Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Dangerous Liaisons’. To revisit the previous episode, click here. 
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One particular lesson that comes up often in television regarding the power of revenge and our desire to indulge within it, is that it will devastate us and leave us in a damaged and dark place when the act is complete. Which is hammered home in the story, by having us bear witness to the downfall of those who partake in revenge, giving rise to an impactful way to hammer that lesson home. But while that is indeed probably the most direct way to make it clear that revenge is bad for us and will indeed damage our lives in some form or fashion… it’s a bit a blunt in nature and doesn’t truly explore the nuances of revenge and how it truly corrupts one’s soul.
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For revenge really isn’t a one and done act, not unless the payback is as petty as the act that engendered it. Like anything else, it is a process, one mired in obsession and a fury that can never be satisfied. All because the person that indulges within it is hurt so deeply, imparting never-ending pain is the only way they can seemingly find peace. And THAT, is where it poisons us and THAT is how it corrupts a soul, since it eventually consumes one completely, where escape and satisfaction from its clutches are seemingly impossible. If anything, those particulars regarding revenge are top of mind today, simply because they and that process were put on full display in the next episode of Dangerous Liaisons on STARZ.

A feat that ‘Even God Does Not Forgive’ accomplished, by informing us of the fact… that Camille was not satisfied with her revenge in the slightest. Which was fascinating to say the least, since she did in fact, pummel Valmont into utter submission, and left him destitute and roaming from tryst to tryst once again, without the feelings that she produced within his heart. But her need to feel complete justice, likely stemming from the other pain and abandonment she’s suffered in life, prompted her to continue her revenge. To properly make him hurt and feel the desperation and longing and need he made her feel and that… was why she summoned him to her new estate. To provide him with a stunning and unwholesome new challenge.

In that, if he could woo a powerful and influential new lover and receive a declaration of that love in writing… in the name of her desires, he would prove himself worthy of her love and worthy of her time. Ergo… he could finally have her completely. Which was a challenge Valmont was quick to accept and quick to learn was indeed… revenge buried beneath a hollow pursuit. For his target was so very Godly in nature and not easily tempted by pleasures of the flesh or the heart as his other marks. Which led him down a tough path in this tale, one that he tried to walk away from. Only to have Camille egg him on further with more promises of their toxic love. Which in turn, pushed Valmont after all to try a new approach to bedding and loving his new mark, which showed promise. 
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All of which made it clear how revenge is a progressive disease if you will. One that infects both body and mind and clouds judgment through obsession and eventually brings one to their knees with consumption. Not to mention, making it top of mind can also narrow one’s vision and make them oblivious of real issues surrounding them, as evidenced by the surprise that slammed into Camille in this tale. Since Jean made a point to bring his late wife’s cousin to the estate, to try and trip Camille up in the lie. Which forced her to think fast and absorb every bit of information she could to maintain the illusion surrounding her and fend off the challenge. Which she did indeed do. 

But that also goes to show, how fragile we become when revenge is our only focus and had it not been for her support network within the house, the plan might have worked. In the end however, this was just… a brilliant tale when all is said and done. Since it dug deeper than the standard story regarding revenge, and truly informed us of how it works and how it slowly brings us to our knees, and a round of applause to this series for showing us how a toxic relationship can inspire such notions and for quietly teaching us… to not be like Camille and Valmont and move on when things end. Since to do otherwise can cause great trouble. The likes of which we haven’t even seen yet but undoubtedly will, as this battle of attrition continues to intensify as season one angrily rolls along. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Mood’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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We like to believe when we are young, that we are going to conquer the world when our opportunity arises to make our mark. For we are told in our youth that we can achieve anything we put our minds to, so we keep our endgame in mind when we set out into the world and fully prepare to reach it in record time. Only to discover, that life is a touch more complex than that, and that conquering the world is no easy task, nor is getting toward our goals. Because the world throws a lot of curveballs our ways and it also finds ways to distract us or disappoint us on the road to our ultimate goal, especially when we want it so badly that we are genuinely willing to do anything to get it.
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Because that sometimes motivates us to take the quick and easy path toward the endgame or make morally questionable decisions to achieve those all-important goals when that presents itself to us and well… those particular problems are top of mind today, simply because they are precisely the issues that Sasha encountered in the next episode of Mood on BBC America. For when we caught up with her in ‘Hannibal’, she was finding her groove as an online model and working to maintain balance within that life so she wouldn’t make any compromises morally that would damage her emotionally or mentally and well… that choice put her on quite the solid path. Where she did indeed seem to have everything, she wanted, and more quite frankly.

