More often than not, stories that feature a blunder from a military standpoint, one that features a great loss of life… tend to gloss over that loss of life and it does make sense as to why. After all, war is something that is engrained in our modern society and every schoolkid knows that losses are part of the game and sometimes, the bad guys will get the upper hand for a little while and cause harm before the good guys take control. Not to mention, there’s a story to be told. Wherein the hero needs to exact revenge and/or save the day, so taking the time to mourn those lost… just doesn’t seem possible when the story has bigger fish to fry and bigger moments waiting down the line. But while those concepts are indeed a standard, the kind we’ve come to accept, that isn’t how these stories should handle death in the slightest.
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Because whether we want to acknowledge it or not, death is a huge deal, and those brave men and women that die in the line of duty, aren’t coming home. Which means someone is going to hurt back home regarding their loss, and quite frankly… so will the soldiers left behind. In fact, it would impact their mental health greatly. For they fought alongside the fallen, called them family and their death would be devastating. But as audiences continue to demand depth and realism from their stories, such glossy concepts are beginning to go the wayside and that kind of impact is beginning to be properly explored. And it just so happens that Prime Video is about to be host to a new series that explores the impact of death upon fellow soldiers and commanding officers and that makes The Terminal List quite the refreshing and visceral story. One that honestly, holds nothing back regarding this concept.

For this is story that revolves around a Navy Seal named Lieutenant Commander James Reece, who is in a tough place when we meet him in this tale. For James is returning home after a botched covert operation. One that saw twelve of his men die horribly due to a surprise ambush on said op, and well… this is a series that wastes zero time in exploring the emotional toll that kind of loss would have on a platoon commander. For James is badly distraught and broken and unable to reconcile the reality that his men are gone just like that and that alone… makes this an engaging tale. Because that kind of depth really is downright refreshing to find here and it really does add humanity to this story, the kind that the audience can relate to and that also changes the trajectory of this story in the process.

Because without such meaningful and honest moments and careful reflections, this show would be another Navy Seal story that is ready to indulge the audience in notions of revenge and violence. But thankfully there’s more here at last and what’s amazing is that the uniqueness of this story is extended beyond its humanity. For James is a man that follows orders and the teachings and discipline that accompany his rank. Which means he is a man of honor and expects honor and peace to be paid to the fallen. Which motivates him to search for answers as to how this operation failed so badly and why the answers he receives don’t quite add up. Which in turn, leads to quite the juicy story, one full of surprises that we simply will not spoil here.

For this is a story that you need to experience firsthand. Because it truly is original and engaging and it utterly defies convention and wows you every step of the way and thankfully… what also allows for this story to shine, are its performances. Because you need great actors to sell that kind of depth and intelligence and you’ll certainly find that here. Since Chris Pratt, or CP as he prefers to be called, turns in a nuanced performance as James Reece. One that is both tortured and determined and we feel the pain of loss through him, and he is anchored wonderfully by Constance Wu and Taylor Kitsch and well, in the end, the best news of all, is that we don’t have to wait all that much longer to enjoy this show. For The Terminal List arrives on Prime Video on Friday, July 1, 2022, and we here at NTG cannot wait to geek out alongside all of you when this show hits the airwaves later this week.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 204 of ‘P-Valley’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.

It is definitely safe to say that the past couple of years, rocked our worlds fundamentally in ways we never thought possible. For we had to face our own mortality via the pandemic, and we all dealt with a reckoning about the true state of race relations in the United States of America, and that was… a lot to process. Because how does one reconcile the reality that a potentially fatal virus could find a person at any moment, and that the country we’re taught is just and true is filled to the brim with hate for people whose skin color just happens to be different? Which are of course deep philosophical questions that we… are still working to sort out or have in ways we didn’t quite think about, now that life has some semblance of normalcy again.

But the fact of the matter is, we are in need of catharsis, and we need to feel as though our worries weren’t isolated and one way, we are able to obtain just that… is through storytelling. Since stories let us observe and reflect, and relate, and oddly enough, season two of P-Valley on STARZ is working to offer that catharsis as well, as evidenced by last night’s brand-new episode. For ‘Demethrius’ is a story that plunged the people of Chucalissa into that very mindset and how they healed and reconciled the past two years, and its ugly events, was fascinating to say the least. Because everyone handled it such a dynamic manner. For instance, the majority of the folks at The Pynk, just wanted to move on from the mess at hand and enjoy life as it stands.

