As always, I will spoil only things from either the book or the show which have already been seen on screen, but I will not spoil anything from the book that hasn’t yet happened in the show.

The season finale brought us all sorts of wonderful developments, and the one I’m most excited about is the sign depicting The House on the Rock! The events which occur there are integral to the plot and one of the first major events in the book, and they happen so early in the novel that I was getting worried we’d never see the place. Finally having confirmation that we’re going to see it was an absolute delight! I shan’t spoil anything about what happens there, but rest assured that it’s an important location.

The real meat of the episode brought us some important developments with Bilquis, Laura, and Easter, all finally culminating in a formal declaration of war. But first we get a little more face time with Mr. Nancy, who, as he should, calls Shadow stupid. (He did this constantly throughout their meetings in the book.) I believe we’ll get our proper introduction to him in the next season at The House on the Rock, but for now we only hear him tell a story. Mr. Nancy’s story reveals a lot more about Bilquis than we ever got in the novel, and it all leads up to the ultimate reveal that she is beholden to the New Gods and The Technical Boy in particular. As speculated in the first episode, technology has actually made life easier for this particular Old God and she finds herself in thrall to it. It would seem the New Gods have sent her to The House on the Rock, where, if book events hold, she may be encountering some other Old Gods. I won’t spoil anything, and since Bilquis wasn’t like this in the book I’m actually incapable of spoiling what she’ll do because I don’t know, but I’d guess she’s been asked to serve as a spy. She doesn’t seem particularly happy about the whole arrangement however, and although she’s agreed to play along for now her current attitude would certainly have the capacity to lead us to the events that occur the final time we see her in the book. That is to say that despite her added depth and expanded role, she seems well suited to end up in the same place in the show as in the novel. This system for adding depth to a story without changing its overarching plot feels good, and I’m eager to see where else she’s been woven into the narrative.

Sweeney and Laura have finally caught up with Shadow and Wednesday, and Laura has been pronounced particularly and especially dead. This is where we got the most new, 'not in the book' information, since in the book Sweeney and Laura never met or traveled together, and they both spent long stretches of time 'off screen,' only coming back into view when they crossed paths with Shadow. Not only do we find that Laura is apparently a special kind of dead, but Sweeney spills the beans on Wednesday orchestrating her death and Shadow’s incarceration, information we were not given in the book until the very end. Once this is revealed to a newly believing Shadow, it may shake his trust in Wednesday. We’ll have to wait for the next season to see just how much and what Shadow will do. I don’t think, however, that Shadow will accept Laura back; although the circumstances leading up to her infidelity were orchestrated by outside forces, her cheating was her own decision, just as her asking him to pull the job which got him arrested was her decision too. Although his capture was not (necessarily) due to a flaw in her plan, Shadow has already seen her true colors, and it’s been revealed to him just how empty his previous life was. This may leave him between a rock and a hard place, but the Gods have at least confessed a need for him, which Laura only found after death. Besides, Shadow already knew Wednesday was a liar (as he saw when Wednesday told Easter that the New Gods had killed Vulcan,) so the revelation that he’s also being manipulated might not be quite so shocking for him.
           
As a side note, did Anubis come for Laura when she died as a favor to Wednesday? Or is he simply handling all the dead who aren’t claimed by a Jesus or other major religion, as a way to subsist on the meager scraps left behind by other gods?

As for Easter, she plays quite the role here, and certainly a much larger one than in the book. However, as usual, the showrunners have perfectly preserved the nature of the character: in the book Easter was also piggybacking off of Christianity, and although she was doing it much more broadly and directly in the show, it led to the same end result: Wednesday stepping in and reminding her just how much of a farce it all truly is. The many Jesuses were a nice touch, both of religious commentary and comedy, but I am particularly glad at their use of the one sitting on the pool to provide us with a shortened version of one of the greatest lessons from the book: that even if we do not believe, we have no other road than that which our senses show us, and we must walk that road to the end. I’ll admit a bit of bias since that’s arguably my favorite paragraph out of the book, but it’s also a central tenet to Shadow’s journey: that even when he does not believe, he must follow, but that the very path on which he walks was shaped by belief. It hints not only at the power of belief but also at its limitations, and subtly hints at the power that Shadow’s own belief might hold, if only he would wield it.

Bringing Easter forward does make me wonder about one future segment of the show, however. In the book, she only appears once, during a large section of time when Shadow is mostly on his own while Wednesday goes around attempting to convince gods to join his side in the war. Shadow is brought along for a handful of these adventures, and one of them is to convince Easter. Bringing her forward isn’t a problem in itself, but it does make me wonder what’s going to happen with that section in the show. Removing Wednesday’s convincing trips could be done with little mess, but during his time alone Shadow has important character development, so it can’t just be removed entirely. Perhaps they’re simply streamlining, so they can focus more on Shadow later without having to insert his impromptu trips? Regardless of what they do, they’ve handled things very well so far, so I’ve got faith they will handle this change well too.

