​Please enjoy a sneak peek of Episode 706 of ‘Outlander’. Which arrives tomorrow, 7/21/23 on STARZ!  

One particular name that pops up often in pop culture these days is Brittany Broski and rightfully so. Because Brittany is simply on a tear right now, bringing forth shows and content on the web that people love and gravitate to and hot on the heels of The Broski Report, Brittany is once again ready to bring something new to the fold to pique her own creative interests and satisfy her fans.
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For earlier today, she announced the arrival of Royal Court, a talk show that will be hosted on YouTube. One that will be conversational in nature and where guests that are outright pop culture royalty, will compete for a chance to be part of Brittany’s ‘medieval council’, and well… the good news is that we don’t have to wait long to enjoy this new venture from Brittany. For tomorrow will see the launch of the show, and here are all the details about it to prepare you for the wonder of this regal royal court.

'Internet sensation Brittany Broski is launching her YouTube talk show “Royal Court” - a conversational series where pop culture royalty (each episode’s featured guest) competes for a spot-on Brittany’s ‘medieval council.’ The series premiere episode will drop tomorrow, July 20th with Brittany in conversation with musician, Orville Peck. 

Brittany will lead the guest through light-hearted challenges and bits, tailor-made for each guest’s personality. A new episode of “Royal Court” will debut monthly. 

When discussing “Royal Court,” Brittany said her “goal was to create a silly, conversational talk show environment that makes for a playful and carefree conversation that allows the guest’s true personality to shine. They are also required to wear a cape. That helps too.”
 
With over 15M followers across social media, Brittany’s rise to fame has truly captured the new influencer frontiers of the platform. Since then, Brittany made the 2022 Forbes30 under 30 list, was named as one of Fast Company’s “Most Forward-Thinking People in the Creator Economy,” appeared in Super Bowl commercials, and much more. She has interviewed notable talent including Margot Robbie, Jack Harlow, Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, Chelsea Handler, Olivia Wilde, Billie Eilish, among others. 
Brittany currently hosts her own podcast “The Broski Report,” which debuted in the top 5 of all podcasts on Apple and Spotify when it premiered in May.'

Brittany Broski Social Platforms
Instagram  | TikTok | Twitter | YouTube
 
The Broski Report
Audio | YouTube

It is definitely safe to say that parents often stress about what their children are watching, especially in this era of limitless content. Because anyone can watch anything at any time, and parents want their kids watching the right content, trusted content really, that they know will be fulfilling, fun and/or educational and that is why Common Sense Networks is so important. For they carefully curate the right kind of age-appropriate content that parents can trust and earlier today, they let it be known that they are adding to that content in a big way. 
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For CSN is adding three FAST Channels to their lineup, which will provide parents with thousands of perfect videos for their children to watch, the kind that really has been vetted so that kids from 2-10 can enjoy content that puts their parents’ mind at ease and well, here are all the details on this wonderful news, courtesy of Common Sense Networks.

‘Sensical Jr., Sensical Makers and Sensical Gaming Available On Major Streaming Platforms 
 
FAST Channels Feature Content From Top Studio and Digital First Providers Including 
ABC Australia, Copper Hill Entertainment/B17, GoldieBlox, Guinness, Moonbug, 
Mother Goose Club, Sesame Workshop, Soul Publishing, Tankee, The Jim Henson Company,
Xploration Station from SRP Digital LLC, and Zebra Gamer
 
Common Sense Networks, the award winning, singular leader in age appropriate content for kids 2-10, announced today the official launch of three distinctive FAST channels further expanding the impact of Sensical, their critically acclaimed AVOD service.  Sensical Jr., Sensical Makers and Sensical Gaming are currently available on major streaming platforms including Roku, VIZIO, Sling, and TCL with additional partners rolling out in the coming months. 
 
All content will be vetted through Common Sense Network’s coveted and proprietary rubric and based on the most comprehensive child development data available. Since their BETA rollout began earlier this year, the cumed minutes streamed across all Sensical's platforms has experienced double digit increases exceeding 40%.

