Comic Comes To Life

Unless you were a young boy with a nerdy dad or uncle, there's a very slim chance that you grew up reading comics. I for one will admit that I never read a comic unless it was one of those cheesy ones out of the newspaper (do those even count?). We've seen comics come to life with movies like all the marvel or DC inspired films like Avengers, The Hulk, or Batman. However, what would a comic look like if it took the form of a television show? Thanks to the CW network, one of the latest versions of this being done is the production of the show Riverdale based on the Archie comics.

Now, I have no clue what the Archie comics are. I could not tell you what it's about and whether or not the show does a sufficient job of portraying this comic, but I will say that the first season of this show is great! If you're curious about this comic and it's background, the video below touches on it better than I could.




Just to set the scene of this show (especially if you didn't wish to watch the video), Riverdale is pretty much suburbia to lots of different families. The place is one of those small towns where everyone knows everyone and word gets around pretty fast. The new girl on the block is Veronica Lodge and with her arrival comes the start to a love triangle between her, Betty Cooper, and Archie Andrews. However, the more important thing here is the mysterious drowning of Jason Blossom, brother to the uptight and sassy Cheryl Blossom.

Much of the plot of season one is the uncovering of the death of Jason Blossom and there's so many different ideas being thrown out, and of course no one wants to rule out his "dear" sister. Or was it FP Jones (Jughead's dad)? How about criminal dad Hiram Lodge? Maybe it's Fred Andrews. Regardless of all the possibilities that get tossed around, Betty Cooper, the Nancy Drew of the show as she's a writer for her school newspaper has to find out. This is where she meets Jughead Jones, another passionate writer for the newspaper. Together they work to try to unveil all the truths and secrets of Jason's death.

Beyond the big mystery, there much drama happening with this love triangle. Archie is the all American boy; you know the football captain, that's also a sweetheart and can even play the guitar because he's so much more than a jock. How could anyone not like this kid? Even though Betty is coming close to admitting her crush, between her mother and Veronica, winning this boy seems impossible.

To add to the drama, everyone has secrets and it won't be long before they come to the surface. What's going on with the Blossom family? What kind of a man is Hiram Lodge and what is it that Hermione is protecting? What ever happened between FP and Fred Andrews? If you want to know any of this, you better start watching!

Power Beyond the President

To be a person whose aura commands respect and order is a skill that not everyone can have. It takes a strong individual to achieve such a thing and it seems that most of the people who do, are men. This may not be the case for you, but there is a huge difference when dad comes home rather than mom. There's this acceptance that dad had been working and dealing with being able to provide, so when he walks though that door, all shenanigans cease, we enter into our best behavior, and be good children. With mom, we know we can have all the fun we want and be a little crazy as long as we follow the rules. To be a woman who could command such order and respect is commendable and requires a level of power.

Olivia Pope is a the kind of woman that knows how to get people to do as she pleases and respect her without really having to be all that assertive. In some ways, Olivia is a force to not be reckoned with. But how did this come to be?

Olivia is the daughter to a mother and father who were well accomplished in their works. One was a part of a secret task force within the government and the other an infamous assassin. Both her parents recognized the importance of power; it is how we get people to do what we want. Sometimes this means forcing their hand or not even having to try because you're just that good.  With such accomplished parents who understood this principle, how could their child not be destined for greatness.

Now that you get a sense of who Olivia is, can you guess what she does for a living? If it wasn't all that obvious, Olivia is an attorney. Her firm has a great reputation and along with her three associates they are able to tackle almost any case it seems. Being a former White House employee, Olivia almost always has access to the big guns. An associate and former government spy Huck is able crack the codes and do the messy work. Abby is well equipped with a arsenal of knowledge in law. Harrison is just skillful; he knows how to manipulate and extort information.

The show in which these character take place is called Scandal. It's another ABC Shonda Rhimes creation and it is just as masterful as her other shows. The title is too accurate and appropriate. The show is full of scandals and the biggest of them all being exposed within the White House and involving big players, even the president. The show is full of drama so you'll seldom be bored. Trust me, there is a lot of come of power dynamics between big players in government, powerful individuals like Olivia Pope, and some of the extremist action in the show. You won't wanna miss out on Olivia's journey from campaign manager, to White House employee, to attorney, to powerful mistress, and campaign manager yet again. However, I will admit that some of the plot in which I cannot disclose is drawn out and overdone. Otherwise, it's a great show for you next binge!

Here is a parody video, but to really make the connection to the show, you better start watching!

For Lovers of the Law

As a society, overtime, how we view crime has changed in so many ways. If you don't believe me, check out this graphic.

                                                       Image Provided by Richard Felson

As you can see, crimes related to sex were such a big deal when people actually valued marriage. However, we all know that the sexual revolution changed our values about sex and suddenly premarital sex was not seen as harshly. Now, we constantly see instances of premarital sex and if you're the 40 year old virgin, what a shame! Even adultery is an act that we see too much of. If anything hasn't really changed, it's our views of murder.

If I were to ask any of you what is the worst crime a person can commit, a decent majority of people would say murder (feel free to comment and attest to this or not). As humans, we cannot ration the ability to take life away from another person. It's such a cynical, dark, and heinous crime.

