​I think it is safe to say, that for the most part, there’s a certain sense of safety that comes with watching a documentary. For they provide us with a safe way to learn about our world and some of the challenges that wildlife face on a day to day basis and we leave these powerful stories with a sense of satisfaction since we now know something new and we are happy to share what we have learned with others. But let’s be honest… they don’t really enact something powerful within, they simply offer a newfound appreciation of our world and its beauty and there’s nothing wrong with that when all said and done. But as the years have rolled along, and the planet is facing some surprising new challenges, I am noticing a difference in how documentaries tell their stories. For now, the reality of climate change is starting to permeate into these slices of planetary life and that’s adding a sense of urgency to documentaries that I’ve never seen before.
 
Because it is obvious that the folks who assemble these powerful stories, realize now that something must be done to preserve the beautiful and incredible wildlife that populate our home and getting the message out about what can be done and how we can help is now paramount, and well… this is a wonderful thing. For now, a documentary can outright make a difference and elicit that powerful response and that’s why I’ve been counting down the days to BBC America’s latest examination of Earth’s diverse biosphere, Seven Worlds, One Planet. Because the teaser screener I had the honor of viewing addressed the challenges now facing wildlife around the world as our climate changes like never before and well, knowing that this series was going to find a way to discuss our impact on the planet’s ecosystem, combined with current events, added a level of gravity to the series premiere of this saga that I simply didn’t expect to find, and that made ‘Australia’ a powerful story indeed.
 
But before we get into the darker aspects of this tale, let’s take a moment and discuss the incredible beauty that this documentary took the time to celebrate. Because this opening chapter took us through a grandiose tour of Australia and showed us places that I honestly didn’t know existed on this continent. For example, I hadn’t a clue that there were thriving jungles, the kind that are seemingly untouched by man, where curious creatures go about their day. Plus, I was equally as stunned to learn that there are mountain ranges that actually produce snow, and that marsupials in this place do their best to survive in the extreme cold. For I truly thought this continent was nothing more than a hot and arid place, and while there is plenty of that be found in Australia as well, since that type of environment is indeed the dominate one, it was nice to see so many different biospheres in this place and appreciate their wonder.
 
But what would a nature documentary be without a heavy focus on wildlife? And this opening chapter featured plenty of that as well. For we came to learn of the various species that will eat whatever is in front of them in the jungles in order to survive. Also, how dingoes are able to thrive in more harsher environments and the creativity that goes into that. Plus, we learned the mating habits of a species of spider that was recently discovered, and we were even privy to how sharks corral fish in order to eat well and how the budgie bird travels in massive packs in order to keep predators at bay. And as an added treat, we even learned how some of the unique lizards in the desert find water and food. But the highlight reel of this journey through the teeming life in this place, involved the Tasmanian Devil. For not only did we get to see these little buggers in action for a change, their story also served as the sobering reminder of our impact on this massive paradise since it is mankind’s actions that has now brought this species to the brink of extinction.
 
Yet while that’s really as far as the show went when it comes to our impact on the world, the sobering portion of this story comes from the fact that Australia has suffered through massive wildfires in recent weeks, and much of the beauty we saw and some of the wildlife featured here, are now gone for the moment and that’s… really something that stays with you. Because seeing this beautiful place, and knowing it’s been marred by horrible fires that are likely attributed to climate change is the kind of thing that demonstrates why shows such as this need to be on the air right now, in part to serve as a warning. But also, to remind us that we need to work hard to preserve the environment today, so we and future generations can enjoy it tomorrow. But outside of the message, BBC America does deserve some serious credit for once again providing us with a beautiful look at the tiny blue ball we call home. For this series premiere really did do a fine job of showing us the majesty of one little corner of our world and I cannot wait to see what other wonders await us in this series, in the weeks to come. Until next time. 

​You know I have to fully admit that when I settled in to watch the next episode of Lost in Space, I expected a particular formula to play out on the screen. Which isn’t an insult by any means, because formula and science fiction go together like mashed potatoes and gravy, and this is a series that benefitted from formula in season one. After all, every adventure featured new and alien challenges for the Robinson clan to face, and that made for some pretty entertaining television to say the least, so why not stick with what works since the series is still in its early life cycle. But as it turns out, this series already wants to be more and do more with its storytelling and it just so happens that the next chapter in this saga was full of surprises.
 
For ‘Precipice’ more or less bid farewell to the formula present within its framework in the sneakiest way imaginable, since this particular tale made it seem as though formula was still going to be a large part of the nature of this series. For when we catch up with space family Robinson in this one, they’re where we usually find them, out of time and in need of a big win. Because the clock was ticking to prepare the Jupiter 2 to become a massive lightning rod, so that the crew could recharge the power cells and get the hell off this rock and that of course meant that nothing would go to plan in the slightest. For a strange kelp that was grabbing hold of the ship hurt Don with its strange and poisonous bite and things only got worse from there.
 
