​It is quite funny how sometimes, a particular season of a television series, doesn’t quite go the way that you expect it to. For not that long ago, we sat here and discussed the possibility that season four of CHiPs was going to be a rough ride, due in large part to a hollow and sloppy season premiere that toyed with the formula and made it seem as though the elements that eventually brought the series to cancellation were going to find root here. But as it turns out, that premiere was nothing more than a one-off and everything that followed was powerful and fascinating and that includes the season four finale of this series, since it provided the audience with an engrossing and unique story.
 
For ‘A Simple Operation’ felt the need to explore something that the series only flirted with from time to time in deeper fashion, specifically; injuries that officers sustain while in the line of duty. And it accomplished this particular feat by injecting quite the twist into an unfortunate accident involving Sergeant Joe Getraer. Because his bike slipped on some loose metal that fell off of a truck that he was chasing, and after the dust settled and Ponch and Jon caught up with him, they immediately called for an ambulance because some of that metal was lodged in his eye and well, it quickly became a race against time at the hospital to get that chunk out and repair the damage that was done since it ran the risk of costing Joe his eyesight.
 
Thankfully, the skilled doctors at the hospital were able to save his eyesight and get him in a stable place, and really the danger inherent to Joe’s eye is the first element that made this storyline so unique and different. Because while we’ve seen various officers end up in the hospital on this series, they’ve never really had their careers threatened in the slightest. They heal up, they report back to work like it’s no big deal. So, to see Getraer, a guy who lives and breathes the law and struggles when he is away from the office, be faced with the possibility that he may never do what he loves ever again, made for some incredibly powerful moments and it was equally as wonderful to see everyone at Central rally around their Sergeant and show Joe how much he means to them, and that actually saved Joe’s life in the end.
 
Which brings us to the second fascinating element in this tale, in that, Joe’s life was in serious danger in this story. Because our Creep of the Week in this tale was a hired assassin who thought Joe spotted him doing some dirty work, and because of that, he and the boss agreed that Getraer needed to be taken out. Which means we had to watch the Sarge slip into cardiac arrest, thanks to our Creep’s sneaky work. And if it wasn’t for Jon, there’s a fair chance Joe would have died in this finale, and really, this was just a stunning surprise to inject into the story. Because no one saw this coming and it really did up the ante since we rarely see our heroes in this kind of danger and it definitely made the final moments of this episode all the more satisfying when Jon was able to bring this scumbag into custody.
 
If anything, this might be the finest season finale that this series has offered to date. Because it’s tough for a lighthearted show like this to really wow us and put us on edge. But everything that happened here made that possible, and all nervous moments aside, the danger inherent really did make for some compelling television. The kind that grabs on tight and doesn’t let go and it really is an exclamation point on how great and thoughtful this season turned out to be. But there is an ominous feel to this particular finale, simply because this is where the good times end. Because some behind the scenes surprises in season five will set the stage for some big changes, the kind that will eventually lead to the show’s series finale and that will make the rest of our Retro Recap of CHiPs, bittersweet at best. Until next season.

At some point or another in our lives, we will experience an incredibly powerful moment. The kind that quite frankly rattles us like never before and brings us to our knees emotionally, and we will spend years working to recover from the pain that it causes us and sometimes… despite the effort we put into healing, it will continue to haunt us in ways we never thought possible. Because the universe and our minds are cyclical in nature and a simple reminder of that fateful day can resurrect a bevy of memories and sometimes, fate takes things one step further; and forces us to face our pain head on. And it just so happens that the lasting power of trauma, served as one of the focal points for this week’s episode of Star Trek: Picard.
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For ‘The Impossible Box’ brought the crew of the La Sirena into Romulan space, in the hopes of finding Soji aboard the Artifact and well, the entire journey there brought forth some seriously uncomfortable memories for Admiral Picard when he took the time to learn more about the Borg Reclamation Project. And it was quite fascinating to see this strong yet stoic man shiver in fear at an archived image of his disfigured and Borgified face, something that confirmed that Jean-Luc Picard never quite recovered from his time as Locutus of Borg, and all the sorrow that came from that forced transformation. Which left one to wonder how exactly he would handle stepping aboard that cube for the first time since the Collective kidnapped him from the bridge of the Enterprise­-D and, it went about as poorly as one might expect.

Because the instant the transporter deposited him at the designated coordinates, Jean-Luc was alone and surrounded by silence and memories of the Borg and the horrors he had to endure as Locutus and it didn’t take long for the fear to settle in. In fact, the Admiral outright had a panic attack while standing in this haunted place. But thankfully, an old friend in Hugh was there to save the day, and his warm and welcoming demeanor brought Picard back from any further alarm. But despite Hugh’s best efforts to show the Admiral how safe the cube was and that he and his team were doing some incredibly humane and wonderful things within its hull, Picard was still unable to move on from the horrible memories and feelings that were surging through his mind and his body.

For the Admiral continually shied away from the sight of former Borg drones walking these horrifying halls and his reaction wasn’t out of revulsion for their scarred appearance, instead it was out of sustained fear. Fear that they might suddenly approach him with nanoprobe tubules at the ready to welcome Locutus home. But Hugh’s work, and a fine reminder that the Borg and everyone they’ve assimilated are victims, put Jean-Luc’s heart at ease because he was no different than the suffering souls who were starting their journey back from the void that the Borg create, and this really was quite the brilliant storyline when all is said and done. Because at long last, the Admiral was forced to revisit his darkest hour and make some peace with it and it was wonderful to see Jean-Luc Picard grow and heal right before our eyes.

