​Please enjoy this sneak peek and synopsis of Episode 202 of The Serpent Queen, which will be available on the STARZ App, and air on STARZ, tomorrow!

THE SERPENT QUEEN EPISODE 202: Second Coming
Airdate: July 19 at 8:00pm ET/PT on STARZ
 
With peace lying on a knife’s edge, Catherine attempts to calm tensions by allowing the Bourbons to pursue the trade deal with England, and she halts the investigation into the Duke of Guise’s arson involvement.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Series Premiere of ‘Those About to Die’.
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It really is quite amazing, how much modern mankind remains captivated by the Roman Empire. For while other empires and leaders and civilizations fade from our memories and are really only acknowledged through textbooks in schools… we continue to think upon Rome and its glory days and well, there is good reason for that. After all, so much of what was invented and conceived during that era has stayed with us and discussions about those contributions do come up in our modern world and of course… it’s just captivating to know that a mere two-thousand years ago, this was the kind of world we lived in. One that was both civilized yet savage, which some might say… hasn’t changed all that much. 

But that aside, we do indeed love Rome and we love to explore every corner of its history and its people. Which is why it should come as no surprise that earlier today, a grandiose and incredible series about Rome, hit the airwaves on Peacock. For all ten episodes of Those About to Die, debuted on the network and well, the time has come to start our journey through each and every one of them, starting with the fascinating series premiere of this show. For ‘Ride or Die’ happens to be a story that informs us, this series will be everything a Roman Empire fanatic can ask for more, and it will satisfy more casual fans of this era of history as well, by offering up… a grand and sweeping story.

One that plunges us into the Flavian era of the Empire, wherein Emperor Vespasian hopes to quell the rising unrest in his regime with more bread and more circuses, the latter of which he can easily provide with the arrival of the Circus Maximus. A grand arena for the people and by the people and that setup, brings forth a lovely Roman Empire story. One that explores the political world of the time, the struggles of the people and the life and times of the gladiators that compete for a championship in that very arena. Which gives rise to an epic premiere that introduces a bevy of fascinating characters and storylines filled with juicy drama and big moments, the kind that are supremely cinematic in nature. Especially when it comes to the very races the people crave.

But while it is lovely to be transported to Rome at a precarious time of near decline, there are more wondrous elements to explore within this series. For it is as intelligent and thoughtful as it is epic in nature. For this particular series spends a lot of time outside of the emperor’s palace, so we can see what the people of Rome went through back in the day, and that harbors some fine parallels to our current world. Since class inequity and warfare is present here, as is corruption within the Roman Government and those explorations do indeed echo hard and remind us of how far we haven’t come in some regards, and it will be interesting to see what else this series will offer regarding this thread. Because not many stories about Rome explore such matters.

If anything, that only adds to the richness of this incredible series. One that really does suck you in with its beautiful visuals and stunning set design and direction, and it also doesn’t hurt that the acting sells the moment too. Since each cast member provides us with a performance the feels right for the era, or as right as it can be since we only know so much. Plus, it’s also wonderful that Anthony Hopkins plays the enigmatic emperor with the wonder that only he can bring to a role, and well, it is safe to say that this is going to be nothing short of a wild and incredible journey. One that will thrill us with visuals that drop our jaws, and acting that sells the moment, and commentary, that gives us pause. Courtesy of this grandiose story about an era in history that always finds new ways to captivate us. Until next time.

Watch ‘Those About to Die’

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season Two Premiere of ‘The Ark’. To revisit the Season One Finale, click here.
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If there is one unfortunate truth that gives us pause in this life, it would have to be that people don’t embrace change instantaneously. Which stops us in our tracks, because we’ve seen otherwise and heard otherwise. For we either experience or learn of someone that went through… a watershed, life changing moment. The kind that opens one’s eyes to great truth and an understanding that a course must be corrected, or trouble will arise, and that person or the one we see in the mirror, makes that hard call to change and goes through with it quickly and finds a better life. So… we expect others to abide by that edict when… they simply cannot.

