Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episodes Two and Three of ‘Ultra City Smiths’.
​
It is definitely safe to say that crime/noir stories are as popular as they come. For not only do they dominate the airwaves, but podcasts and novels feature a great deal of these types of stories as well. So many in fact, that some might be intimidated by the bevy of detective themed stories at their fingertips. Which does indeed beg an important question, in that… with so many crime/noir stories on the market, how does one find the best of the best? And thankfully there is an easy way to determine that. For the best of these stories feature several key elements. Such as a detective/investigator that is unique, the kind whose quirks and abilities captivate the audience in a dynamic manner and the best of these tales also move the case along at a brisk pace and are full of stunning surprises.
​
That way, the audience is consistently engaged and curious from beginning to end and the story is offering more than the average pulp paperback or weekly serial and it just so happens that AMC, has a series on its hands that is accomplishing all those goals. For the next two episodes of Ultra City Smiths puts a checkmark in all of those boxes and that makes ‘The King of the Night’ and ‘Hot Clues’ quite the entertaining and engaging tales. The kind that informs us that this case is going to be something quite special… but not before the second chapter took the time to establish that Detective Mills is actually quite the gumshoe. Because when we catch up with him in Episode Two, he is putting all of his efforts into retracing the steps of the now deceased Christopher K. Smith, in order to figure out how this heinous crime has come to fruition and that leads to some stunning and fun moments.

Because nothing escapes Mills’ keen eye and because of that, he is quickly able to piece together what Smith’s last day on earth looked like, to the point where Mills bears witness to every single stop that Smith made on CCTV and every conversation that he had with a seemingly random set of individuals and he also finds it quite odd, that Smith’s family has had little to say upon the matter. Which in turn leads to the fun in question… since it brings, he and Detective Johnson face to face with Smith’s eccentric, nightclub, and dance loving son; Donovan ‘The King of the Night’ Smith. Who refuses to talk to the cops about his dad and the situation, until a dance off takes place. But once we get past that particularly hilarious moment, a switch seemingly flips in Detective Mills’ mind, and he starts to wonder if by chance… the family knows more than they are leading on and digger deeper in regard to that… brings about quite the revelation.

For it turns out, that every single person Smith spoke to or called on that fateful day, was a relative, including Detective Johnson and well… that particular twist only deepens the mystery and engages the viewer, since now we are quite curious to know what Smith said to the various members of his giant family and how that and his family, relates to his death and that really was quite the brilliant surprise to say the least, since it opens up the list of suspects and in true noir fashion… ups the ante danger wise as well. Because shortly after Mills determines that he is dealing with no less than eight suspects, all of whom could have various motives for bringing down the last great hope in this sullied town, other surprising parties take notice of the progress he’s making and make fascinating moves to potentially derail the case. Specifically… the current Mayor of this cesspool and after a quick meeting with Mills’ boss, quite the change is made to the team.
​
In that, Johnson is pulled from the case, for obvious reasons… since family can’t work on a case that involves a family member. But rather than put another qualified gumshoe on the trail, Mills is assigned to the most distracted detective on the force, a man named Nico Onasis. Whose desire to basically bed everyone within his sight, tends to motivate him to forget about his work and the case at hand. But the bad parties in Ultra City might have made the decision to assign him to the case on the wrong day. Because shortly before Nico and Mills team up, Nico makes the call to finally settle down and think about the future… and in doing so, he’s suddenly keen to what’s happening and eager to explore the clues and that is indeed leading both he and Mills toward some answers, especially after finding the bullet casing that took Smith’s life.

If anything, that is the perfect way to end these two episodes. Because it is the culmination of every element we’ve discussed. Since these stories do indeed offer up a quirky detective that loves limes and scotch and sees all, plus they move the case along at a near break-neck manner since Mills and Nico are quickly moving toward resolution and of course… both of these stories were filled to the brim with big surprises, since no one expected the mayor to be this scuzzy or to learn that Smith had such a powerfully large family roaming about the city and well, that’s how you suck an audience in and compel us to continue the journey. Because now we are dying to know how this family came to be so large and of course who killed Smith and well… the only way to earn those answers is to forge ahead and it will be quite interesting to see where this fascinating story takes us in the weeks to come. Until next time.   

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘Finding Alice.’
​
When we are at our lowest and struggling with some major problems in life, we tend to do whatever we can to keep our minds from having to focus upon the problem at hand. For some people, that involves hiding away from the world, while others… focus on something distracting. Such as a hobby or any kind of engaging activity that keeps their mind clear, and while friends and family tend to tolerate such an act because they know that the tough time in question is overwhelming… they never know when to quite step in and stop it. Which is why it is important to keep someone around in our lives, that knows knows how to reach us and get us back on track so we can finally confront our problems.

