One would think, that in this era of peak television and peak entertainment, that adaptations of classic stories would engender nothing but joy from the various fandoms of the world. But sadly, they simply do not. Largely because of the fact that adapting classic and sweeping stories often ends in mixed or disappointing results. Wherein the majesty and the spirit of the original story is lost or transformed into something vastly different. Something that is crowd pleasing, and/or watered down. Which is why every fan out there approaches the next adaptation of a classic with raised eyebrows and supreme skepticism, because they simply don’t have a clue what they are going to get. 
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Which means it is safe to say, that the same trepidation that surrounds other adaptations, was present in the minds of fans of Robert Jordan when Amazon announced that it was going to be assembling its own iteration of The Wheel of Time. Because there was the real risk that the folks behind the scenes could have used this opportunity to create a vastly different vision and world than Jordan originally assembled for this story. But at long last, the first three episodes of this screen version of this epic and sweeping story are now online and now we know what kind of adaptation we have on our hands and the good news is… that this is one worth celebrating. For this is nothing short of a genuine tribute to the world Robert created and well, since today is the release day of the first three episodes of this adaptation on Amazon Prime, we here at Nerds That Geek… thought it would be helpful to offer up a spoiler free recap of the first two chapters. 

The kind that quite frankly, celebrates what makes this adaptation so great instead of looking at the plot in depth, and well… the first thing that needs to be celebrated when it comes to ‘Leavetaking’ and ‘Shadow’s Waiting’ is the acting and the casting. Because let’s be honest, it is the actors that genuinely sell the moments we have been waiting to see created on screen and Amazon has stuck the landing when it comes to that. For everyone in the cast fits their role to a tee and plays their respective part with an honest and earnest performance that draws you into the story. But of course, there are two actors who steal the show acting wise; Rosamund Pike and Daniel Henney, who play Moiraine and Lan respectively and well… they simply embody these iconic characters through and through and add wonderful gravity and depth to the story. 

But of course, while it is nice to know that thought and effort went into the casting, there’s more that fans expect from a quality adaptation, especially one set in a fantastical realm. In that, it needs to feel real through and through and Amazon has accomplished that as well. Since the first two episodes do a wonderful job of recreating this iconic world, thanks to the fact that Amazon clearly spared no expense. Which does denote that love and care went into this series and that is also reinforced by the appearance of the Trollocs in these first two episodes, since they are flawless creations through and through, the kind that satisfy the fan in all of us since they are painfully realistic and horrifying. 
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However, what truly allows for this series to shine… is that it genuinely embodies the spirit of the books. Simply because this show immerses us in this world and uses every visual trope in the genre available to take us on a sweeping adventure and that is definitely welcome and enjoyable. Since it means the sense of adventure these novels and the fantasy genre creates in general, is present here in spades and of course… everywhere we venture to with the Two Rivers villagers and Moiraine and Lan, evokes the inner child within us, that young mind that wants to know and see everything and it also doesn’t hurt… that the story and the tension present within the books is present here as well. Since there are dangers untold in their quest and plenty of villains for them to face off against and really in the end, all of these elements work together to create a seamless and satisfying experience.

Because this is everything we want from an adaptation of a classic series of books and more, and truth be told, going the television series route was the right choice for this story. Since it makes every single episode, a chapter of this book in a way, the kind that quite frankly, leaves you starving for more and perhaps it is equally as brilliant that we will have to wait weekly to take part in more adventures in this world. Since now we will be waiting for Friday with bated breath to live a story that has had some kind of an impact upon us and we here at Nerds That Geek cannot wait to geek out further about this series with all of you, as season one of The Wheel of Time continues along. Until next time .

Please enjoy this sneak peek from the season two premiere of Power Book II: Ghost, which will air on STARZ on November 21, 2021, at 9 p.m. EST.
 
If the clip below doesn’t play, use this link.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season four premiere of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’.
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Kobayashi Maru actually means little wooden boat in Japanese, which is both fitting and unfitting when it comes to what that name means for Star Trek fans. The Kobayashi Maru is a test most cadets will face when in Starfleet, the whole point of this simulation is to learn to deal with failure. As we all know, the Kobayashi Maru is a no-win situation where the outcome always results in failure. Being a captain means making hard decisions and facing some hard truths along the way. No win scenarios are the literal baseline for life and this often happens in Starfleet. Making difficult calls is a captain’s job, but so is excepting them. Captain Michael Burnham is not one to accept no win scenarios as an option. Much like another infamous Captain, she is not one to just sit back and let things happen. Burnham is the type of Captain we’d all like to have on our side, smart, resourceful, and loyal to the point of self-sacrifice. Isn’t that what all captains should strive for? Burnham as the Captain of the Discovery is a very fitting combination.
 
