I’m sure at some point or another in our lives, we’ve all heard the phrase, ‘the changing face of evil.’ It’s a set of words that I know I simply didn’t understand growing up, due in large part to the fact that evil and its machinations are quite black and white as a child; bad people do bad things because they are in turn bad, end of story. But as one grows older, you begin to see how that phrase holds great weight, because we come to learn that evil is complex in nature and requires so many things to thrive and grow. For instance, evil loves to play the victim and show how it is persecuted and how difficult its life has become in order to gain sympathy and followers to its cause, and this particularly twisted line of manipulation just so happened to be the focal point of this week’s episode of The Handmaid’s Tale.
​
Because ‘Unknown Caller’ featured a republic that hadn’t a clue how to handle the revelation that Nichole was alive and well in Canada and the council of commanders spent a great deal of time it seems on figuring out their next steps when it comes to dealing with Gilead’s lost daughter, and this was a fascinating sequence of events to say the least. For in many ways it spoke to Gilead’s weaknesses, since the commanders never once spoke of military action, which may indicate they don’t have the resources to go to war with anyone outside of the insurgent remnant of the United States and well, they were so pressed for ideas that Fred thought it best to bring Serena into the discussion. And while she didn’t request must outside of information on Nichole, being in that room, brought forth some level of twisted inspiration.

For really, what Serena realized she needed in this instance was closure, and she used her relationship with June to well, cross the line. Because she asked June to straight up call her husband and arrange a farewell meeting with Nichole, and the only reason June agreed to this was in the hopes that she would be in Serena’s debt for a later favor and after hearing her husband’s voice for the first time in years, the meeting was a go and Mrs. Waterford was able to fly to Canada and see Nichole one last time by way of some powerful scenes. Because this quiet face to face in the Toronto airport allowed for Luke to challenge everything that Gilead stood for, without reproach or Guardians in the way and it was just satisfying to see someone point out the nation’s many faults in a semi-innocuous setting. And while this was all that Serena needed to move on, Fred had other ideas in mind and that’s where that manipulation comes into play.

Because shortly after Serena’s return to Gilead, June was pulled from her daily voyage to the store to an undisclosed location, where she asked by Aunt Lydia to dress in the fanciest Handmaid uniform we’ve ever seen, and stand tall and quiet on a stage designed to look like the Waterford home, complete with family pictures of Nichole as the Waterfords broadcast to the world, their terrible ‘plight’. Wherein they explained how distraught and lost they were without Nichole in their lives and they begged the Canadian government to return her home and this, well this was just disgusting. I mean, how dare they go and fuss like this and try build false sympathy when what they do in Gilead to have children is just about the most offensive thing ever, but here we are. With evil doing its best to make others feel sorrow and pity for it, so that it can get whatever it wants, and I genuinely hope that the people of Canada and the rest of the world roll their eyes at this embarrassing attempt at manipulation.

But, while evil’s stupidity was on full display in this tale, there were some genuinely beautiful moments to be found as well. For the conversation between Luke and June was moving and powerful and devastating all at once, and I thought it was a wonderful touch to have June record a message to her husband via cassette and have Serena deliver it so that he could finally hear more about his wife’s struggles in Gilead, and seeing Lawrence be gentle with his wife and seeing Luke let Serena hold Nichole were also nice touches in this tale, since it kept hope alive in its own special way. But, outside of those great moments, once again Gilead finds a way to infuriate the audience and well at this point, all we can hope for, is that Serena wakes up from her funk as soon as possible so that Fred can no longer take advantage of her pain, because something tells me, this is merely the beginning of Commander Waterford’s quest to engender sympathy for the world’s worst nation. Until next time.  

It has often been said, that the children, are our future and there’s a lot of merit to that statement. After all, they will in fact inherit the Earth and all of its bounties and spoils long after we are all gone. But while that statement, or sentiment if you prefer, has some truth to it, and some genuine beauty behind it, since it speaks to the power of family and the immortality that comes with sons and daughters, it is a fluffy set of words when all is said and done. Because it doesn’t speak to the difficulties of child rearing in the slightest, nor does it cover the fact that in order for a child to properly take their place in our world, they require guidance and teaching to understand right and wrong and why they shouldn’t do some of the dumb things that all kids do, because a lack of direction, can end in disaster for a kid, and all of this is on my mind today, simply because it just so happened to be the focus of the next episode of CHiPs.
​
Because ‘High Explosive’ introduced us to two interesting people for Ponch and Jon to interact with; a young man named Barry, who was without any fatherly guidance in his life since his pops was out of the picture, and a grown man named Brad who clearly needed someone in his life to course correct him when he was growing up, but we will get to him a little later on. Because it’s best we talk about Barry’s journey in this tale, first, since he was in quite the pickle when we catch up with him. For Barry felt the need to screw around with shooting his air rifle at a highway sign, and when a moment of chance came into play, his rifle accidentally shattered a car window and caused an accident, prompting the young man to panic and believe that he was headed to prison, and he was so filled with fear, that he felt it best to run away from his life in L.A. and return home to his native land of Utah. But it didn’t take long for him to have a run in with Ponch and Jon who quickly came to realize, this kid needed some direction in life.

