Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 207 of ‘The Morning Show’.
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One thing that we can all agree upon, is that life is filled to the brim with harsh lessons. So many in fact, that this journey can become quite overwhelming, especially when it comes to lessons involving interpersonal relationships. Because at an early age, we learn how powerful and special it is to make friends and share a bond with people and coming to learn that not all of those bonds will last and that sometimes they will be severed in a harsh manner… really is a shocking revelation. One that we will never be accustomed to and one that gets harder to deal with as we grow older since we understand the importance and rarity of those bonds in adulthood and well… that particularly difficult aspect of life is of note today, because it was on full display in this week’s episode of The Morning Show.
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For ‘La Amara Vita’ saw Mitch Kessler at quite the crossroads with the Coronavirus Pandemic reaching exponential proportions in Italy. Since it reminded him of the fragility of life and what he’s lost over the course of the past few months, and that prompted him to inform Paola that the time had come for him to return to the United States and be with his family and perhaps turn over a new leaf somehow, a decision that Paola accepted begrudgingly, since she enjoyed their time together. But before Mitch could book a flight home and pack up his stuff, quite the surprise landed in his lap. In that, Alex had made the voyage form New York to Italy, in the hopes of making quite the request of Mitch. In fact, she wanted a statement from him, informing the world that they didn’t sleep together and that led to quite the fight between the two of them, one that seemingly ended in a sour manner.

But thanks to a little push from Paola, Mitch was reminded of how much Alex means to him, and how hard it has been without her in his life because of their bond and that motivated him to try and make peace with her. An act that was difficult for certain, since all the betrayal and pain that she experienced from Mitch’s #MeToo moment… prevented her from taking an empathetic stance. But eventually… they were able to shed their anger and be reminded of the majesty of what they once shared and how precious their friendship and brief fling was. And for a time, it truly seemed as though this story wasn’t going to focus on the harsh lesson in question and that we’d see a reconciliation of sorts. One where Alex and Mitch could use their friendship to heal. But in the end, this was nothing more than a quick walk down memory lane… to prepare them both for a harsh reality.

In that, Mitch’s actions had severed their bond, and that this was nothing more than an opportunity to celebrate what was lost, one last time, before they parted ways forever and that was quite the sobering and powerful revelation to see play out. Since it genuinely hammered home how difficult it is to face the end of a relationship that truly meant the world to us, especially when we realize that the damage done cannot be repaired and all we have, is our memories. Which is a shared epiphany that finally allowed for them to part ways in a mostly amicable manner and find some semblance of closure and well, shortly after they came to that incredibly difficult understanding, is when this episode took quite the shocking and controversial turn.
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Because after Alex left, Mitch found comfort in Paola’s arms, and whilst he was on a drive to get her more cigarettes after their moment of intimate bliss… a blinding pair of headlights sent Mitch off the road and off a cliff, making it clear in a Faustian manner that Mitch Kessler would never find redemption or peace, just ironic death and well… what makes this ending so controversial, is that some might view this as a cop out. One where Mitch never truly had to pay the piper for his actions. Plus, some might also see this as an ill-advised attempt at redemption for Mitch since there were finally hints of remorse in his eyes and his actions. But this writer sees this as a fitting end for the character. Because jumping into the arms of Paola makes it clear that remorse for guys like Mitch is fleeting. They want salvation from others and refuse to look within to find it, so this was the fitting end for a guy that just couldn’t ever see the bigger picture for his actions.

But make no mistake about it, this ending does not overshadow the more important theme present here. Because feeling a close bond with a close friend begin to fade is a hard experience, one that is just as devastating as the death of a loved one. And what makes it so difficult was put on display in subtle fashion here and really, this examination was for the audience. So that anyone that is struggling with this very problem can find peace in the fact that such an ending comes about because the person drifting away from us… has made their choices and we have no control over that. So, all we can do, is ask ourselves if we did everything right on our end and if so… move on, since this person chose their fate. And now that this powerful and fascinating exploration has come to an end, we are undoubtedly about to venture into a new one. Wherein Alex and the people whose lives were impacted by Mitch’s dumb decisions, have to reconcile the meaning of his death on a personal level. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Seven of ‘Foundation’.
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There are a great many reasons to celebrate the AppleTV+ series, Foundation. For this is a saga that is epic and sweeping in nature, one that pays proper tribute to Isaac Asimov’s source material and even expands upon it, thanks to the arrival of The Vault. Plus, it’s also visually stunning through and through, something that comes courtesy of the technology available to us now for special effects. Which has allowed for the special effects team to properly realize the potential of this story and encapsulate the scope that Asimov intended. And of course, this is a series that is also incredibly intelligent, since it keeps finding new ways to tie this future galaxy to our modern world. But above all else, what we truly need to celebrate about this series… is its understanding of how to tell a story.