“We’re thrilled to launch these three distinctive FAST channels across the streaming ecosystem, all meeting kids where they are with thoughtfully curated, age appropriate content built around topics and creators they love,” noted Eric Berger, CEO and co-founder, Common Sense Networks.  He added: “Engaging with leading platforms to fill this marketplace gap addresses the needs of both pre-school and ‘bridge age’ kids six thru tween, and is a welcome addition to the lineups of our distribution partners.”

In addition to a new relationship with Soul Publishing for titles including 5-Minute Crafts, Frankenfood, and Slick Slime Sam across Sensical’s FAST channels (and O&Os), CSN revealed new FAST channel deals. Highlights include:

• For Sensical Junior (for preschool):Moonbug’s Morphle, Gecko’s Garage, and Oddbods, ABC Australia’s Wiggles World, and Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle, PinkFong, and Mother Goose Club
• For Sensical Makers (for kids 5+): Soul Publishing’s Frankenfood, 5-Minute Crafts, and Slick Slime Sam, Guinness’ Guinness World Records Kids, Mister Maker, How Ridiculous, Clay Claim; Copper Hill Entertainment/B17’s competition series, "Craftopia" and "The Big Tiny Food Faceoff"; and SRP’s DIY Sci 
• For Sensical Gaming (for kids 5+): Abdallah Smash, Hyper, Big B, Stacy Plays, Zebra Gamer and Mother Goose Club’s "Let's Play"

In addition, new O&O content deals include:

• For Kids 2+ : OmoBerry from Limitless Studios Inc., and @HippoPark from Mimo Studios, as well as renewals for Lingo Kids, and Counting with Paula, with studio renewal deals including Wildbrain and The Jim Henson Company, and Millimages (whose titles are also on FAST). 
• For Kids 5+: Sensical has renewed O&O rights for Age of Learning’s ABC Mouse Search and Explore, Hasbro’s Pound Puppies, and A Kid Explains History and; GoldieBlox, Joseph's Machines, and Hevesh5 (also on FAST)
• For Kids 8+: Sensical has renewed O&O rights to Wildbrain’s Slugterra; and Hasbro’s Transformers: Cyberverse

 
Commenting on the new acquisitions and renewals, Bethany Boles, Head of Programming, Common Sense Networks, said: “Sensical has become a destination that kids truly enjoy and families have come to trust.  We are thrilled to expand on our existing relationships with our studio and digital first partners and look forward to building our robust catalog for FAST and our O&Os with content that respects and honors kids and gives parents and caregivers peace of mind.” 
 
About Common Sense Networks
Common Sense Networks (CSN) proudly elevates digital experiences for families through their singular expertise in age-appropriate content. By leveraging Common Sense Media's best-in-class review platform and unparalleled access to its proprietary child development data and insights, CSN offers scalable, innovative solutions to leading brands, marketers, and media entities like TikTok and YouTube including ratings and curation operations; contextual content advertising; creator optimization and certification services; and a trusted entry into the kids' streaming/FAST ecosystem through its critically lauded Sensical platform, a topic-based, algorithm-free streaming OTT destination named a Fast Company World Changing Idea and an “Essential Kids’ App” in the App Store. Certified by the kidSAFE+ ® COPPA Seal Program, Sensical's benefit-driven content, fostering curiosity and self-esteem, and filtered through a rigorous, proprietary rubric based on the industry’s most comprehensive child development research, is available on all popular streaming, mobile devices and smart TVs, and via three distinctive FAST channels. Follow us @commonsensenets and @sensicaltv on Twitter and Instagram.’

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the content being covered here wouldn’t exist.

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.
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The evolution of animated entertainment is quite the fascinating journey. For in its earliest days this medium really was quite mindless. Just a collection of unique images tied to a loose story, that would dazzle eyes and bring forth smiles. For it was a new form of entertainment that no one understood from a potential standpoint and that’s where things get interesting. Because eventually, the potential of this medium was discovered and that brought forth an animation revolution. Wherein storytellers used animation to tell powerful stories that truly encapsulated the limitless nature of our imagination and at the end of the 1990s another evolution come into play. 

