*****MAJOR SPOILERS for How I Met Your Mother's Season 8 finale, “Something New,” below.

Seriously, DO NOT READ until you've seen the episode—and the mother—for yourself.*****

Okay so Barney and Robin still haven’t walked down that aisle, Marshall still hasn’t told Lily he’s been offered his long-awaited seat on the judicial bench days before they’re set to spend the next year in Rome, but HIMYM fans still have reason to celebrate. Ted, so distraught over losing Robin to Barney that he plans to move to Chicago the night of the wedding, hasn’t met the mother of his future children, but we have.

In the last shot of Season 8’s finale, “Something New,” we finally get to put a face to the still unnamed Mother, as she purchases the fateful ticket that will take her to Farhampton and her date with destiny. In this case, a destiny named Ted. She doesn’t yet know that she’s about to meet the man who will love her drawings of robots playing volleyball and delight in the way she makes breakfast foods sing show tunes, but she’s only hours away from her life changing forever.

[And without further ado, the mother was revealed to be...]

Game of Thrones Season 3 is here! Need to catch up? Don't miss Regina Thorne's Season 2 refresher or her recap of episode 3.01, episode 3.02, episode 3.03, episode 3.04, episode 3.05, and episode 3.06.  And now, onto last night's episode 3.07, “The Bear and the Maiden Fair."

*****SPOILERS*****

“People work together when it suits them. They’re loyal when it suits them. They love each other when it suits them, and they kill each other when it suits them.” Two characters disproved Orell’s bleak view of human nature tonight: Danaerys Targaryen put her plans to invade Westeros on hold for the sake of 200,000 slaves who are of no possible use to her war effort; and Jaime Lannister, whom we first met screwing his sister and throwing a boy out of a tall tower, risked his life to save a woman he’s come to respect and love.

We open in the aftermath of the Wildlings’ epic climb over the Wall. They’re in the green lovely area known as “South of the Wall” and Ygritte teases Jon about all his peoples’ quaint customs such as marching on roads, having flags and drummers for their armies and needing a drummer to give them a beat. Ygritte marches to the beat of her own drummer of course, although I notice that she didn’t mock the quaint southern practices Jon Snow uses in bed. Orell is clearly jealous of Ygritte and Jon’s relationship and tells Jon he’ll never hold onto Ygritte. I think he’s doing okay, actually!

[Maybe you know a little something after all, Jon Snow...]

This post contains SPOILERS for all aired episodes of Scandal, including last night's Season 2, episode 21, “Any Questions?”

(Need a refresher? Check out Kwana's recaps of episode 2.12, episode 2.13, episode 2.14, episode 2.15, episode 2.16, episode 2.17, episode 2.18, episode 2.19, and episode 20.)

*****SPOILERS*****

Hey #Gladiators, how are you all doing? Me? I’m feeling used, and no, not in the ‘good morning after Fitz, tired but refreshed, we’ve taken a nice shower together’ kinda used. I’m feeling all sorts of “out too late in the VIP, morning-after raccoon eyes, run in my fishnets, going home in an unmarked Town Car with a call you maybe and some suspect sport memorabilia” kind of used. 

Last night’s episode opened with Cyrus thrown to the wolves—aka the press—where he had to dodge questions about Mellie’s allegations and call them “a private matter” with a straight face. Like that’s gonnna fly, Cy.

[Honestly, Cy, you know better than that...]

Game of Thrones Season 3 is here! Need to catch up? Don't miss Regina Thorne's Season 2 refresher or her recap of episode 3.01, episode 3.02, episode 3.03, episode 3.04, and episode 3.05.  And now, onto last night's episode 3.06, “The Climb."

*****SPOILERS*****

“We’re just soldiers in their armies and there’s plenty more to carry on if we go down. It’s you and me that matters to me and you.” In the game of thrones, there are kings and queens, lords and priests and generals, and at the very bottom of the ladder, there are the pawns whose only hope of survival is that they matter to someone else. Unless you have someone to give you a hand when you slip, you’re doomed to fall.

