Fallout - TV Show Review

Fallout

Season 1

Streaming Service: Amazon Prime

*Warning! Spoiler Alert!*



YET ANOTHER VIDEO GAME Series adaptation. That alone should have inspired me to start Fallout early, yes, early! If we’ve learned anything from Silent Hill, Castlevania, and The Last of Us, it’s that the video game foundation brings the layered world-building, plot twists, and crazy-cool monsters to screen in all their bingeworthy glory (did I hear Netflix is working on Far Cry? Because YES).

I have zero familiarity with Fallout. I’m not much for the heavily-armored dude running around punching through walls and saving the day. Luckily in Fallout, that is just one faction of this masterful depiction of nuclear apocalyptic aftermath. We’ve got the mysterious 200-year-old Ghoul who pokes fun at said “Knights of the Brotherhood,” we’ve got a Knight who’s not really supposed to be a Knight, and we’ve Lucy whose cavalier “Okie-Dokey!” and resourcefulness in the face of so much gone wrong is instantly endearing.

The world you know is a lie. Lucy (Ella Purnell) grew up in an underground Vault, believing the surface world to be an uninhabitable wasteland destroyed by nuclear warfare. She and the other Vault residents train in the belief that one day they will return to bring order and civilization to the earth. After raiders masquerading as Vault neighbors leave their home in ruins and abscond with Lucy’s father, she balks her elders’ orders and sets off to rescue him.

Pretty standard plot of dystopian narratives, but Fallout sets itself apart with its use of perfect 50s soundtracks and replication of Cold War-era propaganda to create epic climate payoffs. It even opens with the Ghoul as a normal man back before society blew itself to smithereens, enjoying a normal birthday party with his daughter, the eerie tv broadcasts in the background and casual comments that the Ghoul has been involved with some sort of nuclear apocalyptic shelter preparation the only signs that things are about to go horribly wrong. Flash-forward to when Lucy meets the Ghoul as a skinless, mutated skeleton of a man without an eyelash to bat as he callously mows down his enemies, and you’re guessing it’s been a rough 200 years.

Walton Goggins has made an instant fan-favorite in the Ghoul. It takes a lot for an audience to root for someone willing to kill a dog. I was extremely excited to see him in this, given Goggins’ insanely good ability to create a core, driving chemistry with his costars (Remember that simmering rivalry in Justified with Timothy Olyphant!), and Fallout is no exception as he goes from mocking Lucy’s naivety (in between trying to sell her organs) to becoming a sort of dark mentor, recognizing in her the resilient, survival instinct it takes to persevere, even when your entire world is shattered.

Rounding out the trio is dutiful Maximus (Aaron Moten). He brings his own kind of naivety from being indoctrinated in the so-called chivalry of the Brotherhood, who scour the wasteland for enemies of the new world order. While the least engaging of the story arcs, Maximus brings the grounding of being just a kid who wants a bit of respect. No super-powered fighting skills without his Knight armor, no brilliant math skills or the like, but we see that despite his longing to follow a moral compass, he, too, ultimately is willing to cross lines to survive. Lucy and Maximus bring out the best in one another, a reminder of the good times when it was possible to trust strangers, while the grim vendettas of the shadowy organizations that rule their world make them wonder if such a reality is ever possible again.

This is just the core three—there’s a plethora of rich, complex side characters who enrich the world-building, and the question of who is responsible for the apocalypse actually has an immensely satisfying twist that makes me positively salivate for Season 2. This show got Emmy-nominated for a reason—it says a lot when there’s all these streaming shows at your fingertips, and you’d rather watch Fallout all over again. Amazon Prime knocked it out of the park.

*Disclaimer: The above is depicted as fiction not fact. 

Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort - Washington, USA

This is Part III of the Washington Travel Series - Olympic Peninsula. Read Part 1 here. 

