Written by John Edward Betancourt![]()
When it comes to the life and the career of a soldier, the everyday person… knows nothing about it. We only know what popular media tells us, and if we go off of that, then soldiers, especially ones involved in war time, are nothing more than complex killing machines. Who can endlessly take care of business and put their emotions away. For that is seemingly what is expected of them, since it is war, and the enemy must be defeated. But while that brings about some gritty storytelling, the kind that tends to feature powerhouse actions sequences, that is… only part of the story. For we often forget that soldiers are people, not machines, and they require everything we do, and that is why the next episode of The Pacific is of note.
Simply because the third chapter in this story, humanized soldiers like never before. All by having Leckie and Basilone make their way to Australia. Melbourne, to be more specific. For the top brass knew that every man that fought at Guadalcanal was in rough shape, and the only right thing to do was pull them off of the front lines, and give them a chance to relax, heal and get their head on straight and that alone… was revolutionary to see. Because we just don’t see or hear about top tier brass giving their men a break, but here it was… in all of its glory and that allowed for some incredible storytelling to come to life. The kind that first, let us know how much a break like this does for a soldier’s soul. Because so many were happy to enjoy a drink once again, a home cooked meal and the company of a welcome distraction. Not to mention, this downtime also allowed for rewards to come into play, and an exploration of how the war effort worked back in America in the 1940s. For Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone’s work in the last episode did not go unnoticed. In fact, his work was so incredible and so brave, that John was to be awarded with the Medal of Honor. The highest honor that can be bestowed upon a soldier, but that also meant… he had a new role to fulfill. Because America loves war heroes, loves to meet them, as though their bravery will be infectious and inspire. So, John was tasked with a return home, to tell tales of Guadalcanal since that was big news, and to drum up war bond support. So that more money could flow into the cause and fund the effort through and through. Something we don’t really think about anymore regarding war, but this was fascinating to see play out. ![]()
But of course, there was more to this story than mere vignettes on life in between combat, this was also a cautionary tale regarding a soldier’s duty. Because Leckie met a woman named Stella during his drunken travels, and he was smitten by her beauty and her grace and that prompted him to shoot his shot, because why not? But it turned out, Stella was interested as well and just like that… they embarked on a powerful love affair. The kind where Leckie was invited into her home to stay during his recoupment, because Stella’s mom and dad loved him. To the point where they even invited him to the funeral of a local soldier that didn’t survive combat, and of course, the connection between Stella and Leckie was incredible to say the least, akin to a love at first sight scenario, one that would and should end in happiness.
However, despite being free from duty for a bit, and enjoying warm meals and seemingly endless lovemaking, the war was still raging on and eventually, Leckie had to return to active duty. Which meant leaving for days at a time to train and get his body back in combat shape and eventually, it meant redeployment. Which led to a harrowing breakup and a reminder, that a soldier’s duty is first to his country and that… is tough to reconcile. Sometimes for even the soldier. Since Leckie’s response was to get drunk and show some anger we’ve never seen him exhibit. Because this was all so much to process and so much to weigh upon him. But while we wait to see how long it takes for him to really understand his duty and figure out a way forward, we can revel in the majesty of another incredible episode. One that truly showed us a side of war we’ve never seen and properly reminded us of a soldier’s humanity. All so that we stop seeing them as mindless killing machines, and come to understand, they’re human beings too, with needs, emotions, and complexities. They just know how to turn off some of that to do what must be done, and even then… what they take part in never goes away. Which is why they deserve proper care when they get home. But that’s another topic for another time, and now that we’ve finally seen another side to the story, one that we rarely do in this medium, the time has come to return to the heart of the Pacific Theater. Where war awaits, and it will be interesting to see how quickly these Marines can just re-adjust to being in the thick of the madness that was World War II. Until next time. Watch ‘The Pacific’
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Written by John Edward Betancourt![]()
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘Ted’. To revisit the Series Premiere, click here.
