For the most part, shows that feature the drug trade and the folks that work within it, tend to keep their stories focused on a particular set of characters. Specifically, the anti-hero dealers and kingpins and the law enforcement officers, out to bring their empire down, so that the audience is treated to a gritty story that more or less serves as a metaphor for our never ending battle between good and evil or it offers up some big time commentary on the failed war on drugs. But what they don’t focus upon enough, is the impact these battles have on everyday communities and the loved ones of those involved in this whole mess and that’s a big miss for certain. Since there are powerful stories to be told about the people that have to stand by and watch their loved ones commit a crime or fight for justice. 

But thankfully, Breaking Bad is a series that opted to try and explore such matters thanks to its unique setup storytelling wise. Since a suburbanite teacher turning to a life of crime is the perfect way to see how that kind of decision would impact a suburbanite family and as it turns out… one such way that it effects family life, is by putting utter fear into the hearts of those the heroes and villains love. For ‘Grilled’ saw the White family in a tough place thanks to Walter’s disappearance at the hands of Tuco and well, they pulled out all the stops in trying to find their beloved Walter. Even going so far as to attempt a door to door and pole to pole Missing Poster campaign, simply because they were scared and worried about him and his well-being and the worry was so strong, that even Hank got in on the action. 

To the point where he basically made Walter’s disappearance his own personal case, allowing for him to begin to pull data on known associates to Jesse Pinkman and possibly Jesse’s whereabouts and well, it was simply stunning to see this kind of fallout come about, simply because it was avoidable. For had Walter taken the time to walk away or act quickly in the last episode, he’d be fine, and all would be normal and well. But alas, his decision to do otherwise brought about this kind of panic and chaos. But while that made for some fascinating and powerful moments, Walter's fate at Tuco's hands, did require some measure of resolution as well and thankfully, this episode took the time to reveal that he was just fine. He was just out in the middle of nowhere with Tuco and Jesse and the legendary Hector Salamanca and thankfully, Tuco wasn’t inclined to cause any harm just yet.

He just believed he needed to lay low for a bit before heading down Mexico way with Walter, so they could resume cooking the finest meth known to man. But therein lie a problem. In that, Tuco’s plan meant that Jesse would die, and that Walter would be away from his family and those were unacceptable terms, the kind that warranted an attempt on Tuco’s life and eventually utter chaos when Hector ratted them out with single ring of his twisted bell. Which meant that Jesse and Walter had to fight for their freedom and their lives and while they were successful in wounding Tuco, a surprise visitor brought fresh worry in regard to their freedom. For Hank came rolling in to look for Walter and got into quite the ugly firefight with Tuco. One that put an end to Tuco’s rollercoaster life and left Walter with the realization that if Hank were to discover any evidence in regard to their role in the meth business, he and Jesse would end up in jail.

If anything, all of these storylines make this a wonderful hybrid episode. One that stayed true to the darkness that permeates this universe by way of the harrowing sequence of events at Tuco’s safe-house, while also offering us some powerful dramatic moments. For everything revolving around the hunt for Walter was tender and beautiful and moving, since it spoke to how much his family loves him, and how big an impact this new career decision is having upon everyone’s lives. But the future of that career choice is indeed hanging in the balance now, for that crossroads that we discussed in our last Retro Recap of this series is once again at the forefront of this show’s storytelling. Since Walter now needs to decide if putting up with this kind of madness is worth it or not, or if the time has come to walk away and cut his losses and it will be quite interesting to see if the next episode features his decision on the matter, or if that quandary is going to be the focal point of season two, one that will get resolved in the finale. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Losing Alice’.
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Thus far, the AppleTV+ series, Losing Alice, really has done a phenomenal job of exploring the genesis of unhealthy obsession. For we have come to learn that in some cases, leading a life that feels stale, combined with the potential to explore parts of the human condition that have hereto forth been nothing more than curiosity to us, are what serve as the genesis points for obsession. Because the power and the draw of another world and what motivates someone to live within said world, really are irresistible and that explains why Alice is beginning to put Sophie at the top of mind more often. But while that alone has made for a compelling start to this show,  it is a grand exploration into obsession, and it is eager to explore so much more in regard to this concept… as evidenced by its next episode. 

