I suppose, that if there is one down side to enjoying the wonders of the modern world; it would be that sometimes we take nature for granted. Because we are truly masters of our domain, and anything we desire, such as food or water or knowledge for that matter, are at our beck and call whenever we so choose and having that kind of power, sometimes allows for us to get lost in the mix and forget about the incredible world and universe that surrounds us. That’s why I love it when I can get lost in a documentary that not only flat out reminds us how far we’ve come as a species, but also that we are a part of something truly special and thankfully BBC America delivered a documentary that accomplished those particular goals last night in Wonders of the Moon.
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Which, when you think about it, the moon is a celestial body we don’t really ponder upon or talk about as much as we have in years past, but it’s always with us, and it’s something we casually glance at, like our watch and our phone and with this being the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, now seems like an appropriate time to revisit the power of our lunar neighbor. Which brings us to the first important element that this documentary brought our way, a refresher course on how it functions and what it means to our world since the lunar cycles help keep the natural order rolling, and for proof, look no further than the fact that when the tide rolls out, there are flocks of birds that feast upon everything waiting for them within the sand. But while all of this refresher knowledge was lovely to revisit, what this documentary had to say about mankind’s relationship and history with the moon was incredibly fascinating.

Because I was truly unaware of the fact that a lunar calendar existed, or I straight up forgot, but either way, it was just incredible to learn that mankind worked to figure out the patterns of the lunar cycle and used it wisely since the moon helped farmers accomplish important work in the dead of night, and I was definitely unaware of how we still celebrate the lunar calendar in the modern world. For it turns out that in Hong Kong, the Harvest Moon is a huge deal when it comes to the Mid-Autumn Festival that’s celebrated there, and people in this city treat this particular part of the moon’s cycle as a major holiday and assemble en masse to witness its majesty and it was just fascinating to see people view the moon in this manner and treat its natural rotation around our world as a chance to reflect upon their lives and use its light to provide a sense of renewal and also use it as a signal to come together.

Yet, while that was incredible to witness in its own right, the documentary wasn’t quite done with exploring how mankind celebrates the moon when the timing to do is just right, which meant it was high time for venture to the United States of America in the summer of 2017. Wherein a vast majority of the nation was privy to a flawless solar eclipse and while I knew of someone who went to check this out in Wyoming when it went down, the stories my friend Emily relayed to me about of the wonder of this experience will always pale in comparison to experiencing it live and that’s what made me so appreciative of this segment of the story. Because the viewer was in essence plunged into the heart of these celebrations across America, and we were able to share in the wonder and the joy of others as they watched this celestial dance play out before their eyes.

If anything, this documentary served as a magnificent reminder to take a moment longer to linger on the moon when we do glance up at it and appreciate just how magnificent it truly is and how important it is to our existence on this tiny blue rock hurtling through space. For it has helped to create great beauty on our world since the coral reefs feel the power of the full moon and send their offspring out into the ocean when it arrives, and it has brought forth an important legacy for mankind as well. Because our ties to it go beyond mere celebrations of its influence over the modern world, we’ve actually been there, and there are generations of Americans that now have family ties related to those incredible landings that happened ages ago. And once again, I have to thank BBC America for putting together a beautiful tale that did a fine job of teaching us new things about this grand celestial body in exciting and entertaining fashion and I know the next time I’m outside walking my beagle in the evening, or getting home from a lovely dinner, I’ll be sure to take a moment to look up and appreciate the power and the majesty of our one and only moon. 

I’m always quite intrigued by any television series that offers up a two-parter in the middle of their season because cliffhangers are always a difficult and dangerous venture for a show. Because if everything isn’t perfect, and the finale isn’t top notch and impressive, then a great season or a great story arc is potentially sullied and inevitably scrutinized and that’s why I was supremely curious about how Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was going to wrap up the mess that the team found themselves in at the end of ‘Collision Course (Part I)’. Because if ‘Collision Course (Part II)’ failed to live up to the wonder of its predecessor, it could derail the incredible season that this series has been putting together and thankfully, the story lived to the grand expectations hanging over it.
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Because this one not only found a way to end in the most stunning way imaginable, it accomplished some wonderful things over the course of the hour. For starters, it kept our attention with a race against time plot that saw everyone in danger since May’s team were surrounded by the Shrike with no hope of escape and it took the unleashing of Daisy’s vast power to give them a fighting chance to survive. Plus, Fitz and Simmons found themselves on the Izel’s bad side thanks to a little twist we will get to in a moment, forcing them to hide within the bowels of the ship in order to not be assimilated by the Shrike, and Mac had to deal with a hijacking aboard Zephyr-1 since Sarge made his move and took command of the ship in the hopes of bringing down his nemesis.

