Written by John Edward Betancourt Springtime is nearly upon us and well… that’s a wonderful thing. Because it’s been a rough winter, one that has been bitter and cold and just unwholesome in nature. So, it will be nice to get outdoors and enjoy some of the green returning to the world, and the slightly nicer temperatures as we inch toward warmth and sunshine. But of course… while it is nice to know that Springtime is indeed around the corner and that soon we can just, bask in the heat of the sun, March isn’t quite the perfect time to bust out the sunscreen and the lounge chairs. Because there is still some cold to be had, and sometimes some ugly snow. And as wild as this winter was, there might be a blizzard or two in store for us. So, March should be used for training purposes only, to ease one back into outdoor activities. But what then do we do when we’re still inside and lamenting that surprise dusting of snow? Easy… watch some lovely television. Because that’s always a wonderful way to pass the time and if you’re looking for something worthwhile, look no further than what STARZ has to offer in March. For their programming is quite the treat come next month, and for proof… then take a look at the 2023 March Programming lineup for STARZ, to help you plan your chilly viewings. ‘STARZ announces its programming highlights for the month of March, including the season three premiere of “Power Book II: Ghost” on Friday, March 17, and the conclusions of “BMF” season two (season finale Friday, March 17) and “Party Down” season three (season finale Friday, March 31). On the film front, notable titles joining the STARZ app this month include the documentaries Body Parts and Battleground, along with Clerks III, The Wedding Ringer, In Bruges and Love Beats Rhymes. Following last month’s announcement of the network’s season two pick up of MINX, all ten episodes of season one of the comedy series will be available beginning March 24 on the STARZ app.’ STARZ Original Series: The high-octane drama “Power Book II: Ghost” returns for its third season with all-new episodes beginning Friday March 17 at midnight on the STARZ app, all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms and internationally on LIONSGATE+ premium streaming platform in the UK and Brazil. On linear, the episodes will debut on STARZ Fridays in the U.S. and Canada. The third season of “Power Book II: Ghost” kicks off with Tariq St. Patrick determined to get his trust, get back to his family, and get out of the game for good. The emergence of a ruthless new connect interrupts Tariq’s plans to reunite with Tasha and Yaz and puts him, Brayden, and Effie back into business with the Tejadas as they’re challenged to move more weight than ever before. When Brayden brings Tariq in as an intern at his family’s hedge fund Weston Holdings, the drug business expands beyond Stansfield and the streets onto Wall Street, while Tariq is also shown an alternate, legitimate path to success. Monet Tejada, set ablaze by the death of her son Zeke Cross, is willing to pay a hefty price to avenge her firstborn and keep the rest of her children - and the business - in line as she works closely with Davis MacLean to solve Zeke’s murder and keep the feds off her trail. Business is booming when a staggering reveal forces Tariq to reckon with a betrayal from those closest to him... and a R.I.C.O. investigation mounting into the entire drug enterprise, pulling Tariq deeper into the business and even closer to the legacy of his father.
Linear Premiere Friday, March 17 at 9:00 pm ET/PT, 8:00 CT A new semester at Stansfield means a fresh start for Tariq. Brayden is learning the ropes at Weston Holdings, under his uncle Lucas.. Monet grieves the loss of Zeke, while Cane searches for a new connect.
Linear Premiere Friday, March 24 at 8:00 pm ET/PT, 7:00 CT Tariq, Brayden, Effie, and Cane divvy up Noma’s product to push. Lorenzo sets a plan in motion to keep Monet off his trail after she orders him to find Zeke’s killer. Cane looks into what happened at Mecca’s hangar.
Linear Premiere Friday, March 31 at 8:00 pm ET/PT, 7:00 CT Tariq and the rest of the team must find a way to get the product flowing at an even bigger scale. Tensions rise amongst the Tejadas when Lorenzo backs Cane’s plan. Saxe digs into the Theo Rollins case.  The Detroit-based family drama, “BMF” will conclude its second season with three all-new episodes in March, available Fridays at midnight on the STARZ app, all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms and internationally on LIONSGATE+ premium streaming platform in the UK and Brazil. On linear, the episodes will debut on STARZ Fridays at 8:00 PM ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada. Inspired by true Legends, season two of “BMF” chronicles the unconventional journey to success of the Flenory brothers, Demetrius Flenory “Big Meech” and Terry Flenory “Southwest Tee”, who rose from the depths of poverty, navigating the war on drugs in Detroit, and became game changers in hip-hop and culture. Throughout the emotional season, the audience roots for the Flenory brothers during their pursuit of their American Dream, as they build a better life in a system that was stacked against them. The universal themes of family, faith and loyalty are explored both at home and on the streets. The brothers work to outmaneuver the government and expand BMF into a multi-state empire.
