It is definitely safe to say, that mankind has a complicated relationship with religion and faith. For there is a large segment of the population, that no longer believes that faith and religion are crucial to humanity’s survival as a species. While there are others who firmly believe we are doomed without faith and that the Bible, and the Koran and other such teachings, go beyond gospel and providing direction. In that, they are blueprints for how to live and a guide as to how our world will end and well… the distrust exhibited by both sides regarding the other side’s beliefs… is what creates the complicated relationship in question. One that will not be resolved anytime soon since both sides are dug in deep.
 
But the constant back and forth between everyday folks and true believers, is intriguing enough to inspire creative minds everywhere to ponder upon what our world would look like if we found common ground or if one side was able to prove their point and it just so happens… that the next episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, takes the time to examine, specifically, what would happen if the faithful were ‘correct’ and Jesus Christ were to return to our modern world to fulfill his destiny and complete his teachings, and what could bring about common ground. A feat that ‘Rightful Heir’ accomplished, in the most unique and inoffensive manner possible… by instead bringing the Klingon equivalent of Jesus into the 24th Century in a supremely surprisingly manner.

Because at first, this episode appeared as though it was going to head in a vastly different direction storytelling wise. Since Worf has a crisis of faith in this tale after coming to question his beliefs in Kahless and the prophecy surrounding him. Which in turn leads him to Boreth to find said faith and well, that’s when Kahless reappears and shakes the Empire up. Since the divide we experience now takes hold within the Empire, making it clear that chaos would ensue if one side’s truth came to light because of the combative nature of tis endless debate. But that aside, that chaos forces Worf to figure out how to create common ground, especially when he comes to discover that the indomitable Kahless… is in fact, a clone, one created to give faith to an Empire of Klingons that have lost their way and that’s really when this episode takes on a powerful new light.

Because… let’s be honest… the answer that nothing would go right if Jesus were to reappear or if God were proven to be truly in our imaginations, is too easy. We know that. Instead, this is where the story uses the clone of Kahless to ask that second question. In that, what would it take for us to find that common ground or potentially see people leave religion and its toxic nature behind, and well… it would require us to truly embrace the best parts of humanity and abide by them, so that a world free of suffering and cruelty exists. Since faith is designed to give us hope in a world where that lacks sometimes and well, while we are a long way from accomplishing that… it is nice to see a story make a recommendation of harmony, especially when the world is currently ablaze with awful man-made crises.

However, we would be foolish to not point out, that this story also offers up a cautionary warning as well. Because what the monks of Boreth do here, is fringe extremist behavior. Which serves as a reminder to us… to keep an eye on such matters and perhaps engage better when fringe religious groups make a push to make their beliefs a reality, since being ignored can be just as powerful a motivator as being challenged. If anything, this is just a deep episode when all is said and done. Since it really explores some powerful concepts regarding religion and its place in our modern world and it is handled in such a savvy and brilliant manner, that it doesn’t offend, nor does it feel awkward. It just stays with you and tasks us to work harder toward a better world and you really can’t ask for much more than that from the Star Trek Universe. Until next time.

The other day when we settled in to discuss Star Trek: The Next Generation and the franchise’s desire to fuse genres from time to time, we made mention of the fact that this endeavor tends to fall more often than not. Just because Star Trek is franchise that is special and unique and truly has enough ideas to carry its own stories without needing to inject notions of say, murder or terror into the mix. But curiosity always gets the better of an STU writer’s room and it just so happens that shortly after assembling a quality fusion episode, the folks behind the scenes at TNG, decided they wanted to try for another one. But sadly, the end result of this second attempt, one that fused together science fiction and the murder mystery… wasn’t quite as good as its predecessor, which is unfortunate.
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For ‘Suspicions’ had the potential to be quite the incredible episode. After all, it sets up a grand and quality mystery. One where a Ferengi scientist, named Dr. Reyga, that has been disavowed by his own people for not having the lobes to dedicate himself to a life of profit, makes what he believes to be… a powerful discovery. In that, he is certain he has found a way to create a metaphasic shield that can extend a ship’s time within the corona of a star. A shield that would allow for revolutionary learning to take place regarding stars and the only problem with this… is that no one wants to back a Ferengi scientist. In part because they don’t think he has a clue what he is talking about and because of the stigma surrounding his people. Which is why Beverly steps in and hosts a conference aboard the Enterprise, so that he can be taken seriously by the top minds in his field and have his discovery shared with the scientific communities of the galaxy, when he proves his theories to be right.

