Spoiler-Free Review of “Yellowjackets” Season 2 Premiere on Showtime: Trippy Goodness

*This is a spoiler-free review for season 2 so feel free to read on!*

“Nobody can help you…”

Yellowjackets season 2 premiered on March 24th 2023 on Showtime. This season will feature eight weekly episodes. It stars Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci, Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Sammi Hanratty. Each episode runs for approximately 53-55 minutes.

After surviving a plane crash in the middle of the wilderness, a high school girls soccer team attempts to keep going with no hope of rescue. Years later, they try to cope with the horrific events that took place after the crash as new characters emerge from their past.

Here is the trailer:

Yellowjackets instantly became one of my favorite shows, providing us with two compelling timelines and characters to root for in the midst of some trippy madness that somehow just works. Does season 2 deserve a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Dives back into darkness without holding back…

Season 2 jumps right back into things and quickly submerges us into some disturbing dark content. It’s clearly not afraid to unleash something twisted and outrageous, making the season 2 premiere such a compelling watch. I dropped my jaw at several moments and this is only the beginning!

Introduces new faces.

We already have our fair share of characters, but one of the most interesting characters of season 1 makes her first appearance in the present day timeline, which should shake things up for some of our other survivors.

We also get another timeline thrown into the mix and I hope we get to explore it more without overdoing things.

Either way, I’m intrigued!

The Cons:

A lot to keep track of…

I highly recommend that you watch the recap at the beginning of the episode to stay up to speed. But you still need to pay attention to a lot of different characters and timelines, which can be slightly overwhelming.

Similar to LOST, this series is branching off into several unique stories and I just hope that each character gets enough screen time because they all deserve it!

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!

Season 2 starts off with a bang and is not holding back!

I can’t wait to see what happens next and it’s safe to say that Yellowjackets is still just as fantastic as ever!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Yellowjackets in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

This competition is killer…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Class of ’07” on Prime Video: An Absolute Gem!

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“Is this our reunion?!”

Class of ’07 premiered on Prime Video on March 17th 2023 with eight episodes available to stream now. The Australian comedy-drama series stars Emily Browning, Megan Smart, Caitlin Stasey, Steph Tisdell, and Sana’a Shaik. Each episode runs for approximately 30-35 minutes.

After tempers flare at a ten year reunion at an all-girls high school, a global catastrophe strikes, leaving them stranded together on an island as they must figure out a way to survive.

Here is the trailer:

Class of ’07 is the perfect mix of The Wilds and Mean Girls, making this a binge-watcher’s dream. Does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Fantastic characters with layers.

I was worried that a lot of the characters would fit neatly into tropes and while some did, others broke through barriers with charm. These girls were hilarious, fierce, and such a pleasure to watch on screen. The chemistry between them was so believable and I really thought I was witnessing former frenemies at a high school reunion under the worst possible circumstances ever!

Stand out performances go to Emily Browning as Zoe and Caitlin Stasey as Saskia, who could give Regina George a run for her money! I loved them!

Short episodes.

If you’re looking for a lighter take on shows like The Wilds and Yellowjackets, Class of ’07 finds a happy medium and is a lot of fun! The episodes are short, which made this perfect to binge-watch over the weekend. There wasn’t too much fluff to sit through, which allowed the audience a chance to connect to these characters while enjoying all of the end-of-the-world outrageous fun.

The Cons:

Gross-out humor…

This series was really close to perfection for me and exactly the kind of show I love, but the crude/gross-out humor wasn’t my cup of tea. I would have been fine with just a little bit of it, but it really kept pushing the envelope in this department when it could have taken more time to flesh out some of the other characters instead.

Either way, by the time I got to the end of the series, I wanted more! I hope this series gets picked up because it really is a lot of fun.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Class of ’07 is a delightful treat with incredible characters and an addicting premise that doesn’t disappoint!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Class of ’07 in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

When sisters, Nina and Gemma are vacationing in Hawaii with their friends, they get invited to an exclusive party on a private island that seems too good to be true. There’s only one rule…they can’t miss their ferry at midnight or they’ll have to wait until morning to leave the island. Only they didn’t realize that breaking this rule meant they would be hunted down on the island one by one.