Which brings us to the twist that I just made mention of. Because Jemma and Leo were able to get the radio aboard that clunker of a freighter working, and that allowed for them to talk with the team and that conversation is precisely what got them into trouble. Because Izel thought they were in cahoots with Sarge, but before she could unleash her fury upon them, she decided to speak with Sarge. And what was shocking when it comes to this little chat, is that we came to learn that Izel and Sarge have quite the past it would seem, since it was heavily implied that they’ve known one another for a long time, and she actually managed to get under his skin since she teased him and taunted him to the point where he lost his cool and I have to admit, I’m dying to know more. Because there is clearly one hell of a story between these two, but those answers will have to wait for another time since there were bigger matters to handle in this tale.

Because shortly after that conversation, Mack and the team reclaimed Zephyr-1 and found a new ally in Jaco since he finally saw the error of Sarge’s ways. Which meant, he was recruited to help with a rescue mission to bring FitzSimmons back home and that led to the most moving moment of the night. For dear Jaco, a man without a home or a family, sacrificed himself to get that duo home and to keep the Shrike at bay and well, this was touching to say the least. Because it means a complete journey for Jaco, one that sees him as a hero at last and while that’s a hell of a way to end this story, there was still one more surprise waiting for us. For in the closing moments of this tale, May waltzed into Sarge’s cell and plugged him full of bullets, putting an end to his sorted and painful life and leaving us, without a clue as to what prompted her to pull off such a cold-blooded act.

Which means, the conclusion to this cliffhanger, ended on a cliffhanger and that’s just wild to say the least and well, where we go from here is anyone’s guess. Because there is just no way that the Shrike problem is that easily solved since there are so many of them still out there, which means it is only a matter of time before trouble finds the team again, and of course, that whole mess with May has to be addressed. So, I suppose the only way to figure out what waits on the horizon for this team, is to tune in tonight and see where this story takes us. But before it arrives, we can bask in the wonder of this particular tale, because this one was tense and stunning and I tip my cap to the writer’s room for assembling a top notch cliffhanger, one that did a phenomenal job of setting up the endgame for season six. Until next time. 

I think it is safe to assume that each and every one of us, pondered upon what life would be like, if we could have exactly what we wanted, on a moment’s notice, when we were kids. Because life seemed quite unfair at times when we were growing up, especially when our parents told us ‘no’ to something we definitely wanted to do, or when they restricted our freedom because we didn’t finish our chores or our homework. Those are the kind of actions that prompted us to take the time to imagine a world where we were in charge, where everyone had to answer to us and while we know such a reality could never come to fruition, it was a nice way to escape the world for a moment and process why we were grounded or why we were told no. Because eventually, we saw things from our parent’s perspective and moved on with our young lives.

But fiction, always finds a way to revisit the impossible and in some cases the trappings of our youth and it just so happens that Star Trek took the time to explore what could happen if a child was able to harness the power of their imagination and do whatever they wished by way of its next episode, ‘Charlie X’ and well, it turns out that this particular tale, one that I didn’t care much for initially, ended up being quite brilliant after giving it a second look. For this tale accomplished a great many things when all is said and done since it really was able to capture the imagination of youth to a tee since Charlie’s fantasies and actions play out in the wildest of fashion, and seeing him silence people on a whim or make them pay for crossing him truly takes you back to those furious moments in one’s bedroom, where we all pondered upon how we would, ‘show them’.

Yet, while that alone draws one into the story, since it is so supremely relatable, it’s the details of Charlie’s story that make this episode so fascinating. Because from a historical perspective, this tale honestly takes a fascinating look at something socially relevant to the times, since the breakup of the nuclear family was of concern back in the 1960s and while the show didn’t subscribe to the idea that the status quo had to remain since it was so progressive in its own right, the portrayal of Charlie here was perhaps more of a warning of what could come out of this grandiose change to the family lifestyle. After all, a broken family could mean there are children who don’t receive the care and guidance that they need from their father or mother, and by not being present, important formative moments are missed and grand lessons are forgotten. Which makes the moral of this story simple; if by chance your marriage comes to an end, and there are children involved, don’t forget about them and be a great parent to keep them on track.