But of course… things go south. For the experiment fails miserably and kills a Dr. Jo’Bril in the process and when faced with the prospect that his work cost a man his life, Reyga takes his life. Or so it seems. Because the whole thing seems quite suspect to Beverly, since Reyga wasn’t in that state of mind. So, she takes it upon herself to really uncover what happened here since the math should have worked out for the shield and because someone may have gone after Reyga, since failure made him an easy target and well… while she is stonewalled and overzealous to the point where she nearly loses her commission as Commander and Chief Medical Officer aboard the Enterprise…. eventually she is able to prove that Jo’Bril faked his own death and killed Reyga to get his hands on a piece of technology that actually worked.

Which at first glance, doesn’t appear to be all that much of a fusion genre failure since Beverly does play a great gumshoe and does bring the bad guy to justice in this tale. But there are some big failures when it comes to this story. For instance, Jo’Bril’s ability to magically slow his metabolism isn’t a terrible idea, it is just that it is hinted at and thrown away, when it could have been used to build tension and danger and intrigue. Instead, he just shows up and explains away how he survived this mess without giving it a second thought. Allowing for the reveal to land with a thud, and the build up to that moment, is also lackluster. Since the ‘suspects’ designed to throw us off the trail we hadn’t a clue, existed, aren’t viable. For a Vulcan wouldn’t resort to murder out of ‘ego’ and a Klingon is too easy.

Which basically means, that the case in and of itself is boring and it makes sense as to why. Because murder mysteries don’t work well in a time of peace and where forensic evidence is easy to come by, plain and simple. And that really does disengage the viewer. But this episode isn’t a total loss. For this one actually gives Beverly Crusher something to do outside of the norms and we get some serious insight into her moral core and how driven she is by the truth of science and that was wonderful to enjoy since Gates McFadden brings a real honesty to the material with her performance. Plus, we absolutely need to take a moment and point out, that this is the final appearance of Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan in TNG, and that’s a huge milestone that kind of reminds us… the end is drawing near. But all that aside, it is best to just declare this episode as… okay. For it doesn’t accomplish anything earth shattering, it just fills the void and reminds us how fusion is a real gamble here and thankfully, the next mission for this intrepid crew, wipes away the malaise of this one… courtesy of some fascinating questions. Until next time.

Please enjoy this sneak peek of the season finale of Single Drunk Female, which will air on Freeform on March 17, 2022.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘The Chelsea Detective’. To revisit the series premiere, click here.
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We live an interesting time when it comes to fame and fortune in our world. For the path to stardom has changed drastically. Gone are the days of grinding it out and working with an agent or manager to help guide a person to the top of their chosen career path in showbiz. Instead, being in the right place at the right time, and having that moment go viral, can create a star. As can finding the right niche on video channels and the ‘Gram or through blogs, and these have become such easy paths to stardom and riches untold, that a fair number of people are out there right now… doing their best to be noticed by the masses so they can finally have their day in the sun and enjoy the fame and fortune they’ve always craved.
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But while it is incredible to know that a person can indeed become a superstar over the course of a single day, what we often forget… is that by removing the grind and the journey toward the top… a great deal of those who strike it rich in this digital gold rush, are ill prepared for the gravity of stardom and the promises it requires them to keep. Nor are they ready to handle failure and process it properly since that is part of the journey as well. Plus, it is almost impossible to know how people in the inner circle will respond, when they don’t think they are getting their respect or due when they believe they are along for the ride, and really, this sour side of stardom is top of mind today, because it served as the focus of the next episode of The Chelsea Detective on Acorn TV.

