​Please enjoy a sneak peek of Episode 704 of ‘Outlander’. Which arrives tomorrow, 7/7/23 on STARZ!  

​Please enjoy this Sneak Peek from Season 2 of Duck and Goose, which returns to Apple TV+ tomorrow, 7/7/23.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Secret Invasion’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Over the course of its illustrious history, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has shied away from genuinely dark storytelling, and it makes sense as to why. After all, the success of Iron Man brought forth the opportunity to reach the masses and bring so many people into the Marvel fold, so clearly… sticking with stuff that lightly pushed the envelope but stayed in more celebratory territory, was the way to bring folks in and allow for fun and epic entertainment to take place, and even when the tough stuff did arrive, the MCU handled it with grace and class. But Kevin Feige understands that fluffy and fun isn’t a place that a storytelling universe can stay forever. For eventually, characters need to be challenged, and bad things need to happen to make that happen and bad things happen in general, and we’ve seen a shift slowly start to enter the MCU.
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One where the stories are going to darker places, and where the characters are now tackling some tough real-world challenges that used to be exclusive to the comics, and in the case of Secret Invasion on Disney+, we are starting to see characters make some difficult and ugly choices with the stakes raised so high. Specifically… who lives, and who dies, and how far they are willing to go to save the world and that made this week’s episode, quite the harrowing tale. For ‘Betrayed’ explored all that, but not before… taking a little time to world-build and explore the characters some more. Since we came to learn how Nick and Varra, his Skrull wife, met and fell in love, and how their relationship has struggled in recent years. All to add depth to Nick’s character and his journey but also for a grand payoff we’ll get to in just a moment.  

Because once that exploration was done, this episode delved into some ugly territory. The kind that demonstrated first, the incredible bad blood that Gravik and Talos share. Since their attempts to have a peaceful conversation in a public place ended in violence and with zero resolution regarding their issues. Giving rise to the reality that these two men cannot stand one another and any desires for a peaceful future between them and perhaps amongst the Skrull… might not be possible because of the divides that neither side can handle. Which was pretty powerful and philosophical, and served as a mirror for us, and our own divides and it was a place that Marvel rarely goes. Since we just don’t see that kind of anger and fury on screen in these stories. Which made it shocking and unsettling and scary, especially when one considers what came out of that meeting.

In that G’iah traveled to the meeting with Gravik and obtained critical information about the battle to come. In that, a British sub was going to conduct an attack on a United Nations Envoy that would bring about World War III. So, Fury and Talos sprang into action, did their best to bury any bad blood… and took part in some ugly things to save the day. Such as killing the Skrull posing as a Naval Commodore to end this attack when they learned of the code word needed to keep it from happening. Which was dark since we don’t see murder solve problems in this tale. But Talos deemed him too far gone, and made the move he needed to, in order to save the world and well… the darkness didn’t end there. Because he gathered the code word needed to bring forth salvation through his daughter and well… that move put her on a difficult and tragic path.  

One where she was immediately seen as a traitor to her people, to the point where Gravik handled this personally, with a bullet to her chest. Making it seem as though, more murder was on display and that Talos was about to endure more hardships. Making for a bleak ending, one that also implied that perhaps… Varra’s loyalties lie with Gravik as well. Since she made some moves here in secret that seemed to not align with Nick Fury’s ideals. All of which made, for a stunning episode. One that we really haven’t ever seen before in the MCU and well, it deserves a round of applause. For taking the time to surprise us with a story this bold and this bleak and for setting the stage for greater heartbreak and new challenges as this battle with old friends turned foe, continues along. Until next time. 

