Caution: This article contains spoilers for the finale of 'Tiny World'. 
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It really is quite amazing when a documentary hits the market, that can genuinely teach you something new and exciting about our world. Because we have discovered and uncovered a great many of its secrets, so when something dynamic and fresh arrives, it is definitely worth celebrating and that’s precisely why the Apple TV+ series, Tiny World, deserves endless praise. Because it really has done a phenomenal job of opening our eyes to a segment of our world that we simply don’t pay enough attention to. And focusing on the tiny critters that live beneath our feet has allowed for a fascinating journey to take place, one that has provided the audience with a fine understanding of how itty-bitty animals thrive and survive in some of the toughest parts of the world.

In fact, this documentary has been so thorough in its exploration, that in many ways it seemed as though there was no more story left for this saga to tell. For we have indeed been all around the globe and learned a bevy of facts about the various tiny beings that scurry about, out of sight. But as it turns out, there is one last place in the world that the series felt the need to cover, in order to properly hammer home just how many tiny creatures there are in the world and how often we miss them, because we think are the true masters of our domain and the property we own. And that made 'Garden', quite the eye-opening and poignant finale. Simply because it wasted no time in teaching us that our backyards and our gardens are actually home to quite the complex eco-system. 

One that a stunningly large variety of tiny animals and insects call home and well, it was quite powerful to learn exactly how each and every one of them depend upon us and our carefully curated lawns and gardens to survive. Take tiny spiders for instance. Since they use all the various structures, we leave in the open to make their nests and lay their eggs, making our decorations and toys and everything in between essential shelters for these little beings. And of course, our desire to have natural ingredients in our food, helps to feed other insects. Since ants make use of the aphids in our gardens to provide them with what they need to feed, and our inadvertent symbiotic relationship with nature doesn’t end with the little bugs of the world.

For our desire to attract nature into our backyards and our gardens by way of say, a bird feeder, allows for squirrels to find a place to rest and feed when cute little robins aren’t taking advantage of the food we’ve put out. Plus, if you’re in Europe, there is a fair chance that field hamsters might make their way into your yard. Because the tomatoes we planned on using in our cooking, is a great source of nutrients for them and their young and really, it was just fascinating to learn that even though we’ve conquered this world in our own special way, that nature still finds a way to live alongside us and thrive. If anything, that revelation serves to remind us that that our world is far more connected than we often realize and that sometimes our decisions in regard to comfort can have a positive impact on the wildlife around us, and that’s a wonderful lesson to send our way.

For it really does teach us to be mindful of the world that surrounds us and to appreciate and respect and care for all of the creatures that we share this planet with. Because they’re special and wonderful, regardless of their size, and they deserve every chance to thrive, and hopefully the next time we’re out in the woods, or an island vacation or just sitting in our backyard sipping on a cold drink; we take a moment to remember that we are not alone in the slightest. Because beneath our feet is a tiny world, filled with tiny lives, the kind that remind us that nature is resilient and ambitious and downright inspiring. Because if these little critters can overcome the odds to see tomorrow, then there is nothing that mankind cannot do when it applies itself to a greater goal and really in the end, this was quite the magnificent documentary. One that truly put the beauty of these tiny animals on display and it should be interesting to see what other dynamic and unique documentaries await us from AppleTV+ down the line, since their first attempt at exploring our world was a rousing success. 

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Big Sky’.
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Over the course of the past few weeks, we’ve talked a lot about formula in regard to the new ABC series, Big Sky, and understandably so. Simply because this dynamic crime/thriller has done a phenomenal job of shaking free of all of the tropes and formulas that this genre tends to operate within. Which has made for one fascinating ride for certain, one that has allowed for the dynamic characters that populate this rich world, and the story for that matter as well, to operate in a manner that actually manages to surprise the audience and keep them guessing and wouldn’t you know it? This series is showing no signs of letting up when it comes to its desire to shake things up in this genre. 
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Because last night’s episode of the series opted to do abandon another common formula present within crime stories, specifically… the slow burn approach to solving the crime in question. For often times, stories in this vein, where someone has been kidnapped and the heroes have no clue what to do find those in captivity; take their time in getting to the finish line. Which makes sense, since a slow approach allows for the audience to really get to know the hero (or heroes) of the story and come to properly understand the madness of the villain (or villains). And it allows for incredible tension to build in the background so that a heart-pounding finale can take place. But ‘The Big Rick’ opted to flip the script on this formula, by offering up one intense tale. One where everyone in the story opted to avoid inaction and go for broke in every sense of the phrase and that led to some fascinating and powerful moments for certain.

