Over the past twelve months, the State’s been super busy, and a lot of episodes of various stories have been released here. They’re all important in telling the story, of course, but some just stand out as episodes that really enhance the story. And this is to look at those that stood out in the year of 2023.
For this one, it’s in no particular order, because I really don’t think I can do a ranking right now. I might just save that for later next year, when we hit the big 5! So yeah, here goes nothing…
YOU’RE GONNA LEARN TODAY (CLEMENTINE)
The Prologue gave us major insight into how Clementine became the way she is, and ‘Welcome To My Dungeon‘ was one spine-chilling end that will make you tremble to imagine what Akwesi went through. But this one stands out the most.
From the very start, we know this alluring babe called Clementine has something sinister about her. And from the moment Akwesi makes love to her, we’re on the edge, knowing something’s going to happen soon enough. When she sees Akwesi simply picking up a pencil for his female coworker and teasing her and she throws a fit, we know trouble’s coming.
This episode starts on a mind-bending note, as Akwesi gets home to see what’s happened to his house. In case you were expecting she tore everything down, you’re wrong. She actually rearranged the entire house in such a complicated and insane manner, you just can’t wrap your brain around it. If you wondered if she’s a psychopath, that is your confirmation. Only a twisted woman would go to that length just to teach her boyfriend a lesson.
That alone is enough confirmation, but she twists the knife in further with her pretentious behaviour before she lays down the real law as far as ‘giving her all of you’ is concerned. The boy might as well never smile to anybody ever again.
And at the end, she corners him in the men’s bathroom of a restaurant and seduces him so bad, he falls.
That’s when you know poor Akwesi is caught in a psychopath’s web for real.
TOTAL ENJOYMENT (MEET THE DOLPHYNES: WEDDING BELLS)
The title says it all. This spinoff of the legendary MTD series, all about Edem and Diamond’s wedding, culminates in an absolutely amazing reception that would be impossible to forget.
Everything just comes together. The surprise mother-daughter dance that Larissa and Diamond pull off once the couple enters, the boys and Clayton spraying money on the couple, the wedding game played, Daniel’s wise words to Edem… that is an episode you simply cannot forget in a hurry.
Sure, ‘Family Blessings‘ was a beautiful reminder of the bond this family shares, and ‘A Colourful Event‘ and ‘Here Comes The Bride‘, the traditional and white wedding episodes respectively, all had unforgettable elements we can’t forget in a hurry. But there’s honestly no other episode that carried good vibes like this one. This is one unrivalled episode.
TRUTH TIME (THE COCOON NEVER FORGETS)
Plot twists are not hard to come by in the State of Dabar, but very few pack a punch as incredible as the twist at the end of this series.
It’s well understood that Mina (or in this case, Connie) is out for blood. She’s already slayed one of her parents’ killers, and after discovering the syndicate that ordered the hit, is ready to deal with them. An observation of their meeting is in order before action is taken.
The heads of this syndicate are known as Hermes and Athena, and like the others, they are masked. They eventually do take them off, and boy, what a shock Connie gets.
And so do we.
Hermes and Athena are Kennard and Lily! Meaning that they were never dead, and are heads of the same syndicate that apparently had them taken out!
If there was ever an example of a twist turning a story on its head, it’s this one. This will have your jaw on the floor, wondering what in the world comes next in light of this discovery.
HE’S HOME! (FAR FROM HOME)
A beautiful finale for a story that reminds us how the Father does not cast out anyone that returns to Him with a broken and contrite spirit.
Throughout the story, we see Leonard waste his life on absolute foolishness, thinking life is all about enjoying yourself and indulging every pleasure your body wants. He learned the hard way after losing all his money and ending up in a pig farm. A very expensive lesson he had to learn.
His father, however, is overjoyed to see him return to where he belongs. And while it’s very easy to side with Lennart, old wise Johannes points out an important truth to him: Leonard is his son. Yes, he was very foolish, and his foolishness rightfully cost him all he had, but did it change the fact that Leonard is Johannes’ son? It doesn’t. And once the boy had come home with a truly remorseful heart, Johannes couldn’t throw him out. This was a sparkling reflection of Elohim Himself, exactly what the Original Storyteller sought to convey when He first told it. As far as finales in the State go, this definitely is up there with the best of them.
