It can be amazing to see what people are willing to do to get their thrills, from jumping off of a building in the middle of the city, to swimming with sharks. But for me, just avoiding getting into an accident to and from work is the only thrill I need anymore. While these might seem somewhat crazy for some people, others like to live on the edge to get that rush of adrenaline that makes them feel alive. To each their own I guess and while I have done some things in my past that might have been silly in my opinion, you won’t find me doing it again, since it never really gives you the same rush as the first time.  
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Trying to get together some footage of them doing some extreme cage diving to get considered for a reality television show, brothers Jeff, Josh and girlfriend Megan are in for the ride of their lives. While visiting their good friend Greg down in Australia and just having a good time parting and drinking, Jeff continues to video the entire time, showing that they are just as outgoing as the next contestant. With a tearful goodbye to Greg, the three make their way out to the port and arrive on their new ship that will either make them stars or a failure at life. Heading out to sea, the group listens to the captain give his safety instructions, but have little idea that they will actually need them.

Luring in the sharks, the cage is the perfect place to get an up close and personal shot for their video and the group dives in. While the sharks are loving the food in the water, they are also becoming very aggressive towards the cage and the captain takes note. Pulling the cage out of the water, the boat is capsized by a rogue wave sending everyone out in to the water. Being able to escape the cage, Jeff, Jose and Megan find themselves pretty much alone in the water, but there is a small problem as well, the sharks that were being lured in are sticking around for another snack.

Watching as random survivors of the boat wreck float about for a time before they are devoured by the hungry sharks, the three need to come up with a plan of survival. Being able to locate some life preservers, they float around the ramped-up waters discussing what their fate will be and while trying to flag down passing boats is not working, they are able to find a life raft and some flares that may help to get them saved. While they have a sense of security in the raft, tensions start to run high with in the small group and one mistake with a flare gun helps to determine who will live and die on this shark infested voyage.

It has been a while since I have seen the original Open Water movie, but from what I remember about it, it was a couple lost at sea and only one hungry shark doing the tormenting. In this one, there are several sharks looking for a meal, and happily for the predators, they found it. With plenty of warnings about what to do in the water if there are sharks around, the group decides to ignore them, by reason of fearing for their lives, but it does not make for a happy ending when you do nothing but make noise so the sharks know exactly where you are. With some sharks, a ship wreck, a sense of hope, a flare, plenty of shark attacks and a love triangle that comes to light at the exact wrong time, this movie will make you think twice about diving with the sharks, especially if you don’t have a boat that can take a random rogue wave attack. Stay Scared.

It’s always a beautiful thing to watch a television series find its stride, because when that happens, everything clicks. Suddenly the plot starts chugging along, our questions are consistently answered, and the stakes are raised, and wouldn’t you know it? That’s precisely where Outcast is at this point in time. This series has simply figured everything out and last night’s episode was proof of that, because ‘The Common Good’ was a tour de force of storytelling, one that left this reviewer uncomfortable on so many levels simply due to all the darkness that was present in this particular tale.
 
Because the evil in this story was amplified to the Nth degree last night, as we came to learn exactly why the Mayor and Sydney are working together. It’s not because there’s a deal in place that offers the Mayor protections and more power once Sydney’s plan comes to fruition. No, instead their deal exists because the Mayor is one of the possessed and oddly enough, he made quite the power play in this episode by making the attempt to hand Sydney over to both Kyle and Chief Giles and he was more than happy to explain a little bit about where his kind come from and the Merge that’s apparently on the horizon.
 
As it turns out, the place where these beings reside, is grossly overpopulated, and they’ve sent out ‘beacons’ to help guide them to this world so they can find new bodes to live in, and there’s concern that there might not be enough room on Earth for all of them. But what was truly fascinating about this revelation, was everything the Mayor had to say about Beacons. Because we’ve heard Kyle referred to as that before, but I wasn’t prepared to hear that term used in the plural and perhaps the only bright spot in this episode is that these other Beacons have managed to save a lot of lives and we now know this, thanks to the fact that this episode revealed that the religious group that’s operating in the woods outside of town is comprised of people who have had these Beacons remove the evil from their bodies.
 