Lastly, I’ve been thinking about the tree creature thing, and I wonder if it might have something to do with The World Tree from Norse Mythology? It would seem to not necessarily be related since there’s also the repeating tree imagery appearing with the Buffalo in Shadow’s dreams, but the importance of the World Tree, and the importance of some tree-related events later in the book, are making me wonder.

Since this is the last episode of the season, I’d like to take a moment to praise this adaptation, and to give credit to all the people who’ve helped bring one of my favorite books to life in a wonderful, intriguing, and satisfying way. In all, I think we’ve been treated to a fantastic example of an adaptation that is high quality and true to the source material even while making significant changes, and which remains interesting and surprising to new and old fans alike. That’s no small feat, especially with such a well-loved book as American Gods and such a socially-connected topic as gods and religion, and everyone involved in the creation of this series should be rightfully proud of the product of their delicate and precise work. I’m incredibly thankful to be taken on this magical journey, and I can’t wait to see where the road leads in season two.

It has often been said, that the finest stories out there, feature ordinary, everyday people that are thrust into extraordinary situations and as time goes on, I'm coming to realize that particular line of thinking when it comes to storytelling, is completely and utterly wrong. Because by thrusting someone into that scenario...they aren't quite themselves. Faced with their potential destruction or the loss of lives they will shed the worst parts of who they are to do more and be more and it's simply not an accurate representation of life. 

If anything, the true secret to crafting an incredible story is to put ordinary people into ordinary situations because the battle that can be life, is fascinating when done right. Because now we are alongside characters we can truly relate to as they make the same mistakes we do, and that's precisely why Better Call Saul is the finest character study out there since Jimmy McGill and his friends are truly everyday people doing their best to get by in the world. They have their hopes and their dreams and all they want is peace and security and happiness like the rest of us and despite their best efforts to make that happen, sometimes life gets in the way, and the harsh realities that the world sends our way was on full display in last night's incredible season three finale, 'Lantern'. 

Now normally, I do like to spend a little time talking about the side stories Saul has to offer, and while it was satisfying to see Nacho's plan come to fruition, I really want to stick with the core themes this episode had to offer because this story went to some deeply dark and philosophical places that the series has never ventured into before and the first one that came up was what can happen to people when they face their own mortality. Because following Kim's accident, both she and Jimmy come to the realization that Kim could have passed away in that accident and it led Kim to finally do something we've never seen her do, and take it easy for a change. She came to realize that life is too short to work hours on end and she stepped away from the Gatwood Oil case and her practice for the time being in order to recover and enjoy some quiet time. Now how all of this transformed Jimmy we will get to in a moment, because it ties into the other curveball that this episode threw our way, courtesy of Chuck's story.

Because last week's episode really seemed to set the stage for a powerful showdown between Charles McGill and his own firm. He wanted war, he wanted to show Howard you don't mess with someone of his prowess and pride has been quite the sin for some time now when it comes to Chuck, and his pride finally served as his downfall. Rather than draw out a long legal battle with his mentor, Howard went with the buyout option, paying millions of dollars out of his own pocket to send Charles packing, and the act spoke volumes as to how far Charles has fallen, and how we sometimes reap what we sow, and this moment set the stage for another powerful lesson...what do we become when our life has no further meaning or purpose? Because being humiliated in such a powerful way transformed Charles, and it led to the first of a pair of heartbreaking moments of the night. Because as I mentioned a moment ago, Kim's accident opened Jimmy's eyes to the fragility of life, and to not waste time either and he made an unexpected trip to his brother's house to bury the hatchet.

But rather than finally reconcile and make peace, Charles chose the nuclear option. Not only did he rebuff Jimmy at every turn and insult him in the process...he flat out told his baby brother, the one he used to read to as a child, the one he saved from jail, and the one he gave a second chance to...that 'you've never mattered all that much to me.' Those words were cruel. Those words were painful, and they brought this reviewer to tears because goodness, how could any man say that to his own brother? And the pain on Jimmy's face said it all, this was the end for the Brothers McGill, and they would never speak to one another ever again, and the finality of this moment, hung heavy over the rest of the episode.

