Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 207 of ‘Big Sky’.
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Lindor creeps through the darkness with his gun drawn toward the shed that held Ronald and Scarlet. He enters the shed only to have Wolf and his big stick appear at the doorway behind him. Wolf menacingly tells Lindor he’s close to trespassing and wonders how to appease the Marshal. Lindor, gun pointed at Wolf, demands to know what he keeps in this shed. It’s for the violent ones, Wolf replies, the really bad dogs. Lindor orders him to open it, Wolf claims he has nothing to hide. Setting aside his stick, Wolf unlocks the door for Lindor, revealing an empty chamber, and invites him to have a look around. Lindor backs Wolf away from the door to the shed chamber with a gesture of his gun. No sooner has Lindor stepped inside than Wolf lunges and shut the door behind him. “What the hell?” Lindor bellows in confusion. Wolf mocks his fear, telling Lindor of a vicious chow chow he had that would leave teeth in the wood. Lindor couldn’t care less, he shouts that he’ll start shooting if he isn’t released. Laughing, Wolf unlocks the door. Unamused, Lindor again gestures Wolf back with the gun and demands to know what that was about. Wolf informs him it was merely a harmless demonstration, as Lindor is there without a warrant, he felt well within his rights to protect himself and his property. Wolf is sorry that Lindor failed to find what he thought he would and moves to escort Lindor back to his jeep. Lindor angrily returns to his vehicle and speeds away under Wolf’s supervision.
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Inside the house, Ronald and Scarlet are with Agatha who is holding the remote control for Ronald’s collar. Ronald suddenly notices a man leaving the shed behind Wolf and stands as though to draw his attention. Agatha promptly hits the button to engage the collar’s choking mechanism, upsetting Scarlet, who shouts for Agatha to stop. Agatha replies that Scarlet should stop him. Ronald passes out and only then does Agatha finally hit the button releasing the collar. Horrified, Scarlet springs at Agatha who knocks her in the head with a log from beside the fireplace. Scarlet falls to the floor, along with the collar remote.

Wolf rushes to the house once Lindor has gone and finds Agatha performing CPR on Ronald. Agatha informs Wolf that Ronald tried to run, as a stricken Scarlet is certain Agatha has killed him and begs Wolf to help Ronald. Wolf accuses Scarlet of being party to Ronald’s escape plan as he bends down next to him, which she flatly denies. Ronald comes to just then and goes for Wolf. They roll about, struggling with one another as Agatha retrieves the remote and once again chokes Ronald. With Ronald neutralized, Wolf moves off of him and eventually gives Agatha the cue to release the collar. As Ronald gasps for air, Wolf informs him that next time he won’t stop her.

Cassie is in her kitchen having breakfast when Jenny bursts in, startling her. Jenny franticly tells Cassie how she witnessed Dietrich taking Travis, and that she been searching for him all night. Cassie asks if Jenny’s been by the Boot Heel, Dietrich’s hang out. Jenny tells her it was locked, to which Cassie replies, it doesn’t mean that no one’s in there. Cassie inquires about Jenny’s lock picking capabilities, Jenny responds she has a crowbar, and with that she and Cassie head for the bar.

Jenny tosses the crowbar aside once she has the door to the Boot Heel open and remarks how she’s beginning to hate the place. She and Cassie enter with guns drawn, but find the bar dark and empty, except for a blood-soaked box sitting on a pool table that eventually draws their attention. The box is labeled “To: The Liar.” Jenny grabs a pair of tongs from the bar and ask Cassie to open it. Cassie uses the tongs to untie the string and pull back the flaps, she peers inside and mutters, “oh,” and backs away. Jenny steels herself and goes to the box, which contains a severed hand clutching a small bag of pills with a smiley face tattoo on the back. Relieved, Jenny tells Cassie it’s Smiley, not Travis. Cassie remembers him as the guy Jenny beat up the night prior. Jenny is confused now because she heard Dietrich tell Travis they were going to meet Smiley to clear the air. Jenny finally notices the bag of pills and extracts it using the tongs. It is the bag that T-Lock gave to Smiley. Cassie is certain that this is a message. Jenny wonders whether it’s from Dietrich or the cartel.

At Smiley’s house, what remains of him lies dismembered on plastic sheets and newspapers on the floor, while Tonya squeamishly helps Donno bag the body parts. He takes the chance to remind her that she chose to be there, and that it could be her going into the bags. She eagerly reminds him she got for him everything he had put on his list, obviously trying to ingratiate herself to him.

T-Lock is in high spirits as he gets to Smiley’s house. He knocks and doesn’t hesitate to enter when the door swings in. T-Lock is calling out to Smiley when he slips in the entryway and falls. He no sooner realizes that he is lying in a massive pool of blood than he hears Dietrich and Travis pull up outside. Dietrich had grown impatient waiting for Smiley to meet him and Travis and has come to find Smiley.

T-Lock has made himself scarce when Dietrich and Travis come through the door. Dietrich and Travis notice the blood, now smeared on the entryway floor. Dietrich demands to know what Travis has done to his nephew. Travis protests he’s done nothing, and that Smiley was skimming from Dietrich. Dietrich says he was told not to trust Travis by Smiley. It’s then that T-Lock, who is hiding in the bathtub, knocks over a bunch of items into the tub, creating a racket that instantly draws Dietrich’s and Travis’s attention. Now back on the same side, Dietrich with his gun and Travis with a baseball bat from beside the door, begin to check the house.

