All posts tagged 'television'

Apr 201618

Game of Thrones: The 10 Most Shocking Moments So Far

Joel Dear info

We're EXTREMELY EXCITED here at Gadget Inspector HQ right now. Why? Because Game of Thrones is back in less than a week!

Everyone's favourite family-unfriendly fantasy show will return to UK screens on Monday the 25th of April. While you wait for the Season 6 premiere, why not fire up that awesome theme song and join us on a trip down memory lane as we revisit GoT's ten most shocking plot twists to date?

MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD, obviously. Don't read on unless you've watched the first 5 seasons of Game of Thrones.

Still here? Marvellous - let's get stuck in:

1. Ned loses his head
(S1E9, Baelor)

Eddard Stark confesses to a crime he didn't commit in the hope that King Joffrey Baratheon will show him mercy and allow him to live out his days as a member of the Night's Watch. To the horror of pretty much everyone present (not least Ned's daughter Sansa), he's executed anyway. In hindsight, it seems daft that 'Sean Bean dies' was a plot twist we failed to see coming. But how many other TV shows have killed off the hero (not to mention the biggest name on the cast list) within the first 10 episodes?

2. Renly literally can't escape the shadow of his big brother

(S2E5, The Ghost of Harrenhal)

Season 2 of GoT was all about the War of the Five Kings, which saw a whole bunch of different people vying for control of/freedom from the Iron Throne. The first of those 'five kings' to bite the bullet was Renly Baratheon, who in The Ghost of Harrenhal was murdered by a shadow that looked suspiciously like his older brother Stannis. This moment was memorable not only because it featured the death of a fairly major character, but because it gave us a chilling glimpse of what Melisandre (Stannis's priestess/booty call) was capable of magicking up.

3. Need a hand, Jaime?

(S3E3, Walk of Punishment)

Jaime Lannister - who, until this point, has been hyped up as one of the top fighters in Westeros - is being held captive by a bunch of Northmen. One of them, Locke, decides that he's sick of hearing Ol' Jim talk about his daddy's riches, and so he cuts his hand off. As you do. Completely unexpected though this scene was, American rock band The Hold Steady popping up to play over the end credits immediately afterwards was even more so. A real 'WTF?' moment in every regard.

4. The Red Wedding

(S3E9, The Rains of Castamere)

Need we say more?

5. Joffrey dies (and about time, too!)

(S4E2, The Lion and The Rose)

Westeros has never been short on nasty pieces of work, but from Season 1 onwards, Joffrey Baratheon was the GoT character that we all loved to hate. As main character after main character bit the dust, Joffrey - inexplicably and infuriatingly - remained unmurdered for a staggering thirty-one episodes. Then he made the rookie mistake of getting married, and naturally he was poisoned to death at the reception. Never has the death of a frightened teenage boy made so many people so happy.

6. Someone's got a crush on Oberyn Martell

(S4E8, The Mountain and The Viper)

Oh, Prince Oberyn. You were so close. We were all rooting for you - why couldn't you have stood just a little further away from that big Icelandic bodybuilder? Tyrion's hotly-anticipated trial by combat could have ended very differently, and for a moment there, it looked as if The Red Viper was going to pull it off; sadly, though, his Montoya-esque thirst for revenge got the better of him, and instead of a rousing victory we were treated to one of the most graphically gruesome deaths of the entire series (and let's face it, Westeros isn't exactly Smurf Village at the best of times).

7. Ygritte bows out

(S4E9, The Watchers on the Wall)

The penultimate episode of Season 4 was entirely dedicated to the epic battle between the wildlings and the Night's Watch that by this point had been brewing for a couple of seasons. Many characters were lost in the skirmish - some of them even had names! - but Ygritte 'You Knorr Nothin, Jon Snorr' McWildling is the one we've missed most since. The relationship between Jon and Ygritte had seemingly come to an abrupt end in the Season 3 finale when she put several arrows in him, yet it was somehow still kind of heartbreaking to see her dying in his arms (dying, ironically enough, of an arrow wound).

8. Winter finally comes

(S5E8, Hardhome)

Ned Stark was telling everyone that winter was coming way back in the Game of Thrones series premiere (named, appropriately enough, Winter is Coming). 47 episodes later, long after Ilyn Payne's sword turned Ned Stark into Head Stark, winter finally arrived. Yes, it was a long wait - there's a reason they're not called White Sprinters - but boy was this scene worth it. 20 solid minutes of swordplay, tension, and zombies, all capped by that spectacularly creepy bit where the Night's King (pictured above) silently commands the slain wildlings to rise from the dead and join his unholy, unhurried army. Yikes.