COMPROMISE (CORAM)
Definitely the standout episode in Coram’s first season, this counselling session was one of the most frustrating you’ll ever read about.
At this point, it’s clear that Naphtali and Natalie are having serious clashes with respect to how they want the wedding to go. Hopefully a visit to the counsellor should help straighten things out, right?
Nope, not at all.
The only high point of this episode was the fact that the counsellor in question was none other than the State’s favourite husband and father, Mr. Daniel Dolphyne. That aside, it’s one frustrating journey as the couple go back and forth, with Natalie in particular proving incredibly difficult. She rigidly holds fast to her opinions, raises some shocking ideas (depending on gifts from people to recoup your money is an awfully brain-dead idea) and ultimately walks out when she feels both men are against her. Once it’s over, you can only sigh and shake your head and, for some people, pray that Naphtali calls it off.
It’s so frustrating, it’s great.
THE LABYRINTH (WHAT’S YOUR PRICE?)
It’s safe to say that this episode will be finding its way into the top echelons of the greatest episodes ever published on the State.
From the beginning, David makes it abundantly clear that he will not be taking any money from Roger to compromise his assignment from God. Taking a stand, of course, means the devil’s gonna move to you, and he does. From car troubles to thinking about how his sweet Sika deserves so much more, he’s slowly lulled into the idea of taking the money. And you’re mad as heck at how this man of God is selling himself so short.
Until he falls asleep.
You will not find another nightmare episode on the State that is as vivid and as scary as this. It is a proper dose of horror in a Christian story that is very much needed, as the nightmare reminds him of one thing: that money is tainted and will destroy him. That dream was a mercy of God, no doubt.
The following episode, ‘Contentment‘, is another memorable one that highlights the respect and love David and his wife share. However, without ‘The Labyrinth’, that wouldn’t have happened. Sika would have been disgusted with the man she calls her husband, and it would all go downhill for him.
MAKING AMENDS & PROMISES (A PLAYA & SOME SHATTAS)
It was a tight choice for this story. ‘I Respect Myself‘ is gold for the way Vivica decimated Damien and let him know she has standards she’s not compromising on. However, I had to pick this one because of its extremely satisfying conclusion to Damien’s plight.
After suffering a brutal beatdown at the hands of Nico Blaze and being ordered to see Lily’s family to explain and apologize, Damien does so with his mother and uncle, who are not the least bit amused by his behaviour. They set off to Donkorkrom to officially meet Lily’s parents, where it is agreed that the young ones will get married.
All this is against Damien’s will, of course. He absolutely hates the fact that he has to marry a girl he considered entertainment to while away the time. But it gets worse for him when Lily lets him know straight up that for using her and taking a video of them in the act, she’s milking this marriage for all its worth. So, he better satisfy her every whim or risk getting whipped by Nico’s boys.
Is this vindictive of Lily? Yes, it is. Is this a bad marriage in the making? Of course. Do I feel any sympathy for Damien? Absolutely not. He certainly had no sympathy for Lily when he left her hanging after using her body for mere entertainment. It totally serves him right, and he better make the most of it.
After all, I don’t think Nico Blaze is considering any pleas for mercy the next time he decides to give the guy a ‘Rawlings haircut’. And I don’t think he’s shaving off just hair, either.
FIFA, DISNEY & BONDS (CUES CORNER)
The first season of Cues Corner honestly has a range of great episodes to choose from. From discovering Becky’s troubled past in ‘I Can’t Be Held Down‘ to her utter decimation of her unrepentant father in ‘So We Meet Again‘, there’s so much to choose from. Heck, even the intro ‘Togetherness‘ can be considered.
If there’s any episode that shows the squad in their element, though, it’s this episode. When they and Olivia show up at Clarence’s apartment to celebrate his birthday, it’s a timeless display of the friendship they have. From teasing Becky when she arrives and shutting her up about her annoying Margot Robbie claims (girl, if you got a nice ass, be proud of it!) to the Aforo couple clowning Didayy over his reaction to his girlfriend’s eyes, it’s all on display.
