Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Six of ‘A League of Their Own’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.

We are taught from a very early age… that the United States of America, is a true land of opportunity for everyone. One that comes with its own dream, and you too can have that… if you follow some critical steps. For instance, you need to be willing to put in the work to obtain the dream, and you need to give it your all and sacrifice where necessary and if you do those things, you will enjoy freedoms untold and respect and trust and of course… a comfortable life. One free of fear and full of contentment because you’ll have made it in America and well… it doesn’t take long for us to come to realize as we grow older… that this particular dream and the belief that it is available to all, is pure and utter nonsense.

Because, if you happen to be a woman, a BIPOC or LGBQTIA+ individual… your attempts to obtain that dream will be vastly different, regardless of if you follow the rules to obtain the dream. Because you will be second guessed and seen as second class, you’ll be judged, you’ll have zero trust, and your freedoms will indeed be limited. Which is why those exact individuals have to work three times as hard to even have a taste of the dream, provided of course they can get it, and their struggle is so hard and their path so difficult, sometimes they won’t even see the fruits of their labor if they run into the wrong individuals along the way. Which may sound dramatic, but it is not, it’s a hard and cold and scary fact… one that was explored in great detail in the next episode of A League of Their Own on Prime Video.

For ‘Stealing Home’ is an episode that featured two powerful storylines involving such matters, one of which involved great success for the Rockford Peaches. For Coach Shaw had done a wonderful job of moving them into position to potentially reach the playoffs. But since this was 1943, the thought of putting one’s trust into a coach that happened to be a woman, was unheard of and preparations were made to dismantle the team to strengthen others. Which forced Carson to push this team in a new manner and use her knowledge like never before so keep the team together and to prove to everyone the sheer talent of the Rockford Peaches and she did, since the team made the Championship round. But what matters more, is that the work she had to put in, and the doubt surrounding her as a skipper and leader… spoke volumes to the differences in the dream and that point was hammered home further by a secondary, stunning plot line.

Because in between incredible play from the Peaches, Shaw came to discover that there was a local speakeasy in town, one that was supremely unique in nature. For it catered to LGBQTIA+ individuals and it was run by an individual named Vi (played by Rosie O’Donnell no less) and they were eager to provide a safe space for anyone in need of it within the city of Rockford and the freedom that afforded brought just about every queer player on the team inside its comforting walls. But alas, while such a place would be far less of a big deal today, in 1943… being queer was somehow worse than a sin and when the cops came to raid this place… we and the characters were reminded of the ugliness of hate and bigotry that we see toward LGBTQIA+ individuals to this day, and of how the American Dream… isn’t for those that aren’t white straight males.

Which makes this… the most poignant episode of the series to date, one that takes the viewer on a powerful rollercoaster ride, emotionally. For there is joy to be found in the Peaches success, horror to be found in that shocking finale to this tale, and that is a testament to Will Graham’s poignant and honest script for this episode. One that dug deep into its powerful theme regarding the American Dream and also took a little time to once again work on Max’s journey of self-discovery. Since she worked hard here to figure out where she fit in. For she outright admitted that her sexuality might not be something quite as straightforward as ‘gay’, and that too is powerful and important and well, all this episode does is demand that we continue the journey. To see what comes out of that horrifying raid and to enjoy more of this show’s incredible and timely commentary. Until next time.

It is always quite special when a story creates a standing legacy. Simply because it means that said story… was revolutionary and dynamic in its own right and resonated with fans on a fundamental level. Which is… rare to be honest, since stories do come and go. But it is possible and one particular series that enjoys this particular status is Mystery Road. For that is a franchise that fans still enjoy and speak of fondly and it was so important and so powerful that it is now adding to its own legacy and expanding into the past, Courtesy of the new television series, Mystery Road: Origin.
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Which is a six-part series that explores the earlier days of Jay Swan, since the show is set in 1999… and well, that alone makes this a must-see series. Since all of us are undoubtedly curious as to what may Jay, Jay, in the original show and films and the good news is… we don’t have to wait long to see this series. For Acorn TV will be carrying this show exclusively on 9/26/22. And to properly prepare you for the wonder of this old/new chapter in Jay’s life, here is a trailer, details, and some first-look photos for all of you to enjoy, courtesy of Acorn TV.

‘An official selection at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, Mystery Road: Origin will premiere exclusively on Acorn TV, AMC Networks acclaimed streamer devoted to British and international television. This new six-part drama is the prequel to the award-winning Australian noir series and films, Mystery Road, and centers on the early career of broody and complex Indigenous detective Jay Swan. Mystery Road: Origin premieres Monday, September 26 with the first two episodes on Acorn TV - a pair of new episodes will stream weekly every Monday through October 10.
 
The series had its International Premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, as part of its Primetime Program.
 
