Happy publication day to My Life as an Asthmanaut by Jake Lockett (@JLockettAuthor1), illustrated by Adriana Predoi!
In this book, a young boy explains what it’s like to live with asthma. Available now! hubs.ly/Q048GdLr0
ALT Promotional image for the publication of My Life as an Asthmanaut: A book about asthma
"Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu Official Podcast" was a fun, 2 ep behind-the-scenes show that should be in the bonus feature section of the movie's physical media releases rather than on Disney Plus. Watching it makes me even more impatient for news of Mando's future!
Ranking Roxy Hunter:
1. Myth of the Mermaid (makes Rama 1 of the funniest characters in 2000s media)
2. Mystery of the Moody Ghost (a perfect, emotional mystery)
3. Horrific Halloween (a fun ending to the series, but needed real vamps)
4. Secret of the Shaman (too much dating)
That's a wrap with Roxy Hunter! What a nostalgic look at some of @Nickelodeon's best TV movies that feel like a more lighthearted & mystery-focused extension of an "Are You Afraid of the Dark" ep. The romance bits are cringy but the sharp dialogue & fun characters make up for it.
"The Horrific Halloween" had Roxy convinced that a new boy in town & his uncle Vlad are vampires. They're not, but Vlad is still bad news when it's discovered that he has been passing off his brother's art as his own & making lots of money. Roxy scares a confession out of him!
While pursuing a local journalism award in "The Myth of the Mermaid," Roxy finds a walking mermaid with amnesia & gets caught up in a plot by a local developer & his thugs (1 is an undercover cop) trying to illegally dispose of toxic waste. This is Ramma's best movie!
"The Secret of the Shaman" saw a crystal from Serenity Falls' 150 anniversary party go missing. A vagrant who wanted to use the crystal to say goodbye to his ghost daughter is framed for the crime. Deputy Potts stole the crystal so he could look like a hero & not be called Bull.
I binged the Roxy Hunter series for Halloween! "The Mystery of the Moody Ghost" had Roxy move to Moody Manor & discover that its ghost is just a medical student living in the attic. She then foils a plot by a woman trying to hunt for the house deed & develop the surrounding land.
"Insidious 6 Out of the Further" injects new ideas into the franchise. It's the strongest film since the 1st two. Gemma discovers she's a courier who can transport objects/souls between the Further & the real world, & has to stop Cyrus from using her to bring entities to Earth!
I binged a slew of Disney Junior Halloween specials: "Goof Mansion/A Doozy Night of Mystery" from Mickey & the Roadster Racers, "Iron Friends Trick or Treats" from Iron Man & His Awesome Friends, & "Howloween Cat" and "Howl-o-ween Charm" from SuperKitties.
I felt like Sally in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" after seeing that special for the 1st time: frustrated that nothing happens! It's just Linus waiting in vain for a Halloween Santa & Snoopy pretending to fight the Red Baron. How did this popularize Halloween specials?
"Ireland with Michael's Samhain: The Birth of Halloween" had Michael explore the Celtic festival that gave rise to Halloween, while also highlighting other spooky connections to the Emerald Isle. We even got to see the library Bram Stoker visited for inspiration for Dracula!
2025's "Good Boy" was a unique horror film shown from a dog's perspective. Ghost-sensitive Indy moves to the country with his sick owner, Todd. The entity that had destroyed Todd's gramps starts to haunt & control the man. As Todd's soul gets taken, he tells Indy to move on!
"In the Eye of the Storm" S4 had 14 eps, covering May Nightmare, Hurri Idalia, Michigan Monster, Hurri Harvey, Dakota EF5, Valencia Flood, St. Louis Tornado, Hurri Melissa, July 4th Flood, Ottawa Tornadoes, Father's Day Fury, 40-State Storm, 3 Rivers 4 Tornadoes, & EF-4 vs. Base.
Nat Geo's 8-part "Megastorm" series was impactful & just as good as "In the Eye of the Storm." It covered Hurri Harvey, Tennessee Tornado Outbreak, 2019 Australian Wildfires, Hurri Helene, Portuguese Wildfires, Alabama Tornado Outbreak, Valencia Floods, & Southern Twisters.
I'm mixed on the 7-part reboot "Restaurant Impossible: Last Call." Without Robert Irvine, RI is missing most of its soul, but since the always entertaining setup of saving restaurants is basically the same & Chef Aarón & Restaurateur Jen are likable hosts, I still enjoyed it.
"Expedition X" S12 came & went fast (only 5 eps?). Nothing truly memorable happened, but Jack Osbourne was a delight. Subjects covered: Robin Hood's Ghosts, Skinwalkers (a lot of instigation here), Ghosts of Guam, & a 250th special about Revolutionary War ghosts in Pennsylvania.
As someone who loves 30s & 40s horror, 2022's "Werewolf by Night" really pulled me in with its efforts to emulate the look & feel of those films! Monster hunters compete for the Bloodstone, but Jack (who is secretly a werewolf) is just there to rescue his swamp-monster pal, Ted!
1999's "Phantom Town" felt like a lost "Goosebumps" or "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" ep that was given feature length. Very atmospheric! Parents go missing in a ghost town controlled by an ancient creature. Their kids come to the rescue, but get trapped themselves. Permanently!
"Halloween Wars" S16 (2026) only brought back all-star teams, but this made the season predictable as it became just the battle of the "Lizzes," with less-seasoned contestants not having a chance to shine. S7 champs Team Ghoul'd are now the 1st team to win the show twice!
"Scariest House in America" S3 (2026) is the best season so far, as the houses on display were truly terrifying. Highlights include Joan, the bell-ringing doll, & the house that causes death whenever the owners try to move! A PA house is chosen for a reno in the finale yet again!