​The more time I’ve had to think about the opening episodes of season two of The Punisher, the more I’ve come to realize that they were in fact the grand setup to an early season crescendo. Because the introduction of the mysterious Pilgrim, and his hunt for Rachel, cannot be maintained in its current state, since the last episode had him waiting outside of the same police station that harbored Frank and Rachel. Which meant the next episode, ‘Trouble the Water’, was the only logical tale wherein this matter could be brought to a head and wouldn’t you know it? It was, but what made this particular tale so great, is that it offered up so much more than a mere gunfight.
 
For in this tale we learned a lot about the Pilgrim, whose name is John, and in this tale, we came to discover that he is a family man, one with two kids and a loving wife and that he is far more religious than we initially thought. For church and the gospel simply light this man’s soul up since we saw a joy and a delight in his eyes that we’ve never seen before on this series and we also learned that John is a man who is all about the duality of religion. Because judging from some of the unsavory tattoos on his body, it’s clear the man has a dark past, one that has prompted him to ask for forgiveness from the Lord. But clearly, he continues to do dark things to keep his ailing wife alive and I’ve no doubt he continues to ask for absolution in order to maintain this twisted lifestyle.
 
However, learning about his life and his twisted mind wasn’t the only unexpected surprise in this particular tale. For the whole matter with Billy Russo escalated as well. Because in the middle of therapy, an attempt to get to the bottom of Billy’s nightmares and help him deal what he’s finding in his sleep seemingly sent Billy over the edge and he attacked the police officers in charge of guarding his room and in the process of kicking ass and taking names, Billy secured his freedom by having his doctor help him escape. So yeah, just like that Billy Russo is back out into the world and we are left with quite the question, did he escape because of fear and panic, or was this all part of the plan? And the answer to that question in Agent Madani’s mind is that he orchestrated this escape which means…she’s going to need a little help in bringing him in…
 
But I did make mention of resolution when it comes to the standoff between Pilgrim and the Punisher and that was perhaps the highlight of the episode. Because Pilgrim put the police station under siege, which meant that everyone’s only hope was Frank Castle and while the wholesale gun fights that ensued in this part of the story were entertaining in their own right, what I loved the most about this sequence is that it demonstrated Frank’s evolution toward becoming The Punisher. For the fully formed character in the comic has his strict moral code, albeit a twisted one, and that all started to come together here since Frank made mention of his right to protect people who are in desperate need of help and also because he did everything and anything within his power to save lives, while teaching the bad guys a lesson and well, it was just cool to see this jell on the small screen.
 
For now, however, the Pilgrim is on the run and the Punisher is victorious and headed back into service with the Department of Homeland Security to hunt down a damaged Billy Russo and well, when all is said and done, this ended up being quite the fascinating episode, and I really am enjoying how season two of this series is balancing character development and plot. Because each episode is packed to the brim with all of the above, giving us plenty to chew upon. But what matters more, is that Frank is headed back to the Big Apple to face off against a man that brought him great pain and it should be interesting to see if Frank can mentally handle confronting his past, one more time….

If there’s one particular genre out there, that I truly have a soft spot for, it’s mystery. I don’t know why, but I can never resist settling in to watch a story that involves some kind of grand puzzle for someone to pull apart, simply because the journey of discovery has the potential to provide myself and others with a powerful story and all kinds of surprises along the way. Which is why when I heard that Chris Pine and Director Patty Jenkins were teaming up for a mystery series on TNT entitled, I Am the Night, my curiosity was instantly piqued.
 
For Chris Pine is quite the talented actor, and Patty Jenkins is a whiz behind the camera and putting this duo together to unravel the details of something sinister would turn out to be quite the treat. But once I also learned that this series was going to take a different angle on the infamous Black Dahlia murder, well that was the final selling point for me. Because I honestly don’t feel that there have been enough movies or shows revolving around that particular case, and well, all of these elements made me supremely excited for last night’s series premiere of this limited run series and let me tell you, this ‘Pilot’ episode certainly lived up the hype that I built up in my mind.
 