SOL DUC HOT SPRINGS
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

Lodging Reservations: https://www.olympicnationalparks.com/lodging/sol-duc-hot-springs-resort/

Permit Needed for Olympic National Park: National Park Wilderness Permit. Hint: bring that senior in your life who could use a bit of pampering. They’ll get the best price on a lifetime pass that will cover everyone in your vehicle: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/olympic/passes-permits/recreation

 

IN QUILEUTE LEGEND, once long ago there were two great dragons, Sol Duc and Elwha, embroiled in an endless conflict, each suspecting the other of trying to take their territory. The tears they shed created two glorious and enduring hot springs that travelers from around the world enjoy. It’ll take guts to brave the WiFi dead zone, and a quick thumb to pull the trigger early on securing a reservation, but once you’re at Sol Duc Resort (Olympic National Park) just thirty minutes south of Lake Cresent on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, it will all be worth it.

We booked our trip ridiculously early, about eight months out, and were able to snag the Riverside Suite for a large party. Coming from the Seattle area, there are plenty of great stops to explore lovely coastal towns along the way: Poulsbo, Fort Flaggler, Port Gamble, which has an incredible seashell museum, Sequim, for lavender farms and groceries, and finally, Port Angeles, which will be the last major town at which to pick up supplies. You’ll next circumnavigate the dreamily beautiful Lake Crescent, a deep crystalline lake with dramatic peaks including Storm King rearing up along its shores. There’s a last stop you could make at Fairholme General Store at the Fairholme Campground on the far west side of Crescent Lake along Highway 101 West before you’ll turn south down Sol Duc Hot Springs Road and enter Olympic National Park. About thirty minutes down, you will see the sign for Sol Duc Resort on your right.

Everything is very well marked to get there, but once you enter the Resort, it can be a bit confusing. We arrived on a Saturday for a 4 PM check in late summer, and the parking lot in front of the main lodge was completely full. There are plenty of campgrounds around, and so campers will also flock to the Lodge to enjoy the hot springs after a long day of hiking. Visitors who aren't resort guests will have to reserve time slots to use the hot springs, usually in 1.5 hour increments. However, if you are a guest, you’ll get all day access to the hot springs, including special guests-only from 7:30 Am – 8 AM. Simply flash your wrist band and you’ll get a towel for each member of your party each time you head over to the springs through the main lodge. There’s a gift shop and a simple convenience store, as well as drip coffee for around $4. As mentioned before, there’s no WiFi—a phone is available at the front desk for emergencies.

Spreading out before the lodge are quite a few rows of cabins, which could probably hold up to four people at the most. If you have a larger party, you’ll definitely want to try and book the Riverside Suite, which is the large building farthest back by the creek above a workshop. It has a master bedroom, a bedroom with two twin-size beds, and a third bedroom with a queen. There is also plenty of space for additional party members to sleep on couches or sleeping bags in the three separate living rooms, and there is one full bath and one half-bath in the master. We had a fully equipped kitchen including fridge, oven, stove, and dishwasher, but be aware that this is all federally funded so it won’t be the Bellagio-- many of the appliances and the building shows its age, but for “glamping,” you’ve hit the lottery. Park in front of the Riverside Suite where the signs indicate (easy parking for two vehicles; additional cars would need to park behind them), follow a steep staircase up, and you’ll get the entire second floor to yourselves, along with a wrap-around deck and stairs down to a path to the creek. Breathe in that sulfurous air! You’ll also enjoy watching dozens of swallows dive and soar overhead.

·       Pros: walk to the hot springs, walk to a trailhead for the Lover’s Lane Loop, and within easy ten minute drive to the Sol Duc Falls trailhead if you keep going south down Sol Duc Hot Springs Road (this trailhead had completely filled up by around eleven, so get there before then!) Riverside Suite was clean, good temperature, and had plenty of hot water.

·       Cons: there were some safety concerns for little children (nails left out on the back deck), the handrail in the stairway is loose and poor lighting, the coffee maker is for k-cups only unless you fill a pod with ground coffee & cover it with foil, and we couldn’t find oven mitts. Our guests said the queen bed was saggy in the middle.

 

Sol Duc Hot Springs

Enter through the main lodge and branch off to the right to access the showers and the springs. There are locker rooms in the showers and plenty of places around the pool to hang your stuff. There are a total of four pools: the large cold pool (which floaties are allowed in; appropriate for all ages), a small wading pool (good for all ages; we had two toddlers and they loved it, even at eight at night), and two hotter pools—my favorite, the one with the fountain, and lastly, a mid-sized pool that gets up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. It was clean and ambient. You’ll get a pool schedule that shows half-hour increments the springs are closed for cleaning.