Because some science fiction tales just pour on the commentary and concepts and technobabble, losing the audience in the process because it is just too much to process. But this series, understands the importance of balance and that sometimes the narrative needs to step away from such matters to give the audience time to sort what they’ve seen and that’s precisely what this show does best and for proof… look no further than this week’s entry. For ‘Mysteries and Martyrs’ broke away from the heavy commentary to advance the plot and celebrate some character themed moments so our minds can noodle on all the commentary the show has recently sent our way, while still enjoying the wonder of this adventure, and well, let’s talk about some of the more lighthearted and beautiful moments present in this tale, first, since they really did the finest job of clearing our mental palate.

For everything involving the Cleons in this tale was just… pure. For Brother Dawn finally got a proper taste of the world by spending more time with Azura, which allowed for him to learn what passion feels like and what the world is really all about, since she offered to help him see it through her eyes and this was just… beautiful. Because you can never go wrong with a storyline that examines the wonder of life and the majesty it brings us, and Brother Day’s adventure also lifted our spirits up. Because for the first time ever, we saw him abandon the brooding nature and furious actions that Dusk tended to partake in at that age. Instead, he finally broke rank in this tale and opted to really show the Luminists’ how much he wanted them to apart of the Empire, by offering to set out on the dangerous pilgrimage taken by so many believers and it really was quite incredible to finally see these boring clones indulge in more than the Cleonic edicts laid out before them. 

As for moving the plot forward, well that was accomplished by both Salvor and Gaal. Since Salvor and her friends and enemies finally arrived at the Invictus and boarded it at great cost. Since Hugo was lost to the depths of space during the breach and so many more died at the hands of the ship’s defenses, and more trials awaited the survivors. Since it was discovered that the ship’s jump drives were broken and it’s been bouncing about the galaxy because of that, and everyone aboard was faced with a race against time to stop that from happening again, so they wouldn’t end up in a terrifying and unknown place. And as for Gaal, well she came to learn a great deal about herself and Hari’s plans. Since a digital Hari finally explained that his death was part of the plan to get the Foundation to function, since an idea could never die. But this holo-Hari had more to offer than mere exposition, he was also filled with digital concern, since the plan had gone awry and he needed to know why and with a little noodling with Gaal, it turns out she may have an unexpected variable coming into play.

But while we wait to see if her musings are correct, we can just take a moment and celebrate one entertaining tale. One that really did just move things along and celebrate the rich characters that populate this universe and that’s just fine. Since it really does serve to remind us that television’s job is to entertain us above all else, and the deeper stuff is simply a bonus, and this episode also deserves a genuine round of applause for knowing when to let up on the heavier concepts and revert back to the basics. So that we can appreciate the wonder of what we are watching and well, now that this adventure has come to a close, the only question that remains is what awaits us next. Will it be more commentary? More adventure? We simply don’t know, and that’s part of the majesty of this show, in that… we don’t have a clue what is coming and that will allow for us to be genuinely surprised. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season finale of ‘Kin’.
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In the everyday world, the moment when a good person reaches their breaking point, is nothing short of a tragedy. For their crossing of that threshold, always ends badly, since people are hurt either emotionally or physically when that buried fury erupts, and that moment often gives all of us great pause. Since there is a sense that the world failed this person, and that we all need to do a better job of supporting one another to ensure something like this, never happens again. But what’s fascinating about this moment, is that we quickly forget that this happens in our world more often than not, once we’ve moved past the one that touched us. But we shouldn’t. Because there are places in this world where people have been forgotten, and where crime reigns supreme and this is where explosive breaking point related moments happen often, and if we turned our attention there… we could make a difference in this world and support and save so many. But then again, there might be good reason as to why most of us only worry about a localized breakdown.

