'Firefly' Star Sean Maher the Next Villain on 'Arrow'!!

As if "Arrow" wasn't awesome enough, now comes word that the prettiest "Firefly" alum (and that's saying something) will be guest-starring on the show. That's right, Sean Maher, aka Doctor Simon "Gorgeous" Tam, will appear as a "bomber who terrorizes Starling City."

[Missed an episode? Catch up with all the "Arrow" highlights here!]

Apparently he'll also be a threat to that pesky new alderman, Sebastian Blood (Kevin Alejandro), the guy I said last week had alter ego written all over him. I also can't help thinking that these two guys visually are going to inspire a lot of slash fanfic. Just sayin'.

 

That makes two "Firefly" alums on "Arrow" this season, with Summer Glau now appearing as Oliver's new business partner Isabel Rochev.

"Arrow" airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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'Arrow' Recaps, Season 2

"Arrow": Every girl loves a sexy shirtless hero...

Season 1 of "Arrow" introduced our title character, then a vigilante justice-seeker fresh off a hellish five years on a dangerous island. (All the S1 episode recaps are here.) Season 2 gives us a reborn hero, however, as Oliver seeks to try justice with a less deadly hand...

Season 2 Recaps:

Episode 1: 'Arrow' Recap: Oliver Retires as a Vigilante, but Can He Be Reborn as a True Hero?

"City of Heroes": Starling City is in chaos after "The Undertaking," but Oliver is back on the Island, still recovering from Tommy's death. Can he return in time to save his family, and the city, from ruin?

Episode 2: Enemies Are Piling Up for 'Arrow'! Is Laurel the Most Dangerous of Them All?

The "Arrow" episode "Identity" has Oliver facing attacks from all sides, tearing him down as the Queen family representative, and hunting down his new-and-improved alter ego before he can truly prove himself. This hero stuff isn't easy...

Episode 3: 'Arrow' on Overload: Can Oliver Save His Mom and Laurel from Imminent Death?

There are a lot of guilty feelings in the "Broken Dolls" episode of "Arrow," as two families face their own failings. Moira tries to find peace, Lance fights an old nemesis, and Laurel takes her anger out on Arrow as he tangles with both a serial killer and a new vigilante...

Episode 4: A Shocking 'Arrow' Reveal Could Destroy a Friendship but Save a Family

The "Crucible" episode of "Arrow" reveals that it may soon be easier to list the characters who don't have an alter ego. Oliver gains two new allies this week, one whose alter ego remains hidden to him and one whose identity could shatter his relationship with Laurel and her father...

Episode 14: 'Time of Death': 13 Things We Learned

Felicity gets jealous of Sara's ability to hang with the boys, the Lance family implodes, Oli's mom entertains and unexpected guest, and Felicity finds her innermost Kick Ass girl power.

Episode 23: 'Arrow' Finale: Six Things We Totally Hated

This season of "Arrow" built up to an unbelievable finale full of surprises, rescues, meaningful stares, kick-ass fight scenes, 120 ways to stab a guy with an arrow, and that whole "Save the World" kinda thing our heroes are so darn good at. There was so much to love, but we gotta admit, there were half a dozen things we soooo totally hated...

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PHOTO: Season 2, Episode 1 screencap, CW, fair use.

'Arrow' Recap: Oliver Retires as a Vigilante, but Can He Be Reborn as a True Hero?

In "Arrow" episode "City of Heroes," we see the aftermath of The Undertaking. Hundreds are dead after the mass destruction in The Glades. Oliver's mother is in prison, his sister is running his nightclub, and several Hood wannabes are terrorizing anyone they feel is responsible for the tragedy. Where is Arrow in all this? Swinging shirtless through the trees, back on the Island, doing his best to avoid the thought of Tommy's death.

Heroes and villains
 
Felicity and Diggle take flight on a rusty old plane, and parachute into the jungle to find Oliver. Felicity gets rescued from a leftover landmine by her own personal Tarzan, and then she and Digg try to convince their favorite hero to come back home. Oliver wants no part of his vigilante past, but he's finally moved by the news that his father's company is about to go under, and his family with it.

Back at home, Thea does her best to be a responsible adult, which includes lecturing her boyfriend Roy about the dangers of trying to save the world. He counters by insisting she visit her mother, but she just can't face someone she thinks is a mass murderer.

Saving the family company
 
Oliver returns to Queen Consolidated for a meeting with the VP of Acquisitions of rival company Stellmoor International, Isabel Rochev. She coolly informs him that he's short the necessary cash it would take to buy up company shares and thwart a hostile takeover. Since his mother has ruined the family name, there's no one who would invest or lend Oliver the money, either.