For everyone views and embraces change differently, and all we can do, is offer them grace and hope to inspire others to change. If anything, this is top of mind today, because that lesson and how we inspire change was put on full display in the season two premiere of the hit SYFY series, The Ark. A feat that ‘Failed Experiment’ accomplished… after following up on THAT cliffhanger. For this episode picked up shortly after Ark One faced grave disaster and while we learned that the bridge crew was alive and shaken, they had not a clue what happened on the rest of the ship or if the rest of the crew was alive, and for a time, it seemed as though a grand rescue mission was about to happen.

Because Evelyn sent a search and rescue team over to bring our heroes to her ship, to rest and recuperate and learn… that Evelyn didn’t embrace change all that quickly. She saw the rescue as being even, and that if anyone remained on Ark One, they were to fend for themselves. Which stood in the face of everything that Sharon and her crew fought for in season one. Which left them shocked and stunned that someone wouldn’t understand that something greater was at play here, that unity and togetherness was the key to survival, and that such a mantra needed to be embraced. But it spoke to how people don’t always embrace change when a grand opportunity to do so is in front of them and for a time… it seemed that everyone aboard Ark One was doomed and this season was going to take quite the turn.

But thankfully, this episode took a positive turn and began to lean into how being the better person, how embracing change in the right ways can in fact, inspire others to change quickly. Because the good news was that Ark One did have survivors, including Angus, whom we were all worried about, and Dr. Kabir, and Eva. Which prompted a push to treat them aboard Evelyn’s ship, to give them a fighting chance. One that Cat didn’t get since she didn’t make it sadly. But that push for healing brought about all kinds of inspiring surprises. Since Kelly, gave blood to Angus as penance, and others spoke to how badly they wanted off of the ship to be part of a real mission to survive. To be that beacon for humanity’s future. For they saw what Sharon and her crew were doing and fighting for and that inspired them to be better.
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Which in turn allowed for us to learn how to embrace and encourage those who are ready to change and how we give those who aren’t sure they’re ready the reflection time they clearly need. Because Evelyn almost lost it again over having members of her crew leave for a different opportunity. Wherein we also learned that Kelly is something of a biological experiment that can be used as a weapon. But that weapon never fired. Because Evelyn was given grace and space to think upon what mattered, and that allowed for this intrepid crew, now full of new members, to continue their mission of hope, and that made… for a powerhouse season premiere. For it was filled to the brim with action, adventure, worry and joy and you cannot ask for much more than that from a sci fi series about the last vestiges of mankind, fighting to survive to keep our species alive.

But what mattered more here, was that this episode really did lean into a powerful lesson for the crew and the audience, and that added depth to this story. The kind that informs us that season two of this show is going to go deeper into the human condition, and what being the best version of ourselves can accomplish and that is exciting to say the least. Since now is the right time to have a series on the air that showcases what we can be when we fight back against doubt and those unwilling to change in the moment, and well… this really was just a perfect premiere. For it was simply brilliant and thrilling and now we will all be counting down the minutes to see what incredible lessons and moments await us as Captain Garnet and her intrepid and inspiring crew put the pieces back together and chart a new course for a new beginning for all mankind. Until next time
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Learn more about Season Two of ‘The Ark’ courtesy of our interview with Series Lead Christie Burke, and Co-Showrunners Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episodes 407 and 408 of ‘Babylon Berlin’. To revisit the previous episodes, click here.
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More often than not, television shows rarely acknowledge the elements that make them successful and worthwhile within the framework of a story and understandably so. Because we expect the fourth wall to not be broken by characters and the story, unless necessary, and dropping that veil would definitely ruin the experience. But now and again, a show will indeed break that rule and make note, in a manner that actually works and only adds to the experience, as was the case with the next two episodes of Babylon Berlin. Since in the first ten minutes of ‘Episode 8’, the enigmatic Dr. Gregorius outright states, that there is ‘always something going on in Berlin’ and that is a genuine reflection of what this show accomplishes.

For week in and week out, there is so much going on and so much for us to enjoy and once again, there was plenty going on in Berlin. For instance, this is a story that saw Mr. Nyssen, work desperately to save his family, before outright giving up on such a quest. For he was helpless here and unable to do anything to solve his problems. So, he deemed it best to just let things slide and live life to the fullest and well, that brought about fury from Wegener, who stole the diamond and wanted his own payout for it and was willing to work with Gold on getting a check before turning him in, a plan that went nowhere thanks to another fascinating journey that took place in this tale. Specifically, an exploration regarding the rich culture that Nazi Germany destroyed.

