If there’s one universal truth when it comes to human beings, it is that, every last one of us, hate making mistakes in life. Because they’re embarrassing to say the least, since they can make our social life awkward or leave us filled with doubt when they happen at our workplace. But while we despise them through and through, they are sadly, a fact of life since no one is perfect and really, what matters most when we make a goof, is how we respond to them. For there is a choice present when we screw something up; we can either own it and find a way forward, or let it stew within the recesses of our soul and oddly enough, both of those elements were explored in fascinating fashion in the next episode of CHiPs.
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Because ‘CHP BMX’ saw Sergeant Getrear, the straightest arrow to ever wear a California Highway Patrol badge, make a big mistake. The kind that allowed for a criminal to go free when he forgot to secure the evidence after a high-speed chase/drug bust and well, this was stunning to say the least. Because you know Joe, in his mind mistakes are not a thing, and if this seems supremely out of character for the sarge, well there was an honest to god reason for Joe’s stumbles in this tale. Because his son Tim was hurt in a car crash in the opening moments of this episode and let’s be honest, who wouldn’t be distraught and distracted by that kind of unexpected trauma? But this series of events allowed for us to understand exactly how much Joe Getrear believes in perfection, because all of this, did not settle well with him.

Because he blamed himself for Tim’s accident since he could have driven his boy home and the guilt present from that, and from letting a mistake happen on his watch, was only amplified when the captain put Joe on vacation to help him clear his head. So, rather than let all of this stew about in his mind, Joe took it upon himself to bust this guy in his spare time and set things right, and he pulled in a few favors to get an unmarked car to keep an eye on the guy and thankfully, Ponch and Jon eventually figured out what Joe was up to and took the time to talk to him and help him in order to support a friend that was in the dumps. And with a little teamwork, the sarge was vindicated since the dealer in question was finally arrested, complete with the proper evidence, and eventually Getrear was back at work once his son’s wounds healed.

Yet, the theme of helping and supporting others didn’t end with the sarge’s story, since the CHP was putting together a youth BMX group, and while Ponch and Jon were out and about teaching bike safety to kids, Ponch ran into a troubled kid named Danny who was directionless at this point in his life. Which of course, prompted Frank to step in and try and help this young man by having him join the BMX team, giving him some goals to work toward in life. Which sounds pretty by the numbers for this series, but even this plot point found a way to surprise. Because Danny was a hard egg to crack and he pushed his luck to the limit before he finally listened to Ponch and reason and wouldn’t you know it? Danny ended up being quite the valuable addition to the BMX team.  

But, while that was a positive and wonderful storyline to feature in this tale, let’s be honest, it’s Getrear’s story that steals the show in this one. Because we really haven’t gotten to know the sarge all that well in the first two years of this series and meeting his wife and his son, and seeing how much perfection and the job means to Joe was downright incredible, as were all the human moments that came with it since everything Joe did in this tale is about as relatable as it gets and kudos to Robert Pine for turning in such a wonderful performance and kudos to the show for taking the time to explore Joe’s life. Because it is the characters that matter most in this series, and this was just a delight of an episode when all is said and done and well, season two continues to impress and if the finale is anything like this one, then year two is going to close out in magnificent fashion. Until next time. 

If there’s one thing television audiences always enjoy, it’s the origin story of any particular villain and there is good reason for that. Because the evil that men and women do to one another, is not something instilled in humans from birth, it is taught, it develops over time and sometimes a singular moment or event in that person’s life changes them and allows for their soul to slip into the darkness, and that…outright fascinates us. We simply have to know what drives a person to that particular point in their lives and it just so happens that last night’s episode of The Handmaid’s Tale took the time to explore that unfortunate turning point for one the show’s greatest villains, Aunt Lydia.
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For ‘Unfit’ transported us once again to the days before Gilead to spend a little time with a Lydia Clements, who as it turns out, used to be a person that genuinely cared about other human beings. In fact, her faith is what drove her compassion, and as a fourth grade teacher, Lydia tried desperately to make a positive impact on her student’s lives, even going so far as to reach out and offer help to a family in need, all in the hopes of fulfilling her duties as a good Christian woman. But, while it was jarring to see a kinder and gentler Lydia in this tale, one can never forget that she is a leader in her own right in Gilead, and like those she helps and serves now, she is weak and felt marginalized in a world that didn’t embrace her beliefs and all it takes for someone like that to find strength, is the perfect moment that proves their way is the right way and that opportunity is what transformed Lydia into the woman we know today.

