Over the course of its fifty-three-year run, the Star Trek franchise as a whole, has accomplished a great many things. So many in fact, that it would probably take years to examine and analyze all of them here. But while it’s handled social commentary in masterful fashion, and offered up a powerful vision of a future where mankind casts off its petty differences, one thing that it has always excelled at over most science fiction franchises, is the saga’s ability to make the truly fantastical, digestible for its audiences. Because we have seen some incredible aliens pop up throughout the years, the kind that should make our eyes roll since this is a series grounded in science, but we love these quirky aliens none the less.
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If anything, I’d like to think that such a feat is possible, because of The Original Series. Because the more I watch the opening season/chapter of this storied franchise, the more I’ve come to realize that writer’s room really did throw caution to the wind from time to time, just to see what would stick and for proof, of all of this, look no further than the next episode of this series, ‘The Squire of Gothos’. For this is a tale that truly introduced one of the wildest characters the saga had ever seen in Trelane, a cocky and arrogant and petulant child that truly wanted everything at his fingertips and oddly could have it with a nod or a wink thanks to the powerful technology available at his disposal.

Which, obviously paved a path for the Q Continuum and Q himself to appear on later iterations of the series and the comparisons here between Q and Trelane are obviously undeniable since neither of them are too concerned about the consequences of their actions, and both relish in pushing the envelope when it comes to tormenting their respective targets. If anything, the only real differences between the two of them is the aforementioned technology Trelane uses, and the fact that I wasn’t joking when I called him a child, because he is, and it is his parents that oddly save the day when things get dire. But all comparisons and setup present in this story aside, it’s the fantastical elements present in Trelane’s arrival that truly fascinate me because none of this should work in the slightest.

I mean come on, a being that can just wish whatever it wants into existence? That just doesn’t seem all that Star Trek in the first place, but it’s not the first time we’ve seen it here since ‘Charlie X’ and ‘Where No Man Has Gone Before’ featured characters that could also make wonders happen at the whim of a thought and I think those experimental stories are what allows for Trelane to work here. Because the crew has seen this before, so it’s nothing new for them and honestly, when one considers the over the top nature of Trelane and his sheer arrogance, I honestly wonder if this episode would have worked in the slightest had it premiered before those other episodes. But that’s pure conjecture, because what matters more here, is that this does work, and this is effective storytelling and we accept it because the crew does as well.

In fact, that’s precisely why the fantastical works in this franchise. Because the crew of the Enterprise and I would imagine Starfleet as a whole, have their minds open to endless possibilities in the universe and making that a standard, makes the audience comfortable and I won’t lie, I enjoy these stories a lot when it comes to this show and the franchise as a whole. For they really do offer up a different kind of tale for these intrepid crews to work within, and you really haven’t a clue what will come next from the omnipotent being or beings in question when they appear and in the end, I suppose my only complaint here is that Trelane never shows up in the series again. Because it would have been cool to see an older and more mature Trelane square off with Kirk again, but alas it is what it is and Q fills in nicely down the line. But in the here and the now, this was one amazing, off the wall story and I cannot wait to see what other omnipotent beings the crew of the Enterprise will run into down the line. Until next time. 

If there’s one thing that has always been a pet peeve of mine when it comes to science fiction, specifically stories involving space travel; it’s the sheer fact that a great many stories in this genre romanticize space travel and make it appear as though it’s supremely safe and routine. Because let’s be honest, space is not a safe place to go in the slightest, and that’s something we’ve unfortunately been forced to learn in the modern times since we have lost astronauts during missions. But my problem with this choice goes beyond a mere lack of grounding in reality, it comes down to the fact that by making everything seem routine about something so powerful detracts from a story and removes one from it, since a sense of the unknown and the potential of danger invests an audience in what they’re reading or seeing and that’s why I’ve always been such a fan of Star Trek as a whole, because this franchise never shies away from the danger.
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For the good people who serve in Starfleet put their lives on the line often in these tales, and we’ve even seen crew members lose their lives in the line of duty more times than any of us can count. But while the threat of harm is often in the back of our minds when we watch these shows, sometimes the saga decides to go all out in reminding us of just how dangerous things can be in the void, by putting the characters through absolute hell. And it just so happens that The Original Series decided to do such a thing with its next episode, ‘The Galileo Seven’, since this particular tale saw Spock and McCoy and Scotty and a few other crew members of the week, stranded on a dangerous planet with seemingly no hope for survival and that made for one fascinating and harrowing tale.

