Getting lost in the moment when it comes to our feelings is quite the common thing. But if there is one particular feeling where it is easier to lose one’s self within over all others…it has to be revenge. Because when someone has wronged us and hurt us, we want nothing more than to make everything right in our minds and we often will stop at nothing to get precisely what we want, regardless of the cost and once we’ve reached that point, revenge can most certainly become dangerous.
 
Because when one doesn’t care about the consequences of fulfilling it, anything and everything can and will happen, and sometimes good people are emotionally or physically hurt in the process and at its absolute worst…it can completely and utterly consume you, and it is that darker side to revenge that served as the focus for last night’s episode of The Walking Dead. Because ‘The Damned’ not only demonstrated just how far people are willing to go to obtain it, but the consequences that can come with it and what was really amazing…is that it accomplished this by letting revenge consume the audience as well.
 
Think about it for a moment. So many of us were upset and devastated by that season seven premiere last year. Abraham and Glenn’s death were powerful in their own right, to the point where people flat out stopped watching the show, including a fellow writer for this site, Shae. We were simply stunned that the show went there and as the weeks progressed and the emotional torture continued, we wanted only one thing for the good people of Alexandria and the Hilltop; revenge for what Negan had done to them and their loved ones.
 
Which is why the season seven finale and the season eight premiere were so incredibly satisfying, because at long last, the Saviors were getting what they deserved, and the pleasure and joy we received from watching Rick and his allies fight back only continued to grow last night as we watched outpost after outpost come under siege in genius and swift fashion thanks to the intel Dwight provided Rick with. But while I’m certain all of us were hooting and hollering with every bullet that claimed a Savior or sent them running, something special happened…the story shifted from action and adventure, to something thoughtful and powerful. 

​Which brings us to the dark side of revenge that I made mention of, because everything negative about it came to fruition. First and foremost, good people were hurt by it. Plenty of fine and kind people from Alexandria, whose only mission was to contain the Saviors at one particular outpost to allow for Rick and Daryl to handle them with larger firepower, or allow for the dead to their thing, found themselves injured in the midst of the combat, including Aaron’s partner Eric, who took a round to the gut and whose fate now remains up in the air because of this violent quest to make things right.
 
Meanwhile others, came to realize that perhaps the wholesale slaughter of the Saviors may not be the best course of action for the long-term struggle of humanity as a whole since Jesus went against Rick’s edict at his assigned outpost and took every last Savior into custody after demanding their surrender, and despite the protests from Tara and Morgan, in many ways this is where the story shifted for the audience. Because Jesus isn’t wrong. It’s the end of the world, mankind’s numbers have dwindled to dangerously low levels and murdering one another with impunity…only helps the dead win, so to spare lives now and show them there is a better way speaks volumes to how far revenge has consumed the group and that they too have to be better in the days to come to forge a brighter future. 
 
But truly, the centerpiece of this theme came about by way of Rick Grimes and his encounters at the end of the episode. Because Rick forgot that the people that he is fighting against are still people, and that they have families, and lives of their own and that made the moment when all of this hit him, by finding a sleeping little girl that instantly reminded everyone of Judith, all the more sobering. As did the surprise of seeing Morales from season one aligned with the Saviors, because he too is a father, and a husband and while we didn’t get much detail as to where his family is now, the fact that Rick’s quest for payback has now in essence ruined families in a way makes him no less of a monster than Negan, and judging from the look of remorse on his face at the end the episode, he’s fully aware of the fact that he’s made a critical mistake in believing that all of the Saviors are a faceless monster.
 
Yet perhaps the most impressive part of this story, is the sheer fact that it served as a reminder that the dead have taken over this world because of mankind’s foolishness. The divides and ego that permeate this war, and the fact that some people, Negan specifically, believe that life has to be ugly and hard now…only contributes to the living dead’s rule of this land. Because if by chance, these two men are able to put aside their differences and work together, they can achieve wonders, but who knows if they can ever find common ground. Either way, thus far this story arc is turning out to be far more cerebral than its comic counterpart, and I love the depth that’s present in this iteration of ‘All Out War’ and I cannot wait to see what other fascinating and thoughtful stories await us in this arc. Until next time. 

