Over the course of the past five weeks, Dispatches from Elsewhere has provided its audience with an experience unlike any other on television. Because few shows out there ever take the time to explore their world or their characters in the same manner as this series, and that has led to some genuinely beautiful moments for certain. For we have been able to see the world through the eyes of some dynamic and fascinating characters and spending time with them has allowed for the audience to experience great beauty storytelling wise, since these four individuals have offered up unique commentary on our world and the wonder present within it.
​
But while it has been nice to enjoy an old school character study in an era where television shows move a breakneck pace as often as possible, at some point or another this story has to put together an endgame for its characters and its mysterious plot and last night’s episode of the series served as the perfect moment to allow for that transition to begin. For ‘Everyone’ saw our intrepid and unexpected heroes planning their next move in regard to their discoveries regarding Clara and after a touch of bickering, they all decided that the time had come to split up to accomplish two key goals. The first one being, to figure out as to whether or not Clara was actually real and in trouble. A task that Eve and Janice felt they could handle no problem. And while they ventured off to handle that, Peter and Fredwynn would try to figure out how the Jejune Institute put the game together and why.

But what made this little investigation so worth our while, is the sheer fact that it allowed for everyone’s unique proclivities and skills sets to be used in a positive manner. Take Peter and Fredwynn’s quest for instance. Because Fredwynn’s obsessive attention to detail and tenacity, and Peter’s ability to recall important facts and his understanding of how data works, allowed for the both of them to achieve wonders. For they were able to figure out together that a massive corporation owned the locations where clues to the game were residing and a quick stop by Peter’s old place of work, also revealed that the music playing in the background of these locations, was put together by someone. And a backtracking of that playlist led them to a central location, one that would hopefully offer up answers at last.

However, there was mention of the fact that everyone was able to shine in this particular tale when it comes to their talents and that most certainly applies to Janice and Eve as well. Because Eve was able to use her vast knowledge of art to help this duo look for clues and Janice was able to call upon life experience and her proclivity for kindness to bring about results in their hunt and what they uncovered was equally as incredible. For they came to discover that Clara was indeed a real woman named Clara Torres and she once stayed at a mental health facility that Janice used in her youth to deal with postpartum depression. And that facility was now a lovely new apartment complex, and it was also the source of the playlist and that brought everyone back together for one tense finale.
​
Because the group was being watched at every single turn in this tale. To the point where Fredwynn and Peter were harassed via phone whilst on the trail for clues, and Janice and Eve were being watched often by the mysterious businessman in the brown suit that loves chocolate milk. Which meant there was real danger waiting for them in the penthouse above and the state of that swanky pad only added to the tension. For it appeared as though someone was removed from this place in a hasty and violent fashion thanks to the state of the pad. But alas, this climax only brought about more questions than answers. Because the only clue within the walls of the penthouse, was a message on repeat, informing our friends that Clara was in danger. Meaning we will have to wait until next week to get answers and that’s not a bad thing by any means.

Because this particular tale was a wonderful opportunity to take four people who aren’t sure they have purpose and meaning in the world and give them exactly what they desire in life by having them solve a grand mysery. If anything, it was quite delightful to see every single one of these characters shine at last and accomplish wonders by simply being themselves, and now that their arcs have reached an apex, the story can indeed dive deep into the mystery at hand, allowing for Clara’s strange and winding journey to come to a resolution as we learn the truth about the game and why it exists. And this show’s ability to shift gears in this manner and still stay interesting and entertaining is a testament to its uniqueness and its brilliance, and it is quite refreshing to know that nothing, but surprises await us as we continue along on this incredible journey. Until next time.

It is a prevailing belief, that good deeds and kindness and care, can outright change a person that is teetering on the brink of darkness and there is genuinely some merit to that particular line of thinking. After all, we have come to learn throughout the years that kindness does indeed do wonders for people and it often motivates others to pay it forward when they experience it. So, why wouldn’t it heal a person’s soul and embolden them to alter the course of their life for the better? And well, the answer to that question, is a harsh and unfortunate one to say the least. Because the fact of the matter is, when someone is genuinely broken inside and dealing with all kinds of pain, kindness and love only places them within a holding pattern emotionally.
 
For the darkness is still there and it will find its way to the forefront of their mind and their emotions because it is a powerful draw when all is said and done. Because it has served this person well by getting them this far in life and reverting to it is always an easy and comfortable process. Which means that the only way for a person to shed this ugliness, is to make an active choice to do so and that’s why we learn the hard way, that kindness and love don’t always save people. Because some folks, don’t want to let the darkness go, for they thrive within its framework and it would seem that this is a tough lesson that Kim Wexler is going to learn down the line, and it just so happens that last night’s episode of Better Call Saul took the time to chronicle how this unfortunate discovery plays out.
 
Because ‘JMM’ showed us the highs that come with offering up kindness and love to a broken man. For Kim and Jimmy’s marriage was designed to make an honest man out of Mr. McGill, since their union would force him to be truthful with Kim in all things and offer protections to their careers if by chance another Mesa Verde complication came into play, and for a while it seemed as though this union was going to produce positive results. Because they were both happy with the fact that they were married at last and the pressure that came about from the Mesa Verde incident disappeared and Jimmy even had the opportunity to be honest with Kim in regard to what his new client wanted. For Lalo offered Saul Goodman a lot of money to get him out on bail. But his confession to Kim over the matter made it seem as though he was going to do this by the book for a change.

