TV REVIEW: GAME OF THRONES – SEASON 07 – EPISODE 07 (Season Finale)

the dragon and the wolfA meeting is held in King’s Landing. Problems arise in the North.

Director: Jeremy Podeswa
Writers: David Benioff
Stars: Alfie Allen, Jacob Anderson, Robert Aramayo

Review by Mary Cox

“The Dragon and the Wolf”

Anyone who didn’t see anything that happened last night coming from a mile away needs to get their eyes checked. Game of Thrones has always been a series that’s heavy-handed with its foreshadowing, but the bombs the series dropped tonight have been on our radars for a good while. That doesn’t mean that last night’s bombshell of a season finale was bad! It’s just that things are getting too predictable after seven years, and I miss the wild and unexpected turns we got in the first few seasons, like Jaime losing his hand, and Ned Stark losing his head.

Jon and Dany’s “Boat Ride and Chill” is made a lot weirder when you learn that he’s essentially boning his aunt, but this is par for the course for the Targaryens, who historically like to keep it in the family anyway. Seriously though, how creepy was Tyrion for lurking in the halls and listening in on their
hookup?

I predicted we’d have a big, heart-breaking death in this finale, and I was a little off-course considering how much Littlefinger’s been asking for it since the first season. It’s a little disappointing that Arya only slit his throat, as a full-on Ned Stark style decapitation would have been much more satisfying and tied together.

Now that the Army of the Dead have their Icy Hot dragon, how in the hell is the North going to stand against them? Even though the Night King is outnumbered two to one when it comes to fire lizards, how is Daenerys going to handle fighting and killing one of her own “children”?

Cersei is reaching Nixon-levels of paranoia and scheming, to the point where she’s finally threatened to turn her sword against her own brother. Again, what the series is implying to us through the language of cinema is that Jaime is going to rehash his Kingslayer role before the end of the final season.

This season finale has left us with a monumental cliffhanger (or should I say wall hanger, considering how Tormund barely made it out alive) and with the Night Kings marching in the direct path of Winterfell. My one hope for the final chapter of the series is that they don’t sacrifice story over time like they did with the last few episodes of this season. We’ll have to wait an entire year to find out

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TV REVIEW: GAME OF THRONES – SEASON 07 – EPISODE 06

beyond_the_wall_1.jpgEpisode Titled: Beyond the Wall

Jon and his team go beyond the wall to capture a wight. Daenerys has to make a tough decision.

Director: Alan Taylor
Writers: David Benioff
Stars: Peter Dinklage, Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington

Review by Mary Cox

As predicted, Jon Snow’s northbound traipse has ended in absolute disaster. Not only is Daenerys down a dragon, but now, the Night King has added Viserion to the ranks of the White Walkers. Killing the Undead is hard enough as it is! Real talk: why did Dany take all three dragons up North in the first place? When her Dothraki Horde went up against the Lannister Army, she only brought along Drogon.

The only clear explanation is that Dany’s got a crush on a certain boring brooding bastard. Daenerys’ conversation with Tyrion regarding naming an heir for her kingdom is yet another sign that the plot of this season is clumsily stomping towards a hookup between Jon and Dany.

This was an episode that proves that nobody in this show ever learns anything. Sansa, who somehow can’t seem to remember how this situation ended up for her father, is sending Brienne of Tarth to her death by making her respond to a summons at King’s Landing. Sansa’s poor strategic and leadership skills are starting to get a little exhausting.

Once again: what the hell does Littlefinger want, other than to stir the pot? In past seasons, his motivations have been a little clearer, as it’s established that he carried a serious torch for the previous Lady of Winterfell, but ever since Catelyn’s downfall at the Red Wedding, Littlefinger has been slouching and scheming around the Seven Kingdoms with no Modus Operandi other than a vague
interest in boning Sansa.

Predictions for next week’s season finale: at least one of our important major characters is going to die.

Knowing how this series works, there’s no way all of these characters are going to live until next year’s premiere. My money is on Brienne when she goes to King’s Landing, or possibly Cersei at the hands of Jaime. The White Walkers, armed with their new dragon, are going to successfully attempt to storm the
Wall. Sansa is going to continue making irresponsible decisions, and Littlefinger is going to lurk menacingly around a corner.
 