It is definitely safe to say, that one of the most anticipated television events of the summer, has to be Prime Video’s, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart. Simply because we can infer from its teaser trailer, that this adaptation of Holly Ringland’s best-selling novel, will feature all the hallmarks of a story that captivates. For it will undoubtedly be epic and sweeping in nature, courtesy of a powerful tale that spans generations and it will undoubtedly touch upon important issues we currently face in our world, and it doesn’t hurt… that this series also features some absolute heavy hitters from an acting perspective.
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Since it features screen legend Sigourney Weaver, and rising superstar, Alycia Debnam-Carey, and so many more talented actors. All of whom will bring this novel to life in a moving and dynamic manner and well, Prime Video is well aware of the fact that people are indeed buzzing about this show and are eager to garner a true sampling of the gravity it will offer. Which is why Prime Video released a full trailer for the show today, to give us just that. And to properly grow our excitement and keep us buzzing about what may well be the big drama series of the summer. And well, since you’re here because you too are curious about how incredible this series is going to be, here is that trailer for you to enjoy… and some updated information on the show, courtesy of Prime Video.

‘Today, Prime Video released the official trailer for Amazon Original series The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, launching exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories on August 4. Directed by Glendyn Ivin (Penguin Bloom, Safe Harbour), and from the producers of Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers, and Anatomy of a Scandal, the full-length trailer reveals the complex mysteries and secrets surrounding Alice Hart and her family's past. 
 
About The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart
Based on Holly Ringland’s best-selling debut novel, the seven-part series tells the emotionally compelling story of Alice Hart. When Alice, aged 9, tragically loses her parents in a mysterious fire, she is taken to live with her grandmother June at Thornfield flower farm, where she learns that there are secrets within secrets about her and her family’s past. Set against Australia’s breathtaking natural landscape, and with native wildflowers and plants providing a way to express the inexpressible, this enthralling family drama spans decades. As she grows from her complicated past, Alice's journey builds to an emotional climax when she finds herself fighting for her life against a man she loves. 
 
Sigourney Weaver stars as June Hart, Asher Keddie as Sally Morgan, Leah Purcell as Twig North, Frankie Adams as Candy Blue, and Alycia Debnam-Carey as Alice Hart. 
 
Other cast members include; Alexander England (How to Please a Woman), Charlie Vickers (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Tilda Cobham-Hervey (I Am Woman), Sebastián Zurita (Amazon Original series Como Sobrevivir Soltero), Alyla Browne (Nine Perfect Strangers), and Xavier Samuel (Elvis).
 
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart is produced by Amazon Studios, Made Up Stories, and Fifth Season. The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart is executive produced by Jodi Matterson, Bruna Papandrea, and Steve Hutensky of Made Up Stories, and Sigourney Weaver, Sarah Lambert, and Glendyn Ivin. Ivin directs all seven episodes and Lambert serves as showrunner.

Three of the seven episodes will be released on August 4, with one episode rolling out weekly until the series finale on September 1. The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart is the latest addition to the Prime membership.’

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Hijack’. To revisit the Series Premiere, click here.
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When we last settled in to discuss the incredible new Apple TV+ series, Hijack, we talked at length about how the show… did a phenomenal job of plunging us into a terrifying world of ‘What if?’ Since the Series Premiere deeply explored one of our worst fears, what a hijacking aboard a plane might look like and how people would genuinely respond to it. Which as it turned out… involved fear and compliance from those on the plane, and rightfully so. After all, these hijackers like so many in history, were armed and ready to rumble, as evidenced by what happened to the two souls that took the time to try and rise up and retake the plane. But since this is a fictional story, where any and all possibilities can be explored, this series is eager to explore more possibilities of what could happen in such a situation. 
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For instance, the next episode in this story, pondered upon some powerful questions. Specifically, what would happen… if by chance the weapons used to hijack a plane… weren’t lethal in the slightest? And what would an organized rebellion aboard a plane look like when that becomes a reality? Which ‘Draw a Blank’ was able to explore… courtesy of quite the unexpected revelation. In that, one of the passengers in first class, was voicing concerns to his wife. The kind that got back to Sam and his neighbor and quickly grabbed their attention. For they came to learn that this man’s experience in the Egyptian Military, taught him how to spot everything one would need to know about a weapon, to maximize their own safety and he was certain… that the weapons being carried on this flight were not dangerous.