Expect crowds during the day, but go early or the last session for seclusion. We ended up doing the 8 – 9 Pm session twice, and two of the toddlers with us, code names Eagle One and Flying Squirrel, got to enjoy the shallow kids’ spring all to themselves while us adults took turns dipping in the hotter pools. The warm water leaves your skin feeling silky and smooth, and we got to watch the stars at night and spotted a deer on our way back to the Riverside Suite.

Note: We did not try the restaurant at the Lodge due to seeing some reviews that it was not worth the money, but it looked very rustic and lovely for a drink outside under the lights overlooking the springs.

Sol Duc Falls

There are plenty of hiking options during the day. The full Lover’s Lane loop is about 5.8 miles and make sure to start off at the trailhead off of the resort so you can soak in the springs after!

We were looking for a kid-friendly option for Eagle One, Flying Squirrel, and for my own sake due to carrying the baby, code name Pink Pika. Sol Duc Falls was a perfect hike for all ages. There and back is about 1.6 miles round trip (we were considering a 2.2 mile round trip by adding on Lover’s Lane Falls but alas, the kiddos did not concur).

To get there by car, turn right out of the resort and follow the road past a campground nestled in old growth to the parking lot at the end of the road. Go early—the parking lot was filled by eleven. There is a bathroom there. Next you’re in for a treat as you descend into an atmospheric forest of giants straight out of another world. Dinosaur-shaped firs, dangling tree beards, and little bridges over bubbling creeks—Pink Pika was wide-eyed the entire time. When you pass an old shelter on your left, you’re nearly to the falls.

Eagle One leading the way.

After you cross the bridge over Sol Duc Falls, you’re greeted with a trail left or right. We took the left and found a nice secluded little sandbank by the river. This was during summer—likely this spot would be flooded in colder months. We enjoyed lunch and skipping rocks in the cool streams under the shadowy boughs before heading back. If you keep going left, you’ll find a neat tucked away little campground. We made it back with plenty of time to get in a nap and then it was back to the unspoiled beauty of the springs. Soak up and have fun!

 

 

Disclaimer: The above is depicted as fiction, not fact.

Comedy Gems: Trying (Apple TV) and Fisk (Netflix)

 

ADOPTION AND DEATH OF A LOVED ONE are among life’s top tribulations that two underrated comedies tackle with infectious charm. Both Trying and Fisk demonstrate that when faced with grief and impossible odds, it’s time to roll out the indecent humor—done only the way the Brits and Aussies can.

 

Warning! Spoiler Alert!

 

TRYING

An Apple TV Original, Trying follows the lives of Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall), who are faced with the devasting news that it will be near impossible for them to conceive. After much soul-searching, they decide to adopt (“Do you think we’ll get a kid today?” Nikki asks hopefully on their intro to the adoption process). Well, not quite within a day, try more like a year—and that’s if they can pass the paperwork, home visits, and a grueling council interview—before we get to the kids. With a dysfunctional family night and day apart from being a cohesive group (one great scene features Jason’s dad who would rather keep sneaking off to fix things around the flat than engage in conversation with the in-laws) and pitted against bougie couples keen to snag kiddos for their mansions, the road to parenthood seems like a pipe dream—kept alive by Nikki’s ineffable spirit and Jason’s commitment to Nikki.

Luckily, the couple has Social Worker Penny (Imelda Staunton) on their side! At first I was expecting another Dolores Umbridge, but this Staunton character is wacky and kind-hearted, been in the world of social services for decades, and has no qualms about setting people straight. The less obvious scene stealer turns out to be Scott (Darren Boyd), prickish beau of Nikki’s sister, the uppity know-it-all we’ve all encountered at one point or another. He spends the first season making you just plain hate him, before emerging with an unforeseen redemption arch.

The first three seasons of Trying are effortlessly hilarious. Season Four (currently streaming) has a bit of a lackluster start, likely due to all the casting changes. Hopefully it can recover its footing before it makes all of its well-developed characters into caricatures (like the territory the supremely well-done Suits found itself in at the end). Less is sometimes more. However, the first three seasons will certainly bring that fresh touch of originality and spunk as did The Office, Ted Lasso and other comedy classics. 