Although some of us could never commit murder (or so we think), we rather fantasize about it. I'm not talking about planning our very own murder or dreaming about it, but filling our lives with shows, movies, stories, and conspiracies that often cover the topic of murder. This concept is just intriguing to us.

As a college student, I love being able to take classes that interest me (who doesn't) and as a political science major, I'm also taking classes like criminology and criminal justice. If you can relate, imagine that after signing up for one of these classes, you walk in for the first day of class and see six dreadful words on the chalk board. It reads, "how to get away with murder". How would you feel? The concept of learning ways to execute murder with no punishment seems insane. However, this is exactly what takes place in the show.

Annalise Keating is a well established lawyer and professor who is good at her job. She has made name for herself by being one of the most successful, brutal and, fierce attorneys. Her classroom truly is a space that tests your ability to be a attorney. By the end of the week, she will choose a student to represent her and the firm in a suit as well as four other to be hired on.

A group of five students make a lot of headway in her class, so they are primarily being chosen as her representatives. As they are given the chance to learn by such a talented individual as well as put her lessons into practice, they grow. But could these students really being learning how to get away with murder?

Rather than get into the details about the show and give up some of the suspense, I'll leave it to you. If you love a good drama with plenty of surprises, twists, and cliffhangers, this is the show to watch. It was practically addicting to me and will most likely be the case for you if you have a great interest in the topic or even just interest in law.

This trailer does a great job of giving the details I simply cannot provide. Enjoy!

Above Average Boy

Cargo pants? Check. 100% cotton collared shirt? Check. White socks with new balance sneakers? Check. There it is; the typical boy. Sam may look like the average Joe but there is so much more to him than that.

In fact, he's a lot more atypical than the average high school boy. Instead of an obsession with sports or video games, Sam loves penguins, He spends his time reading and learning more and more about them as well as their habitat any chance he can. Sam also has yet to have his first kiss, first love, and has no clue how he would even go about it. Another reason why Sam is so different, many of his reactions and responses are inappropriate. Like the time he yelled twat in the high school hallway or the time he finally got that kiss and punched the girl. With all this, people just can't seem to get over how weird kid is.

Sam may be different and have some of the most unusual responses but it's not because he's a freak; Sam is autistic. Many of these meltdowns and responses are completely out of his control and due to his condition. The whole show is centered around Sam's experiences with autism and most especially as his families pushes him to pursue a life just as any other person would.

This is why Sam is on the hunt for a girlfriend. The only way he knows is cheesy online pickup lines, intense planning, all the tips he can get from his dad, and the advice of his therapist. Sam asks his therapist some of the most specific question and what she has yet to understand is this is because Sam has a huge crush on her. However, getting past the boyfriend and taking this relationship from professional to romantic isn't going to be that simple.

Sam thinks he has to get a practice girlfriend so he can learn what love is supposed to be like and apply that to his chances with his therapist.

While Sam is going through all these changes, so is everyone else. His sister is starting and exploring a love of her own all while she dedicates herself to protecting Sam and excelling in track. The father is finally making progress in his relationship with Sam where he can finally spend quality time with him, understand him, and bond in a way they could not before. Sam's mother is also going a huge change and sadly this one is not as positive. She meets a man who intrigues her and entices her enough to where she is constantly tempted, distracted, and forgetful of her family. All of these dynamics make for most of the drama in this series and shape Sam as well.

This show is not only entertaining but I think it's great because it really does it's best to portray what autism could be like and especially for someone in high school where social standards are so prevalent. Sam is a very humorous, kind, and smart person and his character is great to watch.

Enjoy the show and this clip!

Miracle of Life

For many of us, the thought of kids is not one we remotely consider--at least not now. We've all just started a while new chapter of our lives that will lead us to successful careers (hopefully), graduate studies, or even a new trade. To have a child that requires countless hours of care would completely derail us of all the plans we currently have. However, children are a beautiful thing to welcome into this world, and we can only hope that if we were faced with the chance to bring in a new life, we would be willing to do so.

For Jane, the main character of Jane the Virgin, the announcement of her pregnancy was not only extremely unusual but also came at what was a crucial time in her life. Jane was currently working at the Marbella hotel and pursuing a relationship with the love of her life Michael. When I say the pregnancy was alarming and unusual, that is for a couple reasons. For one, the child was not Michael's and secondly, Jane was a virgin.

So, you might be wondering how does a virgin get pregnant? Surely this isn't another plot of the Virgin Mary. Well, it's incredibly complicated but I will do my best to explain. The hotel that Jane works by is owned and ran by her boss, Rafael and his wife, Petra. Rafael and Petra do not share the best of marriages and so at this time, there is some slight romance going on between Jane and Rafael. When Jane goes to her gynecologist for her check up, Rafael's sister Luisa, the doctor, accidentally inseminates Jane in mistake of Petra. The two look nothing alike but Luisa was so troubled her bad judgement set the stage for a really sticky situation.