Which is quite the incredible message to toss into a science fiction show to say the least, but the fact that Charlie looks up to Kirk and needs his guidance speaks volumes to the message and oddly enough, this is a story that also took the time to tackle an important social issue that was gaining steam in the late 1960s; equal rights for women and how they are treated by men. Because Charlie’s inability to treat women with respect takes the center stage often in this tale, and it was quite stunning, in a good way, to see Kirk explain to this confused young man about how he simply cannot go about treating women like objects, since that wasn’t quite the view at the time. But this just goes to show how progressive the series was at the time and I’m equally as impressed with how this part of the story is still relevant today since toxic masculinity is an important topic in our modern world and Charlie Evans is more or less a poster child for everything involving that.

If anything, I have to admit that I was supremely impressed with this re-watch, which on a personal level, is quite the big deal, since I made mention of how I really didn’t like this episode the first time I saw it. I thought Charlie was annoying at first glance and that his goofy face was comical at best. But that was back in the mid-1980s, when I didn’t understand the finer points of character studies, and that’s why we go back and revisit stories like this, because they were put on film for a reason, and now I get what Gene Roddenberry was working to accomplish here and it really is wonderful to see this series dive into such matters this early on. Because most shows wait until their second season to dive into the deeper stuff, which has me wondering what other incredible stories await me down the line since I’m certain there are others that I didn’t ‘get’ my first time around. Which means, it’s time to bring this Retro Recap to a close and return to the bridge of the NCC-1701 to see what kind of brilliant storytelling awaits me in the depths of space. Until next time. 

I have to admit, the more episodes that I watch of season three of Stranger Things, the more I find myself genuinely impressed with the series. Because the scripts this year are simply phenomenal, since they continue to offer up a wealth of juicy plot points for the audience to chew upon, alongside some phenomenal character development and the third episode of this brand-new season is no exception to this unspoken rule. But what truly impressed me when it comes to ‘Chapter Three: The Case of the Missing Lifeguard’ is how this episode took the time to add some incredible depth to the character moments in question.
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But we will get to that in just a moment, because we need to take a moment and discuss how the plot was moved forward in magnificent fashion once again. Because in this tale, we saw Robin figure out exactly what the secret Russian message means, leading to quite the stunning surprise in the middle of the night where she and Dustin and Steve were able to discover that strange Soviet things were happening on the dock of the Starcourt Mall, and I have no doubt that they are super close to discovering what’s going on in that delivery room. Plus, El and Max were able to discover something strange is up with Billy as they searched for the missing lifeguard that shares the episode’s namesake, and while they didn’t get all of the details of what’s going on behind the scenes, what the audience learned was quite incredible to say the least.

Because now we know that the Mind Flayer is slowly building an army since Heather the lifeguard and Billy kidnapped her family to add them to the monster’s growing family, a unit that includes Mrs. Driscoll since we also saw her feasting upon fertilizer when Nancy and Jonathan returned to her house to prove that their story was worth chasing. However, while all of those plot points were juicy in their own right, I mentioned some awesome character related moments in this tale, and the first one that really caught my eye was Will’s journey, since he struggled with the fact that everything was changing in regard to the dynamic with his closest friends. For Mike and Lucas had zero interest in playing D&D with him, they were only focused on the wonder of girls, and it was just fascinating to see that important and relatable teenage moment play out on screen because few shows ever dive into the unfortunate details that come with growing up.

However, the centerpiece of the episode was Joyce and Hopper’s story, since her discoveries led them back to the Hawkins’ lab where so many important moments have occurred in their lives, and while this story ends with plenty of mystery since that big Russian dude was poking around there for something, and was able to beat the tar out of Hopper, the moment these two spent by the old gateway is what matters more. Because down there, in the depths of this place, is where we came to learn how much the past haunts Joyce in this town, and how that pain is making her wonder if by a chance a fresh start wouldn’t be a bad thing and this was just, incredible to see on screen. For few horror stories/sequels ever take the time to address the lasting echoes of trauma and PTSD and to see it play out here was downright brilliant.

