'Fringe' recap: 'Five-Twenty-Ten'

The gang on the hunt. Courtesy Fox.

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

This week on Fringe, Peter is well ensconced on his crazy train of revenge. He is stalking Observers, using his new abilities to foresee their patterns. He uses this to target Captain Windmark's top lieutenants. To this end, he convinces Anil to help him. In contrast,Walter continues to struggle with the man he is becoming. Unlike Peter, Walter is afraid. One wonders if Peter can even feel fear anymore.

He returns to the lab, where Olivia confronts him about leaving her behind... again. We find that Peter hasn't been sleeping. Do Observer's even need to sleep? Walter and Astrid have freed Tape 5, and they all sit down to watch it. The tape describes two beacons, bullet shaped devices the Observers made. They help them to teleport through time and space. The beacons are hidden in a storage facility designed by William Bell. This is why Walter chopped off Bell's hand earlier in the season. In piecing together all of their memories, they believe that William Bell was really working for the Observers, but they need the beacons. "Fire up the laser, Agnes! Let's get that hand out of amber."

'Grimm' recap: 'Season of the Hexenbeist'

Nick and Adalind catch up. Courtesy NBC

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Opening Quote: "Oh! There is a terrible witch in that house who spewed her poison over me and scratched me with her long fingernails."

Picking up right where last week ended, Juliette runs out of the Spice Shop and drives away when she sees Monroe. She is followed by a leather clad woman on a motorcycle. As Juliette tears into the house she is calling Nick, telling him they need to talk, she is having a really bad day. Really? Does she really think Monroe isn't going to tell on her? Well, as soon as Nick hangs up the phone, it rings again. Guess who? Monroe. Nick cheerfully answers the phone, as Monroe stutters that they need to talk. Monroe won't tell him what about, but suggests they meet for dinner. When Nick tells him he's meeting Juliette, Monroe suggests he come over to his place first. Perplexed, Nick hangs up.

'Fringe' recap: 'Through the Looking Glass and What Walter Found There'

Walter's trippy world. Courtesy Fox.

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Say hello to the longest episode title in Fringe's history!

Peter is still struggling to deal with Etta's loss. He has apparently gone straight from upgrading his brain last episode to sitting in Etta's apartment watching a piece of random video mail she had left on her machine. He is interrupted by Olivia's arrival; she's been looking for him. Initially, Peter seems a little put out with her, but they snuggle up on the couch and watch the image of their little girl together. During the tender moment, Olivia notices the bandage Peter has placed over the incision on the back of his neck. He lies to her; saying that he was injured collapsing the Observer's wormhole.

'Grimm' recap: 'To Protect And Serve Man"

Hank revisits his past. Courtesy NBC

BY MELISSA HARKNESS


Opening Quote: "The beast was simply the Call of the Wild personified ... which some natures hear to their own destruction"

We start out with a trip down memory lane. Seven years ago Hank was still a uniformed cop. He responded to a shooting and arrested a man who said the men he shot were "monsters" trying to eat him. Given Hank's new-found knowledge of Wesen, it does make one go "hmmm." Craig Ferren was the man he arrested, he was given the death penalty for shooting those men. And he is scheduled to be executed tomorrow. Hank is concerned that he was wrong about Ferren. Nick is thrilled to be given this new task.

'Fringe' recap: 'An Origin Story'

Peter observes some Observer torture. Courtesy Fox

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Have you recovered from Etta's traumatic death last episode? Neither has Peter. Or Olivia, or Walter, or me. But we must soldier on and continue to Resist!

After last week's tragedy, the team returned to Etta's apartment to gather their things and perhaps a few mementos of the youngest Bishop.

While Peter is gloomily looking through Etta's jewelry, he finds a secret latch that opens a hidden weapons stash behind a picture on the wall. Peter smiles, "That's my girl."

'Grimm' recap: 'The Hour of Death'

Nick is feeling punchy. Courtesy NBC

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Opening Quote: "And branded upon the beast, the mark of his kin. For none shall live whom they have seen."

