When we are young, there is one important lesson that is consistently driven home by our parents in that, we need to learn to keep our emotions in check. Because, if we let them get the better of us, bad things can and will happen, and while that particular lesson does indeed take root with all of us, there are moments where those words are forgotten by all of us. For sometimes, our anger gets the better of us, and we say and do things that we utterly regret. But for the most part, when that happens, lives aren’t endangered, and we are usually able to ask for forgiveness because we all understand how emotions work. But for some people, giving into their anger leads to dangerous and terrifying moments, and those are the moments that humble us and reinforce what our parents were trying to tell us when we see the aftermath of fury on the six o’clock news.
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Yet while we tend to watch those kinds of events from afar, it’s important to pay close attention to the details when it comes to why someone felt the need to go that route emotionally and thankfully, fiction can help us explore the root cause of why some people just give in to fury and it just so happens that this next episode of CHiPs saw a grand opportunity to explore this element of the human condition in fascinating fashion. Because ‘Disaster Squad’ basically took the time to look at every single cause and consequence of giving into one’s more negative emotions at just about any age and it wasted no time in getting down to this since the opening sequence saw a destitute man named Hilmer take out his frustrations on well, just about everyone since he went rogue in his car and even threatened to harm himself over losing his job and well, this is the stuff that felt familiar since we’ve seen that in the news more often than not and this plot thread was designed to ease us into a more complex analysis of the subject matter.

That was accomplished by introducing us to a man named Lee, and this ‘gent’ just so happened to be a reporter/producer for a news segment known as the Disaster Squad, and his wonderful ratings and desire to scoop every other outlet in the market, brought out the worst in him. Because this guy simply had a chip on his shoulder, and he used that as motivation to do whatever it takes to get the story and if that meant hurting others to score in the ratings, well so be it, and he straight up hurt people in his quest for glory since a cameraman caught on fire when he staged a disaster and he even went so far as to doctor footage of Ponch to make it look like Frank committed an act of police brutality and well, the lesson here is that some people feed off of their anger and their darkness, or at the very least find it supremely intoxicating and that made Lee one of the most chilling Creeps of the Week to ever appear on this series and it was just fascinating to see a character like this appear in a show that keeps things in the ‘fun zone’ as often as possible.

Which, oddly enough, brings us to the lighthearted part of the story, because that too examined the theme hanging over this episode since Ponch and Jon found themselves spending a lot of time with a little kid named Chris Roberts. Because this little guy didn’t have a dad around, and loved bikes and charmed his way into the CHP office in order to hang out around motorcycles, and while that should be innocuous in its own right, Chris definitely had his moments where a lack of understanding forced his young mind to boil over in fury and that got him in a heap of trouble at the end of our tale wherein Ponch and Jon were forced to save him from some raging waters and while this episode ended happy like so many before it, since Chris was saved and Lee finally got his just desserts from a crew he pushed too far, this episode definitely felt different when all is said and done.

If anything, this is the first time that CHiPs felt like a genuine drama and you know what? I rather dug it. Because season two is clearly the genuine experiment ground for the series since this episode was unlike anything I’ve ever seen from the show before and really, Max Hodge’s script deserves some serious credit for diving this deep into the nature of anger, and all of the dangers that come with it and well, I’m quite curious to see if this season is going to continue to dabble in this realm or return to its roots and honestly, I’m fine with either one. Because the classic format is a tried and true crowd pleaser and episodes such as this, are just an outright surprise and well, the only way to see what else awaits me is to push ahead with season two, which means it’s that time again where I must bid you farewell, so I can enjoy a little sunshine and bask in the gentle hint of motor oil on the California highways alongside Ponch and Jon. Until next time. 

I’ve come to learn over the years that the reasons as to why people either tune into superhero themed shows or pick up comic books are supremely personal in nature. Sometimes it is simply due to the fact that the story in question reminds them of their youth and every time they tune in or turn the page, they’re transported back in time. Or it could be due to the fact that they outright love what the hero is capable of, or they flat out found the story at a period in their life when they needed something uplifting or relatable. But of the many reasons as to why we pick up these stories and return to them time and time again, I do believe there is one common thread that draws us to the superhero genre in that, these men and woman outright inspire us when all is said and done.
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Because they teach us to be fearless when the universe throws tough challenges our way, and they remind us to be better people in general so that we engender good in others. But those lessons don’t just drop out of the sky in these stories, they come forth by way of incredibly harrowing journeys and all of this is on my mind today, simply due to the fact that this was in essence the focus of last week’s episode of Cloak & Dagger. For ‘Two Player’ saw Tryone and Tandy at their lowest points with Tyrone ‘bleeding out’ and Tandy desperate to save him, and it quickly became apparent during this particular tale that the only way for this duo to find strength to move forward once again was to go through complete and utter hell, and fight their way out of the darkness in inspiring and beautiful fashion.