If anything, this particular scenario and this type of person are top of mind today, because they are spotlighted in the next episode of Finding Alice. For when we catch up with Alice in ‘Funeral’, she’s quickly starting to obsess over something unhealthy to not deal with the death of Harry. Specifically, she is laser focused on his son, and in turn her stepson, George. To the point where she was ignoring Harry’s funeral arrangements and the pending sale of her home and her family for that matter as well and that’s when Charlotte stepped up to the plate. Because she recognized the state her mother was in and knew that if she didn’t step in now and say something, disaster would quickly come to fruition, and she bravely stood up to her mother and cut through her fog and in doing so… was able to get Alice to refocus on the matters at hand and that allowed for some powerful moments to take place.

For having clarity once again, allowed for Alice and Charlotte to realize that all of the arrangements they were making and all the cemeteries they were looking at was nothing more than a waste of time. Because in the end the best place to lay Harry to rest would be in the garden of the home that he built and well… while she and Charlotte and the new friends surrounding Alice, all agreed that this was a phenomenal idea, Harry’s parents had other thoughts on the matter. Specifically, they thought it was a terrible idea and would ruin any chance at selling the home and well… for a brief moment, their sour words made it appear as though the plan was going to fall through, and Alice would slip back into other avenues of thinking to cope. But instead, the power of this idea and the support that Charlotte had for it… motivated both women to just go for it and make it happen regardless of the rules. 

Which meant that one fine day, they assembled their friends and family at the house for a beautiful memorial service, one that allowed for Charlotte and Alice to speak their minds and empty their hearts of the pain they were currently experiencing, and once that came to an end… they went through with the burial, giving Harry rest at last and peace to their minds and well, all of these elements made for some beautiful and moving segments for certain. For it was quite incredible to see a broken mother and daughter rally and rise to the occasion and support one another. But while it was nice to enjoy those moments and be reminded of the fact that we should have a friend or family member around that can do what Charlotte did here, make no mistake about it… there are still some dark and troublesome clouds waiting for Alice on the horizon.

Because Harry’s dad really doesn’t seem to care all that much about what will become of Alice and Charlotte when they sell the house since he is obsessed with just offloading it and of course, he hated what Alice did for his son and... there is still the possibility that Harry was murdered in cold blood and that the killer is still out there. Something that the police are getting involved in, now that they have the CCTV footage, courtesy of Charlotte and well, it will be interesting to see where these issues take us in the weeks to come. Since they will have a profound impact upon Alice and Charlotte when the house goes up for sale and when the police reveal their findings. But while we wait to see what comes next, we can revel in the majesty of one quality journey. One that did a fine job of reminding us of how important it is to truly celebrate the life of those we love, in a way that genuinely honors them and everything they stood for. Until next time.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Six of ‘What If…?’
​
I keep saying that each episode is getting darker, and I really wasn’t wrong. So, what happens if Killmonger saved Tony in Afghanistan? Well, for we never get Iron Man, for one… but also, we never get Ultron, which means we never have to put up with Hawkeye’s awkwardly forced plot device of a family… so I guess that’s probably the biggest win for me. Right now, a lot of you are like “Shae, why do you have an obsession with Hawkeye in the MCU?” Because I read the comics by Matt Fraction and Lucky the Pizza Dog is my life. Plus, and let’s all really be honest with this one, Clint having a family is weird and I stand by this with my life. What does that have to do with this episode of What If? Nothing, I just needed everyone to know how passionate I am about this.
 
Now, Killmonger is a wonderful villain and he’s probably the most realistic and relatable out of all the MCU villains. I said what I said. Does he go about things wrong? Yes. Should be kill half the people he does? No. Does he accomplish his goal? Sort of. In this universe, he takes a much different approach. By saving Tony Stark, he’s able to get close to the billionaire and we’re able to see him as the master manipulator we all knew he was. It’s actually Killmonger who has the idea of giant unmanned mechs. The Gundam reference did make my day, I’m not goi g to lie.

But what will they use to power the mechs? Tony suggests tiny arc reactors and Killmonger says Vibranium, and that brings us to Klaue. Of course, Tony is easily manipulated, but Pepper is quick to not trust Killmonger, and rightfully so. Especially since he betrays Rhodey. He also kills T’Challa when he comes after Klaue and then also kills Rhodey, which is the most uncool thing. Think we’re done? Not quite. Tony figures out what happens, and he confronts Killmonger about it. He even uses one of the robots he made to fight Killmonger. Bad news, though, it does not go the way Tony thinks it will. Not only does Killmonger destroy the mech, but he also kills Tony. Turns out they weren’t two orphans trying to do right by their dads together. It doesn’t stop there.
 