The kind that allowed for danger and tension to permeate this tale from beginning to end and really, it was Jenny Hoyt’s journey that kicked off the high-octane approach of this story. Because she was done with waiting and posturing and planning. She wanted answers on the whereabouts of Cody and the girls and that motivated her to swing by the mysterious church that Cody was originally planning on going to. And what made this so tense, is the sheer fact that we didn’t have a clue as to whether or not the folks at this church were friendly or possible allies of Rick and Ronald and thankfully, they were the former. For they didn’t seem too fond of Rick and his antics and they were eager to open up their security footage to Jenny, in order to remove themselves from the equation of this nightmare. And while that didn’t offer Jenny any resolution in regard to her problems, it was nice to see one of the heroes of this story take action and not wait around for clues to magically pop up. 

But while that made for some compelling television for certain, since it did help us to understand that Jenny is going to be relentless in her quest to find these girls and uncover the truth about her husband; it was the captive girls and their journey that truly took this story to a whole new level. Because Grace was done with waiting as well and decided the time had come to try make an escape happen on her own, and thanks to her determination and ingenuity; not only was she able to free herself and her sister and Danielle from their chains… but she figured a way out of the trailer, and a way out of the farmhouse as well. And what made this so refreshing , is that you rarely see a victim in crime related stories, display this kind of fight or creativity in formulating an escape plan, since they are often times too afraid to fight back or in some kind of horrible position where they simply cannot do so. 
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However, while it was wonderful to see Grace put Ronald in a precarious and dangerous situation and watch her evade Rick in the Montana countryside for a better part of the hour, sometimes formula is unavoidable and necessary in a story such as this and that’s why no one should be surprised that it came into play at the very end of this particular tale. Because Rick and Ronald are horrible human beings, the kind that deserve to feel fear and worry over their actions, and the only way to make that happen is to have their world come crashing down around them, and having Jenny and Cassie continue to put the pressure on them would definitely help in making that happen. Which is why it makes sense that Grace was eventually captured and returned to the trailer. But all predictability aside, make no mistake about it, this was an outstanding episode when all is said and done.

Because once again, this story was all about the tension and the fear and the danger and that’s just rare in a big budget crime story and it is thankfully bringing forth some original, and sometimes supremely terrifying, storytelling. If anything, it just goes to show that a crime/thriller story can in fact assault the senses of the audience and still tell a compelling and engrossing tale, one filled with character development, since we are seeing that happen in small increments as this harrowing tale continues along and truly this show leaves you hungry for more. Because at this point, we still have no idea how this story is going to end and that compels the viewer to continue this unsettling journey. In part to see what kinds of surprises and formula breaking twists await us down the line, but more so, to finally see Rick and Ronald pay for the horrible things they've done to so many innocent women. Until next time.

Something that is truly fascinating about our favorite television shows, is that we tend to believe that the big episodes and stunning surprises that popped up from time to time, served as the defining moments of the series in question. Which is a line of thinking that has some serious merit. Because if it wasn’t for those important moments, people wouldn’t buzz about the show in the slightest. But the fact of the matter is, that’s the wrong way to think about a television series. Because more often than not, consistent and quality storytelling is what really helps to bring a show to its apex and for proof that there is truth to everything we’ve just discussed… then look no further than season three of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Because year three of this storied franchise, is often glorified and remembered and revered for two key episodes; ‘Yesterday’s Enterprise’ and ‘The Best of Both Worlds’. But while those stories indeed are game-changing in their own right and powerful for certain, it’s the stuff that preceded them that really established the wonder of this series. Because these powerful stories allowed for the writers of this incredible series, to properly examine the human condition and our modern world and what it stands for. While at the same time, these tales also allowed for the writers' room to properly get to know the characters and what they could and could not handle. And having that knowledge and being able to write challenging stories makes everything we've discussed to date, foundational in nature. Since it allowed for the writing team to take risks with their stories and challenge the crew of the Enterprise like never before by way of those aforementioned, iconic episodes. 

If anything, all of this is relevant to today’s discussion, simply because the next episode of this storied franchise features another foundational tale. Because ‘A Matter of Perspective’ is a story that allowed for the talented writers of this series to examine a heavier aspect of our modern society that we don’t dig into enough in science fiction. Specifically, what justice will look like in the future and how technology continues to make the judicial system better as time goes on, and it accomplished this particular analysis, by putting Commander William T. Riker on trial for murder. For a sour visit to a research station, resulted in the end of said station and all hands aboard it, by way of an explosion and it truly seemed as though the evidence pointed to Riker’s libido as the cause of a crime of passion, and that prompted Captain Picard to figure out how to clear his first officer’s name. 

