into a cab and orders it to drive to Chicago.  From Minneapolis.  Hey, it's a dream.

Of course it's me!  I'm the only character with her shit together!

In Chicago, we see power-suited Rachel walking to her car, while she advises Ben Matheson on the snacks Charlie will need to bring to ballet class tomorrow.  Sidebar:  I hate this trend.  Pack your own kids' snacks every time.  Don't do this stupid cycle of making some poor parent responsible for what everyone else's kids will get to eat that day.  Especially if your kid is allergic to gluten.  Those kids can just bring a fucking apple themselves to ballet.  Sidebar ended.

Rachel's convo with Ben is cut short when Aaron tries to make contact.  Didn't the nano know he was coming to Chicago?  Why not use the 10-hour drive to stop him?  Or kill the taxi driver?  I don't know.  What I do know, is that Rachel thinks she's being mugged and tasers Aaron.  A gun suddenly appears in Aaron's hand, which he doesn't realize until Rachel surrenders and has to point out to Aaron that he's armed.  So he directs Rachel to drive him to her brother-in-law, Miles.  After claiming to know them, he reminds Rachel that she's having an affair with him, which freaks her out enough to do what he says.  They leave just as Dr. Horn and his goons show up.

The only time Aaron will be scary

In the car, Aaron further proves he not only knows Rachel, but knows her completely by revealing her deepest secrets back to her.  They show up at Miles' place, a dump off a commercial strip, and find Miles getting drunk and calling Tom Neville a dick again.  Rachel walks in first, Miles gloats that she's crawling back to him, and tells Aaron to take a hike so he can fuck his brother's wife.  Or yell at her.  Whatever.

Winning

So Aaron uses the money card to stay for 10 minutes.  We skip to Miles' reaction to Aaron's story, which is is typical sarcasm.  Aaron has come to Miles for protection - "Do your sword thing", he tells Miles.  Miles, who doesn't actually start sword fighting until the power goes out, is just amused.  And that's before Monroe walks in with a pizza and tells Rachel that she's really crappy at ending affairs.  He is amused by Aaron too. When Aaron tells Monroe that he's also a great warrior and knocks his Civil War Uniform fetish, Monroe is a little insulted.  But shit's about to get real.  Rachel is horrified and Miles is completely blase as Dr. Horn again shows up after Aaron is, again, already at his destination, and soldiers start dragging Aaron away.  Miles only watches, not wanting to get involved.

Still self-centered and hates everyone

The point, I guess, is that even in a dream, the characters all retain their essential personalities.  Charlie kills first and fills in the details later.  Rachel is clever, but ultimately useless without Miles; Miles drowns his sorrow in booze, annoyed that the world is full of people who want to kill him, and refusing to get involved until someone he's supposed to care about is about to get killed.  Monroe loves Civil War uniforms and enabling Miles' bad attitudes.  Just as a screaming, pathetic Aaron is dragged to the door, Miles looks down at his hands and sees a sword.  Monroe does the same and sees a very jagged machete.  They quickly mow down the bad guys, marveling that Aaron was actually right.

It's Rachel who figures it out.  She reminds Aaron that it's his dream, and he can control it if he focuses on what he wants to happen or appear.  So the four of them get in car and drive, uninterrupted...

Why do our road trips always suck?

back to Minneapolis.  On the way, Miles and Aaron figure out that if he can make himself fall, that will wake him up.  So, at the top of his office building, Aaron is about to tip over when his audience of post-blackout buddies becomes..

Priscilla.  Who is desperate.  Aaron now recognizes her as the voice of the nano.  And like the Matrix, she offers him a wonderful, safe, powered life in his dreamworld.  He'll even get his beautiful dream wife forever. All he has to do is fix the code.  He rejects it.  It's not real.  As wonderful as the fantasy of his life as it should have been is, it's not real. His real life will get better when the nano is gone.  He tips over and...

Finds himself back in Dr. Horn's torture chamber.  Terrified and panicking, Aaron's attention is directed to a chalkboard containing the bad nano code that needs fixing, and Dr. Horn is willing to induce maximum pain to get it fixed.  Since he rejected the fantasy life he resented losing, the nano is now tapping into his fears.  Which, as always, lead Aaron to panic.  Until, he realizes, he's still in control of his dreams.  His hand restraints disappear, and Aaron reaches up to grab Dr. Horn's throat, insult him, and refuse to fix the code.