Killmonger blames Tony’s death on Wakanda and convinces general Ross to deploy the mechs made by Stark Industries and attack Wakanda with them. He then kills Klaue and uses him to get into Wakanda. There he reveals himself as the son of the late prince N’Jobu. Just like that, he’s welcomed into the family. King T’Chaka and Queen Ramonda are so blinded by their grief over losing T’Challa that they completely buy into whatever story Killmonger will tell them. He does warn them that the Americans are coming to start a war. It doesn’t stop them from making him the new Black Panther, however. Killmonger even fights alongside them in destroying the mechs he helped create. Turns out Queen Ramonda is a fighter too, and she kicks some serious ass.

With the mechs destroyed and Killmonger firmly implanted into the family, Ross’ mech army lost, and Iron Man still dead, what will the world do? Good news, Shuri doesn’t believe her cousin, so she goes to Pepper Potts with some damning information and an offer to help. And with each passing episode, the universes get bleaker and stranger. Also, the Watcher keeps getting closer and closer, literally. Like he’s just in the frame not even trying to be mysterious anymore. Makes you wonder how much closer he can get and what will happen next.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 205 of ‘My Life Is Murder’.
​
Something that each and every one of us can agree upon, is that season two of My Life Is Murder on Acorn TV, has been nothing short of brilliant. Because not only has this series given the dynamic Alexa Crowe, cart blanche in regard to the crimes she’s assigned, what she’s been given has allowed for some fascinating cases to come to life. Ones that explore some intimate and unique aspects of murder since crime dramas rarely focus on how the best of intentions can go awry, or how revenge can infect a person’s soul to the point where they believe murder is the only way to resolve what they’re feeling. Which has in turn allowed for this series to separate itself from the pack, since we now know that when we tune in, we are going to be treated to unique and fascinating crimes, the kind that will keep us guessing and engaged. 
​
Which is why this week’s episode of the show, was so incredibly surprising. Simply because ‘Crushed Dreams’ took the time to inform us, that this show is about as versatile as it gets, since this case proved that even more traditional crime drama elements can be handled in a fascinating manner in Alexa Crowe’s world, it just takes the right villain and case, and boy did this episode offer that up. For when we catch up with Alexa and Madison here, they’re off to a nearby vineyard to investigate the suspicious murder of an up-and-coming wine genius named Sam Turei. Because it just doesn’t seem quite right that she managed to fall into a grape crusher when she knew the business so well and respected every aspect of it and well, after meeting with another wine wunderkind named Joe Gordon and the staff… Alexa was outright stumped by this case.

Because there was nothing that spoke to foul play at this point and while there was fear to be found on this vineyard, the kind that was related to a pay negotiation that Sam took part in, none of that provided Alexa with a solid motive for murder. But alas, a strange encounter in the middle of the night, while Alexa was trying to piece together how no one heard the grape crusher running on that fateful night… started moving this case along and eventually revealed a more traditional murder. For the person that was roaming about the vineyard in the dark was a rival of Joe’s and it turns out that he and Alistair Hanley went way back in a truly negative manner. All because they had a habit of stealing one another’s grapes to try and prove who was the better winemaker and that particular revelation, allowed for Alexa to dig deep and come to realize that Joe was her prime suspect. 

For his final conversation with Sam via text, just didn’t quite add up and when one added Joe’s past into the mix, it really appeared as though… Sam discovered that Joe was doing something sneaky and nefarious with Hanley’s grapes once again and Sam somehow stumbled upon it. But Alexa needed more here, she needed to prove that Joe’s alibi was a flat out lie and she genuinely needed a confession, since all she had was circumstantial evidence tying Joe to this mess and well… she got what she needed. Courtesy of a little trickery with a Zoom call and with a little pressing on Joe and well, in the end… that means that the murder of Sam Turei came about, by way of a fragile male ego and outright jealousy. One so battered and bruised that Joe would rather kill an innocent person and cover it up than face the reality that he wasn’t as talented or as good of a winemaker as others believed or as Sam for that matter, making this quite the tragic end to a promising life. 