This season starts off with a diplomatic mission gone awry. The Discovery has a lot of Dilithium to hand out to struggling planets and help regain the trust of allied planets with the fragile Federation. Only, the Federation isn’t exactly on the best of terms with some of these planets. Captain Burnham and Booker manage to avoid being shot as the natives’ attack, Burnham refusing to return fire in any capacity. After all, firing back would not broker peace, nor would it help regain trust in the Federation. When all is said and done, Captain Burnham has managed to not only save herself and Booker but also deliver the Dilithium and fix the satellites around the planet before getting back aboard the Discovery.
 
She’s a very hands-on Captain and we see that from the very start of the season. Michael isn’t one to really just sit back and let others do things for her. While her methods are unconventional, they certainly work as her crew is very loyal and tightly knit. With the olive branch extended to one planet, it’s time to head back to earth for the re-opening of Starfleet Academy. Burnham has the privilege of introducing the new President of the Federation, and that does not seem fun or anything she’s interested in. The politics of Starfleet are far from appealing, and Burnham makes it clear that she doesn’t approve. Booker on the other hand is more than happy to leave to his home planet of Kwejian for a family affair.

While introducing the new President, Starfleet receives a distress signal from a space station near Kwejian, of all places. Burnham and her crew are assigned to the rescue mission and the new President decides she wants to tag along. Burnham is even more displeased about this whole situation but has no choice. The station has been hit with something unknown and his spiraling violently around in space. Not only has it lost life support functions in most of the station, but its long-range communications and its main controls are down. Whatever hit the Station really threw it off its orbit. Burnham sends Tilly and Adira to help get the station back in working order. Nothing is every easy, though, and space debris is making everything harder. Just as they get some functions working, they’re knocked out again, and this time, they’ll have no choice but to evacuate as the Station is now being hit with tons of debris.
 
The Discovery positions itself in front of the stationary Station and puts her shields up to protect themselves and the Station. However, it’s the debris that’s causing some serious issues. they aren’t able to get the escape pods working. Adira can reprogram the pods to return to the station after they get to the Discovery, but first they need the debris cleared. Burnham is all too happy to do that, despite the President’s objections. Burnham disregards her and does it anyway. As she’s about to get the last of the debris cleared, her ship is destroyed. Again, Burnham is not the conventional Captain. She risks it all in just a space suit to get the job done. Which she does like the bad ass she truly is.
 
Adira did a great job, and everyone is able to be evacuated. Just as the last shuttle is boarding the Discovery, whatever hit the Station seems to hit the ship just as the shields finally fail. Meanwhile Kwejian is experiencing some strange phenomenon and Booker heads up in his shuttle to see what’s going on. Just as the strange anomaly hits. Booker’s shuttle makes it back to the Discovery on autopilot, only 9 of the 10 crew members aboard the Station survived, and the President doesn’t think Burnham is ready to captain a much bigger ship, like the ​Voyager. Burnham dismisses the President’s blatant underestimation of her in favor of seeing what’s happened with Booker. Booker is shaken, his ship damaged, and Kwejian? Well…it’s not where it had been. The planet has been thrown beyond its natural orbit, and worst of all? It’s… gone. Well, the planet is still there, but it’s a torn, tattered, flaming shadow of the once vibrant planet it was just moments ago. So, what’s really going on in this area of space? What force is big enough to move a planet with little trace left behind? Hopefully we find out soon.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 205 of ‘Big Sky’ .

