For the last few months, we’ve been talking a lot about a project called “Driven”. We learned about this project thanks to Richard Speight, Jr., who is starring in it and had been posting on social media about filming. As you, our readers know, we love Rich and we love supporting his projects. The project stars Rich and Casey Dillard, and is directed by Glenn Payne. The film was also written by Dillard. You can read our interview with Payne and Dillard here.
According to the website, here’s more about the film:
“Emerson Graham’s nights as a cab driver are filled with annoyances and inconveniences, but until tonight, never attacks and disappearances. After picking up a mysterious passenger her evening goes from working a job to performing a quest as she must race against the clock to defeat a force of evil. The meter is running.”
You can see the first trailer for the film below:
Now, the team has launched a new IndieGoGo campaign to help with distribution of the film.
If you’ve been following us since the beginning, you know we fell short of our fundraiser goal last go-around, but as promised, we made this movie! Now as we get ready to prepare our deliverables for distribution we’re asking for your assistance once more and giving some of you a crack at the perks you might have missed the first time!
The goal has been set at $3,600, and as promised, you get some great perks when contributing. Items available include a shout-out on their social media platforms, your name in a special thanks segment of the credits, Rich’s call sheets from the making of the movie, autographed by the star himself, a signed print of one of Ryan Coon’s beautiful on-set photos, and much more.
Let’s help this great team of filmmakers and raise the money to get this film distributed!
No longer are the days of waiting between campaigns to get your hands on that sweet, sweet Wayward merch. Starting today, The Wayward Shop is open, and it is here to stay.
Featured on Stands, The Wayward Shop has new items, such as the brand new t-shirt for Briana Buckmaster’s new album, Begin, as well as overstock of older items such as Buckmaster’s “Persist” poster and the “Wayward AF” ornaments, or Blue Balls.
Some items will sell out quickly, but the hope is that most are here to stay for whenever you are itching for a new Wayward sticker or tank. Some proceeds will continue to go to New Leash on Life, an organization the Wayward campaigns have partnered with in the past. New Leash bring “unadoptable” shelter dogs to prisons and allows inmates to train and care for them, thus allowing rehabilitation and love for all.
The shop is live at Shopstands.com here! – check it out!
SPOILERS AHEAD for Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp, as well as Avengers: Infinity War.
After the harrowing events of Avengers: Infinity War left Marvel fans (including myself) reeling, I was a little bit conflicted about how to feel about the impending release of Ant-Man and the Wasp. Do not get me wrong; I was excited for this film’s release, and was eagerly anticipating watching it as the weeks went by.
However, with the sucker-punch and shocking ending we received in the Russo brothers’ Infinity War, I will admit that I was left wondering how the second Ant-Man film was going to fit in with the franchise’s storyline, especially after the comment in Infinity War that Scott was sentenced to “house arrest” following his involvement in Captain America: Civil War, thereby explaining his absence from the third Avengers film.
The trailers for Ant-Man and the Wasp also deviated from the somber indications of Infinity War, adopting what appeared to be a humorous and up-beat plot where Scott teams up with Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and his former mentor Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglass) in more shrinking escapades.
So, what story was Ant-Man and the Wasp looking to tell?
Once again, I highly recommend turning back now if you do not wish to read spoilers for the plot of Ant-Man and the Wasp, as well as some possible spoilers for Avengers: Infinity War.
Ant-Man and the Wasp takes places two years after Captain America: Civil War, and focuses on the tail-end of Scott being under house-arrest. Just days away from completing his sentence, Scott has a dream in which he is introduced to Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) – Hope’s mother, Pym’s wife, and the original Wasp. It is revealed that Janet has been stuck in the Quantum Realm for 30 years, but until recently, there had been no hope for her survival, as Hope and Pym believed her dead. Scott’s dream, as well as his demonstrated ability to return from the Quantum Realm, refuels Pym and Hope’s determination in saving Janet. They retrieve Scott from his home – after placing an enlarged and programmed ant to imitate Scott’s daily routine – and bring him to Pym’s lab, where Scott encounters the incomplete Quantum Tunnel, the device Pym and Hope were working on as a gateway into the Quantum Realm.
Missing one crucial building-block for the Quantum Tunnel, Hope continues her undercover work of retrieving black-market technology from Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins), a criminal tech-dealer who reveals that he knows that Hope and her father were building, and proposes that they either join together in business, or he’d take the technology for himself and unleash the FBI on them, seeing as how they were on the run from the government as well following CA: CW.