Because every single second of this first episode was incredibly compelling and really, that’s thanks in large part to the script and the direction since this story takes its time in helping us to get to know our two main characters; Jay Singletary and Fauna ‘Pat’ Hodel, and my goodness, do we truly get to understand their plight and their hopes and dreams in this particular chapter. For Jay is a washed-up writer with a coke habit who is sinking to new lows to get a quick buck and he is truly desperate to get back into the investigative writing game and you feel for Jay in this story and root for him because it really is clear that one story and one bad turn ruined a genuinely good guy with great talent. 

​But while Jay’s story is interesting in its own right, Fauna is the character who truly grabs your attention. For she is an innocent young girl, torn between two worlds since she is a mixed-race individual living in the ever racist 1960’s, and she…has stumbled upon a powerful truth that will change her life forever. For she discovers that she was adopted as a baby and her real family, comes from money, prompting her to make a trek to Los Angeles to meet her grandfather. But little does she know, that her grandpappy, George Hodel, was a chief suspect in the infamous Black Dahlia murder, and by making her existence known to the family, she may have put her life in danger…
 
Now, you will note that we’ve spent a lot of time discussing the characters and their journey over discussing any element of mystery and there’s good reason for that, because there’s little of that present here and that’s okay. Because a key element to a good mystery, are the characters that inhabit the story and by getting to know Jay and Fauna and all the key players in this tale, we are now invested in their journey and this slow burn approach is brilliant in my mind since it does indeed leave you hungry for more. Especially when one considers that George Hodel is a creepy, scummy dude, who is clearly caught up in some shady dealings, and most importantly, he is clearly the catalyst for a great many things in Jay and Fauna’s lives and I’ve no doubt their mutual interest in the man will bring them together in the weeks to come.
 
But while the story has definitely reeled me in when it comes to this series, one other element that truly brought me joy, was the fact that it looked and felt like a classic noir film with its magnificent aesthetic. In fact, all it needs at this point is a hardboiled detective to help Jay and Fauna along, and it becomes a perfect period piece. In the end however, I am completely and utterly sold on this limited run series. It’s compelling, fascinating and creepy and I want to know what Jay knows about George, and why Fauna may be in danger and that’s precisely why I’ll be tuning in next week and every week thereafter because this looks like one hell of a mystery. Until next time. 

If there’s one thing I’m quickly coming to learn about the new season of True Detective, it’s that this season is going to find a way to surprise us in just about every single way imaginable. Because I truly thought we were settling into a pseudo routine when it comes to this year’s case since the show has consistently worked to focus heavily on what makes Detective Hays tick while offering up little tidbits here and there about the Purcell case. But last night’s episode changed all of that, since ‘The Hour and the Day’, found a way to bust some parts of this case wide open, all while exploring some fascinating elements when it comes to how this case impacted the lives of everyone it touched.
 
If anything, this is simply a brilliant stroke of storytelling through and through because not only did it take me off guard, it also managed to create a sense of fear and urgency that permeated every single second of the tale. But, before we dive deeply into the all of the incredible elements that this episode took the time to explore, I want to take a moment and talk about the bombshells that came about in 1990 and 2015, because they are quite the big deal when it comes to this case. After all, Wayne finally caught a glimpse of Julie in ’90 thanks to the security tapes that he went through, and that likely sets up a hunt for the missing girl down the road that will either result in a surprising encounter between her and Hays and West or add more wrinkles to the mystery if she disappears into the world without a trace, and if that happens, well that’s the kind of thing, that could haunt a man for twenty years…
 
Speaking of 2015, well it would seem that there is something bigger brewing here as well, since Wayne took the time to have a face-to-face sit down with Elisa Montgomery to discuss her strange blindsiding of Wayne during their last interview and well, this made for an interesting moment of cat and mouse between the two of them. Because neither of them wanted to admit their intentions, or the truth but it was all upon display for the audience to see in that, Wayne is clearly planning to close the case out once and for all, and Elisa…well she has her hands on new evidence and information regarding the case that she’s clearly not willing to share just yet. But both of these moments are huge in their own right, and undoubtedly will come into focus in the weeks to come and I was just outright surprised to see the series drop giant nuggets like this into the audience’s lap at the midway point of the season. 

​However, I did make mention of the fact that this episode took the time to explore some fascinating elements when it comes to other characters, and much of that arrived in the 1980 segment of the story. Because we got to see first-hand, just how much losing Will and Julie impacted Roy and Lucy Purcell and well…it broke them and understandably so and the death and disappearance of their kids, put the bottle in Lucy’s hands and sent her mind to a reflective and regretful place and Roy, well…he simply sank to the lowest possible level and outright admitted to Roland that he was ready to die. Something that prompted Detective West to do the right thing but really, when all is said and done when it comes to this storyline, these are wrinkles you just don’t see in mysteries all that often, and I applaud this show for going to this disturbing but realistic place.
 