Finding the perfect balance, has to be one incredible task for the brave souls that enjoy the title of ‘Showrunner’ when it comes to our favorite television shows. Because it is up to that all important person or persons to help the Writer’s Room figure out how to properly tell their tale over the course of a season and if too much of the plot is advanced up front, you’re left with a weak and unsatisfying season finale and if the saga takes too much time getting to the point, then everything feels rushed when you get to the last few episodes of the season.
 
Which is why many television sagas, Stranger Things included, make use of the ‘transitional episode’, a tale that helps keep the plot grounded and balanced by breaking away from the big storyline for a brief moment and I think we can all agree that this particular storytelling device often delivers mixed results. At times, they seem like lost episodes, just a tale thrown into the mix to fill the episode count while at other times, they’re completely and utterly brilliant, finding a way to give us just enough plot wise while still finding ways to entertain, as was the case with the second chapter of season two of this phenomenal show, ‘Trick or Treat, Freak’.
 
Because Chapter Two, not only advanced the plot just enough to satisfy, it slowed down the story to allow for us to get some answers to some burning questions, and follow up on some of the issues brought forth in the season premiere. Case in point, how Eleven escaped the Upside Down and the hardships she’s faced ever since, and how she’s yearning now to escape her current situation and her past and live a new life free from isolation and oddly enough, the notion of living one’s life free from the past was precisely how the story followed up with everyone who was trying to move forward in the prior episode. Because in reality, we came to realize in this tale that Nancy and Joyce are doing their best to move forward by not dealing with all of the incredible events that happened a year ago and they’re quickly coming to realize…that’s just not feasible. That in order to move forward they’ve got to face their pain and their fears and it should be interesting to see how that comes together later on in the season.

​Yet, what truly made this episode such an enjoyable ride through and through, was the fact that it was just downright fun. We got to see these kids being kids, and I won’t lie, the entire costume sequence, where the guys were able to suit up with pride in their Ghostbusters attire took me right down memory lane and I’m sure I’m not alone in that since plenty of us geeks and nerds wore our costumes back in the day with pride and endured our own parental photo shoots to preserve the wonder of that particular moment, and the joy from this sequence didn’t end there. The whole segment with Mad Max was downright hilarious and it’s a good thing we had some fun with the kids in this episode, because dark things are on the horizon.
 
Because, we cannot forget that something sinister is brewing in Hawkins behind the scenes, there’s something eating its way through the pumpkin fields in town with glee and holy cow, we need to take a moment and discuss the whole Upside Down sequence with Will because that was completely and utterly terrifying. There is something supremely unwholesome about seeing a creature like that suddenly rise up from seemingly nowhere and tower over Will and the audience and what made that sequence all the more chilling is the sheer fact that whatever this awful thing is, it’s clearly hell bent on finding and getting close to Will and no good can come from that.
 
In the end however, I think this episode serves as proof that season two is just as good as season one, in fact it may be better. Because I am loving the depth we are seeing from the characters here, and the fact that the past is haunting so many. It’s making for a truly engrossing storyline, one that is moving along as the Duffer Brothers see fit and what made this transitional episode so amazing for me, is the sheer fact that it flew by while watching it. If anything, I’m definitely hooked and I’m dying to know what Dustin found in the trashcan and I cannot wait to find out what that massive hulk of a monster has planned for Will and Hawkins, which means…I should probably bid you all farewell and go watch episode three. Until next time.  

Television shows that are instant hits or considered to be a ‘phenomenon’ when it comes to storytelling are truly magical in their own right. After all, they latched onto something special with the audience, found a way to instantly suck them in and that’s precisely what Netflix’s Stranger Things managed to do in its inaugural season. It found a way to please fans of nostalgia and horror by providing those folks with a gripping and terrifying storyline set in an era that many look upon fondly. But most importantly, it broke free of any niche audiences by delivering an incredible story with vibrant characters that drew everyone in.
 