Who will make it off the island alive?

I hope you enjoy my new island thriller!

Blood Rose Island is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “All of Us Are Dead” on Netflix: Redemption for the Zombie Series

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“There’s no hope for survival…”

All of Us Are Dead premiered on January 28th 2022 on Netflix. The South Korean horror series consists of twelve episodes available to stream now. The show stars Park Solomon, Park Ji-hoo, Chan-Young Yoon, Cho Yi-hyun and Yoo In-soo. Each episode runs for approximately 60-70 minutes.

High school students find themselves at the center of ground zero for a zombie outbreak as they work together to survive.

Here is the trailer:

All of Us Are Dead finally gives us a zombie series worth talking about. It’s brutal, intense, and full of insane surprises that will keep you hooked until the very end. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Nails the setting.

I’ve seen one too many zombie shows or films lately and I have to say that I LOVED the high school setting for this one. It made things fresh and interesting while presenting us with plenty of compartmentalized scares and survival tactics in different classrooms.

Focusing on the younger generation also worked to the show’s advantage. Sure, we got a lot of tropes thrown our way, but I immediately started to care about these characters, which is not always easy to do in a show like this. In a lot of ways, this was a coming-of-age story too but the drama never felt overdone or annoying. Everything just worked seamlessly and added to the overall story.

Bloody and brutal!

Even though these are high school students, we witness plenty of horrifying and bloody events that will have you squirming. The gore delivered and I loved all of the twists thrown our way, which really made this an unpredictable zombie thriller. We got bits and pieces of new reveals along the way and PLENTY of edge-of-your-seat moments. That library scene though…

The Cons:

The events taking place outside the school are less interesting…

I personally loved the idea of being trapped in the high school along with the main characters, but the story also branches off into the chaos outside of the school. The adults don’t really know what they are doing (which I’m assuming is sort of the point) and some of the measures taken have been seen before in other films and shows.

That being said, I still loved some of the characters we met outside of the high school walls and there was one side plot in particular that kept me completely me hooked.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!

I almost passed on this show because I have been so exhausted from all of the zombie series that have worn out their welcome. Well, this show changed my tune and then some!

Brutal, bloody, and consuming watch from start to finish! This is what a zombie series should be!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on All of Us Are Dead in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

This competition is killer…

My new young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Requin” on Demand: Alicia Silverstone puts her survival skills to the test

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“You need this…”

The Requin released on demand on January 28th 2022. The survival horror film stars Alicia Silverstone and James Tupper. It runs for approximately 90 minutes.

A married couple seeks out a romantic getaway in Vietnam on a floating villa when a dangerous storm sweeps them out to sea, as they soon find themselves surrounded by sharks.

Here is the trailer:

The Requin brings us a premise we’ve seen before with a female lead with lots of potential, but does this film have enough bite? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Alicia Silverstone is the best part of the movie…

She is the main reason why I tuned in to this one (well that and I can’t get enough of shark movies) and she really gave this one her all. There aren’t too many layers to her character even though they try to force some down our throats, but she proves to be a worthy opponent when we get into the real heart of the film. I was rooting for her and I thought she did a solid job with what she was given.

Decent set-up and ending.

I’ve seen this type of movie before (Open Water, The Shallows) but I have to say that the floating villa debacle was truly terrifying. You may want to think twice about where you stay on vacation…

After this, there was a lot of waiting around, but the last thirty minutes of the film turned things around and gave shark movie fans plenty to be excited about.

The Cons:

It takes too long for things to happen.

The movie is only 90 minutes long and we wait around for quite a while before we see our toothy friends, which was surprising based on the title of this particular film. If you’re looking for a lot of shark action, you may be better off fast-forwarding to the end.

Dialogue that will make you wince.

The dialogue was not that great even though there were some genuine moments between our couple. My biggest complaint centers around the way they used it to tell the audience what had happened in their past, leading to Jaelyn’s breakdown and trauma. It was done so poorly and I almost felt like they were just reading a draft of notes. Show, don’t tell…

The effects were also really bad…

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

Alicia Silverstone redeemed this film in a lot of ways and there is plenty of bite toward the end. This film isn’t anywhere close to the level of The Shallows, but if you like shark films, you’ll enjoy this one for the most part.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Requin in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Till Death” on Netflix: Megan Fox is Bloody Fantastic!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“Nothing is set in stone…”

Till Death originally released on July 2nd 2021, but it is now currently available to stream on Netflix. The thriller film stars Megan Fox, Aml Ameen, Eoin Macken, Jack Roth and Callan Mulvey. It runs for approximately 90 minutes.

