Written by John Edward BetancourtTHIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...Sometimes the true wonder of watching a television show in its first year, is the fact that the powers that be behind the scenes, will occasionally take risks when telling a story. After all, it's year one, why not try something new and see what sticks and its something that I'm starting to realize is happening on a regular basis when it comes to Designated Survivor. Because over the course of eighteen episodes, nothing conventional or traditional has really ever settled in when it comes to this series. It started off as a disaster parable, wherein the future of the United States was at stake and as the story continued along, it became a family drama, and shortly after the assassination attempt on President Kirkman, the show shifted gears once again to become quite the political drama and it seemed, last night's episode, 'The Ninth Seat' was going to maintain that focus. Especially when one considers that the main plot line locked onto Kirkman's attempt to get the Supreme Court put back together, and while it was neat to watch the President find a way around the usual political malaise of Washington, the show once again shifted focus toward an unexpected surprise...the grand conspiracy that we know little of, took the center stage at last and we learned as much as we could about said conspiracy, in the most unexpected of places. Because a fair chunk of this episode took place in a tiny, out of the way berg known as Driggs, North Dakota. Where we rejoined Hannah and Jason as they investigated the town after their disturbing discovery at the missile silo last week and what they found here was downright strange. Cars and trucks and RV's with license plates from all over the nation were littered everywhere and their first encounter with another human being was straight out of a spy drama with code words and everything, and it wasn't until they talked to a true local that they learned these folks were known as True Believers, who often showed up in this area three or four times a year to do heaven knows what at the exact place where the missile silo was located, forcing Hannah to be a touch bolder with these folks, and creatively swipe a booklet that all of these people appeared to be carrying around. It was what was inside that book, Pax Americana, that finally gave us some answers to the conspiracy that's been eluding us all season long. It turns out that this book, is nothing more than a manifesto, one that speaks to how the greatest civilizations in history fell because of corruption and unnecessary and pointless war and the hope of this book is to inspire others to help bring about the end of the United States as we know it, and it's clear now that Peter MacLeish was supposed to ascend to the Presidency to usher in the birth of a new country and a new era and considering how quick he was to pull the trigger on putting down Nestor Lozano, and the use of the word 'empire' in the manifesto, there's a fair chance part of the creation of this new nation would be forged in fire by way of brutal war, and who knows exactly what kind of Republic would await the people of the world once the dust settles. However, the show wasn't done offering up surprises since in the closing seconds of the story, another grand reveal came to pass, in that Nestor Lozano is alive and well, and at the silo now to boot and just like that, the show has shifted back to disaster mode, with the country's future at stake and credit is due when it comes to the writer's room and the powers that be, because I get the funny feeling this was all part of the plan. To shift the story about and lull us into a sense of security by picking off offending villains one by one before removing all of that security and thrusting us back into the sheer horror of a world where people are ready to plunge the nation into darkness while chanting their chilling motto; 'No victory, without sacrifice.' Either way, Hannah and the President have quite the fight ahead of them since I have no doubt, Lozano and his friends are getting ready to make another deadly move. Until next time.
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Written by John Edward BetancourtTHIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...The more I've thought about it, the more I've come to realize that the Framework storyline that's been playing out on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is by far the finest tale the series has ever put together. It's powerful, it's gritty and the stakes have never been higher and the darkness and gravity that it delivers seems to have everyone talking. We're all dying to know what comes next and just how far this story will go and last night's episode, 'No Regrets', let all of us know, that this story is going to get a lot worse before it gets any better since we now see just how dangerous the Framework can be. Because as it turns out, it wasn't a joke when we learned that people that die in here, die in the real world since S.H.I.E.L.D. said goodbye to one of its own. But before we say our farewells to that particular character, we need to talk about the fact that the show finally did take the time to answer exactly what transformed Fitz into a monster in this world, and truly...it's the last thing we ever expected...his father. Yes, we finally met dear old dad and oddly enough, he's just about what we expected him to be. Cold, stoic, and filled to the brim with ideals from a time long gone and said ideals of staying strong and on point when it comes to the mission, regardless of the cost or the damage, is what laid