Unlike his sister, Oliver is willing to visit his mother in jail and ask her advice. She lets him know that he can always count on family, and soon after, Walter Steele swoops in to save his ex-wife's empire. His new job at a large bank gives him the power to grant Oliver the money to buy enough shares for a majority. Oliver and Isabel will apparently be partners in running the company now.

Oliver retires his vigilante cloak
 
All is not well, however. Four hooded vigilantes have shot the mayor in cold blood, and since they can't get to Moira, they're looking for Oliver instead. Felicity and Digg try to convince Oliver to don the hood again, but he can't bring himself to do it. He was truly affected by Tommy's assertion that he was nothing but a murderer, and he feels any death now would be an insult to his friend's memory.

Birth of a killer
 
We flash back to The Island, where Oliver is continuing his training with Slade, and his romance with Shado. Their seemingly new idyllic life is interrupted by a new threat, however, and Shado is kidnapped by three men in the jungle and questioned about a grave site. Her two heroes come to the rescue, and Slade is unable to stop Oliver from killing one of the men in brutal fashion. We see the birth of that angry killer that eventually came back to Starling City.

Another way
 
Back in the present, Oliver's sister Thea is kidnapped by the Four Hoods, and he's forced to spring into action. Felicity and Diggle show him the new, technologically advanced hero's lair. Felicity speaks for fangirls everywhere when she confesses she kept the pull-up bars, because she always loved Oliver working out on those. Fantasizing aside, Felicity also convinces Oliver there may be another way to be a hero that doesn't involve killing.

Through their investigations, the team discovers that the kidnappers all lost a loved one in The Glades earthquake and are looking for revenge. Oliver tracks them down at the church where they all initially met. He frees Thea and subdues all four men without causing permanent harm, even pulling one up from an imminent rooftop fall.

Birth of a hero
 
He turns them all over to Officer Lance, who's been demoted to a beat cop. The former detective is surprised that the vigilante has brought him four warm bodies instead of cold ones. Oliver says he's trying another way, and we expect Lance will soon be grateful that he might get a promotion out of this big bust.

Oliver decides he may return to crime-fighting after all, and in a way that helps others, not as a way of seeing revenge. As a result, he doesn't want to be called "The Hood." We see him examining the green tip of the arrow in his hand, and we know what his new hero name will be.

Forgiveness
 
After her near-death experience, Thea finally visits her mother. She's realized that her mother was living a life of fear, and had done what she thought was best to keep the rest of her family safe. Moira takes responsibility for her part in the deaths, but she's overwhelmed and grateful that her daughter has forgiven her.

Another new hero?
 
Meanwhile, an injured Roy still decides to take on a band of street thugs. He saves a woman from harm, but he's outnumbered and outmatched. Lucky for him, a woman with white blonde hair and serious fighting skills comes along and saves his butt. He has no idea who she is, but we're thinking it's China White.

More Season 2 Recaps here!

 


PHOTO: 2013 "Arrow" screencap, "City of Heroes," CW, fair use.

'Nashville' recaps, Season 2

Clare Bowen and Scott Palladilo star in "Nashville".

Your 'Nashville' Season 2 recaps are here! Season 1 ended with that big cliffhanger of Rayna and Deacon's accident--if you want to catch up with last season, get all the recaps here. Otherwise, scroll down to catch up on all the Season 2 intrigue with Rayna, Deacon, Juliette, Scarlett, Gunnar, Teddy, Tandy, and more!

Episode 1: 'Nashville' Season 2 Premiere Recap: After the Accident

In the "Nashville" Season 2 premiere, "I Fall to Pieces," everyone struggles in their own way with the aftermath of Rayna's and Deacon's accident.

Episode 2: 'Nashville' Recap: Deacon Gets Bad News, Rayna Gets Double-Crossed 

In "Nashville" episode "Never No More," Deacon struggles with his injured hand, Rayna gets back-stabbed by the new label owner, and Juliette exploits her own tough childhood for record sales.

Episode 3: Rayna Fears for the Future of Her Singing Career, Deacon Faces His Fears About Fatherhood

"Nashville" episode "I Don't Wanna Talk About It Now" finds Juliette and Rayna both battling their record company. Teddy urges Deacon to face his responsibilities, then gets himself ensnared in Peggy's evil web.

Episode 4: Maddie Runs Away, Juliette Tries to Save Her Tour, and Deacon Finds Romance

In "Nashville" episode "You're No Angel Yourself," Rayna struggles to bond with her daughter, Deacon has a romantic evening with his lawyer, and Juliette makes a bold choice to save her world tour.

Episode 5: 'Nashville' Recap: Did the Accident End Deacon's and Rayna's Music Careers? 

In "Nashville" episode "Don't Open That Door," Rayna and Deacon face the end of their music careers, while Lamar faces prosecution.