Which of course… elicited excitement in First Class. Because if there was no chance of harm, the numbers game would lead to defeat for the hijackers and everyone could land safely, and that prompted some unity and some coordination between Business and First Class, and Coach… to prove that the weapons weren’t dangerous. Which brought about some amazing teamwork as a search for a bullet took place, since the gun going off in the premiere wasn’t a figment of Sam’s imagination, it happened. Prompting the belief that blanks were in play. And thanks to that cooperation and some fine acting on the part of some parties, it was indeed confirmed that blanks were in use and well, that changed everything.

Because it meant, yes indeed, the plane could be retaken and these hijackers could be strung up instead and well… that led to inspiration and hope on the plane and another plan to isolate the attackers through chaos and distraction and in a bittersweet manner, that distraction was granted. For the medical needs of one of the passengers and the desire of a family member to fix that post haste, led to a fist fight in coach, one where everyone was occupied and that gave Sam the chance to fight back and expose the truth about these hijackers. But alas… these men and women came prepared for just about everything really, and while that fight went down, Stuart made a point to surprise us with the reveal… that real ammo was on the plane in that little green bag, and he reloaded his weapon to make it lethal and well, that led to a gunshot and a future unknown for this flight and its now restless passengers. 
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Which brought forth quite the cliffhanger to say the least, one that has us worried. Especially since… the good people on the ground still aren’t quite sure how to handle this mess just yet. For it took forever for anyone to be convinced of the reality that something had gone awry on Kingdom Airlines Flight 29, and even then… investigators spent most of their time on the ground, trying to assess the threat and see who might be involved, and while they did get some answers… they are moving quite slow. Which is unsettling, since there is real trouble in the air, and help is badly needed and fast and well, it will be interesting to see what comes next for the people on this flight... now that shots have been fired and real damage and danger surrounds everyone hoping to get home in one piece.

But while we wait for resolution and progress, we can celebrate one fascinating tale. One that informed us that if by chance the threat wasn’t real… people would likely rise up and wreak havoc on those keeping them captive. As to whether or not that would be safe, is of course up for debate and perhaps we will get some musings upon that later. But in the here and the now, we came to learn how fast things could fall apart for bad people if the truth about their ruse came out, and how quickly people would unify to have safety and freedom. But what’s also amazing… is that this episode found a way to add more mystery to the mess by making it clear that Stuart and his people might not even know why they are doing this. Since the person Stuart answers to, sent his call straight to voicemail and well… all that does is compel us to continue the journey. So, we can learn the origins of this harrowing act and see if by chance… this rebellion will offer anything positive to the poor captives in the sky. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Four of ‘Primo’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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For the most part, television shows about family… gloss over a lot about family life and understandably so. Because they’re either a sitcom, so the laughs are key and the stuff that really makes up family life has to take a backseat for the plot of the week. Or they’re a stylized drama that is designed to deeply focus on something specific about the family in question. A hardship if you will, that takes us on a powerful journey, wherein that too becomes the focus over anything else in the story, and well… this isn’t a bad thing by any means. Because it gives us good storytelling and it reflects the fact that when we think back upon the days when we and our family all lived together, we look at memories like a show does, and gloss over the more mundane stuff that oddly… offered up a lot of important moments.
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Because those were those developmental moments that taught us a lot about our family members and what made them who they are, and we discovered a lot about ourselves as well, and that’s why it is refreshing that the market is starting to shift into telling stories… that focus on those very moments. So, we can be reminded of what really makes family special, and one particular series that is excelling at this… is Primo on Amazon Freevee. For week in and week out, there are little moments that reflect what growing up in America really looks like, and never was that more evident than during the show’s next episode. For ‘The Game Champ’ was a tale that explored how pettiness teaches us lessons in family life and how… the success of others in the household, can sow discontent and unhealthy competition and how we overcome that.