A feat that ‘Mrs. Romano’ accomplished, by introducing us to a viral cooking couple made up of Julia and Robyn Romano. For their catchy blogs and now their best-selling book of recipes have made them a sensation in the area and when we catch up with them here, they appear to be a happy couple that is genuinely enjoying their newfound fame via their busy restaurant. But when Robyn goes missing one fateful night, all kinds of strange truths begin to make themselves apparent to Max and Priya, who are assigned to the case. Such as the fact that Robyn had a lot of monetary secrets to hide, the kind that eventually revealed… that the book was not a best-seller in the slightest and that she took out loans to make it appear as such to obtain that fame and fortune that she believed her wife craved alongside her. 

To complicate matters further, eventually Robyn turns up dead, forcing our intrepid gumshoes to dig deeper into the case and really work to understand what motivated someone to cross the biggest red line of all. As it turned out… that was related to the fact that Robyn’s push to manufacture a viral moment and create this fake fame in the name of being noticed, involved making use of family member’s recipes for the book… with the promise of a payout untold. But when the money never arrived, a moment of fury… led to her end and the end of Jonno Romano’s freedom. However what matters more here, is the commentary this episode offers us up, regarding fame and fortune in our modern world. Such as how it really has become a genuine focus in this world since it seemingly will solve everyone’s problems financially and emotionally.

But, just being handed fame does nothing for us, since it can fade as quick as it arrives and of course… when it is forced and manipulated into existence, it is only a matter of time before things go south and the people hurt by its creation, snap back. Making this a cautionary tale, one that asks those seeking a chance at influence or outright fame… what are they in this for? Admiration? Or to accomplish a goal that fulfills? And are they ready to really work for what they want? In the end however, that really was quite the powerful and surprising message to find within the framework of this episode, since you don’t see crime dramas diving into such matters. But this is a show unlike any other and this message really does resonate, and the case here truly engages and leaves us counting down the minutes for more of Max and Priya’s adventures. So, we can once again immerse ourselves in a detective show filled to the brim with powerful observations about our modern world. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 403 of ‘Killing Eve’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Thus far, our journey through the final season of Killing Eve on BBC America, has been about as unconventional as it gets. For these first few episodes have been devoid of major plot development and have instead focused upon what truly makes this series great… its characters. Which is a move that has led to some fascinating storytelling. The kind that has explored just how broken these people are after going through four years of hell attempting to bring the Twelve to their knees and how far they are willing to go to find resolution and peace regarding that. But while that’s led to engaging moments through and through, at some point the plot does need to get rolling toward the finale and last night’s episode of the show, kicked that into overdrive.
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For ‘A Rainbow In Beige Boots’ saw Eve become reenergized after learning from Hélène that she was hunting down the Twelve’s top members and killing them brutally. Simply because it meant that there was real chance she could join in the hunt and accomplish her goals, if she kept her new frenemy close to her chest and that revelation, allowed for Eve to get close to Hélène’s inner circle and watch them from afar and by going that route and playing the pity card when Hélène broke up with her latest tryst, a woman named Fernanda, she was able to finally get the identity of a potential member of the Twelve, giving Eve all kinds of joy and direction and hope that she might find peace regarding her pain at last. 

But before she could genuinely dig deep into the case, there was a slight problem brewing behind the scenes. For Villanelle found her way to Eve’s room and asked for sanctuary and care and when the second half of her requests were denied, she took the opportunity to set up an impromptu appointment with Martin, the psychiatrist that helped profile Villanelle a little while back. In part to garner the attention of her love, but also to do a little self-care. A decision that while noble, was met with skepticism. Simply because, having a mass murderer barge into one’s house and demand that a schedule is cleared to pay attention to them and only them, is terrifying to say the least and likely comes from a place of dishonesty. But Martin handled it with grace and even managed to break through Villanelle’s tough exterior to make progress with her concerns.

