Minority Mindset

This episode significantly tones down the show’s usual style. There’s none of the campiness or playful energy we’ve seen before, and it avoids fan service moments like the appearance of Daniel Molloy. The episode focuses entirely on a spy thriller format. While I didn’t particularly enjoy the spy thriller style from the earlier episodes that hinted at multiple formats for Talamasca, it’s a positive change that the episode is now much more focused and straightforward. You know exactly what kind of story you’re getting.

It’s funny, because even with something totally bizarre happening – like a bug crawling into Ron’s phone and being brushed off with a single line – the show still manages to feel really unsettling. That’s what I’ve noticed – there’s this constant sense of dread bubbling under the surface, even when nothing overtly dangerous is happening. A lot of the tension comes from things being misconstrued or explained away, and I think that’s kind of the show’s whole thing: it hints at something creepy, then pulls the rug out from under you, sometimes just a scene later, sometimes not for episodes. It keeps you off balance, which I actually really appreciate.

As a Stephen King devotee, I found IT: Welcome to Derry to be a really engaging watch. It’s not your typical prequel focusing on a character we already know. Instead, it smartly expands the established lore from IT: Chapter One and Chapter Two, essentially filling in the backstory and taking us further back in time. This approach isn’t just clever structurally, it allows for some fantastic nods to the existing story and really solidifies the overall canon. It’s a treat for fans!

The show Reasonable Doubt stands out as a compelling legal thriller grounded in reality, not fiction. Set in Los Angeles, it centers on Jax Stewart, a brilliant but troubled defense attorney who juggles demanding cases with her own difficult personal life. The series avoids simple portrayals of good versus evil, instead carefully examining complex issues of race, gender, and power within the legal system. By offering a smart, character-driven drama, Hulu is responding to a growing audience desire for shows that respect viewers’ intelligence. In a streaming landscape often focused on quick trends, Reasonable Doubt is refreshing for its willingness to portray justice as messy, emotional, and painfully authentic.

Early reviews for the show Welcome to Derry are generally positive, earning a 78% rating. This places it among the better Stephen King adaptations for both film and television, which have often been inconsistent in quality. The first episode focuses on the disappearance of Matty (played by Matthew Clements), but the show makes a change from the original book. While Matty disappears in 1958 in King’s novel, the series sets the events in 1962, utilizing the 27-year cycle established in the story.

Many reality shows feature newcomers quickly facing intense social challenges, and Housewives is no different – it’s essentially the same dynamic, but with more alcohol. A new cast member is immediately put to the test, and everyone watches to see how they’ll handle the pressure. Will they thrive or struggle? Showing any sign of weakness can quickly lead to trouble. This episode of Potomac focused on the new cast members trying to find their place within the group, with mixed results.

The episode begins with a shocking scene: the death of 12-year-old Matty Clements. Unlike the story of Georgie, Matty is a younger-looking child who still uses a pacifier. He’s at a showing of The Music Man when he sneaks in, and the song “Ya Got Trouble” becomes a recurring theme. After being kicked out, Matty tries to leave Derry by hitchhiking with a family – a man, his pregnant wife, and their two children. However, he quickly realizes something is terribly wrong. The family’s behavior is disturbing: the daughter is eating raw liver, the mother uses harsh language, and the son spells out frightening words. When Matty discovers they’re driving back to Derry, he tries to take control of the car, accidentally bumping the mother’s stomach and triggering a premature birth. She delivers a monstrous, winged demon baby with empty eye sockets. The baby flies around the car and ultimately kills Matty, becoming the episode’s first victim. While Pennywise is missed, the show deserves credit for creating a new and terrifying form for It.

I’m saying this as a big fan of Interview With the Vampire (the show). I really appreciate how the writers have taken the story in new directions, and I think that approach can work well – we’ve seen similar things succeed on cable before. Talamasca is different from a direct adaptation of Anne Rice’s books, and as the first show in AMC’s expanded universe to do that, I truly hope it does well! I’m rooting for it.