In that, the folks that grew up with fluffier animated entertainment with some of the brilliance mixed in, decided the time had come to create animated stories that were geared toward adults and told more adult themed stories, with a comedic twist of course. Which gave life to many an iconic character and show, and this move, even brought forth timely stories about our world, and well… animation continues to evolve as the years roll on. For now, there are creators ready to bring forth animated comedy shows that offer fascinating explorations about life and the human condition, and it just so happens that a show in that vein, is about to make its debut on Freeform on Friday, and well… since we here at NTG have seen much of Praise Petey in advance, we thought it would be best to spotlight what makes this show so different and so successful in its endeavors to explore such matters, in a spoiler-free manner of course. 

Because there’s a lot that happens in this series that cannot be spoiled. But what we can tell you, is that it really does boast an ambitious plot that is filled to the brim with deeper meaning. For in this story, we are introduced to Petey, a New York City ‘IT’ girl that seemingly has it all. A great job, a great boyfriend and friends that are as loyal as can be. Or… so she thinks. Because one day, all of those elements fade away in a manner of minutes, leaving Petey to wonder what will come next for her in this life, and well… what arrives is quite the surprise. In that, her absentee father has recently passed, and he’s left Petey, a whole town in the south. A utopia of sorts. And that prompts Petey to head that way and obtain her inheritance… only for her to learn that this town has a lot of weird secrets, courtesy of her father and his designs for this town.

Which is a wonderfully original plot that allows for this story to explore so much. Such as the pain that is imparted upon us when the sins of our parents come back to haunt us, and how hard it is in this life to find our way when we are forced to hit the reset button… and of course… what it means to accept our family history and accept people who follow a vastly different lifestyle, and that’s just what you’ll find in Friday’s series premiere of the show. Which speaks to an animated series designed to push the boundaries of the format to really see what this type of story can do, and what’s wild… is that explores all of that… while making us laugh heartily. Because the jokes here are simply top-notch, and they are delivered with such precision and such perfect timing, that you will often find yourself wiping tears from your eyes and gasping for air at how funny they truly are.

Which really is a testament to the writing of this series, and the acting present here. Since both work in tandem flawlessly, and it also doesn’t hurt, that this series features some comedic heavies to voice the characters in this story. Since Annie Murphy (Petey), Stephen Root (Petey’s Dad), Christine Baranski (White St. Barts), and John Cho (Bandit) let loose their comedic chops to add gravity to the comedy, and really all of these elements make this show, refreshing, unique, intelligent and fun. And the best news of all… is that we are mere days of enjoying its wonder. Friday, July 21st at 10:00 pm ET will feature the back-to-back, two-episode premiere of Praise Petey (with episodes available the next day on Hulu), and we here at NTG cannot wait to geek out about it with all of you, nor can we wait to share our interview with Actor Stephen Root, as we continue to countdown the minutes to this magnificent new series.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 203 of ‘The Afterparty’. To revisit the Season Two Premiere, click here. Also, this piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.
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There are a great many reasons to love the Apple TV+ series, The Afterparty. For it oft features top notch comedians and top-notch acting, which leads to top-notch comedy. Plus, it offers up a compelling mystery. One that we genuinely find ourselves immersed within since there are no immediate clues regarding who committed the crime in question, and that leads to quite the satisfying finale when it all comes together. But above all, what we truly love about this series… is its creativity. For there is no other show out there that explores crime and the experiences of those who have witnessed it in some capacity, in the manner that this one does. Which is… through the lens of various film genres. 
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For that allows for incredible explorations to take place, the kind that educate the audience on genres they might know nothing about, alongside satire and unique laughs and well, that aspect of the show is top of mind today, simply because the next episode in this saga offered upon one of its best homages to date. For ‘Travis’ is a story that saw Travis sit down with Danner and Aniq to discuss what he learned on the fateful night that Edgar died, and that… brought forth a grand exploration regarding the majesty and the outdated tropes present within Film Noir. For Travis painted himself as nothing short of a Mickey Spillane type gumshoe, one that was tough as nails and had the fine services of his mother at his fingertips and well… his journey truly did remind us why we love this series so. 