Because when she was encouraged to get back out into the world and date and enjoy a taste of life by the young mother that she took the time to help, Lydia found herself in a compromised position with her potential beau. One where her physical and emotional needs took hold and when those were not reciprocated, for reasons that didn’t involve spite, she regressed out of embarrassment and felt as though, her humiliation arrived out of giving into sin and that’s when Aunt Lydia was born. Because she immediately transformed herself into a ‘pure’ woman and made her temptress pay, since she called child services and filed the kind of report that removed a young child from the young mother’s home, and this particular brand of cruelty was something only Aunt Lydia could accomplish and the brilliant physical transformation on display here signaled that the pure Christian version of Lydia had come to the surface and this newfound dedication to her love of ‘God’ definitely explains why she has risen to prominence in Gilead.

Yet, while it was fascinating to learn all of this about Aunt Lydia, her backstory served a purpose. Because some of Lydia Clements survived the transition to Gilead, since she believes in giving her girls a chance, until they show themselves to be unworthy of redemption and it would seem reflecting upon her past was a necessity to help guide her with the constant power struggle, she’s taking part in with June. For our heroine found new ways to punish Ofmatthew in this tale, to the point where she outright snapped and attempted to put down Aunt Lydia in a fit of panicked rage, an act that resulted in her taking a bullet instead and well, when all is said and done this was a heavy and powerful episode, one that set the stage for an incredible showdown between Aunt Lydia and June.

Because June is truly wielding some serious power right now and asserting herself as a leader of a different kind of resistance, one that is seemingly beginning to chip away at Gilead’s precious foundations, and it should be interesting to see where that is headed in the coming weeks. But in the here and the now, this was a fascinating look at Aunt Lydia’s life before the storm, and all I can feel for her now is pity, now that we know what a weak and angry creature she is. But she does have power, since her fellow cowards have granted it to her, and now that she’s come to the point where she believes mercy is no longer in play for June, things may get worse before they get better and it may be time to brace ourselves once again because I get the funny feeling, some ugly days are ahead. Until next time.   

Sometimes, television shows change things up and offer their audience some unique plotlines and character moments, and there’s good reason for that. Because once in a while you simply have to mix it up storytelling wise, but while the characters may go and do something new, and the story may surprise, all of these shows stick to one inherent rule; never mess with the core formula of the show. That means if the story takes place on a starship in space, you keep the starship involved somehow, and if it’s a police serial named CHiPs, and it is about two highway motorcycle cops named Frank Poncherello and Jon Baker, you keep those guys on their bikes and on the highways.
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Which is why I was so incredibly surprised by the next episode in this series, ‘Quarantine’. Because this particular tale did the outright impossible and found a way to take both Ponch and Jon off the road in the most unique way imaginable, by exposing some of the CHP’s finest officers to a potentially contagious and dangerous illness. That, was set into motion by having Ponch and Jon join in on a high speed pursuit early on in this tale, wherein we learned that two college gals were being held hostage by a young Asian man, who was sitting in the backseat of their car with a pipe bomb, and rather than let them get to his desired destination of Bakersfield, they led the vehicle to Central and that’s where things really got interesting.