Nick is having another nightmare on the couch. Only this time it's about a case and not Juliette. She wakes him from his nightmare, but then things get ugly. Finally! Nick is sick and tired of sleeping on the damn couch. But after Juliette leaves, Nick looks like a kicked puppy.

Ugh, some low-life is throwing pictures of the missing girl from Nick's nightmare into a fire. Sounds like he's into some human trafficking. When Nick and Hank show up, Nick is instantly suspicious of the man's wood burning stove. When he rushes over and pulls a photo of Donna out of the fire, the scum slips his Wesen face out and runs. Hank barely stops Nick from pummeling the scumbag into a puddle.

Zombie Scholars Academy: Z-school with brainy purpose

Do you feel like you need a little one-on-one, hands-on help learning to survive the zombie apocalypse? Not sure if you have the skills necessary to outsmart the walking dead?

Then you need to go back to school.

If you're still in high school, grades 9-12, you are in luck! Truman State University is offering The Zombie Scholars Academy to help you get prepared next summer, July 7-14, 2013.

Remember when the Centers for Disease Control launched their Zombie Preparedness initiative? There were posters, a comic book, etc. It was all designed to teach valuable information about what to do during a pandemic, natural disaster or even a terrorist attack. Zombies just happen to be a much more entertaining way to get the same information drilled into our little brains. The Zombie Scholars Academy seeks to do the same thing.

The Zombie Scholars Academy will expose the lucky attendees to the important topics of biology, epidemiology, psychology, ethics, group leadership and problem solving. They will also get to indulge in recreational activities that involve fending off the zombie horde. Don't worry parents, your child's brain will be in the care of some very good people.

Take a look at just a few of the advisors, who are friends of Paranormal Pop Culture:

Max Brooks, the man behind World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie Apocalypse and The Zombie Survival Guide is a Senior Advisor to the ZSA. The bestselling author obviously brings a lot of valuable knowledge to the course. He believes that by putting the information out there in a "fictional" way, that people can process it better without the ego getting in the way.

Dr. Steve Schlozman of Harvard Medical School, also an Advisor for ZSA, agrees. Essentially, we can think more clearly about a zombie apocalypse, because it will never happen. Whereas, a real possibility like global warming, or even global war will cause us to shut down and refuse to think about it. Dr. Schlozman also wrote the novel, Zombie Autopsies, which George A. Romero is developing for film.

Matt Mogk of the Zombie Research Society, also serves as an advisor. He has published several books about zombies and also appeared on Spike TV's Zombies vs. Vampires episode of "The Deadliest Warrior."

Mark your calendars kids! The Zombie Scholars Academy takes place July 7-14, 2013, for students entering grades 9-12. They are only accepting 50 students, so don't dawdle.

-Melissa Harkness

'Fringe' recap: 'The Bullet That Saved The World'

Peter looking badass, courtesy Fox

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Peter siphoning gas from a car on the bad side of Boston. He enters a pawn shop, and meets an Observer who hands him a necklace, telling him this is what he was looking for. The Observer, still rooting around in Peter's mind, asks him "what are the Red Sox?" When Peter leaves the store, Loyalists are waiting for him. He escapes into the sewers, when they throw a bomb in after him. The tunnel is suffused in light. Peter awakes outside a storm drain, with a young boy playing a harmonica nearby. These are the little details we love Fringe for.

'Grimm' recap: 'La Llorona'

Monroe in the Halloween mood, courtesy NBC

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Opening Quote: "On many a dark night people would see her walking along the riverbank and crying for her children."

Luis Alvarez and his son, Rafael, are fishing when he sees a crying woman in a white dress wading into the river. He runs to help her, diving into the water, but finds no one. As he comes up for air, he sees the woman, white dress blowing in the breeze, leading his son away. The weeping woman has stolen Rafael.

'Grimm' recap: 'The Other Side'

Courtesy NBC

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Opening Quote: "I thought of making myself a beautiful wooden marionette. It must be wonderful, one that can dance, fence, and turn somersaults."

