There are a great many reasons as to why fans continue to enjoy and fawn over Star Trek: The Next Generation. For some, it’s the sheer fact that TNG is/WAS a worthy successor to The Original Series and grew the Star Trek Universe in a bold new manner. For others, it is about the sense of adventure the show provided us with and some… are all about the hopeful nature of the series. After all, it does present a wonderful future where mankind and the various species of the Federation enjoy true harmony and peace through and through. But one particular aspect of this series that every fan of the series enjoys to this day above all else, is the genuine sense of fun this that show exuded from time to time.
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Because it always knew exactly when to break up the monotony or the darker storylines with an episode that just let loose and allowed for the cast to shine in a fun and silly manner and those stories are the kind that fans always look fondly upon. Because it sent a wonderful message our way, in that… we shouldn’t always take life or the assignment too seriously and that sense of fun is top of mind today, because it showed up once again in the next episode of this storied franchise. A feat ‘A Fistful of Datas’ accomplished, by giving the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise a little bit of down time while they waited for a rendezvous with another Starfleet vessel, the U.S.S. Biko.

Wherein the crew was able to enjoy some relaxing pursuits. For instance, Doctor Crusher was all about putting together a quality play with Commander Riker. Whereas the captain decided now was the perfect time to brush up on playing his Ressikan Flute. But not everyone was about that relaxing life, since Geordi and Data saw this quiet time as a grand opportunity to work on some computer enhancements using Data’s neural processor and of course, Alexander was looking forward to having his father join him in the Holodeck to take part in a Western. An adventure that started out in a fun manner until the Data experiment corrupted computer pathways and put lethal Datas inside the Holodeck, forcing Worf to fight a variant of a good friend and that’s really where the fun begins. 

Because for starters, this twist allowed for Brent Spiner to just do his thing as an actor and boy does he shine here. Since he plays no less than four different iterations of Data, each one with their own personality and flair and this outright wonderful twist allows for all kinds of laugh out loud moments to take place. The kind that are shockingly well balanced by Michael Dorn’s performance as Worf. Since his innocent approach to a Klingon being trapped in a Western, allows for a perfect fish out of water story to take place, one that allows for deadpan jokes to play out and keep the viewer in stitches and of course, it all comes together by way of an epic ending where Worf saves his son and the day in a classy and heroic manner. 

Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Data sees some of that bleed over happen in the real world as well. Since he hilariously drops into a southern drawl now and again and well… all of these elements just lead to one fun episode. One that is utterly devoid of meaning and commentary and that’s not a bad thing by any means. Because there is nothing wrong with just enjoying a little mindless entertainment set in the 24th Century, the kind that truly embraces the nature of fun and puts a smile on your face and that’s precisely what this episode does and there are no complains on this end. Just curiosity as to how many more silly and fun episodes await us, as we begin the march toward the end of The Next Generation. Until next time.   

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 407 of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’.
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The mid-season finale of Star Trek: Discovery has dropped, and it has me torn to shreds emotionally. Seriously, I don’t even know where to begin. I felt like so much happened all at once and I’m still working out how to process it all. The DMA is still running rampant, and Paul is working with Zora to find the source of the DMA. Michael and Book are impatiently waiting while Michael tries to win over Grudge the cat… not that that’s going well by any means.

It’s always important to note that cats are often filled with indifference. You really have to earn their respect and you might be deemed worthy of their affection. Finally, a breakthrough, Paul calls Michael in to talk about the findings. Zora has located the source of the DMA, only… she isn’t going to give them the coordinates. Michael is upset, as she is the captain and orders Zora to give the coordinates, however Zora refuses. Michael is willing to work with Zora more, but she gets called away.

There is a meeting of worlds going on, both Federation and Non-Federation Planets are meeting to discuss what to do about the DMA and how to handle this whole situation. Tarka introduces a weapon he made that would destroy the DMA without harming its power source, but the risks are unknown, vast, and possibly damaging. While the Federation is pushing for First Contact. There are arguments on both sides of the table. Tarka says that by destroying the DMA they could saves billions of lives. Book even seconds the whole thing, citing the destruction of his own planet as reason enough to stop the DMA as soon as possible.
 