Because we see genuine panic from the shuttle crew in this story, and that’s just a rarity in this franchise since Starfleet officers are trained to handle anything under pressure. But by introducing this element into the story, we’re treated to a genuine human element that we can relate to, and we share in the crew’s worry and that’s only compounded further when we come to realize they’re not alone on this world. Yet while it seems as though the appearance of the angry giants that inhabit this world are designed to serve up a brutal tale that borders on hints of horror, that’s simply not the case. For as it turns out, this twist and the stranding of the crew in general was all part of a larger plan to explore a notion that is also rarely handled in the Trek universe; the perils of command and how those in charge are forced to make some powerfully uncomfortable decisions.

All of that, was handled by Spock’s journey in this tale, since he was the senior officer on the planet, and it was up to him to get the crew off of this rock and well, this vignette taught us two key things. The first lesson is that, command is a difficult venture and not for the faint of heart since the decisions a commander must make may cost people their lives, and they did in this case, and we also came to learn that there is no such thing as a perfect scenario when you’re in charge. For your opponent or the situation may change course on a moment’s notice and that was an important lesson for Spock to learn since it allowed for him to finally change his command style and a try a few new things in order to get his people home safely and it was quite cool to see Spock get a taste of what it means to be in charge since we now know some of what he learned here, he applied later on in his career in Starfleet.

But outside of that, this was a return to form for the show, one that quickly wiped away the cheesy nature of ‘Shore Leave’ since this one once again kept me on the edge of my seat and featured more of what we love about this franchise. Because it was wonderful to see Kirk push the search to the last possible minute, and defy the jerkface on his bridge that kept demanding he abandon the crew, and I loved watching people both in space and planet-side try and work together with mixed results to save lives. If anything, I suppose my only complaint when it comes to this story is how the crew of the shuttlecraft kept antagonizing and insulting Spock at every turn because uh, you all are Starfleet officers, you follow orders and really, outside of Scotty, no one offered up any good ideas when it came to their situation. So, this story once again provided us with some out of character moments. But one can just chalk that up to nerves and fear, so I’ll let that slide since this episode offered up so much more and once again, I’m excited to see what other powerful tales await us as the five-year mission continues. Until next time. 

Recently, Star Trek’s website did a lovely interview with Next Generation alum Jonathan Frakes, revolving around the second act of his career as a director, and how he got into that aspect of the business. And of the many wonderful vignettes that Mister Frakes shared with us about the business and what it is like to step behind the camera, there is a particular quote in that interview that continues to stand out in my mind. Wherein Jonathan discussed the fact that sometimes episodic television shows turn up a ‘stinker’ since they crank out so many episodes, and that quote stuck with me, simply because of its outright honesty. For no series can be perfect all the time, and even the most iconic of shows will lay an egg from time to time, Star Trek included.
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Which bring us to the next chapter of the five-year mission, ‘Shore Leave’. Because this is an episode that lives up to everything that Jonathan said in his interview because this particular tale is… downright awful to say the least and that’s a shame because this is another one that had some serious potential. After all, you had the crew of the Enterprise, tired and worn down after the events of ‘Balance of Terror’, stumbling upon a beautiful world that could help them rest and recoup, only to discover that this world features the power to bring old memories and fears to life and unfortunately how the writer’s room handled that particular plot twist is what allows for this episode to be a titanic failure in just about every way imaginable.

Because that idea could have led to a powerful mystery, one where Kirk and the away team worked to uncover what was the cause of this powerful ability, all while battling the darkest fears of their imagination. But instead, this story ended up being filled to the brim with silly filler moments, the kind that were extremely over the top and that allowed for out of place decisions to be made by the characters, and that made for some supremely awkward moments to say the least. Take for example McCoy’s journey in this tale, since he went from being one of the voices of reason aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise to a playboy that lusts after Yeoman Barrows and indulges in wild fantasies involving knights and that was all just so weird to see, and the problems with this story don’t end there.