Throughout these dream sequences, Priscilla has been representing the cushy, happy life he lost, which he knows he can't get back.  Dr. Horn has represented his fears of dying in a world where he's a nobody.  These characters have always represented these things, which is why Aaron deserted the wife who reminded him of all he lost, and desperately feared the man who could kill him.  Aaron, after turning down Priscilla's fantasy world and standing up to Dr. Horn's violence....

Wakes up back in Lubbock.  Yay.

Priscilla and Peter are both waking up as well, so Aaron grabs the knife laying on the floor, and stirs Priscilla. For the first time, he threatens to get violent to stop Peter from keeping him there.  He and Priscilla leave.  As they pass the town's highway sign, they see the nano tech starting to die everywhere.  Lightbulbs are flickering on (they shouldn't, streetlamps are connected to the grid which requires a functioning power station).  Aaron wants to go home.  Which now is no longer Minneapolis, but...

Willoughby.  Stopped by Rachel and Miles, he is happy to see all.  Miles and Rachel take him back to town, where people are responding to the flickering of lights and screens as time to horde electronics.  Which it is.  As they puzzle over whether to do anything, lightning storms flash all over, and Aaron realizes the nano won't go out quietly.  The lighting completely obliterates the looters.  As they proceed to the safety of the half-looted electronics store, Rachel is struck by this lighting, barely surviving.  Miles is desperate to save her, but has no idea what to do.  So, Aaron comes up with the idea of using a now-on computer to fix the code.  If it will take the world out when it goes, better to save it.  So, with Priscilla now screaming at Aaron to NOT fix the code, Aaron types in the proper code, fixed so the nano will survive.

His friends disappear.  We see Dr. Horn behind Aaron now.  And Aaron realizes that he's been had.  Within the dream, Aaron could face his bitterness and fear.  But, convinced that there would be real-life consequences if the nano died, he folded.  Dr. Horn is a bad loser, throwing Aaron's insults back in his face and hinting that the nano now has plans, he tells Aaron they are square and graciously allows him to go freely.  Aaron wakes up with Peter and Priscilla, back in Lubbock.  Peter is ecstatic that his miracle power is alive and well, and also allows Aaron to leave.  Aaron and Priscilla leave Lubbock, Aaron taking it well that he only narrowly missed killed the nano as he sees the same light bulb from before totally dead.

Long Tall Sally - Scandal - Season 3, Episode 11

Mellie's upset not about her husband's infidelity, but his complete idiocy at hiding it.  Cyrus and Leo Bergen form an alliance based on covering up VP Sally's violent crime.  James and David work together to expose said crime.  Daddy Pope is the scariest man on TV today (Just imagine if Joe Morton had played the Governor).  Fitz reveals that he's alot more than a sexy lover - he's also an angry drunk.  Quinn helps Charlie freelance.  Jake helps Olivia pretend not to be in love with Fitz, even after ditching her in a previous episode rather than do that.  Fitz makes a horrible VP pick for his re-election (is it a re-election if you rigged the first election?), and it will be Mellie who pays the price.  Adnan Salif is a danger to Harrison, just not the way we thought.  Except for Harrison's storyline, this is all done seamlessly, with plot lines meandering in and out of each other in a way you know will end badly for everyone, unless they stay on their toes.

The episode starts with Mellie discovering Fitz and Olivia making out in the Oval Office, probably the most recorded room in world history.  Mellie at least has the head necessary to stick to the news she came to give.  She must have enjoyed telling her completely faithless husband that his VP was betraying him.  Which VP Sally does, noting Fitz's moral failings as she announces she's running for President as an Independent.  But VP Sally isn't just out for a chance at the White House- she needs to make sure Fitz screws up to a point where not even Rockefeller Republicans will support him.  So she announces that she'll stay on as VP for the rest of her term, enraging Team Fitz.  James reacts by wanting to know what he'll tell the press; Cyrus needs to see the polls before he'll tell James what to say.  So, essentially, Team Fitz scrambles to find out what America wants to hear so they can say it with a straight face.

I can't just go out and say what I think, dammit!

