Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 208 of ‘A Discovery of Witches’.
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It is always a wonderful thing, when a television series that you adore, finds new ways to surprise you. Simply because it means that the people behind the scenes, have worked hard to craft a compelling tale, one that knows exactly when to change things up to keep us on our toes and keep us engaged and this is a feat that A Discovery of Witches is accomplishing with minimal effort right now. After all, Diana and Matthew have The Book of Life, and they were able to get their hands on it with relative ease, and that’s something that we all expected to see happen in the season two finale, not in the middle of the actual year and well… their obtaining it so soon, also led to another storytelling surprise.

Because we were also expecting the next chapter in this tale to focus greatly on Diana unlocking the book’s secrets, so that she and Matthew could finally return home. But that is when the surprise in question, came into play. Because this week's tale didn’t focus on the secrets of the book in the slightest. Instead, it returned us back to present day, so that we could see how things were going for the people that Diana and Matthew left behind and well… that led to one fascinating episode. One that once again put Marcus Whitmore back into the spotlight in order to build further upon the growth he experienced a few weeks ago and well, he really is coming into his own right now.

For this particular tale saw him decide that just letting Phoebe walk away was a horrible idea. For he genuinely felt a close connection with her. One that haunted him on a daily basis and that motivated him to seek her out again and show her more evidence of his long life and that the creatures humans read about in books, were alive and real and roaming the Earth. And thanks to Marcus’ candor, and a surprise visit from Domenico, Phoebe came to realize that Marcus was telling her the truth and that allowed for this cute little couple to finally explore their feelings for one another and accomplishing that particular feat, only emboldened Marcus to grow further. Simply because there was trouble
building behind the scenes in this tale, and someone needed to do something about it.

Which is why Marcus opted to change up what the Knights of Lazarus are going to stand for, and make them champions for good, instead of mere protectors of antiquated notions. A concept that quickly made waves in the de Clairmont household, but it is the right decision for certain. For this particular tale saw the birth of the hybrid child and its arrival immediately caused quite the stir. Because Peter Knox was made aware of the baby’s presence and its witchy powers by way of Baldwin no less and that of course motivated him to interfere and demand that the child be remanded to his side and raised as nothing more than a witch. Setting the stage for a grand showdown that could plunge the creature world into chaos. 

If anything, all of these elements make this particular tale, a grand setup episode. One that did a phenomenal job of assembling elements that should lead to quite the epic finale. Because there is really is some serious tension building in present day, and clearly, the book presents a danger as well since it is seemingly poisoning Diana’s mind and soul and that makes this episode brilliant and engaging for certain. Simply because it absolutely makes us hungry for more since we are now eager to learn more about what the book is doing to Diana and how exactly Marcus is going to keep the peace and that really does speak to the fact that this series features downright incredible writing. Because it takes a skilled writers’ room to make a shift in tone and a setup episode as compelling as this one and well, all this episode does is leave us counting down the minutes until the next entry in this saga. So, we can once again be surprised by quality writing that will undoubtedly take us on quite the ride. Until next time.    

‘A Discovery of Witches’ is streaming now on Sundance Now and Shudder.

There is something to be said about having interactions with others. I know these days with social media, we think that we are getting a fair share of interacting with people, but it really does not match up with talking to someone face to face. There is something about being able to read into what someone else is telling you, and I hate to say it, but you cannot do that by simply reading what is posted online, since you don’t really get the tone of what they are trying to say. Get out there and say hi to people, start a conversation with a stranger and make sure that you are not being lost in the digital world. 

Young Francisca is learning something new from her mother every day and she is loving it as always. With her mother being an eye doctor back in her old country of Portugal, Francisca gets to see how she was trained firsthand, by operating on their cows and seeing how things work. But that is not all Francisca’s mother is doing for her daughter, she is helping to show the girl that death is not as bad as people on the television make it out to be and being desensitized to it over the years, Francisca gets to witness something horrific up close and personal.

While playing with her doll in the yard, Francisca is approached by a stranger that is looking for the man of the house. Seeing that her daughter is talking to a stranger, Francisca’s mother runs to help out and is charmed by the young man and invites him into the house to use the bathroom. But Charlie has something else on his mind and without anyone there to stop him, is able to get Francisca’s mother alone and do what he came to the house to do. When the young girl’s father arrives home and sees his daughter sitting and listening to something horrific, he takes matters into his own hands. Locking the killer in his barn and having Francisca clean up the mess and help bury his wife, he only has his daughter to live for, but that will not be enough.

