Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘The Mosquito Coast’.
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The last few years have done an incredible job of shedding light upon something we simply didn’t know existed en masse in the United States of America. In that, there is a fairly significant segment of the population, that genuinely has some vastly different beliefs about our country and what it stands for. For they are of the opinion that the government is their enemy through and through and is working hard behind the scenes to get them and silence them so they can execute nefarious and terrifying plans. The kind that would end democracy and change the landscape of the world forever. Which are… fears and wild theories that are dangerous at times, as evidenced by January 6, but are at the same time… fascinating.

Because we simply cannot understand how people in this modern world, where public education is there for so many and where genuine and honest information is available at our fingertips, slide into such delusion and confusion and genuinely believe in such outlandish conspiracy theories. But they do and our curiosity of how people slide into that is being satiated by way of new stories that are looking to explore the genesis of such matters and one such television show that is making it a focus of its storytelling, is the new AppleTV+ series, The Mosquito Coast. For the series premiere of this show, ‘Light Out’, puts this on display in a stunning manner… by fooling the audience. For initially, we are led to believe that Fox family is nothing more than a grand American tragedy, since it seems they’ve slipped through the cracks of a land where ingenuity is supposed to be rewarded.

But as the story continues along and we start to get to know Allie and his wife Margot, it becomes inherently clear that this family is living on the edge, not only because of failure, but because they choose to. For they firmly believe that the United States Government is hunting them down, and is eager to bring in Allie for what appears to be his life changing inventions, the kind that could potentially hurt the economy by making essentials an affordable reality. And to complicate their worries further, eventually the police do come searching for them and hunt them fast and hard, lending credence to everything that Allie preaches about not trusting the government and the need for keeping off the grid and away from the system. And while that truly makes it seem as though this story is indeed about a family on the run from a powerful entity, it’s the tiny details in this premiere that help one to realize… that this is a broken family that has given into conspiracy theories. 

Because Margot and the rest of the family are forbidden to have cell phones, and they’ve clearly cut off contact with the rest of the world and left family members worried, as evidenced by the awkward and desperate conversation that Margot has with her mother via payphone. And the constant failures that Allie goes through with his inventions and the constant moves and identity changes and off kilter work he does, speaks volumes to a man that is marginalized and viewed as a failure and that has broken his clearly intelligent mind and helped him to believe that others are responsible for his hardships and that people are out to get him. And while we did indeed see some kind of chase here, the kind that makes you wonder, his odd behavior, and the concern from Margot’s parents and the inference that Allie did something illegal in a fit of rage, helps us to understand that there is a good chance they’re being ‘hunted’ to bring Allie to justice and to put the kids in a safe place and well, all of these elements make for one incredible series premiere.

One that definitely does a wonderful job of sucking you into a world of mystery that never quite offers up any easy answers and that’s not bad thing in the slightest. Because it definitely compels you to continue the journey, one that will properly explore how exactly good, everyday people turn to conspiracy theories and lies for comfort and the damage that those lies can do to a family. Because it is inherently clear by the end of this tale, that the cracks in his theories will be exposed, along with the truth about his past and how it led them all to this harrowing point and that will make for some powerful moments for certain. The kind that will undoubtedly force his beloved family to decide, if they should still stand by Allie and his broken mind and soul. Until next time.

‘The Mosquito Coast’ is streaming now on AppleTV+.

Please enjoy this exclusive clip from the next episode of ‘Gangs of London’. Which airs Sunday, May 2, 2021 at 11:14 p.m. ET/PT on AMC.

​Please enjoy a sneak peek of tomorrow’s series premiere of The Mosquito Coast, streaming exclusively on AppleTV+.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episodes 401-403 of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’.
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It is definitely safe to say that revolution is a word/concept, that modern American society romanticizes, and it is understandable as to why. After all, we live in a nation that was born out of revolution and that has helped us to adore it and celebrate it on a consistent basis, and outright support it and call for it when another nation feels as though the time has come to indulge in it. Simply because we want that country to understand the wonder of freedom and what it means to have seized it of their own accord. In fact, we adore it so much, that we even eagerly await it and cry out for it in fictional stories where the characters are oppressed and yearn to be free and one such series that fans have done with this, is The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu. For the nation of Gilead is in fact, a bastardized and insulting iteration of the United States of America and seeing it fall in a powerful uprising would give so many that tune in great satisfaction and when we last left June Osborne and her fellow Handmaids in this story, it appeared as though revolution had arrived.

