Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Fourteen of ‘Big Sky’.
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At this point, the ABC series, Big Sky, has established itself to be one of the most unconventional crime dramas out there. Simply because week in and week out, this series finds a way to thumb its nose at every single trope that the genre sends our way and the end result of this has been nothing short of spectacular. For this storytelling decision has treated fans everywhere to unique and surprising stories, the kind that put them on the edge of their seats and keep them guessing at every single turn as to what might happen next. But while that has made for some powerful entertainment for certain, some of the tropes and clichés present in crime drama simply cannot avoided since they are essential to telling stories in this vein.
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Take for example, the moment when everything falls to pieces for the criminal. Because without trouble dropping into the criminal (or criminals) lap, mistakes don’t get made and if that doesn’t happen… they don’t get caught. And while that is indeed a cliché of sorts, it is a realistic one to say the least, since it happens often in everyday life and well… this particular aspect of crime dramas is relevant to our discussion today, simply because chaos and strife entered the lives of all of the current villains on this series. For ‘Nice Animals’ saw trouble begin to form for the Kleinsasser family, a great of deal of which came from the inside. Because Cheyenne finally told her mother about what she saw that fateful night and that led to some serious strife at the ranch.

For the truth motivated Margaret to finally stand up to Horst and express her violent plans for the end of his life, and it even prompted her to put John Wayne in his place at his brother’s funeral and she even stormed off when Horst tried to do one of his patented ‘iron fist’ conversations with the family, making it clear that everything was beginning to fall apart for this twisted clan and that their empire might finally be at an end. A point that was also hammered home in this tale, by way of Jenny’s investigation into what exactly was going on at the ranch. Because thankfully, she survived the motel incident whereas… Angie did not and that only pushed Jenny further to solve this case and bring the Kleinsasser family to justice and well, she might finally have something, evidence wise, to make that happen. 

Because at long last, Gil opened up about his time on the ranch and explained to both Jenny and Cassie that the fracking boom two decades ago, led to ecological disaster. The kind where toxic waste was everywhere and well… Horst saw an opportunity to use that to his financial advantage. So, he signed a deal with Sheriff Wagy and the oil companies to store that waste on his property, a gross act that would bring about all kinds of trouble for his family if it was exposed to the public and well, that is closer to happening than ever. For the closing moments of Jenny and Cassie’s journey, had them getting photographs of the offending poison and the surprisingly large amount of human remains in the disposal drums. Evidence that will end Horst’s reign at last, provided of course… our dynamic duo can escape Rand once again.
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Yet while all of that could have carried this episode for the entire hour, the Kleinsasser clan wasn’t the only one seeing trouble come their way. For dear Ronald knew that with the authorities searching Mary’s house… it would only be a matter of time before they came knocking on Scarlet’s door. Which motivated him to drag his love and her daughter (and Mary’s corpse) out into the woods to hide from the U.S. Marshals and to hide the body. An act that seemingly was about to go off without a hitch until young Phoebe followed Ronald into the woods in the middle of the night and saw him burying Mary’s body. Which now puts Ronald in quite the precarious place, one where he won’t be able to talk his way out of this mess and where he might be forced to kill again and well… that’s quite the incredible way to end this particular tale.

Because just like that, the stakes are at their highest for every single storyline in this series. For Horst will undoubtedly give the order to protect his secrets at all costs, leaving Jenny and Cassie and Gil in grave danger. Plus, Scarlet and Phoebe need be afraid for their lives because we know full well what Ronald is capable of when he’s cornered. But while we wait to see where this tension takes us next, we can celebrate one engrossing story. One that did a wonderful job of reminding us that crime often doesn’t pay and that its power never lasts and truly it is going to be interesting to see if the faux pas committed by our villains in this tale, will indeed serve as their downfall in the next couple of episodes or if this series once again has something sneaky up its sleeve, to surprise us all when season one comes to a close. Until next time.