Episode 6: Nashville' Recap: Rayna Tries to Save Her Record Label, Juliette Romances a Married Man

Romance is in the air in "Nashville" episode "It Must Be You," with old flames hooking up and new couples trying to decipher their feelings. 

 

Watch "Nashville" on ABC, Wednesdays at 10/9c.


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PHOTO: "Nashville" Season 2 promo screencap, ABC, fair use.

Watch Hilarious Emmys Opening Monologue with Neil Patrick Harris, Conan O'Brien, Tina Fey, and More!

Emmy Awards host Neil Patrick Harris got off to a bit of a slow start Sunday night, with an awkward CGI scene of the "How I Met Your Mother" star interacting with a wall of TVs. Once he got to his opening monologue, however, things got interesting as former hosts of the Emmys interrupted his "flow."

Conan O'Brien was a highlight, hilariously pontificating in a haughty tone about hosting two times "back when it meant something." I personally have to love a guy who adds as much snarky derision to the term "selfie" as it deserves. Check out the video of the whole sketch, where Kevin Spacey works his creepy magic and Tina Fey and Amy Poehler say what girls are really thinking about cute awards show hosts.


Who was your favorite past host of the Emmys?
Read more about previous Emmy Awards shows here.

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PHOTOS: 2013 Emmy Awards screencaps, CBS, fair use.

'The Mentalist' Season 6 Spoilers: An Ending or a Reboot?

Fans were nervous during Season 5 of "The Mentalist," as Red John had yet to be revealed, and the show's future remained uncertain. CBS eventually decided to renew it for a 6th season, but it's not yet clear if this will be the end of our favorite show or the start of something completely different.

A wedding for Rigsby and Van Pelt
 
The see-saw relationship between Grace Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) and Wayne Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) is finally where longtime fans want it to be. Recent news has it that in the midst of a case involving a wedding in Episode 3, the two agents will get the idea to plan some nuptials of their own. "The Mentalist" creator Bruno Heller calls the eventual wedding the couple's "happy ending," but considering how that whole "killing Red John" thing turned out after the Season 3 finale, fans should be wary.

Additions to the regular cast?
 
The wedding for Rigsby and Van Pelt means the characters will be departing "The Mentalist," whether because of those pesky rules about dating fellow CBI agents or more sinister reasons. Filling the void on the show could be two new characters appearing in Season 6. One is FBI agent Dennis Abbott (Rockmond Dunbar), another of those prickly higher-ups that isn't all that impressed with the quirky methods of Patrick Jane (Simon Baker).

The other will be ex-homicide detective Kim Fischer (Emily Swallow), who's described as "an enigmatic woman who is going to have a profound influence on Jane's life." Showrunner Heller adds that the character will motivate Jane to keep working when he wants to walk away from it all, which sounds ominously like more angst for our favorite consultant.

Can the show move on after Red John?
 
According to CBS, "The Mentalist" will reveal Red John's identity by the end of the year. This does not necessarily mean that they will capture him, however. This could be the best of both worlds for a Season 7 storyline. Fans wouldn't have to put up with the mystery being dragged out, but Red John could remain a threat lurking in the shadows.

Reading through fan comments, it's clear that many are hoping for more of a focus in future episodes on solving individual cases, rather than the constant pursuit of an elusive serial killer. To return to the more whimsical tone of earlier seasons, this year would have to tie up the Red John case with minimal emotional damage to our main characters. If Jane has to suffer more loss of those close to him, it's tough to imagine the character realistically continuing in any enjoyable way for future seasons.

A truly happy ending for Van Pelt and Rigsby is a fine way to close the book on their characters. It's not an insurmountable loss, and Grace, in particular, never seemed cut out to be a CBI agent anyway. With these two characters gone, however, a potential Season 7 could be straying away from the more lighthearted plots many fans are looking for.

The fate of "The Mentalist" characters once again comes down to ratings. Season 6 could be a big-bang series finale or the "game-changing" season that reboots the whole show. What are you hoping for? Are you ready for Jane's journey to come to an end, or are you hoping for more adventures from the CBI team?

'Sleepy Hollow' Pilot Screencaps, Character Guide and Plot Synopsis

The hero of "Sleepy Hollow". (*CLICK* all pics for larger versions!)

The "Sleepy Hollow" pilot puts an interesting biblical spin on the old tale of the Headless Horseman, and gives us an entertaining, pulpy, creepy good thrill ride that hopefully will continue throughout the episodes. We begin the pilot with a flashback to one of our soon-to-be central characters.

['Sleepy Hollow': Has Abbie Found Someone Even Older Than Ichabod? … and Other Questions Answered]

As you see in the pic above, this handsome soldier (Tom Mison) is fighting in the brutal Revolutionary War. Things are already quite bad enough for him, you think.

Then this scary dude shows up.

Bullets don't kill him, but his ax slices through our soldier quite well.

Turns out our dying hero's sword also slices through the evil Redcoat's neck very well. They collapse next to each other on the ground.

Then our soldier wakes up, not from a dream, but from his own grave...in a cave.

 

The first sign that something is amiss: this strange surface with the painted lines. We the audience know we are back in the present.

While our soldier's busy trying not to get run over by motorized conveyances, we zip over to a local diner.

We meet the Sleepy Hollow sheriff, August Corbin. We are amused that he is played by Clancy Brown, who starred in that chopping-off-heads cult classic, "Highlander."

We also meet Lieutenant Abbie Mills. We can tell the sheriff is a father figure to her, because she acts a bit like a teenager around him. He wants her to be interested in the weirdness worth exploring around them. She wants to move on to bigger and better things than Sleepy Hollow.

The two get called to a local farm that has something spooking the horses. This is where we run into a whole lot of things you don't ever want to see.

Like a guy with no head that's impervious to bullets.

And a bloody ax coming at you through a barn door...

And what's on the other side of that door...

Being that this is a small town and our soldier is the stranger who is acting crazily in the middle of the road, he gets arrested on suspicion of murder.

This is where we find out that our dear revolutionary is Ichabod Crane. And he learns that he's somehow woken up 250 years after his glorious battlefield death.

Officer Andy Dunn (John Cho) doesn't care what this crazy dude says, he's the most likely suspect.

Captain Frank Irving (Orlando Jones) really has no idea what to make of any of this.

While he won't let Abbie interrogate the prisoner in the station, he allows her to be the one to transfer Crane to the local mental hospital.

That awkward moment when your prisoner asks if you've been "emancipated."

It seems that on TV, 90% of policewomen are played by someone half the size of the men. Sure, she's got a gun, but impossible not to think he could knock her over in a second.

But on to brighter subjects, such as Ichabod's tendency to look all soulful. He also calls Abbie "Lieutenant," in that sexy old school British way: "Leuf-tenant."

Abbie bends the rules and gets Ichabod to take her to the cave where he woke up. In it he finds a bible that he was buried with. There's a special passage marked in Revelations.

Ichabod looks soulful in the dark, too.

That terrifying moment when your possibly time-traveling companion tells you that headless dude you don't want to admit to having seen is actually one of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse.

Things get even freakier after that. Ichabod finds out his wife was killed as a witch...

...when a strange bird leads him to his wife's headstone.

Abbie just doesn't want to believe in witches or headless horsemen or apocalypses...so she does her job and takes Ichabod to the mental hospital.

Ichabod looks even more soulful in his new sterile prison...

...so Abbie tells him about the time when she and her sister had a terrifying experience in the woods.

They saw four creepy-as-hell white trees and a strange shadowy presence.

The experience left both girls emotionally scarred, and Abbie's sister has been in and out of mental hospitals ever since.

Abbie leaves Ichabod and goes to the late sheriff's office. She discovers a hidden key and secret files, all about the occult and weird happenings in Sleepy Hollow. 

Meanwhile, Ichabod gets visited by that strange bird again...

And enters a strange hazy world where his wife has been trapped. She warns him of the impending danger of the Four Horsemen, who will bring the End of the World with them.

He sees the same creepy white trees Abbie did. Katrina warns him that he must prevent the horseman from retrieving his long-buried skull.

After finding all of the secret files, Abbie busts Ichabod out of the hospital so they can work on all of this crazy $%#! together.

You know, things like a headless dude climbing out of his watery tomb to hop onto his red-eyed horse and go off in search of his missing skull.

And doing a little light evening grave digging...

And finding the Horseman's missing head in Ichabod's wife's false grave...

Yeah, that's pretty much the same face we made.

Oh look, The Horseman has upgraded to some serious firepower...

While Ichabod is dodging bullets, Abbie gets knocked out and dragged by Andy into the back of his police car. Turns out he's working with that Death guy...

Abbie does a bit of thumb-biting to get Andy's hand off her face, and pretty soon she's got things under control...

Finally, reinforcements arrive, in time to see stuff they totally don't want to believe. Abbie and Ichabod share a wry smile over the absurdity of it all.

Andy has to face that evil demon, however, and the consequence of dealing with an entity like this is that your head and body end up in a configuration they were never meant to be in.

Abbie and Ichabod arrive to find their potential infomant on Evil totally dead, and wait, what's that in the mirror?

Yep, that's pretty much the same freaked-out face we made.

You might also enjoy:  'Sleepy Hollow': Has Abbie Found Someone Even Older Than Ichabod? … and Other Questions Answered

"Sleepy Hollow" airs on Mondays at 9/8c on Fox.


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PHOTOS: 2013 "Sleepy Hollow" pilot premiere screencaps, Fox, fair use.