The other day when we settled in to discuss the wondrous series that is Star Trek: The Next Generation, we talked a little bit about how sometimes, it’s okay for a sequel series to borrow from the source material. For ‘The Naked Now’ served as a follow-up to a classic TOS episode, which brought about some fierce criticisms of this new series, but it was indeed necessary for that continuation episode to exist. Because it helped to teach the writers what this universe is all about, and it did help the characters grow. But what makes this decision relevant to today’s discussion, is the sheer fact that there is a flip side when it comes to borrowing from the past in that, sometimes it is ill advised. Especially when it results in a story that quite frankly is out of touch with modern times.
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Case and point, ‘Code of Honor’. Which is a story that also feels like a classic Original Series episode. For it is grounded heavily in the notion of taking the time to truly understand other cultures. Since the crew of the Enterprise spend time with a race of people known as the Ligonians, who believe in honor above all else and are willing to go the extra mile to prove how brave and bold they are, by doing the unthinkable. For example, their leader Lutan, kidnaps Lieutenant Yar, in order to show his people how he fears no one. But while it is nice to see Captain Picard use understanding over swift retribution to resolve this little conundrum, what makes this episode of concern, is the sheer fact that it brings a lot of outdated concepts to the table storytelling wise, the kind that make you cringe.  
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Such as the fact that women are viewed as property by the people of this planet. Which is a woefully outdated concept to plop into any story, one so old that it might not have worked even in a TOS episode. But that’s what we find here, and this is a plot point that is actually gets progressively worse as the episode continues along, thanks to the fact that the women of this world only live for the love of their man and they will straight up fight another woman to the death in order to keep claim of him and that is just awful. Because it is grounded in misogyny and it is not progressive in the slightest and truly, once Yar and Yareena start to duke it out, all you can do is sit back and hope for this fight to end quickly because it is uncomfortable to watch and it is also supremely counterintuitive to what Star Trek stands for.
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But while that segment is rough to sit through as is, there are bigger problems to be found within the framework of this particular tale, specifically how this story is racially insensitive overall. Because every single inhabitant of Ligon II is written to be stereotypical African warriors. Complete with a stereotypical accent and every other awful trope that you can think of in regard to how black people were portrayed in film and television long ago. Plus, it doesn’t help that African-American actors portray these characters and well, this is just bad and insulting and insensitive and it’s really hard to sit through an episode of a show as brilliant as this one, and see this kind of wanton racism and disregard for equality and that really does ruin any good will that this story attempts to put forth by way of its message of understanding.

If anything, it’s actually quite surprising that these ideas even made it to the production line with Gene Roddenberry having some control over this new iteration of the series, but what matters more is that the cast acknowledge the fact that this was a mistake of an episode and that the show worked hard to make up for this embarrassment. Because the director of this tale, was fired from TNG and never directed another episode of the series again and truly, the show handles equality and understanding the right way as the years go on. But still, this is indeed a glaring misstep by a normally progressive franchise, and this is a story that will stay with you, long after it has come to end, for all the wrong reasons. Until next time.

Each and every one of us out there, have a particular job or career field that we would love to be part of. Because deep down we know that being in that field will bring us great happiness and peace, which is why we pursue it with vigor and intensity. But while we often speak of the pursuit of attaining the ‘dream job’, so that our souls can find the peace and stability they crave, we rarely think about the fact that sometimes we have to fight hard to stay within our preferred field once we get there. For there are other folks out there who want what we have and sometimes the mistakes we make and moments of complacency, leave our bosses wondering if we really want this or not. Which in turn begs quite the important question for us, in that, if by chance our dream job was threatened, how far would we go to keep our arms firmly wrapped around it, if there was even a remote possibility of losing it?

Well, it just so happens that the next episode of The Morning Show takes the time to dive into this particular quandary since ‘A Seat at the Table’ sees Alex face the prospect of a future without TMS in her life. Because Mitch’s admission that the network was planning to replace her anyways, helps her to realize that this is likely why the network has been slow in closing the deal on her contract extension and if she doesn’t do something bold and dynamic soon, she may be without the job she loves. Which motivates Alex to take charge of her career like never before, by calling her agent and demanding more from the network, and by outright letting Chip know that she won’t even remotely go on the air without having a say in who will sit in the chair next to her. Yet while these actions were bold and wonderful to see, since they help us to understand how much she loves this job, they unfortunately don’t speak to how far she will go to keep it, simply because… the show was saving that for later.

