Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season finale of ‘Single Drunk Female’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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We like to believe, that when we have emerged from an incredible challenge in our lives, that the worst is truly behind us, and that we never have to worry about facing such matters ever again and it makes sense as to why we hold to that line of thinking. After all, we grew during that dark period of time and acquired a new set of skills to deal with our burdens, and the past is indeed in the past. So, in our minds… the chances of ever facing such matters again or letting them get the best of us, is slim to none. Because it's over and now, we’ve got this, and we are ready. But while that is a brave line of thinking, one that genuinely puts us on cloud nine and helps us to get through the day, there are flaws that accompany such thoughts.
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For the universe is cyclical in nature and has a tendency to throw us into familiar situations to truly test us and our mettle and those moments will absolutely inform us of whether or not we've moved beyond the challenge in question and what's wild, is that the everyday person has it easy when it comes to that. Because if your incredible challenge was overcoming addiction, those same surprises and nuggets of chaos… will quickly remind a former addict of the comfort that awaits them by way of their favorite substance and well, when that moment arrives… the recovering individual faces quite the stunning and difficult choice, one that also informs them of where they are in the recovery process, and really, this particular test is top of mind today, because it served as the central theme to the season finale of Single Drunk Female on Freeform. 

Because ‘A Wedding’ put Samantha Fink’s sobriety to the test, in a surprisingly unique manner. For when we catch up with her, here, she’s feeling great. Because she still has a steady job, a support network, and at long last… her probation is finally over, giving her genuine joy and freedom and hope that at long last… she is going to get back on track. In fact, life is treating her so well, that she even gets invited to Brit’s wedding. But what should be a true closure moment for Sam, turns out to be the test in question. For when she is called up to Brit’s private dressing room, because Brit is having a moment filled with fear and worry… everything changes.

For Brit is angry and filled with doubt regarding her nuptials and despite her consistent ability to keep the peace, and deflect, and find the beauty in each moment, she can’t here, and she just unloads on Sam and informs her of some heartbreaking facts and well… that’s enough to motivate Sam to leave to clear her head and try and hold it together as emotions wash over her and well, that is no easy task. Mainly because, it finally becomes apparent to her that James has fallen off the wagon on her way out the door, and seeing him in such a state and hearing his drunk persona speak ill of everything he told her to hold dear… combined with Brit's breakdown, pushes Sam like never before and puts her in that difficult place. Wherein she has the choice to either give into alcohol’s comfort once again, or use her new skill set to stand tall and find real comfort in growth.
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In the end, Sam chose the latter of those two options and spent her evening, enjoying a little alone time with video games. Wherein she could process the day’s events and use her skill set to aid her in that, and for her efforts, she found peace and strength and comfort that she was on the right path and in quite the surprise… Brit made time to come see Sam after the wedding. To seek forgiveness and to seek the bond they once shared, giving the both of them hope for a renewed friendship and a better tomorrow. One where the sun would rise as it always does and where everything would be okay. Not because this is the end of the story, and this is the happy ending. No instead, that hope exists to send us a powerful message.

In that, tomorrow is another day and that all we can do, is take life one day at a time and handle events as they unfold in the moment… just as Sam did here and that… really is a wonderful way to bring this brilliant season to a close. Since it informs us how far Sam has come and how strong she is now, and how she is ready to handle the challenges ahead, and there will be plenty. For there is still work to be done in patching things up with her mother and Brit, and of course… James’ slip has to be dealt with and life… will still test Sam like never before and well, all that revelation does… is leave us eager for news of a season two renewal. So, we can see this poignant and powerful story continue along and be refreshed by its honesty, and inspired by Sam’s never-ending work, to stay sober and healthy and happy.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season four finale of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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First Contact is one of the most important moments for a Starfleet crew, and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery was doing amazing with their first contact of Species Ten-C, that is, until Book and Tarka ruined everything. The Ten-C don’t understand what’s going on and have stopped communicating with Discovery. The message Reno gets to the ship is one that has a dire meaning. They’re on a time crunch now, worse than ever. The problem is, they’re still trapped in the Ten-C’s orb, and the Ten-C won’t release them, because they think Discovery is already free. They are left in dire straits. They have to get free and stop Tarka before he kills billions of people, including the Ten-C. Michael tries to communicate with the Ten-C that Tarka and Book are not with them. That they are trying to help.
 
