Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 2406 of ‘Law & Order’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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There was a time in the United States of America, where schooling was viewed in a different light. It was seen as an essential part of growth, an opportunity to enrich one’s mind, and because of that… parents made it a priority for their kids. They expected them to do well in school and work hard, so they could graduate high school with ease and go to a solid college and garner knowledge that would help them for the rest of their natural lives. But somewhere along the line, things changed, and school became something different. The student experience became the focus, not grades or hard work… and competition came into play. 

To the point where we now hear horror stories about parents and kids that make school hell for teachers and administrators because it is about their baby’s experience over anything else, and it is scary to hear about such stories. Since we worry, what could come from this? Because these days, the right circumstances and wrong desires seem to lead to bad things and well, it just so happens that this week’s episode of Law & Order explored those possibilities. A feat that ‘Time Will Tell’ accomplished, by way of a horrible crime at a prestigious school. Wherein the administrator was brutally murdered in the middle of the night. Which brought forth sorrow for her family and her passing exposed all kinds of problems within the school, since some hard truths regarding conduct came into play.

For the police learned that this school wasn’t just prestigious, but a real battleground of sorts. Where rich students and their rich parents would do anything and everything to get ahead. Which included getting false diagnoses to have their kids take part in more specialized study time. Which made life tough for students that earned their way into the school, and actually needed better care in school. Because without a proper donation, they were denied it through and through. Which brought forth, a suspect. Because the police came to discover that a girl named Emily, who was denied that opportunity and harbored great anxiety and fear over not excelling in school, crossed the line and committed this heinous crime. Which brought forth quite the wild trial. 

Because Lieutenant Brady garnered quite the ugly confession from Emily, one that was not admissible in court and that gave Emily’s mother, Lisa, a chance to step in and go the extra mile to give her child a fighting chance at an education. At a future. So, she took the fall for the whole thing, regardless of the consequences. Which sent her to prison for twenty years so her kid could have an education with a prestigious title. Because that is what school has transformed into. It’s not about the value of the work, or the knowledge… but the seal on the school’s logo and the price of tuition, and it broke a student and a family and that made for one sorrowful and tragic tale. One that truly was a no-win scenario for the police and the DA’s office.

For there was no way to close this out cleanly, and there was no way that anyone would be happy with the end result. But that’s how these cases go sometimes and that definitely led to a mostly bleak ending. In fact, the only saving grace here, was the sheer fact that Brady was inspired by Lisa to be a better mother and support her kids in a more positive light. But aside from that… we saw prestige rip people to pieces here both literally and figuratively and this episode deserves applause for going this route and giving us such a powerful story. One that said a lot about school as it stands in 2024 and how it clearly needs to get back to basics, so that pressures untold don’t bring about more violence in schools. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 206 of ‘Found’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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It has often been said that imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and it makes sense why people speak those words. For there is real wonder in having someone copy you. For instance, when a child tries to replicate the appearance and actions of their parent, it speaks volumes to how much the child admires them and sees them as a perfect model. And let’s be honest, it’s powerful to know that from time to time, we inspire others to follow in our footsteps. So, we say that phrase and mean it, despite the fact that it too, has a dark side to it. For we are not perfect beings and sometimes we do things or take parts in moments that are unsavory, that inspire, as evidenced by the next episode of Found on NBC.

But before we dive into how that was explored in ‘Missing While Gabi Mosely’, we need to talk about Margaret. Since this episode explored what the heck happened with her and how she found herself under arrest, and it all related to her missing boy. For an attempt to do some general cleaning at the bus station, that would have taken that all-important photo down for a moment, led to a panic and rage from Margaret. Who thought his memory was about to be dishonored and so she fought back, and literally struck back. Which brought forth charges, and a restraining order and the reality that she could no longer stay at the bus station and wait. 

Which put her in a tough place, at the worst time… for dark flattery was in play. For a teenage girl named Gabi Mosely, went missing and well… the belief was at first, that Hugh ‘Sir’ Evans was involved. For everything matched his modus operandi, and it only got worse when a second girl went missing. But the more that the team dug into the case, and the fact that Sir even showed up in person to clear his name on the matter, it became clear he wasn’t involved. That this was all a copycat move by the other Gabi. To live a life she did not understand, to find purpose and find direction. For she wanted to be as strong as Gabi Prime, and thought going through her life would make that happen. But thankfully, the team stopped her, and the other missing girl was returned home… with a caveat.