For even Kirk takes a step back character wise in this tale since we see him go from a collected and calculated commander to a raucous frat boy that loves to fight and romance the ladies, and this was just annoying. Because he was making so much progress in becoming the legendary captain we know him to be, so to see him get his shirt torn again and duke it out with a fictional bully from his youth, one that cannot decide if he’s Irish or not accent wise, is just dumb, and I know it was an earnest attempt to try and add depth to his past, but it really added nothing since it was so off the wall in its presentation. And while Spock’s arrival on the planet more or less saves the day with his logic, that ham-hocked ending leaves much to be desired since it crams every answer we’ve desired about this world into a two-minute summary.

If anything, this really was Trek’s first genuine misstep storytelling wise and no, we don’t count the first five or six episodes of season one in that category simply because this show was trying to find its voice at that point. But plopping this episode into the mix, after featuring a run of several iconic and quality tales, speaks volumes to the fact that the writer’s room likely patched this bad boy together on a late Friday afternoon when everyone was ready to head out for the weekend and it also goes to show just how hard it is to come up with plenty of material for a television series in general, lending gravity to everything Jonathan Frakes said in his interview and well, this episode is what it is I suppose. So, it’s just best to move on and dive into another episode, since there are still plenty of wonderful stories lying in wait down the line. Until next time. 

If there is one universal truth, I’ve come to learn in regard to television shows and how a season in structured, it’s that transitional episodes are a scary and shaky venture when all is said and done. Because if they’re not done properly, the story in question is downright forgettable and boring in its own right and sadly, most episodes that work in this particular arena tend to fail at keeping our attention as the story shifts gears into new territory. Which is why it’s important to recognize and celebrate any series that figures out how to handle this style of story in classy and fascinating fashion and that is precisely why Lodge 49 deserves our applause today. Because last night’s episode, ‘DisOrientation’, was indeed a transitional tale, one designed to set up some supremely important plot points for the future, but it certainly didn’t seem like that in the slightest.

For this story offered up more of the ‘slice of life’ moments that it excels at week after week and those moments in turn allowed for a grand examination of two key notions. The first one involved the fact that regardless of where are at recovery wise, when it comes to tough times, the world still keeps on, keepin’ on and we still have to function within its framework since we still need to eat and pay the rent and that was explored by way of Liz’s journey in this tale. Because she’s still working on herself, but she understands the need for a paycheck and returned to the workforce by joining her old crew at their new restaurant, Hanging Steaks, and that beautifully punny place allowed for some endearing and funny moments to play out as Liz seemingly came to learn that we are not our jobs, and that it is okay to leave the day behind in order to work on self-improvement.

As for the other notion, well that one was a little heavier in nature. Because the story felt the need to return to a key element that’s always been central to this story, specifically death and how we deal with it and what it dove into here, was unique in its own right. For there are few stories out there that remotely bother to point out that sometimes while we grieve and deal with loss that it can strike again at any moment and that was hammered home for Ernie when Speedy passed away the order desk, since he’s been battling his emotions on the loss of Larr for some now, and the show had other elements when it comes to death to dive into as well. Because it also took the time to look at how hard it is to face one’s end, courtesy of Connie and her confession to Melinda about the fear she’s currently experiencing in regard to that, and it also lightly touched base with how we don’t quite know everything about a person until they are gone since Liz came to discover her father had a lover, potentially when he was married to Liz and Dud’s mom. 

Yet, while that was a lot to chew upon in its own right, I made mention of the fact that this episode took the time to set up a lot of plot points for the future and now seems like a good time to dive into those. Because clearly, what Liz just uncovered is going to be a big deal in the coming days since it sheds new light upon her father and his life. But, while I loved the character moments present in this tale, what made this episode and this push toward bigger plot points so supremely fascinating, was the decision to put the Scrolls directly into the spotlight. Because they rarely take the center stage since their mystique is essential to the magic of the story in general, but a look back at Ernie’s failed mission to Mexico with El Confidente made it clear exactly how they engender desire in others since it was revealed during that opening segment, that someone is willing to kill to get their hands on the Scrolls and there are plenty of other people looking for them as well.
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After all, this is the episode that finally revealed to Dud what every last one of us knew; that his ‘lawyer’ is a fraud and is up to something and it just so happens, that she’s working with Avery and wants to get her hands on the Scrolls as well. But thankfully, she’s taking a far more open approach on the matter, since she was honest with Dud and explained how the Scrolls could potentially make everyone rich beyond their wildest dreams by way of Bitcoin, and it should be interesting to see how the heck that works out in the end. But what matters more, is that it would seem the hunt for the Scrolls is going to resume regardless of Ernie’s warnings on the matter, since El Confidente has returned to the Lodge, mainly because Ernie has his truck. But once he gets that back, it’s only a matter of time before it’s off to Mexico to retrieve this incredible treasure.