For ‘The Bond’ takes the time to examine exactly how a person falls deeper into obsession with a particular person and one such way that happens… is by indeed forging a bond with that individual. Because in order to know more about them and their world, there needs to be an invitation into their life and their soul, so we feel as though our obsession with them is somehow justified and healthy, and Sophie was quick to offer that invitation up in this particular tale. For a script meeting for Room 209 led to the opportunity for Alice to spend a little personal time with Sophie and that immediately helped Alice get to know this mysterious young woman and come to learn that she is truly the anthesis of Alice’s current living situation… since Sophie really is a genuinely carefree spirit. One that simply lives to the whims to the moment. 

Which is why Alice suddenly found herself taking part in a strange ‘jazzercise’ type class and that is also why she found herself on a yacht off the coast, sipping on booze and diving into the chilling waters surrounding the boat. For Sophie asked her to live in the moment and simply enjoy every single second available to her, which seems like a mantra that is actually quite healthy in nature. Simply because that actually is good advice, the kind that we all need more of. But the fact of the matter is, this is nothing more than Alice living vicariously through her screenwriter and getting to understand how a single and carefree woman lives, which shouldn’t be harmful in the slightest. But alas more of Sophie’s dark side and other warnings in this tale were present throughout the course of the hour, making it clear that this obsession and entry into Sophie’s life will eventually lead to trouble.

For Sophie’s desire to ensure that the script not be changed in the slightest, will undoubtedly lead to some serious conflict between Alice and Sophie, the kind that will bleed over into their personal lives in an ugly manner and also… it is obvious that Sophie’s expectation for Alice to live in the moment, will eventually backfire. Because this young woman really is all about pushing the envelope and living without rules and Alice’s run in with the law over that line of linking, and the fact that Sophie felt the need to push David in a supremely unwholesome manner to do the movie, both speak volumes to how we are only seeing the bare beginnings of what Sophie is capable of when it comes to her toxic lifestyle and mentality, and how easily it influences others that enter her circle. And it will only be a matter of time before things become unwholesome and uncomfortable and who knows how that journey into darkness will end.

But in the here and the now, the obsession only continues to grow, and this episode deserves some serious kudos for exploring how the bond only strengths such matters in such a subtle and sublime manner. Because this episode really did speak to the fact that obsession is indeed a gradual process, one that infects our minds and our souls in a similar manner to a virus and it really is fascinating to watch Alice latch onto Sophie and her wild proclivities in such a willing manner, since that also speaks volumes to how unfulfilled she is in the moment and how easy it would be to escape this trap if she was willing to be honest with herself. But alas, she’s making her poor choices and the consequences will be what they will be, and it will be quite interesting to see what kind unhealthy give and take between the two of them is about to take place, now that Alice has been pulled into a world and a life that she genuinely knows little about. Until next time.

‘Losing Alice’ is available to stream now, on AppleTV+.

When we last settled in to discuss the wondrous AMC series Breaking Bad, Walter White and Jesse Pinkman were in quite the strange place. Because despite putting Tuco Salamanca on cloud nine with their top-tier meth, he was still eager to unleash his special brand of fury on No-Doze when Mister Doze felt the need to flex up. Leaving our heroes pondering upon just how weird things were going to get before their financial dreams came true and oddly enough, that wild and uncomfortable moment is precisely where the next chapter in this fantastic series opted to kick off season two. For ‘Seven Thirty-Seven’ opens up with that moment again, to remind us of how out there Tuco can get, before giving Walter and Jesse a moment to process his savagery and also think about whether or not this is something they want to do long term.

To the point where Walter calculates exactly how much money he’ll need for meth to take care of him and his family, making it seem as thought he’s genuinely thinking about walking away from this world, thanks to Tuco's ferocity. Which oddly added a strange sense of hope to this tale, since such a decision would mean that Walter's life wouldn't end in sadness and strife and his journey here would revolve around digging himself out of a hole he only went into, to save his life and his family's future. But such thoughts immediately had to go on hold, since Tuco came back to the junkyard and prevented their exit… thanks to an unfortunate complication. For No-Doze was convulsing and in bad shape from his beating, and that left Tuco hopeful that Walter could somehow help him.

