<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[So There’s That : TV Show Recaps]]></title><description><![CDATA[Episode recaps, analysis, and theories for the shows we're obsessed with]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/s/tv-recaps</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wW7W!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe5d33486-6c4e-43af-b305-f8949f9ec03b_500x500.png</url><title>So There’s That : TV Show Recaps</title><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/s/tv-recaps</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 19:37:53 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[So There’s That ]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[sotheresthatpodcast@substack.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[sotheresthatpodcast@substack.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[sotheresthatpodcast@substack.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[sotheresthatpodcast@substack.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA['FROM' Season 4 Midseason Finale—Henry's Grief Shifts Everything]]></title><description><![CDATA[Episode 5 sends Henry into a spiral after discovering the truth about Miranda's death, driving the series deeper into psychological grief and anguish]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/from-season-4-midseason-finalehenrys</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/from-season-4-midseason-finalehenrys</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 14:04:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cBgX!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F09b139ff-a5af-4f3d-a4be-d95503dea52e_1600x900.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cBgX!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F09b139ff-a5af-4f3d-a4be-d95503dea52e_1600x900.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cBgX!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F09b139ff-a5af-4f3d-a4be-d95503dea52e_1600x900.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cBgX!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F09b139ff-a5af-4f3d-a4be-d95503dea52e_1600x900.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cBgX!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F09b139ff-a5af-4f3d-a4be-d95503dea52e_1600x900.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cBgX!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F09b139ff-a5af-4f3d-a4be-d95503dea52e_1600x900.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cBgX!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F09b139ff-a5af-4f3d-a4be-d95503dea52e_1600x900.jpeg" width="1456" height="819" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/09b139ff-a5af-4f3d-a4be-d95503dea52e_1600x900.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:819,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:135324,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/i/198548391?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F09b139ff-a5af-4f3d-a4be-d95503dea52e_1600x900.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cBgX!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F09b139ff-a5af-4f3d-a4be-d95503dea52e_1600x900.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cBgX!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F09b139ff-a5af-4f3d-a4be-d95503dea52e_1600x900.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cBgX!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F09b139ff-a5af-4f3d-a4be-d95503dea52e_1600x900.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cBgX!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F09b139ff-a5af-4f3d-a4be-d95503dea52e_1600x900.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Robert Joy | Amazon MGM Studios</figcaption></figure></div><p>The midseason finale of <em><strong>FROM</strong></em><strong>, Season 4 Episode 5, &#8220;What A Long Strange Trip It&#8217;s Been,&#8221; </strong>revealed two major plots: Jade knows how to save the children and Tabitha remembers how to kill the dolls.</p><p>But in the heart of the two main players&#8217; haunting was something powerful, heartbreaking, and unimaginable.</p><p>Henry&#8217;s pain.</p><p><strong>Robert Joy</strong> delivered one of the most excruciatingly gut-wrenching performances after discovering the horrific truth about how his wife, Miranda, died. </p><p>Up until the point of knowledge, Henry was a place of peace and emotional grounding for Victor&#8212;offering solace, careful explanation, and as positive an outlook as one can have in the town.</p><p>But as the Man in Yellow stated: knowledge comes at a cost.</p><p>The cost for Henry?</p><p>Sanity.</p><p>Sobriety.</p><p>Hope.</p><p>Henry is changed forever and is now mentally in a place where he becomes the most vulnerable person in the town. And in a place where Sophia giddily exploits isolation and desperation, what more will Henry have to pay?</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!syEU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5906781-c7fb-4ddb-9ec6-493b9cdcacc5_1014x570.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!syEU!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5906781-c7fb-4ddb-9ec6-493b9cdcacc5_1014x570.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!syEU!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5906781-c7fb-4ddb-9ec6-493b9cdcacc5_1014x570.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!syEU!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5906781-c7fb-4ddb-9ec6-493b9cdcacc5_1014x570.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!syEU!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5906781-c7fb-4ddb-9ec6-493b9cdcacc5_1014x570.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!syEU!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5906781-c7fb-4ddb-9ec6-493b9cdcacc5_1014x570.jpeg" width="1014" height="570" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!syEU!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5906781-c7fb-4ddb-9ec6-493b9cdcacc5_1014x570.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!syEU!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5906781-c7fb-4ddb-9ec6-493b9cdcacc5_1014x570.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!syEU!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5906781-c7fb-4ddb-9ec6-493b9cdcacc5_1014x570.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!syEU!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd5906781-c7fb-4ddb-9ec6-493b9cdcacc5_1014x570.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Robert Joy | Scott McCord</figcaption></figure></div><p>On the surface it appears Henry broke down at the first sign of horror; some viewers stating how he&#8217;s &#8220;weaker&#8221; than Victor because Victor survived four decades in the same nightmare.</p><p>However, Victor and Henry experienced parallel losses at the same time, in different dimensions, connected by the same tragedy; Victor haunted by the memories, Henry haunted by uncertainties. </p><p>Victor&#8217;s wife and two children disappeared mysteriously 40 years ago. </p><p>The police, his friends, and neighbors all believed he was the one responsible. </p><p>Just when maybe, just maybe, he began to believe they were gone forever, never to be found again, Tabitha showed up on his doorstep with his son&#8217;s childhood lunchbox.</p><p>As he&#8217;s thrust into this world and reunited with his son, he&#8217;s so blinded by having even one member of his family back that he never considered the horrific nature of how his wife and daughter died.</p><p>When Victor can no longer hide it, Henry learns that his wife experienced something far worse than death&#8230; and his only surviving relative had to watch.</p><p>He thus loses her again, and the 40 year dam he erected was destroyed by a single truth, by a single monster.</p><p>In 40 years, both Henry and Victor built walls within their minds in order to endure and exist without allowing the pain of the truth to cripple them. And in just five episodes, both Henry and Victor are destroyed again by the Man in Yellow.</p><p>The parallel in their lives is one that the writers of <em>FROM </em>carefully wove throughout all four seasons, culminating in a midseason finale that both excited and gutted the audience. </p><p>Victor can no longer pretend it didn&#8217;t happen. </p><p>Henry can no longer sit in his allegorical cave of ignorance.</p><p>Their loss, their pain, and their destruction are real.</p><div><hr></div><h4>Final Thoughts</h4><p>As we are thrust into the back half of the season, we ask fewer and fewer questions yet experience more and more dread.</p><p>But dread intertwines with just one question about Henry: will the knowledge of Miranda&#8217;s death cost him or everyone else?</p><p>And as the town continues to haunt and play psychological terror games with the townspeople&#8212;leading to a climax that can only end in bloodshed&#8212;viewers must anxiously wait to see just how much Henry will pay.</p><p><em><strong>FROM </strong></em><strong>Season 4 Episode 6, &#8220;The Heart is a Lonely Hunter,&#8221; returns Sunday, May 31. </strong>Titles mean everything in this series and it tells us that the &#8220;hunt&#8221; may just turn inward. Whose heart will it be?</p><p><em>Check out the trailer for Episode 6 below and catch up on all episodes now on MGM+.</em></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h4>Related Content</h4><ul><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/from-season-4-episode-4-breakdownwhy">FROM Season 4 Episode 4 Breakdown&#8212;Why Abby, Why Now?</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/from-season-4-episode-3-merrily-we">FROM Season 4 Episode 3 Breakdown&#8212;Fatima and Elgin&#8217;s Storyline Takes Place</a></em></p></li></ul><p></p><div id="youtube2-pKc6dErv4CI" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;pKc6dErv4CI&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/pKc6dErv4CI?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA['FROM' Season 4 Episode 4 Breakdown—Why Abby, Why Now?]]></title><description><![CDATA[FROM Season 4&#8217;s haunting return to Abby raises terrifying questions about Boyd, the town&#8217;s psychological warfare, and whether history is beginning to repeat itself]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/from-season-4-episode-4-breakdownwhy</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/from-season-4-episode-4-breakdownwhy</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 14:58:54 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s1TW!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F10f7e737-ab78-4f90-aeb7-b8199c5a4b1d_750x375.avif" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s1TW!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F10f7e737-ab78-4f90-aeb7-b8199c5a4b1d_750x375.avif" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s1TW!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F10f7e737-ab78-4f90-aeb7-b8199c5a4b1d_750x375.avif 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s1TW!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F10f7e737-ab78-4f90-aeb7-b8199c5a4b1d_750x375.avif 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s1TW!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F10f7e737-ab78-4f90-aeb7-b8199c5a4b1d_750x375.avif 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s1TW!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F10f7e737-ab78-4f90-aeb7-b8199c5a4b1d_750x375.avif 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s1TW!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F10f7e737-ab78-4f90-aeb7-b8199c5a4b1d_750x375.avif" width="750" height="375" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/10f7e737-ab78-4f90-aeb7-b8199c5a4b1d_750x375.avif&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:375,&quot;width&quot;:750,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:23446,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/avif&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/i/197213809?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F10f7e737-ab78-4f90-aeb7-b8199c5a4b1d_750x375.avif&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s1TW!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F10f7e737-ab78-4f90-aeb7-b8199c5a4b1d_750x375.avif 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s1TW!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F10f7e737-ab78-4f90-aeb7-b8199c5a4b1d_750x375.avif 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s1TW!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F10f7e737-ab78-4f90-aeb7-b8199c5a4b1d_750x375.avif 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!s1TW!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F10f7e737-ab78-4f90-aeb7-b8199c5a4b1d_750x375.avif 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Amazon MGM Studios</figcaption></figure></div><p><em><strong>FROM </strong></em><strong>Season 4 Episode 4, &#8220;Of Myths and Monsters,&#8221;</strong> exposed a lot with Sophia&#8217;s plan for Sara, Julie&#8217;s theories on story-walking, and Victor&#8217;s confession to Henry about Miranda&#8217;s death.</p><p>But a haunting that settled deep into the bones of the show was Abby&#8217;s presence.</p><p>A few people wondered online about Boyd&#8217;s storyline and the continued nightmares&#8212;relegating his haunting to mere hallucinations rather than a foreshadowing of something important he must heed.</p><p>But just as Jade told Boyd to stop asking &#8220;why&#8221; and to ask &#8220;why now,&#8221; <em>FROM </em>asks us to do the same:</p><p>Why Abby, now?</p><p>Season 1 Episode 8, &#8220;Broken Windows, Open Doors,&#8221; was the first time we saw Boyd&#8217;s entry into town and where we learned the source of his strained relationship with Ellis.</p><p>While Abby is mentioned earlier in the season, it isn&#8217;t until Episode 8 that we explore her state of mind prior to coming into town up until her mental decline and death. </p><p>Nicknamed &#8220;Iron Abby&#8221; in the Marines due to her unwavering resilience&#8212;the pillars set upon mental, physical, social, and spiritual foundations&#8212;her swift decline speaks to a psychological haunting the audience never witnessed but may be explained now in Season 4 in a foreshadowed decline of a current character.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fl6I!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12bf4453-3b19-4681-9bf6-1079439cff02_1400x700.avif" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fl6I!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12bf4453-3b19-4681-9bf6-1079439cff02_1400x700.avif 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fl6I!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12bf4453-3b19-4681-9bf6-1079439cff02_1400x700.avif 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fl6I!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12bf4453-3b19-4681-9bf6-1079439cff02_1400x700.avif 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fl6I!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12bf4453-3b19-4681-9bf6-1079439cff02_1400x700.avif 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fl6I!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12bf4453-3b19-4681-9bf6-1079439cff02_1400x700.avif" width="1400" height="700" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/12bf4453-3b19-4681-9bf6-1079439cff02_1400x700.avif&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:700,&quot;width&quot;:1400,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:24216,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/avif&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/i/197213809?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12bf4453-3b19-4681-9bf6-1079439cff02_1400x700.avif&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fl6I!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12bf4453-3b19-4681-9bf6-1079439cff02_1400x700.avif 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fl6I!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12bf4453-3b19-4681-9bf6-1079439cff02_1400x700.avif 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fl6I!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12bf4453-3b19-4681-9bf6-1079439cff02_1400x700.avif 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fl6I!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12bf4453-3b19-4681-9bf6-1079439cff02_1400x700.avif 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>In Season 1 Episode 8, we jump back in time to Boyd, Abby, and Ellis on a road trip with &#8220;If I Had A Boat&#8221; by Lyle Lovett playing in the background.</p><p>This is the first time we hear about the couple&#8217;s nicknames, with Boyd joking during the car ride that iron is &#8220;rigid and doesn&#8217;t know when to bend.&#8221;</p><p>In hindsight, this may speak to why she was targeted by the town, chipping away at her iron knowing she would break rather than become flexible or malleable to the reality of her surroundings.</p><div class="pullquote"><p><em>&#8220;I was just thinking about this dream I had when I was a little girl.&#8221;</em></p></div><p>As we continue to see Boyd haunted by her memory more and more in the current season, we have to ask just two questions:</p><ul><li><p>Are the events a warning from Abby?</p></li><li><p>Which one of the people will succumb to her fate?</p></li></ul><p>The biggest part of Abby&#8217;s storyline is that the town is just a dream. Prior to her death, Ellis mentioned her mental decline and her behavior, but while Boyd was busy being Mr. Fish and Loaves, Abby&#8217;s iron began to break.</p><p>As we learn time and time again<em>, FROM </em>never does anything by accident, and Abby&#8217;s looming presence is anything but.</p><p>The biggest connection with her presence, however, doesn&#8217;t connect to Boyd, but to Tabitha. </p><p>When Ellis catches her in a daze, he asks if she&#8217;s okay, and she talks about a dream she had as a little girl&#8212;a dream that Tabitha has had her entire life that speaks to the connection to this place.</p><p>This also correlates to Julie&#8217;s hypothesis that this world seeps and leaks into the real one, causing people to dream of an impossible place just to be trapped within their own nightmarish imagination at a later time.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ePI_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd1975fa7-39bb-476a-be1e-881a25568237_1280x629.webp" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ePI_!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd1975fa7-39bb-476a-be1e-881a25568237_1280x629.webp 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ePI_!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd1975fa7-39bb-476a-be1e-881a25568237_1280x629.webp 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ePI_!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd1975fa7-39bb-476a-be1e-881a25568237_1280x629.webp 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ePI_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd1975fa7-39bb-476a-be1e-881a25568237_1280x629.webp 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ePI_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd1975fa7-39bb-476a-be1e-881a25568237_1280x629.webp" width="1280" height="629" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ePI_!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd1975fa7-39bb-476a-be1e-881a25568237_1280x629.webp 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ePI_!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd1975fa7-39bb-476a-be1e-881a25568237_1280x629.webp 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ePI_!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd1975fa7-39bb-476a-be1e-881a25568237_1280x629.webp 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ePI_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd1975fa7-39bb-476a-be1e-881a25568237_1280x629.webp 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div class="pullquote"><p>&#8220;The only way to go home is to wake everyone up.&#8221;</p></div><p>What makes Abby&#8217;s storyline so crucial is that her fate is not an isolated occurrence.</p><p>If we allow ourselves to believe Julie&#8217;s story-walking theory about the town being the point of origin that bleeds into the real world, then Abby&#8217;s claim that &#8220;things will be fine when we wake up&#8221; is an idea that sparks the beginning of something far more sinister and dangerous for everyone in town.</p><p>And if that belief spreads, infecting the minds of other townspeople, the outcome could be catastrophic.</p><p>At this point, everything is a giant question mark as we wonder how long it will take for Boyd to recognize the signs or if the town will keep him too off-kilter to notice&#8212;just like the wolf that kept him from getting back to Abby in time. </p><p>As we head into the mid-season finale, the question is no longer whether the town can break even the strongest of individuals, but how long before the town finds the next piece of iron to break? </p><p>If Abby&#8217;s strategic haunting means history repeating itself, Boyd may already be out of time to stop it once again.</p><p><em>Stream all episodes now on MGM+ or with your Prime Video subscription add-on. Check out the promo for Episode 5, &#8220;What a Long Strange Trip It&#8217;s Been,&#8221; below.</em></p><div><hr></div><h4>Related Content</h4><ul><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/from-season-4-episode-3-merrily-we">FROM Season 4 Episode 3 Breakdown&#8212;Fatima and Elgin&#8217;s Storyline Takes Shape</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/from-season-4-episode-1-sophia-reveal">FROM Season 4 Episode 1&#8212;Sophia is the Man In Yellow</a></em></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p></p><div id="youtube2-oSGG-BO8CSo" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;oSGG-BO8CSo&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/oSGG-BO8CSo?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA['FROM' Season 4 Episode 3 "Merrily We Go" Breakdown—Fatima and Elgin's Storyline Takes Shape ]]></title><description><![CDATA[FROM Season 4 Episode 3 &#8220;Merrily We Go&#8221; may not have been the episode people wanted, but it was the filler episode that was desperately needed to drive the narrative forward.]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/from-season-4-episode-3-merrily-we</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/from-season-4-episode-3-merrily-we</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2026 14:19:38 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!krFb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ec226a4-019c-4895-8bf9-619960f07dcb_1280x720.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!krFb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ec226a4-019c-4895-8bf9-619960f07dcb_1280x720.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!krFb!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ec226a4-019c-4895-8bf9-619960f07dcb_1280x720.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!krFb!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ec226a4-019c-4895-8bf9-619960f07dcb_1280x720.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!krFb!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ec226a4-019c-4895-8bf9-619960f07dcb_1280x720.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!krFb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ec226a4-019c-4895-8bf9-619960f07dcb_1280x720.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!krFb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ec226a4-019c-4895-8bf9-619960f07dcb_1280x720.jpeg" width="1280" height="720" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1ec226a4-019c-4895-8bf9-619960f07dcb_1280x720.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:139794,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/i/196901514?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ec226a4-019c-4895-8bf9-619960f07dcb_1280x720.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!krFb!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ec226a4-019c-4895-8bf9-619960f07dcb_1280x720.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!krFb!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ec226a4-019c-4895-8bf9-619960f07dcb_1280x720.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!krFb!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ec226a4-019c-4895-8bf9-619960f07dcb_1280x720.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!krFb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ec226a4-019c-4895-8bf9-619960f07dcb_1280x720.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Amazon MGM Studios</figcaption></figure></div><p><em><strong>FROM </strong></em><strong>Season 4 Episode 3 &#8220;Merrily We Go&#8221; </strong>may not have been the episode people wanted, but it was the filler episode that was desperately needed to drive the narrative forward.</p><p>For 3 seasons, fans have wondered about Fatima and Elgin&#8217;s purpose within the series, many believing that their convergence with the alien pregnancy is a throwaway plot to add to the chaos and confusion of the series.</p><p>But as the writers of <em>FROM </em>continue to prove that nothing is done absentmindedly, the framing of the story now widens its lens to the periphery for the audience to see just how Elgin and Fatima fit into the saving&#8212;or the destruction&#8212;of the townspeople.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RP1E!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fefe6953a-badc-42ba-869e-86382a9c8fbc_1919x1079.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RP1E!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fefe6953a-badc-42ba-869e-86382a9c8fbc_1919x1079.png 424w, 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RP1E!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fefe6953a-badc-42ba-869e-86382a9c8fbc_1919x1079.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RP1E!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fefe6953a-badc-42ba-869e-86382a9c8fbc_1919x1079.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RP1E!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fefe6953a-badc-42ba-869e-86382a9c8fbc_1919x1079.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!RP1E!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fefe6953a-badc-42ba-869e-86382a9c8fbc_1919x1079.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Last season Elgin kidnapped Fatima at the encouragement of the Kimono Lady under the false promise of freedom. In this, Fatima&#8217;s infertility was used as a weapon against her&#8212;the baby being seen as a &#8220;miracle&#8221; while Fatima&#8217;s mental stability devolved under the weight of her monstrous cravings.