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“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”t

TV REVIEW: GAME OF THRONES – SEASON 07 – EPISODE 04

the spoils of war1.jpgDaenerys strikes back. Jaime faces an unexpected situation. Arya comes home.

Director: Matt Shakman
Writers: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Stars: Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey

Review by Mary Cox

Tonight was an episode focused on both reunions and revenge. There haven’t been this manyStarks in the same room since the first season. We’re finally getting to see the plots we’ve been following for close to a decade now intertwine, and it is SO rewarding. Seeing Arya go one-on-one with Brienne of Tarth was incredible! Jon, who still believes that Theon murdered Bran and Rickon, barely manages to control himself when the last of the Greyjoys wash up on Dragonstone.

An obvious highlight of tonight’s episode is the battle between the Lannister army and Daenerys’ dragons. The tension between Bronn at the Scorpion and Daenerys on Drogon was incredible. After a close call with Drogon, some unknown person shoves Jaime out of the path of fire and into the bottom of a lake. Is this really how the Kingslayer dies? Probably not.

One question I keep having is: what is Littlefinger up to? His character seems almost undirected while he’s surrounded by a court of pragmatic Northerners who don’t give into manipulation as easily as the nobles at King’s Landing. Obviously, his long-term goal is Sansa, but how is he planning on getting there?

Something to watch out for in future episodes: Tyrion seems to be having his doubts about which side he wants to be on while watching his fellow Lannisters fall victim to the flames of Daenery’s dragons, but is he willing to throw away his alliance with the Targaryen queen for the sake of his blood? I doubt it.
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“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”

 

TV REVIEW: RICK AND MORTY – SEASON 03 – EPISODE 03

rickandmorty1Rick turns himself into a pickle.

Creators: Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland
Stars: Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell, Spencer Grammer

Review by Mary Cox

“Pickle Rick”

It’s Pickle Rick! On this week’s Rick and Morty, we see Rick turn himself into a pickle (and gets himself into a pickle) in order to get out of going to family therapy with Beth, Morty, and Summer. Susan Sarandon guest stars in this episode as Dr. Wong, the family’s therapist.

This series does a great job of juxtaposing ridiculous and serious content, even as far back as the first season with episodes like Rixty Minutes. Tonight this was accomplished by flashing back and forth between Pickle Rick’s sewer adventures and Beth’s complete failure to embrace (and actively participate in) her family therapy session.

Beth seems to be taking center stage this season, where in past episodes, she’s been more of a supporting character. This season is spending a lot of time exploring the unhealthy dynamic between Beth and her father, and how she’s willing to put everything in her life, including her children, aside in order to make Rick happy.

I’m hopeful that this series’ exploration of this dynamic doesn’t delve into cliché “daddy issues” territories, but that it takes a broader look at how toxic relationships can function. Also, I seriously doubt this is the last time we’re going to see a reference made to Mr. Goldenfold’s literal shit-eating grin.
 
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“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”t

TV REVIEW: TWIN PEAKS – SEASON 03 – EPISODE 13

twin_peaks_13.jpg“Part 13: What Story is that, Charlie?”

Picks up 25 years after the inhabitants of a quaint northwestern town are stunned when their homecoming queen is murdered.

Creators: Mark Frost, David Lynch
Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Sheryl Lee, Michael Horse

Review by Mary Cox

Tonight’s episode was all about looping energy and repeating patterns. This is the most obvious in our return to the Palmer household, but it’s present in other scenes. If you revisit Sonny Jim’s gym set scene, you’ll notice that the footage of him playing is looped as well.

After a cutesy conga line with the Mitchum Bros., Good Coop narrowly avoids being poisoned and continues with his obsession over cherry pie. Bad Coop wins an arm wrestling contest, the Owl Cave Ring makes its first appearance in the new season, and Phillip Jeffries is back in the game. Audrey’s character has flipped from a confident, embittered harpy to a weakwilled, terrified child. Watching her rapidly cycle between aggression and learned helplessness makes you wonder: what the hell happened to her? Is Audrey possibly even still in a coma?

Holy shit. The Roadhouse. Some people seem to think that Lynch’s stunning choice to feature James Hurley’s “Just You (and I)” is a part of a larger commentary about toxic nostalgia, and about unnecessary returns to twenty year-old TV shows or film franchises. Certainly, last week’s episode where Lynch, as FBI Director Gordon Cole, stares right at us with a shiteating grin as a French woman does nothing for close to five minutes, would support this theory. Cooper being reduced to a goofy shell of himself who obsesses over coffee and pie also adds evidence here.