Mark Coles Smith (Halifax: Retribution, Picnic at Hanging Rock) takes up the iconic role previously portrayed by Aaron Pedersen, as a young Jay Swan in this 1999-set prequel. Arriving at his new post in an Outback mining town, which is home to his estranged father and the woman who will change his life forever (Mary), the freshly minted detective finds himself in the middle of a series of heists by a masked gang and a re-opened cold case with personal significance. Jay faces a tragic death, a burgeoning love, and the brutal reality of being a police officer straddling two worlds.
 
Mystery Road: Origin also stars: Tuuli Narkle (All My Friends Are Racist), Kelton Pell (The Gods of Wheat Street), Salme Geransar (Clickbait), Daniel Henshall (The Babadook), Toby Leonard Moore (Billions), Steve Bisley (Mad Max), Clarence Ryan (Cleverman), Hayley McElhinney (The Heart Guy), Lisa Flanagan (Total Control), and Caroline Brazier (Rake).
 
An Acorn TV Original, Mystery Road: Origin is produced by Bunya Productions for the ABC, with major production investment from Screen Australia First Nations Department in association with Screen West and the Western Australian Screen Fund supported through the State Government of WA’s Royalties for Regions program. Mystery Road: Origin is directed by Dylan River and produced by Greer Simpkin and David Jowsey. Executive producers are Sally Riley, Ivan Sen, Andrew Gregory and Blake Ayshford. The writers are: Steven McGregor, Blake Ayshford, Kodie Bedford, Timothy Lee, and Dylan River, and Director of Photography is Tyson Perkins. Script producer is Blake Ayshford.  The series was filmed on location in western Australia.
 
Both seasons of original hit Australian crime drama, Mystery Road, premiered on Acorn TV (in 2018 and 2020 respectively). Aside from starring Aaron Pedersen (Jack Irish, A Place to Call Home), the main co-stars were Judy Davis (Ratched, Feud) in season 1 and Sofia Helin (The Bridge, Atlantic Crossing) in season 2. It won numerous awards from the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), including Best Television Drama Series, as well as awards from the Australian Directors Guild and the Australian Writers Guild. The franchise launched with two acclaimed feature films: Mystery Road (2013) and Goldstone (2016).’

The best part of inching closer and closer to a highly anticipated television series, is the sheer fact that the folks behind it, start to load us up with a bevy of exciting tidbits. Either through trailers or new key art or just plain new details and clips. Because those little gifts just leave us hungry for more and eager to tune in and it just so happens that Apple TV+ provided us with one of those gifts today.

For earlier, the streamer released the first full trailer for Shantaram, a Charlie Hunnam led series set in 1980s Bombay, and this is a trailer that not only informs us that we going to be in for a powerful story, but leaves us eager to start the journey and well… without further ado… here is that trailer and some plot details on the series for all of you to enjoy, courtesy of Apple TV+.

 ‘Apple TV+ today unveiled the trailer and new first-look images for “Shantaram,” its highly anticipated new drama starring Charlie Hunnam (“Sons of Anarchy”). Based on the internationally best-selling novel by Gregory David Roberts, “Shantaram" will make its global debut with the first three episodes of its 12-episode first season on Friday, October 14, 2022, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday through December 16, 2022, on Apple TV+.
 
“Shantaram” follows a fugitive named Lin Ford (Hunnam) looking to get lost in vibrant and chaotic 1980s Bombay. Alone in an unfamiliar city, Lin struggles to avoid the trouble he’s running from in this new place. After falling for an enigmatic and intriguing woman named Karla, Lin must choose between freedom or love and the complications that come with it.
 
In addition to Hunnam, the series also stars Shubham Saraf, Elektra Kilbey, Fayssal Bazzi, Luke Pasqualino, Antonia Desplat, Alyy Khan, Sujaya Dasgupta, Vincent Perez, David Field, Alexander Siddig, Gabrielle Scharnitzky, Elham Ehsas, Rachel Kamath, Matthew Joseph, and Shiv Palekar.
 
The series is co-created, written and executive produced by Steve Lightfoot, who also serves as showrunner. Bharat Nalluri directs and executive produces. Andrea Barron, Nicole Clemens, Steve Golin and Justin Kurzel also executive produce along with Eric Warren Singer, who co-created the series. “Shantaram” is produced for Apple by Paramount Television Studios and Anonymous Content’s AC Studios.
 
Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have been honored with 275 wins and 1,152 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy “Ted Lasso” and this year’s Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”’

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’. To revisit the series premiere, click here.
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​‘Adrift’ is all too apt a title for the second episode of The Rings of Power as all our characters scattered across Middle Earth and beyond further deviate from the comfort and security of the lives they’ve always known. Galadriel, unshipped in the great sea joins an unsteady raft of shipwrecked humans, weary from their devastating encounter with “the worm”, an enormous water dragon. Tensions and suspicions are high as they drift slowly back towards Middle Earth. Galadriel and only one other castaway (the grim Halbrand) survive a second bout with the massive sea monster before being “rescued” by a ship from the Island of Numenor. 
 