For Mister Gold spent a fair bit of time with his extended family and in doing so, was able to see first-hand how there were great prejudices growing in Germany against the Jewish community and he was also able to reconnect and celebrate his heritage and the unity and tradition, and joy, on display there, served as a stark reminder of what will soon be lost in this country, courtesy of raw hate and idiocy. Plus, these episodes further extended the push to hold the right people accountable after that awful trial, courtesy of that sequence with Dr. Gregorius, who was charmed and wooed long enough for the documents he was carrying to get into the right hands and hopefully some good will come from them soon, so justice can indeed be served. 

But of course, the centerpieces of storytelling in this block of episodes were once again handled by Gereon and Charlotte. Who saw their bond grow in these stories amid pure chaos. For a gang war broke out in the heart of Berlin, which brought forth great bloodshed on the streets. The kind that was so great that the police had to resort to extreme measures to stop it, after Gereon received quite the horrifying and grisly invitation to meet the brains behind the chaos. Who turned out to be the Armenian, alive and well and it turned out that he wanted the police to help him bring a new agenda to life, one that he claimed would be grounded in peace, by assembling a conference of the greatest gangsters left in the city, to call for a truce and cooperation. An idea that came to fruition, mainly because the Armenian also offered, to end Dr. Schmidt as repayment for making this happen.

Not to mention, in order to keep his case against the SA alive, Rath had to go to extremes to get Stennes out of the clink. Which meant, spying on the right people and getting the right dirt to leverage a release, such as having Gräf follow Wendt about to capture photos of him having sex with Arndt, and that worked and shifted the dynamic of the SA, and left Rath and Gräf feeling regret over going to such measures. But Rath saw it as an end to a means and pressed forward. And while he was handling the city’s biggest messes, Charlotte was working on getting Toni out of the juvenile facility she found herself within and found some concerning evidence regarding Dr. Schwarz. Specifically, his role in helping the youth in this town to suffer greatly in the name of justice and well, it would seem suffering will soon be in play for Schwarz.

Since Charlotte discovered Rudi’s body and the White Hand whisked the good doctor away. But while we wait to see what comes of this, we can celebrate what was another jam-packed pair of episodes. The kind that really did showcase how there is always something happening in Berlin, and well, we are the ones reaping the benefit of that. Since we were treated to one engaging storyline after another. The kind that continues to grow characters big and small and move us through a tense era of history that fascinates and well, we are definitely ready and eager for more. After all, we simply don’t know if the Armenian will honor his word or if he’s playing Rath and clearly… Charlotte is about to break a case wide open without a badge, which means we will be anxiously counting down the minutes to next week’s tales… to see what else is happening in Berlin.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season One Finale of ‘The Acolyte’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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There is a prevailing belief in our world, that empires and republics fall quickly. As though there is just a quick swell of disdain that helps the people or nefarious agents topple them, and there is some merit to that line of thinking. Mainly because when the fall does come, it is swift and sometimes plays out on live television. But the fact of the matter is, what we see is just the end result, and the true collapse of such nations takes quite a bit of time. For there are so many moments and so many mistakes that lay the groundwork for the disdain in question or the rise of evil, and it is important to note those moments to ponder upon how best to avoid them.
 
If anything, the genesis point of the end of a Republic is top of mind today, simply because it was put on display in the season one finale of The Acolyte. For ‘The Acolyte’ informed us in a grand and sweeping manner that the end of the Republic and the Fall of the Jedi wasn’t born out of the swift corruption of Anakin Skywalker and the groundwork laid down by Emperor Palpatine’s staged Clone Wars. No, the true foundation of the end was born through subtle and painful moments that took place in this tale. For all the key players involved in this story made their way to Brendok, to better understand their past and their future and in the case of the Jedi, the vergence that brought forth Mae and Osha, and well, disaster came forth from this convergence of light and darkness.

