When it comes to creativity, there is really nothing that can compare with the imagination of a child, since when their mind begins to wander, there is no limit as to where it can go or what it can do. It allows kids to spin some tall tales and leave us in awe...but often times it is never taken seriously.

After all, kids will be kids and when they start to tell us their wild stories we listen with glee and let them share the wonders of their minds, because hey, it's just their imagination. But for some kids, their creativity helps them communicate in ways we simply cannot understand, making it important that we pay attention to what they have to say once we learn that's how they get through to us and sometimes, the tall tales they spin actually have some truth to them, they are just slightly embellished on their part, meaning we should also take those moments seriously as well, because what they are saying could be extremely important as the was the case in The Ray Bradbury Theater episode, 'The Screaming Woman'.

Heather Leary is a little girl who is lost in her own world and couldn't be happier for it. Her imagination keeps her busy day and night as she pours over wild ideas in her own mind or from the page in a comic book and thankfully, her parents love and support their little girl, but often give her wild stories little credence. But suddenly, it would seem that Heather's overactive imagination is starting to cause a few issues, since while out and about on one of her many adventures, she is certain she heard a woman screaming from beneath the ground in the woods and is anxious to tell her parents because...she firmly believes that a scream like that could only come from someone buried in the ground. Her father indulges her, but hears nothing when he arrives at the site, but Heather must know if the screams were real or not and she will stop at nothing to prove to everyone that she indeed heard a screaming woman. But her quest for knowledge is a dangerous one, because young Heather has inadvertently stumbled upon a terrible secret...

First and foremost, I have to admit, I'm really not enjoying these quirky intros with Ray Bradbury that are suddenly popping up. We already get a big one for the opening credits, so to see him stumble about awkwardly, looking for 'inspiration' is just kinda weird. But, rant over on that little issue, because once we get past that weird little moment, we're on to one big time murder mystery, which is the last thing that I expected to see from this episode. It really felt like it was going to be another ambiguous tale where we were left questioning whether or not events that were about to transpire were all in Heather's head, but once she hears that first scream, we realize something strange is up and just like that...she's Nancy Drew hot on the trail and searching for important clues.  

Thankfully, Heather is played by the ultra talented Drew Barrymore, so there's a sincerity that Drew lends to the role that allows for us to root for Heather to figure this whole thing out and once we come to realize that she's actually on to something, well the story goes from lighthearted tale about a curious and imaginative young girl to a straight up tale of terror since Mister Nesbitt makes a play to hurt the young girl for putting together his scheme to bury his wife alive. Either way, while this episode isn't nearly as cerebral as everything that has come before it, it's still a lot of fun and let's be honest, there's nothing with a good old fashioned murder mystery, and reliving the more colorful moments of our childhood when it comes to our imagination. Until next time. 

When we last left President Tom Kirkman on Designated Survivor, he was sitting in the Oval Office delivering a grand speech for the people of the United States of America to quell their fears and provide a sense of normalcy, specifically that there was indeed someone in charge and things were going to turn out okay when all was said and done and for a moment there, it seemed like the series was about to head in a direction where rebuilding the U.S. Government would become the focus because if speeches were being written once again, the status quo would be soon to follow.

But that clearly isn't going to be this show's focus at this point in time and from the opening moments of the second episode in this intrepid series, 'The First Day' it's clear that the moment of blind hope has passed and the people need something more than comforting speeches because as it turns out, no one bothered to really listen to a word that Tom had to say and why would they? The United States Government is crippled. There's no Congress to enact law. No Supreme Court to enforce it. Just the President, also without a cabinet to consult trying his best to put the whole thing back together again and well...the people are rightfully afraid and that fear is what became the centerpiece of this week's episode and that fear was handled in brilliant and realistic fashion.

But before we get too deeply into all that, let's take a moment and talk about the sheer chaos that came about the morning after the attacks because that was equally as impressive. While Tom did his best to put a functioning government back together, the FBI was desperately searching for answers as to who is responsible for this heinous act and in bold fashion, the show gave us no easy answer. Sure there were signs that pointed to one particular terror group, but the smoking gun still has yet to be found, and Tom's first real challenge of the night was to once again quell the military's desire to fire off any and every missile to enact revenge, without 100% proof of who is responsible. This head-butting with the military is causing him grief, but President Kirkman wants everything done right and while that's easy with policy and decisions such as this, it's a touch more difficult when fear and panic come into play, which brought forth his most difficult challenge of the night, the panicked reaction of the Governor of Michigan.