If anything, this really was quite the impressive episode when all is said and done, simply because it packed so much stuff into a single hour and I love that this story was able to start moving the show’s biggest mystery forward without compromising everything that makes it great. Because the character explorations were genuinely powerful and fascinating for certain, and they truly drew me into the moment, making everything that happened with the scrolls pay off in magnificent fashion and if anything, this episode left me hungry for more. Because there’s some serious adventure brewing and now the story is moving to help us truly understand the mysteries of the One True Lodge and the Scrolls and everything in between and dang it, now I have to wait another week to see where this and the lives of these dynamic characters are going and that means it is time to once again watch the clock, and count down the minutes until next Monday.

I have to admit, that I’ve been quite impressed with the fact that the final season of Preacher has been so supremely introspective when it comes to its characters. After all, one would think that the last ride of Jesse Custer and his friends would feature as many wild moments as possible. But while there have been some great moments to enjoy, character growth really has been a priority since the past couple of episodes have focused heavily on where Jesse and his friends are in life and where they are going, all while the specter of God’s great Apocalypse grows behind the scene. But, while this has been fascinating in its own right, I think we all knew it was only a matter of time before our intrepid characters would start to move forward and apply some of the things they’ve been learning over the past few weeks, and it would seem that time is now.

For last night’s episode of the show, ‘Bleak City’, saw everyone start to wake up from the proverbial fog they’ve been surrounded by, and act upon the revelations that dropped into their laps in the previous episode and well, this move made for one satisfying tale. Because this story saw Cassidy drop his arrogance as he came to realize how unhelpful it was at this point and that the right thing to do was to saddle up and help his mate, despite their differences, since Jesse was willing to come save him and he wasn’t the only one to see the light and start doing some good, since Tulip had her wakeup call as well. Because despite the hurt in her heart and the weight of her past mistakes, she does still love Jesse dearly and came to realize in this particular tale that the time has come to deal with those mistakes and figure out a way forward with or without Jesse and she joined Cass on the quest to help Mister Custer out.

Speaking of Jesse, he too was on the road to redemption in this tale, since he realized that it is high time for a preacher to start doing good things again and that’s what we saw him try to do in this tale. For he was patient and kind with the young man who discovered Jesse’s new status as an international criminal and his good deeds didn’t end with using Genesis to order the young man to no longer stutter. Because Jesse came face to face with Eugene once again and was able to infer that the Saint of Killers would harm the young man if he didn’t intervene in some form or fashion. Which prompted Jesse to save Eugene before he could be harmed and take the time to set things right between the two of them by offering up an apology for sending the young man to Hell without giving it a second thought.

But while all of that made for some feel good moments and some wonderful character development, one cannot forget that sometimes damage is done when it comes to our actions and that means there are consequences for our mistakes, and that is a lesson that Jesse learned the hard way in this tale. Because it turns out, that despite Eugene receiving the apology he never thought he would get, the anger and fury buried within his soul over being banished didn’t fade in the slightest, and that meant, it was time for a little payback. The kind that is a game changer to say the least since Eugene pulled a gun on Jesse and put a bullet in the preacher’s back, leaving us in uncertain territory. For that closing shot, with the Saint and Eugene standing over an ailing Jesse Custer was ominous indeed.

However, I’m sure Jesse will be fine, since the season premiere hinted at Jesse getting close to the Lost Apostle in Australia. But man, it’s a tough road to get there and this complication only makes things tougher. But in the here and the now, what a delight this episode turned out to be. For not only did it help our characters to achieve to new heights development wise, it continued to delight us with the show’s trademark, quirky and hilarious moments. Because you can’t go wrong with an epic angel and demon fight, or watching Herr Starr beat the living tar out of Adolf Hitler, and now that we’re seemingly done with some of the deeper moments for the characters, I cannot help but wonder what kind of incredible moments await us as Jesse and friends fight to stop God’s grand design to bring about the end of everything. Until next time.  