Yet while this was powerful stuff in its own right, and chilling as well since a Borg Cube is one creepy place, the Admiral wasn’t here for a disturbing stroll down memory lane. He was here to find Soji and save her from potential harm at the hands of the Zhat Vash and well, this episode quickly turned into a race against time, thanks to the fact that Narek (whose real name we learned is Hrai Yan, maybe) finally made his big push to break Soji at last. Because a recurring dream she was experiencing, gave him the idea that perhaps her neural net and the flesh and blood surrounding it were trying to reconcile her human and android halves and that forcing her to discover her android roots would give him and his sister everything they need information wise and that’s when Narek went to work and planted some serious seeds of doubt in her mind.
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Oddly enough, Narek used an interesting tactic to make that happen, by informing Soji that her calls with her mother only lasted seventy seconds every night and that revelation allowed for Soji to realize that she gets incredibly sleepy when talking to her darling mother and an attempt to avoid that sleep, finally motivated her to really explore her life. To the point where she used Romulan technology to establish that she was less than three years old and this discovery left her filled with fear and uncertainty and that’s when Narek made his move. For her offered his hand and an ancient Romulan tradition to help her uncover the truth about her dreams and her past and she was of course willing to go through with it, in order to find some semblance of peace.

But unfortunately for Soji, while she explored that powerful dream, Narissa was watching the entire experience from afar, hoping to uncover the location of her home world. And unfortunately for Soji and Picard, the ancient ceremony worked, and she was able to reveal her roots and that put her in grave danger since Narek no longer had any purpose left for her. But unfortunately for Narek, his plans to end Soji’s life backfired horribly. For with her back against the wall, her programming kicked in and she quickly tore through the room she was trapped within, and thankfully, she ran into Hugh and Picard, and they led her deep into the cube where Hugh used some Borg Queen technology to send them to a world that Picard deemed safe. And just like that, an uncertain future awaits since Picard is now separated from his crew and the La Sirena is mere meters away from one of the deadliest ships in the galaxy.

In the end however, this really was one incredible episode. In large part due to the fact that it really dove into some quality character development, especially when it comes to the Admiral, and the past, he was reluctant to face. Because that simply made for some powerful scenes, and some fine acting from Patrick Stewart and this really is something that was long overdue for the Admiral. But more importantly, the plot definitely moved forward in leaps and bounds in this particular tale. For now, Soji’s android programing is active and her memories are starting to come to light, and it should be interesting to see where everything goes from here. Because in many ways, this episode felt like a season finale, but we are barely past the halfway point, meaning that incredible moments await on the horizon as Jean-Luc Picard works to save a life and so much more, since the Zhat Vash is now making its way to Maddox’s lab and all of its secrets. Until next time.  

One thing that has to be difficult for everyone involved in the production of a television series, is figuring out how to keep the audience engaged. Because while formula is a wonderful and effective tool for telling a story, it can get stale as time goes on and sometimes offers up predictable plots that the audience can call. And while that does engage the audience in its own special way, being able to call what’s coming next gets annoying after a bit and this is another why I am so impressed with what CHiPs has to offer. Because they consistently found new ways to keep things interesting and for proof, look no further than its next episode.
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Because ‘Dead Man’s Riddle’ took an older concept from season two, specifically the MAIT Team, and found a way to resurrect it here in a unique manner. For this time around, rather than show us most of the details of how a horrific crash came to be, the story felt the need to create an actual mystery for the MAIT Team to uncover and it was quite the doozy. Because in this particular tale, a horrific car crash, appeared to be the fault of a public servant who died in the collision, and it was going to be up to the MAIT Team to prove whether or not he was fault and how exactly this accident happened, and it didn’t take long for their investigation to go in wildly different directions, the kind that made explaining any of that as difficult as possible. Because one of the cars was empty when emergency services rolled up, and another victim was pulled from his vehicle, something that shouldn’t have happened in this isolated part of the highways.

To complicate matters further, a shady fellow law enforcement officer named Brooks, was stonewalling Sergeant Getraer’s efforts to investigate the empty vehicle for reasons he would not divulge, their ‘eyewitness’ didn’t really want to talk to the police and a psychologist named Colleen that was assigned to the case, had vital information on the crash since she was racing one of the victims earlier in the day. Which means, for a fair chunk of this episode, everyone was in the dark as to what the heck happened. Which allowed for a genuine mystery to slowly unfold as the MAIT Team worked to uncover all the details. And while Colleen was finally willing to fess up to being in the area after a little pressing from Jon, she had no direct hand in this mess, which still left the MAIT Team no closer in achieving their respective goals and that meant it was time for a little science to come into play in order to crack this case.

Because Ponch postulated the possibility that maybe nature was involved via black ice, and if that was the case, it would have caused all this carnage. Which would have absolved said servant and provided the team with a cause and that would have to do since the nitty gritty details still eluded the MAIT Team. But in order to prove this, someone had to recreate the accident in a car, and that put Baker at severe physical risk, and right in the midst of the test, Brooks finally came clean on what he knew. As it turns out, he was in charge of protecting a federal witness and on their backroads ride to the safe house, they hit that ice, and spun out and collided with the other cars in question. And after securing the witness in a backup car and saving one life, there wasn’t enough time to go back for the other.

