Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Seven of ‘Blindspotting’.

Our journey through season one of the STARZ series, Blindspotting, has been quite the eye-opening experience for certain. For this particular show has consistently provided its viewers with a no-holds barred approach in its analysis of what’s wrong with the prison system in modern America, since it has made it clear that the system hands out far too harsh sentences for first time offenders by way of the ridiculous sentence that was handed down to Miles. Plus, the series has taken its analysis on the system one step further, by also showing us the impact that such harsh and unnecessary sentences have on the loved ones of those convicted. Since Ashley’s world has been turned upside down with her love behind bars, to the point where she’s nearly broken down emotionally from the sheer weight and responsibility of becoming the glue that holds her fragile family together.

But while this series has indeed done a wonderful job of helping the audience to come to understand that reforms are needed for the prison system, and that better support networks need to be available to those impacted by the life changes that Ashley has been experiencing, there is one thing that the series has seemingly avoided thus far. Specifically, exploring the emotional impact that such a surprise has upon a child. A move that some could say is related to dramatic effect and to potentially spare the audience of darker moments and it would be right to think that. Since Ashley’s decision to hold off on telling Sean has led to some powerful beats in the story, and of course… the subject matter has never gotten all that heavy, allowing for the series to maintain the fascinating bittersweet balance that permeated the powerful film that preceded it.

As it turns out, however, delaying that exploration was in fact… all part of a grand and sweeping plan. One that was designed to bring Ashley to a more stable and braver place, so that the impact that comes with having a parent go to jail, could be explored in an unfettered manner and that made the next episode in the ordeal, quite heartbreaking to say the least. Because ‘Seannie Darko’ focused upon that exact exploration and it wasted little time in giving Sean a real taste of what the world is like, since he saw his father accosted by guards at the jail when things got out of hand on visitation day and well… that left Sean beside himself. In part because what he saw terrified him to his core, but also because… the reality of all of this was settling in and his young mind couldn’t handle it. 

In fact, he even pondered at one point, if Miles going away would create a void in his family that his mother would work to fill with another ‘father’ and well… that made it clear that children are deeply impacted by the incarceration of a parent. Because they simply don’t understand the details as to why this happened, and that can be dangerous for their mental health since their imagination will fill in the gaps, as evidenced by Sean’s scary daydream and that devastating question to his mother. Which means that in order to get them through this tough time, they need a powerful support network. One that will reassure them that everything will in fact be alright, and that they are loved and thankfully, Sean has just that. As evidenced by how the family, both extended and immediate, rallied around him to put a smile on his face when the reality of the moment settled in.

Which was quite frankly, a heartwarming sequence to watch, one that more or less signaled the fact that perhaps the darkest part of the ordeal is about to come to an end. For Ashley is now pondering upon Rainey’s advice to marry Miles since that would allow for a potentially healthy family situation to come into play while everyone waits for Miles to be released and the subtle optimism in this tale, didn’t end there. Because even Trish is starting to see the light at the end of her tunnel, now that she’s figured out a viable way forward to owning her own company, one that should bring her financial dreams to fruition, and she even has the financial support of her weird and wild boss and well, that really is a wonderful way to close out this particular chapter.

Since it serves to remind us yet again, that this is a show about life. And that life has its ups and down and in-betweens and scary moments and what allows for us to get through it, is family and faith in something, and support from our friends and staying the course and fighting through the rough stuff. Which is precisely what we saw here and that really does make this story quite special and of course, Sean’s journey in this tale, makes this a historically significant episode as well. Since this reviewer is indeed hard pressed to think of a show in this vein that has ever taken the time to really show us what kids go through when a parent is locked up and well, that just makes this one of the most brilliant shows around. And well, now that we’ve come to the end of this particular chapter in the ordeal, it would seem that a bold new one awaits, and that possibility is going to make the wait for next week’s season finale a difficult one for certain. Since it truly seems as though every lesson presented to us this season, is about to come together in a powerful manner, come next Sunday. Until then.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season one finale of ‘Kevin Can F**k Himself’.
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One thing that people collectively believe in these days, is that redemption is possible for just about anyone. It doesn’t matter how far you’ve fallen or how much darkness is in your soul… you can find your way back into the light and we hold to that notion for several reasons. In part because our currently sour world gives rise to a need for us to believe in something more, something better. But also, because… we have seen people in those very situations turn their life around and that absolutely inspires others to believe in redemption and second chances. But what’s fascinating about this hopeful belief, is that we don’t think about or talk about what exactly goes into making it happen. We merely hear about how the turnaround and hold to that and really, that turnaround is of note today, because the origins we tend to overlook served as one of the focal themes of the season finale of Kevin Can F**k Himself.
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For ‘Fixed’ wasted little time in ending the cliffhanger that last week’s phenomenal episode sent our way by informing us of the fact… that the poisonous Kevin McRoberts managed to survive the shootout with Nick. In fact, he was so fortuitous in the moment, that Nick ended up on life support in the hospital, and it didn’t look good for him. But what was truly fascinating about this reveal, was that Kevin wasn’t quite himself after walking away from a brush with death. In fact, he was downright despondent and stunned, to the point where he began to ponder upon the nature of his life and his future and everything in between. Which in turn left the viewer wondering… if this was indeed the turning point moment for Kevin. Where he finally was going to understand the folly of his ways and reform himself. An avenue of possibility that began to grow when Kevin struggled with everyday tasks.