the foundation for Fitz's evil streak. It just so happens that dad apparently advises him from the shadows and encourages this behavior and well...a little 'positive reinforcement' from the one man Fitz always wanted to please has resulted in the creation of one of the most feared men on the planet. According to Aida, she absolved Fitz of his biggest regret, which clearly is never knowing his father and hearing Fitz utter the words 'I don't know what kind of man I'd be without you' to his dad, is downright heartbreaking...because we know without pop, Fitz turned out to be quite the incredible man. But the answer to how Fitz became so evil, paled in comparison to the grand mission that S.H.I.E.L.D. went on this week to free a particular person that Jeffrey believed had intel on a Hydra super weapon that could wipe out Inhumans, because this mission...changed everything. Not only did it give Agent May a look as to what Hydra is truly all about, since she saw innocent kids in this facility, and heroism from the 'terrorists', but this is where we learned just how dangerous the Framework can be. Because The Patriot put himself in quite the perilous position to save a single child's life, the kind that there was no escape from and while he saved his friends and so many others, he perished during the act and just like that...Director Jeffrey Mace quietly passed away in front of Aida in the real world as well...but at least we can take solace in the fact that Jeffrey finally became the superhero he always wanted to be, and he even went out in honorable fashion. So...yeah, we said goodbye to a lovable character to say the least and while it was heartbreaking to see Mace pass on...this episode did end with a sense of hope. After all, we do know that there is good still within Fitz, thanks to an off the cuff comment to his father earlier on in the episode, one that daddy shut down quickly. Plus, Daisy apparently now knows the way out of the Framework and thanks to a now converted Agent May, it looks like she has her powers back as well. So once again, kudos to the writer's room for putting together another stunning episode and credit is also due for this particular episode's journey into philosophical territory with its discussion on how a single moment or act can sometimes change a life in ways we never expected, and I cannot wait to see what incredible surprises are in store for us come next week. Until then. Written by John Edward BetancourtWe have talked about some odd episodes when it comes to Star Trek: The Next Generation. Yet somehow those particular tales were understandable and forgivable. After all, the show was still finding its legs and stumbles are inevitable when you're first starting out. The show went on to bring us some of Star Trek's finest moments, yet as the end drew near, some of those strange tales appeared once again and in season seven there was one such tale that left me in surprise, 'Genesis'. In this particular episode, Picard and Data leave the Enterprise to retrieve a torpedo that was part of a weapons test. Upon their return they find their beloved ship adrift. When they board the ship, they discover that something incredible has happened. The crew has managed to de-evolve into more primal or dangerous lifeforms and now it is a race against time for Data to find a cure and save his comrades before the changes to their DNA become permanent. So yeah. I categorize this episode as one of the strangest I've ever seen in Trek lore because well...it really is. It's odd to see Lieutenant Barclay turning into a spider. Or watch Counselor Troi become a fish. Or see Worf become some exoskeleton covered beast simply because, this felt more like a freak of the week episode for a horror show, complete with top notch special effects. I mean, the Barclay-spider was an impressive look to the say the least but what's ironic is that the homage to horror didn't just end with the special effects. The episode also put a big focus on creating a creepy atmosphere, with darkened corridors aboard the Enterprise, where things lurked in the shadows and that was only further enhanced by having Data and Picard running through the ship, hiding from place to place from the mysteries and monsters lying in wait behind the sanitized facade of a Galaxy Class Starship. Sure it made for an entertaining ride, but let's be honest, none of these horror elements felt comfortable and what happens to the crew along the way is equally as odd and out of place. After all, there are moments when the crew begins to act out their 'animal instincts', particularly when Worf bites Troi to claim her as his mate and that just was so unlike Trek. There was no advancement of anything here, just a gimmicky plot and monsters that were at least based on science and all of those elements populated an episode that seemed to be just thrown into the mix of the show's final season for the sake of fulfilling the episode order. It's worth a look for the quality special effects, but it's one that will certainly leave you going 'huh' when all is said and done. Written by John Edward BetancourtIf there is one thing each and every one of us strive for in life, it's balance and peace. We yearn to not deal with unnecessary drama or major problems in our life and while sometimes the struggle to be free of such things is difficult, the end result is always worth the journey. Yet, what's truly amazing about finding our own personal utopia, is how quickly it can be upset or shattered. Sometimes it only takes a moment, and just like that we're back to square one, trying to figure out how to get our lives back on track and peaceful once