View From the Peak - Everything Coming to Paramount+ in February 2025

 

February is almost here, and it’s packed with new content, including the highly anticipated return of your favorite shows streaming on Paramount+. Don’t miss the season three premiere of the hit Emmy-nominated series Yellowjackets, as well as the second season of Taylor Sheridan’s original series and Yellowstone origin story 1923. Audiences will also be able to dive into refreshed and expertly curated collections, including the expanded Black Voices collection in celebration of Black History Month and the Peak Romance collection, featuring an assortment of romance-themed movies and seasonal episodes just in time for Valentine’s Day. For a closer look at all the entertainment coming to Paramount+ in February, check out the latest edition of View from the Peak.

BEHIND THE STREAMS

Tawny Cypress, Lauren Ambrose, Warren Kole and Melanie Lynskey in Yellowjackets, season 3   Buzz buzz buzz – following a jaw-dropping conclusion to season two, members of the Yellowjackets past and present are left to pick up the pieces in season three of the critically acclaimed series. In the 90s, summer arrives and the team celebrates surviving a harsh winter while the present-day characters reel from the death of Natalie. “We pick up not long after the events of season two,” said series star Melanie Lynskey, who plays present-day Shauna. “The dynamic is tricky. Everybody’s suspicious of each other. People are coming together for Natalie, but also, it’s starting to fracture a little bit.” For the Yellowjackets in the 90s, the feeling is mutual; the team has fashioned somewhat of a society in the wilderness, but their reprieve from a desperate winter is short-lived as tensions run high among the remaining survivors. “There's actually more cracks than we think,” said Sophie Nélisse, who plays 90s Shauna. “The group is starting to separate in little ways. Everyone has their opinion of where they stand, but no one’s really talking about it out loud.” As the season progresses, the stakes get higher and even more secrets come to light, the past and present Yellowjackets’ sense of morality will become blurrier than ever before. Catch up on seasons 1 and 2, available to stream now with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan. Your hunger will be satiated when Yellowjackets returns for another serving on February 14.

WATCH THE TRAILER

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Aminah Nieves in 1923   The war over the Dutton family ranch continues when the second season of Academy Award nominee Taylor Sheridan’s original drama series 1923 returns next month, exclusively on Paramount+. The record-breaking series stars Academy Award winner Helen Mirren and Academy Award nominee Harrison Ford. In the second season of 1923, a cruel winter brings new challenges and unfinished business to Jacob (Ford) and Cara (Mirren) back at Dutton ranch. With harsh conditions and adversaries threatening to end the Dutton legacy, Spencer (played by Brandon Sklenar) embarks on an arduous journey home, racing against time to save his family in Montana. Meanwhile, Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer) sets off on her own harrowing trans-Atlantic journey to find Spencer and reclaim their love. We spoke with Aminah Nieves, who plays Teonna Rainwater, about what lies ahead in season 2 as her character continues her harrowing journey and fight for survival in early 20th-century America. Teonna’s journey after escaping the boarding school is filled with more danger and obstacles at every turn as she sets out on the road with her father (played by Michael Spears). Set the stage for where we find them in season 2? We find Teonna and her family traversing an area they don’t know well, dried drought-like grandmother earth sitting in their body becoming intertwined with this new territory. It's rough, cold, hot, not forgiving. Food is sparse, no matter how good of a hunter one is- because they know they are ultimately the hunt. No matter the fear, rekindling old stories and breaths of fresh air of finally being together again is apparent. An opportunity to love again doesn’t go amiss when you never know if it’ll be the last time you look into someone's eyes and tell them you love them. Her story is one of survival and resilience as she continues to fight for her freedom and identity. Can you tell us more about the process you went through to build this incredible character?  Teonna wasn’t someone that I had to really create from the ground up like many other characters. She is someone who I have been looking at in the eyes every day since I was born. Teonna’s story isn’t made up, it is the truth hidden under the American flag and viewers are only getting a glimpse of what really happened. It was an extremely brutal process, but also brought some healing. I wanted to make sure I was honoring everyone affected by these Assimilation Schools, from Mexico to the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. I hope we did that. What are you looking forward to audiences seeing in this new season (without giving any spoilers)? Oh jeezeeee, I mean everything. I think there's one new character in particular I am really excited for everyone to witness. They bring something so unexpected and bright to the show. I am also excited for people to see a new side to Teonna and her family. I think this version of her will shock the viewers. The visuals in this show are incredible, and the cast is one of a kind. I think no matter what, everyone will be in for a treat. Don’t miss the epic return of the Yellowstone origin story 1923 on February 23.