It may be an uncomfortable fact to acknowledge, but our modern society does get a kick out of glorifying war and combat on the small and silver screen. Which, I know, it sounds like I’m about to go on an annoying rant that calls for zero violence in film and T.V. and that’s simply not the case, just, take a moment and think about it. Because when we realize we are about to see some serious combat in any particular story, we are immediately on the edge of our seat, ready to see what happens and that also means that any concern about character development or what the good guy or gal stands for, goes right out the window. Because we just want to see them kick some serious ass and getting jazzed for that, is a glorification of violence any way you slice it.
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Is that bad? Well, that’s where the great debate stands, one we won’t solve today. But it does make one wonder if it is possible to tell a story that features combat of any kind that also features a moral center to add thoughtful depth to the situation, and it just so happens that Star Trek managed to pull this off in its next episode, ‘Balance of Terror’. For this particular tale saw the Enterprise and its valiant crew square off against a mystery opponent that would later turn out to be the Romulans, and rather than go in guns blazing, Kirk and his senior staff took the time to truly calculate their options here and ponder upon whether or not war was the right solution and in all honestly, I loved that. Because genuine consequences were discussed here, and Kirk didn’t come to the decision to fight without fully understanding the situation at hand and that is different.

Plus, I also thoroughly enjoyed how this episode continued to show hesitance from both sides when it comes to the fight in question. Since Kirk truly wanted to bring this entire showdown to a stalemate to minimize a potential loss of life. But truly the centerpiece of this part of the story was everything we were witness to aboard the Romulan ship since the vessel’s mysterious commander was clearly sick of war and combat and it was fascinating to hear him speak of how this mission would likely lead to more bloodshed and sorrow since bad guys and gals rarely do anything but relish in chaos, making this villain about as refreshing as they come. But perhaps the most poignant part of this tale, is how it ends. For while the Enterprise prevails over their foe, they lose a crew member, one who was set to be married on this day and that just serves as a fine reminder that war is deadly and costly.

But all philosophical and brilliant writing aside, there’s a lot to geek out about in this episode as well. Because this is the true first appearance of the Romulans and the Romulan Star Empire, and really our first genuine recurring villain in general, and that’s breathtaking to say the least. And it is also quite cool to see how many important canon points are set up here when it comes to the Romulans, such as their look, their dedication to combat and underhandedness and of course, their relations to the Vulcans and the wonder of this tale doesn’t end there. For this episode also features the first appearance of Mark Lenard, who plays the mysterious Romulan Commander in this tale and he would go on to play as Sarek, Spock’s father, a character that made multiple appearances in film and television, including two Trek franchises and the original cast’s motion picture run, and he also pops up as a Klingon captain in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

If anything, this was truly a brilliant episode through and through. Because not only did it add genuine consequences to war and de-glorify violence, it was a damn intense watch through and through. I mean, it’s been years since I watched this episode and I was unprepared for its intensity and incredible pacing and quite frankly, top notch acting. For Mark Lenard and William Shatner really shine in this one as two hard-nosed commanders playing a deadly game of chess and I loved how they oddly found a way to play off of one another, while only sharing one scene together, really. Plus, there was also some fine commentary present here on why one should never assume that anyone who resembles your enemy, is your enemy. Which I’m sure was poignant for the times with Vietnam going on and well, when all is said and done, everything we’ve discussed today, speaks volumes as to why this is a celebrated classic from The Original Series and it just feels wonderful to be in the midst of genuine Star Trek storytelling at last, and I am beyond excited to hit play once again and see what powerful adventures still await me. Until next time.

