Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘Kin’.
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Something that is truly fascinating about our modern world, is that we tend to celebrate supremely negative behaviors. For instance, mankind is big on propping up those with nothing to lose. Because in our collective minds, people that are in that particular situation are somehow free, and now they can do whatever they must with impunity and for some reason, that type of freedom calls to us. So much in fact, that we see folks with nothing to lose pop up often in storytelling and see them accomplish wonders in said story, because of the belief that they can achieve anything after being broken free from the shackles of the world. In fact, crime dramas love this notion since it gives the hero or the villain incredible freedom to move the plot forward in a juicy and compelling manner.
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But the fact of the matter is, being in a place with nothing to lose… is actually quite dangerous and harmful. Since that person that can be a loose cannon and because, they honestly have more to lose than they know, and their actions could force them into a darker place when those elements are lost because of their newfound quest. Which is why we shouldn’t celebrate this behavior in storytelling or in general since it can lead to so much trouble and thankfully, one particular series out there is looking to show the world the real dangers that come about from believing we have nothing to lose and acting upon that. And focusing on that truth in a realistic manner, allowed for the next episode of Kin on AMC+ to dive into some fascinating and powerful moments, the kind that really did hammer home how much we always have to lose.

For when we catch up with the Kinsella family here, they’re in that nothing to lose mindset. So much in fact, that Michael makes it known to Eamon’s lieutenant exactly which family is about to rob the Cunningham Empire. Which they are indeed successful in doing since they grab every ounce of coke and heroin that Eamon had hiding away and well, it doesn’t take long for them to come to understand how much they could lose from this particular move. Because just like that, their freedoms were robbed from them, since Eamon’s boys were everywhere and ready to attack. Which forced them to retreat to their homes and if by chance, they risked the outside world, like Michael and Jimmy did when Michael had a chance to see his daughter, their business had to be concluded quickly to keep ahead of Cunningham’s assassins. 

But alas, the harshest lesson about what can be lost, came about in the closing moments of this tale. For Amanda eventually came face to face with Eamon, who made it very clear that the safety of her remaining son, was now in jeopardy because of the family’s actions and the only way he would live, is if she gave up pertinent information. Such as say, where Frank hid all the drugs so Eamon could reclaim his empire, and to complicate matters further… Amanda was only given three days to make that happen. Setting the stage for a potentially epic betrayal. But what matters more, is that this story hammered its point home marvelously, since all the consequences of taking on the mantra that we have nothing to lose were put on full display and what’s wild, is that this story also took the time to follow-up on something critical.

In that, this is the tale where Eric’s transgressions came to light. Since Amanda was forced to look at the GPS records for his journey on that fateful night and that in turn, might send Eric to jail. Unless of course, his sneaky plans to get out of jail come to fruition and well, with Eric and Amanda scheming for themselves over the family, real trouble now lies ahead. For if Amanda does indeed betray Frank, all will fall once the drugs are back in Cunningham’s hands and if Eric defies the consequences of his actions, the family might tear itself apart, saving Eamon some bullets. Either way, this brilliant story really is heating up now and it will be quite interesting to see where it takes us next, now that the stakes are higher than ever. Until next time.

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

​Please enjoy a sneak peek of tomorrow’s season two finale of Ted Lasso, streaming exclusively on AppleTV+.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘Ultra City Smiths’.
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When we last settled in to discuss the fascinating AMC/AMC+ series, Ultra City Smiths, we were left with quite the cliffhanger. In that, Detective Nico Onasis was left critically wounded by an assassin, leaving the future of the case and his life in jeopardy and well… that definitely made the wait for this week’s episode a difficult one. Because we were dying to know if Nico was going to be okay and of course, we were equally as curious if the case would survive and we also wanted to know what other incredible storytelling twists this series was going to send our way and well… thankfully, this week’s episode didn’t waste any time in answering all of our burning questions.
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However, the answers that ‘O-o-h Child’ provided us with, were ugly ones. Because despite being rescued by the ambulance and comforted by Mills while he was wounded, Detective Nico Onasis eventually succumbed to his wounds. Leaving Mills in a devastated and dark place and leaving the case hanging for certain. Because now Mills needed to know who took his partner down since that took priority and sadly, that didn’t yield much result either, leaving Mills listless and hopeless and in turn, the audience felt the same way and rightfully so. Because this episode made it clear that Ultra City is steadily creeping into its darkest hour, courtesy of the scumbags that run keep running this place.