However, the episode’s only bright spot, also helped to bring about its darkest moment. Because in a stunning turn of events, the Mayor wasn’t quite done with his power grab and he tried to remove Chief Giles from his position at a town meeting that he called to quell the fear growing in Rome, and in the midst of this meeting, a demon found the Chief, thanks to the power of a Beacon, and took him in front of everyone, leading to chaos and a costly fight for Kyle. Because the dark stranger that took Giles, plunged a knife into Kyle’s gut while Sydney made the Mayor pay for his treachery and well, this one ends in uncertainty. Because Rome is now without a leader, and Kyle Barnes is in bad shape and it would seem that no one is safe near a Beacon…
 
Yet, despite being an intense episode that moved at a mile a minute, it did find time to do a touch of character development, since Megan now understands she’s not at fault for what happened with Mark. Plus, this episode also did hint at something big on the horizon, in that, if the Beacons can be amplified, they can bring more beings to Earth for the Merge and really, when all is said and done, this episode was downright incredible. I still can’t shake the feeling of dread this one produced, because it truly feels as though an apocalypse is coming and with Kyle likely out of commission for a time, I’m sure Sydney will take full advantage of his absence and who knows what horrors he is planning to unleash. Until next time.

Sometimes when you jump into the water with a shark movie, you do not know what to expect. While there are some movies out there that just put the blood and gore front and center, there are others that make you think what you might do in that situation. While I am a fan of the prior, because what is a shark movie without sharks attacking people, I must admit that Frenzy took a little different path than I expected, and I was pleasantly surprised. Because not only did it deliver on the carnage that the greatest killing machines in the water can give us, but it also tells the story of a young woman who wants something much different out of her life.
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Getting ready for their next adventure, Paige and her friends Kahaia, Evan and Seb are on another level, but Paige’s sister Lindsey is not. Only being newly invited to join their extreme vacation site, Lindsey believes that she has earned her rite of passage, but not everyone else feels that way since she is not into this hardcore stuff. Yet, being a part of her older sister’s team means the world to her, especially since she gets to spend more time with her boyfriend Seb who has built her up from a fraidy cat to someone that can hold her own with the rest of the group. Getting some good ‘B’ roll done before their flight arrives, the group is getting ready for the trip of lifetime, but little do they know what dangers lies ahead of them.

Having a quick talk with the pilot, Paige has been able to convince him to turn off the transponder, so they can travel to a place that is very off limits to people. Taking a look at the plane however, Lindsay is having second thoughts, since it will be a very tight squeeze, with it being smaller than a car. With all assurances that things will be alright, the group loads in and make their way out to the restricted cove, but a little bit of turbulence knocks the plane out of the sky. Waking up in the water, Lindsay believes that she sees a fin circling the crash site; but Kahala will not listen to her since they need to find the others, along with surviving the violent waters.

Finding Seb very quickly, the three survivors see that they are not too far from the island and Seb decides to give it a go while Kahaia dives down to the plane to try and find the transponder. Coming up with some supplies, including a life raft, the women get on board and Seb takes off for the island. Little does he know however a group of hungry sharks are right on his tail. Watching as her boyfriend is devoured before her very eyes, Lindsay is forced to come to terms that the situation is beyond bleak. While Kahaia tries to calm down her co-star, the truth comes out that Lindsay is not even supposed to be part of the group. Looking back on the buildup that Seb has given her over the past months; Lindsay is ready to prove her friend wrong and gets ready to take on some sharks.

This movie really took me off guard since it kind of had a Shallows vibe to it, but then it delivered on some great shark kills, so it made me very happy to watch. While the story plays out, you get brief flashbacks as to how Lindsay made it into the group and became ‘Clickbait’ for the site while her and Seb’s relationship moved on to the next level. The encouraging words from her now deceased boyfriend are exactly what Lindsay needed to take her own growth to the next level and come to the conclusion that the only way she will survive is by becoming someone she has yet to be…a shark killer. With some shark kills, blood in the water, a poor attempt at throwing spears, a loose rock, some fire, a spear gun, a flare gun, some stupid fishermen and the strive to survive, this is overall a very entertaining watch, especially if you don’t want to take a shark movie too seriously, because some great ideas come into play. Stay Scared.

If shortcuts were easy, they would be known as the way. I don’t remember who said that, but it has stuck with me ever sense I heard it and it not only applies to road trips, but to life as well. We all like to take the occasional shortcut now and again, but when you make a habit out of it, well, it can wind up costing you big time. There are reasons why life can be difficult and learning to overcome the obstacles helps to build you into the person you are today.