Michael counters the offer by saying that’s not what the Federation stands for. They stand for making peaceful first contact with new life forms, and the DMA originating from outside their Galaxy is enough reason to have a peaceful first contact. By destroying the DMA, they could be unknowingly declaring war on whomever built it. And the unknown builders might have a worse weapon. Destroying the DMA is too big of a risk, and they need to approach this delicately. Tarka doesn’t like this, so he pulls Book aside and explains his true motives for needing to kill the DMA. He’s from a mirror universe and needs the power source of the DMA to get back, supposedly. Either way, the vote is in, and the majority has voted for a peaceful First Contact. Tarka and Book disagree, so Tarka takes a next generation Spore Drive, melds it with Book’s ship, and they head out with it to take out the DMA themselves.

Michael does not like this.

As for Zora? Well, there’s a lot to unpack about Zora. Computers that evolve into sentient beings aren’t permitted on Federation ships. She, theoretically, could be removed from the ship and placed into a different body. Paul and Hugh debate with Dr. Kovich over what to do about Zora. Paul, doesn’t trust her. So, to make him feel better, Zora offers them a kill switch that would erase her programming instantly. Hugh disagrees with this idea, as does Adira and Grey once they show up to help Zora. Kovich is trying to figure out what Zora is before any decisions can truly be made.
 
It’s a long debate, and finally Paul concedes that he would feel better in trusting Zora if she trusted them. A dive into Zora’s programming proves that she’s evolved in such a way that she isn’t an advanced AI, but something new entirely. Zora is alive, and she views the crew as her family and her primary directive is to keep her family safe. She does agree with Paul though, and she gives them the coordinates. Kovich rules that she is a unique sentient being that he cannot remove from the ship, and all is well, right? Paul even suggests Zora join Starfleet. Grey decides to leave the ship in pursuit of his dream and Adira goes with, just for a few weeks to help him get settled.

All is happy and well. Except for Book maybe starting a massive war and destroying the DMA… Book might be in over his head.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘The Pact’.
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One thing that we can all agree upon, is that crime has quite the powerful impact upon everyone involved within its unsettling realm. For there are consequences for those who choose to break the law and the victims of their choice, suffer in unique ways that few of us will ever understand. But when it comes to the impact that crime has upon people, one particular aspect of it that we don’t discuss enough… is how it affects those who are directly related to the criminal in some capacity. Because they have emotional ties to said criminal, and there is undoubtedly emotional fallout that would accompany the discovery and reality of the fact that a loved one crossed a horrible line.

Instead, we focus on the facts or the crime in question, leaving those loved ones to languish in silence and that does leave one to genuinely wonder how they process this and what they do with the new reality surrounding them and it just so happens, that the next episode of The Pact on Sundance Now… saw an opportunity to explore that aspect of crime in a fascinating manner. A feat that it accomplished, by way of Nancy’s arrest. For the police were quite curious as to whether or not Anna and Louie and Cat would have more to say about that night, following Nancy’s admission that her car was indeed on the road at night, and they were quickly rounded up at work and brought to the station for further questioning. 

Wherein, Max was able to get a snippet of truth that the group were indeed hiding some facts about Jack’s death and that led to an explosive moment between he and Anna. Where she finally explained the situation at hand and that’s precisely where the exploration in question got underway. For Max was simply beside himself and broken and shattered over the reality that his wife had lied to him and was involved in the potential murder of another human being and well… that put Max in a rightfully dark place. Where he simply didn’t have a clue what to do and while this writer can’t speak to this experience firsthand, this felt real and raw and showcased how hard it would be for someone to reconcile the fact that their loved one did something awful. 

