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WITCHBLADE
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REGULAR CAST, GUEST CAST & CREDITS
TV GUIDE PROMO
PRESS RELEASE
COMMENTARY by Ellen
BEING THE CHOSEN CAN BE A DRAG
GUEST CAST
Conrad Dunn (Tommy Gallo)
Anthony Cistaro (Kenneth Irons)
Marika Dominczyk (Cristina)
Joe Butler (Arnold Buck)
Filmed on location in Toronto.
In the season premiere, it's a case of deja vu when Sara Pezzini is once again chosen to wield the Witchblade. But when the sinister Kenneth Irons vows to take the powerful weapon from her, can she master its powers in time to defend her destiny? TNT
New York Police Department detective Sara Pezzini (series star YANCY BUTLER) brandishes the Witchblade, an intelligent, symbiotic weapon of incredible power that has existed since prehistoric times. She has turned back time and resurrected her murdered partners, Danny Woo (series star WILL YUN LEE) and rookie Jake McCartey (series star DAVID CHOKACHI). But her nemesis, Ian Nottingham (series star ERIC ETEBARI), continues to pursue the source of Sara's strength. Sara relies on young historian Gabriel Bowman (series star JOHN HENSLEY) for help in understanding the Witchblade. Sara and Danny Woo are once again in pursuit of the elusive mobster Tommy Gallo (recurring guest star CONRAD DUNN). As before, Gallo's henchman lures Sara into the museum where she first encounters the Witchblade, and it claims her as its chosen wielder. This time, however, things are different. As she retraces her steps to the Rialto Theater, where Danny was killed, the wiser Sara declines the opportunity to confront Gallo inside. Although the past is altered, Nottingham's patriarchal mentor, Kenneth Irons (series star ANTHONY CISTARO), plans for the future and vows to take the Witchblade from Sara--even if it means having her killed. A conflicted Nottingham finds his loyalties split between guarding the chosen Witchblade wielder and carrying out Irons' wishes. Irons lures Sara into a showdown with an ambitious and ruthless woman named Cristina (recurring guest star MARIKA DOMINCZYK), to whom he promises the Witchblade if she eliminates Sara. Cristina buries Danny alive, leaving him to die a horrible, slow death. In a Witchblade frenzy, Sara kills Cristina before she can find out what Cristina did with Danny. As her partner runs out of air in an unmarked grave, Sara desperately searches for him before it is too late.
COMMENTARY
This commentary is by Beboman.
The new season of Witchblade has started and I have to say it started with a bang. This two-hour premier was just excellent. It connects very well with how the show ended last season.
It was very interesting how they took us back in time and changed just a few things to give us a new perspective of what was going on. We are provided with the events prior to Sara Pezzini finding the Witchblade and being chosen by it.
These new events, mixed in a very subtle way with new bits of information, give us a different outlook at the same situation. Nothing changes in the way Sara obtains the Witchblade. What changes are the events after she gets the blade.
In this new version of things, Danny (Sara's partner) does not die at the hands of Gallow. Gallow himself does not die and it is Kenneth Irons who ends up dead, providing a very interesting twist of events.
There are other subtle changes in this new beginning. For instance, Gabriel Bowman, the ancient artifacts collector, is shown at the museum when Sara is chasing Gallow's man into the museum. This was a good way to re-introduce this character.
Another character who is re-introduced is the guy that turned time back at the end of season one. We get to see him again here, but this time it is at the beginning of the episode. He is carrying a big old clock and the sound of a clock ticking is heard in the background. Very interesting choice.
It was interesting to see that TPTB are using Gabriel as the person who provides the essential information regarding the Witchblade and other ancient artifacts. Last season it was Irons who gradually told us about the Witchblade. This time around we get the essential and important facts of the Witchblade off hand, the same as the Lance.
This time around, Kenneth Irons is more determined to obtain the Witchblade, no matter what the cost. When he finds that he is not going to be able to do it, he goes after the next weapon that can cause Sara's death and by those means obtain the Witchblade.
