Netflix
Firefly Lane Review – Sweet Child O’ Mine (1×05)
Motherhood, what a complex, scary, and beautiful thing all wrapped up into one.
Firefly Lane Season 1 Episode 5 digs into the idea of motherhood, the stages of motherhood, and the different mother’s in this world in a beautifully crafted and highly-emotional episode.
It also observes the idea of birth, death, and rebirth through several characters, even the four-legged friend ones.
I’ve been waiting to see Johnny and Kate in their “prime” when they welcomed Marah and started this new life together, and this episode delivered all that and more. Though, I’m still hoping we get to see the moment the duo decided they had feelings for each other back at the station as we’ve only seen Kate “crushing” on Johnny.
In the flashbacks, Kate went through the typical range of emotions for a pregnant woman — she was terrified of losing herself, her career, and the life that she’s grown accustomed to. As Tully put it, there’s nothing more terrifying than getting your heart’s desire (Brooke Davis taught me that one). However, all of Kate’s problems just disappeared the moment she went into labor — she drove herself because Tully was tequila-drunk, naturally — and when she held her baby girl in her arms.
Tully was supportive throughout Kate’s entire pregnancy, but it was heartbreaking to see that little girl who got lost at the protest come to the surface once the baby was born.
She’s been so dependent on Kate throughout her life, and now Kate was moving into this new chapter that didn’t necessarily prioritize her.
Kate had the husband, the baby, the family, while Tully was left all alone.
But the episode also showed the ebbs and flows of life, which come at you hard and unexpectedly.
In the present-day, Tully was the one who had it “all” — the career, the guy, and the pregnancy, while Kate was left all alone. The life that she knew and was used to was falling apart, and that was underscored even more profoundly by the death of their dog.
Dog scenes hit me in a different way, and if you’re a dog-lover and/or owner, you were likely in shambles watching the Ryan family say goodbye to their long time friend.
After they put him to sleep, Marah decided she wanted to go to her best friend’s house, while Johnny packed up his things and went back to his bachelor pad. And Kate was left all by herself for the first time ever.
While I fully expected her to grab a glass of wine and cry it out by the fireplace, she did something more liberating instead: she went skinny dipping in her pool. It was a change of pace for the usually conservative Kate.
It was also symbolic of rebirth as she entered this new chapter in her life.
Also entering a new chapter was Tully and she had some big decisions. Between puking sessions, she had to decide if she was going to keep this baby and be a mother, which is something she seems to have avoided all her life out of the fear of repeating her mother’s mistakes.
In the same way that she was there for Kate, Kate was now there for her all these years later.
The only way Tully would arrive at the right decision was by reaching out to the father, Max, and when she did, she was pleasantly surprised.
Tully kept herself pretty closed off from emotions and feelings while with Max previously, but this time, she really gave it a shot and got to know him. They went on a date and held hands and enjoyed each other’s company. I liked Max from the beginning because he brings out a more vulnerable side of Tully, but after seeing them spend the day together, I like him even more. He’s the perfect gentleman and cares about her a lot.
It seemed as though Tully wasn’t going to drop the bomb on him after their perfect day, but then she blurted out “I’m pregnant” as the elevator doors began to close, and well, Max’s reaction was exactly what you’d expect.
It’s good that we know he and his ex broke up because he wanted a family because knowing Tully is pregnant is going to allow him to embrace the part of his life that he’s always wanted. That is if Tully can come to terms with it.
Tully also agreed to do the interview with Kimber Watts, Kate’s boss, and it seems we all underestimated her talents and how determined she is to get ahead. We’ve seen that kind of determination and dedication from Tully back in the day when she wanted her “big break,” so we have to admire it, but there’s no excuse for going behind Kate’s back and putting Tully on blast like that. At least not without giving Tully the opportunity to provide a comment or defend herself and her character.
Though, I have to toot my own horn and tap myself on the shoulder for correctly guessing that Cloud was still alive and simply “dead” to Tully metaphorically.
Do you think Kimber overstepped? Or is this her being a good journalist?
In a flashback scene to Kate’s baby shower, we also see Sean’s wife/ baby momma, who explains that the duo had trouble conceiving and that he always said it felt like work, which I don’t doubt, but that means that Sean’s been repressing his truth since about the late 80s/early 90s as it looks to be the same woman he showed up to the recital with.
