As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
Psalm 103:13 (NIV)
Into the Fire
Passionate thoughts about the world of writing and the Power of God
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Another super song which is more than a “country song.” At its heart, it’s a love song.
Riley Green did it perfectly in his guest appearance on Marshals.
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Justin Hartley has created a character (Colter Shaw) who tracks missing people for a fee. He’s not bound by certain restrictive parameters, but when it’s optimal for his search and/or avoiding potential legal interference, he includes sharing information with law enforcement, hoping they’ll reciprocate. Most of his cases would be considered “cold cases” if the police were directly involved.
Those who help him in various ways and will sometimes find him a new client are a sharp attorney (“Reenie”) and “Randy” who also assists Reenie. Randy is a computer genius who can find information of every kind fast. Their characters have been expanded in year three and Season Four is expected to maximize them further.
Hartley plays Colter as the understated but sympathetic, tough and not to be fooled with investigator who’s earned his exceptional reputation. Unafraid to take on difficult or dangerous searches but quick to discern his clientele’s expectations, he’ll do whatever’s necessary to attain the information he needs to find someone.
There’s a hidden tension in Colter’s family history, the death of his father, a silent conflict with his mother, some estrangement with his sister, a past feud with his brother. Most of this is resolved in this year’s season finale.
Hartley has clearly and completely carried Tracker making it entertaining, intriguing, and causing the interactions between the other characters to be meaningful and memorable. Filling it with good actors and unique stories is a sure way to make a series continue.
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“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the wind blew against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Matthew 7:21-27 (NIV)
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Stretching myself featuring two Country Music songs, but this one and last week’s by Luke Grimes are exceptional.
Father, you know Luke inside and out. You’ve blessed him in his grief, in his journey, with so many talents. May he remember who’s at the source of his life. Please, continue to bless him in ways he’s never expected and to always know what we all must learn: Apart from you, we can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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This series is one of my favorites because, again, of great casting. Kaitlin Olson plays Morgan Gillory, this brilliant, quirky, empath, with an occasional quick trigger on her anger, and the single mother of three children, the oldest a teen girl whose father has been missing since she was a baby. Her wardrobe and makeup (which she pulls off in spades) is as eccentric as her incredible abilities to “see things that others don’t.”
Accompanying “Morgan’s” unique character are true detectives, who often marvel at their consultant’s shocking insights into people and crimes, and who will only occasionally stretch their lawful limitations to accommodate Morgan’s observations and suggested actions.
The writing surpasses the expectations of the marketing description of this series which, granted, is a difficult one to capture. Each episode brings meaningful looks into the compelling characters involved in this series with each actor making them come alive to the viewer.
High Potential will return for a third season but not until 2027. That’s a long time to wait since it ended with a critical cliffhanger.
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“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
Psalm 91:14-16 (NIV)
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I’m no Country Music fan, never have been, but this? This is awesome with great lyrics. Luke Grimes.
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This series has replaced most of my past favorites. Perfect casting mixed with premium writing and fascinating storylines, few TV shows have offered these three criteria in their first season.
Having never watched an episode of Yellowstone, I came into this viewing “cold” with no previous history of Kayce Dutton or the Dutton clan. I think that gives me an ability to objectively evaluate the series without inferences from being a spin-off.
One of the specific impressive qualities of this series is the cast. Granted, Luke Grimes came into it with a familiar character he’d been creating, but for an “outsider” viewing this character for the first time, Luke’s portrayal is gut-wrenching, stoic, and exceptionally appealing at an emotional heartfelt level. Each member of this cast is developed slowly from the first episode, filling in blanks that those new to Kayce can figure out along the way with eventual flashbacks. With occasional awkward tensions and resentments working out with suitable reformations along the way, the viewer gets to engage in and watch a wonderful group of actors embracing roles they were made to play.
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“Now I am going to Him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when the He, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. . . . “
John 16:5-13 (NIV)
Into the Fire 