We open with Sam and Gilly, who’ve taken a moment during their headlong flight from Craster’s Keep to have a fireside chat. Sam shows Gilly the dragonglass knife he uncovered at the Fist of the First Men last season, and then sings a song about the Seven Gods to lull Gilly’s baby to sleep. This scene is super cute and sweet, even without marshmallows to toast over their campfire, but I keep waiting for a White Walker to pop up out of the woods and behead someone. Game of Thrones: where even a lullaby can be scary.

[Security and happiness are overrated...]

This post contains SPOILERS for all aired episodes of Scandal, including last night's Season 2, episode 20, “A Woman Scorned.”

(Need a refresher? Check out Kwana's recaps of episode 2.12, episode 2.13, episode 2.14, episode 2.15, episode 2.16, episode 2.17, episode 2.18, and episode 2.19.)

Hey Gladiators how doing’? Are you hung over? Did anyone get lucky? Cause I’m thinking last night’s episode was just about the equivalent of a long play Barry White song with some R. Kelly at his best while everyone was stuck on a 36 hour on a cruise to nowhere with a open bar feeling no pains.

The show opens with Liv swimming in a fantastic white suit with back piping which as we know means she trying swim her problems away, but when she comes to a stop there they are in the form of Captain Jake. And there they are again and again and again as Jake has now gone from cute stalker boyfriend to cute stalker bodyguard assigned by the President. Annoying much.

[All she's asking for is a little space, ok?]

This post contains SPOILERS for all aired episodes of The Americans, including last night's Season 1 finale, episode 1.13, “The Colonel.”

Your regular recapper for The Americans, Heather Waters@redline_, is in Kansas City this week at the Romantic Times convention. I’m filling in during her absence to recap the show’s finale.

Last night the finale for season one of The Americans aired. It was intricate, exhilarating, and exhausting, all at the same time. Nothing went according to plan, one marriage further disintegrated while another got off life support, Grannie got revenge for Viktor Zhukov, and an epic car chase (alright, it didn’t quite rival The French Connection, but...) ensued. Let’s count down the Top Five and celebrate the weirdness of hoping the bad guys get off.

5. “The kind of man who did what was done to you, Nina, is weaker and more vulnerable than he seems.” So says Arkady to Nina when he tells her she has two choices: 1) Return to the U.S.S.R. to face charges of treason (but not execution) or 2) Continue to spy on Stan Beeman, perhaps plant a bug on him, and eventually turn him...into a Soviet asset. She decides to turn double agent and spy on Stan, the man so willing to move heaven and earth to protect her from the KGB that he tells John-Boy Gaad, “the Rezidentura is going to go ape-shit [when we catch the illegals]. We need to do right by our source.”

[Wait till you see No. 1...]

This post contains SPOILERS for all aired episodes of Bones, including last night's Season 8 finale, episode 24, “The Secret in the Siege."

Bones super-villain Pelant has really done it this time. Sure, he’s used the powers of the interweb for evil more times than most people can count and generally played cat and mouse with the entire staff of the Jeffersonian, but interfere with Booth and Bones’s romance? Oh, no, he didn’t…except that he did.

The episode opens with the Booth/Bones banter we’ve come to love. She didn’t buy him jerky and there’s good-natured quibbling, as well as mail from Booth’s newlywed mom, which of course turns to talk of marriage. Bones insists that going all gooey over Mama Booth’s honeymoon pictures and a culturally inappropriate statue doesn’t mean she’s changed her mind about marriage. Isn’t it enough that she loves Booth? Do they need anything else?

[Oh, Brennan, you know marriage is what Booth's always wanted...]

Game of Thrones Season 3 is here! Need to catch up? Don't miss Regina Thorne's Season 2 refresher or her recap of episode 3.01, episode 3.02, and episode 3.03, and episode 3.04.  And now, onto last night's episode 3.05, “Kissed by Fire."

*****SPOILERS*****

With one notable exception, “Kissed by Fire” was an episode of intimate physically and metaphorically revealing moments linked by the motif of fire, which both nurtures and destroys, and by the themes of service, honor and loyalty.

“Valar dohaeris,” Missandei told Dany in the first episode of this season. All men must serve, but who they serve and why defines who they are. Jaime Lannister and Barristan Selmy both served a mad King, but Jaime chose to serve the greater good by killing that King; Thoros of Myr and Selyse Baratheon serve a fiery god because the night is dark and full of terrors; Tywin Lannister’s children are forced to serve their father’s ambition and he serves the chimera of his family’s name; Robb Stark serves out some stern Northern justice to Rickard Karstark who placed his private vengeance over his service to his King; Grey Worm serves Danaerys out of love and gratitude, and Gendry is tired of serving lords, choosing instead to become an equal among brothers.

Our first scene was an almost literal trial by fire; Sandor Clegane, the Hound, accused of murder by Arya Stark, was sentenced last week to a trial by combat against Beric Dondarrion, the leader of the Brotherhood without Banners. Sandor seems fairly confident, until Beric magically sets his sword on fire by sprinkling it with his blood. If there’s one thing Sandor Clegane fears, it’s fire, thanks to his brother’s holding his face into the flames when they were children.  

[Can't say that I blame him...]

This post contains SPOILERS for all aired episodes of Scandal, including last night's Season 2, episode 19, “Seven Fifty-Two.”

(Need a refresher? Check out Kwana's recaps of episode 2.12, episode 2.13, episode 2.14, episode 2.15, episode 2.16, episode 2.17, and episode 2.18.)

Hey, Gladiators, we’re finally back! When last we left off with Scandal, Liv was in a tight spot. Torn between two stalkers—oops, I was supposed to say lovers, wasn’t I? Well, no matter, 'cause either way Liv was feeling every bit the fool. But that’s what makes things happy and bright here in ShondaLand, and what a time we had in that land last night.

I have feelings. So many feelings. Things were revealed that blew our minds and broke our hearts. Let’s talk about it, shall we? Starting with Seven Fifty-two, first off, if it comes out as a lottery number and I don’t win, well it’s my own fault. The show opened with Liv and it’s 5 years before and she’s all fresh and dewy and meets Hobo Huck for the first time sitting on a train platform mumbling something incoherent. Is it 7:52? Is it a train schedule? Liv puts put money in his cup, she touches his hand and they talk briefly. They are sealed.

[Such a soft touch, Liv...]

This post contains SPOILERS for all aired episodes of The Americans, including last night's Season 1, episode 12, “The Oath.”

Last night was the penultimate episode of The Americans season 1, and I don't know about you, but they got me good. How did I miss the signs?! It's so obvious, looking back, how the episode was going to end, where the show wanted to be at the start of next week's season finale, but I was too absorbed to notice.

It was hard to narrow down my Top 5 this week, but there was no choice at all when it came to my #1 favorite scene—how about you?

5. Viola's confession to the FBI. We already knew Viola felt incredibly guilty about her part in Elizabeth and Phil's scheme earlier in the season to bug her employer's house, despite the fact that she was as much a victim as her son in the situation, so I didn't feel it was really necessary to set up her trip to FBI headquarters like they did. That said, the fact that Gaad and Stan now have a new source of intel in the bugged clock Viola planted for Phil and Elizabeth will lead to good drama in the future, I'm sure. And given how the episode ended...well, at least the FBI has something going for them?

[Let's count it down...]

The last episode of Lost Girl Season 3 is upon us (sob!), but there's still lots of Lost Girl and urban fantasy/paranormal romance goodness ahead at H&H. In the meantime, be sure to check out all of our Lost Girl recaps, from Season 1 and Season 2 to all the most recent happenings in Season 3.

Editor's Note: A shorter recap of Jackie Lester's thoughts on the episode was posted last week and can be found HERE with all its glorious discussion in the comments. And now, on to Kiersten's play-by-play of the Season 3 Lost Girl finale, 3.13, “Those Who Wander.”

I’d like to preface this recap by saying that I loved the season three finale of Lost Girl. LOVED it. It was fast-paced, featured everybody in the cast, focused on mythology (finally!), and had a sharp, sassy script. I want to get that out in front because I nit-picked the hell out of it as it was also filled with inconsistencies and fairly hemorrhaged plot holes…which is why we drink!

We open exactly where we left off with Bo beating the crap out of Blackwater Type #1. “Every kick from your boot,” he mumbles, “is bliss.” “Speaking of kinky,” Bo says breathlessly, “I’m gonna need your chi.” She blue chi sucks the shit out of him and lunges for where Tamsin lies on the ground unconscious and bleeding out. Blackwater Type #1 gets the typical goofy smile on his face and falls back onto the ground. Bo pours red chi into the Valkyrie, but instead of charging her up, the chi floats away from Tamsin’s mouth and back into Blackwater Type #1. Increasingly desperate, Bo sobs, “Why isn’t this working?” She hurries back over to Blackwater Type #1 who mutters that it’s probably his fault. With her bloody hands, Bo grabs him by the lapels. “You tell me where you’re keeping the wolf,” she demands, but even with the returned chi, the dude is done and passes out. Bo’s arms are still extended and she kind of gestures of course you did. If Tamsin’s situation weren’t so dire, this would be a little funny.

[You know it's a season finale when stakes are already this high...]

Game of Thrones Season 3 is here! Need to catch up? Don't miss Regina Thorne's Season 2 refresher or her recap of episode 3.01, episode 3.02, and episode 3.03. And now, onto last night's episode 3.04, “And Now His Watch is Ended."

*****SPOILERS*****

Last night’s Game of Thrones taught us that revenge is a dish best served in a box with its mouth sewn shut, that roses are boring unless they're named Margaery or Olenna, and that dragons are not slaves.

We open with the aftermath of Jaime Lannister’s maiming by Roose Bolton’s man, Locke. Jaime rides with his rotting hand on a rope around his neck, as Locke’s men taunt him about his manhood and Cersei. Jaime falls off his horse into a puddle of viscous mud, struggles to his knees and begs for a drink of water; Locke offers Jaime a flask that he gulps down greedily before Locke tells him that he just drank horse piss. Brienne of Tarth looks on, horrified at Locke’s wanton cruelty, as Jaime vomits up what he just drank.

[Never thought I'd say it, but poor Jaime!...]

This post contains SPOILERS for all aired episodes of The Americans, including last night's Season 1, episode 11, “Covert War.”

While last night's episode wasn't my favorite, it did have some pretty great moments. Here are my top 5 (+1) scenes:

Honorable mention: Elizabeth taking down a CIA agent in the bathroom. I just enjoyed seeing the tiny Kerri Russell beat up someone twice her size. Never gets old.

5. Elizabeth freaks out over her CIA captive's comments that she's just a killer and doesn't know how to love. So untouchable in the pilot episode, Elizabeth has thawed a lot, and actually seems headed toward a complete meltdown. Last night she recognized that she was totally out of control after she lost her shit during her interrogation of the CIA agent who killed her mentor General Zhukov, and she and Philip let the guy go (luckily he was blindfolded the whole time, though they're definitely still taking a risk by letting him go). But the fact that this guy was able to get to her just by calling her out as being a weapon for her country with no one to love (which is...kinda true) shows that Elizabeth could really be on the brink of a breakthrough about her place in the world, the importance of her family, etc. It's been awesome to watch; can't wait to see where the writers go with her next.

[Which scene made #1?...]

Kiersten Krum will be offering her analysis on this episode of Lost Girl next week, but meanwhile, we thought we'd get the ball rolling on the latest in Bo's Merry Adventures by offering a first look at episode 3.13, “Those Who Wander,” which aired on Sunday night on Showcase in Canada.

NOTE: The Lost Girl Season 3 finale has NOT YET AIRED IN THE UNITED STATES. The finale, “Those Who Wander,” will air in the U.S. next Monday at 10 p.m. EDT on SyFy. This is a recap of the episode as seen on Showcase in Canada. Do NOT read this recap unless you have seen the episode or are willing to be TOTALLY SPOILED.

*****SPOILERS*****

We left off last week with Trick being stuffed into a trunk and a bittersweet moment coming from Aoife’s return and the realization that she’s been damaged in some unknown way. Here we open this week with Bo throwing punches at a human guard. She’s still trying to heal Tamsin, who’d been shot by the human. Bo tries the whole chi stealing thing, but it fails, at first looking like the chi has been swept away in a breeze, but it turns out it's returned to the previous owner. Strangely enough, the guard has been enjoying the beating and tells Bo this. Looks like he might’ve been a test subject for Taft as well as part of his security team.

Bo, frustrated and frantic, says to him, “You tell me where you’re keeping the wolf.” But apparently the beating was so effective that the guard either passes out or dies right in front of her. Oops! Then she tries to rouse Tamsin by shaking her and threatening her with death, which has little chance of succeeding in its nonsensical methodology and doesn’t. Her last-ditch effort is to send an appeal to Dyson through the air for his help in rescuing...himself? The cheese-o-meter hits the red line with that one.

[C'mon, Dyson, surely you can do it all?...]

The Season 3 finale of Lost Girl, “Those Who Wander,” aired last night on Showcase in Canada. For those lucky enough to watch...what did you think?!

Note: This post will be FULL of MAJOR SPOILERS. Do NOT read if you have not yet seen the episode.

Heroes and Heartbreakers will feature Jackie Lester's mini recap tomorrow and Kiersten Hallie Krum's detailed play-by-play of the episode next week after “Those Who Wander” has aired in the U.S. on SyFy.

Haven't watched yet but dying to speculate? Stop by the Season 3 Finale Speculation Post and be sure to weigh in on the full play-by-play of episode 12.

Finally, Game of Thrones Season 3 is here! Need to catch up first? Don't miss Regina Thorne's Season 2 refresher or her recap of episode 3.01 and episode 3.02. And now, onto last night's episode 3.03, “Walk of Punishment.”

*****SPOILERS*****

In the world of Westeros, punishment rains down on everyone; the real divide isn’t between guilt or innocence, it’s between power and powerlessness. Those with power are free to indulge their most malignant instincts while the powerless are enslaved to the merciless whims of others. “There’s a beast in ever man,” Jorah Mormont says. “And it stirs when you put a sword in his hand” and open violence is the most basic (if crudest) form of power in this world. 

For a show that claims to eschew themes, this episode was permeated with questions of power, guilt, and innocence. What happens when you lose the power of your family name, the power of your skill at swordsmanship or your strength? What happens if you never had that power in the first place? We could argue that Theon and Jaime were justly punished for their crimes, but then we have to ask what Brienne, Craster’s daughter Gilly, and the nameless slaves of Astapor ever did to deserve the same punishment handed out to guilty men like Jaime and Theon.

[Life's a bitch...]

Thank fae—Lost Girl Season 3 is here! Be sure to check out all of our recaps, from Season 1 and Season 2 to the most recent episode of Season 3 aired in the U.S. on the SyFy Channel.

Spoiler Policy: Please remember that there is a strong NO SPOILERS policy for any and all comments. We are ONLY DISCUSSING episodes of Lost Girl that have already aired in both Canada and the U.S. (the U.S. is currently a day behind Canada's schedule). Be kind and respectful by not ruining it for those who have yet to watch the newest Season 3 episode. Thanks!

Editor's Note: A shorter recap of Jackie Lester's thoughts on the episode was posted yesterday and can be found HERE. And now, on to Kiersten's play-by-play of Lost Girl 3.12, “Hail, Hale.”