But it doesn’t take long for temptation to move the broken in a vastly different direction. And while Jimmy worked to figure out the best deal for Lalo, behind the scenes surprises were preparing to tempt him. For Lalo was still able to bark orders from jail because he’s a Salamanca and that’s just how they do, and he ordered Nacho to burn down one of Fring’s restaurants in retaliation and well, Lalo’s reach and Nacho’s worry for his father prompted Mike and Gus to realize that they needed a new strategy to deal with the Salamanca family. Which meant it was best for Lalo to be back on the streets, feeling as though he was in control and that brought Mike back to Jimmy, so that Saul Goodman could work his magic and get Lalo back out into the world on bail.
 
Which means that Jimmy really did have quite the choice to make. Because the plan was to poke holes in the testimony of the librarian that Mike motivated to reach out to the police, and in doing so, the family of the man who died at Lalo’s hands would have to watch in horror as the system failed them and set a killer free. Something that clearly didn’t sit well with Jimmy McGill. But the chance to shine and to game the system was more than he could resist and that put Saul Goodman in the driver’s seat, and he pulled off the impossible and got the judge to agree to a hefty but payable bond for Lalo. And while there was some guilt present in Jimmy’s heart for pulling off this harrowing and unjust upset, a fiery encounter with Howard reminded us of the fact that bitterness still resides within Jimmy’s heart, the kind that he will undoubtedly feed upon for years to come. 
 
If anything, this was quite the sobering character study, one that was subtle in its exploration of how one poor decision after another is what helped to create the scuzzy legend that is Saul Goodman. But what was more heartbreaking about his ugly decision in this tale, is how quickly he settled into it. Because he was able to shed his humanity in a split second in order to free Lalo and his decisions here will no doubt help in destroying his relationship with Kim in the future, and while we’ve always known their love affair will never work out, how it falls to pieces is important for certain. For this is a grand tragedy chronicling Jimmy’s descent into a boring and hollow existence as Gene and he’s taken a big step toward that here, by rebuffing kindness and love and a chance to heal, all for a paycheck and a chance to be revered. Until next time.

Over the course of the past five seasons, the police serial CHiPs has offered up some fascinating cases for Officers Jon Baker and Frank Poncherello to solve. For we’ve seen them bring down gardening thieves, fight daredevils on the highway, go undercover as racers to bring down criminals, capture some nasty poachers and they’ve even managed to get involved in ending a drug war. Which is a pretty impressive resume for certain, one that should be difficult to sully writing wise because there really is little these officers can’t handle. But it just so happens that the next episode of this series found a way to add an awkward footnote to their records, by having them go after their most unique fugitive yet; a tiger.
 
Yes, you read that right. A freakin’ tiger. Because ‘Tiger in the Streets’ saw one of these majestic cats escape from a handler who planned to lease the cat (named Princess) out to Hollywood movies. And of course, having a cat on the loose meant all kinds of possible trouble and the only reason that Ponch and Jon stumbled upon this surprise is because the same handler was digging traps in the hills to catch Princess and people were falling into them. Which meant it was up to our dynamic duo and a tough-as-nails Animal Control officer to bring this big kitty to safety. Something they eventually managed to accomplish by using kittens as sound bait, since Princess had a few before escaping and well, let’s just get it out there right now; this was silly.
 
Because Ponch and Jon are the best of the best at their jobs, so having them chase after a tiger after five years of showing their worth is just lazy writing for certain and what makes this move more irritating is the sheer fact that this episode actually offered up a secondary plot that had the potential to be quite powerful and moving. For in this tale we were also introduced to a group of Hispanic kids that belonged to a car club known as the Jaguars, and unfortunately for them, they drew the ire of a man who really didn’t like Hispanic people and he was quick to cause trouble for these kids by constantly attempting to run their car off of the road. Which means this series was making an attempt to tackle the topic of racism and sadly, it failed at its endeavor.
 
Simply because, it dedicated too much time to the Tiger plotline and had it made that the B Plot, there could have been a proper exploration on this matter. One that could have withstood the test of time since racism toward Mexican Americans is a topic that is still relevant in 2020. But instead, everything is handled here in brisk and lazy fashion and what’s worse, is that the writers’ room tried to make this segment edgy by injecting a racial slur into our Creep of the Week’s vernacular and what they chose is just plain goofy. Because the dude refers to Hispanic people as ‘tacos’ and while this reviewer isn’t advocating for shows in this vein to encourage racial slurs or use them on the regular; we need to believe that this guy has a deep rooted hate for people of color so a lesson can be learned, and using a food to talk down about them is just awkward and it serves to remind us how afraid the show was to really handle this topic.
 
But while it is nice to see this racist punk wear some fine wrist bracelets at the end of the story, this whole episode just feels off kilter. An issue compounded further by the whole ‘Grossman wants to be a stand-up comic’ storyline as well and it is hard to say, but the fact of the matter is; this is another episode that signals the downfall of this magnificent series. Because once you see a show starting to give focus to the side endeavors of side characters, you know something is amiss and Grossie’s quest and every other issue we’ve discussed, are more red flags as to how this series fell out of favor with audiences and what’s fascinating about the series right now, is that a short run of quality episodes have given way to outright inconsistency and it should be interesting to see what kind of episode awaits us next. Until then.