But alas, her incredible insecurities and her inability to trust anyone, allowed for this therapy session to go south and quick, to the point where Martin no longer seemed safe. But thankfully, Eve figured out what was going on and arrived just in time to save Martin’s life and to take part in an act that she felt should have happened long ago. For Eve also came to realize that she had enabled Villanelle for far too long and constantly let her get away with literal murder to satiate whatever strange desire to be near trouble she inspired within her… and it had to stop. Which is why Eve led the police to Martin’s, so they could arrest Villanelle and remove her from the equation at long last and that is quite the bold move for certain, one that might signal the end of Villanelle in a shocking manner since she will undoubtedly be behind bars for the rest of her life.
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However, while those plot threads would have been enough to carry this story from beginning to end, there were still more juicy plot twists present within this tale. For Hélène was dealing with some trouble of her own. Because her perfect plan to topple the Twelve was beginning to crumble. In part because young Pam brought unnecessary attention to her, since she finally snapped and indulged in her darker tendencies by killing her brother. Forcing Hélène to bring Konstantin out of retirement to keep Pam busy while she handled the other problem with the plan. In that, one of the assassination attempts didn’t end in death, since an apparent member of the Twelve, was alive and hanging on in Cuba. A nugget of information that Carolyn got wind of and opted to volunteer to handle, to get her answers as well.

A decision that sets the stage for a dangerous collision course in Cuba, one that could reveal answers or surprise us with more intrigue. But while we wait to see what awaits us in Cuba, we can revel in the majesty of one quality tale. Because this episode really did kick the plot into overdrive and mostly moved everyone closer toward their goals and of course, it featured some incredible growth on Eve’s part. Since it takes guts to stand up to the darkness within and the person that enables it and well, this is a story that absolutely leaves us eager for more. So, we can see where this twist in this unhealthy relationship is going to take us and what it means for everyone’s plans. Because a move this drastic to a delicate ecosystem, even the toxic one this group has created, will either engender growth… or bring the whole thing crashing down. Until next time.   

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Six of ‘Power Book IV: Force’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One particular aspect of life that is incredibly transformative in nature, is dealing with death. Because there is a hard finality that accompanies death, since the person we lose is no longer around and all we have are fond memories and an understanding of what they meant to us and having that void in our hearts and that absence in our everyday lives, truly transforms us and changes us immensely. To the point where some people go a different route in life when handling loss, while others slip into darker places when the gravity of mortality settles into their minds, and well… the transformative nature of death is top of mind today, simply because it served as the focal theme of the next episode of the STARZ series, Power Book IV: Force.
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For ‘This Is Who We Are’ immediately made it clear that everyone was processing the vast amounts of death that came about during last week’s assault on the Serbs, and Jenard and Vic Flynn for that matter as well… came to realize they might not have the stomach for this aspect of the game. Because the loss of E and Simon truly rattled Jenard and Vic, to the point where they quietly met with Diamond to do the impossible and the unthinkable. For they asked Tommy to leave the group and respect their boundaries and let the drug trade in Chicago more or less return to normal without his influence or help. A move that Tommy surprisingly took well, but more on that in a moment. Because this made it clear that sometimes, death will scare us to no end and force us to play it safe, in the hopes of never having to deal with its gravity again. 

But that aside, there was a reason that Tommy had no problem with being booted out of the collective here, simply because he had Dahlia on his radar and without any managerial distractions, he could work to build that up and make it the dominant drug in Chicago and oddly enough, his desire to narrow his focus on his future empire, allowed for more observations upon death to come into play. In that, when we meet someone that has dealt with its gravity when we are yearning to, we can find support and a kindred spirit. One that we bond with and move forward with and in this case, that bond that was forged between Claudia and Tommy. Since he helped her bury Mai’s body and in doing so, helped her to really understand the game and its losses and how to view them and just like that… they were on the same page and got down to work.

Which is a sequence that allowed for the story to give the audience a bit of a break from such heavy subject matter. For Tommy and Liliana, and Claudia wasted no time in building their empire by setting up a distribution network. One that involved getting Dahlia into lockers at the convention center so dealers and distributors could easily sneak in and out with the product and no one would be the wiser. A network that Claudia expressed great doubt about until Tommy took the time to show her exactly how well it works by setting up a drop himself, allowing for him to have a little fun for a change and indulge in the parts about his job that he loves and well… once she saw that it was indeed a sound model, she was on board and ready to get her cook to make enough Dahlia to conquer the world. 