Waking up years later and finding her father has passed on, Francisca goes on with her everyday life and keeps him by her side. With her best friend Charlie still alive in the barn, but without his eyes and tongue, the man is as good as dead, but visiting him on a daily basis is still on the top of her list. But this is not enough for the young woman any longer and she needs to find someone to spend time with and tries out her luck at the local bar. Bringing Kimiko home and telling her new friend about her past, it is obvious that Francisca wants something that the woman cannot give her and when she tries to leave, she falls to Francisca’s wrath that has been held at bay by her father for so many years. Not knowing what to do next, Francisca needs to find out where her parentless path will take her, or at least try to find someone to spend time with her to keep her from going crazy.

After hearing that one of my friends really liked this movie, I could not wait for it to hit one of my streaming services. This might not be on the top of many people’s horror movie lists, but I will tell you that it is one of the most disturbing and depressing movies you will ever see, horror movie or not. With the lack of a life outside of her home, it is obvious that Francisca has major social issues when it comes to talking to people that can talk back, but with the help of her television, she is able to get some points across. The visuals in this movie are epic and I am sure that I will be seeing more shots in my head as time goes on, because they were just stunning. With a little bit of blood, hacking apart bodies, an eyeless and tongue-less guest, cows and a craving to be accepted by someone, this is a deep study into Francisca and her life without her mother who taught her everything that she knows, even in death. Stay Scared.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 207 of ‘Servant’.
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When we last settled in to discuss the wondrous AppleTV+ series, Servant, we talked at length about how the show finally took the time to reward its audience with all kinds of answers regarding what’s going on in this fascinating universe. For now, we know that Uncle George and Leanne and the Church of Lesser Saints are in essence a group of resurrected corpses that do good deeds in the name of the Lord and the Turner family has screwed up their work and potentially brought wrath down upon their homestead by way of their selfish machinations. And that’s important to revisit in our recap of this week’s episode, for several reasons. First and foremost, because it turns out that the series wasn’t quite done with bringing big moments forth for the audience.
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Because ‘Marino’ is a story that features a grand reckoning of sorts, one that has been long overdue. After all, we’ve also talked at length about how Julian and Sean are enablers of Dorothy and refuse to point out the fact that Jericho died on her watch, nor have they made any efforts to get her the proper care she needs to reconcile that. But at long last, that particular truth finally came about in this specific episode and it came to the surface, by way of Officer Reyes; the very officer who has dealt with this family and their mistakes on a fairly consistent basis. And her concern for what’s happening in this household, along with the discovery of some suspect pizza menus and Dorothy’s image in the Marino home, brought her back to their doorstep once again, to do what needed to be done.

Shortly after Reyes pushed Dorothy to confess to the fact that she was still ‘chasing’ after Leanne and answers about Jericho, that is. Because that prompted Reyes to finally say out loud… what we’ve all been waiting to hear. With mixed results of course. Because while Sean at least seemed to acknowledge his mistakes here, sadly, the continued enabling by Dorothy’s loved ones and the now out of control situation surrounding this family, has likely put Dorothy past the point of no return. Since she was quick to brush off the truth. But while that is frustrating in its own right for certain (because good heavens at some point it has to sink in), it was horrendously refreshing to see someone finally speak some truth to Dorothy.

But there was mention of multiple reasons as to why it is important to reflect upon the fact that the show is suddenly offering up all kinds of big moments and answers and that is likely related to the possibility that bigger moments await us. Which means that getting this stuff out of the way now, clears a path for the kind of stuff that is going to shock us and wow us and that possibility is slowing becoming a reality. Because some scary stuff was happening behind the scenes in this tale, since Leanne was struggling to reconcile the fact that her return to the Turner home possibly led to the death of an innocent child. To the point where she began to do all kinds of unhealthy things, such as flog herself and to obsessively build more of those twine, Blair Witch-esque, talismans… and that’s worrisome to say the least since it seems that when she is upset, the uglier side of her powers are unleashed. 

