Heather Heffner's Blog

 WEDNESDAY
Season 2 Review
Netflix

*Warning! Moderate Spoilers!*

 

SEASON 2 of the hit Netflix series Wednesday has dropped toget us in the Halloween spirit. While eager to see where the story goes next,the verdict is it all feels a bit—much?

So many villains. So many plots. The biggest and strongestarc is the evolving Addams family dynamics, in which Wednesday (Jenna Ortega)has lost her premonition gift, and she is at odds with mother Morticia(Catherine Zeta Jones) about how to get it back. Wednesday’s stubbornness andrefusal to listen gets a bit frustrating, but hey, teenagers. Steve Buscemi’ssmarmy and superbly odious Headmaster Dort plays a driving force in keepingWednesday’s parents at Nevermore Academy for the deadly duel between daughterand mother to play out.

And honestly, that would have been enough right there. Focuson the classes and what the Nightshades are actually learning to advance theirskills, bring in the highly talented Gwendoline Christie as Wednesday’s ghostlynew spirit guide much sooner, and it would have allowed much more characterdevelopment and atmospheric tension to mount. Instead we get Tyler (HunterDoohan), the monstrous Hyde from last season galivanting about, murderous crowspecking people’s eyes out and left and right, Wednesday’s dense younger brotherraising a zombie, the Sirens worrying about an offscreen cult leader, a briefstunt with a cartoonish depiction of the militarized boy scouts, and Enid's love life, to name a few.  

By the way, does Hunter Doohan not look like uncannilyMillie Bobby Brown?? The entire time, I’m thinking Eleven’s having a really badday.

credit: positivenegativity8 - Reddit

All the scattered plot lines do come together in the end,but the emotional payoff is lacking. Thing starts bonding with other “parts” ofa “whole,” and trying to reconcile with its identity moving forward, but thenone of the key leaders driving this group gets casually killed off in the nextepisode. By the time Enid calls the Nightshades together to face the Big Bad,it’s utterly underwhelming because they’ve spent the entire season apart, andtheir teamwork hardly amounts to much. I did like the zombie/Frankensteinmonster villain but it felt like that could have been an entire season untoitself.

As much, I hope for Season 3 that things slow down. We’vegot a great set up with hopefully just ONE family insider nemesis whopotentially uses ravens to do her bidding? Is the spying bird with the bloodyeyes a crow or a raven? (My theory is Judi Spannegel is a red herring.) Becauseas Hitchcock demonstrated, you can do enough with killer birds for a wholeseason. Less is more.

***Oh, and the part where the Addams family blows up a stopsign and then laughs it off, even as this action promptly leads to a caraccident? Yeah, couldn’t respect these characters after that.

*The above is depicted as fiction, not fact

 

 

A VICIOUS CATCH-22 FOR PARENTS, to go on “vacation” withlittle ones. Our youngest is still cruising and not impressed with trolleys,Victorian and Edwardian architecture, and island prisons. She did, however,find the sand at multiple beaches quite eatable. Our oldest is close to fourand did thoroughly enjoy San Francisco. We stayed at Fisherman’s Wharf, an ultra-touristydistrict with ultra touristy prices. We were fortunate to have comp nights tospend at a hotel within a ten-minute easy walk to sea lions, but if you don’thave a pool of those lying around, I’d recommend searching further out and thentake advantage of the excellent public transit. The BART’s public electrictrain system had such a good reputation that we mulled taking it all the wayfrom the airport, but ended up reserving a pay-up-front taxi ride through http://airporttaxicabservices.com/on account of our mountain of luggage (easy to book, driver communicated withus via text within minutes of landing). 

Yes, there were the notoriousdriverless Taxis every few blocks as well, predominantly Waymo, an empty one ofwhich eerily turned its wipers on in the rain. However, not something we'd take a chance on with kids.

Ghiradelli Square Fountain

Pier 39 at Fisherman's Wharf

You could wander the waterfront at Fisherman’s Wharf forhours. Savor views of Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and Bay Bridge amongharbors bobbing with eccentric vessels. Ripley’s Believe It or Not, a FerrisWheel with wonderful views, Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, and fresh hotsourdough in the shape of animals at Boudin Bakery make it a family-friendlydelight, although be prepared to spend an arm and a leg for those Dungenesscrab melts ($92 for 3 Lobster Rolls).

