Wayward Points: Welcome home

"You think you wanna know the truth? It's worse than anything you can imagine."

Holy crap.

You see, I think I'm really digging this whole ten-episode event concept. Why? Because of a few things: it gives "Wayward Pines" a clearly defined beginning, middle and end - and it allows them to do freaking crazy things like what we just witnessed. Deep breaths, everyone. Deep breaths. Where to begin? Let's recap this sucker and then move on to this week's Wayward Points. Spoilers, obviously.

Theresa and Benjamin Burke are the newest residents of Wayward Pines. After some sneaky spy work in a Secret Service field office in Boise, Mrs. Burke is hot on the heels of her husband, who she assumes to be on an adulterous escapade. First of all, though Ethan had previously been unfaithful to his marriage, he's actually not doing anything against Biblical customs at the present time. Secondly, if he were, you'd think he would find a more exciting place to go than the middle of nowhere in Idaho. (But what would I know?) As they make their way to Wayward Pines, the Burkes get pulled over by none other than Sheriff Pope! Pope fakes an oil leak and leads the Burkes to believe that he's fixing their engine, when, in reality, he pops the hood and snips some cables, leading to an eventual (off-screen) car accident.

Some creepy realty group moves the Burkes into Beverly Brown's suddenly vacant house (R.I.P), so it looks like Ethan actually has a place to stay. I guess that's a good thing. Theresa and Ben are skeptical of Ethan - to the extent that Ben follows his father into the woods to see what he's up to. Ethan confronted Kate again tonight. Although she maintained her brainwashed persona in her house, she seemed to be (mostly) back to normal when she snuck Ethan into the woods for a quick chat. The woods are safe, she says. As they talk, Kate tells Ethan that she tried to run and "everything" else for years, but finally came to the conclusion that "the only way to stay alive here is to play along." Ben recognizes Kate and returns home to tattle. Theresa, understandably, is upset and she takes off with her son, leaving her wedding ring on the table at home.

The two make their way on foot to the city limits, where they're predictably chased down by Sheriff Pope. They book it toward the Fence, but Pope catches up and smacks Ben around a little bit as a form of retribution against Ethan. He tells Ben to sit in the truck or risk penalty of death and then holds Theresa at gunpoint. Ethan had trailed Pope's fence (on foot??) and nails the corrupt cop with a blindside tackle. Fisticuffs ensue, but Pope prevails, getting to his feet and pointing his revolver at our protagonist... but Ben starts the truck and slams into Pope! Ethan recovers the gun and prepares to kill his nemesis, whereupon Pope mutters the quote of the night from his bloody lips: "You think you wanna know the truth? It's worse than anything you can imagine."

Theresa covers Ben's eyes and... BANG! Are you kidding me?? For the second time in as many episodes, those crazy cats at "Wayward Pines" have killed off a major character - and we're only THREE EPISODES IN!! What the freak?? But that's not even the craziest thing that happened! As Ethan hops into the truck with his family, he uses a remote TO OPEN THE GATE! WHAT!? He shifts the truck into gear and... wait, what the heck was that? Some kind of blurry figure just ran across the screen and dragged Pope's body through the gate, to the other side of the fence. Maniacal yelping ensues - whether from Pope's lifeless body or the creature that grabbed him, I'm not entirely certain... But one thing is for sure: whatever the heck that thing was is not something you want to be messing around with.

Wayward Points:

- I'm actually really bummed about Sheriff Pope's early demise. That dude was evil, but I actually kinda liked him. And I REALLY liked his obsession with ice cream. Heck, check out the tweet of the night:

@atownmania Yes, that is a favorite here in #WaywardPines. pic.twitter.com/1Bhu1eUxW2

— Wayward Pines (@WaywardPinesFOX) May 29, 2015

- My favorite line of the night was when Ethan asked Dr. Jenkins, "What is wrong with everyone that I've met in this town?" I often ask myself the same thing.
- Ethan's conversation with Dr. Jenkins makes it seem like bringing Ethan's wife and son to WP is part of a plan to entice Ethan to stay in town long-term. Ethan responds, "I can't stay... 'cause I don't live here." The camera pans to Beverly Brown's old mailbox, which now reads "Burke." Nice. Loved that scene.

The Rules:
- When Kate's phone starts ringing, Ethan semi-sarcastically asks if she's going to answer it.
- Ethan rips his new home phone out of the wall when it begins to ring.
- Pope warns Ethan that he and his family will be much safer if he follows the rules.

Timeline:
- Kate says she saw Evans "two years later" and that he looked like he hadn't aged a day. Ethan insists that they were together five weeks ago in Seattle. Kate believes it has been 12 years.

Continuity:
- Last week, Ethan saw his wife and son being wheeled around the hospital. This week, he saw their busted-up car. I'm telling you. Something is not right with the time continuum.

Questions:
- When Ethan asks if Kate is going to answer the phone, she says, "They're not calling for me." How does she know?
- What was the purpose of the alphabet block in Beverly's house? It was showing the letter B. Does that have any connection to the home's previous resident, Beverly Brown, or its new occupants, the Burkes?
- While we're on the topic, who was the leader of the realty group and why did he act so strangely when he saw Ethan come out of hiding?
- What was that warehouse that Ethan discovered after riding in the Wyoming food truck? There were lots of vehicles in there and some looked newer than others. Were they all recovered from the suspicious Wayward Pines car wrecks?
- Also in the warehouse, there were a bunch of space-age-looking doors there. What was up with those? We saw that one of the doors said "Wayward Pines" above it. Where do the other doors lead?
- Who is making the phone calls? It's obviously not Pope or Nurse Pam and, in fact, Ethan's realization that somebody else is pulling the strings is probably a leading factor in Pope's eventual death.
- What on earth was that thing that took Pope's body??


What are you guys thinking about this show so far? I love it! It's a little dark, but it's intense and I think the story is captivating. I almost picked up the book on which the show is based when I swung by Barnes & Noble the other day, but I think I want to see how this show plays out first and then maybe read the book after. What do you think? What questions do you have? Do you have any theories yet? I'd be tickled pink if you would start up a conversation in the comments section below.

RIP Sheriff Pope

Episode 1 - Episode 3

Until next week,

Work hard and be happy.

#BroCSeminary: The Year in Review

I was recently bored, so what did I do?

I wrote down this poem: The Year in Review.

We’ve learned so much stuff since way back in September

So it’s time for us now to look back and remember.

It began in the year of our Lord 1820,

Joseph Smith History

With preachers, religions and churches aplenty.

The doctrine of Christ they twisted, abused

And it left all the people dazed and confused.

Along came a boy. His friends called him Joe.

Which church was true? He wanted to know.

He’d gone to the meetings and heard all the claims.

So he got out his Bible and opened to James.

The question was tough. His brain was quite racked.

So he asked Heav’nly Father for the wisdom he lacked.

But what to do next? Through his options he wove.

And at length he decided to head to the Grove.

D&C 10

In prayer he knelt down and the Devil he fought

As he held on for dear life – and the answer he sought.

When, at last, through the air came a pillar of light.

It was nice, it was warm and exceedingly bright.

“Joseph, this is my Son,” said the Father. “Hear Him!”

The young boy’s joy was full – yea, filled to the brim.

From humble beginnings came the latter-day church.

The truth was restored, pulled out of the lurch.

A new book of scripture, as sent from above,

Is a witness to us of our dear Savior’s love.

And then Martin Harris, on a day without prudence,

Misplaced all his pages (got LOST like my students).

Avoiding the obstacle, Joseph was blessed.

He continued translation ‘cause Father knew best.

Millions of copies have been sold to this day.

It’s the best book on earth and it won’t go away.

In the words of Moroni, the angel that flew,

You can pray to find out if the Church is still true.

The blessing! The gift! Modern-day revelation!

The Church started growing and filling the nation.

D&C 20

God’s Army, the missionaries, knock on each door

Thanks in large part to D&C 4.

John the Baptist at the river was seen

As he brought back the Priesthood in Section 13.

If you want to convert, here’s a word to the wise:

Find a man with the power to correctly baptize.

Section 20 came later, if anyone cares

To find duties of deacons or sacrament prayers.

New prophets, apostles, patriarchs, seers.

No more apostasy –it’s news to our ears!

As time went on, the Church grew by additions

D&C 30-40

Of the converts brought in when these guys went on missions:

Pratt, Peterson, Thayre and Sweet

And a whole lot of others that we didn’t meet.

They went on to be leaders and general authorities –

It’s all there to be read in the 30s and 40s.

But as the Saints grew, there was much to be taught –

Like who can get revelation and, of course, who cannot.

At this time came the first of the Saints’ endless struggles,

Imposed by newspapers and non-magic Muggles.

It was tough for the members to put up with the sinning,

And sadly, for them, this was just the beginning.

D&C 76 and 110

Through new revelation, they were asked to expand

To Ohio, where Joseph acquired more land.

Made a new home in Kirtland, a famous Church city.

…I haven’t been there, but I hear that it’s pretty.

The Word of Wisdom tells us not to do drugs.

Instead, it’s hot chocolate filling our mugs.

The temple in Kirtland was a happenin’ place.

The Redeemer appeared and they spoke face-to-face.

Elijah, Elias and Moses brought keys

To fulfill old school prophecies. The Savior was pleased.

Their faith was strengthened, the Saints were devout,

But the times got too hard and they had to move out.

They were run from the town and they left in a hurry

To join all their friends down in Jackson, Missouri.

D&C 101

Zion’s Camp wasn’t easy; it was quite the test.

The prophet returned and he lived in Far West.

He preached the doctrine and the members learned

The will of the Lord, as they all were concerned.

But their new home was not much more fun than the last.

The people were hassled. It wasn’t a blast.

The Saints were afflicted and tortured by mobs

Who burned down their houses and ruined their jobs.

Indeed, you could say these perilous times.

(No, I’m not getting tired. Got plenty more rhymes.)

Then things got extreme; even more they were tested

D&C 121 and 122

As the prophet was falsely, unjustly arrested.

They locked him away in Liberty Jail

In small, dark, cold room without any bail.

He prayed to the Lord, asking what he should do.

See Sections 121 and 122.

In the worst of conditions, Joseph Smith persevered.

It’s for reasons like this he’s so widely revered.

Then they moved to Nauvoo – the beautiful place.

They learned more of the Savior, His mercy and grace.

With their shoulders to the wheel and no duties to shirk,

The Saints built a temple and did lots of work.

D&C 135

The oppression grew harder, the trials more heated.

Governor Boggs wanted each of the Mormons defeated.

An order was passed so the Saints they could kill.

Seventeen members died in a fight at Haun’s Mill.

They captured the prophet; like a lamb he would die.

They marched him to Carthage; it made people cry.

His whole family knew he would never come back.

A mob rushed the prison, all painted in black.

The good men read scriptures; Joseph turned down the leaf.

They sang “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief.”

It was quickly all over. The martyrs were dead,

Wrote John Taylor – he survived and rolled under the bed.

“Shall we not go on in so great a cause?”

The work kept on rolling without stopping to pause.

Joseph was gone, but the Church was still there,

Now led by a man with long, beautiful hair.

The man’s name was Brigham. He was chosen by God.

When he spoke, Saints saw Joseph, which was kind of odd.

But it helped them to know that the mantle had shifted.

The cloud of confusion from thenceforth was lifted.

“Revelation continues!” were the shouts in the streets,

Then they gathered their wagons in groups just like fleets.

“Trust Brigham,” they said. “For he knows what is best!”

So they packed their belongings and headed out west.

The journey was rough, but they sang as they walked.

When they saw all the snowstorms, they were certainly shocked.

The furthest they got was the Iowa borders

And they stopped and took refuge at old Winter Quarters.

Crossing the Sweetwater River

When the weather got better, they resumed in the spring.

“Come, Come, Ye Saints,” is a song we still sing.

But the hardships continued – they ran out of food.

The Donners got hungry and it ruined the mood.

At the Sweetwater River, Companies Martin and Willie

Were saved by three boys, unafraid to be chilly.

On the strength of these men, the pioneers rallied

And they finally made it to the Great Salt Lake Valley.

Official Declaration #1

“This is the place,” Brigham Young said.

“Drive on,” he encouraged as he got back in bed.

They had made it at last with nary a hater

(But they don’t get a temple ‘til 40 years later).

The desert was empty, they had plenty of room.

They planted their roots and the gospel did bloom.

It was here they could stay for the rest of their lives.

Wilford Woodruff announced there’d be no plural wives.

Through the decades the prophets their legacies left.

Section 138 came from Smith, Joseph F.

Then in the ‘70s, our parents remember

The blessings of the Priesthood went to each worthy member.

2015

We’ve got Saints to the left and Saints to the right.

We’re spanning the globe with nobody to fight.

We’ve got Saints clear from Texas on up to Wisconsin

And today we are led by Thomas S. Monson.

The Church is great. The Church is cool.

You can have lots of fun without breaking a rule.

Looking back on this year, we learned all the church history.

What will you do next? Not a clue. What a mystery!

Can you believe it, dear students? The school year is done.

I know it was crazy, but I hope you had fun.

THE END.

Wayward Points: Always answer the phone if it rings

"Don't try to leave, Mr. Burke. That's rule number one."

What a wild show this is turning out to be! Let's review the goings-on in this week's episode of "Wayward Pines." Major spoilers to follow.

We left off last week with Secret Service agent Ethan Burke discovering that he's trapped in this psychotic town called Wayward Pines, Idaho. He's got a history of mental illness and I contemplated last week whether Ethan is, at this moment, mentally sound or not. I'm still not entirely sure, but I think I'm leaning more to the side of trusting him than I was last week. There's, of course, still a chance that he's out of his mind - as I'll reference at some point in this review - but I think he's at least mostly fine and the town is just wacky.

The episode began with two boys telling Ethan Rule #1 of Wayward Pines: "Do not try to leave." We also learned the rest of the rules, thanks to a framed document inside the WP toy store. The page read as follows:

Do not try to leave.
Do not discuss the past.
Do not discuss your life before.
Always answer the phone if it rings.
Work hard, be happy,
And enjoy your life
In Wayward Pines!

So... pretty creepy, right? We also saw a few instances of rule-breakage throughout the episode - mainly with Rule #2. Ethan habitually talks about the past and brings it up with others, chiefly Kate, his former adulterous co-worker, who is living a happy life in WP. Beverly also gets busted for speaking with Ethan about his previous life and also lets slip that she has a six-year-old daughter in Portland. This admission, of course, came at dinner, as she and Ethan were invited to dine with Kate and her so-called husband, just before she makes a break for it. That's right - Bev and Ethan drew up a hair-brained plan to leave WP in the rear-view mirror, which involved them bolting after their dinner date, but Beverly panicked, let something slip about her previous life and took off early, unintentionally tipping Kate off to the fact that they were going to try to run.

Then came my weekly whimpering, as every freakin' phone in Wayward Pines begins to ring, all at once. It came to light that this exact scenario happened with Agent Evans, who was found rotting in an abandoned home last week. Apparently, he tried to run, too, then Sheriff Pope caught him and publicly executed him in front of the entire town. In the episode's climax, Ethan leads a diversion so Beverly can escape and return to her daughter, but, alas, she is caught, chained up in the town square, and gets her throat slit by the dastardly Sheriff Pope as Ethan watched from a nearby home. So creepy.


So those were the major developments this week, but let's also run down a few other things in what I'll from here forward refer to as my Wayward Points:

- Sheriff Pope is still corrupt. Freakin' corrupt. And he still loves his ice cream. And I kind of love that. I hope he has an ice cream cone every single episode. I also loved the part where that nut job shut himself in the prison cell and was just chilling on the bed. Such a weirdo.
- The late, great Agent Bill Evans played an important role this week. Ethan found some notes in his shoe that included, from what we could see, a list of names (that included Beverly) and a map of Wayward Pines with one spot labeled "PACK." (More on that in a second.) Evans was apparently married to a WP resident, whom Ethan interrogated during the episode. She referred to Evans' mysterious death as "suicide." We later learned that he was executed by Pope. Ethan eventually finds Evans' pack, but we don't see what's inside it. I assume it will come back into play in the near future.
- Beverly informed Ethan that he (and everyone else in WP) has been given a microchip that tracks their movement around the city. In one of the more intriguing moments of the episode, we saw that there are surveillance cameras hidden around the city that are tracking Ethan's movement. As Kate said last week, they truly are watching.
- While investigating the morgue, Ethan apparently sees the dead bodies of his wife and son being wheeled into a room by two orderlies. Upon further investigation, he is unable to find them. Dr. Jenkins explains that Ethan's "condition" (which may or may not be real) is worsening constantly and offers to help (whether sincerely or otherwise), but Ethan leaves the room as soon as that creep Nurse Pam enters the room.
- Meanwhile, back at home, we find out that Ethan's family is fine. However, they're concerned that Ethan may have gone to Boise to continue his secret relationship with Kate. They decide to take matters into their own hands and go to Boise to find him. And kill him, possibly. (But I think she used that term very loosely...) Fun fact: Ethan's wife is that chick from A Knight's Tale. Hmm.
- "Marci" at the Seattle Secret Service office got even shadier this episode. I loved the part where Ethan asked her about the fictitious receptionist desk on the seventh floor. Classic.
- Kate continues her brainwashed ways. She's pretty odd, but I, for some reason, totally loved that she answered the phone with her hand upside-down. What a wacko.
- My biggest negative comment thus far: For as much as they demand that Ethan, a supposed murder "suspect," stay in his hotel room, they sure don't mind him wandering around town like everybody else. Either make him stay in his room or don't bring it up in the first place.


Continuance:
- The coffeeshop cashier validated Kate's reckoning of time, telling Ethan that she has been coming into the shop for years. On the other hand, one of Ethan's conversations with Beverly seemed to lend credence to her theory that it was only 2000. She believed that Bill Clinton was still the president, and had never heard of "Obama" or "9/11." If the year is really 2014, she would be 54, but she believes she is only 40 - and that's about how old she looks. Hmm... The timeline continues to confuse.

Questions:
- Speaking of that timeline, we know that Ethan's wife and son are on their way to Wayward Pines. We saw in the teaser for next week that Pope will come in contact with Mrs. Burke and attempt to hijack her car... This may seem like a crazy theory, but... what if Ethan actually did see his wife and son being wheeled through the morgue, but it was like... in the future? Some kind of wrinkle in the time continuum? Is that possible? It might have just been a hallucination (if he's having a mental relapse) or an elaborate hoax (those Wayward Pines-ers are clever, after all), but... what if that was them, just... we haven't seen them die yet?
- What did Kate mean when she said that Evans' "wife" had "a real way with flowers"? Was that supposed to be a hint? Will we even see that lady ever again? Who knows.
- What else was in Evans' notes? And what's in the pack?
- When Ethan recovered the pack, he saw a guy shooting at... birds, maybe? Are there even birds in Wayward Pines?
- Beverly pointed out that there aren't many cars in WP and she can't ever remember seeing an airplane. Add that to the list of weird stuff going on, right underneath "no crickets."


Overall, I'm liking this show. I love that it's only 10 episodes long, which means that we're 20% done with the story at this point. There are a bunch of questions at this point, but a recent article by TVGuide.com promises that every question we have will, at some point, be answered, and I dig that. In both episodes thus far, I've started whimpering like a dog, which I kind of hate, but hey - they're trying to psychologically freak their viewers out and it's working and I can appreciate that, too. Tonight's episode was pretty strong, adding to the intrigue by presenting a few more questions, deepening our understanding of the weird city and its residents, layering things on with the Burkes making their way to Boise and killing off one of the main characters just two episodes in. That takes some guts. Bravo.

RIP Beverly

1960-"2000"

Until next week,

Work hard and be happy.

So weird: a recap of the 'Wayward Pines' premiere

Hmm... the series begins with a close-up shot of a man's eye opening. He's somehow waking up in the middle of some type of jungle or forest. Where have I seen this before? Oh yeah. "LOST." They learn from the best. (Wink!) But yeah... ABC should sue.

***

With most of my TV shows now on hiatus, I have been dabbling around on Netflix, trying to find something new to watch. I tried AMC's Revolutionary War drama "Turn," but couldn't stay awake through the first episode. I tried the long-since-cancelled "Lie to Me," but, after seven episodes, I didn't feel like the story was going anywhere, so I think I've given up on that one, too. FOX's new 10-episode event "Wayward Pines" caught my eye a couple weeks ago, so I figured I'd give tonight's series premiere a shot. Of course, substantial spoilers will follow, so if you're interested in checking this show out, beware. Turn back now or face the facts. ... All right.

The story begins with Ethan Burke (Matt Dillon) coming to his senses in the middle of the woods. He is bloody and delirious as he staggers into the nearest town - Wayward Pines, Idaho.

Feeling the effects of a head-on collision with a semi-truck (as we find out via flashback), Ethan stumbles into a bar, asks a few incoherent questions and passes out on the floor. He wakes up in the Wayward Pines Hospital, where a creepily cheery nurse attends to him. She explains that his personal effects, including his wallet and cell phone, are being held at the sheriff's office. Ethan demands to make a phone call to his wife, but the nurse won't allow it. She and a psychiatrist named Dr. Jenkins that we meet later on in the episode strongly believe that Ethan has suffered a serious head injury and is bleeding on the brain. It requires surgery, they say. (By the way, Dr. Jenkins is totally Toby Jones, that Hydra dude from Captain America.)

Throughout the episode, we see many flashbacks of Ethan's previous life. We learn that he is a secret service agent and was traveling to Idaho on business, looking for two missing co-workers. One of the missing persons, a female named Kate, was previously Ethan's partner. It is briefly shown that they were at least somewhat romantically involved - a fact that Ethan's wife appears to have been aware of. At the time of the car crash, Ethan was traveling with another agent, surnamed Stallings. Agent Stallings died in the crash, as far as we know. Representatives at the Secret Service headquarters in Seattle, Washington, report that Stallings' remains were so burned that it took authorities two days to identify him. Oddly, there appears to have been no evidence that Ethan was even in the car at the time of impact, contrary to the flashback that shows Stallings and Ethan get hit by the semi. Weird.

A little more information about Ethan: he had been attending counseling to deal with some post-traumatic stress that had to do with an incident where 621 people lost their lives. We don't know much about that situation at this point, but Ethan feels incredibly guilty and believes that their blood is very much on his hands, so to speak. He seems to have had occasional or frequent hallucinations and has apparently had at least a relapse or two.

Back at the hospital, Ethan has regained enough strength to get up and walk out. As he heads for the door, the creepy nurse catches up to him and tries to prevent him from leaving, going so far as to stick her foot in the elevator door. She ultimately lets him leave, but mentions that she is very worried about him.

Ethan heads back to the bar, where he orders a burger, borrows a phone to attempt to call his wife and chats up the bartender, Beverly. While speaking with Beverly, Ethan tries to get his bearings and figure out what on earth is going on. She seems friendly enough, covering the cost of his meal (since he doesn't have a wallet) and slipping him a note instead of his receipt. The note contains two things: 1) an address and 2) a cryptic message, saying "There are no crickets in Wayward Pines." Upon leaving the bar, Ethan hears a cricket chirping. He follows the sound and finds a small speaker hidden in a bush, from which the sound emanates. Weird.

When Ethan heads to the address left for him by Beverly, he finds a rickety, seemingly abandoned house. One would think it quite unwise to approach - and enter - such a residence, but, of course, he does it anyway. Surely, this ain't Beverly's house. No, no. It's abandoned, all right. And he finds the body of one of the missing Secret Service agents in the bedroom. He's dead. He's decaying. And he was handcuffed to the headboard, tortured, by the looks of it.

Ethan saunters on over to the sheriff's office, where he's greeted by a creepy ol' receptionist. So many creeps in this town! He eventually gets to meet the sheriff, himself - Arnold Pope (Terrence Howard), who devotes the majority of his attention to his rum raising ice cream cone. He doesn't give any credence to the theory that Ethan's wallet and phone are being kept in his office, nor does he frankly give a crap about the news that Ethan found the decomposing body of a missing federal agent a couple blocks down the road. Weird.

It turns out that Beverly no longer works at the bar. Nope. When Ethan heads back over there to speak with her again, there's some other guy there who claims that there are no female bartenders in Wayward Pines. Ethan starts breaking down a little bit and nearly comes to blows with the guy, but the younger, quicker and likely more prepared bartender swiftly knocks out Ethan, sending him back to the hospital - but not before whipping out a walkie-talkie and letting somebody know that they've got a big problem with the town's newest visitor.

Back at the hospital (again), the creepy nurse and Dr. Jenkins tell Ethan they're going to operate on his brain. The surgeon in Boise said they should, but they won't let Ethan speak with anyone in Boise. They've got to operate now. The nurse jabs Ethan in the leg with a sedative and wheels him up to the operating room... But he's saved by Beverly the Bartender, who gets Ethan out of there without anybody noticing. Before the sedative kicks in, Ethan is able to outfox the nurse, who is in hot pursuit and he knocks her basically unconscious from behind. Beverly helps Ethan make it to a safehouse, where they have a brief conversation before he falls asleep yet again. In that conversation, we learn that Beverly was also in a mysterious accident before being brought to Wayward Pines. She was hit by a motorcycle in 1999 and has been in the community ever since. Next week will be her anniversary, marking what she says will be her one-year mark. So... apparently this show takes place in the year 2000. Oh wait. Ethan, confused, tells Beverly that it's 2014. Weird.

Ethan comes to and makes his way outside, out in the public, where anybody could see him. It's a wonder the Wayward Pines P.D. isn't going all "America's Most Wanted" on our dear protagonist at this point. He stumbles over to a neighborhood barbecue, where he is pretty sure he spots his former partner, Kate. She looks a bit older and with longer hair, but she looks happy, friendly and quite popular with the locals. He tails her and her husband, apparently?, to their home, which says "Ballinger" on the mailbox. He knocks on the door and asks for Kate by name. The husband seems perturbed, but calls Kate to the door. Ethan reminds her that they know each other, but she seems pretty oblivious to it all, but asks her husband for a moment. She steps outside and hushedly tells Ethan, "They're watching us. And listening." She tells him that she has been living happily in Wayward Pines for 12 years. But... that's impossible, says Ethan. They were together five weeks ago. Weird. Before she goes back inside, she turns and says, "You could be happy here, Ethan. You could have an amazing life here." As a last-ditch effort to get information out of her, he asks Kate if he is having another mental relapse. She silently shakes her head, no.

Meanwhile, back in Seattle, the Secret Service agent who had been in contact with Ethan's wife (letting her know that there was an accident, etc.) is greeting by none other than that weirdo, Dr. Jenkins, the psychiatrist from the Wayward Pines Hospital! The agent, Adam, tells Dr. Jenkins that, if there's still time, he wants "to call it off." Jenkins responds, saying that it is already done and he has nothing to worry about. Weird.

Burke steals a car and takes off, attempting to leave Wayward Pines, but, just as soon as he passes the sign thanking him for visiting, he soon thereafter passes a different sign, welcoming him back! He flips back around and leaves the city again. This time, he stops the car, gets out and makes his way to the forest, then makes his way up a rocky ridge. At the top of the ridge is a giants electric fence with a sign that says "Risk of death: Return to Wayward Pines. Beyond this point you will die." As the camera zooms out, that fence might as well be the dang Great Wall of Wayward Pines. Burke is stuck - and it looks like Wayward Pines is the in stinkin' middle of nowhere, enclosed by a gigantic crater in the mountainside. He heads back to the car and quickly finds that the sheriff is camped out right behind him. "You didn't make it too far, didya?" "How do I get out of here?" "You don't."

***

Oh man. Well, there you go. That's the recap of "Wayward Pines," Episode 1. I'm not gonna lie, there were a couple times when I whimpered like a scared dog. I don't really like freaky stuff like this, but I think I'll probably be back again next Thursday to see what the heck is going on in Wayward Pines. Obviously, there were a lot more questions raised in the pilot episode than there were answers given. Like... what's up with the phones? I'm pretty sure they don't work outside of the community. If you watched the show, you know who Marcie, the brand new receptionist for the Secret Service is. Allegedly. There's no way Marcie actually works there. She was probably a couple doors down in some secret room. How was Ethan's wife not getting any of his calls? Why are there no crickets? Why does Beverly think it's 2000? How has Kate been there for 12 years? Is the Secret Service in on this? Obviously Adam has some connection, but what is it? And, most importantly of all, is Ethan nuts or is this just the weirdest community in America? Oh man. It's crazy and it's cooky, mysterious and spooky. They're all together ooky - the "Wayward Pines" premiere.

***

What did you think? Did you watch? Are you interested in watching now? If you haven't already watched, why did you read this spoiler-laden blog? Who knows? Maybe it got you interested and you're going to check it out now. Hmm... Anyway, if you watched the show, I'd love to get your comments, questions and feedback in the comments section below. If you'd rather not comment, well... then... whatever. Peace.

Netflix's "Daredevil": Marvel, all grown up

When Netflix and Marvel joined forces to launch their much-anticipated series "Daredevil" on April 10, my lingering lack of employment basically guaranteed that I would check it out, although Daredevil is far from my favorite superhero. In fact, I basically knew nothing about the dude, other than the fact that he's a blind lawyer vigilante and that the 2003 movie starring Ben Affleck wasn't good. I don't seem to possess the eternal hatred for that film that many people do. I just simply remember that it wasn't great. I forgive them.

I realize that, in regards to the Netflix series, there are probably three groups of people out there right now: 1) people that binge-watched it faster than I did, 2) people who aren't interested at all and 3) those who aren't quite sure whether they should check it out or not. Well, already having done the heavy lifting of finishing Season One in a seven-day period, I figured I'd blog about it and give the fence sitters a pretty good idea of what to do next. I'll try to keep it as spoiler-free as possible.

Here goes...

Here are a few reasons why you should watch "Daredevil":

• Jump right in!: If I learned anything during my time as an employee of Salt Lake Comic Con, it was that I know next-to-nothing about comicbooks. Thankfully, with "Daredevil," no real knowledge of the character or his backstory are prerequisite. Season One does a nice job of bringing viewers up-to-speed with the main characters, including a lot of the "origin stories" of its two main characters, Matt Murdock (Daredevil) and Wilson Fisk (Kingpin). If you're not a smart pants know-it-all, that's pretty much fine. You don't need to be.
  
  
• The more, the better!: Marvel is basically brilliant. Obviously. But the smartest thing they could have possibly ever done was to tie all of their movies and TV shows into the same cinematic universe, thus, making it practically essential to watch EVERYTHING if you want to know what's going on. For instance, I didn't make it past the pilot episode of ABC's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Whether that's because I didn't buy in immediately or because I had way too many other shows preoccupying me is debatable, but, nevertheless, I still, to this day, have not seen Episode Two. However, I hear that the big H.Y.D.R.A. twist in Captain America: The Winter Soldier completely shook up "Agents." The way the movie influenced the TV show (from what I have heard) makes me want to go back and watch it. Similarly, "Daredevil" takes place in the same Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), as is evident from a few comments about the attack on New York (from The Avengers), and there were a couple references to Iron Man, Thor and Captain America, which I loved. It would be awesome if Daredevil showed up in Captain America: Civil War or The Infinity War. Will Daredevil make the crossover to the big screen? I'm not sure - but if he did, that would be totally rad.
  
  
  
• Fantastic casting: I have no idea who Charlie Cox is. He's been in a bunch of stuff I have never heard of, nor seen. But he does a great job as Matt Murdock. While I actually prefer him in costume as Daredevil, he's a solid pick for the show's lead. His on-screen buddy, Foggy Nelson is played by Elden Henson, another virtual unknown who I only recognized because he's the Avox cameraman in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part I, which I just watched the other day. ... Waid, what?? He's FULTON REED FROM THE MIGHTY DUCKS?!? Oh man! Why did I not realize this?? That's hilarious! Anyway, he's decent. Not my favorite character on the show, but man... One of the Bash Brothers! That's incredible. Arguably the best-cast character on the show is the villainous Wilson Fisk (better known as Kingpin). Vincent D'Onofrio (of Men in Black fame) is spot on as one of Marvel's most notorious criminals. From his physical appearance to his fighting style, D'Onofrio is superb, in my opinion - a perfect choice for a role that it feels like he was born to play. They do such a good job with him that you even start feeling bad for the son of a gun a couple times. Ugh. Sickening.
  
  
• A quick fix: Merely 13 episodes long, Season One is a quick watch. If you're looking for something to pass the time with, "Daredevil" doesn't require an obscene time commitment and you should easily be able to blow through it in a week or two, depending on how much free time you have.
  
  

• It picks up steam: It took a little while for me to catch on, but when "Daredevil" gets rolling, around Episode Six or Seven, it's hard to turn it off. The law office stuff is a bit of a drag, in some cases, but as Murdock begins to truly embrace his vigilante habits of tracking down corrupt cops and whatnot, it gets fun to watch. Additionally, I loved the insight that the series gave to both Murdock and Fisk's childhoods - particularly Fisk's - which helps viewers build strong emotional connections (positively and negatively) to the characters. The final two or three episodes in the season are particularly good as Daredevil begins gaining allies in the fight against Fisk and his henchmen. Season Two should pick up right where this one leaves off - and if the season finale is any indication, it will be fascinating to see where Marvel and Netflix take the story from here.

On the other hand...

Remember how much fun you had watching Guardians of the Galaxy, busting a gut to the witty jokes and humming along with the fun soundtrack? Yeah. Forget all of that. This is not your mama's Marvel.

Here are a few reasons why "Daredevil" is definitely not a show for everyone:

• Suspend that disbelief: Firstly, I know it's just a show based on a comicbook. But seriously... That dude gets around really well for a blind guy. It's not a major problem, but there were quite a few times when I sat there and thought, "There's no way a blind dude could do that." Suspension of disbelief. I know. And I have no doubt that Murdock's other senses are greatly enhanced, due to the fact that he can't use his eyes. I don't know. It's just crazy. But what would I know about any of this, anyway?
  
  
• A bar of soap: That's what a lot of these characters need - and that's not a commentary on their personal hygiene. No, no. That's because they use some pretty dirty language throughout Season One. Suffice it to say that they love using the anatomical terminology. In fact, they utter the "d-word" so often that it's almost shocking to think that people in the real world actually speak that way. It's immature and really adds nothing to the show, as far as content is concerned. More intelligent writing could easily have avoided the frequent repetition of such words. The amount of profanity was silly, in my opinion.
  
  
  
• A bloody shame: The most important warning I can give Marvel fans (ESPECIALLY young ones) is that Netflix's "Daredevil" is incredibly violent. Unlike The Avengers and most of the other movies in the MCU, which are generally pretty blood-less, "Daredevil" absolutely earns its "TV-MA" rating. Essentially, every episode features gunplay, violence, kidnappings and gruesome murders of some kind. It's a very dark and bloody premise and the show doesn't hold back at all. I'm no stranger to shootouts and assassinations and the like - I've obviously seen my fair share of action movies - but there were several scenes in Season One where I had to look away from the screen, and even a time or two where the violence made me feel a little sick inside. So... just be warned, I guess, that this show is definitely not for the faint of heart. It's not one that I'd recommend watching with your family and certainly not with kids. I'm unsure whether the show would earn an R rating at the box office, but it's definitely a very strong PG-13... and you'll never look at a car door the same way again. Am I right, people? Ick!

Overall, I thought "Daredevil" Season One was pretty good. It's got very high-quality production value, so it looks and feels like it could be one gigantic movie. It's got an intriguing plot that ends up being rather gripping, despite its slow start, and introduces the world to two cool new characters in the Marvel canon. Heck, you might even like it so much that you'll be curious to go back and give Ben Affleck another chance.

I'm not sure I'd recommend that, though.

My final verdict is that I recommend "Daredevil" to fans of comicbooks and superhero programming that have the stomach to handle the violence and the tolerance to put up with some immature dialogue. What do you think? Are you going to give "Daredevil" a shot? Are you well enough off without it? Or have you already watched it? Feel free to leave a comment below and let me know what your thoughts are.

Until next time...

In defense of Wrestlemania

From the top trend on Facebook to ESPN's Twitter feed, pro wrestling headlines have been all over the Internet in the past few days. World Wrestling Entertainment's annual Wrestlemania pay-per-view was held over the weekend, showcasing the top talent in the business on a more global scale than ever before. It's interesting to me that, with wrestling seemingly more popular in terms of fan base and viewership than ever before, the industry maintains its negative connotations and uncool reputation. Call me the devil's advocate, call me a loser, call me whatever you want... but I pro wrestling gets a bit of an unfair rap. Let me explain.

For those of you who aren't aware, I, like most young, American boys in the 1990s, had a decent amount of exposure to pro wrestling during one particular stretch of my childhood - in the midst of what pro wrestling historians call the "Monday Night War." Pro wrestling was a taboo topic back then, just as it is today, in the sense that if you watched it, you didn't really admit it to anybody. Heck, I wasn't supposed to watch it as a kid. Wrestling, along with "The Simpsons," "South Park" and a few other shows, had been banned from my household (and probably for good reason). There are just some shows that parents didn't want their kids watching. I am totally fine with that and don't resent my parents from the restrictions they placed on me and my siblings. But, from time to time when my parents were out for the night, I'd be flipping channels and catch a glimpse of some good, old-fashioned grappling. Violent though it was, there was something so intriguing about it. I don't remember exactly what I was thinking as a kid, but it just seemed cool, and I'd try to sneak in a few minutes of pro wrestling here and there when my channel surfing incidentally lined up with World Championship Wrestling's TV programming.

At one point during the height of the now-defunct WCW's popularity, Karl Malone, one of my favorite Utah Jazz players teamed up with a guy named Diamond Dallas Paige to fight against "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan and Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls. The surprising combination of forbidden fighting and my beloved basketball icon proved too good to resist and my brothers and I found ourselves sneakily tuning in to WCW Monday Nitro each week. Eventually - and, to this day, I have no idea how this happened - we convinced our parents to watch the Mailman and DDP feud with Hogan and The Worm as they geared up for a heated confrontation at WCW's Bash at the Beach pay-per-view in the summer of 1996. Believe it or not, it actually turned into a great family bonding experience. We ordered Bash at the Beach and a couple other PPV events over the course of the next several months and even invited some of our extended family to watch with us a couple times. (I'm sure they thought we were absolute morons.) A few months later, WCW hired some former WWE (then "WWF") writers and the storylines got a bit more "mature," I guess you'd say, and my family's short-lived affair came to an end. Honestly, it was a blast while it lasted. I'm not ashamed to admit it.

As a junior at Alta High School, I decided that I wanted to run for band president. As part of my unprecedented campaign (literally, I don't think anyone has ever tried so hard to become band president at any high school), I thought it would be funny to buy a plastic WWE championship belt and make a video portraying me training for the presidency, a la Rocky. I guess the concept kind of caught on and three additional wrestling belts eventually made their way to the sacred confines of the Alta High Band Room. Silly? Yes. But it worked. Again, I'm not ashamed to admit it. My buddies and I took the joke a step further and made a 30-minute mockumentary about a fictional pro wrestling tag team called "The Big Ticket." (In retrospect, I'm sure it was horrible, but we thought it was hilarious.) In 2010, we joined creative forces yet again to make an hour-long "Big Ticket" sequel. (Likely just as horrible, but twice as hilarious.)

As an LDS missionary in Raleigh, North Carolina, I was called to speak Spanish. Contrary to what you may believe or hear, learning a new language is not a total piece of cake. It takes effort. You don't leave the Missionary Training Center completely fluent in the new foreign tongue. Something that helped me tremendously in my learning efforts was speaking with little Hispanic children. They would make fun of me if I didn't speak the language very well, but they were a lot nicer about it than the adults were. I quickly came to realize that little Hispanic kids know a lot about three things in particular: soccer, school and pro wrestling. Thus, I found wrestling to be a pretty easy topic of conversation - something that I knew a little bit about and could use a bit of "Spanglish" in without sounding like an idiot. The kids loved talking about it, which was cool, but it also kept me somewhat up-to-date with which wrestlers were popular, which ones were doing well and, of course, which ones were the bad guys.

Now that I'm seven years removed from my mission, I don't have consistent access to the Rey Mysterio and John Cena fan clubs like I did in North Carolina, but I am savvy enough to spot WWE references in pop culture today. There are nods to pro wrestling (both modern and from the '80s and '90s) all over the place, if you know what to look for. It's somewhat amusing to me. I would incorporate some of the classic catch phrases as I did my college radio shows. In fact, the most popular segment of my show down in Ephraim was called the "KAGE Match" - a blatant nod to pro wrestling. I'm still not sure that any of my listeners understood that. It disappoints me.

Most recently, as I had the glorious privilege of working with Salt Lake Comic Con, I got a chance to meet the immortal Hulk Hogan - to take a picture with him, give him the nWo "wolf" hand gesture and to sit front row at his spotlight panel. It was awesome. I got a little bit of grief for it, but, as a kid who grew up in the '90s, meeting the Hulkster was like meeting one of the coolest guys on the planet. I suppose that today's equivalent might be... Chris Hemsworth or somebody like that? Whatever. It was really cool for me. Hulk still rules!

SO. With all of that context, it's not that I am a pro wrestling addict or something. More like I just know a lot about it. Anyway, I think I've got some valid points and pretty strong arguments for the case I'm about to make, so let me now explain why I don't think that pro wrestling is actually as bad as society purports it to be by listing a few common complaints I hear about the industry and then rebutting them in rather majestic fashion.

Complaint: "Pro wrestling is fake."

You know what? It's scripted. Yes. Which is stupid because "Doctor Who" is REAL! Oh wait... No, it's not. Most shows on TV are scripted. This should not come as a shock to anyone. Certainly, to the untrained viewer, like my 10-year-old self back in the day, you bet I thought it was real. Heck, I even prayed that Karl Malone would beat Dennis Rodman at Bash at the Beach. (Side note: Hogan and Rodman cheated to win. I got really upset and have never prayed for the outcome of a sporting event since.) I'm positive that WWE takes great lengths to ensure that their programming looks and feels real (or unscripted), but... can you blame them? Would you want your favorite TV program to come right out and say, "Hey, everyone, our show isn't real! Look at all these green screens! And here: meet the stunt doubles!" Of course you wouldn't want that! Every show and movie that you watch wants to look real, even though it is clearly fictional. Yes, pro wrestling is scripted. But so is everything else.

Furthermore, those steel chairs can't dent themselves, now, can they? I submit to you that they cannot. There is no denying that these guys (and chicks) that put their bodies on the line each time they step in the ring are a rare, freaky combination of incredibly athletic and certifiably crazy. No stunt doubles, no CGI, no wires. You can pull all the punches and kicks you want, but there is some stuff you just can't fake.

If you've been paying attention to the top Facebook trends in the past week and a half or so, you'll have seen that Rey Mysterio Jr., the first guy I ever remember watching in the squared circle, recently killed a guy during one of his matches. Literally. The guy passed away. Of course, this was an accident, an unintended consequence of a move likely gone wrong, but I dare you to go find that guy's mom and tell him that pro wrestling is fake. I dare you.

On the other hand, you've got UFC and MMA, which is real. Have you ever watched UFC or MMA? That stuff is brutal! I can barely bring myself to watch the highlights from time to time. Thank heaven pro wrestling isn't real! The number of injuries, broken bones and in-ring deaths would multiply considerably and that entire industry would get shut down in a heartbeat.

Complaint: "Pro wrestling is too violent."

Going back to a point I brought up in my exposition, I know why my parents didn't want me to watch pro wrestling. I understand why I stopped watching "Power Rangers" and couldn't play any of the "Mortal Kombat" video games. Violence is not the answer to a vast majority of life's problems. The worst thing about wrestling is that it teaches young viewers that the best way to resolve a problem or to take out your frustration is by beating the tar out of your enemies. That's not good.

But at least they're not out there shooting each other with guns or chopping each other's heads off.

Take a look at some of the popular network dramas on TV today. Shows like "CSI: Crime Scene Investiagtion," "Law & Order" and "Criminal Minds" are all about gruesome depictions of violence and the aftermath of crimes like murder, rape and domestic abuse. I stopped watching "The Walking Dead" after two and a half seasons because it got to the point where I figured I had seen enough zombies get their skulls split in two by machetes. There are other programs like "Game of Thrones," "Dexter," "Hannibal" and a host of others that I don't dare venture into because I'm afraid they'll be too intense for me. On the other hand, do you know what "WWE Raw" is rated? TV-PG. I was a WCW fan and never got into the WWF "Attitude Era" with the Rock, the Undertaker and D-Generation X, but today's pro wrestling is incredibly mild by comparison. Wrestlers rarely get busted open these days, so blood is at an all-time low. Male and female wrestlers cannot compete against each other, due to the company's stance on violence against women. Long gone are the profanity-laden tyrades of villains like the bird-flipping "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Vince McMahon and company understand that their fan base consists of, largely, 35-year-old guys and 8-year-old kids, and, following the deaths of superstars like Eddie Guerrero and "The Rabid Wolverine" Chris Benoit, they've made appropriate adjustments to the nature of their entertainment to keep the show as family-friendly as possible. I'd go so far as to say that WWE programming is substantially tamer than your average weeknight TV drama.

Complaint: "Pro wrestling is for losers."

This is probably the main complaint I heard as an employee of Salt Lake Comic Con. Wrestling has been included in a couple of the conventions in the last year and a half, including appearances by Hulk Hogan and "divas" Maryse and Kelly Kelly. Most controversially, at Salt Lake Comic Con 2014, a local, independent wrestling group brought in a ring and hosted occasional matches in the middle of the vendor floor.

People hated that ring for a couple reasons: 1) it was big, 2) it was loud, and 3) it was pro wrestling. I found these complaints somewhat humorous for a couple reasons. First of all, as with anything, if you don't like it, don't watch it. But secondly - and mainly - for a group of people who pride themselves on being all-inclusive of people of any interest or "fandom," as they call it, it was funny to hear the comic con attendees be so judgmental of those who like pro wrestling. So... apparently it's ok for a dude to like "My Little Pony" but not Hulk Hogan? Wow. (Side note: I have never been more ridiculed in my life for being a sports fan than I was as a comic con employee, which I found to be very strange.)

One thing I learned at comic con was that lots of different people like lots of different things - and that's totally ok. Some people like Marvel and some people like DC. Some people like both and some like neither of the two. It's fine! It doesn't matter what other people like! Just be yourself and like what makes you happy. Whether that's aliens or vampires or sweaty guys throwing each other around a wrestling ring, it's totally fine to be a fan of anything in the world... As long as it's not, you know, committing crimes in the real world or going against your religion or whatnot...

---

I'll stop there, I think. If you made it this far into the blog, I offer you a hearty congratulations. I'm not here to sway your opinion one way or the other. I'm not here saying I freaking love the WWE and watch every second of their programming (because I don't). I have just always found it interesting that we put such a negative label on something that, by the entertainment standards of the day, is actually not all that violent, profane or out-of-the-ordinary. I'm just simply here to ask, "Whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on you, brother?" Hopefully your response will be a little more open-minded and less judgmental than it has been in the past.

And if you subscribed to the WWE Network for $9.99 to watch Wrestlemania last night, your secret is safe with me.

FanX 15 - "Great Scott!": Christopher Lloyd on the inspiration behind Doc Brown

One of my favorite parts about Salt Lake Comic Con FanXperience 2015 was the opportunity I had to sit on the front row during Christopher Lloyd’s panel on the second morning of the convention. The Back to the Future trilogy was a huge part of my childhood, so seeing Doc Brown, live and in person, was amazingly awesome for me. I just wish I would have been more prepared to snag a less-blurry picture of him holding up the iconic Mattel hoverboard (which he emphatically proclaimed “wouldn’t work”).

Now, it dawned on me about three quarters of the way through the panel that I should probably have been taking notes or recording some audio so I could blog about it later, so there’s some good news and some bad news here: The bad news is that I didn’t record or write down anything for about 40 minutes, but the good news is that I did record a couple answers that he gave toward the end of the hour.

One question that begged a noteworthy response was an inquiry as to the origin of Doc Brown’s eccentricity. For the sake of his reputation, with which I’m practically not even worthy to touch, I’m not going to paraphrase, sum up or adjust any of his response. I’ll simply include it all –starting at the point where I began recording – and let Mr. Lloyd take it from there. He began by talking about Albert Einstein, noting the wild hairstyle and vastly superior intellect and we’ll join his response right there, mid-sentence:

“…E = MC², and so forth… Extraordinary. Albert Einstein went on a travel across the ocean in a big ship liner and they found… Here’s the genius of his time… and they couldn’t find him; somehow he’d disappeared and they were worried about, “Where was he? What happened to him? Where’s Albert?” And they went down to the bottom of a hole, where, you know… the lowest people were living down there, who couldn’t afford… they were the bottom deck. And he was there, playing with a pinball machine. Who’d have thunk, you know? And the other image I had – I feel maybe I’m going on a little too much about this – was the… I love classical music. I grew up with it around the… [interrupted by applause] …And there was a great doctor by the name of Leopold Stokowski. He was a conductor with the Philadelphia Orchestra – wonderful – and he did a lot of innovative interpretations of Bach and other music… All right. There was a piece he did called ‘Planets,’ a classical piece, where each planet is described in music, describing that planet’s mythical association, like the planet Mars. Music was picked that was very ‘military’ and harsh. Venus, the goddess of love, etc… I had that recording and it showed the solar system on the jacket. This was back when you had records [laughs]… and Leopold Stokowski had his arms raised, with the baton in his hand… He had this shock-white hair coming behind him in his profile. That was a lot of my image of Doc Brown. I remember my father looked at that jacket and he said, ‘I’m sure he’s a great musician, but does he have to have his hair like that?’”

Seeing Mr. Lloyd was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. Let’s be honest, though he defied the laws of aging on-screen for so long, it was somewhat apparent to me that the guy is getting older. Who knows how much longer we’ll have him around? But, for the time being, I can say from personal experience that the man is a legend – a national treasure. His roles in movies like Back to the Future and Clue have provided me with years of laughter and enough classic one-liners to impress (and, likely, annoy) my friends for a lifetime. (…not to mention the fact that his role in Who Framed Roger Rabbit gave me nightmares throughout my entire childhood!)

Here’s to you, Christopher Lloyd! Thanks for the memories.