Because once this unfortunate convoy arrived at their destination, the young man stepped inside Central and promptly passed out after threatening Grossie, Getrear, Sindy and Jon and a couple of prisoners present in the breakroom with his homemade bomb. And that’s when we came to discover that he was severely ill, prompting a quarantine of headquarters and well, my first worry was that this episode would quickly go into some boring territory since clearly the formula was about to be abandoned in this tale. But thankfully, that wasn’t the case in the slightest. Because the addition of the criminals I made mention of, allowed for some fascinating plot lines to unfold. After all, it’s not every day that a man with multiple personality disorder is included in a quarantine, something that everyone in the office handled beautifully by way of respect and genuine care for this man, and it was equally as entertaining to see Sindy chase the other guy through the ventilation shafts when he tried to escape.

But the true centerpiece of this segment of the story revolved around a quest for knowledge. Because if the doctors at the hospital could figure out where this young man came from, they would better understand his symptoms and if his illness was a legitimate issue or not, and thanks to Jon and Sindy’s fine detective work, they were eventually able to figure out why he wanted to go to Bakersfield. In that, a family there was going to adopt him and they also discovered that his path from South Korea to Los Angeles meant that whatever he picked up along the way, wasn’t contagious after all, meaning a happy ending was in order since everyone was able to go home without a single worry when it comes to their health, including the gentlemen in custody, since the charges were completely dropped for both of them.

If anything, this really did turn out to be one impressive episode, for several reasons. First and foremost, it was bold. I mean come on, taking Ponch and Jon off of the road for a majority of an hour? That really is a brave move, because we tune in for highway chases and quick thinking from our dynamic duo, so to slow it down here was quite a risk, one that quite frankly, paid off in spades. Because this really was a well-acted, compelling story, and the perfect blend of quick quips and juicy plot points allowed for the hour to fly by and well, this is just another home run for this series, and I am very happy to see that the tail end of season two is once again focused on telling unique stories that change things up and I get the funny feeling that the final two episodes of this season, are going to be utterly phenomenal because, why stop now? Until next time.  

If there’s one thing I’ve noticed about police serials as a whole, it’s that, sequels to the storylines present in these shows, are often a rarity. That’s due in large part to the fact that most episodes involving hard-boiled police officers tend to wrap up in neat fashion week to week, allowing for the series to explore all kinds of goodies within the framework of a season. But once in a while, a police serial figures out how to make a follow-up happen, in the most seamless of fashion for that matter, as was the case with the next episode of CHiPs.
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Because ‘Bio-Rhythms’ saw the return of Robbie Davis, who if you recall, was the truck driver that Ponch and Jon rode alongside in ‘The Volunteers’ and in this particular tale, we came to learn that her father finally made good on his promise to retire from the business and hand it over to his little girl, and that business was booming, that is until a problem child moved into Los Angeles. Because our first reunion with Robbie involves her truck being violently rammed by another truck, driven by a man named Murray, who just so happens to work for a sleazeball named Karl Maddox, and Karl, well he wants the entire trucking business under his thumb in Los Angeles. And Robbie is the last hold-out that’s keeping him from achieving that goal, and he will stop at nothing to put her out of business to complete his empire.

Which of course means that Ponch and Jon, and Robbie’s dad Charlie and his buddy Sam, all reunite in this story to figure out who is going after Robbie, and this whole reunion worked out pretty well. Because the chemistry these actors built in the prior episode is still present here, and that only enhances the story further, and it raises the stakes to a whole new level when Karl starts making deadly moves to get what he wants and since we know and love these characters already, it makes Charlie’s decision to dig into this and help lead the cops to Karl, supremely satisfying. Especially at the end when Karl is finally confronted for his crimes and arrested because seriously, trying to kill someone just to get all of their business is messed up and I hope there’s a follow up reference down the line mentioning that Karl got life in prison.

But, while the action here was tense and outright explosive in every sense of the word, since hey, we saw Ponch and Jon fly off their motorcycles in the finale, this episode really did make sure to have as much as fun as possible. The kind that went above and beyond, since the whole ‘Ponch in a towel’ sequence was downright hilarious and the Bio-Rhythms mentioned in the title only add to the joy as well. Because Frank tried desperately to find a way to make money off of this new science that Sindy and the department were studying and the end result of Ponch’s eyes locking on the monetary prize was pretty darn funny, since he put Jon in an embarrassing situation and lost out on all the money he thought he was going to win and in the end, this really was quite the awesome episode.

