​Make no mistake about it, this past week was downright brutal when it comes to our favorite television shows, because several of them, are no longer going to be on the airwaves comes this fall thanks to the cancellation notices that the networks made everyone aware of last week. If anything, it just seems as though this year’s cancellation fiesta was far more brutal than it has been in recent years and one such show that received that unfortunate notice is one that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, Designated Survivor.
 
However, while that opening paragraph makes it seem as though I’m about to unleash an incredible fanboy-esque diatribe on the networks that’s simply not going to be case. Instead, it’s more important we point out the fact that this series is the victim of a bigger problem with the industry as a whole; the fact that T.V. shows are often renewed year to year instead of being given several years to properly flesh out their storylines and that matters because some stories, much like Tom Kirkman’s, need time to find their legs and their proper direction when the plot is ambitious to begin with and why all of this matters, is because last night’s season two finale of the series, ‘Run’, finally gave us an idea as to what this series was or is going to be all about.
 
Because this particular tale saw the Kirkman Administration under fire like never before, with Ethan West bringing charges to the Attorney General’s attention, which in turn put a deal on the table that the President wasn’t exactly fond of; if he opted to not run for re-election, the charges would never come to fruition, and he would need to make this decision by the end of the night, putting him and his people into one hell of a corner, one that quite frankly, I did not expect Ethan West to help the President escape from. Because a meal with President Moss gave Ethan pause when Cornelius surprised him and offered him a job. 
 
If anything, it reminded West of the fact that Washington is a town full of agendas and end games and that the one man he has tormented, has none of those thoughts or desires in his mind or his heart and it prompted West to do Kirkman a solid and steer him toward re-election and well, that smaller plotline, and the constant battle that Tom took part in with Congress over helping out a protectorate with a natural disaster motivated Tom to announce his bid for another term and well, that’s when it hit me…this series wants to be about what politics would look like, if a man who will always stick to his guns, and his convictions and what’s right, just so happened to be in charge and I think that’s brilliant. Because often times, political dramas love to discuss the grey areas over anything else and show us how hard it is to maintain one’s morals while in office and how deal making is the thing.
 
But this series, clearly wants to buck those trends and criticize current American politics with this little game of ‘What if?’ and it’s why I am so disappointed that the future of this series is so uncertain. Because while there has been talk of this series potentially moving to Netflix, no deal is in place and well, this is proof that things have to change when it comes to the overall television model because this kind of refreshing idea was about to come to fruition and it will in fact, be a shame if this wonderful series comes to a close when it was on the precipice of something so great. I just hope this series and all the amazing things it stands for and could stand for, gets a fair shake at another home and if not, then it was definitely one hell of a ride. 

​Often times, the middle of the season is where television shows new and old make the mistake of slowing down their story with filler episodes in order to fulfill their season order. These are the stories that tend to provide the audience with either a one-off tale or something that drags a little bit since these tales are merely placeholders until the plot can kick back into overdrive. It’s something fans of T.V. have just come to live with since its unavoidable, and thankfully…it’s a tradition that Netflix’s Lost in Space is outright going to ignore in its freshman year.
 
Because the fifth episode of this series, ‘Transmission’, had the opportunity to fall into this pattern, and for a brief moment, it seemed as though it was going to, since it featured a simple plot wherein the survivors on this planet were working together to prepare a giant light tower to signal the Resolute. But that plot line was in fact, quite the smokescreen, because this episode featured more than just mere unity and harmony, this turned out to be one of those rare midseason tales where unresolved plot lines start to come together and advance and of course…this series just so happened to throw a little danger into the mix to keep things interesting as well.
 
As for how all of those threads came together and advanced, well that was accomplished by way of the working together storyline. Because with everyone that survived the disaster in space working near the Jupiter 2 to build the tower in question, familiar faces crossed paths. Like Don and Doctor Smith, whose reunion was awkward and unsettling as June did her best to talk her way out of this one, and the pressure was on for her since Judy eventually figured out she abandoned Don and Angela as well, which left Smith scrambling for a sense of safety and well…she in turn forced another plot line to advance…the whole matter with the Robot.
 
