Minority Mindset

The first season of Maxton Hall – The World Between Us wasn’t perfect, but it was enjoyable. The chemistry between the leads – Herbig-Matten as Ruby and Hardung as James – made even the predictable plot points work. There were some genuinely fun moments, like Ruby playfully flipping off James while he clearly cared for her. Unfortunately, the second season lost that spark and isn’t nearly as fun to watch.

Nate Moore, a producer of major Marvel films, joined Survivor 49 with a background that would have immediately set him apart. However, he decided to keep his Hollywood career a secret from the other players. He now thinks that might have been the wrong choice.

In a final confrontation, Dek battles his father, Njohrr, and uses Bud to defeat and kill him. Dek then claims his father’s cloak and goes back to his people.

The episode begins with a strange, attention-grabbing scene – a cold open – that, while not as mysterious as those in shows like Better Call Saul or Breaking Bad, immediately introduces us to a completely new situation and characters. It’s similar to the “Madrigal” episode of Breaking Bad, which starts with a German executive casually eating chicken tenders. In this case, we see an unidentified woman in a rough robe walking towards a wrecked car in a Middle Eastern city. She pulls out a burned body from the driver’s seat and drags it through a window. With the help of a truck driver, she wraps up the body and hauls it to a bus where others are being collected. She then drives a moped to the airport, gets into the cockpit of a cargo plane, and flies it to Albuquerque. There, she’s greeted by assistants who have coffee, a shower, and a new identity waiting for her.

Elsbeth encounters Alec (Ivan Hernandez) at a charity event – Dr. Yablonski, a recurring character in the show, is always nearby. Alec, who is running for mayor, initially appears as a charismatic leader focused on bringing people together, reminiscent of politician Zohran Mamdani. He emphasizes affordable living, shares his experience with childhood homelessness, and highlights his background as a fire marshal before entering politics. He’s friendly and approachable, making a connection with everyone he meets. Elsbeth is both impressed and cautious. They bond over a shared love for New York City, even enjoying its more touristy attractions like hip-hop bus tours and restaurants with singing waiters – they even sing the beginning of the song “Manhattan” together! However, Elsbeth rightfully wonders if Alec’s down-to-earth personality is genuine or simply a calculated political tactic, questioning whether he’s being disingenuous like Bill Clinton.