But while that alone could have carried this episode through and through, this is of course a crime drama and needs to push the story along and it did just that, by having Max make quite the decision. Because in essence, he was forced to choose as to whether he should risk it all and get involved in finding Jack’s killer against orders, so that his family life would be saved and that was an easy call for him to make. One that sadly, brought about some horrifying truths. Since he and Anna came to learn some interesting truths about Jack. The kind that added a stunning wrinkle to the case that we honestly cannot spoil here. Because this one is huge, and you need to experience that in real-time.
 
Outside of that however, this really was quite the quality episode for certain. One that really did a wonderful job of hammering home how crime shatters far more than just the aggressor and the victims… it rips families apart and ruins lives and that made for some poignant moments for certain. The kind that genuinely provided us with pause and now that this fascinating exploration has come to a close, the time has come to turn our attention to the finale. Wherein the truth is about to revealed and nothing will be the same and that will make the wait for next week’s season finale, as difficult as it gets. Until next time.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Close to Me’.

One particular lesson in life that few of us ever find joy in learning… is that the truth can and will cause us emotional harm. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t seek it out at any cost, since the truth is important and should be front and center in our lives, but the emotional side of us… simply cannot deal with its dry and blunt reality at times nor is it fully prepared to handle how its arrival can obliterate our unhealthy perceptions and well, the difficulties that come with that, and how much the truth hurts to learn are concepts that are top of mind today… simply because they served as the focal themes of the next episode of Close to Me on Sundance Now.
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For when we catch up with Jo Harding in this particular tale, she’s now emboldened to learn her past to a tee, regardless of whether it is sorted or not and that leads to some supremely difficult moments for her. Since a desire to see her father in person… outright breaks her heart. Since she was ill prepared to see him in such a deteriorated state mentally and that led to the first harsh truth in this tale for Jo. In that… she was going to have to watch her father fade away, and not having the memories needed to properly process this reality only made realizing it a second time around as harsh as it gets, especially since visiting him was uncovering all kinds of memories about her past and her youth. 

But while that made for a powerful personal journey for Jo, it was grossly overshadowed by the more difficult and painful truths that Jo uncovered in this tale. Such as the fact that her beloved husband, is not the supportive and kind man that he appears to be. Because during several occasions in this tale, he was quick to snap at Jo when it suited him and pressure her and even gaslight her, making it clear that Rob has a real dark side to him and that he has no problem with manipulating the situation or a person to serve his needs and wants and that… definitely put Jo in a difficult place. Because she was now genuinely seeing her life and her marriage in an objective and unsettling manner and that was difficult for her to even remotely begin to accept.

However, as moving as this was and unsurprising to a certain extent, since Rob has shown signs of this along the way, we would be foolish to not point out the importance of this part of the part of the story. Since this sequence really was, a solid and powerful conversation on domestic violence and gaslighting and what it looks like and it was shocking, in a good way, to find that here. Since this is a topic, that so many stories have deemed taboo and we even treat this as a poisonous topic in our everyday lives. So, to see it here in the raw was revolutionary for certain and it certainly gives one pause. Simply because there are moments that feel oddly familiar for those have that been through such matters and those who haven't, likely endured a little déjà vu regardless, since they've heard such works spoken aloud by someone they know.

But what also made this sequence of note… is that it gave life to the beginning of new explorations. For shortly after Jo began to uncover some ugly truths about the supposed love of her life, her quest to get answers also revealed that she’s crossed some unfortunate lines romantically. To the point where lives will be ruined if the truth about her affair was revealed, and coming to that epiphany and pondering upon her past and the pressures and lies, she’s faced, allowed for this story to ask some incredibly poignant questions. Such as whether or not Jo is a bad person that has actively made choices to harm others… or if this behavior is a direct result of the negative behaviors that have surrounded her for some time, making her a product of her environment, and open to change. Wherein she could shed this darkness with some work. 

