Often times, stories that revolve around starting over in life… are a bit bleak in nature and it does make sense as to why. After all, we tend to associate the fresh start with a catastrophic, life changing event. The kind that involved suffering through great loss or shocking moments that forced us to change course and try something new. Not to mention, starting over can be extremely difficult and upsetting and putting all of that in display in a story, provides the reader or the viewer with a powerful journey. One that will hopefully give them strength and guidance if they ever find themselves in a similar scenario.
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But while that does indeed make for engaging and engrossing entertainment, it isn’t a perfectly accurate picture of what starting over in life looks like. Because sometimes, the opportunity to do so, presents itself to us in the simplest ways imaginable and sometimes, embracing it can in fact be quite the hopeful and inspiring venture. One that genuinely motivates us to dive in and give this second shot all we’ve got because it has truly awakened something special within us and it just so happens that Acorn TV will soon be host to a series, that works to break the morose mold that starting over related stories have forged, and we here at Nerds That Geek had the opportunity to watch Under the Vines early, and thought it would be nice to preview this new series in a spoiler-free manner.

Because there are a lot of wonderful moments and elements that discussing early would ruin for you the viewer. But what we can tell you, is that it does deliver on its biggest promise. In that, this really is a series that serves as the anthesis to the sour second chance. Because the fresh start that Daisy Munroe and Louis Oakley are given in this tale, wherein they can take over their late father/stepfather’s vinery and forge a new path in life… is handled in a beautiful manner. Wherein both Daisy and Louis come to life when they realize there is a wonderful opportunity in front of them here, one where they can finally find the fulfillment they’ve always craved and genuinely create something special and wonderful and feel utterly alive in doing so.

Plus, it doesn’t hurt that this journey is handled in a light-hearted and joyous manner. For this is a comedy as well and the jokes stick and work wonderfully. In fact, this writer found himself laughing heartily aloud on several occasions by way of the wonderful comedic timing that Rebecca Gibney (Daisy) and Charles Edwards (Louis) bring to the table and speaking of Rebecca and Charles, they are precisely what makes this series work so well. For their on-screen chemistry is electric and their vast talent allows for them to sell the frustrations that both Daisy and Louis experience early on in this journey in a manner that makes this story painfully relatable at times.

Because we’ve either been in their shoes or will be and being able to connect with the characters on such a fundamental level draws you into the story like never before. But what truly allows for this series to shine, is its depth. Because Under the Vines deals with some powerful themes at times, in a manner that stays in line with the show’s light-hearted nature. Allowing for the viewer to process such messages and lessons in a palatable and subtle manner and well in the end, all of these elements make this series a must-see for certain. Simply because it is a breath of fresh air in an era where storytelling thrives within dark and gritty and concepts and the best news of all, is that you don’t have to wait that much longer to partake in this delightful story. For the first two episodes of Under the Vines will be available to stream on Acorn TV on Monday, December 6, 2021, and we here at Nerds That Geek genuinely hope you check out this uplifting and compelling series about the wonder of the second chance.

To learn more about this new series, check out our interview with ‘Under the Vines’ star, Rebecca Gibney, here.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 403 of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’.
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No wiser words have ever been spoken than ‘choose to live’. A phrase that can be taken so many different ways. The title of this episode embodies everything that is going on and the many different ways to choose to live. It’s a phrase the Qowat Milat Nuns use, in fact one of them uses it against a Starfleet officer before she murders him. J’vini is a dedicated member of the Qowat Milat order and takes her oaths so serious that she kills and steals for them. This citizen of Ni’Var has garnered the attention of Starfleet, the Ni’Var President, and the Qowat Milat themselves. Michael’s mother, yes, her mom, demands that they get to bring J’vini in on their terms.
 
While Ni’Var wants to handle it their way. Starfleet will do anything to bring Ni’Var into their ranks and does their best to compromise enough in Ni’Var’s favor, to gain their trust and hopefully get them into Starfleet faster. Michael is less than thrilled with this plan but is going to go along with it because that’s the best she can do right now. Bringing J’vini in alive is the priority, politics be damned. Michael’s mother is all too happy to be teaming up with Michael. She has a personal relationship with J’vini and believes she can talk some sense into her.
 
Michael takes Book’s ship, and they discover that J’vini is hiding out on a moon. She murdered a Starfleet officer and stole a shipment of dilithium to help fuel the moon. Yep, that’s right, the moon is really a massive ship. The residents of the ship are in a cryogenic stasis and left defenseless. Their guardian died protecting them from grave robbers and sent out a psychic distress signal. It was J’vini that received it, and she happily took up the mantle of protector, at the cost of several Starfleet officers.