But alas he could not, and No-Doze died right there with indignity, and to disrespect his life further, he was buried beneath a pile of cars by Gonzo and well… that in turn led to some serious trouble for Jesse and Walter. Because now they were witnesses to a murder and with Tuco’s unpredictable nature, that left the two of them worried about their future and rightfully so. Because minute by minute, after our dynamic duo and Tuco parted ways… strange things started to occur. Such as the fact that Tuco’s fancy Escalade kept popping up outside of their homes, and that left both men rattled and worried about what kind of trouble was heading their way, to the point where Jesse outright bought a gun and posed the possibility that perhaps the time had come to put Tuco down before he sought out revenge in an effort to keep his hide safe. 

Something that Walter decided wasn’t a bad idea, which motivated him to go with a more subtle assassination plan. Such as using homemade Ricin to poison Tuco into oblivion and well, that appeared to be the right thing to do. Because eventually Gonzo was discovered dead as well and that put the fear of God into Jesse and Walter, since it seemed their days were numbered. A reality that seemingly came to fruition at the end of this tale, when Tuco collected them both and took them to heaven knows where. Which is quite the powerful and poignant way to end this tale, for several reasons. Such as the fact that we aren’t aware of what Tuco actually wants with Jesse and Walter. Especially since we were able to learn that Gonzo died by trying to reclaim No-Doze’s body, in order to give him a proper burial and wasn’t assassinated as Jesse and Walter believe. 

Which means that in essence, whatever is about to happen is going to put Jesse and Walter at quite the crossroads. Because regardless of what Tuco wants, he is going to give Jesse and Walter one incredibly wild and weird look at what the drug world and dealer lifestyle really looks like when it becomes your everything, and that will likely put them at a crossroads. One where they must decide if this is the life they want to commit to or if they want to get out now and follow the positive path that Walter pondered upon earlier in this tale, and it will be interesting to see what decision they make and what Tuco has planned for them. But while we wait to learn all of that, we can bask in one quality season premiere. One that did a phenomenal job of upping the stakes for both the audience and the characters since this was a darker and dynamic tale, one that definitely made it clear that any escape from this ugly underworld, won't be easy in the slightest. Until next time.

​Over the course of the past couple of weeks, this grand rewatch of Almost Paradise has managed to reveal quite the surprising fact about this unique and dynamic crime drama. In that, creators Dean Devlin and Gary Rosen saw a grand opportunity to use Alex Walker’s purity as a chance to explore the best parts of the human condition. Which has allowed for powerful and hopeful commentary to take place, and its also established this series to be the most uplifting crime drama on the air. But while it has been an absolute joy to learn more about forgiveness and kindness, season one of this journey is in fact, a hero’s origin story and with the season winding down, the next episode in this phenomenal franchise, opted to revisit that fact in a supremely unique manner.
 
Because something that we often forget about when it comes to stories about heroes, is that the ones that are grounded in some semblance of reality, require the hero in question to have a solid team surrounding them and well, that is something that Alex has been missing up to this particular point. Granted, he and Kai and Ernesto work well together, but there is a frostiness to their relationship. One that exists simply because they don’t trust each other completely just yet, nor do they understand how they genuinely complement one another and also because Alex really hasn’t been open to trusting others, thanks to his unfortunate end with the DEA. But thankfully, all of that changed in the next episode of this phenomenal series, since ‘A Wedding to Die For’ focuses heavily on making this trio of brilliant minds, a team at last. 
 
Which is wonderful to say the least, since it serves as the natural progression for these characters. And it also means that Kai took the lessons that Alex sent her way in ‘Rise of the Kalangay’ to heart and came to realize that he only wanted to help her become a better police officer and person and on the flip side of that, Alex clearly came to realize that Kai and Ernesto want him around and genuinely value what he does for the Mactan-Cebu Police Department. And those mutual epiphanies allowed for quite the incredible episode to take place, one where the tension and barriers between all parties was removed and that allowed for each and every member of this team to shine in a magnificent fashion. Since they were secure in the fact that they had each other’s backs and that brought forth some utterly fantastic moments.
 