Aquatic Park by Ghirardelli Square
Chocolate Sundaes at Ghirardelli's
Boudin Factory for fresh sourdough in the shape of animals at Fisherman's Wharf
Fisherman's Wharf

Hopping aboard the easy-to-use bus systemwith a Clipper card gets you even more access to excitement like theExploratorium and the Palace of the Fine Arts (the buses come frequently andprepare to be immersed in a melting pot of languages). Our one disappointmentwas we ran out of time to take a bus down to Chinatown for some noodles anddumplings, but Palette Tea House next to Ghirardelli’s was a mouth-wateringdelight.

You can see what people fall in love with San Francisco. Ithas a youthful, artsy energy swirling through the bones of these charmingvintage houses, their detailed furnishings down to the doorknobs a treat, likeyou’re walking through a living museum on architecture.

Palace of the Fine Arts was a delight to walk through
A homage to Europe - even the ceilings were ornate

I highly recommend NO RENTAL CAR until you’re about to headout of the city metropolis to avoid being taken to the cleaners for parking (public transit quite easy with kids and no dealing with car seats!). Wedid a big circle over Bay Bridge to visit the Hayward/Pleasanton area, went upto Mendocino, and came back by way of Golden Gate Bridge.

Golden Gate Bridge in the background of Crissy Field East Beach, within walking distance from the Palace of the Fine Arts
View of Coit Tower in downtown San Francisco

Every bit worth the hype, there is tons to do surrounding GoldenGate Bridge, from the Bay Area Discovery Museum for children, to old forts andlighthouses. The Baker Beach  and OceanBeach area on the west coast of San Francisco had astounding views and jaw-droppingmansions (and the unique historical Sutro Baths remnant). We even were able tocatch a glimpse of the urban bison in Golden Gate Park near Spreckels Lake. Thatgorgeously verdant park alone you could explore for days. Sight we ran out oftime for but looked extremely intriguing: California Academy of the Sciences(had me at living roof).  

Ferris Wheel on Fisherman's Wharf
Pit stop where you can pose with a trolley car

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt our last night adjacent to San Francisco International Airport. Heavilyrecommended – soundproof building, the freshly squeezed orange juice is heavenly, and there is anair train that connects directly from the hotel to the airport, making it astress-free morning to catch our return flight with plenty of memories to savor(when the kids give us time). It felt like catching a glimpse of just one mini-nationout of a multitude of diverse neighborhoods, embraced by the crowning glory ofsunset dancing across the mighty Pacific.

 Fisherman's Wharf at Sunset

The above is depicted as fiction, not fact

 HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Just breached Part II of The Stars of Eden (Afterlife Chronicles III). Enjoy this teaser. May your 2025 be bright and the candles of memory there when you need them. I look forward to releasing more details on the last book of the Afterlife Chronicles in the new year! 

THE STARS OF EDEN

Genre: Dark Fantasy 

A story of the righting of wrongs, the wrongs of righting 

THE DOOM BELL tolls its last and Armageddon begins, leavingno place left to hide. Heaven is all that stands in the way of the dark,cannibalistic realm of Hell from devouring Earth and all planes of existence.Michael leads his battle angels against Satan, who unleashes unimaginablehorror from the Well. Meanwhile, condemned everywhere brace themselves for the age-oldprophecy that will cast them into a lake of fire forevermore.

As cosmic forces wreak chaos and ruin, the tribe of IshmaelAbajian attempts a final heist to capture the remaining Unholy Artifacts, adaring power play that could crown or end them. However, Ishmael knows a secret about the relics that will be thegreatest test his soul has faced.

Once a boy got on a train. Instead of Paradise, it took himto Hell. Now at the end of all things, Ishmael must decide which is home.

Eternity is waiting.

Fallout
Season 1
Streaming Service: Amazon Prime




*Warning! Spoiler Alert!*



YET ANOTHER VIDEO GAME Series adaptation. That alone should have inspired me to start Fallout early, yes, early! If we’ve learned anything from Silent Hill, Castlevania, and The Last of Us, it’s that the video game foundation brings the layered world-building, plot twists, and crazy-cool monsters to screen in all their bingeworthy glory (did I hear Netflix is working on Far Cry? Because YES).