If anything, this is an episode that really did leave me in awe when all is said and done. Because normally when you pack this much stuff into a single hour of storytelling, things feel rushed, as if the writer’s room is trying to get to the next script as quickly as possible. But that simply wasn’t the case here. For everything felt natural and the story dedicated the right amount of time to everything that happened here and more importantly, the series didn’t lose its charm in the slightest. Because there were still plenty of chuckle worthy moments in this particular tale, adding to the wonder of this episode and well, I’m definitely ready for more. Because I need to know what’s hiding in that delivery room, and I must know more about the Mind Flayer’s plan, so, on that note, it’s time that I return to the Starcourt Mall, to uncover its secrets. Until next time.

I will never forget, the moment I fell in love with Star Trek. Which is funny, because I don’t remember much else about that day, just that I was playing around with my toys, and my dad was watching television on the couch and what he was watching, looked pretty damn cool. Because a bunch of people in bright colored shirts were flying about space aboard a massive star ship and what they were doing on screen was enough capture my attention, and I put my down my toys and went right over to the couch to see more of this fascinating show. I of course, asked my father what this was, and he told me it was a show named Star Trek and he loved it as a kid, and it was about a man named Kirk, who was captain of a ship named Enterprise that flew around the galaxy, exploring space and well, that was all I needed to hear.

Because space was already on my mind at that young age and seeing a show about it immediately garnered my attention and I watched the remainder of that episode on the couch with him in utter silence because I was simply entranced by what I was seeing and well, I was hooked from that moment on. In fact, that glorious moment led to a life-long love affair with this franchise, one that has allowed for me to enjoy every single series and every single movie as the years have rolled on because this is a franchise that inspires me and fascinates me with every new iteration that arrives on the market thanks to all the wonderful things Star Trek stands for. Because I am hard pressed to think of any other series that truly shows mankind at its best, free from the trappings we place upon ourselves.

But, as I get a little older and the memories start getting a little fuzzy, the time has come to revisit every last iteration of this magnificent saga. In part to escape the daily news cycle, which is something we all do when it comes to television, but more so to celebrate the wonder of this franchise and everything good that it stands for. Which means it is time to return to this glorious vision of the future, one where mankind is united under the banner of a Federation of Planets, where we travel the stars to explore strange new worlds and new civilizations, boldly going where no one has gone before, and really, the best way to kick off this second journey through the stars would be at the absolute beginning, when Captain James Tiberius Kirk and his intrepid crew enjoyed their first adventure together in ‘The Man Trap’. 

Now going forward for these Retro Recaps, I’m going to try my best to steer clear of a heavy discussion of the plot, in part because you’ve likely seen these episodes before, but also because I want to truly celebrate what these stories stood for and how they hold up today and with that in mind, I think the first thing I truly liked about the series premiere of The Original Series was the sense of wonder that it instilled into the audience. Because it wastes no time in just immersing us into the 23rd Century, and by immediately showing us the technological advances that mankind has made in two-hundred and forty-six years, we are instantly entranced by the story and everything it has to offer and we simply must know more about the future and this crew, one made up of diverse humans and aliens alike, and that part of the show still holds great weight.

Because there is something supremely beautiful about seeing a group of individuals from different parts of the world and the galaxy, work together to solve problems, and treat one another as equals, without paying any mind to the color of their skin or the makeup of their species and well, that definitely gave me pause. Because it was just so natural and without thought here, this was just the way the universe is/was in 2265 and it is still breathtaking to see humanity in such an evolved and enlightened place. And I also appreciated how this episode worked hard to add immediate depth to the characters, something that was accomplished by way of Doctor McCoy’s journey in this tale. For we learned just how big his heart is when the story revealed his love for Nancy and it was fascinating to see how those old feelings made his daily duties difficult and of course, there’s that ending, wherein he has to put down the salt-eating creature that resembles his love, and this is so powerful. Because in many ways, this act signals that Bones is truly bidding farewell to his past. 