That kind of perfect storm is incredibly difficult to replicate because when a story comes together that easily and becomes a phenomenon and darling in its own right, everything that follows after it will be held to the standard of that original tale and I think that’s what was on all of our minds when we tuned in this week to see what the second season of this explosive saga had in store for us and I’m pleased to say that if the season two premiere of this series, ‘MADMAX’ is any indicator of what the rest of year two is going to be like, than Stranger Things has become the equivalent of lightning striking twice. 
 
Because it doesn’t take long for this story to suck you right in and make you feel at home and really, there were two key things that I absolutely adored when it came to this premiere, the fact that the horror elements that brought me plenty of joy in season one were still prevalent in this tale and the fact that the writing when it comes to the characters and the depth surrounding them has improved leaps and bounds over season one. I say that, because in essence, last year was all reactionary storytelling, wherein everyone’s best was brought about because of Will’s disappearance and of course, their survival instincts when dealing with the Upside Down, but in this premiere, we finally learned more about who these characters are as people and what they want in life.

​Much of that was achieved by way of a key theme hanging over just about all of the story; the need to move on from a traumatic past, because so many in this tale were working hard to forget about the horrors that happened a year ago in Hawkins and their strife made for some compelling and heartbreaking television. Case in point, Joyce, a mother who so desperately wants to see her family come together again that she’s willing to get involved with someone that at least in my opinion, she really isn’t that interested in, but appears to be in order to create a family environment for her boys so they can all feel whole again and use that to heal all of their pain. 
 
Yet what made this push for mental peace so incredibly fascinating is the fact that Joyce and so many others understand that it’s going to be a long hard road to recovery since momma Byers is fully cognizant of the fact that her son is still struggling with what he experienced in that other world and some…well they’ve not fully recovered at all as was evidenced in the devastating dinner scene with Barb’s parents where her folks expressed their continued dedication to bringing home their baby girl, rather than accept the possibility (and fact) that she’s dead. And of course, we cannot forget the true surprise when it comes to this episode, in that Sheriff Hopper is the only person to apparently have found a way to work through his pain by playing dad to a surrogate daughter in Eleven, the one character we thought was gone forever…
 
However, while one can easily lose themselves in this beautiful style of storytelling, I made mention of the fact that the horror is still there waiting for us and my goodness, the show simply didn’t mess around when it comes to that. Because it’s clear something horrible is brewing behind the scenes and something powerful is looking to find its way into our world, by way of Will, and no good can come of the fact that it appears to have found him at the end of the episode. Either way, this was a wonderful beginning to season two, I love how rich the characters have become and I’m delighted that the hints of trouble to come sent utter chills down my spine and with that in mind, it’s time to tell Netflix to play the next episode of this incredible show so I can see what terrors from the Upside Down await us, until next time.   

One of the things that I always love to do is sit back and listen to the old timers tell their stories. For some reason, this never loses its appeal for me, even if I hear the same story a hundred times, this is just a highlight of the year for me. It all started from my old camping days, but has continued into the out of the way restaurants that only the locals go to. Finding someone that is willing to give you a story, even a fish story, is something that seems to be going away, so make sure to find a good old timer that is willing to give you a little insight into something that you may never hear again.

Chuck is already having a tough day and not having his supervisor John around is not making it any better. Knowing that he made the right choice in promoting his longtime employee, Chuck is starting to wonder what could have possibly happened to John. But Chuck has no fear as he sees John rolling in late, yet he looks like there is something seriously wrong. Pulling his boss aside, John has had one heck of a long weekend and needs to tell his story and get his life back together. 

Getting home from a long day of logging and getting into a spat with a couple of his employees, John is ready to sit back and take his boots off, but his son Jacob saw something strange in the woods. Needing to go check it out, John gets back up and takes his eldest son Caleb on a little hunting trip. Armed with his revolver, John believes that what Jacob saw was a bear in the woods, but his description of a hairy man is not sitting right with him. Thinking that it might be a squatter, John is ready for anything that he might find, yet, he is not ready to see something that he has never seen before.

Hearing a strange sound in the woods, John sends Caleb running home when he is ready to take his shot, but seeing the creature running after his son, he fears the worst. Running after the hairy beast, John is thankful for seeing it continue to haul hairy butt past his fallen boy. Getting home and telling his wife what he had just witnessed, John decides to take care of the problem himself rather than getting the sheriff involved, mainly because the story sounds too crazy. But the hairy beast has just been made aware that there is attention to be given to this household and keeps an eye on what is going on and takes its shots at the house when the family least expects it. Not wanting to leave the house, no matter how bad it gets, John and his family fall victim to a Big Foot harassment that will change their lives forever.

