I know, I know. After being very vocal about my disdain for ’80s cartoons being turned into movies here …

… and here …

… and, in comic form, here …

what gives me the gall to go ahead and do a Fantasy Casting piece for the feline superheroes?

As I’ve said before, it’s how we roll at TheTorchOnline.com.

Unpredictable. Sexy. Dangerous.

One thing to keep in mind — the movie will most likely be using the Avatar-like effect of motion capture fed into CG characters, so even if an actor doesn’t look like a character, that doesn’t really matter.. With that said, away we go …

Lion-O — Craig Horner

This wouldn’t have occurred to me last year, but on this season Legend of the Seeker star Craig Horner returned with a shaggy mop of hair, giving him a very leonine (or as one reader hilariously pointed out, llama-ish) appearance. Horner has proven that he can effortlessly play the hero in a high fantasy project, and is adept at swordplay, something to put to use when wielding Lion-O’s Sword of Omens.

Panthro — Taye Diggs

This role should go to a 30-year-old version of Morgan Freeman, but if such an actor exists, he’s not on my radar. Instead, I would hand it to Taye Diggs, the stunningly handsome and versatile actor who got his start on Broadway in RENT and is currently being wasted on Private Practice. Why wasted? Anyone who saw Equilibrium knows Diggs should be a megastar feature film action hero.

Cheetara — Emma Stone

Cheetara was the only adult female Thundercat (until that ho bag Pumira showed up in the second season) and was as nurturing as she was kick-ass. My suggestion would be Emma Stone, who embodied both of those attributes (though the latter way more than the former) in last summer’s hilarious Zombieland. To top it off, check out those beautiful feline eyes! She was born for this role.

Tygra –Shawn Ashmore

Tigra was a more sensitive guy than Lion-O and Panthra, and his “super-power” was the ability to turn invisible. Despite his strength and agility, Tigra was a more cerebral character, and was the inventor of the group. This kind of dichotomy between tough guy and sensitive man can be perfectly played by a guy like Shawn Ashmore, who proved as Iceman he can be a big time superhero without having bodybuilder muscles.

Wiley-Kat — Michael Cera

How do I put this nicely? Wiley Kit and Wiley Kat were, well, irritating in the cartoon, and don’t exactly lend themselves to the big screen. Therefore, they’re going to need a major overhaul for the movie version, and a sense of humor goes a long way. I nominate Michael Cera as the boy, Wiley Kat. Cera is a true master of the awkward teenage persona that brings the funny, and he would rock this part.

Wiley-Kat –Ellen Page

Okay, this may reek of stunt casting. That’s because it is. But I fell in love with Ellen Page and Michael Cera as an on-screen duo when the two starred in Juno, and they have such amazing chemistry they deserve another go around. But instead of churning out another romantic teen comedy, I say go against type and rock the epic CGI high fantasy.

Jaga - Ian McKellen

Jaga was actually a ghost, the spiritual remains of Lion-O’s one-time mentor. A few years ago I would have thought that Ian McKellen, esteemed actor of stage and screen, one of the most lauded thespians of our time, would be way too high-brow for a project like Thundercats. But then I saw his turn as a voice actor for a polar bear in The Golden Compass, and I realized that the man needs to make a paycheck just like the rest of us.

So there you have it! TheTorchOnline.com’s pick for the cast of the upcoming fantasy/scifi/feline blockbuster, Thundercats. One of these days, Hollywood, we’re going to start charging you.

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Four and a Half Torches (Out of Five)

Warning: The following review contains spoilers for the “Princess” episode of Legend of the Seeker.

Sing it with me now: “The rain in the midlands stays mainly in the Valley of Perdition …”

Legend of the Seeker has had a string of great episodes, and this week it continues its winning streak with “Princess,” which at long last gives us something I didn’t even realize I was craving: a comedy episode!

The action starts immediately, as Kahlan is plucked off the ground by a pair of dragon-monster-things and taken to the castle of a wicked monarch who has made a deal with the Sisters of the Dark and the newly resurrected Nikki (in a new body … just go with it): he’ll hand over Kahlan in exchange for eternal life.

So, what’s the only way into the castle? In disguise, of course! And from an eavesdropping spell that Zedd cast, he heard that a princess and her entourage are on their way to the castle even as they speak. How does Zedd know where to find them? Magic!

If this all seems incredibly contrived to you, that’s because it is. But guess what? It’s supposed to be funny! Seeker has proven that it can bring the drama and the serious plots when it wants, but this week they kicked back and had a little fun, and invited us along for the ride.

The purpose of the ep wasn’t to create a Shakespearean tragedy, but rather come up with an excuse to turn Cara into Eliza Doolittle, to bleach Richard’s hair, and to put Zedd in drag for almost the whole show (which he seemed to really enjoy, by the way).

And it was funny, particularly the scene in which Zedd is attempting to train Cara in courtly femininity, telling her to always defer to her “masculine betters.” Her response? “There’s no such thing.”

Genius.

Also amusing was having Craig Horner, now under the persona of a blond lothario prince, strutting around the castle as women throw themselves at him. The show sometimes seems to go out of its way to ignore how freaking sexy its three young leads are, and I’m pretty sure that Craig Horner gets a similar reaction from women wherever he goes in real life, so it brought a chuckle to see it lampooned on screen.

Interesting that in such a silly episode they snuck in the very plot-centric fact that Nikki has been brought back to life, now younger and blonder. I also liked the world building in the very first scene: apparently, you can get a Mord-Sith for hire whenever you want to resurrect someone. Did you know that? I didn’t. It was similar to the discovery last week that if you’re clever enough, you can make money off of a Baneling’s plight.