Oddly enough, her push to get the Robot back in her vicinity for her own gain is where the first taste of danger arrived in this episode, because she turned off the perimeter warning system in order to attract a predator that feasted upon creatures that were attracted to light like moths are on Earth and the arrival of this predator, allowed for her to push Will to bring the Robot back into the fold and while the ‘Bot was able to save the day, the colonists remember what it did aboard the Resolute, leaving them uneasy and of course, since June is clearly willing to cause great harm in order to achieve her goals, she’s now a serious threat to everyone…
 
Plus, to make matters worse, there’s the whole matter of the Black Hole that Maureen discovered is hiding right next to this planet’s sun and well, that’s going to be a major problem going forward no doubt. But in the here and the now, this was quite the enjoyable episode. It was nice to slow things down just a little bit and give the story an opportunity to catch up to itself and I like that we are seeing everything move forward in logical and organic fashion. But truly, June is starting to make me a touch nervous with how she continues to escalate dangerous situations, and that Black Hole is some seriously bad news and well, I kind of need to know where this story is headed next, so if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to watch another episode. Until next time. 

I’m not sure what’s been in the creative water this year on television, but several season finales, have downright left me speechless and struggling to find the right words when it comes to these recaps and Timeless is no exception to the conundrum that I’m currently experiencing. Because let’s be honest, this week’s two-hour, season two finale of the series, ‘The General’ and ‘Chinatown’, was simply breathtaking with all of the big reveals and incredible surprises that these two episodes dropped our way and well, from what I’ve seen on social media over the past few days I know that I’m not alone in the fact that this finale in essence left all of us in awe on so many levels. 
 
Which means that really, the only way to properly recap this kind of epic storytelling, is to revisit all of those jaw dropping, mind boggling moments because they are in fact, still swirling about in all of our minds and our hearts for that matter as well and really, perhaps the best place to start...is from the proverbial beginning with the first real surprise of the night in that…freakin’ Jessica was a Rittenhouse agent after all and damnit, that’s frustrating. Because I know all the conversations I had with my buddy Matt about this potential and eventually realized plot twist, ended with us being hopeful that maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t evil after all and that Rittenhouse would use Wyatt’s love to rip the team to pieces by having him leave with her to start anew.
 
But instead, our worst fears were realized when it comes to her, and well, her decision to steal the Lifeboat led to more jaw dropping moments, including one that I did not see coming in the slightest…the end of Carol and Nicholas Keynes. Because often times in shows such as this, we are usually treated to some kind of grand showdown between the good guys and the bad guys. But instead, Carol and Keynes met their end at the hands of an angry and minimalized Emma and while it’s not a terrible thing that they’re gone because they were awful, awful people…Emma to me is far more dangerous since she is all about getting the job done and the prospect of her now being in charge of Rittenhouse is downright terrifying.

​Of course, the bad guys weren’t the only ones to suffer some serious losses in this tale, because we can’t talk about this one, without talking about the death of dear Rufus because damnit…the show did an incredible job of toying with us and making us believe that he was going to be just fine, making the moment when he took a bullet, all the more stunning and all the more heartbreaking. Because Rufus is an amazing character, and truly a good man through and through and seeing someone that good, and that wonderful die a slow and painful death is simply devastating.
 
However, the show did leave us wondering as to whether or not there’s a chance that Rufus could still be alive, as evidenced by that powerhouse cliffhanger of an ending where a future Wyatt and Lucy stepped out of a fancier Lifeboat to offer the Time Team a chance to save his life and well…that’s all the more evidence as to why this show needs a third season, because you simply cannot leave the audience hanging like that, so hopefully we get some good news when it comes to the future of this show and quick. But all, of that aside, wow…what a finale, that’s for certain.
 
I always love it when a television series takes the time to tie up all of its loose ends before the season comes to a close and this show took good care of that. Everything introduced this year came to its logical conclusion whether it made us happy or not, and that’s really all you can ever ask for from your favorite television shows. Either way, the wait to hear the news about season three is on, and hopefully NBC does the right thing, because this simply cannot be the end for the Time Team, they have some unfinished business and Emma’s evil machinations to deal with, so hopefully, we’ll all be back here next year to discuss more of this wonderous show. 