If anything, this really was quite the solid series premiere, since it does a fine job of establishing the world we’re about to enter and it does provide us with dynamic characters that we instantly care about and it does such a good job in telling its story that one can overlook the only flaw present here, in that, the crew is a little awkward around one another. But that’s expected since this is their first adventure on screen together, but the chemistry is there and really, so is the overall magic when it comes to this series. Because even though this premiere is fifty-three years old, you can truly tell that there is something special happening here, revolutionary even, and I simply cannot wait to dive back into this series and see what new wonders I find within the stories, now that I’m a few years older and on that note, it’s time I log off of here and rejoin the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise as they rush through the stars. Until next time.   

Whether we like to admit it or not, each and every one of us have a breaking point. As to what brings us to that point exactly, is up to the individual. But much like anything else in life, some reach that point quickly, while others take their time in getting to the finish line. But when we cross that line, our psyche is shattered, and we are rattled in ways we never thought possible. And this is on my mind today simply due to the fact, that after watching June endure incredible and harrowing horrors over the past few years in Gilead, and staying strong the entire time, we finally saw her come to her breaking point in last night’s episode of The Handmaid’s Tale and well, it was fascinating to learn exactly what could shatter a woman that seemingly can endure anything that comes her way.
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But ‘Heroic’ finally let us know that the only way to rattle this dynamic woman is to isolate her and keep her away from the world, and such a feat was accomplished by way of one twisted punishment from Aunt Lydia. Because she didn’t forget about all the trouble and heartache that June caused Natalie prior to that epic breakdown inside the store last week. Which meant the only proper penance in Lydia’s eyes, was for June to stay with her walking partner in the hospital until she either woke up or gave birth, and when we catch up with June in this particular tale, she’s been in the hospital with Natalie for over a month. And clearly, being forced to sit on her knees and pray for hours on end with minimal human contact devastated her mind.

Granted, she tried her best to hold on, since she used music to try and maintain a grip upon reality, but the loneliness got to her, and it warped her mind into thinking that maybe, just maybe, there was an ugly solution to her situation after all, since it was clear that there was no escaping this room and she outright tried to kill Natalie, and Serena for that matter in the hopes of finally being free. But, a gentle moment from the doctor in this hospital, gave her pause and helped her realize that her recent attempts to sow insurrection were a dangerous path, one that could potentially leave her in a place where she would never see her daughter’s again, or worse, dead. And that epiphany prompted her to show a little decency once more and ponder upon a fascinating idea/plan that might do some serious damage to Gilead after all.

Because for the past three seasons, we’ve been hoping for a traditional revolution to take hold, one that would see the nation of Gilead burn as the people take to the streets to resurrect the United States of America. But perhaps that simply isn’t the answer, perhaps the only way to defeat and destroy this vile place is to rob it of the fundamental reason it believes it exists, which is to populate the world with children once again. So, if June can pull off this mass exodus of children after all, she may just bring this country to its knees and honestly, I’m all for it. Granted, I’m down for whatever destroys this place, but there’s real potential that such a move might devastate the psyche of this country’s leadership and that somehow, seems like it will do far more damage to this awful nation than say burning down the bastardized version of the Washington Monument, since that can be rebuilt…

But, all plot points aside, let’s not forget to acknowledge the fact that this was… a supremely dark episode. In fact, I would venture to say this was the darkest that season three has offered to date and really, what made this episode so compelling, was Elisabeth Moss’ powerhouse performance in this tale. Because she was able to take us on a painful and harrowing journey with June, one that saw her sink to the darkest recesses of the human mind before coming out of the other side whole again and while I’m sure some will lament the dark nature of this tale, I applaud it. Because sometimes, we have to lose ourselves in every way imaginable to find the right path in our lives since somehow, sorrow gives us clarity and that’s precisely what happened here and it should be interesting to see where a centered June goes from here, and I’m quite curious to see how she will execute her plan to rob Gilead of its most precious resource. Until next time. 