Primarily in the form of a battle royale between the split entity that is the sisters of Brendok and of course, between the Stranger and Master Sol. Wherein lightsabers clashed, and truths were indeed spilled… as was blood. For when the dust settled, Osha finally came to learn of Sol’s actions long ago, and how badly he wanted to be a surrogate father to her to heal the mistake he made. But alas, Osha killed him in anger, and turned to the dark side in the process, giving rise to a sorrowful end to her journey… one that featured the bleeding of Sol’s kyber crystal to give rise to a new Sith and also saw the sisters part ways after a memory wipe of Mae’s mind. To keep her safe while Osha studied the dark arts, and well… that moment and what followed… are the moments that indeed moved the galaxy toward darkness.

Because Master Vernestra took part in lying as well, by pinning the whole mess on Sol in that grand effort to keep the truth about the Jedi making a mistake, a secret. Not to mention, not following up on what happened on Brendok further, helped to keep the Sith a secret. A move that undoubtedly helped the dark side grow in power and cloud the judgment of the Jedi. Setting the stage for a take over a century later, and that… worked in tandem with the surprise cameos present here. Since Vernestra’s panicked chat with Master Yoda undoubtedly solidified the lies and the weakening of the Jedi’s awareness to uncovering the Sith plot that would be their downfall and of course… the brief glimpse of Darth Plagueis set in motion the corruption of one Anakin Skywalker.

All of which spoke… to how sometimes… that which is grand and beautiful, such as this Republic, will have the beginning of the end take place… through simple means. For lies and deception spread through its just cause and clearly… allowed for doubt to be sown so fury and revenge could take place. Which made for a fascinating finale, one that was powerful, and sweeping and truly spoke to its central theme in an incredible manner, and hopefully, we get a second season of this show. Since it could further explore how the Jedi lost their way and created more distrust and follow up with these rich characters and examine how the Dark Lords of the Sith, laid down further groundwork to topple good in this galaxy far, far away. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 406 of ‘My Life Is Murder’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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There are few things more shocking to see on the six o’clock news, than the sad report that a life has been lost courtesy of a family member. For murder is the original and most devastating sin and killing family, is right behind it. For they are an extension of us, and our blood courses through their veins and vice versa. So, the thought of causing them harm should sicken everyone. But alas, people do it and do it for a variety of reasons that are equally as unsettling. From everything from jealousy and money… to something as pitiful as outright shame. As evidenced by the next episode of My Life Is Murder on Acorn TV.

For ‘The Good Oil’ saw Alexa Crowe and her amazing team step in to investigate the death of a good man named Ropati. Who worked in the community, sold honest goods to the world and had no enemies or did not know anyone that should have crossed that line. In fact, the prime suspect, the man who inherited the dance academy Ropati also owned, showed no signs of malice and that prompted Team Alexa to look elsewhere and see who might want to harm a good man, and well… for a time… it seemed the only logical person that would cross that line was someone mired deeply in the wonder and the majesty of greed. Since… Fia owned a cross-town rival to Ropati’s company, and wanted his products badly.

Not to mention, Fia was rude and only cared about profits, so it stood to reason that perhaps she might cross that line. Because there were all kinds of documents that spoke to a merger with Ropati’s company, one that clearly fell to pieces. So why not eliminate the competition to finally get one’s hand on that bread and that product? But alas, it just turned out that Fia was nothing more than a greedy jerk, not a murderer. Which forced Alexa to look closer at the clues and look for some kind of tie, some kind of constant and well, she found it. For Chris, Ropati’s top employee, and Vinnie, were names that often showed up in the paperwork and in mention and with good reason.

For Chris was in essence, an adopted member of Ropati’s family, and took great pride in being part of something bigger, especially since his real family… was an embarrassment, and Vinnie was part of that. Because she was just a failure through and through and rarely did the right thing and she of course, followed her brother everywhere in an effort to just be around and potentially gain a little financial scrap from him. Which infuriated Chris to no end, and well, he decided the time had come to just get rid of her, by paying off her debts so she would go away and to do so… he used company cash. And to complicate matters further… his gambit didn’t pay off. She just went on with her life with no debts to her name and that… brought about complications.

The kind where Chris needed to pay back what he used and he thought a merger with Fia would help, but instead… that backfired and left him in a dark and twisted place. One where he killed family in the name of shame when confronted. Shame for his sister, and shame for himself, but shame none the less. All because… he could not reconcile his past and the reality of his family and somehow thought fantasy could fix a person. When what he should have done, was accept his family for better or worse, and be honest with his chosen family about the trouble Vinnie would bring into their lives. Or… just let it be as Alexa did here with her own sordid family life. But alas, shame is a powerful emotion and so is frustration, and that made this a cautionary tale of sorts, one that showcased another fascinating reason why families shatter and go to the darkest places imaginable. Until next time.