​Inside Harvey’s house, Madison rushes to where Bridger is duct taped to a chair and demands Harvey remove the tape from his mouth, as he has asthma. Harvey is unmoved, telling Madison he was talking too much. Madison offers the location of the bags if he will remove the tape. Harvey cruelly rips the tape from Bridger’s mouth, finally freeing him to shout at Madison not to tell Harvey a thing. She tells Harvey the bags are in the woods, to which he responds by shoving the barrel of his gun under her chin and warning her that if she’s lying, both she and her brother are dead. Harvey leads a now terrified Madison out into the woods, leaving Bridger still bound to the chair.
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Watching from outside, Max and Harper seize on the opportunity to act, Harper will follow Madison and Harvey, and Max will rescue Bridger. Max crawls through a window to get inside, Bridger telling her that Harvey has Madison. Max assures him they know; Harper is on it. Max grabs a large knife from the kitchen to hack Bridger free, not nearly fast enough for his taste. Just as Max finally has him loose, a figure appears at the back door. Max and Bridger run from the room as Ren opens the door and enters, gun held in front of her in her black leather, glove clad hands. Calling out in a falsely cheery voice to inquire if anyone’s home, she scans the room and immediately notices the cut duct tape and knife by the chair. She begins to search the home, as Max and Bridger watch on from inside a first-floor closet. Bridger recognizes her as the strange woman he met at the crime scene where the bodies were found.

On the road leading up to Harvey’s place, Jenny and Cassie are still enduring an endless rain of bullets from Donno as they try to duck for cover inside the cab of the truck. Donno finally stops momentarily to move to higher ground, giving them a chance to escape the truck and take cover behind it. They wonder who tipped off Harvey as Jenny calls for backup.

From his new position, Donno resumes shooting at Jenny and Cassie relentlessly, until his cellphone rings. Donno takes cover to answer. Ren tells him she needs him at the house, he replies that it’s not a good time as they have company. Ren orders him to wrap it up and get to the house.

With another break in the gunfire, Jenny and Cassie debate their strategy. Cassie finally convinces Jenny to let her go first, as Jenny has already taken a bullet for Cassie. Guns drawn; they carefully leave the cover of the truck. They discover Donno’s many casings and continue to work their way toward the house.

Max and Bridger watch from inside the closet, with Bridger becoming increasingly anxious with each passing minute. Ren dials Harvey’s number, a phone lying just outside the closet door begins to ring and vibrate. Ren walks to the door of the closet, picks up the phone and clicks the ringer off, remarking to herself, “Isn’t that something?”

Outside in the woods, Madison and Harvey walk with Harper trailing behind them. Harvey is getting irritated and demands to know if Madison is lost. She assures him that the bags are just up ahead.
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Donno meets Ren outside of Harvey’s place. She tells Donno that both Harvey’s phone and his cruiser are at the house, so Harvey must be close. As they head into the woods to search for Harvey, Donno confirms to Ren that their vehicle is hidden.

Harvey is out of patience with Madison and angrily accuses her of lying, which she denies, as Harper observes them from a short distance. Harvey menaces Madison to immediately give him the bags. She knees him hard in the groin, catching him completely off guard, and tears away. Even more infuriated, he shoots after her and she cries out.

Harvey’s gunshots are heard by Ren and Donno, as well as Max and Bridger. They all head in the direction of the sounds. Harvey roars at Madison as he chases her, shooting again in her direction. She grabs a large stick and continues running but is becoming less and less sure in which direction to head. She pauses to take in her bearings, only to have Harvey appear right behind her and grab her.
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Harper leaps into view with one of the two bags and tells Harvey to let Madison go if he wants the other one. Harvey orders Harper to drop the bag or die, and Madison seizes the chance to whack him in the face with the stick. Max and Bridger arrive on the scene then, and as the four teens turn to run, Harvey fires a shot into the air then aims the gun at them. From out of nowhere, the man we know as “the creeper in the van” tackles Harvey from behind, knocking the gun from his hands and them both to the ground. They wrestle each other for the gun, Harvey managing to stab the creeper twice before we hear a gunshot. Harvey is dead and the other man seems badly injured. The teens stand there stunned. He yells at them to run, and they all immediately comply, except for Harper who pauses long enough to look into his eyes before following after her friends.

When Ren and Donno discover Harvey’s body, the other man is nowhere to be seen. Wondering who beat them to the punch, Ren muses that while the situation is messy, it’s at least not their mess. While they stand there, they hear approaching sirens and jet from the scene.

Police sirens blare onto the scene as Sheriff Tubbs and his calvary arrive to find Jenny’s shot out truck and tons of casings. Tubbs orders them to find Jenny straight away.

Some time later, Jenny angrily confronts Tubbs over him handing the case involving Harvey over to the state police. He is still disgusted that she ignored his orders and went to Harvey’s without his permission. They continue arguing, and, not really resolving anything, Jenny storms from his office.