For in a place with no rules and nothing to lose, people will go to extremes when they are backed into a corner or broken beyond repair and that is scary and seemingly uncontrollable or fixable, and that’s why stories that show this aspect of our world should be celebrated. Since there’s sobering honesty in that kind of display and it just so happens, that such a particularly ugly process and place is precisely what the season finale of Kin, focused upon. For when we catch up with the Kinsella family here, they are indeed up against the wall and at their breaking point. To the point where Frank was eager to just run and hide and he even detached himself from the day-to-day operations of the business and well… with zero leadership on the table and the situation spiraling out of control, Amanda decided that decisive and bold and ugly action needed to be taken and that’s why… she stepped up to the plate. To give the family direction and a wild way out of this mess, which involved… tossing some threats Eamon Cunningham’s way to set up a meeting with him. Which surprisingly worked, and once they sat down in this desperate moment to make peace, her pleas fell upon ignorant ears.

Because despite the fact she offered Eamon a hell of a deal, one that would have given him all his drugs and power and money back, so the Kinsella family could just… fade away… Cunningham said no. He wanted a show of force and he wanted blood, and while it seemed for a time that Amanda was going to help him get blood by enacting revenge against Eric… little did Cunningham know, his bluster and bravado pushed her and the family beyond their breaking point and into an ugly backup plan. One that saw the Kinsellas offer up a touch of scorched earth to Eamon’s empire since Con Doyle was brutally murdered by Jimmy during a meeting with Kem and to top it all off… Michael was able to catch up with Cunningham in Spain and put a bullet in his eye and in the skulls of the dealers supplying him, putting an end to this nightmare.

Or so it seemed. For, Eamon’s death is what truly put on display the messiness that comes with reaching one’s breaking point in a world without rules. Because without a safety net or gatekeepers, things can spiral out of control, and the bare beginnings of that spiral started here. After all, Mister Cunningham’s supplier will want to meet and punish the person that harmed his lieutenants. Plus, Frank and his knowledge of the business are now worthless at a critical time since he may or may not be dead from a heroin overdose and once again… Eric is making plans to do things his way, which will make life difficult for Amanda, who really only had the only ‘positive’ storyline in this tale. Since she is the de facto head of the Kinsella family now, and it will be interesting to see where her new role takes her in a time of crisis. 

But while we wait to see her response to forthcoming trouble, we can bask in the wonder of a simply incredible finale. One that kept the audience guessing from beginning to end with its special brand of chaos and messaging and well, now that this chapter of the Kinsella saga has come to a close, all we can hope for… is a second season. Because clearly, there is so much more to explore when it comes to this family and so much was left hanging and this writer genuinely hopes we hear a season two announcement and soon. In part because of that unfinished business, but also because… this is simply a top-notch crime drama. One that took every trope in the genre and turned them upside down in order to tell a gripping tale of a family that desperately tried to do things the right way and failed. Because that is what their world demanded and the fallout of that… will make for a powerful journey, one that undoubtedly be unique and original and compelling. Until next time.  

​Please enjoy a sneak peek of tomorrow’s brand-new episode of The Morning Show, streaming exclusively on AppleTV+.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Nine of ‘Leverage: Redemption’.
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It is definitely safe to say, that the IMDBtv series, Leverage: Redemption, has done a wonderful job of providing its fans with a satisfying sense of justice, one that sadly… they’re not getting from the everyday world right now. For we live in a society where the rules don’t apply to everyone or are bendable with the right kind of greasy lawyer in one’s back pocket. Which is why it is indeed so satisfying to see the Pharma Bros of the world and the insensitive titans of industry and finance receive their comeuppance at the hands of Team Leverage and well, this formula is working so well for the show and keeping the fans so happy, that there’s simply no reason for the series to shift gears and step away from it. 
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But Dean Devlin and his team, understand what makes good television and regardless of how satisfying those moments are, our brains need variety now and again, and that’s why the show has at times shaken things up just a bit with some quality character studies and examinations on how we can make a difference in this difficult world. So that we get what we need and so the show keeps things fresh, and it just so happens, that Dean and the team, decided to take the shake up to a whole new level for the show’s midseason premiere. For ‘The Bucket Job’ is a story that is basically free of the show’s core format, and it accomplished this feat, by introducing us to a young man named Maurice who knew of someone that was in dire need of something special.

