Minority Mindset

The women on the show often behave as if an episode is the season finale, but it usually isn’t. It seemed like Rachel’s birthday party was intended to be the last one, but after a fight between Erika, Kyle, and Dorit in Italy, producers realized the drama was finally picking up. They extended filming for two more weeks hoping to create a more exciting ending to what had been a fairly uneventful season. Many scenes now feel like they’re meant to tie up individual storylines, which is typical for a finale. For example, Sutton has a conversation with her mother, Reba, about feeling lonely now that her children have left for college. Reba’s advice, as usual, is an odd mix of wisdom and harshness – like a luxurious candle that smells both soothing and painful. You could call it the ‘Reba’!

It’s a big week with Easter celebrations and the return of Hacks! For those of us devoted to Deborah Vance, it’s a joyous occasion – fans are already gathering with flowers and, of course, plenty of Diet Coke outside her home. If you need a refresher on season four, I’ve included a recap in my newsletter. Now, let’s get back to the excitement: Deborah is alive and well, and TMZ had to retract its false report about her death!

For a moment, the episode led me to believe Robby and Mohan were finally going to resolve their issues. It’s been difficult to watch him constantly criticize and push her. After a particularly emotional scene where Orlando’s wife grieves, Robby asks Mohan how she’s doing, and it actually seemed sincere. When she cautiously asks if it’s a trick question, he says it isn’t, and even reassures her she did everything she could to help the patient. It almost felt like a genuine attempt at connection. But then, when she asks about his mistakes, he coldly responds that he should have suggested a higher jumping point. I was genuinely shocked by that comment! It was a clear sign that the Robby we met in season one is gone, completely changed by trauma and stress. It’s impressive how the show has developed this character – presenting him as one person, then realistically and thoughtfully dismantling him over just two seasons, yet still allowing us to see glimpses of the man we used to know.

Margo’s Fourth of July is a bit low-key. She celebrates with her handsome husband, Jacques (though I’m still not sure what he does for work), her stepchildren, and their daughter. They have some patriotic decorations, party favors, and fries, plus what Margo jokingly calls “posh dogs” – a fancy version of hot dogs, since you can’t find real American ones here. Attempts to buy decent hot dogs usually result in something more like sausage. It’s odd, but every London supermarket has an “American” section filled with sugary cereal, Pop-Tarts, Nerds, and these huge, unappetizing hot dogs in jars filled with liquid – they look like museum exhibits! Still, Margo’s right: the most American thing about the party is the abundance of ice in everyone’s drinks. Whenever I have guests, I offer them water “American style” – meaning with plenty of ice – to show some national pride.

The second season of Daredevil: Born Again is reimagining a classic Marvel villain, and this change is actually rooted in the character’s comic book history.

It’s been two years since I last used live-action TV shows as the basis for this tournament, and the number of new DC and Marvel series released since then has been amazing. In fact, so many shows came out that we couldn’t include them all!