Because while rescuing Don from said kelp, Penny and Maureen found themselves caught up in the currents surrounding the ship and plunged to the strange structure below, wherein Will and his dad had to think fast and find a way to save them before the lightning strikes took their lives and well, this is about as formula for the show as it gets. Because you had crew members in trouble or down, you had Smith scheming like she always does, since she revealed to Don that she planned to pit the family against one another, all in the hopes of keeping her hide out of jail if and when the ship makes it to Alpha Centauri. And of course, you had complications in the plan coming up left and right since the kelp made it difficult to get the Chariot down to Penny and Maureen, since it would serve as their salvation/rescue pod when the sky lit up.  
 
But that is when the series surprised all of us in its closing moments. For the haphazard plan put together in a matter of minutes actually came together and saved the ship, and this intrepid family and their bonus crew escaped this hostile world and would survive to see another day, and wouldn’t you know it… there’s actual hope on the horizon for them, because the Resolute is within range and well, this just a fascinating and wonderful way to shatter this show’s formula. Because in a weird way, by having formula play out for a fair chunk of this episode, we get to properly say goodbye to it before this story takes us to some fascinating new places and now the possibilities are endless for this brave crew, now that they are free of the drawn out explorations and problems of the week that were present last year.
 
Which means the hunt for the Robot can take place quickly, we can see if Alpha Centauri is within reach, and who knows… maybe Smith will finally get her comeuppance. But while those were just some of the possibilities swimming through my head after this episode came to a close, time has made me think that some of these things may not happen in the slightest. For if the series is looking to shake things up and surprise us, why stick with the obvious plot points? Why not surprise us with some more twists and turns, and the potential for a bold new direction for this series has me excited to continue the journey. So, if you’ll excuse me, it’s back to the void, to see what the Robinson clan finds when they arrive at the Resolute. Until next time.  

​There are some old sayings that stick with you on a consistent basis, simply because their words ring true more often than not and one that always hangs around in my mind is; ‘those who do not learn history, are doomed to repeat it’. And this particular saying carries weight simply because it applies to so much in life. For our experiences provide us with important lessons as we grow throughout the years, the kind we need to heed to avoid pain and suffering a second time around and when we don’t heed them, we pay the price. But this is a saying that has always held more weight and more gravity when it comes overall society and there’s good reason for that, since we do see humanity tend to work in cycles and do the dumb thing, we did ages ago, all over again.
 
If anything, this whole notion and our inability to escape past mistakes is on my mind today, simply because it served as the central focal point for a downright powerful and fascinating episode of Star Trek. For ‘Patterns of Force’ took the time to ponder upon what might happen if we took the worst parts of humanity and injected them into a society on another world, and wouldn’t you know it? Such a concept turned out to be disastrous in nature. Because the crew of the Enterprise came to discover that a brilliant Federation historian, one who took the time to teach at Starfleet Academy, had done the unthinkable and transformed a world that already embraced war and violence, into a recreation of Nazi Germany and well, while the details of how and why this happened are important, I think what this episode had to say about humanity matters more and that’s going to be our focus today.
 
Because in many ways, Professor John Gill’s decision to use the structure of Nazi Germany to try and save this society speaks to mankind’s arrogance and how we tend to believe we can improve upon something that was bad to begin with. For while Gill’s intentions were noble in nature since he genuinely believed that the supposed efficient structure of the Reich would provide these people with guidance and direction, he failed to recall in the slightest what the Reich really stood for. Because while its early days helped to save a woefully poor and broken nation, it was always about power and control and shaping the world into a twisted and racist image and that’s not something that can be removed or altered from a state when it is founded on twisted principles and that’s why Gill’s plan failed. Because eventually others came to see the true meaning and power of this notion and took full advantage of it.
 
Yet what truly surprised me about this particular tale, was that it inadvertently featured some commentary on our modern world and well, the parallels present here were quite striking and sobering for certain. Because it was more or less immigrants from another world that managed to stoke the hateful fires on the planet Ekos and it was just chilling to see this reformed Nazi Reich preach how visitors from another place were the cause of Ekos’ ailments and honestly, the only way this could have been more relevant to the times was to have a ‘Make Ekos Great Again’ banner flying high in the capital city. But alas, the show hadn’t a clue that modern America would see a resurgence of hate under the Trump Administration, but the cautionary narrative here speaks volumes as to how we’ve come to this point.
 