At least Captain Burnham brought Tilly along. She stalls the ship and stops it from moving to draw J’vini out. The Ni’Varian is too strong however and quickly takes Michael’s mother hostage. We get to see the more diplomatic side of the captain, as she calmly gets J’vini to agree to let her get these creatures out of cryo. With the creatures going to wake soon, the ship back to functioning, J’vini surrenders. She’s taken into custody but handed over to Ni’Var for whatever justice they choose to dole out. Speaking of Ni’Var, Stamets was brought there to showcase his theory on the space anomaly that murdered Kwejian. Book tagged along and was vital in determining what the anomaly isn’t. When President T’Rina mind melds with Book, he’s able to give her answers on what happened, and relive a memory of his last happy moment with his nephew; gaining the closure he desperately needs.

And Gray? Well, his body is finally ready. Adira is understandably worried and happy while Gray is excited. The thing is, once they are separated, Gray might be lost forever if he doesn’t find his own way to his new body. The separation leaves Adira shaken, to say the least. But they manage to sit at Gray’s side and call to him, acting as a beacon themselves for Gray to follow. It takes some time, but Gray does find his new body and wakes to find Adira holding his hand. It was them that made it possible for Gray to even find his body. It’s a new beginning, a new chapter.

Gray chose to fight and find his body with Adria’s help. Michael chose to be diplomatic and solve a problem, rather than escalate it. Booker chose to move forward and work past his grief and towards forgiving himself. Everyone chose to live in various aspects. That is what makes this show so endearingly wonderful. With all the tragedy and near misses, everyone chooses to keep living. Maybe one path ends so another can begin, but there is always a choice.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘The Pact’.
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Each and every one of us firmly believe, that the moral core that our parents helped us to form and that we have reaffirmed throughout the years, will guide us to be incredible people. The kind that are honest and noble and brave. To the point where we will step in if someone is hurting or in need and where we will be a champion for the right side if by chance an injustice is taking place. But while that is a wonderful way to think about how we will live our lives, the fact of the matter is… that kind of perfect person only exists in fiction. Because despite having good in our hearts, we still lie from time to time and we are sometimes neither noble or brave when bad situations present themselves, because we also feel fear and worry for our personal safety.
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Which means that in reality, life isn’t always so black and white and lovely, it’s gray and it doesn’t become one or the other until we are genuinely put to the test in a manner that forces us to pick a side and really, all of this is relevant to our discussion today… since that grand test to challenge who we are morally, serves as the core theme of the Sundance Now series, The Pact. But it sure doesn’t seem as though that is going to be the case early in the series premiere. For when we meet our four main characters, Anna and Nancy and Louie and Cat… they’re just trying to find their best way forward in life and they’re running into some tough times at work. For the brewery where they work at has changed hands management wise, for the worse. 

Because the old boss, Arwel… has handed it over to his idiot son Jack. Who just so happens to believe that treating employees like dirt is the right operating procedure for management and that’s provided of course that he’s even on site to see how things are going. Since more often than not, he’s more interested in using the company’s profits to surround himself in fine clothes and fast cars and to hammer home just how unsavory a boss he truly is, he takes the time to outright embarrass Anna badly when she attempts to apply for a supervisor position in the brewery and his jackassery doesn’t end there. For at a company party one fine night, he gets coked out of his mind and treats Louie, who is also his aunt, like utter garbage and well… his behavior and the party, sets the stage for the moral conundrum in question.

For our four friends drink a lot more than they should at this party, to the point where tempers flare over how Jack treats everyone at the brewery and that is taken to the Nth degree when Anna and her pals see Jack commit assault against a friend/co-worker and well… that prompts them to try and humiliate a nearly unconscious Jack by leaving him in a compromising position in the forest in the middle of the night. But once the buzz wears off and Anna understands the cruelty of this decision… she and Nancy return to retrieve him, only to discover that he died in the middle of the night and well… that forces these four, everyday people to make quite the choice. In that, do they alert the police and take their lumps for this accordingly or do they leave Jack where he lies and see if they can quietly get away with this mess and shockingly… they choose the latter.

Not out of cruelty mind you. No instead, this is a decision based out of necessity. Since it would ruin Nancy and Louie’s lives and Cat would go back to jail and as for Anna… well it could cost her husband his career and well, their decision to hold fast and watch as their world reacts to Jack’s death, makes for some compelling moments. The kind that genuinely stick to the theme and that really is the best possible way to set up the rest of this series. Because now we know that this incredible decision is going to be the core conflict that this group will face in the weeks to come and this will also help them determine which side they want to fall to and most important of all, it will make for one compelling story. One that will ramp up in intensity and that’s saying something. Since this episode was engaging and powerful in its own right and it that is definitely going to make the wait for next week’s episode a difficult one. Since we are all now eager to see… if these four souls are ready to embrace good… or the darkness. Until next time.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Hawkeye’.
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I’m not saying that staying up to watch the latest episode of Hawkeye drop is my new favorite thing to do, but I’m also old. I did however watch it first thing Wednesday morning and this show literally is everything I want it to be and more! When last we left our heroes, they were in the midst of being tied up by the Tracksuit Mafia, because a woman named Maya wanted to see them. Who is Maya? Well, she’s a deaf woman who has a grudge against Ronin. He may have killed her father during the Blip incident. To be fair, he was a crime lord. It seems he knows why Maya is after him, though, and he tries to clear Kate’s name.
 