Yet, the show wasn’t quite done with exploring the fallout of this case in 1980. Because fear, and what it can do to a small community was also a focus of this tale, and we saw that on display while Wayne and Roland dug into some new clues surrounding the mystery man with one eye since everywhere they went to gather potential information on this man led to heated and uncomfortable confrontations and to top it all off, fear also sent others in the town over the edge as well. For a chance encounter between Brett Woodard and two girls on the side of the road led to an ugly encounter with the men who beat the tar out of him and warned him to stay away from kids and well, Brett’s PTSD and desire for combat in this matter, will clearly change things going forward since his choice to plant a claymore at his front door escalated this matter to the nth degree…
 
So, yeah, this one was loaded to the brim with all kinds of twists and turns and juicy character moments and it also deserves some serious credit for offering up a parallel to modern day when it comes to race relations since the charged scenes at the trailer park, and at the old lady’s house reminded us of the fact that racism has been alive and well in America for some time and in the end, this episode was simply breathtaking. It covered so much and moved at a nightmarish pace and I loved it. Because this one clearly set up the second half of the season and if the clues in this episode are any indicator of what to expect, then we are in for a wild ride where the truth begins to reveal itself in fast and furious fashion, and if anything, I’m excited yet nervous to proceed, because I’m fairly certain, it only gets uglier from here on out. Until next time.  

​It’s rare these days to settle in and watch a television series and feel as though you are about to be surprised with an unpredictable story since everything we watch is so carefully crafted anymore. But the BBC America documentary Dynasties, is bucking that trend and is proving to be quite the unexpected ride, simply because the folks behind the camera found a way to capture the sheer randomness and savagery of our world. Which meant that I was quite curious as to what twists and turns would be on display in the next episode of this magnificent series and as it turns out, ‘Chimpanzee’, ended up being just a wild a ride as the story that came before it.
 
For in this tale, the simians that shared the namesake of this episode, found themselves facing quite the struggle in Senegal, West Africa. Because a drought was on, and terribly high temperatures meant that food and water were scarce, and it was up the leader of this tribe, David, to guide his group to both and well, that was no easy task, thanks to the fires that raged through their home and while all of that was harrowing and tough to watch on its own, none of it compared to what poor David had to deal with. For David, found his leadership challenged by the males in his group at just about every single turn and that big problem, led to quite the ugly and unsettling moment.
 
Because in the middle of one unfortunate night, the males of his group beat him within an inch of his life and this is what I mean when I say that this series puts savagery on display, since this…is about as animalistic as it gets. But while it seems as though this episode was taking quite the dark turn, one where we had to watch David’s life come to an end, there was a fascinating twist to come about from this tragic moment. For as it turns out, David lived, and he did his best to recover as quickly as possible, so that he could challenge the males that left him for dead to reclaim leadership of the group, and this is the part of the story where we rooted for David, and boy, does the episode pay off in the end since our hero does indeed return to his tribe and reassert himself as the boss and while that was satisfying in its own right, more surprises awaited us down the line in this tale.
 
After all, David needed to ensure that another attempt on his life didn’t come to fruition, and we watched him use kindness over fear to win over his competitors and bond with them and wouldn’t you know it? His plan worked. Everyone in the clan got behind him and supported him and for his efforts, not only did David heal from his ugly wounds, but he fathered new sons, giving him his own dynasty and helping his group to live on. And really, when all is said and done, this was just a fascinating episode to watch for so many reasons. For starters, I really cannot get over some of the struggles David went through in this tale, or that the males in his group outright attacked him. It’s just something we don’t see or hear enough about in documentaries, so kudos to this series for once again taking the time show us nature in the raw.
 