Which is, the mantra of a great many people right now and they too… were quickly reminded of the fact that this isn’t going away just yet and that it isn’t something one can just escape. Since the health department shut them down after one of their staff members enjoyed a little time in the VIP area with the ladies and that was a sobering reminder that some folks… have to pretend it is business as usual to cope. But there was also an examination on how some folks are ready to use the eventual end of this to move on and perhaps change their lives in the process. As evidenced by how Hailey and Andre were making plans for tomorrow… including selling The Pynk on Hailey’s part… since they firmly believed that the impending end of this was a sign of their second chance.

Not to mention, this story also took the time to explore how events such as these, force us take inventory and perhaps ponder upon the road not traveled and/or revisit the paths we’ve been upon before to find understanding and peace. As evidenced by Mercedes’ affair with Farrah and Lil’ Murda and Teke’s night of intimacy. Since clearly, they had a thing back in the day and while it came out of comfort, it was a rekindling moment none the less, one that Murda may regret since he clearly doesn’t know where his heart lies at the moment. But truly, where this episode shined, was what it had to say about facing the reality that our nation and our society, isn’t the shining light of hope we so believed it was. Since this story featured another senseless murder of an innocent black man at the hands of police. Which rattled Teke to no end and left the audience in an odd place as well.

Since it really did remind us of that fateful summer, where everyone simply had enough and expected real change to take place at last with the messages sent. Only to see more of this happen and feel the burden of an underlying problem that refuses to remove itself from the American landscape, despite the fact that so many don’t want it here. If anything, the show didn’t offer up any easy answers on that, because there are none. Instead… it just reminded us that we are not alone in our sorrow and that we cannot rest or forget those that fell. For they deserve justice and the fight to bring them that must continue… until the day comes that change arrives at last. In the end, this is simply a powerful and poignant tale. One that truly captured the zeitgeist of the times to help us heal and reflect, and well… that really does make P-Valley one of the best shows on the air right now, since it really does present the world in the raw and all of its flaws and wonders in an effort to help all of us cope with these trying times. Until next time.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Dark Winds’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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When we last settled in to discuss the wondrous and fascinating new AMC series, Dark Winds, we talked at length about quite the surprise. In that, the series wasted little time in solving some of its biggest mysteries. Such as the fact that Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn figured out that Deputy Jim Chee was in fact, an FBI Agent working undercover to solve the bank heist, and why Joe harbored such bad blood amongst some of the people of the Navajo Nation and of course… we came to learn that a man of the cloth, was involved in a heinous and brutal crime. But we also pondered upon the possibility that solving so many important mysteries early, potentially meant that the story had other concepts in mind to explore, as the season rolled along and well, it turns out that particular pondering was in fact, correct.
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For ‘K’e’ is a story that used that freedom to explore a great deal more about this fascinating universe. For instance, it took the time to inform us that Devoted Dan, the car dealer with those annoying commercials, was part of this whole heist. Since he used his car dealership to launder the vast amounts of money stolen in the robbery and we also learned that the money was finding its way to him, in a supremely inconspicuous manner. By way of a panting in fact, one that was quietly purchased at the outpost on a regular basis by others who wouldn’t arouse suspicion and what made this particular part of the story so incredibly engaging… was the reveal of who exactly was helping to move those paintings. 

Because it turned out to be Wanda, Lester’s wife. Whom clearly just wanted to get her cut and enjoy a little financial safety and it was just fascinating to see an everyday woman, risk so much in the hopes of enjoying a little extra money in her bank account, and learn how dangerous and ruthless Father Tso actually can be if his prize might be remotely threatened. For a chance encounter between Wanda and the police, one that Tso got word of… motivated him to scare Wanda and eventually kill her through mystical means involving Anna’s knowledge of the darkness of the world. But while it was fascinating to learn more about the heist and how the gang works, there was so much more that this episode took the time to dig into now that it was free of some mysteries.