If there is one unfortunate truth when it comes to our world and our lives, it would be that we really only get one genuine shot to get some things right. Whether it be providing someone with a good first impression or jumping upon a grand opportunity in our career field that could benefit us immediately, missing these opportunities haunts us when we have time to reflect and that’s why the second chance is something, we all yearn for. Because it would be fascinating to know how our future might have changed if we made a different call, and while we understand the lesson that comes with ‘failure’ or not abiding by the notion of Carpe Diem, the human mind simply cannot help but ponder upon, ‘what if?’
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Which is why that particular notion is a huge part of fiction as a whole. Because in that safe space, we can properly ponder upon those missed opportunities in life and see what could have been and it just so happens that Star Trek decided to explore this concept in its next episode, ‘The Conscience of the King’. But as this saga is wont to do, it didn’t just examine an everyday missed opportunity, like say, Kirk embarrassing himself at a meeting of starship captains. Oh no, instead this one went all out into far more philosophical territory by asking all of us what we would do when given the opportunity to right a massive wrong, since Captain Kirk found himself in essence, face to face with a mass murderer that he barely recalled from his youth and this, made for one fascinating tale.

Because Jim quite frankly struggled with this second chance to bring justice to the galaxy once Kodos the Executioner was aboard the Enterprise. Because the more brash elements of his personality clearly wanted to deal with this matter in secrecy, as evidenced by his desire to bark orders and scheme, and it was obvious from his grandiose discussion with Spock later in the episode that part of him just wanted to let the fury of a younger man handle this with swift impunity. But time changes us, it adds maturity and that’s where the conflict in question comes from since Kirk truly believes in what Starfleet stands for and knew that vengeance wouldn’t apply here and it was simply fascinating to see Jim grapple with all of these internal emotions while working to keep his starship running and it was quite the relief to see him handle this like a Starfleet captain when all is said and done.

But while it was wonderful to see the series continue to establish the moral high ground that Starfleet operates within, what truly surprised me when it comes to this particular episode, was the wonderful mystery present in this tale. Because this one really was a classic ‘who done it?’ since we spend so much time trying to figure out if Anton Karidian is really Kodos after all and I loved the cat and mouse that plays out over the course of this story since it involves more than Kirk’s investigation. If anything, every little clue and every little moment definitely engaged me and kept my attention and I love the fact that the twists at the end pay off in spades for the audience because it really was a satisfying stunner of an ending and all of this really made for one amazing episode.

For the franchise never goes wrong when it explores morality and what being the bigger person is all about, and I love that Kirk got a second chance to handle the whole Kodos situation in proper fashion, and I also loved the humanity on display on this episode. Because how we treat one another was a big focus for this story, and all the negative explorations of that were counterbalanced nicely by the genesis of the brotherhood that Kirk and Spock and McCoy would exhibit for years to come since the latter two gentleman genuinely showed care for their friend and commander and went the extra mile to ensure his safety and really, this is an episode that really demonstrated through and through, what kind of a man James T. Kirk really is at his core. And I feel like this story, is what truly gave the character depth and direction and helped to mold him into the captain we all revere and I’m looking forward to seeing Kirk continue to grow as the series rolls on. Until next time.

There is a common misconception in the world of writing, in that, one should only linger on a particular concept or storyline for so long. Because to keep diving into the same thing, means that a writer will eventually bore and alienate their audience and/or reader and well, I call that a misconception because that notion is as wrong as they come. For when a concept is properly explored and given great care to thrive, the end result is downright breathtaking since everyone is treated to a beautiful examination of the subject at hand, and for proof, look no further than the wonder that is Lodge 49. For this particular series continues to dive deep into the human condition and explore what makes us magnificent and flawed in such delicate fashion, that one eats up everything it has to say, and last night’s episode of the series was no exception to that rule.
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Because ‘The Slide’ once again took the time to look at how people struggle with the darkness in their lives, and what made this exploration so incredibly fascinating and powerful is the fact that it handled this matter by having two characters walk through the valley of shadows and take two vastly different paths along the way. Take Ernie for instance, who has been in quite the tough place for some time and well, his struggle really didn’t get any better in this particular tale. Granted, he made up with Dud and tried to get his sales mojo back, but he kept faltering at every single turn and really, what Ernie’s path in this story reminds us of, is that sometimes we simply get stuck in the darkness and relish in it and that doesn’t make us weak or unproductive. It just means we hurt, and we need to feel that hurt in order to figure out how to heal.