However, Burch is the least of the team’s problems. In the same sequence that introduced Burch, the true villain of this film is also revealed: Ghost, or Ava (Hannah John-Kamen), a human-slash-phantom who suffers from phasing through solid matter almost uncontrollably. Ghost’s goal is to take control of Pym’s lab and extract the Quantum energy that Janet was likely hosting, in an attempt to quell the agony her phasing was putting her in. Days away from an unimaginable death, and aided by Pym’s former partner Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburne), Ghost proves herself to be a merciless opponent against Ant-Man and Wasp as she fights to take lab Quantum technology for herself.
Now on the run from Burch, Ghost, and the relentless FBI – headed by Jimmy Woo (Randall Parker) – Scott, Hope, and Pym must defend the Quantum technology in their hands, and work on saving Janet without getting caught and imprisoned.
Overall, I thought that Ant-Man and the Wasp was an extremely satisfying sequel, and a great addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Scott Lang, while the perceived superhero in this film, displays a wide range of shortcomings in his solo movie, from Scott’s suit constantly shorting out to awkward bits of dialogue, which makes the film not only amusing and fun, but realistic. On the whole, this movie shows how the best of intentions can have extreme consequences: Scott helping Captain America led to his house-arrest and probation, Scott trying to help his business from collapsing led to the FBI and Ghost finding out the heroes’ location, just to name a couple instances.
Scott’s journey throughout Ant-Man and the Wasp showed a man who kept trying – and sometimes failed – to help and do the right thing. This trait was amplified in the faith and love his daughter Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson) proved to have for him, which only added to the warm feelings I was getting from this movie.
Also, while romance does bud between Hope and Scott, I didn’t believe it overwhelmed the scenes they appeared in together; it presented itself as a nice development simmering in the background of the larger scale of events.
By the film’s end, I was left grinning in my seat: Scott was cleared by the FBI to have his house-arrest sentence concluded, Pym and Hope were reunited with Janet, and even Ghost got a happy ending, once Janet had sensed her pain and alleviated it as best she could, using the healing properties she evolved during the decades spent in the Quantum Realm. It was a happy ending, finally!
… but then, it wasn’t.
The first post-credits scene (mid-credits, I should say) showed Scott suited up in his Ant-Man suit, ready to dive into the Quantum Realm. Hope, Janet, and Pym were gathered around him, explaining that he was to go to the Quantum Realm to retrieve some more healing components in order to further help Ghost, who they were on friendly terms with now. Scott proceeds to dive into the Realm, keeping in contact with the family on Earth via comm. His visit was meant to be brief, and once he collected the healing particles, Hope commences a countdown to extract him from the Realm when she was cut off by static.
Scott is left confused, calling out for the family, and the audience is left stunned as the scene shifts to Earth, and the three piles of ash in place of where Hope, Pym, and Janet used to be.
Fitting into the storyline of Infinity War, this is precisely when Thanos would have snapped his fingers, disintegrating half the universe into dust, as well as the hearts of many MCU fans. As candid and happy as Ant-Man and the Wasp was, there was no escaping Thanos, and we were all left shocked once more as Janet, Pym, and Hope became the latest on-screen victims to the Snap.
Even worse, Scott is left stranded in the Quantum Realm, with no knowledge of what has happened on Earth, and no way home.
The second post-credits scene is more silly than the previous scene, showing the programmed ant at Scott’s house, enthusiastically playing the drums that Scott would use to entertain himself during his house-arrest. In the background, however, you see the deserted and silent streets, and the television displaying an emergency broadcast system on the screen.
Both of these scenes – though the first one is certainly more relevant to the MCU’s plot – demonstrate the aftermath of what has happened in Infinity War, and now the world (as well as us, the movie-goers) are left confounded and floundering in the face of this event.
Prior to seeing this film, I did believe that Ant-Man and the Wasp would address Infinity War in some regard, but I did not expect to witness what I witnessed. The loss of Hope was gut-wrenching, and incredibly bewildering; I firmly believed that she would play a role in the fourth Avengers film next year, and her fate threw that belief right out the window. Not to mention the abrupt loss of Pym and Janet, especially once we literally just spent two hours watching the family fight to get Janet back, was painful.