After all, this is a man who made the decision to more or less go rogue in the face of a power vacuum in Washington and it was stunning to say the least as he brought some of our worst fears to life, rounding up Muslim residents in a witch hunt in the hopes of 'keeping the people safe'. He also let State Police work without regulation, resulting in the death of one young man, all while more or less telling the new President to kiss off in the process. It was terrifying stuff to watch, primarily due to the implication that this could be just the beginning, since the Governor was more or less declaring himself an authority higher than the Federal Government and who knows where that could have led. Thankfully President Kirkman finally figured out a way to defuse the situation, but alas, while it was great to see Kirkman put an end to this particular moment of fear related panic, there were others beyond his control.

Case in point, another chilling and bold moment came about when Seth faced a touch of racial profiling when D.C.P.D. stopped him on his way to work,  and questioned him in angry fashion before letting him go on his way and well, the show deserves credit for putting these real world issues front and center and reminding us without a heavy hand what's right and what's wrong. But, what is equally as impressive, is the fact that the show isn't trying to rush us toward some happy ending. Yes there are genuine moments of hope, in this case the final few moments of the episode, but there's no cuddly moments that comfort us, this is a world that is completely and utterly broken and it will take baby steps to put it back together and because this show is willing to take its time, respect its audience and offer us no easy way out, is precisely why we are all enamored by it, because when the cuddly stuff does arrive, it will be a worthwhile and fulfilling moment, since we have in essence, all been through hell together. Until next time.

For a majority of our youth, we often see the world through a pair of rose colored glasses. We firmly believe that everyone in the world has good intentions stashed away in their soul and that everyone we meet is ready to work together in order to make our planet a more wonderful place.

But of course, there comes a day when we realize...that simply is not the case. There are evil people out there, that have the worst intentions for humanity in mind and we also discover that the world just isn't quite ready for unity. It doesn't mean that the world is an awful place, just one that isn't ready to take that next step and the day we discover this is an important and jarring one to say the least and it just so happened The Ray Bradbury Theater decided to explore this in the fascinating episode, 'The Town Where No One Got Off'.

Cogswell is a man with a unique vision of the world. He sees city life as impersonal and damaging to relationships and firmly believes that mankind should return to a simpler time, where small towns reign supreme over massive and shining cities so that people can learn to treat one another with respect once again. It's a view he shares aloud on a train ride with a stranger, who quickly challenges Cogswell's views as naive and accuses the young man of never once setting foot in a small town to have any clue of what it is actually like and not having the guts to even do so to begin with. Cogswell feels the sudden urge to prove the man wrong and makes a point to get off at the next stop. But as he explores the quiet little berg he has entered he comes to find that not everyone is as friendly as he was hoping they would be...and one stranger in particular, sees Cogswell's arrival as the opportunity of a lifetime. 

Already in this fourth episode, the audience can see the show evolving in its storytelling. For starters, this is the first episode that features Ray Bradbury in any form or fashion outside of his opening monologue as he introduces this tale to us from a train station on the railroad of imagination, but once we get past that, because it was a touch awkward, it's business as usual. We are once again drawn into a world where more complex ideas are presented forth and while this one is nowhere near as vague as the last two episodes, it's certainly provoking in the respect that Cogswell's journey shows him a nastier world than he ever envisioned, but the centerpiece is the old man and his desire to kill Cogswell just for the sheer hell of it. 

It's brutal an jarring to hear him happily reveal his plan to the young man, and it's equally disturbing to see the hunger and determination in his eyes to kill a stranger and well...what makes this episode so thought provoking is the fact that one has to wonder what drove this old man to make such a decision and wait twenty years to execute it. Sure he hints at being pushed around his whole life and that he's tired of taking the world's guff. But to reach that moment, where you're completely comfortable taking a life without any remorse or regret...well whatever pushed him to that point had to be something incredible for certain. Either way, this was a thrilling episode, since the unknown permeates every single second of it and our innocence is joined with Cogswell since he's oblivious to the harder realities of the world and we are oblivious to what this story has to offer and it makes that ending a satisfying one for certain. Until next time.