​Dietrich and Travis find the blood stain T-Lock left on the bathroom tile about the time they hear doors opening as T-Lock makes a mad dash away from the house. They run into the street, looking all directions, as T-Lock scuttles away behind the cover of the parked vehicles lining the street. He has crawled into his car and begun to drive away before Dietrich and Travis spot him. They jump into the truck to give chase.

Madison is in her kitchen when there is a knock at the door. Harper is there, her hands covered in blood. Harper nods to the van parked in the driveway, and tells Madison she needs help, he’s bleeding. Madison is going to get Bridger and they need to call Max.

Max races down the basement stairs but slows near the bottom. The injured man lies on a table, Harper, Madison, and Bridger stand around him. Harper tells Max that his name is Creary and that they must help him, reminding her that he saved their lives. Max finds this insane, but Madison assures her that her and Bridger’s parents are out of town at a conference. Max wants to take him to a hospital, but Creary won’t allow that, he doesn’t want the police involved. Madison mentions a boy they know from school whose parents are doomsday preppers. She’s believes he’ll have the supplies they need to help Creary.

Ren is sunbathing outside the trailer when Tonya approaches her with a business proposal. Tonya has found a ranch with a good amount of land outside of town, with mineral rights and the works. Ren seems pleased by Tonya’s efforts and approves her going to see the ranch, but Donno shoos Tonya away. He tells Ren that he’s tracked the last number that Harvey called to a lawyer, this seems to puzzle Ren.

Scarlet is upset to find Ronald once again trying to escape the shed when she goes to visit him, he’s already tried running without a plan. He has no intention of waiting around to be killed. As they argue, Scarlet brings up her daughter. Ronald seizes on this, demanding to know where exactly Scarlet thinks Phoebe is. She tells him another part of the ranch, which he finds absurd. Ronald insists that they would have seen Phoebe by now if she really was at the ranch. Scarlet doesn’t see how Ronald could sneak away as Wolf never leaves the ranch. Ronald insists that it is better to try something than to continue living as caged animals.

T-Lock, having made it back to Max’s house, sprints to the bedroom closet to throw a few things in a bag before tearing for the door, only to have Dietrich and Travis bust in on him. Dietrich aims his gun at T-Lock and demands to know what he’s done to Smiley. T-Lock throws his bag at them and turns to run only to be tripped by Travis, who then knocks him in the with the fat end of the bat.

​Max returns to the basement after ditching Creary’s van several neighborhoods over and shows Harper and Bridger a photo she’s found. It shows a boy and his father holding a fish. They recognize the boy to be Seth Creary, who had drowned in Holter Lake, and realize that the wounded man on the table is his father. Harper asks if that’s why he’s been following them as a protector, Creary confirms this. Upstairs, a door opens, but instead of it being Madison returning with medical supplies, it’s Bridger and Madison’s parents. They’re flight has been cancelled so they won’t be going to the conference after all. Bridger and Max pretend they’ve been studying and volunteer to take their bags to lead them away from the basement.

T-Lock lies groaning on the floor as Dietrich kicks him repeatedly and demands to know what he’s done to Smiley. T-Lock continually pleads he’s done nothing to Smiley. Dietrich then asks what Smiley has told T-Lock about them. Terrified, he declares his ignorance. Dietrich stands to answer his phone suddenly. After a speaking with someone, he hands the phone off to Travis, telling him it’s a burner and to wait for his call, Dietrich is heading to the bar. Dietrich instructs Travis to put T-Lock in “the hole,” and hands off his gun before leaving.

At the bar, Jenny asks Dietrich about his associate’s whereabouts. Dietrich corrects her that Smiley is his nephew. Jenny then presents Dietrich with a picture of Smiley’s severed hand, and another of the pills. Jenny speculates that this is a message, possibly from the cartel. Dietrich isn’t very forthcoming with information, but does give Jenny the name Ren Bhullar, saying she’s the one sent by the cartel.

Wolf is elated to receive a call from his editor, and that she wants to meet with him. Agatha is apprehensive to be left alone with Scarlet and Ronald, but Wolf assures her that she can control them. Besides, publishing his book will be a game changer for them. As they talk, Agatha notices Scarlet at the door. She demands to know where her daughter Phoebe is, and why she hasn’t yet been allowed to see her if she really is at the ranch. Wolf tries to feed her a story, but Scarlet isn’t buying it. Agatha confesses that Phoebe is actually with Agatha’s sister outside Helena, in a lovely place near the river. Scarlet wants to know when she can see Phoebe. Wolf admonishes that she hasn’t earned that reward. Scarlet apologizes for lashing out and scaring Agatha the night before. Wolf and Agatha resume their conversation and fail to notice Scarlet taking the collar remote from the dresser on her way out.

Jenny brings Poppernak along when she goes to question Ren at her trailer on the construction site. Ren plays innocent and ignorant through all of Jenny’s questions, until the very end when her sunny veneer begins to crack. Jenny and Poppernak are on the way out the door when in walks Tonya, much to Jenny’s shock. She asks Tonya what’s going on, Ren interjects that Tonya works for her which isn’t against the law. With her mind racing, Jenny nods at Poppernak and they leave.