Only, Zora hasn’t completed the transcriptions of their language yet, and to communicate something that complicated would take time. Time, they don’t have. This leads T’Rina to try and Mind Meld with the Ten-C. It’s a mild success, but not in a way that lets them know that Discovery and her crew are here for peace. T’Rina does learn that the Ten-C are a collective mind. They’re vastly different from the Borg, but they think and act as one. Their emotions are relayed as one, and so is everything else. The experience sends T’Rina to sick bay, but thankfully she’s okay. The only thing now is to figure out if her and Saru can really work as more than colleagues.

It’s Paul who comes up with a solution to get them out of the orb. They will have to use all of the energy on the ship, and there’s a chance they might not survive. It’s risky, and they’ll essentially blow up the Spore Drive to get out. It’s their only chance. If they don’t stop Book and Tarka, the Ten-C and so many more, will be wiped out. It takes everything, but they go with Paul’s plan, and they do break free. They’ll worry about getting home later. They have to catch up to Book’s ship. Book is trying to talk Tarka down, as is Reno. There is no going back. Grief is always the result to Love, and really that line alone sums it all up. You cannot bring people back, once they’re gone, they’re gone forever. It hurts. It’s a deep hurt that has no words and nothing ever fixes the loss. That is what makes it so beautiful and special. Tarka will not be reasoned with. Thankfully, Book has a way out for them. Turns out his cat doesn’t like Holo’s, so her collar had a holo disruptor on it. He’s able to use that, to get Reno and himself out and even punches Tarka out cold. Reno can’t stop their course, and neither can Book, so he gives her his badge and sends her back to Discovery.

Book’s message is to stop them, whatever the cost, and that he loves Michael. Reno, being the good bro that she is, tells Michael this and then immediately gets back to work. Weapons are still down and by the time they catch up to the ship, it’s too close; and there really isn’t much time. The only solution is to physically ram Book’s ship away from the DMA power source. General N’Doye volunteers, maybe it’s her way of making up for her helping hand in Book and Tarka ruining First Contact. It’s a suicide mission. Just kidding! They save her at the last second, but she does crash her ship into Book’s and stops them from reaching their destination. Tarka is slightly talked off the edge when Book points out that his friend wouldn’t want him to do it this way. In Tarka’s change of heart, he uses the last of the ship’s power to beam him back to Discovery, before the ship explodes and he dies with it. Maybe he makes it to where is friend is. Probably not though.

Discovery is about to beam Book onto the bridge when he vanishes mid beam just as Book’s ship explodes. Michael, thinking the worst, loses it just a bit. The whole bridge does. It’s then the Ten-C send another message asking for Discovery’s crew to join them, once again, for a chat. With this happening, the DMA is still advancing. Titan has been evacuated, and not nearly enough on Ni’Var and Earth have gotten off planet. The DMA is too close, and the evacuation efforts are halted. It’s here that Admiral Vance and Tilly stay behind to keep the shield up as long as possible. They’re desperately hanging on by a thread as negotiations continue. Which is exactly what happens. Zora is finally able to communicate with the Ten-C in a more complex way. The Ten-C don’t understand the makeup of Discovery and her crew, but they are ‘one made of many’ as Rillak says. Michael explains that Book and Tarka weren’t apart of them, they’d fractured off. She also tells the Ten-C what their DMA has been doing to their side of the galaxy. That Book came here for revenge because his entire planet was destroyed by their machine.