We have Jane who is romantically linked to Michael with a slight crush on Rafael as well as his baby. Petra, the fierce and angry wife who has some plans up her sleeve. This only makes up for a lot of the action of this show but I will say there is so much more.

Although it might seems as if I have set most of the plot out for you, I swear I have only set the stage. If you couldn't already guess, Jane welcomes this child into her life regardless of the timing and all the complications that arise in what seems to be a love square (Rafael, Jane, Petra, and Michael). Throughout the show ther is so much development in most of the characters and especially Jane, Rafael and Michael. Jane's bonds with these two men grow and wither as time passes and the child get closer to life. This is the very reason that as a viewer, you are either #TeamMichael or #TeamRafael.

If you love a drama with lots of action and surprises and also don't mind a bit of romance, this could easily be your next Netflix binge. Also, the show narrator as well as Jane's grandmother, speak Spanish so if you'd like to learn a bit more this show could also provide that opportunity.

Enjoy this funny clip about why you should be #TeamMichael

Start of Something New (NOT HSM)

Doomsday, Armageddon, the apocalypse, or Judgement day, whatever you call it; it’s the end of the fu***ing world (oops am I allowed to even say that?). There are a number of views surrounding what this day will look like. Its is the day that ends the world as we know it. A day of mass destruction and one to put an end to human civilization. So I ask, what does this day look like to you?

For those who are religious, this is the day the Lord returns for his people and makes his last judgements on our lives. In regard to doomsday, did you know there's a clock? As I was looking into this theory of our downfall, I noticed just about over a week ago, doomsday and it's clock made a big hoot in media. It seems that this theory is more focused on nuclear power and the ability to end life as we know it.

No matter what you call it or what you believe, what does this day look like for you? I know we cannot tell the future and know what it would be like, but do you imagine yourself being alive for this day? How old will you be? Where will you be? Will you be alone or with the people you love?

Well, imagine you're with a complete stranger. Now, what does this look like? At some point do you separate? Why are the two of you together in all this? If you've been keeping up with some of the latest Netflix series, then you know that it's to fuel a dynamic duo relationship on adrenaline and romance.

If you couldn't already guess it, the show I'm choosing to cover for this week is titled the end of the fu***ing world and tells a story of two young teens, Alyssa and James and their reckless journey together. Alyssa is intrigued by James, so during lunch she decided to approach him and not long after, the two start to hang out. Both young teens are troubled by their family relations and soon decide they should run away together. James has a goal that he wishes to accomplish and Alyssa is just simply a bit defiant. She acts out impulsively and doesn't care much about the consequences of her actions. Something the two also share in common. With all this I mind, you almost have to be concerned for how their journey together will turn out.

If I'm being honest, the journey is full of chaos, disaster, frustration, yet they start to grow closer and closer to one another. I don't think either of them considered what it would be like to share time with someone who they could be themselves with. This may not sound like the end of the world, but for these two, it easily could've been. They face some deep troubles at moments throughout the show.
Regardless, being together turned the world upside down for these two and they really started to come to a new understanding. It wasn't the end of the world but a start to something new.

Feel free to watch the trailer here but fair WARNING, it's explicit and I think it gives away too much of the plot.

Twisted Fate of Technology

Imagine what it would be like if every moment of your life was being recorded constantly. You would have the opportunity at any point in the day to go back and recall events just as they were. If you think about it, were halfway there. Snapchat has to be one of the most common apps where we all record events in our lives that seem so important and put it on display for everyone to see. We make sure it's saved in our (Snapchat) memories and overtime have built a video journal of our life.

We are thankful for the technology today that has allowed us to do so but what if we take it a bit further? As the technology industry continues to grow and advance for new ways to engage consumers, what will we see? In 5 years from now, what will this technology look like? What will you and I be able to do that we cannot do now?

If these are the kind of questions you ask yourself, or if the topic of progressive technology is one that intrigues you, then my next best Netflix suggestion is black mirror. This series on Netflix has a number of episodes that each run about an hour long and are not related by any means. Unlike the typical series that drops off with the biggest cliffhangers so that you'll sit there with your finger on the mouse, full of impulse, ready to hit the big read button that reads "Next episode in 5..4..3", you'll find yourself in complete shock or awe after an episode. You might not want to click that red button because these episodes are the kind that really make you sit back and think.

What is black mirror? Well according to the creator, the name came from the idea that as we watch our screens, when all is powered off, we are glaring back at a literal black mirror. How genius is that?? However, the show is so much more than that. Its an engaging way of considering what life could be like if we had more advanced technology. In almost every episode I've seen, this technology isn't about providing goodness and happiness to society and although it can, there is a dark element. A way in which technology becomes a downfall to humanity in a sense. I can't explain it any better than the creator himself so feel free to watch this video in which he mentions the reasoning behind the title and more about how this show came to be.

BEWARE: In this video, Charlie Brooker, the creator of Black Mirror will mention a couple of the episodes. I don't believe there to be any true spoilers but if you'd rather not know a single thing about any episode, do not watch.



Also, if for some reason you're still imagining what it would be like to have every moment of life recorded for you to come back to at any point, feel free to watch Season 1, episode 3 to find out!