But it didn’t take long for this story to dive back into the deeper stuff, courtesy of Walter Flynn. Because once again, his health served as a liability in this tale, to the point where his kids are starting to genuinely question whether or not he is okay and had it not been for Paulie, they might have come face to face with the reality that their father was mortally ill in a terrifying manner. Since Paulie found Walter face down and bleeding after a fall caused by his illness and well… that led to a powerful moment between these two men. Wherein Walter had to face his own mortality for the first time in this tale and in doing so… we were able to come to learn that facing such matters can put us into a panic and force us to do some dangerous things. 
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Because shortly after Walter recovered from his head injury, his son came home in a panic. For someone made an attempt on his and Gloria’s life while they were enjoying their evening, and that someone had to be a Serbian Mobster and the prospect of seeing his son go into the ground, first, was more than Walter could bear. Which in turn motivated him to take fate and death into his own hands and waltz into the restaurant where the top Serbian mobsters like to dine… to send a message to leadership, one signed in blood with a lead filled pen. A move so desperate and so powerful, that Walter has undoubtedly unwittingly brought more death and suffering upon his house and his empire… all because he gave into his fears revolving around death. 

Yet while all of those storylines could have carried this episode no problem, it still had more powerful moments to send our way. For this is also a story that saw Tommy reveal the truth to JP about what he really does for a living. A reveal that didn’t bring about the divide that Tommy expected, since JP was actually eager to join the cause to get out of debt, rather than take a handout. And that admission and request… allowed for Tommy to open up and reveal how much the loss of Ghost and the fall of the St. Patrick Empire impacted him and taught him to keep business and his private life separate, in order to keep those he cares about safe. Which is why he refused JP’s request post haste and to top it all off… he wasn’t the only one to learn this lesson. Because seeing his father and the man he was asked to track, together, was enough to get D-Mac to rebuff Jenard’s demands that he track Tommy so he could also keep his two lives separate.

But while it was amazing to enjoy a chapter in this story that was full of incredible depth, make no mistake about it… the traditional crime drama stuff was still there. After all, there is war coming to the Flynn empire and law enforcement is doing its best to close in and that double pronged attack might cause trouble for Tommy and Claudia’s plans. Plus, there’s Adrienne, the mysterious woman that is hyper focused on Diamond. But all speculation and worry aside, make no mistake about it, this was hands down the best episode to date of this burgeoning series. Since it really displayed the potential storytelling wise for this series, and it really did move the Power Universe into new territory as well, and now that we’ve reached the end of this cerebral adventure, it’s time to impatiently count down the minutes until next week’s tale and all the wonders and intrigue and danger it will send our way. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 212 of ‘Central Park’. To revisit the previous three episodes, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say, that a great deal of people out there… view the past as a negative aspect of the human experience and it makes sense as to why. After all, yesterday is a place where tough memories reside, of days that left us in tears or shaken with terror and we are so bothered by those thoughts and those moments, that a mantra as to how to handle them has come to fruition. In that, we are to let go of the past at all costs and let it slip into oblivion so we can be free of memories that haunt us now and again and, in some cases, stunt our emotional growth. But while there is some merit to letting go of sour days gone by, the fact of the matter is… the past isn’t awful as we make it out to be.
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Granted, yes, there are tough memories we carry with us, but there are also a bevy of beautiful ones as well. The kind that bring a smile to our faces when we ponder upon them and they too guide us, since good days can teach us just as much as bad days, and the past can also… remind us of what matters when we reflect upon the right memories and well, that more positive aspect to the past is top of mind today because it served as the central theme to this week’s episode of Central Park. But it sure didn’t seem as though that was initially going to be the case in ‘Castle Sweet Castle’. For when we catch up with the Tillerman family here, they’re dealing with some day in the life stuff for certain. 

Because Paige nearly got stuck in the basement while doing laundry, courtesy of the sticky ol’ door present in this old Central Park castle/home. Which motivated her to ask Owen if by chance, the time had come to move the washing machine upstairs so that no one ever risked getting trapped down there again, and that idea sounded so familiar that both she and Owen came to realize, they’d made plans to commit to such an act long ago and let that slip while raising their family. Which in turn motivated them to reach out to the city’s historical preservation department to ensure that they could make this far more convenient move happen, and that’s when this show took the time to examine how the past can guide us to a better tomorrow.

For in essence, Paige and Owen kept things the way they were because they wanted to keep the memories and wonder and majesty of when they first moved into the Central Park Castle alive. But by seeing how much they committed to that and how hard they tried to keep a part of yesterday alive, they were able to realize that growth and change are necessary and that they cannot hang onto yesterday forever and that in turn… motivated them to really press for the change to the castle. To signify their goals and desire to evolve as a couple and a family and they were granted that gift and we were treated to a beautiful and subtle message in this leg of the story. One that informed us that we can honor the past and still evolve in a manner that we need to in order to become better and complete people and that wasn’t the only fascinating observation about the past, and how it can be good for us that this episode had to offer.
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Because back at the Brandenham, Bitsy was dealing with an unpleasant surprise. For the Rolls Royce that had been in her family since she was a little girl, broke down. Prompting Helen to try and get her into a new ride, which Bitsy refused to do, in fact, she was so hell bent on keeping that Rolls going that she aggressively bid on the exact same model so it could be stripped into spare parts for the family ride. A move that initially speaks volumes to a negative use of the past, since it seemed as though Bitsy was refusing to let go. But when armed with the knowledge that keeping that car alive was vital to keeping the memories of her father alive, this sequence takes on a whole new light and informs us that keeping the memory alive of those we love in special ways… is indeed a healthy thing and can accomplish wonders for our soul and our mental health. 

If anything, this was simply… a powerful episode when all is said and done, since it really did deal with some wildly philosophical concepts in the most subtle and beautiful and fun way imaginable. Which just goes to show, that this series really is unlike any other animated saga out there and offers something for everyone. Because those looking to be entertained will always have plenty of jokes and musical numbers to enjoy, but those who want more from this tale, will find deeper concepts to chew upon and once again, this level of analysis and commentary leaves the viewer hungry for more of this series. To see what other incredible aspects of the human condition it is going to explore as we inch toward the season two finale. Until next time.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 207 of ‘Fast Foodies’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Over the course of the past few weeks, the truTV series, Fast Foodies, has done a phenomenal job of exploring exactly what it is that makes a food someone’s favorite. As it turns out, sometimes that revolves around memory since we are introduced to meals on an important or significant day in our lives and that tasty dish helps to remind us of those moments. Plus, it also boils down to how the dish is made, since sometimes its preparation and assembly leaves a powerful impression upon our taste buds. And sometimes, our favorite dish exists, simply because it’s downright delicious and the thought of not enjoying its incredible taste breaks our heart, and wouldn’t you know it? The show uncovered yet another reason as to why certain foods stick with us during this week’s episode.

For comedian Bobby Moynihan dropped by to share his favorite dish with the Fast Foodie chefs and it turns out that for him, the Baconator from Wendy’s is a burger that brings him great joy, but for a very different reason. Because it is not the bun or the meat or the arrangement of the burger that puts a smile on Bobby's face. No instead, he loves this burger because of the bacon. Which means that sometimes we fall in love with a dish because it knows exactly how to properly make use of a particular ingredient and its flavor, and few things in this world pop on a sandwich or a burger such as bacon, and well… that revelation brought forth some interesting results in the kitchen when our chefs got to work in replicating this burger.

Because both Jeremy and Kristen more or less decided that they had to perfectly recreate the Baconator from top to bottom. Right down to how the bun and the meat are made and while they definitely created some gorgeous and tasty burgers, the kind that resembled exactly what you’d get at the drive-thru… something was missing. But Justin, well he figured out what that something was. Because if Bobby was all about a burger packed with bacon, the pork had to be the key to the whole thing. Which motivated Justin to really focus on the bacon above all else and design a burger where the flavor from that just exploded with every bite, and because he put the bacon on a burger pedestal, he won round one with minimal fuss and with that in the rearview mirror, it was time for another incredible Remix round.