Or, in Liz’s case, you use that darkness as fuel to fight back against a world that you cannot reconcile. Because let’s be honest, for some time now, Liz has felt as though she’s on a ride that she simply cannot escape, and that’s brought her to some dark places over the past year as she tries to make sense of a universe that is inherently cruel from time to time, and that’s why her decision to take full advantage of Dr. Kimbrough’s downfall makes perfect sense. Because now she gets to stick it to the man and the universe for a change and oddly enough this little free ride on the back of a nasty felon, helped Liz to grow even further since she saw an opportunity to continue to fight for balance and righteousness when the Pool Party jerks chose to mess with her brother, and it was just incredible to see her become a warrior when it comes to defending her family and its legacy and one has to wonder if this is a turning point for Liz since this could help her to understand that she really can achieve anything when she puts her mind to it. 

But while this was all fascinating in its own right, the struggle that Liz and Ernie were going through was beautifully counterbalanced by Dud’s journey in this tale. Because he continued to be the beacon of hope and joy that everyone needs right now and it was wonderful to see him support his sister and Ernie when they needed it and make sure to maintain a little self-care in the process by getting back to his roots by cleaning pools with the help of his uh… borrowed tools from Pool Party. For he was truly on cloud nine whilst removing leaves from the water, because the memories that washed over him while he worked were the right kind of drug, and payment enough for his services, which is why he skipped out on asking for any money, and that interesting decision managed to more or less expose what this episode was working toward thematically.
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In essence, this was an episode about how we can never escape our past, and that we have to find a way to make peace with it so that we can move forward and live in the moment. Which was quite frankly a beautiful theme to throw into this show since the characters here have faced some serious hardships and trauma and are naturally locked upon them since that kind of pain can be hard to cope with and overcome. And what I truly appreciated about putting this front and center into this story is that no one was looked down upon for feeling low or riding a high. Their feelings were accepted as natural and normal and that’s something we need to see more of in television and media in general, since everyone works toward balance at their own pace and well, this is just another chapter in a beautiful story that continues to reinforce the outright brilliance of this show.

Because everything about this series is somehow relatable, and that’s what draws you in and what has me so impressed with this particular tale is that it truly highlights the highs and the lows we go through and how sometimes it’s our friends that bail us out of the toughest moments and sometimes its ourselves. But regardless of how it happens, life will go on, we will be okay and it will all work out in the end and that’s a message that we desperately need on television right now and I’m just so glad there is a show out there that finds a way to speak to our souls and damnit, I so want more of this. But once again, I have to bide my time until next Monday to see how these magnificent characters to continue to grow, and to, of course, learn more about the mysteries of the Lodge. Until next time.

If there’s one thing I think we can all agree upon when it comes to this crazy ride, we call life, it’s that, we struggle when our negative actions are outright exposed. Because we find comfort in our more unsavory habits and proclivities, especially when they’re able to help us cope and move us from point a to point b. So, when someone, or the universe, takes the time to remind us that our actions are detrimental or selfish in their own right, we tend to immediately find pause. In part because we are irritated at having our quirks exposed, but also because, those little moments of reflection serve as a wonderful wakeup call that maybe we need to get our heads straight and quit with the silly stuff so we can properly move forward in life.
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If anything, this is on my mind today, simply because that’s precisely what last night’s episode of Preacher focused upon. For ‘Search and Rescue’ saw our intrepid characters at a crossroads, since the universe and events forced them to face up to some of their silly quirks and that prompted everyone to take a moment and ponder upon their current situation and their next steps. But Cass was a little further ahead, since he chose to finally deal with his problems and his captivity in swift and brutal fashion of course, starting with Frankie. But more importantly, he also made the call to get the hell out of Masada when he realized his selfish sorrow put Tulip in danger since she would continue to go the extra mile to save him, and it was nice to see him care about someone other than himself and use those feelings to free himself from an existence filled to the brim with torture and pain.

Speaking of Tulip, her journey in this particular tale was a touch more complex because as the hour rolled on, since she more or less came to realize that she didn’t have a clue what she was doing at this point in her life. Sure, she’s down to rescue her friends when they’re in trouble, but a meeting with Jesus Christ (the regular Christ, not the dance motivated Humperdoo), allowed for her to realize that she really is directionless at this point and doesn’t know in the slightest what she wants out of life. She’s just going through the violent motions and seeing her hit this revelation was quite fascinating in its own right since it offered no easy answers. But the seed of self-discovery is definitely planted at this point and it should be interesting to see what she learns about herself and see her figure out where she wants to be in life, in the weeks to come.