For Maurice spent a lot of time at his local library. Because of how many times Mister Blanche, the librarian, offered Maurice incredible kindness and insight and unfortunately, this gentle man was quite ill, and Maurice was worried that he might pass into the great beyond having never experienced life to its fullest. Since he lived and breathed the librarian life. Which is why he sought out the team and asked them to give Mr. Blanche the best day ever, one filled with incredible memories, so he wouldn’t fade away without a heck of a story to tell, and since it was the holiday season and because Team Leverage is awesome, they agreed to this proposal and put together quite the event. One where Mr. Blanche would find himself involved in a super spy mystery that would allow for him to play the hero and save the world, and for a time, it really seemed as though the plan was going to go off without a hitch.

But the arrival of RIZ ruined everything and also revealed that Mr. Blanche… actually was a spy. One that went into hiding after getting his hands on a ledger filled with powerful and damning information. Which RIZ wanted, and they were willing to harm Eliot to get it. But thankfully, Blanche’s expertise and some creativity from the team, allowed for RIZ to walk away empty handed and for Mr. Blanche to finally enjoy some peace. Since Team Leverage faked his death and well, all of these elements made for an engaging and entertaining tale. One filled to the brim with incredible action and adventure and laughs and a touch of the show’s trademark character depth. Since Eliot’s past and troubled relationship with his father were also on display here in a bit of a heartbreaking and oddly hopeful manner.
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Because despite the setback he experienced here, he did follow Blanche’s powerful and relevant advice and that does give us hope that maybe Eliot is going to work a little harder to make peace with his past and his demons, to finally find a little quiet in his soul and well… that surprise twist and everything that came before it, really did make this quite the refreshing episode. Because it was just fun through and through and there wasn’t any deeper meaning to be found here, just a team of do-gooders going above and beyond to make a single person feel great about their life and it doesn’t get more uplifting than that.

But also, we would be foolish to not point out the fact, that freakin’ LeVar Burton is in this episode as Mister Blanche and he truly took this episode to new heights. Because he’s a legend, plain and simple and his endless talent was what elevated this tale, and he was so good here, you have to hope he pops up again in the Leverage universe. But all fanboying aside, it really is great to have this show back on the air after its summer break and there is no doubt in this writer’s mind, that it won’t be long before this series dives back into more cerebral territory now that this palate cleansing adventure has come to a close. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season two finale of ‘My Life Is Murder’.
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It is definitely safe to say that season two of the Acorn TV series, My Life Is Murder, has wowed us every step of the way. Thanks in large part to the fact that Alexa Crowe and the always plucky Madison have been involved in solving some genuinely unique cases. The kind that are as unconventional as they come and are also filled to the brim with fascinating depth. Which has allowed for us to learn a great deal about how murder isn’t the black and white and evil act that it is normally portrayed to be on the silver and small screen. Instead, we’ve come to learn that it is quite the complex act, one mired in emotion and fear and sometimes outright mistakes. But this series has also taught us, that it is a crime and wrong regardless of the circumstances.

But while this season did indeed put forth some fascinating and meaningful cases for Alexa to explore, one particular aspect of murder has been absent from her investigations. Specifically, crimes related to love and passion… a decision that made it seem as though this series wasn’t going to go near a tried-and-true formula, to keep things unique, despite the fact that we all wanted to see this show’s spin on such a notion. But thankfully the series was simply saving the best for last since the season two finale, ‘Pleasure and Pain’, opted to finally dig into a murder that related to a love triangle and the pains of jealousy. A feat that it accomplished by having Alex explore the end of an entrepreneur named Otto Klein.

Because Otto died under circumstances that concerned Harry, since the evidence surrounding his demise seemed a little… too perfect. Something that Alexa agreed with and well, it didn’t take long for her and Harry’s suspicions to grow. For the woman that found Otto dead, Sarah, was back at work at the wellness company that Otto founded without a tear to shed. And his wife, Clarissa, seemed undisturbed over the fact that her husband and co-founder of the company had departed this plane and that level of apathy concerned Alexa. Since it really did seem that someone had something to hide and was indeed involved with Otto’s death. Which prompted her to push buttons to see what the response was and that led to the possibility that Sarah was the one that committed this crime, since she was easily flustered and quick to hide when confronted with facts about Otto’s death.