Which meant, we were headed back to that strange void where Tryone draws his power from, and this time around, Tandy brought a friend into the darkness since Brigid didn’t want her heading in there alone and well, this place is what allowed for the inspiring part of this tale to take place. Because Tandy fought alongside her best friend not only to save him from the clutches of death, but to remind him of what he has been fighting for all this time and how important it is to stay strong when the going gets tough, and while she taught him those particular lessons, Brigid learned her own as well. For she came to discover that we all have a dark side and whether we like it or not we have to figure out how to properly live with it and it was quite incredible to see Brigid make peace with Mayhem and find a way to coexist in the same body once everyone left the void.

But, while I do appreciate the messages present here involving unity and an examination of the outright importance of the special people in our lives, a genuine happy ending to a series this intelligent and complex would be quite the cop out. Which is why I was so appreciative of the fact that this story found ways to remind us of the sacrifices we sometimes make for the people we love since Evita dedicated her life to replacing Auntie as Mambo in order to bring Tyrone back from the void and it also took the time to remind us that even the best of people can lose their way when they’re pressed hard enough since it was revealed that Tyrone’s mother killed Connors in cold blood once she got exactly what she needed from him and really, the brilliance of this episode lies within its presentation of humanity as a whole.

For there is great beauty to be found from us when we rally together, and great sadness to be found when we give in to revenge and that yin and yang present here made this episode bittersweet at best and well, that’s just fine. Because this really was an incredible story when all is said and done, one that saw our heroes reunite and jell together once again as they prepare to search for Tandy’s mom and deal with Andre and as we barrel toward the season two finale of this magnificent series, I get the funny feeling that the ending to this adventure will be as equally as bittersweet. Because this series, while inspiring more often than not, is grounded in the harsh realities of life, in part to humble its characters but also to remind us that the hero’s fight is never done, since the challenges the world presents to us, never quite end. Until next time.  

Normally in the television world, dark and broody dramas are the go-to shows when writers and producers and directors wish to examine the human condition. Because in these worlds, where characters face tough situations week in and week out, the tough questions we hope to never face can be explored in relative safety. Which is why I’m always pleasantly surprised when more lighthearted television shows take the time to try this on their own because the results are just so mixed when it happens, just because it’s not the norm for the series in question. But when a lighter series pulls this off, it’s quite the feat to the say the least and for proof, look no further than the next episode of CHiPs.
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Because ‘Family Crisis’ really did dive into some fascinating concepts over the course of the hour since there were some incredibly personal and potentially relatable challenges that our intrepid characters had to face in this particular tale and the first one on the docket involved a little bit of risk for a brand new character. But before I dive too deeply into this part of the story, let me take a moment and say that it was supremely awesome once again to see the debut of someone new on the series since this episode does mark the first time that Officer Sindy Cahill arrived on the show, and well, her phenomenal arc in this particular tale makes it quite disappointing that she only lasted a season on the show because she really could have accomplished wonders as a character storytelling wise.

Because not only was she faced with a tough challenge, she also was the most progressive female character I’ve seen on the series to date since she doesn’t put up with the wanton sexism of the 1970s in the slightest in this tale, and her toughness played out in magnificent fashion over the course of the episode. For Cahill really did feel the need to go above and beyond in her duties as a CHP officer, and she was hungry to prove that she’s just as qualified and as smart as any officer out there and that prompted her to start her own unique investigation into a the theft of a movie car that was being used in robberies all around town and well, that brings us to the risk that I mentioned. Because the Sarge wasn’t exactly happy with her taking time out of her daily duties to dive into this and pulled the procedure card often on the matter, and it felt like for a moment there, her job might be in jeopardy. But a desperate Captain, and equally as desperate department put her work to good use and eventually her ideas helped to nab the thieves in question.