WATCH THE TRAILER

MOUNTAIN OF MOVIES

Are you not entertained? Gladiator II, the eponymous, action-packed sequel to its Best Picture-winning predecessor directed by legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott, has officially arrived on Paramount+. The sequel continues the epic saga of power, intrigue and vengeance set in Ancient Rome. Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people. Packed with powerhouse performances by additional all-star castmembers Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger, Gladiator II has earned over $455 million at the global box office and widespread acclaim by moviegoers and film aficionados alike. The original Gladiator film is also currently available to stream on Paramount+ alongside a robust collection of critically acclaimed movies and series. Over the course of the 28 days following the sequel’s theatrical release in November, Gladiator saw a massive 96% lift in viewership on Paramount+. Return the glory of Rome to its people by streaming Gladiator II, available now on Paramount+.

STREAM GLADIATOR II

DID YOU KNOW?

On Paramount+, we’ve curated our Black Voices collection, a streaming collection that highlights the stories and boundless contributions of Black trailblazers in the arts, culture, history and beyond. In honor of Black History Month, new titles have joined this year’s collection including A Quiet Place: Day One, The Color Purple, Ghost, The Pursuit of Happyness and more. Subscribers can also check out powerful films such as Selma, Fences, Flight, The Soloist and The Inspection*; classic films like Dreamgirls, Beverly Hills Cop (1-3) and Shaft (2000); and critically acclaimed originals such as Lawmen: Bass Reeves, The Chi*, the documentary Becoming King and much more. The collection is available for both Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Paramount+ Essential subscribers.  With Valentine's (and Galentine’s) Day on the horizon, we’ve got nothing but love and laughs in February’s Peak Romance collection. New swoon-worthy movies this February include classic rom-coms, heart-wrenching love stories and zany romances like My Best Friend's Wedding, When Harry Met Sally, The Mask and Brokeback Mountain. These join fan favorites like Chocolat, Fatal Attraction, Footloose (2011), How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days, Like Crazy, No Strings Attached, Pretty in Pink, Serendipity, She's the Man, Titanic and more! Paramount earned a number of 2025 Producers Guild Award nominations including for Paramount+ Original Documentary We Will Dance Again for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Picture Award. Additional nominees in other categories include The Daily Show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, RuPaul's Drag Race, SpongeBob SquarePants and Paramount Pictures' September 5.  CBS Sports: Four of England’s biggest clubs face off for a spot in the EFL Carabao Cup Final when Newcastle United hosts Arsenal on February 5 (3:00 PM ET) and Liverpool takes on Tottenham Hotspur on February 6 (3:00 PM ET). CBS Sports coverage of both decisive semifinal matches will stream live exclusively on Paramount+.

STREAMING SOON

Milo Manheim, Peyton List and Nick Pugliese in School Spirits   Don’t miss the season two premiere of the hit original YA drama series School Spirits streaming exclusively on Paramount+. The highly anticipated new season will debut on January 30, with three episodes streaming in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. Following the premiere, new episodes of the 8-episode season will be available to stream weekly on Thursdays. Subscribers can catch up or revisit all the suspense of season one on Paramount+ now.  Over on CBS, get ready for the winter premieres of some of your favorite CBS originals in February! Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers can tune in live for new original episodes of hit CBS dramas Tracker (season 2) and The Equalizer (season 5) on February 16; and the season 48 premiere of Survivor on February 26, while Paramount+ Essential subscribers can stream the next day. And don’t miss the 67th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 2, airing on CBS and streaming live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs.