It is definitely safe to say that the hit Prime Video series, Citadel, took audiences by surprise in all the right ways. Simply because season one of this show was an outright cinematic spectacle and brought big budget action into our homes like never before. Plus, the series was just plain fun, and a great way to lose oneself into an entertaining story for an hour. And to top it all off, we also learned that season one was the robust beginning of a Citadel Universe. A world where ultra cool spies did ultra cool things and it established that fact, by way of a teaser, that let us know the next chapter in this saga would involve a mysterious character known only as Diana.
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But it’s been a while since we’ve heard much about her adventures, that is until day. For at long last, we have news about Citadel: Diana, for earlier… Prime Video dropped all kinds of gifts our way regarding this highly anticipated series. In that, we now have a release date for Diana, and we also… were treated to a teaser trailer. One that is epic and sweeping and absolutely informs us of how amazing this new show is going to be, and it is a trailer we are absolutely going to share with you now, along with all the details on the premiere date, and a synopsis for the series as well. So, you can experience the wonder firsthand and begin the countdown to the next chapter in the Citadel saga.

‘Prime Video unveiled the new teaser trailer and new imagery for the highly anticipated Italian series within the world ofCitadel, Citadel: Diana and announced that all six episodes of the new spy series produced by Cattleya—part of ITV Studios— and Amazon MGM Studios, and executive produced by the Russo Brothers’ AGBO, will debut exclusively on Prime Video globally on October 10. Citadel: Diana stars Matilda De Angelis (The Undoing) as the central character and also features an international cast, including Lorenzo Cervasio, Maurizio Lombardi, Julia Piaton, Thekla Reuten, Giordana Faggiano, Daniele Paoloni,Bernhard Schütz and Filippo Nigro.
 
Citadel: Diana is directed by Arnaldo Catinari and developed by Alessandro Fabbri, who is also the head writer, and wrote the series with Ilaria Bernardini, Gianluca Bernardini, Laura Colella and Giordana Mari. Citadel: Diana is produced by Amazon MGM Studios with Cattleya (ZeroZeroZero)—part of ITV Studios—and showrunner and executive producer Gina Gardini, with Riccardo Tozzi, Marco Chimenz, Giovanni Stabilini and Emanuele Savoini also serving as executive producers, and with the support of Italian Ministry of Culture - Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual. Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot, and Scott Nemes from AGBO, alongside David Weil (Hunters), executive produce Citadel: Diana and all series within the world of Citadel.  Midnight Radio also executive produce.
 
Citadel: Diana Synopsis
Milan, 2030: Eight years ago, the independent global spy agency Citadel was destroyed by the powerful enemy syndicate, Manticore. Since then, Diana Cavalieri (Matilda De Angelis), an undercover Citadel agent, is alone, trapped behind enemy lines as a mole in Manticore. When she finally sees a way out and the chance to disappear forever, the only way to do so is trusting the most unexpected ally, Edo Zani (Lorenzo Cervasio), the heir of Manticore Italy and son of the head of the Italian organization, Ettore Zani (Maurizio Lombardi), who’s vying for leadership against the other European families.
 
About the World of Citadel
The first season of Citadel, starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas alongside Stanley Tucci and Lesley Manville, premiered to global success in 2023, becoming Prime Video’s second most-watched new original series outside the U.S., and fourth most-watched worldwide. Executive produced by the Russo Brothers' AGBO, Citadel and its subsequent action-espionage Original Series traverse the globe, evolving the story of spy agency Citadel and its powerful enemy syndicate, Manticore. Each series born from the world of Citadel stars top local talent and is created, produced and filmed in region—bringing about stylistically unique shows with strong cultural identities rooted in their respective country of origin. The Italian Original, Citadel: Diana, is the second series to debut from the world of Citadel and will be followed by India’s series, Citadel: Honey Bunny starring Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu. Season Two of Citadel, starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, will begin production this year, with Joe Russo serving as director.

About Cattleya
Under the guidance of Riccardo Tozzi, Giovanni Stabilini and Francesca Longardi, Cattleya has been one of Italy’s most important film and television producers for over 20 years. After producing, during its nascent years, feature films by Italy’s most acclaimed writers and directors, the company, then, focused its activities primarily on television drama.  Ground-breaking series such as Romanzo Criminale and Gomorrah are considered among forerunners of a new narrative style and rigor and have earned cult status. Building partnerships with Italian and foreign producers and diversifying genres have become Cattleya’s hallmark over the last several years and have led to great international successes, such asZeroZeroZero, Suburra, Summertime, Romulusand Django placing the company among the highest echelon of European producers. Part of this strand is also Citadel: Diana, the Italian series in the Citadel world, the ground-breaking global series executive produced by the Russo Brothers.’
 
At a more local level, it is worth mentioning the success of two detective stories with female protagonists, both well received by the public and critics alike: Voiceless (Bella da morire) and Petra. Cattleya along with writers Leonardo Fasoli and Maddalena Ravagli have recently launchedMoontrip, a new production company focused on developing genre films and series marked by aninnovative approach.   On the international front, Cattleya and its majority shareholder since 2017, ITV Studios, recently launched Madrid-based Cattleya Producciones, a scripted label that will specialize in the creation and production of TV drama and films for Spain and the international market.
 
About AGBO
Established in 2017 by acclaimed directors Anthony and Joe Russo, AGBO's mission is to propel the next era of storytelling by developing and producing universe-driven intellectual properties that span film, TV, gaming, and interactive. As a powerhouse independent studio founded and operated by a collective of artists with decades of experience, AGBO has consistently shattered audience records with its globally resonant content.
 
In recent years, AGBO has achieved record-breaking success in both box office and streaming, setting new standards in global entertainment. The Russo Brothers and AGBO have had 11 number one global openings with over seven billion in box office including Marvel’s highest grossing film of all time; Avengers: Endgame.  Everything Everywhere All at Oncebroke records for A24 by winning seven Academy Awards including Best Picture in 2023.  The Russo Brothers-directed film The Gray Man sits in the top six of Netflix's "most viewed of all time" list, and the Chris Hemsworth-starrer Extraction has become Netflix’s most successful franchise to date. Additionally, Prime Video’s Citadel franchise instantly landed as Prime's second-most-watched show in history.
 
About Prime Video
Prime Video is a one-stop entertainment destination offering customers a vast collection of premium programming in one application available across thousands of devices. On Prime Video, customers can find their favorite movies, series, documentaries, and live sports – including Amazon MGM Studios-produced series and movies Road House, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Fallout, Reacher, The Boys, andThe Idea of You; licensed fan favorites American Fiction and The Boys in the Boat; Prime member exclusive access to coverage of live sports including Thursday Night Football, WNBA, and NWSL, and acclaimed sports documentaries including Bye Bye Barry and Federer; and programming from Prime Video add-on subscriptions such as Max, Crunchyroll and MGM+, as well as more than 500 free ad-supported (FAST) Channels. Prime members in the U.S. can share a variety of benefits, including Prime Video, by using Amazon Household. Prime Video is one benefit among many that provides savings, convenience, and entertainment as part of the Prime membership. All customers, regardless of whether they have a Prime membership or not, can rent or buy titles, including blockbusters such as Challengers and The Fall Guy, via the Prime Video Store, and can enjoy content such as Jury Duty and Bosch: Legacy free with ads on Freevee. Customers can also go behind the scenes of their favorite movies and series with exclusive X-Ray access. For more info visit www.amazon.com/primevideo.’

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 209 of ‘Race to Survive: New Zealand’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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If there is one particular phrase that we can easily associate with the USA Network series, Race to Survive: New Zealand, it would have to be… expect the unexpected. For this reality competition has not resembled what we are used to regarding shows in this vein. For of the six teams eliminated, only two have left because of an actual ‘loss’ according to the rules. Whereas everyone else has tapped out due to injury, and we sadly had a team go home for breaking the rules out of sheer hunger. Not to mention, any attempt to bring about a strategy here has gone nowhere for the teams because the show has changed up the rules and the landscape, giving rise to one stunning adventure through and through.

