Happiness–Is a Power Couple: Kdrama review

Dec14

It’s a good sign when one finishes a drama that one wants to watch it again right away. Happiness by TVN is an excellent 12 episode drama worthy of binge watching. It is short on the blood and gore of usual zombie stories, for which I’m grateful, but decently paced and has a great X-factor, an awesome power couple.

The leads, played by Han Hyo Joo (W: Two Worlds Apart), and Park Hyung Sik (Strong Woman Do Bong Soon) are great, both reckless and cool as cucumbers. Both actors really show their chops here and the writing displays a strong man and woman working together while not denigrating either sex. They have each other’s back, are best friends, and have sort of contract marriage that they realize at the end was born out of mutual affection. Sometimes it takes a number of years for one person to fully realize they love another, and sadly, it often is the prospect of losing said person that brings it out.

The short plot is that during a outbreak of an unusual virus, an apartment complex is quarantined from society and the residents have to deal with that, scared for their lives and bickering with each other. Yes, this is a zombie show, but I don’t think they mention zombies once. The way the characters act, one just has to suspend disbelief a bit and realize this is an alternate universe in which there may be no zombie movies for them to reference. The framework, or reference for this story, is roughly COVID and the writers deal well with that, making this another outbreak with which the authorities and regulate people have to deal. While it is clear that most of the characters are over COVID, there are subtle reference to the lifestyle changes we have all made throughout the show. The best aspect of this, though, is that no matter how great the two leads are at taking down zombies, they never lose their empathy and compassion. They almost always see them as people, just afflicted people.

Jo Woo Jin (Squad 38) is the definite standout actor here. I almost always looked forward to his scenes as he ended up being a bit of a scene stealer. I actually wanted more scenes with him and the two leads together. He plays a somewhat shady military colonel who is trying to find a cure for the virus. From the first time we see him, it is clear he knows way more than what he is telling. But isn’t that always the truth with government officials?

All of the minor character actors were also excellent, many of them, so, so infuriating that I think they must have really enjoyed playing these flawed people, some who just want to survive, some who go out of their minds, and some who end up surprising those around them by their kindness and strength. Intense circumstances will bring out our true characters. The leads are just cool and because they both work in the police force are completely accommodated, but the others are all just regular people caught up in the chaos.

The writing of the show was great overall, but, again, only if one assumes this is an alternate world where zombie and/or scary movies don’t exist. The characters are excessively stupid when it comes to keeping the virus in check, even the leads. Fortunately, the zombies don’t have particular super strength or speed. They also don’t eat brains and are sort of zombie vampires. The female lead is the most reckless of them all, but her recklessness is likable, cutting through all the crap and getting to the point, and one can see why her longtime friend has fallen for her. The loyalty of the couple to each other is amazing and is showcased with little romantic scenes in sight. Their love for each other shines through so well, that by the end, a kiss scene wasn’t really necessary. The writing also was made better by having only 12 episodes. Whoever made that decision chose wisely. The show doesn’t feel dragged along like many other ones can. The other big thing I like about the writing and this story concept in general: It gets the watchers to question whether their government really has their best interests in mind, something everyone needs to consider and weigh these days.

Other great things about the show: The music was very fitting, although off-putting and unsettling at times, which was the goal. I loved the theme song and beginning credits. Everything about the production was modern and slick. This is a show that would also make a great book series.

The only, very minor, flaw I saw was that many cuts were edited horribly. These were clearly cuts before a commercial break, and because I watched it on Viki, I am not sure if these were bad cuts made by Viki to insert their commercials or if the editor was just that bad. The former makes the most sense.

Come for the zombies, stay for the power couple. They are very cool and just the sort of people one would want to be with if civilization would crumble.

Which Percent Are You?

Dec9

This is a great article on mass psychosis by Dr. Robert Malone, who helped invent the mRNA vaccines. Mass formation psychosis explains why so many refuse or just simply can’t see the truth: that this totalitarian push is about power and control, not our health, and that the vaccines are unsafe and not effective. Which percent category do you fall into? Happily, many, many people are being awakened and moving into the percent that fights the evil narrative, but is it enough? Dr. Malone thinks a bigger issue has to come into play, and that is global totalitarianism, which, once realized will put a whole lot more people in the category of fighting the narrative. Australia, for one, has already had a rude wake up call. We’ll see what happens. God is always in control and we should trust him. I encourage any of you who have realized that the COV and vaccine narrative is false, to speak up about it when you can. Using humor helps, even grim humor. It is our duty to speak the truth, but we should understand that for a certain percentage of people the facts will not and do not matter. They are unable to use logic in this instance. It’s okay, I’ve seen it myself, very smart people completely unable to comprehend that the authorities that be do not have their best interests in mind. Unable to understand that they have been lied to repeatedly. I pray for them, that God will show them the truth and awaken them to what’s really going on.