Such as… what the Navajo culture is all about. For this down time presented the opportunity to explore such matters in an in-depth manner and what the Navajo people celebrate and cherish and that came forth by way of Leaphorn’s niece. Because she had her first period in this tale, and that meant the community needed to come together to celebrate her coming of age through the Kinaaldá ceremony and well, it was both beautiful and incredible to see this ceremony firsthand and learn how the Navajo people view life and cherish it, and the incredible exploration of this culture didn’t end there. Since we were also privy to how the Navajo honor their dead, since Joe brought back Anna and Hosteen's bodies and that oddly enough, led to some powerful commentary.
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For the isolation and solemn nature of the two funerals that took place, and the process of bringing the dead to their final resting place, helped us to understand how Indigenous Americans from every tribe are nothing more than an afterthought in Modern America. A reality reinforced by the fact that Special Agent Whitover made Joe handle the body transfer to begin with, an indignity that was further compounded by the fact that Joe was forced to buy the shrouds that would cover the dead and other items for the Kinaaldá ceremony. Which of course, helped out some of the merchants in Flagstaff, but spoke to the reality that none of this was readily available for him to purchase. Because no one out there cared enough to offer it because no one… thought about or thinks about Indigenous Americans. Which was some sobering commentary for certain, the kind that stays with you long after this episode has ended.

Because it reminds you that the various tribes that still reside across the United States of America, were here first, and should be afforded every right we have and more for the atrocities they endured, and they should be celebrated and recognized, and well… that’s why this show needs to continue to be applauded. For it is flawless in its representation and it does a wonderful job educating us, and it absolutely features a powerful mystery for certain. One that is beginning to grow in scope and danger, because hostages are involved and these criminals are causing trouble every step of the way and well, this shockingly original and unique episode only compels us to continue the journey. So we can not only see where the mystery will take us, but see what else we will learn about the Navajo people and their beautiful culture and ideologies. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Becoming Elizabeth’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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What is truly fascinating about the lessons we learn in life, is that few of them come with a label. For there is no text message to inform us that we’ve just learned a valuable lesson about love after an ugly breakup in our lives takes place. Nor is there a detailed email arriving in one’s inbox that explains how we just experienced the selfishness of others. We simply go through it and reflect upon the lesson inherent when the ugly moments have passed and of course, learn from those moments and grow. But it is the going through portion that outright stinks, for it often hurts and leaves us in a difficult place. If anything, how we learn critical life lessons is top of mind today, simply because it is precisely what Princess Elizabeth Tudor dealt with during this week’s episode of Becoming Elizabeth on STARZ.
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For when we catch up with the princess in ‘Either Learn or Be Silent’, she’s preparing to celebrate her fifteenth birthday and well… what should be a joyous and wondrous time, is instead filled to the brim with worry and terror. Largely because, word has traveled far and wide regarding the letter that Elizabeth sent to Mary regarding her allegiances and thoughts regarding her brother’s religious edict, and well… it was certainly not well received in the slightest. Since such a bold letter… could have brought forth strife and punishment if handled in the wrong manner via the king. Teaching Elizabeth a valuable lesson in how to communicate properly, by using the right words that don’t have a devastating impact and sadly, more tough lessons were on the agenda for her in this tale. 

Because once the dust settled from the letter, Thomas and Catherine came to realize… that the only way they could live a life without fear of reprisal or backlash in any form or fashion… was to curry favor with King Edward VI, and the best way to make that happen, was to spend time with him and lavish attention upon him, and what better way to do that, than by having him over for a birthday celebration. All so they could hold court with him and attempt to push him toward a marriage with Jean and hear of their demands and needs, after buttering him up of course. Which was quite crucial for them both at the moment, partly because of the letter incident, but also because… Catherine was with child. And it would not be a good look in the slightest, if the former queen was promptly pregnant with another man’s child. But the king could of course, smooth that over as well.

Which was a decision that taught Elizabeth two painful lessons for certain. The first, was the importance of treating others with respect at all times, even when we hurt internally. Which came forth from the fact that she realized halfway through her own party that this was an event designed to help Catherine and Thomas advance their needs, which hurt her deeply and in turn motivated her to lash out and embarrass them through Jean. All by asking her to sing for the king. For her voice wasn’t ready and Elizabeth knew that and knew such an act would embarrass all parties, and it most certainly did and of course, brought brief satisfaction to the future queen. But thankfully Robert was there to ground her and remind her of the fact that she was better than the cruelty of such acts and that motivated her to do the right thing and apologize for her transgressions. 