Scarlet watches from the shed as Agatha kisses Wolf goodbye and he drives away in his old truck. Once Agatha returns to the house, Scarlet rushes inside the shed, telling Ronald it’s now or never. She uses a shovel to break open the lock, and let’s Ronald out. She tells him all the details she knows about where Phoebe is being kept, then surprises him by freeing him from the collar with the key on the remote she took. Scarlet instructs Ronald to go and bring her daughter back to her, assuring him she has a plan. The exchange “I love you” and kiss and Ronald runs off with the shovel, leaving Scarlet smiling.

​Donno and Tonya are the only ones at Ren’s house when her brother Jag blows into town looking for her. Donno offers them a friendly greeting, only to be knocked to the floor in one shot by Jag’s muscle Dhruv. Jag orders Donno to give him Ren’s location.

When Jenny finally hears from Travis, the call is brief, and he simply tells her that he’s okay, and in case anything should happen, he loves her. The call disconnects, and Travis directs T-Lock to keep going, following him with a gun at his back. They reach the door to an isolated underground cellar, and Travis orders T-Lock to open it. Sobbing pathetically, T-Lock weakly swings the door open, then turns to face Travis and pleads with him. Showing no emotion, Travis raises the gun to T-Lock’s temple.

Harper sits in the basement with Creary whose wound is now clean and bandaged, while upstairs Madison, Bridger, and Max finish an awkward dinner with the parents. They rise to return to studying in the basement, but first Bridger’s father asks him to take out the trash.

Ren stops on a residential street with an address she’s looking for written on a sticky note. She’s barely been there a moment when she observes Bridger carrying the trash bag to a can in the yard. Smiling, she drives away.

Ronald has escaped and has successfully found a highway. After surveying his surroundings, he begins to walk along the side of the road.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘The Pact’.
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One unfortunate side effect that accompanies searching for the truth, is that eventually, every last bit of it is uncovered… and that can leave us in quite the devastated place. Because sometimes the bigger picture reveals a great deal about our loved ones and our friends, and we might not be mentally prepared to handle those unfortunate realities, when they are sour in nature, and to complicate matters further, our quest for the truth usually comes about when we are already under great duress. Allowing for ugly discoveries to add to the stress, and well, the struggles that we face when the truth is uncovered and sought after… is top of mind today because it served as the central theme of the next episode of The Pact.
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For when we catch up with everyone here, the police are continuing to dig deep on the case and as they dig, Anna and her friends are forced to do the same. For the ominous text messages have resumed and the strange bandit is demanding more money as the days roll along and that motivates Anna to try and figure out who is attempting to extort them, with mixed results. For the phone this person is using isn’t always on, making tracking it quite the difficult venture and of course, another truthful reveal, diverts her attention from really finding the culprit. For Max figures out that the money is missing and confronts his wife about it, leaving them in a tough place now that lies have come into their home. 

But while Anna and Max’s quest for honesty was indeed engaging, it truly paled in comparison to Louie’s journey in this tale. Because not only was it revealed that she has enjoyed the thrill of stealing for years, the genesis of this need to exert power in an illegal manner, stems from a horrible truth that has surrounded her family for generations. In that, her father was a sexual abuser, and he chose to harm both she and Arwel when they were kids and despite their declaration to break the cycle of it… the fact that Arwel burned all off Jack’s things… helped her to realize that Arwel had followed in dad’s footsteps and there was evidence in those belongings of those crimes and facing that truth… and Anna’s search for it, led to all kinds of disaster in this tale.

For Arwel could not reconcile the reality that he had transformed into the monster he despised and that motivated him… to lock himself in his car and start it with a hose in the window that was attached to the exhaust, while the garage door remained closed, and Anna… well she decided to go all out to find out who was blackmailing the group. And thanks to the tracker she was able to finally enter the home of the perpetrator and this act broke her heart. Not because she crossed a legal line, but because… it was Nancy’s house and she turned out to have the phone in her hands… revealing that a trusted friend has betrayed them all and undoubtedly there will incredible fallout to come forth because of this and from the other shocker at the end of this episode.

Because the hard drives that Max recovered from the one pub that might have seen who drove out into the woods on that fateful night, has an image of what might be Anna's car. But while we wait to see what comes out of these devastating revelations… we can offer up awe for one stunning tale. Because this one took the horrors of searching for the truth to the Nth Degree. Since so many horrible truths and realities were laid out for the audience and the characters and the bleak nature of this episode, is undoubtedly a harbinger of things to come. For this story has only started to dig deep into the truth, which means more darkness and ugly reveals await us, and if they are anything like the ones present here… then nothing will ever be the same for these characters and the town they call home. Until next time.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘Close to Me’.
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There are few things we cherish more in this world, than our memories. Because those snippets of yesterday that our brain stores away for us, are a treasure trove of powerful emotions and moments. The kind that brings us great joy and sorrow and more importantly, harbor a lesson. Since the good memories help to teach us what makes us happy and what will satisfy the cravings of our souls and the bad ones… teach us how to avoid ugly situations that will cause us the same kind of emotional harm. Which is why so many of us fear losing memories as we grow older since they do indeed define us and who we have become.
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But alas, for some folks a fading away of days gone by is their fate and those of us that have to watch that happen suffer greatly since we know exactly what they are losing. But while a great deal of us have or will make peace with the fact that losing those snapshots of a life are sometimes a part of growing old, what we don’t think about all that often… is that sometimes it happens to folks in their youth. Because brain injuries or degradation isn’t exclusive to senior citizens. They can find anyone at any time and upend their lives in a frustrating and heartbreaking manner and it just so happens that memory loss and its impact upon an everyday, healthy person serves as the central setup to a new series on Sundance Now entitled, Close to Me.