But despite taking that kind of verbal and emotional abuse, Jimmy seemed determined to keep his positive new outlook on life going, to the point where he decided to right the incredible wrongs he brought to life last week, once he learned that his machinations for money...continued to cause great harm to his former client Irene. Her friends still hated her, and it was all Jimmy's fault. Sure he pleaded with them, and even tried to create a positive vibe surrounding Irene, but to no avail. That anger was unleashed and after a quick moment of inspiration from Kim...Jimmy figured out how to set things right. He set up a wonderful song and dance with Erin from Davis and Main that exposed his intentions and in doing so...he saved Irene's friendships and lost his millions. 

However, that may be the last kind act we ever see James McGill perform. Because once again, life threw a curveball and Chuck's story answered that question as to what happens when we have no purpose in life. Robbed of the potential to ever practice law again, and with his brother now out of his life...Charles broke down. His illness returned with a vengeance and in a harrowing set of scenes, we saw the strength of said illness as he literally tore his own house to pieces to try and satiate the cravings in his brain and that's when the biggest heartbreaker of the night arrived. At his lowest. Alone in a decimated house, a distraught and exhausted Charles McGill, slowly and deliberately kicked over a lantern in his home, setting everything ablaze...

Does this likely mean the end of Charles McGill? I don't see how it doesn't, and what an unfortunate and sorrowful end to a proud man that accomplished so much, and I've wondered for some time now as to whether or not Chuck being out of Jimmy's life will only accelerate the creation of Saul Goodman and now we will find out for certain. Because when one considers that Jimmy and Chuck's final conversation was filled with bile and anger, and that Jimmy is in a fragile place financially and personally...this will likely be the thing that finally snaps him and sends him down the dark path we have all been waiting for. When all is said and done however, this was a hell of way to end the season, and this is hands down the most powerful episode of Better Call Saul that I've ever seen, in fact, just hand Michael McKean an Emmy right now for his performance last night. Either way, I think we can all agree, that that final image of an inferno building within Charles McGill's home is going to haunt us and the show for quite some time...

There's something truly magical to be said about television shows that bring everything together in seamless fashion because it is a feat that speaks to so much. For starters, it lets the audience know that the show runners care about the fans since a compete story is always a reward and it also demonstrates that the people behind the scenes truly want to craft a beautiful and sweeping story that is fulfilling in every sense of the word.

So it should it come as no surprise that American Gods, a show that has shattered conventional storytelling rules on television, and delivered unto us a rich and colorful tome, would do the audience the distinct honor of wrapping up virtually all of season one's storylines with a neat little bow in its freshman finale, 'Come to Jesus', because it did just that. All the themes the series presented to us this year, and every character arc for this inaugural run came to a close in beautiful fashion last night, all while taking the time to introduce a new wrinkle to the fold thematically and of course, setting the stage for what should be a powerful and tense second season of the show. So without further ado, let's dig right into this majestic journey, because there is so much wonder to cover.

Let's start with the wrap up of perhaps the biggest theme that the show presented to us this year, the need to believe in something greater, which we've been exploring all season long by way of Shadow, a man who obviously had nothing to lose or believe in when we met him and slowly but surely, he started to realize something more in this world exists. But last night...well everything exploded before his eyes with Wednesday revealing his true identity and unveiling a world that Shadow never knew existed, allowing for him to truly believe in something at last and this was simply a beautiful moment to watch. Because all season long, Shadow has been lost. He does what he does for the money, he keeps his head down and doesn't ask much in the way of questions. But suddenly Shadow's eyes were open to any and all possibilites and the feeling that brought to his soul was one of joy and wonder and he wasn't the only one to find what he was looking for.

Because Laura has embodied the need for purpose in life all season long and it would seem with time running out, she has finally discovered the importance of having said purpose within one's heart. Because for the first time in the short history of the series, she was humble, she was open and determined to set her mistakes right for a change. She now knows there's more to life than merely existing for the sake of existing and she wants to take that to the next level and give Shadow the love he's always deserved and make him as happy as can be, since he did everything and anything for her.

Yet while it was lovely to see those two big themes come to their logical conclusion in this story, the show was able to introduce and conclude another theme all in the course of the hour, the need to be true to one's self, which came by way of Mister Wednesday and quite frankly, all the Gods that Mister World has corrupted with his shady dealings. Because last night gave us great insight as to how Bilquis, Vulcan and Easter compromised to stay alive and relevant and Wednesday was clever enough and ruthless enough to remind all of them...that who they are deep down matters more than anything and to deny their roots is a crime of its own and it leads to the most stunning moment of the night, when Easter unleashes her fury and robs America of Spring, putting World and his cronies at a disadvantage at last...