The highlight of tonight's episode, hands down, is the 2-minute speech Daddy Pope (Joe Morton.  I'm just going to repeat that man's name until everyone knows it and acknowledges his performance on this show.) gives Olivia in some DC Park.  I've attached the video just to make sure everyone sees it.  Daddy Pope literally scolds his daughter, telling her that Fitz has defiled her and the organization Daddy Pope literally sold his soul to.  Fitz kidnapped Daddy Pope to then brag about fucking Olivia while a terrorist who betrayed Daddy Pope personally escaped the country.  To say that Daddy Pope is out for blood is putting it mildly.  Fitz will be lucky if blood is the only fluid Daddy Pope takes.  While almost no one on the show knows all that much about Daddy Pope, he knows everything about everyone involved, even Fitz.  Will Daddy Pope ruin Fitz before finally killing him?  His speech left little room to think Fitz will be killed quickly, much less quietly.  Will Cyrus' and Olivia's vote rigging be exposed?  Will Fitz's murder of a judge who knew about the vote rigging be exposed?  The scandal could take everyone down, including DA David, who knew about the scheme and used it to bargain for his job.  James perjured himself to protect Cyrus.  Fitz killed to keep it quiet.  Even Mellie was involved.  The only characters who would be left standing are Jake, Quinn and Charlie.  If Daddy Pope is going to out Project Defiance, it would make some sense that he's warning Olivia to get out of the game, and get away from Fitz now.

You're in big trouble, young lady!

Jake has a sit-down with Charlie, much like the loyalty swearing necessary by mid-level employees must endure when their favorite boss has just jumped ship for the competition.  Charlie swears his loyalty to B-613, and apparently has no hard feelings towards Jake, or soft ones for Daddy Pope.  Jake warns Charlie that he's not to involve Quinn in B-613 business, as Jake doesn't trust her.  Charlie, who got Quinn to betray the other Gladiators by tricking and then extorting her, doesn't bat an eye as he promises Jake what he wants.

David and James have two meetings.  At the first, James refuses to help David, telling him he'll have to proceed on his own and pointing out that David has the recording of VP Sally's phone call to Cyrus.  David points out that he can't use it, and James will have to help him.  It's after that interview that Publius makes his debut.

VP Sally is doing tremendously well, considering all the self-serving bullshit she's convinced herself of.  Apparently, it's not her fault Daniel Douglas is dead.  It was Satan.  And abortion.  Or something.  Leo rolls with it.

Totally not delusional at all

Quinn and Charlie, meanwhile, are not done cleaning up after VP Sally's crime.  Cyrus brings them in after an anonymous tip to a journalist leads to questions about the autopsy on Daniel Douglas, he of the purple button-down shirts and the sad closet he lived in.  The tip comes from a source named "Publius", calling some unremarkable reporter with cryptic warnings about Daniel Douglas' non-existent autopsy.  To get the coroner to give the right answer to the press, Quinn uses her people skills on a pre-teen kid.  At first, he's justifiably suspicious; but Quinn knows enough familiar names and then invokes the possibility of ice cream.  Hell, I'd get in the car.  But it works.  The coroner knows better than to talk now.

Olivia's talking points about VP Sally and her move are more of the same:  patriotism attacks, loyalty attacks, etc.  Basically, VP Sally is today's Benedict Arnold.  Leo Bergen is completely unconcerned.  Radio stations are playing classic rock homages to her, plus she keeps her day job where she can undermine Fitz at every turn.  Leo spends the episode buttering Sally up to keep her on the warpath, needling Cyrus, and using the cover-up of VP Sally's crime to worm his way into the game.  A master who Cyrus cannot intimidate.

Which makes Fitz's choice of new running mate a bitter pill for Team Fitz to swallow.  Fitz, concerned about "loyalty", drunkenly demands that he run with his former California Lt. Governor, Andrew Nichols.  His team point out the obvious demographic problems of Nichols, but Fitz uses a tumbler to make a point.  It's sad to see Cyrus treated like a slave from an 1800s narrative, mostly because we know this is the life Cyrus chose for himself, and repeatedly chooses over his own husband.  Olivia looks like this is the first time she's seen Fitz in angry-drunk mode.  Really, Olivia?