Because it was just magnificent to watch Kai work with confidence for a change, to the point where she was able to take risks because she knew the team had her back. And it was equally as incredible to see Ernesto trust in his compatriots and let them do their thing while standing on overwatch and of course, the story let Alex be the hero. But while that was all stunning and fun, Alex’s journey in this tale, took this teamwork themed story one step further, by diving into a brief exploration as to why it is important for a hero to have a team, especially one that is as pure as Alex Walker. Since he of course, found himself caught up in the rescue and the thrill of saving a life and that blinded him to danger and without his team, this could have been quite the sour story in the end. But thanks to Kai and Ernesto’s ability to know their buddy and teammate was in danger, everything ends in a happy and wonderful manner and now Alex Walker has a genuine support network at his side. 
 
But while it was indeed wonderful and incredible to see this trio come together, ‘Avengers’ style, it is equally as important to point out, that this episode is a ton of fun. Because it features a juicy case, and some awesome fight scenes and some quality tension, ensuring that this series stays true to its crime drama roots whilst growing its characters. But most important of all, this is also a tale that sets up another important step in Alex’s journey toward becoming a hero. Because now that he has a team at his side, and has learned all the other important lessons that a hero needs to learn, the time has come for him to face his final challenge on the road to heroism and that is precisely where we will pick up in our final edition of the Almost Paradise Rewatch. Until then.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘Bloodlands’.

Something that is truly fascinating about the crime drama in this day and age, is how it has become a feel-good genre that champions the age-old fight between good and evil. A feat that these stories have accomplished by making the detective or investigator in these stories as pure as they come, so that they serve as the perfect agent to combat the evil villain that wants to harm the innocent. But while that does indeed make for some compelling and engrossing stories, at times it does pull the genre away from what made it so fascinating and unique in the first place. For the crime drama was founded upon the fact that the world operates in a grey area more often than not. Where good and evil are subjective to the moment, and it often featured heroes that were equally as flawed as the world they populate.

But while it seems as though the sanitizing of the crime drama is here to stay, there are some stories out there that are eager to bring the genre back to its roots and tell stories that immerse themselves in the grey areas of the world once again, and one such series that is making that a focus of its storytelling, is the AcornTV series, Bloodlands. For this particular tale plunges us into a fascinating world where good and evil are subjective terms for certain, in quite the unique manner. Because early on in the series premiere, it seems as though this story is going to be nothing more than the standard fare that’s out there right now. After all, we are quickly introduced to Detective Chief Inspector Tom Brannick, who we immediately learn is a good family man and a trusted officer of the law. But the instant that he’s called in to investigate the disappearance of a former Irish Republican Army member named Patrick Kennan, the story suddenly shifts its tone.

For not only does Kennan’s disappearance put the peace accords between the IRA and the British government on shaky ground, but whomever kidnapped Keenan is keen to resurrect old ghosts. Because they made sure to leave a clue revolving around an ancient case that is close to Brannick’s heart. For right before the peace accord was signed, several IRA members and Brannick’s wife, were believed to be kidnapped/assassinated by a mysterious police assassin, nicknamed ‘Goliath’. And of course, seeing the potential to finally have some closure in regard to his wife’s disappearance, motivates Brannick to pull out all of the stops to solve this case post haste and well, that leads to one brilliant hour of storytelling. 

One that absolutely operates in a grey area with minimal effort since it is stunning to learn that the police were involved in assassination attempts, and the fact that people are still working to cover it up, only adds to the uncomfortable nature of the story since you simply don’t know who to trust at this point, outside of Brannick and his partner that is. And speaking of Tom, he too helps to sell this muddled world since clearly, he is haunted by the fact that his wife was somehow involved in this heinous crime and that more or less makes him compromised in this tale. Since he struggles to keep his professional and personal life separate, to the point where we are left wondering what will become of him at the end of this story. Since the police were able to recover the body of his late wife after all and well, that powerful discovery sets the stage for what is going to be one messy saga, one that will undoubtedly see this quest for the truth, bring about more strife and that makes this quite the engrossing opening chapter when all is said and done.

For this series premiere really does do a phenomenal job of world-building. Since it really does put together a stunning mystery, one that is non-traditional for certain. For the crimes in this one aren't grounded in disdain for the world or society, but age-old prejudices and unsettled scores and that’s quite incredible for certain, as is the fact that this story offers up a lot of twists and turns as well. Since it is safe to say, that no one expected Pat Keegan to be recovered by the police, alive, but he was, leaving one to wonder why exactly Goliath wanted him to be found and well, this really is shaping up to be one special crime drama for certain. For it really does offer up that classic feel with some modern twists and it is definitely safe to say that we will all be counting down the minutes until next Monday’s tale… so we can learn more about this fascinating case and to see exactly how DCI Tom Brennick, will handle walking the fine line between revenge and duty. Until next time.