We genuinely like to believe, that our world is very black and white and incredibly morally sound. To the point where we think that major crimes only happen because the people that commit them, have more or less abandoned their moral code and have not listened to reason in the slightest. Because surely, someone, somewhere… would have said something to these parties and pointed out that their plans were morally corrupt and that a life of crime was a bad idea. But the fact of the matter is, this rosy view of our world is a silly one at best, since a great deal of people operate in a grey area in our world, where committing a crime or breaking a rule doesn’t seem like that big of a deal if the circumstances are right and what’s truly wild about that surprise aspect of our society, is how many people are fine with someone they know crossing that line. In fact, sometimes they outright encourage that act, or join in.

Simply because, for some, it’s about joining the offender in a quest to see what the other side of the moral code looks like. For others, they’re eager for retribution, because they too have beef with the world and they believe their wrong will be righted by this particular act. Or in some cases, crossing that line infects the minds of others and motivates them to let things play out in order to see how far one can push the envelope in life and it just so happens, that a lot of these elements come into play in the next episode of Breaking Bad. For ‘I.F.T.’ features quite the opportunity for Skyler White. Because with Walt back in the house and not listening to a word she says about their marriage and their future, she could put an end to Walt’s illegal activity by calling the cops on him and informing them about everything he’s involved in. 

In fact, she actually follows through on calling the police out of worry for her family. But when presented with the option to turn him in and destroy the Heisenberg empire, she surprisingly backs down. Not because she loves Walt with all of heart and believes that this is his chance at redemption, but because she envies what he’s become by bucking the system. For he really is bolder as an individual and seems to enjoy a moral freedom that she’s never known and well, if Walt can live on that other side with minimal fuss, why can’t she? Which motivates her to cross the line with her boss and tell Walt about it to stick it to him and relish in the pride of the moment and well, this really did make for some compelling television for certain. Since it really spoke to how crossing moral lines is quite intoxicating since Skyler clearly enjoyed the thrill of violating the sanctity of marriage and it truly was quite fascinating to see how easily it was for Skyler to indulge in the dark side and use it to her advantage.

Yet while that alone would have carried this particular episode, there were cartel related moments that came into play in this tale. Because while Walt chewed upon the horror of infidelity, Gus Fring was planning for Heisenberg’s future in the drug trade, by taking a tense and uncomfortable meeting with the Salamanca family. One where they demanded justice for Tuco. Justice that Gus was eager to deny them, largely because of their sorted past, but more so he genuinely believed he could pull Walter out of retirement and get him to cook again. In essence, enabling Walt to work with freedom and impunity when the time is right and really, this was quite the fascinating sequence for certain. For it spoke to how much Gus believes in Walt and how far he’s willing to go to get him to cook so he can make a fortune and enjoy unparalleled and unprecedented power.

But all of that aside, this really was another incredibly compelling episode from this series. Since we simply didn’t know, what Skyler was going to do when presented with an out, or if Gus was indeed going to let the Salamancas have Walter since there was no more Blue Sky hitting the streets. If anything, this episode helps to reinforce for the fact that Breaking Bad will forever remain a masterclass in tragedy themed storytelling. Since everything here serves as set up for the future, one where Walter White turns everything sour by way of his quest to finally be seen in a world that dealt him a few blows and sadly, it is only a matter of time before everyone in his inner circle will suffer dearly, for Walt’s decision to embrace his alter ego as Heisenberg over his family and the second chance the universe granted him. Until next time.   

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘Bäckström’.
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We like to think, that when reach the top of whatever career field that we choose, that adoration and accolades will rain down upon us from our peers. Because we’re human and we love attention and recognition and having those we work with acknowledge our success and support us, goes a long way in giving our egos and our souls the boost they crave. But alas, it doesn’t take long for us to learn as we climb the ladder, that such praise might be impossible to obtain. Because our peers are looking to be the best as well and seeing someone leapfrog them or achieve success before, they do can cause more harm than good and engender jealousy and spite and, in some cases, motivate them to gun for us and work to sabotage what we’ve earned. If anything, this is relevant to our discussion today, simply because this harsh reality was on full display in the next episode of Bäckström.

