‘Almost Paradise’ Recap: ‘Lone Wolf’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

In the back of our minds, each and every one of us have a list of celebrities that we would simply love to meet. Because there are famous folks out there that we genuinely admire. Largely due to the fact that their work has managed to influence our lives and lift us up. Which is why so many of us go to conventions, simply because that is the easiest way to get a little face time with the stars that we look up to, so we can thank them for the joy they bring into our lives and the lives of others. But while that is quite the treat, a genuine dream for all of us, would be getting the opportunity to just hang out with our heroes, so that we can learn exactly what makes them tick and how they honed their craft.
 
But alas, the chances of that happening are far and few between because these folks have plenty to do. Which is why fiction is such a wonderful way to explore what so many of us consider to be the impossible, and it just so happens that last night’s episode of Almost Paradise took the time to examine the fan’s ultimate dream, by having Alex hang out with someone famous that he admired. For ‘Lone Wolf’ saw his favorite country music star arrive in Cebu for a big-time concert and well, the local police were a tad concerned for August Crowe’s safety. Because there was a kidnapping ring snatching up celebrities in the Philippines for ransom and Chief Ocampo did not want that happening on his watch, and had Kai and Ernesto employ Alex as Mister Crowe’s temporary bodyguard while he was on the island and well, this led to some powerful and beautiful moments.
 
Because once the wonder of standing toe to toe with his musical hero wore off, Alex came to discover that August Crowe was in quite the miserable place. Simply because life wasn’t going the way that he expected and that motivated August to turn to the bottle and every painkiller he could get hands on, in order to cope with the pain in his heart and this made for some difficult scenes to watch. For it outright broke Alex’s heart to see his hero suffering like this, and while he went the extra mile to keep Crowe out of trouble, it became obvious that this episode wanted to get an important message across when it comes to celebrities. In that, they’re human beings too, and they have problems like the rest of us and sometimes what helps them lose their way, is being insulated and protected in the name of the craft and that revelation is what led to the beauty in question.
 
For Alex took the time to treat August like a person and be honest with him about where his life was heading if he kept on this destructive path. Which once again made Alex the mentor in this tale, since he had meaningful advice to offer to a lost soul and it was just wonderful to see him open up like this again and give someone direction and hope. But what truly made August’s salvation at Alex’s hands (in both the literal and figurative sense) so supremely worth our while, is the sheer fact that this mentor role is genuinely helping Alex heal as well. Because it’s been obvious for some time now that Alex firmly believes he did nothing meaningful as a DEA Agent, since all he saw was revolving door justice. But being able to impact the lives of others in a positive fashion, is giving him purpose at last, and seeing him put the pieces of his soul back together as this journey continues along is quite inspirational.
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If anything, this is just another magnificent episode from a series that quite frankly has been flawless from the start. Because once again, we were treated to all the hallmarks of a quality story since this one featured flawless performances, action and adventure, plenty of laughs and quality character growth. Plus, you simply cannot go wrong with having Christian Kane belt out a little tune while playing the guitar, since it only helps to further demonstrate just how talented the man really is. Either way, this was just a lovely little tale, one that was supremely human and honest and raw, and it really just goes to show that this series is accomplishing some storytelling wonders. The kind that leave you hungry for more, and once again all we can do at this point is bask in the magic of another stellar episode and count down the minutes until Alex’s next adventure. Until next time.  

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