It’s been just over four months since Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Disney+) completely changed the direction of not only the Star Wars Universe, but the overall franchise, including merchandising and fan base devotion. Furthermore, now, particularly on blockbuster projects, where millions, even billions of dollars are involved, we have a “creative team.” And though this can breed excellent stories and sagas, it also puts the suits at the top of the chain and more importantly, gives them the final say on one writer’s or director’s creative vision. Look no further than the struggles of finishing The Rise of Skywalker, particularly post The Last Jedi, to understand what I mean. This can make telling a new Star Wars story, quite scrutinized on all fronts. Thankfully, for Mando AND us, Jon Favreau seems to be a cog in the many wheels of the Hollywood machine, and for our interests, the biggest wheel out there, Disney!
​
Born in Flushing Queens, Favreau was always a movie fan. Way before his acting debut in the unexpectedly and wildly successful, Rudy (1993; TriStar Pictures), he and a friend, with nothing but a roll of duct tape, made their way onto the production set of the film Turk 182 (1984; 20th Century Fox), and posed as production assistants. And it worked! Awesome, right!! As if destiny reached out, a few years later, Favreau dropped out of college and moved to Chicago to pursue a comedy career, including stand up. Looking to his friend Vince Vaughn, whom he met on the set of Rudy, Favreau asked Vaughn to be his counterpart for his combination actor/screenwriter debut in the now cult classic, Swingers (1996; Miramax Films). From there, Favreau took on film and television with memorable roles for me like Gutter in PCU (1994; 20th Century Fox) and Pete Becker on Friends (1994; NBC). However, Favreau was just getting started. For his directorial debut, he brought Vince Vaughn back as a mutual producer for another self-penned screenplay, Made (2001; Artisan Entertainment). Writer, actor, producer, and now director, Favreau was poised to take over Hollywood on all fronts, but it wasn’t until directing a tiny (LOL!) project called Iron Man (2008; Paramount) that he became a fandom household name. Fast forward to today, we all know that Marvel and Star Wars are now under the Disney umbrella, 2009 and 2012 respectively. However, Favreau, a life-long Star Wars fan, found himself voicing a Mandalorian on Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008; multiple distributors) years before the full merger or putting our now beloved Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) on the small screen.

For me, coming late to The Clone Wars TV series, I focused mainly on its central characters. I mean. Just look at Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein), am I right?? However, when Pre Vizsla, the leader of the terrorist group Death Watch, made his debut, having recognized his voice, I was compelled to look him up. Finding out it was Favreau was one of those…”huh, NICE!!,” happy surprise moments. Even Favreau himself was pleasantly surprised he got to play a new Mandalorian character and now, looking back, I ponder on the seeds of our new series and smile. It’s this new series where we see Favreau’s multiple talents on display in full force. His creative vision is absolutely jaw droppingly wonderful!! Harking back to George Lucas’s original vision for Star Wars, Favreau explains the series as a “Deconstructed version of Clint Eastwood and The Man with No Name,” and, OMG, fans are soooo here for it! And, for Favreau, a little icing on The Mandalorian cake must be voicing another new Mandalorian character introduced in Chapter 3: The Sin  – Paz Vizla. Let’s take a closer look, shall we?

Like all of the characters of this new series, Paz Vizla is foreign to the Star Wars Universe. And similar to my reflection on The Armorer (Emily Swallow) in Part 1 of this series, there is little data to be had about Paz Vizla. I suspect, this is exactly how Favreau wants it! What we do know is that Vizla is part of “The Tribe” living in the underground enclave on Nevarro. He originally seems like a foe to Din Djarin as Vizla confronts him for doing business with Imperial gangsters and taking their pillaged and repurposed Beskar steel as payment. The conflict is short yet heated giving the viewer a small glimpse into a very complicated situation. It’s obvious the tension between these two is high, but later, in a surprising shift, Vizla, along with several other fellow Mandalorians, come to Djarin’s aid amounting to what is now one of my top favorite scenes of the whole season. Yours too, am I right?? Prior, in the enclave, a clash quickly quelled by The Tribe’s female leader (YES!!!); the viewer has no idea what background lies ahead. Not to mention we don’t see another interaction between Vizla and Djarin until the epic shoot out on the streets of Nevarro. Looking at the episode overall, in just a few short sequences, we find out Vizla is a devoted Tribe member standing up for his people’s past. Then later, proving when push comes to shove, regardless of inner conflicts, Vizla will protect his fellow Mandalorian to the death!! I mean. The power of these scenes is an overwhelmingly profound set of character development that shouldn’t be overlooked. Additionally, the interaction between Djarin and Vizla during the action sequence is minimal with few words which speaks volumes to the viewer. At the end, Vizla sees Djarin off planet and gives him a salute before flying away. Simply put, it’s epic!!