Thankfully this absolution, put an end to any questions surrounding this case and it’s wonderful that the truth was the real goal here and it was equally as impressive, that this episode really didn’t feature a genuine Creep of the Week and that makes this tale a genuinely unique one for certain. Plus, it really does do a fine job of keeping the audience in the dark on the facts, making the finale a surprise for certain. And also, this episode deserves some serious kudos for taking some incredibly bold liberties with the formula of the show and well, there’s only one episode left for us to dive into in year four, and it should be interesting to see where the series is going to go, as it wraps up a supremely impressive season of thoughtful and unique storytelling. Until next time.

Over the course of this Lodge 49 rewatch, we’ve examined some fascinating themes in regard to grief and loss and that’s led to some uncomfortable and powerful moments as season one has rolled along. After all, we’ve seen some of the characters at their lowest points as the pain in their hearts consumes them for a brief moment, or we’ve seen them dive deep into unhealthy endeavors in order to escape having to deal with their issues. And for that matter, we’ve even seen this band of broken people face more hits from the chaos that is life by seeing one of their good friends pass into the great beyond while they’re still trying to put the pieces of their own lives back together.
 
Which makes it seem at first glance that season one is filled to the brim with downers, despite the fact that important lessons and some beautiful moments have come forth from this grand exploration of loss and grief and trauma. And that’s why the next episode of this particular tale was so refreshing in its own right. Because ‘Something from Nothing’ really took a lot of what we’ve explored in the past seven episodes and applied it to something extremely positive. For this particular tale really did explore the beginning of the healing process and how validation and kindness from the people around us, sometimes brings out the best in us and that was handled by way of two key characters in this tale, Liz and surprisingly; Gary Green, aka… Captain.
 
But before we dive into Gary’s journey, let’s talk about Liz. Because this episode saw her take part in Omni’s bizarre management training program, one filled with buzzwords and quirks as corporations are wont to do. But none of that mattered to Liz, this was simply about the fact that she wasn’t just some drone, buried in the quagmire anymore. She was suddenly on the up and up, and she had value and worth in the eyes of corporate and that taste of validation allowed for her to shine and open up about her feelings and her experiences and it was just wonderful to see an inkling of the Liz that Sean and flashbacks have hinted at, and revisit an important an important moment in her character arc. One that truly did remind her that she is more and can be more and one that reminds the audience that our worth and our quality never fades, it only seems like it does when we are sad, but when it returns to the forefront of our mind… we can accomplish wonders.

​However, while this was wonderful to watch in its own right, Gary’s arc in this tale was truly the centerpiece of the story. Because it covered so much. For it helped to remind us that the people we admire and see as legends, are still human beings, who suffer through tough times like the rest of us and need friends and a support network. Which is why it was so special to see Dud push Ernie to just spend time with Gary and get to know him because it allowed for this ‘legend’ to open up and reflect upon the parts of life he enjoys and that also allowed for Gary to have some fun for a change and feel as though he still matters. And while this segment of the story also speaks volumes to how validation of our humanity can help us to move forward since we no longer feel so isolated, the kindness that Dud shows Gary here is what matters most.
 
Because Dud really did everything within his power to make Gary feel like a person again. He wasn’t some failure, or real estate legend that people knelt before anymore. He was just Gary again, and a decent guy who lost his way, in Dud’s eyes, and that level of genuine kindness humbled Gary like never before and allowed for him to open up about his feelings and his lies as well and that also allowed for him to engender hope in Ernie and Dud. For his promise to make them rich and save the Lodge is something that they both needed to hear right now as well and perhaps the best part about all of the explorations in this particular tale is that they all tie into one important theme that has permeated Lodge 49 since its humble beginning in that; it’s the people around us that help us to heal and come back from the darkness.
 
Because both Liz and Gary were surrounded by people that wanted to see them succeed in this tale, and rise above their respective fears and insecurities and that kind of support really does wonders for us, as evidenced by the end result here and that really made this episode an incredibly uplifting affair when all is said and done. For this is the kind of story that leaves you in silence once it is over, because it prompts you to take a moment and reflect upon the good in your life and the people who make you happy and that’s something that few television shows are able to accomplish. Plus, we would be remiss to not take a moment and offer up a shout out to Bruce Campbell for his work in this story. Because he simply stole every single scene he was in with his acting chops and he really sold every powerful moment in subtle and honest fashion. In the end however, this is really a turning point for this saga, since it is about the road back from here on out, and it is going to be quite lovely to join Dud and his friends on a journey filled to the brim with healing. Until next time

Sometimes, when a great idea is introduced to the writers’ room of a television series, it opens up all kinds of possibilities storytelling wise. Because now, the writers can explore this notion over several episodes and dive into all kinds of fascinating elements that will keep the viewer’s attention, and it just so happens that CHiPs ran into this positive problem. Because ‘New Guy in Town’ introduced the notion of revenge to Ponch and Jon’s already unique world and that in turn motivated the series to put together another episode that revolved around this idea, one that took this concept to new heights in its next episode.
 