</p><p>At the start of this season, we find out that she gave birth to the only monster that was killed by Boyd, sparking a new frenzy among those who know&#8212;the monsters cannot be killed.</p><p>In &#8220;Merrily We Go,&#8221; Fatima looks to Elgin to bury the hatchet, understanding that the town makes good people do horrible things. In this truce, she enlists him to assist her with a task.</p><p>On the surface, it appears as if this is a project of her own volition, not influenced by voices or postpartum monster-baby depression. Taking this at face value, the audience asks:</p><p><strong>What is Fatima doing in Colony House, and how does Elgin fit into the puzzle?</strong></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0NE_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F29fb65e8-1923-4dbb-a5ac-b2d9cd0edf3e_1024x683.webp" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0NE_!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F29fb65e8-1923-4dbb-a5ac-b2d9cd0edf3e_1024x683.webp 424w, 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!v-ja!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70a56e7d-8a4a-4e89-a13b-fd7ed099ec18_700x394.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!v-ja!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70a56e7d-8a4a-4e89-a13b-fd7ed099ec18_700x394.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!v-ja!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70a56e7d-8a4a-4e89-a13b-fd7ed099ec18_700x394.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!v-ja!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70a56e7d-8a4a-4e89-a13b-fd7ed099ec18_700x394.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div class="pullquote"><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a great start, but I think we&#8217;re going to need a little bit more.&#8221; </p></div><p>When we first met Fatima, we learned that she is an artist and her passion is in creation. The final scene with her and Elgin shows him shoveling a mound of dirt into the center of her art room.</p><p>One could guess that she&#8217;s going to make something. But this leaves fans with many questions:</p><ul><li><p>What could Fatima possibly create that would benefit the people?</p></li><li><p>Is she experiencing an aftereffect of her pregnancy?</p></li><li><p>How does Elgin fit into her plans?</p></li></ul><p>It is not a coincidence that she enlisted Elgin for her secret task. Their haunting by the monsters connects them in a way that is different than every other character pair on the show.</p><p>In other words, they are unlikely.</p><p>As the terror ensues and the monsters fight back with a frenzy they&#8217;ve never experienced, each character must move differently&#8212;make different choices, entertain nonsensical theories, and take greater risks for the ultimate reward of freedom.</p><p><em><strong>FROM </strong></em><strong>Season 4 Episode 4, &#8220;Of Myths and Monsters,&#8221; will be available to stream on MGM+ and with your subscription add-on with Prime Video Sunday, May 10, at 3 a.m. ET. </strong></p><p>The cast will be live-tweeting every episode on <strong>Sundays at 9 p.m. ET</strong>. Don&#8217;t miss out on the fun. <em>Check out the trailer for &#8220;Of Myths and Monsters&#8221; below.</em></p><div><hr></div><h4>Related Content</h4><ul><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/from-season-4-episode-1-sophia-reveal?r=4cek9u&amp;utm_campaign=post&amp;utm_medium=web">FROM Season 4&#8212;Do The Talisman&#8217;s Really Work?</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/from-season-4-review-mgms-psychological">FROM Season 4 Scores 100% on Rotten Tomatoes</a></em></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/from-season-4-episode-3-merrily-we?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/from-season-4-episode-3-merrily-we?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><p></p><div id="youtube2-W3mg66o1Zhc" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;W3mg66o1Zhc&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/W3mg66o1Zhc?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA['Imperfect Women' Finale Breakdown—One of the Best Book Adaptations of the Century]]></title><description><![CDATA[The characters may be imperfect but the cast delivers astonishing performances]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/imperfect-women-finale-breakdownone</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/imperfect-women-finale-breakdownone</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:37:35 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ld6x!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3c744ea-9b9b-44eb-accb-51648f17809d_3840x2160.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ld6x!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3c744ea-9b9b-44eb-accb-51648f17809d_3840x2160.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ld6x!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3c744ea-9b9b-44eb-accb-51648f17809d_3840x2160.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ld6x!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3c744ea-9b9b-44eb-accb-51648f17809d_3840x2160.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ld6x!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3c744ea-9b9b-44eb-accb-51648f17809d_3840x2160.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Kerry Washington | Kate Mara | Elisabeth Moss |Apple TV</figcaption></figure></div><p><em><strong>Imperfect Women</strong></em><strong> is one of the best television adaptations in existence.</strong></p><h4><strong>[SPOILER LIGHT]</strong></h4><p>The show, adapted from the best-selling novel of the same name by <strong>Araminta Hall</strong>, takes a psychological thriller about three women&#8212;best friend&#8217;s Nancy (<strong>Kate Mara</strong>), Eleanor (<strong>Kerry Washington</strong>), and Mary (<strong>Elisabeth Moss</strong>)&#8212;and turns it into a masterclass of deception, perception, and loyalty.</p><p>While the explosive and revealing finale rattled fans everywhere, it&#8217;s the performances that cement the impact of the series.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5ab0ebcb-6198-485f-aaf5-59e6d42c052a_3840x2160.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a8cff7bf-21eb-40da-be47-8e80288e2918_3840x2160.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f1a26074-8a44-422c-ad78-2d50afef70fb_3840x2160.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/25e2f184-d2a1-4950-ba4b-dcc55bd66e8e_3840x2160.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Apple TV&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e5302262-ca53-4b57-b656-80600d3fde11_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>What Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss, and Kate Mara crafted as Eleanor, Mary, and Nancy&#8212;best friends of 25 years&#8212;is nothing short of remarkable.</p><p>From the very beginning, you immediately feel that Mary and Eleanor love Nancy, quickly excluding them from the list of suspects by episode 2. However, the intricacies of their delicate relationship unravel in ways that forces the audience to confront the gray lines of morality, backstabbing, and boundaries within friendships.</p><p>For decades, the women circled in one another&#8217;s orbit&#8212;learning each other&#8217;s deepest secrets, most painful scars, and brightest dreams. But as each episode brings you into the psyche of the women, who they are outside of one another&#8217;s gravitational pull, we find that the secrets are far darker and more harmful than we know&#8212;to themselves and to one another.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ad371722-37de-433c-b02c-aca916c3545b_3840x2160.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9d5e7f22-f85e-4467-8664-8d799ba79465_3840x2160.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/080ddb66-bc38-4550-921d-bdb38b65962f_3840x2160.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/43fe9c3f-6046-4cc8-96cc-ac522708ad61_3840x2160.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Apple TV&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1e8ed995-e98c-4223-b52d-895907050ea9_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><div class="pullquote"><p>&#8220;He&#8217;s more insidious than that.&#8221;</p></div><p>As the events of episode 5-8 play out, Howard (<strong>Corey Stoll</strong>)&#8212;Mary&#8217;s husband&#8212;stands out in a chilling performance of power, narcissism, and victim. Howard&#8217;s rise from &#8220;that&#8217;s just my best friend&#8217;s husband&#8221; to the insidious monster he actually is shows just how perfectly crafted the writing is for Imperfect Women.</p><p>In a dramatic and horrific shift, the series opens the audience&#8217;s periphery, highlighting the blind spots we have in our daily lives to the people we love the most&#8212;ultimately impacting how we make decisions and people&#8217;s perception of us, even when their contemptible actions are not our own.</p><p>Howard&#8217;s revelation proves how society continues to see a woman&#8217;s value and perfection in the eyes, the actions, successes, and failures of her husband. For Mary, this ebb and flow, the rollercoaster of their marriage, shows the heinous ride she&#8217;s been unable to disembark for over a decade. </p><p>The chemistry between Elisabeth and Corey make the finale worth it as the narrative takes a deadly turn&#8212;exposing Howard for who he is and the control he&#8217;s carefully constructed during the course of their marriage. </p><p>But in that deadly turn comes something exceptional:</p><p>Mary&#8217;s imperfection becomes her superpower.</p><p>The very insecurities that cripples her undergoes a metamorphosis within her core through the sheer determination of a mother and a best friend&#8212;one who knows there is nothing she won&#8217;t do for the people she loves, even at the sacrifice of her own self.</p><div><hr></div><h4>Related Content</h4><ul><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/imperfect-women-apple-tv-review?utm_source=publication-search">Imperfect Women Apple TV Review</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/that-night-netflix-review-one-family">That Night Netflix Review</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/56-days-on-prime-video-turns-a-meet">56 Days Prime Video Review</a></em></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h4>Final Thoughts</h4><p><em>Imperfect Women</em> shatters the rose-colored lenses of friendship, leaving the fragments of perfection and duty in its wake to make way for truth, vulnerability, and forgiveness.</p><p>All 8 episodes are available to stream now only on Apple TV. <em>Check out the trailer below.</em></p><div id="youtube2-TKEPv8FBeSw" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;TKEPv8FBeSw&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/TKEPv8FBeSw?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.<a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a></p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA['The Pitt' Season 2 Episode 15 "9:00pm" Breakdown—Burnout & Survival [SPOILER]]]></title><description><![CDATA[The finale explores the hard truth of provider burnout, uncertainty, and the cost of perfection]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/the-pitt-season-2-episode-15-900pm</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/the-pitt-season-2-episode-15-900pm</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 02:00:51 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6cxt!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe48b7395-839e-45b4-9aae-87052920a48f_1920x1280.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6cxt!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe48b7395-839e-45b4-9aae-87052920a48f_1920x1280.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6cxt!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe48b7395-839e-45b4-9aae-87052920a48f_1920x1280.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6cxt!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe48b7395-839e-45b4-9aae-87052920a48f_1920x1280.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6cxt!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe48b7395-839e-45b4-9aae-87052920a48f_1920x1280.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6cxt!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe48b7395-839e-45b4-9aae-87052920a48f_1920x1280.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6cxt!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe48b7395-839e-45b4-9aae-87052920a48f_1920x1280.jpeg" width="1456" height="971" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6cxt!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe48b7395-839e-45b4-9aae-87052920a48f_1920x1280.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6cxt!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe48b7395-839e-45b4-9aae-87052920a48f_1920x1280.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6cxt!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe48b7395-839e-45b4-9aae-87052920a48f_1920x1280.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6cxt!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe48b7395-839e-45b4-9aae-87052920a48f_1920x1280.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Sepideh Moafi | HBO</figcaption></figure></div><p><strong>Tonight, April 16, the Season 2 finale of The Pitt, &#8220;9:00pm,&#8221; aired, leaving us in a state of reflection that forces us to confront our own extremely crippling self-imposed high expectations.</strong></p><p>We open with Robby speaking with Dr. Al-Hashimi about her epilepsy&#8212;specifically focal impaired awareness seizures (FIAS)&#8212;when she reveals she&#8217;s had two during the shift, triggered by pediatric cases. She continues to work, but Dr. Robby gives her an ultimatum: either report her condition on her own to the medical board or he will.</p><p>Al-Hashimi fights back and brings Robby&#8217;s decision about Langdon into the fight, but he reminds her he made him leave to get help and he just wants her to get help. This conversation weighs heavily on her by the end of the shift, signaled by her breakdown in her car on the way home.</p><p>What does this mean for her next season if Robby truly does go away? Will she be capable of leading the busy department, or will they be led by someone else too prideful to admit they are not perfect?</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/aef5da52-dd21-4dcf-a117-4f058764bd68_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/61a8f164-0e76-4e60-a8d3-f16fa20a463b_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c68796e9-8525-4f34-a35f-2dcfd73ff14d_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7f5a1daa-d157-4974-a7ec-937065c1dafc_1920x1403.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6e91ea5f-d1bf-49e0-b2bb-47eef5516355_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Sepideh Moafi | Shawn Hatosy | Noah Wyle | Nicole Wolf | Ayesha Harris | Amber Martinez | HBO&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1f0338c4-0b99-4f05-aa18-7320dc6267a3_1456x1210.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>Dr. Abbott Calls Dr. Robby Out</h4><div class="pullquote"><p><em>&#8220;Nothing will ever matter more than what I&#8217;ve done in this hospital&#8221;</em></p></div><p>The night shift, affectionately known as The Night Crawlers, are in full swing as Dr. Abbott prepares to take over the chaotic events of the day&#8212;but also blows Robby&#8217;s fa&#231;ade about a &#8220;long trip&#8221; wide open, asking directly if he plans on hurting himself.</p><p>In true Robby form, he deflects, minimizes, shifts blame, and throws himself back into work.</p><p>One thing that stands out about Dr. Robby&#8212;and his back and forth with Dr. Abbot&#8212;as we close out the shift is his willingness to to pour into others from a cup that is long dry. </p><p>It&#8217;s clear that he cares about the department, the well-being of the staff (even if he is abrasive and rude at times), and his total dedication to patients is admirable, but this high performance and level of excellence he assigns to himself comes at the cost of his sanity and, as we&#8217;ve circled the entire season, his life.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/fd8abc40-3fe5-419a-b124-052d1e19c69e_1920x1391.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4271e013-ff8a-4a3d-b6b9-c71b199a71e9_1920x1377.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f9a630a6-767a-4269-81a1-b62c23fe193a_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a8e6dfa9-1610-4a42-97ad-0b39f3b25dc6_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Isa Briones | Gerran Howell | Noah Wyle | Shabana Azeez | Taylor Dearden | Patrick Ball | HBO&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/12646f2e-e13d-4a17-83a1-7987ab433f92_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>Decisions and Purpose</h4><p>For the residents, however, the end of the shift forces them to have a real conversation about the future of their careers in medicine. </p><p>Whitaker speaks to Javadi about her plan when she fires off a list of everyone they work with who&#8217;s been mentally impacted by the grind and total demand of <em>The Pitt</em>. He offers a solution to another side of medicine that she didn&#8217;t consider: mental health.</p><p>This is a solution that she brings to Robby that he seemingly supports (what her mother will have to say about it is a Season 3 issue&#8230;)</p><p>And in the finale, it&#8217;s smart to have one of the residents shift focus from the explicit medical emergencies to the ones hidden that, left untreated, manifest into dangerous and life threatening events.</p><p>Knowing how often doctors neglect their own health for the sake of the Hippocratic Oath, Whitaker&#8217;s suggestion to Javadi shows both his compassion for all forms of medicine and a commitment to his friend.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ce7d3650-7c00-4f50-bed9-1efb6bed113d_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f24d23a2-b182-48ba-8faf-3db7ad61bb78_1920x1322.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Supriyah Ganesh | Noah Wyle | Patrick Ball | HBO&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/df981ae1-821f-454d-9120-3df644afe7fa_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>Reconciliation Within Confrontation</h4><p>As for Dr. Mohan&#8217;s transition to geriatrics, she and Robby have a moment of reflection that is overdue since his insensitive approach to her panic attack.</p><p>While their relationship was mostly strained this season, this conversation feels like one that was necessary&#8212;more for Robby than Mohan, telling him he can still have the life he imagined even if the path to get it is one he didn&#8217;t foresee.</p><p>But something all viewers did see coming is the confrontation between Dr. Langdon and Robby, after an entire shift of Robby avoiding him like the plague.</p><p>This led to one of the most revealing moments about Dr. Robby&#8217;s behavior this season, and the motivation behind it. And though Robby managed to escape the real conversations with Abbott, Al-Hashimi, and Dana, this was one he no longer avoided, almost welcomed it.</p><p>Langdon takes the opportunity to be vulnerable and honest about his own steps to recovery and healing, while opening Robby to his hypocritical and harsh reality: </p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;How can any of us live up to your standards if you can&#8217;t even do it?&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p>This conversation leads to Dr. Robby tending to baby Jane Doe. </p><p>In Robby&#8217;s most heartbreaking scene, Langdon&#8217;s words vibrate within him, cracking him wide open as he admits a deep pain to the only person incapable of judging him&#8212;he was abandoned as a child too.</p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;But I got through all of that and so will you.&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p>His whispered confession feels like a conversation that was long overdue&#8212;one that he needed to have with himself, and one that gives audiences hope that he will do the hard thing by asking for help.</p><div><hr></div><h4>Related Coverage</h4><ul><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/hbos-the-pitt-season-3-updatesupriya?utm_source=publication-search">Supriya Ganesh Exits The Pitt</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/the-pitt-season-2-hbos-award-winning?utm_source=publication-search">The Pitt Season 2 Review &#8212; HBO&#8217;s Award-Winning Medical Drama</a></em></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h4>Final Thoughts</h4><p>The greatest theme that took shape beautifully throughout Season 2 is identity&#8212;from choosing electives to get that coveted <em>&#8220;-ist&#8221;</em> behind the name to realizing there is more to life than a title assigned to you by others and by yourself.</p><p>As everyone hides behind lies and their projected illusions in order to convince others they are okay, <em>The Pitt</em> still manages to slice through the deception like a careful and highly skilled surgeon.</p><p>However, the season closes on a cathartic note&#8212;literally&#8212; with Santos and Mel singing Alanis Morissette&#8217;s <em>&#8220;You Oughta Know&#8221;</em> off key at a karaoke bar; throwing away the worries of the day and allowing themselves to be ridiculous, vulnerable, and carefree&#8212;the perfect ending to an emotionally shattering season.</p><p><em>Stream the entire season of The Pitt on HBO Max.</em></p><div id="youtube2-SZQmqF3mNvg" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;SZQmqF3mNvg&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/SZQmqF3mNvg?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.<a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a></p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA['DTF St. Louis' Finale Recap & Review—“No One’s Normal. It Just Looks That Way From Across the Street”]]></title><description><![CDATA[HBO delivers one of the most heartbreaking endings in TV history]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dtf-st-louis-finale-recap-and-reviewno</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dtf-st-louis-finale-recap-and-reviewno</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:03:16 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lbG5!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F843dbece-768e-482e-9fab-e4f6f24dbc26_1920x1280.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" 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class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">David Harbour | Photo Credit: Tina Rowden/HBO</figcaption></figure></div><p><em><strong>DTF St. Louis</strong></em><strong> closes out its limited series run with Episode 7, delivering a finale that answers its biggest question while leaving something far heavier behind.</strong></p><p>In the thick of the investigation, Homer is trying to get the identity of Tiger Tiger from Clark, but to no avail. Carol is still playing the &#8220;I can&#8217;t hear you&#8221; game with Jodie whenever questioned about the day of Floyd&#8217;s death, and Jodie, like Homer, is running out of niceties and patience.</p><p>As things get shadier (and weirder) by every admission, the more Homer and Jodie believe they can prove both Carol&#8217;s and Clark&#8217;s innocence.</p><p>Kevin Van Der Lonse (<strong>Perfetti</strong>) is brought in for questioning; his identity revealed as Tiger Tiger&#8212;hired by Clark to pretend to be Tiger Tiger and meet up with Floyd. However, Kevin never approached Floyd because he wasn&#8217;t into what he looked like, so he left. But even Kevin asks why Floyd still went to the pools if he called off the meeting.</p><p>The biggest question of the episode&#8212;and the series: </p><p><em><strong>What, or who, got Floyd to the pools?</strong></em></p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/521b075c-0596-4078-a239-84202648fb73_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/dc9e5059-600a-4b7c-8936-3848048bb084_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ead672d3-7f1a-4579-b68a-8a9cbd6fdb05_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8c837f8a-cdcc-45b7-a8ad-d55611297331_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;HBO&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8361d0b0-3f1c-411b-89a8-85db623eec00_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>A Friendship With A Hint of Something More</h4><p>In more flashbacks, we get a better feel for Clark&#8217;s feelings toward Floyd, and they are ones of admiration and adoration, if not even a little bit of envy, telling him, <em>&#8220;I&#8217;m just a face. You&#8217;re a heart.&#8221;</em> But as Clark wallows in self-pity, Floyd tells him his sign name is <em>&#8220;Sunshine,&#8221;</em> to which Clark replies he&#8217;s a <em>&#8220;Bitchin&#8217; Heart of Gold.&#8221; </em></p><p>This exchange in ASL speaks to their inability to say the hard thing, the vulnerable thing, out loud but they found a secret other thing that helps them resolve heavy feelings within themselves.</p><p>And it is during this conversation that Clark suggests Floyd go to the pools where a surprise will await him&#8212;a moment in the finale that begins to answer questions we&#8217;ve had since Episode 1, coloring in the full picture of Floyd&#8217;s final moments.</p><p>Meanwhile Carol is completely off the suspect list, with Queece (<strong>Asher Miles Fallica</strong>) confirming she was on her couch asleep when he was delivering papers to her house, and Jodie reveals her sealed conviction when she was a minor (stealing toilet paper for her family)&#8212;to which Homer asks, &#8220;did we just team up to not convict a killer?&#8221;</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8c1c7f67-2a3c-44e2-83d1-ed2876b1963d_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5dcb595b-c3f0-422f-b256-b817c631cd6d_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;HBO&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a1866a24-3f5b-4aa7-97a4-c1cece8c6c16_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>Homer breaks the news to Clark that he&#8217;s a free man, but things don&#8217;t feel quite right in his response. Clark then reveals, to everyone&#8217;s astonishment, that he was the man on the tri-bike who went up to the pools.</p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;I wanted to give him something I thought he needed.&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p>Here is where the melancholy that&#8217;s felt all series long bursts&#8212;revealing itself to be something far sadder than anything we&#8217;ve uncovered so far.