Because there was an unsettling flip side in exploring how far someone will go to hang onto what they love and that was handled by Mitch Kessler’s journey. For he truly believed that everything that happened with the women that spoke up about his predatory behavior to be consensual, and because of that, the world needed to hear his side of the story. And that motivated him to call various people around town to see who might be interested in hearing just that and it was quite unsettling to see Mitch dig in like this and really try and push a narrative that no one cares to hear. But he seems determined to make his voice heard, and it should be interesting to see where his plans go from here since Chip was able to get him to back down for the time being, from trying to talk to the local press and from showing up at the big event where Alex was receiving an award for her contributions to the media.

Which brings us to the big exploration in question. Something that finally came to fruition by way of a stressful evening for Alex. For Cory invited Bradley Jackson to this gathering, after trying and failing to get her onto the show (more on that in a moment) and after seeing her there, and after having a long and intense chat with Cory, one where her contract demands were immediately shot down and where Cory made it clear that this evening was about optics over anything else, Alex finally realized that the only way she was going to have a future at UBA and on The Morning Show was to take matters into her own hands. A decision that motivated her to embarrass the executives and tick off her own staff by naming her own co-host; Bradley. A move that no one saw coming and it is one that will likely lead to some serious drama down the line, since so many others were vying for that all-important second chair. But it truly does go to show, that when someone has nothing to lose and is genuinely in love with their job/career, they will indeed do whatever the hell it takes to keep hold of it.  
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Yet while it was quite epic to see Alex go the extra mile in this manner, we would be remiss to not talk about some of the shady moves made by UBA in this particular tale. Because it was quite out of line of Cory to basically step on Chip’s toes and demand that he hire Bradley, rather than trust his years of experience. And it was equally weird and downright unsettling to see Chip send a rep over to a nearby hotel to try and talk one of the women who reported Mitch’s misconduct, into telling her story on TMS. And really, the point of revisiting these off color and inappropriate moments, relates to the fact that clearly; the network didn’t learn a damn thing when it comes to what happened. Because they’re still using women as chess pieces to play their little games and one can only wonder when exactly this is going to backfire. Because it most certainly will. 

But in the here and the now, Bradley is the new co-host of The Morning Show and since Alex announced it in public, there’s no going back on that happening now, not unless Bradley puts the kibosh on it herself. But that likely won’t happen either, since she will undoubtedly see this as the perfect opportunity to shape a fluffy show into something far more meaningful and well, when all is said and done this was just another phenomenal episode. One that did a fine job of helping us to understand what makes these characters tick and it once again offered up compelling moment after compelling moment, and it was quite fascinating to see how intense things can get behind the scenes of a show this big and it is going to be supremely interesting to see what comes out of Alex’s power play. Because there are undoubtedly professional consequences that follow that bold of a move, the kind that Alex seems unphased by. Until next time.

Back in the late 1980s, if you wanted to learn more about a new television series and what other people thought about it, you had to patiently wait to read the reviews in your local newspaper or favorite magazine, or hear about it on your favorite, entertainment related T.V. series. Because there were no immediate hot takes via social media, just good old-fashioned print and broadcast television. But while that seems like an archaic and slow way to get your information, the kind that would allow for networks to spin something bad into a positive, that’s simply not the case. For reviewers were still apt to call a show out when it felt as though something was amiss, or pre-judge a movie or a show before they could find their footing and the next episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation serves as a fine example of how all of this played out.
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For ‘The Naked Now’ was not a well-received episode back when it debuted. Because a great many reviewers spoke ill of this tale, citing it as ‘derivative’ of The Original Series since this particular tale was in fact, a direct sequel to ‘The Naked Time’ and many also saw the new show going with a sequel story, as a warning sign. In that, TNG wouldn’t have anything new to offer going forward because all it could do was stand in the shadow of the iconic series that came before it, and well, these criticisms definitely have some merit. After all, the crew of the 1701-D do indeed run into a different version of the virus that drove the crew of the original 1701 mad, and just like that episode the clock is ticking in regard to finding a cure before something bad happens and what’s truly incredible, is that the parallels to that classic tale don’t end with there.

Because there’s even a pseudo mutiny in Engineering thanks to the virus, something we saw in the original episode. The only difference this time is that there is a lack of serenading from the engine room since Wesley Crusher doesn’t sing. But while one can see why this episode was received poorly and seen as a cause for concern for the future of the series, why exactly the producers chose to greenlight a sequel episode makes sense in the end. Because this was in essence a grand attempt to appease the fanbase by giving them something familiar to work with and something that ties together with Kirk and Spock and McCoy’s original adventures. Granted, a direct sequel clearly didn’t resonate as the powers that be had hoped, but it was an olive branch and an effort on their part to keep fans happy and there really isn’t anything wrong with trying to do the right thing in an unprecedented situation.

Plus, there were some bright spots to be found in this tale as well. Since this story really does put the crew of the Enterprise to the test, something that helps the audience and the characters understand just how well they work together as a team, and it also let the actors let loose and have a little fun. Because we got to see a heretofore stoic Captain Picard skip about sickbay since Beverly elicited a little excitement in his heart and this story also allowed for Brent Spiner to showcase his acting skills. Because he does a phenomenal job of playing a drunk version of Data, and truly, the ‘love scene’ with Tasha is one that stays in your mind, thanks to its awkwardness and comedic fallout as well. But what matters most, is that the critics that firmly believed that this episode was an ominous sign that this new series would be short lived and forgotten, called it wrong.

Because we would get a total of seven glorious years with this crew and truly, the critics should have been a little kinder to the series back in the day. For year one is always a scary venture for any show, especially one that is following an incredible act, and sequels are a safe space to figure out the voice for a series. Plus, this one gets a pass for being a lot of fun and really, one cannot emphasize enough, the importance of seeing this crew come together in the manner that they do in this tale. Because this lays the foundation for some of the incredible moments to come in the future, and it also serves as a solid reminder of what this franchise stands for. Because Star Trek was always about unity and collective thinking to solve problems over swift violence and it really is nice to see glimmers of tomorrow in this particular tale, since it helps one to forget about any flaws or criticism hanging over the crew’s first real mission together, and instead allows for us look forward to the wonders ahead. Until next time.   

We are forced to handle some supremely tough surprises in our lives, and one that is extremely difficult to deal with, is when we learn something terrible about someone that means a lot to us. Because when an unfortunate truth is revealed about them, we immediately see them in a brand-new and unsettling light, and this discovery leaves us feeling betrayed and isolated and alone and it is something that people are starting to experience more often by way of the Me Too Movement. Because it really is exposing people that were thought to be of fine moral character, to be quite the opposite, rattling everyone that comes to learn of their true nature. 

But while stories involving these ugly truths have rightfully focused upon those responsible and those who suffered at the actions of these unsavory people, eventually we will come to learn what kind of impact these unwholesome discoveries have had upon the people these individuals surrounded themselves with. Because friends and family and coworkers also deal with the effects of such revelations and it just so happens that the AppleTV+ series The Morning Show takes the time to explore that dynamic, in powerful fashion. For its series premiere, ‘In the Dark Night of the Soul It’s Always 3:30 in the Morning’, immediately plunges us into a Me Too moment. For Alex Levy, the co-host of a popular breakfast show that shares the namesake of the series, arrives at work to discover that her on-screen partner of fifteen years, Mitch Kessler, is not who everyone thought he was.

For allegations about his sexual misconduct have been brought to light, forcing the executives at the fictional UBA Network to terminate Mitch from his position, leaving Alex to handle the fallout on live television, on her own, and alone in private as well. Which makes for some powerful moments for certain. Because working with someone for fifteen years, only to learn they are not the person you thought they were can be outright devastating, and while most of us would take a moment to process and grieve over such a revelation, Alex simply cannot. For she’s the star of a show now, and she’s required to put on the happy face for the masses and its quite incredible to watch her character work to navigate the gravity of the moment and her emotions on the matter, all while trying to figure out what comes next for her career and own future since up until this unfortunate morning, Alex was expecting the status quo to continue.

Yet while it is powerful and compelling to explore the immediate and emotional impact of something this incredible and this stunning, this series premiere is also laying down the foundation for a few other important explorative storytelling elements as well. Such as how women are cast aside in television and film when they have reached an ‘expiration date’, since its clear the UBA executives are pondering upon the notion of shaking things up on the show in regard to Alex, despite her dedication and contributions to the job. Plus, the show also seems to be motivated to dive into how a toxic work environment can engender toxic behaviors since the ‘anything goes’ mentality in the newsroom likely helped to motivate Mitch to cross lines since he shows no remorse or sense of wrongdoing when we catch up with him in this tale, and this is something reinforced by how some folks in this episode say the right thing, but treat the gravity of this with a sense of aloofness.
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Which seems like a lot for a single season to explore, but what’s downright incredible about this series, is that it still has more to dig into. Such as the role of modern broadcast journalism in our world, and if it is viable going forward. Something that is going to be handled by way of the journey of Bradley Jackson. Since it is clear her character firmly believes that the news has grown soft and lost the trust of the American people, since she sees it as something that panders to people instead of informing them, and her character is just downright refreshing. Because she doesn’t take any crap from anyone, and she has no filter and that’s just not something you see in shows such as this anymore and it should be quite interesting to see what her introduction and sparring match with Alex will mean for the future of the story, since at this point she’s a reporter without a home or direction. Something that may change once we learn what the true meaning of that mysterious phone call she took at the end of this episode. 

In the end however, this really was quite the dynamic and engrossing opening chapter to this particular tale. In large part because it is quite ambitious in what it wants to accomplish storytelling wise, but also because everything plot wise is executed here in compelling fashion. For it never lingers upon a particular moment or scene too long, and those same scenes feature incredible gravity and authentic emotion. Something that is likely attributed to a stellar cast because this series features a bevy of big names, and Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass and Steve Carell handle the heavy lifting in this tale as only they can. With a special shout out to Carell for doing something new here by more or less playing the heavy, a role we normally don’t see him play and well, it only took one episode, but this reviewer is outright hooked and ready for more. And it should be fascinating to see where this brave and bold series takes us in the days to come as it continues to dive deep into concepts that most shows won’t go near in the slightest. Until next time.   

I will never forget the summer of 1987. For trailers and promotional commercials for a new adventure set in the Star Trek universe began to air and I found myself fixated upon every last one of them. Because up to this point, all I knew was Kirk and Spock and Bones, courtesy of reruns of The Original Series and movies that I outright adored. So, the chance to enjoy new adventures with a new crew in a new time period left me supremely excited, to the point where I was counting down the days to September 28th, the big day when this new show would be unveiled and when 7 p.m. rolled around on that fateful day, my father and I were front and center in front of the family’s 27” T.V. to embark on a new journey through the stars by way of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Of course, ‘Encounter at Farpoint’ delivered in every way imaginable to a young mind. It had bigger and better special effects. The new Enterprise was slick and beautiful, and the characters were brilliant and bold and of course, I was hooked and for the next seven years, I was always home by 6:30 p.m. so my dad and later on my baby brother, and myself, could see what galactic wonders the crew of the 1701-D would encounter and those are definitely days I remember fondly. But while it is always wonderful to take a trip down memory lane, time and life experience have a way of sullying some of our fondest childhood memories, especially when it comes to shows that aired thirty-plus years ago since it was such a different time in history, making me slightly cautious in taking the time to revisit this magnificent series.

But as it turns out, this particular pilot actually holds up far better than one might expect, thanks in large part to the fact that this story embodies the spirit of the franchise. Because the sense of adventure that the saga is known for is everywhere to be found here. Something attributed to the strange new world we venture to in this tale, since Deneb IV and its people are elements we’ve never seen in this franchise before. Plus, the introduction of Q helps to ease one into this brave new world since omnipotent beings were a staple of The Original Series and the wonder of this opening tale doesn’t end with a return to the franchise’s roots. 

Because the plot is also quite delightful. For the entire mystery surrounding Farpoint Station is quite engrossing in its own right, since you know deep down something is amiss in this place and that definitely sucks you in since your mind is curious to learn its exact secrets. Something that is only further enhanced by the arrival of the second alien vessel and its unique decision to only fire on the Bandi people and well, your curiosity pays off in spades since the twist ending is both beautiful and powerful. And oddly enough, watching the wounded alien reunite with its mate and coming to understand that Q wanted Picard and his crew to think deeper about this situation are elements that truly make this pilot top notch when you take a moment to ponder upon their subtle meanings.

For in essence, those elements serve to remind us that Star Trek and all of its iterations are about mankind reaching its potential as a species, and seeing Picard think outside the box here to treat a previously unknown species with kindness and gentleness and generosity is what gets the message across. In that, we can be better, and we can be kind, if we just take a moment to pause and listen and learn and offer our hand in peace and that’s definitely a message that we can all use right now in these turbulent times, and it was most certainly a hint of things to come for this series since it is still regarded as the most optimistic series in the franchise. But while it is nice to know the groundwork was laid down here for future voyages, this particular pilot is not without its flaws. 
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After all, the first journey out of the gate is always an awkward one. For the cast aren’t quite comfortable with their characters just yet, which does explain some of the uneven acting that pops up here and there, as they try to find their character’s voices. Plus, there are some visual mistakes that are glaring here, the kind that would not go unnoticed in 2020 since fans would call them out in real-time and rightfully so, since some of them are painfully obvious. But in the end, none of that matters, because it quickly becomes clear, that this series was trying to do something different with the franchise and hints of what these characters are going to stand for are present in the framework of this story, which is exciting to say the least.

Because you know it won’t be long before Captain Picard begins to grow his diplomatic skills and his moral center, and it will be amazing to watch Riker become comfortable as a first officer and see Troi come to understand her role as a leader aboard the ship. Or how Worf will soon come to embrace his role as the man who keeps this Galaxy Class starship safe, and it will be equally as delightful to watch Geordi find his calling as one of the Starfleet’s finest engineers, and see Doctor Crusher care for this crew in the same manner she cares for young Wesley. But most important of all, it won’t be long before Data begins his long journey toward understanding and displaying the best parts of humanity.

Which quite frankly, has me motivated to continue these ongoing missions. Because the fact of the matter is, that despite being made over thirty years ago, The Next Generation still elicits a sense of wonder and awe from its audience. For its overall story is still pure and still hopeful in every sense of those words and watching this pilot, honestly made me feel as though I was eight years old all over again, and really the only thing missing from this particular viewing was my father and his insightful commentary. And it is going to be a true treat in the days to come, to be able to reflect upon all the incredible and uplifting messages that this pioneering series has to offer. Until next time.

For the most part, animated television shows designed for adults, tend to keep the jokes rolling. Because the prevailing belief, is that if you’re planning to settle in and watch an outright cartoon, the story should be dedicated to hilarity and silly moments, so that said shows always leave you with a smile on your face. Which means that the stuff you find in normal sitcoms and dramas, such as character development and growth, or important moments that define who the characters are, and what they stand for, are missing from these cartoony treats and this is another reason why Central Park is such a unique and refreshing series. Because this particular saga bucks those traditions and norms and for proof, well then look no further than the next episode in this magnificent series.

Because ‘Garbage Ballet’ is a story that is grounded heavily in the characters. For while Owen deals with piles of excess trash in Central Park (something that exists, thanks to a dastardly plan from Bitsy, which we will get to in a moment) we get to spend the day with the rest of the family, the kids to be specific, and learn more about them and what makes them tick and that was quite wonderful. Because this allowed for us to learn that Cole is one gentle soul, one that believes that every animal out there should be kept safe. For his sickly mother was convinced that rats were present within their posh park home, thanks to her fever, and that motivated her to lay traps all over the house. And the possibility of seeing animals, even rats, be harmed in the slightest, prompted Cole to skip school and stay home to stop her and it was just quite lovely to learn this about Cole and see this kind of gentleness in an animated series.

As for Molly’s ‘get to you know you’ segment, well that was grounded heavily in a more realistic plotline. For word of that unfortunate peanut butter kiss in last week’s episode, spread far and wide through her school, putting her in a panic despite the fact that no one had a clue that she was the one involved. But eventually her close friend Hazel figures out her involvement in the matter through her comics and Hazel takes the time to help Molly realize she made a simple mistake and figure out a way forward with Brendan, and this was just something supremely unique to see within the framework of animated series. For topics in this vein simply aren’t present in animated shows and it really was quite unique to see a little teen drama be injected into the overall plot, and it was also quite fascinating to learn how much acceptance and relationships mean to Molly and how her comics help her to genuinely cope with the confusing nature of the world.

Yet while it was wonderful to learn what makes the Tillerman children tick, there is still a juicier plot brewing behind the scenes, which brings us back to the whole mess with the trash and Bitsy. Because her swing with the Mayor, more or less put an end to all trash service within the park, in order to make it awful and devalue its worth. But Owen is such a good man and so passionate about what he does, that he wouldn’t let something as simple as trash ruin such a beautiful and importance place. Which motivated to him to come up with quite the incredible plan to clean up the park, by assembling a mighty ‘trash train’ to move the refuse to the nearest facility. Wherein he was able to learn of the Mayor’s poor decision and come to a deal with the facility manager to keep the trash out of this lovely park, thusly saving the day… for now. 

In the end however, this really was quite the impressive episode for certain. Simply because, this felt like an everyday T.V. show. Which once again speaks to the quality writing present in this series, since it takes solid script work to make an animated series feel real, and what’s wild is that the wonder of the writing doesn’t end with the magnificent moments we’ve discussed here. Because this one also does a fine job of setting up a baby cliffhanger by way of Bitsy’s bet with her housekeeping staff, since she felt a little something in that supposedly haunted room, and knowing this show, that’s a significant moment for certain. If anything, this series just continues to impress week in and week out, by offering up compelling and immersive stories and it should be interesting to see what other storytelling surprises await us down the line as we learn more about these wonderful characters, and Bitsy’s dastardly plan to get her hands on Central Park. Until next time.  

AppleTV+ was also gracious enough to include a clip of this week’s episode of ‘Central Park’ to include in this recap. So, please enjoy a sampling of what ‘Garbage Ballet’ had to offer or reminisce upon the outright wonder of this tale! 

When one thinks of the series finale of a television show, one often hopes that the series that is leaving the airwaves, has made preparations to properly put an end to the saga it brought to life, with a final tale that brings forth satisfying closure and a wonderful farewell. But while some shows are able to do that in an absolutely brilliant fashion, there are plenty of other shows out there that never quite get this opportunity. For the ratings just aren’t there, prompting the network to cancel the series, which makes an everyday season finale a series finale. One that might not offer a comfortable and satisfying end and sadly, this is precisely what happened with Star Trek back in 1969.
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Because despite having a supremely dedicated fanbase, one that gave birth to season three in the first place with an impassioned letter writing campaign, the show never caught on with the masses. Which means that due to poor ratings overall, the season three finale was converted instead into the series finale. One that is disappointing for certain. In part because we never got to finish the five-year mission and learn what made this crew pull apart when we catch up with them in 1979’s The Motion Picture. But also because the series ends on a bit of a sour note, since ‘Turnabout Intruder’ is an episode that once again features a phenomenal idea that fell to pieces somewhere along the line during production.

Which is quite the shame, because this episode could have been ahead of its time. For it features a former love of Captain Kirk’s named Dr. Janice Lester, switching minds with Kirk by way of a unique alien device so she can finally command a starship, something that it seems is uncommon in Starfleet in the 23rd century and that is quite the powerful setup. Because it could have led to a beautiful discussion on how women are equal to men, and how they can do the job just as well as anyone else. Plus, this tale could have dug deep into gender identity issues by way of that mind flip. But it doesn’t take long to realize that this story is going to do very little in regard to those progressive themes, instead, it devolves into a tale that outright insults women through and through.

Because this episode features every negative and false trope that’s ever existed about women. Such as the lie that they cannot be good leaders because they’re too emotional or prone to hysterics since the Lester/Kirk hybrid constantly flies off the handled when challenged or questioned over simple stuff and this is just… awful to watch. Because it isn’t progressive in the slightest, which is counterintuitive to what Star Trek stands for and it really does make this episode difficult to get through, since the false narrative of female incompetence is only reinforced with more over the top and ridiculous moments as the episode rolls along. And that’s sadly how this series comes to a close, on a supremely sexist and misogynistic note and that’s stunning to say the least.

But while this is unfortunate for certain, eventually this franchise sets this mistake right by offering up equality in later storylines, since the fans were eventually treated to a magnificent female captain and later admiral in Kathryn Janeway. And while this is also a rough place to the end the five-year mission, the beautiful stories that the film franchise brought forth also make up for this woeful mistake and really in the end, this episode is nothing more than an unfortunate time capsule and well, that’s really all there is to say in regard to this tale and sadly, this part of the franchise as well. Because that’s it, the missions are over, the movies await and the next time we settle in to discuss a voyage through the stars, it will be to pick up the mantle, of the next generation. Until then.

There are a great deal of injustices in the world, the kind that overwhelm us with sorrow and leave us feeling helpless. But while a majority of these are out of our control and happen far away from us, the ones that are seemingly unavoidable and are generated out of greed or profit, something we see happen often when a corporation just ‘goes for it’, are the ones that really get under our skin. Because there is just something supremely cold and icy about seeing a company screw everyday people over and what creates that sense of helplessness for us, is the sheer fact that these companies seem untouchable. For they boast endless resources and a cadre of lawyers that can keep accountability at bay and that is something that outright haunts us.

But from time to time, greedy corporations do in fact get their just desserts, because someone has the evidence necessary to bring their crimes and their inability to care about the common man to light and it is that courage that needs to be celebrated as often as possible. And it just so happens that the season two finale of Homecoming features a story that features that kind of satisfying justice. For ‘Again’ sees the Geist Corporation finally pay for its crimes and its arrogance and greed, in the most unique way imaginable. But it certainly doesn’t seem like that’s going to be the case early on in this particular tale. For a fair chunk of the story is devoted to Audrey attempts to help Alex regain her memory whilst trying to please Bunda and assemble the contracts.

But behind the scenes, a grandiose plan was brewing, one that came to fruition the night before the party. For unbeknownst to anyone at the company, outside of Leonard, Walter Cruz arrived at Geist before anyone else. And he ran into Leonard, who was kind enough to finally fill in the blanks as to what happened to Walter at Homecoming and well, that left Mister Cruz furious and eager to do something about this grave injustice. But his pleas for action were met with cowardice and disdain from Leonard, who truly thought that nothing could be done to bring down the people who wanted to see these twisted experiments hit the mainstream. But Walter was persistent and pointed out the fact that a man like Leonard, one who was on the inside, would have unprecedented access to resources that could solve their problems and well, it would seem that Leonard finally listened.

For while Leonard warned everyone one last time about this deal, and while Alex tried to recall a sorted past with the woman that loves her, Walter was preparing quite the surprise for everyone. After all, this was a party, and a delicious punch was the only way to properly toast to the future. But within that punch, was a heavy dose of the memory wiping drug since it was created with those mysterious berries, and Walter was happy to ensure that everyone at the party outside of he and Leonard ingested that particular treat and well, their plan went off without a hitch. And one by one, the people that conspired to harm more people by toying with their minds, began to feel their memories slipping away and just like that, the Homecoming initiative and everything it stood for, faded away with a sip of specially spiked punch, as did the Geist Corporation, something that Leonard didn’t seem too concerned about. 

Plus, it would seem that Walter is going to get to do more good deeds down the line since he has the names and whereabouts of the men who spent time with him overseas and at Homecoming and this was, quite the satisfying way to end this season. Because seeing everyone at Geist get their just desserts simply puts a smile on your face since they finally paid the piper for their twisted acts. Yet while that is a wonderful way to bring this story to a proper end, one does have to wonder what, if anything, comes next for this tale. Because with Geist vanquished, there is seemingly no more story to tell, and it should be interesting to learn if this is in fact, the series finale of this storied saga or if there is another adventure involving Walter that is waiting in the wings. But while we wait to learn if that is the case or not, at least we can celebrate a lovely finale, one where a shady corporation, finally gets what it deserves. Until next time.

It wasn’t all that long ago, that we took the time to discuss how sometimes science fiction shows such as Star Trek, need to let loose and have a little fun with the story from time to time. Simply because you need to reward the audience once in a while for sticking with the show through the good and the bad and the supremely cerebral. And when one considers the fact that the final leg of this final season has offered up some incredibly up and down moments and some heavy plotlines, the show seemed overdue for another loose episode that the audience can just sit back and outright enjoy and thankfully, the penultimate episode of this tale took the time to offer up just that.
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A feat that was accomplished in ‘All Our Yesterdays’ by having the Enterprise arrive at a doomed world. For the star that once nourished life on the planet Sarpeidon, was preparing to deprive every being on this world of life, by going Nova. And the fact that every trace of lifeforms on this planet disappeared quickly, merited investigation, which brought the away team face to face with a single librarian who promised them answers about where everyone went, if they just took the time to learn a little bit about this world. But some screams and the desire to help, put the away team in some perilous places. For the three of them stepped into different periods of time in the planet’s history and it seemed as though there was no going back for the away team.

For others that planted themselves into the past, revealed that returning through the portal would cause sudden death, since their bodies were prepared on a cellular level to function properly in the past. Which meant that James Kirk would forever be trapped in a Victorian-esque era, where he has been accused of being a witch, while Spock and Bones would stay chilly in an ice age with a lonely woman named Zarabeth and well, this is news that doesn’t settle with Kirk or McCoy. Because they don’t believe in giving up and that prompts Kirk to take a moment and truly ponder upon his situation and realize… that he can survive this mess after all. For he simply jumped through the portal to help someone in need, which means he was never ‘prepared’, and it turns out, he was absolutely right. 

But while Jim makes it back to the future in one piece, his friends are struggling to figure out a unified way forward in their frozen temporal prison. For Spock finds himself reverting to his Vulcan roots, which makes him quite illogical and irrational and romantic as well, the latter of which motivates him to want to settle down with Zarabeth. But McCoy knows that this is unnatural behavior for Spock and once logic and science find root in his mind once again, they too come to realize they can pass through the portal and survive to see another day. But they don’t have long to make that happen. For the star is ready to blow. But thankfully, Kirk and the mysterious librarian are able to rescue the duo from a frozen fate, allowing for the away team to return to the Enterprise and watch the destruction from the safety of the bridge.

If anything, this was just a satisfying and fun episode. One that offered up a delightful plot, since it featured some unique twists and turns, and truly, the whole dying in the past thing is handled in such subtle and smooth fashion that you don’t think twice about the actual lack of danger until Kirk puts two and two together. But alas, while this is an entertaining and downright refreshing tale, it is bittersweet in nature as well. For this is it my fellow nerds and geeks, we’re near the end of our journey with Captain Kirk and his intrepid crew. Because there is only episode left in the five-year mission for us to enjoy, and it really is a shame to know that we only get to spend one more hour with a group of heroes that changed the face of science fiction forever. Until next time.

If there is one lesson in life that every single person out there needs to learn at some point or another, it would have to be, to know when to take a step back and regroup, when the going gets tough. Because when things don’t go our way, we have a tendency to double down and try to force whatever it is we want to happen into existence, and that usually ends badly. Because it makes us desperate, to the point where we make ugly mistakes. But if we just take a moment to think about what’s happening in a calm and logical fashion, we can approach our problem or task with a clear mind and a new plan, and this is sadly a lesson that Alex did not learn in time, in the next episode of Homecoming.
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Because when we catch up with her in ‘Needle’, she’s desperate to stop Walter from heading to Geist Headquarters, and rather than pause and ponder upon a new and proper approach to appealing to his better nature, she decides the nuclear option is the only way to go. Which motivates her to fill a syringe with as much of the memory wiping drug that she feels comfortable with, and practice on a melon in order to figure out the best way to quickly inject the drug into Walter. Which would effectively solve her problem by forcing him to forget everything once again and once she was comfortable with her needle dropping skills, she set out to Walter’s home to finish the job and secure a wonderful future for her and Audrey.

But alas, Walter wasn’t home upon her arrival and while she tried to figure out his whereabouts, she ended up running into him at her hotel. Wherein Mister Cruz offered up an olive branch, one that would involve a day of fishing and friendship. Something that Alex was quick to accept in the hopes of getting the chance to stick him. But as their little journey into the woods continued along, Alex once again found herself in an uncomfortable place. Because Walter was now asking all the questions, trying desperately to get to know her, or to get her to slip up. Something that forced Alex to steel her nerves and push ahead like always, in the hopes that Walter wouldn’t realize in the slightest that trouble was waiting for him on the horizon.

Which was another mistake on Alex’s part, because once again, she underestimated his savvy and his skill in observing people. And once they were alone in the middle of nowhere, he revealed why he was so curious about Alex and her past, simply because… he knew everything about her was a lie. For he knew damn well that snipers use yards to measure over meters, a faux pas she made when discussing her ‘sniper friend’, the day before. And his concerns about that slip up, prompted him to follow her throughout the night and most of the day to see what she was all about, and with her cover blown and her safety compromised in her mind, Alex did her best to escape Walter. Even going so far as to be honest about his time at the Homecoming facility.

If anything, being exposed and cornered and exhausted put Alex in a desperate corner. The kind that forces one to think in a wild and confused fashion and being in that place mentally, prompted her to make one final and unfortunate mistake. For in a last-ditch effort to subdue Walter with the drug, he turned the tables and plunged that needle into her arm and well, that brings us supremely close to present day. For now, Alex is without her memory, and it won’t be long before she finds her way back to Geist and a love that is unknown to her, and it should be quite interesting to see what awaits us next in this tale. For we are near the end of our journey, since the season two finale is up next and knowing this series, the final chapter in Alex’s adventures will be filled with epic moments and a satisfying end. Until next time.