But this episode was also fascinating to watch, due to the fact that it taught us how important it was for David to maintain his role as leader and to be accepted by the group as the one and only Alpha and this caught my eye, simply because it was such a human trait. After all, we too crave acceptance and need to know that we matter to our friends and others, and it’s always wonderful to find the connections to our world in documentaries about the animal kingdom. But make no mistake about it, this was tough to watch at times, and I legitimately had concerns for David when it comes to his health and his wounds, and it was nice to get a happier ending this time around and well, once again, I find myself craving more when it comes to this series, and I’ll be counting down the moments to see what fascinating adventures and challenges await us come next Saturday, until then.  

The more time I’ve had to think about the season two premiere of Star Trek: Discovery, the more excited I am to see how this season is going to turn out. Because we really are in the midst of one grand mystery when it comes to these mysterious Red Angels and the signal that they sent out to various points around the galaxy and unraveling their secrets should make for one incredible ride this year. But I have to admit, that while I am excited to go on this journey with this crew, part of me wondered after the premiere, as to whether or not the series would dive right into this matter and continue the story arc style of storytelling that was present in season one, or…if it would continue to answer to its critics and pepper in exploration episodes in-between the hunt for the Angels, giving it an Original Series feel.
 
As it turns out, last night’s episode of the show, ‘New Eden’, was happy to answer that particular question by letting us know that the series is going to give us the best of both worlds, since this story offered up some interesting tidbits about the Red Angels, all while living in the spirit of Star Trek. And it accomplished such feats, simply by providing the audience with a carefully woven story, one that took the crew 51,000 light years into the Beta Quadrant to chase one of the signals and well, what the crew of the Discovery found at the signal’s source, was surprising to say the least. For below the ship was a planet filled with human life, something that should have been impossible since this planet was so far away from home. Which meant, that the crew needed answers and the only way to find them was to head down to the planet itself.
 
Which is quite frankly, where things became truly interesting. For this particular tale found a way to dive into the power of religion, something that Trek tends to avoid since it conflicts with the science-based focus of the saga. But here, the story toyed outright with divine intervention, since it was the Red Angels that brought man to this place during the height of the Third World War and well, it was fascinating to see a relative of mankind embrace and unify under the banner of these beings in a religious manner and this little twist, led to quite the spirited discussion on whether or not an offshoot of man applies to General Order 1, a.k.a, the Prime Directive. After all, they are from Earth, the center of the Federation, and they arrived here a mere ten years before warp drive was invented and First Contact took place, leading Burnham to believe that it was fine to tell them the truth about Earth.

​But it’s an idea that Pike simply wasn’t good with, and he was able to see that such a reveal could in fact destabilize this world and its people and that it would be best to let this pre-warp society forge their own path and really…this was simply some vintage Star Trek right here. Because time and time again, we’ve seen first officers and captains discuss the pros and cons of violating the Prime Directive and by having Burnham and Pike get into a spirited debate regarding the matter, it really allowed for us to get to know the captain better and see some of the elements that made him a legendary leader since he knew where to draw the line and where to compromise and for his balanced way of thinking, he was able to help the people of New Eden prosper, and get his hands on visual evidence of the Red Angels.
 
Which brings us back to the mystery of those creatures, because it’s becoming inherently obvious now that they’re observing and testing humanity since this entire mission was a set-up, in a good way. For while the away team was planet side, a conundrum arose on the ship, in that, the crew had to figure out how to save the planet from an extinction level event and with Ensign Tilly’s inspired thinking, they were able to do just that. But Tilly’s interaction with her old classmate, who is obviously a Red Angel, speaks to the testing notion since this being wanted to see if Tilly could think outside the box and influence the crew to do wonders and I have no doubt that Discovery will continue to be challenged by these beings in the coming weeks.
 
If anything, I love the fact that this episode worked hard to blend together so many plot elements and notions and it was nice to see that the spirit of adventure is still hanging over this new season and that classic elements are finding their way into the plot more and more. But the mystery is what continues to percolate in my mind, because we don’t know the end game when it comes to these enigmatic creatures and that alone will keep me coming back for more. Either way, this was a fun one to say the least, and I’m really enjoying Anson Mount’s performance as Christopher Pike, he’s just plain killing it and the character is such a refreshing foil to the cold and calculated Lorca and I’m looking forward to seeing him help this crew become more as they face what appears to be an incredible challenge. Until next time.  

Of the many, many questions that mankind has asked over the course of its existence, one that remains pertinent during this age of technological wonder, is whether or not we are alone in the universe. Because for the first time ever in our brief history, we are learning all kinds of incredible facts when it comes to our solar system and the universe beyond it, and it is only natural for our minds to ponder upon the possibility that we are not alone and that other species are living amongst the stars and that we may indeed make contact with them at some point down the line.
 