For in essence, fear and hate and a belief that they’ve been marginalized bring bad people to power and motivates them to do awful things. And that is perhaps the only lesson we need to learn from this tale, in that, we need to be the better than that, and embrace a more peaceful and inclusive path forward like the neighborly Zeons, and truly when all is said and done, this was quite the powerful episode. Because it really did hit home and even if we weren’t living in some turbulent times, seeing a future society embracing this kind of lifestyle and these horrible beliefs would still be jarring. If anything, it’s just another fine example of this series outright hitting its storytelling stride, since this one captivated me and stuck with me for some time and in the end, this incredible tale has me beyond energized to power through these final five episodes in season two. So, if you’ll excuse me, now seems like the perfect time to settle in and close out, year two of the five-year mission. Until next time. 

As we collectively say good-bye to 2019 and optimistically move into 2020, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on some of the TV shows that rocketed to the top of my “must see” TV list in 2019. Whether a veteran or freshmen show, all of them displayed unique themes, imagery and character development that moved me in one way or another enough for me to share with you!! So let’s begin with five shows that ended in 2019 followed by five that began. 

This wonderful little gem of a show is yet another try from Ben Edlund, the creator of the original character, to bring The Tick into mainstream. Sadly, just like the first go around in 2001, rather than be allowed to run its course, the show was cancelled after only two seasons. And just like before, I fell for the show and its characters only to be saddened by the news of its abrupt end. Peter Serafinowicz as The Tick and Griffin Newman as Arthur Everest are excellent matches. And I especially love Scott Speiser as Overkill, Jackie Earle Haley as The Terror, and Alan Tudyk as Dangerboat. The overall show is witty, fun and quite silly! That shake your head, “Did I just hear that?” silly. Not to mention the fanbase is huge. Unfortunately, Amazon didn’t agree. *Frowny Face* 

Whether you loved or hated the final episodes in season 8 (I fall in the latter), it’s undeniable the effect this show had on modern television. Single handedly changing the idea of cliff hangers, character deaths and special effects, Game of Thrones rallied hordes of people to pick a house and settle in for one hell of a ride. Built on the simple theme that “winter is coming…” this show will be hotly debated, cosplayed, and copied for eons to come! The sets are just as dramatic as the characters and no matter whose side you’re on, you will scream at your TV… more than once!! Just as the twisted and sadistic Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon) says, “If you think this has a happy ending, you haven’t been paying attention.” Facts, Ramsay, absolute FACTS! 

​Considering most of my television viewing consists of escapism drama, comedy, animation and pop culture, I’m not even sure how I fell upon the very real life-like Mr. Robot, but boy am I glad I did!! It’s fresh, gritty and quite frankly, a mind f@&k of a show that gripped me in episode one. The writing is cohesively spectacular and the cast is truly amazing to watch. Christian Slater (Mr. Robot), who’s wonderful, is just the icing on the cake that is Rami Malek (Elliot Alderson). I literally cannot say enough about this introverted computer hacker that, via fourth wall magic, includes the viewer in his anxiety ridden journey. The same goes for B.D. Wong (Whiterose), Carly Chaikin (Darlene) and Martin Wallström (Tyrell Wellick), which barely touches the talent in this eclectic cast. Whether you know nothing about computers or you’re a programming wizard, the authenticity and real life feel of this show will not disappoint!! 

​This fresh and trippy take on the X-Men (Marvel) franchise is simply beautiful from start to finish. The writing is sublime, equally matched by the acting. Particularly, Dan Stevens as David Haller, Aubrey Plaza as Lenny Busker and Navid Negahban as Amahl Farouk. But for me, it’s the cinematography, costumes and set design that solidified the show in my mind – often leaving me in awe and numb for moments at a time. So much so, that I frequently had to rewind scenes just to get a second, or even third look. Visually stunning and mentally stimulating, the show truly carves out its own place in the unique mutant themed world we’ve all come to love. With only three seasons, the show falls far short of the average TV run of today. However, it’s so deep that by the end, the whole thing feels longer and more complete than some series that run well past their sell by date and it’s beautiful!  

Having read the comics before the series started, I can honestly say the beauty with which the writers pay homage is epic!! The character arcs are fantastically parallel to their origins without over saturating the source material and I love it!! With only four seasons, I wanted so much more of the awesome trio that is Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper), Tulip O’Hare (Ruth Negga) and Proinsias Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun). Having said that, the show wraps up so nicely that I most certainly didn’t feel like I lost out on anything. It’s action packed, hilarious and truly twisted in all the right AND wrong places. A constant #WTF from beginning to end, Preacher is definitely the comic book show I didn’t even know I wanted! 