Which allowed for the Holodeck to come into play, since it was able to accurately recreate the station and the testimony of those involved and well, while this definitely helped to paint a picture, the sour nature of this whole meeting didn’t quite clear things up the way that Picard was hoping for. Which meant that this trial needed stone-cold science in order to clear Will Riker’s name and thankfully, there was an abundance of that available and it wasn’t long before the facts did their job and proved Will’s innocence in the matter. But what truly made this story so memorable, is that it relied upon science and evidence in order to acquit Riker of any wrongdoing and what makes that so important is that once again, this franchise was looking toward the future in such matters. Because using a Holodeck to recreate the crime scene and the events leading up to it, alongside the use of digital testimony and forensics to exonerate Riker, speaks to how technology is going to make murder investigations more efficient in the future and already we’re seeing some of that come to fruition now, by way of advanced forensics and the admissibility of DNA.

But while it is wonderful to think about tomorrow and how TNG may have influenced it yet again, what matters more, is that this story has a lot to say about justice and the importance of facts and evidence over anything else and how we must hold true to those at all times. Because without them, the justice system would fall to pieces, and in many ways perhaps this episode features inadvertent commentary on how we need some reforms in the system right now… to keep it on the right path. But regardless of what one takes away from this tale, we can all agree upon the fact that it is another quality story through and through, one that helped the writers to further hone their skills in writing powerful and poignant tales and oddly enough, the first big payoff when it comes to these foundational episodes is about to come to fruition, since 'Yesterday's Enterprise' is the next stop on our journey through season three of TNG.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the fifth episode of ‘Tiny World’.
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When one takes the time to ponder upon a walk in the woods, some familiar images come to mind. For we immediately think of the towering trees of the woodlands, the kind that keep the sun from reaching our skin with their thick leaves. And we of course think of the gentle sounds that the woods send our way as various animals, the kind that we hope to see, go about their lives away from the prying eyes of mankind. But what we don’t think about… are the tiny creatures that are scurrying about beneath our feet and the struggles they are currently going through in order to see the wonder of another day. Simply because it's easy to miss the little guys and gals that scurry about. But thankfully, there are documentaries out there, such as Tiny World on AppleTV+, that are designed to help us understand their plight around the world, and it just so happens that the aforementioned woods served as the focal point of the next episode of this fascinating series.

For ‘Woodland’ took us deep into the forests of the Appalachian Mountains to get a up close look at how tiny animals thrive in such an isolated and bountiful environment, and well, they definitely fight hard to survive in this leafy place. Because predators are as plentiful as the food that the woods provide and that forces some of the tiny critters of the woods, to more or less hide for a better part of the year. For there are jumping mice that spend eight months in hibernation, an act that allows for them to avoid both predator and bad weather alike. But staying hidden and asleep has its drawbacks as well, since sometimes these mice straight up sleep themselves to death since they forget to wake up once their fat stores are gone. In fact, two-thirds of them perish in this manner and the ones that do survive, need to work quickly to bulk up before the next hibernation cycle begins. 

Speaking of food, it also happens to be a big focus for every itty-bitty critter that lives in the woods. Simply because their small size requires them to consume all kinds of calories to keep up with their accelerated metabolism. And that particular revelation led to some fascinating visuals and moments for certain. The kind that allowed for us to see exactly how hungry some of these animals are and how nature has evolved to ensure that there is balance when it comes to the food chain. Because some of the beings that are lower on the food chain, such as the Cicada, breed in such large numbers that their species is utterly assured a future since there are plenty of them to go around in every sense of the phrase. If anything, it was just fascinating and humbling to see homeostasis in action, since it really serves as a fine reminder of how smoothly our world functions on a consistent basis.

But while all of these facts were fascinating to learn in their own right, they paled in comparison to the moving story of the Chipmunk. For this cute little bugger, one that we fawn over consistently when we see it in the wild, actually endures quite the struggle on a daily basis. For these little cuties sometimes don’t live to see their first birthday because of how easily predators are able to hunt them and even when they do make it that far, it comes at a great effort. For they spend a better part of their year just battling for food and shelter, and that sometimes means they have to fight their own kind in order to obtain what they desperately need, and it was truly incredible to be plunged into the chipmunk’s world in this manner and really see first-hand, just how hard they have to work in order to eat and survive.

In the end, this really was quite the powerful episode for certain. Because it really did open our eyes as to how much the wildlife of the world is working to survive whilst we admire their domain and that really does humble the viewer and give them a newfound appreciation for what animals go through on a consistent basis, especially the tiny ones. For it is obvious in this tale that they have to work twice as hard to find food or shelter or to just wake up in the morning, and that makes them little miracles when all is said and done. Because they somehow pull of all of those feats on a fairly consistent basis and it is just incredible to know that we share the world with these tiny wonders, the kind that never give up and always try harder to get what they need and now that we’ve come to understand the plight of the woodland creature, it should be interesting to see what other tiny animals will enjoy their time in the spotlight in the finale of this magnificent documentary. Until next time.