Greg Bishansky writes...

Here's my own "City Of Stone" ramble. I decided to wait till you were done rambling about all 4 parts and do mine together. I'm also watching the 4-parter as I type this. This is, IMO, the best multi-parter, and story told in all sixty-six episodes of "Gargoyles". It is an extremely powerful and dramatic story.

Here we go…

"City of Stone Part One"

First that title, it is a very powerful and dramatic title, just like the story it is attached to. While it doesn't really cover the flashbacks, I don't think it really needs to. It still sets the mood quite well. Also, I agree that it does sound like a movie title.

The opening scene works quite well. Matt does make a good negotiator, I wonder if does that often in hostage situations, or they bring in someone else. Nice use you make of Brendan and Margot, though I'm surprised there aren't more hostages in a building like that. It is New York after all. I've always been a little curious about the terrorists' cause, but I understood that this was not the place to tell us. Here's hoping you're able to tell us here soon, or show it to us in the show's revival, or in one of the Spin-offs.

Of course the Gargoyles bust in, and you have a great battle scene… though I think it would have benefited with better animation of course. I was quite disgusted with Brendan and Margot in this scene (among their other scenes on other episodes), being more afraid of the Gargoyles, than the woman who had them tied up with guns to their heads. But I love Brooklyn's line to them. Very appropriate indeed.

Ah the Sisters. They did appear to be rather odd here, but they were supposed to. I wasn't sure what to make of them, but I decided to let time tell. I was able to easily figure out that they were talking about Demona…

Fade to the next scene, and we see her. I like the way she was drawn and animated here. There's a lot of beauty and grace here. I love Demona as you know, so be prepared for a lot of compliments to her throughout my own ramble.

It's nice to see what the Captain and Demona discussed after Goliath left them, and didn't feel stuck in at all. I like the Captain and always thought that he was a good man, though he has made mistakes… haven't we all. I did notice what you talked about way back when I first watched it that the animators messed up on Demona a few times. It's particularly obvious when she grabs the Captain. But she looks normal again, and we get that gorgeous shot of her profile with the moon glowing behind her.

And then there's the scene with Othello and Desdemona. Another nice scene, and it makes me wonder how close Demona was to them as opposed to her other rookery siblings and clan members, because it seems like she was deliberately seeking them out. Also, I would have expected Iago to be perching near them, since his parts also get mixed up with theirs leading to Coldstone. This is also a powerful scene for Demona, since she's no in control of the situation anymore. Damned if she did, and damned if she didn't. I often wonder how I would have handled it.

The scene where Demona turns to stone on the beach with the tear running down her face was beautiful.

The next scene is also quite powerful. Demona's returning to the castle where we already know what's happened, but the massacre is still as horrific as it was in "Awakening", perhaps even more so now. I think even Demona realized what had happened but was in denial. She wouldn't have hid if otherwise.

Of course she can't face Goliath, but I wonder how different things would have been had she the courage to face him there. Goliath's "angel of the night" scene is not as dramatic because there should have been more flames animated in the castle like in "Awakening part 1 and 2", so when the stock footage is inserted, it looks out of place.

I wonder what Demona was doing while Goliath and the others were battling the Vikings.

Ah yes, the infamous "What have I… what have they done to you!?" Perhaps the single defining quote of who Demona has become. It is perfect; it was also perfect for Jon Canmore, but more on that when we get to "Hunter's Moon".

I also wonder why she didn't take the eggs from the Princess, the Magus and Tom. I'm sure it would have been easy enough to accomplish. My guess is that it was out of shame. For when they hatched, each time she looked at those hatchlings, she'd see the clan she left to die.

Her farewell to Goliath is very emotional, and the tear on the stone works well again.

The scene where we meet Gillecomgain is a great one, and it works well with Demona. We saw her just two seconds ago mourning, and now we see her in a mad rage. One small, action creating a thousand year legacy. Sad but true.

And we fade back to the present with another gorgeous shot of Demona gliding, and the look on her face is not the look of someone who is going to turn the city's population to stone, and massacre innocent people, but rather a look of sadness. In that one brief scene, she looks sadder than any other time we saw her. Including the aftermath of the massacre. Her silence speaks much louder than her sobs and her tears.

The spell casting scene was great. Sure you cheated a little in having Demona trap Owen, but I don't care. It would have messed up the tone of the scene and it's pacing. I hope I'm correct in assuming that the wire Demona used to bind Owen was iron.

The Sisters themselves get a good scene; I of course was wondering what it was they were waiting for. I also wonder what people made of Demona. Eccentric woman in a Halloween costume perhaps? Wonder how PackMedia explained that later.

The second flashback. The scene where he Gargoyles break into the mill is especially dark, and when Demona raises her mace and kills them, well… what can I say. I do think the animators made Demona look too old here. She looks younger in the flashbacks in part 2. But I imagine that the years have been miserable and stressful to say the least.

Is it just me, or to the other Gargoyles seem terrified of Demona. I sometimes wish we got to know some of them better. Did Demona call any of them friends? And the Sisters show up and are quite mysterious. I like the way Luna is animated, ever the mystic. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer's" Drusilla sometime reminds me of Luna in that scene when she has a vision and acts all mystical. Again I think Demona's age was overdone, especially with that close-up right before the commercial.

I like the scene with Findlaech, Bodhe, Gruoch and young Macbeth. Truly love at first sight, it's rare but it happens. You described Bodhe's actions in this scene far better than I ever could.

The Hunter was introduced magnificently. He definitely came off as dramatic and powerful (I know I keep using those words in my descriptions, but that's what the whole of CoS is), and the fight scene is great… "City" is full of great action scenes. Findlaech's death did not shock me, since it seemed obvious her was going to die. Don't know why, it just felt right. I wasn't even well versed in history and Shakespeare back then. Demona looked quite frightening when she advanced on the Hunter. I enjoyed seeing her save Macbeth and Gruoch, nice to see she hasn't fallen completely into darkness yet. The more I think about it, the more I think you're description of her as a romantic makes sense. She's a character full of passion.

Duncan comes off as a real bastard, and only becomes more of one as "City Of Stone" progresses. I was not at all surprised to see that Gillecomgain was under that mask. Knew it the second I first saw the Hunter. Also liked how the Sisters just seemed to be everywhere.

Fade back to the present with Macbeth donning the mask of the Hunter. Demona will express my sentiments for me about this in Part 4. But I was wondering why he was wearing it.

The scene with David and Fox in the helicopter was nice. Always good to see those two together. Does she always fly him around, or does he have a personal pilot. Also, Fox sounded a little different. Was that Laura doing her voice in this episode? Also, I liked the scenario you presented if Demona had been telling the truth, and would David do anything to give her back that one-minute when she died. It's moot, but it's a dramatic scenario anyway.

I rather liked Owen's urgency. Nice to see him kind of losing it.

As for why Elisa's facing the wrong way… I don't care. It's still a good cliffhanger.

End Part One.

Need to take a break, I'll do the other parts a little later.