But thankfully there will be justice for Sam via a long, long sentence for Joe Gordon. But all of that aside, this really was quite the ‘traditional’ case, since so many crime dramas do indeed focus upon the power of ego and jealousy and pettiness. But leave it to this series, to find a way to make something that one could consider to be cliché, as engaging and engrossing as possible. Because the clues were deeply buried here and there was a lot of dynamics for Alexa and Madison to sift through and well, that definitely sucked us in and vested us in the story and the payoff was nothing short of magnificent. If anything, this just goes to show that My Life Is Murder is one of the finest crime dramas out there and can make any type of case worth our while. Courtesy of its quality writing and incredible cast and it will be quite interesting to see what kind of case awaits us, come next Monday. Until then.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Six of ‘Heels’.
​
Often times in storytelling, big mistakes that characters make… are treated with great reverence and weight and understandably so. Because mistakes are the foundation for the notion of redemption and having a character screw up badly… allows for a grand journey to obtain said redemption to take place. One where the audience is treated to a great deal of lessons revolving around the importance of finding and maintaining a good moral center. But while that does indeed allow for some engaging storytelling to take place, at times… such a journey is quite excessive and detrimental to the overall story. Because sometimes, finding forgiveness can be a far less complex process than we would like to think, and sometimes all it takes to obtain it, is humility and honesty and self-awareness and a willingness to want to set things right and drawing that out in a story when the solution is indeed obvious… can seem quite silly.
​
But not every story out there makes a mountain out of the notion of forgiveness. For there are some that have no qualms with showing their readers or their viewers the simplicity of that notion and how powerful and empowering it can be for an individual to engage in that level of honesty with themselves and with others and one such story that keeps such concepts simple, is the STARZ series, Heels. Because this week’s episode of the show, ‘House Story’, picks up shortly after the harrowing events of ‘Swerve’, wherein grave mistakes were made by a bevy of characters and well… rather than draw out everything revolving around those mistakes, Ace in this instance, wasted zero time in seeking resolution for his own. For he took a little time to reflect upon his actions and came to realize that he let his feelings mix in with the show and that in turn motivated him to do something quite awful and that epiphany allowed for him… to really begin to reflect upon his life and where he’s been and where he’s going. 

Which in turn helped him to understand that he’s made a lot of mistakes and missteps in his life, the kind that have taken him down a path that he simply didn’t want, and the only way to begin to reverse course, was to accept his mistakes and own up to them and find a way to move forward from them. Which is why he took the time to purge his soul of negativity and forgive himself for his actions, so he could in turn ask for forgiveness from others. Which he did indeed do at the barbecue following the baptism of Big Jim’s baby and thankfully, his overtures for forgiveness were well received. Since Bobby Pin was quite eager to sweep that unfortunate moment beneath the bridge that Ace was building and Crystal even seemed receptive to Ace’s overtures, proving without a doubt… that cutting to the chase and being honest and real with ourselves about our mistakes, and putting forth a swift effort to fix them, can bring about wonders and peace.

However, since this is a series that examines every aspect of the concepts it introduces, it was also eager to ponder upon how one finds forgiveness, when one is clueless to the missteps they make. Because let’s be honest, we’ve all known people who cannot ever read the room or the moment in the slightest, and these are the types of folks it seems, are incapable of hearing others and what they need. But it is possible to reach them and teach them the importance of attrition, as evidenced by Wild Bill’s journey in this tale. For he fits that description to a tee, and he tends to forge ahead regardless of what vitriol spills out of his mouth. But men like Wild Bill, can in fact do the right thing, when someone that means something to them cuts through the B.S. they spew and points out their mistakes. Which is precisely what Jack did in this tale, by subtly explaining to Bill that what he said to Willie was out of line and could jeopardize his attempts at a second chance if he did nothing about it.
​
Which in turn, gave Bill pause and left him pondering upon his past and his actions and well… that finally allowed for Bill to lower his guard and do what seemed to be impossible a few weeks ago… and outright apologize to Willie for well, everything. An act that of course, didn’t come easy for Bill in the slightest since this was new territory for him. But eventually, he opened up to her properly and really explained the remorse he felt over the hurt he caused her and how hard it was for him when she bailed on him to become Tom’s valet and well… this made for one powerful moment between the two of them. The kind that genuinely taught us what real talk from others can do for us. But what matters most, is that this was a moment of growth for Bill, since this is something, he simply does not do, and it should be quite interesting to see where this life-changing moment will take him in the weeks to come.

But while this grand and intimate and raw exploration into the power of honesty and the simplicity of forgiveness could have carried this entire tale, there was one other aspect on this matter that the story felt the need to explore. Because while it is indeed nice to know how we come back from our mistakes, it is equally as important to explore what creates them. So that we understand how to better avoid them and really, being present in the moment is the best way to avoid a great deal of our mistakes. Because when we aren’t present in the moment and are utterly oblivious to what’s happening around us, for whatever reason, we can quickly put ourselves in a situation where forgiveness is going to be an outright necessity. As evidenced by Jack Spade’s fascinating journey in this particular tale.

Because when we catch up with him here, he’s buried in preparations for the big show at the state fair and well, his desire to use that as the ticket to solve his and his family’s problems, helps him to miss the moment. To the point where he misses hearing Staci perform the wonderful song that she wrote for the baptism, and of course… he once again forgets to spend time with her and Thomas and well… that leads to some major conflict between he and Staci. Since she takes the time to point out that his constant push to make life about the DWL over anything else puts her and Thomas in a place of neglect and outright loneliness and that outright makes it clear to us that Jack is indeed, not present in the moment and that might lead to some mistakes in his relationship, and it has already brought about problems within the DWL... as evidenced by the surprise that happened at the end of this tale.