Turning off of the main road to try and take a shortcut, Dan is trying to figure out where exactly he is when his phone rings. Getting a call from his buddy Tim, Dan is trying to get to his final destination faster than he should and continues to take his eyes off of the road. Hearing his phone ring again and seeing that it is an unknown number, Dan takes his focus off of the road once again, but this time he hits a stranger in the middle of nowhere. Seeing that there is nobody around, Dan figures that he can cover this accident up and hides the body deep in the surrounding woods, but little does he know that he is not alone.

Arriving back at his car and ready to flee the scene of the accident, Dan sees his old friend Saurav who has witnessed the entire crime. Trying to talk some sense into his friend, Saurav sees that Dan will not change his mind on admitting to the accident and starts off to find the authorities. Seeing that he will be ousted by his friend, Dan knows that nobody will be able to connect him with another murder, so he decides to stop his friend once and for all. With another body to hide, Dan takes his friend down to the stranger’s resting place, but upon seeing that the young woman’s body is gone, he knows that it is time to leave and that is only the beginning of his nightmare on the abandoned road.

Very cool little story being brought to the screen. I really liked the way Dan was thinking when it comes to the innocent bystander and how he could get away with it, i.e. hiding the body. With nobody around on the road, it seems like the perfect unintentional crime, but once he sees that he is not alone, well, all bets are off of the table. I really like that the victim of the crime is not one that will just go away, regardless of how badly injured, or flat out dead she is. The abandoned road scenario is always a frightening one to visit, especially if there is a haunting looking to make itself known in the future. Stay Scared. 

As the world continues to seem to become smaller around us, there is always a place to look to get away, the ocean. With the oceans being so massive, you can find a place to call your own for at least a little while if that is what you are looking for. It can be hard to imagine that there can be a place like this still available on the planet, but you know with how many people that have been lost at sea and never found, it still exists. Get on a boat and make your way out to the middle of nowhere to relax and get some rays, but remember that in the ocean, you are never alone, with plenty of critters swimming around you all the time.
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While checking the updated temperatures on the current under the Arctic, Sammy sees something that could not be. Thinking that the meter has to be malfunctioning, he suits up and makes his way out to check it out. Arriving to see that it is working properly and seeing that the ice is very thin, Sammy spots a shadow under the ice that should not be there. Making his way back to the snowmobile however will prove to be the last thing he ever does as there is a new predator under the ice that is looking to feed.

Getting a call from the locals, Tracy and David hear that there is another hunter that has gone missing. Being the closest to where the hunter was last spotted the two jump on their snowmobiles and make their way out to find a massive pile of remains. Seeing that there is more than one victim, they are not prepared for what lies in wait in the water around them. With a shark cutting off David’s path to safety, Tracy is forced to think quickly to get her husband out of the water before he falls prey to the new predators in the area. Getting back onto the ice safely, the two rush back to the Oasis Ice Station to tell their coworkers what just happened. 

With nobody believing them that a Greenland shark would be that aggressive, the crew of the Oasis Ice Station is in for a surprise as the sharks use their dorsal fins to cut through the thinning ice. Seeing that the sharks are trying to keep them isolated from the main land, the group tries to keep the new ice berg from floating out into the sea, but their efforts are thwarted when their snowmobiles do not have enough torque to keep them in place. With the station weighing too much on the thinning ice, it breaks through, sending the Oasis to the bottom of the sea. With the station being able to withstand any type of weather thrown at it, it survives the impact, but then the real problems come to light as there is only a limited amount of air and the ‘Greenie’ sharks are not willing to wait for their next meal.

This movie really does highlight what could be happening in the Arctic with the rising temperatures in the oceans, but it also takes it a step further in showing how normally docile predators can up their game when needing to feed. The group dynamic is really the reason to get lost in this movie, because everyone in the Oasis is willing to do whatever it takes to keep the group alive. Michael really has the best character of the story, as he is willing to do the things necessary for the group and while he may be the first hero, he will never have the parade that should have been waiting for him in the end. With a polar bear, some snowmobiles, a lack of weapons, an air tight research facility, a helicopter and a group of hungry sharks, this movie really gives you a look at how happily a predator will enjoy a meal when it has been served up to them on a silver platter. Stay Scared.