Now in this particular story, we are introduced to a woman named Jo Harding who is just waking up from a foggy nightmare. One that is mired in great pain and confusion. For Jo fell down a flight of stairs and injured her brain badly, to the point where the past year of her life has become an absolute void and upon returning home, she sets out to try and recover the past year of her life and rightfully so. After all, a lost year of memories is too much to bear, especially with so much change having happened in her family and also because… it is inherently obvious that the past year harbors some dark moments and secrets that she needs to uncover, because the truth is what matters to Jo above all else in life.

Which is a setup that delivers on the struggles of dealing with major injury and a loss of memory. Since Jo’s inability to recall a single thing from the past year truly puts her in a broken and devastated place and rightfully so. Because she knows there are important and formative moments missing from her mind and having those gone, really does leave her out of sorts and frightened and it also leaves her struggling in her relationship with her husband, Rob. Since like so many loved ones when trauma strikes, he is helpless and unsure of what to do and he does what most men do in situations such as this… he expects his wife to just ignore the bad and move on and somehow remember and that twist… leads to some other fascinating themes in this story.

Such as how we view those with injuries in our world. Since we are a society that treasures health and vitality over anything else and to be anything less than that, somehow makes us weak and uncomfortable to be around to others and that is a stunning reality to inject into this story, one that also… hints at a great deal of potentially abusive moments from the past year. For there is an odd disconnect between Rob and Jo, as though there is more hurt and detachment there than Rob is leading on and of course, there appear to be secrets abound in this family. Setting the stage for what will undoubtedly be a grand reveal of deeper themes revolving around domestic abuse… since Rob really does seem to be holding back something dark.

But while we wait to see how this series unfolds over the next few weeks, we can marvel in the wonder of a phenomenal series premiere. One that really hammers home the shocking reality of a grand fear we all share in, all while reminding us that people really do cherish routine and greatly fear having to nurse a loved one back to health and of course… it perfectly sets up a dark and disturbing future for this story, one where Jo will undoubtedly uncover some hard truths. Plus, we have to talk about the cast in this series as well. Because Christopher Eccleston turns in a powerfully nuanced performance as Rob, one that truly leaves you unsettled and uncomfortable for all the right reasons and of course, Connie Nielsen is simply electric as Jo Harding, since she truly sells the pain and frustration of Jo’s devastating state with a raw honesty that has you instantly rooting for her to regain that past year and well, in the end… this writer is hooked. Because this one really is something unique and special and it is filled to the brim with powerful themes that are undoubtedly going to blow us away as Jo digs deeper into a life she cannot remember. Until next time.

To learn more about the creation of ‘Close to Me’, check out our interview with the show’s star, Connie Nielsen.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘Hawkeye’.
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Since Black Widow came out, we have all been wondering if Yelena was dusted in the Blip, and well, we finally got our answer. While on a mission to help another Widow, Yelena finds herself learning a few things. Not all Widows were under mind control, turns out some were just using their learned skills to profit. Apparently, it’s a very lucrative option. Yelena also learns firsthand what it’s like to be dusted only to return. For her, it was seconds, she was gone maybe a few minutes. To the rest of the world, it was 5 years. Yelena’s panic lasts longer when she realizes she has to call Natasha. Her big sister is probably worried, after all.
 
Except her big sister didn’t survive. Natasha gave her up her life for the world. She gave up her own family so that her best friend could have his back. When you think about that fact, it’s more heart breaking. Natasha died knowing she would be saving Yelena and never get to see her again. As far as Yelena knows, Clint killed her. That’s the truth she’s choosing to believe. That’s why she accepted the job to kill him. This isn’t just personal, it’s business.

Katie Kate has finally gone home to her mom, banged up, and emotionally wounded from her idol. Eleanor encourages her to get her things from her apartment and come home. That’s when Kate confesses that she and Clint found out Jack is running a shell company. She leaves and gets to her burnt out apartment that’s now waterlogged and soaked, but not unoccupied. Yelena is there for multiple reasons, and she made Mac and Cheese, so clearly, she isn’t there to hurt Katie Kate. Yelena is a woman after my own heart when she adds hot sauce to her Mac and Cheese, it’s delicious and someone with that good of taste is easily one of my favorites! Yelena is there to give Kate a warning. She keeps using Kate’s full name, just as a reminder that she knows everything about the aspiring young hero.
 
The former Widow is looking for Clint, she will kill him for taking Natasha’s life. To Yelena, there is no way that Clint didn’t murder Natasha. When Kate defends her hero, Yelena counters. A person should be judged by their actions and Clint has a lot of blood on his hands. Well, the thing about that is, so does she, and so did Nat. Let’s be honest, Yelena has very little room to judge in this, considering the things she’s done. Kate doesn’t know where Clint is, so Yelena lets her go. She’s not going to hurt an innocent girl, if she doesn’t have to. Again, the hypocrisy here! Kate goes home and then decides she’s not done or out of this. She leaves Clint a ton of voicemails, like a crazy person, demanding he call her back and give her a second chance.