Also interesting was the slight subplot involving Kahlan and the king’s wife. We learn that in this kingdom religion is used to oppress its women, so Kahlan must give her a crash course in Feminism 101 while simultaneously Richard is busying himself cracking the skulls of the Sisters of the Night. Another joke, maybe?

Finally, the adorable ending scene with Kahlan teasing her comrades about their respective costumes was almost worth the price of admission alone. They concluded the show the way every good comic episode should end — with a smile.

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Five Torches (Out of Five)

Warning: The following review contains spoilers for the “Hunger” episode of Legend of the Seeker.

This show is on a roll.

After last week’s brilliant double-Kahlan episode, which used a fantasy gimmick as a lens for a great character study, this episode does the same with Cara. And since Cara has such a dark past, this story understandably gets really grim.

When helping a woman who’s husband has been kidnapped, Cara is killed — yeah, actually killed, and in the first act, no less — and wakes up in the Underworld (or Naked Gooey Hell as I call it) where she immediately tells Darken Rahl she wants to come back as a Baneling. Her logic is clear and immediate: since she already kills so many evil people while protecting Richard, what’s the difference?

Cara returns to life, and she and the gang find the woman’s husband, who has been taken by a man who’s in business with the Banelings, providing them people to kill for a price. They bust up the place, and Cara is confronted by a Baneling woman who recognizes her for what she is. She keeps Cara’s secret, but tells her and the rest about a magic peddler who’s selling a potion that restores Banelings to life and frees them from the Keeper’s clutches.

It turns out the magic peddler is Sebastian (Ted Raimi), who we saw last season, and who’s assisted by Zedd’s brother Thaddicus. The cure for Baneling-itis is a substance called Shadow Water, and they’ve just about run out, so they’re selling watered down cures that only work for a few days.

The heroes arrive and discover the scheme, and Zedd is disappointed in his ne’er-do-well brother. They learn that there’s more Shadow Water to be found, but it’s three days’ journey. Cara, miserable, realizes that means she must kill at least three more people, not easy if you’re traveling in the middle of nowhere.

One night, Darken Rahl comes to her in a dream and encourages her to kill Thaddicus. She almost does, but can’t go through with it, so Thaddicus, surprisingly, grabs her hand and forces her to kill him.

They find the source of Shadow Water (but can only cure Cara before Darken Rahl destroys the rest) and she uses the Breath of Life on Thaddicus. All turns out well, and they go on their not so merry way.

Okay, so there’s your recap. Now what made this episode so stellar? In a word, metaphor.

I’ve really enjoyed Seeker so far, but last week was the first time I realized that beyond beautiful people, crazy awesome action sequences, and fun high fantasy adventure, the show was much, much smarter than it seemed. By splitting Kahlan into two people — one with just her intellect, one with just her emotions — it not only examined what makes her tick, but opened up a lot of questions about human beings in general.

Much of Cara’s arc so far has been about her regaining her humanity. This is someone who was abducted as a child, radicalized through torture and brainwashing, and turned into a lethal, remorseless killer. Though she has left the Mord-Sith, she is struggling to fit into a world that doesn’t want her, and she tries to be good when a lifetime of training so often tells her to be vicious.

Now, we all know that Mord-Sith don’t exist in real life. But the fact that people can be brainwashed to do terrible things is very real, and when these people attempt to be rehabilitated and re-integrated into society, the outcome is very often disastrous.

This episode uses the device of Cara becoming a Baneling perfectly. This fine-tunes her story, making it literally about her desperately trying to regain her humanity. No longer is it an emotional or philosophical battle — now the stakes are truly life or death.

Tabrett Bethell, the actress who plays Cara, is pitch-perfect in this role, and she really shines in this episode, even more than in the last Cara-centric episode from several months back. She makes you want good things to happen to Cara, and not feel bad about smiling when she kicks some dude’s ass.

She can also speak volumes without saying a word. I swear, if you guys tell anyone about this I’ll deny it, but I admit to getting a little choked up in the scene where she revives Thaddicus, and he tells her he sacrificed himself for her because what she does matters — she’s important, and a force for good. She didn’t respond, but the look in her eyes said it all.

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Five Torches (Out of Five)

Warning: The following review contains spoilers for the “Torn” episode of Legend of the Seeker.

After last week’s terrific wrap-up of the Sisters of the Light arc, Legend of the Seeker comes back swingin’ with a great episode where our heroine Kahlan gives us double the fun. This was probably the best episode so far this season, in no small part due to the performance of Bridget Regan. But more on that in a minute …

We begin with the gang spotting two men hanging from a tree. They learn that someone has assigned himself the title of “High Lord Regent” and is attempting to usurp Kahlan’s authority in Aydindril. So the heroes decide to split up (which always works out so well for them, doesn’t it?) with Zedd and Kahlan heading to Aydindril while Richard and Cara continue on the quest. Just as they’re about to teleport, Kahlan wishes she could stay with Richard, and surprise, she does! Well, one version of her, anyway.

Zedd and the other Kahlan arrive in Aydindril and learn that a dude named Fyren is the one who appointed himself Lord High Whatever, so Kahlan immediately confesses the crap out of him and assumes the throne. And for anyone who’s ever seen a fantasy show before, we know instinctively that Kahlan hasn’t just been doubled — her  personality has been split in two: One Kahlan has all of her tough-as-nails leadership skills, and one has her softer side that’s in looooove with Richard. (It’s Valentine’s Day, remember.) The bummer for the sweet Kahlan, though, is that she has no confessor power.

So the silver lining? Without her confessor power, that means she and Richard can finally — FINALLY — get it on. (Again, I remind you, it’s Valentine’s Day, so we’re all thinking about the same thing, right?) Over in Idendrill, the Kahlan who’s all business is continuing that trend, deciding that Fyren is the best choice around to sire the next Confessor.