Because this was… a perfect homage to the genre, complete with the old 1:33.1 ratio that they used back in the day, and of course… Travis was all about that Noir slang, and the process that a gumshoe might go through and that led to some serious laughs for certain. The kind generated by simplicity, such as having the keyboard on Travis’ new iMac click and clack akin to a typewriter, to ones that were boisterous and amazing. Courtesy of the fish out water manner that Travis approached this ‘case’, and how that got him in hot water often. But it also… advanced the case beautifully. Since we did come to learn that Travis was able to discover that Edgar was starting up his own cryptocurrency and may have resorted to some illegal activities to build it up and that could serve as something worth looking into down the line. After of course… Danner and Aniq explore one juicy suspect.

For homages and tributes aside, there were some fascinating clues revealed in this tale, specifically tied to Hannah. For she spent time planning with Travis to bust up the wedding, making it seem as though she had reason to go after Edgar for reasons unknown. Not to mention, Zoë and Grace came to discover… that the cufflink in Edgar’s coat was in fact, a typewriter key and Hannah… collected them and it turned out… that one of her typewriters was indeed missing that key. But of course, one needs more to go on than just a missing G key, and well, a quick escape from Hannah’s abode when she nearly caught Grace and Zoë snooping around… revealed that the murder weapon, may have been organic. Since Hannah’s Garden is home to a bevy of unique and dangerous plants. One of which was part of the centerpieces she set up, and it causes the kind of behavior that Edgar exhibited right before he died. Making Hannah a prime suspect.

Which of course begs the question… as to whether or not she did it, and likely… she is our next person of interest in this case. But speculation aside, this really was an amazing episode that really paid incredible tribute to the Noir style of filmmaking, and this episode deserves a round of applause for showcasing its best aspects and it’s not-so-great aspects, such as its wanton misogyny. And this episode also deserves a tip of the fedora, for using Noir to really showcase Travis’ character in a fascinating light. Since in many ways, using a genre that is far removed from popularity to help us learn more about this character, was the perfect way to showcase how out of touch he is with others and how he desperately wants to connect. Adding a tinge of tragedy to this character, and well… now that we’ve come to the end of this leg of the investigation, it will be interesting to see what we learn from Hannah, and what genre of film her story will represent. Until next time.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘Hijack’. To revisit the previous episode, click here. Also, this piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist. This article also contains a discussion regarding suicide, which may be triggering to some individuals.
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Over the course of the past few weeks, we’ve talked at great length about the fascinating brilliance of the new Apple TV+ series, Hijack, and deservedly so. Simply because, this show has been nothing short of revolutionary. For this series has managed to put together a tense action thriller that is able to immerse the audience into tension and the moment with minimal effort, despite there being weekly breaks in the story, courtesy of quality writing and quality acting. The kind that has allowed for every moment aboard Kingdom Airlines Flight 29 to feel organic and real and oddly enough… the sheer uniqueness of this story… has also allowed for the audience to overlook something that is supremely important to a story in this vein.
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In that, a hijacking means nothing to anyone without an understanding of why the hijackers are doing this and also what it is they hope to accomplish, and that hasn’t been made apparent in this story, since it has focused heavily on world-building and what ifs and everything in between. But at long last… answers have arrived. For this week’s episode finally opted to explain to the audience who is really behind this mess and what they want and that oddly… changed the dynamic of the tension aboard KA29 and it made ‘Less Than an Hour’, quite the amazing episode. In large part due to the fact, that it wasted little time in answering those all-important questions. Since everyone on the ground was able to hear exactly what the list of demands were and well… what was revealed was quite fascinating to say the least.