For she also was able to begin to hang out with other influencers via Carly, and in doing so… get a taste of the viral life and what it means to be seen. Not to mention, she finally got her hands on some studio time and that… was intoxicating. Because she was finally working on her music and her craft, and the feeling that gave her was beyond joyous and well… that swept her up into the moment and motivated her to do whatever must be done to get back in the studio and enjoy the power it provided her with. Which in turn prompted her to be influenced by Carly in a negative manner. Simply because Carly offered her a cool grand to help her keep rich men company at a swanky party, and well… Sasha was down. Simply because that would be the easiest grand, she ever made, and she got to shine.

Because there was a chance to sing at this party and feel that vibe again and well… that pushed her to the edge. Because she knew she needed money to get what she needed, to feel that rush and feel at home again and well, when presented with the chance to make a few thousand more by crossing the line and becoming a full-on sex worker for these same rich men… she took it. After all, in that moment… it was obvious that Sasha figured that such an act would be brief and fleeting and insignificant, and it hadn’t hurt Carly, so it certainly wouldn’t hurt her. But alas, the payday clearly didn’t make the ‘work’ any easier for Sasha and she was left beside herself in this tale and stunned at her own actions and how easily she agreed to it… all in the name of the dream. 

A move that truly hammered home how the chaos of the world and life and desperation in the right moment, can push us to do things we never thought we would do, in the name of an endgame that we hope will somehow heal us. Making this another powerful and poignant chapter in Sasha’s journey, one that more or less explored and exposed a dark side to hustle culture and the pursuit of the dream, since she took an easy way out… that is going to have a great impact upon her. One that could lead to more trouble and potentially more emotional pain or could lead her out of the darkness since this will be a decision that has the potential to elicit change. Either way, it will be fascinating to see what path Sasha takes next after crossing this incredible line, in the weeks to come. Until next time.

For the most part, action and thriller stories that feature a noble hero that is out of their standard element and taking part in a uniquely grand fight without the support of their team or their government, follow some pretty standard formulas. For instance, if the hero has lost someone close to them, or someone they admire, then their mission is one of revenge. The kind that can only be fulfilled with a grandiose villain being brought down in the third act. Or their fight is grounded in some notion of honor, one that likely stems from a grave injustice in the world that only they can right in this life. For they are perfectly trained from a fighting and moral perspective to teach the audience about what it means to stand tall in the face of evil.
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All of which makes for some supremely entertaining and engaging stories. The kind that we the audience absolutely flock to and enjoy, because those are fine concepts to fight for and they satisfy and leave us walking away from the theater or toward the kitchen with a smile on our faces. For good, conquered evil, and that’s always a wonderful thing. But it does beg quite the important series of questions. In that… with these formulas being so popular and so embraced by the masses, is it possible to bring a vastly different kind of action/thriller to life? One that could potentially question the nature of violence in our modern world and feature an intimate concept to inspire the hero or heroes to fight? Well as it turns out, Apple TV+ is about to answer those questions in the affirmative, courtesy of a brand-new series on the network, Echo 3.

Which premieres on Apple TV+ on Wednesday, November 23, 2022, and well… it pulls such feats off, by first… offering up a plot unlike any other out there when it comes to this genre. For in this story, we are introduced to three important people. There’s Prince and Bambi, a pair of special forces soldiers that are tied together by way of Amber. Who just so happens to be Bambi’s sister and is madly in love with Prince, and well, she’s so important to both of them, that when she goes missing on a research project in Colombia, both men drop everything to find her. Which really is quite the refreshing plot. One devoid of notions of fury and revenge, or honor. It’s love that drives them to do the right thing, and it’s the value of a life that forces them to put their daily lives aside to ensure Amber’s safety. 