Plus, the fact that another assignment with an ominous note arrived, only lends credence to how the story is building to something more and well, that makes this quite the satisfying episode when all is said and done. Because you simply cannot go wrong with a story that finally makes the Turner’s face the music for their selfish actions, and this episode really did accomplish that in a magnificent manner and it also does a fine job of piquing our curiosity. Because we really are eager to learn what comes next and well… it seems as though it won’t be long before said curiosity is satisfied. For the plot really is moving at a breakneck pace now and the reveals are coming in a furious fashion and it will be interesting to see what wonders and horrors await us as the floodgates are unleashed. Until next time.

‘Servant’ is available to stream right now on AppleTV+.

Caution: This article contains minor spoilers for the motion picture, ‘The Dark and the Wicked’.
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We take part in a great many unique and important customs/traditions throughout life, and we are often eager to do so, simply because they are important to our growth as a human being. For example, weddings are the kind of tradition that teach us the value of love and how treating someone that sends our hearts a flutter can provide us with endless happiness. Or the baby shower for instance, and the follow up tradition of being around family when the baby is born… are traditions that speak to the wonder of life. And they engender hope since that little bundle of joy not only represents the miracle that we are as a species, but the future of mankind and the possibility of a better tomorrow, since that teeny baby could change the world for the better. 
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But while those types of customs are often celebrated and eagerly awaited by the vast majority of people, since they truly do engender joy, we can never forget that life is about balance and that means that there are some sorrowful traditions that we take part in as well. Such as preparing for and mourning the death of a loved one. Because sadly, our time is limited on this earth and that means those who raised us and adored us, must part from this plane sooner than any of us would like, and that motivates us to assemble in our hometowns and old homes to reflect upon our collective life experiences before the end arrives. And a great deal of us try to be there in their final moments so that they feel comfort and love before they take their last breath, an act that offers our souls a sense of outright closure. However, what we don’t talk about enough when it comes to this unfortunate tradition, is the negative psychological impact it has upon our lives.

Because this one will in fact, break a person. Since it is hard to reconcile the end of a life and it can engender fear over the end for others and ourselves and that fallout is why we work so hard to celebrate the life of a loved one when they depart, so that we don’t have to think about the other ugly stuff that waits in the wings. But one way or another, we will need to face this dark aspect of the human condition and oddly enough, there are stories out there that help us to do that in a dynamic and bold manner. Such as the brand-new Shudder feature, The Dark and the Wicked. Now in this particular film, we follow a brother and a sister named Louise and Michael, who have come home to spend time with their mother during their father’s final days. But as their visit chugs along, sinister and horrible things begin to happen around the household, putting their lives in danger and forcing them to ponder upon, whether or not a great evil has found their family. 

Which is a supremely simple plot to say the least and that is the beauty of this particular film. In that it uses simplicity to produce some serious scares and to explore our concerns and fears when it comes to death and well, before we dive into the philosophical stuff, let’s talk about the terror. Because whatever evil is surrounding their father and their homestead, will stop at nothing to claim as many lives as possible, and that leads to some incredibly disturbing scenes and imagery that are designed to drive the characters mad and to their death and it also leaves the viewer squirming in their seat as well. Because nothing is quite what it seems in this tale and you never know if something or someone that pops up is the evil in question and that definitely leaves you on edge and terrified for certain. 
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Which brings us to the film’s decision to explore our collective fear when it comes to death. Because it uses the scares and the presence of evil, to handle that in a subtle manner. Because in essence, the evil terrifying these poor siblings, stands an allegory for death and how hard it is to face it the first time around. For that first loved one we lose in life, rips our soul to shreds and hammers home the fact that death is an inevitability and that it comes for us all. And that sobering reality, one that few of us like to linger upon or face, really does rattle our minds and our souls and can paralyze us with fear and that really seems to be what Michael and Louise are going through in this tale and that makes this particular horror film about as brilliant as they come.

Because this is a topic that we truly don’t talk about enough or properly prepare ourselves for and understandably so. Because we genuinely fear death, since it is a violating and ugly act that serves as the anthesis to everything we hold dear. But that is what great horror stories do, they motivate us to face our darkest fears in a bold and sobering manner and The Dark and the Wicked accomplishes that to a tee and that makes this particular motion picture a must-see for certain. Simply because this is a magnificent and visceral experiment in terror. One that taps into the darkest parts of the human psyche and offers no comfort or safety. Just raw and unflinching truth, the kind that will haunt you long after this movie has come to an end.