Truth be told, I really thought there was going to be quite the long break in-between seasons when it comes to BBC America’s Top Gear. Because when big changes come to a cast, as was the case with this show, networks tend to take their time in bringing the show back to the airwaves. In order to give the new crew time to properly jell and learn how to work together on camera. But clearly adding Paddy McGuinness and Freddie Flintoff to the roster to work alongside Chris Harris brought outright excitement to the network, since last night saw the premiere of Season 27 of this magnificent series, a mere couple of months after Season 26 came to a close.
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If anything, it quickly became evident, when I settled in to watch this premiere, exactly why BBC America wasted little time in getting this series back on the air with its new set of presenters. Because Fred and Paddy love cars and love driving them, and being able to express their adoration alongside Chris, made it seem as though we were bearing witness to three old friends getting together to talk about cars. And for the first entry in this new iteration of the series, the producers thought it best that the team go back to the beginning and explore the wonder of what got them into their respective love affair with cars in the first place. Which meant they were given four grand each, to get their hands on the closest thing to the first ride they ever owned, in part to help the audience get to know their hosts, but also, to do some cool things with them.

But, more on that in a minute, because first, let’s talk about what rides everyone resurrected from their past, since their choices were fascinating. For instance, Paddy got his hands on a Ford Mark II Escort, and expressed how that car meant the world to him, due to the fact that he bought his first one with his own hard-earned money and I think we can all relate to that. And Chris also went blue collar with his choice, since he stepped behind the wheel of a Mini once again, and it was just cool to learn the humble beginnings of these two stars and how simple cars opened their eyes to the wonder of the road. But you’ll note we haven’t discussed Fred’s choice just yet, and well, that’s because we saved the most unique decision for last, since Fred rolled up in a Porsche Boxster. Yes, that’s right, a Porsche. Because Fred used to play professional cricket, and that’s what allowed for him to make a car as lovely as that, his first ride.

Yet while it was fun to learn all about the hosts’ humble beginnings, there were challenges to be had. For all the raving that the gents made about the wonder of their first cars, prompted the producers to put them to the test, which meant the lads were going on quite the trek. Their goal was to head to the Afar Triangle, a place known as the birthplace of man, and to get there, they would need to traverse the dangerous Simien Mountain range and this, was one heck of a challenge. Because the lads had to deal with sweltering heat and at times, unsafe conditions or no road at all and the cars and the crew definitely stumbled. In fact, Paddy had to use his Escort to tow the Porsche at one point and it was just wild to see these cars bouncing about the salt flats in Ethiopia, with the heat bearing down upon them. But, eventually, they made it to their goal, and this was just a marvelous way to introduce us to the new team.

Because their genuine love of cars shined throughout this episode, and they had a lot of laughs along the way to their final destination, which is always great for the audience, and I know I found myself chuckling often in this one, especially when it comes to the whole thing with the sweater. Plus, we got some of the traditional supercar reviews that we know and love on this show since Chris took the time to compare the Ferrari Pista and the McLaren 600LT and well, when all is said and done, I have to admit that I really enjoyed this episode. It just felt fresh and it was filled with fun, and I love the new hosts through and through and really, I think it is safe to say that the future of Top Gear is a bright one, and I am definitely ready to dive back into this series and enjoy more of the wonder it has to offer in the weeks to come. Until next time. 

While nature is something, we all admire and adore on a regular basis, since it features so much beauty and so much diversity, we can never forget that the world is a tough place and survival matters more than anything else in the wild. Which means that some of the beauty we admire, turns into sorrow and sadness since there are predators that might hunt that cute chipmunk, we fed our lunch to. And while no one likes to think about that part of nature, it’s important we acknowledge it, because this is part of the world we inhabit and understanding both the good and the bad of our ecosystem can be a humbling experience, one that reminds us how lucky we are to live in a stable environment where raw survival isn’t necessity, and last night BBC America did a phenomenal job of getting those points across by way of the documentary, Planet Earth: Best of the Hunt.
 
Now this particular documentary took us all around the world to see how various predators find their prey and while this show definitely took the time to teach us how stealth is supremely important to the hunt, since predators out there have to use it on a regular basis to bring down their prey, what truly impressed me about this particular show, was the sheer fact that it really took the time to focus on the more unique aspects of survival in the wild. For example, I was unaware of how hard some species have to work to get a meal, and how teamwork is paramount to making that happen, and seeing wild dogs work together to eat was truly impressive and somewhat heartbreaking in its own right, but that all spoke to the struggle that these animals must go through, in order to see another day. Yet, while that was fascinating to learn in its own right, this series had more rare scenarios involving survival to show us.
 