I have zero familiarity with Fallout. I’m not much for the heavily-armored dude running around punching through walls and saving the day. Luckily in Fallout, that is just one faction of this masterful depiction of nuclear apocalyptic aftermath. We’ve got the mysterious 200-year-old Ghoul who pokes fun at said “Knights of the Brotherhood,” we’ve got a Knight who’s not really supposed to be a Knight, and we’ve Lucy whose cavalier “Okie-Dokey!” and resourcefulness in the face of so much gone wrong is instantly endearing.

The world you know is a lie. Lucy (Ella Purnell) grew up in an underground Vault, believing the surface world to be an uninhabitable wasteland destroyed by nuclear warfare. She and the other Vault residents train in the belief that one day they will return to bring order and civilization to the earth. After raiders masquerading as Vault neighbors leave their home in ruins and abscond with Lucy’s father, she balks her elders’ orders and sets off to rescue him.

Pretty standard plot of dystopian narratives, but Fallout sets itself apart with its use of perfect 50s soundtracks and replication of Cold War-era propaganda to create epic climate payoffs. It even opens with the Ghoul as a normal man back before society blew itself to smithereens, enjoying a normal birthday party with his daughter, the eerie tv broadcasts in the background and casual comments that the Ghoul has been involved with some sort of nuclear apocalyptic shelter preparation the only signs that things are about to go horribly wrong. Flash-forward to when Lucy meets the Ghoul as a skinless, mutated skeleton of a man without an eyelash to bat as he callously mows down his enemies, and you’re guessing it’s been a rough 200 years.

Walton Goggins has made an instant fan-favorite in the Ghoul. It takes a lot for an audience to root for someone willing to kill a dog. I was extremely excited to see him in this, given Goggins’ insanely good ability to create a core, driving chemistry with his costars (Remember that simmering rivalry in Justified with Timothy Olyphant!), and Fallout is no exception as he goes from mocking Lucy’s naivety (in between trying to sell her organs) to becoming a sort of dark mentor, recognizing in her the resilient, survival instinct it takes to persevere, even when your entire world is shattered.

Rounding out the trio is dutiful Maximus (Aaron Moten). He brings his own kind of naivety from being indoctrinated in the so-called chivalry of the Brotherhood, who scour the wasteland for enemies of the new world order. While the least engaging of the story arcs, Maximus brings the grounding of being just a kid who wants a bit of respect. No super-powered fighting skills without his Knight armor, no brilliant math skills or the like, but we see that despite his longing to follow a moral compass, he, too, ultimately is willing to cross lines to survive. Lucy and Maximus bring out the best in one another, a reminder of the good times when it was possible to trust strangers, while the grim vendettas of the shadowy organizations that rule their world make them wonder if such a reality is ever possible again.

This is just the core three—there’s a plethora of rich, complex side characters who enrich the world-building, and the question of who is responsible for the apocalypse actually has an immensely satisfying twist that makes me positively salivate for Season 2. This show got Emmy-nominated for a reason—it says a lot when there’s all these streaming shows at your fingertips, and you’d rather watch Fallout all over again. Amazon Prime knocked it out of the park.

*Disclaimer: The above is depicted as fiction not fact. 

This is Part III of the Washington Travel Series - Olympic Peninsula. Read Part 1 here. 
SOL DUC HOT SPRINGS
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

Lodging Reservations: https://www.olympicnationalparks.com/lodging/sol-duc-hot-springs-resort/

Permit Needed for Olympic National Park: NationalPark Wilderness Permit. Hint: bring that senior in your life who could use abit of pampering. They’ll get the best price on a lifetime pass that will covereveryone in your vehicle: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/olympic/passes-permits/recreation

 

IN QUILEUTE LEGEND, once long ago there were two greatdragons, Sol Duc and Elwha, embroiled in an endless conflict, each suspectingthe other of trying to take their territory. The tears they shed created twoglorious and enduring hot springs that travelers from around the world enjoy.It’ll take guts to brave the WiFi dead zone, and a quick thumb to pull thetrigger early on securing a reservation, but once you’re at Sol Duc Resort(Olympic National Park) just thirty minutes south of Lake Cresent on the OlympicPeninsula of Washington State, it will all be worth it.