Maya’s backstory is sad and wrought with ableism. She almost forms a tentative bond with Clint when she sees his hearing aid, but he doesn’t know ASL, and that makes him weak in her eyes. The focus, however, is Ronin. Clint swears Kate is innocent. Kate’s just a kid who put on the suit without even knowing what it meant. Maya isn’t convinced. Clint continues to tell her that Ronin is dead… killed by the Black Widow. Maya really doesn’t believe him. Truth be told, he isn’t lying to her. Still, this situation isn’t going according to plan, so Clint breaks free and leaves Kate tied up while he takes care of the Tracksuits.

Never let it be said that Clint isn’t secretly a badass. While his main weapon is a bow and arrow, he can still kick ass, and he does. Sadly, that means Kate is on her own to get free or so she thinks. Clint gets his bow and arrow back and pulls off some very impressive shots, one that includes freeing Kate. Did I mention Kate is a badass in her own right? Maya, on the other hand, isn’t having it. She takes things into her own hands and when the opportunity presents itself, she smashes Clint’s hearing aid. Which leaves him deaf while they escape. Clint drives and Kate shoots. Apparently trick arrows are a thing! We all knew that. Kate really does live up to the self-proclaimed “World’s Greatest Archer” title. Of course, they do get away, but not without causing some serious damage to the Tracksuit Mafia.

Without his hearing aid, Clint has to rely on Kate when his phone rings. He thinks it’s his wife but it’s really their youngest, Nathanial. It’s an adorable scene and really shows the human side of Clint more. Yeah, he’s just a guy with a bow, but he’s also more than that. While I haven’t been the biggest fan of Clint having a family, I might be warming up to it. Lucky gets a bath and a walk and does need a name. We know it’s Lucky, but Katie Kate insists on Pizza Dog. Clint gets his hearing aid fixed, and then he does something we didn’t think would happen this early on in the series. He opens up to Kate, just a bit. Just enough to tell her that he isn’t a role model and is certainly not someone anyone should follow. Katie Kate doesn’t believe that though. Hawkeye is her hero. He can’t possibly be anything less. She doesn’t know he’s Ronin, yet, but she’s piecing it together.

She’s also decided they need to break into her mom’s penthouse so they can access her security business database for info on Maya, her right-hand man Kazi, and of course the evil fiancé Jack. Who just so happens to show up right as Clint is wandering about. Jack had Ronin’s sword, pointed at the former Ronin. The irony in all that. Now, I have a theory that Jack is actually the Swordsman, someone from Clint’s past. However, we aren’t going off the comics here when it comes to Clint’s character. So, I’m not entirely sure if they’re going to do the whole, Clint grew up in a circus, thing. But it was a pivotal part of his character in the comics, so we’ll see. Either way, I’m off to watch this episode again!

Caution: This article contains minor spoilers for the season three premiere of ‘Lost in Space’.

When we last settled in to discuss the wondrous Netflix series, Lost in Space, the situation was grim. After all, the Resolute lay in near ruin after squaring off with the Robot armada and to make matters worse… all of the kids that lived aboard this ship, including the Robinsons… were lost to the solar winds in an attempt to escape a horrific fate and well… that’s about as epic and harrowing a cliffhanger as it gets. Since we hadn’t a clue if anyone would be safe after that fight, nor did we have any idea of what this bold storytelling move would mean for the Robinson family in the third and final season of this series and well… the good news is, we no longer have to wait to find out. For earlier today, season three dropped on Netflix and the good news is that the season three premiere wastes little time in answering one of those two lingering questions.

For we immediately come to learn in ‘Three Little Birds’ that the kids are safe and exploring the Fortuna in the hopes of getting some answers as to what happened to this intrepid and heroic crew. But before they can garner said answers (which might be a good thing, considering what was revealed to us), they’re forced to crash land and that’s when the series makes quite the bold move… by thrusting us a year into the future. Where it turns out that the kids are indeed surviving and thriving and trying to repair the ship so they can make their way to Alpha Centauri and their journey is far less harrowing than Will and Maureen’s. For when we catch up with them, they’re doing their best to just survive and avoid the angry and evil robots that are hell-bent on hunting down the colonists and well, that’s about all we are going to talk about today when it comes to the plot.