As for the other challenge present in this episode, well that fell to Jon. Because we were able to meet his nephew, Wes, in this tale and while Wes seemed like he was definitely cut from the Baker cloth, his youth and desire to fit in put him a heap of trouble in this episode. For Wes basically got in with the wrong crowd and his so called friends were all about taking their thrills to the next level, to the point where they would straight up hotwire cars for a joyride and well, this storyline took a fascinating path since Ponch was wise to Wes’ conundrum right away and did his best to try and convince him to walk on the straight and narrow path. But despite his best efforts, Wes gave in to peer pressure and kept hanging around these doofs and for his troubles, he finally had a run in with his Uncle Jon and earned himself a lovely pair of metal bracelets, all in the hopes of teaching him a valuable lesson and well, from the looks of it, it would seem Jon finally reached his nephew.
But what truly impressed me about this tale is the relatability that I made mention of earlier.

Because Sindy’s situation echoes stuff we’ve faced in our careers over the years, where one risks it all to play the hero and it also posed a question to the audience by way of Jon’s story in that, how would we respond if we found out a family member was breaking the law? And honestly it is just phenomenal that the story explored this kind of stuff in a show that keeps things fun and fluffy and I love the depth that’s present in both storylines and I’m glad everything worked out okay as well to keep this episode in line with what the show stands for and I’ve said it before, and I’ll likely say it a lot going forward in that, I am damn impressed with season two thus far. They just keep offering up intelligent and unique stories over and over again and even the Creep of the Week got an upgrade this week and all this does is motivate me further to dive into more episodes, and on that note, I think it’s time to hit ‘play’ on the old DVD player again and bask in another quality story. Until next time. 

When it comes to television in general, I’ve come to find that shows and their respective story (or stories) for any particular season, tend to jell together nicely about midway through the year. Because that allows for every plot thread to find its proverbial legs and it allows every actor to be comfortable with what’s happening in this respective universe and that’s not a bad thing in the slightest. Because it allows for the audience to invest in what’s happening and it helps the story build toward a powerhouse finale that takes our breath away, and that’s what we live for storytelling wise. But once in a while, proper planning and beautiful writing allows for a new television season to blow the audience away right from the get-go, and well, I’m quickly noticing that this latter ‘option’ is precisely what’s happening with CHiPs in its second season.
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Because ‘The Volunteers’ is a story that quite frankly, blew me away through and through, in large part due to the fact that it featured a storyline that more or less bucks the mantra and formula that this series established in season one. For if you recall, the titular first year of this saga, focused heavily on Ponch and Jon’s weekly pursuit of smarmy and smart criminals, or folks who broke the law for fascinating reasons, and the only time the series broke from that particular formula, was for the sole purpose of keeping the series from falling into monotony. But we’re only two episodes into season two and already, the show is hinting at the fact that the Creep of the Week format may in fact, be a thing of the past and the stories present this year are going to focus heavily on all kinds of wonderful new ideas.

Which brings us back to the episode in question, because it offered up quite the unique journey for Ponch and Jon. Because shortly after a high-speed pursuit ended in flames, our dynamic duo and Officer Turner volunteered for a special escort assignment. Because a trio of trucks carrying chlorine gas had to get away from the location of said flames to keep their payload from becoming a hazard, which meant that our trio of CHP officers were going to need to keep these trucks away from any issues on the road for 140 miles and well, while that seems like a fairly pedestrian escort run, the kind that would be boring to watch, this is CHiPs we are talking about here and anything and everything that could go wrong on this mission, absolutely did.

Because it didn’t take long for some good ol’ boys with their shotgun and beers to cause a nasty accident on the route, the kind that blocked up the road and inadvertently released a tiger from its crate, which meant that Ponch and Jon had to spring into action and make use of some USDA Grade A steaks in order to save a shopkeeper and his wife from becoming tiger food and the hazards didn’t end there. Because once they got rolling again, they were forced to use the backroads, wherein a mountain town wasn’t keen on letting them pass for safety reasons, and natural hazards slowed them down as well, and they even lost one of their drivers when a little bit of the gas leaked out and while eventually Ponch and Jon were able to get the trucks to their respective destination, this ended up being one stressful episode.  

After all, it was just one disaster after another, and there came a point where it seemed as though Ponch and Jon were going to genuinely ‘lose’ for the first time in the brief history of the series. Of course, they didn’t and I’m glad that’s the case, but that’s how unpredictable this story turned out to be, and it was just incredible to see our favorite highway patrolmen face this kind of adversity and danger and well, that made this episode incredible when all is said and done. Because this episode proves just how versatile this series can be since it was able to provide us with a genuinely entertaining adventure story, free from formula, and while it was weird to not see Creeps of the Week wreaking havoc on the greater Los Angeles area, one quickly forgets about that when you’re sucked into a quality story. If anything, this episode, and the new vibe surrounding season two has me extremely excited to continue on this journey and on that note, now seems like as good a time as any to call it a code seven with this recap, so I can join Ponch and Jon on the highways once again. Until next time. 

