Spinoffs in the television world, are quite the risky venture. Because in essence, the crew that decides to bring one to life, is trying to recreate lightning in a bottle and that is quite the difficult task. Because how does one truly recreate what makes a show so beloved and revered? And that daunting reality, is precisely why so many of these spinoffs fail when they reach the airwaves, because they are simply missing the essence of what made the source material legendary. In fact, they are so difficult, and the odds are so against those involved, that not even shows as popular as Doctor Who or Friends have been able to bring a sustainable spinoff of their own beloved universe to the airwaves.
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But believe it or not, it is possible to create a spinoff that people adore and for proof, just look at Star Trek or The Walking Dead, since they have growing universes that fans cannot get enough of. All because they understand that the secret to creating a successful spinoff is balance. The kind that gives the viewer everything they love about the original, all while giving the audience something new at the same time, and it just so happens, that another emergent universe that understands this mantra is about to launch another show that fans will love. For Sunday February 6, 2022… will bring about the series premiere of Power Book IV: Force, the latest entry in the Power Universe, and we here at Nerds That Geek have had the opportunity to see some of this series in advance and would like to take a little time today to break down what makes it so great… in a spoiler free fashion of course. Because it would be rude to offer up any kind of reveals about a Universe that thrives on surprises.

But in keeping with what makes spinoffs successful, it is the show’s lead character that immediately offers fans a sense of familiarity. Because this is a story that revolves around Tommy Egan, who is traversing the country following the fall of the Ghost’s empire in New York City and when we catch up with him, here, he’s made a stop in Chicago, one that will change his life forever and uh, you simply cannot go wrong with Tommy Egan's return to the franchise. Because Tommy is a damn legend at this point, and a beloved fan favorite and spending time with him here is an utter delight. Because actor Joseph Sikora still plays him akin to an anti-James Dean. The rebel whose only cause is Tommy’s interests and having Tommy back into the fold, alongside the familiar grit and drama that only the Power Universe provides, really does make the viewer comfortable and at home so to speak. 

But it doesn’t take long for this series to make it clear, that new adventures and new surprises await Mister Egan. Since Tommy encounters some unique characters and finds himself in some equally as unique situations and the new world that surrounds him, and the viewer for that matter as well, makes for some compelling and engaging television. Because in many ways, Tommy is out of his comfort zone now that he’s left New York behind and is forging his own future for a change, and that gives Tommy the freedom to grow and move in new directions. And it is that freedom and the potential of what could come out of it, alongside some other surprises and the new world that surrounds Tommy, that immediately draws you into this story. To the point where you are immediately ready for more.

Which means that in the end, STARZ has another home run hit on their hands and for fans of the Power Universe, this is an absolute dream come true. Because Tommy Egan is back and it will be a true treat to see him get down to business and Cancel Christmas on someone’s ass, because that’s how he do. But all of that aside, putting Tommy front and center, in a new world with new challenges, really is the most exciting prospect of all. Since now we will get the chance to know Tommy like never before and really understand what makes him tick. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Joseph Sikora pours himself even harder into the role and is surrounded by a stunning and stellar cast that holds their weight in every single scene.

If anything, this new series is proof positive that the Power Universe is going to set a new standard for emerging franchises. Since Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson and Courtney Kemp and their talented writing teams have figured out how to quickly grow a franchise in a genuinely engaging manner, and the best news of all… is that we don’t have to wait all that much longer to reunite with Tommy. For Power Book IV: Force premieres on Sunday at 9 p.m. EST, and well… we’re just getting started with our coverage of this wonderful new show. So, check back with us all week as we share our interviews with the cast of Force and to further build excitement for Tommy’s return… here are a couple of clips from the series premiere and the music video for the show’s theme song, courtesy of STARZ, for all of you to enjoy. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 209 of ‘Power Book II: Ghost’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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When we are young, we taught to push back and stand up for ourselves when someone is unjustly trying to control us, and we are taught that lesson for several key reasons. One of which, is to ensure that we become strong and confident adults that stand out and stand tall, but we are also taught that lesson… to keep balance and order in the world. Because the people that tend to try and control us, are small in nature and thirsty for power and standing up to them and saying ‘no’ tends to put them in their place and keeps them from abusing others in that manner. But while that lesson definitely helps us grow and keeps things right in the world, there is a flip side to it that our parents neglect to cover.
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In that, sometimes the people that want to control, are confident in their abilities and don’t like being told that they should take a step back. Which leads to incredible conflict between us and this nemesis of sorts when we tell them to keep their distance, and that requires us to think differently in keeping the peace and our independence and this particular twist to everyday life is critical to our discussion today, because push back for pushing back is precisely what Tariq encountered during last night’s episode of Power Book II: Ghost. Because after being emboldened by the success of his plan during last week’s episode, Tariq decided it was time to push back further against those who were against him and that definitely garnered him some good results early on in ‘A Fair Fight?’

Because Councilman Tate got what he wanted from Tariq, and in doing so… did everything he could on the stand to discredit Jenny Sullivan further. But once she was faced with the very real prospect of losing this case… well… Jenny decided to surprise Tariq with a little pushback of her own. For she called in all the evidence needed to get someone else on the stand, such as Lauren and Brayden and his brother and that brought about chaos and ripples throughout Tariq’s world. Because all the secrets surrounding the death of Ramirez and Reynolds were coming to light and in doing so, danger began to surround Lauren. For Cane would have a problem with her speaking the truth if he got wind of this, and that motivated Tariq to tell her to run until he could figure out how to smooth this over.

But while that alone was enough to keep Tariq busy, there was more double push back for him to deal with. Because while he was working with Brayden to keep Lauren safe, Mecca made a startling discovery. In that, his go bag was gone and since everything was falling apart in Monet and Mecca’s world (more on that in a moment), Mecca wasn’t keen on playing games and used a tracking device to figure out that Tariq had his bag. Which led to a showdown between these two at last. One where Tariq negotiated a shaky peace between the two of them, courtesy of information. Since it turns out that Dante Spears has ratted, on a great deal of people to enjoy his freedom and revealing that truth would cause more harm than good and the potential for that kind of leak, motivated Mecca to stand down and as an added bonus, Tariq is two million richer for standing his ground when someone else tried to push him around in this tale. 
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However, there was mention of the fact that things were messy in Mecca and Monet’s world and that came courtesy of several surprises. One of which, was the fact that Zeke’s basketball career is basically toast at this point since his age was leaked to the press. Plus, Lorenzo pushed back on the plan in this tale and got all the drugs he needed to function and potentially is pushing to kill Mecca in response for loving Monet all those years ago. Not to mention… Cane is still working his own agenda. Because Tariq was right to worry about his response to sour news regarding his freedom, and thanks to Effie… Cane was made aware of the problem now surrounding him, and well, something awful may have happened to Lauren since Effie kidnapped her out of Brayden’s hands in the middle of the night… per Cane’s orders.

If anything, this was just an epic episode when all is said and done. Because not only did it offer up a fine reminder that sometimes the push back, we give, will meet with equal resistance, and that our attempts to find common ground in that moment will be messy or failure ridden… but it also set the stage for an epic season finale. One that might pit best friends against one another since Tariq violated Brayden’s trust regarding the photo, and this finale will definitely see worlds collide. Because everyone is pulling in different directions with different agendas and that always brings about explosions when hard truths and ugly acts are revealed and everything presented here is going to make the wait for next week’s season two finale, a difficult one. Because at this point… we are dying to know what comes next and how this explosive story is going to end and of course… we simply must know what will become of Tariq St. Patrick since he remains on the cusp of becoming his father. Until next time.   

Caution: This article contains some spoilers for the season two premiere of ‘Fast Foodies’.
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We are taught from a very early age, to cherish big moments in our lives… simply because they will never come again and that is a lesson that quickly sticks with us. Because it is absolutely and utterly true, and it does not take long for us to learn that moments are fleeting and the ones, we can hang onto, really do stay with us throughout our travels in life, and while deep down we know we can never recreate them, we certainly try to invoke the emotions they generated the first time around. Which is why we often revisit something familiar about those moments and surprisingly… food is a wonderful way to do that. 

Because meals are often associated with important moments in our lives and that’s why the truTV series, Fast Foodies, is so incredibly special. For this is a series that knows exactly how to remind us of the power of food and how the right meal can unlock wonders in our minds and thankfully, this magical series is now back on the air for its second season, and it just so happens, that our intrepid chefs were tasked with one of their greatest challenges regarding the recreation of a memory. For this week’s guest, Nikki Glaser, put quite the twist on the table. For while she revealed that Chicken McNuggets and Fries from McDonald’s were a meal that brought forth warm and joyful memories for her, recreating them exactly here would be no simple task.

For Nikki no longer eats meat. So, to light up that part of her memory center, the chefs would have to create a powerhouse vegan version of this meal and thankfully, they were up to the task. Since each of them had unique ideas on which various meat substitutes and spices should recreate the magic of a classic McDonald’s meal and well, it turns out that some of these recipes managed to unlock the magic of the past. For Jeremy was able to properly create a vegetarian nugget that matched the wonder of the Chicken McNugget and Kristen was able to create the fries to a tee, giving Nikki that perfect recollection of those wonderful memories and once that trip down memory lane was complete… is when new ones were created.

For this is of course, a bit of a cooking competition show as well, and it was now up to the chefs to offer up their own unique take on Nuggos and Fries and this was just magical to watch. Because the sky was the limit for this part of the competition and each and every one of the chefs… outright created art. Because each and every one of these dishes just took Nugs and Fries to a whole new level. After all, who would have thought you could add touches of Southwestern to the dish and make them into a taco? Well, Justin sure did. But in the end, there can only be one winner of these mini-competitions and it turns out that Kristen was the champion of this challenge with her amazing risotto, and not only did she get an awesome trophy to celebrate this win… she got some vintage Chicken McNugget toys to go with it.

In the end, this was just an epic way to kick off season two of this wonderful series. Because having to take an American Fast-Food classic and vegan-ize it, is an incredible challenge for a chef and it is simply amazing that Jeremy and Justin and Kristen were able to rise to the occasion and create such unique nuggets and it was just as incredible to see them reinvent the dish in such stunning ways. But what matters most, is that this premiere once again reminded us of what food does for us and how it ties us to important memories and allows for us to re-live them to the best of our abilities, and it will be wonderful to see what other joyous moments from the past this series unlocks for both the guest and the audience as season two continues along. Until next time.

Please enjoy an exclusive, super-sized sneak peek of this week’s episode of Love During Lockup. Which airs later tonight and as an added bonus, here is an official synopsis for the episode as well: Harry’s hiding something from Indie. Gabby gets mixed signals from Chris’s mom. Santiba makes a bold move. Max moves on. Tai’s night out doesn’t go as planned. Haley makes big plans for her future.

​Please enjoy two sneak peek clips from Episode 209 of Power Book II: Ghost, which will air on STARZ on January 30, 2022, at 8 p.m. EST.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Single Drunk Female’. To revisit the prior two episodes, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say that we live in an extremely fast paced world. One where we hustle and hustle hard to achieve our dreams and accomplish our career goals, and we also hustle hard to ensure that we create plenty of memories to reflect upon when the day finally comes for us to slow down and reflect upon a life well lived. But while that particular mantra has indeed allowed for so many of us to get ahead and see and experience some wonderful things, there are some draw backs to this particular mantra. For starters, sometimes just going and going, doesn’t allow for us to really reflect upon the moment and what wondrous things we are experiencing and also… the hustle tends to motivate us to neglect our health.
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Because for some reason… we view self-care and healing as a nuisance and something that should be conquered quickly so we can easily resume the hustle. When in fact, we need to take the proper amount of time, which varies from person to person, to heal completely. So that we don’t put ourselves in a situation where our recovery is stunted and extended, and this is something that also applies to mental health care and recovery needs that aren’t physically apparent. Since we are taught often to just suck it up, and get over it, when we’re feeling down and the same goes for problems that are unseen, and it often takes either a setback or a genuinely long recovery time from an affliction, for us to finally come to understand we need to take it slow and heal and that particular lesson is one that Sam was forced to learn during last night’s episode of Single Drunk Female.

Because despite being twenty-eight days into her recovery, Sam was ready to move forward when we catch up with her in ‘I’m Sorry, But…’ since she was back to hanging out in bars with Felicia, and learning a valuable lesson about the cost of club soda, and she was also eager to get to the end of the Twelve Steps. In fact, she was curious as to what it would take to make amends to those she hurt because she genuinely wanted to leave all of this behind and find some semblance of a ‘normal’ life again. But Olivia made it clear that this is a process, one that requires a great deal of work before life can really resume itself and that Sam needed to stick with the plan to a tee. Advice that at first, she was quick to brush off. In fact, she was so eager to move to the amends stage, that she manipulated Felicia into a plan that would let her get right down to apologizing to Brit. 

One that involved swinging by Brit’s birthday celebration at the local roller rink to apologize in person and find peace in doing so and well… that sadly didn’t happen. Because the apology went south quickly since Sam unloaded instead of making amends and she hurt Felicia in doing this, since Felicia realized she was a pawn in this selfish attempt to heal faster and well, this was in fact… an unfortunate moment that Sam needed to experience. Because it taught her the value of the process and the steps and helped her to realize that she needs to heal herself first and work on her flaws before she can properly make amends to others, and most important of all… it taught her to slow down and take her time and do this right. So that she could truly find herself in a wonderful and stable and healed place, and coming to that epiphany, allowed for her to reach thirty days of sobriety, and helped her to learn how to be selfless and offer up a true apology to someone that was in greater need of it in the moment, Felicia.
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But while that segment was powerful and engaging in its own right and could have carried the entire episode, there were more important moments to be found here. Since Carol’s journey in this tale, explored the stigma that surrounds addiction and how loved ones are sometimes eager to keep it a secret since it can feel shameful and… how that shouldn’t be the case, since addiction isn’t a shameful act, it’s an illness that requires support and honesty. And it accomplished this examination by having her work hard to hide the truth from her book club and even lie when Gail came over to do a residence check, and it wasn’t until Bob spoke the truth did Carol realize that she needs to accept what’s happened and move forward with it instead of feeling shame and it was quite wonderful to see Carol take a giant step in this story as well.

If anything, this was a shockingly powerful episode when all is said and done. Since it did a phenomenal job of exploring the two key themes in this story in a manner that was both honest and humorous. Because everything that Sam and Carol did here, felt organic and real… and having a little humor to go alongside moments that mortify us in that moment, only added to that realism, making this episode an honest slice of life, and it doesn’t hurt that its message extends beyond addiction. Because we could all stand to take a moment sometimes, and really work on ourselves and confront the ghosts we carry with us. Which really just speaks to the brilliance of this show and how it is eager to take the viewer on a journey grounded in the importance of healing, period, and now that Sam has moved past another marker on the road to recovery, it will be quite interesting to see what new challenges and messages her journey will send our way. Until next time.    

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 202 of ‘Total Control’. To revisit the season two premiere, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say, that modern politics and political figures are woefully out of touch with the average person. After all, the vast majority of politicians are drunk with power and status and spend their days away from their constituents. Instead surrounding themselves with comfort and special interest groups that tell them what to think and how to move. Which ensures that they never really focus on the people and what they actually need. A sad reality that has left the majority of people upset with the status quo and unsure how to fight back. After all, the thought of fixing this problem by electing qualified people that aren’t affiliated with a party seems like an impossibility, since they wouldn’t have the funds to compete, nor would anyone pay attention since they’re an unrecognized name.

But the fact of the matter is, the right candidate, one that is free from the shackles of a particular party, could indeed win the day if the right criteria were in place. For genuine leadership, and the right message are elements folks will absolutely rally behind, and how such a reality would come to fruition, served as the central focus of the next episode of Total Control. For when we catch up with Alex Irving in this tale… she is making plans for her political future. The kind that would see her unseat Jack Ramsey and represent the people of Freeman as a genuine independent. But it doesn’t take long for her to run into the roadblocks we outlined a moment ago. But courtesy of a strong message and a strong grassroots team, things quickly start to turn the tide in Alex’s favor.

Because she’s able to get the people to listen to her straight, no-nonsense talk and… when Ramsey made a critical error, where he just opted to not come to a debate one night, Alex was quick to point out how little he or the party cares and how she was there doing the work and listening to their stories, and that straight talk outright rallied more to her cause. Showing us without a doubt that the right message and genuine honesty and true leadership, could in fact do wonders for the right candidate and well… the wonder of her campaign doesn’t end there. Since other, larger names took notice of her actions and took a page out of her playbook. Reinforcing the fact that Alex is a true leader and this push to make her a household name and a viable candidate, led to quite the surprise.

For one of the people, she managed to inspire, was Rachel Anderson. Whom decided that despite being ejected from the party in disgrace after stepping down as Prime Minister… that the time had come to run as an independent to revitalize her career. And she even went so far as to invite Alex, onto a national show that was spotlighting independent candidates. All so Rachel could try and build new alliances and a new group of sorts… one that would see her and Alex working side by side. Of course, Alex rejected such notions because she didn’t trust Rachel in the slightest. But this did demonstrate the impact that Alex is having upon the election and most important of all, this whole episode allowed for Alex to grow right before our eyes since she quickly settled into her new status and standing as the nation’s most intriguing independent.

But what matters more, is that this episode really did offer up a blueprint of sorts for the tired and frustrated masses. Since anyone could follow Alex’s blueprint in this day and age and make a difference in politics if they so choose, and while it might not be as storybook as this tale, local elections are important, and everyone has to start somewhere. Which means this could inspire folks to run for local office and make a difference, and it was quite incredible to see a political drama offer some kind of guidance on how to fix the mess that is politics. But all lessons aside, this episode told a great story as well. One that was hopeful and engaging. To the point where each and every one of us are ready for more… so we can see Alex’s standing grow to the point where the ever-smug Jack Ramsey… is bounced out of office by the honorable Alex Irving. Until next time.    

Caution: This article contains minor spoilers for Episode Seven of ‘Firebite’. To revisit the last episode, click here.
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The Hero’s Journey is oft celebrated, simply because it is quite inspirational in nature. After all, watching an everyday person or a true hero embrace and champion the concept of good to keep others safe, sends one’s spirits soaring. Since such an act speaks to what we could be capable of as a species if we put aside our petty differences and embraced our better angels. Plus, watching a hero fight evil on the silver or small screen, is wonderful catharsis as well. Since it provides us with a sense of justice we don’t always enjoy in the real world. But alas, while these stories do indeed provide us with hope and joy, they are absolutely romanticized to the nth degree.

For in reality, The Hero’s Journey is as complex and complicated as anything else in life and all of its flaws and positives were put on display in the next episode of Firebite. For ‘Hero’s Life’ took the time to look at several different and unique heroic journeys, each of which offered up some fascinating insight on the complexities surrounding heroism, and the first of note, was Smokey’s. Because when faced with the reality that the vampire threat was growing… he decided it was up to him to play the hero and do something about this problem. Which in turn motivated him, to drop a big ol’ bomb inside the caves and detonate it; all in the hopes of torching the suckers down below. But alas, his decision did way more harm than good and his journey served to inform us of the fact that sometimes… the best heroic intentions can be ruined by impulsive and uninformed decisions.  

However, while Smokey was making plans to blow up the caves, Eleona’s ongoing fight with the Vampire King, led to another fascinating journey related to the episode’s central theme. Because at first glance, Eleona’s actions here… were quite heroic in nature. Since she held firm to her desire to not show her true vampire instincts and of course, she stood up to the King in the most impressive way imaginable. Really making it seem as though, she had finally turned a corner and was working toward a better tomorrow for herself and vampire-kind. But a powerful decision at the end of this tale, one that changes the course of this story permanently, made it clear that she was no hero and that she instead represented the reality that sometimes acts that appear to be heroic in nature… are grounded in selfishness and ego.  

But while those are some tough instances to swallow in regard to this theme, this is an episode that genuinely looked to explore every corner of heroism, both good and bad, and thanks to Kitty’s decision to risk her life and head into the caves to find Tyson and Shanika, alongside Shanika’s powerful decision at the end of this tale… we were able to learn what really drives heroism in this world. As it turns out, it isn’t some sort of calling or desire, it’s really grounded in necessity. Where danger pushes someone to step in and help their loved ones or be the champion for those in need, and that definitely offers the viewer a fresh perspective on heroism, and why perhaps we dress it up creatively. However, while that should have ended this episode on a supremely high note, this exploration was bittersweet more than anything else.

Because the ending of this story… was as powerhouse as it gets. Since it featured a stunning twist that no one saw coming and well, at this point, you’ve probably noticed this recap is heavily grounded in concepts over details and there is good reason for that. Because to spoil that ending and some of the more nuanced moments in this recap, would do you a great disservice. For all of those important moments, and their emotional gravity, need to be experienced first-hand. So, when you get a chance… watch this episode on AMC+, so you can be treated a powerful and intelligent and moving penultimate episode. One that outright sets the stage for what should be a stunning and incredible season finale. Until next time. 

My favorite part about the holidays being over is all the new shows that come out! I know that makes me sound like a crazy person, but it’s always nice to have something new to look forward to once all the holiday magic has dissipated. Well, the magic doesn’t have to ever end. Amazon Prime has a wide variety of shows that have literally gotten me addicted. 
 
With The Wheel of Time over until it’s next season, I’ve been searching aimlessly for something just as exciting to watch and in the realm of fantasy. What many of you don’t know, is that fantasy is my absolute favorite genre to be in. That’s probably why when Amazon Prime announced their newest show, The Legend of the Vox Machina, I scrambled to find release dates and plan my watch party. Okay, granted, only my dog Luna has RSVP’d to my watch party, but that’s okay! It’s going to be amazing!

The Legend of the Vox Machina airs this Friday January 28, 2022, on Amazon Prime with three episodes! It’s a fantastic story about a group of mercenaries who end up being heroes. They’ll face off against monsters, dragons, and so much more, but their biggest battle may be each other. Friendship is going to be the main theme of this beautifully animated show, so don’t take the fights too seriously. At the core of it, relationships are complicated, and I am always a sucker for a take on true friendship. Nothing can’t be undone with a little communication. This show has so much promise and I’m so genuinely excited to dive into the world of Exandria.

Perhaps the best part about The Legend of Vox Machina is that it is fan funded. That’s right, the cast of Critical Role started this journey off through a popular Kickstarter and they are also the production team and the stars. Plus, the fan favorite live stream show earned enough from their fan support to not only animate one season, but two! Amazon is happily hosting the twelve episode long first season, and it looks just as good as we imagined! The only thing I’m torn on is watching all three episodes Friday or dragging it out over the entire weekend. Either way, I can’t wait to see what this amazing cast brings us.

To further build anticipation for ‘The Legend of Vox Machina’, here is a trailer for everyone to enjoy. Caution: This is the show’s full, red-band trailer.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 5 of ‘The Book of Boba Fett’. To revisit the prior episode, click here.
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With the final musical cue of last week’s episode of The Book of Boba Fett, director Kevin Tancharoen set the stage for an iconic reunion, hinting at another meeting between the two most prolific Mandalorians in Star Wars history as Din Djarin’s epic theme sounded over the credits. Would we see Mando seated on the throne of Mandalore? Would we catch a glimpse of Grogu reunited with his surrogate father? Maybe wielding a little lightsaber!?!
 
Needless to say, my excitement for this series has only intensified week after week, and with a title like ‘The Return of the Mandalorian’, Chapter 5 did not disappoint.
 
In this episode we catch up with the Mandalorian Din Djarin crossing blades with an unsavory bulldog-faced alien with a price on his head in the back of a meat locker. Mando collects the bounty but in the process, he struggles to wield his newly acquired prize, the Darksaber and injures himself. 
 
Limping and alone, Mando retreats to the subterranean domain of the Creed-governed Mandalorian remnant and reconnects with the mysterious Armorer who offers him aid and inquires about his acquisition of the Darksaber and the beskar spear.  The Armorer then details the Darksaber’s prophecy and history and their connection to the Throne of Mandalore. She also highlights the fundamental incompatibility of the teachings of the Jedi and their own Creed when Mando asks her to forge something for the foundling Grogu, even though he has been taken by Luke Skywalker to be trained in the ways of the Force. 
 
Despite this inherent conflict of doctrines, and the potential tension they portend, the Armorer agrees and gives Mando a small bundle of something mysterious forged from beskar and proceeds to teach him how to use the Darksaber. Mando struggles, and when the other surviving member of the group challenges him to a duel he manages to prevail, but not by wielding the Darksaber. After the duel, the Armorer asks if Mando has ever removed his helmet, and he confesses to the sacrilege he committed in order to save Grogu from Moff Gideon. His shame over this heresy and his complicated interactions with Grogu, Bo-Katan, and the Armorer have cast his faith into doubt and this is why the Darksaber is resisting Din’s commands. 
 
Though this violation of the Creed strips him of his identity as a Mandalorian, Din is told that he may redeem himself by bathing in the living waters below the mines of Mandalore. Unfortunately for Din, all the mines on Mandalore were destroyed by the Empire during the Night of a Thousand Tears. 

Din then returns to Tatooine in disgrace to reconnect with Amy Sedaris’s comedic mechanic Peli Motto who has scraped together most of the vintage parts necessary to put together a new starship for Din. An N-1 Naboo Starfighter to be exact. And then Peli and Din restore a vintage starship together, which Din then test flies through Beggar’s Canyon. THE Beggar’s Canyon! And then, Din Djarin, when asked by Peli about how the newly restored ship handles, offers a single word in reply, “Wizard.” And that’s not even the end of the episode! We end with Mando going to visit Grogu during his Jedi Temple before offering his services as muscle to Boba Fett pro bono.
 
Look, is there a disconnect in this series between the tone of the A and B plotlines episode to episode almost to a fault? Yes. Is the Armorer in this episode just dumping exposition for people who didn’t watch the Mandalorian? Yes. Do I mind? No, no I don’t, and here’s why: Jon Favreau isn’t cherry-picking with these shows. He’s got all the Star Wars toys and he’s dumped them all in the sandbox for the directors to play with. They’re just playing with it, and they’re recapturing the charm of this grand old franchise.
 
To date my biggest complaint about this Disney Plus series has been one of pacing, however as the series has gone on, I have come to think of these episodes as segments of a sweeping western in the style of Lonesome Dove (1989) with a larger arc that takes priority over the pacing of the individual episodes. Even so, the flow of each episode remains distracting but if I’m honest, pacing is almost quaint in comparison to the powder keg that is Star Warsreception both critical and casual. Knowing how insufferable we as a fanbase can be about the tiniest of inconsistencies, I’ll take “a bit plodding” in a Coruscant minute every time. 
 
I won’t apologize for it: I like that Boba Fett is slowly building up a Tatooine animal rescue. I like that there are commercial airlines with TSA that force Din to relinquish his weapons. And yes, I like the cyborg anime street urchin gang with the wicked retro-futuristic space vespas (especially the leader’s as it takes clear inspiration from British “mod” protagonist Jimmy’s scooter in 1979’s Quadrophenia).
 
I continue to return to these shows because the fan service is charming, they continue to lean on rounding out these worlds and making them feel even more lived-in than before, and they’ve made the badass bounty hunter Mando into the single dad who having dropped his kid off at summer camp learns how to use his new sword and then restores a vintage car with his friend the mechanic.
 
I cannot wait for the probable return of Grogu next week, the naming of the Naboo Starfighter, and the reunion of my 2 favorite helmets in the Galaxy, Boba and Din! Until next time, Geek Out!