One of my favorite things when it comes to the spy genre as a whole, is the sheer fact that the story tends to go to some fascinating places once the true villain of the tale has been revealed. In fact, perhaps the best way to describe it, is that all hell breaks loose since we come to learn exactly how powerful the baddies in question are and just how far their reach truly goes in the world and we also learn that not everyone is quite who they seem during this grand reveal and that kind of chaos just so happened to be the focus of last night’s episode of Killing Eve, ‘Take Me to the Hole!’
 
Which is fascinating, because, up until this point, this series has done everything within its power to avoid any of the classic tropes found in this genre, but this, this is a staple that simply cannot be avoided in order to get the plot moving in the right direction. However, while the series did indeed take the time to visit these all-important elements, it of course found a way to spice everything up with its own unique twists on the grand reveal, which we will get to in a moment, because first, I really want to spend some time talking about how this particular tale exposed the sheer reach of the Twelve, something that was accomplished by returning to a plot point that came up in the last episode; the fact that Nadia survived being run over by a car.
 
Because that revelation meant that Nadia became a marked woman in many ways. After all, she has knowledge about the Twelve, which prompted Konstantin to plant Villanelle/Oksana inside the prison where Nadia was being held to deal with the matter, and it brought Eve and Carolyn to Moscow to gain information from Nadia as well and wouldn’t you know it? This part of the story allowed for us to learn that Konstantin is actually a member of Russian Intelligence, which explains how he’s so damn good at getting information to Villanelle and it’s also chilling because it means that the Twelve likely have other men and women like him in key roles like his around the world, meaning they can carry out their work without anyone batting an eye… 

But, we do need to discuss the big twists in question. Because while Villanelle was unhappy with returning to the prison she escaped from, she knew she had to complete the mission to keep herself safe and her employers happy and with a little patience and some downright savage violence, she was able to isolate Nadia and put her down, only to learn that the Twelve outright double crossed her and plan to leave her in jail to rot and that’s stunning simply because normally the villains in stories such as these exhibit a unified front.
 
But Villanelle does have knowledge of the Twelve, and that’s dangerous in their eyes. And speaking of knowledge, in an effort to broker a deal with the Russians, Eve went behind Carolyn’s back and dug into her past relationship with Konstantin and while the audience wasn’t privy to what Kenny found out about his mother, the ominous nature of how Eve handled what he shared with her, cannot mean anything good, and the twist here, is that we rarely see someone this high up the chain have their loyalties come into question, but here we are.
 
If anything, this twist raises all kinds of questions about Carolyn’s loyalty. Specifically, is she one of the Twelve? Or is she on their payroll as well? Or is she just interested in helping them out to see a little chaos reign? I’m sure we will find out in the coming weeks, and I hope what Eve and Kenny discovered isn’t something as awful as any of those options, but my gut tells me otherwise. Either way, wow, what an episode. This one simply flew by since it had so much packed into it, and I love the tension it brought forth and one has to wonder now as to whether or not this episode is going to serve as a turning point for Villanelle, wherein she will change allegiances and help Eve instead of hindering her, since the Twelve was happy to double cross their star assassin. Regardless, the plot is only going to get juicier from here on out, and I cannot wait to see what other twists and turns await us come next week. Until then.  

​I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; when Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. feels the need to tell a powerhouse story, the show delivers in spades and that’s precisely what the audience was treated to with last night’s episode, ‘The Force of Gravity’. Because this particular tale was quite the epic jaw dropper, since it not only posed one of the greatest dilemmas that the team has ever faced, but it also featured some top-notch storytelling through and through, since we were also treated to plenty of action and adventure and fun, and a true tragedy when it comes to Glenn Talbot’s storyline.
 
In fact, let’s start there today, because that plot line was downright heartbreaking to watch on so many levels since we in essence finally saw Talbot’s fall from grace come to its logical completion by way of a pair of disturbing moments. The first one, involved the death of Carl Creel since Talbot took the time to absorb him without giving it a second thought and the other moment in question was when Glenn went to visit his family, wherein he terrified his son by using his powers on his wife after she questioned the state of his mental health and well, what made this so hard to watch was the sheer fact that Glenn really does believe he’s doing the right thing, and he’s better than this. But the pain of seeing his career fade away and the doubt from his family is driving him to do questionable acts because he refuses to deal with any of his demons, he’s instead convinced that saving the world is the only way to make internal peace and that makes him about as dangerous as they come.
 