Normally, I like to take a good long break in between seasons when it comes to the Retro Recap. Because a little time away helps me clear my head and stay objective when it comes to the classic show I’m revisiting. But here we are, about to begin a grand look back at season two of the phenomenal police serial CHiPs, and with good reason. Because you, dear reader, have responded to this series of recaps with incredible enthusiasm and I won’t lie, I’m enjoying this re-watch as much as the rest of you and not settling in to watch an episode or four of this wonderful series is a little weird, and I was outright craving to see where these journeys go next and wouldn’t you know it? The season two premiere of this show, ‘Peaks and Valleys’, definitely blew me away with what it had to offer. 
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Because not only did this particular tale provide us with everything we love when it comes to this series, since it featured an engrossing storyline, some big-time stunts and the wacky fun that became a true trademark of the first season, it also offered up some big changes to the series as a whole. After all, this premiere just so happened to feature the debut of the up-tempo disco-esque version of the theme song for the show, and while I’m not normally a fan of disco, this theme brings back fond memories of my youth, when I was first introduced to this series, and it really just signifies that you’re going have a good time while tuning in. As for the other big change present in this premiere, well that came by way of the addition of a new character to the CHiPs family since this story also features the debut of Harlan, the CHP Mechanic, and it was just so cool to finally see his first ever appearance on the show and see that his trademark brand of surliness was established from the get go.

But while the introduction of those elements were magical in their own right, I made mention of a quality storyline and that came about by way of an ugly accident on the highway shortly after Ponch and Jon stopped an out of control car, and while the duo worked to free a couple of kids from a camper that flew off of the highway, a couple of power company employees pulled their father from the cab, which was a poor choice on their part. Because the dad, a one Mr. Niles, had a bad back injury and that meant hospital time and sadly, Ponch and Jon immediately took the blame for this incident and Niles filed every formal complaint known to man with the CHP to get a payoff for his injury and this led to quite the human moment from Jon when all is said and done. Because taking flack for something that wasn’t his fault, alongside the usual troubles that an officer faces on a daily basis, actually had Jon starting to wonder as to whether or not being a CHP officer was right for him anymore and honestly, I thought this was a brilliant idea to inject into the season premiere because it was so supremely relatable. After all, we’ve all been there when it comes to our careers and experiencing that moment of levity has its merits.

Because it forces one to re-evaluate so much, and for some it’s a wonderful wakeup call, allowing for them to perhaps change careers and find some happiness from that kind of a move. Or, like Jon, you come to realize that sometimes what you do will have its ups and downs, but you love it enough to weather the storm and well, this realization helped motivate Jon, and in turn Ponch as well, to visit Niles and speak with him about his complaint, allowing for him to recall everything about that fateful day and realize, that Jon and Frank were innocent after all, bringing about our first happy ending of season two, which brings us to the fun in question. Because in classic CHiPs style, we got to see Ponch and Jon off on  a dancing date with a couple of ladies, wherein we learned that Frank knows how to cut quite the disco rug since he busted all the moves during this segment, and just to remind us of how awesome this duo are in a pinch, they even got the opportunity to deliver a baby in the middle of the disco hall and it really doesn’t get more epic than that for this particular series.

In the end however, this really was a great way to kick off season two. Because this set the tone for how this year is going to go and I am supremely excited to watch this season progress simply due to the fact that the writing is hands down improving in year two. For this episode was enthralling, fascinating and filled to the brim with character development, and it accomplished all of that without featuring a single Creep of the Week, and that’s huge. Because that’s what season one was heavily reliant upon, so to see a story this strong without a crook stealing something is a big deal to say the least, since it means we are going to be in for some unique storytelling and some thrilling new plots down the line and well, I’m definitely ready for more when it comes to this series. So, on that note, it’s that time once again to bid you all farewell as I return to my DVD player to see what new adventures await us in season two. Until next time.