Nori enlists her friend Poppy to help her care for the mysterious Stranger who fell from the stars while trying to keep his existence, and wild magic a secret from the rest of the Harfoot tribe as they prepare for their departure festival. 
 
Arondir pursues the unseen culprits behind the destruction of a human village and Bronwyn tries to warn her own village of the mounting threat. She and her son Theo cross blades with a terrifying orc whose tunnel led the creature right under their home. Theo, who found the broken hilt of a seemingly cursed blade last episode, discovers that the blade seems to feed on blood. 

As for the elves; Master Elf-smith Celebrimbor shares with Elrond his grand design for a tower-forge and laments that High Kind Gil-galad sent Elrond alone in place of the army workforce he asked for. Elrond suggests that perhaps this grand design has room for collaborators outside the elven race. Elrond visits the realm of Durin at Khazad-dum and encounters an unexpectedly aggressive reception from his former friend Prince Durin. After a dwarven test of endurance, which leaves the reception ground covered in splintered pieces of stone and ax, Elrond manages to extract from the Prince the cause of this uncharacteristic hostility: Elrond’s long absence from Durin’s life. 
 
This is such an important and as yet unexplored touchstone for understanding race relations in the Second and Third Ages of Middle Earth. The tension between Dwarves and Elves is one of the central elements of Lord of the Rings lore, and here is an exploration of one of the most poignant reasons that tension exists, how the passage of time impacts the two peoples differently. 
 
Meeting Durin there was a familiar thorniness I usually associate with meeting Dwarves for the first time in these stories, but it was really refreshing to process that brusqueness through Elrond’s confusion. Owain Arthur delivers an earnest and pained performance as Prince Durin IV who finally tells Elrond that he’s so hurt because the elf he considered so close a friend missed 20 years of his life. The uphill battle of Legolas and Gimli’s friendship in the trilogy is mostly characterized by generational tensions that essentially reduce both races down to stereotypes: Dwarves are obstinate and greedy, and Elves are condescending and out of touch. However, the writing of this scene and the brilliance of its performers strikes so much closer to how those peoples could misunderstand and hurt each other unintentionally and also it provides a framework for how those fundamental differences could lead to the prejudices evident in the trilogy.

When it comes to this series, what I continue to marvel at is this sort of casting back, or perhaps triangulation between the Silmarillion and LOTR texts. The series is an exercise in speculative anthropology: tracing what we know of what Middle Earth became in the Third Age back to what might have caused it in the Second. In practice across lore, architecture, political dynamics, and in-world race relations this series strikes a great balance between authenticity and creative liberty. 
 
We get our first glimpse of the orcs of this age in this episode, and it was a brilliant move to introduce them in a home evasion sequence. So often we see hordes of orcs moving over great battlefields, so it was effective and clever to bring that threat closer to home and it reminded us that one orc is a formidable threat. Their bone armor tribal aesthetic is so well executed and really contrasts well with the Elven influenced costume designs. 
 
I’m really enjoying the ride of this series, there’s so much to discover and I can’t wait to dive into what comes next!

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episodes Three and Four of ‘Recipes for Love and Murder’. To revisit the series premiere, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say that murder mystery shows tend to move at a breakneck pace when it comes to the cases, they present us with, and it makes sense as to why. Because audiences have made it clear that they enjoy a brisk story, one that wraps up cases in a supremely neat manner while growing the characters, so we can all enjoy a magnificently epic and sweeping season. One that teaches us plenty about murder and its nature and entertains us as well, and this is so engrained in television shows that feature this genre, that it is almost impossible to find a murder mystery show that features anything but the norm. 

Which is why the Acorn TV series, Recipes for Love and Murder is of note. Because it is the series that is currently working to shatter that particular norm. For its two-episode blocks on Acorn TV, continue to break all the rules. For not only is the giant case hanging over this season of storytelling, not solved in the slightest, but the case is moving at a human pace. One complete with testing delays and legal proceedings. The kind that revolves around forensic testing and the obtaining of search warrants and that is allowing for a unique and refreshing story to come to life. One that features incredible food, because everything Maria cooks on this show is just… delectable and mouthwatering. But also... it is making the characters kings and queens.

That is allowing for some intimate moments to take place, the kind that are quite frankly, really helping us to get to know everyone in great detail. Even the supporting characters. Which made ‘Do You Lick Everything?’ and ‘Operation Vetkoek’ some supremely intimate stories. Wherein we learned for instance that young Regardt is quite the romantic and is eager to make Jessie his wife and it was just sweet to learn that and enjoy a little drama with that when the Martine’s cousin came into town to try and swoop him up. Plus, it was equally as powerful to get an idea what Jessie’s personal life is like and garner just a touch more understanding regarding Maria’s past in Scotland and her ties to the folks that are eager to speak to her. 