So beautiful, noble Kahlan, who has been chaste as long as we’ve known her, gets two simultaneous love scenes with two different dudes! You go ‘head, Kahlan. You get yours. Of course, it’s a PG show, so there’s an awful lot of kissing with clothes on, but none of the good stuff, and both guys manage to keep their pants on for the entire act. Where’s all the nudity?

Hmm. I think I may be watching too much Spartacus.

Moving on …

When Richard, Cara, and Sweet-Kahlan arrive in Aydindril, All-Business-Kahlan has become a tyrant, obsessed with her own power. Needless to say, good wins out, the Kahlans are reunited, and all is good in the world.

So what made this episode so great? Usually I favor the more action-oriented episodes that deal with the internal mythology of the show, and this episode was not that. Instead, it gave us a deep psychological insight to Kahlan, who is a fascinating character given all the challenges she must face.

The episode could have been farcical, a throwaway romantic Valentine’s Day show, but the combination of good writing and an intelligent performance by Bridget Regan really gave us something meaty to chew on. Like some of the best Buffy episodes, it used a gimmick — “we’re splitting Kahlan in TWO!” — to really explore just who this woman is, and like all fantasy at its absolute best, it made us ponder real life.

What does it mean to cut ourselves off from our emotions? We’re told that’s exactly what world leaders have to do when they enter office, for how could you declare war on a country if you’re empathizing with all the civilians who will be killed? Conversely, how many times have we let our romantic feelings get the best of us, and found ourselves saying and doing things that seem odd, sometimes even crazy, all in the name of love?

These are, most certainly, Big Questions. That Legend of the Seeker went there proves it’s a show with some meat on its bones, and with episodes like these, it makes us as the audience not only care about the characters — which is much harder to do than it sounds — but ask ourselves the questions it raises about life in general.

The anchor to this episode was, of course, Bridget Regan. I’ve always enjoyed her on the show, and have written about it before many times. (And now that I know she occasionally reads our reviews, I love her even more!) But she certainly went above and beyond with her performance in “Torn,” and it shows.

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If you’re a fan of Legend of the Seeker or the show’s star, Bridget Regan, watch “Torn,” this weekend’s episode.

Just trust me.

It’s not just a wonderfully satisfying episode — it’s also an impressive acting tour de force by Regan whose character, the Confessor Kahlan, is split into two very different halves.

It’s the Valentine’s Day episode — although definitely not the usual kind! — so there might also be one or two genuinely shocking developments in Richard and Kahlan’s relationship, which, of course, is passionate, but must remain completely non-sexual.

Recently, I chatted with the 28 year-old Regan by phone from New Zealand, where the show is filmed, about everything from her revealing new wardrobe, her on-screen and off-screen friendship with Tabrett Bethell (who plays Cara), and her real-life plans for Valentine’s Day.

But more than anything, I wanted to talk to the actress, who I found both very smart and surprisingly funny, about this weekend’s episode. Her enthusiasm for it was palpable.

Watch the episode this weekend, and you’ll know why.

Warning: The storyline for “Torn” is discussed, and while an effort was made to not reveal too much, there are some spoilers for the episode.

TheTorchOnlne: I have to tell you, I tweeted that I was interviewing you, and my inbox was overwhelmed. I received hundreds of suggested questions!

Bridget Regan: Well, I’m on Twitter, so I’ve got everybody in communication.

TTO: Do you read what people write about you online?

BR: I read your reviews!

TTO: We’re flattered!

Bridget's theatre headshot

BR: I don’t always hop on and read everything because of time, but I grew up in the theater, and I really miss that audience response that you get in a house that’s full of people. That’s been the hardest thing for me in doing television and film.

The job I did before this was a comedy, and you can tell on stage whether a joke lands or not, whether they laugh or are asleep in the front row. So I often ache for that sort of feedback: do they like what we’re doing, do they buy it?

I don’t have time [to read online stuff], but my manager does email me [stuff]. I did like [TheTorchOnline.com's] reference to my “Star Trek hooker outfit”! I thought that was hilarious — I love it!

I have to say, there are some days when I look down at what I’m wearing and I’m like, “What the hell!? Look at what I’m wearing — look at how ridiculous this is!” The wardrobe people look at me and say, “No, you look fabulous.”

And then I look around, and it fits in with the world, and it’s a costume, and I love it. But it does feel a bit out-of-body.

Season 1, left, Season 2, right

TTO: I wanted to ask you about your new costume this season, which, needless to say, is very popular.

BR: Yeah, it’s funny, because it looks so different from how Kahlan looked before, but the funny part about it is a lot of it I’ve always worn. I’ve always worn this corset under my white dress. The belt I’ve always worn, I’ve always worn black boots — they did extend them up for me, because I was really into the thigh-high boot look.

She has a skirt that she’s worn, but I’ve kind of said, “Well, Kahlan ripped and slipped it, so she could get her high kicks in.” We collaborate, the costumer, Jane Holland, who is a fricking legend, I just adore her. We collaborated on it, and the new jacket is the same cut as the traveling coat, and it was like [Kahlan] ripped out the lining of it and cut it short.

I wanted to make her more of a warrior, making it more practical. Some days I’m out in the woods in my white dress, and I [was] thinking, “Could there be anything more ridiculous?” Everybody always asks, “How do you keep that white dress so white?”

Anyway, I wanted it to be more fighter-friendly, and it really is. And it’s bad-ass, and I like the idea of Cara rubbing off on her too, [even though] she should hate this woman, this Mord-Sith. That’s the best part of the show for me right now.

TTO: I definitely want to talk about Cara, but first, let’s talk about “Torn,” this weekend’s episode. I watched a preview copy last night, and I thought you were just terrific.