For after weeks of pleading and patience with Jack, Rooster Robbins finally decided to do something about his situation within the Duffy Wrestling League. Because while Jack was working to promote the big show and quietly teaching Bill a lesson, Charlie Gully was making incredible overtures to Rooster. The kind that promised him a great deal of money if he brought his talents down Charlie Gully’s way and well… not being heard and not being respected, led Rooster to take Charlie up on his offer for a better and richer tomorrow. Which is scary to say the least. For Rooster's actions here, really hammer home the fact that the DWL and its future is on shaky ground right now and Jack has to do a better job of being present and observant in everything he does… or the whole dream could come crashing down. 

But while we wait to see if Jack will learn or has learned that all-important lesson, we can bask in the majesty of one brilliant tale. One that reinforced the fact that Heels IS the best show on television right now. Because there’s no other series out there, diving into concepts this intimate and this human. But this show, dares to look at the human condition in a fresh and dynamic manner and this episode really does deserve a round of applause for teaching us some powerful and meaningful lessons in the most engaging and subtle way imaginable. Plus, this episode also deserves some serious credit for once again paying homage to wrestling by way of that Mick Foley cameo and well, in the end, all this episode does is leave us counting down the minutes until next Sunday’s entry. So, we can see what Ace and Bill do with the lessons they’ve learned and what will come of Charlie Gully’s shocking power play. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Nine of ‘Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty’.
​
One particular aspect of nature that we learn about in a passing manner, is that all the animals of the world have their own specific season to mate and it makes sense as to why we pay this little mind. Because it clicks with us and it seems to be quite the simple act, one devoid of anything complex, since it is in fact... all about the survival of their species. But what is fascinating about our world is that mating season isn’t quite as black and white as our minds have led us to believe. For it can in fact, be quite the complex and chaotic time for some species, as evidenced by last night’s episode of Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty.

For ‘Episode 9: Gone Girls’ took the time to show us how the call of nature can upend the order that is normally found in the Kalahari and how far a matriarch will go to protect her new pups or ones that are on the way. In fact, let’s talk about that, first. Because while we’ve enjoyed a sampling of what that is like, we’ve yet to see a matriarch really go all out in the matter, but Swift had no problem taking such an act to the extreme. Because with more pups on the way and two of the ladies in her family, Pandy and Mercy, having either threatened her or done little to help… she didn’t like the threat they posed and opted to chase them off. And despite their best attempts to come back to the family a la Sencha in Hakuna Matata, she refused to let them return, leaving them to their own devices and making it clear that this time of year will go badly for any meerkat that gets in the way of a matriarch on a mission. 

As for the chaos, well that was explored by way of the Ubuntu family. Because unfortunately for Daisy, all of the ladies in her clan… were eager to meet new suitors and ventured off on their own to see what romance and the future might hold and that left Daisy… in a very chaotic place. Because the little ones weren’t being tended to in the slightest, since there were no babysitters to be found, and that led to some rambunctious times in the burrow. The kind that saw the babies play fight and enjoy a case of the Kalahari zoomies and it also revealed that a matriarch will eventually end up outright exhausted when this kind of excessive action happens. But Daisy did do her best to go about her day in a normal manner and thankfully, she did find some peace in doing so. Since she was still able to enjoy some solid meals and a little time away from the chaos back home.

But where this episode truly shined, was in its ability to provide us with an in depth lesson in regard to the complexities of the mating rituals that meerkats go through. For while Daisy more or less pulled her hair out in frustration at the burrow, we were able to travel to the outskirts of Ubuntu territory and see what the ladies were up to and well, this was quite fascinating. For they basically hung out in this area and sized up any and all suitors to see if they would be a worthwhile mate and to top it off, some of the gals actually took part in double dates. All because they wanted to see if these male meerkats would provide them with the perfect chemistry to start their own tribe and it really was quite incredible to see Wren and others, carefully observe the males and grade their wooing performance and to see them take charge in a matriarch manner.

If anything, this is one of those episodes that really just takes the time to teach us about the meerkat. Because let’s be honest, these were habits we simply weren’t aware of in the slightest. But thanks to this magnificent series, we now have a wonderful understanding of how the meerkat mating season works and how dangerous and intricate and unique it can be and well, that really is what makes this series so great. Because on a moment’s notice, it can go from being a genuinely fun and entertaining ride to a serious drama to a straight up learning experience and now that this particular educational run has come to a close, we are back to playing the waiting game for next week’s episode and it should be quite interesting and exciting to see which story format awaits us next Saturday. Until then.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 204 of ‘See’.
​
Reunions are something we tend to celebrate in our modern world and rightfully so. For they often involve reconnecting with someone that genuinely makes our life better in some form or fashion, and spending time with them once again, allows for us to reflect upon the good times we’ve shared, the wonder of where their life is at or is going and those reasons alone are why we make the reunion quite the big deal. However, while it is wonderful to know that reunions are something that will outright bring us joy, we can never forget that there is a darker side to the reunion. Because sometimes, there are people we do not wish to ever see again and being reunited with them definitely puts one in a foul mood, not to mention… a reunion can in fact, bring about a great deal of sour memories and regret and pain if your prior experience with that person was ugly in nature. 