I know the review seems a little short, but that is the gist of what happens, a Big Foot lays claim to John and his family and even though it does not seem to want to hurt them in the long run, it likes to make its presence known. I love the innocent Jacob wanting to be friends with the hairy beast, going so far as to put his hands on the window to touch Big Foot’s hand through the glass. The fear the John has for his family’s safety is understandable, but when he has no idea what he is up against, he does some silly things that might lead to them facing a Big Foot’s wrath. With uprooted trees, a drunken hunting attempt, a struggling father, a Big Foot and a showdown for the ages, you might wonder what Big Foot is like in real life, an oversized fuzzy man that likes to be petted, or a scary sea lion that eats people’s faces off. Stay Scared.

Working friendships can be one of two things for people, you are either friends inside of the building, or outside of the building. It can be easy to determine if the friendships you make at work are actually something bigger than just a working one, by going out and seeing if you can click on another level. It is funny as I have been working with so many different people over the years and keeping in touch with them as we all have moved on, and so many of what I thought were just co-workers have turned into lifelong friends. With so many people just going to work to get paid, there might be something else inside the walls that can help better anyone’s life.
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Talking with her agent, Emily T is blown away by her new music video and not in a good way. Wanting to sell the sex like her former group used to, Agent Fox knows exactly what it will take to get Emily back on the top of the charts, a reunion tour. Not wanting to get back together with her old group since she has been on her own for the past five years, Emily is not willing to bend, but it is the only way she will be able to get what she wants. Getting a knock on her door, Emily sees that events have already been put into motion to get the Three of Sin back together.

Seeing her old band mates Cynthia, who has been branching out on her own to become a better musician and Sharon who has made her own brand of edible underwear, Emily is not ready to be a part of the group again. But with the promise of fame and fortune when her new album is released, she decides to go along with the flow and with new drummer Ray in tow, the group jets across the world to Italy to start their tour. Arriving at the house that is being rented out to the group, things do not seem to be going well, but once the liquor starts to flow, all negativity is gone as the group is back together with only one rule, do not sleep with the drummer.

As everyone wakes up in the house, very hungover, they notice that the power is out, along with the fact they do not have anything to eat. The tour’s manager, Rudy, heads down to see what the deal is with the owners of the house and becomes infected by something terrible. A meteor has crashed down outside of the town and has changed everyone that came into contact with it into a life sucking force that moves only in spurts, but cannot be stopped. Seeing the infected people coming towards the house, Three of Sin must make their way to safety, but not knowing the area can be costly since there is no way in knowing how far the infection has traveled. On foot, the band must come together for one last performance, one of survival before they suffer the same fate of the people in this small town.

This movie turned out a little different than I expected, as I thought that this would be more of a zombie type movie, and while it was, the infected seem to be made of stone and while they can move, it comes in bunches while you are not looking. I really liked the bandmates group dynamic in this movie, mainly because everyone is excited with the exception of Emily who wants nothing to do with her past life, much less the women that helped get her to the top. But Emily does demonstrate that she is not completely against her group, as she shows that keeping them safe from the infected is more important than her own safety, I actually did not see that coming. With stone zombies, old friends coming together, edible underwear, a shot at redemption, a silly waking up scene and an awesome preparing for war montage, this movie has it all. Stay Scared.

If there's one thing we can all agree upon, it's that The Walking Dead is a supremely dark and riveting television show, and for proof, look no further than some of the harrowing events we've all been privy to over the past seven years. We've experienced heartbreak and terror as Rick Grimes and his now extended family have done their best to survive at the end of the world, and despite the seemingly endless bleak moments that this series has provided us with, something magical happened at the end of season seven...it seemed as though the fog was lifting at last and this saga was moving toward something far more hopeful and inspiring. 