But the fact that the police found Sarah dead as well, forced Alexa back to square one. But little by little, the tiniest of clues… such as the fact that Otto had a love affair with Sarah and a bevy of other former employees, led Alexa to wonder if a jilted wife was the real culprit here and thanks to a bold decision to enter Otto and Clarissa’s home, she was able to prove just that and learn why Clarissa was motivated to end her husband’s life. Which as it turns out, was related to outright jealousy over never once being the jewel of Otto’s eye… and it didn’t hurt that she would stand to inherit millions by offing him and well, that brought the case to a close and reminded us quite nicely that a jilted lover, one that wants it all… will have no problem in choosing murder when they cannot reconcile the pain in their heart.

Which makes this finale, quite satisfying in the end. Since that kind of story serves as the perfect bookend to a year of fascinating exploration. Plus, it was also quite awesome to see Renee O’Connor reunite again with Lucy Lawless after all these years and to see how they’ve both grown as actors. Since Renee embodied the role of Clarissa perfectly and of course, Lucy played off of the evil she portrayed nicely and that chemistry is undoubtedly a carry-over from their days on Xena: Warrior Princess. If anything, the only real complaint that one can lobby about this finale, is that the season has come to an end, and that’s a shame because… we all want more. Because this is series is simply engrossing and Lucy Lawless is electric and the cases are amazing and well… all we can do at this point, is sit and wait and hope for the announcement of a third season of this phenomenal show. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 2 of ‘The Night Stalker’.
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There is good reason as to why the old saying, ‘the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result,’ holds great weight in the modern world… because it is a problem that mankind has yet to rid itself of. Because despite the fact that we are indeed critical thinkers, the kind that can step back and look at things objectively, there are simply times where we believe sticking to a plan and forging ahead is the only way to solve our problems. Why exactly, when we know deep down that saying applies, is difficult to say... since every situation is different. But sometimes, our desire to stick to insanity… relates to failure and fear… an angle that was explored in great detail in the next episode of Manhunt: The Night Stalker.

For the next episode in this fascinating series, saw DCI Colin Sutton watch firsthand as the team continued to struggle with The Night Stalker’s ability to evade capture on a regular basis. To the point where it became obvious that the team was beating themselves up over such ‘failures’ and resorted to the same patterns of behavior because it gave them hope that maybe… their training and the basics would eventually vindicate them. But Colin knew otherwise and decided the time had come to really dig deep and look at a new plan of action to finally generate progress on this case and Scotland Yard loved his new plan. One where the department would no longer pour homicide level resources into the Stalker’s crimes, and instead treat them as robberies. So that the response time was faster and so that more resources were available and well, it’s a good thing they decided to go this route.

Because clues were indeed starting to pop up, and while not all of them led to anything worthwhile, freed up officers could follow up on said clues and eventually, that freedom nearly led to a collar. Because the fast response to a seemingly Stalker related crime, not only confirmed it was their guy, but it helped Colin to learn, that he liked to steal bank cards when given the chance and even asked for pin numbers to snag a little extra cash, and since the team was within striking distance of an ATM, one night after he committed that exact act… they nearly caught the monster. Which in turn, helped Colin to realize that even this new plan wasn't going to be enough to catch him. Because obviously, he was smart and careful and planned his crimes well, and was observant enough to know what the police’s response time looked like. 

So instead, Colin decided that in order to really catch this guy, they had to catch him in the act. Which meant that detailed surveillance had to take place as soon as possible, the kind that saturated the streets with officers in unmarked cars, in a specific hunting ground that the Stalker favored, so that officers could easily box him in when they finally spotted him committing a crime. But all of this was predicated of course, on multiple divisions of the Metropolitan Police agreeing to work together to make this happen and whether Colin could get the funding approved for such an epic operation and on the plus side… one of those two goals happened in this tale. Since every division agreed that this monster had to be stopped post haste, and offered Colin whatever he needed, and now all he has to do to truly pursue this monster… is get the brass to say yes to funding and they need to, quickly.

Because the emotional toll only grew in this tale since The Night Stalker continued to harm the mental health of everyone that he encountered on his twisted travels and his reign of terror has to stop and well, in the end, this was simply a phenomenal episode. Simply because, whether or not you know how this case ends, the story here sucks you in and vests you in a powerful quest for justice. One that genuinely offered up frustration and tension and lessons along the way. Since it took the time to teach us that setbacks and roadblocks, absolutely can put us on unhealthy paths, the kind where objectivity is our only salvation in that situation. Plus, once again, the acting was top notch and sold the horror of The Night Stalker’s actions… to the point where this writer was left infuriated and eager for more. Because we need to see this man in handcuffs, and our desire for that… is going leave all of us counting down the minutes until next week’s tale, so we can hopefully see justice take place. Until then.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 202 of ‘Hightown’.
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It is definitely safe to say, that the universe is mired in chaos. Because it doesn’t seem to matter how well we plan or how hard we work to make things happen in life, things just go awry out of the blue and we have no choice but to pivot and adapt and hope for the best when the chaos reigns and this is so irritating and so exhausting that we have created little pockets of control to feel some semblance of it, by way of storytelling. Because stories in any medium, are carefully planned out and meticulously crafted so we find relief from the storm outside. But as popular culture grows and the demand for new stories gets heavier, some creative minds are starting to embrace the chaos in storytelling, in order to provide their readers and viewers with the most dynamic and stunning stories possible. Because there are no limits on the page or on the screen and one such series that is embracing the chaos is Hightown. For this is a series that understands its power and that’s led to some powerful moments during this show’s run.
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The kind that has left us gasping in shock but compel us to continue so we can see if control will come to the cape or if chaos will reign supreme and well, chaos is of note today because it was once again on full display during last night’s episode. For ‘Girl Power’ did a wonderful job of exploring all the ups and down and left and rights that life takes us upon, and it accomplished that feat by showing us a bevy of unique journeys. For instance, Ray Abruzzo’s path in this tale, served to remind us of how hard times all can motivate us to fight hard for something better, since he finally worked to make amends with his son and tried (and stumbled) to keep on a better path so he wouldn’t find himself back in the dark place that ruined his career, and he wasn’t the only one dealing with this tough aspect of life. Since Osito decided to pin Kizzle’s murder on Junior in the hopes of putting himself in a better place in prison, one where he didn’t find his life threatened on a consistent basis. Which really did make for some compelling moments for certain, the kind that definitely left us hoping for Ray and Osito to find some peace, since they are clearly tortured souls. 

But of course, since this chaotic universe does offer good moments as well, we were also treated to those, several of which involved Sergeant Alan Saintille. Since he did indeed look good to the brass for finding Kizzle’s body, regardless of the suspicious intel because… solving crimes is what officers of his caliber do and that puts faith in his abilities, as did the collar that he helped with interrogation wise. Since a local and dumb dealer named Dug, got pinched and sang like a little birdy, outright confessing to Alan and the arresting officers that he was the one that killed Coco. All because they couldn’t come to an agreement about their products and how they should be sold, and his inability to speak about the Cuevas cousin's involvement out of fear, gave Alan just enough to order up some overall surveillance upon them, and it really was quite wonderful to see Alan enjoy some solid wins in this story. 

Speaking of wins, well we also need to talk about the officers that busted Dug. Because that was Jackie and Leslie and their work here also served as a reminder that sometimes the universe will indeed throw us a bone and give us some victories if we seize the opportunity, and it was Jackie that expressed that. Because as part of the plan to hunt down who was dealing Great White, she and Leslie enlisted the help of a newly clean junkie to do a controlled buy from Dug. Which went, very, very wrong when she went radio silent and left Dug’s den. Which motivated Jackie to take matters into her own hands and control the buy herself to get intel, which almost ended in disaster. But this duo works well together, and they managed to arrest Dug and get the confession that led to Alan’s victory and it turns out… they might be couple material. But all of that aside, it was just nice to see more victories take place in this tale and be reminded of the fact that sometimes, going for it pays off in spades.

But of course, an episode about chaos means nothing without something genuinely bad taking place and that was handled by way of the Cuevas family. Since this episode saw the meeting with Charmaine take place and well, that meeting went poorly at first since she had little, she wanted to say to a pair of drug dealers that she didn’t care about to begin with. But a quick intervention from Renee allowed for an unholy alliance to take place, one where Frankie and Jorge would go the extra mile to keep Charmaine happy and keep the good stuff flowing into the cape. And while it was rough to see Renee step into something bad, especially when one considers that she is pregnant again with what appears to be Ray’s child, that’s not where the evil in this journey takes place. Because the Cuevas boys made sure to set a fail-safe plan in motion, one that involved killing Charmaine's best dealer, the one responsible for selling the Great White that killed those kids. In part because they wanted leverage over Charmaine through fear, but also to keep their noses clean and the cops off their back as they prepare to poison the Cape with their disgusting product.