In that, Sir was the one who rescued her since he figured out the case, and because he wasn’t getting what he wanted at the moment and had no leverage… he decided to muck things up for everyone. By playing the hero and changing the narrative. Which brought about chaos at the office, the kind that finally forced Gabi to speak from the heart and point out that this infighting had to stop. Because it was tearing everyone apart, and it was giving Sir quite the advantage and at last, everyone was on the same page and finally working toward common goals again and supporting one another, regardless of consequence as evidenced by Dhan’s admission to his love. All of which was the right thing to do, and it needed to happen, because a common foe is in front of them. Because Sir remained out there and it was obvious in this tale, that he has been receiving some serious help in maintaining his lifestyle and his freedom.

But what mattered more here, is that this story reminded us that sometimes… people will indeed copycat the worst parts of a person’s life, for reasons that aren’t necessarily twisted. Because we all have an inherent understanding of the power of trauma, of how it can transform us for the better when the work is there… and people will try to follow some of that if they think it can improve their desperate situation. Which made for a unique case for the team to work on, one that also showcased the power of pain, the power of redemption and what it means to go through the worst parts of life. And it seems to have given Gabi real perspective, the kind she needs right now as she and her friends and family prepare to handle their biggest challenge yet… Sir… and his machinations to make Gabi his eternal prize. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 504 of ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Over the course of the past couple of weeks, we here at NTG have been admittedly wax nostalgic about the wonder of Star Trek: Lower Decks on Paramount+. For we’ve talked at length about the sheer wonder of this show and the joy it brings us, and we’ve talked a lot about how season five has done of phenomenal job of showcasing the best parts of the franchise, and its belief that we could be better. Which is likely related to the fact that we are barreling toward the show’s conclusion in a few weeks. But this week, spotlighting such wonders are worthwhile simply because the vibe calls for it, since we are all definitely struggling a bit with a vision of a better tomorrow. So, it’s wonderful to get lost in a story that gives us that.

In fact, this week’s episode took the time to remind us at length, the wonder of being there for one another, and the power of lifting one another up, and ‘A Farewell to Farms’ accomplished that in part, by taking us to Qo’noS for a bit. Wherein we were able to catch up with Ma’ah. The Klingon who was involved in a mutiny last season and here, we saw him at his lowest. For he was stripped of command and back on his family’s farm, working with his brother Malor and moving bloodwine about the planet, and he was… miserable. He wanted to pretend that he wasn’t, but he was. For he wanted to be a captain so badly, and well… Mariner and Boims gave him that opportunity once again.

Because they dropped by to check in on him and seeing him in this state, prompted them to step in and invoke an old ritual to get him his captaincy back. A move that went well since he passed all the stunning trials to make that happen, but he still struggled to return to a mental state where he could lead warriors and that was because… he would still answer to a petaQ, one that would make his life hell. So, the Lower Deckers helped him overcome that, in the most Klingon way possible and that led to a renewed sense of purpose for Ma’ah when he emerged from the fight victorious, and this made for a heartwarming story. One that really did showcase the central theme. But we will break that down a little further in a moment.

Because we also need to discuss what took place on the U.S.S. Cerritos. For while Mariner and Boims handled lifting someone up, and a secondary mission to scan those fissures, Tendi and Ruthy were offering up a different lesson on being there for people. Because Dr. Migleemo was about to meet two of his planet’s finest food critics, which his species was known for, and he was so excited to be near them and escort them home from a poor food journey. But… they were awful to deal with and critical of every morsel he prepared. Be it from the replicator or by hand and that brought forth shame for him and seemingly the end of his time in Starfleet. But all along, he had a hunch about their actions and used the return home to discover they had lost their palate and were blaming others for it, helping the good doctor regain his standing.
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Which at first glance just seems like a series of events. But all the way, Ruthy and Tendi were there to support him as needed, which helped him find his way, because that’s what we can do sometimes to make the world a better place. Be there for others as needed, since that can help them think clearly and figure out how to fix their problem. And obviously Mariner and Boims’ mission spoke deeply to how much it means to be there for folks that really need it. Because that keeps them from giving up, from slipping into the darkness so they can find their way into the light and that really is a wonderful message to find this week. For at a time where it seems as though the world wants the opposite, this episode reminds us, we can be more like this crew and stand with folks that need support right now. 