ORIGINALS, EXCLUSIVES, PREMIERES & EVENTS 2/1 Ride* Desperate to raise money for his daughter's cancer treatment, a retired bull rider teams up with his estranged son and resorts to robbery to secure payment before time runs out.  2/2 The 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards hosted by Trevor Noah** Celebrate Music's Biggest Night, The Grammys, which will honor music's biggest stars, upcoming artists, and feature show-stopping live performances. 2/4 Burden of Guilt premiere Based on the podcast of the same name, this shocking three-part documentary follows Tracyraquel Berns' emotional journey to unravel the convoluted excuses that were given about her baby brother's sudden death when she was just two years old.   2/6 Death Without Mercy premiere* From Syrian director Waad Al-Kateab, the documentary follows two Syrian families over ten days in the aftermath of the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the Turkish-Syrian border in 2023. 2/12 Eric Clapton Unplugged…Over 30 Years Later special premiere Considered one of the most iconic installments of the MTV Unplugged series, 18x Grammy Award-winner Eric Clapton originally recorded his unforgettable hour-long performance of Eric Clapton Unplugged in 1992 at Bray Studios in Windsor, England. In this all-new extended, remixed and remastered edition, this 90-minute special will feature exclusive content of Clapton discussing the inspiration behind specific songs and performances with the crew just before he took the stage, seamlessly integrated with the performance footage. 2/14 Yellowjackets season 3 premiere* The Emmy-nominated series is the saga of a team of wildly talented high school girls soccer players who become the (un)lucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness. The series chronicles their descent from a complicated but thriving team to savage clans, while also tracking the lives they’ve attempted to piece back together nearly 25 years later, proving that the past is never really past and what began out in the wilderness is far from over. 2/17 On TV: A Black History Month Special** The one-hour news special is hosted by Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner, the first Black co-hosting team for Entertainment Tonight. The duo guides viewers through a celebration of Black excellence in television to shine a spotlight on Black actors who are forging a path in daytime and primetime television. CBS stars share their personal stories and reflections on their time in the entertainment industry. 2/23 1923 season 2 premiere A cruel winter brings new challenges and unfinished business to Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara (Helen Mirren) back at Dutton ranch. With harsh conditions and adversaries threatening to end the Dutton legacy, Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) embarks on an arduous journey home, racing against time to save his family in Montana. LIBRARY SHOWS February 2 67th Annual Grammy Awards** February 5 Bar Rescue (season 9) The Patrick Star Show (season 2) Super Bowl Greatest Commercials: F.O.A.T special** February 7 NCIS: Sydney (season 2 premiere)**  February 12 PAW Patrol: Big Truck Pups CMT Crossroads (seasons 1-3,5,10-16,18-20) How Did They Fix That? (season 3) MTV Unplugged (seasons 1-8, 10-13) VH1 Storytellers (seasons 1-9, 11-13,15,16) February 16 The Equalizer (season 5 winter premiere)** Tracker (season 2 winter premiere)** February 17 On TV: A Black History Month Special** February 24 Beyond the Gates (season 1) February 26 Survivor (season 48)** The Loud House (season 7) LIBRARY MOVIES Paramount+ has added an epic lineup of high-adrenaline hits this month, including Geostorm, Attack the Block, and Southpaw,* which will join other action-fare like the Jack Reacher films, Minority Report, Shooter, the full Star Trek film franchise and more. For those looking for critically-acclaimed dramas ahead of award season, be sure to catch new additions like Suffragette, Brokeback Mountain, The Color Purple and The Pursuit of Happyness. These titles join a plethora of Academy Award winning films available on the service, including Braveheart, Chinatown, Forrest Gump, Interstellar, Jerry Maguire, Rosemary's Baby, Saving Private Ryan, The Godfather, The