In fact, it was downright glorious to see a real taste of fear when it comes to Media and Technical Boy. It would seem that they had no clue what kind of power Wednesday and Easter could yield and despite the declaration of war, I'm sure they're now wondering as to whether or not they will win as easily as World implies. Regardless, what a wonderful way to end a season. Every lingering storyline/concept has come to its logical end, opening up new possibilites to explore in season two. Either way, war has begun, and I'm going to have serious trouble waiting for the next chapter in this saga because American Gods is an utterly beautiful story, and one of the finest shows I've seen in years and I cannot wait to see what wonders await us next year. Until then. 

As I settled in to watch this week's episode of Doctor Who, an unfortunate realization washed over me...the end of the Peter Capaldi era is drawing incredibly close and that added a touch of melancholy to last night's viewing. Because this has been, hands down the best season of the Capaldi era and to know that the end is near is tragic and heartbreaking to say the least. Which is why I'm extremely thankful that 'The Eaters of Light' recognized all of this, and offered a little fun our way before we get down to the somber business of saying goodbye.

Granted, one wouldn't be able to recognize up front that this particular episode was going to have any level of fun, because this story took us back to Scotland in the Second Century, all in the hopes of settling a bet between the Doctor and Bill as to how the Ninth Roman Army disappeared from the face of the earth and well...what they found put them in the middle of one wild adventure. Because death was everywhere in this place. The majority of the Ninth Army lay slaughtered, transformed into literal sacks of meat without any bones and the native Scots know the cause for this, an ancient creature from another dimension that consumes light and anything it touches in humans and it is up to the natives, and the remnant of the Ninth Army to save humanity from these awful creatures. 

As you can see, this story did feature a dark and brooding plot, one filled to the brim with scares and tense moments and at this point, you're likely still wondering what made this episode fun and worthwhile and several key elements made that happen...one of them being Nardole. Matt Lucas has been an absolute delight and wonderful addition to the show period and last night, his comedic chops are what brought the fun to this episode, and quite frankly, if it wasn't for Nardole's jokes and gags...we'd be discussing Series Ten's outright darkest story. But in addition to Matt Lucas bringing the smiles, another wonderful element when it comes to this story, is the sheer sense of adventure it provided us with. We learned about the Eaters of Light a little bit at a time, their mystery unraveling through the Doctor playing detective while visiting various locations, which built everything up to a grand finale, and I truly appreciated the fact that this was a slow burn story that took us on a journey and didn't spoon feed the audience obvious answers.

But really, there was one element above all that truly made this episode special and enjoyable...the message of unity that it carried. Throughout this entire story, we are witness to fear and uncertainty, primarily from the remnant of the Ninth Army and from the Scottish Warrior Kar as they struggle with the events that have unfolded around them, and as the Doctor unravels the mystery of the Eaters of Light...he also helps these poor souls face their fears and also realize that the pettiness that led them to said fear, is worthless and silly in the specter of death and in the process, these two armies unify to save the greater good and when all is said and done, what an uplifting little twist to the story, and it was just wonderful to see everyone working together for a common cause.

In addition to that wonderful little moment, the story also found a way to integrate something that 'Empress of Mars' left behind...the Doctor's desire to once again play the true hero and put every task upon his shoulders because he's been out of the game for far too long, and the fact he was itching to travel through time to settle a bet with Bill merely scratched the surface over the conflict brewing within his soul. The oath is causing all kinds of internal strife to the point where he was ready to sacrifice his new set of regenerations to play the hero and the pain that came with not being able to take the center stage and enjoy that sense of heroic satisfaction...is what brought the story crashing back down to earth. Because his desire to be back in the thick of galactic and temporal chaos nearly cost him his sight at Chasm Forge and it would seem the Doctor is temping fate once again, especially by letting Missy serve as Chief Engineer aboard the TARDIS.

Sure, this is just another example of how he's trying to integrate her back into the universe and that perhaps giving her a sense of purpose or normalcy might help her shed her evil ways. But even the Doctor seems skeptical of her newfound tears and remorse, and while he's hopeful to see her recover, he's still keeping her at a distance and let's just get this out in the open...the man is playing with fire. He knows he can't have it both ways, it's either focus on the universe or focus on Missy and I get the funny and bad feeling that his push to be the universe's everything is going to lead to trouble and considering that it once again came into focus last night, and that next week is part one of the Series Ten finale, it seems this storyline is about to come to a head...and result in the downfall of the Twelfth Doctor. So, in the meantime, we should savor the wonder of this episode and the sense of fun and adventure that it sent our way...for the beginning of the end draws near and soon...the Doctor will fall. Until next time.

Over the course of its first two seasons, Battlestar Galactica quickly established the fact that it was going to try and explore just about every single emotion and element of the human condition. It looked at fear in season one. It looked at numerous complex concepts in season two, but season three has changed things up greatly, since the first four episodes steered clear of analysis and focused instead on experience, taking us on quite the wild emotional ride. 

