Please enjoy this clip from Episode 4 of Heels, which will air on STARZ on September 5, 2021, at 9 p.m. EST. If the clip below doesn't play, use this link.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 207 of ‘Ted Lasso’.
​
Although humanity has made great progress in understanding the human mind and how to properly care for it, we still consider caring for our mental health to be something of a taboo topic. Oddly enough, it makes sense as to why— we've been taught for generations that our mind doesn't need care; it simply shifts from happy to sad, and the best way to keep it on the joyous end of the spectrum is to focus on happy thoughts or to keep one's mind busy. By doing these things your mind doesn't have to focus on the sad things, and that's so ingrained in our society that the thought of genuinely taking the time to heal one's mind or do activities that maintain its health seems goofy or outlandish, even when science is quickly starting to prove otherwise. Which, of course, begs an important question: How do we shake a belief that's seemingly ingrained in our everyday society?

Well, one such way to shatter that belief is to normalize the importance of caring for one's mental health, and an efficient way to do that is through popular media. That's why this week's episode and season two overall of Ted Lasso deserves our respect and a round of applause; they work to accomplish exactly that type of normalization. Last week's episode made it clear that Ted is struggling with his mental health for reasons that we didn't understand in that moment. Making that struggle a focus at the end of ‘The Signal,’ allowed the next episode in this storied franchise to focus on the importance of taking care of our minds and to have an honest conversation with the audience about how hard it is to do that when the everyday world thinks such kind of care is downright silly or unnecessary.

‘Headspace’ addressed this struggle by way of three key storylines— each one digging into a unique aspect of the overall theme. First, Roy and Keeley's combined journey examined the importance of boundaries and how scary it can be to establish them. Keeley was feeling overwhelmed with the fact that she and Roy were spending every waking moment together now, and all she wanted was a little quiet time, but she was afraid to tell Roy out of the possibility of hurting him. However, after she had a clear line of communication with him, he helped her get what she needed. This segment made a clear point that we fear setting boundaries because we fear hurting those we love or fear receiving a negative response from them regarding our needs. However, if we take the time to explain why we need those boundaries, everything will be okay, and we need do this so that our mental state is balanced and healthy.

The second storyline explored the negative power of excessive (or toxic) positivity through Nate's journey. Nate was riding cloud nine for making the winning call and being dubbed the 'Wonder Kid.' He became obsessed with the positive response to his coaching style and suddenly boasted an inflated sense of ego. Nate believed that he was above the players and their mentality and was downright abusive because of his inflated sense of self-worth. Well, the lessons inherent in this storyline were quite powerful to say the least. Not only did this segment speak to the importance of maintaining humility in all things, but it also made clear that latching on to only positive things can cause our mental health a great deal of harm and can cause us to lose touch with reality. Additionally, this segment also explored how hard it is to let go of the positive because we're taught that positivity is somehow a cure-all instead of a potential problem— the show deserves serious credit for highlighting this oft-forgotten aspect of mental health care.

But while those two journeys made for a stunning examination of mental health needs and care, they paled in comparison to the most important lesson of all present within this story: Ted's journey. Ted's story in this episode exemplified that the most difficult challenge we'll ever face in maintaining our mental health is seeking out care in the first place. So many people still see therapy as a joke or a scam, and Ted expressed those concerns in a stunning manner— to the point where he disrespected Sharon and her chosen career field. But if we want to get better or remove the concerns swirling around in our mind and our souls, we have to first admit that there's a problem, and we have to commit to a care plan with a professional. And for the first time ever, it seems that Ted Lasso is prepared to do just that. It will be quite interesting to see what comes out of his therapy sessions in the weeks to come.
​
If anything, this was another brave and bold episode from an already brave and bold series. It continued to tackle uncomfortable topics head on, and it did so in a manner that was clearly designed to help audience members that might be struggling with their own mental health and might be unsure of what to do. This episode enforces that they should do what feels right: Set up boundaries. Let go of whatever toxic trait is following them around. Or just seek help and feel no shame about it. Regardless of how scary these changes might be, we feel better by making them, and it's impressive to see a sports show bury all that within the framework of a single episode. In the end, all this episode does is leave one eager to see where this season is headed next because this really is undiscovered country for the genre and the show... but also because we're dying to know what's eating at Ted Lasso and what it will take for him to overcome it! Until next time.