Because it was just supremely awesome to see a police serial figure out a way to bring about a sequel, and really, having some of the good guys return was a stroke of genius because it allowed for the series to stay true to its lighthearted nature, instead of diving into a twisted revenge plot from an old crook. But what made this follow-up truly worthwhile is that everything here felt organic in nature, as though this was a little slice of life on the small screen and that’s the kind of thing that just immerses the audience further into the character’s fictional lives and well, I have to admit, that this was definitely a unique story to throw into the mix and with only three episodes left in season two, I truly cannot wait to see what other surprises await me as we close in on the season finale. Until next time.  

Admittedly, I was pretty harsh on the last episode of CHiPs that we sat down to discuss and well, there was good reason for that. Because ‘The Matchmakers’ really did see this brilliant series take a step back storytelling wise, which is a shame for certain since season two has offered up some incredibly enriching and thoughtful stories, and as I settled in to watch the next chapter in this series, it quickly became apparent to me that I’m not the only one that felt that way about the prior episode. Because ‘Rally ‘Round the Bank’ was clearly designed to be a bit of an apology episode from the powers that be, since it took the time to immediately return the series to what it does best by giving Ponch and Jon some formidable Creeps of the Week to contend with.
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For in this particular tale, we were introduced to a pair of bank robbers who set up the perfect crime. Because shortly after relieving a drive thru bank teller of the cash in their drawer, they would immediately head to a pre-selected area in order to change the look of their vehicle before re-joining a rally race that was making its way around the greater Los Angeles area, allowing for them to blend in and get away, and what made them so formidable, is the sheer fact that they always found a way to escape Ponch and Jon’s clutches. That’s thanks in large part to their thinking ahead, since they delicately cased the area surrounding the bank they stole from, but our dynamic duo didn’t know that in the slightest, meaning that the pressure was on from Sergeant Getrear to catch these guys and quick.

But what made this episode so incredibly interesting, is the sheer fact that it found a way to add immediate levity to this storyline, by bringing an unexpected visitor into the mix; Ponch’s mom. Because as Ponch and Jon worked the case, Maria Poncherello stopped by to see her son and see how he was doing and this, honestly made for some wonderful television. Because it was nice to see Ponch interact with his mom and see how much he loves and respects her, and it was equally as touching to see a mother drop in to check in on her baby boy and make sure he was happy with his life and his career choice and it is these more intimate moments that always made this show worthwhile since this kind of character development is just rare in police serials.

However, while that was lovely in its own right, the California Highway Patrol needed to catch these guys before the Rally Race came to a close and while Ponch and Jon were pondering upon the case with some of the Rally members and their co-workers at a Disco Rodeo, which…apparently was thing back in 1979, Ponch’s mom came up with a great idea on how to bring these guys down. Because if they were hitting banks along the route, why not place officers at potential targets? And that idea prompted the CHP to map out any banks on the last leg of the race, and do as Momma Poncherello suggested and well, her plan helped throw the thieves off guard, allowing for the Sarge, Ponch and Jon to eventually corner them and it also allowed for mom to leave Los Angeles with a sense of pride that her son was truly doing something special.

If anything, this was quite the feel-good episode when all is said and done. Because we got all kinds of warm fuzzies from the whole ‘visit from mom’ plot-line and honestly, it really worked like a charm in this tale, and that’s thanks in large part to the acting chemistry present between Anna Navarro, who played Maria, and Erik Estrada, because it really did feel like a mother and son were interacting in genuine fashion and well, that plot thread, and the return of the traditional Creeps of the Week, made this episode feel like old times. Plus, we were also able to learn that Ponch’s twice burned car is still in action, which is nice because hey, you want the man to get his $83 bucks worth out of it. But, while this was a joy to watch, I am hoping that the series wasn’t spooked by the prior episode and is going to play it safe for the remainder of season two. Because it’s onto something special here and backing away from juicer plot lines, would just be a disappointment when all is said and done. Until next time.   