For ‘Vigilante’ dug deep into the concept of revenge, by looking at how it is something that bad folks with no hope are eager to embrace and how it can corrupt the soul of a good man and it accomplished this particular feat by giving us two very unique Creeps of the Week. One, was a man named Millard, and he is the guy that had little to live for in his mind. For Getraer busted him ages ago and now that he was out of a job and without any prospects for a future, he felt it was high time to make the cop that put him away, pay, and he began to harass both Joe and his family from afar with phone calls and ominous messages and it was quite stunning to see a guy with nothing to lose, be this bold about causing harm to a police officer.
 
Yet while Central worked to figure out Millard’s identity, they had another problem to deal with, a Community Watch ‘officer’ named Gisbon, and this man well, he was the one that explored how revenge can consume a man’s soul. Because he lost his son to a drunk driver a few months prior to this tale and the devastation in his heart and the fact that there was little he could about his son’s death, drove him to become a volunteer officer and it also drove him to fits of rage. Because he could not reconcile the pain in his heart, nor could he deal with the flippant nature of motorists and that often times prompted him to vandalize the cars of people he stopped, or straight up let his anger take over. To the point where he actually assaulted a drunk driver in order to teach him a lesson.
 
But what was impressive about these two plot threads, is how they came together in beautiful fashion. Because eventually, the ugly deeds of both men caught up with them. Because Millard got cocky in his quest to engender fear and that led to his license plate being revealed to Ponch and Jon and Joe. And Gibson, well his incident with the drunk driver put him on the Highway Patrol’s radar and it just so happens, that an attempt to bring in Millard, brought these two ‘gentlemen’ together. Because Millard went all-out to escape capture, including using grenades to throw the CHP off. But he didn’t count on running into Gibson, who smashed his windshield up to get him to stop, and the fallout of that, finally allowed for both men to be put into handcuffs.
 
If anything, this was simply a great episode when all is said and done. Because it offered up everything that we love about this series. For you had the camaraderie we adore by way of how everyone rallied behind Joe and his problem. And you had incredible depth in regard to the COTW’s, since they weren’t just wild maniacs who wanted to sow chaos. They were broken men in need of serious help, and of course there was action and adventure to be found and truly, all of these elements make it clear that the final two episodes of season four are going to be filled to the brim with thoughtful and powerful moments and that’s going to make this rush to the finish line, a worthy one indeed. Until next time.   

Something that television shows that feature an ensemble cast, struggle with often, is giving lesser characters a decent amount of screen and story time. Which makes sense for certain, simply because we are tuning in to see the main characters do their thing, so focusing upon anyone else just seems like a giant waste of time for the audience and that’s why most shows don’t bother to do anything with the ‘B’ cast but let them hang around in the background. But truly, that is an incorrect approach to television, because talented supporting actors put a lot into their work, despite their lack of screen time, and they usually develop these proverbial sidekicks to be more than background filler, to the point where they can help make a story better and/or carry one on their own.
 
But thankfully some shows, take full advantage of what their actors and characters have to offer, and utilize them to a tee in balanced fashion, and one series that always does a fine job with this, is CHiPs. Because over the course of the past four seasons, we’ve seen background characters grow and we’ve seen them take the center stage when necessary and it just so happens that at long last, one supporting character that was overdue for this kind of treatment, finally got his day in the sun. For ‘The Hawk and the Hunter’ focused heavily on Officer Barry Baricza and well, what we learned about Barry was downright fascinating. For starters, we came to discover that he is a family man through and through, one that will spread himself thin if it means helping his family out.
 
Because his father was struggling to keep the family aviation business going, courtesy of some back issues and that prompted Barry to step in and handle his father’s duties shortly after his CHP shift was complete and well, working his regular hours on the beat, and then adding another thirty or so hours to his week was burning him out like never before. In fact, things started getting so difficult for Barry, that he actually started making mistakes on the job, the kind that involved damages to vehicles and that allowed for us to learn something else about Barry; he’s a perfectionist. Because this bothered him on a level that no one thought was possible, to the point where he actually decided it was time to go on vacation to think about his current career choices and he even went so far as to have Getraer prepare his termination paperwork, just in case.   
 
Which seems extreme, but it’s a good thing that he took a little time away from work. Because he spent his down time helping out his dad, which gave him time to properly ponder upon whether or not taking over the family business is what he truly wanted. Plus having his friends keep an eye on him while he worked at the airfield provided ol’ Bar with an added benefit. For dear old dad was suddenly being targeted by a former war veteran named Lyle who definitely needed some serious help in regard to his mental health, and if it wasn’t for Ponch and Jon’s efforts in working this case, Lyle could have done some serious damage. But thankfully he was arrested and hopefully got the help he needed and Barry, well he finally figured out that policework was his calling and returned to the force refreshed and slightly embarrassed at having to eat a little humble pie.
 
If anything, this was a fine episode for several reasons. First and foremost, it was indeed cool to finally learn about what makes Baricza tick, and it was wonderful to see that he’s a good son and willing to go the extra mile for his pops. But more importantly, this is an episode that quite frankly serves as a palate cleanser. Because the past few episodes have either featured some heavy concepts, or some powerfully progressive ones. So, it is nice to take a little break here, and enjoy something a little more lighthearted. And it is also wonderful that this episode reminds us that everyone at CHP Central is family, and that they are inseparable. At least… for now. But that’s a topic for another season and really the only question left hanging after this one, is whether or not year four is going to wrap up in fluffy fashion, or if some tough stories await us as we close in on the season four finale. Until next time.