With a Pinocchio reference like that, it's no surprise that we open with some high school kids practicing for an Academic Decathlon. A kid named Pierce is doing pretty good, while his overly competitive mother watches. The kids go out for greasy fast food after practice. Here we learn that Pierce's mom is a freaky smart geneticist. This doesn't bode well. The kids split up and head home. It's like they've never seen a horror movie before. Never split up! Anyway, Brandon gets attacked by our Monster of the Week, which appears to be a Lowen, a lion-like Wesen. This tragedy interrupts Nick and crew, who are attending an awards ceremony for Capt. Renard. Nick has managed to convince Juliette to come with him. She very nonchalantly can't keep from drooling over the good Captain, who also keeps looking her way.

Since Nick and Hank have to go investigate the dead kid, Renard offers to take Juliette home. Oh, yeah.

'Fringe' recap: 'The Recordist'

Courtesy Fox

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

The scavenger hunt for Walter's tapes is underway. The Fringe team has gotten a little more sophisticated with their tape extraction process. They find the official Tape #3, which opens with Walter and his bong getting some alone time. Apparently Walter stored the tapes out of order, much to Astrid's shock. This tape leads them to Pennsylvania. For what, they have no idea. The team discusses the possibilities, while Walter sniffs some 21 year old pot out of a baggie he "liberated" from the Amber as well.

'Grimm' recap: 'The Bottle Imp'

Hank and Nick do Wesen homework, courtesy NBC

BY MELISSA HARKNESS


Opening quote: "'Let me out, let me out,' the spirit cried. And the boy, thinking no evil, drew the cork out of the bottle."

Here's a promising opening. Nick and Juliette are in the kitchen while fireworks are going off outside. They're cooking and telling funny stories, when, wham! Juliette remembers telling Nick this funny story about her dad and bird whistles. They start making out when an annoying beeping begins. It's Nick's alarm. He's dreaming. On the couch. Again. How about that to start a great day of Grimming?!

'Fringe' recap: 'In Absentia'

Courtesy Fox

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

It is Olivia’s turn for a dream sequence. Peter wakes her from a nightmare very similar to his own about losing Etta. They appear to still be somewhat estranged, with separate sleeping bags on the floor. Olivia's dream fills in a few more gaps about the day of the invasion. Olivia, it seems, was the disciplinarian while Peter was the fun parent. Are we really surprised by that, she has never been terribly emotional. It also looks like she may have felt abandoned by Peter who was more concerned about finding Etta than her. Peter pretty much admitted to that last episode, but here is confirmation that Olivia did feel that way. Peter assures her that they are okay now, but I have my doubts.

'Grimm' recap: 'Over My Dead Body'

Courtesy NBC

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Opening quote: "Whilst he thus gazed before him, he saw a snake creep out of a corner of the vault and approach the dead body."

Apparently it's date night on Grimm this week! An expensive looking blonde with too much lipstick exits a charter plane and calls our dear Capt. Renard. Snooty flirting ensues. Nick arrives home to Juliette cooking dinner for him. Juliette has finally decided to stop being so uppity and says, "I may never remember who you were, but I'd like to get to know who you are." Aww, so sweet! Meanwhile, Monroe is looking quite dapper in his little bowtie as he makes dinner for Rosalee.

'Fringe' premiere recap: 'Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11'

Courtesy Fox

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

The fifth season of Fringe opens with a little girl playing in a park. She is blowing the little winged seeds off of a dandelion top. The scene widens and we see her parents, Peter and Olivia. Suddenly an explosive shockwave rocks the park and there are Observers marching across the green grass, with little Etta in the way.

Peter's nightmare reveals that Etta was lost in the initial invasion. As Peter wakes, we are comforted by the sight of Walter in his boxers on the couch, snoring.

'Grimm' recap: 'The Good Shepherd'

Monroe goes undercover, courtesy NBC

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Opening quote: "Dressed in the skin, the Wolf strolled into the pasture with the Sheep. Soon a little Lamb was following him about and was quickly led away to slaughter."