</p><p>Clark admits his complex &#8220;friendship feelings&#8221; to Floyd, telling him he admires him, feels safe with him, and loves him.</p><p>In a weird but necessary moment of affirmation and validation, they find themselves stripped bare both physically and emotionally, exposing parts of themselves they&#8217;ve kept hidden from everyone this entire time&#8212;orbiting each other&#8217;s gravitational pull until one pulls the other inside.</p><p>In the middle of this scene, Homer asks, <em>&#8220;What did you want to give him?&#8221;</em>, to which Clark answers:</p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;An arousal.&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><div><hr></div><h4>Related Coverage</h4><ul><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/hbos-dtf-st-louis-episode-1-review?utm_source=publication-search">DTF St. Louis Premiere Review</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/hbos-rooster-episode-1-analysis-heartbreak?utm_source=publication-search">Rooster Premiere Review</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/hbos-euphoria-season-3-trailer-reactionwelcome?utm_source=publication-search">Euphoria Trailer Reaction</a></em></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C1Wf!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb1d627a-2cbb-4fbe-97b7-9de8ccdd3a7a_1920x1280.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C1Wf!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb1d627a-2cbb-4fbe-97b7-9de8ccdd3a7a_1920x1280.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C1Wf!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb1d627a-2cbb-4fbe-97b7-9de8ccdd3a7a_1920x1280.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C1Wf!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb1d627a-2cbb-4fbe-97b7-9de8ccdd3a7a_1920x1280.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C1Wf!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb1d627a-2cbb-4fbe-97b7-9de8ccdd3a7a_1920x1280.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C1Wf!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb1d627a-2cbb-4fbe-97b7-9de8ccdd3a7a_1920x1280.jpeg" width="1456" height="971" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/cb1d627a-2cbb-4fbe-97b7-9de8ccdd3a7a_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:971,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:856001,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/i/194082317?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb1d627a-2cbb-4fbe-97b7-9de8ccdd3a7a_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C1Wf!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb1d627a-2cbb-4fbe-97b7-9de8ccdd3a7a_1920x1280.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C1Wf!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb1d627a-2cbb-4fbe-97b7-9de8ccdd3a7a_1920x1280.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C1Wf!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb1d627a-2cbb-4fbe-97b7-9de8ccdd3a7a_1920x1280.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C1Wf!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcb1d627a-2cbb-4fbe-97b7-9de8ccdd3a7a_1920x1280.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Arlan Ruf | HBO</figcaption></figure></div><h4>A Secret Discovered. A Life Shattered</h4><p>During this state of vulnerability and rawness, Richard (<strong>Arlan Ruf</strong>) is seen outside the window watching.</p><p>As Homer and Jodie release Clark, they go back to the footage to reconfirm his timeline events when they discover there were two different bikes seen in the monitors&#8212;the other belonging to Richard.</p><p>During the fragile interrogation, Richard goes over the events of the night and speaks with an undertone of anger and embarrassment.</p><p>He says Floyd didn&#8217;t get angry or upset at his outburst; he simply held up his fingers in a gesture that Richard interpreted as &#8220;rock on,&#8221; but Carol gently corrects him that it&#8217;s sign language for &#8220;I love you.&#8221; </p><p>It is in this moment both Carol and the detectives understand the gravity of what actually happened on that fateful night.</p><p>And when we finally see Floyd&#8217;s final moments&#8212;after all the suspects and assumptions&#8212;that devastating truth is confirmed.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/caefd198-9644-466c-a0ac-43d23d0b9c1f_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/70b42bc5-6b01-4918-956e-3cbd0d659d1c_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/070e0a9b-d475-4197-a0b9-a72cb13a9161_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/fe29438b-4892-418c-b696-f14ca6b9d520_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;HBO&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b5c3e46b-f291-4a00-9e4b-a1684f9eda73_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>Final Thoughts</h4><p>What this series culminates in for audiences is the depth of loneliness people sink to and the measures they take to climb out of that pool of despair: the lies they tell themselves, the lives they tell other people, and the truths they disperse incrementally within those tales.</p><p><em>DTF St. Louis</em> ends not as a traditional mystery, but as a reflection.</p><p>A reflection of loneliness, desire, and the quiet ways in which people are desperate to be seen.</p><p>And in the investigation answering the question of &#8220;who?&#8221;, we are left with something far more unsettling:</p><p><em><strong>Why?</strong></em></p><p><em>Stream DTF St. Louis now on HBO Max. Check out the finale preview below.</em></p><div id="youtube2-D0D1sv0MGIE" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;D0D1sv0MGIE&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/D0D1sv0MGIE?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.<a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a></p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA['Dark Winds' Season 4 Finale Explained— “Ni’ Hodisxǫs (The Glittering World)” Delivers A Beautiful Yet Devastating End [SPOILERS]]]></title><description><![CDATA[Joe faces his greatest opponent yet in an emotional and devastating conclusion]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dark-winds-season-4-finale-explained</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dark-winds-season-4-finale-explained</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 15:43:35 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!grwC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbb287f34-7084-44b6-9516-267f27a15454_4485x2990.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!grwC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbb287f34-7084-44b6-9516-267f27a15454_4485x2990.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!grwC!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbb287f34-7084-44b6-9516-267f27a15454_4485x2990.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!grwC!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbb287f34-7084-44b6-9516-267f27a15454_4485x2990.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!grwC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbb287f34-7084-44b6-9516-267f27a15454_4485x2990.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!grwC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbb287f34-7084-44b6-9516-267f27a15454_4485x2990.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!grwC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbb287f34-7084-44b6-9516-267f27a15454_4485x2990.jpeg" width="1456" height="971" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!grwC!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbb287f34-7084-44b6-9516-267f27a15454_4485x2990.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!grwC!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbb287f34-7084-44b6-9516-267f27a15454_4485x2990.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!grwC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbb287f34-7084-44b6-9516-267f27a15454_4485x2990.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!grwC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbb287f34-7084-44b6-9516-267f27a15454_4485x2990.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">AMC Networks</figcaption></figure></div><p><em><strong>Dark Winds</strong></em><strong> Season 4 Episode 8, &#8220;Ni&#8217; Hodisx&#491;s (The Glittering World),&#8221; is one of the most powerful finales in the series&#8217; history&#8212;delivering its most gut-wrenching finale yet, beautifully written by Max Hurwitz and Thomas Brady, and expertly directed by Erica Tremblay. </strong></p><p>From the moment the episode begins, we are thrust inside Irene&#8217;s warped machinations&#8212;a reality that exists and thrives on obsession, control, and delusion. This immediately sets a mood that is both disturbing and unsettling, turning Joe&#8217;s captivity into a psychological standoff embedded in a distorted world of intimacy.</p><p>Irene stages a family dinner that is something out of the film <em>Misery </em>(1990), forcing Joe and Billie to participate in a shattered version of reality that directly reflects how she processes love, family, and belonging. And in this unsettling scenario, the dark and twisted chemistry between McClarnon and Franka Potente shines the brightest&#8212;creating one of the most salacious hero/villain dynamics the series has explored yet. </p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/861dd064-16d4-4737-b92b-318d2383b774_5475x3650.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/98abf008-8be0-4588-9459-5d4fffca6cae_6185x4123.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0591d318-dff6-4b48-a742-31fc640c9749_6471x4314.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e993cb74-3fe0-43c3-8d61-63942a932aa4_6535x4357.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;AMC Networks&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a593c203-05df-45a3-b557-4f207fadaef4_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>Irene does not want Joe dead.</p><p>She wants him to submit.</p><p>Her psychosexual obsession, layered with a hyper-religious fixation on Navajo culture, creates a villain who is not only dangerous but deeply complex&#8212;mirroring Joe in strength, conviction, and purpose, just on the opposite end of morality and reality.</p><p>When escape attempts fail, Irene escalates.</p><p>Billie becomes leverage, and her pain is the only language Joe understands to keep him in line in order to bend to Irene&#8217;s will.</p><p>And Joe, faced with the unthinkable, shifts tactics&#8212;not through force, but through a level of raw vulnerability that pierces Irene at her core.</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;I&#8217;d give my life to make an offering to Mother Earth&#8230;just to sit down and eat breakfast just one more time&#8221;</p></blockquote><p>In this moment, Joe does something unexpected: he humanizes himself in front of someone who has stripped him of everything. And it works.</p><p>Even if only briefly, and when Irene suggests they make the offering together, he replies softly, intimately</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;you&#8217;d do that for me?&#8221;</p></blockquote><p>And she responds with the same softness but a resounding &#8220;yes.&#8221;</p><p>That quiet exchange becomes the turning point.</p><p>Not because Irene changes&#8212;but because Joe understands exactly how to move within her delusion.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9rSo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F36f9e0f9-6b25-4302-a2d2-064839e482e8_5073x3382.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9rSo!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F36f9e0f9-6b25-4302-a2d2-064839e482e8_5073x3382.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9rSo!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F36f9e0f9-6b25-4302-a2d2-064839e482e8_5073x3382.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9rSo!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F36f9e0f9-6b25-4302-a2d2-064839e482e8_5073x3382.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9rSo!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F36f9e0f9-6b25-4302-a2d2-064839e482e8_5073x3382.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9rSo!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F36f9e0f9-6b25-4302-a2d2-064839e482e8_5073x3382.jpeg" width="1456" height="971" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9rSo!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F36f9e0f9-6b25-4302-a2d2-064839e482e8_5073x3382.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9rSo!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F36f9e0f9-6b25-4302-a2d2-064839e482e8_5073x3382.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9rSo!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F36f9e0f9-6b25-4302-a2d2-064839e482e8_5073x3382.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9rSo!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F36f9e0f9-6b25-4302-a2d2-064839e482e8_5073x3382.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">AMC Networks</figcaption></figure></div><h4>Trial By Faith and By Fire</h4><p>The ritual scene is where everything converges&#8212;faith, language, identity, and survival.</p><p>Joe insists on speaking in Navajo, grounding the moment in truth while simultaneously using it as strategy. Beneath the surface, he communicates with Billie, turning a sacred act into a final attempt at escape.</p><p>And then&#8212;</p><p>Fire.</p><p>Explosion.</p><p>And a maniacal Irene who realizes she&#8217;s just been used.</p><p>When Joe finally gets the upper hand, the moment feels eerily dangerous as he is, once again, faced with ending his tormentor without anyone finding out. The weight of everything Irene has done&#8212;all of the lives she claimed&#8212;culminates in his hands around her throat.</p><p>And yet&#8212;</p><p>He stops.</p><p>Because Joe Leaphorn is still himself, understanding that violence begets a deeply spiritual disruption that claims more than it relieves.</p><p>In the end, he chooses law over vengeance.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9952515f-e168-4e16-9398-32af8b64e653_5299x3533.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e00f790d-a72f-4b75-8563-2a04deaf6758_5041x3361.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/10044192-d78e-49e5-9676-877de3961dd9_5149x3433.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/64dfb384-b1c2-4b57-8b29-473d3c844bc3_5624x3749.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;AMC Networks&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7c961930-0b81-4c91-8fd0-8de8d630de7e_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>The Ending is But The Start of Something New</h4><p>What follows is a quieter, more reflective unraveling of the season&#8217;s emotional core.</p><p>Joe&#8217;s visit to Dominic is not about closure&#8212;it&#8217;s about accountability. Naming him. Confronting him. Letting him know the cycle has been broken.</p><p>But the real healing begins elsewhere.</p><p>At Chee&#8217;s ceremony.</p><p>This moment brings everyone together&#8212;faith, forgiveness, and reconnection taking center stage. Relationships that have been strained all season begin to mend, particularly between Chee and Bernadette and between Joe and Emma.</p><p>Emma&#8217;s presence carries weight. Her honesty even more.</p><p>And when she asks Joe, <em>&#8220;Is this change for you or for me?,</em>&#8221; it lingers.</p><p>This single question reframes the entire season, as Joe&#8217;s pending decision is not just an idea or a mental musing&#8212;the time to decide is now.</p><p>Their goodbye is not an ending&#8212;it&#8217;s an understanding.</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;you always will be my family&#8221;</p></blockquote><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FTSx!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F68318083-d5ce-47b5-84e1-ecd3863d2274_5616x3744.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FTSx!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F68318083-d5ce-47b5-84e1-ecd3863d2274_5616x3744.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FTSx!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F68318083-d5ce-47b5-84e1-ecd3863d2274_5616x3744.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FTSx!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F68318083-d5ce-47b5-84e1-ecd3863d2274_5616x3744.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FTSx!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F68318083-d5ce-47b5-84e1-ecd3863d2274_5616x3744.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FTSx!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F68318083-d5ce-47b5-84e1-ecd3863d2274_5616x3744.jpeg" width="1456" height="971" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FTSx!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F68318083-d5ce-47b5-84e1-ecd3863d2274_5616x3744.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FTSx!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F68318083-d5ce-47b5-84e1-ecd3863d2274_5616x3744.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FTSx!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F68318083-d5ce-47b5-84e1-ecd3863d2274_5616x3744.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FTSx!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F68318083-d5ce-47b5-84e1-ecd3863d2274_5616x3744.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">AMC Networks</figcaption></figure></div><h4>When One Tragedy Ends, Another Follows</h4><p>Just as the episode allows space to breathe, hope begins to settle in.</p><p>Joe considers retirement. Chee looks toward a future. The team feels, for the first time in a long time, aligned.</p><p>Just as a sense of normalcy settles on the reserve, reality sets in to remind the audience of the show they&#8217;re watching.</p><p>Bernadette checks in to the station just as Joe receives harrowing news.</p><p>Gordo is murdered.</p><p>This sharp shift from healing to heartbreak is immediate and devastating, reinforcing what <em>Dark Winds</em> has always conveyed:</p><p>Peace does not come without consequence.</p><div><hr></div><h4>Related Coverage</h4><ul><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dark-winds-season-4-episode-7-recap">Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 7 Recap &#8212; &#8220;N&#225;niikai (We Came Back)&#8221;</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dark-winds-season-4-looks-like-the?utm_source=publication-search">Dark Winds Season 4 Trailer Reaction</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/amcs-the-audacity-trailer-reaction?utm_source=publication-search">AMC&#8217;s The Audacity Trailer Reaction</a></em></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h4>Final Thoughts</h4><p>This season was <strong>10 out of 10</strong>, delivering something emotional, healing, and cathartic, while setting up for a Season 5 that promises the sweetness of vengeance.</p><p>Season 4 proves just why <em>Dark Winds</em> is a series deserving of its 100% Rotten Tomatoes streak through compelling storytelling, cultural reverence, and powerful performances.</p><p>And it only gets better from here.</p><p><em>Stream the full season now on AMC+. Check out the trailer below.</em></p><div id="youtube2-5uHHHgDWe10" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;5uHHHgDWe10&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/5uHHHgDWe10?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA['Dark Winds' Season 4 Episode 7 Recap— “Nániikai (We Came Back)” Sets Up a Cataclysmic Finale]]></title><description><![CDATA[The season sets up a brutal finale as Irene&#8217;s obsession escalates and Joe becomes her next target.]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dark-winds-season-4-episode-7-recap</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dark-winds-season-4-episode-7-recap</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:42:01 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ve5_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd618dd20-af23-4b09-919e-ca42c03bc105_4313x2875.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ve5_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd618dd20-af23-4b09-919e-ca42c03bc105_4313x2875.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ve5_!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd618dd20-af23-4b09-919e-ca42c03bc105_4313x2875.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ve5_!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd618dd20-af23-4b09-919e-ca42c03bc105_4313x2875.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ve5_!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd618dd20-af23-4b09-919e-ca42c03bc105_4313x2875.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ve5_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd618dd20-af23-4b09-919e-ca42c03bc105_4313x2875.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ve5_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd618dd20-af23-4b09-919e-ca42c03bc105_4313x2875.jpeg" width="1456" height="971" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ve5_!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd618dd20-af23-4b09-919e-ca42c03bc105_4313x2875.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ve5_!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd618dd20-af23-4b09-919e-ca42c03bc105_4313x2875.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ve5_!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd618dd20-af23-4b09-919e-ca42c03bc105_4313x2875.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ve5_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd618dd20-af23-4b09-919e-ca42c03bc105_4313x2875.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Franka Potente/AMC Networks</figcaption></figure></div><h4>Faith, Obsession, and a Chase That Turns Personal</h4><p><em><strong>Dark Winds</strong></em><strong> Season 4 Episode 7&#8212;&#8220;N&#225;niikai (We Came Back)&#8221;&#8212;continues to escalate the danger, tension, and emotional stakes as the series heads into its finale.</strong></p><h3>[SPOILER] </h3><p>While Chee ignores his death hogan, or ghost sickness, that&#8217;s been haunting him&#8212;and the advice Emma gives for a cleansing ceremony&#8212;Joe frantically struggles to bring down Irene in this bloody cat-and-mouse chase.</p><p>The ending of Episode 6, &#8220;Sh&#237;k&#225; Nidanit&#225;h&#261;&#261; (Those Who Were Searching for Me),&#8221; catapults this chase into something emotionally vicious as Irene confronts Emma and tells her, "You abandoned him. You deserve to die.&#8221;</p><p>This moment didn&#8217;t end with Emma&#8217;s death, but it laid bare something much worse: the fear of Irene&#8217;s return.</p><div class="pullquote"><p>&#8220;She has other plans for me&#8221;&#8221;</p></div><p>Irene's unhinged psychosexual obsession with Joe and Navajo culture puts Joe in a situation where the killer doesn&#8217;t want him dead. She wants everyone and everything around him out of the picture so she can do what she pleases with him.</p><p>And in true<em> Dark Winds</em> fashion, this penultimate episode blows the entire storyline wide open&#8212;attacking the characters&#8217; relationships with faith, spirituality, romance, and loyalty.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/dd6e9d52-004a-48ee-91bc-5553f6c38058_4618x3079.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b18eb454-d7e1-4331-8056-7da64a6a9af4_5117x3411.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a9f9f05b-3f28-4494-82db-1b34f1659deb_5944x3963.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/bf580abb-4101-422a-8f9f-c5e647ef8555_6000x4000.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;AMC Networks&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/acd091ae-636c-4fe9-b52b-dcb8b12b21c7_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>Relationships Tested as the Truth Comes to Light</h4><p>One major moment comes when Billie returns home. But it wasn&#8217;t the emotional high as one would expect. Instead, it set off a series of events that make for a cataclysmic finale.</p><p>Billie&#8217;s kidnapping by Irene leads Joe to visit Dominic McNair (<strong>Titus Welliver</strong>)&#8212;an aging Nazi now suffering from early onset dementia&#8212;in prison to gain insight into Irene&#8217;s pattern of movements and violence. This visit creates more questions than answers, leaving Joe to go into the mind of a psychopath on his own.</p><p>Now, something that comes as a mild surprise (because, I mean, the writings were on the wall) is Irene&#8217;s difficult, yet necessary, decision to run over her grandfather. His constant disappointment and berating clashes with her obsessive ideologies, leading her to the only solution: he must no longer be alive.</p><p>While emotionally devastating yet exhilarating, he was perhaps the one person in her life keeping her connected to reality. Without him as an anchor, anyone and everyone is in grave danger.</p><div class="pullquote"><p>&#8220;I know who I&#8217;m getting involved with. I know.&#8221;</p></div><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d7d8def3-aa14-48d6-8ffe-53c7b2dd79fd_6527x4351.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/eab69f26-6093-4086-bae6-0b3952adc150_5241x3494.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;AMC Networks&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c5caf5e2-fd48-4555-b465-736ff8a131a0_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>In all of the danger, <strong>Kiowa Gordon</strong> delivers one of his most powerful performances yet as Chee opens up to Bernadette about the death of his mother and places blame upon himself for abandoning his Navajo heritage&#8212;refusing her request for him to take her back to the reservation during her final days.</p><p>This confession brings Chee and Bernie closer, solidifying their support for one another and removing the blockade that was slowly entering the relationship as he kept this haunting secret.</p><p>Simultaneously, Emma and Joe find themselves in a similar cocoon of confessions&#8212;Emma acknowledging that Joe is who he is not by choice but because it&#8217;s his calling. She reassures him that while she wants to maintain her life and independence, wherever he is will always be her home.</p><p>As we come upon the final moments of the episode, Bernadette reveals she knows where Leroy Gorman is, along with his true identity&#8212;she and Chee have already met him.</p><p>With Joe and Emma&#8217;s marital status in a better position now than at the start of the season, and Chee agreeing to have his cleansing ceremony along with his relationship strengthened with Bernie, the team is clear to make a move on Irene with renewed focus, vigor, and precision.