For this was a hijacking born out of… twisted capitalism really. For an organized crime group had several of their top bosses arrested over the winter, and without them leading the charge of moving illegal stuff around the city and the world, the business side of things was suffering. So… in an effort to free their leaders and get the cash flowing again, they hired this crew to hijack this plane, and threaten the lives of al 216 souls aboard in the hopes of getting their comrades released. Which was a bold move to say the least, since no government out there would be willing to negotiate with anyone making demands like this, and anyone willing to commit to a terrorist act. But at last, we had answers, and we also came to learn… how lethal this organization is. Since we found out that they threatened the family of Neela, the woman that was working security in the Dubai airport where this madness started, to have her let everyone and their weapons through… and of course… once they were done with her, they tossed her and innocents aside. 

Not to mention… they had leverage over the hijackers as well. Since it was revealed that Lewis and Stuart were brothers, and that their mother was terrified of getting that call from Lewis. For it brought Daniel to her doorstep, and that meant those that were watching could now mark her for death… so she snapped and ran into traffic and let fate do its thing. Which in a way, added a hint of sympathy to the hijackers. For they were doing what they had to in order to protect their families and whomever else the mob was threatening and well… that led to quite the surprise in the air. Since once it was known to Sam that Lewis and Stuart were brothers… he realized that could be used to everyone’s advantage and potentially end this. Because with Lewis badly wounded and likely dying slowly… Sam could appeal to the human and family side of Stuart… to land the plane in Hungary.
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Under the belief of course, that Lewis needed immediate medical attention. All so Anna, the co-pilot could use her Hungarian roots to instead signal the ground to take the plane and well… with the right pushing and the right amount of lies… Stuart bought into this and ordered a landing. But just when it seemed as though the madness was going to end and that everyone would finally be safe. Lewis himself learned of the plan, and with his mother’s safety at stake, since he didn’t know she was already gone… he sacrificed his own life to keep the plane in the air. Leaving this group of weary survivors unsure of what is to come next and of course… there’s still more trouble brewing on the ground. Since Sam’s son, didn’t get kidnapped. For we learned that Sam’s real address is elsewhere and sadly, his son went there and instead… he may be in real trouble since the ‘cleaners’ arrived.

But while we wait to see what comes of that, we can celebrate one solid and magnificent episode. For now, we know what is at stake, and our perspective of the hijackers has changed, since they are nothing more than pawns as well… and that could work to Sam’s advantage. Especially if Stuart were to learn what really became of his mother. But answers aside, everything we love about this show was still present. For there was still stunning tension to be found in the air and on the ground, and we were of course hooked on every single moment, and every single word uttered in this story and well… now that the dynamic has changed and we are gently nearing London, it will be interesting to see what comes next for this plane filled with pawns and victims, as we soar toward the finale of this brilliant series. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Four of ‘Cannes Confidential’. To revisit the previous episode, click here. Also, this article was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.
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What’s fascinating about some of the people in our lives, specifically the ones that mean the world to us and that we cannot live without, is that our initial encounter with some of them… was somewhat unsavory. It could have been related to the awkwardness of our first encounter or perhaps something in the moment didn’t quiet jibe. But there are indeed lifelong friends and partners that people meet, that were almost cast off, and well… why weren’t they? Because if everything was that bad and that wrong, surely everyone should have parted ways. But instead, they stuck around, likely due to the fact that the time everyone eventually spent together, revealed something of value that was waiting to be uncovered. If anything, that process is top of mind today, simply because it was put on full display in the next episode of Cannes Confidential on Acorn TV.
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But it sure didn’t seem as though that was going to be the case in ‘The Deadlier Species’. Since this story opened up with an attack on Camille, courtesy of Borie, in an attempt to prevent a meeting between father and daughter. But no one scares Camille that easily and she survived the attempt and met with her father who provided her with more dead ends. Which brought her back to Harry King, wherein she pressed him for more on the matter so she could finally prove her father to be innocent and get him out jail. In a tense manner of course since they didn’t reach that aforementioned harmony point just yet. But some concerns about an upcoming birthday bash for the heir to an arms empire, changed that, and brought forth that special moment where Camille and Harry began to realize… they complimented one another nicely. 