again. That particular quest for internal peace is one of the many themes that Battlestar Galactica has been exploring throughout its second season and the most recent episode I had the pleasure of rewatching, 'Epiphanies', decided to take an in-depth look at how we respond to having that peace shattered by rattling the core of the fleet with a different kind of insurrection. I say different, because there was no organized protest throughout the fleet, or any kind of armed conflict. No instead we were introduced to a group of people who believed that the time for war had come to an end, and they brought attention to their cause through ugly and violent statements to let the Admiral know he should do what he deemed unthinkable...surrender to the Cylons and make peace with them. But while the notion of peace is nothing earth shattering when it comes to stories similar to this one, what made this particular plot thread so damn intriguing, is that the notion of making peace with a sworn enemy, came from said enemy. Gina, the Cylon that escaped the Pegasus with Baltar's help was the brains behind the whole thing and she, along with the apparition of Caprica Six, saw an opportunity for the Vice President to embrace their cause and launch it to new heights because it was a well known fact throughout the fleet that the President was more or less upon her death bed aboard the Galactica, meaning that it wouldn't be long before Baltar assumed the Presidency and all of the power, and influence, that comes with it. However, complicating Baltar's rise to power, is a dying wish from the embattled Roslin, who wanted to see Sharon's pregnancy terminated for the safety of future generations of mankind. The disturbing idea gave him a wild idea on how to save the President since he discovers that the blood from the Human/Cylon fetus could potentially cure her and well, despite some misgivings from Doc Cottle, they give the cure a whirl and save the President's life in the process. But a letter that Roslin left for Baltar, to be opened after he became the President changes his outlook on his good deed, merely because she does say a few hard truths about the man, leading him to help out the rebels in the fleet...by giving them the nuclear warhead he 'needed' for his experiments and that little twist was downright fascinating to say the least. Because despite everyone's best efforts to find unity in the fleet, fear of the unknown still comes into play, and old wounds can still be re-opened and sadly, the human ego is still creating plenty of problems and it's a shame those elements are still keeping the survivors of mankind from coming together in a common cause. Either way, I have to say that while all this stuff was neat, this was in essence a so-so episode. It's obvious everything presented here was designed to set up some future plot points and while it wasn't terrible, this one pales in comparison to the past few episodes. Unfortunately, however, this episode did jog my memory and hopefully it's wrong because I recall this stretch of the show delivering some sub par stories and while I know the next one, is one of my least favorites, here's to hoping what follows 'Black Market', is simply top notch. Regardless it's time to settle in and try to find the good in an episode that left a bad taste in my mouth, as we continue our journey through the stars. Until next time. Written by John Edward BetancourtTHIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...Last week when we settled in to recap Better Call Saul, we had a healthy discussion about how the series was taking a 'slow burn' approach to the creation of Saul Goodman in that the story was seemingly never going to provide us with a specific epiphany or transformation moment wherein Saul would magically appear. Instead this story had established the fact it was going to strip away one layer of Jimmy McGill at a time, until nothing remained but the titular character we were first introduced to in Breaking Bad. Which meant it was safe to assume that this week's episode of the show would continue with that tradition. We would once more explore what makes good people turn bad and every single second of that exploration would be utterly fascinating. But instead, 'Witness', turned out to be quite the pleasant surprise, because this particular tale didn't go the slow burn route at all. Not only did we get a chance to see Jimmy revel in the wonders of the seedier side of life in this story, the transformation of McGill to Goodman received quite the shot in the arm this go round as we came to discover exactly what Chuck had planned for his little brother. But before we get too deep into that, let's talk about Jimmy's taste of the underworld of Albuquerque. Because this episode picked up immediately where last week left off, with Mike hot on the trail to figure out who was having him tracked and why, and his observations eventually led to him a little restaurant known as Los Pollos Hermanos and seeing as to how the man with the gas cap tracker left said tracker in this restaurant, Mike enlisted a little help to learn more about this lackey by asking Jimmy to swing by the place for breakfast to observe exactly what was going on and well...watching Jimmy take on a different kind of case was simply a treat. After all, this is Jimmy in his element, this is the kind of stuff he lives for and another fine performance from Bob Odenkirk allowed for us to completely understand how much he missed this part of his life because the joy was ready to burst from him at any given moment and all of that was accomplished with the look in his eyes and it was just a joy to see Jimmy