Feats that this story accomplished via two key storylines. One of which revolved around Mike and Jay. The latter of whom decided to trap Mike on the roof a decade ago. Who in turn… decided to get revenge on this particular day by trapping Jay up there and tormenting him. Only to have his revenge blow up in his face at the end of it all, giving rise to a direct yet hilarious lesson in how, revenge and pettiness in family life is never worth it. Because we know one another too well, and that will always allow for the plan to backfire. As for the more complex message, that was explored by way of Rafa and Ryan. Who earned quite the scholarly honor, one that required Ryan’s certificate from a technical school to be removed from the family’s Wall of Fame, and well… that freaked him out. Because he felt he earned his spot on the wall and that prompted him to invoke the power… of The Game Champ.

A brutal competition where the family would duke it out through intellectual and physical challenges, designed to crown a champion that would decide all on a matter at hand. And this was so wild a game, that the police had been called out to the house several times and thankfully… it didn’t get to that point here. And well… the sour nature of the competition that was quickly whittled down to Rafa and Ryan, eventually revealed through Drea… that Ryan felt marginalized by Rafa’s intellect. For up until this point, he was the brains in the family and now there was a new challenger to his throne and what he was proud of. Which prompted Rafa to find a way to include his uncle and keep him feeling on high and well, in the end, that plot was quite the way to harken back to game nights in our own homes and moments such as these where we were able to learn how our family thinks and how they tick. And it also did a wonderful job of pointing out, how tough it can be in a family to feel marginalized, intentional, or not, and how kindness and love gets us past that point.

Plus, this is an episode that once again threw in a bonus examination. For Rollie and Mondo used their time away from the game… to help Rollie deal with grief. For he lost a friend and didn’t know how to process that. But Mondo figured out the path of least resistance to make that happen. Which led to a beautiful moment between these brothers, one that reminded us of how easily family can help us heal when we let them in and really… all of these plot threads made for a magnificent tale. One that really did cover topics that we don’t see touched upon all that often in family themed stories and of course… it was handled in the hilarious manner that only this show knows how to pull off. Because the revenge plot was damn funny through and through, and Drea’s Scarface moment and what followed was legendary and well, now that we’ve reached the end of this fascinating chapter in this family’s life, it’s onto the next one and all of the amazing lessons it will send our way. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘Cannes Confidential’. To revisit the Series Premiere, click here.
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For the most part, crime stories and mysteries on television… really don’t pay all that much homage to storytelling in general, much less the past of the genre. A move that is likely attributed to the fact that these stories are eager to dive into their subject matter and explore the horrors of murder and teach us something about humanity along the way. Which isn’t exactly a bad thing, since murder and crime are an ugly business. But there is nothing wrong either, with taking the time to pay proper respect to the genre that gave life to that story in the first place, as happens in every other genre out there and thankfully… that mantra is starting to change. For more and more… there are crime shows out there trying to tip their cap to the stories that came before them, as evidenced by the next episode of Cannes Confidential on Acorn TV.

For ‘Creatures of Habit’ happened to be a story that featured… some old school crime storytelling. For a death at the local casino, brought both Harry and Camille within its walls, to better understand what could have caused such a heinous crime and well… in brief… it turned out that jilted lovers and broken hearts were to blame for death and robbery. Since a blacklisted poker player made a point to continue to bleed the casino dry with her outstanding poker skills, since she was emotionally wounded in every way imaginable by the casino’s lothario owner. Not to mention… it was one of his employees that did the deed regarding his late wife for love related reasons, and well… that was quite the incredible throwback. For the jilted lover is a classic trope that played out in this genre often in its earliest years and that was a nice homage to find here, as were the shout-outs to other shows.