9. Stannis Baratheon: Worst Dad in Westeros

(S5E9, The Dance of Dragons)

If your fondness for Stannis Baratheon survived all of his previous crimes (see point 2), this was probably the point at which you threw up your hands and said 'yeah, I'm done with this guy'. Stannis, preparing an attack on Winterfell, is worried that the wintry weather and his men's exhaustion will cost him the fight against the Boltons. So what does he do? On the advice of Melisandre, he burns his daughter Shireen at the stake, watching stoically as she screams for a rescue that never comes. Of course, this gambit backfires completely - the sight of a dude roasting his own child unsurprisingly prompts a fair chunk of Stannis's army to leave, taking the horses with them and leading to a complete whitewash of a battle in the next episode, Mother's Mercy. We'd say 'good', but the winners of that battle were the Boltons, a family so nasty they make Stannis 'Father of the Year' Baratheon look like the good guy.

10. For the watch!

(S5E10, Mother's Mercy)

If there's one question that's been playing on every GoT fan's mind for the last 10 months, it's the one regarding whether or not Jon Snow is still alive. The Season 6 finale turned Ned Stark's bastard into something of a Schrödinger's cat (or Schrödinger's crow, if you will); we last saw Jon lying on the ground, bleeding profusely having just been stabbed by his Night's Watch colleagues and that kid who killed his ex-girlfriend. Jon has been one of the show's central characters since Season 1, so this is a contender for the most shocking plot twist yet...if he really is dead. We're still hoping that he isn't - either way, we'll find out for sure on Monday.

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Jun 201516

Game of Thrones: Remembering Those We Lost in Season 5

Joel Dear info

The fifth season of Game of Thrones came to a jaw-dropping end last night, and so - being big fans of GoT - we at Gadget Inspector thought that now would be a good time to look back over the last ten weeks and pay tribute to the characters who met their deaths along the way.

Needless to say, there will be LOADS OF WHOPPING GREAT SPOILERS from here on out. If you haven't watched ALL of Season 5 yet, we recommend that you go elsewhere until you're all caught up. Maybe check out our beer pong department instead.

You have been warned!

In Memoriam: Gone, But Not Forgotten

Mance Rayder (S5E1, The Wars to Come)

Wait, who? The King Beyond The Wall.

How he died: Mercy-arrowed by Jon Snow moments before being burned to death by Melisandre

What we'll remember him for: Organising the epic attack on Castle Black that dominated Season 4's penultimate episode.

Mossador (S5E2, The House of Black and White)

Wait, who? A former slave in the city of Meereen. One of the many people freed by Daenerys Targaryen.

How he died: Executed by Daario Naharais.

What we'll remember him for: Murdering a Son of the Harpy who was awaiting trail, then getting beheaded for it.

Janos Slynt (S5E3, High Sparrow)

Wait, who? Commander of the City Watch. Later, a man of the Night's Watch.

How he died: Executed for insubordination by Jon Snow.

What we'll remember him for: Being a slippery, slimy piece of work to the very end.

Ser Barristan Selmy (S5E4, Sons of the Harpy)

Wait, who? A member of the Kingsguard in King's Landing. Then, a member of Daenerys's Queensguard.

How he died: Murdered by the Sons of the Harpy in Meereen.

What we'll remember him for: Being a total badass in spite of his advancing years.

Maester Aemon Targaryen (S5E7, The Gift)

Wait, who? Maester for the Night's Watch at Castle Black.

How he died: Natural causes (which is quite an achievement in the Game of Thrones universe!)

What we'll remember him for: Giving sage advice and casting the deciding vote that made Jon Snow Lord Commander.

Lord of Bones (S5E8, Hardhome)

Wait, who? Some crazy wildling.

How he died: Beaten to death by Tormund Giantsbane.

What we'll remember him for: His unique fashion sense.

Karsi (S5E8, Hardhome)

Wait, who? A wilding chieftainess.

How she died: Mauled by zombie children.

What we'll remember her for: Making an immediate impression with her leadership, plain-spoken attitude, and fighting skills. Then dying just as quickly. Damn you, Game of Thrones!

Princess Shireen Baratheon (S5E9, The Dance of Dragons)

Wait, who? Daughter of Stannis Baratheon. BFF of Ser Davos 'Onion Knight' Seaworth. The little girl with the scaly face.