As for Scott, stunned as I was by how he was left stranded in the Realm, I feel that in some way, he’s going to find a way to return back home; he did so without assistance in the first Ant-Man film, and while he may not remember exactly how he did it, there’s no reason to rule out that possibility.
Still, it’s going to be a long wait to find out what happens to these heroes.
San Diego Comic-Con is quickly approaching, and they’re releasing the schedule day-by-day. They released the schedule for Sunday, July 22 today! We’ve listed below a few of the panels that we think our readers should keep an eye out on and go see!
The series’ stars and executive producers answer questions about the shocking events in last season’s intense finale and reveal what’s in store for the 14th season, when the show will reach the rare milestone of 300 episodes! Fans will also be treated to an exclusive video presentation featuring series highlights. Supernatural will return to The CW on Thursdays this fall in its 8/7c time period. The series is produced by Kripke Enterprises Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television. This panel is moderated by Rob Benedict and Richard Speight, Jr.
Following yet another drama-filled season and shocking season 2 finale, don’t miss Riverdale when it returns to San Diego for its third appearance at Comic-Con-this time in Hall H! Catch up with Archie and the gang as they continue to dive into the secrets that loom and keep emerging from the shadows in a town that once seemed like a quiet, ordinary place. The circumstances surrounding Archie’s arrest kick off the drama of season 3 as the gang tries to #FreeArchie and Hiram Lodge continues to flesh out his plans to control not only Riverdale but the ever growing SoDale. Based on the characters from Archie Comics and produced by Berlanti Productions (The Flash, Supergirl, Blindspot, Arrow, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) in association with Warner Bros. Television, this one-hour drama is a bold, subversive take on the surreality of small-town life. See a special video presentation followed by a Q&A with series starsand producers. Riverdale‘s season 3 returns Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
FX’s Legion, based on the Marvel Comics by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz, is the story of David Haller, a man who believed himself to be schizophrenic only to discover that he may actually be the most powerful mutant the world has ever seen. Along with a team of other extraordinarily gifted people, David learned to accept his true self and set out to defeat the Shadow King, who was on a path to attaining infinite and world-ending power. In season 2, a series of mind-bending twists and turns called into question who is the hero and who is the villain. Creator/executive producer/writer/director Noah Hawley,alongside fellow executive producers John Cameron and Marvel’s Jeph Loeb,and some cast members will participate in a conversation of what to look forward to in season 3.
San Diego Comic-Con is quickly approaching, and they’re releasing the schedule day-by-day. They released the schedule for Saturday, July 21 today! We’ve listed below a few of the panels that we think our readers should keep an eye out on and go see!
Did you hear that Cartoon Network is bringing Steven Universe back to Comic-Con? You’d better believe it! Estelle (Garnet), Michaela Dietz (Amethyst), Deedee Magno Hall (Pearl), Zach Callison (Steven), and the true diamond authority series creator Rebecca Sugar will share insights about the show and make epic announcements. Even more exciting: Rebecca is bringing her ukulele!
Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) made his choice: He hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago. But with crime and corruption spreading like wildfire, and those he cares about in the crosshairs of the menacing local gang The One Hundred, he must return as Black Lightning to save not only his family but also the soul of his community. Series stars and producers give an electrifying look at season 2! In addition to Williams, the supercharged series stars China Anne McClain, Nafessa Williams, Christine Adams, Marvin “Krondon” Jones III, Damon Gupton, and James Remar. Based on the characters from DC, Black Lightning is from Berlanti Productions and Akil Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Greg Berlanti, Salim Akil, Mara Brock Akil, and Sarah Schechter. Black Lightning returns this fall to The CW on Tuesdays (9/8c).
After a mind-blowing season 1 finale that saw Krypton’s history drastically rewritten, the future of Superman has never been in greater jeopardy. The cast and creators of SYFY’s hit series discuss the many surprises of the first season and give an inside look into what fans can expect in season 2.
Let’s chat meet-cutes, destined-to-bes, and all the different archetypal romantic pairings of great fiction. Moderator Sam Maggs (Girl Squads, Anthem) is joined by Amy S. Foster (The Rift Uprising), Melissa de la Cruz (Love and War: An Alex and Eliza Story), Robbie Thompson (writer, Silk, Supernatural), Adri Cho (founder, Dual Wield Studios), Mey Rude (writer, Autostraddle), and Susana Polo (editor, Polygon) for a look at how some favorite pairings have evolved through LGBTQ+ culture and third-wave feminism-and how they haven’t changed, because love is love is love is love.