I will be the first to admit, that I’ve offered up a lot of praise when it comes to Killing Eve and there really is good reason to shower this television series with all kinds of kudos. Because it truly is breathtaking how dynamic and unpredictable this series can be on a moment’s notice and as we close in on the season two finale, I’m truly beginning to notice how the plot lines are becoming more complex and nuanced as the episodes roll on and ‘Wide Awake’ is no exception to that rule. For not only did this particular tale answer some pressing questions in regard to what exactly Mister Peel is selling on the black market, the story also took the time to offer up some supremely relatable moments, courtesy of Eve and Villanelle’s journeys.
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After all, we’ve seen both of these characters try and figure out what exactly they want out of life all season long, and one thing that is becoming a constant with both of them is that they go back and forth often when it comes to that and one another and that is…painfully relatable. Because we too suffer from this problem, and we constantly change our minds based upon what we feel in the moment or when something new presents itself to us and as Eve and Villanelle prepped for a big mission involving Peel, Eve definitely continued to experience this conundrum. Because despite the fact that Eve has tried to distance herself from her obsession, she keeps circling back and the potential of seeing harm come to Villanelle during this mission brought out the deep rooted feelings she has for the wily assassin, to the point where she sought a professional’s opinion on whether or not Villanelle would be able to handle a mission of this caliber and it was just fascinating to see Eve drift back to her once again, and see how emboldened she’s become in regard to enjoying a thrill in life since she also hooked up with Hugo.

As for Villanelle, well her journey was all about finding balance in this tale, and that’s surprisingly not a good thing. Because we saw her struggle last week with the whole notion of working on the right side of the law, since she’s not real big on taking orders, nor is she keen on being verbally abused by snotty billionaires. But rather than just go on a random revenge spree, she found a way to focus her anger by directing it toward those who have done her darling Eve wrong, which means she finally took the time to confront Gemma and Niko about their affair, and terrify the latter of those two to finally get it out in the open that this affair is nothing more than a genuine fling with no future, and the glimmer in her eye, before she offed Gemma, made it inherently clear how satisfying this act was for her, and it really did allow for her focus on the task at hand. And well, the relatability factor here, stems from the fact that sometimes we do unhealthy things to cope with equally tough situations, and while it may not be murder, we’ve all got our vices.

However, while the character study portion of this episode was fascinating in its in own right, there was still some spying to be done in this tale, and this segment of the story was downright fascinating and downright tense. For Villanelle’s time with Aaron revealed how much he loves to use his money to exert power and control over others, and that the man is obsessed with knowing everything he can about other people’s lives since he watched Villanelle intently upon their arrival in Rome. But the other wrinkle to that particular quirk is that he’s happy to profit off of his obsession since we learned, he’s working to sell information to the highest bidder. Which at first glance, seems a tad underwhelming reveal wise, but the fact that his software allows for anyone, anywhere to access the deepest darkest secrets of whomever they search for is terrifying since it would seem his software has catalogued every text message and email out there and that kind of knowledge could be damaging indeed since the right kind of reveal from the wrong hands could in fact topple a government and it really was terrifying to learn this and it was equally as harrowing to watch Villanelle operate under his watch, since Aaron seemed supremely close to exposing her as a MI6 agent on several occasions.

Either way, this episode was just an utter treat when all is said and done. Because we got more of the character development that makes this show so dynamic and powerful and I love that it keeps finding ways to bring us closer to the characters as well, and all of that mixed in nicely with a dangerous storyline that might result in bad news for both Villanelle and Eve once the mission is over. Because I find myself haunted by Kenny’s attempt to warn Eve in this tale, since it seems he knows something is going to happen once they wrap this up, the question is what, exactly, since Carolyn plays everything so close to the chest and really, that warning and the tension present here serves as a wonderful setup to next week’s season two finale, and I’m betting that said finale is going to be nothing short of spectacular since I get the feeling that everything that’s been lurking in the shadows story wise this year, is about to step into the light. Until next time. 

So, let’s just be honest here. While it was delightful to see a new season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. kick off last Friday night, and see the team work toward rescuing Fitz from the cold reaches of space and see how Mack is getting along as the new director of this revitalized organization, the only thing on our minds when it comes to the season six premiere was the arrival of the mysterious Sarge, a dude that just so happens to look and sound exactly like the late Philp J. Coulson. Because we are simply dying to know more about this man, and his origins and why exactly he looks exactly one of our favorite MCU characters and thankfully, the series wasted no time in exploring what makes this man tick.
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For ‘Window of Opportunity’ focused heavily on Sarge and his strange buddies and our time spent with Sarge, not only reinforced the fact that he seemingly has no value for life outside of his own, this guy is also fearless, resourceful and willing to do whatever it takes to stay alive and seeing a man that looks just like Coulson threaten innocents with weapons and lie and rob and steal was both fascinating and horrifying all at once, in part because it is kind of cool to see Clark Gregg let loose acting wise and play a character so wildly different from what we are used to seeing from him. But the horror stems from the fact that we eventually came to learn that genetically, Sarge is an exact match for Phil Coulson and this iteration of the man, is planning something awful.