After a three week break, Grimm is back on Fridays. Let's recap the last episode real quick: There's a Nuckelavee in town looking for the key. Renard has an informant back in the Homeland that warned him about the Nuckelavee. Juliette still doesn't remember Nick. Hank knows everything. Remember now? Good.

Over at McFadden's Mulch, we have a little man named Norm sitting at a desk updating a spreadsheet. As he leaves for the night, he is attacked by a red-eyed monster in a hoodie. Ah, the little man is a Seelengut, a sheep-like critter. Poor Norm, when next we see him, he's falling into a wood chipper.

'Fringe' freshener: What to know for Season 5

Fringe, courtesy Fox

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

If you're new to Fringe, the first thing you need to know for the fifth and final season is that Walter is awesome.

Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) is the genius who has both caused the world to end and also saved it many times over. It's questionable whether you will need to know the intricacies of the Alternate Universe for this last season, though. He's also just a little bit crazy, but in an adorable way. Walter had his friend, William Bell, remove part of his brain to keep him from continuing his questionable research into, well, everything. He spent many years in a mental institution before Fringe Division had him released to help with their investigations.

'We're Alive' brings zombies to podcasts

For all of you zombie apocalypse fans out there, it's hard to know what's good and what's just the same old "zombie ate my family" story. I present for your consideration a podcast called "We're Alive." "We're Alive" is presented in the old radio play format - which I find fascinating. It has a complete cast, with sound effects and music. Essentially, it is the story of three soldiers who have survived the initial zombie outbreak in Los Angeles and their hunt for supplies, survivors and a new home all while trying not to get eaten.

This is another of the dystopic apocalypse scenarios: Survivors are on their own, with no law, no government, and no Internet! Additionally, this always means that there are "bad" survivors, which we get plenty of here. There is also the question of what exactly are the "zombies." Some appear so different it's questionable whether they were ever human, and some appear to be smart. So what are they really? This is the question that keeps me checking in with the group week after week. Maybe someday they'll tell us. In the meantime, I enjoy the complications of living in this particular zombie wasteland.

All in all, I have found this an enjoyable story. It does however, suffer from the bane of my existence, The Cliffhanger. But that goes with the whole radio play thing. "We're Alive" is currently airing it's third season. The episodes are fairly short, usually only 15-20 minutes each. A nice length for listening while I'm sitting in traffic. For you parents out there, I think this one is appropriate for mature teenagers. Obviously, it includes violence, but the "explicit" rating appears to be mostly for a few swear words once in a while. Not being overly sensitive to such things, I barely notice them.

You can find the "We're Alive" podcast for free on iTunes, or at zombiepodcast.com. Give it a listen, and let me know what you think!

-Melissa Harkness

'Grimm' recap: 'Quill'

A glimpse at the Monromance, courtesy NBC

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Opening quote: "Death stood behind him, and said: 'Follow me, the hour of your departure from this world has come.'"

If you're thinking that quote up there means more doom and gloom on Grimm this week, you are so wrong! For me, this was a return to the Grimm of old. A good fun episode with plenty of action. Don't get me wrong, I love doom and gloom. I could be the Eternal Empress of Gloomsville, but I think we need a little fun every wee little while. And what is more fun than a Wesen zombie plague?

'Grimm' recap: 'Bad Moon Rising'

Pellegrino as Papa Coyotl, courtesy NBC

BY MELISSA HARKNESS

Opening quote: "Then she began to weep bitterly, and said 'What can a poor girl like me do now?'"

This is a disturbing little episode full of squirmy topics like inbreeding and rape. Fortunately, there is a payoff in the end. NBC has been asking us if Nick is ever going to tell Hank the truth. Well, the wait is over, folks. Tonight we got our answer.

We open in a kitchen, but not just any kitchen. This kitchen contains the excellent Mark Pellegrino of Supernatural and Being Human. Here, he is a doting father to a teenage girl. It's a classic story. Girl goes up to bed, only to be kidnapped by redneck dog boys in her bedroom. The leering boys drive her to an abandoned farm and lower her into a well. Say hello to the Monster of the Week.