​When it comes to the notion of time travel, there’s one particular question that immediately pops into our mind when we ponder upon it in that, where would we go if had the opportunity to traverse the timeline? Because the notion excites us in ways we never thought possible, and the chance to see incredible and stunning moments in history would be a thrill to say the least. Unless of course, you work for Mason Industries and are part of the Time Team. Because then, your job is saving every precious moment, and never quite getting the chance to take in the awe and wonder of standing in front of great moments in history.
 
But, as it turns out, that all-important question I posed just a moment ago, was finally toyed with in Timeless. For the next episode in this magnificent series, ‘Space Race’, took the Time Team and the villainous Garcia Flynn to July 20, 1969, the day that mankind landed on the moon and well, that allowed for some incredible things to happen storytelling wise. First and foremost, we finally got to see someone enjoy the moment since this historic day was in fact, a big influencer in Rufus’ formation career wise and everyone he stood next to and interacted with at Mission Control were outright heroes to him, and it was nice to see that level of appreciation mixed into the plot.
 
However, the show wasn’t quite done with the awe and wonder game, since it gave Rufus more to work with than a few incredible visuals to gawk at. He also received the opportunity to work alongside a NASA legend, someone that sadly, at the time, worked behind the scenes at NASA without receiving proper credit for her role in the space program, Katherine Johnson. And it was simply magical to see Rufus and Lucy work with her to help save the astronauts on the moon from certain death thanks to Rittenhouse’s evil machinations and I’m so glad the show took the time to acknowledge Katherine’s contributions to space travel and give her an important role in this episode as well.
 
But, while this was episode was uplifting in its own right since it was indeed filled with heroic moments at NASA, the big philosophical question this episode posed was also explored by way of Flynn, who oddly enough was quite gentle with someone that seemed to be a Rittenhouse mark and well, there was good reason for this shred of kindness. For the person he took a shine to, was his future mother, and coming back to this point in time, allowed for him to help save the life of his half-brother, giving us an important moment when it comes to this character’s evolution, since we saw a softer side to Flynn in season two and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing his better nature emerge here.
 
When all is said and done however, this was quite the fascinating episode. For it was filled to the brim with character development and a lot of grey areas when it comes to choices made by a great many people since both Anthony and Flynn seemed to have a touch of regret for their actions up to this point and well, it was also bittersweet to see that Rufus is beginning to harden on this journey since he did prove to Anthony he’s fully capable of doing what must be done and well, once again this episode proves how dynamic and thrilling this show can be, and if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to hit the time stream once again to see what other wonders await me. Until next time.   

​You know, it’s been quite a while since we sat down to talk about NBC’s Timeless by way of these Retro Recaps and there’s been a good reason for that. Because tearing through this series well before the series finale would have been a disservice to a show that quite frankly, is about as magical as they come. This is one to be celebrated, and one to be mourned since it is going off the air well before its time So, seeing as to how next Thursday, we bid farewell to the Time Team once and for all with a two-hour series finale on NBC, the time has to come to finish my personal journey through a show that I started a little late.
 
Which means that from here on out, we are powering ahead and recapping the remaining episodes of season one so that I’m ready for any surprises or references that finale might throw my way, which I am sure it will. But more importantly, I need to finish these recaps to properly pay tribute to a series that captivated all of us with its dynamic and relatable characters and outright powerhouse stories and well, I couldn’t have picked a better re-start point when it comes to this series, because ‘Stranded’ was another fine example of how this show can accomplish wonders on a moment’s notice.
 
For this one, basically threw out the standard formula for the show. Gone was the introduction of where we were heading in time, or any understanding of what Flynn and Rittenhouse were up to. Instead, we were plunged right into the moment with the Time Trio in 1754 Pittsburgh and well, it didn’t take long to see why the series forwent the formula aspect in this particular tale, because it made the evil plan that Flynn had put together for them all the more powerful. For as it turns out, the whole point of them being here was not to foil Flynn and Rittenhouse’s plans to change history, no instead, this was a giant trap, one that saw the Lifeboat badly damaged in an era where replacement parts were obviously hard to come by, forcing the team to face the real possibility that they may be trapped in the past for the rest of their lives.
 
Which meant this time around, they were purely on their own, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by hostile forces and this kind of dire straits allowed for the team to not only put their differences aside and apologize for their transgressions, but it also allowed for Rufus to shine like never before. Because he was the only one who could fix the Lifeboat and thanks to his ingenuity, and a wicked awesome plan to communicate with Mason Industries in the future, Rufus was able to save the day and lives, with an assist from Jiya of course and really, the important thing that we saw here was the team working together and understanding one another and that’s a huge deal because in many ways, they’re starting to act the family I was introduced to in season two.
 
When all is said and done however, I have to admit, this was a pretty brilliant episode. After all, it’s rare to see a series break from the norm and it was quite cool to see the team not be stuck to a mission and its parameters and instead deal with their issues and their own potential fate and that made for one compelling tale, one filled with danger and tension and I just loved it. Yet while it is fun to pick up this show again, it is also a bittersweet experience. For every episode watched, brings me closer to the end and well, that’s a shame because this really is a magnificent series. But alas, it’s not quite the time to shed our tears just yet, I’m sure we will all save those for the finale. Instead, I’ll keep on trucking and see what wild adventures still await me. Until next time.    

Revenge. It is a word that all of us are familiar with because at some point or another, it’s been a part of our lives. Because we’ve outright pondered upon how much better we would feel if we exacted revenge upon someone who hurt us deeply. But often times, we avoid it, looking to take the high road over anything else, but here and there, we do indulge in it, as do others and while it may satisfy when we right that wrong, there can be consequences for our actions and everything that one can think of when it comes to revenge was explored in great detail in the Series 11 Finale of Doctor Who; ‘The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos’. 
 
But in addition to that exploration, this tale brought everything together that Series 11 introduced in unique and fascinating fashion and all of that happened on the planet that has its namesake featured in the title, since Team TARDIS was drawn there by no less than nine different distress calls and well, what they found on this world was downright terrifying and compelling. For on this world, were fleets of ships, abandoned and burned out and the only living element to be found in this graveyard of vessels was a solider named Paltraki, who needed a little bit of help in getting his memory going since this planet was known to mess with minds and by helping him, the Doctor and her friends discovered a terrifying secret about this place in that, the Stenza were here, Tzim-Sha specifically, the maniac we met in the series premiere, and Paltraki had something he wanted.
 
But let’s honest, the item in question was the least of our concerns. Because the look on Graham’s face when he came to learn the monster that killed his beloved Grace was on this world was one of pure fury, something we’ve never seen from him before and well, that’s when the story began its exploration of revenge. Because Graham made it very clear to both the Doctor and Ryan, that given the opportunity, he would make Tzim pay for what happened to Grace, putting his status as part of the team in jeopardy since the Doctor made it clear that such an act would put an end to his time aboard the TARDIS, but that didn’t faze him in the slightest and we spent a fair chunk of the episode, pondering as to whether or not Graham would be the better man when the time came to face off against his tormenter.
 
Yet, while this admission from Graham made it seem as though this story was going to be just about his difficult and conflicted journey, there was more to explore when it comes to revenge, and the rest of the matter was handled by way of the titular Tzim-Sha. For we came to learn that shortly after he disappeared from the Doctor’s sight the series premiere, he ventured back in time 3,407 years to this planet, where he met a pair of telekinetic beings known as the Ux, and he worked to manipulate them and their belief that he was their god to help him build a super-weapon that could contain worlds that had done Tzim and the Stenza wrong and well, he was a shell of his former self when we met him again, since he was consumed by anger and fury and his damaged state both mentally and physically gave us a fine view of how revenge can break down any being since that kind of hate consumes an individual. 

Which brings us back to the question of the hour, would Graham succumb to the power of revenge? And thankfully, the answer ended up being a resounding no. For a beautiful moment between he and Ryan, wherein Ryan became the teacher and reminded his grandad that Grace taught them to be better than that and that he loved Graham seemed to cut through the blinding fury in Graham’s heart. Because when the opportunity arrived at last to deal with the despicable Tzim, grandad took the high road, and with his grandson’s help, they put the angry monster into a cryogenic chamber where he could spend an eternity pondering upon his actions and his cruelty and man, was it satisfying to see Graham not give in to the proverbial dark side and remind all of us, that the high road truly is the better way.
 
However, what seemed to be a dark episode ended on quite the uplifting note since hope and forgiveness became a part of this story and all of that came about in the finale as the Doctor worked with the Ux to get them to abandon the twisted ideas that Tzim put into their hearts in order to save the day, and eventually those stolen planets were returned to their rightful place in time and space and rather than find themselves chastised for following a false idol, the Doctor as always, offered up compassion and understanding, allowing for this pair of aliens to forgive themselves. But of course, with a deity these beings felt lost, prompting the Doctor to encourage them to explore the galaxy and find the meaning they so desperately sought because despite this rough experience, there were wonders untold to be found amongst the stars, the kind that outright inspire hope.
 
So, when all is said and done, this ended up being quite the beautiful episode, one that allowed for the best parts of our characters to shine as they worked to save lives and the universe, and seeing Tzim-Sha return here was a stroke of genius storytelling wise because he helped us to see just how far our characters have come since they’re now stronger thanks to their experiences and they are better people as well and that’s just beautiful and well, just like that…Series 11 has come to an end and what a ride it turned out to be. Because Jodie Whittaker was absolutely brilliant in her first run as the Thirteenth Doctor since she brought the character’s finest qualities back to the forefront of the series and held onto them tight. 
 