Mankind’s relationship with nature is fascinating to say the least. For the trees and the wildlife that surround us, tend to serve as a wonderful way to forget about the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives and while it’s a good thing to truly reconnect with nature and take in the wonder of the world that surrounds us, the fact that we use it as an escape doesn’t really allow for us to truly appreciate its majesty. Because once we are back at the office, plugging away, we immediately forget about the power and the beauty of the world we are lucky to be a part of, and that’s a message that I couldn’t help but noticed permeated the latest earth-themed documentary from BBC America, Enchanted Kingdom.
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Because this documentary wasted no time in showing us how we sometimes lose ourselves in the concrete and metal jungles that we surround ourselves with and in doing so, we lose sight of the fact that there is a whole world out there, thriving and teaming with life. And rather than provide us with a massive look at the entire planet, it instead narrowed its focus to the continent of Africa, wherein we took a journey through everything this majestic and rich continent has to offer, in the most unique fashion imaginable. Because I couldn’t help but notice that this documentary found a way to focus on those truly special places, where it doesn’t seem possible for life to thrive.

For example, we spent a little time in the heart of Africa’s jungles, where the vegetation is so thick that the sun doesn’t reach some places, and that’s forced the driver ant to evolve to function without sight, to the point where they are feared since they can devour just about anything that gets in their path. Plus, we got to spend a little time in places that would be poisonous to most life, yet there are flamingos that thrive in these places, feasting upon algae that helps to keep their feathers beautiful, and we were even able to gain a little insight on how plants and other species handle the up and down nature of Mt. Kenya, since the inhabitants there experience all four seasons, over the course of a single day.

But, while it seems as though focusing only on the unique is a strange way to hammer home the point that there’s a whole forgotten world out there, diversity is the point. Because seeing every biosphere that Africa has to offer, helps to remind us that we need to appreciate every nook and cranny of this tiny little blue rock that we call home. Yet, while all of these places were magnificent to look at in their own right, and while it was equally as awesome to see what wild creatures roam about in these places, what mattered the most when it comes to this documentary, was the fight for survival that we were privy to. Because every species here and around the globe, are trying their best to get along and would like to see another tomorrow and that’s where the message for this tale, came around full circle.

Because, that’s exactly what we are doing too, in our own way of course, but the similarities are there none the less. If anything, that little revelation, made the ending of this story powerful and poignant. For it reminds us that we are still a part of nature in our own right, we just tend to miss that fact, since our world is a little different. But it never hurts to slow down and appreciate how lucky we are to be alive on a planet teeming with life and beauty and well, you can’t go wrong with a documentary that reminds you of that fact (or one that features magnificent narration from Idris Elba) and well, when all is said and done, this really was a beautiful look at our world and I cannot thank BBC America enough for once again putting together a powerful piece on the wondrous planet we’ve all been gifted with. 

You know, I have to fully admit, that I was a touch nervous to settle in and watch the next episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. simply because, there was a fair chance it was going to evoke more feels than my heart was ready to bear. Because this was it, this was the moment when ‘Phil Coulson’ returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ and you know darn well, that wasn’t going to sit right with a lot of people. For Phil was a father and a beloved leader to so many and seeing Daisy and the others have to interact with this angry and vengeful version of Phil might cause more harm than good. But as it turns out, ‘Toldja’, ended up being an episode that actually brought out the best in the team as they faced this strange twist of fate, and it even dropped a surprise or two in our laps along the way.
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But, before we dive into those, let’s spend a little time discussing how the team held their heads high when dealing with Phil’s doppelgänger. Because this really should have broken all of them, in record time. However, a simple conversation with the man, and hearing how he speaks and how he looks at people was enough to shatter the mystique of the face that Sarge and Phil share, and it allowed for the team to quickly realize, that this is not the same man, this is some angry and twisted version of him, and that he’s dangerous, which made locking him up a little easier. But getting the man to talk was a whole different story. Because Sarge wanted nothing to do S.H.I.E.L.D, and what it stands for, he just wanted to complete his mission and made a promise to Mack that he’d be running the place by the end of the day.