Which meant that Jon saw it best to take this young man under his wing, and that allowed for this dynamic duo to take on the role of father figures, and they helped Barry find a little focus, but there was still trouble looming for the young man. Because the ladies involved in the accident, wanted to press charges as soon as possible, but our favorite patrolmen had other ideas in mind. Because they fully understood, it was a mistake, from a kid who really didn’t have a clue what the heck he was doing, so they quietly worked to have one of the victims, a woman named Mary Barnes, spend a little time with Barry so that she could see that he had no malice in his heart and that it truly was an accident and well, their kindness and understanding paid off in spades since no charges came to the table, Mary and her sister recovered from their injuries and Barry, got back on track.

Which brings us to Brad, and how it’s clear a lack of guidance when he was younger resulted in a rough run for him as an adult, because Brad, turned out to be quite the Creep of the Week. Because this guy had zero respect for anyone or anything, it was all about how everyone should respect and adore him, and his arrogant attitude and desire to just, get things over with, put him in a lot of hot water, since he was an ambulance driver who struggled with keeping the injured, safe, on their way to the hospital. And thanks to a dangerous run in and high speed chase involving Ponch and Jon, Brad lost his job and went back to a seedy crime boss to earn a little pay by smuggling stuff and this decision almost got people killed since he was transporting old dynamite, and little kids got their hands on it briefly. Thankfully, the boys in tan saved everyone in this instance but wow, it was just incredible to see how Brad held himself and his life in low regard all because someone never took the time to show him what he is worth, and well, he fits in with this season’s mold of ‘villains’ nicely since he is about as tragic as they come.

But, while it seems as though this episode and so many others as of late are darker than expected, that’s my bad for not mentioning the fun, and that thankfully was present here since we got to learn more about Jon’s cowboy-esque past since he went into full rodeo mode in this tale, and it was equally as fun to see Grossie take a few bets on Baker’s abilities to rope a cow. But, outside of that, I made mention in my last recap of the show, of how I genuinely hoped that the writing was going to go to bold and experimental places in the weeks to come and already, the series isn’t disappointing me in the slightest. Because the depth present in the script here was just delightful and I really the loved the duality featured here between Barry and Brad and everything that went into their respective journeys and well, you know what that means, it’s time to get back to my Blu-Ray player, in order to see how season two of this magnificent series continues to grow. Until next time.     

I have to admit, that I’m a little out of sorts when it comes to season three of Designated Survivor. Because the more time I’ve had to think about the first two episodes of this series, the more I’ve come to realize that its opening two episodes are a touch discombobulated when all is said and done. For the season premiere had a West Wing feel to it with its redesigned and unrestrained dialogue and thinly veiled commentary on Washington, whereas episode two seemingly altered Tom Kirkman’s moral code and well, I guess what has me lost is that I haven’t a clue where season three is headed yet, from a thematic standpoint, and while that’s not a bad thing, I’ve just been curious as to when exactly I’ll see this series find its footing in some form or fashion.
​
Which may sound as though I’m splitting hairs and am ungrateful over the fact that Netflix gave this show a reprieve but, bear with me for a moment. Because when you look back at the first two seasons of this series, they really did have grander themes hanging over them since season one was about being decent in an indecent time and season two was all about standing tall in the face of great adversity, meaning that this series needs to find a concept in that vein to properly fit in with the show’s overall mold. But thankfully, it would seem, that the series has something in mind and is slowly starting to tip its hand in regard as to what this season is going to stand for and speak to and it would appear that this year the story is going to focus heavily on finding unity in chaos and the need for common ground and it explored all of this in ‘#privacyplease’ by putting parts of Kirkman’s personal life on display.

For we came to learn in this particular tale that the President has a transgender sister-in-law named Sasha and she made a point of staying out of the limelight when Kirkman rose to the highest office in the land. But, with Moss nipping at Tom’s heels and turning his proverbial dogs loose on the President, Sasha’s existence was made public and that led to all kinds of chaos from both the right and the left, and well, what impressed me here is how much of this was ripped from everyday headlines. For the conservative agenda ran the familiar tune of moral corruption and bedlam by having someone transgender in Tom’s family and the left attacked him for not making this public and painted him as a closed minded candidate and well, rather than just present this in glib fashion, this is where the story took the opportunity to inject a little commentary on the matter.