We also find out that the Witchblade has a counterpart in the Lance used to find out if Christ was dead. It was said that this particular Lance has as much power as the Witchblade, but its powers are forged in evil.
Another character who shows some major changes is Ian. He is more outspoken. He is able to stand up to Irons when he believes Irons is wrong. Still, with all this said, Ian does Irons' dirty work, like trying to kill both Sara and Danny.
Another character who has some changes is Vicky Po; I liked her here better than last season. Loved her one liners. This character came back stronger.
This new episode ends differently from last season. Where last season Danny died and was Sara's guide throughout the season, this time around Sara kills Irons and Danny stays alive as her partner. I have to say, however, that I liked Danny more as Sara's spiritual guide.
The way things were presented for the final fight between the powers of good and evil was just great. I did enjoy how things were done to get Sara and Irons to that final, very interesting fight.
I really enjoyed the encounters between Sara and Ian. These two characters have a lot of power and explosive attraction. When they are together you can see and even feel the power and chemistry.
Another interesting scene was the first time Sara and Gabriel met. We see that Gabriel is going to be Sara's voice of information and reason. He defines things for her and explains those things that might not be so clear regarding the Witchblade. This time around, he seems more in tune with her needs and the danger that surrounds her.
Another thing that was good about this premier was the fact that Sara was more in control of what was going on. She still showed her anxiety and disbelief about what was going on, but she was not as hysterical as she was last season.
Sara was shown in a more caring light than last season. She was still vulnerable, but she was in control.
One very good scene was where Ian stands up to Irons when Irons is determined to give the Witchblade to someone else. Ian tells Irons, "But this woman is certainly not from the wielder's bloodline. She has not been chosen. The Witchblade chose Sara Pezzini. SHE is a PEASANT." This line was delivered with great conviction and intensity.
Another good line was when Sara is at the club talking to Debbie, the cops daughter, and says, "As much as the current fashion demands that we blame our parents for every little damn thing that goes wrong in our lives, I'm here to tell you, Debbie, it's a damn lie, and a deadly one." I agree with Sara 100%.
There was another line in this episode that was very well delivered and gave an insight into something that might happen. This was when Christina, Iron's chosen, was face to face with Sara in the mannequin factory. Christina said, "Funny thing about time, sequence of events. Sometimes things happen in a different order than you would expect them, but the result is the same." Christina was referring to Danny. In this episode, he was buried alive and left to die, when in the first season he was died and then was buried.
Another very good scene was at the church between Ian and Sara. At the end, Sara throws the Witchblade bracelet up in the air, not expecting it to return to her. When it does, she finally realizes it was meant to be and accepts her destiny.
Now, when it came to fight scenes, there were two really good fights; the one between Sara and Ian at the mannequin shop, where Christina had summoned Sara so Ian could kill her. In the end, it was Christina who ended up dead and Sara uses the powers of the Witchblade to find and save Danny.
The other super great fight was the one between Irons and Sara. What a fight; great special effects. This was really good stuff and in the end good triumphs over evil.
Irons uses the Witchblade for his advantage and kills himself in the presence of Ian. By doing that, he now has put Sara and Ian at odds with each other. Now Ian goes from being Sara's defender to being Sara's nemesis. Good move by Irons.
By the end of the episode, we realize that Ian is Irons' son and that Sara has hidden the Lance, the second most powerful weapon in the world, in plain sight, in a local bar.
There were other great moments in this episode, but if I sit here and talk about every single one of them, I will be here for a long time. That is why I just touched on those moments that I found the most riveting ones.
I have to say that this was a very well performed episode. It featured some great special effects, excellent directing, very good music, and great writing.
I hope that the intensity and the power we saw in this episode is not lost on the other episodes as the Witchblade rewrites time and events.
BEING THE CHOSEN IS A DRAG