getting the thrill he so desperately needs. But of course what made this particular scene even cooler...was the return of Gus Fring. In fact, credit is due to the show for making his re-introduction and reveal so incredibly iconic because you could see him, just out of focus in the background, slowly making his presence known, making the exact moment when he came face to face with Jimmy all the more amazing. Either way, Gus is back and he knows Mike figured everything out and it should be interesting to see what comes next in this little game of cat and mouse. However, while it was awesome to see Gus return and see Jimmy do his thing...what Chuck had up his sleeve was far more incredible. Apparently, parts of Saul Goodman run in the family because the elder McGill plotted out quite the cruel plan for his little brother, because everything he did last week when it comes to Ernesto 'accidentally' hearing the tape was part of some larger scheme to get his brother to break into his home and steal said tape, wherein a private investigator, hired by HH&M would catch Jimmy in the act and get him thrown in jail. That elaborate plan worked like a charm, because Ernesto and the guilt on his conscience when it comes to what he heard at Chuck's house led him to speak to Kim in private and confess to her and of course, since she's still a big fan of Jimmy she was more than happy to figure out a way to build a defense against Chuck's plans, but Chuck knew deep down that there would be no rational resolution to this. He wanted to hurt Jimmy badly for what he had done and with Ernesto's confession coming to light, it was mission accomplished. Jimmy was completely and utterly shattered by his brother's actions. You could see the anguish on his face once Kim told him what Chuck had done and despite his best efforts to let it go, all this knowledge did was add fuel to a growing fire. It led to a penultimate moment where indeed Jimmy made his way to his brother's house, but not in the middle of the night, under the cover of darkness where Jimmy could quietly sneak into the house. Instead it was in the middle of the day, and Jimmy was anything but subtle. He kicked the door down, and ripped Chuck's desk to pieces to get his hands on that tape, but what caught me off guard more about this moment isn't that Jimmy did exactly what Chuck said he would do, it was what came out of his mouth while he did it. Jimmy spoke to this act ruining what was left of his and Chuck's relationship. Every ounce of pain and anger poured out of Jimmy in this moment, and he in essence finally said what he needed to to his brother and Chuck heard none of it. Instead, with his trap finally sprung, the private investigator and even Howard stepped forth and confirmed to Chuck that they were witnesses to this act and once again...Jimmy is in a lot of trouble. The reason however, I made mention of the fact that this act could serve as quite the springboard to the creation of Saul Goodman is because Chuck really is everything to Jimmy. He's the guy that got Jimmy out of jail all those years ago, gave him a chance at a better life with a job at the firm and now...it's clear he's turned his back on Jimmy. This was in many ways, the 'nuclear option' for Chuck. There's no going back or any ounce of forgiveness to be found here, especially when we all know the elder McGill will do everything in his power to make sure Jimmy has the book thrown at him and well...no one is ever the same after that kind of family betrayal, they change...and in this case Jimmy may change into someone entirely new and it's quite possible that last night could serve as the genesis of Saul Goodman because if there's one thing that can turn good people into something darker...it's having those they love go out of their way to hurt them. Until next time. Written by Scott EdwardsI don’t know about you, but I am very particular about the movies that I watch and when they are pretty bad, I like to make fun of them as they play on. Thank goodness I was not the only one that liked to do this as Mystery Science Theater 3000 graced my television set back in the 90’s with a janitor and two snarky robots who liked to do the same thing. While some of the jokes that they told were beyond me, I really enjoyed what the group had embraced while being trapped on the dark side of the moon when it comes to B movies and what it takes to make them watchable. I will admit as the series moved on and the cast of the show changed, I started to lose interest and when it faded away into nothingness, I was saddened and would try to find repeats to watch on occasion, but it was just not the same. In the not too distant past, last Friday, at twelve a.m. (la-la-la), Netflix blessed us all with the gift of bringing back a great show, by way of Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return. With the great names of Felicia Day and Patton Oswalt being attached, I knew that I would give it a go, but had no idea who Jonah Ray or Baron Vaughn or Hampton Yount were. I could only hope that this new threesome of critics could be able to embrace what made the original series with Joel Hodgson and his friends Tom Servo and Crow so enjoyable and I am happy to say, that yes, they have brought life back to the series that we have all missed so much. Even though it seemed to take a couple episodes for me to really get back into the series, Cry Wilderness seemed to be the favorite episodes of my friends, since it provided a ton of laughs, but it did not feel like the original series until StarCrash came on my screen, because something finally started to click between me and the crew of The Satellite