But alas, the second lesson that Elizabeth was forced to learn at this event, came forth in the morning. In that, if one is genuinely uncertain about taking part in a particular act, regardless of the promise of pleasure it brings and how much it makes one’s heart sing… one should deny oneself that pleasure. For the gut always knows when trouble is afoot, and sadly, immaturity and the thrill of matters of love… forced her to ignore that regarding Thomas’ advances, but she won’t again. For she and Thomas were caught in the midst of their affair and the realization that Elizabeth curried Thomas’ romantic favor just by being herself was more than Catherine could bear. And after an intense and ugly confrontation between Catherine and Thomas… one that revealed his desire for the princess would not cool, she made quite the decision.
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In that, she basically banished the future queen from Chelsea. For ridiculous and insignificant reasons of course. But nevertheless, the move took Elizabeth and the rest of the household by complete and utter surprise. For it was a bold move, one that punished Elizabeth over a man that quite frankly, used her youth and naïve nature to get the sexual gratification he wanted. Which made these moments, both a powerful lesson about not giving into desires we know are wrong, and a fine reminder of how little has changed since the time of the Tudors. For women are still punished for the transgressions of men that cannot keep it in their pants and cannot exert a simple measure of self-control, making this quite the poignant and powerful move. One that puts Elizabeth in undiscovered country for certain. 

However, what matters more here, is that this was… a flawless exploration of how we learn ugly lessons in life. Because it is through the aftermath of making mistakes and taking part in poor decisions that we come to realize what went wrong and what we should have done differently. But what makes Elizabeth’s journey here so unique in that regard, is that she endured a lot of cruelty and selfishness as she learned her lessons, and doled out a bit herself, and one cannot help but wonder if the cruelty exhibited here, helped to form the temperamental nature of this future leader. All so that others would not feel the shame and pain that she did in this particular tale and if so, that makes this a powerful and important tale indeed.

One that also, set the stage for potentially ugly future conflicts. After all, there is bad blood now between the siblings because of the religious divide and the power play that the Duke of Somerset is taking part in, is of concern as well. Simply because, it’s obvious that King Edward has a touch of a temper and lusts for power and control, and any man that would dare speak to him in the manner that the duke did here, on more than one occasion, could pay the price dearly. Regardless of whether or not he’s right about the king’s immaturity and it is that immaturity that could lead to violent trouble. For an angry and unrestrained boy with the power of England at his fingertips could make life quite difficult for all. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘Troppo’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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There comes a point in our lives, where we can no longer hide away from the dark parts of our past. It could be related to the fact that eventually said past catches up to us and causes us great harm in the process or it could be related to the fact that it is weighing us down and we are eager to be free from it. But one way or another, we will in fact, have to take a moment to stare yesterday down and hash it out, so that we can move forward in some capacity and well… this particular aspect of the human condition is top of mind today, simply because both Ted and Amanda reached that moment and that started that process, in the next episode of Troppo on Amazon Freevee.
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For when we catch up with Amanda in ‘I’m Right Here’, she’s mad at Ted for leaving and begrudgingly preparing to feed his geese because it is the right thing to do and well, when she arrives to do so… she finds Ted’s broken body in his home and quite frankly, saves his life. For she quickly calls emergency services and gets him to a hospital and well, seeing the only person that’s taken the time to give a damn about her as of late, in this state, changes a great deal for Amanda. Because just like that, she realizes that she cares about Ted and needs to show that and help him at every turn and that meant… the time had come to be in public more often and be seen and be near Ted and that required facing the past. 

So that others would no longer view her as a coldhearted outsider that didn’t give a damn about anyone but herself, and while that wasn’t easy in the slightest… she did it, and she got answers and she even took the time to try and solve who might have attacked her friend. That meant facing off against Detective Damford and his daughter, since her and Ah Rah’s actions helped to bring trouble to Ted’s doorstep and this was, incredible to watch. Since it put Amanda in a new place mentally and in a new standing around town, all because she finally stood up to the awful stereotypes surrounding her and said… no more. 