​Clint doesn’t answer, of course. He crashed at Grills’ place, who’s apparently watching Lucky for them. Well, Pizza Dog, since they haven’t officially named him Lucky yet. Clint leaves the next day to have a heart to heart with the closest thing to Natasha he can find. It’s a Memorial from the Battle of New York in 2012, which has all their names on it. Clint asks for her help and guidance, and ultimately her forgiveness. He also calls Laura and asks essentially the same thing before re-donning the Ronin costume once again and facing Maya one on one.
 
It’s a good fight, and she gets a good slice to Clint with his own sword. He ultimately wins, because he’s Hawkeye, and he has to win. He also does know ASL, he gives her one final warning to leave him and his family alone. Also sowing the seeds of doubt about her second in command. Did Kazi set up her father’s death?  Either way, it doesn’t matter because Maya isn’t going to stop. Kate shows up at the last second and gets Clint the distraction he needs to get away. Their escape ends up being an Uber and they make it back to Grills’ apartment.

Grills also has their new costumes ready and a name for the dog. Neither we got, yet, but there is one episode left. Katie Kate let’s Clint know about Yelena’s visit and that she said she was Natasha’s sister. Clint knows of her but clearly doesn’t know her. He knew what she was giving up when she jumped off that cliff for that stupid orange stone. He’s clearly struggling with PTSD. Yelena is oddly willing to listen more to Kate than she let on. She tracks Eleanor down, because she doesn’t know who exactly hired her to kill Clint. Eleanor hired her. And she’s working with Kingpin.

Things got more than just real.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 303 of ‘Lost in Space’.
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It is definitely safe to say, that the Robinson family has been dealing with some hard losses as of late. For the end of season two of Lost in Space saw the family be split apart thanks to SAR’s brutal machinations to bring humanity down and the losses have been piling up since. Since the Jupiter the kids were supposed to take to Alpha Centauri crash landed on that wild world and of course, mom and pop are fighting to survive aboard the Resolute. But after an uncomfortable stretch of losses, the time finally arrived for half of the family to enjoy a taste of victory once again. For ‘The New Guy’ saw the kids get back on track toward Alpha Centauri and learn some facts about this strange world before leaving it.

For Will spent a great deal of time in the caves and was able to discover that an organic race created the robot race, in their image no less. Since they physically resembled the robots in just about every way imaginable, and he also discovered that they left behind a series of powerful commands that Will was able to harness via audio. Which might in come in handy down the line when he and Robot run back into SAR and his band of robo-thugs and that was quite the win, since intelligence on the robots is something that humanity has been sorely lacking and the wins for the kids, didn’t end there.

Because while Will was working to figure out the origins of the robots and the end of their makers, Judy was able to get the ship re-crewed and ready to launch and she and Penny even managed to get their brother back to the ship before takeoff and well, once everyone was settled in and Smith was tucked away in a cryo-tube, it seemed for a brief moment that bad news was heading everyone’s way. Since they learned the asteroid belt was getting denser and they might not escape. But thanks to Grant’s expertise and Judy’s intuition… at long last the kids and their new crew members were free of the planet’s grip and ready to head to Alpha Centauri, and this really was their biggest win in a long time.

However, there was mention of the fact that only half of the family enjoyed better days in this tale. Which means that John and Maureen… pulled the short stick for this episode. For their grand plan to steal the robot engine with Scarecrow’s help, turned out to be nothing more than a ruse. One where their efforts were fed into by the evil robots because SAR was watching from afar all along and wanted to learn who was with the robot family and who was not and once, he was able to discover that Scarecrow had switched sides… he was quick to kill this new ally, all while sending quite the message to the Robinsons and Don. In that, the robots were not to be trifled with and it was best that humanity steer clear of trying to challenge them or steal from them.

Which was quite the heartbreaking loss when all is said and done. For now, the colonists will have hope sucked from their souls once again when they learn this bold mission was a failure and there is grave danger surrounding them as well. Since SAR might just be patiently waiting to see the Jupiter take off so he can track the location of the Resolute and well, in the end, this really was quite the engaging tale. Since it really did send our spirits soaring and drop our jaws with these polarizing storylines and it once again set the stage for big moments. For SAR being back in the mix can only lead to more heartbreak and of course, there are no guarantees the kids are safe either, since he’s eager to track any and all hints of traitors in his midst. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 3104 of ‘Top Gear’.
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One particular topic that we’ve discussed at length regarding season 31 of Top Gear, is the passion that is present within the show. That love of the car and everything that comes with it, and we’ve talked about it often this year, simply because it keeps popping up within the framework of the season. For week in and week out, somehow, someway, the passion that Freddie and Chris, and Paddy share for cars and everything they represent is put on full display and it doesn’t appear as though it will be fading from this season anytime soon. For this week’s episode was another love letter to the automobile, one that was handled in quite the unique manner when all is said and done. 