But alas, the rest of that exploration will have to wait for a later time, since the episode ended shortly after introducing all of this. But that really is a fascinating direction to take this story in, as was everything that preceded it. Since we saw first-hand how the truth hurts and makes us uncomfortable, but we continue to strive for it because we know its purity does a great deal for us. Plus, this episode really does deserve a round of applause for diving into the very real power of gaslighting and how domestic violence doesn’t just revolve around the traditional concepts and can in fact be subtle and emotional in nature and really in the end, all of these elements inform us, that the journey is about to take quite the turn. One that will shock us and leave us uncomfortable as the rest of the truth about Jo’s missing year, and her life… is laid bare. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘The Book of Boba Fett’.
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The Book of Boba Fett aired yesterday, it’s the second live action series under the Star Wars umbrella, and while it should offer a great deal into what happened between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, it most importantly offers more Boba Fett. This once, one-off, side character, fell into our hearts with only a line or two and very quickly climbed the charts to fan favorite. When he presumably died in Return of the Jedi, we were all just a little sad. Good news came to us, however, when Boba made his appearance in season 2 of The Mandalorian. So, what was he doing all this time? How did he even survive the Sarlacc? Most of our questions have been answered with the release of Boba’s very own show.

So how did Boba survive the Sarlacc pit? Well, he woke up mid digestion and fought his way out, only to be robbed by Jawas and taken prisoner by the Tusken Raiders. Pretty crappy deal after fighting one’s way out of a Sarlacc’s stomach. The good news is he’s alive, the bad news is, barely. Boba does try to fight his way out, but that doesn’t go well. Finally, he’s taken to dig for water plants, or plants filled with water, when he and another prisoner are attacked by a 6-armed nightmare creature. That was horrifying.
 
Boba is smart and well trained and easily kills the beast. He and the young Tusken Raider return to the camp with the creature’s head and Boba is offered a water plant thing of his own. Maybe, just maybe, he earned their respect? That doesn’t explain everything, however, like how he met Fennec Shand or how he took over Jabba’s crime empire. But? That’s all in due time.

For now, Boba has his armor back and is setting up meetings. The people are coming to bear gifts and pay their respects to the new crime lord. And he even goes to them. In fact, he visits one particular bar to introduce himself personally. After all, he wants to rule with respect, not fear. Boba and Fennec leave the bar with a helmet of coins and a new understanding with said bar owner. They get attacked by masked assailants with energy shields.
 
Boba literally gets his a*s kicked and Fennec goes after the masked attackers. She tracks down two and fights them both before deciding she only needs one alive. Boba is rushed to a healing tank and that’s where we’re left hanging. Next week we hopefully find out more. We already know how Boba got his armor back, but there’s way more to this story.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 305 of ‘Lost in Space’.
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Over the course of the past couple of years, the Netflix series, Lost in Space has put the Robinson family in some genuinely precarious situations. The kind where they had to use their wits to escape danger and killer robots and while those moments were indeed thrilling and tense… there was always a sense of safety that surrounded them. For Sci-Fi shows rarely kill off a lead in the middle of the series and doing so in those instances would have infuriated fans of this saga. But what’s fascinating about this show, is that the closer we get toward the series finale, the more that sense of safety is beginning to fade away and it makes sense as to why.

After all, we are in the midst of the final season for the series and when you reach the end, anything goes and well… that particular line of thinking allowed for the next episode to be quite uncomfortable in nature. For ‘Stuck’ is a tale that saw the Robinson family race to solve several crises on a world where SAR was near and having their sworn enemy next to them on a dangerous planet, really did remove that sense of safety and leave us wondering if by chance… something bad was going to happen here. A concern that was further reinforced by the incredible struggles that this poor family and their friends had to go through on this mucky and desolate world.

For instance, Don had an ugly run-in with SAR, one that saw him outright get knocked out by the lethal robot, leaving all of us to wonder if he was going to make it out of this episode okay. Plus, Smith and Will were quite literally on the edge of the world as Will tried to rescue the alien skull, he found on the Robot home world and John and Penny… had to race against the clock to save the Robot from a bulkhead collapse aboard the Fortuna. And to top it all off, Maureen and Judy had to figure out how to save the Jupiter 2 from a giant alien creature that wanted to eat it and keep Maureen from dying by way of a broken ejection chair and well… the stakes don’t get much higher than that, nor does the genuine risk of bidding farewell to a critical character.

