Shadowhunters TV: Episode 5: "Moo Shoo Pork to Go" / Review #Shadowhunters

Happy Mundane Monday Shadowhunter fans! This week I am late on sharing our thoughts from last week's Shadowhunters episode. It was a crazy week, and honestly, I finally had a chance to write my review up this weekend. Better late than never ... You can read our previous reviews here. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this week's episode below in our comments. 

Katie's Thoughts

I am totally shocked to say this, but I liked a lot of what went down in episode 5. I was not excepting that, at all. Sure, there are still things I can't help but laugh at, like Valentine hiding out in Chernobyl, and the middle grade drama, or should I say comeback that Alec gives Clary when she confronts him about him loving Jace, but other than that, the over all character development was great. I felt like I finally got to see more glimpses of the characters I have come to love in the books. 

Clary finally started to show a bit of that attitude book Clary has, and she took charge and set out to find answers. Though that ended up getting her kidnapped, but hey, I loved seeing her attitude, not to mention it was a little comical that she ticked Alec off even more for running out on him, which I also found humorous in the books. Gotta love him calling her out during this scene....

*ShadowhuntersTV via Twitter

Hello Luke! I loved seeing him go all alpha to protect Clary. I loved that Clary didn't immediately believe him when he tells her he was their to protect her. I'm finally starting to like Jace so much more than I have been. I love seeing him torn between his loyalty to Alec, and his feelings for Clary. I am loving Simon! Okay I've loved Simon from the get go, but I'm loving that his transformation into a vampire is taking a bit to happen, similar to how it was in the books. I love that we're seeing that it's not just Simon that's noticing his changes, but Clary as well. Also fabulous, Alec. 

Seriously, I am loving Alec more so in this TV series than I did in the books. Alec took a few books for me to really like him, though I always felt bad for him. However, Matthew rocks at bringing Alec to life. From the delivery of lines, to his body movement, and his actions, everything about him is totally book Alec. Wow, did my heart break a bit for him when Jace laid into him about losing Clary. Can we talk about Jace for a moment? He's killing me with how he's treating Alec. I love that it was Izzy that intervened. Yes I read the books, I know how he treats Alec, but seeing it is a little harder to take. Those scenes were great, and hard to watch all at the same time. Also hard to watch, the way Izzy's mom treats Izzy. My word that women has angered me all over again. I didn't like her much in the books, but now, I really don't like her. Izzy was the one lending comfort and trying to keep the peace in this episode, but she lacked getting any of that herself, especially from her mom.

Over all episode 5 was good. I felt like it's been the biggest improvement since the show started. Despite it not giving us any real answers, we saw a lot more action, some great scenes between the characters, witnessed a Malec date being set and unfortunately, Valentine is still in Chernobyl. I'm trying hard not to laugh, because that's such a ridiculous hiding place for Valentine. The man is ruthless, and doesn't hide out in some far away city. He hides in plain site, right under their noses. At this point, I'm more scared of Maryse than I am of Valentine... that's a disappointment. 

I'll definitely be tuning in to watch this week's episode (episode 6). I need some answers, and I'm hoping we'll finally get them. I'm also really curious about what's going to happen now that Luke's the alpha, Simon is on the verge of becoming a vampire, and Magnus and Alec have a date set. I wonder if we'll get a green house scene with Jace and Clary, since that scene never happened. I'm holding out hope that there will something to make up for that crucial scene not happening a couple episodes back. 

Sophie's Thoughts

Shadowhunters S1E5 is titled "Moo Shoo Pork to Go". I think it should be titled "Hungry Like the Wolf".

If you're now singing along with me, "Darken the city, night is a wire/Steam in the subway, earth is a afire...", I am truly sorry. Okay, not really, but keep humming along as we find our favorite cast of Shadowhunters facing the same dilemma as always -- will they ever aind Valentine and therefore Clary's mom? Where on Earth is that Mortal Cup? This week's episode, sadly, brings us no closer to those answers, although we get a lot of reminders of their goals.

Episode 5 feels like a Flller Scene. You know the scenes in books where action is sacrificed in the name of character development? Yeah, that. So we get these sweet little scenes between pairings of characters, and I'll be honest, I ate them up (yes, I'm sticking to the eating metaphor). The relationship between Jace-Clary-Alec is at the center and we get Alec's commanding presence, Jace's quiet frustration and Clary's Imma-gonna-do-what-Imma-gonna do attitude. Not gonna lie, I loved it. It was book-worthy. Not perfect, but close to book-worthy. We see Isabelle comforting Clary after Alec's outburst. We see Alec and Jace discussing what Alec perceives is an embarrassing moment with the demon and the image of Jace appearing. The awkwardness of Alec and the easy dismissal of the entire thing by Jace is EVERYTHING. As is Maryse's comment back to Clary's pathetic whiney line, "I've only been a Shadowhunter for a few days." "And what an exciting few days it has been," says FREEFORM Mama with the BRestingFace. Indeed, it has been exciting.These scenes weren't perfect, but the characters were much more recognizable to me.

Speaking of book scene recognition, the infamous moment in City of Bones when Clary confronts Alec's love of Jace was reduced to middle school drama. They even said it -- "middle school comeback". You're in love with Jace. No, you're in love with Jace. Let's face it, we are ALL in love with Jace. I wish they had stuck to Alec's really ticked off reaction in the book. But, hey, this is Shadowhunter-lite storytelling, so we forgive and move on.

We are then given an awkward reminder of our big, bad, dad-villain in a scene in Chernobyl (yes, I still smirk at the location) involving Seelie blood injections and making more Forsaken. And we have another gloriously weird moment of Wonder-Twin-Powers-Activate with Alec and Jace as they try to locate Clary. We have scenes of Simon being genuinely BookSimon. Lastly (dun-dun-dun-dun), we have the Alpha Wolf fight time. I wasn't expecting it this quickly. But, there it was at a place called The Jade Wolf (a seedy Chinese food place) -- shirtless Luke looking, well, hungry and alpha-ish.

Anyone hungry (had to say it) for episode 6? What could possibly happen there? While I'm not entirely sure, I do know that I'll tune in. Will you?

Emm's Thoughts

See I did like this episode but I've decided I still need to know the answers to lots of questions. So my review is in question form

Why was Maryse such a B*#ch? Hard mom yes but maybe a bit to full on

Why the motion blur? While Clary & Alec were training maybe but not every time someone moves. My film school son says it is doing his head in. Just get rid of it and speed them up.

Why do the weapons like Alec's bow & the seraph blades just appear? Do they glamour them? Are they magic?

Why the parabatai staring contest, I mean tracking magic? I know the fans complained when there was no parabatai in the movie but that doesn't mean you have to go over board. And why can't they track over water?

Why isn't Luke the leader of the werewolf pack? And why are the werewolves bad guys?

Why is Clary still wearing Izzy's clothes, why the heels still? Why is her hair so perfect and pretty? Although I do like her jewelry.

Why isn't Izzy's zip on her dress all the way up, did it get stuck?

How did Luke get defeated so fast by Alec & Jace? I know they are good but isn't Luke supposed to be good too?

Did I just see a scene from New Moon? Ok now Luke is the leader. I'm ok with that now.

Why is Valentine's hide out in Chernobyl?
Why do the seraph blades look like light sabers?
And how cool is the soundtrack?
And now who wants Magnus' phone cover?
Who got excited to see a baby JC reference?
Who doesn't love Alec?
And who here in Mundie Mom land liked that we saw Old Spice Guy, I mean Luke without a shirt?