The Ten-C feel bad and agree to scan for life forms before directing the DMA. They then give Book back to Michael since they kept his Beam on pause. Book is happy to be back but not with the news of the Ten-C’s new plan. He says they have to shut the DMA down for good, as it still leaves behind toxic pockets of space. He relates to them over their fears. Book is good at getting through to them, and they agree to shut it down. The Ten-C then do something remarkable, they send Discovery back home. Titan is getting the help they need, Earth and Ni’Var are safe, and all is well. Earth even rejoins the Federation. And Book? Well, he’s going to help displaced people, from the DMA, to make up for what he’s done. At least for now, there is once again peace. The U.S.S. Discovery has seen her fair share of challenges, and they keep getting more difficult. There’s nothing this crew can’t handle, however.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 203 of ‘Star Trek: Picard’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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There are a great many reasons to love the Star Trek Universe. Such as how it presents to us, a future where mankind has finally put their differences aside to traverse the stars and better our species, giving us hope that a better tomorrow might be achievable. Plus, you can’t go wrong with the social commentary present in the STU, since that allows for us to recognize real issues in our world and inspires us to make a difference. But of the many reasons to love this franchise, the biggest one of all… is its versatility storytelling wise. For this that rare franchise that is eager to wow its audience with stories that offer something different week to week, and its versatility is top of mind today, because it was on full display in the next episode of Star Trek: Picard.
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For shortly after the crew of La Sirena escaped the clutches of the Confederation’s Magistrate and the small fleet assigned to terminate their lives in ‘Assimilation’, the crew made their daring run toward the 21st Century and thanks to the help of the Borg Queen… their desire to arrive in 2024 was a success. Since they crash landed in the middle of nowhere on Earth and confirmed as best, they could that the queen’s temporal calculations were correct. But alas, this voyage home was not without great cost. For the queen was forced to syphon power to stay alive and that meant… Elnor suffered greatly in sickbay. For the BioBed was no longer receiving power and his wounds from the battle were worsening and well… that led to the unthinkable.

In that, Elnor passed away on that table in a time he never knew on a ship that offered no kindness or care thanks to the changes in the timeline and that surprise… brought about great division among the crew. For Seven and Raffi were ill over the fact that Admiral Picard allowed for the queen to live in the slightest, since that cost Elnor his life, and his death put Raffi in quite the dark place. One where she decided that the best way to fix this mess, was to find the Watcher post haste and fix the timeline so that Elnor would hopefully return to them in the 25th Century. And while and she and Seven, and Rios made their way to Los Angeles to fix the shattered timeline… Jean-Luc and Agnes took a moment to repair the ship in the most dangerous way imaginable.

Because in order to get everything up and running again, the queen had to regenerate and the best way to make that happen quickly… was within the framework of her mind and someone would need to go in there and help her heal. An option that Jean-Luc did not want to sign off upon, because of the risk inherent of assimilation, but Dr. Jurati believed she could accomplish this goal and escape the fate of becoming a 21st Century drone, with Picard’s help. For he could pull her out of the queen’s mind if the situation became too dangerous and after much pressing, the good doctor got her way and was lightly assimilated into the collective. Wherein she did indeed conduct the proper repairs and in the process, she came close to bringing Picard’s worst fear to life. But thankfully, Jean-Luc pulled her out of that strange mental space between spaces and wonders did come about from her decision.

In that, the ship did finally get the power it needed, so major repairs could take place to make the old girl functional enough to complete their mission, and the queen lived as well, giving them a way home. And as an added bonus, Agnes ended up blindsiding the Borg Queen. For while she was in the echo of the collective, she straight up stole pertinent data and information, the kind that the away team would be able to make great use of, since the actual coordinates of the Watcher were present in the queen’s mind as was the actual date of the temporal divergence. But alas, those critical tidbits of information will have to be used at another time… since the away team's time in the City of Angels, brought forth some pressing matters to deal with.
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Because while Picard and Agnes were playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the Borg Collective, the search was on in Los Angeles for the Watcher, in a messy manner. Because the transporters plopped all three members of the away team around L.A. and nowhere near their destination, which was the highest skyscraper in the city. And when Seven and Raffi arrived there to scan for the Watcher, the results were poor. Since the signal they thought they had was weak in nature, giving rise to thanks that Picard and Agnes were able to get something useful from the Borg Queen. But what matters more, is that this duo ran into a lot of resistance and trouble on their way there, making it clear that the 21st Century will be a tough place to navigate, and that their safety is not guaranteed at the moment, and the away team’s problems didn’t end there.

For Rios, never made it to the rendezvous point, since he rematerialized about three stories above ground, leading to a nasty concussion and some injuries and thanks to the kindness of a stranger, he was brought to a low-income clinic, where a kind doctor named Theresa healed his wounds and cared for him until he was ready to move on his own and that’s when the real trouble arrived. Because ICE showed up at the worst possible time to instill fear and indulge in their special brand of racism and because of the fact that Rios stayed behind to do the right thing and help… he’s now in a lot of hot water. Since ICE placed him into custody, putting a man from the future behind bars, and leaving his tech behind for anyone to discover.

Which really is quite the juicy cliffhanger to throw into this story, since Rios being captured is a huge deal with all kinds of implications for his safety and the timeline for that matter as well. But while we wait to see how the crew handles his arrest, we can bask in the majesty of an epic tale that truly had it all. Because Elnor’s passing made for some powerful emotional moments for certain and there was plenty of action and adventure to be found here, with a tinge of danger courtesy of the Borg Queen storyline and that many surprises in a single episode, speaks to the versatility of this franchise and this show and it also means we should expect the unexpected as Admiral Jean-Luc Picard’s desperate push to save the future continues along. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey’. To revisit the previous two episodes, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say… that we tend to forget to appreciate, a great deal of the wonder and beauty that life surrounds us with, and it makes sense as to why. For our lives can be quite chaotic in nature and filled to the brim with busy moments and stresses that more or less force us, to let the wonder of the moment slip through our hands. Take for instance, our morning route, a ritual that we often see as a grind, simply because we have kids to get ready, and sleep to shake off, and a job to mentally prepare for... when in fact, the morning is quite the beautiful affair. Where the sunrise reminds us of the endless opportunity ahead and where there are moments of silence that help us to find the energy, we need… to get through more majestic moments we don’t appreciate all that often.
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After all, we make incredible memories throughout our day, and take part in conversations that mean the world to some. Not to mention, when the workday is over, we take part in more magic moments. The kind that allows for us to share in joy with our families and fulfill what our souls crave though hobbies, before we get to sleep gently and do it all again. If anything, it is important to recognize the wonder of life and the moments that we more or less take for granted. In part because it provides us with newfound appreciation of the journey, but to also remind us of how lucky we are. For some folks don’t get to enjoy those moments or worse yet… they’re robbed from them when their mind goes and the importance of appreciating what we sometimes see as ‘mundane’ is top of mind today, simply because it was one of the many focal themes present in the next episode of The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey.

For ‘Sensia’ saw Ptolemy emerge from the wild dreams and fevers that his first dose of the miracle cure for his memory wrought upon him… to find himself back in a world where the mundane surrounded him again. Since he felt up to a shower and a shave and dressing to the nines to see the doctor and watching him find utter joy in being able to make the decisions to do just that, alongside enjoying a meal and conversation with Robyn and Billy and the enchanting Ms. Wring… truly made it clear how much we take such things for granted. Since those with dementia or Alzheimer’s no longer understand the small pleasures those moments bring and having that become a subtle focus of this story, reminds the audience to enjoy every moment that comes our way and savor them to the fullest since they will never come again and may fade whether we like it or not.

But while that did indeed make for some fascinating commentary on the precious nature of life and what it means to truly enjoy the moment, there was so much more for this story to explore. Such as Ptolemy’s past. For the drug and its second dose did what was advertised and unlocked just about everything for him. Allowing for the audience to learn that Ptolemy has seen a great deal of beauty and misery in his day. To the point where he watched Coydog be lynched by a group of brutal jackals resembling men… because he took justice into his own hands, in a nonviolent manner no less. Making quite the impression upon young Ptolemy as to what the world was like, and we also gained some insight into what his love affair with Sensia was like.

As it turns out, it was what one could call… the perfect love affair. One grounded in raw emotion that surged through both parties, as evidenced by the connection they shared on the fateful day they met in 1976, and through Sensia’s wild actions when her former lover came bursting into Ptolemy’s apartment. Because it takes true love to see through the anger and fury that Sensia exhibited over someone trying to control her and her life, and it takes that same love to forgive and forget such passionate behavior, and while this sequence was brief, it told us so much about their connection and what it did for them in life and it also played a big part in the ending of this tale as well.
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But we will return to that in just a bit. Because we would be remiss and foolish to not talk about the commentary on race relations in America’s past and now, that is present in this tale. Because Coydog’s horrific fate, one that absolutely and rightfully feels uncomfortable since it is wrong, speaks volumes to how we aren’t that far removed from an era in our history when lynching was commonplace. Since Ptolemy hasn’t even reached a century in age yet, and saw this happen in his early years, and making that point… serves to remind us that while we have indeed made progress, we have a long way to go and that wasn’t the only poignant message and experience that the show made a point to immerse us within.

Because seeing Black people come in and out of Dr. Rubin’s facility, had an eerie and familiar feel to it and rightfully so. Since it harkens back to America’s dark history regarding medical experiments involving Black people. Such as the Tuskegee Study and placing that commentary deep within this sequence is supremely important, since it is imperative, we never forget of such acts and teach others about them often. So that they aren’t repeated and so that equality reigns and there is genuine comfort to be found in knowing... that these uncomfortable moments in this story, will inspire others to seek out such knowledge and keep the lesson alive.

If anything, all of these elements, make this another brilliant chapter in an already brilliant story. Since this episode dove into so many powerful and meaningful concepts, the kind that leave us in deep silent thought when the end credits fade to black and that’s a wonderful thing. Because that is what great storytelling should do and this is storytelling at its finest and once again, the performances were riveting, and of course, this story found a way to leave us ravenous for more of Ptolemy’s journey. Since we also came to learn, that his greatest treasure of all, is buried within his home and it will be incredible to see what that treasure is and what it means for Ptolemy’s second chance at the wonder that is life. Until next time. 

Please enjoy a sneak peek of Episode four of Shining Vale, which will air on STARZ on March 20, 2022.
 
If the embedded clip below doesn’t work, please click here.

Please enjoy a super-sized sneak peek of Episode Seven of Power Book IV: Force, which will air on STARZ on March 20, 2022, at 8 p.m. EST.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 211 of ‘Big Sky’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Things are falling apart all over the place in this episode. Jenny confronts Travis near the Bhullars’ current residence, thinking they are the ones behind Max and Rachel’s kidnapping. Travis assures her the Bhullars are not the ones behind taking the girls, so Jenny logically blames Dietrich and demands to go with Travis to see him. At the Boot Heel, Dietrich is most unhappy that Jenny is now involved in his business, and quickly realizes that “Stone” and Jenny are an item. Dietrich reveals that he wasn’t the one to order the kidnapping, apparently Bob has gone rogue.
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Veer is less than pleased that Ren has brought Travis, as Stone, into their fold, as he prefers to be the one to do the vetting, which is ironic considering who he’s involved himself with in Helena. There is quite the tense moment when Veer meets Travis, Veer seeming to recognize him from the past. Travis’s well-laid plans for the Bhullars may already be in jeopardy.

Wolf is forced to admit the absurdity of his plans for Ronald to Cassie and Lindor. He offers to help locate Ronald, but only in return for immunity and 'help' to bury his wife, Agatha, as he is still wounded from the struggle with Scarlet and Ronald. Once Agatha is in the ground, Wolf reveals that he has microchipped Ronald in case of trouble. He insists on accompanying Cassie and Lindor in their hunt for Ronald.

Ronald’s condition is clearly worsening. Despite Scarlet’s best efforts, Ronald’s wound is looking nasty, and his high fever indicates an infection. Ronald wants to ditch Wolf’s truck, but Scarlet is not prepared to simply stand by and watch Ronald die. She instead takes them to a nearby hospital, where they spot a doctor leaving for home. Scarlet follows the poor man to his remotely located home, and at gunpoint, insists he care for Ronald.

Dietrich confronts Bob over the kidnapping of Max and Rachel, reminding Bob the job was to take the heat off his ass, not increase it. Bob instead raises his prices and physically rebels against Dietrich.
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Despite Jag’s efforts, Veer knows the brains behind the plans for Helena was Ren Despite thinking that it’s a good plan, Veer tells Ren that he will be leaving Jag in charge of things when he dies, not her. Ren may have thought she could prove her worth to her father, but it appears nothing will change his mind about leaving Jag in charge over her.

Bob makes the mistake of revealing to Max and Rachel just how thoroughly disturbed he is, and also his woodworking tools. This gives Max even more drive to escape, and now the means. By the time Bob returns to his basement, Max has successfully severed her zip ties and is working on her mom’s. She takes him by surprise, hitting him over the head, but he is only temporarily stunned. He knocks Max to the ground and goes for Rachel. Max spies her keychain on the ground with the pointed brass knuckles. She stabs and swipes Bob with it, and tries to run up the stairs, but a now wounded and wildly angry Bob drags her down the stairs. With her escape attempt failed, Max appears unconscious.

There can only be further fallout from all this chaos. Scarlet and Ronald don’t realize how close on their trail Wolf, Lindor and Cassie are. Nothing about Ren has led us to believe that she will quietly submit to her father’s wishes. The only certainty seems to be that the wild cards will only get wilder.

One impossible scenario that we often run through our heads, is what it would be like to speak with our younger selves and impart the wisdom we have now… upon them. A scenario that comes to fruition, usually after we learn something embarrassing in nature. You know, the kind of thing that would have helped us out greatly when we were younger, if we had just known better. But those scenarios are often fleeting since other life responsibilities, require to us to move along. But while we do that and use our newfound knowledge to our advantage, the creative mind… feats upon such possibilities and is eager to dive into it post haste when it sneaks its way into a writer's brain.

For print and television and film… can take this concept to all kinds of new heights and explore every outcome of being able to communicate with our younger selves, including how such an interaction could be extremely uncomfortable and how it might go south and it just so happens… that the next episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation lets the awkward aspect of this scenario play out in an intelligent manner, courtesy of a surprise for Commander William T. Riker. For when he and the crew of the Enterprise return to the planet that launched his career, and nearly cost him his life, in order to retrieve data that’s been unavailable for eight years due to the planet’s wild atmosphere in ‘Second Chances’, Will encounters… himself.

No joke, a full-on Lieutenant William T. Riker is there to greet Will and the away team, and after some investigating it becomes clear that when Riker Prime was beaming off of this godforsaken rock eight years ago, a transporter quirk, created Riker 2.0, whose existence was unknown to the Riker's crew, forcing them to abandon him, and well... while this should have been a joyous and fascinating reunion. One grounded in paths not taken and the ability to learn from a senior version of oneself… the Riker boys simply do not get along. In fact, they fight constantly, and they consistently try to one up each other and, to top if all off... younger Riker is eager to rekindle his romance with Deanna. Meaning that a vast majority of this episode is basically dedicated to these men staying out of each other’s way until they can finish the mission and part ways and well, what makes that uncomfortable and angry twist of note… is what it teaches the audience about why this kind of reunion would be a terrible idea and why it would likely be sour in nature.