For this particular tale wastes zero time in informing us that Hwass is livid over the fact that she has a wonderful record as an investigator and is constantly overshadowed by Bäckström and his close rate and that motivates her… to do something quite shady and vengeful. Such as form an alliance with District Attorney Eriksson. The kind where they pondered upon the possibility that Bäckström is in fact, a dirty cop, and an outright fraud. Which are some powerful accusations to bring about, but that’s how sick this duo is of being in Bäckström’s shadow and it is inferred in this tale that they are prepared to go to great lengths to prove their point, by hiring a photographer to keep an eye on Bäckström, in the hopes of catching him doing the wrong thing at the right time and well… their photographer might succeed at that.

Because when we catch up with our intrepid detective in this tale, he is reeling from the fact that his murder victim, Jaidee, has somehow died twice and that Hwass is now in charge of the investigation and to upset him further, he’s being put on lesser cases that he feels don’t suit his incredible talent and well… all of these concerns are what puts him in quite the precarious place in this tale. Because it doesn’t take long for him to begin to usurp control from Hwass and do things his way. Which includes basically violating every single order she’s given to him and the team, such as seeking out Jadiee’s widower, Daniel, for an ‘interview’. Which is of concern, because the prevailing belief is that Daniel would be a dead end or trouble if he decides to raise hell about being interviewed in a rogue manner. But Bäckström simply does the thing and speaks to him anyways, and while he believes he gathers some clues… even Ankan is quick to scold him for this one.

Because it is something that Hwass could pounce upon and of course, Bäckström didn’t bother to listen to her warnings and actually managed to make things worse. Because he basically snapped at being roadblocked at the end of this story. To the point where he realized that the only way, he could solve this case properly, was to be free of Hwass and her meddling, and that motivated him to book a business class flight to Thailand, on the taxpayer’s dime of course, and get out there to really understand what happened to Jaidee and to learn if the report revolving around her remains being interred there was accurate or not. And while that likely is the best course of action to keep this case moving, Hwass will make this a focal point of her plans to discredit him in the days to come. Meaning he better come back home with something quite significant.

In the end however, this was just another refreshing episode. Since it took the concept revolving around 'nobody liking the star detective' that was introduced in the premiere… to brand new heights. Because it was just incredible to see how much Eriksson and Hwass cannot stand Bäckström and his unparalleled success, and how they are ready to do whatever it takes to bring him down to get a slice of the spotlight and that’s quite the twist for certain, since now poor Bäckström is not only racing against the clock to expose a murderer, but he’s having to watch his back at every turn since people that should be on his side, are not, and well, all these elements compel us to continue the journey. So that we can see if Bäckström’s hunch that he’s being led off the trail on purpose is correct and to see if he will be able to salvage his career, since Hwass is gearing up to destroy it. Until next time.   

‘Bäckström’ is available to stream now on AcornTV.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Series Seven Finale of ‘The Brokenwood Mysteries’.
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It is definitely safe to say, that The Brokenwood Mysteries on AcornTV, does a phenomenal job of exploring how murder comes to fruition. For in just this series alone, we’ve come to learn how revenge can motivate murder, and we’ve also learned how death can come forth out of desperation or scuffles that simply go too far. But what we haven’t explored just yet in series seven, is what motivates someone to just straight up see nothing but red and commit the ultimate crime in a fit of pure fury and well, it would seem there was good reason for not examining that sooner. Because it turns out that this fascinating series was saving that particular exploration, for its series seven finale. For ‘Here’s to You, Mrs. Robinson’ dug into that concept no problem… in quite the unique manner.
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Because this is a story where Detective Kristin Sims and Detective Constable Daniel Chalmers were forced to solve this week’s crime without the help of their fearless leader, Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Shepherd, for reasons we will get to in just a moment. Simply because we need to talk about the unique nature of this case first thing, since it offered up quite the challenge for Sims and Chalmers. For the death of a mother named Anne Robinson and her adopted daughter Sascha… didn’t make any sense. Because the both of them were killed in such a unique manner that any conventional lead or thought as to the genesis of this crime, simply didn’t fit, and to complicate the case further, old faces from a prior series seven episode and other parties… kept the list of suspects long and broad. 