Not to mention, Maria once again used her wonderful knack for helping people in this tale in a beautiful manner. Since she has now mastered the art of using her recipes to heal the souls of others and bring people together. A move that adds incredible subtext to this series, the kind that speaks to how food is a universal language for us and bonding over it and breaking bread with others… especially when it is tasty, does wonders for the parties involved. If anything, it is just amazing to be able to enjoy a series that is taking its time with the story and the mystery and really focusing on the characters because it really is helping this writer and undoubtedly others to care about these folks and their plight, to the point where we want to see them find what they desire and of course… solve this ugly case.

Which did see some progress take place. Since we came to learn that Martine wasn’t totally forthcoming about her life and her problems. Because there is a mystery man, probably an ex, that she told few about. And since her husband and bestie are a little daft, he could be the culprit of this heinous crime and well… it will be interesting to see what that revelation will mean for the case in the weeks to come. But in the here and the now, we can celebrate a pair of intimate and magnificent stories. The kind that did an incredible job of world-building through and through and truly, the wonder of these stories is going to make the wait for next week’s episodes grueling. Simply because, it is equally as safe to say we want seconds and thirds of this delightful and delectable show. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 204 of ‘Kevin Can F**k Himself’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Often times, stories that revolve around someone’s hard push to get a fresh start in life… focus heavily on two key plot elements. Specifically, the reason for wanting the fresh start, and the act of starting over. Simply because… those are indeed two polarizing scenarios, the kind that give the audience a complete and satisfying journey, since we root for the person to get what they want, and of course… we get to enjoy them finding peace and wonder by having their important dream come to life. But while that does make for some engaging, feel-good entertainment, we all know deep down, this formula is woefully incomplete.
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Because the middle of that journey is just as critical as the beginning and the end. For when we truly set out to get a fresh start in life, there is a lot at stake. Because if this doesn’t go right and it blows up in our faces… what becomes of us? After all, if we are pushing for a fresh start, we aren’t happy and we need out of a particular situation and failure would keep us miserable and trapped and we could learn a lot from moments such as that. But thankfully, there are stories out there… now exploring those stakes and the difficulties that come with the ‘between’ portion of starting over, such as the AMC series, Kevin Can F**K Himself, as evidenced by last night’s brand new episode.

For ‘Jesus, Allison’ is a story that saw Allison McRoberts at this all-important crossroads. For she had selected her new identity through Gertrude, and now was in a waiting period to learn from her very reticent and secretive PI, what the process was going to look like going forward and that… is what put her in an intense and precarious place. Because sitting and waiting allowed for Allison to reflect on the journey thus far and that… brought genuine worry into her mind. For there were a lot of loose ends present with this whole mess, since Neal was still in a dark place and of course, Nick was still in the hospital and there was concern that he might wake up at any moment.

Granted, that didn’t quite seem all that likely from what the doctors and his mother had to say about his condition, but that worry was there none the less, and it only got worse courtesy of an attempt to do something super sweet and kind for Patty. Because her birthday had rolled around, and this presented an opportunity to set up a surprise birthday party for her bestie. The only downside was that she was going to have to work with Tammy on this and that was uh… that was awkward. Because they don’t like one another and they only agreed to team up for Patty’s sake since they both cared about her deeply, and while they were able to pull off the party without a hitch, the party in and of itself… is what made Allison’s anxiety worse than before.

Simply because, Tammy called in the client list to attend. You know, the clients that used to buy pills upon pills from Patty before she walked away from the business. Only putting the pressure on further since the last thing that needed to happen was someone opening their mouth about Patty’s former business in a room that was also full of cops. But thankfully, the drug clients were quickly ushered out and the party went off just fine and Allison was able to relax for a moment. But what matters more here, is that this was indeed, a phenomenal character study, one that really showed us Allison in a unique light and informed us how desperate she is to escape this nightmare, and she may finally have the final answer in how to make that happen.
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Since the PI did get back to Allison through Patty, and informed her, that they needed Gertrude’s death certificate removed from City Hall in order to pull this off before Gertrude was entered into the database as deceased. Something that Sam might have given her a lead upon, since he did have some contacts down there and well… in the end… Allison’s journey here was indeed quite powerful and hammered home the need to really show us the complete picture regarding the fresh start. Because this really did offer us a complete picture of Allison’s life, and the hell she’s created for herself and now we are rooting for her now more than ever. Because she truly will wither away if she stays here in this current life and kudos to this show for taking the time to fill in this particular blank in this type of story and for informing us that getting to the endgame requires work, all before offering us more than just Allison’s journey.