We booked our trip ridiculously early, about eight months out, and were able to snag the Riverside Suite for a large party. Coming from the Seattle area, there are plenty of great stops to explore lovely coastal towns along the way: Poulsbo, Fort Flaggler, Port Gamble, which has an incredibleseashell museum, Sequim, for lavender farms and groceries, and finally, Port Angeles, which will be the last major town at which to pick up supplies. You’ll next circumnavigate the dreamily beautiful LakeCrescent, a deep crystalline lake with dramatic peaks including Storm Kingrearing up along its shores. There’s a last stop you could make at FairholmeGeneral Store at the Fairholme Campground on the far west side of Crescent Lake alongHighway 101 West before you’ll turn south down Sol Duc Hot Springs Road andenter Olympic National Park. About thirty minutes down, you will see the signfor Sol Duc Resort on your right.

Everything is very well marked to get there, but once youenter the Resort, it can be a bit confusing. We arrived on a Saturday for a 4PM check in late summer, and the parking lot in front of the main lodge wascompletely full. There are plenty of campgrounds around, and so campers will also flockto the Lodge to enjoy the hot springs after a long day of hiking. Visitors who aren't resort guests will haveto reserve time slots to use the hot springs, usually in 1.5 hour increments. However, if you are a guest, you’ll get all day accessto the hot springs, including special guests-only from 7:30 Am – 8 AM. Simplyflash your wrist band and you’ll get a towel for each member of your party eachtime you head over to the springs through the main lodge. There’s a gift shopand a simple convenience store, as well as drip coffee for around $4. Asmentioned before, there’s no WiFi—a phone is available at the front desk foremergencies.

Spreading out before the lodge are quite a few rows ofcabins, which could probably hold up to four people at the most. Ifyou have a larger party, you’ll definitely want to try and book the RiversideSuite, which is the large building farthest back by the creek above a workshop.It has a master bedroom, a bedroom with two twin-size beds, and a third bedroomwith a queen. There is also plenty of space for additional party members tosleep on couches or sleeping bags in the three separate living rooms, and thereis one full bath and one half-bath in the master. We had a fully equippedkitchen including fridge, oven, stove, and dishwasher, but be aware that thisis all federally funded so it won’t be the Bellagio-- many of the appliancesand the building shows its age, but for “glamping,” you’ve hit the lottery. Parkin front of the Riverside Suite where the signs indicate (easy parking for twovehicles; additional cars would need to park behind them), follow a steep staircaseup, and you’ll get the entire second floor to yourselves, along with a wrap-around deck and stairs down to a path to the creek. Breathe in that sulfurousair! You’ll also enjoy watching dozens of swallows dive and soar overhead.

·      Pros: walk to the hot springs, walk to atrailhead for the Lover’s Lane Loop, and within easy ten minute drive to theSol Duc Falls trailhead if you keep going south down Sol Duc Hot Springs Road(this trailhead had completely filled up by around eleven, so get there beforethen!) Riverside Suite was clean, good temperature, and had plenty of hotwater.

·      Cons: there were some safety concerns forlittle children (nails left out on the back deck), the handrail in the stairway is looseand poor lighting, the coffee maker is for k-cups only unless you fill a podwith ground coffee & cover it with foil, and we couldn’t find oven mitts. Ourguests said the queen bed was saggy in the middle.

 

Sol Duc Hot Springs

Enter through the main lodge and branch off to the right toaccess the showers and the springs. There are locker rooms in the showers andplenty of places around the pool to hang your stuff. There are a total of fourpools: the large cold pool (which floaties are allowed in; appropriate for allages), a small wading pool (good for all ages; we had two toddlers and theyloved it, even at eight at night), and two hotter pools—my favorite, the onewith the fountain, and lastly, a mid-sized pool that gets up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit.It was clean and ambient. You’ll get a pool schedule that shows half-hourincrements the springs are closed for cleaning.