Because in addition to forcing the case to stop cold in its tracks, they also decided that the time had come to ensure that no shred of hope was to be found within the city limits. Which motivated Chris Pecker to go after his wife in the worst way imaginable. By releasing a sex tape that involved her to inspire doubt in her abilities as mayor and well, it worked. Because everyone was captivated and shocked by the released video that the always unsavory news in Ultra City showed in full. To the point where her favorability plummeted and to where our favorite street hustler was unable to get the attention of the bank tellers he was trying to rob. But while those elements made it clear that getting any sense of justice or hope in the city that simply doesn’t care, might be an impossible task… not all hope was lost.

For Grace is starting to understand that Ultra City will turn you into something that you don’t want to be if you let it. Which is why she started to indulge in acts of kindness around town, in an effort to go against the grain and try something new in this godforsaken place, and there was another beautiful reminder that good does persevere in this world. For while Mills was working to process Nico’s passing and while the elite of the city worked to keep hope down… Gail was spending a little time with a woman that Nico once dated, one that was pregnant with his child, and gave birth on this very day. Which means that Nico’s life wasn’t the waste he worried it would be, for his line lives on and that that seems to have given Mills a reason to close this case. 

As to whether or not he will though, has yet to be seen. For evil is indeed powerful in this city and it really does find a way to shut doors that should be open. But hopefully the hope present here can break through it and inspire change in this sullied landscape and thankfully, we won’t have to wait all that long to see if that will be the case. Because next week brings forth the season finale of this fascinating and unique series and considering how fast this story has moved along over the past five weeks, we should be in store for a powerhouse ending. One that will change the dynamics of Ultra City forever and hopefully, make the city care about its people at last. Until next time.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 2204 of ‘Midsomer Murders’.
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There comes a point in our lives where someone will wound us deeply, emotionally. To the point where we are left outright devastated and lost and unsure of how to proceed in life after suffering through that pain and that is a delicate moment for certain. Because at that particular point, not only are we at our lowest, but we are vulnerable and angry and wondering if by chance… there’s a way we can pay that person back for what they’ve done and thankfully, the majority of us… opt to take the high road when this happens and do our best to recover. Because truth be told, we don’t really care for the way we feel in that all-important moment, and we realize that being the better person in this instance would be far better for our souls. 

But sadly, not everyone comes to that particular decision. For if the fury from that dark moment doesn’t cool and someone else throws gasoline upon that fire with some influential words, that particular person will decide that payback is the only way to endure peace, and they let that endless burning drive them toward dark acts and really, that unfortunate aspect of the human condition is relevant to our discussion today, simply because it served as the focal theme of the next episode of Midsomer Murders. A feat that ‘The Scarecrow Murders’ accomplished, by providing the audience with one complex and engrossing case, one that used the death of a woman named Naomi, mere hours before the annual Scarecrow Festival got underway to set up this grand exploration into revenge.

Which of course put John and Jamie on the case and well, initially there was little for them to go upon other than the fact that Naomi was brutally murdered and put on display in the window of her own shop and the investigation that followed revealed few motives and anything of note. But alas, as more people began to pass away in a similar manner, it became clear that something big was happening in Midsomer and slowly but surely, John and Jamie were able to ascertain strange connections between everyone in Naomi’s life, and the lives of the other victims, helping everyone to realize that this wasn't just some random set of killings by a potential serial murderer. Oh no, this was something grounded in something far deeper. Revenge.