I’ll admit, based on the initial previews of The Boys, I wasn’t immediately struck. However, quite literally due to it being developed by Erik Kripke (Supernatural), I decided to give it a shot. I had no idea how much I would love this original take on the sometimes played out superhero genre. Set in modern day, the characters are beautifully flawed (on purpose) making the whole thing seem extremely real as it blurs the lines of good guy verses bad. It’s fun, witty, addictive and the acting is definitely on point. In particular, Karl Urban (Billy Butcher), Anthony Starr (Homelander), Jack Quaid (Hughie Campbell) and Elizabeth Shue (Madelyn Stillwell) knock it out of the park! Enough for me to look into reading the comic source material. Not to mention I burned through the first season and can’t wait for the next. At least Amazon got this one right!! 

I scarcely know where to begin with this show. An adaptation of the horror comic and novel penned by Stephen King’s son Joe Hill, NOS4A2 gives us fresh faces and mind boggling horror that stays with you long after it’s gone. Rooted in the fearless Vic McQueen (Ashleigh Cummings) and the deliciously evil Charlie Manx (Zachary Quinto), they, along with every character in the show, command attention. And the constant undertone of fear laced throughout is like a fog that blankets the series with a tinge of creepiness that never lets up! Original and mystical horror mixed with the real-life circumstances of the working-class McQueen family just works! Not to mention, newcomer Jahkara Smith who plays the Scrabble bag wielding beautiful lesbian librarian Maggie Leigh, is the witchy best friend I’ve always wanted. Finally, Christmasland, which sounds lovely, just so on purpose, isn’t!!  

Considering I not only grew up with the 80’s movie The Dark Crystal, but raised my son on it as well, to say I was apprehensive about seeing the television series is putting it mildly. Having said that, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance quite literally gets EVERYTHING right. With an all-star ensemble of voices, master puppeteers and no expenses spared special effects and set designs, the viewer is literally transported into the world of Thra. The throwbacks are enough to make any fan happy, but what I truly love is all the extra character and world building, and how that comes to life on screen. Multiplying my childhood excitement, joy and fear into 10 wonderful episodes, this show, now boasting one of my favorite characters of all time, Hup the Podling Paladin, is absolutely stunning. In addition, The Crystal Calls: Making of The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance, also on Netflix, is just a bonus! 

Even with all the odds against it, including the typical non-endorsement from its source creator, Alan Moore, Damon Lindelof’s vision of a modern-day Watchmen, goes above and beyond any expectations I thought I had. In just 9 episodes, this show tackles the dark side of the comic world with even darker themes rooted in real life. It’s a history lesson set to a fantasy background that truly isn’t as far fetched as one might imagine. Full of wonderful Easter eggs and throwbacks, which we all love, my favorite aspect of this series, actually turns out to be the original spin on real life. The acting is superb overall, but seeing Regina King (Angela Abar) cast in a strong leading role often reserved for a man, is heaven!! And the storyline, with its multiple layers and levels, is some of the most smartly written fantasy television I’ve ever seen. Particularly its penultimate episode. If you love comic book genre television and you haven’t seen Watchmen, all I can say is #TickTock mother f@&ker! 

As the first live action television show and newest edition to the Star Wars franchise, The Mandalorian has single handedly become the leading show for Disney+. And rightfully so!! Each episode plays like a big budget movie because it is. Always over too soon, yet still quite complete, I am obsessed!! With its spaghetti western and Samurai themes, it’s clear that creator Jon Favreau has poured over this series with all the love of not only a true Star Wars fan, but an overall genre and movie fan in general. I would also like to point out that Pedro Pascal as the titular lead is just beautiful. Additionally, the score by Ludwig Göransson is perfection. Not to mention, The Child, affectionately named Baby Yoda by fans, is hands down the breakout star of the year and the cutest thing on the planet!! Seriously… if you show Baby Yoda to someone and they’re indifferent to the character, you might want to rethink that relationship… LOL! #ThisIsTheWay!!

Well there ya have it! My list of TV shows that hit me like a ton of bricks all either ending or beginning in 2019. Do you agree with my choices? Have a list of your own? Let me know in the comments below or reach out to me @obi_juanita on Twitter. Until next time… Happy New Year ya’ll!! 

​How people deal with and face the prospect of death, is something that has always fascinated me. Simply because people handle it in such different ways. For some folks are quite brave and bold when it comes to dealing with the end in any capacity, while others find themselves in powerful pain while they deal with it and some… well they are just outright afraid of it and will do anything to avoid it and they just so happen to fascinate me the most. Because there is no escaping it, but these folks will do whatever it takes to try and cheat the end and I suppose my morbid fascination with these people comes from the age-old game of ‘what if?’ Because what would happen if they figured out how to cheat the inevitable? How much further would they go? And what would they become knowing this no longer applied to them? And clearly, I’m not the only one to wonder this or play this little mental game since these questions served as focal points for the next episode of Star Trek.
 