I've always found stories that explore the unknown to be outright fascinating, simply because when it is done right...these are stories that let our imaginations run wild, provided they don't try to answer all of life's mysteries. 

After all, we simply don't have the answers to the biggest questions in life, and while I respect and understand a writer's need to find said answers, it makes it extremely difficult for the audience to dig in and enjoy the possibilities when a story is being spoon fed to them. Which is why I found myself enjoying the third episode of The Ray Bradbury Theater so much, because 'The Crowd' dug deep into the notion of the afterlife and what it means or could be...and offered us zero answers in the process.

Joe Spelliner is having himself a wonderful night full of drinks, laughter and good times with good friends. But in a hurry to get home, Joe finds himself making one quick mistake and crashing his car and as he tries to pull himself from the wreck, he is surprised to find a crowd of people appear from seemingly out of nowhere on this deserted road to hover over him. The sheer act of them being there and outright smothering him with their close proximity makes him uncomfortable and nervous, and he is relieved when an ambulance arrives to take him off to the hospital. As he recovers, he inquires about the creepy crowd and his concerns are dismissed since he did take a pretty nasty hit to the head. But days later, when drinking with his buddy, he notices a similar crowd rushing toward an accident, compelling him to take a look and confirm his worst fears...the crowd that greeted him in the middle of the night, is present for this accident as well. It leads Joe down a rabbit hole to uncover who these people are and what they want and unfortunately for Joe...what he will uncover will change his life forever...

Of the few episodes I've been able to enjoy of this show, this is the first one that starts off like it is a horror story. There's the creepy nature of the crowd, and the fact that we are indeed dealing with ghosts in this episode, but that's really where the horror genre comparisons come to an end. This is at its core, a story that tries to make sense of death and destiny to a certain degree, and one that leaves the answers to those questions up to the audience to decide. It's clear the crowd has a purpose, and it's interesting that they can be confronted and interacted with, but beyond that...we never get any answers as to what they are doing back on earth after they've passed on and it's never quite clear if Joe's meddling in their affairs is what leads to his best friend dying or not, and quite frankly, I love the mystery this episode puts forth.

Clearly, this is another 'put your thinking cap on' episode, and that's just fine by me because if I had to guess, I would wager that this story is about the cruelness of the world and the sometimes random nature of death. Since all of these people died in violent and sudden acts, car accidents when it comes to this story, they are doomed to roam the earth, and observe the same type of trauma they suffered through to try and understand why it happened to them and how others made it out alive when they didn't. It's a sorrowful and sobering thought since clearly, there is no escape for these spirits if that's their line of thinking, and it's a bold move for the show to present such a potentially bleak future for these tortured souls. But the fact that this story once again challenges us to make our own conclusions, combined with the fact it offers up one fascinating idea only adds to my love of this rediscovered series and I can't to see what other wonders await us in future episodes. Until next time.

Last season, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was all about the long buildup. We would spend weeks filled with wonder as to what mystery was going to unfold or be introduced in any given episode and when the magic moment arrived where all was revealed, it often came in the form of one wild episode packed to the brim with action and answers and while that brought its moments of joy, it also brought forth frustration. 

After all, we could tell the show was drawing every little thing out and teasing us every step of the way when it would have been simpler to just fill us in up front. But not to worry, this show continues to evolve, and in addition to becoming a little grittier in its look and storytelling design, the show is also taking us to new places when it comes to giving us answers and progressing the plot since 'Meet the New Boss' delivered in both areas since we finally got the chance to meet the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D., were treated to a better understanding of where the Rider comes from, and just what kind of threat our intrepid agents are up against. 

So, with all that in mind, just who is the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Well his name is Jeffrey Mace and he is nothing like what we expected him to be. The season premiere painted us a picture of an obsessive man, one who enjoys pouring over as much policy and procedure as possible, so one would expect a hard boiled and furious man to be sitting behind that desk. But instead, we met a charming and bubbly man, one who seems to enjoy his job, serves bottled water at meetings, and just so happens to be an enhanced individual. That matters because for starters, it was Phil's idea to put an Inhuman in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D. to no doubt bridge the gap and quell fears when the agency returns to legitimacy, but also because of the fact, the man is super strong, outright invulnerable it would seem and that came in handy in subduing a suffering Agent May, but more on that in a moment, since last night also taught us that this man...while he may be full of joy and open to new ideas...is all about the fundamentals of this agency and dedicated to the job, and that's where these new policies and procedures come from. It's about doing things by the numbers, and staying objective and that's definitely new for Phil and the gang. 