of Love. I don’t know what it really was, but after watching them roast that film, I cannot seem to stop watching it. The Land That Time Forgot kept me rolling throughout and there does not seem to be an end to the joy that the show is bringing to the screen. The little skits during the movies, and the invention exchanges are great, but I am dying with the commercial breaks, because we are on Netflix and there are no commercials. I am always first and loudest when calling out Netflix for their mistakes, as they will continue to make them, but when I need to shut my mouth and congratulate them for doing something right, I will do that as well. Almost twenty years have gone by since Mystery Science Theater 3000 gave us something new and while people have been trying to duplicate it, it has never been the same. The Return has delivered just that, what we have been waiting for, for so long to see once again. This has proven to be one of the best decisions that Netflix has ever made and I genuinely hope that they will continue to renew this show until all of the B movies from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s have been torn to shreds, because it is very enjoyable. Written by John Edward BetancourtTHIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK... Change is unfortunately, inevitable, and if there is one television show out there that rams that point home as often as possible, it's Doctor Who. After all, regardless of how much we come to know and love a particular Doctor, we know deep down, their day will come, and they will regenerate into a new iteration of...the Doctor. It's a painful and heartbreaking process for the fans and alas, the end of the Twelfth Doctor, one who has been played brilliantly by Peter Capaldi, draws near, for Series 10 will serve as his swan song and often times, the final season of a Doctor, is a bittersweet experience. David Tennant's final ride built to a tear filled crescendo in 'The End of Time' and Matt Smith's farewell tour was filled with awe inspiring speeches that let the spirit soar for a brief moment before sinking our hearts with the realization we would be enjoying his manic/boyish charm for only a little while longer, and it will be a difficult goodbye for Peter Capaldi when the time finally arrives. Because Peter has been the perfect Doctor of the new era, blending the energy of the new guard while channeling the knowledge and power of the old guard which means that Peter's final season should be equally as bittersweet and heartbreaking...right? Well...apparently not, because last night's series/season premiere, 'The Pilot', turned out to be a downright amazing episode that let us know that Twelve is going to go out with a bang and we are going to enjoy every last second of his farewell. This particular tale in the Time Lord's story brought us back to earth where we find the good Doctor is teaching at a University in order to keep quite the low profile. But one particular person on campus, Bill, finds his lectures to be incredibly different and incredibly brilliant, and well, despite wanting to stay out of the limelight, the Doctor simply can't resist taking her under his wing and it's a good thing that he does. Because an alien stranded on earth takes control of Bill's crush at school and this hybrid being chases Bill and the Doctor through time and space in the hopes of fulfilling a final promise and there's a reason I'm glazing over the plot because while it was fun and filled to the brim with throwbacks to Doctors of yesteryear, this was an intimate story for the Doctor served upon a grand platform and it was absolutely brilliant to say the least, and it needs to be celebrated. But before we get too far into that, let's take a moment and thank the BBC and Steven Moffat and everyone involved with the show for giving a big time sci-fi show an LGBTQ lead in Bill, and for not making her character a gimmick or utterly cliché. Who she loves is who she loves and the fact that she wasn't in love with the Doctor was a welcome change, and only helped enhance the story further considering that she was able to reach the Doctor on a supremely personal level and help him see the light and error of his ways, which means that we may spend this year getting to know one incredible companion, something the series has been lacking for some time now. Which brings us back to our favorite Time Lord, because this was quite the somber tale for the Doctor. A man who once saved entire planets, is okay with hiding behind a desk and has in essence settled. He's now content with merely changing one mind at a time through education and while that's not a bad thing, let's be honest...it's not what the Doctor does. He's a true champion of the universe and all of time and space, he inspires entire cultures and worlds and the joy he finds in that was reinforced by the glimmer in his eyes that appeared once the plot started chugging along, but what I loved the most about this somber direction for Twelve, is that the Doctor was more human than ever in this episode. He's trapped by grief, unable to let go of his pain and move on for fear that releasing said anguish will somehow diminish the memory of Clara and River and that he may open himself up to experience that kind of pain again. All it took to snap him out of it...was Bill's wild wonder. She knew deep down from her brief but thrilling jaunt across time and space that while the universe may be a dangerous and rotten place at times, it is also filled with incredible beauty, and the chance to experience that, outweighs the bad that comes with it...and makes it worth the risk. Either way, we are truly