But the centerpiece of the night once again revolved around Jesse and his quest to confront God and this was perhaps the most satisfying vignette when it comes to his journey to date. Because in this particular tale we found Jesse and Steve the Pilot adrift in the middle of the ocean thanks to the plane going down and Jesse saw this a grandiose test. One that related to faith, and one that taught him that he truly has none at this point, and that he’s scrambling to inspire hope in others and himself and failing miserably in both avenues because of that lack of said faith, and at this point the only salvation he’s going to find internally is to believe in something and help others do the same, otherwise everything he’s working toward is for naught. And I love that the series continues to take this supremely Biblical approach to Jesse’s spiritual journey and that it may finally come to a head now that he’s in Australia and is about to face evil once again.

For the Saint of Killers and Eugene Root arrived in the land down under shortly after Jesse did, thanks to some cool trickery with one of the Saint’s magical bullets, meaning that this long awaited showdown is growing closer and closer, and who knows how this one is going to end since we are in the final season. But alas, we will likely have to wait until next week to find out. So, in the meantime it’s best we celebrate another magnificent chapter in this tale. Because this one, did a phenomenal job of balancing character growth and plot advancement, which is no easy task when there’s so much to wrap up before the series finale, but this show is handling it in stride and it’s making every single episode fast paced and engaging and while I should be upset that we’re barreling toward the end of this unique saga, I have to admit that I’m supremely excited to see where this story is heading. Because this is just top-notch writing, the kind that brings about a wonderful ending and once again, I’m counting down the minutes until next week’s episode. 

Over the course of the past few weeks, Wild City: Singapore has taken us on quite the incredible journey. For we’ve gained some powerful knowledge about this beautiful city and the diverse wildlife that lives there alongside the millions of people that also happen to call this place home. But as the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and sadly we have reached the end of the line when it comes to this magnificent documentary. And knowing that the end was in sight left a broad question hanging over my mind, in that; how was this majestic story going to come to its end?
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Because this documentary has done a phenomenal job of teaching us about this city and its unique situation in nature, and it also educated us well on how mankind and the planet can live together in harmony with a little bit of effort, making it seem as though we’ve covered just about everything there is to cover. But as it turns out, ‘Forest Life’ took the time to explore one last important element about this beautiful place, one that is supremely important in that, we can never forget that nature always finds a way thrive and for proof, well look no further than the jungles that surround Singapore. For life is teeming in this place, complete with species that people had thought were long gone from the face of the earth.

Such as the Raffled Banded Langur, a species of simian that once thrived in this area, but they were pushed around and out thanks to man’s expansion. But rather than surrender this paradise, they made new homes in the surrounding trees and slowly but surely, this species is working on making a comeback since they are breeding, and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before their small number of sixty strong grows far larger. Plus, they’re not the only ones finding new life after coming close to the brink of extinction. For on the ground, the tiny Lesser Mousedeer is also making a comeback and this nocturnal animal is finding new ways to thrive and survive and repopulate in a sliver of the world it once knew.

Yet, while it was amazing to see various species of animals fight to survive and win that battle in slow and steady fashion, there were some other amazing creatures working to make it to another day that this show took the time to highlight as well. For example, we were introduced to the Black Bearded Draco in this story, a species of lizard that never bothers to touch the ground, they just hang out on tree bark day and night, gently eating whatever comes their way, and they’ll leap from tree to tree if a threat comes near them. Plus, I also loved how this episode highlighted some of the nocturnal creatures that roam the landscape here, including some feisty scorpions that love to lie in wait for a meal.

If anything, it was just amazing to see how nature is thriving and growing mere moments away from mankind’s domain, and that made this episode quite humbling in its own right. Because seeing several species that were thought to be lost to time, speaks to how resilient our world is, and how determined the various animals are that populate it, and how they will do whatever it takes to survive, and that serves as a fine reminder to the audience that we are not masters of this domain, we are partners plain and simple. Which means we have to do better and be better when it comes to our animal and insect neighbors. Because we share this world, plain and simple, and my thanks to BBC America for once again putting together a thoughtful and dynamic documentary about a place I knew nothing about and truly, I cannot wait to see what other wonders this network sends our way documentary wise, since their teams always find a corner of the earth that each and every one of us, need to know more about.