But, while it was neat to learn more about the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. this quickly into the season, we need to get back to Agent May and her subsequent mental collapse from meeting the 'spirit' from last week that was quite literally let out of the box. Because the 'ghost' in question, is not a being from beyond, but a failed science experiment. She and a few of her cohorts were in possession of a book known as the Darkhold (a nice little Marvel comics tie in for all the hardcore fans), and worked for a lab where they were clearly transformed into these non corporeal beings by a mystery man they all hate, and now they desire revenge against him. But...before it seems as though this plot was about to go in a different direction without the Ghost Rider, have no fear, he apparently has ties to this lab as well. He knows where it is, he can fight these mystery beings and judging from that shot of him ripping down a picture in the lab and growling...he is not a fan of this place as well and it seems he finally realizes that Daisy can help him since they appear to make peace at the end of the episode.

Yet, while this episode served up plenty of answers on a hot platter, it made sure to keep some mysteries off the menu. We still have no idea what the lab's purpose is, how our ghosts became ghosts that drive people insane and the Darkhold's purpose either for that matter. But the fact that we know now that the Rider is tied to this mess, and that we met the new director and found out just how no nonsense he is is absolutely wonderful. We got just enough last night by way of answers and future plot points to keep us hooked, and the show didn't lose sight of its newfound darkness, since the sight of May in a straight jacket was pretty jarring and poor Mack came to realize that Yo-Yo has been playing S.H.I.E.L.D. all along. Either way, the show continues to reel me in, season four continues to be a rousing success and next week should hopefully continue to move this fascinating new story along. Until next time.

I'm only two episodes into The Ray Bradbury Theater and already I can tell that this series as a whole, is going to be a thinking man's series and I'm totally fine with that. It's rare to see a show go for broke basically out of the gate and a day after watching 'The Playground', my mind is still reeling at its meaning and its depth, so let's not waste any time and get right into it, because we have lots to discuss about this fascinating story with an ending unlike any other. 

Charles Underhill is a man haunted by his past, but is trying his best to move forward in life, and so far he's managed to get by pretty well. He found a wife, had a son, has a great job in Insurance Sales, but the happy ending one would expect, is nonexistent. Charles' wife passed away, leaving him to raise his son Steve with a little help from his sister Carol. Work is beginning to hammer him over his performance, and the past is always waiting in the back of his mind. Bullied badly as a child, those memories are beginning to resurface as his son is reaching an age where he is ready to attend grade school and hang out with other children...but Charles is terrified that his son will suffer the same bullying he dealt with as a boy, and despite his best efforts to keep his son hidden away from the world, Steve finds his way to the same playground where Charles lived in fear and now Charles must face his fears and his past, and unfortunately the old bully from so long ago, will be more than happy to help him in his quest...

Gosh, so more or less, they managed to pack in an hour's worth of stuff in this story in the half the time and this one is just a damn impressive piece of storytelling. For starters, William Shatner is the star of this one and this is a role unlike any other I've ever seen him in. He is able to convey the terror that resides within Charles' soul on a moment's notice while at the same time, he's able to show his strength and how far he has come in masking his pain and adapting to the world around him and it's honestly some of his finest work. But, it's the story that props him up, and this is a tale that does a fantastic job of reminding the viewer that while so many of us work hard to get beyond our past and grow, there are some folks that simply cannot do it and Charles is one of those people.

His constant battle back and forth internally leads to a fascinating ending, one that seems incredibly meta at first but it is the centerpiece of the episode for certain and well, get ready for some spoilers ladies and gentlemen because it seems as though in those final moments when father and son go to the playground in question that they in essence switch bodies and Charles has become his son and is once again subject to the horrors of his past while his son heads off to enjoy a carefree life and and I honestly don't think this ending is to be taken at its literal face value. Considering how Charles sees the bully from his youth on a regular basis lurking in the shadows of the playground, and sees modern children as monsters, I honestly think this was a happy ending, in a roundabout sort of way. In reality, I believe Steven went off to play with the other kids and had no problems, as he did days before, and Charles merely imagined that his son was suffering because by confronting his bully internally and altering the strange fantasies in his mind...he was finally free. It's a screwed up way to get to a happy ending, but hey...that's the beauty of storytelling, you never know where it is going to go sometimes. 