Expect crowds during the day, but go early or the lastsession for seclusion. We ended up doing the 8 – 9 Pm session twice, and two ofthe toddlers with us, code names Eagle One and Flying Squirrel, got toenjoy the shallow kids’ spring all to themselves while us adults took turns dipping inthe hotter pools. The warm water leaves your skin feeling silky and smooth, andwe got to watch the stars at night and spotted a deer on our way back to theRiverside Suite.

Note: We did not try the restaurant at the Lodge dueto seeing some reviews that it was not worth the money, but it looked veryrustic and lovely for a drink outside under the lights overlooking the springs.

Sol Duc Falls

There are plenty of hiking options during the day. The fullLover’s Lane loop is about 5.8 miles and make sure to start off at thetrailhead off of the resort so you can soak in the springs after!

We were looking for a kid-friendly option for Eagle One,Flying Squirrel, and for my own sake due to carrying the baby, code name Pink Pika.Sol Duc Falls was a perfect hike for all ages. There and back is about 1.6miles round trip (we were considering a 2.2 mile round trip by adding onLover’s Lane Falls but alas, the kiddos did not concur).

To get there by car, turn right out of the resort and followthe road past a campground nestled in old growth to the parking lot at the endof the road. Go early—the parking lot was filled by eleven. There is a bathroomthere. Next you’re in for a treat as you descend into an atmospheric forest ofgiants straight out of another world. Dinosaur-shaped firs, dangling treebeards, and little bridges over bubbling creeks—Pink Pika was wide-eyed theentire time. When you pass an old shelter on your left, you’re nearly to thefalls.

Eagle One leading the way.

After you cross the bridge over Sol Duc Falls, you’regreeted with a trail left or right. We took the left and found a nice secludedlittle sandbank by the river. This was during summer—likely this spot would beflooded in colder months. We enjoyed lunch and skipping rocks in the coolstreams under the shadowy boughs before heading back. If you keep going left,you’ll find a neat tucked away little campground. We made it back with plentyof time to get in a nap and then it was back to the unspoiled beauty of thesprings. Soak up and have fun!

 

 

Disclaimer: The above is depicted as fiction, not fact.

 

ADOPTION AND DEATH OF A LOVED ONE are among life’s top tribulationsthat two underrated comedies tackle with infectious charm. Both Tryingand Fisk demonstrate that when faced with grief and impossible odds,it’s time to roll out the indecent humor—done only the way the Brits andAussies can.

 

Warning! Spoiler Alert!

 

TRYING

An Apple TV Original, Trying follows the lives ofNikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall), who are faced with the devastingnews that it will be near impossible for them to conceive. After muchsoul-searching, they decide to adopt (“Do you think we’ll get a kid today?”Nikki asks hopefully on their intro to the adoption process). Well, not quitewithin a day, try more like a year—and that’s if they can pass the paperwork,home visits, and a grueling council interview—before we get to the kids. With adysfunctional family night and day apart from being a cohesive group (one greatscene features Jason’s dad who would rather keep sneaking off to fix thingsaround the flat than engage in conversation with the in-laws) and pittedagainst bougie couples keen to snag kiddos for their mansions, the road toparenthood seems like a pipe dream—kept alive by Nikki’s ineffable spirit andJason’s commitment to Nikki.

Luckily, the couple has Social Worker Penny (ImeldaStaunton) on their side! At first I was expecting another Dolores Umbridge, butthis Staunton character is wacky and kind-hearted, been in the world of socialservices for decades, and has no qualms about setting people straight. The lessobvious scene stealer turns out to be Scott (Darren Boyd), prickish beau ofNikki’s sister, the uppity know-it-all we’ve all encountered at one point oranother. He spends the first season making you just plain hate him, beforeemerging with an unforeseen redemption arch.

The first three seasons of Trying are effortlesslyhilarious. Season Four (currently streaming) has a bit of a lackluster start,likely due to all the casting changes. Hopefully it can recover its footingbefore it makes all of its well-developed characters into caricatures (like theterritory the supremely well-done Suits found itself in at the end).Less is sometimes more. However, the first three seasons will certainly bringthat fresh touch of originality and spunk as did The Office, Ted Lassoand other comedy classics. 