Each and every one of us in life, have had some kind of experience with a bully. For some of us, that experience is second hand, since we’ve known a friend who has been picked on by one and the rest of us… well… we got picked on by a bully. And it wasn’t fun. Because no one enjoys having to fear walking into a room and having someone furiously scream at you or push you about. But that was the experience, and it was one… that oft led to a fantasy in our minds to cope with how annoying and sometimes scary this could be. In that, we always wondered what it would feel like to turn the tables on our bully and hopefully teach them a lesson. Just because their behavior wasn’t healthy in the slightest. But of course, that didn’t happen, we went on with our lives and got an idea of how they ended up for better or for worse at a high school reunion. But what would have happened… if we were able to turn the tables on our bully and really teach them a valuable lesson? Would we have found a unique agency? Or would we have been no better than the bully that made our day hell? Well, it just so happens that these questions are pondered upon deeply in the next episode of Ted on Peacock. For ‘My Two Dads’ once again saw John and Ted be badly bullied by Clive at school, to the point where Ted took a toilet bath and that left them in a slightly sour mood. That is… until a grand surprise at home gave them an idea. For after a classic Matty blow up regarding how he didn’t want to get a colonoscopy done for reasons that we will get into later, Susan revealed inadvertently that Clive was probably so salty because he didn’t have a father and that gave this duo quite the twisted idea. In that, they could pretend to be Clive’s dad and get a measure of payback upon him by toying with his heartstrings and that plan totally worked. Simply because… they were able to get Clive to come to the local Friendly’s dressed as a sailor and say ‘ahoy’ to anyone he passed to drop a cruel prank on him and make him suffer. But uh, he suffered a little more than expected. In fact, things got really dark with Clive, and that left the duo feeling pretty awful about themselves. So, they instead, tried to mend fences by dragging this out further to try and make Clive feel better about himself and be better. But that too, got out of hand. Because Clive latched onto this idea and wanted to see his dad, prompting the Thunder Buddies to hire a security guard/hopeful actor to play Clive’s dad in a desperate attempt to close this out. But they were of course caught, and finally opened up about what they did, and why… giving rise to a surprising peace between everyone. ![]()
But before we dig deeper into the themes present there, there was mention of the fact that Matty had real concerns over getting an all-important Colonoscopy, and we need to talk about that. Because Susan did not let that rest in the slightest and that led to fights and an ask from Blaire as to why Matty was so hellbent on not having his personal health made a priority. As it turned out, it wasn’t related to the reasons anyone initially thought, such as some close-minded nonsense… but instead… because he was afraid to spill secrets about his time in Vietnam. Because he believed that doctors wanted those secrets, and that they also wanted to mock his appearance and find sexual pleasure from the procedure. So, he asked Blaire to join him during the procedure to make sure his secrets didn’t spill, and well… that went poorly. Since Blaire had to hide in his gurney, after a bribe, since they didn’t let her in initially. And well, the experience was so weird, and affirming in some respects… since they did mock Matty, and someone thought this was hot, that she demanded retribution.
In the form of having Matty, be honest about his secrets. Because enough was enough. The air HAD to be cleared and well, that secret was uh… uh… not what anyone expected it to be. Because Matty didn’t have some horrible story about having to fight for his life in a harrowing manner that would urge someone to have Matty see a psychiatrist to deal with such matters. Nor was he harboring some kind of national secret or memory of a mission that revealed something shocking to him and his unit. Nope. Turned out, Matty’s big secret… was that he gave a dog a hand job during the war. Yup. You read that right. He helped a dog rub one out. All because he was concerned about the health of the dog and having its red rocket make contact with the ground. So, he did his duty and made things weird twice over in his life. But uh yeah, he did serve his country and like Susan said, we thank him so much for that. But uh, all dog pleasure aside, make no mistake about it… this episode had a solid lesson. In that, if we flipped the script on a bully, we’d be no better than them. So, the best outcome for anyone being bullied is to work to find common ground with them, so peace can be made and well… that lesson only added to the wonder of one hilarious episode. One that featured some amazing jokes for certain. Because John’s obsession with the backstory for his Friendly’s cover was the stuff of legend, as was the whole two dad dynamic of Ted and John and let’s be honest… Matty freakin’ stole the show here. Because that story, was so out of left field and so unexpected, that it took this reporter a good ten minutes to get the laughs out before continuing with the episode. But that’s what we have come to expect from this franchise, and now that Clive and John, and Ted are cool and Matty’s conscience is clear… it should be interesting to see what other amazing moments await us as this story continues along. Until next time. Watch ‘Ted’
Written by John Edward Betancourt![]()
If there is one particular message that comes up often in war stories in any format out there, it would have to be… that war is hell… and it makes sense as to why that message continually pops up. Because it is. Because young men, are asked to travel across the globe and use weapons to kill people. An enemy that exists because of a clash of ideologies the solider in question may or may not believe in, and well, what they see out there in the field… is awful. They see people die before their eyes and they’re asked to ignore that and stand their ground. They make friends only to lose them and they are in a constant state of fear over the fact that their number might be called by the Lord Almighty the next time the bullets begin to rain down.