‘Episode 1’ of ‘Bloodlands’ is available to stream on AcornTV, right now.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 309 of ‘American Gods’.
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If there is one thing, that each and every one of us want in life, it would have to be consistency. Because there is comfort to be found in the norm, and that is why we work hard to attain it in our lives. But while it is nice to find a status quo and immerse ourselves within it, deep down we know it won’t last forever. Simply because change is the only real constant in the universe and it always finds its way into our lives, and sadly… that can be a tough lesson for us to swallow. Especially it arrives at a point in our journey, when we think we’ve found the consistency that we crave and really, all of this relevant to our discussion today, simply because last night’s episode of American Gods, took the time examine change in an incredibly fascinating manner.
 
Because ‘The Lake Effect’ took the time to look at two key aspects of this concept. Specifically, how sometimes change is difficult for people to comprehend when they’re addicted to consistency, regardless of how unsustainable it truly is and also how easy it can be to embrace, when we take an objective look at our lives and the first of those concepts was explored by way of Shadow Moon. For his return to Lakeside, after unsuccessfully looking for Sandy in Florida, was quite unceremonious and uncomfortable. Because Derek took his own life shortly after his return, and it appeared as though he was responsible for murdering Alison after all, and that didn’t sit right with Shadow. Because he knew that Derek wasn’t capable of such an act, and that motivated him to start digging deeper and well, what he found was shocking.
 
For he came to discover, that a lot of kids have gone missing in Lakeside, and that all signs pointed to them being killed as part of some kind of ritual sacrifice, and sadly… he was right in that assumption. For it turns out that Alison’s body was in the trunk of the car that was designated to sink into the lake, and that other kids were in other cars and all of this was part of a tribute to a god. One that turned out to be Ann-Marie Hinzelmann. Who truly did not want these tributes to end since she believed that their sacrifice was worth the spoils that the good people of Lakeside enjoyed. But Shadow was quick to point out otherwise and take action when needed, bringing an end to her bloody reign and putting Lakeside on a bold new path, one free of her direction and well, this plot thread definitely did a wonderful job of hammering home how hard and how destructive it can be to keep change at arm’s length. 

​As for the other aspect of change that we made mention of, well that was handled by way of Mr. Wednesday. For after years of calling for war and trying to assemble a coalition, he finally decided that peace was the right way to go. Simply because his time with Demeter helped him to understand the err of his ways and that his warmongering was forcing him to miss out on so very much in life, and well, that motivated him to call in Czernobog and have him at his side when he met with Mr. World to call for a truce. Something that ended in disaster since World was eager to offer up rotten terms for the old Gods and also because… someone who has refused to change their ways dropped by to cause some serious trouble. 
 
Because eventually Laura Moon found Wednesday, with a little help from the lucky coin, and she also used that coin to accomplish the seemingly impossible. Since she was able to plunge the spear into Odin’s heart, effectively ending his life and putting this fictional world on an uncertain path. For a God died at the hands of a human being and who knows what kinds of repercussions will come from this, both from the God world and from Laura’s psyche. For there is a fair chance she will feel no satisfaction and reprieve from such an act, leaving her as lost and as angry as ever… and truly, it will be interesting to see what comes out of the stunning ending of this tale since it really didn’t seem as though Laura was going to accomplish this particular mission all that long ago.
 