Paz Vizla has a stout and thick appearance. He is portrayed physically by Tait Fletcher who also plays the confrontational bar thug in Chapter 1. An amazing opener, this skirmish is, right!!? But back to Vizla... lol! His armor looks battle weary and appears strikingly more reinforced compared to Din Djarin. We also get to see him don heavy weaponry and a jet pack which seriously will make any Mandalorian fan cheer, right? All of this begs the question, just who is this guy anyways? Is he a born Mandalorian or an adopted foundling like Djarin? I can’t be the only one who wonders how he got the name Vizla. Is he a blood relative of Pre Vizsla? Though the spelling is slightly different, they are pronounced the same. And considering Favreau, as well as his Star Wars juggernaut writing counterpart, Dave Filoni (The Clone Wars; Rebels: 2014; Lucasfilm), don’t appear to do anything in this verse by accident, I am inclined to think there’s a connection there. You?

My vision, whether we ever find out or not, is that Paz is an adopted foundling who learned Mandalorian history and identified with the anger for his people through the clan that adopted him. Additionally, said clan could possibly be direct descendants to Pre Vizsla having changed the name after The Great Purge. Originally, I considered that Paz may be a direct descendant himself, which could also be true. We really never learn if Pre Vizsla had a family other than Death Watch. A mate? Children? No one knows. Regardless, either backstory is plausible and quite fun to ponder over particularly since we don’t know by the end of the season if Paz perished when the enclave was attacked by Storm Troopers. But seeing the writers go out of their way to highlight the long running “Storm Troopers can’t hit their target,” joke (LOL – love it!!), I’m speculating he’s out there somewhere.
​
Not to mention that though brief, Vizla’s time on screen is eclipsed by an emphasis on Mandalorian culture post-purge, as well as its rich history and pride as a people. To me, this begs for him to be on screen again. Possibly with expanded dialogue that gives us not only more Mandalorian history, but insight to Paz himself. Because seriously, we need this, am I right!?! And after a Dark Saber reveal in the season finale, which ties directly to Pre Vizsla AND Darth Maul, a Mandalorian history lesson, including the way of Mandalore is definitely in order! And let’s not forget the Mandalorian-Jedi war, which seems, that in telling Din Djarin’s story of helping a force sensitive “enemy”, is where The Mandalorian series may be headed overall. At least in the short-term. Plus, we know very little about this war, particularly Canon, which let’s face it, will be the bulk of any Disney/Star Wars stories going forward. However, in my research, I concluded that Favreau, with Filoni’s and other’s help, may very well incorporate fan fiction and Legends into Canon if they feel it works with the story. Support for this theory, particularly on the Jedi-Mandalorian war, is found as Dave states in reference to non-canon material, “So, when there are all these things in common and there's stuff that people know, I think 'Well, why don't we use that?’” One could certainly apply this same logic to virtually everything in The Mandalorian, leaving room to add even more lore, including on Paz Vizla, right?

Hopefully, Favreau as a huge cog in the Disney wheel, will be given freer rein than some others we’ve seen under the Disney umbrella. So far, things look good as Favreau shares writing credits and allows multiple fandom favorite, and Star Wars fans themselves, as directors. This brings us great storytelling and direction, all while giving us classic references on things like “Life Day” and using props like the fan famous “Camtono” safe to transport the Beskar steel. And speaking of Life Day, while researching this article, I discovered that it actually falls on my birthday – November 17th (NICE!). How I didn’t know this before is beyond me… seriously, how?? What I do know is this fan will be eagerly awaiting the return of this groundbreaking series and hopefully, Paz Vizla as well.

What about you? Are you just as interested in learning more about Paz Vizla as I am? Do you agree that he may be either a direct descendant of Pre Vizsla or at least an adopted foundling of Pre’s descendants? Tell me in the comments below or reach out to me @Obi_Juanita on Twitter. Also, keep an eye out for the final installment in my “Under the Helmet” three-part series, Mando himself!! Until then… I have spoken! *wink*

References:
1.https://www.biography.com/video/jon-favreau-biography-video
2.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs9XDUDP9VM
3.https://friends.fandom.com/wiki/Pete_Becker
4.https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Death_Watch
5.https://www.starwars.com/video/jon-favreau-on-voicing-an-all-new-character
6.https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/mandalorian-creator-jon-favreau-talks-shows-inspiration-personal/story?id=67023193
7.https://nerdsthatgeek.com/television/under-the-helmet-a-mandalorian-character-close-up-part-1
8.https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Darksaber
9.https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mandalorian-Jedi_War
10.https://www.starwars.com/news/how-to-host-a-life-day-celebration
11.https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Camtono

When audiences settle in to watch or read about a story involving the loss of a loved one, and the resulting trauma that those left behind have to face and overcome, most of those stories tend to revolve around death and there is good reason for that. Because having someone we love deeply, pass away, is a profoundly powerful experience, one that definitely has an incredible impact upon our lives. But what is sometimes overlooked in storytelling, is the sheer fact that there are types of loss involving family members outside of that worst-case scenario. For sometimes family members leave our lives for vastly different reasons, leaving us rattled once they exit and it just so happens that the next episode of Amazing Stories, takes the time to examine one of those scenarios, with a fascinating twist of course. For ‘Signs of Life’ introduces us to a young woman named Alia who is struggling with the tough path that her life has taken. For six years ago her beloved mother, Sara, was involved in a terrible car crash. One that put Sara into a coma and left Alia drift in life.
 