But thankfully, those respective scenarios were nothing more than tricks to put us on the edge of our seats… since thankfully, everyone survived through ingenuity and guts, and unconsciousness. Since Penny and John succeeded in their mission and got Robot free, who in turn saved the skull and kept Will safe and Don… well he just rode the mini coma that SAR put him in and walked away when he shook off the primary effects of the concussion he likely suffered from. As for Maureen and Judy, well they simply made the Jupiter 2 a bad piece of cheese if you will, by giving the giant slug-like being indigestion, courtesy of having Maureen leave her explosive seat. But what truly made this episode so exciting, is that the sense of danger didn’t fade at the end of this tale.

For SAR is still out there and eagerly hunting the Robinson family, and that means the next episode could in fact lead to a terrifying showdown between man and machine, one that might end badly for the Robinson family and their intrepid friends. But while we wait to see what comes next on this bog-like planet, we can revel in the majesty of a bold and brave tale. One that really pushed this story into new and unsettling territory and also took the time to grow the characters as well. Since we learned a great deal about what space travel means to Maureen and how the kids are continuing to come into their own and well, it will indeed be quite interesting to see what the Robinson family’s next moves are going to be, since they really stuck in what appears to be a no-win scenario. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Four of ‘The Larkins’.

We live in a truly fascinating time when it comes to television. For not only are networks and studios pouring money into shows so they have a wonderful feel and a wonderful cast, something that never used to be the case, but they’re also injecting cinematic elements into the stories. Since we are now privy to powerful social commentary and serialized stories that keep us on the edge of our seats. But while these decisions have definitely brought forth a new golden age of television, one that has managed to engage us like never before… not every creative mind is eager to subscribe to elevated thinking when it comes to television.

For there are some creatives that just want the medium to entertain and put a smile on our faces and use the incredible resources available to them to really immerse people in a different world or time and one series that does just that is The Larkins on Acorn TV. For this series really is free from commentary and deeper concepts and simply immerses us in days gone by, courtesy of its 1950s setting and that carefree style of storytelling was never more prevalent than during this week’s episode. For ‘In Which the Larkins Rescue the Railway Station’ is a story that really did focus on just good vibes and moments we can relate to, and it accomplished those particular feats by way of two key storylines.

One of which involved the Railway Station in question. For once Pop Larkin found out there was a solid chance that the station was going to be closed due to lack of revenue, he did what he does best. He rallied the townsfolk and made everything about community and filled the station up with people to keep the trains rolling. Granted, there was a slight roadblock in making that happen, thanks to a station keeper with sticky fingers. But once he was out of the way, the community saved the station and the day, and it was just warm and fuzzy and wonderful to see a community rally around a common cause and make a difference and see Pop open everyone’s eyes to the cause in question. 

As for the relatable aspect of this story, well that was handled by Mariette and Charley, and Tom. Simply because Charley finally figured out that he was head over heels in love with Mariette and slowly worked to make it known to her, despite being chased by Pauline, and sadly… this quest for happiness served as a fine reminder that the song was right, and that love is indeed a battlefield. Since Charley had to compete with Tom, who used his excessive confidence and charm and funds to do his best to impress Mariette and prompt her to ‘choose’ him and while she didn’t… Tom definitely did a little bit of damage to Charley’s hopes, leaving the future of Charley and Mariette up in the air.