But while we wait for resolution, we can bask in another fascinating tale, one that more or less made it clear that the old ways from the old Gods are genuinely outdated, and it is a shame that Wednesday died now, since he was ready to reform his life and perhaps the ways of his cohorts. But alas what is done and done, and ironically, change has come to this entire story. Since its primary focus, specifically… preparations for war between the old guard and the new guard, has disappeared from the framework of this tale, to be replaced by a voyage unknown and that is exciting to say the least. Because it genuinely moves this series into bold new territory, that kind that will undoubtedly surprise us further, and it will be quite interesting to see what kind of new horizon awaits us in next week’s season two finale and beyond.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 502 of ‘Ride with Norman Reedus’.
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One of the best parts about living in a globally connected world, is that we are all able to traverse the world, on a moment’s notice in unique ways. For if a trip to say, Australia, seems out of the cards financially in the moment, a quick search of the web can take us there by way of travel and road trip television shows. Allowing for us to live vicariously through others until we are ready to finally head there on our own. But while it is nice to know we can go anywhere in the world via a screen, whenever we so choose, there is one particular caveat to this method of alternate travel. In that, there are a lot of travel shows out there, and some of them don’t quite care about the location/destination in question, as much as we do.
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Which is why it is important to celebrate shows that truly celebrate the various locations they venture to. For it means that the folks who put the series together, aren’t interested in views and likes and ratings, they genuinely want you to experience the locale in question, in an intimate manner and one such series that accomplishes this, is Ride with Norman Reedus. For week in and week out, Norman and his travel companion work hard to give the viewer a proper understanding of what their destination is all about, and for proof… then look no further than this week’s episode. Because the show could have moved onto another destination after last week’s season five premiere and called it a day, but rather than go that route, it opted to really explore every nook and cranny in New Zealand, and that made ‘The South Island of New Zealand with Dylan McDermott’, quite the satisfying adventure. 

Because we were able to see how the Northern and Southern islands of this proud country contrast and complement one another. For example, a journey through several of the cities in the South Island, helped to reveal the fact that the people that live here, believe in taking things easy. In fact, Norman and Dylan ran into several people that came to the South Island in order to get away from the hustle and bustle of the north, or the rat race in general, because of the sheer calm present on this island. Plus, they also believe in enjoying the moment and all that life has to offer, to the point where they often partake in a great deal of leisurely activities, such as Blokarting. Which is where one uses the abundant wind on this island, to ride around in a cart with a sail attached.

But while it was nice to see that the South Island of New Zealand is focused on living a simpler life in a world that is always on the go, we would be foolish to not discuss the sheer beauty present in this part of the world. Because everywhere that Dylan and Norman went in this tale, they were privy to breathtaking views. The kind that really did allow for the viewer to relax and take in the majesty of this island paradise, regardless of the fact that nature here can be a little harsh at times. For the earthquakes that rock this part of the world are fierce at times, to the point where life comes to a crawl when major roadways are blocked or damaged by quakes. But it doesn’t seem to bother the folks that live here in the slightest, simply because they understand this kind of beauty comes with a price and well, judging from the majesty we saw here, that particular line of thinking makes perfect sense.

If anything, this really was quite the delightful episode when all is said and done. Simply because this particular tale really did accomplish what it set out to do. For we truly got a complete and dynamic and detailed look at what New Zealand is all about it, and we also once again… got to know Norman and Dylan a little better over the course of this journey. Since now we know that both men are eager to settle down in a place where they are surrounded by nature, and that they both have an interesting relationship with memes as well and now that our journey through New Zealand has come to a close, it is definitely safe to say that we will eagerly be awaiting next week’s adventure. So that we can once again enjoy a detailed exploration of a part of the world, that not everyone has had the opportunity to venture to. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 204 of ‘For All Mankind’.

​From the start, the AppleTV+ series, For All Mankind, worked hard to establish itself to be an exploratory show. One that was going to holding nothing back in its presentation of an alternate timeline where America lost the space race in an embarrassing manner and how that would end up being a benefit for the United States when all is said and done. Since we’ve seen technological advancements and stunning drive come out of that defeat. And as an added bonus, this universe was assembled with colorful and dynamic characters, the kind that would experience realistic hardships and growth, in order to truly sell this magnificent alternate world, and season one of this series was incredibly successful at making all of this work in a seamless manner.
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But as we continue to dive into year two of this fascinating series, it is becoming inherently clear now that just plunging us into a rich world isn’t enough for the writers’ room. They want to push the envelope a little further and explore how the human condition in this alternate reality isn’t all that different from our own and it is accomplishing that particular goal, by having the characters deal with a lot of the same things we do and that’s allowing for some interesting thematic concepts to find their way into this series. Such as the importance of tackling unfinished business. Since a great deal of us know that sometimes we need to go back and finish something we walked away from in order to feel complete and that was explored in ‘Pathfinder’ by way of Admiral Ed Baldwin. 