All that being said, you can’t dispute how Olivia adds so much to the episode. We’re told from the beginning that the girl is a bonafide clown, and boy, does she prove it here! Her claim to being a FIFA boss is dashed in spectacular fashion, her excuses are mad hilarious (Nottingham Forest having more Champions League trophies than PSG doesn’t mean they’re currently better, young lady!), and she proves to be a full-on Disney fan.
That’s another awesome part of the story, by the way. I dunno how Bruce came up with those questions, but they were hilarious to read. Olivia might suck badly at FIFA, but she’s definitely a master of Disney trivia. Only Disney addicts will remember how to sing ‘Supercalifragisticexpialidocious’ from start to end and remember how to sing it backwards!
Of all the excitement we witness in this first season, this is a major highlight. And a major reminder of the bond that these six millennials share.
THE DUEL (LORD DRECK)
Ashrei Day was an excellent episode giving us an overview of the day of celebration in Mandeland, it must be said. But considering the eventual direction of the story, I had to consider the penultimate episode. Yes, ‘Making You Proud‘ is a revelation of Dreck’s background (which, to be honest, makes him even more hateful), but ‘The Duel’ is the peak of this story. It is where good and evil clash.
Even if the good was represented by the bad in this instance.
The sword fight between Dreck and Soayi is fierce and frightening. And it’s not just steel that clashes, words clash as well. Soayi exposes Dreck for the actual dumb puppet he is: just a carrier of vengeance towards a village that actually did the right thing in banishing a vile boy and his family for obstructing justice. Considering Soayi knew this all along, you wonder why he went along with the ride in the first place. That’s beside the point for now, though.
The young men, Billa and Diyaka, have to witness this in full view, and it must have been one harrowing experience. Imagine their excitement when it looked like Soayi would end Dreck, only for Dreck to switch it up and kill him instead.
Thank goodness Billa took the risk and grabbed that sword. At the end of the day, the real victims who deserved to take Dreck down were those two. Considering his rule rendered them orphans, it was only right that Billa be the one to hack the crap out of that evil man.
A very satisfying end to that episode.
EP 6 (DELIRANT REGES)
Once you know the story of the Red Sea parting, you know how this ends.
Does it make Tabia’s ending lamentation any less sorrowful? Nope. It is still super heartbreaking. Tabia didn’t deserve all the affliction she went through, but alas, as an Egyptian, she could not be spared.
Her monologue of despair and anger is unlike any other. She’s understandably angry with the leader who is the cause of all this. The fact that Pharaoh saw fit to go toe to toe with a God far bigger and greater than him seriously baffled her, even to the extent that he decided to go back to capture them. But she’s hurt, and it’s not hard to see why. Any person who’s lost most of their property, and a child and their spouse, cannot be deemed okay. They most certainly are not.
As far as finales go, this definitely is one of the saddest. After following her throughout the story, witnessing her agony at losing so many loved ones and questioning why Pharaoh chose to keep the Hebrews, it was inevitable that this final heartbreak would come, and it really crushed her hard.
How about some honourable mentions to acknowledge?
ABSOLUTE DISRESPECT (SCORNED)
Most married men who cheat will keep their extracurricular activities hidden from their wives. Not Ferdinand, though. He let Princess in on how he makes Kirania’s cheeks clap in the most insulting manner. Definitely a jaw-dropping episode that made us wish death upon the bastard and his stupid side piece.
I CAN’T DO THIS ANYMORE (14 DAYS)
Richie did what he finally had to do, and it was such a relief to see him refuse to cave in to Marilyn’s emotional manipulation attempts, letting her know it’s only sweet Ellie. Good on him!
PRISON LIFE SUCKS (SAVING MY LIFE)
Pastor Esdras couldn’t have been more visceral in his description of his current state. Picturing what he went through in that prison cell will have you crawling up in a fetal position on the floor and cringing with discomfort. It’s that bad.
So, those are my personal choices. Here’s to more thrilling episodes in 2024! Soon, the definitive ranking will come…