Leo further proves his chops in his first debate with Abby.  Leo completely ignores the issues, and resurrects the rumor of Olivia's affair with Fitz.  Abby is flustered, using a really unfortunate metaphor to combat Leo and fail wildly.  It's to the point that Mellie has to get involved, mostly because Cyrus blames her for the Olivia problem.  So, Mellie has a very public frenemies lunch.  These two ladies are masters of the political game, and stage the friendliest-looking cat fight ever scene.  Mellie gets the better of Olivia, though.  She gives Olivia a folder full of info on DC's best bachelors, and tells her to pick one.  Any one.  Olivia has to have a relationship of her own to keep working with Fitz.  It's like having a fake spouse to convince people you're straight, only Olivia just needs a fake boyfriend to convince the world she's not a home-wrecker.

Best Frenemies Forever!!!

In the meantime, Olivia has the job of vetting Andrew Nichols for running for the VP slot.  Nichols has no scandals, but no family.  Just a long list of former, uninteresting girlfriends.  Olivia confronts Nichols, demanding to know why he isn't married.  Is he gay?  No.  Is he a player?  No.  Just heartbroken years ago, and looking for professional success to replace the loss.  Olivia, stupidly, doesn't try to figure out who exactly broke the poor man's heart.  It won't be important until it threatens the campaign.

Meanwhile, Harrison has been acting terrified of someone named Adnan Salif for the entire season.  Was he frightened for his life?  Nope, his virtue. Salif turns out to be a striking woman who shows up in the office while Harrison is all by his lonesome.  Her main danger to Harrison?  That he can't resist her.  She claims that she wants to talk about his future.  They don't talk much in this episode.  Maybe we'll see what game she's playing by season's end.

Fitz and Olivia talk about whether she should get a fake boyfriend, with Fitz hating the idea and Olivia warning that she'll have to resign to avoid any more rumors about them.  Fitz has a tantrum that involves trying to make out with Olivia to show she's not going anywhere.  Knowing he's trying to express his power over her rather than affection, Olivia just looks scared.  And wondering what she's gotten herself into.

James and David meet again, this time with more dirt to go over that James brings because he has decided to bug Cyrus' office.  What's more, James is on a rampage now.  Repeating that Cyrus is a monster, he declares that he will be the most thorough double-agent in White House history, and praises Publius for trying to get someone besides David to investigate Team Fitz.  David reminds James that Publius is playing a dangerous game just in time realize that James is Publius.  James is literally doing all he can to destroy his own husband.  That's one way to get custody.

Only and idiot would... oh.  You're the idiot.

Olivia, playing the Dating Game, makes a decision.  Even though he's not on Mellie's list, he's still an excellent pick.  And she goes to his apartment herself to ask him pretty please?  Telling him she knows that he's the new command of B-613, she also tells him she wants Quinn back.  Jake, who has already told Charlie that Quinn ain't working for B-613 while he's in charge, tells Olivia he doesn't have Quinn.  So Olivia has to ask for the really super huge favor she needs from him.   And he says....

Yes.  We see them strolling along, leisurely sipping coffee in brisk-but-not-cold DC.  Happy and relaxed about it, just like any other couple getting to know each other.  Not only does Olivia have a boyfriend, he has a great military career and an impeccable record, if you stick to the stuff that's publicly available.  What is all this for?  So Fitz can retire in five years a successful two-term President, and they can move to Vermont?  Olivia comments that that dream is getting more and more unobtainable.  Jake is sympathetic.  Sort of.

But the real Man Scorned tonight is Andrew Nichols.  Mellie, who has not liked Fitz's choice at all, finally makes it obvious why not- because she's the girl who broke Andrew's heart years ago.  Andrew flat out tells her he's been waiting to see her again for years, promising the audience that he'll be trying to get what he couldn't have years ago now.  Right when Fitz needs loyalty first.  Mellie ends the episode between them- the man who hates her but has made her career, and a man who loves her and could ruin everything she's worked, plotted, and suffered for.  Lucky girl.

Mellie only holds hands with guys she truly hates

Time Flies - The Walking Dead - Season 4, Episode 12

I can't, for the life of me, name an episode that didn't advance the season's story arc.  Sure, there are episodes without much fighting, with characters bickering about the next move, blaming each other for things that just went wrong, even sulking.  But each episode, each argument, advances the story ending that the show is striving for:  Beth's catatonic shock in Season 2 leads Rick and Glenn to town, where they find Randall, who Shane will use to try to kill Rick.  Andrea's unwillingness to pick a side in Season 3 makes the season's confrontation in the finale messy, and her death at the end makes Rick willing to take in the remaining members of Woodbury.