Which, was something that Mack was happy to scoff at, because he truly believed that his agents could handle anything thrown their way, and to prove that point, he moved forward on a mission to capture a pair of people infected with the Shrike, in order to figure out how to stop them and needless to say, that did not go well. Because the Shrike know how to quickly make life dangerous for anyone that captures them since they can connect with one another and build their strange crystalline latticing, which meant, Zephyr-1 was now in a bad place, and the only person that could help the team was Sarge. Of course, he had some demands first, in that he needed his freedom and the freedom of his team before giving Mack the intel he needed and well, wouldn’t you know it, the man was right after all. Because Mack gave him what he wanted, and he thusly saved the day, and found himself in charge.

Yet while all of that was fast paced and intense in its own right, the story found a way to break things up with a little lighthearted storyline involving Fitz and Jemma and Enoch, since we found out where the transport ring took them in this tale and it just so happens that they ended up right back where they started, on Kitson. Which, posed quite a few challenges because, it sure isn’t Earth and they need money to navigate this place, and they’re also wanted for causing all kinds of trouble, prompting them to try and sneak out to the ship that brought Fitz and Enoch there in the first place. But alas, the purveyor of this planet, Mr. Kitson, felt it best that this trio pay their debts off first before leaving, possibly with their lives, so it’s quite the wonderful thing that a stranger named Izel paid for their freedom since she has business to tend to on Earth…

If anything, this was a pretty solid episode when all is said and done. Which is quite the surprise when one considers the fact that this was a transitional episode designed to wrap a few things up and set a few things up as well. Because we really did need Fitz and Simmons to get back to Earth so they can properly help with this unsettling new threat and well, I think we all knew it was only a matter of time before Sarge and S.H.I.E.L.D. teamed up to battle their common foe, so it was nice to see the team get to know the new mission leader before the fight against the Shrike gets underway. If anything, the only questions hanging over the ending of this episode, are whether or not Sarge can in fact, play nice with others when necessary and if he can value life for a change and well, thankfully we don’t have to wait too long to find out, since the next chapter in this stellar season is but a few hours away. Until next time.  

There is no greater moment for a television series than when the story finds a way to make the audience’s jaw drop in complete and utter surprise. For being able to do that, when there are so many television shows on the air, means that something powerful and incredible happened in the story, and it just so happens, that Designated Survivor managed to pull of this particular feat. For ‘#truthorconsequences’ was simply a magnificent and fascinating story, one that challenged the audience and its characters like never before when it comes to this series and well, it’s best we dig right in and discuss what made this particular tale so incredible and so bittersweet.

For you see, this should have been a celebratory tale, since President Kirkman won re-election in this story, but the circumstances surrounding his victory instead give the viewer pause. Because the season three finale took the time to dive full bore into the question that the last episode posed, specifically whether or not a man like Kirkman can maintain his moral standing in Washington when there’s blood in the proverbial political water and apparently the answer to that question is a resounding no. Because once he was presented with the evidence that Emily brought to him, he chose to bury the whole mess out of the belief that he was doing the right thing for the country, and that will come back to haunt him in his second term.

After all, the FBI had to get involved in the matter since Emily tipped them off in regard to what Miles and Lorraine were up to and sadly, it’s clear that Moss is aware of what went down as well since he let Kirkman have his moment in the sun, all while hinting at being a thorn in Tom’s side down the road and really, what makes this story so breathtaking and stunning, is the sheer fact that you don’t know what to think about Tom, once the dust from this election settles. Because initially, you want to follow his line of thinking and his absolution of his actions because there is some logic to be found in what he says to his therapist. But the fact of the matter is, there’s no justification here, and no common ground to be settled upon; because Tom Kirkman did a very, very, bad thing.