Sometimes, it seems as though you’ve completely and utterly figured out the design and flow of your favorite television series, adding a level of comfort to your mind when you settle in to watch it and other times…well despite your best efforts to predict how things are going to go…the series finds a way to surprise you time and time again, as is the case with Hulu’s Castle Rock. Because in all honesty, I really thought I had this show pegged as an ebb and flow kind of affair. Wherein dark moments would surge for an episode or so before returning us to the safety of a character study in the next tale but this week’s episode, ‘Filter’, made it clear that was not going to be the case at all since it dropped all kinds of surprises into our laps.
 
Which is fascinating because at first, it really did dupe me into thinking, a character study was on the horizon. Because Ruth was coming home, Henry’s son, Wendell was coming up to Castle Rock to see his grandma and Alan was going to be off on some foolhardy mission for The Kid and Henry finally laid his father to rest in a proper cemetery and all of this was the perfect formula to reflect upon the Deaver family past and maybe move forward through some of their issues, but once Henry discovered that The Kid was watching a few tapes of his younger self and his father roaming through the woods looking for something…all hell broke loose and it started with Molly’s unexpected confession to Henry that she killed his father, per his ‘wishes’ of course, and the wild nature of this episode didn’t end there.
 
Because Henry became completely and utterly obsessed with the void in his mind when it comes to his past and he ventured out into the woods to see if by chance he could figure out what the hell happened to him as a boy out there and why his father was so hell bent on finding some…thing and well, while this part of the story wasn’t quite the age old lesson on ‘be careful what you wish for’, it definitely sucked me in with what could be the biggest Stephen King tie in yet. Because there is now a chance that Castle Rock ties into The Dark Tower storyline in a way I never thought possible. I say that, due to the fact that Henry ran into a pair of gents out in the woods, named Odin and Wally and they were full of incredible information.

​For starters, we learned that Henry’s dad firmly believed that something special happened in these woods, in that, the sound that Henry has been hearing for some time now is more than a mere inconvenience, it’s the sound of God and dear old dad was trying to figure out how to hear it as well. But this strange Odin fellow offered up a different explanation as to what this noise really is, in that, what Henry and others hear is a phenomenon known as The Schisma, a far reaching energy that in essence carries the universe and the multiverse with it and within its dulcet tones all of those wonders could be on display in someone’s mind, and he also revealed that he was working with Henry’s father on a device to amplify and focus this sound and well, everything he described, brings us back to my point about The Dark Tower, because this makes it seem as though Castle Rock is sitting atop a Thinny.
 
Now for those uninitiated to this part of the King-verse, in brief, a Thinny is in essence a part of the world where the fabric between dimensions has grown thin and quite frankly, that would explain so much about this particular tale. Because it is possible Henry stepped through one and into another dimension and it may explain The Kid to a certain extent, in that, he too may be from another world in the multiverse and well, there is a fifty/fifty chance that I’m right when it comes to this little theory of mine and it would be cool if the show confirms said theory because I am a huge fan of The Dark Tower saga, but I am starting to get ahead of myself here. Because whether or not this theory is true, what matters more is that the show finally brought to light the fact that something sinister truly is working behind the scenes of this storied town and who knows where this incredible twist is going to take us in the weeks to come.
 
But, I have a feeling that before we learn everything there is to know about the power/evil surging through this town, next week’s tale will have to focus on Ruth. Because in the closing moments of this story, we came to discover that The Kid returned ‘home’ after using his wiles to escape violently from the iconic Juniper Hill, and it would seem something bad has happened to Ruth and well, when all is said and done, what an episode. This one really took my breath away with its powerful pace and grand reveals and while this doesn’t answer every single question on our minds at the moment, I’ll take what it handed us in this episode because I have to know whether or not Ruth is okay and sadly, I’ll have to wait until next Wednesday to find out. Until then.

It can be hard to believe, but most of the oceans on Earth have yet to be fully explored. With so much interest being put into the space programs over the years, we have so many ‘alien’ type of life forms living on our own planet. While we may need to look towards another place to live down the road as our planet continues to evolve, we may be able to find other ways to survive if we just look to the water. As the water levels continue to rise, we may find that there is a better way to live if we can truly understand what is hiding in the oceans, and how they have survived for millions of years.
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Getting updates on his underfunded Oshona facility, Mike Olsen is compiling a list of things that he may be able to fight for during his next meeting with the higher ups, but it is a short list. With the technology in the underwater research facility being outdated by decades, Mike knows that their time will continue to be shortening, as they are not providing any real results. As Mike says his goodbyes to the crew, including his wife, he takes note of the new abundance of sharks surrounding the facility, but has no idea what it really means. Minutes away from his meeting, Mike gets a call that Oshona has been cut off from its topside resources and a rescue effort is underway that he will need to be a part of.