So this is a first.  Beth and Darryl end up right back as they were at episode's beginning; wandering the woods with few supplies and filthy clothes.  They have advanced no closer to any other survivors, and even left the railroad tracks where they might have found the way to Terminus.  Beth and Darryl spend the episode bickering about Beth's need for help surviving, about Darryl's unwillingness to lead or even care about more than breathing and eating (and pissing). The episode served only one purpose: for Beth and Darryl to say goodbye to their old lives.

All that separates them from death is the bandanna he tied the trunk shut with.

Beth has always been under her father and Maggie's protection.  Hershel, for all his rules, was a loving father, and happy to show his daughters he cared every day.  Maggie is always protective of her sister- she left the bus at the prison to look for Beth- and happy to seek solace and comfort when her father or Glenn aren't available.  Beth has never lived out from under their shadows.

There's nothing to be embarrassed about... it happens to all men sometime.

Darryl and Beth spend a night hiding from zombies we don't see, we just hear them banging on the car trunk as they pass by, with Beth and Darryl focused on the sliver of moon light through which they can only get glimpses of the danger outside.  The next day, we see Beth gather the remains of the car together, which she'll use to make a camp and a fire.   Darryl non-chalantly gathers food while Beth gets domestic in the dirt clearing they find in the woods.  But the happy home life doesn't last.  Beth decides that she'll do what her father would never let her: have a drink.  Darryl follows her as she almost stumbles on zombies, and then through more woods until they reach .... Caddyshack.

As they stumble through the decrepit, half undead remains of the wealthy people who took refuge there, one can't help wondering what went wrong.  The ground floor windows are covered, and the place is filled with people, making it obviously a refuge for some wealthy people for a while, right when things turned.  But something went horribly wrong, with at least one body mutilated for being that of a wealthy woman.  Bolsheviks?  Zombies have typically been used as horror movie stand-ins for whatever the wealthy fear, and the show's makers certainly know that.  Were some residents hung for being part of the 5%, with the rest being put down?  Were the ones upstairs just lucky enough to be killed there?  The place was still secure when Darryl and Beth walked in, meaning no one stormed the place.  Was the menace from the inside?  We'll never know.  Dead bodies, strewn wherever they want to walk or find something that could be really dead or just about to grab them, provide most of the tension of the scene.  The rest comes from Darryl bashing in the heads of the zombies upstairs, which ruins Beth's brand new clothes.  And, not a little tension comes from Beth trying to be in charge since Darryl doesn't seem to want to do anything except live through the day, play darts, and bag up some money and jewelry.  Beth examines a spoon engraved with "Washington D.C.", reminding us of Abraham's quest.   The clubhouse is relatively secure, but there's nothing left to eat, and Darryl reacts violently to the thought of anyone's first drink being peach Schnapps.  He and Beth stroll out, hopefully away from the crowd at the back doors.

I ordered... a fucking.... Appletini

Their next stop is an old double-wide with attached shed, a spot Michonne and Darryl found months ago, with nothing remaining except debris, a really tacky planter, and moonshine.  Beth starts down the rocky path to drunkenness under Darryl's supervision, with them talking a bit as they scavenge amongst the house's debris.  Darryl confides that the place is a dead ringer for his dad's old house, right down to the bra planter.  They decide to let the walker outside be, as long as he's not too loud.  A drinking game Beth has always wanted to try leads to Darryl being insulted, pissing inside the house, and then demanding that Beth clumsily try his crossbow.  Darryl, for all his tough guy act, is insulted when Beth assumes he's been in jail.  Look, dude, if your whole persona is that you don't give a shit, don't be surprised when people think you did jail time.  Darryl angrily reminds Beth of her weaknesses- her suicide attempt, that she was a babysitter while others defended the prison, that she's too innocent, and a dreamer.  Darryl's hissyfit leads to him grabbing Beth and trying to force his crossbow into her hands.  She stabs the poor zombie in the head to end their fight.  And she lets Darryl have it.  No, she's not a zombie-destroying-fan-fave. In a speech meant more for the audience than Darryl, she tells Darryl that she's survived, despite NOT being a badass, and maybe that deserves some respect.  She then blames Darryl's apathy towards others on the discovery of Sophia, who Beth only knows as the "girl that came out of the barn".  You and I have been aware for a while of how hard that death was on him, and despite Carol's work with him, Darryl has never really recovered, or wanted to act as if he cares about anyone since then.