For it turned out that Naomi enjoyed smearing others online and did so once to a woman who lost her son to the other side gig that Naomi worked on with her family and close friends. Specifically, they ran an online gambling website, and several people took their lives from the debts owed to said site, and the loved ones of those lost and one woman who was still desperately trying to be free of her debts… got together one night, at their lowest, and decided… the time had come for revenge. So, they each picked a target in Naomi’s inner circle and opted to kill them with impunity, all in the hopes of finding some kind of internal peace. But alas, they weren’t counting on John and Jamie’s prowess and were of course, eventually brought to justice. 

But what matters more here, is that this story did a phenomenal job of exploring its central theme. Since it really did help us to understand just how the wrong influence and the right moment can push a person into complete and utter darkness and drive them to do things they never would normally. Which in turn speaks to the importance of kindness and guidance when we encounter folks in that mindset, so that they instead find a shred of hope over anything else and really, in the end, this was a brilliant mystery for certain. Thanks in large part to its engrossing complexity and outright humanity. Since there was a powerful sense of realism to be found here, one that made you feel for everyone involved and well, you can’t ask for much more than that and it will be interesting to see if the next case, is as engrossing and as powerful as this one. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Four of ‘Finding Alice’.
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It is definitely safe to say that the Acorn TV series, Finding Alice, is one of the finest shows about loss and grief to ever hit the airwaves. Because this particular show has presented how devastating the loss of a loved can be in a frank and earnest manner. One that is painfully relatable at times and full of heart as well and what’s genuinely wondrous about this series, is that it is showing no signs that it plans to deviate from this detailed examination in the slightest. As though it genuinely wants to be the authority series on such matters by showing us every painful aspect that comes with the death of someone we love and for proof that this is the case, then look no further than its next episode.
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For ‘Money’ is a tale that takes the time to look at something that we absolutely don’t discuss enough when it comes to this painful process, in that, there are financial repercussions to when someone we love dies, especially if they were the breadwinner. Because Alice is simply struggling in this tale, to the point where she cannot even put gas in her car and well… that really does hammer home the hard reality of what happens when the breadwinner is gone and sadly, being in this kind of pickle has quite the ugly impact on Alice’s psyche. Because being broke forces her to lose sleep, it drives her to beg others for money, including  Harry’s old business partner, Tanvi, and it was just painful to see Alice in this state since we know she is capable of more and deserves better.

But alas, what we often forget, is that sometimes desperation is indeed the best motivator to get us off of our duff so we can do something about our future and that’s exactly what happened here. Because Alice buckled down and tried to figure out a financial way forward and that allowed for her to discover that Harry had excess land, that might net her a small fortune, if she can get a straight answer on its health and it also helped her to discover… she had assets after all. For Harry listed her as the co-owner of the family business. Which in turn sent her over the moon with hope since she could use that title to leverage the sale of the now finished apartments and get her life back. In fact, she was so excited about that prospect, she found herself empowered to take more action in regard to some of the other problems in her life.

Which is why she sold the kitchen, to one of her friends at the recovery group, to get some immediate cash. An act that absolutely gave her some semblance of peace, and she even went so far as to scare off prospective buyers of the house to earn more time to get the money she needed to buy it. Plus, she even made a deal with the realtor to give him exclusivity with the apartments in exchange for delaying any future buyers of her home. All of which were lovely moments to see since they finally showed us the Alice we’ve been waiting for, the one that wants to live instead of grieve, and what’s wild… is that her actions might give her exactly what she wants. Since her power play with the family business… encouraged Tanvi to offer up quite the buy-out to reassert control. One that would get Alice the house and provide her with a nest egg for the future.