Because now that he was free of the grief that grounded him on Earth, he was to starting thinking about his future, and how his career was going to come to an end. And thanks to a little prompting from Karen, he was able to realize, that now was the perfect time to step away from his role behind a desk and get back out into space in the boldest way imaginable, by commanding the first flight of the newly commissioned space shuttle… Pathfinder. An act that allowed for him to find his swagger once again, to the point where he was able to even help out Dani by granting her request to make her the first African American, female commander of a space mission. One that will have her overseeing a joint mission with cosmonauts from the Soviet Union. 

Plus, everything that Ed has gone through as of late, allowed for him to realize exactly how to help his old friend Gordo. Because Mister Stevens was still struggling with his past and his fears and that motivated Ed to give him the tough love he needed to finally snap out of his funk, since sometimes… that is exactly what you need to get back and track, and while this particular tale ends in a slightly tense manner, since Ed had to ditch his plane over the ocean… the message inherent hung heavy over this episode. In that, tackling unfinished business will do wonders for our souls and give us a confidence and a drive that we thought we lost, so we should absolutely do what we can to finish something we walked away from, if the opportunity is there to do so. 

If anything, all of this made for one uplifting tale, one that also demonstrated the sheer potential of this particular series. Since this kind of thoughtful storytelling, combined with the endless possibilities that come about from a reality unknown to us, could bring about some legendary tales. The kind that will make this series stand tall as a science fiction classic and well, all this does is leave one counting own the minutes until next week’s tale. So that we can see exactly what storytelling wonders await us, since season two is clearly going to dive deep into some powerful concepts for certain, the kind that will give us pause and move us to tears and joy, all while we watch the astronauts of NASA work to finally establish dominance in a world where space travel is a standard. Until next time.   

‘For All Mankind’ is streaming now on AppleTV+.

When we ponder upon what makes up a good person, a fairly obvious set of traits come to mind. For instance, this type of person genuinely does have a solid moral compass/core, one that definitely guides them to err on the side of what’s right and what’s just. Plus, they’re also genuinely kind through and through and supremely selfless for certain and that truly allows for us to admire this type of person since they have made a point to make noble choices their focus in life. But while one should indeed celebrate these kinds of behaviors, and these kinds of people, our admiration of them often allows for something unfortunate to surround good people. In that, they’re so busy working to help others get back on their feet, that they forget to take care of themselves emotionally and that’s problematic for certain.

Because good people are still human beings with needs, and they need to take a moment to care for themselves. So that they don’t find themselves in a tough spot mentally and emotionally and one thing that helps them do that, is a solid support network. That way, they are reminded to take it easy from time to time, so they can recharge, and to also seek out what they need, emotionally. If anything, this is relevant to our discussion today, simply because this concept was at the forefront of the season four finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation. For ‘Redemption’ saw the U.S.S. Enterprise return to Qo’noS so that Captain Jean-Luc Picard could complete his role as arbiter of succession, by overseeing the installation of Gowron as High Chancellor of the Klingon Empire. And being able to meet with Gowron before that ceremony, motivated Worf to ask for the restoration of his honor for helping to defeat Duras. Something that Gowron brushed off, and while that left Worf frustrated, he accepted the outcome.

For he is a good person through and through, one that puts everyone else ahead of himself. But the sting from this rebuke was clear to his captain and Guinan, and they both worked to convince Worf that now was the time to do something for himself and figure out how to restore his honor and that motivated the Lieutenant to take a leave of absence from Starfleet to make that happen. Which led to some powerful moments for certain, the kind that showed us a side of Worf that we’ve never seen before. For he was relentless and cunning in trying to restore his honor, even going so far as to secure support from other houses through his brother, in order to use support during these trying times as leverage over Gowron. But eventually all it took was standing tall when the Duras family made some shady moves to seize power to have that honor restored, and in the end, it was quite wonderful to see Worf do something for himself for a change.