Emma is surprised for her wedding anniversary with an unexpected trip out to a secluded lake house in the middle of winter only to wake up the next morning handcuffed to her dead husband, as she desperately tries to find a way to free herself and survive.

Here is the trailer:

Till Death immediately gives off a Gerald’s Game vibe but it ends up paving its own way with unexpected twists, a solid performance, and really tense moments. Did this film just become one of my new favorite guilty pleasure thrillers? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Brilliant performance by Megan Fox!

I think this may be my favorite performance by her! This movie is about survival but it is also about Emma finally freeing herself from her past and finding the strength within her to do so. I was so impressed by Megan Fox’s performance. She was the best part of this film and she really showed off her range in this one. I was rooting for her the entire time!

More please!

A wild ride.

I thought I knew what type of movie I was going to get with this one and it really surprised me. Once things got going, I could not stop watching this movie. It had the intensity of Panic Room combined with Sleeping with the Enemy. I have a feeling I am going to be re-watching this movie over and over again because I loved it that much. Was it the best movie ever?

No, but it was an entertaining thrill ride that kept me on the edge of my seat with a powerful female lead.

The Cons:

Contrived and slow opening.

Initially this movie gave me a Lifetime-esque feel. The dialogue seemed really forced and the metaphors hit you over the head. The first twenty minutes of the movie were kind of boring, but then things took a drastic turn and I changed my tune completely.

If you are having second thoughts after the opening, I recommend that you stick around because things start moving at a fast pace before you know it.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!

This movie was such an unexpected and welcomed surprise.

It is the perfect guilty pleasure thriller to indulge in and I highly recommend it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Till Death in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A Halloween they’ll never forget…

My new young adult horror thriller comes out October 7th 2021! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Ranking the top 5 moments from “The 100” season 7 episode 11: “What happened to Bellamy?”

Happy Thursday TV fans! After finally watching The CW’s The 100 season 7 episode 11, we were left with an important dilemma: “all alive, but just out of reach…” Sometimes we need to channel a strength we never even knew existed to survive, but do we lose everyone we love in the process?

Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch the latest episode yet.

In episode 11, “Etherea,” we finally find out exactly what happened to Bellamy. Bellamy is back and it’s about time. Meanwhile, Clarke decides what to do next to help save her friends.

My top 5 moments from The 100 season 7 episode 11 are:

“No one is coming to save us…”

Even though Levitt has now discovered that Bellamy is in fact alive, he is a little bit out of reach. Good thing Bellamy Blake always has a plan. When Bellamy gets blasted by the anomaly, he winds up in Etherea with the Disciple control room conductor. Bellamy is forced to work with his enemy in order to find a way off this planet, but working together may not be so easy…

The 100 7 11 1 The CW — Images courtesy of The CW

Either way…Bellamy Blake is alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“It doesn’t bring peace.”

Bellamy brushes up on his reading since there is a lot of time to pass and learns a lot about the Disciples and their beliefs. He thinks that the Cave of Ascent is far-fetched, but his enemy continues to enlighten him, explaining that they both have a purpose that is bigger than them.

Bellamy doesn’t think that one can achieve transcendence through war, but he certainly has a lot to think about.

“Love is not the problem. It’s how you love that is.”

Bellamy continues to hold on to his love for his family and friends, but he is warned that this is selfish love and that the Disciples love all mankind and do what is necessary for the good of the many.

We get several hints about a “leap of faith” along the way and after Bellamy is saved from the brutal storm by his enemy, they actually find the “Cave of Ascent.” Bellamy finally lets his guard down and prays with his enemy and ends up seeing his mother, who acts as a guide for him during this other state of mind or hallucination.

