“Euphoria” season two is an ambitious return to the deeply flawed characters that we can’t help but love to watch. After a long absence, we are reminded of the series’ allure and the artistry that goes into crafting each episode. Season three may seem like a long time from now, but, like the characters, we can always dream of what it entails until then.

Season two’s first episode quickly gave us plenty to look forward to for several weeks. Elements such as Rue’s (Zendaya) relapse, Nate (Jacob Elordi) and Cassie’s (Sydney Sweeney) faulty entanglement and Cal’s (Eric Dane) self-realization drove us to speculation every week. “The Theater and It’s Double'' gives us our best look at Lexi yet. If Nate & Cassie’s relationship is the MVP subplot of the season, then Lexi’s (Maude Apatow) play is like a stealth plane that surprises us and elicits so many emotions within the hour. While this episode does not have much plot progression until the end, it offers a lot to analyze as the characters see themselves through Lexi’s play.

This play was brought to life with modern costumes that relate heavily to each character’s personality and a simple set that depicts trees and vines in a way that makes them appear to be right out of a nightmare. The plot is hard to follow, and the dialogue is beyond comprehension, unless Shakespeare's language comes easily to you. This show ponders what it is like to be taken by fear itself. It is a commentary on the connections that are built between characters who have nothing in common other than their proximity to one another while stranded on an island, or perhaps they are just under the mystical island's control.

Rauniyar’s career in film is built on a life-long pursuit. Through first visits to the theatre in his teenage years, he became interested in film as a means of expression. “I grew up in a society that was very racist,” said Rauniyar. “At the time, Nepal was run by a lighter skinned group. At my school, I was alone; I didn’t speak the local language; my classmates and teachers would bully me. I found that even in local films, lighter skinned actors would wear blackface to portray us on screen. No one like me was making these films. I wanted to change that.”

Last week’s tumultuous episode is easily the show’s most chaotic chapter yet as we saw Rue’s (Zendaya) self-destructive antics come to a head before she returned home. This week, we retreat to a slightly more stable episode as we shift focus back to the other main characters in “A Thousand Little Trees of Blood.” Though this aftermath is one of the quieter and less eventful episodes of the season, it does not mean the characters get to relax now. As the season finale approaches, this episode is more akin to a calm before the inevitable storm.

Peacock’s newest original series “Bel Air” reboots “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” for the modern day. At a time where reboots are frequent and subjected to comparisons to predecessors, “Bel-Air” has a lot to live up to for “Fresh Prince” fans. Rather than being a straight recreation, or a sitcom like the original, “Bel-Air” is a grounded and dramatic reimagining that does away with the more comedic aspects. Given the original’s iconic status in pop culture, many may question if this reboot is necessary. The three-episode premiere makes the premise timely and adds more depth than before, but it also makes questionable decisions along the way.

UNCW plans to present a modern rendition of “The Tempest” which adheres to William Shakespeare’s original story with costumes reminiscent of modern fashion. The show will take place at the Mainstage Theatre in the Cultural Arts Building from Feb. 17 to Feb. 20 and from Feb. 24 to Feb. 27. The shows will be at 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sundays.

English indie rock band Alt-J returns with their latest album “The Dream,” releasing nearly five years after its last studio album. Despite having released only four studio albums over the course of ten years, Alt-J generates a distinctiveness in themselves that places them as one of the most deeply creative bands working today. Lyrically and vocally, most of their songs are layered with meanings that lean into meta-commentary and psychological elements. There are times when their songs require multiple listens to fully understand, especially the lyrics, but they nonetheless have a piercing impact on listeners. “The Dream” is a welcome return for the band that communicates raw emotion through its intimate lyrics and soothing sounds.

This episode is a seminal one in the season, maybe even the series, that takes us on a chaotic ride that strengthens the importance for Rue to get clean. It may be hard to love Rue at this point, but this installment emphasizes the importance of hope and care in bleak circumstances.

The opening of “Moonfall” seems to offer a movie that isn’t great, but something worth the watch before reality sets in midway through. It is at least entertaining in the sense that it is something to laugh at, but even this is not enough to move past the antsy boredom audiences are likely to feel by the end.

“Reacher,” Amazon Prime Video’s latest TV series is based on the long-running Jack Reacher novel series by British author Lee Child. “Reacher” is not the first live-action adaptation of the character, as Tom Cruise previously starred as him in the films “Jack Reacher” and “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.” While the films were thrilling adaptations of later novels, the eight-episode season is based on the first Reacher story “Killing Floor.” The films were entertaining in their own right, but season one of “Reacher” is a faithful adaptation that acts as a strong entry point into the Jack Reacher franchise and a tightly-knit crime thriller.

The Seahawk book club is back with our February book of the month! Our selection for this month is “The Christie Affair” by UNCW professor of creative writing Nina de Gramont. A graduate of the Master of Fine Arts at UNCW in 2006, de Gramont’s latest novel follows a fictionalized account of the life, marriage and mystery surrounding prominent novelist Agatha Christie. The novel centers around Christie’s eleven-day disappearance in 1926, told through the lens of her husband’s mistress Nan O’Dea.