If you’re anything like me, watching Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Disney+) not only adds to your love of Star Wars in general, but it actually makes you look a little differently at the space opera and its subsidiaries all together: purely because this TV show is anything but the status quo. With its movie-like budget and excellent action sequences, it’s arguable this alone could carry the show for a time. But creator and showrunner Jon Favreau is a long-time Star Wars fan and knows that it’s the characters that draw fans of all ages, both positively and negatively. To add to this task, hiding your star pupil’s face means substance must rise above the rest. To say Favreau knocked it out of the park, for me, is putting it mildly. Even characters with small roles have garnered substantial attention and it’s with this in mind that I’d like to take a closer look at a new fan favorite: the woman under the helmet – The Armorer.
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If you weren’t aware of Emily Swallow before The Mandalorian, I hope it’s safe to say she’s on your radar now. Beginning as Regina on Guiding Light (CBS) in 2006, Emily has had a series of small and large TV roles over the years. Besides playing The Armorer, she currently appears as research psychologist Natalie Pierce in Seal Team (CBS) and previously voiced Lisa Tepes in the animated Nintendo video game inspired Castlevania (Netflix). She’s also well-known for her role as Kim Fischer on The Mentalist (CBS). However, none of these is where I met and fell in love with Emily. In one of my most favorite television shows of all time, Supernatural (CW), Emily plays Amara/The Darkness, the ever powerful sister of God/Chuck (Rob Benedict). And to be fair, I honestly wasn’t a fan of the character in the beginning. However, as noted in my article The Supreme Beings of Supernatural: Angels, Demons and Gods, it isn’t the character that won me over, but Emily and her acting! To see her portray such a powerful, yet sad and profoundly flawed character, is nothing short of exquisite. Her facial expressions tell all as she navigates the Supernaturalverse, first with wonderment and then with sadness, fear, and anger. By the time her character arc wrapped up, I was actually left wanting to know more about Amara and her extremely complicated relationship with not only God, but also the universe in general. Now, with Supernatural in the final leg of its unprecedented and impressive 15 year run, Emily has returned as Amara – albeit only briefly. But facial expressions can’t carry Emily in The Mandalorian… 

As a preface, I tend to stay away from behind the scenes information prior to a show’s release. I am not one to dive into all there is to know until after the show, episode, or movie airs. Why? Simply put – I don’t wanna know!! Time and time again, I have been pleasantly surprised going into a new project cold to later find out that had I read or watched certain pieces, I definitely would have been spoiled. And, with the scrutiny surrounding ANY Star Wars project, I stand by this method all the more. Having said that, I actually had no idea that Emily was set to play this mysterious Armorer until curiosity overcame me upon watching her in action!! First, I proudly get to say her (YES!!!), because a role like this – a strong figure, blacksmith, and seemingly, leader of a warrior clan – is often reserved for a him. Second, similar to Cara Dune (Gina Carano), Emily takes the role head on. And save for the final fight scene in the Season 1 finale, it’s all Emily. As for that final scene, it’s not for lack of trying as she states, “I talked to our fight coordinator and said, ‘I’m willing to train and try to do as much of it as I can.’” Turns out, years of training would be required for the epic scene, and damn does it show!! Nonetheless, with limited time to prepare before shooting, Emily trained to be there for scene sequencing and transitions: which is quite admirable, am I right?

Looking beyond any fight scenes, Emily holds this unseen character with stunning armor and a commanding voice. With not a facial expression in sight and standing at a mere 5’ 7”, somehow, The Armorer seems taller. Her slow movements also give her a more pronounced presence. Likely owed to her theatrical roots, if you ask Emily, she humbly gives credit to the directors allowing “Time and space to kind of learn the language of these masks and this armor.” Group effort aside, the final product is Emily and it’s fantastic!! But what do we know about this mysterious Mandalorian Warrior Woman?

As a completely new character to the Star Wars Universe, it turns out, that with The Armorer, what you see is what you get. I’ll admit that I know very little of said universe beyond the movies and TV series, animated, and live-action, but I am learning!! Regardless, from what I could ascertain, there is next to nothing surrounding this character online, in Canon or in Legends. What you do find is a bit of background regarding the events on Nevarro, which, by watching the series, we already know. However, considering her trade and Favreau’s love of the genre, I have wondered if she may have ties to The Armorer's Guild somehow? Considering the existing organization she helms, known only as The Tribe, a ragtag band of clans, she technically could’ve come from anywhere. Foundlings do not have to be of the Mandalorian species, right? One merely needs to be an honorary Mandalorian to be part of a clan, as she anoints Din Djarin (Mando; Pedro Pascal) and his new found ward, The Child, a clan of two. An absolutely glorious moment by the way!! Plus, the newly minted term, “This is The Way,” signifies that at some point following The Great Purge, rival clans, depleted in their numbers and resources, were not only forced to hide, but also implemented a new code. Made obvious, this code includes growing their numbers by mixing clans and adopting foundlings, even if they are of a non-Mandalorian dissent. We also do not know what her specific clan and/or signet is, let alone, though seemingly humanoid, her species. So again, I say… anywhere, right??