“This is our only chance…”

I almost felt like I was re-watching Game of Thrones with Jon Snow climbing the wall. This episode brought back all those feels, as Bellamy and the Disciple embark on a dangerous journey of their own up the wall.

The 100 7 11 3 — Images courtesy of The CW

I have to admit I was on the edge of my seat for this one as well. When Bellamy gets to the top, they are able to access the anomaly, but have to literally take a leap of faith to reach the bridge.

And of course, we have Bill waiting for him on the other side…

“Bellamy?”

So, we welcome back Bellamy and he immediately kneels to Bill. I was hoping that this would just be another long con (taking a play out of Echo’s book), but now I’m not so sure.

At the very end of the episode, Bellamy is reunited with his friends and we focus in on Octavia, Echo, and Clarke, who are beyond shocked to see him.

We get a small Bellarke moment, as Clarke rushes over to hug him, whispering that she no longer has the flame (the key) and that they’ll figure something out.

However, Bellamy turns around and betrays her, revealing exactly what she said to Bill.

The 100 7 11 4 — Images courtesy of The CW

So, has Bellamy truly become a believer or not? In the beginning of this post, I mentioned that Bellamy always has a plan so I’d like to believe that there is a way out of this, but he also went through some crazy near death trippy stuff during his journey.

Maybe, it’s going to take family to bring him back since the hallucination of his mother lured him into this mess.

Octavia, you’re up!

I thought this episode was so incredibly well done and we finally got to confirm that Bellamy is actually alive. Now, we need to do something about him being brainwashed…

Bellarke fans, let’s hope that we can get more than an embrace…soon! We’re running out of time!

May we meet again.

Stay tuned!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The 100 in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now! I hope you enjoy!

READ IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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Do you love horror series? Of course you do! Please also check out 12 Nights of Horror Series Coming Soon. It’s your home for everything you need to know about new and returning horror television series including new trailers, premiere dates, reviews, recaps, and renewals!

Ranking the Top 5 “Nightmare on Elm Street” Films

One…two…Freddy’s coming for you.

Three…four…better lock your door.

Five…six…grab your crucifix.

Seven…eight…better stay up late.

Nine…ten…never sleep again…

Happy Wednesday TV Fans! With the lack of new programming, I have been re-visiting several film series and I was beyond thrilled to discover that HBO Max has all of the Nightmare on Elm Street films available to watch!

After quite the marathon, I started to think about which films held up and which fell flat. There are 8 NOES films, (not including Freddy vs. Jason) but today I will be ranking my top 5 films of the franchise. Please note that some spoilers are ahead.

Freddy is cool. Freddy is funny and Freddy will give you some nightmare for sure…along with some disturbing images that will forever be embedded in my brain. Robert Englund is absolute perfection as Freddy Krueger and I am a huge fan of Heather Langenkamp as Nancy Thompson. Nancy will always be one of my favorite Final Girls.

After all, she’s into survival…

Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep!

These films really have everything. They are scary, funny, and addicting!

Stars like Johnny Depp, Laurence Fishburne, and Patricia Arquette appear in them as well and we get some pretty unique death and dream sequences that really make the NOES films stand out.

While I thoroughly enjoy the Friday the 13th and Halloween franchises, NOES certainly measures up with these iconic films. After all, Freddy did have an epic showdown with Jason…

Without any further delay, my top 5 Nightmare on Elm Street films are:

5

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)

Alice is back in the fifth film and we discover that she is pregnant. However, Freddy is back as well and he begins attacking and killing her friends using her unborn child as a weapon. Alice and Freddy have an epic showdown, as she does everything in her power to eliminate him for good and protect her child.

The fifth film is pretty good. I enjoyed seeing Alice again and I thought the buildup to the showdown was decent.

Standout kill: Poor Greta is what she eats, as she is force fed at the table. Gross!

4

Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994)

Nancy is back! Well, Heather is technically back, but I was excited to see her either way. In this re-imagining of the NOES world, Robert Englund and Heather Langenkamp play themselves, but quickly learn that the world of fantasy may actually cross over into reality.

This movie actually really held up for me. I thought that it was unique and it gave fans a lot of nostalgia. Heather/Nancy even yells out “Screw your pass,” bringing us right back to the original film. While I love the NOES film franchise, the films can become repetitive. However, this film really stood out and did something truly unique and different, which I appreciated and thoroughly enjoyed.