For these two were thick as thieves before the accident and now all that Alia has to look forward to is a future where she’s far away from home and her pain, so that she can hopefully find some semblance of joy again. But a twist of fate changes her plans when Sara suddenly awakens one night. Making it seem as though the ‘amazing’ portion of this story was going to revolve around the road back from this kind of surprise and in many ways, that was the focus of this tale for quite some time. Since we were able to see some beautiful actions come forth from Alia thanks to quite the complication from Sara’s return to consciousness. Because she simply didn’t remember a thing about her life before the crash, and all the wonderful memories she and her daughter shared were nothing more than foggy images in her brain, and Alia went above and beyond to try and help her mother remember the life she left behind.
 
But really, the most intriguing portion of this story is seeing the emotional damage that Alia suffered as a result of losing her mother for so long. For in essence it broke her, and she slid into a pattern of self-destructive behavior the longer she had to carry this pain. And it was fascinating to see this series present the fallout of this level of trauma in the raw, all while reminding us of the difficulties that can come with trying to reconnect with someone, we haven’t spent time with, in years. Because people grow and people change. But while this made for some compelling drama and some powerful moments on Alia’s part, as she tried to navigate her feelings and the new challenges in her life, what would an episode of this series be without something fantastical to offer? And as it turns out, the twist in question was one that was present from the get-go.
 
Because Sara really wasn’t quite who Alia thought she was, and all of the odd quirks that she exhibited, the kind that come from accounts of reawakened coma patients exhibiting new skills and abilities after returning from their slumber, were related to the fact that some of kind of otherworldly being took over Sara’s body. And what this creature was hoping to do, was reunite with its own kind so they could return to their respective home. But all the kindness and unconditional love that Alia provided this alien with, left it wondering if leaving this body behind to die would be the right decision, especially when it took into account all the hardships that Alia had been through to this point. So, when the big moment arrived to return home, this creature spurned its own kind and met up with Alia; who was making the poor decision to rob her place of work, in order to quickly escape her pain and her life. But when the robbery went south, thanks a complication involving Alia’s boyfriend and the man he owed money to; this strange being from another world sacrificed itself in order to give Alia her mother back, granting them both a powerful second chance at life.
 
Which is, quite the happy ending when all is said and done since now mother and daughter can put the pieces back together and forge a life ahead as a family. But all alien twists and joyful moments aside, this episode really did feature some thoughtful and powerful moments. Because Alia’s struggle really was raw and genuine and it was wonderful to see a television series take the time to show us how trauma can indeed change the course of our lives if we allow it to. And the fact that it didn’t really offer up any easy fixes or answers in regard to the matter, only added to the grit of the story. But we would be remiss to not give this story credit for the alien twist as well. Because that was handled in smooth and subtle fashion and not revealing their origin or their purpose on this planet made for some wonderful intrigue. In the end, this was a solid episode for certain, one that definitely sucks you in and ignites your imagination, and you simply cannot ask for much more from a series that features the fantastical. Until next time.

Something that is truly incredible when it comes to the police serial CHiPs, is the sheer fact that this series was able to immediately rebound from a bad episode in stunning fashion. Because every single time we’ve discussed a stinker of an episode in these Retro Recaps, the next one really does impress by offering up a unique and/or thoughtful storyline that straight up blows the audience away. And it just so happens, that this proud tradition has found its way into season five, since the next chapter in this storied saga, took the time to go back to basics and dive into some real-world situations that police officers might actually face.
 
In fact, ‘Breaking Point’ decided to explore something that few police shows do by showing us how sometimes, the brushes with death that officers face on a regular basis can have a profound impact on their psyche. And it explored this particular aspect of reality by way of an officer that seemingly can never be rattled, one Frank Poncherello. For in the opening moments of this tale, Ponch and Jon were in hot pursuit of a reckless drunk driver, one who was taking some dangerous risks on the road as he tried to elude pursuit, and unfortunately for Ponch… that put him in quite the precarious place. Because this drunk caused an accident, one that Frank was sucked into and it all ended in scary fashion since he came within an inch of cutting his throat on broken glass and thanks to his mates, he survived with nothing more than a scratch on his uniform.
 
But in reality, there was an unseen injury that Ponch suffered in this crash, one that manifested itself in slow and steady fashion. Because this really did engender some emotional trauma in Ponch, the kind that straight up made him fearful of his job and he quickly made moves at Central to avoid getting atop a motorcycle. Which meant he volunteered for stuff that he would never volunteer for normally, and in the event he did get on a bike, there was a ‘problem’ with it and he had to head back to the office and well, it didn’t take long for his coworkers to notice that something was amiss with Ponch. And despite their gentle nudging’s and attempts to get him to open up, he simply wouldn’t acknowledge the terror in his heart and to complicate matters further, he began to lash out once he realized that he needed to confront his fears, prompting Getraer to put him on leave to sort out his mind.
 
Which was a good choice for certain. Because Ponch’s sister Patti was in town and she too was dealing with a mental crisis. Because she no longer thought she would be worthwhile as a nurse with all the horrible things she saw in training and now she was spending time with a brother who was wondering as to whether or not he wanted to be a motorcycle cop and while one would think that having two people in the same room, that have soured upon their career choices would be a bad idea, it ended up helping them both. Because a moment where Patti used her skills to save a life, rattled her once again, and the advice that Ponch provided her with, is the very advice he needed to give to himself, and that motivated him to try once again, to be the great police officer we know him to be and thankfully, Ponch found his groove and hit the streets.
 