That was accomplished by having Tom speak to the nation via the web, circumventing the normal convention circuit since there isn’t one for independents and during his speech is where everything came together. Because President Kirkman was quick to point how much we latch onto rhetoric these days, and how one singular topic, the kind that used to fly under the radar because it was inconsequential, now takes over the news cycle and is blown out of proportion and analyzed ad nauseum and well, our propensity to make this a priority in this day and age is taking away from real issues at hand, and slowing down important work to keep the nation rolling and this is where he called for unity and understanding and while that is likely easier said than done, it was refreshing to see the series call out everyone who helps contribute to this and in essence speak to how we need to find common ground and come together in the midst of all the political and selfish grandstanding that now dominates the airwaves.

If anything, that change in tone made this episode supremely satisfying, as did the many other plotlines here since they all helped to contribute to an episode that finally felt like familiar territory, and while Aaron joining the ticket is important, as was Hannah’s smallpox discovery in this tale, the commentary here really is what sticks out in my mind the most. And it’s great to see the show embrace it once again and I hope this theme of unity continues to grow in the days to come because we really need more shows on the air preaching it and understanding because stories like that do make us think, and speaking of understanding and tolerance for that matter, kudos to the show for adding transgender actress Jamie Clayton into the mix and for speaking to some of the difficulties that the LGBTQ+ community faces on a regular basis, and now that the show appears to be back on track, I’m ready for more. So, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for another trip to the White House. Until next time.   

Chaos, unfortunately, is sometimes a part of our everyday lives. But while it drives us mad, it also has a tendency to bring out the best in us. For while its arrival does make us feel as though the sky is falling, our resilience and our ingenuity motivate us to fight back and stop it dead in its tracks, and while sometimes we may not be successful in the slightest in bringing order to chaos, it sure doesn’t stop us from trying because when we are able to grab it by the proverbial reins, the joy we feel is endless. And chaos, and everything that it brings to the table is on my mind today, simply because the battle to find balance in the storm just so happened to be the focus of last night’s episode of Luther.
​
Because last night’s tale saw our intrepid DCI working to figure out how to juggle his professional life and his personal life as both seemingly feel to pieces and well, his quest to bring balance to the mess he was in, ended in disaster. Which is heartbreaking when all is said and done, especially when one considers that, at first, Luther actually made headway in gaining control of the situation. For he was able to rescue Benny from George’s thugs and get his friend and Alice to a safe place, allowing for the situation to cool down just a little bit, to the point where a stalemate arrived between he and George, allowing for more posturing and threats to come forth from both parties, but not bloodshed, and that helped Luther ponder on how best to stop George and his madness once and for all, but not before another problem arrived to make Luther’s day all the more complicated.

For the young lady that Jeremy kidnapped in last week’s tale was finally reported as missing and that meant John needed to aid in the investigation and thankfully, his choice to shift gears and deal with the case could not have come at a better time. Because the unfortunate victim in question, Penny, was tied up to a bed in Jeremy’s basement, and instructed to remain silent, lest she anger Vivian, and those were instructions she simply could not follow for obvious reasons and sadly that meant darling Vivian felt the need to take matters into her own hands and end poor Penny’s life. But thankfully, Luther’s recommendation to interview Mrs. Lake, after he and his crew discovered that Jeremy had skipped out on work, paid off in dividends since he was able to subdue the wily psychiatrist and place her under arrest before she could cause any harm, and hopefully he can get her to reveal Jeremy’s whereabouts before he begins to kill again.

Yet while all of that sounds like a happy ending, I made mention of John’s attempts at bliss, ending in the worst way imaginable and well, the ugly finale to this tale was building as Luther worked the Lake case. Because despite being warned at every level, once George discovered that his son had been killed by Alice, all bets were off, and he hired a hitman to handle this mess once and for all and that set-in motion a series of bloody and terrifying events. For this hitman systematically began to wipe out anyone and everyone he needed to in order to get to Luther, and he was able to track down where Alice and Benny were hiding and at the end of a stunning and tense phone conversation with Luther, the assassin made his point by shooting Benny in the face, setting up quite the showdown for John, one that will force him to step away from the Lake case.

Which means, everything is on the line for John Luther for as we head into the season finale next week and wow, what a setup this episode provided us with. Because this one, was tense, and powerful and enthralling and I loved every single second of it. I mean truly, this one kept me on the edge of my seat, since it really seemed for a moment there that Vivian was going to be successful in killing Penny, but it also impressed me simply due to the fact that a genuine sense of danger hung heavy over this tale. Because at no point did the streets seem safe for Luther, and George’s power play at the end of the episode backs that up. Either way, the stage is set, and I haven’t a clue as to how this one is going to end because everything is on the line for Luther and if he cannot resolve the matter with George quickly, more lives will be lost, and that could ruin John’s career forever and well, this kind of incredible setup, will have me anxiously counting down the minutes to next Sunday, to see how this incredible journey comes to a close. Until then. 

If there’s one constant that I’ve noticed when it comes to season six of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., it’s that the series has definitely taken the time to have as much fun as humanly possible. After all, ‘Fear and Loathing on the Planet of Kitson’ was a rip-roaringly hilarious episode through and through and last week’s tale also brought the chuckles to the forefront of the story by way of Deke’s new tech company and his wild lifestyle. Yet, while all of that was enjoyable, it became inherently clear to me as I settled in to enjoy last night’s episode, that all of this was by design. Because the stakes are only getting higher as this season progresses, which means the tough stuff is just around the corner and it would seem that ‘The Other Thing’ took the opportunity to give us a taste of things to come.

For this particular tale went to some supremely dark places and perhaps it’s best to look at the ugliest stuff first, which was the entire segment involving the Sarge and May. Because this was finally her opportunity to get up close and personal with Coulson’s doppelganger, and while this sequence could have focused squarely on the cat and mouse game that these two played, it also found a way to tug on our heartstrings. Because as May took the time to learn more about this mysterious man, and see first-hand how cold he was, she was instantly transported back to the final days she shared with the love of her life, and seeing this twisted version of him was more than she could bear and eventually, after she learned about the Shrike, the mysterious parasites that Sarge has been fighting for ages, she found the opportunity to take control of the situation and her captors and that led to a heartbreaking battle royale between her and Sarge, where it seems she finally dealt with the pain of losing Coulson by smacking Sarge around and capturing him at last.

But while that alone could have carried the entire hour since it was powerful stuff, the show wasn’t quite done yet when it comes to providing the audience with tough moments to chew upon. For this story also took the time to catch up with our space bound team of agents and well, their situation basically went from bad to worse in this tale. For Confederacy ships surrounded Zephyr-1 while the team licked their wounds and planned their next move and they quickly came to learn that the Confederacy was no longer their biggest threat out there, the Chronicoms were actually of grave concern since they were the ones that have been hunting them, because Enoch’s people are facing quite the conundrum. Because their world is gone, devastated by some plague, and they seized Confederacy ships out of desperation and they want their hands on Fitz in order to figure out how he was able to travel through time, and after a little back and forth and betrayal on Enoch’s part, an agreement was reached, one that would leave Jemma behind in deep space, so that she could help Fitz save Enoch’s people and so that she could be with her love once again.

However, while all of this was fascinating and harrowing to watch, the episode also had one more surprise up its sleeve and that was related to our new enemy the Shrike. For a detailed analysis revealed that once these creatures finally die, they crystalize into a fascinating composition, one that Dr. Benson was unfamiliar with, but Yo-Yo and Mack were not. Because when in their final state, they resemble something quite similar to the Monolith’s molecular structure, which is fascinating to say the least because it raises a great many questions about these beings and well, just about every single plot thread introduced into this season. Because now I am quite curious to learn exactly how these bat-like monsters relate to something that’s been on Earth for eons and also if this revelation will somehow tie into how to save the Chronicoms since these creatures have components in them that Fitz might be able to use and of course, there’s the big question that’s lingering on my mind when it comes to this tale in that, who or what exactly is the ‘creator’ that Sarge referred to in this tale and why does it need to come to Earth?

But, in the here and the now, this was quite the quality transitional episode, one that pushed the plot along at a lovely place, and I really dig how May got some closure in this episode, and that it set up one ugly reveal for Quake in stories to come since one has to wonder how she will handle seeing Sarge and well, when all is said and done, this season just continues to impress. Week in and week out, we are treated to some incredible stories, the kind that leave me hungry for more and while it’s inherently obvious the stories are only getting darker from here, I’m still eager to see where this season is headed story wise and quite frankly, where we are headed character development wise as well. Because facing one’s fears and one’s past is sometimes a greater task than bringing down a supervillain and judging from the teaser for next week’s chapter, those appear to be the elements this phenomenal series is about to dive into. Until next time.   

I suppose that if there is a single question that properly describes and/or relates to season two of the police serial CHiPs, it would have to be ‘what if?’ Because year two’s diverse and dynamic stories speak volumes to a writer’s room that asked that question on a consistent basis and well, this isn’t a bad thing by any means. For this season really has challenged the characters like never before and its given the audience plenty to chew upon and it would seem that particular question was once again on someone’s mind when the time came to assemble the script for the next episode of this series, since ‘Supercycle’ is clearly the result of someone wondering as to whether or not a lighthearted police story can handle some classic elements of noir.
​
Which sounds like quite the feat when all is said and done since noir requires a lot of darkness and deception, the kind where people play games with one another and move some truth around in order to get precisely what they want, and it just so happens that this particular tale was able to inject said deception into the story in the most positive way imaginable and it accomplished such a feat by outright embarrassing Ponch and Jon in the opening moments of the show. Which at first glance, really doesn’t seem to have all that much to do with deception but have no fear. For seeing themselves being utterly embarrassed by a daredevil on television opened up a window for Getrear. Because he knew that their pride was dinged, and that bringing this hot shot in was the only way to make them whole again, so he quietly set them up to get their hands on a powerful motorcycle to test and deploy and, well the guys were wise to the Sarge’s little creative ruse to motivate them, and felt the need to spread that positive, deceptive love, too.

Because they used a few context clues to figure out that a woman named Sheila, who worked at the ad agency that helped get the film on T.V., wasn’t quite telling them the whole story, and in order to draw out the daredevil known as the Phantom, they played it coy and invited Sheila and a man named Roy, who was the hotshot daredevil in question, out to the testing track to show off the power of the Supercycle in order to send a message that now was the time to stop with the crazy stunts before someone got hurt. If anything, it was inherently obvious that Ponch and Jon knew full well that Roy was the Phantom, and his raw joy at seeing bikes in action only clued them in further, but it was quite cool to see Ponch and Jon play the long game like this and do their best, by way of a white lie, to head this whole mess off at the pass. But alas, despite Sheila getting the message loud and clear, dear Roy didn’t quite understand what Ponch and Jon were getting at, a problem that was compounded by our true Creep of the Week.

For the brains behind this operation was a greasy producer named Fred Gesslin, and come hell or high water, he was going to complete his bold and illegal ad campaign and well, he manipulated Roy at every turn and his machinations honestly led to some wild chase scenes in this story, the kind that took us to unique places to say the least and well, while this one ends happy with Fred getting busted and Roy getting put on probation thanks to a tip from Sheila, I have to admit that I’m quite taken aback by this episode when all is said and done. I don’t mean that in a bad way, because this is CHiPs and it really is one of my all-time favorite shows, I just honestly didn’t expect to ever see the good guys playing the long con on this series or telling white lies to get what they want. It’s just so supremely out of place for this show but somehow…it works. Because everything really was done in the most lighthearted of fashion and handled in a manner that was designed to benefit the law and keep people safe, but that doesn’t make the end result any less jarring. 

Does it make the episode bad? Of course not, it just means it shatters the norm and leaves one a touch uncomfortable since you’re not used to watching Ponch and Jon play the game, so to speak, but really, in the end, I’m good with how this one turned out. Because stories need to challenge their audience, especially a police serial where the good guys never lose, and this one definitely challenges you with its design and its plot, and I was legitimately impressed with the incredible stunts present in this one as well because they really pulled out all of the stops to make the Phantom a genuine daredevil. In the end, however, there’s a fair chance that this one will stand as one the most unique episodes of season two, since this story found a way to throw some classic detective elements into the mix, all while giving us everything we know and love, and I applaud CHiPs for really pushing the envelope and trying new things just for the heck of it and I am now quite curious to see how experimental season two is going to be, because something as bold as this tale, has to be a clue of what’s to come. Until next time.

Season five of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. really was quite the storytelling marvel when all is said and done. After all, it was moving, it was intense, and it worked incredibly hard to tie together as many plot threads as possible, in the event that ABC decided to pull the plug on the series. But while it did a fine job of providing so many characters with growth, and complete story arcs, the only real oversight in season five’s amazing work was Deke’s journey. After all, this poor man was in essence left to his own devices in a world he didn’t understand, and had the series ended, I suppose he would have just walked off into the sunset to enjoy as many ice cold Zimas as possible. But with the series coming back for season six, his fate hasn’t been a focus of the new storyline in the slightest, that is until the most recent episode.

For ‘Code Yellow’ finally brought Zeke back into the spotlight, and well, in doing so, this episode went in several directions that I simply was not expecting in the slightest. For this particular tale was not only lighthearted and silly and fun, but it also dropped some serious revelations in our laps. But, let’s not get too far ahead here, because first thing is first, in that, this story answers what happened to Deke after the end of season five and as it turns out, he’s been quite the busy little bee. Because everything he saw and encountered during his travels with S.H.I.E.L.D. inspired him to bring those experiences to life and strike it rich in the process, by way of a hyper hot tech company, wherein much of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s technology was being slowly recreated, as was the Framework and well, while that’s chilling in its own right, what made this segment of the story so fluffy, is how Deke adapted to modern life.

Because he was all about social media and buzz words and Boba tea and keeping his energy at a high level like the other tech titans of Silicon Valley and my goodness, everything present here, with the mugging for the camera, the quips and the Insta stories, well that just made for a delightful segment, one that quickly turned serious when Sarge showed up at Deke’s new company. For his arrival, and an ugly incident at a bus station, finally revealed why he has come to this world, and it would seem that Team Sarge is on quite the hunt for something supremely nefarious and while we know Deke doesn’t really qualify as that, his strange biometric signature was enough to get Sarge’s attention and well, his arrival led to quite the showdown with S.H.I.E.L.D., one that ended in bittersweet fashion. For while Deke was saved, May is now in Sarge’s hands and well, that should prove to be one heck of a wild ride in forthcoming episodes.

But, while all of that was pretty incredible in its own right, we do need to take a moment to discuss exactly what Sarge was looking for when he went to visit Deke. Because the incident at the bus station ended with someone losing their life in the wildest way imaginable, since a dagger to the chest turned a man into a crystal/human hybrid, and when the victim’s body was examined back at HQ, Benson made quite the shocking discovery in that, the body was host to some kind of bat-like parasite and unfortunately, the little bugger came back to life the instant the dagger was removed. But to complicate matters further, the creature found its way into Keller’s body, allowing for Benson and Yo-Yo to discover that when threatened, this nasty little parasite can cause some explosive trouble and sadly, while Yo-Yo and the doc made every effort to save Keller’s life, in the end it was either kill the creature or see HQ be reduced to rubble and Yo-Yo went with the former option, and plunged that dagger into the Keller/Parasite hybrid, ending her newfound love’s, life, but saving so many others in the process.

In the end however, wow, what an incredible episode this turned out to be. Because I was not expecting to learn about Sarge’s plans this early into the season, nor did I expect his machinations to be even remotely noble in nature since he really is trying to fight quite the powerful and dangerous threat, and the revelations present here, bring about some fascinating questions. For now we have to wonder, exactly how far this threat has spread across our world and whether or not the Sarge and his cheeky band of mercenaries will join up with S.H.I.E.L.D to fight it and well, this pivotal episode definitely has me excited to see what comes next in this incredible fight. Because this creature is a survivor, and while there is a way to detect it, you know darn well it will do whatever it takes to mask its appearance in order to stay alive, and that means our intrepid agents are in for quite the fight. Until next time. 

I’ve always found it fascinating how sometimes, darker stories, are able to pose important questions to their audience. Because by all means, these stories should be focusing on the harrowing events happening within the framework of said story, not challenging the reader or the viewer, yet the best ones out there still find ways to make us think about the world and our lives and the challenges we sometimes face and it just so happens that the next episode of The Handmaid’s Tale felt the need to pose an important question to the audience, one that we ponder upon when we’ve reached an important point in our lives. Because when we are dealing with a personal crisis, the kind where the odds seem to be or are in fact, outright against us, there comes a point where we finally start to see a way forward, where we start to put our life back together and we are forced to asked ourselves, what comes next?
​
Because now we have to start thinking about a future that is free of darkness and pain and what our lives will look like without those problems, and this question was explored by way of two key characters in ‘God Bless the Child’, June and Emily. Granted, June’s story was a touch more direct in answering this question because for her, what comes next, is to work to get a fight against Gilead going and work to bring it down from the inside and she accomplished that particular feat, by playing Commander Waterford like a fiddle. After all, he was still lost without his wife at his side and June took the opportunity to put it into his mind that perhaps giving Serena some freedom and some power in this nation, might bring her back around to his side once again. Of course, to ensure that such an idea came to fruition, she took the time to encourage Serena to return to her husband and make use of her newfound power to do a little good in Gilead for a change and this, was just downright brilliant. For not only did June get to manipulate the manipulators, she indeed has an ally in Serena and if she plays her cards right, Mrs. Waterford can do some serious damage to the Republic of Gilead.

However, I made mention of Emily’s story also taking the time to address what comes next for us when trauma and disaster have come to a close and in her case, the answer to that particular question, is to pick up the pieces, one day at a time. For this story saw her return to her wife and child in Canada, a move that quite frankly, was no easy task. After all, years have passed since this family interacted with one another and of course, Emily had experienced horrific trauma while in Gilead, and that void and Emily’s PTSD left her distanced and concerned that this would go poorly. But family always reminds us that we belong, and in a series of touching and beautiful moments, a true rarity in this series, Emily came to realize that fact as her wife and son accepted her and were gentle and gracious with her mental status and once again, this was poignant and important to the future of the story, for we once more felt a sense of hope that maybe, just maybe, things would work out in this world for the better and that decency can in fact, win out.

But while it was fascinating and beautiful to see that all important question answered in fascinating fashion. Gilead still stands, and bad things still happen there and once again, we were privy to its cruelty and its power. For we once more saw the fire and fury that resides within Aunt Lydia’s heart since she took the time to savagely beat Janine at the reception when the broken girl begged the Putnam’s for another chance to be their Handmaid once again, which was, a devastating moment to say the least. And the power in question was put on display when a Guardian showed the Waterford’s and June, video footage of Luke and Nichole, meaning that the republic is fully aware who is in possession of Gilead’s ‘lost daughter’, and that of course could be dangerous in the long run since this nation has proved itself to be ruthless and cunning when it comes to its warped and twisted beliefs and one can only hope that this revelation ends peacefully.

However, despite the chills those two events sent down my spine, credit is due to the series for putting some humanity on display in regard to those moments as well. After all, we did see genuine joy and care from the Waterfords, a rarity in its own right for certain, and we even saw Aunt Lydia weep over the cruelty she imparts upon others and well, it’s nice to know that there are still people hiding behind such dark veneers and I am hoping that seeing this isn’t a one off, that it’s something important that the show will revisit down the line because these people do need to be aware of the horror of their actions. But in the here and the now, this was, a supremely satisfying episode when all is said and done, because it was just a delight to see June working to sow discontent and insurrection at the highest levels and everything involving Emily was just beautiful and heartbreaking and powerful all at once and I really do love where this season is headed and how it is telling such fascinating and magnificent stories and it should be interesting to see where this saga takes us next, now that the Waterford’s know exactly who is in possession of Nichole. Until next time.  

While the season three premiere of Designated Survivor was dynamic and different in its own right, allowing for the series to grow and move in new and exciting directions, I have to admit that I was quite curious as to whether or not the story was going to make a grand effort to return to its roots, so as to not alienate its baseline audience. After all, this is a series that loves to deliver complex moral conflicts onto president Tom Kirkman’s desk as often as possible, allowing for him and his staff to solve as it as a cohesive unit for a change and it just so happens that ‘#slipperyslope’ definitely worked to bring the show back to the basic ideas that helped us fall in love with it, but it also made sure to throw an intriguing twist into the mix while assembling that familiar framework.
​
Now what made this episode feel so familiar, was a visit from a Saudi national, one tied to Tom’s executive order revolving around infrastructure, and his arrival led to a difficult day for the president. For this man brought with him his fourteen-year old bride, and just so happened to take a picture with his young wife alongside the president in the Oval Office, and that photo and Tom’s negative (and correct) comments on child marriage, brought forth all kinds of hubris in Washington, including the unsettling fact that child marriage is alive and well in America, and that gave Tom pause. Because it didn’t seem right to condemn such a thing without taking action and after much discussion, Tom felt it right to take executive action on the matter and planned to announce his plan to end child marriage in the U.S. during the groundbreaking ceremony of the new bridge in North Carolina.

But something happened when the big moment arrived, in that, Kirkman didn’t say a single word about the matter. He simply went about the ceremony like this cause was no big deal and that, was quite frankly, stunning. For it is the first time we’ve seen Tom fold on any issue, and it’s also the first time he’s played the political game and picked his respective battles and honestly, I don’t know how to feel about this. Because this was either a moment of fear related to the upcoming election, or a paradigm shift in the character’s design, and I hope it’s the former because this just isn’t Kirkman, and knowing this series, my guess is the story will come back to this misstep at some point or another as a teaching moment for Kirkman, and I suppose the only real solace in seeing such a surprise move on his part, was the fact that he had to explain himself to Penny face to face and that did seem to hammer home the gravity of his mistake.

However, while I could go on about this for longer, let’s break from that for a moment to discuss Hannah’s journey in this tale because that was actually quite the big deal. For this episode features the first time we see her in her new role as a CIA analyst and it doesn’t take long for her to impress in her new role and get back out into the field to try and recruit a Dr. Eli Mays to the good guys’ cause of stopping a bio-terror plot before it starts, and while she is successful in creating an ally, it would seem she’s already a step too late when it comes to her grander goal. Because someone is murdering other brilliant minds in order to get their hands on biological goods and data, and they’re removing any evidence that anyone was ever there and well, clearly something big and scary is brewing on the horizon and it’s only a matter of time before the person or persons behind this unleash this new customized virus.