Standout kill: Poor Julie gets tossed and thrown around against the ceiling while Heather’s child watches in horror.

3

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 Dream Master — Images courtesy of HBO Max

The Dream Warriors are back! But unfortunately, so is Freddy. As he begins to pick off the Dream Warriors one by one, Alice is dragged into this mess when Kristen Parker gives her the power. During Kristen’s fiery death, there is this weird electric blue energy floating around and Alice and Freddy’s abilities overlap.

Freddy collects souls and when he does, Alice begins to inherit a part of them. She starts smoking when she doesn’t smoke, she learns Kung Fu, and she wears a bad-ass leather jacket to prove she is ready to bring down Freddy by forcing him to take a good look in the mirror…

I really enjoy this film and I think it has a fantastic music soundtrack. The kills are really outrageous and Freddy’s humor takes on a life of its own in this one. More please!

Standout kill: Deb’s checkout at the Roach Motel still leaves a bad taste in my mouth…

2

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

Nancy is back! After the horrific sequel to the original film, we really needed Dream Warriors and it delivers! In this film, Nancy works as a doctor at a psych ward and helps troubled teens who may be having some fatal nightmares that she is all too familiar with…

Dream Warriors is fantastic. It allows Freddy to truly shine and we also get some interesting concepts on dreams and abilities and powers within them, which I thought was a welcomed and cool feature to prevent the films from becoming too repetitive.

Standout kill: “Welcome to Primetime, bitch” immediately comes to mind…be careful about what you are watching on television!

1

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

The original still remains as the absolute best film of the franchise for me. It really draws you in and the concept of someone killing you in your dreams is so terrifying, really allowing Freddy to reign as a supreme villain.

The characters are absolutely fantastic in this and Nancy really steps into the spotlight as a bad-ass Final Girl. Plus, she’s got her coffee machine ready under the bed! You have to admire her commitment to staying awake!

Standout kills: It’s probably a toss up between Tina being dragged up the wall in the opening scene and Glen getting sucked into his bed.

Overall, I had a blast re-watching these films. I may have some trouble falling asleep now, but it was worth it!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts on the NOES movies and your favorites in the comments section below. Thank you so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

PLAY IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Ranking the top 5 moments from “The Walking Dead” Season 10 Episode 14 “Look at the Flowers”

Happy Monday TV fans! After watching AMC’s The Walking Dead season 10 episode 14, we were reminded that you should “look forward, not back.” After all, “you don’t know what lies ahead for us…no one does,” which makes the journey that much more important for each and every one of us.

Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.

In last night’s episode, “Look at the Flowers,” Carol is haunted by Alpha, causing her to look deeper in her own soul to discover what she truly wants. Meanwhile, Eugene heads off to meet up with Stephanie, a new Alpha is crowned, and Beta looks for signs from the old one.

My top 5 moments from The Walking Dead season 10 episode 14 are:

“You’re free now.”

In the beginning of the episode, Carol asks Negan again what took him so long. We flash back to the day she let him out of his cell, offering him a chance to help everyone forget what he has done in the past. Negan recognizes Carol as a “certified bad-ass” and so do we, but the task wasn’t that simple and Negan admits to Daryl later on that maybe he did like being undercover for a while.

Negan reminds Carol during present day that she needs to hold up her end of the bargain and escort him back to Alexandria so that everyone believes that he “silenced the Alpha” to save them, but Carol has other things on her mind and reminds Negan that he’s free and it’s up to him whether he wants to wait around for her or not…

“A fool willing to believe in future friends.”

Meanwhile, Eugene finally tells the group about his conversations with Stephanie, which puts everyone on edge. We don’t know if Stephanie is an ally or a foe, but Yumiko and Ezekiel are willing to escort Eugene on this journey, determined to stay positive.

Only Ezekiel starts to have several meltdowns along the way. We know that he is very ill and unsure of how much time he has left, but perhaps he can still shed some laughter after all.

We haven’t met Stephanie yet, but the group does stumble upon a city staged with walkers. We get to see some of them sitting down for coffee and even a police officer walker handcuffed, suggesting that someone may be having a little too much fun here.