If anything, this is an episode that was downright brilliant when all is said and done. Because it was filled to the brim with character growth and depth and poignant moments, and this is the kind of stuff that made us fall in love with the series in the first place. Plus, the performances here were downright incredible, since everyone put on an acting clinic. But of course, the award for best performance has to go to Erik Estrada, because he really did a phenomenal job here and he sold the fear and the confusion that Ponch was going through. In the end, this episode just goes to show that season five of CHiPs might end with a bang instead of a whimper. Because it is delivering some great episodes in year five and it would be a wonderful thing to see the final year that Ponch and Jon spend together, end on a high note. Until next time.

We all make mistakes in life. Some are big, most are small and since the little ones make up a majority of our missteps, we are able to move past them with ease on a regular basis. But the big ones, well those are the ones that haunt us for ages and they are the ones that sometimes leave us wondering what our life would look like, if we were given a chance to set them right in some form or fashion and really, that quest to be granted a second chance is the core theme driving season one of Star Trek: Picard. For Jean-Luc has wanted nothing more than to find a way to make peace with the sudden death of his good friend Lieutenant Commander Data and of course, to save lives once again; in order to make up for the ones he believes he left behind by retiring from Starfleet fourteen years ago.
 
But while his quest across the stars to find that internal resolution has led him to some powerful moments, he has yet to achieve his ultimate goal. But thankfully, the season one finale of this brilliant series allowed for Admiral Jean-Luc Picard to have one more chance to find peace within his soul and save countless lives in the process and that made ‘Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2’ quite the powerful and poignant tale. However, before we dive deep into Picard’s moment of redemption, we do need to take a moment and discuss the other moments of resolution present within the framework of this story. For every plot point introduced this season came to resolution in beautiful fashion here. For example, Narissa finally paid the price for her cruelty and her treachery. For she was aboard the Borg Cube all along, and once Seven of Nine found her, she put an end to her life, ensuring that Hugh received some measure of justice at last.
 
Plus, this is a tale that finally dealt with Commodore Oh’s treachery. For a short while after she arrived at Coppelius with the Romulan fleet, she found herself face to face with a massive Starfleet armada, one led by a reinstated Captain William T. Riker aboard the U.S.S. Zheng He. And undoubtedly, having her true identity exposed in this moment, will bring about great change at Starfleet in the days to come since they are now aware a spy was in their midst, one that has sown discord at every single turn. Plus, it was also satisfying to see Narek finally come to his senses and do the right thing by working with the crew of the La Sirena to prevent this potential apocalypse, and it was equally as wonderful to see Dr. Soong shut down Sutra for crossing the line and harming one of her own. But while this rapid-fire resolution was delightful in its own right, all of these moments paled in comparison to Picard’s powerful redemption.
 
Because the Admiral came to realize that the only way that Soji would stand down and deny these powerful synthetics a chance to wipe out life in our galaxy, was to show her, that her species mattered, and the only way to accomplish that was to fight for them and potentially sacrifice a human life in exchange for a synthetic one. Which prompted Jean-Luc to take to the stars to delay the Romulans from initiating the slaughter, and Picard risking his life in this manner, and Starfleet’s prompt arrive to defend the synthetic world as well set the groundwork for a beautiful moment. One where Admiral Picard was his old self, and his inspiring words brought everything home for Soji and her people, and at last… she stood down and pushed those powerful beings away, and just like that… the galaxy was saved. But at a great cost.

For Jean-Luc Picard’s horrific brain abnormality finally became a problem after he pushed his body too hard, and in a heartbreaking sequence of events, we were forced to watch the dear Admiral die, surrounded by his new crew and his new friends and this was… devastating for certain. Because it seemed as though JL was leaving this universe far ahead of his time, and he would never see the fruits of his labor and that is when this story took quite the powerful turn. For shortly after his passing, the Admiral seemingly awoke from his final sleep, and found himself in an odd version of his study. One where the color and warmth had been replaced with stoic tones, leaving one to wonder if Trek was about to provide us with its own version of an Afterlife, especially after Data showed up to reflect upon both their lives. But it didn’t take long for Data to reveal that this was all a quantum simulation and well, that’s when the story presented us with all kinds of surprises.
 
Because this meant that Data was alive in a strange way, and that after all this time, Picard could finally open up and express fourteen years of regret to a man he admired greatly. And it was just wonderful to hear Jean-Luc finally bid farewell to his old friend in proper fashion, right before being granted a different kind of second chance. For it turns out, that Picard’s consciousness was present in this place because it was being saved for a special gift. Because the golem that Dr. Soong created, was repurposed for Picard and his mind was transferred into it, giving him a second lease on life, one free from the abnormality and this would give him many more years to enjoy the wonder that is life amongst other things. But before the show could reflect upon the real potential of this move, there was a somber matter that needed to be handled, first.
 