However, she wasn’t the only one to face off against yesterday, for eventually Ted regained consciousness and of course… spent most of his time dreaming about what brought him here and that in turn, pushed him to finally sit down and talk with his wife. REALLY talk with his wife and come to realize, how much he’s been hanging onto the past and how he hasn’t faced it the slightest, nor dealt with the fallout of it and that now was the time to do so. And while he did of course, handle some of it with booze and pills and dangerous behavior, he handled it none the less and one could see his final moments as nothing short of a dangerously drunken baptism. One that reminded him that he wants to solve crimes and do right and clear his name at last.

If anything, this was… a bold episode in the end. Simply because, the case straight up took a backseat here and that’s rare in a crime drama. Since the cases are the whole reason that audiences tune in. But this story understands that the characters are king, and queen, respectively, and they need to grow and become bigger people if they’re ever going to find peace or success, so why not go for broke and let that happen now? And you know what? It worked like a charm, and it was simply incredible to watch them both stand tall against what is eating at them the most, and well, now that we’ve reached the end of a huge step for these broken investigators, it will be fascinating to see how they apply the lessons they learned here to the fresh start that awaits them, and the case that seemingly cannot be cracked. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘Night Sky’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say, that the truth is something that can be both wondrous and painful. Because sometimes… when we learn the truth, we are faced with a reality that is going to break our hearts and change our lives in a manner that we weren’t prepared for. Making our search for it quite ugly in nature and shocking to say the least, but necessary for certain. Since we simply have to know and while eventually… we will feel better for learning it since we won’t be in the dark down the line and we will have a complete understanding of the situation that broke our heart, in that moment, that end result, absolutely motivates us to fear the search for the truth. When as mentioned, it can be quite fruitful and wonderful. 

Because digging deep and finding the answers we seek, can give us everything we hoped for and more. To the point where we might find instant happiness and the way forward, we’ve been looking for and truth be told… we need to celebrate that more often than not when it comes to this search. For this tends to be the end result of the search for the truth and that absolutely makes it worth our while. If anything, the positive side of the search for the truth is top of mind today, simply because it served as the focal theme of the next episode of Night Sky on Prime Video. For when we catch up with everyone in this tale, they’re searching for answers regarding certain mysteries and well… they are well rewarded for sticking to the search for answers in ‘Driving Lessons’.

For the truth, brings Irene and Jude closer together than ever before. Simply because his admission about what happened on the other side and what he’s searching for and why, liberated Jude’s soul and gave Irene the clarity she needed on his situation. Which in turn allowed for her to help him better and provided him with insight upon her, helping to remind us of the power of honesty and how the truth can bond us at times, and this was extended to Franklin and Denise as well. Since she finally opened up to her grandfather about her struggles and worries, which he's been trying to learn for ages. Allowing for the family to have some earnest conversations about their pain and how best to proceed with the hurt in their hearts, speaking to the healing power of the truth.

Yet what made this exploration so unique and so powerful, was that it even found a way to put a positive spin on how we might handle dark discoveries when we encounter the truth. Because as Stella and Nick conducted their hunt for who appears to be Jude, Toni came to discover that her mother and her friend… will do dark things to get the job done. Including hurting others. But rather than immediately turning her back on her mother and demanding to go home… she instead observed her mother and Nick closely, to really understand the situation out of the hope that perhaps… she’s wrong about this being something dark and twisted and that her mom will provide her with good vibes when this hunt comes to a head.

If anything, this is just… another unique episode from a supremely unique show. One that really loves to focus on the little moments involving the characters and how they grow and how they interact and well, that’s just fine. Because this one was as compelling as the rest and continued to give us just enough when it comes to tidbits regarding the portals and how they function and their purpose, and it also set the stage for future voyages within its smooth walls now that Byron has found the key that Jude tried to bury, and well… once again… this show leaves us hungry and eager to enjoy more of this world. So, we can see what this newfound trust and progress means for our heroes as the mystery of the portals and Jude continues to unfold. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season finale of ‘Dynasties II’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Thus far, our journey through the world of Dynasties II on BBC America, has provided us with one particular constant. In that, family is everything to the animals of the world and they absolutely expect, that a family member will be the one to take over the responsibility of keeping the family line going when their father or mother fades from this existence. Granted we’ve seen power struggles regarding that, and family members having to bide their time in order to take charge as the season has continued along, but time and time again… the next generation assumes command of the future in the end, leaving one to wonder… if by chance there are any dynasties out there… with different kinds of leaders or if the animal kingdom can only have a future with a family member at the helm.