Which was made possible by the fact… that Harry once again forced his way into the case. Because the heir apparent was getting death threats from someone identifying themselves as the Nightshade. An individual known to be a brilliant assassin, and they were so secretive and so good at their duties, that the police and other agencies had little intelligence on them. But Harry knew how to find information that others could not, such as some fascinating info regarding payouts that relate to her father’s case, and everything one needed to know about the Nightshade. Including a potential profile of what could be a female assassin, and this was so comprehensive and so powerful… that Camille found herself offering nothing but respect to Harry. To the point where she kept him around close to help with the case.

Not to mention, their tension began to frost, and one could say a beautiful friendship… and perhaps more… was formed here. But any deeper pondering on that had to wait. Because the Nightshade was indeed in this hotel and made their move, and in the process… revealed that it was two women working in tandem to bring down one heir apparent. Which meant, it was up to Camille and Harry, and Lea save the day, in their own unique ways of course. Since Lea used her trademark blunt force to bring one assassin down. All while Camille took part in the thrill of the chase and a good beatdown to lead the other assassin to Harry. Who used calm and guile to stop her, so that the arrests could take place, and so everyone could learn that the Nightshade actually died long ago on a bungled assassination attempt of the heir’s father. Meaning his daughters were eager to take up the mantle and finish family business.

Of course… they failed too thanks to this trio and well, this all brought about one amazing episode. One that offered up another compelling case, one that required some good old fashioned detective work between Harry and Camille and offered one of the most delightful chase sequences seen on television in recent years. Thanks to the brilliant juxtaposition of Camille’s fiery desire to bring a felon down and Harry’s chill manner. But above all, this really was a fine way to explore how people that annoy us, suddenly become more to us, since Harry really did deliver here and show his worth to Camille and well, it will be interesting to see if that leads to just good friendship, or the love affair of a lifetime, as season one of this refreshing show continues along. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 208 of ‘Cruel Summer’. To revisit the previous episode, click here. Also, this article was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.
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If there is one particular truth about the negative behaviors, we all exhibit in this life, it is that eventually… they have a boiling point. Where they explode really, and bad things happen, and anyone caught in that emotional blast radius is forced to pick up the pieces. But what is it that finally creates that tipping point? Well, it just so happens that the next episode of Cruel Summer on Freeform takes the time to explore the entire process of how bad moments are built and how they become outright explosive and it started that particular journey in ‘Confess Your Sins’, by once more returning us to the Summer of 1999, shortly after Megan and Luke finally declared themselves to be an item. 
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For during this time period… much of the problems that everyone dealt with later on, came to life. For instance, Brent’s enabling via his father… was put on display here. Since dear old dad didn’t care that he touched Isabella’s clothing in an inappropriate manner, setting in motion the toxic events of the winter where everyone believed that Brent was responsible for the tape and its broadcast. Which brewed sour emotions, the kind that clearly became vengeful in nature. Not to mention… this is where Luke and Isabella learned to lie. Since Luke wanted to very much keep the truth about his first time hidden away, supposedly to spare Megan’s feelings, when in reality… it was more about his standing with Megan and her belief that they shared their first time together. Which laid the foundation for toxicity, the kind that would create division in the Summer of 2000.

Because the walls were closing in during this particular time period. For the Sheriff was working overtime to find something to work with and both Megan and Isabella were eager to remove and all evidence that they were at the cabin on New Year’s 2K. So, they broke into Ned’s place to find his video cache and in the process… found themselves under arrest and back in the interrogation room once again, where more painful evidence they could not talk their way out of was presented to them. Such as audio of what they said to one another before everyone met at the cabin on New Year’s, and well… when pressed as hard as possible by the Sheriff, they directed the darkness they’ve been harboring for so long… at one another. Promptly accusing the other of being involved in Luke’s death and well… in a way, neither person was wrong.

For while it was fascinating to see how the toxic nature of their friendship and how their negative behaviors lasted long after that dark day… the New Year did indeed serve as the boiling over point for his whole mess. Since this was the night that Luke was tied up to the cabin bed and confronted by the women he had manipulated in some form or fashion, and he was pushed while drugged to be honest about everything and well… he was, and that brought forth one ugly night for everyone. Since Megan learned not only about the kiss, but how Luke’s toxic behavior also brought forth the video tape of his own volition, and of course, the pain and the anger that exploded in that moment, brought out a gun and a single shot and one can only wonder… if that was the moment that Luke died or if more happened here.