For Lieutenant Commander Data made a powerful request of his former commander while they spent time within the quantum simulation. In that, he wanted nothing more than for the simulation to end. Because while it was a scientific marvel that he was still alive after all these years, albeit in unique fashion, this simulation was a prison, a place where he was nothing more than an echo of a Starfleet officer long gone. And knowing this, made him feel as though his life did not have meaning, and that death would supply that meaning and the Admiral did not deny Data what was in essence, his final wishes. Which brought us to a beautiful sequence of events, where this charming and delightful character, one who has been with many of us since childhood, surrounded himself with everything he loved as he bid farewell to a universe he worked so desperately to understand.
 
It was a beautiful send off for certain, one that was proper and just, wiping away any of the bitter taste of how the character initially left this universe in Star Trek: Nemesis and well, his death and Picard’s resurrection speak volumes to the nature of the universe and the importance of the quote above. For now, Jean-Luc Picard is no longer burning with the fires of time. He is free of it, and free of his past; thanks to this incredible second chance at life. Which means that now he can live every moment to the fullest and to sweeten the proverbial pot, he can repair his tattered reputation as well and that likely means that season two will be filled to the brim with incredible adventures. Where a man named Jean-Luc Picard will bring hope to a galaxy that has been without it for ages and it will be quite wondrous to join our intrepid hero in the stars once again, as he boldly goes where no one has gone before. Until next time.  

If there is one thing that television network executives genuinely love, it’s a series that can stay on the air for a long time. Because stability is a tough thing to find in Hollywood, so if there’s a show out there that fans continually tune in and watch, they’ll keep it on the air for as long as possible. But what’s truly amazing about this industry, is how often those same executives want lightning to strike twice and that’s why when they have an established series delivering solid ratings week in and week out, they work to expand upon that universe by way of spin-offs. And after five seasons of continued success and adoration, the powers that be at NBC decided it was time to see whether or not a spin-off of CHiPs would be viable.
​
Which had to be quite the intriguing decision back in 1981. Because they straight up had their pick of fascinating characters to choose from to make this happen. Because a series focusing on Officer Artie Grossman could have been super interesting since he’s such the refined yet bumbling officer, or they could have done wonders with a Baricza and Turner series. But really the best option for a spin-off would have been Officer Bonnie Clark since she was a true fan favorite. And giving Bonnie her own series to navigate and having a woman be a top tier police officer in prime time would have put the upcoming CHP Universe at the forefront of progressive storytelling back then, since it would have beat Cagney and Lacey to the punch.

But while that final possibility had merit, rather than give Bonnie her own show to work with, the powers that be decided to hand over spin-off duties to a pair of minor characters from season four. Which means that Officers Melanie Mitchell and Paula Woods from ‘Ponch’s Angels Part 1 and 2’ returned to the saga in the next episode of this tale. All in the hopes that ‘Mitchell and Woods’ would entice the audience into tuning into weekly adventures involving these two plucky and dynamic motorcycle cops. But to ensure that the format wasn’t repeated in the slightest, they were given new jobs as detectives with the Ocean City Police Department and well, as it turns out… this whole venture was quite the horrible idea when all is said and done.

Because this ‘pilot’ episode was downright terrible and almost laughable and really what ruins this attempt at a spin-off is the writing for certain. Because the case that Mitchell and Woods are assigned to is boring, since it doesn’t offer anything new to the audience, and the clichés don’t end with the overall plot. Because this sleuthing duo are transformed from the intelligent and dynamic women we met a season ago, into bumbling doofs who spit off one-liners as often as possible and stumble upon clues and well, that’s just adding insult to injury and it’s no wonder that people weren’t enthusiastic about this becoming a series. Because it’s nothing special and it quite frankly, insults the audience’s intelligence, and CHiPs really is a smart series and any spin-off would need to maintain the high standards the original show put forth storytelling wise.

If anything, this was quite the shock to find in the midst of season five. Because the stories were just finding their stride and there appeared to be peace at last between Erik Estrada and the producers, which made this a combo breaker and an outright disappointment, and it serves as another hint that the show was in decline at this point. Because it is never a good sign when you push the main characters aside to give guest stars the spotlight, and why they decided to waste an episode on a pilot that could have aired as a special alongside the primary series, we will never know. But what’s done is done and thankfully this horrible mess has come to an end, and we never have to speak of it again. Until next time.  

​For a little while now, we’ve talked a lot about how Lodge 49 has taken the time to examine the healing process in great detail, and there is good reason for that. Because this series has been presenting said process in raw and honest fashion, shattering just about every single trope out there in regard to stories that try and examine this as well, and it is something we will continue to be discuss as our second journey through season two rolls along. Because year two really turned its examination on this matter into a step by step process on the early days of healing and it needs to be celebrating for diving into this in such a detailed manner.      
 
Because the fact of the matter is, healing is a tough process. For there are setbacks that pop up along the way and of course, life loves to throw us a few curveballs. Plus, we really have to work to retrain our minds so that we can shed the habits we learned while spending time in the darkness and that’s never easy. Which makes it sound as though we are about to slide into some dark territory when it comes to this series, but thankfully that’s not the case. Because despite the frank nature of this series, it always knew how to keep things light and even its lessons were sometimes fun in nature, and for proof, look no further than ‘The Slide’. For this particular tale reminds us that sometimes, we need to step away from the hard work we’re doing, to simply let loose and enjoy the moment.
 