In fact, it would seem that Coulson and his buddies are in essence destroyers of worlds, and they’re in need of some Piezoelectric Gems to power their doomsday weapons and went on an ugly murdering spree at a jewelry store in order to get their hands on some. But, with S.H.I.E.L.D. keeping a close eye on this mess, they were there to respond in record time and that led to quite the interesting little subplot involving Agent May. Because she was compelled to looks this Coulson in the eye, and possibly speak with him, but in order to do that, she had to go through his lackeys and while she was able to hold her own, she hesitated and froze when she laid eyes on the man she loves and thought she had lost forever, and that, combined with the craftiness of Sarge’s crew, helped aid in their escape and for now, S.H.I.E.L.D. is back to square one.

Yet while all of this was going on, in the depths of space, Fitz was doing his best to get by on a freighter bound for the planet where cryo-pods are a regular thing and unfortunately for dear Fitzy, his cover as an everyday member of the crew was blown when he showed his disdain for a particular species of intergalactic snail that is apparently quite the delicacy. But this discovery meant that Fitz and Enoch, who also snuck aboard, were in great trouble. Because the captain of this vessel, Viro, didn’t take kindly to stowaways, prompting Fitz to offer up free repairs and whatever else the skipper wanted in order to stay aboard. And while that did indeed keep Fitz and Enoch safe, it meant that the rest of the crew would die since Viro didn’t have to pay anyone, anymore, since Fitz was more skilled than all of them, prompting Fitz to take a stand and wire the ship up to send the captain out of the airlock instead and in the wake of this little tiff, Fitz ordered the ship to change course to the planet Kitson, so the crew could get a second chance and sadly, mere moments after his vessel changed direction, Zephyr-1 arrived…

Which was just infuriating because Simmons was right after all, and she was so close! But alas, that’s just how things go in the MCU, and judging from the preview for next week, we’re going to spend more time in space as she and Daisy and the gang continue the hunt for their lost friend and well, this really was quite the enthralling episode when all is said and done. And I really liked how this particular tale revealed Sarge’s plan for destruction since it was handled in organic and smooth fashion, and I also love the fact that there’s more to this character than meets the eye. After all, he’s clearly hiding a lot when it comes to his past, since he recognizes the name, Coulson, and while it’s obvious this isn’t the Phil we knew and loved, he’s some kind of multiverse doppelganger, and it should be interesting to learn more about his past and what turned him to the proverbial darkside in the weeks to come. Until next time.

At this point, I’m learning to expect the unexpected when it comes to Top Gear. Because in the four weeks that I’ve been watching it, the only common thread present in this series is the celebrity segment where we get to see folks out of their element on the Top Gear Track. But outside of that, it’s been a free for all when it comes to what this series showcases and that’s supremely refreshing, since it has allowed for the audience to experience true wonders when it comes to the cars this show highlights and well, this is on my mind today simply due to the fact that last night’s episode, outright blew me away with what it had to offer.
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Because rather than spotlight and review a wealth of new cars and their stunning features, the show instead turned toward the past to demonstrate how far car technology and efficiency and affordability have progressed in this day and age, all because our intrepid hosts really didn’t want to subscribe to the fact that the new Dacia Sandero offered all kinds of reliability and features when it comes to its reasonable price of six-thousand pounds. In fact, they believed that for that kind of money, one could buy a classic luxury car and enjoy a taste of the good life alongside some stellar performance and well, that meant the Sandero and our hosts’ choices of affordable classics were going to be put to the test and this allowed for the funniest episode of the season to take place.

I say that, simply because I spent a vast majority of this episode laughing my tail off at how every single car the guys chose, failed miserably when it comes to the head to head tests, they took part in alongside the Dacia Sandero. In fact, the obstacle course that the producers laid out for them resulted in disaster since Chris’ Mercedes Benz was a little too large and smacked a few parked cars on its way out of the course. Meanwhile Rory’s Rolls Royce smashed into everything it tried to turn away from thanks to its sheer size and Matt’s Bentley not only suffered from a similar problem, the darn thing had an issue that kept it from running in times of need, and it even blew a little coolant at the end of the course and it didn’t fare any better when it came to a quick race on the Top Gear track, since it stalled out, and the other cars didn’t exactly impress either during this quick jaunt around the track, since the Sandero won.