Season 3 saw Supergirl stop Reign and the other Worldkillers’ threat to humanity and our planet, and in the process Kara was shocked to find her mother Alura alive and living in a salvaged Argo City that survived the destruction of Krypton. Reconnecting with her past caused Kara to realize that her true home is now here on Earth, where big changes are taking place for her and all of her friends in National City and also, it appears, for a doppelganger in Russia! Season 4 promises to be full of surprises, action, adventure, and lots of big revelations for Supergirl, Alex, James, J’onn, Lena, and Brainy. The series’ cast and creative team give a special video presentation, followed by a Q&A where they’ll discuss what’s to come and more! From Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Supergirl’s fourth season will premiere in its new Sunday 8/7c time slot on The CW this fall.
A discussion among fierce, fearless actresses Chloe Bennet (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Regina King (Watchmen), Camila Mendes (Riverdale), Amandla Stenberg (The Darkest Mind), and Jodie Whitakker (Doctor Who), who open up about the power and privilege of playing women who redefine the rules and refuse to yield. Moderated by EW’s Jessica Shaw.
There have been no shortage of close calls for Oliver Queen when it comes to protecting his superhero identity, but in the season 6 finale, he was finally backed into a corner and forced to reveal himself to the world as the Green Arrow. Now, Oliver will come face to face with many of the criminals he placed behind bars, as he makes a new home for himself at Slabside Maximum Security Prison. Oliver will find himself vulnerable in a way unlike ever before when a mysterious new enemy begins to unravel his work as Green Arrow, challenging him to redeem his name or risk losing everything. Join the cast and producers to be among the first to learn more about what this means for Oliver and the rest of his team. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, Arrow will return to The CW this fall on Mondays at 9/8c.
After defeating Mallus by cuddling him to death with a giant stuffed animal named Beebo, the Legends were ready to ease off the gas. That was until Constantine arrived to inform them that, in solving one major problem, they have created another, much larger one. When the Legends let time crumble in order to release and defeat Mallus, the barrier between worlds softened. History is now infected with “Fugitives,” magical creatures from myths, fairytales, and legends. Having been expelled throughout time by people like Constantine, these Fugitives are now returning to our world in droves and making a real mess of things. So when all hell breaks loose, who ya gonna call? That’s right, the Legends! Join the cast and creators of The CW’s zaniest superhero series at their annual Comic-Con panel for an in-person look at what makes this time-traveling crew tick. From Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow will return to The CW this fall on Mondays at 8/7c.
Matching wits with The Thinker, who by season’s end had harnessed the powers of all 12 bus metas he created, stretched Team Flash to its limits, but with the help of some new allies, Barry Allen (a.k.a. The Flash) and company were able to put a stop to the Enlightenment and save Central City once again. However, with the arrival of Barry and Iris’s speedster daughter Nora, who appears from the future admitting to having made a “big mistake,” things are anything but status quo. Will parenthood be the challenge that finally slows the Flash down? For answers to this and all your other season 5 questions, please join the cast and creators of The CW’s highest-rated series at their annual Comic-Con panel. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, The Flash will return to The CW this fall on Tuesdays at 8/7c.
The cast and creators of the breakout SYFY hit series Wynonna Earp, including Melanie Scrofano, Shamier Anderson,Tim Rozon,Dominique Provost-Chalkley,Katherine Barrell, Varun Saranga, and Chantel Riley along with show runner Emily Andras, and comic creator Beau Smith reveal behind-the-scenes antics, show off exclusive footage, and answer your biggest questions about season 3!
Magic is back . . . at Comic-Con! Last season, an epic finale totally changed our magicians (like for real) and left audiences begging for more. Now, join the cast and creators of this critically acclaimed series to get an exclusive look at the upcoming 4th season and answers to all of your burning questions (well, most of them)!
Though we are still waiting on an official date, season 4 is set to premiere sometime in November with 13 episodes. Season 4 follows the fourth book, Drums of Autumn, in Diana Gabaldon’s series. While we eagerly countdown to more episodes of our favorite time-traveling love story, catch up on the first three seasons of Outlander on STARZ.