‘The Dark and the Wicked’ is streaming now, exclusively on Shudder.

​There are many rules at which to live by, and most of us follow them every day. Then when you get a job, there are more rules that you have to obey on a daily basis, or you will not have that job for very long. These rules are put in place to make sure that your daily activities can be monitored with little effort by the top brass, and most of the time, if you follow them, you have little to no issues, but when you disregard them, well, your working life can become a living hell. You can get away with bending the rules ever so slightly, but that should be the extent of how far you go if you want to make sure that you continue to have your job and are being taken care of the way you deserve. 
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Trying to put her past behind her, Greta Evans agrees to be a nanny at the Heelshire household and take care of their boy. But when Greta finds out that the boy is not a normal child, but a large doll, she believes that Mr. and Mrs. Heelshire have lost their minds. Getting the run through of the house, Greta walks the grounds with Mr. Heelshire and finds out that he thinks that things are a little strange as well, but her job will be important to keep young Brahms happy. With rules being put in place for their holiday, the Heelshires leave Greta alone in the house with their boy and apologize for anything that might go wrong.

Watching the strange parents leave, Greta goes about her daily activities of calling her best friend in the States and drinking wine and she pays no attention to the Brahms doll, since it is just silly. But strange things start happening around the house, and she is led to believe that it is all in her dreams. Yet, getting locked in the attic when she is supposed to have a date with the local shop boy starts to make her question if she is alone in the house at all. Having Malcolm check around the house for any possible intruders, he confirms the house is empty, but things continue to happen, including footsteps, calls from Brahms and her lost shoes being returned to gain her trust.

Seeing that the doll is alive, Greta starts to perform her duties as asked, and Brahms has ways of rewarding her. Moving about the house when she is not looking, Brahms is happy and very playful with his new nanny and instead of being afraid of the doll, Greta embraces him. Wanting to know what people think about the Heelshires and their lifestyle, Malcolm tells his American friend what he knows, but it does not answer all of the questions that she really has. Needing to know what kind of child Brahms was when he was alive, Greta hears the disturbing tale of a childhood murder that took place before his death. Even though everything in the house seems to be good, she has a bad feeling about what will happen if Brahms’ spirit is upset, and a visit from her ex-boyfriend confirms that Brahms is not to be trifled with and will do anything to keep Greta to himself.

There was a ton of build up for this movie when it was in theaters and it was on my list for when it came to one of the pay stations, because a decent horror movie about a doll has been lacking for some time. While I did not know what to expect, the buildup in the movie was just right and even though I did not like how it ended, it was pretty decent overall. I still have a hatred of porcelain dolls and that will never end since their lifeless faces are creepy, and this movie just confirmed that yet again. The only part of the movie that I did not understand was how Greta was able to embrace the haunted doll instead of running like hell to get away from it, but I guess that the thought of having a spirit around her made the whole situation fascinating and she simply wanted to know more. With creepy sounds in the night, a doll that moves on its own, a love triangle and music blaring around the house, this is a good one-time viewing movie that might keep you guessing about what the spirit of Brahms will do when he really gets angry. Stay Scared.

When working as a team, you must remember that you are a part of something bigger than yourself. No matter if you are working on a project for school or something for work, the piece you are working on is valuable for everyone else involved. When the ball is dropped on one aspect of the project, the entire thing can fall apart and while the guilty party may not see that when everyone else has to chip in to make it work, the group knows what the consequence can be. There is no shame in assigning guilt to the person that has made everyone else’s life a mess, as they need to know that their actions have hurt everyone else involved, and maybe it would help to open their eyes to something much grander.

Keeping an eye on the front, Reeves is able to hear an enemy platoon moving away from his team’s position. Getting the report back to his commander, Smith, the group needs to move on and out of harm’s way with their payload. The two people they are keeping in tow will be their payday since they are on a type of mercenary mission, but one of their troopers has been injured and needs more help than they are all willing to give. Moving down the road and finding what appears to be an abandoned farm, Reeves is sent in to investigate and comes out confirming that it is empty.