Because this episode had a real Moonlighting vibe to it and featured the gloss and glitz of 1980s crime dramas… with its Las Vegas feel and that led to some fun in this tale. The kind that is rare to find in the genre, because of the respect that the subject matters demands. But this episode figured out how to use the ‘will they or won’t they mantra’ that hung heavy over that show to keep things both light and respectful, and that added a real air pf romance to this tale between Harry and Camille… and Lea for that matter since she does have big eyes for Camille. Not to mention, the homages went above and beyond in this story in the final act, since it basically tipped its cap to Casino Royale and James Bond in general, thanks to Harry’s desire to play a little poker with one of the villains of the story.

Also… side note, Jamie Bamber for the next James Bond. Just sayin’. The man can rock that tux.

But that aside… there was still plenty of story to be found in this episode as well. After all, the pressure was on Harry to deliver a name regarding who was tormenting Camille’s family and likely putting pressure on her father and well… he did deliver. Which spoke volumes to Harry’s resourcefulness and skill in finding information in this tale. And we even saw more of his human side, as evidenced by the whole subplot involving his daughter and the fact that she happened to be in Cannes, going to school and everything. Plus, we also continued to learn more about what drives Camille and how skilled she is as an investigator and all of these elements helped to bring forth, one incredible episode when all is said and done. 

Simply because… this was a delight to watch and it never felt overwhelming or dark, and it truly was a trip down memory lane. As though this writer had settled in on a Tuesday night on ABC to see Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepard do their thing. Not to mention, the case was engaging, because the clues were difficult to connect, and that engages a viewer deeply as they try to put the pieces together. But above all, what made this episode so delightful, was the characters. For character development was a hard focus of this episode and that’s always a welcome thing to see in a crime story. Since stagnancy and status quo do plague those and well, it will be interesting to see what kinds of surprises await us in the weeks to come, as we continue our journey through this refreshing and delightful new series. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 206 of ‘Cruel Summer’. To revisit the previous episode, clickhere.
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As season two of the hit Freeform series, Cruel Summer, continues along, it is becoming quite apparent… that emotion, deception, and the love triangle created over the past year and a half… played a huge role in Luke’s death. Simply because there were some powerful feelings at play during this time period in everyone’s life and those emotions are beginning to bubble over and cause more harm than good. For they are influencing decisions, bringing forth heartache and causing great division amongst one another… and never was that more evident than during this week’s fascinating episode, since ‘The Plunge’ put all of that on display.
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For instance, we came to learn that in the Summer of ’99, shortly after Isabella broke up with Luke to give Megan her shot at the man she loved and adored… that heartbreak came quickly out of Megan’s push to finally be with him. Since Jeff noticed closely how much attention she paid to Luke and how she made sure he noticed his feelings for her, and that broke Jeff. Because he really wanted a shot at being near Megan and knew that he had lost the battle and the war. So, he begrudgingly informed her of his desire to step away from such matters, which would explain the dark manner in which he treated Megan later in the timeline and of course… Megan’s hard desire for Luke, seemingly won over with ease… brought forth more trouble and strife down the line.

Because back in the Winter of 1999, during the plunge event that shares the namesake of this episode, Megan tapped out to help her friend with a coding job related to the boogeyman that was Y2K. Which meant it was up to Isabella and Luke to have fun and well… Luke definitely held to that mantra. By making an attempt to be near Isabella once again when he spoke out about simple worries regarding his relationship, which led to more deception since Luke didn’t talk about it in the slightest. Not to mention, lies brought forth division in the Summer of 2000, since Megan finally confronted her pseudo- ‘sister’ about the whole mess with Lisa. Giving rise to more of the testy and unhealthy game they play and well… all of this made for some fascinating television to say the least.

For it was, unconventional in nature. Since we often expect mysteries and crime shows to start to feed us clues at this point in the story. But all this did was offer up more of the unhealthy dynamic between two friends, while gently hinting at the real possibility that the love triangle and the mixed and muted feelings everyone has for one another… contributed to the end and a secret. The kind that might be revealed come next week, since Megan’s mother was quick to ask some questions about the clue she found under Isabella’s bed and well… we say might, because there might not be time for that happen. Not when Parker overhead the battle that Megan and Isabella went through in this tale, one that implied guilt, before she promptly made her way to the sheriff to inform him of that discussion.

