Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 203 of ‘Big Sky’.
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We open on an empty construction site, where inside a trailer Ren offers Tonya, who is bound to a chair, a bag of ice cubes for her bruised face. Ren demands to know where Sam hid the drugs and money, Tonya pleads ignorance. Ren mentions that someone from the sheriff’s department vouched that she’s innocent, catching Tonya by surprise. Ren enjoys this, pleased to let her know that someone working for the sheriff is on her side. Ren isn’t buying Tonya’s claims of knowing nothing of Sam’s business, finally angrily disclosing that Sam is dead. Tonya, of course, is devastated. Ronno, who has been enjoying himself far too much going through Tonya’s purse all this time, makes a discovery. He hands Cassie’s business card to Ren who demands to know why Tonya has it. Tonya admits to hiring a P.I. to find Sam, and Ren is visibly livid.
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Jenny and Cassie report Tonya’s apparent kidnapping after finding her apartment ransacked. Tubbs informs them that they will need to coordinate with the state police as this ties in with a larger case the state is already investigating. Jenny and Cassie meet up with Travis to liaise on the case. Travis seems almost indifferent to Tonya’s disappearance, far more concerned with the higher ups involved in this drug ring than a woman that is unaccounted for, which instantly gets under Cassie’s skin. After Travis departs, she teases Jenny, remembering him from the group they encountered the night they met at the bar.

Max finds T-Lock methodically pawing through all the belongings in her bedroom. Max lashes out, demanding an explanation. Leering, T-Lock informs her that he doesn’t believe her stories about the money to pay for her mother’s crown or the baggie of drugs and that he will be watching her. Disgusted, Max resignedly tells him to just put back her things when he finishes his search and storms out.

Max goes to meet Harper, who seems more concerned that Max stood her up the previous night than the fact that T-Lock caught Max with the drugs and is wildly suspicious about both that and the money. The two are interrupted when one of Harper’s coworkers comes looking for her. Harper takes this opportunity to introduce Max to Dylan, the guy that is supposed to be selling the drugs for them. Upon realizing who Harper is meeting with, he cheerfully leaves them to go cover the kitchen. Once alone again, Max is appalled that this is the guy they will be dealing with to unload the drugs. Harper reassures her, but she seems to have growing doubts.

At the farm, Wolf and the woman from the garden discuss Scarlet and Ronald as she brushes out his long gray hair. She is pleased with Scarlet, while Wolf is disgusted with Ronald and concerned that they may need to “put the animal down.” She implores Wolf to give Ronald another chance, and to consider shaving his facial hair to more resemble his twin, Rick.

Back at the construction site, Ren has left Donno to keep watch of Tonya, who is insisting that she needs to use the bathroom. Barely acknowledging her, Donno plops a trash can in front of Tonya. She squawks angrily in protest. He still barely looks up from his crossword, instead presenting her with one of the clues. She successfully solves it, and he deems this worthy of a trip outside. While squatting behind a tree just out of Donno’s sight, she acquires a pointy branch which she then stabs into his thigh and awkwardly and frustratingly runs slowly away.

Outside Dewell and Hoyt, Ren sits in a vehicle on her phone, assuring a man named Jag, who calls her sis, that she has things there under control and there is no need to send anyone else to assist.

Jenny calls Cassie, telling her that two bodies have been discovered and that she’s on the way to pick her up to head to the scene. Ren watches Cassie as climbs into Jenny’s truck outside of the P.I. office, and the follows them out of town.
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Jenny introduces Cassie to Poppernak when they arrive on the scene, who tells them that one of the bodies is Sam Teske, who happened to have ID on him, and a second body yet to be identified. A crowd has gathered at the scene where the bodies were found by fly fishermen, including Bridger, who was alerted by the police scanner he purchased with his share of the money. He encounters Ren who makes an indelible and unsettling impression on him.

Ren meets with Deputy Harvey, who intended to inform her of the bodies she’s just seen, which greatly displeases her. He’s heard that Tonya is missing, but she tells him to focus on finding out what Cassie knows, and the location of the drugs and money, as those are what the boss cares about. Harvey mockingly reminds her that her boss is her daddy; nonplussed she tells him the clock is ticking.

On the farm, Ronald, Scarlet and Wolf’s lady sit down to a nicely set table for lunch. Wolf joins the table with a wicked grin on his freshly shaved face, and Donald is taken aback. Wolf digs into his plate and commends Scarlet on the meal, much to Ronald’s disgust. He is even more disgusted by the meal and demands cereal, his comfort food. This irritates Wolf immensely, but he manages his anger and offers to add something for Ronald to the “Happy Reward Table,” which Ronald is informed already contains something for Scarlet, which Ronald may not know about as knowledge is a privilege he has yet to earn.

Wolf instructs Scarlet to take Ronald back to the barn since he refuses to eat. She promises to follow the rules and Ronald is taken aback by the apparent affection shown to her by Wolf. As they head to the barn, Ronald tells Scarlet that they need to run, to escape this place immediately. She tells him that’s exactly what Wolf wants him to do and pleads with him to try to get along here. Ronald claims that they had been free before this. Scarlet tells him that they were never free, simply on the run, and that here they are protected from the other men Ronald was working with. Ronald refuses to listen to her, and Scarlet is visibly hurt, telling him that if he loved her, he would listen to her. He insists he is doing this because he loves her, and he storms away to find an escape. Wolf, expecting exactly this behavior, shows up on the other side of the barn with a cruel grin on his face, and tells a devastated Scarlet to go back to lunch.

Back at the department in Jenny’s office, Cassie and Jenny learn that the second body found was able to be identified by fingerprints, a man nicknamed Ringo. Harvey saunters into her office to offer his help, having heard about the bodies being found. Jenny assures him they’ll let him know if he’s needed, but as he leaves, she casually asks how he happened to come across the crash in the first place, as it was far off the road. Cassie chimes in, curious about what he observed at the crash site initially. He catches the suspicion in their tones, and, trying to turn the tables, smugly inquires about their hunt for Ronald as he leaves. Armed with the identity of the second body, Jenny heads to meet Travis and Cassie returns to Dewell and Hoyt.

Tonya is still running away from a wounded and enraged Donno. She rushes through the trees, yelling for help. She finally makes it a deserted-looking café and races for the door. She barges inside, still screaming for help. An elderly man working there greets her with concern. Tonya uses the restaurant’s phone to call Cassie for help, who puts her on speaker for herself, Jerrie, and Denise. Tonya begs for help as Donno bashes into the place. The elderly man attempts to defend himself and her with a baseball bat but is quickly dispatched by Donno and his knife. Tonya hysterically tells Cassie that he’s going to kill her and just manages to let her know she’s at the Bad Clown Café before Donno severs the phone cord.

Jenny meets Travis somewhere off the beaten path. He lets her know that the cartel has sent a cleaner to handle the situation, which we know to be Ren. They begin to kiss, and Jenny nearly ignores Cassie’s call about Tonya when it comes in. Cassie and Jerrie arrive at the Bad Clown Café only to find the body of the elderly gentleman as Tonya and Donno are long gone. They are spooked by Jenny, who arrives moments later to the café.

Max and Harper are busy in Max’s shed gathering the bag of drugs when T-Lock unexpectedly arrives home. In a panic, they create a diversion by beginning to kiss intimately, which stuns and confuses T-Lock, just as Max expected. He awkwardly leaves them alone. Max then takes this opportunity to press Harper about how much she cares about the money versus how much she cares for Max. Harpers admits she does care about the money, but not more than Max.

There is a full response from the sheriff’s department at the Bad Clown Café as we see the body wheeled away. Tubbs finds it curious that Tonya called Cassie instead of the police and insists that Jenny stay behind to process the scene while Jerrie and Cassie go to check out a construction trailer that Jerrie had spotted earlier. Cassie and Jerrie assure Jenny that they will keep her apprised of anything new.

In their home, Bridger tells Madison about seeing the bodies from the accident being found and about the strange woman he encountered while he was there. They agree to tell Max and Harper about the bodies, but not the woman.

With the department mostly empty for the night, Deputy Harvey asks Madge at front desk for the sign in sheet from the day after the truck accident. She seems wary of his motives, but obliges anyway, giving him Bridger Ryan’s name.

Harper returns to her house with the bag of drugs alone in the dark. She realizes that the man that previously accosted her and Max is watching her from his van across the street. She rushes inside and locks the door.
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Ren finally makes it back to the construction site to find a wounded and bleeding Donno, and a bound, gagged, and screaming Tonya. Ren is furious at both Donno, for letting her escape, and Tonya, for running, but most especially about the dead body left behind. As they argue, a truck pulls up outside the trailer. Out step Cassie and Jerrie. Inside, Donno cocks his gun and warns Ren to take care of this or he will. Cassie and Jerrie begin to approach by the light of their flashlights, unaware of what waits just inside the trailer.

It’s scary season kids and the long-time collab buddies at LEGO, Disney and Star Wars have put together one heck of a spooktacular special for us to enjoy. Written and directed by David Shayne and Ken Cunningham – the same LEGO story extraordinaries who brought us last year’s The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special, covered here – take us to Mustafar this time around. The perfect place to give us a main narrative brimming with three Sith tales… from… yep, you guessed it… the Dark Side! DUN, DUN, DUUUUN!! Insert diabolical play on words laughter here… LOL!! So, before you become a “Worry Wampa” (*WINK*), let’s take a peek, shall we?
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Opening with a small backstory, we see Darth Vader (Matt Sloan) on Mustafar selling the love of his new castle (too funny!!) to Palpatine (Trevor Devall) right before they leave to… um… conquer the galaxy. We all know how that turned out!! LOL! But… do you remember Vaneé (Tony Hale), the Imperial Inspector turned Vader’s personal servant on Mustafar?? It’s okay if you don’t. He’s mostly featured in the Star Wars comics and novels and is briefly shown (Mark Gordon) at Vader’s castle in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Sinister and just plain crazy, Vaneé, or: “Darth Hideous,” as Palpatine calls him… lol, is left to keep an eye on the place. It’s here I feel compelled to say: “Two eyes, as often as I can spare them” (Gandalf the Grey; Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring; New Line Cinema; 2001)… LOL!! Sorry… wrong show! Back to the spooky tale at hand… LOL!! As the Sith Lord and his apprentice depart, the scene appropriately fades with Vaneé laughing hysterically followed by scary lightening and the title card. YES!!
 
Many, many years later…

The First Order has been destroyed (YAY!!) and we open on a lone flight where Poe Dameron (Jake Green) and BB-8 are pursued by five Tie Fighters who apparently didn’t get the memo after the Battle of Exegol… lol! Together Poe and BB defeat the fighters, but their X-Wing is damaged in the process forcing an emergency landing on Mustafar. With the coms down, the duo goes in search of help and discover a castle under construction. Wait… what?? The First Order Plan B? LOL… no worries. The Sith aren’t hard at work. WHEW!! Instead, we find the gangster Graballa (Dana Snyder), a greedy Hutt (big surprise there!! – LOL!!), overseeing the creation of “Castle Vader – the galaxy’s first all-inclusive Sith inspired luxury theme resort.” Because… Hutts, am I right?? LOL!! We also see numerous B1 Battle Droids from the decades earlier Clone Wars repurposed as slow and dumb construction workers. And there’s lots of little jokes surrounding them throughout. I mean… it’s ALL so totally silly yet plausible… LOL!!

Wanting Poe for a celebrity endorsement of the resort (LOL, of course!!), Graballa leads Dameron on a tour where we get to see a Hall of Troopers (VERY COOL) and a malfunctioning Vader robot. It’s here we meet a young wanna be pilot from the mechanical crew named Dean (Raphael Alejandro) who offers to fix the clunky Vaderbot. Realizing Dean could help fix the X-Wing, Graballa sells a reluctant Poe on the endorsement in exchange for the kid’s help. Though, Poe doesn’t trust the Hutt (can you blame him?) and only agrees if the X-Wing gets fixed first.

By now, the LEGO jokes and puns are in full swing, or full Force if you’re really feeling the puns… lol!! Plus, Castle Vader is Vegas-like and obviously a poke at the commercialization of Star Wars. Especially Galaxy’s Edge. Because the quick yet hilarious gift shop scene is perfect!! And I’m super happy to report, this ghostly special doesn’t disappoint on references and Easter eggs either. But well beyond all of that, Mustafar serves as the perfect back drop for a Vaneé inspired Star Warsy story! I mean… what a great character to pull from the shadows!! Because of course his devout and dark ways would keep him slinking around Vader’s castle decades later! And true to form, watching the events unfold from the tower, Vaneé believes Poe might be the pilot from an ancient Mustafar Prophecy who is said to show the way to unlocking the secrets of Vader’s Castle. Cue the eerie music and a sinister laugh here… lol!!

Back downstairs, just as Poe and Dean begin to leave to repair the X-Wing, Vaneé makes his entrance as the “creepy caretaker” who Graballa irritatingly notes: “came with the place.” DUH… he’s been lurking around all these years waiting for his prophecy to be realized… lol! My mind wanders to an alien real estate agent (LOL!) showing Graballa the castle as Vaneé reluctantly follows… LOL! Ooops, back to the story! Vaneé entices the group with three terrifying tales. Each revealing a dark lesson that only a Sith would entertain. Uh… this can’t be good!! The group, consisting of Poe, Dean and Graballa and his two weird and creepy twin Iktotchi minions, gather round.

The first tale is a backstory of how Ben Solo became Kylo Ren (both voiced by Matthew Wood). It’s not exactly like the comic origin, but then again, why should it be?!? Titled The Lost Boy, the story is modeled after a personal favorite – the vampire flick The Lost Boys (Warner Bros.; 1987). NICE!! The title card even mimics the movie title… YES!! And the story hilariously introduces the original Knights along with their master Ren (Christian Slater) in a total Kiefer Sutherland with his vamp crew style and it’s awesome!! Hells yeah!!

Jabs at Star Wars, such as Ben’s comment about 20 minutes of training on Dagobah aimed at Luke Skywalker (Eric Bauza) and Han Solo (A.J. LoCascio) clearly mocking The Rise of Skywalker by making note of dream sequences, are just fantastically whimsical!! But mixing them with scenes from The Lost Boys like holding on to the train rails and a shirtless Bith playing the saxophone make it even better!! By the end, Kylo Ren is born and I’m laughing my ass off!! Interesting!! I never really imagined that tear filled humor could accompany Kylo’s turn to the Dark Side… and yet… LOL!!

The Sith lesson: “There is much to be taken by those unafraid to take it.”

Reaching an open chamber in the castle, Vaneé reveals the prophecy as a means of pushing Poe to open a locked door that leads to Sith artifacts. Poe plays along with the intent of stopping Graballa from getting his greedy hands on the artifacts. With Dean’s help, the door is released, and the group make their way through the large corridors to an Ancient Light Saber Repository. WHOA!! Amongst the blades is the Saber of Scardont. Huh, this is new!! And apparently, this Saber is so powerful that anyone who tries to wield it will be driven mad. YIKES!! It also leads Vaneé to tell the next Sith story – how the Saber was recovered.   
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Entitled The Dueling Monstrosities, this anecdote pays homage to Frankenstein (Universal Pictures; 1931) in both the title card and by featuring a duel between two famous monsters in the Star Wars Universe – General Grievous (Matthew Wood) and Darth Maul (Sam Witwer). Both of which are amalgamations of their former selves mixed with animatronic technology making them an excellent avenue for another Sith lesson to be revealed. Insert more sinister laughter here… LOL!! 
Maul’s mad scientist creators – The Night Sisters (too cool!!) – are shown with ample jokes surrounding the different types of legs used to replace Maul’s bottom half. My favorite being the legs of a Probe Droid…HAHAHA!! Family Guy Star Wars (Fox; 2007) pops in my head… LOL!!

We also get a small look at the Lair of Grievous and the medical droid who plays his own form of Dr. Frankenstein with Grievous before he’s summoned by Palpatine to retrieve the Saber of Scardont. This exchange is overheard by Maul who presents himself to Palpatine afterwards. The whole thing is crammed full of quips and puns, but the Grievous, or should I say, “General Wheezius” (LOL!!) versus Maul trash talk during their fight is even better. And Palpatine’s whistle at the end of this storyline might very well be my favorite thing in the whole show!! Apart from Vaneé continually referring to himself in third person. Because… nooo… that’s not crazy at all!!

Back in the castle, the Scardont Saber, broken by the grubby hands of Graballa, is repaired with Dean’s mechanical skills during Vaneé’s narration. Dean interrupts the end of the tale as he turns on the newly fixed Saber. He is then immediately taken into a trance like state. Sheesh, I guess Vaneé wasn’t kidding about the Saber controlling people. Hopefully Dean won’t try to wield it like Maul and Grievous!

The Sith Lesson: “Power comes not from serving others, but from serving yourself.”

Still in a trance, Vaneé instructs Dean to let the Scardont Saber guide him. This steers him to open another passage that leads even deeper into the castle. Vaneé remarks to his droid NI-L8 (and yes, in third person… LOL!!) that he may have chosen the wrong pilot. Yeah… I guess so!! Obviously, Dean is Force sensitive!! No wonder Poe needed Dean’s help to open that last door, eh!!
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As the group enters the large room, they see piles of artifacts and Vaneé explains that they’ve reached the First Temple of Mustafar. WHOA! The throne looks quite similar to Palpatine’s on Exegol. YIKES!! Graballa wastes no time telling his twin minions to load up with artifacts. He also hastily grabs the Scardont Saber from Dean shaking him loose of its hold. WHEW!! Simultaneously, Poe tries to reason with Graballa on the potential dangers of the Sith artifacts. Dean sadly wanders off only to discover a Sith Holocron calling to him from a hole in the castle wall. NICE!! Super strong Star Wars Rebels vibes here!! Frothing with excitement, Vaneé says the Holocron has the power to make dreams come true. When Graballa says nothing has the power to grant wishes, Dean says: “A Wookie’s Paw can…” leading us to our third and final featured narrative titled… you guessed it… The Wookie’s Paw.

Another excellent play on words, titles and tales, The Wookie’s Paw is adapted from the short story by W. W. Jacobs entitled The Monkey’s Paw. First published in 1902, multiple adaptations, variations and parodies exist making it a very fitting choice here! Additionally, the title card and Vaneé’s Rod Serling-like narration are an excellent nod to the TV classic The Twilight Zone (CBS; 1959) and I LOVED IT!! But the best part is the story itself. Picking up in Tatooine, a young Luke Skywalker is offered the paw by none other than Watto, the slimy junk dealer and slave trader. Anxious to leave the moisture farm and become a pilot, Luke wishes he was off Tatooine and is immediately approached by a recruiter for The Imperial Academy. WOW!! Robot Chicken Star Wars (Adult Swim; 2007) thoughts anyone… LOL?!?! And just like that, down the line of wishes, Luke advances through the ranks, including training with Vader, to become the most powerful pilot in the galaxy. The Easter eggs, references and jokes really excel here with some of my favorites including Luke carrying Vader on his back during training (like Yoda) and Vader giving Luke a kiss on the cheek for luck (like Leia)… HAHAHA! And I absolutely love that the story of the first Death Star explosion still ends with Luke, but in a whole different way. Plus, all the things surrounding Obi-Wan Kenobi (James Arnold Taylor) are fantastic as well. Bravo on several levels here!!

The Sith lesson: “This Holocron will grant whatever you desire.”

Returning to our group in the castle, Poe tries to stop Dean, but under Vaneé’s direction, Dean opens the Holocron. Realizing his dreams have come true, Vaneé seizes the Holocron and uses its power to pair together Sith artifacts into a giant mechanical body. Ooooo, very Transformers-like (Claster Television; 1984). As the pieces come together, both literally and figuratively, it’s spectacular to watch the group come to the realization that the stories and lessons were all for Vaneé. Though, with what I assume is a fitting tip of the hat to R2-D2, BB-8 knew the whole time… LOL!! AND… as if all the fun in the three tales isn’t enough, NI-L8 (as in an-ni-hi-late!) activates a beacon turning all the B1 Battle Droids into zombie-like drones with red eyes and a wobbly march complete with a slower “roger, roger,” played like a stretched-out recording. It’s ZOMBIRIFIC!! But one of my favorite scenes comes in the form of a tribute to The Shining (Warner Bros.; 1980) when Graballa is hiding behind a wooden door that’s cracked through with an axe to reveal a droid saying: “Heeeere’s B1496-1138,” (HAHAHA!!) before he’s toppled by Graballa’s minions. Who themselves, sometimes resemble the actions of the twins also seen in The Shining… YIKES!!
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From there, chaos ensues until the end, where of course, Poe and Dean defeat Vaneé by using the TRUE lessons of the show. That everyone gets scared and that you can’t control fear. BUT… “you CAN choose what to do with it.” Because without it, you can’t have courage. YAY!! Now that sounds a lot more like Star Wars lessons to me… lol!! Not to mention the inclusion of some excellent AT-ST and AT-AT action all while the jokes and references continue to dazzle. The final battle ends with Vaneé being knocked into the lava river in a Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (New Line Cinema; 2003) Gollum death kind of way… LOL!! Perfect!!

When all is said and done, Graballa, scared off by Poe, packs up and decides to open a bed and breakfast (LOL!). Dean decides to leave with Poe to become a true pilot and hopefully learn how to hone his Force sensitive skills. AWWW YES!! Finally – closing in true terrifying tale fashion – the final scene shows the sliced top half of NI-L8 pull her way out of the lava river (Anakin anyone??) spouting how she failed her master. Suddenly, a hand reaches up from the glowing magma all Carrie-like (United Artists; 1976) and grabs NI-L8’s arm. The End!! Cue the lightning… NICE!!

WOW… what a fun and spooky adventure!! Jam packed with faboolous (*WINK*) Star Wars AND horror genre Easter eggs, I LOVED IT and I hope you do too!! Happy Halloween kids and May the Force be With You… Always!

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Seven of ‘Kin’.
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Often times in storytelling, ‘the darkest hour’ that some characters go through, is used to inspire the audience. Because when it arrives, the main character or characters are quick to process the challenge that is facing them and stand tall in front of it and conquer it, sending a powerful message to the audience. In that, when adversity strikes… we too should stand tall and fight it and conquer it, and while that is indeed inspiring and hopeful, it is once again… something of a misleading concept. Because in reality, while we know that we need to stand against what is bringing us down, it isn’t always an easy task. For our emotions and the shock of the moment in question can leave us in a devastated place. The kind where we need to sort our thoughts out before we finally fight back. 
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Which is why stories that take the time to show us how hard it can be to stand tall in the face of adversity, need to be applauded at every turn. Because that’s the kind of realism we need to hear from stories so that our inspiration isn’t short lived when we hit personal obstacles in dealing with the chaos life sends our way, and that’s why Kin deserves another round of applause, since it put that kind of realism on display during this week’s episode. Because the Kinsella family found themselves dealing with their darkest hour, all because it turns out… that Eamon Cunningham didn’t have the positive epiphany we were hoping for. No instead, his drug-induced journey into the past, infuriated him and made him realize that being weak in that moment cost him dearly. Which meant that strength needed to be shown in the present and he quickly returned home… to offer a show of strength to the Kinsellas.

The kind that made it clear that they messed with the wrong drug lord and well… that definitely led to some scary moments. Since Anthony came face to face with Con Doyle at school and was forced to helplessly listen to his threats. Plus, Anna came under fire in this tale, since some of Cunningham’s goons tried to kidnap her and throw her into the trunk of a car, and had it not been for innocent and concerned passersby’s… they would have been successful. Not to mention, even Birdy struggled to deal with Cunningham’s outright vendetta against the family, since her attempts to talk Eamon down ended with her having the muzzle of a gun jammed into her face and well… this is when that realism regarding the darkest hour, came into play. Because rather than instantly stand up and fight these grave injustices, the family was instead, besides themselves.

Because this was scary stuff, and these were situations they’ve never had to deal with before since they’ve been living the good life… or as good as it can get for criminals. Which meant they more or less drifted for quite some time in this tale, to the point where even Frank was unsure of what comes next for this family, since his only real solid ideas were to potentially have himself and Jimmy and Michael flee, and to beg the former leader of this business to help Eric acclimate to jail since it was obvious he was going into the big house and well… even that didn’t help the family to feel some semblance of control. But all concern and ugly situations aside, make no mistake about it… this was a quality way to explore how we initially respond to hard times, and how hard it is to snap out of the funk when we get suckered punched by life. Since we saw honest and realistic responses to tough times.

However, what matters most, is that this story did indeed make a point to show us what does create that turning point in the darkest hour. Where the downtrodden decide to act, and in this instance, reaching one’s breaking point and simply having enough… will do the trick. Since Michael and Amanda have indeed had enough and they seem to have some ideas on how to end this dark patch. But before we ponder upon that further, we can bask in the wonder of one engaging tale. One that not only offered up a rousing analysis of its overall theme, but also did a magnificent job of humanizing every single character in this tale. Since you genuinely felt their fear and their worry, which can also be attributed to the stellar performances in this episode and well, now that some in the family have had enough of this dark patch, it will be quite interesting to see what they do to emerge from it come next week, when season one of this stellar series comes to a close.       

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 the season finale of ‘Finding Alice’.
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Often times, stories about loss and grief, tend to resolve themselves in a happy manner in the fastest way imaginable. As though the folks that assembled the story, are worried about bringing the audience down emotionally, so it is best in their eyes… to give the person suffering through loss, a quick epiphany that puts them on the right path, so everything wraps up in a happy manner. And while that does work, since so many of us feel satisfaction at seeing that kind of story play out, it really does do its viewers a grand disservice for certain. Because that’s simply not how grief works in the slightest and some folks watch or read these stories to gain guidance on what comes next when they lose someone… because they need a helping hand.

Which is why we need to celebrate stories that show us the ups and downs and the ugly of grief, because those are the brave tales that understand the chaos and strife that death brings into our lives and can speak to it in a helpful manner, and that is precisely why the Acorn TV series, Finding Alice, continues to deserve a round of applause. Because week in and week out, it’s provided us with that raw look at the grieving process and it is so dedicated to what this process actually looks like, that even the season finale of this story refused to deviate from the honesty that this series has provided us with from day one. For ‘What Now?’ is a story that should have started to see Alice begin to move into the light quickly, by way of some kind of powerful epiphany that made her realize that she needed to leave sorrow behind and celebrate only happiness. But instead, she doubled down on her erratic behavior and continued to do her best to not deal with anything and that of course, led to more conflict and strife in her household.

To the point where a subtle and realistic moment of growth took place. Because eventually Charlotte had enough of her mother’s shenanigans and called her mother out for her irresponsibility and that in turn, brought forth a full-on blow out fight between the two of them. Where honest words flowed and yelling was just as plentiful and that in turn, motivated Charlotte to move in with grandma for a bit and having her daughter leave in that manner after spouting off some hard, hard truth… allowed for Alice to really ponder upon her situation and look at it objectively for a change and that’s incredible to see in a story such as this. Because it hammers home the reality that the way back from loss and grief involves baby steps, the kind that slowly nudge us and move us forward, and those victories help us to see that we are going to be okay and well… Alice definitely took part in some important and healthy baby steps in this tale.  

Because she came to understand the bigger picture. In that, she couldn’t be like this forever, that she had to find strength, and she had to put the pieces back together. But that, wasn’t easy in the slightest. Since it meant confronting Graham about his attempts to start a relationship with her when she wasn’t ready and confront her father-in-law over his bad behavior and herself for that matter. Which in turn allowed for her to take those all-important baby steps toward reclaiming her life and forging her future, to the point where she finally has a partner and investor in executing the build on that plot of land that Harry adored and she’s finally ready to take on bigger challenges. Especially the ones that will involve George in the future, since he is revealing himself to be a bit of a punk. 

But what matters most, is that this episode didn’t end perfectly happy, it just ended. With a hint of hope for the future and with the bare beginnings of appropriate behavior from Alice and you really cannot ask for a more realistic ending than that. Because that is what comes next for us when we lose a loved one, baby steps and one day at a time. So that new experiences fill our hearts and souls and slowly push out the pain, and that in turn will allow for sorrowful and lonesome mornings to be replaced with ones filled with purpose and pride. Since we know that we are doing our loved one justice and well, hopefully this show gets a second season and quick. So, we can see where Alice’s growth takes her in the days to come as she continues to work to heal from the darkest moment of her life. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 209 of ‘My Life Is Murder’.
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Family is something that we genuinely believe is sacred, especially when it comes to blood relatives. For these are people that we quite literally share genetic code with, and that kind of connection is one of a kind and it gives us a unique feeling in life. One that reminds us that we are not alone and part of something bigger. Plus, our family knows us on a level that no one else does and they shape our future and our personality. Which leaves one to wonder, why we sometimes struggle with family and why some choose to harm family members when disagreements happen and well, there is no easy answer to that question since each situation is unique. But there are some obvious contributing factors in regard to what causes violence among family members, as evidenced by this week’s episode of My Life Is Murder.

For ‘Wild Life’ dug deep into such matters and offered up some powerful reasons… after fooling us once again that is. Because initially this week’s case offered up multiple mis directions. For initially the kidnapping and murder of an entrepreneur named Marcus, who ran an outdoor adventure company, appeared to be related to a disgruntled employee named Jared. Who genuinely had every motive in the book hanging over his head. But Harry didn’t think Jared was capable of that kind of evil, and after getting the chance to meet him, Alexa and Madison outright agreed. Which in turn forced them to look elsewhere for clues and that in turn. Led to quite the surprise.

In that Marcus was hiding a great deal from his beloved fiancé, Dennie. In that, he didn’t break off his longtime love affair with his top assistant Vincent as he swore to do when he and Denny got engaged. In fact, he actually took Vincent with him to a conference in Paris and even rented them a romantic suite. Making it seem as though as a love triangle was what brought about the end of Marcus. But when Alexa dug deep into how Marcus financed the trip and how exactly Vincent might have committed this crime, the truth finally came to light and it turns out that it wasn’t Vincent or Jared or a jaded fiancé that put this frenetic man down… it was his brother, Connor.

A reality that seemed impossible. Since Connor was eager to swoop in and help his brother, for he used his vast finances to save the business and give Marcus a chance to thrive and succeed. But once he came to learn that Marcus gambled away a fair chunk of that investment money and used whatever was left to have that romantic time away with Vincent, he simply snapped. For he felt beyond betrayed and was wounded emotionally, and firmly believed that an apology would offer little healing. No, in his mind, only vengeance at the highest level would give him peace and absolution and well… that motivated him to set up an elaborate end for his brother. Of course, Alexa figured out the details and brought him to justice, but the lessons inherent in regard to this were crystal clear.

In that, while family is indeed worth cherishing and important to hold onto, we are still human and we are extremely fallible and just like any other situation, the right amount of hurt and betrayal, can push people to do horrible things. To the point where family means nothing and well… in the end, this really was quite the amazing episode for certain. In large part because it kept us guessing from beginning to end. Since we really didn’t know who did it, until that all-important moment when Connor tipped his hand. But also, because this one once again found a way to explore an aspect of murder that we don’t think about all that often. Since family crimes are oft portrayed as crimes of passion in this kind of story and well, now that this case has come to a close, our wait for next week’s episode becomes quite bittersweet in nature. For next week brings forth the season two finale, and that’s never easy to reconcile when you’re thoroughly enjoying a quality story like this one. Until next time.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode One of ‘Manhunt: The Night Stalker’ and this article also contains reference to sexual assault. Which could trigger individuals that are sensitive to that subject matter.
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One of the most difficult tasks that a writer will ever have to face, is adapting a true crime story into a television series or a motion picture. Because real life crime is often disturbing and terrifying, and the small or big screen are places where we are supposed to escape the terrors of the world. So, if the writer decides to keep too much reality in the adapted version of said crime… there’s a good chance a potential audience will be scared away. Yet at the same time, drifting too far from reality can also alienate an audience since they aren’t here for interpretation, they’re in this for balance and education and that’s no easy task, and time and time again we’ve seen many talented writers fail to achieve that balance and instead offer up a story that leans into the abstract or the uncomfortable.

But once in a great while, you come across a true crime adaptation that is in fact, perfectly balanced and outright flawless in how it tells its story, and it just so happens that Acorn TV is now host to one of those perfect adaptations. For yesterday saw the premiere of season two of Manhunt, and it just so happens that this year’s re-telling of the life of times of Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton, is going to revolve around one of his highest profile cases… The Night Stalker. Yes, that’s right, the ultra-disturbing case that befuddled the Metropolitan Police for seventeen years gets its adapted day in the sun, and well… there are several key reasons as to why this writer is referring to this dramatization of this incredible case as perfect.

One of which, is the sheer fact that this premiere makes use of some old-school horror techniques to get across the disgusting nature of The Night Stalker’s heinous crimes without outright putting the fear of God into the audience. Which in this case involves, less being more. For when TNS strikes, the series makes use of quick cutaways and implications, and it is also quick to show us just enough when it comes to the aftermath of his actions and it is the characters who point out exactly what happens when he enters a victim’s home, and by going this route and not showing us all the grim details of his crimes, our imagination and underlying understanding of this type of individual, work together to give us a sinking feeling. One that truly makes us uncomfortable, and that is the proper way to get across the gravity of this ugly crime in a subtle and palatable manner.

Plus, this is a series that uses dramatic elements to draw out our desire for justice. A feat that the story accomplishes by painting some of the members of police as well… aloof and/or apathetic to what’s going on. Which we know wasn’t the case, and this is rendered slightly moot by the complaints present from some officers about a lack of funding and help. But just a hint of apathy is enough to enrage a viewer and demand that justice come into play and that’s exactly what we get here and there’s even a sense of urgency here as well. Since Colin’s retirement looms large over this story, making it feel as though he is going push his hardest to solve his case before turning in his badge, and those elements really do suck the viewer in and compel them to continue the journey so that Colin and all the peopleThe Night Stalker harmed, can finally enjoy peace.

Also, it doesn’t hurt that the acting is top notch. Because you need a solid cast to sell this kind of subject matter in a believable manner and we absolutely get that there. Since so many of the actors sell the exhaustion and frustration these poor officers are dealing with, and Martin Clunes is simply electric at DCI Colin Sutton. For he brings a restraint and frustration to the role here that really helps us to understand how eager he is to just dive in and be the guy to take charge in the case, and it looks like his time in regard to that is near. Since the closing moments of this tale see him pondering upon new ideas on how to approach this case and well, all that does is leave us hungry for more of this instantly brilliant series. One that really understands the power of balance and how to properly engage an audience regarding a story about a heinous crime and now that this opening chapter has come to a close, the hunt for The Night Stalker, and the justice we crave... can begin. Until next time. 

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season two premiere of ‘Hightown’.
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What comes next? That’s an important question that most of us are going to ask ourselves at some point or another in our lives. Because life is pure chaos and constantly in motion and while we roll with most of the punches it sends our way, sometimes… it drops a big moment in our lap. The kind that outright changes everything for us, to the point where that question is a necessity to ask oneself. Because now we need to plan ahead for the new normal that surrounds us and really, that question is relevant to our discussion today… simply because it served as the focal theme of the season two premiere of Hightown on STARZ.
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For when we return to the cape in ‘Great White’, everyone we came to know in season one is asking themselves that question and some are finding some positive answers in regard to what lies ahead for them after some serious changes came forth in their lives at the end of season one. Take for instance Alan Saintille, for this proud officer of the law found himself in a bold new position in this tale, for he was named Sergeant of the CCINU at last and was overjoyed over this promotion. Since it likely meant he could now impact real change on the cape and continue disrupting the drug trade of this quiet little community and he wasn’t the only one riding on cloud nine in this tale and looking toward a better tomorrow regarding that all-important question.

For Jackie Quiñones… was finally sober. Thanks to the fact that she took the time to examine every tough moment she experienced in season one and asked herself what would come next if she stuck to a better path and the answer to her question… was a supremely positive one. Since sober Jackie, found warmth and value in keeping clean and sticking to a substance free life, and that also gave her newfound direction. Since she was now focused on her work with the Fishery Service and her liaison work with the CCINU and was eager to make a difference and wouldn’t you know it? She got her wish. For the death of a drug dealer and the death of three teens because of a potent new drug on the street that shared the namesake of this episode, allowed for her to go full time with the State Police to help in the investigation and now she will have a change to make impactful change on the cape. 

But more on that in a moment. Because this is an episode that also informed us that sometimes, the answer to that question is quite sour in nature and the darker side of that was handled by Ray Abruzzo’s journey. For when we catch up with him here, he’s in a tough place. Because he’s still on suspension and he’s serving drinks at the very bar he was a bouncer at the end of season one and misery was flowing through his veins. Because this wasn’t the life he envisioned in the slightest and being away from law enforcement was eating at him. But this time away wasn’t a total loss, because for a brief moment there, we saw contrition from Ray, the kind that genuinely leads one to believe he might stand a chance at redemption… if he can get out from under his own shadow. Because his reinstatement hearing was a disaster, and he isn’t getting back to the force anytime soon thanks to his past, and that did motivate him to slip into some bad behaviors again and clearly, to Ray… the answer to that question is one that informs him that nothing, but dark days are ahead and there might not be any escape from this dark patch… and that’s powerful to say the least. Since it’s quite the realistic route to take for his character since the bad times sometimes only allow for us to see the dark clouds ahead and not the light behind them. 
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However, while it was fascinating to see where these characters are at and explore this next chapter in their lives… we do need to get back to that investigation. Because evil is genuinely brewing on the cape. For Frankie and his cousin Jorge are wasting little time in getting back to business now that they are free and clear of charges, and they made it clear in this tale… they want in on whomever is supplying Great White to the masses. Since it is powerful stuff that can make them a lot of bread and well… their desire to rebuild their empire could potentially bring our worst fears to life. For the primary pusher/suppliers of this powerful drug… is Charmaine. Since she is keeping with her promise to sell dope to ‘suckers’ on the cape and now that she’s met with Jorge, there’s a real chance evil can gain momentum and do real damage to the peace that Alan and Jackie are desperate to maintain.

Which means that more than likely, season two of this series is going to feature that grand battle between good and evil as Jackie and Alan work side by side to stop the Cuevas family from spreading their poison throughout the community and that is going to make for one incredible ride. But while we wait to see how that fight will play out, we can bask in the wonder of one quality season premiere. One that did a wonderful job of re-establishing what this universe is all about, all while ramping up the stakes and of course, growing characters we know and love and well… in the end, all this premiere does, is build up some incredible excitement for the rest of the season. Because at long last, we’re back on the cape and surrounded by relatable characters we love and adore and the challenges they are going to face both externally and internally are going to make this year’s adventures, incredibly worth our while. Until next time.

One thing that each and every one of us hope for in life, is the happy ending. Because we firmly believe that getting everything we want, is the only way to find happiness and peace in this world and unfortunately, that really is the wrong way to view the struggles we face and the dreams we chase. Because in reality, there is no such thing as a happy ending, just an ending, and the lessons we take away from the various endings to the chapters of our life, is what truly gives us peace or more strife and really… that unfortunate and sometimes frustrating life lesson, is top of mind today… because so many of the characters in Hightown were forced to learn it in a blunt and fierce manner… after they took a moment to gather their bearings.  

For the season one finale of this saga, ‘#Blessed’, saw everyone ponder upon how to proceed following Junior’s untimely death in the last episode and understandably so. For his death was something of a failure for everyone involved, to the point where Jackie once again opted to get wasted to cope with the pain of losing a brother from another mother. Which is a perfect way to set the stage for a lesson revolving around the bittersweet nature of life, since Junior’s journey didn’t offer up a happy ending in the slightest and it did indeed give everyone involved in the case a choice. Either take the loss and let it hang over their heads or try and do right by Junior and go after the supplier of the drug that killed him and well… it turns out that everyone decided that the latter option was the best of course action.

Which led to the first bittersweet end in this tale. Since a full court press on Kathleen revealed who gave Osito the powerful heroin that killed Junior and that in turn led to an epic raid. One that put Wayne behind bars and gave Jackie a taste of redemption at last. Because while she was waiting for the next steps to take place in this search, she spotted Osito and got into a gunfight with him. The kind that delayed him long enough for Ray to open fire and injure him badly. Finally bringing a long-sought after criminal to justice and giving closure to Jackie since Osito and his desire to involve Junior in the drug trade was a big reason why Junior died. But while one would think that this really is a joyous ending to this plot thread, it's not. For it didn't bring Junior back, making this a phyrric victory at best and as if that wasn't enough to hammer home how journeys really end, there was one more bittersweet reminder awaiting for us in this tale.

One that involved Sergeant Ray Abruzzo. Because he did make it clear to Renee that Frankie would always be his endgame, and that revelation and the reality that Ray was using her through and through, motivated her to bring the truth to light and end the little games that Ray’s been playing with Confidential Informants. Which in turn led to his suspension and a secondary consequence he never saw coming. In that, his involvement with Renee and her relationship with Frankie, forced the District Attorney’s hand and prompted Frankie’s release, to keep this mess resolved and quiet. Which means that the bad guys won, because good indulged in evil and that likely means it is only a matter of time before Frankie starts dealing again and he might have competition on the cape.

Since it was revealed that Charmaine is eager to pick up Wayne’s work in Cape Cod and enjoy the spoils of dealing drugs and well… having two kingpins in town, can only bring about strife and chaos, the kind that will no doubt be on display quickly in season two of this series, since it wastes little time in moving its plot forward. But while we wait to see what comes next for Ray and the drug scene on the cape, we can in fact… revel in something quite powerful. In that, Jackie did find meaning at last. And that in turn, has motivated her to get clean and fight for her sobriety and that’s powerful stuff. Since it reminds us that a little honesty about our actions and what we want out of life, combined with an honest desire to heal… can do wonders for our soul. To the point where we are willing to pick up the pieces and take life, and all of its ups and downs... one day at a time. Until next season.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season finale of ‘Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty’.
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It is definitely safe to say, that the BBC America series, Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty, has taken us on quite the powerful ride. For what started out as a plucky and joyous return to the Kalahari to spend time with the always cute meerkat… has transformed into a harrowing lesson on the power and the chaos of mother nature. Since we’ve been privy to some tough moments in the back half of this season, the kind that have reminded us that a single moment can change everything for the animals of the world… as evidenced by last week’s stunning revelations and cliffhangers. But therein, lies the brilliance of this documentary series.
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Because it’s behind the scenes team, are fully aware of the fact that the natural world is a harsh place where good times come and go because of the chaos that permeates the universe and being honest about that and presenting it to us in the raw is the way to go. So that we are given an honest snapshot of what life is really like in the Kalahari and that was never more evident than it was during last night’s season finale. Since ‘Episode 13: A Turning Tide’ hammered home the ups and downs and sheer chaos of life in the wild, by presenting us with a healthy mix of joyous and wondrous moments, alongside some unsavory and unsettling ones, the kind that leave one wondering what the future will hold for one particular family in the Kalahari.

But before we discuss that, let’s talk about the joyous stuff. Because it was quite the relief to learn that the Ubuntu Tribe actually managed to get advance word that the flood was coming and they did the right thing and evacuated their burrow post haste, without a single loss of life. And while they aren’t exactly in the best position burrow wise because of their hastened exit, they’re alive and able to fight another day and you can’t ask for much more than that in the wild. Plus, this story also informed us that the Hakuna Matata Family was picking up the pieces and starting over after last week’s devastating loss. So, the family could put that sadness behind them and grow and prosper and it was quite beautiful to see them work together to move on from loss and forge a healthy path forward and give the remaining pups every chance to grow. 

Which are a pair of storylines that stand in stark contrast to what happened with the Whiskers family in this tale. Because Swift’s decision to let so many of her pregnant daughter’s sleep in the same burrow, brought about some serious strife. For Bell Hurricane got it in her head that someone needed to step up to the plate and take control of the future of so many pups, and that it needed to be her. Which in turn motivated her to murder a litter that wasn’t her own and take charge of the family. Leaving everyone to wonder what comes next for the Whiskers family, since they are now facing unprecedented times with there being an outright power struggle in the fam, thanks to so many competing mothers, including Swift, since she has another litter on the way.

But that really is the best way to point out that this is a series about natural life, and that there are no easy answers for wild animals when it comes to what tomorrow will bring. They can only do their best to survive and work together with one another to make that happen and well… that’s where we leave these cute little critters, with each of them trying to accomplish just that and hopefully, this isn’t the end of our journey through the Kalahari. For this season of storytelling was downright brilliant to say the least since it explored so much about the meerkat and told a compelling story through and through and this writer genuinely hopes that this chapter in the meerkat saga gets a another season. So that audiences everywhere can learn while being entertained and so we can see what comes next for the descendants of Flower as they continue to work to keep the family line alive for as long as chaos will allow. Until next time.