It’s striking to me that many have already forgotten flu season. This time of year is usually filled with coughs, sneezes, etc., and before nobody said boo and no one was afraid they were going to die of a cold or flu. Is COV just really the flu repackaged for totalitarian control? Often it seems like it, but even a lot of scientists skeptical of the narrative won’t even go that far. I am definitely a person that has come to question many things about how our current society operates, many, many things. I am not alone. Few of us have real answers, though, and I find more and more that just focusing on my faith and God will get me through. I am not sure this global tyranny can or will be stopped at this time. It is like a storm one has to wait out at this point.

Here is the article and happy reading. The video’s pretty good, too: https://rwmalonemd.substack.com/p/mass-formation-psychosis?r=ta0o1&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Elantris: The Cursed City

Dec7

Elantris is the second book I’ve read by Brandon Sanderson (third one I’ve tried–the main character and the writing in Steelheart got on my nerves). Although I don’t find it quite as awesome as The Emperor’s Soul, this was a very good, if long, read. Sanderson is a great world builder and clearly a deep thinker as well.

In the land of Arelon there is a city called Elantris, a dead and crumbling city that was cursed ten years ago. Before that, Elantris was powerful, gorgeous, and full of magic, as were it’s citizens, the Elantrians, who were much like superheroes or gods on the earth, using special ruins or Aons to access the Dor, or the “Force” of the universe and using that power to do great things. One day, suddenly, the magic stopped working, the Elantrian’s silver skin and white hair disappeared and they found their appearance changed to that of diseased corpses instead. For the neighboring city of Kae, Elantris is now a place condemned. Whereas before, any person taken by the power and made into an Elantrian lived in splendor, now those taken by the same power are thrown into the same place to rot and likely die.

Elantris follows three main characters: Prince Raoden, who is heir to the Arelon throne, wakes up one day to find he is a cursed Elantrian. He is thrown into the city which dwarfs his own, to rot and to starve. His family and nations considers him as dead. Princess Sarene is a princess from the nearby country across the water, Toed, and arrives in Arelon to marry Prince Raoden, but finds that he is now dead and that per Arelon law she cannot marry another and will just remain a widowed court lady. Hrathen is a priest of the country of Fjordell. He has come to convert Arelon to his religion, Shu Dereth, and convert him he must, or they will all die as Fjordell plans to attack and invade them for their unbelief.

This book, like many high fantasy books, is long and so takes awhile to get going. But much world building needs to be done for the reader and Sanderson is great at that. We get to follow Raoden as he finds a new life in Elantris and even works for the good of his country despite his circumstances. We follow Sarene in her disappointment and then watch her rally as she forays into political intrigue in the Kae court. We see Hrathen confident, then continually thwarted in his plan to convert the city of Kae and Arelon. We learn more and more about what Elantris was before and what it is now.

The biggest theme that stood out to me in the story was the power of positive thinking. Raoden takes grime and decay and in his own way makes it beautiful and useable. Sarene does the same, making the best of her circumstances. Although there isn’t a lot of their romance in the book, it is neat to see how they work together for the good of their country as a couple, even if neither really know they are still a couple. They two are indeed kindred spirits and how in tune their minds and objectives are despite the distance is romantic. Even more exciting is when Raoden realizes who she is, but Sarene doesn’t know who he is. What fun.

The parts with Hrathen I found interesting, but also tedious. There are a lot of religious themes going on, but it is never clear what his religion, Shu Dereth, really teaches. The biggest message is basically convert or die. For the opposite religion, Shu Korath, there is a general feeling of kindness, but few specifics. Obviously the author left the religions purposefully vague, which on one level I found irritating, but on another level worked: By the end of the book, Hrathan has a full on questioning of his faith in Shu Dereth, and that is essentially the point of his character. He is bent on converting those to a religion in which he doesn’t really believe. However, he keeps faith in the god both religions share.

Sorry, that was a spoiler, but it’s pretty easy from the beginning of the story to see where his character arc is going. His battle with Sarene is amusing as she continually thwarts his efforts to convert the masses. She and her country of Toed are followers of the kinder religion, Shu Korath.

