The Path: This Is Us "Lights and Shadows" Winter Premiere

This Is Us returns with a winter premiere that was full of powerful emotions. Here's a recap!

After the fall finale, we see our characters going through the stuff that we were expected to see. Randall trying to get an appointment for Rebecca during the holidays; Kate confronts Toby about his text messaging with another woman and Kevin trying the online dating world.

Coming in the new year, Rebecca gets an appointment and does some memory tests; but while doing those tests we see how she fought to stay with Jack. Randall and Miguel argue over about the situation and after learning that there could be something going on with Rebecca the two put their feelings aside and focused on Rebecca.

Kate is about to throw a surprise birthday for Tobey and can't wait to meet the lady from his Zumba class. As she works and worries, it turns out that during the party she wasn't there and that Tobey has switched to a different class group. After Tobey tells Kate why he switched classes and the reason he didn't tell her as Kate gives him his gift of a vacation retreat that helps with parents for blind children. But in the end, they have a moment when baby Jack sees the pineapple lights really spark the love back with one another.

Kevin tries to get in the online dating world and it's not going so good. After a few bombs, Kevin decides to stop and late the universe take it from there; until he meets this woman at the coffee shop. He confronts her and the two talk and after sparks really fly with one another the two go out on a date with John Legend performing for them. It all stopped after learning she's married and this was just a hall pass. But as Kevin goes back to work he gets a call from Sophie.

As Randall comes back home seeing him look at his girls and later kiss Beth; he goes downstairs and sees a burglar and we leave the episode like that.

"Lights and Shadows" was such an amazing and powerful episode that had such rich and emotional moments.  The Rebecca story was so damn good and one of my favorite performances from Mandy Moore so far. Kate and Toby were good as well; while I was convinced that Sophia Bush could be the woman for Kevin; I'm still hoping for him to get back with Sophie. It has to be that Kevin and Sophie will get back together and have that child that he wants. Strong writing with strong character growth in this episode. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.

You can catch This Is Us Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.

"It's so Basic!" The Good Place "Chapter 50: Mondays, Am I Right?"

Can Michael get the employees of the wrong place to use his method in the new plan? Is Chidi good for Eleanor? Here's a recap!!

As Michael and the gang meet up with the employees of The Bad Place, Michael tries to get them to come together and follow his method for his new plan. But when some do not like it or do not get it, it takes Vicki to grasp the concept through their heads with some healthy understanding. Even though Michael is upset about Vicki teaching them quicker than him, he learns a lesson that follows his pushing the rock up a hill.

Meanwhile, Eleanor, Chidi, and Jason must find a thousand people that will fit well with the formula so the plan can work from Mr. Rogers and Susan B. Anthony. But when Eleanor sees her file, she jumps to Chidi to not read it, but when she tells him to, Chidi doesn't think he's good for her. Thinking more about it, Jason helps Chidi while Chidi believes he is assisting Jason and gets his confidence back about loving Eleanor.

As the plan seems to be working, the jingle that someone's going to the excellent place comes, and it's Eleanor and the gang going. Michael brings the air balloon for them and goes along with Janet, and as they ride off waving bye to the people of the medium place, Jason yells out Folies.

"Mondays, Am I Right?" was a good and hilarious episode. This was a great Michael episode as he had to deal with Vicki, helping him explain how the new method to the point system works. Hell, I just loved that scene when Tahani was in the VR room and got attacked by a chainsaw bear. That has to be a T-shirt. Why do I feel this is only the calm before the storm as we get to the series finale? We get a Wizard of Oz ending in this episode. Does anyone think we'll get Eleanor to wake up and see Chidi somewhere and go after him?

Anyway, overall, I give this episode a 9/10.

You can catch The Good Place on Thursdays at 8:30/7:30c on NBC,

The Healing Powers of Dude, Season 1

Last week, a new Netflix series premiered, and while it has some wacky moments, it's got enough heart and inspiration to win over.

The first season of The Healing Powers of Dude is about an 11-year-old boy named Noah (played by Jace Chapman) suffering from a social anxiety disorder and the one thing that could help him is a dog named Dude, who's trained to be a support therapy dog. After getting the dog, Noah makes new friends with Amara and Simon (played by Sophie Kim and Mauricio Lara). He even has a crush on a girl named Valerie (played by Gabrielle Quinn).

But he also deals with fun and supportive parents (played by Larisa Oleynik and Tom Evertt Scott) and a young but wise little sister in Embry. While anxiety is Noah's enemy, Dude has his own in the school's principal, who dislikes dogs and pulls off a sad, cruel, and yet exciting way for season two.



I very much enjoyed this first season, and while it has some goofy yet funny moments, the show has heart and inspiration and tackles mental health head-on in the rightful way of social anxiety. This ensemble cast is fantastic, and while Chapman steals the show, Kim and Lara give such an excellent performance as Noah's best friends, while Oleynik and Scott are amazing and hilarious. The writing was as good as it has some strong character growth.