For Mayday helped June rescue eighty-six children from this vile nation and send them off to safety in Canada. A move designed to badly damage Gilead’s image around the globe and rattle the nation from within, to the point where hopefully others would rise up and begin to bring this nation to its knees. But therein lies the trick about romanticizing and celebrating revolution. For going that route would make the series nothing more than an everyday patriotic story, one that could go so far as to show June draped in the American flag as she watched Gilead’s new center of power burn in dramatic fashion. But that’s just it, our romanticization of revolution blinds us to the fact that such an act is a scary and violent process. One that offers no swift path to justice or freedom. No instead, revolution is wrought with pain and suffering and fear, and incredible losses before freedom can finally be declared for all involved and it just so happens that the season four premiere of this series, makes it clear that the easy way out is not its style, by taking the time to teach us about the difficulties of revolution.

Because ‘Pigs, Nightshade, & The Crossing’ wastes zero time in showing us that June’s bold action, brought forth a great deal of negative repercussions. The kind that has Gilead pondering upon an all-out invasion of Canada to bring their ‘lost children’ home, which is a terrifying prospect in its own right, since it could plunge the world into a third world war. One that might not see an easy end. Plus, we also came to learn… that the pomp and circumstance of sending those kids to Canada, did not bring forth the grand uprising that June expected either. Largely due to the fact that Gilead’s top brass opted to do everything within their power to keep it a secret, for that very reason. Granted, we do also come to discover that word has slipped out and brought about some measure of revolution and resistance, but nothing on the full-scale level that anyone would have liked and to complicate matters further, this premiere also makes it clear… just how hard it is to escape the clutches of a far-reaching oppressive government when one wishes to indulge in revolution. 

For June does find herself captive once again at the hands of Gilead’s forces in this three-hour premiere and that does indeed lead to some of the most troubling sequences imaginable. Since she was outright tortured both physically and mentally at the hands of Gilead’s finest monsters, in the hopes of getting her to fess up to the location of her fellow Handmaids and despite her best efforts to stay strong in the face of adversity… seeing her daughter in play for harm finally motivated her to open up and well, this rough yet familiar sequence, absolutely gave the audience pause. For it made it seem briefly as though season four would be another year of storytelling filled with sorrow and strife. One that would make everyone ponder upon the worth of a revolution and why on earth anyone would even think about committing to one when it is obvious the all-powerful house wins more often than not and that’s when the show took quite the turn for certain.

For the closing moments of this story, saw June and her beaten and broken friends and surrogate family, make a run for it once again, rather than be subjected to the horrors of a breeding colony. And their costly fight to make it but fifty feet away from agents of Gilead speaks volumes as to why revolutions are indeed important. Because they truly speak to the fact that atrocities and horrors cannot stand, and that freedom is indeed something that everyone around the world should enjoy. Which makes them a necessity, to end the nightmares and to bring peace to those that so desperately need it, but they will come at a great and powerful cost. For this is but a taste of the sacrifice and the terror that goes into starting one and the losses suffered in those closing moments, speaks to the fact that things will only get worse before they get better. But eventually, it appears as though things will indeed get better in Gilead and that the end might finally be in sight for this awful nation, now that June is out in the open and able to spread the influence, she showed hints of here. 