 

 

FISK

Australian ABC Television; Streaming on Netflix

HELEN TUDOR-FISK was a big-time contracts lawyer before her career, marriage, and housing situation took a nose-dive, landing her at the shabby little probate law firm Gruber & Associates. Helen (Kitty Flanagan), a no-nonsense plain mouse unable to read social cues, is probably the last person you would want helping you through the grief process, but it sure makes for hilarious television. The sibling pair running the firm are played perfectly by Roz (Julia Zemiro) and Ray Gruber (Marty Sheargold), their personalities equal parts ridiculous and yet incredibly authentic for the family-run operation. Rounding out the small office is the receptionist/IT Administrator simply called “George” (Aaron Chen), the inspiration for deadpan comebacks.

It does give The Office vibes, tackling cases of wills and probate ranging from a woman whose deceased spouse signed her up to receive repeated calls from “beyond the grave” that the telecommunications company refuses to cancel, to a daughter duking it out with her deceased father’s much younger wife. Put Helen in the middle with her dutifully literal interpretation of the law and let the fireworks begin. As humorless as Helen starts out (the temp Peggy informs her she’s ‘no fun’), she proves she is willing to go above and beyond for her clients, ultimately forming her own career outside the shadow of her father (an esteemed judge), and maybe developing some empathy.

Not too soon, though—Fisk is short, sweet, and focused with limited episodes for each of its two seasons, and I can’t wait for season 3. Who knew the world of probate and wills could be so entertaining!

Drops of God: TV Show Review

Apple TV+ Original Limited Series

Warning! Spoiler Alert!

SO DON’T START THIS SHOW while on maternity leave. Watching characters swirl, sip, and savor wine in French vineyards so ripe that you can taste the sunshine in the grapes is enough to ask your wide-eyed bundle of joy if they’re ready for a whole food diet. France isn’t all you get in this lusciously slow drama about daughter Camille (Fleur Geffrier) of a world-renowned French sommelier, who finds herself pitted in a competition for her inheritance against her father’s protégé (Tomohisa Yamashita). It’s deliciously international, its own unique blend of television, as protégé Issei hails from Japan, and we also get some Italy as well.

Camille is a wine savant, trained by her famous father Alexandre Léger in the art of the senses to be able to identify most things purely by smell. However, they have a falling out when her father pushes her training too far, leaving her unable to drink wine without her body experiencing extreme visceral reactions like nose bleeds. Issei is the son of an old and esteemed family in Japan who run a lucrative diamond business. He is immediately endearing, doesn’t suffer fools, and is graciously humble. Next to Camille’s sometimes impetuous and juvenile decision-making, he’s quite easy to root for, especially as he navigates his family’s disapproval of his wine passion. However, his mother may have her own reasons for so vehemently discouraging him from competing when Issei is named as a possible heir to the fortune of his late mentor Léger. Camille and Issei face of in three challenges to test how well they know the essence of wine (and points for viewers who will likely be able to guess the answer to the last riddle :D).

This show takes its time to develop the characters and their back stories. At first I was impatient for Camille and Issei to have more dialogue, since it’s not a high stakes contest without a bit of mud-slinging—but thankfully when the pair do finally get screen time together, they quickly make up for lost ground and establish a complex and meaningful relationship. I did find that Camille’s aversion to drinking to the point of manifesting physical symptoms to be too easily resolved though. Two side characters, Lorenzo (Luca Terracciano) and Miyabi (Kyoko Takenaka), who aid Camille in her quest to beat Issei, also stole the show at times with their effable charm. There are lots of great cultural immersion, exploration of traditions, and different views of wine and the sometimes snobbish hierarchy that can make or break the livelihoods of enologists (wine makers).

The scenery is stunning, gorgeous people abound, and there’s a satisfying conclusion. All in all, a wonderful way to spend an afternoon imagining yourself relaxing and enjoying life in the French countryside. For those longing for more, this TV show was inspired by the Manga series written by Tadashi Agi and Shu Okimoto.