Well as it turns out, the season finale of this phenomenal documentary series, took the time to answer that question by informing us that... yes, there are animals out there who simply want leadership over anything else and are happy to provide them with a family line if they can feed the group and keep them safe and one such species that is keen on this is the Macaque monkey. For the ‘Macaque’ troupe we met in this particular tale, was dealing with uncertainty with the death of their Alpha, leaving everyone to wonder who would assume command and be the leader they needed, and it didn’t take long for a monkey named Mac to assume that particular role and what was amazing about this… was how quickly the group accepted him.

For there was little fight for the crown once he stepped in, the group simply watched carefully to see what he would do and if he would be the right leader to lead them to the promised land, and if not, they would be happy to eject him. Which was… an oddly human trait to see since we too choose leaders that aren’t our family members, and we expect them to lead us as well or change will come if we aren’t happy with the results and sadly for Mac, displeasure did befall him when he made a tough call regarding food. For his push to get the group to a better feeding ground led to pain and suffering, leaving so many to wonder if they put their faith in the right leader and one particular male in the group, Simon… believed a mistake had been made.

Which motivated him to make a push in the fall, to take command himself, out of the belief that he could do better than Mac and well… once he pushed Mac out of the proverbial door, he assumed command and was met with curiosity by the group since once again… they were eager to know if the right leader was now in place and sadly, that was not the case. For Simon was… a tyrant and he was eager to harm over protect and assert his will in a violent manner and well, the lack of allies he created and the disdain he engendered amongst the group, allowed for Mac to return to the throne no problem and finally have the faith and trust of his subjects and that… gave rise to a true dynasty, one where Mac was able to build the family line he wanted. 

If anything, this was just… a fascinating finale. Because it really did introduce a brand-new dynamic to this series by showing us how some species are fine with major changes in leadership that don’t involve the direct descendants, and that they will hold those leaders to account and make changes as needed. Which really did offer up some fascinating parallels and some unique and engaging moments, the kind that undoubtedly had the viewer rooting for Mac all the way since he was clearly the right man for the job and well… in the end, the only complaint one can voice about this episode, is that we’ve reached the end of the journey. And that’s a shame, because this series is simply amazing and really does teach us so much about the family dynamic in the wild and hopefully, Dynasties III is on the way… so we can enjoy more of an honest and powerful documentary that gives us stunning insight on how families are raised in the natural world.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘Chloe’.
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One thing that we can all agree upon, is that the world can be extremely sour in nature sometimes. in fact, it can be downright overwhelming. For now, and again, life just weighs down upon us and bad things happen and the fact that such issues hit us in waves, motivates us to do something that is utterly essential to maintain our mental health during dark times… and escape. It could be by just hitting the road for a bit to clear our heads or digging into a hobby or some type of act to just pass the time, but one way or another… we take part in something that we can lose ourselves within so we can properly process our situation and eventually deal with it. 
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Which means that eventually, our escape is set aside and we return to everyday life, thankful that we found something to heal us in our time in need and grateful that we are able to return to the real world. Since there is plenty for us to celebrate in the world we ran from, and we simply carry on with our lives. But what is fascinating about this aspect of the human condition, is that not everyone manages to return from that fantasy world when the going gets tough. Because some folks, come to realize that the fantasy world that they used to heal… offers them so much more and that motivates them to make it their new priority at all costs, and what makes that so fascinating to us, is that we simply don’t understand what could motivate someone to want to turn their back on the regular world, to indulge within fantasies.

But thankfully, stories are there to help us understand such matters. Since they can give us insight and direction as to why people do what they do, and it just so happens that Prime Video is now host to a series that explores not only the root causes of what drives people to fantasy, but the dangers inherent of sticking to it and that makes the series premiere of Chloe, quite the powerful and poignant tale. One that wastes little time in answering the important question by introducing us to a woman named Becky Green who is… going through it at the moment. For she has few prospects career wise at the moment, something that is driven less by ambition and more by necessity. Because Becky’s mother is ill and needs care and help often and well, that leaves Becky home often and surrounded by a tough reality. 