Because Patty’s journey in this tale was quite powerful as well. Mainly because we came to learn that she has seen some tough times as well, since this episode featured the first party thrown for her, ever. Which speaks volumes to her toughness and her flippant attitude to meaningful moments. But this tough day also helped her to learn… that nothing in her life is going to be the same going forward. Since the one birthday tradition she takes part in on an annual basis, was ruined by her brother. Largely because, their relationship was fractured badly and possibly beyond repair. For a big line was crossed in the season one finale and season two premiere, the kind that may not allow for forgiveness or healing. Making this quite the tragic birthday for certain.

But of course, we’d be foolish to not point out, that a sense of urgency is going to need to come into play regarding the plan to get Allison out. Because Allison was right to be fearful here, but not for the reasons she originally expressed. No instead, her worry needs to be about Tammy… since she now has the footage from the Vermont trip and has Patty and her on camera handling shady business, and that will come back to haunt them… quickly. For Tammy is all business and this could also prove costly to her relationship with Patty. Which means that now that this brilliant and fascinating episode has come to its close… we are once again left waiting with bated breath for the next chapter in this journey. To see if Allison can pull off snagging the certificate and of course… to see if she and Patty can stay one step ahead of an officer that is stopping at nothing to get the answers she seeks. Until next time.

One thing that fans of television everywhere can agree upon, is that STARZ is on the cutting edge of programming. For they are one of the few networks that completely and utterly embrace diversity and representation, not to mention… they are home to quality and engaging shows that no other network on television has in the slightest and well, they are showing no signs of slowing down when it comes to exploring programming that is rich in innovation and cultural relevance, as evidenced by today’s announcement.
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For earlier, STARZ informed the world that a new series that will be produced by Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and LeBron James and hosted by Fat Joe… has been moved to pilot order. And what makes this yet to be named series so of note, is that it is an interview series unlike any other, and for proof… well then look no further than the details that STARZ was so gracious to provide us with, regarding this upcoming series.

‘STARZ announced today it will be producing a pilot for an untitled genre-busting series that blends interviews with celebrities and high-profile guests with an elevated documentary style format. Grammy-nominated recording artist, entrepreneur and philanthropist Fat Joe will serve as host and executive producer with Sean “Diddy” Combs attached to executive produce with his production company REVOLT Studios. SpringHill's multi-Emmy award winning studio division, founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, will produce the pilot as well.
 
“We’re about to create the biggest and most culturally-relevant series on television,” Fat Joe said. “With Puff, LeBron, the incredible team at STARZ and myself teaming up, you have a dream team that is guaranteed to produce TV gold. Hosting a show has always been a dream of mine and I’m thankful for everyone who helped make it a reality. I promise you that we’re going to push the envelope, deliver compelling interviews and provide pure entertainment. Do remember - you don’t know who I know!”
 
“I’m excited to partner with STARZ and bring these cultural giants together to create the No. 1 show on television,” said Sean “Diddy” Combs. “Fat Joe is a very authentic and respected voice in the culture that deserves a platform to bring these important conversations to a global audience on a major network.”
 
“Time and time again, Fat Joe has delivered outstanding, insightful interviews with legendary personalities who define the zeitgeist, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the STARZ family,” said Kathryn Busby, President, Original Programming, STARZ. “Fat Joe, Sean Combs and LeBron James are inspirational icons, and we can’t wait to get started on this incredible journey.”
 
The series marks the culmination of the Bronx’s native’s evolution into becoming a media personality. In March 2020, Joe launched “The Fat Joe Show,” a nightly Instagram Live talk-show where he interviewed politicians, musicians, athletes, actors, entrepreneurs and influential personalities such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Floyd Mayweather, Dwyane Wade, Jamie Foxx and Alicia Keys, among several others and the platform quickly blossomed into a news-breaking engine.
 
Over the years, Joe expanded his hosting repertoire, serving as a guest host for “The Wendy Williams Show” on multiple occasions and hosting the official recap for Triller’s renowned VERZUZ platform over the past year.
 
The pilot will be produced by SpringHill for STARZ with LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson and Philip Byron serving as executive producers. Senior Vice President, Head of Unscripted Programming, Alice Dickens-Koblin will oversee the project on behalf of STARZ.
 
About Fat Joe
Fat Joe is a Grammy-nominated recording artist, actor, entrepreneur, philanthropist and media personality who hails from the Bronx, New York. With an acclaimed career that has spanned four different decades, Joe has cemented his legacy as a hip-hop heavyweight, having amassed several multi-platinum and gold studio albums, mixtapes, singles and collaborations, including “Lean Back,” “What’s Luv,” “Make It Rain,” and “All The Way Up,” among countless others. He has shined in several acting roles over the course of his career, most notably starring alongside Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish in “Night School” as well as in Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It” Netflix series. Most recently, Joe teamed up with the New York City Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City to create the Bronx Relief Fund and raise over $1 million for families impacted by the tragic Bronx apartment fire at Twin Parks North-West.
 