Linear Premiere Friday, March 3 at 8:00 pm ET/PT, 7:00 CT The Flenory brothers buy a car wash to pack cars after being flushed with product from a new plug. Meech turns dealers into kingmakers while Terry hires new drivers. Tensions rise as the Flenory family begins to fall apart as love affairs pull them apart.
Linear Premiere Friday, March 10 at 8:00 pm ET/PT, 7:00 CT The Flenory brothers travel to Atlanta during Freaknik to set up a new distribution hub for BMF and reconnect with their business associates, Ty Washington and Goldie – yet not everyone survives the road trip.
Linear Premiere Friday, March 17 at 8:00 pm ET/PT, 7:00 CT Meech and Terry finally handle Detective Bryant, Lamar, and B-Mickie before charting the next big step for BMF’s expansion, which will change the course of their relationship forever.  The cult-favorite comedy, “Party Down,” continues its third season with new episodes available to stream Fridays at midnight on the STARZ app, all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms and internationally on LIONSGATE+ premium streaming platform in the UK, Canada, Latin America, and Brazil. On linear, the episodes will debut on STARZ Fridays in the U.S. and Canada. Ten years later, most of the Party Down catering team have moved on, including actor/bartender Henry Pollard (Adam Scott). After a surprise reunion, the gang find themselves once again stoically enduring the procession of random parties and oddball guests all over Los Angeles.
Linear premiere Friday, March 3 at 9:00 pm ET/PT, 8:00 CT Party Down works a surprise party for movie star Jack Botty thrown by his studio exec girlfriend Evie, which turns weird when the team sees something they shouldn’t have.
Linear premiere Friday, March 10 at 9:00 pm ET/PT, 8:00 CT Ron, desperate to keep Party Down afloat, books an event for an extremely problematic group leading to complications for... everyone.
Linear premiere Friday, March 17 at 10:00 pm ET/PT, 9:00 CT Hired to work a laid-back radio promotion luau in groovy Malibu, the gang decides to take mushrooms together and things get weird.
Linear premiere Friday, March 24 at 9:00 pm ET/PT, 8:00 CT Lydia, worried that daughter Escapade missed her childhood, plans a “prom” promotional event for her new movie. Meanwhile, Ron schemes to impress a studio PR bigwig who could make or break Party Down.
Linear premiere Friday, March 31 at 9:00 pm ET/PT, 8:00 CT Henry and the Party Down crew scheme to keep their latest party going all night. Notable Film Additions to the STARZ app in MarchAvailable March 1:
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Special Programming on STARZ in March
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STARZ In Black
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About STARZ STARZ (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company, is a leading global media streaming platform committed to delivering premium content that amplifies narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences. STARZ is home to the highly rated and first-of-its-kind STARZ app that offers the ability to stream or download STARZ premium content, as well as the flagship domestic STARZ® service, including STARZ ENCORE, 17 premium pay TV channels, and the associated on-demand and online services. In 2018, STARZ launched its international premium streaming platform STARZPLAY, now LIONSGATE+, to provide subscribers access to bold, curated storytelling. LIONSGATE+, coupled with the STARZPLAY ARABIA joint venture in MENA and Lionsgate Play in South and Southeast Asia, has a footprint that extends across the globe. STARZ and LIONSGATE+ are available across digital OTT platforms and multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies around the world. In February 2021, STARZ launched #TakeTheLead, a multi-faceted and innovative inclusion initiative expanding its existing efforts to improve representation on screen, behind the camera and throughout the company.
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Written by John Edward Betancourt
Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season Two Finale of ‘Leverage: Redemption’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
For the most part, the Amazon Freevee series, Leverage: Redemption, has followed a fairly standard and crowd-pleasing formula. Wherein Team Leverage is alerted to an ugly injustice in the world. One where an everyday person, is left holding the bag emotionally and monetarily and they need help in being made whole again… and that is where the team comes in. So, they swoop in and teach the villain a lesson in humility by making them pay for hurting innocents and well, as mentioned before… we love this. In large part because it offers catharsis. Because the world is a rotten place at times, where bad people win the day. So, to see them suffer helps our souls and… we get to learn a lot from a commentary perspective. But season two of this series, has offered up some vastly different types of stories. For this year’s adventures, became quite intimate on several occasions, allowing for us to learn the backstories of iconic characters that we genuinely love and… we were even given new perspective on how the team operates. But the season two finale of this series, well it went all out in offering up perhaps the most unique adventure for this team to date. Because ‘The Museum Makeover Job’ and ‘The Crowning Achievement Job’ are a pair of stories that really didn’t focus on all that much on commentary and catharsis. These were stories that saw the team… face the past and handle a critical crisis. For one fine day, Team Leverage: London, found themselves under fire and were unable to complete a job. For they swarmed upon by INTERPOL agent extraordinaire, Astrid Pickford, and well… it seemed as though she had prior knowledge of this heist. Which meant that the core team was off to London to learn more about this and well, that pulled them into a web of treachery. One where Sophie revealed to the team that Astrid was in fact, her stepdaughter from long ago, and that, Ramsey, her old boss… was likely involved. Which prompted her to lead the team to take down Ramsey, only to learn, that he was merely bait. For Arthur Wilde was the real culprit of the team’s troubles, and of course he had a heist of his own, and revenge in mind, and well… that put the team on law enforcement’s radar. Wherein they had to work hard to avoid capture whilst garnering revenge against Wilde. Which they did, because… come on… there’s no way Team Leverage is going down like that. 