To the point where something as simple as a 10 a.m. beer no longer brought him the joy it normally would. In fact, the only thing that did bring hm joy… was speaking to his story, about how he stood his ground and kept an intruder from violating the sanctity of his home and well… that only further reinforced the possibility that at long last, Kevin was about to change for the better. Because being heard in this manner changed his outlook on everything, so much in fact, that he began to think that perhaps a change in direction in life was necessary. One where he served others and improved upon the world by becoming a member of the city council and well… in that moment, that seemed like this was it. That Kevin McRoberts was about to abandon his garbage ways and be a better man at last, changing the narrative in ways we never thought possible.

But there was one person that didn’t believe in this change in the slightest and that was Allison. For she genuinely saw this as another opportunity to feed his ego and be in the spotlight and well, it turns out that she was right. For Kevin did everything he could to shower himself in admiration and be viewed as the people’s champion for stopping a criminal and therein was the subtle and powerful examination of what exactly motivates people to change and grow from their former selves or escape the situation, they’re in… and it all boils down to one thing: desire. A desire to stop being a person that is toxic in nature, a desire to be more than who we are and simply put, Kevin isn’t ready to change, nor does he want to. For he is so happy in being in the moment and surrounded in his own selfishness that he will do whatever it takes to keep that going, even if it means entering public service for all the wrong reasons and well, in the end, this segment of the story was downright brilliant for certain.

Since it really did offer up a powerful lesson on change and redemption and what’s amazing, is that this finale had more powerful moments and observations to send our way. Such as the reminder, that there will always be consequences for our actions and at some point… we must face them whether we like it or not and that was explored by way of Patty and Allison’s journey in this tale. Because while it seemed as though they beat the odds and would enjoy freedom untold by way of Nick’s entry into the hospital, consequences came into play. Such as the fact that Nick was going to recover, and there was a chance that he might talk and of course… since Kevin lived, there was no pinning the drug trade upon him. But those were in fact, minor consequences to deal with, the kind that this dynamic duo easily resolved by planting the drugs in Nick’s apartment. Which in turn put their hope in the possibility that the heat that would come on him because of that, would be enough to deflect any scrutiny that might come their way. 
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Which allowed for the heavier consequences to come into play. In that, both of these women had to reconcile the fact that they both took part in trying to unsuccessfully kill a man and whether you agree with the plan or not, that is something that weighs heavy on a person’s soul and forces them to take all kinds of inventory, which they most certainly did, especially Allison. Since she came to realize that all she’s done, is make poor choices for quite some time and doing so has led her into a path of misery, one that she is still desperate to escape from. Which ironically, makes it appear as though her journey in this story is the anthesis to Kevin’s, since she is suddenly eager to take action and change now that she is faced with the prospect of being stuck with Kevin forever and forever, since her plans to bring him down simply don’t work and that made for a great deal of powerful moments.

The kind that really did force Allison to see that her current path is unsustainable and that she is desperate for fulfillment and that at times, her quest for freedom hurts others… as evidenced by her honest and visceral conversations with Patty and Sam, over their actions to date and well, this segment of the episode outright deserves our awe since this really was quite the awakening for Allison, one that will undoubtedly motivate her further to figure out what her future looks like, especially after the closing moments of this tale. Wherein Neil, who overhead the painfully honest conversation between these two incredible friends, one that included the truth about their plans for Kevin… decided to take action in a violent manner, to the point where Allison’s life was legitimately in danger. But thanks to a quick save from Patty, and Allison’s decision to finally say something saucy to Kevin about his garbage behavior, for the first time in a long time… it would seem that she is in control, and it will be quite interesting to see where Allison’s journey takes her in season two.