One that truly embraced the spirit of the Baconator through and through and Guy Fieri for that matter as well. Since his unique wardrobe came into play as the disadvantage this week. But what matters more are the dishes in question. For Justin brought forth a Sea Scallop with Smoked Pea Purée and Salmon Roe, a dish designed to invoke the wonder of pork and the smoked flavors that bacon brings to the table and his amazing dish was complimented nicely by Kristen’s Bucatini with Pancetta and Egg Yolk Crème. A dish designed to resemble all the wonders and flavors of the Baconator, and we can’t leave Jeremy’s dish out. Because his Ricotta Gnudi with Bacon Wrapped Maitake, was designed to be a five-star bacon meal and it delivered for certain… since Bobby absolutely enjoyed every delicious bite.

But in the end, it was Justin’s dish that won the day and gave him the sweep, because it really did trick Bobby’s palate into thinking he was eating a Baconator and with the Chompion-ship trophy in hand, Justin made the others suffer through a Silence of the Hams punishment. Wherein they had to wear bacon on their faces and well, in the end… this was just another amazing episode of this incredible show. Because not only did it celebrate the wonder of a single ingredient… but it did so in the most epic manner possible. For this was bacon’s first time on the show and boy did the chefs showcase its versatile wonder and well, now that we’ve reached the end of this pork-filled adventure, we are once again left starving for more of this filling show and all the incredible joy it sends our way. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Nine of ‘Single Drunk Female’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Often times, stories revolving around addiction and the long road to recovery, tend to reach their conclusion shortly after a big milestone arrives for the former addict in question. Specifically, their one-year anniversary. For that is a long time to work on oneself and since they’ve likely had ugly confrontations with the people that hurt them and found stable love and a way forward by the time, they reach the podium for their one-year chip… what’s the point in continuing the story? For they have conquered their demons and the addiction that nearly destroyed them. So, what better time to have a moment of inflection and tear-filled joy about the journey before we fade to black? But while that makes for good storytelling for certain, the kind that forces the audience to wipe the tears away before going back to their lives… it once again portrays the recovery process in an incorrect manner.
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Because there is no fade to black in real life and there will be more tough days down the road for us, the kind where a former addict would turn to their new skill set to keep them away from substances, when the going gets tough. Plus, sometimes we don’t find a partner after going through hell and confrontation and amends sometimes end in a sour nature and we need to acknowledge that reality more often and that is why the Freeform series, Single Drunk Female, continues to impress. Because it never shies away from presenting recovery in the raw, and its latest episode is no exception to that rule. For ‘Higher Parent’ saw Samantha Fink arrive at her one-year anniversary for sobriety and rather than have her give her powerful speech and fade this story to black, this episode made it clear that such an important milestone signifies more than an ending, but a new beginning.

After all, this also meant the end of Sam’s probation period and with that closing out, she now came to realize that she was free to just live her life as she pleased once again and really explore what the world of sobriety looks like and it also allowed for her to realize… that the time had come to make amends with her mother and find peace there as well, and even that… had quite the realistic and surprising twist. Since Carol was actually open to the conversation and willing to make amends on her end as well. A move that shocked Sam to no end since she was expecting a sour ending to that conversation. But it just goes to show that sometimes making amends is easier than we think, because no journey to make peace with our demons ever ends the way we expect it to and kudos to the series for taking the time to offer up a realistic ending to a dark chapter in Sam’s life. 

Plus, this episode also deserves a round of applause for showing us exactly what drives people to want to try substances and/or potentially abuse them and that was handled by way of Brit and Felicia. For Brit was feeling the pressure of her impending nuptials and a bold move on Joel’s part, pushed that pressure to the Nth degree. Which in turn motivated Brit to ask Felicia to help her buy some drugs and that led to a ridiculously hilarious sequence, wherein she and Felicia and Felicia’s dealer partook of mushrooms and got high as kites. But all hilarity aside, this sequence really did make it clear that drugs and alcohol are escapes over anything else and should never be seen as a cure or a fix, because they do have negative power if we see them as that and this was a fascinating examination to inject here, one that was lighthearted enough to help us to cope with the solo dark revelation in this tale.
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Because there was mention of the fact that sometimes our romantic endeavors aren't where we want them to be when we’ve emerged from dark times or in this case our recovery, and that was handled by way of James. Because despite getting the girl at last… since he and Sam indulged in their powerful mutual attraction shortly after the one-year chip ceremony… it didn’t take long for that fear of things going too well, that James mentioned he suffers from last week, to claim him here. For he fell off the wagon and went back to drinking, out of the belief that he was going to screw everything up. Setting the stage for an eventual showdown with Sam over such matters since this kind of secret cannot stay hidden forever and sadly, this really did remind us, that happy endings when we emerge into light really are reserved for fantasies and entertainment.