 

 

FISK

Australian ABC Television; Streaming on Netflix

HELEN TUDOR-FISK was a big-time contracts lawyer before hercareer, marriage, and housing situation took a nose-dive, landing her at theshabby little probate law firm Gruber & Associates. Helen (Kitty Flanagan),a no-nonsense plain mouse unable to read social cues, is probably the lastperson you would want helping you through the grief process, but it sure makesfor hilarious television. The sibling pair running the firm are playedperfectly by Roz (Julia Zemiro) and Ray Gruber (Marty Sheargold), their personalitiesequal parts ridiculous and yet incredibly authentic for the family-runoperation. Rounding out the small office is the receptionist/IT Administratorsimply called “George” (Aaron Chen), the inspiration for deadpan comebacks.

It does give The Office vibes, tackling cases ofwills and probate ranging from a woman whose deceased spouse signed her up toreceive repeated calls from “beyond the grave” that the telecommunicationscompany refuses to cancel, to a daughter duking it out with her deceasedfather’s much younger wife. Put Helen in the middle with her dutifully literalinterpretation of the law and let the fireworks begin. As humorless as Helenstarts out (the temp Peggy informs her she’s ‘no fun’), she proves she iswilling to go above and beyond for her clients, ultimately forming her owncareer outside the shadow of her father (an esteemed judge), and maybedeveloping some empathy.

Not too soon, though—Fisk is short, sweet, andfocused with limited episodes for each of its two seasons, and I can’t wait forseason 3. Who knew the world of probate and wills could be so entertaining!

Apple TV+ Original Limited Series
Warning! Spoiler Alert!

SO DON’T START THIS SHOW while on maternity leave. Watchingcharacters swirl, sip, and savor wine in French vineyards so ripe that you cantaste the sunshine in the grapes is enough to ask your wide-eyed bundle of joyif they’re ready for a whole food diet. France isn’t all you get in thislusciously slow drama about daughter Camille (Fleur Geffrier) of aworld-renowned French sommelier, who finds herself pitted in a competition forher inheritance against her father’s protégé (Tomohisa Yamashita). It’s deliciouslyinternational, its own unique blend of television, as protégé Issei hails fromJapan, and we also get some Italy as well.

Camille is a wine savant, trained by her famous fatherAlexandre Léger in the art of the senses to be able to identify most thingspurely by smell. However, they have a falling out when her father pushes hertraining too far, leaving her unable to drink wine without her bodyexperiencing extreme visceral reactions like nose bleeds. Issei is the son ofan old and esteemed family in Japan who run a lucrative diamond business. He isimmediately endearing, doesn’t suffer fools, and is graciously humble. Next toCamille’s sometimes impetuous and juvenile decision-making, he’s quite easy toroot for, especially as he navigates his family’s disapproval of his winepassion. However, his mother may have her own reasons for so vehementlydiscouraging him from competing when Issei is named as a possible heir to thefortune of his late mentor Léger. Camille and Issei face of in three challengesto test how well they know the essence of wine (and points for viewers who willlikely be able to guess the answer to the last riddle :D).

This show takes its time to develop the characters and theirback stories. At first I was impatient for Camille and Issei to have moredialogue, since it’s not a high stakes contest without a bit ofmud-slinging—but thankfully when the pair do finally get screen time together,they quickly make up for lost ground and establish a complex and meaningfulrelationship. I did find that Camille’s aversion to drinking to the point ofmanifesting physical symptoms to be too easily resolved though. Two sidecharacters, Lorenzo (Luca Terracciano) and Miyabi (Kyoko Takenaka), who aidCamille in her quest to beat Issei, also stole the show at times with theireffable charm. There are lots of great cultural immersion, exploration oftraditions, and different views of wine and the sometimes snobbish hierarchythat can make or break the livelihoods of enologists (wine makers).

The scenery is stunning, gorgeous people abound, and there’sa satisfying conclusion. All in all, a wonderful way to spend an afternoonimagining yourself relaxing and enjoying life in the French countryside. For those longing for more, this TV show was inspired by the Manga series written by Tadashi Agi and Shu Okimoto.