For ‘Return to Tomorrow’ saw the crew of the Enterprise venture to the edge of known space in order to investigate a strange distress signal from a seemingly dead world. Only to encounter a powerful being named Sargon, who was one of the final survivors of his race, beings that firmly believed they may have helped to seed life in the galaxy. Which, sadly, isn’t the case. Since we learn exactly who did that in The Next Generation, but I digress. Because what matters more here is that Sargon had a plan in mind to resurrect himself and the two closest people in his life from the virtual void they were trapped within, and he needed Kirk and Spock and a young Lieutenant Commander named Ann Mulhall, to help him with his wild plan. Which in essence, consisted of possession, wherein Sargon and his pals would take control this trio’s bodies and use them to build new android bodies so these ancient beings could explore the galaxy and leave their dead world behind.
 
Which is oddly enough, something that Kirk was cool with, and in one hammy but cool speech, he convinced his senior officers that this was the right thing to do and this is when the story slid into the exploration of what would become of a mind when death is left behind and well… none of what the story explored was good in the slightest. For we quickly came to learn that immortality is as boring and as bland as can be since Sargon and his wife Thalassa, and his buddy Henoch were utterly thrilled as the prospect of breathing air again and seeing the world through eyes, and they even found incredible joy over feeling a heart beating in their chest once again. And these little elements we take for granted were enough to prompt Henoch to decide that maybe he didn’t want an android body, that perhaps he could just reside within Spock’s from here on out and that’s really where the episode went into some fascinating territory.
 
Because in essence, Henoch’s decision to kill the man/entity that saved his life so he could enjoy a corporeal existence once again, speaks volumes to the fact that our humanity and the finality that comes with us, is what defines the best parts of us, and what motivates us to be good and live full lives so that we have no regrets and are remembered in positive fashion when we pass on. So, to lose all of that would be disastrous since it would give us a sense of arrogance, and help us to lose our compassion and I won’t lie, this made Henoch one of the more fascinating villains we’ve seen this season, simply because he didn’t have plans for world domination, he just wanted more life and he really didn’t care who he hurt in being able to achieve that and that made for one fascinating exploration of the human condition and I appreciate that the story went there.
 
If anything, this really was quite the unique episode, one that really took the time to analyze both the good and the bad when it comes to being human. Because while the exploration of how some of us fear death was powerful in its own right, Kirk’s decision to help these aliens in the first place, despite the risk involved; was a fine way to remind us of how brave we are and the good we can do when we put fear to the wayside. Plus, this episode also features an important guest star in Diana Muldaur, who played Dr. Mulhall and why she’s significant is because she too would return to the franchise in a big way many years down the line. For she also played Chief Medical Officer Pulaski on Star Trek: The Next Generation for an entire season when Gates McFadden left the show for a bit, and it is quite cool to see her Trek debut and be reminded of how good of an actor she is. In the end however, this was another bold episode of the saga, one that dealt with some heavy stuff, and I enjoyed every single second of it and this one continues to keep my hopes high that season two has found its stride, and that it will be nothing but incredible stories from here on out. Until next time. 

In this age of peak television, it is hard to be genuinely surprised by a particular show anymore. Because we’ve come to expect twists and turns on the small screen and shows do love to employ them in the hopes of telling all of us a quality story that captives us in fun and fascinating fashion. In fact, surprises and gimmicks and outright formulas have become so commonplace that you learn to recognize them in the shows of yesteryear as well since television has always been about building upon what came before it. But once in a while, the structure present in a particular show finds a way to catch you by complete and utter surprise and it really is quite wondrous when a classic series pulls that off, and it just so happens that the next episode of Star Trek accomplished this particular feat.
​
For ‘A Private Little War’ had some powerful things to say about conflict and how modern man creates and cyclically perpetuates its own problems. But how it got there is what made the message in question work. Because this particular tale opened up in pretty standard fashion, with the Enterprise returning to a planet that Kirk visited back during his time aboard the Farragut. But this time around there was a troubling development on a world where its people were dedicated to peace and hunting for food with bows and arrows back in the day. Because now they were fighting amongst themselves and using guns to aid in the conflict and that prompted Kirk to go undercover with Bones to see if this was related to Klingon interference and of course it was.

But while that should have immediately brought us to the core thematic concept, I made mention of a moment ago, the series continued to delay getting to the point and at first, I found that to be a touch grating. Because everything that preceded the point was in fact… pretty darn weird. After all, I wasn’t expecting to see a rubber suit monster come out and smack Kirk around, nor was I expecting there to be a sub plot involving Kirk’s old friend Tyree and his strange ‘witch doctor’ wife, Nona. But that’s precisely what the focus was in the middle of the episode, and it led to some over the top moments involving a healing ritual to bring Kirk back from the alien’s poisonous bite and well, while all this stuff was goofy and silly in its own right, I have to give the series serious credit for injecting it into the story. Because this was designed to distract from the bigger message present here and when it arrives, it sucker punches you hard.

Because just like that, Nona and in turn Tyree are obsessed with conflict and the power that they would receive by becoming the more dominant species on the planet, if they had the right guns to make that happen and this was just… sobering to say the least. For it spoke volumes to our modern world and how America in particular loves the notion of pouring resources into conflict all in the name of showing strength. And the downside to this particular belief was put on full display since Kirk’s desire to even the playing field, in essence ruined an entire society by helping them to embrace and indulge in the concept of mutually assured destruction. But what truly stayed with me long after this episode came to an end, was the sheer fact that all parties involved were quick to dive in and fight and that really spoke to how easy it is to let anger and violence take hold of our souls and how long a road ahead we have before we can abandon such notions and embrace genuine peace.

If anything, all of these elements made this episode brilliant for certain. For this tale masterfully manipulates the audience into a sense of false security right before diving into some supremely dark and devastating territory. Plus, once again, the acting is top notch since everyone in this tale, sells the more primal instincts within all of us in believable fashion, and special attention needs to be paid to the nuanced performances from DeForest Kelley and Michael Witney, who plays Tyree. For these two gentlemen add incredible depth to what’s happening in this tale, and it is downright heartbreaking to see Tyree change into a vengeful man from a gentle leader right before our eyes. Either way, I really dug this one. Because this is the kind of stuff that Star Trek is known for and this has me hopeful that the home stretch of season two is going to be filled with the brim with more powerful stories such as this one. Until next time. 

​It wasn’t all that long ago, that fans of the now cult classic Lodge 49 received some devastating news, in that, weeks of back end negotiations to save the series from cancellation had failed and our journey through the Lodge would come to an end. If anything, I know plenty of folks, myself included, were stunned by the news since the critical reception of this series and outpouring from the fans on social media to save the series, made it seem a though an eleventh-hour victory would come through for this wonderful show, but alas, here we are. But what’s truly incredible when it comes to the wake of this news, is how the fans have responded to it.
 
For my Twitter feed is alive with people constantly discussing the series and what it meant to them, and it would seem that Lynx everywhere are doing their best to share the wonder of this story with anyone who will listen and that outpouring and sharing has only gotten stronger in the last couple of days, mainly due to the fact that the entire series is now streaming on Hulu. It just goes to show how much this simple story about everyday people sometimes struggling to get by in a chaotic world, has resonated with audiences everywhere and well, despite my best attempts to close the book on it in my mind, the constant reminders on social media and the power of Dud and Liz’s journey more or less allows for this series to haunt me on a regular basis.
 
Which I should have expected, since this series has done a lot for me emotionally and mentally, elements I’ve outlined before on this website, and for some strange reason, I thought I could find closure by bidding it farewell on the digital page. But how does one truly let go of a story that lifted one up more often than not? And how does one say goodbye to characters that often resemble people in your life or relate to parts of yourself? Well the answer to those questions are simple, you don’t, and I was a fool to think that I could just quietly close the book in my mind and move on. Because when a story touches you on a personal level, it can never be forgotten and you need to revisit it as often as possible to either find something new within its framework, or simply celebrate the wonder of what it did for you ages ago.
 
So, it is time for me to return to the Lodge and everything it has to offer by doing something that honestly, I rarely do anymore when it comes to newer television shows. Which means I’m going to re-watch every single magnificent episode of Lodge 49 and break them down in great detail. Which may seem obsessive or silly in its own right, but here’s the thing. It is inherently obvious to me, that we’re all eager to continue to obsess over this show in healthy fashion and looking at these stories from a new perspective and diving deep into what they stand for is an intoxicating possibility, especially when I am certain that I left some stuff on the table the first time around and I won’t lie, this has me supremely excited.
 
Because being the giant writing nerd that I am, I love the prospect of stripping down a story and everything it has to offer, but my outright excitement to watch this saga once more, goes beyond the mere need to deconstruct a story. For this is a chance to once again bask in the glory of a genuinely beautiful story about all the ups and downs that life has to offer, and I really am looking forward to seeing Dud and Liz and everyone at the Lodge grow once again and remind us that it is okay to hurt and it is okay to stumble and fall. Because the family we choose will always be there to support us and lift us up in our time of need. In the end, it’s just obvious that this show continues to resonate with its audience because of its honesty and purity and the word of its wonder needs to be spread far and wide. And I cannot wait to dive back in and see what other lessons about this crazy ride known as life, this series has to offer, and discuss them all with my fellow Lynx.   