​Cassie, Jerrie, and Denise are discussing Harvey’s murder and Tonya’s kidnapping in the office of Dewell and Hoyt when an old man comes in, looking for Jerrie Kennedy. It is Jerrie’s estranged father, and it is obvious that she is none too thrilled to see him.

Tonya goes to see Ren and Donno at their trailer on the construction site. Donno is still incensed about his now infected leg wound. Ren reminds her she was already supposed to be long gone, but Tonya has other plans. She offers to be a familiar face of their operation to help ease the suspicions, as the locals don’t trust outsiders. Donno finds this ludicrous, but Ren is intrigued and tells Tonya she does have something in mind.

We find Ronald and Wolf seated in his living room drinking tea. Ronald refuses to be hypnotized, but Wolf reminds him that cooperation would get him one step closer to his reward of sweet cereal. The look on Ronald’s face relaxes into a goofy smile, and he suddenly realizes that he feels funny. He demands an explanation, and Wolf tells Ron that he gave him some of Agatha’s special tea, as he has no actual knowledge of hypnotism. Ronald sinks into an altered state and begins to have visions of his mother at the prodding of Wolf. Ronald struggles through his memories, seeing all of his mother’s atrocious behavior towards him. He kept her secret, he cries. Wolf implores him to share the secret. Ronald watched his mother kill his father, he confesses to Wolf’s shock and delight.

Bridger is adamant that they get rid of the bags of drugs and money immediately. Max reminds them that going to the cops isn’t an option, as Harvey may not be the only dirty cop on the payroll and simply chucking the stuff won’t stop people from continuing to look for them. Madison naively thinks there isn’t anyone else who knows about their involvement. Incredulous, Bridger reminds them about the weird woman and the creeper that both know. Harper indignantly demands that they stop calling him “the creeper” as he saved their lives, and she thinks he might even be trying to protect them. Bridger returns their attention to the problem of the bags. He wants it all to end now. Max agrees but thinks they should try to get the bags to the woman they saw at Harvey’s. At this moment, Madison phone rings with a call from the number for Harvey’s phone. Bridger snatches the phone from her hand and smashes it so hopefully she can’t track them. Harper implores them that they need to stick together as a team, the girls agree immediately, Bridger reluctantly.

Back at Dewell and Hoyt, Denise has just learned that Tonya has quit her job without notice and shares the news with Cassie. Cassie questions how she could afford this, wondering if someone put her up to it. Cassie wants to figure out where Tonya is staying now, as her building manager told them she is staying with a friend for now.

Jerrie goes to visit Mark Lindor at his office. He assumes she’s come about the case but quickly realizes that it’s something far more personal. Jerrie tells him that she’s just learned today that her mother is dying and doesn’t know what to do. He asks if she wants to see her mother, she has mixed feelings. They had been close when she was young, but they haven’t spoken since her mother kicked her out of their home when she came out. She had decided she wanted to see her family while she was being held by Ronald, but never did. Mark tells her that he does know about closure, and that if she doesn’t have the conversation for real, she’ll be having it in her head for the rest of her life. He reminds Jerrie that if she does go home, she’ll be doing it for herself, not for her mother.

That night, the women of Dewell and Hoyt gather in the bar to say goodbye to Jerrie. She assures them she’ll be back. Cassie and Jenny hug Jerrie warmly, and Denise walks her out. Jenny and Cassie go to the bar for another shot of tequila.

After what he considers a successful day, Wolf calls a woman named Leanne who one would guess is his editor. She hangs up on him shortly, Wolf claims it’s a bad connection. Agatha, who has been listening to the call, tells him not to worry. She asks about Ronald and the big break through Wolf had with him today. Wolf tells her they’ve gotten to the root of Ronald’s trauma, but Agatha is still skeptical that Wolf can convince Ronald to turn himself in to the authorities. Wolf has absolute confidence he will be able to get Ronald to give a full confession and clear the Legarski name once and for all.

Max’s mom is in the kitchen when Max creeps in to see her late at night. Her mom knows something is bothering Max, but she’s sure they can work it out together. Max doesn’t believe it but is too concerned to keep this secret to herself any longer. Swearing her mom to complete secrecy, Max begins to confess everything.

Ren speaks to her brother Jag over facetime. He doesn’t think she’s handling things; she reminds him they have far more to lose if she starts a war. Jag wants the people who stole from them wiped out and made an example of, but Ren has other plans, and she tells him she knows what she’s doing.