While this show has heart and inspiration, it hits close to home for me as I, too, have a social anxiety disorder. Whether at school, family gatherings, or public places, I was the kind of person who shut down like a hermit crab, and while therapy support dogs weren't a thing, I had the one thing that had helped me, and that was television. Watching one episode of a comedy or a drama helped me calm down my nerves before going anywhere.  I think this show is for parents to watch with their kids and not only watch but also teach.  The show serves a great message, and I hope that the show gets another season.

You can catch the first season of The Healing Powers of Dude available on Netflix now.

Animal Among Us

If you think that "Animal Among Us" was a film that you know all too well without seeing it, guess again. This film keeps you guessing until its mind-blowing ending. 

When a campground is reopening celebration fifteen years after two girls were murdered and lead to a best-selling novel, Anita and Penelope Bishop (played by Larisa Oleynik and Christine Donlon), deals with issues of an animal like creature on the campsite, after two people had been attacked and killed. But when the author. Who wrote the book on the previous murders comes for the celebration at the Bishop's mother; the plot twists and turns about man and creature.

"Animal Among Us" is a horror film that might have the same plot devices as previous classic horror films like Friday the 13th. I enjoy some originality in this film; while for a 90-minute movie with some slow parts, it builds to an ending that I would have never had thought of. Larisa Oleynik, who won Best Actress in a Feature at Northen Horror Fest 2019, gives a stunning performance unlike we've seen her do from her previous roles. Even Don Frye and Erin Daniels were outstanding and stood out in the film as well.

I give the film an 8/10.

You can catch "Animal Among Us" available now on DVD and digital.

Supergirl "The Bottle Episode" Preview

After a crazy and thrilling Crisis event, Supergirl returns with a much, much deeper threat. 

A new threat comes upon Supergirl and it's Lex Luther. Here's a promo of this Sunday's episode:

You can catch Supergirl Sundays at 9/8c on The CW.

What's the plan, man? The Good Place "Chapter 49: You've Changed, Man"

With only minutes to spare, who will Eleanor and team come up with a way to stop the judge from erasing EVERYTHING? Here's a recap!

As soon as Chidi got all of his memories back, showing confidence; he tells Eleanor, Micheal, Tahani and Jason that the best way to stop the judge was to negotiate an idea of a system that would work middle ground to the good and bad place. But just as they tell the board of their idea and agreeing before hearing it, they talk to Shawn and things don't go so well.

Meanwhile, as the Judge looks for her remote to erase the Earth; Janet tries to talk her out of it while they go in Bad Janet and even Disco Janet as well. With no luck of finding it and given a no to Eleanor and Michael's idea; the Judge goes into Janet to find the remote. While there, Janet pulls off a prank but surprises her with a special guest, Timothy Olyphant.

As Shawn was brought in; Eleanor and the team talk about their plan for a system that will work with both groups; but Shawn turns down the idea and goes his merry way of peeing in the water fountain. Michael pulls off one last move to make Shawn agree and just as the Judge finds the remote all of the parties were in agreement but the question relies on how will this work. Chidi?

"You've Changed, Man" was such a good episode. While there were a lot of hilarious moments like Chidi doing things that he's never done like having confidence and not worried at all. And he's got me thinking of eating some warm pretzels. Yummy, yum yum, right?  The Olyphant appearance was fantastic and even though he was in for a few minutes or a scene, it was probably the top three moments of the episode. While Jackson and D'Arcy gave strong performances, Maya Rudolph was amazing as the judge in this episode.

As much as I would love to give my theories to how this will end; I don't have any as I just rather watch and follow the characters with each moment occurring. But I think that this ending will be an emotional one, to say the least. Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.

You can catch The Good Place tonight at 8:30/7:30c on NBC.

The Healing Powers of Dude: A New Netflix Series

On Monday, Jan. 13th, Netflix will release a new series that might be just up your alley for you and your family to enjoy.

The Healing Powers of Dude is about an 11-year-old boy (played by Jace Chapman) who has social anxiety disorder but gets help from an emotional support dog named Dude (voiced by Steve Zahn of War For the Planet of the Apes and You've Got Mail).

Along for the journey are his parents played by Tom Evertt Scott (ER, Southland, 13 Reasons Way) and Larisa Oleynik (The Secret World of Alex Mack, 10 Things I Hate About You, and Animals Among Us).

After watching the trailer that came out a couple of days ago, it really looks so fun, cute and inspiring. The cast looks solidly good. I believe that this is a series that the whole family should be watching come Monday evening.

Here's the trailer:

You can catch The Healing Powers of Dude tomorrow on Netflix.