If anything, the consistent shake ups and surprises present within this show are top of mind today, simply because… they came into play once again last night. For ‘Separate Ways’ saw the final three teams be tested in a unique way. First, they would be subjected to an intense time trial, two days to complete a course via two checkpoints and half of that competition would be handled apart. For they were to perform individual trials before reuniting for the last leg of the journey and well, that brought about some fascinating and intense moments for certain. Mainly because it put everyone to the test and forced them to not lean on their partner’s skills and that led to some real surprises for certain. Because it definitely exposed a few weaknesses.

Oddly, it exposed none for the game’s new leaders. Since Ethan and Tyrie performed amazingly through and through and just keep hammering forward. To the point where their individual drills were a breeze, and they completed both segments of the time trial with plenty of time to spare to rest and recoup for the grand finale. But Kennedy and Nik, came to learn that their slow and steady strategy might come back to haunt them down the line. Simply because that was their edict for both segments of this particular trial, and that slowed them down immensely and while they did indeed cross the finish line, it was a close call with the clock for certain. Making it clear they may have to rethink their strategy to snag that half a million dollars.

But truly, the centerpiece journey regarding surprises, was Paulina and Creighton’s. Simply because while Paulina flipped the switch and went into full beast mode in this tale, Creighton struggled mightily without her supporting him in the wild. Simply because he got lost often, and spent most of the first half of the journey wandering about trying to find the best way forward. Which thankfully, he did, but that massive delay put their standing in the race in severe jeopardy. Simply because they lost a lot of time and truly had to haul it to the finish line, with no guarantees they’d beat the clock and make it to the grand finale of this show. But believe it or not, they pulled it off and will indeed compete for a half a million dollars, and it really is a good thing they are reunited. Since this episode made it clear how well they work together as a team.

But all learning moments and wild twists and turns aside, this really was, quite the epic penultimate episode. Simply because, these teams were absolutely put to the test. For they were pushed hard here from beginning to end and were forced to face their weaknesses and find ways to overcome them to compete for the grand prize and that made for one epic story for certain. One that was full of surprises and worry, since there were no guarantees that anyone was going to make it to the finish line. But all three teams made the cut and now we must impatiently wait to see how the final race plays out, and with three teams this hungry for the win and a half a million dollars, the finale should be nothing short of a doozy. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Series Premiere of ‘Me’.
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If there is one particular truth about growing up that everyone can agree upon, it would have to be… it’s hard. Because we struggle to be heard as kids and teens, and we are of course, at the precipice of so much in our teenage years. Wherein we find ourselves pressured to understand who we are and who we should be and that makes for tough days and tough nights as well. Not to mention, when we hit those teenage years, we deal with unpleasant surprises through bullies and other such nonsense and going through so much turmoil often tends to prompt us to do our best to escape and think upon a life not so stressful.

Often, by fantasizing about becoming someone else. Wherein we can envision a life where we are free from the stresses of finding our own path or searching for an identity, and that oddly brings us peace if only for a little while. For we always return to our regular lives and the lumps that await, but our imagination cannot help but wonder again and again, what would happen if we did indeed become someone else. Because there is a real enticing nature to escaping into the identity of another soul and well, it just so happens that the new series, Me, on Apple TV+ explores just that, and that makes the show’s ‘Pilot’ episode quite powerful in nature.

Simply because it informs us that such a gift, would be a potential curse. A feat that it accomplishes by plunging us into the life of a teenager named Ben who truly is dealing with a lot. For his family is now blended and he has a stepsister named Alex, and that is a lot to process. Not to mention, school is staring to be quite the pain. Simply because there are bullies galore and he is just trying to keep his head above water and that of course… brings forth the surprise in question. For Ben needs that sense of escape, and harbors that want to not be Ben, but be someone else, and he outright gets his wish. Because one fine morning, he wakes up wearing the face of a friend.

Which is the moment that we learn that being someone else, and walking in their shoes, would not be all that it is cracked up to be. Because just like that, Ben is no longer allowed in his own home, and his parents are immediately worried as to what has happened to him. Which leaves him alone, nervous, and worried and of course, full of questions regarding how on earth such a surprise happened. Because he has no immediate control over this newfound power and hasn’t a clue how to switch back and be the person he once was. Granted eventually, Ben returns to the face he knows and deeply loves but is fundamentally changed.