A new character pops up at the end of the episode and seems more than thrilled to see the group, but can she be trusted?

I’m intrigued to find out more! Let’s spice up TWD with a pop of color and insanity!

“Just listen…”

After Beta discovers Alpha’s head on a spike, he is less than pleased. Two of the other Whisperers suggest that he is the new Alpha now, but Beta decides to teach them a lesson, pushing one of them close enough to hear what undead Alpha has to say about this while she rips the flesh from his ear…

Beta decides to carry Alpha’s head along with him. He cradles her head like a baby, which was beyond disturbing, searching for some kind of a sign. Eventually Beta has apparently found what he is looking for, finally stabbing his former leader’s head.

So, what is Beta planning next? It looks like we may have a split between The Whisperers now that Alpha is gone, but Beta should not be underestimated and I am still looking forward to a rematch between him and Daryl.

“We kneel to the new Alpha.”

After Daryl stumbles upon Negan, he is not entirely convinced about his story, especially when Alpha’s head is missing. Before they can hash this out further, some Whisperers show up and decide to bow down to Negan, which really entertains him.

Daryl is forced to kneel as well, but perhaps Negan has an in to truly save everyone now that they are looking at him as the leader. Let’s just hope the power doesn’t go to his head…

I’m also wondering where Lydia ran off to. Hopefully they can get her back before Beta finds her.

Since we know that Beta is seen as a leader as well, the war is far from over, but this should be interesting…

“They don’t know what you truly want.”

Even though Alpha is dead, Carol is not completely satisfied yet, as Alpha begins to haunt her. Carol goes on a journey of self-discovery, attempting to discover what she really wants, but it’s far from easy.

Alpha drags her back down into the darkest parts of her consciousness, reminding her of Henry, Sophia, Ed, Lizzie and Mika. Alpha represents the voice in Carol’s head that tells her that she isn’t good enough as a mother or as a person.

This journey was so important for Carol to snap her back to reality so that she can move on with her life. The threat may be over, but the real enemies are the inner demons swarming around in Carol’s mind, refusing to release their grip on her.

When Alpha tells Carol to “look at the flowers,” it reminds us of season 4 episode 14, “The Grove.” Carol had told Lizzie to simply look at the flowers before she killed her, which is still one of the most emotionally chaotic episodes I have ever seen on the show.

In this moment, Carol refuses to do the same. She doesn’t just accept her fate. She decides to change it and now finally understands what she wants.

She wants to survive. She wants to live. She wants to finally release all of the demons so that she can move forward.

Welcome back, Carol!

Overall, I thought this was another powerful episode. After Michonne’s own spiritual journey, Carol’s was necessary as well. We certainly moved a lot of other pieces of the plot as well and I’m looking forward to next week’s episode.

Stay tuned!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on TWD in the comments section below. Thank you so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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**Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural? Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery? Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon! Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well. I really hope you enjoy!

The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

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My performance of the week ending 3/21/20 on TV goes to…

Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan on AMC’s The Walking Dead season 10.

Season 10 has been quite the ride, but I may have just watched one of the most epic episodes I have ever seen (Season 10 episode 12) and part of that is because of Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s beyond brilliant performance as our antihero, Negan.

**Please note MAJOR spoilers are ahead if you are not caught up on the series.**

Jeffrey Dean Morgan knows how to play a villain well. He’s ruthless at times, but he also has so much charisma and humor, really making him someone you love to hate and eventually transforming into more of an antihero rather than a villain. While I can’t forgive some of Negan’s actions that shattered TWD, I have been a fan of his for a while and I have enjoyed witnessing his character growth. Negan played the villain well, but he absolutely flourishes as an antihero.

Negan has many layers and he is no stranger to performing some unspeakable acts, but sometimes you need a villain to take down another villain and so our long con was created. Alpha is another villain who has been beyond ruthless, but Negan recognizes a lot of himself in her. Alpha talks about her decisions in terms of survival and destiny, but Negan also recognizes a vulnerability within her that Carol is determined to use to bring her down once and for all.

While many of the other characters on the show keep their moral compass steady, Carol has really lost her way after what happened to Henry and is completely driven by revenge. Carol recognizes that doing things the right way doesn’t always pay off and does what she has to do in order to bring down her enemy.