But what matters more, is that in the end, this episode really was flawless, feel-good entertainment through and through. Because you cannot go wrong with enjoying a story that features a relatable and realistic romance since Charley and Mariette did all the silly things the rest of us do when we’re in love, and it was just wonderful to see Pop Larkin really dig deep and rally the community to a just cause. Which makes this episode supremely refreshing and fun in nature and oddly impactful and well… this definitely leaves one eager to continue the journey. Since we simply don’t know what uplifting wonders await us in this era gone by and sadly, we will have to wait another week, to get our feel-good fix from a story that outright defies convention. Until next time.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘Under the Vines’.
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It is definitely safe to say, that the Acorn TV series, Under the Vines, has done a phenomenal job of portraying the fresh start/second chance in an honest and earnest light. Since we are now fully aware of the fact that this particular concept is not the romantic and fluffy process, we have always believed it to be. Instead, we’ve come to learn that starting over or getting a second chance is difficult work. The kind that forces us to face our demons and hash them out if we want to truly embrace the opportunity that is in front of us and that’s led to some powerful and moving stories, where Daisy and Louis have indeed faced down a lot of the skeletons in their respective closets. But while it has been wonderful to see a series really address this concept in visceral manner and see Daisy and Louis begin to find peace… what the series has yet to address, is what comes next when we’ve finally started to address the tough stuff.

Which is important to explore because that is really when the fresh start gets underway and when we start to make the progress toward the better tomorrow we dream of and thankfully, this series decided that the next episode was the perfect time to bring that exploration to life. As it turns out, one of the first steps in genuinely making a fresh start, involves making some bold decisions. Such as say, going above and beyond to correct a wrong. Which in Louis’ case, involved sacrificing time with the Winery team in order to be a better father. Since his son swung by the Winery in the hopes of spending time with dad and dad obliged, knowing full well the Winery needed all kinds of attention being this close to the big day. But this was a chance to reset with his son and show him how loved he is and watching Louis grow in this manner and set things right with his son, was so powerful and so wonderful.  

As for Daisy, well her journey explored something quite unique regarding the fresh start. In that, sometimes when we deal with our issues in order to properly face new challenges ahead, we come to realize there’s more we need to address. Which in Daisy’s case, turned out to be the unresolved emotions she has when it comes to the late Stanley Oakley. Since we learned that they had a falling out and separation when her mother came down ill, a reality that put regret into Daisy’s heart and helped her to understand in the here and the now, that she has a lot of unresolved trauma when it comes to Stanley’s death. The kind that she does need to deal with, and while that wasn’t handled here, pointing out that self-care is ongoing and that we will uncover more to work on when we finally acknowledge we aren’t a flawless human being, is a brilliant and realistic moment to inject here.

Especially since it allowed for the story to transition into a supremely healthy point regarding self-care and the push to be better for a better tomorrow. Since we also came to learn that despite having a great deal of doubt about the progress she was making and whether or not she’d done enough to really embrace this new opportunity, Daisy has in fact… accomplished wonders. Because people are no longer seeing her as a flake or vapid… they’re starting to see her as someone that is hard-working and dedicated and truly believes in the mission of the winery and that’s huge. Because it helps to remind us that when we really do work hard on improving ourselves and embracing a fresh start, we make more progress than we are aware of, and it is important to step back and recognize that… in part to motivate us further to keep up the work, but also so that we can celebrate the progress we've made.

If anything, this was just a beautiful entry in this already magnificent tale. For it truly helped us to understand that Daisy and Louis are making stunning progress in their growth and they’re finally becoming the people they’ve always wanted to be and that gives this story, unprecedented depth and meaning and it invests the audience in a unique manner as well. Since we’re watching realistic growth happen in real-time and that does leave one to wonder, how all of this is going to come together in the season one finale. Because this is still a story through and through, and there has to be a payoff for this kind of growth and it would seem, the showcase is going to bring all of these important moments home, and that will make the wait for next week’s episode as difficult as can be, since we are all eager to see the payoff to Louis and Daisy’s incredible work. Until next time.

It is definitely safe to say, that each and every one of us… run into important lessons in life that we genuinely wish we could have learned when we were younger. For we know that having that knowledge would have saved us a great deal of suffering or strife in say, our 20s or our outright youth. But alas, the vast majority of us know that such thoughts are fleeting and that we cannot go back and know what we know at a different age and move on with the lesson in hand. But for some, this thought is something of an outright obsession since they struggle with learning lessons later in life, for various reasons, and ironically, for some, this is such an engaging idea, that they feel a need to bring it to life creatively and oddly enough, the next episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, opted to explore this concept in a fascinating manner.