If anything, the uglier aspect to the reunion is of note today, largely because it was put on display in the next episode of See on Apple TV. For ‘The Witchfinder’ saw an uncomfortable and unsettling family reunion take place, alongside a more casual one that opened up a great deal of wounds and well, it’s best we start with that particular reunion first. For that plot thread allowed for a great deal of powerful moments to take place and they were brought about, through physical pain. Because despite the fact that Baba Voss and his tiny troupe of travelers were making great progress toward Pennsa, they were forced to stop and rest. Largely because Baba was doing poorly physically and needed medical attention. Which brought them to Valier territory and a somewhat joyous reunion from a member of Alkenny tribe, since we came to learn that Bow Lion moved here after the events of season one.

But that was all the joy to be found in this plot line. For Tamacti Jun revealed that this was an uncomfortable reunion for him, for he had once imparted great suffering upon these fine people, and that brought about all the sour emotions in question. For Jun is struggling with his past and is now hoping for some kind of violent relief, the kind that everyone is ensuring he will not receive. For both Paris and Baba made a point to explain to him, that he must atone for his mistakes and the pain he has caused and only then will he find peace. As to whether or not he will make it to that point, time will tell. Since Jun is genuinely ready to die and is on a mission to do so. But all of that aside, the message inherent lay clear. In that, sometimes the wrong kind of reunion will indeed bring about all kinds of ugly emotions to the surface and we need to be prepared to deal with that in the event we find ourselves in a similar situation. 

But there was mention of an uncomfortable family reunion in this tale and that took place within the borders of Pennsa. For Kofun was finally reunited with his mother and while there was indeed joy to be found in seeing her alive once again, her plans for the future made things ugly for Kofun. For this arranged marriage felt akin to a grand betrayal, one that insulted everything good that Baba Voss brought into their lives and to make matters worse, this reunion has seemingly signaled a great deal of complications for the future. Such as the fact that Queen Kane was extremely weird around Kofun, to the point where she implied that she might have some old-school incestuous plans for the family line and to make matters worse, Maghra and her new husband enlisted the help of Harlan’s brother in rescuing Haniwa from Trivantes. 

A move that will likely cause more harm than good. For Edo Voss is eager for war, to the point where he is even stooping to accepting information from defectors if it means he can convince the council to give him the means for combat and well, having a spy or a hero sneak into Trivantes under Pennsa’s flag, will only help his cause. But while we wait to see what comes out of Maghra’s bold and uninformed decision and what will happen when Baba Voss arrives in Pennsa since he and his family and friends are so very close… we can bask in the wonder of one engaging and satisfying tale. Because this one did a great job of keeping us glued to the screen, courtesy of its fascinating examination upon how reunions can go south and well, all we can do now is wait patiently and eagerly for a positive reunion. Because it is only a matter of time before the Voss family is together again and that will be a wonderful bright spot to celebrate in a world, where chaos reigns supreme. Until next time.  

There comes a point in all of our lives, likely when we are working a gig that doesn’t quite suit us, where we find ourselves wondering… what’s the point of dealing with jobs of that low caliber? After all, they don’t bring us joy, they rarely are fun and they’re often more stress than they are worth. But oddly enough, this is a question that while important in the moment, isn’t answered until far later in life. When we come to realize that sometimes, we have to experience jobs like that, in order to properly cherish our dream job when we obtain it. Since we will relish in the fact that said dream job is full of positivity and that in turn allows one to appreciate the journey and the power of being valued in a position that offers us so much more than a check. 
​
In fact, it is that latter aspect of our dream gig that truly matters most. Because when we feel valued while doing what we love, there is an incredible peace that settles within. Because we finally feel as though we belong and as though our purpose in life has been fulfilled and that also motivates us to work harder and be the best, so we will never feel anything outside of that completeness. For to lose that, would be a step backward and it would undoubtedly be terrifying. So much in fact, that we do our best to not think about it, and instead, we let creative minds help us to understand what that might look like. Since stories will help us explore that fear and reinforce our choice to stick with our path, safely, and it just so happens that the next episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation explores that terrifying possibility in a supremely unique way.

A feat that ‘Relics’ accomplishes by having the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise make some stunning discoveries. Such as stumbling upon a functional Dyson Sphere, one that also happens to have a Starfleet vessel ditched atop its massive surface. For the missing U.S.S. Jenolan crash landed here and she too has her own surprise waiting aboard for the away team. In that, Captain Montgomery ‘Scotty’ Scott trapped himself within a pattern buffer when the ship went down some seventy-plus years ago and that means he is now stuck in the 24th Century without any knowledge of the future, the fate of his friends/extended family from the NCC-1701 and NCC-1701-A and to top it all off… he’s an engineer without a ship to fix or a future to look forward to in regard to the career that gave him so much and that leads to some powerful moments for certain.