Which, let’s be honest, would be an outright incredible moment in human history, and it is one that science fiction has explored in great detail, allowing for plenty of stories to come forth that explore how first contact with an alien species would likely be a good thing for our world, since it would force mankind to look at the bigger picture so we can leave our petty problems behind. Yet, while that is indeed a fascinating route to explore, one that is often overlooked, is what an alien species would think about us, if they dropped out of the sky to say hello in present day. But thankfully, shows like The Orville are here to examine such matters and last night’s episode of the show, ‘All the World Is Birthday Cake’, took the time to reflect upon our modern world, and how some of our more dubious decisions might be perceived by an advanced civilization.
 
All of that was accomplished by introducing us to the people of a remote world named Regor 2, and the people of this planet thought it was high time to see if they were in fact, alone amongst the stars. So, they sent a signal out into deep space, one that the U.S.S. Orville received and that meant only thing…it was time for first contact. Now, we do need to take a moment and discuss how awesome it was to see the crew become so excited over this prospect. Because it just goes to show how dedicated they are to what the Planetary Union stands for and how much they enjoy meeting new species and well, that elation set up a magnificent sequence wherein the crew ventured to this strange new world in order to say hello to a potential new member of the Union. But alas, while this was joyous and fun to watch, there was a dark side to this world, and that’s when the episode became something so much more. 

​For we learned that this species lives and dies by Astrology and the signs and once they learned that Commander Grayson and Commander Bortus were born during an unsavory part of their version of the Zodiac, this new relationship went south, since Kelly and Bortus were taken to one of the many camps on this world that house the castoffs known as Giliacs and that’s when things hit a little too close to home. Because if indeed a species from another world flew down to our world right now, they’d find people of similar mindsets. Maybe not tit for tat when it comes to astrology, but they’d definitely meet humans who have issues with other humans who worship a different God, or just so happen to have a different color of skin, or sexual orientation, and realizing that was a tad humbling, as was witnessing the stunning parallel of the Giliac Interment/Concentration Camps.
 
For these kinds of camps have been seen in our society far too often throughout our history, and the black star on the prisoners’ camp uniforms wasn’t lost upon me, nor was the fact that Seth MacFarlane’s brilliant script was in essence providing us with a little commentary on the camps that exist like this right now, in our country, at the border, and well, this too gave me pause. Because seeing families ripped apart in this place and seeing the prejudice present from the guards in this camp, definitely struck a nerve since those things are happening down south and while some may criticize this episode for being too heavy handed in its commentary about the camps, I praise it. Because there’s really no need to sugar coat how wrong it is that these camps exist and when all is said and done, this was merely a larger component to a greater message for this tale.
 
Basically, the episode pointed out, that we need to take a long hard look in the mirror when it comes to some of the things we are doing as a society and ask ourselves if any of this is right. Obviously, a fair chunk of us know the answer to that question, but for those still mired in confusion, being objective for a moment, is never a bad thing and really when all is said and done, I truly appreciated the fact that this episode went right after current events in our world and pointed out that if visitors from another world dropped in, we may be embarrassed by what they find and what they see and that…is what great science fiction does. It challenges us like never before and forces us to look at things we normally don’t want to and it’s why The Orville is hands down the smartest show on T.V. right now, and man, season two of this series continues to impress and I cannot wait to see what kinds of powerful stories await us in the weeks to come. Until next time.

​Well, I am only two episodes into season two of Netflix/Marvel’s The Punisher and already, I have to admit that I’m quite impressed with what I’m seeing. Because traditionally, Frank Castle, and his never-ending quest for revenge, rarely allows for deeper concepts and notions to be explored on the silver or small screen. Instead, it’s always about the violence and his fury, and while that’s not a bad thing, since that is synonymous with the character, this new season is stunning me because it’s finding a way to balance the gunfire with quality exposition that indeed explores bigger ideas and notions since the next episode of this tale, ‘Fight or Flight’, took the time to explore the power of anger, and how hard it is to let that go. 
 
