Wentworth | Season 8 Part 2: Episode 16, One Eye Open

Here we are agin, four weeks to go to what could be an explosive series finale!

Yes it is shaping up to be explosive with Lou and Judy putting their elaborate plan to escape into action. Judy, having had her privileges suspended, relies on Lou to pass on her information to a visitor in accumulating the proper equipment in making a bomb. However, Lou has a much greater plan in mind. Targeting the guards and staff at Wentworth.

Lou persuades Marie to steal Zaina’s phone and now that Lou is protecting Judy, Marie requests a transfer and asks Allie would she mind if she moves into H1, which casuals friction between Rita, Ruby and Boomer. 

Vera informs Will that Joan’s memory has returned. Vera also reveals Dr. Miller has been prescribing her Psuldrycin, but will have much difficulty in trying to oust Miller, as she has illegally obtained this information. 

Ann is becoming more desperate in trying to find the camera filming some nasty Boomer style amateur AF prison porn.

Ann offers to issue a bonus wage to the first officer who retrieves it and authorises a less extreme search than before, to avoid another backlash. Linda takes matters into her own hands and unsuccessfully attempts to take out an unofficial strip search on Boomer. 

Rita’s case begins to look encouraging when her lawyer attempts to track down Jonesy via a string of phone calls, until Marie receives a visit where she is informed that Rita is a cop, placing her and Ruby’s life in danger. 

Joan prompts Eve to make her move on Jake. When Jake rejects Eve’s advances, Joan tells Eve that Jake has a history of mistreating women, in the hope that she will kill Jake. However, Joan’s plan backfires when she believes that Eve has placed Jake’s body in a freezer, only to discover that Eve has set a trap by attacking her and attempting to lock her inside the freezer, for which Joan swiftly retaliates. 

Eve is later found with her left eye missing and holding a spoon. It is then realised that Eve has emotionally unravelled, yet Vera suspects that Joan is the culprit behind it. With no evidence, Eve is transferred to a mental institution. Jake is located alive and naked. Did Joan or Eve do something to a naked Jake?

The missing eye eventually turns up in Lou’s breakfast cereal, courtesy of Joan. With Joan muttering "I've got my eye on you". Nasty!

As Lou is about to tell Marie the reason why she is protecting Judy and agreeing to let her move into Reb’s old cell, Marie almost tells Lou the truth about Rita but suddenly the pair being to kiss one another. Is this the new Wentworth power couple?

Was this the end of Eve Wilder? What is lone wolf Joan/The Freak up to? Four episodes remaining, how will it all end? Will Lou conclude the series as the Top Dog?

Time will tell. Until next week.

September TV Finales - Power Book III: Raising Kanan - Season One

Power Book III: Raising Kanan is the third spin-off of the long-running series, Power. Following Power Book II: Ghost this is not a continuation on the original Power series. Power Book III was renewed for a second season ahead of its premiere. Good news for Stan as this is one of the biggest titles on Stan right now.

With two more spin offs in the works this gives Stan almost year round content. Power Book II: Ghost is also due to return in November of this year.

Power Book III: Raising Kanan is a prequel set in the 1990s that will chronicle the early years of Kanan Stark (the character first played by executive producer Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson), on how he got in the drug game.

Kanan's mom Patina Miller as Raquel Thomas steals every scene she is in. With power suits and real big bo$$ energy. Miller slays. Mekai Curtis stars as lead Kanan Stark, while Joey Bada$$ as Unique, Omar Epps as Malcolm Howard & AnnaLynne McCord as Toni Deep also star.

It took me a while to get into the third Power story, however once I did, I was sold. Its an ace 90's throwback with the usual Power amount of sex, drugs and drama.

Starz have a winning franchise on their hands with Power. I have a feeling season two will be back mid 2022, I for one will be picking this bad boy back up.

Power Book III: Raising Kanan streams alongside the other Power dramas on Stan in Australia.

September TV Finales - Nine Perfect Strangers -

Nine Perfect Strangers is the latest David E. Kelley novel by Liane Moriarty turned series. Following the success of Big Little Lies on HBO, Hulu (Amazon in Australia) has reported that the limited series' premiere is the most-watched Hulu original ever.