But while that alone could have carried this series from beginning to end, there’s so much more to explore within this series. For this is a tale that dives deep into discussions upon the finer points of war, and combat, and how perhaps our perceptions of that have been skewed and romanticized through popular culture. Which is downright unheard of regarding stories in this genre, since they do tend to glorify such matters. Giving rise to an intelligent and meaningful series that sucks you in courtesy of that plot, its commentary and the many surprises it harbors along the way, alongside some utterly magnificent and powerful performances. For Michiel Huisman (Prince), Luke Evans (Bambi), and Jessica Ann Collins (Amber) simply bring their A-game to the table in this story and sell every powerful moment. 

Of which there are many, and you’ve likely noticed that we’ve kept the spoilers and details light here and there is good reason for that. For this is an experience, one that Showrunner and Writer Mark Boal has masterfully crafted, unlike any other and spoiling that would be cruel and foolish. Especially when we are days away from the premiere of this series and we here at NTG cannot wait for you to see it and geek out with us about it as the season continues along, and we also hope you check back with us for our recaps and more of our pre-release coverage of the show, since we have an interview with Michiel Huisman, Luke Evans, and Jessica Ann Collins to share with all of you. But while you wait for all of that, we hope this preview and the treats below, will be enough to tide you over until the premiere of Echo 3 on Apple TV+.

As an added bonus, here are photos from the ‘Echo 3’ World Premiere and some clips for all of you to enjoy as we count down to the series premiere.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘Criss Angel’s Magic with the Stars’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Thus far, our journey through the world of magic via The CW series, Criss Angel’s Magic With the Stars, has provided us with some fascinating lessons about becoming a magician. For instance, we now know that showmanship is a priority for anyone that wants to get into the industry, and you better be ready to work outside of your comfort zone and push yourself often to connect with the crowd and be noticed. Which has led to some fascinating moments on this series, the kind that have seen every competitor for the Golden Wand, grow before our eyes and learn how to work a crowd. Making it clear that no one can just walk out on stage and wow people from the get-go because of the work that goes into this.
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Or so… it seemed. For this week’s episode of the show, ‘100 Foot Rope Escape’, informed us that once in a while… true showmanship can bleed through as evidenced by how Super Bowl Champion Vernon Davis and Music Legend Flavor Flav handled their time on the show. Because they both came out and WOWED the crowd. For Vernon used his athleticism to move about during the Double Cutting Illusion and he made sure to turn on the charm while doing so. Which got the audience going and impressed the judges, and Flav… was ready to match that energy as only he can and totally drove the crowd into a frenzy with his Levitation Illusion, one that included a dog and well… the close scores and cheering made something clear.

In that, we had a pair of natural showmen on the stage and tonight they were going to up the game and get this crowd into it. Which they continued to do during the Close-Up Challenge. Since Vernon was all about that charm once again as he demonstrated his fun side with a delightful and curiosity inducing card trick and Flav… wasted no time in using his natural charisma to just engage everyone during his illusion. Which immediately drew everyone in and brought laughter forth left and right and these two natural performers once again did such a great job with their illusions and that all-important showmanship… that the score was still ridiculously close as we headed into the final round, one that would test these two like never before.

Because for the Grand Illusion of the night, Vernon and Flavor Flav were going to take part in Houdini’s 100 Foot Rope Escape. Wherein the magician is indeed tied up with 100 feet of rope, tightly, and has to find a way to quickly unravel it and free themselves. And to really put forth a show for the crowd, they would both perform this on stage and well, for a brief moment there it seemed as though Vernon might have the edge and the win here because Criss pointed out to them in rehearsals that people with larger frames had a tendency to pull this illusion off better. But in the end, that didn’t matter. Because Flav and Vernon were neck and neck the whole way, in fact… they both finished the illusion at the same time, once again making life difficult for Criss and Loni and Lance.