SUMMERTIME has kicked off. When it comes to chilling outside with a good story, you can't beat a solid book in your hands, which is why I'm excited to share the following Paperback release schedule: 
Year of the Snake (Changeling Sisters #5) 

Now available on major eBook retailers in both Paperback and eBook, such as:
Amazon.comBarnes and Noble

Afterlife Chronicles News
The Tribe of Ishmael (Book #1) and The Staff of Aaron (Book #2) will both be available as paperbacks and eBooks on major eBook retailors July 1st. 











Keep an eye here for continued Paperback expansion throughout the year. 

 

His Dark Materials

Season 1 Review

Where to Stream: Max

*WARNING!Season Spoilers below*

THE GOLDEN COMPASS (Alsotitled THE NORTHERN LIGHTS) by Philip Pullman was such a beloved,magical book of my childhood. The image of a little girl riding a large armoredpolar bear surrounded by the unforgiving stars and tundra of the far North hasstayed with me forever, as have its unforgettable characters: our bold andindomitable heroine Lyra, her soul daemon Pan who likes to take the form of anadorable little ermine, aforementioned bear king bad ass Iorek Byrnison, andLyra’s childhood friend Roger are just a few of my favs (plus Lord Asriel’sdaemon Stelmaria because hello snow leopard cool).  The other memorable scene is when Lyra spieson the scholars at Jordan College and sees her supposed uncle, Lord Asriel,stun his audience with a photograph of an otherworldly city flickering in theNorthern Lights, framed by Dust.

A bit more special than the typewe sweep off the floor, this Dust, Lyra soon discovers, is the subject of abrewing war between rebel minds like Asriel and the ruling Magisterium, thisworld’s version of an all-powerful Catholic Church, who believe Dust to be theincarnation of Sin accumulating over time and corrupting us all, especiallysince Dust is photographed appearing on adults, not children. This particularinterest in the relationship between children, their daemons (physicalincarnations of a person’s soul that takes its final shape at puberty), andDust sends Lyra on a journey to the North of her dreams, where a mysteriouswoman is running experiments on kidnapped kids under the guise of freeing themfrom Sin once and for all. Lyra soon captures attention of the Gyptians (ariver-roving nomadic group who have suffered the bulk of these kidnappings),the armored bears, the witches (whose daemons can travel large distances fromthem), and the aeronaut Lee Scrosby, especially as it becomes evident that Lyrais a Chosen One, with the incredibly rare ability to read the alethiometer, acompass-like instrument moved by Dust that tells the truth to any questionasked.

The TV series captures thewonderfully fantastic imagery of the book and is able to dive much morepersonally into the complex world Pullman has created than the movie—the castis perfectly lovely, which is quite a feat when the movie had the likes of DanielCraig, Nicole Kidman, and Ian McKellen. Ruth Wilson particularly stands out asshe assumes the immensely difficult role of Marisa Coulter, chief antagonist, awoman who is brutally ruthless toward her enemies but genuinely caring for herdaughter; she dances the line of the Magisterium while it serves her agenda butdoes not suffer fools. “We cut out your daemon, not your brain,” she snaps in aparticularly vicious mood toward the subject of one of her experiments atBolvangar, the delivery so spot-on that it’s horrifyingly funny. Indeed, thewhole sequence at Bolvangar was extremely well-done. As a child, I remember thepart that wounded me the most was Roger’s fate, but this time around as aparent, seeing what was happening at Bolvangar and experiencing Ma Costa’s painhit the hardest for me.

The witches in this be likemad-skilled—would not go up against them in a fight! And we can Lin-ManuelMiranda as the aeronaut Lee Scoresby—now Sam Elliot, pretty perfect, but Ifound Miranda just as light-heartedly entertaining and love his dynamic withhis very patient hare daemon who always has to be the voice of reason. Healways brings a genuine passion to every role he plays, and you can tell he’shaving a fun time doing it. Plus, I see we’re going to get Andrew Scott (anamazing Moriarty in Sherlock) as Will’s father John Parry and am reallylooking forward to Season 2—granted, The Golden Compass was thehands-down favorite book of His Dark Materials trilogy for me, but I’mwilling to give The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglassdepictions a chance (please cut down Mary Malone’s scenes pretty please andmore of the angelic duo Balthamos and Baruch).