Bringing the payload into camp and locating a jeep that could lead the group to safety, they load up their injured solider Capper and try to jumpstart the transport. As Evans is having little luck with trying to get it started, he pops the hood and sees something that makes him lose his mind. Being sedated by Karlsson, Smith is beside himself as all of his troopers are worthless and not able to complete a simple task. Checking out the complex, the most tenured solider Gantz stumbles upon a group of dead bodies that appear to be another group that had the same mission. Knowing that they need to move on before being found out, the group is shocked when a flare is shot towards their location. Opening fire on an unseen enemy, the group moves out and leaves Capper to fend for himself.

With strength in numbers, the group makes their way through an open field when Smith catches a glimpse of an old, armored support vehicle. Ensuring that it is empty, Smith and Reeves are able to unload the back to make room for themselves to hide out from the threat. As the group loads in, the prisoners get loose and try to escape. While one is subdued by being hit in the head with a rifle, the other makes a run for it and Reeves is forced to shoot her in the back. Without knowing what is coming for them, a soldier in the fog makes his way towards the old beast of a tank and tries to get in. Jamming the only door they have access to, the group is safe, but also without supplies to last them until they are able to get out again. But there is something strange about the contents of the tank as they quickly find out and now, they are wondering what in the world they have gotten themselves into.

This movie is different, that is really all I can say. The story is all right, with plenty of holes that you need to fill in for yourself, but there is only so much you can do with the story revolving around people being stuck in the belly of an old tank. I liked how the clues were laid out as Smith’s group is forced to fight for their lives, only to be stuck in a welded shut tank. Things get a little crazy when everyone's emotions run wild when it comes to escaping, but at least they are not content dying in the tank from starvation. I wish there was a little more growth in the story for the characters, because when the fire filled finale comes to the screen, you want to care about them and what they were sent out to prove. With a tank, a mysterious solider, hallucinations, and someone being set on fire, this movie is nothing mind blowing, but there's also nothing that makes you regret sitting down to watch it. Stay Scared.

​It is important to find what you really want out of life, even if it is disappointing to your friends or family. What they want for you versus what you want for yourself can be two completely different things and it is important to know that you are living your life for you and no one else. Once you start listening to what others start to think about your choices, you may want to change what you are doing, but if it is something that you like to do, it could make you worse off. Keep looking forward and listening to your heart, because in the long run, that is really the only thing that will keep you happy.

With the perfect night planned to propose to his girlfriend, Alan Jones receives a text message that Ashley has to work late. As his night seems to be falling apart, he ventures to the store to see her in person with his news but sees her locking lips with her boss. Upset, Alan heads home to find that a couple of thugs want to take his money from him. Seeing a young man come to his rescue, Alan is handed a long pipe that grows out of nowhere and sends a shock to his system knocking him out.

Waking up in a laboratory of some sort with a missing eye, Alan gets an injection of some green formula that is supposed to keep him out of it, but when he sees a Frankenstein in the corner of the lab, he wants to know what is going on. Hitting a switch when Doctor Finski told him not too, a rash of duplicate Frankensteins are unleashed in the lab. Trying to run away from the beasts, the doctor, his assistant Igor and Alan run through a portal sending them back to the Civil War. Being picked up on the battlefield by Solomon Jones and taken to the medical tent, Doctor Finski is not able to continue his life after the time jump. Alan on the other hand is getting to see what the Frankenstein monsters are able to accomplish firsthand as he is getting flashes of images from the leader beast.

Trying to find a way to get back home, young Igor heads back down to the battlefield and is met by Lieutenant Swanson from the South and is relieved of the secret formula. Taking the strange liquid back to his commanding officer Robert E. Walton, the two find out what exactly the formula is capable of. With plans to make a super soldier for the South to take out the onslaught of Frankenstein monsters heading their way, Swanson takes the formula and is ready to wreak havoc over the North. But as battles commence and failures are brought out into the open, Walton and his new beast have a special assignment and are sent to Washington D.C. to fulfill what the history books have had wrong all this time.

A retelling of what happened during the Civil War and I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised. I liked the fact that Alan had ties to a Union Soldier, even if it seemed really hokey at the time. Young Igor however stole the show, with all of his know how, he was able to not only find a way home but knew how to make a sort of super soldier of his own. With so many logs in the fire during the storytelling, you get to see a great battle with Frankenstein monsters leading the charge for the North and they are brought to an end by someone that should have not been on the battlefield to begin with. With Frankenstein monsters, torn off limbs, a family tree that has not started yet, a smart kid and the reason why Lincoln died at the theater, this is really just a fun movie to get lost in, especially if you like history, splatter and monster fights. Stay Scared.