How she died: Burned at the stake by Melisandre as her father looked on stoically.

What we'll remember her for: Being adorable and making us hate Stannis, who - stern though he was - really did seem like one of the good guys until his heel turn in The Dance of Dragons.

Hizdahr zo Loraq (S5E9, The Dance of Dragons)

Wait, who? An aristocrat from the city of Meereen. Dany's fiancé, until he went and died.

How he died: Stabbed by the Sons of the Harpy.

What we'll remember him for: Um...crying when he thought he was going to get eaten by a dragon? Not all that much, to be completely honest - he was kind of lame.

Queen Selyse Baratheon (S5E10, Mother's Mercy)

Wait, who? Stannis Baratheon's wife. Shireen Baratheon's mother. Crazy religious fanatic.

How she died: She hanged herself (presumably).

What we'll remember her for: Being a terrible mother who was ONLY TOO EAGER to burn Shireen to a crisp...up until the latter was tied to a pyre, at which point she realised it was a terrible idea and tried in vain to save the fruit of her bonkers loins. Jeez, make up your mind, Selyse!

Myranda (S5E10, Mother's Mercy)

Wait, who? Ramsay Bolton's nasty girlfriend.

How she died: Pushed off a battlement by Theon 'Reek' Greyjoy.

What we'll remember her for: Tormenting Sansa Stark, mostly.

Ser Meryn Trant (S5E10, Mother's Mercy)

Wait, who? Knight of the Kingsguard. Name #1 on Arya Stark's death list. Horrid, horrid man.

How he died: Violently stabbed, eye-gouged, and throat-cut by Arya 'Faceless Man' Stark.

What we'll remember him for: Killing (?) Syrio Forel, beating up Sansa Stark, having a rather too young taste in women, being nasty ALL THE DAMN TIME.

Of course, there were lots of other apparent deaths in Mother's Mercy - Stannis Baratheon, Princess Myrcella, and (*sniff*) Jon Snow are all presumed dead, while it's not entirely clear what became of Sansa and Reek. That being said, we're cautious types here at Gadget Inspector, and we're refusing to list those people until the show confirms that they're really dead and gone.

Because, y'know...Jon can't really be dead, can he? CAN HE?!

Sep 201401

The Simpsons: Our 5 Favourite Moments

Joel Dear info

As of this coming December, The Simpsons will have been on the air for 25 years. The very first episode, 'Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire' (that's the Christmas episode in which Homer and Bart adopt Santa's Little Helper at the dog racing track), premiered on 17 December, 1989, almost a quarter of a century ago!

So...how to celebrate this auspicious occasion? Well, for starters, you can load up on cool Simpsons stuff - from cufflinks to mugs, we've got plenty to go around here at Gadget Inspector.

Still, this is one heck of an anniversary, and we figure that simply hawking our wares would not be doing justice to those endlessly influential yellow folk. So, in tribute to 25 years of The Simpsons, here are Gadget Inspector's Top 5 Moments from America's funniest TV show:

5. Mr Snrub (from 'Marge vs. The Monorail')

In this classic episode, Mr Burns gets fined several million dollars for dumping nuclear waste in a city park. A town meeting is called to decide how the money should be spent - the people of Springfield eventually opt to buy a monorail, but not before Mr Burns has tried to get the $3 million back in his own vault:

Mr Burns [wearing cunning disguise]: Hello, my name is Mr Snurb, and I come from...uh...someplace far away. Yes, that'll do. Anyway, I say we invest that money back in the nuclear plant.

Smithers: I like the way Snrub thinks!

4. Strapped for Cash (from 'Rosebud')

Another vintage Burns moment. The frail old billionaire is searching for his beloved teddy bear, 'Bobo', and Homer realises that Maggie is playing with the tattered old toy. He takes the bear to Burns, expecting a big reward:

Mr Burns: Naturally, I can't pay you much of a reward because I'm strapped for cash.

[The ceiling collapses, showering Burns with gold and jewels. A crown lands on his head.]

Mr Burns: As you can see, this old place is falling apart!

Well saved, Monty.

3. Not the Elephants! (from 'Cape Feare')

When most people think of this episode, they think of the infamous 'stepping on rakes' scene. If you ask us, though, there's a funnier moment in 'Cape Feare', and it arrives when Sideshow Bob confronts his nemesis Bart while lying in the road:

Sideshow Bob: Surely there's no harm in lying in the middle of a public street?