For each of the hosts, had the opportunity put their passion on display in a supremely intimate manner. For instance, Paddy McGuinness took the time to express his love of the sheer ingenuity that sometimes goes into creating a vehicle and he was able to accomplish that… by getting behind the wheel of a one-of-a-kind car. For Aston Martin was commissioned by an individual to create the ultimate supercar and they most certainly delivered with the Victor. For this beautiful and slick ride featured a V12 under the hood, which allowed for ridiculous acceleration and power to take the driver to new and exciting heights, and seeing the awe that Paddy expressed for this car hammered home his admiration of the genius that went into building this unique ride.

As for Freddie, well he made it clear in this episode, that one of his long-standing dreams… has been to become a fully-fledged race car driver. Because he’s always wanted to compete and that level and excel at it as well and when we catch up with him here, he’s preparing to make that a dream a reality and tasks us to come along with him to see what the testing and certification process is like. Which includes, training exercises on closed courses and written tests and driving tests and since Freddie prepared and poured his heart into this… he passed and lived his dream. For he and Chris entered a full-on race and while the car failed them, the fact that Freddie found his groove quickly and enjoyed racing immensely… overshadowed any sour news on this day and seeing this play out, really did inform us just how much Freddie loves cars and everything they represent and the joy they bring forth, since they do help for dreams to come true.

In Chris Harris’ case, well he spent a little time expressing his passion for the history of cars and how far they’ve come and all the wild things the industry has seen, and he handled that, by way of a history lesson for the audience. For Chris gave us quite the education on the DMC DeLorean and how the company came to life in a shockingly quick fashion and how hasty ingenuity and a desire to get a car to market, brought forth a vehicle that is a Frankenstein of sorts and really isn’t that fun to drive. But despite the controversies surrounding this car and how it came to fruition… it did eventually fulfill John DeLorean’s dream of being iconic in every way imaginable, thanks to its appearance in Back to the Future.

If anything, it was just great to be immersed in the passion these hosts exude once again. Largely because it allowed for a supremely diverse episode to take place. One that celebrated so many different corners of the automobile world and spotlighting the wonder of the car and the dreams they fulfill and the rich history of the industry, really does remind us of how special they are and how much joy they bring to others and that makes this a feel-good episode when all is said and done. Since it motivates you to get out there and enjoy the open road or maybe pop in Back to the Future and travel in style with Doc Brown and Marty McFly and well, you can never go wrong with partaking in infectious passion and truly it will be interesting to see what other geek out moments await us as season 31 continues along. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains minor spoilers for the series premiere of ‘The Larkins’.
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There was a time when television shows… were vastly different in tone and design. For producers and other creative minds truly saw T.V. as a genuine escape from the real world and in order to properly whisk a viewer away from their troubles… they were transported to fictional worlds that were fluffy in nature. Sure, the characters might deal with conflicts, but they were always easy to overcome and their resolution was always handled in a positive manner and of course… the stories present in these shows rarely interconnected, in order to offer up something fresh to the viewers week in and week out. But as the years rolled along, audiences demanded more from their shows. For they realized they wanted depth and meaning and observations and lessons and that changed the landscape of the industry forever.
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To the point where just about every show out there now, features all of those elements and they even engage in serialized storytelling, so the audience can invest further in their favorite shows, all but effectively burying the once fluffier side to television. But there was mention that not all shows follow this wildly popular structure and formula. For there are some creative minds and networks still out there, that believe that there is still room for lighthearted and cuddly television shows. The kind that are slices of everyday life for the plucky characters that populate a respective universe and one network that holds to this edict is Acorn TV. For a brand-new series is available on this network that harkens back to that classic age of television and that makes The Larkins, quite the unique series.

For this is a series that is filled to the brim with delightful humor and uplifting moments, and it accomplishes these feats, by taking us back in time, to the 1950s to be exact. Wherein we are introduced to the eclectic Larkin family. Who tend to their farm in Kent and go about their simple lives alongside their neighbors and get into shenanigans along the way, and well, that’s it… that’s really all there is to the premise of this show and that really does harken back to classic sitcoms and dramedys since it evokes echoes of that classic era of storytelling, and at first glance, that seems like a plot/setup that might bore modern audiences to tears. After all, we expect modern television to grab hold of us and wow us at every turn with important moments and believe it or not, this series pulls this off as well.

Because there are indeed minor conflicts for the Larkins to resolve, the kind that are incredibly relatable and modern but are snuck into ‘Family’ and ‘In Which the Larkins Woo Charley the Tax Man’ in such a smooth manner that you simply don’t notice. For instance, the desire for Pop Larkin to be seen in a positive light by the community when the local jerk tries to sully the Larkin name, echoes some of the experiences that people deal with now, in regard to viral moments that paint people in a negative light and having the Tax Man come calling for monies owed at the behest of the rich, also has modern echoes. But those elements never once feel heavy handed or out of place… it’s just part of the life experiences this family goes through and they're handled in such a compelling manner that you cannot look away.
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But of course, in order to truly sell a classic style show, set in a long-forgotten era, production values are key, and this show succeeds there as well. Because this really does feel like the 1950s through and through and it is wonderful that the production team made great efforts to replicate this era so that we are properly immersed in this world. However, for an audience to truly be drawn into this world and to connect with a family as big as the Larkins, casting is key, and the show does a phenomenal job there as well. Since every actor in this show brings relatable depth and charm to their respective characters and it is Bradley Walsh that truly steals the show here as Pop Larkin. Thanks to the innocent charm and wonder that he helps Pop to exude, the kind that is so pure in nature that all you do is root for him and his equally as pure family.