Head to the beach with Changeling Sisters and Afterlife Chronicles Paperbacks!

SUMMERTIME has kicked off. When it comes to chilling outside with a good story, you can't beat a solid book in your hands, which is why I'm excited to share the following Paperback release schedule: 

Year of the Snake (Changeling Sisters #5) 

Now available on major eBook retailers in both Paperback and eBook, such as:

Amazon.com

Barnes and Noble

Afterlife Chronicles News

The Tribe of Ishmael (Book #1) and The Staff of Aaron (Book #2) will both be available as paperbacks and eBooks on major eBook retailors July 1st. 

Keep an eye here for continued Paperback expansion throughout the year. 

His Dark Materials: TV Season Review

 

His Dark Materials

Season 1 Review

Where to Stream: Max

*WARNING! Season Spoilers below*

THE GOLDEN COMPASS (Also titled THE NORTHERN LIGHTS) by Philip Pullman was such a beloved, magical book of my childhood. The image of a little girl riding a large armored polar bear surrounded by the unforgiving stars and tundra of the far North has stayed with me forever, as have its unforgettable characters: our bold and indomitable heroine Lyra, her soul daemon Pan who likes to take the form of an adorable little ermine, aforementioned bear king bad ass Iorek Byrnison, and Lyra’s childhood friend Roger are just a few of my favs (plus Lord Asriel’s daemon Stelmaria because hello snow leopard cool).  The other memorable scene is when Lyra spies on the scholars at Jordan College and sees her supposed uncle, Lord Asriel, stun his audience with a photograph of an otherworldly city flickering in the Northern Lights, framed by Dust.

A bit more special than the type we sweep off the floor, this Dust, Lyra soon discovers, is the subject of a brewing war between rebel minds like Asriel and the ruling Magisterium, this world’s version of an all-powerful Catholic Church, who believe Dust to be the incarnation of Sin accumulating over time and corrupting us all, especially since Dust is photographed appearing on adults, not children. This particular interest in the relationship between children, their daemons (physical incarnations of a person’s soul that takes its final shape at puberty), and Dust sends Lyra on a journey to the North of her dreams, where a mysterious woman is running experiments on kidnapped kids under the guise of freeing them from Sin once and for all. Lyra soon captures attention of the Gyptians (a river-roving nomadic group who have suffered the bulk of these kidnappings), the armored bears, the witches (whose daemons can travel large distances from them), and the aeronaut Lee Scrosby, especially as it becomes evident that Lyra is a Chosen One, with the incredibly rare ability to read the alethiometer, a compass-like instrument moved by Dust that tells the truth to any question asked.

The TV series captures the wonderfully fantastic imagery of the book and is able to dive much more personally into the complex world Pullman has created than the movie—the cast is perfectly lovely, which is quite a feat when the movie had the likes of Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman, and Ian McKellen. Ruth Wilson particularly stands out as she assumes the immensely difficult role of Marisa Coulter, chief antagonist, a woman who is brutally ruthless toward her enemies but genuinely caring for her daughter; she dances the line of the Magisterium while it serves her agenda but does not suffer fools. “We cut out your daemon, not your brain,” she snaps in a particularly vicious mood toward the subject of one of her experiments at Bolvangar, the delivery so spot-on that it’s horrifyingly funny. Indeed, the whole sequence at Bolvangar was extremely well-done. As a child, I remember the part that wounded me the most was Roger’s fate, but this time around as a parent, seeing what was happening at Bolvangar and experiencing Ma Costa’s pain hit the hardest for me.

The witches in this be like mad-skilled—would not go up against them in a fight! And we can Lin-Manuel Miranda as the aeronaut Lee Scoresby—now Sam Elliot, pretty perfect, but I found Miranda just as light-heartedly entertaining and love his dynamic with his very patient hare daemon who always has to be the voice of reason. He always brings a genuine passion to every role he plays, and you can tell he’s having a fun time doing it. Plus, I see we’re going to get Andrew Scott (an amazing Moriarty in Sherlock) as Will’s father John Parry and am really looking forward to Season 2—granted, The Golden Compass was the hands-down favorite book of His Dark Materials trilogy for me, but I’m willing to give The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass depictions a chance (please cut down Mary Malone’s scenes pretty please and more of the angelic duo Balthamos and Baruch).