The religious aspects were fascinating to me because all the characters clearly had some matter of faith, but it was also as if they didn’t fully understand or know what they were believing in. Here, the vagueness didn’t quite work for me, for even believing children will know specifics. It just wasn’t flattering to any of the characters. Yet, can we say in the real world, those of us religious believers, that we really and truly understand specifically what we believe in? For me, yes and no. It depends how far I have pulled away from God at any given moment.

The magic of the world is similar to the stamps in The Emperor’s Soul and makes sense and both worlds are in the same universe. I was very much rooting for Raoden to figure out what went wrong in Elantris, why the magic suddenly stopped working. And although he does figure it out, it’s almost by mere chance that it works, and after I wondered just how he would manage to keep the magic permanent in the future. The Aons are beautiful things, both artistic and powerful, and the entire world of the story is built around them. Good world building, indeed.

Elantris is great on many levels, but Sanderson really found his stride here especially with family and friend relationships. They are all warm, real people one could imagine meeting in real life, with strengths and flaws all on display throughout the story. Maybe it’s just me being a woman, as we tend to be more interested in relationships, but I was so glad there was very little battle time and that I as a reader just got to, well, “live” in the world of Arelon. There is quite a lot of politics in the book, so if one isn’t interested in that, that or the religion, that could be a turn off. Somehow Sanderson manages to write about the most controversial topics in the real world, but in this story they are things to be pursued and studied, rather than avoided in conversation at all costs. Again, the vagueness helped in this, allowing him largely to avoid offence to the readers, while getting them interested in the story.

This was a great, if long, read and enjoyed almost all of it. It is definitely a book I’d like to read again someday and of course has made me more interested in Sanderson’s other books set in the same universe. The magic he uses in his books is very specific, a science, almost. Looking forward to reading more of him in the future.

The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 5, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Nov30

As a kid this was the Narnia book for me. None of the other books came close to the adventure in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. After having reread it as an adult, my opinion is the same: This is the best of the lot.

So, what makes it so special? Nothing spells adventure like a ship, plus its a ship with a quest, carrying quite a few characters we’ve already met in the series and an important new one. The quest is twofold, Prince Caspian wishes to track down 7 Narnian lords that were banished long ago and never returned, and he wants to reach the end of the world, which is Aslan’s country, or heaven, if one is keeping close to the Christian allegory.

Lucy and Edmund Pevensie are stuck visiting their horrible, annoying cousin Eustace Scrubb. Things go wrong from the start as they start arguing about a painting and end up smack dab in the middle of the sea in Narnia. Fortunately, The Dawn Treader is close at hand and soon all three are brought up on deck to be greeted by Prince Caspian, his men, and the mouse Reepicheep. This entrance to Narnia isn’t quite as iconic as the wardrobe, but it’s close.

Everyone is happy to see each other and be in Narnia except for Eustace, but then, he’s never been there before. And then, the ship is off on the quest to find the lords. Each island they pass too, it just gets better and better and I like this end of the world stuff and the whole poking at the flat earth idea. So many of the characters get challenged: Lucy, Caspian, and Reepicheep particularly. Eustace has the most dynamic change, and we quietly acknowledge along with himself that he does belong in Narnia and that he may be back. I also like all the unexpected turns in the plot–so often there appears to be danger, but then they find things aren’t as they seem and sometimes the more dangerous things are closer to the heart, like Lucy and Caspian longing for things they cannot have.

Basically, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader has it all: sword fighting, sailing, a quest, a dragon, gold, princesses, water people, unending feast, a wizard, storms, a sea monster, and a teensy bit of romance thrown in. It’s a great read and if I kept any of the Narnia books on my shelf it would be this one. For me, the other ones just still don’t compare.

Tolkien Month and Updates

Nov27

As I’m winding down with The Chronicles of Narnia (Review of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader up next), I’m ramping up to reread J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. As this December is 20 years since the Peter Jackson movies came out, starting with The Fellowship of the Ring, I plan to watch those, too. As a supplement to both, I am subscribing to Unauthorized TV to watch the The Forge of Tolkien online lecture series by Professor Rachel Fulton Brown, Professor of History at Chicago University. I’ve already begun watching and it’s a great lecture series. She has so, so much knowledge on this subject.

Something about Middle Earth always says “Christmas” to me, and maybe it’s just that so many symbols and themes in LOTR compliment the themes in Christianity, even though the story isn’t an allegory per se like The Chronicles of Narnia are.

The real focus of December, however, is celebrating the birth of Jesus, and for that I love reading the book of Isaiah, which flips back and forth between the horror of judgement, and the relief of salvation. Also planning to start a personal Bible study on Romans and I have a couple of different commentaries to use for that. Other things I will read: More Agatha Christie, more Regency romances, and a few other books I’ve had hanging around.

Writing for is going well, but I have too many ideas for so many different stories, it’s a challenge some days to just pick one to work on. The plan is to publish Trolls for Dust, Season Three in 2022, as well as a short novel, but an action plan is definitely needed to get this done. Fortunately, this year has been a great time of change in my life and finding and working on things that bring me joy has been a great part of that. Thus, I am spending more thinking time and actual time in writing and planning current stories and upcoming ones.

This week, along with a review of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, I will also have one of Elantris by Brandon Sanderson. Sanderson is also a one for religious themes, and so far I am enjoying both his writing and world building. It’s easy to see why he was picked to finish The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (which is now an Amazon TV show).

As far as Korean Dramas, I’ll be done with Bossam soon, and will have a review on that, and I have a list of thrillers and romcoms to try. The recent best shows I have watched have all been thrillers: Mouse, Awaken, Forest. Okay, Forest wasn’t exactly a thriller, but it had thrilling elements and a great kiss scene. Looking forward particularly to: Jirisan, The Veil, Taxi Driver, Doctor Prisoner, and The Royal Gambler. None of the romcoms I’ve put in my watch queue really stand out, and it may be I won’t finish many of them.

Happy upcoming December!

Full of Thanks in Christ

Nov25

Dear Readers,

Happy Thanksgiving! Though these days sometimes it might not seem like it, we have so much to be thankful for. We have a new day to live today. Time yet to spend with those we love or to remember those who have passed on. We still have breath in us and minds that can be focused on the good, the blessings, the hope, the faith, and the love of Christ Jesus our Savior and Lord.

Today I am missing my dear Dad who passed away suddenly last January. I miss all of the horrible puns and Dad jokes he would have told today, but am amused thinking he’s probably trying to tell them to St. Paul or someone in heaven. I am thinking of and sad for all of those who are grieving today, all those who are worried and sick, and especially all of those who have turned away from God for one reason or another. My heart goes out to them, and I pray that they may turn to God and to Christ to be comforted and that they may be full again, brimming with joy in knowing their salvation from all the horribleness in this life has been won for them, even if they don’t get to experience the benefits of that just yet.

Today is a good time to contemplate: How exactly did Jesus win our salvation? Well, he died on the cross, as only a payment in lifeblood could satisfy the breaking of God’s perfect law. The key, however, is that not just any person or animal or living thing could satisfy that. In order to save everyone, the being dying had to be perfect and holy, and in His great love for us, God sent Jesus, His Son. Jesus is both man and God. He put aside his heavenly glory to live for 33 years on this earth, and He lived those years perfectly, in perfect submission to every point of God’s law. Jesus then died on the cross, suffering the abandonment of God, which is hell, in payment of everyone’s sins throughout time. And then He died.

But it didn’t end there, no. If Jesus was just a sinful man, he would have stayed in His grave and all hope would have been lost. Because He was holy and perfect, however, Jesus raised himself up from the dead, returning a conqueror of death, the devil, and hell! If Jesus wasn’t who he claimed to be, he would have stayed dead. But He is alive today and reigning in full glory in heaven and soon He will come back to take all believers to be with Him. How powerful was Jesus’ sacrifice? Well, he didn’t have to sacrifice himself again and again, just once, one moment in time. His death was so powerful, it tore the heavy, thick curtain in the Jewish temple in two. His death was so powerful, it caused an earthquake. His death was so powerful that it raised people from the dead on that day. It’s amazing to think about. And then He rose and greeted his disciples, who were astonished.

Jesus rose from the dead! Just think about that. I could suffer and die for myself or for another, but really it wouldn’t mean anything, because in no way have I lived a perfect life, and in no way could I raise myself from the dead. I would stay dead and without Jesus’ sacrifice, I would be in hell, suffering properly for my sins. It’s a terrifying and sobering thought. But the truth is that Jesus did come to save us: He lived a perfect live in place of us and died in place of us, too. He took on all of our sins and suffered for them, giving us his righteousness through faith. And He sealed the deal by rising from the dead. Some day, we, too will all rise in our earthly bodies to be with Him and we’ll get new, awesome heavenly bodies. It is a great mystery, the great mystery of life, that human reason just can’t comprehend. What amazing love God has for us!

When I think of salvation and heaven, it seems impossible to wait to get there, but for those of us still living on this earth, God has plans, has work for us to do. On holidays like Thanksgiving it is our work and privilege to love and to witness to our families and close friends. What an awesome responsibility! On days like today we can spend time with those we love, listen to their woes and to their triumphs, and comfort their spirits by reminding them of their salvation in Christ. Especially on days like today, we believers, can let that cup of joy in us overflow to all around us. While we are feasting here on earth, we can also look forward to the great feast will have someday in heaven.