One particular topic that has come up often in these Retro Recaps of the AMC series, Breaking Bad, is the nature of the genesis of evil. In part, because this is a story that explores how good people become corrupt and embrace evil, but also because… this is a series that made us privy to the moment when a person actively made the decision to embrace darkness over anything else and what’s truly amazing… is that every moment that appeared to be the one where Walter White transformed into Heisenberg and left his humble beginnings behind, were nothing more than stepping stones on that journey. The kind designed to fool us so that we would be genuinely shocked when we realized the decision was made and the transformation was complete and it just so happens that the true moment when Walter White became an agent of evil, was revealed in the season four finale of the show.
​
Because ‘Face Off’ is an episode that really does give life to a bloodthirsty and ruthless Walter White, one that will do whatever it takes to protect his family and his drug empire, and it accomplishes that particular feat by having Walter finally figure out how to get the very best of Gustavo Fring. Which is quite the stunning twist to say the least. For Gus has been ten steps ahead of both Jesse and Walt for some time now, so to find a weakness is huge and it turns out… that said weakness is Hector Salamanca. Because when Gus takes the time to visit ol’ Hector, he does so with minimal security and is in a setting where he is in fact vulnerable and that gives Walter one hell of an idea to put an end to Gus once and for all… one that requires Hector’s help and well, once Walter sells him on the plan… it doesn’t take long for the plan to work like a charm.

For a visit to the DEA, wherein Hector torments Hank, makes it appear as though Hector is turning state’s evidence on something crucial. Which of course, gets back to Gus and motivates him to quietly sneak into the nursing home and have a chat with his old enemy before putting him down. But unbeknownst to Gus, Walter was there well before Mister Fring, and wired a bomb to Hector’s chair and since no one had a clue that Walter was lurking about… Gus and Tyrus were sucked right into this brilliant trap, and once the opportunity presented itself… Hector took full advantage. Which brought forth a horrifying explosion, one that eventually killed Gus in an unsettling manner and just like that, the bitter man that was Gustavo Fring was gone from the face of the earth and Jesse Pinkman and Walter White were safe and able to erase any clues about their involvement in his operation.

But while that is indeed a ruthless way to be free, that isn’t what made Walter so incredibly evil. No instead, another component to his overall plan of defeating Gus… is what transformed him. Because there was an additional plot point in the aftermath of Gus’ death that really didn’t seem to be all that big of a deal at first. In that, young Brock was going to pull through because was only temporarily poisoned by the berries of a common plant known as the lily of the valley. But what made that so important… is that Walter had those plants in his backyard. Which means that he poisoned Brock in an effort to get Jesse back on his side and while the ends do indeed justify the means since both of them were in danger, clearly… making the decision to harm a kid and manipulate a longtime friend to help murder a drug kingpin… is the moment when Walter White decided to leave his everyday life behind and embrace evil and a life of crime. 

One where he and Jesse can cook Blue Sky with impunity and they can enjoy the profits in their entirety and not have to deal with anyone above them and now that Heisenberg is born, the tragedy can get truly get underway. For a rise to the top in this manner, will only spell disaster and it will be quite interesting to see what brings about the fall of Heisenberg, now that we’ve seen the rise. But before we dive into season five, we can relish in one powerhouse tale. One that really did put us on the edge of our seats with incredible tension and stunning performances and well, this particular Retro Recap also signals a forthcoming hiatus for our journey through Walter’s sorted life. Simply because it is best to revisit the final chapter in his story when we get closer to the final season of Better Call Saul, to properly appreciate how the two will tie in together. Until then.

Please enjoy this sneak peek of tomorrow’s brand new episode of See, streaming exclusively on AppleTV+!

Please enjoy a sneak peek of tomorrow’s brand-new episode of Ted Lasso, streaming exclusively on AppleTV+.

Whenever our lives are spiraling out of control, we fall back on two key foundations to get ourselves righted again. Specifically, our friends and our family. For they are what ground us, and they often give us great guidance as to how we should proceed in life and their wisdom and love tend to make the chaos palatable just long enough… for us to take control of our lives once again. Which leaves us thankful and secure in the knowledge that we do indeed have a support net to fall back upon if life decides to throw another curve ball our way. And we are so secure in that knowledge, that we don’t even bother to wonder what life might look like, if that support network wasn’t present for us. But it wouldn’t hurt us to do so, just so we are prepared in the event we find ourselves in a situation where we are on our own and one fine way to explore such matters… is through fiction.

For storytelling always knows how to cut to the chase and explore our concerns in the raw and it just so happens that the next episode of Breaking Bad explores that scenario in great detail. For when we catch up with everyone in ‘End Times’, the situation is incredibly grim. For the majority of  theWhite family and the Schrader family are being carefully tucked away at the Schrader home with DEA agents surrounding them over the threat imposed upon Hank, and that more or less puts Walter in the worst-case scenario. For he knows that if he sits in with his family, that Gus will come calling and more bloodshed will come into play and that motivates him to lay low and isolate and brace for the worst and well, it’s a good thing that he does, since Gus immediately blames him for the DEA arriving at the laundromat. In fact, he’s so angry about it… that he opts to partake in a revenge scheme, one involving Jesse.