In the end however, this was just, another engaging tale. One that flawlessly showed us the ups and down that life sends our way and how complex our world is, since everything we discussed today was happening at the same time and of course, a story like this leaves us eager for more. Since we are desperate to see what Osito’s endgame is now that he’s basically on his own in prison, and of course… what Ray will become now that he’s motivated to try and grab hold of something positive in his life and most important of all, we’re dying to see what will come out of this investigation. Because now there are no underlying issues lurking about the Cuevas case, and both Jackie and Alan are focused on bringing them down and that will undoubtedly make life difficult for Frankie and Jorge and Renee and that is both exciting and terrifying. Simply because the Cuevas cousins are ruthless and cunning, and they will clearly stop at nothing to build their empire. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 206 of ‘The Morning Show’.

We live in quite the fascinating and somewhat troubling time. Simply because, our ability to access knowledge and news on a moment’s notice, has given rise to an uncomfortable obsession. One that revolves around celebrities and public figures. Because the unprecedented access we have to those individuals, has motivated so many to latch onto them and their every waking moment in an unhealthy manner, and the rest of the general public is no better than the toxic fans. Because even the casual fans are eager to pounce upon viral and breaking news about people of note, making us in essence a nation of voyeurs, the kind that cannot get enough of other people’s lives and well, perhaps the time has come to rethink that aspect of our world.
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Not necessarily because people obsess over celebrities. After all, people have been fawning over celebrities and what they mean to an individual since the dawn of celebrity, and the majority tend to eventually grow out of it. But more so because this inherent desire to know more about them and learn every bit about what makes them tick, is becoming a violation of privacy. The kind that has to have some kind of lasting impact we don’t fully understand, and knowledge that might be the key to stopping our desire to seek out breaking news on what a celebrity had for breakfast. Specifically, knowledge of what having prying eyes can do to a person emotionally, especially when business that they wanted to keep a secret or to themselves is thrust into the public eye and believe it or not, The Morning Show on AppleTV+ is a series saw an opportunity to explore that impact in its next episode.

Because ‘A Private Person’ saw Bradley Jackson deal with the fallout of having some supremely personal news aired to the world and that led to quite the powerful examination of how the world’s microscope can do harm. But it certainly didn’t seem as though this was going to be the theme early on. For this is a story that spent a fair chunk of time, having Chip work to track down Alex Levy… who as it turns out, basically ghosted UBA after flying home from the Vegas debacle and is missing in action as well… and that in turn, allowed for Laura Peterson to fill into her spot for a time, allowing for Bradley to find some joy at work since she was finally going to be alongside someone she genuinely cared about and had special chemistry with. Something that would do her some good in the moment, since her brother dropped by the hotel to escape his mother and his woes, once again.

But just when it seemed as though, Bradley was going to be on cloud nine at work, quite the bombshell dropped. For The Vault published a photo of Laura and Bradley holding hands in Las Vegas to accompany quite the salacious article. One that basically outed Bradley and that put her in one hell of a place mentally. Since she did indeed work hard to keep her sexual identity to herself and well… it took some doing on Laura’s part to calm Bradley down and to give her focus but the power of this sequence was undeniable. Because for the first time ever, we got to see the sheer horror and agony that comes with having personal matters go viral, and we truly were able to see how much this impacts a person’s mental health and well-being and the show deserves serious credit for exploring this.
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Because this is a conversation we aren’t having right now, but we should. Because celebrities and public figures are human begins, who have lives outside of the career field and fans that have given them so much. And they can be hurt, and they deal with the same things we do and perhaps if we saw them as people and not as deities or above us, our view on this would change and we’d handle news like this differently. But truth be told, it shouldn’t take some kind of humanizing moment to bring about that kind of epiphany, since all we really need to do to understand how difficult and awful this must be, is to put ourselves in their shoes and ask ourselves how we would respond if our private matters were leaked on the web. But all of that aside, this really was quite the brilliant and poignant storyline, one that speaks to how wonderful a job this show does at tackling relevant and important topics in our world.