But, before we dig too deeply into that particular exploration, let’s also discuss how the series is also taking its time this year in telling its story. Because in season one, there was a strange vibe hanging over this show, as though it and the audience simply couldn’t wait to get Frank into Punisher mode and the story reflected that. But here, the show is allowing for plot details to slowly eek through and give the characters time to take inventory on what’s happening around them, and for proof, look no further than the early storylines involving Frank and our villain, a man known as Pilgrim. Because these two threads showed us how both of them are willing to take a moment and use quiet time to their advantage since Frank was able to learn a little bit about who was chasing, he and Rachel (which may or may not be her name), when they took a breather from being on the run and the Pilgrim was all about patience in discovering the truth and seeking out one’s enemy.   
 
However, while I honestly could have watched a full hour of those two men working their respective magic to get what they want, I promised an exploration on anger, and most of that came forth from Agent Madani’s storyline in this tale. For she continues to visit Billy Russo in the hospital and poke and prod him for information since she is convinced that he’s faking this in order to be put back out onto the street. And unfortunately for Madani, her actions are starting to cause friction at work since her boss flat out told her she needed to let the Russo matter go, and therein lied the exploration in question. Because the anger that Madani harbors over Billy and his lies, flows within her veins, to the point where we can now see it bubbling up on a moment’s notice and the thought of not having that anger available to her, seems to be an incredible insult and despite what her boss had to say, I sincerely doubt she’ll be keeping her distance when it comes to Billy.
 
But you can’t explore anger without involving Frank Castle and he too was subject to the proverbial microscope, since his new friend Rachel made an interesting point when it comes to Frank’s decision to prepare for another battle with Pilgrim’s lackeys at the hotel they were staying in, in that, they should have just moved on and she was one hundred percent right. They could have taken a moment to heal up and then disappeared into the world. But Frank, waited patiently to be found by Pilgrim’s goons, so he could once again, enjoy a fight and the thrill of the hunt and really, the exploration here made it clear that Frank is simply consumed by the power of anger, and sadly, because of his desire to drink from the well of fury deeply, he’s in dire straits once again since the cops picked him up, and the Pilgrim is on his way to handle this matter personally…
 
If anything, I love the fact that season two is exploring what makes these characters tick without ramming what it wants to accomplish, concept wise, down our throats, since all of this was handled in subtle and magnificent fashion and I’m quite curious to see what other notions we will be digging into in episodes to come. Not to mention, I’m also wondering as to whether or not Madani is right about Billy. Because if he is faking it, he’s doing one hell of a job since he was a mess in this episode. But all of that will have to wait, because it would appear that a showdown between the Pilgrim and the Punisher is in the cards first and well, I wish the Pilgrim the best of luck because going up against Frank Castle, always seems to be a terrible idea. Until next time.  

​Of the many shows arriving in 2019, there are only a handful that I’ve been supremely excited about watching and one that’s been at the top of my list, is The Punisher. Because I was a huge fan of season one of this series, since it finally gave Frank Castle a quality story to work with on screen since it featured some incredible action sequences and some quality character development and well, it’s the latter of those two elements that had me excited to settle in and watch the brand-new season of this series. After all, Frank Castle in essence received a happy ending at the end of season one, since he was no longer in trouble with the law, or fighting his inner demons, since he settled the score with Billy Russo.
 
Which means that I was dying to know what kind of man Frank was going to become now that he was free of the angry prison he created for himself and oddly enough, the season two premiere of this series, ‘Road House Blues’, wasted no time in answering that particular question. Because we caught up with Frank quickly and came to discover that well, he’s simply living in the moment and enjoying his freedom at this point, and he’s traveling from place to place and when we catch up with him in Michigan he appears to be content and at peace with himself for the first time in a long time, to the point where he’s able to catch the eye of a lovely bartender named Beth and enjoy a little attention and romance for a change.
 
If anything, this was quite a lovely way to reintroduce us to dear Frank since it showed us Frank Castle, the man, a person who needs human contact and connection like the rest of us and it also reminded us that Frank has feelings and genuinely cares for people and it was wonderful to see him connect with Beth and enjoy a little happiness for a change since he enjoyed some laughs with her and her son and lived a taste of the life he thought he left behind and would never see again. But while this was a true delight to watch, the key to this character is that he is always conflicted and always on the prowl to feel the adrenaline rush that comes with trouble and saving lives and since Frank is a beacon for conflict, he found himself surrounded by it in no time, all thanks to a damsel in distress.
 