He’s clearly tortured by having to pretend to be someone he’s not, and I can’t wait till he finally comes clean and comes out to his family!
Berlin is the Money Heist spinoff we never knew we needed… but we’re so glad it’s almost here.
Since Berlin (Pedro González Alonso) was hands-down the most captivating (and problematic) character in the Spanish heist drama, fans always wanted to get to know more of him, especially after he sacrificed himself in the season 1 finale for his team, largely due to his terminal illness, redeeming himself in the process.
Quickly rising the ranks as a fan-favorite, the writers kept Berlin’s spirit alive in the following seasons via flashbacks, noting that he always had a hand in the planning of the heists, even if he wasn’t around to see them through. And it became more and more clear that there was an unsatiable thirst from audiences to explore additional parts of the character’s origin story; thus, a prequel to Money Heist focusing solely on Berlin’s prior escapades only made sense.
Related: Kiernan Shipka’s New Slasher Comedy Is Your Fall Must-Watch
As seen in the later season of Money Heist, or La Casa de Papel, Berlin garnered even more intrigue when his son, Rafael (Patrick Criado) joined the heist. The former Electronics Engineer from MIT is Berlin’s prodigal son, whose only request was not to end up a thief like his father, also drew attention after entering a relationship with his father’s wife, Tatiana. It’s a lot to unpack, clearly, but it’s also proof that there was nothing boring or mediocre about Berlin’s life in the slightest, at any point.
So, again, it warrants a spinoff that digs even deeper into this complex, charismatic, and morally questionable character we’ve all come to love.
When he joined the Professor’s group in the series, he was already one of the most seasoned robbers of the bunch, having a plethora of experience mapping out and executing heists of ranging scales.
With Berlin: Money Heist, we’re not only going to get to see one of those previous heists in action, but we’re also going to get a sense of the man he was before attempting the biggest heist in history, which made him the beloved criminal we’ve come to know.
Capitalizing on the love already established for the series—one of Netflix’s most popular shows of all time—the prequel finds Berlin, in all his glory as Andrés de Fonollosa, the mastermind behind a heist targeting the biggest auction house in Paris to steal €44 million.
The series trails the planning of a new heist as he recruits his crew: “Michelle Jenner (Isabel) plays Keila, an eminence in electronic engineering; Tristán Ulloa (Fariña) goes into the skin of Damián, a philanthropic professor and Berlin’s confidant; Begoña Vargas (Welcome to Eden) plays Cameron, a kamikaze who always lives on the edge; Julio Peña Fernández (Through My Window) brings to life Roi, Berlin’s faithful squire; and Joel Sánchez plays Bruce, the relentless man of action in the gang.”
While it’s mostly an all-new cast, we’ll see a few familiar faces with Alicia Sierra (Najwa Nimri) and Raquel Murillo (Itziar Ituno) appearing at some point, though it’s unclear what their connection is to the storyline. Is it possible that their paths have always crossed and Berlin was always on their radar way prior to the action at the Royal Mint?
We may not be getting the version of Berlin from the original series, but don’t fret, as the teaser trailer evidenced, he’s still as ruthless, dapper, and flirtatious as ever, meaning that they really did this character–and prequel—justice. The fact that it hails from the original showrunner, Alex Pina, is also a sign that it won’t let the fandom down.
“It’s a trip through the golden age of the character, when he robbed around Europe crazy in love,” Pina previously told TUDUM, adding, “That’s the most surprising, the comedy. You’re going to make people laugh a lot.”
Berlin in his prime, in love, and flexing his comedic bone? As the beloved criminal says in the trailer, “it’s all the things worth living for.”
The full synopsis for the series reads:
“There are only two things that are sure to turn a bad day into a great one: love, and a payday worth millions. They’re what keep Berlin going through his golden years, a time when he still has no inkling of his illness and hasn’t gotten trapped like a rat in the Spanish Mint. This is where he starts preparing one of his most extraordinary heists: making jewels worth 44 million disappear like some sort of magic trick. To do it, he’ll enlist the help of one of the three gangs he’s ever stolen with.”
Watch the Berlin trailer below:
Berlin arrives a few days prior to New Year’s Eve on Dec. 29, 2023, which means you’ll have plenty of time to binge watch while counting down to 2024.
To prepare, you can stream Money Heist on Netflix and read our coverage here.