Granted, the show has flirted with hopeful moments before, but never like this. In fact, I cannot remember a time prior to the finale where we have seen the characters truly seize control of their destiny in fearless and powerful fashion and really, the big question on my mind going into last night's season eight premiere, was whether or not 'Mercy' was going to continue this upbeat style of storytelling, and wouldn't you know it...it did. Because last night's episode was simply a joy to watch thanks in large part to a thrilling storyline that saw the three communities build upon the victory they enjoyed against the Saviors in 'The First Day of the Rest of your Life', but the joy also came about from the fact that this was a supremely forward thinking episode, one that explored the power of hope and notion of a better tomorrow.

But before we spend too much time on the latter of those concepts, let's take a moment and talk about what Rick's Allied Forces accomplished last night simply because it was downright impressive and incredibly cool to boot. Because last night saw an emboldened alliance work together in seamless fashion, to the point where they were able to draw away Negan's forces and improvise armor in a manner that actually allowed for everyone to simply roll up to the Saviors' front door and knock in order to make Negan and his Lieutenants a simple offer; surrender now and hand over Negan and there would be peace and absolution for their part in this whole mess and of course, they tried to stall when it came to said offer, which led to the execution of Rick's awesome master plan.

It was, at long last, time for the Saviors to have something to fear and after a heavy assault from the allies, the fine work of Daryl, Carol, Tara and Morgan allowed for the best part of this plan to come to fruition; when a giant herd of the living dead that they worked delicately to direct finally arrived at the Saviors' doorstep, surrounding the place, and well...this was a genius move on Rick's part. After all, with their windows shot out, every single human being within the complex will be subjected to the horrible noises the living dead make on a regular basis, and the stench, which will at some point will no doubt drive some of Negan's followers mad, and while this may not win the war, it demonstrates that Rick Grimes is not to be messed with, and it also buys Rick and his own lieutenants time to take out Negan's outposts and plan their next move. 

But all of that complex action aside, we do have some uplifting stuff to talk about because there was just so much of it to be found in this episode. For starters, it was truly beautiful to see everyone focused on a better tomorrow and understand why they're fighting this good fight. It's not about revenge, or malice, Rick, Maggie and King Ezekiel truly believe they're doing this to make the world a better place; one free of men like Negan and their ill intentions and clearly their message is resonating through and through. Because everywhere you looked, despite the fear prevalent on the faces of the soldiers that went into battle, their words at the meeting before the battle, and their actions spoke volumes to all of us in that...they're done with being afraid and they're done with others dictating their future and they're willing to fight to finally enjoy some lasting peace and quiet. 

However, while it was nice to see everyone thinking about a better world, in reality two key characters drove the point home when it comes to the power of hope and the wonderful things it can do for a person; Rick and Carl Grimes. If anything, the elder Grimes used the notion to more or less transform himself because when you think about it, it wasn't that long ago that fear and anger consumed Rick to the point where he was unrecognizable, and now it would seem he's harnessing all of that as fuel in his quest since it's clear now that the idea of his children living in a world where men like Negan rule is unacceptable and that same fuel is finally allowing for Rick to be unselfish in what he does, to the point where was able to back down when Gabriel told him it was time to do so and it was simply beautiful to see Rick finally believe in something so grand and so great and hey I won't lie, the riveting speeches he delivered in this episode were simply out of this world.

But truly, the most magical moment of the night came by way of the younger Grimes. Because after years of worrying about how young Carl is going to turn out in a world like this, and considering how much anger he's carried in his heart as well, going so far as to try and kill Negan on his own...it's clear now that he too needs something to believe in and being so close to his dad and seeing Rick's transformation has served Carl well since he is now starting to understand the value of life. Heck, he even took the time to lecture his father on the need to show kindness to everyone after seeing dear old dad chase off a starving stranger at a gas station early on in the episode before returning to the place at the end of the story, with food and an apology in hand and well...that was quite the touching moment to see play out on screen and it signaled the fact that the fight to make the world a better place is just, and that at long last...maybe there's hope for humanity in this world after all. 