But with a little detailed questioning, a picture started to emerge. One where jealousy and misdirection and pettiness helped motivate Olivia Robinson to murder her mother and sister in a fit of pure rage. One that came forth from the belief that Anne was fooling around with Olivia’s squeeze, Caleb, and well, it was quite powerful to learn that consistent irritation, combined with the right lie at the right time can motivate people to go over the edge and do the unthinkable as evidenced here. But while that alone could have carried this tale, it had a great deal more to offer than the big investigation. Because watching Sims and Chalmers take the reins made for satisfying character growth, since we were able to see just how talented they really are as investigators and of course, Mike’s journey brought forth some incredibly powerful moments as well.

For his absence from this case was related to a past case. One where an innocent mother, was forced to change her name to Tania and go into hiding via Witness Protection after turning in evidence on the people who killed her husband and well, after spending nearly a decade in isolation she needed Mike at her side, because she was dying and had one last wish. In that, she wanted Mike to release her children from the program and have them reunite with her family so they could be loved and grow up in a healthy environment. Which was a request that Mike didn’t even hesitate to work on and thankfully, he was able to make it happen and help her see her family one last time and well, this was just a surprise for certain. One that definitely brought a little mist to this reviewer’s eyes over the beauty of Mike’s good deed. 

If anything, all these elements made for one powerful finale. Because there was some genuine emotional depth to this story, since we were able to really understand just how jaded and angry Olivia was in that horrible moment and of course, everything involving Mike’s journey was as emotional as could be since Tania’s final days were full of inflection and celebration of her life and her children and this finale also deserves credit, for tying series seven together with a follow-up from ‘Dog Day Morning’. Since it was fascinating to know that Caleb’s family and life fell to pieces following his involvement in that robbery and well, now that this case is closed, all we can do is sit and wait for more and hopefully… series eight of this incredible show takes the time to do more of what it did here. Because this really was quite the unique episode, one that definitely shook things up in all the right ways. Until next year.

'The Brokenwood Mysteries' is streaming now on AcornTV.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 305 of ‘Keeping Faith’.
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The last time we settled in to discuss Keeping Faith on AcornTV, we talked at length about the hopeful nature that Episode 304 left us with. Because not only did Faith Howells win the biggest case of her career (to date) but she also gave into her emotions when it comes to Steve Baldini and most important of all, she came to realize that the time had come to embrace her sorted past and make peace with it, so she could finally move forward in life. Which is a ton of growth, the kind that definitely left us believing that Faith was about to cross an important threshold and find the peace and joy she’s been seeking for the past three seasons. In fact we were so enraptured with her positive journey, that we overlooked quite the warning/concern in that tale.

Because Faith did make mention of the fact that her mother, might use the interactions she had with everyone to her advantage and try to manipulate a great many people and well… Faith was right about that. For Rose decided the time had come to cause a little trouble and she made some serious moves in this tale, the kind that outright jeopardized Faith’s newfound happiness and positive direction. For example, it appeared as though she decided to enact a little payback against Steve for his bold decision to walk away from her criminal empire. Since he magically disappeared in this particular story. Which motivated Faith to take in Angie and worry non-stop about the fate of her newfound love and while that alone could have carried this episode for the entire hour since it really did test Faith in a manner we haven't seen since series one… Rose had more trouble to stir.

For she also took the time to start a grand endgame with Evan. One that once again involved her toying with him as Gael. To the point where she even brought him to the gym that Steve robbed earlier on this season, in order to get pictures of him moving about the doors in a suspicious manner. Why exactly? Well because it would seem that she’s eager to pin both the robbery and Gael’s death on him, something that she worked to bring together late in this episode. Since she sent the photos of Evan lurking about the gym to DC Williams, and she even took the time to visit Evan’s mother and shoot the breeze so that she could stealthily plant Gael’s phone within the house, further incriminating him down the line. But while all of this was fascinating and mostly horrifying in its own right, since it showed us just how powerful and vengeful she can be… her actions here did leave an important question hanging over this tale.

But before we ponder upon that, it is best we point out that this entire episode wasn't completely mired in mystery and vengeful acts. Because Faith did manage to convince Mark to give Osian a choice as to whether or not to have the surgery of his own accord, since the hospital refused to help. And thankfully the young man chose to go through with it, because the long-term benefits outweighed the risk. Plus, we also saw Carys and Tom play nice since she was able to save Howells from going under and it was also quite sweet to see Steve make plans to be near Faith and see him support her when she needed him. And of course, you can never go wrong with seeing Evan suffering. Which might be a petty thing to put to digital paper, but the man has caused Faith so much heartache and pain that he really does deserve everything that’s coming to him. But at the same time… he doesn’t deserve to be framed for a crime he didn’t commit.

Which brings us back to Rose and the grand question… what exactly is her endgame? Because at times it really appeared as though she was working to bring everyone down with her, simply because she can. While at other moments in this tale, it seemed she was enacting vengeance for her daughter’s plight in an attempt to be a good mother for a change. But while we wait to uncover that answer, we can celebrate another powerhouse tale. One that once again reminded us of Faith’s strength and it also managed to put us on the edge of our seats with the show’s most important and critical cliffhanger. Because this is it my fellow nerds and geeks, this was the penultimate episode for this series and its grand finale awaits, one that will undoubtedly reveal the fate of Steve and of course… bring Faith’s powerful journey to a close and hopefully, the series finale will feature a grand showdown between Faith and her mother. The kind that finally gives Faith the strength and the closure she needs to move on and raise her family with peace and joy in her heart. Until next time.  

‘Keeping Faith’ is available to stream right now on AcornTV.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 3002 of ‘Top Gear’.

​If you ask any fan of the James Bond franchise, what helped them to fall in love with 007’s adventures, you’ll get a bevy of unique answers. Such as how they enjoy it, because of the man himself, since his suave and cool nature under pressure is unparalleled in storytelling. As for others, their desire to check out a new Bond movie relates to the incredible sense of adventure the saga provides them with. And for some, it’s all about the cool gadgets and seeing what Bond will do with them in the field and of course… there are some people who love this franchise, because of the cars that 007 drives. Because the man simply gets behind the wheel of some gorgeous rides and well, with a new Bond movie on the way, the producers at Top Gear thought now would be the perfect time to spotlight some of those vehicles in a fun manner. 
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Specifically, by exploring whether or not affordable Bond cars were a thing for the average consumer and believe it or not, they most certainly are. Because Paddy and Chris were able to get their hands on a pair of famous Bond rides for a reasonable price, meaning that we too could drive the Sunbeam Alpine from Dr. No or the Alfa Romeo GTV6 from Octopussy. But if those cars still seem to be a little too steep for one’s financial tastes, since they each go for five digits, then they could go the route that Freddie offered up. For he drove Renault 11 from A View to a Kill, specifically… the half that Bond skidded about in after crashing it, and believe it or not, the Renault .5 was actually quite the versatile ride, one that all of the lads were able to drive about in a unique manner. Since Freddie set up a special Parisian course for them to navigate, and well… if you’d like to drive home half a car, going the Flintoff route will only set you back about a grand.

But while we could have watched an hour of that, as cool as it sounds to own a Bond car… the fantasy of going all out and enjoying something screen accurate is something that every fan wants to explore. And thankfully the lads were able to help us with that, by showing us how much it would cost to get something a little more screen accurate. Since Freddie and Chris were able to procure the Lotus Esprit from The Spy Who Loved Me and the Toyota 2000GT from You Only Live Twice, respectively, and well, it didn’t take long for this reviewer to completely and utterly forget about the cost of those unique models since Paddy was able to outdo them both… by bringing a true gem to the racetrack. Because it turns out that if you really want a true Bond experience, you can go out and buy a screen accurate, Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger. One that features all the bells and whistles that were used on screen for a mere three-million pounds.

Which is quite the price for a replica that unfortunately, one cannot drive on the streets and there is simply no way that you can top a segment that has led flashing machine guns and Freddie dressed like Jaws. Which is why the show provided us with a couple of bonus segments. One of which, took the time to explore the wonder of the electric SUV and how they perform on rough terrain and in a race against revolutionary technology. The kind that lets men fly through the skies by way of a jetpack and believe it or not, the SUV held its own since the jetpack only beat it by a flying nose. As for Chris and Paddy's segment, well it involved a quest for both gentlemen to find slick Italian rides that run about two-hundred thousand and of course, Chris found the perfect ride for this segment, since the Aflaholics GTA-R won over Paddy with its fun handling, and it even caught Freddie’s eye as well.

If anything, this was just a genuinely delightful episode when all is said and done. Simply because every single segment in this adventure, was designed to put a smile on our faces and it definitely succeeded in doing so. Since every moment of this episode was filled with humor and silliness and laughter, especially when Freddie tried to talk as Jaws and to top it all off, it really featured some awesome cars. Because every single Bond car was simply gorgeous and amazing and the electric SUV was slick as were the Italian rides and really, all of this just serves to remind us that this series that series truly knows how to celebrate the wonder of the automobile. Because this one was dedicated to the magical feeling that cars elicit in our souls and in the end, all this episode did was leave us hungry for more. So we can see what kinds of entertaining twists and turns the lads have waiting for us, come next week. Until then.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘Gangs of London’.
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There are a great many lessons that we learn in life, but out of all of them… perhaps the most important one; is that there are consequences for our actions. Which is a lesson that we tend to learn via negative enforcement. Because losing a friend because of our poor actions or having one's life spiral out of control for doing something impulsive, are great ways to learn that every action has an equal reaction. And once we’ve emerged from the rough stuff, we tend to do our best to keep our impulses in check and look ahead so that we know exactly what we’re getting into when that little tickle in the back of mind compels us to just; do the thing. But while a great deal of us stick to the lesson after going through hell, there are some out there who approach consequences in a fascinating manner.

Because some people, well they continue to indulge their impulses, regardless of how many times the world has taught them to quit goofing around and some people… well they don’t learn this lesson until later in life because they’ve led quite the privileged existence and in turn, struggle mightily when the lesson comes forth and it just so happens… that the next episode of Gangs of London focused heavily on that final element. Because let’s be honest, Sean Wallace is a man that’s never had to face the consequences of any action he’s ever taken. For he lived like a prince growing up, thanks to his father’s vast wealth and criminal savvy, and for that matter, any big decision he’s made prior to us meeting him here… was likely setup by dad and any issues arising from it, were handled by daddy as well.

But with poppa out of the picture now, Sean has made one poor call after another without any regard for the potential fallout, and his bluster and bravado have continued to rub people the wrong way, leaving him ripe for a harsh lesson on consequences, one that came to fruition in this story for certain. Because minute by minute in this particular tale… the Wallace empire began to unravel. For even the family’s most trusted advisors are starting to think about a future without Sean. Since the attendees of a grandiose party thrown by the investors of this empire, praised Alexander’s business acumen to his father, and how that would serve everyone’s illegal financial interests better since Alexander has a cooler head and well, the fact that Ed listened deeply to what these folks had to say, is quite the crack  in the foundation of this empire, one that will have to be revisited at another time, thanks to the ugly twist that came into play later in this tale.

Because a tense meeting with Luan and Sean, over the photographs that have been troubling Ed, led to an assassination attempt on Sean’s life. Because someone clearly smells weakness in regard to the family and they were nearly successful in this attempt as well. Simply because this shook Sean to his core and made it clear that he does not have an iron grip on the criminal underworld, and had it not been for Elliot, he would have perished on this night since he simply stood there, contemplating what went wrong... while bullets rained down. But to complicate matters further, whomever wants Sean dead has been working at this for some time, since a return home to save Elliot from his nasty wound, ended with the shocking reveal that some of the house staff at the Wallace abode, are eager to end his life as well. Leaving one to wonder if the Wallace empire can survive this open rebellion to Sean’s desire to turn off the flow of cash to the city. 

If anything, this was an incredible and terrifying way to teach Sean that actions have consequences. For had he thought things through and listened to Ed’s advice… instead of indulging in red hot revenge and dictator tactics, he and his family would be safe. But the big question that remains is whether or not Sean will indeed take this lesson to heart and change his ways and while we wait to see if the message got through… we can bask in the majesty of one fascinating tale. One that took the time to show us how fragile the criminal underworld is and how quickly things can change when the money is cut off and it will be quite interesting to see what kind of fallout will come forth from this attack on the Wallace family. Since retribution is the name of the game in this business and the tension and unresolved danger now hanging over this story, will make the wait for next week’s episode, a difficult one indeed. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘One Wild Day’.
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It is definitely safe to say that the BBC America series, One Wild Day, has done a phenomenal job of teaching us a great deal about how nature truly interacts in the wild. For we now know that organized chaos is the name of the game and that creatures big and small use the sun to dictate the path of their day. But while it has been quite amazing to see the creatures of the desert and the grasslands follow the sun’s lead to an absolute tee, one does have to wonder… how that process works when sunlight isn’t always bearing down on the landscape and thankfully, the next episode in this dynamic series took the time to explore just that.

For ‘Episode Three: Jungles’, took us into several jungles around the world, where the lush leaves and thick canopies tend to block out some of the light our sun sends our way and well, as it turns out… not having it consistently shine bright does indeed change a few things about how wildlife goes about its day. For example, the instant daylight peeks over the horizon, a great deal of the animals in these lush places kick into overdrive and waste zero time in getting to their early meals. To the point where even the groggy tend to shake off the cold of the night quickly. Such as hummingbirds for instance. For they flap their wings and push themselves hard to be ready and raring to go within a half an hour of awakening from their incredibly deep slumber, so they can get right to feeding since the competition for a meal at this time of day is as fierce as it gets, since so many work to eat before any heat bears down upon them.

But some however, are eager to find that warmth. For the lizards of this world know they need to find a good spot quickly to sunbathe before the light fades, in order to warm their veins, so they too jockey about to get a shot at enjoying some rays. But while this rush makes it appear as though it’s bedlam and panic in the jungle every single day, other creatures of this lush place… take their time in going about their day. For example, white faced capuchin monkeys wait a little while and let the heat help them find food, since it evaporates water from the pools beneath them, allowing for them to leisurely feast upon some jungle clams and then of course, there’s the three-toed sloth. An animal that waits until the mid-morning and early afternoon before it starts moving about, so that its body is properly warmed and ready to search for food. 

Yet what’s truly fascinating about how a day goes in the jungle, is that the animals here must put up with inclement weather on a regular basis. Since all the moisture in this lush environment, combined with the heat, allows for torrential rains to pop up often in the afternoon, forcing everyone to deal with the misery of warm rain and the bugs that follow that downpour. But even that, is a cue for a great many species, since they feast on those bugs and of course, once the sun goes down, predators use the cover of night to go about their business. In fact, the tarsier in southeast Asia, is built for the night. Since it boasts eyes as big as its brain and they use those eyes to hunt with ease while other species sleep and they’re not the only ones who enjoy the cover of night. Since the red-eyed tree frog of South America, loves to roam about until the sun comes up.

If anything, this truly was quite the fascinating episode when all is said and done. Simply because it gave us incredible insight into the functionality of a world where sunlight is both plentiful and non-existent and it was just incredible to know… that nature is keenly aware that a hint of light means the sun is out and warming our world, and that they need to get about their business and that heat tends to be a big clue for a lot of species in this environment in regard to how to handle their daily routine. Making their understanding of the sun and how it works, a touch more unique than the rest of the animals around the globe, and well… now that our journey through the tropics has come to an end, it will be quite interesting to see if this series is going to show us other parts of our world, where more animals exhibit a unique understanding of their relationship with the sun. Until next time. 

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘The Mosquito Coast’.
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Every day, people that live in a nation where they feel their safety is threatened, or where they have no future… make a difficult decision. Stay in their homeland, and deal with potential physical harm and zero fulfillment or leave home and start fresh in another nation, likely the United States. Which is a story we’ve heard time and time again since this is a nation of immigrants, one that truly does offer a better life for those seeking one. But what’s fascinating about this journey and this process, is that only a handful of American citizens have any proper understanding of the outright hell that a great deal of immigrants goes through to get here. Because it is no easy task to scrape up what you have and start over fresh, nor is it easy to endure genuine danger to cross a borer and well… it is understandable as to why so many of us, have little knowledge of this.
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Because we will likely never make that kind of journey since our lives are secure and safe and quite prosperous in just about every single way imaginable. But thankfully, not everyone ignores what others go through and some folks actually ponder upon the gravity of this plight and what it would be like if the roles were reversed, and an American decided to risk life and limb to flee this nation and what that journey would look like and it just so happens, that the next episode of The Mosquito Coast on AppleTV+… takes the time to examine all of those elements. For when we catch up with the Fox family in ‘foxes and coyotes’, they’re reunited at last and making the tough call to emigrate to Mexico in the hopes of getting a fresh start in life and that leads to quite the harrowing journey, one that definitely offers up an interesting prospective on the tough journey that an immigrant goes through.

For this family is forced to make some difficult and dubious choices in order to make their trip happen, such as stealing a boat load of cash in order to pay for the voyage and breaking immigration laws in order to properly free the coyotes, they need to help them get across the border, and of course… they have to face the horrors of humanity on their journey south. Since the family runs into a group of militia members on their way to Mexico, the kind that are eager to capture the Fox family for the authorities to play the hero. An encounter that sadly ends in violent manner, putting the family under further duress since they’re off into the distance on foot, at the end of this nightmare and well, this really was quite the unique plot twist for certain. Since it offered up a fresh spin on the plight of the immigrant, one that helps us to really understand how much terror and danger goes into that journey and it also established the fact… that this family is going to go through hell… all because of Allie.

Because this episode also took the time to establish the fact that Allie Fox really is quite the smooth talker, one that has genuinely sold his family on his belief that America is a corrupt and broken nation. One that has molded its people into monstrous consumers that blindly follow whatever they’re told and that our desire to own has made us hollow and while there is some philosophical merit to that and problems that plague our nation, it’s obvious that taking the time to examine his power with words… lends credence to the central themes present in the premiere revolving around why people give into conspiracy theories. And clearly, being in trouble with the law and seeing ‘America’ turn on him, combined with failure to not be part of the American Dream has indeed driven Allie into the conspiracy theorist and anti-government man we see all too often on the news these days.

In the end however, this was quite the unique story. One that took us in some unexpected directions and offered up a great deal of tension. Since that finale/shootout was nail biting for certain and to top it all off, this also turned out to be quite the quality character study as well. One that really did help us to understand how conflicted this family is about their current situation and their lives in general and how lost they are as well. Since they don’t quite fit in thanks to Allie’s edicts, nor do they really know what their purpose is or what they want to accomplish in this life and one can hope, that this voyage to Mexico and their destination will help them finally gain some clarity on those matters. Provided of course they survive the journey, since the danger is only going to grow, the deeper they plunge into the desert. Until next time.

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