After all, how on earth do you declare a winner from a tie? But they did, and we won’t reveal who exactly was the winner, because that’s not something we do in these recaps. That’s for you to experience and it is up to us, to discuss what made this episode so great, and in the end… what accomplished that… was indeed natural showmanship. The kind that let these two gentlemen just slip into the role of magician and bring that magic heat and thunder to the stage and this, this might be the best episode of this series to date. That’s how much fun it was and it of course, leaves us eager for more. Because it’s difficult to have one’s fill of a series that just lets loose with fun through magic and once more, we will all be counting down the minutes to next week’s entry, to see what other surprises await us from this brilliant series. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season three finale of ‘Central Park’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One particular storytelling element that fans of the Apple TV+ series, Central Park, have to come expect during a season finale… is a showdown between Bitsy Brandenham and the Tillerman family. For her plans to own the park and turn it into the worst shopping center ever, have always come to a head in some fashion for the finale, prompting Owen and his family to work hard to defeat her and it seemed as though, the stage was set for another big fight between the two of them for the end of season three. Since Bitsy was working to gain control of the ‘I Heart the Park’ campaign that Owen was championing and well… with the season three finale upon us, we were ready for another ten rounds between these heavyweights.
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But a funny thing happened in ‘The Brandenpire Strikes Back’. In that, there was no superfight between these two families to be found. Instead, an interesting reality at the Brandenham made it clear that this was a story that wanted to wrap up a season filled with lessons, with another lesson. Which in this case, revolved around an age old and tried and true teaching. In that, we tend to reap what we sow in this life, so it is best we put in good vibes to get good vibes out and it hammered home this particular lesson through Bitsy and Owen’s respective journeys. It just so happened that Bitsy’s… involved the more cautionary version of this particular lesson.

For on this day, she was prepared to muscle in with the mayor and use said muscle to take the park apart… but the mayor was nowhere to be found. For he was upset with the current standing of the Brandenham and wanted no part of the giant, anti-Bitsy protest that was raging outside her door. Which in turn, forced Bitsy to deal with a bevy of angry employees. Who were indeed informing her they were done with her rude nature and bad working conditions and all the ugly vibes that she poured into the world. Forcing Bitsy to truly reap what she has sown, as best as Bitsy can of course and well… that meant it fell to Helen to fix this, and she did, making it clear that she was seizing opportunity where she could since Bitsy was helpless and likely immune to this lesson.

As for Owen’s positive journey, well that was handled in a unique manner for certain. For today was the day that his proud initiative was being unveiled to the city, and he was… he was worried. Because he truly wanted this to be a rousing success, one that would make the Mayor and the Park Commissioner proud and that meant… lots of stress was oozing from Owen. To the point where he needed to step away with Elwood to clear his head and find more tote bags to ensure great sales for this program and well, while Elwood tried to teach Owen how to relax and enjoy the moment, his words also went ignored. For this was as important to Owen as his family, and thankfully… he was rewarded handsomely for his efforts.
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Because the moment came when he had to sit down with the Commish and report in, and he truly thought he let her down on this day. But she instead surprised him and praised him for the amount of people that were in the park and how much they were enjoying themselves and what the city had cultivated for them. Plus, she also praised his work and thanked him for never being a problem park because of his fine work as a manager and well… just like that… years of hard work paid off for Owen and he too reaped what he had sown. But in this instance, it was nothing but good vibes and praise and validation, giving rise to a beautiful and happy ending to season three, one that also saw Abby rise up.

After all, Bitsy was awful to her as well and that prompted Abby to not be meek anymore and let loose and quit, especially after she lost out on another part. But that did make her free from Bitsy at last, and it helped to land her more auditions, all by putting a little fire into her life and well… that really was the perfect way to wrap up a cerebral season of storytelling. For it really spoke to how much we control in life through our good and bad actions and how sometimes we need to take a moment and look at life objectively, so we know which path we are on and well, in many ways… this sets the stage for new conflicts and challenges in season four. Which has not been green lit by Apple TV+ yet, and hopefully it receives a season four order, soon. Because this show teaches us so much, and puts so much joy into our lives, and we need to see how a confident Owen will handle his job and explore the fallout of the strike. But while we wait for that news, we can celebrate the show’s best season to date. One that went bold and offered up some powerful examinations on life, and the wonder of the human condition. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Six of ‘The Peripheral’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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We are taught from a very early age, to turn the other cheek when people are bearing down upon us. For kindness and peace always disarms those full of fury and anger, and apathy toward their actions only further cools their fire within, so we hold to that lesson and find that it is indeed quite useful in life. For time and time again, we see people stand down when kindness and indifference come into play regarding their angry emotions. But while it is a sound lesson to learn, once in a great while, sitting on the sidelines and playing nice with an enemy just isn’t an option. Sometimes in order to find the calm and peace we need, they need a good smack in the mouth, so they know to back off, as evidenced by this week’s episode of The Peripheral on Prime Video.
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For ‘Fuck You and Eat Shit’ is a story that picked up mere moments after Flynne opted to teach Cherise a valuable lesson in humility by smacking her in the mouth and that was enough for Cherise to back off, and lick her wounds and that in turn, allowed for everyone to enjoy a moment of peace and calm. The kind that allowed for us to explore exactly how Connor lost his legs and left arm and how regardless of finding agency and strength after all these years, he badly longed for a life with all of his limbs. And he was quick to let it be known that he was ready to go to extremes and potentially spend his life in the future if it meant he could have them back once again and that wasn’t the only exploration point present in this story either.

Because this is a story that also took the time to catch up with Bob after his subsequent kidnapping and surprisingly, he was alive and in the home of Corbell Pickett. Simply because Pickett had to know more about the mysterious people that were constantly paying others to go after the Fisher family and well, Bob might have some knowledge for him. A decision that proved to be poor for certain. Because Bob wasn’t keen on taking orders or being a captive and that led him to pull quite the bold and painful gambit to secure his freedom and he likely has. A move that could be bringing quick trouble to Flynne and her family since he does appear to be hellbent on completing his mission and keeping his daughter and family safe. 

Speaking of Flynne, well having a little downtime in the future also allowed for her to dig deeper regarding Aelita and her motions and machinations in this world, which as it turned out, revolved around the Neoprims and their mission to alter this future world to a more natural state and sadly… that’s the only real discovery she was able to make in this tale. Since downtime and death and carnage, also meant that the police would have to get involved and they most certainly did. Leading to a grand meeting of the House of Zubov and the folks from the past with a mysterious Metropolitan Police Inspector and that of course can lead to grave trouble in the future, depending upon what is said and what this officer of the law wants to accomplish.

If anything, this was… a grand transitional episode. One designed to lay down some subtle and important plot threads that will quickly come together. For we are now but two episodes away from the end of the season, and resolution is always part of that game. But for a transitional tale, this was quite the solid hour of storytelling. One that entertained and engaged us with fascinating character moments and unique developments and well, all of this definitely leaves us hungry and eager to see what now awaits us as everything likely begins to come together for the end of the first chapter of this tale, and that is going to make the wait for next week’s episode quite painful for certain. Because we simply need more from this ambitious and fascinating sci-fi adventure. Until next time.

It is definitely safe to say that there are few things in this world more wonderful than puppies. Simply because dogs are pure, and their hearts are filled with love and their faces are full of cute and that’s why we all take a moment to tune into puppy themed programming whenever it is on, and it is why so many of us took the time to watch season one of Puppy Love on Apple TV+. Simply because we could not resist a show as pure and lovely as the dogs it featured, and the lessons it sent forth has left us hungry for more of this heartwarming series.

Thankfully though, our long and painful wait to enjoy more of this saga is about to come to a close. For December 9, 2022, will bring forth the season two premiere of this amazing show and to melt our hearts early and prepare us for more of the cute wonder of this show, earlier today, Apple TV+ offered up quite the treat. In that, they released a trailer and some details on season two of this series and without further ado, here is that trailer and those details for all of you to enjoy, courtesy of Apple TV+.
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‘Apple TV+ today released the trailer for the second season of “Puppy Place,” premiering globally on Friday, December 9. Based on Scholastic’s best-selling book series written by Ellen Miles, “Puppy Place” chronicles the adventures of dog-loving siblings, Charles and Lizzie Peterson, and the puppy pals they foster in search of forever homes.
 
Each of the eight episodes in season two continues to tell the story of a puppy who finds their way to the Peterson family. Charles (Riley Looc) and Lizzie (Brooklynn MacKinzie), whose different approaches complement, inspire and occasionally confound one another, do whatever it takes to find a happy, loving home for each and every dog. Discovering what makes each puppy special offers a unique perspective that helps the pair overcome their own individual hurdles. 
 
"Puppy Place" is executive produced by Emmy Award nominee Andrew Green, who serves as showrunner, alongside Iole Lucchese, Caitlin Friedman and Jef Kaminsky of Scholastic Entertainment, with Richard King serving as producer. All dogs featured in the series looking for forever homes were adopted either during or following production.
 
The award-winning slate of original series and film for kids and families on Apple TV+ includes impressive all-ages offerings such as the critically-acclaimed properties “El Deafo,” “Lovely Little Farm,” “Duck & Goose,” “Pinecone & Pony,” “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock” and “Harriet the Spy” from The Jim Henson Company, Peabody Award-winning series “Stillwater,” “Helpsters” from Sesame Workshop, “Wolfboy and the Everything Factory” from Joseph Gordon-Levitt, HITRECORD and Bento Box Entertainment, “Sago Mini Friends,” “Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show” from Jack McBrayer and Angela C. Santomero, “Snoopy in Space,” “The Snoopy Show” and “Get Rolling with Otis.” Live-action offerings for include Bonnie Hunt’s “Amber Brown,” "Best Foot Forward," “Surfside Girls,” “Life By Ella,” and Daytime Emmy Award-winning “Ghostwriter.”
 
Also included are specials from Peanuts and WildBrain including “It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown,” “Lucy’s School,” “To Mom (and Dad), With Love,” and “For Auld Lang Syne,” and “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth,” the Daytime Emmy Award-winning television event based on the New York Times best-selling book and TIME Best Book of the Year by Oliver Jeffers.
 
The kids and family film offerings include star-studded animated adventure film “Luck” from Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation which premiered this year and Academy Award-nominated animated film “Wolfwalkers.”
 
Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have earned 280 wins and 1,216 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy “Ted Lasso” and this year’s Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”
 
Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL, and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $6.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.* For more information, visit apple.com/tvpr and see the full list of supported devices.’

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season thirty-three premiere of ‘Top Gear’. To revisit the thirty-second season finale, click here.
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One common misconception about mankind’s love affair with the motorcar, is that the hardcore fans of cars, are mostly found in a handful of nations. A majority of which reside within Europe, thanks to the rich history of carmakers present there, alongside the United States, since the US of A played its part in making the car a thing of wonder in the 20th Century. But the fact of the matter is, humanity’s love affair with the car is global in nature. To the point where there are nations whose citizens buy up cars as though they are going out of style and that reality is top of mind today, simply because the season thirty-three premiere opted to explore it. All by having Paddy, Freddie and Chris travel to Thailand. 
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A place that is actually, the pickup truck capital of the world. Yes, that’s right. The people of Thailand buy more trucks than the average American, who personify the pickup truck and that’s why our trio of car heroes ventured down that way. To properly understand the country’s love affair with trucks and to truly make that happen, the lads needed to blend in with rides that were popular in Thailand. Such as the Toyota Hilux (Freddie’s ride), the Isuzu D-Max (Paddy’s choice), the BMW E30 (Chris’ selection) and once the lads had their truck of choice… they set out into the countryside to learn and well, what they uncovered about this country’s obsession with the pickup truck was fascinating and engaging, to say the least.