Yet what’s fascinating, is that only a handful of stories, have properly encapsulated that difficult reality, especially in the visual medium. In part because, it’s not easy to really recreate the guts and gore of war and the sudden nature of it, and sometimes… the story the director intends to tell, makes it tough to bring that message to the forefront. But there are some war stories out there that properly reflect what soldiers go through and how hard their lives can be when they’re in the thick of it, and one particular series that managed to capture that just right, was The Pacific on HBO. For so many of its stories featured detailed and graphic conflict, and they explored the gravity of those moments upon the men in the thick of the fight, as evidenced by the show’s next episode. That is, after ‘Part Two’ surprised us. For when we returned to Guadalcanal in 1942, we were treated to a little downtime with the Marines there. For they had established an airfield and a stronghold in general, and the Japanese Army had yet to bring forth its counterattack. Which meant, everyone could relax a bit. Or… as well as one can relax in the middle of a jungle with minimal supplies. Which allowed for us to really see what living conditions were like for these soldiers, and well… they were awful. Because they were not eating properly and suffering greatly for that, and they were dirty, and sweaty and overall miserable thanks to the many bugs surrounding them as well. Giving rise to the reality that sometimes, the hell soldiers experience in war, comes from something as simple as having maggots in their food. ![]()
But of course, it was only a matter of time before the Japanese Army returned to the island and when they did… did we truly come to understand how hellish the fight was and how hellish war could be. Because Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone and his unit were tasked with protecting the flank of the Army forces that finally arrived to keep the American Flag planted as the Japanese Army advanced and well, they were low on ammo, low on men and facing a ridiculous number of enemy soldiers. But they fought, they fought hard in fact, in a manner so swift and so intense that they had minimal time to process the endless waves of soldiers they were gunning down and that… made for an intense experience. One that hammered home the point because that’s a lot for an audience to process as well, and it is uncomfortable to sit through. But… that’s the point. We need to know, and what’s wild, is that the story wasn’t done showcasing the hellish nature of war.
Because Basilone had to in essence, make the most of what he had when the attack started. Which meant leading men about when they hadn’t a clue what was going on, and even sacrificing his own health by moving his red-hot machine gun without protection. Because it was either create some semblance of sanity and make sure each line of defense had the guns it needed… or die, and that’s pretty damn hellish. Not to mention, we were privy to the darkness that comes with these men losing a friend in the heat of combat. Because Manny Rodriguez died on the night of the airfield’s defense, and as we learned in the premiere, he and John were close, and even shared time at the table with family, and well… while John may not have wept deeply here, he was clearly unsettled by the fact that this war claimed someone that meant the world to him. Yet what is truly incredible about this story, is that it still found a way to be positive. Courtesy of how John handled his business. Because his quick thinking, did indeed bring order to chaos and held the line and he himself… was an inspiration to the men. Because he fought with valor, and an intensity that is the stuff we see in fictional storytelling about the war. But it did come at a great cost. Because good men died in this tale, and they suffered and that does truly remind us that war is hell. But it also teaches us, that when the cause is just and true, good men will stand up and accomplish wonders and well, now that we’ve reached the end of this epic and unsettling tale, it will be interesting to see what other hellish moments await as the war in the Pacific rages on. Until next time. Watch ‘The Pacific’
Written by John Edward Betancourt![]()
It is definitely safe to say, that fans of animated content and television junkies in general, are supremely curious and excited to see Peacock’s new animated feature, In the Know. In large part, because everything about this series feels original. Courtesy of its plot, its animation style and format, and its cast is also compelling. Which has prompted so many of us, to seek out everything we can about the show. Because we’re curious creatures that love to walk into a new show prepared and ready to watch and well, Peacock is fully aware of that fact.