I could be 100% wrong of course, but considering how jarring this ending turned out to be, it's the only conclusion that made any sense to me since there wasn't any real science fiction or horror style elements that could cause the switch. It just seemed like a dad filled with pain, comfortable in the fact that his son was going to face tough things and was finally okay with it and I'd like to think that Charles got his life together after that strange little moment. Either way, the fact that I had to sit down and think about this at length, speaks to the quality of this show. Few series engage us on that kind of level where we are left to interpret anything on our own and and I appreciate that. There's no spoon feeding here or twists and turns that make you roll your eyes. Just deep thought and Shatner stealing the show. Until next time.

Growing up in the 1980's, there were two authors that absolutely managed to capture me in my youth. One of which I've written about on several occasions, the iconic Stephen King and the other writer came from a wholly different genre...science fiction, by way of the great Ray Bradbury. I picked up Fahrenheit 451 and never looked back, pouring into everything the man had written at the time and it just so happened, that in the midst of my newfound love for Bradbury's work, I caught an advertisement on HBO for an upcoming show entitled, The Ray Bradbury Theater. 

This was of course, something I simply could not miss, and I was front and center for the series premiere. This was another anthology series amidst a sea of them at the time that I tried to watch as often as possible, but eventually we said goodbye to cable for a while, and without any online service to watch it on...I more or less forgot about the series. But recently, it came up in a discussion revolving around Bradbury's work and lo and behold, after a bit of searching, I found the complete series on Amazon for one hell of a price and at long last I can enjoy this show once again, and discuss it right here with all of you, so let us begin a grand journey through the world of The Ray Bradbury Theater, starting with the fascinating pilot episode, 'Marionettes, Inc.'

Computer Salesman John Braling, is starting to find that life is getting to him a little more than usual. The daily grind is that just that, a grind and his home life is no better. His wife is always on his case about one thing or another, and it seems as though poor John can't get a word in edge wise. He simply feels trapped, that is until something curious happens at work. One day, his computer puts up the image for a company known as Marionettes, Inc., and despite his best efforts to remove it, it simply will not go away. In fact, the company is popping up everywhere he looks, even their business cards find their way to him. Believing that something nefarious is happening behind the scenes, a friend convinces him to check out the place and when John arrives he is greeted by a mysterious man named Fantoccini, who reveals they have been trying to get John's attention, to offer him a chance to regain his life and his happiness, with an android that is a perfect replica of him, one that can take his place whenever he wishes...for a hefty price, of course. It's a deal that John cannot resist...but while he regains his freedom, there is another price to pay for his choice to put a robot in charge of his life...

Well, where do we begin when it comes to the awesomeness of this show because it is loaded to the gills with all kinds of goodies. For starters, it's got a top notch cast with screen legends James Coco and Leslie Nielsen playing John Braling and Fantoccini respectively, so there's no cheese to be found when it comes to performances here, and that's a good thing considering how cerebral the subject matter turns out to be. This is a story that hammers home our heavy reliance on technology and how that can potentially be our downfall since Braling's android decides that it can do a better job of being Braling in just about every way and it leads to a stunning and wonderful finale that works perfectly and is satisfying to say the least.  

But what I enjoyed most about this story, is the fact that Fantoccini more or less preys on people, who are incapable of adapting or changing in life and that's the irony within this story. John is fully capable of fixing everything in his life to make it better. His wife just needed to know he cared in the same fashion she does, work can be exciting if he tries new things, the list goes on and on...but instead, he chose to have a device handle it for him, with disastrous results. It means that the moral of this story is about appreciating life, and all that we are given and when we do that...there's no need for things to keep us happy, because everything we need is right there to bring us joy and if a machine can grasp this concept over a selfish man...then perhaps he got everything he deserved. Either way, this was an absolute treat of a first episode to watch, and I cannot wait to see what other cerebral joys await us. Until next time.

Truth be told, I have always found shows that put the United States in a bit of hot water to be absolutely fascinating. Now before you raise an eyebrow and question why I would enjoy such a morbid concept, hang on a second. It's not seeing America and its people suffer that I enjoy, it's the fact that these types of stories tend to highlight the absolute best in people, offering inspiring stories where Americans rise to the occasion and do incredible and wonderful things.