Thankfulness, gratitude, these words barely start to describe our joy. And it is a joy that can carry us through any hardship, through any tough time, through any danger and sorrow. It is a joy that cannot be imprisoned, chained, or taxed…or even quarantined! It is a joy that in faith is ours no matter the circumstances. It is joy in Jesus sacrifice and the seal of the Resurrection. Against all human knowledge and reason, Jesus Christ did not stay dead–He rose from the grave! Today I am full of thanks for that event and I pray you may be, too, and find comfort and hope in it. Our sins are all forgiven and we have heaven waiting for us! Be full today, full of thanks for the blessing of salvation in Christ.

And this is my prayer: That your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ–to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:9-11

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation in which you shine like stars in the universe and hold out the word of life–

Philippians 2:14-16

RRR: Books That Should Not Be

Nov22

After struggling through The Cassandra Knot by Rebecca Baldwin, I am so, so thankful for those romances that actually, well, romantic. Ouch. Published in 1979, this book is adequately Regency, the author clearly knows her time period, and the potential of the plot isn’t half bad, but like so many things in life, it is the execution of things that makes all the difference, and the timing. And it’s hard to get right, but one knows when they’ve struck gold and this story is merely a knot barely worth picking at. In essence, it is a book that should not be. At some point it should have been rewritten or even discarded entirely.

Arranged marriages can often be a good catalyst for romance, and, here, things are promising. The Duke of Woodland, Edward Talbot, is happy with his mistress, and content in life, although generally he is out of funds and really only has a title and maybe some good looks to offer a lady. He is reintroduced to a childhood friend, Cassandra Russell, or Cassie. Cassie is in dire straights, living with an oppressive family that torments her and will force her into a marriage with a horrible man. She flings herself upon Edward, begging him to marry her instead. She is rich, having a great inheritance, and she will leave him be and let him live his life the way he wants. He can even keep his mistress. Edward has compassion on her and agrees to rescue her in this manner. Little does he know, however, that Cassie has actually been in love with him for a few years now.

What follows after that is continual miscommunication and conflict between the couple that is not entertaining whatsoever. Too make matters worse, the pair rarely have “screen time” together, if you will, and little of what time they had is anything leading towards romance. A good editor should have caught this long before publication. Neither main character is very likable, and neither try to win each other’s affection except in the most superficial of ways. The two have no chemistry; indeed, Edward has more chemistry with his scheming mistress than with his wife. Not really the makings of a romantic hero.

In addition to that, a strange robbery intrigue is inserted in the latter half. And the villain ends up being the only consistent and interesting character in the story–except him being the villain is not consistent at all. I was, in fact, hoping that he would steal Cassie away from Edward at many points.

How do writers and storytellers get romance so wrong? Cookie cutter plots are perhaps to blame, but it is a lack of thinking about the relationships between men and women and especially–readers of romance being primarily women–what makes women’s hearts flutter. Edward has little character. At no point in the story does he begin to rally and use the enormous funds he now has from his wife to bring his dukedom back to greatness. He aspires to nothing. As a woman, I can’t think of anything less attractive than a man with no interests, no adventures, and no ambition. Women are built to support their men. Indeed, we often lose ourselves in supporting our men. That’s not to say women have no interests of their own–Cassie clearly has fun partying apart from her husband in the story–But she’s clearly not happy, and has no foothold on which to build a relationship with her husband. Yes, he rescued her from an awful situation, but it’s one and done. It reality, Cassie would have likely been swept off her feet by another man with ambition eventually. Her girlish love for Edward would not have withstood a driven man who knows what he wants.

The Cassandra Knot is a good lesson: A marriage in which either or both parties do not love the other is a raw deal for both of them. Convenience never makes up for the lack of love and affection. Amazingly, by the end of the story, the two are in love and now have a promising happy marriage to look forward too, but how they fell in love or why. I’m not sure. The couple has no spark. With a reworked plot and some actual character and relationship development, this would have been a much better story. If it was told first person from Cassandra’s perspective, I think it could be riveting, especially since she’s in love with her husband and he doesn’t know it. All those feelings, all that angst at being thrown into physical contact with one’s heart’s desire. That would have been something. For a far, far better story involving a husband and wife who pretend not to love each other, but desperately do, try out the French Revolution and The Scarlet Pimpernel. Now that hero is a man with drive.

Kairos: When You Have Time

Nov16

Spoilers ahead, matey.