But while that allowed for the show’s message about self-care to be hammered home in a simple manner, there was so much more that this episode had to offer. Because the fact that the Klingon Empire is plunged into civil war here, is incredible. Since that’s just something you don’t see happen in the peaceful world of Trek all that often. Plus, this one also features some magnificent cliffhanger moments. Because Worf resigning his commission to fight in the war is huge, since at the time we didn’t know if he would be back or if he would embrace the Empire now that his honor was restored. Plus, there’s that ending. Wherein Commander Sela, who is clearly the descendant of Lieutenant Tasha Yar, makes her presence known and even though you know this is coming a second time around… it still shocks you because of the sheer gravity of the moment and well, everything we’ve discussed here today, makes this a solid finale for certain.

Basically because… it has it all. For there’s some light commentary on the human condition here by way of Worf’s bold journey. Plus, there’s action and adventure and outright surprises by way of the ending and what truly makes this finale so worth your while, is that it doesn’t try to top season three’s. Because trying to out-do ‘The Best of Both Worlds’ would have done this finale a disservice, so it is wonderful to see that the writers’ room opted to just assemble a compelling story, one that allows for Michael Dorn to really shine as an actor. Since he is able to express incredible range in this tale by way of Worf’s sneaky machinations. But what matters most when it comes to this finale, is that it genuinely leaves you hungry for more, even when it is your second time through the story. Because the setup for the cliffhanger is just that good and it really does put an exclamation point on what was simply a flawless season of storytelling. Until next time.

If there is one thing that each and every one of us are searching for in life, it would have to be a stable and fulfilling and healthy relationship. One that genuinely provides us with everything we could ever want when it comes to matters of love, and the possibility of having the peace and security and joy that comes with the perfect partner/relationship, motivates us to date often. Simply because we know that we will have to sift through quite a few people in order to find our one and only, and even then… getting into a long-term relationship that appears to meet our criteria, offers no guarantees. Since sometimes, people grow apart or come to learn they’re better friends than lovers.

But what is truly fascinating about dating in general, is how slowly it teaches us lessons about what we really want out of a relationship and what type of partner will actually give us the peace we seek. And what makes that fascinating, is that one would think that one sour relationship would do the trick and teach us everything, we need to know. But instead, we learn those lessons slowly as we go through life, for reasons we pay little mind to and really, those tough lessons in love and why we take forever to learn them, are relevant to our discussion today, simply because they found their way into the next episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. A feat that ‘In Theory’ accomplished, by having Lieutenant Commander Data take part in a chaotic relationship with one Lieutenant Jenna D’Sorra.

One that quite frankly, put every horrible thing in regard to dating on display here. Since Data got into this relationship for all the wrong reasons, since he was eager to use this opportunity to learn more about humanity. And to compound matters further, Data often tried new programs and personalities to try to be the perfect partner to Jenna, with equally as ugly results and well, while this relationship didn’t last, what it has to say about love and relationships and the aforementioned learning curve, was quite poignant and mature. Since Jenna’s decision to end this mess was grounded in the reality that we are often afraid to try new things and go for people that truly compliment us when we date, and until we do that… the cycle of blasé continues and it was quite refreshing to find that message embedded in this tale.

But while that alone makes for a fascinating story, there was some science fiction to be found in this episode as well. Because while Data and Jenna were trying to figure out what love is all about, the crew was exploring a dark matter nebula, in the hopes of coming to understand how a Class-M planet formed in the midst of such chaos. A question they weren’t able to answer, simply because the dark matter surrounding this mysterious planet, was moving through the void and impacting and damaging the Enterprise from time to time. Which motivated Picard to resort to extreme measures to get the ship out of this mess safely, the kind that saw him piloting a shuttle through the void in order to keep the ship ahead of the game. An act that of course didn’t quite go as planned, but what matters most, is that eventually the crew was free of this mess and off to their next mission.

Which makes this episode a perfectly run of the mill TNG tale when all is and done and that’s just fine. Because you cannot go wrong with a Trek story that explores any aspect of the human condition and has action and adventure that’s exactly the best way to summarize this lighthearted tale. One that quite frankly, was likely selected as the penultimate episode of season four with good reason. Because a fluffy affair was the perfect way to clear our mental palates before plunging us into a powerhouse season four finale. One that doesn’t necessarily to go places as dark as ‘The Best of Both Worlds, Part I and II’, but it definitely features some intense and game changing moments. The kind that would have a lasting impact on the franchise, courtesy of a grand reveal and one ugly conflict. Until next time.