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The episode opens with yet another misleading sequence, although exactly how misleading the gorgeously shot Will-digo transformation/birth scene really is remains to be seen–after all, we still don’t know with any certainty who arranged the Randall exhibit, or whose body was sent flaming down the parkade runway in glorious tribute to Red Dragon’s exemplary Tooth Fairy kill. In fact, I would hasten that there is still a lot that we don’t know about this secret plan which has occupied much of the narrative lo’ these last few episodes. But more on that later.

Here’s the scorecard of recently announced TV cancellations and renewals, as we all bite our fingernails waiting for those final few verdicts to trickle in, particularly (I’m guessing), Nashville, Hannibal, and Community. UPDATE:  Hannibal just renewed. ABC CANCELLED: Trophy Wife, Mixology, and Neighbors. (Comment: Trophy Wife was superbly cast and sweet and funny, if slight, …

In the fiery furnace of the apocalypse, uneasy alliances are forged and shattered in an instant. Miles — wary over Monroe’s plan to steal the Patriots’ mustard gas (a relic of early 20th century warfare) and use it against them, potentially killing innocents in Willoughby — turns down Monroe’s offer to stand by his side. Instead, Miles captures the mustard gas, and uses it to get a double agent to keep close eyes on the power structure in the local Patriots chapter.

As a fervent fan of both the films based on the character Hannibal Lecter and the source material written by Thomas Harris, I found myself very excited at the prospect of a television series based on the relationship between the titular cannibalistic sadist and the man who would eventually catch him hiding in plain sight, the highly intuitive Will Graham. When I heard that actors like Mads Mikkelsen, Laurence Fishburne, and Gillian Anderson had signed up to be a part of it, my anticipation became palpable, tempered only by the fear that this would be a short-lived cash-in on a mostly dead franchise. In that regard, I was happy to be mostly wrong.

Tate and Bo clash over how far to go to help save someone from a fatal crash, while Winter hatches a scheme to get Channing back in a strong episode.

Charlie deals with the emotional aftermath of Jason’s death as an encounter has her re-assessing her attitude towards life, while Aaron sees another side of the nanobots in a compelling episode.

Channing and Winter make their first offensive strike against Orchestra, while Bo and Tate deal with the newfound knowledge of their relation to each other in an exciting episode.

This week the confrontation between the Keen couple finally occurred and with that came answers to a long gestating mystery. The Pavlovich Brothers who kidnapped the daughter of a general in the pilot of the show make a return to kidnap a woman involved in a chemical weapons project called White Fog. Both plotlines help to remind us how far Lizzie and Red have come in their partnership and also spotlight how much they rely on each other.

Following last week’s focus on Tate, this week’s episode shines a light on Channing’s backstory, in an engaging episode that effectively balances character and plot progression.

The show puts Tate’s history front and centre in this week’s episode, giving the audience a better understanding of the character and his motivations in a well-done episode.

A new variable enters the fray in the struggle for Bo as the show adds further shades to both Channing and Tate in a thrilling episode

It was never going to end well when Jason reteamed with the Matheson/Monroe alliance (which we’ll just call the Alliance from now on). He stepped out of the darkness and into their camp with crucial intelligence on the Austin meeting point for the Patriots’ cadets. It took some convincing, but eventually the Alliance brought him into the fold to stop whatever it is the Patriots are up to in Austin, albeit with his hands bound.

The fascinating thing about The Blacklist this week was watching Elizabeth Keene slowly learn more about who her husband really is. Just like last week believing in something or doing something with conviction was the theme and it made for a really solid episode. Milton Bobbit’s scheme was to get terminally ill people to kill important people via suicide attempt. This act involves killing someone and yourself along with them. In return for their suicide, the family of the terminally ill individual would be provided for after their death.

The questionable methods Skouras uses on the people at his facility comes to light as the FBI continues to be right at the heels of Tate, Bo, and Winter in another enjoyable outing from the show.

The maternal side of Bo’s parentage takes centre stage in this week’s episode, as the FBI continues to breathe down the necks of Tate and his daughter in an entertaining outing.

Crisis, which airs Sundays on NBC, is what most people would categorize as “event television”. The pilot revolves around a group of rich high school kids who are kidnapped by terrorists and from there the twists begin. Crisis works incredibly hard to use the tension of the kidnapping as not only a compelling argument to watch the show, but a reason to care about all the characters involved in this incident.

The show adds new variables in the mix of groups trying to protect Bo, and examines the motivations of Skouras and his group in a solid follow-up to the pilot.

With the backing of JJ Abrams and Alfonso Cuarón, the pilot of Believe starts the show off well, with a strong supporting cast and a lot of potentially interesting directions for the show to go.

Dracula is one of literature’s most enduring and adapted characters. What often sets each production apart is their ability to put a new (and believable) twist on the classic character. Expectations may be low going into any new version but the most surprising aspect of NBC’s take on Dracula is that it’s actually very good.

Revolution, Season 2, Episode 5: “One Riot, One Ranger” Written by David Rambo and Ben Edlund Directed by Frederick E. O. Toye Airs Wednesdays at 8 pm (ET) on NBC We’re right back on track after a horrid encounter last week. No overt threats of rape this time out, just a solid episode that sets the stage for …

“The Stewmaker” opens to a very Silence of the Lambs-esque sequence that is simultaneously creepy, captivating, and tonally out of place with other aspects of the episode. Most of the episode does work. Anything actually involving ‘The Stewmaker’ himself (which isn’t nearly enough of the episode) is extremely compelling television. The problem isn’t ‘The Stewmaker’. The problem is the peripheral junk happening to the side of this interesting character.

Revolution begins its second season in far more promising fashion than it ended its first. As the power ticked back on, the show’s central conceit seemed to evaporate. Thankfully, if we can take Aaron’s word for it, the power is now off for good, and the show is all the stronger for it. This was a completely necessary reset for the show: the Monroe Republic is no more, there’s no grand desire among the core group to restore power, and everyone’s getting back to pre-Surge reality without helicopters and armored cars causing carnage. Monroe’s a bare-knuckle boxer, Charlie seems to be finding herself, the Nevilles are searching for Julia, and everyone else is camped up in a remote Texas stronghold. It’s almost as if the first season never happened, other than the relationships forged between the cast. We hear nothing of the late Danny, for instance.

NBC, at one time a bastion of network comedy, is now down to one two-hour comedy block each week, and with The Office now off the air, they’re hoping at least one of these new sitcoms will find an audience, or at least the critical buzz of Parks and Recreation. The first to premiere will …