Which of course leads one to wonder, has Washington corrupted this good man? And I think the answer to that question is, no. I think Tom surrounded himself with some bad people and got some supremely stupid advice, and is now going to pay the price dearly in the weeks and years to come since the stigma of being ‘illegitimate’ will continue to hang over his head. Which means, the only thing that matters now, is what Tom does next with all of this. How does he recover, how does he win back the American people and more importantly, his soul, since he’s hosting great doubts about the man he’s become during this campaign and all of this, is downright brilliant when all is said and done. Because this makes Tom Kirkman more human than ever since we’ve all made dubious decisions when the prize is right within our reach and also because, this could become quite the compelling redemption story in season four.

Unfortunately, though, as of press time, Netflix has not announced whether or not Designated Survivor is coming back for a fourth season and honestly, I really hope they give it the greenlight. Because while it may have stumbled a bit early on, this show quickly found its footing and accomplished wonders storytelling wise and I’m ecstatic that it finished on this ambiguous and provocative note, because this was just great writing that quite frankly, speaks to how this show is evolving to tackle real world topics in a manner that no political series has done before. So, please, Netflix, as a fan, I implore you, give us more of this powerful and poignant journey. Because this series really is becoming something special and it wouldn’t be right to end Kirkman’s story, without giving him a proper shot, at redemption.  

It is quite rare in this day and age, to settle in and watch and a television series and have no idea where it is headed. For this era of peak television, allows for the audience to have some notion of what the story in question is trying to accomplish so that everything comes together beautifully in the season finale, allowing for one grand payoff for the fans, and that’s a direct result of the fact that showrunners and writer’s rooms are able to assemble their ideas far in advance. Which is why I’m outright stunned when a show seemingly enters undiscovered and uncertain territory, especially one as well-crafted as The Handmaid’s Tale.
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Because this is a series where every dark moment is carefully pondered upon, and where ideas and plot threads are gently woven together. But for the first time in the show’s short history, it seems as though everything that season three was going to stand for has been blow to pieces. For the revolution we were hoping for, seems so far away. Because June is truly on her own now, without an ally in her corner in Gilead, since her darling Nick has betrayed her and gone off to fight Gilead’s ridiculous holy war and Serena has more or less lost her mind as she desperately attempts to get baby Nichole back into her arms and really, all of this chaos now begs the question, where the heck do we go from here?

Well it seems that even the series isn’t quite ready to answer that particular question at this point, since ‘Under His Eye’, really didn’t do a whole lot to move the plot forward, instead opting to dive the audience into a little bit of world building once again since we spent a lot of time in Washington, D.C., wherein we learned that Gilead, a nation that prizes its children over anything else, isn’t above using them as pawns for political and monetary gain. For Commander Winslow expressed a desire for Fred to take his time when it comes to the forthcoming extradition negotiations, to see what other leverage they can gain from baby Nichole, and not let Serena know much more than ‘they’re working on it’. Which is twisted and out of touch, but considering how the D.C. storyline showed us the decadence and aloofness present in the capital, that should come as no surprise since this predominately white and incredibly rich segment of Gilead is clearly obsessed with patting themselves on their backs for creating a nation full of lies and atrocities.

Yet, while it is always fascinating to learn more about this chilling place, June is of course our heroine and the focal point of this tale and now that she was faced with no hope or direction once again, she opted to get close to the only thing she has left in this place, her daughter. Which means she worked the system and used Elanor Lawrence’s desire to do more than just exist, in order to get close to Hannah and sadly, her efforts were all for naught. For she didn’t get into the facility to see her baby, and the always annoying Ofmatthew ratted her out to Aunt Lydia and anyone that would listen, prompting Gilead to move the McKenzine’s to who knows where, and manipulate June into believing that the McKenzie’s Martha had harmed her baby to try and get her to comply, a revelation that pushed June to edge of killing Ofmatthew.