In the end however, this was simply another magnificent chapter in this powerful journey. One that really did a wonderful job of presenting us with the harsh reality of the financial struggles some go through when a loved one dies, and how scary that can be. But what matters more, is that this story reminds us of how resilient we can be and how necessity is indeed the mother of innovation since it inspired Alice to do so much and well, now that we’ve reached the end of this particular leg of the journey through grief and loss, it would seem that we might be getting close to a happy ending. Because Alice has quite the powerful decision to make, one that would solve all of her problems and that means there is a fair chance the next two episodes could focus on how we finally heal from loss and what comes next when we do and the only way to find out for certain, is to continue the journey and see what Alice decides. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 207 of ‘My Life Is Murder’.
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Each and every one of us out there, harbor a name in our minds. One that relates to a person that meant the world to us briefly before we lost touch, and their name hangs heavy in our memory, simply because we always wonder exactly how and why they exited our lives when our connection was so strong. Which in turn, motivates us to ponder upon reconnecting with that person, to find the closure that human beings crave or to restart a relationship that did wonders for us and some people, actually manage to do just that… with mixed results. For there is an inherent lesson to be learned about the past when we try and recreate it, one that gives us great pause and insight on life and the universe.
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If anything, this particular conundrum is top of mind today because it served as the focal theme of this week’s episode of My Life Is Murder. For ‘All the Better to See You’ saw Alexa Crowe reunite with someone that once meant the world to her, in the strangest way imaginable… through a murder case. Because Alexa was asked by Harry to look at a very odd accidental murder. One that saw an actor named Tom… be stabbed on stage by a breakaway knife that didn’t breakaway, and well, what made Harry so concerned about this case… was the love triangle that it involved. For Tom was sleeping with his co-star and hadn’t left his wife of many years and that usually is cause for motive and concern and well, once Alexa started to investigate, the past came into play.

Because it turns out that Tom was married to an old friend of Alexa’s named Eleanor and well… these two went way back. For when they were neighbors as kids, they were straight up besties and despite the circumstances of their surprise reunion, both parties decided that it was high time to resurrect their friendship and find the joy they experienced all those years ago. Which at first, was a brilliant idea. Since it let Alexa cut loose and have a little fun for a change. But as the friendship continued to blossom once again, Alexa found herself concerned. In large part because Eleanor had a mean streak about her that she truly enjoyed reveling within and that… motivated Alexa to look at a little closer at her old friend. 

Which was a decision that sadly, brought forth all kinds of bad revelations. Because not only was Eleanor sleeping with one of the prime suspects of this case, a man named Jason, but it was also looking more and more as though she might be the killer and, in the end, it turns out she was. Because that mean streak, combined with a desire to be rid of her freeloading husband that she had fallen out of love with… prompted Eleanor to try and slowly kill him with Thalium and what’s amazing is her plan likely would have worked. But her love affair with Jason, ended up accelerating the process since he wanted to help her be free of that toxic relationship. Which means that Harry was right, a love affair was the key to solving this case, just not in the manner that everyone expected.

But what matters more here, is the lesson that Alexa and the audience were able to learn by way of this resurrected friendship. Because having Alexa and Eleanor cross paths in such a shocking manner, serves to remind us that the people we encounter along the way are designed to teach us a lesson in that moment, and that’s why they depart from our lives so quickly. And to try and recreate that moment or resurrect it, will only end badly since it can never be recaptured. Which is a poignant and powerful message to embed in a crime series, one that Alexa won’t forget anytime soon and well, this episode deserves a round of applause for shaking the story up in such a manner. Because this really was a story filled to the brim with epic twists and turns and it will be quite interesting to see what other surprises await us as season two of this magnificent series, continues along. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Eight of ‘What If…?’
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​It’s a question we all asked ourselves. The truth is Avengers: Age of Ultron felt more like a Week of Ultron really. Comic fans and those who saw the animated movie know that Hank Pym really creates the evil robot, but in the MCU it’s Tony who does. Not that we don’t appreciate that Tony was secretly the reason for every villain in the MCU, because we do. We just would have liked more variety. Either way, this last What If…? gave us a universe where Ultron won. The Avengers never created Vision, instead Ultron got his dream body and promptly released all the world’s Nukes, killing all humans. Well, all except 2. It seems Natasha and Clint managed to survive.
 