If anything, all of these elements made this a brilliant penultimate episode. One that took the time to teach us that the big moments in our lives really do wash over us without us knowing it and happen on unremarkable days, and it is the journey and the lessons it teaches us that matter more. Plus, this episode also made it clear that recovery from addiction is an going process, wrought with failure more often than we’d like and that addressing our root causes is the only way to properly find stability, and well… now that we’ve reached the end of this particularly harrowing chapter in Sam Fink’s life, it will be interesting to see what awaits her in the next one, now that is she firmly on the road to recovery and in control of her life at last. Until next time.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 412 of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Boldly going where no one has gone before has never had a more terrifying connotation than now. First contact with a species who has been subsequently responsible for the murder of an entire planet is a horrifying thing. Let it be said that first contact will always be a jarring experience, no matter how peaceful one can hope for. This is even more nerve wracking as Discovery's crew has no way to truly communicate with the Ten-C beyond the hydrocarbons they discovered on the dead planet. Outside of the Hyperfield, Discovery has tried hailing the Ten-C to no avail. The only other option left is to send drones, each with one of the sixteen hydrocarbons attached to them. It’s a long shot, possibly won’t work, but it’s all they have. Thankfully it gets a response.
 
The Ten-C encase the Discovery in a bubble and pull it into the upper atmosphere of a planet. The hyper shield hides an entire solar system inside, proving how massive the Ten-C truly is. The crew is calm, then scared, as would be expected with everything going on. The bubble stops and they’re summoned to the flight deck where the Ten-C attempt to communicate with them. A series of flashing lights and a hydrocarbon are sent. It takes a little bit, but eventually the crew figures out the pattern. Mathematical equations will be the communication style of the day. It’s something I would greatly fail at, since math is the bane of my existence. Still, it eventually works. The Ten-C send a transport to the deck, expecting some of the crew to enter. Michael, Saru, Rillak, and T’Rina board the offered ship. Inside is a replica of Discovery’s bridge. It’s a way for them to feel more comfortable. At least the Ten-C are considerate.

Which is more than I can say about Tarka. What’s that? He betrays Book? Oh no. Whoever could have seen that one coming. Definitely everyone who’s been watching this show the entire time because Tarka is as trustworthy as feeding a Tribble. Tarka’s plan is to steal the power source of the DMA and in doing so, it will cause a chain reaction that will implode the DMA device and kill the Ten-C, the Discovery, not to mention Earth, Titan, and Ni’Var will still get murdered by the DMA fall out. There’s no winning.

​When Reno finally convinces Book to confront Tarka, and learns the truth, things get ugly. Book unknowingly got General Ndoye to agree to help Tarka. The plan includes her overriding Discovery’s protocols and shooting plasma at a specific spot on the bubble they’re trapped in, creating a big enough hole for Book’s ship to slip through. Then they fly to where the DMA is being controlled and Tarka gets everyone but himself killed. Really nice guy.

Zora has finally realized something is wrong and gets Culber and Stamets to help. Adira confirms that Reno isn’t around and eventually they find out that she’s not even on the ship. Adira finds the device Tarka planted, blocking Zora from noticing Book’s ship. It’s too late for them to do anything, however, since Tarka trapped Book with Reno and implemented his plan.

Communication with the Ten-C was going really well, too. Michael and the delegates were able to convey that the DMA was hurting them, and the Ten-C understood and empathized. But before they could ask the Ten-C to turn the DMA off and/or communicate further, Tarka had to screw it up. The Ten-C send Michael and everyone back to the flight deck instantly as Book’s ship escapes the bubble. Things were going so well too! Reno gets Book to help her get a message to the Captain about Tarka’s plan, and now Michael is left with an impossible choice. She has to find a way to stop Tarka and reestablish communication with the Ten-C and convey that no harm was meant. Good luck to that.