However, thinking that Lynch is somehow sneering at his fans seems to totally ignore the notion the level of detail and craftsmanship put into this series. Lynch recorded the Log Lady scenes even before Season 3 was greenlit. Mark Frost’s companion book, The Secret History of Twin Peaks, is incredibly well thought-out and is rich in detail and nuance. There’s no way he’s making this series just to laugh at the people who love his work

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“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”t

TV REVIEW: TWIN PEAKS – S03 E12 – LET’S ROCK

lets rock1.jpgDirector: David Lynch
Writers: Mark Frost
Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Elizabeth Anweis, Chrysta Bell

Review by Mary Cox

This season of Twin Peaks is another testimony to Lynch’s commitment to diegetic sound and to silence. Every episode ending with a performance at the Roadhouse is an obvious example of how Lynch uses diegetic music in his work, but the previous two seasons played with this (in an arguably less successful way) through moments such as James’ weird and unnecessary performance of “Just You.” Silence is just as important as diegetic sound for Lynch when it comes to building tension in his scenes. Some of the more long and drawn-out moments from this episode, such as the exit of Gordon’s French Woman, are set against an empty audio backdrop to really highlight and exacerbate our feelings of frustration.

Lynch did decide to cut us a break with the dynamic return of Audrey Horne, although her interaction with her soon-to-be ex-husband still heavily plays into the theme of impatience and waiting that we’ve seen throughout the rest of the episode. While most of the characters are somewhat the same as they were twenty-five years ago, Audrey has evolved from a shit-stirring schoolgirl into a viciously unhappy adult. The true identity of “Billy” clearly is a mystery, but one thing that we do know for sure is that he’s not the same person as Richard Horne. There’s been no clear explanation as to how Audrey escaped from her coma, but we do learn from Benjamin Horne that Richard never had a father. This definitely provides evidence to the theory that Richard is actually the son of Bob Cooper, who we know was seen exiting Audrey’s hospital room towards the end of the second season.

After Grace Zabriskie gave us another incredible performance as Sarah Palmer in her stunning supermarket meltdown, the scene between Hank and Sarah has a small detail that you might not have caught initially. It’s worth mentioning that the new season of Twin Peaks is definitely more connected to Fire Walk With Me than you might think. When Hank visits Sarah’s house, we get a quick shot of the infamous ceiling fan that we know is heavily symbolic of Bob/Leland’s abuse of Laura. When we connect this particular imagery to the unusual sounds coming from inside Sarah’s house, it’s possible to interpret that there’s still some connection to Bob or to the Black Lodge inside the Palmer residence.

The theme of tonight’s episode, as well as within the the last few episodes in general, is a criticism of impatience, and a meditation on the notion that “good things come to those who wait.” We’ve seen this motif in past episodes, such as in Part 11’s screaming woman in traffic, and the Mitchum Brother’s frustration with Candie in Part 10. This depiction of impatience has continued in Part 12 through Albert’s frustration at Gordon over his long goodbye with the French Woman, and through Audrey’s temper tantrum while her ex-husband is on the phone. Even Hutch and Chantal’s conversation about killing the Warden comes back to not wanting to drag things out.

We have also seen patience be rewarded. In Part 9, Betty Briggs is rewarded for waiting a quarter of a century to give Major Briggs’ capsule to Bobby and the other Sheriffs. The Mitchum Brothers are rewarded with 30 million dollars (and a cherry pie) by showing patience in Part 11. As fans of the series, we all are desperate to know the truth about the Black and White lodges, and to see Cooper make a full return. Lynch knows how we feel, and is imploring us to show a little patience and to enjoy this series while it lasts. Like Gordon Cole says to Albert: there’s a fine Bordeaux right in front of you, so sit down and drink it.

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“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”t

TV REVIEW: RICK AND MORTY – S03 – E02 – Rickmancing the Stone

rickandmorty1.jpgRick, Morty, and Summer travel to a post-apocalyptic dimension and meet some dangerous enemies.