But while we wait to see what comes out of that discovery and that brewing trouble, we can celebrate another fascinating tale. One that once again took the time to show us moments that at a casual glance… seem to be nothing more than a slice of life before tragedy. But deep down, these moments and the others we’ve been privy to, are all part of a complex puzzle, one that came together to bring forth great tragedy and great suffering and well… as we enter the home stretch for season one… it will be fascinating to see how those moments begin to jell and bring forth a grand understanding of how Megan and Isabella’s toxic relationship, combined with their own insecurities and worries and needs, ended an innocent life. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season Four Premiere of ‘Jack Ryan’. To revisit the Season Three Finale, click here.
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Over the course of the past three seasons, the Prime Video series, Jack Ryan, has elevated this already iconic characters to new heights. For this series, took the time to really ground the American equivalent of James Bond… in more realistic stories. The kind that has seen him tackle men ready to bring harm to America from abroad because of their hate of this nation, battle political corruption in other nations and he even had to fight to stop the reformation of the Soviet Union. All of which are plots that echo our own worries about our world, giving us context and depth amongst the stunning moments that this series provides us with and well, Jack has handled such powerfully relevant challenges in such a succinct manner, that one has to wonder what’s left for him to save the world from on a global scale. 
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Well as it turns out, for the show’s final season, the writer’s room saved Jack’s biggest and most important mission for last. One that indeed will give us plenty to ponder upon regarding some of our current world concerns. But of course… that was only revealed to us… after we caught up with Jack and Elizabeth Wright. For ‘Triage’ spent a lot of time exploring what followed Jack’s bold move to save the world from resurgent Soviet ambitions and World War III and well… life was good. After all, Wright was the Acting CIA Director and Jack became her deputy and together, they planned to purge the department of the incompetence that former Director Miller brought to the table and more changes were coming into Jack’s life. 

After all, his longtime friend and mentor, Jack Greer was pondering upon leaving the service to head into the private sector, giving rise to some adjustments for him in life. Not to mention, Dr. Cathy Mueller was back in Jack’s life, offering up the romantic connection we’ve been waiting for when it comes to this duo, and to top it all off, the purge at the CIA is another positive notion of note worth diving into deeper. Since Jack and Elizabeth truly made it clear that they wanted this organization to function with honor and integrity once again and that meant… they had to clean up Miller’s messes and bring them to a close. To ensure moving forward this wasn’t the mantra of the department and well, that’s when this story took a sour turn.

For Jack pulled the financial plug on every single mission that Miller left active and that… brought forth trouble for an agent named Domingo ‘Ding’ Chavez in ‘Convergence’. For he was embedded in Mexico working a critical operation. One where he was coming to discover that something awful was brewing. Since the Cartels in Mexico were consolidating power in the hopes of bringing some Chinese drugs and drug dealers into the mix. Why exactly, Ding didn’t know, but he knew such a move was trouble and kept his head down until the moment arrived to learn the truth. Which he did, right before he was forced to cease operations because of Jack’s decision to cut funding and well… that brought Jack and Ding face to face in America wherein, Jack was able to put the pieces together as to what the hell was going on.
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In that, all the strange black ops that were happening around the world, combined with this mission, weren’t designed to protect America’s interests and safety abroad, but designed to help bring about its end the long way round. For the Silver Lotus Triad wanted unfettered access to the United States of America, wherein it would sell the finest drugs and sow discontent that way, and well… a unified Cartel would help that happen no problem. And then… once they had a stronghold, they could move anyone and anything into America, and bring it to its knees. All because of Miller and his stupidity and well… just like that… Jack is facing his greatest threat to date, one born of the very ignorance and ego that we currently worry about. 