Those reasons are exactly why the promos for ABC's Designated Survivor caught my eye. The premise alone sounded intriguing, since it revolves around the one member of the President's cabinet who is required to watch the annual State of the Union address from a hidden location as a precautionary measure, so that in the event of a catastrophic attack on the U.S. Government while it is assembled for this speech, continuity can continue, that cabinet member becomes the President and someone is there to lead the country. It's a scary worse case scenario idea that our government actually does have in place and well...the show handles it in stunning and breathtaking fashion since in the first few minutes of the show, that worst case scenario comes to fruition.  

In fact the first half of the show plays out in chaotic fashion, as it should, where we are introduced to Tom Kirkman, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development as he is thrust into the unexpected role of the Presidency and this is where the show reels you in. The disastrous bombing of the Capitol building arrives out of the blue and the audience is instantly reminded of 9/11, where no one knew a thing, chaos reigned supreme and well...all of this elicits fear and unsettles you as you watch, since the images that play out on the screen send chills down your spine, and at this point, this is when the story changed gears and rather than scare the pants off of us for a full hour, it was time for our new President to spring into action and do some good in the world, and it is the humanity displayed here where the show really shines.

There is no bravado to be found within Tom Kirkman. He does not instantly realize that he must be the hero that America needs right now and must stand proudly before the nation and deliver a speech that inspires along with a decisive military strike upon those who would do us harm. No, instead Tom is presented as a man who is terrified of the task before him. His nerves are taking over, he's trying desperately to process what the hell just happened to the country, and do it in responsible and thoughtful fashion so as to not plunge the nation into all out war. If anything, I really appreciated the fact that his defining moment, where we truly get an idea of what this man could become as a leader was a low key meeting with the Iranian Ambassador where he simply cuts through the crap and cuts a deal to ensure peace.

It's what we would expect from a President, to remain calm and keep the peace in a time of crisis and it shows us that Kirkman is indeed a good man with a drive to do the right thing buried within him and that means that once the chaos dies down, Tom will become an outright beacon of hope, a man that inspires the best in us and drives us to do the right thing. But it won't be an easy road that's for sure, since it seems few in the White House have any confidence in the former Housing Secretary. Either way, I have to say that I'm impressed, this was one of the best pilot episodes that I have seen in years and the fact that it was able to unsettle me and suck me in speaks to the work that went into it and well, I'm definitely sold on this series after just one episode. I'm dying to know who was responsible for this awful attack and I'm anxious to see Tom Kirkman grow into one incredible leader and make wonders happen. Until next time.

Series 1 Episode 3
'How to Recognize Different Types of Trees from Quite a Long Way Away'
Sketch List
Court Room Sketch
Bicycle Repair Man
Children’s Stories
Restaurant Sketch
Milkmen
Stolen Newsreader
Nudge Nudge
 
Monty Python’s famous Restaurant Sketch answers that age old question: what level of interest and shame should a customer service representative express when the customer is not afforded every little thing their heart desires. The answer that the Pythons’ provide is both outrageous and glorious in its absurdity and hyperbole.

The setting is rather accessible: a restaurant patron and his date (Graham Chapman and Carol Cleveland respectively) sit down at a three star restaurant and the formalities of sitting down and examining the menu are handled with great care. The scene drastically inverts the expected roles of patron and host as Chapman very politely asks for a clean fork as his is a bit dirty. After gushing apologies, the host (played by Terry Jones) ushers the head waiter (Michael Palin) to the table. Further apologies follow, Palin suggests firing the entire washing-up staff, and ushers in the appearance of the Manager (Eric Idle). The appearance of every level of the restaurant chain of command comes unprompted from a confused Chapman who insists at every level that he doesn’t want to make a fuss. Idle bears his soul to the customers in apology, referring to the difficulties of the restaurant staff, citing war wounds and arthritic fingers as the cause of the less than perfect presentation of the cutlery. Idle collapses in tears prompting the appearance of a towering cleaver-wielding John Cleese as Mungo the chef, whose chef’s hat adds nearly a foot to his already massive height.