You suck!  No, you suck!  No, you suck!

Turns out, Darryl blames himself for the loss of the prison.  He stopped hunting for the Governor.  He thought the trail was cold.  Instead, the guy was close enough to come back and ruin the prison and kill his friends.  For the first time since Sophia came out of the barn, Darryl expresses an emotion. It's not pretty.

Done fighting, Darryl and Beth sit outside like college kids on break, continuing to sip booze and bond over their past lives.  Beth bemoans the fact that her childhood didn't prepare her for managing through bare survival and the violence needed to defeat zombies.  She tells Darryl that he'll be the last human left on earth, and warns him that he'll miss her when he is.  Darryl tells the story of an incident in the not too distant past of a drug-dealing houseguest holding a gun to his head, then punching him while his own big brother laughed at him. Darryl then drops the bomb we've been dying for.  He confides in Beth what he did before the world turned:  nothing.  He followed Merle around, did whatever Merle told him to do, and got high.  He was just a useless redneck.  He still thinks he is.  Does Darryl know he has a fan club?  Is this a parallel with Michonne's telling Carl about her son?  Is this season about badasses revealing themselves to be human?

Beth, being a helper who actually likes people, decides to help Darryl say goodbye, once and for all to his old life.  In true my-Dad-is-dead-so-let's-get-crazy fashion, she suggests burning the house that reminds Darryl of his childhood down.  Well, they certainly have enough high-alcohol-content liquid, plus they can start a fire, plus Darryl still has some dollar bills they can use as kindling.  The Mountain Goats start playing a song.  Darryl and Beth watch the house quickly being engulfed by flames.  Beth, the good girl who you trust with your infant daughter, gives the house the finger, still wearing her blood-stained yellow polo shirt.  She nods to Darryl, who joins her in the one-finger-salute.  But soon enough, there's movement in the distance.  They've been joined by zombies, so it's time to go, right back into the forest they bounced from in the first scene.  Only this time, they're not looking to get out.  They've let go of it all- their past lives, their losses at the prison, their desire to do all that much.  Survival, for now, is enough for them.

Yes, Tom, This Is Just Getting Silly - Revolution - Season 2, Episode 14

Miles and Tom come to an impasse.  Monroe wants Connor to kill him.  Charlie earns Duncan's respect.  The nano tech wants Aaron's help, and the episode refreshingly had almost no Dr. Dad in it.

Monroe and Connor, trapped in an outdoor cage, get lectured by the guy they tried stealing diamonds from.  Gould then tells them they'll be fighting to the death.  But hey, at least the winner gets to walk, right?  Well, we realize even that promise was probably false.  Monroe accepts that he'll sacrifice himself to save his son, while Connor holds on to the hope that Charlie will rescue them.

Which turns out to be a really foolish hope, as Charlie goes to Duncan, explaining that the diamonds they tried to steal were for her.  So, if she still wants to get paid, she'll help Charlie break Monroe and Connor out.  Duncan, having some sense, simply captures Charlie to hand her over to Gould.

Miles, Rachel, Tom, and Boyband are perched on a rise above the old typhus camp.  With that plot point over, the camp requires a new one to justify anyone still being there, as well as some barrels they speculate about. Miles and Rachel are interested in the new Suit that is running around, giving orders.  Tom and Boyband recognize him as Mom's new, really awful husband.  Miles decides he wants the Suit captured to ask what exactly they're planning, and that Tom will help.  So, this could either go real bad or real good, depending on whether Tom can talk the Suit first.

While discussing their predicament, with Mom being held as a hostage by the Patriots for Monroe's head on a platter, Boyband announces to his dad that the barrels being delivered to the new camp are empty.  They'll be filled later by cadets being punished at the new Willoughby Patriots Re-Education Center.  Like the little metal boxes in Cool Hand Luke, but even smaller.  Boyband is clearly chafing to stop helping the Patriots, make a common cause with Miles, and stop the Patriots' evil plans.  Tom reminds him his mother's life is at stake. As weak as Julia is, Tom will do whatever he must for her, even if it means helping evil people.