For they came to discover that the folks that live in Thailand, understand the wonder of the truck. Which is why they race the D-Max often, to unleash its potential and quite frankly… they just love cars period, which is why there are places in this beautiful place where cars are just on display and people admire their beauty through and through. But one BIG reason that they are so incredibly popular here, is because they are also the perfect work horse. For they can haul a hefty load into places that most cars won’t go and that is something that Chris and Paddy took part in, without Freddie sadly, because he fell ill. But that really did give these gentlemen fine perspective on how integral the truck is to the nation of Thailand and why the locals love them so. 

But while that was amazing to learn, what would an episode of this show be without a supercar spotlight? And in between that grand exploration of Thailand, Chris Harris had the chance to get behind the wheel of a new supercar that quite frankly took his breath away, the Rimac Nevera. A brand-new electric supercar that at first glance, doesn’t appear to be all that breathtaking. For while it is well built, it has all the familiar aesthetics you’d expect from this type of ride. But under the chassis… is raw power. The kind that propels this ride to over 200 km/h in a matter of seconds. In fact, this car is so freakin’ fast, that it will leave a top-tier Lambo in the dust, even if it gets a head start, and well… this just served as a hint of things to come as the era of the electric draws near.

If anything, this was just… a perfect way to kick off the new season of storytelling. Since it dug deep into our complex relationship with the automobile and how it continues to captivate us despite being around for forever, and it of course, peered into the future and explored how tomorrow’s car will indeed keep that love affair alive. Plus, as always, there was fun and laughs to be found, and epic races and spills and chases. Because this series celebrates everything there is to celebrate about the car, and it will be fascinating to see what other lessons and incredible spotlights await us as season thirty-three of this amazing series continues along. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Eight of ‘Shantaram’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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We like to believe that the grand decisions we make for other people, are designed to be genuinely helpful in nature and it makes sense as to why we hold to that. Because if we are making those calls, we are likely stepping in to help a person or persons in need, who are struggling mightily and absolutely could use a helping hand, and more often than not… being the instigator of such actions, is the right thing to do. But now and again, our desire to step in and help others in that manner, is actually quite the detrimental decision. Since we in essence, interfere with a complex situation, one that forces us to play games and long cons to achieve our goal and that… causes more harm than good. Since it toys with people and their standing and emotion. 
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To the point where people are manipulated, and the plan begins to move in a counterintuitive manner. Which can bring about utter chaos if left unchecked, and when that happens… we have two choices, really. In that, we can either double down and try to scheme our way toward an endgame, which rarely works… or we can cut through the nonsense and be honest and try to use that honesty to get everyone involved on the same page and finally working toward the same good goal we initially had in mind and that lesson, is top of mind today, simply because it is one that Lin Ford learned, in the next episode of Shantaram, shortly after he healed (with Karla’s help) from a serious bout of Cholera in ‘Like in the Time of Cholera’. 

Because having a moment to breathe and finding clarity from a brush with death, since he was pretty sick… prompted Lin to realize he’s spent a lot of time playing games and scheming to make things right and that motivated him… to be honest with Karla about his feelings, and their situation and it motivated him to be honest with himself at last about how much trouble his manipulations have caused. Especially when Khan’s rival came into Sagar Wada to cause trouble in the name of a power play. Which in turn, pushed Lin to finally just be honest and push others to do the same to get everyone on the same page, so everyone could be safe. Which led to Khan being honest with Qasim before making a grand promise to give the people of Sagar Wada a path toward a better tomorrow instead of offering up his usual showmanship. 