But while we wait for a second season announcement and we need one by the way, since this series is a trailblazer… one that is opening up conversations about topics that we tend to sweep under the rug, we can bask in the wonder of one brilliant finale. One that really did a fine job of exploring what it takes for people to change and why we hold the notion of change so near and dear to our hearts, since it really can be our salvation and truly… this was the perfect way to end the first season of this magnificent series. Since it offered no easy solutions or simple ways forward for any of the characters and that’s brilliant because that’s about as realistic as it gets. For life is messy and trying to change course is equally as chaotic and this really is the perfect way to set the stage for season two of this incredible series. For the foundation for redemption for Allison McRoberts has been laid down, and it would be stunning to watch her begin to build upon it and find the strength and the freedom and the happiness she so desperately craves. Until next year.   

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘Eden: Untamed Planet’.
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When we think of untouched paradises hiding in remote corners of our world, certain images come to mind. The kind that features lush forests and diverse wildlife that knows nothing of humanity since this isolated place is a true oasis from the machinations of mankind, and it makes sense as to why we think of those particular images. After all, we always equate wildlife with parts of the world that are rich in beauty and full of resources for life to survive. But while those images aren’t wrong in the slightest, since we’ve seen time and time again that untouched regions of the planet are indeed lush with greenery and incredible creatures, it isn’t an entirely accurate representation of what an oasis of life looks like on Planet Earth.
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Because there are places around the globe that are seemingly inhospitable, where life has indeed learned to thrive and make use of the limited resources present there and it just so happens that last night’s episode of Eden: Untamed Planet, took the time to explore one of those exact regions. For ‘Namib: Skeleton Coast and Beyond’, plunged us into the middle of the Namib Desert, where heat reigns and water and food are seemingly scarce… to show us how an oasis of life can in fact function. And as it turns out, one of the big reasons that animals are able to thrive here, is the Atlantic Ocean. For it is what helps to make up the Skeleton Coast of this region and the seals that feast upon fish off the waters there, in turn help to sustain the various predators that swing by the coast to scavenge and hunt, and the wonder of the ocean’s role doesn’t end there. 

For in the morning, just around dawn and for a few hours after, the mist that the ocean creates, gently moves inward. Allowing for moisture and dew droplets to cascade over the dunes and that in turn, allows for a great deal of desert wildlife to grab hold of the all-important water they need to survive and what’s amazing, is that life in the heart of the desert eventually gets moving once the mist has receded. Granted, a majority of it doesn't move at all while the heat bakes the sand surrounding the creatures that populate the dunes, but once the sun goes down… the desert comes to life. For animals large and small can now go about the evening without worry of roasting and that indeed allows for epic hunting to take place, and well… it was simply fascinating to see and learn how many animals have adapted to this incredibly harsh environment and also, how many legendary and ‘traditional’ animals have opted to now call this place home as well.

For giraffes, elephants and even lions roam the barren landscape of the Namib Desert, and they survive, because they’ve figured out the desert’s secrets. For instance, lions have now come to realize that shifts in wind can aid them in hunting, since that can provide them with audible cover when they approach their prey. As for giraffes, well they use the mist from the morning to get their water supply from trees when the moisture settles on the leaves, and they get a meal as well since those same leaves sustain them and elephants, well… they follow history in order to thrive. For generations of learning has allowed for matriarchs to follow riverbeds to lead their herd to luscious trees that are kept alive by way of underground aquifers that provide them with much needed water and really, in the end, this was nothing short of a powerful exploration of a corner of our world we write off often in our minds.

A mistake that we make, because we believe that if a place cannot support human life, it is of no concern to us. But clearly, this part of the world deserves our attention and our awe… since nature has figured out how to adapt to its harshness so that life can thrive here in a dynamic and healthy manner. But while it was powerful to learn more about the majesty of the desert and the creatures that call it home, as this series is wont to do, it made sure to remind us of the importance of doing what we can to maintain its current state. For climate change will undoubtedly raise temperatures in this part of the world to levels that are dangerous to wildlife, which means we must continue to make efforts to reduce our carbon footprint so that this fascinating and seemingly inhospitable oasis, can be allowed to thrive in peace. Until next time.