For ‘Rascals’ sees Captain Picard, Ensign Ro, Keiko and Guinan go through quite the transformation thanks to a transporter accident. One where they emerge from the matter stream as pre-teens. Which of course puts them in a precarious situation emotionally and mentally since no one will listen to Starfleet officers that are straight up kids and of course, kids can’t tend bar nor can they dispense advice without life experiences, nor can a kid be properly seen as a wife. But of course, they eventually make themselves useful when rogue Ferengi take over the Enterprise, since they can in fact… use their knowledge of childhood and adulthood to surprise the ship's new foes into submission. 

Which is a plot that surprisingly allows for quite the intelligent and fascinating story to take place. One that does make it inherently clear that being a kid with an adult mind, would actually be quite the awful and boring experience. In large part because of the reasons outlined above, but also because the thrill of growing older and taking part in new experiences wouldn’t be present in the slightest. For one would know what is coming and would handle those matters easy, making the mind and heart stagnant and that’s something we all know we need to avoid. Which means that in essence, this story and its explorations are designed to point out several important lessons to those desperate to have done things differently in life.

For instance, this story points out… that we can make a difference after all with the lessons we learn at critical points in our lives, by sharing them with those that are young. So that we can in fact, set someone else up for success and heal a wound in the process. But most important of all, this episode works to teach us, that life is a wild and beautiful experience. One filled with ups and down and while it would be great to take away the downs… they define us and they shape us and the sooner we realize how every moment and lesson, both good and bad have given us strength, the faster those fleeting thoughts dissipate from our minds, and we can focus on new lessons and new experiences with the wonderful people that surround us. 

However, while it is obvious that this unique tale offers up some deep ideas and concepts that stay with you after this episode has come to an end, make no mistake about it… it teaches us these things, in a supremely fun manner. Because seeing a child Picard trying to command the Enterprise is both quirky and hilarious, as was seeing him embrace the temper tantrum side of childhood he left behind long ago, in order to save the ship and while this is one that some fans love and others cannot stand, this writer personally feels that this episode deserves some merit. Simply because it really is quite the original story for certain, and you can never go wrong with a fun episode of this show that has a lot of heart and some depth and meaning for the audience to chew upon. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season two finale of ‘Hightown’.
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Normally, crime dramas that are made for television or film, come to a quick close when the bad guy or gal is put into handcuffs, and it makes sense as to why. After all, the audience is here to see a bad person be brought to justice and once they are pushed into the back of a squad car… following a tense and epic showdown, of course… that’s it. Justice has been served and the time has come to bid the story farewell since good triumphed over evil and it will spend the rest of its days behind bars and well, while that is indeed a genuinely satisfying way to end a gritty story about such matters, it is also a formula that provides quite the disservice to the audience. 
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Because it’s not realistic in the slightest and it romanticizes what law enforcement does and gives us a false sense of justice. For in reality, the arrest of the criminal in question, is merely the beginning of a new journey. One where evil might win. Because one misstep on law enforcement’s part or the intervention of a quality and powerful lawyer and just like that… the villain is on the streets and potentially able to strike again. Plus, we often forget there is fallout following an arrest and even the trial, since the victims and those surrounding the bad person in question… have to  deal with what happened and the mess left behind is sometimes vast, and that harsh and lasting reality, might be why so many storytellers shy away from it. Since it hammers home the dark and stark reality of crime’s impact and that could scare an audience.

But it is a necessary conversation to have in storytelling, one that quite frankly, only a few shows are willing to and thankfully, Hightown on STARZ is one of those shows and for proof… look no further than the show’s season two finale. For ‘Fool Me Twice’ picks up shortly after what would have been the happy ending in a more traditional crime story, since when we last swung by the cape, Frankie Cuevas was in handcuffs and Charmaine was in jail and Ray got the girl and probably his job back. But thankfully, this story dug into the grey area that exists after a crime has been committed and explored two of the elements, we briefly mentioned a moment ago, by way of two key characters, Ray and Jackie. 