If anything, all of these elements truly make this series about as refreshing as it gets. Since this show more or less serves as the anthesis to what's on the air right now. For there is no grit or commentary or key moments that need to be committed to memory to be found here. It's just full of fun and charm and it is a great way to lose oneself for an hour or so and enjoy a slice of life in an era and a setting that a great deal of us know nothing about. Since small town life isn’t commonplace either and being immersed into this tiny little berg and getting to know the plucky community of Kent, really does put a smile on your face and leaves you eager to continue the journey. So you can see what other positive and fun adventures await the Larkin family as season one continues along. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Under the Vines’.
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Each and every one of us, will at some point… dream of what it would be like to start over in life. Largely because life can be overwhelming at times and the endless bills and stresses of the world, motivate our brains to ponder upon a different tomorrow. Wherein we just leave our lives behind and start over anew and reinvent ourselves and get it right the second time around. And while a great deal of people see that as nothing more than a pipe dream and return to their problems to face them… some people do in fact, take that thought to heart and do whatever it takes to leave their current woes behind to start over anew… and find themselves in quite the surprising place once they’ve settled into their ‘new life.’

For some… quickly come to discover that their problems find a way to follow them to their new destination or they simply haven’t a clue as to what comes next. Since little planning went into securing a future in this strange new land, since the decision to start over was so impulsive in nature and well, that really does leave one to wonder… what exactly goes into a fresh start when one just goes for it without giving it a second thought. And thankfully, fiction is there to help us explore such thoughts since the possibilities are endless in print or on screens and it just so happens, that the next episode of Under the Vines on Acorn TV, takes the time answer that question. For when we catch up with Louis and Daisy here, they’re pondering upon exactly that.

Because now that they have decided to keep the Oakley Winery and enjoy a fresh start in the process… they have to figure out what comes next and that allowed for Daisy to explore the possibility that when we undertake a new beginning on a whim… we could just embrace the moment and go for broke. Which is why she immediately goes all in on prepping the Winery for an upcoming competition since she saw a chance to really impress folks after the Stanley win, and cement the winery’s standing as a legitimate and trusted business, and seeing her work toward that, all while inspiring her employees to be the best they can be and living her life to the fullest… was quite inspirational for certain. Since it helped to teach us that if we are genuinely serious about leaving it all behind, we have to commit to the fresh start and every opportunity it presents us with. 

Yet while that was quite inspirational and lovely and helped to reinforce the wonder of the fresh start, it was Louis’ journey that spoke to the more difficult side of this notion. Specifically what it looks like when we haven’t dealt with our problems, and it accomplished this exploration… by having his family swing by the Winery. For Louis genuinely thought having them there and being able to spend more time with them… would magically heal old wounds and bring them together. But alas, Louis quickly came to learn that he had to actually deal with the rift in his relationship and face the harsh reality that sometime lovers… fall out of love, and no amount of distance or restart buttons can fix that. Which was certainly a sobering reminder that if we aren’t honest with ourselves regarding our problems… the fresh start will seem a little hollow when we objectively see what we were trying to ignore in the first place.

Which means that in the end, these polarizing themes and examinations… make it clear to the audience that what comes next regarding a fresh start… depends upon the situation. Which is in essence, a messy and somewhat blunt way to explore that all-important question, but messy is what life truly is and this show deserves serious credit for not sugar coating this notion as other stories are sometimes wont to do. Because quite frankly, storytelling needs more of this, since romanticizing moves this big only hurts people in the long run and well, going this route only adds to the wonder of this show. Since it informs us that Under the Vines is going to offer up a beautifully raw look at the struggles that come with starting over… so we can appreciate the majesty of what waits for us at the end of the journey. Until next time.  

Over the course of the past few weeks, The Madame Blanc Mysteries on Acorn TV has done a phenomenal job of exploring some of the more unique motivations that go into murder. Since we’ve seen overprotective parents kill in the name of their child and we’ve also watched greed transform good people into murderers as well. But while that has indeed made for some fascinating and engrossing storytelling and some quality mysteries… it was only a matter of time before Jean White dealt with the biggest case of all looming over her head. Specifically, who killed her husband, and well, what better time to answer that question, than by way of a season finale?
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For the final episode in season one saw Jean finally confront her husband’s killer and the past as well and oddly enough, she wasn’t alone in dealing with yesterday. In fact, before we dive into Jean’s plight, it’s best we talk about Dom’s. Since his journey in this tale saw his ex-wife Georgina return to the fold for the umpteenth time, leaving Dom besides himself and unsure of how to deal with her. Since she was keen on just coming and going as she pleased. But this time she promised to be good and promised to stay, only to reveal that such guarantees were lies for certain. For she once again skipped town in the name of her lover, teaching Dom that the time had likely come for him to truly put an end to this toxic relationship and that epiphany will have to be addressed another time.

Because that’s great season two material and also because… we need to talk about Jean and her wild ride in this tale. For while Dom was dealing with his skeezy ex, Jean had the ring back in her hands and was beginning to make plans to return home to settle her affairs. An act that was going to go far smoother now that Barbara had found a cash buyer for the house. Which meant that Jean had to prepare to say goodbye to all of her new friends and her new life and that was proving to be almost as difficult, as the danger surrounding her. Because while she slept and while she moved about her day, she had eyes upon her. For the killer wanted that ring and would stop at nothing to get it and when they failed time and time again, they decided to just go for broke and reveal themselves to Jean.