In season 10 episode 12, everything is revealed, as Negan approaches Alpha and explains that he has Lydia held up in a shack nearby. It has been obvious for quite a while now that Lydia would be Alpha’s ultimate downfall, even though she has been so obsessed with getting rid of her daughter in order to stifle this weakness within her.

Alpha clearly became somewhat intrigued by Negan and their tryst in the woods still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I think in a lot of ways, Negan truly did sympathize with Alpha and probably did connect with her on some level. However, Negan has always had a strict code about not harming children and we have witnessed his interactions with Lydia and Judith, suggesting that he would never let anything actually happen to them.

Negan’s long con works to perfection as he leads Alpha to an empty shack, immediately slicing her throat to put her down quickly before bringing her reanimated head back to Carol. Even though Negan did what was necessary, he tries to do so with compassion, holding Alpha gently while her life pours out of her, proving that Negan is not the same man anymore.

I thought that Negan’s discussion with Alpha about his own wife and how he shut down after her death was so important for his character growth. We have been witnessing the changes in Negan, but I think this may be the first time he actually sees it for himself and expresses it out loud. Negan certainly still has a long way to go until redemption, but I think taking down Alpha was a huge step in the right direction.

What’s next for Negan? It will be interesting to see how the rest of the group receives him now that he has taken down the other big bad wolf. Will they accept that Carol released him from his cell or will they still be cautious around him? I’m not sure, but I think it’s safe to say that we are done putting Negan behind bars.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the team-up between him and Carol and hope to see this dynamic duo get some more screen time together to take down the rest of their enemies. You have to admit, they make a pretty unstoppable team!

Stay tuned for a recognized performance on TV each week!

Have a performance on TV that you think is simply outstanding? Feel free to contact me with your nomination for the week by Friday at midnight!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

[twitter-follow screen_name=’TV_Fanatic_Girl’]

The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

My performance of the week ending 8/17/19 on TV goes to…

Lennie James as Morgan Jones on AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead. One of the best things to happen to the Fear TWD series was to have Lennie James join the cast. Part of what makes Morgan so essential to the series is that someone who was previously lost and alone has now become the leader of the group. He touches the lives of each character in one way or another and he continues to see the good in the world, even when it may seem like there is none left. Please note some spoilers are ahead.

In season 5, Morgan has continued his mission of helping others in need, trying to do one good deed at a time. It is inspiring, but I have been more moved by Morgan’s self-reflection, understanding that perhaps he needs to help himself as well, which is easier said than done. It often seems like Morgan is always keeping busy so that he does not have to deal with his own inner pain and that comes out more in season 5, episode 9.

After Morgan risks his life to help a woman and child, Morgan is the one who needs saving and he has to put his full trust in someone else. When Morgan opens up later in the episode, he finally starts talking about his own grief, realizing that he never truly said goodbye to his wife and son and that he doesn’t know how to.

This moment of sheer honesty and vulnerability really elevated Morgan’s character in my opinion. He’s always in motion and he tries to help those around him, but he finally takes a second to talk about what he needs to do and how he is feeling.

What’s next for Morgan? We’ll have to wait and see, but it will be interesting to find out what happens when he faces off with Logan. Morgan is not to be underestimated, but is he able to do what is truly necessary to survive? We have seen Morgan in similar situations before where he continues to try and fight for someone, even when they have shown their true colors again and again.

You have to admire Morgan’s willingness to continue to see that tiny sliver of goodness, but you also have to wonder if it will ultimately be his downfall. Either way, Morgan is a true leader and he is so inspiring. I love watching his interactions with every character and my favorite friendship is his one with Alicia.

Morgan sees so much of himself in Alicia and I love that he is doing everything he can to help her, reminding us that family is about more than blood. Morgan may have lost his own family, but he has the opportunity to save his new family and you can’t help rooting for him. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Stay tuned for a recognized performance on TV each week!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

[twitter-follow screen_name=’TV_Fanatic_Girl’]

Have a performance on TV that you think is simply outstanding? Feel free to contact me with your nomination for the week by Friday at midnight!

The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!