Ray for instance, dealt with the tougher aspects of putting the pieces back together, and it accomplished that by having Ray deal with the fallout of his return to the Massachusetts State Police. Because Renee recanted her testimony at Ray’s request and in doing so, Ray Abruzzo was made Sergeant of the drug division once again and that return forced him to tell Sergeant Alan Saintelle that he was being transferred to Homicide immediately. A move that infuriated Alan since it felt as though Ray pulled an end around on him and outright ruined his quality of life since every death would need to be investigated day or night. Which meant it was up to Ray to figure out how to peacefully handle the transition of power going forward and this was of course… the easy side of this exploration.
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For while Ray put his team back together and worked to earn their trust, especially Leslie, since she would be reporting to him once again… there was a bigger problem brewing for him. In that, it was finally revealed to Ray (and Alan... in a way, more on that later) that Renee was Jorge’s killer. Leaving him to ponder upon how he wanted to handle his relationship with her going forward, knowing full well that bringing her to justice as well… could cost him his stripes since her honesty and integrity would come into question. Plus, to complicate matters further, she finally admitted she was carrying his child, and that motivated Ray… to sit on this one for a bit. Simply because… there was no easy answer here. Sure, Renee screwed up, but Ray genuinely believes for the moment that she did what she had to in order to survive and that ambiguous end to their journey this year, really does hammer home how much mess and cleanup there is when a major crime comes to a close. 

As for Jackie, well her journey explored how a single mistake can change so much for a case. Because she was once again on cloud nine in this tale and thought the worst of this was behind her and understandably so. After all, she was admired in the department for her work, Leslie made up with her and the evidence was piling up against Frankie and she felt so invincible that she made a rookie mistake when Alan asked her and Leslie to try and get Charmaine to talk while they transferred her to another facility. For shortly after Jackie granted Charmaine a little kindness and class by un-cuffing her so she could deal with her menstrual cycle, she attacked Jackie and managed to escape, blowing up the case and blowing up Jackie’s life as well. Because not only did the Lieutenant come down hard on her and Leslie… but Leslie decided to shake things up in the process.

Because she pointed the finger at Alan and Jackie when the opportunity was right to save her own skin and her career and well, being betrayed by the woman she loved and facing the real possibility that she was headed back to the boats for screwing this up… not only spoke volumes to how a single mistake can change so much… but it also set the stage for another grand exploration into addiction. Specifically, how hard it is to steer clear of it during times of strife since Jackie once again went on a bender. One as bad as her last one, since season two ended with Jackie Quiñones staring down her dad’s dealer, eager to get whatever drugs she needed to ease the pain that she is still struggling to deal with. But while those two journeys would have been enough to carry this episode, it still had more to offer us as well.
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Since there were plenty of side stories that also made it clear that sometimes, bringing down one bad guy isn’t enough to put an end to crime and that the truth will always come to light. As evidenced by the fact that Osito made some power plays in this tale, the kind that might get him to the top, courtesy of a forthcoming meeting with Charmaine’s supplier in New York, and he was able to make these moves without fear of reprisal... thanks to a gracious bail payment and because it seems as though Frankie Cuevas might be dead, per Osito's orders. Plus, Alan stumbled upon a hot lead regarding Jorge's death, something that will lead to more trouble for Ray down the line and well… in the end, all this finale does, is leave us starving for more.

So, we can see if Ray and Renee can reconcile the choices, they made to enjoy peace for the time being or if Jackie will ever face her pain and be honest with herself about her addiction, and of course… we simply must know what will become of a determined and re-energized Osito and Alan’s investigation. Which means this series needs a third season and hopefully STARZ green lights that soon. Because this really is a brilliant series through and through, one that is brave and bold and intense, and it deserves to see this story through to its realistic and powerful end. Until next time.