The kind where James Doohan shines as an actor since he is able to express the panic and the fear of being shunned from everything that defined him and made him happy. Since Lieutenant Commander LaForge is quick to whisk Scotty out of Engineering because he might get in the way and Scotty himself even realizes that he is a man with nothing to his name and that particular realization, is what explores the episode’s central theme. For it makes it clear that we would indeed fall to pieces without our true calling in play and we would do anything to get it back and thankfully of course, he does. Since Captain Jean-Luc Picard realizes that Scotty needs to feel wanted and needs to have purpose and in realizing that… Scotty and Geordi are able to save the day when the Enterprise becomes trapped within the sphere. 
​
But what matters more, is that this episode’s overall theme really is quite powerful and uplifting. Since it demands that we figure out our true north and hold onto it tight once we do and that’s a wonderful and powerful message to send the audience’s way and that, combined with the return to Montgomery Scott… makes this quite the delightful episode. For it really is the perfect crossover tale and it is so cool to see Scotty interact with a new Enterprise crew and this is also a fun story as well. Because James Doohan’s flawless comedic timing is on full display here and kudos to writer Ronald D. Moore for sneaking in the perfect throwback joke into this tale as well. Since Data, kinda, sorta recreates the ‘It’s Green’ scene that Scotty took part in The Original Series episode, ‘By Any Other Name’ and well… in the end, this really is one of the finest episodes that TNG has to offer.

Simply because it is so human and wonderfully nostalgic and it also holds weight, simply because it holds franchise significance as well. Since this is the last TOS/TNG crossover on the small screen. Which means that from here on out, it’s all about the 24th Century for the remainder of this series and that definitely gives one pause… because it also means that we are now in the endgame for The Next Generation and every episode from here on out will hold a different kind of power since we are gradually inching toward the end of this seven-year journey. Until next time.

To hear John speak on a more personal level about this episode, check out the ‘Relics’ centric podcast he did with Enterprising Individuals.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 206 of ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’.
​
There are few greater pleasures than watching this show before John. Because the texts I sent him definitely were both misleading and entertaining. Sometimes you have to make your biffle squirm with worry over a favorite show you share. Otherwise? What’s the point? Especially when this episode is no different than any other, in its genuine fun nature. While we didn’t learn any more secrets about Mariner, we did see Boimler try something new and Tendi turned into a giant scorpion monster. Really, it doesn’t get any cooler than that. It’s Anomaly Collection Day! Which is basically just trash collection, according to Mariner. And she’s not wrong.
 
The Lower Deckers end up collecting some very questionable things that they have to package properly and send off to a storage facility. The downside is it all comes back badly for Mariner. Well, and Rutherford. He ends up being almost blown up! Okay, he balloons up which isn’t the same thing but pretty close if you’d ask him. From there, it’s Mariner who ends up getting things thrown on her, even Nanobots that chew off her fingerprints! To say she’s having a bad day is an understatement. Like me, she’s very vocal about the things she doesn’t like doing. Being encased in a giant slime ball from an alien plant would also make me pretty crabby too, if I’m being honest.

Captain Freeman is on a diplomatic mission while her daughter is doing trash clean up. The Cerritos has been sent to negotiate a cease fire with the Pakleds, since they had a successful run in with them before. Successful being, well, a matter of opinion and this goes no better. First, they assume that Captain Freeman is Captain Janeway, and it still gets worse from there. A Pakled prisoner escapes onto the Cerritos and Ransom and Kayshon are quick to figure out that he’s actually a spy and not an escaped prisoner or revolutionary. It’s not like that’s hard to deduce, though. He did take a picture of his own shoe and demand to see the Warp Core and top-secret Shields. Top notch spy work right there. Captain Freeman and Shaxs only hang around to see if they can still negotiate a cease fire, but also, they want to see if they can learn anything about the Pakleds and their own plans. All while Ransom and Kayshon lose the Pakled and have to chase him down on the ship.

As for Boimler? He ends up spending the day with a group called the Red Shirts who want to be Captains and help each other to make rank quick. Mostly, they spend the episode giving Boimler a makeover and asking about Riker constantly. They even mold him into something he’s not, all while demeaning his friends and practicing inspirational Captain speeches. It’s all really sad, honestly. Boimler has changed though, and he’s not going to let anyone talk bad about his friends. In the end, it’s Boimler that saves the day. Tendi can’t take Mariner and Rutherfords’ constant whining about their duties for the day, she explodes on them angrily while holding a glowing cube of doom and is turned into a giant scorpion monster.
 