The biggest change is the introduction of Will in Season 1, possibly to ease the heartbreak of what befalls Roger (sob!), which is interesting—his scenes felt like filler to me, but at least a lot of backstory is out of the way to now focus on Lyra and Will’s relationship in the strange new world they find themselves in.

This is a series that is wild, fantastical, and will challenge core beliefs around authority while still staying grounded and heart-warming in the little moments between complicated, morally gray characters who are all just trying to make sense of an immense universe that expands and humbles in more ways than could ever be imagined. Truly a classic in the same vein of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, two of my faves. Heartily recommended to jump on this journey with Lyra, Pan, and their truth-reading alethiometer to the North and beyond!

Here is a trailer below:

Maya and the Three: TV Show Review

 
Netflix Limited TV Series – 1 Season (hopefully with more to come!)

*Warning! Minor spoilers*

 

CURIOUS to dive into more of the Mesoamerican mythos behind Year of the Snake (Changeling Sisters #5)? Don’t miss Jorge R. Gutierrez’s rich tapestry intertwining legends from the Aztec, Maya, Inca and even Caribbean culture, all effortlessly depicting distinct civilizations who must overcome their differences to defeat a power-hungry god of death.

Maya (voiced by Zoe Saldana) grows up a princess of the great city of Teca. Her father and brothers are Jaguar warriors, believed to be the prophesized warriors who will one day defeat the gods of the underworld—Lord Mictlan and Lady Micte, influenced by legends of Mictecacihuatl and Mictlantecuhtli, who ruled over the Aztec nine-level underworld Mictlān. In this story, Lord Mictlan is the God of War, a cunning and terrifying vision as voiced by Alfred Molina. On the day of Maya’s coronation, the party is crashed by Zatz, Prince of Bats (played by Diego Luna, so all good), who bears the message from the underworld that Maya’s real mother is none other than Lady Micte, the goddess of death herself, and she was only allowed to live to the notable age of fifteen so she could be sacrificed and increase Lord Mictlan’s power.

Stunned and seeking answers, Maya uncovers the truth of the prophecy that it was her all along destinated to face the Underworld—and not with her brothers, but with three warriors from each of the other kingdoms. She sets off to recruit outcast Chimi (Brooklyn Ninety-Nine’s Stephanie Beatriz), bumbling magician with a power greater than he knows (Allen Maldonado), and adorable giant warrior with a heart of gold Picchu (Gabriel Iglesias), who are each reluctant to help Teca. Along the way they are menaced by various deities of Mictlan, one of which, Zatz, proves to be more sympathetic the greater Mictlan’s cruelty toward even his own grows.

Oh, and Maya rides Chiapa the royal family jaguar who is simply the best.

It is truly amazing the heights animation has climbed to, and the distinctive kingdoms brought to life with a masterful use of geometric shapes and colors creates a gorgeously complex world in which to lose yourself. The story is deep, complex, with enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat every episode, and all the little nods to various legends are exciting to pick out. Vucub, God of Jungle Creatures, may possibly be based on Seven-Macaw (Vucub-Caquix) from Maya mythology, a bird demon defeated by the Maya Hero Twins in one of the only surviving written documents of the time, the Popol Vuh. Bats, of course, like Zatz, continue to play an important role, as notably they are part of the challenges the Hero Twins face in the Maya underworld Xibalba. The level of detail in world-building such as the distinctive orange cempasúchil (marigold flower) known for helping the dead remember to find their way back to the land of the living are a feast for the senses.

Now don’t be fooled by the TV-Y7 rating – this show deals with extremely dark themes and images that will be frightening for younger audiences. The aforementioned Mictlan really ramps up the fear factor in the final few episodes, and the series does not shy away from putting sacrifice, a very important foundation in many of these ancient cultures, at its core.

Did I mention Maya has two younger half-siblings Eagle and Jaguar who are *twins*? They’re only kiddos in this series, but given the great significance of Hero Twins in many Mesoamerican cultures, we can only hope this foreshadows a spin off season two to focus on their adventures!

Here is a trailer below: