By John Keegan and Gregg Wright

I may have said something similar in a previous review, but if there's one thing that "Game of Thrones" does exceptionally well, it's creating that sense of a downward spiral; that things are about to go from bad to worse. This is true as a description of the entire show, but it's also especially true in individual scenes, such as this episode's opening scene, in which Theon captures Winterfell. If anything could be called a point of no return for Theon, this would have to be it. Even if there is to be some sort of redemptive arc, there's only so much that something like that could accomplish.

By John Keegan

Fans of "Supernatural" got a boost before this episode with the announcement of an impending eighth season. Not that this turn of events is particularly shocking at this point, but who ever thought that the show fans had to fight to keep on the air in the early days would make it eight seasons?

By John Keegan
As the first part of a massive season finale, it's a bit difficult to evaluate this in isolation. There are plenty of items that will likely see resolution in the finale proper, and might even spill over into the beginning of the fifth and final season. Even so, I think it's possible to look at this episode alone and still come away with a number of highlights.

By John Keegan

I'll give the writers credit for being relatively clever; the characters constantly joke about how their prom activities don't exactly match the typical teenage experience. And for that matter, they talk about how they are ultimately outsiders that will never have a normal life. I'd be tempted to invite them to Mystic Falls, where they would blend in just fine.

By John Keegan and Henry Tran

It must be intentional on the writers' part to de-emphasize Rex and the world where he lives on instead of Hannah. He's absent yet again in this episode, and that means Michael focuses on a routine double homicide investigation. I mean, the case has a nice initial fake-out with who the intended target of the shooter was supposed to be, but it proves inconsequential to the show's overall arc.

By John Keegan

I'm not sure what I was expecting coming into this episode, but whatever it was, what we got was not it. And I mean that in a generally good way. Alaric's first actions as Esther's vampire assassin were just about as brutal as it gets, and things definitely look to be changing in Mystic Falls. (Which only makes the official fourth season pickup all the better!)