She’s so angry and out of control that she almost hurts some of the crew. While the Red Shirts are busy practicing their heroic inspirational Captains speeches, it’s Boimler who saves the day. Our boy Boims does everything to make Tendi laugh, including covering himself in a mess of replicated food. Tendi does laugh and ends up back to normal.

She admits to signing them up for Anomaly Collection Duty, because she thought it would be fun. Boimler proved that being a Captain is much more than just giving speeches, it’s actions, and every Captain is different. Mariner and Rutherford apologized to Tendi, which they really did need to do. And Captain Freeman? Well, the Pakled Spy was returned to Pakled Planet, and she got him to divulge that the Pakleds were planning to plant a bomb on Earth. So, all in all, the day ended pretty well!

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season two premiere of ‘The Morning Show’.

Often times in storytelling, the proudest and most uplifting moment in a story is when a protagonist stands up for themselves or makes a bold move for the greater good. For it signals the arrival of something we love, a happy ending, and their wonderful actions in general, helps to remind us that good always triumphs in this world, regardless of the odds. Plus, such a joyous finale, helps to reinforce the mantra that entertainment is a great way to escape the harsh reality of everyday life, where sadly, good doesn’t always win and where big wins are easily forgotten by individuals and the masses. But what’s fascinating about storytelling, is that not every show holds to that particularly fluffy mantra, and some are eager to explore the gritty and fleeting reality of big moments and one show that holds to this is The Morning Show on Apple TV.
​
For the season two premiere of this phenomenal series, ‘My Least Favorite Year’, takes the time to show us how big moments come with consequences and quickly fade in the real world and how they transform us in unexpected ways, and it accomplished these particular feats through some fascinating time jumps. The first of which, took us back to the season one finale, mere moments after Alex Levy and Bradley Jackson shocked the world by going public about what life was really like at UBA and sadly, such a heroic moment brought about all kinds of fallout. The kind where Alex was whisked away by personal escort and where some of the good guys were penalized for playing the hero, such as Cory Ellison. Since the UBA board was fast to find some kind of ‘just cause’ to terminate him for aiding in this heroic moment and well, once the dust settled from that, a quick trip to December 2019… informed us of the long-term fallout of this important day.

In that, everyone at the network quickly worked to forget that Mitch’s dark actions happened or that Alex quit the show, as evidenced by the fact that Bradley was able to get Cory his job back and enjoy some stability as The Morning Show’s continued lead but that didn’t quite undo the damage to UBA’s reputation. For ratings were down, and more allegations about another host were starting to arise, all because a vast majority of folks at the network, never once worked to fix the root cause of the problem and opted more so to pat themselves on the back for just saying this behavior is bad. But obviously that doesn’t fix anything in this life, and Cory knew this deep down and that is why he decided on executing quite a risky gambit to give the network a sense of stability and remind the people watching that UBA does care about its employees and decency.

One that involved reaching out to Alex Levy about a return to The Morning Show, and well… that didn’t quite go as Cory initially hoped. Because Alex was just fine with being away from the limelight and working on her memoirs, and that is why she initially rebuffed returning to the show that gave her a good life for many years. But it turns out that her story had far more depth to it than any of us initially knew. For Alex was actually carrying a lot of guilt over what happened at UBA and her enabling of Mitch’s disgusting behavior and that guilt helped her to lie to herself and believe that perhaps staying away from it all and offering up the best take she could from the shadows, would somehow help her to heal from her own culpability but as the episode rolled along, she came to realize that was not the case.
​
Which in turn made it seem as though, the happy ending was about to come to life in this story. Wherein Cory would save Alex’s soul by bringing her back to the show, where she and Bradley could finish their work and make a better future happen for UBA and television in general. But happy endings in this realistic show are simply not in the cards. As evidenced by the rift that is now growing between Cory and Bradley over the fact that he didn’t give her the evening news job because of his bigger plans and because… legal trouble is on the horizon. For Hannah Schoenfeld’s family have opted to file a wrongful death suit against the network, which will cause all kinds of waves at the network and make the comeback infinitely more difficult and rightfully so, since the network refused to handle this the right way and to top it all off… there is a greater threat lurking behind the scenes by way of Covid-19. Which is about to unleash itself upon the world.

But while we wait to see how the show examines a pandemic that is still fresh and traumatizing in our minds and what will come of Cory’s wild plans and what will become of the network after that lawsuit, we can revel in the wonder of one quality season premiere. Because once again, this show did a wonderful job of handling its message in a subtle fashion since its observations on how big moments can consume us and transform us in negative ways were never once overpowering and well, in the end, it is simply wonderful to have this series back on the air. Because it really is something special, thanks to the fact that all of its messaging is bold and realistic and that the problems it presents are never easily solved. And it will be interesting to see how the events of season one shape this one and to see how the dynamic people that populate this world handle the lasting impact of their actions and a world that is about to be turned upside down by a silent and deadly and microscopic monster. Until next time.