If anything, the 100th episode of The Walking Dead truly served as a 'best of' reel for this magnificent series. We got to see plenty, and I do mean plenty, of walkers. We saw the best parts of humanity win out over fear and anger and there were even a couple of easter eggs to boot thanks to the entire opening segment at the gas station and the 'blink and you'll miss it' echo of the first walker we ever saw on the series and when all is said and done, I loved this episode through and through. It feels as though those of us who stuck with the supremely dark season seven are being rewarded at last and considering how this one ended, with Gabriel trapped in the darkness with Negan, and no resolution on the assaults on the outposts, I'm dying to know where the story goes next. Either way, it would seem this show has found a wonderful new groove thanks to this episode and I think it's safe to assume that the darkest days of the series are now behind us and a potentially beautiful future awaits, after this all out war comes to an end. Until next time. 

There is nothing wrong with looking for something to do on Halloween, in fact as we get older and the appeal of candy is no longer in our sights, we need something. With countless haunted houses, hayrides, corn mazes and abandoned neighborhoods to check out, there seems to be something for everyone. Doing plenty of these in my days, I cannot tell you which one is for you, but I can tell you that they will all leave you very satisfied. Get a little scare in your system for Halloween, it makes you feel like you are living again, if even for a couple hours of the week.
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Being the new girl in school, Grace has plenty of eyes on her, but none more strongly than Leah who is looking for something special. Knowing that the new girl has had a rough go as of late, especially after losing her mother in a car fire, Leah wants to take Grace’s mind off of things and have her hit up a party with her friends. Bringing Sydney, Gavin and Amy along for the ride, the group make their way to Grace’s front porch when they are greeted by a little devil, Jenna, Grace’s little sister who will be coming along, at least for a couple hours.

Arriving at the fair, Grace sees how seriously her new town takes Halloween. With plenty of things to do, the group looks to do something that will get their hearts pumping. Heading into the haunted house, the group get separated and seem to succumb to their own worst fears. But Jenna is standing tall as nothing is really getting to her, not even when she finds out that Gavin is cheating on his girlfriend Sydney. Meeting back up at the entrance of the haunted house, the group decides that it is time to check out the most haunted house in the town and put the Never Knock legend to the test. Agreeing to go along, Jenna wants some sort of fright for the night, but she has no idea what she is about to unleash.

At the house on 59 Oakwood Lane, the group makes their way to the door and the fearless Jenna knocks three times. Seeing what appears to blood being soaked in by the door, it opens and everyone takes off running for their lives. As Grace and her new friends are able to find each other however, they have lost Jenna and need to find her before nightfall. Searching the graveyard and a hay maze, the group comes up empty handed, but Sydney has spotted something from her nightmares as needles start stabbing her all over her body. As the Neverknock has its way with its first victim, Gavin sees it and tries to make a run for the light, but there does not seem to be a safe place for him as well. Seeing that their friend is dead, Grace and Leah compile their notes on what they are seeing and come to the conclusion that the Neverknock is the thing you most fear. Seeing her new friends getting killed off one by one, Grace only has her sister’s safety on her mind, but will the Neverknock let the young girl without fear go?

I have heard of haunted houses and haunted relics, but this movie takes it to the next level as it is just a repurposed item of the house. I liked the history that was given about the Neverknock, killing wherever it has been hidden in history, pretty cool idea. The beginning of the movie really sets the tone for what is to come, especially on Halloween night after 30 years have passed since its last appearance. I liked the characters in this and while you don’t get a ton of background on them, you get to see their greatest fears which turn out to be their demise. With an unstoppable demon, an urban legend coming to life, a haunted house, needles, blood, bugs, dogs, fire and a finale that shows just how smart our youth really is, it is just a fun shriek fest. Buildings may rise and fall over the years, but the Neverknock will be forever, as long as it gets repurposed. Stay Scared.

As some of you may or may not know, I am fascinated by really only two things, History and Ghost Stories and when they are combined, I am in heaven, especially when it involves a show or a movie.  Back in the late 90’s a show hit the airwaves on the History Channel that really captured my heart and imagination when Haunted History came on every Thursday night.

​While most of the time I was not able to catch that airing, I did find myself catching up on the early Saturday morning showings and was blown away by the stories. Learning more about what happened in our great country’s past, I was extremely saddened when the show was dropped, but a couple years ago I was introduced to Lore on the internet and got to hear unique stories again. 