If anything, while this episode felt more traditional in its own right, my mind is still stuck on what Kirkman did, and how off the wall that is for him, but I really am going to give him the benefit of the doubt. For I get the funny feeling that the move to Netflix allowed for every last decision and moment to be properly plotted out, and that his decision is part of something larger for the character. So for now, I’ll let it go and see where the ride takes us because thus far, I’m quite intrigued with what season three is setting up, and I’m loving the dynamic characters present here and it’s going to be interesting to see how this off kilter decision and everything else brewing comes together, so on that note, rather than ponder and postulate on what may come next, it’s best I just return to the White House, and see it first-hand. Until next time. 

Our parents do their best to raise us right when we’re kids, and that’s why we are privy to lectures and lessons whenever a learning moment arrives so that we are properly prepared for similar situations that we may encounter later in life. But, despite their best efforts, and their wisdom, sometimes there are lessons that we have to learn the hard way and two of them that are easily quantifiable, are learning to let go of the darker parts of our past so that we can move forward in life and also understanding when it is time to leave childish things behind so we can embrace what we have in front of us. And really, I call those quantifiable simply due to the fact that there are specific and measured moments that allow for us to realize the importance of those lessons and oddly enough, those particular lessons and the dangers of ignoring them were on display in the next episode of CHiPs.
​
For ‘Return of the Turks’ took the time to introduce to a trio of men who were dealing with those exact lessons and these gents were unable to see how such matters were creating problems in their current day to day lives. Take for example Sid, who found himself desperate to re-live his glory days after having a run in Ponch on the highway since he and Frank and a bunch of other guys used to party hearty back in the day and he expressed that joy to his friend Rudy and well, that need to experience the thrill of youth led to some fascinating moments wherein we saw Sid lament having a wife and child on a consistent basis. Plus Rudy even went so far as to pretend he was an invincible teenager once again by playing bumper cars on the highway and it was just incredible to see the series explore the notion of the mid-life crisis and bear witness to how far in the past these guys were stuck and how little they wanted to grow up and how dangerous that can be.

Yet I made mention of three men struggling with two different lessons and while Sid and Rudy held tight to their youth, a man named Pete battled painful memories of his past. For his brother, Gary, was once a highway patrol officer, and Jon’s partner to boot and unfortunately, he was killed while in the line of duty. And rather than grieve and move on, he saw an opportunity to avenge his brother in noble fashion by wearing Gary’s uniform and using a replica police bike to issue duplicate tickets from Frank’s pinch book and well, this was perhaps the most heartbreaking storyline of this tale since Pete really was struggling to deal with how his brother died and you really felt for him because it was obvious that he was lost and clueless to the fact that he was putting his own life at risk every single time he hit the highways. Because all he needed to do was run into the wrong person one time for something bad to happen and well, this was powerful stuff to say the least because you so rarely see T.V. address PTSD or the long term impact of grief and loss and it was refreshing and sobering to see it here.

However, this is a series that features heroes, the kind who always save the day, and since none of these guys were Creeps of the Week, it took more creative measures to resolve these storylines and well, the episode truly shined when it comes to that. Because rather than bring Pete in, Jon purposely had Gary’s brother pull him over in order to show him the dangers of his actions and he also informed Pete that his options were to either stop now and turn himself in or have Jon come after him, and after realizing how far he’d pushed this and that he could honor his brother by obeying the law, Pete did the right thing and turned himself in. As for Sid, well it took an honest chat with Ponch over a game of pool and some cold beers to help him understand that he had already grown up and left the past behind by being a responsible business owner and a father and a husband, and was richer for it, and that allowed for him to walk away from Rudy’s wild plans and of course eventually, Ponch and Jon were able to arrest Rudy so that he could face the music for ramming into cars on the highway.

If anything, I have to admit that I was supremely impressed with this episode when all is said and done. It was just so incredibly intelligent through and through, and every ounce of it was relatable and realistic and I’m in awe of the fact that life lessons from a cheeky police serial, are still relevant some thirty-plus years after it went off the air, and also that this story found ways to keep things light when the heavy stuff got overwhelming. Because the entire plotline with the young lady trapped in the iron lung, while intense at first, ended in the sweetest way possible, and it was cool to see Frank handle his commendation and its retraction in stride and this was just, a straight up feel good episode because everyone who needed help got it, and they were able to grow in life and it’s just a wonderful thing to see a police serial work to find a happy ending for characters in need. Until next time.