There are many things that can change your outlook on life, and one of those things is having your first child. You see so many changes in yourself when there is someone looking up to your every move and while it can be frightening, it is also a chance to be the best version of yourself that you can be. Setting an example for your young one on how they are supposed to act and react in situations, it is important to remember that it is all right to mess up, as we all do it from time to time. But when you make mistakes, you need to live up to it and explain what you did wrong, because you are not the only one learning from your mistakes, your child is now taking careful notes as well.

While getting sick outside of the bar, Charlie has some news that will rock her boyfriend’s world. Telling James that she is pregnant, she sees the excitement in his eyes and decides to keep the child, even though the two are not married yet.  Getting back to the apartment, Charlie gets sick once again, but this time when watching her skin tear in front of her eyes, she passes it off as a side effect of the baby inside of her. But little does she know that it is a sign of things to come when her and James welcome another member into their happy home.

After giving birth to her new daughter, Charlie and James finally decide on a name, Thea, which means Goddess in Greek. Sitting outside of the delivery room with his daughter, James gets what appears to be a random visit from an old woman in the hospital. Saying that Thea will live in this this life and the next, James does not know what to think, but tries to be gracious toward the old woman’s praises. Getting their new family home, James heads back off to work while Charlie stays in and takes care of her daughter. Hearing strange things moving about the house when James is gone, Charlie tries to pay it little mind, but when she is knocked unconscious by an unseen force, she knows that there is a spirit in the house that is looking to do her harm.

James is forced to do something that he vowed he never would and get his father involved in the situation. Alistair has an idea about what is happening to his granddaughter, as his ability of having the dead around him is hereditary. With strict instructions about what needs to be done to protect the child, along with the home, everything that has a face is removed from the apartment, and a candle praying session must take place every day to keep the demons at bay. Years go by without incident, but when Thea gets the sacred wax on her hand and not in her spot, she sees what horrors she has been keeping at bay. Not being able to protect themselves from the ancient evil, Alistair is forced to contact the big gun, his friend Elizabeth, to help his extended family. Seeing that Elizabeth is the same woman from the hospital that made him feel uncomfortable, James is forced to believe that she can help his daughter with her issues, as the old woman has the same abilities.

I really liked the premise of the movie, a haunted child that has no choice in life, but I am still unsure as to what kind of abilities these haunted folks really have. You don’t really get to see them interact with the spirits unless they are trying to shun them, I guess that is it, but I would have liked more. I really enjoyed how the narrative of the story changed when it came to light what Alistair really wanted for his son, because it is kind of disturbing. But overall, this movie was about Charlie who does not know what is wrong and forced into a situation that no mother would want to find herself in.  Her storybook life takes a massive decline as she is being tormented by the demons surrounding her daughter and decides that she wants nothing to do with it going forward. With some ghosts, demons, a freaky old lady, supernatural powers, and a father that wants to prove his worth, there are a couple holes in the movie that will leave you questioning what you just watched, but it is about the characters and their reactions to what life has just handed them, because life might not be fair all of the time. Stay Scared.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 207 of ‘A Discovery of Witches’.
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It is definitely safe to say that season two of A Discovery of Witches has been an outright masterclass in the character study. Because week in and week out, this season has really taken the time to provide proper care for its dynamic and fascinating characters and allow for them to grow right before our eyes. An act that has already helped a loyal fan base fall further in love with this series, since that kind of care is rare, in an era of storytelling where gimmicks and epic stories rule the day. But while it has been quite wonderful to enjoy so many intimate character moments and properly get to know what makes them tick and drives them… at some point the series was going to have to put that character development aside, in order to push the plot along.

After all, Diana and Matthew have come to the 1590s to do more than find themselves and one another and grow. They are here for the Book of the Life so that they can make a future a better place for creatures from all walks of life and as it turns out, the next episode served as the perfect time to begin that push toward finding it. For this particular tale picked up in early 1591, wherein the de Clarimont party finally arrived at Bohemia to complete their mission at last and well… it didn’t take long for this story to make it clear that uncovering the whereabouts of this legendary tome would be easier said than done. For Emperor Rudolph met Matthew with great disdain and resistance, and for a time, it seemed as though there would be no chance at accomplishing their goal.

But thanks to the fact that the Emperor took a shine to Diana, she opted to use his little crush on her to her advantage. Which in turn brought forth all kinds of surprises. Since it not only motivated the Emperor to open up to Diana and spill all kinds of royal secrets to her, but it also brought about the first real test of her marriage. Because Matthew struggled mightily with the fact that another man was trying to woo his woman, regardless of the fact that there was zero chance that Diana would accept the Emperor’s romantic invitation. But none the less, it brought his blood rage to the surface and it put Diana in a tough spot, wherein she could either let him boil over until he cooled off or try and reach him and help him to understand that their love could not be broken and thankfully… she chose the latter option and strengthened their bond further.

However, while Diana did a wonderful job of keeping the peace and getting the Emperor to eat out of her hands, she made little progress in getting the book and opted to simply push the matter to the Nth degree, by using her newfound understanding of magic to try and get Rudolph to reveal its location and wouldn’t you know it? Her bold plan worked. For the Emperor was stunned by her power and wanted to see what she could in the presence of the book and well, that brought about one stunning sequence of events. Because not only did Diana activate it and its powers with minimal effort, but this grander display of her magic provided the team with a necessary moment of distraction. The kind that allowed for a daring and harrowing escape to take place, one that was successful in just about every way imaginable.

Because no one was hurt on their way out of the door and most important of all, they have the Book of Life and can now begin to decipher its endless secrets and well… that’s all there is to say about this straightforward plot. One that moved the overall story forward in a brisk and dynamic manner and that’s just wonderful. And as an added bonus, this one managed to hold our attention from beginning to end and it also gave Gallowglass something to do, and it might have revealed the true identity of the blood rage monster that is terrorizing Oxford in 2021 and well, once again… this show found a way to leave us hungry for more. Simply because this episode leaves us eager to see what secrets await Diana within the pages of the Book of Life and how they will help her bring about a better tomorrow. Until next time.   
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‘A Discovery of Witches’ is streaming now on Sundance Now and Shudder.

​Truly there comes a moment in all of our lives that completely and utterly defines us. Be it traumatic or triumphant these moments change everything for us. They often inspire us to be better people, to drive forward toward our goals and enjoy a happy and successful life.  

But there are moments that also drive us in the opposite direction, ones that ruin our lives as they consume us with anger or hatred and lead us to believe the only way to set our lives straight is to seek the comfort of sweet revenge. It is that quest for peace though vendetta that drives the origin story of Hannibal Lecter in the film, Hannibal Rising. 

In this particular entry in the franchise, we learn about a horribly traumatic experience from Hannibal's youth. For in the 1940's during World War II, while hiding out in a cabin with his sister Mischa, German soldiers found the two of them and in the absence of food... killed and feasted on Mischa. Years later, Hannibal, now in medical school, remembers this atrocity and decides to set things right, by hunting down the soldiers responsible for this horrible act... to brutally murder them.  

​Of all five of the films in the Lecter franchise, this is by far the weakest, because quite frankly, something is missing from this particular motion picture. Sure, there is plenty of action and plenty of kills. Sure, it's awesome to finally understand what makes Hannibal the incredible monster he becomes later on in the story, in fact it's extremely fascinating to see how much this horrific event has truly defined Lecter and formed his life, but as I said before, something is simply not there.  

In my humble opinion it's the fact that in essence, this story simply boils down to blind revenge. It makes for an entertaining film, but what always made Hannibal Lecter such a powerful character was how he used his intellect to quietly hunt his prey. There was a refinement to his madness, a certain class, as crazy as that might sound. It's what made the character so appealing to all of us, the fact that he was such the gentlemen, so calm, so collected... until it became time to kill.  

I guess in reality it would be impossible to craft a prequel without stripping so much of that away, but without elements that are central to the character one quickly finds themselves completely detached from this film. This is by no means a flat-out awful movie; I think it just needed a little more thought on how to bridge both the past and present of this iconic monster. See it out of respect, but go in without expectations, and be ready for a vastly different Hannibal Lecter.