Matlock  Season 1, Episode 12, "This is That Moment," delivers everything I have been craving, especially with Julian finally getting the spotlight he's so rightfully earned. For weeks, the show has hinted at deeper layers to his character, and this episode lets him shine in a big way. His tension-filled dynamic with Olympia over their divorce and custody battle mirrors the case of the week, where they each represent clients in a similar fight. The resulting drama makes for a gripping episode, not just because of the legal intrigue, but also because it taps into deeper emotional territory. One of the most striking aspects of the episode is the way it parallels Maddy’s own history with her husband Edwin and their custody battle with their daughter, Ellie over Alfie. The flashbacks, which show Maddy in a tense courtroom with Edwin, are a brilliant addition. They give us a deeper understanding of her personal struggles, and watching her now try to help her clients while processing those memories is a reminder of why Kathy Bates is a powerhouse of an actress. She effortlessly navigates between the sharp legal mind of Maddy and the raw emotions of a mother who's experienced unimaginable pain. The flashbacks also provide insight into the complexities of Maddy and Ellie’s relationship, especially when Edwin admits to hiding the email and confesses he sometimes blames Maddy for Ellie’s death. It’s raw, emotional, and heartbreaking. As for the legal drama of the week, the courtroom battle between Julian and Olympia was nothing short of riveting. Their personal animosity clearly influences their legal strategies, making the case feel all the more intense. But in the end, both characters come to a realization—just like their clients—that they need to put their kids’ best interests above their own egos. Olympia’s line, "being happy instead of right," lands like a gut punch, hitting both Julian and Olympia as hard as it hits the audience. It’s a pivotal moment for them, offering some emotional growth for the characters and some much-needed resolution to their ongoing tension. Elsewhere, Sarah brought some much-needed levity to the episode, offering a comedic counterbalance to the heavy emotional content. Her reconciliation with Billy was a nice touch and added a hopeful note to the otherwise intense atmosphere. Meanwhile, Simone's introduction as a potential love interest for Billy adds another layer of drama that’s sure to keep things interesting in future episodes. Overall, "This is That Moment" is one of the strongest episodes of the season. It balances emotional depth, compelling courtroom drama, and character growth, making for a rollercoaster of an experience that’s definitely worth watching. The performances across the board are stellar, and the show continues to impress with its ability to tackle complex emotions while keeping the legal drama front and center.

Tuesday’s all new episode was a cause for celebration in more ways than one. Tim went to therapy ( and I am so proud of him ), Celina graduated and is no longer a rookie, and Bailey got some much needed closure in the aftermath of Jason’s death. Not to mention, Lucy’s rookie did great on his first undercover gig – sort of.  Tamara is back and she enlists Lucy’s help in shutting down a drug dealer named Andy on campus. I personally thought Lucy would be able to pass as a college student, but Tamara didn’t think so. Seth volunteers himself and despite her suspicions of him, Lucy allows him to go undercover. He did well, but later that night, Seth found himself in some trouble. When he went off script in the earlier sting operation, stating he had a friend who would be willing to buy more “candy”, Andy and his friends insist that he goes for a drive. Now, Seth was an idiot for going with them, but I can appreciate that he didn’t allow Tamara to go with him.  Thankfully, Lucy comes up with a plan that gets Seth out of harm's way – but she truly can’t help herself when she sees Tamara and Seth getting close. She tells Tamara her concerns, but it doesn’t seem to bother her. I feel like she’s still going to be in contact with Seth, and you know what? I’m not mad at it.  I never thought this day would come, but Celina Juarez is no longer a rookie! I did shed a tear ( more like a few ) because she has come so far from when we first met her. She’s made so many rookie mistakes (see what I did there?) that I thought would’ve gotten her bounced from the FTO program, but she has instincts that can’t be taught. With some redirection, she managed to get it together and I believe she has what it takes to be a great cop.  As upset as I was that Bailey saw no repercussions for the crime she committed, I will say that this storyline of hers was so important. A lot of people believe that domestic violence means that there should be physical signs of abuse before something is done. Like she said she “didn’t look like the women on lifetime” and the violence wasn’t physical, which is why no one knew she needed help.  What we saw ( despite it being a crime ) was a woman who was desperate and in fear for her life. When you’re in constant survival mode with no scars to get the help you need, you’re left with the choice to stay and endure the abuse or save yourself. Bailey, in the best way she saw fit, saved herself. I can see both sides of why John was upset at how she handled it, and I could see why Bailey thought she had no other choice. I’m glad in the end they had the conversation they needed to have.  Let’s keep the conversation going – what’d you think of the latest episode of The Rookie ?

This episode brings back Titan and other villains like Machine Head, Liu, Multi-Paul and Isotope from Season 1!  It begins with Titan, the new mob boss, taking his daughter to school.  He drops her off.  Isotope teleports in to tell Titan there's a problem.   Meanwhile, Multi-Paul is still in a GDA maximum security prison that suppresses his powers until it didn't.  He duplicated copies of himself that literally forced the door open.  The OG Paul positioned on the cell ceiling, escapes but is stopped by a guard clasping an immovable collar on him.  It suppressed him and his powers. He was knocked unconscious. Multi-Paul wakes to Multi-Kate, his sister, reprimanding him.  Paul still thinks The Order will break him out someday.  She reminds him of their Dad's Birthday.  A flashback of their origin story shows them with their Dad before he was arrested.GDA took and trained them.  Paul left the training facility as a teen and became an assassin with The Order. He tells her he couldn't leave The Order even if he wanted. She leaves saddened.  The story continues with Mark and Eve commingling in his room at the Grayson home.  Debbie calls Mark down for breakfast.  Oliver's helping his Mom, and the amount of pancakes show his healthy appetite is still growing.  ‘Someone’ rings their doorbell and Mark answers.  Surprise, it's Eve!  She joins them for breakfast.  Oliver tells everyone about Mark and Eve’s sleepover and which earns him kicks under the table from his brother.  Mark asks his Mom for apartment rental information.  Mark and Eve later decide to move in together.  He suggests she build a cool place for them somewhere in the city, but Eve tells him it's not feasible.  Mark decides to get a job to rent a place instead.  That leads to their joint business venture, Invincible, Inc.  Later, Peyton Penitentiary, a prison with numerous problems, is offered an Invincible Security opportunity by a ‘Ms. Wilson’ with a private firm.  Titan meets with Liu, The Order Leader, about his deal, breaking his assassin(s),  Multi-Paul, out of prison.  Liu extends the deadline, but threatens Titan’s family as he leaves.  Titan rushes home to ensure his family is safe.  He tells Fiona to stay home with her Mom for a while.  Titan and Isotope brainstorm how to get rid of Liu.  Titan goes to Peyton Pen to see Machine Head, but realizes getting his help is hopeless . Mark and Eve search for Oliver after Debbie tells Mark he sneaked out.  They find him doing skateboard tricks in the park with normal friends.  Some older kids come up and try to start a fight.  Oliver stops them hilariously.  Mark tells his Mom about Oliver and his new friends, and proudly tells her how Oliver handled himself in a threatening situation now.  He says they should let him be a kid.  At Guardians New Place, Shrinking Rae gets a knock on her door to find an envelope with a note from Rex inviting her to  a midnight dinner date.  It's cutely comical. She goes and finds him cooking dinner.  He CAN follow instructions.  Rae loves what Rex has done for her.   It’s nice to see Rex growing, too. Mark gets a text and rushes off to the Peyton Penitentiary just in time to save some guards from Titan’s assault.  Mark and Titan face-off and make tenuous peace.  Titan gives Invincible a tour around the changed neighborhood downtown and asks for his help.  He tells Mark about The Order, and them wanting Multi-Paul back.  Mark refuses.  He discusses how conflicted he is with Eve.  She tells him he did the right thing. Liu revisits Titan at his office, and is upset because Multi-Paul is not free.  Isotope turns against Titan and joins The Order.  Liu transforms into a gargantuan dragon!  Titan tries to fight but is thrown out the window.  The dragon goes to the prison to break out Multi-Paul.   Mark gets a text from Peyton Pen, and he and Eve go to fight the dragon.  The dragon destroys the prison power dampening systems.  Machine Head and Multi-Paul and other prisoners escape.  Eve fights Multi-Paul, and thinks she restrained him.  The dragon injures Mark as he saves the warden, and Mark discovers the dragon can't be killed.   Machine Head returns to Titan’s/His Office, and finds Liu’s bodyguard holding his body. He threatens to kill Liu’s body.  Isotope teleports in and takes the bodyguard into the sky and drops him while Machine Head kills Liu’s body, making the dragon disappear.  Titan thanks Invincible for his help.  Isotope teleports Titan and himself away, leaving Mark babbling about taking Titan to jail.   Mark and Eve later do an after action review of what happened.  Mark's upset that he just helped Titan kill his biggest rival.  Eve cheers him up by telling him they made enough for rent.  Mark and Eve rethink moving out, and Eve’s glad cuz she wants to slow down their relationship. They're keeping their joint venture, Invincible, Inc. Debbie tells Mark she had a good talk with Oliver about his sneaking out, and realizes he should be allowed to just be a kid.  She's glad Mark’s staying, and he and Eve are slowing down their relationship.  Debbie scares Mark off when she tries to give him the sex ed talk.   Machine Head takes over at The Order, and Titan tells him he’s keeping the city territory and wants out of The Order.  Machine Head lets him out, but threatens him and his family if he double-crosses him again.  At the Guardians' New Place, Multi-Kate finds a gift reminding her of her past.  She knows it's from Multi-Paul.  In a temple, Liu's bodyguard cleans Liu's body, and revives him!   This episode was Another Good One! They did a great job bringing characters from Season 1 into Mark's current life.  It also had more family and personal issues with a lot less galactic destruction.  Liked the short Multi-Kate and Multi-Paul back story, too.  It was amazing to see the Titan and Isotope deception of Liu.  They outsmarted Mark, and tricked him and Machine Head into ridding them of Liu, so they thought.  A lot going on in this episode, but the best part was seeing Oliver return to being a kid!  Looking forward to seeing the next episode!