Writing involving time travel, even if the characters are not actually traveling through time, can be tricky. I admire any writer who makes the effort. Kairos is a very strong second to the more superior drama Signal from 2016, but I enjoyed and found it brought its own uniqueness to the genre.

Speaking of the genre, I’m not certain it has a name and have seen it primarily with Korean film and TV, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t used elsewhere. For my purposes, I will call it Time Interchange, a genre that involves time travel without the characters actually traveling through time. The “traveling” part is usually done by some medium or device of communication, as in a mailbox or cell phone or walkie-talkie. The characters on either end are separated by time, weeks, years, or months, one ahead, one behind. I first encountered this genre with The Lake House with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves. Later in a random book thrift in Tallahasee, I came across the original movie, a Korean one call Il Mare. I quite liked the original and found the acting much better than The Lake House. Although the plots can get confusing due to the time differences, time interchange is a perfect genre for suspense and mystery.

Kairos begins with an extremely heart-wrenching episode. I had to grab a tissue several times as the plot was just brutal. Kim Seo Jin, an executive for a powerful construction company, loses everything precious to him in quick succession. Actor Shin Sung Rok (The Last Empress) is an impressive lead here, and his acting is off the charts. He is well matched by Lee Se Young (Memorist), who plays convenience store worker Han Ae Ri who has a cell phone with very unique capabilities: At 10:33pm each night, she is able to call Kim’s phone for exactly one minute. Not so remarkable in itself, until the two figure out that Han Ae Re is in the past, a month behind when Kim Seo Jin is living!

Although, as always, a little slow for my tastes, Kairos delivers. The word kairos means opportunity and is fitting as the characters are given a fantastical opportunity to change their destinies and that of those around them. A shout out to Park Seung Woo and whoever he hired to be cinematographer, as the cinematography and the shote are unique and top notch. So many episodes have the feel of a movie, not a show. And the camera shots and angles clearly are an effort to move the story along. The music was also spot on and there was almost an 80s, early 90s feel to the show at times.

One of the biggest themes in the show is loyalty. Han Ae Ri has probably the most loyal pair of friends in the world, aside from stolen money, but, hey, it’s just money. Kim Seo Jin quickly finds that no one is loyal to him and soon relies heavily on the loyalty of these strangers from the past. The minor villains played by Ahn Bo Hyun from Yumi’s Cells, and Nam Gyu-Ri from Heartless City end up being a perfect pair for each other and it’s infuriating how the writers especially give Ahn’s character so many chances to continue messing things up for our leads. Both actors had great, great moments, but there is something about them that is missing that star quality, that X factor of most leading actors. I think it is screen presence. Both are very good looking, but in a generic, Abercrombie and Fitch kind of way, if that makes sense.

What Kairos brings to time interchange, is a butterfly effect. When things change in the past, the future–or present, depending on how one looks at it–Kim Seo Jin starts to remember those events, and even events that get redrawn or rewritten due to Han Ae Ri’s efforts. It’s trippy and fun. In the latter efforts, the writing gets very intense as they scenes start constantly flipping back and forth between to the two time periods. It’s all stamped on the screen for the viewing audience, so in that way is easy to keep track, but because we are dealing with two Kim Seo Jins at that point, it’s tricky to keep track of what’s going on. As a whole, the show uses the time difference to great suspense, but never really found a solid groove with that. Many episodes had a lot of boringness with some excitement. Pacing in any show is difficult and even more so with this type of genre. Signal has better pacing and overall suspense than Kairos, but, like I said, Kairos is a very close second. An easy pacing fix would have been to make the show only twelve episodes instead of sixteen. I look forward to what both leads do in the future, Shin Sung Rok, especially. He was definitely the standout performance and carried the show well.

Another show that involves actual time travel that is outstanding is Tunnel starring Choi Jin Hyuk (Zombie Detective) and Yoon Hyun Min (Witch’s Court).

Weirdgorden, Episode One

Nov12

Author’s Note: Sometimes strange ideas need to be given a chance. With this one I was pleasantly surprised. I was driving home and thinking of Seinfeld and how it was a show about nothing and then suddenly thought, wouldn’t it be a great and funny skit to have a store that doesn’t sell anything? Suddenly Weirdgorden was born and it was so fun writing the first episode, I plan to do more. Enjoy, and forgive my awful sense of humor. –Pixie B.

Weirdgorden

Episode One: New Store in Town

Generic storefront with Weirdgorden electric sign turned off. Woman walking past on the sidewalk, talking on her cell phone. 

Amy: “It’s just terrible what this town is coming to. I can’t find any good deals and all the shops sell junk. No one knows fashion anymore, Marlee. Hold on a sec…” 

Stares up at the sign just blinking on with a sizzle. In the window on the door, someone turns the sign from Closed to Open. 

Amy: “Marlee!  You just won’t believe it!  It’s a new store right where that awful hair stylist’s used to be.  No, not that one.  The one who got hepatitis and moved to Guam.  Or was a gym? Anyway, talk to you later, girl!  I’ll tell you all about it later.  Bye, bye, by-bye, ciao!” 

Amy heads inside and the bell jingles. The place is arranged a bit like a coffee shop, with wooden tables and chairs and couches and stuffed chairs along the walls with shelves of random items.  The counter is U-shaped. On the wall behind it is another sign with the store’s name and swinging doors that head to the back.  Amy lingers at a single clothes rack situated up front. The clothes are all sparkly and outlandish. She holds up one item, then another, searching the sleeve of a shirt for a tag but finding nothing. 

A clerk comes humming through the swinging doors with a load of clothes in her arms.  She wears a pencil perched behind one ear.  The clerk dumps the clothes on the counter and immediately begins sorting and folding the items before noticing Amy. 

Charlotte: “Ah.  There you are.  Great day, huh?”

Amy: “Oh, yes, I just love trying new stores.  These clothes are just amazing.”

Charlotte: “Aren’t they, though?” Goes back to folding. 

Amy: “But…” She brings the shirt over to the counter. “There aren’t any price tags on anything.” The clerk doesn’t seem to hear her and she repeats herself louder. 

Charlotte: “Okay, okay, no need to shout.  Price tags.  Why would there be price tags?”

Amy: “So people know if they want to buy the clothes?”

Charlotte: “Buy the clothes?  What do you mean?  From here?” The clerk looks dumbfounded.

Amy: “Of course from here.  You’re a clothing store aren’t you?  A boutique?”

Charlotte: “No. No bows or teeks, thank you very much.” Laughs and goes on folding. 

Amy: “Are you saying you don’t sell clothes?”

Charlotte: “We don’t sell clothes.”

Amy sets the shirt on the counter and the clerk picks it up, takes it off the hanger and folds it with the other clothes on the counter.  Amy gestures around the store. 

Amy: “Well, what do you sell, then?  Books?”

Charlotte: “Nope, no books.”

Amy: “Coffee?  Of course, there’s no menu sign, but you do have tables and chairs.”

Charlotte: “We don’t sell coffee.”

Amy puts her hands on her hips. “What do you sell, then?”

Charlotte: “Nothing. Weirdgordens doesn’t sell a thing.”

Amy: “But you’re folding clothes.  To sell!”

Charlotte: “Nope, not to sell.  Don’t be ridiculous.”

Amy: “But…”

Charlotte: “Larry!”  Screaming to the back.  “Larry, we got another one!”  A large, balding man pokes his head between the doors.

Larry:  “Really, Charlotte?”

Charlotte folds the last pair of jeans and stacks the whole pile on the side of the counter. “Really.  I need a coffee break.” She slips past Larry as he enters the space behind the counter and heads to the back room.  Larry folds his arms and stares at Amy.

Larry: “What’s the problem, lady?”

Amy: “Um, I’m just confused as to what you sell here.  Charlotte said it wasn’t coffee, but you have coffee?”  She waits for him to answer, but the silence drags on.  Finally, he answers. 

Larry: “So, you want to have coffee, is that it?”

Amy: “No!  Well, I mean, yes, it is cold out, but I don’t understand what it is—“

Larry: (shouting): “Char! Bring the lady some coffee!” Charlotte calls something intelligible from the back room. 

Amy: “No, really, sir…Larry, um, I don’t need any coffee.  Really, I just want to know how much the clothes are.”

Larry: “Much?  As in money?” He steps up to the cash register behind the counter and starts fiddling with it. 

Amy: “Yes, exactly.”

Larry: “No, no. We don’t sell any clothes here.  Char!  Where are you with the coffee?”

Amy: “But I’m wondering what it is you do sell?”

Larry shrugs.  “Sell?  Why would we sell anything?”

Amy: “Because you’re a store?”

Charlotte marches out proudly with a tray of coffee mugs.  She hands one to Larry, who takes a big gulp, telling her it’s the best ever.

Charlotte: “Here you are,  dear.  It’s cinnamon spice.  Good on a cold day.”

Amy: “Oh, how lovely.  But I really don’t need any coffee.  I was actually wondering about the clothes.”