Which is why, she is eager to spend as much time as possible, online and on social media. For that world, is a place devoid of pain and suffering and troubles. Just beauty and wonder and a life that doesn’t resemble the hell she’s in and of the many accounts available to her, one belonging to a woman named Chloe Fairbourne has her full attention. For Chloe leads the perfect life, one full of parties and joy and everything missing from Becky’s life. But Becky’s world is quickly turned upside down when she learns that Chloe has died suddenly and being robbed of her sole escape in life, immediately transforms her. For she needs a way out from the depressing nature of her life and in her mind, what better way to truly escape… than to assume the life of another person and force her way into what she wants?
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A decision that allows for Becky to lose herself within the identity of a woman named Sasha, who can easily slip into the world that Chloe inhabits and get close to the friends and family she left behind, so that she can learn how Chloe died and what she was like and to explore a world she knows nothing of. Which is… the perfect way to explore the show’s central themes. Since all of those acts speak to the power of the fantasy world and the dangers inherent of losing oneself within it. One of which is clearly, losing ourselves in a world we don’t understand and potentially causing ourselves great mental harm and harm to others. For if the façade fails, as it nearly did in this tale, disaster and pain can come forth. But the draw of the escape for those who have nothing is strong and not even warning signs or close calls are enough to get Becky to abandon her quest to assume this life.

Which makes this… a flawless series premiere. One that is incredibly intelligent in nature and filled to the brim with stunning commentary on social media and how we cope with trouble in the modern world, and it is also painfully realistic in nature. Since every character here feels familiar, as though we’ve known them and that’s a testament to the cast and to Alice Seabright’s work as a writer and director on the series, since her vision has been clearly realized. But what matters more, is that this episode, is the mere tip of the iceberg of this exploration. For we have a season of storytelling ahead and more moments to dive into with Becky and her fantasy and it will be incredible to truly explore every facet of the power of the fantasy, and how it grabs hold of us and the true disaster it can cause as this season continues along. For there is no way that the journey that Becky has chosen here… can end well in the slightest. Until next time.   

To learn more about the creation of this series, check out our interviews with series cast members, Erin Doherty, Pippa Bennett-Warner, and Brandon Michael Hall and our interview with series creator and writer, Alice Seabright.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 306 of ‘The Boys’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say that season three of the Prime Video series, The Boys, has been its bleakest and darkest to date and understandably so. For the heroes of this tale, have been through utter hell over the past couple of years, and they’ve not been able to reconcile or heal from their respective traumas. They’ve simply let that pain persist and they’ve fed it and grown it through angry acts grounded in notions of revenge, and that in turn has slowly poisoned their souls and left them focused on bringing down the new focal point of their pain, Homelander and well… things are so dark and so bleak at this point, one has to wonder if there will be any bright spots ahead. 
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As it turns out, there may hope for a better tomorrow on this series, courtesy of the beacon of light that appeared in the next episode of this tale. But of course, with everyone at their lowest, before we could get to something joyful and worthwhile, more dark times needed to be had and that made ‘Herogasm’ quite the powerful and devastating tale. In part because our heroes are starting to understand the darkness that resides within and how much they feed on it and that of course, is a tough pill to swallow. One that put Kimiko in her darkest mindset to date, where she is no longer sure if she will ever know what it means to be ‘good’ or just or worthwhile as a person, after using her skill set to save Frenchie.

Not to mention, the darkness is starting to cost fine people, everything they ever wanted. Because it was revealed in this tale, the exact plan that Butcher put together to get Soldier Boy to help he and Hughie bring Homelander to his knees. Which involved, helping the old ‘hero’ hunt down his former teammates and make them pay for selling him out to the Russians and well, they found the Twins in this tale and that brought everyone, including Starlight and MM to Vermont. Where the wildest orgy ever was taking place. Since the Twins were part of the lot that kept Herogasm alive and well, once there… the price of revenge began to come into play.

Because Hughie did everything within his temporarily enhanced powers to keep Starlight from playing the hero, in the hopes of keeping her safe when in reality, he was doing nothing but holding her back and pushing her away, hard. All because he was of the belief that he needed to be hero and he needed to protect her and well, his desire to do so, combined with his bloodlust to make Homelander pay to somehow make him whole again… despite receiving a sincere apology from A-Train in this tale… seemingly cost Hughie a healthy relationship and a love he may never know again. Since Starlight appeared to be ready to walk away from him, because of Hughie’s toxic actions, and the cost of revenge didn’t end there. 

For eventually, Homelander arrived at Herogasm since the Deep was there to keep an eye out for Solider Boy, in between uh… enjoying himself… and that… combined with the fact that Solider Boy’s trigger music was present at the orgy, led to all kinds of horrific moments. The kind that saw innocents and supes die and saw Butcher and Hughie completely give into the darkness within and just let loose in fighting Homelander alongside their new buddy and in the end… all of this was for naught. For Homelander escaped, people died and even A-Train might be gone forever because he used the chaos at the party to teach Blue Hawk a valuable lesson in revenge as well. Making it appear as though the hopelessness present here, would persist all because no one here is working to find internal peace.

But thankfully, Starlight decided that it didn’t have to be this way. That someone just needed to stand up and speak some truth for a change instead of playing all the deadly games that everyone else was currently taking part in. Which is why she went online and used her following to tell the truth about Homelander and Vought and renounce her standing in the Seven and her identity as Starlight, in the hopes of enacting change and making the world a better place. As to whether or not that will be the case, time will tell. But while we wait to see if that move worked, we can bask in the wonder of the show’s best episode to date. Because this one had it all, shockingly wild and gross gags, epic action and powerful and poignant moments with the characters and well, the events of this incredible tale are definitely going to have us counting down the minutes to next week’s tale… to see what comes next after this game changing story. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 303 of ‘For All Mankind’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One of the most difficult problems a writer’s room has to solve when assembling a season for a hit series, is how to properly pace the season ahead. Because if they push hard to resolve plot threads quickly, the fans might be turned off over a lack of plot proper resolution and if it is too slow… well, then the audience gets bored. Which leads to a delicate balancing act that is sometimes successful and sometimes misses the mark. But of all the shows out there that have this challenge facing them, there is one that has outright mastered the nature of pacing, For All Mankind on Apple TV+. For this show knows exactly how to push the plot forward and/or linger without ever alienating the audience or making it awkward and for proof… look no further than this week’s episode.

For ‘All In’ is a story that managed to catapult the story forward while laying down some critical foundations for things to come and it accomplished this feat, by dedicating just enough time to resolving certain plot-lines in a satisfying manner before moving forward. Take for instance Margo’s journey in this tale. Since she was finally confronted by the KGB for information and watched Sergei come within an inch of losing his life as a hint of what would come without cooperation. A move that motivated Margo to comply sadly, but this was handled in such a smooth and dynamic manner that it never once felt tired or rushed… it was simply perfect and downright heartbreaking.

Not to mention… the whole assembling of the crews plot line for the NASA and Helios missions, was also handled in that same dynamic fashion. Since the story allowed for Karen’s attempts to poach and for NASA’s end run on Helios to never slog about or waste precious time. Every scene simply handled its business and ended when needed and managed to shake up the landscape of the series at the same time. Since Danny and Bill made their way to Helios for the chance to fly and for the paycheck, respectively, whilst Aledia stayed put and Kelly opted to join the Mars Mission with NASA instead of flying there with her father and well, the payoff for resolving these plot threads in a sensible and satisfying manner, was quite epic and enticing in nature.

For the end of this episode, jumped us two years into the future to 1994. Wherein Aledia was now the Flight Director of this mission, and everyone was ready to launch. In fact, we were able to enjoy the historic moment when Helios, NASA and Roscosmos made their launches toward the Red Planet and what made this so epic and so satisfying and so in line with what we’ve discussed today, is that the writer’s room understood that what the audience really wants, is to see if America can win the second phase of the space race and reclaim its power and dominance in doing so, and by handling the other plots with the right respect and speed… we get just that since clearly, the next episode has to focus on the mission to Mars and either it, or another episode down the line will reveal which country we saw standing on the Martian surface at the end of season two.

Not to mention, this episode had other incredible tidbits floating about for us to chew upon. Such as the fact that Ellen won the election and became the 42nd President of the United States and the first woman to ever hold the office and of course… Margo’s decision to help the Soviets, is a huge deal as well, one that will undoubtedly come back to haunt her. But what matters more, is that this was a perfect story. One that put on a clinic regarding pacing and still found a way to keep us hooked and eager for more after resolving a bevy of plot-lines and well, it is definitely safe to say that we will all be counting down the minutes until next week’s tale, so we can finally indulge in the race to Mars and possibly see… who touches down on the Red Planet, first.