But what mattered more here… were two key aspects of this episode. First and foremost, the fact that there was no lesson or commentary here… just the team fighting for their lives. Which was amazing because we’ve never seen them in such dire straits, nor have we ever seen them have to fight in such a reactionary manner. So really, this segment of the story, was everyone’s chance to grow and they most certainly did. Since Breanna had to step in and wear multiple hats to keep her extended family safe, and Harry had to learn how to handle vents alongside Parker, like it or not, and it was just amazing to see them grow and be fearless along the way. Because that’s the stuff that makes heroes legendary and it elevated this team like never before and that… helped the other amazing aspect of this story come to life.
In that, this was Sophie’s ascension into true leadership. A feat that she could only accomplish, by properly facing and closing out her past. Which was no easy task. After all, she had a lot to answer for since she abandoned Astrid one fine day, because that is what the job required, and of course… she worked hard to just abandon the past in the hopes of never dealing with it again. But here, there was no running or hiding anymore. Just standing tall against bad memories and foolish mistakes and setting them right, and even then… she needed an assist. For she really viewed this as her moment of reckoning through karma. But Eliot gave her the same care and understanding she often gave him, and once he pointed out how far she’d come and how good she was… she was finally able to put the past to bed and move forward as a true leader. All of which made, for one epic two-part finale. One that was also filled to the brim with delightfully fun moments as well. Because the whole ‘Nemesis’ thing between Parker and Astrid was just a pure delight. Plus, the aforementioned vents sequence really let Noah Wyle bust out the comedic chops. Not to mention, seeing teams from around the world come together to end Arthur was just magical, as was watching Sophie make amends with her stepdaughter, and well, that’s that. There’s no more story to tell about season two of Leverage: Redemption. Just hope, hope for a third season so we can enjoy more of this brilliant series and all the brave stories that it loves to tell and also… hope that the team finds a quick way to bring Hardison home, as promised. Until next year. Written by John Edward Betancourt
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 203 of ‘Bloodlands’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
When we last settled in to discuss the wondrous and powerful Acorn TV series, Bloodlands, it seemed as though some measure of salvation was in store for DCI Tom Brannick. Simply because, it seemed as though Olivia wasn’t all that interested in doing anything to help him retrieve the gold he stole during his time as the enigmatic assassin Goliath. Which would have put his mission to find said gold at a stalemate and perhaps give him an opportunity to pause for a moment and look at his broken career and his actions thus far, and maybe change course. But alas, it turned out that the coy nature of that conversation, was nothing more than a ruse. Because shortly after Olivia and Tom went a few playful rounds in the interrogation room and laid her late husband to rest… she made it clear she wanted to work with Tom on finding the gold. Which they quietly began to do behind the scenes in the most illegal ways imaginable. Since Tom did everything within his power to make use of evidence and information to finally track down where Dardis was traveling with Colin and that paid off in spades. Mainly because there were some unique stops on his route, and sadly… for Tom and Olivia that is… some genuine police work had to come into play to get them the answers they sought. Which in turn, led to all kinds of surprises regarding the gold. In that, one bar was given to a former IRA member for safekeeping, one that took the time to also make ammunition. The kind that might have ended a certain accountant’s life and her arrest and the securing of the gold, immediately flagged its origins. Which just so happened to be the United States of America. In fact, the gold was originally seized from a crime family out there and was to be returned to the Federal Reserve, but it disappeared in transit. That is, until this day. All of which only complicated Tom’s quest to reclaim all four bars. In part because three are still missing, but more so because… they are back on the radar of the FBI and no good can come from that. However, while those lovely complications would have been enough to carry this episode on its own, more problems for Tom were made apparent as the episode continued along. Such as the fact that Nimah has started to piece together what happened to Dardis on that fateful night. Which is also bad news for Tom since she figured out that whoever spooked Dardis was likely aware of camera placement and of course… she’s the one who had quite the revelation about Goliath in this story. Since all the testimony indicated that Goliath was alive. Giving rise to panic in the office over the real possibility that a supposedly dead case was about to be resurrected. Which will not go over well with the top brass, meaning Tom’s actions… could end careers in addition to him going to jail. All of which made, for a tense episode for certain. Because the danger is growing in this story and the longer this case drags out and that will also lead to more suffering down the line, as Tom and whomever else wants to steal the gold, become more desperate in nature. All because a dirty cop got greedy back in the day and for the first time ever in the run of this magnificent series, it truly seems as though Tom is about to pay the piper. Simply because his co-workers are damn fine officers of the law, and they are truly close to learning about his dirty deeds, and it will be interesting to see what Tom does next. Now that the walls are slowly starting to close in, thanks to the fact that the truth about his actions… is slowly starting to come into the light. Until next time. Written by John Edward Betancourt