Charlotte: “Yes, yes, they’re made in China, like everything else.”  She interrupts before Amy can get another question in.  “Now, why don’t you go and sit on that couch over there and quite bothering us.  Larry and I have a lot of work to do.  Can’t you see?”  Larry has gone back to fiddling with the cash register and appears to be entering numbers from a stack of slips.  He takes the pencil from behind Charlotte’s ear and starts to write with it. 

Amy: “But.”  She stands and looks at them, then sips at her coffee, murmuring at how good it tastes.  “Yes, I’ll just….sit on the couch.”

Charlotte (looking triumphant): “There you go, hon.  Welcome to Weirdgorden.” 

Copyright 2021.

The Chronicles of Narnia, Book Four, Prince Caspian

Nov11

This review will be a bit short as I don’t have a lot to say about this story. First off, I enjoyed it, but aside from the beginning chapters, I didn’t find much memorable about it. Here we have the Pevensies, Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Lucy on their second visit to Narnia. This takes place about a year later (in the real world) to their time in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Prince Caspian gets its start in a railway station where suddenly the four children are whisked away to Narnia. The Harry Potter series, too, makes use of a train station to get the kids to the magical world. And what could be more logical than a place of transportation? Anyway, it’s a great opening that flows well into an even better scene: All the children find their former castle where they ruled as kings and queens for so many Narnian years. At Cair Paravel, they start to remember the lives in Narnia that they once had and also find their old weapons and gifts given to them by Father Christmas so long ago. Then they meet a new dwarf and are off to help Prince Caspian save his kingdom.

I did get a kick out of Lucy sticking it to her brother when Edmund’s grumbling about girls: “That’s the worst of girls. They never carry a map in their heads.” And Lucy responds: “That’s because our heads have something inside them.” Ouch. Turns out the map in the boys’ heads of no use as its hundreds of years later that they are trying to navigate through Narnia. Lucy ends up saving the day by trusting in Aslan and her brothers’ pride is humbled. At first the three older siblings do not believe her, even though they themselves have seen Aslan before and Lucy would have no reason to make it up. C.S. Lewis is very much getting at one having faith like a little child, as Lucy is the youngest and her faith wins out on the path in which to take. It’s not so much that Lucy doesn’t have a map in her head, but she has space and room for imagination and the possibility that Aslan is there to show them the way. As adults our heads are certainly crowded with many things, many useful of them in the real world, but having a head full of faith, we can see what’s really important. Or the correct path to take in life, and so on. It’s interesting just how long the older kids persist in not believing Lucy. I see this in the real world so, so often, especially today. So many obvious signs that people just don’t see until finally they are forced to wake up to the fact that they or their thinking is on the wrong path and they must turn around and consider that all those other ideas or conspiracy theories or what have you may be valid or true or both. How easily our grown up pride gets in the way of seeing clearly sometimes.

The interaction between the Pevensies and Prince Caspian really is not a big part of the book. The largest part is simply getting them all in the same place. Lewis includes a wild, uniquely Narnian romp, and then the boys get to do some fighting and killing. As the High King, Peter trumps Caspian and ends up fighting Caspian’s uncle Miraz in combat. It ends up in a big fight, Narnians against the Telmarines who abused Caspian, and it’s thrilling to see the mouse Reepicheep enter the fray only to have Peter yell at him: “Come back, Reepicheep, you little ass! You’ll only be killed! This is no place for mice.” Of course the valiant mouse ignores him.

They all waltz through Narnia and watch as Aslan changes people, or gives them the courage to throw off their bonds. Miraz and the Telmarines have done their best to make Narnia more like a regular world, and everyone is bored and has not been having a good time. That is all stopped. Prince Caspian is crowned king of Narnia and he gives his fealty to Aslan as any Narnian king should. It’s also great to see the persistence of Reepicheep and the mice, who beg Aslan to give him a new tail as it’s been cut off in battle. Persistence is definitely part of Christianity and in asking for things we need or want. God wants us to be persistent. But it is not merely persistence, but the love of the mice for their fellow mice that really moves Aslan to grant his request.

After an amazing, again, uniquely Narnian feast, we find out from Aslan that the Telmarines aren’t from there at all, but from the real world. No wonder they ended up trying to stamp out anything wonderful and magical in Narnia. In any case, it makes Caspian a son of Adam and daughter of Eve, so he is truly fit to be a king of Narnia. Aslan makes a door back into the real world and the kids go back to their regular lives. Sadly, Lucy and Edmund find out from Peter and Susan that their older siblings won’t be coming back to Narnia as they will be too grown up. The very end is great as Edmund realized he left his new torch, or, in American, flashlight back in Narnia. What fun.