Monroe and Connor are practicing killing Monroe, who is concerned that Connor won't actually do it under pressure on the big night.  So, to help Connor do what everyone else on the show wants to do already, he confesses to Connor his part in Connor's mother's death.  It has the expected result, which is that Connor's anger helps him get a few blows in.  Notice that the timing of information is manipulated for dramatic effect?  While they're having this heartfelt moment, Charlie is marched to a very happy Gould hearing Duncan explain that she had nothing to do with the robbery, and handing over Charlie as proof of that.  For a warlord, she sounds a little too frightened as she confirms that Gould won't retaliate.  Come on, girl.  You're supposed to be a badass.  You don't ask if you're square, you just state you are with a slight growl in your throat.

Connor watches, clearly disappointed, while Monroe basically says "I told you so."  Gould's men pretty much tell Charlie she'll be raped.  A lot.  She doesn't seem worried, even though she's chained to the boards of a wagon.  As she's taken away, she overhears Gould plot to kill Duncan anyway.

Priscilla and Aaron are starting to snap in their hotel room/prison cell.  It's definitely not the fancy digs they shared pre-blackout.  They are debating whether their situation is totally fucked up or completely fucked up when Aaron sees Cyn again, which is how the nano tech is now talking to him. A guy's dead wife will get a guy's attention when you want his help, which the nano does.  It finally explains that it is dying, and needs the help of Aaron, Priscilla, and Peter.  Priscilla also starts to stare with horror at the same corner in which Aaron sees Cyn, only she sees her own father.  Peter comes in to tell them he thinks something is wrong with the nano.  The three of them realize they've been brought together to save the nano tech's code programming from a bug.    Priscilla doesn't want to help the nano, feeling that it should be allowed to die.  The most important question is:  if the nano dies, will the power come back on?  No one asks it.  Peter is very insistent that they must help the nano survive, because his gig as a faith healer depends on it.  The good news is that he's starting to realize it's not really a supernatural deity and he's not a prophet.  Which, I guess, is progress.

Help me, Obi-Wan Pittman, you're my only hope

When Priscilla angrily declares that she won't help cure the nano tech programming code, we see flashes of lighting outside.  Apparently, not helping the nano will go badly for them.  Aaron is desperate to do what the nano wants, afraid someone else will die if he slights the nano tech again.  When Priscilla reluctantly agrees to help, she reminds them that they have no way of looking at the code.  So Peter leads them to the last computer in Lubbock, Texas.  It's practically a calculator by our standards, but the nano turns on the computer and starts displaying it's code programming.  So our intrepid programmers get to work.

Monroe and Connor take a break from practice to feast on whatever slop they've been given by Gould's goons.  Monroe, willing to die for his son, confesses that his fame, his army, his success ended up meaning very little to him without someone to pass it on to.  Without a family of his own.  Sounding like Daddy Warbucks from Annie, he instructs Connor to find a wife, says Charlie can't be that wife despite her being the only girl he currently knows, and have some kids to pass something down to.  Connor responds by eating the slop, preferring that to his dad's sentimental ravings.

Miles and Rachel discuss logistics about kidnapping the Suit with Tom's help.  Neither she or Miles trust Tom, but he's willing to work for free.  Miles tells Rachel to stay put, not come with them, so he knows that at least she's safe.  We'll see about that, Miles.  At the ambush point, he and Tom exchange insults, with Tom reminding Miles that he's currently fucking his dead brother's wife.  Tom hints that he knew perfectly well how much Miles has wanted to do that for years.

Monroe and Connor are in the death cage for the big fight, and most of the next scene is of Monroe and Connor using bare hands and whatever weapons are tossed at them to fight each other.  The rest is devoted to funny looks Duncan and Gould give each other and Monroe.

YES YES YES!!!  DO IT! DO IT!

Charlie is dressed for prostitution, but she's busy trying to bust out of her boudoir when her first customer barges in, and tells her he's paid a lot of money to get the first "crack" at her.  Well, Charlie gives him his money's worth, immediately attacking him, both to prevent being raped and so she can get back to breaking out.  They struggle a while, but they guy is clearly not a fighter.  Not only does Charlie choke him to death, she then uses his dead head as a battering ram, making a hole out of her camper she can crawl out of.