Which made for another fascinating chapter in this beautiful tale and it just so happens that Dud’s journey in this episode, offered up the cheeriest portion of this exploration. Because his newly ‘acquired’ pool cleaning supplies, motivated him to get back into the game and clean pools once again. And being able to stand poolside, and enjoy what he loved to do, brought him incredible peace and serenity. To the point where he actually offered up his services for free, just to enjoy that little slice of heaven for a little longer and really the lesson inherent here, is that sometimes we just need to take a moment and partake in something we love. Because being around something that means the world to us, helps us find peace and clarity and that’s always good for one’s mental health.

​But while we all could have spent an hour watching Dud clean pools and enjoy life in his own joyful way, there was more to explore on this matter and that was handled once again by Liz and Ernie and really… it’s Liz journey that allows for this core message to shine since she takes living in the moment to the Nth Degree in this tale. Because you really can’t seize the moment better, than by taking a joyride in a crooked Doctor’s Mercedes and using his charge card to buy everything in sight. And while we here at Nerds That Geek cannot advocate breaking the law in order to make one’s self feel better, the fact that she basically said, ‘to hell with it’ and went out to have a ton of fun with friends is a positive message in its own right. Because we have to find joy to heal and fun times with good people definitely aids in that part of the process.
 
Yet what was truly intriguing about this tale, is that it was also able to provide a warning to the audience. In that, sometimes letting loose and living in the moment can have some unintended consequences and that was handled by way of Ernie in this tale. Because by letting go and just soaking up the world, our guard is dropped in every way imaginable and in doing so, certain things you work to keep out of your mind… creep back in. And that’s why we saw Ernie break down at the end of the story since the memory of his lost daughter came washing back over him and it also helps us to understand why he lashed out at a client since he really hasn’t dealt with the sting of Orbis and Captain for that matter as well.
 
In the end however, this really was quite the fun story when all is said and done. Because so many hilarious moments were present here, with the climax in front of Pool Party serving as the biggest and best one of all and while the overall message was pretty darn straightforward, it was nice to see another underlying theme in this series come bubbling to the surface again. Because this particular tale really did remind us yet again, that the people we have in our lives are what matter the most during tough times and oddly the Pool Party fiasco hammered that point home since everyone had one another’s backs and in doing so, they spread joy and it is always nice to see this present on the show and it was equally as wonderful to see the characters  let loose and teach us something in the process. Until next time.  

​While these Retro Recaps of the police serial CHiPs have served as a wonderful time capsule from time to time, since they’ve taken us back to some awkward moments in the past both fashion wise and from a societal standpoint (looking at you, ‘Weed Wars’). What truly makes this series stand out storytelling wise is how from time to time, it was prophetic in nature and able to put together episodes that still resonate forty-three years later. Because this is a series that took topics like PTSD seriously, adding a modern-day relevance to our understanding of it now. And oddly enough, the next episode of this storied franchise, offered up a tale that relates to a hot topic in 2020.
 
For ‘Concours d’Elegance’ dives deep into notions of how the rich are sometimes garbage human beings, the kind that believe that money is only way to happiness in life and that anyone without it is beneath them, and this was explored by introducing us to a real piece of work named Anthony. And the problem with this ‘Richie Rich’, is that despite the fact that he lived in a massive mansion, received a weekly tax-free allowance and had a trust fund that would soon be worth millions; he wanted more money. So, he set out with a forging expert to falsify the records for a car auction, so he could skim whatever cut he wanted off the top before donating the rest to charity. Making him look like a classy hero when in fact he was nothing more than a petty thug.
 
Normally of course, this kind of crime would go unnoticed by the CHP since this had little to do with the highways and even then… this isn’t exactly something an everyday cop would stumble upon. So, the only reason he popped up on Ponch and Jon’s radar was due to the fact that one of the cars in the upcoming auction was registered to Anthony and it just so happened to elude Ponch and Jon after being in a hit and run, and of course, Anthony was behind the wheel when that happened, unbeknownst to our dynamic duo. But what matters more in regard to this part of the story, is that checking up on that car, and the arrival of a young man named Michael who claimed the car belonged to him, started to unravel the lies surrounding Anthony’s side business.
 
Because a closer look at the books, revealed that something shady was going on with the auction, and a little pressing revealed the forged records and that Michael was telling the truth. Since Anthony basically swiped the car from Michael’s late grandfather and forged the signature to make it his own and that of course, was enough to finally put this poor man’s Daddy Warbucks, behind bars. But what made this episode so incredibly fascinating, is the sheer fact that it offered up a unique look at the lifestyles of the rich and famous, and while this is fiction, this ‘inside look’ is what brings forth the relevant nature of this tale. For no one in this ritzy family had a care in the world, it was all about good times and flaunting around their cash and they also believed that everyone had a price and could be bought.
 
Something that was evidenced by the offer that was made to Jon job wise and well, it was just fascinating to see a story in this vein. One where the rich were the bad guys and viewed with the same disdain that are in 2020 since the 1% aren’t exactly beloved hometown heroes these days. But all of that aside, it was also nice to see another episode where the band is back together, and everyone is playing nice since Steve and Ponch were hanging out once again and really, when all is said and done, these last couple of episodes have been solid to say the least. Because good storytelling has returned to the forefront of the series and that’s making the middle of season five, one enjoyable ride for certain. Until next time.