BR: Thank you!

TTO: I don’t want to give anything away, but how fun was it to play two such different characters?

BR: Man, I haven’t had this much fun on the show to date, and it’s going to be hard to beat this one. It was an opportunity to go so far to the left and so far to the right. And the best part about it is that they’re both really true to who Kahlan is inside. It’s about the balance, the ying and yang, whatever you want to call it.

It was really quite a bizarre experience, because it makes you introspective. You think, “What would I be like if I had no emotions? If I was all duty, no love?” There is one character who puts duty over love, and then the other character is all love, all emotion, just heart, gooey and soft. And that’s Kahlan as well.

It was just a ton of fun. The most bizarre part was acting with myself, with the green screen and a tennis ball on a stick and all that, and then seeing it all put together. I felt like I was in The Parent Trap! “How are they doing this?” It was such magic.

I have no idea how they do it!

TTO: I was curious how they shot it, if you stayed in one character all day, or if you switched back-and-forth?

BR: The trickiest part was obviously the last act, which is when they’re together. It was bizarre. They got two girls who are my same height and build to be in both costumes, and they’d be standing by. We’d block, and I’d be one of them, and I’d [watch the other] and say, “Oh, no, she wouldn’t do that!” And then we’d switch, and I’d go and do that part. We had to figure out the whole sequence, and then on one day I’d just be the Confessor-Kahlan, and then on the other day, I’d be the emotional, loving-Kahlan.

And it was full-on! At the end of the first day, I was about to collapse. I was in every single shot.

I was playing the Confessor-Kahlan [the emotion-less one], and she is so sharp, I wanted her to have real wit and agility and a coolness about her. It took a lot of self-control, because I tend to be quite emotional!

I get really shy about telling friends and family, “You guys have to tune in!” But this is the first one where I’m like, “All right, guys, this is the one watch.”

TTO: It was intense! I know you don’t get to do much rehearsal on the show, but you must’ve done more for this episode.

BR: I met with the director, Chris Martin-Jones, who is actually one of my favorite directors on the show. There was so much to work out, because the truth is, I was developing two other completely different characters.

It worked out really well when Craig [Horner] and I went to the U.S. to do press for the premiere. Luckily, I had a really long flight from New Zealand to work on it.

But we shoot really fast. It’s rehearse, block, build the shot, and in that time you’re getting prepped, everyone’s coming at you with make-up and hair and tightening your corset, and then you go on and shoot it, and you hope that you [do it well]. You usually get two takes, and you hope and pray that you get a third, and then you move on.

That is the hardest part of the job, no doubt about it. All of us really struggle with it, because you do the first take and you realize something about the scene, and you get another idea [but there might not be time to do it]. You sometimes have to go with your gut, your first instinct. That’s the hardest thing.

TTO: I’m a little embarrassed to admit this, but I found the emotionless Kahlan to be the more interesting character. She was absolutely riveting while the emotional half was a little annoying. Was it more fun to play “evil” than it was to play “nice”?

BR: Uh, yeah! Maybe I’m just getting a little envious of Tab [who plays Cara] and all the great things she gets to say and do!

They say that the Confessor power gets out-of-control in a man, so I kind of think of her [like that], that the power was taking over, taking control, like the ring in the Lord of the Rings, it’s power, and that’s what she’s living off of.

Anyway, I found it to be really exciting.

The emotional one, Kahlan hasn’t had any relationships with anyone that we know of — yet — and it’s like she is this little teenaged girl on the inside in some ways. She’s inexperienced. So I would agree with you, she might be a little annoying!

I was all love, and I love working with Craig, so that was quite easy.

TTO: Speaking of which, the episode is interesting for another reason, which is that Richard and Kahlan just might get some action.

BR: Yeah! But of course she doesn’t remember it, right? It’s so tragic! Richard gets to remember! And I love how she tries to get him to tell her about it: “So how was it?”

TTO: But now he knows! It’s almost worse for him, because he can’t ever do it again. You know, for a show where the two characters can’t sleep together, it’s surprisingly sexy.

BR: Good! I worry sometimes. [I'll think], “Oh, God, is this like we have a sexless marriage?” I’ll get scared, I do. How, how could you abstain that long?

And then I’ll go back and read the books, and she doubts, she thinks, “Could we get away with it?” And that’s my favorite thing about her, that in spite of everything she wants, she does what she knows she has to. That’s what makes her a hero.

I love her, but sometimes, I’m like, “Come on! Cave! You have to!” We’ll see!

TTO: You touched on something before, which is that Cara is a great addition to show. Somehow all of the characters seem more interesting by her being there.

Kahlan and Cara (Tabrett Bethell)

BR: I absolutely agree. Mostly because she’s changing and evolving … but it’s a two-way street. It’s one of those things, we have this black and white world. [Kahlan] has been taught to hate the Mord-Sith, never trust them, to just kill them, confess them and be done with them, because they’re not human anymore.

And [Cara's] making us doubt everything we’ve learned. And the friendship that’s forming is so thrilling. There’s an episode coming up, “Desecrated,” where Tab and I are locked in a tomb together. She’s a terrific actor, lovely to work with. She’s a joy to have on the show, just a show.

She’s our missing link!

TTO: And it sounds like you have become friends off-camera as well.

BR: We jumped off the Sky Tower. It’s not even a bungee — it’s so easy, it’s so tame. It’s like you’re in a full-on harness, like a day at work in some ways.

But it’s like you’re flying, and she took me to do that on my birthday, and it was quite special. We’ve become quite close. We’re great pals, hang out a lot.

The truth is, we work so much that all of our friends are the crew. My best friends are the guy who drives me to work in the morning, and the woman who dresses us, so that’s who we hang out with on the weekends.

TTO: Being in New Zealand, have you tried Maori cuisine?

BR: Oh, yeah! Hangi. It’s where they bury food in the earth and it cooks on hot rocks. Delicious!

Cathedral Cove, New Zealand

TTO: Do you have plans for Valentine’s Day?

BR: My parents landed in New Zealand today. They just celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary, so I’m going to take them to the Coromandel, which is such a beautiful place. Look up Cathedral Cove, and you’ll know what I mean. I’m going to show them New Zealand.

TTO: I know there’s not yet any official word on a third season for the show, but what’s the feeling?

BR: There’s lots of talk, so much talk, but no official word yet. But there’s a studio, and they have to start paying for things [if there's going to be a third season], so that’s when you start to get a vibe. Last season, that happened a couple of episodes from now.

Right now, everybody is hopeful. It’s such a great crew, and everybody wants it to keep going, and I know the fans do too.

Special thanks to all those who submitted questions for Bridget (some of which I used!).

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Four and a Half Torches (Out of Five)

Warning: This review contains spoilers for the “Perdition” episode of Legend of the Seeker.

I have to confess (four words in and a Seeker pun already), I wasn’t thrilled with the last few episodes of Legend of the Seeker. They felt bogged down by needlessly complicated plots, and the characters that we’ve come to know and love weren’t always behaving like themselves.

But I’m happy to say that with the most recent episode, this show has got its groove back, especially Richard.

The episode opens with Richard back in the Palace of Prophets, confused because he escaped there in the previous episode. He is told by Sister Verna that it was all in his head, a figment of his imagination that seemed real because his wizard training is affecting his mind.

We, of course, know something is way off, but the episode commits to this hallucination for a good while, which was a cool beginning. Turns out Richard has wandered into the Valley of Perdition, a stretch of desert that makes anyone in it hallucinate their worst fears. Verna and the Prelate spend a good long while establishing that no one is strong enough to escape the desert on their own.

Nicci, the evil Sister from last week, escapes her palace prison and joins the other Sisters of the Dark in the forest. They plot to kill Kahlan, due to the prophecy stating as long as Kahlan’s alive, the Keeper is doomed to fail. Meanwhile, Cara, Kahlan, Zedd, and the new seeker Leo search for Richard, arriving at the palace and confronting the Prelate.

This, of course, all leads to the climactic showdown in which Kahlan and company attempt to rescue Richard, but are attacked by the Sisters of the Dark. The action, as always, was outstanding, and even though in hindsight I should have realized Leo walked into the series wearing a big red shirt, I was surprised when he was mowed down by Nicci’s magic blasts.

Richard shakes off the magic of the Valley and rushes to save his friends. With an assist from Zedd, Nicci and the Sisters of the Dark are killed. They burn Leo on a funeral pyre, and head off to find that Stone of Tears.

So what made this episode great? For one thing, it had that sense of adventure that makes this show so darn fun to watch, something that’s been lacking recently. When much of the show is inside a dreary castle, like last week, it feels claustrophobic, and you long for the outdoor battle scenes set against the lush New Zealand landscape.

Cara seemed more like herself this week when responding to Leo’s advances. Realizing she’s attracted to him, she doesn’t blush and giggle, but instead jumps his bones and doesn’t give him the time of day afterward. This is a woman who’s slowly recovering her humanity, and this week we see it. She still has a ways to go, of course.

As for Richard being able to overcome the unbeatable Valley of Perdition magic with just the strength of his will? Rather than feeling like an easy plot device, it worked and stayed true to the story, because we have to believe that Richard is a hero. He, more than anyone else in the world, should be able to do that. I liked that he wasn’t rescued by his friends. It made his character important, as he should be. In exploring the other characters on the show, Richard has occasionally taken a backseat and felt one-dimensional, so it’s nice to see him back on track.

The Sister of the Light/Dark looked great, with their billowy, blood-red robes and giant ninja throwing stars. I’m going to miss them. I’m especially going to miss Sister Nicci (Jolene Blalock), who was a juicy villain. Maybe she’ll come back as Baneling? One can only hope.

And finally, can I just say how awesome Bridget Regan is? It’s not easy to play earnest in an out-and-out fantasy series when you’re wearing a Star Trek hooker outfit, but she pulls it off. Kudos, Ms. Regan.

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Three Torches (Out of Five)

Warning: The following review contains spoilers for the “Wizard” episode of Legend of the Seeker.

Did you ever want to see Zeddicus played by a young James Spader (or someone who looks a lot like him)? Well, wish granted.

The episode starts with Zed eating an ensorceled (I love that word) fruit which makes him lose his memory. When he starts forgetting things, he says he must be older than he realized. Cue Boy Scout Richard with this sweet-as-can-be response: “I’d be lucky to be half as sharp as you when I’m your age.”

We’ve said before how Richard is the least interesting character on the show, and I just realized how to make him infinitely better. Wouldn’t it be great if Richard was kind of a jerk? Not full-out cruel, but the kind of guy who takes the piss out of his friends every now and then.

If instead of the nice guy answer, he could have said something like, “You didn’t realize how old you are? Man, you’re losing it. Better throw in the towel now, Gramps. Seriously.” Or maybe just go on and on about how he’s traveling with two hot chicks but never gets any action. I know that would make me like him a whole lot more. As it is, he’s treading dangerously close to Kevin Sorbo territory.

But I digress. Zed ditches the group and stumbles upon a house of ill repute, and falls for a prostitute who laughably looks like she just stepped out of an Old West saloon. Cara appears suddenly to take Zed back to Richard and Khalan.

Cara is swiftly becoming my favorite character, which possibly says something about me. Free of her Mord-Sith sisters, she’s now also free of her constricting corset and walks around in her leathers with a generous helping of cleavage. She doesn’t seem to particularly like the others except for Richard, and she gets great bitchy one-liners like “Why is it when that whenever I’m hunting down a man I never have to look farther than the first brothel past the city gates?” She’s awesome.

But Zeddicus disappears, and we soon learn it was that saucy vixen Shota who bewitched Zed, due to some cockamamie belief that Richard isn’t the true Seeker. Come on, Shota, did you see the first season?

Shota restores his youth and knowledge of spells, but it turns out that Young Zed is a walking cautionary tale of how power corrupts. He freezes her, skedaddles, picks up the hooker he met earlier, and transforms her into his queen. He then names himself the new Seeker, and heads into the Underworld to smack down the Keeper, pursued by Richard. After a brief run-in with Darken Rahl, Richard grabs him and pulls him out, only after they’re both turned into old men.

All is restored, Richard is rejuvenated by Zed, and Shota is allowed to leave. There’s a brief exchange between Richard and Zed about the fleeting nature of youth, and they head off into the sunset.

This episode was okay, but nowhere near as entertaining as the previous batch, for a very simple reason. Zed and Richard, who respectively embody the archetypes of the wise old man and the hero, are little more than the stock characters they inhabit, and thus pale in comparison to the women of the group, who are fascinating: a former killer who has lost her way and now seeks to protect Richard while bloodying up anyone in her path, and a virtuous young warrior who’s in love with a man she can never touch.

The past few eps heavily featured Cara and Kahlan, and thus were more enjoyable. So the choice is either always feature those two characters, or spruce Richard up a bit. I’m making a plea right now - make Richard a jerk. Trust me on this one. It’ll be awesome.

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Four and a Half Torches (Out of Five)

Warning: The following review contains spoilers for the “Touched” episode of Legend of the Seeker.

Okay, that episode didn’t go where I thought it was going to!

Kahlan visits the Forest of the Night Wisps to find out if there are, in fact, any more confessors in the world and, sure enough, there is one who is being held captive, Rapunzel-like, in a tower by her confessor-hating father.

Indeed, when the would-be confessor talks of traveling to distant lands and falling in love, the father comes right and says flatly, “That’ll never happen Annibelle!”

Um, harsh!

But what was interesting about the episode — what, for me, brought it up a notch from the series’ steady stream of “good-but-not-great” episodes — was that sweet innocent Annabelle doesn’t want her powers. She wants travel and adventure, sure, but she has no interest in joining Richard and Kahlan’s medieval Scooby gang.

So, after being rescued by Richard and Kahlan, she runs. In short, she becomes the episode’s antagonist (sorta), even going so far as to confess Richard (in a terrific plot-twist that I totally should have seen coming!).

And was Kahlan really going to kill her to get Richard “back”? Wow. Again, harsh!

All is more or less made right in the end — though I was disappointed by the “deux-ex-machina” way they got both Richard de-confessed and Annabelle un-confessored (it was like a line from a particularly hackneyed episode of Star Trek: “That’s never been tried before — but it just might work!”)

I’m thinking they should have kept Richard confessed a while longer — it was a great plot complication. Then again, that would’ve allowed Richard and Kahlan to be “together” — and they can’t have that happen, can they? The conventional TV wisdom says that when the main characters on a show finally sleep together, it kills a show — like Sam and Diane on Cheers. I suppose that really is true. (Plus, it gave Annabelle an opportunity to say, “Being a confessor is a lot like being locked in a tower, isn’t it?” And in the context of the episode, it worked perfectly.)

In general, I’m also really starting to dig the central relationships on the show. Richard is still the least interesting character for me (by far), but I’m intrigued by Kahlan’s practical side, and Cara is a terrific addition to the cast.

Speaking of Star Trek, Cara is reminding me a lot of Star Trek: Voyager’s Seven of Nine, in that, yes, she’s basically decent (probably), but she’s coming from a totally alien perspective that challenges the perspectives of all the other characters.

It also doesn’t hurt that, like Seven of Nine’s Jeri Ryan, the actress who plays Cara, Tabrett Bethell, is smokin’ hot.

Anyway, so far, Cara has been very, very good for the show, and I’m looking forward to learning whatever ulterior motive she clearly has for helping Richard.

A couple of other hopefully-interesting observations about the episode:

• Isn’t it interesting how whenever Richard and Kahlan decide to rescue or visit someone, it just happens to be the most eventful day of their lives, even before the two of them arrive?
• It’s good to see that Rob Tapert and company are reusing the Xena campfire set.
• Is anyone else as creeped out by the whole “confessor” power as I am? I mean, can using that power ever really be a “moral” choice?
• I’m loving the “exposition” characters like Annabelle’s nurse and the Prioress near the Tomb of Pamora. I know that fantasy in general often requires a fair bit of exposition, but I’m always amused when a character is wheeled onto give a long monologue that sets up the story somehow — and then we never see them again.

All in all, this episode was a cut above, if only because I didn’t predict that Annabelle was going to confess Richard, and I totally should have!

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Four Torches (Out of Five)

Warning: The following review contains spoilers for the “Broken” episode of Legend of the Seeker.

All right, a Mord’sith episode!

In “Broken,” we learn a whole lot about one of the most intriguing characters in Seeker, Cara: where she comes from, who her family was, how she became one of the Mord’sith. Sure, it was a lot of exposition, but it was plenty fun.

In the opening scene, Kahlan learns that Cara killed her sister, and immediately goes all Galadriel-tempted-by-the-ring on her: her eyes go black and she starts freaking out, screaming and lunging for Cara with murder written all over her face.

It was pretty cool.

Richard holds Kahlan down and yells for Cara to skedaddle, which she does. Once Kahlan chills out, they realize that Flynn, who has to be the most useless character around, has also ran off, so Kahlan, Zed, and Richard go in pursuit of him. Cara, meanwhile, heads to the house she grew up in which her sister and her family currently occupy. There’s an awkward reunion, and her sister, overjoyed to see her, asks her to wear a dress, lest her Mord’sith leathers frighten the children.

Let this be a testament to the acting chops of Tabrett Bethell, who plays Cara: though she is in fact a shapely and beautiful woman, when she first appears in the dress it seems as natural as a linebacker wearing a tutu.

The townspeople eventually capture Cara and send a rider to find Kahlan, whom they want to confess Cara…to death! Kahlan seems kind of into the idea. Richard, on the other hand, believes that people can change and she should be showed mercy.

Which once again proves a point that our editor Brent Hartinger made in his review of the last episode: Richard is not a particularly interesting hero, because his high moral standing is never really challenged with an ethical dilemma. For every situation, the right thing to do is clear, even if he (and we, as the audience) are the only ones to see it.

Needless to say, Kahlan realizes Richard is right after a neat little plot twist involving a teacher, and then looking into Cara’s eyes and seeing remorse. There’s an all-too-brief fight scene, which just felt obligatory, a conclusion to a needless sub-plot with Zed finding Flynn, and the episode ends wrapped up in a nice bow.

Except for that whole demons from the Underworld thing, which this episode seemed to mostly forget about.

One more thing: am I the only ones who find the Mord’siths’ appearance a little comical? Every time a lot of them are on screen, I’m always reminded of the Fembots from Austin Powers. Maybe it’s that their outfits are so different from the rest of the world created for the show. At any rate, they never cease to make me chuckle.

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Four Torches (Out of Five)

Warning: The following review contains spoilers for the “Baneling” episode of Legend of the Seeker.

So it’s going to be one of those seasons of Legend of the Seeker, is it?

By that I mean: really, really dark! Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, of course.

In “Baneling,” we learn that Darken Rahl, in association with the Keeper (the god of the Underworld), is making a deal with newly killed souls: they can return to the world of the living through gap that’s opened — but only as long as they agree to kill more people while alive.

Problem is, it’s not just the D’Haran soldiers who are taking the deal and willing to become what are called “banelings.” There are plenty of other folks who are opting in — and they’re not necessarily the people you’d think would be sent to the Underworld in the first place.

It’s a good set-up, and a nice obstacle standing between Richard and Kahlan and the Stone of Tears.

And they managed to use to the premise to great effect in two very good twists — the mother of the locksmith turning out to be a baneling and, of course, the sensationally chilling ending of the episode where her son William (of course!) turns out to be one too.

Like I said, it’s gonna be a dark season!

But while watching this episode, something occurred to me that has given me some cause for concern:

For me, Richard is the least interesting character on this show.

On one hand, I think it’s great that he’s got such strong, unbending morals. But it’s a little annoying to me that, unlike life, he’s rarely put in a position where he has to make a truly difficult choice — having to decide between two very bad options.

Yes, there were one or two moments last season where that came up, but for the most part, his inherent “Boy Scout” has remained intact. He doesn’t seem to have lost any of his idealism (and — let’s face it — naivete), which is actually starting to seem unrealistic.

Anyway, for me, the character just isn’t that interesting.

It was the same with Hercules versus Xena: I was riveted by Xena’s moral struggles (although they too were sometimes a little too easy), but always found Hercules to be a crashing bore.

Maybe the ending of this episode — where young William turns out to be a bloodthirsty killer — was setting us for a more difficult moral choice that lies ahead for Richard. After all, William’s true identity was revealed right after Richard gave yet another pious speech about how good will always triumph over evil. Ironic?

I hope so. Because the show definitely needs something.

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Craig Horner has had quite a year.

It wasn’t a year ago that he flew to New Zealand to star in his own show, Legend of the Seeker, the latest fantasy romp from the visionaries behind Xena: Warrior Princess, Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi.

And since then, his life had been turned upside down. The show has broken out as a solid hit and made plenty of fans (including yours truly; read my latest recaps of the show here and here).

Craig, an Australian native, has been at the center of a media storm.

But that doesn’t mean he has been a total trooper. Craig, 25, spoke to me by phone from New Zealand. According to a publicist, to determine the time there compared to the U.S., “You just subtract four hours and move forward one day.”

My math is terrible, but I think that means was up very early, and squeezing me in before a grueling day’s shoot.

But you never would’ve known it during our chat. He couldn’t have been more charming:

TheTorchOnline: I know you had a successful film and TV career in Australia before landing this role, but I’m wondering if you can’t relate to the character of Richard in that your life was much simpler a year ago, and then the producers of this show showed up and changed everything, just like with Richard.

Craig Horner: Oh, man, you hit the nail right on the head right there. It was just that big kind of leap into the next level of my career. I was forced to step up into the lead of a show with 22 episodes, move to another country, set myself up, and yeah, you couldn’t be more right. I’ve really grown up.

TTO: There are leads, and there are leads. You are in almost every scene, and it’s a very demanding role. How are you holding up?

CH: I’m holding up, man, I’m still going. I’ve got three weeks to go, and then I’ll probably collapse and vegetate and go into a coma. It’s been pretty full-on. It’s been long hours. There’s not a day when there’s not horse-riding and sliding and just running around. And every episode, almost every scene, it’s like the end of the world. And you can’t just walk through a scene where the whole world is at stake. You can’t just sit around and go, “What’d you have for breakfast?”

But it’s good. I love it.

TTO: Sometimes when I do something in life that I really enjoy, it seems like everything that came before it was leading up to that moment. Does it feel a little like destiny getting this role, a really good fit?