Nine strangers from the city gather for a 10-day retreat at Tranquillum House, a health and wellness resort in the fictional town of Cabrillo, California. Which actually happens to really be somewhere in Byron Bay. Yes the series was filmed in Australia with Kidman bringing out Melissa McCarthy, the dreamy Manny Jacinto, local Asher Keddie, Luke Evans, Melvin Gregg, Samara Weaving, Grace Van Patten, Tiffany Boone, Michael Shannon, Regina Hall, Bobby Cannavale, Hal Cumpston and recent Wentworth departure star Zoe Terakes.

The resort promises to transform and heal the guests who stay there. The resort is not what it seems to be and the guests are about to discover many secrets about each other and the resort's host Masha, Nicole Kidman. Kidman who is no stranger to a David E. Kelley/Liane Moriarty work is not as good as her role in Big Little Lies.

Regina Hall really is the highlight. Her character, Carmel Schneider, a single mother whose husband left her for a younger woman is by far the strongest/most interesting character.

Rotten Tomatoes gives the miniseries 61% approval rating. Stating "A meandering mystery may muddle its impact, but strong performances across the board from its eclectic ensemble mean Nine Perfect Strangers is never less than watchable."

However I enjoyed this series. A nice short, sharp 8 episode well shot local production which now has a number of other projects sniffing around Byron to film. Following Eden on Stan, I like most people stuck in Sydney would love to escape north. Well overseas is where I would preferred to spend my hard earned COVID savings.

Either way, ahead of "Freedom Day" I strongly recommend viewing this nice escape from Sydney's long ass Winter 2021.

Until next time when I take a look at the next Power Book. III: Raising Kanan's finale. Already renewed for a second season, so they can really go out with a bang!

September TV Finales - RFDS - Season One

RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service is not to be confused with the long running 80's/90's Channel Nine series The Flying Doctors.

Airing on the Seven Network from mid August, we got the finale this week after eight episodes and seven weeks.

Production on RFDS commenced in Broken Hill in March 2020. The series being written by Ian Meadows and produced by Imogen Banks for Endemol Shine.

Starring Emma Hamilton, Ash Ricardo, Kate Mulvany, Rodney Afif, Rob Collins (HOT!), Jack Scott, Sofia Nolan, Thomas Weatherall,  Stephen Peacocke (HOT! and from Home & Away/Five Bedrooms) and Ash Hodgkinson.

I had my reservations about the series. However I was pleasantly surprised. The scenery, Stephen Peacocke/Rob Collins made the show something to look at and tune into week to week.

I am not 100% sure if the series would return for a second run, with Aussie dramas struggling to keep over the first season huddle on network TV. Whilst Peacocke's Five Bedrooms has been renewed twice, but moving to Ten's streaming platform instead. This allows the show to push more boundaries whilst not being slotted in at some strange time slot week to week.

If you are looking for an easy to watch eight part Aussie series, give RFDS a roll. It's a hell of a lot better than Neighbours & Home & Away. Whilst not being as groundbreaking as Wentworth.

Until next time, Nine Perfect Strangers and Power Book III will both be concluding this weekend.

Wentworth | Season 8 Part 2: Episode 15, The Unknown Terrorist

MAJOR SPOILER ALERTS - 

Ann is furious (using a lot of C words, can I just say this season has LOADS of C bombs!) when Boomer's sexy camera work is released online.

Ann then orders both cell and strip searches to retrieve the camera and the missing canister of nitrous oxide. Following the unsuccessful search, Will calls out Ann's misconduct. 

When the heat is off, Boomer enlists the help of Ruby in directing a sex scene featuring Zaina. Ruby and Zaina appear to also have the hots for each other. Yes its a return to inmate love!

Still grieving over Reb, Lou makes an unwelcome pass at Marie. This is a failed love connection. One outta two ain't bad!

Now that the truth is finally out, Allie manages to hear it from Judy when she gets her high on nitrous oxide, forcing Judy to admit the stabbing. In trying to convince Allie that it was a joke, Judy decides to finish what she started and attempts to kill Allie in the showers before being interrupted by Rita, Ruby and Boomer who all agree to let the women take their own form of punishment in order to spare them extra sentences. 

It looks like Judy's time at Wentworth is finally over!

However, Boomer loses her patience and bashes Judy. While recovering in hospital, Ann takes pleasure in informing Judy that Allie has withdrawn her State of Dependency and that the extradition proceedings will continue. 

Joan convinces Eve that Jake has taken an interest in her and persuades her to use it to advantage by having contraband smuggled into the prison. Later the ladies are seeing laughing over a bottle of wine, Ann had left over after a random drunken prison guard/staff party.

There was a lot to unpack in episode five. Honestly this was setting up a lot to come in the final EVER five episodes.

Vera and Jake clash over Grace when she realises he has been taking advice from Eve. Vera discover that Eve was a former prisoner of Blackmoore, where The Freak was a guard earlier in her career.

Vera looks into the possibility that Joan remembers Eve and has regained her memory; she searches Dr. Miller's files and proves this to be true. Jake offers to drive a drunken Ann home which leads to sex! in a car! It's the first male/female sex of the season. Following two inmate love connections it was nice to see the guards/staff getting some action!

Lou takes revenge on Judy for her deceit over the stabbing and the stolen money by trying to drown her in a waste disposal bin filled with water.

It's a tough watch this scene! Lou after a number of minutes, agrees to spare her following Judy making Lou a deal that she can't refuse. Lou then gives Judy her protection. Unbeknown to the other women, the pair plan to escape. Judy suggests they bomb the prison. End of episode! Bring on episode six 
I say!

September TV Finales - Reservation Dogs - Season One

A lot of new shows are returning now in the US of A, however Reservation Dogs aired its season one finale yesterday.

The series is created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi for FX on Hulu in the USA along with Binge in Australia. 

It is a notable first in that it features all Indigenous writers and directors, along with an almost entirely Indigenous American cast and production team. It is also the first series to be shot entirely in Oklahoma.

The series premiered in early August on International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. The eight episode first season follows the lives of four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma. They spend their days committing crime and fighting it, in an effort to get to California.

A month after the series commenced airing, it was renewed for a second season. Starring D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Deverey Jacobs, Paulina Alexis, and newcomer Lane Factor.

Part of the development process included casting unknown actors from Indigenous communities, and the young leads in particular forming a working rapport, often around their shared love of Indigenous comedy. 

The series has been well received while being part comedy, part drama. I do love a swift thirty minute show with a short episode run. Reservation Dogs is a welcome addition to my TV dance card. The show is also one of the most original series I have watched in a while. No medical/cop/fire fighter/drug procedurals on this series.

It's back to basics TV at its best. Taika Waititi is at the top of his game right now. Tomorrow a look at last night's explosive Wentworth episode. The Emmy's may be over but it's peak TV season y'all!

September TV Finales - FANTASY ISL∀ND - Season One

Fantasy Island the reboot, stylized as FANTASY ISL∀ND commenced its first eight episode run only last month. With a couple of weeks of double episodes, FANTASY ISL∀ND comes to a close. Apparently a second season is in the talks.

Roselyn Sánchez is cast as Elena Roarke alongside, Kiara Barnes, John Gabriel Rodriquez whilst a Melrose Place reunion also took place with Laura Leighton, Josie Bissett and Daphne Zuniga.

The Melrose Place reunion episode was obviously the best episode of the eight.

Sadly like American Horror Stories, these anthology episode series are slightly hit or miss. Some of the episodes were sadly more miss than hit.

However the the finale Día de los Vivos with Leslie Jordan (American Horror Story) as Jasper was a vast improvement.

I'll be interested to see if this show returns. Live ratings weren't great, FOX in the USA scheduled the finale up against the Netflix dominated Emmy's whilst some episodes were a little dull.

Tomorrow its a wrap on Reservation Dogs, which unlike FANTASY ISL∀ND will be back for a second season.