But clearly, both Megan and Isabella were indeed involved and clearly, all the negativity they employed and nurtured in one another… brought forth this moment. Making this story a true tragedy of sorts, and these events also made for a quality episode. Because this really did answer a lot of questions and truly put the whole mess in perspective at last, and well… now that we have a fair understanding of how this came to be, we merely have to wait for one last question to be answered. Specifically… how did Luke die. For there is a chance that bullet did nothing but scare, and that something else happened, something that prompted a cover up and more negativity and well, with two episodes to go in this season, it will be genuinely fascinating to learn the last secrets this story harbors, as this fascinating and tragic case comes to a close. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Series Finale of ‘Jack Ryan’. To revisit the previous two episodes, click here. Also, this article was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.
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One particular truth about the world that remains quite taboo to discuss in the United States of America, is the sheer fact that not everyone in the world thinks kindly of the Good Ol’ US of A. And we don’t like to talk about that… in part because of our strong sense of patriotism, but more so… out of a real sense of privilege and indifference. After all, America has it all and since we are considered the cream of the crop… we just hold to the belief we are the greatest in all the land and don’t think twice about what anyone says. But we need to have that hard conversation about how America is viewed… because those observations are coming from objective eyes that see the flaws we don’t and ignoring them is what offends and creates enemies and brings forth trouble for our nation.
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But believe it or not, there are some stories trying to have that conversation now, as evidenced by how the series finale of Jack Ryan on Prime Video played out. For ‘Wukong’ and ‘Proof of Concept’ deeply explored two key flaws about America that we are ignorant to, and if we addressed them, we would be seen in a different light, and one of those views was explored by way of Jack’s only encounter with Zeyara Lemos, who lashed out hard in this tale. Mainly because, Jack’s trip to Myanmar resulted in the heroic death of Chao, the destruction of the majority of her detonators and the loss of a high value target… Cathy. Whom Lemos hoped could be used to lure Jack into a trap, and when that faltered, and when Cathy escaped… Lemos truly unleashed her fury and went after our hero and his friends and captured Jack himself.

Wherein she brutally tortured him for information, and in the process, revealed her reason for all of this really. In that, the hoarding of America’s resources, its arrogance and indifference to the world’s plight, motivated the right time to show the world it’s weakness and decadence, and how better to do that than with an attack on its soil? All of which spoke to some real concerns harbored in the world about the USA and its standing and that definitely gives one pause, but of course… doesn’t justify wanton murder. Which is why, Mike and Ding worked in different roles to bring Jack home. Because he would save lives with his sharp mind and thanks to Ding’s incredible training and resourcefulness, he was able to put Lemos down for good and get Jack out of that nightmare facility to bring this to an end… back home in America.

Where Greer had finally brought Tuttle into custody but was unable to piece together exactly what Tuttle knew and his role in the delivery of the attack devices. But Jack was able to do that, by offering up a fresh set of eyes and a little pressure on Tuttle. Who finally helped to reveal that these devices were coming in via the border with Mexico, mounted on several Toyota trucks. That led… to a powerhouse finale. Where Jack and his team were forced into a violent and bloody firefight mere inches from the border, to find those devices and disconnect the receiver so they couldn’t do whatever horrible damage they were going to do. Which of course they did, and that brought forth a happy ending really, where Jack was once again the hero and evil was thwarted. But that wasn’t quite the end of this tale. 
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After all, there was mention that this finale explored a pair of reasons that we are seen in a negative light and the finale of this story, put that on display. For in the wake of this near disaster, there were consequences to be had. Ade for instance, who was also involved and tried to plea bargain his way out of accountability, was eventually arrested and brought to bear and Senator Henshaw also endured some heat. Because he signed off on the order to let those vehicles in, because he… was for sale, like so much is in America and that was the lesson at hand. That our greed and our decadence, in Congress, has diminished our standing and allowed for us to be perceived as fat cats who deserve to be brought down a peg and well… those are some powerful messages to find in a story about a genuinely all-American hero that serves as the American James Bond.