In fact, her interpretation of the character allowed for this season to become incredibly uplifting the more I think about it since it constantly dealt with themes and concepts that pushed toward being better people and doing the right thing and that’s precisely what science fiction needs right now, a beacon of hope and well, while I’m a touch sad the series has come to its end, there is the Who Year’s Day special to look forward to at the start of 2019 and a new series in 2020 and if this year’s adventures are any clue of what’s to come with Jodie at the helm of the TARDIS, then that long break will absolutely be worth the wait. Until next season.   

It is quite natural for fans of any particular television series, to try and figure out the storytelling patterns of said show. Because there’s a sense of comfort and routine that comes with understanding what a series stands for and what it wants to accomplish, and most of them are quite good at tipping their hand when it comes to this. But some shows out there, would prefer to do anything and everything they can to surprise their audience and defy every single storytelling convention in the process and one such series that is becoming a master of this is Doctor Who and for proof, look no further than last night’s fascinating episode, ‘It Takes You Away’.
 
Because truth be told, I was expecting this particular episode to pay serious homage to the horror genre, something that oddly enough was a staple of the Peter Capaldi era of the series, and at first it seemed we were getting just that. After all, Team TARDIS was in The Middle of Nowhere, Norway, and they met a blind girl named Hanne who was alone in her home, desperate to know if her missing father was okay and she was seemingly surrounded by something evil since horrible noises were coming from the woods, and the strange mirror portal in the upstairs bedroom helped lend credence to the notion that this was going to be quite the scary ride, that is until…the Doctor and Yaz and Graham went through said portal because that’s when everything changed.
 
For shortly after they departed into a dreary and rocky place reminiscent of Superman’s Phantom Zone, Ryan, who stayed behind to keep an eye on Hanne, came to discover that the monstrous noises coming from the woods were nothing more than a recording and the rest of Team TARDIS came to discover that the eerie and evil looking world they had crossed over into, was something far more scientific and intriguing than scary since this place turned out to be an Anti-Zone, a buffer between dimensions/universes, designed to keep two worlds from ever interacting in order to keep both of said worlds safe and this in turn led to grander mysteries; as to why exactly this Anti-Zone existed in the first place and exactly what danger it was trying to keep our world safe from.
 
Thankfully, the story wasted no time in solving said mysteries, since on the other side of the Anti-Zone was in fact, a world that looked just like ours, one where they found Hanne’s dad, Erick, and it turns out he had been coming here often to hang out with Hanne’s deceased mom, who was resurrected by means unknown and in a shocking turn of events, this place also harbored Graham’s Wife and Ryan’s Nan, Grace, leaving us all to wonder…did Team TARDIS cross over into the Afterlife? Because Grace appeared to be the woman that Graham knew and loved, but the Doctor had her suspicions and eventually came to figure out that this place was in fact a sentient dimension known as the Solitract, a being/place that was banished to its own area of existence to allow for our universe to exist and it was lonely and desperate to experience the life so many beings in our vast neck of the woods have lived. 

​Which means that in the end, this episode turned out to be an exploration on loneliness and how we process loss and grief since Erick and Graham struggled to leave this place for fear of leaving their loved ones behind once again, and because the Solitract was willing to risk the destruction of two worlds to feel as though it mattered and well, that made for quite the wild and powerhouse ending. One that saw Erick and Graham exit this mirror dimension at the last possible minute when they realized their resurrected loved ones were not the people they left behind and one where the Doctor nearly sacrificed herself in order to give the Solitract what it so desperately needed, companionship, albeit brief. But, when all is said and done, while one could call this episode weird and twisted, and such a review would be justified when one considers the fact that it features a talking and omnipotent frog, I would rather quote the Doctor and call this tale, downright ‘brilliant.’
 
Because this episode, more or less highlights the best parts of Doctor Who. After all, it gave us a grand and sweeping adventure between two worlds, one that paid respect to the horror genre where applicable but more importantly, this story had great meaning to it. For exploring what it means to be validated and cared for in someone’s mind was a beautiful place to go as was the exploration of loss and grief and let’s be honest, we didn’t have a clue just how badly Grace’s loss has been hanging heavy over Ryan and Graham, more so Graham though to be honest. Because he’s been using these adventures as a way to ignore some of his pain and seeing her once again, well that damn near broke him and understandably so and really, it’s the moment that Ryan calls Graham his grandad at last that brings the beauty of this episode together.
 
If anything, I truly loved the fact that this particular tale managed to pack in so many incredible moments, the kind that took our breath away, all while staying true to the depth and intelligence that Series 11 has made a staple and at this point, it’s high time I stop trying to figure out any particular pattern or design to this saga and just outright enjoy the ride. Because it always delivers and tonight reminded me of that and well, I suppose if I had any complaint to offer about this episode, it’s that, it reminded me of the fact that we are perilously close to the end of the Thirteenth Doctor’s first run of adventures since all that remains is the season/series finale next week and dang it, I want more, plain and simple. But that’s okay, I have one more episode and the Who Year’s Day special to look forward to and I get the feeling that next week’s finale will provide us with one heck of a wonderful and powerful story. Until then.