Directors: Dominic Polcino, Wesley Archer
Writers: Dan Harmon (created by), Justin Roiland (created by)
Stars: Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell, Spencer Grammer

Review by Mary Cox
 
After the April Fools surprise of the first episode of the season being leaked early, Rick and Morty is finally back and on a clear release schedule. Tonight’s episode has Morty and Summer trying to cope with their parent’s divorce by escaping into a Mad Max-type post-apocalyptic desert world to try and work through their emotional issues. Morty deals with his unresolved anger at his father through his mutant arm in a refreshing take on the “enchanted armor overpowering its user” trope. On the other hand, Summer unsuccessfully dives headfirst into a relationship to try and fill the void in her life caused by her family breaking apart.

It’s interesting how Summer is taking such an active role in her adventures with Rick while Morty has historically been hesitant to participate. As much as this episode made it seem like Morty and Summer are over their parent’s divorce after their return from the Apocalypse world, it does seem like this particular emotional thread is going to continue throughout the rest of the series.

A lot of time has been spent establishing that Jerry and Beth’s relationship was toxic and codependent, so it feels like a step in the right direction for them to get divorced. However, their separate lives that were showcased in the first Intergalactic TV episode seem to imply that despite their issues, Beth and Jerry are better off together. We’ll have to wait and see how this dynamic plays out in future episodes.

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“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”t

TV REVIEW: TWIN PEAKS – SEASON 3 – EPISODE 11

twinpeakspart11.jpgTwin Peaks Part 11: There’s Fire Where You’re Going

Director: David Lynch
Writers: Mark Frost
Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Mädchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook

Review by Mary Cox

Something strikes me as odd about this whole Dougie plot line. We know he’s being heavily aided by Mike and his friends in the White Lodge, but there’s something not quite believable or right about what’s happening in the life of Dougie Jones. His narrow escape from death at the hands of the Mitchums, followed by a joyous pie-eating celebration where Cooper is championed as a hero, pushes the boundaries of believability. Considering that Dougie Coop has been Mr. Magoo-ing his way in and out of danger all season, it initially might seem kind of ridiculous at this point to assume that what we’re seeing isn’t really happening. However, this wouldn’t be the first time that Lynch has experimented with an idealized fantasy narrative as an escape for his characters that occupies the bulk of a story. I’m reminded a lot of the fantasy life of Betty and Rita in Mulholland Drive, or of the Pete Dayton segue in Lost Highway.

We’ve also already established that Mike and his Lodge friends have the ability to fabricate whole human lives and existences, so would it be that much harder to believe that Janey-E and Sonny Jim aren’t real? And while we’re on the topic of Dougie’s family: one moment that I’ve been dwelling on and can’t quite figure out is the scene in “Part 5: Case Files” is the scene where Dougie Cooper looks at Sonny Jim and cries. One take that I’ve seen on Dougie Cooper is that Lynch is making a statement on how society ignores depression and mental illness, which certainly has been mirrored by Twin Peaks fans who so desperately want Agent Cooper to “snap out of it” and get back to solving the mystery of the two Lodges.

A lot of other important things happened this episode, like Hawk going into detail about Nez Perce lore relating to the two lodges, most notably making yet another reference to garmonbozia in the “sick corn” pictograph and a hint to the possible meaning of the phrase “Fire Walk With Me.” The episode’s subtitle again comes from a conversation between Hawk and the Log Lady.

However, I think the key to unpacking all of this is going to come back to Lucy. In a seemingly throwaway moment when Lucy is talking to Hawk as she’s transferring his call, she makes a reference back to the chair argument she had with Andy. Every time we see Lucy, she’s making some kind of statement that connects to the notion of choice as a dividing point in time, or to the concept of time as a human construct. Every episode has one of these moments. With Lynch, nothing is a throwaway, everything matters, and if you want to know what’s going to happen, you need to pay attention. If you decide to do a mid-season rewatch (which I very highly encourage) pay special attention to Lucy’s

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“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”

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TV REVIEW: TWIN PEAKS – SEASON 3 – EPISODE 10

twin peaksTitled: Part 10: Laura is the One

Director: David Lynch
Writer: Mark Frost

A lot of missing pieces are finally starting to come together on this week’s installment of Twin Peaks. Even though we have a lot more information to work with now, more questions have been raised than those that have been answered. Richard Horne, a certified bad dude who’s somehow involved with Chad and Red in moving drugs across the Canadian border, has now been established as the grandson of Benjamin and Sylvia Horne. After murdering Miriam, and arranging for Chad to intercept the letter she wrote to Sheriff Truman which detailed all of his crimes, Richard violently robs his grandmother and states his intention to flee the country.

Richard bears a striking resemblance to the only member of the Horne family who is currently missing from the series: Audrey. If Richard is Audrey’s son, that begs the question: where is Audrey, and how did her son end up being such an asshole? The last time we saw Audrey was at the end of the previous season, when she was in a coma and was visited by Doppelganger Cooper. Technically, that could mean Bob (through the medium of Doppel Coop) is Richard’s father. Before this episode premiered, some people theorized that Audrey was actually the eccentric billionaire funding the box in New York that leads to the Black Lodge. The reveal that Richard is the grandson of Benjamin makes this slightly less likely in my book, but when it comes to David Lynch, all bets are off until we see something concrete.

Arguably, the best moment of the episode is shirtless Cooper at his doctor’s appointment. Anyone who doubted that Kyle MacLaughlan is still hot after two decades has been thoroughly proven wrong. Cooper also makes a good impression on Janey-E with those pythons he calls arms, and she seduces him in a simultaneously awkward and amazing sex scene. Despite his revitalized love life, Cooper has yet another problem heading his way. Duncan, who we know is working for Bad Coop in Vegas, is orchestrating a conspiracy to convince the casino-owning Mitchum Brothers that Dougie personally sabotaged their plan for insurance fraud.

Meanwhile, Jerry Horne is still high out of his mind in the woods. Is he on a spirit quest to find the entrance to the White Lodge? Or did he just make the rookie mistake of eating too many edibles? Speaking of the White Lodge, Bobby and Truman were noticeably absent from this week’s episode. We do get a moment with Hawk as he speaks on the phone to the Log Lady, who presents a cryptic message, including the episode’s tagline, “Laura is the one.” This premonition, paired with Gordon’s sudden vision of Laura, seems like it’s foreshadowing the return of Laura Palmer.

The construct of time is something that Lynch likes to play with in his work. Even with the established flashbacks that show nuclear testing in the 1940s, I’m not sure that we’re always seeing events in chronological order in this season. The question is presented to us on multiple occasions throughout the series: is it future, or is it past? One thing I’d like to point out is tonight’s performance at the Roadhouse was by Rebekah Del Rio, who previously fulfilled a similar role in Lynch’s masterpiece, Mulholland Drive. In that film, Del Rio’s performance of Llorando, a Spanish version of Roy Orbinson’s Crying, is the dividing point between the fantasy and reality of the film.

Is the Roadhouse a parallel for Club Silencio? It’s absolutely no coincidence that Del Rio is performing in a black and white zigzag dress against a red curtain background, evoking imagery of the Black Lodge itself. Is this episode going to be the line between the illusion and reality of Twin Peaks? We won’t know until next week.

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“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”

GAME OF THRONES Season 7 EP1 Review: DRAGONSTONE

dragonstone.jpg Arya makes her way south. Jon organizes the defense of the North. Cersei tries to even the odds. Sam adapts to his new life in Oldtown. Daenerys comes home.

Director: Jeremy Podeswa
Writer: D.B. Weiss

Following a narrow escape from Jaqen H’ghar and the Faceless Men, Arya utilizes the talents she learned from the Many-Faced God to take out the last remaining members of the Frey clan. At Winterfell, Sansa Stark and Jon Snow butt heads over whether the King in the North should rule with a gentle heart, or with a heavy hand. In King’s Landing, Cersei is running out of options, and has to turn to the traitorous Euron Greyjoy for help. Samwell Tarley continues to train to be a Maester in the Citadel to gain information to defeat the White Walkers. Last but definitely not least, Daenerys and her dream team from Westeros are finally back in her ancestral home of Dragonstone.

This episode has set the stage for the beginning of the biggest battle in the history of this series, spanning three major contenders for the Iron Throne. It’s also left us with a lot of unanswered questions. Is the mysterious prisoner at the Citadel none other than Jorah Mormont, Daenery’s long-time admirer whose fate is currently unknown? What treasure does Euron Greyjoy intend to bring to Cersei to prove his loyalty? Will tensions between Sansa and Jon settle into place, or Petyr Baelish’s interferences again be the downfall of the King in the North? Only time will tell who will rule the Seven Kingdoms.

 
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“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”t