All of which sets up, a stunning season of storytelling. One that is deeply layered in nature. Since clearly, a story about a teenager that can shapeshift, will dive deep into themes about what it means to come of age, what it means to be one’s authentic self. And we will enjoy such messages courtesy of amazing writing, courtesy of Barry L. Levy and his team. Amazing performances from Lucian-River Chauhan and Abigail Pniowsky who play Ben and Max and some slick direction from Michael Dowse. Who provides this story with a unique look and feel and of course, brings out those performances and brings the words together in a manner that is compelling and engaging. If anything, this is a perfect pilot. One that truly immerses us in this world and a journey that we must see to its end, to know if Ben can find himself or if he will be lost in a fantasy that clearly should never come true. Until next time.

To learn more about the creation of this show and its themes, please visit our interview with Showrunner/Creator, Barry L. Levy, and Cast Members Lucian-River Chauhan and Abigail Pniowsky.

It is definitely safe to say that stories about humanity being forced to abandon Earth, are often quite bleak in nature. In large part because of why mankind must bid Terra goodbye. Since sometimes it relates to an alien attack that wrecks the world that gives us life, or they relate to how we were the ones to bring it to devastation. Courtesy of our short sightedness and ignorance and oddly enough, such stories… rarely show us what becomes of humanity after we’ve moved to the stars. Because its core point lies within the framework of WHY we left home, and anything else is immaterial and the fate of humanity can be left up to our imagination. Or… the story just ends in a bleak and depressing manner.
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Which is why the SYFY series, The Ark, is so incredibly genius and was so well received when it debuted on the network last year. Simply because, it offered up a refreshing twist upon this kind of story. Sure, there were elements that made it seem as though the norm was coming. Since mankind was the reason the Ark program existed and there were indeed echoes of our shortsightedness along the way. But it was what happened in between those tropes that made this series so worthwhile and so refreshing. Since it also spoke to who we become when we put nonsense aside and work together as one, and it also saw the crew of Ark One fight tooth and nail to save lives and preserve humanity’s future by leaning into what makes us great as a species instead of just focusing upon the worst parts of us.

Those elements, made for an incredible season of storytelling, one that we’ve been eager to enjoy more of since SYFY did renew the show for a second season, one that we are days away from taking part in. Which means that now is the time to examine season two. But know in advance we won’t be spoiling anything in detail here, because that would do this second season a grave disservice from a storytelling standpoint. But there is a lot of to celebrate when it comes to season two, and what we will say about season two is that it happens to be a season of storytelling, that is even more ambitious than what came before it.

Which is saying something since that first season was just so incredible. But once we get the answers, we seek about what happened to the ship, and the crew, the show opts to be bigger, be bolder and take us on an even more impressive ride. For the stakes are higher, and the tension is thick when it appears. Giving rise to a rollercoaster ride that we simply cannot get enough of and that makes… for a stunning season of storytelling. One that challenges the characters like never before and truly takes our breath away and oft leaves us worried about the fate of this crew as they push hard to complete their mission to give mankind a second chance.

But while it is indeed amazing to be treated to a story this epic and this engaging, make no mistake about it, this show does not stray from its roots. For it remains grounded in what makes humanity wonderful and majestic. And how the ties that bind us matter more than anything. Which brings about explorations of the human condition that are thoughtful and powerful, not to mention… hopeful in nature. Because this show was grounded in hope for a better tomorrow, and unity in season one, and it finds a way to express that hope in season two, and truly give the audience something to feel good about at a time when the world is as much of a dumpster fire as the one that this crew left behind.

All of which makes, for an amazing season of storytelling. One that also feels very comfortable and moves at a perfect pace, because the writer’s room is comfortable now and knows exactly how to assemble perfect stories in this saga. Not to mention, the cast is also comfortable with their characters and know how to make the most of the moment, and that brings gravity to each moment, and the best news is… we are only days away from returning to Ark One’s plight. For season two of The Ark arrives on SYFY this Wednesday, and we here at NTG cannot wait for you see it, to geek out with you about it and to share our interview with series lead Christie Burke (Sharon), Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner as we count down the minutes to the return of the most refreshing sci-fi series on the airwaves.