About Sean “Diddy” Combs
Sean Combs has cemented himself as one of the most successful entrepreneurs and cultural icons of all-time. With an incomparable career that spans over three decades, Combs has amassed an unrivaled influence only matched by a proven ability to consistently innovate, evolve and boldly defy convention.
 
In 1991, Combs founded Bad Boy Entertainment, which in 1992, became a joint venture with Arista Records (BMG) under the leadership of Clive Davis. The label’s first release was the Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready to Die, which Rolling Stone crowned No. 1 on its list of the 200 Greatest Hip Hop Albums of All-Time. The seminal album marked the birth of a label that would introduce the world to memorable artists and super-groups like Lil Kim, Faith Evans, 112, Mase, Total, Junior Mafia, and The Lox. To date, Bad Boy has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, amassing countless Grammy Awards, Billboard No. 1 entries, and forming an extensive catalog of transcendent cult classics.
 
In 1997, following the untimely death of The Notorious B.I.G., Combs continued the legacy of his late friend by stepping into the forefront as a solo artist, releasing his first full-length album No Way Out in 1997. His acclaimed debut made a definitive statement, winning the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, while also winning Best Rap Performance for the Faith Evans-assisted I’ll Be Missing You. Combs has since landed countless number one records, won two Grammy Awards, and was named ASCAP’s ‘Songwriter of the Year’.
 
Combs has appeared in several films and is recognized for his role as both a television and film producer. In 2007, he played the leading role in A Raisin in the Sun on Broadway and reprised the role in a television adaptation for ABC. The movie was nominated for three Emmy Awards, and Combs won an NAACP Awards for Best Actor for his role in the film. Combs has been an executive producer on numerous Academy Award-Winning films, including UNDEFEATED (2012), DOPE (2015), and Two Distant Strangers (2021).
 
Beyond music and entertainment, Combs has built a successful portfolio of companies. In 1998, Combs launched the Hip Hop high-fashion brand Sean John, which grew to become a $200 million company that redefined the rules of fashion. In 2007, Combs partnered with Diageo, the world’s leading premium spirits company, to lead the emergence of Ciroc Vodka. In 2013, after years of dominant success in the vodka category, their partnership expanded with Combs’ acquisition of luxury tequila brand DeLeón.  In the same year, Combs made history by launching REVOLT Media & TV, the first Black-owned multi-platform cable music network. REVOLT now reaches over 80 million homes and 20 million monthly viewers digitally, with carriers like Time Warner, Xfinity, and Verizon FiOs. 

In 2016, Combs fulfilled a lifelong dream of opening a charter school for inner-city kids in New York by partnering with Dr. Steve Perry to open the Harlem Capital Prep School. Combs and Dr. Perry have expanded to open Capital Prep Bronx in 2020 and Capital Prep Harbor (CT) in 2021.
 
After 6 years away from the spotlight, Combs kicked off 2022 by announcing his official return to music with the launch of Love Records, signing an exclusive album deal with Motown Records.
 
On the heels of announcing his new label, Combs served as the Host and Executive Producer of the 2022 Billboard Music Awards, exactly 25 years after winning his first ever Billboard Award.
 
About STARZ
STARZ (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company, is a leading global media streaming platform committed to delivering premium content that amplifies narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences. STARZ is home to the highly-rated and first-of-its-kind STARZ app that offers the ability to stream or download STARZ premium content, as well as the flagship domestic STARZ® service, including STARZ ENCORE, 17 premium pay TV channels, and the associated on-demand and online services. In 2018, STARZ launched its STARZPLAY international premium streaming platform to provide subscribers access to the “best of global SVOD.” STARZPLAY, coupled with its STARZPLAY ARABIA joint venture, has expanded its global footprint into more than 60 countries throughout Europe and Latin America along with Canada, Japan, India and Indonesia. STARZ and STARZPLAY are available across digital OTT platforms and multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies around the world. In February 2021, STARZ launched #TakeTheLead, a multi-faceted and innovative inclusion initiative expanding its existing efforts to improve representation on screen, behind the camera and throughout the company.’