The biggest change is theintroduction of Will in Season 1, possibly to ease the heartbreak of whatbefalls Roger (sob!), which is interesting—his scenes felt like filler to me,but at least a lot of backstory is out of the way to now focus on Lyra and Will’srelationship in the strange new world they find themselves in.

This is a series that is wild,fantastical, and will challenge core beliefs around authority while stillstaying grounded and heart-warming in the little moments between complicated,morally gray characters who are all just trying to make sense of an immenseuniverse that expands and humbles in more ways than could ever be imagined. Trulya classic in the same vein of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and HarryPotter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, two of my faves. Heartily recommendedto jump on this journey with Lyra, Pan, and their truth-reading alethiometer tothe North and beyond!

Here is a trailer below:

 
Netflix Limited TV Series – 1Season (hopefully with more to come!)

*Warning! Minor spoilers*

 

CURIOUS to dive into more of theMesoamerican mythos behind Year of the Snake (Changeling Sisters #5)? Don’tmiss Jorge R. Gutierrez’s rich tapestry intertwining legends from the Aztec,Maya, Inca and even Caribbean culture, all effortlessly depicting distinctcivilizations who must overcome their differences to defeat a power-hungry godof death.

Maya (voiced by Zoe Saldana)grows up a princess of the great city of Teca. Her father and brothers areJaguar warriors, believed to be the prophesized warriors who will one daydefeat the gods of the underworld—Lord Mictlan and Lady Micte, influenced bylegends of Mictecacihuatl and Mictlantecuhtli, who ruled over the Aztecnine-level underworld Mictlān. In this story, Lord Mictlan is the God of War, acunning and terrifying vision as voiced by Alfred Molina. On the day of Maya’scoronation, the party is crashed by Zatz, Prince of Bats (played by Diego Luna,so all good), who bears the message from the underworld that Maya’s real motheris none other than Lady Micte, the goddess of death herself, and she was onlyallowed to live to the notable age of fifteen so she could be sacrificed andincrease Lord Mictlan’s power.

Stunned and seeking answers, Mayauncovers the truth of the prophecy that it was her all along destinated to facethe Underworld—and not with her brothers, but with three warriors from each ofthe other kingdoms. She sets off to recruit outcast Chimi (BrooklynNinety-Nine’s Stephanie Beatriz), bumbling magician with a power greaterthan he knows (Allen Maldonado), and adorable giant warrior with a heart ofgold Picchu (Gabriel Iglesias), who are each reluctant to help Teca. Along theway they are menaced by various deities of Mictlan, one of which, Zatz, provesto be more sympathetic the greater Mictlan’s cruelty toward even his own grows.

Oh, and Maya rides Chiapa theroyal family jaguar who is simply the best.

It is truly amazing the heightsanimation has climbed to, and the distinctive kingdoms brought to life with amasterful use of geometric shapes and colors creates a gorgeously complex worldin which to lose yourself. The story is deep, complex, with enough action tokeep you on the edge of your seat every episode, and all the little nods tovarious legends are exciting to pick out. Vucub, God of Jungle Creatures, maypossibly be based on Seven-Macaw (Vucub-Caquix) from Maya mythology, a birddemon defeated by the Maya Hero Twins in one of the only surviving writtendocuments of the time, the Popol Vuh. Bats, of course, like Zatz, continue to play an importantrole, as notably they are part of the challenges the Hero Twins face in theMaya underworld Xibalba. The level of detail in world-building such as the distinctiveorange cempasúchil (marigold flower) known for helping the dead remember tofind their way back to the land of the living are a feast for the senses.

Now don’t be fooled by the TV-Y7 rating – this show deals withextremely dark themes and images that will be frightening for youngeraudiences. The aforementioned Mictlan really ramps up the fear factor in thefinal few episodes, and the series does not shy away from putting sacrifice, avery important foundation in many of these ancient cultures, at its core.

Did I mention Maya has twoyounger half-siblings Eagle and Jaguar who are *twins*? They’re only kiddos inthis series, but given the great significance of Hero Twins in manyMesoamerican cultures, we can only hope this foreshadows a spin off season twoto focus on their adventures!

Here is a trailer below: