If there’s one thing I love when it comes it to television, it’s being able to pinpoint when a particular season has found its proverbial stride and is beginning to bring everything together in beautiful fashion. Because that means the audience is about to be in for one heck of a ride, and everything one loves about the series is going to be on display from here on out, and after struggling to find its voice for a better part of season three, that all-important moment of convergence finally arrived for Designated Survivor, since ‘#whocares’ brought forth a powerhouse episode, one that exhibited everything that makes this series worthwhile.
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Because this show is really at its best when it takes a particular scenario that we see in everyday life, and strips away the rhetoric and the commentary to present the situation for what it is and this particular tale did just that, by introducing us to a Guatemalan family that was dealing with quite the crisis. For their son, Mateo, suffered from failed kidneys, and his health was in decline, and rather than watch him die at home, they made the dangerous journey to America in the hopes of finding him help and well, that’s where things got a little too real. Because the anti-immigration stance that currently permeates the American landscape was on full display here, with people protesting a hospital’s decision to stabilize the young man and that prompted Kirkman to send Aaron down there to get a better understanding of the situation and find out what the administration could do to help.

Which brings us to how exactly this episode handled that plotline in inspired fashion. Because this was a grand opportunity to scold, and rip into the current rhetoric that has gripped the socio-political scene. But instead of going that route, the show simply reminded us, that immigrants are not monsters or some kind of threat to the fabric of our nation, they’re human beings, and they come upon hard times like the rest of us, and while there is great work to be done in fixing our laws and our immigration system, there’s no reason that we cannot treat other human beings in decent and honorable fashion. Which is why it was so moving to see the Kirkman Administration do plenty to help this young man, and I love that this episode just showed people being good to people for a change, and that particular message, didn’t end with Mateo’s story.

For an incident in D.C., wherein Dante was mugged on his way to work opened Kirkman’s eyes to the harsh reality that there are still far too many communities where African Americans are simply not safe and it gave him the grand idea to call in an old friend to help pilot a program that could in fact, begin to revitalize these parts of our nation, and in turn, offer new economic and educational opportunities to those who didn’t have them before. And while there were some hints of politics that came into play with this, the bigger picture here was that once again, why not be decent to one another, and more importantly, if an opportunity arises to help others and one has the resources to pull it off, why not do it? And it was just refreshing to see this kind of positivity present in the series again and see so many characters working to just make lives better, which is in fact, what we expect government to do for us.

Yet, while all of these elements alone were enough to carry this story and satisfy the audience all at once, this particular tale still found ways to keep the wealth of other plotlines moving briskly, since Emily’s mom arrived in D.C. to make her end of life preparations, Mars is seemingly on a road to redemption when it comes to his wife and honestly, I would venture to say the only storyline here that needed a touch more focus was Sasha’s journey. Because the whole incident in the bathroom was a touch glossed over and I do hope the series finds a good balance for Sasha in the episodes to come. But, that’s a minor complaint, because that run in was still powerful and still tied into the decency theme that hovered heavy over this brilliant episode and well, welcome back Designated Survivor. It may have taken a little while to get you back on track, but it’s happened and its wonderful and I cannot wait to see what incredibly storytelling awaits me as I barrel toward the season three finale. Until next time.  

The more time I’ve had to reflect upon season two of CHiPs, the more I find myself impressed with it. Because most police serials out there, would be terrified to tinker with their format for a single episode, much less an entire season, but this show, well it’s been fearless in trying new things in year two, to the point where I honestly don’t know what to expect when I start another episode. It might be something that feels familiar, it might be something dark and powerful, or, once again, the show may just have something special and new hiding up its proverbial sleeve, as was the case with the next episode I settled in to watch.
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For ‘Pressure Point’, took the time to do something that has never really been tried on this series before by giving Ponch and Jon a genuine mystery to work with for a change, and it accomplished such a feat by plunging us into a fascinating world of deceit and envy, and well, extortion, and all of that came about in the strangest way imaginable. Because in the early moments of this episode, we were privy to a coordinated attack on a powerful tycoon named Arthur Forbinger and well, it quickly became obvious that this ‘on the road’ assault was a warning of sorts, one that Arthur didn’t want to heed, nor did he want any outside help with. But his standing in the community, and Ponch and Jon’s keen eye to the fact that something more was going on here, involved them in the matter whether he liked it or not.

Which is a good thing, since we learned that one of Arthur’s most trusted lieutenants, a man named Paul Everett, was done working for peanuts and job security and respect, he wanted to make some bread and enjoy a little comfort for himself, and in order to make that happen, he basically sold out his boss by joining in on quite the extortion scheme. Basically, the idea was to terrify Arthur and his granddaughter to the point where they no longer felt safe just looking out the window, and having that kind of fear present in Arthur’s heart, would motivate him to invest in every security measure imaginable, from a company of Paul’s choosing, which meant he would get a cut from the sales and at first glance, it seemed as though the plan was working.

Thankfully though, Ponch and Jon were assigned as personal police protection for Arthur and immediately went to work on explaining to Arthur how he was being manipulated, and while he didn’t believe that this kind of betrayal was possible from someone he trusted, some clever thinking from our dynamic duo finally got him on board and prompted the CHP to launch a sting operation that would bring down the man behind this scheme and well, that’s where the show returned to traditional territory. Because Darrel Justin, the mastermind behind these attacks, personally oversaw his teams when they muscled someone up on the road, which meant we were treated to one thrilling car chase on the streets of Los Angeles, wherein Justin’s thugs met their match in Ponch and Jon, which meant that once again, they saved the day and brought down one scuzzy security company.

But, while this story ends in classic CHiPs fashion, what came before that finale was honestly quite impressive. Because this little mystery quite frankly, just sucked me into the story, to the point where I was glued to the screen and didn’t even realize we were coming to the end of the episode in the slightest and that’s just awesome. If anything, this really was quite the delightful tale, one that shook up the formula of the series nicely and one that told a great story through and through, and that’s thanks in large part to the performances on display in this tale since everyone brought their acting A game to the table, with a special shout out to the late Rudy Vallee for making Arthur such a treat to watch and well, with only six episodes to go in season two, I really am eager to see what other surprises this season has waiting in the wings. Which means, it’s time to sign off and fire up my Blu-Ray player and enjoy more of this wild ride. Until next time.  

When it comes to reaching just about any goal in life, one can expect some serious setbacks to pop up along the way. Because getting what we want in life is never an easy task, and the world never quite cooperates the way we would like it to, and sometimes that’s due in large part to the fact that people who are paramount to the success of our respective goal, have their own agenda and thoughts on what we want and can find a way to muddle things up. And while we know that our next step when a setback occurs is to regroup and try a new plan of attack, in the moment, when it happens, it truly feels like the end of the world and this is on my mind today, simply because setbacks just so happened to be the focal point of this week’s episode of The Handmaid’s Tale.
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For ‘Household’ is a story that quite frankly, found a way to frustrate all of us, thanks to Commander Fred Waterford’s grandiose plan to bring June to Washington D.C., now the capitol of Gilead, in order to film all kinds of prayer propaganda videos in the hopes of getting Nichole back onto their soil and well, he made progress in this endeavor, enough to at least get the Swiss involved in negotiations and that’s where the setbacks came into play. Because as the course of the hour played out, we saw Serena, someone we once had hope for, revert to her selfish and evil ways and we even saw Nick betray his daughter and his love by refusing to give up information to the Swiss, leaving June on an island, without any hope of stirring revolution at this point and well, that’s quite the stunning change of events in a season where hope has been abundant.

Which means, as a viewer and a fan, I should feel angry and betrayed, yet oddly enough, I don’t this time around. Simply because, the trip to Washington exposed quite a few things character wise, since it more or less explained why Gilead is successful and why people who despise it, yet back it on a moment’s notice continue to feed it, when they know it’s something terrible, and that’s really due to the fact that everyone we’ve met in Gilead, has found a purpose and a place, and they love that. Granted, the show has always hinted at this, but seeing Nick be saluted on the way to Chicago, and seeing Fred receive praise from the newly introduced Commander Winslow, and for that matter, seeing Serena embrace her ability to impact change by staying the course and feeding Fred’s cause, cements this notion and speaks to how marginalized these people were in the United States of America.

They were ghosts before Gilead, and Serena’s moment in the sun that we saw a while back speaks to how the world kept them out of sight when they did try to make their voices heard. But now, they’re somebody, they’re powerful, they’re respected, and who gives a crap who they hurt or destroy because their egos are finally fed, and seeing this on display is the first time that Gilead has truly seemed vulnerable because people like that, can be brought to their knees when you hit the right nerve. And while that doesn’t sound like the recipe for a fiery revolution that would see Gilead collapse, it’s a starting point, something that June demonstrated by challenging Aunt Lydia’s role in earnest fashion, something that elicited humanity and kindness from one of the show’s cruelest characters and it was furthermore put on display by way of the verbal smackdown she provided Serena with, since that appeared to rattle Mrs. Waterford in ways we’ve never seen.

If anything, all I can feel for the leaders of Gilead, is pity. Because they’re awful and weak people who have nothing of substance to offer the world, since they are as June put it, ‘empty’. But, all setbacks and fiery moments aside, really, one big question hangs over this episode in that, where do we go from here? And honestly, I haven’t a clue. But I have faith that June will figure something out, because she is motivated to make change, and there are others who are with her on that, and a spark is indeed all a revolution needs. So, at this point, all I can gather, is that revolution is going to come in the most unique way possible on this show and well, the sooner the better, since this tale also reminded us of how things are getting darker in Gilead, since the High Commanders in Washington are good with clamping shut the mouths of Handmaids to try and maintain further control, and well, this madness has to end, plain and simple, and I really cannot wait to see how June will recover from this setback, so she can lead the fight for freedom. Until next time. 

A suspension of disbelief is often necessary when it comes to our favorite shows and movies. Because the rules of reality are often bent or outright forgotten when it comes to fictional stories and since we use visual entertainment to escape from everyday life, if only for a little while, taking the time to scrutinize changes to a fictional universe, tends to sour the overall experience. But sometimes, a little dash of reality is needed in a story in order to properly convey what the characters are about to go through, so that we too feel something in the moment, and I honestly respect stories that can add a dash of reality into the mix in seamless fashion and it just so happens, that the next episode of CHiPs decided to give realism a try in what turned out to be the boldest episode of season two’s lineup.
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Because ‘MAIT Team’ really didn’t pull any punches when it came to its depiction of a deadly crash involving Officer Sindy Cahill, in fact, I have to admit that I was quite taken aback with how much detail they showed in the opening segment of this story. Because not only were we privy to every single crunch and crumple as cars collided with one another, we in essence, watched people die on screen since two cars caught fire and exploded after getting into a head-on collision, and the grizzly nature of this tale didn’t end there. For the aftermath of this mess was just as sobering, since there were bodies, lying limp behind the wheel of their respective vehicles, and they were covered in blood and once the flames were out, we came to learn that Cahill was going to survive her wounds, but eleven other people weren’t so lucky and no one had a clue how this crash happened.

Which is where surprisingly, the realism of this tale found a way to continue. Because Sergeant Getrear activated the Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) in order to figure out how the heck this mess unfolded, and what made this so realistic, is the sheer fact that we saw a forensic team, doing actual forensics on the series for the first time ever, and it was simply fascinating to watch them work. Because this crew, one that included Ponch and Jon of course, measured everything imaginable, from tire tracks on the road, to the strength and direction of the wind and while it seemed for a brief moment there, that the team was making headway in figuring out how this tragic incident occurred, they simply could not come up with a cause and that was quite the problem when all is said and done.

Because an insurance adjuster, who needed a ‘why’ in order to complete his job, was of the firm belief that Cahill, somehow caused this accident via negligence, and to complicate matters further, a state senator wanted to know if that was the case as well since he firmly believed that high speed pursuits caused more harm than good in his proud state. Which meant that the pressure was on to produce answers, and that led to quite the bold move on the MAIT Team’s part, since they all decided the best way to figure out the cause, was to re-enact the crash. Yet, while the re-enactment more or less exonerated any wrong doing on Cahill’s part, it still didn’t explain the cause, that is until…a quick flash of light caught Ponch and Jon’s eyes, and as it turns out, a set of mirrors that were delivered to a nearby construction site, blinded a truck driver and set in motion this tragic event and while this revelation didn’t bring back the people that were lost, it did at least bring closure to the dead’s loved ones.

If anything, this episode truly gave me pause, thanks to its frank and graphic realism when it comes to the accident in question and well…that honestly took me by surprise. Because even now, showing that kind of carnage is frowned upon, so I can only wonder how it went over back in ’78. But this series took its shot and was successful in telling a powerful and devastating tale that reminds us just how tough the job is for officers like Ponch and Jon and Sindy since this is the risk they face on the road every single day and these are the kinds of things they see out there on the highway and really, I applaud this episode. Because gutsy storytelling is rare in just about any era of television history, since producers love to keep it mild for their audiences, and in the end, this episode is going to stay with me a for a long time since it was so supremely bold, and so unlike anything else that season two has had to offer. Until next time.      

Admittedly, I was pretty hard on Designated Survivor in my last recap of the show and there’s good reason for that. Because this is show that immediately comes with high expectations regardless of what network its airing on, simply because it established itself from day one as one of the finest political thrillers out there and in all honesty, seeing the show divert from what it does best, truly caught me off guard. But it would seem, that at long last, season three of this magnificent series finally finding its stride, because ‘#nothingpersonal’ was a breath of fresh air, thanks in large part to its incredible pacing, since it moved at a breakneck pace to move several of the plotlines that the story has been toying with, forward by leaps and bounds.
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Take for instance the whole mess that Hannah has been dealing with, because after spending four episodes chasing her tail, she and Mays finally found a solid lead on who might be responsible for this Bioterror attack and their investigation brought them face to face with a white supremacist who was trying to recruit others to his cause and that’s terrifying to say the least. Since now we know without a doubt that someone is trying to use a designed virus to do a little ethnic cleansing in America and she and Mays are going to have to work harder to learn who exactly is the brains of this outfit, so that they can stop them before this virus is deployed and the fast moving plots didn’t end with Hannah. For this tale also saw Emily learn more about her mother’s medical condition and her plans for the end of her life, and Mars also saw the whole mess with his wife come to a head since she overdosed on pills.

But while those plot threads didn’t exactly see happy resolution, progress is progress and they helped to balance out the true focal points of this particular story. For this episode also found a way to bring some genuinely thoughtful social commentary back into the mix, and that was explored by way of Seth’s little problem with the press. Because the fake story that claimed that Kirkman had his wife killed because she was a Russian spy went viral, and it became the focal point of the daily press briefing and well, Seth straight up lost it on the press, chastising them for feeding into something so stupid and vapid and for giving it life and well, that gave me pause. Because, everything he said was on the nose, since every form of media sensationalizes stupid stories that have no substance and well, we have to be better when it comes to that and not let that kind of crap distract us from what’s actually important.

Yet, I made mention of the fact, that there was more than one incredible moment present in this tale and the second moment of wonder, came about during the presidential debate. Because this looked and felt like what we normally see on television when it comes to this kind of event, since there was rhetoric, smart jabs and theatrics present from Kirkman’s competitors on stage, and rather than give into Moss’ baiting, and lose his temper, Tom found a way to be Tom, and took the high road with a beautiful answer that straight up embarrassed Cornelius on the national stage, and his response was so well crafted that it handed Kirkman the debate. But what mattered more here, is that this was vintage Tom Kirkman on display, and it was quite nice to see him not make any moral or political compromises in this tale since he’s flirted with that from time to time over the course of season three.

But while the major plotlines in this tale wrap up in the happiest of fashion, and we move forward elsewhere, the show also deserves some credit for setting up some fascinating conflict for future episodes. Because I’m sure the affair that Emily and Aaron had will come back to haunt them, and speaking of romances, I really do hope Donate’s storyline with Troy gets more screen time since its breaking new ground on television, but the big surprise hanging over this tale involves Lorraine, since we came to learn she is orchestrating some of the pitfalls that Tom is facing, in large part to motivate him to win, and it should be fascinating to learn as to whether or not Tom will learn the truth about this, and if he does, how he will respond. Either way, this episode, felt like home again, and while it wasn’t flawless by any means, it was definitely a step in the right direction, and I do hope the series continues to find its groove as season three rolls on. Until next time. 

If there’s one thing that I’ve always found fascinating when it comes to police stories on television, it is how the villains on these shows are constructed. Because as the years have rolled on, I’ve come to notice that most crime related tales work hard to add depth and meaning to the bad guy or bad gal, and that has its merits since people, both good and evil, are complex in nature and this has made for some fascinating explorations of why people do bad things, and it’s something that CHiPs has been working with heavily in season two since the Creeps of the Week have depth and purpose in year two. But sometimes, there’s nothing wrong with going ‘old school’ and injecting bad people who are just rotten to the core without any explanation into a story, and it just so happens that the next episode of this series, ‘Repo Man’, took the time bring back the force of nature bad guy we saw regularly in season one.
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For this particular tale introduced us to a disturbing scumbag/Repo Man named Doyle Ware, and what made this guy so awful is that he was about as unethical as they come. In fact, his first encounter with Ponch and Jon involved him illegally seizing a trailer and despite a firm warning about handling such matters within the framework of the law, it wasn’t long before we saw him breaking the law once again and being an outright nuisance. Because he lied to a mother to get his hands on a car and even after accomplishing his repo related mission, he still caused as much trouble as humanly possible. Because snagging that car, led to a high-speed chase, one that resulted in an accident when the repossessed car snapped loose and after being cited and scolded once again, Ware decided it was time to teach Ponch and Jon a lesson, by messing with their credit rating.

Yup, that’s right. This dude straight up took the time to put fictional liens and red flags on both of their credit reports and well, that was definitely the wrong thing to do. Because it prompted Ponch and Jon to keep a close eye on this hoser in their spare time and what they discovered was pretty concerning. Because it turns out that not only was Doyle unethical in his practices, he was running a little fraud on the side. In essence, he would swipe a car and remove the license plate, and then take said plate and put it on a totaled car that was the exact same make and model and take pictures of it, and send those photos to the owner and let them know their car was totaled, and then he would offer to buy it off them for cheap, then turnaround and sell the original for a massive profit. Which is quite the complex and twisted scheme and thankfully, Ponch and Jon were able to prove what he was up to and put an end to his scuzzy ways.

If anything, it was refreshing to see this kind of villain reappear on the show because sometimes, you just want to see a little bit of justice in the world and see guys like Doyle go down and go down hard, so the story definitely delivered when it comes to that. But, while it was satisfying to see this doofus get his just desserts, the show found a way to take heroism to a whole new level since the lighthearted plotline in this one involved Jon jumping on a runaway school bus shortly after its driver had a heart attack, and quickly became the toast of the town for his decision. Because he saved a lot of lives, and had his exploits all over the five o’clock news and that meant that everywhere he went, even on the highway, he was getting mobbed by fans who wanted to shake his hand and get an autograph from a true hero, and this just made for pure fun since we all know that Jon isn’t about that kind of attention, but he definitely did his best to make people happy.

Plus, the plotlines involving the watchmaker and his sassy ways, and Grossie’s work as a writer also made for some lighthearted fun and really, that’s what this episode stood for, just some good old fashioned fun and an epic takedown of a miserable human being and you really cannot go wrong with that. Because that’s what this series was founded upon, and it was kind of nice to break away from the more complex tales and well, I suppose I will enjoy it while I can, since I just took a look at the episode insert in the DVD case for season two. And I couldn’t help but notice that the next episode up, was one of the boldest that this season has to offer, and its one that I remember kept my attention from beginning to end thanks to its subject matter. So, it’s best I dive right in and watch this tough one now, so we can chat about as soon as possible. Until next time. 

So, I have to admit, that I’m outright starting to struggle with season three of Designated Survivor. Sure, it’s great to have the show back on the air and reunite with these colorful and wonderful characters. But while I’ve been able to once again enjoy some of the show’s whip smart commentary and bask in the wonder of President Kirkman’s moral code, something has simply been missing from this new season of the show and my struggle has been figuring out what exactly that is and thankfully, the next episode of the series, ‘#makehistory’, made it inherently clear what’s made this show a little less enthralling to watch, in that, it’s simply trying to do too many things plot wise.
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Which is something that was supremely evident in this particular tale since there was so much going on. After all, this is a story that took the time to explore more of Seth’s tenuous relationship with his daughter, how Mars and his wife are doing, now that she’s out of rehab, how Emily is worried about her medical future and her mother’s current state and Aaron’s historical standing as a Latino Vice Presidential candidate and that’s just so much to focus upon. And having this much stuff jam packed into a fifty-minute episode, allowed for the more important moments to be glossed over, like Aaron’s concerns about playing the race card, and some of his past transgressions and ironically, this smorgasbord of plot threads, also helped to weaken Kirkman’s journey in this story as well.  

Because this was a grand opportunity to deeply explore how Tom is learning to play the Washington game, something that was hinted at in the second episode of this season, since he made quite the compromise in this story in order to save teachers, but instead, this too was glossed over. The crisis facing multiple states and multiple teachers, and the riots that ensued were more or less an afterthought, and that’s a shame because the show had a beautiful plot thread sitting on their hands here, since a grand discussion on living wages for teachers and their role in modern society would have been an incredible place to go, but instead, the plot opted for hyper fast resolution and what’s truly surprising, is that there was still one more important plot thread that received similar treatment.

For this episode also had the opportunity to do some incredible things with Hannah’s bioterrorism investigation since she made quite the startling discovery in that, someone had genetically engineered this mysterious virus to make people of color as sick as can be, which means that whomever is behind this nightmare, has some racially motivated plans, and that’s downright chilling when all is said and done. But, again, there simply wasn’t enough time to devote to the implications of this disturbing revelation, or its potential impact since the story jumped around so much and well, if anything this constant bouncing about left me frustrated in the end, and a tad concerned about where season three of this series is actually headed.

Because, as of this moment, Designated Survivor really is a show without focus. Sure, it’s tackling important issues, and yes there are still echoes of what made me fall in love with this series in the first place, but it is obvious now that changing networks and showrunners has had quite the impact. For the series is at a crossroads right now, where it’s fighting to be The West Wing and what it used to be and that’s definitely impacting the story. But, all criticism aside, I still believe that it is going to find its way, and I don’t want to give up on it just yet because this show has always been a supremely unique idea that’s never quite found its potential. So, if anything, I suppose for now, I’ll just have to let this one slide and put my faith in future episodes to right the ship. Until next time. 

While a great deal of old sayings no longer carry the weight they once did, one that still remains relevant in this day and age is the adage, ‘you reap what you sow’. Because there are indeed consequences, both good and bad, when it comes to our actions in life and while most of us find said statement satisfying, since we’ve seen hard work pay off in spades throughout our lives, there are some who get chills when they hear those words. Because these are the folks who are still trying to set wrongs right, or are hoping to avoid the storm that will eventually surround them when their actions catch up with them, and it just so happens, that reaping what one sows, turned out to be the focus of the season five finale of Luther.
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Because there was no escaping the fact that everything fell to pieces in the prior episode of this tale, meaning that Luther was going to have to work overtime to solve his own personal nightmare. But, before we dive too deep into that particular quagmire, let’s take a moment and celebrate the most bittersweet portion of this particular tale, the fact that John and Halliday were able to bring Jeremy Lake down at long last. Granted, that was no easy task since Vivian did everything to stonewall police efforts to solve the case. But John’s ability to cut through her lies helped narrow down the fact that Jeremy set up shop in the house that was owned by the schoolteacher we met in the season premiere so that he could finish his masterpiece and while Luther and Halliday were able to capture him in tense fashion, what makes this so bittersweet is the sheer fact that Jeremy satisfied some of his bloodlust before Luther hit the scene since the house was filled to the brim with dead bodies.

But, with that out of the way, it’s time to settle in and discuss John’s problems in this tale, because they simply kept piling up in this finale, despite his best efforts to settle them all. Which is a shame because at first glance, it seemed as though he finally had put an end to his feud with George, since a face to face meeting with the grieving crime boss eventually led to the release of Alice and Mark, after a little bloodshed involving that master assassin, of course. But the discovery of Benny’s body, and the CCTV cameras in the lot where he was found, prompted Martin to get involved personally to uncover the truth of what happened to poor Benny, and seeing George on camera prompted a little SWAT team visit to the gangster’s posh estate, wherein ol’ Georgie pulled out his ‘get out of jail’ card by revealing that John was at the scene as well, which in turn motivated Martin to bring the legendary DCI in for questioning.

Yet that wasn’t the end of John’s woes in this tale. Because George living to see another day, didn’t settle well with Alice, and it quite frankly, drove her mad. And it put her on a path of destruction that not even John could talk her down from, and after an unfortunate gun battle on the street, one that ended the life of Halliday, a cat and mouse game between John and Alice ensued, one that saw our favorite DCI badly wounded as he tried to talk some sense into his love. But she was too far gone, and his best efforts failed and in a harrowing sequence of events, Alice fell to her death, and John found himself at the end of several gun barrels as Martin placed the cuffs upon him and well, that’s one hell of a way to end a powerhouse season.

Because John’s past finally caught up with him, and now he faces quite the uncertain future since we haven’t a clue what kind of charges will be brought against him, or whether or not his work on the Lake case will help him when he stands before the judge and well, I suppose the down side of this being my first experience to Luther’s world is that, now I’m dying to see what happens next, but alas, I’ll have to simply wait and see, and you know what? I’m okay with that. Because while I wait see what comes next for DCI John Luther, I can watch the entire series, in order, to be properly prepared when season six drops and if the prior seasons are anything like this one, then wow, I am in for a treat and well, I am quite sad that this journey has come to an end for now. Because this really is one of the finest police serials I’ve ever seen, and I’ll definitely be keeping a close watch on the web, in order to rejoice in the announcement that a new season is on its way. Until next year. 

If there’s one thing I think every fan of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. can agree upon, it’s that the series is at its absolute best when it throws caution to the wind and tries something bold with the story it is presenting. That could entail allowing for the cast members to just let loose and have fun with a lighthearted script, or it could mean the show is going to feature a story arc that allows for these talented actors to play vastly different iterations of their characters, as was the case during the Framework storyline. But the bottom line is that when the show signals that it’s going to basically ‘see what happens’ with a particular story, everyone benefits from it and it just so happens that last night’s episode of the series, turned out to be quite the delight, thanks to its use of this particular formula.
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Which honestly ended up being quite the surprise. Because at first glance, ‘Inescapable’, seemed as though it was going to be a more romantic story since it brought forth the long-awaited reunion of Fitz and Simmons, in the most harrowing way imaginable of course. Because this dynamic duo were trapped in a virtual environment by the Chronicoms, one where they shared a mind and they were expected to use this place to uncover the secrets of time travel, and while this strange world did indeed allow for Jemma and Leo to rekindle their love for one another by way of sweet moments and a second proposal for Jemma, once Fitz-Simmons got down to business on the whole time travel conundrum, things took a turn for the unconventional.

After all, the human mind is a confusing place, one filled with insecurities and worries, and it didn’t take long for those little quirks/problems to manifest, bringing about all kinds of complications for our two nerdy lovebirds as they navigated their insecurities and fears and memories. And while seeing Jemma transform into a child to hide the truth from Fitz about the whole, other Fitz dying thing, and watching them interact together in their younger years at college and S.H.I.E.L.D. was all delightful in its own right, this episode found a way to get a little heavy, by showing us the aftermath of alternate Fitz’s death from last season. A moment that prompted Fitz Prime to face the fact that in a weird way, he was already married to Simmons and this memory also forced him to deal with the revelation that his leader and mentor was gone and oddly enough, the darker moments didn’t end there.

Because their fears came to life in this strange place as well, since Evil Fitz from the Framework made a cameo here in an effort to take control of the situation, and we also came to learn that a twisted version of Jemma, one that is in essence the compendium of her fears and insecurities, exists in her mind, and she was happy to unleash her fury on the duo and well, dark or no, this sequence of events is where the episode shined because it was simply off the wall in every way imaginable. For elements of horror and comedy and drama all mixed together here in seamless fashion. And while this adventure came to an end in happy fashion since Enoch redeemed himself and rescued the duo, and Evil Fitz and Ringu-Jemma also fell in love, I don’t think any of us are going to forget this sequence of events anytime soon. Especially when it comes to Evil Jemma.

I mean come on, she literally tore Fitz’s heart out of his chest, and she ATE Mack! That’s hardcore and if that kind of darkness is residing deep within Jemma, woe to the idiot that brings it out of her. But all wisecracks aside, I really loved this episode. Because we haven’t had a true Fitz-Simmons episode for ages, and turning Iain De Caestecker and Elizabeth Henstridge loose in this tale was a pure stroke of genius because they delivered magnificent performances through and through, and I don’t care in the slightest that the show basically took a break from the overall plot for season six, because this was a true treat since this one made me laugh, and tear up and everything in-between, and I intend to hang onto the wonder of this one for as long as possible, since it won’t be long before the heavier stuff returns to the forefront of this season’s storytelling. Until next time.  

I think we can all agree upon the fact, that bad days, are just the freakin’ worst. Because there’s no joy to be found in having everything go south when you think things are going your way, and to make matters worse, sometimes a single rotten day finds a way to multiply and ruin a few in a row. But, while they put us in a sour mood, and definitely infuriate us since nothing goes right when they arrive, it’s how we respond to them that matters the most. Because we can either embrace what’s happening, and let the ugly wash over us, or…we can straight up fight back and try to turn a bad day into a serviceable one and it just so happens that the next episode of CHiPs took the time to explore everything we’ve just discussed in ‘Down Time’.

For in this particular tale, Ponch and Jon found themselves in the midst of quite a rough patch. Jon for instance, somehow misplaced his wallet, meaning he had to deal with the nightmare of cancelling every credit card in his possession, and start over when it comes to his bank accounts and ID and everything in-between. But while Jon’s plight was pretty sucky in its own right, because some of us have dealt with that nightmare before, all of it paled in comparison to the losing streak that Ponch found himself upon in this episode. Because a high speed chase involving our Creeps of the Week led to a broken finger, which also meant that he was off the bike for a week, and rather than have him work around the office, Getrear sent him home for a vacation and that’s when things went from bad to worse for ol’ Poncherello.

Because that magnificent, burned up, Firebird that Ponch bought for eighty-three bucks earlier this season, was finally ready to roll after months of work and man, Ponch did a phenomenal job in getting it to look as though it was brand new. But sadly, shortly after taking it out for its first spin in ages, a group of female carjackers scooped that baby right up, prompting Ponch to work the case in his spare time to get his baby back and well, this led to all kinds of surprises. For we quickly learned that the ringleader of this theft outfit was a woman named Kim, and she was going to stop at nothing to be a successful thief and that led to quite the cat and mouse between Kim and Ponch as he worked to expose her and bring her down and while he was eventually able to put an end to her thieving ways with Jon’s help, Kim’s arrest did come at quite the cost, because there’s no way that car is going to survive being flipped over and blown up.

But, all of that aside, we need to talk about the fact that this particular episode did something supremely bold for the 1970s, since it featured a group of female thieves, that weren’t, walking and talking clichés. Because Kim and her gang were ruthless and cunning to say the least, and I am so happy to see a series that sometimes flirts with misogyny, take the time to give us something this brilliant. Because this episode could have gone off the rails by injecting female related stereotypes into this storyline, but instead, Kim was a skilled thief, and a step ahead of Ponch and Jon at every turn and had they been a minute too late, she would have gotten away with everything and well, any way you slice it, that makes this particular episode, outright ahead of its time and it also featured quite the casting surprise as well since Randi Oakes played Kim, and if that name sounds familiar, there’s good reason for that.

Because when we dive into the third season of this series, we are going to be introduced to an officer named Bonnie Clark who is played by…you guessed it, Randi Oakes! Which means that this is Randi’s first official introduction into the CHiPs universe. Either way, this really was quite the magnificent episode when all is said and done, and it’s the performances that really sell this one because Erik Estrada and Randi Oakes were simply amazing in this story and their work here flat out made me forget that the chase scenes were sparse in this tale and I suppose, that if there’s any morals to be found in this story, it’s don’t steal, because that’s always a bad idea, and if by chance you’re in the midst of a bad day, be like Ponch and figure out how to make it work, for you. Until next time.