As for Emily, it’s quite obvious she’s fully embraced the role and it shows!! She’s even been coined “The Santa Claus of Star Wars,” by her husband after giving “Mando his final gift” during the season finale, which aired only two days after Christmas. I mean, who doesn’t want to be called that?? LOL!! In addition, without seeing her face, which I so heavily relied on in Supernatural, Emily has given The Armorer a mysterious vibe that begs for more room to be seen. In some ways, because of the short scenes she’s in, The Armorer’s anonymous background stays with me and lingers long after she’s left the screen. And each time she’s returned, knowing that Emily is the force to reckon with under the helmet, I cheer for more. With season 2 on the horizon and her final scenes being that of a battle where she handed Stormtroopers their… um, helmets (LOL!), something tells me, she’s not done yet!! And to that I say: This is the Way!! 

How about you? Does The Armorer and Emily under the helmet move you as she does me? Let me know in the comments below or reach out to me @obi_juanita on Twitter. Also, stay tuned for my next article in this three part series, Under the Helmet: Paz Vizla followed by Under the Helmet: The Mandalorian Until next time… May the Force Be with You – Always!

References:

1. https://disneyplusoriginals.disney.com/show/the-mandalorian
2. https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/07/15/the-mandalorian-heres-how-much-each-episode-costs-to-make
3. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2646861/
4. https://sealteam.fandom.com/wiki/Natalie_Pierce
5. https://sealteam.fandom.com/wiki/Natalie_Pierce
6. https://thementalist.fandom.com/wiki/Kim_Fischer
7. http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/The_Darkness
8. https://nerdsthatgeek.com/horror/the-supreme-beings-of-supernatural-angels-demons-and-gods
9. https://nerdsthatgeek.com/blogs/a-guide-to-spoiler-etiquette
10. https://comicbook.com/starwars/2020/01/22/star-wars-the-mandalorian-armorer-process-emily-swallow/
11. https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Most_Honourable_Guild_of_Armourers
12. https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Tribe
13. https://twitter.com/bigeswallz/status/1210663259742883843?lang=en
14. https://twitter.com/obi_juanita

​Normally when a television series and the network figure out the endgame for said series, there are some inherent risks that come into play storytelling wise. For the folks behind the scenes might see an opportunity to cram in as many storylines as possible in the hopes of crafting a memorable ending for their fans. Which can in turn, rush some important storylines to an incomplete or unsatisfying conclusion, the kind that end in outright disaster, something we’ve seen happen time and time again. But this is a worry that didn’t exist for fans of Better Call Saul once the sixth and final season was announced. For they are fully aware of the fact that everyone that works on this series believes firmly in the value of telling a proper story, one that comes to a logical and satisfying conclusion and for proof, look no further than the show’s latest episode.
 
For ‘50% Off’ had the opportunity to rush through some of the storylines it introduced in the season five premiere and neglect them in favor of focusing squarely upon Saul Goodman. But instead, this story expanded beyond Saul’s early days as a lawyer and offered up a powerful character study. For it also examined the power of guilt and fear, the former of which was handled by way of Mike’s journey in this tale. For here we came to learn that poor Mike was feeling awful about how things went down with Werner, prompting him to turn to heavy drinking, and he even let his anger get the better of him at the most inopportune moments. To the point where he snapped at his granddaughter while watching her when she asked a few personal questions about her late father, the kind that reminded Mike of some of his dubious choices, and it was just fascinating to see a man as steadfast and as stoic as Mike, succumb to emotion and guilt in this manner. And it would not be shocking to see him sink deeper into the dark place he’s currently residing within in episodes to come, especially when one considers that the handful of things that bring him joy in life, now elicit his frustrated ire.
 
As for the power of fear, well that was handled by way of Nacho’s story. Because this poor young man once again found himself and his family under fire by Gus Fring and his thugs, simply because Gus needed more out of the young man. In fact, he needed to know exactly where Lalo was going at all times so he could properly monitor his enemy and that put it upon Nacho to find a way to earn Lalo’s complete and utter trust, something he had yet to do. But to Nacho’s credit, he took full advantage of a grand opportunity when it dropped right into his lap. Because thanks to a couple of loud and idiotic tweakers (who ironically were on a bender in the hopes of taking advantage of Saul’s 50% off deal), Ocho Loco was pinched by the police. And their arrival forced Mouse and Arlo to bounce; leaving lots of expensive inventory behind, and the possibility of losing that profit is what prompted Nacho to spring into action and rescue the drugs. And this daring move on his part, one that brought him within inches of capture, accomplished wonders. For Lalo now trusts Nacho, and really this was quite the bittersweet storyline. Because while it is noble to see Nacho go above and beyond for his beloved father, it’s a shame that he has to do it out of the fear of seeing him harmed, and truly the terror of seeing him hurt is about as effective a motivator as they come.

But this has been and will always be Jimmy McGill’s story and there were plenty of moments featuring him since the story continued to explore the early days of Saul Goodman’s reign and well, it was just fascinating to watch Jimmy try and build his new empire, while trying to remain grounded in everyday life. Something that quite frankly, he struggled with early on in this tale. Because clearly, there is a rift developing between he and Kim, one he is helping to perpetrate with his views on the law and his desire to work the system as he sees fit. But he is indeed trying to make an effort to bridge that gap, with mixed results of course. Because while they still care for one another and are still able to keep some of the fun and magic going in their relationship, Jimmy’s all-in approach to the law is having an impact and oddly enough, his newfound dedication to his job is what truly served as the centerpiece to this particular tale.
 
Because it was downright incredible to see a free and clear Jimmy McGill do his thing as Saul Goodman. For Jimmy was simply poetry in motion once he stepped within the walls of the courthouse. For he was able to juggle his forty-five clients and their needs without breaking a sweat in the slightest, and it was equally as impressive to see him wheel and deal and create opportunities to churn and burn through so many cases, and this too was bittersweet in nature. After all, it demonstrates just how capable a lawyer Jimmy really is and it does leave one to wonder exactly what his life might have looked like, if Chuck had placed a little faith in Jimmy’s abilities. But what matters more about this particular portion of the story is that we were able to learn that Jimmy’s outright dedication to his new clients and his incredible success in providing them with amicable deals with the state, is what served as the inadvertent gateway to getting him into the underworld. Because Lalo took notice of his message and his work, and sent Nacho to pick Jimmy up, all in the likely belief that Saul Goodman can help out the Salamanca family in regard to Ocho Loco’s little problem.
 
In the end, this really was quite the riveting episode, and a fine reminder that the characters of this universe are what make this story so compelling. Because they’re believable and full of depth and it is episodes in this vein that truly keep us coming back for more. For now, we have to know if Mike is going to be okay after everything he’s been through, or if Nacho will have to sacrifice more of his soul in order to keep his father safe. And of course, this upcoming meeting for Saul is going to be critical to his future, since Lalo is likely going to make him an offer he cannot refuse, which will whittle away any of the good left in his soul as his journey toward darkness continues. Either way, the plot continues to thicken in season five and kudos to this series for continuing to take the slow burn approach to these complex stories that involve equally complex characters and the need for more of this universe and all the details and powerful moments it sends our way, will make the wait for next week’s brand new episode, a difficult one. Until then.

For the most part, Series 11 and 12 of Doctor Who have featured some fairly hopeful stories. The kind where the Thirteenth Doctor has been steadfast in showing Team TARDIS what the best of humanity looks like, all while teaching them that hope can help anyone beat the odds when it seems like they’re in the midst of an impossible situation. But it would seem that goodwill can only go so far in a chaotic universe, since the next episode in this storied franchise brought about quite the hopeless tale, one that provided the Doctor with a difficult task that she might not be able to accomplish; beating the Cybermen at their highest point.
 
Because ‘Ascension of the Cybermen’ ventured into the painful aftermath of the Great Cyber Wars, where humanity was on the brink of extinction, all because this was the Doctor’s last opportunity to save the future from the Lone Cyberman and his quest for galactic domination. But what was truly heartbreaking about this particular tale, is that it started out in hopeful fashion. Because the fam had a plan in place to defeat these cybernetic monsters shortly after they arrived upon a devastated world, the kind that involved some creative devices that would zap, confuse and outright drop the Cybermen to provide a show of force. But it didn’t take long to see that the Cybermen were ready for anything and that put the plan into utter chaos.
 
For the survivors that Team TARDIS were working to protect on this world, quickly found themselves vulnerable and several lost their lives during a fierce assault, and seeing the devastation and being reminded of the weight and the atrocities of this ugly time in human history was enough to put the Doctor in a tough place mentally. One where she recommended that the team make a run for it and get off world quickly, a recommendation that only half worked out since Ryan was separated from the others while Yaz and Graham were propelled into space with the remaining survivors, who hoped to reach a rendezvous point that would allow them to escape the galaxy and start over fresh in a Cyber free one.
 
But unfortunately for them, their journey didn’t get them all that far. Because their ship was badly damaged to begin with, and rattled beyond repair and eventually, the engines gave out, stranding everyone in the void. But rather than surrender to the end, as these folks were willing to do, Yaz and Graham made a point to try and inject hope into the situation and remind them that sometimes you have to go down swinging and take every action possible to try and see another day. And the discovery of a decimated Cyber fleet, complete with a massive ship, helped them to reinforce their point and they prompted this motley crew to make a desperate attempt to board that monstrous vessel and wouldn’t you know it, their gambit actually worked.

​Yet while a quick pit stop aboard a ghost ship should have brought about joy and relaxation, the discovery of thousands of warrior class Cybermen put everyone aboard the ship in great peril, and things only got worse when the Lone monster and his loyal cohorts dropped by as well in the hopes of bringing every last one of these soldiers back to life. All of which added a horrifying sense of urgency to survivors’ quest to get to the planet known as Ko Sharmus, and while they dealt with this terrifying ghost ship, the Doctor and Ryan and their new friend were dealing with chaos of their own. For they were also lost in space for a short period of time after stealing a Cyber shuttle and whilst in the void, the Doctor was able to make some unsettling discoveries.
 
For starters, she came to learn that her enemy is nothing more than a vengeful monster, one that cannot reconcile its humanity being contorted into something so vile, and it will stop at nothing to end all life in the universe in order to enjoy some semblance of superiority and relevance and to complicate matters further, mankind’s last bastion of hope; leads to nowhere. For she came to discover that the mythical Ko Sharmus, wasn’t a planet at all, but a man who shepherded countless people into a portal beyond, and that very portal led to Gallifrey. And in the closing moments of this tale, wherein the Doctor faced the destruction of her world once again and with her friends lives hanging in the balance; the Master returned at last to offer up more mystery and well, that’s a heck of way to set up a grand finale to Series 12.
 
Yet before we wrap up this recap and react to one fast paced and nightmarish episode, we would be remiss to not discuss the fascinating side plot that played out in the background of this tale. Because to break up the action and the chaos, we were treated to the story of an orphan named Brendan, who grew up fine and did noble things. But his body defied the norm since he could heal from and survive horrific injuries, and in the later stages of his life, those close to him seemingly betrayed him, wiping his mind for reasons unknown and really it was fascinating to dive into the life of a simple man who clearly has extraordinary abilities and ponder upon what exactly he means to the finale.
 
Is he the Lone Cyberman? And his powerful healing abilities are why his upgrade didn’t quite take? Or is he someone else, entirely? The Timeless Child perhaps. Time will tell of course but for now, all we can do is take a moment and breath after one relentless episode. Because this one was dark and intense and filled to the brim with action and adventure and well, this is it, we’ve reached the end of an epic season and at last, we will finally come to understand the legend of the Timeless Child and how that young one relates to this perfectly timed confluence with the Lone Cyberman. And of course, we will finally learn how the lie surrounding that mysterious child, motivated the Master to turn upon his own people and well, get ready. Because the wait for next week’s Series 12 Finale is going to be a tortuous one, since we are all eager to see how all of these fascinating mysteries, are going to come together. Until next time.

If there is one particular phrase within our vernacular, that tends to ring true, it would have to be ‘be careful what you wish for.’ Because time and time again, this particular phrase has proven its worth when we wait eagerly for something big to happen, only to have it blow up in our faces in unexpected fashion and oddly enough it is a phrase that also applies to television shows as well. For we sometimes desperately want something to happen on a series and get exactly what we want, only to have that particular moment or plot point evolve into something we never quite expected and it most certainly applies to Better Call Saul.

After all, for the past four years we all waited and hoped with baited breath to see exactly what would prompt an everyday guy like Jimmy McGill to abandon his moral code, and embrace the power of the scumbag in order to transform into Saul Goodman, and well, we got our wish in the most devastating way imaginable. For it turns out that Saul was forged from great pain, since Jimmy has never once dealt with his sketchy and somewhat traumatic past, his shattered relationship with his older brother, or the pain in his heart that came from the unresolved grief of losing Chuck McGill to a horrific suicide. But none the less, this journey has brought us to an incredible point in Jimmy’s life. Because Saul Goodman has been born, and we finally were able to see what the early days of his reign in Albuquerque looked like, courtesy of last night’s season five premiere.

Which made ‘Magic Man’ quite the harrowing and tragic tale, since it featured an unrestrained Jimmy McGill. One who was finally free of the trappings that came with his last name and that would in turn allow for him to practice and interpret the law as he saw fit, and it didn’t take long for everyone to realize, that such freedom was a terrible idea. Because Jimmy embraced the wonder of said freedom with glee and quickly went to work in establishing his brand all over town in aggressive and sleazy fashion, and to add to the tragedy, Jimmy made it clear that this was going to be a wonderful way to build for his future. Because he firmly believed that his new clientele were going to be magnificent suckers, the kind that would continue to commit crimes and keep him in court and fighting the system for ages on end, and it was just heartbreaking to see him view the law and his future in this depressingly perpetual manner.

But the darkest moment in this tale, came about from the fact that he no longer took the law and his oath seriously anymore. For he truly saw this as a great big game, one where manipulation and tactics mattered above all else and he is clearly working to spread that view to others. Because he took the time to work alongside his beloved Kim to manipulate a client into taking a deal by way of lies and deceit, something that goes against what every lawyer stands for. And his plan worked to a tee since Kim went along with his machinations and got exactly what she wanted for her client. An act that quite frankly left her in a tough place shortly after she played the game and it was simply devastating to watch her realize that she’s enabled and encouraged the worst parts of Jimmy by letting Saul come to fruition.
​
Yet while all of this was genuinely unsettling, not every part of this tale was filled with bleak moments. After all there was a sense of nobility present in Gus Fring’s storyline. After all, he did take the time to send Werner’s former crew back home without any harm and full payment, and he even brokered peace with Lalo by assembling quite the lie to keep the heat off of his plans to build the greatest meth lab the world has ever seen. Plus, Mike even showed remorse for his role in harming Werner, to the point where he refused any further payment from Gus in order to not be reminded of his role in the hunt for Ziegler last year and it was nice to see him still show a little heart, and oddly enough it seemed as though there was even a little glimmer of hope for Jimmy as well in this tale.

Because the segment with ‘Gene’, finally saw Jimmy prepare to stand up for himself rather than run again, leaving one to wonder if there’s a potential happy ending for him after all. But let’s be honest, that’s simply this reviewer trying his best to find something positive in a story that really didn’t offer all that much hope in the end. For we are now in the thick of it, and in order to get to that iconic moment where Walter White and Jesse sit with Saul in his office, Jimmy is going to have to go nuclear on his life and burn down anything and everything that matters to him. Which means this season is going to be ugly as that process gets underway and that makes this premiere powerful for certain. For it establishes the future in simple but effective fashion by making it clear that Saul Goodman, and everything bad that comes with him, has indeed arrived and is here to stay. Until next time.