Dominion: Favorite Scenes: Broken Places

I said no photos!

                 "Broken Places" was what hooked me completely and where I think the show found its rhythm. "Broken Places" for me was about our characters showing vulnerability and seeing how one deals with personal shattering events: face it or run away. I picked these scenes based on character, production value, and memorability. 

This diner has only half a star for a reason...

             1. Gabriel & William eat out: A dusty diner in the harsh desert scene isn't complete unless one is playing a Johnny Cash song "God's Gonna Cut You Down" to set the mood. I loved how we got to see more interaction between William and Gabriel to get a peek into the nature of their odd relationship. Carl Beukes and Luke-Allen Gale were wonderful in this scene. We clearly see that William has been taken in by Gabriel's devilish charm and that the Archangel uses this to his advantage, playing a supportive father-figure. But we know Gabriel is a cold-blooded serial killer of course as to prove a point he murders everyone in the diner with brutal savagery  demonstrating "strength". I was very amused by Gabriel's nonchalance in the diner where we see his humanistic vice for pudding. What was more chilling was Gabriel, blood splatter all over his face, picking up the now neglected pudding still sitting pristine on the counter then taking a taste. Turns out the pudding wasn't half bad after all as he first commented. 

"Murder is a crime for men. Is it a crime for angels?"

          2. Michael answers a few questions: After the surprise attack from Felicia, the Senate is faced with the terrifying idea that there could be higher angels hiding among them. The Caravaggio lighting was perfect. Michael stood alone in the spotlight while the Senate sat in the shadows. Tom Wisdom continues to hit the mark as he played the stoic always cool under pressure Michael. The lighting made it seem like Michael was under some sort of microscope for the Senate to examine and see what he could be hiding. Of course David couldn't pass up the chance to grill Michael to see if he could make this Archangel sweat. Anthony Head and Tom Wisdom have created a convincing hostility between their characters that intensifies the situation. David tried very hard to get a rise out of Michael but Michael ended up turning the tables and leave David (as well as the Senate) speechless then with great stride walked out of the room. If Michael had a microphone he would have dropped it at David's feet like a victor does after a rap battle. Becca's little smile at seeing David defeated was a nice cherry on top. For all of David's bluster, being threatened with bodily harm by an immortal being is enough to keep his tongue behind his teeth. 

Arika just waltzes right into the lion's den

         3. Arika in the lion's den: Seeing Arika is always a highlight in any Dominion episode. Now that David knows who he's dealing with the dynamic of their relationship sort of changes with slightly more aggression added to their conversation:

             David: "You were told not to roam around unaccompanied."

             Arika: "I was restless."

            David: "Oh."

            Arika: "You take pleasure in caging things that were once free."

            David: "Only beasts that can kill me."

         That last line is probably one of the best ones that could describe Arika. Their game of cat and mouse has gone to a new slightly more dangerous level where threats of death are becoming more frequent. But Arika doesn't seem discouraged. It's more like she enjoys their game. 

Compassion is in Alex's nature he can't help it

          4. Alex spies some road kill: What really made the scene for me was Alex's capacity for compassion. He comforted a complete stranger and put him out of his misery. The look Christopher Egan conveyed was so emotional and full of pity that it touched me deeply. He really shines with this role. Alex says he doesn't want to be the Chosen One or have the fate of the human race placed on his shoulders but Alex can't help but care. It's in his nature. The bodies in the road were gruesome and set the whole horror tone of the moment. Pop culture sort of demands at least one carcass for the vultures to feast on in the desert landscape and having human bodies litter the road just fits with the desolate setting.

I called "shot gun" first

         5. Alex & Michael play chicken: Don't play chicken with Michael. You'll lose. The car speeds up then does an amazing veer off the road while Michael just stands there looking on calmly. Love Tom and Christopher's energy in this scene. It feels like they have more room to vent their frustration where as in the city it was more confined and restricted. Michael's humor sort of lightens the tension with him calling shot gun on Alex's road trip. Even though Alex holds a gun to his head, Michael gives fair warning that guns have done more harm to the person firing them more than they do to him. Alex has spirit but it falls short to Michael's iron fortitude. Alex caves and decides one small detour would be enough to get the angel off his back.

So Archangels really do cry!

         6.  Alex & Michael's Detour: Some old wounds for Alex are torn open as he and Michael visit the house where he and Jeep would go to play. Alex has visions of Jeep losing his mind. Langley Kirkwood with his walls of crazy was not only informative but also eye-catching. It must have taken a while for them to cover those walls with archaic symbols. Flash backs are tricky to incorporate. If done right they could enhance the story. This flashback was short but those quick flashes did their job of shaking Alex up. What I loved most was Michael allowing himself to be vulnerable. So much that he shed tears! Tom Wisdom amazes me with his emotional acting where even I got a little misty. This was more than enough to convince Alex that Michael may not be human but he is definitely capable of human emotion.

"When in Vega, right?"

         7. Arika & David prepare her sister's body: Shivani Ghai knows how to add layers to her complex character. One minute she was calm, cool, and collected, the next minute she's trying very hard not to cry as she prays for her sister and cleans her body. I also give props to Anthony Head for letting us see that David isn't always an arrogant jerk. He actually showed us his softer side, well... not a marshmallow but he helped Arika clean the body and offered to transport the body to the sea. He also gave Arika a sort of pep talk, reminding her that she can't wallow in her misery right now. She needs to regroup, strategize. And Arika did just that, impressively landing on her feet by suggesting she start a coup against her former wife. Divorce in Helena can get bloody.

Easy, Red Vine!

         8. Alex & Michael fight Furiad: I can't get enough of Furiad in battle mode. He and Michael face off again at slightly less fair odds. Alex didn't fair too well against his first higher angel but luckily Furiad only had eyes for Michael leaving Alex to go up against two rabid 8balls. Everything sort of happened fast so I had to watch a few times to see the whole scene. I saw that Michael was less focused than usual. Most likely because he was concerned for Alex's safety but this ultimately led to his fatal injury. Killing off Michael would basically kill the show but it does add some stake that Michael isn't completely invulnerable. Alex was faced with the realization that he could be without a guide and that Michael dying would be like losing another guardian that he cares about (despite the hatred we saw in the beginning).

"Nature is kind once in a while, isn't it?"
In other words: I wish you weren't my dad

        9/10. William & David discuss Lion Mating Habits/ William with his flock: This is a two for one because they weave together as a full picture of William's dual nature. We know that William and David didn't have a warm family bond but in this scene we truly see the strain in their father/son relationship. David clearly believes that William is weak and doesn't have what it takes, using his harsh bluntness to explain to his son the nature of things. But William, a bit wounded, has the last word saying that David wasn't really the best father a son could have. David's aggression and unsupportive attitude didn't motivate William at all but only hurt his feelings. 

This is a fire hazard. We should practice fire drills

           Then we flow into William's other "church business" where he goes from a wounded cub to a fierce lion. It was kinda scary actually seeing how zealous William was. He broke a guy's ribs with a look of triumph and pleasure on his face. Luke-Allen Gale shines in these two scenes as he gives us some insight into his character which is a switch between his light and dark side. I loved the production. So many white candles I felt it was a sort of fire hazard but they did add effect. The candle light worked well against the black, red, and gold. Given that the Church of the Savior includes white, having dark colors sort of adds some malevolence to the cult of Gabriel. 

Blow your horn, Gabriel (as cliché as it sounds)

You took the last pudding cup

        11. Gabriel punishes Furiad: The producers continue to impress me with their knowledge of angel mythology. The horn of Gabriel isn't really mentioned in the bible but John Milton makes a reference to it in his long poem Paradise Lost. Gabriel passes the time by playing a little tune on his trumpet but Furiad ruins Gabriel's leisure time. Carl Beukes proves that he can do more with his character than just smile and laugh maniacally. We witness just how ruthless the Archangel Gabriel really is and see that we don't want to be on the receiving end of his wrath. Gabriel's face looked so shocked and almost on the verge of tears. He was very upset to hear what Furiad had done. I saw Irin's (Furiad's 8ball girlfriend) face and even she knew that Furiad screwed up. I don't believe Furiad expected Gabriel to react this way but it shows us just how deep Michael and Gabriel's bond really is. Sure they're on opposing sides but Gabriel would never stoop so low as to have Michael killed. I believe that Gabriel was also angry with himself not predicting Furiad would go rogue. He seems to have some intuition that allows him to be a step ahead but this time he was caught off guard and almost got his beloved brother killed. So Gabriel taught the trembling Furiad a lesson and warned him if he tried again then Gabriel would kill him. I believe Furiad got the message. No one messes with your family but you.

Carl Beukes impresses me further with his ability to add
depth to his villainous character.

      A few Honorable Mentions that didn't make the top list but are still worth mentioning. 

How does he lift his merchandise without getting caught
is what I want to know

         1. Ethan with his locker of wonders: I was filled with giggles at the sight of Ethan's secret locker of lifted merchandise. Whatever you need Ethan's got it. Ethan's kleptomania aside we see that he's a very loyal friend to Alex. When Noma convinced him that something may have happened to Alex, Ethan went straight to Michael even though not many people would consider confronting a powerful Archangel. 

Um did you forget to wash that blood off
or is it a statement?