Big Short, and so much more. February 1 A Mighty Heart A Walk on the Moon Adore Along Came A Spider American Gigolo Attack the Block Babel Bebe's Kids Birthday Girl Boys And Girls Brokeback Mountain Chocolate City Cinema Paradiso Come Away Critical Condition Dangerous Beauty Doubt Ferris Bueller's Day Off Geostorm Hooking Up I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell* In & Out Into The Wild Jersey Girl Juice Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. Like Water for Chocolate Losing Isaiah Mansfield Park Marvin's Room Men, Women & Children Menace II Society Muriel's Wedding My Best Friend's Wedding My Boss's Daughter O (Othello) Old School Pretty In Pink Road to Perdition Roman Holiday Saturday Night Fever Serendipity Shakespeare in Love Shall We Dance? Shooter Suffragette Terms of Endearment The Babysitter The Boy in the Striped Pajamas The Color Purple The Evening Star The Firm The Hunt for Red October The Love Guru The Love Letter The Mask The Pursuit of Happyness The Smurfs The Smurfs 2 The Stepford Wives The To Do List The Wood Transformers Vampire in Brooklyn What Lies Beneath What Women Want When Harry Met Sally Win A Date With Tad Hamilton! World War Z Wuthering Heights (2003) February 3 Bull* The Nanny Diaries* February 12 Fanboys* February 17 Halloween* Deadlock February 24 Southpaw* February 27 The Aviary* February 28 Crossing Over* SPORTS 2/1: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Arizona @ Arizona State* 2/1-2/2: PGA TOUR – AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Third and Final Round Coverage)* 2/2: Professional Bull Riders (PBR)* 2/2: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Ohio State @ Illinois* 2/2: Serie A – AC Milan vs. Inter Milan; Roma vs. Napoli 2/3: AFC Champions League Elite – Al Nassr vs. Al Wasl 2/4: Coppa Italia Quarterfinal – Atalanta vs. Bologna 2/5: Coppa Italia Quarterfinal – AC Milan vs. Roma 2/5: Carabao Cup Semifinal – Newcastle United vs. Arsenal 2/6: Carabao Cup Semifinal – Liverpool vs. Tottenham 2/8: NFL Films Super Bowl LIX Countdown Show* 2/8: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Michigan @ Indiana* 2/8: EFL Championship – Coventry City vs. Leeds United; Sunderland vs. Watford 2/8: EFL League One – Wrexham vs. Leyton Orient 2/8-2/9: PGA TOUR – WM Phoenix Open (Third and Final Round Coverage)* 2/9: Professional Bull Riders (PBR)* 2/11-2/12: UEFA Champions League – Knockout Phase Play-offs Leg 1 2/13: UEFA Europa League – Knockout Phase Play-offs Leg 1 2/13: UEFA Conference League – Knockout Phase Play-offs Leg 1 2/15: NCAA March Madness Men’s Bracket Preview* 2/15: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Wisconsin @ Purdue* 2/15-2/16: PGA TOUR – The Genesis Invitational (Third and Final Round Coverage)* 2/16: Serie A – Juventus vs. Inter; Lazio vs. Napoli 2/17: EFL Championship – Leeds United vs. Sunderland 2/18-2/19: UEFA Champions League – Knockout Phase Play-offs Leg 2 2/20: UEFA Europa League – Knockout Phase Play-offs Leg 2 2/20: UEFA Conference League – Knockout Phase Play-offs Leg 2 2/22: Pro Volleyball Federation All-Star Match* 2/22: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Oklahoma State @ Kansas* 2/23: Professional Bull Riders (PBR)* 2/23: NCAA Men’s Basketball – Purdue @ Indiana; Ohio State @ UCLA* 2/23: EFL League One – Mansfield Town vs. Wrexham 2/24: EFL Championship – Sheffield United vs. Leeds United Throughout February: Scottish Professional Football League competition Throughout February: English Football League competition Throughout February: Serie A competition Throughout February: AFC Champions League Elite competition * Title is available to Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers. **All Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers can live stream CBS titles via the live feed on Paramount+. Those titles will be available on-demand to all subscribers the day after they air live. Dates for library titles are subject to change. Paramount+ Premium subscribers will have access to CBS titles to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service as well as on-demand. Essential tier subscribers have access to these titles on-demand the day after they air.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: January 19, 2025