Because a young woman who clearly has ties to some unsavory people found herself in some serious trouble and well, there was no way that Frank was going to let her suffer when he could in fact do something and well, that’s where the episode made good on the price of admission since The Punisher returned and handled business accordingly, and at great cost since Beth was injured in the ensuing fight. But what matters more when it comes to this sequence of events is the sheer fact that it put the duality of Frank Castle on display. Because he is a man convinced that he can never find happiness because of what’s happened to him and what he’s done so he will flirt with joy before drowning himself in darkness and it was just incredible to see that he has only grown and changed a little bit since the end of season one and that he truly thrives on living within these two extremes.
 
However, when all is said and done, this episode clearly served as the grand setup for season two. For the people that Frank fought, in order to save the girl, are on the hunt for revenge now that he’s harmed so many in their group. And to make matters worse, Billy Russo has awakened from his coma at last and despite those ugly wrinkles, I couldn’t be happier with this episode. It really was a greatest hits reel of season one, with some new and colorful characters thrown into the mix and well, I’m ready for more. Because I have to know who this mystery girl is and who is she mixed up with and of course, if Billy’s up and around, one has to wonder if he will remember anything about his past life and dealings with Frank and well, the only way to find out the answers to my questions, is to watch further. So, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for me to enjoy the next chapter in Frank Castle’s wild and violent life. Until next time. 

The more time I’ve had to think about the two-hour season three premiere of True Detective, the more I’ve truly come to appreciate it, simply due to the fact that it took us into some unprecedented and welcome territory when it comes to this series. For while the past two seasons focused heavily on the case and peppered in just enough character development to keep us rolling, season three thus far has done quite the opposite by focusing heavily upon our lead Detective, Wayne Hays, and what makes him tick as an incredibly disturbing case unfolds around him and well, this paradigm shift in storytelling design, left me supremely curious as to how the next episode of this series was going to turn out.
 
Because in reality, ‘The Big Never’ had two paths that it could have taken. It could have immediately shifted gears and started working on revealing the details of the Purcell case for the audience and help us understand what kind of monster killed young Will and kidnapped Julie. Or…it could continue to study the man that is Wayne Hays, helping the audience to get to know every fiber of Wayne’s being and well, in the end this particular tale chose to throw both elements into the mix, since we did come to find out that the kids weren’t telling their parents the truth about where they went after school, and that they were playing games in the woods near a farm, and that’s likely where Will died since Hays found blood there. Plus, we also learned that a brown car, complete with suspicious occupants, made its way around town about the time that things went south for the Purcell family, a clue that somehow slipped through the cracks of the investigation.
 
But while it was nice to see that there are new clues slowly filtering into this case, and that whomever hurt Will apparently knew to replicate the ‘pure’ pose from his communion picture, it was Detective Hays who once again stole the show since we learned so much more about the man. In fact, we came to discover that while Hays is smart and supremely talented as a detective, he’s often scared by the things he sees and finds, and his fear is something he rarely shows to others, and sadly…his fear sometimes translates into outright anger since he doesn’t know how to properly deal with it. And the finest example of that came about in 1990 when it seemed for a brief moment that his daughter, Rebecca, was lost in a store, and upon her return, the panic in his eyes quickly turned to anger as he snapped at his little girl and the shame from that moment and from being ‘weak’ spilled over into a fight with his wife later on. 

​If anything, these moments demonstrate that Hays has done anything and everything to hide from the horrors of the world and he puts that same effort into protecting his family from all of that as well, and his decisions to step away from the ugly have hurt him greatly because he managed to push away his family since his daughter Rebecca stays as far as away from her father and her home as possible, and it is strongly implied in this episode that Wayne pushed his wife away to a certain extent as well, despite her best efforts to help him with the case and write the book to expose this heinous crime and that’s just fascinating because it makes Hays one of the most relatable detectives I’ve ever seen on television since he deals with fear and trauma like an everyday man and I love the subtlety that’s going into his story.
 