Did I cackle evilly when Clint’s made-up family died? Yes. Yes, I did. As long as they stick with his stupid family as a storyline, I will always hate them. The only ones left to save the world are Hawkeye and Black Widow and that’s the best team up, ever. They’re even better in the comics. They have been searching for a way to destroy the hive link and kill Ultron once and for all. This leads them on a daunting journey of killing drone after drone and searching for the one person who’s still able to help them. I don’t know when or how Clint got a robot arm, but you know, he does his best with it.
 
Their search leads them to a specific HYDRA base in Siberia. Just so happens that Zola wasn’t just stored in an old underground S.H.I.E.L.D. base in New Jersey. He was also stored where they kept the Winter Soldier. Also, for anyone who hasn’t read the comics, you all got to learn that Hawkeye’s middle name is Francis. And since the MCU has just completely ignored his entire character from the comics, they also erased his entire history, including his terrible childhood, and time in the circus where he learned to shoot. Mad props to having a Mew Maw though? Zola is willing to help them, but he needs to be in a drone in order to access the hive link and stop Ultron. This leads to Zola getting his own Ultron Drone Body, minus the legs, because you can’t be too careful.
 
The Drones aren’t entirely stupid, they swarm the Siberian base with abandon and that leads Natasha, Clint, and Zola on a chase reminiscent of the end of Civil War, with Cap and Bucky trying to escape Tony. I genuinely appreciated the array of trick arrows they showed Clint having and I loved this episode, just up until the end. Clint decides he’s tired of fighting and instead of staying and helping his best friend, he decides to un-alive himself with an explosive arrow, taking as many Drones with him as possible and buying Natasha and Zola more time to escape. Heroic? Eh. Coward ways out? Probably. Clint deserves better. Finally free of the base, Natasha demands Zola do what he promised to do and end this all now. The problem is, Zola can’t. Ultron is no longer within the known universe.

So where has Ultron been this entire time? Well, Thanos showed up, because for some reason no matter what is happening, Thanos always shows up at the end. Ultron slices him in half with the mind stone, proving that Vision could have done that the entire time, and takes the remaining 5 Infinity Stones. From there he learns that there are other worlds out there, so he goes and destroys them. One by one, they all fall. Even Ego. It’s on Xandar that Captain Marvel shows up and puts up a valiant fight, throwing everything she has at him.
 
Yet, it’s not enough and Ultron wins, killing her and destroying Xandar in the process. By now, The Watcher is too close. Ultron already picked up on him, but with all the Infinity Stones, he’s able to break free of his own universe and start killing others. The Watcher is forced to face Ultron and face him he does in an epic well balanced fight. Sadly, Ultron has the upper hand, and The Watcher is not quite able to beat him. The Watcher flees and ends up on one universe we were expecting him to at some point, the one with evil Dr. Strange. 
 
Is he finally going to break his oath?

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Seven of ‘Heels’.
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It is definitely safe to say, that season one of the STARZ series, Heels, has been nothing short of brilliant. For not only has this series done a phenomenal job of embedding us into the world of professional wrestling in a compelling and earnest manner, but it has also put on a masterclass in character-grounded storytelling. The kind that has also allowed for the audience to learn something along the way since our time with the members of the Duffy Wrestling League and their families has helped us to understand the importance of family, the need to be present in the moment and why we must keep fiction and reality separate and of course… we’ve also learned a lot about the importance of forgiveness. But what truly makes this inaugural season stand out above all else, is the show’s ability to continue to use all of those elements to hammer home its central theme; how difficult it is to chase one’s dream. 

Because all of those twists and turns relate back to the pursuit of our dreams since they show us how to stay grounded and well, now that we’ve learned how those all-important lessons work with our dreams… the time has come for this series to dive full bore into the most important parts of this particular chase. For last night’s episode dove headfirst into a supremely important aspect of the pursuit, by asking the characters a critically important question that we will too will eventually face in regard to all of this. In that, how far is one willing to go to obtain their dreams? And well, for the characters at least… it would seem the answer to that is; quite far. For ‘The Big Bad Fish Man’ saw three characters go the extra mile to get theirs and that led to a bevy of powerful moments and fascinating lessons and really the first journey that we need to discuss today is Crystal’s.

