***The following is review and breakdown followed by a detailed recap of episode 301 of FROM, “Shatter.” It’s full of big spoilers. For a spoiler-free review of the season, please read our other review.***

FROM really brought it in the premiere episode. I like that it picked up right from the get-go with Tabitha (Catalina Sandino Moreno), as that to me was the most interesting part of the mystery currently. We now know she’s in Maine. Of course there are any number of things it could actually be, like she is dreaming etc., but at this point we can only take it at face value, and I really hope it doesn’t turn out to not be the case. When we see the Boy in White (Vox Smith) outside though, it is a little strange. Is he somehow projecting himself to Tabitha? Is he even alive? Is he even real? This is where it gets a bit tricky.

Back in the town when Boyd (Harold Perrineau) sees Khatri (Shaun Majumder) it raises the same sort of questions: is he a figment of Boyd’s imagination or is he something the town is showing him? Fans want to know if he is really there or not, but clearly the writers aren’t ready to tell us yet. Regardless, perhaps Boyd should not follow his advice, and he is only trying to make him scared.

There are a few things stand out with the storyline with Jim (Eion Bailey) and Kenny (Ricky He) to me. One is Kenny’s comment to Boyd about not wanting the Matthews’ kids to lose two parents, and I have to question in hindsight if this was indeed foreshadowing Tian Chen (Elizabeth Moy)’s death, because it definitely makes the statement hold more weight after the fact. The other comment I have is really just that it took Jim way to long to finally see some sense about not taking chances and leaving his family.

FROM follows the mystery of a town full of monsters and nightmares that traps anyone who enters. As the residents try to search for a way out, they must also survive the creatures and other threats that come out in the dark.

This season, Boyd (Harold Perrineau) is witness to some scary and gruesome things as the town tries its hardest to break him, which provides some very dark scenes for the actor, who recently told SciFi Vision during an interview with the press, that he found difficult. “It was made more difficult, because we didn't have the same kind of escape mechanisms we'd had in previous seasons where we could go out, and there might be a concert or [something],” Perrineau explained to the site. “We were in the dead of winter. So, after you left some late-night shoot, and it was snowing, again, you were just kind of trapped in your place with your thoughts about the thing that you just shot, you know, three hours ago.”

Perrineau went on to talk about something coming up later in the season that he himself is afraid of. “There's one thing that happens…every time I went to close my eyes to go to sleep, it would pop back in my brain, because it's my own personal fear. So, that really sucked,” said the actor, adding that, regardless, he feels “fortunate” to be able to get to do it, but it’s “not always so easy.”

During the interview, the actor also talked about the tension which has been ramped up in season three. “This season, it's really dark,” said Perrineau. “It's really insidious. It's a bully; the town is like a bully, and now it's just picking on them…The town is really messing with them.”

***I tried to keep the following review as spoiler-free as possible to maintain surprise***

FROM tells the thrilling mystery of a town that traps anyone who enters in a nightmare where monsters are real and you should be afraid of the dark. Frightening creatures come out at night, but that’s not the only thing to fear as there are many other terrifying threats in the surrounding forest.

Boyd (Harold Perrineau) declared at the end of season two that the town couldn’t break him, and that’s what season three will put to the test. The first five episodes focus on the town throwing everything it can, particularly at Boyd, to see how he copes, which isn’t always well. As expected season three brings with it new horrors and deaths, and while it brings some new answers, it also opens up new questions.

The food shortage gets dire and tensions rise, leading to a death that shakes the town. The sheriff struggles in the aftermath to keep the town safe, but Boyd isn’t the only one feeling defeated. Donna (Elizabeth Saunders) struggles to keep it together, while Kenny (Ricky He) deals with his own turmoil. Boyd must also make a quick decision later that causes him to break even more.

There may be some hope when a new area of the forest is discovered, but will it bring good or just new evils? Then, when something unexpected happens, people become scared of things they don’t understand and get antsy and think they know better, which can only lead to more trouble.