Because there are a lot of little twists and turns we don’t want to spoil on premiere day, instead… it is best we take a moment to celebrate a few different storytelling elements in this tale that were supremely special. Such as the fact that this episode allows for the Robinson children to really come into their own and that’s huge. Because for the past two seasons, they’ve needed mom and dad to step in and protect them every step of the way. Which is fine because that is what parents are indeed supposed to do. But obviously, the kids are older here and wiser and there comes a point where children step out from under their parents’ wings and forge their own way in the world. So, to see that happen here is quite magical for certain and fulfilling since it means this final season is going to break from its own formula and offer up new paths for these characters.

But what truly allowed for this episode to shine, was its overall themes regarding growth and confrontation. Not in the negative way mind you, but how confrontation can be positive and motivate us to be more and that’s of note because you don’t see that kind of theme pop up all that often in science fiction stories in this vein. So to see the characters confront inner and external demons and long standing issues, really does add a level of depth to this series that hasn’t been present before, adding a human element to the story that will undoubtedly enhance the challenges that await this family and the colonists that are eager to get to Alpha Centauri, and it will in fact, allow for everyone to grow like never before and become complete characters that finish a journey.

How exactly that will come together, likely awaits us in the series finale. But before we arrive at that point, we can celebrate one smart season premiere. One that is setting the stage for a story that is likely going to do a wonderful job of bringing this long and winding adventure to a close in a satisfying manner and well, that’s a wonderful thing since this franchise has never enjoyed such a thing. For the original series ended well before the Robinson’s found Alpha Centauri and the same goes for the film franchise that never was. Which means this final season is going to be something quite special and we here at Nerds That Geek cannot wait to geek out about every last step of this final leg of the journey with all of you, in the weeks to come. Until next time.   

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 3102 of ‘Top Gear’.
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One thing that we can all agree upon, is that the road trip is one of the best ways to travel. Because it presents us with complete and utter freedom. After all, we decide when we leave and we decide the route we take and what we visit and see along the way and being able to enjoy that level of freedom and build those kinds of unique memories really does invigorate one’s soul, and what’s amazing about the road trip, is that there are ways to outright improve upon them. Take for instance camping. Because that really is the apex of freedom since you are genuinely free from the world when you camp and you get to enjoy silence and comfort in a place that you have specifically chosen, wherein you can forge whatever memories you like and that’s why this aspect of the road trip is a staple that is practiced around the world. 
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But what’s fascinating about this particular type of road trip, is that people are now trying to figure out if it can be improved upon and it just so happens that Top Gear decided to put their own spin on this push to improve the camping experience…. by pondering upon whether or not a camping road trip can be done in a supremely green manner. After all, there’s nothing more freeing than giving back to mother nature and that prompted the producers to ask the lads, to put together a camping road trip that would be as eco-friendly as possible and what the lads came up with to make that happen, was impressive to say the least. For they each chose electric SUVs to handle the journey and each of them also selected some wonderfully green camping gear.

Freddie for instance, chose a camper that was incredibly compact and handy, since it featured a complete kitchen in the rear and Paddy, well he went with a small and comfortable camper that offered plenty of creature comforts and Chris… well his camper was designed to offer the most comfort possible. Since it inflated into something akin to a small suite. But before the lads could really see how well these campers performed in the wild, they of course had to compete in various challenges. Because this is Top Gear and that’s a staple of the show and for this road trip, they were asked to see who could get their rides and caravans to the top of a hill the fastest, after making their way down said hill in the wildest way possible. Plus, they also had to partake in quite the spicy challenge when they arrived at their destination. One that involved eating some of the hottest peppers in the world whilst trying to finish a five-lap race.

Of course, both competitions led to some genuinely hilarious moments, since the first saw Paddy be run over by a giant inflatable ball a la Raiders of the Lost Ark and the second allowed for us to learn that Freddie will not back down from a challenge, regardless of the strife… and indigestion it can cause. But in the end, the lads did indeed get to enjoy a free and wonderful camping trip, one filled to the brim with beautiful views and good memories before one last challenge arrived. One where they had to use their remaining charge to race toward a castle and well… in the end, Freddie won that challenge despite the fact that Chris made it to the destination. But only because he was disqualified for unhitching his camper. 

In the end however, the important question as to whether or not one can enjoy a truly green camping trip is indeed a yes, with some caveats. In that, it will be pricey, and the wrong kind of planning could result in one being stranded, thanks to the fact that batteries have finite use. But if one is game, they could make quite the unique set of memories, ones that leave a minimal imprint carbon wise and kudos to the show for taking the time to explore this. Because not only did it give us an idea of what the future of camping might look like, but it also made for one entertaining journey, one filled with hilarious moments and unique memories for the audience and of course, it really did make all of us long for a road trip. For this episode truly captured the majesty and the wonder of hitting the road and being one with nature, and you can never go wrong with a series that takes the time to remind you to pack up the car and hit the road so you can enjoy a little slice of the amazing world that surrounds us. Until next time.