Since we too are worried deeply about what all this infighting and ‘in it for me’ attitude will bring since our enemies are watching and waiting to use that to their advantage, adding another powerful bit of commentary to this tale. But that aside, this really was quite the quality premiere. One that finally brought a Tom Clancy legend back into the fold via the latest on-screen appearance of Ding Chavez, and it was a story that truly did a phenomenal job of setting the stage for an epic season. The kind that will do this story justice and bring Jack’s long and winding saga to a close in a perfect manner, and truly… we will be waiting with bated breath for Friday’s next batch of episodes. So, we can see how exactly how on earth Jack is going to be able to bring down a powerful organization that may be mere minutes away from infiltrating America. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 206 of ‘Run the World’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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There are those who believe in this world, that friends are nothing more than a dime a dozen. A commodity that we can collect and remove at will because… they’re just friends. Not family. They’re just people we know and keep around for good times and well, that’s a horrible way to look at friendships. Because while we do indeed switch a few out along the way and lose some on our journey… friends are a huge deal. For they care about us, they share in great memories, and they can in fact… give us great perspective and focus when we let them into our lives and into our hearts. Because they are often the outside observer of our own situations, and that is invaluable and it just so happens, that the importance of friends and what they can do for us from that perspective, was put on full display in the next episode of Run the World on STARZ.
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For ‘A New Hope’ saw Hope return to the Big Apple to offer up quite the announcement. In that, she had met an artist named Francisco that she was madly in love with. To the point, that they were getting married and well, this announcement and the way Hope was acting with love in her heart, took everyone off guard at first. Because this wasn’t standard Hope behavior. For she was just living in the moment here, not sweating the small stuff and just reveling in the majesty of love, and that made Whitney worry that her long time was suffering through a rough time and that maybe… this was a form of acting out. But the more time everyone spent with Hope and her new love, the more they realized… this really was making her happy and changing her perspective on life and well… what she came to learn about herself by falling madly in love, taught both Whitney and Renee some lessons about themselves and provided them with perspective.

Take for instance the fact that she informed Whitney through her actions… that Whitney was taking life and love a little too seriously. For Whitney was consistently looking for the perfect path forward and the right way to heal. When in fact… she needed to not do any of that. Because someone that was complaining about living their life too rigid, needed to stop living rigid and just live in the moment. And that led to a unique and loose encounter with Ola that offered up the different dynamic she wanted a few weeks ago, and new perspective on how to live. As for Renee, well… seeing that kind of pure love in front of her, prompted her to think about her best days with Jason. And how magical their love affair was and how it resembled what Hope had now, and well… that eventually helped her to realize she loved Jason deeply still and needed to do something about it. All of which, reinforced the importance of friends and the magical things they can do for us.

If anything, the only person in this story that didn’t find major value in what Hope was bringing to the table, was Sondi. Not because she found no value in Hope, but because… she was at a place in her life where perspective was something she was finding on her own. For she was looking at her life objectively and came to properly understand that she was making some bold and powerful choices. The kind that was upending her life and putting her out of her comfort zone. But those choices were worth it. Because more is everything that Sondi wants and uncomfortable gets us there and really, her journey was just to remind us that everyone moves at their own pace and sometimes… we move a little faster than others and there is nothing wrong with that, and it was quite the joy to see Sondi just thriving and pushing forward in this tale. 

But it is equally as important that Renee and Whitney had some delightful wake up calls in this story. The kind they needed desperately since they have been in a pseudo rut. Which of course, there’s no shame in that. It happens, and that’s why friends matter and why we should nurture those relationships. Because you never know when that friend will pay us in kind for caring about them, with wisdom and observations that we desperately need to remove ourselves from that rut, and well, that made for one amazing episode. One that saw Renee and Whitney grow at light speed and really come to understand more about what they want out of life. And truly, it will be interesting to see where these revelations and lessons take these ladies as we inch toward the end of a truly brilliant season of storytelling. Until next time.