</p><div><hr></div><h4>Related Coverage</h4><ul><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dark-winds-season-4-episode-6-preview?utm_source=publication-search">Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 6&#8212;&#8221;Sh&#237;k&#225; Nidanit&#225;h&#261;&#261; (Those Who Were Searching for Me)&#8221;</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dark-winds-season-4-looks-like-the?utm_source=publication-search">Dark Winds Season 4 Most Haunting Season Yet</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/amcs-dark-winds-season-4-premiere?utm_source=publication-search">Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 1 Recap and Breakdown</a></em></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Mi6H!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab29d934-8838-4716-a951-17a2f42d847d_5749x3833.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Mi6H!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab29d934-8838-4716-a951-17a2f42d847d_5749x3833.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Mi6H!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab29d934-8838-4716-a951-17a2f42d847d_5749x3833.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Mi6H!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab29d934-8838-4716-a951-17a2f42d847d_5749x3833.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Mi6H!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab29d934-8838-4716-a951-17a2f42d847d_5749x3833.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Mi6H!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab29d934-8838-4716-a951-17a2f42d847d_5749x3833.jpeg" width="1456" height="971" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Mi6H!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab29d934-8838-4716-a951-17a2f42d847d_5749x3833.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Mi6H!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab29d934-8838-4716-a951-17a2f42d847d_5749x3833.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Mi6H!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab29d934-8838-4716-a951-17a2f42d847d_5749x3833.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Mi6H!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab29d934-8838-4716-a951-17a2f42d847d_5749x3833.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Zahn McClarnon/AMC Networks</figcaption></figure></div><h4>Final Thoughts</h4><p>Just when you think the episode is ending on somewhat of a satisfying note with the investigation, suspicion turns toward Leroy as Joe prepares to take him to Flagship.</p><p>Just as Joe begins to put all the pieces together, Irene comes out and kidnaps him, with the help of &#8220;Leroy.&#8221;</p><p>All is then revealed: the real Leroy Gorman is dead, and the imposter will testify in his place to help McNair walk free.</p><p>As for Joe,</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;You&#8217;re mine now.&#8221;</p></blockquote><p>Tune in to the highly anticipated season finale <strong>Sunday, April 5</strong>, on <strong>AMC </strong>and <strong>AMC+</strong>.<em> </em></p><div id="youtube2-crbNc1jmpVI" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;crbNc1jmpVI&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/crbNc1jmpVI?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted.</em></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA['Paradise' Season 2 Finale Explained & What Episode 8 "Exodus" Means for Season 3 [SPOILER] ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Chaos, collapse, reunions, and the truth about Alex's identity]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/paradise-season-2-finale-explained</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/paradise-season-2-finale-explained</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:10:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f72V!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c4ddc87-3504-477d-aef9-5c5d37d3fe74_1200x630.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f72V!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c4ddc87-3504-477d-aef9-5c5d37d3fe74_1200x630.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f72V!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c4ddc87-3504-477d-aef9-5c5d37d3fe74_1200x630.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f72V!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c4ddc87-3504-477d-aef9-5c5d37d3fe74_1200x630.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f72V!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c4ddc87-3504-477d-aef9-5c5d37d3fe74_1200x630.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f72V!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c4ddc87-3504-477d-aef9-5c5d37d3fe74_1200x630.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f72V!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c4ddc87-3504-477d-aef9-5c5d37d3fe74_1200x630.jpeg" width="1200" height="630" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f72V!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c4ddc87-3504-477d-aef9-5c5d37d3fe74_1200x630.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f72V!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c4ddc87-3504-477d-aef9-5c5d37d3fe74_1200x630.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f72V!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c4ddc87-3504-477d-aef9-5c5d37d3fe74_1200x630.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f72V!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c4ddc87-3504-477d-aef9-5c5d37d3fe74_1200x630.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Hulu</figcaption></figure></div><p><em><strong>Paradise</strong></em><strong> Season 2 Episode 8, &#8220;Exodus,&#8221; delivers a finale packed with chaos, revelations, and just enough confusion to leave us questioning everything heading into Season 3.</strong></p><h3>[SPOILER ALERT]</h3><p>Monday, March 30, hailed in a chaotic finale from start to finish as <em>Paradise </em>Season 2 Episode 8, &#8220;Exodus,&#8221; launches viewers right back into a reactor meltdown.</p><p>Across the episode, tensions and panic are high as Gabrielle, on the heels of killing Jane, initiates the Exodus protocol of mass evacuation in order to save as many lives as possible. In the mayhem, Presley and Hadley are trapped in an elevator, Robinson is hurt from the initial reactor blast, Link and the team are blasting their way inside, and Sinatra is on a train ride back from her visit with Alex.</p><p>So, who is Alex?</p><p>The opening of the episode answers this question quickly. Alex is the AI computer built from Dylan&#8217;s application of his theoretical sciences that can predict future catastrophic events based on past data. We learn that Sinatra found out about his experiments and offered him a price for the technology and the machine (flashbacks of Billy seeking him out). However, we learn that Henry may not have sold this technology with Dylan&#8217;s consent. The details are a little hazy <em><strong>(we&#8217;ll get back to that)</strong></em>.</p><p>But what we do learn is that Alex doesn&#8217;t just compute prompts. She began to make predictions on events and scenarios that were never entered into her core, and she could also predict life and death expectancy of individuals, not just natural disasters. When Henry sees the magnitude of this type of power, his wanting to pull the plug results in his execution.</p><p>Hence, Dylan looking for Alex.</p><div><hr></div><h4>Related Coverage</h4><ul><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/paradise-season-2-episode-7-recap?utm_source=publication-search">Paradise Season 2 Episode 7 Recap &#8212; The Final Countdown</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/paradise-season-2-review-fear-power?utm_source=publication-search">Paradise Season 2 Review</a></em></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/avif&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/919bb608-24d5-4fa0-ab68-7c8a0bf74b06_1024x576.avif&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/avif&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4389cb6f-0699-4b7c-abef-7d10c4f6c601_1650x928.avif&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/avif&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2d1dd9e3-4eb8-45a1-9781-01ce57caf9c8_1600x900.avif&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/webp&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e1f73048-d9a7-41e4-97cd-764f545c30e1_752x440.webp&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Hulu&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0b38dd66-2619-431f-8286-c1d81c79dd2d_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>Where the Finale Stumbles Despite High Stakes</h4><p>Multiple questions were answered in the finale but there are still a few knocking at the front of our brains that seem to take the finale from an epic climax to something that kind of just&#8230;fizzles.</p><p>While the explosions were plenty and the stakes high for the lives of everyone living inside the bunker, the episode still felt like a rush to tie loose ends from Season 1 while ignoring some elements of the current Season in an attempt to frame Season 3 for the audience.</p><p>Using Cal in flashbacks to explain the future downfall of Sinatra&#8217;s bunker was an excellent decision to keep Season 1&#8217;s events in conversation. After all, we came into the series under the veil of false protection only to find that everything in their current existence was a lie. And while we received the well-earned reunion of the Collins family, everything in between felt muddled and contrived.</p><p>Gabrielle&#8217;s off-handed admission of killing Jane was the first eye squint. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn&#8217;t the most pressing issue at hand, but it was thrown out casually as if her presence and murders weren&#8217;t set up to be significant, all for her storyline to fall flat. The character was far more interesting and integral to so many chess pieces get her death failed to live up to the magnitude of her elusive yet dominating presence.</p><p>Sinatra barely reacted. Yes, she&#8217;s cold, but Jane&#8217;s death should have warranted something other than <em>&#8220;go save yourself.&#8221;</em></p><p>The second eye squint came during the scene where Xavier and Dylan finally come face-to-face and we see the visions they&#8217;ve been having that&#8217;s been causing altered brain patterns and nosebleeds. This moment was structured within the season as a huge clue, only to be met with<em> &#8220;what&#8217;s going on?&#8221; &#8220;I don&#8217;t know,&#8221;</em> then glossed over for the sake of Xavier urging everyone to put aside their differences and leave.</p><p>Because this framework wobbled during this pivotal moment, it made the reveal of Annie and Dylan&#8217;s daughter not as emotionally impactful as it should have been. It was rushed (albeit the entire bunker is caving in on itself) and the emotional pause the scene needed just failed to actually trap the audience within the gravity of the admission, especially after the powerful performance Shailene Woodley delivered with the character.</p><p>I get it. You may be thinking &#8220;well, everything had to happen fast. The entire place was imploding.&#8221; </p><p>Yes. </p><p>That is true. </p><p>But with the amount of character deaths and near deaths, the gasp and jaw-dropping reactions those moments deserved just weren&#8217;t there.</p><p>The final head scratch moment that solidified my overall thoughts about &#8220;Exodus&#8221; was Sinatra openly revealing to Dylan that he was her son. She&#8217;s been depressed for years because of this major loss, yet the moment that should have brought out more emotion from her was met with quiet resolve&#8212;as if he&#8217;d simply come home from an extended overseas trip rather than come back to life.</p><p>If any reunion was to be given the time to settle&#8212;and the moment for the audience to stop breathing&#8212;this was it. Instead, Sinatra simply succumbed to her fate, leaving Dylan with a potential truth that even he cannot comprehend.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NhEQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcfb3ea18-c095-48cd-9744-aba1b580bee9_1200x630.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NhEQ!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcfb3ea18-c095-48cd-9744-aba1b580bee9_1200x630.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NhEQ!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcfb3ea18-c095-48cd-9744-aba1b580bee9_1200x630.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NhEQ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcfb3ea18-c095-48cd-9744-aba1b580bee9_1200x630.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NhEQ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcfb3ea18-c095-48cd-9744-aba1b580bee9_1200x630.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NhEQ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcfb3ea18-c095-48cd-9744-aba1b580bee9_1200x630.jpeg" width="1200" height="630" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/cfb3ea18-c095-48cd-9744-aba1b580bee9_1200x630.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:630,&quot;width&quot;:1200,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:55251,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/i/192617541?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcfb3ea18-c095-48cd-9744-aba1b580bee9_1200x630.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NhEQ!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcfb3ea18-c095-48cd-9744-aba1b580bee9_1200x630.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NhEQ!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcfb3ea18-c095-48cd-9744-aba1b580bee9_1200x630.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NhEQ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcfb3ea18-c095-48cd-9744-aba1b580bee9_1200x630.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NhEQ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcfb3ea18-c095-48cd-9744-aba1b580bee9_1200x630.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Hulu</figcaption></figure></div><h4>What This Means for Season 3</h4><p>Now&#8212;getting back to Henry using Dylan&#8217;s technology with or without his consent&#8212;this leads to these moments being potential crumbs and a peak into what Season 3 may bring.</p><ul><li><p>What will be the fallout of Hadley and her dad learning her Dylan is alive? Sinatra believes this to be true&#8212;and it very well may be&#8212;but it hasn&#8217;t been confirmed at all.</p></li><li><p>Did Sinatra&#8217;s Dylan die and Link is some alternate version? Because why would he not recognize his own mother once he confronted her the first time?</p></li><li><p>If Link is an alternate Dylan, who built this AI that reset the timeline prior to Sinatra acquiring the technology of Alex?</p></li><li><p>Did Henry use Dylan to build Alex but sold it without his knowledge which is why Dylan wants it back?</p></li><li><p>And lastly, is Xavier now set up to be the new president?</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h4>Final Thoughts</h4><p>Given that each season explores different avenues of science fiction, Season 3 may very well be set up to lean deeper into the multi-dimensional existence by taking us back in time, before The Event ever occurred, in order to lead to a finale where Xavier and Dylan actually figure out to stop every disaster and death from happening in the first place.</p><p>If you haven&#8217;t watched the finale of <em>Paradise</em>, head on over to Hulu now.</p><div id="youtube2-W_Q7GDtsHmI" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;W_Q7GDtsHmI&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/W_Q7GDtsHmI?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.<a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a></p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[‘The Pitt’ Season 2 Episode 12 Recap: Everything Comes to a Head]]></title><description><![CDATA[Episode 12 of The Pitt pushes tensions to the edge as staff shortages, ICE presence, and internal conflict boil over]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/the-pitt-season-2-episode12-recap</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/the-pitt-season-2-episode12-recap</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 19:53:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LXlC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F40a22a8a-5f68-44ad-8250-7571ea6110b2_564x317.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LXlC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F40a22a8a-5f68-44ad-8250-7571ea6110b2_564x317.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LXlC!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F40a22a8a-5f68-44ad-8250-7571ea6110b2_564x317.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LXlC!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F40a22a8a-5f68-44ad-8250-7571ea6110b2_564x317.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LXlC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F40a22a8a-5f68-44ad-8250-7571ea6110b2_564x317.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LXlC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F40a22a8a-5f68-44ad-8250-7571ea6110b2_564x317.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LXlC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F40a22a8a-5f68-44ad-8250-7571ea6110b2_564x317.jpeg" width="564" height="317" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LXlC!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F40a22a8a-5f68-44ad-8250-7571ea6110b2_564x317.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LXlC!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F40a22a8a-5f68-44ad-8250-7571ea6110b2_564x317.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LXlC!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F40a22a8a-5f68-44ad-8250-7571ea6110b2_564x317.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LXlC!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F40a22a8a-5f68-44ad-8250-7571ea6110b2_564x317.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">HBO Max</figcaption></figure></div><h4>Chaos at 6:00pm &#8212; When the Shift Breaks Everyone</h4><p>Episode 12 of <em>The Pitt</em> arrives at 6:00pm and immediately reminds us that the final stretch of a shift is anything but relief.</p><p>For anyone who&#8217;s ever worked in emergency medicine or trauma centers, you know that the final four hours feel like being pulverized by every fire hydrant in the city rather than a relief of pressure and stress of the day.</p><p>On the heels of an extremely triggering episode&#8212;how ICE not only impacts families, but their intimidation and impact on medical treatment and the first responders as well&#8212;we come into the final quarter hours of the shift.</p><p>At 5:00pm, Jesse stepped in to protect a patient and got detained by ICE. Immediately, 6:00pm becomes a dreadful shift as ICE&#8217;s presence and actions have now diminished the presence of staff members in the entire hospital as well as scared off patients who refused care and fled due to fear of being unlawfully detained.</p><p>But we also jump head first into a patient waking up from sedation and violently assaulting Emma, keeping the attention on the lack of security in oversized and understaffed hospitals and the inadequate safety protocols for the staff.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/788be709-80da-496e-9759-653fe02e368d_564x317.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6885bfa6-6b50-4823-80d8-735bbca2fac0_564x317.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/933444a0-af08-45b6-844f-9dca501cde6d_564x317.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b7ed3046-73b6-4659-806e-6b9a0d213bf4_564x317.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;HBO Max&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e5b4bb53-4b43-40df-8c67-ac11b0678a52_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>Fractures Within the System &#8212; Robby vs Everyone</h4><p>How Robby chooses to handle Emma&#8217;s assault  versus Dana standing her ground behind her nurses sets up a barrier between the friends&#8212;Robby&#8217;s approach of &#8220;getting back on the horse&#8221; by stuffing personal feelings down versus Dana&#8217;s approach to protecting the staff above all else when it comes to patient violence against first responders.</p><p>For 2 seasons, we have seen Dana stand by Robby&#8217;s side, even when he was wrong both objectively and morally. Now, the head doctor and the charge nurse are on opposing sides when it comes to this situation. However, for Robby, this seems to stem from a core values issue, especially when it comes to women in the workplace. This is further highlighted when Robby continues to question Dana about the situation and she tells him:</p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;anyone else stops an assault they&#8217;re a hero, but a nurse does it, and we&#8217;re punished.&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p>This begs the question here at <em>So There&#8217;s That</em>: is it extreme arrogance or sexism?</p><p>When Dr. Al-Hashimi finally learns about the friction between Langdon and Santos&#8212;during a confrontation with Robby&#8212;his phrasing only adds to the feelings of sexism.</p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;Santos is responsible for revealing Langdon&#8217;s benzo addiction.&#8221; </em></p></blockquote><p>There is no responsibility assigned to Langdon for not only being an addict but also a thief and a liar. Robby&#8217; words further ostracize Santos in the situation, thus creating a culture of her feeling like an outcast for doing the right thing.</p><p>This position he takes is especially called out when Dr. Al-Hashimi plainly asks if Langdon was stealing drugs, to which Robby deflects:</p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;This ED is the best of the best, and I would put it up against any emergency department in the country and it is going to be yours to fuck up, so don&#8217;t fuck it up.&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p>Sir, that&#8217;s not an answer.</p><p>But something that is a natural reaction, yet unexpected, is how Al-Hashimi begins to treat Langdon.</p><p>As the attending and the one to set the example for the entire shift, this sudden change is glaring, loud, and noticeable.</p><p>For Al-Hashimi, it speaks to her inability to remain impartial&#8212;contrary to the energy she led with upon her coming on shift. This could be taken as being hypocritical or simply being human.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c9d3495a-8bc2-435d-8ba8-5f7d7303163c_564x317.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c71abd46-4fd3-40da-b9de-a933b0920fb4_564x317.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;HBO Max&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/655c11a2-fd12-49dc-aef7-30930fc85b90_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>Pressure, Bias, and the Breaking Point</h4><p>As a medical professional, one thing here on <em>So There&#8217;s That</em> we take pride in is taking a non-emotional assessment on character decisions in a medical setting, especially with a show that is positioned as hyperrealistic. However, Dr. Robby&#8217;s unsolicited recommendation to Dr. Mohan toward geriatric care due to her having &#8220;a predisposition to the pace&#8221; solidified my character assessment of him: No.</p><p>Throughout the entire shift, but especially this hour, Dr. Robby&#8217;s personal life and biases take over in a way that gives credence to favoritism (Mel) and unprofessionalism (Mohan and Dana). And with his internal war seeping into his current dealings at work, one person is fed up with his actions: Dana.</p><p>The best part of the episode is the blow up (that needed to happen) between Dana and Robby. During this emotionally hijacked confrontation we find the core of his mood is his issue with Langdon being back at work and feeling responsible for it&#8212;a personal issue that he reprimanded, and continues to take shots at, Mohan about bringing to work. A personal issue that impairs his treatment of his staff, and issue that he masks as leadership but Dana sees through the fa&#231;ade.</p><p>Finally. A worthy opponent.</p><p>In all of the chaos and the madness and the sadness, the bright spots always make it worthy. The reveal that Santos actually likes Whitaker living with her (and Javadi gleefully overhearing the entire exchange) was a bright spot in knowing that at least the new doctors aren&#8217;t completely alone. They have each other, even when they pretend to not want the friendship.</p><p>But just as night shift begins to come in for turnover, Orlando&#8212;a previous patient of Dr. Mohan from 2:00pm&#8212;returns with a grave injury.</p><p>The shift is far from over.</p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CFHL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8ee82fb-9484-4b17-8e46-b3b268f03565_564x317.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CFHL!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8ee82fb-9484-4b17-8e46-b3b268f03565_564x317.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CFHL!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8ee82fb-9484-4b17-8e46-b3b268f03565_564x317.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CFHL!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8ee82fb-9484-4b17-8e46-b3b268f03565_564x317.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CFHL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8ee82fb-9484-4b17-8e46-b3b268f03565_564x317.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CFHL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8ee82fb-9484-4b17-8e46-b3b268f03565_564x317.jpeg" width="564" height="317" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CFHL!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8ee82fb-9484-4b17-8e46-b3b268f03565_564x317.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CFHL!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8ee82fb-9484-4b17-8e46-b3b268f03565_564x317.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CFHL!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8ee82fb-9484-4b17-8e46-b3b268f03565_564x317.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CFHL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8ee82fb-9484-4b17-8e46-b3b268f03565_564x317.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><h4>What Questions Remain After Episode 12</h4><ul><li><p>What is Robby&#8217;s issue with Dr. Mohan to where he has grace for everyone&#8217;s situation (including his own) except hers? Is his reprimand to Dr. Mohan a reflection of his own internal dilemma?</p></li><li><p>Is what everyone fears Robby will do a true assessment, or is he truly only going for a motorcycle ride?</p></li></ul><h4>What to Expect at 7:00pm</h4><p>(Sorry, no spoilers, just a tease)</p><ul><li><p>Increased tension</p></li><li><p>New cast members</p></li><li><p>Pressure</p></li><li><p>Backlog</p></li><li><p>Healthcare costs</p></li><li><p>Tears (and lots of them)</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h4>Related Coverage</h4><ul><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/the-pitt-season-2-hbos-award-winning?utm_source=publication-search">The Pitt Season 2 Review &#8212; HBO&#8217;s Award-Winning Medical Drama</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/the-pitt-episode-9-recap-everything?utm_source=publication-search">The Pitt Episode 9 Recap: Everything We Know So Far</a></em></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h4>Final Thoughts</h4><p><em>The Pitt</em> continues to prove why they not only dominate awards seasons but why they dominate conversations within our homes, on social media, and about the state of healthcare in the U.S.</p><p>Every actor gives their all to each character, making them feel real and tangible in all their imperfections, exhaustion, and humanity.</p><p>Simply put, <em>The Pitt</em> is worth all its hype and more.</p><p><em>Tune in to Season 2 Episode 13 &#8220;7:00pm&#8221; Thursday, April 2, on HBO Max. Check out Episode 13 teaser below.</em></p><div id="youtube2-gkMaYIehY3o" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;gkMaYIehY3o&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/gkMaYIehY3o?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p><a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That</strong></em></p><p><em>Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.</p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[‘Paradise’ Season 2 Episode 7 Recap]]></title><description><![CDATA[&#8220;The Final Countdown&#8221; sets the stage for total collapse within the bunker]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/paradise-season-2-episode-7-recap</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/paradise-season-2-episode-7-recap</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 18:51:56 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qckQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe186585e-794d-47dc-b06c-0450c632e3a5_1500x1000.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qckQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe186585e-794d-47dc-b06c-0450c632e3a5_1500x1000.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qckQ!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe186585e-794d-47dc-b06c-0450c632e3a5_1500x1000.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qckQ!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe186585e-794d-47dc-b06c-0450c632e3a5_1500x1000.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qckQ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe186585e-794d-47dc-b06c-0450c632e3a5_1500x1000.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qckQ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe186585e-794d-47dc-b06c-0450c632e3a5_1500x1000.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qckQ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe186585e-794d-47dc-b06c-0450c632e3a5_1500x1000.jpeg" width="1456" height="971" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e186585e-794d-47dc-b06c-0450c632e3a5_1500x1000.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:971,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:104832,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/i/191895784?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe186585e-794d-47dc-b06c-0450c632e3a5_1500x1000.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qckQ!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe186585e-794d-47dc-b06c-0450c632e3a5_1500x1000.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qckQ!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe186585e-794d-47dc-b06c-0450c632e3a5_1500x1000.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qckQ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe186585e-794d-47dc-b06c-0450c632e3a5_1500x1000.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qckQ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe186585e-794d-47dc-b06c-0450c632e3a5_1500x1000.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Hulu</figcaption></figure></div><h4>A Penultimate Episode That Changes Everything</h4><p><em><strong>Paradise</strong></em><strong> Season 2 Episode 7 &#8220;The Final Countdown&#8221; delivers exactly what a penultimate episode is supposed to&#8212;answers, chaos, and a level of volatility that refuses to let you breathe.</strong></p><h3>[SPOILER-ALERT: Read at your own risk]</h3><p>There is a reason <em>Paradise</em> is renewed for its third season with the script already complete. Cancellation isn&#8217;t an option with <strong>Dan Fogelman</strong>, his writing team, and <strong>Sterling K. Brown</strong> at the head of the spear.</p><p>While finale&#8217;s tend to set viewers up for the next season, penultimate episodes sole purpose is to answer every question in a way that is volatile and unrelenting&#8212;and this episode did just that.</p><p>With <strong>James Marsden</strong> reprising his role as President Cal Bradford, we take a trip back in time to when Sinatra successfully commissioned the bunker and she gave him a tour. This tour was riddled with foreshadowing as Cal&#8212;while many thought he was aloof and unaware&#8212;carefully yet blatantly challenged Sinatra&#8217;s ego and ambition; questioning her true motivation behind the bunker.</p><p>But as we continue to toggle from the past to present, unraveling everyone&#8217;s secrets and true identities along the way, we can finally cheer: Xavier is reunited with Teri.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/10692884-909e-49c7-9bd9-a42e532e8d75_2560x1440.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ed3503ed-61ce-4a4f-a27c-17d3f1d14f66_1920x1080.png&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/webp&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/833a364f-5dd5-4652-93af-f42792166e11_800x500.webp&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5537d2ef-d756-402e-8664-ee832617de3e_678x452.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Hulu&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4e9efc43-0fdf-4d50-9313-594f0b8b2291_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>Secrets, Showdowns, and a System Ready to Collapse</h4><p>Episode 6 revealed that Gary was not the man he portrayed himself to be, proving Xavier&#8217;s instincts to be unfailing when it comes to reading people&#8217;s intentions (and, let&#8217;s be honest, when has a Gary ever been trustworthy in television?)</p><p>But we&#8217;re not here to rewrite the episode for you. In <em>Paradise</em> fashion, &#8220;The Final Countdown&#8221; matches&#8212;if not exceeds&#8212;its previous season&#8217;s penultimate episode, not only with answers but with lingering questions that pound on our brains endlessly as we head into the season finale.</p><p><strong>Let&#8217;s quickly recap:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Xavier found Teri and almost took out the entire camp before she convinced them he was good</p></li><li><p>Gary was revealed to be a liar and was confronted by Teri in an intense showdown that had him at the end of Xavier&#8217;s sightline </p></li><li><p>Robinson joined Jeremy in his quest to lead an uprising in order to inform the people of the bunker that there is life outside</p></li><li><p>Sinatra and Link both made plans to move against one another</p></li><li><p>The leaders of the bunker are in a panic</p></li></ul><p>Yet somehow in all of the chaos and mystery of the series, Teri went from not wanting kids, to falling in love with Xavier and having two kids, all to head back into the bunker with two more children (Teri, it was your destiny all along).</p><p>However, one of the more dangerous, and slightly expected, showdowns came between Gabriella and Jane.</p><p>Gabi spent the entire season being extremely suspicious of Sinatra, as well as suspicious of her influence on Jane&#8217;s violence within the bunker&#8212;and rightfully so, after a direct confrontation and Sinatra all but admitting it under the guise of doing good and not being &#8220;a monster&#8221; (Season 1 anyone?)</p><p>This revelation led us to a (not so) shocking twist, Jane is brought down by Gabi after trusting her suspicions, instincts, and total belief that Jane was a murderer.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/webp&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/97f1198b-679e-46c8-bcb3-80105667e471_1284x856.webp&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/webp&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/76f51f25-d230-4514-ab93-f513b688ecd9_800x500.webp&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Hulu&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/af8fc6f9-02b1-4aa9-b109-2b5f65a93481_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>You Were Warned</h4><p>The most informative and brilliant part of the episode is when Cal delivers a historical account of former leaders in power to Sinatra during their tour&#8212;in both a flashback and voiceover as the leaders of the bunker lose their stability:</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;they started infighting and they all imploded&#8230;they were unstoppable until they weren&#8217;t&#8221;</p></blockquote><p>As Jeremy, Robinson, and the engineer initiate their plan with the internal system mechanisms, the leaders (without Sinatra) initiate a total lockdown, thus pressurizing the bunker to explosive levels.</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;Everything, Sam. Every single thing that achieves greatness, they all have one thing in common. They end.&#8221;</p></blockquote><p>As the episode ends, Xavier and Teri make their way to Colorado on a train while Sinatra makes her way to a secret passageway on another.</p><p>In the final countdown of the episode, a door opens and Sinatra smiles and says:</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;Hi, Alex&#8221;</p></blockquote><div><hr></div><h4>Related Coverage</h4><ul><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/paradise-season-2-review-fear-power">Paradise Season 2 Review, Cast &amp; Characters Guide</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://youtu.be/_RgNuY0DPbM?is=BPAB2SylZ2vI40MT">Paradise Season 1 Finale Recap</a></em></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h4>Final Thoughts</h4><p>With all of the answers in the world, the biggest question still remains: </p><p><em><strong>Who is Alex?</strong></em></p><p>But there are certainly more questions on the list: </p><ul><li><p>Is Jane dead or just paralyzed?</p></li><li><p>Is the bunker going to actually explode is Link Sinatra&#8217;s son?</p></li><li><p>Is &#8220;Alex&#8221; Billy? (we have a running theory that he didn&#8217;t die and somehow was kept hidden for an alternate agenda, I know, but that&#8217;s the beauty of fiction)</p></li></ul><p>As we head into the finale, we must take a look at every clue in the first seven episodes. I feel that just like in Season 1, the mystery character is someone we&#8217;ve already seen, but who?</p><p><em>Tune in to Paradise Season 2 finale, &#8220;Exodus,&#8221; Monday, March 30, only on Hulu. Go inside the episode with the official podcast for the show below.</em></p><div id="youtube2-bjyksY5vqvg" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;bjyksY5vqvg&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/bjyksY5vqvg?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That</strong></em></p><p><em>Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.</p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[‘Dark Winds’ Season 4 Episode 6 Preview: No One Escapes Their Destiny ]]></title><description><![CDATA[All new episode explores emotional conflict as the investigation intensifies]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dark-winds-season-4-episode-6-preview</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dark-winds-season-4-episode-6-preview</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2026 17:27:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oAUo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2a7514dd-6edd-4a00-9039-22006433adc5_1440x954.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oAUo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2a7514dd-6edd-4a00-9039-22006433adc5_1440x954.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oAUo!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2a7514dd-6edd-4a00-9039-22006433adc5_1440x954.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oAUo!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2a7514dd-6edd-4a00-9039-22006433adc5_1440x954.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oAUo!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2a7514dd-6edd-4a00-9039-22006433adc5_1440x954.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oAUo!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2a7514dd-6edd-4a00-9039-22006433adc5_1440x954.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oAUo!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2a7514dd-6edd-4a00-9039-22006433adc5_1440x954.png" width="1440" height="954" 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class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">AMC Networks</figcaption></figure></div><h4>The Past Isn&#8217;t Done With Them Yet</h4><p><em><strong>Dark Winds</strong></em><strong> Season 4 continues tonight with Episode 6, </strong>&#8220;Sh&#237;k&#225; Nidanit&#225;h&#261;&#769;&#261;&#769; (Those who were searching for me),&#8221;<strong> airing at 9pm ET/PT on AMC and AMC+.</strong></p><p>Starring <strong>Zahn McClarnon</strong>, <strong>Kiowa Gordon</strong>, <strong>Jessica Matten</strong>, and <strong>Deanna Allison</strong>, the series continues to unravel the emotional and spiritual weight carried by the Navajo Tribal Police as the case surrounding Irene Vaggan tightens its grip.</p><p>From AMC, &#8220;When Chee&#8217;s new intel provides a clue to Vaggan&#8217;s identity, Leaphorn enlists the FBI to help ambush the killer, while Manuelito and Emma help Chee with his recovery from a close call as he is haunted by a specter from his past.&#8221;</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9740a86a-9c5b-4c73-be40-214f8a873afd_5466x3644.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/fe529b23-def7-4289-85b8-556783cb39af_6547x4365.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;AMC Networks&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/69b7a053-046d-40da-8121-9d146437dd84_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><div class="pullquote"><p>&#8220;No one can escape their demons no matter how far they run or how hard they try to hide&#8221;</p></div><h4>Conflict, Grief, and What Comes Next</h4><p>In addition to the primary storyline, Manuelito struggles with wanting more for her versus doing what&#8217;s expected of her. As this season dives deeper into her storyline, especially with Joe wanting her to take over, this conflict is at the center of her decision-making.</p><p>As for Emma, these words seem to double as advice for herself as she has not fully forgiven Joe for his betrayal and inviting darkness into their home at the expense of their grief for their son.</p><p>As we continue into the back half of Season 4, we find that no one can escape their demons no matter how far they run or how hard they try to hide.</p><div><hr></div><h4>Related Coverage</h4><ul><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/amcs-dark-winds-season-4-premiere?utm_source=publication-search">Dark Winds Season 4 Premiere Recap</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dark-winds-season-4-looks-like-the?utm_source=publication-search">Dark Winds Season 4 Overview </a></em></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h4>Final Thoughts</h4><p>As things continue to heat up for Leaphorn and the team, the stakes within their personal lives get higher and higher.</p><p>Tune in tonight for Episode 406 &#8220;Sh&#237;k&#225; Nidanit&#225;h&#261;&#769;&#261;&#769; (Those who were searching for me)&#8221; at 9pm ET on AMC. </p><p><em>Check out the sneak peek below.</em></p><div id="youtube2-X7jef7ETGww" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;X7jef7ETGww&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/X7jef7ETGww?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That</strong></em></p><p><em>Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[HBO's 'Rooster' Episode 1 Analysis: Heartbreak and House Fires]]></title><description><![CDATA[Rooster Season 1 Episode 1 recap and analysis of HBO's new series starring Steve Carell and Danielle Deadwyler]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/hbos-rooster-episode-1-analysis-heartbreak</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/hbos-rooster-episode-1-analysis-heartbreak</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2026 18:55:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vgqa!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b750091-687f-4e3c-8eb5-1f7455e3526e_1296x1920.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vgqa!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b750091-687f-4e3c-8eb5-1f7455e3526e_1296x1920.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vgqa!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b750091-687f-4e3c-8eb5-1f7455e3526e_1296x1920.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vgqa!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b750091-687f-4e3c-8eb5-1f7455e3526e_1296x1920.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vgqa!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b750091-687f-4e3c-8eb5-1f7455e3526e_1296x1920.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vgqa!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b750091-687f-4e3c-8eb5-1f7455e3526e_1296x1920.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vgqa!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b750091-687f-4e3c-8eb5-1f7455e3526e_1296x1920.jpeg" width="1296" height="1920" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2b750091-687f-4e3c-8eb5-1f7455e3526e_1296x1920.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1920,&quot;width&quot;:1296,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:3209512,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/i/190415471?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b750091-687f-4e3c-8eb5-1f7455e3526e_1296x1920.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vgqa!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b750091-687f-4e3c-8eb5-1f7455e3526e_1296x1920.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vgqa!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b750091-687f-4e3c-8eb5-1f7455e3526e_1296x1920.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vgqa!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b750091-687f-4e3c-8eb5-1f7455e3526e_1296x1920.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vgqa!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b750091-687f-4e3c-8eb5-1f7455e3526e_1296x1920.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Courtesy of HBO Max</figcaption></figure></div><p>Sunday, March 8, <strong>HBO Max</strong> premiered <strong>Episode 1, &#8220;Release the Brown Fat,&#8221;</strong> of their new original series <em>Rooster</em>, starring <strong>Steve Carell</strong> as Greg, <strong>Danielle Deadwyler</strong> as Dylan, <strong>Charly Clive</strong> as Katie, <strong>Phil Dunster</strong> as Archie, <strong>John C. McGinley</strong> as Walter, and <strong>Lauren Tsai</strong> as Sonny.</p><p>Creators and co-showrunners <strong>Bill Lawrence</strong> and <strong>Matt Tarses</strong> team up for this new comedy that focuses on an author (Greg) who aims to live his life to the fullest after decades of taking a backseat within his own existence. </p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/17580df1-6df8-439d-aea9-56064120d74a_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9fd2efd5-9730-4771-8ca9-bc4d98e241e0_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3cf6eedb-7c3e-43af-af92-61f42f7e4e1b_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/76e56ccb-ad96-4b74-beb5-905d45535f8f_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Courtesy of HBO Max&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c8f7e5d2-7344-479f-87a8-7eec454ecc2c_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>Steve Carell and Danielle Deadwyler are Magnetic</h4><p>Right away, <em>Rooster </em>makes the tone very clear: sharp humor  uncomfortable honesty delivered through characters who work tirelessly to conceal just how undone their lives truly are.</p><p>It is within the quiet pulse of this uncomfortable honesty that reveals the incredible chemistry between Greg (<strong>Carell</strong>) and Dylan (<strong>Deadwyler</strong>)&#8212;their scenes producing a third thing within the room, charm. Their on-screen charisma and magnetic energy keeps you wanting more, immediately jumping to a &#8220;will they, won&#8217;t they,&#8221; even if the rest of the series never answers that question.</p><p>Inside the comedy is a sense of loneliness within Greg; a sense of regret of someone who didn&#8217;t go after all he wanted in life in service of keeping the peace&#8230;</p><p>But to what end? </p><p>This loneliness is a feeling that Dylan recognizes&#8212;a familiar feeling, a reflection. And reflected back is a charge that feels, at best, like a romance and, at worst, a regretful hookup. That is until the fireworks fizzle and land on the ground between them like a dud. </p><p>This hilariously embarrassing moment is clumsy, it&#8217;s familiar, and it&#8217;s relatable. It&#8217;s the type of scene that pulls the audience into the emotional core of the series rather than keep them disconnected.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3bb5252c-17e6-42df-9e73-de7f5c13fc74_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4498c262-0ca5-4eac-b081-b6c89227beb0_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/28797cb2-ad63-46a8-8b5b-6a41036c1769_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5b4c13ef-002e-4380-afcb-5a31d6d00fff_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Courtesy of HBO Max&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3502490d-6074-43e1-99a2-1b109906c7bf_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>Absurdity in the Best Way</h4><p>One of the funniest moments of the episode occurs when Greg and Katie hide in the bushes while watching Katie&#8217;s husband with another woman, Sonny (<strong>Tsai</strong>).</p><p>This scenario and style of humor is where Carell shines&#8212;his comedic timing and ability to be endlessly naive in the most absurd situations cements your commitment to the project. Simply put, he&#8217;s still got it.</p><p>He shares these moments on screen with his castmates, each of them giving in to the story to not only expand every hilarious bit, but add to the emotionally vulnerable moments in which the audience wants to hold onto.</p><p>In a press conference in New York City, <em><a href="https://people.com/steve-carell-says-making-rooster-reminded-him-the-office-11921333">Carell said this</a></em> of his cast:</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;It just felt like a true ensemble. You don&#8217;t know what the energy&#8217;s going to be like, you don&#8217;t know what each of them are going to be like as people. But there was just a pervasive kindness and generosity.&#8221;</p></blockquote><p>From Danielle, to Charly, to John, the generosity and commitment to the story is palpable in every frame.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/79a302f8-d16c-45fa-8b52-5d31c795a3da_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/54b0a5d4-e470-4f04-9344-a9f016e98838_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6ce7f9fe-46f8-4f89-9972-cb30cf92ebf8_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d51b6881-5a68-4da1-891e-f010fc1735aa_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Courtesy of HBO Max&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1e4b1d53-0b10-40f2-8c42-f3522451f302_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>One of the Best Series Premieres of the Year</h4><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;Why do you hate women?&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p>If <em>Rooster </em>intended to make a grand entrance, this line drives it right through the gates, ripping the hinges right off the frame.</p><p>And just when you settle into Greg&#8217;s journey through heartbreak and finding himself, the episode ends with Katie experiencing the very pain her father tried to shield her from.</p><p></p><h4>[SPOILER] Sonny (Tsai), her husband&#8217;s mistress, is pregnant.</h4><p></p><p>It&#8217;s this moment&#8212;albeit Greg isn&#8217;t aware just yet&#8212;that connects the entire episode back to the synopsis: a man who wants to do right by his daughter. What began as a singular journey quickly expands to one that is full of life, friendship, and promise.</p><div><hr></div><h4>Related Coverage</h4><ul><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/hbos-dtf-st-louis-episode-1-review">DTF St. Louis Episode 1 Recap</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-finale">A Knight of Seven Kingdoms Finale Recap</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dreaming-whilst-black-season-2-cast">Dreaming Whilst Black Season 2 Review</a></em></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h4>Final Thoughts</h4><p>From the opening scene of a naked Walter on the campus lawn to the final scene of Archie&#8217;s house going up in flames, <em>Rooster </em>is poised to be one of the biggest breakout comedy series of the year. </p><p><em>New episode of Rooster will air Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT only on HBO. Check out the trailer below.</em></p><div id="youtube2-PMKK5Jz7BsM" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;PMKK5Jz7BsM&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/PMKK5Jz7BsM?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.<a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a></p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA['The Pitt' Episode 9 Analysis: What Else Could Go Wrong? ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Systems are down but tensions are up as another disaster awaits]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/the-pitt-episode-9-analysis-what</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/the-pitt-episode-9-analysis-what</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:31:36 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!erHP!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b068cd4-9f1a-472a-81c4-4f407054d78d_1920x1280.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!erHP!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b068cd4-9f1a-472a-81c4-4f407054d78d_1920x1280.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!erHP!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b068cd4-9f1a-472a-81c4-4f407054d78d_1920x1280.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!erHP!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b068cd4-9f1a-472a-81c4-4f407054d78d_1920x1280.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!erHP!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b068cd4-9f1a-472a-81c4-4f407054d78d_1920x1280.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!erHP!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b068cd4-9f1a-472a-81c4-4f407054d78d_1920x1280.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!erHP!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b068cd4-9f1a-472a-81c4-4f407054d78d_1920x1280.jpeg" width="1456" height="971" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9b068cd4-9f1a-472a-81c4-4f407054d78d_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:971,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:1225615,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/i/190022840?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b068cd4-9f1a-472a-81c4-4f407054d78d_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!erHP!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b068cd4-9f1a-472a-81c4-4f407054d78d_1920x1280.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!erHP!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b068cd4-9f1a-472a-81c4-4f407054d78d_1920x1280.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!erHP!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b068cd4-9f1a-472a-81c4-4f407054d78d_1920x1280.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!erHP!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9b068cd4-9f1a-472a-81c4-4f407054d78d_1920x1280.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Courtesy of HBO Max</figcaption></figure></div><p>It&#8217;s been twenty-four hours since <strong>Episode 9</strong> of <em>The Pitt </em>aired and the cyberattack storyline is starting to feel less like a plot device and more like a nightmare.</p><p>Modern medicine is built on the reliability of digital systems&#8212;VoIP phones, electronic health records, internally linked ordering systems, and patient tracking.</p><p>Remove those systems in 2026 and suddenly it is a work stoppage. Everyone and everything rips at the seams, threatening to unravel one emergency at a time.</p><p>As mentioned in previous coverage, Dr. Javadi&#8217;s line about task delineation captures the mindset of the new doctors at <em>The Pitt</em>: someone (or something) else is supposed to do that. That line alone signals a tech dependency that many healthcare workers have when it comes to the advancement, and added convenience, of healthcare.</p><p>And in an emergency room setting, everyone and everything depends on another spoke in the giant wheel to function properly. The moment that process is stalled or, in this case, broken, the entire department could collapse.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/783973ca-28c9-4910-8b79-9af72c6cb4af_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/dd05eedf-2900-4834-91ea-b3c289e039cf_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/cc20982a-c8c5-4934-9994-3e446a778141_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0b201a70-3556-43de-bc2e-e8143eab2dd9_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Courtesy of HBO Max&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/cc4d8944-71c1-4bb5-ae0d-1696854723d0_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>All Systems are Not Go</h4><p>Dana&#8217;s continues to be the steady drumbeat that keeps everyone afloat, even if they lose the rhythm for a moment.</p><p>Her quick thinking, flexibility, and ability to adapt to a multitude of circumstances is infectious as she uses her experience during this real-world event to teach everyone how to do the same&#8212;something medical books just can&#8217;t teach.</p><p>But that leadership, no matter how transformative, falters when individuals are dealing with internal system failures that get in the way of maintaining clear minds and clear communication when treating patients. </p><p>Romantic relationships (or lack thereof) are brought into the workplace by Dr. Santos.</p><p>Dr. Whitaker has blurred the lines severely between him and a patient from <em><strong><a href="https://screenrant.com/whitakers-new-relationship-amy-the-pitt-season-2-explained/">Season 1</a></strong></em>, to the point where Dr. Robbie has to intervene. It&#8217;s not that the relationship interferes with his ability to deliver exceptional care, it doesn&#8217;t. It&#8217;s that this type of relationship is the beginning of a slippery slope&#8212;one where you will drown trying to be there for patients in ways doctors simply aren&#8217;t meant to be.</p><p>And perhaps the biggest relationship elephant in the room is Dr. Langdon&#8217;s return. Dr. Robbie shows a lack of leadership by pawning him off to locations where he doesn&#8217;t have to work alongside him&#8212;and Dr. Al-Hashimi notices. </p><p>This friction also exists between Dr. Langdon and Dr. Santos, adding to Santos&#8217; growing storyline of drowning under the pressures of her relationships, professional or otherwise. </p><p>The cyberattack is simply the catalyst to showing the audience exactly what happens when everyone and everything is pushed to its limits.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/123a98fb-6736-46a9-9cf4-7d719589fea7_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7a93ad30-e022-4d3c-8333-70ceb02903ab_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Courtesy of HBO Max&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9f7fa263-971b-40cb-8585-e5906a2e6766_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>What Else Could Go Wrong</h4><p>The moment a patient in the waiting area asks to turn up the news on the television, every petty issue is placed on the backburner as Donnie, the patients, and the audience, ask ourselves &#8220;can we even handle this?&#8221; </p><p>The ER is already operating in a huge contingency plan training deficit&#8212;the residents are lost, there aren&#8217;t enough attending&#8217;s to go around, and there are only but seconds to teach on the spot before it costs someone their life. </p><p>This is the harsh reality of modern medicine that <em>The Pitt</em> captures effortlessly and flawlessly. The disaster hasn&#8217;t even arrived yet, but the fear of what&#8217;s to come is already enough to stop your breath.</p><div><hr></div><p>Related Coverage</p><ul><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/the-pitt-season-2-hbos-award-winning">The Pitt Season 2 Review</a></em></p></li><li><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/the-pitt-episode-9-recap-everything">The Pitt Episode 9 Recap</a></em></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h4>The Biggest Questions of Episode 9</h4><ul><li><p>Can the hospital handle an influx of trauma patients without any technological support?</p></li><li><p>How long will the cyberattack last?</p></li><li><p>Will the team put aside their differences long enough to do their jobs or will the tension cause someone to break?</p></li><li><p>What other crisis will they have to deal with after this?</p></li></ul><p>From the predicted Fourth of July injuries to the waterpark incident, one has to wonder, what else will happen? It is the heart of the summer which means a higher likelihood of ER visits. </p><p>Will the two events be the only major events or is there something much bigger looming that will take us into the night shift?</p><p><em>All current episodes of The Pitt are available to stream now on HBO and HBO Max. Tune in every Thursday at 9 p.m. for all new episodes. </em></p><div id="youtube2-Xq8x47ky2Tw" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;Xq8x47ky2Tw&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Xq8x47ky2Tw?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.<a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a></p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA['The Pitt' Season 2 Episode 9 Recap: Everything We Know So Far]]></title><description><![CDATA[The team goes offline due to a cyberattack, forcing them to rely on analog methods while tensions brew among them and across the hospital]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/the-pitt-episode-9-recap-everything</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/the-pitt-episode-9-recap-everything</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 03:00:27 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LVJN!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4cf797cd-ec1f-467d-aee4-98445ceb19f6_1920x1280.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LVJN!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4cf797cd-ec1f-467d-aee4-98445ceb19f6_1920x1280.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LVJN!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4cf797cd-ec1f-467d-aee4-98445ceb19f6_1920x1280.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LVJN!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4cf797cd-ec1f-467d-aee4-98445ceb19f6_1920x1280.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LVJN!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4cf797cd-ec1f-467d-aee4-98445ceb19f6_1920x1280.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LVJN!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4cf797cd-ec1f-467d-aee4-98445ceb19f6_1920x1280.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LVJN!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4cf797cd-ec1f-467d-aee4-98445ceb19f6_1920x1280.jpeg" width="1456" height="971" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4cf797cd-ec1f-467d-aee4-98445ceb19f6_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:971,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:1360550,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/i/189954459?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4cf797cd-ec1f-467d-aee4-98445ceb19f6_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LVJN!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4cf797cd-ec1f-467d-aee4-98445ceb19f6_1920x1280.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LVJN!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4cf797cd-ec1f-467d-aee4-98445ceb19f6_1920x1280.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LVJN!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4cf797cd-ec1f-467d-aee4-98445ceb19f6_1920x1280.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LVJN!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4cf797cd-ec1f-467d-aee4-98445ceb19f6_1920x1280.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Courtesy of HBO</figcaption></figure></div><h4>Chaos Hit the ER as The Pitt Goes Offline</h4><p>Episode 9 of <em>The Pitt</em> picks up at 3:00 p.m., in the thick of the ensuing chaos, and it&#8217;s all hands on deck as the staff suddenly finds themselves operating in the dark.</p><p>A cyberattack sweeping the region knocks out hospital systems, forcing the ER into contingency operations. What does this mean for the crew? Full analog systems. A group that has spent their entire lives using cell phones and computers and another group that has come to rely heavily on digital systems must now work together and function without them&#8212;all while delivering exceptional medical care.</p><p>With no end in sight for getting patients out and for those continuing to fill the waiting room, the shift quickly becomes one of the most chaotic (and barbaric) hours the staff has faced this season.</p><div><hr></div><h4>Episode Overview</h4><p><strong>Series</strong>: <em>The Pitt</em></p><p><strong>Episode</strong>: Season 2, Episode 9&#8212;"3:00 P.M.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Network</strong>: HBO/HBO Max</p><p><strong>Event</strong>: Cyberattack</p><p><strong>Core Problem</strong>: Rendering medical care without technology</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1285d00b-4430-457f-96bd-ecfacf073dde_980x653.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9cb607b5-fe90-434d-a524-0ef716fa92af_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8214d7e9-c257-4320-8b9c-1de9694a15cd_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/fdce3c01-6850-4127-8b29-e81d4257f974_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Katherine LaNasa | Sepideh Moafi | Gerran Howell | Shabana Azeez | Noah Wyle | Isa Briones | HBO Max&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c09aba01-569d-4114-a071-82a8359024db_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><div class="pullquote"><p><strong>&#8220;We work together, or we fail.&#8221;</strong></p></div><h4>How Episode 9 Exposes Technological Dependency</h4><p>One moment in the episode stands out like alarm bells in a code blue, and it is when Dr. Javadi says:</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t put anyone on the board. I thought the nurses did that?&#8221;</p></blockquote><p>It&#8217;s a deceptively insignificant moment&#8212;a throwaway statement that could be easily disregarded with immediate correction. However, her comment highlights something larger.</p><p>In degraded operations settings, roles and responsibilities blur quickly. Hierarchies that normally structure hospital workflow (i.e., who inputs orders, who runs tests to the lab, etc.) begin to dissolve.</p><p>There is no room for ego.</p><p>No room for rigidity.</p><p>And while the ER struggles to operate without its normal systems, Dr. Santos finds herself caught in another tension, slowly imploding from the pressurized demands of the shift and her &#8220;are we/aren&#8217;t we&#8221; space with Dr. Garcia.</p><p>When Santos all but asks this very question, Garcia responds in a way that wounds her even more than patient charting.</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re just keeping it casual, right?&#8221;</p></blockquote><p>Garcia&#8217;s response, while hard to digest, mirrors the relentless rhythm of the hospital.</p><p>In. Out. Rinse. Repeat.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aTWD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc8675147-76e3-4afa-8fb7-8e71e042fba4_980x653.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aTWD!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc8675147-76e3-4afa-8fb7-8e71e042fba4_980x653.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aTWD!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc8675147-76e3-4afa-8fb7-8e71e042fba4_980x653.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aTWD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc8675147-76e3-4afa-8fb7-8e71e042fba4_980x653.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aTWD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc8675147-76e3-4afa-8fb7-8e71e042fba4_980x653.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aTWD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc8675147-76e3-4afa-8fb7-8e71e042fba4_980x653.jpeg" width="980" height="653" 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class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Katherine LaNasa | HBO Max</figcaption></figure></div><h4>Dana Proves Why Charge Nurses are the Control Centers of the Wards</h4><p>Dana continues to represent great charge nurses everywhere by monitoring every single situation, staff member, and patient like a hawk. Nothing gets past her. And on the off chance it does, she recovers in a way that shows humility, humanity, and resilience.</p><p>Katherine LaNasa&#8217;s performance is subtle but powerful, anchoring the chaos of the episode in both experience and measured control. And when the hospital systems fail, Dana inevitably&#8212;remarkably and proudly&#8212;becomes the system. </p><p>And no system works well without a quick update. For Dana, that update is an old employee and friend, hospital clerk Monica Peters (Rusty Schwimmer), who volunteers to assist with the flow, management, and accountability of patients as the ER shifts into manual operations.</p><p>But despite the escalating pressure, the episode still finds moments of humor. The payout for the bet on why the systems are down ends up in the hands of Princess, who is then immediately blackmailed by Perlah for a cut of the winnings.</p><p>Even in the middle of chaos, Perlah and Princess will always be Perlah and Princess.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wZ4W!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F05f09681-83d1-4533-bb02-5aff93a3ee0c_1920x1280.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wZ4W!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F05f09681-83d1-4533-bb02-5aff93a3ee0c_1920x1280.jpeg 424w, 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wZ4W!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F05f09681-83d1-4533-bb02-5aff93a3ee0c_1920x1280.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wZ4W!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F05f09681-83d1-4533-bb02-5aff93a3ee0c_1920x1280.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wZ4W!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F05f09681-83d1-4533-bb02-5aff93a3ee0c_1920x1280.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wZ4W!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F05f09681-83d1-4533-bb02-5aff93a3ee0c_1920x1280.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Sasha Compere | Noah Wyle | Isa Briones | HBO Max</figcaption></figure></div><h4>Immigration Laws and Medical Ethics</h4><p>Episode 9 is full of chaos, mistakes, miscommunication, and confusion, yet it manages to weave in a storyline that hits close to reality for many viewers&#8212;the impact of immigration laws and deportation policies when it comes to medical decision-making.</p><p>When Santos brings her concerns to Dr. Robbie, urging him not to get child services involved with children of recently deported Haitian immigrants, he echoes her sentiments. However, he delivers a sobering truth:</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;A lot of what happens to people around here isn&#8217;t right.&#8221;</p></blockquote><p>It&#8217;s a statement that puts a spotlight on the broader systemic handcuffs that exist beyond the hospital walls.</p><h5>The Pitt Ending That Sets Up A New Disaster</h5><p>As the hour winds down, Donnie escorts a patient back to the waiting room, in higher spirits than the current operations call for (and that&#8217;s why we love him)&#8212;using his infectious and natural charisma to reduce patient panic.</p><p>Then a patient asks to turn up the television, and it catches his attention.</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;Breaking News: a deadly water slide collapses at a local water park.&#8221;</p></blockquote><p>In the final seconds before the screen cuts to black, Donnie&#8212;and the audience&#8212;arrive at the same conclusion.</p><p><em><strong>&#8220;Ah sh&#8212;.&#8221;</strong></em></p><div><hr></div><h4>Questions That Linger After Finishing Episode 9</h4><ul><li><p>Will Santos ever finish charting?</p></li><li><p>How many people will Monica scare by the end of the shift?</p></li><li><p>What else can go wrong?</p></li><li><p>And more importantly, will the first responders at The Pitt be able to withstand it?</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h4>Episode 9&#8212;Final Thoughts</h4><p>The best parts of the episode lie in the quiet moments where the staff reminds one another that they are only human.</p><p>They will make mistakes.</p><p>But as long as they maintain a willingness to learn, receive criticism without offense, and remain resilient, they will always have another opportunity to make things right.</p><p>One hour, and another patient, at a time.</p><p></p><p><em>New episodes of The Pitt air weekly on Thursdays at 9 p.m., only on HBO/HBO Max. </em></p><div><hr></div><h5>Related Coverage</h5><ul><li><p><em>The Pitt Season 2 Review</em></p></li></ul><div id="youtube2-xatHf5ps5Jc" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;xatHf5ps5Jc&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/xatHf5ps5Jc?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em><a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a></p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[HBO's 'DTF St. Louis' Episode 1 Review: Did Clark Confess?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Two lonely men. One dating app. And a deadly discovery.]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/hbos-dtf-st-louis-episode-1-review</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/hbos-dtf-st-louis-episode-1-review</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:15:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xQjs!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9cadf5c9-728d-4121-b1ee-68974ee48a32_1296x1920.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xQjs!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9cadf5c9-728d-4121-b1ee-68974ee48a32_1296x1920.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xQjs!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9cadf5c9-728d-4121-b1ee-68974ee48a32_1296x1920.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xQjs!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9cadf5c9-728d-4121-b1ee-68974ee48a32_1296x1920.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xQjs!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9cadf5c9-728d-4121-b1ee-68974ee48a32_1296x1920.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xQjs!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9cadf5c9-728d-4121-b1ee-68974ee48a32_1296x1920.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xQjs!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9cadf5c9-728d-4121-b1ee-68974ee48a32_1296x1920.jpeg" width="1296" height="1920" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9cadf5c9-728d-4121-b1ee-68974ee48a32_1296x1920.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1920,&quot;width&quot;:1296,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:2177030,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/i/189663528?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9cadf5c9-728d-4121-b1ee-68974ee48a32_1296x1920.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xQjs!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9cadf5c9-728d-4121-b1ee-68974ee48a32_1296x1920.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xQjs!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9cadf5c9-728d-4121-b1ee-68974ee48a32_1296x1920.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xQjs!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9cadf5c9-728d-4121-b1ee-68974ee48a32_1296x1920.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xQjs!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9cadf5c9-728d-4121-b1ee-68974ee48a32_1296x1920.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Courtesy of HBO</figcaption></figure></div><p>The HBO Original limited series <em>DTF St. Louis</em>, from creator <strong>Steven Conrad</strong> (Patriot), debuted Sunday, March 1. The seven-episode series will debut weekly leading up to the series finale on Sunday, April 12. This series centers on a love triangle between three people experiencing the downside of marital relations that leads to one of them ending up dead. With the series premiere, &#8220;Cornhole,&#8221; <em>DTF St. Louis</em> wastes no time riding directly into the wreckage.</p><p>Written and directed by Steven Conrad, the series stars <strong>Jason Bateman</strong>, <strong>David Harbour</strong>, <strong>Linda Cardellini</strong>, <strong>Richard Jenkins</strong>, <strong>Joy Sunday</strong>, <strong>Arlan Ruf</strong>, <strong>Peter Sarsgaard</strong>, and <strong>Chris Perfetti</strong>. Episode 1 immediately introduces us to Clark (Bateman), Floyd (Harbour), Carol (Cardinelli), Det. Donoghue Homer (Jenkins), and Special Agent Jodie Plumb (Joy Sunday)</p><h4>From Friendship to Fatality</h4><p>In a convenience store &#8220;meet-cute,&#8221; that becomes something far worse than a romantic comedy, Clark and Floyd strike up an immediate friendship that appears to be rooted not just in chemistry and similarity, but in a shared and unspoken loneliness as well. Six weeks later, during a cornhole party, Clark brings up a dating app for married people to spice up their lives: DTF St. Louis (yes, it happens that fast). What begins as curiosity amongst friends quickly becomes the timebomb that sets off all subsequent events.</p><p>The show centers on physical attraction and how it fades within a marriage when two people no longer check in; when they no longer find ways to desire nor be attracted to one another. One singular decision between new friends, to step outside their marriages to explore a passionate life beyond their marital bed, leads directly to the investigation of Floyd&#8217;s suspicious death by Det. Homer and Agent Plumb.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4a86673e-54d6-4841-9d64-787dbeaff322_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1c53d9a6-3c80-4f0e-a318-7846808b25a6_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5f6a336a-b08d-42e9-8bbd-7d9a9da3bf43_1620x1080.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2f828282-8fec-4ec0-bd15-4b7753ea1070_1620x1080.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Courtesy of HBO&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/207616fb-722e-4664-ab6d-bbb6e044c696_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>A Reveal In Plain Sight</h4><p>We proceed to go down a rabbit hole&#8212;or cornhole&#8212; of &#8220;whodunnit&#8221; as we explore a crime through the lens of sexual desires, hidden fantasies, and deadly secrets. The level of secrecy between Floyd and Clark is elevated in their use of sign language to keep their desires from being overheard by their spouses and anyone else in the vicinity. A clever insert from the writing team shows the two friends at the gym practicing ASL, when the final interpretation from Floyd is left unrevealed on the screen&#8212;a crucial way to keep a major clue away from the audience and solely between the characters.</p><p>Flashes of the moments leading up to Floyd&#8217;s death include Clark, Carol, and what&#8217;s exposed to us as likely the final moments between Clark and Floyd before his death. Everything in the investigation points to Clark, but is that too easy? Often times it&#8217;s the ones closest to you who is the guilty party but, by revealing this so fast, it feels like the perfect setup for the audience to get every prediction wrong right up until the end.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9c0369d5-c086-4a4c-a66f-5286b12d8416_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f56be334-0d5c-4e64-ba3e-f2a23bcd2059_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Courtesy of HBO&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/27d376c1-f8b6-4b7a-89fc-f1dc79903c36_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>Confession or Cover-Up?</h4><p>Episode 1 ends rather ambiguously: did Clark confess or is he simply reflecting on how the start of their friendship subsequently became the beginning of the end? And just when you think the episode will close with Clark&#8217;s tale of it all starting with a game of cornhole, we go back to the ASL conversation in the gym where Floyd reveals to Clark, </p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;I know you&#8217;re f&#8212; my wife.&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p>A stunning revelation to the episode&#8212;that is, unless you are fluent in ASL. </p><p>If <em>DTF St. Louis</em> pilot episode feels like sleuthing in online forums, sneaking through phones, or reading someone&#8217;s diary, that&#8217;s because it is&#8212;and it feels intentional.</p><p>The framework of the entire episode feels like walking into a messy room&#8212;carefully stepping over everything and peeking under scattered junk so you don&#8217;t knock anything out of place. You don&#8217;t quite know what you&#8217;re looking for, but you&#8217;ll know you&#8217;ve found it when you&#8217;ve seen it. That final moment feels like &#8220;it&#8221; was found by the audience, even if &#8220;it&#8221; isn&#8217;t revealed during Clark&#8217;s confession. And as you begin to think &#8220;not another whodunnit series, please stop,&#8221; the final flashback scene and smash to credits changes it all.</p><div><hr></div><h4>Questions That Need Answers</h4><ul><li><p>Do we think Clark confessed?</p></li><li><p>Do we think that the reason Clark brought up using the app was after he&#8217;d already began an affair with Carol (and he used it to hide/justify his actions)?</p></li><li><p>Was Carol going to umpire code for meeting Clark?</p></li><li><p>Do we think Carol did it?</p></li></ul><p>A successful &#8220;whodunnit&#8221; presents many pathways to the truth and &#8220;Cornhole&#8221; does just that. Here at <em>So There&#8217;s That</em>, we love predictions and theorizing, and <em>DTF St. Louis</em> is the perfect series that sets us on the path to a dark discovery.</p><p>So who do you think is guilty? Tune in weekly as we uncover the deadly truth. </p><p><em>DTF St. Louis will air every Sunday at 9pm ET/PT only on HBO. Check out the trailer below.</em></p><div id="youtube2-u1XHd5rIvmY" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;u1XHd5rIvmY&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/u1XHd5rIvmY?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.<a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a></p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Finale Recap: Dunk and Egg’s New Adventure]]></title><description><![CDATA[The finale that perfectly blends legacy and levity in the world of Westeros]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-finale</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-finale</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 22:16:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_rh_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f7fb885-30cb-4aad-9d4b-e9e909706651_1920x1280.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_rh_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f7fb885-30cb-4aad-9d4b-e9e909706651_1920x1280.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_rh_!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f7fb885-30cb-4aad-9d4b-e9e909706651_1920x1280.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_rh_!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f7fb885-30cb-4aad-9d4b-e9e909706651_1920x1280.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_rh_!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f7fb885-30cb-4aad-9d4b-e9e909706651_1920x1280.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_rh_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f7fb885-30cb-4aad-9d4b-e9e909706651_1920x1280.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_rh_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f7fb885-30cb-4aad-9d4b-e9e909706651_1920x1280.jpeg" width="1456" height="971" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7f7fb885-30cb-4aad-9d4b-e9e909706651_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:971,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:1644379,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/i/188948058?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f7fb885-30cb-4aad-9d4b-e9e909706651_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_rh_!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f7fb885-30cb-4aad-9d4b-e9e909706651_1920x1280.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_rh_!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f7fb885-30cb-4aad-9d4b-e9e909706651_1920x1280.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_rh_!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f7fb885-30cb-4aad-9d4b-e9e909706651_1920x1280.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_rh_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f7fb885-30cb-4aad-9d4b-e9e909706651_1920x1280.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Courtesy of HBO</figcaption></figure></div><p>If <em>Game of Thrones</em> taught us anything, it&#8217;s that the gods rarely spare anyone without reason. And if <em>A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms</em> has proven anything in its six short episodes, it&#8217;s that mercy often carries a heavier weight than death.</p><p>Season 1 Episode 6, &#8220;The Morrow,&#8221; closes the chapter not with heightened spectacle or brutality, but with sorrow and the quiet hope of a beginning that may prove greater than the melancholy of today. </p><p>If you missed my full season review, you can <em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-review?utm_source=publication-search">read it here</a></em> before digging into the finale below. </p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4b01fb77-6926-4338-8241-dd1a588734fe_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c47518bd-d4f0-44d8-a80e-c92d0a395f53_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/35b7a135-99c3-4df3-a026-df8619125897_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/bce502e3-b783-47ad-9c9a-74c1ed7159fa_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Valarr (Oscar Morgan), Daeron (Henry Ashton), Dunk (Peter Claffey), and Maekar (Sam Spruell)/Steffan Hill/HBO&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7069e558-7517-4eaf-898f-75d8eb51b29b_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>Here are the Cliff Notes:</p><ul><li><p>&#8220;The Morrow&#8221; finds citizens mourning Baelor in a farewell that lingers like smoke from a flame</p></li><li><p>Lionel invites Dunk to move to Storm&#8217;s End, but Dunk believes he&#8217;s bad luck</p></li><li><p>Maekar offers Dunk a place at Summerhall and the opportunity for Egg to squire for him there</p></li><li><p>Dunk declines the offer due to feeling unworthy and Egg overhears</p></li></ul><p>That&#8217;s the shell of the episode, and it barely scratches the surface of what <em>A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms</em> delivered in its finale.</p><p>A broken, bruised, and battered Dunk wanders around questioning why the gods deemed him worthy of living&#8212;this question looming over the entire finale like a dense fog.</p><p>Baelor is gone. </p><p>Aerion is being sent to the Free Cities to atone. </p><p>And whispers begin to take shape, following both Dunk and Maekar&#8212;it should have been them who had taken Baelor&#8217;s place.</p><p>But there is something quietly devastating about Dunk and Maekar bonding over the shared loss and unfortunate fallout of Baelor&#8217;s death. They are not friends, nor are they quite allies. But grief levels the playing field in ways that status and politics never can.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/50428d97-a4be-4f47-a9a2-87d74da8661a_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/261d57eb-17f0-407f-b6fe-424d5822bda1_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/44f0e7c0-abf3-4510-8794-a096b38ce316_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e391887a-740f-4b8e-ba94-365f3c698b3c_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Dunk and Egg/Steffan Hill/HBO&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/40f35cb2-2abe-4dd6-b8ef-584cf028b25a_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>For all its violence and heartbreak, the relationship between Dunk and Egg remains the bright shining light of the entire series.</p><p>To say <em>A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms</em> hit the casting jackpot with Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell is an understatement. Their chemistry is effortless. From the scene in Episode 1 to their final scene in the finale, through them the show is able to weave comedy, charisma, and charm into what could have otherwise been a relentless tragedy.</p><p>And tragedy often befalls even the most innocent of Westeros, which makes Daeron&#8217;s plea to Dunk to mentor Egg feel less like an ask and more like a prophecy.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/869748b3-178c-4426-b627-93e7cd65689b_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9e186e61-f32a-4535-973d-aa6fb6f5a882_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell)/Maekar (Sam Spruell)/Steffan Hill/HBO&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/14dc0cd0-d5ca-4401-ae10-74cc46aced4e_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>The most powerful scene of the finale belongs to Egg.</p><p>At the discovery of his hair regrowing, Egg feels the pull back into a life he vehemently detests&#8212;one he associates with the atrocities of his brother Aerion. He takes his knife and enters his brother&#8217;s bedroom, tears in his eyes, ready to make a decision that will alter the course of his life.</p><p>It&#8217;s a heartbreaking display of how circumstances and environment can turn even the most innocent into monsters, whether they want to change or not. His father, Maekar, sits in the room (unbeknownst to him at first) and watches as his youngest son sits on the precipice of taking out another. Instead of scolding, he provides comfort&#8212;understanding Egg&#8217;s fury, yet torn between his love and devotion to both of his children.</p><p>It is restraint. It is grief. It is the ugly horror of legacy.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/626088a9-e31f-490e-9ecb-9b2f0ea72911_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Raymun (Shaun Thomas) and Dunk (Peter Claffey)/Steffan Hill/HBO&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/626088a9-e31f-490e-9ecb-9b2f0ea72911_1920x1280.jpeg&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>When Dunk says farewell to Ashford, it marks not an end, but the beginning of a new adventure. As Egg accompanies him, the calm is the kind of full-circle storytelling that feels gentle and well-earned.</p><p>Egg and Dunk bickering about the number of kingdoms is the perfect summation of what we love about this show. Even in sorrow, there is humor. And even in the wake of uncertainty, there is friendship. </p><p>The image of Dunk&#8217;s mentor walking beside him provides both Dunk and the audience the reassurance that his new journey signals growth, and his grief finally finds a place to rest within him rather than anchoring him to a past he&#8217;s outgrown.</p><p>Just as we ready ourselves for a hope-filled farewell, we discover that Maekar never changed his mind about the conditions in which he would allow Egg to be Dunk&#8217;s squire. Once again, Egg fell to Dunk&#8217;s side on his own accord in full Egg fashion.</p><p>And the final scene? A king yelling, <strong>"Where the f@!* is he?!&#8221; </strong></p><p>We couldn&#8217;t have asked for a better cliffhanger.</p><p><em>All six episodes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms are available to stream now on HBO and HBO Max. Check out a preview from the finale below.</em></p><div id="youtube2-Gh1bwImgPnU" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;Gh1bwImgPnU&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Gh1bwImgPnU?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p> <em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.<a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a></p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[AMC's 'Dark Winds' Season 4 Premiere: Episode 1 Breakdown & Episode 2 Preview]]></title><description><![CDATA[A haunting premiere that raises the stakes as Dark Winds returns darker than ever]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/amcs-dark-winds-season-4-premiere</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/amcs-dark-winds-season-4-premiere</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:54:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WT4x!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F129ee1ee-dbdc-49aa-8e8f-6f8275453e86_5408x3605.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ys17!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d2f3f71-0114-4b88-a2a8-0cfc24669c74_6000x4000.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ys17!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d2f3f71-0114-4b88-a2a8-0cfc24669c74_6000x4000.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ys17!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d2f3f71-0114-4b88-a2a8-0cfc24669c74_6000x4000.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ys17!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d2f3f71-0114-4b88-a2a8-0cfc24669c74_6000x4000.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ys17!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d2f3f71-0114-4b88-a2a8-0cfc24669c74_6000x4000.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ys17!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d2f3f71-0114-4b88-a2a8-0cfc24669c74_6000x4000.jpeg" width="1456" height="971" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ys17!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d2f3f71-0114-4b88-a2a8-0cfc24669c74_6000x4000.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ys17!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d2f3f71-0114-4b88-a2a8-0cfc24669c74_6000x4000.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ys17!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d2f3f71-0114-4b88-a2a8-0cfc24669c74_6000x4000.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ys17!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d2f3f71-0114-4b88-a2a8-0cfc24669c74_6000x4000.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Courtesy of AMC Networks</figcaption></figure></div><p>Season 4 of <em>Dark Winds</em> slithers in, leaving a slick feeling inside of you that never subsides, settling uncomfortably inside your chest. If you think this is a feeling you can shake, think again.</p><p>Episode 401, &#8220;Baptism by Fire,&#8221; comes in blazing, reminding us exactly why <em>Dark Winds</em> remains a top drama on <strong>AMC Networks</strong>. And with its visual framing and signature composition, Season 4 immediately feels ominous, signaling a more sinister path for Leaphorn and the residents on the reservation. </p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tqqf!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdab3cd2d-843c-4ebb-bc43-68489c54eaa4_5143x3429.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tqqf!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdab3cd2d-843c-4ebb-bc43-68489c54eaa4_5143x3429.jpeg 424w, 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tqqf!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdab3cd2d-843c-4ebb-bc43-68489c54eaa4_5143x3429.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tqqf!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdab3cd2d-843c-4ebb-bc43-68489c54eaa4_5143x3429.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tqqf!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdab3cd2d-843c-4ebb-bc43-68489c54eaa4_5143x3429.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tqqf!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdab3cd2d-843c-4ebb-bc43-68489c54eaa4_5143x3429.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>We open with Joe Leaphorn (<strong>Zahn McClarnon</strong>) attempting to live in his &#8220;new normal,&#8221; emotionally isolated and vulnerable in a way that is monumentally heartbreaking.</p><p>The investigation into his involvement in BJ Vines&#8217; death has concluded, yet the weight of Emma&#8217;s (<strong>Deanna Taushi Allison</strong>) absence anchors his spirit in quiet reflection and looming depression. Alone and pensive, Joe decides retirement is the solution to getting Emma back, and he propositions Bernadette (<strong>Jessica Matten</strong>) to take his place in the department.</p><p>However, retirement is just a bandaid that fails to cover the septic wound that infects Joe&#8217;s broken heart. His road to forgiveness and redemption marks one of the emotional undercurrents of the season as well as a major plot device for Joe.</p><p>Meanwhile, Chee (<strong>Kiowa Gordon</strong>) and Bernie are no longer circling one another. We find them attempting to build something steady after the trauma in Arizona that drove Bernie back to the reservation, surrounded by friends who love her and would protect her with their lives. As she processes her feelings, she&#8217;s now confronted with the weight of taking Joe&#8217;s place. And while her break from the force brought her genuine peace, a shootout makes her return anything but.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f664dc1a-2958-46d3-816f-09e0805fd218_5487x3658.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/faa05976-d736-4bd4-8d24-ad4684c3f02e_6000x4000.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4a11763c-9d87-4e05-bba2-f1894d9b472d_5546x3697.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9a37b58a-28d4-445a-8725-e1398dde73e3_5046x3364.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Courtesy of AMC Networks&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2e549791-f8d1-40dd-9838-499e869eb3c2_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>Let&#8217;s recap Episode 401:</p><ul><li><p>An unknown woman enters the diner looking for Albert</p></li><li><p>A shootout erupts, claiming multiple lives</p></li><li><p>A wounded Albert escapes along with a young Navajo teenager named Billie</p><p></p></li></ul><p>The musical shift from the opening to 15 hours earlier is disarming. The Kiners&#8217; composition takes us on a musical journey from frantic to hopeful yet slightly melancholic. This musical choice temporarily brightens the mood, bringing mundanity and regularity back on the screen as we catch up with Joe, Chee, and Bernadette. Then Billie&#8217;s missing-person case lands on Chee&#8217;s desk and ignites the season&#8217;s central investigation, driving us back into mania.</p><p><strong>Franka Potente</strong> as Irene Vaggan is the antagonist we see at the start of the season&#8212;elusive, controlled, and terrifyingly focused. She doesn&#8217;t rely on theatrics, nor is she one for long-winded conversations. She is the new storm that looms over the reservation, wreaking havoc in her wake. </p><p>The episode ends with a distorted vinyl hum over the blood-soaked aftermath, making Joe&#8217;s final words to Bernie, &#8220;<em>welcome home</em>,&#8221; hit like a blast to the chest.</p><div><hr></div><h4>Cast &amp; Production</h4><p><em>Dark Winds</em> stars series regulars <strong>Zahn McClarnon</strong> (Lt. Joe Leaphorn), <strong>Kiowa Gordon</strong> (Jim Chee), <strong>Jessica Matten</strong> (Bernadette Manuelito), and <strong>Deanna Taushi Allison</strong> (Emma Leaphorn). Season 4 adds new and returning guest stars <strong>Franka Potente</strong> (Irene Vaggan), <strong>Isabel DeRoy-Olson</strong> (Billie Tsosie), <strong>Chaske Spencer</strong> (Sonny), <strong>Luke Barnett </strong>(FBI Special Agent Toby Shaw), <strong>Titus Welliver</strong> (Dominic McNair), <strong>A. Martinez</strong> (Gordo Sena), and <strong>Linda Hamilton</strong> (Barbara Sena).</p><p><em>Dark Winds</em> is created by <strong>Graham Roland</strong>, executive produced by <strong>Robert Redford</strong> and <strong>George R.R. Martin</strong>, and <strong>John Wirth</strong> serves as the showrunner.</p><p><strong>Episode 401 &#8220;Baptism by Fire&#8221; </strong></p><ul><li><p>Director: Craig Zisk</p></li><li><p>Writers: John Wirth, Steven Paul Judd</p></li></ul><p><strong>Episode 402 &#8220;Toward Their Unknown Paths&#8221;</strong></p><ul><li><p>Director: Zahn McClarnon</p></li><li><p>Writers: Max Hurwitz, Wenonah Wilms</p></li></ul><p><em><a href="https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/dark-winds-season-4-looks-like-the">Read here for what&#8217;s to come in Season 4 of Dark Winds.</a></em></p><div><hr></div><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/129ee1ee-dbdc-49aa-8e8f-6f8275453e86_5408x3605.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b0882644-2795-4106-95e7-d21dc0718b24_5413x3609.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c93b48d5-34d2-4035-b906-cea870d83069_5231x3487.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4f674ab9-e040-4a86-91c3-cb0da6528520_5548x3699.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Courtesy AMC Networks&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6db355f0-5dac-4cc2-ac9d-86c17d5228af_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>Preview Episode 402 &#8220;Toward Their Unknown Paths&#8221;</h4><p>If Episode 401 is about inevitability, then Episode 402 is about immersion.</p><p>&#8220;Toward Their Unknown Paths,&#8221; directed by Zahn McClarnon in his television directorial debut, doesn&#8217;t just move us forward in the investigation&#8212;it pulls us backward, pulling the curtain back on the destruction. This approach makes the episode more intimate and more horrifying than anyone could imagine.</p><p>The cinematography shift from Episode 401 to 402 immerses the audience in the episode, evoking a sense of suffocating danger and placing us squarely in the path of danger. </p><p>This shift is what makes Zahn&#8217;s direction so provoking. He leverages his intimate knowledge and understanding of each character to his advantage. Through the use of first-person point-of-view, as well as strategically placed one-shots, &#8220;Toward Their Unknown Paths&#8221; boldly makes a bid for best direction&#8230;and we&#8217;re only two episodes in. </p><p>Season 4 makes it crystal clear that viewers will not have room to breathe, nor will they be comforted by dull moments. If the first two episodes are any indication, the only thing <em>Dark Winds</em> promises is more ruin. </p><p><em>Dark Winds airs every Sunday at 9pm ET/PT on AMC and is available to stream on AMC+ every Sunday at 3am ET/PT for subscribers. Check out the sneak peek for Episode 402 below.</em></p><div id="youtube2-6wefma3E868" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;6wefma3E868&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/6wefma3E868?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.<a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a></p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA['Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model' Revisits ANTM Chaos, Controversy, & Pop-Culture Mayhem]]></title><description><![CDATA[From empowerment to exploitation, Netflix takes a deep look into the good, bad, and ugly of ANTM]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/reality-check-inside-americas-next</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/reality-check-inside-americas-next</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:22:51 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aQYW!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d093fd0-4a92-449c-941c-e976dcd42a8c_3840x2160.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4k7d!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F78354a09-25c0-4661-8cc3-7c8a27d9f190_487x684.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4k7d!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F78354a09-25c0-4661-8cc3-7c8a27d9f190_487x684.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4k7d!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F78354a09-25c0-4661-8cc3-7c8a27d9f190_487x684.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4k7d!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F78354a09-25c0-4661-8cc3-7c8a27d9f190_487x684.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4k7d!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F78354a09-25c0-4661-8cc3-7c8a27d9f190_487x684.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4k7d!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F78354a09-25c0-4661-8cc3-7c8a27d9f190_487x684.png" width="487" height="684" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/78354a09-25c0-4661-8cc3-7c8a27d9f190_487x684.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:684,&quot;width&quot;:487,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:511020,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/i/188292955?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F78354a09-25c0-4661-8cc3-7c8a27d9f190_487x684.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4k7d!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F78354a09-25c0-4661-8cc3-7c8a27d9f190_487x684.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4k7d!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F78354a09-25c0-4661-8cc3-7c8a27d9f190_487x684.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4k7d!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F78354a09-25c0-4661-8cc3-7c8a27d9f190_487x684.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4k7d!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F78354a09-25c0-4661-8cc3-7c8a27d9f190_487x684.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Courtesy of Netflix</figcaption></figure></div><p>On February 16, Netflix dropped <em>Reality Check: Inside America&#8217;s Next Top Model</em>, the three-part documentary from directors <strong>Daniel Sivan</strong> and <strong>Mor Loushy</strong>, and if the title didn&#8217;t warn you, the content absolutely will. This documentary provides an inside look into arguably the greatest modeling competition show of all time, chronicling the rise, reign, and reckoning of <em>America&#8217;s Next Top Model</em>&#8212;the chaos both in front and behind the camera.</p><p>Netflix describes the documentary as &#8220;a look at how a glamourous launchpad became a pop-culture juggernaut fueled by explosive drama, public meltdowns, and controversies that still go viral today.&#8221; And after watching all three parts, I walked away with two competing timelines in my head: the teenager who watched the show religiously when it aired, and the adult who now understands the importance of consequence, responsibility, and accountability.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aQYW!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d093fd0-4a92-449c-941c-e976dcd42a8c_3840x2160.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aQYW!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d093fd0-4a92-449c-941c-e976dcd42a8c_3840x2160.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aQYW!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d093fd0-4a92-449c-941c-e976dcd42a8c_3840x2160.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aQYW!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d093fd0-4a92-449c-941c-e976dcd42a8c_3840x2160.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aQYW!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d093fd0-4a92-449c-941c-e976dcd42a8c_3840x2160.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aQYW!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d093fd0-4a92-449c-941c-e976dcd42a8c_3840x2160.jpeg" width="1456" height="819" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aQYW!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d093fd0-4a92-449c-941c-e976dcd42a8c_3840x2160.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aQYW!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d093fd0-4a92-449c-941c-e976dcd42a8c_3840x2160.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aQYW!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d093fd0-4a92-449c-941c-e976dcd42a8c_3840x2160.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aQYW!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d093fd0-4a92-449c-941c-e976dcd42a8c_3840x2160.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Season 1 of America&#8217;s Next Top Model/Netflix</figcaption></figure></div><h4>The Show That Raised a Generation</h4><p>When <em>ANTM </em>first aired, the modeling and fashion industry already had a disgusting and sordid history of racism, misogyny, body dysmorphia, and abuse. <strong>Tyra Banks</strong> set out to change that. She wanted to create a space where people who felt &#8220;othered&#8221; could finally be seen and succeed.</p><p>The idea quickly bloomed and the powers that be transformed good intent into a bad reality.</p><p>What began as entrepreneurial ambition quickly turned into a reality check for the supermodel herself. Banks wasn&#8217;t just building a show&#8212;she became a pawn in the machine that is network television. From networks slamming the door in her face because they believed models were unintelligent and unlikable, to nearly coming to blows with Viacom president Mel Karmazin, the documentary makes one thing painfully clear: the show was set up for moral scrutiny from the very beginning.</p><p>UPN said yes but Viacom had a harsh condition.</p><p>Translation:</p><blockquote><p><em>We want drama, not empowerment.</em></p></blockquote><p>And drama is definitely what was served. </p><p>At the height of the series, teens and young adults were scandalized and sensationalized by the chaos. We went to school the next day with our own &#8220;watercooler&#8221; meetups&#8212;not just about the photoshoot fails and successes, but about the mess surrounding each of the contestants. But what we didn&#8217;t know then was that the message of empowerment was just a veil.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/98a8a845-2181-4092-b367-3059bb901878_3840x2160.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6b3f1f63-9efe-40d7-b129-7c6881bcfb1f_3840x2160.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d1b93250-9003-4375-ac96-1f16ed2d9c54_3840x2160.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c2000527-cc2f-44d8-877f-f8bb17ebfb47_3840x2160.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Giselle Samson, Dani Evans, Shandi Sullivan, and Ebony Haith/Netflix&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/923917c0-7e9e-46d7-8e6c-bf638844b900_1456x1456.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><h4>No One Can Outrun the Impact </h4><p>The documentary features production alums like <strong>Ken Mok</strong>, <strong>Miss J Alexander</strong>, <strong>Jay Manuel</strong>, and <strong>Nigel Barker</strong> reflecting on their actions with regret, remorse, and uncomfortable humor&#8212;repeatedly reminding viewers that it was the &#8220;sign of the times&#8221; in hopes that the audience will reflect upon their own past behavior and offer sympathy and grace in the present. </p><p>But for the models, this isn&#8217;t a nostalgic trip down memory lane. </p><p>Contestants including <strong>Ebony Haith</strong>, <strong>Shandi Sullivan</strong>, <strong>Dani Evans</strong>, <strong>Giselle Samson</strong>, and <strong>Keenyah Hill</strong> speak openly about looking to Tyra as a mentor&#8212;only to watch their &#8220;shero&#8221; become the orchestrator of their worst experiences.</p><p>And yes, Tyra appears in the documentary. Her presence, however, sparked much debate online. While she acknowledges the wins and cultural shifts she helped usher in, many viewers couldn&#8217;t help but notice the deflection and limited accountability for the show&#8217;s darkest moments.</p><div class="twitter-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://x.com/skool_boi/status/2023498237731291289?s=46&amp;t=rJB3rmdJDNyWRGbS4CosvQ&quot;,&quot;full_text&quot;:&quot;Girl at this point <span class=\&quot;tweet-fake-link\&quot;>#TyraBanks</span> is EXACTLY Who they say she is! You will never get me to believe other wise! Everyone took accountability except her she got more excuses than a nigga not paying his child support! <span class=\&quot;tweet-fake-link\&quot;>#RealityCheck</span> <span class=\&quot;tweet-fake-link\&quot;>#ANTM</span> &quot;,&quot;username&quot;:&quot;Skool_boi&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;SkoolBoi&quot;,&quot;profile_image_url&quot;:&quot;https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/1950280221917122560/Tc35g9Ai_normal.jpg&quot;,&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-02-16T20:42:29.000Z&quot;,&quot;photos&quot;:[{&quot;img_url&quot;:&quot;https://res.cloudinary.com/hhsslviub/video/upload/e_loop,vs_40/pzzwkrqzqkcnehikpo2i.gif&quot;,&quot;link_url&quot;:&quot;https://t.co/OEe202RTNb&quot;}],&quot;quoted_tweet&quot;:{},&quot;reply_count&quot;:20,&quot;retweet_count&quot;:170,&quot;like_count&quot;:1408,&quot;impression_count&quot;:29573,&quot;expanded_url&quot;:null,&quot;video_url&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM"></div><div class="twitter-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://x.com/lokissneakylink/status/2023622332065914895?s=46&amp;t=rJB3rmdJDNyWRGbS4CosvQ&quot;,&quot;full_text&quot;:&quot;Everytime Tyra tries to use being Black to get sympathy or assuage guilt, I felt slapped across the face. Like girl please be serious.   <span class=\&quot;tweet-fake-link\&quot;>#RealityCheck</span> &quot;,&quot;username&quot;:&quot;lokissneakylink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;squid &#129425;&#10024;&#129653;&quot;,&quot;profile_image_url&quot;:&quot;https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/1986428550363148289/C7QzWtfU_normal.jpg&quot;,&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-02-17T04:55:35.000Z&quot;,&quot;photos&quot;:[{&quot;img_url&quot;:&quot;https://res.cloudinary.com/hhsslviub/video/upload/e_loop,vs_40/ynu0bfnyxqxp5zlwve78.gif&quot;,&quot;link_url&quot;:&quot;https://t.co/vNeh2RSk04&quot;}],&quot;quoted_tweet&quot;:{},&quot;reply_count&quot;:0,&quot;retweet_count&quot;:5,&quot;like_count&quot;:69,&quot;impression_count&quot;:1892,&quot;expanded_url&quot;:null,&quot;video_url&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM"></div><div class="twitter-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://x.com/candieology/status/2023593229694742686?s=46&amp;t=rJB3rmdJDNyWRGbS4CosvQ&quot;,&quot;full_text&quot;:&quot;&#8230;binged <span class=\&quot;tweet-fake-link\&quot;>#RealityCheck</span> &#8230; annnddddd&#8230;\n\nAccountability.. was not in the room with us.. &#129488; lol &quot;,&quot;username&quot;:&quot;cAnDiEoLoGy&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Candie' &#9811;&quot;,&quot;profile_image_url&quot;:&quot;https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/986030329210265601/-mVn5Gt5_normal.jpg&quot;,&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-02-17T02:59:57.000Z&quot;,&quot;photos&quot;:[{&quot;img_url&quot;:&quot;https://res.cloudinary.com/hhsslviub/video/upload/e_loop,vs_40/hlfwhqdjofwpysteb3o8.gif&quot;,&quot;link_url&quot;:&quot;https://t.co/eA28vtlPzN&quot;}],&quot;quoted_tweet&quot;:{},&quot;reply_count&quot;:1,&quot;retweet_count&quot;:14,&quot;like_count&quot;:72,&quot;impression_count&quot;:1331,&quot;expanded_url&quot;:null,&quot;video_url&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM"></div><div class="twitter-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://x.com/cuntacunty/status/2023498970631467424?s=46&amp;t=rJB3rmdJDNyWRGbS4CosvQ&quot;,&quot;full_text&quot;:&quot;They literally gaslit Shandi into thinking she cheated on her boyfriend instead of what happened: she was SA&#8217;d. What they did to that girl is disgusting. I&#8217;m so fucking angry. <span class=\&quot;tweet-fake-link\&quot;>#RealityCheck</span> <span class=\&quot;tweet-fake-link\&quot;>#ANTM</span> &quot;,&quot;username&quot;:&quot;cuntacunty&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;kiki palmier&quot;,&quot;profile_image_url&quot;:&quot;https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/2018817808239341569/0fExI2xp_normal.jpg&quot;,&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-02-16T20:45:24.000Z&quot;,&quot;photos&quot;:[{&quot;img_url&quot;:&quot;https://res.cloudinary.com/hhsslviub/video/upload/e_loop,vs_40/iozuxxrny0dhhhdqwmhv.gif&quot;,&quot;link_url&quot;:&quot;https://t.co/F0T1oogMv7&quot;}],&quot;quoted_tweet&quot;:{},&quot;reply_count&quot;:3,&quot;retweet_count&quot;:98,&quot;like_count&quot;:898,&quot;impression_count&quot;:16845,&quot;expanded_url&quot;:null,&quot;video_url&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM"></div><div class="twitter-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://x.com/thatdamnbrook/status/2023617453087961144?s=46&amp;t=rJB3rmdJDNyWRGbS4CosvQ&quot;,&quot;full_text&quot;:&quot;Tyra did not protect black women. <span class=\&quot;tweet-fake-link\&quot;>#RealityCheck</span> <span class=\&quot;tweet-fake-link\&quot;><span class=\&quot;tweet-fake-link\&quot;>#ANTM</span>Documentary</span> #ANTM &quot;,&quot;username&quot;:&quot;thatdamnbrook&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Adventures of an Ambivert &#10024;&#128171;&quot;,&quot;profile_image_url&quot;:&quot;https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/1942695751252955136/xhWuLCQ4_normal.jpg&quot;,&quot;date&quot;:&quot;2026-02-17T04:36:12.000Z&quot;,&quot;photos&quot;:[{&quot;img_url&quot;:&quot;https://pbs.substack.com/media/HBVVWOPXUAEEPrN.jpg&quot;,&quot;link_url&quot;:&quot;https://t.co/9LfvSCqTXr&quot;}],&quot;quoted_tweet&quot;:{},&quot;reply_count&quot;:1,&quot;retweet_count&quot;:4,&quot;like_count&quot;:22,&quot;impression_count&quot;:566,&quot;expanded_url&quot;:null,&quot;video_url&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM"></div><h4>Tyra Banks: A Visionary, Victim, or Both?</h4><p>The documentary stops short of blaming Tyra Banks for all of the unsavory moments. She built the show to platform outsiders, but the engine of <em>ANTM </em>accelerated faster than anyone expected, including Banks herself. As a brand-new executive producer navigating television for the first time, she was caught between modeling agencies dictating the models&#8217; career paths (criticizing their weight, teeth, bone structure) and network executives demanding more spectacle. </p><p>However, even with the purest of intentions when filming Season 1, Banks still became the monstrous product of her own empire. For that, she bears the blame and ire of the models whose lives she negatively impacted. Tyra failed to uproot the nastier parts of the very industry in which she was embedded since she was a teenager. Her lack of self-assessment and internal restructuring was always going to lead her down this road.</p><p>In trying to change the industry, she became the worst parts of it.</p><div><hr></div><h4>Does America Want Another Top Model?</h4><p>The timing of this documentary is as poetic as it is questionable, as Tyra announced that <em><strong>America&#8217;s Next Top Model</strong></em><strong> will return for Cycle 25</strong>. She promises growth, reflection, and change. But her participation in the documentary leaves one massive thought lingering in the air:</p><p>Did Tyra do the work to actually enforce these changes? If not, a revival risks becoming nothing more than an uglier clone of its original self.</p><p>Thus, the million dollar question: can this format survive in 2026? </p><p>If you haven&#8217;t watched <em>Reality Check: Inside America&#8217;s Next Top Model</em>, head to Netflix. If you have, where do you land? Can a show like <em>ANTM </em>actually be both positive and successful today? Or will the industry&#8217;s craving (and let&#8217;s face it, the fans too) for drama keep recycling the same trauma?</p><p><em>Checkout the trailer for Reality Check: Inside America&#8217;s Next Top Model below and stream now on Netflix.</em></p><div id="youtube2-64eaReTHCgc" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;64eaReTHCgc&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/64eaReTHCgc?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted</em>.<a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a></p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA['Wonder Man' Explained: Why This Might Be MCU's Best Series Yet]]></title><description><![CDATA[Disney+ reinvents an obscure hero through humor, heart, and grit]]></description><link>https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/wonder-man-review-why-this-might</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sotheresthatpodcast.com/p/wonder-man-review-why-this-might</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[So There’s That]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:28:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g_QT!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61dbe96e-7df8-4805-b421-ca4eb86c1227_1086x1609.webp" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g_QT!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61dbe96e-7df8-4805-b421-ca4eb86c1227_1086x1609.webp" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g_QT!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61dbe96e-7df8-4805-b421-ca4eb86c1227_1086x1609.webp 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g_QT!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61dbe96e-7df8-4805-b421-ca4eb86c1227_1086x1609.webp 848w, 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class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Courtesy of Disney+</figcaption></figure></div><p>From the very first episode, <em>Wonder Man</em> announces itself as every director&#8217;s nightmare&#8212;and it&#8217;s perfect.</p><p>We meet Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) on the set of <em>American Horror Story</em>, confidently (and incorrectly) offering updates, changes, and insight&#8230;despite having a tiny role. It&#8217;s the kind of over-eager enthusiasm that feels painfully similar to anyone who&#8217;s ever loved the craft a little too much. And in a stroke of comedic cruelty, his character gets cut.</p><p>What did he expect?</p><p>The hits keep coming. After losing his job as a day player, he comes to home to find his girlfriend moving out&#8212;something she planned to do while he was out but returned unexpectedly. Dejected and emotionally flatlined, Simon does what so many of us do when reality gets too loud: he goes to the movies.</p><p>That&#8217;s where fate&#8212;and the MCU&#8212;intervenes.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/fb8abbdf-8529-430a-af08-a069ca4cca73_780x438.jpeg&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8a38e4e2-a33a-4475-a010-51322b7b77a5_1014x570.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Trevor (Sir Ben Kingsley) and Simon (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II)/Disney+&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/106b22a0-83ee-4f1b-b925-3036040360e8_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>Enter Trevor Slattery.</p><p>Yes, that Trevor Slattery (Sir Ben Kingsley)&#8212;the man who once served as the public face of the Mandarin in <em>Iron Man 3</em> (<em>2013</em>), believing he was filming a fictional role for the BBC while unknowingly fronting a terrorist persona created by Aldrich Killian.</p><p>Watching Yahya and Ben together is an MCU dream. They aren&#8217;t just acting&#8212;they&#8217;re imitating actors who are imitating actors, struggling with relevance, ego, regret, and the fear that maybe the industry has already passed them by.</p><p>But maybe&#8230;it hasn&#8217;t. Not yet.</p><p>After genuine conversation, Simon learns that <em>Wonder Man</em>&#8212;his favorite obscure superhero story&#8212;is being revived. A remake. A real opportunity to propel his career. And in true Simon fashion, he hilariously secures an audition behind his agent&#8217;s back.</p><p>At the audition, Simon is frantic, ungrounded, and spiraling. Trevor finds him and, surprisingly, offers real advice: get out of your head, trust the words, stop searching for subtext that isn&#8217;t there. </p><p>Except&#8230;there <em>is </em>subtext&#8212;and it refuses to remain hidden in the shadows any longer.</p><div class="image-gallery-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;gallery&quot;:{&quot;images&quot;:[{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/webp&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b63a9715-b208-4a52-9ccd-badb5f6d9e08_1200x675.webp&quot;},{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2c702385-f331-415b-b732-2f98aa0188fd_1024x576.jpeg&quot;}],&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Courtesy of Disney+&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;staticGalleryImage&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ed97b583-11b7-46ef-b82b-17c51cd1e9e5_1456x720.png&quot;}},&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true}"></div><p>By Episode 2, the series reveals its true motive. Trevor isn&#8217;t just a new friend&#8212;he&#8217;s been planted by the Department of Damage Control (DDC), tasked with monitoring Simon because of his powers and emotional instability. </p><p>This is where <em>Wonder Man</em> gets extremely clever.</p><p>Instead of a bombastic origin story, we get slow dread. Surveillance. Video files. Reports. Simon&#8217;s growing trust being eroded without him ever knowing there was trouble in the first place. And by Episode 3, Simon&#8217;s powers and when they first manifested are revealed, further showing just how far the DCC will go to get him in their custody.</p><p>Trevor is forced to choose between his growing loyalty and his legal dilemma: do the task or go back to prison.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6Nx0!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb771afc9-19a0-48f7-a312-e1ec09e34253_800x450.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6Nx0!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb771afc9-19a0-48f7-a312-e1ec09e34253_800x450.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6Nx0!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb771afc9-19a0-48f7-a312-e1ec09e34253_800x450.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6Nx0!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb771afc9-19a0-48f7-a312-e1ec09e34253_800x450.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6Nx0!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb771afc9-19a0-48f7-a312-e1ec09e34253_800x450.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6Nx0!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb771afc9-19a0-48f7-a312-e1ec09e34253_800x450.png" width="800" height="450" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6Nx0!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb771afc9-19a0-48f7-a312-e1ec09e34253_800x450.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6Nx0!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb771afc9-19a0-48f7-a312-e1ec09e34253_800x450.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6Nx0!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb771afc9-19a0-48f7-a312-e1ec09e34253_800x450.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6Nx0!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb771afc9-19a0-48f7-a312-e1ec09e34253_800x450.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Eric (Demetrius Grosse) and Martha (Shola Adewusi)/Disney+</figcaption></figure></div><p>The emotional core of the series strikes during Simon&#8217;s mother&#8217;s birthday party. Trevor tags along as a buffer, while conversations drift&#8212;awkwardly, inevitably&#8212;back to the <em>stove incident</em>. Simon&#8217;s brother Eric presses. Pushes. And it&#8217;s in this insistence and lack of family support that we learn that Simon has a deeply rooted trigger that signals his explosive emotive reactions.</p><p>What makes this scene devastating isn&#8217;t the spectacle, it&#8217;s what happens before it. Trevor hiding in the kitchen with Simon&#8217;s mother. Her quiet confession that she&#8217;s glad Simon finally has a friend, that he&#8217;s always been alone and never shared his life with anyone.</p><p>Until now.</p><p>By the end of Episode 3, <em>Wonder Man</em> shifts gears. What began as a plot-centric story (here&#8217;s what&#8217;s happening) becomes a character-driven exploration (here&#8217;s how our heroes evolve). The callbacks come in. Simon and Trevor both advance. Dreams feel close enough to touch&#8212;yet only one knows that this happiness is a phone call away from being destroyed.</p><p>Without spoiling the entire series, <em>Wonder Man</em> traverses effortlessly between comedy, drama, identity, and self-acceptance, transforming a deeply obscure Marvel comic into something grounded and tangible. The show prioritizes Simon&#8217;s humanity over his grandeur&#8212;his loneliness over his power.</p><div><hr></div><h4>A Finale That Blows the MCU Wide Open</h4><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rDMJ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F29ede337-df92-4171-b892-815436ffe475_1920x1080.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rDMJ!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F29ede337-df92-4171-b892-815436ffe475_1920x1080.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rDMJ!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F29ede337-df92-4171-b892-815436ffe475_1920x1080.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rDMJ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F29ede337-df92-4171-b892-815436ffe475_1920x1080.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rDMJ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F29ede337-df92-4171-b892-815436ffe475_1920x1080.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rDMJ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F29ede337-df92-4171-b892-815436ffe475_1920x1080.jpeg" width="1456" height="819" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rDMJ!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F29ede337-df92-4171-b892-815436ffe475_1920x1080.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rDMJ!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F29ede337-df92-4171-b892-815436ffe475_1920x1080.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rDMJ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F29ede337-df92-4171-b892-815436ffe475_1920x1080.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rDMJ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F29ede337-df92-4171-b892-815436ffe475_1920x1080.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Courtesy of Disney+</figcaption></figure></div><p>In the finale, loyalty is tested through sacrifice. A lifelong dream arrives but at a cost that reshapes everyone involved.</p><p>And perhaps the boldest choice <em>Wonder Man</em> makes? </p><p>We still don&#8217;t fully understand who <em>Wonder Man</em> truly is. That restraint in the superhero reveal is the show&#8217;s ultimate power.</p><p>By leaning into this approach, pacing, chemistry, and character complexity, <em>Wonder Man</em> doesn&#8217;t just breathe fresh life into the MCU&#8212;it quietly becomes one of its strongest series. Funny, layered, emotionally astute, and primed for expansion, <em>Wonder Man</em> blasts the door wide open for more seasons, fresh films, and new direction that keep the Marvel Universe alive.</p><p>And honestly?</p><p>That final note of uncertainty imbued with possibility might be the most incredible moment of it all.</p><p><em>All 8 episodes are available to stream now on Disney+.</em></p><div id="youtube2-wHuWmjXsReU" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;wHuWmjXsReU&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/wHuWmjXsReU?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><div class="footnote" data-component-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1" href="#footnote-anchor-1" class="footnote-number" contenteditable="false" target="_self">1</a><div class="footnote-content"><p><em><strong>&#169; Kivonshe | So There&#8217;s That <br></strong> Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted.</em><a class="footnote-anchor" data-component-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1" href="#footnote-1" target="_self">1</a></p></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>