So imagine my surprise when I settled in to rewatch the first 'Post New Caprica' episode of the show, only to discover that this sweeping saga decided to return to its roots and explore the human condition and our emotions once again, this time focusing on revenge in 'Collaborators'. Now if anything, they could not have picked a better topic to look at because this particular episode picks up a few days after the escape from New Caprica wherein a group of six aboard Galactica, including Tyrol, Tigh and Anders are working hard to identify Cylon collaborators and figure out whether or not they are guilty of crimes against humanity and if they are...they are to be sentenced to death for aiding and abetting the enemy, and well...that plot summary alone should make it inherently clear that this story goes to some extremely dark places.

Because this story holds nothing back. We are witness to the entire selection process in Tigh's group, and the awful debate that everyone has to go through to make the decision to rob a person of their life for their actions while living on New Caprica, and we are also witness to the subsequent death of the guilty for that matter, and what made this part of the story so fascinating to watch is that it demonstrated exactly how revenge can take over a person's soul. For the most part, it didn't matter what the extenuating circumstances were or if there was a shred of doubt that there might be innocence. If it seems as though they truly helped the Cylons, they were sentenced to death and the power and possibility of getting even was enough to consume Kara Thrace completely and get her in on the process when her husband walked away from it.

Which is another element of this story that I truly enjoyed, the fact that some people were able to recognize that revenge isn't always a good thing and for Anders...the whole idea of putting people to death without a proper trial or hearing the other side of the story was too much to bear and once this little secret made its way out into the open, where we learned that the outgoing President, Tom Zarek, sanctioned this in secret to save the fleet years of strife in the legal system, it was revealed there were others that agreed with Anders' way of thinking. Specifically, the Admiral and the incoming President of the Colonies, Laura Roslin, who quite frankly, handled this matter in the classiest fashion possible, by delivering a broad and sweeping pardon for everyone in the Fleet the instant she returned to the presidency. 

If anything, the actions performed in this episode aren't that surprising, simply because I think we all knew that bad blood was brewing under the skin of just about everyone in the fleet. No one was happy with the Cylon occupation of New Caprica and unfortunately, sometimes when people have time to think, they let their anger get the better of them. So really, the surprise in this episode, is how quickly Tom Zarek acted to indulge humanity's darker side and let that revenge come out because that's downright dangerous. All that had to happen was for word to spread that anyone who helped the Cylons was being dealt with, and bedlam would have taken over as neighbor turned against neighbor to deal with past transgressions. Zarek wasn't heading chaos off at the pass, he was laying the foundation for it. So thank heavens for cooler heads prevailing and hopefully now, the fleet can find peace and heal as they continue their journey toward a new home. Until next time.

If there's one thing that plenty of people can speak to as a shared experience in life...it's that middle school, or high school, had their share of rough moments for us. At some point or another during that time frame, we felt like the outsider, or we were picked on by a bully and those unpleasant experiences often allow for us to look back on this time in our life in bittersweet fashion.  

Now whether or not those moments in our lives were good or bad for us, is something decided by the individual, since life is what you make of it. But the harsher side of those experiences, and the positivity that can come from it, was explored in great and brilliant fashion in the fourth episode of Dimension 404, 'Polybius'. Now this particular tale takes us back in time to 1984, where we meet young Andrew Myers, who is a bit of an outsider in the town of Beaverton, Oregon. He doesn't quite fit in at school, nor does he really have a ton of friends, but what Andrew does have going for him in this life is that he's a talented arcade game player, and he's working toward becoming a published writer as well. But when a new game named Polybius, arrives in his local arcade, Andrew's quiet life is about to become quite noisy, because this game is unlike anything he's ever played, and its deadly secrets are about to be revealed...

Now I've made it no secret that I'm a huge fan of this show and that every episode has blown me away, but this one...this one is something special. Because this tale, well this one is perhaps the most epic love letter to the science fiction and horror films of the 1980's that I have ever seen. In fact it's so perfect with its homages that in many ways, it feels like someone uncovered and released a lost film from that era. The look, the sound, the feel of the whole thing is straight out of that decade and I love the episode's tribute to The Last Starfighter and I equally love how much horror made its way into this one, including a couple of guest spots from horror and sci-fi legend Adrienne Barbeau (Creepshow and Escape from New York) and one of my personal favorites from the horror genre, Ken Foree (​Dawn of the Dead). Those surprise cameos just add credence to this rich story and once you get past the fan boy moments, there's other wonders to be found as well.

Case in point, the richness of this world. I mean, wow, the Writer's Room truly recreated the awkwardness of middle school and high school and you're plunged back into that era in an instant and reminded of how harsh that timeframe can be. But a show this intelligent can't just recreate a moment in time, it needs to give us more and does just that by adding incredible depth to Andrew as a whole. Because he also happens to be gay in the 1980's...an era which wasn't exactly welcoming of LGBTQ people and that's reflected in uncomfortable fashion by the story's heavy use of the other 'F' word and that merely adds to the realism of this episode and it's wonderful that such garbage doesn't bring Andrew down in the slightest since we eventually see him come to terms with who he is and no longer feel an ounce of shame for it. 

Plus, as I mentioned before, this episode directly examines how one can make a bad situation, good, since not only does Andrew accept himself, he finally stops buying into the B.S. of the people around him, he even says it point blank when he declares he's through running and it's magnificent to see a character enjoy a complete arc such as this and it makes him quite the hero when all is said and done. Either way, I really cannot get enough of this show and how intelligent it continues to be and truth be told, this is definitely my favorite episode of the series to date because of the nostalgia it sent my way and because it told an honest and powerful story and sadly, I've come to realize that there are only two episodes left in season one, which means I think I'll take a little longer and cherish the final two because this show continues to be the most refreshing series I've seen in a long time and I'm betting the folks behind the scenes saved the absolute best, for last. Until next time. 

I've spent a lot of time when it comes to these recaps, discussing how dark The Handmaid's Tale continues to be and with good reason. Because truthfully, week in and week out, the series continues to remind me of a rotten onion, and every single time we peel back a layer in the hopes of finding something far less disgusting, we reveal something far worse and also because...I think part of me is still in awe over the fact that such a dark and twisted world can come to fruition on the small screen, and stay that way.

Normally shows that provide us with a dystopian society or world eventually shift their focus to the characters or some overreaching plot to give our minds a break, but not this one. We are truly immersed in the horrors of Gilead and it really seems as though there is no escaping this awful, awful place. So, in many ways, we stay in awe of this place and what it stands for as a mental safety net, because there's no reward coming for the audience, just raw and visceral terror. But as it turns out, that was apparently all part of the plan. Because there was a reward waiting for us after all and it just so happened to turn up in the stunning season one finale, 'Night'.

Because in this particular tale, the frustration brewing beneath the surface of Gilead, came to a boil and some of it came from the most unlikely of characters...Serena and Fred Waterford.  Yes, the architects of this disgusting place suddenly found pause within its rules since Serena could not properly express her dissatisfaction with her husband's infidelity since he was happy to invoke his 'superior masculinity' upon her and the Commander quickly discovered that the age old adage of 'turning the other cheek' doesn't apply when it comes to his peers, who shot down Fred's every attempt to have Gilead go easy on Commander Putnam for his transgressions, and while it was nice to see Serena stand up for herself and see Fred get the business...this was not our reward.

No, that was merely the beginning of it. Because this episode had so much more to give us. It was finally ready to deliver us a true sense of hope and give us the fight and resistance we've all been waiting for and it accomplished this, by way of Moira and June. Moira's story we will talk about first, because it absolutely lifted our spirits since Moira...finally found herself free when she quietly crossed the border into Canada; Ontario, to be specific and well...this little look at our neighbor to the north, was downright tear inducing. There were no questions of loyalty, no terror to be sent her way, just pure freedom and kindness and family since Luke picked her up and to see someone give Moira a choice again, and to see her get an opportunity to start over and be reunited with someone who genuinely cares for her well being...was utterly beautiful.

As for the resistance and fight we've been waiting for...well that came from June's story. Which started off in bleak fashion once she discovered she was pregnant with Nick's child, and while she seemingly resigned herself to her 'final purpose' for Gilead, a critical error from Mrs. Waterford set things in motion. Because dear Serena decided to ensure the safety of her baby...by showing June that Hannah was alive and safe...and the only way Hannah would stay that way, is if June made sure the Waterford heir remained in the same state. That little stunt set off a fire in June we've never seen before and that fire was only stoked by opening the package Moira helped get to her, which contained the harrowing stories of other women like her, allowing her to realize that her voice is her power and that fire burned at its brightest...when Aunt Lydia asked her and every other Handmaid in town to stone Janine to death for threatening baby Angela. It was more than any Handmaid could bear, and after one took punishment for refusing to stone Janine, June followed suit and led a wonderful and beautiful silent resistance that spared Janine's life, and that act eventually forced June to be taken away by the Eyes.

But regardless of that dark ending, at last...she rose up. She fought back. She resisted, and while she will clearly pay the price, it will not be in vain. She led others to do the same, and she got those letters to someone trustworthy and that kind of fearless fight...is the stuff of legend and it can only grow from there and really...this is the perfect ending to this disturbing first season. Because June's plight in season two, will hopefully become a rallying cry, and it will hopefully embolden others to continue to follow her lead. It makes the final moments of this episode surprisingly hopeful, because the seed of insurrection is beginning to grow and I have no doubt that now that we have established this awful world in fine fashion in season one, season two will be about nurturing that insurrection and bringing down this awful world so no one will ever suffer these kinds of horrors ever again. That means it's going to be an excruciating wait for season two but one that will no doubt be worth it, because this is truly one of the finest television shows I've ever seen and I cannot wait to see where this tale takes us next. Until next season.

In the past, I always appreciated when a particular television show put forth an 'event' type of episode because every single time one of those came along, you knew you were getting the best from everyone involved with the show. From the writing to the acting, extra special care went into these episodes to make them incredibly memorable.

But as the years rolled on by, that type of episode seemed to fade from the television landscape, or rather...the advertising blitz that went with them did. TV shows found new ways to integrate these kinds of stories into the fabric of the series, almost making them a reward for the audience and the fourth episode of season three of ​Battlestar Galactica was that kind of episode. Because 'Exodus (Part 2)' was something to truly be celebrated, simply because it delivered unto us a showdown for the ages by way of the Battle of New Caprica, and the events of this story would shape and change the entirety of the series to come.

Today however we're going to talk little about the plot when it comes to this tale. Because today we need to celebrate the powerful moments that this story delivered since these are the kind of moments that stay with you long after the series has gone, and they're also the kind of moments that you use to sell someone on why they should watch a show like this. Plus, there's another big reason as to why to celebrate this particular tale, it's a perfect episode of television. Everything in this story worked from beginning to end and it also succeeded in taking the audience for a wild ride because this is a story that sent our hearts racing, left us cheering and even managed to make us cry by delivering beautiful and inspiring moments, alongside utter heartbreak. 

So with that in mind, let's talk about those special moments in this story, starting with the breathtaking battle sequences. Because in my humble opinion, this episode features some of the finest space battles in the history of science fiction, because it wasn't the traditional, jump into the heart of the enemy's stronghold and open fire. This was calculated combat, and brilliant strategy from Admiral Adama and every single time I watch the Galactica jump into the atmosphere of New Caprica, my heart simply skips a beat over the sheer awesomeness of that move. Not to mention, for a moment there, you truly believe that the old girl is in serious trouble when the Cylons begin to pummel her in the void of space, and seeing the ​Pegasus join the fight, for her final battle...is indeed the kind of thing that makes you jump out of your chair to scream with joy...something I may or may not do every single time I watch this episode.

But despite the stunning combat, we do have to talk about the harder, tear inducing moments because they simply don't mess around. Sure there's a happy ending to be found here since the mission is a success and the fleet is reunited and saved from Cylon oppression. But it's quite the pyrrhic victory. After all, the Battlestar ​Pegasus is scuttled in order to save Galactica, and not everyone makes it back to the fleet for that matter either; and having to watch Colonel Tigh face his good friend and tell him with a just a look that Ellen didn't survive, and that he's the one that took her life in order to right a wrong...is powerful stuff indeed and an exchange that definitely brought a little mist to my eyes. 

However, the true beauty of this episode...is the fact that for the first time in the history of the series...everyone banded together. This was a fight for the survival of mankind, for its betterment and in essence, only a handful did not risk their lives to see the species survive and well...to see everyone come together, is inspiring and beautiful. Sure, there will be consequences to follow from what transpired on New Caprica, and other disagreements to come, but in the here and the now, mankind is united and what they accomplished was utterly magnificent and I see how this is a first big step toward something special later on in the series. But for now, we get our happy ending, and the fleet is back amongst the stars and heading for a new home...called Earth. Until next time.

Every single one of us out there, can think of a particular television show or motion picture that captivated our imagination so strongly as a child...we would have given anything to be a part of it. So much in fact, that we collected every single toy that was released for it, watched every last episode and sequel and outright became an expert on the franchise, in-between dreaming about what life would be like if we lived in that world.

Of course eventually we leave our obsession with that world behind, instead choosing to focus on the fond memories it leaves us with, but there is always a part of us that is left with the wonder of 'what if?' and it is that wonder that Dimension 404 decided to explore by bringing such a world to life in its third episode, 'Chronos'. In this particular tale we are introduced to Sue Hirsch, a brilliant college student who has a tendency to shirk her responsibilities to watch her favorite television shows, Time Ryder in particular,  and unfortunately for her, anymore slacking on her senior thesis is going to cost her a chance at graduation and to make matters worse...that all important paper is due at midnight. But getting that paper done will prove to be quite the incredible challenge, and not for obvious slacker-esque reasons. Because on this night, Sue is about to discover that her favorite show is real...and the Time Ryder needs her help to save the future. 

So after spending a couple of episodes in supremely cerebral territory, which by the way, is not a bad thing in the slightest, clearly the Writer's Room decided it was high time to kick back, fan boy out and have a little fun and the end result of this decision, is utterly magnificent. Because this story, is filled to the brim with hilarious jokes and it delivers the most fun I've ever experienced in watching a story about time travel, which is no easy feat. Temporal causality loops are a complex and difficult notion and by not focusing on the science of it, and all the technobabble that comes with that, you're left with a simple and enjoyable storyline that the vibrant characters get to drive and it's a move storytelling wise that leaves you with a smile on your face.

However, it's important to note that Dimension 404 is a show that has established itself as an incredibly intelligent Science Fiction series, and it would be a grand disappointment if it suddenly switched gears and abandoned its highly intelligent storytelling style...and thankfully, the writers found a way to blend that smarter style into this particular episode. But rather than follow in the footsteps of the last two episodes, and examine our world and societal concepts as a whole, this one simply resonates with you on a personal level and works to inspire you as well. Because Sue is someone who has major doubts about her abilities, and firmly believes that she may not ever achieve a single wonder in this world; and when you combine that with Sue living her life long dream to become a Chrono Teen, this episode more or less serves as a love letter to all the nerds and geeks out there who have the same self doubts, and it also offers a grand reminder...that we are better people than we often give ourselves credit, and we can do anything we put our mind to.

If anything, it's rare to see an anthology series put forth any kind of positive message since they often serve as little slices of the stranger corners of the universe, so that in and of itself is refreshing, but what I truly appreciated about this story, is how it draws you in. In a roundabout weird sort of way, by seeing the joy that Sue relishes in by being part of the Time Ryder mythos, memories of our own childhood are suddenly unlocked, and we are allowed to live vicariously through her and finally be part of our favorite show as well and any kind of story that can elicit those kind of emotions, is sheer magic and it's just more proof that ​Dimension 404 is simply a wonderful show that knows how to please its fans and if it's this smart and this endearing three episodes in, I have a funny feeling the series is only going to get more magical from here on out. Until next time.

It's a truly special moment when a television show, or a movie for that matter, finds a way to get your blood pumping and your spirits soaring to the point where you're desperate to see how the story ends and one such show that managed to pull that off on a regular basis was the often brilliant Battlestar Galactica. 

Because this show knew how to reach us on a fundamental level and tug at our heartstrings in the best and worst of ways and one particular set of episodes that truly accomplished this in magnificent fashion was the powerful two parter 'Exodus', since this particular tale set up and delivered the grand showdown between Cylon and man that has been brewing since the season two finale, and the first part of this powerful epic, created a build up so strong that I distinctly recall being downright desperate to see how the story ends and it pulled off such a feat by taking us through peaks and valleys, emotionally. 

For example, it built fury in our hearts by allowing for the audience to hate the Cylons once again. Granted we've always known they're the heavy of the story, but considering the amount of time spent on seeing these angry creations of man work hard to redeem themselves for committing genocide, some of that power went away...only to return here. Because after the Chief and his small group of soldiers save Laura Roslin and Cally and anyone else on the list, the reality and the horror of that moment settles in, and considering that the Cylons are ready to murder with impunity once again, you suddenly feel the need to see the Toasters get what's coming to them and that surge of adrenaline only continues as the episodes progresses.

It reaches its pinnacle however, aboard the Galactica. Because everything on that vessel in this story revolves around final preparations for the forthcoming Battle of New Caprica and the acting in this segment of the story is simply sublime. Because every pilot, and every solider on board this proud ship are suddenly focused and ready for a fight and you want nothing more than to see them punch the Cylons right in their mechanical mouths and despite the joy this bravado brings, the valleys I spoke to earlier come about in this segment of the story as well because there is a powerful and beautiful exchange between father and son, wherein Lee breaks in down in tears over the possibility of never seeing his dad again and it leaves one to wonder...in a show that holds nothing back...will everyone make it back when all is said is done? 

Regardless, this is an episode that leaves the audience hungry for more. Because in its closing moments, when Adama adds fuel to the fire with another powerful and inspirational speech, you want to see the battle happen right then and there, and you want to see the crew succeed and that's because this episode delivers some damn fine storytelling, and another raw experience for the audience. You're simply required to sit back, observe and feel and steel yourself for this epic showdown and I truly appreciate the fact that the series has reached a point where it can pull such a feat off and save the brainier stories for after the fight. Either way, this is it. The Battlestar Galactica is headed back to New Caprica, and they're going to be in for one hell of a thrilling fight. Until next time.