Simply because, for a few weeks now, she’s been on the outs with the DWL because of her decision to seize the moment in the ring. But this episode saw her go to great lengths to appease Jack and make her way back into the league because of her love of wrestling and what the DWL has done for her, to the point where she offered up a powerful personal apology to Jack and she even tried out, to wrestle in the state fair event. Simply to prove to herself and Jack and that this is her dream, and this is what she wants. And even when her apology fell on deaf ears and Jack opted to ignore her tryout, one that went quite well in fact, she still did everything for the league by taking the time to swing by Jack’s house to inform him that Ace was in trouble and about to make a poor decision. But before we dive into that, it really is important to recognize how this plotline makes it clear that when the dream infects our very being… we will indeed go the extra mile to grab hold of it.

In fact, we might even confront a dangerous roadblock to our dream in order to have it, and let that danger take us to scary places… as evidenced by Ace’s journey in this tale. Because he was so desperate to see the belt come into his hands and to see the league succeed, that he let his anger take over again when Charlie Gully decided to be Charlie Gully. Because Gully brought his boys down Duffy way to plaster all kinds of parody FWD posters on the walls of the Duffy Dome, in the hopes of rattling them to respond and obviously… it worked on Ace. Because he drove down to Jacksonville to see Charlie at Gully Manor. To teach him a physical lesson, one designed to keep him away from the DWL for all times. But what Ace wasn’t anticipating, was Charlie’s ability to talk himself out of any situation and influence people with his words and that led to the scary places in question.

Because despite his best efforts to resist Gully’s slick words, eventually Ace started to listen, especially when Charlie inspired Ace’s desire to be a champion and live his dream and well… that helped to remind us that our desperation to have everything we want, will cloud our judgement if the moment is right and motivate us to do the scary thing in question. Which in this instance, involved Ace turning his back on his brother and his extended family by agreeing to join Dystopia. A move that seemed unthinkable… but Charlie really did sell the wonder of cutting corners to get what we want, as evidenced by his admission to quickly get Ace the belt and screw Rooster over in the process. Which took Ace by surprise since it spoke to the fact that FWD was all for show and the belt meant nothing here, leaving him to wonder if this was the right decision after all.
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Which is apparently a matter that he will soon discuss with his brother. For Crystal’s warning about all of this motivated Jack to chase after his baby brother and bring about the final lesson of the night. In that, sometimes we pursue a grand dream for reasons that we don’t expect. Such as say, trying to prove someone wrong, which is exactly why Jack is so hell-bent on the DWL’s success. For this story also informed us of the fact that Tom ‘King’ Spade was big on talking down to his son and pouring cold water over all the hot ideas that are currently giving the league great success. And being challenged in this manner… ignited a fire within. One that gave Jack newfound direction in life and will eventually provide him with mental peace if by chance he can prove his old man wrong and make the Duffy Wrestling League a massive success.

Which is also why, like his brother, he will do whatever it takes to make that happen… regardless of who he hurts and who he manipulates to get there and well, that also made his journey, an exploration of the dark side of chasing our dreams. Since it was revealed at long last, that the boxes he delivered to that mysterious lady a few weeks ago, contained the Kleenex that was tossed at Ace in the ring. Which Jack purchased in the hopes of getting Ace to respond the right way by turning Heel and of course… he is actively putting the league ahead of his family, and that is causing strife at home. Since Thomas has been struggling and Staci was furious over both the Kleenex revelation and Jack’s bouncing to bring Ace home on a night of celebration… since she has been picked to sing at a different fair. But what was truly scary about Jack’s journey, is that he made it clear he will resort to violence if needed to get what he wants, as evidenced by the fact that he went into Charlie Gully’s ring and beat the crap out of ol' Chuck, to hammer home that there is a line that divides their two worlds and that Charlie should never cross it again.

If anything, this was just a powerful episode when all is said and done, simply because it really did offer up a fascinating exploration of how far people are willing to go to achieve their dreams. One that was honest and raw for certain. Since people really will stoop low and cut corners to get ahold of it when the draw is big enough and well, it will be quite interesting to see where these explorations take us next. For all of them are grounded in both positive and negative consequences, the kind that undoubtedly are about to come to a head in an epic manner. Because next week is it, the season finale of this incredible and moving and downright magnificent journey, and that is the best place to bring these surprises and character arcs home, and knowing that everything is about to come together, because this show leaves no stone unturned... is going to make the wait for next week’s episode, downright excruciating. For we simply have to know if these good people will get a taste of their dreams at last, or if their transgressions and mistakes will cost them dearly. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Eleven of ‘Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty’.
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It is definitely safe to say, that the world eagerly welcomes spring’s return. Because its arrival means that the miserable cold and ice that made up our world during the winter is going to melt away and visual miracles will follow that particular change. For now, the barren landscape will become quite green and lush again as the grass and leaves return, and even the cute little animals that disappeared when the cold arrived, return to the fold, since they are done with their respective hibernation and are ready to go about their lives and continue their line by taking a mate. If anything, we welcome spring because it really does offer up a sense of renewal, one so strong that it also motivates us to get moving and complete our own yearly goals.

But what we don’t consider, is that springtime isn’t exactly a wonderful time for all the creatures of the world. For some cute animals, are super small and dainty and springtime and the flourishing foliage around them, can cause more harm than good. Simply because it can disguise the world around them and make it difficult to hunt or find safety if a predator is nearby and well, that particular surprise is top of mind today, because it served as the focal issue for the meerkats of the Kalahari to deal with during last night’s episode of Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty. For when we catch up with the various families in this part of world in ‘Episode 11: Trouble in Paradise’, the rains have been steady for the past three months and tall grass is now everywhere, and these little cuties are struggling because of it. Because the problems previously outlined are upon them, and that led to some polarizing moment and decisions.

For instance, over in the Hakuna Matata burrow, panic was basically settling in. Because they simply couldn’t tell which way was up and what was happening around them. And not being able to understand if the environment was safe, really did let worry come to fruition and one day while Flint was out and attempting to hunt… that worry turned to the panic in question. For Finnick thought something bad was on the horizon and that the burrow was in jeopardy. So, he started to pull the kids out and just put them any old place in a desperate attempt to keep them safe. Which was… a supremely poor choice for certain since that made them as vulnerable as can be. But thankfully, Flint came back and calmed the situation down and made sure the pups were safe. But alas, this really did hammer home how scary and difficult life in the tall springtime grass can be for tiny critters. 

However, this episode wasn’t a total festival of nerves and panic. For it also took the time to inform us that these kinds of surprises will sometimes motivate a meerkat to be brave and change their situation to ensure long term safety and security, as evidenced by how Swift handled this situation. For rather than sit and wait and worry, she thought the best decision possible, was to pack up the family and find a better place with safer views. Which put the family on a perilous journey, one that eventually brought them back to the farm burrow, where it seemed the cows nearby would keep them safe. But alas, an aggressive snake made it clear this spot would be a poor choice… so they moved on once again and eventually found the water tank that served as home so long ago, giving them safety and security at last, courtesy of some high ground views and fortified walls.  
  
If anything, this was just another engaging chapter in this wonderfully fascinating journey. Simply because, once again… we were privy to moments and observations that you just don’t see in nature shows all that often. Because who knew that the tiny animals of the world dealt with these kinds of struggles? And that they respond to said struggles in such a polarizing manner? The kind that oddly enough, resemble some elements of the human world since we too tend to have a flight or fight response when we are in trouble. But giving us an unfettered look at a world we barely understand is just what this show does best and once again, we are left hungry for more. Because we simply have to know how the Hakuna Matata family will handle staying put in a world that limits their vision and how the Whiskers family will thrive… courtesy of their reclaimed fortress. Until next time.