In that, let’s be honest… our younger versions of ourselves, aren’t exactly a beacon of nobility or inspiration. For we are goofy and awkward in our younger years and immature in some form or fashion because the big events that made us the person that wants to impart wisdom on ourselves from yesterday… haven’t happened yet. Which means, if we could speak to our younger selves, we’d basically be talking to a brick wall. Since the person we left behind… thinks they know better and may not like what we have to say. Which in turns leads to the most important lessons of all. Specifically, that thinking about such a scenario is a waste of time, because that person is gone thanks to the various experiences that come our way, and rather than even remotely worry about what we could have been with today's lessons in hands, we should celebrate what we've learned and who we are now and continue to do our best to grow. 

If anything, this is just... a wildly intelligent and philosophical episode for certain. Since we’ve likely just scratched the surface of its meaning here. Since encountering oneself all over again, regardless of how, also brings about all kinds of musings on the male ego, in this instance, and more. Making this episode a psychologist’s (or psychiatrist's) dream come true since it explores all the tenants of their passion and field of study and well, kudos to this episode for exploring one hell of a concept. Because this one really does leave you with a lot to chew upon and as an added bonus, it also deserves a round of applause for exploring the Riker/Troi dynamic at last. Since we came to learn all about their relationship here and how important it is to both of them and well, this episode likely lays down the foundation for their eventual marriage. And now that we’ve reached of this engrossing tale… it is time to turn our attention to a palate cleansing adventure before we hit the season six finale. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Echos’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One unfortunate truth that we learn in life as we grow… is that tough times will truly show us who are real friends are. Because people that genuinely care about us… will stick with us through thick and thin while the ones that are only friends with us because it benefits them in some way, are happy to fade when the going gets tough and they’re not getting what they want, and what makes this lesson so difficult, is that it is hard to reconcile the discovery that someone was using us and pretending to care about us when we genuinely cared about them. But it is an important lesson for us to learn and it is one that Nellie has to go through in the next episode of the Sundance Now series, Echos.

For when we catch up with her in ‘Die Suche’, she is desperate to speak with Janosch about his decision to swing by the cops and potentially ruin the search for Max and well… that brings her to his home where she sees the façade that he lives behind and being embarrassed in that manner… forces him to explode and reveal, that he’s genuinely friends with her for his own benefit. Which breaks Nellie’s heart to no end since she truly believed that Janosch was that proverbial ‘brother from another mother’, but her standing in society and her ability to help him appear to be from the right side of the tracks was all he ever wanted and well… that revelation leaves Nellie alone and unsure of how to proceed.

But that certainly doesn’t stop her from searching for her brother, it merely gives her a moment to grieve over this betrayal and once she does… she goes after the truth with a vengeance. First by offering Tyler an apology and a blank check to help her find Max and second… by doing something quite bold. For she stumbles upon video evidence of Lisa and Max’s affair, one that took place in the very spot of that fateful rave and armed with the knowledge that she could blackmail Lisa into letting her into the catacombs, she attempted to, with poor results. Simply because Lisa didn’t think Nellie was capable of that kind of malice and called her bluff, providing Nellie with another powerful lesson. In that, people are harder to control than one might think.    

However, while Nellie’s journey could have carried this story on its own, there were other important moments present within this tale. Since this story also informed us of the fact that Officer Kaltbrunner is willing to risk everything to close the case that she is far too close to. Since she actually took the time to swipe critical documents off of the District Attorney’s desk to try and further the investigation on her own. A move that will undoubtedly lead to more trouble for her from a career standpoint and we also came to learn that Tyler is ready to play quite the risky game with Nellie in order to help others. Since she basically agreed to give Nellie more access to the tunnels, for the price of exorbitant medication that will help her friend. A move that could easily backfire if Nellie gets any inkling of the fact that her ally is the one that is hiding Max away in the darkness.

In the end however, this was just another engaging chapter in this already engaging tale. Simply because this one made the emotional fallout of Max’s disappearance the focus of this story and that allowed for some powerful moments to take place. The kind that genuinely humanized Nellie and Janosch, for better or for worse and what’s equally as impressive is that this episode still managed to keep the mysterious nature of the plot going. Since we are still eager to know exactly what is driving Kaltbrunner in such a dangerous manner and of course, what Lisa’s real motivations are here and what kind of trouble awaits Nellie’s mother and once again, this story compels us to push ahead… so we can see how this intricately woven journey is going to come together. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘That Dirty Black Bag’. To revisit the series premiere, click here.
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When we last settled in to discuss the fascinating AMC+ series, That Dirty Black Bag, we talked at length about how the show’s raw violence and underlying savagery… served as quite the surprise. Since so many Westerns, even in this era of storytelling, work hard to romanticize Manifest Destiny and this era, and work just as hard to make it look appealing… when the old west was quite the opposite and was instead quite wild and scary. But this show's series premiere held nothing back regarding the true nature of the wild west, and it was so deeply engrained within the fabric and vibe of the story, that it absolutely left the audience wondering… if this series was going to continue to assault our senses with visceral moments and imagery week in and week out.

Well as it turns out, the next episode in this unique saga, wasted no time in informing us of the fact… that it would actually give the audience a bit of a break from the horrors of the wild west now and again. For ‘Chapter Two: Prisoner’ slowed things down quite a bit and tossed most of the darkness aside, in order to explore a couple of key storylines involving some of the characters that didn’t get their due in the premiere. For instance, Steve’s firm belief that he could somehow make this farm function and give his family a better life in doing so, allowed for us to come to learn that his wife is miserable here and wants him to fail so she can escape the west. A twist that quite frankly, really helps us to understand just how rough life was out there on the frontier and it how it could have taken its toll on so many psychologically. 

Yet on the flip side of that, Eve’s journey in this tale… spent a lot of time exploring the power of the frontier. Because Eve was quite bold in this tale, and eager to really empower her ladies and help them to understand that while their work was viewed in a negative light and made them objects of fantasy and desire, twenty-four-seven, they were in fact… free. Free from having to answer to anyone and free from being told how to live their lives. To the point where they could happily turn down silly marriage proposals from men that indulged too far in the fantasy and where they could just leave the world behind for a day and enjoy life as they pleased and well, this was just fascinating to see and refreshing since women in Eve’s position in these types of stories are usually full of malaise and sorrow and lament instead of independence, and it was just amazing to see Eve embrace her power and yield it often, regardless of the friction it may sometimes cause.

However, while it was nice to see the duality of the wild west on display in this tale, there was mention that the dark stuff was still present in this tale and it makes sense as to why. After all, not injecting some of the darkness into the mix would have been a grave mistake, since that is a staple of this story and Red Bill’s harrowing journey in this tale, handled that. Since Butler’s desire to keep him, prisoner allowed for Bill to face his dark past and ponder upon why he kills, while Butler took the time to indulge in his darker attributes and reveal to the audience in the process, that serial killing was basically his trade and he was happy to indulge in it out here in the void, since no one would notice or ever challenge him regarding it. A reality that made it appear as though; Red Bill would die in this tale. But thankfully, McCoy wanted revenge and hunted Bill to this farm and once Butler was dealt with, Bill was saved and on his way to a cell.

As to whether or not that is a happy ending for Red Bill, is of course, up for debate. Since we know McCoy is as ruthless as they come. But a cell and bread and water does beat hanging upside down in a serial killer’s kill shed, so for now… Bill will likely accept the tradeoff. But all of that aside, make no mistake about it, this was another quality episode for certain. One that really did a phenomenal job of exploring the wonder and horror of the wild west in a genuinely compelling manner, since it was just incredible to see Steve’s wife work behind his back to be free and to see someone really enjoy the freedom this place provides, and the unique nature of this story, once again leaves us wondering, exactly which path the next episode will take. Since clearly… the freedom of the wild west creates untold freedom for a story that is eager to provide us with a memorable Western unlike any that has come before it. Until next time.