Which worked to a tee, since it got Qasim to rally the people to fight and secure protection under Khader Khan, and it gave Lin peace that perhaps now things would be stable enough to potentially leave and his push toward honesty over nonsense and show extended beyond his actions with Khan and Qasim. For his honesty about his feelings toward Karla, also prompted her, to approach her problems differently as well. Because she was also asked to play games with Sunita and manipulate her to get Pandey to do their bidding. But Sunita was having no part of those games, prompting that honesty, which gave Karla what she wanted and needed. Giving rise to an ending to the story that finally made it seem as though wonderful times are on the horizon for everyone as peace and clarity finally comes to all.

But that would be too easy a transition for this story, a cop out even. For actions have consequences and there have been too many actions in this tale for that not to come around full circle, and it would seem that trouble continues to brew behind the scenes for Lin and his friends. Since Maurizio is putting all the blame for his newfound troubles on Lin, and of course, Karla continues to close in upon the truth and that victory in Sagar Wada will undoubtedly rally retaliation. Which means we are clearly building toward a grand showdown of sorts. One that will see external and internal problems begin to come to a head, as we continue to inch closer and closer to the season finale of this brilliant and fascinating series about the nature of change and the choices we make. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 303 of ‘Mythic Quest’. To revisit the season three premiere, click here.
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One particular bit of advice that we hear often in this life, is that we need to find balance between our job and our life, and we keep hearing that advice… because so few of us take it. Because work does mean a lot to us. For it pays the bills and puts food on the table, but at the same time, so many of us tend to make it our only focus. As though our job is all that defines us and that tends to push us to neglect the important stuff, we should be paying attention to. The stuff that nurtures our mental health and refreshes us from a hard day’s work so we can find that balance and perhaps sleep a little better at night.
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Which of course begs the question, how the heck do we find that balance when we are in fact, a workaholic? And well… that’s a question that the next episode of Mythic Quest, takes the time to answer. A feat that ‘Crushing It’ accomplished, by having Poppy, Jo, and Rachel… deal with actual down time. For all of them were free of their daily duties and that prompted them, to try a little brunch and just kick back and enjoy the day and uh… that got weird. Because they didn’t know how to handle down time, nor did they understand the importance of ‘The Brunch’ in regard to what it was designed to do for their mental health. But it did teach them, that they are indeed tied deeply to work and don’t deal with the ups and downs of it and that oddly gave Jo a wild idea to help everyone.

In that, they should all get some hardcore venting time for the sour emotions that work can engender and that brought them to an out of the way range that specialized in weapons discharge and some advanced fun, such as driving over things in a tank. Which Rachel and Poppy took part in and found great joy in doing and well… their release from stress in that moment and shared fun, made it clear that if we don’t know how to find release from work… we get the hell out there and figure it out. We make friends, we make connections, and we try new things to see what sticks and when we find the right thing, we hang onto it and take part in it often and that… was a wonderful lesson to learn and it was equally as amazing to see this trio take part in it and grow and find catharsis.

But what was equally as amazing about this episode, is that it had more to offer us than that all-important lesson. For this is also a story that made sure to have extra fun above and beyond the shenanigans that took place at The Brunch, courtesy of David. Because he received some outstanding news in this tale, in that… Mythic Quest was getting the green light to be made into a major motion picture. Something that he was hoping would make Ian super jealous, which is why he swung by GrimPop to spread the news and uh… promptly found himself lost within its sanitized caverns. To the point where he just about lost his mind and lost control of his bladder for sure, with minimal satisfaction toward his ultimate goal.

But that’s okay, since Ian will eventually know, and David’s shenanigans brought forth a bevy of laughs, and really in the end… this was just another brilliant tale from a truly brilliant series. Courtesy of the fact that it was the perfect blend of life lessons and growth and outright comedy, and you can never go wrong with that particular mix, and this episode also gives us a great deal to look forward to. Because… holy cow… Mythic Quest is going to be a movie! And that means more amazing moments are going to be headed our way as the movie takes shape, and as Carol and Brad’s revenue plans take shape, since they forged quite the cash flow plan here, and that is going to make the wait for next’s week episode… as painful as it gets. Because we are simply ready for more of this magnificent series. Until next time.