While working on some general maintenance on the facility, the crew sees something that they never expected as two of their own are torn apart by the surrounding sharks. But that is not their only problem, as the sharks chew through the lifesaving umbilical that keeps the station alive. With the backup systems kicking in, it is only a matter of time before the station falls victim to the dark waters of the sea. Trying to take control of the problems at hand, Linda Olsen asserts herself as the boss, but her main maintenance man Harvey has other ideas. As the two battle about who should be in charge, it is apparent that neither of them are, as the sharks are keeping the crew of the Oshona trapped in a death chamber unless help comes.

Arriving on the U.S.S. Roosevelt and meeting with the captain, Mike is shocked to see that there is someone on the submarine that is looking to shut him down. With Ben Stiles from the Marine Oceanic Agency looking for safety violations in the facility, Mike is curious what the man’s mission really is. As the submarine approaches the dying underwater station, Mike and Ben are able to navigate their way through the shark infested waters, but thanks to a lack in judgment, they get the sharks riled up again. With their station being attacked by sharks once again and a strange magnetic pulse disabling part of the rescue submarine, it is only a matter of time before the Oshona becomes just another wreck at the bottom of the sea with all lives lost.

I think I liked this movie a little more than I was supposed to, as there are plenty of sharks and people being eaten to protect a crazy secret. The use of electric pulses to control sharks has become a go to storyline in many shark movies over the years, and since it keeps showing up, there must be something to it. I really liked the power struggle between Linda and Harvey throughout the movie, and the added stress of Ben Stiles being added into a no-win scenario. The lack of anyone wanting to put their necks on the line to save the group was something that may be frowned upon, but in a life or death situation, it is more probable that this is how things will go. With plenty of sharks, blood in the water, an alien substance, some explosions, silly choices, a mini sub, a giant sub and a government agency that will do anything to keep a new discovery from the world, this is just a good old-fashioned shark flick that will give you a happy ending, if you are into that kind of thing. Stay Scared.

​When you think of the ‘B-Movie’ as a whole, certain elements come to mind. You expect that a film with that moniker will feature a fairly low budget, and some sub-par acting and special effects that are accompanied by a less than stellar plot, and the whole movie may or may not serve as a vehicle to revitalize the career of an actor who has enjoyed some better days and when one considers the fact that these movies are often produced on the independent circuit and see limited distribution, we firmly believe that the B-Movie simply cannot exist in Hollywood because hey, tinsel town has other things on their agenda.
 
But the fact of the matter is, the B-Movie can exist with a big budget, because that kind of movie goes beyond the checklist I laid out a few moments ago. Part of what makes these films so magical is the sheer fact that the great ones are self-aware of what they are trying to accomplish, and they have fun with it in the process and don’t take themselves seriously in the slightest and after all these years, it would seem that the studios have figured out how to replicate all the fun and cheese that comes with these films because at long last, I finally had the opportunity to enjoy a big budget B-Movie, by way of The Meg.
 
Now in this particular motion picture we are introduced to a tough-as-nails search and rescue specialist named Jonas Taylor who has made every effort to disappear after a disastrous rescue mission wherein lives were lost, and Jonah was branded a mad man after making claims that some kind of massive creature attacked him and the crew he was trying to rescue while they were at the bottom of the ocean. But, years after this whole mess, the research team at Mana One comes to learn that Jonah was right, there is something large and powerful roaming the bottom of the sea and now the rattled Jonah will be pressed back into service to save lives and face off against the prehistoric predator that haunts his dreams, a seventy-foot shark known as the Megalodon.  

So, let’s answer one big question on everyone’s mind when it comes to this movie, is it worth watching? Well the answer in my mind is a resounding yes because this motion picture is just a blast to watch for so many reasons. For starters, at no point does The Meg try and be anything more than what it is; a movie about a giant freakin’ shark wreaking havoc on the world and by staying true to that, the audience is treated to quite a wild ride, one that’s full of plucky humor and delightfully cheesy moments and really, the movie has something for everyone. If you’re a horror fan, there’s plenty of chomping moments to be found here and if you’re in it for the action, well there’s plenty of that as well.
 
In fact, it’s the action and adventure that elevates this film, an element that also brings us back to my point about it being a big budget B-Movie. Because with some serious cash to throw around, we get some fairly inspired moments at sea thanks to some top notch special effects that show off the majesty and the wonder of The Meg because the old girl is as big as advertised and her appetite is the stuff of legend which means the third act is nothing short of stunning as Jonah and the crew of Mana One do their best to keep Meggers from feasting on everyone enjoying a swim and it’s the kind of breathtaking sequence that leaves you hooting and hollering as it plays out on screen.
 
Yet, what truly allows for me to give this movie two fins up, are the little kitschy touches that more or less keep this motion picture tied to its B-Movie roots. I mean come on, the main character’s name is Jonas, which is so close to Jonah and that kind of play is downright fin-tastic and to top it off, the movie pays homage to every single Jaws movie out there (including the awful fourth one, The Revenge) and really, when all is said and done, this is a movie that you need to see as soon as possible, preferably with a chum. You just can’t go wrong with the cast, or a giant shark out to eat people and this is the kind of fun and silly film that stays swimming in your mind long after its come to an end because it’s downright jawsome. 

Over the course of its storied history, the horror genre has done quite the phenomenal job of exploring and examining our world and our culture by way of some powerful social commentary, the kind that outright gives one pause once the story in question has come to its respective end. Yet, ironically, a genre that holds nothing back when it comes to what it has to say about our world and is happy to show us buckets of guts and gore and explore taboo subjects, has often been afraid of letting its characters truly open their soul and show us what kind of struggle they are experiencing in the midst of the terror surrounding them. 
 
If anything, horror subscribes to the old mantra that people simply have to be strong in times in crisis and understandably so. After all, they’re under extreme duress in these stories and taking the time to focus on their emotions and their feelings might get them killed when the monster in question finds them brooding. But slowly and surely, horror is evolving and finding ways to flesh out its characters in new light and for proof, look no further than the new and improved Fear the Walking Dead, since last night’s midseason premiere of this magnificent series, ‘People Like Us’, took the time to explore exactly what this rag tag group of survivors are thinking and feeling after everything they experienced and spoke to in the midseason finale, and wouldn’t you know it? They’re not exactly in a good place right now.
 
Of course, why would they be? They have in essence lost everyone that mattered to them in life since Alicia is the last of her family line, Strand lost the only person that ever believed in him and Luciana lost the love of her life. But, while I expected this particular tale to be bleak in its own right because hey, it’s the end of the world and these folks have been through hell, I was ill prepared for just how deep the series was going to dig into all of the characters’ respective pain, and that it was going to take the time to remind us that grief and loss are extremely powerful when they grab hold of us, and that they can in fact shatter us completely, as was the case with everyone in this tale.
 
Luciana for example, went from being a true warrior who would never let anything get in her way or slow her down to outright listless behavior, spending her days listening to music and dreaming of a life with Nick that would never become possible. Strand of course, turned to the drink since his newfound shelter was filled to the brim with a lovely wine cellar, and without his favorite drinking buddy Madison around, he was more than happy to down her share in her honor and Alicia, well she isolated herself as far away from her friends/surrogate family as possible to ponder and what was incredible is that this desolation and distancing didn’t end there. 

Because even John Dorie found himself wishing for the simple life of his cabin once again, to the point where he was beginning to formulate a plan to return to it with June and Charlie and potentially raise a family in the midst of this mess and to top it all off, Morgan made plans to return to Alexandria and overtures to the group to go back with him and well, I have to admit, that it was downright incredible to see everyone in this rough state of mind. I expected there to be some level of pain that accompanied Madison’s death, but not this kind of stark desolation and emotional destruction, but the show went there. It really felt the need to show us how badly everyone was hurting after that emotional midseason finale, and while it seemed for a moment there that this was going to be how the hour was going to go, it offered up a surprisingly hopeful twist.
 
Because the story presented us with a potential fix for the group to get out of their funk in that, they need some kind of purpose. Morgan thought that Alexandria could offer that, but Alicia was quick to point out that he was running away from a tough situation as well instead of sticking around and helping them heal. But as to what exactly that unifying purpose is going to be remains unknown but we at least received a taste of it in this tale, since it would seem that doing a little bit of good in this awful world got Alicia out and about, and it brought John and Strand together when they went to look for Charlie and speaking of that young girl, it would seem she’s trying to make amends and that reached Luciana in her darkest hour as well.
 
Yet, while I’m sure some would call this episode filler, since it didn’t advance the plot that much, I would simply have to disagree. Because this was a grand character study through and through, a true rarity for horror to say the least, and I appreciated the fact that it took the time to look at the pain that these characters are going through now that they have a moment to take inventory on their lives and ponder upon what they’ve lost and hopefully, they will come out stronger on the other side, but there are of course, no guarantees when it comes to that. For this is still the end of the world, the dead walk the earth and they have a new threat staring them down, courtesy of mother nature.
 
In fact, I’m a huge fan of the literal storm that’s brewing at this point in the story as well, simply because mother nature and the elements are often forgotten in these kinds of stories and without technology at their fingertips, they’re at the mercy of the apparent hurricane that’s about reach landfall and well, I’m hoping that the storm and everything that happens with its arrival serves as the catalyst to snap this group out of their funk. In the end however, this was quite the bold way to kick off the back half of season four, and it just goes to show how far this series has evolved and judging from this cerebral tale, it’s clear that there are more incredible surprises waiting for us down the line. Until next time.

I’ve always found it supremely interesting how in many ways, we never truly know our parents. Sure, we spend an incredible amount of time around them, and we learn what they stand for and what kind of person they are as the years roll on, but the deeper details about who they are as a person; their dreams, their hopes and their fears for instance, are often times the parts they keep hidden away from us until far later in life. Because their job was to raise us right and show us the best parts of being a human so that we can in turn can reflect their teachings and this mystery when it comes to our parents is on my mind today, because it was the focal point of last night’s episode of Outcast, ‘The One I’d Be Waiting For’.
 
Because in this particular tale we learned quite a bit about Kyle’s father, and the many things he did to keep his wife and son safe, and dear old dad’s harrowing story started thirty years ago, when a woman named Helen strolled into Rome with the same agenda that Sydney has on his mind; to bring evil into the light of day. And with Bob’s help (our new friend in the junkyard), the elder Barnes was somehow able to eventually put an end to her reign of terror and save the city and the world from a fate worse than death. But while that should have been enough for Kyle to chew upon, he had to know more about the last cycle of evil that pushed through this town because there was a chance that exploring how this mess came to an end in the past could help him stop it in the present.
 
Which led Kyle to an out of the way, tiny piece of property that his father owned at some point and well, what Kyle found there was fascinating and terrifying to say the least. For in this place, Kyle learned that his dad was conducting all kinds of research regarding this season of evil and sadly, there really wasn’t anything comprehensive or decipherable for Kyle to find in this ‘research center’. Instead, he came to learn just how far his father went to put an end to the evil in this town since he a discovered a room that turned out to be a torture chamber and well, that clearly put Kyle in quite a tough place since his outlook on his father has changed at this point. In part because he now understands exactly why his father ran off, but also due to the fact that he’s discovered that dear old dad was capable of great cruelty in order to keep others safe, something that Kyle seems to be incapable of.
 
Yet this episode had plenty more to offer than a mere walk down memory lane, because this story saw Aaron return home after all this time, with disastrous results. Because the young man had dark deeds in mind since he killed his mother and taunted Reverend Anderson in the hopes of forcing a final showdown between the two of them, something he nearly accomplished until Kyle saved the day, and it was supremely disturbing to see how far Aaron has fallen from grace and who knows what dark and disturbing future awaits this kid at Sydney’s side. But he needs to watch his back, because it’s clear Anderson is waiting for an opportunity to settle the score, despite Kyle pointing out that they have to better and not sink to Sydney’s level. 
 
Which is a fascinating concept for Kyle to point out, now that we know what kind of man Kyle’s father turned out to be, and I’m fairly certain that this contrast between father and son will rear its head again in the weeks to follow. But, all of that aside, this was quite the intense episode, thanks in large part to Aaron’s bloodlust and I love that the tension is ramping up and that the plot continues to chug forward, and that the series is finding ways to stay grounded in humanity by way of Megan’s fight to keep her family together in this tale and well, once again, I’m hungry for more. Because at long last, every mystery is coming to light, and while I know things are going to worse before they get better, I have to see what surprises await us next in this harrowing story. Until next time.