But all commentary and growth for Bradley aside, since she did eventually find strength from this, we would be remiss to not talk about how heartbreaking and angering it is that Cory made all of this happen. And ‘right’ reasons be damned, since he leaked the story to keep Hannah’s off the front page… what he did is infuriating. Because he violated the trust of his friend, and he did her dirty rather than taking the high road in this matter and it will in fact, be incredibly interesting to see what this does to Cory since it is already eating at him at rightfully so. But while we wait to see how he handles the worst decision he’s made as UBA’s CEO; we can revel in the wonder of one compelling tale. One that really did examine something quite powerful and allowed for Reese Witherspoon to shine, since she sold the gravity and the power of this moment and well… hopefully the lessons inherent here, gives the audience great pause the next time they’re eager to deep scroll through a celebrity’s Insta feed or see their name trending on Twitter for the wrong reasons. So, this unhealthy aspect of the information superhighway can come to a quick and satisfying end. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Six of ‘Foundation’.
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Thus far, our journey through the world of Foundation on AppleTV+ has been a fascinating one to say the least. For this series has been eager to offer up a balanced story, one that digs deep into our modern world and the problems that plague us, while also offering an action-packed tale of revenge. But what has truly made this series so fascinating, is its refusal to offer both elements in a single story. For each episode in season one has leaned into one or the other, leaving one to wonder if the series is trying to appeal to a larger demographic by switching back and forth between elements that please all. But as it turns out, this is all part a master plan of sorts, one designed to slowly bring together all the storylines into a super meaningful thread that leaves us in awe and for proof… look no further than this week’s entry.
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For ‘Death and the Maiden’ is a story that did indeed finally blend together commentary and action, and it achieved this particular feat by having us spend time with both Salvor and the Brothers Empire and well… let’s start with Dawn and Day’s adventures, since they harbored the commentary in question. Such as for instance, how complete control over our world and our environment is an outright impossibility. For the universe is chaos and does as it sees fit and Dawn’s story reflected that. Since it was revealed that Dawn is smarter and quicker than his elder brothers and he also comes with flaws, such as being color blind and well… that’s shocking. Since Dawn is supposed to be the perfect clone of Cleon. So, to see an altered version of the clone here is big, and it speaks volumes to the fact that true control over everything is impossible for mankind, and we need to look elsewhere to satisfy that need. But while that made for some fascinating commentary on the human condition, the more traditional political stuff that this series likes to explore was present here as well and was handled by Brother Day.

For his voyage to the Maiden and his machinations whilst there to gain control of the political climate, failed miserably. Not because what Day offered to its citizens wasn’t appealing in the slightest. But because the Empire has done a poor job of understanding what its citizens truly need and it is also clueless as how the Cleon trio is viewed as excess of sorts, the kind that speaks to a fattened kingdom drunk off of its power and technology. Which means that Day will need to find out how to fundamentally reach Zepher Halima to win her over, and he might not be capable of that. For he and his brothers are indeed out of touch with the galaxy. But what matters more here, is the extended commentary on control and the mirroring of our world. Since political movements and ideologies are bringing about similar conflicts in America and this segment makes it clear we must be open to dialogue with others, when their ideologies aren’t extreme or dangerous, and engage with one another to find a way forward… or divides will grow.

However, there was also mention of action and adventure in this tale and that was handled on Terminus. Because the Anacreons revealed their overall plan, and it was to transport the best ship building minds from the Foundation to a legendary vessel known as the Invictus to repair it. In order to bring fire down upon the Empire and well… rather than let that happen, Salvor took her father and her man to one hell of a firefight. One designed to put the bad guys in their place and well, their assault worked but it came at quite the cost. Because three against an army aren’t good odds in the slightest and Salvor’s father was lost in the assault and subsequent explosion that put down a fleet of star faring vessels. Plus, to make matters worse, Salvor did end up having to pilot her enemies and their captives out of there, since the Anacreons are quite resourceful and this sequence, really did satisfy fans of action and adventure since it was epic and heartbreaking in nature. 

In the end, this is quite the important episode when all is said and done. Because all the troubles the empire is dealing with and all of the future ones brewing behind the scenes, make it clear… that Seldon’s predictions are coming to life in a rapid manner. Which could bring chaos and darkness to the entire galaxy unless… humanity and its propensity to want to control the wrong things and one another changes, and that will be no easy task. Since control is indeed what we live for, but there is hope that it can be done. Since Salvor and Dawn and even Gaal understand what is at stake and if they can stop notions of revenge and help the galaxy to embrace a better path than sovereign clone rule and the status quo, then perhaps the dark ages can be delayed or staved off entirely, and it will be quite interesting to see where this series takes us next… now that every plot thread and thoughtful moment are preparing to collide. Until next time.