The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (Miniseries)

The strange case of Robert Durst: a billionaire that was once young and in love and detached from his real estate mogul father. Then he was pulled back in and things went wrong, really wrong. Has there ever been a story of life being stranger than fiction more than this? From director and writer, Andrew Jareck with Marc Smerling and Zachary Stuart-Pontier assisting, comes this six-part documentary from HBO that will have you mind-boggled that such a person could exist and more importantly could survive all possible investigations. While I don’t know if it needed to be six episodes long (some of the same shots were used) it does build to a great ending, an epic scene of revelation that will have you gasping. If you haven’t read the headlines recently, do check this out. If you have read all the headlines and know what’s currently going on in Dursts’ life, do still check this out. Grade: A

House of Cards (Season 2)

I liked the first season of this political drama but it’s this second season that I love. It starts off right where the last season ended and only gets better with each episode. The first episode alone is jaw-dropping how good it is. Kevin Spacey is in top-form, playing a man with a mission and it’s clear what it is and that’s what makes this series so good. Robin Wright continues to impress playing a woman of complex contradictions. You never know quite what she’s going to do, except be loyal to her husband (maybe). Every episode is great with the last one fulfilling a promise right from the beginning of this saga. The last image left me smiling. What do the producers and writers have in store with the Underwoods? I’m so excited I think I’ll start watching now instead of moving on to a different show. Grade: A

Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan (Novel) [Revisited]

The story is starting to get back on track. What’s interesting about this ninth book in the Wheel of Time is it feels like a different kind of book. Rand al’Thor is on the hunt, trying to track down rogue Asha’man that tried to kill him in book eight. Nynaeve al’Meara leaves with him on a mission where in the end he hopes to cure the Male half of the Source of the Dark Ones’ taint. Mat Cauthon is back, stuck in Seanchan-seized Ebou Dar. His quest to escape and with captured Aes Sedai is a thrilling adventure, reminding me of a WWII French Underground plot. While a somewhat brief novel, or it felt brief to me (it does only have 35 chapters), it’s a solid collection of adventure and a return to Jordan’s skilled powers. What was especially satisfying was to finally have Rand meet with all three women in his life. That scene alone was worth the entire book and was a real game changer. Now it’s time to find out what Perrin is going to do about his wife, who along with QueenMorgase is captured by the Shaido. Then there’s the wild card; the Prophet who you can just tell is going to make things difficult for Rand and company. Cadsuane is also the kind of character you love to not trust. What lesson is she going to teach Rand? It’s a little sad though. There are only three more books left whiich Robert Jordan wrote (books 10 and 11 and the prequel). I’m sure Brandon Sanderson does a terrific job finishing it up (I can’t wait) but we’ll always wonder “what if”. Now I’m at the spot I last stopped reading so long ago. When I read Crossroads of Twilight it will be completely fresh. Bring it on. Grade: A-

Deep Space Nine (Season 1)

As a fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, I was really excited to see this spin-off. when it first came out. But during that time life was becoming hectic for me and I couldn’t keep up. I saw most of the first season and liked it but I didn’t connect to the characters as much as I did with Next Generation. Only years later did I hear how great this show was and always felt I missed out. So now that I completed re-watching Next Generation I’ve begun my new journey. Boy, what was I thinking back then? These characters are great. Avery Brooks is a wonderful captain, different than any we’ve seen before but still engaging with a blend of authority and coolness that makes him an inviting character. Nana Visitor is a tad hyper but still a strong character with a worthy journey. Rene Auberjonois is perfect as the shape-changing alien, Otto (the one of a kind alien that mimics Data’s purpose). I also love that Colm Meaney came over from Next Generation as Miles O’Brien. The best character is by far the Ferengi bar owner Quark played by Armin Shimerman; I love this guy. He has a good heart but his greedy business practices makes him very untrustworthy. The weakest link is Julian Bashir played by Alexander Siddig. He’s a horny doctor that I find more ignoring than humorous; let’s hope they do more with him or kill him off. Yes, with all first seasons of a show, there are some rough edges but ultimately all the episodes are good. “Q-Less” might be my least favorite (why do we need Q to crossover?) and perhaps “If Wishes Were Horses” was kind of weak as well where everyone’s thoughts come true. The best episodes (and there are a lot) are the pilot “Emissary” where we set everything up, “Captive Pursuit” where an alien finds honor being hunted by others from the Gamma Quandrant, “Dax” where Jadzia Dax is tried for murder, “The Passenger” where Bashir becomes possessed by a criminal mastermind, “Vortex” where Otto tries to meet up with others of his kind, “Duet” where a war criminal is taken on board, and “In The Hands of the Prophets” where religion versus science is debated in a political showdown. From this point on I’ll be literally going where I haven’t gone before. I’m looking forward to continuing this show. Grade: A-