When Lore was brought to my attention, I was looking for a spooky podcast or show to listen to in the background and my friends and the internet all pointed to this show. Giving a couple shows a listen, I started hearing everything that I learned while watching Haunted History on the History Channel. I gave it a try for a couple weeks, but it seemed like it was lacking something for me. I still get cc’ed on this podcast to this day with stories that are great, but I have heard them before which is keeping me from liking this show as much as everybody else,

Amazon Prime has taken a shot on this podcast to bring something special to the streaming masses and while I know that the people that like the podcast are loving it, it seems to be one thing, a podcast. I was hoping for something a little bit different and with all of the great stars and animators that have been included in this series, nothing has changed in the storytelling. Being paced and read just like the podcast has left me longing for so much more than is being delivered. It is just the narrator’s show with brief interruptions of people acting out the scenes to move the story forward.

Making it through the six episode first season was a little difficult for me as the format in which the stories are being told is not a style that I like, but the stories as a whole are great if you have not heard them before. With stories about Mercy Brown, the first American Vampire, to one of the most haunted dolls in the states, Robert the Doll, I like how the history is brought back to life in these stories. Like I said, if you have not heard them before and like to listen to things that are a little unsettling from our past, you should give it a watch. A huge congrats to the Lore team for opening up the podcast community to so much more than they could have ever imagined. Stay Scared.

It's an age old notion that sometimes, in order to move forward in life, and leave everything behind that's currently dragging us down or haunting us, that we have to hit our own version of rock bottom. Granted, when one hears that phrase they instantly think of folks who suffer from addiction since it is often associated with substance abusers, but the fact of the matter is, rock bottom is waiting for all of us. It can come from losing our jobs, or a loved one or just sheer trauma and it exists in fiction often simply to remind us of the fact that in order to be truly free in life, we must let go of our past and move boldly into the future. 

Of course, that's easier said that done, and we often turn to fiction to find comfort and perhaps inspiration to let everything go and well, while horror isn't often what one can consider to be an inspiring genre, the whole concept of letting go at the past has been looming large over season three of Fear the Walking Dead and as it turns out, last night's season finale, 'Things Bad Begun' and 'Sleigh Ride' brought together that overreaching story arc, by giving every single character something they've desperately needed all season long, their own version of rock bottom and in doing so, the show delivered one its most poignant and powerful episodes to date.

Because so rarely in this particular genre are the characters forced to face the things they've done and spend time pondering on the harsh realities of their own world. It's often about survival and conflict in the zombie genre and at first, it seemed as though this episode was going to focus heavily on said conflict because almost immediately it was revealed that Victor Strand's 'offer' to Proctor John last week, was for a peaceful takeover of the dam and once Nick and Troy arrived to warn everyone of what was coming, we saw preparations for war, but it was shortly after this, that everything took quite the left turn as the show dug deep on all the concepts I've made mention of so far, and it all kicked off the instant that Daniel learned that Troy was responsible for his daughter's death by leading the herd to the ranch.

Granted, Nick did his best to hide this from Daniel, but eventually, Mister Salazar figured it out during the course of their conversation and well, it was all downhill from there. Because when Troy finally admitted to doing it and his reasons for doing it in front of Madison, she killed him without hesitation, setting in motion a pseudo standoff between mother and son wherein both of them were forced to face the things they've done this season, and in the hopes of finding a way to redeem himself for killing Jeremiah, Nick tried desperately to convince his mother that there has to be a better way forward at the end of the world, something Madison woefully disagreed with and while this should have been the all important moment for them to truly move forward, that would simply have to wait, because Victor Strand had to go first when it came to atoning for one's sins. 

Because after three years of deal making and fast talking, Victor finally talked himself into a corner and was asked to do the unthinkable and take innocent lives since Proctor John wanted The Water Queen and her head of security dead, and the desperation within to build a new life and find safety and security almost drove him to it, in fact he even shot Daniel, wounding him badly. But it would seem that something changed within Victor after that ugly moment, and he worked hard to save Madison and Nick from any potential harm from Proctor John, going so far as to finally stand up to the man and threaten him with the destruction of the dam. But that kind of redemption would be too easy for Strand, since he's a man that will require baby steps to be a better human being, but in that moment, he emerged from the darkness at last, ready to do something good for change.

Instead, the shining and heroic moment of the night belonged to Nick, who, faced with his own impending doom at the hands of Proctor John, finally came to the point where he realized he was sick of the killing, and of everyone, himself included, trying to grasp at yesterday and keep the old world going. Somehow in what he saw as his final moments, he found enlightenment, in that the only forward was in performing good deeds and making this new world a better place and after negotiating safe passage for his family and Strand, and after an assist from Walker and Crazy Dog to buy Madison, Alicia and Strand some time to escape...he set off the explosives in the dam, effectively ending John's attempt to build a powerful empire and in doing so...he saved thousands of lives as people finally got their hands on much needed water and it's been quite amazing to see Nick go from selfish junkie, to a man lost at the end of the world to finally becoming the hero and good man his mother believed him to be.

Speaking of Madison, while her journey last night was perhaps the least subtle of them all, it was equally as impactful. Because in this tale, she finally expressed her desire to see her family settle down and live a normal life, where they could in fact, recreate the old world with magical moments like a beautiful and hearty Christmas dinner. But putting down Troy, and seeing her son do something so noble, inspired her subconscious and as she drifted downriver post explosion, her mind wandered to that dream, and to all the things she's done, and how horrible a person she believed herself to be for doing what she thought was just and necessary and when it seemed the water, and her conscience would consume her, she finally let go of the past in symbolic fashion...by letting go of her vision of Travis and well, in many ways her washing ashore and coming to this place of zen beneath the rushing water was supremely philosophical, and almost baptismal in a way.

However, despite the emotional freedom bestowed upon the characters, many of their fates were left up in the air. We don't know if Alicia and Strand survived the undertow, nor do we know if Nick and Daniel made it clear of the dam before it collapsed. Instead, I'm sure the saga is saving all of that for season four, but when all is said and done, wow...what a way to end a season. It's just so rare to see horror go to such philosophical places such as this and I love the fact that regardless of what lies ahead for Madison and whomever else survived the siege of the dam, they can do it with clear consciences and freedom from their past and end of the world or not, that's quite a positive and hopeful way to end season three and I cannot wait to see where these characters go in season four. Until next year. 

Shadows can be a thing of nightmares when you see them moving around at night. Most of the time they are just that, shadows, being magnified by the moon on your walls and there is nothing to be frightened of. But there are times when such things are being caused by something else, whether or not they are sinister forces, that will have to be left up to you. As we have all heard of shadow people looming around old locations, what would happen if they were suddenly coming after you?
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Getting ready for bed a woman turns off the hallway light to see a shadow standing in the distance.  Thinking that her eyes are playing tricks on her, she turns the light back on to see that the figure has disappeared. But once again turning off the light, she sees the strange figure re-appear in the distance. Trying this a couple times and getting the same results, she decides to tape the light switch on so whomever or whatever is lurking in the shadows is not able to give her a scare while she sleeps.

Getting comfortable in bed, the woman starts to hear a rustling in the hallway and watches as the light gets turned off. Thinking that there is someone coming after her, the woman hides beneath the covers hoping that whatever it is will go away and leave her alone. Taking quick peeks, she sees that her door has been opened and her night light by the bed starts to flicker. Being able to summon the courage to adjust the plug and get the full beam of light back onto her, she hears the light in the hallway being turned back on. Thinking that it must have been just a dream, she is able to relax, only to find herself in a living nightmare.

This is a really fun short film, mainly because it plays on our fears of what is hiding in the dark.  Becoming a full-length film last year, this can be an example of what some film makers are trying to do with their shorts. Everyone has a fear of the dark and while some of those go away with age, having a grown-up deal with the same thing that kids do is what makes this short so special in my eyes. While I have gotten over my fear of the dark, there are those times when things just don’t feel right and keeping a light on seems like the right thing to do. From now on, I will play a little bit more attention to what goes bump in the night around my room, because if I find that there is someone or something playing with my stuff while I sleep, I will get my ass out of dodge. Stay Scared.