Brand new this season at Cedar Point Park in Sandusky, Ohio is a world-record breaking roller coaster, Steel Vengeance. This coaster breaks so many records that a new term to describe it has been coined up: a hyper-hybrid roller coaster. A hybrid coaster is one that combines steel rails on top of a wooden support system. Steel Vengeance earned the new title of hyper-hybrid by being leaps and bounds (and drops and inversions) better than all other hybrid coasters.
Son of Beast, one of the first and most famous hybrid coasters, was previously located at Kings Island Park (also owned by Cedar Fairs) before it was closed in 2009. The reception of this rollercoaster was poor and made anyone who had ever ridden on it extremely wary of roller coasters that mixed wood and steel. Well, there is no need to worry, because Steel Vengeance is exactly what Son of Beast should have been. In a ride smoother than a lot of pure steel coasters, Steel Vengeance rises 205 feet in the air for a 90 degree drop at a breathtaking speed of 74 miles per hour. With four barrel-roll inversions and 27.2 seconds of airtime, Steel Vengeance is definitely a ride worth waiting for.
For 2 minutes and 30 seconds of flying over hills, drops, hops, and flips, go check out the incredible Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point.
If you are one of the millions of people who had their minds blown and hearts racing from the best-selling book Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, then do we have the show for you!
Tomorrow, July 8th, the premiere of Sharp Objects will air on HBO. Sharp Objects is going to be an eight episode adaptation of Flynn’s 2006 debut novel of the same name. The novel is told from reporter Camille Preaker’s (played by Amy Adams) point of view, who is fresh out of a brief stay at a psych hospital when she’s faced with a difficult assignment: she has to go back to her home town to cover the story of two young girls who have been murdered.
For a troubled character like Preaker, going back home to a small city like Wind Gap, Missouri comes with having to confront a past she doesn’t want to deal with, the hypochondriac mother she doesn’t get along with, and her estranged half-sister, Amma, who seems to have an odd hold on the residents of Wind Gap.
Anybody who’s read Gone Girl won’t be surprised to hear that Sharp Objects is another thriller with a dark, creepy plot, featuring deeply flawed, imperfect female characters who aren’t supposed to be likable – but somehow burrow deeply into your psyche long after the story ends anyway.
It’s a loyal adaptation, but you get to see all its warts…here is a phantasmagoria of a place brought to life. There’s no other place like Wind Gap. So to get to see it bloom to life, to get to see Adora’s lush Victorian house and her hog farm and Wind Gap’s parks and lush places, where it seems if you left a car for too long, a vine would grow over it. You’ll see the femaleness of the place and the ominousness of the place. You can feel that in a way that’s so striking. And to see the actors and actresses really bring these people to life is really something different and exciting.
Because we did have that room in the series, we were able to play with more subplots and add a few more twists. It’s faithful to the book, but we’re able to take a few more loop-de-loops and add a few more weird cul-de-sacs to Wind Gap. And play with certain characters’ backstories. You get to know more about a few more characters…we just got to have room to play with those characters and grow them more. And say, “What would these people be like? What would they be doing?” It’s fun to get to revisit it now. I had not looked at it in those 12 years since it’s been published. And to look back and say, “No, really, what was the deal with this guy?”
In case all of that isn’t enough to peak your interest, check out the trailer:
Because the series is directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, director of Big Little Lies, and Flynn herself is executive producer and wrote three of the eight episodes, it’s easy to predict that Sharp Objects is going to be one of the summer’s biggest hits. With all of the hype surrounding this show, you’re going to want to make sure to tune into HBO tomorrow, July 8th at 9PM so you don’t miss out!
Walt Disney World announced the list of guests for their Candelight Processional, which starts on November 22.
11/22 – 11/23 – Chita Rivera
11/24 – 12/2 – TBD
12/3 – 12/6 – Neil Patrick Harris
12/7 – 12/9 – Whoopi Goldberg
12/10 – 12/12 – TBD
12/13 – 12/14 – Blair Underwood
12/15 – 12/17 – Gary Sinise
12/18 – 12/20 – Pat Sajak
12/21 – 12/23 – TBD
12/24 – 12/25 – Edward James Olmos
12/26 – 12/27 – Jodi Benson
12/28 – 12/30 – TBD
There’s still quite a few spots to be announced, so keep an eye out for those.