However, what mattered most in this particular tale to me, when it comes to Wayne’s journey at least, was the fact that this episode took the time to help us to really understand just how much this case haunts him. Because it’s obvious that he doesn’t feel as though he finished the job in the slightest, and anytime a new clue comes up in his television interview, it’s amazing to see how the fog in his mind lifts and he’s laser focused once again and if anything, it seems as though the 2015 segment of the story, is going to become a race against time and where the case will be solved. Because with his mind slipping into the horrors of old age, this is his last good chance to put this nightmare to rest forever, and at the same time, make peace with the demons that haunt his soul and it seems as though, he is finally determined and resolved to deal with everything he’s run from.
 
When all is said and done however, I have to admit that I was truly impressed with this episode. Because the writing in this one, was simply sublime, especially when it comes to all the subtle moments that were present here and while sometimes the slow burn approach to a mystery can annoy when you’re dying to know the answer as to ‘who done it?’ that kind of irritation simply isn’t present here. Because the mystery is unfolding exactly as it should, and there’s a strange comfort in knowing that there’s a strong possibility that the case will end in 2015 when Wayne finally puts together the missing pieces, and feeling that in the back of one’s mind, allows for patience and care to settle in because you know eventually…you’ll get the answers you seek, and they’ll likely be as unpleasant as can be. And really the only joy we will find when the truth finally comes to light, is the peace that Wayne Hays will discover in solving the case that has haunted him for a lifetime. Until next time.

​I’m coming to realize that more often than not, when I settle in to watch a nature show, my mind instantly locks onto how the animal kingdom and the domain of mankind, eerily match up on a regular basis, and with good reason. Because animals do a lot of the things that we do, they settle down, they have children, and work hard to provide for their families and that somehow allows for myself, and I would hope others, to feel a deeper connection with nature and our world. If anything, it’s a feeling that draws me back to these documentaries time and time again and it’s why I was so excited to watch the latest nature related offering from BBC America, Dynasties.
 
Because the teasers for this series, promised us an in depth look at five different species from around the world, wherein we would learn more about their daily struggle to keep their respective family alive and healthy and well, as I settled in to watch the series premiere of this new saga, ‘Lion’, it seemed as though we would be treated to business as usual when it comes to this particular documentary. After all, it seemingly had a simple story to tell since we were introduced to a pride of lions roaming the countryside in Africa, the Marsh Pride to be specific. But as it turns out, they were facing quite the conundrum, since the males in this particular pride felt the need to just up and leave, meaning it was up the Lioness to take care of her cubs and well…that revelation is when this series immediately transformed into something so much more than the traditional nature documentary.
 
For this story, found a way to suck us right into the heart of this pride’s plight, by allowing for us to truly get to know this family since we were privy to their personalities and habits and even the names the documentary crew gave them, and the one that matters the most in this tale, is Charm, the Lioness who takes charge of the pride in the absence of the males and my goodness, seeing her in action and seeing how much she cares about feeding her pride and keeping them safe was downright breathtaking. Because she stopped at nothing to make both of those things happen, and while we know animals care for their young, I’ve never seen a story that showed us how far they’re willing to go to ensure their safety and while that made for a journey does indeed parallel our world, the emotion and power of the images and moments present here were incredibly moving to say the least, and that’s something I simply didn’t expect to find in this show.
 
But, while it is incredible to see Charm go the extra mile and while it is also a blast to root for her to succeed, this documentary continued to outright move me, by also taking the time to remind us that the wild can be quite the harrowing and heartbreaking place, since we saw some tough, tear-jerking moments play out before our eyes. Because survival was quite the struggle for this pride at times, and despite Charm’s best efforts to keep her babies safe, nature and mankind’s interference claimed the weak and hurt the pride respectively, to the point where she was forced to abandon a poisoned cub and bid farewell to her cousin, and the arrival of new males only made matters worse when they chased off a vast majority of her cubs, leaving her without anything to show for her desperate and dedicated efforts in keeping this pride alive.
 
However, happy endings do happen in nature. For eventually, Charm was able to give birth to a new pride, and her only remaining daughter is also helping to keep the family line going, and it was nice to see Charm get some sense of satisfaction that her dynasty will indeed survive and well, when all is said and done, I am instantly in love with this series. It already offers more than the average documentary since it just plunged us right into the thick of Charm’s fight for survival and it was done in such smooth and classy fashion that you’re instantly vested in every single aspect of her journey and well, if this is what the opening chapter of this saga looks like, I can only wonder what kind of raw and beautiful and sometimes painful tales await us in the weeks to come. Until next time.