Jenny and Cassie are still sitting at the bar when Deitrich comes in. Jenny recognizes him from his mugshot. He goes out the back, and against Cassie’s better judgment, Jenny and Cassie follow behind him, but not without being spotted by Deitrich’s lackey. Jenny and Cassie watch from a distance as Deitrich discusses drugs outside a van filled with guns. They are confronted by Deitrich’s lackey, but Jenny quickly drops him. Deitrich appears then, ordering his lackey, Smiley, back to his feet. Smiley takes the opportunity to belt Jenny across the midsection, but Cassie grabs the gun from his belt. Things stop as she takes aim with the gun, but Deitrich tells her that’s a bad idea. “A very bad idea,” say another man. There’s Travis, gun trained on Cassie. His eyes seem cold as he exchanges a look with Jenny. Deitrich demands to know why they’re following him. Travis reveals nonchalantly that they are cops.

We live in quite the amazing world. Because everything we want is right at our fingertips. If it is material goods you’re looking for, you can have those on a moment’s notice via an app or trip to the store. If it is friends or love you seek, apps and social media can help you find ‘the one’ or people that share in your interests and click with your personality. And if it is information and education you want, Google and the compendium of human knowledge is right there whenever you choose. But what truly makes these accomplishments so amazing and fascinating, is that despite our ability to claim whatever we want whenever we want. We still want more. We still want all the things and power and control over others to boot and well… it turns out that there are some supremely simple reasons as to why that is the case, and they were explored in detail in the next episode of Power Book II: Ghost.
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Which made ‘Sex Week’ quite the unique and intriguing tale. Because it took the time to inform us that for some, our lust for power is all driven by standing and ego, as evidenced by the power struggle that Davis MacLean and Cooper Saxe indulged in. Since the opportunity to be seen as a hero of the Democratic Party, motivated Saxe to bring a hostile witness to the stand, one that he manipulated masterfully to make Tasha look bad and make him look like a genius hero. That is before Davis’ ego forced him to step in and set things right to preserve the deal between the two of them and the win he craved, and well, their combined journey made it clear that it is going to be a long time before we see this particular problem disappear from the face of the Earth since the need for recognition and stature runs strong in the modern world. 

However, our need for power and control isn’t always grounded in selfish notions. Take Tariq’s journey for instance. Since he was forced in this tale to take action in regard to Riley, when it became apparent, she was Saxe’s niece. For that clued him into the reality that she could leak information to the US Attorney’s office if the opportunity was right, especially since her uncle is an opportunist. Which motivated Tariq to expose her to Brayden. All so that he could keep the business running smoothly and to keep any and all heat away from them. Making it clear that sometimes we need to exert control and power to keep the peace and keep our way of life going and thankfully his plans worked. Since Brayden eventually tossed Riley to the curb, with an assist from Trace as well, giving Tariq the peace, he so desperately sought.

But while there were indeed plenty of juicy lessons to be found in this tale, this episode still found exciting ways to advance several of the plot threads that have been festering in the background. Since Carrie and Professor Reynolds’ troubled past came to a head when he expressed creepy concerns about her personal life. Plus, the problems brewing in the Tejada family are inching closer toward an explosion. Since Cane and his loose cannon ways nearly got his mother in physical trouble when a deal for product went south. And while Monet was okay with her son returning home, it’s obvious that she is aware that he needs to be taught a proper lesson. The kind that will help him to understand that he needs to choose between the business or his own personal interests and sadly, that kind of lesson might be what leads to an explosion of sorts, since Cane is so caught up in his mind that anything anyone has to say that doesn’t align with his vision is seen as a fierce attack.
 
In the end, this was simply a fascinating tale. One that did a wonderful job of exploring the human condition in a smooth and subtle manner. Because if one approached this episode without an ounce of thought, this one would just seem like a day in the life of Tariq St. Patrick, and that just lends to the brilliance of this series. Since it demonstrates the versatility of the storytelling and well… now that we’ve reached the end of this fascinating look at our thirst for power, we can turn our attention toward the dark clouds on the horizon. Because this new plan that Cooper and Davis are working toward, cannot be good in the slightest. Especially since Epiphany Turner has been actively selling drugs for Tariq and it should be interesting to see exactly how Cooper and Davis plan to use her in their efforts to put Tariq behind bars and whether or not Tariq will figure out that dark forces are working against him behind the scenes before it is too late. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘Anna’.
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It has often been said that the children are our future, and it makes sense as to why. For they truly are the next generation and with the proper guidance and education, they should go forth as adults and change the world for the better, and that is one big reason why we protect them and nurture them. But we also do so… because we harbor great fears about what children can become without guidance. For time and time again, we’ve met people that clearly didn’t receive the right guidance and grow up to be broken and/or unsavory, and we fear this outcome so badly… that sometimes what children could become without the protection of adults, is explored in great detail in fiction.

For there we can truly understand the horrors that come about when the innocent are given no guidance, and we can use that story as a cautionary tale, and it just so happens that there is a brand-new series on AMC+ that explores just that, in the most unique way imaginable. For Anna is a series that introduces us to a young girl that shares the namesake of the series and when we catch up with Anna and her little stepbrother Astor in ‘The Woods Protect Us’, we come to learn that they are in quite the precarious place. Because this duo is on their own and living in the woods, for their parents have died and… so has most of the world's population. For a few years back a powerful and potent virus known as the ‘Red Fever’ swept across the globe and wiped out all the adults, leaving children to fend for themselves and well… it doesn’t take long for the story to show us, that a world without adults would be disastrous for the children left behind.

Because the children we meet here for the most part, are simply roving about with no purpose or direction outside of finding food and a warm place to sleep for the night. And to make matters worse… some have become outright feral. As evidenced by an intense and harrowing sequence wherein Anna and an acquaintance named Pietro, have to do their best to escape this roving and violent band of little monsters. Who simply beat anyone they see with any available object for reasons unknown and all of these elements simply plunge us into a harrowing world. One where it is indeed survival of the fittest for these children and it is both sobering and horrifying to see young kids fighting one another for scraps or a juice box. 

Yet what’s truly impressive, is that the bleakness doesn’t end with those elements. For there is a dark cloud hanging over the future of these intrepid survivors. In that, the virus is in their blood and inactive at the moment. But the instant they hit puberty, the Red Fever will surge through them, killing them as well. Which makes this story appear to be quite hopeless in nature, since mankind will eventually die out once the surviving children of the world reach puberty. Leaving one to wonder what the point would be to set up a story that bleak and devastating and well, truth be told… that answer is nowhere to be found in this opening tale. For this is the setup, the story that introduces us to this world and our intrepid characters and not offering answers here… compels one to continue the journey.

Simply so we can see, if this is indeed an experiment in hopelessness or if the story will give young Anna and Astor purpose outside of mere survival. Such as having something to fight for or finding an understanding of what they should do with their limited time on this Earth and both of those options would make for some quality storytelling. After all, what kind of cause would a pre-teen or child rally behind? For that matter… what kind of value would they find in facing the end? And truly, it will be quite fascinating to see what direction this story takes in the weeks to come, and what the ending of this episode signifies… and all we have to do, to indulge our curiosity, is patiently wait for a week, for this fascinating new series to return. Until then.     

​Please enjoy a sneak peek of the season two of The Morning Show, streaming exclusively tomorrow, on AppleTV+.

There are a great many elements that go into making a television show with an ensemble cast, a success. First and foremost, the characters must be both compelling and dynamic, so that the audience identifies with several of them and are eager to see what kind of journey they go upon. Speaking of that journey, that too is paramount to success because if there is little growth or few challenges for them to partake in, the audience will get bored. But above all else, the most important aspect to making a show in this vein a success, is that every single character receives the proper amount of screen time. Because none of those other elements work without them getting their day in the sun and it just so happens, that the next episode of Power Book II: Ghost, takes the time to thrust some of the show’s secondary characters into the spotlight.
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A feat that ‘Good vs Evil’ accomplishes by putting Tariq St. Patrick and his struggles on the back burner for a little bit and that surprisingly makes for quite the compelling tale. Since it helps for us to learn a lot about Brayden and his spoiled brother Trace, alongside a great deal about the Tejada kids and well… this exploration was made possible, by way of a loose cannon moment for Cane. For he felt disrespected by Monet’s decision to teach Dru and Diana more about the business and in the midst of his frustrations, Cane swung by Stansfield to pick up the weekly cash drop and instead ran into Brayden and his idiot brother Trace. And that encounter informed Cane that Tariq had warned Brayden about Cane and that uncomfortable revelation, motivated him to have a little fun with the Weston boys.