CH: You couldn’t be more right. You can only only live in the moment, and allow whatever the moment’s doing to move through you. But when I do look back on it, I was just being myself by using my imagination as a kid, and running through the house with a sword. And then I got into acting, and then I got into this, and I couldn’t do what I’m doing now without my enthusiasm for acting and sword-fighting and imagination and filmmaking and creativity.

Yeah, you’re right, everything’s led to this moment. Hopefully there will be more roles as well, but it’s a snowball effect.

TTO: I asked my readers to help me with questions to ask you, and I was really surprised by how many responses I got. A lot people asked what it’s like on the set. Who’s the biggest cut-up? Is it serious? Is it funny? What’s the tone?

CH: Well, we’re trying to shoot feature-film quality on TV turnaround schedules, so there’s not a lot of time for goofing around and blooper reels. Me and Bridget can’t come out and start jumping around. We just can’t do that, but we really want to.

There’s an element of pressure, but we try not to let the stress come in. But generally, everyone on the set is pretty chill. They’ve been doing this for ten years, since the Xena days.

TTO: So it is all the Xena crowd?

CH: Yeah, and Lord of the Rings. When you’re the lead of the show, you sort of set the tone of the set, along with the director. If the lead is a brat or a princess, and just a stuck-up idiot, then no one’s going to want to show up to work on that show. No one’s going to want to do his make-up or put his clothes on him.

People won’t care about the show or his character, and it’ll fall part. So I try to show that enthusiasm, but it’s not hard, because I’m genuinely enthusiastic about the show. Sometimes I can be tired, I can be exhausted, but generally I’m being enthusiastic, because I love being here.

TTO: I’ve heard Lucy Lawless say the same thing about her days in Xena, how being the focus of everything, she soon realized she was setting the tone for the whole set. Speaking of which, is there any chance she’ll guest on the show in the second season?

CH: I have no idea, but I can ask Rob [Tapert] and get back to you!

TTO: A lot of people asked me to ask you how you manage to stay in such great shape.

CH: For a year before I did this, I had a job where I played a character who was supposed to be a good shape. I think it’s generally a good idea for people to do some sort of bodybuilding or exercise, just for general well-being.

And I fell in love with it, so I kept with it even after that. Fortunately, when Legend of the Seeker came up, in the books, the character is supposed to be quite muscular and strong. So I had a reason to keep it up and amp it up even more. I love training five times a week, now I’m trying to [get in] two days a week.

You know what I did yesterday? I said to my runner, he drives Bridget and me home, she was running late, and I said to my runner, “Greg, pick me up, matey, I’m running down the road now, I’m getting some exercise!” And he was like, “Are you mad?” And I’m like, “Yup,” and I started running. The crew’s seeing the lead actor running down the road and going, “What the hell? Dude, do you need a lift?” And I’m saying, “No, I’m fine!”

TTO: In researching you, I quickly learned that you’ve becoming something of a sex symbol. How does that make you feel?

CH: I don’t think about it, to be honest. It’s great get to people’s attention, briefly, and then hopefully they can appreciate my acting. And I can bring them something, more than just eye-candy. But it’s all just fun and games, I guess.

TTO: I’ve noticed that the show is shot in HD, and you really see everything. Do you ever wake up with a zit and think, “Oh, God, I can’t go to work!”

CH: You know, I don’t even look in the mirror. I get up and go to work and don’t think about it. I’ve got a make-up artist, and they’re going to do my hair properly, to make me look decent.

And you’re right, for those reasons, once you start thinking, “Oh, I’ve got a zit,” you can’t go there.

TTO: Down that road lies madness. Do you have any idea what’s going to happen in the next season? Do you have any input, any idea?

CH: No one knows. I think they’re going to take the three months and sit and try to decide the arc. I don’t know, but I’m going to pitch to direct an episode. I’d really like to do that.

[Editor's Clarification: While the producers of the show are moving ahead with a second season and it is likely to come back, it has not yet been "officially" greenlit. It's a syndicated show, which mean commitments must be received from local markets. So far, 48 of the 50 top markets have committed.]

TTO: I know you said you’re going to collapse when the shooting is done, but do you have plans for the hiatus after that?

CH: I’m going to head over to Los Angeles for about two months with a friend or two. My new agency is there, and I’ll scope out what they want me to see, what’s going on.

It’s getting cold here now, so it’ll be good to head to a warm environment like Los Angeles.

TTO: Where’s your posse? Your friends must be back home. Are you single? Do you have a group of friends who travel with you, or do you just make friends wherever you go?

CH: It’s kinda cool. I am single, but I’ve got a lot of good buddies, I’ve got two or three good buddies, two or three really close blokes, really good boys, one from Brisbane as well as me, one from Rock Hampton. We all moved to Sydney to be actors together.

TTO: Have they been cast in the show?

CH: Yeah, I flew ‘em over, and they stayed with me for a month, and I got them on the show. Rory was a soldier, and Glenn was, like, the village idiot. It was nice just to have them on the set.

TTO: My final question. If you, Craig, talked to the Confessor, what do you think she would say you’ve learned in the past year? What wisdom have you gained about yourself and the world?

CH: I guess how to withstand pain. There’s a line from the show, I think from Zed, which is, “Don’t think about the past or what will be. See only what is.” And I’ve learned to do that, because I’ve been through a lot. I’ve learned to accept what is is what is.

Interested in buying The Sword of Truth books (or any other product)? Support TheTorchOnline.com by purchasing them through this link.

Special thanks to Eef, Ashley, Dana, Ethan, Stephen, Carmencita, LostinDarkness, Amanda, Caroline, Carrie, Annie, Bethany, Maria, Gina, Omar, and all the others who suggested questions, which I tried to incorporate into my own!