Yet, the episode wasn’t quite done with hammering home the wonder of the Sandero since the producers put the boys to the ultimate test; a six-hour relay/endurance race at Silverstone, during an active race and needless to say, this did not go well. Because Rory’s car had zero acceleration and often found itself chugging along as cars sped by, plus…it ran out of gas quickly and it only got worse from there. For Matt’s car basically fell to pieces while on the track and while Chris’ car managed to hold its own, its age eventually caught up with it, to the point where a wheel freakin’ flew off of the frame mid race and of course, the Sandero was the backup car for this race, and while it may not be a speed demon, it performed admirably and helped the team in their quest to place anywhere but last at Silverstone and wouldn’t you know it? They finished 69th.

However, while all of this was a blast to watch in its own right, even the celebrity segment found ways to keep things fun and lively since Matt Baker and Matt LeBlanc went head to head in a hole digging contest, which was wholly unexpected and kept the laughs going and well, when all said and done, what a delightful episode this turned out to be. It was just a blast to watch and it was incredible to see our hosts’ knowledge of cars be put to the test in the most unique way imaginable and this is to date, my favorite episode of Season 26. Because it really caught me off guard, and forced me to hit pause a few times in order to get the chuckles out of my system and well, it’s a darn shame that this season is about to come to an end because I’m having so much fun watching this show and I am definitely counting down the minutes until next Thursday’s entry, so I can see what other creative and hilarious adventures await me. Until then.

Well, once again I have to tip my cap in Jordan Peele’s general direction. Because his iteration of The Twilight Zone continues to surprise its audience by way of some beautiful misdirection. For when I finished up the harrowing ‘Not All Men’, the trailer present for this week’s episode, ‘Point of Origin’, seemingly advertised another traditional Zone episode. For everything in that preview screamed sci-fi and one trippy journey and at first glance, this episode seemed to live up to that particular billing. Because everything about this tale seemed a little off from the get-go, especially one considers how perfect and pristine Eve Martin’s life turned out to be.
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But it didn’t take long for this tale to stun us in impressive fashion by becoming a chilling parable involving immigration in modern American when Eve’s housekeeper was pulled from the Martin household at gunpoint and even then, it seemed as though this story was headed in a different direction. Because without their darling Anna working around the house, Eve was forced to handle the daily duties, with mixed results and it truly seemed as though the story was going to become a discussion on how integral immigrants are to modern society but that…would have been far too easy a discussion for this series to have. Especially when one considers the topics the show has handled this season. But once the black SUV’s arrived and Eve and her family were taken in, the story’s real commentary was revealed, and we quickly learned that this was going to be an episode that focused on the utter disdain for immigrants’, certain people in America, including the Trump Administration, have exhibited in the past few years.

Granted, that was handled with a sci-fi twist after all since we eventually came to learn that Eve actually comes from an alternate dimension where her world was seemingly laid to waste by nuclear war, and she and others like her came here to escape the horrors of said world, but the parallel to our everyday world was unmistakable when it comes to Eve’s story. After all, so many immigrants come to America to find a better life and some come to escape the awfulness of their homeland, but the story made it clear that in the here and the now, their voyage now ends in fear since they end up in detention centers just like Anna and Eve did and while the images present here spoke volumes to what’s happening at the border right now, and how it’s wrong through and through, the story also posed an important question to all of us in that…where does the hunt for ‘American Purity’ go from here? Does it end with just sending people that risked life and limb to come here, back to their homeland or will we eventually begin to turn on one another for the slightest deviation when it comes to a bloodline?

Yet, what was equally impressive, is that the series had something to say about the root cause of the seemingly newfound public disdain for immigration and much of that was explored by way of the world that Eve inhabits before she finds herself under fire for her alternate origins. Because her home, her friends, her life and her destinations all reek of that Normal Rockwell Americana that so many hold near and dear to their hearts in this nation, and that concept really is what drives this vitriol toward immigrants. For there are so many out there who believe that the United States was at its most perfect when we relied upon American ingenuity, something that was driven by its proud citizens. And the key word there is ‘citizens’, because somehow, in the minds of the wistful, immigrants simply didn’t exist in that day and age, and if they were to leave our country and let us return to that old way, we would, and it pains me to type this, ‘make America great again’. But what matters more when it comes to this particular thread of commentary is that it serves to remind us of the fact that Americana is dead and long gone and that there is no going back to it, and the sooner that the wistful come to realize this, the better.