Here’s more about the Candlelight Processional, thanks to Disney:
The Candlelight Processional presents the traditional story of Christmas in truly spectacular fashion – with a 50-piece orchestra, a massed choir and a celebrity narrator. The processional is performed three times per night (5:00, 6:45 and 8:15 p.m.) during the holiday season at the America Gardens Theatre. Also available, on select days and evenings, Candlelight Processional Dining Packages which include a delicious meal and a guaranteed seat for one of the Candlelight Processional performances.
Pictured: Briana Buckmaster as Donna — Photo: Dean Buscher/The CW
In season 13, the Wayward women played a significantly larger role than they had in previous seasons. The group also added two new women, Patience and Kaia, each with her own set of powers and abilities. Season 13 marks the first time that more than three of the six women have starred in an episode together (season 11’s “Don’t You Forget About Me” starred Kim Rhodes, Kathryn Newton, and Katherine Ramdeen). And it also holds the only episode (hopefully the first of many) in which the entire group is complete.
Each Wayward woman has played a vital role in the Winchesters’ lives. But of the six Wayward Sisters, it is Sheriff Donna Hanscum (played by Briana Buckmaster) who arguably experienced the most in-depth character development in season 13. Here are five of Donna’s biggest moments from the latest season of Supernatural.
1. “Wayward Sisters” – Episode 10 (Part 1)
In this episode, Jody and the others rush to rescue Sam and Dean from a dangerous alternate universe (AU). The brothers were inadvertently sent there in the previous episode, “The Bad Place,” when Jack utilized Kaia’s dreamwalker powers to pinpoint Mary’s location. Additionally, monsters from the AU have entered our world through the rift that was created by Jack and Kaia, and they have now tracked Kaia’s location to Jody’s home. The women escape the danger, and Jody calls on Donna to meet up with them and help them rescue Sam and Dean. Donna obliges, bringing with her a kick-ass collection of weaponry.
Why is this important?
This might be difficult to believe, but Donna’s entrance marks the first time we have seen her on our screens since season 11’s “Plush” episode. Regardless of the time that has passed since we last saw her, Donna falls perfectly back into step with the women. We instantly see Donna’s warmth and humor, and her familiar Minnesota accent is a welcome reminder of how fun her character is. Alex and Claire run to hug Donna when she arrives, and they represent how glad we all are to have her back with us.
2. “Wayward Sisters” – Episode 10 (Part 2)
Jody and Donna discover the rift between our world and the AU on the second floor of the boat where the battle with the AU monsters is taking place. Jody immediately tries to enter the rift, but Donna stops her. Jody tells Donna that she has to enter the rift, because if she doesn’t, then Claire will go. Jody says that she cannot risk losing another child and will do anything to prevent Claire from putting herself in harm’s way. Donna understands and silently promises to keep the girls safe. Eventually, the AU monsters gain ground on the women, and Jody realizes that she cannot enter the rift after all.
Why is this important?
We finally get to see Donna-as-hunter mentor someone else.
When Claire and the others make it to the boat, Claire tries – and ultimately succeeds at – convincing Jody to let her take Kaia into the AU. Meanwhile, the monsters are descending upon the women’s location in the boatyard, and Donna takes it upon herself to arm, teach, and protect Alex and Patience. She hands Patience a shotgun and tells her to “aim in their general direction, relax and squeeze. Squeeze, don’t pull.” She provides cover for them as they escape upstairs to safety and later, when Jody has rejoined them, Donna leads them to successfully fight off the remaining monsters, with Patience blasting one of them herself.
3. “Breakdown” – Episode 11 (Part 1)
“Breakdown” is one of the more haunting episodes that we have seen in a long time, primarily because the “Big Bad” in this episode is not a monster at all. It’s a network of deranged humans who kidnap random persons and hold online auctions for monsters who bid on the victims’ body parts. Donna’s niece, Wendy, is the latest victim to be taken, and Donna calls on Sam and Dean to help her find her. As expected, the Winchesters immediately jump in their Impala and rush to help Donna however they can.
Why is this important?