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 205 of ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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There comes a point in every great tragedy story, where the person that is the subject of their own downfall, either begins to encounter the events that will take them to a dark place… or they make the decision to indulge within it on their own. And this… is a non-negotiable in these types of stories. Because one of those two things has to happen in order for the endgame to come into play and well… it is a moment that we’ve been patiently waiting to see happen when it comes to the STARZ series, Power Book III: Raising Kanan. Because to date, Kanan has not reached that point. In fact, he has outright spoken to potentially not joining the family business and going a different route.
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Something we know, never happened in the slightest. For his fate was tied to the St. Patrick drug empire in the OG Power. If anything, it appeared as though, the big decision for Kanan to commit to a dangerous life of slinging drugs and stacking paper would come forth at a later time instead, during the course of this series. Especially when one also takes into consideration that his relationship with his mother is frayed at this point, because of his biological father injecting himself into Kanan’s life. But as it turns out, all of that was designed to make the moment Kanan chose to become that other person special and surprising. To the point where it fell into our laps during last night’s episode, believe it or not. Which made ‘What Happens in the Catskills’ quite the keystone story within the Power Universe.

Because that is a huge moment, one that sets so much in motion. But it really didn’t seem as though it was coming in the slightest in this tale. For this is a story that saw Raq take Kanan camping for a night in the Catskills. Where it appeared, they were going to hammer out the whole matter with Detective Howard. But instead… quiet family time around the campfire, brought about a hard discussion about the empire and how it was his to grab if he wanted, he merely needed to say the word and believe it or not… Kanan said he wanted it after all. He just needed some time to think and find his own way on the matter and seeing how he could move product on the street with ease and getting a taste of the good life with Famous… probably helped in this decision, and once he was settled into it, mom wasted little time in teaching him the ins and out of the family business.

Since they did have that foul smelling corpse to dispose of and Raq made sure to pack that alongside the camping and S’more gear. Giving rise to a mother and son burial expedition and after that, an opportunity arose to teach Kanan how to handle tough situations. Because Sal Boselli decided that the best way to handle Raq’s lack of respect, financially, was to just off her. So, he sent a couple of his henchmen to the Catskills with them so that such matters could get handled. But thanks to the incompetence of both of them, and the extreme racism from one of them… the matter was handled by Raq, and Kanan was able to learn to be fierce and unrelenting when an enemy approaches and to use every ounce of victory over them to one’s advantage and just like that… Kanan began his journey into darkness.
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However, while that was a huge moment in Power Universe history, there were other big moments present in this tale as well. Since Marvin came to learn that he might be headed to jail if he doesn’t quickly learn how to open up to others, and Lou… well he might be inches away from seeing his business fall apart since he and Crown cannot see eye to eye on anything at this point. Plus, Jukebox came to learn the wonder and value of family time, since she spent a fair chunk of her time in church with her mom, allowing them to bond further. And as for Detective Howard… well his world was beginning to become a touch more stressful. Since Shannon started to dig deeper into his personal affairs and the shooting in question. 

But while all of that was indeed engaging, let’s be honest… it was overshadowed by Kanan’s big decision here. Because that changes the tone and future of this series going forward. For now, Kanan is on his tragic path, and everything from here on out will be dark lessons about a dark industry. One that will eventually consume him in ways he never thought possible and that is both exciting and horrifying all at once. Since it will allow for us to learn exactly how the drug business transforms a man when he enters it so young. But at the same time… it will bring us inches closer to that ugly end to his life, and truly… it will be uncomfortably fascinating to see how this story grows from here. Now that Kanan is all in on his future. Until next time.   

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘The Serpent Queen’.
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There is a prevailing belief in our world, that evil is something that is inherently buried within all of mankind and will only emerge from within us when the right circumstances come into play. Such as say, being exposed to great cruelty or other improper and rude behavior, and there is some merit to that line of thinking. Since we do know that the actions of bad people are often the result of years of abuse or being exposed to horrendous ideologies, and that and our ties to religion, help to hammer home that longstanding belief and it also helps us to hope that we can perhaps… conquer evil through good acts if enough of it is sent out into the world.
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But the fact of the matter is, the bad that mankind exhibits, isn’t just some underlying ugly designed to test us or demand better of us. It is simply a product of our humanity and the fact that we haven’t quite evolved to the point where we don’t indulge in our darker instincts, and people that sometimes indulge in that darkness aren’t inherently evil or born from something twisted. They’re just people that learned how to use it to their advantage to get where they needed to go in life, and it is that harsh reality that is central to the plot of a new mini-series on STARZ. For The Serpent Queen is a story that chronicles the life and times of someone that we could in fact, consider to be that traditional evil. For Queen Catherine de’ Medici is someone that ruled with an iron fist and outright cruelty at times, but not for the reasons we think of.

For ‘Medici Bitch’ is an episode that exposes us to some fascinating realities about the Serpent Queen. In that, her upbringing was tough and rough, to the point where she bounced around and endured dark times when her family fell out of favor in her homeland of Italy. Which in turn brought her within an inch of doom before the Church stepped in to save her, and even then… that salvation wasn’t quite what she was hoping for. Since the church only stepped in to make use of her to barter peace with the Royal Family of France. Since Catherine and a dowry could fetch forth a wedding, one where she would easily broker that all-important peace and enjoy some semblance of a normal life. An act she took part in since it was a fate better than where she was, but even then… it was still a rough road ahead.