Because sadly, Jesse gets a phone call from Andrea that young Brock has come down ill out of the blue and once Jesse gets a look at him in the hospital and realizes that the Ricin might have come into play… he immediately finds Walter and has it out with him yet again and that’s precisely when the thematic exploration gets underway. Because at this point, Walt has no hope, no direction or safety net. He’s simply alone and that leads to some scary scenes, the kind where it genuinely seems as though he will perish in this situation because of his lack of a plan and lack of resources, making it seem as though a lack of a safety net is nothing short of devastating. But once he realizes that Gus likely did this to get Jesse to do his dirty work, a more positive lesson comes into play. In that, when the chips are down in this manner, and we have no hope of cavalry coming and no support network to fall back upon… we can either accept the hand we are dealt… or fight back and take control and find a way out of the mess we are in.

Of course, Walter opts to go that latter route and that allows for he and Jesse to come up with a scheme of their own. One that involves getting dear Gus out into the open and in a vulnerable place so that he can be dealt with accordingly and the best way to make that happen… is to not cook Blue Sky. That way Gus will be concerned about the financial side of his new empire, and it should draw him out to address the matter personally and wouldn’t you know it? The plan works to a tee. For Jesse stands pat in the hospital and refuses to go near the lab until he knows that Brock is okay and that brings Fring down to meet with Jesse and figure out a plan and timetable to return the operation to glory. Which in turn gives Walter time to plant a homemade bomb on Gus’ car and sadly, just when it seems as though this mess is finally going to end… Gus opts for a different mode of transportation, leaving Walter in a tough place, since now he has to figure out a new way to get to Gus.

If anything, this was a tense but satisfying tale for certain. Tense because of the entire situation between Walter and Gus, since there was a genuine air of danger surrounding this whole mess, especially after Gus made it clear that he’ll kill anyone to get what he wants, but it was satisfying simply because… Walt finally took control. Because for most of this season… he’s been Gus’ whipping boy and unable to do anything but react. So, to see him here, fighting to stay alive and fighting to take control is a wonderful thing and it does leave one eager to continue the journey to see if Walt is victorious in his uprising. Thankfully, it won’t be long before we find out how that fight ends. For the season four finale awaits us and it will undoubtedly be free of the deeper meaning or real-world scenarios present here… so that the story can focus on a showdown for the ages. One where Gustavo Fring and Walter White… settle their differences once and for all. Until next time.  

It really is quite amazing how consistently the AMC series, Breaking Bad, was able to explore how everyday scenarios that we take for granted, would be handled in the world of the drug trade. Because one would think that eventually, the writers’ room would eventually run out of normal situations to explore in this series. But time and time again, these crafty and creative writers figured out a way to parallel our world with a twisted one and once again, we are here to discuss such a scenario. For the next episode in this fascinating series explored how someone in the drug trade would handle a complete and utter loss of control of their lives and their future and that led to one supremely grim tale. One that oddly enough, surprised us with said exploration.

For early on, ‘Crawl Space’ appears to be nothing more than a transitional tale. One designed to explore the fallout of some of the major moments that happened in the last episode. Since this particular tale took the time to show us that Gus and Mike survived the showdown with Don Eladio’s crew and would be okay in the long run and we also came to learn, that being successful in taking down the cartel… empowered Gus like never before. To the point where he was finally able to gloat and torment Hector Salamanca and of course, he was also quick to make arrangements to have Jesse Pinkman take over the lab on his own, permanently. Making it clear that Gus was ready to run a true empire through and through, one where no one would stand in his way.

Plus, this episode also took a little time to expand upon what came out of Skyler’s discussion with Ted and well… as it turns out, the end result of that discussion was nothing good. Because Ted suddenly felt the need to return the money and take his chances with the IRS, because he is and will forever be a prideful moron and well… that decision motivated Skyler to turn up the heat and get some of Saul’s boys in there. Which in turn, led to an unmitigated disaster since Ted panicked after signing over the check to the IRS, all before managing to badly, badly injure his skull from his stupidity, mostly wrapping up this plot thread in the strangest way imaginable. Because uh… Ted might not survive his injuries and there is little said about his fate beyond that unfortunate moment so... that's that?

But while all of that was wild and entertaining to watch, there was mention of this story really exploring what would happen to a person in this business if they lost control of everything and oddly enough, Fring’s rise to power… brought that examination forth. Because with no one to answer to, and Jesse on his side, Gus was finally able to fire Walter and threaten him in an impactful and terrifying manner. Making it clear that Walt was no longer in control of anything in life and well, being faced with that… put him in a dark place. One where he prepared to evacuate himself and his family from New Mexico post haste and where he also called in protection for his brother-in-law in the hopes of getting some semblance of control… but even that failed.

Because Walter came to discover that the money, he needed to make his family disappear, was in the hands of that idiot Ted and that left him hopeless and devastated and in the end, we learned that losing control in this world is about as terrifying as it gets. For when it happens, there is no help and no hope, just despair and worry and well at this point… who knows what kind of fate awaits Walter White. For he has no one on his side and nowhere to turn. Which means that one way or another… this whole nightmare is going to come to a head, since only two episodes remain in season four and it will be quite interesting to see what Walter and Jesse do next, now that they are at the mercy of a mad man, one that is firmly in the driver’s seat when it comes to their fate and their future. Until next time.