If anything, this was one powerful season premiere when all is said and done. For it did a wonderful job of showing the viewer the harsh realities that revolve around revolution and it deserves serious credit for that alone, since we do hold it in such high regard in America. But while that could have carried this tale on its own, what truly made it so worth our while, is that it did a wonderful job of immersing us back into this world after a year-old pandemic related break, since you walk away from this one with fresh hate for Gilead and everything it stands for. Plus, it was filled with powerful and compelling performances all around, the kind that spoke to how miserable everyone is, in this world at the moment, and how the fall of Gilead might be the only thing to save the mental health of the citizens of this tortured land. And now that we are back in the thick of it, it really is only a matter of time before change begins to take hold and now at least, we’re ready for the hardships that will come with that as the beginning of the end for Gilead, gets underway. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Thirteen of ‘Big Sky’.
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Over the course of its inaugural season, the ABC series, Big Sky, has worked hard to maintain balance in its storytelling and it is understandable as to why. After all, this is a show that features some pretty twisted subject matter at times and breaking up the ugly stuff with dark humor or endearing moments, makes everything in this series palatable and compelling. But alas, it was only a matter of time before this series embraced the darkness surrounding it, since the villains in this tale are indeed evil and twisted and a writer can only hold them back for so long… and it just so happens that the next episode in this fascinating and wild series, ‘White Lion’, served as the perfect moment for this show to dive into some bleak territory. 
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The kind that saw the Kleinsasser family fall to pieces over the death of Blake. Because dear mother Margaret couldn’t handle the fact that her baby boy was gone in an apparent ‘suicide’ and she sunk to new lows. To the point where she finally told Horst what she thinks of him and that is no small feat when one considers how he treats her on a consistent basis when she shows a spine. But while that alone could have carried this family’s journey in this tale, the story opted to take things one step further, by having Cheyenne step up to the plate for a change and use the leverage she now has over her brother to her benefit. Because she full well knows that with one word she can bring John Wayne down and that led some incredibly terrifying tension between her and JW, since he was running scared in this particular tale. 

But while there was some satisfaction to be found in Cheyenne giving John Wayne the business, and in seeing her talk to Jenny Hoyt about the missing Cole Danvers, the bleakness in this tale continued along by way of Jenny herself. Because she was on an island in this story, since Cassie was pulled away to deal with another matter, we will get to in just a moment. Which meant that poor Jenny had to reconcile the fact that the team more or less failed in their mission. Because Rosie had zero interest in helping her and Cassie out and of course… Blake was gone. And having to reconcile the death of someone that meant a great deal to her, alone, was no easy task and that put Jenny in a tough place mentally, one that she seemed to be slipping deeper into. That is until, a surprise came her way.

Because after weeks of hemming and hawing about, dear Angela at the sheriff’s office, decided the time had come to spill the beans about what’s been going on in this town, and she delivered all kinds of incredible goodies. Such as proof positive that Blake wasn’t responsible for the attack on Rosie in the slightest, along with some understanding of how and why the Kleinsassers maintain their power. But even this happy moment couldn’t escape the ugly hanging over this tale. Because in the closing moments of their conversation, an angry John Wayne, and Rand Kleinsasser… enacted a wild plan to get Jenny out of the picture. One that involved driving a massive, armored truck into her hotel room while she sat and chatted with Angie, leaving all of us to wonder as to whether or not Jenny and Angie are okay and that is a legit worry. Since this show has made it clear that anyone on this series can die at any time.
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But since we can do nothing more than wait and see in regard to Jenny and Angie, it’s best we put any dark thoughts about them aside for just a moment and discuss Cassie’s journey in this tale. Because she wasn’t present for such chaos for quite the important reason. In that, dear Mary finally recognized Ronald and put in a tip to Dewell and Hoyt about his whereabouts and she was off with Lindor to investigate said tip. And sadly, while they were on their way, bad things went down. For Ronald decided now was the perfect time to use Mary to practice old habits and he tortured and brutalized her at length before finally ending her life and of course… since he is quite the savvy villain, he was able to evade both Lindor and Cassie when they finally arrived and oddly enough, before they could continue their pursuit of him… they had another rough discovery to deal with. Since Mary’s basement has some murder related secrets of its own. Such as the body of what is likely Steve, Scarlet’s former lover and father to her child. 

Yet while that will undoubtedly raise some questions for Scarlet to answer in the weeks to come, what is worse… is that Ronald is back on his game and that really is horrifying to say the least. Because now we were able to see what he’s like without a wrangler and now that he’s had a taste for blood once again, it is only a matter of time before he indulges in his dark ways on a more consistent basis and well, in the end, this really was quite the incredible episode. For this one really did a wonderful job of letting the darkness wash over this tale through and through, and it truly challenged the characters like never before since Jenny has likely never faced these kinds of odds in her time as a private investigator and poor Cassie is on the hunt once again for a monster that seemingly cannot be caught and well, all of these elements, will definitely have us counting down the minutes until next week's episode. So we can learn the fate of Jenny Hoyt and see if Cassie and Lindor inch any closer to bringing Ronald to justice. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘Bäckström’.
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It wasn’t that long ago, that mystery serials on television featured a wholly different type of detective. One that was an outright genius with a sunny disposition, since they were able to solve any crime with a smile and a minimal study of the case at hand and well, audiences simply ate this up. Because there was something quite cool about seeing an everyday joe walk into the room and solve a major crime with a glance and a grin, and it was equally as incredible to see that particular gumshoe be respected by their coworkers at every turn. Since that just further enhanced the feel-good nature of the show in question.  But while that did make for some entertaining television back then, eventually these types of shows faded away, simply because audiences wanted something a little grittier from their police shows.
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But the success of those shows, and their lasting impact upon the television landscape, does leave one to wonder… if a series with a savant-like detective could still find success in an era where police serials are as gritty as they come. And as it turns out, a Swedish series revolving around this possibility, made its debut on AcornTV yesterday, and Bäckström wastes zero time in answering that all-important question with a resounding yes… provided that a few changes come to the format of this age-old formula. Which means that in order for this to work, the detective in question, a one Evert Bäckström, has to rub some people the wrong way… in order for there to be conflict and drama for the audience to sink their teeth into. 

A feat that is accomplished by way of ego. Because despite the fact that Bäckström is indeed revered by his colleagues for being able to figure out clues that no one else is able to spot, he knows he is the best man in the room, and he has no problem expressing that to others in the most condescending way imaginable. Not because he is a jerk and looks down upon others. But because he wants his colleagues to raise the bar and up their game immediately. And he is so sure they can do better, that he has no problem with going after the chief of police in a similar manner, with unfortunate results and really the point of adding this twist into the story, beyond the conflict, is that it more or less forces Bäckström to earn his status as a hero and that definitely invests the viewer into this world for certain.
As does the other surprise twist in this tale. In that, this premiere poses quite the question.

Specifically, what would happen if the genius detective, is in fact, wrong about the case? Because for a better part of this episode, everything that Bäckström predicts about the case, becomes reality. For he’s able to call the age and gender and ethnicity of the victim and how they were killed and where the body is hiding, and that truly makes it seem as though he is going to cruise to the finish line of this case no problem, when in fact, there is a problem. For in the closing moments of this opening chapter, we come to learn that the victim in question… is not who anyone expected them to be. In fact, they might not be a murder victim at all. Which makes Bäckström appear as though he’s losing his touch, which means… he will have to earn his superstar status back as well. 

If anything, all of these elements made this one incredibly clever series premiere. For it genuinely offered up a wonderful twist on the super-smart detective trope that exists within the genre, and to top it all off… it was filled with dynamic performances as well. For the actors here sell their characters to a tee, further immersing the viewer in this strange and dynamic world where brilliant detectives still smile and grin over the state of the world and can solve crimes with minimal effort and truly, everything present in this tale compels the viewer to continue this fascinating journey. Not only to see if Bäckström will finally find the respect he clearly deserves, but to also see how on earth he is going to crack, his biggest challenge to date. Until next time.

‘Bäckström’ is available to stream now on AcornTV.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 705 of ‘The Brokenwood Mysteries’.
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Something that is just a simple norm in life, is family, and understandably so. After all, we are simply born into one and just like that we have parents and siblings and the incredible bond that we share with them on a fundamental level, makes them incredibly important individuals in our lives. To the point where we immediately turn to them in a time of need because they know us in a manner that no one else ever will, and they know exactly what to say to guide us and help us, and that does give a person a special type of peace for certain, one that helps us to feel as though we belong. But while so many of us love our families and don’t know what we would do without them, not everyone gets to enjoy the wonder of having one.
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Because some people don’t know their family in the slightest, for reasons that can and do vary from person to person. And that motivates them to seek out their blood relatives to feel that sense of belonging and sadly, that type of powerful search can end in disaster if the loved one in question, isn’t interested in having a family and it just so happens… that this particular search and problem was featured in this week’s episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. Which made ‘Exposed to the Light’ quite the sorrowful tale at times and an engrossing one to boot. Since at first glance it didn’t really seem as though it was going to focus on such matters. For this week’s surprise murder happened at a revamped movie theater, making it seem as though strange circumstances brought death to the movies.

But once Mike and his intrepid team began to properly dig into the matter, some interesting truth came out. Such as the fact that the deceased, named Lyall, had enemies. For he and his son Kane had a terrible relationship, and Kane had no problem exercising emotional (and physical violence) if it suited his needs. But even then, hating one’s dad is no crime, and since there was no evidence to tie Kane to the end, the team simply had to dig deeper and what they found… was a tragic story about a broken family. For Patricia, the co-owner of the theater, had a love affair with Lyall when she was young, one that also extended to his brother since she was nothing but a foolish teenager. And the resulting pregnancy from these romantic trysts, brought about a baby boy named Ben that Patricia gave up for adoption. 

Which brought about a lot of hard years for Ben. For he was yearning to know his family line and feel that sense of belonging and that motivated him to take a DNA test and the results of that test, led him to Lyall, whom he utterly believed was his father. But alas, dear old dad wanted nothing to do with Ben and the pain that came from that, led to a scuffle in the theater when Ben confronted Lyall once again. One where Ben defended himself, and in the heat of the moment… all of that pain and sorrow and loneliness anger came bubbling to the surface and Ben ended Lyall’s life. Leaving Ben with nothing in the end, since he was off to jail for murder and what was truly wild about this sorrowful moment, is that he might have killed… his uncle. For Patricia didn’t know the true identity of the father of her child, and it could have been Lyall’s brother Oliver and that really was quite the tragic way to end this tale.

Simply because, had Ben taken the time to follow the proper channels and ease his way into a conversation with his potential father, things might have gone far smoother, and he might have even figured out who his real dad was and Lyall might still be alive. But alas, that desperate need to belong undid him in the end and that really did make this episode quite powerful when all is said and done. Since it was unexpectedly filled with some moving and heartbreaking moments, the kind that helped us to understand how a broken family unit can rip people to shreds emotionally and to top it all off, there’s another reason why a heavy bit of air hangs over this particular tale. For we are near the end of our season seven journey and let’s be honest, this show is so good, we simply don’t want another year of adventures of end. Until next time.

'The Brokenwood Mysteries' is streaming now on AcornTV.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 304 of ‘Keeping Faith’.

It is definitely safe to say, that every person out there, is hungry to find peace and happiness in life. Because deep down we know that finding that, will give us a freedom we’ve never known before. One where worry and anxiety and memories of old simply don't exist in our minds and hearts and that definitely motivates us to reach for the stars and carve out a place in this world so that our dreams hopefully provide us with just that, since they reinvent us. But that is oddly enough, the big lie when it comes to peace and happiness. In that, money won’t bring us that on a consistent basis, nor will fame or carving out a niche. No instead, if we truly want to be happy in life, we must make peace with our sorted and sometimes painful past and this is a lesson that Faith Howells came to discover in this week’s episode of Keeping Faith.

That is, after she did something quite important in this story. Because after weeks of battling around with the local judge regarding the fate of Mike’s son, Faith and Carys were finally able to stand before the appeals judges and plead their case for saving young Osian and well, this was quite the powerful sequence when all is said and done. Simply because Faith truly showed us how much she cares about this case and Osian’s future and thankfully, her words did not fall into a void. For the judges understood her points to a tee and decided that Mike should indeed do whatever it takes to give his son a fighting chance, regardless of the risk since he was so close to death and well… winning the biggest case of her career and knowing that Osian might have a full future ahead of him, allowed for her to reflect upon her own path and recent events. 

Which in turn, made her realize that she’s been running from her past since she was a teenager and that motivated her to open up to Tom and inform him of why she didn’t talk about her family life and the danger that her mother presented and that she was indeed unsure of how to proceed in regard to Rose’s machinations. But while there is cause for fear in regard to her mother, since she is indeed manipulating everyone around her once again, the fact that Faith finally was honest with someone about her past and is genuinely wondering how to get away from Rose and her special brand of evil… speaks volumes to the fact that she is ready to move beyond those memories and forge her own path at last and that allowed for some powerful moments to take place, the kind that finally allowed for something incredible to happen.

Because she finally made a move in regard to Steve Baldini and relished in the wonder of being desired once again and really, all of these subtle moments were beautiful for certain, since we watched Faith finally grow before our eyes and genuinely begin to focus upon herself and her mental health and well, she might find the happiness she seeks sooner than she might expect. Because her ‘darling’ mother continues to slide downhill health wise and is losing support from those that once stood by her. And to top it all off, Gael Reardon’s body has been found, and it would seem that Rose has her fingers in that matter somehow, and that she might be trying to pin her death on Evan and if by chance, all of this can be tied to Rose, to the point where she must finally pay the piper for her transgressions, then perhaps Faith can finally face her mother one last time and finally close the book on all of those painful memories and move forward in life.

For Faith Howells genuinely deserves that after everything she’s been through and put up with and it would be wonderful to see her find peace and happiness at the end of this incredible journey. But while we wait to see where all of these important moments take us, we can bask in one fascinating and engrossing tale. One that did a fine job of setting up the next two episodes and didn’t manage to bore us in the slightest with its transitional nature. Which is a testament to the writing and the acting present in this series since every moment was indeed engaging and moving and well, all this episode does is leave us supremely eager to see where Faith’s journey takes us next. Because she finally appears to be on the right path and if she can finally handle her mother and put yesterday to rest… then this series can close out in the most satisfying way imaginable. Until next time.
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‘Keeping Faith’ is available to stream right now on AcornTV.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Four of ‘Gangs of London’.
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It is always terrifying, when a leader of an organization or a nation… becomes mentally unstable and unpredictable. Because such an unfortunate and unexpected twist can lead to all kinds of trouble for that company or that country, since this leader would be prone to dangerous and wild decisions, the kind that would absolutely impact lives in ways never thought possible. Which is why safeguards are in place for such matters in those particular scenarios, to minimize the damage done and to allow for everyone to feel safe. But what if by chance, those safeguards didn't exist in those situations? How then would peace and safety come into play? Well, it just so happens that the next episode of Gangs of London, explores this in great detail.

Because this particular tale, sees Ed worry greatly about Sean Wallace’s state of mind and where it will lead the organization. For his anger after getting some semblance of retribution at the camper site, has only grown since that attack. To the point where he is still demanding that the cash flow for criminal activity stops in London and that he gets to deal with Lale’s betrayal of the rules himself. A request that more or less sends chills down Ed’s spine, since he knows full well that his boss will likely do horrible things to her. To the point where she might die and more trouble might come into play and that motivates him to enact his own plan behind the scenes, one that involves Elliot. Wherein Ed and Elliot would handle Lale on their own. Which while troublesome, in its own right, would still provide a better result than Sean going after her on his own. 

Since it would keep the business stable and keep its perception of it as functional, and this decision more or less answers those all-important questions. By making it clear that the right person would do whatever it takes to create safeguards to protect all in this situation, so that chaos doesn’t ensue. But before the plan could go into motion, Ed and Elliot came to realize that Sean was one step ahead of them. For he had an old henchman named Cole, kidnap Lale’s family and hide them in a high rise in the hopes of drawing her out for punishment. Which of course, sent Elliot and Ed scrambling to find them so that the blood of innocent children was not on anyone's hands. Which led to quite the harrowing sequence for certain, wherein Elliot gave it his all and more to save those kids and their guardian, and thankfully received an assist from Ed in saving them when he could give no more. 

But while that spoke volumes to Ed’s loyalty to the cause and how far he will go to protect the status quo, a surprise twist showed us that his efforts might all be for naught. Because eventually, Sean was able to get his face-to-face meeting with Lale and he revealed in that conversation, that his faculties are actually in perfect order. Because everything he did here was part of a calculated plan of control. One that would break Lale at an important time so that she could understand who is in charge and to never cross Sean again. For to do so would indeed bring about incredible penalties and well, that definitely changed the tone of this tale and allowed for us to understand that perhaps Sean is far savvier than we give him credit. Or he simply knows how to check his temper when the time is right and it will be quite interesting to see if Sean can continue to keep it together in this slick and frightening manner in the days to come.

Because eventually, some hard secrets are going to come to light. Since his mother now knows that her late husband had fallen in love with a woman that was down on her luck named Floriana, and that Ed had knowledge of this affair as well, and that kind of discovery and the fact that she somehow relates to the death of Finn… could send Sean into another fit of rage and revenge. But while we wait to see what Sean’s endgame is going to be, and if he’s found focus after all, we can bask in one fascinating and engrossing tale. One that did a phenomenal job of world-building and one that really did show us how much this lifestyle means to some and of course, you cannot go wrong with such epic surprises and revelations and it will be quite interesting to learn what other secrets and surprises await us in the weeks to come as Finn’s past and Sean’s future come into focus. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season thirty premiere of ‘Top Gear’.
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Ask any car aficionado what helped them to fall in love with automobiles, and they’ll have quite the incredible story to tell you. One that revolves around their first car and the wonder it brought them and how that wonder turned into an undying passion for the road and the cars that traverse it. But what’s truly fascinating about the world’s collective love affair with cars, is that it actually stems from a different period in our lives. And really, that true source is top of mind today, simply because the season thirty premiere of Top Gear took the time to explore it in great detail, and that made for one powerful and moving episode. 

One that wasted zero time in pointing out that our collective love affair with cars, stems from our fathers. Because they were the ones that likely taught a great deal of us how to drive and being behind the wheel, under the tutelage of our pop, or just being on the road with him, truly allowed for a powerful bond to form. One that never leaves us quite frankly, since all it takes is that perfect moment to remind us of said bond and well, since Paddy, Freddie and Chris can’t take their normal road trips for the time being, now was the perfect time to explore those memories through them and that brought about the moving moments in question. 

Because the lads were each given the chance to drive the cars their dads owned when they were kids and that allowed for us to get to know them in a new light. For we truly came to understand just how much each of our hosts respected their fathers and truly looked up to them and that allowed for some genuine emotion to sneak out of each of them. Since they all spoke to the influence their respective dad had upon their lives and what it was like to spend time with them in their respective cars and how that did indeed allow for them fall in love with automobiles, a love that brought them to this very show and this really was quite incredible to hear and sit through. And it undoubtedly moved multiple viewers to tears and likely generated a few ‘I love you’ texts to dads around the world. 

But while this beautiful segment allowed for us to see this trio in a new light, this is still Top Gear and we do expect some kind of car competition to take place and the show found a way to sneak that into the fabric of this premiere as well. Such as having the lads race these ancient rides to see if they were able to go as fast as their speedometers said they could, which they could in fact… not. Plus they got to see what it is like to try and drive with a fully grown person on their lap and there was even a delightful rally race to see which car could make it to a ferry the fastest, and in true Top Gear fashion, Paddy McGuinness, in a freakin’ Ford Fiesta from ages ago, managed to pull of that magnificent feat when all is said and done. 

If anything, this really was quite the special episode. Because it really is rare for shows about cars and road trips and everything in between to get their hosts to open up about anything beyond the basics of the adventure. But we really got to see Freddie and Paddy and Chris in a brand-new light in this tale, and definitely share in some beautiful moments with them and kudos to them and the producers of this series in making the decision to go this route. Because it really does open up this series to all kinds of new possibilities storytelling wise and it will be quite interesting to see what the rest of season thirty is going to look like in the weeks to come now that our trio of aficionados are back on the road. But if this premiere is any indicator, this might be the most intimate and moving season to date, one that explores man’s love affair with the car on a whole new level. Until next time.