         2. Gabriel returns to his lair: What stood out most for me was the fact that Gabriel neglected to wipe the blood off his face from his massacre at the diner. It didn't seem to bother him much which gives us some insight into his sadistic character where he likes to wear his triumph like a badge of honor and that includes the blood of his enemies. We see that Gabriel is full of confidence that his plan will work but Furiad is very impatient. It leads you to believe that Furiad will definitely do something drastic despite Gabriel's assurances. 

Michael does some sleuthing err shopping...

         3. Michael in the market with Louis: Michael told the Senate that he had no idea that any higher angels were hiding in the city. Archangels are liars! But we should see this from Michael's point of view. He may have chosen the side of Man but he never really turned on the other angels. Michael respected their neutrality and gave them sanctuary. I found it strange though that no one found it... well strange that the Archangel Michael would be strolling around the market picking up some peaches to snack on. I mean he doesn't seem like a social person, but we do agree that Michael could use some back up. Gabriel has some higher angels on his side so Michael figures he needs some on his side too.

Not as much as Ethan is probably sweating right now

         4. Michael & Ethan: "Do angels sweat?" That line alone made this scene a highlight. Ethan was brave enough to confront Michael but he should have worked out a better way to break the ice. Then Michael's quick exit just made me laugh as he left Ethan gaping on the ground. 

What's in the box...?

         5. Arika & Ethan: Arika is straight forward. She also has perfect gay-dar. Not only is the military in Vega fully integrated gender wise but also integrated on sexual orientation. If you want to serve Vega they don't care where you're from or who you are. It was also nice to see that Ethan wasn't that stereotypical "Will & Grace" gay guy. But what tied the whole scene together was Arika receiving her sister dead in a box. Could have been worse, it could have been put in her bed while she was sleeping.

She's just not that into you, dude

         6. Claire & William in the marketplace: William maybe hiding his dark side but with Claire he's a love sick puppy. Claire still has that awkward body language around William whenever he tries to be romantic. I felt in this scene William was like a scared puppy that wet the carpet where as Claire was the supportive firm owner. It was adorable and I felt a little sad for William as Claire bolted out of there when he tried to suggest that they could be more than friends.

Using your illness as leverage is not cool, man

         7. Claire confronts her father on civil rights: Claire has a passion that one can't help but admire. Whenever Claire gets mad the men bow down as she gave her father a stern talking to after he arrested and interrogated her students. Claire has an understanding of basic civil rights and we completely agree that there's a right and wrong here. But Riesen couldn't help but use this opportunity to push Claire into her arranged marriage. Using his heart problems really seemed to cement Claire's cooperation as it gained her sympathy and love for her father. That's low, Riesen!

William could use some good news today...

         8. Claire tells William some good news: Before in the market, Claire couldn't wait to get away from William but in this scene she was more relaxed or should I say resigned to her engagement. The fact that she told William in person though was very sweet on her part. The engagement wasn't official official until Claire agreed to the match and telling her fiancé in person was Claire's way of saying she was willing to try to love William as more than just a friend. She realized that Alex may never come back and that she should move on with her life by throwing herself into her role as future Lady of the City. 

The lady knows how to accessorize

         9. Arika's accessories: Arika knows how to accessorize. Who was she signaling with those earrings? This scene sort of makes you wonder if her staying in Vega was all a part of some plan. Arika is a puzzle.

Someone call HBO cause they need to take a lesson
in subtlety like this

         10. Riesen with his 8ball mistress: Amy Bailey steams up the screen in this scene being completely nude and lounging on the bed enjoying some honey that Riesen brought. She was carefully covered so as not to show everything (it's not HBO but it's pretty close) but that did not dampen her allure. Like Clementine I was sort of laughing at Riesen's question if she saw any higher angels. Come on, I doubt she could just take a walk outside without getting killed by either another 8ball or humans. I guess it was Riesen trying to see if he could get more out of his twisted relationship other than just sex. 

David's being nice? What does he want now?

         11. Becca is blackmailed by David: David just can't wait until the wedding to seize power from the House of Riesen. I found it funny when David tried to break the ice with Becca by complimenting her, of course she rolled her eyes because if David's being nice to her (after years of disdain) then he definitely wants something. She holds out until David brings up her romantic rendezvouses with Michael in order to blackmail her. Remind me again why sleeping with an Archangel (especially one as fine as Michael) would make Becca a pariah? Personally I think all of those other women of Vega would be dying to spend a night with the handsome, stoic Archangel. I suppose it's that old taboo and the fear of getting pregnant with a Nefilim, the monstrous offspring between an angel and a human.

Are you not entertained?

         "Broken Places" was a hook for many people. It only gets more intense from here. Next week is "The Flood" where we see more family drama between the Archangel siblings (introducing the beautiful, enigmatic Uriel)!