Cleese’s appearance and performance in this sketch is its own study in comedy and commitment. With his height, his demeanor, and the delivery of his lines Cleese embodies all the frustration, unjust or otherwise, of customer service representatives everywhere. He spits his lines out at Chapman, venomously referring to his (Chapman’s) reasonable request as, “Petty, feeble, quibbling” and, transitioning from frustration to anguish to madness, punctuates his first speech by slamming his cleaver (which had been hidden from the camera till this point) into the middle of the table. This and the frenzy of the manager’s ashamed suicide and Mungo’s attempts to slay the customers with his cleaver that follow, illustrate the crux of the joke the troupe has been making: the customer/customer service relationship is enough to drive you mad as the customer too often sees the customer service provider as a means by which service is rendered, rather than a human being with desires, feelings, and rights.

The sketch so effectively flips the hyperbole and outrage expressed by customers we’ve seen in real life that it makes you reevaluate how you view customer service. You don’t need to give a waiter or a desk clerk your life story, you don’t need to have a 6 foot chef yell at them about what a saint you are, and you don’t really need to see the Host, Head Waiter, and the Manager over the cleanliness of your fork. But, perhaps, as the punchline of the sketch suggests, all that might have been necessary had you cared to mention your dirty knife as well. ​

Okay, I have to fully confess to all of you, that I've been extremely nervous about this upcoming season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for a couple of reasons. The first one being, Ghost Rider as a character has not translated well to live action storytelling and also due to the fact that this series has in a way, painted itself into a plot line corner. Season three was a smörgåsbord of ideas and concepts, where just about anything and everything the show has ever dealt with wrapped up in a single season.

We saw the Fall of Hydra, and not some, 'oh hey there's still a few of us around, we'll be back!' plot thread. Oh no, they're gone, they're dead, the end. We saw Grant Ward die, rise again and die again and in a way the Inhumans storyline, at least the notion of them being evil and a threat to mankind, wrapped up nicely as well and because of that, I've been worried about where the show is going to go because as the show transitioned to their next respective plot last year, it struggled to keep a quality story going, which brings us to last night's season four premiere. Specifically, did it deliver a quality story and kick off a new year in an exciting way? The answer is...yes, because Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has in the most magnificent of fashion, managed to completely and utterly reinvent itself and this new look/new feel show has my attention. 

For starters, this isn't the cuddly fun ride we have enjoyed for the last three years, those days are apparently gone for the most part. What remains is a vastly more adult type of show, one that makes sure to go to darker places as much as possible and while it is jarring at first to see a Marvel spy show become something a little grittier, it's welcome. For the first time S.H.I.E.L.D. is beginning to resemble its sister shows like Jessica Jones or Daredevil in both tone and design which means that now our characters are going to go through tough times no doubt, and last night gave us a taste of things to come. After all, the band is broken, with everyone serving new roles within the now re-legitimized and restored S.H.I.E.L.D. and they all report to a mysterious director that to date remains hidden from the audience. Granted, that's not exactly strife, but clearly they're all struggling with these changes and the fact that S.H.I.E.L.D. is not the cozy home it used to be means it won't be long before this newfound tension leads to strife for our heroes.

The only person who I could venture to say is truly suffering at this point in time however is Daisy. She is doing her best to handle the Watchdogs and play the good vigilante, but she's alone and cut off and her powers are slowly taking their toll upon her body and to make matters worse...she's the one squaring off against the Ghost Rider and that's the other issue that we haven't discussed yet. Is the Rider as cheesy as his other incarnations on screen? The answer is no, this Ghost Rider is badass and terrifying because nothing gets in his way. I mean come on, the Rider ripped out a dude's spine last night! It doesn't get more badass than that and the burning skull and the effects that went with that were top notch this go round and the fact that there is depth to this character means we should be in for quite a treat when it comes to his particular storyline. 

Now you've probably noticed that we haven't spent too much discussing the finer plot details of this episode and quite frankly, they were immaterial to this episode. This is a premiere that peppered in a few plot points to set up the story for the season to come, but really the big focus here is the new look and feel of the show and I'm glad that a majority of the time was spent focusing on where our characters are at after that exhausting and costly battle with Hive and the Hydra Remnant. They're hurt, they're licking their wounds and we've never seen them quite like this before. Either way, kudos for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for moving the show in a bold new direction. It feels as though this series is growing up and these darker storylines are intriguing to say the least and well...my fears are quelled for the time being and I have to know what's coming next.