There is a wonderful security that mankind enjoys by being the apex predator on planet Earth, simply because, we have no natural predators. There are no giant monsters or horrible creatures that hunt human beings on this world and that really does allow for us to sleep well at night when all is said and done. If anything, our only real enemy is ourselves and our health since the body does find ways to fail us, but even then, mankind continues its dominance. But what if there was something out that was large enough and powerful enough to put us out of commission? What it would look like? And how would it hunt us? And it just so happens, that those particular questions served as the focal points for the next episode of Star Trek.

For ‘The Immunity Syndrome’ saw the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise square off against a surprise predator in the galaxy, but not before providing the audience with a grand mystery. Because prior to the grand reveal, we came to learn that a Vulcan crewed Starfleet vessel known as the U.S.S. Intrepid, disappeared within a particular star system, and said system also went dark in regard to communication with Starfleet. Which meant it was up to a tired Enterprise crew to investigate, and what they found was quite shocking when all is said and done. For there was a giant blank spot in space, one that began to drain the energy of the ship once they entered it and well, things only got worse from there.

Because this strange void was dangerous for the crew, as since it was draining their very life force moment by moment and what made this part of the story so intriguing in its own right, was watching the crew deal with the fact that they were potentially facing the end. For that added a strange and unsettling sense of urgency to this particular tale, since the crew was in fact, defiant in regard to this possibility and that truly brought out the best in everyone as they worked to defeat the nightmare waiting for them. And it was also just incredible to see crew members fighting over who would get the opportunity to play the hero and save the ship by sacrificing their own life for the sake of their shipmates.

Which brings us to the nightmare in question and the answers to the question I posed earlier. For it turns out that the Enterprise was squaring off against an intergalactic amoeba, one that consumed every ounce of energy near it in order to grow and the most terrifying part of all when it comes to this being, is that this giant bugger was preparing to split and reproduce. Which meant Kirk, who was exhausted and at the end of his rope, had to figure out quick how to finally beat this thing before it and its offspring consumed more of the galaxy and well, he came up with quite the plan. For if this creature was all about eating up energy, perhaps a taste of antimatter might be the sour apple to ruin its day and in daring fashion, he took the ship into the creature’s ‘body’ to drop off a probe filled with antimatter and wouldn’t you know it? The plan worked and the Galaxy, and Spock for that matter, who went into the creature first via shuttle, were all saved.

If anything, this episode played a wonderful game of ‘what if?’ by posing the possibility that something larger and more primal could be our undoing and it also gets serious props for sticking the landing in an episode that reverted back to storytelling experiments for this series. Because dealing with death in any capacity is always tough for a show, but to have an entire crew face it, bravely, on an upbeat science fiction series is quite amazing. Plus, the acting was top notch in this tale, and everyone sold the danger and really, this was just a fun episode. One that definitely had me on the edge of my seat and if this is the kind of experimental storytelling this saga wants to indulge in, I’m all for it, because this one was just top notch. Until next time.

I think it is safe to say, that season one of Netflix’s Lost in Space turned out to be one of the most refreshing reboots in recent years. Because not only did this new iteration of the series evoke the spirit of adventure and wonder of the original, it did so in uplifting fashion, bucking the current trend in the science fiction genre wherein shows in this vein are more or less required to be dark and gritty and challenging. But what’s truly made this reboot worth our while, are the characters. Because the Robinson family finally has depth at last and their struggle and their plight and their intelligence allows for us to relate to them and cheer for them at every turn and seeing them come together in the season one finale really did make for a satisfying end to a satisfying season.
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But while that was lovely in its own right, it truly left us hungry for more. We had to know more about where the Robinson family was headed and why it was dangerous, according to Will’s robot buddy, and thankfully, our long wait to see what comes next for space family Robinson has come to an end. For Netflix released the long awaited second season of this series over the holiday break and well, the time has come to properly dive into year two of their adventures and thus far I have to say, I am quite impressed with this particular start. For ‘Shipwrecked’ really did offer up a unique season two premiere, simply because it took the time to really slow things down and allow for us to get to know the Robinson family all over again.

All thanks to the fact that the Robinsons took the time to land on that planet, and for the past seven months, they made it their home since their fuel was exhausted once again. And during this quiet time on a world where methane is the primary element in the atmosphere, and the sun barely shines, this family made do just fine. They figured out how to grow crops, and they got to finally feel the connection they’d been lacking back on Earth. If anything, it was nice to see them as a cohesive unit at last, and to see them adopt Don and treat Smith with care. But despite the warm fuzzies present in this part of the story, Maureen had concerns for her children’s future. Because there would never be an opportunity for them to properly grow up on this desolate world, and she wanted nothing more than to get off this rock and get to Alpha Centauri so they could all live, something that John wasn’t in a hurry to make happen.

But fate always toys around with good people in stories such as this, and a broken patch in the greenhouse changed the family’s fortune. For now their future food supply was gone and that prompted John to let Maureen do her thing and enact a wild plan, one where the Jupiter 2 would be outfitted with sails and lifted across to the sea to an area where lightning storms were in high supply, all in the hopes of using those storms to charge the ship’s power supply so they could leave and this led to some fascinating moments. For there was danger and risk everywhere to be found and they needed another set of eyes on the water, which meant Smith was set free and she was actually helpful in getting the family through the more treacherous parts of this unknown sea. But just when it seemed the family was home free and, on their way back to space, they ran aground at the end of a cliff, and have come to discover that something else was here before them since it seems a massive structure is beneath their vessel.

If anything, this really was quite the wonderful season premiere. Because it really did immerse us back into this world in wonderful fashion and I really did find myself growing comfortable with the family and their situation all over again as the hour rolled on. Which made the action sequences all the more harrowing and intense. But what matters more about this premiere, is the sheer fact that it did a fine job in building up some juicy mysteries for us. Because once again, it would seem that Smith has a plan and we simply cannot tell if she is learning how the navigation console works for her own gain, or to prove her worth and the fact that she helped to sabotage the food supply only keeps an air of the unknown surrounding her. Plus, that massive structure is ominous and fascinating all at once and it should be interesting to see if it belongs to a new species we haven’t seen yet, or if the robots created it. Either way, it is obvious that season two has a grand plan in mind, one that will entertain us to no end and well, I’m quite curious to see what that plan is. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to my Netflix app, to see what awaits the Robinson family at the bottom of that trench. Until next time. 

I have to admit, that in my last Retro Recap of Star Trek, I was quite hard upon the show. But let’s be honest, this is one of the greatest science fiction franchises in modern history and we all expect better of it and it really was quite disappointing to see such a goofy and loose episode play out before our eyes. Because this is a series that is about unity and working together to solve our problems, not wanton violence and anger and that’s why I was so happy when I finished the next episode in this series, since it more or less righted every wrong that ‘The Gamesters of Triskelion’ bought to the table. For ‘A Piece of the Action’ provided us with everything we love about this franchise, and it featured quite the unique plot as well.
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For this particular tale brought the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise to Sigma Iotia II to investigate a strange radio signal indicating that the U.S.S. Horizon, a vessel deemed lost a hundred years ago, had visited this world and well, what the away team found when they beamed down was quite the surprise. For the people of this good world quite literally took a page out of a book the crew of the Horizon left behind and modeled their society after it. And while that should be a good thing, because the Federation knows what’s up, they unfortunately picked a book about 1920s Chicago and modeled their ‘government’ after the Mobster lifestyle of that era and well, that made life difficult for Kirk and company since these wise guys wanted every bit of weaponry the NCC-1701 could offer in order to earn complete control of their world.

But while that plot is pretty juicy in its own right, what made this episode so incredibly Trek was Kirk’s response to this stunning discovery. Because the inadvertent mistake made by the crew of the Horizon more or less horrified the captain. For in essence, Starfleet and in turn the Federation inadvertently violated the Prime Directive by giving these people an unfortunate direction to follow and that prompted Kirk to basically put it upon his shoulders to fix this on his own. Which made him heroic and noble in this particular tale, as he immersed himself into a world and a culture he didn’t understand, all so he could bend it to his will, and this really was quite cool to see. Because this really was Kirk at his absolute best and seeing how he fixed this issue, in the name of a greater notion was quite satisfying.

However, over the past few recaps we’ve talked a lot about how The Original Series often stood for fun and lighthearted moments and there was plenty of that to be found in this tale as well. Because it was downright hilarious to see 23rd Century Starfleet officers, struggle mightily with the vernacular of the early 20th Century and well, the joy only grows from there. Because seeing Kirk and Spock, and to a lesser extent, McCoy, do everything within their power to blend in and play the game that these gangsters are playing is just magical to say the least, and it led to some magnificent laughs. Especially when Kirk tried to prompt Spock to join in on the fun and truly, the entire driving sequence with Kirk at the wheel forced me to pause the episode for a moment while I got the laughs out of my system.

If anything, this was just a magnificent palate cleanser of an episode. Because the ups and downs of the last few episodes definitely made that stretch of the series tough to get through. But this is the stuff we are here for when it comes to Star Trek, and it is nice to see the series abandon the experimental stuff to tell a fun tale that has everything fans love and well, I do hope this is going to be the norm for the rest of season two. Because when this season has delivered, it’s really delivered and when it’s gone off the rails well, it’s best we don’t revisit that. For looking forward is what this franchise is all about and with only nine episodes left in season two, I’m eager to find more magnificent stories that will hopefully leave me thinking. So, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to head back to the bridge and continue the five-year mission. Until next time.