Today’s episode continues from last week’s episode.  There’s a terrible storm rolling in.  Angie and Ormewood are working late at the APD, Atlanta Police Department.  Angie goes to check on John in his cell, to assure him she’s going to help.  John is close to giving up.  She asks him about something in his Mom’s journals, and will talk with his sister about it.  John asks if Joyce and Keynan were there at the station.  His brother-in-law hates him.  Angie tells him about a witness, Mia Elken, who was coming in to see a photo lineup on Peggy’s killer.   Angie takes John’s photo.Angie, Will, ADAs Marion and Freddy meet to discuss new evidence, and Angie asks for time to follow-up on John’s case.  There’s a little tension between Angie and Marion.  Angie’s going to talk to John’s sister.  She state’s there’s tension between Keynan and John.  Caroline comes in to get a case number for a witness statement.   After she leaves, Will tells Marion they are doing a witness photo lineup to confirm the killer’s identity.  Angie still thinks Mia’s coming in.  Freddie says the review clears everything.  Will and Marion subtly flirt.Amanda comes into the office with a beautifully wrapped gift.  It’s for Caroline.  She goes to check with Sonny and Rafael to get the handcrafted card.  Amanda’s throwing Caroline a surprise birthday party.  Will stops her and asks about the witness statement in the file room.   He thought Faith was going to get it, but she’s on a special case.  Angie and Will continue down the hall. Will stops Rafael to ask him if he could stay.  He needs to talk to him.  At that moment, Joyce and Keynan Peters step off the elevator.  Angie introduces them to Will.  ADA Freddie Markovich walks up and introduces himself. Freddie recognizes Keynan. They went to high school together. Keynan is upset and tells Angie, Will and Freddie they don’t want anything to do with John. He angrily tells Joyce they need to get this over with.  Mia’s still not there.  Angie and Will go to find her in the parking lot. Ormewood shows off his decorating skills. Amanda’s a little disappointed with the party decorations, and tells them it looks a little shabby.  She asks if they can make it look more festive.  CPT Heller escorts the Mariachi Band into the station area. The lights flicker then go out, and the generator doesn’t kick in. The Mariachi Band’s Hats light up the area.  CPT Heller, Ormewood and Franklin go get the portable power station. Amanda and Faith take the party, food, attendees and the band to the GBI. They will surprise Caroline when the power comes back on.   Angie and Will are trapped in the elevator.  Neither have cell service. Will tries some small talk but Angie cuts him off. He later shows her an app on his phone that he uses to swap faces with Betty. Angie abruptly asks if he’s hooking up with Marion.  Will comes back with what Angie told him when they broke up.  She expected him to date someone who doesn’t work in their work building. He defends Marion from Angie’s comments made earlier in the meeting. Something drips on Angie’s face.  It’s red, and looks like blood. Will hoists Angie up to the elevator ceiling opening.  She breaks it open.  Will’s precariously trying not to drop Angie and accidently grabs her but as he pushes her up through the ceiling opening.  She freaks out when she sees Mia’s body.  Mia was thrown down the elevator shaft.  Will and Angie get out of the elevator to examine the body.  It’s still warm, and they determine she hadn’t been dead long.  She had been killed somewhere else, and dumped there.  Angie had just been on the phone with her.  John couldn’t have killed her, but Angie surmises it was Keynan.  They don’t know how he got the body in the building.  The killer had to have an elevator key.  They need to alert everyone that a killer is loose in the building.  They start yelling, but no one’s there.  Everyone has gone to the GBI for the party.  Faith, Amanda and Marion gather everyone in the conference room.  Marion’s struck by the way Rafael holds and protects his daughter, Sonny in a corner.  The main generator has failed, so there’s still no lights. Amanda goes to check for stragglers. Faith stops in the hall facing the elevator.  It looks like she hears something.  It is eerie.in the dark.  Downstairs, CPT Heller, Franklin and Ormewood go to get the portable generator. It ’s heavy and takes all three of them to lift it.  Franklin and Ormewood start making jokes, and start laughing.  Faith did hear Will and Angie, and lets them out.  They plan their response, and how to find the killer.  Faith goes to tell Amanda what’s happened.  Angie goes to get Keynan.  Will gets a walkie talkie from the breakroom, and sees Marion in the hallway.   Marion is concerned about Rafael, a gang leader being in the conference room.  Will tells her he’s taking care of his daughter.  He tells her about the serial killer loose in the building.  tells her to return to the conference room, and keep everyone calm. He gives her a walkie talkie.  She kisses him and tells him to be careful, as she leaves.   Angie comes running up to tell Will Keynan is missing.  They go to sweep the building.  Amanda hears someone crying, and finds Caroline bleeding on the floor near the morgue.  She calls Will for help.  Amanda calls for Pete, who comes out of the morgue. Keynan runs past them, but Amanda catches and cuffs him.  He said he didn’t do anything, as Will and Angie arrived.  Pete says Caroline needs to get to a hospital.  Angie goes to call for an ambulance on the LAN line.   Will goes into the file room and finds the weapon, a cake knife. Keynan continues pleading his innocence, and says he found her like this.  Amanda tries to get Caroline to tell her who stabbed her, but she’s in pain and can’t answer.  Pete says he doesn’t have any pain meds cuz his patients are always dead.  Angie returns and says the flooding is bad, and they may not get an ambulance for an hour.  Amanda tells everyone to stay calm, and directs Will to get a confession out of Keynan.  She tells Pete he’s going to save Caroline’s life. They move Caroline to the morgue, and Amanda asks Pete for help.  Faith is there with lights.  Pete’s panicking but is accessing Caroline’s injuries.  He tells them she needs an ambulance, cuz Caroline’s not going to last long.  Amanda refuses to hear that, and asks him what he needs to save Caroline.  He tells her, and Faith goes to get everything he needs.  Upstairs in the conference room, everyone is partying as the Mariachi plays.  Marion comes in asking if anyone has O- blood.  Freddie asks if there is a problem.  She tells him she’ll tell him later, and takes the person with the blood type she needs, the Mariachi Band Leader,with her.  A patrolman escorts him to the morgue.  The hallway’s spooky, and it seems like someone’s out there.  Will and Angie interrogate Keynan in a room.  Angie goes through his backpack and finds the elevator key.  Keynan says he never saw it before.  Will asks him where the missing witness statement is.  Keynan says he was trying to find a quiet place to take some drugs, cuz he’s a drug addict.  He proves it, and begs them not to tell Joyce.  Will takes his oxycodone pills to Caroline.  Meanwhile, CPT Heller, Ormewood and Franklin are carrying the portable power station up the stairs. They stop for a break, and the power station falls back down the stairs. Faith comes to see what’s going on.  