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 204 of ‘Under the Vines’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
It’s been a little while since we’ve talked about one of the central themes of the Acorn TV series, Under the Vines, and understandably so. After all, the last few episodes of season one and the opening of season two, have been about the power of growth and accepting our new path. Which would absolutely put explorations about learning to acclimate to your new life and your new setting on the backburner. Since personal growth does matter above anything else in this life. But now that Daisy and Louis are in a bit of a better place mentally and doing their best to continue on the right path, that made the next episode in this wondrous journey… the right time to explore what goes into settling into one’s new home when starting over. A feat that this story accomplished through two key storylines. One of which, involved Louis. Because to date, he’s taken from the community more than he has given back. But alas, since Hilary was losing her eyesight and her harvest and wines… Louis thought now was a good time to step in and help and be part of the community and do something for it for a change. Which mostly went over well, despite his inability to not point out who was struggling since Hilary asked for anonymity on the matter. But he got her enough barrels of fermented wine to save her harvest, and while she wasn’t thrilled about word getting out, and a bit salty on the matter… it was wonderful to see Louis take part in a cardinal rule of adjusting to a new life. Specifically, engage with the community and be part of it and give back. As for the other storyline regarding this, well that was handled by Daisy’s journey. Because in order to properly start over, we need to lay down roots. Which involves meeting new people and making new friends to have a network beneath us and of course… it doesn’t hurt to settle down either. All of which Daisy worked to do here. Since she joined Marissa’s stuffy book club to build that network, which she was able to do by reading the wrong book. For that exposed the pretentious nature of the book club and that helped her make nice with the rest of the club, since they felt the same way, and of course… she grew closer to Doctor David. In fact, the L word came out of his mouth in this story, and she was even able to meet his daughter Sienna. As to whether or not that love will last, time will tell, since Sienna had some harsh things to say about their love. But the important thing was… Daisy worked to build a life here. However, there is of course, a bigger plot building in the background of this story. One involving Tippy’s journey into becoming a master vintner and Marissa and Philippe’s plans to ruin that, and that’s important to discuss here because… it advanced in an ugly way. Because the first batch came to life in this tale after harvest and Philippe’s feedback upon it was pretty nasty to say the least. Sure, he didn’t insult or talk down, but he didn’t have to. He was subtle and rude enough to make it clear to Tippy that he didn’t like it, which was problematic. Since eventually, Daisy and Louis enjoyed a taste of what was… brilliant. But sadly, Tippy was so in her head and so busted by her cousin’s poison palate, that she changed the blend, leaving all of us to wonder… what the wine will become before the big show that awaits. But while we wait to learn just that, we can celebrate, another amazing chapter in this story. For this story got back to basics regarding starting over and the struggles that go into that and the acts we take part in to achieve the fresh start, and that led to wonderful growth for our lead characters as they used what they learned here to help them in the process. Especially Daisy, since she was more cautious about her feelings and what she wants out of love, and of course… big moments await us on the horizon thanks to a pair of jerks across the way. Which demands that we continue the journey. To see what will become of Oakley Wines’ newest batch, now that the best vintner in the land is second guessing their skill set. Until next time. Written by John Edward Betancourt 
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Six of ‘The Watchful Eye’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
There comes a point in our lives, where we reach… a healthy breaking point. Where we simply have enough of our situation and our standing, and sometimes a relationship that we realize is going nowhere, and that prompts us… to stand up and make some changes. Some… take a little time and we commit to them none the less, while others… demand that we push and push hard. To make an impact now and be free of what concerns us and well, that particular moment is of note today, simply because… it is where we found Elena at from a mental health standpoint in the next episode of The Watchful Eye on Freeform. For ‘Save New York’ is a story that saw Elena reeling from what she and Scott discovered last week. In that, someone was watching her closely and was onto her desire to poke about the Greybourne and well, that was more than Elena was willing to put up with. Which prompted her, to make that call and figure out a way quickly to get the ruby and to quite frankly… make whoever was threatening her, pay, and pay dearly. As luck would have it… that window arrived. For the Save New York Greybourne Gala was about to take place. Wherein everyone in the family was going to be there in some capacity to hob nob and raise boatloads of cash for the foundation and the business and well, that allowed for a plan to hatch. One that involved Roman, since he was going to search Mrs. Ivey’s residence in the middle of the shindig, while Elena… taught those who wished to bring her harm, a strong lesson in humility. A plan that seemingly, was going to work. For she was able to unlock the secret passage into the Ivey residence So Roman could get in, and she even used Ginny’s connections with the Chan family to lock down tickets to the gala event. Finally making it appear as though, she was going to get her way and complete this mission and enjoy the good life she has been dreaming of for some time now. But alas, nothing quite went to plan. In fact, this whole event, and every decision that Elena made, despite being for the right cause… her freedom and her sanity… transformed into an outright disaster. In part because, the good old human factor came into play. For Bennet and Roman’s powerful mutual attraction reached a tipping point on this night. Courtesy of a romantic evening the Ayers’ apartment, wherein messages regarding the heist went unnoticed, and delayed the search. Plus, everything Elena hoped to accomplish at the party never came to fruition. Simply because Scott was there to muck things up and the constant distractions around her kept her from learning anything. Not to mention, her phone was stolen, and her friends were discovered and had it not been for flawless timing, Roman would have been caught. Not that it mattered though, since his short window of search time … didn’t deliver much in the way of a ruby. But it did deliver heartache since Bennet thought he left her to have an affair with Elena, and she confronted them both and was hurt in the process so the truth could be upheld. But even then… the situation still went from bad to worse. Since Ginny had words for her friend and… she was the recipient of a cryptic message. One that hinted that the truth about Elena was about to come to light, and that cannot be good in the slightest and well, this was just… an amazing episode when all is said and done. For it really did advance the plot forward by having Elena push to claim the ruby and her freedom and thickened the plot by exposing her and well, that leaves Elena and the audience in a tough place. Because we are forced to sit here and wait, to see what comes next now that the plan is beginning to unravel. Until next time. Written by John Edward Betancourt  MAGNUM P.I. -- "Number One with a Bullet" Episode 503 -- Pictured: (l-r) Stephen Hill as Theodore "TC" Calvin, Jay Hernandez as Thomas Magnum -- (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 503 of ‘Magnum P.I.’ To revisit the Season Five Premiere, click here.
When we think of the benefits of the fresh start, we immediately think of what it does for people and rightfully so. For we are the ones that are oft in need of a change of scenery or a shake-up in our lives. To find fresh direction and focus and whatever else the reset button can provide us with. But what’s fascinating about the fresh start, is that it and its unique benefits are no longer exclusive to people. Because this era of peak television, where shows now switch networks and are given their own fresh start… is allowing for writers and actors and anyone associated with the show to enjoy all the perks of this wondrous notion, and for proof… then look no further than this week’s episode of Magnum P.I. on NBC. Because not only did this episode further expand on the serialized connective plot thread introduced last week, something new to the show this season (more on that in a bit), but it also… opted to dig deep into some fascinating thematic concepts. Granted, themes are no stranger to this series in the slightest, since we oft find lessons regarding the cases that Magnum and Higgins, and the crew solve, but we really haven’t seen the series do what it did here. Since it took the time to really explore the nature of treachery and how those who indulge in it, cannot be trusted and how it can find anyone at any time… since it spreads like an infection, and it accomplished this feat by way of two key storylines in ‘Number One with a Bullet’. One of which, involved Gordon. Whose journey in this story, explored the latter aspect of treachery, courtesy of a gig he took to pay the bills. For he took a private security job with mega singing star Rae Song and what seemed like a run of the mill, stand around security gig, turned out to be quite the challenge. Thanks to an unruly fan that injured him and a bevy of revelations about Rae’s record label and her security team, that came to light while Gordon was recovering. In that, they murdered that fan and were ready to murder Rae, for they worked for an organized crime syndicate, and the label was funded by the same individuals and since Rae was ready to leave her label and move out on her own, they were ready terminate more than her contract, and this came at the blessing of her mother… who stood to lose out the most cash wise. Making it clear that money tends to fuel treachery often and that can truly inspire people we trust, to betray us, and while her story ended happy thanks to Gordon, it was a fine exploration of treachery none the less. One that was wonderfully bookended by Magnum and Higgins’ story in this tale. For Juliet went to help Rick in some business matters for the bar, only to be pulled into a murder plot, with a kidnapping chaser to maintain their silence. Which Rick’s friend, Kona, set in motion by not delivering on a super rare type of whiskey to the very individuals now interested in whisking Juliet and Rick away for knowing too much. Which of course, meant that Thomas and TC had to step in and help and through their travels around the island, they came to learn that this whole mess came to fruition, by the one of the men searching for this whiskey. Because they got a little greedy and took matters into their own hands to cover their tracks and ensure their own cut of the goods, and lied and manipulated their partner as needed to further ensure that payout. An act they clearly had taken part in before, to their benefit, no doubt. But of course, Magnum and TC were able to save the day in a supremely creative and poetic manner. One that reminded us that once a person goes down the path of treachery, they rarely come back and can never be trusted again. Since it becomes their nature. Which really was some lovely commentary on treachery to say the least and it really was quite amazing to find here and spoke volumes to how season five really is going to take full advantage of this fresh start, by taking this series into new territory from time to time, and push the storytelling envelope whenever it can, and the wonder of this tale… didn’t end there. After all, the whole matter with Captain Greene was expanded upon here. Since we came to learn that the former commander of this crack team of specialists, did everything he could to protect their identities for now and figured out how to warn them as well. Setting the stage for a grand side investigation on Magnum’s part, to head off whatever they have planned. All of which, made for one engaging tale. One that gave us plenty to chew upon and plenty to look forward to and truly, it will be interesting to see what other surprises await us as this fresh start season continues along. Until next time. Written by John Edward Betancourt
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘Frozen Planet II’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
Over the course of the past few weeks, we’ve talked at length about how the BBC America series, Frozen Planet II has provided us with some powerful lessons regarding what lives in the coldest regions of our world. A feat this series has accomplished by leaving no snowflake unturned when it comes to exploring what the coldest regions of our planet look like, and in doing so… they’ve started to change the collective belief we harbor, that such parts of the world are lifeless and inhospitable. Courtesy of stories that show us how life thrives in subzero temperatures and this series won’t be stopping when it comes to providing us with quality education regarding the chilliest parts of Planet Earth, as evidenced by last night’s fascinating and engaging episode, ‘Frozen Lands’. For this is an episode that took us into the frozen tundra of the north, another place we deem as lifeless, to show us otherwise. Since we came to learn in this story that in the dead of winter, where snow and ice covers everything… a thriving fight for survival is taking place. The kind where wolves hunt bison with impunity because they desperately need to eat and will exhaust every last bit of energy to do so, and it isn’t just the forested regions of the tundra where life is fighting hard to survive. For in the most lonesome portion of this region, where there is truly nothing but snow and emptiness, the artic fox goes about its day. Carefully traveling to conserve energy when it isn’t hunting for lemmings beneath the snow. But where this episode truly shined… was in showing us and teaching us what these regions look like during the summertime. Which is critical since it is a place we associate as desolate, but during the brief summers in this place… unique life is everywhere to be found. For there are animals like the arctic bumblebee that actually thaw out in the summer and give rise a new hive, which was incredible to learn to say the least, and it was equally as incredible… to see life rush here. Because so many animals that have young in this short period of time, must have them ready to survive when the cold returns, and they truly offer their little ones a crash course in survival as they prepare them to thrive in a harsh place where the normalcy of the world, we know, appears for but a few weeks at a time. However, it is important to reiterate what this documentary pointed out about the frozen lands of the north, in that, this is a delicate ecosystem on the brink of disaster. For despite being warm for a short while up there, the permafrost remains cold and should remain just that. So that the ground that sits upon that mix of dirt and ice remains stable. Because soft ground and melting permafrost gives rise to devastation when simple grasslands are reduced to mud and of course… so that insects like mosquitoes don’t breed. Because that can cause the caribou up north to struggle to survive. Because heavy insect infestation forces them to move their herd through treacherous grounds, where their numbers can be depleted. And what is truly unfortunate… is that all of these problems and struggles can be attributed… to climate change. Which means once again, we have to do our part to mitigate its damage. Because we created this and it is up to us to stop it, and watching stories such as this hopefully helps with that. Since now, the arctic north is no longer an afterthought to us, or a place where we believe nothing survives. For we now know that it is a thriving and beautiful ecosystem that needs a helping hand from mankind. And hopefully we hear the message and answer it in the right manner. So those delicate foxes, and frozen turtles and every little critter in between… can see another day in a corner of the world meant just for them… while we watch in awe from afar, and once again… that lesson and those stories made for a powerful hour of storytelling. One that will stay with us for certain since we now have incredible new perspective on the tundra that waits at the top of the world. Until next time. Written by John Edward Betancourt
Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘The Consultant’.
It is definitely safe to say that each and every one of us are searching for the perfect place to work. Where we are paid our worth and our co-workers are wondrous people that bring us joy every day, and where our soul is nourished as much as our pocketbook, and where are inspired daily by a boss/leader that believes in us and everyone we work with. But alas, that seems to be an impossibility. For so many workplaces in this life are as toxic as they come, and feature measly pay, rough co-workers and leaders that are clueless in every sense of the word. Which means… we continue the search, and we learn, how to cope. Which sometimes involves… doing things we’ve never done before as an employee to stand up for ourselves and our rights and our mental health. Which can be both scary and wondrous. But it is necessary, especially when one comes to realize that perfect job isn’t on the horizon and the current one needs to be better, regardless of how unnerving standing tall can be. If anything, the harsh realities of what creates a toxic workplace and what goes into the difficult choice to stand up within one are top of mind today, simply because they served as some of the central themes present in the brand-new Prime Video series, The Consultant. A feat that ‘Creator’ made possible… by bringing chaos to a mostly positive workplace environment. Because the good folks at CompWare, while concerned about financials now and again, enjoy their jobs and enjoy making games for the technological prodigy that is Sang-woo. But one stunning day, Sang-woo dies in a horrifying manner, leaving his assistant Elaine, and one of his top employees, Craig… besides themselves. For they now face an uncertain future, one where a cushy job will either fade or degrade and it turns out… the latter appears to be the case. For a strange Consultant named Regus Patoff arrives to take charge at CompWare, and his brutal and rude behavior and strange personality and actions… prompts Craig and Elaine to learn more about why he came to work at CompWare, and what they are about to discover in their quest to make their workplace worthwhile, will rattle them to their core. 
Which is a plot that does indeed fit those central themes nicely. Because Patoff is… for lack of a better word… an asshat. For every action that he takes against the employees is done in the name of profits and without a singular thought about how it might impact someone’s life in the slightest. It’s just about productivity and the bottom line and those elements make this, a perfect workplace satire. One where Patoff embodies every horrible boss we’ve ever worked for. Since he is clueless about his job, has zero people skills and expects admiration and respect when he hasn’t earned it. And he does indeed foster a toxic environment at work, and that does indeed rally the audience behind Craig and Elaine, because someone needs to stop this, and their struggles to stand up to their new doof of a boss, only adds to the wonder of this tale.
However, that is where the story takes on new life. Because the discoveries they make about the final days of their boss and the rise of their new and woefully unqualified one, are indeed as shocking as implied and they… open up the possibility to so much more regarding Patoff. Because clearly, he has a power over people, and he does intimidate well and seems to know exactly where to strike someone on an emotional level that even the most incompetent of bosses cannot. Adding depth and mystery to his journey and his purpose and that… truly draws you into this story and compels you to finish it. To learn the truth about this outright madness. But while we wait to wait to uncover those truths and react to them accordingly… we can relish in the wonder of one quality tale. One that offered quality commentary and setup, and featured some great performances, since Nat Wolff (Craig), Brittany O’Grady (Elaine), and Aimee Carrero (Patti) nail every moment and they are wonderfully counterbalanced by Christoph Waltz’s enigmatic and cold turn as Regus Patoff. And truly, it will be a delight to see what other observations about the workplace this series is going to offer and learn the truth about Regus and his purpose at CompWare as season one of this refreshing show continues along. Until next time. Written by John Edward Betancourt  It is definitely safe to say, that a stigma still surrounds reality television. For people still see it as escape television, a chance to look at someone else’s ‘messy’ life for entertainment value when in fact… reality television is nothing of that sort. Granted, it might have been that in its early days, and there were definitely shows that assembled drama for the people present in the series to experience. But in the past decade or so, reality television has transformed into something vastly different. For now, it features meaning and gravity and it can in fact… teach us a great deal about life and who we are in these modern times, and one network leading the way in producing such content is WE tv.
For their Lockup franchise has provided all of us with unique perspective on love, and how we find it and how we maintain its wonder and those stories have captivated us for years on end and welcomed us into the lives of the many people who agreed to let cameras film their struggles with prison life and what it means to emerge from the slammer. If anything, this franchise is top of mind today, simply because Life After Lockup has returned to the airwaves for a new season of storytelling and last night’s episode really was something quite special and informed us that this season is going to offer us some new insights on life and love and the human condition. Because this premiere and this season… really do dig deep into the struggles that come forth regarding love, regardless of the fact that these relationships that sustained them while there were metal bars between them and that exploration on matters of the heart, outright led to some powerful moments in this opening chapter. The kind that reminded us that love isn’t easy in the slightest. That it takes major work and communication and a vulnerability that few of us are comfortable with. Since we have to surrender our heart and our very soul to the ones we love and that’s as scary as it gets, and it was powerful to see Justine do that with Michael here and see Shawn and Sara struggle with it as well. But while this offers up some fascinating commentary on how we communicate in love and the struggles that accompany building a healthy relationship… it is what this journey has to say about starting over, especially for those convicted of a crime, that is eye opening. Since this episode hammers home the struggles we face in the reset and how hard it is to adjust to a new life that we aren’t used to, and this episode also deserves a round of applause… for exploring the stigma that surrounds those who leave prison. Since there are hints to be found everywhere of how folks who served time, are viewed differently and how they are in essence expected to fend for themselves with minimal support from a system that was designed to offer them a fresh start and skills to return to the world, and that makes for some powerful television for certain… the kind that is vastly different than the stigma surrounding reality television suggests. But above all, what makes this premiere worth one’s while… is that it reminds us that regardless of our choices, our mistakes, and our path… our experiences are far more common than we think. For much of what we saw here… is no different than what the rest of us experience in our lives. For we too harbor those fears and struggle with starting over now and again, making it clear that this series is just a slice of life, one that has chosen to spotlight a different and unique journey for certain when it comes to starting over… but it is about life none the less. How we love, how we thrive, how we grow, and it will be fascinating to see how these couples do just that… as this fresh season of this wildly popular series continues along. Until next time. To learn more about Justine and Michael’s journey, check out our interview with this dynamic couple. Written by John Edward Betancourt 
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 207 of ‘BMF’. To revisit the previous episode, click here. Also, this episode contains discussions regarding domestic violence and abuse, which may be triggering to some individuals.