Which is why they graciously took the time today to offer up some new images to give us a taste of things to come, and they even went so far as to offer up a new clip from the series, featuring comedy legend Mike Judge and well… since you’re here because you too want to know more about this show, here are those images and that trailer, with a refresher regarding the details of the show… courtesy of Peacock. ABOUT IN THE KNOW Lauren Caspian is NPR’s third most popular host. He’s a well-meaning, hypocritical nimrod, just like you and me. He’s also a stop motion puppet. Each episode follows the making of an episode of Lauren’s show In the Know, in which Lauren conducts in-depth interviews with real world human guests. Lauren collaborates with a diverse crew of NPR staff. They are also puppets and nimrods. ABOUT THE SERIES Premiere Date: January 25, 2024 (all episodes) Creator / Showrunner / Executive Producer / Actor: Zach Woods (Silicon Valley, The Office) Creator / Showrunner / Executive Producer: Brandon Gardner Creator / Executive Producer / Actor: Mike Judge for Bandera Entertainment (Beavis and Butt-Head, Silicon Valley, King of the Hill) Executive Producers: Greg Daniels (The Office) and Dustin Davis for Bandera Entertainment Executive Producers: Alexander Bulkley and Corey Campodonico for Shadowmachine Voiceover Cast: Zach Woods (Silicon Valley, The Office), Mike Judge (Beavis and Butt-Head, Silicon Valley, King of the Hill), Caitlin Reilly (Loot, Hacks), Charlie Bushnell (Diary of a Future President, Percy Jackson and The Olympians), J. Smith-Cameron (Succession, Rectify), Carl Tart (Grand Crew) Live Action Guest Interviewees: Kaia Gerber, Jonathan Van Ness, Ken Burns, Finn Wolfhard, Norah Jones, Tegan and Sara, Nicole Byer, Roxane Gay, Mike Tyson, Jorge Masvidal, Hugh Laurie Studio: Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group Format: Adult Animated Comedy, 6 x 30-minute episodes VOICEOVER CAST AND CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS ZACH WOODS voices “Lauren Caspian,” host of the “In The Know” radio program. CAITLIN REILLY voices “Fabian,” researcher and fact checker. CHARLIE BUSHNELL voices “Chase,” college intern. J. SMITH-CAMERON voices “Barb,” co-executive producer of “In The Know.” CARL TART voices “Carl,” sound engineer. MIKE JUDGE voices “Sandy,” culture critic. New Images
Clip Featuring Mike Judge
Peacock Announces Three-Part Hip-Hop Documentary Series, ‘Kings From Queens: The RUN DMC Story’1/18/2024 Written by John Edward Betancourt![]()
There was a time in history, in the 1970s to be specific, where Hip Hop music was nothing more, than a tiny movement in New York City. Where a handful of talented artists shared its wonder with the crowds that showed up to hear what this type of music had to offer, and that was it really. Just some good music being played in places where few were able to hear it, but that all changed in the 1980s. For a Hip Hop band known as RUN DMC hit the circuit and what they brought to the table, changed the world of music forever. For this band is one of the big reasons that Hip Hop went mainstream, and they of course were loved by all and are still loved today.
But so many of us, only know of their music, their collaborations with big bands such as Aerosmith, and we don’t really know the band’s story. How they rose to the top, what kinds of struggles they encountered on their way to making Hip Hop mainstream, but that is going to change. For earlier today, Peacock let it be known that a three-part documentary revolving around RUN DMC’s meteoric rise to fame will be airing on Peacock on February 1, 2024, and to properly announce this documentary… Peacock was kind enough to release Key Art, a trailer, and some details regarding this feature that we will share with you now. So, you can properly prepare for what should be a wondrous learning experience about one of the most important bands to ever take the stage. · Kings From Queens: The RUN DMC Story is a three-part documentary series, produced by Believe Entertainment Group, chronicling the iconic forefathers of hip-hop, RUN DMC. This unique series will take you back to the 1980s, when Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell cultivated a one-of-a-kind sound that took not only Queens, but the world, by storm. · The docuseries features exclusive interviews from RUN DMC, as well as some of hip-hop’s biggest names, including Ice Cube, LL COOL J, Questlove, Beastie Boys, Ice-T, Chuck D, Tom Morello, Salt, Doug E. Fresh, Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte, Ed Lover, Jermaine Dupri, and many more! · Quote from artist and executive producer, Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons - “I am very happy that the world is going to see our great story. So thankful for all that participated in helping us over the years. I started out as a young DJ Run and ended up impacting the world with my group RUN DMC. I am blessed to have been on this amazing journey.” · Quote from artist and executive producer, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels - “This documentary series will reach, teach and educate people on the RUN DMC dynamic. I know people will see themselves in our journey and I am hopefully that the next 50 years of Hip Hop will be a movement of positive improvement and creativity, in the same way we changed music and the world. ABOUT KINGS FROM QUEENS: THE RUN DMC STORY Kings From Queens: The RUN DMC Story, produced by Believe Entertainment Group, is the never-been-told story of the most influential rap group in the history of music, RUN DMC. Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell met on the streets of Hollis, Queens before these hip-hop legends would go on to legitimize a genre of music that critics labeled a fad. Their influence on culture shattered racial barriers, making them international stars and fashion leaders of the ‘80s. After a series of life-changing events and challenges, including the murder of their beloved DJ, Jam Master Jay, Rev Run, and DMC reunite to tell their story and celebrate the genre of music they established. ABOUT THE DOCUSERIES Premiere: Thursday, February 1, 2024 Director: Kirk Fraser Executive Producers: Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, William H. Masterson III, Brian Hunt, Dan Goodman, Michael Lehman, Erik Blamoville Produced By: Believe Entertainment Group Format: Docuseries, 3 x 60min Written by John Edward Betancourt![]()
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 205 of ‘Dr. Death’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
When we last settled in to discuss the brilliant and gripping Peacock series, Dr. Death, we talked at length about how this series was entering a new stage in telling its tale. For gone were the days of analysis and understanding regarding what makes men like Paolo the way they are. That was instead replaced with a new exploration regarding how the downfall of men like Paolo comes to life. For the last episode informed us that doubt would absolutely sow the seeds of concern, since Doctors Gamelli and Svensson were suddenly wondering if by chance Paolo was doing the right thing and if by chance, what he was doing was ethically and morally right and well, that doubt… brought about the next steps in Paolo’s downfall. For ‘191’ basically allowed for the timelines to sync up, wherein Dr. Gamelli was tasked with taking good care of Yesim, the young lady we met in the previous tale that was in for consultation and well… she never left. For it was discovered she had some serious internal issues from her prior botched surgery, the one that put her in Paolo’s office to begin with, and that prompted Paolo to remove her lung and of course… give her a new trachea when that was done. And after he stitched her up and put her in Gamelli’s care, Nathan was able to see what was wrong with Paolo’s program. Because the real issue at hand, was that the synthetic trachea would not function as a normal one. So, it could not expel mucus and could not properly provide the body with what it needed. Which explained why so many died so quickly, since they in essence, choked on their own mucus, and well… that made Yesim suffer greatly. But since Gamelli saved her and was able to monitor her closely, through a promise to help her no less, he saw the horrors that this procedure inspired. For a lack of proper oxygen and a constant fight from the body to expel a plastic organ, led to a bevy of problems, the kind that well… made it seem as though Yesim was basically rotting before everyone’s eyes. Because there was no improvement, there was only pain, necrosis, and a slow shut down of the body. One that forced her to lose faith in Paolo and grow hatred for Gamelli and well… that brought about a dark and sour ending. Wherein she was shipped out to have the trachea removed and where Paolo came back. For during this time frame, he was killing that little girl and making false promises to Benita. And he was quick to scold and huff about over his work being ruined before Gamelli and Svensson, and Dr. Labrey, seemingly came to an epiphany. In that, something was very wrong and clearly Yesim was the longest human trial of the experiment to date, and they all been part of it, and let it happen because it isn’t easy to separate faith from reality, especially when hope is so strong a drug. But it would seem, they’re ready to take action now and they must. Because clearly, Paolo is out of control and there is real suffering at hand and in the end, this is an episode that teaches us, the truth, and seeing the suffering that men that weaponize hope impart upon others by offering promises that go nowhere is the next step in bringing people down. Since it inspires action, so that no one will ever have to hurt like that again and well, it will be interesting now to see how long the downfall will take. Especially since some were unwilling to listen at first, but perhaps now… the pain that Yesim endured can open ears and hearts and minds, to the reality that the Miracle Man is a genuine Snake Oil Salesman. Watch ‘Dr. Death’
Written by John Edward Betancourt![]()
Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Series Premiere of ‘Criminal Record’.
One particular aspect of crime dramas that everyone enjoys, is the delicate cat and mouse game that the hero and the villain eventually take part in. Simply because that is the moment when we really get to discover what motivated the heavy to do what they are doing and how dangerous and formidable they are going to be. And of course, on the flip side of that… this is where we come to understand the brilliance of our hero and uncover the good, they harbor in their souls and how exactly they are going to vanquish the evil in front of them. All of which eventually leads up to a powerhouse finale where the baddie is of course defeated and arrested and put away for a long time for their heinous crimes. But what’s fascinating about this particular part of the story, is that it always involves law enforcement or some form of it, and a true criminal. Someone that has crossed some ugly lines and truly does need to pay for their crimes, and few stories ever deviate from that particular structure. But as our demand for more entertainment and fresh stories continues to grow, there are creatives out there… eager to see if by chance that formula can be toyed with and if by chance the cat and mouse game can involve different players in the crime drama and well, the answer to that question is indeed a resounding yes. As evidenced by the brand-new Apple TV+ series, Criminal Record. A feat that ‘Emergency Caller’ and ‘Two Calls’ accomplishes by outright surprising us. For this is a story that introduces us to two a pair of unique police officers. There’s Detective Chief Inspector David Hegarty, a saucy and grizzled veteran of the force that has seen it all and knows he is nearing the end of his career, and there’s Detective Sergeant June Lenker. An up-and-coming hopeful in the force that is eager to earn her big break and finally advance to the big leagues and well… she soon gets her chance, courtesy of a powerful phone call. One that speaks to an old case, and fresh pain and well… the need to uncover the truth about the past prompts her to cross paths with Hegarty. A move that is met with resistance and odd behavior. ![]()
Mainly because… it is clear to both the viewer and June, that something is quite amiss with the old case in question. The kind that speaks to odd motives and a push to control a narrative. All of which appears to be the doing of Hegarty himself since he operates in a very unique part of the grey and what follows, is the unthinkable. In that, we are quickly immersed in a story where the cat and mouse game involves a pair of police officers. For Lenker is hell bent on understanding the truth behind this case, and despite her best efforts to learn it, Hegarty is there to sow doubt, and paint her as nothing more than an overzealous police officer eager to be a hot shot akin to the movies. Giving rise to battle lines being drawn and a chance for us to learn… if Hegarty has done something awful here and sent an innocent man to jail for reasons grounded in ugly concepts.
All of which gives rise to a compelling and intelligent opening chapter to this series. And it is the cases themselves that bring about the latter. Simply because… they are grounded in powerful commentary about our modern world that we can all relate to. For we have seen abuses of power from police officers run rampant over the past few years, and we’ve seen quite a few of those cases involve wanton racism against BIPOC individuals. Giving rise to a story that should hopefully explore the motivations behind such actions so we can recognize and stop them. But while that alone should carry this show from beginning to end, its compelling nature comes forth by way of a couple of key elements. For instance, the writing is flawless, and the cases are indeed fascinating and mired in mystery that begs us to continue the journey to uncover the truth and well… every single moment is sold by way of some stellar acting. For Cush Jumbo is utterly amazing as June and brings a genuine honesty and innocence to the role that we so rarely see in police serials, and she is wonderfully counterbalanced by Peter Capaldi. Who plays Hegarty and he is simply at his finest here, since he gives life to a police officer that is clearly filled with a fury we do not understand, one that he is eager to unleash upon the world and well, all of these elements combine to bring forth one amazing premiere. One that truly pulls us into this world and refuses to let go until we too, learn the truth about a heinous set of crimes, and it will be interesting to see how this cat and mouse game plays out as this story continues along. Until next time. Watch ‘Criminal Record’
Written by John Edward Betancourt![]()
When we think of the Second World War, certain images come to mind. The vast majority of which, relate to what happened in the European Theater of the war. For D-Day was a huge turning point in the war, one wrought with sacrifice and failure and yet… the Allies overcame and pushed forth. Suffering more struggles along the way on the road to Berlin and knowing that so many Americans made that push and fought with everything they had in epic battles in Fortress Europe, is why our minds drift to that part of the war. It’s also why a fair chunk of stories about WWII, focus on those campaigns and that includes the wildly popular series we just finished exploring, Band of Brothers.
But it is important to remember that the Second World War was more than Easy Company and Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, and while those are important moments and important people fought those battles, they were part of a grand puzzle playing out around the globe. For while Major Dick Winters and his men defeated the Nazis at Foy, there were other young men battling the Empire of Japan in the heart of the Pacific Ocean. And they weren’t alone since the U.S.S. Enterprise stood strong at the Battle of Midway, among many other stunning battles. Because this was indeed a world war, where Americans fought on two fronts and while there are less stories out there about the Pacific theater, there are impactful one’s worth highlighting. Such as the sequel to Band of Brothers, The Pacific. A story that not only explored what combat looked like in the Pacific Theater from the Marine perspective, keeping in line with offering stores from specific divisions from the war effort, one that will continue via Masters of the Air, but found a way to quickly separate itself from its predecessor. To give it a specific flair storytelling wise. One that turned out to be both intimate and dark. For ‘Part One’ and the majority of the series, focused heavily on three key soldiers in this segment of the war. Private First Class Robert Leckie, Corporal Eugene Sledge, and Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone. Which is what allowed for this story to be far more intimate in nature. For now, we weren’t just going to follow a company and highlight one member of it at a time, we would really see what individual experiences looked like in the war. ![]()
Which in turn allowed for this opening chapter, to take us to the beginning of everything. Mere weeks after the stunning attack on Pearl Harbor on December the 7th, 1941. Wherein we learned what motivated Leckie to sign up and do his part, and how eager men like Sledge were ready to fight but could not, since Eugene suffered from a heart murmur that disqualified him from service in this tale. Which truly gave us perspective on how important it was for young men to sign up and do their part and make their families and their country proud by fighting true evil in the last great war. Not to mention, this opening chapter does a fine job of really showcasing those precious moments before they went off to fight. Where family dinners had more weight and where something as simple as finding someone to write home to was critical.
All of which did indeed offer a different style to the show, one that was further enhanced by the combat we were witness to. For while the European Theater felt hauntingly poetic now and again in Band of Brothers, it was nothing but a visceral nightmare in The Pacific. For the Japanese Army was known for its cunning and its strength and fearlessness and that was put on display here in full. Allowing for the viewer to feel the unease that Leckie felt when he was stationed on Guadalcanal and feel the terror, he experienced at seeing waves of Imperial forces come spilling out of the jungle in an effort to overwhelm American forces and keep the island in Imperial hands. Giving rise to a raw and visceral fight that was utterly intense and morally unsettling. Since those early days featured the raw need for revenge that Americans sometimes harbor, as we did post September the 11th. But what mattered most here, is that this premiere let it be known that this show, would offer up a vastly different story about a vastly different segment of the war. In a manner as honest and as earnest and its predecessor and well, just like that… we are now embroiled in a dark and powerful and winding journey. One that will give us insight into more of the impact of war upon a person’s psyche and the seemingly impossible odds these men were up against. For the Japanese Empire believed in victory at all costs, and that stark truth will also help hammer home the most important message of all. That glamourous and heroic moments were far and few between in this war… for World War II like all other wars… was pure hell on Earth. And no one that took part in it would ever be quite the same. Until next time. Watch ‘The Pacific’
Written by John Edward Betancourt![]()
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 203 of ‘Night Court’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
One particular challenge that sitcoms face when they enter their sophomore year, is finding ways to grow and challenge the characters. Because that’s what creates an enduring story in any genre, and that is likely why, so many sitcoms have a quick run. For so many sitcoms love to stick to a status quo and give us more of the same from prior seasons and that is indeed so commonplace and at times frustrating, that we tend to meet a great deal of sitcoms in their sophomore years with worry and skepticism. That is until the sitcom proves to us that it knows what makes a story great, by giving the characters the growth and challenge they require and well, that is why we can all breathe a sigh of collective relief when it comes to the new season of Night Court on NBC. For season two of this show, is indeed pushing the good people of the Manhattan Night Court to deal with scenarios and problems that the rest of us deal with, to see how they respond and see how their good souls find solutions to them, and grow in doing so, as evidenced by this week’s episode. For ‘Just the Fax, Dan’ saw the team not only welcome a new Clerk named Wyatt into the fold but deal with a nasty little hacker. Who shut down the court WiFi and hacked into everyone’s personal device to make a difficult demand. In that, he expected the sixth case on the docket to end in a guilty verdict or secrets would be spilled and trouble would arise and well… that put the team on high alert. Because they felt their secrets were indeed embarrassing in nature and of course, someone was demanding a perversion of the course of justice. Which meant that only real course of action here, was to slow things down, see if the hacker could be found so that order could be restored and justice could be served and well, this was indeed a powerful challenge for the characters to deal with. Because they had to face the very real possibility that parts of their lives, they wanted kept to themselves were about to be exposed and they had to choose to either handle this case with class or respond in kind. Challenging the moral cores they all established in season one. Which brought about, a tough fight… one that Gurgs led the charge in. But since they stuck together and took the high road, they were able to finally ID the hacker and bring this mess to its proper conclusion. Courtesy of the reveal that they were victims of a revenge scheme. But what mattered more, was that they stayed true to themselves and really met a tough challenge head on. One that we all fear and that made for a surprisingly relevant episode, one that gave us exactly what we want and of course was delightfully funny. Thanks to the mad scramble that everyone took part in to protect their precious secrets and let’s be honest, Gurgs stole the show a lot in this episode. Because her attempts to make Wyatt confess to a crime, he didn’t commit, was pretty darn epic in nature, since beating someone up with a sack of oranges is a hardcore way to garner that confession, and the homage to Jaws via her modern embodiment of Quint, will easily go down as one of her finest moments. Plus, challenges or no, this episode also found a way to sneak in some lessons about the human condition and friendship. Since Abby was right in pointing out that those, we hold closest to us, should indeed hear our secrets, and share their own. Because then we will quickly learn that some of our concerns and worries over the past, are a bit less terrifying than we give them credit, and who knows… we might learn that our pals have some talents along the way. Since everyone learned that Dan is quite the fan fiction writer and has quite the Monk story to tell. But in the end, it was just great to see this series challenge its characters in a manner that properly tested their mettle, and it will be interesting to see what other challenges lie ahead for this group as season two continues along. Until next time. Watch ‘Night Court’
Written by John Edward Betancourt![]()
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 104 of ‘Extended Family’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
When the day comes that we enter into a deeply committed relationship with a partner, one that leads to marriage and building a family, we are more than eager to bring something special to life. Specifically, tradition. Because there are things, we did when we were growing up that we would love to pass on to our children because of the meaning it carries in our family line. Not to mention, now is the time to start our own proud traditions. The kind that will add depth and new meaning to the ones we already intend to honor. Because traditions, when healthy, are indeed special and important and help us to honor so much. But of course… what we are not prepared for with this hope, is what we do if our family unit and dynamic changes. Because divorce is a very real possibility in our lives, as is seeing our family dynamic grow and change when someone new comes into either our life or the life of our partner and well… then we must learn, how to navigate our old traditions with new traditions. Which is undoubtedly no easy task, since we don’t know how our traditions will go over, nor are we sure we will be comfortable with theirs. But there is a way forward on such matters, as evidenced by the next episode of Extended Family on NBC. For ‘The Consequences of Sushi’ took place during a very important day in the Kearney household. In that, it was Grace’s birthday and on birthdays in the household, a proud yet unsettling tradition took place. Wherein the family would go out to a local Italian restaurant that while tasty, caused intestinal distress, but it was a tradition regardless. Since it was about the moment and being close. But alas, Trey had other plans. Because he was able to secure a table for the family at a prestigious sushi restaurant in town, and really wanted to make Grace's birthday extra special, and well, that put Jim at a crossroads. Because he really wanted to do things as was tradition, but he also wanted to make other parties happy and feel included, since Trey was part of the family now. But he didn’t know which path was right, nor did he know if something he was proud of and loved about birthdays in his household was about to be ruined forever. So, he left the decision to Grace, who chose the sushi and for a time, it just seemed as though compromise was the key to making that kind of magic happen. Since compromise does so much for us in life, in general. But alas, Jim was miserable, and Jim really didn’t feel as though the family was doing something close, and Grace noticed this and well… worked some magic to bring about balance since she knew it wasn’t present. In part by having Jim Jr. get an idea of where his dad was mentally on this night, to help her use hunger and the right moment to her advantage. Because eventually, they ended up at that Italian restaurant and while there, Trey was able to see how much that moment meant to Jim, and the kids. And just like that… he and Jim came to learn… that compromise isn’t the key, but communication. To understand why those traditions really matter and what they mean to the person that set them up in the first place. So that we have perspective and understanding… and then… and only then can we find real common ground, and properly invite others into that aspect of our world. As Jim and Trey did in this particular tale, and while that was indeed an important lesson to learn, there was more subtext to be found… in that lovely moment. In that, such an act goes both ways, and we should be open to inviting others’ traditions into our lives as well. Because if the alternate party is courteous enough to accept ours, communicating and doing the same in kind is only right and that led… to one beautiful episode. One that once again spoke to how divorce doesn’t have to be the worst thing in the world and filled with bile and vitriol. It really can be productive. Granted, it will take some work, but all worthwhile things do, and of course… such lessons were handled in a hilarious manner. Because the moments with the portable massager allowed for some great gags to come into play and the sushi jokes worked because let’s be honest… we’ve all had a meal like that… only to go get a burger or some big meal elsewhere later. But what mattered most, is that once again, this show spoke to how our better angels can accomplish wonders for us, if we let them shine through. Until next time. Watch ‘Extended Family’
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