in for an incredible treat this year, because if the stories that follow last night's premiere are this strong and this thoughtful we may see a two-thousand year old Time Lord find a new appreciation for the universe he has protected to the point of exhaustion and leave it to a show like this, to remind all of us that the adventure is worth the risk and I cannot wait to see Twelve redeem his soul this season...and also find out what the heck is locked in that pesky vault. Until next time. Written by John Edward BetancourtIf there is one constant when it comes to Star Trek as a whole, it is the fact that for the most part, every iteration of the show managed to tell a complete story on a regular basis. Sure it was usually wrapped up in a single hour, but it was a gratifying feeling to know you experienced a complete and thorough telling of a story. Which is why those episodes that never quite gave us resolution still remain frustrating in my mind, simply because they broke the mold of such quality television. But there is one episode I'm constantly reminded of that always stands out as the most incomplete tale in the history of the franchise, The Next Generation's 'Time Squared'. In this particular episode, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise discovers a solo shuttlecraft adrift in space. Upon bringing it aboard the crew is faced with an unexpected surprise. Not only is this exact shuttle already parked in the shuttlebay, but inside the craft...is another Captain Picard. The crew gets right to work to uncover the mystery of two Picards, but what they discover is that the second Picard is from the future and where he comes from the Enterprise will be destroyed with a loss of all hands. Now it is up to the Picard of the present to figure out how to change the future and save his ship and crew. The first surprising twist to this tale is the incredibly dark and ugly feel that goes with it. There is a sense of doom that permeates the entire story and well, it makes for an episode of Trek that leaves one uncomfortable. It's not gory or scary, there's just a sense of hopelessness to this one that is most certainly out of place. At the same time however, this is an episode that has some intriguing questions that arise when the Enterprise finds itself trapped inside a vortex that is believed to be a sentient entity. Said vortex is the reason that future Picard will abandon his ship moments before it is destroyed and it is the reason this whole time travel conundrum will supposedly happen again. It's an interesting principle that sadly goes nowhere resolution wise. We never find out what the entity is or what it truly wants. We never uncover exactly why future Picard is so unlike the Picard we all know and love, it is just an intense episode where (SPOILERS) Picard is eventually forced to kill his future self in an effort to save his crew. If you haven't had the chance yet, check this season two episode of TNG out to get an idea of just how anti-Trek and out of place it truly is. It will entertain you for sure, but I have a feeling that like me, you'll be scratching your head when the end credits roll. Written by Kate McHargueThe media we consume directly informs our worldview. This has been proven time and time again with studies geared towards everything from sports fans and aggression to infants and cognitive development. We may not learn everything from the media we consume, but we obviously learn something. As such, the content of the TV shows we choose to watch can subconsciously impact our opinions. Which characters are given a voice and agency? Who is shown as good? Who is shown as bad? What actions are praised and encouraged? What actions are punished or denounced? How a TV show presents it’s world can influence how we see our own. The creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender were aware of the power of media and put it to good use, examining difficult topics and real life issues from the lens of many different identities to provide an inclusive picture of what it means to have empathy and to do good. In my first post, I discussed the way in which ATLA allows for diverse heroism. In my fourth, I looked at the way ATLA examines the good and bad in all things. To finish up this series, I’d like to praise the way ATLA combines its diversity and balance to not only entertain, but to teach valuable lessons on how we choose to treat our fellow man. Much like other successful franchises that have bridged the gap between the intended child audience and the elusive adult audience (Harry Potter, for example), ATLA ‘s plot includes terrible, real world issues like racism, imperialism, terrorism, war, etc. and presents all of it in a way that is accessible to any viewer, young or old. While adult viewers may understand the finer points of these complex issues, the younger viewers are given all of the gritty and unpleasant realities of these horrors through the familiar tale of good vs. evil. But the show does not sugar-coat or downplay these issues. It presents them exactly as they are and provides an intersectional view of the people affected. When I say intersectional, I mean that ATLA doesn’t just show us the hero’s point of view and leave it at that. We do see the hero’s journey but along the way we see the journey of innocent people affected by the war. We see the people who have reformed and found redemption. We see people who have been indoctrinated into dangerous modes of thinking. We see good people who have been tortured, coerced, or otherwise changed and resort to terrible things. We see people who feel justified in their actions, regardless of the