Virgin River Season 5 concluded with a tiny time jump four months into the future, bringing the timeline into the Christmas holiday season.
Disclaimer — this post includes spoilers from the episode — proceed with caution.
On Virgin River Season 5 Episode 10, as Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack (Martin Henderson) decorated their cabin in anticipation of Joey’s arrival with the kids for their first-ever Virgin River Christmas, Mel received quite a shocking piece of information.
Her sister informed her that she found a stack of love letters between Mel’s mother and a mystery man in Virgin River that she believed could be Mel’s real father.
And this obviously lends itself to the question—who is the secret admirer?
There aren’t that many elderly men in Virgin River aside from Doc (Tim Matheson), and it would be next-level if he had another secret child in addition to Ryan, Denny’s late father. Though wouldn’t it be funny if Mel thought she just escaped to this random small town only to learn that it wasn’t random at all and she’d been working with her dad this whole time?
Aside from Doc, there’s really only Nick (Keith MacKechnie), Bert (Trevor Lerner), and Charlie (Patrick Keating), that we are familiar with, anyway.
Naturally, there are probably plenty of residents that audiences have never met (and they have to keep us on our toes and think of new directions for the storyline), and it’s possible her dad isn’t even alive anymore.
It would be extremely fitting if it was Lilly’s late husband, Buck, making Mel sisters with Ava, and Tara. Considering her strong bond with that family, her sisterly relationship with Ava, her love baby Chloe, and how drawn she is to that farm, this would be such a sweet twist. Mel always had a soft spot for Lilly as well, so this would be a unique way to keep her memory alive.
Mel’s father will be the major storyline addressed in the two bonus holiday episodes dropping in November, as the trailer revealed Mel starting the search for her biological dad before informing Jack shortly after that they found him, with Preacher noting that he’s “still in Virgin River.”
The way he says it makes it seem like he’s still alive, which limits the possibilities even more. Who do you think it is?
View this post on Instagram
Either way, Mel actually has roots in this small town that’s always felt like home.
Will There Be a Season 6 of ‘Virgin River’? And If So, When?
Riverdale’s seventh and final season is now available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.!
Merely a week after the long-running CW series aired its final episode ever, the streaming giant has added the series in its entirety.
All the episodes are available for fans all over the world to binge-watch on September 1, and going into a long weekend, that gives you plenty of time to catch up on all the shenanigans happening in the Town with Pep.
Credit: Netflix
Many fans weren’t interested in the weekly release model as it wasn’t ideal having to wait for new episodes to drop every week, but having them available all at once on Netflix allows you to catch up with ease.
And if you’ve never seen Riverdale and are curious about all the nutty twists and turns that eventually get all of our characters to—spoiler—the 1950s, well, all seven seasons are on the streamer for your viewing pleasure.
You can rewatch those previous seasons and relive the series in all its glory (including anything you may have missed/forgotten about), or you can just tune in for the final season—it’s up to you!
As mentioned before, the final season hit the reset button of sorts as Archie (KJ Apa), Betty (Lili Reinhart), Jughead (Cole Sprouse), and Veronica (Camilla Mendes), along with many of their loved ones and friends, went back in time to 1955 and found themselves reliving their high school days all over again.
Of course, as you rewatch any and all episodes, you can read all our reviews of the series that we’ve covered since its inception in 2017!
Enjoy your Labor Day travels to Riverdale—just remember that before it was redubbed the “Town With Pep” it was known as “Murder Town of the World.” You’ve been warned.
Featured3 weeks agoPat Sajak Kicks Off Final Run on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Season 41
Virgin River3 weeks agoWhat Happens to Mel and Jack’s Baby on ‘Virgin River’ Season 5?
Featured3 weeks ago2023 Fall TV Schedule—Here are the 17 Shows That Need to Be on Your Radar
Wilderness2 weeks agoWho Dies on Prime Video’s ‘Wilderness’?
What to Watch2 weeks ago2023 Fall TV Schedule—16 Reality TV and Game Shows That Are a Must-Watch
Sullivan's Crossing2 weeks ago‘Sullivan’s Crossing’ Is The CW’s Most Promising New Show—And It Stars Chad Michael Murray
Only Murders in the Building2 weeks agoWill There Be a Season 4 of ‘Only Murders in the Building’?
Coffee Table News2 weeks agoWhen Will ‘The Drew Barrymore’ Show Return for Season 4?