All of which made, for a lovely and timely episode. One that really did capture the true essence of Star Trek. For that is what it has always been about, being there for each other and working together to be a better species and toward a better tomorrow, and you cannot go wrong with having that reminder plop down right now. Not to mention, one cannot go wrong with the mystery brewing in the galaxy. Since now we know, those fissures aren’t some weird phenomena just happening in the stars. They’re being made by someone. Who, why, we simply don’t know. But it is safe to say that this show will reveal that truth in time before we bid goodbye to this fine crew, and this fine ship. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 1206 of ‘Chicago P.D.’ To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One particular aspect of crime stories that is genuinely fascinating, is how every single green detective in these stories, is a master sleuth. Sure, the rookie might be awkward just a bit, but they know their stuff, they’re already grizzled and hardened and able to solve stunning cases with ease, and what makes that so fascinating… is how? How on earth can a brand-new gumshoe, know everything so well and be so perfect at solving crimes? Because people don’t just magically fall into what they do, they learn, they grow, they make mistakes and eventually master what they do, and it is just wild that new detectives are these polished products in stories, and it is why we are all so thankful for shows like Chicago P.D. on NBC.

Simply because this series doesn’t fall into such storytelling traps, and that adds to its wonder, its realism and its ability to engage and for proof… well just look at this week’s episode. Since ‘Pawns’ followed Kim Burgess closely, as she took the final exam to become a detective. Which involved a seasoned investigator riding along with her to a crime scene. Wherein Kim would take charge and be the lead detective, and her performance would determine if she would get the title of detective and where she would be placed as one, and sadly… it did not take long for Detective Suarez and Detective Burgess to receive their first call. One that involved a violent homicide during the attempted robbery of a catalytic converter.

Which of course, pushed Kim into action and well… she made some mistakes for certain. Simply because she was new to this, and worried about messing up. But for every mistake she made, she found a way to counter it and move the case forward. Because she wanted this, and she knew she could do it. So, slowly but surely, she was able to unravel the case and narrow down who was responsible and for her efforts, and after an extensive chase, she was able to bring the bad guy to justice in the most stunning way possible. Which of course, should have brought forth a happy ending. One where she was praised and adored and given her choice of assignments. But a mistake on Suarez’s part and the ugly nature of this case, ended with Kim being assigned elsewhere, but she did receive her new title and badge regardless.

Yet, there was some joy to find here, albeit strange. Because despite being ready to step into a new role at a new division, she was told to stay put, by Deputy Chief Reid no less. Who hammered her and Suarez during this case, and that was just out of sorts for him and left even Sergeant Voight confused. But what mattered most, is that we finally got to see a serious crime drama, handle a new detective’s career/first day, in a realistic manner. Where no strange knowledge switch was flipped or where some hidden vision was magically discovered. There were nerves, there were missteps, there was just straight humanity and a chance to see what Kim will be like going forward as a detective. Since she did inject kindness and gentleness into the role as needed, meaning that balance will be the order of the day for her. 

All of which made for an amazing and refreshing episode. One that truly bucked tradition in this genre, and also offered up a compelling case for certain. Because the hunt for those responsible for this fatal shooting was intense and full of twists and turns and stunning moments, and you simply cannot go wrong with that. Plus, this episode set the stage for more surprises down the line. After all, there is now a grand mystery surrounding DC Reid. Because we know he is just not known for grace and kindness. But he showed it here and there has to be a reason, and a price to pay for it. Which will be interesting to uncover. But while we wait, we can celebrate one amazing tale. One that truly offered up a different kind of detective story, and that should come as no surprise from a crime drama that is unlike any other. Until next time.