This is the first time we have ever seen Donna request assistance with…well, anything! In “Hibbing 911,” when she and Jody first meet, we see Donna having difficulty putting up with her ex-husband Doug (“old Doug,” as some refer to him), who takes advantage of her every chance he gets. When Jody has had enough of Doug’s mistreatment of Donna and tells him to take a hike, Donna actually comes to the defense of Doug and tells Jody to back off. And in “Plush,” when Donna is teamed up again with Sam and Dean (and we meet “new Doug”), she refuses Doug’s help with moving the perpetrator from the wheelchair to the squad car, emphatically (and hilariously) telling Doug that his help is not necessary, because she does Crossfit.
So to see Donna ask for help from someone – regardless of the reason – is significant. Asking for help is so foreign to Donna that her request to help save her niece’s life has an apologetic tone, both over the phone (“I know it’s not your normal thing, but…”) and in person (“I’m sorry for calling you guys, but Jody’s got her hands full with the girls…”). As much as Donna has grown in her self-confidence since we first met her in season 9’s “The Purge,” seeing her struggle with asking for help is heartbreaking. Donna has not given herself permission to trust others for support, and perhaps this is a lingering after-effect from her failed marriage.
4. “Breakdown” – Episode 11 (Part 2)
When the Winchesters and Donna discover what has happened to Wendy, they soon realize that they must inform Doug about the truth of their world: that monsters are real, and they are the hunters who kill them. Understandably, Doug is shocked at this news, as well as with learning about Donna’s “other life” as a hunter.
Why is this important?
This episode makes it clear that Donna does not seem to understand only a certain type of person is cut out to be a hunter, like she is. In other words, she does not realize her own strength and power and how special she truly is. At this point in her life, the people she is closest to (except Doug) are either hunters or supporters of the hunter life. And the most probable reason for Donna never telling Doug the truth about any of this was to protect him, both physically and emotionally.
So it is understandable that Donna believes they will be able to work everything out when they return to Stillwater. Doug will come around and join her in this life of a hunter, she thinks. She apologizes sincerely for lying to him throughout their relationship, but once Doug knows the truth about her and the world, Donna does not give it another thought.
However, the damage that this revelation has done comes to light by the end of the episode.
5. “Breakdown” – Episode 11 (Part 3)
Doug has been cured of the vampire bite he suffered at the warehouse, and Dean tells Doug that he and Sam could really benefit from having him on their side, fighting the good fight. But Doug seems too scared to commit to the hunter lifestyle. Donna tries to convince him that he can get used to it, but Doug disagrees:
And what [will I do after we go back home]? I’m a cop ‘cause I like helpin’ folks, but… Vampires? That’s… I’m not… Donna, you kill monsters. You’re a damn hero. But that’s… it’s not me. I’m sorry. I love you. I’m sorry.
Doug turns and leaves Donna with Sam and Dean.
Why is this important?
In “The Purge,” Donna tells the Winchesters that her ex-husband Doug left her because “…he said I loved cookie-dough milkshakes more than him.” And when we meet old Doug in “Hibbing 911,” we see exactly what kind of jerk he is to have made such a horrible remark. Nevertheless, Donna believed that her marriage’s demise was her fault, and she carried with her the belief that she simply was not good enough for him.
So to see Donna lose new Doug in this episode is agonizing for two reasons: not only does she have to suffer another breakup, but she is losing new Doug because she is “too good” for him – a “hero,” as Doug calls her. Those of us who love Donna know she was too good for old Doug, and losing him was a blessing. But losing new Doug was a shocking turn that Donna could have never anticipated. She is finally living her life in a way that empowers her and helps her to help others. It is a life that she cannot and does not want to give up. And yet it has cost her the love of her life.
Sheriff Donna Hanscum was only in two episodes in season 13. But her storyline was taken to places we had not previously seen. She is a fan favorite for numerous reasons, and it is difficult to think of another Supernatural character who has provided not only some of the series’ biggest laughs, but also some of the most heart-wrenching and dark scenes. Hopefully we will not have to wait so long this time around to see Donna again.
In the weeks ahead, Nerds and Beyond will be featuring many more “5 Biggest Moments” articles that will focus on all of your favorite Supernatural characters, so stay tuned! Do you think Donna had other significant moments from this season that were not covered here? Tell us about them in the comments below!
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San Diego Comic-Con is quickly approaching, and they’re releasing the schedule day-by-day. They released the schedule for Sunday, July 22 today! We’ve listed below a few of the panels that we think our readers should keep an eye out on and go see!