Granted, some will read this article and be angry about those statements and leave a spicy comment or shoot over a fiery email and that’s fine. Because the show does hit a nerve, but the show isn’t wrong. We don’t help other nations with our vast resources, and we could do so much with them. And our top levels of government are out of touch and indeed fat and flush with money and ignorance and those things must change. Because people see America as opportunity, as a promise, and reveling in our own majesty denies opportunity and breaks that promise and it’s amazing to see this series point that out, to close out Jack’s journey. In a manner of course, that might lead to more journeys down the line if the creative team wants to revisit them, including perhaps the novels where Jack became involved in government. But for now, his journeys have ended, and they came to a close in a noble and bold manner, and that really is the right way to say farewell to this iconic and inspiring character.

There are few shows out there that captivated audiences during the pandemic, in the manner that Almost Paradisedid. For this is a series that audiences flocked to and could not get enough of, simply because it was a beacon of light we desperately needed during those dark times, courtesy of a plot that inspired us and filled our hearts with joy. Because watching former DEA Agent Alex Walker fight to better himself and find a new path forward that brought him peace, brought forth some powerful stories. That kind that spoke to the importance of being a great person in this world and the importance of trusting others when we’ve been hurt and well… those stories were so inspiring and lovely… that we definitely wanted more.  
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But alas, this is a show that took a little longer to continue than others, simply because a grand change at its parent network… left it in limbo for a little while, but it was never forgotten. For Executive Producers Dean Devlin and Gary Rosen understood the importance of this series and what it did for its fans, and that motivated them to properly take their time and find the right home for it and they did, since the series became part of the Amazon Freevee family, and well… the long and winding journey to enjoy more adventures with Alex, and his new friends Kai, and Ernesto is about to come to an end. For Friday will see the debut of the highly anticipated second season of this series and well… since we here at NTG have seen the new season in advance, we thought it best to offer a sample of what you can expect from season two, in a spoiler-free manner of course. 

Because to spoil what awaits you in year two of Alex Walker’s adventures, would be rude and cruel. But what we can tell you… is that season two of this series is bigger in scope. For the adventures and the cases just have more depth and meaning to them, and as an added bonus, Dean Devlin and his whip smart team of writers… have figured out ways to keep these cases full of surprises and moments that make you drop your jaw, and the stunning nature of season two doesn’t end there. Since the action and adventure that was a staple of season one, is turned up to eleven in this season’s storytelling. Since we are often treated to bigger moments, bigger fights, and everything in between. All of which makes for a delightful and engaging experience that also manages to get your blood pumping. 

But where season two really shines, is with its characters. Because this is a season of storytelling that builds upon what made season one so compelling, specifically… Alex’s emotional journey and overall growth. Because now that he has found his center, this season offers him a chance to take his life in new directions, and seeing him step into his new chapter of his life and explore new possibilities as a person, is incredible to watch. Not to mention, everyone else gets time to shine as well, and oddly enough… since we are now in year two of this story, the trust that everyone shares with one another, strengthens the stories as well. For now, there is a flawless hero dynamic amongst Alex, Kai, and Ernesto, and they know how to operate around one another and know how to complement one another and that too… just adds to the wonder of this season of storytelling. 

Plus, the trademark humor that we enjoyed in season one is still around, and that leads to some big laughs and outright fun and well… all of these elements make for a perfect season second. Because now the show has truly found its stride and it absolutely offers up amazing stories and action and fun… and the quality acting that we’ve come to love in this series. In fact, everyone brings their A-game this season and adds incredible depth to their already incredible performances, and of course… Christian Kane once again leads the way in such matters. Courtesy of a gentle vulnerability and humbleness that he adds to Alex this year, to signal the fact that Alex knows he can trust again and that these fine people around him have done so much for him as a person, and thankfully… the wait to enjoy more of Almost Paradise is almost over. For season two arrives on Amazon Freevee this Friday, July 21, 2023, and we here at NTG cannot wait to geek out about it with all of you.