 

Mayfair Witches:  Wait, does Rowen really have a pull light switch right next to the switch in her basement?  Seems kind of redundant.  But just as I predicted, the evil spirit has grown to his adult self by the second episode.  But what I could not predict was that he would go on and fork someone to death.  Maybe when the tarot cards are telling you someone bad is coming, maybe do not bring a stranger back to your house.  And wasn’t that Rowen’s cousin?  Is that not incest if he sort of her kid?  I am beginning to think it is not best to put much thought into this show.

 

Skeleton Crew:  Enjoyable finale and show as a whole, but something felt off about Jude Law the whole time.  It felt like he was going to be on a redemption arc, but that went out the window when he straight up murdered the cheap werewolf mask guy.  Then he went on a weird tangent to talk to the computer when he had plenty of credits he could have bailed a long time ago.

 

Harley Quinn:  So we are in Metropolis this season.  Cool.  Hopefully they find a way to work in King Shark.

 

The Head:   Wait, so everyone is dead now except the two chicks from last season?  How did the care blow up?  Though, considering two bodies were burned beyond recognition makes me wonder if one or both are not the people we think they are.  Granted, where do you get a charred body in the middle of the desert that quickly?

 

But kind of an annoying fake-out with the boyfriend being the one in the prison just for him to rebuke punishing Maggie.  Now we have to wait to see if that guy survive and is doing his payback.  Though, if not him, then who did all this.  Granted, it would be hilarious if they just assumed this was part of some evil plan that just turned out to be a comedy of errors, well aside from the sabotage we already know about.

Around the Tubes: January 18, 2025

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on Paradise, A Thousand Blows, and Erin Gibney.

- Hulu has debuted the second trailer for Dan Fogelman's upcoming drama series "Paradise," starring Sterling K. Brown, James Marsden, and Julianne Nicholson.  The series premieres Tuesday January 28 with three episodes at launch, then streams weekly.

- From “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight, “A Thousand Blows” is set in the perilous world of illegal boxing in 1880s Victorian London and based on little explored real-life characters with incredible stories.  The six-episode first season will premiere on Friday, February 21, 2025 on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.  Inspired by the true life stories of a group of characters battling for survival in the brutal East End of London in the 1880s. Hezekiah Moscow and Alec Munroe, best friends on the run from Jamaica, find themselves thrust into the criminal underbelly of London’s thriving bare-knuckle boxing scene. As Hezekiah finds fortune and fame through the art of pugilism, he attracts the attention of the infamous Queen of the Forty Elephants, Mary Carr, who sets about exploiting his talents to further her criminal enterprise. Meanwhile the menacing and self-declared emperor of the East End boxing world, Sugar Goodson, determines to destroy Hezekiah whose ambitions to fight in the West End threatens everything he has built. What ensues is a battle of the old world against the new.

- Country-pop singer-songwriter Erin Gibney just released her new single, "not something i've told my friends," on January 10, 2025, via Rock Ridge Music.  Says Gibney about the song: "'not something i've told my friends" is a song I wrote after I started speaking to my ex again. When we began talking, I remember feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt. I knew it was wrong, I knew I would get hurt, and I knew for sure that my friends would disapprove. My friends had seen me work through all my emotions of the breakup and had been by my side through all of it. They helped me heal, and, by talking to my ex again, I felt like I was not only letting myself down, but letting them down as well. I wrote 'not something i've told my friends' as a way to work through those feelings and remind myself why I stopped talking to my ex in the first place." 

The Ten Most Anticipated Events of 2025

10.  Gross Point Gardening Society (February 23):  The trailer makes this look like a reboot of Desperate Housewives but with AnnaSophia Robb and Amy Santiago.  To which I say, sign me up.  Though, I do wonder if you are doing a Desperate Housewives rip-off, why is it on NBC and not, say, Peacock where you do not have to worry about network restrictions?

 

9.  A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (TBD):  It might be a while before we get another season of Hot D so it seems wise to put on another Game of Thrones spin-off in the middle of the hiatus.  Hopefully this one is better than the first one.