So, that’s where this chapter ends, with June full of fury and Serena being lied to and well, this episode really did feel lost when all is said and done. Because there was just no focus to be found here, and at times some of the stuff felt like filler and well, I cannot help but wonder if this is all part of the plan. For as I said earlier, this is a carefully crafted series, one that rarely wastes a moment, which means that June’s anger here and Fred’s continued manipulation of Serena to get what he wants could backfire when Serena learns the truth. So, in the here and the now, the jury is still out when it comes to this particular tale, and I’ll wait to see where it goes because dang it, the time really is right for revolution. Because June and so many other characters in this tale deserve better and it should be interesting to see what awaits us in this story going forward since anything can happen at this point. Until next time.

I have to admit, that binging is something I don’t normally do. Because I like to take a moment after every episode, of whatever series I’m watching, to ponder upon and properly process everything I’ve just seen. But, when a story is truly knocking it out of the park, and drawing me in, that’s when I tend to break my little viewing rule and hit ‘play’ without giving it a second thought, and that’s precisely what happened when it comes to the next episode of Designated Survivor. Because I simply had to know what was going to come out of the discovery that someone within Moss’ campaign was tied to this horrendous attempt to hurt people and well, ‘#undecided’ certainly didn’t disappoint when it comes to resolving that matter.
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But at first, it certainly didn’t seem like that was going to be the case. Because Phil was placed under 24/7 surveillance by the FBI, meaning that well, nothing was happening. Which was something that didn’t sit well with the President and he asked Mars to maybe nudge things along, just a little bit in order to bring Brunton to justice and thankfully, the FBI listened, and his arrest actually led to more surprises along the way. For Detwiler was also implicated in the scheme, making Moss look like a complete and utter fool, and of course, at election time, this kind of stuff matters. Which meant that Moss was suddenly sinking in the polls, opening up all kinds of new opportunities for Kirkman, the kind that Lorraine was happy to take full advantage of, since she altered the president’s speaking tour for the final days of the campaign in order to give him a chance to try and gain some ground in states that he had zero chances of winning before the story broke.

Which, at first glance, made it seem as though the series was taking the easy way out and wrapping up this crisis and the election with a neat little bow, which would have been quite disappointing. But this little twist was apparently all part of the plan. Because by giving Kirkman a grand opportunity to seize this momentum, the story was able to ask a powerful question; can a good man stay true to his moral code when given the chance to seize the day with zero consequences? And the answer to that conundrum, ended up being a resounding…maybe. For when Kirkman was faced with the possibility that having Sasha introduce him on the main stage in Texas could hurt him in the polls, he caved, knowing damn well it was wrong thing to do, a fact that was reinforced by Moss himself when he called Tom to the carpet on playing the game for a change.

Granted, Kirkman eventually apologized and relented on that matter, but this felt super important, as though it’s going to come up again in the days to come, and that ominous feeling was only compounded further by Lorraine’s actions in this tale. For she leaked footage of Moss speaking poorly of people of color in order to kick a man when he’s down and make it seem as though, he’s a co-conspirator in this mess after all, and unfortunately for her, Donate figured out what she was up to and that she worked this out with Moss’ mole and well, that prompted him to call Emily for help in her darkest hour. For she said farewell to her mother in this tale, and was at her lowest because of it, and initially, she really didn’t care about what Donate had to say because she needed time to grieve. But, her sense of duty took hold and she followed Donate’s instructions on how to check Lorraine’s computer for clues and what she found was stunning, since there was a file hiding on that machine, one that may exonerate Moss from any wrongdoing.

If anything, that sets the stage for one epic season finale. Because you know that Emily is going to take this right to Kirkman and really, how he handles the discovery of this data is what matters because it will relate back to the question this episode posed and well, it should be fascinating to see whether or not the nature of Washington consumes the president in the final days of the campaign, or if he can rise above and do the right thing. Either way, this was a magnificent story through and through, and we absolutely need to take a moment and recognize the powerhouse performance that Italia Ricci provided us with in this tale, because the pain she portrayed definitely put tears into my eyes and remembering the power of that scene, is making me mist up right now. So, that means, it’s best I not dwell any further on this episode, simply because, this is it, election day draws near, and the president has quite the decision to make and I need to know how this ends. So, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to settle in and watch the season three finale of this incredible show. Until next time.