The other big part of the story at the start of the season of course is with Tabitha (Catalina Sandino Moreno), who at the end of last season appears to have gotten out into the real world after the Boy in White pushed her from the light house. Where will she go? What will she do? She finds someone who may have a connection to the town, but will it lead her to answers or only more questions?

***The following has major spoilers for the special***

The wait is finally over today for Earpers, as Wynonna Earp (Melanie Scrofano) and Doc Holliday (Tim Rozon) return in Wynonna Earp: Vegeance, an all-new special on Tubi. When the special picks up, Wynonna and Doc are out hitting the casinos, trying to make some money so they can buy a place and bring their daughter, Alice, home. Meanwhile, back at the homestead, Waverly (Dominique Provost-Chalkley) and Nicole (Katherine Barrell) are still happily married, but trouble comes to Purgatory when a new demon (Karen Knox) comes to town.

Earlier in the week, the creator of the original series, who also wrote and executive produced the special, Emily Andras, talked to SciFi Vision about coming back to Earp, including how she felt coming back, if she was worried how fans would react, if season five would have been different, why a certain character was killed, bonus scenes, if there’s a possibility for more Earp, what’s surprised her about the characters’ journeys, how she’s changed, and much much more!

THE LEGEND CONTINUES
AUDIBLE ANNOUNCES NEW ORIGINAL AUDIO DRAMA SERIES 

WYNONNA EARP: TALES FROM PURGATORY 
Fan Favorite TV Series Comes to Life in Audio with Original Cast 
Series Premieres October 17

Newark, NJ, [September 12, 2024] – Audible Inc., a leading producer and provider of original spoken-word entertainment and audiobooks, today announced the upcoming release of the Canadian Audible Original drama Wynonna Earp: Tales from Purgatory. The immersive, multicast audio production is written by Emily Andras, creator, producer, writer of the television series Wynonna Earp  and will feature the original cast members reprising their roles, including Melanie Scrofano as Wynonna Earp, Tim Rozon as Doc Holliday, Dominique Provost-Chalkley as Waverly Earp, Katherine Barrell as Nicole Haught, Varun Saranga as Jeremy Chetri, Dani Kind as Mercedes Gardner, Martina Ortiz Luis as Rachel Valdez, and Greg Lawson as Randy Nedley. Wynonna Earp: Tales from Purgatory is slated for release October 17, 2024, exclusively on Audible. 

Wynonna Earp is a modern supernatural western horror series based on the comic book created by Beau Smith. It exploded onto TV screens in 2016 in series form with SEVEN24 Films’ the female-led show Wynonna Earp and quickly developed a passionate cult following. Now, fans can experience the thrilling demon-fighting adventures in a richly immersive audio experience, with cutting-edge sound design and the original cast bringing the characters vibrantly to life.

"We're thrilled to bring loyal fans – “Earpers” – more of what they love by adapting this wildly popular series into an unforgettable audio experience,” said Diana Dapito, Audible’s Head of Regional Content, North America. “As we continue our commitment to delivering premium audio entertainment to Audible audiences worldwide, we’re excited for existing fans and new listeners to get to experience more action, more humor, and more of the legend that is Wynonna Earp.”

Tomorrow, Earpers will be rejoicing when Wynonna Earp (Melanie Scrofano) and Doc Holliday (Tim Rozon) return to their screens in Wynonna Earp: Vengeance, this time on Tubi. The special picks up with the team split up, with Wynonna and Doc making their way through casinos to get enough money together so they can settle down and build a place that they can bring their daughter, Alice, who’s been kept away to stay safe. Meanwhile, Waverly (Dominque Provost-Chalkley) and Nicole Haught (Katherine Barrell) are happily married back in the Ghost River Triangle, but as per usual, nothing is normal in Purgatory. There is a new demon threat in town (Karen Knox), and she makes sure Wynonna takes notice.

Last week, stars Scrofano and Rozon talked with SciFi Vision about the special, which they both had a great time making. Scrofano described the process as “living the dream,” while Rozon said it felt fresh but also “felt like home.” The two talked about where the characters are at at the start of the season, the atmosphere on set coming back, how easy it was getting back into the roles, if they’re satisfied with the new ending, if the show could be coming back again, and much more.

Charismatic Arkie Kandola appears in two new series this week.  The Chicken Sisters, which is based on the New York Times Bestseller by KJ Dell’Antonia, premieres 9/12 on Hallmark+ (Hallmark Media's new streamer). This is a funny, heartwarming show about a small southern town with two cantankerous families following an age-old feud based on their fried chicken recipes. The series stars Lea Thompson as Nancy and Wendie Malick as Gus. Gus has two daughters, Amanda (Schuyler Fisk) and Mae (Genevieve Angelson), but Amanda is married to Nancy's son, and Mae has left town, irritating Gus. Sick of all of the feuding between her two families, Amanda arranges to have food competition show Ultimate Kitchen Clash come to their little town, so that they can win a big cash prize.  Kandola plays the quiet cameraman (whose eyes and expressions speak volumes) to host Sabrina Skye (Rukiya Benard).

Kandola also appears in the series How to Die Alone, which premieres on Hulu the following day, 9/13.  These two shows are both comedies, but they couldn't be more different in just about every way. In this series, star/creator/EP Natasha Rothwell plays Mel, an airport employee who's never flown or taken any chances in her life. She's advised by several other airport workers, including Kandola's Shaun Gill. This is a broader comedy than the other, but it still has a lot of heart.

For most actors, joining a massive media franchise and cult phenomenon can be a bit scary. But when Wilson Cruz signed on for Star Trek: Discovery, he had an inkling of what was in store. As a young actor, he starred in two of the 90s’ most enduring productions: as Ricky in ABC’s cult classic My So-Called Life, and on Broadway as Angel in the Tony-award winning musical Rent.

When SciFi Vision spoke with Cruz recently, we wondered: while both shows spawned enduring and rabid fandoms, did they prepare Cruz for Trek? He didn’t even have to think about the answer.

“Yes, actually! You know, the My So-Called Life fandom is unparalleled. The fact that we only had one season - by the way, thirty years this month - the fact that that one season of TV is still accessible tells you the strength of that fandom. The Rent heads are an animal of their own. So, I was prepared.”

But that doesn’t mean Cruz wasn’t challenged by the opportunity.

Star Trek fans are in a bit of a dry spell, with Discovery completing its run back in May and season three of Strange New Worlds not due until 2025. Fear not, Trekkies! Paramount has released all five seasons on digital and DVD, with two hours of never-seen bonus content.

SciFi Vision heard the news from everyone’s favorite Kelpian, Doug Jones (Hellboy, The Shape of Water). He was on a quick press tour celebrating the release this week of the entire series on DVD, Blu-ray and limited edition Blu-ray Steelbook. Looking back on the show, he’s quick to acknowledge Discovery’s significance as the show that brought the franchise back to TV in 2017.

“It was such an honor to be a part of the resurgence of Star Trek. [After] Enterprise had been the last series on TV many years before, just the notion that Star Trek was coming back in some form made everybody go, ‘What?’ It was interesting, the fifty percent of people who were so excited, and fifty percent going, ‘It better not suck!’... So, there was a certain nervousness on our part.”

Michael Cyril Creighton plays beloved character Howard Morris in the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building. In season three, Creighton joined as a series regular although he has been a part of OMITB since season one. Recently, SciFi Vision spoke with Creighton who shared what his character is up to on season four in the notorious Arconia Building.

During the interview Creighton spilled that Howard Morris is figuring out what he is good at in this season. Viewers will get to see some of his other aspirations and beyond being a “cat guy”, like yodeling and acting. He has a new aspiration in stepping into the podcast world, and is inspired by the trio Mabel (Selena Gomez), Charles (Steve Martin), and Oliver (Martin Short), to start his own podcast. Howard actively is inserting himself into the lives of the Arconia residents, especially the trio. He becomes more integral to the fabric of the building and solidifies himself as a fixture there.