But, as I made mention of before, there was some fun and adventure to be found in this tale, and all of that took place aboard the Remorath ship. Because while Glenn tried to convince his family that he’s a true hero, May and Coulson were trying to figure out how the hell to escape the cell they shared and thanks to an assist from Deke, they were able to do so, and this sequence was filled with some satisfying moments since it also brought about the end of the annoying Remorath, in explosive fashion no less after May took the time to smack their leader around. But truly, the highlight of this segment, is the sheer fact that Coulson finally broke down and admitted his feelings for May by way of a big ol’ kiss and let’s be honest, this is something the fans have been waiting for and Daisy made it all the more magical with the giddy glee she expressed over the fact that Coulson and May finally made out.
 
However, the fun and the joy simply wasn’t made to last in this episode, because we learned in this tale that the Remorath’s weapons carry a nasty little surprise, in that, if you’re cut by these blades, you’ll continue to bleed despite medical treatment, and you’ll be poisoned by whatever nasty agent the metal is coated in, and that matters, because Phil is dying after being sliced on the arm by one of these weapons, which brings us to that all important decision the team will have to make. Because it would seem that FitzSimmons have figured out how to use the Centipede Serum to help Coulson, and in the process of tinkering with it, they also figured out a way to defeat Talbot using the serum as well. But the problem at hand, is that they only have enough of the serum to make one of those things happen and the question that now hangs over their heads…is do they save Coulson, or do they save the world?
 
So, yeah, that’s where we leave the team, with one ugly dilemma in front of them and this really does set the stage for one incredible season finale next week and at this point, I really don’t have a clue where the story is going to go from here, and there is truly a strong possibility that Phil isn’t going to make it out this season alive and I honestly don’t know how I feel about that right now. So instead, it’s best to just sit here, stunned at the gravity at this tale and hope for the best in the back of mind. But make no mistake about it, the stakes have never been higher on this show and if anything, I get the strong feeling that next week’s finale is going to be an incredibly tough episode to sit through. Until next time. 

​The last time we sat down to discuss the wonder of Battlestar Galactica, I pondered as to whether or not the next episode in this magnificent saga, ‘The Road Less Traveled’, was going to be the all-important tale that finally started to bring together all the incredible plot threads that season four has introduced. Because it’s clear that this final season is going to pack in as much as possible, and my wonder came about simply because there was a chance that this tale would instead continue to grow and build what the story has already introduced. So, imagine my surprise when I settled in to watch this one, only to quickly discover that in fact, this episode was indeed dedicated to weaving together some of season four’s epic storylines.
 
Much of that was accomplished by way of the mission that Starbuck is currently running in the void of space. Since her tired and exhausted crew was surprised by the fact that a badly damaged Heavy Raider jumped into their airspace and aboard that ship was a Leoben model, who…surprisingly offered up the possibility of a truce between the Cylons and mankind and while the crew was having none of his ramblings, Starbuck of course felt the need to listen because something in her gut told her that these two were going to cross paths once again, and well, Leoben definitely had some interesting things to say when all is said and done.
 
Because he spoke to Kara about how she needed to fulfill her destiny and that the Hybrid back on his ship spoke of her and of Earth and the only way to get there was to help his ailing Basestar because it was in rough shape thanks to the Cylon Civil War and of course, Kara was all about setting a course for that ship since it was her best lead at the moment to find the elusive Earth. Of course, the crew was having none of this, in fact they were quick to see Starbuck as someone who was outright falling apart and potentially leading them into a trap, leading to mutiny aboard the Demetrius. Which is frustrating to say the least, because the audience knows that Leoben is telling the truth, at least about the war and hey, why not take a chance if your enemy is waving a white flag.
 
Yet while this was fascinating and tense in its own right, the show balanced it out nicely with a fascinating subplot involving Baltar and Tyrol, wherein, we saw a different side of Gaius for a change. And what brought about a transformed Gaius, was Tyrol taking the time to check out Baltar’s little gospel service, because that led to an ugly confrontation between the two men, wherein Baltar pushed the wrong buttons, to the point where Galen attacked Gaius and later contemplated suicide, but he stepped back from the edge for the sake of his son and that’s when this reformed Gaius magically appeared. Because Baltar stopped by Galen’s quarters to genuinely apologize and offer condolences and in essence make peace with Tyrol and this was extraordinary because it’s one of the few times in the history of the series we’ve seen Gaius be kind and selfless.
 
But, when all is said and done, worlds are finally colliding since the Civil War is now out in the open and it may help lead the Fleet to Earth, if Kara’s crew will stand down and take a chance and honestly, I love the fact that this one took the time to blend everything together in subtle and seamless fashion and that it ended on a cliffhanger, simply because it speaks to the fact that this wonderful meshing of the storylines is nowhere near complete. But all of that aside, I really enjoyed this episode, a lot in fact. The acting in this one was simply sublime, and kudos are due for both Katee Sackhoff and Aaron Douglas for selling the storylines in this one and now if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to start the next episode, because waiting to finish this cliffhanger would just be silly. Until next time.

​The true beauty of the science fiction genre, is the sheer fact that it always finds a way to elicit wonder from its audience by showing us things that are beyond our imagination and by constantly engaging in grand examinations on the human condition and over the course of three episodes, those are elements that quite frankly, Lost in Space has yet to explore. It’s not a bad thing, because Sci-Fi continues to evolve in the modern era, and this show has focused heavily on the family element and the dangers of the new world they have landed upon and it’s worked through and through since I’ve been watching every single episode with glee.
 
But I make mention of those two elements, simply because, the fourth episode of this intrepid new series, ‘The Robinsons Were Here’, surprised me big time by slowing down the plot in this one, to flat out explore those all-important staples of the genre in great detail, and it’s deep dive into the human condition involved a subtle look at how important it is for human beings to connect with one another and it accomplished that, by showing all of us just how many people survived the disaster on the Resolute, and there are far more survivors on this world than I expected. But what matters more here, is how happy everyone was to see another human being on this alien world, and it was also kind of neat to see people working and coming together in the face of disaster. 
 
As for the other examination I made mention of, well that revolved around the importance of forgiveness and second chances and all of that was explored by way of the Robot. Because unfortunately, the secret is sort of out when it comes to what the Big ‘Bot did aboard the Resolute since Judy came to discover his handiwork aboard the ship that Don West and Angela made it to after being rescued from the storm after all, and it was just fascinating to watch the kids debate the finer points of what should be done with the robot and come to a tentative agreement that perhaps he should be removed from the Jupiter 2 and the other colonists for the time being until they can figure out how to broach the subject and properly show everyone…that he does indeed seem to have left his murderous machinations in the past.
 
When it comes to the notion of wonder and awe however, that all came about from simply exploring this world. After all, the kids and the Robot were able to find fields of beautiful flowers that quite literally bloom with a clap of one’s hands and those alien ‘fireflies’ that popped up at night were quite frankly, breathtaking and magnificent and I really appreciate the fact that this series took the time to show us that this world isn’t that all that much different from our own when it comes to providing humans with things to fear and revere. But, while all of this was wonderful to experience in its own right, there is some trouble brewing behind the scenes and it all seems to be related to the shady Doctor Smith. 
 
Because she knows full well that eventually, the survivors will band together and figure her out, which means she’ll need some protection and insurance if she wants to continue to enjoy her freedom, and she firmly believes the Robot will make all of that happen, and she sure did try to play nice and sway its loyalty her way. As to whether or not she will be successful, time will tell, but let’s be honest, no good will come from this in the slightest. Either way, this really was a lovely episode, one that felt like traditional science fiction through and through, and it just goes to show how diverse this series can be, and I am quite curious to see if other gentler moments like the ones presented in this tale, await us down the road. Until next time. 

​After sitting through several jam-packed episodes of Battlestar Galactica, I was fully expecting the next entry in this powerful saga, ‘Escape Velocity’, to feature more of the same; an epic number of competing storylines that would serve as a grand feast for the mind. But wouldn’t you know it? This particular tale found a way to surprise me, by instead scaling back the plot line fiesta a great deal in order to return the show to its character driven roots, since this story focused heavily on loss and grief and how that can impact a man who is struggling to get his life together.
 
All of that was accomplished by way of Galen Tyrol, who quite frankly, is not the same following Cally’s death. He’s vacant and shattered and well, it was a touch scary to see him like this in this tale, because the void in his heart spread to his mind to the point where he endangered his fellow ship mates since he made some big mistakes on the deck, which is surprising to say the least and it was equally as shocking to see him lash out whenever he saw fit. Because in a stunning moment with the Admiral, he unleashed his pain and his fury, sullying Cally’s memory and getting himself demoted in the process and this was just incredible to watch and poignant since, we have always been led to believe that the Cylons can’t experience pain the way we do.
 
In fact, this episode took the time to explore that notion further, by also letting Colonel Tigh indulge in some pain since Cally’s death put a little salt in the proverbial wound when it comes to what happened with Ellen and in a desperate attempt to understand his own pain and whether or not his feelings are genuine since he now knows his true identity, he sought out some face time with the Six that fell in love with Baltar and this was uh…filled with some supremely weird moments since she beat the crap out of Saul to help him feel alive. But all weirdness aside, all of this just goes to show that the humanoid Cylon models are clearly as flawed as the rest of us emotionally, and the pain that comes with loss and grief can stay with them for quite some time since Saul is clearly still struggling with the death of Ellen.
 
But, as this series is wont to do, it also made sure to look at other happenings in the fleet and well, considering that people in this day and age often find solace in their faith when loss and grief occurs, it seems only fitting that we checked in on Baltar in this tale and wouldn’t you know it, his newfound friends and his belief in the one true God is gaining him notoriety once again. To the point where the president wants to limit public gatherings in order to keep him from raising hell once more, as he did when he trashed a temple in protest of the Gods after a fringe religious group attacked his own. It’s a decision that Lee challenges, and wins the argument on, but it would seem in the closing minutes of this episode that he comes to realize that perhaps he made a poor decision and that Roslin was right to restrict Baltar since it’s clear he’s gaining followers, and power…
 
If anything, part of me wondered after this episode came to an end, as to whether or not the series was more or less bringing us boatloads of filler at this point since let’s be honest, the plot isn’t exactly leaping forward at this point. But, I quickly let those thoughts fade away. Because this is a series that believes in tying up loose ends, which means all of this is nothing more than a grand setup for some explosive endings and well, I think at this point, I’m just antsy to get to the end, and that’s okay. But, wandering thoughts aside, this was a compelling tale for certain, one that featured some top notch acting from Aaron Douglas since the Chief’s downward spiral was both chilling and compelling and, on that note, I’m off to watch the next episode, simply because I need more, and I need to see if this is where this sprawling story, starts to come together. Until next time.  

Part of the reason we enjoy our favorite television shows so much, is because we enjoy the rollercoaster ride they take us on. We will experience plenty of ups and plenty of downs as the story rolls along and we’re fine with it, because nine times out of ten, the story will reward us with some satisfying moments for going along with the ride and there’s nothing wrong with a series letting its tale play out in this fashion because it works and it’s a blast. But when it comes to The Handmaid’s Tale, things play out a little differently. Because this is a series that teases a reward like any other show, but it has no qualms with keeping said reward, hidden away, and for proof, look no further than last night’s episode of the show, ‘Other Women’.
 
Because this is a story that in essence teased quite the payoff for the audience, since we’ve all suffered alongside June in harrowing fashion for the past year and a half and it would seem that the reward in question, was going to consist of watching June stick it to the Waterford’s in stunning fashion. Because following her capture at the border, she was given a tough choice, stay at the training center, chained to a bed for the next nine months and die after the birth of her child, or resume her old life with the Waterford family and perhaps be given a second chance and obviously June chose the latter. 
 
But her actions upon her return signaled the fact that she was going to make this a hellish nine months for Serena and her ‘darling’ husband by being defiant every step of the way. From a lack of praising the Lord to something as simple as a look of disdain, she kept the Waterford’s on their toes because it was inherently clear they had no idea how to react or deal with this kind of behavior and their complete surprise only pushed June to further antagonize them by offering up some deliciously smarmy moments that undermined Serena in epic fashion and well, when one considers the fact that nothing could be done to June in the slightest because protecting the baby is paramount, it truly seemed as though she was going to get away with her actions.
 
However, it would seem that Aunt Lydia had other plans in mind and in a stunning turn of events, she in essence gaslighted June into believing that she was at fault for the fact that the man who took her in in the last episode was dead now, and it was also her fault that his family was scattered about Gilead and to complicate matters further, Serena took a new approach with June, and treated her like a vessel for her baby and nothing more and this combined front did the impossible…and seemingly broke June. Because just like that she found herself believing in the crap they were feeding her, and she suddenly seems docile and compliant and well, that’s about as devastating as it gets for this tale because we were all hoping for June to be a beacon of hope in a world without it.
 
So, with that in mind, why would one want to continue to watch a tale that would do this to the audience and its characters? Well, there are reasons a plenty. For starters, its bold and brilliant to go this direction because it’s clearly the goal of the people behind the scenes to tell a powerful and raw story above anything else and also because, we are invested in June’s plight and we have to know how her story ends and also due to fact that this twist is still poignant and relevant. Not only from a social commentary standpoint, but also in respect to the fact that our greatest challenges sometimes put setbacks in front of us, and how we respond is what matters and really, that’s what we need to discover going forward, how June will deal with this setback and how she recovers from it and that…may be quite the reward in and of itself. Until next time. 

​Normally on a television series, the back half of a season is dedicated to a grand build up storytelling wise, so that the season finale is a jaw dropping and stunning affair. But, that’s simply not the case when it comes to Designated Survivor. Because this series is about as unconventional as they come, and it spent the second half of season two, growing its characters in intimate fashion, wherein we saw them make outright honest mistakes and while that is fairly unique for a story such as this, there is in fact, a rhyme and a reason as to why the series chose to walk that particular path toward the season finale.
 
Because by doing this, the show is setting us up a different kind of finale, one that doesn’t involve a grandiose villain waiting to destroy the country at the press of a button, or an evil nation ready to do battle with our forces in the hopes of proving its worth to the world. Instead, by delving into a character study, the series gave birth to a pair of stories that will in fact focus upon how the past sometimes comes back to haunt us, since ‘Target’ focused heavily on the past transgressions of the Kirkman Administration and some of those important life lessons that our characters learned in making mistakes, may in fact be the president’s undoing in the weeks to come. 
 
After all, he’s asked a great deal of his staff, and their incredible loyalty to the man has made some of them do some questionable things. But, what led to this overall twist, was more criticism from Ethan West and President Moss, and a saber rattling from both parties, wherein they hoped to woo the President to represent their respective party in the upcoming election and all of these issues not only helped Kirkman to recognize this as an opportunity to force both sides to work together on the Department of Defense budget, but it also opened up a potential path to put an end to the Moss mess by making Ethan West his ally and he appointed the plucky lawyer as a special counsel to look into the illegal affairs of the former President, which laid the foundation for Kirkman’s dilemma.
 
However, while West did his thing behind the scenes, the story found another way to examine the past coming back to haunt people, since Kendra was attacked by a family that didn’t like how a verdict went ages ago under her care, and this matter escalated to the point where Emily took a bullet at the end of the episode, and we haven’t a clue if she’s okay or not, and while that was harrowing and shocking to say the least, that moment was rivaled only by Ethan West’s findings. Which brings us back to the dilemma in question, because it would seem that every transgression and poor choice made my Kirkman’s staff has raised some red flags in West’s mind, because he now firmly believes that the president and his staff have performed some illegal actions in order to get the job done.
 
Plus, to make matters worse, Cornelius Moss is running for a second term, and judging from the tense meeting between he and Kirkman, Moss is going to make a mockery of Tom every step of the way in his bid to reclaim to the Oval Office and well, this episode basically ends in disaster. It truly seems as though everything is falling apart for the Kirkman Administration right before our eyes and that’s quite the crisis to give us for next week’s season finale and honestly, I haven’t a clue how Tom Kirkman is going to get out of this one. Because an impassioned speech won’t save him from Moss and West’s ire, and if Tom cannot find evidence to prove that nothing illegal happened, next week’s finale may signal the end of his presidency. Until next time.