Bo bursts into Doctor Lauren’s empty flat, Dyson behind her, and admits that she’s probably just overreacting. She flips on the switch Doctor Lauren so recently turned off and shouts up the stairs. “(Doctor) Lauren! If you’re here and you’re just ignoring me, I’m sorry for breaking in!” Dyson shoots her a look and saunters deeper into the flat only to pause at the end of Doctor Lauren’s desk. When she gets no answer, Bo seeks reassurance from Dyson. “See, it’s weird, right?” she says, crossing to him. “She hasn’t come by. She hasn’t answered any of my calls…” She just broke up with you and you expect her to come over for a visit or want to chat? Okey doke.

Bo’s voice tapers off as Dyson lifts up Doctor Lauren’s discarded mobile and silently holds it out to Bo. Processing, Bo steps closer as Dyson scrolls through the doc’s call history. “Why would anyone leave their phone behind?” Bo asks. “Ever?” Dyson gently suggests that maybe Doctor Lauren just forgot it. “Don’t do that, Dyson,” Bo immediately objects. “I am not crazy.” “Bo, I know you’re not crazy,” Dyson firmly states. After the kitsune debacle, he’s not about to make the mistake of doubting her again. That doesn’t mean he’s her pet sleuth either. “But I’m in the middle of the most important case of my life! Not to mention today is Hale’s inauguration—I don’t have time to play Relationship Detective.” HA! Oh, I would TOTALLY watch that show, at least for the one episode where he tried (and failed) to mitigate a relationship having already proven to be oh so successful as a high school guidance counselor.

[Detective Love's on the case...]

Kiersten Krum will be offering her analysis on this episode of Lost Girl tomorrow, but meanwhile, we thought we'd get the ball rolling on the latest in Bo's Merry Adventures by offering a first look at last night's episode 3.12, “Hail, Hale”:

*****SPOILERS*****

We start this week off with Bo busting into Lauren’s place with Dyson right behind her. She calls out to Lauren, immediately apologizing for the B&E, but gets no response. They’re looking for clues to the Doc’s whereabouts, and boom! Before my clock hits the one-minute mark Bo confirms to Dyson that it is in fact not just 'a break'. Also, in an effort at scene and word conservation, Dyson addresses that he’s working on his biggest case, like, ever, and it’s inauguration day. Talk about cramming it all in quickly!

Meanwhile, over at the Dal...or is it? Trick is happy as could be, claiming his being hard on Hale, his protegé, has guided him in a great new direction for the Light. Kenzi scoffs at Trick, and questions Hale’s, uh, attitude. Trick warns Kenzi not to offer that opinion too freely around the Fae guests. She is a lowly human, after all. The Morrigan walks in, dissing the decor and saying she was invited to the shindig by Hale. Kenzi mouths off, despite the warning she got only a moment ago. I can’t see that boding well for her. Plus, Hale didn’t seem to like her comment much either.

[Caution may not be such a bad thing, Kenzi...]

Finally, Game of Thrones Season 3 is here! Need to catch up first? Don't miss Regina Thorne's Season 2 refresher or her recap of last week's episode 3.01.  And now, onto last night's episode 3.02, “Dark Wings, Dark Words.”

*****SPOILERS*****

The Season 3 premiere of Game of Thrones brought us up to speed with a lot of our favorites, but some characters were conspicuously absent last week. Never fear! Arya, Jaime, Brienne, Bran et al. returned to us in fine style last night, along with the fearsome and awesome Lady Olenna Tyrell, Westeros’s answer to the Dowager Countess of Grantham. 

Let’s begin in King’s Landing because that’s where the action is (if by action, we mean fashion and awesome old ladies, and I do!) Speaking of fashion, Joffrey tries on new clothes in a blatant attempt to impress the fashion-forward Margaery Tyrell. None of them suit him, and Joffrey insists that everything is wrong. Cersei tries to figure out Joffrey’s feelings for Margaery given his behavior at her dinner party in the last episode, and finally flat out tells Joff that Margaery is a schemer who’s plotting against him. Joffrey tells her that “intelligent women do what they’re told” and I wish Cersei would haul off and slap him again. Alas! I think the only person with the chutzpah to do that now is probably Tywin. 

[And now that's on my wish list...]