Faux Paws Productions
(501) Following the Wolf (FPP-501) (Sentinel)
By Susan L Williams
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 8th June 2000
I was reluctant to read the virtual seasons, because I don't
like the idea of Blair as a cop. But kicking this season off with
soul-searching and mystical stuff is reassuring that the issues and
needs won't be swept under the carpet or ignored. So this was good.
Here, I can believe this Blair's reasons for his decision, even if I
don't agree with them. I'm not sitting here screaming that this isn't
Blair, not at all. It's Blair. And the mystical stuff was cool (and
presumably will be followed up).
(502) Hallowed Halls (FPP-502) (Sentinel)
By DawnC & Kim Heggen
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 8th June 2000
This one did even more to reassure me and reconcile me to
Blair-as-cop. Blair is still Blair, with his second thoughts,
and - thank goodness - we get to see things from Jim's point of view
too.
I liked this bit:
"You have to decide, Chief... you have to ask yourself the
question: What's best for Blair Sandburg? Not, what's best for Jim
Ellison?"
"I was hoping," Blair whispered, "that they were the same thing."
It was really good to see that for Jim, Blair-as-his-cop-partner
is the brass ring - but that he also had enough perception
that he wouldn't want Blair to do it just because he felt he had no
other choice.
And it was good to see the mixed fallout, both good and bad, of TSbyBS.
(503) Back to School (FPP-503) (Sentinel)
By Brenda Bailey
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 9th June 2000
This was full of precocious moments. Or is that
quotable/candid camera moments? Fun, anyway. But not frivolous, we
got serious crime stuff here.
Boy is Jackson bad news.
I liked the Wolf & Panther bit. I liked how, erm, life imitated
instruction. Then again, for Blair, the instruction isn't really
theoretical - because he's got an existing partnership in mind when
he's learning.
Some of my favourite bits:
Before Blair could launch his next sentence, Jim interrupted,
"Breathe. You're easier to understand when your mouth is running at less
than Mach 1."
"He does seem to have some strange fascination for banging his head
into walls. Does that come with working with you for three years?"
(instructor to Ellison about Blair)
Blair had obviously heard his aborted effort to rise and hurried up
the stairs. "You need some help there?"
"No, I don't need any help. I'm just rethinking my approach to the
problem of getting on my feet."
This story was nominated in the 2000 Cascade Times Awards in the
"best FPP episode" category.
(504) The Hazy Blue Line (FPP-523) (Sentinel)
By DawnC
Reviewed by on 9th June 2000
This one is more of a follow-up to "Back to School" than
anything else. The theme so far in this series seems to be that Blair
does everything for the sake of Jim, that's his motivation. I found
it semi-difficult to believe the result of the obstacle course, but I
cheered anyway. I liked the debate Sandburg had with the lecturer
about citizen's rights.
(505) Rock and a Hard Place (FPP-505) (Sentinel)
By Eddie
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 9th June 2000
That was good! Partners! Shaman and Sentinel,
working together, both with a touch of Otherness. And I liked how
Blair's dream repeated until he got it right.
(506) Donut Run (FPP-524) (Sentinel)
By Captain Outrageous & Wildeskind
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 9th June 2000
Blair the trouble magnet strikes. And I don't mind that, so
long as Jim doesn't have to rescue Blair all the time.
This was a nice mixture of action, amusement and comfort.
(507) Sentinel Cordon Bleu (FPP-507) (Sentinel)
By Kim Heggen
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 9th June 2000
Ladies and Gentlemen, Monseiurs et Madames, we now present
something light for the palate, with lashings of ginger-beer, um, I
mean, fun. The dish has one burnt spot - a spot of continuity error
about ASL, inconsistent with "Rock and a Hard Place", but we can flick
that aside.
Oh, and it was good to see that Blair isn't perfect at everything.
I liked the catnip.
(508) Five Point Shot (FPP-509) (Sentinel)
By Sue Pokorny
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 9th June 2000
There were some points I thought it was laying the angst on a
bit thick (considering it wasn't actually the first time Blair had
gone back to Ranier in the course of his duties) and there was one
glaring error (a Pulitzer prize is one for journalism, a Nobel prize
is the one referred to in TSbyBS). On the other hand, there were some
lovely bits of verbal fencing - particularly at the end!
(509) Pacific Spirit (FPP-525) (Sentinel)
By Ryf Van Rij & Lois Balzer
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 9th June 2000
That was good, once I got used to the script format. Just a
touch of Shaman stuff, adventuresome baddies and some good lines. I
liked the idea of testing Jim's sight from the air.
This episode was nominated in the 2000 Cascade Times Awards in the
"Best FPP episode" section.
(510) Crossed Out (FPP-511) (Sentinel)
By CarolROI
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 9th June 2000
This was good too. Darker than some. What does one do with a
baddie with personal charisma? See the perils of deep cover.
Of course, I could see the "which disciple" choice coming, but it
was there to weave the circle, only fitting.
(511) Smokescreen (FPP-512) (Sentinel)
By Shy
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 9th June 2000
This wasn't bad at all. I liked the visions that Jim got.
The plot was pretty good - and particularly the on-going argument
between Jim and Blair. What a nice role-reversal to see Blair
defending the "establishment" viewpoint instead of Jim.
(512) Amateur Night (FPP-513) (Sentinel)
By Nickerbits & Chaz
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 9th June 2000
Some amusing bits, and hey, Blair gets to McGyver his way out
of trouble!
(But I must protest about the "Santa Claus comes to Australia on a
surfboard" thing - that's news to me, and I've lived in Australia
since 1974!). Oooh, but I like the gold star. Shivery continuity.
Addendum: apparently the authors found the "surfing Santa" thing on
the net. Apparently somewhere, some time, someone in Australia had
this tradition - or someone on the net is pulling someone's leg...
(513) The Baboon's Foot (FPP-514) (Sentinel)
By Hephaistos
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 9th June 2000
Be careful what you wish for. I liked the twists in this.
However, the Y2K stuff was all over the place, it wasn't clear
whether the author knew what the Y2K bug was or not.
(514) Partners (FPP-515) (Sentinel)
By Wildeskind
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 21st August 2000 (2)
This was good. The plot had a reasonable amount of misdiretion,
and Jim & Blair again had to think about their relationship, and Blair
about his life, and we had some creepy dreams/visions too.
The scene with the morphene was tops!
Some other good lines:
"Ever since Blair came back from Sierra Verde, he's changed."
"That's only natural. His whole life changed. He's finding
himself."
"Is he? Or is he remaking himself in my image?"
(515) Vegas In Cascade (FPP-516) (Sentinel)
By Brenda Bailey
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 21st August 2000 (3)
This was pretty good. It had some good lines, some picturesque
moments, and some good senses stuff.
I was a bit confused by the references to Blair as a consultant,
though.
Here's one of the fun bits:
Simon interrupted the flow of words with a single word: "Go."
"What?"
"I said go. Go do whatever it is you do to make him better."
"You mean just like that?"
"Yes, Sandburg, just like that. Go feed him chicken soup, or a secret
potion, or chant over him. Just go and do it."
Blair grinned. "Simon, I'm his shaman, not a witch doctor."
"Whatever, but you are what he needs right now. Let me know if you need
anything."
"Hey, do you think you can pick up some eye of newt? I know this
old tribal remedy..." Blair didn't even wait to finish his own sentence,
beating a hasty retreat out the door before Simon could sputter out a
response.
(516) Seems Like Old Times (FPP-517) (Sentinel)
By D L Witherspoon
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 21st August 2000 (4)
This was strangely cheerful; fun in a surreal sort of way.
This story was nominated in the 2000 Cascade Times Awards in the
"best FPP episode" category.
(517) Deal's Way (FPP-518) (Sentinel)
By Mackie
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 21st August 2000 (5)
A pretty good sequel to The Real Deal, with some good lines.
Loved the bit about wandering into the shot. And...
"It's out of our hands, sir," Blair said. "The FBI, the IRS, and
other mysterious letters of the Federal alphabet have pretty much
taken over the case."
(518) Speak No Evil (FPP-519) (Sentinel)
By Eddie
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 23rd August 2000 (2)
This was very good. Joey was very well written, the ideas
were cool, and there were some fun lines too.
(519) The Kindness of Strangers (FPP-520) (Sentinel)
By Hephaistos & Mackie
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 23rd August 2000 (3)
This was definitely good, good enough to be filmed.
The opening was dramatic, the story was full of character and tension.
Ezra and Minnie were great supporting characters. Yay for Minnie and
Blair's MacGyver-ing! I also liked the little touches with the mystic
stuff.
This episode won the 2000 Cascade Times Awards in the
"Best FPP episode" section.
(520) Wind Shift (FPP-506) (Sentinel)
By Swellison
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 26th August 2000 (1)
This was good. I liked the little bit of continuity with
Deal's Way. This was just a good case story, with a cool
little Jim flashback in there.
(521) Bad Desire (FPP-526) (Sentinel)
By Kim Heggen
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 26th August 2000 (2)
Another case story, reasonably good.