Yet while the series has been quick to offer up some simple solutions as a starting point to address some of the issues it has examined, there was none of that to be found here, and understandably so. Because in reality the fix to this problem has been around for ages in that, the United States of America is a nation of immigrants, one founded on the principle that this land will offer a better life to anyone who comes here, and there’s no way that we can simply turn our backs on immigrants or a principle that created a nation. Granted, there are plenty who will disagree with that, and spout their rhetoric about the ‘problems’ that immigrants pose and that’s really what this story hoped to expose I would imagine, the fact that the real problem with immigration is the American people since we’ve done little to find common ground when it comes to this red-hot topic. Either way this was another impressive episode, and I love the fact that it layered in so many themes and concepts and once again I’m quite curious to see what part of our world and our lives The Twilight Zone is going to tackle in the weeks to come. Until next time. 

I think it is safe to say that the overall fanbase of comic book movies and shows are starting to sour on the idea that every single iteration of these stories need to be dark and gritty in nature. Because we drop in to watch these stories to enjoy a little fun and escape from the world, and while we don’t mind a little commentary here and there, seeing heroes suffer all the time just doesn’t excite us to tune in, and I’m seeing a shift in how these stories are told as time goes on. But, here and there, putting the heroes through hell really is a necessity for the comic book tale in question, especially if a grand payoff is going to occur and that’s why I’m fairly certain Cloak & Dagger is staying in darker territory as of late, as part of a grand plan to push Tandy and Tyrone into becoming magnificent heroes.
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But wow, they are seriously going through a literal hell right now, and for proof, look no further than last week’s episode, ‘Vikingtown Sound’. Because this particular story featured some ugly and twisted experiences for our heroes to go through and really, the toughest journey of the night, belonged to Tandy. For she finally awoke from her demented slumber to find that Andre and Lia planned for her to start a new life as a prostitute at the Viking Motel, something she wasn’t good within the slightest. But, thanks to Andre’s fine work inside her mind, hope eluded Tandy, meaning she couldn’t make use of her weapons, and despite her best efforts to escape, she continually found herself back where she started, and this was a tough sequence to watch to say the least. Because we slowly watched the life drain out of Tandy’s eyes and for a brief moment there, it seemed as though the worst was going to come to fruition for her.

However, this story wasn’t quite done with its bleakness just yet, because just about everyone in this tale dealt with some harrowing and unsettling circumstances, even Connors. Because Tyrone’s mother made him confess to every little detail about what he did to Billy, and while he was honest with her, she made it clear that a vengeful end to his life is still on the table and one even has to question his ‘good intentions’ since escape crossed his mind and it was chilling to know at any given moment, dear mother could have put him down without giving it a second thought, and still might. However, while mom debated the sanctity of Connors’ life, Tyrone had his ugly journey to go on, and his travels in this tale were also fairly hopeless and shattered since he had the unfortunate opportunity to meet Andre, and we came to learn that mere touch allows for Andre to go to the void to exploit his power over despair, and while Mayhem was able to offer up an assist in the void, the damage of rooting around in Tyrone’s mind was already done because it inspired Andre to seek out religion, voodoo specifically.

Because as Tyrone worked to find out where Tandy had been dropped off, Andre found his way to Auntie Chantelle to learn more about the symbol in the record store and his power and she was able to reveal to him that if he pushes hard enough, he will tap into power untold and of course, Andre couldn’t pass up an opportunity such as that, nor could he resist inflicting harm since he took Auntie’s life and well, whatever he’s up to will have some serious repercussions on our heroes. For just when it seemed this episode was going to end on a happier note, since Tandy eventually found her hope once again, and fought back to free the girls, and eventually found herself face to face with Tyrone, proving that Lia and Andre lied to her, the power within her best friend, began to bleed out, for lack of a better term, leaving our heroes in another precarious and awful position…

So, yeah, this one really didn’t mess around, and it went to places few comic book stories or shows, of any kind for that matter, are willing to go. If anything, Cloak & Dagger deserves great praise for not shying away from human trafficking and prostitution, since these are important topics to explore, the kind that don’t get discussed in popular media all that often, and while the show has had this theme present throughout season two, seeing it up close here, and seeing the life Lia and Andre force these girls to lead was powerful to say the least and I really do hope Andre gets his just desserts for being the brains behind this disturbing and terrible outfit. But in the here and the now, the darkness continues, and I’m fairly certain Andre is behind this smoky bleed out, and that may allow for Mayhem to return to the everyday world and that might not be a bad thing. Because with Tyrone’s power fading, Tandy needs a powerful ally and since Mayhem helped out here, she might prove to be just what this duo needs in their darkest hour. Until next time.