 

8.  Spaceballs 2: Back for More Cash (TBD):  a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, we were promised a Spaceballs sequel.  Now that we got part two of History of the World, not it is time for that long awaited other Mel Brooks promised sequel

 

7.  Apple Cider Vinegar (TBD):  Big year for Kaitlin Deaver, she is going to be in the new season of The Last of Us (albeit playing what I hear is a very divisive character), but I am more interesting in her other, non-IP show coming this year about a health guru who fakes her cancer diagnosis.

 

6.  The Running Man (November 21):  The last time Edgar Wright adapted something, we got cult classic, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.  It will be interesting what he does with the book that was already adapted into an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie.

 

5.  Daredevil: Born Again (March 4):  Last year was a down year for comic book adaptations.  But they are back in full force this year.  Marvel is releasing three films and six television shows.  DC is starting its James Gunn era in earnest with one movie and at least one show.  But the one show I am most excited for is the reboot of the Daredevil show.  Okay, the reshoots and complete overhaul makes me a little skeptical, but hopefully it will end up being as good as the Netflix show.

 

4.  Andor season 2 (April 22):  The first season was one of the best thing Star Wars has ever produced, and apparently has the price tag to prove it.  Thankfully that got it filmed before Disney started tightening the purse strings

 

3.  Wake Up Dead Man: a Knives Out Mystery (TBD):  a new cast of big names are set to annoy Daniel Craig, hopefully this is good as the first two.

 

2.  Predator: Badlands (November 7):  Not much is known about the lasted movie in the franchise.  The title gives you an idea of where it will be set, through it is unclear when.  Prey showed playing with history is an interesting wrinkle for the franchise.  Oh, and the predator is going to match wits with Catherine the Great herself, Elle Fanning.  Huzzah!

 

1.  Happy Gilmore 2 (TBD):  C’mon, was there any doubt as what would be number 1?

The Ten Best Movies I Saw in 2024

 

1.  The Fall Guy

2.  Oppenheimer

3.  Alien: Romulus

4.  Renfield

5.  Abigail

6.  Totally Killer

7.  Turtles All the Way Down

8.  Bullet Train

9.  Cocaine Bear

10.  Mean Girls

57 Channels and Only This Is On: January 12, 2024

 

Mayfair Witches:  Wait, Rowen was pregnant and gave birth to the evil dude from season one that is now aging so quickly, they will probably be able to bring back the actor by next episode?  This is why you do not wait two years in-between seasons.  I do not remember any of this crap.  But if they are going to rip off the What We Do in the Shadows’ storyline, they should have put that actor’s head on a baby’s body.  That would have been much more entertaining.

 

Skeleton Crew:   I have been saying that Jude Law will turn on the kids only to save them in the last minute because it seemed clearly he was on a redemption arc, but it is hard to redeem him when he straight up murdered extremely cheap looking werewolf mask guy.

 

The Challenge: Battle of the Eras:  Poor Michele, all she had to do was be more likable than Tori and she wins.  How exactly did Tori have a higher karma vote than Michele?  Was it simply the vacation alliance?

 

Shifting Gears:  If you told me there was a show starring Kat Dennings, Stifler, and the dude from Ed, I would get excited for it.  Unfortunately that show is top-lined by Tim Allen.  Sigh.

 

The Head:  Our long national nightmare is finally over, I have The Max again, and just in time to catch up on this season of The Head.  I was surprised to see the show is being released weekly because the previous two seasons were all at once.  Not only that, The Max usually releases two to three episode at once. 

 

This season is an upgrade from season two.  Maggie is the most interesting character and it is nice having her back in middle of anything instead of just trying to find where Arthur is.  Speaking of Arthur, I have to assume he is not dead, otherwise, why have his flashback?  I am also assuming at this point he is corresponding with Maggie in some mind game.  But is he behind the current timeline?  His daughter has been conspicuously safe so far and I think he gave the playbook of what he would do earlier this season.  As for now, I am going with him, but hoping for a more interesting twist.