harm it does to others. At first glance, ATLA is like any other fantasy quest to stop the bad guy. Yet it is along the way to stopping the bad guy that we understand the true effects of these evils. It is in the journey that we find the power of human compassion and learn that 'goodness' is something that must be actively practiced and shared. As I’ve said before, it was a stroke of truly great storytelling that we learn about ATLA’s world and how to 'save' it along with our heroes. When they are confronted with their own biases, misconceptions, and weaknesses, we too are compelled to examine these faults in ourselves. In 'The Blue Spirit' (1.13), when Zuko saves Aang from Admiral Zhoa and Aang in return saves Zuko, they share a moment and Aang talks about his friend Kuzon. He tells Zuko, 'He was one of the best friends I ever had, and he was from the Fire Nation, just like you. If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends, too?' In this seemingly innocent question we see the way this war and the 100 years of enmity that has grown between the nations has placed these children on opposite sides. They are products and victims of this war; forced into the role of enemies. In 'The Serpent’s Pass' (2.12) we watch as these same children find themselves in the middle of a refugee crisis. Zuko, the Crown Prince of the nation waging this war, is forced to confront the real life people whose lives have been upended, homes destroyed, and families torn apart. Aang, the hero who can barely save himself, faces those who suffered in his 100 year absence, but finds hope in the way they continue to survive, even in the face of impossible odds. In season three 'Book Three: Fire', it becomes clear that blanket hatred and ignorant assumptions are exactly what allow this evil to thrive. Zuko wrestles with the realization that he was both complicit and an active participant in the horrors of this war. Aang sees the way in which young and good-hearted children in the Fire Nation are taught to perpetuate dangerous ideologies and become unwitting cogs in a destructive system. We begin to understand how easy it is for good people to do bad things, how a culture of fear and violence only serves to continue the cycle. We grow with the characters as they learn more about themselves, each other, and the world around them. And we recognize that, if working together to promote understanding and compassion is the way to bring peace to ATLA’s world, then just maybe the same could work for our own. Every story that has ever been told has its morals and its lessons to be learned. ATLA is no different. Yet the lesson it teaches us is a subtle and multi-faceted approach to simple ideas; respect and acknowledge differences, find common ground, let those in power be beholden to those without, and let empathy replace ignorance in all that we do. These are lessons to be learned by all and ATLA uses its platform as popular media to teach them to anyone and everyone who will listen. Good art inspires. Great art challenges. This show does both and it is for this final reason that I reassert my claim that Avatar: The Last Airbender is the best show ever. Written by John Edward BetancourtIt's interesting when you look at Star Trek: The Next Generation as a whole when it comes to how many magnificent episodes permeated the show. But of course, there were other ones that left us wondering what the executive creative team was thinking and oddly enough, you'll find most of those strange episodes in the early years and final years of TNG. One such episode arrived in season two of the show and well, it was so off the wall and so not Star Trek that I find myself compelled to watch it every single time it is on, 'The Royale'. In this particular tale the crew of the Enterprise finds wreckage from a lost NASA/United States ship known as the Charybdis. Riker takes an away team consisting of Data and Worf down to the planet to see what happened to this age old vessel only to discover that a 20th Century casino known as the Hotel Royale, complete with life forms that resemble humans, is standing on this inhospitable planet and now the away team is trapped inside its walls. When I first saw this episode I thought we were looking at a re hash of 'A Piece of the Action' from The Original Series and in a way, it was. Aliens had found literature from earth in that TOS episode and modeled a society after it and well, the aliens in this story were up to something similar, but in this case this recreated era served as an apology from the native species on this planet to the last surviving crew member of the Charybdis for letting the rest of his fellow astronauts die. If it had been left to something of that effect, I would not have found this episode strange, as since TNG and TOS had crossed paths on many occasions. No what made this episode weird, was the sheer fact that it well...went where no one had gone before. There were stereotypes abound in this one, something that one would think is forbidden in this franchise and oh yeah, the solution to getting Riker and the away team home was for them to live out the events of the fictional novel Hotel Royale. The solution also included Data gambling away at the craps table, saying such 'iconic' lines as 'baby needs a new pair of shoes.' Go ahead and watch the episode if you haven't seen it and don't believe me. That actually happens. Thankfully this is another one off, but wow, did this one leave your head spinning because the only thing that resembled the Star Trek universe in this go round...were the title cards when the episode began. |
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