Please enjoy this super-sized sneak peek and synopsis of Episode five of Sweetpea. Which debuts on STARZ tonight!  
 
EPISODE 105: Someone’s Been a Naughty Girl
Airdate: November 8 at 8:00pm ET/PT on STARZ 

With suspicion swirling around Rhiannon, she has to partner with an unlikely ally – but will things go to plan?

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 1306 of ‘Chicago Fire’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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For the most part, procedural shows that take the time to showcase a specific career field, rarely offer up long-standing mysteries and understandably so. Because it’s about the moment, the work that people do in the field the series showcases, and the big moments they encounter and their mpact upon them. So, there really isn’t room to do much else or room to have something big hanging over the story. But now and again, you run into a show that figures out a way to make that happen. Such as Chicago Fire on NBC. For this particular series has kept us guessing regarding the sordid past of one Chief Dom Pascal. Since we simply don’t know what drove him out of Miami and back to the Windy City.

But that all started to change last night. For ‘Birds of Prey’ started to give us some idea of what happened in Miami, and that all came about, courtesy of one ugly fire. One that hit a storage unit and one that had a single survivor and a surprise within its walls. In that, members of 51 discovered something quite unsettling. Specifically, ghost guns. Which are handguns that are 3-D printed, function fine but have no serial numbers, thus rendering them untraceable and thus making them highly illegal and well… while Severide was trying to figure out the source of the fire and perhaps how it related to those guns, Chicago State Police arrived and basically kicked his team out… since the weapons related to a case they were working on.

However, they took away all kinds of evidence in the process, evidence that could have proven what started the fire, and to make matters worse… the one person involved in the fire… was nowhere to be found. Which Severide called foul on since he realized the State Troopers were up to something here, and sadly, Chief Pascal let them take the lead. Which prompted Severide to dig deeper and uncover, that Pascal was involved in some messy moments in Miami. The kind that inferred he was involved with some dirty people out there. Which would indeed be good reason to leave if rot in a department spread far and wide and entangled him. But the good news, is that he was the good guy in that situation and brought those guys down instead of helping them out, and he has the same machinations to bring down corrupt individuals in Chicago.

Which while that isn’t a perfect answer to the question, it does get us going and it does begin to open the floodgates for this storyline, and it will be interesting to see what more we learn as this duo work to stop something illegal. But while we wait for that, we should talk about the other moments in the episode of note. Since Mouch ran afoul of a pigeon that was eager to protect her baby birds, which made for some fine comedy. Plus, Violet and Novak may have dealt with one of the boldest emergency calls to air on network television, courtesy of an intestinal surprise and Carver… had a wakeup call here. Well… a few. Because he was way too tired. Mainly because he was learning just how toxic his new relationship turned out to be.

All of which gave rise, to another engaging episode from this show. One that finally did offer up answers regarding Pascal, and that was lovely. Because we have been waiting patiently for those details and it does make us like the guy a little more. Since we couldn’t tell exactly which side of the fence he stood on. But it would seem he’s a straight arrow with some flaws, and that means he does fit in at Firehouse 51 no problem. But that aside, this was also just a vintage, day in the life episode, something we’ve grown to love when it comes to this series. Because it’s always amazing to watch the life and times of these incredible people, and truly, it will be interesting to see what lie ahead now that we know a hero is leading the charge and see what other everyday moments await us as this new season of storytelling continues along. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 1006 of ‘Chicago Med’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Regardless of what career field we choose, we hope for one specific thing in the workplace… harmony between us and our co-workers. Because at some point along the line, we’ve run into someone or heard stories about people that are just pains in the rear in the workplace. All because they don’t want to communicate or they don’t work well with others, and that story or that moment is bad enough to prompt us to seek out a place that looks harmonious and where perhaps we can find common ground. But even then, there are no guarantees, and we may be forced to handle such matters in a rough and tumble fashion that just makes work hell. But the good news is, that most of us can get that fixed up pretty easily through human resources or a decent boss and get back to what we want.