She tells them about Caroline, and they need to get the power station to the morgue.  She helps them carry it up the stairs. In the morgue, Pete sets the band leader up for a direct blood transfusion to Caroline.  Will comes in with the oxys and Pete tells him to crush up two.  He tells Amanda to rub the powder under Caroline’s tongue.  Will asks Pete about Caroline’s injuries.  They begin the operation. Will returns to the room where Angie and Keynan are and tells him to draw a smiley face.  He notices Keynan is right handed.  Pete told him the killer stabbed cross body favoring the left side.  Angie and Will talk outside the room.  Neither believe Keynan’s the killer.  They plan to find out Who, Where, How the stabbing happened.  Will calls Rafael. Will and Rafael go to the elevator shaft to look at Mia’s body.  Will tells him it’s about the same size as a prison cell.  He asks him to help him remove Mia’s watch.  He tells everyone on the walkie talkie to be quiet while finds his phone.  Rafael shows him how to make a call from Mia’s watch, but they hear nothing.  The crew carrying the power station hear a noise.  They put it down, and Faith tells Will it’s in the stairwell.  They continue carrying the power station up the stairs, as they start joking again.  Angie is walking the darkened halls to get to John’s cell.  She asks him about the night Alice Finney was killed.  She tells him the killer’s not Keynan, and they need to figure out who the killer is.   Pete continues operating on Caroline.  He finishes suturing Caroline’s wounds.  Amanda tells him he’s very good at this.  He shares that he used to be a surgeon and why he wasn’t anymore.  He sees bleeding from Caroline’s abdomen.  The crew gets the powerstation hooked up.  CPT Heller says he is O- if they need more blood.  They get the lights and suction machine on.  Pete sees a laceration on her spleen.  He needs to remove it.  Caroline’s pulse stops.  Marion and a police officer do a vending machine run because everyone’s getting hungry in the conference room. Downstairs, Angie walks John through what happened before Alice was killed.  He remembers someone else, named Rick, was there.  Will and Rafael find the phone and Mia’s wallet on a stairwell, where she was attacked.  Rafael’s a little miffed at Will’s comment on his watch.  He tells him he got his watch from someone very much alive, and that it was a business arrangement.  Will continues looking around for clues. He does his Will Thing, and walks through how Mia’s murder happened.  Rafael listens quietly, slightly amazed.  He tells Will he’s taking over the Grove Park Boys business.  Will tells him he already knows about his ‘business’, and he was demonstrating how he figures things out.Angie continues asking John for information on that night Alice was killed.  He remembers that Rick might have had a Polish last name,  had acne and was awkward.  He also had a weird tick.  A blinking thing, Angie suggested and John said yes.   Angie knows who the killer is, and runs off!    Will picks up an American Flag pin off the floor, and suddenly knows who the killer is.  Marion gets a call from Will on her walkie talkie telling her to go to channel 2, and moves to the squad room.  Will asks her if Freddie had an American Flag pin, and suddenly a sound of the police officer being knocked out startles her. She drops her walkie talkie as Freddie steps out of the shadows.  He has a gun and approaches her.  Will races up the stairs to get to Marion.  Meanwhile, Freddie tells her how he felt overlooked for years, and confesses he felt power when he killed Alice.  He grabs Marion and tells her he’s like a god.  He tells her if she stays quiet he’ll let her keep her tongue, and knocks her out.  Angie gets to the squad room and finds the cop knocked out on the floor.  The thunder and lightning make the room more spooky.  She hears a noise and follows the blood stains on the floor into the CPT’s office.  A terrified Marion is there hiding behind the desk.  Angie tries to calm her as she checks her head wound.  She tells her she’s going to find Freddie, but Marion doesn’t want her to leave.  Angie leaves Marion her gun.  Freddie shoots at her through the office window.  Will approaches and Angie tells him the killer is Freddie.  He asks if she’s seen Marion.  She tells him she’ll be okay.  She points to a gun on an office chair, and Will tries to go get it, but is fired at.  Down in the morgue, Pete applies lifesaving measures to revive Caroline.  Faith stops the blood with  bandages.  Still no pulse.  Pete continues chest compressions.Will and Angie continue searching for Freddie in the squad room.  Angie gets a gun, and they canvas the room working their way back to the party table. They don’t know Freddie’s watching them with night vision goggles.  He’s sneaking up on Will from the rear, and starts shooting.  Will ducks behind a desk, while Angie comes up behind Freddie.  He turns and she jumps him.  They fight as Will tries to get a clear shot at Freddie.  He can’t, and Freddie disarms Angie, and grabs her by the hair.  He backs away from Will smiling.  Will looks like he’s putting down his gun, but flashes a bright light at Freddie who is blinded.  Will shoots him and Angie falls to the floor.  He hears Marion crying in the office, and rushes off to her.  He leaves Angie stunned.  He takes the gun out of Marion’s hands, and hugs and softly comforts her. Angie came in and saw what was happening, then sadly left. Pete continues with the chest compressions on Caroline in the morgue. The lights come on, and the EMTs get there and take over.  They shock her once with the defibrillator and get a faint pulse.  They rushed her to the hospital.  Pete saved Caroline. The storm’s cleared.  Ormewood, Faith, Franklin start cleaning up the squad room.  Ormewood’s grumbling about not getting any cake.  Angie comes in with John. She asks him if he wants to see the killer. He identifies him as the weird person from the night Alice was killed.  Angie asks if he needs a place to stay, and he says Joyce said he can come home with her.  John thanks Angie for giving him his life back. Amanda announces that Caroline is going to pull through. Angie asks about Marion, and Amanda says she’ll be fine. Amanda’s going to the hospital to see Caroline and take her the birthday gift.  She tells Angie she did a Great Job!  Faith asks if anyone got the Mariachi Band’s name and walks off.  This episode was another great one!  This show keeps building on previous epis and getting better and better!  The storm and power outage set the scary backdrop.  There were points when I got perturbed when the commercial breaks happened. Angie was relentless and the only one who believed in John, except his mom.  Glad she was able to free him.  I thought it was definitely Keynan or maybe his sister.   The clear and impressive character development continues with Pete and Rafael.  Loved how the writers intertwined the different subplots, a birthday party, serial killer, Rafael and Will’s relationship, and Angie saving John. Marion surprised me.  She worked with Freddie, but never felt he was a killer.  Loved Amanda and Faith’s calmness and take charge ability under pressure.  Also loved the Mariachi Band music!  Sad to see Angie and Will aren’t getting back together. The Excitement Keeps mounting for this show!  Looking forward to seeing Jake Ballard in the next epi.

This week on All American, tensions rose high on and off the field for both South Crenshaw and Beverly High. Khalil (Antonio J. Bell) works to establish himself as a new player on the team for South Crenshaw while KJ (Nathaniel McIntyre) is hype for spirit week at Beverly… which to his disappointment, turns out to be very unspirited.  Meanwhile, challenges prove to be difficult for the coaches as Jordan (Michael Evans Behling) struggles to see eye to eye with Coach Bobby regarding Khalil. Khalil has been putting in the effort off the field, but will he ever be given a chance to assert himself and be respected by his teammates?  Amina (Alexis Chikaeze) seeks independence during her first day working at Layla’s  in an attempt to prove her father’s reins are a little too tight. She’s tired of being looked at as a baby in the eyes of all the adults in her life. Even still, she finds time to check in on KJ, giving him some words of encouragement before his game.  Back in South Crenshaw’s weight room, Khalil and Yasi (Elijah M. Cooper) work to earn respect from each other, gaining acceptance from Coach Bobby. But, on the other side of town, KJ and Coach Cassius (Osy Ikhile) suffer through disappointment and humiliation after losing their first game.  Tori (Lauryn Hardy) is back in her cheerleading uniform and giving KJ a hard reality on what support and teamwork from Beverly High looks like, as it’s been taken for granted. Over at Layla’s, Amina has a conversation with Layla (Greta Onieogou) on Adulting 101, hoping to get through to her.  In an attempt to teach KJ a lesson about teamwork, both him and Coach Cassius are seen at South Crenshaw’s first game. On the field, the Chargers  are having a rough go as quarterback but after some tough love, South Crenshaw came back stronger and united in the 2nd half, winning the game! S/o to Khalil and Jordan for taking a chance against Coach Bobby, and putting him into the game.  After watching the teamwork and encouragement from Khalil, KJ’s perspective is influenced as he realizes his errors with his own teammates. Coach Bobby finally shows his resentment for Billy Baker by taking his frustration out on Jordan after the game.  Caught in the excitement from the win and acting on her emotions, Amina leans in to kiss Khalil, only to be rejected. However, in an attempt to comfort her, KJ causes more embarrassment as she struggles to hide her feelings, eventually lashing out at Coop (Bre-Z). With a renewed spirit, KJ was able to find kinship with the other players on the team as well as support Tori and the rest of the cheerleaders at Beverly High, proving himself a teammate on and off the field.  Reflecting on the conversation with Coach Bobby, Jordan realized the beef goes back past his resentment with his dad, Billy Baker (Taye Diggs). Old family secrets are beginning to rear its ugly head within the Baker family. But who will pay the most?  You can catch new episodes of All American on Mondays at 8pm on the CW. Episodes are also streaming on the CW app!

Episode 2 of Sweet Magnolias, titled “Practical Dreams,” picked up right where it left off from the anticipated season premiere, with Maddie and Cal getting hitched.  The sweet pair exchanged beautiful vows, especially from Cal, stating that he will never interrupt Maddie, Helen, and Dana Sue’s margarita night. They concluded their union with a warm kiss in front of their dearest family and friends.  Not long after Maddie and Cal’s first dance, Maddie checks in with her besties to make sure they aren’t mad at her for the surprise wedding. Also, Ty and Annie ask Kyle and Katie to let them tell everyone about their relationship on their own time, which they gleefully agree to.  Iris and Paula gaze out at the dance floor, where everyone is having an amazing time, dancing their hearts out. They gush about finally being in-laws.  Ty and Annie share a romantic moment, reaffirming their love for each other, and Maddie and Cal bond with their mothers, radiating happiness. The newlyweds, Cal and Maddie, depart to start their wedding night, with Cal lifting Maddie up to take her to his place.  The next morning, Dana Sue and Helen open up to Maddie about how they really wanted to be a part of the process for planning the wedding, and how they’re a little disappointed that it was kept a secret. Maddie assured them that they are, and will always be, a part of her life in every aspect. They seal their friendship with a toast.  At Cal’s house, the boys are helping him pack his stuff for moving in with Maddie and the kids. Cal says he’s excited to move in and that he and his new bride will tackle any challenges together.  In a warm family moment, Ty tells Maddie and Cal, along with Katie and Kyle, that he and Annie are officially a couple. Maddie is overjoyed at the news and expresses that she’s been waiting for this to happen. Our favorite trio is over the moon that their children are finally together.  Maddie and Paula share a sweet moment when Paula says that Maddie’s dad would have loved Cal, and that she’s so happy to welcome a worthy son-in-law.  Things get chaotic when CJ Camp, the man who mows the seniors’ yards for the foundation, tells Dana Sue that he quit because of Helen firing his dad. Dana Sue is left too stunned to speak. Meanwhile, Helen opens up to Alex about how much it took to rebuild her parents’ home.  Helen tells Dana Sue that CJ’s dad actually quit. Serenity’s favorite trio gets together to solve the rising problems in their beloved city, but Helen is in for a shock when she finds out from Mayor Peggy that the city has four months before going bankrupt.  The episode ends with a shocking cliffhanger, with Mama Townsend bringing Maddie devastating news that Bill is dead. This will surely rock Maddie and the kids. How will they get through it? You’ll have to keep watching to find out. Season 4 of Sweet Magnolias is fully on Netflix to stream.

It’s Black History Month mi gente, so with Valentine’s also in this month, the only logical thing for me to do was make a list of books celebrating Black Love. Cause we love amor! Here are some of my favorite books featuring black love. Most of these I’ve read, others are on my TBR and hope to read soon. All of these books have spice of varying levels. For those looking to diversify your shelves, I’ve added notes regarding plus size rep, queer rep and mental health rep.  Contemporary:   Only for the Week by Natasha Bishop  Them Boys trilogy by Alexandria House  Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen (Plus Size Rep) The McClain Brothers series by Alexandria House Make a Scene by Mimi Grace  The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest Seven Days in June by Tia Williams Outdrawn by Deanna Grey (Queer Rep) Fantasy/Paranormal: Essence & Runes by Taylor Lynn (Magic) (Queer Rep) I Accidentally Summoned a Demon Boyfriend by Jessica Cage (Demons)(Plus Size Rep) Brothers Unholy by Nastee (Vampires) Sweet Vengeance by Viano Oniomoh (Demons)(Plus Size Rep) Baited by the Beast trilogy by Journee Jordan (Werewolves) Elemental Magic by Celestine Martin (Witches) The Chosen Luna (Werewolves) (Disability rep) by Troinetta Nichole Short Story/Novella: Drop, Cover and Hold On by Jasmine Guillory (Valentine’s Day story) Let It Snow by Michelle Stimpson (Christmas story) Coming Home by Kennedy Ryan A Walk in the Park by Rebekah Weatherspoon (Plus Size Rep) The A.I Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole Sports: Spring Awakening by J.S Jasper (Rugby)(Mental Health Rep & Queer Rep) Played by Naima Simone (Hockey)(Grief & Mental Health Rep) St. Louis Sirens by Alexandria House (Hockey)(Mental Health Rep & Plus Size Rep) Hoops by Kennedy Ryan (Basketball)(Mental Health & Plus Size Rep) St. Louis Cyclones by Alexandria House (Basketball)(Mental Health Rep) Mendell Hawks series by Deanna Grey (College Hockey) (Mental Health Rep & Queer Rep) As always remember to check those trigger warnings, some of these books deal with heavy themes. Enjoy responsibility and happy reading!

The season finale delivers an unrelenting mix of tension, tragedy, and blood, pulling viewers into the darkest corners of Dexter’s origins. A fair warning—this episode is not for the faint of heart. A Childhood Stained in Blood The episode opens with a change in narrative inside the shipping container. We see that horrific moment from Brian’s point of view. Young Dexter, trembling, searches the dim space. His tiny voice calls out, “Mommy?” Brian, his older brother and always his protector, shields him from the horror around them. His voice is eerily calm as he soothes Dexter with a fairy tale— The Three Little Pigs.  Only in this setting does the story seem haunting. The chilling truth lies beneath the words of a child forced to grow up too soon: He must keep Dexter protected; he cannot let him fully grasp the carnage around them. Then comes the moment that changes everything for Brian. A moment that shows him in depth what abandonment is. A man who had spent so much time in his home, though that man was more fatherly toward his brother, he had come to trust him. He had come to get used to having him around. That man, Harry, appears, tearing Dexter from Brian’s arms. Brian’s voice in narration carries a chilling finality: "That was the first time they took my brother from me. But it wouldn’t be the last." We quickly move into Brian’s memory of the day he was moved out of the Morgan household. As the social worker leads him away, Brian looks on helplessly, noticing that Dexter remains with the Morgans. “Is Dexter coming with me?” The response is firm. “No. We’ve found a family that is a better fit for you.” Brian notes that a better fit was the polite way of saying, “You are unwanted.” Brian’s Spiral into Darkness Years later, Brian recounts his past in a therapist’s office, though his stillness is deceptive. He has a motive: He needs to see Dexter. He finally manages to be released from the institution and agrees to therapy so that he could finally be reunited with his brother. "A better fit was just a polite way of saying someone didn’t want you," he states. His next home, the Kirstens, was no Tanners or anything like the family shows seen on TV. A boy locked him in a dark closet, triggering the suffocating terror of the shipping container. When they let him out, his instincts took over. The foster mother bore the brunt of it, leading to the social worker having to find yet another ‘better fit’. Every new home brought another bully. Brian was never one to suffer fools; he was quick to react when threatened. However, in a system that doesn’t see the child—only the behavior—Brian was labeled a problem. Eventually, the world stopped pretending he was salvageable. He was institutionalized.  He was labeled as having anti-social personality disorder, someone who lacked empathy, a psychopath, they called him. I cannot help but wonder if trauma on top of trauma created the monster that Brian would become. Could he have been saved if he received proper treatment that considered said trauma instead of labeling a seven-year-old who, before his trauma, didn’t seem to display the behaviors he would develop?  If they could have seen that the monster was made, not born. Not born, this will be important at the end of the episode. Something to think about. He had lost so much. In the institution, he grew up, and he bonded with an orderly named Raul. That trust would soon be betrayed. Raul stole his meds, causing violent outbursts that landed Brian in solitary confinement. Back in the present, Dr. Petrie sits across from Brian, trying to reach him. “I’m proud of you, Brian. You’ve finally opened up without spiraling.”  It is just what Brian had been waiting on, the reason he had agreed to the sessions. “Then let me see Dexter.” The doctor hesitates. “That wouldn’t be healthy for you. It could undo your progress.” The warmth drains from Brian’s expression. His voice sharpens. “Then what am I doing this for?” A standoff. A battle of wills. Dr. Petrie makes the wrong choice; he threatens to send Brian back to the institution. He doesn’t live to regret it. The Hunt Begins Captain Spencer speeds down the interstate, unaware that Dexter is tailing him like a predator stalking prey. He tails him all the way to a boat. Once inside I wonder who is actually the predator versus the prey. Did Spencer lead Dexter into a trap? Meanwhile, at the hospital, Bobby’s wife sifts through photos beside her unconscious husband as Deb and Harry visit, offering quiet support. In an episode filled with brutality, this moment of human connection is a rare flicker of warmth. The team had really rallied around Bobby. It is nice to see the bonds that can be created in the workforce. LaGuerta arrives. Her tone is sharp and urgent. She needs Harry; he tries to back out of it, but it is imperative to the case they have been working on.  Out in the hallway, she tells him that a body has been found. Harry hesitates—until he hears the details. The victim is Barbara. Dismembered. With a chainsaw. Harry goes white. His thoughts immediately drift to one person, Brian. When questioned on whether the victim’s name rings a bell, he remains stoic, calculating, and utterly shaken. He lies, saying that he doesn’t. A Deadly Game of Choices Spencer leads Dexter to a boat half a mile from the station. Its dim lights flicker, and reflections dance eerily on the water. At the same time, Harry spots Brian watching from the rooftop and gives chase. Inside the boat, chaos erupts. Spencer is ruthless, shooting at Dexter and hitting him with a fire extinguisher. They fight, Dexter is down and we see that Spencer’s focus isn’t on Dexter; it isn’t a trap. He is on a mission, and that mission is Nicky. He runs down in the hull where Nicky is chained; he opens the portal, allowing water to rush in. Dexter tries talking him out of it. The captain hears none of it, so he gives Dexter a choice. A choice that means he would have to control his urges and choose humanity or give in to them, becoming more monster than human; "Save the kid… or come after me." Humanity wins, and Dexter pulls Nicky to safety, but the second the boy is secure, the hunt resumes. The killer within Dexter reawakens. Spencer won’t escape this time, but did he really escape before, or was it part of Dex’s plan so that he could save Nicky? The Final Confrontations At the crime scene, Brian waits on the roof. He stalks his own crime scenes, hoping to draw out Dexter. However, it isn’t Dexter who finds him—it’s Harry. Harry’s hands are steady with his gun drawn, but his eyes reveal his turmoil. Brian’s victims weren’t random. They were his tormentors and the people who failed him. This leads me to wonder, did Harry really die by suicide? That is something that could be explored in later seasons. Brian’s victims weren’t just revenge. They were a message to Dexter. A trail of blood, leading him home. Brian’s voice drips with venom. He lays into Harry about his mistakes, beginning with sleeping with his mother. Forcing her to get deeper into the cartel.  He tells Harry that he isn’t honest, he’s never told Dexter the truth. Harry remains firm. "I couldn’t save you. But I could save Dexter." Harry feels that Brian doesn’t have to like him, but he should be grateful that he gave Dex a better life. Brian laughs, but it’s empty. He challenges Harry; he isn’t going to prison, so Harry will have to kill him. The Final Kill Spencer flees to his ex-wife’s house, seething and frothing at the mouth like a rabid animal. Nicky isn’t his son; his ex never told him the truth, allowing him to raise Nicky as his own. She must pay for her crimes.  Her husband tumbles down a flight of stairs, and she narrowly escapes into the bathroom, locking herself inside. Spencer bangs on the door, he’s completely gone, and then Dexter arrives, syringe in hand. This time, there’s no plastic wrap. No elaborate setup. Just Dex and Spencer on Dex’s boat. Dexter taunts him that those he tried to kill that night are alive and will be a happy family. Spencer tells him that he doesn’t know all the ways in which Harry failed him. It seems that Harry didn’t want to believe the truth about Spencer partly because Spencer knew his secrets. Dexter is unfazed; he has an unshakeable faith in Harry despite Harry enabling him. Spencer spits his last words. "Get it over with." The knife comes down; parts get put into plastic garbage bags and thrown to the gators. The Aftermath Just when I thought I could not lose more respect for Harry, I did. What he says to Dexter is downright appalling. It is sick; one has to wonder how damaged his own psyche is. I will leave that scene and its interpretations to you. Still, it is another pivotal moment in the series with far-reaching implications that span the entire Dexter universe. Sofia and Deb make up. At the station, LaGuerta overhears a damning conversation. Suspicion darkens her features. Dexter is no longer an intern but a full-time employee. Deb is accepted into the academy. And Brian Moser? He watches through the window as the Morgans celebrate their achievements. This is a chilling moment that highlights how his protectiveness turned into obsession. I hope this is explored more in the coming seasons. Final Verdict: A Perfect End to Season One This episode delivers a masterclass in tension and psychological horror. Roby Attal’s portrayal of Brian Moser is chillingly brilliant, bringing new depth to an already fascinating character. A 10/10 finale that cements Dexter: Original Sin  as a must-watch. Rating: ★★★★★

Title:  Every Move You Make (ARC) Author: Sloan Spencer Genre:   Sports Romance Rating:  Love Spice: Flamin Hot Cheeto Synopsis: Isaiah (Zay) Johanssen has built his life around two things: rugby and secretly loving his friend Robyn Cassidy. Since they met playing rugby in college, their stars have never aligned. But Isaiah isn’t worried—he has a plan. Professional rugby player Robyn Cassidy is determined to show Isaiah she wants more than friendship, but every time she tries to get his attention, the words escape her. Normally bright and confident, she finds herself tongue-tied around her longtime crush. So what happens when Dell, her sexy and charming personal trainer, offers to be her flirt coach, only to find out he’s crushing on the same man? The same man who is now her head coach. Maybe it’s time Dell shows Isaiah exactly what he’s missing out on. Thoughts: Whew! Mi gente! This one was picante. It was also sweet and beautiful.  Zay is an innocent bi teddy bear, who’s spent years torturing himself and Robyn. His overwhelming need to protect Robyn and be the man she deserves is heartwarming but also a little red flaggy. Dell’s past hurts my heart but is also a great example of getting in front of the narrative and not only controlling it, but making it work for your benefit. His ability to go after what he wants, no matter how unconventional, is inspiring.  Robyn is an inspiration to fem athletes everywhere. Able to kick ass on the pitch, getting down and dirty with her teammates, and then dance the night away (rather goofily) as the girliest of girlies. Just like most women “who do it all”, she’s succeeding on the outside, while her thoughts and inner turmoil reflect the opposite.  Thankfully she has two sexy, loving men, to remind her just how wonderful she is…in all ways, always.  With plenty of queer, plus size and latine rep, this book gave me everything I could have wanted from start to finish. Cute, awkward exchanges, sexy scenes that damn near edge the reader and lots of love love LOVE, there isn't a thing I disliked about this book. Sloan Spencer is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I cannot wait to read whatever she writes next.  Quotes:   He can’t be here taking up my fantasies too. That’s my future wife’s domain. -Zay “Maybe cool it with the dark romance books.”    -Dell This is not The Sisterhood of the Traveling Dildo. -Robyn “I can’t believe you’ve been low key stalking me for years.” -Robyn I freefall into a hedonistic haze. -Dell “Your youngest sibling energy is strong.” -Zay EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE  available Feb 14th,2025 **************                                                                                       @booksteantravel Rating: LOVED= 5 Stars. A new fav. Will be talking about every chance I get.  ENJOYED= 4-3 Stars.  It wasn’t a life changer but I would recommend.  0-2 Stars/ DNF= I will not post a review about a book I didn’t enjoy or did not finish. Good vibes only. I support anyone who’s brave enough to create their own work and put it out into the world for others.  Spice:  Puffy Cheeto- No Spice.  Crunchy Cheeto- Closed Door/Fade to Black Flamin Hot Cheeto- Spicy. A few detailed scenes.  Takis- Erotica. With more mature themes.

[SPOILERS] “Just hold your breath and squeeze.” Always ten steps ahead, the show introduced a new thread I think many of us were waiting for -  Sir’s captivity by Gabi. We knew Dhan helped Gabi find him, but we had no idea what state of mind she was in. Neither does Sir. And that’s the journey we get swept into as we see how life was for the M&A team when Sir lived in the basement. It’s Day one, and after Dhan gives Gabi instructions, we see what Sir finally sees – a very determined, focused Gabi pointing a gun at him. But there is also another layer to her we have never seen before. Rage? Anguish? Fury. As Sir sees his precious Gabrielle, he also wonders what triggered this fire in her. Shanola is captivating in this glimpse of Gabi’s past. We see a cascade of emotions as she juggles the passing of her father and Margaret’s desperate search for Jamie. Gabi is consumed and overwhelmed every time she looks at her father’s urn. It gives her panic attacks. Something Sir also experienced. He had them all the time, and then they stopped the day Gabrielle walked into his classroom. She gave him a reason to live. And now Sir need to give Gabi a reason to LET HIM live. As Margaret reunites with her son present day, we are taken back to when Jamie disappears and everyone is hands on deck to find him. Including Trent, who has a lead on human remains that may belong to Jamie. It is here where Sir tackles his first case and reveals his value to Gabi. He can hear everyone above him, but he doesn’t know them or their importance to Gabi yet. For Sir, none of that matters. Only Gabrielle and his connection to her.    After hearing Margaret and team talk about Jamie, Sir gets his first case. Most importantly, he buys himself time before Gabi kills him. Sir tells Gabi he understands the motivation.  It’s about cultivation, indoctrination, not desire. Sir can relate and his analysis helps Gabi see the case from a new angle. Though she is compelled to kill Sir for separating her from her father, she is drawn to a higher notion that he can be useful.  “You have proved yourself useful,” Gabi said. “You think like the worst of them” and that is the only reason he still draws breath. “You better be brilliant. You better be valuable. The min I don’t need you anymore…” You can feel the air tighten through the screen. Gabi is serious. To the degree that she withholds food until he solves their next case.  Back to present day, as Gabi and Sir is taken into custody, we see Margarat introducing Jamie to Lacey and Dhan. Is it really Jamie? Does Margaret believe it’s truly him or is she desperate for happiness, even if it may be false? As Dhan begins to investigate the identity of Jamie, we see flashbacks of Margaret and her husband searching for him. It’s a pain you wish on no parent and Margaret is beside herself as she tries to remember basic information, like the color of Jamie’s shoes.  Protective of those he loves, Dhan tries to connect with Jamie to learn his true identity. With insight from Gabi, Dhan maneuvers a way to see if Jamie has a mole on his elbow to help confirm identity. No one wants Margaret hurt if this person is not who he says.  Back at the station, Sir’s desire to protect Gabrielle always takes precedence. He confirms that the allegations are false and that Gabi did not commit any crimes. Without his statement, Gabi is free from jail but is still held hostage. Gabi needs to atone for what she did and once again, Sir is making It difficult to escape. She wants to be free. Back at M&A, everyone cautiously celebrates as Gabi meets Jamie and they put his picture on the Welcome Home wall (I hope he’s really Jamie). As the music closes us out, we see Sir sitting in jail. Is that a smirk on his face? Does he have a plan? Always ten steps ahead. Found airs on NBC Thursday night, streaming next day on Peacock.

Elsbeth opens with an interesting scene.  Micaela Diamond returns as Detective Edwards, and Ioan Gruffudd.A Scottish musician, Angus, playing a lute-like instrument and writing music sits in the square outside a cafe, playing music at a table.  He’s a regular and the waitress comes out to bring him a coffee.  He sits and watches a lady go to a table to meet a gentleman.  They are a couple and are there daily as he is.  The odd thing is that the musician is in Scotland, and the couple is in New York City.  Angus is watching on the other side of a giant tv screen called “The Iris”. One day he notices the girl is alone waiting for her boyfriend.  She brought Valentine candy, too.  Angus and the waitress watch and are sad for her.  An angry man walks up shouting at the girl, and she appears frightened.  The angry guy takes her candy box, and the girl takes it back.  She appears to be struggling to stand and collapses.  The man lets her fall and runs away.  Angus jumps up to get a closer look.  He is distracted by the waitress spilling cream on his music notebook and instrument. The waitress peers around him, and sees the girl trying to get back to her table. Angus returns to the screen and tries to get people’s attention, waving wildly to the people on the NYC side to help the girl, but they just smile and wave back.  Angus is unable to get help for the girl, and he and the waitress look on in horror as the girl dies.  Enter Elsbeth and Officer Blanke.  They arrive at the crime scene with newly returned, not-so-happy Detective Edwards.  Elsbeth’s sporting a bright pink fuzzy jacket with matching polka dot hat.  Her fixed stare is focused on the dead girl's face, as is Officer Blanke.  Elsbeth asks if the dead girl looks sad.  Officer Blanke matter-of-factly answers it’s probably due to her being dead.  Elsbeth asks if anyone touched her.  Officer Blanke thinks Detective Edwards did.  They go to talk to her and the witness.  Again, Elsbeth asks if the dead girl was sad.  The witness says she’s not sure.  She brought her a coffee, but the girl hadn’t drunk it before she died.  Another Officer tells the group no one else noticed anything due to rush hour.   Elsbeth notices “The Iris”.  Officer Blanke tells her about it.  It’s covered up with crime scene tape blocking access.  There’s also a sign stating the exhibit is closed.  The Iris is supposed to be removed after Valentine’s Day.  It’s a window to a seaside town in Scotland with 24 hours of streaming connecting people from a small town to a big city who wouldn’t meet otherwise.  Elsbeth realizes they might have a witness to the murder through The Iris.  It had just been covered when the police arrived on the scene.  Elsbeth gets it turned on again.  The waitress tells the musician it’s on.  He’s standing in front of it and sees Elsbeth peeking in from the side.  She waves at him, but there’s no sound.  Officer Blanke leaves Elsbeth to investigate the crime scene.      Elsbeth stands in front of The Iris and signals to Angus to ask if he saw anything about the murdered girl.  He indicates he did.  Elsbeth’s exaggerated movements ask if he saw how it happened.  He pantomimes back what he saw.   (That was Great!)  She shows him her cell to ask if he had one, and he did.  Elsbeth writes her number on her hands and shows it to the musician.  He calls her and they introduce themselves.  Elsbeth’s about to ask questions when sheep and sheep herders cross behind Angus.  So Cute!  She asks if he saw who murdered the girl.  He tells her about a man that tried to take the girl’s Valentine box of chocolates.  It’s not there anymore.  Angus doesn’t think the angry man killed the girl, because she returned to her table after the struggle.   At that moment, two guys come up behind Angus to stand with him in front of The Iris.  Elsbeth asks if they saw anything.  Angus tells her why they’re there.   Something Awkward happens, twice a day like clockwork, according to Angus.Elsbeth continues talking to him.  He shows her where he was when the murder happened.  Officer Blanke calls her away.  She tells him they will take his statement, and asks for his full name.  It’s a mouthful.  Elsbeth tries to write it all down.  He compliments her on her jacket.   She runs over to Officer Blanke who has the girl’s ID badge.  She worked around the corner.  Elsbeth tells Officer Blanke the guy she was talking to is a witness.  Detective Edwards tries to enter the girl’s workplace with her badge, but it doesn’t work.  Officer Blanke tries to help, while Elsbeth wanders off to the cosmetics section.  The sales person tells her they make their own perfumes upstairs.  Elsbeth sprays herself in the eye when she was demonstrating to the sales clerk how to sample perfume.   The Head of Security, Mr. Thornwall comes to help Officer Blanke and Detective Edwards.  He tells them he just deactivated her key card that morning.  She had failed the company drug test.  Elsbeth stumbles into the Security Office.  Detective Edwards asked for more details about Hailey Ritter.  She worked in R&D.  Elsbeth asked about recent changes to her behavior.  They ask for the drug test results.  Thornwall said he’d send them Hailey’s personnel file.  At the station, Medical Examiner, Cameron Clayden, tells everyone the lab results in CPT Wagner’s office.  They determine it is a fentanyl drug overdose.  Elsbeth stumbles in because her eye still hasn’t recovered from the accidental perfume spraying.  CPT Wagner says the case should be transferred to the narcotics division, but Elsbeth intervenes.  The CPT asks about her eye, and she says she walked into a cloud.  She tells them what Angus saw.  She tells everyone about their eye witness in Scotland.  CPT Wagner is shocked, and Officer Blanke explains it to him.  She and Elsbeth get off the subject, sharing the story of  Scotland.   Detective Edwards is not amused, and CPT Wagner can’t make sense of it either.  He said tomorrow they will get a full toxicology review and witness statement, and rushed everyone out of his office.  Officer Blanke asks ME Clayden how he likes the apartment she rented to him.  Elsbeth stumbles back to her office.Later, Elsbeth hears CPT Wagner grumbling in his office.  He’s trying to make romantic Valentine Day arrangements for him and his wife.  Things aren’t going well.  Elsbeth gives him suggestions, but CPT Wagner wants it to be Special with Real Valentine Fanciness, and his Big Surprise!  Elsbeth compliments him on his romanticness.  She pivots to the Mertens Murder case being reopened.  Elsbeth thanks the CPT for what he did.Elsbeth returns to The Iris to take Angus’ statement.  She reviews what happened with him.  He thought it was a jealous rage that led to Hailey’s death.  He says she used to meet there regularly for coffee with a man.  Another man was there the day she died.   Angus thinks it was a tinder date, because it seemed to be a first meeting.  The chocolates were for the guy, but he never arrived.  Angus compliments Elsbeth on her scarf.  She changes the subject and asks about his music.  They are too funny getting to know each other.  It seems like they’re flirting, clumsily. They’re Adorable!   Elsbeth gets a call about Hailey’s emergency contact.Elsbeth goes to the station to meet Hailey’s boyfriend.  Officer Blanke and Detective Edwards tell him about Hailey’s drug test failure.  He says Hailey was sober, and hadn’t relapsed.  Elsbeth enters the office and observes.  She bluntly asks the boyfriend if he followed Hailey and saw her meeting with another man.  Elsbeth asks him to help them with one more thing.   They go to The Iris to see if Angus can identify him.  He did.  They take him back to the station.  Detective Edwards and Officer Blanke interrogate the boyfriend while Elsbeth and CPT Wagner look on.  The boyfriend admits he knew she was cheating on him.  He also followed her, but to make sure she was alright.  Hailey told him about someone who was threatening to kill her.  Detective Edwards  thinks they could charge the boyfriend with involuntary manslaughter.  CPT Wagner asks Officer Blanke to take Elsbeth and find the man Hailey was afraid of. That night, Elsbeth goes online to look up Angus.  She listens to his music and watches the videos.  It’s not bad at all.  She falls asleep to the beautiful, hypnotic sounds.  The next day, Elsbeth, Officer Blanke return to The Iris with the police sketch artist.  He draws a picture of the other guy Angus saw.  Angus compliments Elsbeth’s different coat.  Officer Blanke is surprised at Elsbeth flirting with Angus, and drags the sketch artist away so Elsbeth can talk with Angus alone.  She tells him she listened to his song online.  He tells her how he records his music.  The sheep and shepherd cross behind Angus again.  He says he might come to New York one day.  Elsbeth is reluctant to leave, but has to go.  YEP, there’s Something Special with Them!Officer Blanke and Elsbeth talk to the coffee shop barista, Tamra.  She was the witness. They ask if she saw the other guy.   She remembers his first name, George, and points out a guy, George’s editor, who is also looking for him.  Elsbeth and Officer Blanke find out the two guys were together.  George is a journalist.  He hasn’t seen him recently.  Officer Blanke gets a call from Detective Edwards telling her they found George.  He’s dead.  ME Clayden, Officer Blanke, Detective Edwards and Elsbeth are in the police station’s elevator updating CPT Wagner on the case findings.  George died from a fentanyl overdose.  Detective Edwards still says both victims died of a drug overdose.  Elsbeth reminds them the chocolates were never found.   CPT Wagner tells her they could have been stolen, it’s New York.   Elsbeth questions why everyone from New York is so down on New York.  Detective Edwards says it to prevent other people from coming.  Officer Blanke refocuses Elsbeth on the chocolates.  Elsbeth’s theory is that Hailey was a whistleblower, and she was going to give George information for his story in the box of chocolates. CPT Wagner asks them to solve the case.  He hurriedly leaves them.  Elsbeth gets a call from Angus checking if the sketch helped.  She tells him it did, but they found the guy dead.  Angus hangs up and asks Fiona, the waitress, about the time she spilt cream over his notebook. He wants to know if she saw something on The Iris when he was turned away.  She refers him to the Murray Sisters.  Officer Blanke and Detective Edwards show Hailey’s boyfriend George’s picture.  He doesn’t recognize him.  He also has an alibi for when George died. He and Hailey went to the fertility clinic at that time.  Elsbeth and Officer Blanke ask the boyfriend to get them Hailey’s fertility panel.   She had no drugs in her system.  Mr. Thornwall sent over ‘doctored’ lab results in Hailey’s personnel record.  Elsbeth believes Hailey was a whistleblower.  Angus calls Elsbeth and has the Murray Sisters tell her about another man.  They said the man sneezed in Hailey’s face, and took the box of chocolates.  They didn’t see his face because he wore a mask, but he did have a tartan scarf around his neck.  Elsbeth leaves just as the Murray Sisters see the guy again at the coffee stand.  Angus calls Elsbeth but gets no answer.Elsbeth returned to the cosmetics department at Hailey’s workplace.  She asks for another perfume sample, and asks if she can pour out the perfume.   Mr. Thornwall approaches her.  She remarks about the perfume atomizer.  She goes to Mr. Thornwall’s office and finds out he used to be a patrol officer in Denver.   Elsbeth verifies the drug test date he gave them in Hailey’s personnel file.  He leaves her, and she sees a tartan scarf on his coat rack.  She finds a face mask in the jacket pocket.  Thornwall returns, and Elsbeth tries to fool him by pretending to be talking to CPT Wagner on her cell.  Thornwall isn’t fooled, and says she would just disappear.  She confirms her theory about Hailey.  Thornwall is bragging about covering up the company's drug secrets.  There’s a knock on the door, and Elsbeth yells for help.  CPT Wagner storms in with Detective Edwards and Officer Blanke! WOW!  Thornwall is not even surprised he’s being arrested for the two murders.  He says the Company CEOs made him do it.  Detective Edwards takes him away.  Elsbeth asks how they knew she was there, and Officer Blanke tells her Angus called the police station switchboard.  Elsbeth is overcome with emotion and pulls Officer Blanke and CPT Wagner in for a group hug.  Elsbeth returns to The Iris and finds out Angus left.  Later that night, she and Officer Blanke finish off a box of chocolates.   Elsbeth still tries calling Angus, but gets no answer.  At Officer Blanke’s apartment ME Clayden gives her a cupcake. She turns down the morgue cupcake, but invites him out for ice cream.  He happily accepts.  CPT Wagner surprises his wife, Claudia, with a smooth romantic dance on the rooftop.  He was secretly taking dance lessons to impress her for their Anniversary. His dance instructor keeps giving him words of encouragement as they dance, too funny!  He finally takes the hint and leaves.  CPT Wagner celebrates their Valentine’s Day and Anniversary in the Beautifully Special Way he intended.Meanwhile, Elsbeth and the breast exposer person sit in front of The Iris watching the Scottish seaside town.  No one’s there.  The Iris in NYC will be moved to a different location the next day.   Suddenly nearby, someone’s playing a familiar song Elsbeth recognizes, and it’s Angus!  She’s sad he’s missing his Edinburgh concert.  He tells her that it’s not how he makes his living, cuz he’s a Fireman.  He wishes her a Happy Valentine’s Day and They Kiss!  They smile and gaze at a heart shape displayed on a high rise building.  So Very Romantic! This Elsbeth episode was So VERY GOOD!  Loved IT.  It opened with something unusual, The Iris, Video Streaming a murder.   That was Fascinating!  An Adorable pairing with Elsbeth and Angus which continued getting more interesting.  CPT Wagner’s Romanticness was a Total Surprise and Sweet!  Officer Blanke and ME Clayden have a budding romance.  It was also Great to see the return of Micaela Diamond’s No Nonsense Detective Edwards. This episode’s mystery was so intertwined with subplots.  Loved that police station elevator scene where they provided CPT Wagner case updates.  That was well done!  So many entertaining and intriguing moments in this episode.  Actually, I was surprised when it was over.  Elsbeth’s colorful coats and multiple bags were eye-catching.  Loved the little hearts bag!  Thank You All for another Incredible episode.

Matlock  Season 1, Episode 11, titled "A Traitor in Thine Own House,"  picks up right where last week’s intense episode left off, and the drama is only escalating. The episode kicks off with Maddy and Edwin testing her ability to lie using a lie detector test. Maddy, ever determined, is working on refining her skills to trick Shae, who’s become increasingly suspicious of her. The tension is high, especially with Sarah still furious about Maddy’s decision to give Billy her case. It’s clear that Sarah’s resentment has now turned into full-blown obsession, and she teams up with Shae—someone who also has it out for Maddy—to dig into Maddy’s past. As Sarah and Shae join forces, Sarah’s anger boils over, and she lashes out at Billy in a fit of frustration. She throws some truly hurtful comments his way, even telling him that everyone at work knows she’s a better lawyer than him. Ouch. It’s as if this final jab from Sarah drives a wedge between them for good, and their friendship is left in tatters. I couldn’t help but feel for Billy in this moment, but also—Maddy’s deceit is the real reason Sarah’s spiraling. The episode starts to shift the audience's sympathy, making us question whether Maddy’s personal vendetta is worth all the collateral damage to those around her. Sure, she’s on a mission to uncover the truth about her daughter’s death, but what about the innocent people who are being dragged into her web of lies? Pictured (L-R): David Del Rio as “Billy Martinez” and Leah Lewis as “Sarah Franklin”. Photo: Michael Yarish/CBS ©2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. As for Maddy’s conflict with Shae, things take a turn when Matty files a complaint to HR in an attempt to get Shae—and Sarah—to stop snooping into her past. But Shae is relentless and manages to track down what she believes is a lead on Maddy’s former co-worker. She flies out to Georgia to speak with him, unaware that Maddy has orchestrated the whole thing. It’s a clever move on Maddy’s part—she has Edwin posing as the co-worker, throwing Shae off the trail. This strategic move finally forces Shae and Sarah to back off. For now. Pictured (L-R): Yael Grobglas as "Shae Banfield”. Photo: Michael Yarish/CBS ©2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The episode takes an emotional turn when Sarah has a breakdown in Olympia’s office, pouring her heart out about her feelings of betrayal. In a somewhat surprising moment, Olympia agrees to take Sarah under her wing and become her mentor. I don’t know about you, but I can already sense that this mentorship might not go smoothly. What could go wrong, right? But, with Olympia’s nerves on edge, I’m left wondering how long it’ll take before she uncovers the truth about Maddy’s manipulations. Meanwhile, Olympia’s personal life is taking a nosedive. Her messy divorce from Julian is getting uglier by the minute. Olympia wants to see the accounting for the family trust, but Maddy is just using this as an opportunity to check if Julian’s behind the missing documents. I can’t help but feel that the tension between Olympia and Julian could have been more fleshed out, especially since Julian seems to be relegated to quick, tension-filled arguments with Olympia rather than getting a chance to shine in court. Then of course there is that embarrassing moment in Elijah's office. Olympia clearly wants to rekindle things with Elijah but he has moved on. In another subplot, Senior returns this week, asking Olympia for help with a case. When Olympia (and team) uncovers that the client is lying she makes it clear how much she despises dishonesty. It’s a telling moment, and I couldn’t help but wonder if this foreshadows how Olympia will react once she discovers Maddy’s web of lies. Olympia’s sharp instincts might make her a formidable opponent when the truth eventually comes to light. And then there’s Senior—he’s impressed by Olympia, but will it be enough for him to support her candidacy for partner over his own son? The drama is thickening, and I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to see where this goes. Speaking of Senior he confronts Maddy about going to HR about Shae - clearly giving her a veiled threat. What is the story there? Pictured (L-R): Beau Bridges as Howard "Senior" Markston and Kathy Bates as “Madeline Matlock”. Photo: Michael Yarish/CBS ©2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The final twist in the episode is a gut punch: Edwin has lied to Maddy about the email from their daughter’s friend. This revelation will surely add more fuel to the fire in the episodes to come. Maddy’s trust in Edwin might get shaken, and I’m really curious to see how this new twist will affect their relationship and her investigation. "A Traitor in Thine Own House"  was all about lying, betrayal, and the consequences of deceit. The episode cleverly highlights how Shae, who’s so quick to call Maddy out for being a liar, is also hiding her own secrets—like her affair with a co-worker. It’s almost poetic that Maddy’s world is full of lies, and the truth is slowly unraveling. As Olympia said, all these lies will eventually come to light, but the question is: which one will be exposed first? I’m hooked, and I can’t wait to see how this all plays out.