Take for example the Hot Rod Ant, a species of insect that live beneath the Namib desert, a place where one would think that ants that tiny wouldn’t be able to survive with the heat that surrounds them on a daily basis. But these little guys, use the cool of the ground to thrive and they stand high enough above the sand to not bake in the heat, and they move with such swiftness that they’re able to avoid heatstroke. And we were also privy to learn more about how tough life is in the tropics, where lizards and insects alike must learn how to remain as still as possible or potentially become food and it was fascinating to see how intense the daily struggle is beneath the leaves, as was learning about how much ingenuity goes into their daily hunts. But while everything we’ve discussed so far was powerful and fascinating, there are two key elements from this story that still have me in awe.
 
Because I was captivated by the Darwin bark spider, a species of arachnid that is teeny in its own right but can spin twenty-five meters worth of web with minimal efforts. In fact, this little spider is so versatile in its work, that it also doesn’t need much down time to start spinning again, because there are obstacles that sometimes prevent the web from being finished, forcing this tiny being to start from scratch. Plus, there was also the Harpy eagle, a bird of prey so large and so well armed with powerful talons that they can outright hunt monkey and sloths, and do so with impunity and this was just, flabbergasting because I hadn’t a clue that there were birds out there that could pull off such a feat, but this eagle can do it with minimal fuss and really, both of these vignettes were fine examples of the power of evolution and quite frankly the power of nature since it always finds a way to get what it needs.
 
Yet, we’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to this documentary, since it also took the time to show us how animals survive in the arctic, where sometimes food is scarce, and it was wild to see how far a polar bear will go to get its calorie count up for the long winter and how some birds and fish and whales feed in the ocean and really, when all is said and done, I suppose the best way to describe this particular documentary would be to call it, epic. Because there was just so much to learn here, and so many incredible moments of harrowing survival that it did indeed accomplish the goals that I made mention of earlier. Because this really was quite the humbling viewing experience and well, kudos to BBC America once again for providing us all with a fascinating slice of our world, one that definitely gives us pause and, truly, I cannot wait to see what other wonders ‘Wild Summer’ has in store for us in the weeks to come. 

Thus far, season six of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been quite the refreshing affair. For the plot now moves at a breakneck pace, and the story is engaging every single step of the way and really, I would venture to say that’s attributed to the fact that this particular season is far shorter than the others that have come before it, allowing for the show to barrel ahead and not waste a single moment of screen time. And well, the benefits of this little change up continue to make themselves apparent since last week’s episode, ‘Collision Course (Part I)’, ended up being filled to the brim with unexpected surprises and juicy plot points.
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If anything, it’s best we talk about the biggest surprises first, since this particular tale finally revealed the identity of the ‘monster’ that Sarge has been chasing and it just so happens to be; Izel. Yes, the friendly alien that freed Fitz and Simmons from Kitson’s evil clutches is Sarge’s number one nemesis and what made this reveal so impressive is the sheer fact that she isn’t at all what we expected. Because the way Sarge set it up, the ‘monster’ was some hulking demon-like creature here to consume our world. But instead, Izel is about as normal in appearance as they come, she just so happens to be able to control the Shrike and use them in stealthy fashion and really, when all is said, while this reveal and everything else Mac learned about her in this tale was fascinating, we honestly still don’t know what her intentions are for Earth at this point.

Which brings us to the other wave of surprises in this tale, which involved Sarge. Because Mack came to realize that there was a good chance that Sarge was going to try and double cross S.H.I.E.L.D. despite making an honest deal with Mack. So, rather than risk major trouble, he worked out a new deal wherein May and Daisy and Deke accompanied Sarge and Snowflake on their attack run and well, it’s a good thing that Mack changed things up. Because the doppelgänger did indeed have an agenda of his own, one that involved blowing up two-hundred miles of the heartland in order to put a stop to Izel and unfortunately for the team, he’s close to succeeding in his twisted plan since he left the escort team alone to join the boys on Zephyr-1 and Deke only has precious minutes left to disarm the bomb in the truck before it blows. Which means Mack is going to have to make a decision real soon on how to handle this mess, since Izel was preparing to land in the closing moments of this tale, and Deke, might not stop the bomb in time…

Yet, while this episode ends on one intense cliffhanger, this episode still found a way to have some serious fun along the way. After all, having Daisy spend some quality time with Sarge made for some delightfully hilarious moments, because hearing her call him an ‘Ass-Thing’ is about as funny as it gets. Plus, all the banter between Fitz and Simmons was a true delight since Fitz found himself to be an inadequate second fiancé and let’s be honest, the true highlight of the episode comedy wise was Deke and Snowflake’s romantic interlude, because that was just out of left field. Because I really thought she was going to filet him like a fish and I guess the plus side here, is that Deke is finally getting over his crush on Daisy.

If anything, I really enjoyed this episode. It did a fine job of moving the plot along, it answered some burning questions and it set the stage for an explosive finale. But, all of that aside, I have to be honest, I’m really starting to wonder who the villain is here exactly. I mean don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot wrong with how Izel operates, but the way Sarge is handing this mess, really has me wondering if his intentions are noble after all, or if this is just two wildly unhinged villains doing their thing on our planet and it’s about settling a score over saving lives. I suppose we will find out as time goes on, and I wouldn’t be shocked in the slightest, if tonight’s ‘Part II’ helps us to understand what both of these shady characters are up to. Until next time.       

As we come to the end of this written journey through season two of CHiPs, I have to admit that I am thoroughly impressed with the series thus far. Because I really was expecting to run into a lot of dated and cheesy moments and some sexism and misogyny as I poured through these episodes, but this series has truly surprised. Because a lot of the quirkier things about the late 70s and early 80s have actually been kept to a minimum here (outside of the fashion from that era), since the show focuses on quality storytelling above all else, and while at times it has handled moments involving women in silly and unfortunate fashion, it’s also knocked some female themed stories out of the park, like when Ponch faced off against a criminal mastermind, that just so happened to be a lady.
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But despite progress there, the show really did screw the pooch when it aired the mess that is ‘The Matchmakers’. Because anything positive and respectful, related to women, was tossed out the window in that tale, since it provided us with a story involving a woman that could only find solace and salvation by falling in love with a man. And well, I’ve been wondering for some time now if the show was ever going to try and make up for that debacle and as it turns out, an apology was most certainly on the agenda. Because the season two finale of this series, ‘Ride the Whirlwind’, put Officer Sindy Cahill and her desire to be a motorcycle officer at the forefront of the story, and the end result of this decision made for one magnificent journey.

Because in this particular tale, the CHP was dealing with quite the problem in the hills, since dirt bikers were running amuck and causing all kinds of trouble, and they knew they could get away with it since the CHP’s bikes were too heavy to handle the terrain. Enter Ponch and Jon and oddly Grossie, because they had the dirt biking skills to take part in a special assignment to patrol these hills and bring these guys down. But, so did Sindy, and she was really hoping to get in on this special detail, in order to show off her skills on a bike, and maybe get into the motor program. But a quirk of fate is what put Grossie in her spot in the first place and well, thankfully all the guys involved here were on the same page in that, she deserved this opportunity and thanks to a little creativity on Grossie’s part, she made the team, she fought through injury and she brought down the bad guys.

That’s really all the time we’re going to spend today talking about the plot because, I really want to take a moment and discuss the support that Sindy gets in this episode, since it is just glorious and unique. Granted, at first glance it seems as though the support in question is a tad stereotypical since she doesn’t get her shot without a man’s help, but that makes sense here. After all, it was 1979, and the prevalent belief in the CHP was expressed by the sarge in that, women can’t be motor officers. So in reality, seeing Ponch and Grossie and Jon go the extra mile to get her on a bike was quite wonderful to say the least and it was supremely classy to see how much they believed in her abilities as a motor officer, and that she truly deserved a chance at this.

If anything, this definitely wipes away the stain that is ‘The Matchmakers’ and it’s great to see a series set in an era of disco and sexism offer up a surprisingly progressive tale, and I’m so glad Sindy finally got an episode of her own where she was the hero because she’s an awesome and resourceful character that was underutilized this season, and a Sindy-centric tale, one that celebrates her skills, is a wonderful way to wrap up a magnificent season. Because year two really was filled to the brim with brilliant and thoughtful stories, the kind that moved me and what also makes season two so incredible is the sheer fact that this series found a genuine storytelling groove this early into its existence, and if CHiPs grew this much in a single year, then I cannot wait to see what year three has in store for me. Until next time.