Gould's man moves into place to kill Duncan.  She is still totally unsuspecting, until she turns around only to see the guy stabbed with his own knife right before he can strike, and Charlie appearing out from behind him.  Both Duncan and her bodyguard are stunned, and a gunfight ensues between Duncan's men and Gould's.  Duncan, pissed at being taken for a fool, shoots Gould in the head.  So the folks coming to see someone die that night got what they paid for, after all.  Monroe and Connor waltz out with Charlie, going back to Duncan's.

Duncan agrees to send five guys back with Team Monroe.  But it's only to pay her debt to Charlie, who saved her life.  Oh, and they five guys will be reporting to Charlie, since she's the one who actually earned them.  Charlie looks like she'll be gloating about this for the rest of her days, as she leads her new mercenaries back to Willoughby.  Duncan reminds Monroe he's not so great at sex that Duncan would stick her neck out for him.  Wonder who gets the casino with Gould dead?

Miles, Tom and Boyband are in the dark, automatic rifles drawn and pointed at a covered wagon that ambles along the road.  Inside are the Suit and about five guys of his own, probably not earned as well as Charlie's men, but there anyway.  The Suit explains that Miles Matheson is to be taken alive.  I hope Tom negotiated something extra in advance.  I mean, he's not only going to kill Monroe, he's giving them Miles to boot.   Tom is about to make his pretend move when Miles points his rifle at Tom's head.  Miles was spooked by the fact that the wagon appeared to be carrying more than just the Suit, and he's officially on to Tom.  Boyband, feeling guilty all along about helping the Patriots and lying to someone who could help them, is about to spill, but Tom shuts him up, verbally sparring with Miles.  Miles, who is right, accuses Tom of just doing whatever for his selfish wants, and demands to know why Boyband continues to feel any loyalty to him.  He then calls Tom a dick, just like he did to Monroe.  As the three continue to hold guns to each other, Rachel appears with one of her own.  The four just keep pointing guns at each other, while Tom tries to convince them their lives will be better without Monroe, so just let Tom do his job.  There is no resolution, although Miles makes a tense Mexican standoff joke.

Actually, Miles, in Mexico this is called milking it

Aaron, Priscilla and Peter are writing code on walls and whiteboard a la A Beautiful Mind, and there are cute shots of them from behind beholding the code in all its glory all over the walls, as well as shots of their faces as they peer at their creation, trying to find the bug.

Isn't there any paper left?

Aaron sees something he calls wrong, drawing a box around it and erasing it.  Peter and Priscilla are relieved at first, leaning in to watch Aaron do his magic and re-write the bug out.  Only Cyn appears, scared and angry and demanding to know what Aaron is doing.  Peter and Priscilla look over right away, as they're seeing their own versions of the nano tech angrily demanding that Aaron stop killing it, panicking as blood starts to seep out of a newly opened wound on Cyn.  Peter freaks out, but Priscilla is too fast for him, knocking him out so Aaron can continue to murder his precious, most famous code. Aaron didn't find a bug to fix.  He found a weakness through which he could introduce a virus. Shit starts hitting a fan all around them, until-

We suddenly cut to Aaron, groggily waking up to an alarm clock.  He's stunned more by the existence of a working alarm clock than by being awake, and stunned again when he realizes he's in a real bed, Priscilla still sleeping next to him. Then he realizes he's in a  beautiful, fancy room, in a modern and sleek condo somewhere.  Reaching for the remote, he turns on...

MSNBC.  With Chris Hayes.  If you knew anything about MSNBC, you would know that Chris Hayes has only been on a short time.  As if to further freak you out, Chris announces that it's March 5, 2014.  Our present day.  His present day.  It's as if... the blackout never happened.

So what gives?  Will Boyband finally talk some sense into his Dad?  Will Teams Matheson and Neville combine to do some damage without getting Julia killed back in Washington D.C.?  Will Connor find his dream girl?  Will Charlie enjoy her own soldiers too much?  It seems we don't find that out.  What we do find next week, is this show's version of It's a Wonderful Life.  Only instead of missing a person, this re-imagined world is missing the nano tech.  Will an angel get his wings?