For that marriage turned out to be nothing more than a grand sham. Since her new husband was in love with someone else and her first night of romance with this man, whom she did express feelings for… was awkward and embarrassing since everyone showed up for the wedding night’s traditional events. But what matters most about this journey, is that it laid down the foundation for what Catherine would become. For those are ugly and painful moments that deeply emotionally damaged her and seeing as to how mental health care didn’t exist in her time, there was no resolution of that pain and that damage. Just a chance to adapt it and use it to her advantage. Which we don’t quite see here and that’s okay, because this was just the beginning of the journey, one that will be told in a supremely unique manner.
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Because what made this episode of note, is that it took the time to flip between Catherine’s past and present via conversations with a housemaid she took a liking to named Rahima. Which allowed for flashbacks and musings about yesterday to be handled in a supremely smooth manner. Not to mention, such a move engages us and makes us far more curious about Catherine, and how those dark moments and likely others to follow, elicited the fire within and the darkness. So that we truly understand this queen and what drove her and why she made the calls that she made. Which means this is going to be a powerful journey, one that will indeed teach us all kinds of insightful lessons about the nature of ‘evil’ in our world and how it is really brought forth and indulged in. 

But the best part of all, is that we will receive that knowledge, in the most compelling way possible, through quality acting. Because this show is loaded to the brim with stunning names. Such as Charles Dance, Colm Meaney and of course, the iconic Samantha Morton plays the equally as iconic Queen Catherine de’ Medici with a zest, zeal, and mystery that only she can pull off, and Liv Hill also does a stunning job playing Young Catherine since she sells the pain and the struggle with raw honesty. Which means we are going to be in for one powerhouse ride, one that will give us plenty to ponder upon week in and week out as we learn everything there is to know about a controversial queen and why she made such hard and cruel decisions. Until next time.

To learn more about this show, visit our preview article for Samantha Morton’s comments on what playing this character meant to her, and check out our interviews with Actor Liv Hill, and Executive Producers Justin Haythe and Erwin Stoff.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season two finale of ‘Good Grief’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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When we are working to put our lives back together or move forward in a new venture, we struggle with knowing exactly what kind of progress we are making in our endeavors, and understandably so. After all, we have our eyes on the prize and are only worried about achieving those goals. So, it can be easy to miss the fact that we are making progress and that we are moving forward and getting closer to obtaining what we want and believe it or not… there are ways that we can recognize our progress. Some of which were put on full display in the season two finale of Good Grief on Sundance Now. In fact, ‘Hearth and Home’ took the time to explore three specific ways that we can measure said progress.
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For instance, sometimes it just makes itself apparent to us, through our actions and the response to those actions. Something that was explored by way of Gwen in this tale. Because she continued to work toward being a better daughter and person all around, to the point where she let Ellie know she was going to buckle down and do her best to get out on her own, and she also took the time to properly apologize to Stu. Allowing for peace to come into her family life at last and well, it was Stu’s all out acceptance of her apology and the positive response she received to trying to get her life together that informed her, and us, that progress was being made. 

As for the second way that we can discover we are on the right path, well that can come forth when we find ourselves supported on our journey. Since that means others believe in who we are and what we are doing. Which was handled by Dean in this tale. Because all season long, he’s wanted to feel like a man that inspires others to do kind and beautiful things, and when he decided to put the world on his shoulders since his father passed away, he saw that support come into play. Because he stumbled hard when emotion took over, but Gwen was there to stand by him and everyone else was there for him as well. Making it clear that he was indeed the inspiration he wanted to be, since everyone was eager to exercise kindness.

Not to mention… sometimes we come to learn what kind of progress we are making, in the most direct manner… through people just plain pointing it out. Since everyone came to learn at dinner, that their work was well-regarded amongst the community. Since they received a thank you from a former client and a free dish as well, and there’s no more direct way to understand that you’re on the right path and that your actions are paying off in spades and well, all of these elements truly made it seem as though this season was going to end on a supremely high note. With everyone looking toward their better tomorrow with hope and confidence and joy. 

But alas, the universe can be a bear regarding that… and continue to push us on our journey, as evidenced by how this story ended. Since the closing seconds of this tale saw the Loving Tributes Funeral Home burning brightly in the middle of the day. Making it clear that in many ways, it is back to square one for Gwen and Ellie, and Dean and their good friends and that should make for a powerful third season of storytelling and we certainly hope this show gets that third season order. Because it really is just a unique and beautiful series, one that offers great laughs and thoughtful moments and of course, we also want a third season… to learn what comes next for these sisters with their funeral home in dire straits.