We like to believe that when our day in the sun finally arrives, that our transition to the big time will be… celebratory in nature. Where we gather our friends and family and inform them that we’ve made it and that everything is going to change for the better, and just like that… our old life stops and our new one arrives, and we are filled with joy over the fact that we finally got what we wanted, and nothing will ever be sorrowful or filled with struggles again. But that is… a lie we simply tell ourselves, really. Because life’s hardships don’t stop because we’re close to the top, nor does the world slow down for us as well. Which means the days leading up to the big day will be a bit more normal than one might expect and not to mention… the big moment will be far more subdued than we expected as well. Just because… it is but a moment and what we do after it is what matters more, and that tough reality is one that the Flenory brothers came to learn in the next episode of BMF on STARZ. For ‘Both Sides of the Fence’ is a story that saw Terry and Meech on the cusp of everything they ever wanted. For they were able to lock down a meeting with K-9’s Colombian connect via Rayzin and well… Meech knew this was it, this was their big moment. But there was no pomp and circumstance surrounding that or a countdown to the big day… just life and all the difficult surprises that sometimes accompany that. For instance, this is a story that saw Charles and Lucille offer disdain toward Terry. Since he cashed in the family business to pay for the trip for this meeting, and LaWanda was hammering him hard for him to be around more since she was pregnant once again, and he also had to deal with his feelings for Markisha since she was struggling with domestic violence at home, something that deeply disturbed Terry, and the audience as well. But the life concerns didn’t end there. Since Meech also had to deal with his father’s infidelity since a chance encounter at the strip club exposed Charles’ thriving affair. Not to mention, once the big day came and the trip got underway, nothing went smooth. Since an attempt at a fling on Meech’s part, ended with the duo being robbed by the connect. Who didn’t trust them and had concerns about them swinging by without Rayzin, who seemed hell bent on making Terry and Meech work for him. But Meech worked his magic and landed the biggest deal for BMF to date, 300 kilos of pure cocaine, and just like that… the big time arrived without a single echo of applause. Because that’s just how it goes in this life, and once they returned home and dealt with Rayzin’s treachery and let K-9 know that they were equals now… they prepared to build their business. All of which hammered home the central theme beautifully and once again gave us insight into the rise of BMF. However, this series always finds a way to give us more and it did just that, by having us spend time with others while Terry and Meech handled their business. Since we came to learn that Bryant was the one that kidnapped B-Mickie and threw him in the trunk of a car, in a desperate attempt to get the department’s drugs back in his possession. Which failed, prompting him to leave B-Mickie for dead and for he and Jin to supply the evidence locker with fraudulent drugs to keep the brass from sniffing around, and this was also a story that saw Lamar’s power begin to diminish. Because the fear he engendered was beginning to fade from everyone, and others began to stand up to him, leaving us to wonder what comes next for a man that begins to lose everything that kept him going. Plus, we also came to discover in this tale that Bryant is a marked man. Because eventually, B-Mickie got out of the trunk of that car, and in trying to catch up on life, learned that his mother had died, and the fury he showed in the closing minutes of this tale… hinted at a man that wanted revenge against the man who kept him from his mother’s final hours. But while we wait to see what B-Mickie does about this injustice, we can revel in one amazing tale. Because this was it, this was the true beginning of the BMF Empire. Because just like that, Terry and Meech locked up millions of dollars of drugs and set up their future and it all came about through a series of simple moments. Which was just fascinating to watch through and through, and kudos to the show for reminding us how dreams really do come true in this life and for reminding us of the fact that our problems don’t go away when we get there. After all, Terry and Meech have other issues brewing in their family life and their personal life and it will be interesting to see how they navigate those pratfalls and problems in the weeks to come, as they begin to live their dream and build their infamous Empire. Until next time. |
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