[Bob is then trampled by a large parade, including a marching band and several elephants]

2. So Long Dental Plan! (from 'Last Exit to Springfield')

Dental plan!

Lisa needs braces!

Dental plan!

Lisa needs braces!

Dental plan!

Lisa needs braces!

etc.

1. Ghost Car (from 'Marge on the Lam')

Yep, this is our all-time favourite. Marge and her friend Ruth are driving down a dark highway with Chief Wiggum (and Homer) in hot pursuit:

Ruth: Look Marge, there's no reason for you to get dragged into this. Once we lose the cops, I'll let you out.

Marge: Well, I don't think they'll be that easy to lose. These are professional lawmen, and-

[Ruth switches off the car's tail lights]

Wiggum [in the other car]: OH MY GOD, IT JUST DISAPPEARED!! IT'S A *GHOST CAR*!!

It's the Chief's completely horrified reaction that really sells this one. Classic.

What do you think of our choices? Agree? Disagree? Let us know on Twitter!

Buy Simpsons stuff here!

Jun 201424

TV's Greatest Bromances

Joel Dear info

In a world that's full of fear and loathing, few things warm the heart like a good old-fashioned bromance. Many a life-affirming bromance has been forged on our TV screens; here are five of our favourites from recent years...

Note: We'll do our best to keep things spoiler-free but do proceed with caution if you're still catching up on any of these shows.

Samwell Tarly and Jon Snow (from Game of Thrones, 2011-Present)
It's hard being a man of the Night's Watch, but it would be even harder without a friend. Jon - the handsome bastard of Ned Stark - took fat, cowardly Sam under his wing and they soon became the best of buddies. Not even wildlings could tear them apart!

Defining Bromance Moment: Jon and Sam kneel down to 'take The Black' (i.e. swear an oath of duty to the Night's Watch). Once finished, they are told to 'rise now as men of the Night's Watch' - Sam can't quite get to his feet, so Jon helps him up, and they hug.

Joey Tribbiani and Chandler Bing (from Friends, 1994-2004)
They weren't supposed to be roommates in the first place - Chandler's first choice was a photographer whose sister was a model - but we're glad that things happened the way they did. Even when Chandler moved in with Monica, they remained stone cold bros until the end (well, until Joey got his own spin-off, at least).

Defining Bromance Moment: In the final episode of the series - the one that, like, ten jillion people tuned in for - Joey and Chandler are saying goodbye (Chandler and Monica, who have just adopted two babies, are preparing to move to a new house in the suburbs). They wonder aloud whether to part with an "awkward hug" or a "lame cool-guy handshake"; initially, they opt for the lame handshake, but then they hug and ten jillion viewers well up.

Christopher Turk and John 'JD' Dorian (from Scrubs, 2001-2010)
Being a doctor, like being a brother of the Night's Watch, is not without its trials and tribulations. But JD and Turk got through them all - even when Turk found out that JD had been sleeping with a lawyer who was suing him (Turk) for malpractice, their bromance didn't sputter out.

Defining Bromance Moment: This song. How could it not be?

Abed Nadir and Troy Barnes (from Community, 2009-2014)
Troy and Abed are our favourite bros, simply because they're even bigger TV/Movie geeks than we are. When Abed discovers Inspector Spacetime (a show-with-a-show that's seriously indebted to Doctor Who), he and Troy immediately start playing The Inspector and his sidekick, Constable Reggie, with surprising levels of dedication. They also have their own friendship handshake, not to mention their own fake morning show ("Troy and Abed in the mooor-ning!")

Defining Bromance Moment: When Troy decides to head off on a round-the-world cruise in Season 5, Abed organises a school-wide game of 'Lava Floor' to see him off. The results are...well, epic.

Sherlock Holmes and John Watson (from Sherlock, 2010-Present)
And finally, how could we have a blog about bromances without mentioning the internet's favourite crime-fighting couple? John's bromance with Sherlock (a lot of Johns in this list, aren't there?) isn't always plain sailing - sometimes, in fact, he seems to very much dislike the man - but the interplay between these two (along with the regular hints that they may, one day, take things to the next level) has had tumblr users in hysterics for several years now.

Defining Bromance Moment: When John (okay, this one definitely warrants a SPOILER ALERT) visits Sherlock's grave in the final episode of Season 2, he is very, very not happy. It's a tearjerker all right, and the 'aaw' factor is only somewhat alleviated by the knowledge that (SPOILER ALERT AGAIN) Sherlock isn't really dead.

Did we forget your favourite bromance? Let us know on Twitter!