But it does leave one to wonder, how then… do people get resolution in jobs where it is hard to find that harmony? Or what if they are in a field where accountability is more difficult to bring forth because of how many rules are involved? Well, it just so happens that Chicago Med took the time to explore the bare beginning of such matters, courtesy of some unique arrivals in the ER. For ‘Forget Me Not’ saw Dr. Lenox and Dr. Archer deal with a trio of patients that went through physical hell, two of whom were minors and one of them… was in bad shape. For this was a camp for troubled teens and he took a spill off of a cliff during drills, and a great debate between the two doctors got underway. In that, should they try a surgery to help him heal or a slower treatment?

Of course, Lenox wanted the quick route, and Archer wanted the slow and that brought their normally icy working relationship to a boil. Because Lenox just kept pushing to have things her way, even going so far as to get consent for the surgery from the camp counselor, who was also in the ER, since he was the legal guardian on this trip, and that forced Archer… to explore the questions at hand. Because he’s never gotten along with her and this field isn’t one that you can just go to HR and file a complaint. It requires nuance and special requests, such as talking with the in-house lawyer. All of which Archer did and lost… but it was all borne out of the fact that he was deeply worried that Lenox was too pushy and reckless to work in this particular hospital and its culture, and his worries came true.

For she lost the patient during surgery, and while there was no way of knowing which path was the right path, her push to just make something happen was enough for Archer to declare… he would fight harder on this and hold her accountable. All of which informs us, that in a field such as this, bringing harmony to the workplace is no easy feat. Because of the nature of the industry and because of the fact that it is harder to prove outright negligence because of the unknowns that can exist in medicine. So, now we wait to see what Archer does next to have his harmony, and that made for a fascinating and powerful tale, one that did offer some lighter moments. After all, the mobile pregnancy unit paid off in spades by bringing a baby into the world that was going to get some serious love, and Dr. Charles figured out how to help a young man handle his deep-rooted trauma.

Plus, Goodwin finally had her troubles put to rest. Since the police identified the stalker and were able to capture him and bring him to the hospital through some unique circumstances. But she’s safe, and likely will be embroiled in that fight to bring harmony to the ER. But before we ponder on what that is going to look like, we can celebrate another engaging tale from this story. One that truly plunged us into a corner of this world we don’t think about, and this episode made it clear that in this setting, harmony is indeed hard to come by. In fact, it really does look like Archer and Lenox are going to go to war, and that will indeed bring about more moving moments from a series that continue to captivate us, with its in-depth look at the human experience in a place of suffering and healing. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Eight of ‘Midnight Family’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One of the hardest things we will ever have to do in this life, is admit that we are currently on the wrong path. Because we are taught from a very early age, to always stay the course and never deviate. Because that is what brings us long term success and victories in life and saying aloud that we messed up and should do something different shows weakness or potentially failure in our quest. So, it is better in our minds to stay the course and avoid such humiliation. But eventually we get there and speak the truth we don’t want to, after the right moment arrives. One that informs us that if we don’t change course, we will be miserable. If anything, this is top of mind today because it was central to the next episode of Midnight Family on Apple TV+.

For ‘Día de muertos’ saw the Tamayo family struggling to keep the truck going. For Marigaby basically disappeared to clear her head and figure out her truth, and that left Ramón and Marcus to work nights, and it simply was not going well. In part because Ramón couldn’t keep up the pace with his health issues, and Marcus was simply not focused and forgetting the basics. Because he was preoccupied with fatherhood and the future and felt trapped between two worlds, even more so when he revealed to his parents that Cris was pregnant with their child, and this all brought about conflict. Because both men had opposing views of what should happen with the truck, and the only thing they really knew, was they needed a third on the truck, since they did bring Bernardo along for a night’s work when they were at their most exhausted.

Not to mention, Gaby was indeed quite lost and unsure of what lie ahead. Since she was teetering on being kicked out of school and she was fighting hard to reconcile what she believed was her mistake, and well… both of these journeys made it clear… that the times were changing for this family, and they needed to walk different paths to find happiness and fulfillment and oddly enough, the fighting and the tough days… and a big moment for Gaby, helped them find their way. Simply because a wounded construction worker found his way into Gaby’s grandmother’s house, since others heard she knew medicine and he needed immediate help, and with an assist from Raul, and the town doctor… she saved his life and that informed her where she needed to be and what path to walk.

Which in turn, led to a frank and powerful conversation in the household when she returned. In that, she couldn’t balance both school and the truck anymore, and Ramón spoke to the fact that he was past his prime and couldn’t keep this pace and Marcus… wanted to be a full-time dad. And that discussion made it clear that their current path was unsustainable and that a new one had to come to light for each of them. So, they agreed, the truck was going to be retired, much to Julio’s disdain, so they could feel better about their day, their lives and their future, and it was amazing to see a story showcase how we reach that point. How we keep pushing and pushing until we realize we’ve crossed a point of no return mentally where we just cannot do it anymore.

All of which made for a brilliant episode. Because we so rarely see this process play out in any type of storytelling, and we rarely see this truth discussed for that matter. But here, it was put on full display, and we learned some valuable lessons. In that, it’s okay to admit we aren’t where we need to be, and to make changes to get there and if we come to that point, it is not because we failed, or we are weak.  We are simply being honest with ourselves, and we now understand that our needs and wants have changed, and embracing that is how we grow and it sets the stage for a very unique finale to this season of storytelling. Since it will clearly be focused on growth, honesty, and new chapters and that will make for some fascinating storytelling, the kind that will undoubtedly leave us with much to ponder upon. Until next time.

Please enjoy this sneak peek of Style Kings, which debuts on aspireTV tonight!

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Seven of ‘Where’s Wanda?’ To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Normally stories that revolve around loss and the power of it, rarely showcase what happens when people begin to heal from such matters, and rightfully so. For those stories really are grounded in the struggle and the pain that accompanies loss, and how tough it can be to reconcile that. So, they stay in that framework and take us on a detailed emotional journey for certain. But every now and then, you run into a story that is eager to step away from that and showcase more, including the healing process for various reasons… such is the case with the new Apple TV+ series, Where’s Wanda? since this week’s episode, went beyond the pain.

For ‘The King’ picked up shortly after Dedo and Carlotta got home from their wild adventure within the bunker, wherein they were ready to move forward with what little family they had left. Which brought about some touching moments with Ole, and some moments of contrition as well. Since Dedo and Carlotta apologized to Rudigër in an effort to bring real peace to their homestead. For they really did want to hit the reset button and live life differently going forward. In fact, they were ready to stop the spy operation as well, and retrieve the bugs. Which was a decision that garnered a sense of urgency when the police began to sniff around regarding claims of bugging, wherein a plan was formulated to pull the bugs during WandaFest.

But what mattered most, was that we saw this family try to heal, try to recover and that was huge. Because that is a rarity in this type of story, and it was refreshing and amazing and it served a greater purpose. Because by getting the healing in place, combined with us understanding that Wanda and Chris were okay and holed up in quite the fancy house, the story could move into new territory and finally explore… the King. That enigmatic animal smuggler that brought a tiger to this happy little town and well, we learned that The King is no joke. For he believes so much in his cause that he has no problems getting his hands dirty to keep it thriving. As evidenced by what happened to a poor soul in the past, and of course… he is so powerful, he has spies everywhere.

Because Detective Rauch got wind of The King here and began to work that angle of the case. Mainly because she realized that the dead influencer was trying to expose this operation and that… was enough to reveal who works for The King. Since Rauch’s partner showcased his loyalty to the boss by taking out the leak, all because this operation is clearly bigger than expected, and well… it would seem this plot thread is also about to come to a head. Since orders on high for Lukas may reveal more about The King and their current plans for the town and the new threat to the operation, when he swings by the very house where Chris is staying and where Wanda escaped from. 

All of which made, for a supremely surprising tale. One that bucked all kinds of trends and set the stage for an epic season finale. Where the Klatts could be free of their burdens through WandaFest, and where they may see Wanda again and of course… we might finally see resolution with The King and perhaps watch them enjoy some measure of justice. But while we count down the minutes to the season one finale, we can celebrate one delightful tale. One that finally showcased there does come a day when loss, or perhaps trauma, ends, and brighter days begin, and that was lovely to find here since that is what the show set out to do, and that will indeed allow for it to head into a unique new direction come next week’s finale. Until next time.