As it turns out… the killer, who also happened to be Rory’s second bride, turned out to be Barbara. Which meant that she had been playing Jean all along and went to great lengths to earn her trust in the hopes of easily stealing that ring. But now, there was no point in trying to hide anyone and that led to one epic showdown. One where Jean faced the past through the monster that brought her the most pain and thanks to her tenacity and desire for justice, she won the battle… but not the war. For Barbara wasn’t mortally wounded in the fight and managed to sneak away with rough wounds and a bruised ego and she will undoubtedly strike again down the line when her body has healed from her fight with Jean. 

Which means this saga is just getting started and that’s not a bad thing by any means. Because Barbara’s betrayal means that the house isn’t up for sale and Jean will have to spend a little more time in Saint Victorie as she works to settle her affairs there and that benefits the audience for sure. Since that would lead to more mysteries down the road that require Jean’s intelligence and tenacity to solve… provided of course we get a second season, and this writer hopes that we do. Because this show is a wonderful spin on the cozy mystery and its heart and honesty makes it a wonderful way to escape for an hour. So, here is to hoping we get good news about a second season soon… so we can return to this quaint little village and see how Jean White grows from this life-changing experience. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 204 of ‘Power Book II: Ghost’.
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Whenever our lives are outright mired in chaos, we search far and wide for the source of that chaos and with good reason. For there is a part of our minds that firmly believes, if we can uncover the source… we can stop this chaos and learn from our mistakes. But that is nothing more than a pipe dream and a desperate attempt to find control where there is none. For when chaos is noticed by us, it has already arrived and it is in our hands now because of a series of moments and failures and mistakes that are indeed unstoppable, and all we can do at that point is ride the storm and hope for the best and react when we can and this is of note today… because this was on full display in the next episode of Power Book II: Ghost.
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For ‘Gettin’ These Ends’ saw chaos surround Monet and for a time… Monet was indeed wondering if she could figure out a source point and stop it. But alas, her desire to keep Zeke in the dark about what’s been going behind the scenes and Cane’s decisions and her own, set chaos in motion and it made itself known to her family and put their future in jeopardy. Because Zeke was indeed suspect number one for the police and that meant that Monet had to go the extra mile in an effort to control the situation as best, she could and that was, no easy task. Because not only did she need a million dollars to pay Davis to keep her son out of jail, which wasn’t available since Diana used the money to start the process to get her dad out of prison… but the police were hellbent on making Zeke their scapegoat, regardless of the evidence.

Because video footage that exonerated Zeke from being involved in Jabari’s murder, was ignored by Detective Whitman. For he believed that Zeke might have hired Ramirez to handle his dirty work, which would in turn explain his absence, and that motivated Whitman to leak information to the press… so that Zeke’s TV interview would be shaken up well enough to the point that he might crack and reveal the ‘truth’. But all that revelation did was embarrass him badly, and Cane’s reaction to the mess, informed Monet that he knew more than he was leading on. Which brought about a different attempt to control the source and bring an end to this chaos. Which is why she demanded that Cane uncover Ramirez’s body, to bring peace to this mess.

An act that oddly enough, did seem to do the trick and bring forth the quiet she sought, since there was a screeching halt to the investigation. But alas, all that did was put out one fire since chaos and problems were swirling around the business as well. For the police were working the drug angle hard on campus to keep Stansfield’s pristine reputation as sparkling as possible and that of course meant that someone had to become the police’s information/liaison and sadly… that person is Lauren. Since she was easy to reach and easy to please and rightfully so since she is a pure person through and through. But this is all bad news for the Tejada Empire since it will only be a matter of time before this potentially comes back on Tariq and Brayden and speaking of those two… well… they’re going to be mired in chaos as well.
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Since Cane has his sights set on getting rid of Tariq forever, in the hopes of once again being the apple of his mother’s eye and that motivated him… to plant Ramirez’s badge in Tariq’s desk. And undoubtedly an anonymous tip will be coming the NYPD’s way in the days to come as Cane sows more chaos for the business and his family. But while that twist alone could have closed this episode out in an epic manner, since it perfectly encapsulated the episode’s outright theme, we’d be foolish to not talk about the incredible revelation that came down in this tale. In that, the only reason that Monet was able to afford Davis after all… was the million-dollar payment that Mecca made to him. Which at first glance appeared to be nothing more than another attempt to woo Monet, but alas… it revealed so much more.

In that… Monet and Dante are in fact… parents, and their son just so happens to be Zeke. Which explains why Monet has worked so hard to protect and nurture him and guide him toward a better tomorrow… and why Dante paid MacLean a handsome sum and well… this is a revelation that changes a great deal for the Tejada family and could in fact bring more chaos into the mix. Since Lorenzo might not know about this and might have issues with having another man step in and care for his wife and well, all this episode does is leave us starving for more. Because everything here set the stage for all kinds of showdowns and drama and outright trouble, the kind that will test Monet and Tariq like never before and take our breath away before rough resolution comes to fruition. Until next time.