The kind that involved having them deal drugs on the corner to exert a little power and that almost ended in disaster since Trace got jumped and Ramirez had to step in get Cane to quit with this little power trip and that only infuriated him more, since he eventually struck his own mother. An action that led to a beatdown from his father and really, in the end, all this storyline taught us… is that Cane isn’t in the right state of mind and is trouble for sure and it will be interesting to see what becomes of him in episodes to come, now that he’s been badly disrespected by his family. In his mind. And oddly enough, his story served as the perfect counterbalance to his siblings. Since Dru and Diana enjoyed a more low-key journey in this tale. One that let us know that Dru really has no stomach for this business since he’s a lover and an artist through and through. But his sister… well she has the chops, since she got straight answers out of Tariq and exposed his scheme to Monet. 

But while it was fascinating to learn about the Tejada family and discover that Brayden also has the chops to genuinely handle himself in this business, we would be remiss to not talk about Riley’s journey in this story. Because we also came to learn that being empowered to help out her uncle, regardless of her shady actions… has given her a new perspective on life and a renewed focus. One that has her hellbent on taking down and/or exposing Tariq. Which is why she dedicated her time in this tale to stalking him in his own dorm room, in the hopes of garnering more evidence that her uncle can use and she appears to have been successful in her mission. Since she got a picture of a text message on his burner phone and well, this too informs us of where Riley is at right now and how much of a thrill, she’s getting out of a dangerous game she doesn’t understand.

In the end however, this really was quite the engaging episode. One that really did do a wonderful job of properly showcasing this incredible cast while giving them a chance to grow and partake in new experiences, both good and bad. Plus, it still found a way to advance the plot since Cooper and Davis MacLean initiated their plan to bring Tariq down in the smoothest of fashion and what’s truly incredible, is that everything that happened here, will likely carry over into future episodes. Since there has to be consequences for Cane and Riley’s actions and of course, Tariq needs to be ready to fight hard against whatever Saxe and MacLean has planned for him and well, once again… all this episode does is compel us to continue a powerful journey that is clearly heating up and leading toward something big. Until next time.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Twelve of ‘Leverage: Redemption’.

​Over the course of the past eleven episodes, Leverage: Redemption, has done a phenomenal job of spotlighting a great many of the modern injustices people currently struggle with in the real world. For we’ve been exposed to the horrors of corporate greed, and how some members of big pharma are about profits over people. Plus, we’ve also been able to enjoy stories that remind us of the wonder of just being decent to one another, since Team Leverage has taken the time to go above and beyond for people that don’t fit their operational profile, simply because helping them is the right thing to do and taking the time to make someone’s life better, pays off in more ways than we can ever imagine. 

But, the show has yet to really examine some of the world’s worst monsters. Those inhuman pieces of trash that see their fellow man as a commodity or a product and it makes sense as to why the series has held back from looking at people like that. Because what they do is as terrifying as can be, and it really is uncomfortable to learn more about their actions and how they prey upon the innocent. But as it turns out, the show wasn’t trying to hide away from monsters of that sort, it was looking for the right opportunity to put their gross actions in the limelight. Specifically, when the audience was so hungry for justice, it would be fine with seeing the team go after such pieces of garbage and well… after eleven episodes full of infuriating moments of injustice, the show's next episode served as the perfect moment to spotlight the worst of the worst

A feat that the ‘The Golf Job’ accomplishes, by having Harry and Eliot and Eliot’s old friend, Jack Hurley, be thrust into a case involving human trafficking, unexpectedly and without support (since the rest of the team had other Leverage stuffs to do), when they ran into an outright monster named Carl on the back nine. Since they quickly figured out that Carl was big on moving people as product and our trio was so incensed and disgusted by learning about what Carl did for a living… that they immediately went above and beyond to catch him so that the people he was buying and selling could go free and so that he could spend the rest of his life in jail, and that led to some moving and inspiring sequences. Wherein we saw Harry and Eliot move outside of their usual comfort zones to bring this guy to justice and thankfully, they did, before more trafficked people were sold into Carl’s ‘corporation’.

But what matters more about this plot and this quest to bring Carl down, is that it really did do a fine job of spotlighting a topic that we don’t talk about all that often. Because human trafficking sadly is a thing in 2021 and what makes it taboo and uncomfortable to discuss… is that people really don’t think it is a possibility in this modern world. But this episode goes to show that this is indeed a problem. one that has been allowed to thrive for far too long because of its outlandish nature and this collective desire to believe it is an impossibility. So this episode really does deserve a round of applause for showcasing a real-world problem that makes everyone uncomfortable to think about, and for also offering up a potential solution to this problem. Since this episode exposed the reality that this kind of work takes a team of twisted individuals to accomplish.

Which means that having law enforcement really work that angle and go after every single associate involved in such a heinous crime, would not only bring down a network of traffickers but hopefully help expose a few others or put the fear of incarceration into the rest of them to stop this now. Which might be an imperfect answer, but it is a start, and that attempt to try and fix something this awful, once again speaks to the wonder of this show and this episode. One that also made sure to keep things light by way of Harry and Eliot and Jack’s comedic moments on the green and in between and it was also refreshing to see Harry make a grand effort to redeem himself here, since he has been eager to do more of that since day one and well, now that this fascinating and bold tale has come to a close, it will be interesting to see what other brave storylines this series has lined up as we begin to wrap up the  season. Until next time.

Normally, our 18th birthday is quite the important day in our lives. For it signals our official ascension into adulthood and crossing that threshold means a great deal for us. Because this is the moment when we venture out into the world and start the work to carve out our own path for success and hopefully leave a lasting impact upon society along the way and of course… it’s also meant to be a time filled with fun. Because you only turn 18 once and you might as well enjoy the moment. But while the vast majority of us, relish in what lies ahead and party hearty on the big day, this isn’t how turning 18 goes for everyone. Because for some, this day is just another day because they’ve already been forced to step up and play adult, or it turns out to be a sour day… because their life is mired in strife… as evidenced by the next episode of Power Book II: Ghost.
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For when we catch up with Tariq in ‘The Gift of the Maji’, he’s preparing to turn 18 and well… that’s no big deal for him. Mainly because, he’s been an adult for a while now mentally, thanks to the life he’s led and that means for Tariq, life is business as usual and boy, does he have a lot of business to conduct in this particular tale and more. Since this big day does end up becoming quite sour in nature. Thanks to the fact that Davis’ plan to get Tameika to testify against Cooper Saxe, is likely going to get him in trouble. Since that would reveal that he was at Truth as well and was of course, the shooter. Which in turn motivates him to go to some dark places to try and talk Tameika out of taking the stand, a task at which he outright fails at.

Plus, he also has to deal with pressure from Monet and Saxe as well. Since she is eager to test his loyalty and see if he really is part of the family and ready to handle the big tasks that the drug trade will bring forth and Cooper… he wants dirt and he wants it bad and that led to a supremely unnerving sequence at a birthday party for Tariq that Brayden put together. Since it brought all those pressures under one roof, since the Tejada family swung by to keep an eye on Tariq and to try to test his loyalties and that definitely frustrated him to no end. To top it off, Riley drugged him and tried to get as much as possible from him for her uncle and those stresses and having some powerful drugs surge through his system… motivated Tariq to go and be alone for the remainder of his birthday and that too… brought forth trouble.

Since one of his destinations was the cemetery, to see his fallen sister and his father and while he was there, he poured his heart and sorrow out to both of them and spoke to why he shot his father. Which is something that Saxe recorded to garner a little dirt on Tariq and that paid off for sure. Since Davis was eager to strike a deal with Cooper to get this whole thing to go away and well, being presented with the truth and realizing how this could work to his advantage… motivated a different kind of unholy union to come into play. One where Davis would get his win and where Saxe would put away a killer and well… in the end, Tariq received two gifts on his birthday. One was a warm welcome from Monet since he did pass her tests and the other… was additional trouble. The kind that might change his life forever.

If anything, this was just a fascinating episode through and through. One that really showed us how hard life has been for Tariq and how much his father’s actions have forced him to grow up. Making him something of a tragic character for certain, one that continues to yearn for redemption and peace but seems unwilling to grasp it and well, it will be quite interesting to discover what Tariq actually wants out of life as this season rolls on since he really has no problem waffling between nobility and darkness. But while we wait to see his true direction, we can bask in one powerful tale. One that informed us that Tariq’s world is messy and that trouble is brewing on the horizon. For now, two powerful lawyers are working together to get theirs and it will take some serious maneuvering on Tariq’s part to avoid this devastating trap. Until next time.